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Monday, November 22,1993
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
Blocking clinics illegal thanks to Congress vote
There is no need or reason for violence to permeate society in the name of any cause. Congress passed a bill that will
Congress passed a bill that will allow federal officials to stop abortion clinic blockades. This action by Congress is a clear message that people will not tolerate vigilante demonstrations at abortion clinics.
We are all aware of the continuing trouble at abortion clinics in Wichita. This year, physician George Tiller was shot in the arm by an abortion protester. In Florida, an abortion doctor was shot to death. This needless violence is about to be curbed. The use of force, threats and intimidation against women seeking abortions and doctors providing abortions have become federal offenses. Vandalism of family planning clinics also will render stricter penalties.
Critics of the bill claim infringement of First Amendment rights. This argument is false. Protesters still will be allowed to congregate, distribute leaflets and carry signs. But they will not be able to lock themselves to cars or create human chains in front of abortion clinic entrances — actions that not only create a dangerous atmosphere but also cost a lot of money in increased police and fire department manpower.
The Senate's strong vote was partially attributed to the increased presence of women in the Senate. Seven women now have seats, and the five Democratic women lobbied the floor the entire day. Some antiabortion senators also voted in favor of the bill.
As Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., said, "Violence is no response to the issue that divides us."
MANNY LOPEZ FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Students: take interest in health care questions
With the debate over NAFTA finished, the attention of Washington policy makers now is focused on health care. Students should
Attention of Washington policy makers now is focused on health care. Students should study and follow what is going on in Washington because health care, more than any other issue, will affect their lives in the future.
There are currently several bona fide health care plans on the table covering both ends of the political spectrum. Each one attempts to provide citizens the health care they are entitled to, but in vastly different ways. One liberal proposal is for the United States to adopt a single-payer system in which people can choose their own doctors, as they do now, but with the government picking up the tab. A conservative plan keeps the system much as it is, with only minor tuning. A compromise between the two is Clinton's middle-of-the-road plan involving a mixture of government and free market forces.
Examine the plans and ask yourself questions about each. The most basic question is whether the plan will guarantee everyone health care. If a plan does not, then what is the point? Another question to ask is where the money for the plan will come from — savings, taxes or both? Will the health care plan cover all health problems or just catastrophic ones? Of course, preventive medicine should be a part of any plan, because that will save money by eliminating many minor things that, left unchecked, will turn into big problems. Additionally, will the plan cover mental, as well as physical health?
Students should familiarize themselves with the various plans and decide which one is the best for the country. It is literally a matter of life and death.
MIKE SILVERMAN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
KC TRAUER, Editor
JOE HARDER, CHRISTINE LAUE
Managing editors
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
BILL SKEET, Systems coordinator
Editor
Assistant to the editor ...J.R. Clairborne
News ...Stacy Friedman
Editorial ...Terllyn McCormick
Campus ...Ben Grove
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Graphics ...John Paul Wolf
AMY CASEY
Business manager
AMY STUMBO
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JEANNE HINES
Sales and marketing adviser
Editors
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Kate Burgess
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Letters should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words. They must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. Writers affiliated with the University of Kansas must include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position.
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America loves lawyers; lawyers love America
I am sick and tired of all this lawyer-bashing. When I hear somebody say something bad about lawyers, it makes me want to walk up and spit in his face, thereby causing him to shove me, so I can fall down and file a $17 million personal-injury lawsuit against him.
Because I happen to think lawyers are great, I am darned grateful that I live in a country that has, pound for pound, more lawyers than any other country in the entire world. We NEED a lot of lawyers, to protect all these rights we have as Americans, including — but not limited to — the right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, job security, decent housing, affordable health care, the capture of happiness, a non-smoking section, a joke-free work environment and a smoking section.
We have so many rights that we cannot possibly keep track of them all with our primitive non-legal minds.
Then a retired Philadelphia autosupplies dealer named Meyer E. Duboff, who used SmithKline denture products, contacted his lawyer, Jay S. Cohen.
From 1985 to 1990, a company named SmithKline Beecham manufactured denture adhesives sold under the names "Orafix Special" and "Brace." SmithKline recalled these products in 1990 after they were found to contain trace amounts of benzene, a carcinogen. There is no evidence anybody got cancer from using them.
A fine example of this, brought to my attention by alert reader Leon Rothman, is the Case of the Denture Adhesive Menace, as reported in a Miami Herald story by Bruce Taylor Seeman. Let me review the facts of the case:
COLUMNIST
"He called me and said, 'I've been using this stuff for years. Can you
check it out?" Cohen told the Miami Herald.
OK, is everybody following this so far? ONE GUY has called his lawyer. This guy does NOT have cancer. NOBODY has cancer. Nobody is claiming ANYBODY actually got hurt.
So the lawyer told the guy: "Gosh, Meyer, nothing really happened. Why don't you just forget about it?"
NO! Just kidding! That might happen in some backward, underlawyered nation like Japan, but not here in the U.S.A.! What happened here, of course, was that Cohen and some other lawyers filed a class action lawsuit against SmithKline on behalf of Duboff and all the other denture-adhesive users out there who had not yet noticed that they were victims.
