OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUBLISHED DAILY SINCE 1912
CRAIG LANG, Editor
SUSANNA LOOF, Managing editor
KIMBERLY CRABTREE, Editorial editor
TOM EBILEN, General manager, news adviser
4A
Jeff MacNelly / CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Editorials
Proposal to ban abortion training could terminate doctors'options
Abortion.
This time, the controversy has hit closer to home.
Students at the University of Kansas Medical Center are addressing one of the key issues in the abortion debate what role government should play — as the Legislature proposes to ban abortion training for Med Center students.
It seems that whichever side of the abortion issue an individual is on, opinions are strong and emotions run high.
In fact, of all the issues dotting the political landscape today, abortion may well be the single most controversial and difficult issue that Americans are forced to deal with.
Should women have the right to choose to abort their babies? Is the
Banning abortion training at the Med Center could be a serious mistake.
fetus a life, and if so, at what point does it become a life? And, perhaps most importantly, what role should our government play in this issue?
Recently, this last question has been addressed by a number of students at the University of Kansas, and specifically by students at the Med Center.
Legislation is under consideration in Topeka that would ban abortion training for students at the Med Center.
knowledge or training in the area of abortion. Banning abortion training at the Med Center would be a serious mistake because every doctor should be aware of the techniques and operations employed in abortion, regardless of whether they decide to perform them.
If this legislation were passed, medical graduates from KU would have no
Continuing abortion training at the Med Center is not supporting abortion, as many anti-abortion advocates may fear.
In fact, only by being well-informed can a doctor reach an educated decision as to the morality of procedures.
In the end, after all, it should be the individual doctors, and not the institutions at which they are taught, who should make the final decision to perform abortions.
BEN SHOCKEY FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Arts expansion deserves support
If Andrew Carnegie were alive, he would raise hell in Lawrence.
In 1902, the famous philanthropist and businesslord gave the City of Lawrence $27,500 to construct a city library. Since 1975, the building has been the Lawrence Arts Center, 200 W. Ninth St., an establishment that educates and serves the community in an equally beneficial way.
But the Arts Center needs to expand.
The board of directors of the Arts Center and other supporters of expansion havevoiced interest in expanding the building west and north, replacing two houses to the west and an officebuilding to the north.
Ann Evans, executive director at the Arts Center, said the center was working well above capacity.
Each year, 95,000 people attend Arts Center events. But because of a lack of space, classes fill up too quickly, people aren't able to take the courses they want and dance classes are forced to be held
The Lawrence Arts Center benefits the community, should be expanded.
at a different location.
"I just want more program space as long as it's adding to this building," Evans said.
The City Commission is said to be in favor of the expansion as are many other supporters — donations totaling more than $1,500,000 have been contributed toward the expansion.
So what is in the way of the expansion? Certain people in organizations, like the Historical Resources Commission, are afraid that the building's historical fabric would be damaged if the expansion takes place.
ings are important and should be preserved, but precautions can be made to preserve the historical structure and still expand the building. It's been done before on other buildings.
So what's in the way of the expansion?
The expansion of the Arts Center would mean that more students could utilize it. Evans said that KU students were not strangers to the Arts Center.
The purpose of the Lawrence Arts Center is to serve the community, which the center can't do adequately without more space. It is a compliment to the center that so many people want to participate in classes and arts education.
But buildings are made to be used, not to sit around and look historical. Of course, historical landmarks and build-
"Someone who's a business major takes ceramics because they can't take it at KU," she said.
Those who stop the expansion for historical reasons could go down in history as destroyers of the arts in Lawrence.
