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The Legacy
With the overwhelming media coverage of the past month ~ we need not be
reminded that the President of the United States, his press secretary, a Secret
Service agent, and a policeman were felled in our nation's capital, the victims of a
crazed gunman.
With the discovery of each new corpse in Atlanta, we need not be reminded of
the two-year reign of terror that has seen 26 young blacks murdered.
We don't have to go too far back in time to be reminded of John Wayne Gacy,
David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz, the Boston Strangler, etc.,etc. It is an infamous
legacy, indeed, a legacy written with the blood of countless victims.
What many of us fail to realize, however, is that for every publicized atrocity,
for every violent act that we read about in the papers and hear about on radio and
television, there are hundreds of senseless incidents that go unheard of. Unheard
of, yes, but every bit as tragic. This legacy of violence is all around us, and, what is
most frightening of all, we seem to be resigning ourselves to it.
Advocates of gun control laws constantly scream that the banning of handgun
sales would curb this rampage of violence. Though this very well could cut down
on the shootings that now occur with such startling rapidity, the chances are good
that the slack would be taken up by stabbings, bombings, and beatings. We
Americans have proven to be very resourceful when it comes to killing each other.
Others claim that capital punishment is the answer. If a lunatic rapes and
murders a young mother, they argue, his punishment should be death. Not only
would revenge be wrought, but it very well could deter other would-be
murderers. Above and beyond all this debate, however, is a dead woman and the
family she left behind. The banning of handguns and the reinstating of capital
punishment can't bring her--or the many victims like her--back. They are already
homicide statistics. They have become an unwilling part of the legacy of violence.
As the violence increases, and the bodies pile up, it appears as though our
respect for life is diminishing. Murders, rapes, and assaults are talked about in the
same tone as are the Dow Jones averages. Unless such incidents touch us
personally, we simply accept them as part of life. We have become saturated with
violence, and have chosen to turn our backs and walk away from it.
It is time for some serious soul-searching on the part of our country. It is a
dangerous situation when we look on the nation's rising violent crime statistice
with nothing more than mild disapproval. We need to place human life back on the
pedestal it once occupied. If we are truly the civilized and advanced people we
claim to be, we should not have to live in constant fear for the safety of ourselves
and our loved ones. . . .
The legacy of violence in America has left more than enough victims in its
bloody wake. It should not be allowed to go on any longer.
Volume 14, No. 3 c.c. reader April 30, 1981
Published biweekly by the students of The Capitol Campus of The
Pennsylvania State University in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
The C.C. Reader has the following four-fold purpose: [l] to keep students
informed about their campus community; [2] to provide editorial comment on
issues facing the campus community; [3] to serve as a forum for student poetry,
photographs, graphics, and other creative endeavors; [4] to serve as a learning
mechanism for all students interested in the journalistic process. This includes
reporting, editing, layout, typesetting, and paste-up.
Activities Editor - Keith N. Gantz
Photography Editor -- Mark W. Clauser
Staff Kathy Kern, Yvonne Harhigh, John G. Harvey
Faculty Advisors - Dr. Donald Alexander, Monica O'Reilly
The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not
necessarily the opinions of the students, faculty, staff, or administration of The
Pennsylvania State University.
The C.C. Reader welcomes letters from readers. Letters intended for
publication should indicate the writer's college affiliation, if any. All letters must
be signed by the writer. Unsigned letters cannot be printed. However, a writer's
name may be withheld upon request. Letters should be legible (preferably
typewritten, double spaced); and any material that is libelous or does not conform
to the standards of good taste will be edited and/or rejected.
The Assistant Editors shall serve as Editorial Editors for the remainder of the
academic year.
Editorial/Opinion
Pennsylvania State University
Capitol Campus
Middletown, PA 17057
Office W-129
Phone -- (717) 9444970
Editor in Chief
Harry H. Moyer
Assistant Editors
David J. Caruso
William J. Neil
Sports Editors - Darrell Reider
Kevin Spiegel
Circulation 2500
Editorial Editors
Thursday, April 80,1981
Wumke Letters to orms
to the Occasion
Editor:
The Edito r My campaign manager and I send our
heartiest congratulations to the new
SGA President, Roberta Bronson, and
all the new officers of Student Govern
ment. As some of you may have seen by
my posters (before they were so rudely
ripped down by some low-life schmuck),
I decided at the last moment to throw all
my support to Ms. Bronson. Her land
slide margin of victory was no doubt due
in part to the votes of my loyal followers.
We both thank you muchly.
Editor
_
I am amused, pleased, and flattered
by a note in the "personals" column of
your last paper which I think, but am not
sure, was addressed to me.
But besides all that, I would just like
to say I have a very busy schedule which
is why some people may think I am
always in my room, which is not true. I
participate in two extra-curricular acti
vities (C.C. Reader and Tarnhelm, Cap
itol's literary magazine, which is worked
on throughout the school year but is
published in the Spring Term), and also
work three jobs during the week for a
total work-week of approximately 30
hours (two jobs on the work study
program plus a job at home on week
ends). I am also a full-time 12-credit
student.
--Dave Caruso
I would also like to say any opinions
in my articles are from my interviewees
or are implied by them, and are not my
own.
One more note--a thank-you to those
who read my articles which are printed
in the C.C. Reader. I appreciate the time
they have taken from their own sched
ules to read them. And believe me, I do
not worry!
Now that the ill-informed are well
informed, I think I'll get back to work.
And I sit in my room? I stand on my
head!
Say What?
The Winner
Takes It All
Editor
My warmest congratulations go to
Karen Kurek for winning, the Student
Government Association position of
treasurer in the recent election. I wish
her the best of luck and success in the
coming year as SGA Treasurer.
I would like to thank everyone for
their support and votes as a candidate
for the office of SGA Treasurer.
Good luck to the new SGA Executive
Board.
Now all of you newly elected officials
will have to learn to put up with me for
the next year. Yes, that's right sports
fans, I shall be around for at least a while
yet. I'm on the mega-year plan. But rest
assured that Leonard can praise as well
as criticize. Ain't that right, Dave
Austin?
Be sure to watch the next issue of the
C.C. Reader for my provocative apprais
al of this year's SGA. Although I haven't
finished drawing my conclusions from
the final stats, I can say it's looking real
good.
So how did all you Pennsylvania
anglers do on the trout season opener?
Old Leonard displayed his piscatorial
prowess with catches of six and three on
his first two outings. Worms seem to be
the bait so far. This Saturday marks the
opening of muskellunge, northern pike,
chain pickerel, and walleye season. The
stretch from the southern end of TMI to
the Falmouth Access area is a prime
walleye area on the Susquehanna River.
This year, for the first time, bass are in
season all year round in rivers and
streams, and this section also offers
some good smallmouth fishing. Minimum
size in rivers and streams has been
raised to ten inches this year, twelve
inches in lakes and ponds.
Kathy Kern
Though many have come, and many
have gone; and many more will come,
and many more will go; what they left
and what they will leave--is what really
counts. They teach. We have started,
and we will finish; we will try, and we
will succeed; we will fight, and we will
win--is what it's all about. We learn.
And did you ever know that a
good-looking woman (man) is like hard
liquor? A little bit is good; more is even
better; but if you get too much of either
one--you're going to be hurting. That's
what I always say.
From the ozone, I remain
LEONARD WUMKE
Judith A. Polliard
C.C. Reader