Reading Josh Siegel’s column “Despite health risks, abstinence not an option; sex too good to miss” (SN 4/22) confirms my belief that The State News is clinging to the bottom rung of society’s moral ladder - and slipping at that.

Siegel’s irresponsible use of his power as a columnist has made it appear not only unpopular to be a virgin, but seemingly wrong.

By asserting abstinence is either the result of fear or lack of thinking, Siegel attempts only to make himself feel better about his own situation or behavior.

But he is not alone. Nothing is more common today than for someone on this campus trying to deny the existence of morals, or attack their place in today’s society. The explanation for this is simple: It’s an incredibly daunting idea that there may be a right answer, or certain definitives, and you do not live up to them.

By writing that using sex, alcohol and marijuana as a means of escape is not morally wicked, or even wrong, does not make him correct. To see something in print, no matter how much one may want to believe its validity, does not make it so.

I am aware this column was printed on the Opinion Page of the paper, and everyone has a right to express their opinions. But this is a bad opinion to impress upon society.

What does this article say about us as a whole? It attempts to shame those who stand for something, it makes us seem like the irresponsible negative stereotypes the media portray our generation to be. I think this column showed not only a lack of discretion on the part of the author, but also on that of the editor.

I know no one achieves moral perfection, and that I fall short just as everyone else. But to assert that morality does not exist, and those who believe in and practice morals are haughty, is just another way of making one feel better for holding a belief that even they themselves know is wrong.

Derek Bush
political science and
pre-law sophomore