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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1997)
SPIRTS _A ‘ 1__ TUT TO fin A V Lost at home P"5"1!, sway Colorado defeated die Nebraska volleyball team t( eit-made millionaire underwear Wednesday night to hand the Huskers their first- esman, experiences grief at the hands of his ever home conference loss. PAGE 9 Idren in “Misalliance.” PAGE 12 m * Wi/' i i ■ w I Sidewalk sayi .... ...bate By Matthew Waite Senior Reporter A gentle Wednesday afternoon rain washed whatever was left of the sidewalk chalk that had gone from dust to debacle. It did little to stop the - debate. y Groundskeepers Tuesday scrubbed the side - walks clean of die anti-homosexual messages. But they had made their mark. Late Monday night or early Tuesday morn ing, anti-homosexual messages were written on . the sidewalks near similar chalkings supporting [ National Coming Out Week. . When students and staff began arriving j Tuesday morning, reactions were swift University Police and grouhdskeepers were » called. The groundskeepers’ work was visible, the police’s less so. —; _ Ken Cauble, University Pdfree thief, said [ •' Wednesday that they were looking for people who may have seen who was cfadking the side walk. He asked anyone with ki^nnation to call die police at 472-3555. “Should we obtain the names, we will turn them oyer to Student Affairs to handle it through the student code of conduct,” he said. “We are doing our best to finchvho did it. “We have caught people with less.” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs James Griesen said the people responsible, if they are students, would be punished for unauthorized use of university property. He said fee chalkings did not constitute harassment^Wfiich the code says should be narrowly applied aS to avoid con stitutional issues. If incidents progressed beyond simple chalk ings, and became more focused and deliberate, Griesen said he would not hesitate to use the harassment charge. He said, however, it would take more than chalkings to constitute harass ment. “It’s pretty clear that we are bending over to protect free speech on this campus,” Griesen said. “At die same time, we deplore hate speech.” * Griesen said the university had to educate people about civility in the community and to respect individuals. He said the university could not legislate against what was written Tuesday morning. - ■ “It would be the act that we would deal with, not die thought,” he said. Griesen said he did not believe all chalkings cm sidewalks should stop. “If it’s an approved group and they seek the proper approval, I don’t see why anyone should not be able to chalk,” he said. “I don’t think we should discriminate on the basis of viewpoint.” Klaus Marre, one of the four KRNU-FM 90.3 talk show hosts on the air Monday night, said the issue was not writing on the sidewalks, but what was written. Marred show, “Three Men and a German,” fielded a call Monday night from a student who disagreed with the Coming Out chalkings. The hosts told the student to express opinions, but not to be derogatory. They gave three students chalk to do so. “As long as people keep it reasonable - not offensive - and keep it creative, I really don’t see anything Wrong with it one way or another,” he said Wednesday. Marre said people who write on the side walks should sign their work, to promote accountability. “I am happy to see groups going out and voicing their opinions.” Marre, after being interviewed by television and newspaper reporters for most of die day, said some good has come from the chalkings. “People are thinking about this,” he said. “There is going to be dialogue, which is good. “Everyone on campus can learn about this.” li ____ii 1 ASUNan chalk messages with passed bill By Brad Davis Assignment Reporter ASUN senators passed a bill in response to the recent anti-homosexual messages found on UNL campus sidewalks Tuesday. Government Bill No. 6 formally announces the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska’s condemnation of die “use of threatening, suppressing or intimidat ing language and symbols in messages expressed by students, faculty or administra tion.” K i ne Dili was unanimously passed Dy sena tors during Wednesday’s ASUN meeting in the Nebraska Union. President Curt Ruwe said die bill does not condemn free speech, but instead addresses speech that creates an intimidating atmos phere. “It is very important the university be open to all ideas,” Ruwe said, “but what’s also important is not to create an atmosphere that intimidates students, but one where they can express themselves openly.” Human Rights Committee chairwoman Sara Russell said she has heard that many people still feel threatened on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. “This is our opportunity to makea stand to show this stuff isn’t going to be accepted here,” said Committee for Fees Allocation chairman Kendall Swenson. “There are other ways to disagree with people.” Ed Paquette, the recently appointed presi dent of the University of Nebraska Alumni Association, spoke to the senate about bring ing the campus together in a different way - \ through the alumni association. He said he will work to make the associa tion rank among the nation’s best alumni groups. Please" see ASUN on 2 '■? bout 200 people inarched through downtown Lincoln on Wednesday nigfat, vowing to stop toi ight vigil, which culmi a program on the steps of was a step in the i, said JoAnna Koba from the Lincoln Fv„ t*s Victim Witness we ve come a long way, out i feel we’ve got an awful lot to do,” Koba-Svoboda said. ■ “Men and women have to get together and say we won’t have it anymore,” she said. Marchers chanted and sang dur ing the. 15-minute walk to the Capitol, making as much noise as possible. “They were loud and obnoxious, and that was awesome,” said Katie Ross, president of the Women’s Studies Association at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “You have to do it in an abrasive way.” At the Capitol, the crowd heard several speakers, some of whom were survivors of domestic violence. Donna Polk, executive director of the Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition*, spoke about her own experiences with domestic violence, which continued in her life even as she counseled others with similar problems. She said the help of her friends was instrumental to her irihventually ending the abusive relationship. Polk encouraged the crowd to not overlook abusive situations that exist around them. •{' “Do not stop with tonight,” she said. “Don’t be a silent witness to the violence.” Between speeches, folk duo Jan Deeds and Cindy Zuby sang and played guitar. Deeds, who works as a counselor for domestic violence victims, said . she was moved by survivors’ stories. At die end of the program, speak ers read the names of 13 Lincoln women and children who have died as a result of domestic violence in the past year. The youngest victim was 14 months old. Reed said she thought the march, whi<?h drew a larger group than last year despite Wednesday’s rain and wind, was a success. v “I liked the way the event drew people from so many generations,” Deeds said. Deeds said she was happy to see . the Lincoln Police Department tak ing an active role in the program. She said she hoped officers continue to be trained for domestic violence issues. “It’s a continuing e/Fort,” she said. Deeds said she is hopeful that there will come a time when events like this won’t be necessary. , “Maybe we won’t have to have rallies in 10 years,” she said. Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at http^ f www.unl.edu /DailyNeb J • ? ' . - - • . . '•» .• •’ > ' ; •: _ .. *.. V ■ i . -