Thursday, March 26, 1998
Lecture will help students know rights
Anyone who has ever had an encounter with the police can tell you that, if nothing else, it can be very intimidating. Most people are not always sure exactly what their rights are or how far the police can or can not go. By now, everyone has probably heard about professor Heicklen's weekly protest. A big part of what he is trying to do is to prevent the government from violating the constitutional rights of the people, but how many people actually know what all their rights are?
While there are laws designed to protect our personal rights and
freedoms, it is often very difficult to apply this to our everyday
lives. Everyone knows about their basic rights, but what can you
do if you are approached by a police officer? More importantly,
what is the officer not able to do? I believe, however, that it
is important for everyone to learn what their rights and freedoms
are, no matter how difficult a task this may prove to be. The
Penn State chapter of the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws will sponsor a lecture
by attorney Joseph Amendola titled "Know Your Rights,"
at 8 p.m. today in 60 Willard.
This lecture will cover the topics I have mentioned, as well as
many other issues involving our freedoms. I strongly urge as many
people as possible to attend this lecture, it may be a good chance
to learn about rights you never knew you had, you may also learn
something that could help you in the future. Any questions about
the meeting can be directed to bnorml@psu.edu or mcm174@psu.edu.
Mike Mazack
junior-political science
Past USG leaders lost sight of integrity
Honor, ethics, morals. Three words which may have lost their value in today's world of kill or be killed. Why does a student aspire to be a leader? Past Undergraduate Student Government presidents may have proven me wrong, but I still believe, in my heart, that we are here to better the University, to better the Penn State experience.
As citizens of the United States, we put our trust and faith into
the federal government, to represent our wants, desires and needs.
Here at Penn State, we should be able to put our faith in USG.
But, time and time again, we have been the audience to degenerate
scandals, from the allegations of voter fraud this November, to
today's current issue of elections court depravity. As candidates,
we are appalled at the conduct of some "leaders" of
USG in this election. It is a shame that an organization which
has the incredible ability to improve this University, be wasted
through the childish games of a few self-serving individuals.
It is time that we change USG. It is time that we DO stand up
for our honor, our ethics and our morals. It starts with the leaders,
the role models of an organization and reaches each and every
student. There are some things worth more then winning. As leaders
of this University, we must not lose site of these invaluable
beliefs.
Mario Ciabarra Jr.
junior-science, USG presidential candidate
Allison Szabaga
sophomore-marketing, USG vice presidential candidate
Episcopal bishop not ready for position
This is in response to the column written by Laurian R. Bowles on March 19, which spoke out against those who condemn homosexuality. Within the column Bowles made an excellent point about the nature of sin; however, the opinion she put forth about the Rev. Gene Robinson's nomination for bishop is off base.
Bowles exhorts her readers to consistency by pointing out that
it is hypocritical for people to censure homosexuals as sinners
because according to the Bible the accusers are in the same boat.
"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23). Bowles goes on to say she does not believe
that homosexuality is a sin, and even though Robinson admits he's
a practicing homosexual he should be allowed to become a bishop.
However, the church, which believes that the Bible is the word
of God and that what is written within it is truth, should have
the same coherence that Bowles wrote of earlier.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 the Apostle Paul states that homosexual
offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible speaks
out against homosexual activity in several other places in.
The fact that Robinson already has a leadership position in the
church is inconsistent. How can this man direct people in the
ways of God when he openly disregards them by practicing and condoning
homosexual relationships? In fact, it seems that it would be hard
for any church to say something was right or wrong when it allows
its leaders to openly contradict the scriptures and feel they
are justified in doing so.
I'm not saying that church leaders are perfect people, but they
are called to strive for perfection (Romans 6). The fact
is that no one is perfect, but the Bible says God loves us (John
3:16) and "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"
(1 John 1:9).
I feel that Robinson needs to reconcile his views with scripture,
confess his sin and then he will be ready to become an effective
leader and a Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.
Theodore Muench
freshman-engineering
Church experiences not positive ones
I too, Gregory Nagurney (columnist on Wednesday), am Catholic. Sort of. However, I had parents that were cool enough to let me play sports in high school, instead of going to those CCD classes.
When I got to college, I thought that I would give Catholicism
a chance, and I signed up for the confirmation group. I really
tried to learn, I wanted to be exposed to the things I missed
when playing basketball in high school. How naive. I couldn't
understand why I couldn't get a straight answer. I wasn't even
talking about the hard questions, you know the ones on abortion,
divorce, birth control. After many unanswered questions, I began
to get discouraged.
I one day presented the priest with a true scenario and a question
that went like this: My brothers and sisters go to a Catholic
school, and we are members of its church. However, we more often
attend another church that is closer to home.
One day, my parents got a letter in the mail from the church (that
we are members of), and it wanted to know why we weren't turning
in our collection envelopes. It further went on to state that
if we didn't start turning in our collection envelopes, the tuition
for my brothers and sisters was going to be increased. My question
was this: If the tithe is a VOLUNTARY gift to the church, why
were they threatening to raise my brothers' and sister's tuition?
The priest had no satisfactory answer, and I dropped out of confirmation
class. My parents now come down and visit me every Easter to make
sure I go to church, and all I can say to Nagurney is: Amen.
Leslie Luba
senior-biochemistry and molecular biology
