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EDITORIAL: The newest way to convince teens to stay away from alcohol is a Paris Hilton statue with removable organs. And that's not good. See Kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
FRIDAY,MAY 4,2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 7A
》 OUR VIEW
Removing Paris Hilton's organs disappoints as teaching tool Sprawling statue, complete with Tinkerbell, shows the effects of alcohol abuse on America's favorite debutante
Just when you thought celebrity obsessions didn't have any aspect of society left unpenetrated, one more has been chalked up. Now the shallow world of celebrity obsession is permeating school children's education.
Artist Daniel Edwards has created a statue titled "Paris Hilton Autopsy." Paris and her famous dog, Tinkerbell, are sprawled out in somewhat
erotic form and onlookers can remove her organs. The artist and agency say the piece was "designed to warn teenagers of the hazards of underage drinking."
The hazards of under- age drinking are important for teenagers to grasp. No qualms there. However, using a celebrant as a teaching tool may mute the message. What 16-year-old is going to focus
on the cognitive impairment of alcohol when he can remove Paris Hilton's liver and play catch with it?
The concept of making learning more enjoyable and entertaining isn't a bad thing. Showing students simulations of what it looks like to drive drunk, listening to real stories of drinking gone wrong and learning about the health risks of drinking all "entertain" while
teaching. And yes, teaching youths of the responsibilities and dangers of drinking can be improved upon—as the rise in teenage drinking proves.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services performed a study that found underage drinkers consume nearly 3.6 billion drinks a year. Clearly, underage drinking is a problem in the United States.
Perhaps educational tools need to be altered to effectively reach today's youth.
However, if educators have to reduce health education to Paris Hilton in order to get through to teenagers, what's next? Analyzing misogynistic or violent rap lyrics in poetry classes?
Updating teaching methods to get through from time-to-time are necessary; adopting
a tabloid culture to teach is just trashy. Paris Hilton naked for art's sake is perfectly fine. Paris Hilton's naked body "teaching" teenagers will only result in confused parents and increased sales of US Weekly Magazine.
— Tasha Riggins for the editorial board
Grant Snider/KANSAN
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If you hit a black Jeep in the parking lot, please Facebook Maxx, M-A-X-X, and just apologize. Thank you!
OMG, I just saw two penises driving down Iowa
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I've been living in Hash-
inger for like a year now,and I think I have worms.
Don't be a coconut. God is trying to talk to you.
--you flush it.
My roommate just touched my underwear, and I touched hers too. Is that weird?
There was a real live squirrel in my Powerade machine this morning.
Free for All, that girl just lied to you. She's not in the
you flush it.
I hate when people's turds don't flush down the toilet no matter how many times you flush it.
--you flush it.
you flush it.
bathroom. I'm sitting right next to her, and she is not anywhere near turds that
aren't flushing.
Your mom's Free for All.
official.
I just saw a Safe Ride guy get a ticket while I was driving drunk.
"Free for All will put that in," she said. But I said to her, "Your mom will put that in!"
I found a hat that says "Jawhawk." What does that mean?
The main ingredient in Coke isn't sugar, it's corn syrup. Sugar's been replaced
official.
I just heard that someone's relationship didn't count because it wasn't Facebook
official.
Actually, water is the main ingredient in Coca-Cola.
A woman just ordered 11 Happy Meals at McDonald's.
I'm the girl who passed out in Fraser, second floor. I just wanted to let everybody know I'm OK. They took care of me at the ER. I didn't want everybody to be all worried
--about me.
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I think we should have an Olive Garden in Lawrence.
COMMENTARY
mattum upson, general manager, news adviser
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864-4014 or lishrack@kansan.com
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》 SUBMISSIONS
Natalie Johnson, associate opinion editor
864-4924 or njohnson@kansan.com
Gabriella Souza, editor
864-4854 or gsouza@kansan.com
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editor 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 Courtney Hagen or Natalie Johnson at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com. General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
Smoking ban deserves to be upheld by court
Nicole Kelley, managing editor 864-4854 or nkelley@kanans.com
Patrick Ross, managing editor 864-4854 or prox@kansan.com
You don't know how much you love something until it's gone.
This phrase rings true for me any time I go to a city that
BY KAITLYN SYRING
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
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does not have a smoking ban like Lawrence's. I'm allergic to smoke, and second-hand smoke affects me visibly. My eyes become red and start to burn, my nose runs and I can't control my coughing. It's not pretty.
Courtney Hagen, opinion editor
864-4924 or chagen@kansan.com
I have been lucky enough to have lived in two cities that have smoking bans: Lawrence and Salina. Salina's only applies to restaurants, which was just as well for me, as I couldn't go to bars there. I came to the University of Kansas in 2004, just in time to enjoy the new smoking ban.
Second-hand smoke is bad for everyone, not just those who are allergic to it. A recent study by the Surgeon General concluded that even brief exposure to second-hand smoke can have immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and interfere with the normal functioning of the heart, blood and vascular systems in ways that increase the risk of a heart attack
oping lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent. The report says there is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke, and that the only way to protect nonsmokers from its dangerous effects is to eliminate smoking indoors.
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Include: Author's name, class, hometown (student)
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I had to leave an Emporia bar because I could not open my eyes. The smoke had ruined my night, and therefore my friends' night too.
The study also says that nonsmokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke at work increase their risks of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and of devel-
It was not until I turned 21, however, and went to a bar outside of Lawrence that I fully
111 Staunton - First Hall
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, 560445
(785) 864-8101 oppiionkansan.com
Steffes says the ordinance is unconstitutionally vague because it does not provide owners with solutions to a problem with someone smoking in their businesses. It's obvious that owners should ask the patron to put out the ciga-
I know that some business owners think they have lost custom-
friends' night too
ers because of the smoking ban. That's why the city should make it as easy as possible for these businesses to construct outdoor porches for smoking patrons. I'm not for any Lawrence businesses having to shut down or struggle if the majority of their customers were or are smokers. But I would like to come to those businesses too, and I can't do that if it means having smoke in my face.
Now this ban is facing the possibility of being changed or taken away altogether. Dennis Steffe, the owner of Last Call and Coyote's Night Club, filed a case against the city in early 2005 after his businesses received five citations for violating the ban. That case is now being decided by the Kansas Supreme Court.
The Kansas Supreme Court should protect the health of people in Lawrence by keeping the ban in place.
appreciated it.
I had to leave
an Emporia
bar because
I could not
open my
eyes. The
smoke had
ruined my
night, and
therefore my
rette, take the cigarette outside or leave the premises. If he or she creates a problem, call the police.
Syring is a Salina junior in journalism.
**include:** Author's name; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
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Also: The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack a reporter or another columnist.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Gabrielle Souza, Ncole Kelley, Patrick Ross, Gourney Hagen
Natalie Johnson, Alison Kieler, Tasha Riggins and McKay
Stangler
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