Dear Editor,
I am writing this in response to Tabitha Rohrer's letter stating that it is not Ball State's responsibility to be a "moral compass" to students. Her letter was in response to a previous letter written by freshman Jordan Kauffman.
First of all, while it may not be Ball State's job to be a moral compass, it is their job to be a legal one. Under-age drinking and drug use are, like it or not, illegal. Thus it is Ball State's job to take a stance. And I have got news for you; just because 'Not everyone believes these things are wrong' does not make them right, or legal. You can tell a police officer that you don't believe in under-age drinking or drugs use all you want, but if you are underage and drinking or using drugs, you are still going to get arrested. That's just the way it is.
As for sex, it's not illegal. It is strictly a question of morality. You can take the abstinence is not sex and therefore not the safest sex approach of you like, but please, that's pretty lame. You know what he means. So I'll reword it for you, Tabitha, so it cannot be taken out of context. Abstinence is the safest way to avoid the stuff that sex tries to prevent. It is pretty darn obvious to me that if you're not engaging in sexual activity then there is no way you're going to have problems relating to sexuality. But as I said before, it is a moral choice. You are right. Ball State does not have to take a stance on it. But in order to be fair, and also not to take a stance either way, I believe abstinence should be presented equally with safe sex in terms of educating students.
Do you realize that by saying this university should not take a stance on these issues, you are in actuality saying that the university should condone criminal illegal behavior? You said Ball State cannot prevent students from engaging in dangerous behaviors. I disagree. I believe they can, and they should. Because not giving a no, or worse yet, saying nothing at all about anything, condones that action. As they say silence equals acceptance. Doesn't saying "The best thing (the university) can do is advise against them (underage drinking, etc.) and tell students how to be safer," seem a little counter productive? It sure does to me. Like it's really going to mean anything if you tell someone not to do something, but in the event that one should decide to do it, here's how to do it best. That's not the way it works; that's illogical and just plain stupid.
So, it seems to me then that Ball State does indeed have some obligations, at the very least in the areas of drinking and drugs, and I believe in the area of sex also. For you to write in and say that they have no obligations just because not everyone believes these things are wrong is ignorant and wrong itself. So Tabitha, maybe it is you who needs to learn a little more before writing to the newspaper about these issues.
Andrew Balke
Freshman
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