81 Behrend Beacon Oni 111011
February 26, 2010 V-r VJ XX X X X X
I www.thebehrendbeacon.com
MY VOICE: DOUBLE BIRDIE
NICK BLAKE
spur!'' ('ditnr
Addiction is a very strong
word.
To have an add,'
need to have sometl
that you cannot turn
out it. You need t
something every day,
multiple times a
day. In light of 1
everything that has
come out about T ;
Woods, the most n
is that he claims thai
an addiction: an ar
to sex.
This idea is complete and
utter crap.
Woods is not a sex addict,
and the fact that he claiming to
be a victim is extremely degrad
ing to people who truly do have
addictions.
I see it this way: Woods is
drunk and flying high on own
power.
Woods is the highest-paid
athlete that the world has
ever seen.
He has multiple spon
sorships, and he has
revolutionized the sport
of golf to the point that
even people who don’t
follow golf are in awe of
him.
In November of 2009,
Woods crashed his Cadil
lac Escalade into a tree
outside of his Florida
home. All of the windows
were smashed out and
the accusations
began to flow.
The first was that
his wife, Elin, attacked him
with one of his own golf clubs
and he was trying to get away.
Then accusations of Woods
cheating on his wife began to
surface.
In the weeks following the in
cident, over a dozen women
came forward, all claiming to
have had affairs with the golf
superstar.
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MY VOICE
Shambled health
The health care debate is one
of the most heated topics in
American politics today.
I feel that it’s in the best inter
est of the United States that the
bill currently making its way
through the House is not
passed.
The president has said many
times that health care needs to
be reformed for the better of
the country.
How can he say this when
this bill is not popular with
most Americans because it is
full of pork, and also expensive,
according to a national poll
from Quinnipiac University.
1 think that this health care
summit that is happening in a
couple of days is no more than
an attempt to get some Repub
licans to put their name on it
and call it a bipartisan bill that
would make people feel better
about it.
The bill has also gone up in
cost by $lOO million from $B7l
million to $971 million.
This is a cost that Amer
ica can’t afford.
1 do, however, know
that most of the
spending went toward
the two wars that we
are currently fight-
If you read some
of the bill, you will
also find that it will
take away the rights
of the states by moving
the oversight to the fed
eral government and
not the states
Last time I checked,
Medicare is not doing well. My
grandparents told me it stinks
Two swings on Tiger Woods
It turns out that saved text
messages and voicemails led to
Woods’ demise, and in Decem
ber he issued a statement say
that it was
true.
like a skunk.
I also think that there is one
underlying question that I
aven’t really heard in the main
stream media: is it constitu
tional to make all Americans
have health insurance?
I also think that big business
has its hand in this as well. I
read an article that stated that
Wal-Mart was all for a govern
ment run health insurance plan
because it would mean that
they would not have to pay for
the health insurance for their
employees.
I think in the end, I hope the
president will tear down the
shroud of “going it alone” and
start over.
I still hope that America is
still for the people,
by the people.
J I
MIKE FULTZ
videographer
Woods’ wife left him, sponsors
began to drop him and he with
drew from playing golf.
Woods checked himself into
rehab so that he could over
come his “addiction.”
On Feb. 19, Woods held his
first press conference since the
auto accident and expressed
extreme remorse for what he
had done.
Although I give credit to
Woods for standing up, taking
responsibility for his actions,
and being sincere in his
apologies, I still do not
buy the idea of him
having an addic
tion.
When it
comes down
to it, Woods
had affairs
with all of
those
omen
imply be
cause he
. do believe he needs
:lp, and hopefully rehab
11 give that to him. But I
jst do not think it is justi
iable to call it an addic-
People who struggle
with drugs and alcohol have
real addictions. They reach a
point where they just cannot
get by unless they get what they
need. This is not the case for
Woods.
He will be fine if he does not
have sex all of the time. He is a
universally known superstar
and the richest athlete in the
world.
He knew what he was doing,
and he did it because he could.
He had the power.
Claiming that he has an ad
diction is just a way to lessen
the blow for himself. It is a way
to make people say “oh, well he
has an addiction, he cannot
help what he is doing.”
Well, I am not going to fall for
that.
