editorial
Combat Zone
by Barbara Boswell
This week I would like to use this space to describe a different
sort of combat zone. I had originally intended to add this personal
note as a postscript to my column last week; but I decided to wait
until I had some idea of what "feedback" I would get. I do wish to
make one point clear; and that is that this is neither intended to be,
nor should be perceived by anyone, as an apology. (I will not
apologize for being me. No one should ever be expected to do so).
When I decided on last week's topic, I fully intended to "back"
Ms. Brown. I found, however, during my "snooping," that the
details (those that could be authenticated, and therefore, legally safe
to print) were contrary to her accusations. This "blew my mind"
and obviously placed me in a rather precarious situation.
From that point on, 1 was constantly (and I mean
CONSTANTLY) asking myself whether or not to publish this
information. 1 can tell you now that my decision to publish was
based on one thing only. This was that those members of the student
body, who frequent the student affairs offices were hearing only one
side of the question. I felt (and still do feel) that it was only fair to
let them know that there was (is) another "picture."
I knew that the administration would not make any statements. I
also knew that the administration would not be too pleased with my
making the case public. (By-the-way, they weren't). In other words,
I knew that the article would tend to please very few people.
Once the decision to publish was made, I found myself (as I
usually do) up against two problems. One is legal; the other is
psychological.
When writing a column of this nature, one must be aware of a
legal no-no called libel. (Go ahead, look it up. It's a beaut!) There is
a very thin line between freedom of the press (Editorially) and libel.
Believe me, it is a very THIN line. So, I must not only be concerned
about content, but also with rhetoric when writing my "Combat
Zones." Content is the least of my worries because I set up pretty
definite rules for myself in that area. I will only print (a) that which
can be verified by two or more human sources, and (b) that which
can be verified by actual printed documents. In other words, if it
appears in the article at all, I can "back it up." (Keep this in mind
when I start mentioning "rhetroic."
Since my sources in this case have been questioned (as to how I
managed to obtain so-called "secret" information about job
classification, pay scales etc.), I will tell you that my human sources
supplied only the sketchiest of generalities. So, I got to do a bit of
deductive reasoning which went something like this: "This is a state
institution, heavily financed by the state and therefore, probably
very rigid in structure. Also, the state (meaning Harrisburg) should
have, somewhere, published information (ie documents) which
outline this structure, more than likely complete with budgetary
information. Governmental bureaucracies are noted for keeping
track of such details. All I must do is get my hands on such
documents."
An Editorial Commentary
(continued on page 4)
THE CAPITOLIST
DISPLAY
To the editors,
Eight-year old Steven Kahler
of New Cumberland, R. D. 1,
was injured in a sledding
accident Friday night. He
suffered multiple head injuries
when his sled went under the
wheel of a moving vehicle.
After three surgeons operated
on Steven for several hours, they
told the parents that he would
be unconscious for 48 hours to
three days.
He outsmarted them all by
regaining consciousness by 7:00
a.m., about seven hours after the
operation. Brain damage has not
yet been determined; but Steven
can answer yes-no questions by
shaking his head, which must be
a hard task since he had two
concussions and several fractures
to the jaw.
The
Nature
of
To the Editors
I am writing this letter in
response to the Boswell article
published in the COMBAT
ZONE of the February 15,
1973, issue of THE
CAPITOLIST. I should like NOT
to discuss Ms. Boswell's
assessment of Ms. Twyla Brown's
case, rather I shall address
myself to the whole subject of
racism per se.
"Racism" is a dirty word and
calling someboyd a "racist" is a
grievous insult,for it implies that
the person or institution so
called is guilty of committing a
serious injustice. It is one of
those words that many people
use and feel very strongly about,
yet cannot clearly define it.
Those who suffer from it usually
interpret the word one way,
while others interpret it quite
differently. Indeed, it is an
ambiguous concept and becomes
hard to pin down. Yet, because
racism has played an important
role in the destiny of America,
we should at least arrive at some
operational definition of the
word and its implications.
Perhaps an operational
definition of racism should be
based upon the way people
behave rather than upon some
logical or scientific idea. Thus,
racism may be viewed as any
attitude, action, or institutional
structure which subordinates a
person or group because of his
or their color. And even though
"race" and "color" refer to two
different kinds of human
characteristics, in America it is
the "visibility" of skin
color--and perhaps other
physical characterisitcs
commonly associated with
particular colors or groups--that
distinguishes individuals as
"targets" for subordination by
members of the white majority.
