EDITORIAL
Condom giveaway
good idea for teens
AIDS has gotten too big in New York to leave the
solution to the federal government any longer, so the
state is taking the problem into its own hands.
Brooklyn and Manhattan high schools began hand
ing out condoms to students last week to combat the
spread of AIDS. The giveaways will be phased into all
the state's public schools by 1992.
New York City has more AIDS cases than any other
U.S. city, claiming 20 percent of the nation's cases in
the 13- to 21-year-old age group.
The handout faced the predictable parental and Ro
man Catholic Church condemnations, but the program
rightfully prevailed.
The biggest problem, said these groups, was that
condom extravaganza would encourage and condone
teen sex.
Of course, we all know most of those teenagers
wouldn't have dreamed of having sex until the schools
approved of it via the giveaway.
The truth is, most twins who received condoms
were probably already having sex. Now it will be safe
sex.
These objecting groups need to face the reality of
today's American teen-ager: Like it or not. many teens
are having sex. Accepting this fact does not mean one
condones it. Acceptance just equips one to do some
thing to improve the situation.
Giving condoms out is a way to deal effectively
with the very real problem of AIDS. By handing the
protection out, the schools aren't condoning indiscrim
inate sex, but encouraging safe sex.
Yes. AIDS is scary as hell, and yes, abstinence (the
mode of protection the objecting groups encourage) is
the only sure way of avoiding it. But another reality is
that most people never think it will happen to them
and will not practice abstinence.
The kids are already driving. Now give them a les
son in defensive driving before it’s too late.
The condom giveaway is a great idea.
LETTERS POLICY
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LETTERS
Scared
(aim lining the letters thui
appeared lately in the Enu'ruld
about the comparison between
the KO'IX'. and project Saferide
Projet t Saferide hits claimed
that they will him imm, hut not
as drivers
Kehekah Ledwith, {ODE,
Nov 20). says that while a
woman may fuel uncomfortable
In the presence of a man in
what should la1 a safe situation,
remember she is often not sail
p I v u n c o m f o r t n h I e . hut
stared She goes on to say a
woman's fear "is based on the
valid concern that she may lx?
attacked at any time without
warning "
This kind of thinking fits in
perfectly with the whole phi
losophy of Project Saferide,
namely, that women should
fear every man, and look upon
them as a potential attacker
It fosters the idea that no man
ran he trusted, anil women are
only safe with women This
kind of bigoted, prejudicial
thinking should he discarded to
further end all distriminalion
Ron Williams
Eugene
It sucked
For thus*' of you who read
Lucas Gutman s review ol Cape
Fear (ODE. Nov 22). 1 think
you're entitled to a second
opinion Thu movie sucked
Granted, it had a great cast
and supposedly "brilliant di
rector However, the film itself
just didn't work There is more
suspense in u Get Smart rerun
than there was In this film
The score was repetitive and
over-dramatic, the camera an
gles were pretentious, and the
storv was weakly developed
I grieve for Robert DeNiro
and am ashamed of Jessica
Lange for partaking in this
shoddy work However, I will
not lei this blemish of a movie
diminish my regard for them,
as I attribute the repugnancy of
this film entirely to its director,
Martin Scorsese
Don't get sucked in by the
large budget advertising! This
movie is superficial, at best,
and is not worth the three
bucks to rent it on video (let
alone see in a theater).
Karen Wesenberg
Psychology
Threatened
Concerning the Thursday.
Nov Issue of the Enwrald, I
felt threatened In Abe Hnpner's
outliish against the Saferide
program provided by the
ASt.'O
Women have forever been
discriminated against by men
Now some of these men are
crying for their equal rights
when in different situations
They an- strongly opposed to it
If it weren't for a few select
men who assault and rape
women, this service wouldn’t
need to be provided
I completely disagree that the
Salende program stereotypes
all men as rapists. Nowhere, on
any Saftrrlde van. flyer, or ad
vertisement does it say, "If
you're afraid of being raped by
a man. take Saferide home!"
This program is simply of
ferer! to provide a safe way to
and from places for women in
the evening hours. It's not some
taxi shuttle that excludes men
b«H ause of their sex if Saferide
were a service specifically for
students who have drank loo
much and need a safe ride
home, then it would be more
understandable for Hepner to
claim discrimination
Recently, there have mien nu
merous accounts of women be
ing attacked in the campus
community The fuels ain't be
denied If u woman was walk
ing down u dark street, it would
be more probable for her to be
attacked than if she was a man.
Until women are able to feel
safe while walking the streets at
night, I think Saferide is a
worthwhile program .is it pres
entlv exists
Karie kindred
Student
No joy
Yeah um just one ques
tion
Why does the University
Bookstore have a Eurocenlru!
holiday display that blindly
proclaims a message of ")oy to
the World?" Do they mean joy
to the white world? (As all the
characters in costumes from
around the world are white.) Or
do they really think that the
whole world is white maybe
it s just that among all of those
beautiful colors available that
they found it too much trouble
to make a rich bronze skin for
the Hawaiian, or other beautiful
colors for the Mexican and Jap
anese persons as well.
1 didn't notice an African
person at all maybe the artist
realized that it would be going
to far to put a white face under
colorful African costume and
then proclaim "Joy to the
World "
Well, i don't want to ruin
anyone's holidays, and it may
seem supercritical to you, and
where Is the "good will” ex
pressed by the artist ... or, you
know, "lighten up” or some
thing However, this is an ex
ample of latent racism.
The world is not all white.
If the University Bookstore
wants to wish "Joy to the
World." let's talk about the real
world
Ruaselle Eyre
Biochemistry
PEOPLE AftE WORRIED ASOur
THE ECONOMY, yov'HE OQOPPiNG
//Si THE POLLS. AND THE
ELECTION IS LESS THAN
A YEAR AWAY.
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