Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Spencer Duncan, *Editor*
Lindsey Henry, *Managing editor*
Andrea Albright, *Managing editor*
Tom Eblen, *General manager*, news adviser
Sarah Scherminkwinski, *Business manager*
Brian Pagel, *Retail sales manager*
Dan Simon, *Sales and marketing adviser*
Justin Knupp, *Technology coordinator*
4A
Monday, Oct. 20, 1997
David Keith / KANSAN
Feedback
In response to column on the Promise Keepers
It's interesting that as a man, you are writing an article about the oppression of women and how they should feel.
I myself am a very strong-willed, independent woman. I support the womens' rights movement, but at the same time I support the Promise Keepers.
I do not see this particular men's organization as a hindrance to woman's rights, but rather a tool to teach men responsibility. It is true that the Bible says a man should rule over a woman, for man was conceived first and the woman was tricked into sin. Nowhere does this state that a woman is less intelligent. At the same time, I myself would not get involved in a marriage where I did not trust my husband's wisdom enough to follow him.
I believe that in this day and age — where men cheat on their wives, abandon their children and do not support their family the way they should — Promise Keepers are the answer to what these men need.
A marriage is in fact an equal partnership, where the woman should, 90 percent of the time, agree with her husband's decisions — not because she is submissive, but because they see eye to eye. If you need a biblical reference to the equality of a marriage partnership, read the last chapter in Proverbs.
Tricia Merrill Columbus, Ohio senior
I attended the Promise Keepers gathering two years ago in Kansas City.
The message that I received while attending this meeting was that man should be leading the family by serving the family. In "ruling" over the family the man should follow Christ's example of dominance. Even though He was God he came to earth to die for the sins of the people
He so dearly loved. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. He washed the feet of his disciples at his last meal. He even said, "The greatest in my kingdom will be the servant of all."
This is the example men are supposed to follow. The so-called missiveness of women to men is not for the woman to give in to every wish of her husband. It is an openness to accept the service the man should be providing to her and the family.
I also came away from the meeting feeling that this openness a woman should allow does not exclude her from responsibility for the spiritual guidance of the family. Promise Keepers make it clear that they feel a marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship.
I think Bill McCartney is trying to improve the portion of families that he truly understands: the husband. In this age of divorce I commend Mr. McCartney for his efforts. He cannot fix all the ills of marriage today. He is trying to improve marriage by showing a way to a personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
I would encourage Mr. Zaller or any other critic of Promise Keepers to attend one of their meetings. They are open to anyone, male or female.
If you are still a critic after attending a meeting, I wish I could bottle my Promise Keepers' experience and give it to you. It was one of the most eve-opening experiences of my life.
If you have attended one of the Promise Keepers meetings and are a critic, please share your feelings with others. I feel that any opinion formed about the Promise Keepers should be a fully informed one. I wish you all the best on your faith journey.
Brett Hudson Bucklin senior
women be treated with dignity, equality, and honor. Our history has not always exemplified that fact.
I am concerned that your editorial shows little originality or research, however. Although I am aware that an editorial does not presume a responsibility for thorough research, to me it looks like a replication of a recent "Time" magazine article.
I appreciate your thoughtful editorial in today's "Kansan" on the Promise Keepers. It is very important that
If you wanted to strengthen your argument, I would challenge you to produce an actual quote from any Promise Keepers speaker that has encouraged "a dominant presence in the family" or "subservience" or "stripping away freedom". Promise Keepers events are regularly broadcast on local radio stations. Have you ever listened?
And please don't be so simplistic as to equate leadership with dominance. Otherwise we would have to think poorly of people like Roy Williams, Bill Clinton and others. Their leadership is exemplified by a great respect for those whom they lead — that is what makes them great.
A lively debate certainly could be conducted as to whether the home needs a leadership structure and who would be most capable of assuming the particular leadership roles.
God himself in the Bible (1 Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5:28) has given us the resolution to the debate, however. While a man is in no way superior or closer to God, he has been given the responsibility to lead.
Why do I believe the Bible? Manuscript evidence, archaeological confirmation and predictive prophesy that came true all provide solid intellectual reasons for its trustworthiness.
The main reason, however, is that Jesus Christ confirmed its truth by teaching its principles, living out its prophesies, and demonstrating his love for us by dying on the cross for our sins in obedience to their commands (Romans 5:8, Philippians 2:5-11).
Cory Beard Olathe graduate student
Kansan staff
Bradley Brooks . . . Editorial
Jason Strait . . . Editorial
Jodie Chester . . . News
Jen Smith . . . News
Adam Darby . . . News
Charity Jeffries . . Online
Kristie Blasi . . Sports
Tommy Gallagher . Associate Sports
Dave Morantz . . Campus
Eric Weslander . Campus
Ashleigh Roberts . Features
Steve Puppe . Photo
Bryan Volk . Design, graphics
Mitch Lucas . Illustrations
Mark McMaster . Wire
Ann Marchand . Special sections
Lachelle Rhoades . News clerk
News editors
Advertising managers
Matt Fisher ... Assistant retail
Michael Soifer ... Campus
Colleen Eager ... Regional
Anthony Migliazzo ... National
Jeff Auslander ... Marketing
Chris Haghrian ... Internet
Brian LeFevre ... Production
Jen Wallace ... Production
Dustin Skidgel ... Promotions
Tyler Cook ... Creative
Annette Hoover ... Public relations
Rachel O'Neill ... Classified
Jaime Mann ... Assistant classified
Marc Harrell ... Senior account executive
Scott Swedlund ... Senior account executive
Broaden your mind:
"She comes back to tell me she's gone. As if I didn't know that, as if I didn't."
How to submit letters and guest columns
**Leffers:** 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 home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
Paul Simon, "Graceland"
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.
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 (istrain@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4810.
Ranting
No room for ridicule during women's rally
Last Thursday in South Park, there was a rally for women called "Take Back the Night," designed to bring awareness to the important issue of vio-
opinion@kansan.com
Ashlee Roll
lence against women. The rally is for women, by women and in support of women. However, some members of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority obviously didn't think so.
As I wandered through the crowd, I saw a large group of women, distinguishable by their blue T-shirts with Greek letters, laughing and snickering at the chants printed in the program. At first I thought my eyes were
deceiving me. Would anyone make fun of such a serious issue?
These women are obviously well acquainted with the struggle for women's rights. They are among the three sororities that degraded itself to be invited to a Sigma Nu keuger. What is more appalling is that according to the director of "Take Back the Night," the sorority was required to attend the rally as a result of the Bacchanalia incident.
The antics didn't stop with the laughter. As we walked down Massachusetts Street toward Watson Park, members of the sorority made fun of two women participating in the march who were holding hands. Unfortunately for the Gamma Phis, the two women overheard the remarks and addressed the women during the speak-out portion of the rally.
The woman who spoke to the crowd angrily said she found the sorority members' behavior inexcusable. She said that after dealing with homophobia every day of her life, she would not permit the women to take away the safe zone the rally provided.
She even identified them saying they were in matching shirts and standing among the crowd. At that time a loud cry of protest arose from someone, who I can only assume was a sorority member.
The Gamma Phi Beta members who behaved this way should be ashamed. It was like attending a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals rally wearing a fur coat.
It would be hard to believe that anyone who attended the march did not find it an incredibly moving experience. I sat and listened to brave women speak out about the abuse they had endured, call out the names of the abusers and begin their healing process. And for anyone, especially other women, to snicker and laugh at their pain is deplorable.
Whether the women who made the comments realize it or not, it is women's organizations and events such as last Thursday's that push for street lights, protective legislation, campus blue phones and counseling services. Without rallies such as "Take Back the Night," there would be little discussion of domestic or sexual abuse. Looking at the statistics, chances are that even in the Greek system there are women who have experienced abuse.
