UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of the editor.
MARCH 9,1979
Bus funding needed
Just when it was beginning to look as if the University of Kansas were making progress toward meeting the needs of disabled students, an old hurdle has resurfaced.
As a result, a transportation service enabling KU students with disabilities to attend classes will be discontinued because more funding is found for the program.
The service picks up approximately 15 students who are permanently or temporarily disabled and who no longer mean of traveling to and from class.
"I COULD perform some of my duties from the hospital bed," said Joe Van Zandt, assistant director of Western Civilization program who has a broken leg and cerebral palsy. "However, the performance of these duties would be very difficult if there were no way to get to campus."
And the bus service is the only source of that transportation. The service, which began Jan. 17 and is funded by the Student Senate, Facilities Operations and the administration, originally was intended to provide transportation for students during the winter months. But now that winter is almost over, the possibility of continued funding is questionable, according to David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs.
AMBLER SAID recently that there was interest in extending the service past the expiration date but that the extension depended on finding other sources of funds. While that is a good sign, the problem should not be left at that.
The bus service merits continued funding. It is clear to anyone familiar with the problems that face handicapped students at KU that money spent on transportation for those students is not wasted.
Not only would the rights of those students to further their education be protected, but the University's image as an organization responsive to human need would be greatly improved, perhaps offsetting KU's increasing image as a faceless corporate entity.
At the current cost of $1,600 a month, the service could be continued for the rest of the semester for approximately $3,500. In these days of high-level budgets and corporate investments, that sum could be found somewhere in the University system, particularly when the cost of losing the program is so high.
A lot of my black friends, particularly those who attend KU, are not going to be too picky.
Co-optation threatening black cause
It's not that they will disagree with the content of today's column, but rather that they are willing to face this space to tell the world what most of us already know but would rather not have to do.
Recently, I attended the Kansas State Black Women's Conference, which attracted approximately 1,000 people from Kansas and the Midwest. The conference, funded by the Kansas Committee for the Education of Black Kansas women, including KU's Dorothy Pennington, professor of speech communication and African studies.
In some respects, I can sympathize with this criticism. But when approximately 500 blacks at the University of Kansas (that's how many of us they say are here), although I find it hard to believe) and elsewhere we don't speak together, if then becomes time to go public.
Yet, time and again, during each day of the conference, the one issue that was repeatedly raised was the role and importance of women in the office. The day's black woman and of blacks in general.
THE THEME of the conference was "Choice or Chance . . . the Life Cycle of the Black Woman," and in a series of workshops, speeches and panel discussions, black women's chances for success in a male-dominated society were examined.
In one workshop the validity and implications of the infamous "Moylan Report" were discussed, with students who whites—were debated. In another workshop, the implications of societal role definitions in the workplace were discussed.
1. today, most people older than 10, black and white, can tell you about the struggle of blacks against slavery and for the civil rights movement. For this, we are indebted
BUT IN TODAYS ever-changing, fast-paced life, where an emphasis has been
Evidence against flouride extensive
To the editor:
Phil Garcia's column on fluoridation is disturbing because he has seriously misrepresented the opposition to fluoridation and the Lawrence situation.
In the first place, opposition to fluoridation in Lawrence goes back more than 20 years, and since 1974 I have been urging the state to stop flushing the basis of its clear danger to public health.
The scientific grounds are numerous: low-dose fluoride poisoning, genetic damage, mongolism, kidney damage and particularly cancer.
John Yiamouyiannis did not ignite the local situation at all. On Dec. 12, 1978, I placed in the hands of the five city commissioners a book entitled "Floridation: The Great D dilemma" by G.L. Waldott, A.W. Burgstahl and myself. That book fully discusses the proponent of the proposed law that destroys it on the basis of extensive scientific evidence that an intelligent person can check. Yiamouyiannis did not write that book.
The brilliant John Flabbert, presiding judge in charge of 17 justices and 230 workers, who taught at Carnegie Mellon Law School for 20 years, ruled that fluoridation threatened the public health, specifically children, by increasing the fluorided cities studied.
He therefore issued a preliminary injunction ordering the West View, Penn., water system to stop floridating water serving the Penn. River at the site of the junction is currently before the same court.
Why did Garcia fail to mention our book, Yiamouyanmous and Burk's 1977 article and the 1974 trial decision when discussing the case of Kawasaki? Do these issues before the city commission on
In a Pittsburgh court of law, the proponents of fluoridation brought forth their best available scientific experts from here and aboard to counteract Yiamoyannias and Burk and the evidence against fluoridation. The proponents' arguments, including all those cited by Garcia, fell one by one in rigorous cross examination under oath.
