4 University Daily Kansan/Monday, November 4, 1991 OPINION Blasting the B-2 Someone on Capitol Hill is thinking straight. The good news is that it's our very own representative, Congressman Jim Slattery. The bad news is that it's more than likely that not enough legislators share his views. Slattery's criticism of B-2's cost is right Slattery has opposed continued development of the B-2-bomber for some time, but Monday he came out firing at a statewide conference of the Kansas Correctional Association. Good for him. Good for us. This waste of resources already has gone on too long. The planes, which cost $1 billion each, are primarily designed to counter a Soviet threat. There are more than a few ways that we could come up with to better spend that type of cash. This single program costs twice as much as the entire 1990 federal obligation to the Department of Education. And those are projected expenses. Nevermind the overruns. Wrong. Economics teaches you to Of course the Northrup Corporation, based near Los Angeles, would disagree. The folks over at Whiteman Air Force Base would have to find another use for the hangars they have built. The logic the Pentagon uses is that because we have already spent a couple billion dollars researching and laying the groundwork for this albatross, we simply have to go through with it. learn from your mistakes, consolidate your losses and regroup. The threat to our society is not external; it is internal. Jim Slattery deserves to be commended for his stance on this matter. A final note to put this outrageous expense for a useless — and by the time it's completed, obsolete — weapon into perspective. The savings that could be enjoyed from trashing just one B-2 would pay, even after adjustment for inflation, the tuition of every KU student for the next 17 years. The interest on these savings would buy our books. Junk the jet. Michael Dick for the editorial board Enrollment survival skills necessary at KU As soon as you think you're in the clear — midterms behind you, no papers due for a while — the University of Kansas manages to throw you another punch, and if you aren't properly prepared to roll with it, the stress might be too much to take. The event of which I speak is enrollment. Let me briefly summarize for you mvfirstenrollmentexperienceatKU: Laura Freshman: What classes should I take? What do I need to graduate? What is my student number? What should I major in? ... Arnie Advice; Derrr .. I think that the 7:30 a.m. section of "Janitorial Engineering in the American Experience" is still open. After this illustrious start, my initial shock at the cavalier attitude held by University officials toward *m.y.e.* education became I became a determined woman. "This school will not beat me," I thought to myself. "I have been admitted and have paid my tuition, and I refuse to be dismissed." My bright chance of becoming educated." Six majors and 32 advisers later, I have become a seasoned veteran. I now offer some of the skills I have learned about making it at KU. Laura Nuttmann Staff columnist First, I would like to outline a few common myths that seem to abound. I am convinced that Western Civilization is a little joke which was invented in 1642 B.C. by members of the administration who were having a slow afternoon. The class really does not exist. It is simply entertaining to watch frantic students scurry about begging human people to let them leave school. They are clued in on the little prank during their junior year, which is why juniors and seniors rarely seem to stress about obtaining it. 1. Myth: Western Civilization is a class required at least 95 percent of the student body for graduation. Therefore, the department sets up enough openings for students each semester. This is false. 2. Myth: If, on your first enrollment day, you are unable to get more than six hours, consisting primarily of religion and HPER classes, it will be necessary to go back to the dread open-enrollment period. This generally is not possible in case of knowing that everyone waiting in the line stretching to Clinton Lake is really happy and excited to still at school. 3. Myth: All KU students who have successfully enrolled in the schedule of their choice will hold on to those classes forever. No students are ever completely happy with their classes. Needless to say, add-drop is a favorite technique. Students use many techniques to the successful add-drop season which are summarized in Nuttman's Principle of Survival of the Smartest. Desperate students who are convinced that this is the real way to fulfill credits at KU, often camp out as if they were waiting for concert tickets or an important basketball game. If they missed a game, they would simply go through add-drop. This leads us to my most important myth. This principle states that if you are able to convince professors that you are a graduating sixth-year senior. with two infants, a sick grandmother and a mentally-impaired cocker spaniel at home and that you only need this particular class to graduate, you are likely to make it to the top of a waiting list. 4. Myth. The people who work behind the computer in Strong Hall are representatives of all that is evil within the University structure. In reality, these are saintly creatures who generally serve as sounding boards for all of the rage and frustration that students experience with the system. I think the students who act with what they feel really good are the kisses and gifts which are showered upon them when that rare student does get an important class. It is a successful feeling to make it through enrollment with few injuries. Of course, this may have to do with the fact that on average, twice as much time will be spent enrolling in classes than actually studying for them. Here at the University of Kansas, all students receive full training in Bureaucratic Survival Skills. Upon graduation, not one of us will be impeached with the government. * Laura Nutmann is a St. Louis junior