Jordan River Forum

George Lyle: Think before offending groups of people\nI have quite a lot of respect for George Lyle as a writer and journalist and have enjoyed reading his columns this year. I wholeheartedly agreed with every sentiment in his article on the effects of Jerry Falwell's remarks of a week ago (Oct. 15, "Falwell -- keep your mouth shut").\nBut I was quite taken aback by Lyle's comment, "Statements of discontent were sent by, of all people, the Anti-Defamation League ... Imagine that, a pro-Jewish organization calling for the rebuttal of an anti-Islamic comment. Maybe there is hope for the world after all ... "\nNo comment, however humorously intended, could have done more to show that Lyle is guilty of exactly the sin he accused Falwell of committing -- failing to think before acting. At the very least, the implication extant in the sarcasm of the statement is that he cannot believe that any Jewish organization would ever defend or support a Muslim cause, and that we all should be surprised that someone who is Jewish would call Falwell a bigot for saying that Mohammed was a terrorist.\nAt the very worst, Lyle oversteps the bounds of political views to include the religious ones as well. A good many Jews on this campus, and hopefully a good number of Muslims as well, will have been offended by the implication.\nI was not surprised, nor am I proud, that the ADL made such a statement -- it's an action I expect of that organization, as well as the entire Jewish community (of which I am a member, by the way). And I am disappointed in the members of my community who don't think that the ADL and the UCC and 10 different sovereign nations were all correct in condemning Falwell's ignorant remark. Lyle speaks of the dangers of "open display(s) of disdain" and of "shoot(ing) off at the mouth like a machine gun, spreading your bullets of ignorance." He also states that "you are partly responsible for what happens to the world around you (i.e. through your words and actions), and I would like to see more people take that responsibility seriously." But the sarcastic, disdainful and slightly ignorant comment he made in the previous paragraph indicates to us that he may not have gotten his own message. Lyle, please think before you say something that might offend an entire group of people, even if you intend it humorously. It's your responsibility, too. \nRory Starks epitomizes the real American coward/b>\nThis letter is in response to Rory Starks' article in which he refers to our president as a "coward" (Oct. 16, "The real American zero"). I ask you, Rory: What are you? What have you done to protect the people of your country lately? You wrote an article using big words in the daily newspaper of a liberal university. Far from courageous. You forgot to mention some names in your list of cowards.\nPeople like you. People who criticize those who mean to protect them while doing nothing. You speak of the impending war against Iraq as if it is a game or "sick power trip" of our president. It is not a game, and people are dying. Innocent Americans, innocent Iraqis, innocent people are dying. There is no game here, and you know that. The fact that you even mention the word "game" while speaking of war displays your impressive stupidity and complete lack of experience.\nYou speak of cowardice, you speak of games, you speak of things that you don't understand. You are the coward, Rory, and if you do not have the courage to at least support those who do their best to protect you and your family, then get out of the way. Until you do this, you will continue to be one of those "cold and timid souls" that Theodore Roosevelt spoke of, content to "point out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better" while you yourself will never know "neither victory nor defeat."\nGo write some more articles.\nSafe-sex education essential despite moral concerns\nI find myself compelled to write in order to urge Cherry Blattert to please think before she publishes (Oct. 16, "Miss America's message works"). Blattert argues that the root cause for the decline in teen pregnancies and adolescent abortions is pro-abstinence education. To support her argument, she cites a report from the Alan Guttmacher Institute for the proposition that "increased abstinence ... accounted for approximately one quarter of the drop in the U.S. teen pregnancy rate between 1995 and 1998." Blattert's argument is basically that the report is evidence that abstinence education has led to delayed sexual activity, which is responsible for a decline in the teen pregnancy rate, and therefore, we should preach abstinence to teens instead of safer sex methods because the latter only encourages teens to engage in premarital sex.\nWhat Blattert deviously fails to mention is that the same AGI report (available at www.agi-usa.org/pubs/archives/nr_340502.html) explicitly states that "an AGI analysis examining reasons for declining teen pregnancy rates between 1988 and 1995 found that three quarters of the decrease was due to improved contraceptive use." By Blattert's sophomoric logic, this means that improved use of contraceptives is three times more effective than pro-abstinence education at reducing teen pregnancy rates, and therefore, we should teach contraception instead of abstinence. \nI am not opposed to suggesting to teens that they should hold off having sex. But I am a realist. Some teens will choose to have sex even if we tell them not to. Those that choose to have sex should at least know how to prevent pregnancy and how to guard against STDs. Teaching contraception and disease prevention is not the same as counseling teens to engage in premarital sex and it is irresponsible for Blattert to suggest that it is. Teaching contraception and disease prevention merely recognizes that though abstinence does work every time, not every teen will choose abstinence every time. Teaching abstinence in addition to safer sex is fine. Teaching abstinence instead of safer sex is naïve and dangerous.