Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13,2009
Shorman: Top 10 things to do when you've caught the flu
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Dear frat boys: it is November. Time to put away the salmon colored shorts
To the guy who asked me what the fuck I was looking at today: the sidewalk, you did.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
As a freshman, I must say that camping for basketball is awesome!
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
Every time I go running my goal is to throw up. So far I'm a failure.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
Did you really just update every single one of your photo albums?
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
I'm on my third mid-life crisis and I'm only 22.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
I feel like vacuuming in the nude. Call me Sophia Petrillo.
Why do I continue to watch romances? All they do is make me depressed about how alone I am.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
Attending class today will be decided with a coin toss.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
I have perfected the art of procrastination.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
The nice thing about being a man is that if I die alone and childless it isn't going to be that bad. Plus, i plan on having sweet-ass toys to play with to distract myself.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
"Farmville" is for chumps. Champs play "Mouse Hunt."
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
Is it weird that I'm 100 percent straight, and would never hook up with a guy, but I find gay porn intriguing?
Damn, Friday the 13th is today
Maybe I'll just sleep the day
away and pretend it never
happened.
Stop spitting in the water fountains. That's nasty.
Our football team better win tomorrow. I want a bowl game, even if it's a crappy one.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
If you have to ask if something is weird, it's weird.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
I met my future husband tonight. I'm basing this solely on his hair color and his oh-so-cute smile.
--accusation regarding his faith and its implications on Islam in America.
What's faith got to do with it?
RELIGION
On Tuesday, the sun rose over 13 makeshift monuments; a pair of boots, a rifle and a helmet for each life lost during the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood.
"No faith justifies these murderous and craven acts," President Barack Obama said during the memorial service at the Texas army post. "No just and loving God looks upon them with favor. For what he has done, we know the killer will be met with justice, in this world and the next."
The quote is reminiscent of a certain patriotic theology invoked by presidents in the wake of national tragedy, a theology preached by President Bill Clinton at a Colorado high school and President George Bush in lower Manhattan. And while no direct mention of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist and accused shooter, was made during the service, Obama's words alluded to an increasingly prominent issue in the shooting's aftermath: Hasan's Muslim faith
Hasan reportedly shouted, "God is great" in Arabic moments before opening fire in a soldier evaluation center. In the aftermath of the shooting, those words sparked much speculation and
For some, the excessive media spotlight on Hasan's faith stirred up dust of fear and prejudice that had otherwise settled since Sept. 2001. On "Fox News Sunday," Sen. Joe Lieberman (L.-Conn.) even referred to the shooting as "the most destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11."
During his psychiatric work on the base, Hasan counseled soldiers going to and from deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Investigators concluded that while Hasan had grown increasingly opposed to U.S. military involvement in the Middle East and his impending deployment there, little evidence for the shooting's motivation points to any sort of terrorist plot. Instead, the evidence points to pressures of Hasan's own mental health and
religious ideology.
Arising details of Hasan's personal faith in the shootings' wake have once again heightened the profile of Islam in America, and, accordingly, Americans once again have an opportunity to respond. But casting light on the situation requires honesty regarding the role Hasan's Islamic faith played in the shootings as well as its effects for Muslims in the U.S.
Perhaps denying the role that Hasan's personal faith played in this tragedy would be as wrong as assuming such convictions for all Muslims. Adequate understanding of this situation requires an honest inspection of how one man's religious beliefs became contorted enough to justify such actions. Only then can Hasan's faith be clearly contrasted with the vast majority of Muslims who would never condone any such acts of violence.
Assuming Hasan's Islamic faith as normative would be as off base as assuming all Christians hate homosexuals because of someone like Fred Phelps. Outliers are outliers, and, in the end, Hasan's faith is just that; his own.
Hafner is a Great Bend junior in journalism.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
SURE, WE HAVE CHALLENGES EVEN WITH OBAMA AS PRESIDENT. BUT JUST THINK HOW IT WOULD BE IF BUSH WERE STILL PRESIDENT...
WE'D STILL BE IN IRAQ. WE'D BE DRIFTING WITHOUT DECISION IN AFGHANISTAN. CONGRESSPEOPLE WOULDN'T BE POST-PARTISAN
AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WOULD BE IN DOUBLE DIGITS!
NICHOLAS SAMBALUK
MUSIC
Jay-Z, Lil Wayne are best rappers alive
As every brand of music evolves, the hardest feat for an artist to accomplish is to stay in touch with their genre's fan base while continuing to produce innovative and celebrated material. The reason legendary artists such as the Rolling Stones, U2 and Mariah Carey have been able to remain so successful in their respective genres is because of their ability to change with that genre while retaining the elements of their music that made them so popular in the first place.
Hip-hop is no different in this respect, except that it's considerably more challenging for a hip-hop artist to remain popular for years than artists in other genres. Still generally identified with the youth of today, hip-hop is a brand of music with a remarkably short attention span. Rappers may release a gold or even platinum album one year and find themselves neglected and outcast as a novelty the next. To remain consistently respected in the rap game is an accomplishment attempted by many, fulfilled by very few.
Enter Shawn and Dwayne Carter. Better known to the public as Jay-Z and Lil Wayne respectively. These two hip-hop giants have been dominating the rap game with uncontested consistency since they first got in it.
The effect Jay-Z has had on hip-hop in the past 15 years as a genre as well as a culture as a whole is immeasurable. Since "Reasonable Doubt," his debut album released in 1996, Jay-Z has kept the masses pleased, releasing album after album of dope rhymes over superior production.
What both these iconic artists have done in recent months is cement their collective statuses as the two indisputably best rappers in the game Jay-Z released "The Blueprint 3" in September and once again wowed the hip-hop nation, showcasing innovative production as well as timely and well-executed lyricism on the album.
Weezy F. Baby, also known as Lil Wayne, has been similarly effective in the hip-hop realm, as is evident with his armies of loyal fans and the sheer amount of quality music (for the most part) that he is able to produce.
"No Cellings," Wayne's new mixtape leaked and released online two weeks ago, is a strong-willed testament to Lil Wayne's raw talent and knack for "going
in" over just the right beats. It is really Wayne getting back to shredding beats with his relentless, "Did he really just say that?" flow. A message to the masses, the new tape from Wayne is a clear indication from the man himself that he is still here, and is certainly here to stay.
Achieving longevity in any musical career is an exceptionally difficult task; only the strong and consistent survive in the entertainment industry. Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, though, have proven to the hip-hop world they are still its rulers year after year, album after album. It is a miraculous task for these artists to consistently release quality material as they do, and, with the success of their most recent releases, it is safe to say the two have made it known that, after all these years, the esteemed title of "best rapper alive" still goes to Weezy and the Jigga-man.
Coldham is a Chicago senior in journalism.
CHECK'EMOUT
Hot track: "B.A.R." by Wiz Khalifa
New Artist: NeakO
Local Artist: Stik Figa
CULTURE
China's small-town life
One of my Macanese friends and I were asked the same question more than three times when we went through a 115-mile trip.
"How come a Chinese from Macau holds a Portuguese passport?" the officers asked.
"Macau is a part of China and was a Portuguese colony for hundreds of years," I told them.
I know most people have no idea where Macau is. it's a tiny island on the western side of Pearl River Delta, right next to Hong Kong. Don't worry, instead of giving a history and geography lecture here, I will give you a brief tour of my lovely hometown.
Their "uh huh" replies put me at ease because my friend was once accused of holding a fake passport and was taken to a room for further questioning.
Macau was the first and last European colony in China. Before it was handed over entirely to China in 1999, it operated under the Chinese policy of "one country, two systems" and became a special-administrative region with an independent legal system, police force and monetary system.
Because of its small size and relatively low publicity — at least compared to the adjacent cosmopolitan city Hong Kong — some people doubt my strong connection to Macau. For me, it's all about proximity on the island. It's so convenient to reach anything and anyone within minutes; people can easily live there without a car.
Don't think it's a primitive city, though. Macau is dubbed the "Oriental Las Vegas," as its economy is largely based on tourism and gambling. Macau preserves many historical properties from the Portuguese colonial period and was officially listed as a World Heritage Site in 2005.
Despite the glow of neon lights and the flow of "sinful" money, Macau's cultural essence is still intact. Compared to other cities in China, Macau is still a peaceful fairyland, just like Lawrence. It's small, but everything needed is there.
I didn't realize my attachment to this place until I left for America. I miss not only the people and the food, but also the feeling of being in that cultural environment. Some of my friends told me they don't want to spend the rest of their life in Macau. If given the chance, they wish to leave because of Macau's limited space for development.
Millions of international tourists and thousands of foreign laborers contribute to Macau's diverse population. When I returned to Macau during winter break two years ago, I was stunned and happy to see people of all nationalities on the street. Macau is moving into the global limelight. Several foreign tourists told me they enjoyed the small-town atmosphere and the cultural fusion.
Come visit Macau. I'm sure you would love it there.
Ho is a Macau, China junior in journalism.
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? Door-opening etiquette
2. If you're holding the door and someone approaching it will reach the door by the time it were to naturally close if you left it, then hold the door open. Otherwise, go on inside.
This topic used to be closed to debate. Gentlemen should open doors for ladies. The end.
But now this topic brings confusion and fear. So to solve this, guys, open the door for everyone Yeah, that solution isn't very nuanced but it's the best I've got.
Also, here's a few guidelines to help solve a couple awkward situations that might come up:
- Shorman is a McPherson sophomore in journalism.
1. If opening the door will result in you having to hold the door open forever — such as at the entrance to a busy restaurant or theater — then I suggest entering through the door and holding it open behind you.
TOPICS OF
RELEVANCE
I see the door opening tango everyday. Sometimes a person holds a door open and you have to jog so he doesn't have to wait for you. Sometimes there's two people reaching a door at the same time, standing there trying to decide who should grab for the handle. But the only truly awkward outcome is the one where an inconsiderate person allows a door to slam in your face. How rude!
When entering or leaving buildings, consider holding the door. If someone is nice enough to make such a gesture, by all means, say "thank you."
What's the deal with the whole opening and holding a door scenario? Some feel a man opening a door for a woman is sexist, but I think it's simply polite and should apply to both genders.
Buser is a Columbia, Ill. senior in journalism.
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