Friday, May 4, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 5
Letters to the Editor Lighting editorial misled public
In light of the editorial on the lighting situation around the scholarship halls ("Safer campus relies on input from students," April 24) the Campus Safety Advisory Board would like to clarify a few misconceptions. First, the streets, not the parking lots, surrounding the scholarship halls are not on University property. The issue of lighting the streets, however, is not a simple one. City officials do not recognize the streets intersecting 11th through 13th streets as being "residential areas" since there is no residential housing in that area. The problem arises when scholarship hall residents park along the side streets and walk home to their halls. In the past, the University has rented lights from the city to accommodate the students. However, monthly fees for rented lights are expensive. A temporary solution is to provide additional blue phones, which the University and this board is allowed to immediately provide. Adding lighting in any area of campus is a complex process, with many groups expressing their views. Sometimes the process stagnates when one group refuses to cooperate.
Another clarification is how many pay phones will remain on campus. Southwestern Bell has not specified a time frame for removing any pay phones. This is a tentative proposal. Furthermore, the column quoted four remaining pay phones, when in fact 11 are proposed to remain.
campus safety measures. This year, the board has done substantially more than in the years past. It approved 10 more blue phones for campus, pamphlets for incoming freshmen explaining the blue phones and the drafting and passage of the Campus Safety Fee. This fee will enhance student activism and provide students with a much safer perception of their campus.
The Campus Safety Advisory Board is committed to providing adequate and effective decision-making with all
Campus Safety Advisory Board chairwoman
Overland Park junior
'Intolerance' of intolerance
GTAC relies on many groups
The Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition thanks all of the graduate teaching assistants, graduate and professional students, faculty, staff and undergraduates who have supported its efforts this academic year. During contract negotiations, the support on campus has meant a lot. It seems the administration is the only side that cannot support GTAs or the educational mission of the University.
Working conditions equal learning conditions. The GTA union supports the University's educational mission for undergraduate and graduate students. GTAs unionized with the American Federation of Teachers in 1995 because GTAs could not receive fair compensation, benefits or working conditions without using collective bargaining rights. GTAC will continue to raise public awareness until GTAs achieve a fair contract and until KU's educational mission receives the support it deserves from KU administrators and from the state of Kansas.
I must confess: I am "intolerant." I'm passionately "intolerant" of prejudice, discrimination, racism, sexism, ageism, ability-ism, sexual orientation-ism, anti-semitism, religion-ism, placism, cultural elitism, colonialism, intellectual sloth, aversion, xenophobia, criminal violence, institutional violence and cultural violence.
Amy Cummins
GTAC president
Newport, N.C., graduate student
The list goes on, but you get the point.
I'm passionately "intolerant" of public officials who lie to their constituencies; University administrators who abuse their power to oppress and ostracize political foes; University administrators who commit acts of fraud to further their personal and political agendas; anyone who sits in silence while surrounded by injustice; those who would oppress another's free expression and people who don't know the difference between "intolerance" and "intolerance."
Professor repeats same mantra
If more people were "intolerant" of moral crimes, maybe we wouldn't have had such things as the Jewish Holocaust in Europe or the genocide occurring around the world today. Maybe we would have social justice.
Since Hemenway took charge in 1995, this University has faced 29 civil rights lawsuits in federal court. The previous administrations, back to 1988, had faced only 10. May be if more of us were "intolerant" of the unrestrained institutional violence against women and people of color here, we wouldn't have seen the number of civil rights lawsuits jump.
Aaron Profitt has his information wrong. He thinks that Mike Cuenca's letter misinterpreted Andrew Marino's column ("Principles, not passion, will bring end to racism." April 20). Cuenca didn't interpret Marino's column at all; it was coincidental to Cuenca's ulterior motive.
assistant professor of journalism
Cuenca doesn't care what Marino's column is about; he simply wants to embarrass the University with claims of racism. In fact, his 343-word letter only mentions Marino's name twice and his column once. Cuenca would prefer to attack "ad hominem," calling Marino an "ideologue," rather than discuss the merits of the column.
It is obvious that Cuenca wants only one thing: a soapbox from which he can yell the mantra he has repeated for months, his self-defined mission to throw egg on the University's face.
Joe Walberg Shawnee senior
Gav Christians are true leaders
To the gay community:
To the gay community.
Any action is acceptable in the eyes of God. As long as those actions are filled with love, they are Godlike.
