BINGHAMTON REVIEW Editor-in-Chief Contents
P.O. BOX 6000 BINGHAMTON, NY 13902-6000 EDITOR@BINGHAMTONREVIEW.COM
Founded 1987 • Volume XXXI, Issue VIII Patrick McAuliffe Jr. Managing Editor Matt Rosen Copy Desk Chief Yvonne Tyler
Business Manager Mac Chasman
Social Media Shitposter
BINGHAMTON REVIEW TELLS ALL
Tommy Gagliano
PAGE 8
Editor Emeritus
3 Editorial by Patrick McAuliffe 4 Press Watch by Our Staff 5 Top 10 Places on Campus to Have Sex by Rebecca Goldstein
Jordan Raitses
Associate Editors Adrienne Vertucci
Staff Writers
Jordan Jardine Sarah Waters John Restuccia
Contributors
Alex Carros Rebecca Goldstein
Special Thanks To:
by Our Staff
6 How the Myth of “Rape Culture” Hurts Women by Sarah Waters 7 The Case for Legal Prostitution by Jordan Jardine 10 Party of Nun
by Patrick McAuliffe
11 The Christian Argument Against Homophobia by Tommy Gagliano
Intercollegiate Studies Institute Collegiate Network
12 The Abortion Bill Comes Due by Matt Rosen
Binghamton Review was printed by Gary Marsden We Provide the Truth. He Provides the Staples
14 The Sexiest Way to Have the Hottest Sex by Alex Carros
Throwbacks
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! Direct feedback to editor@binghamtonreview.com 2
BINGHAMTON REVIEW
Vol. XXXI, Issue VIII
EDITORIAL Dear Readers,
From the Editor
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s Rihanna once wisely said, “Must be love on the brain.” This month is where you can really see it blossom in the frosty streets of Binghamton. I’m not sure whether cuffing season is here or not yet, but either way, we Reviewbrahs have upped the ante and provided some accurately-themed sexy content for you to get you in the right mood. Who knew our magazine was an aphrodisiac? Hint: we did. Not many people know too much about the sexual habits of conservative college students, so we decided to share with you! Our staff took a replicated Pipe Dream sex survey and we recorded our answers to some common questions in the center of this magazine. Some of them are answers you may be expecting, while others may shock and amuse you. We, too, feel the pain of sexually liberated youth once in a while. After you’ve gotten a glimpse at how the other half lives (and loves), be sure to check out Rebecca’s guide to best places on campus for some dangerous quickies. Public indecency is a crime!...but that’s what makes it exciting sometimes. While staying on campus, Sarah offers her perspective on the often-exaggerated “rape culture” that is not as rampant at college as some people may claim. She finds the middle ground between radical misandrogynistic feminism and victim blaming, encouraging women to take matters into their own hands and defend themselves from would-be attackers. Looking beyond the perversely horny college atmosphere, Tommy uses alternate Biblical justification to argue that Christian homophobia has nothing Christian about it. Jordan, in traditional anarchist fashion, advocates for a rejection of religious values as law and the legalization of prostitution. Matt looks at two recent abortion bills from Virginia and our good old home state of NY, critiquing the new laws through a pro-life lens. I comment on the resurgence of a scandal within the Catholic Church targeting nuns, questioning how best the Church can bring the behavior of its offices in line with its values of social justice. Finally, in traditional Sex Issue fashion (because he puts it so well), we throwback to Alex’s March 2017 article on the virtues of abstinence until marriage and the honor that it provides to your partner. Keep an eye on our social media for our new Binghamton Review Live! radio show time. Matt, Jordan, and I will be back for one more semester together before graduation, bringing you our analysis of national politics, international happenings, and other liberty-loving discussion. Subscribe to us on YouTube and our subreddit, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and give your sweetheart a copy of the Review for Valentine’s Day. It’s free, yet priceless. We’ll get you to home base for sure.
Sincerely,
Patrick McAuliffe Jr. Binghamton Review is a non-partisan, student-run news magazine of conservative thought founded in 1987 at Binghamton University. A true liberal arts education expands a student’s horizons and opens one’s mind to a vast array of divergent perspectives. The mark of true maturity is being able to engage with these perspectives rationally while maintaining one’s own convictions. In that spirit, we seek to promote the free and open exchange of ideas and offer alternative viewpoints not normally found or accepted on our predominately liberal campus. We stand against tyranny in all of its forms, both on campus and beyond. We believe in the principles set forth in this country’s Declaration of Independence and seek to preserve the fundamental tenets of Western civilization. It is our duty to expose the warped ideology of political correctness and cultural authoritarianism that dominates this university. Finally, we understand that a moral order is a necessary component of any civilized society. We strive to inform, engage with, and perhaps even amuse our readers in carrying out this mission.
