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University Daily Kansan/Friday, November 22, 1991
OPINION
Beer advertising
Suit linking ads, harassment is off-base
Five female employees of the Stroh's Brewing Company are suing their employer for sexual harassment. The women are claiming that they have been the objects of verbal and physical confrontations on the job. However, the targets of the lawsuit are not their male coworkers and supervisors.
Instead, the women are trying to link the ad campaign of Stroh's to the behavior of its employees.
Sexual harassment is something that
Their contention that Stroh's beer ads are sexist is not entirely unfounded. But the claim that the ad campaign somehow fosters sexual harassment on the job requires a much longer leap in logic.
should not be tolerated and the women deserve credit for fighting what they perceive as abuse in the workplace. However, the focus of their lawsuit is misplaced.
tion is enormous. Sex appeal is a major component of most advertising and opinions of what is sexist and what constitutes a legitimate ad vary widely.
In addition, if the women "win" their lawsuit, the potential for future litiga-
Sexual harassment is difficult enough to prove without weakening the issue. The Stroh's employees would do better to specifically target those harassing them.
John Noltiensmeyer for the editorial board
Mind warfare
U.S. threat of military force is ineffective
Last week's indictment charging two Libyan intelligence agents with bombing Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 seemingly closed the book on the bombing and again labeled Moammar Ghadafi as the leading exporter of terrorism.
For people who see everything in black and white, it also justified the ominous pronouncement by the Bush Administration that it would not rule out military force to arrest the suspects or to punish Libya.
But events can rarely be fully explained with such ease after looking closely at explanations of the indictment and recent history.
Closer reading of articles about the indictment reveals a Justice Department that refuses to comment on contact concerning the bombing between Libya and Syria and accusations by relatives of the victims that the department's silence is to not jeopardize the Mideast peace process.
Kathleen Flynn, mother of one of the
victims of the bombing, said, "They (the justice department) almost protested too much about the Syrians."
After the United States bombed Libya on April 14, 1986, in response to a bombing of a West Berlin disco, the Reagan Administration launched a disinformation campaign to undermine Ghadafi's government.
Then Secretary of State George Shultz called it a psychological warfare program. Shultz said that as part of the program, misleading information was given to reporters implying a new U.S.- Libya showdown was imminent.
After the disinformation campaign became public knowledge, Senator Sam Nunn said, "Now when we say that Ghadafi is up to something, the American press, and therefore perhaps the American people, will say, 'We don't believe you anymore.'"
Does this make our ominous pronouncement of possible use of military force sound familiar?
Hewasright.
The United States should stick to only economic sanctions to accomplish change in Libya. Economic sanctions can do the job. To do otherwise simply perpetuates an atmosphere of tension that can only lead to violence and reinforces the perception of the United States as a big bully.
But to imply that the United States is going to use military force is counterproductive. The implication simply will force Libya to take a more radical and indignant stand when it thinks its sovereignty is at stake, impeding any progress that might be made.
This time the Justice Department's accusation that Libya is responsible carries a little more weight because Scotland's Lord Advocate simultaneously levied the same accusations.
Benjamin Allen for the editorial board
LETTERS to the EDITOR Display class, KHoportafoe
Display class, KU sports fans
For the past two years, a few overly zealous Kansas basketball fans have made their way into Allen Field House with their chants of "Ashole" following a visiting team's successful free-throw.
Unfortunately, these misguided sports fans have resurfaced again this year. We need to remind them that they are at the University of Kansas, not the University of Oklahoma! Jayhawks have more class than to yell something so stupid at a sporting event.
Such a chan is not clever, sportsmanlike, or effective. People in the stands who would yell profanity at games certainly prove that they know how to play. They are athletes, especially a sport so rich with tradition as is Kansas basketball
As a season ticket holder I really enjoy the energy and antics that come from the student section. But as serious Jayhawk fans, we all need to frown on this inappropriate chant and each of us remind the chanters in the stands that KU is not the place for classless actions. I'm certain that Coach Williams and the players would all concur.
Overland Park journalism graduate 1985
Fritz Edmunds Jr.
