Student ungrateful for alumni donations

Let's see if I got this straight. Justin Connors (letter, Jan. 15) receives a free ride through Penn State due to scholarships provided by contributions from alumni and others.

But because of a beef with the University Bursar, "this University will never again see penny from (him), nor (will he) join the Alumni Association, donate to the class gift, give a dime to any Penn State fund raising campaign or even buy a pencil in the bookstore."

We who give the time and money in support of scholarships will be less inclined to continue if that is the thanks we get.

May I suggest he merely deduct the $50 from his reciprocation.

Ralph E. Pilgram Jr
Class of '42

PSU wrestling team lacks news coverage

I would like to express my extreme disappointment with the coverage of the Penn State wrestling team in the Jan. 13 edition of The Daily Collegian.

This team is ranked fourth in the NCAA and during the winter break they were training and practiced twice daily for the remainder of the season's matches.

The team traveled to California to wrestle Fresno State, and California State-Bakersfield on Jan. 4 and 5. They defeated Fresno State, 19-13, and California State-Bakersfield, 21-12.

They returned home for more practice and then went to Michigan to wrestle Michigan State at noon on Jan. 12, and then traveled to the University of Michigan to wrestle again at 4 p.m. the same day.

They defeated Michigan State, 19-18, and Michigan, 23-13.

The Penn State wrestling team won all of these matches against teams ranked in the top 20 of the NCAA. The Daily Collegian only had a three-inch article and only gave credit to two wrestlers. There were no scores and it only covered the trip to Michigan.

The Penn State wrestling program has produced numerous All-Americans and national champions. This is a major sport with a winning record, and deserves the same coverage as the other winter sports.

With six sports writers' articles in this sports section, The Daily Collegian covered only three sports -- basketball, gymnastics and volleyball.

Maybe you could assign a writer to cover the wrestling team.

The wrestling team will be going to the national team duals at Nebraska on Jan. 18 and 19. It would be nice to see an article equal to the "Packers, Patriots, to meet in Super Bowl" you published on Jan. 13.

This team deserves the support of The Daily Collegian and all the students at Penn State.

Herman G. Potter
Pleasant Gap

STRAIGHT talk from group's president

I'm writing this letter to further define the organization STRAIGHT to the campus community. Some of you will like what you read, and some of you won't. This is called anti-political correctness; openly expressing your views and beliefs without trying to please people on both sides of an issue.

When trying to please everybody, you can never be strong in your convictions. Political correctness is the "thing" that's wrong with our system but seems to elude those trying to figure out what's wrong with America.

STRAIGHT is our step toward reversing this unfortunate trend.

There has been incorrect likening of STRAIGHT to the group Allies; however, there is a distinct difference between STRAIGHT and Allies. Allies supports the lesbian, gay and bisexual community's sexual behavior and STRAIGHT does not.

Critics will say the lesbian, gay and bisexual community doesn't oppose heterosexuality, so it's not right for STRAIGHT to oppose homosexuality.

First, of course the gay community doesn't oppose activity that perpetuates our existence as a species, not to mention brought them into this world.

Second, opposing homosexuality is inseparable from claiming heterosexuality is the appropriate sexuality. Without a comparison, nothing in this world has definition. Nice, sunny days wouldn't be nice if there weren't any rainy days to compare them to. Likewise, heterosexuality is meaningless as a term until compared to homosexuality.

There is undeniably a question in many people's minds (not mine) as to whether the University will charter STRAIGHT.

For the current members of STRAIGHT, here's the deal: I decided before I started this endeavor that if I started it, I would finish it -- opposition or not.

There is plenty of student support to justify our actions, and more every day. If for any reason STRAIGHT is denied recognition by the University, we will not just go away, because the University will essentially be saying that upon admission to Penn State you must endorse homosexuality.

Is there anybody still confused about why we're doing this?

The most frequent criticism of STRAIGHT is that there is no need. Some say that since we're the majority, we have all the power and representation we need. Well, this is a test of the hypothesis that heterosexuals have all the power.

I have been told by members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Student Alliance board of directors that any faculty member whowould join or become STRAIGHT's adviser would essentially be committing career suicide.

This is no magnificent revelation, because most people could also make that assumption. If we have all the power, why can't a professor join STRAIGHT? We're not hurting anyone, and don't even think that no professor shares the same ideology as STRAIGHT, because that's only wishful thinking.

Join STRAIGHT, no job. Now tell me again: who has all the power?

Many people want to know what STRAIGHT will do as an organization. Well, I must admit that since there is no example to follow, I'm not 100 percent sure. Setting that example will surely be the case, which in itself is justification enough, and just existing will already be "doing something."

LGBSA has a social time during their meetings. This is a great idea.

At STRAIGHT meetings, people could socialize and learn about members of the opposite sex and how to better maintain those relationships, or initiate them.

This is part of the "preservation" aspect of STRAIGHT that many people are confused about.

If you want to join STRAIGHT, E-mail me your address and phone number at dal172@psu.edu. I am currently days away from submitting our constitution and request to the Undergraduate Student Government Supreme Court for STRAIGHT's charter as an officially recognized student organization at Penn State.

Darin A. Loccarini
STRAIGHT president