OPINION
7A
THE UNIVERSITY DAIRY KANSAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008
COMMENTARY
War puts 'high' price not only on gasoline, but also freedom
150,000 Iraqis have perished in the war and although the U.S. death toll is lower by comparison, at 4,000, it does not reduce the stain that is placed on the hearts of family members and friends. Not only for those who have fallen, but for those who are at risk.
ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON
At 21, I recently found myself getting a moral lesson from an unlikely source: a corny after school TV show. Throughout the scattered messages regarding family values, one statement in particular got me thinking, "There's a high price for freedom and very little gratitude for the sacrifice made." Amidst the chaos that is my life, I find myself either purposely evading or innocently forgetting the fact that we are at war. If it wasn't for the daily news coverage regarding "our progress", I would feel like my only connection to the war throughout these past five years would be the fluctuating gas prices.
The statement reminded me that I do have a connection to the war and that it runs deeper than gas prices and newspapers. With the war occurring away from our home, it can be easy to separate ourselves from the political turmoil that is enveloping the rest of the world. The widely felt and expressed patriotism following 9/11, has slightly diminished over the course of the war.
And in contrast to my feeling separated, some students may feel the reality of war is a little closer
to home having close family members and friends who are currently serving tours. Topeka Junior Mallory Padilla added, "I never thought that a war would affect me or my family directly. When the United States declared war against Iraq my older brother decided to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in May of 2007 and less than a year later he is at war. It is hard going through each day knowing my brother is in a war zone. I respect him for risking his life for our county, our freedom, and other country's freedom. All I can do is pray that he comes home safe after his 15 month tour. The war in Iraq is now a reality to my family and me."
Reading the actual words and being able to grasp the sentiment that comes across is enlightening. It reminds me of the selfless service that they provide. Plus it reminds me that, although I don't have close family members or friends who are currently deployed, there are countless students and families who are thinking about the service there loved ones are serving every day.
In lieu of the toll reaching 4,000, USA Today and The New York Times, on March 25, published letters from six fallen soldiers. In addition to the letters, both publications featured photos of the most recently deceased 1,000 soldiers. Putting faces with the names also reiterated the reality of the conflict.
McNaughton is a Topeka junior in journalism.
BLOGS@KANSAN.COM
Friend of lim
Jayhawks, the tourney and subsequent hoopla
Seriously, male streakers on Mass. Street? That shit is messed up. I guess a good victory deserves a good flopping around the city.
I don't keep up with Jayhawk basketball as much as others do. But now that we've made it to the national championship, I'm both proud and weirded out by all of the pandemonium in town.
What kind of stories do you have from the NCAA tournament? Final four craziness or post-title game shenanigans? (Seriously, if you were dinging your dong around the streets of Lawrence, I wouldn't judge... too much.)
Two of music's biggest
names get married
By Brian Lewis-Jones Monday, April 7, 2008
Looks like his' Big Pimpin' days might be over. People. com and numerous media outlets are reporting rapper Jay-Z and singer Beyonce Knowles got hitched over the weekend.
By Matt Lindberg Sunday, April 6, 2008
The two got a marriage licence in New York on April 1st, making most think it was a hoax. However, the two reportedly married on Friday April 4th in New York City in front of close friends and family.
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》 FROM THE DRAWING BOARD
Tyler Dohering
COMMENTARY
Brother,can you spare some credit hours?
Having a grown man twice your age stare into your eyes and cry, trying to explain how only a year ago he lost a successful business, his wife, children and the roof over his head was just within the first two hours of my service learning experience.
I enrolled in a service learning class on accident. A speaker came to my history class speaking French and using a slinky metaphor to explain the goal of service learning. Overall, it came down to linking class material to an actual need in the community through an advanced level of volunteering. I was a little bit hesitant about what I was getting into, but the other option was to write a research paper so I decided to go with the service.
My hesitant feelings increased the first night I walked between two rows of homeless men into the Lawrence Community Shelter. I entered a crowded room with mats and people occupying them covering the dusty tile floor. After walking just a few feet past the entrance I saw people lining up for dinner, coming to and from the showers, looking for spare blankets, and organizing their possessions next to their mats. Being tossed into the
chaos of people my fellow classmate and 1, were immediately put to work and served dinner to about 40 people.
After the first night, service became more than just being an extra pair of hands. Service learning is about actually talking to the people you are handing the food to. Those people you ignore and walk by on Mass Street deserve to be acknowledged instead of looked down on.
Now, after working there for the past two months, I value the lessons I have learned from the homeless people staying in the shelter just as much as the lectures given from any of my professors. There are actually previous KU students who are now staying in the homeless shelter. Things like that have made me ask more questions about the reasons people become homeless.
This is an opportunity for people who learn better by actually getting hands-on experience. I decided to
work in a shelter, but there were various places to choose from. To receive a certification that will be placed on your transcript, you first need to complete a service learning class and an independent project. Those are followed by some directed readings and what the Center for Service Learning calls a "reflection", but from my understanding you pretty much just go talk about what you've been doing. To find out about classes you can take just search for "service learning" at the University's homepage and go from there.
