opinions editorial opinion Serving a shot of responsiblity State College bar and restaurant owners give more than a dram about being held responsible for their intoxicated patrons. Lawmakers, however, believe the owners should be accountable when an intoxicated person leaves their establishment. In a sense, both groups are right. Tavern owners are upset about "dramshop laws," an outgrowth of English common law developed to aid widows and children of men killed in alcohol-related accidents. Under the laws, if a person is served alcohol while intoxicated and later suffers or causes harm after leaving the establishment, both the person who served the alcohol and the establishment can be held liable. Unfortunately, the dramshop laws have raised many questions in the private sector questions about the gray area that exists between knowing when patrons have and haven't had too much to drink. Should it really be up to a bartender, who is often serving dozens of less-than-patient patrons, to make the distinction of when another drink would mean one too many? The intent, and the result, of liability laws for bars and restaurants - has been com mendable. The law forces bar owners and bartenders to practice a necessary precau tion when serving alcohol. The bartender frequently has the most accurate knowl edge about how much a patron has been drinking. In this sense, the bartender should have an idea, and act on the notion, of when to refuse to serve that next drink. • But for every bartender who has the time to talk with the patrons and who has a good idea of their patron's limits, there are bartenders who are too busy to assume when an individual customer should be shut reader opinion The divestiture veto On Tuesday, April 23, the Undergraduate Student Government Senate passed a resolution requesting the University to divest in all companies which do business in South Africa, as a public statement denouncing the policy of apartheid. Following our governmental process, the resolution then came to me for signature or veto. It is my intention, in keeping with my promise to be up front with students, to explain all the factors which went into my decision on the resolution. Most importantly, we must clarify the issue at hand. The question is not about apartheid. Students are clearly opposed to this type of government. Rather, the concern is whether divestment is the form of protest the students want to utilize. In making my decision after numerous conversations with student representatives, I felt thdre was some debate over the course of action which would most effectively convey their constituents' opposition to apartheid, and if, indeed, divestment was necessary. Consequently, I felt there was a definite need for greater student input. This is not merely a question of whether I, as president of USG, put financial considerations or social obligations first. Rather it is a question of how much each individual student ranks his/her priorities. The facts stand that selling blue chip stock could result in a revenue loss that might be compensated by a rise in tuition. With the proposed cuts to aid to education and the insufficient state appropriations, I felt it was not my role to make a decision which. could possibly increase the students' financial responsibility to this institution. It is not my intention to scare anyone. It is my intention to inform everyone about all the possible effects of divesture —good or bad. It was at this point that I decided that the students had to be aware of all possible outcomesof divesture and that I had to determine whether there was, indeed, a concensus for this form of protest. In addition,l believe it would only then be appropriate that a piece of legislation is passed What I would do if I won the lottery Lotteries seem to be the big thing now and the . amounts of money which are given away each week are incredible. At one time, a million dollars was a big deal; now people are winning upwards of ten million every week or so. The more people buying the tickets, the more prize money available and the more tickets sold to people hoping to win the larger amount. It's a vicious, if profita ble circle at least for the IRS. For those whci buy tickets every week, hope springs eternal, but let's take a look at how the press reports who wins and who doesn't. You never win if you're a college student, are younger than 21-years-old or belong to a fraternity or a sorority. I am painfully aware that no graduate studentever wins a lottery. Similarly, very few actors or poli- off. The problem is complicated by the fact that many people in social situations can effectively "act" sober enough to continue to be served. But these same people behind the wheel of a car could become dangerous. Special liability insurance for bar owners was one initial solution. But increasing losses in liability cases has driven premium rates to unattractive amounts and has forced many insurance companies to dis continue these policies. One local bar owner, Christ Papadopou los, put the debate in an interesting pdrspec tive by drawing an analogy: Should arms merchants be responsible for people who buy guns and then proceed to commit mur der? Bar owners are caught in an additional dilemma when they are faced with a prob lem customer. Bouncing an intoxicated patron can leave a negative impression on other customers. But while bar owners recognize the .need for drastic actions at