IDS continues to misrepresent IU black community

As a member of the IU black community, I would like to express my displeasure with the IDS's ongoing exploitation of the black members of the Indiana community. The latest testament to the IDS's poor journalistic practices is Monday's front-page story, "Police search for shooting suspects", about the gun-firing incident following the dismissal of the Alpha Phi Alpha party (Sept. 19). It is unacceptable that the IDS or any newspaper publish speculation as fact. Lt. Minger, who was quoted throughout the article regarding the supposed "tense, uncertain, and rapid-evolving" atmosphere as justifying the IU Police Department's reason to draw guns on the majority African-American crowd was not even present at the scene. Yet Minger's comments are the staple of the article.\nThough neither of the young men face any charges from being taken into custody, the publishing of their names assigns them negative publicity that may adversely affect them in their student and professional careers. \nFinally, the article's most accurate statement, that the IUPD handcuffed "at least two people who were expected to have weapons" grossly downplays the real issue: the amount of excessive force, police brutality and humiliation endured by black students that night. The number of people handcuffed, pulled out of their automobiles at gun point, slammed onto the ground for suspicion of possessing weapons long after the crowd watched the gunmen drive away far exceeds two. It's more like 20. \nThe article even quotes Lt. Minger expressing that in these matters all people of color, particularly our males, are fair game for attack by virtue of "similar (physical) descriptions," yet the IDS chose not to acknowledge this blatant racism on a campus where the myth of acceptance of diversity is shoved down our throats at every corner! Regardless, once again, the IDS decidedly takes the low road of sensationalism at the expense of the image of African-Americans.\nThe IDS has continually failed to show evidence of abiding by a code of decency in ethics when reporting any conflict regarding black students.