Don’t blame the police
I agree that the university and the surrounding College Park area do have a serious crime problem. However, I find it appalling that Cyrus Hadadi put a majority of the blame on our police department. This past Saturday night I went on a police ride-along to learn from the department and see the university from a different viewpoint. I learned a lot about our campus and also about its students, and I must say that I am disappointed. I saw and heard traffic stops, noise complaints, disorderly conduct and many drug- and alcohol-related offenses.
Stop drinking yourselves stupid! I understand drinking relaxes, helps with stress and is just plain old fun. We should party sensibly rather than to the point of becoming a blubbering person who cannot walk home and must rely on friends or, more dangerously, on a stranger. If the police office did not get so many calls at night dealing with alcohol- and drug-related problems, there would be more time to deal with the crime wave that plagues College Park. I witnessed drunken students all over campus and downtown stumbling, yelling and attempting to make it home or to another party. Arguments that escalate into fights, noise complaints and so many other messes are all preventable if we could all be more responsible.
When the police are running around College Park dealing with avoidable cases, it seems Hadadi is condemning the police department for not being everywhere at once, and this is simply not possible. Most of us came to college excited for the newfound independence, but many also fail to realize that independence comes with responsibility. If everyone were to think about their actions and the possible side effects, then this would ease the burden on the police department and they would have more time to take care of “every two-bit thug and wannabe gangster from the surrounding area.”
Lauren KrolJunior History
Access to higher education is good for all
I applaud The Diamondback for its endorsement of House Bill 283 that seeks to improve access to public higher education for all Maryland residents. I spoke extensively with Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez in the days leading up to Tuesday’s hearing about the bill’s background and the expected results its passage will produce. While I could not stay for the entire hearing on Tuesday, in the written testimony I submitted to the House Ways and Means committee, I stressed the importance of increasing access to higher education.
The federal government over the last few years has dramatically decreased funding to its loan and aid programs, cutting over $12 billion from the budget just last year. In addition, more and more students are being left in the dust because of stricter laws preventing them and their families from affording loans and grants. It is now incumbent upon the state government to help ensure that those who cannot afford to pay for higher education on their own are given the opportunities and resources they need. We all know that a college education can more than double a person’s salary and help them get a better job, but if families cannot afford to pay for it, their children will never have the same opportunities as those who might be better off financially.
I encourage every student to contact members of the House Ways and Means committee and ask them to consider giving this bill a favorable vote. While some may argue that the student voice doesn’t matter when it comes to legislation in Annapolis, I beg to differ. We successfully lobbied for an increase in funding to the University System in 2005 and for a tuition freeze in 2006. As Margaret Mead put it, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Jahantab SiddiquiPresidentOff-Campus Student Association
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