Editorial opinion All men are create conditionally, that is. Just so the pers act as the norm of a society dictates, they ed, or at leaSt tolerate But the minute a against the grain, i' strange or undesiral public moves to make Members of the Myung Moon's Unifici have been treated a equal in State College, not people agree witl of Moon's followers, have the right to stogy expressing their faith. The rights of Moos are protected under tl tion just as anyone As long as Unificai Letters to the Editor Off the beat TO THE EDITOR: After lisiening to the new ,Klaatu album on WQWK last night, I've concluded that it's a hoax (as if this wasn't obvious). Remembering the rampant gullibility of the public during the brief death of Paul McCartney (listened to every Beatles album backwards) it was shown that by sowing a few suggestive seeds of misinformation, with a liberal ap plication of dung, in the fertile dirt of the unwashed, one could cultivate a luxuriant fraud. The Beatles' legend, in the warming rays of the press's spotlights, haS become juicy and ripe for harvest. History presents many instances of legends spawning pretenders: false Dimitris , ersatz Emperor Fredericks and pseudo-Stuarts abound. Every five years someone sees Martin, Bormann sunning himself on Copacabapa Beach. Despite the supposed sophistication of our day, peopie are just as easy to dupe as they were in those superstitiods times. . Granted, the music on the albuM sounds similar to the Beetle" ',and certainly the lyri4s are stupid enough to be the work of Paul McCartney, but the voices don't sound anything like any of the Beatles.' Nor does stylistic similarity necessarily prove who the performers are imitation in rock music is easy. Robin Trower (and a million local guitarists) can play Hendrix better than Hendrixoould have done himself. Practically any band who knew how to hold their in struments could do a passable imitation of the Beatles. Finally, even if the album was done by the Beatles, it's a lousy album, so who cares? Seems tome they never found Buddy Holly's body . . . Secret methods TO THE EDITOR:* The major "issue" in the recent USG presidential elections was reorganization of the system to allow for improved and open communications. But, the old "secret" methods continue and will continue. Many students don't know that, most strident leaders who are involved in various organizations are Invited to join the honor society ODK. It just so happens that Dr. Oswald and 'other Penn State administrators are in this society. What a convenient way for the administration to control the student groups. Wouldn't the conscientious leaders object to a society like\ this that has such a potential for corruption? Not necessarily, because besides the potential for corruption, there is the potential for a letter of recommendation for graduate or professional school from the Penn _State highei-ups. Such letters are, very in fluential. I do not believe that most student leaders would sell but the student body for the hope of a letter. But, I do know from working in a USG department for the past three years 'that many •students compromise their ideals and really believe that they can personally do, within this set up, what no one has been able to do in the past. It is not USG or the administration that needs to be reorganized, but their connections, which ultimately determine what happens to the students. Therefore, I think that Grant Ackerman should resign from ODK, and use his expertise in communications to set up a new and open means for student administration cooperation without any favors• or kickbacks involved! Gary Snyderman 12th-political science and Latin American studies Call to action TO THE EDITOR: Dave Hickton's article on the student union at Exeter was inspiring. College students having a -real in fluence in a college imagine that. How nice for them! So, now take a look at the Jo Ann Farr controversy. A lot of us are upset. We've made our feelings known. But what lever t Wet T-shirt photo Often, the reasoning behind a newspaper's decision for example, to run a photo or not to run It is unintelligible to the reader. The journalist makes his decision at least in part as a result of professional standards, and these may be unfamiliar to the reader. They should not be; hence, this column. On Monday, The Daily , Collegian ran a photo which has evoked some readers' reactions. (Not as many comments as were expected, but enough to Inspire this column.) The letters have been negative, for the most part, but it is the nature of letters to the editor to condemn rather than to praise. In response to those letters, this is how the decision to run the wet T-shirt contest photo was made. We considered the wet T-shirt contest important enough to cover with a photo and a "story not because it was a wet T shirt contest, but