THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9,2005
PAGE 5A
GIVIN' IT TO YOU STRAIGHT
Preposterous programs propagate petty personalities
I'm flipping through the channels the other night and, lucky me, I happen to catch a minute of the latest episode of "My Super Sweet Sixteen" on MTV.
Wow, if you have not been fortunate enough to see this one, then let me be the first to let you know that it is the most ridiculous show on television.
Let me give you a brief synopsis of how this show is set up.
Young girls parade themselves around as if they are royalty, yelling at their mothers and blatantly bragging of their extreme wealth and superiority.
Their parents pay for outrageous gatherings while the lucky girl spends the day exposing herself as a spoiled, self-absorbed, disrespectful snob.
These children are 16 years old and treating their parents and classmates like the dirt on their designer shoes.
This is the kind of thing that people are actually paying to put on television.
MEGAN LOGUE
opinion@kansan.com
Other reality shows these days have proven to climb the ladder of popularity because people get involved in the drama of the show, because it is the drama that people want.
People picking fights with each other, talking about each other behind their backs, and lying and cheating are all huge pluses for the entertainment side. These shows are quick to draw us in with every insult.
What does this say about our society?
This is the number one thing America wants to watch. Why is that?
There are a number of shows similar to this one and it will only be a matter of time before these absurd reality shows take over television completely, if they haven't already.
these shows are making it on television.
What I want to know is how
Whose bright idea was it to document a bratty, 16-year-old girl's birthday party?
Who OK'd the decision to put someone like Andy Milonakis on MTV several nights a week to act like a complete fool?
Is this completely embarrassing illustration of "American reality" really that entertaining?
I could barely watch 30 seconds and it blows my mind to think that people actually watch the entire show each week?
It would be safe to generalize that younger teens are the targeted group for this show.
Let's think about this for a second. Since I've been using "My Super Sweet Sixteen" as my example, I will continue to use it here.
If a significant number of kids age 17 and under watch this show, then what are they getting out of it?
It just exposes them to greed, immaturity and shallow popularity.
While there is no scientific way to measure how much television affects children today, many aspects of every-day life are portrayed on television.
It isn't outrageous to say that it does shape and influence them.
This kind of behavior is served on a silver platter to children who think what they are watching is cool.
If these kinds of behaviors are glamorized while children are still fairly young and impressionable, what are we teaching them?
Is this the way people in other countries view the American people?
There is no entertainment value in watching another individual behave so inappropriately and it is certainly not something that we want to teach our younger generations.
Nothing good or remotely entertaining for that matter can come from these kinds of shows.
Its completely disgraceful
they have continued to appear on television, getting worse and worse with each new show. We must draw the line somewhere.
How long will it be until television turns into a complete mess?
Better yet, how long will our society keep watching? It's up to you.
- Logue is an Overland Park senior in journalism.
HAPPY SUPER SWEET 16+h ALI !!
Greg Palko/KANSAN
BUILT FORD TOUGH
On the street where you live
It's amazing, sad but still true that in the year 2005, African-Americans are still faced with the back of the line, back of the bus and a "go around to the back" mentality when it comes to being served. It's happened to me right here in Lawrence.
GINA FORD
opinion@kansan.com
I ordered food over the phone from Jade Garden, a local Chinese restaurant, two days before classes ended this past semester. When I told the man that I would come to pick up my order, he gave me my total and told me it would be ready between 10 and 15 minutes.
I arrived at Jade Garden about 20 minutes later. I entered the restaurant and approached the long counter across the dining room. The gentleman on the left was helping some other customers, and the gentleman on the right was answering a phone order. Both cashiers were fairly young white men.
I waited a few minutes quietly until the cashier on the right got off the phone. When he seemed to be available, I looked at him to assist me, and he held up his index finger without saying a word. He then walked away and returned to the counter moments later.
I waited patiently for about eight minutes, and the other cashier was still helping the same customers, as there was a discrepancy with their bill. The cashier on the right who I had been waiting on was staring at the computer monitor occasionally hitting a few buttons.
As I stood there, an older white gentleman walked into the restaurant, came up to the counter and stood beside me.
The cashier who had given me the silent "hold on" finger, and ignored me the rest of the time, suddenly came to life.
"May I help you?" he asked the older white gentleman who had just arrived.
The man said, "Yes. I called in an order and would like to pick up my food."
Perhaps because my skin was darker, he had somehow missed me standing right in front of him for the past 10 minutes. So, I stood there stunned for a few moments, before growing angry. I began to stare at the cashier over my glasses. Although I could not see myself, I know I looked angry because as soon as he looked at me, he quickly averted his eyes.
A Hispanic gentleman came from the kitchen and asked if I needed help, as I had been standing there for an extended period of time. I told him yes and gave him my name. My food had been sitting directly behind the counter the whole time.
Even as the Hispanic gentleman gave me my food, and the other cashier on the left proceeded to add up my bill. I continued to stare at the cashier to my right. I was at a loss for words. Had I not been so stunned I would not have paid for the food. I would have
Why did I have to stand there for 10 minutes when the white man came in, got his food and was out the door in two?
