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Tuesday, October 9, 1990/ University Daily Kansas
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Register to vote
Students should register to vote before Oct. 21 to have a say in who is elected to government
O ct. 21 is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election.
as students, we have a special interest in the outcome of the election. Issues such as education, excellence, education, social services, and property and sales taxes will be decided by the people we elect to serve as our representatives in the Legislature and as our governor.
Important issues are in the hands of the people whom we choose to represent us. But they cannot truly be our representatives unless we make the effort to vote.
In national offices, our representatives will decide how to resolve the budget crisis and what the continued role of the United States will be in the Persian Gulf crisis.
You can call if you would like to register. If you want to register in Lawnery, register at the Douglas Court Clerk's office at 11th and 12th St.
Massachusetts streets. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
To make registration even simpler, Associated Students of Kansas is sponsoring an election registration kick-off through Friday. You can pick up a registration card at tables in the Kansas Union and from ASK volunteers who will visit residence halls, scholarship halls and other living groups.
If you prefer to vote in your hometown elections, you must apply at your home county clerk's office for an absentee ballot in time for the ballot to reach you and be returned by mail to the county clerk's office by 7 p.m. election day. A friend or relative in your hometown can sign a request for an absentee ballot to be sent to Lawrence to help meet the Nov. 6 deadline for returning the ballot, said Dorothy Baldwin, Douglas County deputy clerk.
Kierstin Gabrielson for the editorial board
**wrestlers of the editorial board are Sarah Byli, Brett Brenner, Rich Cornell, Kiernan Gabielson, Sally Gibbs, Dav Harger, Stephen Kline, Julie Mettenbue, Mary Neubauer, Caroline Remnolds, Derek Schmidt, Carol B. Shinyen, Bryan Smith.**
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Get cartoon facts right
The editorial cartoon in Thursday's Kansan is, to say the least, woefully inaccurate. Black Student Union and Women's Student Unions, being financed organizations of Student Senate, are not allowed to discriminate on any grounds. People of any race, and either sex, may become members. Further, calling men football and women's volleyball discriminatory is a little bit silly and does not deserve further comment. This country's ROTC programs,however, are discriminatory in their awarding of scholarships and the commissioning of officers. The editors should ensure that all facts are accurate in all future editorial cartons.
Arian Maltby
Wetmore graduate student
and student senator
Eric Rabe
McPherson graduate student
and student senator
'Demands' not extreme
Ignorance, ignorance, ignorance.
The equal and civil rights movement exist these days because we are fighting ignorance.
One prime example of ignorance was last Monday's column "Demands Beget Discrimination" by Julie Mettenburg, news editor of the minority group. The column claimed minority groups are making "unreasonable demands."
How is it that she can make such accusations when only one "minority group" out of many had been consulted? The only "minority groups" she took student organizations — and she dismisses their goals as demands.
What are these "unreasonable demands?" We can only speak from a Hispanic perspective when we express our goals. Goals thit Ms. Mettenburg did not bother to inquire about the curriculum of his panfice faculty, Hispanic representation in the Office of Minority Affairs, stronger recruitment and retention programs, a more realistic curriculum that reflects the great contributions of Hispanics and that more steps be made available to minorities.
These are our goals, similar (yet)
unique) to those of the Black organizations, Ms. Mettenburg, and they need not be dismissed as "unreasonable" because they are merely based on "minority status."
There is nothing that fosters discrimination more than Ms. Mittenburg's suggestion of letting "the groups blur." Then the news editor calls her a "clever agent" and should "recognize diversity." How can one recognize diversity when it has been blurred. The term "blur" symbolizes obscurity and confusion. We will not let our identity and become part of one big "blur."
She continues with the idea to "celebrate unity." This concept seems to be selling the idea of assimilation and conformity into the England Euro-American culture. This outdated "melting pot" myth that we will all "melt" together is unsuccessful and false.
Ms. Mettenburg, wake up and take off your rose-colored glasses because we will not give up our diversity for your conformity.
