The recent melee between the East Lansing police and MSU students was a disturbing event. The police attempted to justify their actions by saying that they acted pre-emptively in order to put a halt to any potential rioting.
Much criticism has been leveled at East Lansing police (and the other police agencies assisting them) for the deployment of tear gas on April 2 while dealing with large crowds occupying the streets near the Ann Street Plaza and in the Cedar Village area following the Spartans' loss to North Carolina.
The April 2 melee most closely resembles the Stanford Prison Experiment, where after only two days, mentally stable college students became rioting prisoners and sadistic guards.
Having attended MSU from 1998-2004, I have witnessed my share of riots and celebrations firsthand. With the exception of the 1999 riot, all have been created or prevented by the oppressive cowboy antics of an overbearing police force.
To the Spartans women, Warrior poets with the hearts of lions and the giddiness of girls. Thespians in a simple drama unfolded to reveal all that is best about humanity and all that is best about sport.
On Saturday night, the East Lansing Film Festival was hosting a reception for all of the filmmakers who attended the festival from all over the country in an art gallery at the corner of Abbott Road and Albert Avenue in downtown East Lansing.
I don't care to debate whether the police were right or wrong in their actions Saturday night, nor do I care to point blaming fingers at students or anyone else.
Thankfully, and at the same time unfortunately, I was not there. However, I had five different people tell me the pigs (what you may call police) chose to use a type of "pre-emptive strike" on the students.
For all of our youth and vibrancy, we are not invincible. By college, our immune systems have become fairly resistant and our bodies are able to bounce back from almost anything.
After returning from St. Louis on Tuesday, I was disgusted by the accounts of Saturday night that I was bombarded with, but not even remotely surprised.
A melee or disturbance is what the papers and press call the happenings of Saturday night in East Lansing.
East Lansing wasn't the only university town with a "riot" on its hands this past week. Chapel Hill, N.C., home to the University of North Carolina, had its own fair share of civil disturbances.
The clock struck midnight early Wednesday morning, and March Madness was officially over. And so ended the historic "season of the seniors" at MSU.
So I'm sitting in the bar the other evening, enjoying a smart cocktail with an old associate I hadn't seen in some time.
Upon reading Monday's paper, I notice a distinct lack of any reasonable assertions held by the participants of Saturday's "celebration" (or that of The State News' defense). There were numerous complaints about the conduct of the police officers.
I was disappointed to once again see pictures of some MSU students behaving like juvenile delinquents following the loss to North Carolina on Saturday night. What should have been a special weekend for the university, current students, alumni, and Spartans fans has turned into yet another embarrassment for MSU. I consider myself a proud alumnus of this great university.
Although the fire of winning a National Championship was blown out Tuesday night when the MSU women's basketball team lost to Baylor in Indianapolis, the embers of a momentous season are still burning brightly. The Lady Bears outplayed the Spartans the whole 40 minutes of the contest, beating them by more than 20 points (84-62), but they didn't steal their class.
Maybe if students acted like adults and went home following a big loss, we wouldn't have the same "riot" issues every year.
In response to the people who are still bitter toward the police: What do you want them to do? Here's a solution: Next year, the police all get in formation again.
I attended MSU for four years and I don't recall our basketball team having the success that this team has had.