Letter To The Editor

I am writing in regard to recent articles in The Spectrum and Generation regarding the University Heights area. As a UB student living in the Heights, frankly, I am appalled at the accusations being leveled on UB by the community. Residents of the Heights are stereotyping several college students who abide by the laws of community based on the acts of a few college students who do not. Frankly, I'm more concerned with the fact that these residents are so worried about college students' own front lawns and houses and parties going on that they are forming special task forces to counteract these things in conjunction with the Buffalo Police Department, rather than worrying about the real crimes that occur in the area.

Recently, my house on Englewood Avenue was broken into. A friend of mine was robbed at gunpoint; there have been shootings on and around South Campus. I have friends who have had their cars not only broken into, but also stolen. With all the real crime on the rise in Heights, I find it appalling these residents are worried about a few college parties with students relaxing after a hard week spent studying for exams. Shouldn't the Buffalo police be more worried about policing the real crime in the area than giving out a bunch of fines for underage drinking and busting up a fraternity kegger?

This is not to say that I feel college students are totally innocent of all wrong-doing, but in a neighborhood where we live with the crime, we deal with a community that does not want us, and we deal with landlords who don't respond to our concerns timely or even at all, how are we solely to blame? I urge citizens of the Heights to focus more on the real crimes happening around the area than a few college students drinking at a house relieving some stress during the week, because odds are while the Buffalo police are breaking up a house party and handing out tickets for underage drinking, there is someone in the Heights being robbed.

Instead of task forces to police all the fraternity and house parties in the Heights, there should be Neighborhood Watch programs and task forces to prevent burglaries and other real crimes. When my personal safety and that of my friends and neighbors who are also at college just to be students is at stake, I am insulted that the community is more worried about me having a couple beers at a party than me feeling safe walking from Main Street back to my house.