4
Thursday, October 1, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Philosophy unveiled
How do the Soviets view the world?
This is the subject of a new book by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, scheduled to be published Nov. 20.
The 300-page book will come out simultaneously in English and Russian and will debut in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries. The book is titled "Perestroika: Our Hopes for Our Country and the World." Perestroika is Russian for restructuring.
The book's theme is that "war is no longer an acceptable alternative." Despite the fact that there is debate over whether Gorbachev wrote the book, it is impressive that he claims it as his philosophy.
American public opinion about the Soviet Union is usually formed as a result of U.S. news reports and political dealings. What an opportunity this book offers the American public — to hear the Soviet government speak for itself. Even if the book is idealistic or propagandistic, it exists, as Gorbache has said, "because I wish to speak directly to people . . ."
When has a U.S. president written a book for the people of the Soviet Union — one that states our nation's philosophy in their language? Gorbachev is setting precedent by pioneering communication between the superpowers at a personal level.
The Soviet Union seems to be entering a new phase of development. We in the United States should seize the opportunity to increase our understanding of our Eastern rival.
The bill could generate up to $8.5 million for the purchase of science equipment at KU through bond issues. Considering that some of the equipment in KU's science department is 30 to 40 years old, we need the money. In the blinding acceleration of progress in modern technology, decades-old equipment is often archaic. And scientists who are not familiar with new technology cannot compete in the job market with those who are.
A bill is currently being considered by the state Committee on Ways and Means to generate money for scientific equipment at state universities. If the bill is not recommended and passed, KU's reputation for superior science education may be in ieopardy.
Read the book. Weigh its virtues. Re-evaluate old opinions.
Allow room for change.
Archaic equipment
KU has long been known as a school with excellent science departments in education and in research. For KU to lose that reputation would be unfortunate. For the state to allow the science departments to deteriorate would be foolish.
Let's hope that the legislators have enough foresight to push for the needed financing. If they don't, KU's science students may go to another school, in a state that is willing to invest in state-of-the-art equipment, where their time and money will be better used.
That's the question millions are asking about Jessica Hahn in reference to her sexual encounter with Jim Bakker. After months of speculation about Hahn's side of the scandal, she has sold her story to Playboy magazine. Topless photos of Hahn accompany the story.
Victim or prostitute?
No bearing
Hahn said she was raped by Jim Bakker and John Fletcher, a close friend of Bakker's, when she innocently flew to Florida for a PTL telethon. She had baby-sat for the Bakkers and was a loyal fan of Jim Bakker's ministry, so the offer did not seem odd. Wide-eyed and trusting, Jessica was taken aback by the sexual advances of Bakker and Fletcher, the article states. Also, she thinks a glass of wine given to her by Bakker was laced with drugs.
Hahn's account is indeed moving and frightening. However, her reputation was tarnished because she accepted hush money. Although young, vulnerable and confused, she should have immediately reported to the police or a hospital. And the nude photos do nothing to raise her status from prostitute to victim.
Hahn's story is credible. She insists she is telling her story to aid similar victims. However, to help others, she must command respect and show integrity. The way she handled the situation promotes neither.
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board
News staff
Jennifer Benjamin ... Editor
Julie Warren ... Managing editor
John Benner ... News editor
Beth Copeland ... Editorial editor
Sally Streff ... Campus editor
Brian Kabellein ... Sports editor
Dan Ruettimann ... Photo editor
Bill Street ... 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 manager
David Derfelt ... National sales Manager
Angela Clark ... Classified manager
Ron Wetamis ... Director of marketing
Ryan Hines ... Sales and marketing adviser
faculty Guest shots should be typed, double-spaced and less than 700 words. The image will be photographed.
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and less than 200 words and must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University of Kansas, please include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position.
writer will be photographed. The Kansan reserves the right to reject or edit letters and guest shots. They
publish the Kansan's newsroom, 113 Stairwater Flight Hall.
can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stuart-Fint Hall. Letters, guest shots and columns are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University Daily Kansan. Editorials are the opinion of the Kansan editorial board.
The University Daily Kansas (USP5 650-640) is published at the University of Kansas, 118 Staffer Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 66045, daily during the regular school year, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and finals periods, and Wednesday during the summer session. Second-class postage is paid in Lawrence, Kan. 68044. Annual subscriptions by mail are $40 in Douglas County and $50 in University. Student subscriptions are $3 and are paid through activity fee.
the university to the University Daily Kansan, 118
Stuarter-Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 66045.
Players hold out,prolong strike
As the National Football League strike grinds through its second week and is poised to claim yet another full slate of NFL games (never mind the substitute games), it's hard to understand why two sides that have so much to lose by inaction continue to come up empty at the bargaining table.
NFL owners each average $17 million annually in TV revenues, which will be severely cut by a prolonged strike, and the players, whose union demands to have average annual salaries of nearly $230,000.
The main sticking point in negotiations thus far, though, has not been salaries, but the issue of free agency. Both sides in this dispute, the NFL Players Association and the NFL Management Association, are negotiating sessions since April with free agency and its implications at the center of attention.
The player's association, led by Executive Director Gene Upshaw, is holding out for unrestricted free agency for all players with at least four years of experience in the NFL. He says that, without free agency, players are "slaves" to the system.
Upshaw's proposed free agency would permit senior players to sell their talent to the highest bidder or most desirable team after the completion of their contract and would allow any team to sign these free agents without having to pay compensation to the player's prior club.
But the owners, represented by Jack Donlan,
see things quite differently.
