2005
OPINION
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2005
of devel- to better-ments,
Los/KANSAN
on
to be a less attachment isaid and sets of link. causes yeye's reti- or w, therereat-approved for
ociated Press
--someone when democracy is about choices.
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 5A
CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
U.S. fixing democracy abroad? Try fixing it here at home first
JULIA MELIM COELHO
icoelho@kansan.com
Suppose some guys break into your house, destroy all your furniture, kill your husband or wife and kids and then tell you that you are free to do whatever you want. Then, they say that your life is bad and that they are going to give you a better one. Is this democracy? You cannot force democracy on
Now, suppose you are in a room with 10 people and you are trying to decide if you should do homework or not. Then, somebody says, "I am going to be democratic. Let's vote."
Seven people say they want to do homework and three people vote against it. Then, the 10 don't do homework. The majority ends up doing what only three people decided. Is this democracy? Democracy occurs when each person's vote counts.
The United States government advertises democracy and freedom, but Americans have not questioned what these values are and if they receive what the government promises.
Under the cover of democracy and freedom, the government operates an almost dictatorial system. George W. Bush has even been compared to Hitler, who was also a very popular leader, but this doesn't seem to call people's attention. Americans are too worried about the war to think about what is going on inside the country — which is what the government wants.
President Bush said that the "people of Iraq have spoken to the world, and the world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East. In great numbers, and under great risk, Iraqis have shown their commitment to democracy."
If somebody came to the United States and said that you couldn't attend college or that you couldn't get married or even have children, you would feel your rights weren't respected. In the same way, if one invades a country and decides to impose certain values on a different culture — it doesn't matter which values — that is not respecting individuals' choices. Even if the government calls it democracy or freedom, it is still using the basic concepts of a dictatorship.
President Bush promotes the principles of democracy and freedom to the Iraqis, but at the same time he supports policies that strip Americans of their own freedoms. The Patriot Act is one step toward not having freedom. The fight
against terrorism is another step.
Because presidential elections in the United States aren't based on popular vote, not every vote counts. When
It is outrageous, but democracy and freedom are being used as an excuse to disrespect American civil rights.
your vote is worthless and the majority has no input in the country, there is no democracy.
I am not talking about political parties. Instead, I am talking about the political system itself. You can be a Democrat or a Republican, but you should still fight for a fair political system. Manipulating the votes or having indirect elections is a tactic of dictatorial governments. So, if there are no rights, no democracy and no freedom, I can only conclude that we are living in a dictatorship.
Today, the government is invading Iraq, but it will never stop. There will be more wars, and there will be an excuse for each one of them. Lives will be sacrificed for oil, power and money — whatever is on the government's agenda. The government is not interested in our freedom, but in its power. The more power the government has, the less freedom the citizens have.
It's reminiscent of the U.S. invasions in Central and South America in the 1960s. It wasn't about democracy and freedom.
The governments of those countries were destroyed, like in Iraq, and dictators were put in their places. They were dictators who would follow U.S. orders. The U.S. invasions have never been about freedom, they are about power and political influence — but this is not what they tell us.
I want to defend the rights of the American people while there is still time. In the '60s, students fought for their rights — our parents were more active than we are. It's time to stand up again and fight for your rights. Don't let the excuse of democracy and freedom give total power to the government and take your democracy and freedom away. Send letters to the White House.
Gather student groups together to talk about issues. Protest in the streets for your rights. We are young, we are students and we can still change something.
♦ Coelho is a Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, sophomore in film and journalism.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Privatization for education not bad certainly not as much as the unions
While in his editorial, "Privatization of education poor step toward reform," Pete Prince does recognize that for many, American public schools do an excellent job, he misses that for some, the public school system is failing.
By his logic, the privatization of schools would favor the wealthy over the poor, as they would benefit from the competition, but he fails to recognize that currently, the wealthy have school choice in being able to afford private schooling.
It is the poor who benefit from school voucher programs aimed at them by giving those parents the choice of schools their children can attend.
Even Prince must recognize that with school choice through a voucher system that targets the poor, schools must be more accountable to parents and attain higher standards.
While Prince would like to dismiss private schools as a crazy thought, I would invite him to compare the costs. According to the Department of Education, the average cost of private elementary and secondary education is $3,116, less than half the cost per pupil in the average public school, $6,857. His proposed solution to improve failing schools by dumping even more money and resources into them is clearly refuted by this figure. I would ask him how private schools do so much better with so much less.
The No Child Left Behind Act carries these ideas in pushing for greater choice for parents when schools fail for three consecutive years. To leave parents with no option when the schools fail is the nightmare, not the NCLB Act. My only issue with the NCLB Act is that it should have been carried out on a state level where it could be adjusted to local issues, and not by the federal government according to the 10th Amendment.
One would have to ask who would oppose giving greater choice to parents and encouraging accountability among schools. The answer would rest in the teachers unions, specifically the NEA and the AFT. The NEA and the AFT represent almost 100 percent of the market for teacher representation services, and they operate under a noncompetitive agreement, effectively monopolizing education at the local level. The teachers unions provide the greatest opposition to the school voucher program, as well as any effort to empower parents.
