Pitt police must address racism concerns

Last Friday’s incident at the William… Pitt police must address racism concerns

Last Friday’s incident at the William Pitt Union that involved the police and their dogs suggests that we have a serious problem at Pitt, and adds to the evidence already accumulated suggesting the same problem – institutional racism within Pitt police. “Institutional racism” is usually unintended. For example, when students gathered in the hallway to watch what was going on between the police officer and student who started the incident, the police officer, upon seeing the mainly black students, presumed that it was a crowd that needed to be “dealt with.” If these students were instead mainly white but with all other factors held equal, I think the officer would have seen them as “just spectators.” There is a lot of unintended racism in police departments generally. But sometimes a particular police department goes into denial and says “Oh no! We’re not racist. We don’t need to keep statistics to see if we racially profile or not because we don’t racially profile.” This is the exact stand taken this year by the Pitt police. This is like somebody saying, “I’m gonna disconnect my oil gauge. I don’t need it distracting me because I change my oil every 3,000 miles. Nothing can possibly go wrong oil-wise.” But then something goes wrong but by the time the person knows it, serious damage to the engine had already occurred. The Pitt police can prevent analogous future damage to both themselves and the rest of the University community. Chief Delaney, please install that oil gauge!

Cecelia Clancy

CAS sophomore

Homecoming ‘babies’ should clean up ‘playpen’

The competition for Homecoming thrones has ended; still the excitement continues, for those interested. The question in many minds is “Who will win?” I don’t care, but I do know who the losers are; all those individuals who participated in the avocation of these hopeful royalties (handing out fliers and bribes in the Ashtray and lobby). I have chosen to classify these students as losers, because they have lost something. Respect. They failed to secure a respect for themselves, this University, their fellow students, their guardians and largely the janitorial staff. I imagine this is what Hiroshima might have looked like if the United States had chosen to drop confetti and pinatas instead of the atom bomb. The Trash King and Queen will reign over Heinz Field at Saturday’s game and I hope they won’t forget the messy trail of parchment they’ve left behind. Let us look upon this atrocity with sympathy. Maybe they were tired after a day of campaigning; yelling and dancing with friends. It is possible that once the election ended, all candidates and helpers, overcome with bliss, went completely blind, and failed, literally, to see the waste. Though it could be the approaching dusk somehow casting shadows over the pink, green, and blue papers strewn about the grounds. Or maybe they just didn’t give a damn. The voters left. An example should be made of this juvenile approach to an already idiotic tradition based on a popularity supremacy that means little to most and everything to these dirt balls. In conclusion, I elect, that for the future of Pitt’s Homecoming that we have these “babies” clean up their “playpen.”

Alexis Grapes

CAS sophomore

Homecoming election needs guidelines

Part of the Homecoming tradition here at Pitt has become embarrassing to me as a student. Is it really necessary to have an election for Homecoming King and Queen that boils down to nothing more than a glorified popularity contest? Exactly who and what are we voting for? Posters of random peoples’ faces plastered all over campus are a sad way to represent this student body. On a large campus such as ours, with thousands and thousands of people who do not and may never know each other, a Homecoming election is worthless. I might have some support for the tradition if the people running demonstrated some type of leadership ability or campus involvement – anything at all! A pretty face or Greek letters, however, does not sway me. I realize that not everyone involved in this tradition is as shallow as my comments suggest. I think that in order to justify this tradition, there ought to be some basic guidelines – some kind of validity. Just about anything will do because as of now I can see no justification for the continuation of this tradition. Until changes occur, though, the Homecoming election will continue to be a waste of time and an embarrassing reflection of Pitt.

Melissa Miles

SHRS junior

‘Get cracking’ with absentee ballots

If you plan on voting by absentee ballot this Nov. 5, it’s time to get cracking! In order to vote by absentee ballot you must first request a ballot by calling the Allegheny County Board of Elections at (412) 350-4500 or by stopping by the office at 542 Forbes Ave. All requests for ballots must be made seven days prior to the election. After completing the ballot you must return it to your county’s Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Nov 11.

Cecilia Frerotte

CBA junior