LETTERS: Parents, students, staff respond to the shooting

To the Editor: Myers is particularly piqued by the other student's statement that since Penn has the resources and the opportunity to do something about the area's problems, it has a moral obligation to do so. To illustrate how ridiculous this idea is, Myers likens it to the outlandish assumption that since General Motors is so rich and influential, it has some sort of obligation to its community. This assumption on Myers' part that it is ludicrous to expect huge corporations who have made billions of dollars from the American people to have any feelings of responsibility to us is highly typical of the climate of feeling in the business community today. Corporations, throughout American history, have donated money, time and leadership to the American people because they felt a responsibility to do so. Even ruthless profit-chasers like Carnegie and Vanderbilt felt this. It is only recently that business has begun to stop feeling obligated to the larger community. Only someone who completely ignores history and society could seriously subscribe to this belief. Myers fits the description when he suggests that Penn abolish the Penn relays (only the world's oldest and largest track and field event) because it might someday, in some fashion, conceivably, by some stretch of the imagination, possibly pose a threat to a student, professor or staff member of the University. The University of Pennsylvania is one of the largest and most influential institutions in Philadelphia. It occupies a large chunk of real estate here in West Philly, and receives city services. In the past, it has benefitted from the city's compliance and cooperation in condemning vast swaths of land in the neighborhood under the aegis of "urban renewal," land which Penn subsequently annexed. The assumption that Penn is an entity that functions independently of Philadelphia, whose concerns are completely unrelated, is egocentric and short-sighted. Even Penn has finally started to recognize this. I realize that business divorcing itself from morality and responsibility may be the wave of the future. Wharton, as a leader in business education, would be derelict in its duty if it did not keep up with iniquitous developments like this. However, Penn, including Wharton, describes itself as an institution of higher learning. Its motto expresses its belief in the value of morals. If Wharton is where Myers learned this sort of business ethics, in his words, "I don't think that was included in the description of what my $30,000 a year is going for." Anthony Smith College '99 u To the Editor: I was appalled to see what articles have been written in The Daily Pennsylvanian since the shooting incidents that occurred on Sunday. While this raises safety concerns to an extremely high levels, it is a time where analysis needs to be directed in the most appropriate areas. Unfortunately, the DP did not accurately analyze safety concerns on campus because it never asked, "Why?" Why is there extreme violence in West Philadelphia? Why can't University Police effectively curb violence on campus? Why hasn't Penn done much, other than peripheral activities, to make West Philadelphia into an economically viable and safe neighborhood? When the school newspaper addresses the wrong issues, like the wooden walls of the Blauhaus, rather than the real problems that affect our campus, the school is given the chance to circumvent the real problems. We need to begin to ask ourselves the aforementioned questions and then answer them with practical solutions that aren't window dressings or increased budgets, but rather a change in our mentality toward the neighborhood around us. Once this happens, maybe incidents like the shooting can become a distant memory, rather than an expected event. Troy Madres College '00 u To the Editor: In the course of time, certain events arise which necessitate the reexamining of our priorities. The shooting of a University student inside a University building is such an event. Our prime reason for being here is education. However, our ivory towers are fallible today. Without safety, our goals as a place of higher learning cannot be accomplished. In the horrible instance of John La Bombard's shooting there seem to be two key issues to address. First, criteria for allowing outside events the use of Penn facilities. Second, the safety of buildings such as the plywood Blauhaus. On the first issue it is of vital importance to recognize Philadelphia's high school basketball championships as a separate entity from security as it involves the West Philadelphia community. This event involves schools remote from Penn' s vicinity and as the last two years of violence have proven brings the possibility of conflict to the heart of our campus. Many security officials have expressed concern over this event. Putting this event in the Palestra puts students at risk. Perhaps there is a reason Penn barely noticed this event when it was held at the more secluded Civic Center. We need to establish event criteria which can be applied without bias against the community but still acknowledge the true levels of risk at some events. The second issue is the security of the University's facilities. Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Gary Hack has demanded 24-hour guard at the Blauhaus since the incident. I'm sure this gives students a sense of security but the scrutiny should not be diverted to personnel. This incident would not have happened in a standard building. Architecture and fine arts students are often required to complete projects overnight. While all students are frequently called upon to work all night, the difference with these students is they need the equipment housed in sub-standard buildings such as the plywood shop. We must review the wisdom of erecting such buildings in marginal parts of campus. Walking down 33rd Street at 3 a.m. to finish an architectural model now holds even more danger than it used to. A detailed schedule of how to consolidate Fine Arts facilities into secure buildings should be presented to the students immediately. Until these issues are settled we can't feel the University is providing an adequate level of safety to its students. We will all be a little more nervous on the street until the University addresses the specific problems which only came to light after a student was hurt. Unless the University acts quickly and effectively, we will all face danger regardless of where we are on campus. Gregory Buck College