majoring in education. LETTERS to the EDITOR NRA's action unfathomable I would like to congratulate the National Rifle Association. Thanks to this patriotic organization, a plot to divert funds to a group of subversives has been thwarted. Who was this horrible menace? The U.S. Humane Society. Thanks to the national gun lobby, Sears and Roebuck has canceled plans to donate revenue generated by the sale of stuffed animals to the humane society. Not only did the gun lobby pressure Sears into ending donations to the humane society, they forced an end to the line of animals itself. Yes, the NRA objects to an organization opposed to the poaching and hunting of endangered species. What the NRA heralds as a "victory for sportsmen" is really a blow to pandas, elephants and other endangered species. Congratulations on your victory, guys! How thrilling it must be to be able to eliminate stuffed animals as well as their helpless live counterparts. How proud you must be to support animal abuse. It must make you feel warm all over to deny children safe, non-violent toys. Oh well, maybe you can shoot and stuff a real bunny for your kid this Christmas. Kenneth Mosley Lawrence senior Playboy critic assumed much David Caruso's Oct. 28 letter concerning Playboy is self defeating. What right does Caruso have to criticize other people's preferences? If he had criticized the magazine, and the negative impact he felt Playboy had on society, he would have drawn no argument from me. However, Caruo attacks an entire segment of the population by assuming that anyone who would look at a Playboy does so with the same base intentions that he had when he was 14 years old. In essence, Caruso is projecting his self-proclaimed immature on a large group of people, most of whom he has never even met! arming Playboy is self defeating. Caruso never really attacks Playboy, rather he condemns its audience. He assumes (and I mean ASSUMES) that like himself, all subscribers and patrons of Playboy are immature, sex-crazed adolescents who buy the publication simply to "goggle" and "fantasize" over what Caruso denounces as "flesh". His advice that "the readers of Playboy," (wait a second Dave, I thought you said that nobody ever READS Playboy) need to "mature out of the rut they are in," is based on nothing but Caruso's own immaturity. Yes, Dave, I'm sure that there are some people who buy the magazine for less than noble purposes. But to assume that all those who enjoy Playboy are incapable of "good communication skills" and a "deeper knowledge of themselves" is absurd. William Goodwin Kansas City, Mo. senior Kansan handled Turner incident irresponsibly Thanks to the Kansan, political correctness has claimed another victim. The mishandling of the James Turner interview has crucified a man before he has had a chance to defend himself, and it has shown how overly sensitive the campus is to non-politically correct speech. First of all, if Turner did indeed use the words "fat Indian chick" and "agot" in the context the Kansan reporters claim, some reprimand is necessary. The fairest procedure is to investigate the incident, find out if Turner has in the past made any comments similar to those now alleged or acted inappropriately on the job and turned up at the office. Turner on paid leave during the investigation was probably a wise decision, but the KU administration ultimately will have to apologize to Turner if the allegations prove false. Cameron Meier Guest columnist The word "chick" is used constantly without a second thought. True, it plays to sexist stereotypes, but someone should not be branded a criminal for using it and definitely should not lose his job unless repeated use of the word is representative of his insensitive nature. Although "Indian" is not derogatory, it is essentially a false exception. When used by itself, it is excusable, but when other, somewhat insensitive words are thrown in, the individual making the comment is shown in a bad light, especially if that individual is Turner. Turner is not evil if he transgressed These comments, if made, show more of a considerable lape in judgment than racist or bigoted attitudes. For the director of the office of affirmative action, who should be sensitive to all minority groups and all individuals, making these comments shows great stupidity. Although "fagger" still is widely used and has it acrobatically acted as "nigger" have, it should not be used, especially by Turner, except when quoting another person. the laws of political correctness. Believe it or not, some students and faculty members still believe society is too intense in its hunt to find and pallish all those who do not subscribe to the "perfectly tolerant and diverse society" movement. Of course, equality and fairness are the ultimate goals, but when forced upon an unwilling society, more harm than good may arise. In the push for racial and sexual integration, it is essential that fairness, individual rights and educational quality not be sacrificed. Finally, the Kansan handled the episode poorly. The reporters involved interviewed Turner last week in connection with the murder of Danny Davis. The quotes were not published until Monday, days after the initial story ran in the paper. Of course, one is always wiser with the benefit of hindsight. But a separate story, perhaps also on the front page, explaining the derogatory statements Turner supposedly used, would have dealt more responsibly with them than blowing it out of proportion with a separate lead story basically condemning Turner before he is proven guilty. The Kansan is the forum to discuss intolerance on campus, but it it does not report responsibly and thoughtfully. It plays to the negative side of the political correctness movement and loses a chance to effect a positive change during an emotionally and politically volatile era at KU. - Cameron Meier is a Lawrence sophomore planning to major in journalism. 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