Spring Break
Thank you, Mr. Policeman
Issue date: 10/16/03 Section: Editorial/Opinion
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10/16/03 - To the Cigar,
I would like to offer the following suggestions to anyone who felt uncomfortable by the police presence on campus during the most recent baseball game.
First note this was not a "Protest against sending troops into Cambodia at Kent State." This was a game. The law enforcement presence was not the National Guard sent in response to our burning the Army ROTC headquarters on campus. The officers were there because the greatest injuries during these riots were injuries to students inflicted by other students. These injuries include physical injuries, injuries to the students' property and injuries to the students' credibility and image. Don't think the image matters? Fine, but we better not forget that the next time our efforts at social activism are completely ignored, and they will be.
I suggest that the administration was unsure how to handle the next riot, because they are unwilling to subject the student body to an unbridled display of force. They are unwilling to read the Riot Act and brandish bayonets. They can only watch as the students destroy their own property, and try to intervene on behalf of the students to prevent any more physical injury to the students.
Do we all think that all police are fascists not to be trusted? This is a horribly misguided sentiment, considering the safety most of them wish to provide for us. A few bad examples the media prefers to sensationalize is a poor reason not to appreciate the vast majority of officers that truly have all of our best interests in mind. We can only hope that we are not judged on our own scale. We can only expect that we will be.
I close by suggesting that we walk up and talk to these officers, and even thank them for their efforts.
Richard W. Gilbert
Graduate Assistant
Dept. of Ocean Engineering
I would like to offer the following suggestions to anyone who felt uncomfortable by the police presence on campus during the most recent baseball game.
First note this was not a "Protest against sending troops into Cambodia at Kent State." This was a game. The law enforcement presence was not the National Guard sent in response to our burning the Army ROTC headquarters on campus. The officers were there because the greatest injuries during these riots were injuries to students inflicted by other students. These injuries include physical injuries, injuries to the students' property and injuries to the students' credibility and image. Don't think the image matters? Fine, but we better not forget that the next time our efforts at social activism are completely ignored, and they will be.
I suggest that the administration was unsure how to handle the next riot, because they are unwilling to subject the student body to an unbridled display of force. They are unwilling to read the Riot Act and brandish bayonets. They can only watch as the students destroy their own property, and try to intervene on behalf of the students to prevent any more physical injury to the students.
Do we all think that all police are fascists not to be trusted? This is a horribly misguided sentiment, considering the safety most of them wish to provide for us. A few bad examples the media prefers to sensationalize is a poor reason not to appreciate the vast majority of officers that truly have all of our best interests in mind. We can only hope that we are not judged on our own scale. We can only expect that we will be.
I close by suggesting that we walk up and talk to these officers, and even thank them for their efforts.
Richard W. Gilbert
Graduate Assistant
Dept. of Ocean Engineering