IAN RITTER FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
NEWS EDITORS
LA TINA SULJANI . . . Associate Editorial
KRISTIE BLAASI . . . News
NOVELDA SOMMERS . . . News
LESLEY TAYLOR . . . News
AMANDA TRAUGHBER . . . News
TARA TRENARY . . . News
DAVID TESKA . . . Online
SPENGER DUNCAN . . . Sports
GINA THORNBURG . . . Associate Sports
BRADLEY BROOKS . . . Campus
LINDESE HENRY . . . Campus
DAVE BRETTENSTEIN . Features
PAM DISIMAN . . Photo
TYLER WIRKEN . Photo
BRYAN VOLK . . Design
ANDY ROHRBACK . . Graphics
ANDREA ALBIGHT . . Wire
LIZ MUSSER . Special sections
AERICA VAZEY . News clerk
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Guest columns: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All letter and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stuffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Kim Crabtreath (opinion@kansan.com) or LaTina Sullivan (lusillian@kansan.com) at 864-4810.
Column
Street signs add flair to plain dorm rooms
Street signs are one of the most coveted contraband items college students can acquire. They blend well with dorm-room decor. If any lawabiding citizen asks where it came from, you can smile and say you found it on the road side.
Stop. Do Not Enter. Yield. No Passing. Dip.
Dead End. Or my favorite—Neighborhood
Watch: Notice We Call the Police
Jocuse parts of town and requiring only a tall person with a set of socket wrenches to take. They get enough attention to be considered cool, yet not enough attention to be considered illegal, even though stealing one is. They add color and uniqueness to any living area.
Street signs are a good first step down the road of random theft. They are relatively easy to obtain with some being located in the most
Realizing the demand, larger cities around the United States have recently started selling their older street signs and other types of urban public property at auctions. Even catalogs now boast merchandise that once could only be attained through a covert operation.
Walking into a room and seeing a construction barrel would be a unique experience. It would attract as much attention as a room full of street signs. Of course, the legalities of the subject might cause some strife, but the important thing is that you would have a creative centerpiece for your living room.
Once you've conquered the construction area, you can move on into even more unique areas of urban design, such as golf courses.
haven't truly crossed the line into unusual urban interior design until you find and conquer the construction zone.
Don't take the Construction Next 10 Miles sign. That's boring, Take a reflecting orange and yellow barricade, one with a flashing light. Borrow a Bobcat. Adopt an orange barrel.
Set the washer next to your barrel and you have a singular decorating experience. Next, you can journey into the realm of parking meters and street lamps. Parking meters give you the extra bonus of money in the form of quarters, nickels and dimes and can fit in the backseat of most four-door cars.
Auctions, catalogs and other legal means of getting street memorabilia make the illegal taking of it that much sweeter. Bragging rights can increase two-fold if your sign has a story behind it, especially if that story took place at night and included cop-dodging and high-speed getaways.
Everybody needs their own personal golf ball washer, whether you play golf or not. Obviously it washes golf balls, but it can also wash a variety of other objects. You never know when it might come in handy. It also works well to clean the hundreds of golf balls you can get on a good night of wading through water hazards.
Signs have a great history. People have been swiping them for years. In fact, too many of them have been taken. No one thinks you are unique if you have a Speed Limit 55 sign hanging on your wall. People have been there and done that. It's time for something new.
Urban interior design takes some talent, but in the end your house, apartment or dorm room can take on a special look that only a city street can provide. Just make sure you never get caught. Stealing property from a federal highway is highly illegal.
Street lamps are a little more inconvenient because they are 20 feet tall, so you may just want to take their light bulbs.
So I've come up with a plan for more creative random thefts. Street signs are one thing, but you
Mary Corcoran is an Overland Park sophomore in journalism.
Letters
Poet's death deserved Kansan tribute
The death of Allen Ginsberg, apparently lacks flare, or perhaps some other Kansan publishing ingredient. Granted, the poet was mentioned in an Associated Press news brief on April 7, but it seems that Ginsberg's life and its societal profundity deserved more.
Perhaps a student authored piece that looked beyond drugs and hedonism and focused on Ginsberg's rich cultural contributions—contributions to the fabric of international literature as well as music, politics, philosophy and religion. Works of fresh innovation, laced with humble wisdom and not just the decorated Howl either. A long list of multi-genre projects flood his resume.
Ginsberg was also a master of language and a well rooted staple among academic community. Furthermore, Ginsberg spoke at the University not more than a few months ago, heading up a synopsis honoring pal William S. Burroughs. Now although, I may be a bit bias towards the literary spectrum, I cannot think of a more globally prominent figure to recently grace this campus with his presence than Ginsberg, besides Burroughs himself.
