4A
= THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
WEDNESDAY,APRIL24,2002
864-0500 free for
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
to speak 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.
Say it ain't so, Drew. We love you.
It's 4:03 on Friday afternoon, and I just saw on TV that Drew is going to the NBA, and all I have to say is, Drew we will miss you.
B
Drew, congratulations on announcing your eligibility for the NBA. You've now completely sold out. I'll be thinking about you next March when the 'Hawks are cutting down the nets, and you are sitting on the bench, averaging 10 minutes a game.
Drew Gooden, I hope you fail in the NBA.
It's 4:18 on 4-20. In two minutes we're going to have fun.
Drew, you're not thinking about the family and the school.
You're thinking about your own damn self.
Drew, I can't wait until your sitting on the bench in Memphis while we're all celebrating a national championship.
Drew, I'm upset with you that you're leaving. I've loved you for three years, and now you're going to go, but best of luck in the NBA, and I'll miss you.
it. I'm a bit disappointed.
Yep, Juan Dixon proved that he is better than Drew Gooden in every aspect, including the fact that he stayed for his senior season to bring a championship to his school. We're glad you're gone anyway, Drew.
Drew Gooden is a sellout.
膜
Drew, Roy stayed here for you, and now you're jumping ship just to get paid? Man, you suck.
it. I'm a bit disappointed.
Drew, you want to talk about homely? I look in the mirror. First you embarrass everyone from the Midwest. Now, you slam them.
Hey Drew, now that you're going to the NBA, and you're going to have a whole bunch of money to buy your own car, are you going to return the Expedition to its rightful owner?
Two words: Gooden riddance. We didn't need you anyway.
Since I was screwed on my housing agreement I was wondering, since Drew Gooden is leaving, can I just have his apartment?
B
All I can say is Gooden riddance for Drew.
Drew, you suck. Garnett's going to swat your sorry ass.
Drew, can I room with you when you buy your big house?
Dude, it'd like be Calvin Reyford and Pierce.
I asked a kid the other day if he liked rum, and he said "Rum-
plestitskin?" and I said "Yeah, Rumplestitskin. He's all right."
Nice show of loyalty, Drew. Roy stayed for you, but no, you can't stay one more year, and win a national title for him. You suck. See you later.
Hi, yeah *TRL*, I'd like to request the newest Gavin Smith joint,
"The game can't hold me." it's blowing up the charts.
Uh, I could care less, frankly, if Drew Gooden leaves. All I care about is that Gavin Smith stays, and we go all the way next year.
Hey Drew, maybe with all that money you are going to make in the NBA you could buy yourself some communication skills. You're going to need those if you want to succeed in the NBA, because they don't take guys that mince words like you do. Bye.
There was no junk mail in the U.S.S.R.
This one's for Drew Gooden. I still have love for you, baby, and when you get to the pros don't forget to share the love.
图
You know, I talked to Drew, and he said his reason for leaving was that he felt losing the championship one year just wasn't good enough, so he thought he'd lose it for KU twice.
I'd like to say happy birthday to Jenny.
This is to the guy that works at Spencer Art Museum, the cute guy that works behind the desk. I was just wondering if you would go out with me. This is the girl with the paint on her pants and the green backpack who smiled at you.
I found a set of keys with Powerpuff Girl key chains in front of Marvin Hall outside at the bus stop, so if anyone lost a pair of keys, I turned them in to the dorm at Lewis Hall, and they have them at the front desk.
Four-20, the most popular day for the words whoa, yeah man and cowabunga.
TALKTOUS
Leita Walker
editor
864-4854 or leita.walkersan.com
Jay Krall
Kyle Ramsey
managing editors
884-4554 or jkrall@kansen.com and
krangel@kansen.com
Clay McCuistion
readers' representative
864-4810 of cmccuistion@anxen.com
Kursten Phelps
Brooke Hesler
opinion editors
864-4810 or kpghelsen@ansen.com and
kpghelsen@ansen.com
Amber Agee
business manager
304-4014 or adrienne@kanan.com
Kate Mariani
retail sales manager
864-4428 or
retailerkaesan@kasana.com
Malcolm Gibson general manager and news adviser
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
Matt Fisher
sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or mfther@iansan.com
Matt Fisher
PERSPECTIVE
KEVIN GRITZKE/KANSAN
Feedback restates same concerns
I asked you two weeks ago in this column what The University Daily Kansan meant to you. It wasn't an idle question meant to take up time. It was a disturbing and important question to me, dealing with the very mission of this newspaper.
I expected to hear from unhappy people. I expected to hear from those who wanted the Kansan to redefine itself in some way. I did receive responses — but they dealt with specific issues the writers thought the Kansan should cover better.
A friend of mine answered the question soon after the column ran. She said the Kansan meant she had an impromptu umbrella when it rained. So much for my important question.
READERS' REPRESENTATIVE
One writer, who had e-mailed me before with concerns about our stories on the South Lawrence Trafficway, restated those concerns. He also pointed out that when reporters do not cover parts of a story — either through ignorance or neglect — they alter the story. Reporters can shape how people perceive a situation without knowing all the facts themselves.
Clay McCuistion cmccuistion@kansan.com
Both of these correspondents have definite concerns about the newspaper and ideas about how it can be made better. But they both engage with the newspaper on its current level. Neither called for a radical restructuring of the Kansan.
And besides a few off-the-cuff comments from friends, that's the feedback I received. I obviously hesitate to draw any conclusions from
Another correspondent, whose letters to the editor have been published numerous times, voiced his support for more investigative journalism, more debate on local issues and fewer sports stories.
