Comments on: Administrators hold safety forum in response to hate crimes

By: Iheardit

Iheardit — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:03:13 +0000

You left something important out of your story regarding Mr. DelMonaco’s comments about the union negotiation. He said the University very much supports increasing the starting wages of DPS officers. He then said he would not discuss specifics. In case you’re not familiar with union negotiations: federal law allows union members to say just about anything they want in public during a negotiation. Management, however, is highly restricted on what they can say away from the negotiating table and they can never say anything that hasn’t been offered at the table. So, for example, a union member can tell the Voice that they want $10/hour whether they ever asked for $10 an hour at the table. Management, on the other hand, can’t say they want to offer $8/hour unless they have offered $8/hour. It’s a negotiation. You shouldn’t expect the University to do the negotiation through the press or in a public question and answer forum. No matter what you think of the University, “big business,” or management, you should respect that it is of no benefit to management to debate this in public.

By: Will Sommer

Will Sommer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:53:53 +0000

@ Col ‘10 What, haven’t you ever heard of building suspense? Really, though, you’re right, and I’ve updated the post accordingly.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:47:27 +0000

You know how cameras don’t get too Big Brother-ish? People go to restaurant, hotels, sporting events, shopping malls, and even other college campuses all the time, and I never hear anyone say “Wow, too many security cameras here.” Honestly, unless you’re looking for them b/c you want to commit a crime, you don’t notice cameras. And unless you commit a crime, the camera has no impact on your life.

At this point, Georgetown could use Big Brother. It doesn’t seem like anyone else is in charge.

By: Pabs

Pabs — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:37:50 +0000

@COL ‘10 DITTO

This is interesting. When there was a huge influx of bike crimes, I ran into Rocky on campus and walked with him to Wisey’s. I told him that simple having a security camera, or a PERCEIVED security camera for deterrence purposes, could go so far in solving that problem. He told me the same stuff about the money.

As far as the camera situation is concerned, I don’t really advocate them too much at all. I like them for deterring blatant theft (which fake ones can do) but too much more and it would get a little too big brother-ish.

By: COL '10

COL '10 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:20:38 +0000

“DelMonaco was asked why, since there is a camera near the site of the second hate crime, the camera hasn’t been used in the investigation.”

WELL WHAT WAS HIS ANSWER?!?!?! Why would you write that without reporting what his answer was???

By: pjchoya

pjchoya — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:03:37 +0000

The student patrol idea is incredibly stupid. What we don’t need is a rag-tag group of would be do-gooders walking the streets at night involving themselves in situations where they think a hate crime may be occuring. How soon until one of them gets hurt by confronting the wrong person? And what would their position be on non-hate crime assaults? If I get mugged–but not called a fag–will they intervene? If the university sanctions these patrols and someone gets hurt, how long before we see a lawsuit? This idea is bad on so many levels.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:06:21 +0000

Patrolling students is a dumb idea. Either people will get hurt, or interest won’t last for a semester.

If students really want to help, they should push for expanded saferides, both in number of vans circulating as well as in terms of hours. The students could even volunteer to drive their own vans around, or expand the apo program.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:45:22 +0000

Security cameras do not create a “police state.” Most public places in this country now have security cameras, and I don’t think most of us feel like the Walmart or CVS is a “police state.” The GU Law Center has cameras everywhere, including a ton of them in the dorm building. And no one is lashing out against Big Brother. It is fine. And despite sitting next to a massive homeless shelter, the Law Center is virtually crime-free.

By: Hate Crimes Law will Strengthen Conservatism, Weaken Leftists; the unintended consequences « VotingFemale Speaks!

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:39:32 +0000

[...] Vox Populi » Administrators hold safety forum in response to hate … [...]

By: freedomlover

freedomlover — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:21 +0000

“In bad news for said commenters, DelMonaco said there is currently no money to purchase new cameras.”

Good. I just wish the student body here wasn’t so eager to turn to police-statism whenever they feel the least bit threatened.