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SYRING: Lawrence needs stricter pit bull-owning restrictions to adequately protect its citizens and their pets from violent attacks.
FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
See Kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
PAGE 7A
》 OUR VIEW
Energy fee deserves support
$1.50 a small price for years of benefits for students
Next week's election not only allows the selection of student representatives, but also the ability to assert an opinion on the University of Kansas' energy usage.
Referendum No. 1 asks if students want to raise the student fees $1.50 for a Renewable Energy and Sustainability fee. This fee will be used to ensure that by the year 2020, 20 percent of the University's power supply is fueled by renewable energy.
This is an achievable goal and something that may not directly benefit students within the next year or two, but will serve countless others in the future. Reducing toxic emissions, conserving natural resources and taking preventive measures to protect your health; what other selling points do you need to vote yes to this referendum?
Few referenda, or student
dollars, have the ability to improve such a global matter. Given the drastic effects of global warming — which will surely be worse by 2020 — and the incredible difference tiny measures can make, voting no for Referendum No.1 is no less than foolish. For a price barely more than a campus vending machine Coke, you can help the environment, on an ultimately global scale.
Renewability and sustainability are also hot issues within the hot issue of global warming. The 20 percent policy would surely put yet another gold star on the University's exemplary research reputation
While 2020 may seem too distant to comprehend, it is closer than we realize. Surely a student fee for something we can tangibly obtain now would seem more appealing.
However, we don't skimp on
inoculations, smoke detectors or locks for our doors. Those things all ensure safety and a sense of comfort that is difficult to put a price on. $1.50 is a ridiculously cheap price for a sense of comfort that you are making your world a healthier and safer place.
As reported in the Wind Energy Weekly, Gov. Bittar Ritter of Colorado just signed a bill to get the state to be reliant on 20 percent renewable energy by the year 2020.
If the state of Colorado sees this as a beneficial and achievable goal, then certainly the University can achieve it as well. So when voting in the upcoming Student Senate elections, seriously consider Referendum No. 1 and its lasting effects.
— Tasha Riggins for the editorial board
CASE 3. (SEE ABOVE)
NOTE FLARING NOSTRILS,
AGGRESSIVE STANCE
TRANSLATION 8
"STOP TALKING OR GET THE
HELL OUT OF MY CLASS."
TRANSLATION VARIES -
INTERPRET BASED ON THESE CRITICAL SIGNS
DULL STUPOR HANGS OVER CLASS. PROFESSOR IS ATTEMPTING TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION VIA CONFRONTATION
HOW TO REACT! MAKE NO QUICK MOVEMENTS. DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, MAINTAIN
GLAZED LOOK.
PROFESSOR EXHIBITS TWITCHES
AND HYPERACTIVE BEHAVIOR.
APPEARS TO BE
ON A BAD CAFFEINE TRIP. MOVING BEAST PROFESSOR IS HEARING VOICES. ATTEMPT TO INDUCE NERVIOUS BREAKDOWN BY WAVING HANDS AND CHANTING WILDLY.
》 COMMENTARY
HOW TO REACT INVENT A QUESTION ON THE SPOT.
Stricter law needed to protect people, pets from pit bulls
Grant Snider/KANSAN
Three-year-old Caitlyn Forsberg was powerless to stop it. Two pit bulls tunneled under the fence in her backyard three years ago and attacked her. Osh Gosh, her golden retriever, came to her rescue, but not before the two dogs bit her multiple times on the face. Eighteen stitches later, Caitlyn returned to her Salina home.
This 2004 incident prompted Salina to place a ban on pit bulls in the city. Under Salina's ordinance, the pit bulls that were in the city before the ban was passed can stay, but new ones cannot come in, and no one can breed a pit bull in Salina. The dogs already there
It is time for Lawrence to do the same.
have to be registered with the city.
Rose Base, director of the Salina Animal Shelter, told the Salina Journal in 2005 that she thought the ordinance made the community safer. The shelter recorded only one pit bull bite in 2005, after recording more than 20 between 2003 and 2004.
If Lawrence adopted a ban like that of Salina, it could produce the same kind of results. Lawrence already has vicious dog policies that require owners of dogs that are declared vicious to register the dog with
the Humane Society and pay a $50 annual fee. The Humane Society will then insert a microchip in the dog to track it if it gets loose.
This is great, but it doesn't seem like enough. It only happens after the dog has hurt someone.