This is true of blacks, Purerto
Ricans, Mexican Americans,
Japanese Americans, Chinese
Americans, American Indians,
and East Indians. More
specifically, white racism
subordinates members of all
these groups because they are
not white in color, even though
some are technically considered
to be members of the "white
TO The Edllol'
KINDNESS
He would, however, enjoy
receiving cards from you. Please
be sure to include Capitol
Campus after you name.
Sent the cards to:
Steven Kahler
c/o Holy Spirit Hospital
Intensive Care Unit
Camp Hill, Pa. 17011
Editors,
A special "thanks" is
extended to those faithful fans
who sent "funny little
valentines" to the cheerleaders!
Racism
race" and even view themselves
as "whites."
Furthermore, racism may not
be just a matter of attitude, for
actions and institutional
sturctures can also be forms of
racism. An "institutional
structure" is defined to be any
well-established, habitual, or
widely accepted pattern of
action or organizational
arrangement be it formal or
informal. For example, the
residential segregation of almost
all blacks in large cities is an
"institutional structure."
An awareness of someone's
color or race, or even taking it
into account when making
decisions or in other behavioral
practices is not necessarily racist.
Racism occurs when these
reactions involve some kind of
subordination. Therefore, pride
in one's black heritage, or Irish
ancestry. or Chinese culture, is
NOT necessarily racist.
On the one hand, racism can
be overt and intentional because
of color. On the other hand,
racism can occur even when
people causing it have no
intention of subordinating
others because of color. That is,
they are totally unaware of
doing so. But, how can one be
"guilty" of doing something bad
when he does not even realize he
is doing it? The answer is that
racism can be a matter of
RESULT rather than
INTENTION because in many
institutional sturctures in
America, most whites do not
realize that unintentional
subordination of others because
of color actually injuries
minorities far more than
deliberate overt racism. Indeed,
subtlety is a decidedly more
cunning vehicle whereby
"conscientious racists" may
rationalize away guilt.
White racism exhibits itself in
hundreds of ways in American
society and concomitantly acts
in hundreds of other ways that
most citizens don't recognize. If
OVERT RACISM is the use of
color (or other visible traits
related to color) per se as a
subordinating factor, then
(continued on page 3)
Jackie Burrie
EXIX3
Rita Girondi
From
Your
Editors
UPON LEAVING
To Capitol Campus
Since the end of this term
will conclude my career at
Capitol Campus, it has become
necessary to move out of my
position as Co-Editor of this
publication.
My deep thanks go to Bob
Bonaker who has carried the
major load of the hassles and
details that go • along with
producing The Capitolist.
My thanks also go to Barb
Boswell, an outstanding member
of the staff, who pitched in
when things looked bad and
helped much more than many
realize.
There were a good many
people who helped make The
Capitolist work and to all of
them I offer my gratitude.
Capitol Campus has provided
much more than just an
academic challenge for me. In
the course of the two years I
have spent here I have gotten to
know some very good people, all
of whom have given me much
more than any book could
contain.
To the faculty,
administration, and student
body I say Thank You for all
you have done for me. I hope
that I have been of service, to
some extent, as a member of
The Capitolist.
Sincerely yours,
Michael Welliver
EX-CO - Editor
** * *
`OH,
MY
ACHING
FEET'
University Park, Pa., --- It was
quite some feat. And it took
quite some feet.
Two Penn State students, Cris
E. Guenter, of Smetliport, and
Samuel N. Walker, of Exton,
spent 29 hours and 52 minutes
dancing to win the
Inter - fraternity
Council-sponsored dance
marathon and $3OO.
More importantly, over
$2OOO raised during the event
goes to the Butler Sheltered
Workshop, home of the Butler
County branch of the
Pennsylvania Association for
Retarded Children.
Cris and Sam outlasted 38
other couples who stepped onto
the ballroom floor at the Hetzel
Union Bldg. at 6 p.m. Friday.
With the exception of eight
minutes' worth of short breaks,
the winners danced until
midnight the following night.
Local bands and radio
personalities supplied the music
for the 30-hour marathon.
Points were awarded to couples
for time spent dancing and for
money contributed in the name
of specific dancers.