4 Tuesday, December 4, 1990 / University Daily Kansan Opinion ( ) THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Discrimination The KU Law School should do the right thing and ban military recruiters, as Washburn does Washburn University, since January, has prohibited military recruiters — the Army, Navy and Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps — from recruiting on campus. The ban is a response to a Department of Defense policy that excludes homosexuals from the armed services and any related programs. The anti-discrimination policy of the American Association of Law Schools, of which Washburn is a member, does not allow discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The University of Kansas Law School, on the other hand, has continued to allow military recruiters on campus. The KU Law School has its own anti-discrimination policy, but it does not refer to sexual orientation discrimination. That would seem to be the only reason military recruiters still are allowed on campus. The recruiters still violate the general KU anti-discrimination policy that prohibits sexual orientation discrimination. Like Washburn Law School, KU Law School is a member of the American Association of Law Schools. Although the association's anti-discrimination policy isn't a mandate, it does serve as a national guideline for law schools. The KU Law School is respected in the Midwest and the nation. What kind of message do its leaders send by continuing to look the other way while the military discriminates? If the law school is worried about limiting the opportunities of its students and wants to make a moderate change, it could ban military recruiters from campus but continue to inform students of the opportunities the military offers. That would allow students to decide for themselves whether they want to be part of a program that discriminates on the basis of sexual preference. Then, at least, the University would not condone the military's discrimination any more than it already does by continuing to allow the ROTC programs to disregard the University's anti-discrimination policy. The law school scenario shows that KU is once again a step behind. Washburn banned military recruiters in January. KU still hasn't made up its mind what to do. KU Law school officials have promised that they would meet with concerned students and review their position, although they say it is too early to tell what they will do. The law school should look to Washburn's example when considering its own course of action. Jill Harrington for the editorial board Resolute power U.N. message actually may be attempt at peace The United Nations Security Council passed the strongest condemnation yet of Iraq and Saddam Hussein on Thursday. The resolution stated that after January 15, 1991, the member countries of the United Nations could use "all means necessary" to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. Many view the resolution as a declaration of war. That isn't necessarily so. Although the use of force in Kuwait has been given a green light, this doesn't mean that the United States or the multinational forces will begin offensive strikes immediately after the deadline. What the resolution does is make the threat to Saddam more real. He has gotten the message that after the deadline any action by the United States or other country in the multinational force will have the sanction of the United Nations. The vote was important for another reason. It helped forge an international consensus on the matter. The resolution was passed by a vote of 12-2 with one abstention. The Soviet Union, one of the largest and most hesitant members of the coalition against Saddam, voted for the resolution and was supportive of efforts to end the crisis. The support of the Soviet Union and the refusal of China to veto the resolution has given Saddam the word that the world will not stand for his blatant aggression. Cuba and Yeman were the two negative votes. Now that the political and military pressure has been turned up, the sanctions must be given time to work. Reports from Iraq indicate that the sanctions are beginning to affect the daily lives of the Iraqis as well as their military forces. Fighter planes, for example, no longer make practice flights in an effort to save fuel. By allowing the sanctions to continue to work, the crisis only gets closer to a conclusion. The combination of the sanctions,political isolation and military pressure may be the best combination for a peaceful settlement of the crisis. Brett Brenner for the editorial board LETTERS to the EDITOR 'Sneaky' politics wrong Once again, the city and state governments are trying to take away our rights. The city of Lawrence is now attempting to pass an ordinance to deny our already limited access to dance clubs, restaurants and other establishments that operate on Class B liquor licenses. " or ordinance designed to limit access to establishments with Class B liquor licenses. In a recent issue of the Oread newsletter, Mayor Shirley Martin-Smith said the ordinance probably would be passed when we If they succeed, what's next? More than likely, denied access to all establishments that serve alcohol, including Pizza Hut, Molly McGee's, Johnny's, Bencharmers, Pizzaz, The Free State Brewery, The Pool Room, etc. the list is endless. This is not a good time to discriminate against a specific age group, namely those between the uses of 18 and 21 The city attorney is now drafting This is an attempt by the city government to discriminate against a specific age group, namely those between the ages of 18 and 21. are out of town during the holidays, Lawrence's noise ordinance was passed in the same sneaky fashion — last year when we were all gone for Christmas break. We think this form is not tolerated. politics should not be tolerated We all may not be registered voters in Douglas County, but the student body makes a difference, economically and otherwise. The mayor is receiving pressure from some narrow-minded citizens who are unaware of about the effect we have on the city. Below is a list of city officials to contact immediately before it's too late! Your rights are on the line! Please take 10 minutes to protect your rights like we have. Shirley Martin-Smith (mayor) 749-5433 or 842-1515 Bob Schumm: 842-6729. Bob Walters: 842-3821. Mike Rundle: 841-7817. Dave Penny: 843-0919. You also may correspond with any of the above commissioners at: City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets, Lawrence, Kan. 60044 Craig Posson Sra Norton senior Steve B. Bryce-Holtzman Lawrence junior Hilary Overton Lawrence junior Richard A. Bean Baldwin resident "This is my 'card of thanks' to all those who voted 'yes' for SLT and in our (we're all included now) own small way put us right in step with the underclass of Brazil. I would like you (or us) to remember, however, that we aren't running, don't answer it. It might be a facilitator calling to ask you to gather in an attempt to save yet another piece of biosphere. Plowing irrational When I was awakened Nov. 19 at 5:30 a.m., by the ringing phone, it was a call to ask if I would join the assembly near Elkins Prairie. It seems the land technician, a k.a. developer, was plowing and had plowed nearly half of this unique grassland. The farmer supeh him from his irreversible act? Promote unification In my opinion, SLT is thinking founded in the '80s or perhaps the late '60s. Where are the visionaries of this community who will pull us out from behind the