Raucous nature of fans

For more than 40 years, I have been attending athletic events at this university. In particular, I have been a staunch supporter of the football and basketball programs. To my dismay, I have watched and listened to the student section at these events take on crude chants and disrespectful jeers directed at players and coaches who are up against the Terrapins. Along with my wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, I have become increasingly uneasy, angry and embarrassed by these verbal assaults on the opposing teams.

During a recent game, students booed when there was an announcement from the ACC to show respect for each player in a competitive atmosphere. When the basketball players met and shook hands at mid-court, students vociferously expressed their negative sentiments from the stands. As usual, not soon afterwards the students began to direct their “you suck” chant toward the opposing team. But a vulgar comment directed at the North Carolina team during the national anthem reached a new low. Thankfully, the student was escorted from the game. Hopefully the university will take appropriate action and never allow the student to return to an athletic event.

It is time students begin to consider creative — rather than crude — ways to express themselves at athletic events. Until that happens, they will continue to be an embarrassment to the university and the ACC.

JIM DE GEORGE

ALUMNUS ‘68

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL

PROJECTS

Cutting a forest

For those who commute to this university via New Hampshire Avenue and Adelphi Road, the pretty forest you pass at the corner of Riggs Road and Adelphi Road may soon be completely cut down. A North Carolina developer — Zimmer Development Company — has plans to destroy it, and unbelievably, the Prince George’s County Planning Board seems ready to go along with the plan.

The property is covered with huge trees and is the last remaining unspoiled patch in already overbuilt Adelphi. It is an odd, triangular shaped lot with a stream running through it. The developer plans to cut down the entire forest and put up a parking lot with a CVS plopped in the middle — right across the street from an existing Rite Aid.

I’m no tree-hugger, but this corner is already a traffic nightmare; a high volume, fast turnover retail business is the worst decision for this spot. Had the developer made a decent proposal — perhaps an office building with parking underneath and an entrance on one side and exit on the other (thus saving 50 percent of the trees) — it might be acceptable. But to cut down all the trees for an unneeded and unwanted additional drugstore seems insane, particularly since the county has been touting its motto of being “clean and green.”

There will be a hearing on this matter Feb. 9 at 8:30 a.m. at the Prince George’s County Administrative Building in Upper Marlboro. I believe the members of the zoning board should be held accountable if they let this travesty take place — and I have to question the competence of the county planner coordinator, Ruth Grover, who signed off on this project.

Time is running out, and I hope the university community will try to do something to prevent this tragedy. Citizen groups have appeared at every hearing to oppose the action, while the proponents have only been represented by a lone, well-paid lawyer. Even the tax revenues will largely benefit North Carolina, yet the planning board has moved the process along. Would the Zimmer Development Company have pursued this project if it were located in its own neighborhood?

ROBERT JENNER

ALUMNUS ‘95