4A - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2002
FRIDAY FACEOFF
Peaceful protests on campus give voice to student concerns
Demonstrations are happening left and right these days, promoting peace, higher education, the environment and even Lee. Why all the ruckus? Why should students care? You see the signs and groups of people standing around and wonder if they are making any difference other than making the time between classes louder and more crowded. Many people seem to think that these demonstrations are pointless and annoying at best, especially on college campuses in the Midwest, far away from many of the conflicts.
COMMENTARY
Sara Zafar
opintori@kentsan.com
young, active people who are interested in learning more and making a positive difference while combating anathy at the same time.
Peaceful protest is a proven method for expressing a general opinion in large setting. College campuses are one of the best places to hold these demonstrations because there are many
Demonstrations on campuses and in college towns often prove to be one of the most effective ways of getting the word out about situations about which the average student knows very little. They are not always meant to change anything, but rather to inform people about what is happening in the world and to mobilize interested people for a larger cause.
If students and administrators stop to watch a demonstration, taking a minute to read the fliers and posters displayed nearby, and take some interest in the cause, the demonstration has been successful.
If not for the demonstrations against war and promoting peace, many people would remain convinced that the youth of America were indeed as self-centered and apathetic as many of the older generations would believe.
If not for the displays and silent protests against the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, many people would go on thinking that it isn't still happening. If not for the numerous tuition rallies, far fewer students would know what was happening on this very campus regarding their tuition dollars. Even the "I Agree with Lee" campaign caused people across campus to decide whether they agreed.
The idea is to get people talking and openly discussing the issues that are happening all around them, causing them to learn from each other and
create more informed opinions. The best way to do this is to hold an event that makes a noticeable impression on campus or in other areas around town. People stop to ask questions or take a flier and walk on. In the process, more and more active-minded students can feel confident that they are
Campus rallies have proven to be effective in the past in influencing the decisions of the administration, and in some cases, even the government. When officials and administrators see that people are not apathetic and really do care about certain issues, they are less likely to let these concerns slide.
Students who put time and effort into organizing displays, rallies, marches and peaceful protests care about the world and its many problems They are not caught up in what is wrong with the world, but rather seek to illustrate the good in how caring and concerned students can make a difference by letting people know that they have a voice and by making those voices heard.
Too much protesting can dull message of issues at stake
It started with our parent's generation. Then, it was considered radical and dangerous. People were jailed, people were hurt, people acted in manners that followed them for the rest of their lives. Things were accomplished, but usually a higher price was paid that anyone had really expected.
Now it's just a way to pass the weekend. Protesters line the sidewalk of campus. They meet in local parks. They travel to other states. Sometimes their purposes are genuine, their intentions true, their goals praiseworthy. Other times, it seems as though it's just another reason to argue.
people stopped listening to the point nearly a generation ago.
During the course of this school year, I have witnessed countless protests. There's always some race, sex, organization, cause or conflict that feels it deserves the opportunity to stand in front of strangers and yell. We've rallied for tuition, the war on terror, for peace, for women's rights, for religion, for no more Starbucks in Lawrence. Students wear ribbons, make posters and even skip classes to go on some grand protesting adventure all to make a point.
In an ideal world, people would all care about what others thought and felt. But if it were an ideal world, we wouldn't have reasons to protest. Now we're facing the adults of the country who have lived our student lives and remember their own protests. Whether they then sympathize with us or laugh at us
The problem is that
is something for each individual to decide. But as a mass, who is to say that they even care?
Protesting is like anything else. As in the film industry, eventually all liberal ideas and actions lose their shock value and become just another aspect of entertainment. You place the "f" word in enough movies and people stop being stunned by its existence. You place some kind of protest on every street corner of town, and eventually people will stop looking at your signs and hearing your words.
Rather, they drive blindlv bv.
If we continue on this path, setting up road blocks on Massachusetts Street because of clothing stores and clustering on sidewalks to yell as a unified stu-
COMMENTARY
Laurel Anne Burchfield opinion@kansan.com
went body that it's unfair, what good are we ultimately doing? Protesting may be seen as the last resort, the final act before all is lost, but all too often it's also seen as the only way to make people listen. With this mind set, we'll never accomplish anything.
Zafar is a Wichita freshman.
I'm not here to say which causes are worthy of protest and which are not. Rather, I'm asking that as individuals, we start using our own heads in these matters. Do we really want to lessen the effect of standing together with one loud voice in the eye of the public just so that we can get back at some organization? Wouldn't it be better to use this amazing form of free speech on things that can actually be changed, things that can be impacted for the better? Or is protesting really just another way to pass time?
