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Tuesday, October 19, 1993
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
Raising minimum wage would benefit workers
The proposal by Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich to raise the minimum wage to $4.50 an hour from the current $4.25 is an important step in achieving a fair distribution of wealth in this country and should be supported by our government. The proposed increase would counter the decreases in the real wages earned by lower income workers and would provide an incentive for people to find and retain employment.
Economists have estimated that there are approximately 4 million minimum wage workers in the United States, with a disproportionate number being women and minorities. Because of the effects of inflation, individuals in these groups have depressed spending power that can often lead to a reliance on state and federal assistance. A 1992 study by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs found that the average U.S. worker now has to work twice as long to purchase a medium priced home or car than it would have taken 20 years ago.
Lawrence residents who purchase houses in neighborhoods deserve to live next to other residences, not businesses. The Lawrence City Commission currently is debating the proper definition of home day care.
Depressed buying power is not the only problem that lower real wages create. When the real wage rate is correlated with crime, a relationship between the two is uncovered. As the real wage rate declines, the crime rate increases. This increase is found not only in property crimes but also in crimes that are committed against people, such as rape and murder. An increase in the minimum wage would not only benefit workers, it would have a positive social impact too.
The minimum wage should be increased periodically to keep up with the rising cost of living. The economic and social benefits that could be derived from the proposed increase should be embraced by the business community and supported by our government. The increase would motivate those who are unemployed to find work and would encourage minimum wage earners to be more productive in their jobs.
RANDALL REITZ FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Day care run in homes hurts neighborhoods
According to the current definition, a resident may be the provider of child care for 12 children. Under this definition, several Lawrence day cares are run illegally.
Commissioners are focusing on Rosemary and Jorge Valverde, Lawrence residents who run but do not reside in three home daycare centers. Each of the three houses has a renter who does not provide child care. The Valverdes define the houses as child-care homes.
It is clear, however, that the Valverdes are running businesses. Therefore, they should be required to run these businesses in properly zoned areas.
Traffic is the main concern. The additional traffic created by businesses is not conducive to the safety of neighborhoods.
The commission is currently drafting an ordinance that would allow a middle ground — redefining "child-care home." The new definition would allow a child care in neighborhoods if someone lives in the house.
This is not a middle ground; this is caving-in to the desires of the few and ignoring the complaints of manv.
Accepting this new definition would encourage more home day cares that are not run by residents and increase accompanying problems. The commission must take a stand and require that the Valverdes move their businesses to commercial zones to preserve the quality and safety of neighborhoods.
DAVID BURGETT 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
editors
Assistant to the editor ... J.R. Clairborne
News ... Stacey Friedman
Editorial ... Terrellyn McCormick
Campus ... Ben Grove
Sports ... Kristi Fogler
Photo ... Klip Chin, Renes Knoeber
Features ... Erza Wroth
Graphics ... John Paul Fogel
AMY CASEY
Business manager
AMY TUMBO
Retail sales manager
JEANNE HINES
Sales and marketing adviser
Business Staff
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Campus sales mgr ... Ed Schager
Regional Sales mgr ... Jennifer Pierer
National sales mgr ... Jennifer Evenson
Co-op sales mgr ... Brythe Focht
Production mgr ... Jennifer Blowey
Kate Burgess
Marketing director .. Shelly McConnell
Creative director .. Brian Fuco
Classified mgr ... Janice Davis
This year, Oct. 11 marked the 501st anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Western Hemisphere. But, of course, this significant achievement of opening up the New World and various trade routes to other civilizations is not celebrated at KU. In fact, the federal holiday is protested each year by the students at Haskell Indian Nations University.
American-Indian protests about Columbus are not based on facts
The American Indians claim that the "villainous" Columbus should be held directly accountable for the demise of the innocent and peaceful Indian civilizations that dotted the North American landscape. This argument, however, relies on an inaccurate historical prejudice that is not consistent with the natural progress of man.
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hear the Indian nations faulted for pursuing their interests. The notion that the Indians lived in a completely harmonious society with each other until the "white man" came and started to kill their people is ludicrous. The Mohawk warriors were killed by the thousands in order for the interests of some Indians to be advanced. It is wrong to equate the word genocide with the Indian nations. In the same way it is wrong to equate the European society with the belief that they are a "villainous" culture for expanding to North America.
An interesting fact about Columbus is that he never touched foot on North America. That's right. Columbus only reached what we would now call Central America.
Thus, it seems that the American Indians' protest that Columbus is personally accountable for the death and destruction of their people in North America is completely and undeniably false. After all, it's kind of hard to kill thousands of people that lived on a continent that you have never even touched.
Another argument against Columbus is that he opened the gateway for the Europeans to inflict their horrors on the Indian civilization. In this argument, Columbus is not guilty for the killing of the Indian people, but instead he is symbolically held accountable for the horrors that later transpired against the Indian race at the hands of white men.
In pursuit of these objectives — objectives that are common to all societies — the Europeans ventured down a path that led them into an
Common sense is used to develop solutions for problems in society. But sometimes the solutions that we have actually do not solve the problems. Obviously, crime is considered a social problem.
Although the numerous atrocities committed by the Europeans against the native inhabitants of North America can never be defended, European society itself cannot be faulted for merely seeking to broaden its interests and expand its domain.
inevitable conflict with the Indians.