Views expressed by writers do not necessarily represent the views of the publication as a whole. editor@binghamtonreview.com
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CPampus resswatch “The Covington Catholic kids are no angels” Jacob Hanna, Pipe Dream, 1/31/19 “On Jan. 20, a video clip was uploaded to YouTube by organizers of an indigenous people’s march showing a crowd of 50 or more students from Covington Catholic High School surrounding an elder of the Omaha Nation, Nathan Phillips, as he beat a ceremonial drum. The students can be clearly seen performing a tomahawk chop and poor imitations of indigenous musical vocals that are obviously intended to mock, harass and intimidate Phillips. That they wore “Make America Great Again” caps and that they were there to participate in a separate march to protest a woman’s right to have an abortion — their autonomy and their health care — is also apparent. These facts make the undeserved campaign of revisionism that has seen mass apologia toward them baffling. “One could argue that in making this statement, I am underinformed, as an article in the libertarian publication Reason so claims.” You are under-informed. Perhaps willingly? “In citing the full video, they state that the students were at first reacting to a demonstration by the Black Hebrew Israelites, who are documented saying — without diving into the actual content of their speech — hateful things toward the students. They also state that Phillips approached the students first, and not the other way around.” Have you watched the full video? The Black Hebrew Israelites threw numerous anti-gay slurs at 16-year-old kids and even signaled out the black student among them for extra verbal harassment. And yeah, Phillips did approach the students first, walking his way as close their group as possible. “The apologia by the media for the Covington Catholic students was swift. Many media figures retracted their initial thoughts on the incident that were formed by the first video clip.”
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Written by our Staff
We know you don’t read the other campus publications, so we did it for you. Original pieces are in quotes, our responses are in bold.
Frankly it wasn’t swift enough. Entire days went by before media leaders admitted to their incorrect reporting, all the while falsely promoting the idea that a group of maybe-smug-looking conservative kids had committed some great racist attack. The entirety of the mainstream media was all too happy to demonize CHILDREN for their wrongthink. Apparently, you still are, even with the facts against you. Are employers doing enough to curtail workplace sexual harassment? Annick Tabb, Pipe Dream, 2/6/19 “[C]ompanies appear to have started consciously minimizing the amount of interaction and mentorship between female employees and men in senior executive positions. This implies that companies would rather invest in male employees who may be potential abusers while simultaneously depriving women of crucial networking experience.” No. Companies are trying to separate men and women to minimize accusations of harassment or abuse, real or fake. “Policies like this also make the broad assumption that only women are subjected to workplace harassment, which is far from the truth.” Tell that to all the domestic violence shelters that don’t admit men. “[A]lmost half of male managers reported that they felt uncomfortable “participating in a common work activity with a woman, such as mentoring, working alone or socializing together.” Of course they are. As you stated earlier, women are replacing alleged abusers in their positions. They don’t want to lose their job to someone who makes an unfounded allegation of groping against them. “[M]en are worried that women emboldened by the #MeToo movement will falsely accuse them of harassment.” Yes. Men are terrified of abuse alle-
gations and the power they have to destroy lives. When you have a movement based on “believing women” instead of believing evidence, false allegations can and do happen. Have you ever even read To Kill a Mockingbird? “It is unfair to deprive deserving employees of the chance to advance their careers because their superiors cannot be trusted to not objectify and/or assault them.” It is unfair to publicly crucify a man based on nothing but an accusation. #MeToo throws “innocent until proven guilty” out the window. Men are protecting themselves. Women need to support evidence-based decision-making instead of tarring and feathering people off the bat. Why do we elect representatives we disapprove of? Emily Houston, Pipe Dream, 2/3/19 This is a great piece and the entire thing is worth a read over at Pipe Dream. Hey, it’s important to vote your values. Voting for most people is a balance between personality and policy, so if you prefer to vote for someone who you personally approve of, go for it.
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TOP 10 PLACES ON CAMPUS TO HAVE SEX
Top 10 Places on Campus to Have Sex By Rebecca Goldstein
With Valentine’s Day coming up, you might want to get nasty. Oh no! What if you don’t know where to do it! Don’t even sweat it fam, here’s some cool places for y’all to get it. 10. Dorm Room: super lame but super convenient 9. Study Lounge: you’re studying anatomy (duh) so technically you’re not doing anything wrong 8. Laundry Room: imagine doing something so dirty in a place so clean 7. Science Library: sex is science, isn’t it? 6. Basement of the Lecture Hall: it’s like a labyrinth down there. Nobody will even find you and your boo 5. Nature Preserve: birds are always chirping and trying to get laid. Why not try it yourself? 4. Union Bathroom: there’s some lovely gender neutral bathrooms for ya 3. Third Floor of the Library: this is the floor with really old books, and NOBODY goes there because nobody reads anymore! 2. Fine Arts Practice Rooms: private, copious amounts of room, and people won’t know if you’re moaning or singing really poorly 1. THE REVIEW OFFICE, OBVIOUSLY: Our sex dungeon, complete with a casting couch ;) Disclaimer: I am not encouraging you to have sex in full view of everyone and it’s not my damn fault if you get caught. Be safe and remember consent. Now GO GET LAID FUCKERS!
