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Opinion
Friday, September 15, 2000
For comments, contact Ben Embry or Emily Hughey at 864-4924 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com
Perspective
Perspective Politics butts into progress of medicine
Once again, science is rearing its ugly head in the realm of politics. And once again our valiant politicians in
Kansas are on the warpath to save us from immoral scientists and researchers. How sacrilegious those geneticists are to think they can take human cells and attempt to generate human organs. Obviously, there is no need for this expensive and risky research because we have a solid network of organ donation and are developing pharmaceutical options for those with Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries and damaged heart tissue.
If you can't recognize my sarcastic tone, I am disappointed with some politicians' choices not to support scientific standards and research. Unfortunately, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas is one of the politicians that wishes to block legislation supporting research on stem cells, or undifferentiated cells, based on moral issues. I do not comprehend the rationale behind attempting to cease research in what the National Institute of Health deems "treatments and possible cures" for chronic diseases ranging from diabetes to multiple sclerosis. What exactly are stem
you care? Every cell in our body has a function — cardiac muscle cells force blood through the arteries and veins in our bodies, epithelial cells cover our skin and protect us from the elements and neurons transmit messages from the brain to different areas of the body. Every specialized cell was at one point in our development a stem cell; DNA had not yet sent the commands to the cell delineating them into their future components. Stem cells are blank slates for nature or a geneticist to manipulate. Just take a minute to think of the medical potential: Human tissue can now be generated in a laboratory for those who are terminally ill. The extreme pain and suffering people go through could be averted if scientists are allowed to continue their research.
What exactly are stem cells, and why should
Corey Snyder
guest columnist
option@kansai.com
Current options for patients with serious diseases are limited to pharmacological treatments and organ donation. In the past twenty years, great strides have been made with drug development. Several studies on treating spinal cord injuries have shown promising results when the patient just takes a pill. Amazing as that is, a "cure" for spinal cord injuries and many other ailments is far from being a reality. Organ donation is an immediate fix to the problem, but donations have declined in the past few years. Nearly 60 people receive transplants each day, but another 16 people are added to the waiting list. It would seem reasonable that geneticists could lend a helping hand with stem cell research.
Conservative lawmakers such as Brownback have opposed the continuation of stem cell research for several ethical reasons. Many believe that because stem cells are essentially embryos, genetic research is being performed on human beings. Also, some stem cells have been obtained with consent from terminated pregnancies. This is the premise that strikes some people as immoral.
The National Institute for Health has gone to great lengths to prevent ethical controversy over the collection of stem cells for research. Under their regulations stem cells must first be pluripotent, which means that most of an organisms organs and tissues can develop from the cell not the whole organism. Even if the embryonic stem cells were transplanted into a woman's uterus, the cells would not develop into a fetus. Also, the cells must be collected with the consent of the woman terminating a pregnancy or when fertility donations are in excess.
As science continues to develop new ways to prolong life and alleviate pain, society must be ready to accept new and potentially revolutionary treatments. The shortsightedness of our nation's leaders in these manners is not only unfortunate for the progression of science but also tragic for those with hope of being cured of disease. Stopping stem cell research now denies thousands of people a second chance at living — is that moral?
Snyder is a Topeka senior in pre-physical therapy.
Steve Sack/TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Heard on the Hill
Why do you think the University keeps descending in U.S. News and World Report rankings?
"They care more about getting students money rather than giving them a sound education."
Casey Jones
Wambsgansn
Lakin senior
"Class size and some professors would rather be doing research than teaching." Jenny Smith Lawrence senior
"They are more worried about money then they are about their students." Matt Rappaport Minneapolis senior
"We are
"We are ranked one of the top party schools in the U.S. Maybe that's why top students are going somewhere else."
Matt Rice Kansas City, Mo., sophomore
Letters to the editor
Raising prices would be just another form of discrimination
I am writing in response to Cassio Furtado's editorial on the dress code at Flanigans ("International student affected by dress code," yesterday). I don't think that being from another country makes him any more impartial than any of the rest of us who come from places where Abercrombie and FUBU are not incredible status symbols.
I think that he totally disregards the differences in socioeconomic status between people when he states that the " easiest way to draw the line ... is to raise the price." Well, guess what, raising the price so that a select few can get in is still discriminatory, brand-name clothes or not.
Why raising the price is the easiest solution is beyond me. How about not being as judgemental of others' appearances? I don't think that Flanigans has any more of a right to a certain type of customer expectation.
Otherwise, he has to face the fact that he owns a social establishment and look beyond outer appearance. Give it a thought. Maybe it is just a matter of opening your mind a little bit by considering that this whole policy was in fact a bad idea in the first place.
It is a restaurant/bar, and most people go to these types of places. If Jack wants to have only certain-clothed people surround him, then he can invite those people to his house.
Carrie Gray Portland, Ore., senior
Congress members' suits, ties show respect, not superiority
I was first amused, then a bit distressed, by Rupali Limaye's recent column advocating a more casual style of dress for our nation's elected officials ("Power suits alienate politicans from voters," Monday). She writes that the wearing of "expensive power suits ... gives a somewhat descending impression" that somehow alienates the "common, everyday person." For starters, I'd wager that she hasn't shopping for men's suits recently, but if so, she'd know that you don't have to be Bill Gates to dress like a gentleman.
What she fails to realize is that by always wearing suits and ties, members of Congress and other leaders are showing respect for the important offices they hold. Ronald Reagan, for example, never once removed his suit coat in the Oval Office, so concerned was he to uphold the dignity of the presidency. The unfortunate trend towards casual dress suggests a slackening of reverence for the seriousness of one's job, whether in business, education, or in politics. It conveys an image of sloppiness, implying that a person doesn't hold his/her clients, students or constituents in a very high regard. Now that's condescending.
Too often we hear of our nation's leaders cheapening and disrespecting their offices with their bad behavior — we hardly need them addressing us wearing shorts and Hooters T-shirts.
John H. McCool Evansville, Ind., graduate student
Editorial Test scores not best measure
University should focus more on rewarding students for hard work.
A university should challenge every student who walks through its doors and wants to learn, both those who are already comfortable with academics and those who aren't. The University of Kansas 'push for National Merit Scholars excludes and ignores the students who are already at the University.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway has made recruitment of National Merit Scholars a priority since his arrival. Although it's wonderful to reward students who score well on standardized tests, the University should channel most of its resources into retaining students already enrolled, providing them with the best services and offering scholarship rewards to students who have worked hard.
Students who score well on tests are not necessarily the ones who go into the world and become pioneering scholars and thinkers. Sometimes, a different kind of student deserves encouragement.
The best interests of students as a whole aren't being served. Although the University set a record with its incoming class of 116 National Merit Scholars, there is more to a student body than its high school test scores.
Despite increasing numbers of merit scholars, U.S. News and World Report demoted the University in its national ranking of public universities.
Such a juxtaposition of rankings provokes the question why a chancellor would boast of 116 students' successes when more than 20,000 other students might not be getting the best education possible.
National Merit Scholars deserve to be rewarded and appreciated. So do the numerous other students who support themselves and manage to excel in their studies.
When the administration measures the vibrancy of the University based on the number of National Merit Scholars, it sends a powerful message to the rest of the students: The University cares more about collecting prestigious trophies than it does about creating better education for everyone.
Erin Adamson for the editorial board
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. Go to www.kansan.com to read more comments.
Do you have to buy your friends in order to go to The Hawk?
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There is 2.5 million square feet of concrete on the KU campus.
No one go live in Jefferson Commons. It's the biggest joke in the city.
Why do pizza places have specials for greeks and not non-greeks? Is it because the Greeks have to buy their friends so they need pizza at a good deal?
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Will all Phish-following hippies please stay away from Winfield this weekend?
Will the real person who let the dogs out please stand up?
People should not be wrestling in their boxers at 2:30 in the morning on school nights.
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I think FUBU clothing is racist.
Being white, what if I wear a shirt that said for whites, only whites?
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Eminem is a boy-band wannabe.
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To all the lead foots on campus, they're called parking lots, not drag strips.
I live off-campus, and I drink whenever I want. I have all my freedom.
When it comes to compliments, women are ravenous, blood-sucking monsters always wanting more.
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If you have any complaints about KU Info, just imageine life without it.
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As a child, I always listened to my grandpa tell stories about how he walked seven miles to school uphill both ways. Now that I'm at KU, I realize he must have gone to KU, too.
Pancakes. Ever think about that word? They're not cakes, really. They are cooked in a pan, but wouldn't it be better if they were called pan biscuits?
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