As Ginsberg filed out of the crowed auditorium that day, I was fortunate to meet him and actually speak with him for a few moments. As he made his way to the exit, groves of aspiring writers slipped envelopes of their work to the late bearded professor, hoping that he might look them over.
With each package he was handed, he claimed to have the most earnest intentions of reading it. He would look the aspiring writer square in the face and say how he would get back to him or her.
Naturally, his act of kindness does not solely justify even a half page of the Kansan. However, upon observing Allen Ginsberg's colorful life filled with olympic vision and swelling perspicacity, it seems apparent that the Kansan may have cut this passing legend a bit short.
Benjamin G. LeClair Andover, Mass., sophomore
Columnist was biased in Senate observation
Two elements of Andy Obermuereller's editorial on the importance of candidate's experiences in student government raised questions in my mind. Both questions stemmed from Obermueller's inherent bias for the system and the people who were already in Student Senate.
He missed the point of that campaign just as he missed the point of this year's campaign of the Delta Force coalition and the independent candidates.
Obermueller commented that a campaign ploy used two years ago involved handing out condoms to potential voters was nothing more than a gimmick by people who didn't know the way things were done in Senate and therefore were out to screw the voters.
The condoms were passed out in an attempt to get people interested, inform them about the election in spite of the overwhelming apathy on campus. Sure, they may have been in bad taste, but that wasn't the point.
Jason Fizell or Michael Yaghmour would fit wonderfully into the office of student body president, despite what Obermueller might think.
The point was that someone had challenged Obermueller's precious system.
If Senate is so rigid, like Obermueller states, that these candidates would be like square pegs in round holes, then the entire system needs to be ripped apart and built anew.
A political system so rigid cannot serve the interests of the student body at large.
As former KU undergraduate, who will return to graduate school this summer, I hope that the voters aren't swayed into political stupor by Obermueler's words.
Scott Jarboe
Olathe resident
Comparing greeks to cults was childish
It has occurred to me that during the past few months that the Kansan editorial staff has been extremely anti-greek.
It's bad enough that Chancelor Robert Hemenway discours ages and has made attempts to do away with living organizations. But without these establishments, I think Lawrence would fall to nieces.
Now, it's perfectly acceptable to hold this opinion, however, if you are going to make personal attacks on living organization, then you should do your research.
First, let me address some of the articles concerning Rock Chalk Revue and community
involvement
To the person who said that Rock Chalk only raises $1 per hour, you are a fool to say this isn't a lot of money.
This campus-wide activity provided more than 34,000 hours of community service for Lawrence. In addition to this, living organizations also have competitions to see who can donate the most time and blood to the American Red Cross.
Perhaps most importantly, these living organizations each do their own philanthropy, which raises thousands of dollars for Lawrence's establishments. This ranges from the Boy's and Girl's Club of Lawrence to ALS, an organization that helps those with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Most living organizations participate in Natural Ties, which allows for the "adoption" of mentally challenged individuals and invite them for dinner so that students can spend time with them.
My second criticism comes from the column written on April 8 by Carson Elrod. I'm glad to see that Elrod can count to eight, but I wish that these eight points had had substance.
These are just a few examples of the acts that living organizations do for the Lawrence community. To say that they didn't raise enough money for Rock Chalk is completely ludicrous, when you take into account the time and money donated through all of these different areas.
To say that a cult is defined by dressing alike, coming from an upper-middle class background and partying defines 95 percent of the people who attend this University.
For those of you who didn't read this article, Elrod compares living organizations to the suicide cult in Southern California.
Also calling living organizations a cult because we live together and have computers is childish and petty. I would be willing to bet money that Elroid has roommates and a computer.
Am I accusing you of being in cult? No.
The University thrives on tradition, like most living organizations. There is nothing that links cults to traditions. If a living organization can be called a cult, then the entire University of Kansas is a cult.
Let's put an end to first grade accusations and comparisons.
Marc Harrell
Wichita sophomore