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Thursday, May 6, 1999 - Page 8 COMMENTARY ASAP: A strong benefit to the WMC community AIDS: Support, Awareness, and Preven- peer education programs, we stress the fact they saw our signs with their parents -when tion (ASAP) has always prided itself on the Ienifer Sirkis and that using safe sex methods, such as the use visiting because of the embarrassment the fact that we are an organization at WMC Janet Keymetian defend ASAP to of a condom, will significantly reduce the signs may cause the prospective student. ~h;~~~~~~l~~~~~~~ t~~;:a~:~: ~~~~~~ the college community riS~! :~~~~:~~ei~:~~~O;r:sentations that stud~~:~~~~I~~:;~~:~::o~~e:~~~~ condoms to students. abstinence is the only way to fully protect pus and see signs promoting safe sex. Par- As part of ASAP's efforts, a "safe sex" We guess that it is hard for some people to oneself. But we know most students don't ents can be confident that the message of safe party was held last February in the Forum. accept the fact that college age students are choose to abstain. Additionally, all ASAP sex will be spread throughout the WMC cam- By holding the party, we had two goals in having sex. It does not matter that WMC is a members have been trained in AIDS educe- munity. mind. First, we wanted to provide an alter- small, liberal arts college located in a gener- ticn and are available for students as a re- If you're still not convinced that ASAP's native to events that occur on weekends that ally conservative town. Students at WMC are source. presence is needed on campus, or that our may include alcohol and/or drug use. having sex. It's an undisputable fact. In response to some of the letters re- activities are important, we're sorry, that's Second, we wanted to advocate safe sex In a survey conducted by ASAP within the ceived, it doesn't matter what "type" of stu- unfortunate. and passed out free condoms as a way for past five years, 80% of WMC students were dent you are. We can't tell you how many Perhaps those offended by our tactics will studemstoprotectthemselvesagainstHIV/ sexually active. Of them, only 43% used a stories we have heard from typically "aca- someday realize that activism is better than AIDS. Approximately $125 was spent on condom consistently. demic" or "moral" students who have en- maintaining the silence that equates with ig- the condoms. What is more astounding about this SUf- gaged in unsafe sex. Having sex is human norance and new infections. The crisis is not Our advertisements for the event posted vey is that 43% of those having sex have had nature. We don't understand the taboo over. Beating us back into a closet because around campus read: "Safe Sex Party: Free four or more sexual partners, and 45% have against talking about what goes on every day. others are uncomfortable with sexuality will condoms!" In response to our advertise- had sex under the influence of alcohol Of Choosing to abstain doesn't necessarily only spread this plaque more. ments, several letters were written to Dean drugs. make one "moral" either. For those of you that are interested, we" Sayre.and President Chambers protesting That being the case, we don't see any- ASAP has taken the responsibility to say, invite you to become involved in ASAP. the advertisements and the need for a "safe thing wrong with promoting prophylactic use "If you are going to have sex, use condoms." Come to our meetings and become involved sex" party and questioning the wisdom of at our party. We have become a strong presence on cam- next year. We know that it is the end of the ASAP. Although we preach abstinence for those pus, winning the Griswold-Zepp Award and year, but ASAP is already in full swing plan- We are writing to inform you that there who choose to wait, it is not a realistic choice national grants in the past. ning next year's activities - that, for now, in- is a need for ASAP on campus, and our for many students. How many students do you Students know that they can come to any cludes a "Safe Sex" party. "safe sex" party did not promote or advo- think would actually attend a seminar on self ASAP member for condoms and reliable in- Or better yet, maybe you will decide that cate students having sex. Rather, passing control? Should we choose to emphasize this formation. We feel that this is more effec- you want to be involved in organizing the out free condoms allowed ASAP to spread' point further? live than saying: "You must not have sex!" event. Come see for yourself about ASAP. a safe sex message ~nd encouraged those The fact remains that students at any col- In the letters, some thought that prospec- You might be surprised. having sex to do so safely. lege in any location are having sex. rnASAP's tive students might choose other colleges if Us, Conservative? Is this a Wake up call: Kosovo liberal arts college? where? Lisa Dale- VanAuken argues tion to become more conservative. that college students are not as I think that if weare being more and more But at the same time, PEOPLE ARE conservative as studies show. "conservative," it is because we have no j~nnifer Yi draws student's DYING OUT THERE. People like you and choice. attention to the reality of the me. A few weeks ago, a recent Associated The results of the survey showed that last Kosovo tragedies. They are. having