Paige Miies, Editorial Page Editor
J_ J
The Behrend Beacon
published weekly hv the students oj IJcnn State Uric. The liehrentl ( olle, gr
News Editor
Erin McCarty
Assistant News Editor
Jen Henderson
Sports Editor
Scott Soltis
Editorial Page Editor
Paige Miles
Features Editor
Karl Benacci
Staff Photographers “A newspaper b\ the .... „
Jeff Hankey 1 H ■ „ Distribution Manager
Heather Myers students for the students Scott Soltis
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 reached by
calling (814) 898-6488 or
(814) 898-6019 (FAX).
ISSN 1071-9288.
I smell sex and candy
There are a lot of great debatable is
sues in the news. We have the issue ot
cloning, Eminem, racial discrimination,
the war on Iraq. Trent Lott and North
Korea. There is a lot go
ing on in the world of
2(X)3. Out of all of these—
to be frank —I could not
pick a single topic to write
an editorial. So, since this
is my column. I’ll do what
I want to do, dammit!
This editorial is going to
quickly cover all the top
ics I wanted to write about.
Get set, get ready, this is
going to be the short, everyone
sweet, and dirty of all throws any
these controversies. It is body the fin
going to be like an edito- . , , > / • ger. and con
rial buftet. Get up to the ’ L stantly disre
line, grab a fork, push the Guy Reschenthaler
fat person out of the way,
here we g 0...
Cloning
This cult or sect, or whatever in God's
name the group is, has claimed to haw
cloned two children but will not let any
one see the two Mini-Mes. Clone Aid.
in my opinion, is a joke. But the claim
has raised some good issues about clon
ing. Some believe cloning is against
God's will and should be illegal. Oth
ers fear that clones will be used solely
for spare parts. If you need a new liver,
make a clone and take his or her liver.
This is all nonsense. All of it. just non
sense. If and w'hen we actually clone a
human being, fine. No big deal. Treat
the clone with the same rights as any
human being. The clone is a human and
Living Dr.
Spike Lee’s timing couldn't be more
ironic. Lee, who has addressed racism in
American culture with movies such as
“Jungle Fever,” “Malcolm X,” and “Bam
boozled," visited Behrend just weeks af
ter majority leader Trent Lott
from his position and reminded
tion that it is not too far removei
its pre-civil rights movement da;
America may have moved passi
its slavery and segregation days bi
as Lott pointed out and Lee oftr
shows us in films, raciest attitudi
still exist.
Lee, an independent filmmakei
strays away from superficial big
budget blockbusters. But I say,
now is as good a time as any to FaUon
use Hollywood to point out the ills
of American society. My idea for
the next Spike Lee Joint: “Malcolm
XXX.”
Vin Diesel stars as a machine-gun tot
ing Malcolm X with an attitude as he
fights a racist army of bad guys led by
General Trent Lott and a cloned Termi
nator version of Strom Thurmond sent
from the future to run for president on a
ballot of segregation and global domina
tion.
Diesel could say cheesy action-hero
Editor-in-Chief
Kevin Fallon
Managing Editors
Rebecca Weindorf
Robert Wynne
THE BEHREND
Beacon
Professional Publication Mgr.
Dave Richards
Advisor
Cathy Roan
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. Monday for inclusion in
should he treated as such. Science is on
the verge of a breakthrough. In 2003.
lei's let science he science. Besides, I
really want to see my own Mini-Me.
That would be
wauled for it. I'hc industry cannot wait
to hand him his next award.
Many people want to ban his CDs from
record stores. A lot of people talk of him
as if he was the embodiment of every
thing wrong with America. 1 do not buy
into that at all. This editorialist gives
Slim Shady respect and the credit he is
due.
First, he is a pioneer in rap. He is to
rap as Jackie Robinson was to baseball
and should be recognized for it. The
white rapper has broken the race barrier
that existed among rap artists. Second,
he is a champion of free speech. We need
outspoken individuals like Eminem to
remind us from time to time that we can
King’s dream
lines like. "I am going to segregate your
head from your body,” as he blast away
the bad guys.
Who says Hollywood never makes
60s, so it may seem
like ancient history
for those born in the 70s or 80s. But many
of our parents and grandparents lived in
times where African Americans drank
from separate drinking fountains and were
discriminated against because of the color
of their skin.
What is even more upsetting is that
some of the attitudes of the recent past lin
ger today. In fact, as Lott and Thurmond
pointed out, it is not just attitudes that re-
Advertising Managers
Melissa Powell
Christine Kleck
Calendar Page Editor
Erinn Hansen
A&E Editor
Daniel Stasiewski
Humor Page Editor
Mike Butala
Associate Editor
Courtney Straub
that week’s issue
sweet!
Eminem
This guy is
one of my he
roes. He says
what he thinks
and does what
he does. So
simple, yet so
profound. He
talks trash on
spects the mu-
sic industry,
and he is re-
quality movies?
All joking aside, race
elations are still a serious
ssue in this country.
Sometimes it is hard for
:hose of the younger gen
eration born in a time of
“equality” to remember
, that the extreme racism
experienced by many in
this country was not
that long ago.
