Opinions: Letters to the editor

 published on Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Private Aye

(In response to Monday's column by Kevin King titled "The United States fear market")

I find it ironic that if King's beloved regulator didn't have their hands in the airline business, he would have nothing to write about. Only a government's agenda could involve "dissolv[ing] the collective European consciousness." Remember, a private company is only there to maximize profit. These contractors don't only compete for government contracts using pricing, but quality of service as well (minimizing collateral damage, not being a news story, etc.). It's this fact that places the interests of private security in line with those of the public.

In the end. it is the government that creates the need for defense and hands out the contracts. The private sector just makes our defense more efficient.

Justin Higginbottom
Undergraduate

Too hot to handle

(This is Americans for Decency's response to the Feb. 4 column by Christina Caldwell titled "Of all the blogs in the world" regarding their request to shut down promotion and links to the SPM sex blog on the Web Devil)

We noted your article in your Feb. 4 paper. It is interesting that you did not address the actual articles we specified: 1) "He thought she knew," which addresses oral sex and putting semen all over the writer's face; and 2) "First-time fiasco: Losing my virginity wasn't like a fairytale; it was funnier."

This article addresses underage sex between minors, stating the age of the participating student.

Please be aware, participating in underage sex (under 18) is illegal in Arizona. ARS 13-1405 states, "A person commits sexual conduct with a minor by intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse or oral sexual contact with any person who is under 18 years of age." If Todorow's lover had been two years older than she, he could be sent to jail by what she wrote, even if [the sex] was consensual. (She states in the articles her age as being 16.)

Writing and promoting experiences that could cause students to do illegal activities is just wrong. The link to Todorow's sex blogs needs to be removed.

Why would you want to liken yourselves to porn magazines like Playboy and Hustler, as you stated? You are a student magazine, not a porn magazine.

I am sure many donors may be interested that State Press Magazine is promoting sex to the school in their free magazines with a weekly sex feature and sex blogs. Perhaps you don't mind losing your conservative Mormon and Christian donors who give significantly to the school.

We realize that The State Press and the State Press Magazine are independent. Independent is being loosely defined here. The school provides the facilities, the computers, the students and (if the New Times, November 2004 article is correct) some financing. We believe Dr. [Michael] Crow should have some say in reining in sexual materials, as your student adviser does not appear to be doing.

I would consider it more honest if you placed this letter before readers prior to posting your response so readers can read both sides. Please address the issue, not harangue the writer.

TC Bundy
Americans for Decency