Every semester, the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) choose several issues to lobby and campaign for, acting in their capacity as student government representatives. While some issues have, for better or worse, garnered much attention, other campaigns ASM takes on receive little or no attention from most students. This semester, ASM intends to pursue a campaign that likely fits into the latter category.

Since the beginning of the school year, several students involved with ASM have participated in an alcohol issues committee, with the purpose of expanding student input on drink specials and other alcohol issues. This semester, several other students involved with ASM intend to push an alcohol campaign, but with a much different intent; they seek the classification of alcohol as an intoxicant in Wisconsin State Statutes, as modified by Act 220.

In 1998, Act 220 modified the statutes pertaining to sexual assault, making an individual who “[h]as sexual contact or sexual intercourse with a person who is under the influence of an intoxicant” guilty of second-degree sexual assault under certain conditions.

Section 940.225(5)(ai) defines “intoxicant”: “‘Intoxicant’ means any controlled substance, controlled substance analog or other drug, any combination of a controlled substance, controlled substance analog or other drug or any combination of an alcohol beverage and a controlled substance, controlled substance analog or other drug. ‘Intoxicant’ does not include any alcohol beverage.”

While the statutes include the combination of alcohol and a controlled substance as an intoxicant, alcohol alone is not considered an intoxicant for the purpose of those statutes, and hence, the reason for ASM’s campaign.

Outgoing Alcohol Issues Committee chair Craig Barragry spoke with me, opposing this change in course: “The goal of this campaign is almost opposite of what we are trying to do — make alcohol less of a feared and demonized thing on campus.” Barragry explained, “It (the new campaign) is not going to prevent predators, who would commit this horrible act regardless, and it will just waste precious political capital for the students with city and state officials. Third, what is the end goal?”

Barragry expressed other concerns about the campaign saying, “I think it represents a small percentage of the students’ views on campus and probably won’t accomplish one thing … I cannot describe in words my utter disappointment in ASM.”

One could go on and on criticizing ASM for leading campaigns on issues it has little control over and ultimately little relevance toward students. However, this campaign raises other, more important issues that deserve comment.

This newspaper first reported on ASM’s campaign to include alcohol in Act 220 on Dec. 9, 2004. Coincidentally, that same issue featured a story chronicling the phenomenon of “hooking up” on this campus.

As the story correctly notes, this phenomenon represents a fundamental shift of attitudes in recent history. Long gone is the belief in reserving sexual intercourse as an act between a man and a woman for the purposes of expressing true love and procreation within the context of marriage. Instead, many individuals now use sexual activity, and often the bodies of others, as a means to the end of selfish gratification.

The same mindset of selfish gratification that drives this phenomenon of “hooking up” is paralleled with the demand for sexual activity of any kind without consequences. This university promotes contraception for that exact reason. When contraception fails, abortion and drugs inducing abortion are available elsewhere.

As we commemorate the tragic decision of Roe v. Wade and the 4,000 lives claimed daily by legalized abortion this week, we should also recognize the other impacts caused by violations of the body, including sexual assault. A person with true respect for sexuality and the dignity of another never commits assault.

Until mindsets change regarding sexuality and abortion, the destruction of marriage and sexual assault will continue. If ASM and others want to reduce sexual assault, they must first start by changing minds and attitudes.

Mark A. Baumgardner ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.