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Friday, March 1, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Equalitarian law
Proposed 'gender balance' bill would increase number of women and minorities on committees
A bill recently introduced in the Kansas House calls for appointments to state committees and agencies to reflect the sex and race compositions of the populations they serve
In effect, the bill would increase the number of women and minorities on committees.
The proposal, which has become known as the "gender balance" bill, should become law. The state has recognized a problem with the current appointment system and is taking a step to fix it. However, the bill is vague and could be ineffective if details are not worked out.
Under the bill, heads of committees would determine the race and sex ratio of the populations that the committees represent. They would be required to work toward appointing members to reflect those populations. But no specific way to enforce the bill has been announced. The bill states that violation would be grounds for action or dismissal from the committee. But it does not define what a violation is.
For the bill to be effective, a time limit for compliance must be set. Then, once committees pass the deadline without complying, appropriate punishment should be taken.
Ana Riosas, representative of the Kansas advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, offered a good suggestion for further action. She said that if employees failed to appoint more women and minorities, they should lose the revenue collected from these groups. Right now, more than 56 cents of every dollar collected by the state comes from women and minorities.
By the year 2000, women and minorities will contribute 62 percent of the revenue for Kansas. Yet, as things are now, the composition of most state agencies will not reflect that percentage.
The state has found a way to change this "taxation without representation," as Riojas called it. But before the bill becomes law, representatives must eliminate the vague wording to make it enforceable.
Melanie Botts for the editorial board
Cease-fire is no celebration only the beginning of the end
I was surprised by my reaction Wednesday evening as I listened to President Bush calling for a cease fire in the Persian gulf. I thought that when news of the war's end came I would want to celebrate. But I wasn't elated, excited or even happy. I was just relieved. Relieved that the killing might soon be over. Relieved that, if the war does end, my friends serving in the gulf will come home safely.
But the war isn't yet over. Iraqi troops continued yesterday to bombard American troops with artillery fire. Rifle shots continue to echo through the desert. Blood still stains the white sand.
Bush took a step in the right direction Wednesday when he called for a cease-fire. In his statement he hinted at softening his stance on the conditions of surrender. Saddam used the phrase "principle" to operations. Bush said.
The statement seemed to be a political vaguery, implying that Iraq need only agree that reparations should be paid, not that they will be. And Bush said Iraq must "observe all relevant United Nations resolutions," perhaps backing away from his previous position that Iraq meet the requirements of all the resolutions, as he has insisted in the past.
Rod Griffin
Associate
Editorial
Editor
Experts predicted this would be a short war and a rout for the coalition forces. Thus far it has been just that, soldiers who had told about the soldiers who have died.
We are told of downed aircrafts and tank kills, but little mention is made of the pilots and crew members who died. Death tolls are tallied in little charts that accompany news stories.
We see the numbers but not the bodies
Without bodies, this war seems incredibly easy to bear. Someone said shortly after the United States became involved in the gulf that Americans love war as long as it is short and nobody gets hurt.
This war, if Iraq accepts the cease-fire, could be short. And reports make it seem that virtually no one is being hurt.
Our planes rumble over Iraq and the thunder of exploding bombs shakes the entire region. Buildings
are destroyed by "smart weapons," and very few people are killed.
The entire Iraqi army has surredered, or so it appears. Our troops haven't had to fire a shot, or so it seems
His popularity has soared. And the armed forces got to try out all their neat toys.
It's been a glorious little war. For the president anyway.
Now would be a good time for the battles to end. The president could ride this wave of popularity to re-election. More money could be spent on developing high-tech weapons. And the American people could celebrate in 2014 with successful war in more than 40 years, or so the administration hopes.
But the war isn't over. And the end of the war, in itself, will not be cause of distress.
The end of the war will only mark the end of the terror, the destruction
— the killing. And war, whether beginning or ending, is not something to celebrate.
Rod Griffin is a senior majoring in journalism.
Headline was wrong
The article on the Western Civilization program (published Feb. 26) contained an ambiguity that the headline writer turned into a full-blown falsification ("Student Senate to have input in future Western Civilization book lists"). I'm writing to clarify the matter and to correct my misapprehension. This is not a general criticism of the teacher, was trying to report accurately what he thought I said. But I did not say, nor did I imply, that the Minority Affairs Curriculum Subcommittee (much less the Student Senate!) was about to become a regular and permanent part of the program's curriculum evaluation process.
In no way did I mean to suggest that the subcommittee was about to become a regular part of our curriculum evaluation, either this year or in the future.
As in other academic units, our teaching staff and governing committee are entirely responsible for our curriculum decisions. We do try to listen to individuals and groups who express reasoned concerns or offer helpful suggestions. We have been acutely aware for some time of the issues of diversity raised by the subcommittee and others, and we actively try to deal with some of them within the framework of a two-semester program emphasizing Western "classics." Our large teaching staff includes a number of persons—both faculty and GTAs—who are knowledgeable about these issues, and some of them are contributing to our current curriculum evaluation process.
As the article indicated, members of the subcommittee will be meeting with us in March. The sole purpose of the meeting is to give them an opportunity to share their concerns and make suggestions, which they have articulated in a recent memo. What I told the reporter was that because we still will be involved in our curriculum evaluation process at that point and will not be making any substantive changes for the next academic year, the conversation with the subcommittee members could contribute usefully to our deliberations.