Yet the modest response has suggested to me that perhaps the student body has fewer problems with the Kansan than I feared. After all, a survey commissioned by the newspaper last semester found that nearly 93 percent of students pick up the Kansan at least once a week. It's possible to make too much of that — doing the crossword is not the same as reading news stories — but it means that most students still give us a chance.
The Kansan should always take that opportunity to reach out to its audience. It can't represent everyone, but it can be a place where diverse voices are heard, where accurate, in-depth stories are given space and where a group of everyday students can learn.
The value of the Kansan is not so much as an end product. It functions as a campus-wide process — a process of education and exploration.
McCuistion is an El Dorado senior in journalism and English.
TOUGHTS ON LEE CAMPAIGN
Dear editor.
After reading all the chalking this week, those for and those against Lee, my favorite simply read, "I agree with THINK," with the "agree" and "with" crossed out. My question is, is sharing the same beliefs with someone not thinking?
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
I want this campus to understand that this campaign was not one of conformity. The individuals who chose to wear those shirts did not conform, they thought about their own beliefs and saw that theirs were the same as Lee.
But this brings up a bigger question — why Lee? The importance of having Lee as the spokesman for this campaign was not just a catchy name, but more importantly a face. He brought a physical presence to this campaign because with every face a story is told. A story of who they are, where they came from and where they are going. Lee told his story on Thursday, a story that involved coming from a family full of drugs and alcohol, something a lot of people can relate to.
Unlike many, his story doesn't end there. Where he is makes his story so special. The importance of having this physical presence can easily be seen by the basic question by most, "Who is Lee?" We are a nation who seeks the physical — everything from money to physical possessions to sex.
This campaign would only work if it had this presence. But having joined this campaign I ask that you see the deeper value of it. It is not about Lee; it is about what Lee believes. Lee gives us a physical presence but what is most important is his beliefs, those same beliefs that I agreed were my own. The beliefs that Jesus Christ changes lives, those same lives that are controlled by this world
through what it tries to offer us. The reason that the above statement is my favorite is because it causes people to do exactly that: "THINK."
The one thing that upsets Jesus the most people who sit on top of the fence. He would rather have us choose the wrong side than simply not care. This campaign has caused many people to think about what side they want too choose, if it is for Lee's beliefs or against. But ultimately, I want to say thank you, the University of Kansas, for thinking.
Clinton Pfalser Caneysenior
I am writing this letter in response to the entire editorial page printed in Thursday's UDK. To begin with, I would like to say that I do agree with Lee. I am a Christian and have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior — a decision that has been the most precious of my life. That having been said, I was amazed at the backlash the "I Agree with Lee" campaign invoked.
Dear editor.
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I was surprised because the campaign was based on a very passive plan of wearing a T-shirt. There was no one cornering students or hassling them—a tactic that some Student Senate candidates were not above. I might add.
Instead, the goal was to make students aware of the Christian students around them so that they had a source to turn to in case they did have questions about Christianity. That does not seem like oppression to me.
The UDK took its share of hits for printing such "blasphemy," when in fact, the UDK has run several informative stories on a variety of religions represented by students at this University. But anger directed specifically towards Christians and Christian beliefs
has been on the rise for a while now — in America and throughout the world. Christians have been seen as intolerant, judgmental, right-wing extremists when in reality, that couldn't be farther from the truth.
The problem is that the freedoms we have been granted in this country have slowly been converted to freedom from consequences. There is no longer right or wrong. Just do what you want, how you want, when you want to do it that's the new philosophy. This clashes with Christian ideals, and thus, we have been labeled as extremists who must be silenced quickly.
In regards to the letter to the editor, the author has a right to state his opinion and I respect that, but I must say I choose my soul over tuition increase as my primary focus.
I have many friends and family who are not Christians, and I love them just as much as my Christian comrades. The same is true for many Christian students here. Our intent is not to put ourselves on a pedestal. The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that Christians have accepted the gift of salvation that is available to every single person in this world. We want to share the joy of that gift with others — not judge or belittle anyone.
So I commend those of you in red T-shirts this week for going out on a limb to spread the word and for making yourselves so vulnerable. I am not associated with any of the clubs sponsoring the campaign, but I was moved to see so many students take a stand.
And if anyone out there is in fact interested in learning about Jesus
We do not want to exert mind control, and your sin is certainly something you need to discuss only with God. But freedom of religion extends to Christians also, and we have a right to be heard.
Dear editor.
This message is aimed towards the 300-plus students who have sported the bright read and white letter T-shirts during the past week.
Christ, please take this opportunity to ask your fellow students a question or two — that's what this campaign is all about.
Trina Doubrava Ellsworth senior
I guess I just don't get it. If Jesus is something so personal, moral, beautiful and important to you, why do you flash him around like a fashion logo or favorite sports team?
The reason I ask is because it's very easy to flaunt a brightly colored article of clothing and call attention to yourself, but what exactly do you ultra-neon Christians hope from the rest of us?
Are you establishing a hierarchy of those who are heaven bound? Trying to save our poor collegiate souls as you stroll past Wescoe Beach?
I'm curious. You've spent your $5, strutted around campus in your godly garb — now what? Are you planning to donate the money to some local charity? Or better yet, make personal appearances within the Lawrence volunteer community?
In two months, when summer has fully set in, I imagine several of those red threads will be hanging idly in the closest. Perhaps some homeless man downtown will be wearing it as he found it on the rack at the Salvation Army.
My hope is that this man's soul will have been "touched" (or his gut rounded) by the personal deeds and saintly efforts of you flashy folk who have let us all know that you agree with Lee.
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Emily Steinbauer Edmond, Okla, junior