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University Daily Kansan/Tuesday, September 10; 1991
OPINION
Teach someone how to read!
Sunday was International Literacy Day1991.
Volunteers essential in fighting illiteracy
As college students attending one of the nation's leading public institutions, many of us forget how fortunate we are that we can read, write and perform basic mathematical skills.
But for an estimated 3 million to 4 million adults,reading and writing is a foreign concept. An additional 20 million to 30 million adults have difficulty with basic skills.
Imagine traveling to a foreign country where you could read only a few words. You wouldn't understand words on menus, signs, advertisements or newspapers. The frustrations would be insurmountable.
In order to try to decrease the number of illiterate adults, Congress passed the National Literacy Act of 1991. President George Bush signed the bill six weeks ago, authorizing more federal money for literacy programs.
Even though the money will be used to establish programs for illiterate adults, the dollars will do no good if people who know how to read do not teach those who cannot.
As students who have the ability to read those menus, signs, advertisements and newspapers, it is our responsibility to volunteer as many hours as we can to local agencies.
But wanting to help and finding a place to help are two different things. The December 1990-91 Lawrence telephone directory doesn't list any agencies in the yellow pages under literacy, and only one agency is listed under reading-improvement instruction.
If people who can read cannot find the agencies that help, how can people who cannot read find them? Much more publicity and soliciting is needed in the Lawrence community on this issue.
Let's work hard to eliminate the problem so that we don't have to sponsor International Literacy Days in the future.
Holly Neuman for the editorial board
Students should question Fulcher's character; his credibility is damaged to point he can't lead
As if I unfurled my *Kansan* Thursday morning and read the articles concerning this whole Fulcher fiasco. I couldn't help feeling a little frustrated. Even after so many students, including campus women's groups, individuals and even the Student Senate, I was surprised that from Fulcher's coalition, have asked him to resign, he stubbornly remains our student body president.
I understand that this situation must be hard on Fulcher. I have never been in this situation myself; I can only imagine what he must be experiencing. However, he is making it more difficult by refusing to resign.
What has happened is extremely unfortunate, and I think everyone can understand Fulcher's desire to keep it a private matter. But this matter is no longer private. He was arrested, and especially from the moment he announced his candidacy for student body president, this became a public matter.
Matthew
All
Guest
columnist
By continuing to serve as president, Fulcher will undercut the integrity of the University of Kansas on the state level and damage Student Senate's adequate budget from the state, we need a strong leader who has the support of the student body. Even former student body president Michael Schreiner, in his statement supporting Fulcher, emphasized the need for strong student support when negotiating with the state legislature. Judging by the turn out Wednesday night, Fulcher is a long, long way from having strong student support.
That is not to say that every unpopular public official should resign. This is not a question of popularity; it is a question of character. Unfortunately, on two occasions this year, Fulcher has given us reason to question his character.
At Wednesday night's forum, because I stated that Fulcher should resign, someone asked me if I thought we should rewrite the history books and tell about our past leaders and their faults. More specifically, he wondered if I thought we should write about our Founding Fathers owning slaves and some of our leaders' personal problems. This归功于 astonishment, I agreed that the history we learn is racist and sexist. I agreed that we were all white males at the scale's point of view. I agreed that we should consider all the facts when we pass judgment on our leaders. This applies to Fulcher, too.
Fulcher has been a good leader on campus. From his work with Black
Men of Today to his work as a student senator, he has made a name for himself as a strong individual with strong convictions. No one should deny that. However, the events of the past year have damaged his credibility to the point that he can no longer effectively lead the student body as a whole.
Realistically, anyone who has been arrested and charged with a serious crime is precluded from holding high public office, and that is how it should be. Our elected officials not only represent themselves, they represent us. We hold our good or bad, reflect upon us. We hold them, then, to a higher standard.
Sadly, time has run out for Fulcher. Two-thirds of his own senators have asked him to resign. More and more, he is站在 on the wall. It it time to step down.
Matthew Allis is an Augustajunior majoring in political science.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Fulcher case is racial injustice
I can't imagine living life believing that all the members of my culture are justified in their actions. Yes, some African-Americans do carry on as if their actions are justified. However, it has been my experience that the majority of us do not.
Unlike Lance Dobbins would have students believe by his article, "Don’t make Fulcher controversy a racial issue, the "good" African-Americans aren’t tokens and the 'bad' African-Americans aren't typical. I too, am a member of a fraternity, but unlike Dobbins, I can't speak on the behalf of all predominantly white green organizations and say that there is a very low percentage of discrimination. Unfortunately, I don’t have the means to accurately evaluate such a thesis. However, I can speak about the pride, integrity and unity that defines our mental strength, and our determination, not to let obscured injustices get in the way of proving that we too can be the right people for the job.