I would applaud Prince if he chose to not join the NEA or the AFT because of these policies, but if he chooses to support these policies by joining, then yes, I will blame him for keeping children in failing schools. If the government is going to fail the children, then it is because of the influence wielded by the unions despite the efforts of reformers to expand choice and accountability of schools.
John Stowell Omaha, Neb., senior
HIGGINS' PERSPECTIVE
EDITORIAL BOARD
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?
In this day and age, it seems that there are ever-present divisions between groups of people, including religious and cultural groups. The divisions between Islam and Christianity seem particularly great, and closing that gap can seem bleak. Recently, experts have said the two religions share more than either the common Muslim or Christian thought.
The issues takes on importance at the University of Kansas where cultural differences exist, but are not always apparent. Many students from different backgrounds are ignorant of other cultures and backgrounds, and are not always given the opportunity to learn more.
Yusuf Estes, a Muslim sheik who was once a Christian preacher, is one such person.
In an article he wrote that appeared in, the Rutgers
News he said, "There are so many misunderstandings and misconceptions about Islam. As Christians, Jews and Muslims, we are all Abrahamic people who believe in the oneness of God. We believe in the same God."
Arabiamics are those who can trace their origins back to Abraham, who is thought to have led his people into the land chosen for
Many of the world's problems could be fixed with just一 as Elvis Costello put it一 a little peace, love and understanding. Emphasis on the understanding part.
appeared in the Rutgers University paper, Estes said he believed that Christianity and Islam were two of the closest religions in the world. "We have a high respect for the Bible," he said, and added that parts of the Bible appear in the Koran.
Other experts also point out that Jesus unites the religions.
Bashir G. Ahmed, a trustee with the Islamic Council of Ohio, said religious education is important. In the Dayton Daily
According to an article in the The Times London by William Dalrympl, there were images of Jesus' birth and childhood depicted in Islamic art.
He also noted that there were distinct similarities between Christian and Islamic practices, such as the Christian Lent, which includes fasting and repentance. Lent can be directly tied to the Islamic feast of Ramadan, which also concerns fasting and repentance.
them by God.
Some Muslims feel misunderstood in the United States, where the religious culture is dominated by Christianity. In an article in the Houston Chronicle, Azhur Haneef, Muslim scholar, said, "Islam means peace. There are so many misconceptions about the religion of Islam. It is simply about obedience to God and to be at peace through the submission to all of creation."
Christians are attempt-
Christians are attempting to make amends. In the same article, David Capes, chairman of the Department of Christianity and Philosophy at Houston Baptist University, said, "It may well be that what we know about Islam is wrong at worst and partial at best." He said the department hopes for religions to better understand one another.
If both Muslims and Christians come to realize Capes' goal, there is hope for universal understanding.
This understanding has the possibility for monumental change — maybe even a more peaceful world. But this will never happen unless people open their minds to other cultures and other ways of thinking. The key is to want to learn about other cultures, to understand people, and to treat others with respect.
♦ Gaby Souza writing for the editorial board.
TALK TO US
Andrew Vaupel, editor
864-4310 or avuvel@kansan.com
Donovan Atkinson, Misty Huber, Amanda
Kim Stairtendr and Marissa Stephenson
managing editors
864-8100 or editor@kansan.com
Steve Vockrodt
Laure Francoviglia
opinion editors
864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Ashleigh Dyck, business manager
864-4358 or advertising@kansan.com
Danielle Bose, retail sales manager 884-4358 or advertising@kansan.com
Mateol Glison, general manager and news adviser
884-7687 or mglison@kansan.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
884-7668 or jweaver@kansan.com
David Archer, Viva Bolova,
John Bierley, Chase Edgerton,
Wheaton Elkins, Ryan Good.
Paige Higgins, Matt Hoge, John Jordan, Kyle Koch, Doug Lang, Kevin Mckernan, Mike Mostafa, Erica Prather,
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
eric Schmidt, Devin Sikes, Gaby Souta
Sarah Stacy and Anne Weltner.
SUBMISSIONS
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 Steve Vockrord or Laura Francoviglia at 864-4924 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
LETTER 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)
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 650 word limit
Include: Author's name; class, home-
town (student); position (faculty m
ember); phone number (will not be
published)
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Also: The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack another columnist.
SUBMIT TO
kansan newroom
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
143 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 884-4810
opinion@kansan.com
Call 864-0500
Free All for
Free for all callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
Just because you're sexually frustrated doesn't mean you have to call in to an automated voice answering machine and complain about girls you can't get with having long-distance boyfriends. Get a psychologist.
For the guy who lost his phone and got his friend's, can I have Wayne Simien's phone number?
I'd just like to tell all the girls in History 120 that they rock my world.
Myspace.com is better than thefacebook.com.
kids?
To the good Samaritan who found my paycheck and returned it, I am much obliged.
Is it ironic that a fraternity just got shot down when last Friday,DU had a party with kgs and high school
+
I think the Free For All's rigged, because my roommate always gets in the Free For All and I don't.
It used to be Muck Fizzou, but after Sunday's game, Mizzu mucked us.
---
14