opi ions
editorial' •• ' • • 0
. , ,
Responsible but unrestricted
A press in chains reflects a people in
chains.
—CBS News anchorman Dan Rather in
a telegram sent to South African Presi
dent P.W. Botha.
On Nov. 2, the South African govern
ment introduced sweeping restrictions
on news coverage of political and social
unrest within the country.
By government edict, journalists will
not be allowed to cover "unrest" in
cluding stone-throwing, school boy
cotts and work stoppages. Journalists
focusing their cameras on the police
can also be censored.
Under the new sanctions, a journalist
could be ordered out of the area if the
police determine that his or her pres
ence could turn the situation into one of
violence.
For foreign journalists, including
television crews, radio reporters and
photographers, the announcement was
a severe blow.
The Foreign Correspondents' Asso
ciation condemned the action saying
the ban was "the beginning of the
slippery slide toward a totally con
trolled press in South Africa."
The government-controlled South Af
rican press opposes the exploitation of
South African violence. The South Afri
can press has accused television teams
of paying Blacks to burn books or
repeat incidents of stone-throwing so
What if:
History is like a bad burrito it keeps
coming back on you. The rocky road of ice
cream, I mean fate, leads one to ponder
over the road not taken. What if Hitler
would have won World War II? What if I had
eaten only one Big Mac rather than two?
Late at night, great questions like these
assault my tired mind.
What if?
yV!:014,1 , 74
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The question is moot. What's done is done,
especially if it's done in a microwave oven
with Corningware bowls. Corningware,
when it has to be done in a hurry.
Sorry, I thought I was Monte Hall there
for a minute. While it's pointless to dwell on
possible pasts and futures, it's also more
fun than feeding a dog peanut butter. So
let's hop in our time machine, drop a few
quarters in and romp down the hallowed
Forever torn between Joan Collins leaving Dynasty and the end of the work
lanes of yore. We may even hully-gully
through the future.
What if Moslems had been the first group
to settle America?
Imagine that. I guess them crazy Chris
tians would be riding a rail straight to hell
for not accepting Mohammed as their per
sonal savior. And just look at them nuts in
Ireland killing each other! Why, a few good
missionaries could show them the Light.
Come on gramps, The Old Time Mecca
Hour is on! I would have a glow-in-the-dark
Allah on my dashboard. And of course, the
wealth of this great nation would be a sign
from God that we Moslems must be right in
our beliefs.
What if The Beatles had never broken up?
When someone or something dies before
its time, it attains mythological propor
tions. If someone were to shoot me, I'd be
considered a great writer. (Please, this is
not an invitation being a hack has its
rewards. )
If The Beatles had never broken up, they
would be considered a mediocre band that
was great in the '6os. The way everyone but
John Lennon went after the split, the group
may very well have given Barry Manilow a
run for his estrogen.
What if toilets were still nothing more
than holes in the ground?
they could film them. Further, the
papers have also said journalists some
times knew beforehand when and
where violence would occur.
The bottom line is that the foreign
press has been accused of inciting
violence and presenting an unfair pic
ture of events, in an effort to stir
protests and economic sanctions from
abroad.
South African officials claim the re
strictions should not be viewed as a
move against a free press, but as a
move to reduce violence that has
rocked that country for more than a
year.
But cutting of the world's right to
information isn't the way to reduce
violence in South Africa.
One charge made by the Botha gov
ernment is that journalists, particular
ly foreign television crews, have
encouraged violence in a effort to por
tray the dramatic and desperate situa
tion of oppressed South African Blacks.
Foreign journalists have vehemently
denied charges that they manufac
tured or twisted the news.
But neither the media nor the South
African . government are innocent.
During hostage crises in Iran and
Lebanon, journalists were criticized
for putting terrorist organizations in
the .television spotlight, thus adding
fuel to the growing inferno.
As a result, leading journalists re-
considered the way they cover terrorist
activities. No such questions have been
raised thus far in the coverage of South
African unrest.
