Opinion
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Thursday, November 6, 1997
MUSIC
THEATER
LITERATURE
Signe / PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
Feedback
Multicultural class could serve false purpose
Although I have some reserves about the proposed academic policy requiring a multicultural-diversity course for graduation, I somewhat disagree with Andy Obermueller's stance on this issue.
To begin with, multiculturalism is about cultural diversity not about race, as race is understood as a social construct not as a dubious biological fact. Most of what people perceive as being racial matters are, in fact, ethnic, cultural matters (I'm not denying racism exists) and that is a main reason for this this well-meaning policy of promoting cultural awareness.
In regards to a multicultural class' improving things, I don't know. It might accomplish the opposite by giving students a superficial brush on the matter, leaving them with the wrong impression that they know something significant about cultural diversity
Some subtler prejudices can leak in such courses when the student lacks strong critical thinking skills. Above all, it could reinforce an post-modern culture's museumlike character, its mania for acquiring and classifying information about everything — culture and ways of living not excluded.
Then, other cultures and life perspectives become something to be displayed to the eager eyes of the western observer, defeating the initial, humane purpose of cultural relativism.
As for college education, Obermueller's saying that four years should be spent in courses related to their major is off base — I would guess two or three at most are spent on a major. Exploring academic choices is a distinct quality — with its own advantages, flexibility, freedom, and risks — of an anglo-saxon liberal education. It is also an indicator of the cultural distinctiveness of American society in
relation to other western societies, which might be worth inquiring about.
I do agree with Obermueller on one important point. It is that individuals be regarded first as persons and not as member of a certain group, despite the fact that this idea is dependent on the cultural setting.
Mauricio Navia
Cochabamba, Bolivia
graduate student
Does KJHK serve interests of entire student body?
We as students need to question the media sources available to us — especially when they use $70,000 of our money.
What exactly is the purpose of KJHK, and what part do you — the student body — and I wish to play in it?
To say that KJHK is a student-operated radio station is misleading. Article "two of KJHK's constitution states that" KJKH is a laboratory radio station of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications."
It follows that the term "college radio" is interpreted at the University of Kansas to mean the radio station of the School of Journalism. But it still uses student money.
There is a historical difference of opinion regarding the purpose of KJHK — to either serve the needs and interests of the school or those of all KU students.
The KJK constitution used to read, "KJK is to serve as the official radio station of the student body of the University of Kansas and as the laboratory radio station of the William Allen White School of Journalism."
The history of this change is beyond the scope of this letter, but it should be emphasized that the school played a major role in co-opting KJHK's interests from the student body to provide a laboratory for journalism students. In doing so, the majority of the student body, which is not in the
journalism school, has been alienated from the station.
This fall has seen dismissals of at least five KJHK programmers (disc jockeys). When I inquired with Special Program Director Trevor Ruder several weeks ago about his role in firing two DJs, he declined to comment.
Through KJHK, the journalism school is attempting to coordinate its academic interests with those of its corporate donors. Previous donors include General Electric, Capital Cities/ABC, Phillips Petroleum Inc., and many others listed on the school's Internet site. The concept of free student radio is and has been a direct threat to both the journalism school and their high-profile corporate donors.
Those responsible for the operations of KJHK should (re)examine the words of William Allen White:
"You say that freedom of utterance is not for time of stress, and I reply with the sad truth that only in time of stress is freedom of utterance in danger ... only when free utterance is suppressed is it needed, and when it is needed, it is most vital to justice." The complete quotation can be viewed at http://www.ukans.edu/~jschool/history/faq.html.
KJHK's structure limits the free speech guaranteed to students in Article 16 of the code of Student Rights and Responsibilities which protects the free speech of all student media, including university-controlled radio stations.
Brian Ireland Topeka junior
CORRECTION
As a result of an editing error, a sentence in Mike Cuenca's Nov. 5 letter in response to Andy Obermuller's Nov. 3 column read "Contrary to his statement, awareness of one's ethnic and cultural heritage is not realism."
Kansan staff
The word realism in the previous sentence was written by Cuenca as racism
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debating
Committee's reasons for ethnic class explained
We can look at Andy Obermueller's opinion column in Monday's "Kansan,""Recognize diversity but fight racist proposal" in a myriad of ways
We can recognize it for being xenophobic and ignorant, or we can look at his column as a subversive act of resistance on behalf of the U.S. Cultural Diversity Requirement. Obermueller does a disservice to those working toward the implementation of this requirement by creating a lot of confusion and misunderstanding of what is happening.
Rochelle
Votaw
opinion@kansas.com
While I would like to debate with Obermüller his understanding of what multiculturalism, diversity and racism means, I think it is more important to explain what the diversity requirement is about. I'm writing on behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee for the U.S. Cultural Diversity Requirement, which I co-chair with Cheryl Lester, associate professor of American Studies and English.
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, students must take 72 hours of general education requirements — six of which are Western Civilization and three are NonWestern Culture. While these courses are essential for a liberal arts education, the curriculum must be expanded to include the cultures of the United States.
There is nothing in place to guarantee that students will be acquainted with the diversity of American cultures, although it is possible to take some classes on Native American cultures to fulfill the non-Western Culture requirement.
