Page 6
by Jennifer V. Colvin
Editor in Chief
In today's society, everyone has to be
politically correct (or at least that's what
I've been told). But beyond politeness,
does everyone have to be politically
literate? I will be the first to admit it
(since no one else has come forward) - I
am politically illiterate. I cannot name
three US Supreme Court Justices, all of
the 1996 presidential canidates, and do not
know who Richard Nixon's running mate
was -- nor do I care to know.
But the point that I am pondering
is....am I the only one?
I am not naive and realize that my future
does not depend upon these facts. First of
all, they are in the past; second, I will not
be a contestant on Jeopardy any time
soon; third, I do not matter. A sweet little
'ole middle class protestant white girl in
college does not make that big of a
difference in the entire political scheme;
and never will.
Sounds harsh doesn't it? I'm sorry if I
have offended any of the Young
Republicans, but it's the truth. For years
I have believed in the myth that my vote
matters. It doesn't. There are well over
200 million people in the United States.
If you write that number out it looks like
this: 200,000,000+. Not counting me, it
looks like this: 200,000,000+.
Sec anything different? I didn't think
so. Yes it is true that if all college
students were to believe like me, that
number would change drastically.
However, even then, this single person
will not matter.
I suposse what I'm getting to is that I
Waves
By Mary Began
CcJkg kw Staff
Censorship - it's a universal thing. In
the madness of this dynamic world,
censorship, in every form possible,
continues to be one of the most constant
and widespread controls repressing
humans. This is because censorship - in
any configuration, whether found in
books, songs, or in computers, solely
pertains to language and the context with
which it is used.
Language is constantly changing.
Some words become obsolete, while
others become commonplace. Yet, there
are even some words that will take on new
meanings and connotations. Words we
merely what we interpret them to be,
nothing more than a bunch of letters
strewn together to solely express a
human's thought. It is not the words that
bother society but the diction that lies
beneath those words. The English
language, or any language for that matter,
is one of the most exquisite and
astonishing creations of the human race.
Do we really want controls over OUR
language? Men and women in the United
States of America have the right to think
for themselves. We are all individuals
drawn together by the one thing that
defines us: language.
However, every society has forbid
opinions and words that have a dangerous
indication. We all are aware of the "clear
and present danger" clause of the
Constitution that slates that some forms
tically illi
Pol
Opinion
(and proud)
am politically illiterate by choice. lth
not memorize ballots nor do I watch CNN
faithfully. Chastized by many, I am proud
of this handicap. Maybe there are others
like mc; people who shy from anything
with the root word "politic" in it's title.
We could start a club. We would have
field trips and exclude any member who
has ever run for public office or served on
their student government. There would he
rules of course:
1. Cannot major in Political Science
(has the root word "politic" in it)
2. Would have to pass a competency
test (compiled by the National
Counsel on Political Angst)
3. Never have toured the White House
or Capitol in Washington D.C.
(exceptions made for tours with parents)
4. Must have never watched the State
of the Union address in January.
Think you may have what it takes to
join my club? Well to determine political
competency the National Counsel on
Political Angst has created a survey. The
test is to be taken at will, but all answers
are to come from memory only. Test
takers may not look up any answers. Feel
free to take the test, but remember that if
you answer more than one question
correctly, you will be excluded
membership
1. Name three US Supreme Court
Justices.
2. Who was president in 1969?
3. Name all 1996 presidential canidates.
4. What was the last bill passed by US
Congress?
of censorship
of speech are prohibited, only when they
denote or imply harm to other individuals
and things. This clause can be stretched to
cover many areas as to who will be hurt
from some sort of language usage. Some
books may contain words or ideas that a
community does not agree with or believe
in, so they ban these books, even engage
at times in book burning "celebrations."
