Page 6
by Adam Levenstein
Collegian Staff
I have been to Cuba; that’s not
something many Americans can say.
While I was there, I was present at two
speeches by Cuban President Fidel Castro
Ruz. That’s something even fewer people
can say.
Yet Americans, forbidden from
travelling to the island country, have very
strong opinions about Cuba. Castro the
demon, Castro the dictator they say. As if
there was only one person in Cuba, rather
that the 11 million dial make up its
population. When asked, “Have you been
there? How do you know?” The reply is,
“I don’t need to see for myself. I already
know.”
by Nikki Gennuso
Collegian Staff
Last Thursday, there was an alcohol
awareness program for Behrend students
sponsored by the school. The program
was designed to discuss drinking
responsibility.
Though this program was not
mandatory for students, a certain group of
people on campus required to attend-two
members from each Greek oiganization on
campus.
Fair? 1 think not.
Rumor has it that Penn State as a whole
has had an enormous problem with
drinking over the recent years. Is it right
)o blame sororities and fraternities for this
alcohol abuse? I’m not writing this article
to go off about how Greek organizations
are great and how they are treated badly at
Behrend. I’m writing it to prove the point
that the college is not supportive of
Greeks and in this case sought them out
and made them look like a bunch of
panic rs with alcohol abuse problems.
How arrogant. Without finding out the
facts or seeing for themselves, Americans
mindlessly repeat the statements of US
government officials and the corporate
media. Is Cuba really the modern-day
version of Dante’s INFERNO?
In Cuba. Many types of food are
rationed, such as meat and some
vegetables. The current depression is such
that it is difficult to maintain buildings
and build new facilities. I say this first to
avoid giving the impression that Cuba is
some sort of paradise; it’s not. Cuba's
economic conditions are the primary
reason people are fleeing Cuba.
Cuban poverty is different from
American poverty. Everyone in Cuba has
a home. Although food is rationed,
everyone is guaranteed enough to stay
healthy and foods are beginning to be
taken off the rationed list. Health care and
schooling remain excellent and free at all
levels. For some reason, these facts don’t
make it to the American press.
Is Cuba democratic? At this question
most Americans would snicker and say,
“Of course not.” Yet let us look at the
facts for a moment
Greeks go to
How can members of Greek
organizations get the respect they deserve
from the faculty and staff and get rid of the
stereotypes that they have had to deal with
over the past several years.
I urge the campus community to take a
closer look at the fraternities and sororities
on campus. Perhaps they would find that
more and more academics are stressed,
study groups are being formed,
philanthropic events are sponsored
throughout the Erie area. And guess
what? All these things are being done
sober.
When it was announced that two
members from my sorority were required
to go to the alcohol awareness program, I
did not think twice about it until a couple
of days later when someone questioned
why others were not required to attend. I
did not see any notices that SGA had to
send two members, and I didn’t see any
notices that two members of the
accounting club or the martial arts club
were required to go either. There is
nothing wrong with any of these clubs.
Adam’s Answers
Opinion
The main decision-making body of the
Cuban government is the National
Assembly of People’s Power, Cuba’s
legislature. This body currently contains
over 550 delegates and according to
Microsoft Encarta, “is elected by direct
universal voting.” In addition, Assembly
members can be recalled at any time by a
vote of the municipality that elected
him/her.
There are those who would point out
that Cuba has only one legal political
party, the Cuban Communist Party
(Partido Comunista de Cuba, or PCC).
This is undeniable, but the PCC does not
function in the same way as American
parties. While the American parties
nominate delegates, the PCC has no
power over the election process; candidates
are nominated and elected directly by the
people. The purpose of the PCC is not to
run the govemfhent; its purpose is to be
run by the government.
It is currently illegal to organize against
Cuba’s socialist Revolution. This is
I’m active in a few of them myself. I also
know people in every club, in every
organization on campus who have alcohol
problems, who like to party or who
simply drink on occasion whether they are
underage or not
I want someone to tell me why the
fraternities and the sororities were required
to go. Oh, I forgot all we are about is
drinking and having a good time, right?
Or at least that’s what the requirement said
to me.
I think it would have sent out a great
message if members of all the clubs on
campus were required to go. But I think
the message sent out last Thursday was
that fraternities and sororities have alcohol
problems and need to get educated.
Stop this discrimination before it gets
worse. Greek organizations go by all the
rules the college has set up for them no
matter how confining they may be.
There is no reason why they should have
to follow a rule based on stereotypes and
founded in discrimination.
Continued on Page 7
HEY.OUYS..
ITS ONLY
HALFTIME!-,
Thursday, September 12, 1996
The Behrend College
Collegian
Published weekly by the students
The Pennsylvania State University
at Erie, The Behrend College
Editor in Chief
Jennifer V. Colvin
Danielle Murphy
Business Manager
Carley Gwin
News Editor
Doreen Foutz
Sports Editors
Brian Gregory
Matt Plizga
Entertainment Editor
Sheila Bickel
Photography Editors
Colleen Gritzen
Joe Stiller
Opinion Editor
Chad Clouse
Advertising Manager
Thomas D. Keefe
Office Manager
Crystal Dehart
Advisors
Dr. Ursula Davis
Rob Speel
Collegian Staff: Dave Anechstein,
Edward N. Black, Dave Boulos,
Brian Charnock, Mike Coursey, Adria
Kovaly, Kristine Kennel, Jessica
King, Eric R. Krouse, Mike Nies,
Adam Levenstein, Josh Pie, Sara
Prosser, Jenn Reisenweber, John
Rossomando, Joe Ryan, Kevin
Schaaf, Wendy Schell, Jason
Simmons, Kristen Wright, Jonna
•Zizak.
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