PENNSTATE
{ Delaware
County
Vol. XXXII, No. 5
February 2, 2001
‘Making King's
dream become
a reality today
By KATHY SMITH
Staff writer:
“.. I have a dream that one day this
nation will rise up and live out the true
meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths
to be self-evident: that all men are created
equal.’
I have a dream that one day on the red
hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and
the sons of former slaveowners will be able to
sit down together at a table of brotherhood ...
I have a dream that my four children will
one day live in a nation where they will not
be judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that. one day ... little
black boys and black girls will be able to join
hands with little white boys and white girls
and walk together as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today ...”
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s
famous 1963 speech still reverberates in
history. On Jan. 15, Penn State Delco hon-
ored the civil rights leader with a day of
speeches, singing and soul-searching.
To cherish the day in full effect, guest
speaker Joseph Selden, came to talk to stu-
dents, faculty and visitors at Penn State
Delco about just how important Martin
Luther King Day is and should be to peo-
ple of every race.
The presentation was kicked off by a
welcome note from Director of Academic
Affairs Dr. George W. Franz kicked off the
presentation with a welcome note, and an
introduction to the Rev. Brian Brewer, pas-
tor of the Delaware Valley Christian
Church.
“Equality is key in this world,” Brewer
told his audience. The pastor emphasized
King’s dream and just how important it
still is.
“Everyone deserves freedom and the
~ right to live justly, and everyone is created
and should be treated that way,” Brewer
Geez! Just keep your pants on!
By BRENT FOOTE
Staff Writer
Let's face it, winter is gray, cold, and
lifeless keeping us pent up indoors for
the most part. It gets boring, I know, so
those of us who can try to get to the bars
for some entertainment, or maybe catch
a movie.
And when bars and movies get bor-
ing, there’s always sex! : Se
Come on, you know its true. Anyone
in their right mind would rather get
some wine, rent a movie and snuggle by
the fireplace.
With Valentine's Day around the
corner this is probably what many of us
will be doing, but there are a few things
to consider about your health before
“playing doctor.”
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
account for more than 85 percent of the
most common infectious diseases in the
United States. According to the Center
for Disease Control three million of the
coming year’s 15.3 million new cases of
STDs in the U.S. will occur in people
said.
Brewer had the audience participate by
singing “Let Freedom Ring.” Afterwards,
he rang a bell to symbolize our freedom.
As Brewer finished his talk, a gospel
choir started singing, “Lift every voice and
sing.”
The room was filled with baritones and
sopranos — each singing with joy evident
in their voices.
Then, Wesley Harris took the stage.
Harris, a Penn State Delco student, intro-
duced the keynote speaker for the event,
Joseph Selden. : :
Director of multicultural programs at
Penn State Main, Selden said he “was
more then pleased to see the turnout of
the presentation.”
But, he said he was also severely dis-
appointed and upset the crowd was not as
diverse as he’d hoped. Most of the crowd
was African-American. : :
Diversity is. extremely important,
Selden said.
“We all everyone needs to come
together in unity,” he said.
Sadly, racial discrimination still exists,
Selden said. He spoke of King’s “I have a
dream” speech, what things have changed
since King made the speech in 1963, and
what things have remained the same.
Children are our future, Selden said,
and their minds can easily be destroyed.
He talked a bit about gangster rap and
the bad message it sends out to young chil-
dren. He went on to say that gangster rap
implants images into children’s minds and
they react in a negative way.
To help students better understand the
importance of his speech, Selden suggest-
‘ed a few books he believes should be “a
part of learning” for everyone.
Three of these books are: “Bearing the
Cross,” by David Garrow, “Let Nobody
Turn Us Around,” by Marable Manning,
and “Black Lies, White Lies,” by Tony
Brown.
Student Anyae Harve said the program
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King makes his “I have a dream’ speech before thousands
in August 1963.
was educational and interesting. ;
“It was inspirational in some ways
towards positive unity,” said Harve, a
sophomore biochemistry/molecular biolo-
gy major.
Selden also gave students some ideas
he believes will help eliminate hate and
create unity.
Among those:
BH Be impeccable with your words
BW Say only what you mean
HB Speak with integrity
B Don’t take anything personal
HB Don’t make assumptions
BH And, always do your best.
In closing, Selden left students with
this statement: “Kids are our future, peo-
ple in the audience, you are the generation
that holds the baton.”
Students attending the program said
they learned a great deal.
“It was very educational and gave me a
good point of view on life,” said Sherisha
Lawson, a freshman business major.
Wesley Harris, a junior biology major,
added Selden was particularly insightful
and gave him hope for the future.
“It was a very uplifting experience,”
Harris said.
If anyone is interested in contacting
Selden, feel free to email him at
jgs@psu.edu. He said he would be more
than happy to answer any questions you
may have.
What's inside
aged 13 to 19.
Recent studies by the CDC found
that by 12th grade, 65 percent of high
school students have had sexual inter-
course and one in five has had four or
more Sexual partners. (Wow, where the
hell was I during all the action?)
Another study indicates that among
high school students who had received
routine check-ups, only 42.8 percent of
females and 26.4 percent of males had
discussed STDs or pregnancy prevention
with their doctor.
The smorgasbord of common STDs
includes: Gonorrhea, Syphilis,
Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, and the
mother of them all — AIDS.
Statistics show that Gonorrhea rates
increased by 9 percent between 1997 and
1999. African Americans chances of con-
tracting gonorrhea are 30 times higher
than in whites. African American
women, in particular, are at an even
greater risk of contracting genital her-
pes. Genital herpes affects an estimated
one out of four (or 45 million)
Americans.
Chlamydia remains the most fre-
quently reported infectious disease in
the U.S., and an estimated three million
new cases will appear within the next
year.
Through June 2000, the CDC
received 753,907 AIDS cases; total
deaths reported were 438,795. Between
the ages of 20 to 24 the number of
deaths were 26,518 with numbers jump-
ing into the 100,000’s after age 29.
Studies have repeatedly demonstrated
that people are two to five times more
likely to become infected with HIV when
other STDs are present.
The United States has the highest
(50-100 times higher) rates of STDs in
the industrialized world. STD prevention
is simple. First and foremost, the CDC
recommends using latex condoms dur-
ing any and all types of sexual activity. If
used properly, latex condoms are highly
effective against most sexually transmit-
ted disease agents, including HIV.
Second, ask any new sex partners if
he or she has an STD, has been exposed
See SEX: Page 2
On Page 2:
@ A memorial service is planned for Francine
Stackhouse, executive assistant to CEO Dr. Tomezsko
B® What's new with Penn State Delco faculty?
On Page 3:
® Hey you! Get a job. New website set up to link stu-
dents with prospective employers.
On Page 4:
® Shed your old skin, it's the Year of the Snake. A
Chinese New Year celebration. :
® Don't know where to dine with your sweetie on
Valentine's Day? Check out some of our suggestions.
On Page 5:
® What do women and men really want from each
other (for Valentine's Day)? Check out these gift ideas.
EB Does Valentine's Day make you want to puke?
On Page 6:
B® We need to more than tolerate people different
from ourselves, we need to accept them. An editorial.
® What do you think about the service the bookstore
provides? A people poll.
On Page 7:
H Penn State Delco professors tell students how the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King influenced civil rights, politics
and religion.
On Page 8:
B The Lady Lion's are shooting their way toward vic-
tory on the basketball court.
mThe Lion's roar in the faces of their competitors. A
record of men’s basketball and a look at what's ahead.
iy