Opinion
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.
Coldham: Hip-hop goes in a different direction
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
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Spending my parents' money on tanning in the Union rocks.
The campus is not very informed about swine flu. Don't come to class if you have a fever.
--senators that she "did not have an agenda to ramrod through students rights or student senate."
Dude, if your dog poops in front of my door, could you pick it up, please?
--senators that she "did not have an agenda to ramrod through students rights or student senate."
I didn't know that going to KU would put me at high-risk for lung cancer.
--senators that she "did not have an agenda to ramrod through students rights or student senate."
I hate it when you run into people from high school, and they pretend that they want to get together soon.
Pizza Shuttle just put me on hold. EML.
If I fingered a girl with herpes and then picked my nose, would I have herpes of the nose?
Minnesota State Fair rocks!
If you really think that the government knows best, move to Cuba and see how you like it.
Today I got to ride the elevator with the hot dog man and his hot dog stand. It was awesome.
Damn. I left laundry on my balcony to dry. I hope my underwear didn't wash away.
To the girl wearing a skirt sitting across the walkway from me in Budig; Close your legs; that is very distracting.
To the lesbians next door:
Please try and keep it down.
I'm eternally afraid that when I'm sitting in Anschutz listening to "The Little Mermaid" soundtrack my headphones won't be plugged all the way in to my laptop.
Goal #1: Date a Kansas basketball player.
I just drained a blister that was half the size of my toe, quite possibly the grossest thing I've ever done.
I love Ash Ketchum. He's been electrocuted in every single "Pokemon" episode for like, 10 years, and is still saving the
EDITORIAL BOARD
Join Senate subcommittee to examine alcohol policies
XANSAN FILE PHOTO
In a student rights committee meeting held on Sept. 2 a vote of 21 to 13 officially formed a subcommittee that will be charged with reviewing the student code of rights and responsibilities for the second time in the past two semesters.
All students at the University who value not only their right to privacy,but their rights as citizens and their personal liberties guaranteed in the Constitution, should show up,listen and vote as a member of the new subcommittee.
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
This new subcommittee is officially a part of the student rights committee, which is a part of Student Senate. However, any student can be a voting member of this group.
The reason on it's important for as many students as possible to be in this group is because it is examining the student code of rights and responsibilities, which ensures that students do not give up any rights by becoming members of the University community.
WHO: ANY STUDENT WHO ATTENDS AT LEAST ONE MEETING CAN VOTE
WHAT: SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW ALCOHOL POLICIES
WHEN: TO BE ANNOUNCED IN A WEEK
WHY: FIGHT FOR STUDENT RIGHTS
The code is under examination because of alcohol-related incidents that occurred near campus last year.
Some administrators feel that amending the code to allow housing officials to enter residence hall rooms without permission is something that needs to happen in order to help prevent underage drinking.
Marlesa Roney, viceprovest for student success, was a guest speaker at the student rights committee meeting and she told the student
However, she said further review was necessary.
"I want Student Senate to review the stumbling blocks that have put in our way," she said.
The Fourth Amendment protects people from unlawful search and seizure and entrance of the home without a warrant. Student housing is protected under this amendment and it is not a mere stumbling block.
Students who live in housing should be concerned, but so should the rest of the student body.
If this is up for examination and if Student Senate votes to take away this student right, then what other rights will be taken away?
KANSAN'S
OPINION
When asked how many deaths this new policy would have prevented, Roney said, "I can't stand here and tell
you that a change in the code would save lives, but I'm hoping it would."
This is because none of the deaths actually occurred in the residence halls. This policy is an unnecessary attack on student housing.
According to Tom Cox, chair of the student rights committee, the first subcommittee meeting date will be determined a week
from today by former student senator Emily Williams, who has been named chairwoman of the subcommittee.
This is a chance for students to actually have the ability to control what is happening to them.
Any student who goes to these meetings can vote, and despite common feelings about elections, this vote actually will count.
When the date of the first meeting is announced The Kansan will provide an update so students will know when and where they can participate.
A generous number of student voices need to speak out against a change in the student code in order to preserve student rights.
— Caitlin Thornbrugh for The Kansan Editorial Board
POLITICS
Savty is best pick for democrats next gubernatorial candidate
In an online comment to my last column, which discussed the strength of the Republican Party in Kansas, linguo_thegrammar_robot wrote, "I would say it's the weakness[es] of the Democrats rather than the strength[s] of the Republicans in Kansas."
And yes, the Kansas Democrats could be stronger. But not because, as some might think, former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is gone. That was going to happen next year because of constitutional term limits anyway.
Although I hinted at the validity of this argument in my previous column, the comment offers a perfect segue into a further discussion of the state of things here in Kansas by looking at the other side of the aisle.
The Democrats are weak because she left no coherent strategy to build on. By failing to anticipate the learning curve of Republicans, who discovered they needed to move back to the middle and do so fast, Sebelius ignored other methods of attracting more people to her tent beyond party switching.
All would be forgiven if Gov. Mark Parkinson had any intention of running against Sen. Sam Brownback next year, but he doesn't.
