Letters to the Editor: Response to the Riots

To the Editor, ‘ For all the happiness that I felt over the Steelers’ Super Bowl victory, I… To the Editor, ‘ For all the happiness that I felt over the Steelers’ Super Bowl victory, I felt an equal amount of disappointment and embarrassment by the behavior of the people in Oakland on Sunday night. Breaking glass, setting fires and destroying property is no way to celebrate, not to mention it being completely illegal. What is wrong with spilling into the streets to cheer, chant and drink beers to celebrate a win?’ I also disagree with the attitude of the article written by Ben Korman, ‘Steelers riot epic, but not spontaneous enough.’ Well, Ben, what type of riot would have pleased you? I think its terrible that I read that in print. How about an article shaming the immature ‘adults’ who caused the destruction? Burning couches and flipping cars is not cool, no matter how many drunks are laughing and cheering. Bear in mind that students represent the University and the city of Pittsburgh itself, and when things like this take place, they make everyone look bad. My point is, the destructive acts have showed immaturity and poor decision making. I’m ashamed of what took place on a night that should have been nothing but super. ‘ Anthony Segreti Alumnus, Class of 2007 To the Editor, The headline of the story on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009, ‘Pitt crashes the party,’ reprehensibly condones the violence and destruction of property that broke out in Oakland following the Steelers’ Super Bowl victory on Sunday. Moreover, it directly and distastefully undermines Chancellor Nordenberg, the other members of the University administration and, as Nordenberg pointed out in his statement on the rioting, the value of the University as a whole as outlined in the Pitt Promise. The Pitt News, though student-run and admirably so, allied itself too firmly with the destructive and malfeasant sections of the student body that broke both the law and University property Sunday night. By choosing such language as ‘crashes the party,’ The Pitt News powerfully implied that the University administration is handling the legal proceedings surrounding the riots too seriously and that the ‘party’ had been a good thing that ought to be celebrated rather than punished. I found myself in the midst of the throng Sunday night, celebrating along with the rest of Oakland. But such jubilance does not beget violence. Instead, students chose to destroy traffic lights, bus shelters and Hillman Library’s windows. And these actions, thoroughly denounced by Nordenberg, have been implicitly applauded by The Pitt News. Nordenberg was absolutely correct in his statement. The actions of these students quite publicly rejected the notion that Pitt is an institution ‘committed to the advancement of learning and service to society.’ Pitt students on Sunday night engaged in activities thoroughly destructive to society. The crowd gathered, and it was a party. The riot broke out, property was destroyed, and it was criminal. Nordenberg clearly saw the difference, but The Pitt News failed to. Andrew Sullivan College of Arts and Sciences To the Editor, What I saw on the streets of Oakland on Sunday night was both disappointing and disgusting. We should have been celebrating and having a good time with one another, but instead, people pushed and shoved one another, destroyed public and University property and caused damage to local businesses. I’m all for running through the streets and waving Terrible Towels. But the fact that I and others had to fear for our safety because some morons thought it would be ‘awesome’ to tear down a traffic light or a bus shelter is ridiculous. We are supposed to be well-educated and mature college students, not barbaric idiots who can’t think past their need to feel cool and have people chant and clap for them when they break stuff. Destructive Pitt students need to grow the hell up and start thinking about the effects of their actions. Have some respect for other people’s property and safety. Excitement and celebration are not valid excuses for violence and destruction. Alexa Ray School of Pharmacy To the Editor, I am a student, a born-and-bred Pittsburgher and a Steelers fan. I love the Steelers, and I was undoubtedly excited when we won our sixth Super Bowl. However, breaking the windows of Hillman Library, breaking various windows of dedicated local businesses, knocking down Port Authority bus shelters, stealing parking meters and other acts of vandalism are absolutely inexcusable and fiercely immature actions. When I left my dorm Monday morning and was able to survey only a portion of the damage, I was appalled. More so, I was embarrassed that I had proudly called myself a Pitt student. I was a part of the crowd, and I reveled in the mere fact of enjoying others company in celebration, but there are certainly actions that were undeniably inappropriate and disturbing. How much is it going to cost Pitt and the city of Pittsburgh to fix what was broken that night? Elizabeth N. Klein College of Arts and Sciences