Paige Miles, Editorial Page Editor The Behrend Beacon published weekly by the students of Penn State Trie. The Behrend Collect' News Editor Erin McCarty Assistant Sports Editor Lauren Packer Assistant News Editor Jen Henderson Sports Editor Scott Soltis Editorial Page Editor Paige MUes BeaCOII Features Editor Karl Benacci “4 newspaper by the Staff Photographers s,udenls for ,he students " Jeff Hankey Heather Myers 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. A simple reply I would like to reply to a letter written to the editor and pleading with the United Nations and to allied countries, just published in the Beacon two weeks ago. The letter, written by about the only thing he has accomplished is to unit) the hugest Katie Sweeny, was an attempt to somehow controvert the protest the globe has ever seen- all to oppose this war on Iraq, merit behind an editorial I had written a week before on the It does not seem to me that Bush has been forced into this confused gerbil that is our president. George Bush. situation and now has to deal with it- seeing as how with the Her first point defends Bush's speech blunders, and asks the exception of Great Britain, the United States has not managed question, “Is that any way to judge a man?” You're to find a single substantial ally in this fight. Bush certainly damn right it is. Being able to speak properly is an # as ;1 c h°' ce - an( f he's made it without regard to the hick extremely important skill in the world today. of significant evidence, or allied support. Maybe this Do you think that a business would hire a man t * lack of evidence can be explained by Bush’s inability to run its company if he lacked the ability to to "express himself clearly.' speak properly? Proper speech reflects the JjKHtKL And now my favorite part of Ms. Sweeny s ability to convey information accurately to T essay. I quote. '‘Bledsoe’s story at one point those who need to know. If a man cannot Ohr? I '% stated. ‘. the government decides they are going do that, he should not be the President of to suspend the popular vote...' Does that make the United States. Derek BledSOe an Y sense '- > " 1 suppose h I took half of Of anyone in the country, our president someone’s sentence and asked it if made should be able to speak to his public in a sense on its own. it might not. The entire clear manner. Everyone makes mistakes, that’s true. But I sentence, in reference to the electoral process, reads, “..and could list over 300 misuses of the English language that he even then, when the American people do make their desires has made, most of which are mistakes you might expect to see known, the government decides they are going ft) suspend the coming from an elementary school student. Just to push the popular vote and go ‘by the book.’" Anyone who knows even point. I’ll quote Bush from an interview with WMUR in the least bit about the electoral process knows that this is Manchester, N.H. “For those that are uninsured, many of the exactly what happened last election. Bush lost the popular uninsured are able-bodied, capable people capable of buying vote, however according to the Supreme Court, he deserved insurance choose not to do so." the office of President based on Electoral College votes that Now I'm no expert, but that's not just a little blunder, or a Freudian slip- it's just blatantly stupid. People in power should not speak to the public if the can not do so intelli- Sweeny's also suggests the possibility that Bush may not and concern, and Ido hope that in the future there will he no have a choice in his war efforts, that he is doing what's best other misunderstandings. 1 also apologize to the readers only to for the citizens of this country- certainly not entering us into a hope that I can write about something a little more relevant in war just for the hell of it. Yet. anyone who watches the news my next editorial would know that just the other day. more than three million people across the globe came together to denounce Bush's war plans. Does it not strike you as odd that despite his You’re at dollar shot night. So, where are your children? All of us who grew up in the 80s have known that Michael Jackson has been about five Bud Lights short of a six pack for at least the past 10 years. Recently he revealed that he enjoys sleeping next to little boys in bed. The documents that have been released (smokinggun.com) regard ing his child molestation suit are bound to make anyone's stomach chum. And yet. he is still allowed to raise three children. I don't care who he is or how much money he has; how dare he be permitted to sub ject these kids to his ways. Obviously, not everyone should be a parent, yet unfortunately there is no screening test available to decide who should be allowed to reproduce and who shouldn’t. Yesterday, I was watching Maury; the topic revolved around 8-year old kids who were abusive and disrespect ful to their parents. One little girl, who looked like a complete angel, admitted to smoking cigarettes. Maybe I’m a little sheltered, but I could never imagine my 8-year-old sister light ing up a Marlboro. Aren’t 8-year- olds supposed to play with Barbies? Don’t they watch Spongeßob, instead? But the moth ers sat on stage weeping, claiming that they couldn’t control their children. Well, Editor-in-Chief Kevin Fallon Managing Editors Rebecca Weindorf Robert Wynne 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 why the hell not? Can't a grown woman control a 70 pound, four-foot child? Ok, maybe I don't have kids of my own so I can't fully appreciate the difficulty of being a mother, but 1 have watched mv Paige Miles own mother raise four kids. None of us smoke, steal, or beat her up. She obviously did something right, and I’d really like to know what her secret is just in case I have children some day. It seems that parents aren’t willing to accept the responsibility of their offspring. 