To all the participants and “innocent bystanders” of the recent Chittenden event I say this: You should all be very proud. When parents refuse to allow young children to visit their older siblings at college for fear of their safety, you can be proud of your part in that. You are the one feared; the one keeping a child from their brother or sister.
When funds are refused for higher education, and we continue to face cutbacks and tuition hikes, you can be proud of your part in that.
Be proud of the way you’ve discredited all of our voices. As Officer Suzanne Curmode suffers through the recovery of her broken jaw, you can be proud of your part in that. You can consider yourself an accomplice to her injury, as well as the injuries to 11 other police officers.
As students who already have difficulty making ends meet struggle to work more hours or turn to their parents to pay for damage to their homes and cars, you can be proud of your part in that. Because of your actions, a family’s finances will be considerably tighter this year.
When students protest the legal drinking age, and are laughed at or ignored, you can be proud of your part in that. You’ve helped prove that even those of legal age cannot act responsibly with a beer in their hand. If you hear of a crime successfully committed in Columbus last night, you can be proud of your part in that. The police were so occupied baby-sitting you that the rest of city went with less protection.
As students are suspended and expelled, as OSU’s reputation continues to decline, as students are seen as less responsible and mature, as administration begins to ignore our opinions as a result … be proud of your part in that.
You, individually, have affected the university. Across the nation, law enforcement and protection agencies are being honored for their service to the public in times of crisis. At Ohio State, we’ve chosen to honor them with cussing, gestures, harassment, flung bottles, and bodily injury. We should all be very proud.
Amelia M. Stephenjunior Spanish
