The University Daily Kansan emphasizes the First Amendment:
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STUEWE: "Politics" doesn't have to be a dirty word, or a boring word,either. When you hear "politics,"you should think about what issues you care about. See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
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》 OUR VIEW
Congress to blame for apathy
In the past few years, a great deal of criticism has been leveled at the Bush administration for its perceived missteps in a number of areas. Some of this criticism is deserved, but has unfortunately distracted from what may be a larger problem:
The institution of Congress has utterly abdicated its responsibility, and has become little more than a sad caricature of its formerly important self.
At its most basic level, Congress is charged with passing laws. As the executive branch has elevated and solidified its importance in the past few decades, Congress has become marginalized, but still retains its important duties of constructing budgets and maintaining government oversight.
These are incredibly important tasks, but the 109th Congress was a disappointment on every level. Just look at Congress today: rife with corruption, fractured by party disputes and power struggles and sinfully ignorant of important issues while sadly attentive to meaningless events.
The 109th Congress met for the fewest days in Congressional history. It spent weeks staging theatrical debates about Terry Schiavo and gay marriage, but paid no mind to the monstrous national debt, our growing trade imbalance or our mounting milli-
tary and diplomatic problems.
Members of Congress exist to serve themselves and their backers, secretly inserting earmarks to budget bills that direct federal money to their own projects. They blatantly cater to those who provide the most money at the obvious expense of the nation's welfare.
The most shocking abuse of power came from the Speaker of the House himself. In 2005, Dennis Hastert allocated $200 million for highway development near land he owns, then sold his share for a $2 million profit.
If this isn't enough to illustrate the moral vacuum in government leadership, then what is? Even the "corruption reform bill", passed after the public outcry to spending scandals, was laughable: It is actually set to expire after this legislative session.
Can you blame us for not caring who wins and loses when we are really just electing the latest members of a corrupt spending machine that refuses to take its responsibility seriously? The apathy of young voters is disturbing to all of us, but Congress is doing its work to perpetuate it.
If our government leaders want us to take an active interest in what they're doing, they should start acting like leaders.
McKay Stangler for the editorial board
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Kansan ignores Delta Force
As the president of Delta Force, the largest progressive student organization at the University of Kansas, I am concerned by the lack of Kansan coverage of recent Delta Force events.
An Oct. 24 article, "Seeking out student voters," points out that the College Republicans and Young Democrats have been on Wescoe since the beginning of the semester registering voters. But the only student organization out there four days a week for the past two months was Delta Force. Our non-partisan campaign registered more than 500 new student voters, over five times more than the Young Democrats and College Republicans combined.
Furthermore, on Oct. 23, Delta Force put together a pumpkin patch on the Strong Hall lawn to raise money for the Lawrence Humane Society and the Nathan Bue Jr. Foundation. Through this event we were able to collect more than $100 for these charities, as
Delta Force strives to be a progressive influence on campus and within the Lawrence community. The members of Delta Force are amazing and dedicated people who put hard work into all of our efforts. It is my hope that the Kansan will give them the credit they are due in the future.
well as promote awareness for two under-represented causes on campus. However, after informing the Kansan of this event several times, we were disappointed to find that instead of coverage of our on campus event, we found a picture in the Kansan of a kindergarten's pumpkin patch in Texas.
For more information about Delta Force, visit our meetings every Sunday at 8 p.m. in the Ecumenical Christian Ministries building, on the corner of 12th Street and Oread Avenue.
Tim Bartlett Delta Force President
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Don't insult the map-challenged
As a 2006 KU graduate, believe me that I know all too well about the problems that Dan Hoyt complains about with some students' ignorance (Wednesday, "If you're here, you should know Kansas"). However, I do not think that attending the University of Kansas means that you should know anything about the geography of the state. I do not really know how Hoyt can justify why someone needs to know a city that is hundreds of miles away simply because they live within the same borders. Everyone at the University goes to school in
Everyone has the right to be bothered because there are people at the school who are familiar with Lawrence and only Lawrence, but I do not think that anyone has the right to insult these people.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
the United States, and I speculate that there are aspects of the country that many do not know.
