Many people have passed away on the Syracuse campus and students deal with death in different ways. However, don’t you think the students and faculty on this campus could have figured this out themselves without having to read an entire article listing each of the deaths and how they occurred?

The point of my e-mail is not to criticize the entirety of the article or how Syracuse counsels its grieving students. However, as one of Jordan Schaffer’s best friends, not only from Syracuse, but also as a friend who grew up with him for the past nine years in Montville, N.J., I do not appreciate the way this article uses him as an example of how students have coped with these deaths.

Not only is Jordan’s name splattered on the front page in a nonchalant matter, but the ‘freshman girl’ is not named. Despite her extreme concern that the dormitory Jordan died in is supposedly ‘haunted,’ she is kept anonymous.

Half the people living in DellPlain Hall today do not even know that this event occurred last September. So thank you for creating more unnecessary anxiety among freshman and sophomore students.

Jordan Schaffer had been in my life since I was 11 years old, and as a matter of fact, I live in DellPlain. DellPlain was the only dorm choice available to me during the housing lottery last year. I have had to deal with it every day for the past semester and a half. I do not care what the correct measure of coping is, but considering I have had to live there, I have been able to push these thoughts to the back of my mind. I am sure whoever is also aware of this tragedy has had to do so as well. I do not need an article, now or ever, reminding me of this situation.

I understand the author meant no harm, but maybe whoever approved this article should have thought about those who were deeply affected by Jordan’s suicide. The article explains in a quote, ‘But as deaths became more frequent, those who were not directly affected were desensitized and ignored it, she said.’ Well, thank you for demonstrating your own point, but by using Jordan as a ‘hook’ for your article, his death was minimized.

The author is desensitized to the situation as well. She blatantly ignored how this article affects anyone who was close to Jordan or who might live in DellPlain. There are three students beside myself who attend Syracuse who also grew up with Jordan. The four of us were greatly affected by this situation, as one could only imagine. The truth is that, a year and a half later, Jordan’s death is still affecting each of us in one way or another.

Just because whoever wrote and approved this article may not have been directly affected by Jordan’s death, it does not mean they have the right to single out this specific death or bring it up without warning or permission. Yes, many other deaths are mentioned, but suicide is far different from an accidental death.  I know those at The Daily Orange are smart enough to realize this. When you mention Jordan’s suicide up front in the article, I am sure the readers don’t immediately assume he was a happy, awesome, well-loved kid. That is the stigma suicide provides, and you know what, that’s exactly who Jordan was, but no one reading this article will ever know that. I wish the author knew the truth behind his tragic death before it was used inappropriately as a lead into a story.

Alana Rosenberg
Sophomore advertising major

 

Published on March 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm