The University Daily Kansan emphasizes the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting in 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 guevances.
LO: The high-profile, racist rant of Michael Richards presents an opportunity to re-think prejudice in our country and how to fight it. See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
PAGE 7A
》 OUR VIEW
Federal plan would help students choose right school
Making the decision of which college to attend is difficult. It's challenging to see how colleges stack up against one another, academically or otherwise. A plan by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings may provide information that would help students compare schools before making a decision.
The plan would allow students to track the success of students who have already graduated and find the numbers that are often hidden by universities. Information such as cost of different institutions, graduation rates and student surveys would be components of the federal database.
The more information available to students seeking a college education should help the sagging number of students completing a degree. Only 34 percent of students attend college and only 17 percent complete a college degree, according to the Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Providing more information on costs and success rates could motivate more students to earn a degree.
Colleges may be apprehensive about such an idea, but transparency in this case would benefit students. Students should expect something in return when out-of-state students are paying more than $14,000 a school year on tuition alone.
When families can check
which schools provide the best value for their dollar then more students could realize the possibility of attaining a college education. Gauging the success of a university through its students would only help universities attract students.
University presidents should not see this as a type of ranking system like those used in college football and basketball. It should be seen as more of an evaluation to determine how schools can best serve their students. Hiding such information goes against serving students.
Louis Mora for the editorial board.
COMMENTARY
Education needed to fight prejudice
This summer I traveled with a study abroad tour, and there were certain situations that I felt were inappropriate. Months later, I spoke with the instructor privately, and I diplomatically explained to him that I was dissatisfied with the trip. Regardless of whether or not my feelings about the trip were correct, I was surprised when a few days later he sent out an e-mail to our group Listererv, revealing what we had discussed confidentially and writing that I needed to grow up and suck on a "soy sauce pacifier."
The entire experience humilized and frightened me beyond belief. I couldn't believe that I had angered an instructor enough for him to publicly disclose our conversation and to attack我 in front of my peers. Even now, many weeks later, I wonder, what should be done when someone reveals his or her ugly side in public? Should we easily forgive and let go? Or are these sometimes subtle, sometimes frightening prejudiced emissions an indication of a larger problem in society that needs to be addressed?
Former Seinfeld star Michael Richards was in the news recently for his racist tirade against two African-American hecklers at his comedy show. He obscenely stated, "Years ago we'd have you upside down with a f—ing fork up your ass ... He's a n—!" It was unnerving to see him release his anger in such a hateful way and pathetic to see a once-beloved actor reveal his true character to be bigoted.
Richards later apologized on the Late Show with David Letterman. He appeared uncomfortable and
BY TERESA LO
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
broken as he tried to excuse his rant. He explained that he said those hateful words in the heat of the moment and not because he harbored racist feelings. The two hecklers, Kyle Doss and Frank McBride, did not accept the apology and have commissioned high-profile attorney Gloria Allred to represent them. Seeking financial compensation may not be the right answer and may actually detract from the offensive event, but it was disturbing, nonetheless, that Richards' "apology" wasn't a real apology but an excuse, and a poor one at that.
Rage, whether directed at a dissatisfied college student or two hecklers at a comedy club, can reveal as much about a person's character and inner thoughts as alcohol, but it is as foolish to completely blame rage for one's words or actions as it is to blame alcohol. After all, emotions and alcohol only tear down inhibitions. They do not create new philosophies. These emotional or drunken revelations should be addressed and dealt with, not forgotten quickly.
The fraternity boys in the movie Borat are but another example of prejudiced people exposing and embarrassing themselves with their
own words. These boys made a series of drunken sexist and racist remarks, and later sued the filmmakers. The filinmakers may have been unethical, but no one told the boys to speak about having sex with women and never calling them again. No one told them to degrade women to the status of "hoes" and "bitches." No one told them to say that "our country should have slaves" and that "minorities have the upper hand, especially the Jews."
These different ordeals have taught us the importance of eradicating hate within ourselves. It may be too idealistic of me to say that we should completely banish prejudices within ourselves because, realistically, human beings may always harbor some ugly feelings. The best we can do is try to better oursels through multicultural education and through our willingness to accept others' differences. We may not know everything, and sometimes we may say something ignorant, but people can tell the difference between simple ignorance and hateful ignorance.
