[Vision2020] One more song before I go

[Joan Opyr]

It occurs to me that we (myself included) need a little clarification 
here.

1. Diane Baumgart and Don Huskey are not the same person.  My 
father-in-law looks quite handsome in a dress uniform; he's not so hot 
in a dress.

2. Diane Baumgart's petition is against boarding houses, period.  I 
don't believe she makes mention of the religious affiliations of the 
boarding house owners.  I don't know that she knows them; I don't know 
her.  It is my understanding that her list is based upon her own 
observations and the observations of her fellow signatories.  Christ 
Church has no call to jump on her unless they are absolutely certain 
that they are the sole offenders or comprise the bulk thereof, in which 
case I would ask, "What's up?  Is this a tacit admission of guilt?"

3. Don Huskey's boarding house complaint was gleaned from a list of 
signatories to a letter that an NSA student presented to City Council 
last fall.  Remember that letter?  It was written in a support of NSA's 
continued occupancy of the Skattaboe Building in the Central Business 
Districty.  Quite a few signatories later withdrew their names as they 
felt that the content and purpose of the letter had been 
misrepresented.  Anyhow, the NSA student signatories identified 
themselves as such and gave their Moscow addresses.  Some addresses 
were repeated over and over again.  If you were to take a phonebook and 
a platt map, you, too, might come up with a list of the actual 
homeowners and conclude that they were running multi-student boarding 
houses.  Winnow that list down to those who live within the Moscow city 
limits and in a zone that prohibits multiple boarders, and, presto 
change-o, you have a boarding house complaint.

4. Let's keep in mind the fact that there is a LEGAL way to operate a 
boarding house.  You may have one boarder in zone R-1 if you apply for 
a conditional use permit.  Why would you not do this?  It's easy.  It's 
above board.  It keeps you out of trouble with the city and your 
neighbors.  Students have nice family housing, no one is hurt, and a 
little extra income flows into the family coffers.  Yay!  So do it.  
Obey the law.  Keep a boarder -- uno, one, a single individual.  There 
are 140 NSA students and 200-some Christ Church families.  Why are only 
20 families running boarding houses?  Spread the wealth!

And, no, I don't care if Christ Church members make a little extra cash 
each month.  Why should I?  If it's all straightforward and legal, then 
what I say is take that extra $375 and have yourself a blast.  Buy an 
extra bag of oranges or subscribe to DirecTV.  Get a skateboard.  Start 
a blog.  Feed your dog Iams.  Prepare yourself for gas prices to hit 3 
bucks a gallon.  They will, you know.  And soon, too.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com