Abortions should be legal
Responding to Dan Harders’ editorial “Crosses Portray Murder” published in the April 19 issue of the Collegian, proclaiming that abortion is murder, is a purely irrational and misleading statement, but more on that later. First of all, I’m sure that the Collegian realized that to give more explanation to the picture of the crosses in the April 12 issue would compromise their journalistic integrity.
They already pushed the envelope by allowing the Human Life Alliance to insert their 12-page, color piece of pro-life propaganda into the March 22 edition.
That being said, I will continue to make the most reasonable argument I can think of for the legality of abortions: Outlawing abortion will not and does not eliminate abortions.
For example, in 1996 in the Netherlands (a very liberal country) where abortion is legal, there were about 6.5 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 while in Nigeria where abortion is illegal there were 25.4 per 1,000 women, nearly four times the rate of the Netherlands (http://www.agiusa.org/pubs/ journals/25s3099.html). Additionally, abortions performed illegally and outside of hospitals and clinics can and do pose serious health risks to the woman. Nobody likes abortion, that is clear, but the only way to reduce abortions or eliminate abortion is through economic well being, education and equality. That is why the Netherlands have a more favorable rate than Nigeria. Unfortunately for the Right, simply changing the laws will not solve this problem. Abortion is not a black and white issue.
Derek Meyers
Political Science and English
major
Abortion not murder;
campus too hot
This letter serves two purposes: First, in response to Mr. Harders letter to the editor from the April 19 issue of the Collegian. 1) Throughout his letter, he says MURDER, over and over again, yet he assumes that everyone thinks life begins at conception. 2) If life begins at conception, why is a child not 9 months old when they are born? Some people believe that life begins with birth. 3) I was taught that life begins 22 days after conception when the heart begins to beat. So, how is it murder if something isn’t even alive yet? I am sick of people who hide behind religion, it is just a copout. Last time I checked, abortion was legal in South Dakota. Hence, NO MURDER.
My other topic is dealing with SDSU. I have heard almost every student and numerous professors complain about the heat in Rotunda. The sad thing, that is not even the worse place on campus. I have class in the basement of Wacota and Wenona Halls where the temperature reaches above 90 degrees in the classroom. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? With the cost of tuition that we pay, they can’t afford air conditioning? We spend $450,000 out of the Buildings Fund to rebuild the president’s house, yet we can’t allow the students to learn in a comfortable setting? That kind of heat is not conducive to learning.
Heath Isaacson
Sociology, Mass
Communications major
Drugs don’t solve problems
Difficulties paying attention, sitting still, remembering things and following instructions are some of the symptoms used to diagnose a child with attention deficit disorder (ADD).
This disorder is typically treated with a stimulant drug, Ritalin, which has a calming and even lethargic effect on children. A child who is taking Ritalin runs the risk of forming an addiction to it and may experience harmful side effects such as loss of appetite and loss of interest in activities he/she usually enjoys. This raises the question, is it better for a child to be lethargic and unenthused than to be hyperactive and disruptive? While our society stresses that children should be well mannered, calm and manageable by adults, it is natural for some children to have more energy than other children and most adults. Some parents may argue that Ritalin is helpful or necessary for their children to live normal lives.
I agree that the drug may help parents more easily handle hyperactive children, but administering a drug may be a poor solution to children behaving like children. Instead of dangerously drugging our future generations against normal childhood tendencies, we should focus on helping them use their energy and imaginations to lead productive lives.
Megan Siefkes
Sophomore Psychology Major
Buying old books raises costs
This is in response to the article, “‘Book Nazis’ intentionally rob students” by Alec Strenge in the April 19 issue of the Collegian. I agree that textbook prices are getting completely out of hand. I recently read an article by Henry L. Roediger, III (http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1712) that has convinced me that the the reason for these outrageous prices lies not with the publishers of the textbooks but with the growing problem of the purchasing of used books. The article was written for psychology professors, but I think every student should read it and become aware of this problem.
Roediger points out that textbook companies and authors invest enormous sums both of money and of time in order to bring a new textbook to market and make no profit when we buy used books. This fact essentially forces the companies to put out new, barely revised editions on a regular basis in order to regain the money spent on originally bringing the book to market.
When we as students buy and sell used books, we are not only cheating the authors out of their rightful profits, but actually driving up both the cost of our textbooks and the number of revisions we will have to buy in the future. Do us all a favor – keep your books and buy new.
Amanda K. Harsin
Psychology
Fraternity plays vulgar music
You can imagine my surprise upon opening the April 19 edition of the Collegian this evening and reading the caption below your Lambda Chi Alpha picture on page 3. I actually had to read it a couple of times to make sure that I had it correct.
The local chapter of Lambda Chi was doing a Teeter-Totter-A-Thon out in front of the NFA building for 48 hours hoping to raise money for the Brookings Domestic Abuse Shelter. A very good cause, don’t get me wrong, that’s not what was giving me problems.
I was troubled by this because after leaving my 2 p.m. anatomy lecture in Rotunda D, I walked outside to hear the chorus of “Move B***h” by Ludacris blasting across campus. This deliciously tactful song was coming from the Teeter-Totter-A-Thon’s stereo.
Now, I have nothing against Ludicris or his music, and I’m sure there are plenty of places where this song is played and there’s no problem (e.g. a keg party at the Lambda Chi house or a bar downtown on Friday night). But, when you’re trying to raise money for a domestic abuse shelter while playing a song that can be heard a half-mile away that is talking about “drankin’ and bustin’ two and I been thankin’ of bustin’ you Upside ya motherf***in’ forehead,” I’m not so sure that’s appropriate.
I just hope that I’m not the only person on SDSU’s campus thinking that Lambda Chi should have showed better judgement in their music selection.
Amy Lewis
Senior Biology Pre-med Major
HPER has air
This is in response to the flat balls article in the April 19 issue of the Collegian. The HPER center has an equipment room which is accessible pretty much all day.
Usually you can access it from the locker room. As soon as you walk in to the locker room hang a left and look for the counter. Usually there you will find someone handing out towels to faculty or something. That is the equipment room and I know they have an air pump there. Now there should be someone staffed in there all the time but the counter that is accessible from the locker rooms may only be open certain times.
There is another set of double doors that are located between the men’s and women’s locker room entrances that is usually unmarked but it is the equipment room entrance. In the evenings there is usually someone there but all someone would have to do is knock on the door. They may not let you in but they would be more than happy to air up the ball. Most people don’t know about that room.
Otherwise there isn’t any reason why someone doesn’t provide a pump that is easier to access. Maybe if enough students went to Dr. Oien he might get something done about it. Or even talk to the HPER equipment manager his name is Tim DeWitt.
John Cone
Alumnus
Layton, UT
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