Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
United States First Amendment
United States First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14,2009
Compton: Why Obama's approval rating is sinking COMING TUESDAY
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--a challenge.
If I see one more rain boot, I am going to shove it up those sorority girls' butts.
--a challenge.
Thank you, President Obama. Now that I have interviewed you, would you like to become my homeboy?
--a challenge.
To the guy who offered his umbrella to us by Jayhawk Towers: It was really nice of you and it made our evening.
To the guy who blew smoke in my face while walking on campus today: Thanks, ass.
--a challenge.
In my bio class today my professor described the hydrogenation of unsaturated fats that resembled bukake. That is all.
I hope he doesn't see you again because you probably have the herp.
Will someone go to work for me today? I hate my job and people never tip on Sundays.
--a challenge.
No one should ever say "You go girl!"
--a challenge.
Of course women get laid more than guys. Even a fugly girl can give it away to SOMEBODY
--a challenge.
--a challenge.
A girl in my town tagged me in a picture where I am suppose to leave a comment of the good memories we shared together. What if I didn't have any?
I've got a bad feeling about this.
Youtube "up your butt with a coconut."
--a challenge.
I like you so much better when you're naaakeeed.
--a challenge.
I love being naked! It's a fabulous feeling.
--a challenge.
I like beef ravioli.
--a challenge.
You know budget cuts are getting bad when you can read words through Watson Library's toilet paper.
--a challenge.
Twenty-five students attended the 9/11 vigil last night. Meanwhile, 75 others attended a movie contending 9/11 was a conspiracy.
--a challenge.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Latest moped policy needs reconsideration
A new parking policy has made for many frustrated students and many unanswered questions. While the new moped parking policy is said to be good for the safety of pedestrians, it could potentially discourage students from riding mopeds and from making an environmentally-friendly decision.
On Sept. 1, The Kansan reported that the Department of Parking & Transit will be forcing moped drivers to park in certain designated "cycle" areas, starting in Fall 2010.
Steven Schrock, chair of the parking commission for the University, said the primary goal for this move was to protect student safety on campus, but acknowledged how students might be discouraged from driving monks in the future.
"Clearly that is not our goal," he said. "We want to provide parking for those with mopeds and also be aware of all safety concerns."
Schrock said the issue of mopeds possibly being a safety hazard sprung from many recurring complaints that moped drivers were not driving safely near crosswalks and sidewalks.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
While he understood the mind set of a moped driver, he said the number of mopeds being driven on campus had made parking more of
The focus now turns to where the moped drivers will be able to have to park, and how much they will have to pay for permits. The price for a motorcycle permit — $15 per year — will likely be the same price moped drivers will have
KANSAN'S OPINION
to pay to park on campus. Currently there is no permit for moped drivers.
mopeds park in motorcycle parking areas.
Schrock said one of the main options being discussed is to have
If mopeds and motorcycles were to share parking, Schrock also said some car parking could be taken away to make up for the extra moped parking needed. The task of deciding where parking will end up and how much permits will cost
will not be decided until later.
"This is part of the reason why this is a two-year plan." Schrock said. "This first year is to just let people know and gauge where the high-demand areas are."
The Parking Commission and Department of Parking & Transit should be cautious about how they are resolving this issue. It should be a goal to ensure that all students who want to drive mopeds to campus can do so, but for an affordable price, if any price at all. Furthermore, current parking spaces should be preserved. If the new policy requires too much money to come out of students' pockets or takes away a significant amount of parking spaces, it should be reconsidered.
— Brett Salsbury for The Kansan Editorial Board
HEALTH
Living healthy requires personal responsibility
Amidst all of the controversy surrounding health care reform, it is time to step back and examine the real problems plaguing America. A few issues immediately come to mind: obesity, smoking and extreme stress. Yet despite these all being easy targets, the link behind everything from diabetes to heart disease is not so simple.
The difficult issue we face today is even more American than fried chicken and apple pie: It is the great tradition that we, as a society, have of seeking a scapegoat for our problems.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75 percent of health care dollars are spent on treatment of "preventable chronic diseases." Based on these numbers, something is undeniably wrong with the condition of America. It is as if the connection between increasing medical bills and personal responsibility was lost somewhere between plowing the family farm and pulling up to the drive-thru window at McDonalds.
