Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Julie Wood, Editor
Laura Roddy, Managing editor
Cory Graham, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, general manager, news advisor
Brandi Byram, Business manager
Shauntae Blue, Retail sales manager
Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser
Scott Vallier, Technology coordinator
Thursday, November 18, 1999
Jamie Patterson / KANSAN
Editorials
Fraternity bus riders need to follow same regulations as other patrons
Last week, the men of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity took issue with KU On Wheels and then took the issue into their own hands. Those who feel entitled to special catering must look at the grand scale and ask if their situation truly warrants special consideration.
Six greek houses call Stewart Avenue home, and KU on Wheels has established three official bus stops to service this stretch. Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity sits diagonally across the street from the Tau Kappa Epsilon house. Buses pull into the Tau Kappa Epsilon driveway, a location selected for its safety and proximity to both houses. Drivers are required to wait a certain period of time as to allow those
Requiring Lambda Chi Alpha men to walk across the street to the bus stop is not asking too much
wishing to board to reach the bus. Lambda Chi Alpha members felt that they were being treated unfairly and inconsistently by KU bus drivers.
According to KU on Wheels and the Lawrence Bus Company, Stewart Avenue is notorious for the poor behavior of its bus patrons. Students often have tried to use fake bus passes and have expressed a vocal disdain at the concept of paying to ride.
Problems wholly unique to
Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity members warranted a meeting between the house, KU on Wheels and Lawrence Bus Company. But not until the men of Lambda Chi Alpha had staged a little homespun civil disobedience, where at least one individual lay prostrate in front of a moving bus and someone beat on the bus itself. Fearing the prospect of having to walk 50 feet across the street to board at the current stop, the fraternity along with KU on Wheels is working to secure a bus zone in front of their house. No man ever would need walk to class again. Sure, all students would like a bus stop outside their front door, but simple logistics require them to be a bit more practical.
Matt Dunehoo for the editorial board
Don't take risk of drunken driving
It's simple, really. Don't drink and drive.
"But I'm a good drunken driver," he saves, turning the key in the ignition.
Chances are he is not a "good" drunken driver, and chances are he won't get caught. But why take the chance?
Ask 24-year-old Micah Stegall if he was a "good" drunken driver. Ask 20-year-old Manuel Lee Brown if he was a "good" drunken driver. Ask them if it was worth taking the chance.
Stegall, a Lawrence police officer on administrative leave, last week pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and battery. Earlier this year, he hit a bicyclist with his Jeep after having too many drinks at a downtown bar. Awaiting sentencing, he faces up to six months in jail and 100 hours of community service.
People operating vehicles while intoxicated have resulted in several recent local tragedies
Brown, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. Neither were Ray "Mike" Red Elk, Yancy Longhat, Albert Whitebull nor Clint Wahquaboshuk, the four Haskell Indian Nations University students riding in the bed of Brown's Chevy pickup when it flipped over at a railroad crossing in the early hours of Aug. 29. They can't tell you if Brown was a "good" drunken driver. They're dead.
But Stegall was lucky.
driving under the influence, aggravated battery and driving while intoxicated. Brown's real punishment, however, is living with the guilt of having taken the lives of friends and classmates.
Brown turned himself in last week on a warrant for involuntary mlaaughter,
Drink and drive, and face the consequences. But it's not that simple.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that stricter penalties for drunken driving haven't decreased the fatalities. Each year, more than 20 percent of all traffic deaths result from drunken drivers.
Drunken driving is a social problem that stiffer punishments won't solve. It is an individual responsibility not to get behind the wheel after drinking. Don't find out for yourself, either. Learn from Stegall. Learn from Brown. There's no such thing as a "good" drunken driver.
Kansan staff
Katrina Hull for the editorial board
Becky LaBranch ...Special sections
Thad Crane ...Campus
Will Baxter ...Regional
Jon Schlitt ...National
Danny Pumpley ...Online sales
Micah Kafitz ...Marketing
Emily Knowles ...Production
Jenny Weaver ...Production
Matt Thomas ...Creative
Kelly Heffernan ...Classified
Juliana Moreira ...Zone
Chad Hale ...Zone
Brad Bolyard ...Zone
Amy Miller ...Zone
Advertising managers
News editors
Chad Bettes . . . Editorial
Seth Hoffman . . . Associate editorial
Carl Kaminski . . . News
Juan H. Heath . . Online
Chris Fickett . . Sports
Brad Hallier . . Associate sports
Nadia Mustafa . . Campus
Heather Woodward . Campus
Steph Brewer . Features
Dan Curry . . Associate features
Matt Daugherty . . Photo
Kristi Elliott . . Design, graphics
T.J. Johnson . . Wire
Melody Ard . . Special sections
Broaden your mind: Today's quote
"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of."
How to submit letters and guest columns
Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
nothing." —Redd Foxx
Guest columns: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photocarraphed for the column to run.
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Staffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Chad Bessel or Seeth Ahmadi at 864-4924.
If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (capion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924.
Perspective
Today, we turn our health consciousness to the Great American Smokeout. It is this day that smokers make an extra effort to kick their habit. Well, if you happen to be a smoker and don't think you have enough will power to accomplish this goal, J
Smoke-filled entrances are an unnecessary drag
Thadisaith
McCoy
guest columnist
gonion at kansas.com
Well, excuse me, but what about the smoke that is ruining my lungs? The solution to the problem is not to replace the ashtrays but to enforce the policy. After all, as students we pay tuition and fees to get an education and to have our rights protected in the process.
have an alternative that doesn't require much effort. only reading.
I resent the amount of disregard administrators and smokers have for the non-smoking population. It is bad enough that you blow smoke in my face as our paths cross on Jayhawk Boulevard, but I will not allow you to perpetuate your bad habit where campus policy has been established. It is unfortunate that smoking on this campus has become so commonplace that only one entrance per building has to be designated as a "no smoking" entrance, but the fact of the matter is that many of us aim to lead healthy lives and that right is being slowly taken away.
Be aware students, because I will not hesitate to demand that a faculty or administrator physically make you put out your light or move. The same goes for the University administration because I will not allow you to "blow smoke" on this one.
As I approach Smith Hall for my religion class, I find myself focused on those little white letters on the entrance door that state, "No Smoking Within 20 Feet of this Entrance." I smile with pride because the University of Kansas administration finally has heeded to the voice of non-smoking students who just want to be able to walk into a building without
Unfortunately, that isn't the end of the story. My concern is with students' actions; my problem is with the University administration It have done nothing to enforce this policy or protect the inherent rights of non-smokers. In fact, administrators have made the decision to place ashtrays within twenty feet of these entrances, thus sending the message that it is OK for the smoking community to violate this policy. When I contacted Facilities Operations and the University ambulman, I was told that the decision to replace the ashtrays was made because there was a concern with the amount of ash and cigarette butts that were ruining the landscape.
minuing cancer-causing smoke. So I am walking, I am focused and I am proud, that is until I get within three feet of the door and all of my positive emotions turn into disappointment because of what I find lurking on both sides of the entrance.
I stop dead in my tracks as I watch seven students and a professor light up and puff on their cancer sticks. I am completely in awe. Do these students and this professor not see the sign? Or, has their habit taken such control of them that the need for a nicotine fix dictates a complete disregard for campus policy and student rights?
It really doesn't matter to me because my next step is to proceed to the administrative office of Smith Hall and demand that a faculty member makes the smokers, including the professor, put their lights out or move twenty feet from the door. In the meantime, I stand there with a mischievous grin as everyone
drafts two quick puffs while cursing me.
McCoy is a Kansas City, Mo., senior in business.
Feedback
Creation theories not scientific
Leonard Magruder, President of the KU chapter of Vietnam Veterans for Academic Reform, dismisses evolution as "an illusion to protect the intellectual elite from... the question of the existence of God." In so doing he cites philosopher Karl Popper, who is perhaps best know for his assertion that, because it is so difficult to conclusively prove a scientific theory to be true, one should only expect to be able to prove it false. Evolutionary theorists can describe innumerable examples of data that, if authentic, would falsify evolutionary models. However, Creationists, if asked to describe data that would cause them to reject the theory of a divine Creation, remain silent. Evolutionary theory is scientific because it is falsifiable. Creationist theories are not scientific because they are not falsifiable. It is impossible to conceive of any data to prove conclusively that God does not exist. It is for this reason, and not "ontological anxiety" that science is not concerned with the existence of God.
