Editorial opinion The Sour Grape Bowl At 6 p.m. on Nov. 19, a funny thing happened. The telephone in the office of the Penn State Athletic Department did not ring. It can be argued that this is not at all unusual. The amount of time that the tele phone does not ring far out weighs the amount of time that it does. But there was more to it than that. It was then that the Orange Bowl Committee was ex pected to telephone the anx ious Nittany Lion football team and notify them of a bid to play in the New Year's Day football classic. But as you all know, the call never came. Sportswriters across the country began typing at a ebate reveals students slitting their own throats I hate losing any kind of argument Therefore, when I entered into a heated debate with a very close friend of mine recently, I made sure I had the upper hand, and that there'd be no way in hell I'd lose, The subject was the state budget and Penn State's lack of funding an area that I'd written editorials, news stories, news analyses and columns about for the last year. It should have been a piece of cake. "Why shouldn't Penn State students be urged to write their legislators?" I began. "What better way to bring pressure on the legislature? Isn't lobbying by the people through letters and through their legislators one of the basic tenets of democracy? Are you knocking democracy?" A superb opening, I thought to myself. I've cleverly reduced the argument to -"him against democracy." I snickered quietly to myself. Carter vs. Washington: Making those Ins meet By DICK WEST WASHINGTON (UPI) 'Some Carter-watchers are saying the president has all but abandoned the "outsider" stance he took during the 1976 campaign and is now playing the old established inside game. It is good we have seasoned ob servers to point these things out. For changes such as this are not always apparent to the untrained eye. In case you can't tell the-outsiders from the insiders, the following scorecard may be helpful. It shows typical differences in the way inside and outside presidents approach various Washington institutions. FOREIGN CRISIS Outsider Depends on reservoir of good will, mutual regard for human rights and traditional spirit of cooperation to produce amicable settlement of international issues. Insider Sends 7th Fleet on maneuvers in home waters of recalcitrant countries. DOMESTIC CRISIS Outsider Makes emergency appearance before joint session of Congress and recommends com prehensive crash program dealing with every facet of problem. Insider Appoints presidential commission to study problem and report back next year. CONGRESS Outsider Tries to overcome congressional opposition to ad ministration programs by taking his case directly to the people. Insider Overcomes congressional opposition by threatening to close mil itary bases in home districts of key lawglvers. APPOINTMENTS i ider Assigns trusted aides to r list of best qualified potential Out: compi furious pace, trying to justify the decision to disappointed fans. Theories poured forth from those machines like rain from the State College sky. But in the end, it all boils down to this: The spirit of fair competiticin has once again been abused by politics and bureaucracy. It is not the best team who wins, but more of ten the team who plays its cards right. In order to have the Pitt- Penn State game televised for a national audience, the date of the game had to be moved back one week. This was done despite the fact that the bowl bids would be given at the same time as usual . . . the week of Nov. 19. The agree "Of course I'm not knocking democracy," my friend Rip began. "Nor am I knocking a little urging from the Undergraduate Student Government or your paper to get people to write, but the idea is being carried to far!" . 64* "How can you take democracy too far?" I parried. Again reducing the battle to its element. Snicker. nominees regardless of political affiliation, sex, race, religion or ethnic background. Insider Fills vacancy with someone least likely to offend any major pressure group. CABINET Outsider Holds regular cabinet meetings to get benefit of members' views on national issues and consult them on formulation of ad ministration policy. Insider Never forgets a face but has trouble remembering some cabinet members' names. ment was presumably reached at a time when Penn State was confident of an in vitation to the Orange Bowl. As a result of this erroneous conjecture, the Penn State football team will be traveling to the pleasant but all-too minor Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. There is more to the bowl bid fiasco than a few bruised egos. Penn State will receive close to $260,000 for playing in the Fiesta Bowl. But even that money coupled with the $250,000 in television rights to the Pitt-Penn State game 6: pal only half of the million dollar prize that the Orange Bowl would bring. There is a half million dollar Rip stood up and began pacing nervously, his fists clenching and unclenching angrily. "Don't you see?" he said. "One editorial should have been enough. The news stories can carry it from there. Any one who can't see the urgency of the situation by just skimming the headline's is either blind or illiterate." "What's wrong with telling them over and over again?" I asked. Rip smiled. "Simply, this. You're wasting space by being repetitious and by using inane little ways to try goading them into spending three minutes to write a letter." He paused a moment and took a breath before starting in again: "The USG is sponsoring letter writing contests between different dorms. Contests! Christ! Why don't they just reward each letter with a free tootsie pop or an autographed picture of Grant Ackerman? Easy guide to PSU stereotypes As the new term started, the Daily Collegian decided to publish a helpful guide to Penn State stereotypes, but since some of the material was thought to be offensive to some, the proposal was rejected. But, were it to have been printed, the following is what it might have contained. