"Great thoughts, ideas and concerns from readers"

(Thanks, Mike)

Reproducing

Scout hopes to get married one day. But Scout is not so sure about having kids. Scout really doesn't know if that's such a great idea, given that Scout can't stand the little buggers.

But DI reader Chris Ashton (cashton@uiuc.edu) thinks that Scout shouldn't get married unless Scout plans on being fruitful and.

"Gays cannot reproduce, so economically there is no reason to give them the benefits reserved to allow child-rearing to occur," Ashton says in defending a previous statement that marriage benefits are intended to help heterosexual couples be better parents.

Chris says because marriage is about raising kids and that gays can't reproduce with each other, they don't deserve marriage rights — tax breaks, etc.

But follow the broken logic-brick-road. Scout thinks that means two people should be required to have kids if they want to get married.

What about a man with a low sperm count? Scout guesses he shouldn't get married. Or a woman who was raped and now can't bear children. Scout guesses that she should be banned from walking down the aisle (in church, in court or elsewhere).

But Scout agrees that marriage benefits might help people be better parents. So assuming Chris has no other broken arguments, gays should also get the same rights given to heterosexuals. That way gays can be even better parents should they choose to raise a child through adoption or other means.

Naked girls

Scout, like many people, saw the October issue of Playboy featuring two girls from the University who chose to show some skin that Scout otherwise wouldn't have seen.

Scout admires their courage to do it. Kudos, ladies.

But Scout knows that the issue furrowed the brow of more than a few people and caused some clenched fists to rattle.

Graduate student Jacob Hess (jzhess@uiuc.edu) sounded off against Scout's employer, saying that when the DI put together a feature page on the two girls, the newspaper "communicated a clear moral message about erotica porn: 'This is something we should embrace. This is healthy. This is good.'"

Jake thinks it's not necessarily healthy or good.

Scout knows newspapers pretty well. Newspapers everyday make the call on what is important, i.e. news (and by leaving something out, what is less so). But Scout knows few newspapers, save possibly newsletters from church or the NRA, that are interested in making moral statements about what is right and what is wrong. Sure, some columns, letters and editorials do, but, please, let's separate those from the newspaper as a whole.

Sounds like the DI was just simply reporting on what happened. If that offends you Jake, Scout is sorry.

More naked girls

And then grad student Michelle Nguyen (manguyen@uiuc.edu) wanted to shame the two girls and the DI.

"We are about academics, integrity and dignity. Don't use the University of Illinois' name in conjunction with pornographic material. That is pure disrespect for the integrity and image of this institution. I don't know why The Daily Illini thought it would be a good idea to feature that article in the first place and, better yet, make it a whole page long."

Michelle thinks the University will be maligned by these two University students showing skin and by the DI's decision that their skin might make for interesting news.

No offense, Michelle, but would the University be maligned if one student spouted dribble and pointless arguments about what other people choose to do with their lives?

Theatrics of terror

Senior in LAS James Mortland (mortland@uiuc.edu) predicts that violence could "erupt" when Student Peace Action protests next Tuesday. The protest presents "an imminent danger" to any ROTC or military personnel on campus.

Scout should run in terror as surely the Armory will burn in the wrath of student protesters. Or maybe James needs to try harder. H.G. Wells had people running in terror in 1938 from fictional aliens. You don't come close in producing the same fear. You only make Scout stop reading the paper.

Campus Scout is a regular news commentary that appears on Wednesdays. Campus Scout can be reached at scoutingui@hotmail.com.