4A
Friday, November 8, 1996
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
Hemenway should agree to sign Mitsubishi boycott
The calls for change echoed across Wescoe Beach on Oct. 31 as members of KU Environs, the campus environmental action group, protested
deforestation by Mitsubishi, the world's largest corporation.
The protest was organized to draw attention to Mitsubishi's practice of commercial logging, which has resulted in millions of acres of depredated forests. It also was held to show Mitsubishi's exploitation of several ethnic groups, including the Penan and Kayan peoples of southeast Asia. Mitsubishi Corp., a conglomerate of several companies, maintains logging operations to support its disposable chopstick and plywood industries.
Responding to the unacceptable logging practices of Mitsubishi, Environs initiated a University boycott of Mitsubishi products last spring. The boycott targeted not only Mitsubishi electronics, but also Nikon cameras, the Bank of California, Mitsubishi automobiles and other companies in the Mitsubishi conglomerate.
Student Senate, recognizing a growing student abhorrence to Mitsubishi logging operations, passed a resolution last spring banning future purchases of Mitsubishi products at the University. The resolution added the University to a growing list of universities that have joined the international boycott, including the Universities of Iowa and Colorado.
Before the resolution may become a reality, however, it must maneuver its way through a maze of bureaucracy, beginning with the chancellor's signature. If he were to sign the resolution, it would proceed to the Board of Regents for approval, who would send it to the Legislature. The voice of the students should be answered with the chancellor's signature on the resolution. In keeping the resolution alive, the University is contributing to the protection of cultural diversity and preservation of biodiversity around the world.
JEREMY LIND FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Student Senate voting reform will improve tone of elections
Student Senate passed a bill last week to regulate the campaign techniques for Senate elections.
This bill focused on limiting active table campaigning which occurs when volunteers leave their table and approach passers-by to only one week and called for ethical responsibility for candidates and their workers.
Senate is heading in a good direction because these rules could help prevent future ethical abuses. Senate is listening to students, who have said they don't want two-week active campaigning. This is refreshing.
Senate seems to realize that to create a strong government, it must start with a strong foundation. These rules could strengthen Senate and should curb violations of the election code.
But the Elections Commission has seen rules and regulations broken repeatedly in past campaigns. Setting limitations on campaigns isn't going to make future campaigns better if nobody follows the rules.
Now it's up to the senators to follow the rules they have instituted. The answers to Senate's problems don't lie in the newly created rules but in the senators who will make sure the rules are enforced.
DOUG WEINSTEIN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Jeff Victor / KANSAN
Gen-Xers aren't as shallow as new play portrays them
This past weekend I attended a play that featured characters near and dear to the hearts of twentysomethings: typical Gen-X slackers with dreams of making it big. The play Suburbia was wonderful, and I could see the substance lurking beneath the characters' superficial exteriors. I also thought that the confusion felt by many people of our generation — losers or not. I did not think that the playwright was making the point that all members of our generation are self-absorbed. However, in a discussion following the play, few people shared my view.
What could have been an intelligent conversation about the world's problems and how they affect the members of the so-called Generation X turned into a generalization of Americans younger than 30. Comments were made on the shallowness of our generation, our expectations of always getting our way and of never having to work for anything.
We're too young to really care about things; one person in his 20s said that we have to wait until we're older to figure out what's important and make significant accomplishments. The woman who played one of the main characters, also in her 20s, proclaimed that people in our age group are shallow and self-absorbed, never thinking of anything but ourselves.
Obviously, she thinks only of herself, considering that she can sum up the attitudes of an entire age group based on her feelings. Maybe
STAFF COLUMNIST
STEPH BREWER
her deepest thought is what color lipstick to put on in the morning, but it's unfair of her to generalize about everyone her age.
young adults are shallow. So what? Many baby boomers are shallow. Many senior citizens are shallow. Depth may increase in some as they get older, but it's not something that suddenly appears in a person when he turns 30.