Some songs may contain inappropriate
language or detrimental suggestions
towards certain sexes, races or religions,
so people place warning labels on albums
indicating the nature of the profanity and
even restrict the sale of albums. Some
computer programs may contain
pornography that many parents fear their
children will see, or have on-line forums
that are considered too smutty for others,
so there are limitations and cautions as to
what words can be used and bans placed on
programs containing pornography. The
first amendment of the Constitution (the
"backbone" of our great nation) guarantees
the freedom of speech yet later in the
constitution it asks for society to define
how far free speech can be tolerated.
Should certain forms of communication be
censored?
I agree that curse words do seem vulgar
at times and also that they sound
absolutely moronic when every other word
in a sentence is a curse. However, I only
feel this way because some social
hierarchy has convinced me to ascertain
certain ideas and perceptions from curse
words when I hear or see them
Psychologically, I can only presume
terate
5. flow many US senators arc there
presently?
flow did you do? If you could not
answer these questions do not feel
ashamed. I can answer only one (and I
looked it up). I will admit that I know
exactly where to look to find the answers
to the questions. But you have to consider
one thing: Do I want to find these
answers? Will I be a better person?
Is that what really matters in today's
society? Politics? I don't think so.
Political conversations arc exactly that -
conversations. I am very proud of my
country and all that is has to offer. The
US is honorable and I love it. But no one
will ever ask me "Jen, how would you do
it?" (They'd be much better off if they did,
but we won't go there.) The governing
future of tomorrow will never &pmi on
my insight. With or without me the US
will go on. And that is why I do not
involve myself in the politics of this
country - my mind is a terrible thing to
waste.
As unethical as it may sound, I do not
care about politics. I am glad that there
are people in this country who arc willing
to waste their time running a government,
but I am very thankful that I am not one
of them. Everywhere I look, in every
newspaper that I read, politics are a hot
topic. If social problems were half as
interesting to some, we would not need
half the politicians we already have.
Politics are everywhere around us; US
politics, world politics fog our vision and
clog the airwaves. But world politics are a
completely different story maybe a
different club too.
that there are particular connotations along
with these cuss words and a form of
rebellion is achieved when they are uttered.
They are just words, but it is the emotion
and meaning placed behind these words
that cause people to react the way they da
when profanity is heard or viewed.
Alas, I suppose some of this has to do
with being nice. but once I say this, the
issues of morals will have to come into
play and I know what a problem that is.
Well, actually, I know how big of a
problem it can be, but do I actually
understand why it's a problem? No. No
way. Negative. Uh-uh. This is where it
gets confusing, because - stay with me
here - morals are things people do not
want to have imposed on them. So then
why do people censor and restrict? That's
the catch. It makes no sense. We want to
be able to have and speak and believe in
our ideas but we do not want to hear
anybody else's. Hell 000? Every person
in this world, whether you choose to
accept it or not, is influenced by
something else. It is humanely
impossible to solely think of ourselves as
individuals. We are influenced by TV
What if you don't have a TV? Then you
are influenced by the walls that surround
:ou. What if you don't have a home?
Then, you're influenced by nature.
Therefore, we have all received our ideas
and conceptions in some form or another
from someone or something else! Hence,
if we choose to restrict other forms of
ideas, the human we will ultimately be
limiting themselves.
Thursday, March 14, 1996
The Behrend College
Collegian
Published weekly by the students
The Pennsylvania State University
at Erie The Behrend Coll • e
Editor in Chief
Jennifer V. Colvin
Business Manager
Jennifer Heilman
News Editor
Danielle Murphy
Assistant News Editor
Doreen Foutz
Sports Editor
Nick Zulovich
Assistant Sports Editor
Julie Stocker
Entertainment Editor
Joe Motthb
Photography Editors
Sheila Bickel
Joe Stiller
Opinion Editor
Chad Clouse
Advertising Manager
Thomas D. Keefe
Copy Editor
Michelle R. Gruendl
Advisor
Mrs. Cathy Mester
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Building, Station Road, Erie, PA
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