Because of the recent controversy stirred up by Sex Faire and Cuntfest, attention has focused on legislators and national talk show hosts. But one ingredient of the mix is missing — the student body opinion.

Students' reactions and opinions have been left out of much of the talk about what is moral or what Penn State's "community standards" should be. The media has thrown around phrases such as "first amendment rights," "freedom of speech," "infringement" and "appropriations" without the input of the student body.

Yesterday, students spoke about the issues and controversies that have captivated Penn State, Pennsylvania and almost the entire nation in the past weeks.

A query that has hung over the heads of state legislators, provoked by State Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery, is whether or not the amount of funding appropriated to Penn State should be influenced by student-run events.

"I don't think it (Sex Faire) should be an issue with state legislators for them to worry about," said Stephanie Clark (freshman-division of undergraduate studies).

Many students said they disliked the ideas of Rep. Lawless and feel he is infringing on first amendment rights of freedom of speech.

"I don't think his opinion on these events should take away funding. They don't seem to have any logical connection," said Jeff Gideon (freshman-division of undergraduate studies).

Some students felt Lawless shouldn't have a problem with Penn State and the events that take place here because he doesn't represent Centre County.

Other students, however, believed the recent events had a negative effect on the university.

"My whole take is Sex Faire could have been done in a more educational way. I think the intentions were right, but the way they went about doing it was wrong," said Chris Mentch (senior-computer science).

"If it (events such as Sex Faire) happens more and more, I think it (funding) will be affected," he added.

Mark Krull (sophomore-international business) said he felt that Sex Faire was taken too far.

"Coming from a conservative background I found it pushed public boundaries of decency," he said.

In response to Lawless' problems with the events Bryan Berical (sophomore-computer engineering) said, "It's our university, he doesn't have to go here."

Steve Weiss (freshman-public relations) believed that the events should be allowed to integrate ideas.

"I think that if you close down such things as Cuntfest and Sex Faire, you're going to suppress people's ideas -- ideas that make this school influential in our country," Weiss said. "Not only will students be deterred from coming to this school because of higher tuition, but because of suppression of freedom of speech."

Lawless and Gov. Tom Ridge have requested that Penn State follow some type of "community standards."

Some students disagree with the community standards idea and think that because of the more liberal atmosphere that the university encompasses, the legislators shouldn't hold the students and community to a certain standard.

"I think pretty much everyone here is 18 or older, making them adults," said Jamye Cappetta (senior-journalism).

"The community here is a little more liberal because of the university," Cappetta said. "There's not as much of a community outrage to the events."

She also expressed that taking away funding would be wrong.

"I don't think it's fair to take away funding from our school because of one or two student events, especially when students have a choice to go to them — students don't have a choice about their tuition," she said.

Some students said they have formulated a negative opinion of Rep. Lawless.

"Basically, he's (Lawless) age discriminating against us," said Liz Covart (freshman-history).

Some students said that if they do not agree with the event, they don't have to attend.

"If you don't like it, don't go," said Andre Aklian (freshman-computer science).

Freedom of speech was a big issue on which students focused.

"Freedom of speech shows diversity on campus," said Brad Simpson (senior-mathematics).

Simpson said he felt Lawless contradicted himself by using tax dollars to travel to Penn State to see Sex Faire, while complaining that the events themselves wasted tax payers' money. He said he had heard Lawless even asked for police service.

"He probably used four or five hundred dollars of taxpayers' money," he added. "It's a double-standard."

Simpson also said that he felt all the attention is showing Penn State in a negative light.

"Instead of paying attention to Thon, it was paid to Sex Faire," he said.