4A
Wednesday, April 19, 1995
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
THE ISSUE: KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD
KU, meet the editorial board
In the past few weeks the editorial board has noticed that few people in the University community understand who we are and what we do. Perhaps a disclaimer is necessary.
At the end of each semester, the editor and managing editor of the Kansan choose the editorial editor and the associate editorial editor. These two people choose the editorial board from applications drawn from the student body. Members are chosen on the basis of writing skills and intelligence.
The editorial board is supposed to be a reflection of the campus community. Editorial board members are not necessarily journalism majors, and often they are not.
Twice a week the editorial board, traditionally made up of 12 to 15 people, meets and decides what pressing local and national issues need to be
The board reflects the campus community, but there are many misconceptions about its full responsibilities.
addressed. The board does not make news content decisions, nor does it decide what columns will be printed. The board is only responsible for what runs in the viewpoint sections of the opinion page.
The board keeps an eye on both the print and electronic news media and chooses issues to write about that will affect students. We discuss both sides of an issue and then vote on what position we will take.
In order for us to write on a subject, it must receive a majority vote from the board. After the vote, a board member volunteers or is chosen to write the editorial.
We hope that this will clear up any misconceptions about what the editorial board does.
HFEATHER LAWRENZ FOR THE EDIFICIAL BOARD.ADF
THE ISSUE: PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Election boredom has begun
Election day is nearly a year and a half away, yet four men already have jumped into the presidential election ring. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, was the first, announcing his intentions to run for the Republican nomination Feb. 24. Not long after, a slew of other Republicans joined Gramm, the most recent, Bob Dole. Maybe no one told these men that the early bird doesn't always get the worm.
The American public generally does not enjoy the constant opponent bashing and low-quality commercials that must be endured during election time. To put the public through 18 months worth of such torture is ludicrous.
Last election the first to announce his intention to run was Paul Tsongas on April 30. Other candidates didn't join the race until nearly September, giving the American public at least a couple of extra months of freedom from the boring election garbage. But our presidential election is turning into the NBA season: it just keeps getting longer and longer when all that really matters is the last month. At least basketball is enjoyable.
President Clinton still has nearly half of his presidential term left, and he already has to worry about his Republican counterparts on the campaign trail. It's a wonder anything ever gets done in Washington. The elected officials have no time in office before they are forced to start campaigning.
The Republicans are naturally anxious to gain their party's nomination,but starting their campaign so early will accomplish nothing. Of course for Dole, maybe 18 months isn't so long to campaign after being on the presidential election trail for nearly two decades.
JENNY WIEDEKE FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Jeff MacNelly / CHICAGO TRIBUNE
The ultimate vicious circle exacts its toll in human life
During spring break, Joy LaFrance, Tulsa senior, lost her mother to a random act of violence. A church janitor where her mother worked killed her and took $4. LaFrance then wrote a moving column for the Kansan about how we shouldn't laugh at violence and how we shouldn't support or honor films like "Pulp Fiction," because of how violence is portrayed. I agree.
Nonsense, other people say. Movies are fiction, and violence is part of human existence. Quit trying to impose your Christian-Coalition family values on us, you closed-minded tyrant suburbanites.
Bob Dole flashes to mind as does Pat Robertson. But Dole is trying to get elected in '96; he's just spouting off the typical campaign doublespeak. "Immoral Hollywood must be stopped," he bellows in the same breath as, "Repeal the assault weapons ban!"
As for Robertson, well, he's always been that kind of perpetual, toothy-grinned nice that just scares the heck out of you.
Last week, I even poked a little fun at the pope even though I grew up in a Catholic household.
But I'm not running for office, and I am not a censor or a religious zealot, either.
Frankly, the notion that humans are no better than animals, that killing and violence are natural instincts, disturbs me. They aren't. Oliver Stone would disagree.
No, I just think something's strange is afoot at the Circle K.
The fact is that violence on screens and violence in the streets are linked, and there are plenty of examples to support that link. To ignore them would be naive.
Take the two minors sentenced to life in prison recently in Johnson County, for the fatal shooting of a
liquor store owner in Parsons. One witness testified that on the night of the shooting the boys ran back to the car laughing and talking about
now it looked like one of the scenes from "Menace II Society." Only the victim didn't get up, and a director didn't say "cut."
The more realistic a film's or television program's violence is, the deeper the impression it makes.
"The main pash"
"The main problem is the effect of violent programming on aggressive behavior," says John Wright, co-director of the Center for Research on the Influences of Television on Children (CRITC) at KU. "Social realism, the degree to which events look like they actually happen, reduces the bizarre to the normal and everyday."
It's very easy for rational people to dismiss worry by saying that violence is part of art because violence is part of life, that we should accept it. "Man, how about that 'Pulp Fiction? What a ride!' Or "Whoa, 'Natural Born Killers,' intense, dude!" The numbers tell a different story.
As long as we accept violence as fact, we perpetuate humans as violent creatures.
Wright says that even a 1 percent increase in violent programming, while it may not be noticeable in most people, could be the trigger that releases assault or even homicide for those on the threshold of "acting out" through aggression, dealing with problems using violence.
Remember Albert Bandura and the
Bobo doll study from Psychology 104? Kids watching kids knocking down dolls then knocking down the dolls themselves. There have been countless studies since then that show how violence causes violence. That goes for people in high-crime areas who have to duck every time they leave their house for fear of gunfire and who see people die everyday, as well as for those who are exposed to it in other ways, like the media. Violence becomes an acceptable means, perhaps the only known means for some, of handling problems.
