THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN OPINION MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2005 WWW.KANSAN.COM BUILT FORD TOUGH The writing on the wall Many people get annoyed when racism and racial issues are brought up in public. Some believe that they are not pressing matters anymore, therefore they do not need to be discussed. At this point, discussion won't do the trick, there needs to be more action taken on behalf of this University. This past weekend someone wrote derogatory terms and racial slurs on University of Kansas property in permanent marker. I heard about the graffiti last Monday and went to see for myself. There it was on the stairs across from Anschutz Library (near the Underground). As I looked at the scene about 10 other African-American students gathered around. We stood there stunned for a moment, but I don't think the graffiti surprised any of us. I was shocked when I realized that the markings were reported on Saturday and the graffiti was still there on Monday. I don't think any University official made a quick effort to remove it from the stairs. If those parents had seen it, would they have had reservations about letting their children attend the University? Several other students and I rubbed our feet back and forth over the area to see if we could remove the markings to no avail. Students had to look at it all day Monday until someone finally crossed it out. About 10 feet from where I stood prospective students and their parents walked by not realizing that if they looked just a little to their right they would see these offensive markings. Tyrone Brown, Topeka senior, and co-president of the KU GINA FORD opinion@kansan.com PAGE 5A NAACP, went to the site on Saturday evening when he was told about the situation. He immediately e-mailed the chancellor, the vice provost and the dean of students hoping they would help students and other officials resolve the markings. Frank DeSalvo, interim dean of students, looked at the graffiti Monday morning. He did not see the markings on the stairs, but instead discovered something else. "There had been chalking on the walls around the Underground that had racial slurs. An Underground staff member had already washed it off," said DeSalvo. In two days' time — and in more than two places on campus — someone wrote racially derogatory words. It's time we start taking this matter seriously. It is unfortunate that these acts occur on this campus. In response to one of my earlier articles, someone called into the Free For All and asked, "Why doesn't Gina Ford provide solutions to racism instead of just bitching about it?" "What's the solution? Don't be a bigot," said Sonya Heath, Corrales, N.M., senior. What is a true solution to racism? There is not a quick fix, because this country has been struggling with the issue for a long time. But raising awareness is a start. For people who would like to help make a change in our community, the KU NAACP extends an open invitation to its Oct. 25 meeting in the Kansas Union. Regardless of whether students believe racism still exists, it is still very much alive in this country. You don't have to be black or a minority to recognize that, but, many people don't like to admit it. What can we do at this point? Many people think that these images and words, written on school grounds in permanent marker, may have been trying to send a positive message explaining why the "n-word" is wrong. Regardless of the intended context, that word is never acceptable to use. It is offensive not only to African Americans, but many others on campus as well. If this person had a strong statement to make protesting the use of the "n-word." Brown said, the Black Student Union and NAACP would have been happy to listen and help organize an awareness event. Positive or negative, use of the word is unacceptable and should be treated as such. Capt. Schuyler Bailey, of the KU Public Safety Office, said the graffiti would be treated as criminal damage to property. The public safety office is attempting to investigate this crime, but if anyone has information, he or she should contact the public safety office at (785) 864-5900, or Crime Stoppers at (785) 864-8888. People with vital information may be eligible for a cash award through Crime Stoppers. Ford is a Washington, D.C., junior in journalism. LAYIN' DOWN THE LAWSON The Renthouse Forum Freshman year, you could find my friends and I frequenting places like the Halfway House and the Pink House just so I could see bands play. I remember one night fairly vaguely. Iknocked a vacuum cleaner over in the kitchen, then stood crammed in a corner as I watched Hook and Ladder play. We sat on the front steps, feeling a little too "unscene" to hang with the scenerists. We never thought about actually living in these houses, or what a nightmare the maintenance would be. When I returned from England and my roommate and I began looking for something central, our market was in the Oread neighborhood. One fateful night, on our last attempts to find something, we came across a small ad in the Lawrence Journal-World. I made an appointment for the next day and while sitting on the steps, something seemed all too familiar to me. The prospective house was the Pink House, a piece of house show history. When we signed the contract it was like a dream come true. Or was it? There were holes patched with cardboard, petrified rats in the ceiling, black mold, a 10-year-old air conditioner, a clogged up grease trap, and a man in the basement who howled. It looks like they took a motor home, dropped it on top of our house, and turned it into an apartment with a JOY LAWSON opinion@kansan.com rotting deck. Not to mention this is the only house that I've ever lived in that you have to spray for bugs weekly. And now, they are fixing a problem that can easily be solved by a sump pump by pouring cement into a crack. Even if the maintenance men had responded to our requests for repair, I am not sure that I would welcome them into And we aren't the only ones having these problems. Too many students in the "Ghetto" run into similar issues. Black mold, rotten porches, ghastly temperatures, petrified rats? Low rent with lots of problems. The sad thing is that could be fixed. Maybe it's just because I am the daughter of a handyman but I think our biggest issue here is that the maintenance men are only after quick fixes. When our toilet wasn't running properly, they came in and bent a paper clip to suffice for a part. When our ten-year-old window unit wasn't working right, they came in cleaned it twice before it broke down. They drilled a hole through the floor in the upstairs apartment through our ceiling twice. the house. We chain the doors when we see them coming. We are afraid that they will cause more damage than good, and we would rather keep our leaky ceilings and low rent. These quick fixes have caused only further damage to our apartment and they are, what I think, the reason why so many of these houses have to be completely