Page 4 Thursday, December 13, 1984 The Capitol Times Campus Forum Vandalism: The epidemic spreads There is an epidemic at Capitol Campus. It's not the flu, and it's not a social disease (although both may or may not be mak ing the rounds this time of year). This epidemic is human. It's intentional. It's disgusting. This epidemic is vandalism, and the time has come for some swift action to cure it. We're not talking about a broken light bulb or two. We're talk ing about the senseless destruction of a new and expensive en trance sign. We're talking about ruts in the grass--hundreds of feet of them--the result of students intentionally speeding across lawns to destroy them. We're talking about missing road signs that disappear faster than maintenance crews can replace them, then re-apear in students' rooms. And we're talking about a ma jor amount of damage to a campus facility recently. Some of the perpitrators--if they read this--are by now laughing hysterically that someone would try to criticize them. You get that way after destroying so much and never suffering serious conse quences. To these people, it's all a big joke, and the campus is theirs to destroy. We know. We've been to the big parties in the dorms and Meade Heights. We've seen windows broken, hall lights shattered, trees run over, phones damaged, floors ruined, furniture broken, toilet paper hung from every tree, shaving cream and buckets of water thrown down hallways, water dumped out of dorm windows on people below, doors broken, walls with holes, vending machines smashed, vomitus from a "chugging" contest, broken benches and, most recently, the destruction of an intriguing series of displays in the Olmsted Building produced by one of Capitol's art classes. All in the past two years. Frankly we're damn tired of seeing the campus taken apart bit by bit around us. We recommend that any student considering Capitol Campus consider twice what he or she will encounter here, especially as a resident student. We have no sympathy for the students who claim that the stress of their classes is too much and they have to release tension. We work around the clock--literally--most weeks to prepare this newspaper. We get low grades and we always have a backlog of homework. We work just as hard if not harder than most of the people who feel obligated to destroy everything. Yet we manage to go to parties without breaking win dows. We get drunk without doing hundreds of dollars worth of damage. We get ticked off, we get frustrated, we have problems just like everybody else. But we try not to act like a--holes. Some people on this campus aren't even trying, and what they act like is exactly what they are. Capitol Times Thursday, December 13, 1984 Published by students of Penn State's Capitol Campus, Middletown, Pa. 17057 The Capitol Times welcomes letters from readers. Letters intended for publica tion must be signed by the author and in dicate his/her club or organizational af filiation, if any. The Capitol Times reserves the right to edit or reject letters at its discretion. Letters published do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or its staff. Tony Perry Editor-in-chief Neil Myers Co-Editor Jeffrey Shatzer Production Mgr. Jeffrey Keck Business Mgr. James Ferguson.... Advertising Mgr. Mike Dudek Graphic Artist Beverly Halbrook Sales Rep. Don Strausburger Sr. Reporter/ Reviews Editor Catherine Madigan Briefs Editor Janice Shatzer Composer Lisa Mauss Bob Price Rob Saylor Kathleen Heraghty Production Assistant Vol. 19 No. 7 Contributing Staff Annette Childs Mark Edquid Beth Horne Fran Hultzapple Michelle Lackey Joseph L. Michalsky Ken Stiggers Angelo Vecchio Adviser Mark S. Guralnick Photographer Photographer Printed at the Press and Journal, Mid dletown. Text disks processed Jednota Printery, Middletown. Photographer India's future in doubt To the Editor The assasination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two Sikh extremists raises many unanswered questions concern ing India's future with its peo ple and the rest of the world as well. Can Rajiv Gandhi, the new prime minister of India, really preserve the country's unity and prevent undue blood shed over the next year? Where will India be if the new leader fails to do so? These are the types of questions we need to investigate. One of the most immediate concerns of Rajiv Gandhi is that he must negotiate some sort of truce with the Sikh population as well as the Hun du community to end the bloodshed that is ravaging the country. Presently, 15 million Sikhs represent about two per cent of India's polyglot popula tion, yet their commitment for their country can best be ex amplified from the fact that they account for 15 percent of the nation's total army and an equivalent proportion of its civil servants. The Hindu India is releasing its frustrations on perfectly innocent Sikhs, people not responsible for the killing of Indira Gandhi. Many of these Hindus do not know that Punjab, a state where the ma jority of the Sikh population is living now, is the richist state in the country with its efficient farming and has helped make the country virtually self sufficient in food production . Are the Hindus making things better by destroying the state of Punjab? I feel that as he gains more experience, Rajiv Gandhi will bring the nation out of the hole. But it will require time, time that I don't know if India has for him. Rajiv has alreadypro- yen to us that preserving a friendly relationship with neighboring nations is of the ut most priority for India at the present time. After Mrs. Gan dhi's assassination, the first thing in dealing with the situa tion Rajiv Gandhi talked that evening with Pakistan's Presi dent Muhammed Zia. Zia told Gandhi that Pakistan is not in any way going to create any Holiday spirit By Myra Fink 'Tis the season for finals and term papers. Busy students rush through the halls of Capitol Campus without visions of the upcoming holidays. "Is there one?" Brenda Robertson, a human ities/business senior said, "I can't think about it yet." Then she gathered her books and picked up her coat; she spoke not another word but went straight to studying in the library. Most students can not find time to shop, make a list or check it twice before finals. "I'll wait till after finals to do everything," Rick Davis, a business/health-care manage ment senior, said. "Christmas held a lot of fascination for me when I was younger, then the excitement and novelty wore off and now this is a cumbersome time of the year," said Peter Thomas, a mechanical engineering senior. Increasing commer cialism amd an extended holi day season encourage grum piness, Thomas added. Yes, the bah-humbug at titude seems to be contagious at Capitol Campus. Look at the people in your classes, in the mo tension in India and gave his ssurance that Pakistan wants othing but peace and offered is hands in friendship and goo C 1 will. We hope that there is no flare-up between these two nations. But all we can do now is just wait and see if Rajiv Gandhi can continue in his mother's footsteps. halls, in the library and count the smiling faces. It's the hap piest time of the year, right? Students who work in retail stores find that the holiday season starts glittering, twinkl ing and jingling before Thanksgiving. "I'm so sick of the holiday atmosphere at work," said Tama Willet, a public policy senior, "that I don't miss it here at school." Signs of the holiday season are on campus of you look closely. The lion's Den pack have been busy merrying up the Den. The main entrance of the Olmsted Building has wreaths of fresh greens in holiday style. Some energetic Christmas elves have even decorated some of the offices. Most resident students will be going home for the holidays. Other students are already home, but are leaving the holi day details to mom according to Willet. A few students are in charge of all preparations and can not wait for school to start again. "What makes the holiday season real is [not what you see on the outside-but] a sincere ex pression between people," Thomas said. The holiday spirit is within people, not on walls and trees.
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