AAV
4A • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2003
TALKTOUS
Kristi Henderson
editor
864-4854 or khenderson@kansan.com
Jenna Goepfert and Justin Henning managing editors
864-4854 or jgoepfert@kansan.com and jhenning@kansan.com
Leah Shaffer
readers' representative
864-4810 or lshaffer@kansan.com
Amanda Sears and Lindsay Hanson opinion editors 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Sarah Jantz
retail sales manager
864-4358 or adsales@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
Eric Kelting
business manager
864-4358 or adsales.kansan.com
Matt Fisher
sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or mfisher@kansan.com
EDITORIAL BOARD
Zach Stinson for The University Daily Kansan
Signs of tolerance abound on campus
STINSON'S VIEW
K U students are incredibly lucky.
No, not just because we have dozens of acclaimed academic departments and programs,a fabulous basketball team,and a flat-out gorgeous campus—though those are all pretty cool.
But we're also lucky because the student organization KU Students for a Sensible Drug Policy was recently able to raffle off a water pipe on Wescoe Beach.
Dude.
Yes, a water pipe.
Lauren Stewart for the editorial board
Our campus is what we make it. We are lucky to know that we have the administration's support, no matter what our political viewpoint may be.
But, seriously, this successful water pipe auction is more than a symbol of the liberal attitude and diversity of opinions on- and off-campus.
The fact that such activities have been allowed on campus is a symbol of our fabulously tolerant administration, faculty and staff, who are encouraging freedom of expression and student participation on campus.
Though some of us may wonder why anyone let these groups do these events on-campus, we shouldn't be too hasty in our judgments.
This collaboration and open dialogue between students and administration deserves to be commended.
All student organizations who want to table at Wescoe Beach or organize almost any other event must have approval from the University Events Committee.
So, KU Students for a Sensible Drug Policy members were able to sell raffle tickets for a 1-foot colored glass bong in March.
In addition, several student organizations have programmed controversial events this week.
The organization also brought lecturer George McMahon, one of the few people who can legally smoke medicinal marijuana in America, to campus on Tuesday. The new student organization Justice for All displayed their anti-abortion billboards on Stauffer-Flint lawn on Tuesday and Wednesday.
PERSPECTIVE
Separation of church and state needs clarification in America
The Bush administration has claimed, on several occasions, that the war in Iraq is about liberation. This liberation entails the idea that, once Iraq is a relatively safe place and institutions are built back up to functionality, Iraqi citizens will select a leader and some sort of parliament at their own discretion.
COMMENTARY
Before we push democracy on another country, we should examine the functionality of our own.
Matt Zaller
opinion@kansan.com
If Iraqis are to follow our lead and build up the press, the legislative, the judicial and the executive branches, they need to be wary of religions adverse effects on democracy, especially U.S. democracy. The three governmental branches and the free press are the cornerstones of democracy, but within the United States, how democratic are these institutions?
Let's start with the press. I used to think that the media was generally balanced, until Fox News surpassed CNN as the most-watched television channel. Fox News is a hard-core conservative station where Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, the two most popular talking heads on the network, are devout Christian and nearly proselytize on the air. This is a bad trend in news dissemination, which people rely on for facts. Democratic values need mainstream media that offer two sides.
Is our Congress democratic? Well, sure, they are elected. But out of the 585 elected officials (100 senators, 435 Representatives, and 50 state governors), only 18 are not affiliated with a religion. Those 18 make up only 3 percent of Congress,
In implementing a system of democracy in Iraq, the judiciary system would be tricky. First of all, Muslim nations operate under Sharia Law, which is the Islamic court system required by the Quran in Muslim countries. Sharia varies from country to country. For example, Saudi Arabia has a much stricter version than Iran. Sharia and democracy are compatible institutions given this premise: All the citizens are Islamic. But the branches of Islam in Iraq have historically opposed one another. One, the Shiite population, makes up about 65 percent of the Iraqi population. The other, the Sunni population, account for about 35 percent. This disparity will make Sharia much more difficult to reach a consensus on.
which serves to represent the U.S. population, which is nearly 40 percent unreligious. In other words, 97 percent of our public officials are Christian or Jewish, but about only 60 percent of Americans are.
Let's look at the executive branch. The United States has never had a woman president, a black president or any minority president to represent those
populations. Even though 40 percent of America is nonreligious and more are non-Christian, those sectors have always been governed by presidents who believe the Christian Bible to be the truth. What that says is, yes, we are democratic, but we have a long way to go to be a true representative democracy.
George Bush is a born-again Christian who wants to further bolster churches with his "faith-based initiative" program. Church-run organizations are tremendously helpful in communities, and they should be supported. But before we're so quick to throw more money at strengthening religious institutions, Congress needs a little introspection.
