Blackjack!

The 21 only ordinance is set to go into effect June 1st- and the drive for signatures to get a referendum to overturn it has already begun. It's interesting how much it lurks beneath the surface of everyday conversations, primarily because unlike the last time, when the City Council was confronted with a mob of students and backed down- (weenies) this time they went all in and passed the thing. 21 only is going to happen. And last night, driving the now infamous Nite Ride Bus, a passenger asked me what I thought of 21 only-- this was my response:

In general, I'm in favor of 21 only. When I was an undergraduate, most underaged people going to bars were already in varying shades of intoxication because they drank before going downtown, so I don't see how a. this is going to lead to some kind of house-party apocalypse or b. how it's a big deal. Underaged people will drink no matter what- but if we can get rid of some of the skankier bars downtown and replace them with I don't know, practical stores people can shop, movie theaters or other entertainment ideas or hell, even just better bars, I think it'll be a good thing. That said- this cannot happen in a vaccuum. Law enforcement needs to be ready June 1st to take on a (potential) shift to more neighborhood patrols and the City Council needs to have an economic strategy to diversify the business base downtown and have something else to bring downtown- other than cleaner, classier bars.

There is, however, a new ridiculous wrinkle to the debate: Provost Wallace Loh wants student athletes on campus to support the new ordinance, saying:

“Nobody among the students has come forward and said, ‘This is the right thing to do,’ ” Loh said during the meeting, which Athletics Director Gary Barta attended. “I wouldn’t expect them to. The vast majority on board are against it.

“My question is — and I don’t know if this is out of line — is there any way of inquiring and encouraging some of our outstanding student-athletes to step up and say, ‘This is the right thing to do.’ ”

Oh, holy shit, people. Really? Are you serious? What sort of a happy go-lucky dream world does the good Provost live in? The Daily Iowan did quote linebacker AJ Edds or wrestler Jay Borschel as being willing to go on the record endorsing the ordinance, but seriously now! People at Iowa love wrestling. They love football.

But they also really, really, really love beer. All respect and props to Borschel and Edds but they shouldn't waste their breath. And Provost Loh is obviously grossly overpaid if he's willing to seriously push this idiocy and expect to get any kind of result at all.