Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Ann Premer, 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
Thursday, February 18, 1999
The Chicago Tribune
Editorials
Alternate Park-and-Ride system signal of student irresponsibility
Some bus riders have devised an alternative to the Park-and-Ride system. Students living in southwest Lawrence drive to the 22nd Street and Kasold Drive stop for the KU on Wheels bus and then board the bus that takes them to campus.
To do this, they park their cars in the Hy-Vee parking lot. The store management, however, soon realized this and discouraged parking for those not patronizing the stores. Bus riders now park along nearby residential areas to catch the bus. Neighborhood residents have complained, finding their streets noisy, overcrowded and over-adorned with trash.
Hy-Vee has a large parking lot with plenty of room for vehicles. However, the lot is private property intended for
Vehicle overflow has created a nuisance for Lawrence residents and business.
those visiting the shopping center's stores. If Hy-Vee allowed bus users to park in the lot, they also would have to allow anyone else who wanted to use the extra parking spaces for their own means. Students should respect the store's wishes.
However, students legally are able to park along the residential streets surrounding 22nd and Kasold. The issue here is a matter of courtesy. Students attending the University of Kansas are adults and should behave as such. They should show more courtesy
toward the residents. If students choose to park there, they should keep all noise and trash in their vehicles.
An even better solution would be to abandon the practice altogether. KU on Wheels has a smart and inoffensive alternative: Park and-Ride, which costs only $10 more than a bus pass. Using this method, students can stop perpetuating the myth that college students are self-centered, noisy and apathetic.
The parking problem is a KU tradition that is not likely to change in the near future. However, the Park-and-Ride program is an excellent way to alleviate problems for students who must drive to campus. KU on Wheels users should utilize this system before they become the pariads of southwest Lawrence.
Kathryn Jensen for the editorial board
Commissioners' raise questionable
On Feb. 9, the Lawrence City Commission voted to increase the salary for commissioners from $6,000 to $9,000 and from $6,000 to $10,000 for the mayor. Although the work of our city commissioners must be applauded, this pay raise seems both unfounded and inconsistent.
The job of city commissioners is a daunting task that involves hours of diligent work dealing with the minutiae that accompanies running a city. When not in meetings, city commissioners must spend countless hours pondering about the issues of Lawrence. To approve any city expenditure, a commissioner might spend days determining whether the city should spend its money. Unfortunately, it appears that the same
The elected officials' pay increase is out of step with comparable city goverments.
detailed analysis was not employed by commissioners when they decided to give themselves raises.
Perhaps there was a need to increase commissioners' salaries. Bob Moody, outgoing commissioner and main proponent of the plan, said that a $3,000 increase was not a magical number but merely appeared to be a reasonable sum.
a population of about 65,500. St. Joseph, Mo., which has a population of about 71,500 pays its city commissioners $1,800. The seven members of the Olathe City Council earn a yearly salary of $5,400 for serving a population of about 83,000.
More than being poorly thought out, the proposal does not seem to be in line with what other cities of comparable size and economic base. Lawrence has
Simply put, citizens always should be leery when elected officials decide to give themselves a raise. The explanation for the raise should have been more clear and as watchful citizens, Lawrence residents should have challenged the increase.
As city commission elections approach, voters can share their views through the power of the vote. By asking candidates how they stand on this issue, we can ensure that our tax dollars are not wasted on the increase.
Kansan staff
Ryan Koerner . . . . . . . . . Editorial
Jeremy Doherty . . . . . Associate editorial
Aaron Marvin . . . . . News
Laura Roddy . . . . . News
Melissa Ngo . . . . . News
Aaron Knopf . . . Online
Erin Thompson . . . Sports
Marc Sheforgen . . Associate sports
Chris Fickett . . Campus
Sarah Hale . . Campus
T.R. Miller . . Features
Steph Brewer .Associate features
Augustus Anthony Piazza . Photo
Chris Dye . Design, graphics
Carl Kaminski . Wire
Carolyn Mollett Special sections
Laura Veazey . News clerk
Jeff Engstrom for the editorial board
News editors
Advertising managers
Advertising manager ... Matt Lopez ... Special sections
Jennifer Patch ... Campus
Micah Kaftiz ... Regional
Jon Schlitt ... National
Tyler Cook ... Marketing
Shannon Curran ... PR/Intern manager
Christa Estep ... Production
Steven Prince ... Production
Chris Corley ... Creative
Jason Hannah ... Classified
Corinne Buffmire ... Zone
Shauntee Blue ... Zone
Brandi Byram ... Zone
Brian Allers ... Zone
Justin Allen ... Zone
Broaden your mind: Today's quote
"It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference opinion that makes "
the horse races." —Mark Twain
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
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.
