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Tuesday, January 26, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Condom machines needed as part of KU AIDS plan
Education is important. It is the basis for the University community.
But if education is to take root, an atmosphere must be created that encourages the practice of what is learned. Condom machines, as part of the University's response to the threat of AIDS, would create such an atmosphere.
Last week, Executive Vice Chancellor Judith Ramaley issued the University's response to the recommendations of the KU AIDS Task Force. The University will follow task force recommendations to use education as a primary weapon against the spread of AIDS.
However, Ramaley rejected the task force's request for Kansas Union concessions to provide condom vending machines in the men's and women's bathrooms in campus buildings.
"To dispense sexual devices throughout the campus at random may suggest implicitly that the University supports a certain value pattern." Ramaley said in her statement.
The machines would not send this message. In contrast, they would send the message that AIDS is a serious disease and that if one is going to have sex, precautions must be taken against sexually transmitted diseases.
More importantly, increased visibility and availability would be a step toward changing student attitudes about condom use. Watkins health officials estimate that virtually no KU students are using condoms to prevent the transmission of STDs. These same officials say that sexually active students who don't use condoms almost are guaranteed of acquiring some type of STD within one year.
Student health officials cite examples of students who have taken campus sex ed courses, yet found themselves seeking treatment at Watkins Hospital for an STD. These students had the education, an education far more concentrated than anything that can be provided University-wide.
Education alone is not the answer.
For the AIDS education the University seeks to enact to be effective, student attitudes must change. Students don't like condoms. They don't use them. At 21, it is easy to have a feeling of immortality. It's difficult to envision that just one bad decision could change or end one's life.
The availability of condoms in vending machines on campus will heighten awareness of them and reinforce the need for their use. Area grocery stores have helped do this by placing condoms in their check-out lines. The Student Senate has done its part by including condoms in its safer-sex kits.
By installing the machines, the University would be calling attention to the need for the use of condoms. It is a controversial move, especially in a community with Lawrence's parochial outlook.
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has called for the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS. KU should do the same and reconsider its decision not to allow condom vending machines in campus buildings.
Alison Young for the editorial board
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board.
Other Voices
In a recent display of short-sightedness and self-interest, University of Kansas basketball coach Larry Brown sharply criticized the University's faculty for not giving his athletes a chance to succeed.
Perhaps Larry Brown should keep his inane remarks to himself and remember that the University is an institution of higher learning.
Kansas State Collegian Kansas State University
Kansas has a new Wizard of Oz. In just two short sentences, Kansas senator and Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole achieved the fondest wishes of President Reagan, Lt. Col. Oliver North and others distirbed by the Iran-contra scandal. He made the entire issue vanish.
Without the aid of mirrors, wands or even a lovely assistant, Dole told New Hampshire voters last week, "I don't think Iran-contra is a real issue anymore. It's kind of died on the vine."
The questions naturally arise: if it's not a "real" issue anymore, what has it become? A fake issue? Was it ever a "real" issue? Was it all a bad dream? Is the United States out of the cyclone and safely back in Kansas with nothing more than a bump on the head?
Daily O'Collegian Oklahoma State University
News staff
Alison Young...Editor
Todd Cohen...Managing editor
Rob Knapp...News editor
Anne Piugno...Editorial editor
Joseph Rebello...Campus editor
Jennifer Rowland...Planning editor
Anne Luscombe...Sports editor
Stephen Wade...Photo editor
Richard Stewart...Graphics editor
Tom Eblen...General manager, news adviser
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Kelly Scherer...Business manager
Clark Massad...Retail sales manager
Brad Lenhart...Campus sales manager
Robert Hughes...Marketing manager
Kurt Messermissm...Production manager
Greg Knipp...National manager
Kevin Suborno...Traffic manager
Jannie Brown...Classified manager
Jeanne Hines...Sales and marketing adviser
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IF YOU THINK ONE OF THESE IS INCONVENIENT...
U.S. can't ignore Israeli violence
Humiliations and assaults will not dampen Palestinians' hopes for peace
In these last days, we have only begun to get a taste of Jewish brutality in Palestine. If U.S. citizens had any idea of what the Israelis have been doing to Palestinians in the last 40 years, I believe they would have pressured Washington to alter Israel's iron fist policy long ago.
These uprisings should remind Israel that it cannot forever rule the 1.5 million Palestinian Arabs in the occupied territories with such brute force, but they get by with denying them their human rights.
The revolts that began Nov. 29, the 40th anniversary of the partitioning of Palestine, are just a prelude to other anniversaries marking Jewish brutality and oppression of Palestinians, such as the Deir Yasin massacre on April 9, 1948, in which 250 men, women and children were killed. The 40th anniversary of Sabra wa Shafta, where 460 people, women and children among them, were killed.
The United States usually tolerates anything the Israeli government does, but the deportation of at least four Palestinians two weeks ago was the final outrage and should not be tolerated.
In recent weeks, we have seen the use of Palestinians as human armor, tied and bound to Israeli military vehicles to thwart stone-throwing, horrent beatsings and numerous casualties, which include the shooting of two young girls who were collecting their laundry, one at point-blank range, by trigger-happy Israeli soldiers. Still more of an outrage was the recent Israeli storming of worshipers leaving noon prayers at two of the most sacred spots for Muslims: the Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques. One man's skull was fractured as a result of the assault.