Each protester has his or her reasons for standing in the rain on a crowded sidewalk and passing out fliers. I'm not here to say that your reasons are wrong or unnecessary. Rallying for such things as peace are grand gestures and, at times, praiseworthy. And, yes, perhaps protesting is the only action that will bring attention to this type of subject.
All I'm asking is that before you start painting your signs, see if perhaps there is a better suited way to achieve your end result. Or at least, if you must protest, do so in an original way. The women who dressed all in black and protested silently stood out because they were unique in their protests. They didn't just create a cluster to block my way to class, they caught my eye.
Burchfield is a Basehor freshman in pre-journalism and education.
EDITORIAL
Both organizations at fault in T-shirt mess
Mid-evening with Mangino could have been a beneficial event for the Athletics Department and Junior Greek Council, but it quickly turned into a fiasco over a simple T-shirt design. Both organizations should have worked hard to find a compromise, but because they failed to do so, team spirit for fall football and financial support for a worthy philanthropy will suffer.
The problem started when Junior Greek Council tried submitting two designs for approval from University Trademark and Licensing. The sales from the T-shirts would have gone to raise money for Habitat for Humanity and House that Greeks Built.
Paul Vander Tuig, administrator of University Trademark Licensing, said the first design was rejected because the Jayhawk was overanimated and the image of Mark Mangino was unrecognized.
University Trademark Licensing has every right to closely regulate the use of the Jayhawk and it is important that they do so. This protects the use of the seal, Jayhawk, the letters KU and the slogan, "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Junior Greek Council was told exactly what was wrong with the design and it was then sent back to the drawing board for a second try.
The second design was submitted and not approved because of problems with the football helmet. The phrase "Out with the old in with the new/Come see what Mangino can do" that appeared on the shirt was also thought to be disrespectful to former coach Terry Allen.
It is interesting to heart that some people thought the slogan was offensive to the former football coach. When did the University start caring about the feelings of Allen, who was fired with only three games left in the season?
University Trademark Licensing could have been more flexible with Junior Greek Council in approving a design for the t-shirt and Junior Greek Council should have immediately sought the assistance Paul Vander Tuig when creating a t-shirt design.
If this had happened, there would have been a shirt worn supporting the new coach and team and a large amount of money raised to help build another house for Habitat for Humanity.
TALKTOUS
Army Potter for the editorial board.
Jay Krahl
Kyle Ramsey
managing editors
884-4854 cr jkrahl@karlsam.com and
karlsam.vm@karlsam.com
Leita Walker
editor
864-4854 or laika.wakana.co
Clay McCuslin
readers' representative
864-810 f. oxcensus@aarsen.com
Kerston Phelps
Brooke Hesler
opinion editors
864-4810 Orkneykg@ykanm.com and
brooke@ykanm.com
Kate Mariani
retail sales manager
864-1462 or
retails@katemariani.com
Amber Ages
business manager
864-4014 or ad@adventuream.com
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news
adviser
844.7657 or malcolm@karen.com
Matt Tanner
sales and marketing adviser
864-7866 qmatttarner@karsan.com
Matt Fisher
864-0500 free for
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about
talk 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.
This is to the guy that thought Shannon in his German class was cute. What German class are you talking about?
Sara, you were the best roommate ever. You putthe spunk in spunkie and the drunk in drunkie, and I'm going to miss you so much next year.
I just saw, read that a bunch of people have seen Drew Gooden on TRL. Who cares about Drew being on TRL? What are you people doing watching TRL? Losers.
I want my girlfriend to be in *Playboy*, but she's 15. Is that wrong?
Ted, stopthinking about my preteen, Asian girlfriend.
I can't believe how many people at KU watch *TRL*
What a bunch of breaking dorks.
The end is near, Milhouse. Not even Lee can help you now.
Wouldn't it be awesome if they made bobble-head dolls of Roy and the basketball team? Think about it. People in the athletic department, get on it.
I know a lot of people who believe the Howe for All sucks and whatever, but do we really have to have 20 comments on the same subject? Yes, a lot of people saw Drew Gooden on TRL, but is it really that important? I mean, come on.
To all the Duke hateres here, I just want to say I love Shane Battier and Jason Williams. Thanks. Bye.
I was just wondering who all the jackers were on campus that watch TRL What a bunch of splooge-moppers.
