Friday, February 4, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
Group takes STAND against hatred
Phelps, followers protest organization's meeting
By Mindie Miller
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Organizer for the new student group STAND (Standing Together Against Negative Displays), Cortine Hickman, Wichita senior, leads a discussion of goals for the group. The group met last night at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., while Fred Phelps and supporters protested outside. Photo by Selena Jabara/KANSAN
A new campus organization hopes to use messages of hate — such as the anti-gay protests waged by Topeka minister Fred Phelps — as catalysts for teaching tolerance.
as catalysts for teaching tolerance.
About 30 students gathered last night at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., to show their support for STAND — Standing Together Against Negative Displays. Corrinne Hickman, Wichita senior and the group's founder, said her vision for STAND was to create an opportunity for students to come together as a community to productively and courageously express their opposition to displays of hatred on campus.
Hickman emphasized, though, that she didn't want the group to focus solely on Phelps, a man whose anti-homosexual displays have earned him nationwide attention.
"This group is not about Fred Phelps," she said. "It's about displays of hatred. He just happens to be our best example right now." Phelps and several of his followers protested STAND's meeting last night.
Hickman said she had been inspired to start the group when she saw the public's reaction to Phelps' protest of Archbishop Desmond Tutu's lecture at Allen Fieldhouse last spring.
"People were yelling," she said. "People were honking. People were flipping him off. And he was feeding off of it."
She said that as she walked into the building, all she heard were people talking about Phelps. They had forgotten they were there to hear an amazing speaker, she said.
"He infiltrates our lives," she said. "He infiltrates our community. We really need
to find a way to combat that productively."
to find a way to combat that productively." Group members agreed that a good way to draw attention to the organization would be to show up at an event that Phelps was protesting and create a positive presence by displaying a positive message and distributing literature about toleration.
Hickman said they were looking at the annual brown bag lunch and drag show sponsored by Queers and Allies, planned for Pride Week in mid-April, as an opportunity for a kickoff event. Phelps and his followers traditionally have picketed the show.
"Having a big event like this gives us this huge momentum that we can then ride into next semester," she said.
Hickman said the group also would like to organize a Week against Hatred next fall.
organize a Week Against Hatred next tam.
Lisa Rasor, Lawrence graduate student,
said the group needed to be careful about
drawing more attention to Phelps' cause.
"If you're there at the same time he is, you're giving him attention," she said. "We need to think about challenging the media not to take so many pictures of him when he comes to campus."
Elders praises audience for attending college
Continued from page 1A
Elders said more African Americans needed to go to college. She said AfricanAmerican children in poor neighborhoods needed early education programs to get ahead and to learn that there was more to life than violence and drug dealing.
"You can't be what you can't see." Elders said.
Near the end of her speech, Elders told members of the crowd to be leaders.
"As new leaders of the 21st century, be a leader who leads — not a leader who goes out and takes a poll and jumps the way the wind is blowing," she said.
"Women, African Americans, any student," she said. "It gives us encouragement."
Alton Scales, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, said it was special to have the chance to hear Elders speak.
"She went someplace none of us have gone before," Scales said. "That's the kind of leadership that is missing across the board."
Joyceyell Elders spoke last night as part of the celebration of African-American History Month. Elders, former surgeon general implored the audience to fight ignorance with education and to be leaders in their community. Photo by Craig Bennet / KANSAN
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