Lexington residents have acted despicably in regard to outcries toward UK students. Plenty of actions on Saturday and early Sunday were absolutely unacceptable; however, suggesting that it was entirely the fault of UK students, or a fair representation of the student body at the University of Kentucky is uncalled for, plus an agitator toward UK student/Lexington resident conflicts. Numerous people (students and tailgaters alike) consume alcohol before football games. Is it fair to selectively enforce to whom and when laws apply? Alcohol is prohibited on campus by anyone, period.
After the Louisville game, all foot traffic around the stadium wasn’t students; I witnessed plenty of inebriated adults on the streets as well. Are we forgetting the percentage of tailgaters who’d parked in student neighborhoods only to leave a mess? Why are parking and over-crowded streets such a problem at Lexington events in the first place? UK students aren't the ones who've lived in Lexington and voted on issues such as the leadership and planning that's engineered the city. Congested streets, lack of available parking, negligent landlords, and (anyone's) over-intoxication is a much larger piece of this puzzle than UK students, and any action or legislation should reflect that accordingly.
If I were still living in Lexington, I’d be more worried about horrible traffic patterns, water issues, the pressing need of a complete drainage system overhaul, or downtown renovation. I would not, however, stereotype every college student who watches football as a raging, impulsive alcoholic bent on driving down housing values across Utopia. Cleaner neighborhoods are more likely to be achieved with landlord cooperation than officers with tasers (see: University of Florida); In my experience, most renters will have as much respect for their rental property as their landlord. Besides, doesn't it seem trivial and unnecessary to ask police officers to act as trash monitors on game day?
I'm not asking that any law-breaking be pardoned, just that UK students not be typecast as Animal House crazies, those were your college days baby-boomer, not ours. Sadly, students come to expect that they’ll be scape goats for Lexington's real problems while the city of Lexington, it's residents, UK, and rental owners continue their childish disagreements which perpetuate many of the real problems in the first place.
-John Edward Andrew Brown University of Kentucky Alum (2007) B.S. Political Science
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Partying at UK?
Lexington residents have acted despicably in regard to outcries toward UK students. Plenty of actions on Saturday and early Sunday were absolutely unacceptable; however, suggesting that it was entirely the fault of UK students, or a fair representation of the student body at the University of Kentucky is uncalled for, plus an agitator toward UK student/Lexington resident conflicts. Numerous people (students and tailgaters alike) consume alcohol before football games. Is it fair to selectively enforce to whom and when laws apply? Alcohol is prohibited on campus by anyone, period.
After the Louisville game, all foot traffic around the stadium wasn’t students; I witnessed plenty of inebriated adults on the streets as well. Are we forgetting the percentage of tailgaters who’d parked in student neighborhoods only to leave a mess? Why are parking and over-crowded streets such a problem at Lexington events in the first place? UK students aren't the ones who've lived in Lexington and voted on issues such as the leadership and planning that's engineered the city. Congested streets, lack of available parking, negligent landlords, and (anyone's) over-intoxication is a much larger piece of this puzzle than UK students, and any action or legislation should reflect that accordingly.
If I were still living in Lexington, I’d be more worried about horrible traffic patterns, water issues, the pressing need of a complete drainage system overhaul, or downtown renovation. I would not, however, stereotype every college student who watches football as a raging, impulsive alcoholic bent on driving down housing values across Utopia. Cleaner neighborhoods are more likely to be achieved with landlord cooperation than officers with tasers (see: University of Florida); In my experience, most renters will have as much respect for their rental property as their landlord. Besides, doesn't it seem trivial and unnecessary to ask police officers to act as trash monitors on game day?
I'm not asking that any law-breaking be pardoned, just that UK students not be typecast as Animal House crazies, those were your college days baby-boomer, not ours. Sadly, students come to expect that they’ll be scape goats for Lexington's real problems while the city of Lexington, it's residents, UK, and rental owners continue their childish disagreements which perpetuate many of the real problems in the first place.
-John Edward Andrew Brown
University of Kentucky Alum (2007)
B.S. Political Science
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