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University Daily Kansan
Opinion
Friday, Feb. 21, 1986
No margin for error
Since the first American rocketed into space in 1961, the U.S. space program has enjoyed, and earned, the admiration of the country.
The honeymoon is over.
Space exploration appealed to our imagination and its safety record appealed to our national pride. We made heroes of its astronauts, Launches and landings were always news.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration benefited from this goodwill. Broad public support distinguished NASA from other government agencies.
It dodged charges of overspending aimed at the Pentagon. It avoided the divisiveness that plagued the Environmental Protection Agency or the government welfare programs.
The explosion last month of the space shuttle Challenger has called popular support for NASA into question. Increasingly the agency is seen as just another cumbersome, inefficient federal bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy may be a fine way to send out Social Security checks or even to field a peacetime army. Bureaucracies thrive on routine.
But no longer.
In the past, the space program has been characterized by its attention to the extra margin of safety. This apparently has given away to the mentality of the Department of Defense — when in doubt, proceed.
But putting seven astronauts atop what has been described as a small atomic bomb and blasting them into space is not, and should not be treated as, routine.
This mentality creates a pattern typical of large bureaucracies.
Upper-level officials deny there are any serious safety problems with the shuttle program. Middle-level engineers then come forth with their files full of warnings and com-
paints that they say have been ignored by their superiors.
NASA engineers who worried about the potential for a catastrophic failure of the Q-rings that sealed the shuttle's rocket booster sections — the apparent culprit in the explosion — were overruled. The problem, NASA determined before the explosion, was within acceptable margins of safety.
Despite all this, no one considers — or ought to consider — halting the shuttle program. Space exploration appeals to our imaginations and a sense of global purpose and must continue.
All this catches the shuttle program as it battles an image of overcautiousness and unreliability. Launches have been canceled or delayed because of threatening weather and computer glitches.
Even the personnel changes announced yesterday by NASA seem a part of this bureaucratic pattern. Naming a former astronaut to head the shuttle program looks more like a ploy to regain public confidence than to truly guarantee safe shuttle missions.
Engineers who work for the company that manufactures the booster warned that low temperatures on launch day could harm the rubber seals. The warnings never reached NASA. The company officially recommended that the launch proceed.
The expectations of the shuttle's commercial users have led the push toward the "routine" shuttle mission. And, as usual, safeguards considered unnecessary are the first to be branded expensive
But if we plan to send our representatives into already dangerous territory, those we charge with the job have to remember the special nature of their responsibility.
There is little margin for error and no room for negligence, recklessness or baste.
Rise above the 'Cats
The Wildcats are coming to town again.
But let's not get out of hand. Healthy rivalties become unhealthy when they are tainted with ugly incidents.
The added spice of the intrastate rivalry usually makes this a weekend of note. Many KU students will not be able to resist the chance to taunt and abuse the Purple People, especially since the Jayhawks already have clinched a tie for the Big Eight title.
Such was the case when our team traveled to Manhattan earlier this season. Many Wildcat fans were, well, obnoxious.
Live chickens were flung from the upper deck of Ahearn Field House, fluttering and swooping their way back to earth and onto the heads of the fans in the lower level of the stadium.
A constant rain of paper-
Even our Baby Jayhawk mascot was a victim, getting passed hand to hand up the rows of students.
And now the Wildcats are on their way here, and many KU fans probably are eager for the chance to send them home with their tails tucked between their legs.
Besides, anyone who has watched Willie the Wildcat's antics has longed to pass him up the stands and out the door.
wads made it necessary to post guards armed with trashbags around the basketball court.
But let's show a little more class tomorrow. The poorly behaved fans in Manhattan demonstrated the actions of losers in support of a losing team.
What greater humiliation could we inflict than refusing to lower ourselves to that level?
News staff
News staff
Michael Totty ... Editor
Lauretta McMillen ... Managing editor
Chris Barber ... Editorial editor
Cindy McCurry ... Campus editor
David Giles ... Sports editor
Brice Waddill ... Photo editor
Susanne Shaw ... General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Brett McCabe ... Business manager
David Nixon ... Retail sales manager
Jim Williamson ... Campus manager
Lloyd Eckert ... Classified manager
Caroline Innes ... Production manager
Pullen Lee ... National manager
John Oberzan ... Sales and marketing adviser
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Bovcott may have sad consequences
Cafeteria food. It's the subject of many jokes and keeps the local pizza places in business. But what can you do about it?
