Ban not healthy for female students

The UW Birth Control Ban would prohibit the entire UW System from dispensing prescription birth control to students.

The bill's author, Rep. Daniel LeMahieu said he was "outraged" that public institutions allow young women access to prescription birth control, which he deemed as "tools for having promiscuous sexual relations."

Many women take birth control to regulate their menstrual cycles, in addition to the added benefit of protecting themselves from an unintended pregnancy.

Whatever the reasons a woman has for taking prescription birth control is her own business and her doctor’s — not the concern of state legislators!

The UW Birth Control Ban would also prevent rape victims from obtaining emergency contraception from a student health service. One of out six college women have been raped or have been the victim of an attempted rape during the past year.

By passing the UW Birth Control Ban, the State Assembly has undermined women's health on campuses across the state.

Stephanie Hakes Milwaukee

Not surprising that generalizations are alive

As the coordinator of the American Indian Student Services program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, I have observed and been told by students with whom I am in contact that recent editorial comments written by Robb Manning (“Mascots offer historical view,” Sept. 7) have stirred up emotions, spurred discussion and just plain made some of our students angry.

They articulated that they are offended about the lack of understanding and lack of education concerning the ramifications from the use of mascots. They expressed that they are insulted by the presentation of only the negative thoughts about gaming without mention of the positive economic impact that gaming has had for tribal nations and the surrounding communities.

Many of our students are responding in writing to the editorial disputing the comments and giving information to educate regarding the mascot and gaming issues. I am writing in a different vein.

The editorial, in my opinion, serves to demonstrate that stereotypes and generalized ideas are alive and well at UWM. It is not a surprise.

At least Robb rants and comes right out to say what many people are thinking. Thoughts, perceptions, images and beliefs, especially if held and not expressed openly, often are expressed subtly in attitudes, conversations, interactions and behaviors.

All of this can contribute to a climate that may cause students to feel uncomfortable in classrooms and on campus.

Miscommunication from the media throughout the years has helped to socialize readers and give credence to misperceptions about American Indians.

Diane Amour

Writer blinded ‘blame-the-victim’ attitude

"The lost city" by Robb Manning (Sept. 14) is an uninspired, unimaginative parroting of Bill O'Reilly's latest ideology at best.

At worst, it's very deceptive. His thinly veiled "blame-the-victim" attitude and lobotomized black-and-white deconstruction of the hurricane's aftermath are meant to justify the inaction of people who share his views.

He says he does not feel sorry for the people he sees on TV because they typify our "welfare state." He then launches into horrific descriptions of children and infants who were raped in the Superdome, which apparently is supposed to apply to the pre-hurricane atmosphere of New Orleans in general, somehow fits into Robb’s disdain for the culture of "the welfare state," and finally, is supposed to make us feel a distance between the so-called welfare-dependent hurricane survivors and ourselves.

He describes people in Mississippi small towns helping each other out. He describes his wife's large extended family helping each other out. It's really easy to help out people who are just like you, isn't it?

It's because you understand their situation and you realize that it could be you in the same situation. It's called empathy, and it's apparently something Robb lacks for people who are different than he is.

Robb then exonerates the federal government of all wrongdoing and places all blame for the hurricane's destruction on what just happens to be New Orleans' democratic local government.

Nevermind that the federal government appropriated insufficient funds for the ongoing Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Project — the levee system that failed during the hurricane.

Nevermind the federal government's negligence despite repeated requests from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the levee system — it's easier for Robb to go on blaming the "anti-Bush" media for our nation's problems.

It's easier to blame the "handout-enslaved population" of New Orleans for being poor. The last time I checked, it was not a crime to be poor.

And Robb, just about anyone will help out his family and friends. But to help out total strangers who might not look like you or share your same values is what's called compassion.

If you don’t see goodwill coming out of the survivors in New Orleans, I'd like to know where the "goodwill" was when the more fortunate residents of New Orleans got out of the area and were so willing to leave so many others behind.

Margaret King Bolton Hall

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