All of the controversy surrounding Rashard Casey and his alleged actions is ludicrous. Those claiming a double standard can not be farther from the truth. Students involved in the July riots certainly deserve the disciplinary actions set against them for several reasons. First of all, their actions — alleged or not — transpired within the Penn State community itself, not in a town four hours away. The proximity of the actions and the university reflects very poorly on the university itself and its reputation.

Secondly, as widely known, State College police have given sufficient evidence to university officials about the events that happened and the individuals involved, while the Hoboken police have not. Can one reasonably expect Casey, or anybody else for that matter, to be disciplined on such lack of evidence?

The real problem is not the presumed double standard but rather a lack of responsibility. The rioters clearly do not wish to take the responsibility of facing punishment for their own actions and try to squirm out of it by crying wolf. The immaturity of those who do so is simply reprehensible. Casey is not doing this; he has been silent due to his legal advice and will be until his day in court.

Also, can the talk of him being a felon please stop? Casey was charged with assaulting an off-duty police officer that one night. This may be presumptuous, but it should be fairly safe to assume that the officer was not wearing his uniform at the time as he was escorting a date. How could anyone know he was an officer of the law without proper uniform on, and why when he was simply an unidentified police officer should Casey potentially face harsher legal punishment? Therein lies the true double standard involved in the Casey situation.

I am not saying this as a football fan but as any rational human being. If the punished rioters are found innocent, then they deserve a true apology and restitution from Penn State. If Casey is found guilty, then he deserves the full legal outcome of his actions and possible discipline from the university.