times, many situations are problematic long before the bouncer is summoned. Sup pose a bartender doe s n't recognize how intoxicated a patron really is until after .a drink has been served. Should the bartender take that drink back? Obviously, the liability question deserves much more discussion and observation. The laws, while rightly promoting more respon sible serving of alcohol, have also placed an unreasonable burden on bar and tavern owners. Legislators should be seeking a compromise that recognizes the fine dis tinction between the responsibility of serv ing the alcohol and the responsibility of holding bar owners and bartenders liable for the consumption problems of their cus tomers. which echoes all student opinion My veto then, is not a reflection of the administration's viewpoint. My veto is an action to speak for the best interests of the student body as a whole. There isn't any better way to do this than by USG taking an active role and soliciting students' views on an issue with a local, national, and international magnitude. Consequently, USG will be conducting a poll to determine if a majority of the students, with full knowledge of all facets of the issue, support divestment. When I attend the Board of Trustees meeting in May, I will tell the trustees of the students' concerns and ask them to begin to determine the feasibili ty of divestment. This issue cannot wait. Importance of • human value In two editorial columns which appeared in the Colle gian during the week of March 18, two racial issues were raised; these are the desire of black Americans to know' their ethnic origins and the ongoing but subtle discrimina tion against black people in the United States. These two issues are interrelated, and understanding their relationship allows a greater understanding of social injustice in many other instances. In dealing with the first issue, I would like to point out that because I am not black, I have relatively little trouble in tracing my "roots." Thanks to research by my family into our family history, I now know that the name Nicholson probably started in Scandinavia (Nic-Olson; daughter of Olson) and most likely moved its way into England, Scotland, France, and Germany with the Norse conquests. In addition, all of the other known family names seem to be traditional English, Scottish, or Ger man names. The trouble with attaching any importance to this arbitrary conjecture is that any healthy black American bears at least as much resemblance to my ancient ticians win, nor do writers, college profes sors, or anyone with the last name of Kennedy, Morgan, Ames, or Dupopt. No one already famous wins. It's not that these people don't try to win (you can never Ice too rich). No, it's that there is a plot against them: my theory is that when Henry Kissinger or Christie Brinkley goes in to buy a ticket, outraged and envious ticket sellers destroy their stubs after all, who wants to see the rich and famous get richer and more famous? Take a look at the way the press reported past lottery winners. It seems that if you want to win the lottery, you've got to be unemployed, retired, or just making do. You can't have a college education, a ca reer, or practice a profession. If you are employed, it should be in a steel mill, restaurant, a print shop, a gas station, or the like. You're chances of winning are significantly improved if you work the 4 p.m. to midnight or midnight to 8 a.m. shift. Living in a decaying industrial city in the Northeast typically correlates with the big wins. And those that win are different than you and me. For instance, they honestly believe that life will be the same after winning; when they do win, they tell everyone that David Rosenblatt, president-USG April 29 they won't quit their jobs and that they'll keep the old house. Sure, they might buy a new car, or have the house alumninum sided, or help their grandchildren go to college, or buy their parents a retirement place in Florida. But they won't enjoy the money like you and I would. Some past winners are known to be bored. I would do things a lot differently if I won. Of course, that is not likely since I spend more time planning what I would do with the winnings than I do purchasing lottery tickets. Of course, being swept up in "lotto fever" and purchasing the single winning ticket for a major prize is always a possibili ty. Nevertheless, if I should someday win, there are several things that I would try to do. First, I would expect that it would change my life forever. I think it's wise to get used to the idea because change is inevitable for good or bad after winning $lO million. I would hope, at a minimum, that my life would become more exciting, that I could pay off my bills, make substantial contribu tions to PHEAA, and immediately indulge in perhaps unspeakable hedonistic activ ities. I would imagine that my Master Card would melt from rigorous use. Planning creative ways to spend the money could day Collegian Tuesday, April 30, 1985 ©1985 Collegian Inc. Gail L. Johnson Michael A. Meyers Editor Business Manager The Daily Collegian's editorial opin ion is determined by its Board of Opinion, with the editor holding final responsibility. Opinions ex pressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of ) The Daily Collegian, Collegian Inb. or The Pennsylvania State University. Collegian Inc., publishers of The Daily Collegian and related publica tions, is a separate