4 Thursday, October 14, 1993 OPINION UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN VIEWPOINT Oread parking proposal requires more research The Oread Neighborhood Association's roar about parking is louder than the problem. The working proposal that would require a parking permit to park on all streets in the neighborhood is not needed, nor is it supported by all residents. The City Commission should not accept the association's research or claims of support as fact. The association is making some basic assumption on a few faulty facts. First, the association determined that parking was a problem for residents after receiving a few complaints. There was no formal poll to determine if all residents had parking difficulties or if they would be interested in a parking permit. There are no immediate plans to conduct such a poll. Second, the only study of the parking situation was done by the association, not by an outside, objective organization. And the scientific nature of the study is questionable. Only one street was studied. Members of the association monitored the tags of cars parked on the street at several different time periods during the day. From this information they supposedly determined the percentage of the cars that belonged to nonresidents, who are mainly students. At least five more streets in the neighborhood were not included in the study. This makes questionable the claim that the entire neighborhood has parking problems. Third, the other problem with the association is its membership. The Oread Neighborhood is made up mainly of students. The association is made up mainly of nonstudents. Also, a person does not have to live in the neighborhood to join the association.In fact, the past president did not live in or own property in the neighborhood. The association's proposal is making a noble attempt to respond to its residents. No one can blame them for that. The proposal will affect many people, including the University, the residents and the city. More research and support is need for such widespread action. TERRILYN McCORMICK FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD LETTER TO THE EDITOR Column ignores realities of racism I am writing in response to Anne Bailey's Oct. 8 column, titled "Minorities discriminate against white people, too." I found it wholly offensive. So, while prejudice is probably here to stay, society may take measures to reduce the impact of institutionalized prejudice on oppressed people. Bailey uses the word racism a great deal and decries what she calls "reverse racism." I think the first problem is the confusion about what the word racism means. Racism does not mean prejudice. When a segment of the population's prejudices becomes embodied in society's institutions to oppress another segment of the population, as in the United States, the society is racist. Put simply, racism is a system of power and oppression. Examples are affirmative action, quota systems and organizations like the Black Student Union. Despite all the bluster from conservatives about reverse discrimination, somehow I am sure that rosy pink faces, like Ms. Bailey's, will always get squeezed. Beyond semantics, the issues are too numerous. I will only dwell on the most patently offensive statement made by Ms. Bailey. She writes, "minorities are subjecting the white culture to the same hardships people like Martin Luther King Jr. fought valiantly to abolish." I had not imagined that anyone could be so insensitive to the gains and sacrifices made by the leaders of the civil rights movement. Next time you are turned away from a restaurant, next time your father is hanged or your brother is beat up by the cops, next time you cannot enroll your children in a public school, all because of the color of your skin, then maybe you can talk of "hardships." Until then, though, you've got a lot to learn. Finally, I am not suggesting that we "feel guilty for the crimes of others." I am suggesting that we wake up and recognize that racism is ongoing in this country and that we look for ways to correct the damage done by centuries of oppression and genocide. The trite alternative suggested by Ms. Bailey, that we treat others as we would like to be treated, ignores the true problem and smothers years of suffering under tired sentiment. The real problem is much uglier and rooted much deeper in our society than prejudice against white people. Rather than concentrating on self-serving, individual grievances, we should be trying to figure out how we're all going to get out of this alive. Those of you who don't care know who you are. Connor O'Brien Lawrence junior LesBiGay Services of Kansas offers a lesson for all people Finally, a minority group is taking a new approach to educate people about their needs and concerns. And surprisingly so, it's probably the most chastised group of people within our society. During the National Coming Out Day, Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Services of Kansas didn't choose only to have workshops or seminars that could help people to identify with their own sexuality, they took a more inclusive approach that was directed at all people, regardless of their sexual views. Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Services of Kansas, or LesBiGayS OK, established "Come Out as a Straight Ally" as KU's theme for National Coming Out Day. By doing so, they are making their message heard by more people and allowing more people to show not only their concern with the issues that lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals face, but also to show their acceptance. Unlike many minority groups that preach diversity but prefer only to address their problems among themselves, LesBiCayS OK is allowing all people to join them in fighting the stereotypes caused by homophobia. They're not meeting behind closed doors to discuss what they can do to STAFF COLUMNIST alter the stereotypes and prejudices about them, they're going about their problem in the most effective of ways. They won't emerge from some meeting room and give an agenda which they expect all people to follow, they are allowing others to to take part in joining them to discuss not only what lesbians, gays and bisexuals must do to change the stereotypes, but what straight people must do as well in order to help them obtain their goal of acceptance. Why does this seem like such an effective technique to educate the general public about their concerns? Quite simply, it isn't a way to strike back at society and make them feel alienated. In fact, it's just the opposite. It's nice to know that as a straight person, my opinion is still valued by this group that many people enjoy making fun of. It's nice to know that I could walk up to them and be accepted as a person, not looked upon with suspicion and considered a threat. It seems that LesBigayS OK have actually gone a step further than establishing a group where lesbians, gays and bisexuals can feel like they belong or are accepted; they have conveyed the message that they will be accepting of all individuals, no matter what their sexuality. Even though it may seem that the theme of "Come Out as a Straight Ally" may be taking away from the issue of coming out, it's yet another example of how LesBiGayS OK are aiming to be an inclusive group. While many people may find publicly confessing their sexuality difficult, they will have more support than other gay and bisexual people around them. They will be able to see that there are straight people who are supportive and accepting of them, that the few people that the media show as using misinterpreted Bible verses to denounce homosexuality and bisexuality are the exception rather than the rule and that many straight individuals are accepting of them and would be willing to have them as friends. New possibilities could also be opened up for straight people. For people who aren't concerned with a person's sexual orientation, they could be in for a surprise that there are more gay people than they thought. Their stereotypes and images of gay people could be altered and corrected. In some cases, maybe some straight people could even be able to come to accept lifestyles different than their own. Maybe it would come as a surprise to them that their neighbor or the woman who sits next to them in class is gay. For homosexuals, bisexuals, and even heterosexuals, LesBiGayS OK is providing an event that could educate all people. It seems that LesBlGayS OK has a lesson to offer other groups that are trying to gain awareness and acceptance of their goals and issues. By following the example of LesBlGayS OK, all people, no matter what their sexual orientation, skin color, religion or ideologies may be, could more easily obtain the goal they all strive for: to establish equality for all people. Scott Gillasea is a Topeka junior major in English. Canada vacation about human spirit In light of the recent triumphs of the human spirit — Boris Yeltsin in Russia, the dude that amputated his own leg with a pocketknife when he was trapped under a tree, the fact that I went to the library (on my own) three nights in a row last week — I feel it is time for me to salute this spirit. For me, the human spirit was convincingly vindicated this past July when, for reasons unknown to anyone, including the participants, two of my honebres and I set out for the country we've heard so much about recently within respected political circles. You know, the NAFTA (Not Among countries For Traveling Amigos) place. That's right - Canada. Actually, we all had our own reasons for this expedition. I wanted to go on what I perceived to be a vacation for the first time in seven years. Derek wanted to break the world record for time spent just staring at a road atlas (a mark he broke with ease). Jason was less demanding — he wanted to see if people in Canada said "eh" as much as they did in the cult movie classic, "Strange Brew." The main focus of this journey, in fact, became the human spirit. Frankly, I didn't learn much about Jason since he spent roughly 90 percent of the driving time sleeping. However, Derek and I did learn much about each other. The main thing I learned about Derek was that I wanted to kill him. I came to this conclusion on many occasions, but one event truly personified the atmosphere of the drive and the trip in general. We had many fiery exchanges, but the most fiery one came from me. Of course, I was provoked. We left Canada at 3:30 p.m., hoping, from some skewed mathematical formula, to get to Minneapolis, Minn., by 3 a.m. So anyway, Derek begged the entire trip for me to let him drive. Since I was afraid he would pee his hips, I let him drive when we got to the border. Derek drove for an entire hour before coming down with a still undiagnosed deadly illness. Therefore, I had to take over. Derek and Jason quickly fell asleep, and eight hours later, I was still driving. When I saw Bill Clinton and Yoda riding a caribou in Duluth, Minn., I concluded it would be best if someone else drove. For the next 25 minutes I tried to wake someone up. They wouldn't. This was bad. Derek the Navigator had told me to wake him up when we got to Minneapolis so he could "help" me get to the hotel. On the outskirts of the city, I managed to "shake" Jason up. He claims that I then pointed at Derek and with an evil red glow in my eyes, said, "Wake him the hell up!" He got up and after intensely studying the atlas, got us lost. When we did reach the hotel, I had been up for 25 hours — the last 10 spent driving. It was then that I officially announced my plans to kill Derek. So you probably sitting there saying, "Chris, where did the human spirit prevail?" Well, the way I see it, not killing Derek was a triumph. Canada — it's a magical place. Chris Ronan is a Overland Park sophomore majoring in radio and TV broadcast. KC TRAUER Editor JOE HARDER, CHRISTINE LAUE Managing editors TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser KANSAN STAFF Assistant to the editor...J.R. 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