Page Two
commentary
The case of Miss Karen Quinlan
has brought the issue of
euthanasia (mercy-killing) to the
forefront. It is a concept which
goes against many traditional
religous lines of thought. But in a
world of famine, malnutrition,
and a general food shortage, it is
an idea which must be seriously
considered.
To begin with, one must con
sider Miss Quinlan's physical
condition. Her chances of sur
vival alone are not particularly
good. Her chances of
recuperating to a state which is
anywhere approaching a normal
life are virtually nonexistent. If
she awakens from her comatose
state, she will almost certainly be
nothing but a vegetable, no longer
capable of creative thought to
any degree.
Aside from this is the question
of cost, both monetary and
emotional upon Karen's parents
and all other involved parties.
Keeping Karen alive has not
exactly been a voluntary,
humanitarian effort. The doctors,
nurses, and orderlies do expect
payment. Also to be paid for is the
equipment which is keeping her
alive, her respirator for example.
Added to those expenses are the
life giving substances which are
being pumped into Miss Quinlan
intravenously, such as glucose or
blood. But the emotional strain is
not to be ignored. It is not easy to
see someone whom you know and
love slowly wither away.
Regardless of their care and
concern, there is nothing her
parents can do to slow down this
process of deterioration. They
are forced to stand by helplessly,
watching their daughter slowly
sink into the hands of death.
But there is also another side to
this story. Someone would have to
determine when this power of life
or death is to be used. When
would a patient be considered to
be "beyond the point of no
return." And if a patient's life
was ended, could the doctor be
assured that he would never be
subject to any lawsuits at some
time in the future. The prospect
of money can often do strange
things to people. Someone who
once seemed sweet and sincere,
solely concerned with "what is
morally right" can be tran
sformed into a gredy, money-
7 1 thmtb TollEgiait
MIK Press Association
of atstmitunutlealgi sliampiters
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The Collegian
By Mark W. Richmond
hungry animal
This issue can also be viewed
from a moral to religious stand
point. Does anyone truly have the
power to end the life of another
human being, a life given by a
supreme and almighty God?
Should this life be ended when the
means to sustain it exist? The
possibility that a •discovery
resulting in a cure for the
patient's ailment also is a reality.
But even if the chances of a
patient recovering is one million
to one, can the steps necessary to
prolong the life of a "vegetable"
truly be justified? As was earlier
stated, we now live in a world
which is stricken with plagues,
r . 7., •
The Soul Of
By Pamela Gilmore
Collegian Staff Writer
Religion among Blacks during
slavery was vastly different in
comparison to Black religious
practices as they exist today.
Religious sermons delivered to
the slaves were based essentially
on the duties of obedience. And
were usually delivered by gospel
quoting preachers who em
phasized the obligations of the
slaves to those who were their
masters.
Yet behind the slave quarters,
there existed another type of
religion, one through which the
slaves found solace and could
escape from their loneliness and
desperation by communicating
with God.
Out of these private sessions,
out of the wakes held within the
slave quarters, and out of other
mournful events held, emerged
the great body of sacred folk
music known as the "Negro
spirituals."
The spirituals were religious in
sentiment however. They ex
pressed the awe and wonder of
the negro in regards to life and
death and his emotional reactions
to the complexities of his
existence and his desires to
escape from the uncertainties and
frustrations of his world.
In "The Souls of Black Folks",
W.E.B. Duboise described the
music of the enslaved Black as
Member of
Paul Corbran
Editor-in• Chief.
Editorial Policy
or delete portions of all letters for
publication purposes.
All letters must be signed, but
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request. Term standing, major,
and hometown must be included.
Signed columns represent the
view of the author only and do not
necessarily reflect the Editorial
policy of the Behrend Collegian.
