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Wednesday, October 5,1977
University Daily Kansan
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN-
Comment
Unigned editors represent the opinion of the Kannan editorial staff. Signed columns represent only the views of the writers.
Leben's views right
The party was short-lived for Steve Leben, student body president. His smooth-sailing administration ran into churning waters last week when Bert Nunley resigned as chairman of the sports committee and as a member of a batch of other committees.
member of a board. And, if rumors are to be believed, more resignations by committee chairmen may be in the offing. Nunley said he stepped aside because he was chagrined to see the Senate dominated by the "orations" of one man: Leben. The other disgruntled senators are said to have the same sentiments.
are said to be the The political infighting is regrettable. The Senate would function better as a cohesive unit.
BUT REGRETTABLE or not, some shake-up was inevitable after Nunley was embroiled recently in a conflict-of-interest dispute.
The scenario is familiar by now: Nunley was a student representative on the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation while also holding a paid position with the athletic department. Leben cried conflict of interest, and the sports committee removed Nunley from his KUAC seat.
There was a basic disagreement. Leben saw potential neglect of students' interest on the KUAC. Nunley saw a misguided morality crusade. Neither would compromise, and when stubbornness meets obstinacy, something must give. In this case, it was Bert Nurley.
The fact of the matter is that Steve Leben was right. Because Nunley was unable to accept that fact, he did everyone a favor by stepping aside and airing his views.
stepping aside and are in the water. But Nunley's comments should not be brushed aside as sour grapes. If students feel repressed or ignored by their leaders, as Nunley says they do, there is room for concern — although it is perplexing that Nunley did not speak out before his resignation.
resume.
MORE LIKELY cause of the Senate's troubles, however, was offered at last week's meeting by Ralph Munyan, student body vice president. Munyan chided senators for concentrating more on the Senate's internal affairs than on student issues. Munyan's theme is similar to Nunley's: The Senate should devote less time to discussing itself and more time to helping students.
At this point, it would be unfortunate to see more resignations as a result of Nunley's unhappiness. Bert Nunley gave generously of his time to the Senate, and his resignation was an unfortunate but inevitable ending to an unpleasant altercation. Other senators would serve students better by voicing complaints on the floor of the Senate.
If Steve Leben has erred, it is only because he is too determined to help students. For student senators with similar goals, the wisest course is to work out internal problems, not to let them create dissension.
The 1978 crop of ambitious politicians should take warning from Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., to campaign for vice president.
Cheap shots dangerous politics
Philosophers and historians have often lamented that no one seems to learn from history. This human failure seemed particularly evident at a meeting of Western Kansas Democrats last Saturday night in Hays.
None of the speakers made formal announcements that they planned to run for political office. They were arrested and spoke like candidates.
State Sen. Joe Norvell, D-Hays, and State Sen. Bert Chaney, D-Hutchinson, both took several sharp shots at the officeholders they plan to unite with in a bid to disbaffly ignorant of the disadvantages this style of campaigning has had for Dole.
OF COURSE, like any political statement, its truth is a matter of opinion. For all most of us know, it could be an accurate assessment. But what makes it foolish is the fact that, outside of a handful of centenarians and economic historians the truth is that nobody, in Chaney), almost nobody knows what the economic policy of the McKinley era was.
Chaney, an unofficial gubernatorial candidate, scourged Gov. Robert Bennett, saying he was 'retaining the economic policy of the McKinley era.'
There are advantages to this
Immigration bill omits legal aliens
By KEM BALANI
N. Y. Times Features
So much exposure has been given in the news media in recent months to illegal aliens that legal aliens—specifically those seeking permanent residence status through the normal legal process—have virtually forgotten.
At present, there are hundreds of thousands of aliens who have entered the United States legally as nonimmigrants who have fulfilled their purpose in coming. Subsequently, they have decided to stay permanently and have applied for Naturalization and Naturalization adjustment of their status from nonresidents to residents. Most of these applicants have had to wait an unreasonably long time before they can be granted a green card, the document certifying permanent-resident status.
It is appalling that the proposed immigration bill Carter has submitted to Congress includes no concession whatsoever for legal nonresident aliens. It seems illogical and unfair that such a group is excluded from any wide-ranging program involving aliens.
