4A - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
MONDAY, DEC. 3, 2001
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Kursten Phelps editor 864-42* editors@kansan.com
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Erin Adamson Brendan Woodbury opinion editors 864-4810 or opinion@kansan.com
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BRUNO PIERONI/KANSAN
EDITORIAL
PERSPECTIVE
'Journal-World' editorial wrong
Foreign students should not be told to go home
The Justice Department has announced that 5 000 people who recently arrived in this country will be interviewed in an attempt to gain information about terrorist activities. Some international students at the University of Kansas are on this list.
An editorial that ran Nov.25 in The Laurence Journal-World endorsed the interviewing of international students. However, the editorial used loaded language to put international students involved in the interviewing process into a corner — to force students to prove themselves not guilty before they could be accepted into the flock of "non-terrorist" Americans.
The editorial says that students "from other lands" should accept the questioning and, If they are too incensed, let them go home, where Americans probably would be treated far more harshly." As residents of this country, international students certainly must comply with U.S. investigations. But presenting the issue as an "us" versus "them" battle does injustice to everyone.
This process of interviewing is a necessary part of the investigation and is designed to increase security for everyone living in the United States.
The editorial reminds international students that they are "guests in our country." The United States has an excellent system of higher education that attracts students from around the world. Many international students are grateful to be here. But these "guests" also offer the University of Kansas a cultural richness and diversity of experience that would be lost if they did not chose to pursue their education here. Kansans, in turn, should be grateful to have these guests on our campus.
International students, even if they aren't being interviewed, may feel they are being condemned for actions they had no part in. Students may feel the investigation is not ideal, but a necessary evil under the circumstances. They may agree with it completely. But for everyone, the interviews are an opportunity to learn more about the immigration process that international students work through.
The interviews are to gain general information about terrorist activity. The government also wants universities nationwide to track students who enter the country with student visas. It isn't fair to expect universities to track all these students. The individuals the government is most concerned with are those that have slipped through the cracks or entered illegally to begin with.
Rather than point a finger at international students who are uncomfortable with or opposed to the investigation, we should look to ourselves. The government should do all it can to make the country safe. Our local communities should do all they can to make our country accepting and avoid reactionary responses that hearken back to the days of McCarthyism.
Erin Adamson for the editorial board.
Surveys say students still get their news from the Kansan
Keeping up with what readers think about the Kansan enables its editors to better address what readers want to see in the paper. However, unless it's about spelling errors or the sex columnist's advice on butt plugs, readers usually only provide feedback when something upsets them.
As an addition to direct reader feedback, the Kansan commissions a survey every three years in an attempt to find out more information about its readers. Newton Marketing & Research, a research firm based out of Norman, Okla., conducted a telephone survey about the Kansan using 500 KU students selected at random in October.
Some of the questions they asked were how often students read the Kansan, what sections they read the most and what they thought of the quality of news and information the paper presented.
According to the results, almost 93 percent of students read the Kansan at least once a week. The average KU student reads the Kansan four times a week.
The survey also asked students how often they read the other newspapers offered on campus, the LawrenceJournal-World led the race with 47 percent of students saying they read it at least
Commentary
Jonathan
Ng
Reader's rep
opinionkanans.com
More than 45 percent said they read the Kansas City Star,35 percent said they read USA Today and more than 33 percent said they read The New York Times, all at least once a week. These results show students still primarily depend on the Kansan as their main source of information.
once a week.
Not too surprisingly, the most popular reasons given for reading the Kansan, according to the survey, was information about campus news and the Free for All comment section. Only 9.1 percent of readers said they never read the Free for All.
Surprisingly, the crossword puzzle and horoscope did not seem to be as popular among readers with over 50 percent responding they seldom or never looked at either one.
Kansan readers gave high ratings for the overall quality of news and information in the Kansan. More than 35 percent of readers rated its content as
"very satisfactory" and more than 58 percent of readers rated it as "somewhat satisfactory."
These results matched surveys conducted informally at various student organizations. The average rating for the Kansan's coverage from more than 100 students from 10 student organizations was 3.78 on a scale of one to five, with five being excellent coverage.
Although the surveys displayed overall positive reader feedback, there are still some issues that are bothering readers. The Jayplay section's sex column continues to stir strong reaction, generating the most reader feedback in the past few weeks.
One e-mail in particular from a perturbed administrator of a school district in Sharon Springs said he blocked the Kansan's Web site from the school library because of what he deemed inappropriate sexual content.
Whether it's through official or unofficial survey results, letters to the editor or direct reader feedback, the Kansan thrives on your input. It's clear from the survey results that an overwhelming majority of students read the Kansan, which makes receiving reader feedback all the more important.
Ng is a junior in journalism and Spanish from Leawood.
PERSPECTIVE
Quiet Beatle was a quiet example
George Harrison wasn't many people's favorite Beatle.
But now, after his death Thursday from brain cancer, the low-key Harrison is being remembered as an individual. He had a quiet charm and quick intelligence that permeated his work and life. He may not have been many people's favorite Beatle, but he seemed like a decent, thoughtful person. That said a lot.
He didn't have the menacing passion of John Lennon, the sly melodicism of Paul McCartney and the amiable buffoonery of Ringo Starr. He never seemed to court the public that applauded the group. Harrison just played lead guitar, wrote a few songs for the Beatles' later albums and otherwise staved out of the way.
