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Opinion
Wednesday, November 29, 2000
For comments, contact Ben Voosen Embry or Emily Hughey at 864-4924 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com
Editorial board: Election provides true test for democracy
Election 2000 debacle teaches valuable lesson
The rest of the world must find our electoral mess an amusing predicament. After all, for years we've lectured the world on how to run
a real democracy, and it now seems as if we're failing in that endeavor. It would be more than amusing if this were true. It would be frightening if we were losing our grasp on the democratic process, but we are not.
This mess in Florida is democracy in action, like it or not. Under the circumstances, this event has been good for the country.
First, more than ever, voting actually mattered in this election — in Florida and elsewhere. If a few thousand Gore or Bush voters turned out in certain states, this election would be completed, and the Florida question would be moot.
Second, the election has raised important constitutional issues regarding the relevancy of the Electoral College in a modern democracy and has provided a rare opportunity to examine and improve our voting practices.
But perhaps, most importantly, is the ongoing civics lesson of the presidential election. Every newspaper, radio station and television station across the country is providing in-depth coverage and analysis of each day's events. As a result, the public is becoming more actively engaged in the political process and intimately familiar with how government works.
However, some voters claim they are more disgusted with politics now, and they won't vote again. Why? Is it because it was a close race, because both sides are fighting for the presidency? If some people cower away from the voting booth in the future, that is a shame, but nothing is stopping them from voting. In the meantime, it's crucial that the contest go on so those who chose to vote will have their vote actually counted.
We are working toward resolving the conflict in a democratic way. In a truly unstable democracy, the streets of Florida would be surging with violent mobs and soldiers would be dispatched, not lawyers. The lawyers will fight to balance the will of the people as expressed on the ballots with the rule of law that upholds our democratic institutions.
In the end, we will have a president who will experience a bloodless transition of power. Let both
sides fight it out in a court of law, and watch the system at work.
Editorial: Vehement Florida dispute sets poor precedent
Brett Watson for the editorial board
Electoral turmoil mars American democracy
As the soap opera known as Election 2000 sputters to the finish line, many questions, lawsuits and complaints still are lingering in the air, as well as fresh ones arising daily. A new chapter has been added to the history books, and this one puts ablem on
Whether the Florida situation is good for democracy is determined by whether it was fair and democratic. Clearly, the Florida recount was bad for democracy because it opened the doors to allow scrutiny and nit-picking in future elections. Is this the type of example we want to set for the young voters of the future?
A vote is supposed to support and symbolize the American principle of fair representation. Your ballot is your choice, and every vote counts. Sure, the margin of victory for Bush in Florida was razor thin, but what about Oregon and New Mexico? While the results in those states still aren't clear, it won't even matter who won those state's—all that mattered were Florida's electoral votes. What a great day to be a voter in Oregon or New Mexico, knowing that your vote is useless. You can blame the media or the system, but either way, the Florida recount rendered those states' votes impotent.
Another problem that enraged many voters was the controversy about whether overseas ballots were counted. What a slap in the face it must be to American servicemen whose votes wouldn't count in a recount because of a missing postmark. If they were counted, the around-the-clock analysis of dimples, chads, indenta-
So many parts of this election were supposed to appeal to America's youth, especially with the Internet, MTV appearances and col-
tions or drol marks was embarrassing and is not how an election is to be handled. It must make anyone in America wonder if his or her vote actually made it into the statistics.
youth appeal or initiate future voting? This can be a great learning experience for America. However, the nation and its leaders must learn from the Florida debacle.
lege visits. Is this sloppy democratic procedure supposed to create
Ben Tatar, dissenting
Kansan staff not limited to journalism majors
Most people, it seems, want to be a columnist. Maybe it's the possibility of seeing your
As if most of you don't already have enough to do next semester, we're looking for more students to work on the Kansan, even if you're not a journalism major. The more diverse the staff, the better. Other college newspaper staffs get by with fewer people, but we like to think the Kansan provides opportunities for more students to get involved.
picture in the paper, even though you don't think it looks as good as you think you look. Although columnists get the chance to spout their thoughts to the campus, they run the risk that some readers will, to put it mildly, disagree. Just ask John McCool and Cassio Furtado about the letters to the editor and the Free for All comments.
Joining editorial board also means getting to share your opinions, but when someone disagrees, you've got ten or more other people to share the blame.
Erin R.
Barcomb
readers'
representative
readersepandx.xanan.com
Debating with fellow students is a bonus, if you like that kind of thing. Just expect to have Student Senate and University administration upset with you on a regular basis.
If people don't want to be a columnist, they usually want to be a sportswriter. After all, they seem as if they have the most fun. You get to watch sporting events from great seats, not to mention hanging out in the locker room. If you plan on writing a sports column, be careful what you say. As one of our former
sportswriters discovered, Dick Vitale does read the Kansan.
If you're more visual than verbal, you might give designing a try. This is for you artsy types. If you can draw, we love you. Some pages give you more creative freedom than others. You can't always be the artist you know you are, but learning how to distort people's faces in PhotoShop sure is fun.
Moviegoers and music-junkies should think about writing for Jayplay. Instead of writing academic term papers, you get to write about entertaining things. Food reviews (sometimes including beer) mean free food and drink. After all the sitting and eating, you might want to spend a few extra minutes on the treadmill, though.
Writing for special sections is a great way to get involved without a huge commitment. You only have deadlines a couple of times a semester. Since Sex on the Hill ran this semester, you're spared from interviewing students about sex toys and masturbation. Some of you, though, may feel as if you're missing out. There's always next fall.
Barcomb is a Wichita senior in journalism.
Applications for opinion staff, sportswriters, Jayplay writers, Kansan.com staff, special sections writers and designers are available today and tomorrow. Visit us at our table from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the fourth floor lobby in the Kansas Union.
We have people on the Kansan.com staff who aren't necessarily journalism people at all. If you know how to do cool stuff with Web sites, we want you here. Just be ready to work until 3 a.m., when everyone else has gone home.
Even if news isn't your thing, the Kansan has opportunities for involvement in a variety of areas.
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansan reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed. To read more, go to www.kansan.com.
There's a conspiracy in Lawrence concerning the prices at which the bookstore will buy back books.
The Free for All should not support smokers of marijuana.
Here's a good idea: ketchup and mustard in the same bottle.
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Why do they have braille at a drive-up ATM?
out before the housing hand-
books were distributed.
I'm sick of people complaining about the Sex on the Hill section. Find something new to complain about.
--out before the housing hand-
books were distributed.
Housing contracts were passed
out before the housing hand-
books were distributed.
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typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Why do girls at KU think it's sexy to wear red lipstick? Get a clue. It's ugly.
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All I want for Christmas is a girlfriend and world peace.
Ninety percent of accidents are caused by people, but 90 percent of people are caused by accidents.
Why does anyone complain about STDs? It's not like anyone is having sex.
Christmas is a time for giving, not getting.
--typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Hi, I'm a sorority girl, and let me tell you, the parties suck.
I heard if you fart, sneeze and burp at the same time, your heart will explode.
Where does all the cigarette ash in the world blow to?
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Why are instructions only printed in English, Spanish and French?
Does everyone who reads the instructions speak English, Spanish and French?
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Specific is a hard word to say.
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Those people deciding to masturbate in the showers at school halls should do so with more discretion. Thank you.
--typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
The Free for All message needs to be turned down.
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
If the residents of Lewis Hall feel that one hour of community service is too much, then move out. Others would gladly take your place.
I'm in a towel and locked out of my room.
□
If mean people suck, does that mean nice people blow?
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Is the truth considered slander?
Because if so, then I don't know how you could print anything about George W. Bush.
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Brown eyes are so much prettier than blue eyes.
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