Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Spencer Duncan, Editor
Lindsey Henry, Managing editor
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4A
Thursday, November 13, 1997
W. Dave Keith/ KANSAN
Examining
Trying on a different color of skin can reveal the 'American Nightmare'
After reading Andy Obermueller's Nov. 3 column titled "Recognize diversity — but fight racist proposal," I realized how important knowledge, understanding and wisdom are for those who wield the power of the written word.
"People in college probably aren't likely to be the folle
passes anyway," Obermueller writes. This is a naive statement, to say the least. Borrow my skin for a semester and you will "see" that people in college (students, staff, faculty) do paint swastikas — on the mental and emotional overpasses of our daily lives.
As an undergraduate, I was almost always the only Black in class. In one class, the instructor accidentally brought up affirmative action. The class had a fit: "Reverse discrimination!" was the loud verdict. After listening carefully, I spoke. The class fell silent. But suddenly, a Caucasian sis-
Donato
Fhunsu
dfhunsu@ukans.edu
Moving next to me grabbed my chair, shook it in rage, told me she hated people like me, and commanded me to leave the class. Was it "her" class?
Another incident involves a staff member. I went to a certain department for information about majors. As soon as the sister heard my accent, she told me that with the courses in their department being "very analytical," it would be wiser for me to find a more "congenial" major. I didn't say anything. I just handed her my Arts Form, and suddenly her face brightened, as if she could not believe her eyes. She apologized and said she had "misunderstood" me, that she could get me the information I needed. Was this not all I actually wanted in the first place?
In another class, a Caucasian brother, during a discussion on intelligence, explained how the peoples of Africa, primitive as they were, lacked the enlightenment of developed nations like the United States and were, therefore, clearly not intelligent. When I said I was born in Africa and I wanted to know what he meant by "primitive" and "not intelligent," the brother apologized and said he did not really mean what he had said. Why did he say it then?
"These people are not enlightened enough," some might argue. "Surely professors with doctorates must be truly liberated spirits." Oh, yeah? Borrow my skin again and see. In the studies that I did as an undergraduate, I must have impressed my instructors, because I was nominated to receive honors. I went to the award ceremony, happy of the feeling that I had somehow managed to "be accepted."
When the ceremony started, I noticed the pattern: your name is called, you go to the stage, the professor master of ceremony smiles at you, gives you the certificate, congratulates you and shakes your hand. Many (Caucasian) students went before me and I waited anxiously for my name to be called. When my turn finally came, I went — and something interesting happened. The professor handed me the certificate without even looking at me. I got the certificate and, thinking I was also entitled to the congratulating handshake, I stretched my hand and waited, and waited. Then the next person was called and I had to return to my place.
My feelings? They ran the gamut, from A to Z. But as a true indomitable optimist, I gave the professor the benefit of a doubt. "The stress of the ceremony must have caused this minor procedural slip," I told myself, and went back to my seat. However, as soon as the next (Caucasian) student went up, the "normal" routine resumed and congratulatory looks and handshakes were again on the agenda. The following year I must have impressed my instructors again, because I was nominated anew, and this professor again gave me my certificate but "forgot" to smile at me, congratulate me and shake my hand. Simple coincidence? Oversensitivity on my part? Does it matter?
"Multiculturalism, diversity and political correctness lambaste college students from day one. The idea of multiculturalism often is promulgated by the same people who complain about the racism of Columbus Day, the national anthem, and who say 'herstory' instead of 'history,' " states Obermueller.
Whether it is my racial background that is insulted or my lousy English, I really wonder about the naive who feel that racism and bigotry in the United States are only the hallucinatory rhetoric of the ungrateful, oversensitive minorities. Needless to say, for those of us who live on the receiving end of these unfortunate side-effects of the American Experiment, they are a matter of daily mental torment, emotional distress, and even physical harm, as in the countless cases of hate crimes that plague our land.
This is why I support the multicultural graduation requirement proposal now before the student senate. If, as we say, education is the key, then at least this effort has the potential to unlock for all of us, be it only vicariously, the hidden side of the American Dream, a side that has been and still is for many people a genuine American Nightmare.
Fhunsu is a Lawrence graduate student in French.
