Pope John Paul II shot Pontiff's condition stable; stunned world prays By DENNIS REDMONT Associated Press Writer VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope John Paul H, shot down by a gunman as he greeted 15,000 tourists and faithful at his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square, came through 5 1 / 2 hours of surgery for six wounds in "good and stable" condition, his doctors said early today. Police quickly arrested a man identi fied as a right-wing Turkish terrorist who had vowed to kill the,pope. He told them after the shooting yesterday that he "couldn't care less about life." Doctors said the prognosis remained "guarded" largely because of the risk of possible infection, but added that the pontiff was conscious and breathing on his own. As John Paul beamed and waved to the crowd packed in the sunlit square, shots were fired and the pope slumped in his white jeep, witnesses said. Blood stained his white garments and horrified wit nesses cried, "Oh no! Oh no!" The gunman's bullets also wounded two women , in the crowd, one of them American. 4 I 1 I 1 ' 1 1 1 ' 1 ,4 : : • . 41 1040/k li tir. 4 ll ' p SW. , 1 i: ':-.! • 4"03.. 441114 4 ~,,,, \ k' .... • ‘ 4, : • 4. , .., fsl • ' ,v' I * o l' kr- • , . ' - •,,.. A., ... ,a~~.". '.r. . 4:...z _. ~. n' • - • • • A•''' ..4-40".-7".•,? Two members of the Italian Red Cross cry together in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, expressing their grief over the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul 11. Ortenberg vvithdraws from race for mayor RAs: Tough guys or friendly faces? Editor's Note: This is the first of a three-part series dealing with University Resident Assistants and their responsibilities. Today's article concerns the Office of Residential Life views the RAs' job. By MARY BETH HORWATH Daily Collegian Staff Writer Cops or counselors? Resident Assistants at Penn State must maintain a delicate balance between the friendly face down the hall who always has a reassuring word and the tough disciplinarian who busts a noisy Saturday night party. Maintaining this balance is difficult, sometimes impossible. Being an RA is one of the most difficult jobs at the University, said Stan Latta, assistant director of Residential Life. "You have to realize that RAs are students themselves with their own academic and social commitments," Latta said. "And we put this extra commitment on top of them. It's difficult." Max McGee, assistant coordinator for Pollock /Nittany/Centre Halls, said the RAs' job is two-fold. "It's their job to consider the welfare of the University and the student at the same time," he said. The roles definitely conflict, and there is a potential trade-off when RAs try to follow the W 202 PATTEE -., ' 'i<, '' r : . .; .~, , 4 COPIE the daily In Poznan, Poland, a woman said John Paul's homeland was praying for "the burning heart of Poland radiating through the world." A news release issued early today by the Vatican and signed by the attending physicians said, "At the end of the opera tion, the pope recovered consciousness, breathing spontaneously, and was in good and stable cardiocirculatoty condi tion. "The patient came through the opera tion in a satisfying manner. The progno sis remains strictly guarded in part because of risks deriving from post-oper ative infection," the Vatican press re lease said. Earlier, the director of the surgery unit at the Gemelli Policlinico hospital, Prof. Giancarlo Castiglioni, had termed the operation "successful" and told report ers, "The pope was very lucky." After the 5 1 / 2 hours of surgery and blood transfusions, the 60-year-old pope was transferred to the hospital's emer gency care unit where he was expected to remain for 48 hours. The surgery began at noon EDT and ended at 5:25 p.m. format that Residential Life expects, Latta said. Maintaining good floor relationships can call for leniency occasionally, just as controlling a rowdy floor sacrifices a close friendship. But one can never preclude the other, Latta said. "They can't be perfect friends or perfect discipli narians. We just hope they can develop the personal relationship on the floor that will enable them to be both," he said. McGee said the cop-counselor role depends mainly on the situation. "If we have a kid ready to commit suicide with a can of beer in his hand, we're not too worried about the alcohol," he said. "But if it's just some guy with a beer who's out to have a good time, we'll bust him." He also said that being a "friend" may have a different meaning for an RA. "When a floor wants an RA to be a friend, they may mean letting them get away with drinking, or maybe just not bothering them at all," he said. "It's determined a lot by peer pressure." Although some of the rules the RAs must follow and enforce are specifically written out by the University, such as the alcohol and escort policies, others are not so clearly detailed. McGee said that the noise policy is not written out, and varies from area to area, and even within each area. "The RAs try to develop an atmosphere in which olle • ian 4 P + , v.e/04 .0 .1 . '''''-".^ ., v -,,, • :*:,:. . 