SUPPORT RECOGNIZED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
The Beacon has published several articles publicizing the activ
ities of unrecognized organizations. We understand the need to
report the activities of all students on campus. We have asked for
support regarding this situation yet we have yet to receive it. It is
unsettling to witness the Beacon publishing an article in support
of an unrecognized organization that only a year ago made head
lines regarding the illegal activities that endangered the lives of
our students and tarnished the reputations of recognized frater
nities and sororities. The purpose of recognized sororities and fra
ternities on our campus is to promote the positive development
and values of its members and community. Our organizations
have single handedly raised money and awareness to foundations
that benefit the community. Our organizations have also brought
speakers and workshops to campus to enrich the lives of students
and faculty.
In 2009:
• Panhellenic brought motivational speaker Stacy
Nadeau - 3/17/09
• Alpha Sigma Alpha brought an Alcohol Awareness
Speaker Mike DeStefano - 4/6/09
• Alpha Sigma Tau held Mr. & Ms Penn State Behrend
Pageant to raise money for Pine Mountain Settlement School -
4/9/09
• Theta Phi Alpha held a donation table for Relay for Life
-4/13-17/09
• Alpha Sigma Alpha volunteered with the Special
Olympics - 4/24/09
• Panhellenic held Alcohol Awareness Table/Fundraiser
from 10/19-25/09
• Alpha Sigma Tau participated in Habitat for Humanity
- 10/31/09
• Theta Phi Alpha did Adopt-A-Highway - 11/8/09
• Theta Phi Alpha’s Sapphire Man Pageant collected can
goods for hunger and homeless week -11/9/09
• And more
Upcoming events include:
• Panhellenic is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for the com
munity - 3/28/10
• Panhellenic is hosting a Self Defense Workshop -
3/21/10
• Panhellenic is bringing speaker on Prevention of Sex
ual Violence - 3/22/10
• Panhellenic is volunteering at Breastival Testival
We will continue to strive for morality, maintaining fine stan
dards, and for serving to the best of our ability our college com
munity.
RE: BATTER UP: SKN UMPIRES FOR MARCH OF DIMES
I am writing this letter to discuss the article Batter UP: SKN Um
pires for March of Dimes. I would like to remind you and the cam
pus community that SKN is not a Greek organization at Penn
State Behrend. There is an extreme difference between this UN
RECOGNIZED organization and the six recognized social organ-
ALEC ITALIANO
sports editor
I have been biting my tongue
for the last two or three months
every time Tiger Woods’ name
came up.
This was done for mostly two
reasons. Being a golfer, a mem
ber of Behrend’s golf team and
a follower of the PGA Tour, I
am truly shocked how much
this situation is being blown out
of proportion.
And it was done to a degree
that would be more suited for
the President of the United
States, not a golfer.
I truly felt as if President
Obama was going to be
the one to walk out on
TV and announce to
the world that a me
teroid was heading
right for us.
But instead it was
just Tiger Woods
publically apolo
gizing for being
human
Everyone and
their mother
tuned in to ESPN
Friday morning
as the world truly
and utterly
stopped for Mr.
Woods to stumble
his way through a 15
minute speech in
which he poured his
heart out.
He gave a lengthy
apology that stre
from his mother, who was sit
ting in the front row; to his
wife, who was not in atten
dance; to his countless fans all
across the world.
Nonetheless, this speech
sounded like step one of twelve
for him to make a full recovery
and get him back the stature he
once had.
He said all the right things
and spoke from the heart, and I
believe he was able to convince
the majority of the people
HANNAH WHITE
President of Panhellenic Council
watching that he was sincere,
or at least trying his hardest.
After all, he is a golfer, not an
Out of all that has come from
this Tiger situation, the most
troubling aspect for me is that
*■.o*
For Tiger, his
ultimate goal in life
must be golf, and not
the celebrity status that
comes with success.
After all is said and
done, if Tiger Woods is not
back on the course by the
Masters in April, I, along with
numerous other golf enthusi
-1 write him off as a vic
golf is still a question to him. tim to life’s troubles.
From the car crash, to his We will watch someone who
wife and their domestic prob- appeared to master the mental
lems, to his “lack of integrity to aspect of the game fall very
the game,” as legendary Amer- hard to the bottom and not re
ican golfer Tom Watson said, cover.
and even to modern golfers 1 know Tiger Woods will not
such as Ernie Els, who is show- read this article, but someone
ing disgust to his fellow golfer in his life needs to get him back
and friend for stealing the spot- on his feet and on the golf
light from the rest of the tour; course, because that will essen-
Tiger’s lack of concern for his tially be his only way back to
own game is most troubling. where he once was.