Angela Cervantes
Kansas City, Mo., junior
Mary Brown
Kansas City, Kan., junior
Chris Alonzo Topeka junior
Star misinforms women
A front page story in the Kansas City Star on Sept. 28 left the clear impression that there was no medical treatment available that could prevent pregnancy as a result of rape. For asserting that there is such a treatment, and urging rape victims to promptly seek medical attention, gubernatorial candidate Jon Pimoney less seriously misinformed." An expert was quoted as saying that the "morning-after pill . . . was rejected more than a decade ago as ineffective and potentially dangerous."
I spoke with a nurse at Humana Hospital and contacted the Olathe Medical Center emergency room. I was informed that in both hospitals, as well as St. Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, a "morning-after pill" was available to rape victims. Furthermore, I spoke with a woman who has been abducted by four teenagers in Douglas County Rape Victim Support Service. She has personally assisted several rape victims who have been prescribed post-coital contraceptives to prevent pregnancy as a result of rape.
Suppose a woman read that article in the morning and was raped that night. Perhaps she would incorrectly
assume nothing could be done for her at the hospital, and consequently not go. Then if she got pregnant, and chose not to carry the rapist's child to term, she would have to endure the further trauma and violation of an abortion. On the other hand, suppose she had not read the article. Then, she might have promptly gone to the hospital, started the contraceptive pill, or switched to another for injuries, provided evidence to successfully prosecute the rapist, and been referred to a support group to help her deal with the experience.
The Star quoted experts that discredited Finney, and contrary to basic journalistic integrity, left them unchallenged by other experts who would have supported her. The result is misinformation to both voter and rape victims Finney is correct regarding the availability of post-election information on how to vote; this its political agenda of backing Governor Hayden counted more with the paper than correctly informing women of their medical choices.
Joe Gilman Lawrence resident
Stouffer residents upset
Students and their families living in Stouffer Place family student housing often have no other options when it comes to affordable housing. Many are single parents or foreign students who simply cannot afford to live anywhere but in low-rent student housing specified by the district. Stouffer Place apartments were built to provide affordable family student housing at KU.
Some of these apartments are in deplorable condition. Residents are constantly troubled with electrical, plumbing and leakage problems. One resident showed us a hole in the wall that has been there since January 1989.
"Some of the buildings have had to be reinforced with metal," due to structural decay of the brick work," maintenance worker and maintenance
It is not uncommon for the personal property of residents to be damaged as a result of these problems. The condition and age of these buildings raises questions regarding the safety of the apartments.
Neither the residents nor the Housing Department denies that renovation of these apartments is necessary. Plans have been drawn and approved that would involve gutting the buildings, repairing structural damage, replacing wiring and plumbing, adding central air and building new roofs. The Director of the Housing Department, Ken
Budget brinkmanship will hurt
Somewhere in a deserted office complex in Washington, D.C., the ringing of a telephone booth off the empty walls.
Brrr-ring. Brrr-ring. Click.
"Thank you for calling the United States government. I am sorry, but due to the lack of a federal budget, the government is closed until further notice. You may leave a message after the closing."
Saturday at midnight, the government began closing down nonessential services after President Bush vetoed spending legislation that would have allowed the government to continue operating normally.
Bryan Swan Staff columnist
For now, the shutdown is mostly symbolic. Highly visible tourist attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty and the Smithsonian Institution, were closed. Some less visible elements of the shutdown, such as the jobs of the average, non-essential federal workers, also were closed in coming days. The nation's nighttime air traffic could be grounded and cleanup of hazardous waste sites halted.
However, government services deemed essential, like defense and law enforcement, were not able to sweat themselves into heat exhaustion in Saudi Arabia. Various law enforcement agencies still will be able to "lose the war on drugs. Likewise, the U.S. Postal Service, although traditionally it is doffable anyone would notice a slowdown in
its services. Department of Agriculture meat inspectors also are still on the job. Pigs and poultry remain safe.
So exactly what is the purpose of this government shutdown?
Most everything the government does it seems essential, or else it would not be doing it. The government experienced three shutdowns in the 1980s and the republic did not crumble. In fact, those three shutdowns cost the government $216 million in back pay and related expenses. So much for controlling what happens in Washington, the purpose of this mostly symbolic shutdown is political.
Congressional elections will be held in November, and sensing the nation's distaste for all things political, the Bush administration is setting up the Democratic-controlled Congress to take the fall.
