4
Clackamas Print
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008
L etters to
the
E ditor
Students respond to “Sexual orientation prevents male student from giving bit
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
FDA regulations about
■xudlitv are "not ridiculous ”
They try to protect every one
as much as possible.
.Anyone can get HIV
or STDs, but gay men and
women arc at most high risk
If I was Io need blood.
I would not lake it from a
gay male' I would not accept
blood for nty children from a
gay oi lesbian
II I am sure that Red Cross
Due to the higher risk of
certain behaviors on pass
ing diseases, those who
engage in such behaviors
should not be allowed to
donate. Even though the
testing procedures have
improved over the years,
it’s not perfect.
Many years ago, there
was a scare over whether
the available blood sup
ply was contaminated or
not. People have always
had the choice to decide
whether or not to engage in
such behaviors, like choos
ing whether to visit Africa
or not for the first time.
I am a student here at
Clackamas. I have recently
read your article on the Red
Cross blood drive.
As a reader, I think the
Red Cross does not have to
change any of their regula
tions.
For example, this student
Knudsen is mad about not
being accepted. I think this
student is not angry about
the rules but at not being
accepted.
To donate is to give, not to
force. It is more as Red Cross
is the customer and we the
donators are the market. So
I think Red Cross should not
change a thing.
■hlv thinks about the best lor
everyone.
Isabel- Dahm e li
Dear Editor,
Anyone is welcome to respond ti
any and all content published in
The Clackamas Print.
Send letters by e-mail to
chiefed@clackamas.edu or deliver then
Roger Rook Hall, room 135.
Letters may have been edited for cl
and space.
Jason Kerr
Bryan Young
I am writing in response to
the article about the gay man
who was not able to donate
blood at the blood drive he
organized. Mitch Knudson
was not able to donate blood
because of his sexual orienta
tion.
To be quite honest, I am
pleased that our government
would not allow this to’hap
pen. It shows a sort of consis
tency that is not found in a lot
of aspects of politics in our
country.
What I mean by this is
simply that our country does
not generally condone gay
marriage and providing the
same types of benefits as to
regular married couples.
Seeing as though this has
created such a heated debate
within our country, if the gov
ernment allowed these people
certain privileges, but not
other ones, then they would
not be consistent at all, and
that shows instability in our
government.
What I am trying to get
at is that if the idea of gay is
going to be considered uneth
ical and morally wrong in our
nation, then it needs to be
recognized as wrong in every
way.
I personally would be wor
ried if certain rules were being
bent in order to make people
feel better about themselves,
even if what they are doing
might be wrong.
Sarah Campbell
Dear Editor,
Homosexuality should not be
a factor when deciding eligi
bility for blood donation.
In our current times, pro
miscuity is standard for both
homosexuals and heterosexu
als. Perhaps the Red Cross
should be cautious about
blood from both sources.
In my day-to-day life, I am
always overhearing conversa
tions about people’s personal
sexual exploits.
“I started my period,” one
girl happily proclaims.
“Oh, I’m so happy for
you,” says another.
The very casualness of this
conversation exemplifies that
heterosexuals are engaging in
risky behaviors.
Cory Adams
Dear Editor,
_ Sexual orientation prevents male student from giving blood
I
I
I
A FDA regulation about sexuality stops
the Clackamas blood drive organizer,
Mitch Knudsen, Horn donating
Mesan Kaier
I Ediftyr iw
Straight Alhaace. "Aayoae feat is taw unprotected sex is by MSM. or a sutewp of tee poreuta doners, is as safe as
suseSiUe”
Uood item cunew accepted amare.
Ti papetuates « stereotype feat all gay men have HIV
Martes sta rtata* planned to mamaiu chore potaes
and featHW is a gay man’s problem,”Bunreil added. ‘These evenita$canent blood-testing tedteogies have improved
tallhy, wung men that set tested are constantly reminded feat and wifi «steteto marten ten until new rataratroo
feeytataaceeptedaMte'aretaijteofas''dKeased.’’
becomes wabble.’
, ,
Kradsen considers himself a responsible individual and
Knudsen succeeded m o^reang yet another
draws oftee at fee stereotypes feat fane developed over fee
school sear, and win rapanrze one again, fee
,^55
success is a complicated one.
