View From The Lighthouse
Getting an accurate
representati
of the world'
Well, it is a new millennium
and things are definitely
changing. And as we progress
through this new millennium,
more change will be inevitable.
As our world changes, we will
definitely be affected, and thus
it is necessary that we consider
changing along with our world.
We are beyond the days of the
old ideal of America with
clearly defined roles for its
citizens. Underrepresented
sectors of society such as
women, African Americans,
Latinos, Asians, gays, lesbians,
and others have fought to defy
these roles and continue to fight
to make their presence known
and address their needs. As
America has come to realize
these needs, the country has had
to respond with several changes.
This melting pot called
America has always struggled to
justly reflect the colorful collage
made up of its diverse citizens.
As we move further into the
new millennium, America will
become even more colorful as
under-represented groups grow
and make their presence in all
areas of society more
prominent. With this, America
struggles even harder to reflect a
more diverse society in its
ideals. As times change our
country will have to be more
careful that the ideals upheld are
those which reflect a modern
and rapidly changing society of
diverse individuals.
We are at a time when cultural
diversity is emerging, and thus it
becomes crucial to ask ourselves
if we are acknowledging this.
Gays and lesbians, for example,
have been making increased
efforts to demand acceptance
and enjoy the same freedoms
that heterosexuals do. Their
efforts have drawn America’s
attention to the prominence of
gays and lesbians today.
However, with the
recognition of their prominence,
the question remains. Is society
making enough effort to
consider and include their
culture? The same goes for
other cultures as well. For
example, one might ask if black
and Latino cultures are justly
reflected in today’s various
media forms? Is the media
making enough effort, or is it
The Behrend Beacon
published weekly by the students of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Snyder
Managing Editor
Michael Frawley
News Editor
Liz Hayes
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Katie Galley
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Jermaine Hardv
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Deanna Svnwski
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Doug Smith
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Rob Wynne
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Christine Kleck
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Paige Miles
Postal In formation: The Beacon is
published weekly by the students of
Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J. Elmer
Reed Union Building, Station Road,
Erie, PA 16563. The Beacon can be
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or (814) 898-6019 (FAX). ISSN
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just impossible for the media to
consider the various cultures,
genders and sexual orientations
simultaneously?
Catering to diversity is
becoming a hotter debate today
as everyone from the young to
the old to the weak to the bold
sound their voices as to how
society should consider them
with more regard. Some of these
voices have been raised to
promote more casual images of
the physically handicapped in
ads and publications, more
images of independent women in
television and film, and more
regard to gays and lesbians in the
social handling of relationship
issues. While some are stressing
the importance of being open
minded and politically correct
with these issues, others contend
that we are becoming too
sensitive and overly critical.
What are we to do as a society in
order to meet the needs of a more
diverse nation and to justly and
accurately reflect a multicultural
society?
The fact that it is impossible to
include everyone all the time is
accurate. However, it is also true
that the media is taking the
strides to be everything to
everyone. And even though the
efforts may seem small to some,
they are there.
The best way that we can
suggest to change your world is
to get involved with the people
and things that you feel are
under-representing you.
With that said, the Beacon is
looking for people of all ages,
races, genders, sexual
preferences, political
persuasions, and religions... to
join the staff for the spring
semester. You can contact us at
almost anytime of the day here in
the office. Or email us at
behrcolls@aol.com, or call us at
898-6488.
Money Page Editor
Amortya Sinha
Advertising Manager
Kim Zuck
Business Manager
Kristine Harakal
Office Manager
Kevin Bruner
Public Relations Manager
Ainslie Ulmer
Secretary
Melissa Proba
Advisor
Robert Speel
Letter Policy • The Beacon
encourages letters to the editor.
Letters should include the address,
phone number, semester standing
and major of the writer. Writers can
mail letters to behrcoll2@aol.com.
Letters must be received no later
than 5 p.m. Tuesday for inclusion
in that week’s issue.
ipt 1• g
IS\ IMP3R3ANT QUESTION: vWatwill b\cm of tmeses
MI HE LOSES?
No more ignorance at the Beacon
Dear Editor,
As much as I didn’t want to make my letter on
gender separation a big crossfire event, I was so
very disappointed to have been dismissed
immediately. This issue is not “small potatoes” to
me! 1 was calm until 1 was told to calm down. The
invalidation that comment conveyed was
disheartening to me, to say the least. Instead of
simply thinking about what I meant or where I
was coming from, it seems that the editorial next
to my letter sent out a little pat on the head and a
brush under the rug. I do not, and did not, read
something into your publications that wasn’t
Last year an article was printed that ignorantly
disqualified my intimate relations as “real.” That
is personal. I will receive it as such. I'm not
saying it was vicious, just inaccurate and
upsetting. No, none of these columns are written
about me personally, but they are written about
things that affect my life. They are written for me
being a member of the student body. Certain
things will strike my interest or concern, and
when they do, I might respond. My responses in
no way, shape, or form are personal either, so who
needs to calm down?
You are not sorry if your boy/girl column
Why can’t smart do as smart
What is so bad about being smart? Go ahead
and snicker, think about how geeky of a
question that was. But then give it a little bit of
serious thought. Now, I realize that by
seriously thinking about it you may have to
throw off the stupid aura for a minute, and
since I’m sure you don’t want anyone to know
you can intelligently think about stuff, you
might want to go somewhere where no one else
can see you. Okay? Now let me repeat the
question.
Why is there such a negative stereotype
attached to being intelligent? Now, in high
school, it was cool to make fun of the smart
geeky kid who had the greasy haircut and wore
the dark blue floodwaders, thick smudged
glasses, and the cool blue-and-green-striped,
skin-tight shirts. You know who I’m talking
about - he answered every question, was
president of every science club, and screwed up
the curve by getting a 96% on the final
everyone else got a 69% on. I guess the ridicule
can be chalked up to the insecurity of most high
schoolers, and the fact that conformity is the
rule, and all exceptions are to be eliminated or
humiliated at the very least. Hell, even the
teachers made fun of those kids.
