Penn State Basketball

After watching the film about Penn state basketball and coach Rene Portland, I wasn't shocked, but disappointed. I do not think I am ignorant to the different types of discrimination, but its not something I always think about.

There were so many issues I had with Rene Portland from her just not allowing Lesbians on the team, assuming people were lesbians, interrogating people, telling people who they could be around, but what was the most irritating was her and the school preventing these ladies from going other schools after she romeved them from the team or they were harassed into leaving. Either by tampering with medical documentations or just openly threatening them by saying they will not play anywhere else. This is just so dishonest and plain mean. You may have your views or moral values, but to purposely damage someones life is unacceptable. She is suppose to be a coach which is a role model to these young women and set good examples. When I played on teams I looked up to my coaches and put a lot of trust into them. If I had been treated like these girls I do not know how it would have affected me. I believe it would have discouraged me from doing what I love and I can imagine the pain I would have gone through. Instead of growing these youn woman she was more concerend about tearing them down.

Treating people with respect and common human decency can be a start. The old saying of do to others as you would want done to you really needs to be taken seriously. The "I'm better than you" or" my way is the only way" needs to be toned down. Working on ourselves to be the best people we can be will go farther than worrying about trivial stuff about others. Focus energy to things you can actually control.

Vanessa Humic
SEC 6
KIN 338i