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of this newspaper, or this columnist. Pre-med majors: Want to do their part for humanity ... . by becoming business majors after two to four terms. Business majors: Ex-everything else majors who have given up their idealistic notions in favor of getting a job. Fotestry majors: While most people sitting outside of Willard between classes watch girls go by, they watch the trees grow. Ritenour: A health center with Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush as administrator, and Dr. Larry, Dr. Curly, and Dr / Moe as staff physicians. VICE PRESIDENT Outsider Uses the Veep as his right hand man, assigning him a prominent role in decision-making process and keeping him abreast of all important developments both foreign and domestic. Insider— See Cabinet MEDIA Outsider Recognizes that press must play adversary role and feels that frequent media contacts help reporters do better job of keeping the people informed. Insider Cancels semi-annual news, conference and has press secretary issue blast at media bias. bruise there that may smart for a while. There is one solution for coming seasons. The bowl bids should be de layed a week. It is. too late to propose an amendment at the NCAA convention this year. But this is a solution that should be discussed before the bids are given in 1979. There has been a lot of talk in recent years about finally solving the prob lem, but little has been done. The example of Penn State, now playing in a less presti gious • bowl than the. lower ranked Pitt team should in spire the NCAA to make the necessary changes. • Physical Education majors: Jocks whose biceps are bigger than their brains. Rec Parks: One step below Phys Ed. Their toughest test is being taken into the wilderness and expected to survive, on their own, for two whole periods. During this time they are expected to start a fire armed only with 15 Collegians, four packs of matches, a Bic lighter and two gallons of kerosene. Nuclear engineers: Next to studying, their most frequent pastime is studying. Letters to the Editor Greeks: Pro . . . It has come to my attention that many people have stereotyped the titles "fraternity" and "sorority" to describe two groups containing elite, high-classed, snobbish women and men. I have had contact with both of these organizations, and feel it is wrong for people to have views such as these. These organizations are gatherings of people who share common interests, be they scholastic, professional, or ex tracurricular. Yet, people feel that the individuals involved are trying to alienate themselves from other college students. To an extent this is true, but one can always say the same about people that go out for sports or any other ex tracurricular activities. These individuals are trying to ex tract themselves from the social norm to which they belong. Fraternities and sororities are so diverse and individualized that any student can find one which would satisfy his or her individual interests and needs. So people should not use the excuse that they could never join such groups because they could not find one to suit them. OpportUnities are numerous for one to increase his or her social sights, not only among college friends but also in the community. Also, where else could a student find such a large congregation of people who share the same interests? Community relationships extend from raising money for charitable organizations to inviting families living in the neighborhood to the house to meet the brothers and sisters. On the weekends, the college student has the same opportunity to visit a house where entertainment and refreshments are of fered. Why turn down an opportunity to be served without the hassle of an LCB or proof of age? These are a few examples of "non-anti-social" organizations. So if someone mentions that they associate with fraternities and sororities, don't smirk and think to yourself: "frat rat." And 'don't think they are trying to be high and mighty. They may have found the social group to which they can really relate. ... and con This letter is in reference to the article on the increase in fraternity and sorority membership. It has been stated in numerous books that a college com munity, like any community, is a social system. Within this social system our university has developed a stratification system . . . a way to rank students according to their parent's social status. The Greek way seems to be a perfect example of r 4 "It should be obvious that the petty politics being played in Harrisburg are an insult to the intelligence of people of Pennsylvania. It should be obvious that by not writing