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Thursday, April 6, 1972
University Daily Kansan
Garry Wills
KANSAN comment Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
Confronting Racism
Nonwhite citizens of this country have been acutely aware of white racism. Whites have had the good fortune to be able to ignore its existence. Often when a group of whites start to discuss the racial problem someone points out there are no blacks handy and therefore, we really can't talk about it. This is because of the memoirs of that group because it allows them to feel liberal since someone expressed the need for a black's opinion. It also lets them off without having to face the ugliness of the racial bias that is likely to be carefully hidden in the recesses of their minds and emotions. Instead of dealing with these rarely admitted feelings and thoughts whites ignore them. Unfortunately their existence exposed unconscious and subversive poets who takes more ominous than any blatant expression of racist attitudes.
The recently established Racial Awareness Resource Center at the University of Kansas is going to deal with white racism. The assumption the center is based on, as stated in a news release from the center, is "the causes of racial problems on campus, as in the nation, rest within the white population, not the nonwhite population as is commonly believed." People working with the center also believe that understanding of the consequences and dynamics of white racism "is
both personally liberating for whites, as well as nonwhites, and essential for pluralistic social survival." Since the center has these assumptions it will focus primarily on the whites of the University community, particularly those in residence halls.
The center will hold sessions for groups of whites who are willing to investigate the possibility that they are a source of racism. This is not something that one is eager to admit. Admin being easily at home being lodged within ourselves is likely to be followed by feelings of revulsion and disgust.
No matter how shattering such a realization may be to our self-esteem it is now time for whites to do something about our irrational racial biases other than just hide them. We do not really need a nonwhite to discuss our own feelings. It is likely that the presence of a nonwhite would stifle any honest evaluation of a white's feelings toward her or because of a sincerely to be pious or to avoid hurting someone. I hope that people in the residence halls as well as other people take advantage of the center's services if only for the opportunity for personal growth that can be achieved by being helped to be honest with one's self about complex and sometimes ugly feelings.
—Mary Ward
The War Winds Up
Remember that war that is winding down? Look again. The North Vietnamese have launched their biggest drive since the 1968 Tet offensive. The South Vietnamese 3rd Division that is charged with defending the area is on the run, as are american advisory troops in the area.
"The United States," says one source close to the situation, "is doing everything we can to protect people and keep casualties down."
A wise decision, I think—one that should have been made long ago. The problem is, this hardly means that the United States is playing no role in the newly expanded fighting. United States advisors headed by General Abrahams himself are trying desperately to halt the National Army's success in doing so depends almost entirely on U.S. air support for the retreating South Vietnamese troops.
So not only are we still heavily involved our involvement minus our own, but also ours.
This situation puts to rest two
statements that the administration has issued to the war mission for the past year.
That war that Vice-President Agnew said we were "well on the way to being in a position where we can say we've won. . ." is not being won. And two, that Vietnamization program, under which the South Vietnamese army is supposed to be able to handle the war on its own by the time the United States pulls out, is simply not working.
However, the point is not, as in times past, whether or not we should get out of Vietnam. Clearly we will get out.
The point is when we do get out we will not be able to honestly say that we have won the war, or that we've adequately prepared the South Vietnamese to fight it in our absence.
The question becomes then, as the election rolls around, what new excuses will be made to make up to justify their failure, and how many of us will be taken in?
—Mike Moffet Associate Editor
ITT And Nixon Restored
In its handling of the I.T.T. settlement, the administration, even if it did no wrong, took big risks. Risks of being misunderstood, not nothing else;
-Chummy high-level conferences while the anti-merger action was pending
-Lavish encouragement to potential contributors.
—Chances of a tie-in, even if there was no direct tie-in, with the Sheraton expansion in San Diego, coinciding with the Republican convention there.
—Focusing of attention on Nixon's San Diego fat cats who have given and received favors over the years.
Why take such heavy risks, especially if they involved no outright wrongs? They are all part of a large determination on Nixon's part—one which cannot possibly be tainted with suspicions of wrongdoing.
—Or his refusal to let local reluctance keep him out of that site.
For instance, the imposition of his decision on the Party's deliberations over a convention site.
—Or his assiduous buttering of Ronald Reagan over the last year.
All of these things signify Nixon's own personal stress on avenging the one great defeat of his life. The San Diego conference is meant to be Nixon's victory at several levels to the state that drove him out in defeat 10 years ago.
One thing you have to say about Nixon: he does not give up. (Some put it less charisly—that he does not know what he's doing.) He is the race for Governor, in everyone's eyes but his own, put an end to his career. He drove him to a new state and a renewed profession, and to promises to work hard such anguish for his family again.
But he could not stop, and six years later he vindicated himself to those—even in his family—who thought he was through and should admit it. One thing was till left to be established—that he could wipe away the California loss; not as a second choice (after Reagan); not as a third choice (after Bush); not as the beneficiary of Lyndon Johnson's Samson-act of self-destruction.
