I saw the performance “all of America will be talking about tomorrow” for the finale of the 2009 American Music Awards, and I think America will be talking about boycotting ABC advertisers because of the offensive and tasteless crotch-fondling (and faux-blow jobbing) performance of Adam Lambert. Somehow, I doubt that is the response they were looking for.

It is amazing how clueless some TV executives can be (and this was from Disney-owned ABC). Did they really think America wants to see a musical enactment of gay bondage? Out of all the classy performers featured during the evening, they decided to end it with Adam Lambert (who I had never heard of before, and frankly never hope to hear from again)? How about Whitney Houston? Or Green Day? Even Lady Gaga seemed classy in comparison to Lambert, and she performed in a light-up Halloween costume vest and athletic tape.

I was in total disgust throughout the performance, and I was happy to see the Los Angeles audience was just as horrified. A few people clapped, but it was very quiet for such a huge audience that had been so enthusiastic through the night.

Shame on you, ABC. That performance was a revoltingly disgusting choice. Here’s hoping some sponsors pull their ads from your programs. You deserve a good lambasting for that one.

That said, we recognize each individual’s right to destroy their own body if they so wish.

However, develop lung cancer on your own time and on your own property! Stop polluting campus for the rest of us!

Recently, talk of a smoking ban at Missouri State University has come up, and we would like to throw our support behind this important measure wholeheartedly.

Beyond the damage smoking deals to the individuals who engage in this behavior, second-hand smoke also pollutes the air and damages the lungs of all who come near.

Designated smoking areas may sound like a good solution to the problem at first, but unless you are going to put the designated areas physically far away from the main campus, smoke will still drift about.

We all have a right to breathe clean air. No one has the right to take that away from us. Smoking creates a blight on the whole campus.

How to enforce this ban, you say?

Simple.

Fines. Lots and lots of fines.

Eventually, students will learn to put the cigarettes away.

Smokers can still smoke if they want to, but just take it off campus.

Students deserve to breathe easy.

-Jennifer Becker

For the Editorial Board