because it attracted hundreds of people to a downtown bar. In a college town on a weeknight, the contest could be considered the most important local event of the evening and perhaps of the weekend as well. In one respect, the wet T-shirt contest was like the streaking Incidents of 1974; not in its nudity, but as a student phenomenon , and a possible trend on American college campuses. The contest was a slice of student life; as a student newspaper, we consider student life a large part of our coverage. We covered the wet T-shirt contest with a photo as well as a story because it is our policy to run as many news photos ab possible;. photos enhance the written word. News photos together with news stories are the most complete way to cover an event. 1978 RASS PRESERVATION PROGRAM REVEALED „....„,-....- • "FENCES ALONE. WEREN'T WORKINGHSIVS OFFICIAL - , .- . • condit . ons ...... -.. _ . ..... . rdt , . . .. , .ed equal members comply with the solicita- Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists 6'N , - tion rules for State College, they and Jehovah's Witnesses never . - l• i •4"% tons involved should be free to sell their flowers have been denied the right -to L..... - 1 ' \ N. -.... i,,, .. : l ..—. given town's and candy and talk to those who knock on doors, distribute litera- _, • :.• 4 14' 41 , , fil , o ll l PFRomm . "'"'"7" / ""7.„ ml alL - 7 -af'w s ‘-'\-- ; 1 4 71 : I,. ' :' , \ '' . : ,.'‘, : ic l 4 are accept- will listen without harassment. ture or talk about their religion to td. • Individual solicitors in State those who had the time to listen. ‘` • • ~., ~ z. . \ , k , i i. 4 l, ii i , ~ , ,, .1 group goes College must obtain a peddler's But those groups have been • ' , i k'.) . '1 . ..ti:;)". , ‘-., , , wei',il.6:'‘” , -••:::;.,Y,, . - it is labeled permit before hitting the streets. around awhile. . They are not liked, • • ' • •.. . • • .• J .`: . . tble, and the Organized groups, however, are but they are tolerated because . . , . ','"' -.:•:-%'".:: ''.-•'::.:: :., : :: , • • ••:••• • •,e it go away. required only to register with the they pose no threat. • • municipality. No permit is needed. •.- ' ........ ... . 1r ••• -qr v V lvv , vv'--: ' ' ' '' ' '\' '' ..• '.:.- 4 ' r Rev. Sun However, when Moon's follow- Followers of the Rev. Moon' are • • ••• .•, •• • • • ••-. •,: • .. - , • '•" ~ •' ' .. -:. •:-• , tation Church ers at first attempted to register to different. The way they act is diffi- • • 40 • is less than solicit, they met with disapproval cult for many persons to under- ♦• % ~ . Whether or because of recent adverse nation- stand... Thus, they make State Col + . :h the beliefsal publicity surrounding the Uni- lege uneasy. • they do not fication Church. No. matter' how uneasy they • tp them from Because the groups ' ideas did make others feel, members, of the ♦ 4 4 4 0 0 % 4* 40, •• , 4 , . 4 ;•4 1 : 15. r' ' PPF " AS ♦ 4'•♦4♦. t . not balance with those of the ma- Unification Church have the right • ‘, t•gE, A: 6 ; N ,4~ n's followers jority of townspeople, they were to practice the religion of their 4 ♦ ...... . .v• v I :he Constitu- nearly denied the right to speak choice and to speak out about it. 0 4 ... 7 1, No i*, 4 ,,„ ~♦ .4,.....„, 0 ~i , „' -.4 4 7,0 4 ., vt ,!,..0 4 , -.- . or ... -,. A *. 4 ., ' ,;• :-- , ", c : ;:"...:*';...',. ~: .",i:.: : .. ::. ' • <:. .. 7(1 • 41+ ; 7; : ! . ',..: •.: . ••,;':'` :":- ,: • •-: - ':. ' : •.' -;....- '''' I " else's are. out freely. Freedom is not a conditional ••..' . • •4 ~ • •••0 41 _ ition Church Religious groups such as the ideal. ~4 ' ♦ 4 •►le►' • No V♦ . ' ,‘. ..;;*.. '.. 1• ' •.: C‘jfti . %) . s :7 : 1, ;; I. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. . ' •','. .' • •': , .' • _ • " • I ' V LEO ell'i ' John Phillips 12th-economics and history does the student body have to get the teaching we want and are paying for? Remember the English writing option? Sure you do! It's still around receiving periodic doses of slow posion. If there's no blood, maybe nobody will notice as it fades away. We the writing option are aware of this, but where is the power to stoj it? Remember tuition hikes? How could you forget. And when someone asks who's going to make up the difference between what the University needs and what it's got, who pays? The ones with no bargaining base us. We can't even see a detailed budget. And remember how we all sat cringing and praying while the faculty voted on unions that would have left us in the cold? Well, it's not the last time they'll have such a vote. Now the administration wants to have a joint task force on student participation. I don't doubt the sincerity of students involved in this, but does anyone really believe that Old Main wants students to become an effective force in policy decisions? Their idea of student participation is how we can