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Friday, 4/6/2001
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Friday, 4/6/2001
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 Police should not target spectatorsPornography isn't the only way the Internet is being misused these days. Thursday, the Purdue Police put up their own brand of indecent pictures meant to arouse the community. These pictures are from the demonstrations celebrating the Purdue basketball team's loss Sunday. About 100 individuals are marked in a series of video stills recorded by police on the scene. These 100 are believed to have caused the vandalism and destruction that night. One hundred, you might notice, is slightly more than the "few dozen" the police originally said were responsible for the vandalism. This means that the police are also targeting spectators. This means that if you or any of your friends were among the as many as 2,000 revelers Sunday night, you could face charges from the Dean of Students Office and the Prosecutor's office. The police plan to post pictures taken by individuals to the site as well. How these individuals took pictures of the crowds without being part of the crowds (and thus subject to the same charges as those depicted) is still unknown. The plan is motivated by a similar plan put into effect at the University of Maryland and Penn State University, two other schools with widespread destructive celebrations similar to our own. In two years of demonstrations at Penn State, 36 of the 38 students accused of being involved were "expelled, suspended or chose to leave school early." Notice that the charges were brought against students after each riot. This shows that the threat of prosecution isn't as much a deterrent as we'd like to believe. Especially considering that these schools' "demonstrations" topped off at nearly 4,000 students, twice as many as the largest swell of Purdue celebrations. Not only did the demonstrations not stop the next year, they also grew. If these pictures were being used to punish the pyromaniacs and vandals, that would be a different story. But these pictures are being used to wrangle in anyone and everyone who was out that night. When Purdue wins a basketball game the team gets attention, not the fans at the sidelines. Though some fans try to steal the spotlight in malicious destruction, those on the sidelines shouldn't be the focus. Editorial Board: Keith Thomas, Tom McHenry, Melissa Davis and Laura Pelner. |
PSG damages its credibility with repeal
Police should not target spectators
Trash doesn't biodegrade faster on Purdue campus University should donate old computers, programs Basketball excites crowd with scoring People could abuse hate crime laws Advertisements don't belong on Hello Walk plaques Troubled students should get help Behavior disappoints Purdue alumna People should respect gay activists Fans shouldn't focus on NASCAR driver's death
OPINIONS DESK PHONE: Opinions editor:
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