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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1997)
Speaker calls for UNL unity By Brad Davis Assignment Reporter Motivational speaker Marlon Smith spoke of a “community of unity” in his speech Monday night at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Smith encouraged the audience, which was estimated at nearly 2,000 people, to realize the power of one person “makitig a difference” on campus and in the world, he said. One instance that helped Smith realize the power of one person occurred on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, near where Smith lives in Oakland, Calif. amnn said an unknown car in front of him paid his toll to cross the bridge, and after Smith finally caught up with the car, the driver simply wished him a nice day, and drove off. The next time Smith crossed the bridge, he said he paid the toll for the man driving the car behind him. “By doing one small, kind act - maybe it brought a little joy to his life,” Smith said. Smith has spoken about one per son making a difference, leadership, the power of choices and diversity since 1992 when he quit his job at Hewlett Packard and became a full time speaker, he said. Smith began speaking to middle and high school-aged audiences during his time as the service chairman of a fraternity at the University of Virginia. He graduated with an electrical engi neering degree from UVA in 1989. It was not until Smith’s junior year at UVA that he began to experience life outside of his “comfort zone.” Smith had lived in a comfort zone, surrounding himself with people sim ilar to him since his third-grade year in a Maryland elementary school. That year, a white child Smith said was one of his best friends called him “the N-word” while they were on the playground. After that experience, he said, he was afraid to associate with people dif ferent from him. Smith said he realized he was prejudging other people and associating with only those around whom he was comfortable until he joined a country dance group at UVA. He developed new friendships, and invited people from the predominantly white dance group to attend African American step dance shows, he said. It was then that Smith realized “you have to stefu^utside of your comfort zone to create diversity.” Monday’s diversity speech was sponsored by the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, Mortar Board and the Innocents Society. Smith is the rounder and presi dent of his company called Success by Choice, and has spoken across the United States and in South Africa and Russia. Viet Hoang, president of the Innocents Society and speaker of the ASUN senate, organized Smith’s appearance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Besides the sponsors, other orga nizations donated the money neces sary to bring Smith to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Hoang said. Chancellor James Moeser donated the Lied Center for the evening. Hoang said he hoped students took Smith’s message to heart. “I hope that they’ll take time to reflect and apply the message to their own lives - to evaluate themselves.” Smith was at UNL in April, when he spoke at the Minority Leadership Conference, he said. During last year’s speech, which was soon after the Sigma Chi cross burning incident, Smith said he found UNL students to be pro-active. " “It was exciting,” Smith said. “There were some issues, but they didn’t try to scoot them under the table - they tried to learn from them.” UNL Director of Diversity and Affirmative Action Ricardo Garcia said he wanted UNL to work toward establishing an accepting community. “At UNL we must continue to work at building a community that fosters and thrives on its diversity,” Garcia said. “Diversity is part of the quality of education at any university, and here we must work to maintain it.” Smith said all people have some thing in common, and to have a truly diverse “community of unity,” people must step outside their comfort zones. “I want you to realize the world is big,” Smith said. “Now (in college) is the time for you to grow as an indi vidual.” smith called tor students to take a stand” against off-color jokes and other acts of intolerance, realizing that someone they know could be offended by what is said or done. Toward the end of the speech, Smith challenged the audience to hold their arms out for three minutes, which he said would be challenging. One and a half minutes later, the song “Lean on Me” started to play, and the audience put their arms around each other for support. “It won’t be easy, Jput each one can make a difference,” Smith said. Smith said the administration of the university cannot make the differ ence on their own, but instead all stu dents have to work together to increase the acceptance of diversity at UNL. “The choice of yours - it’s in your hands. Vision without action is just a dream; action without vision is just the passing of time; but vision with action can change the world.” Refusal disappoints officials JOHANNS from page 1 to change his personal values,” he said. “All we’re asking him to do is at least acknowledge that there are gays and lesbians who live in Lincoln and contribute to Lincoln.” But Johanns said he simply could not ignore his religious beliefs and values. “To ask me to reject my own per sonal values on this issue and endorse it - that is where I have to draw the line.” Students who drew lines forming anti-gay messages turned the University of Nebraska-Lincoln into a hot topic for debate last week as homosexual messages promoting National Coming Out Week were vandalized and altered. They were hateful acts on which Johanns did voice his opinion. “I absolutely condemn that sort of thing,” Johanns said. “That has no place in our community.” But Johanns’ words only went halfway for Knudsen. “I think it’s wonderful he con demned the hate speech, and we appreciate his support,” she said. “But it’s not the same as recognizing us as valued citizens.” LeMieux said a simple signature by the mayor would have gone a long way for many members of the community. “Clearly the mayor is in a won derful position to send a message to the homophobes in Lincoln that says gays and lesbians are a part of Lincoln and are going to stay a part of Lincoln,” he said. “He has done nothing to foster an accepting atmosphere for gays and lesbians.” Mayor launches television ad campaign ADS from page 1 Republican nomination for gov ernor.” A date for his official announcement has not been set. The 30-second commercials, which begin airing today, pro mote Johanns’ fiscal record and property tax reduction efforts. The commercial also features a mother who talks about stronger families, a farmer dis cussing the need for lower prop erty taxes, and a local business owner talking about wanting a governor who pays attention to the state budget. Campaign officials would not say how much the ad cost to produce. During the morning news conference, Johanns said he hoped the race to the statehouse would be a friendly race, and he promised as much from his side of the campaign. “No matter what happens, no matter how much mudslinging takes place,” he said, “we just aren’t going to take part in it.” He added that he believed a “nice guy” campaign could be a winner next November. “You can win that way,” he said. “This state is crying out for a campaign run at a higher level.” Pending his official announcement, Johanns will face State Auditor John Breslow and U.S. Rep. Jon Christensen for the Republican nomination for governor. Double homicide still leaves questions From Staff Reports Four months ago today, Lincoln police found two bodies. For four months, they have been looking for a killer. Officers found Harold Fowler and Duane Johnson on June 14, both dead in their apartment at 801 S. Ninth St. from gunshot wounds. Investigators determined that the bodies had been there since late June 9 or early morning June 10. With six investigators working full time, Lincoln police are hoping I that keeping the case in the public domain with a Monday press release will produce more leads. Based on witness information, police are searching for a white man in his 30s with blondish-brownish hair. At the time of the killings, the suspect had hair past his shoulders, but police warned that the man may have cut his hair or altered his appearance since the crime. The suspect is believed to be violent and a drug abuser. Jim Peschong, assistant chief, said investigators have been follow ing leads back through each man’s life. “We’re not at a loss of things to follow up,” he said. “You’ve got two people who are dead and their lives go off in different directions.” Police asked that anyone with information regarding the case call CrimrStoppers at 475-3600, or the Lincoln Police Department service desk at 441-7204. Callers’ names are kept confidential, and there is a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Next Time You Cruise the N«t Don’t Forget to Come Homei^A $k4' A<lvaC(l . , ' Vl« _ jlLondon $321 • tParis $343* 'San 3oSS, Costa Rica* $249' iAuckland $5131 ^ Fares are from LINCOLN, each way basic on a rt purchase. FARES OO NOT DKIUOC FEDERAL TARES AMO PASSENGER FACILITIES CHARGES, NOR 00 fl fw THEY INCLUDE DEPARTURE CHARGES PAD) OTRfCTLY TO FORE KM GOVERNMENTS. WHEN *■ CAM TOTAL BETOKEN J3-J75, DfPCNDlh a I ME DESTRlATKJN. InT\ STUDENT » Q MAY BE REQUIRED. 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