THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN OPINION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
EDITORIAL
PAGE 9A
City of Lawrence steps up to the plate
"Bush needs to start getting his act together, stop focusing on the war and put his resources into saving some lives." "He really ended his vacation early so that he could visit the new-found city of Atlantis where he could scavenge the swampland and eat babies." "Why is he praising Michael D. Brown for his efforts when FEMA obviously failed to respond in time?" "Mayor Ray Nagin hates his own race and didn't send buses when he should have." "If most of the victims stuck in New Orleans were white or above the poverty line then they would be saved and living on a tropical refugee island drowning their sorrows with margaritas and Coronas."
At least this is what I have learned through the University's bathroom stalls, the Free for All and the brilliant insight of the media. All have
been focusing on what everyone is doing wrong, when more emphasis should be placed on what incredible efforts have been put forth to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The city of Lawrence was willing to make sacrifices in order to help refugees. Lawrence leaders were prepared to take in 250 people. Paula Phillips, director of Douglas County Emergency Preparedness, acknowledged all the issues that would come along with providing shelter for the victims.
"Most likely these will be the final evacuees from New Orleans," Phillips said. "They will not have had showers. They will not have had much food. They will not be in a good mood."
amount of public servants required to man the shelter during the 50-day period. Despite all this, the city and the University were still willing to take on this task. The state received only 500 evacuees, a number that Wichita is able to manage single-handedly.
Even though Lawrence could not provide an emergency shelter, the town is still providing an incredible response to this national struggle. Different areas of the community have held fundraisers to aid the relief efforts. The University in particular has been very supportive. The Athletics Department is donating $10,000. More donations were collected at the past two home games and will continue at next Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech. The music department is putting on a benefit concert on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Swartwhout
Recital Hall in Murphy Hall. Students cannot walk past Wescoe or through the Kansas Union without seeing donation booths or getting bombarded by students asking for aid money. Many of these booths have been occupied by student organizations, as well as fraternities and sororities fulfilling their Greek philanthropy. The psychology national honor society, Psi Chi, is donating a third of the chapter dues from their next inductees. It is amazing that so many students are dedicating their time and money to this cause.
New Orleans has had a profound impact on American music, and the Lawrence music scene is well aware of its importance. Several local musicians are putting on fund raisers and donating to New Orleans relief. The incident hit particularly close to home for sophomore Rob Henry, lead guitarist for The Easy Hearts, who transferred from Loyola University in New Orleans, among other reasons in order to play with the band from his hometown of Dallas. The Easy Hearts are giving away free CD's on their Web site and at shows in exchange for donations to the Louisiana Red Cross.
Many Lawrence businesses are doing what they can to help those who suffered. Students were surprised to see that the cover charge at the Hawk had been raised; the extra proceeds went to relief efforts. Highpointe Apartments is offering $1,500 toward an apartment for people who have lost their homes and have come to Lawrence to start up a new life. Local restaurants are getting together through the National Restaurant Association to donate a portion of their
earnings on Wednesday, Oct. 5 to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund. So feel free to take your significant other on a hot date to Teller's, Zen Zero, Vermont Street BBQ, Pachamama's, Bambino's Italian Café, Wheatfields Bakery, La Parcella or Free State Brewery Co. on that day for fine dining and good deeding.
Maybe America could have responded better once Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Perhaps there wasn't much more that could have been done because of the restraints of the system. But more attention needs to be put on the positive efforts — nationally as well as locally — and on what more we can do to overcome this hardship.
Free for All
Travis Brown for the editorial board.
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to emit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
We feel sorry for the boys whose lives only consist of egging on Monday nights.
A bat flew by my head in Watson Library.
To the idiot who said there were 2,000 dead in Iraq, there are actually more than 25,000.
So is anyone else out there named Katrina and born on the September the 11th? Or am I the only one?
The guy who killed the the bunny is psycho.
To the owner: I'm sorry for your loss. People are just sick.
♦
To whoever found my wallet and returned it to KU Public Safety, thank you. To whoever took the money out of it, may the Lord hate you and all your kind, may your every endeavor be met with failure and may infirmity law you waste.
