Riots should receive support, praise

Every letter to the editor I have read on the Purdue riot has been negative. I think it is about time someone supports the actions of the rioters and write a letter to the editor from the opposite point-of-view that has been buried.

Personally, I thought the riot held after Purdue’s championship was great. President Jischke was quoted in the Exponent as wanting to know "why students did this." The answer is simple, students participated in the riot because it was fun! I relate the Purdue riot to the "Running of the Bulls" in Spain. It’s a bit dangerous, it destroys property, but the fact still remains that it’s fun. Participating in the Purdue riot made one feel like a rebel, above the law, powerful and social. What’s more fun than going around with a few thousand of your schoolmates yelling and running from cops shooting tear gas at you? And you can’t tell me the cops didn’t enjoy dressing up in riot gear and shooting those cool teargas guns. However, I do admit that destroying any form of property and starting fires near electrical wires is stupid and should not be done.

Another thing that perturbs me is the exaggerating seriousness of this incident. It’s being treated like a massacre had occurred on campus. In addition, I keep hearing how high the costs of damage are. Seventy thousand dollars is nothing to Purdue. Two out-of-state students could pay that with their tuition. Secondly, most of that money comes from the damage to the Mercedes, which insurance will have to pay, not Purdue.

In closing, I suggest Purdue allow the students to hold an annual non-violent riot. Make it a Purdue tradition. Students run around campus screaming for a night, cops chase and shoot at us, everybody has a good time. Compromising is the key.

Brent Robbins

Sophomore, Schools of Engineering

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