Boycott we did, as was reported on the front page of the Kansan on Wednesday (Feb. 19). In retrospect, however, our actions were unorganized and misdirected. The unfortunate consequences may be that a few if not all of our full-time cafeteria workers will be moved elsewhere. That's not what we had in mind at all.
When a few Hashinger Hall residents decided to take the matter into their own hands last week, the majority of our residents were eager to jump on the better vittles band-wagon. "Boycott the cafeteria!" The shot rang out. Short of bombing the salad bar, it seemed a wonderful, non-violent form of protest.
Our story begins, appropriately enough, in the bathroom. One deep, dark night last week, flyers were placed in each of the Hashinger bathrooms. These papers strong, goget-em language made one lose his or her appetite for breakfast. They related how our cafeteria served grade "D" beef and how the food supervisors received bonuses and kickbacks for operating under budget. The flyers proposed a cafeteria boycott to let the powers that-bear know we felt.
"Ah-hah!" we exclaimed as we brushed our teeth that morning.
Eric Young
Guest columnist
"This explains everything! Grade D' beef? Must be pretty bad stuff." But was it true?
The handout had been written and distributed the night before by a handful of Hashinger residents. A witness said a member of the antidibles group who was running off the copies told him that the group didn't really know if the stuff was true.
Why would our residents want to start such a thing in the first place? It is not that Hashinger's food is of a markedly lower quality than that served in the other residence halls. (Indeed, students who've transferred from the other halls say there is no difference.) There was a growing feeling, however, that the dietary management was out of touch with our concerns and didn't seem to be responding. We wanted a way to make them aware of our feelings. A boycott seemed ideal.
When word got out that the Kansan would be covering the event, the fate of the meal was sealed. No one who believed in the American way, who held dear the ideals of of Thoreau and Gandhi, would be caught dead toting a cafeteria tray that night. Anyone for mom's hot dogs, apple pie and the
family Chevrolet was for the boycott.
We soon found out, however, that there was no such thing as grade "D" (except maybe from radioactive cows?) beef. And the part about the kickbacks was looking more and more suspicious.
No retraction was made, however.
New signs were posted that the
No one who believed in the American way,who held dear the ideals of Thoreau and Gandhi,would be caught dead tooting a cafeteria tray that night.
boycott was now scheduled for the evening meal, Tuesday, Feb. 18. Meanwhile, Lenoir Ekdahl, director of food services, agreed to meet with any disgruntled, indigated individuals Monday night. She was open to discussing our grievances.
Those who met with Ekdahl that night were not representative of the general feeling here at Hashinger. Indeed, we wondered, just what was the idea behind the whole thing? What were we boycotting, and why?
While still no one could answer that
question, only 41 of the 200 or residents who usually eat did sit Tuesday night. All seemed well, the reporters came, and with that act of civil obedience we probably made it into the next issue of the KU anarchists' handbook.
There is no happy ending to the story, however. The news the next day was not what we expected. Everyone could now see the whole matter had been handled inexply by a handful of self-appointed leaders who built their case on lies.
It no longer seemed such a great day for stomach rights activists.
Far from improving communication between residents and management, we may have harmed innocent people. Members of our cafeterias full-time staff may be relocated to other residence hall kitchens.
Let's stop this thing before it goes any further. Our attack was misdirected and maybe next time we'll think twice before blindly following self-appointed leaders. Maybe some good will still come out of this and management will agree to sit down with a group of level-headed residents and talk things out. But please don't let an injustice be done by moving the kitchen employees elsewhere.
Eric Young is a junior from Columbia, Ill., studying visual communications.
Senate majority too great a cost
Dole should avoid presidential race
Politics, as it appears, has a season all of its very own. This is especially true of presidential politics.
The mating season of presidential aspirants comes earlier and earlier every four years. At this very moment, with the 1988 elections still a mere 30-plus months away, the Great Political Position Jockey is on. Tally Ho!
