April 12, 2010
by Allison Valenzuela | Photo Editor
Has anyone ever noticed the signs posted around campus that say “No”? No skateboarding, no rollerblading, no posting of literature, no drugs or alcohol. Those violators will be prosecuted. I’m guessing that they are being seen but like everything in people’s lives they are only noticed if it pertains to them personally.
They also seem to go unnoticed by the violators. Next to one of these “No” signs will be posted something for a club or function. What if everyone decided to post flyers about everything? Garage sales.Puppies that need a home. What if every club on campus posted meeting schedules and invitations to join. The campus would be covered with them. In bad weather, they would fly all over the campus, making a bigger mess.
“No” skateboarding is one of the rules posted on these signs. On any one day there are several people cruising across campus on their skateboards heading to class or to the library to study. They weave in and out of the people walking as if they were on an obstacle course. One or two skateboarders cruising through campus doesn’t seem to be too much of a nuisance, but what if everyone had skateboards? Do you think the nuisance factor would increase? I’m pretty sure that there would be a lot more chaos. It would be like driving on the autobahn, everyone weaving in and out, some fast some slow, near misses and I’ll bet a few collisions a day. Not only would the campus travel be hectic, but trying to sit in a classroom with 30 skateboards laying around would be uncomfortable and annoying.
I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade. A few skateboarders and flyer postings are pretty harmless, but if everyone began to disregard the rules, there would be quite a mess on campus. So do we look the other way when we see someone violating the rules and say, “Eeh, it’s just one person?” How long do we do that? Soon it could be “Eh, it’s just 20 people or 40 people or 100 people.” When does it stop?
We all have moral compasses and not all of them point due north and this ranting is in no way meant to point fingers. It is just an observation and my opinion of possible future consequences of the small violations seen around campus.
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