VOL. CXVIII, No. 77
DailyBarometer.com
Wednesday, Febuary 3, 2016 Oregon State University
OSU honors black history
Brian nyugen | THE DAILY BAROMETER
Paintings of famous Black figures like Lonnie B. Harris, Rosa Park, and Martin Luther King Jr. hang in the Black Cultural Center meeting room
Student, staff, faculty gather to celebrate Black culture By Hannah Haney News Contributor
Tuesday marked the first of many events at Oregon State University celebrating Black History Month, a month nationally dedicated to the observance of the influential culture and figures of black history. Every year, the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center puts together several events for the school and community to educate attendees on accomplishments and contributions made by black Americans. Sophomore in public health Justeen Quartey worked for the Black Cultural Center (BCC) last year, and continues to play an educational role in social justice working as a student success peer facilitator. Quartey grew up in Sacramento, California, in what she calls a “diverse part of the country.” Her family celebrated Black History Month every year with a family barbeque. “We make a huge deal out of Black History Month,” Quartey said. “”Black History Month is our way of celebrating what we (black americans) mean to America.” Last night, Black history month started at OSU with “Black Excellence Celebration”, an award night which recognized the achievements of black staff and community members. The final event to celebrate Black history is the #BLACKLIVESMATTER Candlelight Vigil on the last day of the month.
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“The Black Excellence Celebration is a positive way to start off the month by recognizing those who contributed to the community,” said black undeclared sophomore Capreese Kelsaw. Kelsaw also works for the BCC and is hosting the candlelight vigil. The vigil will honor and pay homage to those lost to police violence, and will include a picture collage and a moment of silence. Other events include “Don’t Suffer in Silence”, where there will be a discussion on the stigma around mental health in the black community, and a showing of the movie “Selma”, a movie that tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. leading the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama that resulted in equal voting rights for African Americans. The BCC aims to make the events both fun and educational. “Some events are more discussion-based, while some are more game-based. We try to mix it up,” Kelsaw said. It was in the February of 1926 that the beginnings of Black History Month were conceived by Carter G. Woodson a black historian, author and journalist. He felt that Black History was often overlooked and he created the idea of Negro History Week. The week celebrated the significant moments in black history that could not be found in textbooks. In 1976, the week was expanded to the entire month of February,
and renamed Black History Month. Not everyone at OSU chooses to celebrate Black History Month, as students have mixed opinions. Critics such as freshman Quian’tae Dixon who identifies as black, claimed that designating a month to celebrate black history would give the nation a “pass” to ignore black history during the rest of the year. “Black History Month is for white people,” Dixon said. Freshman history major Denning DeFur also has reservations about celebrating Black History Month, as he believes that black history should not be singled out at all. DeFur said that separating the history of a certain minority group may fuel racism. “I believe that we should celebrate a Black History Year,” DeFur said. “Black history is American history—there is no difference.” However, Quartey believes that Black History Month is an important time to give credit to those who triumphed over adversity. “It’s a month of recognition rather than celebration,” Quartey said. “We don’t have party decorations or symbols like a Christmas tree. We just take this month to acknowledge our ancestors and the work we have done in America, given the history of how we were originally brought here.” baro.news@oregonstate.edu
Hoverboards banned, NEWS, PAGE 2 Baseball media day, SPORTS, PAGE 4 Weighing in on circumcision, FORUM, PAGE 8
Jeremy Melamed | THE DAILY BAROMETER
Stevie Thompson Jr. rides a hover board on January 25th outside of Tebeau Hall. The boards have recently been banned from the residence halls.
Hoverboards banned on UHDS property
Self-balancing boards seen as fire hazard, UHDS and Corvallis Fire Department set new guidelines
related to the devices have surfaced across the globe. According to Jill Childress, the University Housing Dining Services’ assistant director of Student Conduct and Community Standards, the UHDS received information from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) outlining the fire safety dangers of hover boards in December. By Andrew McUne “We were concerned about the health and safety impacts, News Contributor loss or damage to property, and serious disruption that a fire in Officials from Oregon State University announced a policy a residence hall could have on our communities, so we made change that effectively prohibited the use or presence of hov- the decision to ban them from UHDS property,” Childress said erboards in all on-campus residence halls and dining halls. in an email. The two-wheeled self-balancing scooters, also referred to as The lithium-ion batteries used to power some hoverboards smart boards, have been the subject of much media and legal have been criticized by media outlets where videos show attention in the past year. Reports of malfunctions and injuries them bursting into flames and setting other objects on fire. One known fatal hoverboard-related accident in London was reported by the Daily Mail back in mid-December. More than 60 major airlines have prohibited any transportation of hoverboards on their planes, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines. Retailer Amazon has also stated that anyone who has already bought one through their service and would like to return it will receive a full refund. As of last week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has stated that they are conducting an investigation into these products. The Corvallis Fire Department has issued guidelines and warnings regarding hoverboards for anybody in the city of Corvallis who is considering purchasing one. “Some of the basic precautions for folks are to not charge the unit unattended,” said Jim Patton, a fire prevention officer with the Corvallis Fire Department. “Don’t charge them on or near
any combustible material, and don’t charge them overnight, while you’re sleeping. Be attentive when they’re on charge.” Students on campus generally do not feel affected by the change in UHDS policy. “I don’t have a hoverboard, so I don’t think it really impacts me at all,” said C.J. Brill, a sophomore in business. “I’ve seen a couple. I don’t think there’s really that many, I don’t know why they would ban them. I don’t see how it’s different from a bike.” According to Cheyenne Dickey, a freshman in microbiology, the hoverboards were never a bother in the first place, and some people in her dorm were happy about it, but she did not feel very much affected. According to Jesse Guile, a freshman in pre-mechanical engineering, it’s a good idea. “I don’t think there should be skateboards, scooters, any of those types of things in the dorms and halls. They’re way too noisy, especially when people are trying to get work done. I have a friend who has a hoverboard, but he doesn’t have it with him at OSU, it’s back home at Salem, so he just doesn’t bring it here.” As far as the reason for the Corvallis Fire Department publishing hoverboard-specific counsel to residents of Corvallis and Oregon State, Patton said that the majority of hoverboard owners tend to be of college age, and that ensuring students’ safety is of great importance to both the university and the fire department. “One of the other recommendations is buying a reputable unit, not one that’s from a company that you’ve never heard
See Hoverboards, Page 6
Bioglass can be used for dental fillings
New material could replace traditional fillings By Cameron Ray News Contributor
With millions of tooth fillings done every year, Oregon State University researchers may have found an alternative material called “bioactive” glass in dental fillings and due to its ability to reduce bacterial penetration into a tooth and potentially increase the longevity of fillings. The U.S. National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 122 million tooth restorations are placed in the U.S. annually with a failure rate of up to 15 percent a year. Bioactive glass was invented in the 1970’s and is a class of glass that was originally discovered through bone research. The glass has the unique property that bones will recognize it and bond to it. Bioactive glass is different from materials that are bioinert which the body ignores. Since the bone responds to it, it can be used as a filler material if a person has lost bone. The bone will heal and absorb the material into the body, replacing it with real bone.
Brian Nguyen | THE DAILY BAROMETER
(left) Bioactive glass as seen through an electron microscope . (right) Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Jamie Kruzic, holding the bioreactor that was used to contain the glass teeth and carry out its chemical process, in the Dearborn Hall basement lab. from chewing and living bacteria actively trying to create tooth decay. “We created a test apparatus in our lab to try and recreate these conditions and show that these bioactive composThe project for Oregon ites could slow down the secState University, according ondary tooth decay process” to Kruzic, was to simulate the Kruzic said. environment of the mouth According to Kruzic’s including mechanical forces research, the bioactive glass “Traditionally nobody looked at it at all for dentistry and only looked at it for orthopedics and bone healing, but now there is a lot of interest in this for dentistry,” Professor Jamie Kruzic said.