corporate insti tution from Penn State. Board of Editors Managing Edi tor: Mark DiAntonio; Editorial Edi tor: Ron Yeany; Assistant Editorial Editors: Dan Levine, Terry Mutchl er; News Editors: Brian Bowers, Brenda Bogut and Christine Kay; Sports Editor: Chris Lindsley; As sistant Sports Editors: Chris Ray mond, Chris Loder and Mark ancestors as I do. Consider this: Black Americans, as well as my ancestors, seem to be endowed with almost identical bodily parts (all functioning), but Americans learn and practice science and philosophy; participate in the liberating arts; and read and write sometimes many languages. The same cannot be said for my ancient ancestors. The thinking of my ancestors was most likely shrouded in myth and confined by tribal customs. Americans, however, are much more free to devote time and effort to subjects of their choosing; to base, their laws in sound moral judgement; and, in short, to devote themselves to the specifically human talents (love, will, and reason) which make our lives worth living and our minds unique and precious in the universe. If this is the case, then it would seem that just about any American is more than a match for the sometimes highly revered ancient relations of people anywhere on earth. How much more, then, should the people alive today be revered? My point in bringing these ideas to the front is not to tout' America over the rest of the world, but to show that valuing people from a truly humanist viewpoint leads to love and respect for what is good in a person. Valuing people from any other basis leads merely to acceptance of persons of equal status into some club and to prejudice and even avarice toward people of a different level (an arbitrarily decided level, of course). This second kind of value system, undoubtedly, can lead to two seemingly friendly black women being turned away from a seem ingly all-white fraternity party with no just cause. The reason may not even have been skin color, but I assure you, it was equally as evil. I lay these things out for people to consider because anyone who wants justice (optimum social and personal relationships) for an ethnic, religious, social, or economic group must not divorce their passions from the specifical ly human abilities, otherwise, their cause will deteriorate into one which does not-enlighten people, but keeps them in darkness. Therefore, groups which do not operate on human values only serve to perpetuate prejudice and Ashenfelter; Photo Editor: Paul Chiland; Assistant Photo Editors: Bill Cramer, Thomas Swarr; Arts Editor: Diane DiPiero; Assistant Arts Editor: Jeff Bliss; Campus Editor: Anita Huslin; Assistant Campus Editor: Kris Sorchilla; Town Editor: Patti Diacont; Assis tant Town Editor: Bob King; Fea tures Editor: Anita Yesho; Graphics Editor: Tony Ciccarelli; 'Wire Edi tors: Joe Ditzler and Leslie Persin; Copy Editors: Bill Ferrell, Pat Col lier, Cindy Davis and Julie Rasicot; Weekly Collegian Editor: Laura Dunhoff; Assistant Weekly Colle gian Editor: Christine Anderson; Weekly Managing Editor: Marcy Mermel. Boird of. Managers Assistant Business Manager: Karen Jaret; Sales Manager: John Manson; Dis trict Sales Managers: Rose Jasienski and Laura Levers; Ac counting Manager: Catherine L. Reese; Assistant Accounting Man ager: Roger Kuhlman; Assistant Office Manager: Wendy Metzger; National Advertising Manager: Lau ra Helbling; Layout Coordinator: Corinne Salameh; Marketing Man besides change become a full-time occupation in and of itself. • Second, I would plan a rather gala week in some tropical island for myself and several close friends. It would be a singularly osten tatious way to pay back some social obliga tions which have been plaguing me for some time. I think a charter flight, several cot tages overlooking Montego Bay, fabulous meals, some island cruising, and the like 'would be a fitting way to initiate my life among the wealthy. Perhaps, depending upon the size of the jackpot, I could pur chase a small Carribean island-nation. Third, I would, as a fitting contribution to society (and possibly good for my taxes), provide whatever funds were necessary to the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia to construct public restroom facili ties in two locations. In Virginia, one set to be built on Interstate 64 between Richmond and Charlottesville; and in Pennsylvania a set to be constructed on US 322 between Harrisburg and State College. If any of you have driven either of these routes drinking too much coffee (or more likely, beer) you are aware of the desparate need for the construction of sanitary facilities. Fourth, I'd get a smart accountant and tax lawyer. No sense having most of the The Daily Collegian Tuesday, April 30, 1985 ager: Bev Sobel; Creative Director Glorie Cohen. Letters Policy: The Daily Collegian encourages comments on news coverage, editorial policy and Uni versity affairs. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced, signed by no more than two people and not longer than 30 lines. Students' let ters should include the term, major and campus of the• writer. Letters from alumni should include the major and year of graduation of the writer. All writers should provide their address and phone number for verification of the letter. The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for length and to reject letters if they are libelous or do not conform to standards of good taste. Because of the number of letters received, the Collegian can not guarantee publication of all the . letters it receives. Mail letters to: The Daily Collegian; 126 Carnegie Building; University Park, Pa. 16802. Names may be withheld on request. Letters may also be selected for publication in The Weekly Collegian. ignorance; the historical oppressor of all mankind. James Nicholson, graduate-physics April 17 Tell 'em how you feel Historically the United States has had more upward class mobility and less obvious class distinction than many other countries. This has been due, in some part, to an educational system that attempts to make a quality education available to a good student with limited finan cial resources. Student aid has helped greatly in this respect, giving those with adequate intellectual ability but limited finan cial resources a chance to attend a better school than otherwise would have been possible. Presently, there exists publically sponsored guaranteed loans and outright grants made avialable to bright students principally on their ability to pay. The current federal deficit has lead the Reagan administration (as everyone knows) to con sider changes in these programs that would restrict the availability of these funds to college students. The of these programs could greatly stratify the educational system, because students will be forced to choose a college suitable to their economic means. If one accepts the premise that more expensive schools are better schools, this leads to the obvious result that the quality of one's education would then tend to be based more on wealth than on intellectual capacity. Thus, those not financially well-off could face reduced professional opportunites. The student aid cuts would be perpetuated and would encourage distinct social stratification in the United States. Individuals who are concerned about a quality education being available to qualified students should consider the proposed cuts in student aid carefully and make their feelings known to their elected officials. Meg Hughes, freshman-business administration April 15 money disappear in taxes when it could go for delightful tax dodges such as real estate on the Maine coast, dummy corporations, and extravagent "business" trips to Eu rope. The possibilities are limitless. Fifth, I would buy Ronald Reagan some shirts that fit his neck (what can I say, I am overly generous). I am tired of seeing the folds of his flesh between chin and shirt. I am certain that with the attention given to Nancy's clothes, little time or money is left over to replace Ronnie's shirts --- certainly left over from the "Bonzo" days. Sixth, if there was enough money left over, I would move State College a little closer to either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. This could be quite expensive, but in doing so, I would hope to save some money negat ing the need for a set of bathrooms along Route 322. But then again, we'll all be leaving Happy Valley soon. Maybe the money could be better spent on Porta-Johns at the beach or sun tan oil or Jams or reflector glasses . . . . Peter H. Garland is a graduate student in higher education and is a columnist for The Daily Collegian. His column appears on alternate Tuesdays. GAVVIS'aviSMIVS , opinions The Philippines . • . As the players set the stage, tragedy is sure to be a prop Last week, this column investigated omi- military bases just north of Manila, on the mist, "the way things are going, the guerrillas cos, who in turn supports Reagan and the nous political stirrings inside Mexico. Fore- Island of Luzon. could achieve military parity with the govern- continued presence of American military sight, at the risk of alarmism, was the angle Severe political and economic problems, ment's forces within five years." - bases. That, however, has set Filipinos taken. What events or trends could transform giving rise to a growing Communist insurgen- The Communist Party was outlawed in the against the United States. If the United States Mexico into a global trouble-spot years down cy, threaten to plunge the Philippines into Philippines, but it remains active throughout. wants to keep its bases in the Philippines, and the road? Unfortunately, unlike hindsight, turmoil. There is good reason to believe that a Notably, the NPA receives no foreign support. also prevent a takeover of the country by the foresight is not 20/20. crisis in the Philippines could become Ameri- It operates in roughly 85 percent of the coun- Communists, then support for Marcos must ca's biggest foreign policy puzzle in the very try's provinces, with its "home area" in the continue, at least in the short term. near future. slums of Davao, a southern city on the island Ideally, Marcos should be encouraged to On the political side, President Ferdinand of Mindanao. allow more freedom and democracy in his t f '' .•4l " *. 4 , 1 1 , 4 0 . Marcos' corrupt, repressive and ineffectual Political and economic problems are fuel troubled country, enabling a disaffected pop regime has disaffected a g(eat number of for the spreading Communist fire. U.S. News ulation .to seek redress through peaceful, i.. 1.: , igi r- Filipinos. At 67, President , Marcos shows and World Report states, "(The Philippines ') signs of ill-health. But as he enters his 21st many problems not only send to the NPA new legitimate political means. But after 20 years in office, can such a transition be expected? (Something about teaching an old dog?) As a . '':' I s i .. A year of rule, he is becoming more entrenched recruits who normally would not accept Com \ if 1I I , r , in the face of increasing discontent. Marcos' monist ideology but also have turned masses &\,\\ I ( . 