All my life I have been looking for Mr. Right. Well, it turns out that he's an econ. major with blond hair and amazing blue eyes.
I just thought it should be known that the University of Kansas has the hottest baseball team in the Big 12, and if only we played as well as we looked we would be the best team in the Big 12.
A couple of buddies and I think the University must be full of 13-year-old girls if everybody is watching TRL
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People who watch TRL should be shot. People who called the newspaper to tell them that they saw a KU basketball player on TRL should be shot twice.
Women are just objects for men to look at, and the sooner they realize that the better off we'll all be.
There is a point to the sex column, and it is so everybody knows what's up. I mean, yeah, everybody knows you can have sex outside, but does everyone know the different ways and different places you can have sex outside. Meghan Bainum is totally cool.
I just want to say that red heads are hot, and my girlfriend is a red head, so I totally have a hot girlfriend, just so you guys know.
What surprises me about all the comments in today's Free for All is not that Drew Gooden skipped class to go New York. Man, if I was going to be rich in a month I wouldn't in class either. What surprises me is how many students sit around, and spend their time watching bubble gum pop crap like TRL.
Man, I just walked by one of those sorority houses, and I saw that there was a whole bunch of wieners on forks sticking out of the front lawn, and I don't know who did that or why they did it, but that got to be one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen in my life. Rock on.
I'm not embarrassed at all that Drew Gooden was on TRL, but I'm more offended, disgusted, disgraced and embarrassed that my own alma mater tunes in to TRL in the mass numbers they did. Come on, guys, get a life. We're in college already.
I was just reading all the Drawe Gooden on TRL comments in the Free for All, and I cannot believe how many KU students watch TRL. That's a lot.
Regarding Drew on *TRL*, how many people here watch *TRL* in the first place? My goodness, what does that say about KU?
For all the people that watch TRL and for all the people that call into the Free for All and talk about how they watch TRL why don't you go to class?
To thatude that sits next to me in Psychology 104,
you best get out of my Kool Aid.
To the guy that always stares at the Shannon in my German class, dude, you're weird.
A.
I wanted to know why all these people were watching TRL in the first place. Shouldn't they be studying?
To the Nazi conservatives that keep criticizing the liberals, why don't you go to school in Johnson County, because you obviously don't belong in Lawrence.
I'd rather be criticized for being on TRL than for watching TRL.
It is perfectly normal to eat a peanut butter off a spoon, as long as you don't eat too much.
This is for my son, Jesus. Jesus, you're tops. You teach me new things ever day.
I agree with Francis E. Gorman. Women are beautiful.
I just saw some white boys yelling at a Muslim girl. I hope that's not called slander, but I didn't think it was very tolerant.
So why was everybody watching *TRL* the other day.
Isn't it just for screaming, teenage girls?
If it's so horrible that Drew Gooden went on *TRL* why were so many KU students watching it. Did you see the Free for All today? There were like 20 people who called in about Drew Gooden being on *TRL*. Why weren't you people in class?
I just want to say Drew Gooden is so much cooler than the people watching *TRL*, because he was actually there, and he was on T.V. You people are just losers watching it.
To the person that called in with the Rumplestiltskin quote, it was wrong, and so next time if you are going to call in a movie quote maybe you should get it right, and to the person who thought it was funny, maybe you should learn the movie, too, so if you're going to laugh at something you actually laugh at the right thing.
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The Rumplestiltskin quote goes, "What's rum? You don't know what rum is? Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin's a good man. So are you guys. Frankenstein, have fun with your friends."
I just counted, there was 21 articles about Drew Gooden in the Free for All. What's up with that? This is not Drew Free for All, is it?
I am Stufflebaum, the amphibian avenger, and with my gills, braces and webbed feet I shall save the University. Ha, ha.
Well my friend here claims he can do 35 push ups. I believe he is too much of a wuss to actually get down on the floor and do it, and just a little side note, I did just go get Taco Bell.
My friend just called in and said I was too much of a wuss to get on the floor and do push ups, however, this same friend believes Cutting Gel, the Abtronic and diet pills work. He has a test at seven in the morning to do 35 push ups, and he is eating Taco Bell right now.
All I have to say is McCollum is getting taken down by Oliver.
The cops just busted the party, but McCollum is still down.
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P. S. Cowboy, pardon the way that I stare. There's nothing else to compare. The sight of you makes me weak. There are no words left to speak. You're just to good to be true. Don't take my eyes off of you.
4
it's Wednesday morning, and to all the graduating
seniors, there's only 18 days left to graduation.