Mark Reese
Sports Editor
Behrend Collegian
famine, malnutrition, and a
general shortage of food. All of
these situations are worsened by
an ever-increasing - world
population. The resources and
manpower necessary to sustain
the life of someone who will more .
than likely never again be able to
contribute to society is much too
large. The possibility of saving
one out of hundreds of such cases
does not appear to me to be a
justifiable investment. The world
must become stronger and
sounder throughout if the whole
is to survive and grow. These
energies could be put to much
better uses, reaping long-range
benefits for us all.
follows:
What are these songs and what
do they mean? I know little of
music and can say nothing in
technical phrase, but I know
something of men, and knowing
them, I know that these songs are
the articulate message of the
slave to the world. . . They are the
music of an unhappy people, of
the children of disappointment,
they tell of death and suffering
and unvoiced longing toward a
truer world, of misty wanderings
and hidden ways. . . Little of
beauty has America given the
world save the rude grandeur
God himself stamped on her
bosom the human spirit in this
new world has expressed itself in
vigor and ingenuity rather than in
beauty. And so by fateful chance
the Negro folk-song—the rhyth
mic cry of the slave—stands
today, not simply as the sole
American music, but as the most
beautiful expression of human
experience born this side of the
seas. It has been neglected, it has
been, and is, half despised, and
above all, it still remains as the
singular heritage of the nation
4tk
,„ •
t‘4l, Reel and Script
•
By Ron Wayne
Collegian Staff Writer
The winter season in Erie is the
season of entertainment, whether
in the form of plays, music or
motion pictures. The Erie
Philharmonic is in full swing, the
college and local theatres present
different plays every month or so,
and the groups who sponsor
concerts and the like, schedule
most of them during these
months. The local attractions are
not always extremely varied and
sometimes not very good, but the
only way such organizations as
the Erie Civic- Theatre
Association can improve
themselves is if the public sup
ports them and attends what the
groups are offering at the
moment. A supportive crowd can
provide incentive for the groups
to better their quality and
selection. But if the apathy of
Erie residents continues, the
groups who sponsor these events
will have no guidelines as to what
the audience wants. There is also
no excuse for those who say they
cannot afford the events since'
most groups such as the_ Civic
Theatre and the Philharmonic
offer discount rates to students.
PLAYERS
As everybody on Campus
knows, the Behrend Players' fall
production opened last week with
Michael Weller's Moonchildren, a
somewhat serious study - of
student living in the 1960's when
activism was the word on cam
pus. It is simply brilliant and a►
very enjoyable way to spend an
evening. Directed and designed
by Mr. Arno Selco, it is sure to be
another successful production for
him. The play will be presented
this evening through Sunday at 8
p.m. in the Studio. Tickets, if you
can still get them, are available
in the RUB; $1.50 for students and
$2.50 for non-students.
Vinyl Toucti.„,,
Split Coconut, Dave Mason
This album has been out for
only a few weeks, but after
several listenings I feel that it is
Dave Mason's best album. Mason
plays guitar on this album in the
great style that established him
as one of the foremost guitarists
around today, his lyrics are still
superb, and Mason's in
terpretations of other composers'
songs are unique and personal.
Mason does a version of the old
Buddy Holly song, Crying,
Waiting & Hoping, and is helped
out by The Manhattan Transfer,
who sing background vocals on
this song. It is done in sort of a
"reggae" style, which Mason just
recently started using.
You Can Lose It was written
by Mason and is about a woman
Q li z y ia .
ff 'U'
and the greatest gift of the Negro
people.
Next issue:
The Black Experience
Pre-Civil War
Diabolical
maternity?
Sunday's Student Union Board
sponsored movie is Roman
Polanski's Rosemary's Baby.
Based on the novel by Ira Levin,
witchcraft is shown in a startling
and _often fascinating fashion.
John Cassaveta plays a Broad
way actor who makes a deal with
the Devil; in exchange of success
in his career for his wife (Mia
Farrow)- to bear Satan's son.
Other characters include an older
sinister couple portrayed by
Maurice Evans and Ruth Gordon,
in an Oscar winning performance.
Showings are at 7:00 and 9:45
p.m. and admission is $.50 with
an activity card and $1.25
without.
A classic play by Anton
Chekhov, the first modern
playwright, entitled The Seagull
is being produced at Mercy
hurst's Little Theatre. The
presentation is a deviation from
the usual type of plays performed
in Erie, and should be a must on
everyone's list. The play starts at
8 p.m. and runs tonight through
Sunday: Admission is $l.OO for
students and $2.50 for non
students.
