THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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OPINION
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2006
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OUR OPINION
Drug policy harms neediest students
PAGE 7A
At least 175,000 people have been denied federal financial aid since 2000 because of their drug convictions, according to Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, a students' rights advocacy group.
It all began with the Higher Education Act, which originated more than 30 years ago to provide financial aid and improve educational opportunities for low-income populations. In 1998, an amendment to the HEA, known as the Drug Provision, introduced restrictions for students with previous drug offenses. The provision dictates that a student convicted once of possession is ineligible to apply for federal aid for a year. A second possession offense, or one selling offense, means a student is ineligible for two years.
The Drug Provision is a blanket policy that does not take into consideration students on an individual basis and is flawed for various other reasons. First, the convicted students are already "at-risk." Denying aid to these students is more likely to result in them dropping out of college, because they cannot afford it. Would they really do fewer drugs if they couldn't go to college? Second, to limit the number of deserving students eligible for federal aid is counterproductive. There's already a minimum GPA requirement for receiving aid, so essentially the Drug Provision only affects students who are doing well in school. And third, it tries to be somewhat helpful by including a provision stating a student can resume eligibility for aid if he or she completes a drug rehabilitation program that meets certain requirements. Yet the student is expected to foot the bill. How can someone be expected to pay for drug rehab when he or she is poor enough in the first place to qualify to apply for aid?
Issue: Denial of federal aid and drug convictions
Stance: The penalty for drug convictions is too severe.
It doesn't just affect federal aid either. According to the Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform, 11 states, including Kansas, follow the federal eligibility guidelines when they could determine their own guidelines for state financial aid. The Kansas Board of Regents awards aid packages to individual universities and advises each to follow the federal eligibility guidelines.
Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill that changed part of the Drug Provision. It says people who weren't in school at the time of conviction could apply for aid. That may help non-traditional students but for students still enrolled in school it does nothing.
- Malinda Osborne for the editorial board
The Drug Provision needs to be repealed entirely. Students with drug convictions are already being punished by the courts, school administrators and their parents. The federal and state government shouldn't have to get involved as well. We all make mistakes. Students with drug convictions shouldn't have to pay such a hefty price for theirs.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Danish cartoons threaten free speech
What many may celebrate as the triumph of "freedom of speech," many others are forced to acknowledge as its failure. Publishing the Danish cartoons defaming the Prophet Muhammad was an act of free expression. But it is also, in essence, a tragic abuse of that same right
What was the purpose of the Danish cartoons? It was tasteless humor, perhaps. Indeed, the Danish cartoons probably entertained a few people, and hurt about a billion Muslims in a world with escalating religious tensions.
We as Muslims of KU condemn all acts of violence conducted in ignorance and contrary to the ways of the beloved prophet. We condemn all similar acts of abuse of the precious right to freedom of speech.
As Muslims, we hold the Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him, in higher regard and dearer to us than any other human being, even our parents. We are deeply hurt when he is defamed in any manner. When our Prophet was ridiculed and slandered, words could not describe our distress.
Not all global citizens will agree with that view. To many, not publishing the cartoons would be an act of cowardice, or yielding to unreasonable Muslim
demands at the expense of freedom of speech. But it is easy to overlook that one objective, perhaps the sole objective, of the right to free speech is the harmonious co-existence of individuals with strikingly different views.
We salute The University Daily Kansan's decision not to publish the cartoons, and its stance: "Our paper didn't think it was ethical to publish cartoons that show the prophet Muhammad, which by itself is forbidden in the Muslim faith, in such an offensive light."
Most respectable periodicals in the United States today would simply not publish humorous cartoons about the holocaust. The New York Times and many others did not publish the offensive cartoons. While many are appalled by this stance and are even labeling it as censorship, we salute it as a celebration of human dignity.
It is clear that the only path of healing and progress is one involving education and understanding. Perhaps it is our duty to explain why we, as Muslims, are so deeply hurt by the cartoons in the first place. Many non-Muslims are wrongfully defaming him, while many Muslims continue to earn a reputation for violence.
Mohammad Rahman for the Muslim Student Association
COMMENTARY
Americans should act to prevent genocide
It was certainly a surprise to hear that Dick Cheney accidentally shot his hunting partner; it's not every day that our Vice President shoots someone.
But if this concept is shocking to you, you'd be absolutely horrified by the actions of the rulers of another country on the other side of the world.
This is a nation that has funded the murder of 400,000 of its people, the displacement of 2.5 million people from their homes and the brutal rape of countless thousands of women, all innocent of any crime except being of a certain race.
And the worst part is, while everyone knows about the Cheney incident, only a precious few are aware of these terrible acts committed by a government half a world away.
The country is the African nation of Sudan, and the victims are the citizens of Darfur, a western region of the country.
Like the Holocaust, like Saddam Hussein's killing of the Kurds and like the slaughtering of the Tutsi tribe depicted in "Hotel Rwanda," this is genocide. And like those instances, the rest of the world is sitting by and letting it happen.
The United Nations defines genocide as taking action to destroy a group of people linked by nationality, ethnicity, race or religion. Killing masses of
MATT ERICKSON
opinion@kansan.com
people for who they are, not for what they've done, is the most despicable, the most disgusting, the most unfortunate of all acts
According to savedarfur.org, after rebel groups from Darfur attacked the Sudanese government in 2003, the government enlisted the help of Arab militias, sometimes called the "Janjaweed," to clear people out of the areas that were rebelling.
