TUESDAY APRIL 29, 2003
OPINION
4A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY,APRIL29,2003
TALKTOUS
Kristi Henderson
editor
editor
864-4854 or khenderson@kansan.com
Jenna Goepfert and Justin Henning
managing editors
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Leah Shaffer
readers' representative
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Amanda Sears and Lindsay Hanson
opinion editors
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Eric Kelting
business manager
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Sarah Jantz
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Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
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Matt Fisher
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Show city support for liquor sales on Sundays
Earlier this month, the Lawrence City Commission tabled an ordinance that would have allowed liquor stores to remain open on Sundays.
Liquor regulations in the state of Kansas can be traced back to "blue laws," which were originally enacted to regulate moral behavior. These have little relevance to the city of Lawrence in 2003.
If a liquor store wishes to remain closed on Sunday, that should be the store's decision, not government mandate. As the law stands, people who want to enjoy a cold beer on a Sunday afternoon must buy it on Saturday or stockpile drinks for consumption on demand.
The ordinance to allow Sunday liquor sales is being tabled until the city commission receives more feedback from liquor stores and the community. The University of Kansas student body—the majority of which presumably supports Sunday liquor sales—represents a significant portion of the Lawrence community.
The commissioner's phone numbers and e-mail addresses are also available at http://www lawrenceks.org/commission.shtml.
To get archaic laws changed, those voices must be heard. To make a case on the issue, contact the city commission by mail at City Hall; P.O.Box 708; Lawrence, KS 66044.
Ben Ross for the editorial board
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STINSON'S VIEW
BUSH OF ARABIA
Take pride in University's culture
PERSPECTIVE
Cultural center — the place that cradles current trends. The University of Kansas could be the biggest culture center in society. During the last three weeks, its possibilities have shown themselves; therefore society expects our University to be that.
Three weeks ago, KU students were excited because of the national basketball tournament. Kansas beat Duke, Arizona and Marquette. After each game, we got excited and were happy that we were KU students. The residents of Lawrence also fully supported the Jayhawks, even though not all of them could claim Kansas as their alma mater.
COMMENTARY
Two weeks ago, everyone in Lawrence was surprised about two athletic heads' future careers. The chancellor fired Al Bohl, the KU athletics director. Former Kansas coach Roy Williams decided not to try for the national championship next season at Kansas. In Japanese colleges, rarely are school affairs like these even talked about. As long as you are not a financial donor or a sports fanatic, you do not think about school pride. Moreover, usually residents are separated from college. In my country, the university is just a place to complete a degree.
In Japan, communities do not expect to have relationships with colleges except in financial affairs, such as taxation, housing and sales to student patrons.
Kengo Terada
opinion@hansan.com
Above all, sports are the biggest motivators in connecting students and residents of
Lawrence. We all love to watch and cheer basketball and football. Right now, students are talking about the fate of the KU basketball team like it's their health. Everyone's emotions depend on the basketball program's performance, fluctuating between hope and despair from week to week. The community supports KU athletics, especially after beating Marquette. Hundreds of people, including many children and their parents, headed for Wescoe Beach after the game. Go downtown; you can find signs in support of the jayhawks, not just the basketball team. Go to Wal-Mart; you can buy cheap KU T-shirts to show your pride. When I graduated from my university in Japan, my friends and I looked for something to commemorate my achievement but found only pencils and pens with the university's logo in the bookstore.
While watching a volleyball game last semester, I noticed that a bunch of children had come to cheer on the Jayhawks. Most of them told me they were going to play volleyball at Kansas. As soon as they
Many Lawrence residents came to the University during International Awareness Week and were impressed by the traditional and contemporary performances from around the world. They learned about the active Latino culture and its contrast to the grace of Asian culture. No one expected Middle Eastern countries to have powerful dance. Every event touched on a different culture to open awareness of cultural diversity.
told me their dreams, they asked to get autographs from the basketball players. In my country, no one wants to get autographs from college athletes.
Our former basketball coach Roy Williams decided on his next destination. North Carolina. Now that the University has announced former Illinois coach Bill Self as the new Kansas coach, Lawrence is fussing about basketball again. Not just with sports — the University is the cultural center of our society. As a result, all members of society will benefit from the University more than they used to. Students don't care about Lawrence affairs as much as Lawrence residents care about the University. Students are less aware of our University's value. However, we should be thankful for the favors it does us. Only students can make the University good, therefore students should take more pride in their University.