As Michael Richards has shown us, those who try to continue to hide their inner hatred may be able to succeed in life for some time, but, one day, their true selves will be revealed, with tragic results. It's best to never have those thoughts in the first place, and it's best to deal with the problem. "Forgive and forget" too easily may be more of a problem than a solution.
Lo is a Coffeyville senior in history.
FREE FOR ALL
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I went home for Thanksgiving break and I thought I was far enough away to get away from the Spangles commercials, but no, they were still there and annoying as ever.
Mangino, four words: Take out Kerry Meier.
Missouri fans wear fanny packs.
are recorded.
--looking at the sunset while standing on your head. Wear a black pin-stripe tie on top of a tie-dye T-shirt, not because you're cool enough to get away with it, but because you realize how undignified human beings are in the first place.
I ever see Joakim Noah, I'm go-
ing to kick him in the shins.
Sasha Kaun, if your foul ruins this
for everyone, oh, do not even talk
to me.
Um, Florida who?
It Free For All, Kansas just beat
Florida. I don't think I've been this
happy since my Bar Mitzvah.
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A WHITE CHRISTMAS brought to you by Trent Lott Senate Minority Whip
COMMENTARY
To become 'Master of Friday Night,'experiment
In the distant past, our ancestors had no difficulty entertaining themselves. If one were cold, he might spend the day tracking a wild animal for its pelt. If hungry, he could dangle a hook into the river and wait the whole afternoon. If another tribe attacked, the morning might contain the battle plans, the afternoon the fight; and, if they won, the evening hours would fill up with the composition of victory poems.
We face a far graver situation today.
I'm afraid that, as the world goes global, instead of the methods of enjoyment increasing without number, they will gradually shrink until the whole world is left with only a television set and the vague notion of trying to replicate what happens there.
BY SAM SCHNEIDER
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION/KANSAN.COM
As humanity has progressed and our knowledge of the world increased, we find ourselves having gone backward in the area of what to do with this knowledge.
Some wise people tell us that as cultures mix across the world, we will be benefited by other unique ways of life. Yet, here we stand in an increasingly global society, and as I survey the ways to fill up my evenings — between basketball games and trips to the rec center — I discover a list that could fit easily onto a small napkin.
In his novel The Napoleon of
Notting Hill, G.K. Chesterton introduces this statement: "When you say you want all peoples to unite, you really mean that you want all peoples to unite to learn the tricks of your people. If the Bedouin Arab does not know how to read, some English missionary or schoolmaster must be sent to teach him to read, but no one ever says, 'This schoolmaster does not know how to ride on a camel; let us pay a Bedouin to teach him.'"
We face an unexpected tide of boredom at the University of Kansas.
Humans have become masters of the world in many ways. We can influence population growth, economies, the climate of the earth, even the human genome, but we have yet to become masters of our Friday nights.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating we drop everything we have been doing, only suggesting that we throw some effort into adding new ideas. For instance, try
Jonathan Knailing, editor
684-8543 or leasing@kansan.com
J Rick S. Schultz, managing editor
684-8543 or eschmidt@kansan.com
Gabrielle Sonza, managing editor
684-8543 or gouzae@kansan.com
Frank Tankard opinion editor
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I think we can find at least a partial answer to the search for enjoyment by turning to the popularity of coffee shops. What indeed do they sell their customers? Are their drinks of any higher quality than what one could consume alone in the kitchen?
The success lies not within the cups themselves but rather in the people holding them.
If coffee was what I truly wanted, I could order from the Internet and never enter the doors of a coffee shop again. However, I'm looking not for coffee but for humanity. In conversation with another person, we find one of the greatest adventures left in modern society.
》 TALK TO US
Here in America we value free speech, but we should value even more the freedom to hang out with other people. There's something within other human beings that usher us into a world with almost as much excitement as the pursuit of a great walrus just before winter.
Schneider is a Topeka junior in English.
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Jonathan Kealing, Erick R. Schmidt, Gabriella Souza, Frank Tankard, Dave Ruigh, Steve Lynn, McKay Stangler and Lloisa Mora