Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Lindsey Henry, Editor Marc Harrell, Business manager Dave Morantz, Managing editor Colleen Eager, Retail sales manager Kristie Blasi, Managing editor Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
Wednesday, April 1, 1998
SACRAMENTO BEE
Editorials
Goal of diversity would be impeded by anti-affirmative action legislation
The Judiciary committee of the Kansas Legislature is deliberating about a bill that would prohibit public employers from giving 'preferential treatment' to women and minorities.
The affirmative action program would be replaced with prior laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment and public education hiring practices.
This bill would have negative ramifications for the University of Kansas, and the Legislature should not pass it.
Danielle Dempsey-Swopes, associate director of the KU Equal Opportunity Office, said that the bill would interfere with minority faculty recruitment at the University. The University subscribes to national directories
Students should attend the rally at 1 p.m. today at Wescoe Beach to oppose the proposal
of minorities and women who have received their doctorates. The University uses these doctorate directories to search for potential women and minority faculty and to evaluate how attractive it is to these applicants compared to other universities.
The anti-affirmative action bill would change this. The University would not be able to seek women and minorities and would have an even more difficult time attracting them. Being in a predominantly white state probably makes the University less
attractive to many prospective applicants, particularly minorities. Also, the bill would end programs such as minority pre-orientation. It's passage would impede the University's goal of creating a truly diverse institution. It would hinder academic and social progress at the University.
The University needs affirmative action laws. Without them, it likely will fall in its goal of being progressive and diverse. Students should write their state legislators and demand that this bill be voted down. Also, students should attend the rally at 1 p.m. today at Wescoe Beach, and voice their opposition to the bill. The Legislature must be made to understand that the bill's passage would be unacceptable.
Ameshia Tubbs for the editorial board
Legislation pending Student Senate
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to Fund the Environmental Studies Student Organization
Bill calls for an allocation of $135 to the group for its Benefit Bicycle Ride.
*Dede Seibel, Nunemaker Senator*
A Bill to Fund the KU Veterans Assoc.
Bill calls for an allocation of $1,478 to the group from the reserve account to buy a computer.
*Greg Woolen, Nontraditional Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to Fund the KU Veterans Association
Bill calls for an allocation of $393 to the group for general expenses and a special project.
*Greg Woolen, Nontraditional Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to Amend Student Senate Rules and Recommendations. Article V. Section 3
and regulations, Article V; section 3
Bill calls for a Rules and Regulations
change regarding attendance policies
in committee meetings.
Bill calls for an allocation of $8,867 to the group from the reserve account for general expenses, special projects and honoraria.
*Aaron Profitt, Nunemaker Senator Referred to University Affairs and Student Rights committees
A Bill to Fund Queers and Allies
- Matt Dunhar, Off-Campus Senator Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to Amend Student Senate Rules and Regulations, Article V, Section 4.7
Bill calls for a Rules and Regulations change regarding the KU Student Lecture Series Board.
- Larry Gibbs, LA&S Senator Referred to University Affairs and Student Rights committees
- Larry Gibbs, LA&S Senator
A Bill to Fund the KU Book Exchange
This bill calls for an allocation of $270
to the group for general expenses.
*Seth Hoffman, ASHC Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Resolution Regarding Student Absences
*Arthur Yudelson, Nontraditional Senator
Kansan staff
Referred to University Affairs and Student Rights committees
Paul Eakins ... Editorial
Andy Obermuerler ... Editorial
Andrea Albright ... News
Jodie Chester ... News
Julie King ... News
Charity Jeffries ... Online
Eric Weslander ... Sports
Harley Rattifl ... Associate sports
Ryan Koerner ... Campus
Mike Perryman ... Campus
Bryan Volk ... Features
Tim Harrington ... Associate features
Steve Puppe ... Photo
Angle Kuhn ... Design, graphics
Mitch Lucas ... Illustrations
Corrie Moore ... Wire
Gwen Olison ... Special sections
Lachelle Roades ... News clerk
News editors
Advertising managers
Kristi Bisel . Assistant retail. PR
Leigh Bottiger . Campus
Brett Clifton . Regional
Nicole Lauderdale . National
Matt Fisher . Marketing
Chris Haghirian . Internet
Brian Allens . Production
Ashley Bonner . Production
Andee Tomlin . Promotions
Dan Kim . Creative
Rachel O'Neill . Classified
Tyler Cook . Zone
Steve Grant. . Zone
Jamie Holman . Zone
Brian LeFevre . Zone
Matt York . Zone
-Nancv Astor
"The penalty for success is to be bored by people who used to snub you."
