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eXelwood · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:46 pm Post subject:

Did they really need to have cops in riot gear and tear gas?

What was Ihedigbo thinking ? Wasn't MHK a Umass supporter?

Liked Cruz and his Massachusetts

econalum · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:11 pm Post subject:

Every day from now on, parents and children, like myself, are looking to figure out the best fit for a college for them.

And these incidents do not help make UMASS to be a first choice college, but as an after thought. My wife (also UMASS) and I were pissed about ZOOMASS last night, and the almost predictable Southwest stuff is mortifying. In the end, each of these things cheapen the brand, or worse, making it seem if you can attend anywhere else, go there.

We have 6 residential colleges, but this is always centered on SW.

My previously stated preference is that we dynamite SW and start over.
It has the look and feel of the old towers used for public housing, which had similar issues - as in Chicago - and we taken out. We have plenty of land.

If this behavior was about real issues, like stopping Vietnam war back in the day, I could at least understand it. This is just an excuse to act out.

Of course other large schools have issues - the WSJ reported last week or so that Penn State is having admission issues/shortfalls among outside PA students, their life blood as PA teenage pop. goes down. Of course, the Sanduskly thing is so much worse.

But, UMASS has a long history of stupidity over things like wins or losses in pro sporting events. Just another snicker opp. against UMASS students and alums
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ktabz16 · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject:

it really wasn't a riot and shouldn't have been reported as one.

Joe · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject:

Jack · Hall of Fame Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3030

The handful of students who acted like idiots deserve to be punished. But this wasn't a "riot" as was falsely reported. No property was damaged and nobody was injured and the whole thing was over in 90 minutes or less.... not exactly a "riot". Some students gathered after a football game and made noise hooting and hollering in the southwest residential area.... why exactly was it necessary for the police to respond with german shepards, tear gas grenades being fired at students and full riot gear???? It seems like an expensive and potentially dangerous overreaction.

Jackman · Senior Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1974

There were no injuries and no property damage precisely because the police acted so quickly. The crowd of drunken angry students had reached critical mass where there was no longer any chance it was going to dissipate on its own. Once it reaches that point, things are only going escalate. More kids are going to look out their windows and join in, if not to engage in destructive behavior then at least to get pictures of themselves for their facebook page, because it's "cool" to be at a riot.

I applaud the rapid response and preparedness of the university. There was absolutely nothing they could have done differently to avoid this incident, except gas the lobbies before the students even got off the elevators. They warned the students in the days leading up to the game not to do this, and they did it anyway and were dealt with.

The only remaining thing the university can do to break the cycle of riots in Southwest being cool is make an example of the students arrested. Given that the students were told in advance not to do the thing they did at the precise moment and place that they did it, I don't think the university needs to be lenient or "understanding". These were selfish acts by a group of students who knew they were gathering with no good intent, who sought out their own fun at the expense of the university's image with no regard for how they de-value the degrees of current and former students who worked so hard and spent so much money to get them. Screw 'em. Shove a flash grenade down their pants and put them back on a bus to wherever they came from. There's no need to give them any benefit of the doubt under these specific circumstances. If they gathered at a different place or time for a different reason, then it's a different story and I'd want the university to give more thought to the intent of the gathering and their freedom of speech.

InnervisionsUMASS · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject:

I'm trying to figure this out... was this an actual riot??????
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Jack · Hall of Fame Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3030

I don't think it was necessary for the police to shoot tear gas grenades at students who were doing nothing more than chanting and being rowdy. The police are fortunate that they didn't hurt anybody. The police could have done alot of things differently. Its not a riot when there is no violence. even the newspapers have had to walk that story back about 5 clicks since there was no rioting going on.

You may disagree all you like, but Americans including these students absolutely are entitled to exercise their freedom of speech to stand out there and shout giants suck. Thankfully the police didn't hurt anybody. Overzealous and poorly trained cops have killed and injured college students in such situations before. Its risky to send them rushing in there shooting grenades and tear gas.

We'll see what the charges are and whether the government will be able to convict the students of whatever crimes are charged. At that point the University will be in a position to assess what a fair punishment would be to those whop are found guilty of a crime.

However the notion that the University should seize this as an opportunity to crack down hard on the students arrested is questionable - they are all presumed not guilty. Many witnesses to this fiasco have reported that the police went way overboard in their show and use of force which served to makes matters worse not better. Many of the students think the cops went overboard in physically attacking the students. There are 2 sides to every story but in this case it seems like the cops may have overreacted. It will be interesting to see what the subsequent investigations reveal.

m626t · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:00 pm Post subject:

"Any attempt to expel every kid who stood around chanting "giants suck" would likely be challenged in court and overturned by a judge in about 15 minutes."

No one says that about Big Blue and gets away with it. These ass clowns are an embarrassment to the Commonwealth, their parents and parole officers and themselves. Any kid yelling that deserves to be sent home for a semester to think about what he or she has done, and wonder at his own stupidity; if the Giants suck, what does that say about the Pats who have lost 3 in a row to them? Huh? Huh?
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Floyd · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:25 pm Post subject:

Is it better to error on the side of damage control or be unprepared to handle a potential situation? Why people want to destroy shit where they live or attend school makes no sense to me
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Kosty · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:41 pm Post subject:

econalum · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:14 pm Post subject:

"Stupid is as Stupid does". And the way she counts it off....

Hopefully this fades away quickly from the news. We'll see.
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chuff · Senior Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 1935

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Jack · Hall of Fame Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3030

Having watched a slew of the videos posted on youtube I admit that I've changed my mind. I am all for civil liberties and freedom of expression etc and I think the Police probably might want to consider different tactics because they seemed to intensify the dangerous behavior.

But having lived in SW during the '86 WS riots where people were seriously injured its clear that this is the same moronic behavior as the idiots engaged in 26 yrs ago. We are very lucky that nobody was injured this time.

I would expel everyone who is convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. I would also toss everybody involved that was acting like a jackass out of their dorms - they can go explain to mommy and daddy why they need money to find a new place to live. Its time for the University to drop the hammer on this crap once and for all - we are very lucky that nobody was injured or killed as a result of this absolutely assinine display of idiocy.

Most of these people are probably "good kids" but this is absurd and the University needs to eliminate this behavior before we have a tragedy out there.

EBox · Senior Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 869 Location: New Jersey

I went to UMass in the early 90s and lived in Washington and JA my first 2 years. I remember on a couple of occasions there being a mass assembly of students outside the dining hall where the same "riot" occurred yesterday (can't exactly place the event/reason, but that must be my age showing).

I do remember it just being silly college fun to run out and jump around, cheer and chant stuff. And sure, maybe there were a couple of toilet paper rolls flying too. But no fights, cursing out a team or persons, and certainly no need for police intervention.

Hey - have a flash mob for no reason. Dress in maroon colors only and run around campus. Grab trays from the DC and slide down the hill at the Horseshoe when it snows. Want to put your energy behind something ? Attend one of the many UMass sporting events and scream your lungs out for the hardworking student athletes.

Sorry, maybe I'm missing something. I just don't get the "riot".