Opinion
Page 4 University Daily Kansan, September 4, 1981
Challenging the NCAA
The University of Kansas and five other Big Eight schools are busy playing chicken with the NCAA. As usual in major college athletics, finances—this time in the form of television income—are near the heart of the matter.
The schools are among a majority of 61 College Football Association members who voted Aug. 21 to ratify a four-year, $180 million television contract with NRC.
This cavalier move by the CFA, which includes most of the nation's big-time football programs, is meant as a message to the NCAA. The CFA schools believe that the four-year, $263.5 million TV contract the NCAA signed with ABC and CBS sells them short on income from the lucrative broadcasts. They also believe the NCAA is stingy in respecting individual schools' rights to negotiate in their own best interests.
The CFA contract guarantees participating schools $1 million and two NBC appearances over four years. The NCAA
makes no such claim, although it sincerely states that its contract would satisfy the monetary appetites of CFA members interested in the NBC offer.
The NCAA has responded to CFA prodding by reaffirming its policy of making schools that sign with CFA ineligible for NCAA television income and championship play.
Television money isn't all CFA schools are concerned about. The Big Eight executive officers are postponing final action on the CFA contract until the NCAA addresses issues of reorganization, voting procedures and structural changes.
But perhaps KU, especially, should refuse to bow under NCAA pressure. A guarantee of television appearances and $1 million is a comfort in the midst of annual athletic bid woes. And in spite of hopes to the contrary, KU may not even need to worry about missing out on championship play.
Red, white and blue exhibition filled with skillful propaganda
Described as a "plane delight" in a Sunday Kansas City Star headline, the 19th Annual Operation Handshake Air Show at Richardsburgh this past weekend was just plain disgusting.
What should have been a fun family outing for area residents was in actuality a finely planned, perfectly executed, display of military propagation and subtle psychological manipulation.
Instead of being entertained at the expense or Uncle Sump, as expected, the spectators at the show were the victims of a public relations scheme aimed at firing up that good ol' American fighting spirit that has seen us through more than 200 years of war.
As they wandered through the displays of bombers, fighters, helicopters and various military paraphernalia, the unsuspecting civilians were continually bombarded with a jet stream of propaganda from the public address system.
44 And now folks, I'd like to remind you that this
CORAL BEACH
show today is just for you." The announcer read the prepared text with a quite effective ad-lib quality. "These fine young American boys are going to show you the results of the United States military training programs. These men are part of the greatest fighting force in the world.
The announcer was partly right, it was quite a sight, 100 patroopers floating in the clear August sky above southern Jackson County. They covered many dandelion puffs in the summer breeze.
"Please direct your attention to the north end of the airfield, where you will see five troop transports approaching the landing strip. Transports drop from each of these planes as they pass over ground and stand as part of a mass troop parachute demonstration. Look at that. What an exhilarating sight!"
The crowd applauded the jumpsers and wideeyed children approached some of them on the ground for autographs. To the probable delight of the recruiters present, several young men throughout the crowd could be heard exclaiming, "That must be the life."
One mother spoke to what must have been the younger of her sons.
"Your brother has done that, you know," she said proudly. "You may be doing that something too. There aren't going to be any exemptions from the draft this time. We've even got an agreement with the Canadians so no one can take their responsibility this time.
"You boys better decide what branch you want to be in."
The young son, not more than 20, joked with his
daughters developing lifesigns and heartwarming
problems. They laughed at him.
all go into the Air Force together if their numbers ever came up.
The P.A. system came to life again, this time directing our attention to to the south end of the airfield.
"Ladies and gentlemen, approaching the reviewing stand for a spectacular fly by is an fighter. It was an aircraft identical to this that shot down the two Libyan planes recently."
Tens of thousands of heads turned; tens of thousands of voices obed and abhued; tens of thousands of hands came together in appreciative applause.
The announcer smiled. It was working, American middle class morality and mentality were alive and well and present at Richards-Gebaur that afternoon. Primed with Coca-Cola and hot dogs, the multitudes were ready for the full treatment.
