Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
4A
Jodie Chester, Editor
Gerry Doley, Managing editor
Ryan Koermer, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, News adviser
Mare Harrell, Business manager
Jamie Holman, Retail sales manager
Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser
Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
Wednesday, August 26, 1998
Feedback
Columns about bombings were based on emotion, not facts
I'm writing in response to the August 24th editorials by Donato Flhunsu and Tom Winter. Each author wrote disparagingly in their respective articles about the United States use of force in retaliation to terrorism. Flhunsu shows concern regarding the cost of our retaliation and is even more consumed with the world's focus on hate, revenge and violence rather than love and forgiveness. Winter concocts a crude analogy that fails to accurately illustrate the breadth of the situation, while calling the U.S. action immoral and illegal.
I am disappointed to see two columnists writing with little respect to the terrorist movement, counterterrorism theories and even the facts. Rather, the two wrote emotionally based articles that barely scratched the surface of a much more complicated problem. Fhunsu correctly notes the extremists group's religious edict that calls for Muslims to kill Americans and their allies to receive great rewards from God.Most of the people being taught this are poorly educated and have little knowledge of their religion beyond the words of their leaders. When terrorists believe they have the mandate of God, there are no constraints to the application of terrorism beyond finances and technological capabilities.The terrorists' objective is revenge and the expression of hatred toward us.For some terrorists, their campaigns are used to express anger toward policy and as we support, whereas others seethe United States as the great Satan, and they seek nothing but the destruction of the United States, not change in policies or positions.Many Americans cannot or do not want to believe that people would hate us.Some like to believe that there is a simple misunderstanding, but to the contrary some terrorist groups hate us because they understand us.The terrorists who took over the American Embassy in Iran were educated in America and most of those arrested in connection with the World Trade Center bombing were living in the United States.
We know that terrorists do not lack motives, considering religion or politics, without including revenge for our counter-attack. Further terrorist attacks on the U.S. and its allies, which would be perceived as revenge attacks, would likely have occurred anyway as the terrorist groups acquired money, weapons and intelligence information.Past and future pre-emptive military strikes can therefore play a significant role in counterterrorism.Refraining from military counterattacks only allows terrorist groups to grow, organize, and collect information and weapons uninterrupted.Military attacks can force these groups to spend their time repairing damages to their bases and fearing for their lives rather than planning or committing further acts of terrorism.
I directly challenge Winter's claim that the government's actions were unjust and immoral. Would it be more moral to continue putting American lives at stake by not aggressively seeking to combat terrorism?As for Winter's assertion that the strike was illegal, he is dead wrong. The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
(originally S. 735, introduced by Sen. Bob Dole) gives the President power "to use all necessary means, including covert action and military force, to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy international infrastructure used by international terrorists, including overseas terrorist training facilities and safe havens," in section 324 (4).
Perhaps if either of these two authors had been, or were to become directly affected by terrorists' acts, their stance would change. I welcome each of them to seek out the terrorists to discuss human rights and world peace or offer hugs and love and possibly even leather bound, monogrammed copies of the Koran. World peace is a wonderful notion, but nothing more. There will always be groups of radicals disenfranchised with the rest of the world who will use terrorism as an easy, effective way to gain attention. The best we can do is support the use of counterterrorism measures and keep the peace in our own back yards.
Scott Shumard Clinton, Iowa, graduate student
Student encouraged by editor to be an active participant in the Kansan
I was a little surprised when Jodie Chester wrote in her column that she rarely got to hear from the readers because I thought that I was the odd one out who was always too diffident to go forth and respond. It was those lines that motivated me to give a reader's feedback as soon as possible.
I liked your clarion call to one and all to be a part of the Kansan — because it is their newspaper and they ought to treat it like their own. It's very welcome news that the Kansan will expand its horizon and have more national and international coverage. I for one would like to broaden my horizon instead of stagnating as a 'kupamanduk' — the Bengali counterpart of the proverbial frog in the pond, and having no communication with the outside world. However no matter how much I wish for it because of my current financial situation, it would be a luxury to subscribe to a newspaper. Since I've been in Lawrence, the Kansan has been a key source of information for me. I know I can access news galore from the Internet but reading out of a newspaper in your hands has its unique pleasures, which can't be replaced. Standing on the threshold of the next century, I know technological progress and other factors have made other media more popular than newspapers, but I don't think one can be a substitute for the other—each compliments the other with its own charms, and I hope it will continue to do so for centuries to come.
So for me the Kansan holds much value — the only news paper that I get to read at home. The more information I get from it the better it is for me. I appreciate you giving the readers a vivid picture of the newsroom and the activities revolving around it. This way you make us a part of it too. Thanks for making me an active reader.
Calcutta, India, graduate student
Sharmistha Barat
Kansan staff
News editors
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Morality neither begins nor ends with Clinton
Perspective
The economy is booming and terrorism is looming. Impeachment is a delusion of grandeur for Republicans, Ken Starr and any married man who has not committed adultly — and judging by recent divorce statistics there are not many. Wake up! No one cares if Clinton had a sexual affair with "that woman," Miss Lewinsky.
separation of church and state. I know, I know. Clinton must appear like a man who has forsaken religion and has turned to hedonism to some, and perhaps to others he represents what is wrong with the moral infrastructure in this country. If the leader of the free world cannot be a good moral example, then how can we expect others to follow the strictures of the American moral code. Moral sentiment creeps within our society.
It cannot be upheld or destroyed by any single person. The President of the United States is just like everyone else keeping sordid secrets in their closets. This political tirade by anti-Clintonites is so laced with biased moral hypocrisy that it is difficult to tell the pretentious, who claim to know the difference between good and evil and shove it down the ignorant populace's throat, from the sycophants, who are obsequious to every pseudomoral paradigm shift in this country.
