Opinion The University Daily Kansan United States First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. THURSDAY AUGUST 26, 2010 T WWW.KANSAN.COM Follow Opinion on Twitter. @kansanopinion PAGE 5A To contribute to Free for All, visit Kansan.com or call (785) 864-0500. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Any other Marine girlfriends on campus? --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. I have the total hots for my Hist prof. I will S your D for an I was so much more attractive in HS, when being a waste case was reserved for breaks and weekends ... except for --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Dear obnoxious girl in my English 102 class, your random comments are not relevant and do not need to be said aloud. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. To the cop who always follows me around at 3am: I'm going to work, I SWEAR. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Just saw a guy walking alone wearing a shirt that said "Mo Money, Mo B*tches"... He must have been a broke ass. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Me gusta el queso. Me gusta el yoga pants. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. I'm going to highlight every sexual innuendo in my book so that the person who gets it next will find it more interesting to read than I do. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. The dream is dead --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Why does taking off your pants completely when pooping make it so much more satisfying? There's a girl in my English class that looks exactly like Nancy Botwin. My professor looks like Groucho Marx. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. I am Batman. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Being out of weed is the worst tragedy since the Kennedy assassination --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. WHY IS FFA NOT ON TWITTER??? --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. It's a dirty Free For All --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Roommate for sale. --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. Professors, either let your students out EARLY or don't say you will be cause five minutes before class lets out isn't "early" --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. 2legit...2legit2quit! --country and the state is wasteful and ridiculous. EDITORIAL BOARD Perkins' private plane use excessive, wasteful Athletics Director Lew Perkins excessive travel by private plane around the country and the state is wasteful In the past two years, Perkins has spent more than $150,000 for travel on University-owned and leased private planes, according to an article in The Kansas City Star. Twenty-three additional flights Perkins chartered, seven on planes owned by boosters, are not included in that number. The question has to be asked as to why, in a time of economic hardship, does the director of the University's athletics program need such a luxurious mode of transportation? Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director for the University, said that Perkins doesn't consider traveling commercially to be the best use of his time. Marchiony said the additional time spent traveling - security, checking in, etc - isn't something that is a productive use of Perkins' time. While the University itself does not fund Perkins' travel - KU Athletics Inc., a separate entity, does many students still pour hundreds of dollars into athletics every year in the form of sports passes and individual tickets. According to Lynn Bretz, director of communications for the University, over the past two fiscal years the University has received a 44 percent budget cut. Bretz also said that Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said last week that every component of the University should show good judgment and be sensible with resources. While KU Athletics Inc. is not technically a part of the University, it is branded under its name and should act accordingly. KU Athletics benefits from student dollars but students do not benefit private planes on occasion but not nearly as easily as Perkins. EDITORIAL CARTOON PRIVATE PLANE USE COMPARISON In a time where tuition is being raised every year and almost every other department within the Erikins: 45 flights in 22 months John Currie, K-State athletic director:10 flights in 15 months Mike Alden, Missouri athletic director: Less than five flights a year Source: The Kansas City Star from Perkins' use of a private plane when in many cases he could drive or fly commercially. Marchiony said that Perkins has raised over $150 million in his time at the University and his efforts can be seen in the improvement of the athletics facilities on campus. As much as his fundraising efforts should be appreciated, it does not excuse his unwarranted use of private planes. According to the same article in The Star, the athletics directors at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University also use University are forced to deal with budget cuts, Perkins excessive travel by private plane makes not only him look bad, but the University look bad as well. Perkins is associated with the University - when he looks bad, so does KU. Perkins' ing may make life easier for the athletics department but it doesn't directly benefit the university or the students who purchase tickets. Students should let Perkins and the athletic department know of their disapproval of his wasteful actions. Call Perkins' office at 864-3143. Perkins' time may be valuable, but it isn't worth $150,000 in excess travel fees. — Kate Larrabee for The Kansan Editorial Board MARIAM SAIFAN NATIONAL CHOICES More talk needed on race issues looking back on it now, Bee Summit wasn't that bad of an idea. Last summer, a Cambridge, Mass. police officer arrested a renowned Harvard professor for disorderly conduct after trying to break into his own house. The story sparked a national controversy over racial profiling. After declaring the officer "acted stupidly," President Obama backpedaled from his quick assessment and invited the two to join him in the Rose Garden, where they sat down and discussed their differences over beers. An independent review of the case recently reported that "misunderstandings and failed communications" escalated the encounter. Had the officer been clearer and the professor more respectful, the matter could have been resolved peacefully. What the Cambridge police department learned from that review, we continue to struggle with as a society. When it comes to thorny issues of race,we should seek understanding through respect and communication and avoid rash judgments. Laura Schlessinger, a conservative radio host, recently created a public uproar after using the n-word 11 times while offering "advice" to a black caller having problems with her white husband 's racially insensitive friends. Starting the Conversation She told the woman "If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry out of your race." Her advice, cloaked in white privilege, merits discussion, but her liberal use of the n-word is getting most of the attention. Dr. Laura repeatedly said the n-word to make the point that she could use the epithet because black comedians on HBO say it. I cannot defend Dr. Laura—her track record speaks for itself—but simply tagging her a racist is too easy and not constructive. She made a point that confuses