How to submit letters and guest columns
Letterers: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
Guest columns: Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Shuaffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Paul Eakins (eakins@kansan.com) or Andy Obermeller (andyo@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (apinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4810.
Seeking absolution for perpetrating a columnist
Perspective
Lars
Knobsokatich opinion@kansan.com
have perpetrated a great hoax on all of you. I would like to apologize.
My name is Lars Knoboskatich, and I'm a masters student in English. I've always wanted to
write the standard "Something went wrong for me at the University, so I'm going to whine about it" column. I created a character that would "write" the entire column.
Furthermore, I'm a huge Beatles fan. I especially love what they did with Sargent Pepper's, the fact that the album was written as though they were the Lonely Hearts Club Band. One day last year, I was thinking about that, and I realized how I could grow as a writer. I became a University Daily Kansan columnist. However, I wasn't going to
be a writer. Not just any writer, but I wanted my characters to live, I wanted to be as realistic as I possibly could.
I might have kept this ruse up for a while, but after yesterday I realized I just couldn't drag myself through the mental slime that is the character of Nick Bartkoski. Mocking Eliot's classic *Middle march* Playing Nintendo 64 with his cats? Using the movie *Titanic* to improve his worth to women? Obsessing about that tacky and disgusting dress Ashley Judd wore to the Academy Awards? Writing as Nick Bartkoski demeans my value as a human being, and I just can't do it anymore.
That character was Nick Bartkoski.
The Kansan made me use a picture of myself as a mug shot for the column. Last semester, I had them take the picture really dark to obscure my features. I also wore this old Beatles wilg in the photo both to hide my identity and as a tribute to the Beatles' Sargent Pepper's album. This semester, I went ahead and had a clearer picture taken because I was tiring of the Nick Bartkoski persona and figured I would walk away from it sometime this semester.
This may sound like a little thing, but I even did my best to make Nick's prose worse than mine. Nick's an idiot, I'm a grad student who's actually been writing for years.
I wanted to create a character that would evoke strong emotions from the readers. I think Andy Kaufman said it best when he said, "I just want real reactions. I want people to laugh from the gut, get sad from the gut or to get angry from the out."
The worst thing about the whole thing is that it affirmed my total lack of faith in human nature. Public response to this abomination was overwhelmingly positive. When he wrote about being hated by women, a lot of people wrote in to support him. As he rhapsodized about having sex with an intern, everyone cheered. When he used the phrase "militantly man-hating feminist lesbian," no one blinked. When he blaspedhemed against our Lord by rewriting a book of the Bible, the Pope sent his positive regards. Nick Bartkoski is a man no mother could love, no person could condone, no one should allow to live, and you, the students at the University of Kansas, loved him. What surprised me most of all was when I would hear about people talking about how they knew Nick, had him in a class or whatever. What are you people on?
So alas poor Nick, I knew him well Horatio ... and I despised him. I hope that perhaps some一日 can regain my credibility as a writer and a human being, despite creating a character like that.
So I tried to create as despicable a person as I could. I decided Nick had to be young, about 20, just because of how noxious he is. I am proud of the way I tied Nick's demeanor into many of the great characters in literature. Like those great characters, Nick is dissatisfied with his life, but cannot take responsibility for it, and instead spends all of his time lamenting how bad things are. Nick has no redeeming qualities. Finally, while I would exaggerate at times, I think I communicated well that Nick's physical appearance was vomit-inducing.
To give myself a challenge, Nick was intentionally very different from my own life. Nick is obsessed with alienation, especially from females. That is the furthest thing from my mind. I've been happily married for three years to my wife, Wendy, and we've known each other forever. We also have a beautiful two-year-old son named Edward.
Knobskobitis a Norfolk, Va., graduate student. And Nick would like to say, "April Fool,"
Addies, Johnson County and editors in your face
Andy Obermuelter
andyo@kansan.com
I have subverted the most basic duty of an editorial staff member. I am not proud of myself. You often hear that the first step in confronting a problem is to admit it. So here goes: I actually like the addies this semester.
