A Wimpy Word for Plain Condom Sense

Robin Abcarian addresses a sober subject in “Condom Etiquette and Men” (June 26). It strikes me that etiquette is a wimpy word for what possibly may be a life-and-death decision.

When I was young (back when Frank Sinatra was a scrawny newcomer), men knew the use of a condom was their responsibility. It was not necessarily gallantry, but a desire to avoid a shotgun wedding.

Since then we have passed through the watershed ‘60s. I left conservatism in both politics and religion to become a liberal in both. However, I never bought sexual freedom because I had a wonderful wife and I thought my son and daughter might have to face the fact that sexual freedom would be sexual tyranny, imposed by peer groups. Also those who float from tawdry liaison to tawdry liaison are not free--they are shackled by their libidos.

FLOYD A. OLIVER

Los Angeles