Baker stands chance of losing Violence Against Women Program

The mental scenery is always the same: I was visiting my parents for a post-Christmas celebration. Instead of snow, we got rain. It drummed down for days.
The perpetual pitter-patter supplied the perfect background noise for napping. I slid into the covers, situated to slumber, and the phone rang.
It was my editor, nervous and stammering. He asked me to call the parents of a missing college freshman. Her name, Jodi Sanderholm, is one I'll never forget.
No one in the news room wanted to touch the story because of its sensitive nature. I covered it for four days, hoping for Jodi's magical return.
And then I learned the brutal truth. Jodi had been kidnapped, raped, murdered, buried under brush and left for the coyotes to chomp on.
Murder in the Midwest.
At first I viewed the event as anomoly; a crime so graphic that it only occured in larger places. But then, a 14-year-old girl was abducted and raped in my home town: Sedan. The town's most rampant crime is underaged drinking. The sidewalks roll-up at 8 p.m. and the town's activity is extinguished like a candle flame. Nothing happens there.
Or I so I thought. Events like these have enhanced my perception of danger. For some unexplainable reason, people kill, rape and mutilate other people. Its the most mysterious, grisly occurence in this world, but it happens. According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice a woman in America is raped every two minutes.
That's just America folks. If you googlenews "murder" or "rape" the search engine will generate a plethora of stories, many with mugshots of a suspect, who appear normal, and some with pictures of young women murdered in their prime.
Fortunately, there are programs and institutions designed to reduce the likelihood of such an event. One of these programs is Baker's Women's Programs and Initiatives, which might be phased out next year because its grant will expire.
The program was sparked by a two-year grant produced by the Violence Against Women's Act. Its purpose is to offer resources for women in abusive relationships, to enhance communication on campus, and strengthen campus safety.
Tracy Williams, coordinator of women's programs and initiatives, has been in charge of the program since its inception in March of 2006.
"It's intended to create community and campus awareness about sexual and dating violence," Williams said. "Just because Baker is a small campus does not mean it is immune to violence."
Williams said the program has applied for a three-year contract renewal, but only 15 out of 120 applicants will be selected.
"Two years is not enough time to make social change," Williams said. "I certainly hope that we get a grant renewal."
In its two years, the program has increased the amount of lighting in dark campus areas, offered one-on-one counsel for abused women, and held presentations designed to show how alcohol increases women objectification, as well as shared advice on safety practices.
Sophomore Emily Beye is a peer educator for the program and she has facilitated many presentations articulated to increase campus awareness of violence against women, and offered consolement to the abused.
"The purpose is that people will have a student to talk to, as opposed to an adult," Beye said.
Beye believes that the program has significantly impacted campus and she also hopes for a grant renewal.
And so do I. The troubling fact is that even if Baker is selected, 87.5 percent of schools will not be. That is a chilling number.
I hope it doesn't result in another phone call from an editor.

Sofa King weird of a campaign....

Pay Less Furniture in Lawrence, Kan., has recently punched out an unusual sales campaign that makes eyebrows raise, heads turn and cars crash.

The slogan is "Our prices are Sofa-King Low," and the mascot is Ridic (shown on the left). He's a 50-something fellow dressed as a king. He carries a plunger as a scepter, and he wears a robe and crown.

Ridic's eyes are crossed. His teeth have been ground down so much that only slivers of white remain, revealing red, fleshy gums.

Everyday, an employee from PLF hauls a life-size mannequin of Ridic in his throne out to the grass median in front of the store at 2800 Iowa St. According to PLF owner Bob Fife, six cars have crashed in close proximity to the site since the launch of the campaign.

There are also television comercials and photo ads.

Fife and a friend came up with part of the slogan one night about four years ago. The ad is kind of Fife's way of defying the nation's politically correct standard.

Fife said that when he was a kid he and his sister used to mimic the sound of mentally challenged people's voices for fun.

"People would walk by and say 'that poor boy'," Fife said.

Fife also recounted a time when he and his sister drew a stick figure, and sent it to a kids show that aired children's art. They signed the picture 'Dicky Reeves of Wakefield.' Reeves was a local 30-year-old epileptic and mentally challenged man. All the kids had a lot of laughs, Fife said. Back then, when someone did something stupid the kids called it "pulling a Dicky special."

To Fife it's all in good fun, but to many he's swiping a fist at the defenseless.

"So many people complain," Fife said. "They say 'you're poking fun at the retarded."

Fife's original slogan was "Our prices are sofa king wetawded," but the Lawrence Journal World and 92.9 censored it because of its offensive nature.

"Things have gotten so twisted around that if it hurts someone's feelings you can't do it," Fife said. "Who is it literally hurting?"

Ridic, the Sofa King, is actually played by Fife himself.

I can't say that I'm hurt by the ad, but I can imagine that some people are. At least emotionally. Like the mothers and fathers of mentally challenged children. The fact that biological anomalies that produce mentally retarded people exist is a sad thing. Retardation is not something that can be cured or changed, and it's not a humorous event. But in no way do I think that Fife's ad campaign should be suppressed.


It reflects insensitivity and bad taste, but it's undoubtedly successful. When I interviewed Fife, at least 10 people came into the store and purchased furniture. Fife said the ads especially appeal to the younger kids.

"Even though they've been brainwashed into swallowing that PC crap, they still think it's funny," Fife said. "Customer traffic is strong. This stuff works."

However, Fife estimates that the Lawrence City Council will try to shut the campaign down soon because of the increase in car wrecks.

What do you think of it all? Offensive? Funny? Creepy?