García totally ignored our book, and was therefore totally ignorant of the enormous amount of scientific evidence against fluoridation. He also inexcusably failed to recall that the National Cancer Institute by Yiaminyiauans and Dean Bark published in July 1977 in the journal Floride about "Fluoridation and Cancer." This article has never been scientifically refuted, although the National Cancer Institute has acknowledged it "makes to have everything appear to be OK"
UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN
Dec. 12, 1978, and urged them to consider the issues seriously. Yiamoyannis and I then appeared before the city commission on Feb. 20, 1979, repeated these arguments, and he urged them to stop floridation in their cities. Because of these restrictions have been all about from the start.
To accuse Yiamouyannis, and consequently me, of trying to frighten the public with "power-laden words based on questionable evidence" is simply ridiculous. We have presented a mountain of scientific evidence that was good enough to stand up in a court of law before a learned and courageous judge. The verdict was that we should not give our children to keep our mouths shut when we know about the harm would be irresponsible.
Falte to halt fluoridation immediately in light of impressive evidence of harm would be extremely unwise. To argue that fluoridation is good for the teeth of children it is argued that fluoridation is the point, for, as Judge Faherty observed: "What good are good teeth to a corse?"
There is absolutely no excuse to “benefit” some of the people—and even that point is highly questionable—while making others quite ill and killing still others. What kind of risk-benefit ratio is that? Was the swine flu or the death and paralysis for many Americans?
To his credit, Garcia points out that anyone who wishes can still have fluoride through vitamins, typical applications and the use of oral fluorides. The will not denive the public of fluorides.
On the other hand, Garcia erries grievously in characterizing the opponents of fluoridation as demagogic, for in Lawrence, they have consistently stressed solid scientific evidence. In fact, the only scientific evidence presented before the city commission on Feb. 27, 1979, was presented by operatives and others who accused students and other proponents admitted they were not scientists and had no knowledge of the evidence.
How could Garcia characterize their unsubstantiated references to so-called "bombed-out teeth" in nonfluidation communities as evidence? Moreover, none of them apparently has read "Flouridation: The Great Dilemma."
When the facts of fluoridation are exposed in scientific works or before an unblessed person, it is usually assumed.
oath is required, then fluoridation will no longer be tolerable to the public because it is clearly a menace to our health. In the next few years, new books and law suits throughout the world will expose more and more deleterious evidence. And in the end, science and reason will prevail. Reporters will do well to prepare themselves for that
H. Lewis McKinney professor of history of science
KU's Mitchell blend of talent, character To the editor
To the editor:
As a loyal Kansas State University women's basketball fan for the past seven years, I've been privileged to see quality basketball and quality players.
But no athlete, on any team, has surpassed KU's Adrian Mitchell in combining three straight wins.
MNANNNNNNNNNN
A competitor who can demonstrate respect for her teammates and opponents while relentlessly demanding everything she does. She also reserves respect transcending team loyalty.
Mitchell's teaching us something. And in these days, when the premium on winning is high and the competition is outstretched, it's better to win a winner as a good sport at the same time.
Mary Jo Wobker K-State graduate
Music is prostituted by commercialization
K-State graduate
Whether rock 'n' roll is "better" than disco, or whether any type of music is inherently "better" than another, is irrelevant. Every kind of music has its following and fulfills the needs of its following, by they for entertainment, intellectualization, emotional release or entertainment. Both of these merits of one form over another usually serve only to increase animosity between groups.
To the editor:
However, if one needs something to be upset about, he can try the crass commercialization of almost every form of music—disco, rock, country, jazz, even classical. In an attempt to reach the broadest possible audience (i.e., make the most money), record companies have focused on making the point where they all share common characteristics—formula melodies, harmonies, rhythms and a boring sameness.
Musicianship takes a back seat to the marketing and engineering departments as mediocre performances are electronically enhanced and sillyly packaged for sale to a public that doesn't know or doesn't care that it is being taken.
The end result is a lessening of the quality of music (live, as well as recorded, as live performers seek to recreate studio performances for a public expecting nothing less and 'nothing else) available to the public.
Parallels between music and other art forms can be easily made. A society and its art are not independent of each other. If the present trends are an indication of the future, they're headed for trouble. If they are a reflection of present society, it may be too late.
placed on self rather than service to others,
a large number of college-aged and older
students.
