opinion
RUB Rats disrupt the Reed Building
We would like the thank Jack Horner for finally br- We will not address the issue surrounding their ly, ruining such events as "A Night of the Arts." After are over two thousand other individuals here who might.
inging the issue of the RUB Rats to print. We have wat- language, their mess, or their preoccupation with thoroughly disrupting the evening, they relax by helping not want to deal with their individuality—especially not.
ched an entire semester go by while this deviant sub- backrubs. Sure it's an eyesore, but so is the bizarre themselves to the food at the reception. You've got to in the lobby of the Reed Building.
culture carries out their unusual and sometimes unac- wooden pop-art on the ceiling of the Wintergreen Cafe. give them credit. . . they've got style. Paul Sarkis
ceptable social rituals. They gather, quite literally in the We live with it. It is unfortunate that their noise often disrupts the
middle of our daily routine, and we watch—both We will not live with blatently unacceptable behavior. study room. It is also unfortunate that these people have
fascinated and disappointed that the actions of so few A woman walking through the lobby should not be sub- prevented commuters from using the pay phone outside
can disrupt the lives of so many. Yet, in order to address jected to an insulting, degrading, sexist remark corning of the Wintergreen Cafe because it is now their private Third Semester, English
the issue objectively, we must not stand in judgement of from a brain only a mother could love. During classes line. It is unfortunate that this group of altogether well
them as individuals. Recall, if you will, the injustice and other programs in the Reed Lecture Hall, faculty meaning people mindlessly disrupt the college
Athenians dealt to Socrates by condemning him for his members are often forced to play mommy and repri- community.
nonconformity in a time when ignorance truly was bliss. mand the boisterous children in the next room. In spite But let's not start feeding hemlock to the RUB Rats
Rather, we must look at how their actions affect the col- of this, they continue to be themselves, maintaining that yet. After all, everyone has the right to express their in
lege community. they have a right to gather n the lobby and, consequent- dividuality. However, lest the RUB Rats forget, there
In moderate
defense of
Ratdom
The two articles on the "RUB Rats" published in the Nov. 20 issue of
the Collegian, presented, together, a balanced statement of what it means
to be a student, and what it means to be young. The Rats are not
unresponsive to the opinions of students and administration, and they are
cleaning up their acts. But, as Henry James remarked, the Aristotelian
"!golden mean" in human behavior can only be discovered by exploring
its extremes. These students are doing just that - not necessarily to my en
tire approval. But then, whose behavior ever gets total approval?
The tonal virtues of alliteration notwithstanding, I would prefer,
however, that the RUB Rats clean up their collective name After all, rats
eat filth, survive at all costs, and spread disease These students do none of
the above. They are a bright and imaginative. They test the waters of reali
ty in ways that young folks should in the business of making sense of the
world.
They are also nice, caring people. I write this in my unofficial capacity
as faculty preceptor for the group. As an "elder rat", I will make two
elderly observations: (a) Let it be. (b) When they get out of hand, let them
know.
Dr. Jeffrey S. Wicken
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
RATs could be
more considerate
I would like to thank the editor
of the Collegian for bringing the
RUB Rat's behavior to the atten
tion of Behrend.
I totally agree with him and
would like to add' a few comments.
What I find most distressing
about the RUB Rats is that they
seem to be sexually frustrated and
they release their pent up frustra
tions in a public lounge.
Last week, I walked by the
lounge where two couches were
pushed together. On the pseudo
king-sized bed two people (One
male, one female Thank God!)
were feverishly groping each other
as if one of them was being sent to
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Behrend College; The Reed Union Building,
Station Road, Erie, PA 16563.
the electric chair in thirty seconds.
I, for one, don't really like to see
something like that before I eat (or
attempt to eat) my lunch.
I would appreciate it if the RUB
Rats would be a little more con
siderate and behave in a slightly
more mature manner.
The Rub Rats will probably read
this and sneer; I suppose ignorance
is bliss.
Sherry Simpson
Fifth Semester, COMBA
The " A TS arise
In a recent issue of the Collegian,
Editor Jack Horner voiced his opi
nion of a group of friends who
meet in the upstairs lobby of the
Reed Union Building. Shameful as
such an activity may be, we RUB
Rats feel that the concerns of Mr.
Homer are insubstantial. In the
editorial, Jack speaks of our vices,
abuses, and self-centeredness, but
the Rats fail to see how we deviate
from the norm. (In these respects.)
According to the editor, an
itemized list of our vices can be
made from an ugly picture the
author paints of a "typical even
ing." We employ such Satanic
vices as playing cards, smoking,
and God forbid, swearing.
Homer's article complains of at
least one Rat "spouting filth" and
implies that it is the course of ac
tion at all times. As a matter of
fact, this is a close enough approx
imation, but foul language is a
form of humor, however
pedestrian. This humor works on
the principle that the most
ridiculous proposition is the fun
niest one. We are sorry for
violating the virgin ears of our
editor, but college is traditionally a
time for growing up and learning
about the real world.• which in
cludes all forms of humor.
The use of cigarettes is certainly
socially acceptable. Indeed, it is a
pervasive habit in colleges across
the nation. If James Dean were to
read Horner's disgust of this habit,
- hewourd - have dismissea .Ilek - as
"square." As for playing cards,
certainly this age-old pastime can
not be construed as evil. Our vices
are the vices of the world. Per
chance we should "not swear or
smoke, but it is poor journalistic
style to try to make one small
group stand out for doing so.
Mr. Horner's second attack was
of the abuses we conflict upon the
school. We make too much noise,
we leave clutter about, and we
abuse the furniture. The noise level
in the lobby is no longer a question.
David Stuntz, whose office is near
by, complained once. On another
occasion, a teacher from Reed 117
also complained. After this, Jamie
Grimm from Student Affairs talk
ed to us and we have agreed to keep
loud conversation away from the
lobby during class time. No one has
had any problems with us since
then. The clutter we leave about is
mostly our own possessions. Like
The little things
There are very few things about
this campus that I don't like, and
you are about to be subjected to
them. Some of them trivial—and
some are earth-shattering. I'll bet
you can't guess which ones are
which.
It's a shame, but students living
on campus never really have a
chance to participate in radio con
tests, because by the time you dial
your access code, the station
already has a winner.
A la board point paranoia: That
second of panic when the worker at
the Wintergreen Cafe has run your
meal card too quickly through the
sensor and your card is rejected. Is
it my imagination or is that noise of
rejection that comes from the cash
register saying, "no-no na-na-na?"
I also experience a moment of
fear when the MAC machine takes
one or two extra seconds to return
my card. Thank you and please
take your receipt. That is, of
course, when it isn't temporarily
out of service.
I'm afraid to go into the library
because I'm afraid of the LIAS
computer. When I do finally go in
to the library and sit down at one
of those study carrels I always
think the person on the other side is
wondering about what I'm wonder
ing about. Hmmmm.
all college students, rats have
books to carry about, and jackets
to wear. When we settle down to
study or talk, these items settle with
us, and get left about. This is the
normal order of things. As for
cafeteria garbage, the Rats have
made another agreement with Miss
Grimm, to maintain the lounge by
ourselves. When we leave, the
room is clean. The cafeteria per
sonnel applaud this agreement and
continually wish that a similar one
could be arranged for the Gorge.
The situation is much worse in
there. The RUB Rats may also use
the furniture in manners unintend
ed by their makers or the Universi
ty, but never let it be said that we
abuse it. First, the chairs cannot be
comfortably used by people over
six feet tall. Mo - re than seven Rats
are at least that tall. If Jack had
taken the time to look at the chairs,
the backs are perfectly vertical and
the rear legs placed directly
underneath. The engineering of the
furniture makes sitting on their
back neither dangerous nor
damaging.
The Reed Union Building Rats
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Sometimes when my mailbox
partner gets mail and I don't—l
push his mail through to the other
end of the mailbox and onto the
mailroom floor.
I will not under any cir
cumstances eat at Dobbins alone.