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HOW THE MYTH OF “RAPE CULTURE” HURTS WOMEN
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How the Myth of “Rape Culture” Hurts Women By Sarah Waters
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ape is caused not by cultural factors but by the conscious decisions, of a small percentage of the community, to commit a violent crime.” –RAINN, 2014 A lot of people don’t seem to understand the real dangers that modern feminism presents to women. Specifically “don’t teach women not to get raped, teach men not to rape!” Considering the fact that we teach men that rape is wrong from birth, this is astoundingly dangerous to women. Feminists not only spit on conventional advice (i.e. don’t accept open drinks, stay in groups, learn self-defense, don’t get blackout drunk, have a plan and a buddy, etc.), but vilify anyone who comes up with alternatives (anti-rape panties, color-changing cups and nail polish to detect roofies, jewelry that calls police when pressed, a firearm, etc.). To them, it’s all “victim-blaming.” They have no concept of personal responsibility. When you believe you are a victim because of what genitalia you were born with, everything is victim-blaming. Now, of course nobody deserves to get raped. Rape is never the victim’s fault. However, there is a difference between blaming a victim after the fact, and trying to prevent rape before it happens. The former is disgusting, but the latter is crucial. Bad people exist. No matter how much men are taught not to rape, bad people exist. My own rapist is proof of this. The point is, you can preach against rape all you want. Rapists know rape is wrong. They do it anyway. In a letter to the White House in 2014, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) stated: In the last few years, there has been an unfortunate trend towards blaming “rape culture” for the extensive problem of sexual violence on campuses…. This has led to an inclination to focus on particular segments of the student population (e.g., athletes), particular aspects of campus culture (e.g., the Greek system), or traits that are common in many millions of law-abiding Americans (e.g., “masculinity”), rather than on the subpopulation at fault: those who choose to commit rape. This trend has the paradoxical effect of making it harder to stop sexual violence, since it removes the focus from the individual at fault, and seemingly mitigates personal responsibility for his or her own actions. In short, not only does the idea of “rape culture” not help victims, but it allows rapists to blame society for their own ac-
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Ladies, please hear me out, woman-to-woman: Rape is not your fault, and it is important to take steps to keep yourself safe. These are not contradictory.” tions. When a rapist can be perceived as a victim of a backwards society, rather than a violent criminal, there is a huge problem. We don’t apply this “teach X not to Y” logic to murderers, because it’s absurd. We all know murder is wrong. That doesn’t stop murderers, so we know to be cautious and do things to protect ourselves from murderers. We lock our doors, we watch who we hang out with, we don’t trust everyone at face value. According to the FBI, the national murder rate decreased by 2.0% between 2008 and 2017. In contrast, the national rape rate increased 2.7% in the same period of time (rape here being defined as penis-in-vagina forcible intercourse, as the revised legal definition of rape only dates back to 2013). And before you credit the #MeToo movement for “facilitating increased reporting,” I took that into account. These numbers only reflect rapes that happened in each particular year, not past years, and the increase began long before #MeToo, but during the rise of third-wave feminist “teach men not to rape” nonsense in public discourse and media. I look at these numbers, and I feel sick to my stomach. Rape was on the decline! Now it’s at its highest point in at least 20 years (though still nowhere near the false “1 in 4” statistic). What changed? Women have stopped listening to sound advice. Now we have Slut Walks and boycotts of Christmas music. Now, we have a Dora the Explorer “rapist, no raping!” approach to safety. And spoiler alert: Swiper sometimes beats Dora to the punch. Ladies, please hear me out, woman-to-woman: Rape is not your fault, and it is important to take steps to keep yourself safe. These are not contradictory. We live in a world where bad things happen to good people. The fact of the matter is if you put yourself in a dangerous situation, you might get hurt. Just as you should have a designated driver in place when drinking, you should have a safety net if somebody comes up to you with bad intentions. You can dress how you want, sleep with who you want, wear as much makeup as your heart desires, but you can also be safe at the same time. I know that the majority of rapes are not committed by strangers, but we should support anything that a woman can do to protect herself. If we can stop even one rape, that is one woman who does not have to spend the rest of her life in fear and pain. I have heard that this sort of advice “only helps the rapist rape someone else.” That is true. Rapists go after easy prey. The hard truth of the matter is, at the end of the day, the only one responsible for your own safety is you. You cannot throw all caution to the wind and expect others to protect you. If somebody rapes you, it is never your fault. However, you can still make an attempt to be safer. Rape is on the rise. Please, please, I’m begging you, try and act more safely.