No person rightly calls you ignorant because you are not familiar with where they are from.
Natlan Cooper
2006 graduate
New York City
OPINION
COMMENTARY
What do you get when two of America's most beloved recording artists join forces?
GRS'06
Remember Hanson? I have a close personal connection to Hanson. My friend's band played a concert last year in which it opened for the band that once won a contest to open for the band that was touring as the opening band for Hanson.
I won't go as far as to say that Hanson's music defined our generation, but when the insanely catchy single "MMMBop" hit the pop airwaves in the mid '90s, it had everyone asking. "Who are these girls?"
Being a young connoisseur of Casey Kasem's Top 40, I thought this band was much better than say, Robyn, or the Spice Girls, or any other girl group out there. They had nothing on Mariah Carey, but then, who does?
Remember how surprised you were when Hanson turned out to be three brothers? No man (or boy) had dared sing that high since Prince. But the Hanson boys, in all of their cuteness, caught the wave
of popularity and surfed through the hearts of fifth-grade girls everywhere.
You may not hear much about Hanson these days, but the group still exists. In fact, Hanson played a concert in Lawrence a year or two ago. My guess is that more than a few college girls bought tickets, went to the show, and were shocked to find that the boys they had ogled in Seventeen magazine were now full grown men.
Could they still hit the high notes on "MMMBop?" I doubt it. Only if Hanson were untouched by time, locked in their prepubescent glory, would they be as good today as they once were.
Now consider another aging music legend: Bob Dylan. Sure, his recent album, "Modern Times," may have been met with critical accolades, and it actually hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. But anyone who has seen Dylan live in the last half-decade knows one thing: His
voice ain't what it used to be. What used to be a nasally, yet melodic, whine has been replaced by a gravelly, tuneless growl. Luckily, the old man's lyrical sense is still sharp, because without the help of a recording studio, he can't carry a tune in a bucket.
So here is my proposal: In the great tradition of "supergroups" such as the Traveling Wilburys (Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne) and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Bob Dylan and the brothers Hanson should join forces.
By combining Hanson's teen idol looks and pop hooks with Dylan's literary genius, they will regain their former greatness and beat the old devil Time. I suggest the following name for the band: MMMBop Dylan.
Grant Snider is a Mulvane junior in chemical engineering. He is The Kansan's editorial cartoonist.
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.
Whenever I see people walking with iPods in their ears I just mouth words and act like I am talking to
I would just like to say that the lady at the Parking Department was really rude to the foreign guy in front of me.
To the guy sitting on the bench in front of Anschutz dressed up like Forrest Gump handing out chocolates: Thank you. You are my hero.
doesn't mean the laws of motion do not apply. Don't act surprised when you step in front of a bus that it has to slam on its brakes so
em
Just because you are on campus
--it doesn't hit you
Why is there a SafeRide car in front of Budig? Whenever I need them they are never there, but when I don't there they are.
To the frat guy in the T-shirt that says F is for frat: T is for tool.
It is 2:20 a.m. and an old lady drove by me.
Dave Ruigh, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or druigh@kansan.com
The chicken is in the pot.
nathan Reaing, editor
846-4544 or mailingkansan.com
Erik K. Schmidt, managing editor
846-4544 or eschmidtkansan.com
Gabrielle Souza, managing editor
846-4544 or gssouza.kansan.com
Frank Tankard senior editor
846-4544 or tankard.kansan.com
I was wondering if "Chorus" is a prerequisite to joining a sorority. They are always singing.
Is it me or is it cold outside?
nathan Reaing, editor
846-4544 or mailingkansan.com
Erik K. Schmidt, managing editor
846-4544 or eschmidtkansan.com
Gabrielle Souza, managing editor
846-4544 or gssouza.kansan.com
Frank Tankard senior editor
846-4544 or tankard.kansan.com
To all the people that are from Lawrence：“Wash” doesn't have an “r” in it. It isn't "warsh."
