I'm going to try an experiment.
I'm going to get into an argument with my girlfriend and punctuate our disagreement by physically assaulting her. Whether I slap her or punch her or knock her to the ground or choke her is unimportant; I am going to hurt her.
At some point, the authorities will be notified, by her, a friend or a bystander witness to my act of unprovoked violence, and a criminal complaint will be filed. I will be contacted by the police and questioned, as will the victim of my rage. Eventually, the police will place me under arrest and charge me with the crime.
I will be taken into police custody while both my lawyer and The Daily Cardinal are notified of my arrest. As per the Wisconsin Student-Columnist Discipline Policy, I will be immediately suspended from the paper and indefinitely stripped of my column.
I will then have to decide whether to appeal my suspension. If I choose to appeal, a committee will review the details of the incident and determine whether suspension is appropriate.
Of course, I will appeal my suspension and my lawyer will vehemently deny the assault allegations. At my initial court hearing, I will plead not guilty, and my official court date will be set for two or three months in the future, while the appeal to my suspension will be reviewed and ultimately granted. I will be reinstated by The Daily Cardinal, my column will be restored and I will continue writing.
Does this sound familiar?
Of course, this is a hypothetical situation. In real life, if I assaulted my girlfriend (or anyone else for that matter) there would be no special treatment or appeals committee for me. I would be arrested, charged with the assault and eventually sentenced for my crime. Losing my column would not even be an issue-writing for the newspaper would be the least of my concerns, along with going to class and living a
ormal"" college life. If I committed such a crime on school property, say in a dorm or in a lecture hall, I would most likely be expelled.
I must make two things abundantly clear. Firstly, this column is not meant to be funny or sarcastic in any way. Many of my columns are humorous and look to the bright side of most issues. There is no bright side to this issue, and there is certainly nothing comical about it. Secondly, this is not a condemnation of any specific persons in any way. This is a condemnation of a recurring disease on this campus as well as campuses across our nation. There has been a frightening influx of assaults and allegations and, unfortunately, involve athletic programs at our university, in Colorado and at many other schools.
I am neither a judge nor jury. I believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Yet at the same time, I am not blind and I can see a dangerous problem when it presents itself... and this problem is wearing bells.
Athletic Department, please make it stop. Athletes, please make it stop. Faculty and fellow students, please make it stop.
None of us has the power to assault or abuse another person. But we all have the power to end this disgusting plague.
It has to end now.
