Friday, January 25, 2008
Al Sha rptam
nit was neveir black
and white, but
Iritjat and witkon4;.#
Rev,
Rev. Al Sharpton talks with reporters before he went onstage in Erie Hall on Jan. 24. He spoke about progress made in the civil rights movement
By Scott Muska
managing editor
srmsoB2@
According to Reverend Al Sharpton. who spoke at Eric Hall on the evening of Thursday. Jan. 24, there
has been a great deal of progress made towards the goals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. since his death near
ly 40 years ago.
"Just to make progress." he said. "Was not the point. The point was to reach a society of equality. and
the issue was not to do better. hut to do right."
Sharpton has made these points his tile's goal and work
He was brought to Eric as part of "His Voice. Our Choice
Behrend's first
administrator dies
T. Reed Ferguson gives a speech during a 1999 Alumni Reunion at Behrend
By Lenny Smith
news editor
Irsso46krpsu.edu
T. Reed Ferguson, the first director of Penn
State Behrend, died on Jan. 16 at Foxdale
Village in State College, Pa. He was 92.
Ferguson was involved with Penn State
since his graduation from the university in
1936. He continued his graduate work at Penn
State as well as Harvard and the University of
Pennsylvania.
Ferguson joined the Penn State staff as an
instructor of the fine arts from 1942-1945 at
the Pottsville campus, which is now known as
Penn State Schuylkill. After serving as a field
director with the American Red Cross in Pearl
Harbor, Ferguson was named an assistant
administrator at Schuylkill.
After the death of her husband Ernest R.
Behrend in 1940. Mary Behrend donated the
couple's 400-acre Glenhill Farm to Penn
State, which created the Behrend Center in
June of 1948. In July of that same year,
Ferguson was named the first administrative
head of the center.
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Behrend's 2008 celebration of Dr. King's
Ferguson was the leader of Behrend until
1954 when he moved to University Park to
become the director of the university's Adult
Conference Center. He later became director
of the university's alumni relations before he
was appointed as vice president of public
affairs.
In 1988, Behrend honored its first director
with the Behrend Medallion. The Behrend
Medallion is awarded to an individual who.
by serving society and attaining eminence in
the public arena, brings honor to himself, the
college community and mankind.
In his honor, Behrend created the T. Reed
Ferguson Award, which is awarded to a junior
at the college who has demonstrated scholar
ship, leadership. and citizenship that has
impacted fellow students through academics
and out-of-class involvement. The junior
must also give his or her word of future
achievement in the senior year.
Ferguson was also honored at University
Park in 2003. In recognition of his years of
See BEHREND FOUNDER on page 2
....7-8
..9-10
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Election 2008
~p Unsure of who to support in the upcoming election?
Find out each candidate's platform on page 7.
body a little later on. and during his speech further
elaborated that he would remain neutral "So that I can challenge all of the candidates on civil rights issues."
About the Democratic debate that was held on Monday Jan. 21 in South Carolina. Sharpton stated that
he was displeased with the acrimony between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. "They should he argu
ing about the real issues." he said.
Earl Bass. Sharpton's nephew who introduced him to the audience, referred to his uncle as "strong-mind
ed. strong-willed and set in his beliefs."
These beliefs, according to Sharpton. are to expose injustices and attempt to do something about them.
and to make the world and continue the progress that Dr. King helped to begin.
"The idea is not to just sit back and criticize everyone else and not do anything to change things your
self." he said. "It's not enough to just celebrate King. We must emulate him."
Family Ties: Sharpton's nephew Bass
By Lenny Smith
nears Cdllol
1r55046(0 r,u.edu
The Smith Chapel Living Room quickly transformed
into a waiting room full of people anxiously anticipating
the arrival of the Rev. Al Sharpton on campus. One of
those people waiting for Sharpton was Earl Bass.
Sharpton's great-nephew.
A student at Penn State Behrend. Bass, is forensic sci
ence major from Niagara Falls. New York.
Growing up with Sharpton as an uncle wasn't really that
different. Bass said. "He's always been around. But, it has
its perks. Sometimes when we are at parties some celebri
ties are around. - Bass goes to some of his uncle's func
tions, but usually only when he is in New York visiting his
family.
Sharpton is known for his run for president in 2004 as
well as being an outspoken activist tor civil rights. With
that fame comes criticism, which Bass thinks is sometimes
a little harsh.
"I see it as sometimes he is misunderstood." Bass said.
"People think he is a lot more controverusial than he is.
Sometimes they mistake his mannerisms as cruel or radi
cal hut they are really not.-
"He's just really passionate about what he believes in."
Bass said. "He does what needs to he done to get the job
accomplished and I've always respected that."
Bass described his uncle as unappologetic, which may
be a reason why so many people find Sharpton so contra
versial but Bass said, "If he believes something is right.
he's • oin 7to stand h that.-
legacy.
Sharpton urged his audience to remember King
Id the other civil rights activists that paved the
ty towards the progress of the present.
'Progress was indeed made." he said. "But let us
!member the prices that were paid for that
- ogress. Many of us are impressed with the results
id scorn those that paid the price."
He spoke of the amount of people that admire
)ndoleeza Rice, but reminded the audience that
without a Rosa Parks, there would he no Rice.
"Sometimes, people are more impressed with the
fruit than the root," Sharpton said.
"It's not that we didn't have the blacks of qualifi
ttion.- he said of the past. "It's just that their qual
ifications weren't considered."
Sharpton stated his displeasure to the war. and
said that he couldn't understand how the govern
ment can afford to spend $6 billion a month in Iraq
it doesn't have the monetary funds to computer
ize schools in Erie.
He also spoke of his displeasure with those who
. e disadvantaged and treated as so. and made it
ear that his qualms along with those of Dr. King's
re not as race-fueled as many often assume. and
id. "It was never black and white. hut right and
:ong."
Sharpton fended off questions about who he will
idorse in the upcoming election in his pre-speech
- ess conference by saying. "I haven't pronounced
endorsement for anybody yet. I'm going to
hold onto my vote."
He went on to say that he might endorse some-
"He doesn't flip flop, I can tell you that," Bass said with
a laugh. "Hes definitely not a flip-Hopper."
"He's not as bad as they make him out to he once you
get to know him more personally, but I mean it comes with
the territory."
Bass said that Sharpton told his family that after the
"hanging chads" of the 2000 Presidential Election he was
going to run for the office in 2004.
"And he did," Bass said. "It shows that he is dedicated
to what he's going to do." Bass was also very realistic.
"Did I expect him to go far?" Bass asked. "Not really." he
laughed.
Bass. who is torn between Barad: Ohama and Hillary
Clinton, would like to see the two come together and run
as a team. "That would he a force. - he said.
As far as his uncle goes, no official endorsement has
been made but Bass was willing to make some specula-
"He has really close ties with the Clintons." he said.
"They've supported him and he's supported them. I don't
think he doesn't like Obama, it's just one of those loyalty
Bass said he doesn't get to New York as often as he used
because he likes to spend his break at home with his
immediate family.
He is very active on the Behrend campus as well. In
addition to the track team, Bass is the Historian for the
Multi Cultural Council, a member of the Lambda Sigma
Honor Society, a crew worker at Bruno's Cafe, and has
spoken to many students that are considering Behrend as
their college choice.
Vol. LIV No. XVII