True, insurance businesses may be guilty of profiting from medical costs. Government expenditures in
PURSUIT OF HEALTHEULNESS
EMILY MCCOY
Just think — the money demanded by insurance companies would be far less if we put down the fries before our arteries needed unclogging. The money spent by the government in providing insurance could be more widely disbursed if those covered didn't have such high demands. The grandmothers might even decide to reduce the butter if they knew we didn't like it so darn much
health care may be inefficient. The grandmothers of our country may even be conspiring to make us fat with that extra cup of butter in our biscuits. But, at the end of the day, it is the individual who is the real culprit of poor health.
Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto," recently wrote a column in the New York Times pointing out the link between
rising health care costs and the cheap, fast and unhealthy foods in demand (and frequently subsidized). He added that, regardless of government action, there would be a problem with health care in America as long as there is a problem with American health.
Pollan's point is crucial. He made the significant link between diet, which the individual has complete control over, and overall well-being. Nonetheless, in centering his argument on nutrition, Pollan was guilty of finger pointing. While better eating practices may be (or are) essential to improving health, this focus skirts the deeper issue that refusal to take personal responsibility comes with consequences
From democracy to helping a friend in need. America has some great traditions. However, the time has come to let go our national practice of seeking others to blame. So squeeze in that extra hour of sleep. Exchange car keys for walking shoes every now and then. And for goodness' sake, put down that seventh slice of pizza.
McCoy is a Lincoln, Neb., sophomore in journalism.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Recent news you might have missed.
The number of people in Africa who face serious water shortages. River to Well, a Lawrence photo contest, was organized to build wells in South Africa. The deadline for entries ends tomorrow.
the amount of money the Athletics Department said it would raise for academic programs. Expanded seating at Memorial Stadium would generate the money, and the proposed expansion would add 3,000 more seats.
THE CONTEXT
THE CONTEXT
Weston White/KANSAN
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
HUMAN RIGHTS
The number of rushing touchdowns scored by Jake Sharp in Saturday's game against UTEP. Sharp ran for 104 yards, leading the Jahways to a 34-7 victory.
Women face strict dress code in Sudan
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hated the dress code. We couldn't wear spaghetti-strap tank tops or skirts that fell shorter than our fingertips. This seems pretty lax compared with some private schools or schools that require uniforms. But in many high schools, if you violated this policy you could receive detention or a trip to the principal's office.
Most girls I knew in my public high school hated the dress code.
Instead, what if you were issued a pricey fine — and then publicly beat with a whip?
Hussein was charged with "indecent dress" because she was wearing pants in a café in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city.
In Sudan, the government imposes laws on the southern part of the country it claims are in line with Islamic law in the Southern part of the country. Female Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein was arrested in July for wearing trousers in public.
It was reported on Sept. 6 by the New York Times that she faced the possibility of "a $100 fine and 40 lashings." Then, on Sept. 8, the Times reported that Hussein was fined $200 but was not sentenced to physical punishment. Hussein was subsequently placed in jail for neglecting to pay the fine. She has recently been released, possibly because a supportive committee may have paid the fine for her.
Hussein has become somewhat of an icon for women's rights advocacy and defiance in the face of an oppressive regime. Her refusal to pay the $200 fine demonstrates an unwillingness to give in to unjust laws. Hussein recently quit her job as a public information assistant at the United Nations because she didn't want
She has already received international recognition and support, and the more attention her case gets, the more pressure the Sudanese government may feel from international actors to relax their policies and harsh punishments.
to involve the organization in her case.
Not many students who have lived in the United States their entire lives can imagine undergoing a public whipping for merely dressing in a way the government deems inappropriate. A government spokesperson said the ambiguous laws concerning dress were maintained to "protect the people."
A better way to protect the people would be to stop the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan instead of meddling in issues of religious practice by arresting women for wearing pants.
The reality is that the government isn't doing anything about the Darfur crisis because the government is the perpetrator of the genocide. Instead, the government enforces policies to control women under the guise of Islamic law.
While the genocide in Darfur should be the primary concern regarding Sudan, we cannot dismiss the tyrannical laws that may continue to bind the citizens of the country after the genocide ends, if it in fact does.
Cosby is an Overland Park sophomore in journalism and political science.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
DEFINING CHANGE
NICHOLAS SABALUK
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