In no way did I mean to suggest that the subcommittee was about to become a regular part of our curriculum evaluation, either this year or in the future. Our meeting is an informal opportunity for one particular group to get together to let us know what is on its members' minds — nothing more.
Other Voices
James Wooefel
Western Civilization program director
Say No slogan no good
Rather than just fold their tents and steal off into the night on their Camels, the U.S. tobacco industry is trying to earn a touch of respectability by mounting — now, get this — a "Helping Savy Save No" campaign.
It's not that the tobacco pushers have gotten religion or that they're admitting their products are bad for kids. Oh, no, the campaign's printed materials talk about smoking as if it merely something that should be postponed until adulthood, like saving yourself for marriage.
Stressing the fact that it's illegal to
sell tobacco products to minors, the glossy, "Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers Cope with Peer Pressure" refers only briefly to "the claims that smoking presents risks to one's health."
Not one word in there suggesting that your kids could wind up adicted if they start puffing in their teens, or that they could wind up dead at an early age from any number of smoky cigarettes. I jibe with the photos of squeaky-clean teens engaged in wholesome family activities in the materials.
Just like its cynical sponsorship of the Bill of Rights bicentennial, the
They're not fooling anyone.
tobacco industry wants to appear socially responsible by seeming to oppose smoke by kids.
They're no bobbing anyone.
What, after all, is this campaign in comparison to the industry's multibillion dollar advertising effort that portrays smokers as hip, mature and sexually desirable?
kids get that message loud and clear, unfortunately. "Helping Youth Say No" is just damage-control for tobacco companies eager to escape their true identity as merchants of death.
Patriotic, heavy-breathing 'Desert Susan' tries to comfort troops
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
In every war, there are those on the home front who do their part. From time to time I will report on these reports. Here is the first of these reports.
Michael Lobkowitz is a businessman of the Los Angeles species. That means he calls himself an audio and print artist. His works of art include an erotic magazine and a low-rating late-night radio show.
when the fighting broke out, Lobkowicz decided to do something to help the war effort. He would raise the morale of the young men over there. As he said in a message he faxed to me, "World Broadcast System is proud to announce 'Desert Susan', the first in a series of radio shows on cassettes, created especially for U.S. and Allied troops
"Desert Susan" is hosted by Susan Block, best-selling author, radio artist, matchmaker. Mistress of the
Mike Royko Syndicated columnist
Airwaves, sex therapist
He goes on to say that Block tapes the cassette in her West Hollywood bedroom. And that in a "sultry voice penetrating the horrors of war ... she comforts, inspires and counsels them on their long, lonely missions
... bring them a hot little piece of American pie with a lot of cool whipped cream. Desert Susan loves her troops ."
As a patriotic gesture, Lobkowitz says he is sending free copies of the tapes — about 10 a day — to a Desert Storm post office box.
However, he is also making him available to patriotic Americans who might wish to send them to someone over there. He is charging $11.95 a tape. But those who sign up for an email list of the people he has, a cut-rate price of $120.
As for the content of the tape, it is a bit difficult to describe.
It would be an understatement to say that Block, also known as Desert Susan, has a sultry voice. I'm not sure that seductive or erotic would do it justice. Let me put it as delicately as I can: It is the sort of voice you would expect from a lady who was nibbling on your earlobe while unbuttoning your shirt and trying to lift your wallet.
And it is appropriate that she would record the cassettes in her bedroom because she does every thing. "Was it as good for you as it was for
me?"
While breathing heavily, she slowly says, "It's so good to talk to you again I've missed you ... You are the captain of my heart. Let me whisper in your ear. Let me rock you in the cradle of my arms
"Let me touch you where the skin sage your mind." Let me kiss you
"Let me touch you where you long to be touched."
There's much more. A few romantic songs, what appears to be an effort at philosophy and cheerful messages from a few other women — Angie, Janell and Marianne, who play in the audio and paint artistry field.
But mostly it is Desert Susan, who goes on to say: '... Now I want you to snuggle up real close, close your eyes if you can, not if you're on Scud watch or anything, and think back to those good old dating days at home
where after a great evening with a
great girl, you had her just where you
were.
Then she pretends to be that girl, at one point saying "Wrap yourself around me . . ." With appropriate sighs and gaps, of course.
In a telephone conversation about his project, Lobkowicz denied the purpose of the tape was to get a woman to lose the mood to squeeze a woman's rump.
"It it's just to make them feel good," he said. "This has more to do with their feelings inside and contemplation. These are all the things we're feeling, and it's made loved ones. Ultimately, I do think that is what we're fighting for."
If he meant that the young men who heard the tapes might prefer to be in Desert Susan's bedroom, I couldn't argue with him.
Lobkowicz said he really didn't
care if he made a profit from the project, although he added. "That would be nice; it's a capitalistic society."
And he said that for every tape he sells, he will donate $1, which is very generous, to the USO. Of course, the company pays the tax, so that leaves it buy a proof of $8 or $8.
In discussing the profit potential, Lobkowicz sniffed, "Well, newspapers have been aggressive in selling their product."
That is true. On the other hand, few newspapers tell the troops that we will rub their feet or touch them where they long to be touched.
I guess we're kind of stodgy.
If you wish to order one of Lobkowicz's war-effort tapes, his address is . . . Oops, I seem to have lost it. Very careless of me.
KANSAN STAFF
Mike Royko is a syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune.
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