many whites: Why is it okay for some people to use the n-word, while others are socially prohibited from using it? Dr. Laura's comments were quickly branded racist, and the leftwing posse known as Media Matters quickly snuffed her out by appealing to advertisers to drop her show. She announced last week that she will not renew her contract for next year. BY D.M. SCOTT dscott@kansan.com Dr. Laura is exactly the kind of person we need when having this kind of conversation, but by labeling and dismissing her we cut off the dialogue. We can't have an honest conversation when our thoughts are gift wrapped in political correctness, when people say what they think they should say rather than what they really think—even if it's misguided or insensitive. How else are we to learn and grow? That takes courage, and may be why Attorney General Eric Holder called us a nation of cowards when it comes to talking about race. Our brutal history of racism remains fresh, and the n-word recalls the days of Jim Crow instantly—that's the power of the word. Just like the racist Confederate flag symbolizes "the Southern way of life," which heavily relied upon slavery, the n-word represents the white supremacist's thought that blacks are an inferior race. Some people in the black community believe that by using the n word they reclaim the epithet and take away its power. Yet, the word remains so powerful that social etiquette dictates a majority of the population should never utter it. Using the word, or not using the word is a relatively superficial conversation concerning race but if we can't openly discuss it, how can we deal with the bigger issues (and there are many)? We need to take the President's lead and sit down and have the conversation rather than quickly dismiss misguided or insensitive viewpoints. The choice of beer doesit matter as long as we're sitting at the same table. D. M. Scott is a junior from Overland Park in journalism. WELLNESS New science sheds light on monthly cycle Women don't necessarily seek to be sympathized; rather we would prefer to be understood. I'm sure some men have heard "you just don't understand me" before. Not so Angelic For some women, that time of the month can cause a burden to our professional, personal and social lives because of the pain and the emotional irregularity. Hopefully after a recent study done by a team of researchers in Taiwan, the door may be opening up to more understanding of women during the most stressful time of the month. Everyone knows what I'm talking about. With this new study and hopefully more like it, those who don't experience severe menstrual cramps will understand that it is not just about being weak, wanting attention or enjoying being a bitch. I'm talking about that time of the month, the time when even the sweetest, kindest girl can turn into a, well not-so-sweet and kind girl. Or maybe that's just me. The study done in Taiwan found that women who experienced severe pain during their menstrual cycle had abnormalities in brain tissues. Even when women didn't experience pain, evidence still suggested that abnormalities were found. According to the results, decreases in volume were found in regions of the brain involved in pain processing, higher-level sensory processing and emotional regulation, in addition to increases in regions involved in pain modulation and regulation of endocrine function. BY ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON While these studies still need to be analyzed, in a USA Today article discussing the results, Karen J. Berkley, a professor emeritus of neuroscience and psychology at Florida State University, said menstrual pain is too often not taken seriously. Berkley went on to say that the Taiwan team is one of the first groups to call attention to menstrual cramps, and the fact that the condition can have an impact on women's lives and it is accompanied by changes in brain anatomy and function. The pain that is associated with menstrual cycles is something that is rarely discussed because even today discussing our periods is still considered taboo. It is not taboo, however, to discuss how unpleasant we can be during that time. The pain is real, as well as the emotional irregularities. This new research can invite more of its kind as long as the public take the results seriously. Angelique McNaughton is a senior from Topeka in journalism and English. Responses to the news of the week on Kansan.com Chatterbox "This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with an ideological war. Do you know the name of the mosque Cordoba is symbolic to the Cordoba Spain Muslim Victory? Americans do not have to tolerate this. Those who care will stand up for those that died. 1000 bodies are still buried in the rubble? Sacred Ground. They weren't soldiers, but innocent lives lost. People from all walks of life, religions & political backgrounds. People that attempt to politicize this instead of realizing that this is an American issue are terribly misguided. Blinded by ideology rather than the truth." — "Wicker" in response to "Religious tolerance means recognizing freedom" on August 23. "When we automatically discredit others without understanding where they are coming from or why the believe what they believe, the only outcome is division that creates weakness. It destroys me when I hear "liberals" preaching about acceptance of gays, religion, and race, then go right on to shouting dammation at "conservatives." You cannot have it both ways, either preach understanding, tolerance, and overall acceptance to all, or none at all" "The Imam in charge of the mosque has refused to call Hamas a terrorist group, has charged the U.S. has more blood on its hands than Al-Qaeda, and has made jokes about suicide bombers instead of refuting suicide bombing. Do you find any of these ideas agreeable? If so, which ones? If not, then ask yourself this question. Do you feel comfortable with a mosque, founded by a man with these view points, so close to the site where nearly 3,000 innocent Americans (your people) were brutally murdered?" — "Savage" in response to "Religious tolerance means recognizing freedom" on August 23. — "Alltag" in response to "The future is a disturbing place" on August 23. HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Send letters to kansanpdesk@gmail. com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line. Length: 300 words The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/cletters. CONTACT US Alex Garrison, editor 864-4810 or aqarrison@kansan.com . Erin Brown, managing editor 864-4810 or ebrown@kansan.com Nick Gerik, managing editor 954.810 email@microsoft.com David Cawton, kansan.com managing editor 864-4810 or dcawthon@kansan.com Jonathan Shorman, opinion editor 864-4924 or jshorman@kansan.com Emily McCoy. Kansas TV assignment editor 864-4810 or emccoy@kansan.com Shauna Blackmon, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or sblackmon@kansan.com Joe Garvey, business manager 864-4358 or jgarvey@kansan.com Amy O'Brien, sales manager 864-4477 or aobrien@kansan.com Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news adviser 864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com Jon Schilt, sales and marketing adviser 864-7666 or jschilt@kansan.com THE EDITORIAL BOARD THE EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansen Editorial Board are Jack Garrison, Nick Gink, Erin Brown, David Cawley, Jonathan Shaun and Shauna Blackman. --- 1