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Editorial
Secret war
Our country is at war, and whether you agree with
President Bush's decision or not, all of our lives
have been affected. If you have seen television lately,
you probably watched the news or some special on
the war in the Gulf.
The media has constantly been updating the
situation and gathering insights and opinions from
various experts on the Middle East to keep us
informed.
All of this coverage has brought the war into our
living rooms via television each evening with
frightening details. It would seem that the American
public has all the information it needs to decide how
it feels about the war. Or does it?
Unfortunately, we are not being told the whole
story. It's not journalists who are withholding
information from the public, but the military.
For the first time during any war, the United
States military is censoring what the media can report
to the public.
In no other war has the military dared to revoke
the First Amendment rights, until now. Not during
the World Wars, not during the Korean War, not
even during Vietnam.
Perhaps it was Vietnam that determined the
military's decision towards media coverage in the
Gulf. The military must fear that if the American
public was completely informed, that public support
of the war would turn sour, just like it did during
Vietnam.
But the military does not have the right to
withhold information from the people of this
country. As Americans, we have the right to be given
all the facts in order to make up our minds.
After all, the military's function is to protect our
country and our country's interests. And who is
beftetrtiaalified to determined America's interests
than Americans themselves?
The Collegian
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Editor
Todd J. Irwin
Business Manager
Christie Redmond
The Collegian's editorial opinion Letter Policy: The Collegian
is determined by the editorial staff, encourages letters on news
with the editor holding final coverage, editorial content and
responsibility. Opinions expressed university affairs. Letters should
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Pennsylvania State University. persons. Letters should be no
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester
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All letters should provide the
address and phone number of the
writer 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
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no later than noon on Tuesday
prior to the desired publication
date.
Senior Editor
Mark Owens
Senior Editor
Robb Frederidc
Associate Editor
Christi Luden
Associate Editor
Greg Geibel
Layout Editor
Chris Kocott
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The Collegian
O p inion
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Letter to the Editor
Phoebe studys abroad
Hi everyone! I'm doing
fine over here in Germany.
Things are a little tense
though since the war started.
There are constantly
demonstrations, which aren't
only anti-war, but also anti-
American, so I try to stay
away from them pretty much.
Someone told me that just to
be safe if anyone asks me
where I'm from, tell them
Canada.
The weather is awful. It
doesn't really snow here, it's
just cold, windy and rainy all
the time. The city itself is
Thursday, January 31, 1991
Editorial
beautiful. It's right on the
Rhine. I've been traveling
quite a bit already. Most of
the cities are half really old
(pre-war) and half really
modem (post-war), all mixed
together.. It's really nice.
If anyone wants to write
I'd love to here from you. My
address is:
Phoebe Bonfardine
do C. Potz
Wormser Str.2s
5000 Koln 1
Germany
Salt.
loki
Ed. Note: Phoebe
Bonfardine is
participating in Penn
State's Study Abroad
program this semester.
Anyone interested in
learning more about
this program should
contact Mari Trenkle
in the Glenhill
Farmhouse at 898-
6160.