Check out more Free-for-All at kansan.com
al
l/
e
n
ul
alf
n-
oe
ald
oub
m
a
a
ull,
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
OUR OPINION
Parking just got more expensive again
Rising gas prices aren't the only concern for commuter students at the University.
For the second year in a row, the cost of a parking permit has increased. It will cost $160 to park in a yellow lot beginning next fall. That's $20, or 22 percent, more than it cost this academic year. What's more alarming is that the new rate is twice what it cost to park on campus two years ago.
The Parking Department announced last spring that a rate increase was likely to begin affecting parking rates in fall 2005, and it delivered on that. The increase was needed, it said, to construct a new Park & Ride lot on West Campus and to provide maintenance for existing parking lots. When questioned about raising rates more gradually over several years, the department said a quick increase would allow them to better meet maintenance demands and debt could be dealt with more quickly.
But rates are already increasing again. History indicates that parking rates increase about every four or five years, a fact that parking department director Donna Hultine pointed out in a letter to The University Daily Kansan when the fall 2005 rate increase was announced. Hultine said the newest increase is meant to cover the growing cost of Park & Ride, a service not all students use. The department
Issue: Another increase in the cost of parking permits
Stance: Students bear the burden of continual jumps in parking fees
Such a large increase in such a short amount of time is bound to effect students. The cost of attending the University is constantly increasing and with other necessities, including parking, rising in cost as well, something is bound to give. Students have to budget more carefully, work more instead of studying and perhaps take out larger loans.
did not communicate that it planned to increase rates again so quickly.
The Parking Department must find the resources to provide parking for the University, but it needs to keep in mind what expenses, other than a parking permit, students must bear.
It is important to accommodate the increasing demand for parking on campus while also maintaining the current parking infrastructure. At the same time, the Parking Department needs to decide how and when increases are going to occur so students can prepare themselves.
Ty Beaver for the editorial board
Free All for Call 864-0500
free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
Outline
serve this election. You did so much less work, and just because you get the support of the greeks, you think that means you've won the
Cars that get less than 25 miles per gallon should be outlawed.
Free-for-All, I just saw a frat guy driving a Dodge Dakota, listening to Jack Johnson, and I chuckled a little bit.
So there's no soap in the Wesco bathroom. I think KU wants me to get the mumps. My jaw hurts already.
If Playboy prints the two girls that were printed in today's paper, I will be so ashamed of KU it won't even be funny.
serve this election. You did so much less work, and just because you get the support of the greeks, you think that means you've won the
I just saw two girls in front of Lewis smoking while sunbathing. They obviously love cancer.
Yeah, the supposed path for the new Park & Ride shuttle is probably the stupidest path I've ever seen. Way to
serve this election. You did so much less work, and just because you get the support of the greeks, you think that means you've won the
I think it's really funny how the Playboy article is right above a rape article in today's paper. Ignite, you don't even deserve this election. You did so much less work, and just because you get the support of the greeks, you think that means you've won the
图
Everybody's freaking out about the mumps outbreak, but I say we should just look on the bright side and be thankful that it's not the 28 Days Later
three South.
It's really encouraging to know that the students of KU find that having a party bus is more important than fighting against genocide in Sudan. Go KU.
three South.
Sudan.
Do you ever wonder how long it takes a giraffe to swallow a bit of food?
Delta Force kicked ass. Thank you. Regardless if we won or lost, we're gonna be in senate, so Ignite, watch out.
Hey Free-for-All, how come every year I go to KU, I get a little dumber? I'm dying
My mumps,my mumps,my mumps,my mumps.
three South.
More than 6 million people play the online game World of Warcraft. That's more than the population of Denmark. If that's true, then my boyfriend must be the president.
To the people whose spot we took, I just want to tell you to grow up and drive a little faster. Love, Corbin three South.
--three South.
图
Jonathan Kealing, editor
844-8485 or jeasling@kansasan.edu
Joshnu Blickel, managing editor
844-8618 or jackell@kansasan.edu
Nesta Karlin, managing editor
844-8544 or nkarlin@kansasan.edu
Jason Shaeh, opinion editor
Patrick Ross, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or prosx@kansan.com
TALK TO US
Art Ben, business manager
864-4462 or adddirector@kansan.com
Sarah Connetly, sales manager
864-4462 or adsales@kansan.com
Maicoim Gibson, general manager, news adviser
884-7687 or mglibson@kansen.com
Redefining words doesn't solve government problems
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7888 or jweaver@kansan.com
COMMENTARY
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," mused Shakespeare. But on the same line of thought, if you call bovine feces arose, would it stop reeking?
President Bush uses the same technique during controversy. He wasn't illegally spying with warrantless wiretaps. He authorized a terrorist surveillance program. Social Security reform is no longer about private accounts but instead the more lovable personal accounts. Iraq has secular violence — a very different view than Iraq's former Prime Minister, Ayad Allawi, who told the BBC, "If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is." The only real differences, of course, are the words.
the process through which science enters into its decisions."
The president may be one of the most impressive wordsmiths of his generation. Adored by his fans for his innovation and untraditional approach to language, he now has branched out and paints a verbal picture with such visual imagery that he puts Clinton's definition of "is" to shame. I only wish that we could get a real leader who had enough courage and respect for the American people to tell us when a rose is actually a rose and not a steaming pile of manure.
PAGE 5A
LaMort is a Cherryvale senior in psychology and political science.
