I think the Republicans have an obsession with the word war. Last I checked, war was something people tried to avoid, but apparently not Republicans. Aside from their infamous War on Terror, Republicans have started a new war, which is just as important -- the war on condoms. Beware, condoms are no longer rubber life savers, they are actually deadly and are leading to the downfall of our values, according to Republicans and, especially, President Bush.Led by Representative Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, the war against condoms is gaining support across America. Currently, the federal government is spending 50 million dollars a year to promote abstinence-only sex education. Yet, President Bush has proposed another thirty-three million dollars, which he feels is necessary to achieve his goal of stopping all pre-marital sex across the country. It's comforting to know that even though millions of people go to bed starving each night with little help from government aid, at least they will be educated enough not to have premarital sex. Now, there's a president who has his priorities straight.

Beyond just the politics behind condoms, however, lies the dichotomous message teenagers are getting from the war against condoms. Almost every college student has grown up learning that condoms must be used when having sex. Many of us have been trained on how to put on a condom using a banana and some of us have even had the opportunity of learning how to use spermicides, as well.

Condoms have been a part of popular culture, often showing up on television and in movies. They are given out for free at the Brandeis Health Center and occasionally appear in our mailboxes. Yet, now the Republicans want us to believe these years of training and brainwashing us into believing condoms are the answer to safe sex were all a joke. Nice try, but no. I, for one, am not ready to throw away my banana training.

In an ideal conservative world, tax cuts would be the answer to a deficit, Trent Lott would still be Speaker of the House and premarital sex would just not exist. Fortunately, this is not our world. Premarital sex does exist and will always exist, no matter how much money the conservatives pump into abstinence education. Therefore, instead of trying to change nature, isn't it more effective to work with it?

Condoms may not be fool proof, but only a fool would try to add to the risks of life by removing them from the discussion. For someone to claim that condoms have not saved lives shows ignorance to facts. The truth remains: Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as many other sexually transmitted diseases. Yet, despite this indisputable fact, the United States is now donating only 300 million condoms annually, down from about 800 million at the end of the first President Bush's term.

Fortunately, there is one member of the Bush administration who has expressed disapproval with the war against condoms. Secretary of State Colin Powell this past February told Americans to "forget about conservative ideas," and urged Americans to protect themselves by using condoms. It is comforting to know that at least one member of the President's cabinet cares about life and not a political agenda.

Nevertheless the right-wing conservatives had to attack Powell when they heard his comment. Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, a faith based organization, responded to Powell's comments with a comment of his own, "As one who has distinguished himself in the armed services, surely Mr. Powell must understand the importance of self-control and discipline. ... It is these same traits that can keep young people from HIV infection through abstinence. " I'm sorry to break it to you, Mr. Dobson, but, in today's world, many teenagers will not choose self-control and discipline over sex. Are their lives less valuable to you?

It is imperative that President Bush and his conservative cronies look beyond political gain and classic conservative ideals and face reality. Just as Tylenol doesn't cause headaches, condoms don't cause sex. Rather than continuing to fight against latex, we should fight against real injustices because, on my list rubber is just not one of them.

-- Samantha Slater '04 submits a column to the Justice