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University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, Nov. 1; 1985
A tentative step
Students $ ^{+} $ do most of their talking about campus issues with the people they live with.
Therefore, the Student Senate bill that adds more seats to the Senate according to living groups will make it easier for the Senate to know what really concerns students.
The Senate passed a bill last month that would add four off-campus seats, including a nontraditional student seat, and one residence hall seat.
The action would add only five seats to the 66 now in the Senate. But, any increase in representation on the Senate is admirable, particularly if it also increases student interest in the work of their representatives.
It could. Students with complaints or recommendations about Student Senate now have to track down their representatives in the largely impersonal expanse of the various schools, or worse, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
But if the senator lived in the same hall, or better, on the same floor, he or she would be more easily accessible to the constituents.
The Board of Regents will ask the Kansas Legislature to put that money in reach by April, and the Legislature should agree.
The tentative step by the Senate to increase living group representation deserves at least tentative support. It's a good start toward addressing the apparent lack of student interest in its representative body.
Like Tantalus eyeing a grape, the University of Kansas sees more than $800,000 just out of its reach.
A tantalizing excess
By law, the excess belongs to the state. But KU could easily use this money to pay for more teachers, office staff and other support.
If KU cannot use the $330,000, it will be forced to shortchange its students. And just think of what the University could do with $900,000.
The problem: KU has taken in more money than it was authorized to spend in fiscal 1986. About $330,000 came from increased revenue from tuition and student fees generated by this year's record enrollment. The rest is carry-over from last year's budget.
The state's fiscal crisis, marked by projections of
But the universities themselves will have to trumpet their own worth more loudly. Like it or not, they may need to compete avidly with two-year colleges for state funds.
Kansas' fiscal crisis is tough on everyone, but KU should not be punished for growing. It deserves this money so it can continue to provide leadership for the state.
revenue shortfalls of $20 million or more, suggests that the excess revenue perhaps will be contested more than ever in the next legislative session. Recent Legislatures sometimes have approved additional money to KU and sometimes have not.
Kansas needs long-range thinking in the midst of immediate fiscal problems. A better economy promises the surest relief, and state universities can help to develop the economy if they have money for it.
Philippines worries
Washington is increasingly worried about growing unrest in the Philippines. And with good reason.
The Pentagon considers them vital to U.S. defense and the balance of power in the Pacific, especially in light of the Soviet buildup of its base at Cam Ranh Bai in Vietnam.
But revolution could occur sooner than that. Marcos is rumored to be ill. Some reports say he could die within six months.
President Ferdinand Marcos has cracked down on rising anti-government sentiment with more repression, fanning the flames of unrest. The Pentagon predicts that communist rebels could seize power within three to five years if current trends continue.
If communists take over, the United States stands to lose its two largest overseas military bases, Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base.
On the surface, the United States appears to have two choices in the Philippines: intervene militarily to prop up a falling dictator or bail out.
But there is an alternative. A strong democratic tradition — suppressed since 1972 when Marcos imposed martial law — continues in the United Nationalist Democratic Organization. The eight-party alliance won one-third of the seats in the National Assembly in 1984.
True reforms and a return to stability could result if the United States supports this democratic opposition and exerts pressure on Marcos to hold legitimate local and national elections in 1986 and 1987. Economic inequity and military brutality, not communist fervor, have swelled the rebels' ranks.
Vietnam, Cuba and Nicaragua have shown that the choice between an authoritarian dictator and a Marxist regime is no choice. They also have shown that it's impossible to dam a popular surge for reform.
But that surge for reform could be directed toward democracy if the Reagan administration acts now.
Rob Karwath
Editor
John Hanna Michael Totty
Managing editor Editorial editor
Lauretta McMillen
Campus editor
Susanne Shaw
General manager news adviser
Duncan Calhoun
Business manager
Brett McCabe
Retail sales
Sue Johnson
Campus sales
Megan Burke
National/Co-op sales
John Oberzan
Sales and marketing adviser
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Victor's simplicity
Once again Victor Goodpasture, voice of KU's right-wing community, has defiled the editorial page of the Kansei.
According to him, the clergy, Congress, the media and academia, as well as other "lef-wing" groups are Sovi apologist who also support a "communitist dictatorship" in Nicaragua. It takes many minds indeed to accept such accusations. Victor we have found that mind.