When they are filled with fear, then they help define who we are.
I'm especially impressed with gay Christians. Speaking of loving the enemy as yourself, you've been beaten and spat upon, kind of like Christ. Christ had the ability to show people themselves. This is what you are doing. You are true leaders because you have the courage to tell the truth. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not supposed to be who you are.
Mel Smith Lawrence resident
Your courage is actually righteousness. This letter isn't just for gays, but for anyone who believes in love and all that love brings: understanding, unity, harmony, wisdom, on and on.
I strongly recommend the series of books Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Walsch. It'll help you see the Bible more clearly.
Gav blood on Christians' hands
Since the article ran on the experiences of gayes and lesbians in Christian churches ("Condemned but keeping the faith," April 23), a number of demeaning comments made have been made in letters (even the equating of a gay sex orientation with nicotine intake) The comparison of homosexuality to the use of addictive substances implies that homosexuals don't exist—only "flawed" heterosexuals. This idea isn't supported by science or philosophy.
These views evince tangible social harm. Queer teens are at a great risk of suicide. The homophobic rhetoric in the Kansan contributes to the stigma. Violence against gays and lesbians is in areas where the radical right flexes its political muscle against queer civil rights. Demeaning and dehumanizing talk of "hate the sin, love the sinner" leads to children taking their own lives and LGBT persons being murdered by a society trained to view them as less than human.
Anti-gay rhetoric equals death. It's impossible to say how many queers are effectively murdered in this way by the "religious" right each year. It's
also disgusting how many "Christian" groups on campus have bought into this hate. It brings to mind Christian hymns referring to being "washed in the blood." The only blood I see many local "Christian" awash in is the innocent blood they've taken. As long as my community is under attack, they are murderers in my eyes.
Matthew Skinta Andover senior
Faith paves way for ignorance
Mr. Chamberlain's column,
"Faith integral to philosophy and science," ("Tuesday") misses the point of philosophy and science.
There is no faith in science and philosophy. Ancient philosophers realized that to attain wisdom, one must first understand that he or she know nothing. Descartes' search for truth began with doubling everything, just to prove that he existed. Science and philosophy are methods of understanding reality. Science is the pragmatic approach to philosophical theories on reality. The advancement of science lies in doubting our answers.
There are no advancements in faith. Faith is for the weak, insecure and those who fear life and change. Faith is the root of all ignorance, tradition and closed-mindedness but not of all evil. Doubt is the root of all wisdom, progression and enlightment but not of all good. A balance is necessary. As an atheist raised by Christian missionary parents, I do not encourage you to doubt your faith if it maintains your happiness, but if you think there is more to the truth, doubt it all.
Chris Teeter Fayette, Mo., senior
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SOUTHWIND 12
BARGAIN MATINEES INDICATED BY () STADium SEATING * ALL DIGITAL
FH-SUNDAY
1 Blow $^{106}$ (1:20) 4:20 7:20 10:10
2 Town And Country $^{106}$ (1:35) 4:35 7:15 9:40
3 One Night At McCool's $^{106}$ (1:30) 4:35 7:10 10:05
4 Spy Kids $^{106}$ (1:25) 4:25 7:00 9:20
5 Driven $^{106}$ (1:15) 4:35 7:10 9:25
6 The Mummy Returns $^{106}$ (1:00) 4:00 7:00 9:55
7 The Mummy Returns $^{106}$ (1:30) 4:00 7:15 10:15
8 Bridge Jones' Dary $^{106}$ (1:40) 4:35 7:35 10:65
9 Crocodile Dundee in LA $^{106}$ (1:40) 4:40 7:05 9:25
10 Joe Dit $^{106}$ (1:40) 4:45 7:45 9:50
11 Along Came A Spider $^{106}$ (1:45) 4:45 7:15 10:00
12 The Forsaken $^{106}$ (2:00) 5:00 7:45 10:00
PLAZA 6
Sat & Sun Daily
1 O Brother, Where Art Thou?* (1:55) 4:40 7:45, 9:35
2 Someone Like You** (2:00) 4:45 7:45, 9:35
3 Chocolari* (1:45) 4:30 7:00, 9:30
4 Aosie And The Pussycats* (1:55) 4:40 7:10, 9:40
5 Freddy Got Fingered* (2:00) 4:40 7:15, 9:45
6 Enemy At the Gates* (1:45) 4:30 7:00, 9:30
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