samples had a significantly reduced bacterial penetration — up to 39 percent more than traditional composites. “So in a lab setting, we showed there is a benefit. The question remains, will this have a benefit in a real person’s mouth?” Kruzic said. According to Kruzic and the researchers, the bacteria in the human mouth typically avoid
the bioactive glass resins, giving the substance an antimicrobial property, “While your bone loves the stuff, bacteria — in your mouth at least don’t,” Kruzic said. This is different from how bioactive glass is treated in bone. This property is unique to bioactive glass; unlike the bioinert tooth filling com-
posites currently in use and mercury amalgam fillings of the past. “Fillings last somewhere between three to ten years, depending on who put them in,” said Dr. B.C. Nelson, who has been practicing dentistry for 26 years and has owned his own practice for 20 years. “With proper care and tech-
See Glass, Page 6
Fitness DVDs may be harmful, study finds
Exercise with DVDs may lead to de-motivation, may also be harmful to person’s psyche
There has not been much of research on fitness DVDs. Brad Cardinal and other co-authors are shedding some light on what kinds of effects they can have on us. Some of these DVDs are filled with imagery and language that can be harmful to our psyche Where one in seven statements that were meant to be motivational were actually conBy Jordan Taphouse sidered de-motivational. “Say hello to your sexy sixpack,” “you News Contributor should be dying right now,” these are just a few of the types of Not everyone has the time to go out and hit the gym, or the de-motivational comments that appear in the videos. These money to hire a personal trainer; some of us just want some- comments implant expectations and ideas in your head, and thing we can pick up in the store and do on our own time. A can end up taking steam out of your workout. The research points out that most instructors in the videos recent study, conducted by OSU graduate students and professors, opened up conversations about how the exercise DVD were generally “female, Caucasian, slim, and dressed in revealing attire.” craze is really affecting our wellbeing.
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Kim Rogers, a doctoral student and one of the co-authors in the study, encourages those who want to pick up these DVDs to just do a little research. “People respond differently to different things,” Rogers said. “There is no perfect video out there, and in order to find out what’s best for you, you have to put a little time in to find the right fit.” “Not everyone is motivated in the same way,” said Erica Woekel, Director of Lifetime Fitness for Health at OSU. There are some people who are happy to take the heat of trainers pushing them to the edge, but many find that this kind of language only hurts the bottom line.
The Barometer is published Monday through Friday except holidays and final exam week during the academic school year; weekly during summer term; one issue week prior to fall term in September by the Oregon State University Student Media Committee on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU, at the Student Experience Center, OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331-1614. The Daily Barometer, published for use by OSU students, faculty and staff, is private property. A single copy of The Barometer is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies will be considered
See Fitness, Page 6
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Glass
Continued from page 3 nique during the procedure they can last many years.” According to Nelson there are two major types of fillings — a filling on the chewing surface is called a class one filling and a filling in between teeth is called class two. “I use bioactive glass exclusively for class one fillings,” said Nelson. According to Nelson, the bioactive glass is not durable enough for all class 2 fillings as they often require structural repair, but the antimicrobial property is very beneficial. Oregon State University’s involvement in this research is thanks to Kruzic who has been a part of the research team investigating bioactive glass since its formation. According to Kruzic the research began in 2010 and has made three major publications. This work was done in collaboration with researchers from the School of Dentistry at OHSU and the College of Dental Medicine at Midwestern University with three publications in Dental Materials Journal from 2010-2016. baro.news@oregonstate.edu
Hoverboards
Continued from page 2 of,” Patton said. “Units from companies that are more reputable and known are tending to be more reliable…. It’s not a catastrophic epidemic at this point, but it is certainly a concern, and it helps to be cautious and attentive.” The future of this policy will depend upon further testing from reputable sources. Childress stated in an email that whether the ban could extend to be campus wide would not be determined by anybody in
UHDS. However, she hinted that the ban could be lifted if the safety of more hoverboard models were proven. “For UHDS, we review our policies on a typically annual basis with input from partners like Jim Patton with the Corvallis Fire Department,” Childress said. “If we receive additional information about hover boards that indicate that they meet safety guidelines and are a reduced risk, and if it fits with broader university policies and expectations, then they could be allowed again in the future.”
Calendar
FRIDAY, Feb. 5
Brad Anderson | THE DAILY BAROMETER
Daniel Sohoo, a junior kinesiology major, working out to a FitnessBlender DVD.
