I congratulate Cuffs on persistently fighting for free speech and personal awareness on campus; it is a messy and often unpopular job, but it needs doing.

Having participated in flogging demonstrations in Cuffs’ infancy myself, I’m sympathetic to their stance.

The popular complaint against Cuffs’ flogging demonstrations, that public flogging is inappropriate, and so people ought not be allowed to consent to it is invalid; Puritan morals and patronization have no place among educated people.

Precautions were always taken seriously at the flogging demonstrations I attended, so I assume the activity must admit the significant risk.

In order to maintain a safe learning environment at Iowa State, activities that carry significant risk of physical or psychological damage to participants warrant reasonable controls: waivers, certified instructors, protective equipment, human subjects’ training and approval, or even medical personnel on standby.

I do not doubt the good intentions of Cuffs’ demonstrators, but I would like to see them work with the university to provide better protection against unnecessary harm to demonstration participants so that their work can continue.

Kohne Gitchel

Senior

Psychology and Russian Studies