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Show Letter to the Editor Defense of "Utah Holiday ASWC Encourages Last week members To the Editor, have done an exceptional Job of getting the magazine back on its feet. As the owners of I am writing in response to the Sky West's "Midflight" magazine, Tuesday "Swenson Leaves 'Utah Holiday'" article by Publishing is the least; its competent to Samantha Dunn, Independent Writer, in members are far from say inexperienced, the Nov. 29 issue of the Forum. The and without vision story chauvanistlc, talked of the shady owners from (accusations made about Goldenwood in the GoJdcnwood Inc. who fired managing editor "Swenson Leaves" article ). Darbara Bannon (not Barron as the article Dunn's portrayal of Swenson in her stated) and who caused editor Paul Swenson to resign. As a student intern for "Utah Holiday, I am aware of the problems caused by Goldenwood from December 1987 to June 1988. I am also aware of the accomplishments of Tuesday Publishing Inc., the new owners of "Utah Holiday." After the Dunn article chastized "Utah Holiday" and its previous owners, it failed to mention a word beyond the title of the new ownership which has been in effect since June of this year. Tuesday Publishing is still helping "Utah Holiday" recover from its difficulties with Goldenwood and they two-side- of Bible-bangin- nr self-proclaim- ed December 13, 1988 Issue 12 self-interes- by examining the ts Constitution proposal, spent reviewing the concepts the purpose of the new Constitution. With these ideas in mind, the first draft of the Constitution has been written. It is important in this dynamic period of time at Westminster College, that as Westminster College grows, the students have a greater voice in the directions that the school will take. The new Constitution proposes a Senate format to encourage Student Constitution. That brings me to the most important point in this letter. In order for the new Constitution to be ratified, it must pass the student body by a 23 majority vote of all eligible students. To accomplish this, the student body as a whole must vote. I challenge the student body, in the interest of greater student involvement in the Westminster community, to stand up in greater student representation and make and themselves heard. January also it allows for participation, growth and change. The Constitution has been written to foster a dynamic environment. It is Mike Conger, Interim Chief Justice Sincerely, condoms in . s, their own Cara Cahoon the homosexual community and stated that a valId "Judge not, that you be not Judged," study had not been analyzed for Matthew 7:1. I wonder if Joy Beech and varlous reasons. Ernst at this point Sharon Ernst of Families Alert have ever pontificated that an accurate read that particular scripture. Maybe they not he conducted on a crossstudy could section of should read I Timothy 5:13 which says, homosexuals because, all dying off "theyre ...also gossips and busybodies, saying from AIDS." Families Alert leader, things. which they ought not." These two ' Joy Beech women are the sanctimonious, stated, the use of condoms does not save g leaders of llvcs." Decker then asked. "What should we sc'appoInted to helping tell our teenagers who are sexually active?" inuea Utah teachers comply with a law that Ernst vigorously replied, "We need to tell state mandated provides guidelines for sex them to stop!" Can you believe that education in the classroom. response? We are not talking about the These two women recently appeared rifht or wrong of premarital sex, we're onTake Two to explain their organizations talking about, at the very least, curtailing purpose, to interpret the law according to the spread of Aids and perhaps even death Book of Families Alert, and to reinforce Families Alert's argument lies in their their argument that teaching high school interpretation of the of the proper students about the proper use of condoms use of condoms. teaching believe that They Is, in their opinion, not only a violation of disscussing this subject In any way the law, but perverted and Immoral. promotes, "perverted premarital sex." The appearance stemmed from a ' To add to their argument, Families recent Incident in which Families Alert Alert is trying to enforce compliance of the charged Ben Barr, formerly with Aids law because as Beech said, "Teachers U an E,rcctor of the Salt Lake off college campuses are being aids Foundation of violating the law. Barr coming sex." was acting as a consultant to train educators taught perverted sex outside marriage is "Any on the proper use of condoms so that sex," Ernst added. I am real perverted teachers could include the subject in their concerned that there are a great many of us neaith classes to not only prevent who are going to die and go to Hell, aso curtail the spread of especially if these two women have AfnfpanC anything to do with our day of Judgement. , Ben Barr's With this disscussion of . ufcause subsequent resignation, statements made by families sex, comes the second pointpremarital of this ert on Take Two" and the issues editorial and that is premarital pregnancy. 1 am compelled to address three Today in this country, Utah Included, one IirrC specific Issues in this editorial. in every four children is bom illegitimate, i,"e first issue reared its ugly head one in four. Of course, Ernst denied the cn fashes Alert chargcd."Mr. Barr is an fact that statistically, such a figure was avowed homosexual," to Mrs. possible for Utah. She went on to emaron Ernst, we foundaccording, Mr.- - Barr was vehemently discount the Van that 1 n the f tate law and we dont that stated a whopping 30-4- 0 Dyke report percent of think hc understood the law." our teenage brides in the state went to the What right does Families Alert have alter pregnant. 1 In Judgement of what Ben barr of Ernst also said that only 17 percent f riyone else does in his or her private life? of Utahs teenagers participated in wnen questioned, Ernst said, "I was told by premarital sex. How can this group possibly that she new someone that said deny the fact that we have one of the ?ii TUTWas an avowed homosexual." This highest birthrates in the country and that jo hearsay, which Rod Decker was quick most of those births occur to teenaee to point out to Ernst. mothers? This woman must have lived in a . 5.n asked directly how Barr cave for the past thirty years, a c j the law, Ernst had no Families Alert's naive answers, to moralistic platitudes to offer. She Premarital sex and pregnancy isresponse to "Just say ra fied to outline any ways in which Barr Becch also added that parents are not ct ng? his presentation to comply, only that he had violated this law and its achng theIr children about sex at home, Families Alert's murky interpretation. cause is to Decker went on to address the challenge parents to teach their children and to make sure that educators teaching self-righteou- important that the student body look to The two days were new Constitution and preparing themselves behind and to vote knowledgeably on their choice of a article was interesting and informative, I have nothing against that portion of the story. The conclusion to which I have come the rest of the article is not as If Dunn would have bothered to positive. discuss the Issue with "Utah Holiday"'s current owners to clarify their side of the story, her piece would have been much more effective. One-side- d representations d of Issues have no place in a Journalistic setting. effectiveness By Lee Foszcznski of Judiciary and Legislative Assembly met in Park City to work on the first draft of the new Student Student Vote sex education are, of course, in compliance with the state law. The phone lines were with callers that could not, as I,burning believe that Beech and Ernst were living In reality. Every caller accused them of living in abject Ignorance of the real world. Of course, the women just sat there in sanctity. They believe being mothers them to sit permits in Judgement of Ben Barr or anyone they assume chooses not to live life as Families Alert deems it should be lived. Their assumptions are staggering. I believe that teenagers who are sexually active should use condoms. Yes, teenagers should be taught sex education. And yes, experts who are people, and I stress the word people, should instruct teachers in the proper use of condoms so that students can be taught correctly and hopefully the spread of AIDS can be curtailed. Sexual prcfemeces should not be an issue when lives are at stake. Finally, the third point deals with the moralistic supremacy with which this organization delivered its with the same kinds of attitudes that have destroyed so many In the past, but on a smaller scale here. These issues are not about gay rights, are about human rights and Just how they threatening organizations like Families Alert can be to us all. As long as these g radicals are allowed to flourish, we will continue to foster a mentality that, once again, sits in judgement of the lives of each and every one of us. Those same Individuals will be responsible for Innocent people being victimized for sexual preference, race, religion, and what they think and how they Bible-bangin- live. entire propaganda. Families Alert is yet another group sitting in Judgement of everything everyone does. This organization .is cut of the same cloth as Hitler's Gestapo. It too, proclaimed moral supremacy. When will it end? Hitler, the Ku Klux Klan, and now Families Alert have prided themselves on the notion that they were chosen by some higher authority to build the road to glory and then mandate its route. This mentality, when nurtured, turns into an ugly obsession that wreaks havoc on unsuspecting individuals who are only innocent bystanders in the wrong at the wrong time. These obsessions palce end up hurting people. Because the Jews were Jews, they were destroyed. Hitler and spin-of- f white supremacy felt then and feel now compelled togroups destroy Jews, blacks, the mentally ill and the retarded They feel "divinely directed" to cleanse the race of homosexuals, Families Alert blacks and intellectuals. Anyone who challenges their authority and power is a target and a victim. Now Families Alert, in the same vein, feels the need to get rid of an "avowed homosexual" with no substantiation, with Families alert's no real argument. They will MAKE SURE commentary on our existence is a and is not that teachers comply with the law because but a gauge ofsociety how intolerant m teachers are Irresponsible due to the image, of us really are. "perverted sex" they have been taught They s will MAKE SURE parents are their children sex education atteaching home. These "divine directions are all riddled Judged ' Sc not' that 8 yu not Forum |