I’m writing in reference to the front page article on Friday, May 1, 2009, and the 25 drug-related arrests. Given the gravity of this type of behavior, I would expect The Daily Illini to provide fair and balanced coverage of the events and happenings taking place on the campus. On the front page article, there is an outline of what took place and no insight into how long this has been going on and to what extent these events may have impacted the campus community.

In the same newspaper, in the Opinions section, there is an article denouncing the timing of the arrests in reference to it being so close to the end of the school year. It’s almost as if the writer wanted to excuse criminal behavior because of the timing of the drug raids. This is extremely disappointing. One would expect criminal behavior to be a negative event regardless of the timing of the activity.

It is my hope The Daily Illini would give this event the same coverage and attention given to the Central Black Student Union party where a fight took place and there was a series of articles following the event. Maybe because the fight took place earlier in the semester, it somehow has more importance than the criminal abuse and sale of illegal drugs. Or maybe because the individuals involved in the fight were of minority descent and the individuals involved in the drug raid were not, The Daily Illini will not see the need to address the issue any further.

Terrance L. Stevenson