Both combatants have their hands
soiled with newspapers' ink, but the
answer is not clamping the lid on
information leaving the country.
Black South Africans have a right to
bring their opinions to the world. And
at this time, the only channel is through
the foreign press. Likewise, citizens of
the world have a right to an unfiltered
look at the South African unrest.
The loss of either right will cause the
open wounds of oppression to fester,
poisoning all of South Africa both
Black and White.
The answer: responsible, but unre
stricted journalism.
The media must reaffirm that the
priority in South Africa is not to in
flame the current unrest for the sake of
high ratings in th 6 United States. Jour
nalists must also reexamine their role
in the conflict, focusing on the need to
impartially present the facts of the
conflict while relegating opinions and
social activism to the opinion pages.
At the same time, the media cannot
allow itself to be held hostage by a
government like Smith Africa's one
seeking to camouflage its own injus
tice.
For the South African government,
the watchdogs will be waiting whether
or not the cameras are running.
Laugh all you want, then try going to the
bathroom in a bedpan. Let's face it —civili
zation would crumble without the toilet.
Were it never invented, we'd be a nation,
nay a world, of litterboxes and pooper
scoopers. We'd have to curb ourselves.
Take away a m'an's toilet, and you've
stripped away his dignity. When was the
last time you hugged your toilet (and not to
maintain regurgital balance)?
What if Joe Dimaggio had been a lousy
baseball player?
It would be a sad day for 'the manufactur
ers of coffee makers, and Simon and Gar
funkel would have to whistle or go "wo-wo
wo" for that line in "Mrs. Robinson."
What if my surname were "King"?
I'd have a son and name him Wiener
What if The Original Sin were not the
emergence of sexual desire?
That's easy, just choose the next heinous
moral sin in line. We all know that rubbing
balloons on your hair and sticking them to
walls is a shameful act of immorality. Don't
tell anyone, but I have explicit photos of
Meryl Streep rubbing balloons on her hair
before she became famous.
What if television had never been in
vented?
Considering all the warped garbage on it,
EIM
©1985 Collegian Inc
I could easily say that mankind would be
advanced to levels of purity and compassion
surpassing even Hee Haw and The Brady
Bunch. But then again, it has also been an
incredible form of mass communication. I
can tell you in total confidence that it's 70
degrees in Honolulu with partly cloudy
skies, although I've never been there.
I want to pursue this question, but Cheers
just started.
The future is like --- oh, screw all these
metaphors. If you want to know what the
future is like, get a high school yearbook
and look up the class saying. As for me, I
shall hully-gully through my time warp.
What if I become a famous writer?
That would indicate a serious lapse in
taste on the part of millions. Hey, the more I
think about it, the more optimistic the
previous statement becomes. I've already
had a slight taste of fame. Like diet soda, it
goes down nice but leaves a terrible after
taste. It makes me belch and leaves me
feeling empty. Fame has nothing to do with
talent; I've a long way to go before I can
respect myself in the morning.
But if I ever make it, look me up, babies.
We'll do some donuts and get a perm.
Maybe even catch The Love Boat on VCR. I
love your nails. See I'm already a gnatty
socialite.
Op/ed: executions
As Nov. 19 draws near, the State
Correctional Institution at Rock
view will become the focus - of a
great deal of controversy.
For the first time in 23 years,
two sentenced criminals John
Lesko, 26, of Pittsburgh and Mi
chael Travalgia, 26, of Washington
Township are scheduled to die
in the electric chair on that day.
And since Gov. Dick Thorn
burgh authorized these executions
in August, the citizens of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania have
rekindled the debate surrounding
the death penalty.
