4A - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2002
EDITORIAL
All-female Rock Chalk act good break from tradition
STARTRIBUWF
For the first time in Rock Chalk Revue history, two sororites have teamed up to form an all-female cast. Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi sororites took a step toward including more non-traditional groups in the Rock Chalk Revue. The sorority duo will perform "Doin' Time," a show about a women's correctional facility.
The revue, playing tonight through Saturday night at the Lied Center, is an annual event and competition held to benefit the United Way of Douglas County. It has traditionally consisted of five sorority and fraternity shows, but this year's first all-female show broke the mold. This year marks the 53rd year for Rock Chalk Revue at the University of Kansas, and it isn't just a Greek event.
All living organizations are invited to try out for the revue Historically, greek living organizations have made the most appearances in the show. In the past, scholarship and residence hall groups have auditioned and performed in the revue. The most recent example was in 1990 when Battenfield and Watkins scholarship halls performed. This year's allfemale show, by breaking with tradition and precedence, may encourage groups other than fraternity-sorority pairs to continue to apply to be in the show.
The revue raises a significant amount of money for the United Way of Douglas County. Last year, the event raised. More student group participation equals more money for the United Way. Scholarship and residence halls should continue to audition for the revue and make the revue a University-wide event every year, which ideally, would result in donating more money to charity.
Other living organizations should follow Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi's example and continue to submit notebooks to be in the show.
The Greek community has a long tradition in participating in the revue, and that sense of community fosters healthy competition. This tradition is important, but more groups trying out increases competition and makes a stronger revue.
Molly Mueller for the editorial board.
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about
any topic they wish. Kansas 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.
sales and marketing adviser
864-7665 or mfisher@kansan.com
I'm curious why Free for All doesn't print more complaints about KU, serious things, instead of sexist comments and sports trivia.
To the girl that said the Kansan neglected to provide sufficient attention to one of the most important events KU will have this year, the Langston Hughes symposium, we've had about 20 more important events. They're called KU basketball home games.
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Lately the Free for All has been short and pathetic so here's some things to think about: Oiff, noonan, water buffalo, intermural basketball and the caveman cannot stop thinking about Utug.
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This is for the person that said Alicia Keys didn't deserve three Grammys: You're right, she didn't deserve it. That's why she won five, because she deserved five.
I'm sick of everyone talking about Drew Gooden staying. I think we can definitely win without him, so kick rocks, Drew.
Help Doup Pace get it right. When it said, "it would seem to ensure a victory for the Hawks, but Rush ran the senior guard down and blocked his shot, giving the Tigers a chance to tie the game," it wasn't Rush, it was Paulding. Get it right. Damn journalists.
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To the person that said in the Free for All Monday that an air ball is not an air ball if it hits the backboard, that's not true. It's an air ball if it doesn't hit the rim. The backboard is only there to break the fall. So know what you're talking about before you think you're a good basketball fan.
Does anybody else think that a column on my big toe would be more interesting than Kate Eichten's columns on hockev?
--sales and marketing adviser
864-7665 or mfisher@kansan.com
Can you please find a perspective columnist that doesn't think he or she is a victim?
sales and marketing adviser
864-7665 or mfisher@kansan.com
Cindy, I just want to say that we've been together for four years now, and now that we're going to graduate in May I think it's time I asked you, will you marry me? Please say yes.
sales and marketing adviser
864-7665 or mfisher@kansan.com
I just called in, and realized that since I1 was nervous I forgot to say that it's Cindy with a Y and this is J.T., her boyfriend.
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Matt Fisher
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
'Kansan'report card
Pass:
Greek Recognition Night. Fraternity and sorority members were recognized last week for their accomplishments and philanthropies. Thumbs up to Chancellor Robert Hemenway, too, for actually attending this year.
AI Bohl. The athletics director announced that women's basketball coach Marian Washington would be back next season. It was a tough year but the athletics department let Terry Allen have five.
Brazilian Week. A little samba, a little capoeira, a crazy Carnaval party this weekend. Who could pass up a week's worth of fun from south of the equator?
Door-to-door campaining in residence halls. Members of the Vision Coalition went door-to-door in Lewis Hall asking students to wear Vision buttons and to put up Vision posters in their windows.
Fail:
Teachers who start class early. If you want to get a head start on the day fine, but Don't quiz us on your ramblings before we're there.
