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SUNNY
KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA, KS 66612
KU
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
VOL.104.NO.145
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 8,1995
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Controversial literature
Every year the American Library Association complies a list of books that were the subject of court disputes or controversy. Here are some of the books :
Daddy's Roemmate by Michael Willhoite *
Heather Has Two Monmies by Leslea Newman *
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz #
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz#
Scary Stories III by Alvin Schwartz #
Forever by Judy Blume #
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson *
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier * #
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein * (lost)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain * #
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger * #
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher *
- = books available at Watson Library
= books available at Lawrence public library
Gay books top challenged list
The book's lemon-yellow spine is only a quarter of an inch thick. Like many of the other children's books at Watson Library, it's full of pictures splashed with primary colors.
But Daddy's Roommate is about a young boy's father and his live-in gav partner.
The book, by Michael Willhoite, again topped the list of books that people have tried to ban in the last year, according to the American Library Association. The book also took the top spot on the "most challenged" list the year before.
George Gibbs, assistant dean of libraries, said the "most challenged" list was compiled each year by the association and was a tabulation of court cases and public controversies involving books across the country.
Several books on the list, such as Heather Has Two Mommies and The New Joy of Gay Sex, have lesbian or gay relationships as their subject matter. Watson has both in its collection, but The New Joy of Gay Sex is listed as lost.
By Matt Hood Kansan staff writer
Children's books like Daddy's Roommate and Heather Has Two Mommies are often used by the School of Education and the English department, Gibbs said.
Gibbs said the educational value of a book was more important than any controversy surrounding the book's content.
Kansan staff writer
He added that there had been no controversy about KU library holdings in his five years as assistant dean.
"We're interested in pushing knowledge not a point of view." Gibbs said.
Eric Moore, Lawrence senior and director of LesBiGay Services of Kansas, praised KU libraries for their inclusion of literature with gay themes.
He said that books such as Daddy's Roommate served an important educational role.
"These books are designed to help children who have gay or lesbian parents get an understanding of their parents' lives," Moore said. "These books are a way to help teach children this is part of the human experience."
The Lawrence public library doesn't own either Daddy's Roommate or Heather Has Two Mommies.
Mary Paretsky, head of the children's department at the Lawrence public library, said she had not ordered the books because she didn't know about them. The books were not on a list of recommended books that Paretsky consults before ordering books, she said.
"We don't censor books on that standpoint," she said. "We try to have a well-balanced collection that's suitable to the city of Lawrence," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
Liquor on Sunday is one step closer
By Paul Todd Kansan staff writer
Those Sunday morning trips to Missouri to get beer for a Super Bowl barbecue may be coming to an end in Lawrence.
A bill that would make packaged liquor and beer sales on Sundays legal passed the Kansas House of Representatives last Thursday. The bill has been sent to the Senate for approval.
"People could stay home and drink, and the local liquor stores would make a profit." she said.
With Oklahoma State's victory against the Kansas men's basketball team, the Cowboys moved into first place in the Big Eight Conference.
If passed, the bill also would allow customers to pay for packaged liquor and beer with a credit card. Alcohol could also be sold on previously liquor-less holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and the Fourth of July.
Then if the bill becomes law, each county must approve Sunday liquor sales.
Holcombe said that Sunday traditionally had been a day to spend time with the family.
But Jill Torney, Lenexa senior, said liquorstoreshould be able to make a profit if they wanted to.
Louie McElhaney, Douglas County commissioner, said he welcomed putting the issue to a vote in Douglas County.
He said most stores, including liquor stores, did not need to be open on Sunday and that stores were just looking for one more day to make profits.
She also said that prohibiting sales on Sundays did not stop people from finding lion for that big game.
Page 18
McElhaney said that the approval of Sunday liquor sales depended on which groups were most vocal in supporting or opposing the idea.
"It is definitely a sin in some people's minds. In some, it's not," he said.
Jim Myer, owner of Myers Retail Liquor, 902 W. 23rd St., said most liquor stores were opposed to Sunday liquor sales because of the increased overhead costs of operating seven days a week.
"It is not something of necessity that has to be open," he said.
"Most retailers feel like it might spread
the business out a little," Myer said. "People might buy less on Saturday and more on Sunday."
Thad Holcombe, campus pastor for Ecumenical Christian Ministries, is not a strong supporter of Sundav liquor sales.
But if the law passed, his store would be open on Sundays, he said.
