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Show Editorial FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2012 3 THE SIGNPOST The Signpost Viewpoint Taking contraceptives is not irresponsible Rush Limbaugh calls Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke (and the rest of the "femi-Nazis") a slut and a prostitute for standing unofficially before Congress to criticize health insurance policies for its lack of contraception coverage. The nation bites Limbaugh back. Fluke fights back as well, and Limbaugh's sponsorship begins to drop like flies. Limbaugh apologizes, because, well, money is involved now. As it stands, Limbaugh's show has lost 45 sponsors, including big names like AOL and GEICO Insurance. It's anyone's guess if Limbaugh is sincere in his apology, and many believe that he isn't. Whether he is or isn't, there is a bigger issue at hand, and that is there are people who think a woman trying to fight for money and time and nurtur- cause they have no physical someone to have sex." As a health contraception is a "slut" who ing a child needs. Think of all obligation to a growing fetus. insurance policy, that money is wants the government to pay of the stories you hear about This isn't to say that all young, providing an option for everyone, her to have sex. single women raising children, unmarried women are aban- male or female. This isn't a religious Because this issue became becoming "burdens" on soci- doned by the men they con- or moral issue - it's a health issue. part of the national discourse ety because they utilize gov- ceive a child with, but it's still a The world takes the time to this past week, the media has ernment programs like WIC reality for some. react to and acknowledge what asked many what they feel or food stamps to help them Calling women like Sandra these men have to say about about Limbaugh's sentiments pay for food for their children. Fluke "sluts" and "femi-Nazis" women's reproductive health toward Fluke. Rick Santorum Think about the women who is unfair, sexist and ignorant. without taking into considerweighed in by stating that Lim- step up to the plate and do It is 2012 and people have sex. ation the immense amount of baugh was being an absurd en- whatever is necessary to take It isn't a reality that all people responsibility these women are tertainer, but that it's immoral care of the children that per- wait until they're married. taking by protecting themselves to impose a value on people by haps they weren't ready for. It isn't a reality that people from potential setbacks and using their money to pay for Also, try to take into con- don't conceive children they health problems. something like contraceptives. sideration that birth control aren't ready for. The governOur society values the opporRomney was quoted as say- provides a multitude of other ment can't regulate sex, and no tunities to be whoever or whating that "it's not the language I benefits for women's health, matter how much we chastise ever you want to be, so why is it would have used." not just preventing unwanted an unmarried person for hav- a crime for a young woman or So, essentially, neither pregnancy. ing sex with someone, it won't man to make a conscious choice thinks that Limbaugh is necesWe as a society naturally make it go away. to delay parenthood a few more sarily wrong; he's just being a place the responsibility on Taking birth control is re- years? bit over-the-top. women to raise children almost sponsible, and pretending like Comment on this column al Take a minute to think about always. Biologically speaking, it's not is an archaic way to wsusignpost.con; this. Think about all of the men can potentially leave be- think. No citizen is "paying for Editor's note: Wednesday's issue of The Signpost mishandled information tied to Jennifer Killpack-Zion's letter to the editor. The Signpost sincerely regrets the error and has taken steps to ensure similar errors do not occur in the future. THAT'S ALMOST A5 WEIRD A5 THE ONE I HAD WHERE WE EVOLVE INTO BIRDS. HAD A STRANGE DREAM LAST NIGHT. WE GOT WIPED OUT By A COMET AND A BUNCH OF HAIRLESS APES HAD NO CHOICE BUT To PAY EXORBITANT FEES FOR OUR LIQUIFIED REMAINS. Words of a Poor Writer I am a woman Jennifer Sanda • The Signpost columnist Well, it's that time of year again - Women's History Month. But why do women get a month all to themselves? True, they were repressed for thousands of years, still suffer inequality in the workplace and home, and are sold as slaves in human-trafficking rings. But I can't help but think that by giving women their own month, we, as women, are accepting the notion that we are the "weaker" gender - that we need to be coddled and provided for. Men don't have a history month because they are history. It should be the same for women. Since the early 1900s, wornen have struggled to gain equal footing with men in the home and the workplace. I personally feel like we've done that. So, why are women's rights still something society is battling? The first reason for this, I believe, is because the current generation in powerful positions lived through some of that battle. Though women's 1■14;710Alautivr. (1c4E0Mbor4Sta, treat me like one rights seem like a done deal, women are equal, to me, many still remember a time when it was not this way. Also, because of this older generation, many women are still suffering inequality in the home and workplace. It's how some of these people were raised, but they do not intentionally oppress or repress women like society once did. By acknowledging our oppression through events like International Women's Day or Women's History Month, we are accepting our defeat as equals. This is not to say that women should not be recognized. In fact, I wish more women were recognized for what they did. However, sometimes this backfires. Sometimes recognition comes for the wrong reasons. For example, Disney's new movie Brave is receiving a lot of recognition because the hero of the story is female. If it were the exact same story told the exact same way but with a man, this story would not receive nearly as much hype as it has. Great. I love female protagonists, but don't do it for the sake of "showing what women can do." Do it because that is the best story to be told. Recognize a person because he or she deserves it, not simply because it's the first woman to do that one thing (or something Spencer Garn Stephanie Simonson Thomas Alberts Eric Jensen Nathan Davis Amanda Lewark Jessica Klemm 626-7121 626-7614 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 626-8071 626-7621 Features Editor A&E Editor Copy Editor Adviser Ad Manager Office Manager Comment on this column at wsusignpost.corn F I GET ou -r OF BED To GET A I'LL BE EXCUSED For CLASS "1- 0 STAY IN RED AND RECOVECZ FRO M I Lt- r•IE SS ... Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Asst. Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Business Editor like that). One of the events that will be held later this month on campus is a screening of Miss Representation, a film about how the media misrepresents media in limited and disparaging ways. That's great and all, except we seem to like how wornen are represented by the media. If we didn't, we wouldn't watch or purchase the things that we do. OK, it's true that I'm not flawless like many of the media wornen, but I like watching the flawless women. Isn't it nice to watch what we can't always be in our everyday lives? There's not much I can do about human trafficking (which I'm sure some men are victims of as well), but I will support those who can help stop. Honestly, I think that this is where women's rights need to really be focused. The fact is, if women can't be confident enough with who they are and what they represent, they will never be able to overcome inequality. I don't need a whole month, or even a day, to show me how fantastic my gender is. I am just as good as any man, and that's how I want to be treated. DOcro R.'s NOTE E AS PR.00F OF SAID ILLNESS. ..51 Jerrica Archibald Kory Wood Jennifer Sanda Shane Farver Shelley Hart Georgia Edwards 626-7105 626-7624 626-7659 626-7526 626-6359 626-7974 The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced to refuse to print any letter. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu are not necessarily endorsed by the university. and read Letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words. |