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How did the Blackeyed Peas become the Nickleback of hip hop?
When you have no idea how you paid for dinner/drinks or got home, it must have been a good night
Wash your hands.
Why did I wait until the day before a 2000 word paper worth 20 percent of my grade was due to start writing it
"Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know" is an underrated Britney Spears track
It's geocaching season.
My cousin got engaged last night and this morning I found a fun-sized twix in my backpack. All in all its been a good day for the family.
Beyoncé's new album really made me mad at the boyfriend I don't have.
Going from one job to another job right after your first job's shift is done...
Sleep. One week away.
A gingerbread man sits in his gingerbread house. Is the house made of his flesh? Or is he made of house?
Sometimes I think life is rough, then I remember I don't live in Indiana and realize it could be much worse
Let's go, Royals! (clap clap, clap clap clap)
I'm ready for self-driving cars.
Last Saturday, I slept in after eating a whole pizza. Then, I remembered it was Tuesday. #finalsarecoming
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KANSAN.COM | MONDAY,MAY 2,2016
U.S. suicide rates:
1999-2014
Illustration by Jake Kaufmann/KANSAN
Female Total Male
Source: Center for Disease Control [Rates per 100,000 population enumerated as of April 1 for 2000 and 2010 and estimated as of July 1 for all other years]
Liston: Professional research and social change must drive suicide prevention
RYAN LISTON
@rliston35
n 2014, the suicide rate in the United States reached a 30-year high, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The age-adjusted rate increased by 24 percent from 1999 through 2014.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It is, however, a topic that people seldom want to discuss. Because of the stigma that surrounds suicide,
there is relatively little specific information regarding why people choose suicide.
While the reasons people choose suicide are complex and oftentimes numerous, we must not give up on trying to understand and address these issues. We need to develop effective strategies and treatments for people struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Yo Jackson, a professor in the clinical child psychology program and the psychology/applied behavioral science departments, recently received a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct research on childhood trauma. Although the study does not focus specifically on suicide, trauma can contribute to other psychological issues throughout a person's life and the decision for suicide.
In order to develop prevention methods, we must heavily invest in researching suicide and mental health issues. One such study comes from the University of Kansas itself.
Education is a powerful tool in combating many issues, and it has the potential to help combat the increase in suicides. Educating individuals on mental health can reduce the existing stigma. By implementing lessons on mental health throughout the educational process, students could gain a greater understanding of mental health issues and the resources they
Studies such as Jackson's can yield important insight into the psychological, biological and environmental factors that contribute to mental health issues. Professional research, though, is not enough to reverse the increase in the national suicide rate. The general public must also be involved in order to truly effect change.
have to treat them.
Additionally, we must avoid romanticizing suicide. Suicide is a serious issue that should not be condoned or supported. In the case of actor Robin Williams' suicide, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tweeted a screenshot from Aladdin with the caption "Genie, you're free." Although the tweet was meant as a tribute, the description of suicide as a form of freedom might serve as encouragement for someone with suicidal thoughts.
A 1994 CDC report found that "nonfictional newspaper and television coverage of suicide has been associated with a statistically significant excess of suicides," especially when portrayed as "honoring the suicidal behavior of the deceased person, rather than mourning the person's death." When the media or an individual romanticizes suicide, they can unintentionally imply that suicide is an acceptable coping mechanism.
Everyone can benefit from learning about mental health issues. We cannot allow conversations regarding mental health or even suicide to be shut down because of discomfort. We must open the conversation and spread awareness of the issue to as many people as possible. By combining social change with professional research, we can reverse the increase in suicides and help those struggling with suicidal thoughts.
The local Lawrence suicide hotline can be reached at 785-841-2345 and the national hotline is 800-273-8255.
Ryan Liston is a freshman from Lawrence studying journalism.
Nasseri: Boycotting discriminatory policies an effective way to promote social change
BROOK NASSERI
@enasser32
House Bill No.1523, also known as the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," passed into law earlier this month in Mississippi. This bill protects people who act on "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction," such as describing marriage exclusively as between one man and one woman, condemning premarital sex, and defining biological sex as objective, immutable and determined at birth.
The bill allows people and businesses to decide whether they provide or refuse employment, housing and marriage-related services based on their personal beliefs and convictions-with complete
These new laws and controversies are forcing our nation to deal with curious and frustrating questions as we look to the future. How do overwhelmingly heteronormative systems maintain their long-held discriminatory practices? Where should the balance be between enforcing equality and protecting First Amendment rights? How can ordinary people contribute to legal and social change?
Just one year ago, thirteen states had constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriages. Our own Maddy Mikinski called out certain events of 2015, writing that it "has not been a good year for equality." However, the Supreme Court's decision on June 26 determined that the U.S. Constitution guarantees marriage as a fundamental right for all couples.
protection from punishment by the state.
In spite of the Supreme Court's marriage equality ruling, Mississippi's bill is nothing new or unusual. As of last month, only 18 states prohibit discrimination in terms of "employment, hous-
The failure of the Georgia bill demonstrates hope for the future as well as a way that ordinary citizens can enact change within their communities. While businesses are legally allowed to refuse services based on customers' sexual orientation or gender identity in most states, they are not protected from
Last month Georgia Governor Nathan Deal vetoed a bill in his state that paralleled the Mississippi bill, citing "the character of Georgia" as his reason for the rejection. Other factors, namely the threat of boycott by companies like Disney, Apple and AMC Networks, undoubtedly also played a role in his decision; the film industry in Georgia contributed $1.7 billion to the state's economy last year, and the potential loss of a show like "The Walking Dead" that is filmed in Georgia was likely too much for the Republican governor to take.
the societal consequences of those practices. And ordinary people can use their money as votes, boycotting those businesses that exercise their legally-protected discrimination.
ing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression." There is an obvious disconnect between federally-mandated equality and social change.
While the most prominent boycott right now is associated with #boycottTarget, a movement in protest of inclusive bathroom policies for transgender individuals, choosing not to support businesses that have refused service or employment to people based on their identity has been a real source of positive social change in this country.
Places like college campuses are ideal places to spread awareness of companies with discriminatory practices, and a vocal group of people motivated either to support or avoid certain businesses has the potential to enact lasting change. Brayden King researched how social movement boycotts often cause companies to respond dramatically to demonstrate their pro-social tendencies in order to preserve their reputations. Boycotts have the potential to benefit people immensely by
pressuring companies that did not previously endorse pro-social values.
The 2015 Supreme Court marriage equality ruling did not automatically remove bias and discrimination throughout the land. Now, the onus of enforcing equality falls on people at a smaller scale. The more people call for companies and businesses to reflect equal rights, the more businesses will respond with statements and practices that promote social justice.
As the public climate shifts, more and more people who were previously opposed will accept equal rights for all people. This change is slow and gradual and likely will never be fully accepted by all (a pesky 7% of Millennials surveyed in 2009 opposed interracial marriage, for instance). But even in spite of laws that protect discrimination, people working cooperatively have the power to promote, enforce and maintain social change.
Brook Nasseri is a sophomore from Topeka studying microbiology and English.
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