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Tuesday, September 17, 1996
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
DebateWatch'96 could decrease voter apathy
Congratulations to Diana Carlin, associate professor of communications studies, for conducting a worthwhile project aimed at encouraging voter participation in this year's presidential election.
DebateWatch '96 will undoubtedly prove successful.
Project history
In 1992, Carlin conducted a study of small focus groups that watched and discussed the presidential debates. The Commission on Presidential Debates chose Carlin to direct this year's project, which will study the reactions of similar focus groups throughout the country.
About 100 national organizations, including Rock the Vote and the NAACP and more than 30 universities will assist in DebateWatch. The project is financed through a $200,000 grant from the Ford Foundation.
The DebateWatch Research Center is set up on campus. Carlin told the Lawrence Journal-World that more than 10,000 information packets had been mailed to people interested in participating in the project.
Several local groups, including the Lawrence League of Women Voters, Kids Voting and the Lawrence chapter of the American Association of University Women, will participate in the study.
Removing the media filter
Carlin's effort is commendable, not only because it is a unique and innovative study, but also because it removes the media filter through which Americans listen to their leaders and potential leaders.
The project attempts to cut through the minutia of campaign rhetoric, public opinion polls, negative advertising and all the other presidential election baggage that disgruntles American citizens and discourages voter participation.
According to the Journal-World article, people who participate in DebateWatch '96 are encouraged not to choose the winner of the debate. Instead, they focus on the issues discussed and the candidates' points and counterpoints.
Participants are encouraged to talk about the issues that candidates avoided as well. They are encouraged to ask what they didn't learn from the debate.
How to participate
Student groups should participate in DebateWatch. For a generation that has proven politically apathetic time and again, this is a tall order. But if American politicians are ever going to respond to the electorate, young people must participate.
For an information packet, including information about how to organize groups for DebateWatch '96, contact the DebateWatch Research Center at 864-3264, or e-mail the center at presdeb@falcon.cc.ukans.edu
NICOLE KENNEDY FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Debate Schedule
First presidential debate: 8 p.m. Sept. 25 in St. Louis
Vice presidential debate: 8 p.m. Oct. 2 in Hartford, Conn
■ Second presidential debate: 8 p.m. Oct. 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Third presidential debate: 8 p.m. Oct. 16 in San Diego
KANSAN STAFF
AMANDA TRAUGHBER
Editor
CRAIG LANG
Managing editor
MATT HOOD
Associate managing editor for design
KIMBERLY CRABTREE
CHARITY JEFFRIES
News editors
DARCI L. McLAIN
SARA ROSE
Public relations directors
Public relations directors
KAREN GERSCH
Business manager
HEALY SMART
Retail sales manager
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
JAY STEINER
Sales and marketing adviser
JUSTIN KNUPP
Technology coordinator
Editore
Campus  Susanna Lóóf
    Jason Strait
    Amy McVey
Editorial  John Colair
    Nicole Humley
    Adam Ward
    Bill Potifail
Associate sports  Carlyn Foster
On-line editor  David L. Teaska
Photo  Rich Devinell
Graphics  Andy Rohrbach
Special sections  Amy McVey
    Debbie Staine
Business Staff
Campus mgr . . . Mark Oztokim
Regional mgr . . . Dennis Haupt
Assistant Retail mgr . . . Dana Contertio
Special Office mgr . . . Neil Stansbury
Special Sessions mgr . . Heather Valler
Production mgr . . . Dan Kopeo
Marketing director . . . Lisa Quibbensman
Marketing director . . . Desmond Lavelle
Classified director . . . Sheila Wachter
eff Victor/KANSAN
Republicans' exclusion will cost them key votes
After watching the political conventions on television, it appears that both parties are attempting to capture the crucial middle-of-the-road voters. These voters, who comprise about 25 percent of the voting population, must decide by November who will win their votes.
I was struck by what happened during the not-quite-prime-time hours at the Republican Convention in San Diego. There was a lot of talk by the media about the party's position on abortion. Republicans, looking to avoid the platform fight of 1992, took another approach on this divisive issue—they avoided the topic.
topic:
Off to the side, Govs. William Weld of Massachusetts and Pete Wilson of California joined with Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine to give an impromptu news conference on the convention floor. The three politicians formed a circle with about six reporters and said that they were abortion-rights Republicans and planned to stay that way, regardless of the platform. This went on for almost two minutes before the delegates around them realized what was happening. Not wanting anyone to get wind of dissension in the party's ranks, people loudly began to chant "Dole-Kemp" to drown out the press conference. The loud folks got their wish; the news conference ended abruptly.
It's interesting that despite all of the flak President Clinton took from Republicans for his "don't ask, don't
GUEST COLUMNIST
tell" policy regarding homosexuals in the military, Republicans seemed to have adopted a similar policy for their convention and perhaps for the party throughout the 1996 campaign.
up the subject, unless you're former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, retired Gen. Colin Powell. And if you want to be in with the party's head honchos, be sure not to even make passing reference to the scarlet topic when you're at the podium, especially if you're the keynote speaker. Does anyone else think it's odd that New York Rep. Susan Molarini's keynote speech didn't address some of the issues she cares about. Was she told not to mention them?
Disagree with the party platform on abortion? Don't tell anyone. Don't even bring
Disagree with the party's stance on homosexuality? Don't tell anyone, especially Rep. Bob Dornan of California, who will then berate you daily on the House floor. It's interesting to note that of the four House members who are openly gay, Rep. Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin and Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona are Republicans.
Don't like the Republican stance
on ending affirmative action? Don't tell anyone—unless you're a minority, in which case you will get a lot of media attention. But when the cameras show up, all you can say is, "I'm a minority, and I'm a Republican," or you'll get a sharp slap on the wrist. This was especially true at the convention where, as McLaughlin Group regular Morton Kondrare pointed out, moderates, African Americans and women were given attention far out of proportion to their power in the party.
Think the party's not far enough right? Nothing you can do about it. Even if you win the New Hampshire primary, as Pat Buchanan did, you're not allowed to voice your views at the convention. You're not even invited to the convention, even though you will receive votes for president from several delegates. But don't sulk. If you really want to say something, you can have 15 seconds on videotape — just don't say anything controversial.
For all of the talk about the Republicans being the party of the people, I have to disagree. The GOP is the party of one person with a lot of followers who disagree on a lot of issues. But rather than embracing that diversity as the Democrats have, Republicans have chosen to ignore it. For a big tent party, the campers inside it appear to be muzzled.
Ann Marchand is a Topeka junior in Journalism and political science.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Student disappointed by Kansan's news coverage
thank you ever so much for printing that fascinating article about shaving myths, mysteries and methods on Thursday. It is so encouraging to hear that I am not the sole survivor of shaving nicks. Secrets to shaving success are certainly more intriguing and newsworthy than say, the United States attacking Iraq again, or a pesky hurricane harassing Puerto Rico.
Golly, I would hate to read in any great detail about such depressing and relevant issues. That would certainly burst the bubble of apathy and ignorant bliss that this campus has so successfully built. I will confess that once in a while I will pick up a paper other than the Kansan, or even watch CNN rather than MTV. Jeepers,
I appreciate the fact that, to serve the wacky, concerned and alert population of your audience, you must publish some of that pesky international stuff. However, the fact that the brief blubs are buried on the back pages greatly alleviates any stress these stories may provoke.
I would, of course, prefer to be a good campus drone and focus on more important things such as which bar to hit in Kansas City when Lawrence becomes old hat, whether to purchase a Volkswagen or why students have given up on comic strips.
that isn't too often though, because they address real issues that pertain to the citizens of this great country.
Have a delightfully ignorant day.
Sabrina L. Steele Overland Park senior
Homosexual marriage won't harm institution
Marriage certainly seems in need of some defense, but not from homosexuals.
Given the roughly 50 percent divorce rate among marriages across the country, heterosexuals would seem to be primarily responsible for the sorry state of this esteemed cultural institution.
In the case of the recent Defense of Marriage Act, the accuser is most assuredly the abuser.
Randall Griffey doctoral candidate art history
Endorsement of treaty to ban nuclear testing restores hope
Most of us grew up believing the world was a safe place. When I was a child, my biggest fear was of my big sister. However, as I grew up, I began to realize there were many scarier things that deserved my fear. One of those fears was "the bomb."
The world began to eradicate these fears earlier this week, with a major step toward disarmament. The United Nations voted to endorse the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, a
treaty that would ban nuclear test blasts. And so, after years of believing that the world was destined to go up in a mushroom cloud — taking everyone one but the cockroaches with it — there finally may be reason to breathe a little easier.
STAFF COLUMNIST
The endorsement by 158 U.N
members will allow the treaty to be passed to member states for signatures. While the endorsement itself does not guarantee safety, the treaty's overwhelming support is a step toward the end of the nuclear age.
But the treaty is flawed for several reasons. It does not require countries to disarm. Furthermore, it was not signed by every U.N. member nation with known nuclear capabilities. Therefore, the treaty will not hold the force of international law. Nevertheless, it does show encouraging signs of nations' willingness to work toward the reduction of nuclear arms.
The main reason this treaty will be an effective step in ending the nuclear age is that the five nuclear superpowers — the United States, Russia, China, France and Great Britain — support the ban. In addition, most of the five have shown willingness to begin some sort of disarmament program in the past.
However, it is necessary for U.N. member nations (especially those with nuclear capabilities) to recognize that the test ban is only a first step toward ending the nuclear age. Leadership needs to be taken in an effort to disarm all nuclear warheads, and this leadership must come from the superpowers. Until the nations with the largest nuclear capabilities begin to disarm, distrust will continue between all member nations, and no one will take the leadership role.
The nuclear age is not finished. It has defense strategies for years and has terrified many people for just as long. However, the willingness of nations to recognize that nuclear warfare was the wrong direction to travel is a major step in reaching the end of the nuclear age. If and when we do, the fear in children will remain merely as a reaction to their older sisters.
Stacy Nagy is a Topeken Junior in Russian and women's studies.
How to submit letters
letters: 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 hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
All letters should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall or through e-mail at opinionone@kansan.com. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For more information, call John Collar or Nicole Kennedy, editorial page editors, at 864-4810.
FATE
By Shawn Trimble
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