4‘...1,;..,.. r .. i 'X" 1 , Police said they arrested a man who identified himself as Turkish national Nehmet Ali Agca. Police said the 23- year-old man kept repeating "I couldn't care less about life" after being taken into police custody. The Italian news agency ANSA said detectives found on him a hand-written and signed document that said, "I am killing the pope to protest against the imperialism of the Soviet Union and the United States, and against the genocide they are committing in El Salvador and Afghanistan." In Ankara, Turkish officials said the gunman was believed to be Mehmet Ali Agca, a convicted assassin who had vowed to kill the pope in a letter he left behind when he escaped from an Istanbul prison shortly before the pope's visit to Turkey in the fall of 1979. He was con victed of killing the editor of the Ankara newspaper Miliyet, Abdi Ipekci ; slain on Feb. 1, 1979. Castiglioni said the pope was shot twice in the lower intestine. He said one bullet passed through the body, causing By MARK FEATHERSTONE Daily Collegian Staff Writer Thomas Ortenberg, chairman of the Centre County Consumer Party, has officially removed himself from the race for mayor of State College. Ortenberg never officially declared his candidacy but had been considered a likely opponent to State College Mayor Arnold Addison in the November elec tion. Ortenberg said he did not think he could run for over the weekend, he decided on Tuesday not to run. mayor, remain at the University as a full-time student The campaigns of Chris Hall and Ray Boyle, the two and continue to build the Consumer Party. Studying and Consumer Party candidates running for State College building support for the Consumer Party are more Municipal Council, should not be affected by his deci- important right now, he said. sion, Ortenberg said. However, Ortenberg said he would probably run for "I talked it over with the borough candidates and elected office in the future, but not until after he there's no chance of them withdrawing. This will just UPI wirephoto the students respect each other; they try to involve the students and find out how much noise they're willing to put up with," he said. He added that most RAs follow a campus-wide policy of moderating noise after 1 a.m. even on weekends. "RAs basically have to enforce all University policies, which are fairly specific," McGee said. However, the alcohol policy is not as strict as it appears to be, Latta said "On paper it looks very strict, but there's no way the RA can hold to that type of enforcement," he said. "It's a judgment situation they have to decide whether to confront or ignore. "As with any job there are extremes at both ends; some are lax and some are pretty hard-line about it." RAs are given the choice of how strictly to enforce the policy, Latta said, and that interpreta tion may have important repercussions. • "RAs who are too lax are really being unfair unfair to those students who want the rules en forced, and unfair to those who may be written up by another RA for breaking the rules," he said. "The RA may be getting out of an immediate situation by ignoring it, but there will be problems later." Latta said an RA who consistently ignores policy may be reprimanded by anything from a warning another wound when it left, and another stayed in the body and was extracted by surgeons. The pope also had two slight wounds on his right arm and one on his left hand. • Castiglioni did not say how many shots were fired at the pope or how many bullets hit him. "We have sound hopes that the pope will remain with us, that he will continue to live. He wasn't hit in vital parts but they were not light injuries. Important blood vessels were just barely missed and the , pope was very lucky," Castiglio ni said. Attilio Silverstrini, Vatican secretary for public affairs, said the pope "was serene and prayed" while being taken to the hospital on the Via della Pineta Sacchetti about three-quarters of a mile from the Vatican. A police officer who jumped onto the white jeep as soon as the pope was wounded said, "he suffered• a lot, he prayed." Shock was registered worldwide. Mil lions lit candles in their churches and joined the prayers of the witnesses to the shooting who immediately knelt in St. Peter's Square to pray for the pope's recovery. The most traveled spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic church in history, John Paul's simple manner and familiar smile made him known the world over. See related stories on Page 4 Community expresses disbelief By ANNE CONNERS Daily Collegian Staff Writer Students and local religious leaders expressed shock, amazement and disbelief over the shooting yesterday of Pope John,Paul II; commonly referred to as the "People's Pope." , "Soine crazy person hot the pope?" Traj Antolick (6th computer science) said. don't believe this! What the hell is going on? Why, he's not even political." The Rev. Quentin Schaut, rector of the Penn State Catholic Center, said that Pope John Paul II is a particularly popular pontiff. "One would suppose that Pope John Paul would be the last man to have an attempt like this made on him because he issso lovable," he said. Schaut said the attempt on the pope's life was indicative of the world's problems. "It's just an incredible thing that the pope of all the people' would be attacked that way," he said. "It's reflective on the world in which we're living that something could happen,like this." ,Several