The University Daily Kansan emphasizes the First Amendment:
congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
HOLOPIREK: Harry Potter mania will strike again with the final installment this summer. But how will the phenomenal series end? See Kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
MONDAY, APRIL 9,2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
PAGE 7A
Grant Snider/KANSAN
》 OUR VIEW
Fundraising overshadows crucial issues
A potential diplomatic and military crisis was narrowly defused Wednesday when Iran, in what it deemed a "gift," agreed to release 15 captured British soldiers. Iranian president and open-shirt-collar enthusiast Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in his infinite and somewhat creepy wisdom, saw the obvious benefit of avoiding confrontation with Britain and her slightly more cavalier ally across the pond.
This was big news. However, you may have noticed it was largely relegated to the secondary space on most news sites and broadcasts in favor of a much more irrelevant story: the fundraising reports from major presidential candidates. The gods of media are loath to let such a story get the short shrift, and they
were typically hyperbolic when reporting the hauls of each candidate.
So, the first quarter fundraising reports of six "leading" candidates — quotation marks connoting the willing and sensible ignorance of most voters thus far — became the story of the day, if not the week. The airwaves were abuzz with potential consequences of the reports, and the punditocracy gleefully twittered with baseless speculation. Obama rivals Hill Edwards is trailing! Mitte blew Rudy away! McCain has to resort to packaging tactics — he must be in trouble!
On and on they went, the Russerts and Schneiders of the world, awash in the meaningless frivolities of a race 18 months
from culmination. The fundraising is broken down, dissections are performed: Who got how much from where? Were they individual donors? Will he have to drop out? Has she been overexposed? Is this race over before it began?
And what is learned in all of this? Is one voter educated by this droning, this clamorous bustle to provide the most unsubstantiated generalization? The media have reached new heights in their apparent aspiration to completely abdicate their responsibility to inform. Lost in this fuss about fundraising is actual discussion or comparison of policies and principles, which have become mere accoumentments to the glamour of money. Campaign finance has become the story, with
policies acting as mere secondary plot thread.
This situation is not easily corrected. Cable news, like cable sports, has resorted to endless analysis to fill its many hours of coverage. Only so much news occurs in a given day, and the remaining time must be ceded to plattitudinous discourse on the merits of check bundling versus a focus on Web donors. A student must become dedicated in seeking out news sources that provide relevant and substantive news coverage. Only then will future generations be informed and prepared.
But we won't hold our breath.
— McKay Stangler for the editorial board
Final 'Harry Potter' cover art spurs speculation from fans worldwide
》 DECONSTRUCTING MEDIA
A buzz is going on all around the world. It started a few days ago
— March 28 to be exact — when the cover art for J.K. Rowling's seventh, and final, Harry Potter book, "Harry
BY JODI ANN HOLOPIEK
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
The cover for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" was released March 28. Its sinister image has fans guessing what the ending will be.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Potter and the Deathly Hallows," was released.
With the release date set for July 21, three months remain to ponder the ending of the popular series and fans can't wait to share their opinions about what will happen
to Harry and the rest of the gang.
While the cover art for the books has never been stunning, the art for the final book gets the job done. With Lord Voldemort's thin, spidery hands reaching for something and his sinister red eyes transfixed, readers can only guess at how the story will play out.
Cho Chang.
My roommate Chadd's most outrageous guess so far is that Harry will die, but not before impregnating
I know, Chadd's a little behind. Harry moved on to Ginny Weasley in the sixth book but bravely backed out of that relationship to protect his reputation — wait, I mean to protect her from getting hurt. Not to mention that they're way too young and way too repressed to even reach first base — at least, in their world.
1. We might as well get the most obvious ending out of the
I've come up with my Top 5 choices for how the series could, or should, end.
way. Neville kills Voldemort, as the prophecy says, "either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives". Because Neville and Harry both were born at the end of the seventh month, Neville the not-so-obvious hero of the story.
2. Hermione finally takes her rightful role as leader of the ill-fated trio and throws the Explodo Popp curse at Voldemort, killing him instantly.
3. Harry's parents resurrect in ghost-like form when Lord Voldemort is about to kill Harry. With his parents' help, Harry finally manages to recite the Pave B-ackk Iz H-elle curse, killing Voldemort by making his blood boil as if it were poison. That or he dies and his parents arrive just in time to give Harry the royal escort to The Place That All Wizards Go When Dead.
4. After several tries at incarnating Harry look-alikes, Dumbledore's
Army has finally figured out the correct mixture of potions to create an exact replica of Harry, which they refer to as Harrybody. When the final battle ensues, Harrybody battles Voldemort until a curse causes him to evaporate. Harry then takes over the battle and continues the brawl with the already
weakened Voldemort. Harry easily conjures the Paye B-ackk Iz H-elle curse, seizing his rightful spot as ruler of the wizard world.
5. Ginny and Harry's love, along with Ron and Hermione's, is so great that Voldemort's curses once again are rendered ineffective.
Remember, Harry's mother's love is
what saved him from Voldemort's initial murderous curse. The love from the two couples is so overpowering that Voldemort finally realizes love, not death, conquers all.
Holopirek is an Otis graduate student in journalism. She is a Kansan copy chief.
FREE FOR ALL
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
We got high on cyanide in lab,
today. I think something is wrong
with this.
