The Beastie Boys once said, "You've got to fight for your right to party!"
But Tempe residents also have the right to fight for their peace and quiet. Bravo to the residents of Tempe who are in favor of tightening the reins of out-of-control, loud and irresponsible partygoers.
On Friday, reported that the proposed "party" ordinance went before Tempe City Council last week. The ordinance stipulates that a warning for partying - and the fine entailed - would be valid for 90 days after the citation, thus rendering your pad partyless for the rest of the semester.
Boohoo. If you have the need to be loud and rude to your neighbors every time you have a party, then you need to enroll yourself in charm school and get some manners. And if you're partying that much and attending your classes with a hangover (if you even attend class), then you're wasting your parents' money, if not your own.
Anthropology junior Lori Flint lives near campus but chose to make her home in a gated community because she knew what could happen if she didn't.
"I value my personal time and my personal space," she said, adding that she would not want to live anywhere else other than a gated community because it would be like "living in a bar and trying to study."
"I think part of taking pride in being a student at ASU means taking that pride off campus and showing you're a responsible citizen wherever you are," Flint said.
She also said that if it passes, part of being a responsible citizen should include paying fines for failure to control their guests.
I don't think homeowners are complaining about these parties just to spite those who happen to attend ASU.
The party problem is clearly large enough to make Tempe residents seek the assistance of local police to curb partygoers and their habits.
Because I do not live in Tempe, I cannot comment on any personal experiences with loud parties or people. But as a homeowner, I only can empathize with them and applaud them for getting one step closer to having stricter rules that regulate parties.
Regulate parties. That's it. That's all that neighbors are asking for: regulate parties, not ban parties completely.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not against parties. Living in the beautiful desert climate gives students the seasonal extension of having a cerveza at a time when other students around the nation most likely are drinking hot chocolate. But when you're partying and acting like a child with ADD on booze, you're asking for trouble.
I used to live in an apartment complex near campus and had to put up with loud people coming home from late-night partying. I had the pleasure to wake up to "like-talk" à la Dawson's Creek sagas.
You know how the conversations go:
"Oh my god, she was, like, all mad at him, and her friend was like, 'Why is she still with him?' and I was like..."
I now relish the silence of my home and the respectful neighbors I have. As a homeowner who pays all sorts of taxes for the privilege of owning a home, I expect the local police to help me out if I need assistance with certain issues, such as a loud party.
Flint took the karma approach to the situation. She said that while most students will leave the area after graduation, some students will stay. "And when they themselves are the homeowners," she said, "they need to remember what it's going to be like 10 years from now when they're the people calling about the loud party next door."
If you're going to party, then be a responsible partier. If you're going to be a wannabe Jeff Spicoli, then keep on living in your parents' home and let the Tempe residents get some sleep.
Evonne S. Avalos is a journalism senior. Reach her at evonne.avalos@asu.edu.