letters or protesting at the state capital, Penn State students are no better than lambs being led to the block . . . the block being a monstrous tuition bill or cutbacks in academic quality or both." "But you can't blame the paper or the USG for making an effort!" I retorted. "I'm not blaming either of you. There are even a couple of people in both your offices that see things the way I do. One USG bureaucrat even called the whole student body 'assholes' for not getting militant about the 'shit they're taking.' , "Who I am blaming is most of the students who would rather get stoned, bombed, laid or study in their dorms, fraternities or apartments and wait while the bozos in Harrisburg take their They also enjoy jumping oil' tall buildings and lying on railroad tracks waiting for a train to come. Physics majors: Like nuclear engineering, they enjoy beating themselVes, preferably with leather. Journalism and Advertising majors: Intellectual, hard-working, dedicated individuals who are never wrong. They are also very humble. DUS: Five notches below liberal arts, and three below Rec Parks. In other words, about ten notches above ROTC. Theater majors: Like to practice acting a lot. Their best performances come towards the end of the term when they must convince a prof to pass them in spite of the fact they haven't heard one lecture all term because they're too busy dreaming about Hollywood. Psychology majors: Enjoy psycho analyzing fellow students. At a party they'll point out a blonde in the corner and say, "She's a Freudian delight," If "Freud" and "sex" are really Annette Conroy 4th•horticulture Nov. 1 ‘ MP-WA' FEAR. HELP HAS ARRIVED . 1 ' how students have become stratified The Greek system, as the American system, has managed to categorize individuals into classes. Both have classes that range from the upper to the lower. Depending on the house and the social fees many students find themselves excluded from the possibility of membership. In this same way some of our parents are excluded from many clubs due to their oc cupation, income and education Many fraternities and sororities choose their members not by the student's personal qualities, but instead by their parent's social situation and class. The oneness of brotherhood and sisterhood is due mainly to the groups solidarity of social rank. The house no longer must fit the student's evaluation, but the student must fit the house. This is not to say that the Greek way is wrong, but instead to shed light upon the fact we have become products of our parents social classification and that we are no longer in dividual students working together to accomplish a• mutual goal. We can only be individuals as far as our class permits us. How can the Greek way be an alternative lifestyle? It only brings people closer to losing their individualism and bounds and stratifies them to others like themselves. It can close the alternative roads to learning about different lifestyles, which is important for a well rounded education. Is it unrealistic to wish that for at, least four years of our lives to'want to be thought of as people instead of products of a specific social class? To associate with people not because of who they are, but what they think and feel. Do we live in such a shallow society that we can no longer see each other as people, but instead as dollar signs. If what we are living is termed the "American Dream" then it has become nightmare to me =Collegian Jeffrey Fawkes Editor BOARD OF MANAGERS: Sales Coordinator, Alex N. Baron- Witt; Office Coordinator, Judy Stimson; Assistant Office Co ordinator, Kurt Strause; National Ad Manager, Judi Rodrick. Layout Coordinators, Terry Dolinar, Hope Goldstein; Billing, , Patty Bartlett. I vacations, breaks and recesses with PSU footing the bills. Do you realize how much interest we'vb paid so far?" "N -n-n-no. How much? "Over a quarter of a million dollars. Where do you think that money's coming from, President Oswald's pocket?" Rip became so incensed he stormed out the door. I was compelled to follow. "But still," I argued, "shouldn't we do something! I mean, somebody has to." "Nobody has so far. Quit tending your herd and go do something else. Find another cause," Rip said coldly. "But . . ." I began. "Let it go. Let them sink," Rip said. We picked up nur pace. "I hate losing an argument," I said. Rip just snickered. Bob Frick (Bth-journalism) is a layout editor for The Daily Collegian. synonyms, that may be true. Liberal Arts: I believe the local colloquialism is "Liberal Arts Faggot." General Arts and Sciences: Super liberal arts majors, also known as "Nothing" or "Time and Space" majors, both titles well-earned. Spend much time avoiding the library; have a phobia about books and studying. Agriculture: Hicks. Architecture: Enjoy designing things, particularly ways to avoid the tougher architecture courses. Animal Sciences: Well, whatever turns you on. Engineers: Have calculator, will travel. Can be spotted by the Texas Instrument on the belt and the glazed look in the eye. Archaeology majors: Like old things. Particularly a friend's term paper from last year, the answers to last term's final, and so forth. Walt Meyer is an eighth term ad vertising major. T. Sarah Robinson 6th-sociology , . Nov. 9 Scott R. Sesler Business Manager
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