The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 09, 1998, Page 5, Image 5

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    Americans are hypocrites when it comes to sex
TASHA KUXHAUSEN is a
sophomore news-editorial
major and a Daily
Nebraskan columnist
Americans love sex.
And yet, we as Americans take
every opportunity to deny we even
have sex. We’re hypocrites when it
comes to admitting that we do any
thing under the sheets besides sleep
ing.
Sex is private^ but it’s a part of life.
So die need to disassociate ourselves
from the act is unnecessary.
Our parents have sex. As gross and
incomprehensible as it may sound, ifis
true.
It’s natural to have a sexual rela
tionship despite a person’s age, as long
as the body can take it
But most people can ’t stand to hear
about older people having intercourse,
let alone their parents.
When we turn on the television to
“Ricki Lake” or “Jerry Springer,” we
learn about pre-teens and young teen
agers having sex. This is a big concern
to me, became kids are less likely to be
able to support a baby than most sexu
ally active adults.
With the divorce rate as high as 50
percent, we should be grateful that our
parents still love each other enough to
share intimacy.
But something needs to be done to
reduce the number of kids who have
intercourse or at least increase the use
of birth control.
The best way to teach kids about
responsible sex is in school. It makes
sense, because a school is a place of
education.
Many parents, however, argue that
a school is not the proper place for sex
ed. This idea doesn’t make sense,
though, because a lot of parents are too
embarrassed to discuss intercourse
with their own kids.
Schools teach us so many concepts
that we never use again in life. Yet
some won’t teach responsible sex,
which is something we’ll have to know
for the rest of our lives.
Sex-ed needs to be taught early in a
kid’s life in school. No, this will not
give kids bad ideas and turn them into
sex addicts.
Kids are going to have sex,
whether their parents like it or not By
teaching safe sex to kids at an early
age, maybe fewer kids will lead sexual
ly irresponsible lives My school didn’t
discuss sexually transmitted diseases
or pregnancy issues until I was a
senior. By that age, the sex-ed class is
usually too late. Most kids have
already made up their minds whether
or not to have sex.
At least eariy sex education might
help prevent babies from having
babies of their own.
We also tend to be hypocritical on
the subject of adultery. I’m disgusted
to hear about anyone who cheats on a
lover.
But men and women often act
upon sex rather than love and cheat on
their partners, though the sexual act
can ruin their marriage.
Marriage is for monogamy. It
means being faithful to the person who
shared your marriage vows.
I’m not against anyone having
many sexual relationships (with pro
tection), as long as none of die partici
pating people are married.
So if a person believes in marriage,
then they believe in monogamy.
Hypocrites shouldn’t get married.
A prime example of how uptight
our society is regarding sex is the reac
tion to President Bill Clinton’s numer
ous affairs.
Until our country’s people can
avoid adulterous acts, why should the
president have to live up to higher stan
dards? He is die leader of our country,
but hels not perfect
I’m not condoning adultery. I
already said that I believe in
monogamy. Clinton never should have
gotten married, if he knew he couldn’t
be loyal to his wife. But it’s not fair that
so many Americans have affairs, and to
them it is OK, whereas the president
has an affair, and society is in an
uproar.
In Europe, there are political fig
ures who have known mistresses as
well as a wife, and no one cares. It is an
accepted arrangement
It doesn’t make adultery right, but
at least die Europeans have made up
their minds to fate their sexuality hon
estly.
Americans have such a double
standard about sex.
If you're Clinton-bashing because
of his infidelities, then you better not
be a cheater yourself. That would be
like speaking against drunken driving
and then getting picked up for DWI.
Clinton is being tried for impeach
rfient because of perjury. However, he
probably felt the need to lie because of
America’s attitude toward sex - which
is ironic, because many people cheat
and then lie about it
Just like Bill
The media also spend too much
time worrying about people’s sex lives
rather than concentrating on more
newsworthy topics. To be fair though,
people turn on their TVs to tune into
these trash stories.
This feeds die media’s fire.
Adultery is often the topic of gos
sip groups and the discussion at the
kitchen tables of many families.
Average citizens would be devas
tated if anyone knew they were cheat
ing, yet they find nothing wrong with
watching a public figure’s life ruined
because it is on television.
I feel that cheaters do deserve some
embarrassment, but the amount of
time and money spent by media to tell
these scandalous stories is incredible.
Finally, one of die biggest double
standards of sex is between die gen
ders. For some reason, when males
have sex, especially as teen-agers, they
are known by peers as “studs.”
But if a female is having inter
course, even if it is widt her boyfnend,
she is often labeled a “slut” The only
difference is gender.
If sex is OK for one gender, then it
should be the same for the opposite
gender. So how can one be a stud and
the other a shit?
This is the way hypocrites think.