People think something is wrong with our generation, and my answer to them is: Absolutely nothing is wrong. So maybe some
The problem with this country is that many people look for the worst examples in a group of people and use those examples to discriminate against the entire group. Thousands of young adults are enrolled in college or employed, working hard to make something of themselves. People in this same age group are making a difference in our nation by working on political campaigns or volunteering at organizations designed to help the less fortunate.
Not every person who is our age sits arcund and whines about what the world owes him, contrary to popular belief. It's really depressing to those of us who do care to spend time and energy trying to improve our lives and lives of others, and
then hear that we are all shallow and self-absorbed and that we are too young to do anything significant.
If we are told we are too young to accomplish anything significant, why should we bother trying? One audience member complained that young adults dream only of grandiose accomplishments. What is wrong with this? Didn't our parents have big dreams? Didn't they want to change the world?
In elementary school, there was a bulletin board up near my sixth-grade classroom that said something to the effect of "Shoot for the moon. If you miss, at least you'll reach the stars." This is good advice. It's not suggesting that we all aspire to be rock stars or president of the United States, it's just encouraging us to aspire to our dreams. Everyone has his own concept of the moon. For some the moon is a teaching job. For some, it's fame and fortune as an artist.
The moon is a difficult place to reach, and many of us will never get there. But how will we know what could have been if we never try? The members of "Generation X" aren't all that different from previous generations. There are those who do nothing, and there are those who work hard to make something of themselves. Suburbia is just a play. "Generation X" is just a label. They should not be used to make generalizations about an entire group of people.
Steph Brower is a Chester, Conn., sophomore in Journalism and French.
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You haven't heard of Fein or Schneider or their rules? But how have you lived your life without their wisdom?
I have taken the "wrong" approach to dating. I am single for reasons that I did not realize still existed. But thanks to Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider, now I can meet the man of my dreams and live happily ever after, all by following a few simple rules of dating.
You must be single.
STAFF COLUMNIST
I just have one question about this particular rule: Why?
I wonder about the authors. They are married, so their rules must have worked for them.
Maybe those evil women's libbers are right. Maybe this is just more sexist literature.
Fein and Schneider are the authors of the newest New York Times best seller, The Rules: Time Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right. In the book, guidelines are given for women — or "rules girls." as
What am I saying? I just need some more practice before I can follow the rules, too. Then I can meet a man who will take care of me while I build my life around him and the babies we have together. Wish我 luck.
KANSANSTAFF
Stacy Nagy is a Topeka junior in Russian and women's studies.
REPORTERS
Andrea Albright...Evan Blackwell
Dave Breitenstein...Bradley Brooks
...Nicholas Charalambous
Spencer Duncan...Stephanie Fite
Tommy Gallagher...Dan Gelston
Cameron Heeg...Lindsey Henry
Adam Herschman...Kerry Hillard
Megan Jordan...Liz Musser
Brian Petrotta...Ashleigh Roberts
ian Ritter...Ashlee Roll
Erin Rooney...Jeff Ruby
Neal Shulenburger...Eric Weslander
...Matt Woodruff
PHOTOGRAPHERS
To help women everywhere see the light, I thought it might be helpful to share just some of their 35 rules of dating and getting a man.
Sara Brooks...Darcy Coles
Carrie Desandro...Pam Dishman
Kathy Driscoll...Brian Filink
GR Gordon-Ross...Chris Hamilton
John Head...Laura James
Geoff Krieger...Steve Puppe
Rebecca Ramagila
Edmce Rodriguez...Gina Thornburg
Fein and Schneider call their disciples — on how to date. Fein and Schneider believe women should maintain an air of mystery in a relationship, both before and after marriage. They helped me realize what I have done wrong.
DESIGNERS
Edmie Rodriguez...Gina Thornburg
Tvler Wirken
Jody Chester...Deanna Engel
Angie Kuhn...Stephanie McDuff
Don't call him, and rarely return his calls.