I, too, believe in justice. Unfortunately, many non-minority students can't see the view that justice doesn't alwaysshine its light on me or other minority students. We won't obscure justice if it is indeed justice. However, we won't be passive or ignorant of the discriminatory aspect of this matter, either. Whether it is looked at as being based on African-American history or past personal experiences, Fulcher's request for resignation can and will be looked upon by many African-Americans, as well as many students, as being a racially inclined injustice.
Nolan T. Ferguson St. Louis junior
Fulcher's action should be issue
Darren Fulcher may have many fine characteristics, but he has committed a crime. Crimes committed by public figures should be publicized and openly discussed. Fulcher's crime is of particular significance for two reasons: the crime was against another student, and Fulcher ran for student-body president on a platform supporting women's issues. Tiapplau Fulcher for seeking counseling to deal with his violence. I am worried, however, by the statements of several other students whose blind support of Fulcher prevent them from seeing the situation objectively or rationally.
Having been a volunteer for nine years at W.T.C.S., the local battered women's shelter. I see the situation being better and we offer the following comments
Several students have referred to Fulcher's crise as a personal incident that "shouldn't be dragged out in the open." Hitting someone (and hitting hard enough to required dental work) is not personal or private. It is a crime for which Fulcher was arrested and sentenced. Victims of domestic violence are victims of a crime and need the support of us as individuals as well as the intervention of the criminal justice system.
When victims keep quiet, and when we lead them to believe they should remain silent, the violence increases. If the person who called the police had considered Fulcher's violence a personal matter, would Fulcher have sought counseling for his problem, or would the violence have continued?
The supporters of Fulcher said that those questioning his ability to lead the KU Student Body are politically
motivated. Some of the people now calling for answers from Fulcher were his supporters during the campaign. Why are their current opposition to him now labeled political?
It actually appears to me that Fulcher's support is racially motivated. If Fulcher were white and had beaten his Black girlfriend, what demands would Fulcher's defenders now be making? Why did Fulcher and his supporters respond so differently in spring 1990 when a white male student threw, not fists, but racial slurs against a Black female student. At that time, they justly defended the victim and demanded that the white male be brought to justice. Fulcher was not the victim when he hit his girlfriend, and he should not be treated as one now.
Shame on Fulcher's supporters now for not defending Audra Glavas. Those who have made statements need to consider how a victim of violence would respond to their comments.
Shame on the Lawrence Journal World for not printing the full statement made by the KU Administration. The full statement said the University does not condone violence and insincere concern for the victims in this incident.
Pro-Choice is not Pro-Death
Pam Houston Director, Liberal Arts Undergraduate Center Lawrence
Shame on those who have remained silent. They need to speak out.
In order to eliminate violence, it's not enough to say we "don't t conden it." All of us, Black and white, men and women, students, faculty and administrators must stand together and make it clear we condemn violence and will not tolerate it.
In the Sept. 3 edition of the *Kansan*, I was not surprised to see a letter concerning abortion. It is, after all, a major concern in our society and with Wichita's proximity, our campus paper will certainly abound with opinions. I was, however, shocked at the lack of proper terminology used.
Often in emotional debates between two warring parties, name-calling can hurt a lesser-known group, perhaps inadvertently. Such has happened in this case. Mr Wilson used the term "pro-death activists" as an obvious synonym and disparaging remark toward the Pro-Choice faction. As a founding member of the Pro-Death Coalition, I find this reprehensible. He obviously is unaware there are three, not two, distinct sides of the abortion issue. There are Pro-Life, Pro-Choice and (not to be discounted) Pro-Death positions. Pro-Life activists hold dear that life begins at conception and therefore abortion is a form of murder regardless of personal opinion. Pro-Choice activists proscribe the decision regarding life's beginnings should be left to the parents up to a point), thus abortion remains viable. I'd like to state for the record the official Pro-Death Coalition opinion: Every fetus should be aborted regardless of sex, creed, color, race, religion or parent's beliefs.
Often in the heat of battle, Pro-Lifers will label Pro-Choice activists as "pro-death" when it is not true. In fact the majority of Pro-Choicers with whom I've talked wish to distance themselves from our group as much as possible.
I hope this clarifies the situation and keeps two organizations distinct.
KANSAN STAFF
HOLLY LAWTON Editor
JENNIFER REYNOLDS Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Mark Addleman Wichita junior
KATIE STADER Business manager
RICH HARSHBARGER Retail sales manager
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
Editors Business Staff
News Campus sales mgr Leanne Bryant
Editorial Regional sales mgr Jennifer Claxton
Planning National sales mgr David Milwaukee
Planning Sarah Davis Co-op sales mgr Leisa Kearler
Campus Erica Gorski Production mgrs Jay Steiner, Sports Mike Addison Wendy Stercz
Features Marketing director Mary Keehl Features Creative director David Habigber
Graphics Melissa Unterberg Jennifer Jaccuot
Business Staff
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Last Hurrahs
by Mike Romane