Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Ann Premier, Editor Jamie Holman, Business manager Gerry Doyle, Managing editor Sara Cropper, Retail sales manager Angie Kuhn, Managing editor Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
4A
Tuesday, March 30, 1999
The Chicago Tribune
Editorials
Congress makes sound decision by passing bipartisan legislation
Now that Congress is no longer immobilized by impeachment, it has begun to focus on mobilizing education.
Recently the both houses of Congress passed a bill that would allow schools to have more flexibility in spending $11 billion of federal money.
This bipartisan legislation is a move in the right direction.
Known as Ed-Flex, this bill would allow all states to waive certain federal restrictions and, according to the bill's sponsors, would give schools more flexibility in educational methods.
Rep. Vito Foster, R-New York, said during a C-SPAN debate that education is a national issue, but a local responsibility. Teachers and principals who see students every day should make decisions about curriculum, not politicians
Passing Ed-Flex was first step toward a national commitment to education.
in Washington. he said.
According to the New York Times, the federal government provides only 7 percent of the national education budget. Education experts say the bill will have little impact on students.
The actual effect of this specific legislation may be debatable, but at least the nation's lawmakers are concerned. Legislation that provides money directly to states and communities makes sense because problems often are solved more efficiently at the local level.
In addition to this legislation, legisla
tors must encourage efforts that increase teacher and classroom quality.
A final concern for education involves societal and parental support. Laws may not solve these problems, but lawmakers' concern could have an influence.
Education always is an issue of national importance, because providing future generations with the best education available ensures the prosperity of the country.
As Congress considers education bills later this year, it must work in the same bipartisan spirit with which it passed Ed-Flex.
Katrina Hull for the editorial board
Tips help residents weather storms
Lawrence residents heard emergency sirens in Lawrence March 9 as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week. The sirens were meant to remind people to plan ahead for the spring and summer storm season.
Although tornadoes are possible anytime and anywhere, they are more likely in Kansas during the spring and summer months. Knowing where to go and what to do can save lives.
Since 1950, tornadoes have hit Kansas during all months except January.
According to the Wichita Eagle storm survival guide, Kansas ranks third in the country for the average number of tornadoes each year and first for the most powerful twisters.
The National Weather Service recommends these actions to avoid injury:
Weather services suggest taking shelter, awareness.
Stay informed during severe weather through television or battery powered radio. Be familiar with the county to track storm movement.
- Seek shelter in a basement or underground if possible. If not, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture.
Stav awav from windows.
Get out of automobiles and do not try to outrun a tornado in a car. Abandon mobile homes and RVs. Find a ditch or low-lying area if there is no shelter.
ally can predict and give adequate warning, but people also should be able to recognize nature's warning signs: a dark-green sky, large hall, strange quiet during a storm, rotating clouds that converge and a rushing sound that turns into a roar.
During lightning, stay inside and away from water and electrical appliances, including telephones and computers.
During the storm season, tornadoes are not the only danger. Flash flooding and lightning kill more people in the United States annually than tornadoes.
Being informed and knowing what to do during severe weather situations is vital. If you didn't take time to formulate a plan during Severe Weather Awareness Week, do it now.
Advanced weather technology usu-
Kansan staff
Katrina Hull for the editorial board
Ryan Koerner ... Editorial
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Broaden your mind: Today's quote
"Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation." Elizabeth Drew
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 home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
How to submit letters and guest columns
Jack Kevorkian has finally pushed the Michigan courts too far. On Friday, the jury in the Thomas Youk case found Kevorkian guilty of second-degree murder and
Robert K.
Funk
opinion@kansan.com
Guest columns: Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
substance for his participation in the death of Youk. He is looking at 10 to 25 years in prison on the murder charge and an additional 5 to 7 years on the controlled substance charge.
In other words, the 70-year-old Kevorkian is facing the rest of his life in prison. Kevorkian has promised to end his life with a hunger strike if imprisoned, but for now the judge has agreed to let Kevorkian remain free
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Staufer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Ryan Koerner or Jeromy Doering at 864-4924.
Kevorkian used wrong method in suicide case
Perspective
until his scheduled sentencing on April 14. In return, Kevorkian has promised that he will not break any laws between now and then.
If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924.
By moving from assisted suicide to euthanasia, Kevorkian has made easier a decision that should be very difficult. In addition, I think that legalizing euthanasia would open the homicidal door for some very clever killers. I don't think Kevorkian's stated advantage of efficiency comes close to balancing out these very serious disadvantages.
With people, there are further arguments because people can tell us how much pain they're in, and they can tell us when they want to go. However, I believe that people should take their own lives only in the most permanently hopeless cases, and I don't think that it should be an easy decision.
Kevorkian's attorneys have, of course, promised to appeal the verdict with the utmost zeal, but it sounds like Kevorkian would be imprisoned during the appeals process. It should be interesting to see what happens.
Although I think Kevorkian has a noble battle to fight, I think he chose the wrong battlefield. He basically decided his way was right, despite existing laws. He did his thing, and he asked the Michigan courts to support him. This is a matter that shouldn't be debated after the fact.
Kevorkian should have made his case to the Michigan legislature. If the legislature decided to support him, then Kevorkian would know that indirectly he had the support of the Michigan people. If they didn't support him initially, he should have tried to make his argument more effectively. He could make personal appearances; he could write books; he could run for office; he could do any number of things. But he didn't. He acted on his own judgment, and he asked the jury to say he was right afterward.
I agree with the Youk jury. Kevorkian has gone too far.
The death of Youk marks the first time that Kevorkian actually has taken a person's life himself. Previously, Kevorkian had always used a "suicide machine" that allowed patients to take their own lives. One hundred and thirty people took their own lives with the aid of Kevorkian's machine.
Youk was terminally ill with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was in the latter stages of the disease, unable to move or even swallow. He was terribly afraid of choking to death on his own saliva. If he had thought about it extensively and wanted to end his suffering, I don't see why we shouldn't enable him to do so humanely. We do it for our pets, so why should we deny it to our human loved ones?
Until now, Kevorkian has been able to avoid any serious prison time for his activities. What made him press his luck and move from assisted suicide to euthanasia?
Kevorkian thinks there is no meaningful difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia. He simply thinks that euthanasia is more efficient, and that people should have that option available to them.
I think that Thomas Youk was a good example of when assisted suicide is appropriate.
conversation." —Elizabeth Drew
Until the Youk case, I had cautiously sup ported Kevorkian. I believe that when appropi ate, people should be allowed to die with dignity
Funk is a Scott City graduate student in business and law.
Feedback
Oliver vandalism sparks response
In response to recent incidences of possibly racial motivated vandalism at Oliver Hall, the KU Asian American Student Union would like to issue a public statement.
Should it be found that this crime was indeed racially motivated, AASU feels that tolerance in the form of understanding, respecting, and accepting others' culture is the best way to prevent similar and worse crimes from happening in the future.
AASU's mission is to educate the community of other cultures.
While the acts of vandalism reported at Oliver Hall, including a swastika burned into the door of a resident and in a third-floor hallway, have not yet been proven to be racially motivated, it should cause some concern.
Regardless of whose property was defaced and what the motivation was, a swastika burned into a door is disturbing to many and in most cases frightening.
A theatrical troupe from California called hereandnow came to perform powerful skits dealing with racism and other obstacles facing Asian Americans. The final event of the festival was the Taste of Asia show on Saturday.
Cultural awareness was the purpose of this Asian American Festival, March 1 through 6.
Although there is no justification for a panic, the department of Student Housing should not downplay this as merely a random act of vandalism.
Some form of meeting should be created to address any questions or concerns of residents.
The event and the festival ended with a dance party at the ballroom, featuring a live performance by Asian American dance diva Joelyn Enriquez, who reiterated the need for cultural pride and
AASU and an alliance of seven other cultural organizations at the University of Kansas hoped to enrich the community's understanding of their cultures. A banquet with various cuisines from Asian countries, an info fair, a fashion show and cultural performances were held at the Kansas Union Ballroom.
Binh Thai
Larned sophomore AASU Political Affairs Chairman Vietnamese Student Association
tolerance.
AASU hopes that the events of the past week have enriched the community in some way.
Public Relations Chairman
Professor clarifies comments
I want to correct a misconstruing of my words by a University Daily Kansan reporter. I was contacted by Kansan reporter Heather Woodward on March 18 for information she was gathering for a story about the tragic murders of Amy Watkins and Mercedes Ares, both of whom happened to be social workers who graduated from the University of Kansas.
Clearly, this reporter wanted to write a story about the dangers of practicing social work in large cities. Although the quote attributed to me is accurate, I did not endorse the thesis. In fact, specifically said that I was sorry to disappoint Heather if she thought she was going to hear otherwise from me.
The fact that these two women were social workers is entirely coincidental. Has anyone over read the news articles about the circumstances of these cases? In both, robbery was the likely motive. Neither of these women were killed while on the job. To yoke these two tragic incidents together and then make the empirical leap to causality is wrong.
Why not just say that being a graduate of the University of Kansas is linked to violence?
Here is what I told the reporter: Social workers work with people who are anxious, sad, confused, angry and vulnerable — in short, they are usually at their worst when social work intervention is necessary. You have to learn to de-escalate that. The School of Social Work at the University of Kansas prepares people for such situations. However, there are many occupations fraught with danger. Children who bring guns to school place teachers at risk, for example. In fact, a social
worker, by virtue of his/her training, may be better prepared than others.
I hope this clarifies this matter.
I was fitted for $65 for parking in front of a water hydrant across from Blake in the dark, when the hydrant was barely visible, as were the marks on that drive.
Alice A. Lieberman associate professor of social welfare
Parking, Coke delivery debated
And that, too, because I could not find a space anywhere close to Watson, where I had an errand that took me only two minutes. When I appealed to the Parking Department to reduce the amount, they said that such fines were enforceable by the Fire Marshal, although they allowed me to pay it in installments.
So what about the Coca Cola truck that routinely parks at exactly the same spot in broad daylight to unload its stuff? Is it because that job is more important than my dropping off a book at the library or that Coke pays millions of dollars to the University of Kansas?
In another incident, when I went to get a replacement Stouffer Place permit for my new car, the Parking Department insisted that I first return the old sticker from my previous car or I would have to pay for a new one.
I told them that efforts to do so failed because it was so old and stuck so hard, that I could barely get some dust when I tried to scrape it off. They even suggested that I buy some scotch tape and mayonnaise to get it off my old car, because many people have succeeded that way. And remember, the only reason why the Parking Department switched from hang-tags to stickers was to prevent transfer from one car to another.
Finally, as per their suggestion, I got a letter from the buyer of my old car confirming what I said about the sticker, and then they made me pay $3 for another hangtag. They did not care to read the letter, though.
Somjit Barat Lawrence graduate student
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