Discrimination needs to stop
The Nov. 13th editorial by Amy Francis, "Exclusion of Homosexuals Needs to Change," notes the contradiction between the KU policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and the Pentagon-driven ROTC policy. The ROTC policy discriminates against KU gay and lesbian students with military justifications that Francis labels "ridiculous." Her editorial is supported by the following: 1) The 1988 study of "Nonconforming Sexual Orientation and Military Suitability," prepared under contract with the Department of Defense. This study concludes that homosexual men and women as a group are not different from heterosexual men and women in regard to adjustment criteria or job performance. 2) The recent report examining espionage cases since 1945 issued by the Pentagon's personnel security branch, concluding that homosexuales are no more likely to spy than straights. Of 117 Americans who spied for foreign governments, seven were gay. They spied for the same reasons as the straights, money and resentment of the government. 3) The recent removal by the Canadian government of its ban on gays and lesbians in the military. So far Canada has not been invaded.
Geoffrey H. Steere, associate professor of American Studies, and a member of the vice-chancellor's gay/lesbian concerns study committee.
Women must stand united to achieve success,respect
Men have been empowering each other for centuries. They have managed this by exclusively hiring, promoting, buying from, selling to and voting for other men. In business, they make deals on the golf courses of their exclusive country clubs. In government, they benefit from the "good owl" boy network," especially in clubs and lounges that are "men only." Gender often has been of the deciding factors in business, whether it involves the hiring of a fraternity brother, buying and selling to fellow lodge members or negotiating a deal over drinks at the club.
Isn't it time for women to empower women instead of competing with each other and knocking each other down? Isn't it the responsibility of those women who have achieved personal success to give support to those women yet to attain it? I believe there are enough women in the work force today that we could duplicate this strategy of exclusivity to the benefit of the United States in business, government and society.
Now is the time to establish a National Women's Political Party with a platform based on such issues as prochoice and the ERA (pre-Phyllis Schlafly). The results of a national survey in "The Day America Told the Truth," reveal that both sexes do agree on one thing, namely that not only are women morally superior to men, but women are more responsible, honest and trustworthy. If this is true, why are there only three female governors? Why are there only 29 females out of 435 representatives? How can we expect to be heard in the U.S. Senate, when we are outnumbered one woman to 49 men? Isn't it in the nation's best interest for women to become more involved in government?
I find it hard to believe that a predominately female Congress would ignore issues such as child care, parental leave and civil rights. I'm certain that a Supreme Court balanced with men and women wouldn't overturn Roe vs. Wade. After all, wouldn't the United States actually be a kinder and gentler nation if Barbara Bush were President?
We have another problem. This
Lynette Alford
Guest columnist
problem is our tendency to blame the victim. Whether it is a battered wife, abused child or a sexually harassed co-worker, we blame the victim. Why does study show that one out of every 10 women has been a victim of rape, incest or child abuse yet the crime statistics conflict? Why do so many women refuse to press charges or tell anyone? Why do they choose to endure this pain privately? Most of them are still raped, but most are ashamed. Telling their stories is very personal and painful experience that some families do not survive. This is wrong. Abuse is a cycle that runs until it is stopped and the best way to stop it is by bringing it to light and exposing the abuser.
We are the future and by establishing a pro-woman stance now, we can make a difference for the generations to come. Men have maintained a proten stance for centuries and look what they've accomplished. The nation is in terrible shape, crime and violence have escalated to an all-time high, the economy is a mess, the deficit is huge, and George Bush continues to ignore domestic issues. Now, it looks like he will be re-elected and between the Reagan and Bush administrations, domestic issues will be ignored for a total of 16 years. It is too horrifying to imagine what our society will be like after another four years of Bush's "kinder and gentler" sthick.
A pro-women stance doesn't have to be anti-men. But women cannot settle for merely being equal to men, we must strive to be superior. Until we have proven to men that we are equal with men, we will not only then we will wegain their respect and support, only then will we be able to work out a coexistence.
KANSAN STAFF
HOLLY LAWTON
Editor
JENNIFER REYNOLDS Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Lynette Alford is a Lawrence senior majoring in advertising.
Editors
KATIESTADER Business manager
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
Business Staff
Editors Business Staff
News Campus sales mgr. Lena Bryant
Editorial Regional sales mgr. Jennifer Claxton
Planning National sales mgr. David McWilane
Campus Co-op sales mgr. Isa Keeler
Campus Production mgr. Jay Steiner,
Photo Microsoft Wendy Sturtz
Photo Brian Schoen Marketing director
Features Marketing director
Graphics Melissa Unterberg Creative director David Halberger
Graphics Melissa Unterberg Classified mgr. Jennifer Jacquoit
RICH HARSHBARGER Retail sales manager
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Loco Locals
EXCUSEME DOC... NO MONEY?
WELL SUE THE LITTLE SOCCER.
I'LL GUY YOU A MILLION...
TWO MILLION FOR THIS INJURY!
MONADISCO
by Tom Michaud
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