“Editorial opinion Smoke signals People still do it. They light up in classrooms, in seminars and meetings. They pull away in the dining halls and in the library; they crush out butts in carpeted auditoriums. People still smoke in public places even though most Penn ' State facilities have been off limits to any smoker since last Sep tember. Then, in response to.com plaints by non-smokers, the University designated specific areas in each canrfpus building where smokers could indulge. These areas could be avoided or quickly traversed by those who grow annoyed or ill at the whiff of tobacco smoke. Smokers grumbled last year when they found out that the non smoking regulation had been passed. But they didn’t light up. They took the rule as a hint which Abortion effect the cause, case and questions By EVA WHITLEY 10th-general arts and sciences On Thursday, Jan. 22, 1974, the Daily Collegian ran a paid advertisement from Citizens Concerned for Human Life (sic), in which a cartoon by Conrad figured prominently. It showed a cartoon of a baby holding a picket sign on which was written “I demand my Constitutional rights, too!" with some copy on how that group disagreed with the Supreme Court decision. Also on that page were two excellent articles by Collegian reporter Colleen Burritt on the effects of that decision. Now, two years and nine months later, the Collegian prints another cartoon by the same artist on its editorial page. Are we to take this to mean that the Collegian endorses a Supreme Court decision outlawing abortion? Such an amendment would have a disastrous effect on the freedom of women. At best it would return us to a pre-1973 condition where rich women would be able to have safe and semi-legal abortions and the rest of us would be forced to bear unwanted children or have unsafe, 'illegal abortion.- Are the editors of The Daily Collegian in favor of this? Other possible effects of a ban on abortion would be lessened respect for the law, increases in population thus DANIEL- SCHORR,,, PO YOU SWB\RTt>mi-THE they had been able to ignore before— a hint that smoking is of fensive to many. But now smokers are staging a come-back. Not all wait in the hall until their cigarette is out; they bring the nicotine factory into the lecture room and hold their non smoking classmates at bay. Try to remember your manners. Smokers do no one a favor by suf focating people around them. It appears that the University, though trying, isn’t really going to help students by proposed registration changes. The changes would affect only those lucky few who have complete preregistration slips. As registration is now run, every student is summoned back from term break several days before classes begin. He is herded leading to even more food shortages, more energy crises, more competition for jobs, and a general lowering of the standard of living. Are the Collegian editors in favor of that? * An anology can be made between a Constitutional amend ment outlawing abortion and the University’s drinking policy. Both are cases where an authority has decided, against the opinion of a majority, to be “what’s best" for the group. Just because the Catholic Conference of Bishops thinks abortion is wrong, they want to limit the reproductive freedom of more than 100 million women. (Incidentally, it should be noted that not one of these bishops has been, or ever will be, pregnant.) I don’t find abortion a nice, or desirable thing. Surgery never is. But I know that it is necessary to have safe, legal abortions available for the women who need them. There is no safe, effective method of birth control. Methods other than the Pill have a failure rate of about 5 per cent per year, and the Pill is not tolerated by many women. It is all very well to draw cute pictures of babies saying cute things but quite.another to try to draw a woman who has been butchered in a back-alley abortion. Or would the cartoonist care to draw a picture of a battered child soft baby skin burned by cigarettes, mangled little arms broken but never set, and long-lashed eyes blacked out of rage? We can at least try to prevent that by not forcing women to bear unwanted children. Abortion is a complex moral and medical question but its place is not in a Presidential campaign but where the Supreme Court wisely placed it in a doctor's office, discussed by a woman and her doctor. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Collegian does not endorse the outlawing of abortion. Neither does the Collegian necessarily endorse the opinions of cartoonists, letter writers or other opinions put forth by students, faculty or administration on this page. The purpose of an editorial page is to provide space for all opinions, not just those with which the editor agrees. Any other policy would be censorship of the worst degree. through the scores of card pullers, identification checkers and receipt punchers regardless of his preregistration status. The new plan would be an im provement for students with com plete pink -slips they wouldn’t have to report back to Happy Valley until the first day of classes. But then to confirm the courses that preregistration had already reserved for them, they have to run through a smaller carbon copy of the present registration. The proposal is, however, a civilized solution to an annoyance to students. Now, maybe the University can do something about the really big problems en countered by students who enter registration with misgiving on their faces and pink slips full of com puterized rejections clutched in their