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EDITORIAL: Scandal and corruption in Washington are to blame for our generation's skepticism and distrust of elected officials. See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10,2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 5A
OUR VIEW
Congressional misbehavior alienating students
In surveys and opinion polls of students, a general lack of trust in government leaders is routinely revealed. This is an oft-cited reason for rampant civic disengagement among people in our age group, and is a constant cause of consternation for those seeking office. Why, they wonder, can't we just trust our Congressional leaders to do what's best and what's right?
Given the state of Washington's ethical fabric, should anyone marvel at our wariness? We certainly had reason enough to
doubt the collective backbone of a group that devotes more attention to securing funding for "bridges to nowhere" and other earmarks than it does to actual governing. Congress already seemed to care more about perpetuating their disappearing sphere of influence than in solving our nation's problems. But as if that weren't enough, they come at us now with a wave of ethical and moral failings that indicate a deep and enduring corruption.
The recent imbroglio involving Florida representative Mark
Foley's lecherous and wholly horrific behavior is just one more step in a long line of scandals that even predated super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his cronies. As if it weren't bad enough to have a respected Congressman making advances at teenage male pages, we now discover that the Republican leadership ignored and even concealed the problem for years. How could anyone trust a group that would abet such behavior, and that now demeans a very serious problem as being nothing more than
At what point does Congress cease being a comical sideshow and become a legitimate threat to our nation?
"naughty emails"?
Evidently, Congress is doing everything it can to lower its already plummeting approval ratings even more. At what point does Congress cease being a
comical sideshow and become a legitimate threat to our nation? We are facing corruption, incompetence, and deception on a scale unseen since Watergate. If the alleged party of moral values is actually assisting in covering up this reprehensible behavior, then who is left to trust? The defenses offered by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert are paltry and feeble, and merely remind us that those same moral values may have vacated our nation's capital for good.
overdue. These leaders are known as public servants for a reason: They are elected to do what is best for the American people, not what is best for special interests and the entrenchment of power. We as young voters are willing to vote for you, and might even be capable of trusting you. But we need a legitimate reason to do both, and we need it quickly.
A massive correction is long
McKay Stangler for the editorial board.
COMMENTARY
Dialogue abroad reveals similarities, differences
It happened when I was innocently eating in the dining hall. The English girl next to me was recounting her experience working on a farm in Norway before coming to Reading, and mentioned her run-in with some Americans at Oslo's airport. I asked her about it further, and was told that the Americans, unaware that most Norwegians speak fluent English and could understand their jabs, made fun of the country's customs and called the people "weird." I won't say where the Americans hailed from, except that it rhymes with "dexas." I laughed it off but it still bothered me — the Ugly American stereotype that we're all trying to escape.
In the week since then, I have become the source of information on all things American in my hall. There are only about 250 of us and we're a tight group; it didn't take long to surmise who the international students were. Besides me, there are girls from France, Spain and Italy, and a guy from Switzerland, all trying to figure out the English Way of Doing Things (which, truth be told, is very similar to the American Way of Doing Things).
If you can name it, I've been asked about it. Kansas weather, Kansas farming, American foreign policy, what type of food we eat, how our school system works, why I took the SAT and not A Levels, even why we call things certain names (i.e. why a mall is called a mall and not a shopping centre).
In turn, I've found out a lot about my new classmates and their experiences. Besides my friend who had farmed in Norway, another tutored in South Africa. Others discuss their interests in archaeology, family law and computers. My friend from France, timid about her English, speaks better than most native English speakers I know.
Do people with varied backgrounds exist at the University of Kansas? Sure, but the differences in Reading are deeper. Instead of coming from different parts of mainly one or two states, people come from different parts of an entire country. Cities in the UK have very distinct cultural and social identities (industrial Sheffield compared with more
suburban Kent, for example), which means that everyone has values that cut much deeper than mere politics. Add to this numerous students from every continent, and the variety of views, religions, interests and customs, and you have an exceptionally diverse community.
At the end of the day though, especially when we're all packed together in a dance hall and everyone has had a few, I realize that we're all young people trying to strike a balance between having fun and getting educated. There's something amazing about hearing people from so many different countries all singing along to Shakira at the same time. While this could be construed as a saturation of pop culture, I prefer to see it as a light-hearted showing of positive globalism.
