FRIDAY,FEB.22,2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
When does war become justified?
Maggie Koerth
Kansan staff writer
The goal of many religions is to provide answers, particularly to questions of morality and the divine. In order to gain a better understanding of what people believe, the Kansan features a Question of the Week where we ask members of various religions a moral or ethical question. We hope the answers will illuminate the differences and sometimes surprising similarities between the beliefs of different people.
Melanie Hadley
LINDSEY KILIANY/KANSAN
a. Is war ever morally justified? How does your religion affect your views on war?
LINDSEY KILIANYKANSAN
Charlotte E. Wilkinson
A: Melanie Hadley, President of KU Christian Science Organizations
"Though the destruction of life is never justified, the act of war in defense of one's country and its principles is sometimes the nearest right course of action, when one of the parties involved refuses to agree to peaceful means of communication, understanding and resolution. At the same time that most of us hate the thought of killing, it would also be wrong to let evil actions go unchecked and ignored just because the ideal of a peaceful solution could not be demonstrated at the time. In this sense, war is morally justified, though it should not be seen as either the first or
the best answer to resolving conflicts. The question must always be asked, 'Are the principles being fought for worthy of defense, and, if so, does the chosen means of defense serve a larger plan for peace, even though the means themselves may not be peaceful?'
In the words of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. 'The First Commandment in
the Hebrew Decalogue — 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me' — obeyed, is sufficient to still all strife. God is the divine Mind. Hence the sequence: 'Had all peoples one Mind, peace would reign.' Christian Scientists pray daily to know that God is governing all nations, and that when it is universally understood that God is the Father and Mother of all men, war of every kind will cease.'
A: Charlotte E. Wilkinson, Sanders, Ariz., junior at Haskell Indian Nations University
Navajo/ Three Affiliated Tribes
"As an indigenous person, I am compelled to respond to the inquiry based on the historical anamnesis of American Indians. Militarilyspeaking, they have the premiere record of service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups. These warriors possessed innate traits of mental, emotional, spiritual and physical balance, for the battle was for the piety they beheld for their people and their homeland. Historically, they were not always hailed, venerated or remembered.
Warriors exist now; in this contemporaneous era, and are fighting as we speak. Only, you may not refer to them as warriors, but as students. The battlefields we contest upon are in the academics that empower us, rather than diminish us, as they were once established to do. The warrior spirit thrives in us, thereby compelling us to fearlessly engage in opportunities that were created by their heroism.
So, do I perceive war as morally justifiable? Yes, as our war is against poverty, coercive acculturation and the prevention of seemingly perpetual injustices against our people."
If you have comment on or an idea for Question of the Week you can contact Koerth at mkoerth@kansan.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
FOOD
She said apple pie was the most common dessert in the United States.
Shortridge also plotted what she called the grits line, a division marking where people identified the cornmeal dish by the name grits.
She said the line provided a good indication of where the South began.
Her research also indicated that serving Mexican food as a home-
cooked meal was not restricted to border states, but had moved northward throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
Shortridge shares her expertise in a class offered each fall called Geography and American Foodways.
Shawna Wright, Wichita graduate student, took the class in fall of 1999 and was excited by Shortridge's eating habit research.
"It's something that you do three times a day." Wright said. "It's crucial, but it's
something that gets overlooked all the time."
Students in the class write essays about their own experiences with food, including a restaurant review.
Wright said that she enjoyed Friday classes when everyone was supposed to bring something to eat.
"I enjoyed it a lot," she said. "It's an area that has only begun to be explored in geography, but I think it's a valid one."
"It's something that you do three times a day. It's crucial, but it's something that gets overlooked all
the time."
Barbara Shortridge assistant professor of geography
Contact Pracht at apracht@kansan.com. This story was edited by Joanna Miller and Brandon Stinnett.
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