Nick
Zaller
opinion@vansan.com
Why is everyone so ashamed of Clinton? Why do so many think that he has debased the presidency? It's simple. We live in the tabloid age, and if there was no dirt many journalists would be out of work. Many of Clinton's sworn enemies would be twiddling their thumbs. Besides, the American public loves juicy gossip. So many people are outraged by Clinton's character yet they hang on his every word, tune into *Dateline* and read the front page of USA Today everyday.
Some argue that we live in a morally corrupt society that is now headed by a morally corrupt leader. Humanity has been arguing about morality for centuries. From the moral rigidity of the early Catholic Church to the nihilistic philosophy of Nietzsche, we still cannot figure out what lies beyond good and evil. One thing is for sure, we cannot place any human being in a powerful position, such as the presidency, and presuppose that person's moral perfection. So the next time you decide to elect morality, see if God would like to run for political office.
Zaller is a Tula, Okla., senior in microbiology and Chinese.
We are indulging in our
We are indulging in our gluttony and feeling fine. Why forbid the commander in chief the luxuries that so many other Americans enjoy, namely lewd and lascivious behavior on a daily basis. Spare the moral diatribe. We do not elect moral codes. We elect human beings and all of the flaws that come with them. Is Clinton "under fire" because he had sex with an intern or because he may have asked her to lie about it? Clinton did not ask Monica Lewinsky to lie and even if he did, you'll never catch Slick Willy. Starr and his investigation are a joke and a waste of our tax dollars. Starr, as well as Clinton's foes, are desperately groping in a political power play that is sending them down the logical slippery slope because their definition of a sexual relationship does not quite match Clinton's, and head first into a legal quagmire for which the American public is paying. Clinton's poll ratings are overly magnanimous because people think he has done a decent job in the White House. Granted, the economy is a major secret to his success, but most Americans think Clinton is a competent leader. So the real issue is Clinton's amoral character and uncontrollable libido. We elected a president who cannot keep his pants zipped. Now so we think we can oust Clinton and rid our society of the moral decay he has greatly exacerbated. Can we really legislate morality? The founders carefully thought about this point, and I suspect this argument partially facilitated the notion of
Student Senate must play active role in community
Editorials
During the last few years, Student Senate has largely ignored the actions and workings of the Lawrence City Commission. That needs to change—and might if Student Senate follows the lead of the Student Body President.
Last week, Kevin Yoder renewed his request to the City Commission to give Senate an ex-officio seat on the commission. Two high school students now sit on the commission without a vote, and Yoder wanted the University to have a similar seat.
Yoder argued it would bring the campus and community closer together.
The measure was voted down 3-2. Although the effort was noble, the commission rightfully argued that if college students wanted a voice on the commission, then they could vote someone in. High school students are
However, a KU seat on the City Commission would be unfair.
— that the students of the University are simply part of the community, not above it.
On Sept. 9, Yoder will ask Senate to create a position to watch the commission. The position will be similar to, and work with, the Senate's Legislative Awareness Director, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature.
Now that Yoder's proposal has been shot down, the true test for Senate is to find a way to be
Senate needs to approve this position. For them, not to approve it would be detrimental to students. How the community operates and the laws the commission pass directly affect the students and University. The Senate, which is supposed to look out for and promote the views of the students, needs to be active in pushing the commission to be University friendly.
not empowered to do that.
The commission did the right thing. The Senate and the University do not deserve a special seat any more than any other group does. Having the seat would have said to the community that the students felt they deserved special recognition for being part of the community. That's opposite to the image the University has tried to live up to
For a few years, Senate has not sent a representative to meetings or lobbed the commission on a regular basis. This needs to be done and Senate has the chance to do it.
The assenting commissioners also argued that a seat would give Senate an unfair voice that other groups would not have.
If it doesn't, then it is not doing its job.
Lawrence's only dollar theater, Hillcrest, is closing next month. Jon Ratzlaff, general manager of the theater, said that Hollywood theaters did not renew the lease on the building because of expected high unkeep costs.
Regardless of the costs, Hollywood has taken over the movie industry in Lawrence and has a responsibility to patrons to provide them a discount theater along with its other theaters. Hollywood theaters include every theater in town except Liberty Hall, which is still independently owned and operated.
active at commission meetings.
Hollywood should provide another discount theater
Spencer Duncan for the editorial board
Ratzlaff said that Hollywood's decision to close Hillcrest was final. So the company should look for a new location for a dollar theater. The Plaza 6, the old Dickinson theater at 23rd and Iowa streets, would be a perfect
The movie monopolist could still benefit from concession sales.
location for a dollar theater.
What it all comes down to is the $5 bucket of popcorn and the $4 soda. Since theaters make their money on concession sales, it wouldn't matter if they were operating a dollar
Although this sounds fine for the customer, what about Hollywood losing its $6 ticket price for a dollar movie? Hollywood theaters get only a small portion of those six dollars, actually. Ratzlaff said that many times studios would demand 90 percent and even 100 percent of the ticket sales on a movie's opening weekend and possibly for the first week or so.
Beyond that, if movie goers spend less money on the ticket price at a dollar theater, they may be more willing to buy an expensive snack. So it's a win-win situation, really. We get cheap movies and Hollywood can still vend its expensive treats.
theater or a full-priced theater because the concession prices are the same.
In addition, Ratlazlaff said that planning was in the works for additional theaters at Southwind 12. This means that the screens that would be lost at Plaza 6 could be taken care of at Southwind, with the additional screens.
If you want to encourage Hollywood to continue Lawrence's dollar-theater tradition, write to the theater's district manager at P.O. Box 3610, Lawrence, 66046.
Ann Premer for the editorial board