4A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
TUESDAY,MARCH 5,2002
864-0500 free for
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about
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.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
I'm appalled that the Student Senate is and has been allocating money for Gay Pride Week. I have no problem with their lifestyle, but I don't think I should have to pay for it.
Hey Eric Borja, I friends who drive hours to come to Lawrence to shop at the independently owned vintage stores and coffee shops, not to shop at the big logos that you can find everywhere else in America.
I don't get it. In the *Kansan* report card you give the Kansas women's basketball team a passing grade. Why, because they play their hearts out? Doesn't that pertain to every women's basketball team? Give them an F for going 10-16. Think about it.
I think that when somebody gives you a big, toothy grin, and a little of their double chin shows, that's the sexiest thing in the world.
This goes out to the single lady calling from the Crossing. I wear Dr. Martens because they're comfortable. It has nothing to do with style, so get some individuality.
To the person who said frats don't rule sports and athletics, I thought sports and athletics were the same thing. I guess that's why we have a higher GPA than the rest of campus.
After four years of college, the only capital T truths that I have found are one, that The Simpsons is the best TV show of all time; and two, Phish is the best band of all time, very underrated.
It's my senior year here, and I'm starting to wonder. When do we start learning stuff that's not already been proved outdated and incorrect?
I'd like to give a shout out to all the perks in the school halls.
This message is to my roommate. Get your act together, and clean up your art crap around our apartment.
Simply put, I love you Brandon.
Eric Boria kicks ass.
The Kansan's just a bunch of tree-huggers
Eric Burja kicks ass.
I was just calling about the comment about John Crider. If the person had been following how well he's playing at Washburn maybe they would realize that he's a great player. Maybe Roy just didn't give him a chance.
This is to the girl who insulted the boys who wear Dr. Martens, I think if you're paying that much attention to the brand names you went out of style in 1994.
Britney Spears is a lot hotter than Anni DIfranco.
Just another day for the cave man and water buffalo breaking up the sack.
To the guys who want the protesters to stop whining, go hug a tree.
I'm glad that somebody else understands the importance of a good caramel machiatta from Starbucks. Eric Borja's article in the paper today rules. Screw the hippies.
I think the University of Kansas should be in the Final Four, because of the fact that they are the best team in the country. They're way better than Duke and Maryland, and also Gooden will be the No.1 player of the year.
I have a Duke note pad. Does that make me a bad person?
This goes out to Ani Difranco and all her adoring fans, this is not a true democracy? Yay, no jeake. It's a republic.
EDITORIAL
Stop by Kansas Union for fellowship,food
It's Thursday afternoon, and you're walking from Budig Hall to the Kansas Union for your last class. You haven't had a bite to eat all day, and even the prospect of Burrito King or Mr. Gatti's leaves you feeling desperate, but there's no time to stop.
After strolling past the onslaught of chain-smokers, you enter the Kansas Union and head toward the elevators — stopping to grab a copy of The New York Times with your KUID. Before you can hop on the elevator something catches your eye — is it reality or illusion? You decide to go check it out.
what you see is nothing short of a miracle — a catering staff standing behind a buffet-style line of tea, hot chocolate, apple cider assorted cookies and various breads.
"Is this free," you ask the uniformed catering staff member,
"Yes." You respond with enthusiasm.
You proceed to bombard the table, devouring several oatmeal raisin cookies before hopping back on the elevator and making it to class in the nick of time. The feeling of satisfaction is overwhelming as you sit in class, and you come to the full realization that the Union has more going for it than meets the eve.
Many people have familiarized themselves with the aforementioned situation, thanks to Student Union Activities's decision last fall to provide free tea and cookies to all visitors. The snacks are available every Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Union, and have gained quite a following from the students who flock there weekly to socialize and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea.
These are the types of programs that should be implemented more often by the University — they impact all students and definitely increase the quality of our KU experience. By taking a little time to brainstorm and figure out what students really want, SUA has created something that benefits us all—and they should be applauded.
Next time you're in the neighborhood on Thursday afternoon, stop by and grab a cookie. You might meet somebody new, but most importantly you'll eat for free.
Blake Shuart for the editorial board
PERSPECTIVE
KNIGHT RIDDER
Take all the facts into consideration before being outraged by pet cloning
Last month, Texas A&M University announced it had successfully cloned the first house pet.
COMMENTARY
Dubbed Copycat, or Cc, this miraculous fluff ball took 188 attempts before they got things right. That's right,188 tries. I'm a feline fan, so when they posted Cc's mug on TV, I oled the unbridled cuteness. But along with the images came something else: a toll-free number where people could voice their opinions.
One respondent echoed my initial sentiments and supported the venture. "The world needs more cute kitties and less war!" It was the inevitable backlog, however, that set this flashback in motion. Using logic bestowed from some higher power (or medication), the pundits lashed back with the interesting, "Cloning is bad. We have enough cats in the Humane Society; we don't need to start cloning them now."
I'm not crazy about either side of the issue. For me, it's just not something that's up for review. What *is* up for rebuttal and joyful vilification, though, is
Nathan Loukedes opinion@kansan.com
the age-old notion of ignorance.
So hot a topic has cloning been, it was even taken up in those long and exhaustive sessions of Congress. As unbelievable as it might sound, a measure was very nearly put into law after passing the House of Representatives that would place a hiatus on the process of human cloning, coupled with a stiff 10-year prison sentence. You read that correctly: Scientific endeavors in this country once again came under government scrutiny, and more disgustingly, litigation.
Critics might sight the lack of genetic diversity.
but this is precisely what intrigues scientists. Wouldn't it behoove researchers to have genetically identical samples to test vaccines and treatments on specific to the disease they were being used on? As radical and foreign as that might sound, studies show it just might work.
Cloning, it's so unnatural! But what about plant horticulture? isn't the subdivision of a prized chrysanthemum into more chrysanthemum plants cloning? Let's not forget asexually reproducing organisms. Each offspring a genetic replica of the parent, these forgotten sons of asexuality deserve notice as well.
Cloning is natural — or a natural phenomenon, anyway. It's a great disservice when the very idea of cloning is likened to the despicable notions of genetic tampering, animal mutation or female genital mutilation. If the goal of any organization is to be extremist, then try to be a cordial extremist. Barring that, at least get the facts straight.
Loukedes is a Manchester, N.H. freshman in education.
PERSPECTIVE
Students don't need the University to protect them from credit cards
Student Senate approved a ban of credit card vendors on campus last semester. It sounds reasonable that we shouldn't allow credit card companies on campus. Now it is up to Provost David Shulenburger to approve the ban.
COMMENTARY
Senate has a reason for banning credit card solicitors on campus. Some students can generate thousands of dollars of debt using a credit card. It's simple, really. College student sees credit card table on campus, is overcome with temptation, applies for credit card, gets credit card, spends tons of money he doesn't have and becomes thousands of dollars in debt.
But Senate isn't interested in dealing with this problem. Their answer is to simply banish visual reminders of the problem. The provost will be doing students a disservice if he gives in to Senate's request and prohibits credit card solicitors on campus.
Campus is not the only place a student can find a credit card application. Prohibiting these solicitors doesn't protect students at all from credit card debt. I get at least two or three pieces of mail a month from companies urging me to apply for a Visa card and get a free magazine subscription. Certain Web sites are preceded with a pop-up ad
Audrey Snyder opinion@kansan.com
imploring me to sign up for a Discover card and get a gift certificate.
Yet I'm not thousands of dollars in debt to a credit card company. I'm mature enough to recognize that I should not use my credit card to purchase things I can't pay for at the end of the month.
Prohibiting credit card solicitors on campus is meant to protect students from debt. College students are adults and are fully capable of deciding credit card issues for themselves.
Decisions about how much to charge or even whether to apply for a card are issues that adults are able to determine for themselves. One can even choose to put a limit lower than the company's on
his own credit card. The transition into the adult world also means that one needs credit, and the only way some students can build credit is by having a credit card and by using it responsibly.
Senate's role isn't to protect students from real life. Students are adults and in the process of learning how to live in the real world.
This is not to say Senate or KU shouldn't do anything to help ease the transition into the adult world or to educate students about dangers. Senate could sponsor a campaign or a discussion series urging students to use credit cards responsibly and educating them about how to do so.
The responsible way to deal with a potential danger is to gain information about it and to educate oneself and others. The irresponsible way to deal with it is to ban it and to pretend that the problem doesn't exist. Banning a small part of the problem doesn't make it go away.
Senators failed to react appropriately to an uncomfortable situation. I urge the provost to deny the ban of credit card solicitors and teach Senate a lesson about individual responsibility and maturity.
Snyder is a Shawnee junior in political science.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
GAY RIGHTS
Dear editor.
In reply to the column written by Tim Lang opposing same sex marriage, it was the most poorly written opinion I have ever read. Most of the information was based on personal opinion with little facts to back it up.
The facts given were incorrect or not explained fully. It was reported that in Denmark, "28 percent of (gay) marriages have ended in divorce or death." Breaking down the number of the 28 percent gives a
little more perspective to the figure. The divorce rate for lesbians is 16.2 percent and the divorce rate for gay men is 11.4 percent in Denmark. Those rates leave 83.8 percent of lesbian couples and 88.6 percent gay male couples who are still together in marriage.
The results given aren't certain. The Bureau of Statistics in Denmark said the statistical uncertainty of the study was 10 to 25 percent because the study only included Danish nationals, according to the Danish gay
I understand Lang's opinion.
He obviously feels homosexual
couples are worthless. He does
not believe in homosexuality.
newspaper Pan-Bladet.
Heterosexuality does not make you a strong parent. In Kansas, 53.7 percent of reported divorces involve couples with children. Almost 10 percent of divorces involve couples with three or more children, according to the Kansas office of vital statistics.
And he feels that homosexuals should not be given the same
rights or any "special" rights at all because it was a "privilege" in Denmark. But these rights are not "special." These are the same human rights that he has and that should be afforded to homosexuals for just being human.
It is not "self-evident" that sex with the same sex is unnatural. The only person it is self-evident to is Lang.
Curtis Dixon
Kansas City, Kan., junior