renovated. But because the means must justify the end, the rent is hiked up to cover the costs of construction, hence the reason rent prices are going up in the Oread neighborhood. If the repairmen would fix only the problems properly instead of trying to save the management a few bucks, then we would not have to worry about complete remodels and could keep our affordable living. But really we would not have it any other way. We like "slumming it." Who knows, maybe when we move out they will put a fence around our house, pull off the pink-stripped siding, caulk the cracks in the windows, replace the splintering wood floors and liberate the rodents hiding in our ceilings. But I sure hope not for the sake of future Oread renters. Apartments like ours keep the rent affordable for college students. And not to mention the location is to die for. - Lawson is an Olathe senior in women's studies. TALK TO US Austin Caster, editor 864-4844 or acaster@kansan.com Jonathan Kealing, managing editor 864-4854 or jkealing@kansan.com Matthew Sevcki, opinion editor 864-4924 or msevkci@kansan.com Serap Connely, business manager 864-404-3 or addreder@kansan.com Joshua Bickel, managing editor 864-4854 or ibickel@kansan.com Matthew Sevcik/KANSAN John Morgan, sales director 864-442 or addorderer at kansan.com SUBMISSIONS Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news It is a rare and isolated incident but the University public safety office will fully investigate this criminal act and seek to identify those responsible and hold them accountable. Jennifar Weaver, sales and marketing advs ser Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news advisor malcolm.gibson@kkanan.com - Marlesa Roney Vice Provost for Student Success. adv.ser 864-7668 or iweaver@kansan.com The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Austin Caster at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com. with hateful messages. LETTER GUIDELINES Maximum Length: 650 word limit Include: Author's name; class, home- town (student); position (faculty member); phone number (will not be published) GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES Maximum Length: 200 word limit Include: Author's name and telephone number; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member); phone number (will not be published) General questions should be directed to the editor at editor at kansan.com. Alasc: The Kansas will not print guest columns that attack another columnist. EDITORIAL BOARD Ellis Ford, Yanting Weng, Joel Simone, Dan Hoyt, Anne Weltman, Julie Parisi, Nathan McDinnia, Josh Goatting, Sara Garlick, Travis Brown, Julian Portillo, David Archer SUBMIT TO Kansaen newroom 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall 1435 Jayhawk Bld. Lawrence, KS 68045 (786) 864-8410 opinion@kansan.com LETTER TO THE EDITOR It simply will not be tolerated in any shape or form. Racism will not be tolerated Intimidation or harassment of any kind affects not only those who suffer the harassment but also the entire community. I am writing in response to Tuesday's Kansan article about graffiti that appeared near Wescoe and contained racial epithets in its odd ramblings. We strongly deplore the actions of the individual or individuals who defaced University property this week ed and celebrated. Let there be no doubt that the University of Kansas actively fosters an enriching multicultural environment in which the dignity and rights of the individual are respect- Free All for Call 864-0500 Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to emit comments. Standerous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded. ★ 118 total Free for All's: www.kansan.com. Get excited. After reading Bill Bourne's article, I'm now pregnant. My friend lives in Templin, and his fish committed suicide by flopping out of its bowl. It was crazy and we're all in mourning. I just want to say: Bill Bourne for president. I think I might be naked. I just called to talk dirty to Free for All. Mud, mud. Dirt, dirt. My roommate just bitched about an Olive Garden commercial for five minutes. I just called in about my roommate complaining about the Olive Garden commercial. He's still going. To the girl who I have sign conversations with through the windows at Wescoe Beach, I plan on calling you later this week. It's not pre-marital sex if you don't plan on marrying the girl. My Chemical Romance? More like My Chemical skrraaaaaa- shoot me in the face. ★ This is preposterous. There are no Jeff Graves posters to be found in this town. Has it occurred to anyone that the huge advertisement in The Hawk was wrong? Editor's note: Oh, I think one or two people saw it. Dear New York Yankees: No one likes you. Not even your mother. Shooter McGavin popped his collar, Guy 2: (in the background) Stop making it awkward! Guy 1: I'm at a friend's apartment, and there are six guys and one girl, so my friend gets up and vells, "Pickle fight!" How awkward is that? Guy 2: In the park with Sarah. So awkward! Wow, that was the best pickle fight of my life. Why does everybody always talk about Josi Lima being hot? There are lots of other hot girl athletes. Like the cross country team! ☆ Dude, I think I hit the land of drunk. What's tackier? Bashing the Greek community or wearing a Confederate flag? Personally, I'd rather make some jokes about Greeks than support slavery and oppression. Dude, we just turned the fourth floor McColum into a bombed-out dorm. Wait, no work necessary. It's 8:30 and there are no Kansans outside of Snow Hall. What the hell am I supposed to do during math class? Somebody needs to wake Green Day up. September's over and I'm tired of that. soon Maybe you should spend less time putting editor's notes in the paper and learn how to spell "quit" instead of putting in "quite." I'm not asking for Pulitzer writing people, just common English. Everyone in the Lawrence Counter-Recruitment should move to Canada. A kid in my English class was wearing jean shorts, a wife-beater, and dress socks with Birkenstocks. He wins my award for goofiest-dressed kid at the university. Next Thursday, everyone bring your hookahs to campus! + Free for All treats the newspaper like women, man! This is for Megan Logue who claims you have to pay $5 to The Hawk. That money got donated, $8,000 dollars to Katrina and over $30,000 to United Way. Jesus, do some research. I'd rather kill myself than read the UDK. So we were totally recruiting for our philantropy Sun Run, go Theta, and this guy totally asked us if we wanted to get high at the Union. How weird! This is for Ryan Mulvenon: If you had done some research before you wrote your article, you'd know that the Florida State Seminoles are supported by the Seminole tribe. You're an awesome journalist. So, Free for All, are we going to read Megan Logue's article again tonight? I was thinking it might be more fun to kill ourselves. The cartoon with the two old people debating whether or not to go to The Hawk is probably the lame thing I've ever laid eyes on. Matthew Sevckis is a total moron.