The University of Idaho Argonaut

Better options to get point across than to deface property

Posters for ex-Playboy Playmate Rebekka Armstrong’s speech about being HIV-positive depicted her nude (her private parts were covered) with an IV pole attached to her. After the poster was displayed in the Idaho Commons, the photo was obscured by stickers stating, “This insults women.”

One struggles with the question of what’s worse: possibly degrading women or vandalizing property?

Whether or not the image was degrading to women, there is no reason to vandalize someone’s property.

Twice this semester, a secular humanist billboard was vandalized.

The standard way to get one’s point across is to bring the possibly offending material to the attention of someone with the capability of changing it. This is certainly a more socially acceptable option than defacement. Someone willing to vandalize property like this doesn’t belong at a university so much as they belong in a third grade art classroom where they can paste whatever they want on colored construction paper.

The purpose of the poster was to attract an audience to an AIDS awareness speech. While the content was shocking and distinctive, it was a fresh take on a subject that is losing attention. It could’ve been something cliché with dramatic font and red AIDS ribbons, but the designer used an out-of-the-box idea. There should be some credit given for originality, even as it danced along the thin line of decency.

According to Kelsey LaRoche of Vandal Entertainment, the poster has been shown on many college campuses and has only received criticism from three.

College students are adults who by now have most likely experienced nudity before. Placing stickers haphazardly over the photograph won’t change the message or impact, so what’s the point in doing it?

The views expressed in this section, except those in the above editorial, are of the respective authors only.

	1. 15-12-2009 21:08
	Student Thank You for writing this. I agree that everyone has a right to their own opinion but there is no need to go ruin someones else's property to do it. Registered

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