Web site owner makes apology

The Digital Collegian [Penn State student newspaper] ^ | December 9,2003 | Bridget Smith

[StopGlobalWhining]

Penn State College Republicans chair Brian Battaglia issued an apology yesterday for offense taken at photographs posted last week on his Web site.

"While we stand staunchly behind our freedom to express ourselves in a lawful manner, after contemplation, we understand that the content of the Web site was offensive to members of our community," Battaglia said during a press conference yesterday in the HUB-Robeson Center.

Controversy arose last week after members of the Black Caucus found photographs on Battaglia's Web site taken at a Halloween party hosted at Battaglia's apartment.

The photographs showed a white man in blackface depicting Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Vice President Takkeem Morgan, an "oversodomized frat pledge," and made a reference to the Ku Klux Klan.

Battaglia said the organization's officers met with Vice President of Student Affairs Vicky Triponey Friday to discuss forming an open forum between the College Republicans, Black Caucus, Allies, USG and the Interfraternity Council.

Black Caucus held its own press conference at noon, at which members of the offended organizations responded to the situation.

In front of about 300 people, Black Caucus Vice President Anesha Ali said she would accept the College Republicans' apology through actions, not words.

"Apologies may come, and while resignations may come, institutional change on behalf of the university is the only acceptable outcome to this situation," she said.

Ali called the situation the first episode of its nature at University Park, but added it is not an isolated incident, referring to threats sent to Black Caucus officers in spring 2001 and this semester's highly publicized sexual assaults.

Among requests made yesterday were that all organizations add the university's anti-discrimination statement to their constitutions and a review of the College Republicans by the College Republican National Committee.

University spokesman Tysen Kendig said the apology is a "positive first step," but it only happened after the group was urged to do so by university officials.

Allies President Sara Ryan said she was concerned about the photographs depicting an "oversodomized frat pledge" because it is an insult to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied community at the university.

"This happened only a few weeks after anti-gay fliers were placed all over campus and on the Allies office door by the same group advertising their Conservative Coming Out Day," she said.

[StopGlobalWhining]

This may be a stupid question but what's an "allied?"

From what I have been able to find out by asking students this question, is that an "allied" is someone who either personally engages in any or all perverted compulsive unnatural sexual behavior, or celebrates the behavior of those individuals who do.

For example, if you either engage in fisting, or embrace and celebrate those who do, then you are an allied. If you either engage in intergenerational sex (pedophilia), or embrace or celebrate those who do, then you are an allied.

At least that's what I've been told.