Volume 124 Issue 89
kansan.com
Friday, February 3, 2012
SPEAK
MAMA'S PRINCESS
When Bailey's mother moved from Kansas City to Indianapolis last year, not only was she gone but so was her nuturing umbrella. // BAILEY ATKINSON
CONTINUED PHOTO
Bailey wears her Cinderella princess dress.
remember my old room perfectly. The walls neon green, so bright that even in the darkest of the night the room glowed. Outlining the room was a
a bright pink strip of crown modeling sand wiched between its neon green walls and white ceiling. This room fit me; even at 22 years old, I'd feel completely comfortable in it. But this room doesn't exist anymore. Last time I saw it the green walls were white and bare. The pink crowning blended in an all-white sandwich. The reason for making such a bright room so depressingly boring? My family moved. The move started this past summer, after my mother's job relocated her and a few hundred others from Kansas City to Indianapolis. So over summer break I packed up my things and left them in a storage unit in Overland Park, where most of the items still live. My mother's things were
shipped away along with us.
shipped away along with us. It was weird saying goodbye to a home that I lived in my entire life.I can still remember everything about that house: the Mayberry tree, affectionately named May by my mom, that we planted in the front yard was just starting its life; the nearly floor-length windows we used to lay in front of and watch snowstorms whenever the power went out until the wee hours of the morning; the trail of paw prints on the basement floor leading from the red room into the yellow room, from when my cat walked on the still-wet paint over seven years ago.
While these memories still linger, I can't even predict what my future memories will be. My mother goes crazy for Christmas; the elves have nothing on her. When moving we kept 15 huge crates of holiday and house decorations. I only wish this was an exaggeration. Somehow all these decorations fit in our home the same way every year. My mother decided that since she came back to Kansas for the holidays she wasn't even going to decorate in Indianapolis. So the boxes remain, in the storage unit with the rest of our old life.
"The weirdest part of the move is the fact that I no longer have a place to call home."
home."
The weirdest part of the move is the fact that I no longer have a place to call home. To finish off my summer in Indianapolis, I took two large Vera Bradley
duffles. I slept in the 'guest bedroom' of my mother's new home. While she does have a second bedroom, it's shared between my brother, my mother's dozen guests who visit throughout the year, and myself. All that I left there was an extra pair of clothes, flip-flops and an old pair of tennis shoes--life's essentials when going "home" for the weekend.
Although I will never admit it to my mother, her being away is pretty difficult. My mom is my best friend; we have one of those weird Gilmore Girls types of relationship. You know, the "tell each other everything, finish each others' thoughts and generally have an identical opinion on every topic" sort. Before the move I would go home more than I should--whenever I was upset about something, needed someone to vent to, or just to take a break from life. I don't have that opportunity anymore.
It's weird not being able to be cradled in her lap as she sings my song, Bailey, Bailey, oh how your eyes are blue, I am half crazy, all for the love of you (Yes, this still happens occasionally). We still make time to talk though. Although we have two completely opposite schedules, we find time to talk at least a half hour a day. But it's not enough. To me, this seems like child neglect.
I guess if I had to decide what was the hardest part of the move, it would have to be being forced to grow up. Ask any of my friends, I don't know my age. My room has a Cinderella rug, Tinkerbell shower curtain and plenty of pink. (That's kind of embarrassing to admit publicly.) Not to mention I get scared so easily. Every noise makes me jump, and the last scary movie I saw was ET. Does this seem like someone who's ready to be an adult? I know that going to college was supposed to make me more responsible and mature, which I think I am. But still wanting to be a mama's girl and to spend as much time at home as I can, while I can, doesn't seem that ridiculous to me.
So I am at a crossroads, fighting to grow up. Behind me, a Cinderella dress hangs in my closest and on the desk next to me, the water bill: two items that should never be kept together in one girl's room.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Gov. Sam Brownback shares his experiences of witnessing human trafficking in multiple countries from Uganda to North Korea during a lecture Thursday night in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Brownback encouraged students and local residences to take action by working with redemption programs and going to countries to see first hand the affects of human trafficking.
VIKAAS SHANKER
vshanker@kansan.com
Brownback shared why he thought human trafficking was an important issue to a crowd of more than 200 people at the event hosted by the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center.
Gov. Sam Brownback stressed the importance of community involvement while giving a talk and answering questions at the Kansas Union Ballroom about human trafficking Thursday night.
"it's important, it's key, it's happening in your world," he said. "You need to do something about it."
Brownback started to explore the issue of human trafficking when he
The U.S. Department of Justice defines human trafficking crimes as actions that "focus on the act of compelling or coercing a person's labor, services, or commercial sex acts."
Brownback wanted to give the audience an idea of how trafficking affects the people in these countries. "It's the worst you can imagine" he said.
heard about occurrences in Sudan. He visited in 2004 and listened to anecdotal stories. Since then he has visited shelters in different countries with trafficking problems including Uganda, North Korea and Myanmar.
Brownback was an original co sponsor of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, a bill
However, Kansas is specifically considered a state with weaker laws, according to political science graduate student Laura Dean, who played an integral role in getting Brownback to speak on campus.
that sparked reform of trafficking laws. The act was renewed in 2008
"We're missing lots of things like victim service protection," Dean said. "Many victims suffer STDs or are pregnant when they come in."
Dean, 31, researched trafficking in Kansas and worked in a shelter for trafficking victims in Latvia. "Right now they go to half-way houses," she said. "But there are no shelters dedicated specifically to trafficking victims."
global level.
"Pick an area and focus on it," he said. "...give (victims) a name and a face."
He also said he talked to Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, who was in attendance, about raising money for a center of human trafficking on campus where students can earn degrees that would help them eliminate trafficking.
After the event, Dean said she was glad a large crowd showed up and that Brownback had some good points. "I think he showed his knowledge on the subject," she said. "It was a great opportunity to share his experiences."
Brownback said he hopes law-
Brownback hopes his talk raised awareness of trafficking.
"I hope they get the scope of what's happening," he said. "And I hope some of them were motivated."
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
police hold.
"The University police have as much authority by state law as any other police officer in the state of Kansas within their jurisdiction," said Chris Keary, University assistant chief of police.
The only tickets issued on campus handled exclusively by the University are parking tickets. All other tickets issued are the same as any citation given by Lawrence police officers. Keary gave the example of a speeding ticket, saying that one issued by University police will be handled at the Douglas County Courthouse and the fine will be the same as if issued by city police.
Campus police jurisdiction extends to all property owned or operated by the University, board of trustees, the endowment association, athletic associations, student groups associated with the University and fraternities and sororities, though Keary said the University generally lets the LPD handle calls
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"We can also enter other jurisdictions when asked to do so by the governing police department," Keary said. "Years ago we used to go to Manhattan to help with the KU and K-State games, because they asked us to, and when we were there, we had the same powers they did."
CLASSIFIEDS 11
CROSSWORD 4
Pierce thinks if he had known that information beforehand, he might have behaved differently.
"I was polite," Pierce said. "But if I would have known to take it as serious as if anyone were else were stopping me, I probably would have done things a little different."
CRYPTOQUIP 4
OPINION 5
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 4
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
Today's Weather
4.
SUA's Spring Campus Series is featuring the film "Immortals" tonight. Go see an inexpensive movie with your friends.
Showers and a chance of thunderstorms.
Winds gusty from the east.
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"It's raining men, halleluia!"
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