4A the university daily kansan
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opinion
monday, October 13,2003
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Michelle Burham
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Free for All Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansas editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com
I am in the termite-infested corner in Murphy Hall. We are going to shave a pencil and put it out to watch the termites eat it.
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Just because my door is open doesn't mean that I have an open-door policy.
To the bus driver that looks like Johnny Knoxville; You fascinate me.
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I was just wondering if they could install seat belts on the 6th and Crestline bus because it is like riding a roller coaster down here.
I think the sensitivity levels in this country are out of control. I think it is sad that we have come to the point where it is more important to be politically correct than to be politically right. Print that.
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You guys are fired for not putting the Free for All in the paper on Friday. Fired.
No Free for All in my Kansan. The University daily disappointment.
To the girl in my class who twists her hair all of the time: Stop it or I will shave it off.
Jack Black is so hot.
sack's view
Patriot Act disregards Constitution
perspective
GUEST COMMENTARY
A patriot is one who loves and loyalty or zealously supports one's own country. A Patriot Act, however, is the right for the government to disregard the constitution and patronize American citizens and legal immigrants freely. On October 26, 2001, six weeks after Sept. 11, Congress passed the USA Patriot Act in the attempt of "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism." In short, using the tragic shadow of Sept. 11 as protection, the FBI has taken away our human rights. There is nothing patriotic, loving or loyal in this most recent act of dehumanizing legality.
Ali Cullerton opinion@hansan.com
With the Patriot Act, the FBI is allowed to monitor e-mail, medical and financial records and library accounts without probable cause. On top of this, agents can break into homes and offices without a warrant. Agents can also wiretap our phones without court orders and detain immigrants based on suspicion alone. Along with this, a new term has been coined, "domestic terrorism."
Domestic terrorism is the act of actively disagreeing with governmental ways. Have you ever sat around with friends discussing politics and expressing concerns for our current office? If so, you are technically unpatriotic, and engaging in domestic terrorism. You can legally be arrested while sitting in activist groups, religious groups or political organizations for speaking out against our president George Bush and his crew.
The Patriot Act has robbed us of personal freedoms and basic human rights, and Congress needs to understand that we will not accept that.
As if the invasive power of the Patriot Act in not enough, the Justice Department is currently working on dehumanization bill number two. This
Those citizens who have been detained thus far have been granted no access to attorneys or the right to see a judge. These nameless victims have been detained, based on suspicion alone, without the protection of their constitutional rights. For an act of vaguely termed "civil disobedience," you can be stripped of your citizenship faster than you can say justice. Scared vet?
continuation of the Patriot Act is being called the "Domestic Security Enhancement Act." This will give the government the right to detain someone for life without ever disclosing his or her identity, making the hushed reality of erasing existence legal.
For questions regarding the Patriot Act, contact the National Lawyers Guild. The guild's job is to defend human rights and make people aware of what is and is not legal.
Rep. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent, has proposed a bill revoking the sections of the Patriot Act that allow the government to invade your privacy at bookstores and libraries. Even with 136 co-sponsors, the bill sits stuck in committee. Ways to help pass this bill include e-mailing the "Subcommittee on crime, terrorism, and homeland security" to push it through. Also, contact your representatives and express your concerns. Sam Brownback can be reached at (202) 224-6521, Pat Roberts at (202) 224-4774 and Dennis Moore at (202) 225-2865. Remember, these three have been legally assigned to represent us, sp talk to them. How can they represent our concerns if they go unexpressed? The Patriot Act has robbed us of personal freedoms and basic human rights, and Congress needs to understand that we will not accept that.
Cullerton is a Chicago senior in creative writing.
Steve Sack for Knight Ridder
Men should voice concern, fight sexual assault
perspective
Men: Rape is the focus of this column, but hold on, this is for you too. Girlfriends, grab your boyfriend;s sisters, grab your brothers. Sit them down and read the rest together. This column gives a few reasons why all men should be concerned about rape and sexual assault.
COMMENTARY
This problem has hit particularly close to home recently. The University Daily Kansan has reported a few attempted assaults just this semester. Although people in our classes are dealing with this issue, most discussions of rape only occur among women. The time has come for men to step forward and voice their concern about the devastating numbers of sexual assaults that occur every year. There are five simple reasons why men should be concerned about rape.