As a political science major, I often try and ask people (delicately) about their political affiliations to get a feel for the mood around Reading. Opinion is as split here on Tony Blair and David Cameron (heads of the UK's two main parties, Labour and Tory) just as much as it is on George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton in America. It's vastly entertaining to listen to English people go on and on about why they like or dislike a candidate, precisely because it sounds so similar to what an American might say.
While I try to keep everything straight, I also try and keep my American pride and do my best to answer any questions objectively and honestly. It helps me understand my country better when I'm forced to answer for its actions and defend it when necessary. It means staying on my toes and being honest with myself about my own beliefs. Blind allegiance doesn't fly here; evidence and argument do.
Kelsey Hayes is a Lenexa sophomore in journalism and political science. She is currently studying in Reading, UK.
On a lighter note, it also means that when I have a visitor in my room and they ask about my college back home (having seen my numerous jayhawk postcards on the wall), I get to tell them all about it. The first question they usually ask is, "What kind of bird is that?"
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Hey, UDK, thanks for giving me the same horoscope two days in
a row
If I see another KU parking person put another ticket on my car I'm going to punch your head off. You have been warned.
So I just saw my anatomy TA walking through the Underground wearing a klift. Do I go to class or
run?
To the guy in Coms 120: Every time you open your mouth a little part of me dies.
I just saw two squirrels having sex.
--this world: Turtlenecks and fat people wearing turtlenecks.
this world: Turtlenecks and fat people wearing turtlenecks.
图
I just gave blood and I feel cool.
Real Coo
Has anyone been flipped off by a 12 year old before? Because it just happened to me.
laugh.
To the kid who skateboards in my parking lot: You make me
--ing isn't the gas prices, it is the
Thank God for Wal-Mart Super
Center
I love your Superman backpack.
I will never understand how a gas station can charge 20 cents more than a gas station across the street and still have customers.
ing isn't the gas prices, it is the
To the couple making out in the library: Enough. You are making
This isn't where I parked my car.
I just saw Mangino bye a mumu-mudslide at Spangles.
Mark Mangino needs a new cheeseburger boy.
me sigh
Crap. This isn't Safe Ride.
--ing isn't the gas prices, it is the
Go KU.
was gross.
After my roommate and his girlfriend had sex in the shower he played "Amazed" by Lonestar. It
I just saw four guys puke on Hash's porch. It was hilarious.
No one can answer the age-old question how many licks does it take to get to the center of a
Footshe Pop
Strange happenings occur when light beams off of the horns
2
True or false, you can or cannot pick up girls while playing a pin ball machine at a bar? Very, very
true.
It is 3 a.m. and I just bought my girlfriend tickets to fly down to Florida and go on a cruise over winter break. I hope she likes it.
ing isn't the gas prices, it is the
Whoever just pulled the fire alarm at McCollum at 4 a.m. should move to Hash.
move to
The worst part about commuting isn't the gas prices, it is the
bugs
Not everyone down at Oliver
sucks.
I think this is the first time I have ever filled up my gas tank and not had the prices go down on me the
next day.
To the person walking backward in the Hash parking lot; You look
Excuse me, frat guys, did you really just raise the roof?
Spangles' commercials suck.
The last episode of Sex and the City makes me want to live forever.
Just because I'm really wasted Tuesday through Saturday does not make me an alcoholic.
The next time you spend the night at my house could you please take your panties?
TALK TO US
What the heck is an Aggie?
My girlfriend just spewed on my head.
Erick R. Schmidt, managing editor
864-4854 or eschmidt@kansan.com
Jonathan Kealing, editor
864-4854 or jkealing@kansan.com
Gabriella Souza, managing editor
864-4854 or gsouza@kansan.com
-
Dave Ruigh, associate opinion editor
854-4924 or druigh@kansan.com
Kyle Hoedl, business manager
864-4014 or khoedl@kansan.com
Lindsey Shirack, sales manager
864-4462 or Ishirack@kansan.com
Macolm Gibson, general manager, news adviser
854-7667 or macolmjikansan.com
Frank Tankard opinion editor
864-4924 or ftankard@kansan.com
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864-7666 or jweaver@kansan.com
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Jonathan Kealing, Erick R. Schmidt, Gabrielle Souza, Frank Tankard, Dave Ruigh, Steve Lynn, McKay Stangler and Llois Mora
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