hands. Lifeguard's glamour Working as a lifeguard and swim teacher at various places for the past four summers has made me somewhat of a cynic about human nature in general and people in specific. Anyone who is of the belief that the lifeguard in modern America has a glamorous job should read on for their own reeducation. Perhaps I should illustrate what we go through in the off-season by providing a few well-worn quotes from friends who upon hearing that I work summers as a lifeguard, "Oooh! What a fun job! I bet you get a n ice tan!" or “Gee, what a cake job sitting out in the sun all day!" or “Hey-hey-hey! I bet you get ‘laid’ every night during the summer!" Well, I hate to be the one to destroy the illusion of such a tempting dream job, but man, it Just ain’t so. Consider please, the following realities: First of all, whether you’re working the Jersey Shore or the bathtub at the local Holiday Inn, you’re required to have at least some basic certification, like an advanced lifesaving certificate that says LOCK HIM UP,i»i By DOUG ROOT Collegian Columnist ..Ohe answer- -to that Question is definitely YES t novvever, there is ike possibility 0 f j n [q # and in sowie cases, MA\BE. you not only know how to swim, but that you cah save lives as well. Of course your degree of competency is directly proportional to the demands made by the person giving the certification. I’ve met some “lifeguards” who must have gotten their certification out of a box of Wheaties, and then thrown the cereal away. Reality No. 2: There is no such thing as a fat lifeguard. You have to be in better than good physical condition and work at staying that way. Contrary to popular belief, lifeguards are not allergic to water and spend a. good deal of the "pool’s closed” time staying in shape by swimming. Reality No. 3: You’ve got to tolerate, at least, if not actually like, children. Most kids love to swim. Most parents have tremendous guilt feelings if they don’t sign their children up for swim lessons. Most lifeguards are also swim instructors (more certification). Therefore, lifeguards spend most of their day around children. To call some of us glorified babysitters is cruel but probably accurate. After many summers of “teaching Feminism realistic cause By LYNDAJOYCE Graduate-rural sociology Once more feminism comes under attack by so-called sympathizers who wave their humanistic flag and say, “Look at me, folks, I'm above and beyond all that women’s lib stuff.’The Collegian editor intimates that feminists go just a little too far and should talk In terms of "people” and not “women.” She does not feel oppressed, so why should we? It reminds me of people who get uncomfortable around civil rights ac tivists. .They sing the same tune: "You people keep bringing up black,” they say, and accuse these activists of separatism, admonishing them to talk about people, not blacks versus whites. These critics can’t see that woman and blacks is what the struggle is, all about. Wouldn't it be nice if reality were such that women, blacks and other minorities and victims of a sexistand racist society would not have to complain? And when we do, we are told to stay in our place, or struggle ■ for some broader, not so "touchy” goal. The point is, that in 1976—0ur glorious Bicentennial year—we have nothing to celebrate. The United States has not even written in "sex" In the constitution along with rights according to race, creed, religion or national origin. Women earn 58 per cent of what men earn for the same jobs. Recent statistics Letters to the Editor High horse TO THE EDITOR: After rereading for the third time Kathleen Pavelko's review of “Equus” in Monday’s Collegian I am convinced she did not actually see the play, but instead based her condescending opinion on the leaflet passed out by the Artists .Series. How else could one explain her failure to ex perience the electric excitement that filled University Auditorium Sunday afternoon? The many people I have discussed the play with all confess to the same emotional drain I felt while watching the play, yet to judge by Ms. Pavelko, the play was as emotionally draining as Celebrity Bowling. I feel sorry for those reviewers who are so overwhelmed by their position that they can ignore the overall dramatic wallop of a play like “Equus" and concern themselves with in consequential and often imaginary flaws. For your own sake, Ms. Pavelko, get off your high white horse (rather an appropriate cliche) and allow yourself to be overwhelmed once in a while., Haughty opinions do not a reviewer make, Lessons learned TO THE EDITOR: There is much to be said for those people who take the time and effort to discuss and analyze issues such as those which involved this country in the Vietnam War. One should hope that.through their insight (or lack of it) we can learn from the Vietnam experience. Certainly, it is hoped that I pooh-poohed little tots to swim," I have compiled a list of more than seven different ways little kids are taught to say “I have to.go to the bathroom.” They are listed as follows from bad to worse: baffoom, potty, wee wee, pee-pee (male), doo-doo, and bambi (?). But the four-year-old glrfwho whispered in my ear, "This little fairy princess has to go winky-tink” took the cake. I think some researcher in the psychology department should do a study on why parents teach their children every word except the right word for bathroom. Oh, by the way, when the little tykes don’t make it to the-“baffoom” guess who goes into the pool with his scooper, baggie, and trusty rubber