Increased graduation requirements. The Board of Regents increased the number of required junior/senior credit hours to 54. As much as students love stumbling to 8 a.m. lectures with biting hangovers, most of us do actually want to graduate some day. Quit making it harder for us to get our diplomas!
PERSPECTIVE
Don't ignore chances on campus to appreciate different cultures
This past weekend I attended the Asian American Student Union's "Taste of Asia."
The theme, "Strength Though Diversity," truly exemplified the spirit of the event as the cuisine and performances showed the variety of cultures in Asia.
I wish that even more students could have experienced the occasion, because before we can see past our differences, we must realize and appreciate our differences.
the University of Kansas continually provides numerous opportunities to experience diversity. But these events don't draw larger number of students because some students might not want to get out of their comfort zones. Going to events where a person may be in an
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ethnic minority may not appeal to all students.
Student organizations present cultural events throughout the year. These events aren't exclusive because they mention certain ethnicities, but instead are inclusive because they invite all students to participate in the heritage of the hosts.
College is a training ground for the real world. As America grows more racially and culturally diverse, there will be a greater demand for more culturally aware people in the workforce.
It would be a shame to go through a whole college education and only interact and socialize with people who look like you. More than a shame, it would be a
COMMENTARY
Alexzia Plummer opinion@kansan.com
Cultural heritage is important and shouldn't be swept aside because of fear of insult or offending someone's colorblind view of the
nandcape when entering the evermore-global marketplace, where the division between awareness and ignorance could cost a client, a project or a job.
The strength comes from the wealth of ideas, creative energy and viewpoints generated by a group of people from various backgrounds.
world. Cultural pride strengthens the campus as long as one culture is not exclusively elevated over others.
These events are not intended as automatic enlightenment or a cute lesson in feel-good diversity. They simply open the gates for better dialogue among students.
So when it comes to time for these events to seek funding, support and attendance, we need to remember the significance of these events and how they benefit the whole campus.
Plummer is a Bellvue, Neb., sophomore in journalism.
PERSPECTIVE
Big corporations don't care about you
Will you look at that?" I muttered to my friend as we walked downtown.ain store on Mass
"Another chain store on Mass Street!"
"So what?" said my friend from Kansas City. "When did you start caring where chain stores open up?"
He was right. Five or six years ago, I could have cared less. For me, it started with the fall of The Lazer, 105.9 FM. Back then, The Lazer was locally owned, and its format was modern rock. The Lazer was distinctive. It promoted local bands, it cultivated the Lawrence music scene, and it was the station to listen to.
David Grummon opinion@kansan.com
COMMENTARY
Then The Lazer was sold to a corporation that owned dozens of stations across the country and our beloved Lazer went from being one of Rolling Stone's "10 Stations that Don't Suck" to sounding like every other pop station.
Why mess up a great station? Years later, it all made sense. The new corporate owners were*
concerned with music or even our local music scene. Its customers were national advertisers, and as potential listeners within its network, we were the product it was peddling.
The more I thought about the fall of The Lazer, the more I saw similar patterns throughout the economy.
If a shoe manufacturer contracts its manual-intensive work to the lowest foreign bidder, it can increase its profit margin by lowering labor costs. But the practice often encourages the use of child labor in squalid working conditions.
I can respect an artist who truly wants to make a statement about sexuality, but marketing harmful messages only to make a buck — that's irresponsible.
A recording company can turn a profit by signing a mediocre artist who is willing to market his music with images that portray women as sexual playthings. But the messages these images send young boys and girls about gender roles could have long-lasting negative effects.
Of course, energy companies and manufacturers have followed environmentally irresponsible business practices for so long that we almost expect them to pollute.
The recent Enron scandal is only the latest example of corporation executives thinking only of themselves. In this case, executives could have run the company with concern for its workers and the public. Instead, workers and thousands of retirement investors lost millions while executives hauled off a fortune.
Maybe we think only government can make such demands, or that the public has no right to complain. I suspect, however, most Americans just don't understand what's going on.
I'm not declaring a Marxist, antiprofit manifesto. I just want Big Business to take responsibility for the effects of its actions. Americans should demand that corporations behave better.
So, when I hear of students protesting Massachusetts Street being overrun by national chain stores. I understand their cause.
I don't have time to protest, but I do try to get my hair cut by a local barber, buy music at an independent music store and study at a local coffee shop.
These businesses have an interest in lifting up the community. Most corporations just want my money and most will do anything to get it.
Grummun is a Beloit third-year law student.
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