There are a lot of groups to blame besides students for the poor attendance of the commission meeting that reviewed the April 2-3 disturbances. The State News, for one, should have made more of a point to let readers know about the meeting.
After meeting continuously over the summer and pushing back its report deadline, the independent commission selected to investigate the disturbances held a meeting that included two hours for public comment, explicitly for students to voice their concerns.
The disturbances occurred after the MSU men's basketball team lost to North Carolina in the NCAA Final Four with thousands of students assembling near the university. In attempts to prevent a riot, 297 police officers blocked off the streets, threw canisters of tear gas into a crowd of more than 3,000, pepper-sprayed, arrested and allegedly injured students.
Members of the commission felt it was a necessary meeting, considering many of the students affected left for the summer. At that meeting, only one person spoke about the events in April, and he isn't even a student.
The commission has kicked around the idea of holding yet another meeting. We hope they give students a second chance and that people attend this time.
Where were the students, especially the 43 who were arrested? If this is an important issue and students are still angry about police actions on April 2-3, then why didn't any show up? Did they get lost?
The State News has a portion of responsibility - its job is not only to report news that will interest or relate to readers, but report what they need to know. Although the paper featured a brief story inside the paper announcing the meeting, it should have done more to make students aware.
The independent commission could have done more by holding the meeting on campus. ASMSU should have done more to make sure students' concerns were accurately represented. The situation could have been handled a lot better by all representing bodies involved.
But for those students who are truly passionate about the injustices done in April, they would have made it their business to know about the meeting. This commission is the only chance for something to be done about the alleged police brutality.
When students make it look as though they don't care, the commission will have no reason to care for students.
Members of the commission are trying not to draw conclusions from the affected students' lack of representation. Members are also considering pushing back their report deadline further and giving students another opportunity to speak in front of the commission.
Hopefully, the low attendance was due to uninformed students and not disinterest. The commission needs to hold a meeting on campus and advertise it. By being accessible, commission members and critics can discern whether students really care about the efforts being made on their behalf.
