The Not So Wholesome Earth Festival
by Amani Rashid –
Whole Earth Festival is a student-run event that is held annually featuring live entertainment, food, arts and crafts and much more. But this year’s celebration of love, life and unity took a dark turn for the worse when the unthinkable happened; police are now investigating the rape of a 14-year-old female, the sexual battery of a 16-year-old female and the beating of a 19-year-old male.
“The evening dancing has been attracting an ever-larger, ever-younger crowd.” Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Fred Wood was quoted saying. Even students who have religiously attended Whole Earth Festival throughout the years observed a noticeably larger number of middle-school and high-school students attending the DJ stage this year.
“Yeah man, there were kids everywhere especially in the pit! This is the third Whole Earth Festival I’ve attended and I definitely noticed a hell of a lot more kids this year than previous years; however, I’m not sure there is a direct correlation between the crimes and the influx of a younger crowd it could just be coincidence.” Third-year, physics major, Andrew Castillo stated this as he shook his head skeptically at the link the people seem to be making between the average age drop and the increase in violence crimes.
Sue Chen, a fourth-year English and history double major, begs to differ: “Young teens are more likely to be taken advantage of, manipulated and abused especially on a college campus. It’s not that our campus or the festival are unsafe, it’s just that a bunch of 15-year-olds running around trying to fit in with 20-something-year-olds has potential trouble written all over it.”
Students had a lot more to say when it came to the subject of shutting down the pit, as Vice Chancellor Fred Wood declared it would be discontinued in order to help preserve Whole Earth Festival as a safe environment.
“It should definitely be shut down; there was not one, not two, but three crimes that occurred in one single location over the span of less than 48 hours. It may seem like no big deal considering thousands of people attend whole Earth; but it’s actually pretty mind blowing, and not in the good way, that such atrocious deeds can be committed in such a short span of time in one place; even if they were only 3 occurrences!”
A statement made by Julia Weiler, a third-year civil engineering major, which very closely shadowed the words of UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza: “Sure it’s great to say you have 10,000 people and only 3 incidents, but when you think about where these occurred in one spot, at one time, in one [two] evening, it’s serious.”
Surprisingly, some students did not appreciate the idea of shutting down the pit. “I understand that what went down was atrocious but is shutting down the pit the answer? I mean if sexual battery or robbery had occurred between the tents on the quad would you discontinue that? There are other ways to handle the situation, for example, stepping up security detail at the pit.” Said Ben Crocker, a second-year managerial economics student; a statement that more than one student agreed with.
However, police, staff and the directors of Whole Earth Festival agree, shutting down the pit is more than just a safety measure, it sends a message: “We don’t want to create an unsafe place.”
Not that anyone is at fault, but the programming of the festival can use some reevaluation, as stated by student co-directors of the festival.
This reevaluation is made apparent by the fact that in addition to the three crimes committed at the techno pit, an 18-year-old male was arrested for a parking garage robbery; a 16-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession; three arrests were made for public intoxication; and 12 citations were issued for alcohol-related infractions.
Fourth-year animal science major Kate Gagnon chose to look at the bigger picture: “If you look at each individual act as an isolated event, as some people seem to do, it makes it seem like a lesser tragedy, but the thing is if you look at it for what it is, a collection of atrocities that have turned Whole Earth Festival into something it is not, that have tarnished the values UC Davis stands for and has shaken the relatively peaceful foundations of the City of Davis, it gives you goose bumps, it makes you lock the doors at night!”
It is important to note that although a suspect has been taken into custody for the beating that occurred Friday, May 6th, the sexual assault cases remain unsolved and if anyone has any information relating to them they are urged to contact the UCD Police Department at (530)752-1230.
[quote]Sue Chen, a fourth-year English and history double major, begs to differ: “Young teens are more likely to be taken advantage of, manipulated and abused especially on a college campus. It’s not that our campus or the festival are unsafe, it’s just that a bunch of 15-year-olds running around trying to fit in with 20-something-year-olds has potential trouble written all over it.”[/quote]
Very astute observation. It’s a shame that a few have to spoil it for all, but it is what it is. Nice article…