UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, May 3, 1994
5A
Gist-McDaniel campaign never used mudslinging
On April 28th, Dave Stras wrote a column pertaining to Student Senate election that contained so many fallacies about the recent Gist-McDaniel campaign that it was impossible for us to ignore them. Furthermore, Stras displayed a disturbingly high lack of understanding as to why we have democratic choices and what the purpose of an election is.
First, the Gist-McDaniel campaign never spoke of, or believed that there is, some sort of Greek conspiracy. Nor did Gist-McDaniel ever believe or say that the Greeks forced their members into voting for each other. Second, the Gist-McDaniel campaign never engaged in mudsliding. In fact, we never once fouled speak of our opponents or their characters. And finally, the Gist-McDaniel platform did not consist of a pro-alcohol or anti-greek message. We advocated student rights, such as the right to drink on the Hill and the need for more independent representation in Student Senate.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
If we listened to Stras's logic on how elections were supposed to "unify the campus around a single coalition or campaign," only one coalition would ever run — so as not to divide the campus. Democratic elections serve the purpose of sorting through he competition of ideas, not the purpose of unifying everyone on train of thought as Stras suggests. It is after the election in which the campus needs to be united behind our elected members, but not necessarily behind all of their issue stances. And in that spirit, we fully wish Sherman Reeves and the New Student Senate our best in the year to come.
William Gist Leawood junior
Lack of classes at issue, not reporting mistake
1 am responding to the issue of Native-American Studies addressed by Victor Papanek in the April 27, 1994, issue of the Kansan.
I am not concerned with Roberta Johnson reporting an incorrect number of classes at KU as Mr.
Papanek so eloquently stated. However, I am concerned that there are not enough of these classes offered, and I commend Johnson for pointing this out.
Why do we need these classes? I have a perfect example for you. In my psychology class last semester, a student asked the question, "Aren't all Indians the same?" This is an example of the ignorance concerning Native-American cultures and issues that exist on this campus. We need these classes to educate our fellow students. This comment is one step away from the grade-school mentality of students asking, "Don't all Indians live in tepes?"
I also have a suggestion for offering these classes. How about if the University obtains Native Americans for teachers? What a unique concept. I am being sarcastic, but I am so disappointed in the Native-American classes I have taken here at KU being taught by "book-knowledgeable" instructors when we have such a resource at Haskell Indian Nations University. I even had an instructor have a student bring summer vacation pictures of the Southwest for the class to view when the Southwest is one of the highest-represented of the more than 140 tribes at Haskell.
So thank you Mr. Papanek for teaching your class, but how about a little support for efforts to bring 40 or 140 more courses with a Native-American perspective here to KU?
Haskell has classes such as Contemporary Issues of Native Americans, Indian Law and Legislation and Chemical Dependencies of Native Americans that would knock your socks off. These classes are taught by instructors who know their stuff. They are not only teaching the history of Native Americans but the current issues of today. If the students at the University of Kansas were able to have access to this type of curriculum, we would create a cultural sensitivity to Native-American issues that does not exist today.
Dorothy D. Stites Lawrence junior
Rude KU info operator needs attitude check
facts for a history paper, a friend of mine suggested I call KU Info. I was reluctant at first, but since it appeared that I had nowhere else to turn, I decided to give it try.
Recently, on a Sunday evening while I was trying to check some
After I hung up on the operator, my friend informed me that it was not KU Info's job to give out information for papers. Now I realize that maybe I overstepped my bounds in calling KU Info, but it was not explained to me in the beginning when I told the operator that the information was for a paper that it was not KU Info's policy to give out information for that purpose. I did not appreciate the rudeness of the operator. KU Info needs to review the attitudes of its operators and to make its policies more clear to the students.
I called the number and wated patiently for an answer. When the operator answered, I began asking my first of three questions. The first two seemed to go OK, I felt bad that I was wasting his time. But when I asked the third question, I was met with sudden rudeness. The operator informed me in a rude manner that if this was for a paper that I should find my own sources.
I would like to thank Denise Neil and the Kansan for the April 29 article, "Campaign Gayhawk," which mentioned a scholarship fund intended to support gay, lesbian and bisexual students. I would like to correct one important misconception in the article, however.
LesBiGay scholarships will not discriminate
The criteria for receipt of a scholarship will not include being gay, lesbian or bisexual. The criteria are service to the lesbigay community, academic performance and financial need. While discrimination against the queer community continues, and it is tempting to practice reverse discrimination, we have designed the selection process so that sexual orientation is not a requirement.
Brett Deacon Crystal Lake, Ill., sophomore
While in all likelihood recipients of the scholarship will be lesbian, gay or bisexual students, straight students who have been active in service to the lesbiag community—and there are some—will be eligible
I also would like to thank Paul Lim, who responded to the article with a generous contribution.
and will receive consideration from the selection committee, which is intentionally diverse.
This is in response to Alisha Arora's article 'Jeans day - biased students' and any other form of prejudice, yes PREJUDICE, against those who do not fully support gay and lesbian activities. I love all people and hold nothing against anyone whether they are homosexual, Black, white, retarded or whatever. They are all God's children, and he loves them equally. To Fred Phelps: God loves homosexuals; he just doesn't love what they do.
Luggage Chairs
Chair, Gay and Non-Academic and Staff Advantage
Chair, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Column disagreeable, but reader not prejudiced
I do not subscribe to hate and neither does God. But I do believe that homosexuality is morally wrong. And I have the right to believe this and not be persecuted for it. Many, like Arora, would say that I am "narrow-minded" and full of homophobia. NO! I allow them to believe what they want and expect the same in return. It seems to me that they won't be satisfied until we all declare that what they are doing is wonderful and that we want to hear all about it.
As for "jeans day," you bet I'm going to wear something else. I do not support homosexuality. And I think it is a misrepresentation to tell me to "wear jeans if I am gay" and then say that I must hate you because I am wearing shorts. I don't hate you. I'm just not gay. Is that OK? I know that the point is to make us all wonder who's gay. But if you really want to see how many people are gay, why not have a "wear-a-purple-scarf-if you're-gay" day? If you want a "wear jeans-if you-think-that-homosexuales-are-people-too" day, I would be more than happy to wear jeans. I'll wear two pairs. I don't hate you, but please don't hate me because I believe that homosexuality is wrong.
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