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THE CASE FOR LEGAL PROSTITUTION
The Case for Legal Prostitution By Jordan Jardine
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s stated in previous articles, I am this magazine’s resident anarchist. I believe that all individuals should be free to pursue their dreams, desires and passions as long as these do not infringe upon the rights of others. This is especially the case with social issues. One of the least-discussed of these issues is the world’s oldest profession: prostitution. Sex work is almost as old as humanity and has existed in nearly every society, especially since the budding of prosperous ancient civilizations such as Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia and various parts of Asia. Obviously, prostitution is still practiced in most societies in the world today, including in America. We are supposedly a “free country” that values individual liberty. Yet, our society demonizes sex work. According to data from a 2016 Marist Poll survey, only 49% of Americans believe prostitution should be legalized. While this number demonstrates an increase in the favorability of prostitution when compared to polls from previous years, a slight majority of Americans are still of the position that prostitution and other forms of sex work should not be allowed in our society. I understand that Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) all object to the practice of sex work, but that does not mean adherents of those religions should have the power to insert their religious beliefs into the laws of a secular government and society, such as that of the United States. If someone is caught engaging in child prostitution, they ought to be punished because minors lack the capacity to consent. However, what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes or hotel rooms is none of the state’s business and is also no business of religious leaders. If you are opposed to prostitution, don’t engage in it, and leave people alone who disagree with you and may want to engage in that activity. Prostitutes and those who choose to partake in sexual activities with prostitutes do not deserve to have
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“Thomas Jefferson famously declared that all Americans have three basic rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The criminalization of prostitution deprives sex workers of all three of these rights.” their lives destroyed or face the potential of being locked in a cage for participating in a voluntary transaction that does not do even a modicum of harm to anyone else around them. Furthermore, the criminalization of prostitution in the United States and elsewhere actually puts sex workers in a considerable amount of danger. Since sex work is illicit, prostitutes and escorts are forced to sell their labor on the black market, making it much easier for criminals to take advantage of them and possibly use these poor people as pawns in an abhorrent game of human trafficking chess. Sex workers need to be protected by the state, not punished by it. Thomas Jefferson famously declared that all Americans have three basic rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The criminalization of prostitution deprives sex workers of all three of these rights. Getting fined and/or incarcerated for sex work can destroy a person’s life by ruining their reputation in the job market and in society at large. Also, sex workers see their liberty being taken away when they are not legally allowed to participate in a profession that they voluntarily have decided to be a part of. Finally, if prostitution is a person’s sole or even supplemental source of income, the government is taking away the workers’ chances to pursue their own happiness with said income if and when the state takes extreme disciplinary actions against them. This is simply unacceptable in a country that claims to stand for freedom, opportunity and justice. The government in this country needs to
spend more time incarcerating Wall Street criminals, murderers, rapists and thieves and less time trying to destroy the lives of free, autonomous individuals involved in activities which pose no direct threat to anyone else or their rights. Again, you may not agree with sex work itself, but ruining people’s lives because you disagree with things they do on their own time and dime is the height of immorality and stupidity. The government should punish people who rape sex workers and can also put a stop to human trafficking operations and sex crimes involving minors, but that is where the state’s responsibility should end in the area of sex work. Conservatives should support the legalization of sex work because the government would largely stay out of it, barring the circumstances mentioned above. Less government and individual freedom are supposed to be core conservative tenets, after all. This is why I see social conservatism as a contradiction to what is generally thought of as “conservatism” today. You cannot simultaneously advocate for less government and penalizing people for engaging in activities which they personally disapprove of. One is entitled to hold socially conservative views at a personal level, but should not push their social agenda through government legislation. This is the United States, not Iran. We are a democracy, not a theocracy, and that should continue to be the case. So, to put it briefly, we must legalize the world’s oldest profession to give the world a new perspective on social freedom and individual autonomy.
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BINGHAMTON REVIEW TELLS ALL!
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Binghamton Review Tells All! By Our Staff
We copied the questions from Pipe Dream’s sex survey and had our staff take them! The best of the best are listed below. Some are just as you’d expect from us dirty right-wingers (so dirty...), while others may shock you. Just like every college student surrounded by more than 16,000 people’s pheromones, even if you may disagree with us, we are all united in our youthful lust.
He/him: 7 She/her: 4
Cis man: 7 Cis woman: 4 Straight: 7 Bisexual: 3 Gay: 1
1-3: 4 I’m a virgin: 3 4-7: 2 8-12: 1 13-17: 1
16-17: 4 18-19: 3 I’m a virgin: 3 15 or younger: 1 8
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BINGHAMTON REVIEW TELLS ALL!