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Broaden your mind:
"In this desert that I call my soul, I always play the starring role."
—Sting, "So Lonely"
Letter: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
How to submit letters and guest columns
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom. 111 Stuaffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Bradley Brooks (brooks@kansan.com) or Jason Strait (jstrait@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4810.
Guest columns: Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
I think the "Kansan" and its so-called journalists need to wake up and realize they are supposed to be one of the top collegiate newspapers in the country. Shock journalism isn't cutting it anymore; people are fed up.
Feedback
'So-called' journalists need to clean up act
Does the "Kansan" realize that it has a substantial following and can hurt the people and groups it writes about? While Obermueller's column may have had some substance beneath his tirade, it was nothing more than a personal attack on a very good senator.
The "Kansan" should not provide the public forum for such expression. While I feel there is a need for the editorial page, it should not be a place where another person is tried and convicted by one supposed journalist.
I am also a student senator, and I am almost always at opposite ends of the issues with Matt Bachand. But I know him to be a very hard worker. He has great devotion to this University and to the students he represents. He may have made some mistakes with Awareness Week, but I am sure he gave a good effort. I feel he was the victim of unforeseen circumstances. If the "Kansan" keeps letting journalism like this continue, I believe it will not only lose its awards but also what little respect it still has as a newspaper.
I would like to see the "Kansan" start holding itself and its journalists accountable for their actions — save the crap for the tabloids. I would like to know if the "Kansan" staff condones Andy's article, and if not what they plan on doing about it?
Zach Svoboda
Lenexa Senior
Business Senator
Going overboard on turkey bowling
This is in response to the letter about turkey bowling. I was a vegetarian for two years, so I know all the facts and figures about how the turkeys are treated in some factories. But the fact of the matter is that I'm not a vegetarian anymore and I like eating turkey.
The people in Ellsworth Hall have been using the same turkey for 3 years. They refreeze it. I don't see how this is harmful. It's not like they are exploiting the turkey. The thing is already dead.
Sure, once upon a time it had feelings and it's horrible the way they are treated, but Americans like turkey. What is PAL going to do when Thanksgiving comes around? Thousands upon thousands of turkeys are slaughtered for just this occasion. Are you guys going to boycott Butterball?
This whole situation got out of hand because people are too sensitive. So one 3-year-old dead turkey gets knocked around a bit. The turkey bowlers of Ellsworth Hall have rights, too. At least they aren't running around murdering, raping or beating the crap out of anyone. So what's the harm? Just let it be.
And to you PAL people out there ... maybe you should concentrate on the larger issues at hand, like keeping peace in our school, and quit worrying about what a handful of students are doing with one mealy little turkey.
Katherine Lyddon Liberal iunior
KAW radio coverage sheds light on issue
Many thanks to the "Kansan" for its ongoing coverage of the crackdown on KAW radio by the Federal Communications Commission. In no way could KAW be construed to be a threat to the public or the public's airways.
On the contrary, its programming brings desperately needed vitality into the bland world of mass communications. If KAW is closed down, we will all be the
While the battle continues I urge everyone who supports cultural alternatives to write the FCC, urging that agency to waive its rules and allow KAW to remain on the air. Letters sent to KAW at Box 1401, Lawrence, Kan., 66044, will be recorded and forwarded to Washington. And continue to listen to the station at 89.9 FM if you are fortunate enough to live in a part of town that its signal penetrates. The radio station you save could be — is, in fact — your own.
losers for it.
Tim Miller Associate professor of religious studies
'Nothing' comment unwarranted, untrue
Quick, someone tell Jennifer A. Yeoman and unenlightened readers that "5,001 acres of nothing" in Chase County is an oxymoron that slipped through the editing cracks in her front page "Kansan" article on Nov. 11.
For me and many others with treasured, irrevocable ties of stewardship to acreages and homeplaces, her "nothing" is our everything. In my case, my family has farmed and ranched in Kansas and Oklahoma for four generations. "Nothing" supported us financially. It nurtured our hearts, souls and work ethic. It framed our daily activities, gave us a sense of roots and responsibilities and much more.
The area puts on quite a show if you know where to look — always interesting, never dull. So, if this is "nothing," I'm glad I have some.
