Collegian slighted Touch of Africa again

I have one question addressed to this University's student newspaper that is supposed to represent the student's diversity on campus.

What do we have to do for you to spend one little article once a year about The Touch of Africa? (I am not even asking for a picture.) Are minorities' events so unimportant in this school that you cannot cover an event that only happens once a year?

Why is it that you don't even seem to bother about a celebration that gathers more and more students every year. This was the most important event of last week-end and hundreds of people were there. Even the mayor of State College was there. Do we have to invite University President Graham Spanier himself? Do we have to fill up Beaver Stadium for you to pay attention?

Why is it that you haven't covered the most important event of the African Student Association two years in a row? What do we have to do to be acknowledged by the Collegian, which we as minority read just like anybody else on this campus? Why Why? Why?

Marieme Doukoure
senior-industrial engineering

Be aware of dangers during spring break

Several beers later, we all felt quite nauseous. We assumed it was a combination of the hot sun and alcohol, so we headed back to our rooms. I couldn't sleep, so I drank a glass of water to cool me off.

Soon, I felt much worse. I ended up sick in the bathroom every five minutes. Normally, alcohol doesn't affect me that way, but I later learned it was the tap water that had made me sick. On top of that, I hadn't put sunblock on so I had a blistering burn.

A few nights later, we went out to a social club. It was crowded and everyone was having a great time. My friend Angie started dancing with this guy and they really seemed to hit it off. She pulled me aside and told me she'd be fine. At first I was hesitant about leaving her with him, but many drinks later, concerns for Angie had slipped my mind.

The next morning, we couldn't find her. Thinking nothing of it, we headed to the beach for our last day of sun. There was Angie, with tears in her eyes. She couldn't remember anything about the previous night, but she told me she woke up alone on the beach. It turned out some drug was slipped into her drink. She didn't remember the guy's name and had no way of finding him."

This may seem like an unbelievable story, but this happens all the time. Have a wonderful spring break -- and don't get yourself in a situation like this, it can happen before you even know what's going on. Learn about the place you're going, take care of yourself, your friends and the people around you.

And remember, your life, your health and your future are more important than anything that could happen during spring break -- more important than a case of beer, a night of sex, a nice tan or the image we all try to keep up. This time, come home with a story about spring break you'll feel good about.

HealthWorks

Student-athletes get enough from school

After I read the article I was appalled. These people get a free education at a great University and then they expect the University to pay for their food. Pete Lisicky says something about how they would get paid for this in another governing body.

I think the $30,000 they receive for tuition and books is enough pay. Then Lisicky says, "I know that life isn't fair but this is a great injustice."

Yeah, I feel really bad for him and the others. I don't know how they deal with it. I know that playing a sport demands a lot of time, but they knew that before they came here. I'm pretty sure that they were aware of the fact that they were going to receive a free education in order to play a sport. I think that they have to look to the future.

I wonder what the odds are for a college athlete to go pro and hit it off. I would say not very good. So, what happens to those athletes who don't make it? They will get a good job somewhere because they have a degree from Penn State.

And what about the people who receive academic scholarships? Maybe they need some extra spending money. I don't hear them complaining that they have so much homework to do that they can't get a job and therefore need some extra money. If you want to have money to spend during the semester, you should do what everyone else has to do.

Get a job in the summer. I think that it is very greedy to expect any more from the University.

If the University would buy my books for one semester, I wouldn't be asking it for some extra cash for food. There are more important things for the University to spend money on. Maybe if the University saves up enough money it could start installing some on-campus parking for students.

Marc Sodl
junior-engineering

Same-sex couples deserve equal rights

In his letter he presents as the basis of his argument the statement that "If a certain 'right' is detrimental (to) the rights of other people, then that 'right' is not really a 'right.'"

He argues that same-sex couples access to the social and economic benefits of marriage hurts his "right" to discriminate; therefore, there is no right to same-sex marriage.

He overlooks the long history of competing "rights" in this country -- the "right" to own slaves vs. the right to live free, the "right" to whites-only restaurants vs. the right to public accommodation. But his argument is empty anyway. None of the groups arguing for same-sex marriage are trying to force churches to perform or recognize those marriages.

They (and I) are concerned with the civil and legal responsibilities and benefits accorded to married couples. His church can continue to discriminate all it likes. The state should not.

John Bell
University staff member