Is this a fight worth fighting?

I will try and make this as brief as possible, but don't know how well I will do with that.

There is this building on campus that is three story's with very steep stairs. There are three flights, the main stairs only go up to the second floor and you have to make the rest of the treck via one of two narrow secluded stair cases with space for people to hide under them at each turn.

Now recently they made the one elevator in this building for facualty and the handicap only and you need a key to operate it. I was talking to a guy in one of my English classes and he said the reason for the change was because a girl in a wheelchair complained that the elevator was full and no one would get out so she could get in. My feeling is that she could have waited for the next ride up like any normal person instead of running to the dean and bitching. It isn't like she was uncomfortable, I mean she is in a wheelchair. There are these two girls on campus with messed up legs and they have to use crutches all the time when they aren't in their motorized chairs. For them I understand getting out and letting them on considering it would prob cause them a lot of discomfort to stand their on their bad legs waiting, but this girl was sitting in a chair.

Now that aside, I was sitting by the elevator doing homework and got tired of telling people they couldn't use it so I wrote a note that said, "Need Key. We all know how safe it is for girls to use the secluded stairs during night classes. Feel free to complain." Well about an 1.5 hrs later I came out of class and the note was taken down.

I'm very tempted to type up a bunch of notes and replacing them everytime I see it has been taken down. I also plan to include the Deans and Presidents email adresses so people will be more inclined to send them emails.

As I said before, it is really dangerous to make the girls use the stair cases considering someone could easily hide underneath the stair case and grab one. They aren't used often at night especially if someone is late for class. It would be rather easy to rape a girl right there without having to worry about getting caught. Secondly, we pay 2,000 a semester plus other expenses to attend this school, do we not have the right to use this elevator?

Ok, well I made this a little longer than I would have liked, sorry. But do y'all think this is worth trying to fight? I also plan to send an email myself to anyone who may be able to change this new rule.

know when to pick your battles....

will any good likely even come of it...

or will you just be creating waves?

if you need to ask this question, then the answer is probably no

remember 'advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer, but wish you didnt'

Um, use the stairs? Honestly, I never take the elevator unless I have to. It's just lazy if you have legs. I'm not a health nut, but I hate when I see overweight people takign the elevator to the second floor.

At the pentagon, multiple stories tall, everyone must use the stairs unless they're handicapped. I'm not a huge fan of the military, but I think it's a fair policy.

lol america is hardly the country to say you can't be lazy.... fuck, drive in everythings! people take cabs when they only gotta go 10 blocks... take out food cuz people are too lazy to cook.... jesus >.<

I think this is a good battle to fight. And I am a guy

The main reason I feel something needs to be done is the safety isssue. I really don't feel comfortable with my g/f walking up those stairs at night. Our campus already has a large rape rate, so why wouldn't they try and prevent this shit... I know 3 girls personally who have been raped at this school by students at my school. Not to mention this is the straw that broke the camels back, there have been many things of late I would have loved to protest, this one deals with safety though, so I figure why not.

oh c'mon dude lol.. you just wanna fight 'em.. admit it ;) it's ok...

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Originally Posted by higher4hockey

if you need to ask this question, then the answer is probably no

remember 'advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer, but wish you didnt'

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Exactly.
AND it was just plain RUDE of the able bodied young people to not get off and leave the disabled girl just sitting there defenseless. Rude and mean.:mad: Plain wrong.

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Originally Posted by JaggedEdge

The main reason I feel something needs to be done is the safety isssue. I really don't feel comfortable with my g/f walking up those stairs at night. Our campus already has a large rape rate, so why wouldn't they try and prevent this shit... I know 3 girls personally who have been raped at this school by students at my school. Not to mention this is the straw that broke the camels back, there have been many things of late I would have loved to protest, this one deals with safety though, so I figure why not.

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Is there a shortage of campus security?
Maybe the elevator can be used by only girls and handicapped at night.
But never ever just leave a handicapped person to fend for themselves.
I think it would be fair to use the elevator at night.

I do want to fight them on this... But I still think it is a saftey issue. The thing is I rarely ever took the elevator, I hated waiting for it, and the piece of shit looks like it will break.

I already got stuck in one of the elevators in the library, it is the only way to get to the 3rd and 4th floor.

