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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1996)
WEDNESDAY tf&gj1 mild. Southeast wind 10 to Toniyht- Chance of showers. Low around 45. _March 13, 1996_ Matthew Waite/DN Christie and James Breedlove hold signs at a rally for preserving the family, sponsored by the Nebraska Christian Coalition andthe Nebraska Family Council. The rally drew more than 250 supporters and a counter-protest that drew about 20 people. Same-sex marriages protested py Erin acnuiie Staff Reporter More than 250 people kneeled together Tuesday at the Nebraska State Capitol to pray that legisla tors would not al low same-sex mar riages in Nebraska. “We kneel together, and we stand together against same-sex mar riages,” Rico Kotrous, pastor of the New Life Community Church, said after the prayer. Not everyone in attendance was kneeling, as a small group of counter-protesters gathered. Cyndi Lamm of the Nebraska Family Council Inc. said speakers were not trying to pass judgment on gays or lesbians, but were only try ing to preserve the sanctity of mar riage. “Homosexuality is no greater or less a sin than what we commit every day,” Lamm said. “I want to mention that we are not here to denigrate, humiliate or bash homosexuals or anyone else. ” DOUG PATTON Nebraska Christian Coalition executive director Doug Patton, executive director of the Nebraska Christian Coali tion, agreed. “I want to mention that we are not here to denigrate, humiliate or bash homosexuals or anyone else,” Patton said. “We’re here to remind our legislators that family is the cornerstone of civilization, and marriage is at me nean 01 mai. Patton said legislators should not give in to a small minority that wanted to pass LB 1260, which would legalize same-sex marriages in Nebraska. The bill is being held in the Judiciary Committoc. “Today our leaders seem un sure, as they bow to political cor rectness and compromise their prin ciples,” Patton said. About 20 protestors in favor of same-sex marriages attended the rally. When one speaker, who was black, discussed passages in the Bible dealing with homosexuality, one protester spoke up. “Doesn’t the Bible also say a slave should be obedient to his master?” asked Andy Bossclman, a member of the UNL See RALLY on 3 ‘Sign to Mind’ Programs teach hand linguistics By Erin Schulte Staff Reporter Brenda Schick understands that it’s hard to learn the intricacies of sign language from a textbook or lecture. For instance, how does one know when people using sign language end a sentence? They might nod their head or rest their hands for a moment—not things a textbook can easily show. And that’s why Schick, an assistant professor of special education and communication disorders at UNL, has created computer programs usingdigi tized videos to help her students mas ter the subtleties of signing. Using the computer program Authorwarc, Schick has designed a scries of programs for her child sign language and linguistics of American Sign Language classes. For her child sign language pro gram, Schick flew around the country videotaping deaf children of deaf par ents. Those children develop tluent sign language at a fairly early age. Such cases are rare, though. Only 5 percent of deaf children have deaf parents. Most students wouldn’t have the chance to observe signing devel opment without Schick’s child sign language program. When students use the program, they see a 3-year-old girl, Shaina, sign ing the Goldilocks story to her mother. Students are asked, “What is the girl saying?” If they answer incorrectly, the computer immediately gives the right answer and tells why — for in stance, if she’s talking about Goldilocks eating porridge, the shape of the hand indicates eating. Schick said it took her 12 hours to draw up a lesson that would take stu dents an hour and a half to complete. But the time was worth it, she said. “We go through one-third more material each semester than we used to,” Schick said. It takes about two or three years of classes to leam how to communicate well in sign language, she said. Schick created a program for her linguisticsof American Sign Language class to help teach grammar and sen See SCHICK on 6 Dole sweeps Super Tuesday GOP focuses on Clinton By John King The Associated Press Sen. Bob Dole swept to easy pri mary victories in Texas, Florida and five other states Tuesday, gaining a virtual lock on the Republican presi dential nomination. As results came in, Dole reached out to his rivals in tri umph, and set his sights on the No vember battle with President Clinton. “Today, the American people in seven states chose the conservative they want to lead America, chose the conservative they want in the White House,” Dole told a Super Tuesday victory rally in Washington. Even as he walloped them lor the 11 fth straight primary day, Dole made a conciliatory gesture to Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan and said it was time to “put our ideas together” to beat Clinton. Forbes spoke of quitting the GOP race if he doesn’t win next Tuesday, but Buchanan said he was in for the long haul. For Clinton, the luxury of being unopposed has already paid off —he has all but clinched the Democratic nomination. Dole was defeating Buchanan and Forbes by more than 2-to-1 margins in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The Senate majority leader also was handily beating Buchanan in Louisiana, where Buchanan’s February caucus victory triggered a surge of support for the conservative commentator. Seven-State - Sweep Tuesday's results show the percentage of votes for Bob Dole in each of the seven primaries. Raida 55% Louisiana * 47% lllaiilttiiliwi Mf oRaaSfSSIj#J#l . Oklahoma 59% Pregon.. 51% Tennessee 51% Source: AP Russell Johnson/DN Orcgon’smail-in primary delivered another lopsided win and a seven-state “Super Tuesday” sweep. Dole had 51 percent of the vote, to 22 for Buchanan and 13 for Forbes. Dole clearly hoped Buchanan and Forbes would take a lesson from the landslides. Dole won at least 330 of the 362 delegates at stake in the seven states, leaving him with at least 722 of the 996 delegates needed to clinch nomination. “This is now a race between Bob Dole and Bill Clinton,” Dole told the AP in a telephone interview from the Capitol, where upcoming battles over the budget, welfare reform and other issues will be the first skirmishes of the general election campaign. See DOLE on 3 Bill that would raise speed limit advances By Ted Taylor Senior Reporter Motorists arc one step closer to being able to drive a little faster on Nebraska roads, after LB901 received -first-round approval Leaislature Tuesdayin lhe nc . braska Legislature. Mk Senators ad vanccu sen. cmic Chambers’ bill 30 lb late Tuesday af ternoon, after two hours of debate on proposed amend ments. - une amendment came from Chambers himself — an amendment, he said, that would have to pass if he were to keep his name on the bill as principal introducer. That amendment changed the pen alties outlined by the Transportation Committee for exceeding posted speed limits. Chambers agreed that giving mo torists the opportunity to drive faster meant that stricter penalties needed to be enforced, but he said he did not like the committee’s separate schedule of fines for speeding on the state’s four lane interstates and two-lane highways. The committee amendments Cham See SPEED on 3 Proposal Faced obstacles for rural highways Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers’ proposal to raise the speed limit in the state had to maneuver past some last-minute obstacles Tuesday before gaining first round approval from the Legis lature. Early Tuesday afternoon, senators discussed reconsider ing an amendment that would raise the proposed 60 mph speed limit on the state’s rural, two lane highways. Sen. Bob Wickersham of Harrison introduced an amend ment last week that would set a 65-mph ceiling on those high ways and would allow the De partment of Roads to lower the maximum limit if traffic or road conditions warranted. Wickersham said not raising the the speed limit on those roads to 65 made no sense. “The more comfortable speed is 62-63,” he said. “Sixty-five is See AMEND on 3
