Be courteous, but don't interfere with others

I am writing in response to Jim Kinney's column in the Opinions section of Jan. 24 Daily Collegian. While I understand that it is the Opinions section, and that, indeed, everyone is entitled to their own, Mr Kinney would have been wiser to keep this one to himself.

The title of his column caught my eye, but I expected "the dirty details of human life" to refer to something totally offensive or lewd that really needs to be kept out of public.

When I read far enough to see he was referring to breast feeding, I nearly laughed it off and stopped reading, but the thought struck me that "there's got to be more to it than that," so I continued, looking for the joke.

Unfortunately, there was no joke. I couldn't believe this young gentleman had the audacity to complain to the service desk and then to follow up on his complaint by watching the exchange between the employee and the mother.

His claim that he has the right to be squeamish is true, but does he have a right to interfere with others' lives when they aren't hurting anyone?

My father taught me what is right and wrong in social situations, and I too would give up my seat to a woman on a bus. I often hold doors for people of both sexes, am kind to children and the elderly and do my best to be courteous to others.To me, courtesy means doing what you can to make others lives a little easier and not to interfere with them or their lifestyles.

It seems to me that if Mr. Kinney were truly courteous and respectful of others, then he would know better than to "go tell" on the mother in the store. A true gentleman would have simply let the matter go. One's own awkwardness or embarrassment is no measure for public decency.

He is correct in arguing that decomposition is also a natural process and quite intolerable in a department store.

Sexual acts are also just as natural and just as illegal in public places, but the simple baring of a woman's breast for the purpose for which it was created cannot be more wholesome.

If Mr. Kinney sees breasts only as sexual objects, then he still has some maturing to do.

I wonder if he also condemns the depiction of nudes in paintings and sculptures as indecent and socially unacceptable.

I am for a more decent and civil society, but Mr. Kinney himself has named things far more worthy of criticism: swearing, littering, etc. He would do much better to turn his writing skills to an article about spitting on sidewalks than this.

The mother in the store had every right to be angry that he believed he could tell her what to do.

David C. Bukowski
junior-English

Emotional gun control argument lacking facts

In regard to Joe Shepard's letter, published Jan. 28: Mr. Shepard has no doubt made an excellent emotional cry for gun control laws.

However, his letter seemed to be a little short on facts. For instance, Mr. Shepard mentions that a gun may accidentally discharge while it was being cleaned, and the bullet may strike an innocent bystander.

Since 1930, the population of this great nation has doubled, and the number of firearms has more than quadrupled. This means that the number of firearms, per capita, has doubled. Yet, despite what Mr. Shepard would have us believe, the number of fatal firearm accidents has decreased by more than one-half.

In 1995 the rate was .5 fatal firearm accidents per 100,000 people. So, while it is true that, unfortunately, some people will accidentally be shot by a firearm, it is not as likely as Mr. Shepard makes it seem.

Also, while it is true that "the odd fraternity brawl at 2:15 a.m. Saturday" that Mr. Shepard mentions might not require the safety of a handgun, a study by Professor John R. Lott Jr. of the University of Chicago Law School, using FBI crime statistics, has shown that in areas with right-to-carry laws, allowing law-abiding citizens to carry handguns, crime rates are dramatically reduced.

Murder rates dropped 8.5 percent, rapes dropped 5 percent, aggravated assault rates dropped 7 percent and robbery dropped off by 3 percent. These are significant reductions in crime, that if the laws were adopted in the states that do not have such laws, in 1992 there would have been 1,570 fewer murders, 4,177 fewer rapes, 60,000 fewer aggravated assaults and 12,000 fewer robberies.

Lott's study also showed that the number of fatal firearm accidents would increase by at most nine or ten deaths, compared with the saving of 1,570 lives from the decrease in murder rates. This study is currently being replicated and expanded upon at twelve other universities.

While it is important to look at the emotional side of issues, in this case, the facts do not support Mr. Shepard's arguments.

In fact, they are clear indicators that the answer to rising crime rates may just be returning the Second Amendment guaranties to the people of this nation.

Andrew Kennett
freshman-engineering

Icers' kindness was gift to boy with cancer

Sure, most of the participants in the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon belong to fraternities and sororities, but this past weekend, an independent organization touched the life of one young boy with cancer and his family.

The organization that made this difference in Brian, the young boy's, life was the Penn State Icers. The members of this hockey team, coached by Joe Battista, took the time to create a special memory for an eight-year-old boy.

Just before their Jan. 18 game, the Icers invited Brian, an avid sports fan, to their pre-game meeting. There they tousled his hair, shook his hand, took pictures with him and showered him with gifts of hockey pucks and autographed programs. They even took advice from him for their game and promised him 'not to fight or they would get kicked out of the game.' He was then taken on a tour of the locker rooms and finally to his seat on the stands.

The Icers played their hearts out for Brian and won the game 7-1, much to his delight. He even picked out his favorite player, No. 21 Bryan Rolley. For his little fan, Bryan autographed his stick and handed it to him. This was a day of heaven for a young boy.

I just want to show appreciation on behalf of myself, Brian and his family. A great deal of thanks goes out to a wonderful bunch of guys who are as good off the ice as they are on it. Thank you!

Dina Cappa
sophomore-administration of justice/psychology