"People will find a way to get alcohol on Sundays if they really want it," she said. "Even if it means driving into Missouri."
Laura Guth, Highland Park, III, senior,
said Sunday prohibition was outdated.
"That's old world," she said. "If people want to observe that, that's fine. It's about separation of church and state," she said.
Illustration by Noah Musser / KANSAN
A looming threat
In 1993, HIVrelated illnesses surpassed accidents as the No. 1 killer of Americans between ages 25 and 44.
1994 figures HIV
unavailable Accidents
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
HIV No.1 killer for ages 25-44
AIDS beats homicides, accidents
By Robert Allen
Kansan staff writer
HIV infection has replaced accidents as the No.1 cause of death among Americans ages 25-44, according to a recently released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
In 1993, 28,900 people ages 25-44 died of HIV infection, while 25,960 people in the same age group died in accidents.
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is the virus that causes AIDS.
HIV TESTING: Where to go and why it's important. Page 8A
This is the first time that HIV has become the No.1 killer for any age group, said Charles Yockey, a physician at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
The findings don't surprise Yockev.
Currently, there is no cure on the horizon for AIDS.
"The trend has been moving up since 1988," he said. "The three top causes of death have historically been accidents, homicide and suicide, in that order. Their numbers and order haven't changed, but HIV infections have increased."
"For instance, strokes are ranked 10th, so we don't spend much time preventing strokes in college-age students," he said.
"It's going to be the most significant health problem the world has to face in the 21st century," Yockey said.
Heterosexual
Although HIV infection does not kill as many people in this country as
"It's going to be the most significant health problem the world has to face in the 21st century." Charles Yockey
Charles Yockey
Watkins phusician
women have had the largest percent increase in HIV infections during the last few years, while homosexual men have had the smallest percent increase, according to the report.
The change in rank will affect the way Watkins educates students.
About 8,500 students at the University of Kansas are from 25 to 44 years old, according to University Relations. Yockey said that the new statistics would help Watkins decide how to spend its education dollars. More money would be spent on AIDS prevention than other topics.
heart disease, cancer or automobile accidents for all age groups. Yockey said that those rates stayed the same, while the number of HIV infections was increasing.
The nationwide increase in AIDS cases partially is due to an expanded definition of AIDS, said Michael Moser, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Research in recent years prompted the Centers for Disease
Control in 1983 to expand the definition to include a low count of a particular type of white blood cell in the body, called a lymphocyte.
"Expansion of the definition resulted in an increase of AIDS cases," Mosersaid.
AIDS cases have increased yearly since the disease was identified in the 1980s, but the expanded definition caused a larger jump in cases than would have occurred without the change.
"None of this affects deaths from AIDS, iust cases of AIDS." Moser said.
Troupe laughs at student life, politics and religion
By Ian Ritter
Kansan staff writer
Those single white males are at it again.
The nine-student group of comedy actors, Single White Males, will put on three performances on Feb. 18 at the Renegade Theatre, 518 E. 8th St.
Actor Dain Kloner, Minnetonka, Minn., sophomore, said that the theme of student life would be a common thread throughout the performance.
Actors in the group said that the performance would be split between improvisational acting and pre-written sketches.
"This time, we've got a skit about final exams," he said.
KU sidewalk etiquette has been practiced in rehearsals, said Matthew Reiss, Columbus, Ga., third-year law student.
"This show in particular has a lot of continuity," said Reiss, who leads the group and writes most of its material.
Actor Carson Elrod, Topeka junior, said that Single White Males had put in three months of
work for the performance at the Renegade Theatre and that the production would be fast-naced.
Eilrod said that the improvisations would make each performance different.
"We make adaptations as we go along," he said. "With improvisation, you can tell immediately from the audience what they want from you."
From Single White Males, the audience will be able to expect a lot of political discussion, the actors said.
Reiss said that there were both Republicans and Democrats in the group, causing a lot of interesting clashes.
"If we make a political statement, we want to make it in a way that people know it's being made," Elrod said. "But we don't want to hammer it into anyone."
Reiss said that religious issues weren't dealt with in the most conventional ways.
"Nothing is particularly sacred to us, I guess," he said.
See SINGLE, Page 5A.
Sean Crosier / KANSAN
From left, Dan Spurgin, Waterville, Maine, freshman; Carson Elrod, Topeka junior; and Andrew Relston, Maul, Hawaii, junior, perform an improvisational skit as a part of the comedy troupe Single White Males.