4A
Wednesday, May 3, 1995
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
THE ISSUE: GUN CONTROL
Gun laws protect, not limit
0 K, let's go through the pro-gun lobbyist checklist.
President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno are fascists and possibly the devil incarnate. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is actually a front for Communists preparing to take over the country. And the media, including the Kansan, cannot be trusted. Why? Most of them are run by the government. Hmmm.
In fact, in letters the Kansan has received, certain readers have tried and convicted this editorial board of extreme liberalism, unspeakable naivete, and even fascism.
Why? Because we believe in gun control.
No. Anything but that The Second Amendment to the Constitution is in peril, the gun zealots lament. This does not include only members of the paranoid military militias that have received so much ink in the wake of the Oklahoma City disaster. No, those attempting to lobby for concealed weapons bills and a repeal of the assault weapons ban are many, and they are active.
Oh, and the NRA and other pro-gun lobbyists also happen to have a certain congressman, namely
Gun control proponents are not jeopardizing Second Amendment rights but are securing right of safety for all.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, in their pocket.
Dole has called for repeal of the assault weapons ban and limiting the power of the ATF, the agency responsible for enforcing federal gun laws.
And in states such as Missouri and Kansas, concealed weapons bills have been or are being considered. The Kansas Senate voted down this state's proposal last month. The Missouri Legislature, however, is on the verge of approving a change to the concealed weapons law. This is in direct opposition to the two-thirds of Missourians who oppose this change. But the pro-gun lobbyists are many, and they are active.
We can only hope that voices of reason stand ready to speak out against such measures, in Missouri and across the country. Gun control laws do not constitute an attempt by the government to strip us of our freedoms. They are designed to protect the rational people of this nation from the sort of terrorist violence that occurred April 19.
MATT GOWEN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD.
THE ISSUE: THE END
Editorial board says goodbye
The editorial board members have made it through the editorial war zone with their sanity intact.
This semester the board had no shortage of topics.
Chris Vine, Spencer Duncan, and Tim Muir put a lot of work into the Senate election endorsement interviews. They spent about 26 hours interviewing nearly 100 Senate candidates.
In addition, Muir and John Bennett assisted with city commission. endorsement interviews. But they are just part of the 13-member board that met twice a week to debate campus and city issues. Henri Blanc, John Bennett, John Collar, Lance Hamby, Bill Kenealy, Craig Lang, Stanton Shelby, Amy Trainer and Jenny Wiedeke also should be congratulated for their hard work and dedication.
The 13-member board should be commended for their diligence and thoughtful debates on campus, city topics
There were times when the discussions got heated and times when the board seemed too tired to develop a single editorial topic. There also were times when many students did not agree with what we wrote. But our job is to generate debate; we have done that.
It is our hope that when every board member picked up the Kansan from the racks in the morning, they were able to look at the work they had done and feel proud of the results. We hope that each of the members learned something from their experience, and we also hope each reader gained something from what was written.
HEATHER LAWRENZ FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
STEPHEN MARTINO
Editor
DENISE NEIL
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH
Technology coordinator
News...Carlos Tejada
Planning...Mark Martin
Editorial...Matt Gowen
Associate Editorial...Heather Lawrentz
Campus...David Wilson
Colleen McCain
Sports...Gerry Fey
Associate Sports...Anishie Miller
Jammo Lane
Associate Photo...Paul Kotz
Features...Nathan Olson
Design...Brian James
Freelance...Susan White
JENNIFER PERRIER
Business manager
MARK MASTRO
Retail sales manager
JAY STEENER
Sales and marketing adviser
Jeff MacNelly / CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Business Staff
Campus mgr ... Beth Poth
Regional mgr ... Chris Brannan
National mgr ... Shelly Falvits
Coop mgr ... Kelly Connelys
Special Sections mgr ... Brigg Bloomquist
Production mgrs ... JJ Cook
Kim Hyman
Marketing director ... .Mind Blum
Promotions director .. Justin Froselone
Creative director .. Dan Gier
Classified mgr .. Lissa Kulesth
The Answer to the Ultimate Question? You'll never guess
I hate to tell you this, but this is going to be a farwell column.