And of course SmithKline, to avoid the hassle and publicity and legal expense of a trial, settled out of court. Three groups got money in the settlement:
1. MR. DUBOFF. He got $25,000.
Fair enough. It was his idea in the first place.
2. THE OTHER DENTURE-ADHESIVE VICTIMS. They were notified of their victimhood via newspaper advertisements and direct mailings, paid for by SmithKline. About 650 people sent in proof of purchase — each of these people received a package of discount coupons for SmithKline.
line products.
3. THE LAWYERS FOR THE PLAIN-TIF. If you are a fan of justice, American Style, you will be very excited when I tell you what the lawyers got, in expenses and legal fees.
"It's a lot of money," said Cohen. "But there's also a lot of money that goes into these cases."
Thev got $954.934.57.
I am sure there is! A lot of money! Also a lot of work! It cannot be easy, taking a case wherein it appears, to the naked untrained lay person's eye, that nobody has suffered any observable harm, and using legal skills, turning it into a financial transaction that involves thousands of people and a million dollars! Plus coupons!
So, the lawyers certainly deserved this money, although I'm certain that, for them, the really important thing was simply the satisfaction of knowing that all those victims are now finally able, at long last, to put this horrible denture-adhesive nightmare behind them and begin leading happier lives, possibly by applying their $7 settlements toward world cruises, vacation homes, etc.
Yes, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to these lawyers and the estimated 14.2 billion other members of the American legal community, many of whom, I am sure, will write to me on their official letterhead stationery to respond to this column. I look forward to reading these letters; I just hope that, in handling them, I do not suffer paper cuts, which could cause me, as a writer, to become incapacitated, not to mention pain and suffering.
And I'm not settling for any stinking coupons.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Packwood deserves protection as a citizen
In response to *Kansan*'s viewpoint, "Packwood's Diaries should be subpoenaed," I'd like to point out a few things.
dent that would be established would suggest that if one's motives and thoughts are not questionable and do not have illegal intentions then there is nothing to worry about." How many people are there whose motives and thoughts are about question? None come to my mind. Who would judge if you are beyond reproach? Will it be one of these mythical, perfect people?
What really is worrisome is what the Kansan believes is the answer to the personal dilemma of this loss of privacy. He states that "the prece-
Another Senator. perhaps?
Allother Senator, perhaps?
Whether or not Mr. Packwood broke any law, he has inalienable rights as a citizen of our country. If our government or the Kansan overlook these rights in a quest for justice, what rights do any of us have? Can there be any justice?
William Custard Olathe senior
GUEST COLUMNIST
Some facts and history about Rock Chalk Revue
During the past several weeks, many people have been asking me the same question: "So, Julie, have you picked the five shows for Rock Chalk Revue yet?"
They always seem a bit surprised when I tell them that I have nothing to do with that decision.
How we put on the show is what is most important.
The show has encountered changes in its format, its judging process and its location.
After interviewing each group's director, the judges have spent the last two weeks reading over the shows and finalizing their decisions.
An independent panel of judges has to select five Rock Chalk Revue finalists. This year there are 11 judges of varying ages and backgrounds. They do, however, have a few things in common: none are affiliated with any KU housing organization; none are KU students or faculty members; all have some knowledge of Rock Chalk Revue; and all have expertise in varied areas of in the theater.
Each show is identified by a random number to ensure that all groups (residence halls, scholarship halls, fraternities, sororites) remain anonymous.
After the judges vote for the shows they like, the ballots will be tabulated by our faculty advisor and an independent party.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Rock Chalk Revue is the show selection. Though the process may seem mysterious and complex, it really is quite simple. Please allow me to clear the air right here, but first I would like to give you a little bit of Rock Chalk's history.
The voting results will remain in our adviser's care until I announce tonight which shows will be in and which shows will be out.
Once again, this will be an exciting year for Rock Chalk Revue. "The Word is Out" will be performed February 24, 25 and 28.
The name Rock Chalk Revue came from a campus-wide contest in which the winner received $10.
University of Mars
In 1949, a highly motivated KU student by the name of Roy Wonder decided that the University of Kansas needed an all-campus variety show, similar to Kansas State's now defunct Y-Opheum.
We had 14 groups turn in shows of magnificent quality,but unfortunately only five will perform.
Since the first show opened on April 1, 1950 in Hoch Auditorium. For the youngsters out there, Hoch is the historic pile of ashes on Jayhawk Boulevard between Wescoe and Marvin halls.
Julie Thies is a Overland Park senior and the executive director of Rock Chalk Revue.
Well, as you can imagine, this mouthly little Wildcat caused a stir on the Hill, and soon Wonder had a lot of campus support.
Wonder received a lukewarm response from fellow students. Also, a letter from Russ Miller, a Kansas State student appeared in the Kansas ridiculing Wonder and all of KU for stealing such a strong tradition.
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by Joel Francke