Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1979)
n monday, October 8, 1979 llncoln, nebraska vol. 103 no. 30 r (o (o V7 Nebraska state capitol the site of anti-nuclear vi gil By Kathy Stokebrand A vigil in support of the anti-nuclcar occupation at Seabrook, N.H. began at 10 a.m. Saturday on the north steps of the State Capitol Building in Lincoln and ended Sunday at 8 a.m. Sally Cottonwood, a UNL graduate student and a member of the Nuclear Task Group of Nebraskans for Peace, said the vigil went veil. She said between 70 and 80 people were there at different times throughout the vigil but the largest crowd, about 30, gathered Saturday morning. The occupation of Seabrook reactor failed. Law en forcement officials forced the crowds off of the property after the anti-nuclear protestors had cut through chain link fences to get on the property. Cottonwood said the failure of the occupation was dis appointing, and that there weren't enough people there to make it a success. SHE SAID THE GROUP on the capitol steps knew the occupation had failed when the sun went down, but that made it more important than ever to stay all night. "It's not over yet," she said of the Seabrook issue. Kim Rempe, another member of the group, said it was too bad that law enforcement officials had to resort to tear gas. He said he hoped that none of the people in the occupation attempt were hurt. . He said he considers the destruction of property vio lent, but not as violent as a nuclear power plant. "I have a feeling that these people are not going to give up' he said of the anti-nuclear crowd at Seabrook. Rempe said that he knew of one person from Lincoln who went to Seabrook to participate in the occupation. Mark Sommers, a former UNL student, financed himself for the trip, Rempe said. Members of the group said Sommers has been attending workshops sponsored by the leaders of the occupation group to become prepared to work and live together with others to protest in a non violent way. Cottonwood said that anti-nuclear people in the Sea brook area had exhausted all legal and political possibili ties to halt construction of the reactor. The occupation was supposed to be a non-violent action and that's some thing she felt very strongly about, she said. "You can't achieve a peaceful end with violent methods," she said. Sunday protesters twice stormed the gates at Seabrook and were turned back both times by policy using mace and riot sticks. Ten people were arrested and more than 1 ,000 people were present. NEBRASKANS FOR PEACE is a non-profit corpora tion which formed about 10 years ago. It was initially formed in response to people who felt that the involve ment in Vietnam was unjust, Rempe said. Rempe was a conscientious objector during that war. The statewide organization is composed of about 250 members who are concerned about issues such as the arms race, human rights, food additives, and nuclear power. The Nuclear Task Group is part of the Nebraskans for Peace. Pat Drake, one of those on the steps Saturday morning with the group, described himself as "part of the unwashed-unemployed." He said the vigil was a much more important rally than the Go Big Red rallies that were probably being held on campus for the game. He said students were fooling themselves if they thought that the glories of a Saturday afternoon football game were more important than the potential of a nuclear holocaust. All forgotten when pope comes to rural America By Mike Sweeney DES MOINES-Night life flourished on both sides of Hickman Road Wednesday evening. On the south side, disco music pounded from eight speakers suspended above the dance floor at the Smuggler's Inn. But no one danced. Groups of two and three sipped mixed drinks and watched the revolving lights play on the walls and potted plants. "There's three lovely women up here. Who knows what they'd give to dance?" said the disc jockey, trying to bring life to the crowd. He spun another record. "This was the number one song a few weeks ago. It's now number 10 on the charts. This is Kiss. . ." was made for loving you baby, You were made for loving me. And! can V get enough of you baby, Can you get enough of me? Across Hickman Road, a crowd had gathered larger than the one at the disco. People stood in the darkness and damp air of-an autumn evening. Instead of flashing disco lights, there was the stark brilliance of a floodlamp. In place of &e relentless beat and lyrics of the disco music were the whine of an electicral generator and the voices of a hundred people saying a tuneless prayer. Hail Mary, full of grace, t The Lord is with thee, Blessed art thou among women, Blessed, is the fruit of thy wombt Jesus... The people saying the rosary were hud dling close together in a field. They were waiting for Pope John Paul II, patriarch of the world's 700 million Roman Catholics. Several had arrived at 6 p jnn almost 24 hours before the Pope was scheduled to arrive. They talked, lay in sleeping bags, or read paperback novels by the light of the floodlamps. A few sang hymns. Evi Jasso, a student at Kansas State University, said she felt secure. "It's beautiful to be at a place I've never been before with people I don't know and to have no fear," she said. - r Others expressed a sense of rising anti cipation as the hours ticked off and the pope's arrival drew nearer. "He's not here and I can feel it," Eva's mother Fifi said. "If he passes by and I can touch a little bit of him, that's enough to last a lifetime." MARY JO LORENZ SOUCEK, a teacher at Lefler junior high school in Lin coln, described the pope's visit as a greater event. She called it a "once in two lifetimes experience." Soucek wore a blue and white Lefler sweatshirt she intended to wear the next day. She carried a sleeping bag, apples, cheese, and hard boiled eggs to make the long stay outdoors comfortable. Her sister Dorothy Lorenz Clubrich, carried a goat skin full of water. Clubrich, principal of St. Bridget's school in Omaha, called off classes for the pope's visit. She had been making plans to see the pope since August, she said. Betty Mueller said she is afraid of flying, so she and her husband drove 300 miles from Brooklyn Center, Minn., to see the pope. "If the pope comes that far (from Rome), we can come this far," she said. ALTHOUGH SHE HAD had a long drive, she said she wasn't tired. She threw down her sleeping bag next to the fence surrounding the field where the pope would appear next day, but said she knew she wouldn't sleep. "Ever see a 64-year-old woman climb over a fence?" Mueller asked. Like Mueller, many said they wouldn't get much sleep. Before dawn the next morning, the crowd was on its feet, pressing against the fence. A priest waved a Vatican flag. Others sang and carried signs emblazoned with their hometown names. One sign read "God love you, John Paul II, Peacemaker. Security officials opened the gate to thi Held at 7 ajnn one hour after the crowd had been told they would open. fkt j v f v' t sq V . Photo by Mike Swwnty Pope John Paul II waves to the crowd gathered at the Des Moines Living History Farm, Oct. 4. For more on the pope's visit to the Midwest see special section. The crowd surged toward the altar ti the dawn broke. Cold light lit the tops of the photographers' stands, the highest points in the Held. Then it illuminated Fblkh, Vatican, and American flap and welcome banners printed in several lan guages. Finally it filtered down to faces in the crowd. Several people crawled back into sleep ing bags and under blankets. Others played cards or ate breakfast. Two teenage girls passed a Teen Bag magazine and ogled at Shaun Cassidy. "Isn't this fun," someone said. "No. Fun is trying to go to the bath room." lines of people 30 and 40 deep stretched before the portable toilets. Des Moines officials had erected several hun dred of them, but there still was a half hour wait. The lonj morning hours dragged on. Around noon, an ecumenical service began. Many people slept through the service, and talked through prayers. Finally, at 1:45 pjn., a voice crackled on the public address system. A cheer went up from more than 300,000 voices as the voice announced the pope's plane had touched down at the Des Moines airport. "Welcome to Iowa, II Papa." Mate mmng Reunited-again: Jarvis Redwine took a 3-1 lead Saturday in games against his old high school rival Page 10 A peek at the East: China Night offered onlookers a rare look at the Taiwanese culture Page 8 Fuzz or buster: The merits of radar soeed detectors were discussed at a legislative hearing Friday Pa;t$