More importantly, voting Americans need to recognize that nonreligious Americans have little say in Congress, and Congress wants to further the divide between itself and the secular population by bolstering the religious community. "In God we trust" is on our money, and "one nation under God" is in our pledge. President Bush once said that the Lord told him the war in Iraq was the right move. Our country was founded on the ideas of religious freedom. That freedom exists here, but it is not reflected in our institutions. Gandhi once said you must be the change you wish to see in the world. If the United States wants to see secular democracy in other parts of the world, the United States must be that change.
Zeller is a Tulsa, Okla., senior in political science and humanities and western civilization.
READERS' REPRESENTATIVE
'Tis the season to get involved
At the group meetings I attend as Readers' Representative, someone will occasionally mention that they'd like to get involved with The University Daily Kansan. Most of the time, I say, "Great, talk to our opinion editors." But there are other ways to get involved, besides the opinion page. It's just matter of timing.
READERS' REPRESENTATIVE
Leah Shaffer readersrey@kansan.com
Every year, near the end of the spring semester, the Kansan starts hiring staff for the next summer and fall semesters. Within that staff, there are certain positions that are open to the public and others that are not. Although anyone can apply for the main editor position, a person with Kansan and journalism experience is most likely to get the job.
And now is the time.
The Kansan Board has already chosen next year's fall editor. The editor then hires the managing editors, who then hire the section editors, who then hire their assistants and so forth. You may be wondering where, in this long chain, do non-journalism majors fit in?
The Kansan may be the students' newspaper, but it is also a learning tool for journalism students. In order to be
a reporter or copy editor at the Kansan, you have to be enrolled in the class. The Jayplay section has now changed so that more class work will be involved, unless you are a columnist. But that doesn't mean that non-journalism majors can only be involved in Jayplay.
There is a day side and a night side of the Kansan. The day side involves planning the paper, shooting photos and writing the stories. But around 5 p.m., production starts, which includes the design and layout of the paper. Getting involved in your University paper doesn't mean you have to just write; crucial functional and readability aspects of the Kansan need help, too.
its potential. This position needs people with programming, user interface and design skills and a basic understanding of communications. Graphic designers looking for practical use of their skills can also find a place at the Kansan. The paper needs designers to lay out pages and artists to design graphics. If you are comfortable using Kansan software, such as Quark XPress, and would like to be involved in the newsroom atmosphere, then being a production assistant is a great way to get involved and get paid as well.
The Kansan has a position of Web editor open to anyone with ideas about redesigning Kansan.com to the best of
Although journalism majors are encouraged to take these positions, anyone can benefit from experience with the paper. For designers, it looks great on a resume, and for all majors, it can only add to your skills.
We need people with design skills and programming skills to make the visual aspect of the Kansan the best it can be. Of course the Kansan is always interested in getting involvement on the editorial pages, but that's not the only place to look.
Shaffer is a Hays senior in journalism and environmental studies. She will be a Kansan managing editor in Fall 2003.
Free forAll
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds 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
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I think that the university should take a timeout for love.
冒
The anti-abortion guy who was wearing the UNC hat; you can go straight to hell.
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After watching Dr. Holmes tackle somebody today, I just wanted to say that he's officially a badass.
Personally, I think we should bring back the word "rad."
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Happy Pride Week 2003
What am I supposed to do with my "I Love Roy" T-shirt?
I'd just like to thank all you hot girls out there who smoke. You sure give us regular girls a chance, and I just wanted to say thanks.
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望
If you're going to steal a joke from Saturday Night Live, at least make it something funny.
The pro-lifers need to know that the same medical technology that makes a fetus viable at 20 weeks is the same medical technology that gives us safe abortions. It's all about choice.
I'm getting all the college education I need to know: how to put a condom on top of your head and keep it there.
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Is there a reason that at such a huge university we have such a crappy television station? KUJH is worse than my high school's television station.
醫
Itchy boob disease — it's spreading.
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Hey pro-choice people, if those babies were never alive, why did it bother you so much to see their flesh all over the place?
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I think that the people protesting abortion on campus should get a dictionary and look up the word "genocide" before they put it all over the place, because they obviously have no idea what they're talking about.
The Lawrence Police should encourage pot smoking while driving, because those are the only times I actually drive the speed limit.
I think that Commerce gets the money to advertise in the UDK from all of my freaking overdraft fees.
The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Amanda Sears or Lindsay Hanson at 864-4924 or email at opinion@kansan.com. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the readers' representative at readersrep@kansan.com.
SUBMITTING LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Maximum Length:
650 word limit
Include:
Author's name
Class, hometown (student)
Position (faculty member)
Also:
The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack another columnist.
LETTER GUIDELINES
Maximum Length:
Maximum Length:
200 word limit
Include:
Author's name
Author's telephone number
Class, hometown (student)
Position (faculty member)
SUBMITTO
E-mail:
opinion@kansan.com
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Hard copy:
Kansan newsroom
111 Stauffer-Flint
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