OPINION
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2007 PAGE 7A
A pointless altercation ruins a night out
Confrontations in bars are becoming too routine in Lawrence
ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON
So it's Friday night, you're sitting there with your girls or boys, making a few decisions. Main one being: In or out? Once that is settled, you can move on to the next round of oh-so-important night making decisions. If you're going out, for one, where to go? Then the obvious: What to wear and perhaps what to drink on. Motivation behind these being, obviously, you want to have the cleanest-looking gear along with the most banging stilettos or kicks, while having a great time not being sick on what you chose to sip on for the evening. While this may appear to be what is on everyone's main agenda when they go out, after my experience a few weekends ago, I wonder what else is included in people's thought processes as they prepare for the night.
A few weekends ago, I went out with some of my friends around Lawrence. Being from Topeka, over the past couple of years, I have had to get used to the difference in environments that one encounters here in Lawrence versus in Topeka. Topeka does not have that many spots to go to, and although it is a college town, most bar-goers are local and the typical fights are because someone slept with someone's wife or is wearing the wrong color in the wrong side of town. That to me, is explainable.
When we went out a couple of weekends ago, my friends and I got into it with some other people at the bar. Over what, I'm still not sure. I had on some cute, white stilettos and had my hair down along with the other females I was with (one was celebrating her birthday). The guys were wearing white shoes and some new hats, and looked good. Our main purpose that night was to make the town blurry. The drama started, heated up, then ended just as quickly, with all of us getting dragged out by the police while the guys who started it stood there watching, still in the bar.
Now that you have the gist of what happened, let's break that down a bit more and try and understand it because this is where I get confused. When the arguments started, the people I was with tried to stop the fight from happening, while the other guys just continued to instigate and swing at us, including me, a female. Instead of the police taking the aggressors out of the bar, they took us out and handcuffed
some of my friends. We tried to explain ourselves. While I understand they were 'trying to do their job, I was wondering, "isn't part of their job getting all sides of the story and what went down rather than just making assumptions?"
Like I said, being from Topeka, there aren't that
DRAWING BOARD
many random bar fights; most conflicts are bigger issues that, if they do escalate, become much more serious instances. In our situation, I felt it was treated as just another typical night in downtown Lawrence, and that is what I think is the problem. By not digging into the dirt of what causes these little petty fights as the police see them, it allows them to become more serious. It allows people to go out and start stuff weekend after weekend without anything happening to them. These fights blow up into bigger instances is not just a Topeka problem.
Lawrence has experienced first-hand some of the instances when former basketball player J.R. Giddens' KU career ended over a bar fight that resulted in him getting stabbed. A couple of years ago a man was shot and killed in front of the Granada after a fight following a concert.
I would like to think, along with most people, that I just want to go out, chill and have a good time without any unnecessary drama and without having to be worried about who I might run into or people looking to start violence. From experience, I feel like most fights are not just random. I feel like some guys and women throw on the track pants or Nikes in anticipation of starting something.
Although some people don't take their bar fight preparation that far, the ones who just can't handle liquor without pushing someone or looking at someone wrong need to just stay home, because its not worth it. Why would you want to go out and ruin someone's night, possibly career, or even life, regardless of whether you had the intentions of doing so or not is beyond me? It's a new school year and new people. I say we all forget the dumb stuff, have a drink, pass out, go to class and do it all over again without skipping a beat or starting a fight. I think we all would have more enjoyable bar-going experiences, perhaps somewhat vague, but nonetheless less bruised and with a cleaner criminal record in the morning.
McNaughton is a Topeka junior in journalism.
BURGERTIMES
In this heat, embrace the reality of sweating Being finicky with hygiene in this environment is an exercise in futility
So is the time when we are all dragged back into an academic routine, laying behind us summer flings, episodes and a way of life more carefree. In the midst of our mass coercion to refocus our energies to a scholarly nature, we struggle to let go of the last few months that suddenly seem timeless. Still, there is something we can't overlook. As you may have noticed, it's hot outside. For some that fact is a mere detail about the day, as trivial as wind pressure or chance of rain. But if you're like me, it impacts a daily routine—what I will do and when I do them, and most of all, when I can never ever be outside.
