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University Daily Kansan, November 11, 1982
Page 4
Opinion
Boycott unwise decision
An oil producer in western Kansas wants to put an economic clamp on businessmen in eastern Kansas in hopes that they in turn will pressure their state lawmakers into voting down Gov. John Carlin's severance tax.
The producer, Fritz Dreiling, owner of Dreiling Resources, Inc. of Victoria, says he will not buy oilfield products from Kansas companies that are in eastern counties — counties where Carlin won big in last week's reelection win.
"I don't like the word boycott," Dreiling said this week. "I'd hate to see the state's economy disrupted. I don't want to see an east against west thing."
Despite those words, Dreiling's decision is a boycott. It could be disruptive — last year he and his partners spent $2 million on oil production. And by talking to other producers about his plans, he is promoting an economic war over the tax.
Dreiling, a third cousin to Hays lawyer Norbert Dreiling, a prominent Democrat who endorsed Carlin, argues that if the minerals tax is implemented, the county taxes that oil producers pay will be shifted to the state, cutting revenue for local government. Counties then would be forced to raise the property taxes of farmers, homeowners and other businessmen.
But Mike Swenson, Carlin's assistant press secretary, said that out-of-state companies would pay two-thirds of the tax.
The tax has been debated in the Legislature for two years, and has been an issue in Kansas for three decades. Those for and against have had their say more than once.
Dreiling wants to force a showdown over the tax, but it may be a showdown at the expense of the state's relatively healthy economy.
His decision to shop elsewhere for his supplies — effectively pulling $2 million from the economy — could only deepen the rift between the two sides in this issue and at the same time add to the state's financial turmoil that originally prompted Carlin to propose the severance tax.
GOP senators fine for now, but numbers off for '84 race
By STEVE GERSTEL United Press International
WASHINGTON-Senate Republicans, despite a series of scares around the country, weathered the midterm elections well. But 1984 could well bring them graver problems.
After all the votes were counted, Republicans maintained control of the Senate by the same margin that now exists. 54-46. That is not an easy matter to prove, but Howard Baker makes it more than workable.
But the Republicans can take little comfort in results that showed most of the Democratic incumbents winning by big margins, most of the Republicans by narrow numbers.
Although some of the Republican holdovers seemed hell-bent on performing the political equivalent of hara-kur, only Harrison Schmitt of the Tea Party group supported a totally spectacular career in the Senate.
But too many other Republicans, using every bit of the GOP's huge war chest, had to spend a long and agonizing night before finding out what they were doing to deploy employment statistics that are already too high.
That numerical luxury, which also played a significant role in the Republicans' big 1980 gains, will not exist for the Republican two years ago. It would have to defend 18 seats and the Democrats 14.
The failure of President Reagan's economic policies hurt the Republican members of the Senate, and the one factor that may have saved the GOP from losing control was that the Democrats had to defend 20 seats, the Republicans only 13.
And incumbency, as the midterm elections proved, is maybe the biggest single asset a presidential candidate has.
Under what conditions those candidates will run is impossible to forecast. The economy, if Reagan's plans ever bear fruit, could be in good shape, making it much easier for GOP senators.
And there will be a coastal effect, no matter who the Republican and Democratic president is.
But even this far ahead, it is virtually certain that the premiere Senate race will be in North Carolina, matching Jesse Helsinki, the New Right's moderate and highly popular Gov. James Hunt.
Helms epitomizes the New Right, and the race is certain to be a clear-cut referendum on his agenda, which has a strong following in North Carolina and other parts of the South. He is also the acknowledged master fund-raser and does not stint on spending it on his elections.
But Helms' attempt to buy the elections for four of his fellow travelers in congressional races in the midterm elections turned out to be a disaster. They lost.
Hunt, however, is a Southern progressive — not a Kennedy liberal — but at odds with Helms on virtually every important issue.
Two of the most interesting races, should the incumbents seek another term, would be those of Strom Thurmond, R-S-C and Jennings Randolph, D-W-Va. They are both already in their
John Stennis' easy victory in Mississippi at age 81 must have been heartening to Randolph and Thurmond. Like Stennis, they do not look or act as old as they are.
The Republican leadership has to run Baker, assistant leader Ted Stevens and policy chair
Do a number of committee chairmen: Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Budget; Helms, Agriculture; James McCleare of Idaho, Interior; Charles Percy of Illinois, Foreign Relations; Alan Simpson of Wyoming, Veterans; Thurmond, Judiciary; and Tower, Armed Services.
