Texas SAE saves swimmer's life

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

When haven't college students been seen as party animals? Did I miss something? And uh, hi, crowd of over 100 and only he could figure out that a guy floating facedown in the water wasn't quite right?
The EMT in me is just stunned that no one else could be bothered to act at all. And annoyed. If the article is accurate.

As an EMT, I am sure you must have seen situations that no one did a thing.
Several years ago, a woman was killed, murdered with over 20 people just about looking on. No one called the police. No one said a thing.
This was in NYC.
Woman's name was, IIRC, Kitty Genovese.
I was right, for a change:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese
The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is alone.
Solitary individuals will typically intervene if another person is in need of help: this is known as bystander intervention. However, researchers were surprised to find that help is less likely to be given if more people are present. In some situations, a large group of bystanders may fail to help a person who obviously needs help. An example which shocked many people is the Kitty Genovese case. Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in 1964 by a serial rapist and murderer. The murder took place over a period of about a half hour, after which it was reported that dozens of alleged "witnesses" failed to help the victim. For this reason, the name Genovese syndrome or Genovese effect was used to describe the phenomenon at the time. In 1972, Dr. Wolfgang Friedmann, professor of law at Columbia University, was murdered in broad daylight and bled to death on the sidewalk. The death of Deletha Word near Detroit in 1995 after witnesses failed to thwart her attackers, as well as the James Bulger murder case, may have been other well-publicized cases of the effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by jon1856

As an EMT, I am sure you must have seen situations that no one did a thing.
Several years ago, a woman was killed, murdered with over 20 people just about looking on. No one called the police. No one said a thing.
This was in NYC.
Woman's name was, IIRC, Kitty Genovese.

I know the story, it's a famous anecdote in psychology. It's actually about 30-40 people that ignored Kitty's screams. And I wrote a 10 page paper on the Diffusion of Responsibility for AP Psych. Anyway, point is, how can college students suddenly 'ditch the stereotype of wild party-animal' if only one kid acts in a crowd of over 100? Really that seems to be enforcing another stereotype. Uncaring slacker.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

I know the story, it's a famous anecdote in psychology. It's actually about 30-40 people that ignored Kitty's screams. And I wrote a 10 page paper on the Diffusion of Responsibility for AP Psych. Anyway, point is, how can college students suddenly 'ditch the stereotype of wild party-animal' if only one kid acts in a crowd of over 100? Really that seems to be enforcing another stereotype. Uncaring slacker.

Was not 30-40 but not the point.
We do not know, based upon the sole story we have seen, if everyone there was a member of a GLO, let alone a college student.
So IMVHO my above posting answers your question.

And if the story had given his membership in just a GLO, perhaps it would have been read differently. Something that we will never know.

[nittanyalum]

Back to the point of the OP, I think it sucks it didn't mention his affiliation, because I agree, were it a story about some shenanigans, his affiliation would have been front and center.

I hope someone writes a letter to the editor to point out the omission and identify him as a greek.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by jon1856

Was not 30-40 but not the point.
We do not know, based upon the sole story we have seen, if everyone there was a member of a GLO, let alone a college student.
So IMVHO my above posting answers your question.

And if the story had given his membership in just a GLO, perhaps it would have been read differently. Something that we will never know.

Um what? And no. Are you taking over for Earp?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

Um what? And no. Are you taking over for Earp?

No; but it would seem as if you are
If I am following your comments correctly:
In the case of Kitty:
"Later investigation by police and prosecutors revealed that approximately a dozen (but almost certainly not the 38 cited in the Times article) individuals nearby had heard or observed portions of the attack, though none could have seen or been aware of the entire incident."
BTB-I was living in NYC at the time.
And I agree with nittanyalum about what would most likely have been written if story was about mis-deeds.
And if was to be added in that case, why was in not added in a story about good deeds?

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

Whatever. I read the Daily Texan almost daily and I don't see that at all. Maybe I'm missing something, but they seldom cover Greek Life that much anyway. Sure, they covered some dramatic hazing types of things, but nothing compares to their coverage of the Colton Pitonyak story a few years ago. And he wasn't Greek.

Besides, anyone who reads the Texan carefully will notice it's taken a serious turn to the political right in the last year and a half.

I'm calling shenanigans on y'all.

Wow, I think their disdain for greek life sticks out like a sore thumb and I have yet to hear someone affiliated with a fraternity or sorority here disagree.

Their coverage of Tyler Cross' death pissed me off especially.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Wow, I think their disdain for greek life sticks out like a sore thumb and I have yet to hear someone affiliated with a fraternity or sorority here disagree.

Their coverage of Tyler Cross' death pissed me off especially.

Hm. OK, I'll admit that I'm an alum so I in no way have the Texas Greek perspective.

I guess I can somewhat see it in the Tyler Cross case, seeing as they continually mentioned his fraternity affiliation even though that wasn't really relevant to his tragedy. At the same time, his death occurred at the house, right? Or am I wrong on that? I know that this is a very personal issue for you so please let's not discuss it if it's painful.

The main response I have is that most of what I would guess ticks Greeks off is things from the Firing Line, which isn't really the voice of the Texan but of anyone who writes in. And it's impossible for them to totally edit out any Firing Line letters that are anti-Greek. Although maybe they could be better fact-checkers.

I'll take your point but I still think from the perspective of someone like me (pro-Greek but not a Texas Greek, and a liberal at that), that overall the Texan seems pretty balanced and by no means as virulently anti-Greek as y'all are portraying it.

As someone pointed out we've hijacked this thread so I'll shut up now about the Texan. It's really not serious business.

[bowsandtoes]

Just as closure, the Tyler Cross incident occurred at his off-campus apartment. A similar incident happened this past February with a Hellraiser (a UT spirit group). The DT published one side-story and that was that. I hate to compare two obvious tragedies but the subtle bias not just in that case, but over the last few years is hard to ignore.

[UTLonghorn2012]

The Daily Texan, from what I can tell in the issues I have read, does not have a very favorable opinion of Greek life.

When the Greek community does something positive, it barely gets a mention.

When something bad happens, they explode on it.

If the swimmer had been an SAE at UT, and maybe had done something dumb, the headline wouldn't be "Student breaks neck swimming," it would certainly be "SAE Member breaks neck" and would probably go on to condemn the practice of spring break.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by UTLonghorn2012

The Daily Texan, from what I can tell in the issues I have read, does not have a very favorable opinion of Greek life.

When the Greek community does something positive, it barely gets a mention.

When something bad happens, they explode on it.

If the swimmer had been an SAE at UT, and maybe had done something dumb, the headline wouldn't be "Student breaks neck swimming," it would certainly be "SAE Member breaks neck" and would probably go on to condemn the practice of spring break.

Way to come to UT with an open mind.

[macallan25]

I've got to agree with him. If someone characterized a newspaper without saying the name......I'd probably say "that sounds like the Daily Texan, haha."

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

Um what? And no. Are you taking over for Earp?

Exuse me, but why was my name even brought up in this conversation?


This is usual for Greeks.

Do something bad, it is all over the NEWs MEDIA.

But when someone a Greek does something like this, We as Greeks get slighted.

All I know, this young man saved someones life.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by bowsandtoes

This guy (aka UTLonghorn2012) needs to stop obsessing over UT. Senior spring is supposed to be fun.

That was pretty much my point.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Isn't it a little over the line to post someone's picture?