Whether or not we would like to admit it, sexual assault is a national problem of staggering proportions. The federal government estimates that one in every five college women has been the victim of rape or attempted rape at some point in her lifetime.
First, men rape. Overwhelmingly, men are the perpetrators of sexual assault. I'm not here to blame men, I'm just sharing the facts. Men commit approximately 98
Travis Weller
opinion@kansan.com
percent of all rapes, sexual assaults and attempted sexual assaults. However, listening to conversations or glancing at newspaper headlines, we would never expect this. We hear, "I heard some girl was raped," or newspaper captions read, "Woman raped." Instead, the tagline should read, "Man rapes woman." The typical ways that we talk about rape disguise what is truly happening. Our language hides that men are the ones who commit the crimes.
Second, men are raped. This is a problem that people are just beginning to talk about and recognize. There are few statistics available, but rough estimates show about 10 to 20 percent of men face some type of sexual assault or attempted
sexual assault during their lifetime. The stigma for male rape survivors can be even greater than what women survivors face. Rape is a violent act where all power and control is taken away from the victim. Masculinity is constructed around power and control, so it is very hard for male survivors to talk about the assault.
Third, men know survivors of rape. When so many women are raped during their lifetime, it is very likely that some of the people in our lives are survivors. Men should be concerned about the problem of sexual assault because the victims of the crimes are our friends, sisters, mothers and brothers.
Fourth, sexual assault changes the way that men are viewed. With the threat of rape a constant possibility in the United States, women are forced to interact with men differently. Every man is a potential perpetrator. It takes a great deal of time to build up trust with the new men in womens' lives. The chance of sexual assault inhibits close relationships between men and women.
commit 98 percent of sexual assaults, it men choose to stop committing rape, the number of crimes would drop dramatically. Men should be concerned with sexual assault because there are concrete specific actions that men can take to stop the problem. Luckily, there are a few great informational resources that you can check out for more information on what particular measures men and women can take to reduce sexual assault at the University of Kansas and across the United States. Check out the national organization Men Can Stop Rape at www.mencanstoprape.org. Also, the Men's Outreach Program, part of student services at the University, can provide you with tips and more information. E-mail mensoutreach@ku.edu to find out more.
Fifth, men can stop rape. Since men
The problem of rape is a national crisis, and it will not be solved until both men and women understand why sexual assault should matter to everyone.
This column is based on information available at www.mencanstoprape.org.
Wetter is a Garden City senior in sociology. He is the coordinator for the Men's Outreach Program.
editorial board
Toughen hazing sanctions
The University of Kansas has settled one hazing case, but what will that do to prevent others?
In August, a Sigma Nu fraternity pledge was hospitalized as a result of illegal hazing. County officials did not press charges or enact any penalties, but the University has taken a different approach in handling the incident. Earlier last week, a University judicial board put the chapter on probation until December 2004.
As a result of the sanctions, Sigma Nu cannot have alcohol at social functions for the rest of this academic year and cannot compile points toward intramural championships. The chapter also must review all house traditions and deall its value and appropriateness in a written report to the Center for Campus Life.
In the last 10 years, at least three other fraternities on campus have been investigated for hazing. In each case, the chapter faced some form of sanctions or probation. But the punishment was simply too inconsequential to have a broad impact. The penalties did inconvenience the responsible groups, but it seems that they did little in the way of making a statement. Sigma Nu is the best example that hazing has continued.
University administrators have acted, but that might not be enough for anybody to care next fall. While the current policies of both the University of Kansas and the Interfraternity Council explicitly state that hazing is prohibited, without teeth, these rules are bound to be continuously brushed aside and broken for years to come. After all, the University has seen this several times before.
While alcohol bans and written reports are steps in the right direction, more stringent penalties could help prevent further hazing on campus.
Instead of recommending that the fraternity compile its own assessment of house traditions, the administration could assign an outside auditor to ensure that the report is both accurate and complete. Also, instead of simply banning alcohol from social functions, the group could be banned from holding any social functions at all for a period of time. Or perhaps the University administration could work with the fraternity's national body to officially limit the number of pledges the chapter could recruit next fall. Half a pledge class (or even no pledge class for that matter) would be a more appropriate and lasting penalty than losing points toward an intramural basketball championship could be.
In addition to directly penalizing the accountable group, such heavier sanctions would serve as a reminder to other campus organizations that hazing will not be tolerated.
Steve Munch for the editorial board
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