Another play entitled Grease
which identifies the 50's " with
music and dance, is being offered
to Erie's theatre-going public this
Sunday at the Gannon College
Auditorium downtown. Beginning
at 8 p.m. the musical is brought to
Erie by Gannon and Mercyhurst
Colleges. The company is from
New York and the play promises
to be a highlight of Erie's
theatrical season. Tickets in
advance are $2.00 for students
and $3.00 for adults. They are
available at Boston Store
Downtown and the National
Record Mart in the Millereek
Mall. Tickets will also be sold at
the door.
PLAYHOUSE
The box office opened last
Monday for the Erie Civic
Theatre Association's next Studio
Series play, A Streetcar Named
Desire. Considered the
masterpiece among Tennessee
Williams' work, the brilliant
drama is a three hour excursion
into the tormented lives of
Blanche Dußois, Stanley and
Stella Kowalski. Playing these
characters will be Jo . Roberts,
David Jepsen and Patricia Sobell.
Directed by David Matthews and
designed by Phillip Louis Rodzen,
the play will have only five
performances. They will be
Monday, November 17 through
Friday, November 21, at the
Unitarian Church on New Perry.
By Kevin Conway
Collegian Staff Writer
who isn't very thankful.
"Everything that you do is just
for her needs, but she's never said
'thank you' and she's never said
'please,' she'll destroy any talent
that you ever had, and crush you
for not being more of a man." The
vocal chorus is sung by David
Crosby & Graham Nash.
The guitar playing of Mason on
his Save Your Love song is
brilliant, and so are the lyrics.
"Looking for good times, looking
for bad times, I got what I
deserved, running around the way
that I've been, it's getting so
absurd." Mark Jordan plays the
keyboards on this song; he also
appeared on Mason's It's Like
You Never Left album, which
was released in 1973.
The vocals of Mason, Crosby,
and Nash on She's A Friend are
superb. The title of the song
pretty much describes what it is
about.
Side two opens with a song
called Give Me A Reason Why,
with Nash and Crosby again
singing background harmonies.
This is a beautiful song, ap
parently about an exchange
between Mason and his child.
"Looking at me with those big
blue eyes, asking me questions
that I just can't describe, 'Daddy,
who's God, and what's on his
mind?', "That's a good question',
I replied."
Two Guitar Lovers was
written by Maureen Grey, and the
guitars of Mason and Jim
Krueger are really good in this
song. Krueger is a regular
member of The Dave Mason
Band.
The synthesizer playing of Jay
Winding, another member of
Mason's band, on the song "Sweet
Music" is great. The Sweet Music
is all that Mason needs.
The Manhattan Transfer sings
the background vocals on the last
song of the album, Long Lost
Friend. Mason's guitar is again
great on this song. This song
reminds me a lot of It's Like You
Never Left, mainly because
of the lyrics. "I listen to what you
(Continued on Page a)
Highway. Student prices are $1.25
and other seats are $2.50.
Another playhouse event
scheduled for this month is the
Harlequin Troupe's production of
A Christmas Carol. A perfect way
to start the holiday season, be
sure to attend one of the six
performances scheduled on
November 29 and 30. Prices will
be the same as the Studio Series.
The next major production for
the Playhouse will be the en
tertaining Mister Roberts which
will be presented in December. If
anyone is interested in auditioning
for one of the many sailor roles
available, tryouts will be
November 23 at 2 and 8 p.m. at
the Theatre Association office,
1025 State Street.
For the movie buffs in area,
many new feature films should be
playing soon at one of your nearby
cinemas, but some of the best
films in recent years are being
shown this month in Edinboro at
the Village Cinemas as part of a
Fall Film Festival. At the
moment, Last Tango In Paris; a
stunning and controversial motion
picture, is' showing tonight
through Saturday at 7:15 and
9:30. It stars Marlon Brando and
Maria Schneider and was
directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
There will also be a midnight
showing Friday night, with ad
mission at $l.OO. November •9-11
the theatre will be showing Ken
Russell's interpretation of D.R.
Lawrence's Women in Love
starring Glenda Jackson. Luis
Bunuel's The Discreet Charm of
the Bourgeoisie will be at the
Cinema from November 12-15 s,
followed by Hearts and Minds,
November 16-18 Walk About,
November 19-22 and The
Passenger November 23-25.
Tickets are discounted Tuesdays
and Thursdays to $l.OO and the
regular admission of $1.75 is
charged on the other days.
November 6, 1975