"Look up folks, directly above the airstrip. Here comes Old Glory, riding down with one of our best paratroopers."
Scooping air with his chute, the lone jumper soared in circles above the landing target on the field. A stream of red smoke trailed brilliantly from his pack. Our national banner, attached to his cute's cords, fluttered as he continued his descent.
"We have dedicated today's show to the American flag, folks. The American flag that represents our great goals and ideals. Ladies and gentlemen, our national anthem."
All active duty and reserve military personnel snapped to attention. The solitary paratrooper landed perfectly on target, while the crowd stool stood in the recorded music blared from the speakers and smiled. Everyone realized at the same moment that they were privileged American citizens.
What they didn't realize was that they were being quite effectively defeated by psychological wielders.
The day's activities had convinced them that they should be more proud to be Americans than anything else and that the life of a U.S. serviceman was fun and glamorous.
But take away the glamour of an air show on a hometown base. Take away the cheering crowds and replace them with enemy snipers. Take away the pretty red smoke and replace it with blood; no more autographs for awe-struck four year olds, no more Coca-Cola. No more hot dogs
Not much of the fun and glamour would remain if the air show were converted to an air ride. But, no one was thinking of air raids, or even "men" dying in the mud and confusion of battle.
No, last Saturday, the sequestators at Richard-
Gebauer were filled with the wonder of the
northern American military, thanks to an intrud-
ing US military event. It was working.
The announcer spilled
KANSAN
It was obviously a success for the public affairs corps, judging from the number of sunburned, smiling faces leaving the base at the end of the day. The "we-area-the-greatest" propaganda appeared to have some truth in it, though. Even our communist adversaries, who historically been notorious for their mass brainwashings, couldn't have done a better job.
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Suicide no 'noble deed' for strikers
Romee and Juliet, Cleopatra, Israeli families within the fortress Masada, Monroe and Garland
There is something romantic and mystical about suicide.
Those who are left behind, alive, can never know the thoughts which promoted that final act.
know the thoughts which prompted that final act. It is at once the ultimate denial of self and the highest degree of selfishness in its repudiation of earthly life.
Left to our imaginations, suicide arouses a mixture of horror and attraction, the kind we mortals reserve for matters we cannot understand.
As such, it is easy to understand how many victims of suicide attain legendary status. By the death of a victim of suicide in discussing suicide, we make martyrs from men and women who died because they wanted to die.
It is easy to imagine Romeo and Juliet dying in one another's arms as a final "statement" of their love; in fact, according to Shakespeare, when they meet, they each believing the other already dead, to suicide.
Cleopatra made no heroic or sacrificial gesture in suicide. She simply could not face the humiliation she knew would follow her capture by the Romans.
Even at Masada, where hundreds of Israelis took their own lives rather than submit to Roman rule (glorified in last year's television miniseries "Masada"), the alleged heroism of Mustafa must be questioned. Who is to say with certainty that Masada was any different than Guanya?
The latest suicides to claim international attention, those of Irish Republican Army hunger strikers in Maze prison near Belfast, also have been the guide of heroism, even patriotism.
Beginning with Bobby Sands four months ago, 10 prisoners have starved themselves to death.
The hunger strike, with its ensuing deaths, was meant to pressure British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to grant political status and other concessions sought by IRA prisoners.
Facing criticism from throughout the world, the prime minister has refused any and all
concessions. According to recent news reports, many people bellied Thatcher has already made a decision.
Yet the hunger strike and the deaths are expected to continue.
Why? Not how long, but why?
Why? Not how long, but why?
What have these deaths accomplished?
As planned, there has been publicity, even a gutt of publicity in several days. But the
REBECCA CHANEY
audience soon will tire of such theatrical performances, and media coverage may be expected to dwindle as well.
Instead of yelling from the top of a building, "If you don't give me what I want, I'll jump," these trendy dieters, including American prisoners and Vietnam veterans, threaten a repeat performance of the Irish tragedies if they do not get their way.
Since the Irish hunger strikes began,
something of a situation seems to have become
something of a situation.
And the rest of us are supposed to feel guilty if perchance these strikers die for the sake of a war.
Perhaps the causes are indeed noble
But suicide is no noble deed. Socrates drank the hemlock not because he wished to gain public recognition, but because he believed in the power of death and had condemned him, however wrongly, to death.
Had Socrates' followers all decreed to slave themselves in protest of the sage's death, Plato's account of the old man's wisdom may never have been written.
Irish Republican dreams of a unified Ireland may one day be realized, but the IRA hunger strikers will not be the reason. If, as these men claim, they are being incarcerated because of their political ideology rather than murder, they ought to be spending their time in prison discouraging the violence that so taints the image of Irish Republicans and encouraging the support of all Irishmen, Catholic and Protestant, for one Ireland, united and at peace.
if these men are first and foremost murderers,
their dramatic suicides must be seen as a selfish
drama.
In any case, what happens to a cause, nobler or,
neither, that remains of its proponents are
dead bodies.
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Pot Shots
Car insurance is mandatory. health insur-
cance, financial necessity and life
insurance a priority.
But now a Florida insurance company has come up with a plan to bleed more money from the paranoid public. The Louisiana Insurance Rating Commission has approved two of the "anti-mugging" insurance, or offence rating, for Crime Insurance. (The first two weeks of the program should be hyphenated or else muggers probably be filing claims when victims hit back.)
The necessity of an anti-mugging policy is a sad commentary on our society.
Even worse is the potential for abuse and fraud by policyholders.
By paying a $37 annual premium, a policyholder could receive a maximum compensation of $1,000 for property loss, and $1,950 for income loss. The insurance company also throws in $50 for mental anguish and $15 a day for a maid or cook.
So for a small investment and a few brushes,
you can make a fantastic profit by getting a
corrupt client.
Your mugger-friend wouldn't be caught because you would be the only witness, and because you would be difficult to prove. So file the claim and accommodate benefits with your accommodating friend.
What are friends and insurance policies for, anyway?
Sexual equality has finally hit Flint Hall thanks to the miracle of Watsoniaon
Watsonization, you probably know is the process in which a building is torn apart from the inside on out. Ask any architecture about how they once held classes in Marvin.
Flint, too, is being torn up. But back to equality.
If seems that a couple of weeks ago, some vindictive construction workers removed the mold.
Some say that that's divine justice. After all, journalists students of the female persuasion
I knew equality would be a long road, but I had no idea it would have so many steps.
So now we're all on equal footing. We all have to climb an equal number of stairs to get to the third floor of Flint, where the remaining bathrooms are. Male and female
But time marches on. Construction workers also stole the whole second floor and the third, the fourth, and so on.
have been gripping for years that they had a raw deal. You see, they always had to go clear the second floor of Flint to use the women in the school as one of the male persuasion a definite advantage.
With the onset of fall, Lawrence is transformed by a massive influx of students. Along with an increase of bodies, noise and business, summer residents witness another change in their town: an increase of jerks on the road.
Lawrence seems to be a haven for obnoxious drivers. They can be seen everywhere, screeching and swerving down our roads like runaway bumper cars that have found a larger arcade. Zoom, screech, boom! Who said driving can't be fun?
It would be interesting to know what thoughts trickle through their pea-brains as
they cut off pedestrians or run bikes on the road. Surely jackrabbit starters or the gunning of motors must give them an incredible ability to lower down the road and booking their horns must be giddy fun. Probably they don't think about it too much—imbeciles rarely do.
What is so nice about our motorized turkeys in that pedestrians and cyclists can join in, they can be scared or injured. If you really want to get the spirit of motor games, you can wind updispleased.
It is difficult to think of how to respond to the vehicular hikings of Lawrence's nutty drivers. Usually my first thought is to look for a bat or a brick. But upon reconsideration, I find that the car is out of view. So I make a mental note of the license plate.
I'm sure we'll meet again.