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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1992)
m T -i Daily <g 75 46 ^~~ I — H - _ _ J_ ■ Today, partly cloudy and I cooler. Tonight, mostly clear. I fr-* wTm I Cl w 1^ Cl || Students protest King verdict at weekend vigil By Stacey McKenzie Senior Reporter Some University of Ncbraska Lincoln students showed Lin coln their outrage over the Rodney King verdict with a 48-hour vigil Friday through Sunday on the steps of the County-City Building. The students, many of them black, camped out near the building’s steps to remind Lincoln citizens that ra cism and prejudice arc alive, they said. “We just want the people to know we don’t plan to take anything sitting down,” said Macedonia Smith, a sophomore electrical engineering major. “We just want the people to know that we’re aware of what’s going on. “We shall not sing ‘We Shall Racism and prejudice discussed at gathering Overcome.’ This isn’tanothcr Marlin Luther King (Jr.) peace march. People are tired.” The students stressed, however, that the vigil was a peaceful protest and said everyone was welcome to support them. “We’ll talk to whoever listens,” said Anthony Briggs, a black sopho more psychology major. Fliers were passed out on campus Friday morning announcing the pro test. Briggs said students started to gather about noon on Friday at the County City Building, 555 S. 10th St. They came from campus and their homes. Six or seven students spoke Friday afternoon to a crowd that grew to about 150 to 200 people, including some passers-by. About 75 junior-high children joined the crowd and marched down to the State Capitol and back to the County-City Building in protest of the King verdict. The Wednesday verdict that ac quitted four white Los Angeles police officers in the beating of black motor ist Rodney King did not shock Smith, he said. “It just reminded me of where I lived and what kind of people I lived around,” he said. Smith said he did not care about the verdict-spurred violence in Los Angeles. The issue is about racism, not the riots, he said, and racism “has been going on for 500 years.” Lincoln Mayor Mike Johanns said he heard the crowd gathering Friday in front of the County-City Building through his window and went outside to talk to the students. Johanns said he told the students they were welcome to stay there and that he would listen to their questions and concerns. He gave the protesters his home and office phone numbers. During the gathering, a lot of emotion was displayed, Johanns said. “I wouldn’t describe it as out of control,” he said. “I think they (pro testers) were concerned. “As long as they’re not hurting anyone, I’m just really not bothered by it.” Johanns, also a lawyer, said he was dumbfounded by the verdict. Not hearing the evidence presented in the trial handicaps everyone, Johanns said, but watching the videotape of the beating made the verdict seem impossible. Johanns supported an idea by one of the protesters to form a city com mittee to address racial issues. “I think we can make positive and constructive change and progress by working together,” Johanns said. ( A l Schaben/DN Jason Pence shows off his tattoo as he stands next to murals in the basement of the Lighthouse, a center for at-risk youth. Pense is one of about 50 teens who use the Lighthouse each day. See story on pages 10 and 11. Point of Light Lighthouse steers Lincoln teens away from drugs, alcohol By Jill O'Brien Staff Reporter__ Al 10 p.m. on a Saturday, the parly at 2530 N St. is in full swing. Rock and metal music pours through the win dows, drowning out the noise of neighboring O Street. Teen-agers surround the brick house, most of them hanging out on the front porch. Yet these teens arc not obnoxious partiers. They’re disciplined, they refrain from swear ing, and they adhere to the policy of no drugs or alcohol at the Lighthouse — a meeting place for at-risk youths 14 to 18 years of age. Jim W. Smith, one of four paid staff mem bers at the Lighthouse, says the idea of having a gathering place for teens was first conceived four years ago by Pete and Maureen Allman and Jim Perry. And two years ago, the Light house became a reality. In the backyard, a sand-filled volleyball pit swarms with teens. Smith, known as “Smitty” by the Lighthouse crowd, observes from his chair near the back door. Wearing white jogging pants turned inside out and a red T-shirt, Smitty could easily be mistaken for a teen — if it weren’t for his moustache and quiet, authoritative voice. Proficient at carrying on three conversa tions at once, Smitty occasionally reminds a rambunctious iccn of the rules. The Lighthouse rules arc simple, Smilty says. Rule No. 1 is that no one under the influence of drugs or alcohol is allowed. The second rule, he says, is “treat everyone and everything with unconditional respect” Another “rule” is that everyone is on a first name basis. Dani McArthur, 15, who dots the “i” in her name with a heart, giggles as she stands around Smilty and a group of girls her age. The girls tease the 29-ycar-old staff member in the way younger sisters might provoke an older brother. “Smitty’s a stud-muffin,” Dani says. Trans lation: Smitty’s cool. Dark-haired Karen Francis, also 15, wants to be sure everyone understands that the Light house staff and teens make up a happy family. “Everyone here cares about everyone else because we all share the same problems,” Karen says. When those problems become loo great for teens to handle, Smilty says, the Lighthouse serves as a crisis-intervention center. The Lighthouse offers “long-term care and nurturing and peer support for the youth,” Smilty says. The support offered by the Light house helps to counteract negative teen-age behavior, he says, which results from verbal and physical abuse. Smitty says the Lighthouse is a refuge and learning place, as well as a hangout. As a refuge, the center offers hope and help, giving teens a sense of security and safety. Lighthouse counselor Mary McCauley said that according to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, safely is the No. 1 need. “Sometimes being at home doesn’t feel that safe,” she says, referring to the teens who come to the Lighthouse to escape abuse. . Some teens escape to the Lighthouse base ment where graffiti covers the pink concrete walls. Staff member Bonnie Nichols watches a ping-pong match between two boys there. Bonnie started working at the Lighthouse last August as a volunteer. She says the Light house gives the kids an alternative to being on the streets. When the teens come to the Lighthouse, she says, they know there arc rules, yet no one balks. The kids have a good lime, she says, adding that one youth had confessed, “This is more fun than alcohol.” Smitty says that if a youth came off the street with an attitude and cussed constantly, lime spent at the Lighthouse would most likely change that. See LIGHTHOUSE on 11 UNL recycling efforts need improvement, student says By Sarah Duey L Staff Reporter fler scanning the Daily Nebraskan, stu dents often toss it in the trash without thinking, and along with thousands of tons of trash, it heads for the landfill. The University of Ncbraska-Lincoln alone generates 4,500 tons of trash. Most of the waste could cither be reduced, reused or recycled, said Jeff Riggcrt, housing student staff assis tant for recycling. “UNL isn’t doing much,” Riggcrt said. “Support from administration has been mini mal.” Although developing a sustainable waste reduction and recycling program is challeng ing, environmental interest has sparked more efforts to make recycling at UNL a bigger priority. The UNL Waste Reduction and Recycling Committee will meet today at 1:30 p.m. in the Nebraska Union to discuss the university’s recycling efforts and possibilities for the fu ture. Environmental concern has spurred several recycling efforts in the past few years, Riggcrt said. In late April, the UNL Housing Office ap proved the Residence Hall Association’s call to slop using paper towels in residence hall bathrooms. Elimination of about 10 million towels will save housing S30,000 annually, Riggcrt said. See RECYCLE on 9 Death toll up to 45 in riot-torn Los Angeles. Page 2 J I Students look for internships. Page 7 Beatles impersonators not enough like the real thing Page 14 INDEX Wire 2 Opinion 4 Sports 12 A & E 14 Classifieds 17 ■ }