John W. Hoopes associate professor, Department of Anthropology
Freedom of speech includes blasphemy
I am writing in response to the front page article on the new movie "Dogma" (Friday, Nov. 12). Normally protests of movies don't interest me much, but my attention was caught by a particular quote. Jeanine Blanck, organizer of Friday evening's protest of the movie, said "Freedom of expression does not include the right to blaspheme God." Oh, contrate! Perhaps Ms. Blanck has heard of something called the Constitution? The First Amendment of this crazy little document very specifically gives me, Kevin Smith, creator of the movie, and everyone else, the right to say, write and create anything that might fall into the category of what Ms. Blanck calls blasphemy. That same Amendment also gives me the right not to consider it blasphemy when I find a movie about fallen angels funny. (Although I haven't seen it and probably won't.) The writers of the Constitution added this amendment specifically so that we would all be able to
Freedom for all, not just freedom for some.
— it is what gives her the right to hold her protest and make her voice heard without those same fears. Fortunately for all of us, we don't get to pick and choose out of the Constitution and First Amendment.
Jennifer Macy Salina graduate student
have our voices heard without fear of repression or reprisal by people such as Ms. Blanck. Ms. Blanck should be grateful that we have this amendment
This intersection is still dangerous as I have almost been in accidents at that particular location. Lowering the speed limit around that area will not and has not solved the problem. We all know that speed limits are broken.
I recall reading in yesterday's Kansan that another KU student was injured at the intersection of 15th & Engel. The article further reported that Student Senate had investigated the problem and recommended a four-way stop and that the only action taken was to decrease the speed limit to 20 mph.
Solution needed for dangerous intersection
Does a student have to be seriously injured or killed before we take action to eliminate this hazard and ensure the safety of our constituents? Now, I do admit that the bureaucratic machine is slow, but this is one instance where action needs to be taken immediately.
I would strongly recommend that the Campus Traffic Safety Board place the 15th and Engel intersection as one of its highest priorities to be examined this year. In addition, I would encourage the members of the board and my fellow colleagues in the Senate to not accept limited budgets or bureaucrate red tape as excuses to refrain from intervention.
We have the responsibility to the student body to take any and all necessary means to make this campus as safe as humanly possible. To ignore this duty is a great injustice to the ideals of representative student government.
The problem of the 15th and Engel intersection has been ignored for long enough, and we need to solve the problem
Christian Lutz graduate student senator
now.
I would welcome any feedback in regards to this situation.
Schultes notes that "people have been having sex for thousands of years" and asserts that, as such, sex is an irrelevant subject. People have also been eating for thousands of years, but I doubt she has protested the Kansan's restaurant reviews or occasional cooking recipes. Eating food and having sexuality are both essential acts of being human, and thus both are worthy of being written about, discussed and enjoyed.
Sex is not irrelevant
As for Erin Downing's letter to the editor and her disgust with the discussion of vibrators and sex toys, I have to wonder if anyone forced her to the read the article. If she knew that the subject matter was something that would disgust her, then she should not have read it. I, for one, appreciate any open discussion of sex toys or masturbation. I can't imagine how one's using a dildo could result in abortion, the spread of disease or even the breaking up of a family, so I would have expected her to endorse the practice as a safe alternative to conventional sex.
Sex is an integral part of a person's life, and the Kansan was at no fault for writing about it in last week's Sex on the Hill section.
Andreletta Schultes recently implied in her guest column that the sex writers were "too lazy to go out and find a real story." Perhaps Schultes did not know that the Sex section is a Kansan tradition and had been planned on months in advance. She might as well say (and this time I might be more inclined to agree, having no traditional school spirit) that the homecoming-themed section was a waste of paper because homecoming is not news.
If Schultes and Downing both will promise not to scold the Kansan for printing quite reasonable subject matter, I'll promise to keep my "toy" collection well out of their sight.
Carrie Johnson Oklahoma City junior
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