Letters to the Editor

Protesters should’ve been more respectful

On March 24, Gina Giazzoni, one of the protesters at the Star Parker disturbance, attempted to "set the record straight" on what actually took place during Parker’s lecture on Dec. 3. In the interest of truth, I think it is only fair to explain what really occurred that evening.

USG needs someone to fight for students

For four years, I have watched these Undergraduate Student Government campaigns make promises that they can’t possibly keep. This year, the big one is lowering food prices in the HUB. At this point, it’s starting to make me sick. Why do these candidates continue to promise us things that they could never make work? Penn State obviously has very little concern for the students at this university. How else can an expansion to Beaver Stadium be explained when student housing hasn’t been added in 20-some years? There is only one way to get anything done around here. We need someone who is sick and tired of the way this money-hungry joke of a university is run, and is willing to stand up and tell it like it is.

We need someone who is going to rally students together and really unify us in a stand against the university and its god-awful, policy-making and fee-imposing mechanism. USG cannot prevent our student activity fee from going to the HUB expansion. But 40,000 angry students can.

The president of USG is bribed into playing nice with the free tuition that goes along with the position. We need someone who will get his or her hands dirty and fight for our rights.

I know I’m not the only student here who is sick of being pushed around by the Penn State Corporation. We need someone who is going to make some noise and fight for the students. We need a candidate who is going to stand up and scream, "I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it any more."

Jeff Heyman
senior-telecommunications

Doctor’s offices aren’t open at night

This letter is in response to Julia Adkins’ letter to the editor on the inconvenience of University Health Services’ hours. I don’t pretend to know where she comes from or anything about her hometown, but I have never seen anything but an emergency room open after 5 p.m. I have lived in both small towns and heavily populated areas and have only seen emergency rooms open during the night hours. Most doctors’ offices have shorter hours than those we see here from UHS.

I understand that many offices on this campus run until later into the night, but most of these offices are those that require minimum staff and supervision. Honestly, it is a rare occasion where you will find a doctor’s office open after 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., and those that are, normally are reserved for those with serious injuries or potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Scott Werts
senior-secondary education

Many issues exist to speak up about

This letter is in response to Mark Schoneveld’s recent column. For once, I am in complete agreement with him. Student activism is very low, and we need to express our views with what is going on in the world, nation and community. A perfect example of this would be to express how pissed off you are about recent events in Kosovo. We spend $2.5 billion in taxpayer dollars annually for our actions in Bosnia, a place we have no business to be in the first place. The United States is not the world’s policeman. Another way you can express yourself is by letting it be known how racist social programs such as affirmative action do more harm than good. Basing a decision solely on race or ethnicity rather than merit is wrong.

Or maybe you’d like to tell the administration of this university how mad you are that they are more concerned about milking you for every penny than dealing with a host of problems such as insufficient housing, ridiculous and inefficient parking facilities, and non-English speaking teaching assistants. There are a myriad of things to get active about, so speak up and let your voice be heard.

Bill Abbott
senior-advertising

USG write-ins focus on apathy problem

I am responding to the article regarding the USG presidential/vice presidential campaign of Liquor and Chewboxa. I am running for president as the brownie, Mary Jane Liquor. I am responding to a comment made implying that we are not addressing an issue or problem. I believe we are attacking the biggest problem -- apathy.

For now, we have one huge issue, which is to spark new awareness and interest among the student body. We have ideas for after we are elected, but it is more important to achieve this first crucial goal.

We don’t want to construct some platform to rigidly abide to. We want to tackle problems as they occur; we want to slowly change the face of USG both internally and externally, and we want to introduce a brand of creativity that USG sadly lacks. Another reason for avoiding construction of a platform is the element of surprise our ideas are sure to have over the university; we don’t want to give officials the chance to organize an opposition. Also, creating a platform takes the pressure off the student body to tell us exactly what they want.

Your job doesn’t end after the elections, just as ours doesn’t. Don’t adhere to the idea of a platform and all the old politics it represents. We are for real and are fully capable of running these offices; give us a chance. What do two people, like us, with intelligence and common sense stand for? You and the problems you have. Tell us what we stand for.

Rick Morgan
senior-psychology