The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's newest enterprise, intended to crackdown on underage drinking, is teaching law enforcement officials "party dispersal tactics." Referring to the underage drinkers at a busted party, State College Police Sgt. Dana Leonard said, "They jump out of windows, run into traffic. We don't want that." Sometimes they even get away!

Drinking is big business to the State College police. Every time an officer writes an underage drinking citation, the borough earns $300. A driving under the influence (DUI) will now earn the borough at least $4,000. In 2004, State College has already prosecuted 121 DUIs, 81 Liquor Law violations (underage drinking and furnishing alcohol to minors) and 21 counts of public drunkenness. In one quarter of the year, State College police roughly have turned at least a $510,400 gross profit, and this doesn't even include parking tickets. Underage drinking isn't a problem to the police forces -- it's a cash cow. "Party dispersal tactics" will ensure an increase in underage drinking revenue while concealing its true intent beneath a fictitious veil of increased public safety.

I am fed up with this abuse of power, and I urge all the adults at Penn State who happen to be under the age of 21 to sit down and have a beer in protest.