In other words, sex is for married couples only and should be open to the transmission of human life (no artificial forms of birth control). Advertising birth control pills in a newspaper whose readership is largely made up of unmarried students is offensive to me.
I realize that my opinions put me in the minority, but I would like to make two comments about birth control pills that should appeal to a larger portion of your readers.
First, I urge women who are taking the pill to read the accompanying pages of medical warnings and precautions. The page of microscopic print on the back of the insert run in Monday's paper claims to be only a brief summary of potential health hazards.
Second, the pill is considered an abortifacient by the Catholic church and by anyone who believes that life begins at conception. The main function of the pill is to prevent ovulation, but it is not totally effective. A woman taking the pill can ovulate and the ovum can be fertilized by her partner's sperm.
As a second line of defense, the pill prevents the fertilized egg from implanting in the woman's uterus. The fertilized egg is then flushed from the woman during menstruation. If you believe that life begins at conception, then this must be considered an abortion, whether it was intentional or not.
If you are Christian, Pro-Life or simply believe that life begins at conception and you use chemical forms of birth control such as the pill, I urge you to reconsider.
Thomas Bress
Rackham
Despite the lack of enthusiasm in her voice, she has been far more consistent than most of the Michigan athletic teams - but no one's trying to replace them with James Earl Jones. Think about it - she's never complained about how late you call her. The CRISP Lady always answers your phone calls, no matter how many times you've hung up on her. She's always willing to accommodate your needs, whether it be by e-mail or fax. I even heard once she delivered someone's schedule personally!
The truth is, if any of the Michigan "ladies" should be forced to retire, it should be the Grade Lady. You talk to her maybe once a semester? And half the time you talk to her, she's so cold it's almost as if you're talking to some kind of machine. Plus, she's so snotty about your grades: "Stats 100 ... D+." How about a little compassion? Would it kill her to say, "Don't worry, lots of people didn't do well," or "Look, it happens. I'll buy you one at the bar." At least when you're in trouble with scheduling problems, the CRISP lady listens, and presents you with options: Add a class, drop a class, modify, full-body massage (That's little-known option No. 10.)
Jennifer Fried
LSA senior
Dan Messinger
RC senior
The Daily seemed to conveniently leave out the fact that no where in the U.S. Constitution is there a provision for the public funding of the arts. In fact, during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegate Charles Pinckney introduced a motion calling for the federal government to subsidize the arts in the United States, but the other founders overwhelmingly and wisely rejected it because it clearly violates the principle of limited government.
Our elected officials in Washington should not be in the business of financing private expression. The Daily would most certainly object to government financing of the church, why should the arts be any different? One could easily argue that both provide similar benefits to the public.
Regardless of what certain staunch conservatives feel about "obscene" art, defenders of the NEA fail to show the public how well the arts flourish without government subsidies. Testimony before the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee last March shows that overall giving to the arts last year totaled almost $10 billion - up from $6.5 billion in 1991. This 40-percent increase in private giving occurred during a period that the NEA budget was reduced by 40 percent. Clearly, cutting NEA subsidies to art can easily be compensated with private support for the arts.
Lastly, the Daily argued that the tax dollars appropriated to the NEA is a drop in the bucket compared to the aggregate federal budget. They are absolutely right - eliminating the NEA would be the equivalent of a government accounting error. However, the fact remains that serious entitlements such as Medicare, Social Security, and other programs that receive federal money are relied upon by thousands and are on the brink of bankruptcy.
Assurance of arts funding by the government is not a priority. Unless, of course, you happen to be a very unpopular senator from New York who is up for re-election in 1998 and needs an issue to boost his dismal 33-percent approval ratings. In closing, as nice as it is to have secured funding for the arts, the private sector should, and does, assume this role nicely.
Evan Knott
LSA junior
It has been my observation the only "color" we care much about is green - the owner likes it when people have money to spend. Otherwise anyone who has ID and is willing to behave like a reasonable human being is welcome to come in. I trust that anyone who has had any dealings with us over the years knows where we stand and will make up his or her own minds as to whether or not the Nectarine is racist.
Roger LeLievre
Music director, The Nectarine
09-19-97
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