Column - University should sanction official couch burning event

In the months following the now infamous Osama bin Laden Morgantown riot, bans on public fires within city limits have been strictly enforced with heavy fines, and suspensions issued for West Virginia University students. But some are now saying that WVU is losing a unique tradition in its quest for safety of students and protection of property.

The 2011 May Day Morgantown riot was an unexpected event that could have easily spiraled out of control. As chaotic as that night was when bin Laden was killed, it is a miracle that out of the 22 fires set in town no one was seriously injured.

A look back through The Daily Athenaeum archives shows fires ranging from small to complete bonfires that night and early morning. Some at busy public intersections, with one even having fireworks idiotically thrown into it with predictable results.

The city of Morgantown and the University dodged a serious bullet that night, and the heavy-handed approach by the fire department to those caught contributing to the fires was to be expected. All of this goes to show that unplanned, random fires set throughout town are – not surprisingly – a horrible idea no one in their right mind should support.

With that being said though, a group has arisen wishing to keep this tradition alive, but within a much more responsible framework.

In September of this year, a Facebook group entitled "WVU Couch Burning – Save the Tradition by making it a University Event" was created with the express intent of saving this tradition through reform.

The group, which is actually set up as an "event", lists more than 2,000 supporters as of Wednesday. Its creator, TheRubberU Morgantown, cites this as a "petition of awareness to the University."

The main argument within the Facebook group is that the hypothetical University – and fire department-sanctioned couch burning could become a pep rally for before games or as a post-game celebration.

A controlled and officially sanctioned couch burning becoming tradition would be no more controversial or in bad taste than the newly created tradition this year of the Mountaineer Mantrip.

While the Mantrip does honor the brave men and women of the coal mining industry, it could also be easily construed as yet another sign of subservience to an industry many West Virginians have conflicts over its influence of the state.

If anything, a controlled couch burning sanctioned by the city fire department and university would be exactly in that vein, a unique characteristic that, warts and all, is a part of the fabric of our state whether we like it or not.

It would show the rebellious montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free) spirit that defines Appalachia, but within a more modern and safety-conscious framework.

A good parallel would be the former Grant Street Festival. The Grant Street Festival was essentially a giant unofficial block party every Fall that organically grew over time to a peak of 10,000 attendees in 1994. The event was shut down by the city after that year due to a shooting, but was replaced instead with Fall Fest in 1995.

The University and the City of Morgantown considered it a legitimate compromise that kept a link to Morgantown's – and WVU's – past wild side, but changed to fit within a modern framework with respect to liability and crowd control.

A controlled and sanctioned couch burning as a deterrent away from chaos fits this dilemma between honoring the past – while protecting the present and future – perfectly.

According to the Facebook group, the Morgantown Fire Marshall has been contacted and is tentatively supportive of the idea saying "If the students would make a commitment to WVU and the city to reduce the number of illegal fires, (we) would consider doing a sanctioned bonfire event."

Whether it is a student petition, or a Student Government Association-sponsored forum, this fair and reasonable compromise needs to be heard.

If we as a student body fail to act now, we will be losing a unique opportunity to take a blemish on our University and turn it into a unique characteristic that can be safely added into the fabric of our campus' culture.