This round of responses to "A Beaver Stadium Nightmare" was collected from a older generation in order to gain better perspective on the issue. We also felt it was important to hear from the Alumni of this University.
I think that it’s a very unfortunate thing that happened to this woman and husband. When fans of the other team get out of hand, it can be all in good fun, but when it gets personal and people don’t feel safe – this woman was being physically assaulted – I think that’s taking it obviously way too far. You have to remember that you’re watching a game and people have a lot of interest in the outcome of these games. Nobody’s life should be threatened and nobody should be made to feel unsafe at a sporting event. It makes me think of the gentleman who was beaten into a coma on opening day of this baseball season. He was at a Los Angeles Dodgers game wearing a San Francisco t-shirt. The Dodger fans took so much offense to it, they attacked him in the parking lot and he’s been in a coma ever since. Nothing should ever be taken that far especially at a sporting event. So, it’s an unfortunate incident and people need to realize that these are all games that we’re playing and nothing is as important as another person’s life, safety or wellbeing.
Tim
My first reaction is just utter sadness that people would act so inappropriately, but especially in the adult section of the sporting event. My husband and I have been to several collegiate sporting events – specifically with the SCC Division. One of the things that I’ve taken away from each of those experiences is how mature people are. Everyone is certainly cheering for their team and bleeds the colors of their team, but at the end of the day when you walk out of the stadium, somebody won and somebody lost. It’s just a game. You have to be mature about it. I guess I would understand it more if it was in the student section, but I think the people in the alumni section should understand a little bit more that their actions reflect on the University and they’ve had a little bit more life experience. [They should know] that life is a whole heck of a lot more than a sporting event. I’m very sorry for the couple and what they experienced there. It’s too bad.
Kim Kennedy
I’m an alumnus of Penn State, Class of ’74 (which is a long time ago). This really causes a black eye in the Penn State family. This obviously isn’t a good situation. It’s something that certainly doesn’t make you proud to be a Penn Stater when you hear of something like that taking place. Having not been there, I don’t know exact details, but what was explained to me is that there was some physical abuse that took place. Frustration builds up with Penn State fans to the point where they could vent unnecessarily. It’s embarrassing that Penn State fans would stoop to that situation where verbal and physical abuse took place. As an alumnus, you love Penn State. You don’t want something like this to take place. When you hear that it does, it’s disappointing. That it occurred in the alumni section surprises me even more. Alumni are adults and not students. You might expect students to be more reactive in that case. I could see this happening more readily in the student section. That is surprising and again, it’s very disappointing that Penn State people would act like that.
Dave, Class of ‘74
Welcome to Engaging State
WELCOME,
We the class of CAS 222 Foundations of Civic and Community Engagement have come together to create a public webpage/forum for the Penn State community. Over the course of the semester we have discussed many aspects concerning why civic and community engagement is so important when it comes to getting the public involved. Without informed citizens partaking in community involvement; rights such as, voting, free assembly, and free speech would be useless. It has become very evident to our class since reading A Beaver Stadium Nightmare that we needed to apply our knowledge and passion so that we can help better the Penn State community as a whole. Not only by making a public space for the students, but also for the community of State College including teachers, parents and residents. We have provided a space where all of State College can visit and participate in events and activities as well as share their thoughts on each subject. We feel this forum will add a since of unity, pride and gratefulness.
Included in this web space is information on a wide range of events, projects and blogs for the community to get involved with.
These different aspects include a community garden, a public awareness blog, and public interviews to raise awareness of sportsmanship.
We also wanted to enhance our public with knowledge about sportsmanship in the Penn State community after we read the letter published in
the Centre Daily Times as an article entitled “A Beaver Stadium Nightmare." We also learned that Penn State fans were ranked the 7th worst fans
in a recent issue of GQ magazine. We felt this didn't reflect the best of Penn State, and we wanted to change things around. Therefore, some of
our classmates thought it would be a good idea to video record students and athletes while asking them about their experiences (on and off the field)
dealing with sportsmanship and what Penn State pride meant to them. We also had the great opportunity to speak with Coach Russ Rose and Coach
Joe Paterno to get their ideas as well. The video enriches its viewers with a sense of sportsmanship that the entire Penn State Community deserves to see.
The Civic and Community Engagement class forum includes a letter written to Mrs. Baker to express our reactions to the Centre Daily Times' article, our desires to encourage student discourse, and our sincere apologies to Mrs. Baker. While writing this letter, we found it difficult to accurately put our thoughts and intentions into words, partly because we did not know how Mrs. Baker would react. Currently, after many hours of deliberation, the letter exists in a final form and has been sent to her. It begins by addressing Mrs. Baker and mentions her letter to the CDT. Next, the letter links Mrs. Baker's experience and our reaction to public discourse, applying what we had learned in the class. The letter mentions what we have been doing as a class, such as our video and web space. We hope this letter will find her well.
Our class encourages all individuals to read the letter and discuss with other students on campus how we can work together to help better the Penn State Community."As a class, we would like to work forward and we ask that others contribute ideas to assist us in working forward to uphold our name “HAPPY VALLEY”. We hope to sustain our efforts through this web space and video.
As you can see there is a wide variety of activities that are accessible to the State College community that will not only benefit you for becoming an informed and active citizen, but also will benefit the community for the common good.
For more information about, CAS 222 Foundations of Civic and Community Engagement, please visit the Penn State webpage at http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/university_course_descriptions.cfm?letter=C&courselong=CAS%7c222%7c201011FA
Please take the time to explore our webpage and feel free to add your own community involvement because every step forward helps to make a better Future! Thank you for visiting our web space!
Sincerely,
The spring 2011 class of CAS 222
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