As a newspaper, it is our duty to report and respond to the news. Sometimes, the news can make a person’s day brighter; sometimes the news can fill a person with a boiling feeling of nausea in the pit of his or her stomach. The objective of the news media is to dust aside all personal biases to disseminate a fair and accurate view of events. In this mission, however, the news media is often the first place for a community to blame for the news itself. In this instance, the Northern Star asks NIU and its surrounding communities to reflect upon the area in which they live and the individuals residing therein. Ask yourself: Do I feel safe?

The Northern Star finds the actions depicted in these reports unsettling and appalling. As human beings first and journalists second, we find the actions to be an upsetting portrayal of the community in which we live. The events do not reflect all persons living in and around NIU, but a select group of people seemingly exempt from “real-world” consequences for their actions. The victims involved could very well have been someone with whom you were acquainted, driving home the realization that actions like these, if not reported and reprimanded, could continue. Only memories would remain to tell the news, and the victims’ unsettling stories would go unheard.

We understand the reports may offend members of the Greek community. The individuals involved are a select few people who live on Greek Row, making it very hard for the more innocent denizens on Greek Row to convince NIU that not all Greeks are like this. Do not blame all of those living on Greek Row for these abominable actions. This was not the Star’s intent in telling this daunting and disturbing story.

Understand the individuals involved are students and human beings, and are therefore subject to the judicial ramifications of their actions just like any other NIU student. If events comparable to those reported happened to other students or in the “real world,” the consequences would be more consistent with the crime committed.

As the media entity closest to these events, it is our obligation to make public these events just as we would any blotter entry. We felt they weren’t being reported otherwise and it was imperative to publish this story.

The Northern Star felt it was necessary to print information crucial to campus safety.

Editor’s Note: Steve Brown, a member of the Editorial Board and author of the story, did not participate in this editorial.