Fitness
all too often the case with these programs. Continued from page 3 “[one] reason why I stopped is because I felt I “Over time, it beats you wasn’t doing them proper.” admits Oregon resident and down,” says Woekel. Pushing the human body mother of three Diana Ezelle. to the limit can be dangerous “they explain how to do them if people exercising do not but without an actual person know to exercise properly, there it is difficult to make according to Dr. Woekel. Fit- sure.” Ezelle knew her limits ness videos has no immedi- and didn’t jump into P90x or ate feedback and no way of anything extreme like that, knowing if your form is spot but when people take the on, or if you are putting your- leap without proper trainself in danger. This happens ing it can lead to dangerous
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results, if it doesn’t kill your motivation first. Both Rogers and Woekel are quick to remind us that not all of these DVDs are “bad.” Not all of them use negative language, or only allow “sexy” models into the routine. There are plenty of good examples of these programs that really just want to get people motivated and fit. In the end, the best thing you can do is find out what fits you best. baro.news@oregonstate.edu
Meeting 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. SORCE (Student Organization Resources for Community Engagement) Location:MU 212 SORCE will be conducting the Activity Funds hearing, and it is opened to the public. For more information, contact sorce@ oregonstate.edu
FRIDAY, Feb. 5
Broadcast 2p.m.-3p.m.. KBVR-FM Location: 88.7 FM We’ll be hosting President Ed Ray for a live interview on 88.7 FM and orangemedianetwork. com
SATURDAY, Feb. 6
Meeting 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Student Incidental Fee Committee Location:MU Council Room Budget Presentations: MU/ OMN, ASOSU, Rec. Sports, DCE, Athletics
Monday Feb. 8
Speaker 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Feb. 8 Corvallis Science Pub Location: Old World Deli, 341 S.W. 2nd St. in Corvallis Gordon Grant: Where’s Water? How Geology and Climate Conspire to Dictate the Future of Water in the West. Free & open to the public
THURSDAY, Feb. 11
Event 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Baha’i Campus Association Location: Centro Cultural César Chávez Women in Action
THURSDAY, Feb. 11
Discussion 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. Ettihad Cultural Center Location: Room 105, Memorial Union Religion as a Progressive Educational Experience
FRIDAY, Feb. 12
Meeting 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. SORCE (Student Organization Resources for Community Engagement_ Location: MU 212 SORCE will be conducting the Activity Funds hearing, and it is opened to the public. For more information, contact sorce@ oregonstate.edu
FRIDAY, Feb. 12
Meeting 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Student Incidental Fee Committee Location: MU Horizon Room Student Fee Open Hearing
FRIDAY, Feb. 17:
Event 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. University Events Location: The LaSells Stewart Center Provost’s Lecture with Ruth Reichl
FRIDAY, Feb. 17:
Discussion 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. Baha’i Campus Association Location: Talisman Room 105, Memorial Union Sane Nationalism
SUNDAY, Feb. 19:
Event 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. Wizard World Inc. Location: Oregon Convention Center Top celebrities are scheduled to appear.
FRIDAY, Feb. 19
Meeting 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. SORCE (Student Organization Resources for Community Engagement_ Location: MU 212 SORCE will be conducting the Activity Funds hearing, and it is opened to the public.
