Associated Press
03-07-07
Iowa State blood drive controversy: MHS grad works for a compromise
By Jeff Tecklenburg of the Muscatine Journal
AMES, Iowa — Pete Arentson has helped conduct blood drives ever since his
days with the Muscatine High School Student Council.
Now he’s a sophomore at Iowa State University and is co-chair of the annual
ISU spring blood drive, which last year attracted more than 1,600 donors.
He’s also dealing with some controversy as the blood drive is conducted this
week, which is also Greek Week on campus for ISU sorority and fraternity
members. That’s because Greek Week Central leaders recently decided to pull
their support for the blood drive, protesting federal rules that prevent some gay
men from donating.
Organizers of the largest student-run blood drive in Iowa say they expect to lose
about 500 units of blood. However, according to Arentson, most of the decrease
in donors is because of Greek Week leaders’ decision to stop awarding points
for their fraternities’ and sororities’ participation in the blood drive as part of the
protest. The fraternity or sorority with the most points has won a trophy and
recognition in past years.
Arentson, 20, says many fraternity and sorority members will still participate in
the blood drive. However, the anticipated loss of donors comes at a time when
Iowa blood banks are already seeing supplies run short because of recent stormrelated cancellations of blood drives and fewer walk-in donors.
“The decision by Greek Week Central was disappointing; the timing factor was
inconvenient,” said Arentson, a business major in marketing and management.
“... It seems like the Greek community is asked to do a lot, and as a member [of
the Phi Delta Theta fraternity], I can understand the [reason for the] decision.
They’re getting a black eye out of this ... and that’s disappointing to see.”
The other blood drive co-chair, Paul Vulcan, said removing support for the blood
drive is the wrong way to make a political statement.
“I think it’s borderline disgusting,’’ he said. “We’ve chosen political correctness
over the well-being of people who are seriously injured.’’
Members of Delta Lambda Phi, a year-old fraternity for gay and bisexual men,
complained that the federal rules would not allow them to take part in a Greek
Week competition, prompting the protest.
“The Greek Week council has done something remarkable that we in the
community have been trying to do — to raise the issue to the highest level of
public discourse,’’ Warren Blumenfeld, an ISU professor and Delta Lambda
Phi’s faculty adviser, said earlier this week. “They should be applauded for
that.’’
Greek Week Central had not issued any further statements on their position as of
Tuesday.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules prohibit men who have had sex with
another man since 1977 from giving blood.
Gays at the university contend that the rule is outdated, because new ways to
test for HIV have emerged since the rule was launched.
The FDA says research shows that men who have had sex with men are 60
times more likely to be infected with the AIDS virus than the rest of the general
public.
Meanwhile, Arentson and Vulcan are encouraging students in residence halls
and those living off campus to raise their level of participation.
They’ve also suggested that Greek Week officials amend their decision regarding
the points. They want to reinstate the points system and give Greek students
who are unable to donate blood the opportunity to volunteer time and also earn
points.
“With the amended policy, it is our hope that Iowa State students of all
backgrounds can come together to save lives through the blood drive,” Arentson
said.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.