gloves? At the pool I worked at last year, we used to draw straws. Reality No. 4: It’s boring. The hours are long and most of the time the guard’s training isn’t needed. "Sitting out in the sun all day” might seem enjoyable the /first week or so, but imagine putting In an eight to 10 hour day under a 90. degree sun after one of the wild parties you went to during the summer. Lifeguards do party. Reality No. 5: Most establishments on rape, wife abuse and sexual abuse of children, show that in over 90 per cent of the cases, there are crimes against women and girls. Wouldn’t it be great if we could close down the rape crisis centers and women resource center’s hot line because they were no longer necessary? Then all the feminists could go home and talk about feminism because we would have nothing to complain about. The picketing of “Tender Flesh,” which started the whole controversy, was a symbolic gesture. We live in a society where violence is our daily fare. Feminists do engage in other activities aaainst violence as well. But this movie was chosen as one in a long line of such films where women are shown in the advertisements and on screen as victims. In films of this genre, men are rarely seen in this position—witness the ongoing ad of the women in chains in the same Collegian where the “Feminism should be Humanism" column was run. I ask now, as I ask whenever someone questions my right to be in the streets, “Which side are you on?" You question the facts, but where are yours? The editor claims “Women have taken a place next to men in almost every way.” Does she mean to say that the struggle for women’s rights begun in 1848 is achieved and all of us missed it? Has Daniel O'Day 7th-art history He’s flip-flop on this issue. I would sa/ Ihe answer is PROBABLY NOT or COULD BE, depending on-the outcome. our nation's leaders have learned some lessons from Vietnam and that they are applying those lessons toward a more sensible and pragmatic form of foreign policy. At the same time, this issue of Vietnam should not be a source of recrimination or rancor among the American people. To argue over whether this country fought to “win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people" or “to extend western imperialism into Southeast Asia” is now pretty much a closed chapter in our nation’s history. Neither is it fair nor prudent to argue about the feelings of those who served in the Vietnam War unless, of course, you happened to serve there. The L' important thing is that we learn from this experience and have' the foresight and wisdom to benefit from it. In closing, I would like to make some remarks about Mr. Zayon’s letter to the editor. Louis, I can sympathize with you on your feelings over Vietnam; however, from one veteran to another, how about cutting us a break?UTactless and profane letters to this, or any newspaper, only serve to alienate you (and more importantly, all of us) from the rest of the com munity. So the next time you plan to write a letter for publication, showa little class!!! sCollegian sheila mccauley Editor ' hire a lifeguard but really want a Jack-ot- „ all-trades; someone who will mow.the^ 1 lawn, fiddle with the pool chemicals to keep that water sparkling clean, apply basic first aid to major injuries, and an added plus if you can fix broken vending machines. - Reality No. 6: You’ll make a fool out. of yo’ sef. Whether it’s sighting a "sharkV at the shore or determining if the 82- year-old woman who’s taking an awfully long time to come back to the surface after her double somersault from the high dive assistance, you're never sure. But the rules say, when in doubt, act. So, you act. The lifeguard gives th£'| signal for shark and ail the vacationers.' go screaming up on to the beach and huddle around their blankets while your head guard takes you out in the patrol boat and you both sight the killer dorsal fin of ... a killer... porpoise. You go in after the 82-year-old woman, who,, having very good breath control, utterii words of gratitude like, "Let go of me,' you jerk!" As for myself, I’ll take the illusion of glamor and rugged danger. In my summer profession, it’s all I've got. anyone seen the latest economic figures on women and other minorities?(The Economic Status of Minorities and','.' Women, Lester C. Thurow, Civil Rights Digest, Winter-Spring, 1976.) Check it out—we have lost ground, not gained. The definition of a feminist is anyone, male or female, who believes women should have equal rights with men in the economic, social and political spheres, in the words of our foremothers and C early fighters for the vote and women’s rights, “men their rights and nothing more, women our rights and nothing less.” Do not put other words into our mouths. Feminists see the important con nection between sexism and Just as-the issue is blacks, chicanos, ' Puerto Ricans and other non-Anglos when speaking of racism, when - you speak of sexism, the issue is women. Until ' blacks, women and other minorities agitate, fight and win our rights to be human beings, and not be , assigned subsidiary roles because of our *” color and sex, we have to continue the struggle. The results of our struggles will hopefully be a humanistic society, but we have many, many more battles to wage. Just as in the picket, one small .. part of our ongoing work for a humanistic world, everyong can join in. We are fighting as women for women, and men can be our allies. NADINE KINSEY Business Manager Daniel V. DlLoretto Graduate-history
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