Rural communities marginalized By Garret Kutamara Guest Column
Over the course of the Bundy standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, most of the talk in the news, on social media and in private conversations here on campus has focused on the sensationalized aspects of what is happing in Burns, Oregon. Attempts to discuss the underlying issue behind the standoff are generally met with a dismissive and superficial I-skimmed-somearticles-on-Wikipedia sensibility that seems to question what all the fuss is about. By extension, it is assumed that anyone who disagrees with current land-use policies must be as extreme as the Bundys. But beyond the issue of grazing rights on federal land, the Bundy standoff brought to light a larger issue which has generally remained unspoken: rural Oregonians and rural Americans as a whole are one of the most under-recognized minority groups in this country. Although this may seem overstated, consider how rural Americans align with the common traits of minority groups: they make up a small portion of the U.S. population (just over 19 percent according to the 2010 census) and are the target of stereotypes that often diminish the issues affecting them. I grew up in Eastern Oregon. Upon first moving to Corvallis, I began to see Oregon’s sharp urban-rural divide. This split became more apparent during my short stint working at the Oregon Capitol. There I saw opinions expressed and policies implemented that failed to take into consideration how the lives of those living outside of metropolitan epicenters could be adversely affected. Their small numbers and isolated locations make them nearly invisible to policy makers. At Oregon State University, I’ve been taught the importance of standing up for those who have no voice and to recognize how apathy and lack of recognition can cause harm. And I agree: to ridicule, blow-off or marginalize any group of people and their plight is bigotry and should not be tolerated. So why is it that no one bats an eye when
someone assumes that these Burns protesters are “clinging to their guns and Bibles” or dismisses the issues affecting them as “farmer problems” or ignores how current laws and government policies are harming their way of life? I am not attempting to downplay the oppression faced by other minority groups. Their issues are very real and should be taken very seriously. But so are the issues facing the people in rural communities. Unfortunately, my advocacy for rural America carries its own negative connotations. And that’s part of the problem. I recognize that some might see my spotlight on the injustices against rural Americans as a defense of a group of people losing their white privilege. But consider the fact that rural America consists of individuals of all races, religions, sexual-identities and social classes. All of these groups are adversely affected by the marginalization of rural issues. I am a proud person of color. I am proud of the progress this nation has made in protecting the rights and dignity of those whose are oppressed. But as we make gains for certain minority groups, I worry that we have left another behind. I hope that in the future we can look objectively at the core issues of what’s happening in Burns and places like it rather than marginalizing them with apathy and stereotypes. Otherwise, I fear that after the story of “crazy rednecks getting what’s coming to them” plays itself out, we will forget about the citizens of rural locations. They will be left to pick up the pieces, having been typecast as insignificant and unworthy of consideration in the greater political landscape, while those who take part in their marginalization are allowed to do so without fear of public outrage. Garret Kutamara is an English student and guest columnist for The Daily Barometer. baro.forum@oregonstate.edu
Why university textbooks should be free By Dr. Jon Dorbolo Ask Dr. Tech
Learning is priceless, education is expensive and ignorance is even more costly but what is a student to do when tuition, housing, textbooks, technology and the cost of living present barriers to attaining academic success? Savvy students study a situation and take action on the points that may create change. That is what ASOSU leadership has done in collaboration with Open Oregon State and allied faculty. The Fall 2015 “Rally for Free Textbooks” heralded a major change in how textbooks are created and assigned. Imagine a world in which your course texts are downloadable online for free and available in print copy for $10-$30. I’m talking about big books like biology, chemistry and calculus. This change is happening nationally and in order to understand its dynamics I spoke with Dianna Fisher, Director of Open Oregon State. In addition to managing OSU’s open educational resources (OER) she spearheads the effort to facilitate the writing, review and adoption of open textbooks. “Open textbooks” are educational materials that may be acquired by readers without cost and are typically licensed to allow instructors to revise them. Fisher has a vision: “In a perfect world all courses at OSU will have no-cost open textbooks.” That is not wishful thinking on her part because in 2015 the Oregon Legislature allocated $700,000 to support open textbook initiatives in which OSU is a strong player. Fisher has the will and smarts to turn these ideas into action and she has the visible support of OSU leadership including President Ed Ray, Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Brenda McComb, Vice Provost of Information Services Lois Brooks and Associate Provost of Outreach and Engagement Dave King. The Beaver Store is already ahead of the curve on supporting open textbooks as Academic Materials Manager James Howard told me: “The Beaver Store is non-profit so runs our textbook business as a cost recovery and will distribute free content as requested by instructors without a problem.” Howard is no novice to these issues as he recalls a conference on the distribution of digital content in 1994. That is the year that I launched my philosophy course on the Web, InterQuest (PHL201), which was built entirely with public domain texts and my own writing. Winter 2016 is my 87th term of teaching InterQuest on online and I have never use a textbook that my students had to buy. Wisdom does not have a price point and Plato is not around to collect royalties anyway. So what could possibly go wrong with free textbooks? To explore another side of the issue I put that question to Dr. James Kourmadas, Lecturer in marketing at William and Mary College. Kourmadas spent a decade working for the prominent textbook publisher McGraw-Hill Higher Education and has
been featured in numerous articles about open textbooks and digital learning materials. He pointed out two complicated issues in the open textbook movement: free textbooks are not really “free” and quality assurance is an unsolved problem for open textbooks. Kourmadas agrees that new hardcover print textbooks are not realistically priced in the contemporary market because there are many ways of delivering texts to lower costs all-around. Yet it is erroneous to suppose that open texts books have no costs associated with them. It takes time and money to write, produce and maintain all books. The necessary costs of open text books are factored into tuition fees and taxes. It is one thing to subsidize the creation of a textbook, but with the rapid change of knowledge in all disciplines there must be an ongoing effort to update textbooks in order for them to remain relevant for contemporary learners. As Kourmadas observes: “the books will need to be revised and maintained on an ongoing basis which would require either some sort of government agency to manage the process or some sort of public/private partnership with an industry partner with expertise in Higher Education.” It is not immediately evident to me that a government textbook publishing system will be more efficient and effective than the existing commercial textbook publishing system. Whatever a textbook costs, its worth depends on its accuracy and effectiveness as an educational tool. Commercial publishers of books and journals have longestablished mechanisms of quality control via peer reviewing in which experts in the relevant areas read and evaluate drafts of the proposed materials. Books and papers that do not pass the review stage do not get published. This peer review process is an important part of academic scholarship overall, providing quality control through fact checking and informed critique. As Kourmadas puts it: “The industry acted as the mechanism to seek out the best and brightest instructors nationally, invest in their ideas (often over 3-5 years before seeing a sale), run a national peer review system to vet the ideas and content, and build the products for instructors to use. The beauty of this system is that it is completely aligned with academic freedom; publishers take the risk to develop the products and since they are an outside party, they have no authority to make anybody in any university use them or students buy them.” These traditional controls on content change when public agencies control the publishing process. Of particular note are the implications of an internal relationship between the publishing of open textbooks and their adoption for courses. When the universities which do have authority to require specific texts also control the content of those texts the power relations in higher education have changed. There is more than one sense of the word “free” involved when thinking of free textbooks.
These are important issues to discuss openly as we move boldly toward government produced educational materials for public universities. OSU’s Diana Fisher is aware of these concerns and responds that the main issue with textbooks is that of social equity; “We want students to make their choices based on learning value, not economics.” That is a powerful motive for social change and the movement to free the textbook is certain to occasion waves of change at OSU for years to come. The opinions expressed in Dorbolo’s column do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Barometer staff. Dr. Tech’s blog: Jondorbolo.com
Letters Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be printed on a firstreceived basis. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of e-mailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity. The Daily Barometer reserves the right to refuse publication of any submissions. Each reader will be allowed one published letter per month. The Daily Barometer c/o Letters to the editor 400 Student Experience Center Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-1617 or e-mail: daily.baro@oregonstate.edu
By Rachel Suchan Editor-in-chief
Every day in the United States hundreds of thousands of babies are operated on in a painful, irreversible cosmetic surgery with no local anesthetic or pain management. Did you know: • Babies feel pain more acutely than adults, and the younger the baby, the more acutely the pain is felt, according to several medical professionals including Paul Fleiss, American pediatrician. • The foreskin of a penis actually functions
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as a barrier to keep bacteria OUT of the urethra and prevent UTI’s, and a recent study published in the British Journal of Urology found that circumcision actually makes the penis dirtier. • The surgery is non-essential and has never been recommended by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, or any major medical organization. • There are an estimated 20,000+ nerve endings in the foreskin of a penis, adding to sexual pleasure. Not to mention its natural lubrication effects. • There are federal and state laws protecting girls of all ages from forced genital surgery, but no such law for boys. • Circumcision did not become a common medical procedure until the 19th century, when doctors began recommending it primarily as a deterrent to masturbation, according to Dr. Robert Darby’s “A Surgical Temptation”, Dr. David Gollaher’s “Circumcision: A History of the World’s Most Controversial Surgery“ and several other health and medical history professionals. It was believed that masturbation caused
