October 6, 1998

Jay Ware
Opinion Editor

You probably knew that this one would be coming.  We’ve covered politics and religion, so I thought that I might apply my usual hedonistic philosophy to the issue we are always interested in, but are sometimes afraid to talk about.

Since the private life of our tubby adulterer/president has been making more headlines and magazine covers then important economic issues, pornography has surfaced as a main topic of discussion. Parents are having to explain to their children the meaning of phrases such as “foreplay” and “oral sex” because the leader of the nation believes that he should christen each bedroom with a secretary or intern.

Is this just another sign of our moral decline in America? No, it just shows us the depths of irresponsibility and lack of communication we have in our relationships.  And let’s not forget that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Overall, this has to be the most fascinating and dangerous and taboo issue in human history, and we are not willing to end it now.  The debate rages on in all of our social environments as to the proper way to approach the act.And it doesn’t matter, because families are destroyed by it on a daily basis.

Actually, I am a huge supporter of the theory that everything can be taken in moderation as long as responsibility is also thrown into the mix.  The same should go for sex.

Should you wait until marriage to have sex?  Hey, whatever works for you, but if you do choose to wait, I hope that you have an incredible amount of patience, plenty of cold water in your shower, and the ability to limit your frustration so that you don’t physically explode in the meantime.

On the other hand, it does surprise me that many people choose to abstain until marriage when they are sure that they are in love with their partner. Why torture yourself? In this age of uncertainty, we also have fairly safe ways of protecting ourselves. Yes, sex does complicate a relationship, but it is also one of the most beautiful and incredible experiences that we can enjoy.

Sex is certainly a subject that should be taken seriously. If you are now having unprotected sex outside of a committed, monogamous relationship, then you are kidding yourself.  You should line up, single-file, outside of the newspaper office so that we can slap your hand and give you directions to the nearest condom.

After all, condoms are not hard to find, and they can obviously save you from a world of hurt. They won’t run from you or criticize you or cringe when you introduce them to the parties involved. They can usually be found in your neighborhood gas station, probably between the Band-Aids and Twinkies.  Sometimes you can even find the interesting ones that serve more than one function. These interesting items probably are not the most effective, but glow-in-the-dark male body parts can usually lead to a good laugh or two.

In the end, I hate to be redundant, but we still have serious problems taking responsibility for our actions and our children, and that is the sole reason for teenage pregnancy rates, the spread of sexual diseases, and the cheating that we see in our culture every day. Does this mean that we should abolish sex altogether?  No, and if you have considered that, it’s because you probably aren’t getting any. Sex is fun.  Let’s keep it that way.