The equal
rights movement
took place in the
Friday, January 17, 2003
Send all thoughts, complaints, comments,
praises, protests, objections, compliments,
critiques, and Letters to the Editor to
Behrcoll2@aol.com.
Include your name, major, and semester
standing .
express ourselves, no matter how offen
sive the expression may be. Third, he is
extremely talented. I do not care if he is
rapping about rape, murder, or incest —
the way he says it, the manner of deliv
ery, is nothing short of genius. If he had
been born in the late 1500 s, Mathers
would have rivaled Shakespeare. In
2003, I want more Marshall Mathers, 1
want him to get even more awards than
he did last year, and I want to hear about
all the controversy that surrounds this
rap artist. He is the man.
Racial Discrimination
The University of Michigan is being
sued for racial discrimination. The col
lege favors minorities in its application
process—the university makes judg
ments based on race. If an applicant is
of a minority he or she is awarded 20
points. If he or she scored a perfect on
the SATs or ACTs then 12 points is
awarded. If the applicant is a legacy (his
or her parents attended the university)
he or she is awarded three points.
This is sickening. In this day and age
there should be no racial discrimination,
and yet here it is, alive, thriving, and
well.
Why should a minority be given more
points? Should individuals not be judge
on the basis of accomplishment and abil
ity? Why does race have to be brought
into any system? In 2003, individuals
should be treaty equally. Men and
women should be judged solely by char
acter, integrity, and ability. No one
should get special privilege or treatment
because color of his or her skin.
War on Iraq
Let’s do it. Why? To overthrow a ty-
main, but many leaders of the time are
still in power.
The 100-year-old Thurmond ran for
president in 1948 on the segregationist
Dixiecrat ticket. Although Thurmond has
said he no longer believes what he did in
1948, it is still unsettling to have some
one in power who fought so hard to keep
this country segregated.
I guess when writing an editorial, it is
easy to take a stand against racism. Of
course, everyone is against racism. But
sometimes it’s just important to point out
the problem still exists. Beyond that, as
voters we need to be aware of who we
elect and what they stand for. In addition,
we should set an example in our own lives
by embracing diversity and speaking out
against hate.
As we approach Martin Luther King Jr.
Day, we must remember that we are not
only celebrating his accomplishments; we
are completing his unfinished dream.
As for my idea for the new Spike Lee
Joint, 1 know King preached about non
violence, but you have to admit it would
be cool to watch Vin Diesel blow up KKK
mutant vampires...diversity style.
rant. eliminate a threat to the United
Stales, to build a bastion of liberty in the
Middle East, and to secure oil. Just one
of those reasons is enough justification
for me.
If you are one of those who oppose
U.S. action in Iraq, think about these
comparisons: Compare how Muslims are
treated in the United States to how Chris
tians and Jews are treated in Iraq. Com
pare Iraq's press with our own. Com
pare an Iraqi's political rights with an
American’s. See any difference’? The
people of Iraq should be set free from
the Stalin-wanna-be we call, Hussein.
The U.S. needs to protect itself and we
need oil. Enough said, let's move on.
Trent Lott
Trent Lott disappoints me. Here is a
man who was trying to make an old guy
feel good at his birthday party. For this,
Lott was torn to shreds by the press. Then
when faced with, what I believe to be
unfair criticism, he backed down and
apologized. F3ut why? Why apologize
and give in to those who irrationally criti
cize? Lott should have stood up, said he
was trying to make Strom Thurmond feel
proud on what may be his last birthday
and say to hell with everyone. He didn’t.
Eminem would have.
Lott also should have reminded the
media and those who unfairly attacked
him that when Thurmond ran for presi
dent, on a segregationist platform, he was
a Democrat. The former Senate Major
ity Leader should have pointed out that
when Thurmond finally felt enlightened
and changed his views, he joined the Re
publican Party. In the year 2003, it would
be nice to see more politicians stand up
The Behrend Beacon
for themselves and not cave into unjust
and misplaced pressure.
North Korea
North Korea is evil. The fact is plain
and simple to see. The state cannot stop
spewing anti-American rhetoric. North
Korea has nuclear weapons and wants
to build more. The Communist nation
is even blackmailing the U S trying to
squeeze capitalist dollars from ns in re
turn that the state does not build more
nukes. We also provide this anti-West
em nation with food aid. This is absurd.
In 2003, I may have to approach the
North Korean topic in an entire edito
rial. Until then, I can only hope that our
nation gives them not one more cent and
absolutely not one more ounce of food.
If North Koreans arc going to walk the
walk of communism, they will not do it
with an American loaf of bread under
each arm.
The Look, Here’s How It Is Part
I’d like to go on, but I’m running out
of page space. So I’ll wrap this bad boy
up...
Look, here's how it is: "Sex and
Candy" is a great song and it will not be
played on the radio in 2003. It is old and
was overplayed back in my frcslnnan
days of high school. Yet, this year we
should remember that Marcv’s Play
ground had it right with “Sex and ( ’andy.
Everyone" loves sex and everyone lows
candy. There should he more of these
two in 2003, especially if the title grabs
a reader’s attention.
Reschenthaler’s column
appears every three weeks
Page