Jan Travers/Editor
Hate, Bigotry & Racism
Isn't it amazing that in today's society there can be an organization like the
Ku Klux Klan? The Klan, which met last weekend in Ephrata, serves as a reminder
to us all of the hate, bigotry and racism still alive in America.
However, the Klan's meeting locally had positive consequences as well.
Where but in America could a group which stands against our very fiber
be allowed to assemble to exercise their freedom of speech.
The good news is the Klan's membership continues to fall to such an extent
that groups like the Urban League of Harrisburg and NAACP decided to ignore the
whole event, refusing to take part in counterdemonstrations. Estimates put Klan
membership at around 4,500, a 14 year low.
The better news was the number of white people who came out for the
counterdemonstrations. Many braved the cold, rainy weather to send the message
that they disapproved and were appalled at the meeting.
Maybe things are beginning to improve
On Being a Woman
by Vicki Koon
I can clearly remember being a teenager and anticipating the day I would
be allowed to shave my legs. Other than the desire to be old enough to wear
nylon stockings, it was the single thing that I wanted most in those prepubescent
The TV commercials for Lady Schick razors were the culprit. I used to
watch them in awe: A woman languished in a tub brimming with bubbles with
one leg poised effortlessly in the air. With an air of elegance and serenity, she
glided the razor over her leg. Her once human-looking limb became a work of
art!
At last the day arrived for the sculpting to be done. I couldn't quite get
the bathtub as full of bubbles as I felt it should be, but my mother's Lady Schick
was ready to do the job. I leaned back and brought my leg out of the water. It
didn't feel right. On TV it looked not only natural, but graceful. But actually
doing it felt awkward. I assumed it was because I wasn't as old as the woman in
the commercial.
Awkward or not, I held onto the position and began shaving. I realized
right away that part of the problem was that I couldn't see most of my leg. The
only solution was to pull myself out of the water into a full sitting position and
prop my leg up on the side of the bathtub. As I began shaving it occured to me
how much skin actually covered my legs. And then I realized that even in this
modified position it was still hard to see around the ankle and under the knee.
The reason why, I discovered, is that these two body parts are not meant to be
shaved.
When I was finished the bathtub looked like a porcupine had been
murdered in it. Cleaning out the bathtub being one of my least favorite
activities, I decided that the next time I would shave my legs in the shower.
Shaving my legs in the shower turned out to be even more awkward
than the Lady Schick position. The only reason to do it is to not have to clean
up afterwards. I propped my leg on the wall with the water'at my back and when
I bent down to start shaving around my ankle the water began beating on my
head, running over my face, and washing the soap off my leg at the same time.
So I turned facing the water, and even though I was blinded, the soap didn't get
rinsed off my leg. Because I couldn't see what I was doing, I missed a two-inch
row on each leg.
Now that all the illusions are shattered I just wait for Autumn each year.
"Let it grow, let, it grow, let it grow."
Ca ital Times
Editor-in-Chief Jan Travers Managing Editor Michele Hart
News Editor Vicki Koon Photography Editor... Kyle Weaver
Business Manager Pam Bagnall Graphic Artist Joe Kupec
•••••• • • • • • •
Staff: , Kimberly Anastas, Tom Boyle, Angie Dill, Cindi Greenawalt,Dcann Hess,
Luke Hess, C.W. Heiser, Denise Lasco, Bernie Mixon, Denise Reinas, Kathleen Riley-
Kin r Dina Walker
Advisor: Joanne Smith
The Capital Times is published by the students of Pcnn State Harrisburg. Concerns about content of any
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OTl'!il=
It Smacks of Reverse Discrimination
Dear Editor,
I hear so much talk regarding
discrimination against women.
However, at our campus I have been
witnessing reverse discrimination. I
realize that our provost is a woman and
may not be aware of the difficulties that
men experience as a result of the
problem.
The men on this campus are
still expected to do a juggling act with
their books when visiting the restroom,
unless they are lucky enough to get the
natural urge while passing the lion near
the main entrance, for just across the
hall does exist a singular men's room
furnished with a small table permitting
male students and faculty to place their
books upon while "doin what comes
naturly."
Please take my word for it
when I tell you that men need their
hands to assist them in those quarters.
Did you ever try to unzip a dress, ladies,
while holding an armful of books? We
cannot hold our books on our laps all
the time. We just weren't created to deal
Reserved Library Desk Causes Jealousy
Dear Editor,
The library staff assigned me a
study carrel. That act seems to have
puzzled some and outraged others. The
notice reserving the carrel frequently has
been ripped from its place. At other
times it has been covered with com
ments and questions. I'd like to answer
those scrawled messages.
"Isn't that special!!!" read one
note. No, it isn't special that I have a
reserved carrel, just different. Another
observer drew an arrow aimed at my
name and demand: "Who is he?" A third
advised me, "Be realistic. I pay tuition."
Kant maintained that justice
consists of treating similar persons sim
ilarly in similar circumstances. That
makes sense to me, but it does not
follow that we ought to treat different
persons in different circumstances all the
same. If you pass your neighbor's house
and see that it is on fire, it is just to
throw water on the flames. On the other
hand, if you sail past your neighbor's
boat and see that it is sinking, it is not
just to hurl more water into the bilge.
The circumstances are different and jus
tice demands different responses.
I am a graduate student. I used
to be a daily newspaper reporter, an
education editor and later editor and
publisher of two weeklies. I still write
editorials for syndication in this country,
Editorial
Page
with the situation that way!
I am informed by a reliable
source that the women's rooms on
campus do have places to deposit books.
I discussed the problem with
the provost last spring and several
months later was informed that a study
was taking place to determine whether
there should be tables or shelves. At the
end of the semester I was informed that
the problem had been turned over to one
of the male faculty. I approached that
gentleman before the end of the Spring
semester and again at the beginning of
this semester to learn what was being
done and I was told that tables would
disppear as they had in the past and
shelves were being considered but that
may be an expensive alternative.
Perhaps it would be wise for the powers
to-be to visit my old alma mater,
Harrisburg Area Community College,
where each restroom is equippptd - With
wooden pigeon hole shelves at the
entrance to these facilities.
Canada and Panama, but my chief
occupation is finishing the thesis for an
M.A. left uncompleted 12 years ago. I
have no place on campus to work except
that one carrel assigned me by library
officials. That fact, coupled with the
faculty expectation that graduate students
must do more research than undergrad
uates, is what makes my situation
different from many other students, and
why it ..3ems just to me that I was given
a reserved carrel.
I pay tuition, too--and at a
higher credit-hour rate than undergrad
uates. All students pay tuition, or it is
paid for them. My correspondent is not
unique. Yet that payment does not
entitle all students to free and unhindered
access to all university resources. It does
not grant male students the use of
women's bathrooms or female students
men's. It does not permit humanities
students to make off with equipment
bought for engineering studies. No
student may use faculty offices, and no
one has the right to a carrel through
squatter's rights; it was assigned to me
for academic reasons. Other graduate
students have been given the same
privilege, but perhaps they have been
less stubborn than I and have given up
the fight.
Oct. 7 1987
Sincerely,
Gene Albano
Very truly yours,
Philip Michael Clark