The Ianjaweed did so by arbitrarily killing and displacing thousands of innocent African civilians, while also looting villages and raping women. These atrocities continue today.
The government-funded Janjaweed — whose members are of Arab descent — are trying to wipe out Darfur's citizens of African race.
You've heard no public outy about this because few people know about it and because the national media have reported little to nothing about it.
One study, released by the American Progress Action Fund and the Genocide Intervention
Fund, found that major network and cable TV programs devoted 50 times as much coverage to Michael Jackson's trial as they did to Darfur during June 2005, while giving Tom Cruise's antics 12 times as much and the "Runawav Bride" four times as much.
For those of you keeping score at home, that's a total of 66 times more coverage devoted to complete, utter ridiculousness than was devoted to a genocide that has taken thousands of lives.
The late Sen. Paul Simon once said that the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s might have been stopped by the United States if just 100 people in each congressional district had written letters demanding action. Of course, that didn't happen.
But there is still time to make it happen for the people of Darfur. Write the president, your congressman or the editor of a local or national newspaper, asking them all to focus more attention on the issue. Look for campus organizations devoted to Darfur or other humanitarian crises.
Now that you know about Darfur, you can do something about it. There are still thousands of lives left to save.
- Erickson is an Olathe freshman in journalism and political science.
POLL RESULTS
The University Daily Kansan recently published a poll online asking readers "Should American media print or broadcast the cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad?" Here are the unscientific results of that poll:
Yes, this is a matter of the first amendment right to freedom of speech. 57%
*Yes, the papers should not base decisions to publish on offending people - 21%
Total votes:268
Free All for Call 864-0500
- No, the cartoons are not necessary to telling the story completely - 13%
No, the cartoons are offensive and have no business in American media - 8%
Free for all callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slander and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
I've been missing a lot of class, Free-for-All. But I wasn't really sad to be missing it.
I just saw a squirrel with a paper in its mouth. Even nature loves the Kansan.
Friends don't let friends play Sudoku.
Come on editor, give me a comment below this. Can we get free condoms at the health center? (Editor's note: Yes)
divorced, washed-up singers seducing a pre-pubescent teenage boy at a Pizza Hut.
Cassie Johnson of the American Olympics curling team, I don't care that you didn't get the gold, because I got platinum right here for you baby.
Nothing screams sexy like
Twenty-one people have been written up in housing because of facebook pictures
in the last week. Am I the only one that thinks there's something wrong with this?
Warning housing residents: You better take your pictures of you drinking off facebook.
Big brother's watching.
864-4854 or jjaalinq@kkanan.com
Joshua Bickel, managing editor
864-4854 or bickel@kkanan.com
Nate Karlin, managing editor
864-4854 or karlin@kkanan.com
Jason Shadi, opinion editor
864-4854 or shadi@kkanan.com
"It's a great way to get involved with and benefit your community." Holt said about student volunteers.
Jonathan Keeling, editor
864-4854 or jkealing@kansan.com
The Lawrence Humane Society reaches out to the animal world every day, and I encourage everyone to get involved in this phenomenal organization. The society provides the generous touch that keeps eyes sparkling, coats shining and tails wagging.
TALK TO US
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- Syring is a Salina sophomore in journalism.
Also: The Kanaan will not print guest columns that attack a reporter or another columnist.
Patrick Roa, associate opinion editor
864-4924 or. dross@kansan.com
KAITLYN SYRING opinion@kansan.com
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
The giant paw prints painted on the outside of the building are the first indication that the Lawrence Humane Society cares about the well-being of animals. This branch of the Humane Society, located at 1805 E. 19th St., acts as an advocate for all animals in the Lawrence community. It takes in the truly tired, hungry and tempest-tossed, and provides a blanket, a bowl of food and the promise of a better life. All of which could not be more graciously accepted by any bodies but those covered in fur.
There are also ways you can aid the Humane Society without opening your pockets. Volunteers are always welcome
The Humane Society is a nonprofit organization. Its funding comes entirely from donations and fundraisers. The smallest donation makes a gigantic difference. Just $1, the cost of a pop from the vending machine, feeds an animal for a day. Donating $10 vaccinates one animal. Every single kitten at the Lawrence Humane Society can be fed for a day on just $25. The Society also gladly accepts any donations of dog and cat food, cat litter, towels, dog and cat bowls, and dog and cat tows.
COMMENTARY
Animals deserve a helping hand
According to its Web site, the Lawrence Humane Society saves the lives of 6,000 animals, supports 800 cruelty investigations, and provides 2,000 critters with homes all in one year. That is a tremendous amount of work, but the staff finds it very rewarding. Charles Holt, who has worked at the Lawrence Humane Society for over a year, said he enjoyed his job. "I like helping out the animals," Holt said. "It's nice placing them in homes and ensuring they will be taken care of."
EDITORIAL BOARD
All of these wonderful accom plishments come at a large price to the Humane Society. It harbors more animals than there is money with which to aid them.
Jonathan Kealing, Joanna Bicket, Nate Karlin,
Jason Shaad, Patrick Ross, Ty Beaver, John
Jordan, Malinda Osborne
"I think we have about 700 right now," Holt said of the resident animals.
Caring for all the animals requires an overwhelming amount of supplies. The Lawrence Humane Society lists all the extreme numbers of each supply needed on its Web site. For instance, it requires 800 pounds of dog food to feed all the dogs at the Society for just one day. In one month, 4.5 tons of cat litter are used. It costs the society $600,000 annually to care for its animals. So, where do they get all that money?
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