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Tuesday, September 16, 1986 / University Daily Kansan
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Opinions
A perfect solution
It's finally solved.
The dilemma of who's going to sit where at Allen Field House came to an end last week with the creation of the "students behind students and public behind public" plan.
In January, the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation considered blocking off seats in the field house because alumni who sat behind student sections complained. How could they watch the game when the students were standing all the time?
The debate rose to a mild roar during the peak of basketball season when students said they had a right to stand during the games. After all, it was their team they were supporting.
The argument continued throughout the season; alumni against students and vice versa. It even got so bad that Larry Brown had to personally go up and mediate before one game. He calmly asked the students to sit while the team was playing. The crowd loved it because they got to talk to their favorite coach. But the students continued to stand.
Finally Richard Konzem,
assistant athletic director, has come up with a solution that's almost perfect.
His plan switches 675 student and public seats without causing either group to lose seating in the field house. Students now sit behind students so the public can't complain. The students can stand the whole game if they want to.
Konzem's plan makes sure the students sit with the students and the public sits with the public. And confrontations between the two should be eliminated.
A few student seats behind the players' bench were lost to public seating, which includes alumni, staff and other faculty, but it's a small price to pay considering the problems seating caused during last year's basketball season.
The only problem may be an imbalance among the crowd's response. The students will probably scream louder than the alumni, creating a vocally looped gymnasium.
But who knows? Maybe the alumni will surprise us.
Playing it smart
For playing it smart, coach Val deserves a pat on the back.
He may not have a winning team yet, but at least he has a legitimate one. Football head coach Bob Valesente obviously has been thinking ahead, keeping the Jayhawks as eligible as possible. And to the uneligible players he is sorry, but the show must go on.
Valesente has, since day one, put an emphasis on the student side of the student athlete. In mid-August, even before fall practice began, Valesente suspended six players with questionable academic status. He's not taking any chances.
And Saturday he kept freshman wide receiver Quintin Smith from playing because Smith's American College Test scores had not been received. Valesente said he didn't want to risk Smith's eligibility by playing him before the official papers were in hand
Valesente had planned to
As an assistant coach for the past two years, Valesente couldn't do much cracking down. But what he could do was watch — and learn. And he has applied what he learned to his game plan by setting up tutoring programs, study halls and strict academic standards.
start Smith. Now that's a sacrifice many coaches aren't willing to make. Valesente is taking extra precautions and playing his cards carefully.
The Jayhawks lost eight players last year and 10 players in 1984 to academic ineligibility. Valesente is going to make sure he doesn't get caught with his pants down.
Valesente even takes his academic philosophy with him in recruiting. He says he looks for athletes who are committed to getting a degree.
Good for Valesente. He's on the right track, and making some people happy.
Now, if he can just get the Jayhawks to get the ball in the end zone .
Partners in education
Before 1971, Kansas did not permit the governing boards of Kansas schools to enter into
The University of Kansas is part of a state-wide movement to break cultural barriers.
Last week, the Board of Regents announced that a historic program between the state schools in Kansas and two Paraguayan universities had been established. The program will enable students to share knowledge.
The agreement was the product of an organization called Kansas-Paragauq Partners, a branch of Partners of the Americas. Twelve KU students will go to Paragauq for a year and 12 Paraguayan students will come here. The exchange students will be allowed to pay resident tuition costs.
any type of agreement with foreign colleges and universities. Three years ago, the University became the first school in the United States to have an exchange program with Paraguay. This new program, involving all the state schools in Kansas, represents a continuing change for the better.
That Kansas is the only state in the nation that exchanges students with Paraguay reflects well on higher education in our state.
Any time knowledge, ideas and cultural information are shared, it builds the basis for a safer, more open world.
Sharing students with Paraguay is a positive step toward that world.
News staff
News staff
Lauretta McMillen . . . Editor
Kady MacMaster . . . Managing editor
Ted Clarke . . . News editor
David Silverman . . Editorial editor
John Hanna . . Campus editor
Frank Hansel . . Sports editor
Jack Kelly . . Photo editor
Tom Eblen . General manager, news adviser
Business staff
David Nixon . . Business manager
Gregory Kaul . Retail sales manager
Denise Stephens . Campus sales manager
Sally Deewep . Chessfighter
Late Wermann . Production manager
Duncan Calhoun . National sales manager
Beverly Kastens . Traffic manager
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Stadium patriot makes last stand
Everybody except one man. He just sat and studied his program.
Both teams were on the field. The crowd stood for the singing of the National Anthem.
The band began playing. The singing was led by a TV star who had been up all night drinking gin. Ten jets swooped over the stadium. Fifty majores thru out their chests.
The one man stayed in his seat and looked at his program.
Somebody gave him a nudge. He ignored it.
"Stand up," somebody else hissed. "I'll stand for the kickoff," the man said.
Another man glared at him. "Why don't you stand and sing?"
The other man gasped "You don't believe in the National Anthem?"
"it don't believe in singing it at commercial events. I wouldn't sing it in a nightclub, or in a gambling casino, and I won't sing it at a football game."
A man behind him said, "What are you, a damn radical?"
"I'll make you stand up," a husky man said, seizing his fleece collar.
He shook his head. "I'm not a stadium patriot."
They scuffed and struck each other with their programs. Somebody dropped a hip flask.
punch.
"What's wrong?" people shouted from a few rows away.
"He says he's not a patriot," someone else roared, swinging a
somebody yelled "I did not," the man yelled "I will
be there."
"A radical insulted the anthem," someone yelled.
A policeman pushed through.
"What's going on here? Break it up."
Doubled velled. "He insulted the
flag. He refused to stand.
He's a radical. . . Sit down, I can't
Mike Royko
see the girls."
"Not at a football game," the man said.
The policeman said, "Why wouldn't you stand?"
said.
"Hear that?" someone yelled,
"Hear that?" someone yelled, shaking a fist.
"Let's go fella," the policeman said, leading him away.
He was fine $25 for disorderly conduct, and the judge lectured him on his duties as a citizen.
The next week he had a better seat for the Stupendous Bowl game.
Both teams took the field and the crowd rose for the National Anthem. They were led in song by a country music star who had been up all night playing dice. A dozen bombers flew over. Sixty majorettes thrust out their chests.
This time the man rose with everyone else, and he sang. He sang as loud as he could, in an ear-splitting voice that could be heard 20 rows in any direction.
A few people turned and looked at him as if he were odd.
Then the song reached "the land of
Then it was over, everyone applauded, yelled "Kill 'em," and "Murder' em," and "Beat 'em," and sat down to await the opening kickoff.
the free" his voice cracked, but he shrieked out the high note.
Eveyone but the one man. He remained on his feet and began slowly singing the second stanza in his loud voice.
People stared at him. But then they jumped and cheered as the ball was kicked off and run back.
When they sat down, the man was still standing and singing.
"Hey, that's enough," someone yelled.
He paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and started the third stanza.
"Yeah, sit down, I can't see through you," said somebody else.
He kept singing. People called out. "Knock it off."
"I can't see."
"What's wrong with him?"
The game had started. Three plays were run while he sang the third verse.
Everyone jumped for the punt return. When they sat down, the man was still singing.
Eveone around him was becoming upset. People stood and shook their fists. Somebody threw a hot dog wrapper.
An usher asked him to take his seat. He shook his head and began the fourth stanza as a touchdown was scored.
The people behind him were outraged. "I couldn't see that because of you . . . Make him sit
down . . . He must be crazy . . . He must be a radical."
Somebody grabbed his shoulders and tried to push him into his seat. They scuffed and swung their programs. Somebody dropped a hip flask. The man struggled to his feet, still howling the fourth stanza.
A police man pushed through, "What's going on? Break it up."
"He won't sit down," someone yelled. "He won't stop singing." someone else yelled. "He's trying to start a riot. He's a radical."
"Let's go fella," the policeman said, leading him away as he finished the final stanza, holding the note as long as he could.
The judge fined him $25 for disorderly conduct, and warned him about shouting in a crowded theatre.
The next week he went to the Amazing Bowl. The crowd was led in singing the National Anthem by a rock star who had been up all night with three groupies. A squadron of dive bombers flew through the goal posts.
He stood with everyone else. As the music played, he moved his lips because he was chewing peanuts, and he stared at the chest of a majorette. Then he sat down with everyone else.
The man in the next seat offered him a sip from his flask.
Editor's note. Mike Royko is on vacation. While he is gone, we are reprinting some of his columns from the past. Today's column originally appeared Jan. 3, 1972
EXPORTS
Media bias swings heavily to the left
Nothing infuriates me more than the liberal media's blind eye to the Marxist-Leninist regime in Nicaragua.
Sure, there's an occasional article on the regime's crackdown on human rights, but it's usually buried back on page 89. section Z.
And they always identify the Nicaraguan government as "leftist." That sounds like they're candy salesmen.
And, as always, the deaths in South Africa are mentioned in the same
You see, as far as the media are concerned, repression exists in South Africa and Chile, not in Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Poland and Ethiopia.
It's funny though, with all of this repression going on, more news, bad or otherwise, comes out of Chile and South Africa than from Ethiopia, Nicaragua, or Afghanistan.
And if a reporter in Moscow does come close to reporting the truth, he's arrested by the KGB and charged with spying. This should remind other reporters in Moscow that they should refrain from "anti-Soviet propaganda." — the truth.
It's now standard policy for our hypocritical press to bash U.S. allies while ignoring the horrors in Soviet client states.
The media refuses to report that most African National Congress officials are Marxists. They also ignore the fact that South African blacks have the highest standard of living in Africa. And they fail to remind their readers that the majority of blacks killed have died at the hands of other blacks.
While millions starve in Ethiopia — the result of the policies of the Soviet-backed regime — the media focuses on South Africa and demands that the United States apply pressure to have a confessed terrorist, Nelson Mandela, released.
breath with divestment.
How in the world can we expect fair, accurate and unbiased reporting when the media is emotionally involved in the South African situation? The situation is incredibly complex, yet reporters rarely provide the in-depth analysis that is vital to understanding the South African problem.
Victor Goodpasture
Columnist
What's even stranger, though, is that La Prensa helped overthrow the former Nicaraguan dictator
Besides South Africa, the other media blind spot is the plight if the freedom fighters in Nicaragua, the so-called "contras."
Nicaragua is a Soviet satellite — another Cuba. It's government seeks to extend its influence over the region by arming the Marxist terrorists in El Salvador and becoming a haven for international terrorism.
The International League for Human Rights, led by former president Jimmy Carter's human rights chief, Patricia Derian, cataloged dozens of Nicaraguan human rights violations: "Nicaragua is responsible for torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Methods of torture reported by Nicaragua prisoners include beatings, rape, mock executions, death threats, food and sleep deprivation, forced posture ..."
Again, the liberal media hardly raised an eyebrow.
The Nicaraguan regime has also shut down the Prensa, the country's last independent newspaper.
When will the television networks and major newspapers start printing the whole truth?
Anastasio Somoza. They had been hoping for a democracy to replace him, not a tyranny. But that was not to be. That is why thousands of Nicaraguans have taken arms against the Soviet-backed regime.
Conservatives aren't asking for reporters to support President Reagan and his policies. All they are asking is that both sides be reported fairly and accurately.
But as long as reporters let their
political ideologies interfere with their reporting responsibilities, the truth will always slant to the left.
Freedom of the press is one of our most cherished freedoms. But it is being abused by powerful news.
That is a disservice to the U.S. people.
organizations.
It would seem that freedom of the press belongs to the few who own them.
Mailbox
A Sept. 4 Kansan editorial stated that Chancellor Gene A. Budig's silence concerning the charges against Richard von Ende is "incomprehensible" and "wholly irresponsible." But the answer lies in the editorial.
In Budig's defense
Von Ende has been charged with crimes. He has not yet been found guilty by the courts. It is not irresponsible to refrain from condemning a person who is, according to the American system of justice, innocent until proven guilty.
Concerning the probing questions, "Where does the University stand? Where does Budig stand?" :
The editorial asked, "Why is von Ende on the payroll?" The answer is obvious. He has not yet been found guilty of acts that would warrant his dismissal and he is entitled to the days of absence that he has accrued. Accusations are not equal to proving guilt and withholding action is appropriate until the case is settled.
Surely Budig's and the University's position is obvious without the chancellor holding some trite news conference to say "We at the University consider involvement with illegal drugs to be thoroughly reprehensible."
The chancellor's silence is easily comprehensible. What is incomprehensible is why the Kansan thinks otherwise
Tricia Peavler
Print facts, not fluff
Please please, please stop printing Victor Goodpasture's columns.
I was always taught in journalism classes to print the facts and to forget the fluff. Good pasture knows nothing about journalism except how to get 20 column inches to glorify himself.
Aren't there any important issues the paper could be addressing?
If I do see V. G. on campus, I'll be the first to shake his hand. I will shake it right off his arm so he can no longer torture another reader
Amy C. Lemen
Council Bluffs, Iowa freshman
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