They want to retain the basics of the current system, which allows players a limited possibility of movement, but Donian has offered to cut down
Christopher Wilson Staff Columnist
on compensation payments to make owners more willing to pursue free agents. Owners argue that if the players' proposals on the issue of free agency were to prevail, salaries would skyrocket and would hurt the players, not help them — especially in areas of salary structure and pension programs.
Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, said, "If (the players) would get off the issue of free agency, I believe we would see a quick agreement on pensions."
I think Upshaw should see the writing on the wall. The players have neither the resources nor the “resolve,” as Upshaw puts it, to “go the out into the entire season, which has been threatened.”
Whether Upshaw is right is immaterial; he must make an agreement with what is realistically possible and push for substantial gains in other ways, which the owners seem very willing to compromise.
San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts thinks Upshaw should realize that the players have never won a strike and that it's ridiculous to anticipate winning this strike.
The fact is, Upshaw is making the very same
mistake the union made in 1982 when it held out for 57 days before agreeing to a plan that was a mirror of the one the players rejected at the outset. Upshaw sees the players united on a central issue — free agency — when, in reality, free agency may not be worth losing six to eight weeks of pay to most players and may not even be the central issue on players' minds.
Kansas City Chiefs center Rick Donnallay doesn't think the free agency issue should be of high priority. Donnallay said, "Pensions and severance (pay) are the two biggest issues on the Chiefs."
Upshaw said there would be no compromise on the issue of free agency, and that as far as the players were concerned, "the season is over."
It certainly appears that if the strike reaches a breaking-point — I'd say about four weeks — players would begin to question the real goals of the strike and would pressure Upshaw to reach an agreement. This will weaken Upshaw's negotiating position, which would mean much less appealing agreement than they could have had during the initial stages of the strike, just like in '82.
Upshaw would be well served to use free agency as a bargaining chip before its value decreases. This would allow the players to make major gains in many other areas of concern, like pensions, by giving away something they had no chance of getting in the first place.
It would also make Sunday afternoons a lot more enjoyable.
Christopher Wilson is an Olathe junior majoring in political science and personnel administration.
K·A·N·S·A·N
MAILBOX
Iran's intentions
Why blame Iran? the signs in the display booth ask. Well here are some reasons. Iran not only contributed to the outbreak of war, it has for years refused peace agreements which are not Iraqi surrenders. A former U.S. ambassador to the UAE has said, "There is no question that Baghdad was under a good deal of provocation."
There are many tensions — racial, religious and political — which cannot be blamed entirely on Iraq. For example, the issue of territorial disputes. When Iran announced that it no longer recognized some of the agreements reached under the Shah, Iraq sent troops into Kuwait as its own territory and then into Iran itself. An admonishable act which I certainly don't defend.
Nevertheless, many of Iran's actions over the past few years can be described as threatening to its neighbors. These include public demands for the overthrow of regimes that disagree with its concept of Islam; support of international terrorism, several attempts to instigate violence in Mecca; and its concept of truth, peace and human rights.
Occasionally, Iranian propaganda will imply that the great satan somehow instigated the war. Where is the evidence? The U.S. did not have diplomatic relations with either country and has not supplied arms to Iraq. How much credibility does Iran expect when it routinely
makes claims such as that the U.S. is mining the Gulf?
The real reason for the intensity of the struggle is not "Islam defending itself," rather it is Iran's attempt to impose its bizarre concept of Islam on others. I hope the war will soon be resolved, but if Iran continues to reject peaceful solutions, there will be ample cause to be deeply concerned about its intentions.
Ben Casad. Lawrence junior
Support associates
The Kansan editors took a cheap shot at a fellow journalist this week. CBS News anchorman Dan Rather walked off the set recently. He was protesting a network decision to extend coverage of a tennis game into news broadcast time.
The Kansan criticized Rather. Instead, the Kansan could have used the opportunity to praise Rather's commitment to getting the news on the air.
The networks show enough entertainment and sports programs. I think it's important to preserve what little time is left for news coverage. I'm glad Rather tried to send a message to the network bosses about the importance of the news.
The Kansan says that Rather shouldn't expect too much clout at the network just because of his prestige. Well, Rather didn't get where he is because he's just another pretty face. His lifetime of outstanding journalistic accomplishments earned him the job.
A final point for the Kansan editors to think about: they said Rather acted irresponsibly by protesting, and that Rather is subject to network programming priorities. To turn the tables on a
local level, what would happen if the University decided to use the printing press to publish a sports magazine instead of publishing tomorrow's Kansas? I'd expect to hear a lot of yelling, protesting and foot-stomping at the west end of Stauffer-Flint Hall.
Chris Hernandez, Shawnee senior
Responsible action
As a member of Student Senate, I was surprised to read Frank Partnoy's account of Senate in his Sept. 23 guest shot.
I can assure the students that Senate acted in perfect accordance with its rules and regulations as well as in the best interest of the student body. The bill in question was to finance a program called the Higher Education Rescue Operation. H.E.R.O. is a student-run organization whose goal is to increase state financing for the University. The Student Senate was well informed on the bill during a meeting in Topeka earlier this semester.
Had Mr. Partyn's suggestion been followed by the Senate, the H.E.R.O. program would have been severely damaged or even scrapped because of its immediate need for financing. In the process, the University could have lost the chance to gain millions of dollars in additional revenue from the institution. Such an increase would benefit every student and faculty member at the University.
I see the actions of Student Senate to be very responsible to the students and the University, and I will personally discontinue my involvement with Senate the day I feel differently.
Pamela Holley, Topeka junior
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed