OPINION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30,2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDITORIAL BOARD
www.kansan.com
Bracelets don't keep original purpose
Unfortunately, while the armband fundraiser is new to the University, it is not a new fundraising tactic.
Recently the University of Kansas Athletics Department came out with a brilliant new way to promote Jayhawk pride while raising money for a great cause. The Williams Fund. The "Rock Chalk" armband is a blue rubber bracelet with "Rock Chalk" imprinted on it.
In fact, the prototype yellow armband was promoted by cancer survivor Lance Armstrong before and during the Tour de France for Live Strong, an organization that helps cancer survivors. Since then, other charity organizations have used this successful tactic to make armbands for different causes. For instance, Choose Hope made pink armbands that say "Hope, Courage, Bravery, and Endurance" to support breast cancer patients..
With these forerunners to the "Rock Chalk" band, it is hard to see why the department would pick this method of promotion and fundraising. The Williams Fund is a good cause, but it is no charity for cancer survivors. It's a scholarship fund based on athletic ability and need for the KU athletes. It also provides money for athletes to go to national-level tournaments, and recruiting of top coaches and athletes from all around the United States, according to their Web site, kuathletics.collegesports.com/williamsfund/kan-williamsfund.html.
To the credit of the Williams Fund, the KU Athletics office said that part of the proceeds from the armbands will go to Coaches vs.
The emphasis of the armbands was not clearly publicized as support of cancer-related charities, and this objective should have been more widely promoted along with the Jayhawk spirit objective.
Cancer. The department also sponsors a KU student cookbook, with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society for cancer prevention research. Still, that is unlikely to generate as much money as the armbands. In addition to these charitable donations, in the defense of the department, other universities have taken similar actions, such as Ohio State, said the office of Andrew Steinberg, one of the school's assistant athletics directors.
Still, the emphasis of the armbands was not clearly publicized as support of cancer-related charities, which should have been more widely promoted along with the Jayhawk spirit objective. By using the armband to promote the Williams Fund especially without mentioning how it supports cancer-related charities — it dilutes the power of the armband as a symbol of support for worthwhile charities. The department might have been able to avoid this had it followed the armband etiquette set by its forerunners and found another way to promote Jayhawk spirit on campus.
TALK TO US
Henry C. Jackson
editor
BEELER'S VIEW
864-4810 or hjackson@kansan.com
Donovan Atkinson and Andrew Vaupel managing editors 864-4810 or datkinson@kansem.com and avauneil@kansem.com
Louise Stauffer and Stephanie Lovett
opinion editors
864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Justin Roberts business manager 864-4358 or advertising@ansan.com
Stephanie Graham
Malcolm Gibson
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
Stephanie Graham
retail sales manager
864-4358 or advertising@kansan.com
Jennifer Weaver sales and marketing adviser 864-7366 or jweaver@kansan.com
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Laura Rose Barr, Ty Beaver, Ryan Good,
Anna Gregory, Jack Henry-Rhonda, Nate
Karlin, Jay Klimmel, Taylor Price, Ryan
Scarrow, John Tran, Anna Waltmer and
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
The Kananreservs the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 200 words and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.
Michelle Wood
For any questions, call Louse Stuafter or Stephanie Lovett at 864-4324 or e-mail at opinion@ kansan.com. General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 650 word limit
Include: Author's name
Class, hometown (student)
Position (faculty member)
Also: The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack another columnist.
LETTER GUIDELINES
Maximum Length:
200 word limit
E-mail:
opinion@kansan.com
200 Word lists
**Include:** Author's name and telephone #
Class, hometown (student)
Position (faculty member)
SUBMIT TO
Hard copy:
Kansan newsroom
111 Stauffer-Flint
KRT CAMPUS
Fair trade gifts high quality
GUEST COMMENTARY
Every family has its own holiday rituals, but the purpose behind all of them is to enjoy each other's company and take time out to say, "I care about you."
NYANA MILLER
opinion@kansan.com
However, even when celebrating these intangible values, the materialism in our culture manages to intrude. People get so wrapped up in the shopping frenzy and minute details of pulling off the perfect holiday meal that they lose track of the purpose. It's important to remember the primary focus is not on what you buy or how much you spend, but on the infinitely more valuable relationship that you are celebrating.
One way to spread the joy to loved ones both near and far is to purchase fair trade or alternative gifts. Fair trade items purchased from artisans or farmers in developing nations ensure a decent livelihood for the families of those producers by paying a price that will cover the cost of food, housing, education and healthcare.
Does this mean the American consumer will have to pay a higher price? Sometimes, but not always. The organizations that sell fair trade items are generally not-for-profit charities, so that a CEO playing golf in Florida isn't pocketing an enormous cut off the sales price. Overheads are low and quality is high, which means that fair trade is quite a
Fair trade items purchased from artisans or farmers in developing nations ensure a decent livelihood for the families of those producers by paying a price that will cover the cost of food, housing, education and healthcare.
bargain.
Alternative gifts are donations made in honor of the gift receiver to a certain organization. The Heifer Project International, for example, sells alternative gifts like farm animals that will be distributed as part of their comprehensive poverty-reduction program in developing countries.