pick up services as they drop them. This "task force" is merely a move of appeasement and another nebulous organization to add to the confusion. We Ile on the operating table, divided and conquered.. . . I don't mean to paint the administration as the villain in this piece, but it's not exactly the cavalry either. On many things the University stands with us, but we must face the fact that Old'Main's interest and desire is not always our own. The time has come for-us to form a student udion- w.ithi4ll - professional officers. I'd be happy to pact $2O tc:Js4o,a year to - have one. We'd not only make up for' that n l ioney elsewhere, but would have the real power-base needed io get things done. This is not a call to arms, but a call to action. Anger, ridicule and demonstrations won't change things. Calm, careful organization and planning will. Truth of the message TO THE• EDITOR: I would like to respond to the letters published last week which were critical of the recent multi- - media show, "If I Should Die . . ." As the coordinator for the • presentation I'd like to express my point of view. ' Let's consider whether the show was en appropriate means of communicating the true message of Christ. The presen tation-of death by car wreck, cancer or old age Inherently has the potential to produce a respOnse of fear because man is always fearful of the unknown. The purpose of, "If I Should Die . . ." was not to enlarge on this natural dread of death, but rather, to present the idea that such a fear is unnecessary since Christ, conquered death. To cause people to consider seriously the fact that they will one day die is hardly to overdramatize reality. Although Jesus spent considerable time teaching about how man should live and the temporal benefits of following Him, He also emphasized the 'eternal consequences of such a choice. The issue of death was certainly not peripheral to the teachings of Christ or the early. church (I Corinthians 15:1-56): I seriously doubt that viewers were "so freaked-out they couldn't think." Rather, I think many people did more thinking than they usually do about the consequences of death and the relevancy of the message of Jesus Christ. Natural fear of death can be a healthy thing if it causes a person to come Into a personal relationship with Christ In which "perfect love will cast out fear" (I John 4:18). So again, the purpose of the presentation was 'simply to cause people to think about Jesus Christ and His claims about life and death. Jesus promised freedom from the fear of death as well as many of the fears of life. I suggest that the, real question to ask about "If I Should Die . . . " is, "Is the message true?" Our photo editor, Randy Woodbury, who also took the photograph, remarked rather ruefully this weekend that he wished the picture didn't even exist because of the decision it forced on the Collegian. But the photo did exist and a decision had to be made. In deciding whether to run the picture, we considered the quality of the photo itself; as Journalists, many of us Judged the photo to be an almost textbook Illustration of what a good news photo should be: it was accurate, it encapsulated the mood of the event, it caught the winner in the instant of winning and it captured the reaction of the audience all in the same photo. Events "happen•in 360 degrees," beginning photographers are told, and this picture captured all 360 degrees of the event.- The woman in the photograph was in•the Collegian office before the picture ran In the paper. Although she had some reservations about the evening and about the photo's ap-. pearing in the paper, she agreed that the picture was a good news photo. She herself had taken Journalism 260 a photojournalism course. Michael S. Messina Bth-English and philosophy , Darrell L. Barr PSU graduate, 1977 the way, contest /ae;•IZ&V 7avao The shaft TO THE EDITOR: In the midst of rampant vandalism and theft of both student and University property, we dare ask, "Why does the Occupation Army, alias•the Police Services, spend our money harassing students In their leisure time activities, commonly termed victimless 'crimes'?" We believe the police would do better to protect the student populace and its possessions from criminals and not, from ourselves. We refer to a recent incident of continuing op pression executed by the bourgeois society's marionette squad 'of law enforcers. The scene, a hall in the Nittany housing area, served to stage this most recent act. Strolling in with an unmistakable air of superiority, the Campus S.S. proceeded to lay waste to the makings of one fine evening. No sooner was a poorly mistaken label of malicious intent 'tacked onto these people than we were harangued and treated as common criminals. To those ex posed to the inequities of the current police campaign against on-campus partying, no more need be said. In the U.S.S.R. dissidents are"at least granted a knock on the door. Under these conditions at PSU, how far off can 1984 be? ~ The whole .situation is perfectly exemplified by 'the monolithic shaft of Old Main. . r \ Grass is greener TO THE EDITOR: Dennis S. Rentschler. The name doesn't sound quite right, but nonetheless, "Off the Grass," Apr. 6 does force into mind a neighbor from my childhood home town. Maybe you know this neighbor the one• whose lawn was flawlessly organized. 