+ OPINION FREE-FOR-ALL >> WE HEAR FROM YOU Text your #FFA submissions to 785-289-UDK1 (8351) KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2015 Good luck to everyone! You can do it! Stop Day plans: sleep. Sleep. And more sleep. And did mention sleep? One time I went to the Underground and no one was mopping It was weird. Just saw some guy doing the Macarena while walking to the library. Dear roommate if something doesn't work DON'T USE IT Can KU please fix the towers parking lot lights? I don't feel safe walking to and from my car. Stop stealing the mice in Anschutz Wi-fi is appropriately named because I'm constantly asking "why?" it doesn't work. Petition for students to be returned $1 of their tuition for each minute we spend waiting for Jayhawk wifi or Blackboard to work How often are KU parking ticket appeals won? Asking for a friend Biffed it on the street in front of Spencer That was fun. I am vitamin EVERYTHING deficient. I am hydrating in preparation for this weekend So excited to be a second-semester senior but equally disappointed that I'll have to be a -real adult- soon Pretty sure my friends have never loved me more than when I walked in the door with pizza Finals Inals Nals Als Ls S Sa Sad READ MORE AT KANSAN.COM So far, no internships or job offers. This is a sign from a higher power that I'm meant to be a dog parent. We must unite against Islamophobia to support Muslims here and abroad RYAN LISTON @rliston235 Following the terrorist attacks in Paris Nov. 13 and the San Bernardino shooting Dec.2, widespread Islamophobia has risen throughout the country and crept into the rhetoric of politicians. Some politicians have suggested measures such as increasing restrictions on the admittance of refugees into the country and even banning all Muslims from entering the United States. While the vast majority of Muslims are not radical terrorists, the fires of Islamophobia have grown hotter. To combat this trend, we cannot vilify the Muslim community in our country, in our communities and on our campus based on the actions of a minority group, which does not represent the religion as a whole. @KANSANNEWS in a hostile environment and fear for their own safety. No one in this country should be afraid of religious persecution, especially when this country was largely founded by people seeking religious freedom for themselves. If we turn our backs on Muslims, then we are helping ISIS and other terrorist organizations create anti-American sentiments they can use to coerce people to join their wicked cause. /THEKANSAN Most Muslim people do not support terrorism or In times of crisis, it is easy to let our passions and emotions win us over and lay waste to logic, but we must unite in support of the millions of peaceful Muslims in the United States and around the world to ensure that terrorism does not destroy freedom. Ryan Liston is a freshman from Lawrence studying journalism. With such a high number of Americans expressing unfavorable opinions towards the Islamic religion and Muslim people, Muslims in the United States may themselves @UNIVERSITY DAILYKANSAN terrorist groups such as ISIS, according to a study by PEW Research; however, according to a survey of 1000 people conducted by YouGov and the Huffington Post, "55 percent of Americans had either a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Islam." Edited by Amber Vandegrift We shouldn't let a desire for profit drive education JESSE BURBANK @JBurbank1 Earlier this year, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker attempted to alter the mission statement of the University of Wisconsin by omitting references to "search for truth" and "improve the human condition" and replacing them with "meet the state's workforce needs." While the change was defeated, Gov. Walker's attempt speaks to a larger trend in society and academia: an obsession with making money. Leaders from President Obama to Sen. Marco Rubio to Gov. Sam Brownback have spoken about the need to extract more economic value out of education. the goods they touch, we have to ask where markets belong I often hear this same logic in how people think of success. When talking with classmates about the future, most frame success in the same terms: Which major will bring in the most wealth? Where will I see the biggest return on my investment of time and money? This same commercialized logic seems to pervade all aspects of society today. aspects of society today: Philosopher Michael Sandel discusses this in his book "What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets." He argues that when we allow all parts of our life to be governed by the market — by what will give us the most profit and utility — we disregard morality. be bought and sold, we decide at least implicitly, that it is appropriate to treat them as commodities, as instruments of profit and use. But not all goods are properly valued in this way" When we allow our lives and educations to be driven by profit, we do not think about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad. Examples include the value of human life, happiness and civic participation. Sandel continues: "When we decide that certain goods may However, when we allow the market to govern even our most intimate decisions, we fundamentally change the character of these decisions. As Sandel puts it, "Once we see that markets and commerce change the character of Social media platforms are not optimal places to discuss our interpersonal conflicts and arguments and where they don't." Don't let money be the sole determiner of your actions, either in life or in your education. Do what you find fulfillment in rather than what is likely to give you material wealth. In this way we can listen to Sandel's warning that "we have drifted from having a market economy to being a market society." MATTHEW CLOUGH @mcloughsofly It's not uncommon to see someone write something controversial or instigating on a Twitter page, and it's easy to write back a demeaning remark behind the security of a computer screen. The longer the conflict goes on, the more people get involved, and suddenly it's a huge issue that stemmed from something trivial. Jesse Burbank is a junior from Quinter studying economics, political science and history. Although such engagements can be entertaining to watch, the phenomenon known as "subtweeting" is representative of little more than immaturity and the inability to handle arguments in an adult, responsible manner. To many, the act comes off as petty, and can often be interpreted as someone just looking to start a fight. This can become especially problematic for people using their Twitter accounts for both personal and professional purposes. Potential employers who happens to stumble across a couple harsh quips on a Twitter profile may view him or her as unprofessional and not worth considering for a position. Aside from professional settings, the culture of subtweeting is simply becoming too much of a mainstream sensation. The Guardian published an article in July 2014 detailing how to craft the perfect comeback, while Digital Trends has even gone so far as to call it an art. When did our culture become so focused on such trivial matters? Arguing on Facebook and other social media platforms has become a common occurrence as well. It's especially easy to get carried away when someone isn't talking with other people in person, and such arguments can easily turn into bullying. The bottom line is that acts like subtweeting and starting fights with others on Facebook and other social media platforms does little if anything to solve the issues at hand. Just like with relationships, personal communication is essential to resolve anything. Squabbling over social media only results in creating a more hostile environment for interaction, and usually just annoys others who follow the people involved. Social media platforms Matthew Clough is a junior from Wichita studying English and journalism. should ultimately be used to promote information, spread knowledge and keep in touch with the people you care about. Turning them into places for conflict and controversy helps no one and can really only create petty rifts between friends. Keeping arguments off the Internet and focusing on productive conversation is a much better way to utilize the positives social media has to offer. HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. WRITE LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words Katie Kutsko Editor-in-chief kkutsko@ikansan.com The submission should include the author's name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters. Emily Stewart Advertising director estewart@kansan.com CONTACT US THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Katie Kutsko Emma LeGault, Emily Stewart and Anissa Fritz. 9 +