UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of
APRIL5.1979
Smile for Big Brother
Smile, you're on KU camera.
Yes, if you have attended any sporting events since last fail, or if you attended either the protests against the Mideast peace treaty or the anti-apartheid rally last week, your smiling face has been recorded on film by the KU Police Department. Why would they want to do that, you ask?
Good question.
The police said the tapes were made to be used as evidence in case of violence and to be used in the training of KU police.
BUT WHATEVER the excuse, there is little that can justify the covert surveillance of KU students participating in lawful, peaceful ac-
Students at KU are not gueine pigs for the University's training films for police, and they should not be subjected to the dubious ethics of a police force that finds nothing wrong with surrenderitly filming their activities.
Fortunately, the tape of Friday's anti-apartheid rally was erased at the request of several students.
"SOME OF the protesters asked that we erase the tape," Mike Thomas, director of KU police said. "Since there were no problems at the rally, we didn't object."
Although police did not object to erasing the tape, students were not given the same option. They were
filmed regardless of what objections they might have had.
This passion for recording the faces of demonstrators for posterity is nothing new. Demonstrators at last spring's speech by Yitzhak Rabin also were photographed by KU police.
AND THERE is no sign that the activity will be curtailed in the future. While the videotape machine was not used during Tuesday's peace rally, there has been no concrete sign that the taping will be curtailed in the future.
The request by Del Shankel, executive vice chancellor, for SenEx to consider guidelines for videotaping demonstrations at KU is encouraging, but does not really get to the core of the problem. How will the tapes be used? Who will have access to them? And while anyone is obviously free to watch the demonstrations, is it really ethical to film someone without first alerting them to that fact?
While guidelines for videotaping would be helpful in regulating the activities of the police in that field, it would be hoped that the police could regulate themselves. Sure training programs for the menmen could be reputed for a nominal fee.
It would be a small price to pay to rid them of their newly-acquired Big Brother image.
U.S. shouldn't take part in Rhodesian elections
With just more than two weeks remaining until Rhodesia's April 20 election on black-majority rule, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is asking President Carter to authorize a new set of observers to monitor the balloting.
The senators argue that the U.S. has been demanding for years that free elections open to all Rhodesians over the age of 18 be held. But the elections would have little meaning, they say, if they are not certified at free and open by neutral United Nations sanctions against Rhodesia would remain in effect.
The fine print of the new Rhodesian constitution, which was part of the "internal settlement," almost guarantees that whichever of the indivisible states will be able to form a government only with white cooperation. It gives 24 of the 100 seats in parliament for 10 years to whites, and blacks would have to win a very high percentage of the total votes in the constitutional government with Smith's followers.
Unfortunately, this bipartisan group, which includes such liberaals as the American Civil Liberties Union moderates as Schweller of Pennsylvania and DeConcium of Arizona, and such conservatives as Hayakawa of California, far more compromised than the Rhodians.
The new constitution, thanks to Smith, also insures that whites will retain domination of the civil service, the
THE KEY question, which this group seems to have overlooked, is whether the election as an engineer will permit black Rhodesians to actively begin taking charge of their own government and avoid a dependence on date suggests that this is not so.
military, the police and the judiciary This does not appear to be the basis for a sound democratic future.
FIVE OR ten years ago, Smith's "internal settlement" may have had a chance of succeeding. But the strength of the Patriotic Front has altered the picture greatly. With each day the war continues, the freedom-fighters gain more power and legitimacy, and if they choose, they certainly have the power to disrupt the election. Essentially, the patriots want the wall, leaving him nowhere to go. They are determined to see an end to white rule.
The election, for all practical purposes, is a joke. It cannot bring peace, stability and order to society and the realities of power as must hope. To dignify the April elections by sending in neutral outside observers, as the senators would, suggest be damaging.
BY SENDING observers we would alienate some of our closest African aliens and the rest from being loved were lending credence to Smith's latest folly. The U.S. already suffers from serious image problems and participates in all of these, most of which is its standing in the world community.
Until the freedom-fighting factions of Robert Mukabe and Joshua Nkomo are allowed to participate in negotiations toward a new government in Rhodesia, more blood will continue to be shed and there will be a return. This is the reality of today's Rhodesia.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
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Profit motive endangers public health
One of the most disturbing aspects of our
one is that it is too slow to
adequately support users.
And one of the most disturbing aspects of big business is that its obsession with profits leads it to exploit consumer demands to the point of knowingly endangering public life.
Two recent disclosures about health hazards concerning nitrites and dry blowers are only the most recent examples of malaise by these entities.
Unfortunately, the trusting American consumer may be dying because of their
First, Attorney General Griffin Bell recently said nitrites, a curing agent used in meat, must be immediately banned because they had been linked to causing cancer. Nitrites form nitrosamines when cooked—nitrosamines have been shown to cause nitrite formation.
But, the Carter administration has asked for a three-year moratorium on the ban—even if the substance is found to cause cancer—while the meat industry tries to develop an alternate preservative. Reportedly, an immediate ban might allow
ACCORDING to federal law, that is enough to immediately ban a product.
Jake
an increase in botulism, an often fatal disease.
Thompson
the American Meat Institute has tried to evade the issue, saying an imminent ban would also cause sharp increases in meat prices. But the Food and Drug Administration, president, said the meat industry's position was that, "nitrite has not been determined to be a carcinogen, that it is perfectly safe," and that "we do not believe there is a need for a legislative proposition by the administration."
Lyng's position is irresponsible, yet consistent with the advice of a federal ban on their product. But that doesn't make it right. Some producers of hair dryers have been accused of using faux fabrics.
