4 华中科技大学 Monday, October 19, 1992 OPINION Y依 UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN IN OUR OPINION Indecency laws do not really protect children Why is it decent for us to watch violence on prime time television, but indecent to see the naked human body during the same hours? The indecency laws developed by the court system that our society uses to censor television were designed to protect children from seeing what we think they should not see. The problems that arise from such laws designed to protect are difficult to deal with. In the case of broadcasting, what is indecent is labeled that way by applying the standards developed by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to these rules, something is indecent if the average person, applying community standards finds it patently offensive. On television, the naked human body falls into this category. But random violence does not. The question is: who is the average person that these rules refer to, and what kind of community standards are they applying? The line drawn gets further obscured when one attempts to describe in which circumstances and in which context the naked body is appropriate or inappropriate. The problem with this is that it has always and will always be ambiguous. One average American has very different ideas about what is decent than the next average American. What one person may believe is a First Amendment right another may believe doesn't even fall within the jurisdiction of the Bill of Rights. Since it appears to be too painful for us to draw the line - maybe we should just continue the way we are shielding our youth from the exposed human body but allowing them to see all manners of violence. JENNY MARTIN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD OUOTES OF THE WEEK "I've seen big crowds, but none as impressive as this one which swept up the hill to that magnificent tower." — HILLARY CLINTON ON THE CROWD OF 6,500 THAT TURNED OUT SOHE WITH HIGHNESS THAT CAMPAIGN HUL TO HEAR HER SPEECH TUESDAY ON CAMPANILE HILL "All over the world people have been literally dying for the right to vote. And all too often in our country we can't get off the couch after we've grumbled and mumbled in front of the television set to get up and vote." HILLARY CLINTON ON APATHY AND U.S. VOTERS. "For lack of better terms, they're trying to appeal to the rednecks in Oregon." — LEE TRENT, SALEM, ORE., SENIOR ON MEASURE 9, PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN OREGON THAT WOULD Legalize DISCRIMINATORY HIRING PRACTICES AGAINST HOMOXEUXALS, "It was kind of like a feeding frenzy. Everybody went nuts." — STEVE VORMEHIR, OWNER OF MID-AMERICAN CONCESSIONS, ON THE RECORD $110,000 GROSS REVENUE TAKEN IN BY CONCESSIONS AT THE KANSAS STATE GAME. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS $70,000. "These kids don't deserve this. It's a tough thing for them. They must think they are the most unlucky team in the world." — IOWA STATE FOOTBALL COACH JIM WALDEN AFTER KANSAS DEFEATED IOWA STATE 50-47. THE CYCLONES RALLIED FROM A 14-POINT DEFICIT AND LED THE JAYHAWKS BY 26 POINTS LATE IN THE THIRD GAME. THIRD QUARTER. "And if I didn't mention one other thing — we were damn lucky too." — KANSAS FOOTBALL COACH GLEN MASON ON HOW THE JAYHAWKS PULLLED OFF THE BIGGEST COMPANEY IN TEAM HISTORY. COMPILED FROM KANSAN STAFF REPORTS THE WEEK OF 10-12-92 KANSAN STAFF ERIC NELSON Editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser GREG FARMER Managing editor SCOTT HANNA Business manager BILLLEIBENGOOD Retail sales manager BILL SKEET, Technology coordinator TOM EBLEN Asst. Managing Almee Brainard News Alexander Blohmhof Editorial Stephen Martino Campus Gayle Otterberg Sports Shelly Solton Photo Justin Knapp Features Cody Holt Graphics Sean Tevils JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser Business Staff **Letters** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words. They must include the university's signature, name, address and telephone number. Writers affiliated with the University of Kansas must include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position. **Guest columns** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be Campus sales mgr Angela Cleverman Regional Sales mgr Meena Talerpill National sales mgr Brian Wilkes Co-op sales mgr Amy Stumbo Production mgrs Brad Brunet Marketing director Ashley Langford Creative director Valerie Spicher Classified mgr Judith Standley The Kansas reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansas newson, 111 Staffer-Flint Hall. Talk show feeds the ego of candidate Ross Perot "What seems to be the problem?" "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" Wait, the word "compulsion?" is not on the first line of the text. It might be a typo. Let's re-examine the whole image one more time. The first line: "Well I have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The second line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The third line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fourth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The sixth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The seventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The eighth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The ninth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The tenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The eleventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twelfth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fourteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The sixteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The seventeenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The eighteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The nineteenth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-first line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-second line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-third line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-fourth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-fiveth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-sixth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-seventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-eighth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The twenty-ninth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-first line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-second line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-third line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-fourth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-fiveth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-sixth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-seventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-eighth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The thirty-ninth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-first line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-second line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-third line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-fourth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-fiveth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-sixth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-seventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-eighth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The forty-ninth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-first line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-second line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-third line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-fourth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-fiveth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-sixth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-seventh line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-eighth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fifty-ninth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftierth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion." The fiftieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The f五十ieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The f五十ieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The f五十ieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The f五十ieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion?" The f五十ieth line: "I well have this thing. I don't know what you call it. A compulsion. "OK, I have this overwhelming urge to be on the Larry King show." COLUMNIST "Hmmm. When did it begin?" "Earlier this year. I was sitting in my office in Texas counting some money and checking into a rumor that one of my employees cheated on his wife. Usually makes me feel good, but I felt bored, restless." "Hmmm restless." "I turned on my TV and there was Larry King interviewing somebody. And I thought, that looks like fun." "Yeah, so I had a flunky make a few phone calls. And just like that, zoom. I was on the Larry King show, live." "Humm, live." "See, he asks nice questions. And even if they're not nice, he asks them in a nice way so they seem nice." "Hmmm. Nice." "Yeah, and the people call in. Ordinary folks. They ask nice questions. It made me feel great." "Humm. Great as in greatness?" MIKE ROYKO "Yeah, I suppose so. The next thing you know, I was sort of saying that I'd run for president." "Yeah, if the people want me to, so the next thing you know, I'm running for president. And I'm going on all these other TV shows. But they're not as nice as Larry King. They don't always ask nice questions. And they don't all let people call in and say nice things. And there are reporters who don't even have TV shows, and the questions they ask aren't nice." "What are you like?" "Hmmm. Not nice." "Yeah so after a while, I got tired of it. It was taking up so much of my time, I couldn't count my money or check to see if my employees were faithful to their wives. So I went back on the Larry King show." "Hmmm Back." "Yeah I had this overwhelming urge to go there again. And I sort of said I wasn't going to run for president of the United States after all. I was sort of withdrawing." "Hmmm, withdrawing. As in withdrawn? "Yeah, I guess so." "OK. So I went back to Texas and counted my money, and there was still lots of it, and I checked on employees who might be unfaithful to their wives. So, I'd turn on my TV and watch the Larry King show." "Hmmm. go on." "Yeah, and there were all these other people on his show. Movie stars and politicians, that never even said they'd run for president. And he asked them all nice questions and they all looked like they felt good, and I wanted to feel good too." "Yeah, so I couldn't help myself. I resisted. But the craving got too big. So I did it again." "Hmmm, feel good." "Hmmm, did again." "Yeah. I went back on the Larry King show. And I said I might and I might not. And it depended on this or on that. One way or the other." "Hmmmm, one way, other way." "Yea. But I don't know if I want to run for president. It's such a hassle. You can't imagine how much it costs. The questions you have to answer aren't nice. You can't even fire people who are unfaithful to their wives. So I just don't know what to do." "Yeah, that's my problem. See, the only way I can go on his show is if I talk about running for president. or not running. But I don't know if I want to be president. Or if do, I'm not sure if I will tomorrow. But I do know that I have this craveting to go on the Larry King Show. And the only way I can get on that show is if I talk about running for president. So what can I do?" "You must go on the show. And if you go, the people will watch." "Hmmm. Turn on." Back to Larry King? Yes, Saturday Night Live. o. "Saturday Night Live" Mike Kelley indicated columnist with Chicago Tribune. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Bush AIDS policy unfairly criticized I have reached a point where I can no longer tolerate the crucifixion of George Bush's stance on AIDS funding, I am no great Bush fan, however, this liberal bashing of the President on this issue must cease immediately. I criticize Bush on the AIDS issue place Magic Johnson on a plateau. Bush does not wish death upon those who have AIDS. People that suggest that the President does not advocate the cause of AIDS research, such as Douglas Moles, are the ones who are truly blind. These people fail to realize that there are many worthy causes on which to spend dollars, however, not all causes can be funded to everyone's liking. Many social problems are just as threatening to America's future as AIDS. The families of Multiple Sclerosis victim Margaret Baldwin were more formal feeding for MS research. The same can be said about cancer, birth defects and of the unending list of tragic diseases which will continue to afflict the human race. These naive fools take up the banner of Johnson as evidence of one who truly understands AIDS. The only understanding Johnson has of AIDS is the understanding that he was born in the United States, actions, Johnson is not an AIDS expert. The man contracted AIDS because of his own selfish and immature deeds. He has no one to blame but himself. If Johnson wants to see more money go towards AIDS research, perhaps he should donate his outrageous salary that he will receive this season to the cause. Johnson, presuming he is healthy enough to play 50 games this season, will make $300,000 a game. Johnson aspires to purchase a professional basketball team someaday. This will cost him at least $100 million to purchase just a share in a team. He has the gall to criticize Bush's commitment to AIDS research. Don Fritschle Lenexa senior STAFF COLUMNIST KATE KELLEY GameBoy junkies: Just say 'no' to Nintendo My addiction is a different kind of mental escape. I am hooked on Tetris. I have an addiction. It is time to come clean. No, it is not drugs; I sincerely have never tried them. It is not alcohol. Except for an occasional rum and Diet Coke, I rarely touch it. It is not even cigarettes. Childhood allergies precluded trying those. For those of you "clean" people, Tetris is a Nintendo GameBoy game. It consists of seven little geometric shapes that drop one-by-one from the top of the screen. As they fall to the bottom, one manipulates their positions and guides them into place to form lines. When a line is complete, it disappears and you build another one. That is it. You build lines. The object is to build 10 lines to reach the next level. You continue through as many levels as you can. The catch is that the shapes drop a little faster at each level, so you have to be able to think quickly and simultaneously relay the message to your hands. For little kids, this is no problem. For adults, or for me anyway, this has become an overwhelming challenge. I strive to achieve ever-higher levels, never satisfied with what I accomplish. I want to go higher, as do most drug users. But one of the important differences between me and drug users is that I will not kill myself in the process. But there are similarities to drug addiction. I began experimenting with Tetris this past summer. My kids put me on to it. The first experience was a let down. It was just stupid square, T and L shapes. I did not understand what the big attraction was. So I played it again. I started to think that I had a system, that I could control how high I let the lines go before completing them. A false sense of security fell over me. I climbed to higher levels. The shapes dropped ever faster. I lost control. I couldn't stop. I had to start over again and again, trying to beat the game. Hours went by, days, weeks. My house fell to ruin. My children went hungry. Something had to intervene. I was temporarily saved when the fall semester began. I knew I would be too busy with schoolwork to waste time playing Tetris. I ordered the GameBoy hidden away. I went cold turkey. It was a little rough at first. But gradually, school work took over my attention. German verbs, Puritan writers and Edith Wharton encompassed my thoughts. I had gone straight. But then the pressure of midterm hits this past weekend. I came home faced with three tests, two papers, a short story and a play to write. I felt overwhelmed. I needed an escape, if only for a little while. And then I spotted the GameBoy. A careless child had left it out, a child who should have known better than to leave it where an adult could find it and hurt herself. I picked it up and told myself one I picked it up and told myself one game, no more. I could quit anytime. I cannot get past level three anymore. I had been up to 10 before. I do not have the control. Maybe the next game. Please, take it from me! When it comes to Tetris, just say "no!" Kate Kelley is a Fort Leavenworth junior majoring in English. 501 Bluez By Moses Smith