4a
Opinion
Friday, February 2, 2001
For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Perspective
Childish acts seal Clinton's place in history books
I suppose that at some point in my life I will desire a legacy. Whether it be as the most prolific writer of the 21st century or the best gosh-darn fry cook North Dakota has ever seen, I hope my legacy will appropriately and accurately illustrate the life I lead and the values to which I subscribe.
However, former President Bill Clinton recently embarked on a mission to cloud his indiscretions and veil his personal and professional failings in an attempt to falsely forge his place in history as one of the great men of the past century. Unfortunately, many people will, in fact, remember and laud him for the eight years of unprecedented prosperity and peace. Countless others will forget his reptilian attempts to slither around the truth, while covy coaxing the country
into a Clintonized brand of reality. These people will grant Clinton the legacy he so desires.
I hope most people will realize that Clinton is as responsible for the prosperity of the nation as Ringo Starr is for the success of the Beatles. After all, the man sitting in the Oval Office has a relatively small role relating to the mood of
Jeff Akin
columnist
opinion@karsan.com
an economy. To attribute economic ebb or flow to one man is to ignore thousands of other factors that influence a whimsical and capricious economy affected by the actions of millions of individuals.
Essentially the president's true power stems from the people he surrounds himself with and the character and confidence he portrays to the public. And during the latter stages of Clinton's term, his true temperament and disposition emerged as he attempted to rework his dented chapter in the history books.
Never a big fan of our nation's 42nd president, I found myself, during the past several months, shocked and appalled at his behavior. Realizing that he would soon leave the spotlight, Clinton maintained the composure and maturity of a fifth grader ousted from a lunchtime dodge ball game. Kicking the ball over the fence as the Republicans moved into position, Clinton issued 140 pardons, grabbed more than $200,000 in White House "gifts," and pulled a slew of pranks so subtly laced with intellectual humor that only a great mind such as Carrot Top could truly grant their penetrating wit.
in perhaps the worst display of sportsmanship since Bobby Knight, Clinton unleashed this vengeful tour de force with the forethought and planning of a crack-addicted test bunny.
Unfortunately, this last attempt to abuse presidential power will not survive as one of the great presidential moments. Even though his presence in the public eye is far from finished, his final actions as president offer posterity a list of titles anropos to his deserved legacy:
1. ) Clinton the Merciful — Issuing pardons to every major Democratic benefactor of the past eight years, he's able to add an extra wing to his presidential library.
2. ) Clinton the Cheap - Stuffing everything not nailed to the White House walls into his suitcase, he loots the residence as if it were a Holiday Inn in Little Rock.
3. ) Clinton the Hilarious — In the greatest comedic act since Gallagher's Smasharific Reunion tour of '93, the Clinton staff tickles the funny bone of America by removing all of the Ws on the keyboards in the West Wing. Absolute genius.
I may never become president. Actually, because of some bad judgment on my part and an injunction by the Fifth District Court of Delaware, it's actually a legal impossibility. But, if by some miracle, I were to find myself as president, I would hope that I could save my happy-happy fun time for the years that I was not the most powerful and visible man in the entire world. But then again, I'm not Bill Clinton. And fortunately, few presidents are.
Alda is a Prairie Village junior in English.
Clay McCuistion/KANSAN
Heard on the Hill
wnat are your plans for Valentine's Day?
"I'm going out to eat with my boyfriend." Sara Hidalga Topeka freshman
"It's still up in the air. I just met this really sweet girl and if things go well, maybe we'll be able to go out on Valentine's night."
Grant Sentz
Eden Prairie, Minn.
juni
"Maybe a surprise gift for my friend in India." Bharath Parthasarathy Madurai, India junior
"No. Not yet, anyway."
Eric Morris
Topeka junior
Perspective
University, not students, should bear cost of safety
Student Senate passed a bill last week that reinstates the $2 safety fee into students' campus fees until at least 2004, when Senate will review it again.
OK, two bucks. No big deal, right? Students have been paying the fee for the last 10 years, so they should just willingly comply with this standard precedent. Yeah, just add the two dollars to the long list of unnecessary expenses students are required to pay every year. There should be no problem with that. Wrong
If the math for the renewed fee is correct, students will give the campus safety fund (formerly the lighting fee) $40,000 each year, said Kyle Browning, one of the bill's co-sponsors.
Safety is a necessity — no one can argue with that. But the University should pay for these necessities, not students. The University has offered to match at least 50 percent of what students contribute. Not a bad offering, but safety is not something we should be forced to bargain for. A
Now that we know exactly how much we will contribute, surely students will know what
university that routinely considers million dollar renovation projects should not pass on the price of safety to students.
Jayme
Aschemeyer
guest columnist
oionir@kansan.com
their money is paying for.
Wrong again.
Vague ideas emerged in the discussion of the bill, including the possibility of enabling the blue phones to call any building on campus. This idea is unnecessary, considering the widespread use of cell phones among students. And would it really be safe to steer away from the actual purpose of the blue phones — emergency use only?
Students do have some valid ideas of what to do with the money. The aim of this bill is to complete $132,000 worth of campus lighting projects. The Campus Safety Board, consisting of students and administrators, decides how to spend the money. Some people assume that only the students on this committee would have a say if the money came only from students; that's false.
John Mullens, assistant public safety director, said that no matter how high tech a security system might be, people could still commit crimes. No matter how much we generate for the campus safety fee, the University could never guarantee our safety.
Challenging the University to provide for our safety is more logical and appropriate than just continuing to pay the fee without question.
Safety should be a top concern on campus. But feeling safe shouldn't tax students' pockets.
Aschemeyer is an Aurora, Colo., freshman in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is a Nunemaker senator in Student Senate.
Editorial
'Moving wetlands is a bad idea
South Lawrence Trafficway proponents should find a new way to relieve traffic.
In an effort to resurrect the South Lawrence Trafficway as a viable option in its proposed location, the city is researching the possibility of expanding the Baker Wetlands in order to complete the eastern leg of the South Lawrence Trafficway. Although traffic remains a problem in Lawrence, re-creating wetlands is not the solution to this problem.
The growth of Lawrence has caused many difficulties, including congested traffic in certain areas. To combat the congestion, the city attempted to build the South Lawrence Trafficway, which was never completed because it would have destroyed the Baker Wetlands. Destroying these wetlands was a problem for both environmentalists and Native Americans. It appeared that the road would never be built with the existing plan.
Building new man-made wetlands will not appease Native-American groups, who are concerned about destroying an area they believe to be sacred. Moreover, it is difficult to believe that this would not be a disruption of habitat to animals.
it seems strangely unnatural to attempt to re-create a natural environment in order to build a road. Although nature is often sacrificed for development, developers should try hard to prevent harm to environments such as the Baker Wetlands.
It is time for the city to move on and seriously consider alternatives that would not disturb the wetlands. Moving the street either north or south could help clear the congestion on 23rd Street.
Although the first choice of location is through the wetlands, that is not a viable option. The Baker Wetlands present too many difficulties for the South Lawrence Trafficway to be completed under the current plan. Spending money to research other options would be a better use of money than creating new wetlands.
Sometimes it is best simply to give up and move on. It is time for the city to do so. Creating new wetlands would solve none of the project's problems.
Emily Haverkamp for the editorial board
free all for 8644500 8644500
Free for all callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kanas reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed. For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
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About the overcrowded bus article: Last time I looked, Jayhawker Towers was not very far from Wescoe, so unless there's a mobility problem, the people complaining about waiting 45 minutes could just walk there and solve the bus problem as well.
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To the anonymous person who folded my underwear and four loads of laundry in the Oliver laundry room: Will you marry me?
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I couldn't believe that Megan, a KU grad, got rejected on Temptation Island three times for the final date. I think she should cry on my shoulder right now.
Personally, I don't know why everybody bags on Eric Chenowith. It's Drew Gooden we should be concerned about. His inconsistent ball handing makes me nervous.
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Philosophy 148, Logic and Reason, is the stupidest class anyone ever thought of.
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I was wondering if anybody in the parking department can tell me why I paid $75 at the beginning of the year not to be able to park here.
FYI to all the kids who check the Kansan every day to see if their quote got in the Free For All: All of the users are posted on the Kansan Web site.
I was just wondering why when I was sitting in the student section, I was surrounded by all old people, all alumni.
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Hmm ... Really wish Bill Clinton was still in office about now.
You know those first two seconds when you wake up in the morning and you don't remember what your life is about? I love those seconds.
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