Zeta Mattioni-Najib Guest Columnist
How can Israel "deport" a Palestinian from Palestine? Deportation is something a government does to foreigners who offend a country in which they are living temporarily. As a result, the person is ordered to return to his own country. Further, the term "exile" applies to one who has been captured from his own country, and thus, has no legal protection anywhere. He becomes a non-person.
In the last 40 years, Palestinians have suffered far more than Jews have, and they are willing to suffer even more to gain their freedom. Israel cannot continue with its dual system of military dictatorship for Palestinians and democracy for Israelis. The two sides do not negotiate with the Palestinians and the continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israel is inevitably facing another war.
Palestinians are already stateless. They have no human rights, no vote, no protection against confiscation of their property, and worst of all, no citizenship.
This should be of particular concern to Americans because Israel is dependent on U.S. aid for its economic and military well-being. In the past year alone, Israel received more than $4 billion from governmental and private sources in the
United States.
Judging from the events of the last month and a half, the Israeli stand that they "will not negotiate with terrorists" is highly contradictory. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was leader of the terrorist Stern Group, who opposed British rule in Palestine in the days of the underground.
We consistently hear Jews condemning the mistreatment of Jews in the Soviet Union while they support harsher practices by the Israeli government against Palestinians.
It is regrettable that for so long Americans have scorned Palestinians for their acts against Jews, when in reality, the Palestinians have taken the beatings. There has never been an act of Palestinian terrorism in the United States, whereas in 1986 the Jewish Defense League was responsible for the bombing and murder of Palestinian-American Alex Awda in Los Angeles as a result of a television interview in which he made some anti-Iraeli comments.
I believe there is no greater time than the
patient to educate Americans as to what is
helping them.
Quoting the words of Rita Shukair, co-chairman for the Palestinian Human Rights Commission, who spoke at KU last semester, "The Palestinians are a peace-loving people, and their will for peace and justice cannot be wiped out by even a single assault or assaults. We, the American people, must go forward with renewed optimism about what we can accomplish through our political process."
Zeta Mattioni-Najib is a Tulsa, Okla., junior majoring in journalism.
K·A·N·S·A·N
MAILBOX
Embrace might offend
I thought your front page photograph of two respectable and righteous Lawrence women engaged in what appears to be a "sexually-oriented" embrace was interesting. I can only hope that such an open display of affection between persons of the same sex doesn't offend the delicate sensibilities of the Alliance of Citizens for Traditional Values. Why, these women could lose their jobs, or their homes. Who'd protect them — the City Commission?
Nah, after all, the commission and the ACTV appear to be dedicated to preserving two of America's most cherished traditional values — prejudice and discrimination.
Hey, I feel better. How about a haircut and then dinner at Arthur Porters? Nah.
After discussion, the Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 to not take action regarding amending the city's ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on a person's sexual
Gary Jennings Computer Operator III
City should have acted
Mrs. Praeger believes it is "unfortunate" that there are those who would perceive a vote of "no action" as a vote endorsing discrimination. Although she may believe this to be unfortunate, it is in effect what her vote and that of commissioners Mike Amyx and Bob Schumm has done.
orientation
The three commissioners who voted to take no action on the amendment followed the lead of Commissioner Praeger. After listening to testimony from citizens, Mrs. Praeger admitted she thought discrimination probably was occurring in Lawrence. She further said, with the particular issue of sexual orientation, public opinion does not yet support the type of ordinance Lawrence is considering, and to pass a law before the public supported it would be to allow the "tyranny of the minority."
It is unfortunate that we have elected leaders who cannot perceive truth and justice as the ultimate guidance and opt instead to act or not acted on biggory, fear and ignorance, whether these be the views of the minority or majority.
During World War II, in nazi Germany, with the vision and courage of our leaders, could more have been done to prevent the murder of millions of Jews? During the years preceding civil rights legislation, could there have been more our leaders could have done to stop the persecution and injustices toward minorities in this country?
In regard to Commissioner Schumm's remarks that more evidence is needed to show
discrimination, he may be interested to know there is a group that believes more evidence is needed to prove there was a holocaust in which millions of Jews were murdered.
Cast a vote for ignorance. What seems to be really unfortunate — we don't learn from our mistakes.
Gregg Stauffer Lawrence sophomore
Don't judge too quickly
Dear Timothy Downs: As an "intelligent" student-athlete who feels qualified to discuss academics and athletics, I felt compelled to respond to your letter. It is evident that you consider basketball players as non-intellectual. What makes you intelligent enough to pass judgment on another student? It is obvious that you are ignorant to the demands required of the student-athlete. No! A more intelligent individual will not necessarily make a better basketball player.
This statement projected your ignorance. Furthermore, it is not a matter of the school having to be divided between academics and athletics. As you are probably too blind to see, they both have long gone hand-in-hand, and they will continue to complement each other!
Milton M. Newton Washington, D.C., senior
BLOOM COUNTY
THERE ! A WRY
POLITICAL INSIGHT
AND I DIDN'T MIX
MY METAPHOR! DID
IT MEET YOUR
APPROVAL?
APPROVAL ?!
by Berke Breathed
NOT REALLY, THE PHRASE IS MEANINGLES, IF YOU HAVE YOUR CAKE, YOU CAN STILL EAT IT. IT'S A DEEP CICHE.