Never: 4 2+ times a week: 3 A couple times a month: 2 Every day: 1 1-10 times a year
2+ times a week: 6 A couple times a month: 3 Every day: 1 Once a week: 1
No, but I want one: 6 Yes: 5
Any wild, funny, or profound sex stories? (5 responses)
- I tore a guys foreskin once whoops - One time I matched with a girl on Tinder, and she immediately asked for my Snap. I gave it to her. She messaged me on snap asking me to send a picture of myself so I did. She responded with a naked pic of herself. I literally knew nothing about this girl other than her name and I hadn’t said more than two words to her, and suddenly her tits were on my phone. It caught me way off-guard obviously, but she was pretty cute, so I wasn’t complaining. We snapped back and forth for a little bit, then shit started to get a little uncomfortable. This girl that I didn’t even know started saying that she loved me, and saying shit like “be mine.” When I deflected after she said “be mine,” she got all pissed and demanded “You will be mine.” I got kinda scared after that, and wondered what I had gotten myself into. When I woke up in the morning, I expected a snap from her, but to my surprise there was nothing. She had actually blocked me from Snapchat, and unmatched with me on Tinder. Probably for the best, pretty sure I dodged a bullet on that one. - I once accidentally left my suction-cup dildo attached to the mirror of my dorm’s bathroom. My roommate later sent me a picture of it without a word. Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever. - I once answered the phone during sex. (It was my professor. We continued.) I also have broken more than one bed during sex. I once had sex on my kitchen floor while my roommate was in the next room. - Watched a girl lose her virginity in a shitty three way, after drinking an entire bottle of Bacardi rum 151.They broke 3 condoms and there was vomit everywhere. editor@binghamtonreview.com
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PARTY OF NUN
Party of Nun By Patrick McAuliffe
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he New York Times reported last week that Pope Francis finally began to speak on the issue of sexual assaults of nuns by clergy. Apparently this scandal has been going on since the 1990s, when the first reports of assault were filed, but the rampant child abuse scandals have overshadowed the problem. The surging popularity of the #MeToo movement, however, is finally forcing the Catholic Church to come to terms with the nuns’ testimonies and figuring out how to deal with the power dynamics that sharply contrast with the values espoused by those same abusers. How can the Church redeem itself against a “no true Scotsman” scenario in the public’s mind? Many of the abuses of nuns happen in more underdeveloped countries such as Malawi, where priests used local nuns for sexual outlets during the AIDS crisis, or India, where one nun accused a bishop of repeated rapes between 2014 and 2016. Similar stories from accusers were compiled by the Associated Press in July of 2018 with reports of assaults and rapes in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The consequences are very medieval for the nuns victimized; many are suspended from their convents if they try to report an assault. The most shocking part of this situation is that many of the priests force the nuns to get abortions should they conceive a child from the assault. All of the sources that I’ve found frequently comment on what little
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measures the Vatican has taken to address the problem on a global scale. Pope Francis has only now addressed the issue directly, and even then his answers were vague and noncommittal. He mentions his predecessor Benedict XVI’s efforts to address problems of what he called “sexual slavery.” However, even Benedict’s efforts did not target the source of the problem; upon hearing of the abuses committed within the Contemplative Sisters of Saint-Jean in France, the entire order was dissolved instead of working with the sisters to find the abusers. As a former Catholic with many remaining sympathies towards the Church, I try to look at this issue with more of a critical eye than those wrapped up in the fervor of both the child abuse scandals and the #MeToo movement. If the past few years have taught us anything about jumping to ruin someone in the court of public opinion, an issue as potentially huge as this one needs special care and attention. Statistics, records, and official, reliable testimony should be the evidence for deciding how widespread this problem is. However, this is hard to do when the Vatican has a history of keeping its scandals under wraps. As one of the world’s biggest religions, they have very little accountability to any one person or organization. In addition, the reveal of the child abuse scandals makes the possibility of another similar problem very feasible. Even in terms of sheer probability, the assault of nuns should not be dismissed out of hand. What should the Church do now? Just like in the wake of the child abuse scandals, Catholics everywhere need to examine the dichotomy between the salvation offered through the bride of Christ and the failings of the earthly people heading said bride. Faith in the Church is and should be shaken. Using a personal point of view is something I try to stay away from, but if I
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“Just like in the wake of the child abuse scandals, Catholics everywhere need to examine the dichotomy between the salvation offered through the bride of Christ and the failings of the earthly people heading said bride.” was still a Catholic, I would feel a bit helpless in the face of problems within my Church that I personally can do very little about. The Church hierarchy is solidly built on tradition and within its own context is a vehicle to salvation, but this advantage also has its disadvantages in that the average layman has little ability to impact decisions by the Church. Even if my priest isn’t one raping nuns or children, the doubt is now in my mind, and short of leaving a faith that I had adopted as the one true path to salvation, my pleas to my bishop or archbishop have no promise of being fulfilled. Here is where the now-memed “thoughts and prayers” may be best applicable. I don’t mean to say that appeals to a higher office in the Church won’t work in addressing a problem should one have suspicions, but bishops are not elected (and, frankly, shouldn’t be. Decentralizing one’s holy doctrine leads to far deeper religious problems down the line). Lack of accountability is dangerous when paired with a philosophy teaching obedience and faith. This is not to say that the Church has no incentive in trying to keep their disciples. In the grand scheme of the Church moving forward, they need to remember two things. First, in caring for the least among us, priests found to be raping nuns need to be held accountable in their vocation and their victims need to be cared for by the Church they pledged their lives to. Second, the Vatican should prove to the millions and millions of Catholics struggling to make sense of the issue that top Church officials are doing whatever they can to give weight to their calls for justice for the most marginalized of the world, especially those within their own ranks.
