OPINION
October 8,1984
Page 4
The University Daily
KANSAN
The University Daily KANSAN
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
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DON KNOX
Editor
PAUL SEVART VINCE HESS Managing Editor Editorial Editor
DOUG GUNNINGHAM Campus Editor
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Manager Manager
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General Manager and News Adviser
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JOHN OBERZAN Sales and Marketing Adviser
World Series
So much for the glamour match-up
The Royals, who literally came alive in the second half of the season and won the American League West, dropped dead against the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers, a team of up-and-coming stars, had merely led their division, the A.L. East, from the first day of the season.
50 inches for the giant inch. The World Series confrontation that would have been of the greatest local interest will not occur. The Kansas City Royals will not play the Chicago Cubs.
An even more dramatic story, however, occurred in the National League East. Two doormats, the Cubs and the New York Mets, fought for first place, and the Cubs prevailed.
The Cubs, in winning their first championship of any kind since 1945 - except, possibly, first place in the hearts of devoted fans - featured new and old. New management shook up the team, but tradition in the form of day games at Wrigley Field remained.
Wrigley-Peterson, Tuesday, tragedy struck in the eyes of Cubs fans. Playoff-hardened stars like Steve Garvey and "Goose" Gossage led the San Diego Padres to victory.
Thus, the Padres, once known for their late owner, also the owner of McDonald's, will play the Detroit Tigers, owned by the founder of Domino's Pizza. Local fans might not eat up this series, but the two teams have proved themselves the best.
Telling both sides
Yes, Tom Crisp, our earlier stories on the "Fagbusters" T-shirts did not present the entire story.
Your half-page advertisement in Thursday's Kansan accurately said that our stories had, in fact, lacked Steve Imber's contentions that the anti-homosexual shirts were merely a parody and that the shirts were sold to illustrate the harassment many students feel about "Wear Blue Jeans If You're Gay Day."
But can this really be attributed to what you called the Kansan's biased, sensational reporting?
the Kansas did inquire, as you said you had, about the T-shirts.
The four reporters who worked on either some or all of the stories made more than 40 telephone calls to Imber. None were returned. In addition, the same reporters visited Imber's fraternity house four times to try to get his comments on the issue.
In all of the stories about the T-shirts, the Kansan included a statement that reporters had tried numerous times to reach Imber for comment.
And when Steve Imber did decide to talk public about the shirts — nine days after our first report — the Kansan's editors devoted nearly a fifth of the front page to reporting Imber's comments.
You also included in your advertisement a criticism about the reporter principally involved with these stories. His reporting, you said, was particularly misleading, biased and unprofessional.
The efforts by the reporter, John Hanna, have, in fact, been acknowledged twice this semester by his editors, partially for his dedication in reporting these stories and partially for his understanding that only Steve Imber can accurately tell Steve Imber's side of the story.
Abbie Hoffman
Two decades of sharp change have occurred from the Day of the Yippie to the Day of the Yuppie, but we are yet to be spared the vaccous rhetoric of Abbie Hoffman.
Hoffman was co-founder of the counterculture Youth International Party in the '60s -the radicals' radical.Time has mellowed Hoffman, but he still isn't mistaken for a young urban professional.
Hoffman went underground for almost seven years after he jumped bail on a cocaine charge in New York. He emerged, spent a year in jail, and is now on the lecture circuit.
circuit.
Anti-war activist Jack Weinberg coined the phrase, "Never trust anyone over 30." Hoffman repeated it so much that it often was attributed to him. For Hoffman, now 47, it has changed to: "Don't trust anyone under 30."
Just whom does Abbie Hoffman trust? Himself, of course At whatever age he happens to be.
The Seattle Times
The University Daily Kansan invites individuals and groups to submit guest columns. Columns should be typewritten and double-spaced and should not exceed 625 words. They should include the writer's name, address and phone number. Columns can be mailed or brought to the Kansan office, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject columns.
GUEST COLUMNS
Prophets of '60s seek profits of'80s
It was a scene that stretched credulity.
Sitting backstage in a warm-up room for the "Donahue" television show, Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman marked time.
Fifteen years ago, they were in the midst of the Chicago 7 trial — the conspiracy trial that stemmed from their involvement in the street disruptions during the 1968 Democratic convention. The trial made them the most famous radicals in America.
Everything changes. Today Rubin, 46, was sipping from a bottle of Perrier. He was the picture of a successful young businessman - clean-shaven, tailored sport coat, tie, gray slacks, tasseled loafers.
Across the room Hoffman, 47,
slumped in a leather chair. He was
bearded and tieless, in corduroy
pants and boots.
The two former competitors were launching a national tour. They plan to crissierse the United States, visit campuses, in town, halls and clubs.
Also backstage at "Donahue" was Don Epstein, the president of a New York firm called Greater Talent Network, Inc. Epstein is the agent for Rubin and Hoffman; his job is to get them as many bookings as he can. The fee for a Rubin-Hoffman appearance is $5,000 a night, plus expenses.
"We're just beginning the tour, and already I have 16 cities booked," Epstein said. "I'm confident that I can book as many cities as Jerry and Abbie are willing to work. If they're
The idea is to market the fact that Rubin and Hoffman have gone their separate ways. Rubin has become an entrepreneur, Hoffman still espouses many of the causes that he believed in as a '60s radic; thus, the premise for "The Vippie vs. the Yuppie" tour.
BOB
GREENE
Syndicated
Columnist
willing to do 100 appearances in the next year, I should have no problem lining 100 appearances up."
Hoffman said, "The colleges today are so boring and bland."
"And I disagree." Rubin said. "I tell college students that I promote the entrepreneurial ethic and working within the system. I tell the students that they should become
powerful businesspeople and take over the country with the money they earn."
Whatever the point is, Rubin and Hoffman have become business partners themselves. Their joint venture is the lecture tour, and they knew that their success on the road would depend, in large part, on how well they did on "Donahue." The show is perhaps the most beautiful of reaching consumers — and Rubin and Hoffman knew that if the sparks flew on television today, Epstein's booking job would be made much easier.
A visitor to the anteroom wandered: Did today's college students even remember Jerry and Abbie?
It was almost time for the show to begin. Out in the studio, a "Donahue" producer was talking to the audience.
"Do you remember the '60s here in Chicago?" she said. "How many remember what went on in Chicago in the '60s?" There were some hands raised, and a smattering of aplause.
The producer said, "You remember the Chicago 7 trial, right?"
Silence
Hoffman and Rubin were led to chairs that were placed on a riser.
"No?"
Microphones were pinned to their shirts.
The producer, reading from a card,
introduced the two to the audience,
and called them "two of the '60s'
wildest radicals and most entertaining activists."
At one point, Hoffman said, "If you scratch Jerry Rubin, you're going to be very hurt."
Phil Donahue appeared one minute before airtime. A floor manager counted down the final seconds, and the show began. Rubin and Hoffman did their best to disagree vehemently with each other 'and make the point that they were now on different sides of the political fence.
After some heated exchanges,
Donahue broke for a commercial.
Rubin craned his neck, as if looking,
for someone.
"Donny, how is it?" he called out.
The agent meshed his fingers together and held them up for Rubin to see.
"Interact more, Jerry," he said.
"Interact more."
The commercial ended. The house lights went back up. Donauze began his questions again. Rubin and Hoffman resumed their arguing. Coming soon to an auditorium near you.
Cartoon creations confront Disney
BULETIN: Disney cartoon characters have joined Disneyland workers in a strike.
Angel Walt Disney was reminiscing wistfully with a rerun of "Treasure Island" at home in heaven when he heard angry chanting outside. He threw back the curtains and flung them out as if to crowd of picketers on his neatly fluffed cloud. (Anything can happen in a column, folks.)
Mickey was carrying a sign that said, "HELL, no, we won't go." Minnie, Pluto, Donald Duck, Tinkerbell, Snow White, the four Union dwarfs and a horde of others followed in lock-step. Donald was leading Huey, Dewey and Loue in a spirited battle over "Bigger Buckes for Union Ducks."
cloud?" Disney said pointedly, cautiously sticking his head out the window.
'What are you doing on my
"You watch it, buster," Minnie
said, shaking a clenched paw. "We get a raise or we get violent. I'm one angry mouse, and I swing my ears to hurt."
"Lord, help me." Disney said. "I'm dead not 20 years and the store goes to hell. Why are you picking on MY cloud?"
Mickey planted his sign, folded one
arm across the top and talked cut of the side of his mouth. "You know, your influence could give us some pull up here. For example, a new, more generous studio to bid for our services. A few lightning bolts and anvils in the fresh tracks of certain stingy studio people. A cartoonist's gotta protect his offspring in tough times."
"So you're trying to twist my wings."
"If you want to think of it that way."
"I think of it that way. No can do."
"Dammit, it isn't fair! We want raises! We want Swiss cheese on white bread on silver platters!"
Dancehook shies his wing in Mickey's face. "Look, mouse, let's get a new things straight. Mickey Mouse does not say 'Dammit.'
Michev Mouse and friends enjoying happier times
Copyright MCMLXXXIII Walt Disney Productions
"I worked my tail off for 40 years producing good scripts and good animation and good entertainment that your kids could watch. That and keeping all you clowns sober at the same time. The least you and your superiors could do is follow my example.
"But nooooop! I created gentle stories of human emotion and gentile, humorous cartoons. But does anybody do that anymore? We need to teach our eggs and marmalads and flying orange Dodge Chargers and Gary Coleman.
"My generation had 'Gone With the Wind.' Of Human Bondage, Flying Down to Rio' and 'Casibanca.' this one gave us Cheech Chong and labor disputes and indole. Need I say more?"
"But, gosh. Mr. Disney. I have little mouse mouths to feed."
"I'll say. How many does Minnie know about?"
Snow White trembled for her large-eared lover and rolled a joint. She shouted, "I remain you in the Mouse Trap Message Pairor in Youngtown?"
Mickey hastily threw his hands over Minnie's ears. "I TOLD you never to bring that up in front of me," he said. "I've got palliary problems as it is."
"I hear rustling in the gutter. That you, Goofy?" ___
'Aw, gawrrrsh. How'dja guesh?'
'Eall off the wagon again, Goofy?'
"Gawrrrhr, Walt," said Goofy,
lying half-out of sight with his legs
slung over the curb. "You know the
Goof don't jush fall off nuthin' He
always jumps headirsh."
Disney threw up his wings and ground. "They forgot they ever revered me," he said. "My ideals are forgotten."
Pluto howled.
"I sacrifice my life for the my studio and show business, and what happens anyway" Takeover attempts, cranky actors, dirty movies, violent movies, loous movies, spilled labor up in arms on my front lawn and elsewhere. I've had enough."
Disney slammed the front door behind him. Mickey put down his sign and sighed. The mob dispersed.
"Gosh, Minnie," Mickey said. "I think we made Mr. Disney mad."
"Just wait'll we get home, Casanova. Now I'm REALLY one angry mouse."
Discussion, to be useful, requires opinions
Speaker's Corner in London's Hyde Park is an event as much as it is a place. Each Sunday morning, they have the opportunity to stand on their soapboxes and express their opinions to all those within hearing distance.
It is a rather colorful sight. Some speakers use placards, musical instruments or other attention-getting devices.
Some of the speakers' topics seem a bit far-fetched and some of their opinions are in direct conflict with my own, but I still respect their right to speak out and their willingness to take on the crowd with their opinions.
Opinions, whether they are positive or negative, show that a person has
Granted, some opinions are better left unspoken, given the shallowness of the thinking, but nevertheless, better that a person have a weak argument a time or two than go through life without opinions.
A person who has no opinions is often one who finds it easier to ignore their opinions.
Rather than having to read and think about what a candidate for office has to offer, that person would rather go with the polls, or the neighbor's opinion about who would be best for the position.
Another person, having an opinion.
MARGARET
SAFRANEK
Staff Columnist
might lack the courage or conviction to to stand by it.
any information about the topic at hand.
Someone of this persuasion does little to challenge others and does not contribute to the intellectual discussion. One needs to necessary to make a decision.
Not every topic requires an opinion; sometimes it may show more discipline to refrain from forming one, when a person lacks
Often, however, a person holds no opinion because too much mental fatigue has been set in place.
Yet, despite the effort and stress that is sometimes involved in forming them, opinions are not things that can be discarded.
The U.S. Constitution was founded only after much discussion; for hours and hours people expressed and fought for their opinions and beliefs
The opinions of Aristotle and Sophocles, of Sts. Thomas Aquinas and Augustine and even of Marx and Hitler have had an effect on the
from the earliest of times, when Eve had the opinion that Adam should taste of the tree of knowledge, opinions have shaped history.
Most opinions have much less influence.
However, opinions, along with facts, are essential components of any worthwhile discussion
Someone's opinions about the role religion should play in politics or about how the City Commission should vote on a communications area are not, for the most part, ones that will change the course of life.
Then, as in other discussions, some of our country's founders probably changed an opinion or two after a heated discussion with someone who was able to better support an opposing point of view.
Opinions have more basis for support when founded on facts Sometimes, facts separate the two
Factual information is not always necessary to come up with an opinion on a topic, nor is a favorable or unfavorable opinion necessary in every instance.
But if a person goes through life-thinking it easier to refrain from having opinions than to be challenged or what he thinks, he has missed out on a valuable part of life.
Opinions — ideas not necessarily based on a vast font of information — do more than add color to Hide Park.
A discussion without opinions would be no discussion at all.