OP-ED UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, September 27,1993
5
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Victim refutes letter defending skinheads
I feel I must respond to the letter published on Sept. 14 entitled "Skinhead Label Is Used inappropriately." I could hardly believe what I was reading about how "Racist skinheads do not exist" and "We are constantly misrepresented by the media ..." I also take severe objection to the generalizations made about London skinheads. I seriously doubt Mr. Burk has ever been to London, let alone seen London skinheads in action. I myself was the victim of an attack by skinheads when I was six years old. I was attacked in a park by two skinheads who beat me for the hell of it. On a council estate near where I used to live, skinheads used to drive around and go 'Pak'bashing,' beating up Black people or those they considered 'ueer.'
The skinheads in London today wear swastika patches on the arms of their bomber jackets for a reason. They are racists, some are fascists, and they have never pretended otherwise. I am amazed at Richard Burk's claim that skinheads are multiracial. Having lived in London for 20 years, I have never seen a skinhead who is non-white. And the reason skinheads take the blame for senseless acts of hate is because they perform senseless acts of hate.
Perhaps I am mistaken and skinheads in the United States are different from their counterparts in Britain and the rest of Europe, but from my experience of them, they have no record to defend. Skinheads originated from a doctrine of white supremacy, hate and contempt for those who didn't adhere to their idea of a norm. Does Richard Burk take a great deal of pride in this?
I must emphasize I am writing about the skinheads of Europe, London in particular, but I would hate to think that those who read Mr. Burk's letter were so misled about skinheads that they believed them to be harmless. I advise Richard Burk to go and meet some London skinheads for himself, (if they'll talk to him, as he is non-British), and then see where his "racist skinheads do not exist" claim lies. It must be realized
that hate and violence do exist. It is only in understanding where hate comes from and why that we can find ways to overcome it.
Alexis Tregenza
London junior
As the president of Kansas City Baptist Temple Student Ministries, I have the responsibility to respond to the criticism directed to the ad in Monday's paper concerning Western Civilization and also to explain the reasons for its placement in the Kansan.
Text fails to explain Bible and its origins
First, I am afraid that Lane Jorgensen in his letter misunderstood our student organization.
Concerning our presentation about "Patterns," the Western Civilization textbook, in the Kansas Union on Wednesday, we wanted to challenge the literary and historical method that the book used to interpret the Bible. We think this method of interpretation is given too much support. The numerous inconsistencies and contradictions that it creates are not addressed. Also, it seems misleading to say that "most modern biblical scholars" support this method of interpretation, since most would imply more than half. Regarding this method, the popular "New International Version Study Bible" states on the second page, "This view is not supported by conclusive evidence, and intensive archaeological and literary research has undercut many of the arguments used to challenge Mosaic authorship." From this, I do not think the claim of "most scholars" can be supported with a statistic. Even if it was, I caution anyone from jumping on the bandwagon. The purpose of our activity was to caution the student body not to put stock in the conclusions reached by the textbook. There is sufficient scientific evidence to support the claims that the Bible makes about itself.
Ward Nitz Lee Summit senior
A couple of weeks ago, at about the same time a swastika was being scrubbed from the walls of a KU Jewish student building. I noticed a collection of particularly ugly anti-gay sayings scrawled on the wall of a Kansas Union bathroom. Among other things it said "all fags must die." Within a day the wall was quietly repainted, no doubt by some embarrassed Union custodian.
New conversation on KU prejudice needed
Two incidents, one visible and the other less so, of prejudice and bigotry have occurred on campus and in Lawrence. Such things are happening more and more on college campuses, and the response has become fairly standardized. We erase the graffiti. We then either act as if nothing happened or, if this is impossible, issue yet another shrill denouncement, in the Kansan or wherever, that racism and homophobia will not be tolerated on our campus.
But do we understand exactly what is occurring here? This was not the work of regimented, dedicated fanatics. No, this is the bigotry of weaklings on a spree, tweaking the noses of authority and giggling to themselves over their little mutinies. And do we realize that our ceremonies of erasure and condemnation merely serve to increase the frequency of these acts? Bigotry and intolerance have been relegated by well-meaning people to the realm of forbidden behavior.
I am not trying to offer acceptable alternatives. I would like only to suggest that our response to intolerance has become stale and ineffective. We have created a dialogue in which prejudice and hatred are allowed to flourish underground, real concerns and fears are improperly acknowledged and freedom of expression is sometimes trampled. We need to begin a new conversation, within the pages of the Kansan and elsewhere, which re-examines the root assumptions of our current approach, for something seems terribly amiss.
