Commentary
Oregon Daily Emerald
Monday, November 15, 2004
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JEN SUDICK
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STEVEN R. NEUMAN
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AILEE SLATER
CHUCK SLOTHOWER
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The Oregon Daily Emerald is pub
lished daily Monday through Fn
day during the school year by the
Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing
Co. Inc., at the University of Ore
gon, Eugene, Ore. The Emerald
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C/RTWAtf&LER
.... YOU MEAN I CAN STILL WEAR THE PISTOL IN HERE? AND THE BANDOLIER,
TOO? GEE, THIS IS JUST LIKE BEING BACK AT THE U.N.!”
Bret Furtwangler | Graphic artist
■ In my opinion
The male model of infertility
Groundbreaking studies are cur
rently being conducted by U.S. sci
entists in an effort to find a new
method of contraception for men.
Researchers have discovered that in
jecting a certain protein will produce
antibodies that render the male in
fertile, as long as regular shots are
received. Tests are still in prelimi
nary stages, as they currently in
volve monkeys rather than humans,
but more research is surely on its
way. How will this development in
sexual health care affect sexually ac
tive heterosexuals in our nation?
Let’s look at a potential timeline
over the next year and find out.
January 23, 2005: Amid hype
about the possibility of an easy
to-use, effective measure of male
birth control, forward-thinking
men across the country rejoice. Now
they can stop soaking their
nether-regions in boiling vats of wa
ter and rely on antibodies to kill
their sperm instead.
February 3: Tests on protein injec
tions are still not complete, but the
Food and Drug Administration final
ly puts on its reading glasses and re
alizes that male contraceptive pills,
based on hormones and approved in
Europe for some time now, are 100
percent effective. A communal
“d’oh!” is released. Unfortunately,
just as someone is about to remedy
the situation, a whole new slew of
prescription medications arrive seek
ing approval. Side effects could
AILEE SLATER
FURTHER FROM PERFECTION
include headache, drowsiness, ad
diction on par with morphine, dubi
ous acts involving hot pepper sauce
and all-expenses-paid vacations in
Bermuda for our employees. “You
bet we’ll spend our time testing your
drug!” Endorsement of the male
birth control pill is put on hold.
May 15: “Wait. You mean it’s
100 percent effective, has almost no
side effects, and lets men be more
responsible for their sexual health
and decisions?”
June 11: Sexual health educators
realize that the problem with the
Just Say No campaign is that this
burden of refusal almost always falls
on women. Until men recognize
their ability not only to create, but
also to prevent a pregnancy, true re
sponsibility may not be felt or ac
cepted by the masculine masses.
July 3: Male birth control pill sanc
tioned by FDA; method based on anti
body reactions not far behind.
July 10: All state governments ex
press approval, sans Texas, which has
by now instituted statewide textbooks
that deny the existence of sexual inter
course all together. That’s right little
Jimmy, babies come from the magical
purple ferret in the sky. You don’t need
to worry about “birth control. ” Only
sinning homosexuals need to use that!
August 19: Mary Katherine Smithe
of Duluth, Minnesota, experiences
an otherworldly orgasm upon her
sublime realization that, for the first
time, she is enjoying sex without the
fear or burden of pregnancy on her
shoulders. Fundamentalist groups
call her realization immoral and stu
pid; Mary calls it sexual freedom and
the result of a product and partner
she can trust. Her man is interested
in the equal distribution of burdens
not just of child rearing, but child
producing. He is willing to let go of
stone-age social norms, which force
women into ultimate responsibility
for an act that is pretty clearly two
sided. He understands that in an age
of technology wherein lamps can be
clapped on and off, it’s time for men
to share in contraceptive decision
making and action. He knows that
women deserve to someday be able
to say “yes” to sex with ease and
fearlessness. He also bears a striking
resemblance to Johnny Depp.
November 11: All forms of male
birth control are approved by the
FDA. U.S. society ushers in a new era
in which sexual activity is safe, pro
tected and fun for all.
aileeslater@ dailyemerald. com
INBOX
Abusive Republicans
benefit from voting fraud
Republicans shamefully abused ci
vility so their legion would vote for gay
discrimination and President Bush.
They demonized Democrats and again
disenfranchised voters. Not having pa
per records from e-voting machines is
maddening because you can’t re-count.
Voting machine maker Diebold was
quoted it “would win Ohio for George
Bush. ” That’s why Kerry conceded? Re
publicans won’t correct voting fraud
because they benefited twice.
Fight censorship, discrimination,
anti-choice, anti-freedom, fiscal irre
sponsibility, assault weapons and war
crimes. The far right wants us to be un
healthy, misinformed, unemployed, si
lenced and scared into relinquishing
our freedoms (i.e. the PATRIOT Act).
They think our Constitution is a rough
draft needing numerous amendments.
Republicans demonstrated their
wickedness and their base approved
that message. Good guys finished last.
Wise up Democrats: Develop winning
candidates that can reach everyone.
William Stark
Eugene
■ Editorial
France fails
as functional
Ivory Coast
peacekeeper
“The use of force, which entails serious risks
of destabilization for the region, for Africa and the
world, should only be a last resort.” That was
French President Jacques Chirac in February
2003, discussing with a coalition of African lead
ers why he opposed a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Chirac would have been wise to listen to his
own antiwar rhetoric last week before he au
thorized his military to unilaterally destroy the
air force of the West African state of Ivory
Coast. France was retaliating for the Ivorian
government’s Nov. 6 attack on a peacekeeping
post that left nine French soldiers dead, along
with a U.S. aid worker.
The Emerald condemns President Laurent
Gbagbo for the attacks and for violating his 18
month cease-fire with Ivorian rebels in the north.
We support proposed U.N. sanctions against
Gbagbo’s government — also endorsed by
African leaders — which, among other things,
would include an arms embargo.
But we also feel that the French government
can no longer function as effective peacekeep
ers, due to their numerous financial, military
and political interests in their former colony.
Currently, 40 percent of the peacekeeping
force in Ivory Coast is French (nearly 4,500
troops), according to the Inter Press Service in
Johannesburg. They act independently of oth
er peacekeepers and are perceived by many to
be supporting the Muslim rebels against the
Ivorian government.
The French government’s understandable, but
ill-advised, military actions illustrate the failed
role it is playing in the Ivorian peacekeeping ef
fort. The government’s real and perceived con
flicts of interest are only fanning the flames of an
already difficult situation. In the interest of neu
trality, the French should reduce their presence or
leave Ivory Coast altogether, to make way for a
more multilateral force, led by the United Nations
or by the African Union.
President Chirac, if building an international
coalition was the right course in the Middle
East, then it is certainly the right course in
Africa. Please stop the hypocrisy.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jennifer Sudick
Editor in Chief
David Jagemauth
Editorial Editor
Steven R. Neuman
Managing Editor
Gabe Bradley
Freelance Editor
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