An organizer then stated that anyone who was racist, sexist or homophobic needed to leave the circle. In response, a group of sorority members left.
The rally was not about sexual orientation, it addressed problems that affect everyone. Regardless of gender or personal beliefs, the rally was to promote the well-being of all women, including the Gamma Phi Betas. People should be respectful and mature enough to tolerate differences in support of a greater cause.
This is not to say that all women who are
I am not a militant feminist, but I do believe in gender equality. I also believe that everyone deserves respect, regardless of their lifestyle. I especially believe that when people come together to support a common cause, they should put their differences aside.
in sororities and attended the rally shared these beliefs or acted this way.
It is even more despicable that an organization that touts its philanthropic and community service like a badge would allow its members to behave so poorly. What I find most upsetting is that women would attend a women's rally and act like a bunch of pre-pubescent boys.
I just hope that the next time the Gamma Phi Betas feel vulnerable while walking down a dark street at night, they remember the chants they were so quick to laugh at.
Roll is an Raleigh, N.C., senior in journalism.
Virus of sexism lies just beneath society's skin
"Womyn Take Back The Night" is viewed by many in this community to be nothing more than a shameless man-hate fest. To
many, the idea that hung get together to loudly proclaim their independence and power is threatening.
Most people feel that there is no reason to take to the streets to raise awareness about women's rights. But that sentiment is entirely untrue.
The real issue is that many people feel equal rights are great as long as they don't have to change anything about themselves.
Matt Caldwell opinion@kansan.com
It is this line of thinking that gives rise to the idea that things are really not as bad as those crazy feminists say they are. Such thoughts are as destructive as they are foolish.
Despite the fact that many people feel our society has made great strides with respect to human rights, there are too many accounts of actions that appear to counter this sentiment.
On September 24, the "Kansan" ran a column that claimed that a student-funded women's group would be a waste of money. At first I thought this was an isolated case of rabble-rousing bigotry, but upon inspection these sentiments seem to reflect the general consensus on this campus with frightening accuracy.
People either think that we have reached the long-awaited moment of true equality, displaying their ignorance, or they just don't care, displaying their bigotry.
A few events which transpired earlier this year illuminate the general sexist nature of this campus. People may be tired of hearing about the Sigma Nu Bacchanalia flasco (sororites sending strippers and alcohol to the fraternity to win an invitation to the fraternity's spring party), but they need to understand it for what it was.
In the same light, violent, drunken, sexist (as well as racist and homophobic) revelry seems to be the function of fraternities here, as is evidenced by an incident involving the men at the Fili house.
It was not some silly prank in which people just forgot their common sense — it was an exercise in hegemonic violence. The women of those sororities, whether they wanted
this or not, were further securing male dominance over women everywhere — something you'd think they would not be in favor of.
This time the Greek system gave rise to a tradition involving a ritualistic "mock raping." These cherished members of the KU community dressed themselves in grass skirts and ran around screaming idiotic/childish chants. That incident, again, should not be taken lightly. It is indicative of a malignant virus just beneath the skin of this University.
But this campus is not some tucked-away den of rampant sexism. Sexism encroaches on the lives of women everywhere, and there are plenty of statistics to prove that. Most of the following came from U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics:
Nine out of 10 murdered women are victims of men. Nearly two-thirds of female victims of violence knew their attacker. The number of women reporting being raped has recently reached 132,000 in a single year (that's 362 women every day — a number that probably represents only one-sixth of the actual incidents). Every day four women die as a result of domestic violence. There are at least 1,500 shelters for battered women in the United States. One in six college women report having been raped. One in 12 college men admit either to having raped or having attempted to rape.
Sexism is rampant in America, but you can help stem its growth. Don't let a sexist conversation proceed uncontested. If you know a friend is going to endanger a woman, stop him.
Effective cultural change cannot be legislated in Washington. It must begin in small communities of caring individuals. Recognize your responsibility.
Recognize your responsibility.
Coldwell is a Lawrence senior in journalism.
1
---