their lives torn apart, Press survey judged college kids, specifi- year, 40 percent of college students said that and there is a certain guilty feeling about cally freshmen, to be more conservative having sex with someone you hardly know is At a time when the daily news is filled carrying on nonchalantly while the media than they've ever been. Supposedly, when fine, while in 1997,42 percent said that it is with details on the NATO bombings in is centered on this fact. it comes 10 recent issues, students are prov- okay. Serbia, pictures are splashed over maga- So, what is the big deal? People have ing themselves to be more conservative That's a two percent drop, if you didn't zines and newspapers depicting the flight died before. than their parents. figure it out. So, in this, we are more conser- if the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo. The West didn't care about the Arme- Well, ya' coulda fooled me. vative than other generations. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic nians dying prior to World War I, the Allies In my experience, college has been any- But the survey doesn't say why, so I am is being compared to Hitler, yet, college didn't bomb the railways leading to the thing but conservative. I've found it all left to guess. students seem to be apathetic about the German concentration camps, and little was here. All the cliches that make us college Hmm, let's see. My sister knew how to use entire situation. done to stop the ethnic cleansing that went kids fuel for media bonfires. All the horror a condom in sixth grade thanks to her immod- Historically, the Balkans have been an on in Rwanda. stories that make the front pages shine with est sex education teachers. area of great tension. Even now, the bombs have not deterred sex, and drugs, and violence. Could it be that people have become more World War I started in the Balkans; in the Serbians from "evacuating" the people the city of Sarajevo, nationalists assassi- in Kosovo. It just goes to show you that we're not as irrational as nated the heir to the Austrian-Hungarian The big deal is that fact. We're not stop- many people think. Empire. ethnic tensions be- ping this. And bombing is not going to stop the problem The millennium-old either. tween the Muslim-Albanians and the Or- What this is about is people hating other I know, I know. You don't want to hear reluctant to engage in casual or unprotected thodox-Slavs is also worth mention. people. Itcould be very well you hating me. about underage drinking, unprotected sex, sex because of better sex education? I think To any student involved in history, po- That's what it has to do with us, college or other non-conservative things again. And it's a possibility. litical science, or the course "Western Civi- students. I don't blame you. So maybe as education gets better, it's not lizations," this could be seen as the revamp- We're not going to live in a bubble all So Ipromise (sort of) that I won't bring that we get more "conservative," just more re- ing of the Would War! scenario, especially the time - and this would be a good time to them up. alistic. when the NATO bombings aren't proving learn how to deal with people that are dif- I don't have to. You already know about Reality is what stops us from doing what- to stop the situation. ferent. them. Casual sex, underage drinking, and ever we want. If dealing with reality cautiously Although the world seems poised to go I don't know about you, but I don't want the like happens whether I talk about them makes us conservative, then so be it. 10 war to stop the ethnic cleansing of the to live in a world where I know my neigh- or not. There are conservative college students. Serbians, students seem particularly re- bor hates me and hates me enough to kill And unless you live in a hole, you prob- Good for them. moved from the issue. me and my children. ably see those things everyday. But I don't think that opposing casual un- Enclosed in a comfortable bubble where So, maybe you can live in a two story But the survey says the majority of us protected sex makes someone conservative. our principle worries are "What am 1 go- house, with 2.3 children, and ow.n 1.7 of a are more conservative, especially when it It makes them seem intelligent, and more ing to do this weekend" and "I have a pa- car and never have to encounter an armed comes to casual sex. importantly, it makes them safe. per due," we seemed to be unfazed by the militia ready to shoot you. Well, maybe we are. I mean, surveys It just goes to show you that we're not as entire situation. But, what if you do? Maybe you might never lie, right? We can trust the media, irrational as many people think. We are ca- And it is not that we don't care, but the shoot back. right? pable of making good decisions. entire issue seems to be a drama from the But what have you gained? A couple If We are more "conservative" - and I In the end, we're not more conservative. outside - something like another reality. bullets in your body. think we are not - there's probably a rea- We're just smarter than we used to be thanks 1 don't blame people for feeling this Another bloody mess that needs to be son for it. I personally am slow to attribute to education. way. I feel the same way, too. cleaned up. our rising morality to a collective revela-