I think the incidents that took place at this year’s Homecoming parade were despicable, and I think actions being undertaken to deal with the problems are not much better.

I’m sure we all know this is not the first time such an incident has taken place. As a two-year member of the Panther Marching Band, I know such incidents have taken place during the parade, although I personally was never pelted with cigarettes, beer cans or other items.

Friends who had been the the band longer than me remarked one year that they didn’t get as much stuff thrown at them during the parade. It seems to be more of a joke than a problem.

That being said, I’m glad someone finally brought the incidents up to Eastern. However, actions and solutions could be more plentiful.

The Student Government is trying to work on the problem, by establishing a subcommittee of the External Relations Committee to tackle the issue. But it seems that is all they have done. A month and a half after the incident was reported, nothing has been accomplished.

All information about actions being taken seems to focus on the likelihood that those involved will not agree on the actions.

Well, gee, on a campus of 11,000 students, do you really think you can get everyone to agree? If you have more than one person on a committee, there’s a very strong possibility people will not agree. That doesn’t mean you give up. You compromise and come to a solution everyone can live with.

Individuals involved in studying this problem have said people would be unwilling to accept changes to the parade because its their time to have fun.

An apparently unspoken rule is that Homecoming is the students’ time to have fun and act like idiots.

Sure, Homecoming is a time for fun and celebration. I consumed some alcohol as part of the festivities, but I did not become one of those people who cause trouble. How is that fun?

And I really don’t understand the reasons for drinking Homecoming weekend away, but that’s a topic for another day.

The only action taken, if you consider it action, has been a letter drafted by the Student Government to send to the schools that were harassed. However, the letter doesn’t do anything when it remains on the Student Senate’s table until further solutions are determined. And my guess is it will be awhile before those solutions have been found.

Why not send the letter out right now, so it appears something has been accomplished?

It seems to me that people are trying to appear to be working on the problem, while really doing nothing. I’ve heard a lot of talk, but I haven’t seen much action.

Western Illinois University has enacted several effective security measures for its parade. Several viable ideas have been brought up for Eastern, but the threat of disagreement seems to be hindering progress.

I personally think the solution is not that difficult. Lay down some rules, and, like it or not, students will have to follow them. Is it really that hard? That would the easiest solution. Why do you even need a committee to look into the issue?

Then again, measures and rules already in place have obviously not been effective.

Apparently the orange construction barricades put up in front of houses along the parade route and police officers on patrol do not do the job adequately.

Perhaps students holding themselves responsible for their behavior is the answer.