students also expressed the belief that something intangible was wrong with society. "Society is sick if someone would shoot the pope," Carolyn Mullin (3rd-chemical engineering) said. "It's enough to make someone cry." Several students could not understand the gunman's mo tives. "Why would someone want to shoot the pope? I can see if he was in political power, but he's a religious figure." Renee Wilson (13th-health planning and administration) said. "Why graduated. He said he was not sure what office he would run for. Scheduled campaign appearances including one at the Undergraduate Student Government's Candidates' Night tonight forced him to announce his intentions before the primary, Ortenberg said. "I didn't want to speak (at the candidates' night) because I was no longer a candidate," he said. Ortenberg said that after wavering back and forth .;f:,?-; 7°'"" • 71.- • •.;; V..."' - - • 2:,,,,,7.•*;15 u;r:i4 letter to firing, depending on which policy is ig nored. RAs rarely are fired. When an RA writes up a student, he or she is exercising the full range of disciplinary capacity, Latta said. The period after a "bust" has occurred is often the most sensitive time, and the counseling part of an RA's job is made even more difficult. "Sometimes students transfer their anger to the RA when they're really just angry at being caught. They know it's the RA's job and they probably wouldn't respect them if they didn't do it," he said. Latta said RAs are expected to be as sensitive as possible after writing up a student for violating a University policy, and to consider the student's previous behavior. "We want them to personalize the situation as much as possible. They are not expected to preach. They have to understand what the person is going through, explain what will happen and give the person a chance to ask questions," he said. "They have to know when to back off." McGee said that it's not the RA's job to know everything or to be able to help with every problem, but rather to know where to send the student for information or advice. "RAs know their limitations. They're not clinical psychologists." 15' Thursday May 14, 1981 . Vol. 81, No. 172 18 pages University Park, Pa. 18802 Published by Students of The Pennsylvania State University Pope John Paul ll would you want to take your anger out on him?" However, the Rev. Bernard White of Our Lady of Victory Church, 820 Westerly Parkway, said there are never logicaL answers to violence and killing. "As with , any sudden, sad • news, it's surprising that one knowi how to react," he said. "As an ancient sage.once said, `The only way to reason with unreason is not , to reason at all. "There are many reasons why a person would do this terrible thing and none of them are good," he said. One student 'said the attack on the pope was particularly ironic because of his image as a peacemaker. "A lot of people thought of him as bringing a lot of peace into the world," said David Witz (12th-investment and real estate). John Felleisen (12th-advertising) spoke for many people when he expressed admiration of the pope. "He's a great man, an influential person and has special meaning to a lot of people." White said the faithful were gathering in prayer and concern for the wounded pope. "It's edifying to see so many be very quickly concerned of the well-being of our church leader," he said. "When the head of the family is hurt it hurts all of us." Because of the number of people concerned about thQpope, the church offered a Mass with the special intention for the pope's recovery last night, he said. The Penn State Catholic Center also offered yesterday's Mass "for the pope and his persecutors," Schaut said. Tom Eakin, University director of religious affairs, said, "all of all of Christdom and every person of good will would be aggrieved by this," he said. increase the chance of the other (Consumer Party) candidates winning." Ortenberg said he hopes to find someone to run against Addison both because he disagrees with Addi son's stands on the issues and because he does not like the idea of anyone running unopposed. "I can't endorse Addison for mayor," he said. "I can't endorse a Republican for office. Anyone who is on the Republican ticket can't stand for the principles I believe in. "I'm always against someone running unopposed. That's bad for democracy. There should be alternative views." However, Ortenberg said he would not necessarily endorse any candidate the Democratic Party might come up with. inside • The University's Hershey Medical Center helps nursing stu dents by offering hands-on experi ence Page 6 • The women's lacrosse team hosts Maryland in its opening game in the AIAW national 'championships at 9:30 this morn ing at Lady Lion Field Page 8 • With tuition and room and board costs increasing, the Office of Housing and Food Service is finding new ways to keep meals inexpensive but enjoyable... Page 15 weather Thickening clouds are in store for today along with temperatures reaching 67 degrees with an af ternoon shower or thundershower likely. Mostly cloudy tonight with occasional showers and an low of 52. Considerable cloudiness and cooler tomorrow, a few sprinkles or showers likely and temperatures In the upper 50s to low 60s. UPI Wirephoto
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