Ryan ChartrandThe first article I read in Thursday’s paper told the tragic story of Carson Starkey’s death, attributed to alcohol poisoning. I believe it is very important that stories such as Carson’s be well distributed so that others may avoid his fate. For that I was glad to see this article featured on the front page.
However, upon reading further through the paper, I came across another article regarding the release of a new album, Titus Andronicus. This article, on three separate occasions, praised alcohol for its ability to relieve us of our inhibitions. At one point the author even wrote we ought to “shoot down a fifth of vodka,” a prospect which could easily lead to the kind of alcohol poisoning which took Carson’s life.
I question whether it is wise to publish articles which glorify alcohol in a paper which is widely read by students who are not only underage but also relatively unaware of the potential dangers of alcohol. For many, college is the first environment offering consistent, unrestricted, and unsupervised access to alcohol, a dangerous combination for those not aware of their limits.
I do not believe that alcohol is some evil or malicious substance but I do think caution ought to be taken, particularly by those who have had few encounters with drinking before entering college. The article concerning Titus Andronicus encourages us to disregard any such caution and let heavy drinking solve our problems.
Ian Kennedy
biomedical engineering senior