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Originally Posted by tootsie roll

Is there a shortage of campus security?
Maybe the elevator can be used by only girls and handicapped at night.
But never ever just leave a handicapped person to fend for themselves.
I think it would be fair to use the elevator at night.

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Everyone wants to say everyone is equal, yet we are supposed to give special treatment to certain people? Maybe I am an asshole, but she is in a wheelchair, she isn't helpless. She is a person and deserves to be treated like a person. That means waiting in line like everyone else. Not to mention you need a key to use it, so I doubt they would give one to all the girls.

As I said though, if it were the girls who have to use crutches to get around, than yes, let them on first. I'm sure it is difficult for them to walk and they need to sit down. But this girl was already sitting down (assuming this is what really happened). Keep in mind I heard the story from someone else, so it could be grade A bullshit.

Oh and our security consists of the cops giving DUI's and parking tickets.

ok, if it's a saftey issue, first you need to bring it up in some sort of council... you need to state your opinion... then you need to make your facts known... if that doesn't work and only then is some sort of protest or the like appropriate (printing out/putting up flyers)

so there you go, first bring it up to actual officals, if that doesn't work, then you take it further.

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Originally Posted by slipknotpsycho

ok, if it's a saftey issue, first you need to bring it up in some sort of council... you need to state your opinion... then you need to make your facts known... if that doesn't work and only then is some sort of protest or the like appropriate (printing out/putting up flyers)

so there you go, first bring it up to actual officals, if that doesn't work, then you take it further.

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It is useless bringing it to the Student Government. These are the people who voted to approve a 1.5 million dollar parking garage that will give 500 spaces while building on 250. Not sure exactly what kind of garage this is, but we are now out 250 parking spots so they can eventually add about 250 more for football games. It is worth a shot, but I doubt anything will be done by them.

it's not the point of whether they will do anything or not.. it's so you can say ' i took it where it should have been taken, and that didn't work so i am asking everyone else to help me fight '.... does that make sense?

i don't exepct any officals to change it... it's just the fact you CAN say you did what was SUPPOSED to be done, and it didn't work...

Alright, you win, I will do this the correct way first...

And if that don't work... We take to the street with pitchforks! Ok. not really, but I will post the flyers by the elevator. :D

good boy ;) cuz any other wise (well maybe not about something this little) that would only come back to bite you in the ass... and the 'officals' would bring up "this was never brought up before us.... so it has nothing to do with concern for blah blah blah"

doesn't take a whole lot to change things, especially something this small... present your case and if they refuse it, then carry on :)

btw, just incase, it shoudln't take no damn month for them to hear your case... it takes a bit of persistance sometimes... but if you're genuinely concerned... a lil persistance is nothing.

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Originally Posted by JaggedEdge

Everyone wants to say everyone is equal, yet we are supposed to give special treatment to certain people? Maybe I am an asshole, but she is in a wheelchair, she isn't helpless. She is a person and deserves to be treated like a person. That means waiting in line like everyone else. Not to mention you need a key to use it, so I doubt they would give one to all the girls.

As I said though, if it were the girls who have to use crutches to get around, than yes, let them on first. I'm sure it is difficult for them to walk and they need to sit down. But this girl was already sitting down (assuming this is what really happened). Keep in mind I heard the story from someone else, so it could be grade A bullshit.

Oh and our security consists of the cops giving DUI's and parking tickets.

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Trust me when I say that the handicapped girl in the chair is helpless. If someone approaches her in a bad way, is she just gonna jump up and run away?
Yes, people do want to be treated equal BUT a disabled person will never be equal. Yes, it is easier for her to wait in a line, say at the grocery store but we aren't talking about that.
I'm sure the school could work it out if the girls are in real danger. And they should work it out.
Maybe you should put your efforts into getting security where security is needed. Maybe they can hire more guards so as not to trouble the parking lot police.

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Originally Posted by tootsie roll

Trust me when I say that the handicapped girl in the chair is helpless. If someone approaches her in a bad way, is she just gonna jump up and run away?
Yes, people do want to be treated equal BUT a disabled person will never be equal. Yes, it is easier for her to wait in a line, say at the grocery store but we aren't talking about that.
I'm sure the school could work it out if the girls are in real danger. And they should work it out.
Maybe you should put your efforts into getting security where security is needed. Maybe they can hire more guards so as not to trouble the parking lot police.

