THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER By presenting a wide ran*’** of oumior.s ana ideas reprinted from hundreds of campus newspapers, we hope to enhance the quality of ampus life as we inform entertain and engage the national student body We acknowledge the commitment of student journalists across the nation supported by their media advisers and journalism professors, to report the act.vibes .ssjes and concerns of their fellow students PRESIDENT AM) PIBI.ISHER Sheena Paterson Berwick KDITOHIA1 I)IRE( TOR tfeurge K Taylor Speciul Project*, Mark C ha mock EDITORS ON FELLOWSHIP Charles A Hahn. Xwlhttutern .Vru > N• rtheastern l' Jacki Hampton, The Hrreu- Jame» Madison L‘ Kathleen Kobermk Western Herald Western Michigan U Hector P Vargas Jr. The Red and Black t >! < ie»>rgin ('AMPI S RKUHONS DIRECTOR Dick Sublette EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL TDM KOLNICKJ. 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All right* rrwned Subaeription*: SIS. 7 BPA COMMENT AND OPINION MAR'NIE LfE AGAINST DRUNK, driving -wr UIKERfTTEH * HA SUTi Pornography shouldn't warrant our protection By Jason Toth ■ The Daily Utah Chronicle U. of Utah Freedom of speech is inextricably linked to freedom of thought and, as such, is given great deference within the American legal system Under our Constitution, freedom of speech is extended to every form of expression until that expression dangerously trails gresses another important constitution al value. Yet, if a protected nexus exists betwixt speech and thought, it seems fair to ask what type of thought is encour aged by defending hardcore pornogra phy with the First Amendment Even some of the most devout civil lib ertarians have become distraught bv defenders of pornography who cite the First Amendment to protect their pecu liar form of “speech.” It is hardly con ceivable that it was the intent of the framers to formulate a legal “catch-air in the First Amendment The First Amendment and the protections con tained within it were designed not as absolute demarcations, but rather as ideals that could be balanced against other democratic values. Certainly the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, while giving substan tia! weight to “free speech,” has never held that free speech reigned supreme over other equally important human and constitutionally enumerated values Indeed, the Court's perpetual struggle to define the parameters of guidelines such as the “fighting words doctrine" and the “clear and present danger test" indicate that all speech is indeed not protected Pornography reduces men and women to mere animals, incapable of intellectual, spiritual or emotional intimacy. Irving Knstol, a legal philosopher, adds that the effects of pornography are particu larly destructive and dehumanizing toward women. Pornography, as a pro fession (if such a term can lie applied), is dominated by men, both as producers and consumers Women in pornography are presented as animal recipients of grotesque acts of sexuality. The usual response from defenders of pornography via the First. Amendment is that if we leave pornography alone, it will disappear by itself. Consumers will see pornography for what it is and refuse to buy it. Simultaneously, we will exempt ourselves from the dirty task of regulat ing or restricting tire purchase of porno graphic material. This is really quite unpersuasive First, the primary consumers of hard core porn are not curious, adolescent schoolboys; they are adults who enjoy pornography in and of itself. Would any one suggest that a voyeur or rapist would be likely to “mellow” his sexual tenden cies once he had “had his fill" of whatever he was seeking? Similarly, we have little reason to believe serious consumers of pornography will abandon it once they have “had enough." When we argue for restricting pornog raphy, we need not adopt some Victorian notion of morality. Quite the opposite is true. In restricting pornography, we affirm that sexuality is, indeed, good and deserving of respect. We affirm that sex, when connected with intimacy and affec tion, is worthwhile. We need not involve religious or parochial moralities to argue that pornography is degrading. : in Seplemoer U asked | students if the U S. govern meet should support Ihe ! actons of Chinese student Ip'Otesters Seventy-four ; percent said yes fie govern . i men; should support the ! protesters. U aisoasnedstu i dents it mmtaty or community service snoud 0e a requite [ meet to receve knanoal aw land while 83 pe'cent | opposed military service only 60 pe'cent opposed community service STUDENT OPINION POLL 1-800-662-5511 Do you think date rape should be made a campus offense, punishable by the student court? (See related story on page 2.) I Flag-burning is protected By Jack McPeck ■ The Daily Beacon U. of Tennessee, Knoxville By a 5 to-1 vote this summer the Supreme ('curt reversed the conviction and sentence of a man who burned the 1' S flag outside of the lOS-t Republican National Convention in Dallas InefTect, the decision holds that flag burning is a legal and legitimate form of protest and, as such, is protected by the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom <>1 speech. The public outrage that followed the decision is not surprising. An opinion poll showed that Americans disagreed with the decision by an almost 'J-to-1 margin and about 70 percent said that it should be made illegal to burn the flag Kqually unsurprising is the speed with which the decision has become a political issue President George Bush has called for a constitutional amend ment to outlaw this form of protest, and (.'ongress is debating a statutory ban on flag burning. But in their zeal to tlow with public opinion, our elected officials are ignor mg the reason why such a decision is so key to the strength of the Constitution. That a conservative court would ren der such a seemingly liberal decision (especially by the n-to-4 margin that typically represents the conservative majority on the court) is a reaffirmation of the First Amendment The court has refused to do exactly what Washington loves to do make a political football of the Constitution. The flag symbolizes the first ideal of America that any person is free to think and express his or her thoughts, without reprisal from the elected government. 1 lespite the great power of the flag, we must resist the temptation to worship symbols and icons. In doing so, we may forget they are only representations of a higher ideal. Letter to the editor Article was unfair Dear Editor: I am writing to express concern over an article in your September issue about anonymous gay sex titled “Sex in men’s bathrooms worries gay activists." The article is rank sensationalism. Though it does present t he opinion of one gay stu dent in a positive light as being against bathroom sex, the article overall is neg ative. It promotes the concepts of gays as promiscuous deviants and gay sex as dirty and dangerous. Though I will not deny that anonymous sex does exist, to publicize it in this manner suggests that it is a mainstream lifestyle for gay men. And to publicize it on campuses only serves to promote negative self-concepts in those college students who are devel oping facets of their sexual identities. 1 protest this negative stereotyping and want to strongly encourage you to follow up with a positive article about ser vices and resources available to gay and lesbian students on college campuses. Mark von Destinon Secretary, Standing Committee for lesbian and Gay Affairs, The American College Personnel Association