A PRIVATE research company, EMV Associates Inc., last week said that hand-held dryers release particles of asbestos fiber.
Asbestos, an insulator in the dryers, has
The point of singling out these two incidents is that while consumers wait for feature releases, they may be unknowingly exposing themselves to cancer-causing levels of asbestos
Obviously, a ponderous federal bureaucracy and a greedy big business entity are not intending to work together for public safety.
The safety commission issued a special order to nine blow dryer producers to attend a meeting this week in Washington and bring information about their products concerning asbestos use. They are also to participate in a national workshop on ticular models manufactured with asbestos.
been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and other serious diseases, according to Bob Baxter, a member of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
So, American consumers will have to protect themselves until conclusive evidence is found and effective action is taken. Consumers must cut down on the use of dryers until testing is completed, and then allow dryers to operate until further evidence of danger is shown.
Baxter said the safety commission would test dryers and results would be available in about a month. Dryers would be recalled in an amount of asbestos fiber was at a imperfect rate.
"IF TESTS show the dryers would have to be 24 hours a day for 197 years in order to cause a risk of cancer, the dryers won't be recalled." Baxter said.
Reportedly, consumers can tell if their blow dry container contains asbestos by looking into the barrel of the device for a gray-white material. If you have one, take a look.
Whether dangerous levels of asbestos are discovered remaining to be seen. The question is whether the risks are greater.
Joseph Highland, of the Environmental Protection Agency, who was recently identified as a pediatric carcinogen, some manufacturers continued to use it as a liner in the barrel of their hair.
That translates into a potential disregard for public safety by bri business.
It is fortunate, but entirely necessary,
that consumers must become suspicious of
everything they buy. Cancer is not to be
suspected because it does not occur immediately
In its many forms, cancer is a horrible disease, and it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from it. The government has also big business won't care it until is forced to.
Redistricting bill fair to Democrats
To the editor:
In a recent letter (March 27), Susan Otteneress, representing the Young Democrats, wrote concerning State Rep. Mike Mullen's decision to move Douglas County's house districts. Otteneress and the Young Democrats misrepresented some important facts by claiming that the power of KU students was diluted and that Republican Party used questionable tactics.
Lastly, Otterness and the Young Democrats came to another one of their thoughtless conclusions when claiming the amendment split the student vote and diluted the student power. This argument has beenarch 22 letter by William Bradley (apartment manager and KU law student) saying the new districts fully reflect the interest of permanent residents of Lawrence and allow more accurate representation.
First, Otterness claimed that Vogel drew up the amendment in order to weaken the strength of State Rep. Mike Glover, D-Lawrence, in the 1980 campaign. Obviously, Otterness and the Young Democrats haven't followed this issue closely or they would have read that this isn't true in any newspaper (even the Kansan).
Secondly, the Young Democrats were yelling gerrymandering without cause. Vogel's amendments passed the House with 65 votes to 42. He also passed the bill with a vote of 99-14 with less than 10 Democrats voting against it. We hardly call this gerrymanding. Needless to add, we felt that Gov. John Carin made decisions he decided to nove to the bill.
"However, Glover acknowledged that Vogel had given him (Glover) a choice of being in a heavily Democratic district or in a less Democratic district." (Kansan, Marchb. p.10).
The fact that Glover gave the heavily Republican area shows the KU students that Glover and the Democrats used one of their political tricks, thinking Glover would have a better chance than another Democrat to beat a Republican.
"Glover could have stayed with his old district, and the district boundaries would have been pretty square," Vogel said. (Kansas March 5).
Also, rather than diluting the power of the students' vote, the new plan will provide more effectively for KU students by allowing area representation. We will have TWO representatives rather than one and two representatives to help Glover and the Young Democrats will explain to the students why having only one vote instead of two is better for KU.
It is refreshing to see that representatives such as John Vogel can deal with a delicate situation like reapportionment in a mature, statemanlike manner.
Etta Walker
Sharon Springs sophomore
And two others
Etta Walker
Accusations unfair in JRP room check
To the editor:
Pertaining to the current issue of the spring break "room check" at JRP, I feel that it is wise to insist wisely by conducting the room check. His motivation in the check was in the best interest of all residents. If a fire had occurred, the check would have amount of not taking the necessary precautions.
Likewine, I feel that the accusations made against him were unwarranted, since he was not involved in any of the events.
UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN
should have done. Why does he need to suffer unfairly for his actions, when the real problem is the negligence of certain residents?
Froik's action in reporting violations of the residence hall contract is nothing shy of an assault, and many residents clearly in violation, and deserve any action against them. Why does everyone overlook the fact that the violators are the root of the problem, not Froik's action in reporting it?
Tom Dooley
Atchison sophomore
Middle East protest a rude interruption
To the editor:
March 28 at 10am I was concentrating intensely on an examination problem, only to be rudely interrupted by the uproar of a group of Arab students holding a demon-
station on Jayhawk Boulevard. My concentration shattered. I was able to get nothing done for some five minutes as they unintelligible chants outside the window.
In a fifty minute exam, five minutes can be a crucial factor, and it surely was for me and the rest of the class, none of whom insisted. This would require a demonstration to take place at a time when dozens of classes are in progress. The primary purpose of this institution is education, and I hold my right to ask the teachers what the Arabs may claim.
What good do they hope will result from their demonstration? Abolition of the treaty? No, they're not that naive. My wife is understanding? They sure are at that point.
It's a pity that they are so vitally interested in this issue, yet they can do nothing more about it than make a nuisance of themselves.
Robert Johnson
Goddard junior