'Yeah? Perhaps then, you too, spent many hours wondering what this man would do with his time with the coming of winter. Perhaps, you too, sighed at the thought of a perfectly good circular (rotating nevertheless!) watering syetem going to waste on such forbidding ground. Perhaps, you too, had nightmares of your favorite Chinese jumprope flying off onto this domain. Heavens! • Or, even you, Dennis S. Rentschler, must be able to em pathize with a little girl whose roller skate wheel got stuck in the troughs which insistently outlined his lawn. (It hurt, too, but my legs ran quicker than my tears.) So, dear Dennis S. Rentschler, if you want to see some real nice "green vegetation," get in touch with me,'and I'll give you my old neighbor's address. (Are you sure you weren't my neighbor?) I "prefer not to look at such perfection but to be surrounded by the excellence inherent in all that is natural. Nancy Klalps 10th-mathematics and physics Nominations TO THE EDITOR: Each year the College of Business Administration Student Council, with the support of CBA's Alumni Society, seeks to recognize individuals in our college for making personal contributions to the undergraduate business program. Categories have been established for the purpose of recognizing (1) the outstanding teacher, (2) the outstanding advisor, and (3) the outstanding graduate teaching assistant. I invite all business students to take an active part in this program by submitting their nominations for these awards. Nomination forms are available In the lobby of the Business Administration Building and a special notice will appear in the Wednesday issue of the Collegian. Nominations may be turned in to Room 110-A BAB or at the HUB desk: They are due by Friday, April 15. We also asked other women on the staff to comment on the picture and to offer their opinion on whether to run it. The photographer himself felt the need of a woman's advice. I, as one of the women asked, found myself in the unusual position of arguing to run the photograph. . On the basis of what I had observed myself at the contest, I thought the photograph as a whole was not salacious or of fensive; it did not pander to anyone's prurient interest.ln fact, looking at the picture as a whole, I thought it was a strong argument for the woman's point of view; the reaction of the * men on the left was caught beautifully tongues out, eyes bulging. I could think of no better way to illustrate the ugly reaction of the crowd that night. Which brings up the point that we knew many of the readers, male and female, would look only at the right side of the photo, at the woman. We could not prevent that, but this inability did not seem reason enough to withhold the photograph. No newspaper can second-gueSs accurately its readers' reactions to everything in the paper the readers opinions are too diverse. If we were to try to anticipate reader reaction in every case, we would be crippled to indecision every night. We had to decide on journalistic grounds alone on the basis of the story's Importance and the photograph's accuracy and quality. For that reason, we decided• to run the picture as it was taken; to put black squares over the breasts would have been a cowardly way out, an Indication that the paper Itself was , unsurp'about running the photo in the first place. The Daily Collegian encourages comments on news coverage, editorial policy and campus and off-campus affairs. Letters should be typewritten, double spaced, signed by no more than two persons and no longer than 30 lines: Students' letters should include the name, term and major of the writer. The editors reserve the right not to print letters if they do not conform to standards of good taste, or if they present an opinion which may be irresponsible or libelous. Letters should be brought to the Collegian office, 126 Carnegie, in person so proper iden tification of the writer can be made, although names will be withheld on request. If letters are received by mail, the Collegian will contact the signer for verification before publication. Letters cannot be returned. . Timothy G. Shean 6th-health and physical education James R. Sienkiewicz 6th-law enforcement and corrections ,Phillip J. Fleming undergraduate counselor Torture as usual TO THE EDITOR The word "torture" brings to mind Boris Karloff applying some