Letter To The Editor

As a former resident of the University Heights, I would like to present a point of view opposing the non-student Heights residents'.

The University Heights is a student residence area and not an ordinary Buffalo district. As such, major differences are to be expected. Just because a student breaks the socially accepted standards does not make him a criminal. And mind you, if he or she is committing a crime, then I believe every citizen should not hesitate to report that crime to the Buffalo police department. I believe you will find most often that the students are merely guilty of nothing but being themselves as opposed to what they will be in 30 years.

It is not as much that students invaded a quiet district as much as it is a few original residents remaining in the district. And this is exactly where my qualms with those remaining residents and the politicians responsible for the district come in.

I believe that if more of the original residents had ensured that there could be some form of rule set at the start of the students' migration into the district, then things would not be where they are today. A united group of landlords and residents setting simple guidelines for a peaceful living would already be far more conducive to actual peace than the present situation.

Another reason that I can see for the miserable state of the Heights is the abundance of crime. The high rate of crime combined with the presence of numerous cocaine and alcohol addicts in the Heights were consequently my main reason to move out of the Heights into the safest town in America, Amherst. I never had any problem whatsoever with any students despite being one of the more studious and mature student residents (I do not "party" but rather gather socially with likeminded people.) The presence of even the most unruly students actually helped in enhancing my feeling of safety in the area, as at least that way I knew there was someone around besides the criminals and daytime businessmen and women.

And let us not forget the reason why the Heights are still there: the students. Without us, many businesses could not survive, and the area would decline into an even worse state of disrepair. I believe that it would therefore perhaps be best if the non-student residents tried to work with the students toward a better future, as opposed to trying to fight their way of life. Most residents of the area I've met are either very intelligent or very self-confident individuals. I believe that it is therefore useless to complain about the students' "criminal behavior," as this will only result in a decline in the state of affairs. A constructive dialogue would serve the community a lot better. It may not encourage me to move back to the Heights, but at least it will allow everyone in the Heights to have at least some form of simultaneous peace.