“People saU fesi feat rays are praaiwiass and sleep
“Td like to ave blood,” be said “I like coordtnatmg it and
anra^’Kmidrensaid.'TmmicofflimtedreMoiife4>.IdoB’t IamgMIamdomgrtbecaurel Ske beta people; but st the
wg steeparote. Idea ! do feat”
sametmie.itjustremmdsmethatlean'tdote”
“They could
save so many
more lives if
they let gay
men donate. ”
Mitch Knudsen
ASG Public Affairs
Officer
is to enhance blood safttv wo protect blood reapi-
ents. Therefore, TOA would change dm pohev only if
c’/«ha«<n JVirt
Student leadership adviser Michelle Baker waits patiently
as she is prepped to give blood Wednesday, Jan. 30.
L
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
The recent article pub
lished on Wednesday, Feb.
6, has sparked more than its
share of controversy.
I can see both points of
view, and it boils down to
discrimination and whether
it is right. But I also implore
you to look at both sides.
For instance, they will
also not allow people who
have gotten piercings or tat
toos in the last six months
to give blood, either. So are
they discriminating against
everyone who has had a tat
too or piercing? Are they
considering them dirty peo
ple?
Now, back to saying
all these people have this
chemical or tainted blood is
not true, but it is a precau
tion the FDA takes to ensure
the most blood that can be
used is taken.
I do not believe discrimi
nation is OK or it should
be tolerated, but sometimes
a policy is set in place for
the masses, not for the indi
vidual.
Zach Lenz
'
I am afraid to say I agree with
the American Red Cross on the
sexual orientation issue.
I would like to see everyone
give blood, but unfortunately
some have a higher risk than otb-
ers.
This higher risk does not just
include sexual orientation, but
also people who take medications
and have to pass tests to use them,
and for people who leave the
country in which there is higher
risk of harmful diseases.
For example, I have been
unable to give blood before
■use of a medication I was
g. I had to meet certain
requirements to use this medica
tion. Since the medication travels
Slood, the person who receives
blood would also get this x
lication, too. The recipient of
■ blood could have an aller-
reaction to the blood because
of the medication that is in the
blood.
The American Red Cross is
going by standards to protect the
recipients and donors.
Lastly, I would prefer to go by
all precautions needed to protect
■self if I was to receive blood
n a donor.
I am writing in response to
your article about gay men not
being able to donate blood.
I’ve been well aware of this
fact since I began donating
blood over two years ago. I
feel that donating blood is like
giving a part of yourself to
someone else. Your precious
blood could, and probably
will, save a life.
I have many gay friends,
male and female, and they
are appalled by this. My best
friend is a gay male. He is
incredibly responsible and
always safe. In his 19 years
of life, he’s had one sexual
partner. He has always wanted
to donate blood but has never
been allowed simply because
he’s had sex with another
man.
Carol Burnell states that
“anyone that is having unpro
tected sex is susceptible.” I
couldn’t agree with this more.
HIV/AIDS was called “the
gay cancer” back in the ’80s.
Many people think that only
gay men contract it. Many
straight males and females
have it, too, though. Upon
stating that, I think it’s ridic
ulous that healthy gay men
can’t donate blood.
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
If the blood that is
is safe to use, then
it should not matter i
sexuality of the donato
But, I will say th
against gays and les
think that they are s
perverted. If I needei
I would not want bio
someone who is gay.
However, if it can si
lives, then perhaps
should be done. If.tl
is OK, then it should
the person who is recei
blood to decide if they
use it.
Kayla Swanson
Dear Editor,
Jenna Kendrick
I
I have no first-liaa»
ence with blood drives.^
reading the article, I an
form some opinions |
The first thought th!
my mind was, what is-
gay sexual relations th_
SSTDs more than strain
relations?
This sparked my I
ity, and I will need to fl
research before I can ml
it more.
I
After giving some tbl
the matter, I figured if?
restricts gays from givian
there must be a good 5
The FDA is around tori
being, and if they sayt ■
from gay men is detriij
our health, I will believe ’
Tyler Smith
*
1!
Dear Editor,
On the front page
male’s sexual oriental
vents him from givin
The American Red Cros
ity reads, “Organization
accept blood from any n
had sex with another a
1977.”
This does sound lii
crimination geared tofl
men, but that does not i
if scientific evidence isi
able, then their blood is s
I agree with the J
Red Cross to maintain
rent policy until new ini
becomes available. It is
be safe than sorry.
Ulga Demidorich
i Degermess
ti