IT IS APPALLING that the proposed immigration bill Carter has submitted to Congress and passed a legal alien status to those who have
lived continuously in the United States since Jan. 1, 1970, temporary legal alien status to those who entered this country between that date and Jan. 1, 1977, and deportation of illegal aliens who arrived after Jan. 1, 1977—includes no concession by Aliens for immigration. It seems logical and unfair that such a group be excluded from any wide-range program involving aliens.
Why hasn't President Carter said even a word about what to do with these large numbers of legal, documentated alienies. Why does he propose to bypass them and grant permanent-resident
status to illegal aliens? Where is his sense of justice?
Legal nonimmigrant aliens have spent a lot of time, money and effort retaining lawyers, helping them with their servings from employees for permanent residence. Or they have invested life savings in self-owned businesses to qualify for range-of-status to immigrants.
FOR MOST nonimmigrant aliens, the whole process of obtaining green cards is long, tedious, costly and exasperating. And the Carter bill, while suggesting strong measures to curb the flow of illegal aliens and imposing penalties on em-
players of illegal aliens does not propose any means to reform and speed up the green card process in part of immigration policy.
While immigration personnel say that they are overworked and underfunded and that their offices are understaffed, applicants for permanent residence endure long years of patient waiting, deferring appointments to their countries of origin and sometimes freezing career and business plans.
During this waiting, many have no peace of mind until an immigration official finally makes a decision. And if the decision is negative, the appeal process takes several more years.
WHEN THE President's bill comes up for debate in Congress, it should be amended to include a broad provision granting green cards to all nonresident U.S. citizens—simply as a first priority—before tackling the problem of illegal aliens.
Present gun laws effective
To the editor:
In response to Ross McIlvain's column, "Gun Control Marked by Pros and Sep. 15," which appeared on Sept. 15 as a bonus as he was one would think an economist should write.
One flaw in the first paragraph, however, should not be overlooked. Mellvain seemed to pick gun control randomly as something else to debate about. When the worth of a constitutional amendment is questioned, the causes and effects should be weighted on a scale of actual care and thought. The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms has been questioned for its worth by several ant gun groups.
The right to bear arms, one of the 10 amendments, is part of the Constitution, which was ratified because these amendments were included. As individuals, we should the freedom given to us resides in the government or with the people.
McLivain also said limited gun control is unfortunately necessary. Limited gun control is what is in effect right now, but it couldn't be brought through a federally licensed firearms dealer, a record is kept of the sale, the buyer, the type of firearm bought and its serial number. These records are maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Law enforcement agencies can see them upon request. Several states, cities and national parks have laws restricting the transportation of firearms to control we have now is working for the people and the government. Let's keep this unparalleled balance of justice equal.
Leawood freshman
Carl. D. Joyce
Legal nonresident aliens have shown their sincerity and faith in the American system by obtaining the consent of law in obtaining permanent residence. The plan must, therefore, first grant permanent-resident status to legal documented aliens who do not grants any form of amnesty to illegal, undocumented aliens.
As a member of the coop who has put time, money and energy into making the store work, I feel that it is our store. This is reflected in my decor. I see certain things we are careful about. I know that Chuck and the three other members of the work collective are committed to this ideal.
Cooperative not one man's
more than a store that sells foods unavailable elsewhere. It is cooperative community center involved in and to feel a part of.
According to the story, "Magerl alert it was possible to save on food bills by shopping at a local grocery store," a member of the Community Mercantile work collective. I know and respect Chuck enough to believe that he did not create the impression that it was 'his' store.
One reason I am a member of the coop is because it is a cooperative. The Community Mecantile provides an alternative to the agribusiness-oriented food-for-profit system under which most Americans get their chemical-laced foods.
writing about politics is interesting and it sells newspapers in the hands of political cartoonists, not news reporters.
Barry M. Shalinsky Lawrence law student
Once journalists form this sort of personal stereotype, it's hard to break. It tends to make them ignore the serious things a politician is trying to say or any changes in style and policy.
Kem Balani, a former business-news reporter for the Manila Times, runs a New York importer for a clothing import.
To the editor:
The Community Mercantile is
I am glad to see the Kansas coming down from the hill and getting into the community. However, I feel that Kevin Klaus' feature story about the Community Mercantile creates some mistaken impressions that need to be corrected.
Ross McIlvain
Editorial Writer
If Chaney and Norvell don't want to acquire the same type of potshot gunlinger image that plagued Dole in his vice presidential campaign, they should try to concentrate on the threat of making personal attacks on their opponents.
shake it. Dole's sarcastic remarks early in his 1976 campaign earned him a reputation as a verbal gun-slinger, and the press continued to think and write of him in that he found down his surcoast to soften negative public reaction.