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many illnesses, so doctors began surgically removing the foreskin to make masturbation less pleasurable. Since then, it has just stuck around as the thing that most people do. And today that is the number one argument for circumcision—everyone else is doing it. Parents don’t want their children to feel different or to be made fun of for having foreskin. But today the circumcision rate in the United States is down to only 40 percent. That means more boys are actually uncircumcised—not to mention the complete unethical nature of that argument—I don’t want my baby to be made fun of for having a huge nose, either, but I’m not going to give him a rhinoplasty operation. The fact is that circumcision is a cosmetic surgery that alters and even removes a functioning piece of a man’s sex organ. Do you really think that as a parent, or as any human being other than the one receiving the surgery, you are in an appropriate position to be making irreversible decisions about another person’s body? As parents, we all want to promote a sense of self-confidence and contentedness in our children. We are terrified of them getting bullied in
school and try to instill in them the knowledge that their bodies are just fine the way they are. Why, then, is the first decision we make for them, the very day of their birth, an attempt to simply “fit in”—to such an extent that we are even electing cosmetic surgery on an infant. Merrium-Webster dictionary has two definitions for the word circumcision. The first is “to cut off the skin, called the foreskin, at the end of the penis of a man or boy.” The second is “to cut off the clitoris or outer sexual organs of a woman or girl.” How interesting that the first remains a standard procedure while the second has been illegal for over 20 years and deemed “genital mutilation”. Do your son a favor: Give him the opportunity to make his own decisions regarding irreversible cosmetic surgeries and his body. The opinions expressed in Suchan’s column do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Barometer staff. baro.forum@oregonstate.edu
Be prepared: what to do in event of theft
By Jackie Keating Contributor
Corvallis is a great town full of great people. Most people here, when they find something of value that isn’t theirs, will turn it into the police or make sure it gets to the rightful owner. But not everyone is this way. Recently, Corvallis has witnessed a series of vehicle break-ins. Many Oregon State University students were the victims. It is a good idea to keep your valuables with you instead of in your car, and to take them with you if your house will be vacant for the weekend. However, if you wake up one morning to realize that your stuff has been stolen, there are a few steps to take in order to hopefully get it back. First, if you purse, wallet or any other credit card holder has been stolen, it’s very important that you call your credit card companies as soon as possible, because the criminal can be using your credit card numbers online even if most of the stores around town are closed. You will usually need your social security number and other personal information so that the credit
card company can identify you, close down your accounts and send you a new card. If you are prompt about notifying your bank and card companies, they will often reimburse you for the charges the thief made on your account. I understand that we’re college students and that we probably don’t have a ton of credit cards in our wallets in the first place, but I’ll warn anyway that it’s not a good idea to carry too many. I would suggest a limit of two. You might also want to keep a list of everything you keep in your wallet or purse, so that in the unfortunate event that it’s stolen, you’ll be able to give a detailed description of what’s lost in a police report. It’s important that you file a report with the police as soon as you’re sure your stuff has been stolen. You can do this online or call the nonemergency Corvallis police department number at 541-766-6924. If the theft occurred on campus, you can also call 541737-3010, which is the campus non-emergency number. The police officer will ask you to give him or her a description and estimated value of what you’ve lost, your full name, and other details about what happened. It’s also helpful to have information from your credit card company like the locations and times that your cards were wrongfully used so that the police can search video surveillance tapes at ATMs and stores where the card
was used and help to catch the culprit. The next thing you should do is notify anyone else who might have been on your credit card, so that their cards aren’t suddenly denied without them knowing why. If you have auto-pay set up for bills or rent, you should let those companies know that your card has been deactivated and that you’ll receive a new one soon, so that they don’t think you’re flaking out on your payments. If your credit cards or any other bank information have not been stolen, and instead someone swiped an expensive pair of shoes, your laptop or your favorite jacket, you might have a harder time tracking your stolen items down. Still, you should definitely report these items to the police as soon as possible, because if they catch the thief and find a hoard of stolen goods, they might be able to return your things to you based on your report. They might also be able to note a pattern of break-ins and help prevent others from being victims of theft. Getting stolen from is an icky feeling, but there are ways to prevent it, and ways to take action to help preventing it happening to your neighbors. The most important thing is to stay safe. If you see a theft in progress, call the Corvallis Police Department immediately. The opinions expressed in Keating’s column do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Barometer staff. baro.forum@oregonstate.edu