I know it must seem petty for a man who has the Presidency won, and a world to play with, to grieve over one obstacle, far back on the track, not fully aware of the Nixon team always run as much to "prove himself" as to improve his chances. That was as true when he was trying repeatedly, ineffectually, to get his football letter as
Another kind of man, while keeping a practical eye on California's largest bloat of electoral votes, might shrug off unhappy memories of that state. Nixon, by contrast, has brought California to himself when he could not go to California. The decision to make up aadvanced entourage out of his corps of advancement is if the White House were a campaign when between stops—was helped along by the California coloring to his electoral team.
when he was scraping fingernails away, in the mid-Sixties, for an impossible pry-hold to lift him up again into public attention.
There is John Ehrlichman, Master of the Chamber. And Robert Finch, Nixon's Protege Emeritus. And supernumerary P. R. man Herb Klein. And the DisneyMaggie (Haldean, Ziegler, Cha扑). And, now, the Deputy President for Keeping the Right Wing in Line (Ronald Reagan). Though some men are Germans, as are two of Nixon's cabinet members, Shultz), the German cast of his staff, so often noticed, is less background than its Californian background (which was about all that Haldean and Ehrlichman had to offer at the outset).
Each of these people joined what has been, up to now, a kind of government-in-exile. But San Diego is to be the Restoration. Full legitimacy at last
Copyright, 1972, Universal Press Syndicate
Readers Respond
Readers Assail Campus Police
Statistics
To the Editor:
In an article in the Daily Kansan, Thursday, March 16, the university stated that the fear of assault on campus was exaggerated and disavowed the need for additional training statements might be justified if the University were an ordinary university. In his analysis deserves an answer.
First, he said that the number of assaults on campus was not greater than average for a town with 50,000 students. University community. It may be true that the number of assaults does not exceed the national average for a town of 20,000 to 30,000 students. It may exceed the Kansas average. I also expect that the number of unprovoked assaults, as opposed to assaults resulting from fights, must increase. In a study live in Emporia, a community of roughly the same population as the University community. One almost never hears of assaults by students and family disputes and tavern brawls. But, whether or not his statistics are correct, the correct answer is one can stay in at night if there is danger in going out. At the University, one cannot. The student is required to be on campus all day. University schedules labs, classes and final examinations at night. Since the students involved have little choice but to come on campus to argue that it is incumbent upon the University to make the
campus virtually as safe at night as it is in the daytime.
Second, women were told that they could protect themselves by walking in groups of two or more feet. Third, the fact that this statement is an admission of the need for protection, the practice of taking a precaution implied in the first instance and impossible in the second. It is rather impractical to have to search out a companion every time one wishes to stay at campus after dark. Furthermore, even if one has a companion, well-lighted places do not exist on campus or near it.
A final argument was that the Danger was mitigated because on-campus parking spaces were not as crowded, and mentioned that after 6 p.m. it is almost impossible to find a parking space nearer to the central campus than to Loyola. This means it is possible to find one that close.
I would argue that everything humanly possible, including a school, provides to evening foot patrols and spending money to more adequately equip the camp; it is more important to campus safe. However, since I have no hope that this can be accomplished, I would suggest we create a peace of mind for the women on camp and make sure they could create peace of mind for the women on camp and make sure they could provide an escort service to walk women to and from their cabs or dwellings for a fee. Such an escort service is provided by the University lived up to its
responsibility to keep the car such responsibility is even recognized, paying for escort service is preferable alter-
Nancy Bliese
Emporia Graduate Student
Malinowsky
To the Editor:
Regarding the letter in the March 31 U.D.K. from H. Robert Malinowsky, Chairman of the Parking and Traffic Board, I find that the facts presented do little to help us understand the campus police. He lists a number of statistics concerning the activities of the security force, including berry, raps, auto thefts, etc. However, he fails to mention how many of these investigations resulted in arrests or convictions. He also mentions that many attempted felonies were foiled by the presence of an officer. I rather think that a perplexing case of those investigations; I had an expensive parka stolen from Robinson Gun just after returning from the Christmas holidays and reported the theft over the phone, and have heard absolutely nothing since then. It took no more than 15 minutes to report, and reported the theft complaints listed by Mr. Malinowsky. This is compared to 38.58 per square mile, accounting for 87.2 per cent of the office's reportable activities.
Exorcising Demons in Wisconsin
James J. Kilpatrick
MIL.WAUKEE—We have been busy here excursing demons, in a burst of old-fashioned political religion that merits at least a passing amen. Theervid incantations have their phony aspects, but their underlying theme is sound.
in, it was apparent that a hurricane was blowing. Wallace claimed a stunning 42 per cent of the Florida vote. He swept 11 of 12 congressional districts. The busing issue was at the bottom of
The demons, of course, are the filthy rich and the great corporations. These are familiar devils. William Jennings Bryan was fighting them with bell, book and candle 80 years ago. Franklin was used to scourge the maleface of the banker's high silk hat forever tempts the guy with a snowball.
All of a sudden, the candidates on this sawdust trail have rediscovered sin. They are trying to "tax reform, tax reform" in this meant, "Soak the rich! Lay the mighty low!"