Mark Hatfield of Oregon, chairman of the appropriations committee, has already announced that he will serve on the FCC.
But there are some Republican, coming off their first term, who should be ripe for plucking after six undistinguished years. Foremost of New Hampshire and Roger, Roseen of Iowa.
To be sure, the Democrats have a number of the same, senators such as David Boren of Oklahoma.
But the problem for the Republicans is not in the names but in the numbers. Democrats have a lot of money and influence.
Steve Gersalel is a White House correspondent and political commentator for United Press
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John Oberzan
Some love can be suffocating
We are lucky people as students at the University of Kansas. We are loved.
"I love students at the University of Kansas and don't want them to die," says Steve Mobley, director of Maranatha Campus Ministries. Because he loves all of us at KU, Mobley wants the Kansas Union to stop selling pornographic magazines on its newsstands.
Reading such magazines is like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, Mobley says with conviction. "The word of God says this is sin. I want to expose the darkness in this area so people will know they are destroying the temple of God."
To that end, Mobley and members of Marantha submitted a petition to the vice chancellor for student affairs this summer protesting the Union's sale of all porchography. The titles of the targeted magazines may sound familiar — Playboy, *Playgirl* and Penthouse.
The Union's merchandising board will probably meet in mid-November to act on Maranatha's complaint. Mobley is confident of a victory. He believes that Maranatha will secure the banning of sex-oriented magazines sold at the Union.
Should Mobley and his group achieve a victory, I certainly hope it does not come too easily. The precedent could backfire.
"I think you have to look at the University as a protector of freedoms," she said.
A member of the Union merchandising board defined the crux of the situation in expressing her opposition to taking these magazines off the shelves.
The freedoms she refers to includes one that Mobley is trying to stifle — the freedom for mature, responsible adults to decide for themselves what is moral and immoral.
I honestly appreciate the concern Mobley, and other people I have dealt with, have for my moral well-being, but I should hope that by the age of 22, I would be able to decide whether Playboy is the magazine for me. Just because I am from Kansas Union does not mean I am going to buy it.
and it certainly does not mean that those that do read these magazines are the ones most likely to become prey.
"If we take these things off the shelves, then we're going to see a lot of things happen, like a
LISA GUTIERREZ
I believe Mobley's concern for KU students is genuine. But the means by which he hopes to help all of us is wrong. Why not try to ban the sale of cigarettes in the Union while he's at it? Mobley has said that drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are sinful. Rebaults like this spring up when one tries to give others moral aid.
drop in rape and a drop in incest." Mobley said, intimating a direct correlation between the two occurrences. An off-committee fallacy in his argument is that the rape acts are to sexual acts, rather than acts of violence.
The issue of whether to sell pornographic magazines at the Union involves a serious question that courts of law have yet to thoroughly answer. What is pornography? A few years ago, the U.S. Court admitted they have trouble deciding what is pornographic. They are not alone in their doubts.
Because it is difficult to assign the label "porn," it would be unwise to indiscriminately ban some magazines while others may be in question. I would have to agree that Playboy, Penthouse and Playgirl magazines are pornographic. But what about such magazines as Newswire, The Times, the show people in New York state of undress World Mobley have the union ban Webnews also?
"There is pornography even in business magazines now. It's not just your well-known pornographic magazines," Mobley said. Granting him this, I start feeling sorry for him he intends to check the spread of pornography. It looks like a Herculean task.
The pornographic magazines in question are displayed behind the Union's information counter and are covered, with only their titles showing. They are not blatantly displayed — unless one considers the word "playboy" itself to be smut.
"Men and women are able to walk up and see these things behind the counter." Mobley says. "If a man has got his eyes on the Bible, then he will begin to walk like God. But if he's got his eyes on a pornography book, he's going to begin to lust and degrade himself."
Far be it from me to criticize anyone's religious beliefs. That is not my intention. But I begin to wonder when someone tries to wear 24,000 other people based on moral principles.
Should the committee agree to ban the sale of sex-oriented magazines, it had better be prepared to respond to several people who will invariably cry "censorship." The committee also had better be prepared to receive and consider other requests like this one from Maranatha and similar organizations. The prospects could be overwhelming.