Opinion Editor Doug Popovich
cin; Collegian
Friday, Nov. 8, 1985
©1985 Collegian Inc
Gail L. Johnson
Editor
Karen Jaret
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 Inc. 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; Opinion Editor:
Doug Popovich; New - s Editors: Pat
rick Collier, Bill Ferrell, Anita Katz;
Copy/Wire Editors: Bob King, Anita
Yesho, Phil Galewitz, Sue Graffius,
Colleen Barry, Ron Yeany; Town
Editor: Pete Baratta; Assistant
Town Editor: Megan O'Matz; Cam
pus Editor: Anita Huslin; Assistant
Campus Editor: Kim Bower; Sports
Editor: Chris Lindsley; Assistant
Sports Editors: Mark Ashenfelter,
Chris Loder, Chris Raymond; Arts
Editor: Jeff Bliss; Assistant Arts
Editor: Pat Grandjean; Features Edi
tor: Amy Fellin; Science Editor: Nan
Arens; Graphics Editor: Tony Cicca
relli; Photo Editor: Jeff Bustraan;
Assistant Photo Editors: Dan Oles
ki, Gregg Zelkin; Business Page
Coordinator: Rich Douma.
Board of Managers Sales Man
ager: Susan Shamlian; Assistant
Sales Manager: Dawn Kelley: Ac
counting Manager: Cathy Reese;
What do you think?
Although half of Fall Semester
is over, many interesting issues
facing students in Happy Valley
remain unresolved —what's your
opinion?
The Daily Collegian's Board of
Opinion would like to know your
thoughts concerning:
o Possible changes in Penn
State's general education require
ments.
o The results of the student
divestment poll and whether or not
it should be presented to the Uni
versity Board of Trustees.
o The proposed change from a
15-week to a 14-week semester.
• The University alcohol crack-
The Daily Collegian
Friday, Nov. 8, 1985
wants to know what you think
about the use of the death penalty.
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, The Daily
Collegian will publish an op/ed
page with your views on this topic.
If you have an opinion you'd like
to share, present it in the form of a
letter-to-the-editor (one typed
page, double spaced) or forum (no
more than three typed pages, dou
ble spaced) by Tuesday, Nov. 12,
at 1 p.m. in the Collegian office,
126 Carnegie Building. Letters and
forums must be presented by the
author in person with some form
of identification and must include
semester standing and major.
Marketing Manager: Roland Deal,
Jr.; Office Manager: Wendy Metzg
er; Assistant Office Manager: Amy
Norris; Layout Coordinator: Corinne
Salameh. '
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
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ters should include semester stand
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Letters from alumni should include
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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
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Because of the number of letters
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come the property of Collegian Inc.
Mail letters to: The Daily Collegian;
126 Carnegie Building; University
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Complaints: News and editorial
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plaint is not satisfactorily resolved,
grievances may be filed with the
Accuracy and Fair Play Committee
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filing grievances is available from
Gerry Lynn Hamilton, executive sec
retary, Collegian Inc.
down and proposed policies of the
Alcohol Task Force aimed at tam
ing Nittany Lion fans.
Authors should submit letters
to-the-editor (one typed page, dou
ble-spaced) or forums (up to three
typed pages, double-spaced) in
person at the Collegian office in
126 Carnegie.
Picture identification is re
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Students' letters and forums
should include semester standing,
major, and campus of the writer.
All letters and forums received
become the property of Collegian
Inc.
What if Joan Collins leaves Dynasty?
I will positively die!' And this next ques
tion will surely happen.
What if the world ends?
Death is as natural as a granola bar.
What's all the hullabaloo about? I'm wear
ing clean underwear I'm ready. If man
kind smells end zone, he's going to bull his
way in and spike the mother. The survival
ists can tear down the goal posts af
terwards.
I prefer to die of old age in a shimmering
meadow on a summer night with
Springsteen singing "Thunder Road" on a
transistor radio while butterflies and blue
jays soar through the soft darkness scented
by lilacs and the static freshness of rushing
water. My beautiful, grey-haired wife of 50
years will hold my hand and gently kiss my
lips before my blue eyes flutter and gaze
into her blessed, tear-filled eyes for the last
time. I'll feel like a baby being baptized as
the cool waters of afterlife engulf my body
and fill my soul with an innocent sense of
wonder.
My second choice is to go out the way
Nelson Rockefeller did.
William S. Repsher is a senior majoring
in English and a columnist for The Daily
Collegian. His column appears every Fri
day unless the world ends.
opinions
Rating rock albums: Lyrical lunacy in the land of legislation
The Moral Majority is Neither
—a bumper sticker on a '62 Falcon
Follow that car.
Occasionally, while formulating my usual
array of sarcasms, ridicules, and generally
light-hearted comments on the human being
as a social animal, something not so fluffy
makes me wonder. Often I wonder things like
"What's with these people? Is this a joke?"
I'd like to put one item like this in perspec
tive. ,
Let's just say I view this fiasco in the same
light as people who walk into the local Mc-
Donald's and play "If Rambo wanted some
thing to drink with his five burgers, Rambo
would have asked for it!" and then proceed
with an experiment entitled "The Effects of
Shotgun Pellets on Small Children Eating
Cookies Shaped like Grimace."
Analogies aside, is everyone ready for this
joke? Here you go: album rating. Oh please, lady. I know every time I look at
Yea, isn't that a good one?Q I thought that album cover I get this strange feeling
Don't laugh too long though, because it's a inside me that doesn't go away until I destroy
reality. something with fire. I bet it's the same way
GET WET
17th Annual Delta Gamma
Anchor Splash!
Come to McCoy Natatorium on Sunday,
November 10 at 1:00 pm. $l.OO or a raffle
ticket will get you in to watch this year's
most exciting Swim competition.
Practice mental hygiene read Collegian Sports!
at the.-
All proceeds benefit
Recently, there has been actual Senate
hearings debating "objectionable" music.
But don't worry, both sides of the issue have
been represented, mind you.
On one side, the Freedom-of-expression
how-could-anyone-take-this-seriously-if-they-
don't-like-it-they-don't-have-to-buy-it faction
was represented by a number of rock-and-roll
musicians including Dee Snyder of the group
Twisted Sister and quasi -intellectual mad
man / philosopher / satirist Frank Zappa.
,The other side, typified by a you're-all
t-censor-books-we'll--
censor-music-no-we-don ' t-know-where-to-dr
aw-our-arbitrary-lines attitude, was spoken
for by members of a group called the Paren
t's Music Resource Center. (Sounds like
where you might find members of an alumni
marching band, doesn't it?)
Of course the focal point of these hearings
is lyrics in some songs which are sexually
explicit or "satanic." One rating-monger
lady from the PMRC held up albums during
the hearing as examples of these dreadful
portents of evil.
Commenting on the Pyromania album
from the British rock group Def Leppard, this
preordained passer of judgement and author
ity on all things moral said mockingly "Yes,
Pyromania. Yes burn, burn the building
down."
with lots of people out there. Right, for sure,
yep-yep.
"Sexually explicit." One suggestion to po
tential album raters: before continuing your
ridiculous quest, find a knowledgeable liter
ary authority who can interpret some of the
word games in a Shakespeare play of your
choice. Then try to find the relevence of your
statements on today's music. Not that I value
the lyrics as I do the plays, but relatively
speaking they are no more righteous.
"Satanic" What a wonderfully evil word. A
good eye-catcher as well, expecially when
capitalized. I'll bet those heavy metal bands
research dark tomes so they can trick young
listeners into granting their souls to Satan
just by singing along with the lyrics. Uh-huh,
every day, don't you know it?
Ok, so Whitesnake's "Slide it in" is more
than subtly suggestive. In fact I think it's
rather tasteless. But big deal, who am I?
That's My. Opinion and by God I've got a
right to express it. But, I have no right to
force my opinion on other people as truth-in
law, and neither does anyone else, even if
that opinion is more high spirited than mine.
