Tuesday, October 22,1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5
Letters to the editor
'Dutchman,' class thinkers
(Continued from page 4) was easy to understand why Ed has so much sympathetic insight into the white-Negro problem.
As if to give us some insight into why Ed thinks the UDK is subjective and anti-intellectual, Dan McCarthy, an assistant instructor of journalism, had a nice little letter about cheering. Dan's worried about KU's football image and some students who are velling "Give 'em hell!"
Well, shut my mouth, I never knew people would say that in public. Worse yet it seems, some kids are yelling, "Kill, Vernon, kill!"
“It’s sickness and moral decay,” said Dan. You people really don't want Vernon to kill, do you. Then hear what Dan has to say and quit yelling such disgraceful things. Finally, Dan says that we should have some relevant cheers “proper cheer words” to replace all those sick and nasty old cheers. How about “We're beautiful, blue, and we're not here to intimidate, maim or beat you; we're just the beautiful blue, nice clean-cut guys.” That should make Dan McCarthy and mother proud.
Howard Hruby Graduate student in psychology
To the Editor:
I have just returned from a movie which, judging from the reaction of its nine o'clock viewers, should have won an award for best comedy of the year. Probably it did not because all of its elements did not jive with the common conception of comedy. The appearance of blood always seems to produce gasps and it did so especially in 'Dutchman' because the audience was slightly jarred from their humorous outlook on the destruction of the black race.
As the audience quieted, I began to think that these people had awakened to the idea that perhaps, after all, they had been laughing at something which was not funny. But as Lulu calmly scratched another black off her long list of black victims and approached the man next in line,
the audience returned to their former state of hooting.
Presumably the laughter was caused by a lack of insight. Do you people always laugh at situations which you do not comprehend? I remember you laughed in 'The Incident' and undoubtedly you will continue to laugh—unless you shut up and listen and attempt to understand.
At least in doing this you will allow other people, who are not so up tight for laughs, to hear the reality that Leroi Jones and others have to tell.
Cat Stiles
Overland Park sophomore P.S. Were you blacks laughing?
To the Editor:
Seems I have managed to get at least one "thinker" in almost every class this fall. Have also generally managed to get at least one New Leftist. (Not necessarily mutually exclusive, only tendency.) So I manage to get at least a little genuine insight mixed with much noise about system ills.
Being a rational anarchist myself, cannot quite perceive how mass movement can really be anarchic-disruptive, yes; anarchic? Probably my own fault, not very bright in such matters. Avoid politics personally because cannot understand how ends can justify means; seems to me ends should be means. But I guess I'm just not bright enough to understand higher realms of ideology.
has to do with current problems. Been arrested, nearly sent to jail, for own silly mistakes; didn't make mistake again. (Made other mistakes, not same one twice.) Never seen an "irrelevant" book, either. Seen some that took twenty pages making point that knowledgeable author could have made more quickly. Seen some that made some (I thought) unjustifiable assumptions, with or without knowledge of assumptions. Seen lots I had to think about, but thought I was here to think so didn't matter.
Point is: can't see what system
Then looked around classroom and perceived difficulty. Roomful of computer memory banks (Beg paardon—creatures taking constant notes) instead of people thinking. Occasionally one would stop a minute and think. Granted is good idea to copy notes from blackboard. Not so sure is good idea to get shorthand copy of entire lecture. Thought purpose of text was to give background, permit on-spot inspection of faculty insight, possible questions, comments. (Side note: watched entire class, both sexes, copy rude joke into notes one day. Hope they laughed later; I laughed then, got nasty looks from class for rude outburst.)
Question: Is KU institution new degree mill, or still place to think? Just wondered, haven't noticed much thought lately. Haven't even seen frowns indicative of thought very often. Only frowns have been when I tossed
thought at prof. Wonder if student body resists thinking.
Wonder if this is system ill meant by fellow anarchists. Perhaps system they perceive, geared to allow student chance to think, has been presented original bad bottleneck: resistant recipient. If so, still cannot understand concern of fellow anarchists; real anarchist shouldn't care. Only reason I ask enlightenment is persistent random jingle-jangle has become annoying, behaves like radio-jamming interference in my conversation with professor. (I say "conversation" instead of other possible terms because when others fail to comprehend entire discussion, becomes two-way, hence conversation. Nor I suspect I am irrelevant; prof seems willing to pursue topic.)
Can't help wondering, is KU no longer place to think, merely place to copy and memorize, write and file reports? If so, I may just raise one hell of ruckus next few years. Try to make computer think, you can burn it out if not programmed to permit such. Getting null program so far, getting bored, have try new tricks.
Dave Cook Wichita sr.
Kentuckv Coal
FRANKPORT, Ky. (UPI) — Kentucky is the only state with two separate and distinct coal producing areas — the East Kentucky and West Kentucky fields which are 250 miles apart.