Issue 10

Page 1

SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997

VOLUME 106 - ISSUE 10

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022

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Resident threatens Black student BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA

Staff Writer

Plattsburgh City Police arrested resident Dustin Ormsby, 27, for verbally harassing a Black SUNY Plattsburgh student named David Harris April 14. Ormsby was arrested for aggravated harassment in the second degree. College President Dr. Alexander Enyedi addressed the incident in a message on the SUNY Plattsburgh Facebook page, reporting that the incident was being “investigated by City, State and University Police.” University Police Chief Patrick Rascoe, however, clarified that most of UP’s work was not in investigation, but in supporting Harris on campus, while the jurisdiction of the case lay with City Police. City Police Corporal Emily Duprey confirmed this. Enyedi’s message said the incident appeared to be “racially motivated.” Although City Police’s press report issued April 15 mentioned the use of racial slurs, the “racially motivated” nature of the case did not have an effect on how they processed it. “To us, everyone is handled the same,” Duprey said. “It shouldn’t matter who you are, what you look like. Everything should be handled the same.” Duprey said City Police followed Harris’ requests in handling the case. “There’s always room for improvement in absolutely anything that anyone does,” Duprey said. “When it comes to

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[this case], it was handled swiftly, quickly, and everything was done the way that the victim requested. To me, that was a good job, the way that they wanted it done.” Aside from pressing charges and being granted a stay-away order, Harris also specifically requested that Enyedi address the campus on the day of the incident and reviewed his message. Harris said he was “shocked” at how quickly the case was handled and how “genuine” both City and University Police were in their communications with him. He report-

ed that Rascoe called him and drove him away from his home for Ormsby’s arrest. Enyedi and Plattsburgh Mayor Christopher Rosenquest also personally reached out to Harris, and Rosenquest addressed the incident in a Facebook post. “As a Black man who was raised in Plattsburgh, I’m no stranger to being called the N-word. It saddens me to see this still happening in our community,” Rosenquest wrote. Harris said he had a “love-hate relationship” with law enforcement due to traumatic personal encounters in the past and

the portrayal of police in the media. “I’m glad I gave the system a chance to work out and it did work out,” Harris said. “I think that just speaks volumes of itself.” Harris said he thought of privilege while reflecting on the incident. A brother at Phi Beta Sigma, a historically Black fraternity, and an active member of the SUNY Plattsburgh community, Harris has many connections, which he thinks may have influenced how the incident was treated. “I am very well-connected with a lot of different people, different

groups, and I just wondered: if I wasn’t involved as much as I am involved, would I have gotten the same treatment? Would I have gotten the same speed of reaction?” Harris said. “I do think there needs to be a level of priority in terms of answering the call equally for everyone, you know what I’m saying?” Harris shared advice for students who may find themselves in similar situations to his. “I feel like that’s something that definitely needs to be talked about — not always being violent, not always ready to put your

hands on someone, or ready to retaliate,” Harris said. “I would advise people to really think before they react, and really process every possibility that would happen after you react.” Harris shared how the incident could have looked had he retaliated to Ormsby: “I felt like, in an act of retaliation, [my] situation could have went really left. I could have went over there, and we could have engaged in a physical altercation, and then [Ormsby] could have had a weapon that I wasn’t aware of. I’m on his property, so now I become the perpetrator, and now the narrative has changed. What started as a racial slur and a threat on my life ended up becoming now I’m on his property inflicting violence.” Although overall “definitely satisfied” with how the incident was handled, Harris said State and City Police could have done more. Harris explained that City Police know Ormsby to struggle with mental health and to have violent episodes. Prior to the incident, Ormsby called the police on Harris, having misunderstood Harris’ wave for a rude gesture. “If the police are aware of the situation, I’m just wondering what more would they need in order to put him into a place where he can get the help and care that he needs,” Harris said.

THREAT l A2

Professors join Ramadan observation BY LARAIB ASIM Staff Writer

As the days get longer, so does the fast for Muslim students and faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh. The fast, which starts at about 4 a.m. every morning and ends at sunset around 8 p.m., lasts almost 16 hours every day. “Despite the physical challenges, we [Muslims] fast with enthusiasm.” Iman Ahmad, a Muslim student, said. “We are learning important skills such as patience and empathy.” Over the course of the past few days professors from different faculties have been invited to come have iftar (evening meal that breaks fast) with students. On April 15, Professor Wanda Haby from the School of Business and Economics (SBE) was invited for iftar at Kent Hall — where the first floor’s teaching kitchen is being used for arranging iftar. As someone who is familiar with Islamic culture, she was ecstatic to experience it here on campus and see how the students have bought it together. “I think the insight into the student experience here at SUNY Plattsburgh [was intriguing],” Haby said. “I was surprised by all the different countries the

students represented and all of the different mother tongues, the different languages the students spoke but [despite that] you all were one family and you all communicated in English even though you celebrate [the faith] differently.” On April 21, Professor Haby was invited again, this time with Professor Mohamad Gaber from the SBE joined students at iftar. Whilst Haby was unable to attend due to time constraints, she showed her love and support for the students by dropping by Kent Hall a few hours early to drop by food items that she had bought specifically for the students from the Arab market from Albany. Mohamed Gaber, professor and chair of accounting, also attended the event. “I joined more than 20 oncampus students and shared food and thoughts in a collegiate and peaceful environment. What was also amazing to me is to see so many students from different countries with different cultures, and all share the joy and festivity with Breaking our fast after day-long fasting.” he said. “I had the pleasure of seeing some students for the first time, and all in all we did represent more than 10 different

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Provided by Ebtisam Mohamad

Students pose at the gathering to observe Ramadan. They fast for 16 hours a day during this time. countries on that day. Students worked so hard all day long to cook several types of food and sweets. Everything they have done was beyond amazing.” Professor Curt Gervich, his wife Professor Amy Gervich and their two young children Eloise and Jacques Gervich came to experience the diverse iftar one Sunday evening. Afterward, ev-

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eryone played Morrocan games and talked about various cultural differences. The evening was buzzing with happiness and was a relaxing way to end the night. Members of the GEO office and Ebtisam Mohamad, Muslim student in her senior year have been persistently trying to reach out to a local Imam

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(the person who leads prayers in mosques) to come lead the students in prayer. Throughout Ramadan, Muslim students Sabit Muderis and Shahidul Islam led students in prayer during the last two prayers of the day whenever possible.

MUSLIM l A5

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