I apologize for the Daily News.
I can't speak for the editors, adviser or staff, but I can speak for myself. I'm going to take a break from this column's normal subject to discuss another topic.
On the cover of Thursday's < I>72 Hours< I> section, a blurred headline ("Take Me Drunk, I'm Home") pushed the bar a little too far. The < I>Daily News< I> has made mindless, purposeless beer coverage a weekly content staple.
The "pub crawl" that appeared in Thursday's paper fit in well with the alcohol motif that has ran all year. It started on Aug. 28 with "I don't know what you did last weekend," a list of lies freshmen can tell their parents after their first drunken weekend on campus.
Then came the Sept. 4 beer taste test, in which three students each tasted nine beers.
The next week, on Sept. 11, the < I>Daily News< I> published a comprehensive guide to drinking games.
Then, the < I>72 Hours< I> section on Sept. 18 advised where to get a good martini before class.
Drinking features are acceptable once in a while. After all, the party scene is a major part of college culture. An alcohol-induced page every week, however, is uncalled for.
Not every student at Ball State parties every weekend. In fact, many students don't drink at all. Drinking is a big part of the Muncie night life, but it's not the only part.
The < I>Daily News< I>, however, has projected an image indicating otherwise. The paper has not mentioned other events (i.e. Quad Bash or Late Nite) that weren't centered around alcohol.
People wonder why Ball State students aren't involved in the community or haven't traveled downtown. Maybe it's because the newspaper that helps dictate students' perceptions of Muncie never looks beyond the Village.
The < I>Daily News< I> also seems to ignore the fact that, according to the registrar's office, 48 percent of Ball State's students are under the legal drinking age. Instead of telling freshmen how they can produce an alibi, maybe the campus paper should state what events are available to people who don't wish to get plastered.
Last year, the black community at Ball State implemented a well-organized protest when it felt the paper didn't include enough diversity. Well, the lack of diversity is happening again, only this time it's not racial.
I've heard many complaints about the paper's content because I write for -- and, in a sense, represent -- the < I>Daily News< I>. As a columnist, though, I have very little weight to throw around.
The < I>Daily News< I> exists for the readers. If you don't like the content in the paper, write to the editor. The Forum policy is at the bottom of this page. Your letter doesn't have to be eloquent or long; it just has to say something.
Write soon before this newspaper turns into a tabloid.
Wright to Jay at jdkenworthy@bsu.edu
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