Recently, however, Aletha Huston, co-director of CRITC, and Lynette Friedrich demonstrated that prosocial behavior can be mimicked as well. Cooperation and sharing can be perpetuated through pro-social programs.
Oh, no, it's George Orwell, it's "A Clockwork Orange." Niceness programming. Oh, the humanity.
The Federal Communications Commission asks for three hours a day of children's programming, and broadcasters get clammy palms. The Motion Picture Association of America tries to slap an NC-17 on an ultra-violent film. "No!" the distributors cry. "We'll get killed at the box office."
You might also get killed in the street.
Violent reactions to violence and the desensitization to violence have become epidemic. And even though we know the cure, we often fail to use it.
I do not know Joe LaFrance, but when I hear that she has lost her mother to senseless violence, my heart goes out to her. She cites violence in pop culture as one of the demons. I agree.
Matt Gowen is a Lawrence senior in Journalism.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Moore's past is where it should have stayed
I am responding to the Kansan's article announcing Eric Moore's resignation from LesBiGay Services of Kansas and as a candidate for Student Senate, and to Stephen Martino's editorial about his "commitment to the truth."
The truth is that the Kansan probed into the private life of Moore, and while this paper may have the freedom of press, he has the right to privacy. This is something that occurred in Moore's life five years ago, and his life obviously has changed since then. He has contributed a great deal to the University and community as a resident assistant at Templin Hall, as director of LesBiGayS OK and as a Senate candidate. He has lost two of these activities because of the
Kansan's muckraking. Since he recently learned that he is HIV positive, Moore is no doubt dealing with enough emotional turmoil, but Martino felt the need to add to Moore's pain in order to tell the "truth." I praise David Amber and Ken Stoner for stating their admiration for Moore and emphasizing that his situation is "considered in the past." Martino should have left it there.
Katie Hillstrom Leawood junior
Protest hurt REAL coalition, not Kansan
I would like to publicly applaud the Kansan for informing students of Eric Moore's criminal record. I am a student and former student senator, and the University of Kansas population has a right to
know if a potential senator has been convicted of a crime.
I don't have a problem with the students, including members of the REAL coalition, who protested the issues. It is their legal right as citizens. But throwing out papers which they help pay for wasn't the right choice. I can bet that if a potential state or U.S. senator had a criminal record, students would want to know about it before voting for him or her.
The thing that bothers me about the protest is that no one protested about the printing of Ana Calderon and Brent Bowen's records. I guess since minor in possession and possession of stolen property are not as serious, no one cares that the Kansan printed it.
Michael Sullivan
St. Louis senior
Student Senate changes needed to validate the worthless group
The Student Senate elections are finished, and I have to fight the urge to pontificate about just how much of a thoroughly worthless
organization this
It doesn't really accomplish much at all, except for letting us feel that we have control of this University and letting us know who the most popular people on campus are.
Saying these things will probably incite nasty
comments such as that I am an idiotic, emotional liberal who only hates Senate because of the recent mudsliding. But I resent the fact that people who normally wouldn't give me the time of day suddenly start greeting me on the sidewalk and asking me to vote for them.
It just seems to me that the students are never going to have real power on campus, since that would be like letting the inmates run the asylum. Anything Senate does is not very important. If what Senate did was worthwhile, it would still be developed without Senate.
As a Russian and East European studies major, I like to think of Senate as the University's version of the Tsarist Duma.
But there are some things that Senate should work on.
First, Senate should work to increase library hours. I usually sleep until nond and stay up all night, doing my best studying in the wee hours of the morning. It's a real hassle leaving the library just when I hit my stride.
And without an in-depth understanding of the economic reasons for keeping the library open all the time, I think if the Computer Center can stay open 24 hours, the library also can.
Second, Senate should work on campus security.
Third, graduate student representation needs to be addressed.
I would like to see an increase in the frequency of bus routes during the night, a continuation of Saferide and perhaps the promotion of an escort service where students would be escorted to and from their classes or other activities.
The recent difficulties concerning a Graduate Senate and the underrepresentation of graduate students in Senate have been a concern of many graduate students.
Finally, Senate needs some parliamentary changes; it needs to be a parliamentary system.
We need to have a president and prime minister who constantly fight about who should have what power. The prime minister should be subject to votes of no confidence any time the student body seems inclined.
With this rule enacted, we can turn Senate into our own version of the Italian political system, which has had 50 governments in the past 45 years, with the average time in power being nine months.
With these considerations in mind, Senate could at least begin to take some steps to becoming a truly worthwhile voice of student concerns.
Michael Paul is a Lawrence graduate student in political science.
KANSAN STAFF
STEPHEN MARTINO
Editor
DENISE NEIL
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH
Technology coordinator
News ... Carlos Tojas
Planning ... Mark Martin
Editorial ... Matt Gowen
Associate Editorial .. Heather Lawrens
Campus ... David Wilson
... Colleen McCain
Sports ... Gerry Fey
Associate Sports ... Ashley Miller
Photo ... Jarrett Lane
Associate Photo ... Paul Kotz
Design ... Nathan Ollie
Design ... Brian James
Freelance ... Susan White
JENNIFER PERRIER
Business manager
MARK MASTRO
Retail sales manager
JAY STEINER
Sales and marketing adviser
By Jack Ohman
Business Staff
MIXED MEDIA
Campus mgr ... Bath Pole
Regional mgr ... Chris Branaman
National mgr ... Shelly Falevita
Coop mgr ... Kelly Connealy
Special Sections mgr ... Brigg Bloomquist
Production mgrs ... JJ Cook
Klm Hyman
Marketing director ... Mindy Blum
Promotions director .. Justin Frosolone
Creative director .. Dan Gier
Classified mgr ... Lisa Kuehs