Letters to the Editor
Science, creationism need not be at odds
To the Editor:
Although I'm a Christian and I believe in creationism (not necessarily "scientific," depending on your meaning), I nevertheless allow for the truth of evolution of species. This seeming ambiguity doubtless will raise the hackles of most fundamental Christians. I'm sorry for that. However, I do believe the Genesis account to be fact, not fiction.
Inconsistent? Not at all. Jesus himself requires his followers to eat his flesh and drink his blood. The 2,000-year-old tissues and arterial fluid of that person are not being ingested through the alimentary passages of believers today, yet I affirm we do fulfill his command, each time we share, but only if the inward man, woman or child reverently receives it obdertly, worthy.
Moses was no dummy. He was educated in the universities of Egypt and was aware of many natural processes in Earth's history. There was no moral advantage in relating technical transitions covering millenniums of time. His hearers were childlike in education, so he outlined the world's beginnings in order to explain why life is different. They had no capacity for molecular analysis, but Moses told his people of a real Creator and of their responsibility to that supreme Person.
I expect that each "day" of creation comprised eons. Fossils may be (and often are) misinterpreted, but they do not lie. The Creator planted no phony clues. He is the God of truth. I believe that Moses, the author of Genesis, in places used figurative language. The outstanding example is his account of the creation of Eve, to be Adam's "helpmeet." In this passage, Moses sensitively describes woman's intended oneness with her man — a union completely, exclusively and permanently a marriage — not coolly utilitarian, but affectionate and human. Moses also invented the rib of Adam was removed. Therefore, I conclude that here Moses was indeed under a tender poetic compulsion. Viewed as such, the record is beautifully true to God's design.
Getting back to evolution, I observe that
fearful religionists have for a long time condemned scientific discovery.
"The sun circles the earth.
"It's not going to rain no more. Fly."
"the earth is flat." (Some still believe it.)
"the sun circles the earth."
"The Bible proves that man will never fly."
"God will never allow man onto the moon." (One of my KU friends says it was and is a photographic hoax.)
That same defensive hysteria continues today.
I contend that the Almighty did not suddenly create round, smooth pebbles. There is abundant, ongoing evidence that He caused them to break down. Similarly, this continually changing world developed along guidelines of nature's laws.
Many years ago, a sheltered girl about 12 years old was abruptly told where babies come from. She burst into tears, disenchanted. "I thought babies came from heaven!" Well, babies really do come from heaven, by the Lord's beautiful process. That girl's anguish parallels today's upset over investigating our origins.
Whatever the stages or steps, a real, unchanging Almighty, thinking (and loving) power did it. He does not lie, nor do these tangible evidence. We do blunderingly investigate, but all sincere inquiries lead to the Common Cause.
Iron Bond Electrician, Facilities Operations
Musician chased away
watching and listening with fascination, unconsciously tanning their feet.
Between two of his songs the other day, the Tambourine Man revealed why he was not performing at his usual place, Wesoe Beach: he had been chased out by police. The question everyone asked was "Why?" Why? He was chased out? He wasn't hurting anyone. It is truly sad that the Tambourine Man, who provides color and entertainment, would be chased away by officials. The police should just leave the Tambourine Man and any other sidewalk performers alone. Surely they have more important matters to attend to.
There is a musician who frequently performs to sidewalk audiences on campus. For lack of his real name, I'll refer to him as the Tambourine Man. Armed with a guitar, a harmonica and a tambourine, he is often seen surrounded by young, playfully playing originals and requests for them.
The Tambourine Man is an asset to KU, through the music and unity he transmits. I only wish he and others could feel welcome on campus and not be something to be chased away
As the Tambourine Man himself points out, many onlookers may think these people are just skipping class, but they are really participating in a cultural event. The Tambourine Man has achieved something far beyond just playing music. He has destroyed some of the gaps between different types of people that make up the student body — punks, Greeks, hippies and many other clauses of people stand side by side, laughing and clapping together.
The Tambourine Man has added a touch of style and class to what otherwise could be a maze of people troupping past one another. Most people who happen to pass near him end up. Most people who happen to pass near him end up.
To the Editor:
Lawrence sonhomore
Letters Policy
The University Daily Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and should not exceed 500 words. They should include the writer's name, address and phone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, the letter should include his class and home town or faculty or staff position. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject letters.