It seems, as of late, that the Ames City Council has enacted a new, unwritten policy. Their actions have me wondering if their ultimate goal is to drive the entire student body from the city of Ames. In fact, I am currently in search of the secret lair where the council meets, draws these plans up and completely ignores the interests of ISU students.

As we’ve all read, the council’s latest ponderings involve the ban of certain drink specials from Ames bars. Many specials are under consideration to be outlawed: “Ladies’ Night,” penny-pitchers, 3-fers, 2-fers and the list goes on. “Any coin for any well drink” specials are on the way out, apparently because a recent study associated alcoholism with carrying change in one’s pocket.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next thing to go is the infamous “1-fer,” a drink special where one drink is bought for the price of one.

Now, the council’s goal in this legislation is not malicious. No one in Ames wants someone to drink to the point where they might die. However, the logic which they use to accomplish their goal is severely irrational.

Consider a suicidal man who wields a loaded gun. In barring these drink specials, the council is simply giving this man smaller bullets.

Is the gun less dangerous? Yes. But have they saved this man’s life? No.

I applaud the council for their concern for students’ well-being, but until they create a logical solution to this problem, this law will have the same effects as the recent housing enforcements: making Ames an undesirable place to live for about half of the city’s population.

I encourage the council to imagine Ames without Iowa State University and its students, and to please make decisions which reflect everyone’s best interests.

Chris Zach

Junior

Mechanical Engineering