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THE CHRISTIAN ARGUMENT AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA
The Christian Argument Against Homophobia By Tommy Gagliano
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or centuries, religion has been used as an excuse to be hateful towards homosexuals. A lot of religions, including most sects of the Abrahamic religions, prohibit homosexual behavior, and describe them as sinful. For Christianity specifically, the most commonly cited Bible verses about homosexuality are Leviticus 18 and 20 in the Old Testament, which state that “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22) and “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13) While it is not necessarily a problem to disapprove of homosexuality for religious or other reasons, using the Bible as an excuse to be hateful towards homosexuals is hypocritical and wrong. It is true that engaging in homosexual behavior is a sin according to the Bible. However, so is lying, jealousy, selfishness, saying “oh my God,” masturbating, watching porn, having sex before marriage, getting divorced, and working on Sunday. Everyone is
“If you believe in the Bible, and believe that homosexuality is wrong because of what the Bible says about it in Leviticus and elsewhere, then let me direct your attention towards another Bible verse: “...for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).” guilty of at least some of these sins, and the overwhelming majority of people sin everyday. There aren’t any people that use Christianity as an excuse to hate and discriminate against people that have been divorced, or that have said the phrase “oh my God,” even though both are sins. So why do some Christians use religion as an excuse to
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treat homosexuals poorly? If you believe in the Bible, and believe that homosexuality is wrong because of what the Bible says about it in Leviticus and elsewhere, then let me direct your attention towards another Bible verse: “...for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If you are a Christian, and you hate gay people because they are sinners, you are a hypocrite, because you are a sinner as well. “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (John 4:20) Being hateful to anyone, for any reason, goes against one of the primary messages of the Bible - to love thy neighbor. Regardless of the sins others are guilty of, it is still our job as children of God to treat them with love and respect. In more cliche terms, “love the sinner, hate the sin.” Just because you disagree with someone’s actions or behavior, for religious or other reasons, it does not permit you to demonize them. To those that feel superior to homosexuals, or feel that they are entitled to be homophobic because the Bible says gay sex is bad, I have a fun exercise for you to try. Think about all
of the sins I listed above. Think about all of them that you are guilty of. Have you ever watched porn? Worked on a Sunday? Been jealous of someone else? Then think about your friends, family members, and other people you love. What sins are they guilty of? After bringing all of these sins to mind, and how frequently they are committed, can you still justify your attitude towards homosexuals just because their sins are different than yours? To clarify my personal opinions before I conclude, I do not believe there is anything wrong with homosexuality. I am Catholic, but there are parts of the Bible I do not agree with. However, I acknowledge that many Christians do believe that homosexuality is sinful, because of what the Bible says about it. Even though I disagree, I can understand and accept that point of view, up until it results in hateful or discriminatory behavior towards a specific group of people. I also acknowledge that the majority of Christians, especially young Christians, are not homophobic. However, there are still a fair amount of people that use Christianity to justify their homophobia. Those people are not only hypocrites, but are also going against the message of the Bible by treating gay people in a negative way.
