Sunday, May 10, 2009

You acted like jerks. Thanks for proving them right.

I was less than surprised to hear about the happenings of Palmerfest '09 here in Athens, Ohio. What is yearly a day for mass alcohol consumption got way out of hand as thousands of OU students lived up to our less than stellar reputation.

Color me old fashioned, but I'm disgusted by what went on. Setting fires like a bunch of mindless slugs… Assaulting police officers and horses with beer bottles and cans…

Some people will complain about the use of force by Athens and OU Police; I think they would have been justified to use a whole lot more. This was not a case of civil disobedience, or even protest. It was a case of irresponsible, reckless consumption of alcohol gone terribly wrong. There’s a pretty awesome video on YouTube of a mounted officer plowing into a drunken antagonizer.

My heart hurts for how lost so many on this campus clearly are. As deplorable as the events of Palmerfest ’09 were, sin is sin and it shows just how much we all need God’s grace.

The Post's coverage of Palmerfest.

4 comments:

Makella said...

I am really kind of saddened by it all... especially the animals that got hurt. I mean, really. The horses aren't reprimanding them, the police are... and for what are they reprimanding them? Oh right, because they were setting couches on fire, starting fights, throwing bottles at innocent animals and people, and for acting less then human. Makes tons of sense to me.... only not really. Are we humans with beating hearts? I forget... because I guess in college, the masses don't have to abide by civil rules of conduct... and not even civil, more like common-sensical. I'm not judging them, Im sure I would have enjoyed spending time with my friends who were there, but not that. Sorry for ranting, I just agree with you here Ty!

Jake Young said...

When I look at the pictures and the videos, I almost feel like I'm seeing a bunch of mindless monkeys jumping around clapping their hands together. This whole deal was just a total embarassment

Unknown said...

The actions of the students CAUSING the fire last night and throwing items at citizens and officers is deplorable. Especially when some of those officers are horses.

This was not a protest, as you said Ty, it was drunken revelers causing drama for absolutely no reason - other than to instigate the cops, which seems to be one thing OU students can't get enough of.

However, I know the vide you're talking about Ty ... and I doubt that whatever this student was picking up off the ground was a gun, grenade, or sword. In fact, I think it was probably a camera, iPod, or most likely ... a phone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMsLaF9Uz9o

Also, Makella, you pointed out that the horses weren't reprimanding us students, it was the police officers. True. But should animals be used as a weapon? I find that almost as disgusting as using them for horse-racing (something I'm not really a fan of). That officer clearly manipulated that horse to attack that student and to me, that is also morally wrong.

I would really like to know also if the APD has all of their horses fitted with horseshoes. Articles are flying around that horses got glass stuck in their hooves - well, if they have horseshoes that shouldn't be happening. Furthermore, there are always police roaming Palmer with horses during Palmerfest and there is ALWAYS glass in the street. So why was this such an issue last night?

The students are 100% at fault and repercussions were deserved (albeit, I think they could have been handled less severely - but out of hand is out of hand and eventually force must be used regardless of innocence to contain mob mentality). My only gripe is with the journalists and members of the APD using the abuse of horses to cause such an outcry in our community. Any horse on a police force being used as a weapon is not something I approve of and using them as a way to trigger some sort of emotional response with Athenians is unfair.

Ohio University students last night, even those (like me) who were just witnessing the event - we were in the wrong. Let's move forward.

Makella said...

I also have a problem with horse racing, I dont think this is the issue at hand. I don't think the officer said to himself 'Im going to turn my horse into a weapon and I don't care if it gets hurt.' I was commenting on how saddened I was that the students at this fest just HAD to have a good time and had to be extreme that they didn't care what the consequences were, and I had stated that I wasn't judging them in my comment. I've given these huge parties the benefit of the doubt; I have a lot of friends that partake in them, but if we as a whole don't start acting like the adults we are here to prepare to be, then there will be no more fests, plain and simple. I agree that we should move forward but I am going to sympathize with the horses, not the students who caused this mess.