UH, CAN WE SAY LIGHTBULB?!?

Okay People. Here's what. Holierthanthou and myself have taken the last few days to really evaluate how we feel about this whole Police v Student v Camden(ish) Resident issue. And we have taken a new approach. But before doing so, we took our time evaluating the major stakeholders in this whole debacle (just like we learned to do in class), and asked ourselves what can be gained/lost in this scenario...and by whom? And then we realized it.

Families who get woken up every other night at 2:00 am by parties are not to blame... their little kids should get a good nights sleep. And the students who do the partying that wakes them up aren't to blame either- all over America kids are partying on Tuesdays. The problem here isn't caused by residents or students or by their different lifestyles...its caused by the fact that those lifestyles have been squished into the same neighborhoods for years without a system in place to accommodate either one. Now, calm down Debbie Campbell, we aren't saying you are right- not even close. What we are saying goes above your head and all of your neighbors. It is meant for the President of the University-Janet Dudley Eschbach, the Chief of Police-Barbara Duncan , and the Mayor- Jim Ireton.

It's no secret that SU is the number one revenue generator in Salisbury. At this point the city depends on it to survive. But every year SU imports 2000 of the rowdiest students in the country (courtesy of its nationally recognized reputation as a party school) into this city, refuses to provide enough housing for them, dumps them into the community, and then looks the other way as those same kids get beat down by the cops and repulsed by their neighbors. And that is not okay.

Why hasn't SU implemented an adequate system for internally absorbing the brunt of "bad behavior"? Because they would lose money in tuition.

Why hasn't the City of Salisbury insisted that SU step up to the plate and take responsibility for its students and their impact on the surrounding community? Because they would lose money in citations

Why hasn't the Police Dept. asked the city for help in curbing local aggression and the University for support in improving how students handle themselves? Because they would lose money in fines and other fees.

In short, the forced integration and subsequent victimization of students, renters, landlords, and homeowners is due to the fact that nobody in Salisbury holds the big boys accountable. Think about it: they are all profiting off of our continual conflict. Its an interdependent cycle...and it has got to stop.

WTF SU? You are supposed to be the protector of your students, not their executioner! You are feeding us to the lions on our own dime!

And City of Salisbury- you should be working your butts off to improve student-neighbor relations by bringing as many mutual interests as you can into this city to instigate good behavior. Why would you expect students to be respectful to a city that they plan to move the f out of as soon as they graduate? There is no business here! Staying after school isn't even an option.

And Police Dept., by now you should have taught your officers how to handle student parties (among other things). You complain that the students don't respect any officers yet in 20 years you haven't once made an effort to extend an olive branch and work with us!!

Salisbury- these institutions are not untouchable. We must all work together to raise our expectations for those in charge. SU, City, Police- know that from this day on, regardless of what the rest of Salisbury does, those of us at The Other Salisbury News are watching, we are listening, and we are waiting. It's your move...don't blow it.