Many of you out in Kansan-
land may be unaware that there is an age-old feud between the advertising staff and the editorial staff. It's a standard battle at most newspapers. The rift goes something like this: the addies think that advertising is the most important thing in the paper. And to be fair, they are correct. Ads pay for the lion's share of each issue.
think that no one would read the damn ads if it was not for the paper's insightful reporting and flawless writing. And to be fair, they are correct too.
alnooyo @ alnanoan.com
Ergo, it's not difficult to hate the ad staff if you are a newsie. They roll in to the office whenever and serve something called an office hour. This means they talk about where they went out the night before and perhaps pick up the phone if it happens to ring, which it doesn't. Maybe they call a client and grovel for a sale, but probably not. Depends on the weather. Depends on their mood. It depends on hung over the particular addie is. Life is easy when you're an addie. That's why we hate them.
Life in the newsroom is a far cry, from life in the ad side. For instance, reporters couldn't stay for just an hour if they tried. It's impossible to leave the newsroom once you have arrived. Newsies
So where's the problem?
Simple: money and time
And come to think of it, I got 18 in yesterday.
Addies are guaranteed cushy jobs with hefty paychecks for working from oh, say, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with two hours allocated for lunch and nine holes guaranteed before dark. Newies are locked into a life of cruel penury, late nights, and on top of all that, they have to deal with copy editors, whose sole purpose in life is to tell you (with zeal) that you are wrong. And let's be honest, who wouldn't rather take a client to lunch than sit at a city commission meeting for five hours?
Obermuller is a Liberal, Kan., senior in journalism and Opinion Page co-editor.
The real reason I think addie-newsie tension is reduced is the overall Johnson-County quotient in the newsroom. But this semester, Editor Lindsey Henry and Co-Managing Editor Dave "In-Your-Face" Morantz both hall from Abercrombieville. Addies typically have strong ties to JoCo, and embody the Johnson County stereotype. Even here at the University of Shawne Mission, that's still distasteful. But the problem is that newsies tend to love their editors. This semester, we are forced to love two Johnson Countians and accept their strange ways despite ourselves. And because it's inherent in Johnson County culture that you work from oh, say 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with two hours allocated for lunch and nine holes guaranteed before dark, we have lots fewer reasons to hate the addies.
have deadlines to meet, not just a sales quota. If addies don't meet their quota, then they don't get paid as much. But if a newsie (most of whom not only don't get paid but must pay tuition to work on staff) misses deadline, he gets managing editor Dave Morantz in his face, and no one wants that. And when a newsie finally gets to leave the newsroom after tracking down sources, writing a story and subjecting himself to a hard-nosed campus editor's perusal of his work and mangling of his words, some nit-picky copy editor calls to ask if she can change the lead. The only call an adie heeds after 5 p.m. is last call at some Adie hangout.
Yet despite all of these completely justifiable reasons for animosity toward addicts, I can't help but like the ad staff this semester. They seem to be fine people who do a good job. The opinion page, which is the first to get axed when ads are thin and the paper is small, has never been cut.
This semester, the addies visit the newsroom and smile and ask us how we are doing. They appear genuine, and believe me, "genuine addie" is an oxymoron of unprecedented humor. Some addies actually know some newsies' names. I don't know any of the addie's names. They actually have shared food with us this semester. It's like a weird Twilight Zone episode. An addie actually hugged me when we saw each other after spring break. I didn't know what to do.
Feedback
Rock Chalk didn't threaten speech
William Q. Martin and Philip Ridenour are deeply confused about free speech rights (Feedback, March 30). They think a demonstration criticizing a Rock Chalk skit violates the performer's rights. By that reasoning, their own letters would violate the demonstrators' rights. Fortunately, no one's rights have been violated. No one has been prevented from adding to the delightful cacophony of this campus. Criticizing the content of someone's speech, as
Martin is wrong to construe aggressive counter-speech as chilling free speech, because
the demonstrators did, is not akin to suppressing free speech. Instead, it is the very soul of free speech, whose purpose it is to permit controversy and dissension in the hone that truth will emerge.
More expansive free speech claims might preclude antispeech actions by powerful non-governmental groups. But even if the demonstrators were such a group, non-slanderous counter-speech is never precluded — not even verbal attacks that shame and embarrass the speaker.
the risk of being criticized and feeling bad about it is innate to public speaking. What's more, shame and embarrassment are natural consequences of making statements perceived as stupid or reprehensible. It is perfectly legitimate to say that arguably racist speech is racist, which is just what the demonstrators did. The ensuing dialogue is exactly what free speech is all about.
David Burress Research Economist, Institute for Public Policy and Business Research, Treasurer, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri