OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDITORIAL BOARD
www.kansan.com
Give the nation a day off for Election Day holiday
It happens every election year. The American public stays up through the wee hours of the nights, glued to the television, refusing to go to bed until they know who the next President of the United States will be.
This year, the big question was Ohio. While it is located in the eastern time zone, supposedly the earliest polls to close, Ohio votes were still being counted early into the next morning. Why is this? Citizens in Ohio who had been at the polls before the closing time were still waiting in line for several hours after the polls closed just to get in the building and vote. This is just one of the many reasons why National Election Day should be a national holiday as it is in other countries, such as Puerto Rico.
Logically, the rush of voters comes early in the morning before the commuters and working citizens need to be at work, during their lunch break, and after work until the polls close. While people wait in line for hours during these times, most other times are relatively dead. One way to solve the problem is by giving everyone the day off work so that the voting would
be more evenly spread out and easier for the local polls to handle.
Another problem that probably hits closer to home for many KU students who live in or close to Lawrence, or who are from out of town but registered locally, is one of class conflicts. While some students had no problem taking the afternoon or a break between classes to go vote, others had to get up extra early, or even skip a class to go vote.
Considering that encouraging the youth vote has been a major national goal in previous elections, especially the latest, the class conflicts are certainly not helping students who may have voted but are unwilling or unable to skip class to go to the polls that day. Perhaps this was part of why the surge of youth voter registration was followed by a low turnout on Election Day.
Making Election Day a national holiday is not only a practical solution to higher voter turnout and more efficient vote counting, it would also be a patriotic day to remember one of the greatest things about the United States of America: the freedom to vote in a legitimate and fair democracy.
Free for All
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansas editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
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High and mighty Templin finally had a fire alarm. Take that.
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I don't live in McCollum, but I like to sneak in really early in the morning and pull the fire alarm.
I live in Templin, the honors dorm, on the sixth floor, the honors floor, and we just had fire alarm number one. It's 1:54 a.m., and I am officially pissed off. The point of living in a honors dorm? We don't have to deal with stuff like this, but that's not true and we're no better than McCollum.
Those lines on the road are called pavement markers. I know someone who paints the lines, so there's your answer.
Sex is the answer to all the world's problems. You should try it.
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Honk Bobo's nose. I repeat, honk Bobo's nose.
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Kris Kobach, you lost. You can take your signs down from K-10 now.
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To the girl with the braces who was sitting by me at the basketball game: I thought you were really cute.
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Hey, girl. Yes, you. Stop wearing mini skirts, it's freezing.
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I'm at a party and people are chanting, "Four more years" and it's not a joke. I want to go home.
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This is to all the people that said they were going to move to Canada when Bush won: Well, Bush won, so when are you moving? I'll help you pack.
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Mmmmm, junior double cheeseburgar in my belly!
Evolutionary nutritionists enjoy Emerald Nuts.
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Jennifer Weaver sales and marketing adviser 864-7666 or jweaver@kansas.com
I seriously believe that there is nothing hotter in the world than two hot girls taking a shot at the same time.
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To the blonde who wears shirts with political messages everyday: Love the shirts. Thanks for getting our liberal message out.
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Laura Rose Barr, Ty Beaver, Ryan Good, Anna Gregory, Jack Henry-Rhodes, Kately Hollowell, Nate Karlin, Jay Kimmel, Stephanie Lovett, Taylor Price, Neal Rasor, Ryan Scarrow, John Tran, Anne Waltmer and Michelle Wood
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Bus system not wheelchair-friendly
The KU on Wheels bus system is in grave danger of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. A vast majority of the buses in the KU on Wheels fleet are inaccessible to people with mobility disabilities, such as those who use wheelchairs, because the buses do not have lifts.
NOT UNHEARD OF
The ADA requires public transportation to be accessible to all persons with disabilities. Beginning in 1990, all newly purchased or leased public transport systems must be accessible to people with disabilities. If the public transportation system is not accessible, then the public-transit authorities must provide "comparable services" until the system is entirely accessible.
system is entirely The University's idea of "comparable services" is the LiftVan program. Unfortunately, the LiftVan is not comparable to a fully-accessible public transport system. The LiftVan fails to serve the needs of people with disabilities in the same manner that the KU on Wheels system serves all KU students.
In order to use the LiftVan, a student must submit a class schedule to the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. The LiftVan then picks up the student at their residence and transports him directly to his class.
There are quite a few problems with this service. The LiftVan only operates between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Students must request rides 24 hours in advance. They also must cancel pick-ups 24 hours in advance. If a student fails to cancel 24 hours in advance two times, then their LiftVan service may be canceled for the rest of the semester.
Even worse, if a student misses one pick-up time, then all subsequent pick-ups for that day are canceled.
TARA SCHUPNER
opinion@kansan.com
And the kicker? Students must purchase a bus pass at full price in order to use a program that does not provide the same services as the KU on Wheels bus system.
When most students oversleep and miss one KU on Wheels bus, they can simply wait a few minutes, hop on the next one, and get to class only a few minutes late. If a person who uses a wheelchair oversleeps and misses the pick-up time by ten minutes, they're out of luck for the rest of the day unless they can find someone to take them to their next class.
their next class.
Students can also use the KU on Wheels bus to go to activities, advising appointments, and meetings on campus. The LiftVan transports students only to classes.
These students "do not have equal opportunity to participate equally in campus life," said Dorothy Nary, training director of the Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University.
A KU graduate and wheelchair user, Adam Burnett, recalled his difficulties with getting around campus.
"It was great as long as the event was between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., class related, on campus, and if I had 24-hour notice. How many college events happen like that?"
According to Burnett, students with disabilities have three options when the LiftVan is not running or when they want to attend an activity or event: rely on friends to push you there, arrange your own transportation, or stay home.
Students with disabilities should never feel forced to stay at home because the University transport system is inadequate and does not meet their needs. They deserve to be able to become involved in any campus activity at any time they want.
Unfortunately, when they want to speak up on their own behalf, students with disabilities are stuck in a catch-22. In order to make their voices heard to the Student Senate, they need to come to Senate meetings. However, those meetings take place after LiftVan hours and are not class-related.
and are not class "Last week, a student who uses a wheelchair was unable to attend and speak at the Transportation Committee meeting because he had no way to travel there." Nary said.
The University, particularly the Student Senate, needs to take this issue very seriously and overhaul the bus system, even changing the contract for KU on Wheels if necessary. It has been 14 years since the ADA became law, and the University has had plenty of time to find the means to make their transportation system fully accessible.
Every day that the LiftVan is offered as a "comparable" replacement for the KU on Wheels system is a day that students with disabilities are discriminated against.
- Schupner is a Lenexa senior in journalism and English. She is deaf.
On property purchase and marriage The KUPAC asserts that being able to rent or buy a home at the age of 18 is a responsibility that should be accompanied by the right to purchase alcohol. Indeed, signing a lease, mortgage or marriage license is quite a responsibility, which shows an individual can support a financial commitment. This has nothing to do with committing to
The status quo prohibits citizens less than 21 years of age from purchasing, having public possession and consuming alcoholic beverages. One must consider the implications of revising the NMDAA and examine KUPAC's justification for doing so. These reasons relate to property purchase, marital union, military service, voting, judicial cost and health.
The following statement is addressed to The University of Kansas Political Activist Club (KUPAC) concerning its efforts to revise the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (NMDAA).
Changing minimum drinking age involves other elements
WEI
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
On military service and enlistment: Once again, this is irrelevant with respect to demonstrating healthy drinking habits. Or perhaps, assuming that all members of the KUPAC are enlisted (their argument would be void otherwise), might it be suggested that they attempt to lower the minimum drinking age for individuals presenting proper military identification.
healthy drinking habits, something that is usually not detected by loan organizations. Failing to pay loans results in property loss, failing to drink responsibly has more severe implications.
On voting: The privilege of voting is granted to prepare citizens for their constructive contribution to the nation's welfare and growth. Many adult liberties are available because politicians have observed positive outcomes — over decades — from their implementation. So far, this nation has seen no significant and productive results from underage drinking.
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On judicial costs: Yes, prosecution can become expensive, just as everything else in this nation. Be confident
CON
On health: It is very true that moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and Alzheimer's disease. However, its efficacy applies to few 18-year-olds. Any attempt to "get a head start" on responsible and healthy drinking need not begin until an individual is finished growing. If moderate consumption for medicinal purposes is appropriate for a minor, the facilitators of this treatment will diagnose and administer accordingly.
that the cops would rather deal with the cost of an MIP than wait for the coroner to arrive at a party that went uninterrupted by authorities.
Nathan Dormer
Topeka senior
The Kansan welcomes lettars to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
The Kansas reserves 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 650 words. To submit a letter to the editor or
a column, e-mail the document to *opinion@kansan.com*
with your name, hometown, year in school or position
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