daily
Wednesday, march 8, 972
lincoln, nebraska vol. 95, no. 81
He
cle
Cork
differ on
priorities
a..,
Clark. . .Drug laws are
degrading to our system of
justice."
by H.J. Cummins
The eight-day World in Revolution Conference on Justice in
America began Monday with the National Organization for
Women (NOW) president saying all "basic human inequality
has been sexual" and a retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice
countering that "there are many otfier injustices that should
come to our attention, too."
f - NOW President Wilms Scott Heide told an Biidianre nf
about 200 that moved from the University Coliseum to a
smaller room in the Nebraska Union that "the legal and axial
model for all oppression" has been that of women. .
She called for a "universal behavioral revolution" after
which men and women will no longer be penalized for
unshamefully displaying traits that are truly theirs but are
culturally accepted for only the other sex.
"We're not advocating unisex but unipeople," she said.
Retired Justice Thomas C. Clark said he's long fought for
women's rights, including a constitutional amendment calling
for equal rights for women. But he said the court on which he
served was also responsible for a "revolution" in criminal law,
voting rights and the battle against poverty.
In a question-and-answer period, Clark also said most
enforcement against drugs is "degrading to our system of
justice and should not be permitted."
There is no justice in making the sale of marijuana to
minors a capital offence in one state and the sale of heroin
punishable by only two years imprisonment in another, he
said. .
Clark said he favors legalization of marijuana since the
original law banning it was based on the notion that the weed
"incites people to violence."
In her prepared speech, Heide said "women should
seriously consider burning the constitution which is continuing
the rape of women-physically and mentally."
The constitution was framed by men, Heide said, and it
exploits women by allowing their tax money to be spent on
we fare programs that keep them poor, and by denying tftam
basic human rights.
"I am outraged to have to ask for what is the birthright of
every male," she said.
heakMh4J&4txirtxiety
synonym for 'person'," grooms men for "achievement values"
and women for "achievement denial." and offers no "viable,
significant alternatives to motherhood" as a rewarding life for
adult women.
Clark emphasized the importance of society in changing
current injustices in America.
An equal rights amendment for women to the constitution
will mean nothing, he said, unless "the words in that
amendment reach the hearts of all and the purse strings of all
corporations."
The most recent contitutional amendment, lowering the
voting age to 18, was passed in less time than any that
preceded it, Clark said.
'This proves there can be change within the system," he
said.
Court decisions have expanded and equalized voting rights,
come down on laws perpetuating poverty, made criminal law
more equitable for the poor, and expanded legal protection for
citizens accused of a crime, Clark said.
And he said "everyone, including the President," is going to
be disappointed in what he predicted would be an unchanged
Supreme Court, despite Nixon's recent appointments.
G
I'r- '
xv:. ) y
o
Heide. . ."We're not advocating unfesx, but unipeople'
Laws still fight women, Heide said. So-called "protective
laws" designed to protect women against bad working
conditions are really designed to protect men from job
competition, she said, by outlawing the hiring of women for .
She said welfare laws and abortion laws are also examples
of laws that hurt women and prove "all women are poor in a
male-dominated society."
The equal rights amendment may pass this Congressional
session, Heide said, ending the inequality that's existed ever
since "Negro males were counted as three-fifths a person while
women were not counted at all."
The amendment, and the challenging of license renewals of
radio and TV stations who don't hire women, are aimed to
destroy the male-created "feminine mystique," she said.
Feminine mystique, she said, leads to males valuing in adult
.women traits like submission, dependence, subjectivitiy, and
emotional sensitivity, that would be considered "abnormal and
immature" in adult men.
Such male attitudes lead women to question their abilities,
she said, and she called for; women to "come forward and
speak with confidence and knowledge."
"We speak to the potential of all women," Heide said. Men
and women are "more alike, than different," she said, and
"feminism, humanism" will lead both sexes to come together
as "friends, partners and mutual lovers by choice, not fear."
"It's a matter of human justice," she said.
Cancelled
contracts
cloud
conference
Despite the cancellation by some of the scheduled World in
Revolution conference speakers, the sessions swing into their
third day Wednesday with a full slate of programs.
Art Thompson, assistant program director, said Tuesday
Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins have canceled their
appearances at the UNL conference. Seale had tentative
speaking engagements in Iowa and Chicago in addition to his
Lincoln appearance. When both of those engagements fell
through, he atked that the UNL conference organizers pay him
a cash fee.
The UNL group could not meet the demand but indicated
they could send Seale a pre-paid airline ticket to Lincoln. He
declined.
Controversial lawyer William Kuntsler also indicated he
would miss the conference, according to Thompson. Kuntsler's
contract had included a clause releasing him from it in the
event he was involved in a court case, which he is.
Thompson said there is "virtually no chance" that Kuntsler
will appear.
However, Thompson said Jerry Rubin, whom it had been
rumored would not appear, will keep his Wednesday
engagement at the conference. Also slated for a Wednesday
appearance is journalist James J. Kilpatrick.
Thompson said the cancellations should not affect the
impact of the conference which has appearances by such
notables as F lory nee Kennedy, Myrta Vidal, Barbara Beckman,
Vincent Halliman, Russel Means, Froben Lozada and John
Sinclair on tap later in the week.
The Wdnday schedule for the World In Revolution Conference
includes:
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon: University Forum: "The University and
Justice" at the East Campus Union. Included on the forum will be Sen.
David Stahmer of Omaha; Linda Pratt, Chairwoman of the UNL
Faculty Senate committee on discrimination; and Tony Clark, a black
foreign student.
In addition, Stephanie Toothaker, former president of the Lincoln
Oay Action Group and Marie Payne, local black community organizer
will be on the panel.
1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Speech by Jamas Jackson Kilpatrick at the
East Campus Union. Kilpatrick currently writes the column "A
Conservative View" and has received a number of awards for
distinguished editorial writing.
- 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Jerry Rubin, co-founder of the Yippie party
will follow Kilpatrick's speech at the East Campus Union. Rubin was an
integral pert of planning the demonstrations at Chicago during the 1968
Democratic Convention, for which he was indicted as one of the
Chicago 7 on conspiracy charges. He has written two books. Do HI and
We Are Everywhere.
7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.: A rap-in with black feminist lawyer Florynce
Kennedy is scheduled for Centennial College.
J