Americans have many hypocritical
views where sex is concerned. Even
though most everyone has sex, many
are embarrassed to mention the word
SEX.
Adultery has been labeled a sin,
but so much of die population commits
it anyway - as if hell weren’t full
enough.
People should realize that sex is a
natural thing, which is why we need to
teach children early in life that it
should be shared by two people who
care about each other and are willing to
take responsibility for the conse
quences.
We also need to practice what we
preach. We can’t judge others if we
can't live up to our own standards.
Eliminating double standards and hyp
ocritical views toward sex is a must.
Sex is a healthy part of life, not a
naughty secret
A man with moves
Pro wrestling preparedThe Body ’ to govern outside of the ring
A.L. FORKNER is a junior
news-editorial major and a
Daily Nebraskan colum
nist,
I love this country.
I love it for many reasons, but
mainly I love it for its funny little
quirks.
The “Only in America” stories, if
you will.
I’m going to tell you one of these
stories. This is a story about a man who
went from serving his country in
Vietnam to serving his country as the
new governor of Minnesota.
Of course, the patriot I’m referring
to is Jesse “The Body” Ventura.
We’ve all heard stories about peo
ple like him. Ordinary people leading
extraordinary lives that could only hap
pen in America.
Stories like...
... a high school-dropout named
Sam Walton who turned a little five
and-dime store into the empire known
as Wal-Mart
... the tale of a poor Alaskan girl
who once lived in her van. She now is
tite iiber-talented singer/songwriter/
poet/snaggle-toothed sweetheart we all
know as Jewel
... a young man who was merci
lessly cut from his high school basket
ball team. That boy grew up to be
Michael Jordan.
They are all American success sto
ries.
True Americans like Jesse.
Gov. “The Body” first served his
country in Vietnam as a Navy Seal and
underwater demolition expert
^ After his discharge, “The Body”
embarked on a career that certainly pre
pared him for a lift; of politics.
I le became a professional wrestler.
Many of us can recall the days of
our youth, watching the fledgling
World Wrestling Federation and boo-*5
ing a loud, brash Gov. “The
Body.” Of course, then it was
just “The Body.”
The double-crossing,
dear-cutting, tag-team men
tality of pro wrestling
provided him with the I 1
tools necessary to * -
govern.
It’s so obvious
now, yet it was over
looked then.
For example, j
his main foe / /
during his If
wrestling , 1
career was i [
Hulk Hogan.
Sure, at die
time Hulk came
across as a red
blooded X
American. A
true
/
t
It was only years later when Hogan
became “Hollywood” Hogan that we
along.
After his 11-year career as a
wrestler, he entered the broadcasting
booth.
His insightful, colorful look into
the mental side of professional wrest
ling allowed the governor to
)me a member
le American
nation ofTele
on and Radio
i
9
I
~ Announcers.
As a firsthand
MattHaney/DN witness, I can attest to
his talent When he desc
- ribed the pain of a figure
four leg lock, you truly feh it
But he wasn’t content sitting still.
No, this is a true man of action we’re
dealing with.
His supporting role in die film
“Predator” gave us a glimpse of the real
patriotic hero that Ventura truly is*.
With classic lines like “I ain’t got
time to bleed,” and as he unwrapped a
mini-canndn, “payback time” Gov.
“The Body” instilled in the American
public a sense of the American spirit
The governor demonstrated the
same never-say-die attitude he showed
in the ring. Only this time, he used a
600-round-per-minute machine gun
instead of a folding chair.
After appearing in
“Predator” “The Running Man” (as the
appropriately named Captain
Freedom), “Batman and Robin” and
several other films, Gov. “The Body”
decided it was time for him to give
back to America.
And he decided to give back to
Minnesota, especially.
He returned to Brooklyn Park,
Minn., where he was elected mayor in
1991. He saved until 1995.
But oh this Election Day, he pulled
ofiFhis most exciting move since per
forming an atomic leg drop from toe
Up rope on Andre the Giant
iiuuipui^, uk ouuuKjr gwr
eral and son of the former vice presi
dent, was the favorite, and Coleman
was die popular mayor of St Paul.
But Jesse beat’on like he used to
heatup on Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.
In die end, however, he showed dial
he was still the same Ventura he was
when he was just “The Body.”
After his opponents’ concession
speeches, Gov. “The Body” said, “The
expels said I wasn’t gonna win. They
were vfrong. I want to wait until all the
votes are counted. Because now all the
experts say I’ve won. They might be
wrong again.”
Forget John Glenn, George
Washington and GX Joe. Ventura is a
real American hero.
My question is where does he go
from here? Will “The Body” be content
running the land of 10,000 lakes, or
does he have higher aspirations?
^ Might we be talking about
President “The Body” someday?
I can’t answer that right now. But
when this guy throws his hat into the
ring, itfc only as matter of time before
someone eke gets thrown out of it
• ' ' '