I know, that makes six in this week alone. Quit waxing sentimental, already.
So different, in fact, that it may change your life.
Relax, this is different.
When I say that, though, what I mean is you may be involved with this column, eyes transfixed and glazed, you might forget where you are. And as you walk in front of Wescoe or Watson on your way to the last classes of the year with the last Kansan issue of this semester in your face, you might slam into someone who you end up asking out on a date.
Yeah, you know the person you want to ask, too. You've walked by him/her all semester. Every other day at 9:25 a.m., you've thrown a couple of curious glances or smiles that person's way and never said a word.
Once a month, oh, you almost got up the nerve. You had the perfect thing to say, but you let that person just walk away.
Now's your chance.
Today, I have for you the ultimate pick-up line. The greatest ice breaker in the history of human existence. This is a pretty good piece of information, regardless of what you use it for.
Tell us, tell us! What is it?
Nothing less than the meaning of life. That's right, the Answer to the Ultimate Question. It's Forty-two.
You see, Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Trillian and Zaphod Beelebrox are on this quest. The quest takes place in Douglas Adams' loony
and inspiring novel "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe," the
Yup. Forty-two.
sequel to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," which tells you how to hitchhike across the space-time continuum (and not to forget your towel).
I must leave you now. As I go, and you look up from your paper, let these words ring in your head:
So anyway, Deep Thought, which is this oninipotent type computer, built for the sole purpose of determining the
answer to the Ultimate question. Deep Thought then tells them that the answer is 42.
OK. problem.
Do something stupid. It may be the smartest thing you ever do.
And if that means "Singing in the Rain" when it isn't raining, or walking on your hands instead of your perfectly good feet, so be it. You know the meaning of life, use it. Everyone's logical; anyone can act like everyone else. What fun is that? Say something to him/her. Give that person a flower, just for walking by you every day. Dance and spin in public. Drive with your head out the window. Do something you've always wanted to do but couldn't. Why? Just because.
If that's the answer, what's the question? Well, Deep Thought doesn't seem to know. So it designed and built the Earth to calculate the Question to the Ultimate Answer. And organic life is part of the computer matrix
Hang on. it gets complicated.
Much later, when Ford and Arthur are marooned on Earth, 2 million years in the past, Arthur tries to teach some apelike creatures how to play Scrabble. He chiles out a bunch of letters on small stones and draws a grid in the dirt. The attempt is futile; one of them spells "crcjgrdjwiddc." After he has given up, one of the creatures, grunting, spells out "forty-two." The Answer!!
They figure these same letters, if thrown into a sack and pulled out at random, will give them the question. The unconscious pulled forward. They pull out the letters "W-h-a-d
o-y-o-g-e-t-f-y-o-u-m-l-t-i-p-l-y-s-i-
x-b-y-n-i-n-e-
There goes the rug from under you. Ford and Arthur burst into fits of laughter. Just then, two female Golgafinchins (don't ask) walk curiously up to them.
"Hello," Ford says to them. "My friend and I were just contemplating the meaning of life. Frivolous exercise."
Get it.
I have a better piece of advice for you — lighten up. Enjoy your relatively short time here (geologically speaking). Do something stupid once in a while.
I could tell you about how many of us are here at KU to find answers. Philosophy, think it up. Math, count it up. Journalism, write it up. History, look it up, etc. I also could remind you that life is a journey, not a destination, all that stuff. But you already know that, don't you?
Yes, it could happen to anyone
Matt Gowen is a Lawrence senior in Journalism.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
After reading "It Could Happen To Anyone" Thursday in the Kansan, I was once again affected by the life and death of Claire Henderson.
Having grown up with Claire, her brother, Mark, and sister, Maria, in Lawrence, I, too, never expected or anticipated being directly affected by AIDS. Like so many young people in Lawrence, I grew up without fear of strangers, walking the streets at night, unafraid to meet anyone or anything. Now, all of my foolish inhibitions are gone, and I am faced with the reality that growing up in Lawrence does not place us in a plastic bubble protected from the rest of the world.