Instead, the likely nominee will be Democratic State Party
Chairman Larry Gates, should he formally enter the race. Only Democratic State Sen. Chris Steineger (D-Kansas City) has said he wants to, thus far.
However well-meaning the expected Gates candidacy will be, it lacks the kind of excitement that Brownback brings to the table for Republicans across the state.
Any change will need to start from the top, the gubernatorial candidate. Two-term State Rep Raj Goyle (D-Wichita) — running in Kansas' 4th District — has the right idea, taking advantage of incumbent Rep. Todd Tiahrt's ambition to run for the higher chamber in the U.S. Legislature.
What I would like to see is the Democrats use one of their young guns to create impassioned debate of the issues and maybe even make for a close election.
But Rep. Goyle's 34 years are even too many for me; there's a brighter star on the Kansas horizon.
Recently appointed acting Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty, a 29-year-old, four-time elected state representative
and fifth-generation farmer from Ellsworth County, is the perfect choice to lead the Kansas Democrats forward.
He understands what will lead Kansas forward, as he wrote in The Wichita Eagle.
"Our farmers depend on fertile soils to produce crops, but those same fertile soils can be instrumental in biomass production. The abundant sunshine so critical to photosynthesis also makes us central to solar expansion," Secretary Svaty said. "Our wind — which needs no introduction and is part of a strong cultural identity for every Kansan — can help power the rest of America."
Secretary Swaty has charisma paired with experience, a farmer's work ethic with a law school education (he's in his second year at Washburn University).
He's the perfect candidate for Kansans. What his intentions are for next year's elections are unknown, though his father, state Rep. Don Svaty (D-Ellsworth), has publicly stated his plans to retain the seat next year.
I'm inclined to think that means Secretary Svaty is thinking about a statewide run. I can only hope that he's thinking about the top spot. If not, I'm already on board for 2014 (Or 2018. Take your pick, Josh).
Holmes is an Overland Park sophomore in political science.
ENVIRONMENT
Turning up the heat: Climate change will devastate Kansas
N ever mind the unseasonably cool summer, a new report
summer, a new report published by the Nature Conservancy indicates that Kansas should expect higher temperatures in the near future. Our state, according to the report, will be one of the states hit hardest by climate change.
As a state in which much of the economy is centered upon agriculture, Kansas is especially vulnerable to changing temperature and weather patterns.
Ifglobal greenhouse emissions continue to increase at the anticipated rate, temperatures in Kansas will rise by an average of 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100, increasing more than in any other state in the union. (Take a look at an interactive map of the climate projections at www.climatewizard.org.)
The optimal zones for crops will shift as the temperature begins to rise. Our environment will begin to resemble that of present-day Oklahoma or Texas. Milder winters and early spring will increase the damage done by insect pests and, especially in western Kansas, decreased rainfall will devastate crop yields.
The projected temperature increases were derived from the latest report of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report indicates that if the rate of green house gas emissions levels off by the mid-21st century, then temperatures in Kansas would increase by 9.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the rate of emissions were curbed each year over the next century beginning next year,
then the increase would be a mere 6.7 degrees.
Even in the most optimistic scenario, the message is clear enough. Our state will suffer the effects of climate change more than most, and this gives us one more good reason to take it seriously and do what we can to mitigate the long-term economic and ecological impact.
At the very least Congress needs to pass the cap and trade bill to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course, both Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts have voiced their opposition to any cap and trade bill.
The Nature Conservancy is one of the world's most forward-thinking environmental organizations. You can access its Web site at www.nature.org. I encourage everyone to check it out and consider making a donation.
The Nature Conservancy is no radical left-wing environmental group such as Greenpeace. Hank Paulson, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, was the president of the board of directors of the Nature Conservancy before he was appointed treasury secretary under the Bush administration.
These figures are startling, to say the least, and I hope they help to bring home the issue of climate change.
Thompson is a Topeka senior in economics.
Jenkins' disappointing performance reflected in town hall meeting
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins' town hall meeting at the Dole Institute proved three things to me about the representative: She doesn't respect her constituents, she does not listen to her constituents and she does not do her job.
Jenkins arrived late to the meeting and then wasted 20 minutes talking about other issues such as the stimulus bill.
When people asked Jenkins to get to health care and stop filibustering, she accused them of being disrespectful. When a group of people gather to discuss a single issue, and you show up late and waste their time talking about your opinion on everything but that single issue, who is being disrespectful?
The obvious attempt to waste time and avoid answering questions makes me doubt Rep. Jenkins is really interested in listening to her constituents and
doubt she will really do what they want in Washington.
The rest of her time was primarily spent trying to defend her position, criticize Democrats and badmouth Nancy Pelosi. She even said her vote didn't count because Democrats have unfettered power.
"You're our representative," one constituent said. "We need your vote."
Perhaps the most telling moment was when I asked her to read all the legislation. She said she would but then gave a caveat. That seems to be Jenkins' modus operandi — smile and give lip service but never remotely entertain the option of doing what her constituents want and need.
If lenkins isn't willing to represent her constituents, respect their voices or even do the work of a representative by reading the legislation, then why is she in office? The people of her district deserve someone better representing them in Washington.
Kristen Maun is a first-year law student from Lawrence.
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