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Celebrating Groups: How far is too far?
Anne-Marie Miller
Times Columnist
Capital
A while ago, one of my friends
asked me what I was going to cb
for National Women's Month,
which just happens to be in March.
My quick response to her absurd
question was, "What should I do?"
After she stalked off, though, I
thought about her question more.
After an hour of thought and a box
of cookies, I came to my
conclusion of, "Why even have a
special month just for women?'
Or on that note, why even have a
special month for any specific
group?
Think about it - in our "non
prejudiced" society where everyone
wants to be treated equal, a great
contradiction is taking place. In
making special months like
"National Woman's Month,"
society is actually segregating the
groups being so-called "honored."
For example, why do blacks,
excuse me, African-Americans
(let's be politically correct) get to
have a whole special month to
themselves? Or even a special
room on campus to themselves?
And why do we have a special
week just for Hispanics? Are they
an elite group of people that
deserve their own special month or
week?
I don't think so
Although some people thrive on
celebrating their heritage, I don't.
(I'm an American - isn't that
What Happened?
This is only the second issue of the Capital
Times to come out this semester.
This is not right and there is only one reason
- one person accountable for it.
The editor-in-chief.
Me.
I have not lived up to my obligations as the
"driving force" of this newspaper. It should
have come out more often.
I have the clarity of hindsight to show me
what it is exactly that I have done wrong and
what I could have done to set it right.
The easy thing would be to just do nothing,
whine about and let somebody else deal with
it.
I have learned, however, that mistakes are
useful learning tools. So allow me to teach a
lesson.
I know you won't mind, since I am sure no
one is really reading this anyway. Wait,
that's not true. My advisor, for one, is
reading.
Louise Hoffman, associate profess or of
humanities and history.
No, she's not a journalist. She is,
however, someone who knows a few things
about journalism. More importantly, she is
one of those rare treasures in universities--
the Sincere Instructor.
She cares about the students, and the
school. She knows there are problems and
wants to be able to correct them. She has
been more than patient with my foolishness.
No doubt she is reading this now and
making copious remarks on a copy. She
'does believe so much in giving feedback and
criticism. •
All right, one reader
No wait, other people do read. Those that
noticed the motto I had placed on the paper
last issue,"Non illegitami Carborundum".
Translated it means, don't let the bastards
grind you down. I have a very good reason
for choosing that motto.
The term bastards represents anything that
might be an oppressing force. Anything:
snow, stress, instructors, other students,
administration, sickness, depression, etc.
We should not let anything stand in our way
in accomplishing what it is we want.
Okay, so people read the front and that's it.
Okay.
Wait, that's not true. The nurse, Mary Lou
Martz sent me this letter:
enough to celebrate?) Since
everyone is supposed to be "created
equal," shouldn't we just celebrate
being united as Americans, and not
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as African-Americans, Native
Americans, or Caucasians?
Celebrating heritages or groups of
people isn't all that bad, I guess. I
mean, St. Patrick's Day is one day
out of the year where people wear
green and pack into bars to drink
green beer.
I do believe, though, that we can
go too far. We haven't stopped at
celebrating heritages, we are now
celebrating inanimate objects, too.
Ice cream gets a week in January,
as does BBQ in May.
C'mon now, isn't this a bit
ridiculous? Pretty soon we'll be
celebrating "National Toothpaste
Day," or "Hillary Clinton Day"
(my worst nightmare).
Getting back to the subject of
equality, there are some races and
heritages that have been passed
over throughout the years. In my
twenty-one years of existence, Tye
still yet to to see a "National
Korean Month", or a 'National
Polish Day."
If we are going to celebrate races
and heritages right, we might as
well have a "National White-
Anglo-Saxon-With-a-Little-Bit-of-
Irish-Day."
If we are going to go overboard,
we might as well go headfirst.
I read your article about Dr. Richard
Keeling's presentation on "HIV/AIDS in
Contemporary Society." I was encouraged
by your article and hope that many more will
see that our role is prevention and it starts
with each and everyone of us.
I was also delighted to see your reference to
Dr. Keeling in "From the Editor's Disk," and
noting "that people act within the context of
society which is created by the media."
Thank you for your coverage of the
HIV/AIDS related programs at Penn State
Harrisburg. It has helped disseminate
information to the campus community on
HIV/AIDS, one of the steps toward the goal
of prevention.