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 Deerhy at 864-4924.
If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924.
Perspective
I can't be much fun to be a leftist these days.
Every sturdy political cause — liberalism, in this case — requires a worthy foe that can be painted in demagogic colors. In the past, liberals
Die-hard liberals tackle less-than-worthy causes
the hands against racial segregation, the Vietnam War and President Nixon. What's more, they boasted photogenic heroes in the form of the Kennedys, Martin Luther King and Abie Hoffman.
And who do these tree-huggers and peaceanbis rally in 1999? Tinky Winky the Teletubby and swearing canoeists from Michigan. I suppose we should become alarmed if they start harping about reopening the investigation into the JFK assassination
Jeremy Doherty
oinion@ kansan.com
Hard times have befallen this ideology. One wonders what happened to the liberals who fought for political and economic reforms and civil rights for the disenfranchised. Their pet causes as of late hardly smack of revolution or, at least, "sticking it to The Man."
Take the case of the foul-mouthed canoeist, an absurd tale that has attracted national scrutiny.
Last August, Timothy Boomer of Standish, Mich., took a tumble from his canoe while traipsing through the state's Rifle River. For some reason — spilled beer or ice-cold water, perhaps — the 24-year-old Boomer exploded with a flood of four- and 12-letter obscenities.
The problem? Boomer's harangue was delivered within earshot of a woman and her kids, and a county sheriff's deputy promptly cited the guy with violating a 102 year-old state statute barring profanity in front of children.
The American Civil Liberties Union has been arguing on Boomer's behalf, calling the 1897 law vague and an infringement on its client's free speech rights. Last week, a district court judge ruled that Boomer will have to stand trial for his boorish behavior, to which I say, bravo.
The ACLU isn't convinced, however, that it's jumped behind a loser of a case. After the judge's ruling, Legal Director Mark Steinberg he would waste no time appealing.
"If the speech police can convict Tim Boomer for swearing in front of children when he didn't even know the children were there," Steinberg said.
"then they can convict a mother and father for slipping and swearing in front of their children."
If any parent were to behave in such a disgraceful fashion in front of their impressionable kids, whether in public or private, I think they should be lucky to get away with a mere fine. Burning at the stake probably would be a more fitting punishment.
I'm isn't a free speech question. This is about some dot who disrupted the peace and now is trying to hide behind a bogus First Amendment claim to duck a $100 fee. I'd take this more seriously, but I've yet to quit snickering about it, to be honest.
Even more funny is how liberals jump at the chance to crucify one of their favorite whipping boys. Rev. Jerry Fallwell.
Last week, Falwell clued us all in to the homosexuality oriented conspiracy running rampant in the children's program Teletubbies.
According to an article published in Falwell's monthly magazine, National Liberty Journal, the character Tinky Winky is a play to expose children to a homosexual agenda.
"The character, whose voice is obviously that of a boy, has been found carrying a red purse in many episodes and has become a favorite character among gav groups worldwide," the article posits.
China has 100 missiles pointed at Taiwan. Jordan struggles with the loss of King Hussein and the U.S. Senate finally has reached a conclusion to the Clinton impeachment trial. Has there been any meaningful debate on these and other issues — issues that actually have an impact on the lives of millions?
But defenders of the program's noble virtues point out that Tinky Winky's "purse" is nothing more than a "magic bag." Someone, please tell me that we're not having this debate.
Of course not. It clearly is more rewarding to attack the blatherers of someone such as Falwell, who looks nuttier and nuttier each time he opens his mouth.
But that appears to be what librarians want to do — go after Falwell and the rights-trampling officials who won't let Timothy Boomber swear in front of children.
These are delicate times. With the impeachment debacle finally behind us, it's time for everyone, liberals and conservatives alike, to quit hiding behind self-serving sound bytes and phony claims of fascism. Jerry Fallwell and Timothy Boomer will not outlast Saddam Hussein, Social Security and Kosovo. More than ever, our full attention is needed.
