Phil Collins, KISS: can't we all just get along?

In the March 31 article on the concerts at the Bryce Jordan Center, Jake Stuiver put the two concerts together and dared to imply that Phil Collins was a clown and KISS was not.

Did I miss something? KISS: six-inch platform shoes, blood spitting tongues, total face makeup, leather tights and music that would scare Frankenstein. Is this normal? Phil Collins: T-shirt, dockers, trainers, two beautifully voiced "back-up" singers and lyrics that actually mean something. Who are the clowns?

The two concerts should never have been in the same article; they are so different in approach, texture and audience.

Of the Collins show, Stuiver said "some fans seemed relatively entertained." Was he even there? I experienced a Jordan Center about two-thirds full of exuberant fans, who screamed, clapped, danced and enjoyed themselves immensely.

It's as though Stuiver has something against Collins. Why was he so negative? What's the point of bashing one band over another? Can't we live harmoniously -- especially in the world of music, where harmony is key? Isn't there enough hate in the world? Why do we have to pick on somebody just because their decibel level isn't as high as the other guy?

Jerry Sawyer
Broadcast Programming Specialist,
WPSX-TV

Gay support petition misleading to signers

About a couple of weeks ago, I was asked to sign a petition. I was approached by a guy who said something like, "I am against gay bashing and violence against gays, would you like to sign a petition supporting that?" I thought there was little harm in signing such a petition. I did ask him if this is in anyway opposed to STRAIGHT or its viewpoints. The petitioner promptly replied, "No."

About a week ago, I saw this humongous advertisement boldly declaring, "We are not afraid . . . we support homosexual rights . . . " I was shocked. I saw my name in that ad. In a way, I felt lied to and somewhat betrayed.

Yes, I do believe homosexuality is unnatural and immoral; attempting to find biological evidence to prove such things is absolutely ridiculous. I do believe homosexuals can turn their lives around and become heterosexual as well. Please do not get me wrong, I don't hate homosexuals but I don't approve of their lifestyle.

I suppose I was a bit naive in not carefully considering what I was signing. Next time, I will be very careful. I consider it a lesson learned. My intention is not to cause tension or further argument. However, I am quite angered at the way this petition was carried out. I believe I was lied to. It is my hope that we all learn some sort of lesson from this.

Jason Suh
sophomore-political science

'Calculus party' bust ridiculous to student

This letter to the editor is inspired by my first run in with Penn State's disciplinary action committee. The fact that I am senior here at Penn State, and that I have never run across any trouble previously led me to foolishly believe that I would leave this university unscathed by its system. I was wrong.

During the night in question, I was sitting in my dorm room, calmly enjoying a beer. Being 22, I naturally assumed that I was doing no wrong, which is why I made no attempt to hide this alcohol when a resident assistant knocked upon my door.

The RA was quick to notice the beer in my hand and she understandably asked for my ID, which I displayed to her. Next, she asked for my roommate's ID, which I did not understand because I was clearly the only one drinking. My roommate was busy helping a friend from across the hall with his calculus homework.

However, he handed his ID over without question, proving that he also was indeed of age. Next, the R.A. asked to see the ID of my friend from across the hall, Which struck me as odd because I was unaware that there was an age limit on receiving help with your homework.

When the R.A. realized that my friend was only nineteen, she wrote us up and charged us with having a party. While admittedly, calculus is an extremely exciting topic, it is by no means, a party. However, my roommate, our friend and I were all charged with throwing a party, and we were forced to pay $15 and attend an alcohol awareness class.

Outside of this campus, nothing that I had done that night would be considered wrong. While all of the people that I came into contact with during my disciplinary procedure agreed that it was ridiculous, they all claimed to be helpless in the face of this ridiculous rule.

The "awareness" class that I attended consisted of useless video of a student binge drinking and an instructor reading mindlessly out of a pamphlet of alcohol laws in Pennsylvania. Even if I had actually been an underage student with a drinking problem, I do not see how this program could be of any benefit.

Penn State advertises on-campus housing as the best community in town. After everything that has transpired, I feel that it is anything but a community -- it actually feels more like a juvenile detention center. I am not a juvenile, and I think that it is about time for Penn State to stop treating students as if they were.

Adam Leonardo Miller
senior-English