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Students Must Take Responsibility For Own Selfish Actions

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 22, 2007

Abstinence Surest Policy

Regarding the letter to the editor from a USF student (Sept. 20) who thinks that it's unfair that the cost of contraceptives at her school doubled, making her and other students have to 'make some tough choices about how or whether we they can afford contraception:'

Whatever happened to self-control? That doesn't cost anything and doesn't endanger anyone and should be the kind of birth control that all unmarried students take anyway.

I don't think the schools or the government should be encouraging sex outside of marriage by providing birth control to students. They should be encouraging abstinence, regardless of what religion a person is.

That's just common sense. If one wants to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and babies out of wedlock, abstinence is the surest method.

MARGARET BEAUMONT

San Antonio

Funding Sex Lives

Let me get this straight. Some of the students at USF believe it is their 'right' to have the government - taxpayers - fund their sex lives? Get real.

If they can't afford birth control then they can make a responsible decision and either not have sex or get a job and buy their own. Maybe if these students were to spend more time studying than playing around, they would have better writing skills.

I believe what scares me the most is these students are old enough to vote in the presidential election. They don't seem to realize the government doesn't have any money. The government only spends what it takes from the working people - taxpayers!

LAURA FINCH

Wesley Chapel

Recreational Behavior

Under this rock where I live, I was not aware I have an obligation to pay for someone else's risky behavior, and I've read the Constitution inside out.

In any case you can conjure up, I absolutely don't understand why the taxpayers must pay for Alex Southard's birth control so she can engage in recreational sex. If she chooses to behave this way, let daddy and mommy pay for it. If she conducts herself this way and gets caught, I don't feel in the least responsible for the care of that child until it is old enough to repeat the cycle, since I'm sure she'll pass these values on. That responsibility should fall to that same daddy and mommy who brought her up to feel she needn't accept responsibility for her own actions. If she chooses this recreation, I don't owe her the price of admission.

But I tell you what. I play golf, which for me and those around me, is indeed risky behavior. So if all the taxpayers reading this letter agree to pay for my recreational behavior, pay my greens fees and replace the golf balls I lose - oh, and a few beers - I'll stop complaining about the taxpayers' liberal-inspired obligation to pay for Southard's adolescent, reckless, recreational behavior. Deal?

WAYNE HAYS

Hudson

Share With Partner

While I sympathize with the budget woes of the current college student, I just can't understand the angst expressed by Alex Southard over the fact that she apparently will have to dole out $40 for previously 'free' birth control as a result of the Deficit Reduction Act.

I'm all for promoting the safer sex practices she mentions in her letter, but when condoms cost $1 apiece, I'd encourage her to split that cost with her partner in the future, rather than seeking the assistance of Congress to survive within her limited college budget.

ROBERT HEYMAN

St. Petersburg

Educational Excellence

We read, hear and see a constant litany of media comment on the weaknesses and failures of our schools and students. Apparently, our students can't read or write, are behind other countries in math and science and don't know geography or civics. But let's look at the bright side. We excel in sex education and sociology.

JACK KITKO

Brandon

Poor Excuses

As a college student and supporter of student government unions and their programs, I am ashamed to be placed in the same category as my peers at the University of South Florida.

Megan Latchford's comments concerning the financial responsibility of student government (front page, Sept. 18) hit a deep nerve with me. She was quoted in The Tampa Tribune saying, 'When you take that power, the fact that we're children, and the money - it's a recipe for concern; at the end of the day, we're kids. We are people who are just actually learning to be real adults.'

Just because she is irresponsible and not capable of making adult decisions, does not mean the rest of her peers share her inadequacies. She is making it very difficult for students to be taken seriously.

College is a time for learning, growth and development - not making excuses for our poor judgments and inappropriate behaviors.

ALLISON LEVIC

Spring Hill

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