4A
Friday, November 15, 1996
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
Ending affirmative action hurts the fight for equality
The dangers of racism, discrimination and prejudice resurfaced shockingly this past Election Day when foes of affirmative action turned their political fortunes around.
California voters approved Proposition 209 by a margin of 750,000 votes out of 8.7 million cast. The measure would end the use of race, sex or national origin as a basis for hiring and promotions in state and local government jobs, state college admissions and public works and other government contracts.
Although the California vote may seem distant, it strikes at the heart of a nation that should no longer be viewed as a melting pot but as a cultural buffet.
Reminders of yesteryear, such as the Jim Crow laws of the South, speak of a society where people who are different are feared, belittled and ostracized. Undoubtedly, U.S. citizens have made great steps toward building a society in which the stigma of being different is downplayed. However, human nature is as immutable as the Rock of Gibraltar. Instinctively, we will always fear what is different or new.
Affirmative action, although admittedly imperfect, is one established tool Americans use to encourage cultural diversity and tolerance. Opponents of affirmative action seem only to be complaining of its disadvantages without offering better solutions.
With the passage of Proposition 209, opponents of affirmative action have brought the end of a safeguard against discrimination without suggesting an effective way to preserve the fragile cultural diversity and balance U.S. society possesses.
Proposals such as the Equal Opportunity Act, suggested by Rep. Charles T. Canaday, R-Fla. and chairman of a key House Judiciary subcommittee, effectively will ban affirmative action as we know it.
However, this legislation will not be helpful in improving intercultural relations and diversity. Eliminating affirmative action is foolish if it is not accompanied by legislation that provides a meaningful solution.
PHONG HU FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Kansas income tax rates single out the unmarried
As if being a college student and entering the job world isn't tough enough on student checkbooks,
As if being a college student and entering the world isn't tough enough on student checkbooks, Kansas tax laws make it even worse. According to an Oct. 24 article in The Kansas City Star, single people pay 1 percent to 1.25 percent more in income tax than married couples.
The Kansas Supreme Court is considering a case with 30,000 claims filed by single taxpayers to recover money from the unbalanced tax rate. If the rate is changed, more than 65,000 taxpayers would be eligible for a reimbursement, which would be a $200 million loss to the state.
Despite the major fiscal loss this could cause, the tax rate is unfair.
John LaFaver, Kansas revenue secretary, said in the article, "If single taxpayers win on the grounds that it is illegal to have different classes within the tax system, the state's entire tax code could be in jeopardy."
Those who stepped forward to reclaim their lost income should be supported by other single taxpayers. College students, with unsure futures ahead of them, should be sensitive to the loss they could suffer from the unbalanced tax rate and push for the decision to change a law that was written unfairly.
CARA SKODACK FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
AMANDA TRAUGHBER
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CRAIG LANG
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Jeff MacNelly/ CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Extremists were missing from the final Dole rally
I witnessed the end of an era in American politics at 3 a.m. on Nov. 5 when Bob Dole delivered the last campaign speech of his political career. If Dole doesn't win, I thought, never again will a World War II-era politician be president, although Strom Thurmond always could make a surprise run for the position.
A large statue of Harry Truman stood behind Dole as he delivered his speech at Independence Square in Independence, Mo. Dole was hoping to upset Clinton as Truman upset Thomas Dewey in 1948.
"Harry Truman would be rolling over in his grave if he saw Dole right now," said Chuck Martin of Kansas City and a union supporter who carried a Clinton/Gore sign to the rally. Martin said Dole was an extremist.
I looked for the extremists and the members of the radical religious right at the rally, but I only found ordinary Americans. I also looked for a breakfast catered by Newt Gingrich with food he had stolen from little kid's school lunches, but I couldn't find that either.
Not being able to locate free food, I walked into Clinton's Old Fashioned Soda Shop and ordered a caffeinated beverage. If the name Clinton weren't ironic enough, a picture of the president and the owner of the shop sat on a shelf behind the counter.
I took a seat where I could overhear conversations with my sidekick and friend, who was operating under the alias of Skippy Thompson
STAFF COLUMNIST
for the evening.
A man at the bar asked, "Do you think Dole has a chance?"
"Sure," one w o m a n responded.
When we left the shop, optimism was percolating through the crowd. When Dole finally spoke, I, too, thought he could
win.
Nathan Monteio of Belton, Mo., said, "Bob Dole is cool."
That's not the most substantial reason I've heard, but at least it's better to vote for a politician because he is cool rather than good-looking.
One, Republicans retained control of Congress. Many Democrats called the 1994 elections, in which the Republicans unexpectedly earned control of both the House and Senate, an aberration.
To the detriment of American civilization, Bob Dole didn't win, but a few things occurred in this election that bode well for America.
The 1996 elections showed that the Republican takeover was not a fluke. With five House races still undecided, the Republicans have lost five seats in the House, but they gained two in the Senate. Clinton will have to compromise with the
Republican Congress if he wants to accomplish anything.
