Posted on 04/11/2009 4:28:44 PM PDT by Chet 99
Gathered in a circle of campus benches, seven friends spent the first afternoon of Gettysburg College's spring break searching for the right words to describe the two who were missing.
He is an honor-roll student whose witty sense of humor and eclectic taste in music drove him to head the campus radio station this year, the friends said.
She was an eternal optimist with a passion for activism who helped to establish a campus chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society.
At times, they still spoke of their friend Emily Silverstein in the present tense, as if her lifeless body had not been found the day before in the apartment of another friend, her ex-boyfriend.
No one can defend what police allege Kevin Schaeffer did, but the seven friends insisted the 21-year-old history major is a good person, who might have done a bad thing.
He is not a monster, they said.
"We're not in support of what could have happened," said Patrick Hughes, one of the seven. "But the fact is this was a friend. These are our friends."
Like all of the campus community, the friends said they were shocked to learn Thursday of Silverstein's violent death, which police say was at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.
"You can't put it together," said another friend, Lamin Oo, 23. "I didn't want to believe it."
Gettysburg Police found Silverstein fatally stabbed and strangled in a Carlisle Street apartment Thursday. Schaeffer, who lived in the apartment, was charged with criminalhomicide, aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime and tampering with physical evidence. He is being held at Adams County prison without bail.
The yearlong relationship between Silverstein and Schaeffer, which ended recently, had never been marred by domestic violence, friends said.
Some said they'd never even seen Schaeffer angry.
"In simple words, he's a good guy," said Hughes, a junior.
Silverstein's friends described her as an active member of Amnesty International and a resident of the campus Peace House -- where students interested in human rights and environmental issues can choose to live.
"It's kind of very ironic that this would happen," Hughes said.
Residents of the Peace House have started a memorial of candles, flowers and pictures for Silverstein on the front lawn at 249 Carlisle St., just down the road from where her body was discovered by police.
Friends described Silverstein as a vegetarian and a liberal. She was studying Arabic and had plans to study abroad in Morocco in the fall.
As for Schaeffer, the group said he, too, was actively involved in campus activities and had big plans. Having recently completed his senior thesis on the plight of Native Americans, Schaeffer's friends said he seemed drawn to that cause.
Hughes said Schaeffer had talked about joining the Peace Corps -- an indication, Hughes said, that Schaeffer was on an altruistic path.
A faculty adviser for the college radio station, Bret Crawford, said he knew Schaeffer as a quiet student who was responsible for managing the student staff.
"I'd be shocked that any of our students would potentially have done this. Kevin's no exception," Crawford said. "He seemed to be a good-natured and responsible student, so it's shocking."
Yeah. A little bit.
Prayers to all. The peace corps always seemed to me like a liberal organization...does anyone feel this way or is it just me. Yes I know they do good work, but they just seem liberal to me...lol.
WTF, genius?
Is it "kind of", or is it "very" ironic?
******************
Well, so he murdered their other friend. Nobody's perfect.
Let’s not be judgmental here, dude.pass the bong..
"In simple words, he's a good guy," said Hughes, a junior.
Another gem from this Hughes guy.
Guns don't kill people...
NO cheers, unfortunately.
Prayers up for the families of those involved...
Exactly right.
I missed that one.
We need a picture of Hughes. This guy is a gold mine for absurd quotes.
At times, the gene pool benefits from selective cleansing.....
I’d love to see one. I suspect that we wouldn’t be surprised.
Wanna take any bets on whether this ass clown would suddenly get very judgmental and emotional if the subject of Dick Cheney came up?
But the murder of his own friend by another friend? Ho hum, dude, that sucks...
You just fall off the turnip truck?
A chapter of Students for a Democratic Society?
Hm.
But the murder of his own friend by another friend? Ho hum, dude, that sucks...
**********************
You are so right.
Friends described Silverstein as a vegetarian and a liberal. She was studying Arabic and had plans to study abroad in Morocco in the fall.
As for Schaeffer, the group said he, too, was actively involved in campus activities and had big plans. Having recently completed his senior thesis on the plight of Native Americans, Schaeffer's friends said he seemed drawn to that cause.
Hughes said Schaeffer had talked about joining the Peace Corps -- an indication, Hughes said, that Schaeffer was on an altruistic path.
Good God. It sounds like everyone at that school is some kind of self-righteous, insufferable, cause-oriented bore.
Well I guess you showed me big man. Wow you could have just told me it was a conservative group instead of being nasty.
I saw a thing on television recently (my five minutes per month) where an inmate at a high security prison (75% serving life terms) talked about his incarceration for a double murder...in his words: "I just had a bad day."
Well, I guess so. I think these people are mentally disturbed. The guy most likely stabbed and strangled her, and these liberal idiots are being apologetic for him.
I expect to hear them say next it was his upbringing, or the eight years under Bush that did it. What is wrong with those people?
Considering that we just elected Obama, why in hell would someone still be fighting for a democratic society.
Bottom line, these were two evil people who hated this country. I’m happy to their both out of business.
Sorry for their parents, but they likely were the enablers - nurturing their hatred...so they deserve it to.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.