diabolical device to a victim in a dungeon. Torture is just an eerie memory from the Middle Ages, or is it? Alexander Solzhenitsyn documented Its con 7. temporary use• in "Gulag Archipelago." The macabre mechanisms are nowhere in sight. Modern torture is a prosaic ordeal involving sleeplessness, hunger, thirst and an oc casional cigarette put out on the victim's face. One method Solzhenitsyn mentions is simply to make the victim sit on the edge of a chair "so that he is under painful pressure during/1;1e entire interrogation. He is not allowed to stir for several hours. Is that all? Yes, that's all. Just try it yourself!" ("Gulgg Archipelago," p. 110.) The ordinariness of the equipmenl conceals what's going on from the unthinking observer or participant. Some very ordinary torture has been going on at Penn State! According to the Collegian, the good brothers of Omega Psi Phi have been beating their pledges, denying the one student who was later hospitalized food and water for over 24 hours' well. If this had happened outside the fraternity system the brothers would be in jail for assault. Instead this interfraterniii Council's Judicial branch will administer the usual writ slapping, and the fraternities will continue to haze pledges, i.e., torture them. A spokesman will come forward (as in every previous year) and say that this cruelty is the exception not the rule. B jt alone l• Ffve of the six hazed pledges kept their mouth; shut about the beatings: (Everyone hates a poor sport.) lie sixth only spoke up when he woke up in the hospital. Theg4 are undoubtedly many unreported Incidents of hazing that fah short of actual hospitalization. If the members of the Association of Women Students were habitually this violerit not only would the University disband the organization, but thl FBI would sniff the group for public enemies. Fortunately for the frats they are, with all their smiliral cruelty,loo per cent pro status quo. The members of OmeD PSI Phi have little to worry about. If IFC throws them out, they can always reorganize as a chapter of the California Bike CIA, Who would notice the difference? d:Collegiall JEFFREY HAWKES Editor BOARD OF MANAGERS: Sales Coordinator, Alex Barenbllq; Office Coordinator, Judy Stimson; National Ad Manager, Judi Rodrick; Layout Coordinators, Hope Goldstein, John Zurcher, BOARD OF EDITORS: EDITORIAL EDITOR, Marty Smitl; EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, Sally Heffentreyer; OP-ED EDITCIB, Joanne McLaughlin; NEWS EDITOR, Mike Mantra; ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, Dave Skidmore; CAMPUS EDITOR, John Martellaro; COMMUNITY EDITOR, Jay Boa man; COPY EDITORS, Carl Brown Jr., Tom Erdner, !yy Goldberg; WIRE EDITOR, Karen Egolf; FEATURES EDITOR, Patty Rhule; SPORTS EDITOR, Pete Dougherty; ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS, Tom McNichol, Jerry Lucci; PHOD) EDITOR, Randy Woodbury; ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS, Kpn Kasper, Tim Woodbury; GRAPHICS EDITOR, Lynne Maimed; OFFICE MANAGER, Anita McKelvey Opinions expressed by the Daily Collegian are mit necessarily those of the University administratio► faculty or students. really was an Black squares also give a photo an automatically seed, "National Enquirer" look. And, most importantly, we did nit want to mutilate a fine photograph. Contrary to accusation, the decision was not made lightlyßr quickly. It was made only after long consultation with matey staff members. The editor was reluctant to make a quick decision, and after listening to arguments for both sides, ? 1w agreed to let the photo run. So it was decided to run the photo moderately, on an inside page, and at an average size. We ran the photo with what we considered a good, calm story which also captured the mod of the evening and which served as an excellent ac companiment to the photograph. en One argument made by a staff member was that the qualay of the story Justified the photograph. I feel that the quality!!f the photograph justifies Itself. We ran the photograph also because the Collegian is tfte only newspaper which could conceivably run it. The Collegian throws away its advantage as the college audlencas newspaper if. we fall to use the opportunities to do things ottffir family papers cannot. The Collegian welcomes the comment and criticism of Its readers. We are glad this photograph has encouraged someTif our readers to think about the proper role for a campHs newspaper. 10 Most Important, however, it has forced us on the Collegian , to think about it as well. Although decisions like this in tne future will have to be made as they appear, this experience mill , put those later decisions on a more substantial foundation. : Claudia McClellan University library employee SCOTT SESLER Business Manag'Ar
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers