Having at least temporarily slain its first dragon in the form of weekend drink specials, UW’s new PACE posse now appears out to tackle what it certainly views as an even more pervasive threat to a thoroughly sober and decorous student body: house parties.

Tonight, the organization formerly known as the Robert Wood Johnson Project will kick off its new campaign with a forum designed to “educate students on means by which they can host safe house parties.” While such an effort may seem productive on the surface, students should be wary of the subject matter broached at tonight’s meeting.

In a UW press release on the matter, the PACE coalition immediately attempts to guard its flank by claiming it “isn’t interested in shutting parties down, but instead, preventing the negative consequences of high-risk drinking, such as sexual assault, violence and property damage.” But it follows it by questioning its own role in education, policy and enforcement.

Enforcement?

That’s what they called Operation Sting. This Madison police initiative of the late ’90s cracked down on house parties by sweeping through neighborhoods, busting parties and fining all underagers and hosts. UW and city police focused all their efforts on “Sting,” got results and completely alienated students.

Hasn’t UW learned from its mistakes?

We applaud any efforts by any campus group to investigate means by which students can more effectively host house parties that comply with the laws of the city of Madison and the laws of common sense. However, PACE’s original intent in drink specials, which it claimed was initially an effort only to “find ways to limit high-risk drinking in bars,” ultimately canned weekend drink specials.

It is absolutely necessary that students show a united front and a single voice in defense of their right to host house parties free from further entangling regulation. Anyone and everyone with an opinion, a rant or a house with a basement big enough to hold two kegs and 50 freshmen, should show up at Tripp Commons in Memorial Union from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight to join in that effort.