Death on Campus
The photograph on the front page on THE DAILY COUGAR has caused some controversy at the University of Houston. The photo displayed in the student publication depicts an unidentified middle-aged white male shot to death at a Metro bus stop on campus. Though the photograph is fairly tame some believe it was wrong to post the photo of the dead man. For others it was too graphic and caused fear for many students.
The reason the photo is considered wrong can be spun different ways. Is it wrong because it was a random act of violence, too harsh of a reality to expose the innocent students of the university to? Or could it be even more frightening because it is a white man? Would there be such an issue if he had been Hispanic or African American?
For me it is frightening because it occurred at the corner on Holman and Cullen were as a freshman I would wait for bus 77 Homestead/Liberty. The bus route runs through both 5th and 2nd wards of Houston. Many homeless would ride this bus daily. Most never disembark anywhere near the university, most ride past it.
Many students at the University do not realize the poverty stricken neighborhoods around it, they too ride past it. They do not see the violence and crime of its residence until little spills over. I believe the fear of the students is of not knowing or wanting to know about the “other side of Scott St.” According to HoustonCrimeMaps.com, the top offenses in the area are narcotic drug laws , aggravated assault, and burglary.
The fact that the shooting was a random act of violence, make the photograph frightening as well. We almost feel safe in knowing when someone is killed for a reason; with motive behind it, we know it could not have been us. A random act of violence gives us no comfort, as awful as it sounds. To think it may have been you unsuspecting and innocently waiting at the bus stop, maybe reading or even studying for an exam while you waited.
The photograph is frightening but a useful reminder. We are human and will die, we should always be cautious of our surroundings, and finally to realize the world is a harsh place and we should be ready for it.
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