In summers past, I remember dreading the heat. Being overly self-conscious and somewhat awkward, I knew that doing things during the day, even simple in nature, demanded my immediate sweatiness within a few minutes of stepping outside. I defly subdued this problem in various ways: frequent
showers, on-hand deodorant and layers of shirts. The thing about layered shirts, of course you know, is that while they help to hide armpit stains, they also add to the whole heat problem. Deodorant can only be reapplied so many times before it too becomes useless and part of the problem. I also became weary of showers that seemed to activate perspiration quicker than if I hadn't bathed. It all felt like a losing gamble or a stalemate, and frankly, it stressed me out.
This summer was different. After many months of steady rain, I knew that things were about to get profuse. So remembering that there's nothing to fear but fear itself, the spirit of carpe
diem, and perhaps Little Richie's natural tendencies onstage, I decided not to fight sweatiness anymore. I must admit there was a bit of pride at play in my coming around—why fight something when I can't win? I chose to own it. And although initially feeling carnal and lazy, I found this new approach to the summer heat to be quite rewarding. (I like carnal and lazy too.) No longer does the weather prohibit me from doing the things I want to do. Instead I can focus on other things, like where the ice cream is.
Sweating itself feels pretty good. It's like that high one gets from exercising, only a lot less is required. It has an affinity for making scantily clad anyone who is in the right time and place to do so, and I've noticed that this pairs very well with a cold beer. It seems to me an integral party ingredient for these reasons, not to mention the loopy hysteria that is sometimes evident. Maybe that's just me.
mer chic which beacons to the equally apathetic and honest. It says, these are the times and rather than anguish, I choose to languish in them.
While I'm not raising the white flag on personal hygiene (completely), I would like my underarms to stand testament to all: Stop pretending like you're not sweating. I have always been mystified by those who do not perspire much or do not require deodorant, and cannot begin to address that issue. As for the rest of us, I'll be over there in the grey shirt, sticky and unashamed. Wear your sweat with pride. I'm going to take a shower now. After all, I didn't say anything about being outright smelly.
It is responsible for a sum-
Muselmann is a Tulsa, Okla., junior in journalism.
FREE FOR ALL: 864-0500
Nice timing on the Michael Vick article.
Parking tickets, freshmen, and jean shorts. Yep, KU is back in session
I just wanted to say a big whoop-dee-do about McCollum's first fire alarm. I think we need to teach some people how to cook pop-corn around here.
the worst quality?
Every time I sit down to do my math homework, I can't concentrate, because I realize I hooked up with my math teacher's daughter.
is it ironic that the cable company's commercials are the ones with
Fat girls don't have feelings.
Free for All, I've been checking all day, and I can't find you on Facebook. This is making me really sad.
Free for All, the baby's yours. You need to step up to the plate.
Please friend me:
(Editor's Note: You have to add the University Daily Kansan application.
It's an application, not a profile.)
lis is making me really sad. Please friend me?
I was just wondering if you could tell me why there are yellow bikes all over campus with messages written all over them and names
like Harry Potter. I wanted to take one, but I didn't want to be a thief. If you could just give me the go-ahead, I'm gonna ride off on this shit
this shit.
Do you believe in reincarnation,
Free for All?
Hall. If they are found, please turn them in at the Spahr engineering library, thank you.
To whoever found my keys in Lindley: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Now I can go home.
Honestly, why do people put nice rims on crappy cars?
Lost keys in Room 317 of Lindley
I accidentally peed on my iPod cable when I was standing at the urinal today. I didn't wash it.
KU Housing sucks the life out of you and takes all your money.
The Denver Broncos are the best team ever and they are going to win the Super Bowl this year. (Editor's Note: You're funny.)
So, there's this girl in my French class, and she is dumber than a box of buttholes.
To the girl in my management class. Love the eye contact during group work. Will you go out with
(Editor's Note: Good luck.)
This is cool.
Ahh! You scared me!
Thank God someone is standing up for "manonexics"
Bool
TALK TO US
Erick R. Schmidt, editor
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Eric Jorgensen, managing editor 864-4810 or ejorgensen@kansan.com
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The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors 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 Kelsey Hayes or Bryan Dykman at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
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Erick R. Schmidt, Eric Jorgensen,
Daria Slipe, Kelsey Hayes, Bryan
Dykman, Brandon T. Minister, Angelique
McNaughton and Benjamin R. Smith
The Editorial Board
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