The requirement will help students explore the various dimensions of their identities, while discovering their own histories within the larger social fabric of the United States. It will broaden our understanding of other cultures and help us better understand ourselves and how we interact with those cultures.
Therefore, this requirement is more than studying the history of people apart from the dominant culture, it is the studying of ourselves. While race plays a central role in discussions of diversity, we define diversity more broadly.
Diversity addresses not only race and gender, but the intersections of these and other sources of human identity such as religion,
ethnicity, age, sexuality, class and ability.
If the goal of this University is to foster and develop a community in which we prepare students for real world applications, we cannot separate diversity from our curriculum. In the real world, students will deal with diverse people and cultures. It doesn't make sense to not study the rest of our global culture if we want to prepare students for the 21st century.
To illustrate how behind the times this University is, of the top 50 schools in the 1989 edition of "US News and World Report," 25 of these institutions had diversity requirements similar to what we are proposing. Student leaders and administrative personnel across the country are calling for the broadening of curriculum. Out of the 250 colleges and universities that currently participate in the Ford Foundation's Campus Diversity Initiative Programs, 50 percent of them have diversity requirements, with another 25 percent working toward it.
We will propose that all students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences be required to take one course that emphasizes the diversity of American cultures. We are in the planning stages and are trying to gather support for this project.
As Obermueller stated, if passed, this requirement could work in conjunction with other general education requirements such as social science or humanities. More specifically, courses such as Chicano literature, civil rights movement, Native American literature, holocaust literature, Black experience in the Americas, Asian-American Experience and American ethnic and racial relations could simultaneously meet two requirements.
This requirement is not meant to be a burden on students. We are taking every measure possible to ensure that this requirement fits in easily with other requirements already in place.
Obermueller seems to think that it is not the University's responsibility to make him a "world citizen," and that he doesn't need a diversity requirement because he isn't a "hood-wearing racist." He argues that any movement that forces him to broaden himself is racist. But isn't the broadening of the mind what education is all about?
Votaw is a Lawrence senior in American studies. She is a CLAS senator and co-chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the U.S. Cultural Diversity Requirement.
Screen legend Corey Feldman said in the movie "The Burbs." "What the hell do you want to go to a movie for? This is better than a movie, this is my neighborhood!" For once, I actually agree with Mr. Cinemax.
Chaotic home life allows plenty of home entertainment
In years past, I have lived in quieter surroundings, but this year I chose to relocate to what I like to refer to as Lawrence's Times Square, better known as 14th and Tennessee St. I refer to it as Times Square because it seems to be where all of the action in this town is, sure a day seven
John Colbert
opinion@kansan.com
days a week. Being so close to campus, there is a steady stream of people going to and from class. Being in the midst of several bars frequented by a clientele of predominantly underclassmen and greeks ensures that there is plenty of nightlife. Throw in the occasional fire truck or police car speeding to the latest car wreck, and you've got the recipe for nonstop action and sleepless nights.
Speaking of car wrecks, I can't even count the number that have happened in the intersection in front of my house. Last Saturday night, a pickup truck came to rest in my front yard just six feet from my house after taking out a fire hydrant. For the record, I don't know where the hydrant went.
About a month ago, I managed to sleep through an incident that involved nearly every piece of emergency equipment in Lawrence. The rescue and cleanup squad assembled in front of my place after some guy laid his motorcycle down and split his head open on the street.
While car wrecks are cool and all, it is the bar patrons that have provided me with countless hours of entertainment. My friends and I used to go out to bars in the past. Now we don't need to because the excitement constantly is walking past my house.
There is nothing quite like the joy derived from sitting on your front porch heckling everyone who walks by. Closing time is
usually the best because people are in their most vulnerable state. It never ceases to amaze me how many drunks actually think they are getting a whole pizza for free when in fact all they are getting is an empty box. I have also learned that you can cause freshmen to get really paranoid when you tell them you are conducting a survey on underage drinking.
One thing that seems to run hand in hand with alcohol and college kids is violence. Not a week goes by without a bar-clearing brawl. Just last week watched some guy take on 10 innocent fraternity boys all by himself. The only thing funnier is when about 20 guys in the midst of beating the hell out of one another just stop and peacefully walk away at the first sign of a cop.
Another cheap thrill that comes with living across the street from a bar is that there is a constant stream of inconsiderate patrons always parking in my spot. Despite the idle threat of having their vehicle towed at their own expense, they still do it. I have one thing to say to anyone who has engaged in this practice: If you have ever returned to your car one night after leaving your windows down only to find that someone has poured a sticky liquid all over your seats and dashboard — I didn't do it.
When sitting on the front porch drinking cheap beer and acting like a high school kid gets boring, you can always find a social function nearby where cheap beer is being served. The thing to do is just start walking in any direction. When you come across a house with loud music, lots of people and a psychedelic light show, just walk on in.
.
Usually the hosts will be glad you're there even if they realize that they don't know you. However this backfired on me once when in a stupor I mistook a wedding shower for a house party. If worse comes to worse, I can always invite myself to the perpetual fraternity party across the street.
If home is where the heart is, then mine is on my porch with a few good friends, several empty containers of alcoholic beverages by my side and several hundred drunks ambling on their way.
Colbert is a Lenexa senior in mechanical engineering.