Few celebrities was that most unlikely icon — the celebrity who didn't seek the spotlight. Much as he played a backing role in the Beatles, he shied away from the mainstream of pop culture. He released a smattering of solo albums, but didn't constantly tour stadiums. The albums dried up in later years, and he would make guest appearances on friends' records, playing the occasional guitar lick. He might attend a charity event. But otherwise, he seemed content with friends and family.
Clay McCuistion
Columnist
opinionansan.com
Few celebrities are decent people.
Commentary
In a culture where fame is the beginning and end of achievement, Harrison's attitude toward it was refreshing. In a 1997 interview with VH1, a craggy
I haven't mentioned Harrison's music much. That's the part of the man most of us are familiar with. But his music was an extension of the reflective, serious man sketched above. His guitar solos were elegant and simple (never simplistic), and his songs expressed the viewpoint of a man seeking solitude, bemused by the absurdity of a world that idolized him.
Harrison told a callow John Fugelsang that it was important people straighten out their inner lives — money, fame or achievement were nothing if you weren't comfortable with yourself. What an example for our surface-obsessed times. What an example for us.
He was proud of his music. Harrison told friends the music was the part of him that he gave most freely. He didn't care for celebrity, but he wanted people to hear his songs and playing. It's impossible to hear Harrison's music without hearing the care he put into every note. But he wasn't just a somber, spiritual soul.
Harrison is famous and remembered by all because he was part of a generation's band. The Beatles helped to define their times. George Harrison stood for much more than him. Yet it's important to remember the man, because he tried so hard to maintain his individuality, and to make people think outside the cultural constructs of their times.
For all of his seriousness, Harrison was also a great friend and fan to the
And remember his songs.
Remember the beauty of a tunes like "Something" or "Here Comes the Sun." Remember the goofy fun of "When We Was Fab," from his 1987 Cloud Nine album. Remember the rolling, multi-tracked guitar solos on the Beatles reunion songs "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." Remember the music and the quiet man who made it.
members of Monty Python, and funded their Life of Brian movie. Most college students will remember his goofy "Got My Mind Set On You" video, featuring singing animal heads and a back-flipping Harrison double. He seemed to say that laughing at the absurdity of life was a first step to figuring it out.
People like George Harrison don't really die. We don't experience them as living people — we experience them as a body of audiovisual work. Harrison's work is still with us.
As long as the songs remain, so will he.
McCuistion is a senior in journalism and English from El Dorado.
FREE for ALL 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any tonic they wish. Not all of them will be published. Standerous and obscene statements will not be printed.
for more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
I've got a proposal, how about the University treat each and every student like crap and then charge them more money.
is it just me or does the Free for All suck lately?
If we had a purely vocal language, forgetful people like me would be screwed.
I just wanted to say that my roommate is completely biteable, and that I really love her.
My friend told me that his car is faster than a striped-ass monkey, and I told him I had never seen a striped-ass monkey, and he said, "Of course not, they're that fast."
To the GTAs: I think you all should quit for a day, that way you could really piss off KU, and we wouldn't have to go to class.
No space for haikus
203 needs to go
Rock on, Free for All.
I didn't think Lawrence had a real ghetto, but I was wrong, because I live there.
Why do boys suck so much? I don't know, maybe they have a sucking convention or something. Yeah, that's it.
There's a guy that lives next to me who dresses up as an Imperial Stormtrooper and walks around the street. That's something you don't see every day.
Whooo! It's cold out there!
Barbecue pits do not belong on bike racks.
Like my shop teacher always said: If somebody loses a finger, everybody loses a finger.
I just flunked an environmental studies test and I'm in love with a girl in my English class and her smile.
I want to fall in love.
They don't really need to raise tuition, all they need is a good football program so they can make a lot of money.
If my job interview goes well, I'm going to call back and tell you that your horoscopes are right on the money.
B
回
I'm at the Union, and I just picked up the coursephone and dialed 18.
Free for All, I think I love you.
I know the best-kept secret at KU, but I'm telling it. The蔬吃 lunch at ECM.
I didn't go to class today, so I didn't do the crossword. I think I'm withdrawn.
Why are people watching porn in my room while I'm talking to my mom?
All anyone can talk about in my 9:30 class is how Dawson lost his virginity last night. All I can say is it's damn time.
I just wanted to say thank you to my organic chemistry partner who makes organic chemistry" or "organic chemistry."
You know what's sad, I'm in my room having to explain to two freshmen what Free for All is.
34
Oh God, am I sick
Febreze has got to be the greatest invention ever. I can't even smell my roommate anymore.
My roommate is the biggest baby; she has to have her boyfriend cut up her fruit for her.
I meant to call yesterday, but I forgot
Where are all the cowboys?
I love cowboys.
All I want for Christmas is a B i m Spanish class. Matt, can you help me out?
At first, I was mad for them taking out the first 20 rows at the Fieldhouse, then I started watching the red-headed cheer-leader.
Was Forrest Gump ever an NFL referee?
I have classes in the art building and I know about 40 girls who don't shave their leos.
B
I think it's ridiculous that the University thinks they can increase tuition by 62 percent.
Tuition increases. Boot!!!
Instead of increasing tuition, why don't we just charge the chancellor for housing?
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To the guy who returned my KUID: Thanks a bunch, and by the way, who are you?
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