OPINION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2005
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
www.kansan.com
FACE-OFF
Gay marriage divides on religious lines Don't let U.S. remain backward Marriage shouldn't be codified
At a panel discussion on gay marriage in January of 2004, Fred Parella, associate professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University, said that he hoped to "suggest a theological approach that might open up the possibility for greater Christian acceptance of, and ecclesiastical approval of, same-sex unions."
PRO OPINION
The fact that a professor at
GABRIELLA SOUZA datkinson@kansan.com
a Catholic university came forward and commented on this issue meant that it had definitely been brought into the limelight. Obviously, the Catholic Church is feeling pressure from its followers to accept same-sex unions as Parela says
towers to accept same-sex unions, as Patricia says. Everyone with strong, religious morals appears to be worried that the meaning of marriage will be warped and twisted if same-sex unions are allowed.
This is not the case. Marriage, to such Christian denominations as Catholicism, has two components.
It is the celebration of the love between a man and a woman and the openness for children in their lives. Same-sex unions only have to be legal certificates stating that two people of the same gender can enjoy some of the legal benefits of a married couple.
For instance, not to use the age-old examples, but hospital visitation rites, as well as a will being left to a partner in event of death are both viable legal benefits. Nothing would change the nature of marriage, it would not even be called that. A civil union would do.
This has worked in other, more progressive countries such as France, which offers Civil Solidarity Pacts to homosexual citizens. According to statistics from MarriageLaws.com, in France, couples can form unions which include tax, inheritance and housing benefits.
The many thousands of improved this was a bright
In the future, the issue of same-sex unions will be as
idea on the part of the French government. France is known to be a Christian country and still has marriage in a religious sense, but its meaning is different from that of a civil union.
The issue of same-sex marriages has, in recent years, come to the forefront of the political arena. There are few people in American society who don't have an opinion on the issue.
The point is, the issue of gay marriage is everywhere. If the Catholic Church is commenting about it, it is definitely something that needs to be tackled.
The issue of same-sex
Future generations will look back at this debate and laugh, thinking how backward and old-fashioned this nation was.
Some people believe these relationships are legitimate ones and should be allowed to be legally;
DAVID ARCHER
darcher@kansan.com
CON
same-sex unions will be as common place as people of different races marrying today, although it was unheard of one hundred years ago. But it will take a long time to get there.
Gabriella Souza is a St. Louis junior in journalism.
GAY MARRIAGE
The Legislature in Kansas voted yesterday to enact a referendum on a gay-marriage ban. The referendum, which passed 88-37, will be left up to voters in Kansas to decide on April 5.
If voters approve, the gay-marriage ban will be written into the Kansas Constitution as an amendment.
e that these unions are unnatural and bians should not enjoy the privileges of couples married under the "man and woman" definition of marriage.
They are attempting to make links between the human rights issues of pre-1960s America and a question of immorality. The Web site gavdemorganics.org
estimates that 0.97 percent of the U.S. population classifies as a same-sex couple. The question about the legitimacy under the law remains.
Gays and lesbians are trying to recruit support by painting this issue to look like the civil rights battle of our time. On Web sites such as hatecrime.org, Coretta Scott King — Martin Luther King Jr's widow — makes mention of these supposed similarities in many of her speeches.
This minority should not be recognized under the law. We as citizens have no right to tell gays and lesbians how to live their life and with whom.
but we have every right to express our disapproval their lifestyle.
The expression of disapproval should be in the form of a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between man and woman. In the US, 76.5 percent of the population identifies with the Christian religion according to adherents.com, which uses the Bible for the
source of its teachings. The Bible forbids the gay lifestyle in the book of Leviticus (18:22), where it states: "Do not lie with a man as a man lies with a woman; this is detestable."
Representing this in the law would not be an infringement on the separation of church and state, because the law should not read to ban the practice of homosexuality, rather it should define what will be acceptable unions.
Whether a constitutional amendment written in favor of either side of the controversy is necessary or not is up to the politicians and lawyers.
