Column - Irresponsible students in video deserve to be ‘Shmacked’

"First I'd like to point out that in your haughtiness you screwed up a quoatation placement. It should be directly after "said" but instead you placed it after "said they"."
--You know you spelled quotation wrong, right?

"I agree that some students did take their party scene too far by throwing bottles at police cars and a chair, but needless to say many Alumnus have pointed out that they have stories that either match up to the same scenarios that are currently taking place at WVU."
--Alumnus shouldn't be capitalized. I think that in your haughtiness you screwed that up.

"Everyone has their time when they lose track of their good judgement and anyone who says they haven't is a liar."
--You spelt judgment wrong, FYI.

"People percieve WVU as a party school because you take one weekend where a lack of judgement occured and turn it into a public affair that ridicules students for enjoying themselves."
--WVU doesn't have the reputation of a party school because of this one weekend, or any one weekend. It's got that reputation because of a culmination of many events like those in the video. Also...you spelt perceive, judgment, and occurred incorrectly.

"The families that are complaining have absolutely no reason to complain. The students stick to themselves and cause no harm to these families that live in a college town out of their own choices."
--This is just false. Public safety staff responds to these types of calls instead of things that really matter. Also...its those citizen's tax dollars that pay for the public safety staff and clean-up, not you.

"Any student who is embarassed is not a true Mountaineer. A true Mountaineer sticks by their side through good times and bad times."
--So...let me get this straight...if the WVU football/basketball/soccer/etc. team went out and raped a group of people, you'd stick by them? It's OK to like your university, but not OK to just be ignorant. Also...again...you spelt embarrassed wrong. Dope.

"Parties such as the ones depicted in the I'm Shmacked WVU movie hs been happening for years, except for one big part. Twenty years ago there was no internet sites that students could post videos or social networks that display the behavior of college students. Every college, even Harvard and Yale, have parties such as this."
--One, Harvard and Yale don't have parties like this...there's a reason Shmacked wasn't at their campuses. Two, please learn to write -- you need your sentences to agree (subj./verb agreement). Three, please don't blame the internet. The way people "party" has indeed changed in the last two decades.

"The difference between those two schools and WVU is the way that cynicals such as yourself take the time out of your day to write this article tearing down this college and its students."
--John isn't tearing down WVU...the people partying were...literally, in fact.

"If everyone behaved themselves the way you imply they should the majority of families that live here and work as police officers and fire fighters would not have a job."
--Wait, are you seriously making this argument? That's like saying that when the US is no longer involved in any wars abroad, it should disband the military. Damn. Great idea. Have you ever thought about running for public office?

"As previously stated without us "criminal" college students many of you would be out of jobs,..."
--Again terrible argument. And as a side note...why did you write this again? Kind of repetitive, don't you think? I blame the haughtiness.

"...not to mention we're in college for one reason, to get a better job and make ourselves better off. You'd think someone who knows anything about college would understand that the point of college is to make a name for yourself and to achieve your full potential not to become a criminal."
--OK...so if the reason that you go to college is to "make yourself better off," "make a name for yourself," "achieve your full potential," and "not become a criminal," than why are you doing stuff like what happened in the video? This is all going to lead to criminal charges and University discipline (with John's article or not)...it's not going to help you meet your reasons for going to college.

Sure, everyone has a time when they lose track of good judgement. But not everyone has committed felonies because of it, and you shouldn't brush it off like it's no big deal. 30+ intentionally set fires in one night IS a big deal.

Maybe if WVU ever received positive national coverage for the research and the strength of the programs they offer, a big story about holiday debauchery wouldn't be a big deal. But here's the thing- it seems the ONLY time we get recognition is when part of our student body decides to act like trash. And it's really unfair to those of us who are responsible enough to balance partying with schoolwork, and who have enough respect for WVU to not act like heathens.

You are ignorant in your statement that families have absolutely no reason to complain. When the Morgantown PD and Fire Department have to use their resources to take care of students being reckless idiots, it means they do not have as many resources to take care of the people who actually pay taxes to them- county/city residents. Just because a family chooses to live here doesn't mean they should accept this type of behavior. People don't just come here because of WVU, you know. Maybe they live here because of Morgantown's national rankings as a great place to live. Morgantown has won accolades as the Number 1 Small City in America by BizJournals.com, the 5th Best Small Metro by Forbes and one of the Best Cities for Jobs by MSN Careers. Certainly, the University has been an influential player that has allowed Morgantown to receive these prestigious awards. However, this irresponsible student culture is not a part of that.

I disagree that any student who is embarrassed "Isn't a true Mountaineer". Bull. Your ability and choice to be a drunken, pleasure seeking imbecile with little to no self-respect has nothing to do with the Mountaineer way of life. You can do that anywhere else, too. And I wish you would.

Last, I'd like to point out that in your rant, you had many grammatical errors, such as using "Alumnus" (the singular form of 'alumni') instead of "Alumni", as well as your use of the made up word "Alumnist." And lots more. Normally I wouldn't feel the need to belittle someone for grammatical errors, but since you made it a point to first bash the well-written journalist who writes for the DA, I feel you would understand and appreciate this constructive criticism.