steering wheels and place us in any form of mass transportation? Could it be that one is embodied in a developer who is plowing prairie? Is his vision a light rail system that will carry passengers between his newly paved prairie and the Riverfront Plaza? This incident appears to me to be a prelude to irrational acts that will continue to divide the community. Apparently, to the eager developer, a startling hold had been sounded when the voting public favored construction of the South Lawrence Trafficway (SLT). In his mind he would merely step alongside the destruction of species much like the peasant who is burning the Brazilian rain forest; certainly he knew the major stakeholders and their decision makers were behind him. For, as I was informed, the county commission and our state senator had waved large dollar bills at the man in an attempt to derail his non-refundable agrarian pursuit. Like Donald Marquis, professor of philosophy, I was offended by Ombudsman Robert Shelton's declaration that all White, male Christians are racist, sexist anti-Semites. To Professor Marquis' objections I should add the following: In holding this view, the KU umbudsman cannot possibly act impartially in cases involving White, male Christians; nor can he, himself a White, male Christian, be impartial toward women, Blacks or Jews. Secondly, an inflammatory, false and provocative statement of this kind, instead of reducing tensions among races, sexes and religions, can only aggrate those tensions. Indeed, the current "diversity" blitz tends to create an atmosphere in which extremism thrives. May I modestly suggest that the University start promoting those things that unite us instead of those that divide us? Dennis B. Quinn professor of English Engineering fee wrong I am outraged at the total lack of concern for the societal impact of the proposed engineering student equipment fee. On the surface, it appears that those who have proposed this fee have used good reason. However, there are serious and disastrous consequences that they have refused to accept. Because of discriminatory, disregards the purpose of a state university and contradicts the societal goals that we, as a nation, are striving to reach. ” This fee clearly slams the door on the American dream of self improvement. ” The purpose of a state university is to provide an equal opportunity education beyond the high school level in a variety of fields to state residents. An economically disadvantaged undergraduate student will no longer be permitted to study in the field of his or her choosing if this fee is assessed. Because this fee only hurts students of low-income status, it serves to further repress the economically disadvantaged. This fee clearly slams the door on the American dream of self improvement. This country has been striving for the past 20 years to allow and encourage women and minorities to enter into fields such as engineering, where this fee only offers discouragement because these groups are affected disproportionately. The impact is severe. This proposal evolved from a number of universities that already have set a bad precedent by passing similar fees. Why destroy an education system, which is to better our society, for a short-sighted financial gain? So, why should the average engineering student care about these issues? The majority of engineering students are not devastated by this fee, probably never had, or will have, to concern themselves with these issues on a personal level. But they do get the opportunity to endorse or reject the decision for the rest of our society. I am glad to see that many engineering students are willing to support the needs of their school. I have also heard from the same desires. However, it is not in a university, the engineering students' responsibility to carry as heavy a load as a $15-a-credit-hour fee. The computer-equipment need is a University-wide issue, as is the operating budget of each of the schools. If this responsibility were thers, the series of events to follow might as well be to toss the University of Chicago to the water to solve the University and remain with a collection of schools, each with its own tuition rate. I commend dean of engineering Carl Locke's commitment in solving the School of Engineering's needs and his efforts in pursuing all the standard means of financing. But requesting students' involvement is disturbing when the only alternative seems to be writing the final check for emergency financing. And the current lack of students' involvement also is disturbing. In the coming referendum, we need active, responsible, educated voters. There are other alternatives! Carol Rhodes Wichita senior NCAA reversal unfair As a basketball fan, I was shocked and disappointed by the NCAA's decision to overturn its ruling against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas basketball team. With this statement, the NCAA proves that crime does pay. Consequently, the media love to play up that KU is still the only school that could not defend its basketball title. I'm sick of hearing this, KU, like UNLV, was found guilty of previous violations. It affected, however, a team that had done nothing wrong except be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, the team, the coaches and everyone associated with KU basketball did not complain or try to overturn the ruling. I have tremendous respect for these individuals because they managed to pull the program together even though they were faced with penalties far greater than what UNLV had to face. Supposedly, the NCAA is an organization that promotes fairness within intercollegiate athletics. Whatever validity the NCAA tried to establish in its investigation of UNLV has been lost. While I'm on the subject of fairness, I think the present UNLV coach and a few "star" players have been extremely unfair to the future of UNLV basketball by placing the team as the best should win the basketball title this year, will they be crying again next year? I may sound like a disgruntled fan, but I feel that if a school commits an infraction, it should deal with the penalty of getting caught. Kristin Wilson Ellinwood senior KANSAN STAFF DEREK SCHMIDT Editor KJERSTIN GABRIELSON Managing editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser Editors MARGARET TOWNSEND Business manager News. Julie Mattemborn Editorial. Mary Neubauer Planning. Palm Soller Campus. Holly Lawton Sports. Brent Maycock Photo. Andrew Morrison Graphics. Brett Bronner Features. Stacy Smith JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser MINDY MORRIS Retail sales manager business sales Campus sales mgr. Christ Dool Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzmar National sales mgr. David Price Co-op sales mgr. Deborah Salzer Production mgr. Missy Miller Production assistant. Julie Axland Marketing director. Audra Langford Creative director. Gail Einbinder Letters should be type, double-space and fewer than 200 words. They must include the writer's name, position, department, and the University of Kansas must include a name and background, or faculty or staff position. Most columns should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be photographed. Home Remedies By Tom Michaud The Kansan reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be marked or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauster-Flint Hall. Letters, columns and cartoons are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kansan. Editorials are the opinion of the Kansan editorial board.