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
United Students needs to realize that Facebook can't vote for them in the elections
Free for All, it's just like me to get pregnant on the first time.
K-State sucks so bad, even Huguins wont stay more than a year.
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
Man, Bob Huggins is an asshole.
Hey Royals fans, I can't hear you now. Oops! Two and one, a losing score already.
--time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
Hey Free for All, I said that Dennis the Young sounds "great." G-R-E-A-T. Not "gay,""great." Thanks for making me look like a bigot.
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
This is the girl who ran into the pole, and so what? I know I'm
really co
Free for All, have you ever wondered why your boyfriend always puts you in second place, but you still can't break up with him?
Oh dear, sweet baby Jesus on rollerskates that don't really fit him, but he looks so cute going down
Hey Free for All, is it weird that my roommate just offered me ten dollars to jack him off?
the driveway!
I'm in love with a Jimmy Johns man named Alex.
If you're just going to wear sweatpants to campus, then why on earth would you spend the
Hey Asshole, you're supposed to stop at stop signs. That way you don't hit pedestrians. Moron.
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
time to curl your hair and put on makeup too? God, at least put
cars.
To the person who's arguing that a roundabout is called a rotary: You're a stupid moron. Stop look-
ing at Wil
If it's a Skyline, it's made by Nissan.
dumbshit
Neither Acura nor Infinity make Skylines. That would be Nissan. Girls don't know anything about
Free for All, I hate the Hawk. I got
soaked last night.
I'm from Arizona, and we do call them roundabouts in Arizona, so
It's a Nissan Skyline, you putz.
Jesus is being crucified in front of Wescoe. What an attention whore.
Everyone in Australia says "roundabout," so that's the term I'm gonna stick with.
there.
TALK TO US
--eggs that may have been fertilized from latching to the uterus' wall and developing into a baby. Depending on the contraceptive used, this second backup mechanism is responsible for preventing up to 30 percent of potential pregnancies.
Gabriella Souza, editor
864-4854 or gsouza@kansan.com
The most effective artificial contraception is the pill. The pill introduces hormones intended to prevent ovulation. Most people believe that this is the mechanism by which the pill works. However, drug manufacturer Web sites reveal two backup mechanisms that almost all forms of the pill have. These mechanisms are sometimes listed as the actual mechanisms of the pill.
Nicole Kelley, managing editor 864-4854 or nkelley@kansan.com
Natalie Johnson, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or niohnson@kansan.com
Nevertheless, these facts lead us to an inconvenient truth: Though the goal of the pill is to prevent pregnancy, it ensures you don't end up with a child by providing a very early term abortion if necessary. So much for the writer's statement that "Regardless of abortion viewpoints, and perhaps even because of them, birth control should be more affordable and more widely available."
Patrick Ross, managing editor
864-4854 or pross@kansan.com
Lindsey Shirac, business manager
864-4014 or ishirack@kansan.com
Courtney Hagen, opinion editor
864-4924 or chagen@kansan.com
The raising of contraception prices is not an "absolutely unacceptable" situation. It may be a means to reduce promiscuous behavior. In my thinking, the most effective way to avoid the consequences of imprudent sexual activity is to avoid such behavior. The most effective means of reducing unwanted pregnancies is chastity. Perhaps the sexually active should give it a try.
One mechanism changes the consistency of cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to reach and fertilize the egg. The second thins the uterus' lining. This prevents
An assessment of the second backup reveals no real difference between it and an early abortion. The drug RU486, a subject of controversy in recent years, is an abortifacient and works similarly to birth control pills. Both discard a developing baby from the uterus, a highly effective way to end an "unwanted pregnancy."
>> LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Jackie Schaffer, sales manager
864-4462 or jschaffer@kansan.com
SUBMISSIONS
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
Contraception in all forms is a rejection of the creation of life for whatever motive one may have. To those who wish to simply avoid the consequences of sex by contraception these facts are of little concern. However, to those who hold all life to be sacred, birth control pills are no less a form of abortion.
Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news adviser 864-7667 or mqibson@kansan.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jweaver@kansan.com
The letter "University should consider student's needs for economical birth control" published April 2 stated that the birth control pill was "the most effective tool against unwanted pregnancies and unnecessary abortions." I have to agree with the statement about "unwanted pregnancies," despite my distaste for such a term, but I think some education and clarification on the abortion statement is in order.
Thomas Gregor Leavenworth junior
'The pill' has abortifacient aspects
Those who believe abortion to be immoral must also object to this form of contraception. To see any real difference is splitting hairs.
**Maximum Length:** 200 words
**Include:** Author's name, class, hometown (student)
or position (faculty member/staff) and phone number (will not be published)
**SUBMIT LETTERS TO**
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
1435 layhurk Blvd.
Lawrence K.560405
(785) 864-4810, opinions@kaman.com
LETTER GUIDELINES
**Maximum Length:** 500 words
**Author:** Author name; class; hometown (student); position (faculty) member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
**Also:** The Kansas will not print guest columns that attack a reporter or another columnist.
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
EDITORIAL BOARD
Gabriella Souza, Nicole Kelley, Patrick Ross, Courtney Hagen, Natalie Johnson, Alison Kleier, Tasha Riggins and McKay Stangler