The Democrats, always mindful of their image as protectors of the middle and lower classes, had little choice but to rebel against their leadership's endorsement of the budget plan. For the Democratic Party, a crafted was acceptable. Bush had been forced to reverse his "no new taxes" pledge and abandon cutting the capital gains tax.
In exchange, the budget plan raised user taxes on cigarettes, gasoline and liquor, which would hit the lower classes the hardest, while it avoided raising taxes significantly for the wealthy.
However, Congress was in no mood for so politically explosive a compromise. It would be members of Congress that would have to go to war over the issues why taxes had been increased and government services curtailed. The wealthy lost a tax cut, but that knowledge would be of little comfort to the middle and masses hit hardest by the new taxes.
President Bush, like President Reagan before him, is a master at blaming Congress for the bad and accepting praise for the good. It doesn't matter to Republicans to get into position to reap the benefits of the electorate's frustration with the system. Bush is allowing the government to fold its tent for a few days, a mostly barren exercise, hoping to inturepreneurs by bringing the Democrats. Meanwhile, two million federal workers suffer.
After this fiasco, no one should be amazed at the extent our leaders will go just to score some political points. It would be humorous and ironic if President Bush's attempts to clean out Congress of Democratic opposition resulted in a Republican-controlled Congress that continued this wasteful fight with a Democratic White House.
Stoner, estimates that the cost of the renovations would be $350,000 for each of the 25 buildings.
Bryan Swan is a Topeka senior majoring in journalism.
The problem faced by the Housing Department is finding the necessary finances to get the project going. Stoner is committed to commencing the renovations this year. Although enough money has been set aside for building, finances for the remainder of the project must be secured soon.
The Housing Department has proposed a significant rent increase to pay for the renovations. The plan calls for rent increases on existing Stouffer Place apartments in two steps. Ultimately, by the beginning of the 1982-83 school year, rent for a one-bedroom apartment would rise from $195 to $265 per bedroom, rent would rise from $195 to $265 per month. Once renovated, rent would be $345 per month for a two-bedroom and $395 for a three-bedroom apartment in family student housing. One-bedroom apartments
would be eliminated by the proposed renovations.
If this plan is approved, assuming a renovation rate of two buildings per year, the renovations would be completed in the year 2008. Rent will even at the proposed amounts, would not cover the costs of the project.
If the proposed rent increases are approved, family student housing would no longer be affordable for many of the current residents. For those who could endure the rent increase, including those who are renting to go to Stuart Place, only a few will actually benefit from the renovations.
Stouffer Place residents are willing to work with the Housing Department to explore alternative means of financing.
It would be difficult, maybe impossible, for residents to develop viable alternative proposals without accurate knowledge provided by the University. Expect
sugent a rent negotiation committee to effectively contribute to the decision-making process without answering their relevant and penetrating questions is grossly unfair. Residents would like to see the disparity in power between the Housing Department and themselves eliminated.
Throughout the negotiation process, the goal of providing affordable family student housing at KU must be in the forefront. The following residents and concerned individuals are willing to listen to alternatives proposed by the Housing Department with an open mind. In return, we sincerely ask for similar consideration of our ideas and proposals.
David Harger, John F. Petrin, Dario Kevin, Goodwin Kennistin, Christopher Wilhelm Mellisa Graaton, Kevin Bingham Melissa Grafton, Lorenzo Fauci, and Hailee Tauro
for the residents of Stouffer Place
KANSAN STAFF
DEREK SCHMIDT
Editor
KJERSTIN GABRIELSON
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
News Julie Mettentburg
Editorial Mary Neubauer
Planning Pam Solner
Campus Holly Lawton
Sports Brent Mayock
Features Brent Mayock
Features Stacy Smith
Editors
Campus sales mgr.   Christo Dool
Regional sales mgr.   Jackie Schmatzman
National sales mgr.    David Price
Debbie Debecker
Production mgr.    Missy Miller
Production assistant.   Jake Auland
Marketing director.  Audit
Directions.     Gail Eibinder
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Home Remedies
SO I'M NOT TOTALLY
BLIND or BUT THAT'S
NOT THE REASON
I RRETHOUGH ASKING
HER OUT.
By Tom Michaud