Many conservative Christian groups don't support the possibility of legal recognition of gay relationships from a religious standpoint; gay rights advocates view the issue as one the government should let stand. Either way, this is not the "civil rights battle" of our time, it is simply a legislative issue that must be addressed. If people feel so strongly about the issue, maybe they should use their clever writing skills to correspond with their legislators, and stop citing their causes on rainbow littered bumper stickers.
David Archer is a Garnett senior in political science.
Tuition differential adds up for CLAS improvements
As many students know, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is proposing a differential tuition plan for the 2005- 2006 school year. According to the CLAS Web site, the tuition increase
GUEST COMMENTARY
would go to fund campus construction, need-based financial aid, and other capital improvement programs.
ANTHONY MARNELL opinion@kansan.com
This is a major increase for students, whether they are CLAS students or not. Students need to pay
Doing the math, that comes to $450 extra per semester that the average student will pay after the program is in its third year.
The tuition increase would be $30 per credit hour spread over three years with $10 per credit hour the first, $20 the second, and the full $30 the third.
attention to this or it will be changed right under their noses.
As a business student, I have personally seen the increase in my tuition after the School of Business, as well as four other KU schools, enacted differential tuition programs last year. The School of Business'
Maybe it's because they're graduating, maybe because their parents pay their tuition, maybe because they don't think anyone cares about their opinion.
The fact is. all
students should care about this tuition hike and should be informed. They should then voice their opinion to administrators, whether positive or negative. Every student is forced to take at least some College of Liberal Arts and Sciences classes at some point.
Administrators, especially Kim Wilcox, dean of liberal arts and sciences, will not know how students really feel about the increase unless they voice their opinion.
differential tuition is $75 per credit hour.
The School of Business used its tuition increase
Many students hopefully know at least that much, although I, for one, didn't. I know that I'm certainly not the first, or the last, to write an article on the differential tuition proposal.
I watched a Channel 6 news clip online about the proposal and Wilcox
The School of Business used its tuition increase money to improve the school. Specifically, it added four new majors and hired new teachers with the added funds.
What I will say, though, is that many students are not adequately informed about the proposal or are just apathetic.
Why though? Students will be spending thousands of dollars each over their college careers.
CLAS plans on spending the money most arguably to renovate our favorite building on campus: Wescoe Hall.
Business used its tuition increase money to improve the school. Specifically, it added four new majors and hired new teachers. CLAS plans to renovate our favorite building on campus: Wescoe Hall
was interviewed.
I'm going to admit, I wasn't there. Of course, they're going to continue with this proposal, because there has been no serious outcry from
Out of an undergraduate populace of 20,000, this is pathetic.
Today Wilcox will be talking about differential tuition and fielding student questions at 7 p.m. at the Malott Room in the Kansas Union. The event is called "Talk Green with the Dean."
There were no more than fifteen students there.
Students continue to be given opportunities to voice their opinion about differential tuition and make changes to the proposal.
students.
I'll be there because I am not going to make the same mistake I made a couple of months ago.
Student input is the only way anything will get changed. Either way, it is a couple hours of your time.
You'll still be able to go get schooners at Louise's or hit up The Ranch.
Marnell is a Naperville, Ill., junior in business administration.
MCKERNAN'S PERSPECTIVE
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Teaching evolution alongside creationism is like teaching two theories of the American Revolution, one fact and one made up.
图
If Jesus came back today, the one thing he wouldn't be is a Christian.
■
Most major world religions have accepted evolution, including Catholicism. Creationism is dead.
回
My fortune cookie just told me that I will make a name for myself in bed.
What bothers me is when people have so much iPad envy that they count how many they see in a day and call the Free For All to judge those who use them.
My Capri Sun doesn't have a hole, so now I don't know where to put my straw.
mer mir
mer mir
There is nothing cooler than a frat boy in a backwards hat driving around in his SUV with rap music blaring at high speeds around Memorial Drive. Coolest thing ever.
Whataburger rules.
mer mir
Happy Black History Month, everybody!
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