Michael P. Wright
Norman, Oklahoma USA
August 2002

MEMO TO: Norman City Council
FROM: Mike Wright
DATE: August 30, 2002
SUBJECT: Boren's Defiant Posture Against City

Boren Thinks He's Above the Law

When I was taking introductory logic, one of the "informal fallacies" discussed in class was called "setting up a straw man." This means attributing to one's opponent in an argument a position he didn't take, and then proceeding to attack it.

In his response to the most welcome announcement by Norman Police that they intend to step up enforcement of the city's noise control ordinance, Boren pretended that the intent of the city was somehow to obstruct the sacred OU football games and the marching bands. Then he arrogantly denounced the noise ordinance as "silly." This is intolerable behavior by OU's politician-president. He is acting like he is above the law, and I strongly encourage the city to demonstrate to Mr. Boren that he is wrong.

The Oklahoma Daily of August 29 announces that stricter enforcement of the noise control ordinance by Norman and OU police will begin Tuesday. The article says:

Norman police Lt. Glenn Dobry said not only are loud stereos and exhaust pipes a violation of the ordinance, but OU football games, marching bands, "Boomer Sooner" horns, loud vehicle engines and pipes and other loud public and private events are as well. "We won't be writing citations (for the games)," Dobry said. "But technically, they are in violation. The ordinance doesn't make any exceptions."

Then the Daily quotes Boren as follows:

OU President David L. Boren said that even if the city intended to enforce the ordinance, conduct changes would not be made at football games. He said the ordinance doesn't make much sense. "That is the silliest thing I have ever heard of," he said. "We are not going to ask our band to stop practicing, and we're not going to stop having football games."

There is nothing in the Norman Police Lieutenant's statement which suggests that the city desires to shut down the football games and marching bands. By seizing on this and pretending it is the real issue, Boren is the silly one. But he's worse than silly. He's defiant and acting as though he and the hordes of rude football fans are above the law.

OU doesn't need loud "oogah" horns, boom car stereos, streets full of car horns playing "Boomer Sooner" and other obnoxious noise from fans in order to have the games. Further, the powerful stadium sound system, which can be heard for a mile, is inexcusable. No one needs to hear the game announcer except those who want to -- the fans in the stadium.

Daily Follows Cues from Leader Boren

The following day the Daily followed the cues from Leader Boren and denounced the city's announcement with the editorial headline "Noise enforcement policy waste of time and effort." The newspaper was also guilty of the straw man fallacy by adopting the pretense that police were going to ticket motorists simply for the fact that their engines can be heard by neighbors. This is patently absurd and demostrates their ignorance of the noise control ordinance, which prohibits noise from stereos and other entertainment devices from being heard beyond the property line.

The Daily , seemingly trying to prove that they can be more immature than Boren, suggested that incivility was a better way to handle noise problems:

"...noise pollution should be handled in the traditional manner. Neighbors should scream, complain, and call the police."

A Question for Boren

Boren has tolerated boom cars on the OU campus ever since he became president. In 1997 I approached the Regents' secretary and asked for an agenda item and opportunity to speak on the noise problem. They denied my request. I have also approached the campus judicial officer Suzette Dyer about it, and she was indifferent.

I think it would be appropriate to ask David Boren whether he intends to enforce the law against boom cars on the OU campus. The student code plainly states that students are required to obey all state, federal, and local laws.

City Has Authority in Student Union Building

I take this occasion to remind you that the city annexed the OU student union building and the section of Asp providing access to it in the 60s. You have the authority there to enforce the noise ordinance, and I encourage you to do so.

It has been sad for me to see the once quiet and dignified building turned into a loud entertainment center during the Boren years. Students who like to use that building for study are continually encumbered now by rock bands, loud sounds blasting from the six televisions in the Crossroads lounge, and the obnoxious noise from the cable TV booth. The Boren administration frequently sponsors outdoor rock bands on the front lawn of the Union and on the top floor of the parking garage, and the noise can be heard in the homes of the nearby residential areas.

One of the worse offenders is the weekly meeting of the "Heartland Church," which rents Meacham Auditorium for loud "services" on Sunday morning. The thumping, booming bass from their noise-making program can be heard, and even felt, in the Crossroad restaurant beneath them. This nuisance has been there since the summer of 2001.

Neither the OU "educators" nor the "Christian leaders" appear to care about the problem of noise-induced hearing loss, which, as audiologists have known for decades, is a predictable consequence of high-decibel entertainment sources [1,2,3]. Even more deplorable is the fact that parents seeking salvation in the afterlife are ignorant of the risk of hearing loss they inflict on their own small children whom they bring to these weekly indoor tent meetings.

In a September 2000 letter published by The Norman Transcript, retired OU Professor Richard Wells wrote that he hated to see the gradual shifting of OU's priorities away from its educational mission toward entertainment.[4] He was calling attention to a serious problem.

Support for Unmarked Cars

On several occasions over the years I have told Norman's police officers that they are free to use my driveway, not far from the noisy intersection of Brooks and Classen, if they want to park there and take advantage of the many opportunities for writing noise citations. I repeat that offer at this time, and I would like to say that I believe the use of unmarked cars against noise offenders is a good idea.

Return to Introductory Material

References

1. Ralph Rupp, et al., "Hard Rock Music and Hearing Damage Risk," Sound and Vibration 8, No. 1 (January 1974), pp. 24-26.

2. "Noise and Hearing Loss," Journal of the American Medical Association 263, No. 23 (June 20, 1990), p. 3185.

3. Environmental Protection Agency, Noise: A Health Problem (August 1978)

4. Richard Wells, "OU's Decision on Medicine Obscene and Irresponsible," [letter] The Norman Transcript, September 17, 2000.