Lighten up, that's what I say. Such lyrics
don't really bother me. The way I see it,
anyone who can walk around singing `!Slide it
in" has got to have a sense of humor.
I don't wish to imply that the PMRC at
tacks specifically heavy metal bands and
that all HM bands are evil, or anything of the
sort. It is important to realize that while some
bands attempt to write songs that fit the
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heavy metal genre, most bands today are
more interested in their own "sound" and
don't like to be generalized as "New Wave,"
"Garage Rock," "Progressive" or "Heavy
Metal."
Even within the bounds of accepted, heavy
metal bands there are redeeming features.
Many songs focus on the more realistic as
pects of male / female relations; not all these
songs depict Love as something that takes
about fifteen minutes. A friend of mine at
home is a dedicated "Headbanger" and I've
listened to many albums I never want to hear
again, but the music is powerful (though that
is not always a compliment).
Also, one band Britain's Iron Maiden
draws from classical literature, mythology,
and history to form some wonderfully intelle
gent lyrics. If you must pass judgment, at
least be sure you aren't generalizing.
The major audience for this kind of music
consists of males in the junior to senior high
school age group. This group is living in a
world of extreme social pressures. Listening
to strange lyrics might set one into a "group
of individuals" if you will. While they may not
be nerds, they likely are insecure.
Imagine it as a giant, leather-coated pill
taken to relieve a temporary case of identity
crisis. This usually goes away once a student
discovers dating or a group of friends who
accept him as himself. Explanation? Possi
bly. Justification? Definitely not. Oversimpli
fication? Of course. Alterable by little
stickers or anything else? No way.
ARTISTS SERIES
Wolfgang Sawallisch
conductor
•
41Ail
r . ‘ , •
cy"
eipky.
Fresh from an engagement in New York's
Avery Fisher Hall, conductor Sawallisch
leads the Vienna Symphony in a program
that will please every music lover.
Brahms Tragic Overture
Mozart Symphony no. 41 (Jupiter)
Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Sunday, November 10
8:00 pm Eisenhower Auditorium
MC/VISA CALL TICKET INFORMATION: Students $l3, 11, 9
863-0255 Nonstudent $l6, 14, 12 Tickets available at
Eisenhower Auditorium box office weekdays, 9.4
Center for the Performing Arts!The Pennsylvania State University
COMING EVENTS
DAVID COPPERFIELD - MAGICIAN. NOV. 17
Astounding, mystifying, thoroughly enjoying 3:30 & 7:3opm Eisenhower
MARYA MARTIN - FLUTIST. NOV. 22
Naumburg prize winner Bpm Schwab
A CHRISTMAS CAROL - DEC. 1
A joyful holiday treat 2:30 & 7:3opm Eisenhower
The Daily Collegian Friday, Nov. 8, 1985-11
Even when implemented, album rating is a
joke. Afflicted albums will bear stickers
warning potential buyers that purchase of the
album might forfeit any hope of a bright
future.
I, as a rock singer whose album was just
rated, am merely going to surround the
warning sticker with stickers of my own that
make a satirical farce of the whole affair,
right?
The truth is there is a definite division
between reality and the odd humor of these
"objectionable" lyrics. I would guess at least
99 percent of the young listeners see this
divison. If the PMRC cannot see this separa
tion, than perhaps they could use their admi
rable faith to trust that it exists, because it
does. At least 99 percent of these young
listeners can see it. The 1 percent or less who
can't had problems long before sick lyrics
entered their lives.
This dedication to a cause is in itself admi
rable. It would be useful if this energy could
be changed from a destructive to a creative
force. A number of unsaved whales or what
have-you might actually benefit from the
PMRC's committment, zeal, and media cov
erage.
But when it comes right down to it, whale
saving helps whales, album rating doesn't
really help anyone.
Todd G. Fitch is a sophomore majoring in
community information systems and a col
umnist for The Daily Collegian. His column
appears every other Friday.
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