Habitat for Humanity symbolically sells bricks or yards of concrete. The proceeds from the United Nations Children's Fund's Christmas cards support the work they do with children around the world. U.S.-El Salvador sister cities sell sponsorship of scholarships for high school students in rural areas of El Salvador, students who could not otherwise continue their educations. Donations can also be made to another favored charity and considered an alternative gift. This form of gift giving presents a sharp contrast to a pair of designer jeans purchased at the mall. Alternative gifts are tokens of love for humanity.
This year, many opportunities exist in the Lawrence-Kansas City area for people who seek fair trade or alternative gifts. The Fair Trade Holiday Market at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries offers the most comprehensive selection of compassionate gifts. It has more than 10 organizations contributing an array of items such as finely carved animals from Kenya, woven baskets from the Philippines, pottery, jewelry, toys, crèches, musical instruments, holiday ornaments and hand woven textiles.
The market will be a fun environment for students and community members to get their shopping done without waiting in long lines or listening to repetitive holiday tunes that urge consumers to buy more, more, more.
So whether it's Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas or something else that your family is preparing to celebrate, keep grounded in the holiday spirit — a spirit of joy and connection. Rejoice in the spirit of companionship without getting caught up in empty substitutes. Use fair trade and alternative gift-giving to shower your loved ones with the spirit.
Miller is a Shawnee senior in Spanish, Latin American Studies and political science.
Free for All
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
If you liked what Adolf Hitler did, then you will love what George W. Bush is doing.
Hey, what happened to all those cartoon inserts to the other team for KU basketball?
sex toys, I have to comment that ska music is freakin' sexy, I love it.
Well, I've got a short story due in about an hour and I just wanted to say Kinko's saved my life. They're awesome.
sex toys, I have to comment that ska music is freakin' sexy, I love it.
In response to Steven Moles's article about
图
Camping for this basketball game has given me the chance to complete an entire scarf. Yeah, knitting!
The adult video store billboard on the way to St. Louis on Interstate 70 says, "Saving your 1st Amendment right." Is that why we have porn?
Whoever put up the sign on Nasmith that said, "Free pizza at Papa Keno's" sucks because there is, in fact, not free pizza at Papa Keno's. Screw you.
so, it's definitely snowing outside, but Neismitts's sprinklers are still going off, I find
so, it's definitely snowing outside, but Neismitts's sprinklers are still going off, I find
Yeah, it's 11:30 Monday night and I just wanted to thank all the dorms for shutting down so I can have fun driving in the snow tonight. Thanks a lot!
So, I left the game early to drive back to Kansas City because I'm from Texas and I don't know how to drive in the snow. So, I was driving and I got a flat tire. So, Happy Thanksgiving on the side of the road.
that a little bit humorous.
that a little bit humorous.
-
I just heard thunder and it's snowing and it's the first night of Thanksgiving break. What the hell kind of break is this? Tornado warning. Kansas in November.
I don't want to die of frostbite. And yet that's how I feel right now.
-
---
Is anyone else graduating in May and wishing they had just done some summer school so they could walk in December?
-
I just saw Mo Rocca wearing a blue "Rock Chalk" shirt on I Love the 90s.
Hey, Lawrence! Not only are your roads probably the worst roads in all of Kansas, but you also have the worst lights in all of Kansas. If they're timed or not, I can't tell because they don't let anyone go that needs to go. So, guess what, Lawrence? Time up the funds in the freakin' road department.
---
Ah, I just dropped off my drunk best friend at a gay bar. Happy Thanksgiving!
-
Hi. I just want to tell my friends and my roommates to drop it like it's hot and Happy
Thanksgiving and drop it like it's hot.
-
I'm really pissed off at the Kansan for not giving me four crosswords like they did over Fall Break.
In this day and age, is Spam an OK replacement for turkey on Thanksgiving Day?
---
I am so tired of the sexual double standard. It's like guys can go out and sleep with whomever they please and it's no big deal and nobody assumes they're attatched and nobody's feelings get hurt. With girls, you sleep with one of us and you assume that we're all suddenly going to be attached to you. Well, news flash boys: I'm not attatched. Sex can just be about sex.
Ladies, maybe he's just not that into you. mean, I know, it's a hard concept to grasp being that we're so freakin' fantastic, but you know what? Guys are dumb and they don't get that. I'd rather 'just sit and realize he's not that into me than sit and wonder why he's not calling me because who'd want to chase that down?
Free for All is evil.
-
Free for All will you be my friend on thefacebook.com? Please be my friend.
I just read on ESPN.com that Keith Langford's real name is Andre.
图
Last night's basketball game was more fun than a pig in a party hat.
I don't think Kansas likes being ranked number two in the nation very much.
naround their Muck Fizzou shirt. How F'ed up is that?
图
Muck Fizzuel Ha, hal Way to go. Missouri!
Way to go, football team! What, what?
I love long-term relationships. I like them so much, I'm in three of them at this very moment.
-
To all the idiots wearing jackets outside: It's freezing. And when it's this cold, you need to get a real jacket. You don't look cool, you just look cold.
-
I hate wearing glasses. Everytime I walk anywhere cold or hot they fog up.
1
-
Y
---