1 would love to be the person
izations. This group is not a nationally recognized FRATERNITY
or recognized by the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and does not
hold the same values as the recognized fraternities do. They do
not provide service to our campus or the community and were not
even founded for this reason. They do not have any form of ac
countability as the REAL fraternities have within their national or
ganization and IFC. This group lost recognition by refusing to
obey rules and guidelines set forth by IFC and the College. There
fore they fail to meet standards in order to protect members, po
tential members, and guests. They have no accountability and they
can practice behaviors that are harmful and unlawful which could
put others at risk. By fabricating and shedding a positive light over
themselves they are misleading the campus and local community.
They in many cases tarnish the reputation that nationally recog
nized organizations strive so hard to achieve. The nationally rec
ognized fraternities strive to uphold the values of their
organizations such as honor, scholarship, service, loyalty, leader
ship, and brotherhood through events like raising money for the
Jimmy V Foundation and many others. In October, Sigma Tau
Gamma raised money for Breast Cancer Awareness. Kappa Delta
Rho has been assisting recolonize a chapter at Slippery Rock Uni
versity and throughout the year, Delta Chi has been collecting
items for the Messiah Lutheran Church in Wesleyville and collect
ing food for the Wesleyville food pantry. I have asked the Beacon
multiple times for the support in not associating with groups that
have lost their recognition and I am now publicly requesting that
the Beacon as a recognized student group and the campus com
munity to help support IFC in not associating with groups that
have lost their recognition
tot
rords.
:en.
RE: BATTER UP: SKN UMPIRES FOR MARCH OF DIMES
There are many factors to being a recognized fraternity or
sorority but the one that seems to be drawing the most attention
is the fact that social Greek organizations must be affiliated with
a national organization. The Office of Student Activities fully
supported and continues to support the Interfratemity Council,
the governing body of men’s social fraternities, in their 2001 de
cision to revoke recognition of Sigma Kappa Nu for refusing to
follow IFC and College rules. A founding member of this group
commented on IFC’s ruling in a letter to the group’s president at
the time. “When we started Sigma Kappa Nu back in 1983, it
was for one simple purpose ‘FUN’! We did not start our [Group]
to be recognized by the college, to build a resume or to do good
works in the community. ... It is not about the IFC or the admin
istration....we did it without them in the past and if we had to we
could get along without them now.”
An article in the Behrend Beacon on February 19, talked of
how this group has done some fundraising activities in the com
munity. In the article a student was quoted as saying “one of the
reasons our fraternity was founded back in 1983 was to better
the Erie community. We are continuing to take steps to do our
part in that cause.” I have a hard time understanding how mem
bers of this group now can claim their purpose is anything but
what their founder’s set forth, which was and is clearly not in
line with the values and purposes of the recognized fraternities
and sororities at Penn State Behrend. The six recognized social
fraternal organizations strive to exemplify the meaning of lead
ership, brotherhood/sisterhood, scholarship, and service.
While we commend the efforts any individuals who spend
time to volunteer or fundraise, we would like to emphasize that
this group is not a recognized fraternity and we do not support
them. We are happy to help individuals with their interest in
service and can provide connections to the community for any
one seeking service opportunities.
All profile photos taken by Daniel Smith / Behrend Beacon
to go up to Tiger, slap him
across the face and hand him a
7-iron and a bucket of balls.
I do not think he is going to
realize just how difficult it is
going to be for him to get back
into the swing of things.
makes Tiger Woods the
;olfer in the world is his
ity to focus on golf and his
ivery from mistakes on the
'se.
bes
abil
rec<
Situations off the course af
fect him just like they affects
everybody else.
We saw Tiger Woods miss his
first cut in a major at the U.S.
Open just weeks after his father
had passed away back in 2006.
So how is his game going to
be affected when he decides
to return to the course?
LINDSEY HOPKINS HALL
Coordinator of Student Involvement and Fraternity & Sorority Life
My personal opinion
terrible.
As a golf fan, my ulti
mate fear in this situa
tion is to watch Tiger
Woods fall off the golf
ing planet and come
up short of breaking
Jack Nicklaus’ all-time
major tournament vic
tories.
CODY BROWN
IFC President