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Monday, March 9, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Opinions
Keep emotional control
Early Wednesday morning as most people slept, a group of about 250 people marched through campus to protest what they saw as an unfair action. They accused the Student Senate of letting irrational feelings and emotions interfere in a situation calling for reason.
But the peaceful marchers soon fell prey to the very emotional irrationality they were protesting.
The Black Student Union sponsored the march to protest a vote by the Student Senate Executive Committee, which denied the group revenue code status. The vote reversed an earlier approval of the status by the Senate Finance Committee.
Some leaders of the BSU, including past and present presidents, charged that the reversal was due to racism on the part of StudEx committee
members. The decision even was likened to "a cross burning in your front yard," by one of the march leaders.
Racism is a repugnant thing and therefore a serious charge to level against someone. The moment a charge such as that is made in an argument, reason gives way to emotion, whether there is evidence or not. If the BSU has evidence of racism on the part of StudEx or any other group, it could do us all a great benefit by exposing it. But if charges are made without solid evidence, just as great an injustice will be done.
People must remember that the power of emotions is fleeting and ultimately never can defeat truth and reason. If racism was a factor in the StudEx decision, it only will be defeated through reason. And if it was not a factor, let reason restrain such emotional accusations.
Law and marital order
Spouse abuse is a crime, and police should be more aggressive in prosecuting offenders.
sive in prosecuting offenders.
In the past, police have distanced themselves from active involvement in "private domestic disputes." Unless the victim pursued prosecution, a police investigation was highly unlikely.
Laws have, in effect, protected the abusers rather than the abused. Most states have barred arrests in minor home assaults not witnessed by the police.
Recent media attention has brought the extent of the problem into the public spotlight. Criminologists estimate that several million adults are beaten or threatened by relatives each year, with most being cases of spouse abuse. It is now generally accepted that such disputes are not merely
private, but criminal, and the offenses are punishable.
Police departments throughout the country must be aware that domestic assault cases are within their jurisdictions. A recent study indicates that repeat offenses of spouse abuse occur half as often when suspects are arrested than when the situation is left to reconcile itself.
Since the study, 21 states have amended laws to permit or require minor domestic assault arrests, and almost half of all urban police departments now routinely pursue investigations in such cases.
But these changes are only marginal in such a widespread problem area. Police throughout the country must treat criminals like criminals, even when their crimes are masked by private domestic concerns.
Limiting her reign
A long series of events led to Regan's dismissal. President
She has been called "Queen Nancy" and the White House "lioness." Descriptions by the press of a first lady's style have been common throughout history, but recent allegations that Nancy Reagan has firmer control over policy than does her husband are unfounded.
William Safire's column in last week's New York Times indicated the first lady's strong influence over her husband had surfaced so frequently in recent months that her next move would be to plan the Geneva arms control talks. The "influence" Safire referred to surfaced in her campaign to rid the White House of then chief of staff Donald Regan. Regan since has been replaced with Howard Baker, former Senate majority leader.
Reagan, despite objections from his wife, kept Regan on until evidence of misconduct officially was disclosed in the Tower Commission's report on the Iran-contra scandal.
Like many first ladies, Nancy Reagan is interested in protecting her husband's public, political and historical image. Her campaign to oust Regan reflected this interest.
But unlike most first ladies, she has been publicly vocal with her interest in her husband's career. She soon may realize that her position is not the most politically advantageous to the president, making him appear out of control.
Nancy Reagan is the president's closest friend and confidant. She is neither a policy expert nor a professional politician, and thus she should limit her role to that of a trustworthy adviser.
News staff
News staff
Frank Hansel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor
Jennifer Benjamin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing editor
Juli Warren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News editor
Brian Kaberline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editorial editor
Sandra Englandell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Campus editor
Mark Sibert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports editor
Diane Dutmeier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo editor
Bill Sket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graphics editor
Tom Eblen . . . . . . . . . . . . General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Lisa Weems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business manager
Bonnie Hardy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director
Denise Stephens . . . . . . . . . . . . . Retail sales manager
Kelly Scherer . . . . . . . . . . . . . Campus sales manager
Duncan Calhoun . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing manager
Olivia Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classified manager
Jennifer Lumianski . . . . . . . Production manager
David Nixon . . . . . . . . . . . . National sales manager
Jeanne Hines . . . . . . . . Sales and marketing adviser
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Not just one issue
Responsibility. Financial, social, political and personal responsibility These are the issues Synchronicity seeks to promote. We are far from a oneissue coalition, despite the recent Kansan headlines.
Our concept of financial responsibility relates to long-term planning about what the Senate should be doing with your activity fee as we finance and at which who we should finance and at what levels they should be financed.
Our concept of responsibility relates to a comprehensive review of existing Senate services and the improvement of programs such as Course Source and "KU on Wheels."
Responsibility relates to political action in obtaining increased levels of financing for the library, in keeping out-of-state tuition affordable and in the unionization of GTAs.
Social responsibility relates to improvements in our campus' safety. There is a need for more lighting on campus, an extended bus service and the SecureCab bus service. If a person fails yes, the present dangers posed by sexually transmitted diseases must be addressed.
Personal responsibility dictates that a campus-wide dialogue on human awareness must take place.
So, if the Kansan needs a one-word characterization of Synchronicity, let that word be 'lake.' Let that word be tabloid headlines to the Enquirer.