Is a government that is elected by its own people in internationally monitored, open elections a "communist dictatorship"?
But then Victor never mentions these countries in his fanatical ravings because they are U.S.
Is a nation with over 60 percent of its production economy in the private sector and that trusts its own citizens support enough to arm them against a possible U.S. invasion a "communist dictatorship?" I think not.
Could the U.S. backed right-wing military/oligarchy dictatorships of Guatemala, Chile or El Salvador be willing enough to arm them? No way.
It is fanatical zealots such as Victor, regardless of their economic orientation, that threaten democracy. Not tiny countries trying to improvise a new chance for their citizens.
The zealots can't see their actions and policies in terms of how they affect people, they only see "us" and "them," and we must rule at any cost.
So the neo-conservatives can continue to live in their sheltered, wealthy distorted world filled with their militaristic, happy thoughts of leading the world to their twisted ideas of democracy.
His pro-capitalist psychosis transcends any consideration for human beings. He only sees Soviet allies or U.S. allies, and anyone who isn't a U.S. ally must be eliminated. This is his puffful excuse for attempted democracy.
can be much more realistic and open-minded and deal with the realities that we've created rather than the illusions of fanatics.
allies. As long as they remain so, it doesn't bother Victor or his neo-conservative cronies that these governments practice the worst repression and human rights violations in our hemisphere.
They can also continue to call anyone who doesn't accept democracy on U.S. terms communist, but I hope the rest of them
Ron Stubbs Shawnee Mission senior
Narrow arguments
The Guest Shot by Kirstin Myers (Oct. 29 Kansan) is obviously one-sided and narrow-minded. Several of Myers' points concerning South Africa and her accusations against President Reagan must be clarified.
Above all, divestment is controversial. As history proves, economic sanctions and divestment fail to generate their desired results.
Realistically, divestment will result in the loss of employment for many black South Africans. The simple solution is investment. Only with economic power can the blacks obtain social changes.
Furthermore, how can Myers call life in the Soviet Union a "picnic compared to being black in South Africa?" In South Africa, there are no slave labor camps, no concentration camps and no bread lines.
Also, if life is so bad for blacks,
why do thousands of blacks from
neighboring countries immigrate to South Africa for jobs?
Moving on to her accusations against our president's domestic policy, we must realize how complicated the issues of civil rights and affirmative action are. Affirmative action has made progress, but we must not allow it to produce reverse discrimination.
Today, equality is assured throughout our country. Therefore, President Reagan is attempting to assure that civil rights apply to all races — not just blacks.
Finally, what does Ed Rollings' desire to seek congressional aid for the South African government have to do with anything? This does not mean that he is a racist, nor can it in any way reflect on President Reagan's beliefs or policy.
Clearly, the basis used in the formulation of her opinion is nonexistent at best. Thus, Myers' puzzelment is understandable because she is the "uninformed bigot." Mark Gillem
Kansas City, Kan., sophomore Stephen Wade
Topeka freshman
'Vicious Vic'surveys the stands
OK, let's admit it. The last two KC football games haven't been very exciting.
We clobbered those Mildcats, and the Oklahoma State game was pretty slow until the last two minutes.
So you're thinking about not attending the Colorado game next Saturday? And why not? Because you think you can win the game? Hold on, just one second.
You just don't know where to look. The action is not on the giriron but in the stands.
Sure you do. That's where the real show is.
Take Mad Mike, for example. The man's a walking one-man show. It takes a lot of energy to run around banging a drum and trying to lead 40,000-plus people in one harmonious chant.
I know what you're thinking. You're saying, "Hey Vic. I don't pay 11 bucks for a ticket and five bucks for parking just to watch people in the stands."
Victor
Goodpasture
Staff columnist
For this reason alone, I offer my services to be his faithful assistant. I figure if "Vengeful Vicor" or "Vicious Vicer" ever hit the scene, I'd be able to get into games free. I'd probably have to start working at the JV games first, then slowly work my way up.
He ran to where the band sat, while band members screamed "Pass the Chicken!" From that perch, he was led the students in several cheers.
The Famous Chicken also put on a show for the crowd at the OSU game. In an effort to distract the Cowboys, he unveiled a poster of a scantily clad young maiden. It had the opposite effect — I missed OSU's touchdown.
I had a quick conversation with
him as he headed back toward the field.
"I have a confession to make." I said. "I like Colonel Sanders."
"Oh no," he replied. "Eat at Fish 'n Chips."
My favorite in the stand pastime is "girl passing." Simply defined, girl passing is where students grab a female and start passing ber up into the stands, using their hands above their heads — all amid shouts of "Over the top!" As the girl nears the top, though, she usually starts going back down again.
As a cup combat veteran, I've been thinking about trying out for quarterback next year. I can really put a spin on that cup.
And what would a KU football game be without cup fights? While the Jayhawks were stomping the Mildcats into the ground, a big cup fight broke out in the student section. Both sides reported many casualties.
So much for my extended conversation with the Famous Chicken.
Sure, it's a silly waste of time, but so is consuming large amounts of alcohol and then vomiting half of your insides.
I have a little advice for those who do wish to consume alcohol during the game. Drink it on the other side of the stadium where the alumni and VIPs sit. For some reason it's OK to drink it over there.
Then there's the KU band, the cheerleaders, the little anklebetes selling watered-down Cokes, and the little of ladies cursing the Jayhawks to victory.
And to top it all off, there's the infinite rowdiness of the KU students
messiness of the KU students.
Finally, if by some chance you plan to bypass the action in the stands to participate in a replay along a mini-TV. That way, if you miss a big play, you can see the instant replay.
As for next Saturday, I see the final score as Colorado 17, Kansas 27, KU fans 28.
Coach Gotfried, please forgive me. I just call 'em as I see 'em.
Yippie vs. yuppie: a battle of ideals
The Abbie Hoffman-Jerry Rubin travelling show recently made a stop at Johnson County Community College. The 1960s activists have been touring the country, debating which is the best approach for bringing about social change in the 1980s; being politically active or accumulating wealth.
The yipie versus the yupie. The activist versus the businessman.
During the 1960s Hoffman and Rubin were members of the Youth International Party, whose members were called yippies. Besides participating in sit-ins and other acts of civil disobedience, the two took part in the violent clash between Vietnam War protesters and Chicago police during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
The ensuing trial, known as the Chicago Seven trial, made Rubin and Hoffman household names.
Since then, Hoffman has continued his activism, founding several citizen action groups and writing several books. Rubin, who is credited with
coining the term yuppie, has become a businessman.
Neither participant won the debate, but the audience of 300 people saw some free entertainment.
Flashing his American Express card, Rubin argued that "money is power" — that the only way to effect social change is to make money because money buys influence.
Hoffman doubted the political potential of the young urban professionals and instead put his faith in the philosophy of activism — government by, of and for the people. People have a duty to not only voice their opinions but to actively fight against authority structures, he said.
Dwight Hunter Staff columnist
Rubin couldn't win the debate with his yuppie approach, nor could Hoffman with his activist approach. Even though their approaches differed, they came out supporting the same goal — to work for a better America.
But although Rubin's position appeals to many young people, it can cheapen values and ideals. The biggest problem with his position is one
of integrity. Can yuppies maintain their belief in the idealism of the 1960s while increasing their base of support through the accumulation of wealth? Can they choose between a high-paying career without forsaking their old ideals?
Hoffman has continued to fight, pushing citizen action groups to oppose corporate policies that threaten
But in our society, money is a god and a source of power. And if money is a constant goal of the yuppies, it will also risk their careers to defend ideals.
There are no simple answers to these questions. However, Rubin thinks youthful idealism doesn't have to be exchanged for stuffy conservatism to be successful.
power. But these are little victories
the environment and endorse nuclear power.
the ones are little vehicles:
The yuppies, although they may have trouble with integrity and the more of a chance to significantly change things than followers of Hoffman's approach. Hoffman's activism only can fight specific issues, while Rubin's position can bring fundamental change in corporations and governments without specificity on issues.
Petty debates over which approach for social change is better may have some entertainment value. However, these debates between Hoffman add Rubin make no sense, especially if ripples continue to combine with activism and root activists continue to stand up for causes that directly affect them.
Hoffman and Rubin should each speak without the pretense of a debate. Each should speak their piece, then allow people to choose their own approach for a better America.