Jim Cartwright St. Louis, Mo., senior
It seems as if we've become irrevettably caught up in the rat-race, not knowing where we're going and forgetting where we are. It's hard to say that we haven't really wrong with aspiring to gain the finer things of life. Far from it. It is just that in our effort to satisfy our needs and wants we have become more and more erratic
Marcia Gillespie, editor in chief of Essence magazine, discussed in a keynote address to the conference the importance of history to today's black women and men.
Gillespie reminded her audience that they essentially were an "African people," a people of spirit. But in our effort to become successful, as defined by Western standards for success, Gillespie's ticket tickets, and had drowned the eternal spirit of love, strength and togetherness which
Recently, Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACP, was forced to go public in his search for funds for the organization because the people who had been hurting them are turning their backs on it. Years of fighting for civil rights finally had become a strain, because the bucks were not coming in. The Weber and Sears reverse discrimination stats mean more court battles ahead and an increasingly spent. The future doesn't look good at all.
This is really said, and it bothers me. If you're black and attending KU, it should bother you too, because the implications of that are, if they continue in this vein, aren't good.
was characteristic of blacks during their early days of struggle in this country.
"WESTERN SOCIETY is aiming to keep us at odds with our outsiders' history. Our mission is to have a doge dowa on the ground."
With almost four years of observation to draw upon, and from conversations I had in conversation with the going-on about KU, it looks as if I am Oread have "bought the whole ticket." This is unfortunate, considering the rich history of the town, and the dim outlook many are predicting.
has reached the level of stupidity and outrage. We've become so hung up on whether we like one another that we can't even speak to each other on a personal level.
Fundamental to that history was that strong sense of unity, strength, oneness. When it came time to go to the mat, such as when "Bull" Connor unleashed his dogs and broke down the fence, everyone went down, and so knowing that his brother or sister would do the same.
TODAY, HOWEVER, if a situation arose that required a mass mobilization of blacks, I'm really afraid it just wouldn't come off. I don't understand the vitality it would have had 10 years ago.
The financial problems of the nation's oldest civil rights organization and the Weber and Scars suits are signs of the times and signs of what is to come. It is unfortunate that the future progress of blacks blocks a chance on a court decision. But this is what it takes to force us to get out together, then so be it. Our history only demands that we do.
We've conveniently forgotten our past, now that we've acquired a little freedom and agency.
WHY DONT YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING?
Arguments for gun control just myths
Gun control has not proven effective in reducing crime. In 1974, Baltimore bought handguns from the public at $50 each. They spent $750,000 before running out of money. Crime did not decrease as predicted, it increased!
To the editor:
Criminals would not be the ones affected by gun control laws. As stated in an earlier letter, felons cannot be prosecuted for not registering their firearms. Furthermore, last year Congress held hearings on the issue of a legal flow of guns into the U.S. from Mexico.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled only three times on second amendment rights.
IN THE SECOND, Presser v. Illinois in 1886, the Court stated that "... all citizens capable of bearing arms constitute the ... reserve militia ... the States cannot ... prohibit the people from keeping and bearing arms."
In the first, the United States brought suit in 1876 against Cruskish, a Ku Klux Klan member, for confiscating firearms from two black men. The Court didn't reject the men's arguments, but ruled that the federal government could not help them.
The Court ruled that "Certainly it is not within judicial notice that this weapon (a "saved-off" shotgun) ... could contribute to the common defense. ... The first U.S. law on this subject was the common defense" clause when it was suggested to limit the second amendment.
EVEN SO THE Court said "the militia comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense, and as such should be expected to appear bearing arms supplied by
The 1939 case, U.S. v. Miller, is most often cited by anti-gun forces. In it the Court held that a defendant was constitutional. Unfortunately, the defendants were released and disappeared before the Supreme Court hearing. Thus the court ruled that the defendant and there was no defense counsel.
] ]
Further evidences that the Second Amendment was intended to include all people are the deletions made from the original version. It provided only for firearms for the militia and allowed people "religiously to be free from rendering military service."
themselves and of the kind in common use at the time."
Both clauses were rejected for fear that, in the style of James I, a tyrannical government could use them as an excuse to disarm the public.
In looking at the facts, we can ask to who is peripathetic the myths. At the very least, it is hard to know.
John B. Barrett Clearwater junior
Disco has purpose to make bars safe To the editor:
This letter is in response to the series of articles in the Kanan misconceive discoverer in Lawrence. Let us not forget that the misconceived function—it keeps the riff-raft out of the bars.
John Hadjis
Clarksburg, W. Va. freshman
and 1 others
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