Letters to the Editor

Resources available for binge drinkers

I am confused by the front-page article on binge drinking in the Collegian yesterday. What was the point of the article? To publicize the behavior of a particular type of student? To reach an audience through an absurd shock value? Clearly the point was not to inform or educate our campus.

I support Eric Hanzel’s right to consume as much alcohol as he feels he needs to. Any adult over the age of 21 has that freedom. Personally, I may question his motivation, or wonder why he needs to make drinking a regular part of his day. I fully support his right to control his own body. However, what I do not support is his or anyone’s disregard for their actions when drinking. He or any person who drinks to the point of blacking out is not in control of their body. That in no way excuses their actions.

Unfortunately the ramifications are dangerous -- not only for them but for the people with whom they interact.

A flaw in the article was the lack of concrete resource information for students and other members of the Penn State community. The authors failed to mention that, for example, there is an Addiction Specialist available through the office of Counseling and Psychological Services in Ritenour. There is also the HealthWorks program, which is an undergraduate peer education program, also located in Ritenour.

It is virtually useless to say "help is available on campus in many ways" without specifically naming that help. For those students who are concerned about their own behavior or the behavior of those they care about, how does this article help them find out where to get help? It does not.

One could also question what the impact of this article will be on the larger community. While we know that not every student consumes as much alcohol as Hanzel and his friends, I wonder whether this is an appropriate representation of Penn State students.

Brian R. Jara
graduate-higher education and women’s studies

This letter is in response to Laura Hennessey’s March 16 column and the subsequent discussion during the following days. Until recently, I was unaware of the multitude of hate groups located in central Pennsylvania.

I was quite disturbed to find out that such hatred is breathing and living so close to campus. Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that such racism is prevalent right here, in University Park. While we may not be breeding future Klan members, there is certainly a presence of ignorant views scattered throughout campus.

I am not saying the members of the Penn State community are racist, but rather that as a whole, we are not immune to ignorance. Before anything else, we need to focus on battling racism and sexism on our home front. It will take time and dedication, but it can be done. The university prides itself on the "ethnic diversity" found throughout campus, and they certainly try to deliver. However, the simple fact is that there is nothing that the university can do to change people’s views. It is up to us, the members of the Penn State community, to make the difference.

If someone makes a racist, sexist, homophobic or any other comment that might disturb you, speak out. Object. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Perhaps by expressing our views on the individual level, "diversity" will eventually become a reality rather than a promise Penn State can’t provide on its own.

Christopher Pulini
sophomore-computer engineering

We spent 75 minutes talking about the Patriot and his e-mail letter to columnist Laura Hennessey in my Race and Ethnicity class (Sociology 119). Between all 250 students in the class, the majority of them white, there wasn’t one person that shared any viewpoints with the "Patriot." I did not share mine with the class, as many other students did, but instead I waited so that instead of just telling 250 students, about my feelings on the e-mail, I could reach 40,000.

You start your argument by calling Hennessey a "race traitor" and call her views "perverted." Let me ask you this: Which is a bigger threat to our society, a "race traitor" such as Hennessey, who is trying to bring our society together through education, or someone who only identifies him/herself as "The Patriot" and wants to represent himself through violence and warfare? Be assured that there is no room in jails for people as Hennessey, but plenty of space for people such as yourself who solve problems with violence just as you accuse the "nigger ... culture."

It may be true that a large percentage of our prisons are filled with black people but do not deceive yourself into thinking that this is due to the quality of our police force and justice system. There are too many people like the Patriot for there to actually be "justice." Thankfully there are many people like Hennessey who are willing to make positive changes and not negative ones.

Keith Weiss
sophomore-business