So someone does read at least to the
editorial page.
So do people read us? Yes.
But does anyone take us seriously?
No. Why should they?
We are not a grand bastion of journalistic
excellence. we are just a sorry excuse for a
newspaper that can easily be ignored. That
is the newspaper this campus deserves.
This campus is not one of action, so it
really doesn't require an active newspaper.
We are an educational expressway,
otherwise known as a commuter campus.
Mired in bureaucracy, often with no good
guidance.
But last semester the Capital Times
persevered not only that, it soared in so
many ways. Why?
Rage
Dr. Peter Parisi, an assistant professor of
humanities and communication, who was
our advisor and the print journalism
professor, was denied tenure. He got a job
offer and he took it.
Good for him.
Bad for us, though. At least in terms of
having a good print journalism program.
But in a way it was good. We(the staff)
were enraged, because we
lost a sincere teacher. He was a friend and a
good advisor, who didn't tell us what to do,
Editorial
Editor-in-Chief Matt Hunt
Production Manager Anne-Marie Miller
Copy Editor Stacey L. Rodin
Advisor Dr. Louise Hoffman
Staff
Jen Brandt, Emily Damanskis, Dawn Danneker,Jeff Feehrer,
Gina Krall, Scott Mclntyre, Lisa Morrison, Ed Paukstis, Paul
Dan Taccetta
The Capital Times is published by the students of Penn State Harrisburg. Concerns
regarding the content of any issue should be directed to the editor in room w-341 of the
Olmsted building or by calling 944-4970. Opinions expressed are those of the author and
are not representative of the college administration, faculty or student The Capital Times
welcomes signed letters from readers. Unsigned letters cannot be printed; however, a
writer's name may be withheld upon request.
The Captial Times does not endorse its advertisers.
but was there for advice
He was an ally.
When he was denied tenure, the staff here
went up in arms, determined to do well.
Maybe shake things up.
Then, there was the rape last semester and
the cover-up. Anger over that gave us more
momentum.
Obsession helped too
The editorial staff spent many a Sunday
night, up all night, editing, pasting, swearing
and going nuts. But we got the paper out.
Although none of us would admit it, we had
fun doing it
I had no rage and my intensity was gone. I
felt no passion toward journalism, but was
guilted into becoming editor, because I was
the only one left that was "here when we had
a good print journalism program."
This was a mistake.
And it is one I regret. It has caused me
stress and done wrong to the campus.
Okay, this is some nice kvetching and
mental dumping, but it doesn't do much for
the campus. Read on. I'm getting there.
One lecture in my Nature of Media of class,
which I took my first semester here, focused
on a newspaper and its role in the
community. Specifically, how a newspaper
is a reflection of the community. I think this
is certainly true of the Capital Tunes and
PSH.
The snow this semester set a tone of
lethargy that this campus has not recovered
from. The Capital Times has been a dismal
failure. larnhelm, the literary arts magazine
is not coming out due to lack of
submissions. Let's face it, we have all been
stretched out thin, because that is the nature
of the campus.
This is not a campus where everyone
works together for the betterment of all.
There arc a few people who want to change
things and they get involved in such a wide
range of activities, in trying to make things
better, that they have little time. Sometimes
things get done, sometimes not.
That by the way, is the the lesson here.
This campus could be great. Could is the
operative word here. Because of its non
traditional nature, students have a great
flexibility to do things. The only problem,
The Capital Times April 17, 1994
of course, is that students are here for such a
short time and then they move on. Often
before they truly finish what they begin
sometimes.
I think there is only one way this campus
will ever become the educational Mecca
everyone ( I hope) wants it to be.
Students must allow themselves to become
obsessed.
Obsessed with something--anything for the
campus. They must be able to commit
themselves wholeheartedly to it and operate
with their obsession to change the campus
for the better.
This, however, requires that the faculty and
administration egg them on;
encouraging them in their efforts and giving
them advice and support to help their efforts
succeed.
Could this happen?
Yes. But it requires that students care not
so much about getting a grade and learning.
This is not the norm, though. Most
students just want their degree, a job and to
get on with their lives.
As long as we are only obsessed with our
lives, and not the learning process, things
will never change.
Without a proper dose of rage and
obsession in our lives, this campus will see
lethargic semester and hear the grumbling of
students.
Nothing will ever be done
This ends today's lesson.
Good bye
Matt Hunt
editor-in-chief