Ashley Miller...Dena Pisiotole
Bryan Volk...Jenifer Yeoman
COPY CHIEFS
Dating etiquette just needs a few 'rules' to make everyone happy
COPY EDITORS
AMANDA TRAUGBER CRAIG LANG Editor Managing editor
Kim Crabtree...Julie King
Virginia Marghelm...Tara Trenary
READBACK...Irene McShane
I am certain that I have gone wrong here. I like to talk. It isn't that I monopolize the conversation, it's that I like to have a conversation.
At this point it is becoming increasingly obvious that the women who wrote this book are not in college.
Don't meet him halfway or split costs on a date.
Don't see him more than once or twice a week.
Amanda Arbuckle...Kim Becka
Kristi Blasi...Matt Fey
Jennifer Hong...Andrew Humphrey
Adam Kuban...Susanna Löff
Ashley Miller...Shelly Shepard
Jen Smith...Jason Strait
LaTina Sullivan...Leslie Taylor
Gina Thornburg...Adam Ward
I have broken this rule a number of times. In this era of women's rights, I guess that I assumed calling someone would be OK. And I have been taught that it's rude not to return telephone calls. How is he to know that I am interested if I never call him back? I usually only reserve that behavior for people I don't like. But why am I questioning these modern-day geniuses? Maybe this is another one of my many problems — I ask too many questions.
WEBMASTER...Ivy Clothier
NEWS CLERK...Aerica Veazey
EDITORS
GRAPHICS ARTISTS
Don't stare at men or talk too much.
GRAPHICS ARTISTS
Noah Musser...Andy Rohrback
MATT HOOD KIMBERLY CRABTREE
Associate managing editor CHARITY JEFFRIES
for design News editors
Campus...Susanna Lööh
...Jason Strait
...Amy McVey
Editorial...John Collar
...Nicole Kennedy
Features...Adam Ward
Sports...Bill Petulla
Associate sports...Caryll Foster
Online editor...David L. Teaka
Photo...Rich Devinkl
Graphics...Noah Musser
Andy Rohrback
Special sections...Amy McVey
Wire...Debbie Staine
BUSINESS STAFF
Campus mgr...Mark Ozimek
Regional mgr...Dennis Haupt
Asistant retail mgr..Dana Centeno
National mgr...Krista Nye
Special Sections...Heather Valler
Production mgrs...Dan Kopec
...Lisa Quebbeman
Marketing director...Eric Johnson
Creative director.Desmond LaVelle
Classified mgr...Shelly Wachter
Asst classified mgr..Staci Johnson
Mass Impact mgr...Dena Pisiottle
Internet mgr...Steve Sanger
Apple account mgr...Mark Cohen
Zone mgrs...Brian Pagel
...Allison Pierce
...Amy Richmond
...Beau Wehrle
Staff artist...Ed Kowalski
DARCI L. McLAIN KAREN GERSCH
SARA ROSE Business manager
Public relations directors
CAMPUS ACCOUNTS
Julie DeWitt...Julie Pedlar
Annette Hoover...Janet Williams
...Michael Park
REGIONAL ACCOUNTS
Andy George...Cathy Eastwood
HEALY SMART
Retail sales manager
TOM EBLEN
General manager,
news adviser
CREATIVE STAFF
Sarah Scherwinski..Bridget Collyer
Chris Haghriani...Chad Milam
Ryan D'Aprille...Steve Viner
Jennifer Wallace...Chris Bennish
Jennifer Erickson...Liz Hess
Dana Lauvetz...Maurreen Boyle
Teri Gordon...Benjamin Wallace
Caroline Goss...Jessica Peal
Marla Crist...Eliseo Martinez
Matt Shatzman...Anthony Migliazzo
Angle Adamson...Konan Hauser
Chris Bouc...Natalie Dunn
Jon Newman...Nathan Bleck
Seth Raab...Julie Schaeffer
Tony Fonk
RETAIL ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNT ASSISTANTS
Kelly Kepler...April LaMourle
Amy Atwood...Jeff Auslander
Dawn Boeckermann...Ray Janowski
Keil Stephani...Stephanie Decker
JAY STEINER Sales and marketing adviser
JUSTIN KNUPP Technology coordinato