The intended goal of the Europeans was to colonize the land that was inhabited. However, the Indians believed that man could not own the land, and they wanted the land to be left in its natural state, open and undisturbed. The issue of who controlled the land was clearly a competing interest between both the Europeans and the Indians.
But in this case the Europeans adapted better to achieve their goal (ownership of the land) and because of this they eventually displaced the Indians. This resulted because the Europeans had superior technology with both weapon systems and organization skills.
All societies have tried to expand their domain and influence since the beginning of time. Although specific acts of subjugation and belligerence should be faulted, no fault should be found in the ambitious quest of societies to expand their influence. Columbus did not come to the West as a conqueror. He ambitiously sought to expand European horizons. The students at Haskell, in their continued protests of Columbus Day, continue to demonstrate their ignorance of history and the natural progress of man.
There was similar competition among Indian nations, yet we seldom
The theory of Social Darwinism has some explanatory value in describing the ultimate result of the conflict between the Europeans and the American Indians. Social Darwinism explains that when two societies compete over the same interests, the society that adapts best ultimately triumphs. This is not to say that the victor is superior, but it is also wrong to conclude that the victor is necessarily at fault.
Advance treatment of the problem possibly could break cycle of crime
However, society often blames criminals for their behaviors. Of course, if people commit crimes, they should be punished. But merely sending a person to jail for a crime does not solve crime in America. We must look beyond the crime itself to reach the source of the problem. Crime is not the problem. Other factors cause crime besides the person who engages in criminal activity.
Lance Hamby is a Wichita Junior majoring in political science and Journalism.
Child abuse is an excellent example of these causing factors. People who are victims of child abuse may abuse their own children. This is not true in
all cases of child abuse. However, in many cases, it is. If people are imprisoned for child abuse but do not receive treatment, they will, more than likely, repeat the crime when released. And the cycle is likely to continue from generation to generation. Thus, our solution to this crime has not worked. Although a person serves a jail sentence for a crime, the
sentence is not a solution for the crime itself.
Providing treatment for all individuals who commit crimes would not only help them but also benefit society. First, treatment would reduce crime, thus boosting the economy because less money would be spent to curb crime. Treatment also would prevent crime in future generations. Finally, treatment would help produce a healthier nation. Society often uses common sense to solve its problems. But if our current solution is not working, we should take a different approach.
This scenario can be true for other crimes, such as battery, murder and substance abuse. If a child grows up in a household that uses violence as a solution to its problems, this child also may use violence as a solution to problems. If a child is reared in a household in which drugs or alcohol are abused, the child may become a drug addict or an alcoholic. Again, this is not true in all cases. But it is in some
Thus, the solution to crime is not only jail, but treatment. Although those who commit crimes should be punished, punishment is in vain if people do not learn lessons and receive treatment for problems.
We punish those who break laws by
putting them in jail. But if we do not give them treatment also, they may return to the streets to commit more crimes.
Tiffany Hurt is a Overland Park senior majoring in Journalism and English.
G-M Underwriters' mailing excludes facts
Nearly 2,000 students at the University of Kansas participating in the G-M Underwriter's Student Health Insurance Plan recently received some confusing information. I wish to clarify a few points that were not mentioned in their mailings.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
1) Every physician at Watkins Health Center is board certified in a medical specialty, including family practice, gynecology, internal medicine, psychiatry, pulmonary disease and sports medicine. The cost of seeing a physician at Watkins is covered by the student health fee if an individual is enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Kansas. Part-time students can see physicians at Watkins on a "fee for service" basis. To see any of the specialists listed in the CCN/POP directory will require out-of-pocket expense to the patient.
2) Nowhere is it mentioned the 100 percent of prescription medication expenses are covered by G-M Underwriters if students have their prescriptions processed at Watkins Health Center Pharmacy. Prescriptions for pre-existing conditions, over-the-counter medications and contraceptives are excluded from coverage. A $10 co-pharmacy (out-of-pocket expense) is required when a prescription is filled at a pharmacy participating under the PPO/Express Scripts contract but NOT if the prescription is processed at Watkins. Their pharmacists routinely check your medication profile for drug-drug interactions and drug-allergy contraindications every time a prescription is processed. They also provide information about your medications upon request and counsel patients about common side effects, adverse
effects and the best time to take your medication every time a new prescription is processed. They DO NOT provide mail-order pharmacy service.
3) The booklet would have you believe that your insurance is not billed for charges covered under the G-M Underwriters contract. There have been NO changes here. They do direct billing to G-M at every opportunity. You DO NOT have to submit your receipts for reimbursement. It is critical, however, that you inform their business office of any and all changes that might occur with your individual health insurance coverage.
The physicians, pharmacists, nurses and all other supportive personnel at Watkins Health Center work to provide you the best health care possible for the dollars you spend. And everyone of them is a highly
trained professional who cares about YOU, the patient.
John Baughman
Watkins Medical Staff
Bible passages show God's view on sexuality
In Scott Gillaspie's Oct. 14 column, "LesBiGay Services of Kansas offers a lesson for all people," he referred to "the few people ... who use misinterpreted Bible verses to denounce homosexuality and bisexuality." Passages such as Leviticus 18:22, which states "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable," "don't require much manipulation to cause one to conclude that God does indeed abhor homosexuality.
Jonathan Hupp Mayetta sophomore