Oakland University is not a fantasy land

STAFF EDITORIAL

“Nothing will happen — I mean, it’s Oakland University.”

As the 2008 school year reaches its conclusion, many seniors are ready to move beyond the college campus and into the “real” world.

The threats of the past weekend have offered a final lesson for Oakland’s near-future alumni and students.

We live in an imperfect society where even words around toilets and urinals are taken seriously.

This is a direct reflection of the many tragedies that have occurred around the country. In a world where drastic events certainly do happen, “nothing will happen” is not the best attitude to adopt.

Homeland Security was alerted of the situation, but “Don’t worry,” the chorus chants, “It’s only Oakland University!”

It’s highly unlikely that the other schools that shut down this week have any more possibility of an attack than Oakland.

Is Saint Xavier University a hub for violent activity? Has anyone ever considered Grayslake Middle School to be much more active than Oakland University?  

Nor is it likely that students at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois or Columbine High School ever thought it more likely for a school shooting to take place on their respective campuses.

These were not centers of crime, nor locations well-acquainted with tragic events of such nature.

It seems as though, Oakland University students are apathetic even when there is a major security threat. OU is no more special than any other university. We have, essentially, the same environment as the other universities — we have no potion that makes us any more safe or secure.

Students will hopefully understand this message: There is no basis for the idea that nothing will happen because “this is OU.”

Even before the threats were written, this same perspective could have readily been defended.

Imagine if a week ago, the claim was made that it was possible that a threat would be written in a variety of bathrooms, and that the remarks would parallel comments in other schools around the nation.

The same lazy skeptics would retort: “Of course not at OU — that never happens here!”

Yet we still hear this response after something major actually does happen. OU is suddenly part of the national news.

Something major has just happened; what more is necessary for students to grasp this concept!?

Instead of winding down the semester with spring weather and studying, we are dealt a hand of reality.

In a society where we must be concerned with every last bathroom wall, we should not dismiss all possibilities so quickly.

There are a multitude of possible reasons for writing the message, many of which have severe consequences.

After tragedy unfolds, there is always an outcry as to what type of behavior could have hinted to future dangerous activity.

Precautions had to be taken to ensure that all measures were taken to avoid a tragedy. There is no denying sordid threats (even on bathroom walls) fit under this category, and should be viewed seriously.

With the history of school shootings in America, if there is someone who is disgruntled enough to write such words, there should be a large reaction.

Alas, school shootings of the past are what highlighted the threat as a major concern in the first place.

The fact is that terrible things do happen, regardless of how much we tell ourselves that it could never happen to us.

That is the reason we are concerned with graffiti in the john to begin with.

Hopefully this will teach OU students a one more valuable lesson before school is out for summer.