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THE ABORTION BILL COMES DUE
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The Abortion Bill Comes Due By Matt Rosen
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bortion has been a hot topic for the past couple weeks thanks to Governor Cuomo’s new abortion bill titled the Reproductive Health Act. The bill is a gross violation of legislative vagueness, and even more importantly, it is a detriment to human life. Governor Cuomo’s new bill is the most radical abortion bill currently in effect as it aims to solidify the “right” of women to have late term abortions. In order for the pro-life movement to prevail, first we have to at least convince the United States to reach the consensus that third trimester abortions are just plain evil. If we can’t get that far, the pro-abortion side will never care about whether the fetus can feel pain, has a heartbeat, or has brainwaves. So what exactly has me all up in arms about the New York Reproductive Health Act? While I am quite obviously against the whole bill, the line in the bill that really worries me is that it protects abortion “when necessary to protect a woman’s life or health.” I am going to make myself clear, most conservatives and pro-life advocates aren’t against abortions in cases where it will definitely save the mother’s life and the fetus isn’t viable. That is usually the one case where it is necessary and proper. Besides that, abortion is
killing another living being. So what part of that line is worrying to me? The part where the bill states that she can have an abortion to protect the woman’s “health.” One thing that bothers me is the implementation of vague laws, and this is one of the more vague ones I’ve seen. What constitutes “health?” Is there a legal definition? Is it defined in clear detail in the bill? Does it go over what constitutes bad “health?” No, no, and no. What is going to stop a doctor from claiming that having the baby would result in postpartum depression and allowing the abortion at 24+ weeks would “protect” the mother’s mental “health?” It could go even further to a point where the doctor could agree that because the mother doesn’t believe they have enough money, it would affect the mother’s “health” to have the baby under their current financial system. We’ve seen this before. The vague wording of the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause has led to great power overreaches throughout most of American history. But let’s even get passed the vague wording and get to abortion in general. We live in a time where Democrats want to double down on
their pro-abortion stance that they talk about it like it’s something to be proud of... and it boggles my mind. When you are okay with killing a living being with a heartbeat, brainwaves, pain receptors, limbs, facial features, etc., how could you think we are awful people for believing otherwise? It is not a woman’s right to be irresponsible and then kill a living being that should have a chance in the world. A woman does have the right to be responsible by either not having sex, or having safe sex. A woman does have the right to take a morning after pill. Even for the pro-abortion side, I have to ask why you feel like you need 24-40 weeks to realize this?
“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez topped the Democrats to be the most left on the environment, Ilhan Omar topped the Democrats to favor the highest tax rate, Ralph Northam topped the Democrats to be the most pro-abortion, and there is a running battle within the Democratic Party to be the most intersectional and anti-Trump.” Giving the green light to easy abortions also presents a practical problem. While not my main argument (the killing part is the main crux of my pro-life argument), it is still relevant to point out that it makes people able to choose to not be responsible for their own actions. Having consequences for irresponsible actions prevents more of that action from occurring in the future. There is now less of an incentive to be safe. This is just an extra side point that isn’t as important or as strong as the others, but it’s still true. Of course though, Governor Cuomo’s reign as the most pro-abortion Governor was short lived, as
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BINGHAMTONREVIEW.COM Governor Ralph Northam and his Virginia Democrats are now in favor of a new Virginia abortion bill that allows for abortion up to 40 weeks, even up to the point where the woman is showing clear signs that she is about to give birth. Ralph Northam then jumped on the opportunity to comment by not only defending the radical bill, but claiming that it would be okay to abort the baby after it is born in “tragic or difficult times.” The Democrats are digging themselves so far into the ground by continuously trying to top each other to be the most left. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez topped the Democrats to be the most left on the environment, Ilhan Omar topped the Democrats to favor the highest tax rate, Ralph Northam topped the Democrats to be the most pro-abortion, and there is a running battle within the Democratic Party to be the most intersectional and anti-Trump. This party is running so far left it is scary. While Cuomo and Northam are passing radical bills allowing abortion as late as you want, the real bills we should be passing are Heartbeat bills, which makes abortion illegal once a heartbeat is detected. That is the next step for pro-lifers on the mission to make protecting the life and rights of the unborn the mainstream. The Reproductive Health Act and the proposed changes in Virginia law need to be reversed and blocked so that an irresponsible parent prevents an entire life from happening due to convenience. And yes, a very large majority
“The Democrats used to also be in favor of “safe, legal, and rare,” but now we are in the age of “shout your abortion.” Safe, legal, and rare never made sense in the first place, because if you want it rare then you must admit something is inherently wrong with it, and if you want it legal, you must admit there is nothing wrong with it.” editor@binghamtonreview.com
THE ABORTION BILL COMES DUE
of abortions are for economic reasons and convenience... not rape, incest, or the mother’s life in danger. I also want to take a moment to thank President Trump for giving the proper attention to this issue during his State of the Union address. Republicans need to fight harder to protect the lives of the unborn. While many Republicans believe in the pro-life cause, close to none speak out enough. So as you have noticed, I’ve been using the term “pro-abortion” instead of “pro-choice.” This was done on purpose because there is no pro-choice argument in favor of late-term abortion. You are taking away the choice of another human life. In fact you are taking away all of their choices. It’s funny how the Democrats aren’t pro-choice on any other political issue, but for abortion, they are pro-choice when it comes to ending a life that isn’t yours. From education to healthcare to taxes and basically everything in between, the Democrats are anti-choice. The Democrats used to also be in favor of “safe, legal, and rare,” but now we are in the age of “shout your abortion.” Safe, legal, and rare never made sense in the first place, because if you want it rare then you must admit something is inherently wrong with it, and if you want it legal, you must admit there is nothing wrong with it. But beyond that, Democrats
now make it as if it is something to be proud of, something to actually promote. Safe, legal, and rare went out the window as the Democrats doubled down and radicalized their positions. This is honestly a practice that I believe will be looked down upon in the future, and people will question how we ever were content with it, let alone proud of it. Democrats like to use the phrase “You’ll be on the wrong side of history,” which is usually just a political tool to shame the other side. I hate the phrase and think it’s stupid, but if it applies to only one political topic of the year, it’s Democrats on abortion. The pro-life movement shouldn’t back down to the insane attacks on us. They already shamed and tried to ruin the life of the Covington students simply because they were at the March for Life (The pro-life rally in D.C.), and wearing Trump hats. The tactics they use against people who disagree with them politically are sickening and horrible for the social divisions in America. They will call us sexist for being pro-life. They will try to shame you into being more afraid to talk about it by saying you hate women, or you don’t care about children, or men shouldn’t be allowed to talk about this topic. Just remember, these are illogical and intolerant arguments. Just remember, in the long run, we have to win this debate. They will try to shame us into not speaking out about it, but we are going to have to speak up for the generation that won’t be here because of this practice. We have to be the voice for all of the voices that got taken away.