1 i 1 1 1 11 suming Marcos stays in office, confrontation ,1 / 4 ).‘ ~1„1 •tii I . ) unpopularity is fueled by the widespread, and of peasants away from the government and seems likely. well-founded notion that he was involved in toward support for the guerrillas." From a rather un-American (read un the 'murder of opposition leader Benigno Aqui- The situation transpiring in the Philippines biased, perhaps?) perspective, The Econo- One needs an angle to stay uniquely inter- no shortly after Aquino returned from self- resembles too closely that of El Salvador. Can mist reports: "The Philippines is important to esting. (That should be a footnote to every- imposed exile in 1983. a full-scale civil war be avoided? As of now, the Americans, and the United States has a one's diploma.) Consequently, avoiding On the economic side, the Philippines is in there is little reason to be positive. defense pact with its former colony which predictions while expounding upon the future its worst nosedive since World War II vpopula- President Marcos appears likely to run might be interpreted as giving legitimacy to has been this writer's underlying theme. tion growth soars while GNP limps along, and again ( there must be a presidential election an American intervention designed to prevent It must be noted that the writer has had high inflation persists. Twenty-six billion dol-' by May 1987), and he will probably win. His a Communist victory. But having to fight for little difficulty choosing topical issues: inter- lars of external debt isn't helping matters. party, the New Society Movement, has consid the Philippines . . . would be an American national crises are not rare occurrences. Economic disarray and political strife contin- erable national influence. As long as he is in However, in keeping with the heretofore tradi- ue to feed on one another, and Filipinos are power, there is little likelihood for democratic tragedy." tion of pinpointing potential global hotspots, becoming more and more restless. change. Should he choose not to run, a bitter Indeed, that is why the writer has saved a there is one topic which until now has been Like a deadly contagion festered by unheal- power struggle could ensue involving his wife, column on the Philippines for his last. It could purposely avoided .. . thy living conditions, support for a Commu- Imelda, the military, and increasingly left- be the most important. • • . nist guerrilla movement is sweeping through wing, anti-American opposition forces, in- The Philippines holds an.important place in the nation. In ten years time, the Maoist New eluding the NPA. In short, a none-too-attrac- American history. A former U.S. colony, this People's Army, NPA, has swelled to nearly tive list of alternatives. David Sanderson is a graduating senior ma- East Asian country of 54 million is an histori- 12,000, doubling in size since 1981. According The United States is already caught be- joring in foreign service and is a columnist for cal American ally. Its strategic 'option pro- to Richard Armitage, Assistant Secretary of tween a rock and a hard place over the The Daily Collegian. His column appeared vides justification for two huge American Defense, as reported in the March. 23 Econo- Philippines. President Reagan supports Mar- every Tuesday. EAT's Thanks for making our first Spring Week a fantastic one. Love, The AEU's Moms Are Special. . Send her some flowers or Mother's Day & Save $2"! Only $l.OO service charge on all Mother's Day FTD orders placed by May 4th at 00t 145 S. Allen St. 238-0566 (order early & save!) 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There are too many commonplace occurrences that exceed that level and are not considered troublesome. By the same token, a higher decibel level a good ordinance does not make. The fact is that many students assume that the issue is strictly stu dents vs. townsfolk. I have to differ with that notion. I live on West Col lege, and I am occasionally bothered by loud vehicles without mufflers or intact exhaust systems. However, I am frequently and regularly dis turbed by the loud music and scream ing that eminates from , nearby housesand apartments. I like to party just as much as the next guy, but there is no need to allow a party to become an annoyance to your neigh bors. I'm sure that music at a lower volume could still contribute to the atmosphere of a party. Perhaps then all the screaming would not be necce sary. I believe that R. Thomas Berner could be right. A noise ordinance such as he proposed would require com mon sense and cooperation in State College. In other words, it would encourage getting along. Similarly, I believe that the. State College Police would effectively enforce the ordi nance with discretion. . With this type of ordinance, people may become more aware of their neighbors and more sensitive to their needs. Kevin A. Kowalski, junior-microbio logy 31 derful Flavors in cones, malts, milk shakes, freezes, ice cream sodas, sundaes, chiliburgers, floats & all sorts of desserts for special occasions. (personalized too) NM-ROBBINSt, ICE CREAM STORE 'tit! 358 E. College Ave.
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