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c'mon tootsie... wtf is more security gonna do? like they're going to stand in the stairwell mentioned? atleast get real about it :rolleyes: those bastards are gonna be sitting wherever, and ocassionally running off to smoke a cigarette.... and that's about it... security puts a very false sense of secure enviroments in people.... except the ones who mean to do wrong/bad things... they know those guys aren't doing shit, cuz they're watching them, stalking 'em out and making sure they're not going to get in the way... meanwhile everyone else feels 'safe' because they see a guy in uniform..

If you're seriously concerned for your girlfriend's saftey then make a case for more security; not elevator access. If I was on the committe making such decisions I would probably laugh at your attempt to associate equality with able bodied people having access to the same accomodations as those with handicaps.

As an aside, if rapes really had occurred in the stairwell you mentioned it would be all over the media and likely the school would have security all over the place. Rapes are usually commited by someone the victim knows rather than by a "predator."

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Originally Posted by slipknotpsycho

lol america is hardly the country to say you can't be lazy.... fuck, drive in everythings! people take cabs when they only gotta go 10 blocks... take out food cuz people are too lazy to cook.... jesus >.<

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they got a drive thru cigarette store here, you cant even go in, its drive thru only..

you could ask them to put more lights in the stairs as well as have security cameras and emergency telephones

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Originally Posted by PatrickHenry

If you're seriously concerned for your girlfriend's saftey then make a case for more security; not elevator access. If I was on the committe making such decisions I would probably laugh at your attempt to associate equality with able bodied people having access to the same accomodations as those with handicaps.

As an aside, if rapes really had occurred in the stairwell you mentioned it would be all over the media and likely the school would have security all over the place. Rapes are usually commited by someone the victim knows rather than by a "predator."

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First of all, I never said anyone was raped in that stairwell, only that they are rather common within the community. As for it being all over the news if it did happen, don't make me laugh. There was a shooting during one of the frat parties at the campus pool and it didn't show up in any paper or on tv. They tend to keep as many things from the students hears as possible.

Secondly, I think it has a lot to do with equality. It isn't like everyone takes this elevator. Most people hope on it if there isn't a line or just take the stairs. Considering it is the girl in the wheelchairs only way to get to the above floors, I would support the lock if she had to sit there and wait 10 mins to get on the elevator. At the most she would ever have to wait is for the thing to drop one load off before she got on. It isn't like people were jumping in front of her to get on first. A bunch of people got on and than as it was full and the doors were about to close, this girl came rolling up and couldn't fit in that one. I don't know the whole story about why there is a key as I didn't witness it, this is only what i have heard.

We need to change society not protect from it,,,seem's like a big task,,,eh???

We better start somewhere!!!

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Originally Posted by napolitana869

you could ask them to put more lights in the stairs as well as have security cameras and emergency telephones

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It's really that simple.

Suggest some lights to have an illusion of security is enough to protect in most situations. No one would rape a girl in a staircase with a lot of lighting. Perhaps propose boarding up the spacings people hide under. If you are truly concerned of the well-being of others, and not for your comfy accomodations, this is what you would propose. Not everyone would take the elevator whether everyone had access to it or not, the level of danger is always constant.

People should have common courtesy to let the handicap have access to the elevator first. Kind of sad when the school has to take action over people being rude.

maybe i didnt read carefully enough, but i dont really see the concept of girls having to walk up stairs vs. an elevator reducing the number of rapes?

JaggedEdge, I get what you're saying man, but I think this is just one of those battles not worth fighting. Tell your girlfriend to take the stairs... and propose some other security measures if you're truly concerned. I go to a large university (more than 40,000 students) and there are emergency phones and lights all over the place. I always take the stairs, but the stairs are indoors and not really exposed to anyone but fellow students.

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Originally Posted by orange floyd

maybe i didnt read carefully enough, but i dont really see the concept of girls having to walk up stairs vs. an elevator reducing the number of rapes?

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he said that there are places for people to hide under the stairs, so that since the girls cannot use the elevator now they have more of a chance of being raped.