Conway, Ark., graduate student
IT WON THE AWARDS. IT WILL WIN YOUR HEART.
September 29 (KU Student Night)- October 3 Wednesday-Saturday performances at 8:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. Tickets on sale at the Lied Center Box Office; all seats reserved; tickets $35 and $30; special discounts available.
To charge tickets by phone using MasterCard or Visa call 864-ARTS; or call any Ticketmaster outlet (816) 931-3330 or (913) 234-4545.
5 East $ 7^{\mathrm{TH}} $ 842-1376
TICKETS AT:
TICKETMASTER
KU STUDENT TICKETS HALF PRICE FOR SEPTEMBER 29 PERFORMANCE ONLY! Student tickets also available at the SHA office, Kansas Union
Student tickets also available at the SUA office, Kansas Union.
AFRICAN ADORNED
- Tired of making the same mistakes over and over again? In relationships? At school?
- Having a hard time completing assignments, staying focused on goals, achieving success?
- Suffer from depression, anxiety, or a drug problem? Concerned about sexual issues?
- Want prompt help from a professional with any of these or other personal problems?
- Short and longer term individual psychotherapy.
- Psychological evaluations.
- Insurance accepted.
John B. Greene, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
1012 Mass. Street, Suite 209
832-2134
1907
Psychotherapie auch in deutscher Sprache.
"We Care For KU"
Busy schedule? Watkins Pharmacy Is Conveniently Open Til 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
Pharmacy Hours
Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES 864-9500
Serving Only Lawrence Campus Students
CLIP A COUPON!
Dickinson
53 Prime Timer Show ( ) Senior Citizen Anvlyme
Man without a Face $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (4:15), 7:00; 9:30
Secret Garden $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (4:30 only)
Undercover Blues $^{P9}$<sup>10-13</sup> 7:25; 9:35
Manhattan Murder Mystery $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (4:30); 7:10; 9:40
The Fugitive $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (4:10); 7:05; 9:55
The Program $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (4:35); 7:20; 9:45
True Romance $^{P9}$<sup>10</sup> (7:15); 9:50
Solve your moving hassles
Lawrence Paper Company
Sturdy boxes for moving and storage Boxes with hurdles for easier moving Large quantities at discount prices Small quantities - walk-in's welcome
Call 843-8111
Ask for sales/service dept.
Crown Cinema
BEFORE 6 PM, ADULTS $3.00
(LIMITED TO SEATING)
SENIOR CITIZENS $3.00
VARSITY
1015 MASSACHUSETTS 841 5191
Striking Distance $ ^{R} $ 5:15, 7:30, 8:30
HILLCREST
825 IOWA
Jurassic Park $ ^{PG-13} $
Into the West $ ^{PG} $
Sleepless in Seattle $ ^{PG} $
Warlock Armageddon $ ^{R} $
In the Line of Fire $ ^{R} $
The Good Son $ ^{R} $
CINEMA TWIN
111IOWA 841-5191
ALL STAIRS $1.25
Rookie of the Year <sup>PG</sup>
Another Stakeout <sup>PG</sup>
5:00,
7:30,9:30
5:00,
7:20,9:30
SHOWTIMES FOR TODAY ONLY
PRINCIPLES of SOUND RETIREMENT INVESTING
IF YOU THOUGHT COLLEGE WAS EXPENSIVE,TRY PUTTING YOURSELF THROUGH RETIREMENT.
Think about supporting yourself for twenty-five, thirty years or longer in retirement. It might be the greatest financial test you'll ever face. Fortunately, you have one valuable asset in your favor. Time.
Time to take advantage of tax-deferral. Time for your money to grow.
But starting early is key. Consider this:
if you begin saving just $100 a month at age thirty, you can accumulate $173,109* by the time you reach age sixty-five.
Wait ten years and you'd need to set aside $219 a month to reach the same goal.
At TIAA-CREF, we not only understand the value of starting early, we can help make it possible-with flexible retirement and tax-deferred annuity plans, a diverse portfolio of investment choices, and a record of personal service that spans 75 years.
Over a million people in education and research are already enrolled in America's largest retirement system. Find out how easy it is to join them. Call today and learn how simple it is to put yourself through retirement when you have time and TIAA-CREF on your side.
start planning your future.Call our Enrollment Hotline 1800 842-2888.
75 years of ensuring the future for those who shape it. $ ^{m} $
*Assuming an interest rate of 7.0% credited to TAIA Retirement Association. This rate is used solely to show the power and effect of compounding. Lower or higher rates would produce very different results. CREE certificates are distributed by TIAA-CREE Individual and Institutional Services.
11