The [spectators] expected to see naked people

hoosier · #1 07-08-2003, 10:11 PM

By Justine Maki
Collegian Staff Writer

The four Penn State students arrested during the yearly "Mifflin streak" this past spring are now making their way through the judicial system.

James Rounds (junior-letters, arts, and sciences) was one of the four students arrested and charged with open lewdness and disorderly conduct by Penn State Police Services.

Open lewdness is classified as a sex crime. All criminal convictions appear on background checks done by employers.

Rounds, however, said he would probably not have to go to court because he filed for an Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition, which will expunge the arrest from his record in late August or early September. Penn State put him on probation for the fall semester. The punishment was decided by Judicial Affairs in the spring.

Rounds said about 30 people participated in the streak at the end of spring semester. They stripped under the cover of bushes, wearing shoes and holding their clothes while they ran. About 1,000 spectators were lined up to watch. The purpose of the streak was to relieve stress before spring finals, Rounds said.

Several university police officers followed behind the streakers. He said the spectators pressed the streakers into a single-file line as they ran.

As the streakers continued to run, university police officers on bicycles blocked their way. Rounds said he made it past one bike, but was stopped by another officer and handcuffed.

"[The officer] asked if he could put my shorts on me after a few minutes," Rounds said.

Rounds said about eight or nine police officers were at the streak. He said he thought the police were there to show that the university is cracking down on riots.

"I think they have a good cause to quell a riot," Rounds said. "I can understand that interest. I just think it was way too excessive just for people being naked."

Rounds said the crowd that gathered to watch the streak did not get rowdy until the police started to arrest the streakers.

He said he never thought rioting associated with the Mifflin streak was an issue. He participated in the streak for fun, he said, adding that its purpose of relieving stress before finals is a valid one.

"The [spectators] expected to see naked people, so I don't think it's that big of a deal that it happened on campus," he said.

Bill Mahon, Penn State spokesman, said no one should be surprised students were arrested for being naked in public. He said the context of the situation was different than that of a sex crime, but nevertheless public nudity is illegal.

"We arrest people all the time for urinating in public," he said. "That's not allowed in polite society and police arrest people who do it. There is no pass to do things on campus property that you can't do anywhere else."

33girl · #2 07-09-2003, 12:41 AM

I don't know what this has to do with hazing or risk mgmt

but naked people rule.

AlphaFrog · #3 07-09-2003, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 33girl
I don't know what this has to do with hazing or risk mgmt but naked people rule.

It's summer...hoosier's out of Greek stories, so he's moved to random ones...

PS Go Naked People.

[thread=hijack]

Did anyone see the article in Time about the Nudist Kid's Summer camp? It was wierd, but it seems to be legit...

[/hijack]

mmcat · #4 07-09-2003, 08:33 AM

seems a llittle excessive, don't you know?
let's hear it for naked people

Harmony · #5 07-09-2003, 04:37 PM

Yeah, it was way excessive. The Mifflin Streak is a tradition to get a break before finals. A friend of mine made a good point though. The cops knew where the streakers were coming from, where they were going, when they were starting, they weren't wearing anything so the cops shouldn't have been worried about them pulling a weapon or anything...and they only caught 4???? Now THAT makes me feel safe

They shoulda just left 'em alone!

BSUPhiSig'92 · #6 07-09-2003, 06:34 PM

I remember when I was an undergrad there was a lot in the news about "The Naked Guy" at Berkeley. He got a court order that allowed him to go everywhere naked...including class!

CatStarESP4 · #7 07-10-2003, 04:02 AM

Hoosier, funny story, but wrong forum to put it in. In the Chit Chat forum, they have a thread for that. I don't think this is forum for this article. This is the forum to discuss and debate hazing issues. Not once did I see a GLO mention in the article (and I read it at least once), just some GDIs running around naked.

Now on to something else almost completely different, but very much related

BSUPhiSig'92, I can't believe that some guy actually got a court order to go around that campus naked. ROTFLMAO!