Respect. Where is it? Apparently it wasn't at the rock on Farm Lane on Sunday around 4 p.m.

While a group of MSU students held a vigil for Julie Koivisto - an MSU graduate accounting student killed in a car accident over winter break - their gathering was disrupted by members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

The fraternity paints the rock each year on Jan. 9 in celebration of its founder's day, but this year, it seems, was a little eager. Fraternity members, who were at the rock before the mourners arrived, allowed the students to paint "Julie, we love you" on the rock. Admittedly, this is a noble thing to do.

We have to take issue, though, with the fact that the fraternity members did not wait until the vigil was finished to begin re-painting the campus landmark. According to vigil attendees, the fraternity members made noise and commotion while their gathering remained in progress.

Although members of the fraternity couldn't be reach for comment again Tuesday night, we feel that their actions indicate a disrespect. It should not have been an issue to let Koivisto's friends hold their vigil in it's entirety.

Traditionally, a group has to reserve the rock in order to paint it. We don't know if the members of Phi Beta Sigma had the actual rights to the rock at that time, though that is entirely possible. Still, this seems irrelevant. The fraternity should have had enough decency to allow these people to finish their vigil. Waiting an hour or so would have been the moral thing to do, regardless of who technically had rights.

Those who were mourning Koivisto's death had every right to be upset and angry. This was their time at the rock and a chance for them to remember someone very important to them. Instead, they were interrupted during a moment that was undoubtedly very emotional.

The overlying message here is that it's important to respect people, regardless of the situation. Koivisto's friends deserved an hour or so to mourn and remember her, and they should have been respected enough to do so.