Petition makes valuable point
I, Publius
By Alan Chartock
Saturday, August 27, 2005


Former Police Officer and Selectman John "Bootsy" Beckwith is circulating a petition in support of District Attorney David F. Capeless. Capeless, of course, is enforcing the law in what has come to be known as the Great Barrington parking lot controversy.
A group of teens and a few post-teens were rounded up when an undercover police officer allegedly bought drugs from several of the young people. A mandatory sentencing law applies to anyone who is convicted of selling drugs around schools, and virtually all of Great Barrington is covered under the law. Some people think that the punishment is too severe and that it will ruin lives.



Bootsy has a point, one that has been made in this column many times. Everyone, regardless of color
or ethnic group, should be treated equally under the law. There is no reason why a black teen, for example, should go to prison while a white middle-class kid receives a far lighter sentence.

Beckwith is right that those who allegedly engaged in the sale of drugs ought to be treated equally. The Great Barrington parking lot is a much better and happier place these days. Once the alleged criminal activity ceased, so did a lot of the other disorderly behavior that went on there. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani proved the point in New York City.

When he prosecuted minor crimes, the number of major crimes, up to and including homicides, took a nose dive. The crime-challenged city of Pittsfield ought to pay attention to this kind of approach. I am sure that D.A. Capeless understands this, considering the rash of serious crimes occurring in the very city where he has his office. Selling marijuana, as wrong as that may be, is nothing compared with, let's say, murder.

In the meantime, one of the prosecutions coming from the parking lot roundup led to a hung jury that some folks think was a case of jury nullification concerning the mandatory sentencing law. State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli courageously announced that he would offer a bill allowing judges some leeway in handing down sentences. After all, the whole point here is that the D.A. is doing his job and the fault lies not with him, but with the law and the Legislature that passed it.

In the meantime, it's a pleasure to see the increased police presence on the streets of Great Barrington. It's about time. More cops on the beat will deliver the message that this small town is unwilling to have economy-generating tourists and town residents hassled.



Americans love "best of" lists. U.S. News & World Report recently came out with its annual college rankings. Williams was ranked No. 1. But then Washington Monthly ranked them 14th. Don't you just love this nonsense? I am reminded of the "best of" features that virtually every magazine and newspaper puts out. Either it's a bunch of editors sitting around getting their jollies by making up lists of their favorites restaurants or it's a self-selecting group of people who literally stuff the ballot boxes to win. Usually, it's pretty simple — a bunch of people get the forms and vote for their own businesses. Since most people don't vote, a small number of ballots can usually carry the day.

In a different recent college survey, SUNY at Albany, where I taught for many years, lost its prestigious "best party school" ranking to the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I can't tell you how I resent this. For many years, I taught at New Paltz College of the State University of New York, and it ranked near the top of party schools. In fact, it seems that wherever I go, the place becomes the party school capital of the world. Interestingly, a year after I retired from SUNY, Albany, it lost its No. 1 ranking in that essential category. Some of you may see a correlation here, but I deny that one exists. I have never even lifted a glass of beer, much less inhaled.

Because many of these surveys are the result of e-mail questionnaires, it is interesting that some students appear to want to have their institution listed as the best party school. Come on, does anyone really believe that Williams, Harvard or Princeton students don't party just as well as everyone else? Of course, how would you like to be a college president and see your school at the top of the party school list?

The real problem is that, when high school seniors see "best party school," some of them will be attracted even if it isn't deserved. Then you've really got problems.



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- posted by Sarah @ 8/29/2005 07:23:00 AM