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THE SEXIEST WAY TO HAVE THE HOTTEST SEX
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The Sexiest Way to Have the Hottest Sex By Alex Carros
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ait until you’re married. Yup! You read that right. Statistically (and morally) speaking, the most meaningful and lasting sexual relationships don’t begin until after marriage. That isn’t to say you, or anyone for that matter, is a bad person for having sex before tying the knot. I’m merely looking to encourage what I believe to be a more restrained and thoughtful view of sexuality: sex is a gift to be shared with someone you truly love and are committed to, and it shouldn’t be used solely as means for one’s own personal pleasure. ...That last point in particular, that sex is solely a means to have fun and cut loose, is my main point of contention. Too much of hookup/onenight-stand culture today seems focused on the self. In other words, it involves thinking, “How can this person sexually please me the most?” Within these one-and-done “relationships,” everything meaningful and important about the other person such as personality, emotional intimacy, etc. goes to the wayside. Instead, the partner is, in many ways, treated like a glorified sex toy; they are a source of fleeting pleasure and very little beyond that. By the morning, the person is already gone, never to be contacted or seen again. Now, this isn’t to say that this other person is being abused or hurt. To the contrary, many who indulge in one-night-stands would probably say they enjoy the practice. But if you look at the long-term, many who partake report feelings of regret and emotional pain. According to a study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, this number is more than a third (35%) of women and an entire fifth of men. The reason for this seems rather obvious, at least to me: sex is an inherently emotional act, in some cases as emotional as it is physical. This is particularly true for women, who, according to researcher Dr. David Buss “differ fundamentally in their sexual psychology.” As he explains, women have a biological urge
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This article was originally published in the March 2017 issue of Binghamton Review. to seek out long-term relationships, as a more committed mate would better provide for any potential offspring. As a result, women have a higher sense of regret with casual sex, as the study above demonstrates. Therefore, the entire practice of empty, casual sex seems exactly that: empty. The true capacity of the act, which I will delve into later, is ignored for immediate physical gratification. That seems like an obvious path to a shallow, meaningless sex life. But what about your boyfriend/ girlfriend, someone whom you truly like and care about? You don’t see yourself leaving him/her anytime soon, so why not have sex? The emotional connection will be there as much as the physical, so what do you have to lose? Well, consider (as uncomfortable as that may seem) the possibility of you leaving this person. How painful will the break up be if the incredibly intimate act of sex has already been established? What good will the act have done after said break up? Since any physical and emotional connection you had has been severed, all it has done retroactively is give you a sense of temporary personal satisfaction. As is with casual sex, this limits the incredibly wonderful effects of unity and love that the act can bring. But if you truly love this person, and want to spend the rest of your life with them, why wait until the formal ceremony of marriage? Well, not only do mistakes happen (the wedding can be called off), but it demonstrates a supreme act of self-control and selflessness. If you both wait until the honeymoon, you show each other how deep your affec-
tion and love are: you have denied yourself personal pleasure solely to be with only this person for the rest of your days, and that from the sex you have, you will grow closer and closer as a couple You’ll also welcome into your life the miracle of children. All of that probably seems overly sappy or sentimental to many of you. You probably think that I’m hopelessly deluding myself into ideals that no one can really live up to. Not only is that untrue, but the effects of patience and self-restraint are clear: many studies have shown that women and men with more sexual partners divorce at a higher rate than couples who abstain. According to the Journal of Family Psychology, couples who abstained have higher rates of marital stability, marital happiness, and communication. Oh, and they also report having better sex. So, going forward, I urge you discern what would be best for you and your love life. As several studies have shown, this sex-infused hookup culture will cause you higher levels or regret, dissatisfaction, and eventually, divorce. There’s no need to rush when it comes to taking part in the most intimate act humanly possible with another person. So even though it may be an ideal, it’s an ideal worth striving towards (even if we slip up.)
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