To the guy who said that intelligent design was a medieval concept: You clearly haven't read the Bible or heard of Christianity.
To the jerk cyclist who nearly hit me while I was walking to class: I hope a car nearly hits you.
I just heard a girl wearing a T-shirt say it is cold. No duh.
I definitely saw kids get on a school bus that was parked at a library store.
I just saw a cow driving a car.
I would just like to thank the lovely ladies working at Milton's. They made a wonderful Chi tea.
--nathan Reaing, editor
846-4544 or mailingkansan.com
Erik K. Schmidt, managing editor
846-4544 or eschmidtkansan.com
Gabrielle Souza, managing editor
846-4544 or gssouza.kansan.com
Frank Tankard senior editor
846-4544 or tankard.kansan.com
Hey Joe, I know tricks.
To the guy in the penguin costume: You made my day.
nathan Reaing, editor
846-4544 or mailingkansan.com
Erik K. Schmidt, managing editor
846-4544 or eschmidtkansan.com
Gabrielle Souza, managing editor
846-4544 or gssouza.kansan.com
Frank Tankard senior editor
846-4544 or tankard.kansan.com
To the skateboarding pirate who face-planted in front of Watkins today: You made my day.
COMMENTARY
'Politics' is whatever makes your blood flow
BY LIZ STUEWE
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
If you can't get excited about politics, it is time to redefine the word.
Thanks to the misfortunes of the past and missteps of the present, "politics" has come to carry a generally negative connotation. But this doesn't have to be the case. Politics does not have to be a person in an ugly suit. Politics does not have to be lies, corruption and money.
The first reason is so that you, your loved ones and all Americans can lead "the good life." Who controls the government and how they control the government has a direct impact on the quality of life for Americans.
We are a new generation of Americans and it is time we defined politics for ourselves. But how? And why should we even bother?
And that leads us to the "why".
Why should you care how our government runs and who runs it?
Why should you care about politics?
You should care for two reasons.
Find an artist, an ambassador, a professor, a book, a song, a politician, a rabbi, a poem — anything that gets you interested in the world around you. And that is politics.
Secondly, it is your responsibility as a citizen to keep our government honest and working so it can protect all Americans. If our government is broken, we must fix it.
In order to truly care about politics, we must make politics about our lives, our rights and our needs.
Michael Franti and his band embody what I think politics should be: a good time with a social conscience and a great beat.
You can do this by finding a new definition for the word politics: a personal definition, a public definition, a musical definition, a written definition, a simple definition
The "how" is easy. Be creative. Follow your interests. Do what feels right. The lively music scene in Lawrence has helped me define politics for myself. On Oct. 24 the reggae-influenced, hip-hop-minded, acoustic-guitar-playing, barefoot Michael Franti and his band Spearhead played to an enthusiastic crowd at Liberty Hall on Massachusetts Street.
TALK TO US
— whatever it takes to realize that you have a place in this world and a political responsibility to our country. It is time to get excited.
Stuewe is a Lawrence junior in American studies and political science.
Music can be a great way to make politics more interesting and important. And there is a lot of it out there, from the classic Bob Dylan to the widely popular Bono. But if Bono is just a little too turtleneck and vanilla latte for you, I suggest you check out Michael Franti. Franti supports and encourages my hippie ideals — peace, love and all that jazz — but if those issues don't get you worked up, find something that does.
Kyle Noedl, business manager
864-4014 or khoedl@kansan.com *
Lindsey Shirach, sales manager
864-4462 or lshirach@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news adviser
864-7667 or malbison@kansan.com
LETTER GUIDELINES
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jweaver@kansan.com
SUBMISSIONS
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions.
For any questions, call Frank Tankard or Dave Baugh at 864-4810 or e-mail opionation@kanan.com.
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansasan.
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*Include: Author's name and telephone number;
class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)*
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111 Stauffer Flixt Hint
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Lawrence, KS 64045
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Jonathan Realing, Erick R. Schmidt, Gabriella Souza, Frank Tankard, Dave Ruigh, Steve Lynn, McKay Stangler and Lloydora
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