This is the greatest day of my life.
I finally made it into the Free for All!
I thought Simple Plan was the dumbest thing ever, but the this kid kept calling in about Rhombus House. Nuts to this kid.
If there's no Flying Spaghetti Monster, how did we get here?
I'm just calling to bitch about Bitch and Moan. We want Tackt back!
*
I don't chase jerseys,jerseys chase me.
♠
Rying Spaghetti Monsterism is dead. I had him for dinner last night.
Is it considered stalking if I call twice in 20 minutes?
+
I saw a girl with a beer can, driving down the road. I just wanted to punch her in the ovary.
An entire opinion page on fictional identity is absurd.
They did not get their point across. Good day, sir!
I just want the Free for All junks to know, there are now 20,001 babies. Everyone's got to do their part, right?
My friend just tried to sell her virginity on Ebay, but instead she just bought a T-shirt.
To the guy that killed that poor girl's bunny, we deduct 2,000 player points. Later.
Oh my God, I'm getting married! He put the ring in
Key Lime pie! I'm getting married!
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
+
Can't stop. Won't stop. Benches at the. Bus stop.
Katrina even hit. I would say the flooding of an entire city, where more than 770,000 residents live, would be considered a disaster. Also there is all of the Mississippi coastline, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. So, why is it that when a class four or five hurricane that every network is reporting on to slam into the Gulf Coast
My boyfriend plays basketball at Mizzou. Does that make me a traitor if I cheer for the game?
EMA wants a positive image more than a positive impact
Dear FEMA.
Your only job as a federal organization is to insure the safety of the communities and the citizens of the United States after a disaster. So I may be wrong here, but I have read at least a dozen articles about the known dangers of a class four or five hurricane on the levees of New Orleans before Hurricane
days before it happened, did you not take action?
"Let me guess, it was because,
("Former FEMA director Michael D.) Brown's memo told employees that among their duties, they would be expected to 'convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public."
You had to make sure to get everything organized, right? You had to look good for when the national spotlight was on. While you were sitting on your hands doing nothing, sending no one, people's houses were flooding, and they were dying in their attics.
When looking at the death total of the Hurricane Katrina, you
should look to your own organization and the government, which gave you this job, and know that you are responsible for it being so high.If you had done your job properly, know that tens of thousands would still be alive. Next time you feel like making sure that the relief to a disaster needs to show a positive picture of the federal goverment, realize the time you wait means life or death to people. Or better yet, please resign and allow someone who is qualified do your job. All I want is answers FEMA, which you have been short on lately.
Ryan Kilmer Leawood Senior
THE MAX FACTOR
Max Kreutzer/KANSAN
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LCR's agenda based on hate
They are opposed to all recruiting and are, in fact, opposed to the US Military and only the US military.
You are disingenuous when you state that the Lawrence Counter-Recruitment is opposed to recruiting on the university.
They blame us for the raps that occur overseas while forgetting that Sadddam had actual rape squads in his government and the Taliban stoned female adulterers. They state that they feel oppressed as homosexuals because a soldier on campus intimidates them.
homosexuality is an abomination and would kill them without a second thought.
while not recognizing the good we do. The very fact that they are able to protest is because of the military.
They hate the military and all they defend. All they have is their hate.
They don't care about the conditions of oppressed people around the world as they seem to imply.
And we stand ready to ensure they can protest anything they wish.
They only want to blame the US military for all the ills in the world
But they don't recognize that our enemies abroad believe that
Joseph W. Gross Major, Infantry United States Army
TALK TO US
Jonathan Kealing, managing editor
884-4854 or ialeking at kansan.com
Austin Caster, editor
864-4854 or acaster@kansan.com
John Morgan, sales director
864-4462 or adddirector@kansan.
com
Sarah Connellly, business manager
864-4014 or adddirector@kansan.com
Matthew Svakic, opinion editor
864-4924 or masevkc@kansan.com
SUBMISSIONS
Mcstcim Gibson, general manager,
news advice
alex mcdonald maison
mailbourne kamsan.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing
advisor
864-7866 or jweaver@kansan.com
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors 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 Austin Caster at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan. com.