But we are in college now, right? In theory
the people going to college are supposed to
want to be here. I am pretty sure that college is
supposed to be about the pursuit of higher
knowledge, not the pursuit of loose girls, hot
guys, and cheap beer. So why is it still taboo to
be smart? Why should I be made to feel
ridiculous if I get 100% on a test? Why do I
get accused of having “sexual relations” with
my professors when I cough up another A?
Why do people get mad at me when I don’t go
to class and still get a decent grade - when
they’d do the same thing if they could?
I know some people who don’t procrastinate,
go to every class, and actually study for tests -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
offends me. so don't offei false condolences. If that
were the case. 1 can sec something like, "I just
never thought of that. I’m sorry you feel that way"
being printed. No. w hat 1 saw' was. “calm down."
Don’t bother to validate the opinions offered, just
run and hide behind your defenses. That’s a shame.
As far as people WANTING to put themselves
within a gender stereotype, that simply isn’t the
case. Columns such as the boy/girl one in The
Beacon do that for us. That was what annoyed me.
Perhaps it wasn't created with those intentions, but
that is the role it helps facilitate on campus. There
is where my problem lays, not with “all" of the
student population being blind and intolerant to
diversity. I know that is not the case. It also is not
true that ignorance and intolerance don't live and
breathe here at Behrend. I will continue to point
that out as I see fit. not because I feel the need to
attack someone and something with names like
bigot or homophobe, but because it makes my heart
sad to see the continuous breeding of such
attitudes.
We could decide to broaden our horizons and
read and write about more than simple he said/she
said bull. We could expand beyond the labels and
boxed confines of rigid race, religion, sex, and
sexual orientation stereotypes. Or. we could just
Beyond the Ch
Colored Lights
Liz Haves
sometimes they
even study a few
days before the test,
not the hour before.
I envy them - I can’t seem to do anything on
time. Hell, I’m writing this editorial at 1:30 p.m
on Wednesday, and it was due at 5:00 p.m. on
Tuesday. But 1 keep hearing people laugh at
those who have projects done ahead ot time and
have only missed one class . . . all semester.
(I’ve missed seven classes this week, and it is
only Wednesday!) But why are they the weird
ones?
I guess I just don’t understand why being
stupid, or at least not smart, is so acceptable in
this country. Hell, even I am guilty of it. Tommy
Bov is my favorite movie. That movie is the
ultimate celebration of stupidity. "I got a D+! I
gotaD+! I passed!” “It’s called reading. Top to
bottom, left to right, group words together as
sentences,” “See these letters after the city?
That’s called a state!” “Lots of people go to
college for seven years.” Now, other than
showing off my superior and pathetic knowledge
of the movie, what do those quotes show you?
That the smart people aren’t cool. “My fellow
nerds, and I will retire the nerdery with our
calculators.”
Here’s another perspective for you (get ready,
I am about to make my presidential
endorsement). People are now busting Gore’s
balls because he’s too smart. Excuse me, but
wouldn’t it be a good thing to have a really
smart President for once? One that can spell and
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27,2000
continue to promote them and endorse them with
columns that sport cute little song titles and
exploit the equality and liberation that so many
have fought heart and soul for.
Sure, cute little song titles and antics that
follow those themes can be amusing. I admit that.
I'm not blasting any of The Beacon staff as wrong
or bad. I simply felt an urge to express my dismay
in the patterns I saw unfolding in an environment
that I participate in. There’s no need to get huffy.
If my opinions "tork” someone so much, what are
they hiding from? What are they afraid to see
about themselves? Perhaps that’s the bigger issue
here.
In conclusion, and my last offer to defend my
claims, the patterned gender separations I see in
the paper are, I suppose, to be expected within the
society we live. Still, I sec humans being able to
go far beyond that and live lives based on more
than labels and stereotypes. That is where I aim to
take my family and I just wanted to say that I see
certain small things, such as the columns written
with gender walls between them, a way to hinder
society from progressing to that broader state of
mind. Thank you for your time.
Abbey Atkinson
GAS, 04
does?
actually does have a firm hold of all his
faculties? I mean, when some foreign
minister of some country that we don’t
have best relations with is talking to us
about some treaty or law, I want the
President to know what he is talking
\ about. Now, I have heard the argument
\ that Bush is getting a bad rap because
he can’t speak well, but that he
probably - PROBABLY? - knows
more than he lets on. But isn’t being
able to communicate effectively with
others just one of the many skills that a
President should have? I’m pretty sure that
our diplomats are supposed to be able to
represent themselves and our country
adequately. Hell, not just adequately,
excellently.
1 must be honest - I really fear that people
are planning on voting for Bush because
he’s not as much of a showoff as Gore. But
that goes back to my former point - why is
letting the world know you are smart
surrounded with negative consequences? As
far as I’m concerned, Gore hasn’t really
insulted Dubyah (notice how that gets
spelled phonetically - can’t Bush pronounce
his middle initial either?) the way he could.
But we think Bush is cool because he is
more like a regular guy. Hey, I know a lot of
regular guys - that doesn’t mean I would
ever vote for them for President (sorry,
Jason). I don’t think I should choose a
President because he is more like me. Of
course, since I’m so smart, maybe I’d like to
give it a try (sorry, I had to get in one last
Tummy Boy reference). Anyway, I guess my
final point would be that it should be okay
for smart to do as smart does, not just for
stupid to do as stupid does.
Hayes’ column appears every three weeks.