With the addition of the highly questionable Cuffs club to Iowa State the question is where do we draw the line. It is well-known that the existing LGBTAA organization on campus broke through a sexual barrier. Although at times the group is met with some heavy resistance, it has for the most part become accepted. But with the introduction of the new Cuffs club my question to you is. Shouldn’t we try to slam the door on these sexually oriented organizations before things really get out of hand. Before we know it Iowa State will be sponsoring our own squirrel molesters club and all of our furry friends will be covering tail and running for cover. While Cuffs has not exactly gone to this extreme, it is a highly controversial lifestyle that should not be taken lightly. The group is focused on the idea of BDSM, which stands for bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism. According to their own website, Cuffs is an educational and social discussion group for people who want to learn more about BDSM, kink, fetishes,and other expressions of safe, consensual and non-exploitative human sexuality. For how nice and neat they rolled up this little mission statement I had to wonder how truthful it was. I did a little further investigating into the topic with the help of my Encarta dictionary. What I found not only shocked but sickened me. After researching each of the four words that make up BDSM the term took on a whole new meaning. Bondage refers to the practice of being tied up or restrained physically during sexual intercourse. Dominance, which is also known as discipline, is the practice or methods of ensuring that people obey rules by teaching them to do so and punishing them if they do not. Sadism is defined as the gaining of sexual gratification by causing physical or mental pain to other people, or the acts that produce such gratification. And finally masochism, which is the psychological disorder in which somebody needs to be emotionally or physically abused in order to be sexually satisfied. Based on these textbook definitions the true meaning of BDSM seems to be psychologically disturbed people who feel the need to be restrained during intercourse by another individual who can only be satisfied by causing that person physical pain and by punishing them if they do not obey. Interesting orientation isn’t it and a far cry from what assistant director of student activities Laura Bestler-Wilcox called a type of lifestyle that is more about safe trust and loyalty, not abuse and is very safe. If all of this new information hasn’t made you disgusted yet, keep in mind that this group has already been established at Iowa State and in the near future they are going to ask you to pay for it. That’s right, any ISU club has the right to apply for funding from the GSB, and if granted that money comes directly out of student fees. As if it isn’t bad enough that a group such as this is allowed to hold its meetings in our highly regarded MU, now they want a portion of our inflated tuition and dues to pay for their expenses. Just imagine how hard you and your parents have worked to get you into this fine institution. How does it make you feel to know that some of that work may now be used to pay for restraint halters, whips and various other sexual items so that this minimal amount of our student population can do its own thing. While everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and orientations some things just need to remain private. While I can not speak for all students, I feel safe in assuming that most people do not want this type of behavior to be associated with Iowa State. So please do everyone a favor and fade back into the night from which you came.