Tinky Winky would want it that way.
Doherty is an Olathe senior in journalism.
Pick-up line collection a successful endeavor
end out six copies of this within the next 96 hours or you will have bad sex for the rest of your life."
This mystical threat found at the
bottom of a forwarded list of pick-up lines scared me. That's a lot of cyberpressure to have placed on my love life.
The list was forwarded to me by Mark, a concerned reader, in response to my last column. I had asked anyone with a good or funny pick-up line to e-mail it to me.
So, after sending out six copies of the forward — why risk it, right? — I sat down to read the rest of mv malls. They were
Keith Burner
opinion@ kansan.com
e-mails. They were all good. There were also a lot of them.
With intentions ofreplying to them all, I turned on my Discman and sat down at the keyboard to thank everyone for their responses. But while responding to one, two more came down the pipes. E-mails were coming fast, the typing was giving me carpal-tunnel, and wailing in my own fame was giving me a big head.
so, I decided to give it up before my hands fell off and my head exploded. To everyone out there in Cool People Land who liked my column and responded, "Right on."
"What?" asked the girl sitting at the computer next to me.
"Uh . . . write on, I said. "Do you have something I could write on?"
"Sure," she said. "Here, have a taco."
"Thanks," I said. Did she just offer me a taco? Oh, well. But I've wasted enough space on niceties and frivolous dialogue. Let's hit the mail sack.
Readers sent in many good pick-up lines. And when I say good, I mean funny or original, but not necessarily the opposite of evil. Some of those disgusting lines only could have had been composed by the hand of Satan. Good job.
But alas, only 3 percent of the pick-up lines submitted could be published. I pride myself on
Selection No. 1 (13 submissions): "If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?"
not including in my columns jokes alluding to illegal drug use, sadomasochism, sexually active giants (no matter how jolly or green) or the chancellor. I should mention here, however, that one submission included all four. Here are the three most frequent printable submissions, graded and complete with content analysis
Though it sounds nice as a song (and it is), it has become overused and, let's be honest here, it's even more cheesy then your typical cheese pick-up line. I give it a C-.
selection No. 2 (seven submissions): "You look like someone I should know/meet."
Though similar to the first line in that it relies on dual meaning for effect, this phrase is much better. Instead of a play on words, it expresses emotional honesty. You're not being a mack when you use it. This line really isn't a line. It's honestly cloaked in humor. I can dig that. Submission two, you get an A.
Selection No. 3 (three submissions): You walk up to a girl, stare her up and down (never go down first), bite your lower lip and say,
"Hello...so what do ya' think, can I buy you breakfast in the morning?"
No play on words here. This is just a plain-and-simple proposition, using something similar to scientific method. First, the guy takes in the girl's appearance (collecting data). Second, he begins with "Hello" (an expression of his hypothesis, shortened from "Hello, hottie: you don't look very smart"). Third, he invites her to stay the night with him (experiment). The conclusion is one of two things: She goes home with him, proving his hypothesis, or she responds in a negative manner by spitting on him, asking him to ro-sham-bo her for it — South Park allusion — or just by saying no.
Before I run out of space. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who sent in lines, words of encouragement or just well-written letters. I swear some of them were funnier than anything I've written. Oh, and thanks for cheering me on, Aimee.
Burner is a Leon senior in journalism.
Feedback
Concealed weapons lead to less crime
Tuesday's editorial about Kansas House Bill 2240 (concealed carry of weapons) is awash in rhetoric and is misleading. True, crime rates have been dropping nationwide. However, according to the FBI, in the 31 states with right-to-carry laws, the violent crime
rate is significantly lower than those states not affording their citizens their Second Amendment guaranteed rights.
Allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons will not create an "atmosphere of fear." States such as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas have right-to-carry laws. Do you feel an atmosphere of fear when visiting there? Carrying concealed weapons is not vigilante justice,
but rather an option for people who feel the need to take additional actions to protect themselves. It surely will not lead to a return of the Wild West, when weapons were carried openly. Coincidently, it is legal in Kansas to carry a handgun, as long as carried openly.
Nathan Wilke Ann Arbor, Mich. graduate student