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Show editorial Editor in chief: Mellyn L. Cole Phone: 626-7121 Government should be commended, watched For many students, the issue of condoms on campus is a volatile one. It is one of those seemingly pointless issues that is more about 1 &WGr "Te 2oOO. I rA ?fteA VJE.E?NS&- It's a legacy' of lollipops So I'm walking down Harrison this morning, enjoying my stroll to school and the overcast weather. Someone had been in a fender-bender right in front of Galaxy Diner, and as I walked, I watched the ensuing chaos of traffic trying to get around the immobile autos. It occurred to me, as a result of this scene, that I wasn't being patriotic enough for this great state; here I was on one of the widest, fastest and most traveled roads in Utah, and I was on foot! I could feel Gov. Mike Leavitt turning over in his incumbency, and I resolved to buy a car to celebrate my true feelings for this great state and its governor's genesis of a "Legacy Highway." What a great concept! An ideal way to ring in a second century of statehood, this plan to provide pavement to even the most remote corners of the state, demolish and rebuild the major transportation artery over the course of seven years, and add areas of access in volumes never envisioned by anyone but possibly James Watt. Anti-progressives have labeled Leavitt's highway plan as shortsighted, contending it will just lead to urban and suburban sprawl along the Wasatch Front and complaining about possible environmental damage to i Aaron Barnard "Citizen at large" fragile Great Basin ecologies. They say the highway construction and reconstruction is another porkbelly political payoff, and not worth the trouble it's causing. What nonsense! We haven't had any problems yet with pollution, other than a few "red burn" days each year and a few groundwater poisons as the result of industrial seepage. Sure there might be a few paybacks to political "friends" or to barter legislation, but that's what living in a democracy is all about, right? Selfless trades by those in power to ensure better futures for everyone. It's merely maintenance on the balance of power. Critics of Leavitt defend light rail as an economical alternative. They must be anti-Utah. With all the new businesses and industry being lured here by tax breaks, a captive labor pool and booming car sales, don't they see the absolute necessity of every inch of Leavitt's proposed roads? Those roads are vital to commerce moving through the state and delivery companies within the state. Domino's isn't going to walk your pizza to you, you know. The international community will be here for the Olympics in four short years, and we've been working on the roads, large-scale, for almost three, so we're almost halfway finished. We need to have everything covered with asphalt by 2002, so Europeans won't think we're wimps, and hopefully share construction secrets with us (why is it the Autobahn gets more traffic at higher speeds, in worse weather conditions, and less maintenance is needed? Probably has something to do with communism. Well, we're not commies here, boy!) My course is set; I'm marching straight to Larry "I stand to make the most from the Olympics" Miller's and buying some kind of vehicle which evidences my feelings about Utah and its roads. Maybe a sport-utility vehicle I can drive way into the backwoods and camp at an RV park, to show my love of nature. Or maybe I'll get something to engender a feeling of sameness for highway supporters.Like a 10-ton bag of suckers. letter to the editor God's love no excuse for homosexuality After reading many of the letters to the editor this last week, I am concerned that many of the homosexuals on campus are using the fact that God loves them as an excuse for their behavior. In many of the letters, homo sexuals have stated that God loves them just as much as he loves heterosexuals. It is true; God loves you. He loves all his children, but he does not condone your actions as homosexuals. Homosexuality and other sexual perversions were the cause of the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah. God has never condoned homosexu ality in any form, nor will he ever. If you choose to participate in this kind of lifestyle, it is up to you. That is one of the freedoms that has been given you as a citizen of the United States, but do not use the fact that God loves you as an excuse for your behavior. Jeffrey N. Isom reader of The Signpost rhetoric than the topic. The encouraging thing about the recent condom "referen--dum" that was passed by the Associated Students of Weber State University is that people on both sides of the issue seemed to have the same aim in mind student responsibility. One side said responsibility begins with abstinence. The other side said responsibility begins with preparedness. Both sides had the well being of WSU in mind. Any argument that begins with both sides having the same basic premise is a valuable one. ASWSU's vote to allow condom vending machines on campus was a bold one, and one that we at The Signpost are proud of because it does have the well being of WSU students in mind. Certainly, abstinence is a fine thing, but it's not something that seems to be happening with a great deal of regularity. Ac cording to an American Medical Association study, the average age at which young women lost their virginity 20 years ago was 21. Now, it is 17. Nationwide, teen pregnancy has reached epidemic proportions. Every day, 16,000 people contract AIDS. Regardless what you think about the sanctity of sex, people are having it; to ignore this is to endanger the lives of millions. So, now what? Our support of their decision means little if nothing is done with it. I B Now that ASWSU has had the courage to adopt this resolution, we hope the people who are empowered to take the next legislative steps the president of ASWSU and the faculty senate have the guts to follow through on this forward-thinking proposal. If we are to think of ASWSU as a valid student organization, then we need to see this legislation come to fruition. If the passing of the condom referendum was a purely symbolic act, and the proposal is squelched in subsequent actions by presidential veto, then the debate was of no worth to WSU. We must also, then, consider the worth of student government at WSU. If the condom referendum dies an ignominious death, never to be heard of again, then the question becomes, can we continue to commit student fees to fund the actions of a largely symbolic body? If student government has no power to implement change and can only suggest direction, then of what worth is it to us? When senators respond to what they feel their constituents demanded and then the proposed legislation dies in faculty senate or simply disappears, the system is short-circuited and the students are short-changed. We are told that our student senators provide us with a voice on campus. ASWSU responded to those voices last Monday. Now, we must watch the actions of student body president Aaron Campbell and the Senate to see that they follow through on the process. If they do not, then we must hold them accountable. The students have spoken. As with the condom debate, it is a matter of student responsibility. By Joe Bartenhagen features editor-TVe Signpost iS0(!DTF)SG tzJ u Recipient of the UPA General Excellence award . Editor in chief Mellyn L. Cole 626-7121 ' Managing editor Taylor S. Fielding 6267614 News editor Angela Wadman 626-7655 Campus affairs editor Patrick Parkinson 626-7659 A8.E editor Debra Jandreau 626-7624 Sports editor Andrew Aragon 626-7983 Copy editor Tyler A. Holt 626-7105 Features editor Joe Bartenhagen 626-7621 Graphics editor BriAnna Bracken 626-6358 Photo editor Daniel Nelson 626-7661 Production mngr. Derrick Andersen 626-6358 Advertising mngr. Chad Montgomery 626-6359 Online editor Dan Mills 626-7507 Secretary Georgia Edwards 626-7974 j Adviser Dr. Sheree Josephson 626-6164 1 Publisher Dr. Kathy Edwards 626-6559 Signpost fax 626-7401 the Signpost is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during fall winter, and spring quarters. Subscription Is $9 a quarter. Ihe Signpost's a student publicatioa written edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. 7he Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number, relationship to staff and the writer's signature. 7he Sgnposf reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in UB 267, or mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah 84408-21 10. Attn: Mellyn L-Cole. Let's ear I in m m mludlowweber . edu |