1 hate it when I’m in Wal Mart at 3 a.m. and I see a parent with their children in tow. These kids should be in bed. I would love to give the parent the benefit of the doubt, but this happens more often than not. When I was 8,1 was in bed by 9 p.m. every night (unless “Doogie Howser" was on...that was my treat night). I recently turned 21. I’ve seen people my age who I know have children out at the bar on any given day of the week. Of course, these parents are allowed to have *Ja? >f') ~ 1 J Advertising Manager Christine Kleck Calendar Page Editor Erinn Hansen A&E Editor Daniel J Stasiewski Humor Page Editor Mike Butala Associate Editor Courtney Straub Distribution Manager Scott Soltis that week’s issue were subject to compromise. Popular vote was suspended. The entire paragraph in which this sentence is focused goes on to say just that. Anyway, all that being said, 1 thank Sweeny for her interest Friday j February 21, 2003 V AT AU. THOSE / ft® AMERICANS V, vasw ) - ~' L -C,, Bledsoe’s column appears every three weeks fun once in a while and get away from their children. But it becomes wrong when the parents are out every night of the week, blowing their money while the child sits home with a babysitter. Some of these children don’t even rec ognize who their real parents are. And couldn’t the money spent on massive amounts of alcohol be much better spent on feeding and clothing the child —especially when the parent col lects government assistance? Honestly, if I had a child at this age, and decided not to give it up for adoption. 1 wouldn't be spending my money on frivolous crap. I would realize that the child comes first in all things I do. So maybe bad parenting is one of the biggest problems in this world. If a par ent can’t handle a child, that child should be given up for adoption. There are so many stable, loving couples who would love to parent an American newborn. When those of you who don't already have children plan on it, take care of them. Love them. Pay attention to them. They haven't messed up their lives yet; don’t let them. Did we tick you off this week? Tell us! Send all Letters to the Editor to Behrcoll2@aol.com Include your name, major, and semester standing i r ■ *■> ' My brain, like the nation, is divided on Iraq I watch reality TV in order to escape from real its’ Yon see. I used to take mind-altering drills to escape from reality, but then I learned my drug money w as supporting terrorists. I quit cold turkey. Anvhow. this week Joe Millionaire eas e me a reason to believe in the beauty of the human race. It turns out that a good-looking guy with body and the personality will triumph over a good-! gu\ with a rock-hard bo w ilit $5O million any day. Who says romance is tlead? After the show I was so overwhelmed with line. I deeided to go out and look lor a woman of my own. 1 figure 1 have way less money than Joe Mil lionaire and I am about Kevin Fallon half as stupid, so I thought I had a good chance at making mv own love connec- Unfortunately. on the way to the adult video arcade (by the way. there are no \ideo games there) my SUV ran out of I was appalled when I saw the price of gas. I thought to myself. "Who the hell do vou have to bomb around here to get a decent price on gasoline?" Oh yeah. I forgot. See. I used to be against a w ar on Iraq. But Colin Fovvell's power point presen tation convinced me. It is obvious that Saddam Hussien is up to no good. Sure, he hasn't attacked us. yet. But why take a chance? But we can't go to war because the French don't support us? Well, let me tell you something. The French are a bunch of Mary Andrews. Why do we need to listen to what the French say. anyhow? What are they going to do? Interested in writing for Come to our meetings at the Beacon? 41 Kochel (Academic) at 5:20 pm on Mondays. The Behrend Beacon -V U>lL*£ | ■ 1-i-i—i—J-ix Snob us to death? We are the United States of America, dagnabit. What is the point of being the most powerful country in the world if you have to listen to the French'.’ Just remember how the French messed up pizza. That's right. French bread pizza. What the heck is that? Doesn't anyone realize we are an Orange Alert? Orange, for goodness sukes. Homeland se eurity director Tom Ridge ad vises to stock up on duet tape (to seal a room in ease of bio logical attack) and bottled wa ter (because it just tastes bet ter than tap). I don’t know about you. But I have been duct taped in'ide my bedroom for the last week and I really have to g> > to the bathroom from all that bottled wa — ter. I am sick of living in tear. If there was another option besides war. I would be for it. I don't think there is a choice. Hussein has to be removed from power. It is unlikely he will step down. It is unlikely he will suddenly become a nice, trustworthy guy like Joe Millionaire. Much of the international community is against this war. I haven't heard any options besides giving the inspectors more time. True, inspections must take place in Iraq. But then what'.’ Some thing has to be done some time. Honestly, I hope this conflict can somehow be resolved without war. Since they say duct tape can fix any thing, why not just duct tape Iraq? Prob lem solved. Maybe it could work on the economy Fallon's column appears every three weeks. Page
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