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Monday, May 4, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Armed and dangerous
You live in Florida. You're preparing for work. You shower, throw on some clothes, comb your hair, grab your wallet and car keys and pick up your gun.
Handgun control in Florida has become practically non-existent. Under a new Florida law, residents of most Florida counties can more easily obtain permits to carry concealed weapons. At the same time, a loophole in the law allows residents to openly carry handguns. The Florida Legislature already is taking action to close the loophole.
In its original form, the new law nullified any county or city restrictions on carrying handguns. It was passed last spring by the Florida Legislature and took effect Oct 1. Any Florida resident at least 21 years old who doesn't have a felony record or a history of drug and alcohol abuse could carry a gun.
Safety has been shot out the door. If police officers cannot protect themselves, they will have an much harder time protecting citizens.
The law has no constructive purpose. Weapons are destructive. They don't solve problems but lead only to more problems. The move by the Florida Legislature will not benefit society. It will destroy society.
Residents of Florida should leave their guns at home, regardless of what the law allows. When tempers flare, emotions run high and people get upset, guns are the last thing they need in their hands.
Laving blame
The bizarre shooting spree that occurred Sept. 25 in a small Missouri town raised many questions about our country's young people.
Fourteen-year-old Kirk Buckner reportedly fatally shot six family members before his uncle shot him in an effort to save his own life. Shock waves permeated the community. "Why?" friends wondered. It was a tragic time for the close-knit community as they witnessed the effects of a good kid turned bad.
when the tragedy occurred, the community grieved over the boy's sudden change from quiet boy to mad killer. They urged each other to look for the warning signs of mental illness. The press blamed the farm crisis and Buckner's family's financial straits for his attack.
But the real tragedy occurred because Buckner was in fact innocent of the crime; he himself was a victim. Two days later, police found concrete evidence to charge the boy's uncle with the slaying. But the press and Buckner's community immediately pinned the blame on the innocent boy. No doubt was expressed in the accusation; it was taken as fact that he committed the heinous crimes.
Kirk Buckner was soft-spoken, courteous, and his mother's loyal helper. It is a verifiable shame that his short life ended in such injustice. Innocent until proven guilty is our justice system's motto. It must extend to all, even the dead.
Money matters
didn't need policing.
And they expected the committee to believe it.
The Rev. Jerry Falwell and the Rev. Oral Roberts told a House Ways and Means subcommittee on Oct. 6 that their ministries didn't need policing.
This, after Jim and Tammy Bakker's salary was revealed to be several million dollars plus bonuses? After Oral Roberts pleaded with television viewers to send $8 million or God would call him home?
The subcommittee is considering stricter rules for tax-exempt organizations in the wake of the Bakker scandal. They believe there should be greater financial accountability for all non-profit organizations. Roberts and Falwell argued that the ministries are already accountable to the public, and that tougher rules might be an infringement on freedom of religion.
Don't donors have a right to know where their money goes? Absolutely. Many non-profit organizations are completely legitimate in their distribution of donated money. It is unfortunate that their integrity is now questioned because of a few greedy people.
But if all ministries and other non-profit organizations are legitimately soliciting donations from the public, they should have no reason to hide their records.
Congress should not be swayed by the ministers' claims that they can police their own organizations or that stricter regulations might restrict freedom of religion.
These regulations would be across the board, thus helping to prevent another salary-padding incident. To make everyone accountable is the only fair policy.
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board.
News staff
Jennifer Benjamin .Editor
Juli Warren .Managing editor
John Benner .News editor
Beth Copeland .Editorial editor
Sally Streff .Campus editor
Brian Kabelline .Sports editor
Dani Rufflman .Photo editor
Bill Skeet .Graphics editor
Tom Eblen .General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Bonnie J. Hardy ... Business manager
Robert Hughes ... Advertising manager
Kelly Scherer ... Retail sales manager
Kurt Messersmith ... Campus sales manager
Greg Knipp ... Production man
David Derritt ... National sales manager
Angela Clark ... Classified manager
Ron Weems ... Director of marketing
Jeanne Hines ... Sales and marketing adviser
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THE NATION'S HOLSTER
Fears invade everyone, naturally
"It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks and I don't know why." — Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee."
What scares you?
Being alone in the dark? Speaking in public?
The threat of nuclear war? The kid next door?
Meeting up with Tammy Faye Bakker in a well-lit alley?
Old age? Bad breath? Atheists wearing rosaries?
What makes *You* feel *found* in *Caitlin*? Calling *toilet* to *seat* Pain? *Martha*? Going to class? Being lost? Things that go bump in the night? Flatulence? Kissing Aunt Martha? Unpaid bills? Failure?
What makes your blood run cold?
What causes shivers to tap dance up and down your spine?
is it getting caught with a fake I.D. or listening to Barry Manlow? Is it the thought of living with your roommate or graduating and working for your roommate?
Some say that our fears are conjured up only within the realms of our imaginations. Others, such as author James Gorman, have different ideas on the subject. "It seems pretty likely," he says "that the origin of fear has something to do
with this business of getting eaten. And, in the history of life, things started eating other things almost as soon as there was anything worth eating."
This is an interesting concept, and one that I can relate to. After seeing the movie "Jaws," I didn't want to go near water. After seeing National Geographic's series on cannibalism, I didn't want to stay on land. And after viewing the month-old contents of my refrigerator, I automatically knew that the saran-wrapped monster in front of me had them both beat.
If you suffer from anxiety, at least act as if you don't, advises Gary Emery, a University of Southern California psychologist. "Your current reality responds to what you do, not what you say,
feel or think," he says. I say that is baloney.
That's like telling people not to perspire.
Emery says "A sense of mastery is essential for dealing with anxiety. Remind yourself that you have been able to cope, one way or another, with every moment of your life up to this moment." True, and that's a nice bit of advice, but one hard to recall when telling your parents that your GPA has set an all-time university low for the second consecutive semester.
Fears are natural. They can be rational or irrational, some funny, others not so funny. Many people try to hide this emotion, which is sad because life is supposed to be frightening at
Don't be afraid to fear. College life can be frightening, especially when its time to take that all-important midterm exam. Study more, cross your desk and remember that there is life after caffeine and stress.
Fear is a part of being alive. It's part of who we are.
Lyle Hoopingarner is a Manter sophomore majoring in journalism.
A big loss
If the recently announced 1988 health insurance plan for state employees is any indication of what might come from the highly touted Margin of Excellence program, I dread to see what the final result will be.
I can see the page one headlines now — "Margin of Excellence is working, University faculty and staff to receive an 8 percent salary increase in next fiscal year."
Increase in text size.
But on Page 13, in small print, we will read:
"Because of serious revenue shortfalls, the secretary of admissions has determined that each state employee will be assessed $12 per month for his telephone and $15 per month for his desk and chair. Progress is being made with computer programming to allow for charging each employee with his pro rata share of heat, lights and water. It is hoped this utility assessment will not exceed $65 per month. These assessments will be handled by payroll deduction in an effort to make them painless for employees."
who's kidding who? The health insurance plan has been a significant part of the state compensation package for over 10 years. This currently proposed plan will cause a drastic erosion of compensation ranging from several hundred dollars for some employees to several thousand dollars for others.
As usual, custodial employees and other employees on the low end of the pay scale are least able to absorb the compensation loss and will suffer the most.
Phil Endacott, associate director of KU housekeeping services
Old wounds
I'm glad to see that the Kansan is upholding high standards of journalistic integrity by publishing three-year-old stories. I have some real questions about Brad Addington's article, "WSU Gay Group's Funds Cut," in the Oct. 7 issue of the Kansan.
First, it seems to me that the primary focus of the story should have been that the Wichita State University group lost its financing. Addington writes a pretty good article while he stays on the subject, but he strays pretty far when he begins to talk about the Gay and Lesbian Society of Kansas.
It seems to me Addington is trying to stir up a controversy at KU where none exists. He likens the situation at Wichita State to one at KU three
years ago, Frankly, Brad, who cares?
years ago. Franky, Brade, who taught Student Senate ruled three years ago that GLSOK is a service organization, clearly evidenced by the quote from Liz in Addington's article. Done. Case closed. That financing fight was a particularly ugly one, in which there were some violent acts and real discrimination aimed at members of the university gay community.
I got the impression that Addington was saying in his article, "Look KU, we had reactionary discriminatory policies before Wichita State! Aren't we cool? They are just now catching up." KU's Student Senate managed to get it together and eliminate those discriminatory policies. Wichita State has not, as of yet. We can only hope they do.
The statement from Student Senate president Jason Krakow was one of the best parts. Addington says that Krakow says GLSOK "probably would not receive senate financing if it were solely a social organization and did not provide services to KU students." No kidding, Brad? Tell us something we don't know. Student Senate policy is that social organizations do not get financing.
GLSOK is not a social organization, it is a service organization. That was decided three years ago. Nothing has changed. Let's not drag up ugly memories of violence and discrimination to fill space in the Kansan, Brad.
Jan Holliday, Great Bend senior
katz
I HAVENT SLEPT MORE
THAN THREE HOURS THE
PAST FOUR NIGHTs...
k.i. thorman
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed