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Calls to cancel Penn State’s annual Patrick’s Day drinking marathon

Jerry Sandusky/Joe Paterno fallout makes officials fear more bad publicity

By
JAMES O'SHEA,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Monday, February 20, 2012, 7:18 AM
Updated Monday, February 20, 2012, 11:15 AM

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Penn State gears up for "State Patty's Day" - t-shirts using the Heineken logo (a Dutch beer)
Penn State gears up for "State Patty's Day" - t-shirts using the Heineken logo (a Dutch beer)
Photo by Google Images


Penn State, still reeling from the Jerry Sandusky scandal, are now facing another nightmare -- the annual state St. Patrick’s Day drinking marathon described as a ‘drunken free for all” which has caused major problems for police and college authorities in recent years.

The day, dubbed ‘State Patty’s Day”, attracts drinkers from other campuses around the state and has resulted in very negative headlines for a college reeling from the football coach scandal.

Even though Penn State students are on spring break during St.Patrick’s Day, that does not stop thousands showing up for an all day booze-up.

“Penn State students aren’t put in the best light on State Patty’s Day,” Katelyn Mullen, president of the Association of Residents Hall Students and a member of the Student Alcohol Advisory Committee told Penn Live.com. “They may be seen as cool by other universities, but looking ahead, it’s not the kind of thing I want to be associated with.”

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Mullen and some Penn State officials want to end the St. Patrick’s Day drinkathon.

Last year, state police logged 408 incidents including criminal behavior and arrests. Emergency rooms were swamped with students, some seriously impaired.

“People are throwing up, sometimes urinating in public, using a lot of profane language,” Police Chief Tom King said. “There’s no good aspect of the event. It does nothing but detract from the community.”

“So even when we communicate well with people in this area, we still have difficulty with people who just come here for the day to party and get out of control,  not realizing the negative impact it has on this town,” King said. “We don’t need that ever, but especially at this time, considering all that’s happened over the past few months.”

Emergency services are also strained. “It’s a lot of extra work,” said Dr. Theodore Ziff, medical director of the emergency department at Mount Nittany Medical Center. “Typically, these patients are time-consuming, somewhat hard to manage.

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See more: St. Patrick's Day , Offbeat , Irish drinks , Irish American
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7 Comments

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Redrowan | Feb 21, 2012, 09:06 PM EST
While my sentiments on this are the same as most, as to those who embarrass themselves with the red hair, the oversized hats and plastic shillaleghs and the obvious overindulgence in alcohol and profanity. I also take offense at this website. This past weekend the students of Penn State raised $10.68 million dollars for pediatric cancer. They did this by canning, sponsored donations, and a dance marathon. It's easy to pick on an institution when it's down but be even handed or is that asking too much? The press gave this event absolutely no coverage and it is something they have been doing for years. The same thing happened when the Seals got Bin Laden, there was an open display of pride and patriotism displayed that has not been seen in the U.S. for a long time. You want to report the bad stuff, Sandusky, Joe Paterno's inaction go ahead , but when some good is being done in the world that should be given notice too. Red

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MarybethC.P. | Feb 21, 2012, 01:00 PM EST
Alcohol- The Gateway Drug! Does the university officially sponsor STATE Patty's Day? It would seem not, since the students are actually on Spring Break. On the other hand, if the U's Student Health Dept. is treating students who have drunk too much on this occasion, it's in Penn State's interest to get rid of this recent "tradition". STATE Patty's Day is already insulting and degrading to all with Irish roots, and the university is ignorant to allow perpetuation of such an inane activity, ostensibly to celebrate St. Patrick and Irish traditions.

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jamieLM | Feb 21, 2012, 10:31 AM EST
@AMWilson, excellent post. I'm with you 100% and the other posters have made good points, too.

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AMWilson | Feb 21, 2012, 01:43 AM EST
As a native of central Pennsylvania who grew up with the legend of JoePa and Penn State football, AND as a knowledgeable descendant of several Irish emigrant families who literally gave their lives in the steel mills, the coal fields, and especially the railroads of Pennsylvania, I find this "tradition" to be both obnoxious and embarrassing, particularly to Irish-Americans and Central Pennsylvanians. I'm with borefield: 3/17 should be about Irish history and Irish culture, not this disgusting stereotype of "the Irish as the drunks of Europe" being used as an excuse to put on a plastic green hat and get sh*tfaced. If I'm going to drink, it'll be because I'd like to enjoy a drink, and not because I think it's somehow a badge of my "Irishness".

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Willie Green | Feb 20, 2012, 02:32 PM EST
There really isn't much that the University can do to stop it. The United States experiment with alcohol Probibition (1920~33) was a dismal failure. Granted, Pennsylvania's drinking laws are more stringent than many other states. But Students over 21 years of age are legal adults. So despite efforts to restrict on-campus use or penalties for supplying alcohol to minors, it becomes almost impossible to enforce among 40 thousand students when many live off-campus in apartments, fraternities and are legally old enough to purchase and consume alchohol. So I suppose that the "good news" is that this event, although popular, still only represents a minor portion of the student population. As with anything else, it's really just "a few" who spoil the fun and reputations of everybody else.

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Murph46 | Feb 20, 2012, 12:31 PM EST
A Toast To Political Correctness They let Larry Sanduky punder little boys for years. So now it's a frikin crime to have a few beers!

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borefield | Feb 20, 2012, 12:11 PM EST
Why St. Patrick's Day has to be celebrated in this disgraceful & pathetic way is so sad. I grew up in Ireland in the 50's and this was not how we celebrated. Penn State should use this time to set an example this year and stop the drinking, get tough on the irresponsible after behavior. Stick with it, booze found on students, anyone planning a party with alcohol involved , fined. Unless the University sets the standards it will just continue. Sure, there will be annoyance on the part of some students, they will get over it. There is so many other ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, through their wonderful music, poetry, ancient and modern history, folklore, I could go on and on. Engage the students in activities of this nature. I will be watching.

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