Common sense and sensibility (or lack thereof)
I remember hearing a report about ten years ago that only 11% of Alabamians have college degrees. It was a shocking statistic at the time and made me realize how I had been surrounded by the vast minority since second grade when my family moved to Auburn. Despite these numbers, the state has excellent four-year colleges including Birmingham-Southern and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), to name just two, that have both been named "Top coll
eges" by US News and World Report for many consecutive years. Birmingham-Southern, a private Methodist liberal-arts college, has had an excellent reputation for fine arts programs as well the more conservative fields of business and finance. I don't think its a misnomer to call the school elite.
When the church fires started last month, my first thought was that the burning were racially motivated until these arsonists proved they were equal-opportunity criminals. In a way it was a relief that the arsonists were picking churches at random because the last thing this state needs is more bad race publicity.
The first thought that went through my head when I heard a news teaser saying that two college students had been arrested in connection with these fires was shock -- college students? My second reaction was a mental crossing of the fingers that they weren't from University of Montevallo, my alma mater. Of all the people I imagined who would be responsible for this crime, it sure wasn't three priviledged white suburban kids from Hoover, Ala. (a major suburb of Birmingham) who were in school at BSC and UAB.
When I was at Montevallo we got bored, got together and drank beer and played pranks. The phone numbers on campus were not traceable at the time and we had some good times pulling ploys on unsuspecting sororiety girls -- it was nothing criminal. Another member of our girl gang performed an on campus game with a thrift store purse, a dollar bill and a dog turd. The unsuspecting person sees the purse with the dollar bill sticking out of it, picks it up and looks in it to find a nice surprise -- and that was about the extent of it.
Yes some college pranks are dangerous and get out of hand and usually because alcohol is involved (and lots of it). Growing up in Auburn, home of massive Auburn University, it seemed like every year a kid got killed or maimed in a fraternity initiation or other stupid drunk stunt. but these 9 church burnings take it to a whole different level. Some of these churches were historical, all of them rural and anyone who lives in the southern states knows that these small community churches function as the structural hub of these towns. What part of this that would be considered a "joke", as one of the accused calls it, makes no sense regardless of the circumstances. It is an embarrassment to our state and the potential these young men had, one the son of a Birmingham physician, is now completely wasted.
From Sunday's lead story in the Birmingham News, the internet clearly played a part in these crimes. I guess only the three suspects know at what point fantasy became reality. Who knows what creates personalities like these. Is is sheltered lives where television, video games and the Internet do the babysitting and create a sense of isolation and lack of empathy for others? I guess these three men, along with their families, will have decades to contemplate that question. Some news reports blame alcohol, a "prank" gotten out of hand and a Time article even addresses Satanism as a cause. Regardless of what was behind these hideous acts, it is complete and total shame and a waste of three lives. I guess no amount of higher education can create basic fundamental judgement.
eges" by US News and World Report for many consecutive years. Birmingham-Southern, a private Methodist liberal-arts college, has had an excellent reputation for fine arts programs as well the more conservative fields of business and finance. I don't think its a misnomer to call the school elite.When the church fires started last month, my first thought was that the burning were racially motivated until these arsonists proved they were equal-opportunity criminals. In a way it was a relief that the arsonists were picking churches at random because the last thing this state needs is more bad race publicity.
The first thought that went through my head when I heard a news teaser saying that two college students had been arrested in connection with these fires was shock -- college students? My second reaction was a mental crossing of the fingers that they weren't from University of Montevallo, my alma mater. Of all the people I imagined who would be responsible for this crime, it sure wasn't three priviledged white suburban kids from Hoover, Ala. (a major suburb of Birmingham) who were in school at BSC and UAB.
When I was at Montevallo we got bored, got together and drank beer and played pranks. The phone numbers on campus were not traceable at the time and we had some good times pulling ploys on unsuspecting sororiety girls -- it was nothing criminal. Another member of our girl gang performed an on campus game with a thrift store purse, a dollar bill and a dog turd. The unsuspecting person sees the purse with the dollar bill sticking out of it, picks it up and looks in it to find a nice surprise -- and that was about the extent of it.
Yes some college pranks are dangerous and get out of hand and usually because alcohol is involved (and lots of it). Growing up in Auburn, home of massive Auburn University, it seemed like every year a kid got killed or maimed in a fraternity initiation or other stupid drunk stunt. but these 9 church burnings take it to a whole different level. Some of these churches were historical, all of them rural and anyone who lives in the southern states knows that these small community churches function as the structural hub of these towns. What part of this that would be considered a "joke", as one of the accused calls it, makes no sense regardless of the circumstances. It is an embarrassment to our state and the potential these young men had, one the son of a Birmingham physician, is now completely wasted.
From Sunday's lead story in the Birmingham News, the internet clearly played a part in these crimes. I guess only the three suspects know at what point fantasy became reality. Who knows what creates personalities like these. Is is sheltered lives where television, video games and the Internet do the babysitting and create a sense of isolation and lack of empathy for others? I guess these three men, along with their families, will have decades to contemplate that question. Some news reports blame alcohol, a "prank" gotten out of hand and a Time article even addresses Satanism as a cause. Regardless of what was behind these hideous acts, it is complete and total shame and a waste of three lives. I guess no amount of higher education can create basic fundamental judgement.
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