« Negativity doesn't stop smoking | Main | Letter to the Editor »
November 07, 2006
Alumni Column
Security problems troubling to alumna in NYC
I still have pepper spray on my key chain. It gave me a sense of security at Hamline and it continues to do so in New York City. I’ve never used it. Not even close. But in my mind, I have created a what-if line of defense, just in case.
I’m sure many frightening scenarios have also crossed your mind recently given the rash of muggings. It’s troubling for me to think about how crime could be chipping away at that special part of Hamline that makes it feel like a home away from home. The off-campus attacks have likely forced some of you to speculate about what could happen next and others to second-guess the administration’s remedy.
It’s OK to question authority, especially if safety is on the line. Knowledge is power in my line of work. I’m a television news producer. It’s my job to uncover new information and present it in a way that any John or Jane Doe would understand. At times, it can be a nearly impossible task. People tend to avoid the uncomfortable issues and slam the telephone in my ear. It’s disheartening, but I still wake up every day with a desire to ask more questions. I believe it’s my responsibility, not only as a producer, but also as a person. As many of you struggle to regain faith “in the system,” I urge you to ask whatever questions bring you comfort.
I have no doubt that Hamline University and the St. Paul Police are working to renew a sense of security in the community. It’s probably going to take more than an extra police officer patrolling the streets or a neighborhood watch group standing guard. If anything, Hamline’s clash with crime is a heart-stopping lesson in awareness. Sometimes it takes something like a mugging in your own backyard to realize that there is no line in the sand that separates the good guys from the bad guys. There is no easy-access Office of Safety and Security in life, no campus call to extension x2100 and no emergency phone around the corner.
Maybe that explains why I still carry my pepper spray.
Posted by dwright at November 7, 2006 09:23 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)