Daily 49er - Groups' pro-abstinence posters defaced, stolen

By Sean Orfila
On-line Forty-Niner

Posters on campus promoting sex after marriage were defaced and stolen last week by vandals with clashing views.

The signs featured a picture of wedding rings and read, "For better sex, slip on one of these." Near the library, people scribbled phrases on the signs and broke stakes. Some posters became public forums when vandals crossed out the words of previous tagging and replied with their own views. One sign was defaced in red ink with "Your statistics lie," then crossed out again in black with the message, "Your propaganda lies." Another sign read "The church supported slavery."

The signs were posted by a combination of three student groups: Campus Crusade for Christ, Korean Crusade for Christ and Christian Students Unite, said John Lockmer, a group member. Lockmer said each group was allowed to post 25 signs on campus and that the groups combined to print out 75 signs, not including posters on kiosks.

Lockmer, who paid for some of the signs himself, said they were intended for "getting students to think about abstinence" and encouraged people to read the article posted on the Christian Students Unite Web site.

All of the signs at the kiosks were ripped down and many of the groups' staked signs were defaced or stolen. Only about 50 signs remained on campus.

"About one-third of the signs were gone," said Lockmer, commenting that usually people just kick them over or break the wooden sticks. Lockmer said any time Christian groups place signs on campus something happens. They're either knocked over or tossed into bushes by vandals.

"We expect them to be kicked down," said Lockmer.

It was the first time that signs were completely missing from campus. "This time," said Lockmer, "some of them just disappeared off the face of the Earth."

None of the groups filed a report with the University Police.

Dana Lebental a political science major said, "Most people look at the posters and say 'Well too late, I've already had sex.' I think if they were to promote a safe sex campaign then it would be more successful."

"It's just a sign, if you don't like it you don't have to read it, you know? You don't have to knock it over," remarked student Mark Lordanich.

Some areas on campus are havens for clashing opinions. Wit-filled comments abound in some of the restrooms at CSULB where chalkboards line the urinals and stalls. In the bathrooms, where public posting is legal and encouraged, a mixture of comedy, politics, religious views and solicitations are scribbled on the boards daily. Last semester, when war broke out in Iraq, the chalkboards erupted with pro and anti-war opinions.

As for the signs on campus, Lockmer said he was not going to put the broken signs back up. "The signs cost money and it just takes too much time."