George Bush, also known in some circles as the vice president, is desperately trying to prove to Reagan aficionados that he is really and truly conservative enough to continue the Reagan Revolution. Still, his East Coast preppyisms are simply too, well nice for some people.
Jack Kemp, one of the Republican Party's fresher faces from New York, is flying around the country hitting all the "in" places of mainstream conservatism. He hopes to organize his game plan to the White House much in the same way that he quarterbacked the Buffalo Bills: successfully.
Gary Hart, lord of the yuppies, announced he would not run again for his Colorado Senate seat, so he could concentrate on organizing his political action committee.
Mario Cuomo, governor of New
Paul Campbell Staff columnist
York, has offered what has got to be the strangest reason yet for seeking political office. Specifically, he has said that if slurs against his Italian heritage continue, he will be forced to run for the Democratic nomination.
Add to this list a local celebrity — none other than Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. Like the others, he is not officially running yet, but the man who followed Howard Baker as senate majority leader to make the Senate more independent from the White House is considering a bid for the presidency. And he shouldn't.
Not that he is in any way incapable, but worries about the Senate complicate such a move. With nearly twice as many Republicans as Democrats up for re-election in the Senate in 1986, the GOP could lose its slender 53-47 majority.
This would remove Dole from his prestigious and publicly visible role
of Senate majority leader.
If the Republicans were to lose this majority, Dole would undoubtedly receive some of the blame. Not only would he lose his ability to influence the headlines directly, but much of the vital support that he would need for a presidential campaign would jump ship to the Bush and Kemp campaigns.
If this isn't enough, troubles are brewing in fair Kansas for the sunflower son who went to Washington.
Dole's support of the president's farm policy has earned him the ire of his farming constituents. Since many in the rural community think that the administration's agricultural policies are just so much manure, Dole's support of a Reagan veto measure against emergency farm aid last year cost him dearly in support at home.
As with any crisis situation, there is an antagonist. Enter Rep. Dan Glickman, Kansas' 4th District congressman. He is thought widely to be the only Democrat who could give Dole a run for the political money.
Although it is uncertain whether Glickman could unseat Dole, Glickman is known as a successful
politician and the proverbial "friend of the farmer" in Congress.
At the last Kansas State Fair, Glickman had scheduled a "Dump Dole" rally to voice the usual concerns. Unknown to Glickman, Dole had scheduled a news conference at the same time. Hutchinson News columnist Ray Hemman haughtily charged Dole with "abusing his station in the Senate" to draw media attention away from the Dole dumpers.
Dole, citing an oversight in planting, canceled.
This incident illustrates the political reality that when one aspires to greater political office, any tensions at home permit a potential successor to mount a significant challenge.
Dole has proven himself mastery in his handling of the Senate. Many of his party numbers who did not support him originally have gained great respect for his political acumen.
However, Dole should not take this respect as any sort of affirmation that he should run for the presidency. Dole's first priority should be maintaining his party's majority in the Senate. He can best do this by staying there.
Mailbox
A look into the future
The year - 1996.
The year 1853. The place - Liability, Kans.
Chris Bunker (Kansan, Feb. 12), once a promising young newspaper editor, is not feeling well. He is not happy with his occupation. Where he had once been a crusading columnist, exposing corruption and influencing people's opinion, he now limits himself to mild, favorable editorials
about the weather and local fishing.
Increasing cost of liability protection in the form of malpractice insurance has greatly curtailed his "freedom of the press." He doesn't risk misquoting a source or making a charge that could be proven wrong. He sometimes does let his true opinion leak out in anonymous letters to the editor.
It could be worse. Some of his
reellow journalists have limited themselves to writing obituaries.
His young wife is expecting their first baby. He worries about the 200-mile trip to the nearest physician that still delivers babies and about the $20,000 it will cost.
He thinks about changing to a profession where he doesn't have this to worry about, but he realizes that now there aren't any.
Chris is not feeling well. The constant fear of legal action against him and his increasing malpractice premiums have caused him to lose hair, have strenu m pains and severe headaches. He wishes there was a physician in this part of the state.
Lawrence Mage
student health physician
Watkins Memorial Hospital