There is no excuse to shy away from taking a service learning class. As long as you know how to read and can carry on a conversation there's no reason you shouldn't add to your record. I've heard the dreaded phrase "it looks good on a resume" one two many times, yet in this case it's true, and it's actually worth doing. If you are one of the people who have deliberately walked past a homeless person downtown this is an experience you need to have in order to gain a perspective beyond college life.
Thornbrugh is a Lenexa sophomore in women's studies and creative writing.
COMMENTARY
Diet pills not to blame for women's thin image
OK so I admit it. I stare into the mirror and start making a list in my head on what I could improve. Smaller butt, bigger chest, tighter abs...you know the list I'm talking about.
It's hard not to think about these things when I stare at these skinny women in magazines and on TV all day. But I think we give the media too much credit, and we never stop to ask ourselves why these images are accepted in our society. Could it be that we create these images ourselves, endorse them, and that the media just reflects what we've already produced?
There is a new Web site called missbimbo.com, which is similar to The Sims except you control your own "bimbo." The game is aimed at young girls between ages 9 to 15, and the "bimbos" resemble the dolls called Bratz. Girls can control their "bimbo," and make their "bimbos" take diet pills and get plastic surgery. The site is currently shut down saying, "As a result of this rather surprising media attention we have decided to remove the option of purchasing diet pills from the game."
Girls might be getting the wrong message about their bodies, but they will get this message somewhere else eventually. I think this game offers a sad, but realistic view of our society. Missbimbo.com isn't the issue; it isn't to blame for young girls receiving the wrong
The real issue is that we (as a society) easily allow these products (diet pills, plastic surgery, etc.) to be within reach of our children. We create the products and then wonder why our children are obsessed with their bodies. We became obsessed with the human body, so we created ways to try and improve it, and then we tried to blame the media. It is not the media.
message about their bodies. Why are we so easy to point the finger at something new?
It is us. We are the ones who create the products and we are the ones who endorse them by buying them. By doing this, we are showing our children that these products are the answer.
reality and a video game? If that really was the case, then I would blame the parents for not teaching them better. These violent video games are just another product of ourselves and what we have made a reality in our society. Anyone remember World War II?
We blame the media for everything. It is a cop-out. The media caused the Columbine shooting. Right. It had nothing to do with the two shooters' upbringing. It had nothing to do with the fact that in this society, the boys were able to get a hold of two shotguns. No, it really was all those video games that made him do it. Please! The boys were 17-and-18-years-old and didn't know the difference from
I'm just sick of everyone blaming the media for issues that we ourselves make. I'm not saying the media hasn't played its part, but the majority of the problem is that we feed into the problem. Instead of understanding why we expect women to look model-like.
Maybe if we pay attention to the images we've created, we can better understand why we continue to endorse these unrealistic images of women. We will stop placing the blame on the media and open our eyes to all the other influences that surround us daily. And maybe when I'm looking into the mirror, instead of making a list on what's wrong with me, I can make a list on what's wrong with society for making me think this.
We actually create products that will allow women to get closer to this ideal. And then we turn around and say, "How dare you media! How dare you show us skinny women!" When the real problem is, why do we expect women to look like this?
Earles is an Olathe senior in journalism.
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Mario for Student Senate president!
--decent weather.
--decent weather.
--decent weather.
I'm guilty for skipping classes so much, but I also can't bring myself to care anymore.
--decent weather.
To the girl who fell out of the tree on Mass. Monday night, that was fucking hilarious.
I have a bandaid on my dick.
Damn it feels good to be a Jayhawk. A real Jayhawk knows how to play its cards right!
--decent weather.
I was right when I thought to myself "You still won't get that paper done on time with this day off"
Monday night.
GSP/Corbin desk workers:
Couldn't you have adjusted
the rules for one night because
of the big win? My guy
friends thoroughly enjoyed
sleeping in their vehicle on
Monday night
--decent weather.
NOT!
To the random boy that made out with me on Mass, in front of the sandal shop, thank you so much. It made my night.
I'm so relieved that Chancellor Bob decided to follow precedent and cancel our classes. Although personally, I think he should give us the whole week off. Maybe that's just me.
--decent weather.
Dear Chalmers, Arthur, Collins and Rush: please stay at KU for one more year. You boys mean so much to the University, and we'd love to see you play for KU again in 2009.
--decent weather.
Love your fellow students.
To the girl that knocked the beer out of my hand, it's OK. Apology accepted. We won, and that's all that matters.
--decent weather.
Dear Mother Nature, have you been on your menstrual cycle since October? Quit pissing all over Kansas and give us some weather
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I was in the Housing office today when it flooded, and I got sprayed with the mythical nasty, black sprinkler water. It was gross
@KANSAN.COM
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