An important trend that is developing in the wake of the elections is a serious call for bipartisan cooperation. The public should reject what doesn't work about our two-party system but keep what does work. Every issue has at least two sides, and our system facilitates debate.
However, mindless partisanship that seeks the good of the party ahead of the good of the country is becoming outdated. Neither party has a monopoly on the truth. I'm a Republican not because they have the right answers but because they have more right answers than the Democrats.
Democrats are recognizing this as well. The Democrats' strategy in this election, in addition to calling all Republicans extremists, was to sound like Republicans. The Democrats talked a lot about traditional Republican themes of reducing federal government and cutting the deficit. Many Republicans complained that the Democrats were stealing their ideas, but the Democrats actually were proving that many Republican ideas work.
I was meditating on this point as I left the Dole rally, when, as I watched people holding Dole and Clinton signs scream at one another, a reasonable discussion almost broke out.
John Hart is a Shawnee graduate student in journalism.
APOLOGY
As editors of the Kansan editorial page, we would like to apologize for a cartoon that appeared in the paper Nov. 5. The cartoon showed a crowd of people at an election rally. A satirical dialogue between President Bill Clinton and Bob Dole appeared in the background, and the candidates were calling each other names. One balloon called Clinton a pot-smoking liberal fiend. One balloon called Dole a one-handed grumpy old freak. A balloon from one person in the crowd said, "This is the best our country has to offer?"
Editorial cartoon was offensive, in poor taste
The cartoon was intended to make a point about the hypocrisy of presidential candidates who demand voters wake up and vote on the issues, but spend the majority of their time on the election trail call each other names.
We did not intend to offend readers. The Kansan does not condone or encourage discrimination against or ridicule of people with disabilities.
We realize the reference to Dole's disability was offensive to readers with disabilities.
John Collar, Nicole Kennedy editorial page editors
How to submit letters
Letters should be double-spaced, typed and fewer than 200 words. Student letters must include the author's signature, name, address, telephone number, class and hometown. Faculty or staff members must identify their positions.
All letters should be submitted to the Kansan, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall, or by e-mail:
opinion@kansan.com/.The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject submissions. For more information, call John Collar or Nicole Kennedy. editorial page editors, at 864-4810.
The 1996-97 season for the National Basketball Association has begun, and Shaquille O'Neal is in the spotlight as one of the success stories of the league.
NBA needs to follow its own advice, require college degree
During the off-season, Shaq signed a multinillion dollar contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also has recorded rap albums and starred in movies and video games.
One could say that Shaq has everything — money, fame, star status.
But he is missing one thing—a college degree.
included Jermaine O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, high school players who chose to skip college.
Shaq is one of an increasing number of players who forfeited his college eligibility for the bright lights and big bucks of the NBA. The recruiting class of 1996 had 13 underclassmen taken in the first round. This
The NBA is hypocritical when it comes to the subject of keeping kids in school. As its pet project, the league has adopted a campaign with messages telling youngsters to stay in school and to avoid drugs. The campaign encourages young people to get their high school diplomas. The players are the ones who promote this message.
the players are role models whether they like it or not. What credibility does a stay-in-school message have when it comes from someone who dropped out of college? If kids look to their role models and see that they did not finish college, then the motivation to finish school may crumble.
If the number of undergraduates and high school graduates who choose to leave school continues to increase, the NBA's stay-in-school campaign will self-destruct.
A college athlete offered millions of dollars to leave early might ask: Why is an education important? There are several answers to that question.
A college education creates opportunities that a player may need after his career ends. Even though obtaining a degree is difficult, it shows teams that a player has the self-discipline to finish what he starts, something desired by most teams.
Completing college eligibility gives a player time to mature. Teams will not have to wait as long for young players to perfect their games because they already will have had four years to develop their skills.
The trend of players leaving college for the NBA is increasing. A decade ago, the average number of underclassmen drafted in the first round was less than half of what it was last year.
The NBA needs to make its actions match its words. The NBA, as well as other professional sports organizations, needs to lead the effort to keep young people in school by refusing to draft players who have not finished their educations.
OUT FROM THE CRACKS
Deanna Engel is a Liberal, Kan., senior In Journalism.
The NBA insists that it is not creating the problem. Last year, the league tried to downplay the negative publicity of players leaving college early by implementing a rookie-salary cap. The cap prevents rookies from making more than $1 million a year in each of their first three seasons. But this effort already has backfired. It makes more sense to rookies, guided by their agents, to begin their careers as soon as possible so they can reap the benefits of free-agency and shoe endorsements earlier.
YOU FRESHMEN NEED TO LEARN SOMETHING WHEN YOU'RE ON CAMPUS.
By Jeremy Patnoi
YOU'RE IN COLLEGE
NOW, THIS ISN'T
THE REAL WORLD,
CARS ARE SUPPOSED
TO STOP FOR YOU!
NOW GET OUT!
THERE!!