Like so many people who knew Claire, I have asked myself, "Why? How could this happen to someone so good, so full of life with so much to offer?" And like most of these people, I have found no truly comforting answer. I just have to believe that this happened to Claire for a reason. Perhaps he had to die so that we could all take a better look at our own lives. I know I have. I keep saying a little poem over and over to myself: "It could happen to me; it did happen to you; and it happened right here at KU."
Carter Moeser Lawrence junior
Thank you, Virginia Margheim, for the accurate, compassionate and moving story in the Kansan about Claire Henderson's life and death. Claire was an innocent person who loved life, people, dance and her family. If Margheim's story makes one person become more responsible in his or her personal relationships, it will help those of us who loved and miss Claire.
■ Kaye Moeser
Lawrence resident
■ Carter Moeser
Lawrence junior
MIXED MEDIA
By Jack Ohman
Kansan editor bids farewell to paper. KU
It's difficult for me to remember Fall 1990, when I was a freshman sitting in class and thinking that I might like to write for the newspaper. I came to KU seeking a political science degree with hopes of going to law school.
I'm still getting that political science
KANSAN EDITOR
degree, but I no longer aspire to be an attorney. I have found journalism to be a more noble calling.
I have worked in some capacity at The University Daily Kansan for
And the faculty and students at the School of Journalism and this newspaper are the reasons why.
three years. It has been the source of my greatest collegiate joy and heartbreaks. But at every step of the way, it has been a learning experience — an experience that has taught me about journalism, office politics and human relationships.
I have grown every day that I have worked at the Kansan, and I know that when I enter the "real world" I will be better prepared because of my experience here.
This past year at the Kansan I have served as editor. It is a job that I have thoroughly enjoyed, but I am ready and happy to pass the baton on to others. It is time for me to leave.
Oh, we make our share of mistakes. But at the heart of it, the Kansan is a laboratory newspaper for students to improve their skills. Sometimes we put commas in the wrong places, and occasionally we misspell names. We do not endeavor to do these things, but they happen.
There is no doubt that there are those of you who have disagreed with things that the Kansan has done this year or generally hold the paper in low regard. And while I respect anyone's right to take issue with specific decisions made by the Kansan, I fail to understand how people feel the Kansan lets the University of Kansas down.
But what we also do five days a week during the school year is produce a newspaper for the students, faculty and staff of this community we call KU. I would certainly argue that no other campus organization does more for the University than the Kansan.
The Kansan is one of the best collegiate newspapers in the nation. It is one of the best newspapers in the state of Kansas. You need only look at the collection of papers in the journalism school's reading room to convince yourself of this.
We inform, we educate, and at times we entertain. And every time this staff gets together, we have only one goal — to produce the best newspaper we can. Sometimes we fail. But at many times, especially during this semester, I would contend we have succeeded with brilliant results.
And I am proud of what this staff has done consistently, day in and day out, for you. I believe that you and the University are better for our efforts.
Catherine Ellsworth is the Kansan's technology coordinator. She makes sure the computers, and so much more, are running. With the Kansan's change in printers and the move to color, it would not have hit the streets on some days without her. She has earned my respect, friendship and gratitude for everything she has done. Thank you.
Even professionals in the business say getting a paper out every day is a miracle. I would agree, and without the efforts of two important people, this paper would stop in its tracks.
Tom Eblen is the Kansan's news adviser and general manager. He makes sure the books are balanced, the Kansan's mission is maintained, and students are guaranteed the experience they deserve. I would not be in journalism today if it weren't for him. He is the one who told me to take a chance and see whether I liked it. I did, and I do. So many days I have walked into his office to discuss problems or just talk about life. And when I leave KU, I will miss that more than anything else. His counsel has been appreciated. He has earned my respect, and he will have my friendship always. I hope he won't mind an occasional phone call from wherever, just to talk about life.
Years from now, no matter where I am, I will proudly tell people that I am a graduate of the University of Kansas, and that yes, I worked for The University Daily Kansan and was so much better for having done so.
I will miss this school and this newspaper. Goodbye.
Stephen Martino is an Olathe senior in Journalism and political science.