Terada is a Kashiwa, Japan, sophomore in journalism.
PERSPECTIVE
Smokers: Show a little consideration
COMMENTARY
Smoking. No matter where you go, there it is. You can't escape it. You go on campus, and it's there. You go out to eat, and it's there. And you've heard all the excuses, too. Ranging from "It's my life" to "I don't want to be an old incontinent person in a nursing home, so I want to kill myself with lung cancer," smokers are quick with a comeback when I say smoking is disgusting. It always ends up being their right.
Well, whatever happened to nonsmokers' rights? Nonsmokers have as many rights as smokers, and often the main concern is for protecting the smokers' rights. If smokers want nonsmokers' support, they should recognize that nonsmokers have rights, too. I want to be able to walk on campus and not have to dodge every smoker lest I get smoke in the face. I would like to go into a restaurant and be able to eat my food without a cloud of smoke hanging over my head. Even if I do ask to be seated in a nonsmoking section, it doesn't mean that smoke doesn't travel. Smoke doesn't know the boundaries inside a Chili's. It will go wherever it wants.
Meagan Kelleher opinion@kansan.com
Lawrence is considering going the route Salina took in imposing a smoking ban on restaurants, bar and grills and
Zach Stinson for The University Daily Kansas
Restaurants where smokers were once regulars are now becoming deserted because their loyal following needs to find somewhere else to light up. Businesses have had to change their formats from bars and billiards, to more family-friendly establishments now that they've lost their core business to the ban. Those opposed to the ban have a valid argument. It is their right to smoke, and in former institutions where it was allowed, they had free reign.
other public domains earlier this year The ban in Salina, which was voter-approved, enraged many smokers, who claimed that it infringed on their rights.
Whatever smokers choose to do with their lungs, their mouths and their lips is up to them. For some, it may even be
They need to realize nonsmokers are willing to have to answer the question, "Smoking or non?" every time they enter a restaurant, as long as smokers can have enough respect to not smoke in packs in front of restaurant doors, or to stop smoking while walking on campus, trailing smoke and cancer behind. Simple actions such as throwing cigarette butts into ashtrays or chewing a piece of gum in a crowded classroom so nonsmokers don't have to smell the stench of smoke. These are simple requests. It's a give-and-take situation, and because smokers are steadily shortening their life spans, it is one they may want to act on quickly.
addictive, and no matter what they know about the health risks, they cannot stop. So, yes, it is true that this ban affects the smokers' rights to slowly kill themselves. Yet smokers have no concern for non-smokers' rights. Millions have the right to not smoke, but that never seems to be their concern. If smokers want to have non-smokers' support against this ban, they need to take in other considerations too.
Kolloher is an Omaka, Neb. sophomore in journalism and political science.
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of geeks.
Yes, I am desperate now,
But oh, will you see, and how.
It will be a grand old time,
He will buy all the drinks of mine.
We will quickly have a talk,
So we can walk.
Holding hands
And making plans.
Then the weeks will be over,
And we will be sober,
But maybe, just maybe,
We'll stay together forever in love.
I just saw a Right Guard deodorant commercial with Jim Breuer, Randy Johnson and Kyle from The Real World: Chicago. What is that about? Can you tell me, Tim?
If loving sour cream is wrong, I don't want to be right.
I just think that everything feels better naked.
回
Why do teachers feel that they can skip the letter "E"? You can get an A, B, C, D, or F, but no E. What's up with that?
Is anybody else remotely disturbed by the angry gumball commercial?
I know it's 2:18 in the morning, but if you cheer me up right now, I'll give you one of my 28 Cadbury eggs.
Yeah, so I just heard the steam whistle for the first time, and I think it sounds like a vacuum cleaner.
I'll tell you why sorority girls are obsessed with Phi Delt. It's because they have an awesome date party that goes to the Ozarks, and P.S. They're hot.
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I need to find a boyfriend for two and a half weeks.
I hope that he will not be from a group of geeks.
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A
Matt Gehrke is my favorite online
gambler ever.
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