Paralyzed Woman Needs To Take Personal Responsibility
Rejena Coghlan sits in a wheelchair today because she chose to go to two University of Idaho fraternity parties two years ago. And because she drank too much. And because she fell out of a sorority house window after friends had put her to bed. She needs to take responsibility for her own actions. Instead, she has shirked blame by filing a lawsuit against the university, the state Board of Education and several Greek organizations. Complains the suit: “The university was expected to provide a reasonably safe education in a reasonably safe environment for paying students such as Coghlan.” Coghlan was in as safe an environment as possible after attending a “Jack Daniels birthday” party and a “50 Ways to Lose Your Liver” party - bed. Colleges, I suppose, could assign a 24-hour baby sitter to each student. But that probably would drive up tuition costs. And the young adults who take responsibility for their actions probably wouldn’t like it.
Treasurer: Do as I say, not as I do
Shoshone County Treasurer Tamara House also is playing the blame game. She’s blaming her ex-husband for forcing her to declare bankruptcy - for the second time. House, who collects and invests Shoshone County’s money, says her ex failed to provide financial support for her and her grown children. But he says his ex-wife got herself in financial trouble by living high on the hog “because of her stature in the community.” In fact, the treasurer still owes her ex-husband $6,291 from the sale of their home. House received good marks for her work from the county’s independent auditor, but how much confidence can a county have in a treasurer who can’t balance her own checkbook? Hide the red felt-tips.
Ex-lawman won’t embarrass Clegg again
Tom Dickson has done Kootenai County a favor by announcing his candidacy for sheriff. The ex-sheriff’s captain’s challenge in next year’s Republican primary election ensures that popular Sheriff Pierce Clegg will seek a third term. Clegg fired Dickson in March 1994 (for undisclosed reasons) and won’t risk relinquishing his department to him by stepping aside. Clegg has restored public confidence in the Kootenai County sheriff’s office after scandal chased predecessor Merf Stalder from office. In fact, one of Clegg’s few embarrassments since taking office involved Dickson. In May 1989, Dickson caused a hubbub after he was caught masquerading as a reporter for a Montana newspaper (The Missoulian) at a Seattle human rights gathering. There’s little chance Dickson will embarrass Clegg again.
, DataTimes MEMO: “Hot Potatoes” is a regular feature of the Tuesday and Thursday Opinion pages in the Idaho edition of The Spokesman-Review.