\nInnocents die regardless, US already in Afghanistan\nI would like to offer my full support to President Bush for his war on Iraq. I would also like to thank the Congress for having the courage to support the President. In the past weeks, many have come out against this war. Some say innocent people have died and will die. This is probably true, but innocent people have died in every single war that has ever been fought. Some say that America is imposing its will around the world. We do not want to impose our will around the world, we just want to prevent others from imposing their will on us. Some say President Bush wants to get Saddam because he couldn't get Osama bin Laden. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't we still fighting in Afghanistan? Aren't our forces still hunting the last remaining elements of the Taliban and al-Qaeda? All I have to say is this: If we do go to war, I am going down to the nearest recruiting station and signing myself up.\nA call to return\npolitical signs stolen from Bloomington\nI am writing in regard to an incident that occurred Oct. 12. My mother, Day Smith, the Democratic candidate for the office of State Treasurer, came to visit me this past weekend. After dinner that evening, we noticed that someone had stolen two magnetic signs reading "Day Smith for State Treasurer" from the doors of my mother's car. These signs are expensive to replace and they would seemingly be of little interest to anyone else. Further, they are useful in promoting my mother's campaign.\nDay Smith has campaigned tirelessly throughout the state of Indiana. She is facing an incumbent Republican with more extensive financial resources at his disposal. In a campaign where every dollar counts, losing these signs is of greater consequence than it would seem. Also, I find it extremely disappointing that such an incident would occur in Bloomington, the town where I attended college and presently reside. \nI ask that the person currently in possession of these signs please return them. They may be sent to the following address:\nDay Smith\nIndiana State Democratic Headquarters\nOne North Capitol Avenue, Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN 46204\nNo hospitality at IU Auditorium\nAs a returning student, I have been amazed by several IUB policies. From extraordinary parking violation fees compared to any municipality or other campuses, math department classes that move so fast most students just hang on for the semester ride, to the bursar holding financial aid grants for days (which could amount to thousands of dollars in interest for IUB) thus allowing the students to herd like cattle through the bookstores just days before classes begin. I thought I had seen all that could amaze me, until now.\nMy wife and I had purchased tickets at the IU Auditorium months in advance. My wife's favorite entertainer was in town! Kenny Rogers! Plans were made for a wonderful evening with all the exciting events one could expect in Bloomington. A night to remember ...\nWe arrived at about 7:15 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show and were surprised to find parking areas around the IMU which were normally closed at this hour open for business. This was a chance for IU to make an extra $3 on top of the ticket price. As we arrived at the IU Auditorium, we commented, "How nice, we won't have to wait in the ticket line." Think again. We had forgotten our student ID's. "No admittance" was what we heard even after assuring the gentleman we were IU students. We were instructed to go to the same ticket line we were so happy to have passed so our names could be checked with a Bursar list of current students. After waiting in line for several minutes, we were greeted by an obviously overworked ticket agent who informed us there was no book this year. We asked to talk with the box office manager. We explained we lived about an hour west of Bloomington and had forgotten to bring our student ID's. We didn't understand why this couldn't be overlooked since we showed our student ID's to purchase the tickets several months ago and IUB ID's are issued for several years. They would not prove current enrollment to a ticket taker, and then finally offered to bring up our transcripts on Insite to prove current student status. The box office manager said there was no way he could let us in.\nAt this point, my wife was in tears and I was becoming upset and the director Doug Booher was on stage welcoming every other person with a ticket. After much persuasion, Doug was contacted about the events and refused to meet, simply telling his employees we could upgrade our tickets to non-student prices ($40 extra). He evidently thinks IU needs the money.\nI walked my wife to the car in tears and drove home. Of course, there was no refund on the tickets or the parking. Take my advice, see a movie.\nWhen do the students who pay for all of these IU bank accounts, and those who pay for the tickets at the Auditorium actually have a chance to receive some personal service?