I contacted Lisa Nguyen, manager of jade Garden, and informed her of her employee's actions. She was very apologetic on behalf of the restaurant. Nguyen said the cashier had only been working for three weekends, and she did not know him very well. She said he would be dealt with accordingly.
just left.
"When I hire people, I never think that I have to teach them manners. I assume they would treat all customers with the same respect," said Nguyen.
It is not as if I misinterpreted the situation and thought about it after the fact. There is no mistaking that the cashier intentionally ignored me. Why did the Hispanic man have to get my order for me? He was not a cashier. The white man who came into the restaurant was picking up food just like I was, except it took me about 10 minutes longer.
After two years of living at the university, I have noticed that people are surprised when they hear of racial acts that occur in Lawrence as well as other places in this country. Many believe that all people are treated the same way regardless of race and other differences.
Some acts of racism are unintentional and are results of ignorance. Ignorance however, is not an excuse for oppressing people based on ethnicity or other differences.
I am a living testament that racial injustice still goes on, and as African-Americans, we are forced to deal with it every day of our lives.
- Ford is a Washington, D.C., junior in journalism.
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Elli Ford, Yanting Wang, Julia Melia Coelho,
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SUBMIT TO
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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. Standerous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
Gordon Lightfoot and deviled eggs?
Does it get any better than this?
To the men of Delta Chi, I know who slashed your tires. It was Rhombus House!
Our football team's uniforms look like the New York Giants' uniforms. Too bad we don't have Eli Manning.
Can Free for All pick me up from the Dave concert?
Hey, guys, there's a Dave Matthews Band concert tonight! Let's steal stuff from the frat houses' 'cause no one will be there!
Are me and John the ones who think "On the Record"
is funnier than "Tongue in Beak?"
If I was the person who slashed the tires at Delta Chi, would I still get the reward?
+
Everybody watch out for the socks and sandals invasion today.
on there
Does anyone else want to boycott the Yello Sub on campus because the guy that works there is too stingy to give stamps for sandwiches?
Hey, everytime you guys print someone getting arrested in the paper, my friend looks up on facebook.com and one guy even has his mugshot up
It's funny to note that the girl that wrote the feminism article on Friday had a facebook.com club for people who were "hot for her."
Does the Kansan print free for All? I wouldn't know 'cause the box outside Mallott is always empty.
Laura Green and Dennis Highbierger. Awesome names for a front page article on good of 'mary jane'.
Was Rick the Frat Guy drunk when he wrote his article for the Kansan? Because he says he's from two different fraternities. Come on now.
Attention fellow cyclists. Let's all put playing cards in our spokes so we sound like we got motorcycles!
Why don't you answer the phone, Free for All?
+
OK, I have a question, but no one at KU Info ever answers the phone.
The hot dog cart picture had an error in the caption. It said the cart would be out every other Wednesday. I believe it meant to say, "Every day of the week for the rest of my life!"
Was it just me, or did anyone else see the crazy girl with the ostrich costume on?
You know what I wonder? Are the counter-recruitment people pro-draft?
The Kansan has gone and done it. They ruined the crossword. What am I supposed to do in class?
Getting the hotdog cart back for two days during the month is a shallow victory. You know what we should also have? A coffee cart.
The only happy period a girl gets is the one she gets when she finds out she's not pregnant.
Why do all the anti-recruitment protestors hate me for being a soldier when I don't hate them
+
He's a good doctor, Jeffrey. And thorough.
I think they should let the military recruit on campus. Men in uniform are hot.
"The Great Gatsby" is the best book ever written. Anyone who says otherwise is really stupid.
Hey, everyone needs to go to www.capitalonebowl.com and vote for Big Jay, because he's losing to a stupid cougar who looks like he got his face punched in.
Where was Eric Jorgensen's article on Wednesday? I need a fixe from UDK!
Gamedayshirts.com is selling a t-shirt that says, "Beware of the Phags," instead of "Beware of the Phog." Apparently homophobia and criminal speech are now considered proper attire at sporting events.
I was just wondering, who is Fizzo? And why should I throw mud at them?
My bike gets more gas mileage than anything you have.
Singing Cher songs and walking down Jayhawk Boulevard with Baby Jay is awesome!
I was one of the kids that get arrested for mooning the cops, and I just want to say that it's ridiculous that people are driving around drunk but they are wasting their time arresting me.
Why did I just see Big Jay and Baby Jay in the back of a truck? Did they get kidnapped?
Who's idea was it to put a naked man butt next to the crossword today? I could hardly concentrate!
Hey Free for All, I think it's kind of funny that you fill half the page with crap. Thanks for ruining my favorite part of the paper. (Editor's note: Sometimes, as you have so effectively proven, I am forced to publish even the most idiotic of comments.)
1.
You ought to try counting, because it was 18 eggs, not six, and I hope you like the 30 that are there now.
Do you think KU offers treasure hunting as a major?
'Cause that'd be great if they did.
Everytime you pop your collar, I kill a kitten.