Controlling language is fundamental to controlling perception. The president knows this, and at a time when his public approval ratings are moving as fast as gas prices, albeit in opposite directions, he's desperate to show some good news. This is where the semantics become important.
Religious criticism is necessary
It is about time someone spoke out against the discriminatory practices of the Catholic Church. As a victim of 11 years of parochial schooling, I witnessed how backwards and outdated the church can be. More people should criticize an institution that condemms women in the priesthood, premarital sex, and homosexuality.
If you're guessing the answer is no then I have to warn you that our administration is serving us a huge bouquet of BS.
One way this insidious method is used is government studies given to the press as signs of the progress being made such as Bush's wetland initiative. By changing a few definitions, the perception that problems are being fixed can occur without all the mess of actually fixing the problem. Last March the Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service reported the first gain in wetlands since the government started keeping track a half century ago. Wetlands are important because they filter pollutants, stop coastal erosion and are an essential habitat to
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I would like to pose a final question for the writer of the commentary. Were those your opinions expressed in your column, or those of your priest?
JUSTIN LAMORT
opinion@kansan.com
It has gotten so bad that scientists have had to start protesting. The Union of Concerned Scientists, which includes Nobel laureates, National Medal of Science recipients, former senior advisers to administrations of both parties, numerous members of the National Academy of Sciences and other well-known researchers, wrote that the Bush administration committed widespread and unprecedented "manipulation of
Great news, right? Nope, the only change was the definition of wetlands. The definition was expanded to include things such as water hazards on golf courses and nearly anything else moist. What an appropriate idea from a man who wanted to replace the Clean Air Act with the Clear Sky initiative that would have allowed 20 more tons of mercury into the environment each year. I guess it's healthy if we don't see it.
many animals.
Richard Martinez
Topeka sophomore in psychology and American studies
More importantly, the Vatican should stop trying to influence the laws of the United States. Our constitution clearly dictates that there should be an absolute separation of church and state. Why then, does a certain president use his personal religious beliefs to support political agendas?
I would not call San Francisco's response to the Catholic Church's stance on gay adoption "hateful and discriminatory rhetoric," as a columnist in The University Daily Kansan claims. Instead, I would call it well-deserved. The Catholic Church tries too hard to control the thoughts
Instead of following the commands of an elected pope, Catholics should form their own interpretations of the Bible. And I don't mean interpret it word for word, but look at the morals of the teachings. After all, you can't analyze a text written more than 2,000 years ago and expect it to apply perfectly to modern society. Plus, the Bible has been rewritten many times since the apostles wrote it. It would have been extremely easy to slip in a bad word or two against a minority group.
and actions of its followers around the world. They call for a clear reduction in free-thinking.
I am writing in response to the article, "Choice of a Lifetime," written by Erin Wisdom in The University Daily Kansan on Thursday, April 13. This article was not a news item; it was strongly biased toward pro-life political ends. To publish such an article as news and not as an editorial piece does not demonstrate the journalistic integrity that is expected from our university newspaper. I am disappointed that the editorial staff allowed such propaganda to be published under the guise of "fair and balanced" reporting.
Erin Finzer Lawrence graduate student in Spanish
One thing that I took away from my Science Wars class was: when encountering scientific studies, you must remember that most research is funded or completed by an organization with a specific desired outcome. Erin Wisdom provides overwhelming evidence swaying her argument toward the "right to life" argument without giving the choice stance in fighting chance.
Joy Lawson Olathe senior. in Women's Studies
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Abortion story sends slanted message
Even as we look at the terminology of the right to life movement we see that in our society there is overwhelming power assigned to the word "life." Choice stands as the antithesis of the "right to life movement," and as it assumes this position the word automatically takes on a negative connotation. Choice does not mean anti-life and it does not mean anti-religion. Choice means the ability to decide when, how many, and if you want to have children.
What the article does not state will hurt women the most. Yeah, women deserve better than abortion. But what is the anti-choice movement doing to prevent pregnancy in the first place? Instead of putting an ideological band-aid on the issue of abortion we need to address WHY it is women are utilizing these services. If we really want to reduce the numbers of abortions being performed, we need to engage preventative measures through which we educate and create access to methods that would prevent pregnancy. Wisdom states that 27 percent of abortions end in infection, but fails to remind the reader that because abortions are performed in safe, clean, medically sanctioned conditions they are safer than wisdom tooth extraction. We should value women's lives enough to not allow our government to restrict access to abortion.
The mixed messages we receive in sex education and socialization concerning our sexuality and our reproductive systems coupled with the shame that society places on asserting control over our own futures and our own bodies is outstanding. Wisdom's piece cites mental instability and physical harm as side effects of abortion. Sonograms and statistics from the Mayo clinic force us to assign a fetus human status and to assume a submissive, self-sacrificing role placing our health, needs and desires in a secondary role.
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 500 word limit
Include: Author's name; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
Also: The Kansas will not print guest columns that attack a reporter or another columnist.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jonathan Kealing, Joshua Bickel, Nate Karlin,
'Jason Shaad, Patrick Ross, Ty Beaver, John
Jordain, Malinda Debsborne
SUBMIT TO
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
(786) 864-4810, opinion@kansan.com
SUBMISSIONS
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
The Kansen welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
The Kansen reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions.
For any questions, call Jason Shaad or Patrick Ross at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
A
LETTER GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 200 word limit
Include: Author's name and telephone number; class, home town (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
Y