Governor Wallace, of course, was smiling the giants hip and thigh. Senator Henry Jackson was over come with outrage that a hundred millionaires pay no Federal income taxes. John V.
McGovern also bore down on the 100 largest corporations. He demanded in Milwaukee that
... all time worked on parking and traffic is paid for out of parking and traffic income which includes fines and fees from the sale of permits. You can explain the recent leap in parking permit fees. Even so, these sales are not always presumably, sufficiently cover the expenses attributed to traffic and parking control. This means that you must give tickets to pay their own salaries. Why not pay professors by how much they can give out each semester?
But, ah, those malefactors of great wealth! Hubert Humphrey spent last week in inveighing against corporations. Their profits for 1971, he declared, were 75 per cent above their profits of 1970. "What about your wages?" he asked of the wages you own as your wages up 75 per cent."
candidates against big labor. Against the concentration of union power they sing their rituals so voce.
Edmund Muskie saw their 100 corporations and doubled the bet. He concentrated on the 200 largest corporations.
these wicked creatures be compelled to add a public director to their boards, the better to protect consumer interests and monopolies that produce 60 percent of our manufactured goods.
George McGovern, the soft-spoken Senator from South Dakota, started this seasonal revival. Many months ago, long denouncing Hampshire, he was demanding new hooks for the big fish who slip through them. McGovern's trouble in this campaign—it has been his trouble all—is that he takes a small spring breeze. No, he paid much attention to him.
Then the tropical storm known as George Corley Wallace hit Florida. On the night of March 14, when the primary returns came
Another point made in the letter concerns the fact that "
However, the most amazing thing about Mr. Malinowski's letter was his example of what he said, "I am a m. he asks." ... it is logical that the officer would check cars in O-zone at that hour?" No, it is not. I can imagine an officer rolling down the street night with his trusty flashlight, checking every car in the expanse of the parking lots, while he poorly lightened the poorly lighted street on campus. The justification given for this is that if a crime were committed, the police cars illegally parked in O-zone! I suppose that anyone who parks in the wrong zone at 4:00 a.m. is not dearestly deeds, while the criminal who has the foresight to obtain a proper permit is not dearestly necessary hardly needs to ticket a car just to have a record of its presence—surely the officers could be provided with other booklets besides a ticket book.
minutes it takes to write the ticket on his “traffic account,” as opposed to his “state account” I doubled it. Finally, M.Mailownboy drives a bus with vehicles prevent the pedestrian from using “the most direct route,” forcing him by hiding under the cover and specifying exactly where this is supposed to occur, but unless we completely ban cars from campus and chop down every tree in campus, he can completely avoid this situation (however, decent outdoor lighting on campus would have made the motorist the same deference of parking close to his destination to avoid having to walk the security office suggested some weeks ago, that people use their cars as much as possible at night for protection. Also, it will fill the security office’s treasury.
Now, a lot of this was hokum.
Price and wage controls have not been as wickedly imbalanced as Humphrey would have us believe. Corporate profits are improving, to be sure, but heaven above it is that the Excess profits taxes tend to be self-defeating. Confiscation of individual wealth, which McGown seems to endorse,
Lindsey was carrying on like
Eugene V. Debs. John Kenneth
Galbrath, no candidate he, was
wandering about in the snowstorm adding his bass
growls to the hallelujah chorus.
Yet much of this noisy populism is not hokum. The American people are indeed disturbed by their total tax burden, but they say that power is the name of the game, and they feel ground down by power. The Democratic hopeful who hears this cry most clearly, and responds most warmly to it, is likely to win his victory in July. Richard Nixon, are you listening, too?
Mr Malinowsky concludes by saying that the Traffic and Safety department, best, compared to other large universities. Not having attended other large schools, I cannot assume that the competition is better; however, that incompetence compared to gross competence doesn't make it any less important. On the front page of the same issue of the U.D.K., a new scheme for ripping off students, faculty, and staff from the dorms on campus was stalled on parking meters along the heavily used portions of parking areas from the dorms on campus. The meter collections, this would give the Bureau of Extortion, another reason to issue tickets to its hapless victims. I sincerely hope this proposal is soundly supported by the University community.
The letter also asks, ".. isn't it part of his duty to check for illegally parked cars as well as watching for other unusual happenings?" Not according to the instructions of separation of traffic activities from state-paid activities. Does the ticketing officer log the ten
would produce relatively little additional Federal revenue.
Copyright, 1972 The Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
James J. Kilpatrick
Walter M. Lamia New Orleans Graduate Student
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
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That's what they've been hitting in Wisconsin. Not big government, mind you. The liberal Democrats who are preaching the evils of the vast reach of their policies simultaneously pitching for new Federal programs of greater reach and power. Neither are the
his victory, but this was more than busing. It was a cry from the gut of 516,000 guys named Archie Bunker. It was a howl against all the barramasks, equities and securities suffered by the little guy feels overwhelmed by bigness. How to respond? Hit bigness.
Chip Crews
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Griff and the Unicorn
By Sokoloff
"Copyright 1972. David Sokoloff."