MOST PEOPLE like to form simple characterizations of public figures to make it easier to think about them, and journalists are no exception. They characterized former President Gerald Ford as a guy who played too much video without a helmet in an intoxicated and had trouble opening doors.
style of politicking. If no one knows what you are talking about, no one can disagree. But it is important to the statement meaningless.
Not only is it in their best interests, but it would make the 1978 campaign a lot more informative and rational.
Norvell, an unofficial candidate for the first district representative, chimed in by calling Reep. Keith Sebelius, R-Kan, "a tilda rabbit in the hall of Congress."
Chaney went on to say that Sebelius' greatest distinction in Washington is that he occupies a seat.
THE EVENT was a political coming-out party for Norvell at which prominent Democrats
They characterized President Jimmy Carter as a peanut butter man. He invovies this side of a baby grand piano. This form of thinking and
The Democratic fund-raising dinner was attended by about 200 paying guests. The very partisan nature of the audiences at such opportunities often makes these speakers potshots at politicians of the other party just to please the crowd.
praised him and urged him to run against Sebelius.
sut Chaney and Norvell should remember that hard-core partisans aren't their only audience. The press also attends these meetings and the public reads about them. If they want to make a good impression on Kansai residents, they may have any public cheap shots, even if cheap shots please their immediate live audiences.
If they make the wrong impression early in their campaigns, they may not be able to
"A SENATE FILIBUSTER! OH,HO,HO! NOW THAT'S A NEW ONE!"
Bert. your swan song's old hat
Bert Nunley has resigned as Student Senate Sports Committee chairman and as a member of the recreation ad hoc advisory committee, the athletic seating board, the recreation advisory board and several subcommittees.
Too bad, Bert. We'll really miss your crush against Steve Leben, student body president.
BERT, THEO conflict-of-interest problems really did exist. No one needs an inner circle of "big-shot professional politicians" in the Senate to point out that it isn't right to work for the KU athletic department while serving on the board of the
Imagine our consternation to learn that your conflict-of-interest problems were all our fault. But the disbelief at your unsubstantiated accusation that a recent proposal to change Senate fund-raising was a ploy Leben to allow funding for KU Gay services.
John Mueller
Editorial Writer
University of Kansas Athletic Corporation (KUAC).
The athletic department pays you $200 a month. It won't do to say that students don't matter in affecting KUAC policy. Students' power in KUAC already is on the board, prompting your vote on the board amounted to selling on the Senate.
That's why the sports committee removed you from the KUAC seat, Bert. You say that "without Leben, I would not have been removed. It would have been something that would have sputtered and died had not Leben been so active in the game." If so, Leben deserves to be congratulated. Even though he wasn't on the committee that voted to oust you, if he alone actually engineered the ouster his political instincts are in the right place.
IF YOU HONESTLY believe that Leben has friends who are trying to hoodwink the Senate, please be specific. If you really have evidence that the Senate is being poorly managed, please give examples. But don't give examples that are not meaningful than with you disillusioned with other student politicians; political differences aren't the same thing as mismanagement.
Student body presidents are anything but perfect. Maybe Leben did pull some fast ones that we don't know about. But why did you make that charge about how the Senate funding bill was Leben's attempt to fund the KU Gay Services? All that the bill does is to give students the way the University registers and recognizes student groupso that ask for student activity funds.
Nothing in that bill would have forced the Senate to fund the gays. The bill just passed. The bill would have heard funding requests from
groups now denied the right to make those requests. Young Democrats, College Republicans and Hiliei, a religious阵营, are able to fund funding any more than the gays are.
OR MAYBE you're trying to tell us that the bill was Leben's Machiavellian plot to fund the College Republicans. Regardless of what Leben's intentions were, it would have helped Bert, it would have helped the Republicans as much as it would have helped the gays.
There's one thing about the bill that's hard to understand. The Senate rejected it. Lieben's inner circle says why can't the man behind it why can't it pass worthwhile legislation like the funding bill?
Your swan song attack on the Senate seems eerily familiar. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that another Bert attacked another Senate for investigators whose accusers and then resigning wasn't invented yesterday, you know.
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- FIRST OF ALL...YOU NEED TO SET UP A DEPARTMENT OF PAPERWORK...*
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Jerry Seed
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