Jean Kygar Eblen Secretary, design and construction management
Wescoe snack bar editorial lacking
Having read the "Kansan's" editorial on the Wescoe Terrace Snack Bar, I think that the whole story about Wescoe Terrace was not represented in your article. Yes, our options are limited in the healthy food choices, but we do provide quite a few viable options including deli sandwiches (which are extremely healthy and our most popular healthy choice), fruits, granola, low-fat snacks, garden burgers and a salad bar with many low-fat options.
Nor are all our foods microwaved. Many are cooked in conveyor ovens, rollers and warmers. Such foods include, but are not limited to, pizza, breadsticks, hot dogs, pretzels and breaded and grilled chicken for the deli. Considerable time is spent in preparing these food options. We do not just throw everything in a microwave.
Yes, we would like to have the capability to serve more meal options, but we do not have space to make this happen. We think we've served our customers to the best of our ability with the space provided.
From Wescoe Terrace's beginning to the current time we have been one of the main food service stops on campus. We enjoy that role and look forward to continuing to serve the students' and the faculties' varying needs in the future.
Don Harvey
Don Harvey Supervisor II, Wescoe Terrace
Student thanks facilities operations
In the past few weeks, I've come to appreciate the hard work that people do every day at the University.
Since I'm currently enrolled in a broadcast journalism class, I've begun using a camera on a regular basis. This wouldn't be a problem for most students, but I'm not like most students. I have a disability and use a wheelchair.
I know that other disabled students have gone through the journalism school before me. What I didn't realize was that no one had thought of making the equipment easier to use. I was the first person who mentioned this problem to anyone.
The person I spoke with
was Gary Hawke, professor of journalism. He had never been aware that there was a problem, but was more than willing to help me if he could
He contacted facilities operations to see if there was anyone who might have some ideas about what we could do. Luckily, he found two people. David Gomez and Vernon Haid have done more in the last few weeks than most other people would ever do to help someone.
By meeting with Professor Hawke and myself just a few times, they were able to design a tripod that could be put together easily by attaching sturdy pipes to my wheelchair and then adjusting a few knobs for the proper height and sturdiness.
Because of David Gomez and Vernon Haid, I no longer have to have someone do my work for me. I can be a little more independent. That's something much more important to me than they can ever understand. Thank you, David and Vernon — great job!
Suzanne Mace Lawrence sophomore
I would like to take this opportunity to clarify certain comments attributed to me out of context in yesterday's "Kansan." I hope this letter will provide a more appropriate learning opportunity than occurred in the article.
Reader clarifies his quotes in story
I had written reporter Ryan Koerner in regard to what I felt was an inappropriate use of the term multiethnic in place of multiracial when describing the cast of Cinderella. I questioned her about the continued use of the term Caucasian to describe people of light skin when we do not use the terms Negroid mongoloid, etc., to describe other racial groups. I did not think this was an unreasonable question. I admit it was a loaded question, and I learned that if you ask a loaded question, you might shoot off your foot.
Ms. Koerner was nice enough to contact me and explain that the usages are by agreement among journalists and reflect current terminology. We then had a discussion in which I said that all of the hyphenated American titles reflected current vogue usage and that I was not a fan of political correctness.
I did not mean to suggest that African American is incorrectly used, just that it is overused. The comments from Dion Jones about the use of Black versus African American seemed to support my opinion. One statement I did make that was not included in the article concerned my feeling that journalism reflects popular culture and influences it simultaneously.
This article could have been more educational if it merely mentioned that the question came up, provided a reason for the use of these terms and perhaps discussed how we can change it.
We — all of us — need to label things to make sense of them. Labels have no purpose unless they help us understand, and then they need to be applied uniformly. That is all I meant. My comment was not intended to suggest we adopt this terminology. Even the academic field of anthropology has chosen to move beyond this unidimensional description of racial groups. This is a good thing. I think Mr. Jones was right when he said the coverage was more important than the label used.
It was suggested to me that people should be called what they want to be called. That is fine with me. I for one despise the term Caucasian and prefer to be called an individual, nothing more.
I date myself by saying I long for the good old days when we were just Americans and didn't worry about where our ancestors came from.
Gardner Umbarger Lawrence graduate student
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