Thursday, Feb. 5, 1998
Men deserve to play 'women's sports'
This argument is in response to the article in The Daily Collegian titled, "The great debate." The whole idea behind banning men from women's field hockey is ridiculous. The arguments presented by Jan Hall are reactionary and unfounded. He admits openly that there is no evidence that men increase the risk of injury in games, yet in the next sentence cites safety as a reason to ban men from women's field hockey.
I would point to the co-ed teams already in existence, such as
hockey and football. Do the women in these sports suffer from
excessive injuries? If you are going to demand that women play
in predominately men's sports, then we be just as eager to see
men in women's sports. The arguments "bigger, faster, stronger"
did not work in keeping women out of sports, and it should not
work in keeping men out of them, either.
Matthew Graham
sophomore-agricultural education
Americans' dismissal of scandal wrong
I am a little upset about the state of the nation right now. I am particularly upset about the way average Americans are responding to the recent Clinton sex scandal. People do not seem to care that he committed adultery. What's more, people do not care that he might have committed a felony! Where have all our morals gone?
Most people don't care what his sex life is like. Their argument
is as one reporter put it, "If the guy making your milk shake
at McDonald's has an affair, he can still make a good milk shake."
I don't see how you can compare a guy who works at McDonald's
and makes milk shakes, to running arguably the most powerful nation
on earth. The president is the most visible citizen of our nation,
he represents us to other nations and the whole world. If he is
lacking morals, commits adultery and then lies about to us, how
can he be trusted to keep the nation's best interests at heart?
How can leaders of other nations take him seriously?
Most of his strongest supporters are women. A lot of those women
probably would divorce their husbands if they cheated on them.
But now they stand up for President Clinton, a self-admitted adulterer.
If he does not hold the vows of marriage to be sacred, then how
could he hold the trust of the American people sacred?
What spell is the American people under that they can't see he
did bad things. If you knew someone who cheated on their spouse
or life partner, you would not think too highly of them, and would
not trust them again. How can we now trust this man, who cheated
on his wife numerous times and still expects to run the nation
with the trust of the American people?
Tom Bux
senior-American studies
Clinton must be held to higher standards
The past couple of weeks, we have seen, heard and read about the latest sex scandal involving the current president. When I first heard the story, I was not surprised to hear that he did this (or is alleged to have).
Stories of Clinton's infidelities go back to his days as governor,
with stories about Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones and Trooper-Gate.
The White House has been tainted by Clinton during his tenure,
who always seems to be at the middle of one controversy and scandal
after another. It is not surprising Clinton comes before the camera
and claims he did nothing wrong, for he has done this before.
Time and again he has lied and deceived Americans, and many apathetically
stand by without much of a care. With his popularity now more
than 60 percent, many people say, "Who cares what he does
in his personal life as long as the economy is fine?"
That thinking is wrong! Clinton is the president of the United
States, the LEADER of this country. As a leader, he is always
in the spotlight, and therefore must set the example for the people
to follow. Around the world, the president is the most recognizable
representative of the American people outside the United States.
What does his example of infidelity and lying under oath say about
the American people?
Statements like "all politicians lie" or "other
leaders have done it" are not excuses to look the other way.
If he cannot be expected to keep the oath of matrimony to his
wife before God, how can American trust Clinton to stand before
them put his hand on George Washington's Bible and swear to uphold
and defend the Constitution of the United States?
In a highly visible leadership position, like president, you are
not afforded the luxuries of a personal life or are allowed to
make mistakes that do not have ramifications on others. Americans
expect their leaders to already have qualities like honor, integrity
and especially virtue as an established part of their moral character;
a requirement in leadership.
Because one is lawful does not mean they are moral, the law can
always be changed to suit one's needs. But it the principles of
one's character is what makes one truly good and a leader. If
the accusations of adultery and perjury to cover-up prove to be
true, then without a doubt Clinton should step down.
Chris Stetsko
senior-international politics