Phillip Duff
Philip Duff
student body presidential
candidate, Synchronicity
Glenn Shirtliffe
student body vice presidential
candidate, Synchronicity
Kristina also wondered how much of her ticket money went toward purchasing champagne and trophies for the participants. The answer is none. The champagne was donated by Edmondson Retail Liquors in exchange for an ink in the Rock Chalk program. The trophies were donated by the students themselves.
exerted the effort necessary to become involved. Each year, the Rock Chalk staff makes a concerted effort to interest non-greek housing to participate. However, there are still groups limiting individual group production costs have failed to attract any non-greek groups.
Purpose not los
We would like to commend the participants of Rock Chalk Revue on a great job, but we think that some of the audience missed the purpose of the show. Rock Chalk is a campus-wide fund raiser for the Lawrence United Fund. It is not, as was implied in a Kansan letter of March 3, a Greek system production.
Unfortunately, since the late 70s, only greek organizations have
Each group works from September to March spending more than $1,000 of its own money to put on the best show it can. This year's Rock Chalk Revue should donate more than $12,000 to the Lawrence United Fund. But it gives more than just money.
Thursday night's Rock Chalk performance was capped by the same finale you saw, Kristina. In the middle of it, a handicap boy jumped up from his seat and crashed into her face. To him, and to those of us who witnessed the sight, the true meaning of Rock Chalk was not lost.
Lauren Collinsworth, Wichita senior Brad Claflin, Overland Park junior
Likes the lottery
The authors of a letter in Wednesday's issue of the Kansan title "Being fair to the fans" seem to think that the only deserving fans are those who are willing to camp out to get tickets.
Camping out favors only the fans who don't have jobs, or are willing to miss work or classes to do so. It has nothing to do with "loyalty." There are a lot of fans like me, who work 40 or more hours a week. I am familiar with our work to camp out for tickets, and I consider myself a loyal fan.
The lottery is a fair way to distribute tickets. But I agree -- who wants to sit alone? I think we should keep the lottery, but allow winners to purchase two tickets. By the way, I didn't get tickets
Rhonda J. Smith Watkins Hospital staff
Taking one stand
In recent days, the editorial staff of the Kansan has employed such a ridiculous double standard in editorials concerning foreign policy issues, that were they to appear in print anywhere else, they would be acclaimed excellent satire.
One week, readers are informed that constructing unisightly mock shanty towns, trespassing and demanding divestiture are legitimate and justified means of protesting the policy of apartheid. The following week, we are adamished that we must "channel" resources into "trying to get along with the Nicaraguan government" rather than support the contras.
While such a viewpoint may raise the hackles of righteous indignation on those who think mostly with their glands, it seems to me that circumstances dictate just the opposite behavior.
South Africa promulgates a racial policy which is anathema to most Americans, yet is in another hemisphere and is not seeking to impose that policy on surrounding nations. Nicaragua is in our own hemisphere and is attempting to subvert its neighbors, as well as establish close ties to the Soviet Union.
If we must "get along" with anyone, it should be with nations whose domestic policies are objectionable, but who are not antagonistic to our global interests. The human rights situation in both countries should be improved, but ad hominem arguments and hypocrisy will not serve this end in either case.
Reuel Hanks graduate teaching assistant, geography
Correction
Because of an editor's error, part of a quote in a letter by Linda Stone-Ferrer was omitted.
The paragraph should have said "As Prof. Stephen Goddard, curator of the exhibition, made very clear, such images 'should not be construed as betraying a general antagonism toward women. Rather, the theme should be construed as one facet of a larger and more consuming interest in human folly."
Bathroom messages insightful
Have you ever taken the time to actually read bathroom walls? It's really amazing. Some people write the entire first chapter of their autobiography on the walls of a tiny cubicle.
Lori Polson Columnist
I don't know what motivates people to write or draw graffiti, especially in bathrooms. It must be some sort of self-expression for them.
Next time you are in a bathroom in one of the University's buildings, notice the high quality of the graffiti content on any given wall. I'm not talking about the run-of-the-mill racist and perverted comments that appear on most every bathroom wall. I mean the good stuff.
In high school, writing graffiti was much simpler. The big thing was to tell the tale of your love life with as many symbolic pictures as possible.
Remember Susie (heart with an arrow through it and ten tiny hearts around it) loves John? How about H.K. plus T.B. equals T.L.A. ? Maybe there were a couple of phone numbers, but it didn't get much more complicated than that.
Instead of sentence fragments and dangling participates, complete thoughts are used to express the author's profound messages.
When I entered the intellectual realm of academia, I noticed that the graffiti progressed to bigger and better ideas.
On any day of the week you can find masterpieces such as "I like Navy men" (notice that the thought contains both subject and verb), or "Question authority" (in this case, the "you" is understood.)
Of course there are those who go above and beyond the call of duty and incorporate the meaning of life into their work. "The Bathroom Philosophers."
I really have nothing against people wanting to express themselves. In fact, I'm all for believing in principles and standing up for them.
Some of their stuff isn't so bad. You can't argue with a statement like "Nuclear bombs KILL people." How about "People are people and it doesn't matter if they're greek or independent." Pretty insightful.
But why does it have to be on a bathroom wall?
katz
Maybe the closet graffiti writers feel a sense of accomplishment after a day in the stalls. They could go home thinking that they've helped to spread their message of peace and love (or war and hate) to the world.
I just wish that all the brilliant, and not-so-brilliant, bathroom philosophers would get their act together and channel their energies into a more useful and meaningful activity. They need to do something constructive instead of destructive. Why don't they join a peace activist club, raise money for the hungry, or work on a political campaign?
I suppose it is encouraging that college students do think about things besides money, grades and members of the opposite sex. I just don't understand why they always have to do it in the bathroom.
k. l. thorman
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed