THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012 PAGE 9 opinion FREE FOR ALL Text your FFA submissions to 785-289-8351 To me God will always be that guy that could have made pokemon real. But instead was all like, nah man, Malaria. The only bad thing about being a coms major is being constantly surrounded by sensory girls. Editor's note: The bad thing about being a communications major is that you can't spell. When you hand the police officer your real ID but he still asks for a second form of identification #shortpeople. Who's Taylor Swift? I loved the whale comic so much that I cut it out and put it against my fish's tank so he wouldn't feel so alone. Should I be proud or embarrassed that one of my roommates is one of the ledi? I got three letters today. One from the U.S. Army, one from the Marines, and the other from the Navy. Obviously someone's been watching me play Call of Duty. Two electrons are in sync, the other two are backstreet boys. As it turns out, homework is way easier when sober. Codeine Cough syrup makes biology at 8 a.m. terrifying. Bitch please, I can add 90 percent to your 'beauty' with my wet Kleenex & liquid eve liner. To Daisy Hill, in the words of Anakin Skywalker in the high ground scenario, "You underestimate my power!" Editor's note: And then he proceeded to be mutilated. Not your best argument, gus The thing about Jayhawk Towers is that they give veterans a place to stay, so we'll raise your move to actual military tactics. ATTENTION: A vote is currently being held in Corbin regarding participation in the war against Daisy Hill. If you even want us... I don't see how people can say this is a diverse campus. I've seen like 4 different outfits. You know you live with a bunch of engineers when all you hear about is Starcraft. The campus squirrels are their own team. I think Dan should be the ref for the Oliver Hall Daisy Hall war. If you're going to make it this easy for me to ease drop then please talk about something interesting! Please, Daisy Hill. Let's not forget who has all the student athletes. The Potter Lake Whale will file your taxes and fill out your FAFSA for the price of diverting the students' attention away from it and toward the Jedi Dorm War! Last night at the Hawk I wanted to be that person who yelled "TAYLOR SWIFT IS HERE" just to see everyone drunkenly flock towards the door. Stieg Larsson is proof that Scandanavians are sick and twisted creative geniuses. #lackofsun Concealed carry encourages danger POLITICS Allowing weapons on campus would create more risks than benefits for the University How many different ways can the Bill of Rights be interpreted? While some of the ten amendments are fairly of the ten ameno, straight forward, others are not so clear. The Second Amendment has been up for individual interpretations recently among Kansas Legislators. A bill (House Bill 2353) is currently being thing that seems feasible? Paying guards and installing metal detectors in buildings across campus is simply another reason for the University of Kansas to debated in the Kansas House of Representatives which would allow concealed carry of weapons on college campuses, as well as other public buildings "One accidental gunshot victim on a college campus is one too many." Currently, according to Kansas Concealed Carry Permit Information any community college, college or university facility is off limits when carrying a concealed weapon. This Bill, if passed, would remove such regulations. The Bill includes a stipulation allowing firearms to be prohibited in buildings, as long as metal detectors and armed guards are in place at the front of said building. With as many buildings as this campus has, is that really some- raise its tuition rates and campus fees. This could even possibly lead to the privatization of colleges all across the state, leading to even higher tuition rates. Those supporting this bill argue that if students carried concealed weapons, those responsible for school shootings could be stopped sooner, saving lives. While this may be a valid point, what they do not consider is the impulse reactions that go through the minds of college students. Gun rights advocates and others who support this bill say that the Second Amendment guarantees the rights of the individual in this case. However, the amendment, which reads, "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" mentions nothing about concealed carry permit holders. According to a 2001 study by Matthew Miller appearing in "Accident Analysis and Prevention," approximately 50 people are unintentionally shot every day in America. Also, every other day a child under the age of 15 dies in the United States from unintentional gunfire. Supporters will argue that those who have concealed carry weapon permits are well trained and responsible. But even so, accidents happen. Increasing the number of guns on campus will concurrently increase the number of accidental gunshots. One accidental gunshot victim on a college campus is one too many. Andy Tompkins, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas Board of Regents, said in a recent Lawrence Journal World interview, "The safety and security efforts of these universities would be substantially undermined, if not crippled, by the passage of House Bill 2353." Tompkins also went on to say that allowing weapons on campus would increase risk of violence, and potentially cause harm to both students and faculty. The University of Kansas stands firmly in opposition to this Bill. I do as well. When you look at all aspects of the Bill that come into play, there are far too many dangers in allowing 20-somethingyear-old students to carry concealed weapons on campus. While there are some valid pro arguments in this debate, (i.e. ending of school shootings faster, protection in emergency) the cons far outweigh the pros. I support the Constitution, but this Bill uses the elastic clause in ways that are not necessary. I side with the Kansas Board of Regents in this debate. Keep our campus free of weapons, and you will naturally have a safer campus. Schlesener is a sophomore in journalism and Italian from Herington, Kan. CURRENT KANSAS GUN LAWS No permit required for purchase. No registration of firearm required. Owner not required