LETTER GUIDELINES
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
Maximum Length: 200 word limit
Include: Author's name and telephone number; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member); phone number (will not be published)
GUEST COLUMN
GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 650 word limit
Include: Author's name; class, home-town (student); position (faculty member); phone number (will not be published)
Also: The Kanan will not print guest
Also: The Kansan will not print guess
columns that attack another columnist.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Elli Ford, Yaning Wang, Julia Melia Coetho, Danny Hovt, Annie Wetmiller, Jaina Parish, Nathan McGinnis, Josh Goetting, Sara Garkic, Chase Edgerton, Ray Witfinger, David Archer
SUBMIT TO
SUBMIT TO
KANSAan newsroom
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 60045
(785) 844-8410 opinion@kansaan.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Relief becomes grief
)
Destruction. Death. Chaos. Poverty. Race. All prevailing images from Hurricane Katrina. Aftermath that will forever be etched in the mind of thousands of people.
The U.S government's response to Hurricane Katrina will be remembered by many as one of the most mismanaged and botched operations to occur in recent memory.
President George Bush and other government officials at all levels are receiving criticism for their response to and their mishandling of one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gave a radio interview two days before additional help arrived, blasting the government support that his city had not received. Nagin said in a radio interview with New Orleans radio station 870 WWL. "Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They're not here. It's too doggone late. Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country."
Nagin also said, "I told him (Bush) we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice. And that I have been all around this city, and I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources, and we're outmanned in just about every respect."
Colin Powell, former secretary of state during Bush's first term, in an interview with Barbara Walters said, "I think there have been a lot of failures at a lot of levels: local, state and federal. There
was more than enough warning over time about the dangers to New Orleans. Not enough was done."
Rapper Kanye West dealt a personal blow to Bush. During a live NBC disaster-relief telethon broadcast, West deviated from the teleprompter and prepared statements. West said, "President Bush does not care about black people."
If you think West's comments are grossly exaggerated or the rumblings of a frustrated or detached celebrity, think again. There are members of the African-American community who feel the same way; any times I feel the same way about Bush. I do not think President Bush dislikes African-Americans, but he is certainly not endearing himself to African-Americans by the terrible way this crisis is being managed.
When President Bush arrived in Mississippi, he called the results of the relief effort "unacceptable." The most powerful man in the world could not get help to an area in the United States for approximately four days. He should have exhausted every resource to help the people in the hurricane-ravaged areas. The lone superpower in the 21st century and the richest country in the world was unable to assist its citizens in one of its darkest moments in history.
Where was FEMA? Where was the National Guard? Some will tell you the national government must be asked by the local and state governments to come in and assist them during a time of emergency. But a state of emergency (martial law) had been declared by Nagin on Aug. 31, and no one arrived for another three days.
Something should have been done earlier, and maybe more lives could have been saved.
FEMA director Mike Brown being replaced is just a Band-Aid on a wound that has already been exposed for too long. In a time of crisis people look for a strong leader with direction, determination and confidence — dare I say, a president. Bush should have taken a more active role in the relief effort of Hurricane Katrina.
When it is all said and done, more than likely thousands of people will have died from Hurricane Katrina, including many who did not have to.
Make no mistake, race and class — two of America's taboo subjects — played a factor in New Orleans. Racism is still alive and kicking, even in Lawrence; just read this past Friday's editorial section in the Kansan. The struggle for civil rights was only 40 years ago. During the United States' 229 years of existence, African Americans have had recognized individual, legal rights for a whopping 40 years. Sad, disturbing, alarming, but true.
Thinking about this tragedy reminded me of a speech by Malcolm X entitled, "The Ballot or the Bullet." He said, "The government has failed us. You can't deny that. Anytime you live in the 20th century, 1964, and you walking around here singing 'We Shall Overcome,' the government has failed us."
Once again the United States government failed its citizens, more directly its poor and African-American citizens.
DeJuan Atway Phoenix Junior