student u To the Editor: Kudos to the DP for speaking out against the hosting of the basketball championships at the Palestra. As a long-standing resident, student and staff member of the University I have never understood why certain dangerous events are continually held on University property. It is unfortunate that these events, which promote team building and other positive attributes for young teens, cannot be held without the specter of violence. However, there comes a time when a clear and present danger to the public outweighs any commitment to these types of events. Which brings me to another upcoming event: the Greek Week Picnic. I know it is not politically correct to speak out on this issue, but in the entire time I have been affiliated with the University, the Greek Week festivities have proven to be dangerous to our community. Several years ago I walked down these blocks and was attacked by several participants of the event who were obviously intoxicated. The police told me that they would be more than willing to press charges, but that we may suffer the consequences of a riot. This is disgusting. Why doesn't the city insist that like any other public event, the Greek Week festivities be held in special areas with special permits? How can the police allow emergency access to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to be blocked. For the record, I'm not speaking as an extremist with a knee-jerk reaction to a situation, but as someone who has experienced the event at many locations throughout the city over the past 10 years. Students new to the University, mark my words. When the next Greek Week Picnic occurs, there will be violence. I think it would be in the best interest of all concerned if the community, the students, faculty and staff all had a right to vote or speak out against all future events being held at the University. Thomas Justice Spruce Hill resident Dental School staff member College of General Studies '01 u To the Editor: As a parent of a Penn student I would like to commend Doug Haber for his letter in Tuesday's paper ("In the wake of four shootings," DP, 3/3/98). I strongly believe Penn has a moral obligation to give something back to the community and hope Sunday's events will not turn it back from this commitment. I am writing regarding the unfortunate shooting on 33rd Street this past Sunday. My husband and I were, in fact, in Philadelphia visiting our daughter -- a sophomore in the College -- when the shooting happened. Although we did not witness the events, we did see the police and media activity on the street. It turned out that our daughter knows the student who was shot. My purpose in writing is to encourage you not to feel that because of this aberrant incident Penn has to shut its doors to the community. From what I have heard, Penn was in no way responsible for what happened. I understand there was adequate security at the Palestra and in truth what happened could have happened at any time under any circumstances. It was not because Penn hosted a basketball championship that people got shot. Both my husband and I strongly believe Penn has a moral responsibility to involve itself with the local community and we applaud any efforts to make your facilities, personnel and students available for that purpose. I sincerely hope this will not deter you from this goal. One of the reasons our daughter picked Penn is that it is in a vibrant city with all the opportunities, and risks, that that involves. We did not send her there to be in an ivory towers separated from the real world. (If we wanted that we could have sent her to the isolation of Bucknell.) In any event, we are proud and thrilled that Pamela is there at Penn and our second daughter might also be applying next year. We know that Philadelphia, like all cities, has many problems. We believe that Penn can and should be a part of finding solutions. Please keep it open. Rita Annan-Brady Penn Parent u To the Editor: As a parent of a Penn student, I have been extremely concerned about the safety of the students, the faculty and Penn staff. Until yesterday, I believed that Penn was doing all the right things in restoring safety to the Penn campus. I was horrified, however, to learn about the "drive-by shooting" outside the Palestra after the Philadelphia Public League high school boys basketball championship. According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, someone fired an automatic or semiautomatic gun at least 15 times before fleeing west on Walnut Street. The police attributed the violence to a fistfight between fans inside the Palestra during the game. One man was killed, several more were wounded, including a Penn student, and hundreds more were put in extreme jeopardy. This morning when I read the DP, I was even more horrified to learn that gunshots were fired after the same game last year. After reading the article, a question occurred to me, "Would a reasonable person schedule an open event in her back yard if during the previous year a guest at that event fired multiple gunshots at the other guests?" I expect the answer is no. Why on earth would Penn's administrators allow an event to be held on campus when it had direct knowledge that life-threatening violence was likely to ensue. This is totally irresponsible and bordering on insanity. How could you possibly explain to a Penn parent that their child had died because the University had invited an event on to the campus that was known to provoke violence. I hope that an investigation is conducted to find out why this event was scheduled after the violence that occurred last year. Furthermore, I believe that before any event is scheduled on campus in the future, the Division of Public Safety should prepare a "Safety/Violence Impact Statement" somewhat like an "Environmental Impact Statement." This should be reviewed and approved by a top University official. If it is determined there is more than a minimal chance of violence, the event should not be scheduled on campus. Had an impact statement been performed with regard to the Philadelphia Public League high school boys basketball championship, it would not have been held at Penn. University President Judith Rodin not only has an obligation to educate our children but an obligation to protect them to the best of her ability. For the most part I believe that she has done a good job in this area. However, the use of University facilities by outsiders is one area that needs to be immediately addressed. V. Peter Wynne, Esq. Penn Parent