to be licensed. No permit required to carry rifle or shotgun. Permit required to carry handgun. Source: National Rifle Association DINING CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN The Little Saigon Cafe is at 1524 West 23rd Street in Lawrence. The restaurant offers a wide variety of unique and delicious Vietnamese cuisine. Locally owned hidden gem Vietnamese cuisine offers a delicious alternative The trends of "Pan Asian" and "Asian Fusion" restaurants have given some people the tendency to lump all Asian foods into the same category, which is a shame because each individual Asian country has its own equally individual cooking styles, ingredients, flavors and textures. Vietnamese food is easily one of the most delicious and unfortunately overlooked cuisines; it hasn't gained the same mainstream popularity that Chinese and Japanese foods have. Thankfully, one Lawrence restaurant is working to change that, and it might just be Lawrence's best kept secret. Little Saigon Cafe is a fabulous restaurant serving up authentic Vietnamese fare at a price college students can afford. This tiny place is on 23rd Street, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's small. It has about five tables total and is tucked behind a nail salon and dry cleaner's. The same friendly family greets you every time The dish Little Saigon specializes in is pho — a Vietnamese noodle soup. Traditionally the rich, spice-infused broth is beef based with fresh rice noodles, meat, and topped with green onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime juice and other bright and crisp ingredients to balance out the deep and heavy flavors of the soup. nivorous roommate orders it. It's the same as pho but with the most delicious vegetarian broth and fried tofu instead of meat. What I get every time is the Tofu Flat Noodle Soup which is so delicious that even my car- Considering it's what their best known for, I would definitely recommend starting with some sort of noodle soup your first time there. They're too delicious to pass up! But Little Saigon also offers a slew of other mouth-watering meals. They serve another Vietnamese classic, bun, and great and affordable appetizer selections like fresh spring rolls and fried shrimp and sweet potato lettuce wraps and even Bobo teas. So branch out and try something new. Little Saigon is a great restaurant with a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes sure to please.I highly recommend giving it a chance and supporting one of Lawrence's locally owned, best kept secrets. Pred is a junior in political science and peace and conflict studies from Kansas City. HAVE AN OPINION? Have something to say about a column, news story, or campus issue? Submit a letter to the editor. Submissions should be no more than 300 words in length and should contain the author's name, year, major, and hometown. Email submissions to Divisive speech harmful to society Presidential elections and primaries bring out the worst in people - both candidates and voters. Leading up to the election, candidates put on a never ending barrage of ads attacking each other, presidential debates are more like circuses, and some voters go on holier-than-thou rants about how their candidate will end all the world's ills and bring joy and happiness to all. This, my friends, is terribly un-classy. And it's no wonder why we are often unable to compromise today both in politics and our private lives. Instead of acknowledging our differences, reasonably debating an issue, and then coming to a conclusive decision of what is best, our critical thinking skills have devolved into demagoguery and personal attacks. Too many times I see people snicker when someone disagrees with them. Too many times I see a majority lambast a minority as ignorant and uncivilized without actually listening to the opinions of those who dissent. And too many times I see someone attacking a person rather than an argument. How as a society are we ever to better ourselves when we can't even have the common decency to respect each other's individuality and difference of opinion? The fiber of our political character as a nation should rely on our ability to debate and come to a conclusion that is in the best interest of the country and not in the best interest of a party. When divisive words, ads, or debates tell us any different, then as a society we have failed. During the first presidential debate in 1984 between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale, both candidates were asked what they thought the most outrageous thing the other person And most unfortunate of all, those who are willing to compromise and reach across the political isle while also remaining true to their convictions do not make it very far in politics. Our two party system has radicalized many of us and not in a way that is beneficial to democracy. Where have men and women like this gone? In today's world, it is rare to see opponents acknowledge each other's strengths and even rarer to see them shun underhanded criticisms and attacks. had said that night. Rather than jumping on the bandwagon and criticizing President Reagan, Mr. Mondale took a different approach to this question. Instead he said: "I'm going to use my time a little differently. I'm going to give the President some credit," and he continued on to say that he liked President Reagan and that their differences in opinion were not personal. I think it's time that as individuals we put aside personal differences and focus on the facts - the current state of our country, policies that have worked in the past, and problems that we will face in the future. Only then through reasonable debate can we understand how to live in a functioning democracy and how to respect each other as fellow citizens and, most importantly, human beings. Knutsen is a sophomore in classical languages from Overland Park. kansanopdesk@gmail.com HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Send letters to kansanopdesk@gmail.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line. Length: 300 words The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown. Find our **full letter to the editor policy** online at kansan.com/letters. 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