Letters to the editor

Improv skit offensive

We attended Friday Night Improv on Sept. 6, 2002. We were… Improv skit offensive

We attended Friday Night Improv on Sept. 6, 2002. We were appalled at one of the sketches. It was called “Bored Morticians.” This sketch consisted of four people playing “cadavers” and two people playing the morticians. The morticians were to make the cadavers act out a play. The play of choice was Jack and the Beanstalk. During the “performance,” Jack’s mother was made to smack him repeatedly and yell the word “faggot.” We realize that comedy stretches boundaries. However, they took it too far. This series of actions was repeated at least a dozen times within 10 minutes. We felt personally insulted and to demonstrate this we left.

Had this been a racial slur or religious comment it would not have been tolerated. We feel that the GLBT community has the same right as any other community to tolerance and respect.

Patricia Smith

CAS Senior

Rebecca Weber

CAS Junior Pitt fans not obnoxious enough

I wanted to respond to Monday’s editorial, “Pitt fans have finally proven themselves.” As an usher for more than three years at Three Rivers Stadium, PNC Park and Heinz Field, I have a unique perspective of Pittsburgh fans, dealing with them approximately 60 to 70 times a year. That said, I wanted to oppose your assessment of Pitt fans.

I thought the crowd was pretty pathetic on Saturday. Not because of how “rude” we were to Texas A’M’s fans, but because we weren’t loud enough in harassing A’M’s football team. You could hear a pin drop inside that stadium. And what’s so wrong with a little opponent bashing?

Why not let Pitt fans make (or keep) their own traditions that are very much in tune with the other sports fans of the city? The calling card of Pittsburgh fans is their cynicism, misery and chronic complaining. Go to a Steelers game and you’ll see what I mean. When the team falters a little, fans complain, heckle, curse and cajole. This is our legacy. Nothing makes for a greater atmosphere than ridiculing the so-called “great” teams and fans, hoping somehow to boost the Panthers by discounting opponents, rather than giving them credit.

They might earn a victory, but I reserve the right to call them overrated (listen up, Texas A’M, Miami, Va. Tech). Don’t criticize Pitt fans for harassing the Texas A’M fans! I’d expect nothing less to be done to me if I were going into an opponent’s stadium. It’s intimidating to the fans, players and coaches. Fans of other teams won’t come to root against the Panthers, and if they do, they’ll be shouted down!

Pitt fans ought not strive to be the type of fans that respond to dancing, waving and mindless-cheer-leading cheerleaders. I thought Texas A’M’s cheerleaders looked like fools. The band? So you’re good … so what? You’re still overrated in my book! The University talks of building our own traditions and fan culture, unique from other schools. They should let us be fans the best way we know how … by making fun of “great” fans and their vaunted traditions. It’s a unique Panther tradition!

Let us sing the Victory song the way it’s meant to be sung. Don’t edit out the bridge to the song because we denounce another team! And don’t say we’re being bad fans when we do! We’re most enthusiastic when we can cheer the way we know how! Cheering a Panther victory is No. 1 on the list of everyone’s wishes. That being said, if we lose, I take satisfaction knowing that Penn State, West Virginia, and Notre Dame are losing, too!

I had fun heckling the “Southern charm” and the “aww shucks” attitude of the Texas A’M fans. If the cheerleaders want to do silly dances and arm waving to lead the crowd (who respond like robots), we, as good Pittsburgh fans, should make fun of them! Stadiums should be hostile environments for opposing players and fans. It’s all part of the “home field advantage.” Let us build a tradition of our own, rather than one contrived by the P.C. administration. Bring back the TRUE Pitt Victory Song, and let us cheer the way we want without labeling us poor fans!

Eric Kuczma

CAS Senior