Pride Week packed with exciting events

The rally will be held at noon today. Featured speakers will include Tony D'Augelli, professor in the College of Health and Human Development; John Bell, with the Continuing and Distance Education Department; Elisha Nixon, from the Multicultural Resource Center; Terrell Jones, from the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity; and Sallie McCorkle, chair of the Commission for LGB Equity.

LGBSA decided several months ago to change our name, to be more inclusive of the diversity existing in the LGBT community. At the rally, we will be unveiling the new name. We will also be distributing buttons and Pride Week programs and selling T-shirts.

The Pride Week theme, "Forging Freedom," represents the struggle of LGBT people to bring about change, in spite of great pressure and many obstacles to equality. The theme and logo of a rainbow being built indicate both how far we have come as a community and how far we have yet to go.

Everyone is welcome at all Pride Week events, regardless of sexual orientation. Presence at the rally is a great way to show support for the LGBT community. Other Pride Week events include a social mixer; programs by Sapphire, a black bisexual performance poet, and Trinity, a spiritual drag queen; and a conference including workshops on multi-minority issues, bisexuality, activism and more. To find out more about these and other events, attend the rally, pick up a program in the LGBSA office at 310 HUB or visit our World Wide Web site at http://www.clubs.psu.edu/lgbsa.

Alex Boyd
secretary and treasurer, LGBSA

Campaign workers made job difficult

I am also the project chairperson for the HUB bulletin boards. Every Sunday, we remove a week's worth of posters, announcements and for sale signs that shroud the basement bulletin boards. This job is typically easy and takes us about half an hour to accomplish; that is, as long as we are given a chance to do our work.

This was not the case on March 22. Waiting for the bulletin boards to be cleared were 15 or more representatives of the candidates running for Undergraduate Student Government offices. These people were eager to get their messages and endorsements posted, not after the bulletin boards were cleared, but while they were being cleared. Perhaps they were too eager. They made our job difficult, at best. At worst, they were downright rude and intrusive.

Do not get me wrong. I understand and appreciate the enthusiasm displayed, but this zeal should not interfere with our ability to satisfactorily accomplish our job. We were surrounded by a wall of people that constantly bumped and impeded us. Arms were reaching around, over, and seemingly through us at times. It was frustrating trying to work under those conditions.

This should not have to be tolerated. It was angering to the point of inciting me to write, something to which I have more than just a mild aversion.

Of course, not all the people were annoying; some even apologized for the chaos. I thank them for their courtesy and respect. To them, I apologize for this general commentary regarding the past weekend. To the others, well, you know who you are. Candidates: Perhaps you should realize that the people posting the fliers are your representatives and your responsibility.

Their actions are damaging to your efforts and they are a reflection on your name and your integrity. Maybe you should supervise their activities a little closer. I regret having to write this letter. I ask you to understand our concerns. Your future cooperation is appreciated.

Wylie Gomez
Penn State Circle K

Attack on Catholics unwarranted, wrong

If Nagurney has a personal problem with Catholicism and organized religion in general, that is fine with me. But the Collegian should not print such religiously intolerant writings. I know that Nagurney is protected by the Constitution and I am not in any way trying to strip anyone of the right to free speech. But if I tried to have an article containing racially intolerant ideas printed in the Collegian or any respectable newspaper for that matter, I would be turned down.

So how are religiously intolerant ideas different from racially intolerant ideas? They're not. Both are personal attacks on a specific group of people.

The Collegian states on its World Wide Web page, "The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for length and to reject letters if they are libelous or do not conform to standards of good taste."

I am perplexed as to how Nagurney's ideas are in considered to be in good taste. Nagurney seems to feel that it is permissible for him to attack Catholicism because he attended a few CCD classes. He even seems to be proud of the fact that he drove one CCD teacher to retire. Nagurney may have attended a few masses, but he has failed to understand what religion is about.

Nagurney says that he is a Christmas and Easter Christian now. I feel there is no such thing as a Christmas and Easter Christian. Even going to church every week doesn't mean you are a Christian. You have to live your religion, regardless of which one you believe in, every day of your life.

I am not trying to convert anyone. That is not my objective here. I want what I have been seeing in Collegian articles ever since I came here. Every day the Collegian runs articles promoting ethnic, racial and religious diversity.

I am proud I attended a school that strives so hard for these goals. I just hope that people such as Nagurney are not allowed to hinder any progress in this effort with his slanderous mockery of people and their personal beliefs.

Kevin P.F. Killian
freshman-accounting