BY KAITLYN SYRING
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINIONKANSAN.COM
The Centers for Disease control found that 66 people died from pit bull attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. Rottweilers
were next in line, killing 39 people. According to the Animal Law Coalition, 32 of the 40 vicious dogs shot by Wichita
police in 2005 were pit bulls. The Coalition also names Wichita as one city in Kansas that will not place pit bulls for adoption.
Not only could a ban on new pit bulls in Lawrence prevent attacks on people, it could also keep other animals safe.
A pit bull attacked Lawrence resident Kylee Stalkfleet's Labrador retriever a few weeks ago. Stalkfleet's veterinarian treated the dog for 10 puncture wounds.
The Lawrence Humane Society and the Humane Society of the U.S. are against pit bull bans. They believe that such breed-specific bans put the blame in the wrong hands. The correct placement of blame, according to both organizations, is with the owners, with people who train their dogs to fight. Certainly, a lot of a pet's disposition is determined by its training. But, these owners who want fight
dogs time and again choose pit bulls, not golden retrievers or Australian shepherds.
Under the ban, current pit bull owners would not have to give up their dogs. They would only have to register the dogs with the city and pay a fine and get a chip if the dog became vicious. If the dogs are never going to hurt a person or a person's pet, then pit bull owners will never have to pay.
Dogs are wonderful, but never should the right to have one endanger another person's, or pet's, right to safety.
Syring is a Salina junior in journalism.
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.
Hi Free for All, this is Amy. Chris called in on Friday to ask me to marry him, and I said "yes!" Thank
you.
Whoever wrote "Dane Cook isn't funny" in front of Wescoe Hall, neither are you.
Free for All, I think you should put on your skimpiest outfit and go out for candy, because it's Halloween weather.
loween weather.
It's a real shame that some jerk took down the pride flags from campus, but at least they'll look good in his closet! Oh shit!
Free for All, Emily and Melissa suck at card tricks.
I'm moving into a house tomorrow, and I'm pretty excited about it. Party at my place.
Senate, stop spending my freaking money.
ing between good grades and exercise as it is good grades and sleep. It's two in the morning, and I have to get up in four hours, and
I don't think it's necessarily choosing between good grades and exercise as it is good grades and sleep. It's two in the morning, and I have to get up in four hours, and
To the stupid sorority girl: You do snort coke, and you do own a Lexus. You just don't know it yet.
My friend's boyfriend has been cheating on her with her best friend, and she says any guy that wants to have sex with her can call her right now.
in everywhere but Kansas, it's called a "rotary."
To whoever just called in about a roundabout and the right of ways: I have news for you. It's not called a "roundabout," it's called a "rotary." In everywhere but Kansas,
To the sorority girl! Yeah, we know you don't drive a Lexus. You drive your daddy's Lexus. Stop complaining.
free for All, it's supposed to maybe snow tonight and I was
Why don't you print anything I ever sav?
free for All, it's supposed to maybe snow tonight and I was
--free for All, it's supposed to maybe snow tonight and I was
Hi Free for All. My friend is choking on a banana, but I decided to call us instead
Free for All, why are you never available? You don't love me anymore, do you? Well fine! Be tiryuu.
Hey Free for All, what do you think about anal?
that way
wondering, should I wear my pink, black, or brown Uggs?
Free for All, if you were a pissed-off sorority girl, where would you eat lunch? The Mad Greek. Get it?
To the guy who got thrown in the fountain: Happy birthday, man.
To the guy who said baseball should be Kansas's sport: Until they can beat K-State, shut it.
Gas price was $2.51 yesterday, and $2.59 today before I went to class, and now it's $2.69, so that's pretty awesome.
Oh foxy Spanish teacher, why are you so caliente?
There's a black Acura Skyline in the Park & Ride lot. I don't even
care what the guy looks like,
because that car is so hot, the car alone makes me want to sleep
with him
I think I just said Acura Skyline, but I'm pretty sure it's an infinity.
I love my teddy bear.
Free for All, I've been drunk for two straight weeks, is that bad?
I just saw the Chuck Norris Mt. Dew commercial. Oh my God.
seriously, Free for All, you need to listen to this. I hate the KU Parking system. It sucks!
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Gabrielle Suza, Nicole Kiley, Patrick Ross, Courtney Hagen, Natalie Johnson, Alison Kieler, Tasha Riggins and McKay Stangler