On the pathway the other day, I
heard two girls laughing about so
meone who had one of those dryer
sheets stuck to the back of their
shirt, and when I got to my Ger
man class a Cling Free fell from my
shoulder and onto my desk.
When I go Christmas shopping I
have to buy myself a few things
first—just to get me started. Then I
don't have any money left for
anyone else and I go home—just
call me Mr. Thoughtful.
I still haven't seen anyone Wang
Chung.
Whenever the person cutting my
hair makes a mistake they always
tell me I have a natural part there.
I recently bought a wastebasket,
and I carried it home in a paper
bag. When I got home I put the
paper bag in the wastebasket.
I live in constant fear that I can't
get my watch set to the correct time
and the ten different times on the
ten different clocks in the Reed
Building don't help any.
have saved the most painful at
titude for last. The editorial com
plained that we are isolationists,
not caring about anything else and
actively excluding all others from
our group. This rather hurts
because such an assertion denies
everything that the Rats stand for.
Our group is a group of friends and
as such we talk about what is hap
pening in our lives. We share in
terest in the word-of-mouth free
advertising idea. Should the Rats
show enough enthusiasm for, say,
the Outdoor Club, he or she may
spark interest in another Rat to try
it. Many Rats are active in many
organizations, it is only our free
time that we spend in the lounge
which is what Rats do anyway. No
Rat has ever intentially chased
anyone away from the lounge! A
Rat rarely takes up more than
enough space for one person. If we
should just happen to take up that
space in only one room of the
University, that opens up spaces in
other lounges should people be un
comfortable with us. Indeed, many
a time other groups have displaced
V''''
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If I never hear Madonna's "True
Blue" again it will be too soon.
The girl behind the "Hi. This is a
recording from the Behrend Col
lege of the Pennsylvania State
University. The number you have
reached is not a working
number...." better never let her
identity be known.
What comes over me that I have
to unbend paper clips?
The person who designed the hot
and cold water handles in the
bathrooms—you know the ones
that don't stay turned on when you
turn them—needs to be imprisoned.
Why can I read through the cur
tains on my residence hall window?
When I picked up my schedule of
classes for the Spring semester I
had gotten one of the classes I had
requested. Tell me it's nothing
personal.
Perry Hall is the root of all evil
That little red light that tells me
that the vending machine is out of
Mountain Dew is almost as annoy
ing as the blinking red light on the
Change machine in the Cafe that
tells me there is not a single quarter
to be had.
DECEMBER 11, 1986
Collegian
PAGE 3
Bill Packwood,
o/a3..:. 'A t /-
.: 0. ._ . . As '
Third Semester, Biology
us by sheer size. Good or bad, this
situation allows the most freedom
for all Behrend students.
Finally, RUB Rats are people
who happen to be friends. We
made friends because we have all
chosen the same place to spend our
free time. The people who are there
are the same people as last year,
plus a few newcomers. In no other .
way has the situation in the second:
floor lobby changed, outside of the'
fact that we have given ourselves
name. Why do the complaints crop
up now? Why did Mr. Horner
decide to draw out anything that
can be construed as wrong-doing?
Does the editor of the paper dislike
the idea of friendships on campus? .
We do not know, but the Rats have
done no harm as of yet and poses at
least he potential to do some good
Rats have often helped prepare the
gorge for dances and other special
events, and our friendships offer
support and companionship that is
much needed in all colleges across
the nation. What Pray tell, is so
bad about that?
Sincerely,
ivine.z '" rYligsY ''?..re:ir,s
.4,.zt-14.. , i-seulp ,, W)t ---
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a 5 4tlr-
Concerned RUB Rats
A wise person once said that the
little things in life are what's really
important. They must have been
talking about my Grade Poin't
Average. Had they said that the big
things in life were important, then .I
would have known they were talk
ing about my phone bill.
..
Nothing gets me more into the
Christmas spirit than walking out
of the room where I've taken my
last final.
Happy Holidays, everyone
Jack Homer
Collegian Editor
life