The weekend's weather
Tomorrow: Continued unseasonably warm and mostly sunny.
HIGH LOW 81 48
Sunday: Not as warm but still dry.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
HIGH LOW
69 51
Kansan Weekend Edition
Friday
November 12, 1999
Section:
A
Vol. 110 A No. 61
Vol.110·No.61
WWW.KANSAN.COM
KU on Wheels, fraternity work to bury bus stop disagreements
By Erin R. B. Carambom
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
KU on Wheels and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity are trying settle their differences so that taking the bus to class is a smooth ride.
At a meeting earlier this week, KU on Wheels coordinator Holly Krebs; John Bilek, bus manager at Lawrence Bus Co.; and Brian Cooper, the fraternity's president; met to brainstorm solutions to the conflicts between KU on Wheels drivers and members of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Bilek said two of four drivers who drove the route that has stops near the fraternity's house, 1918 Stewart Ave., had complained about fraternity members' behavior when loading the bus.
Tom Turner, member of Lambda Chi Alpha, said the main problem was that bus drivers would drive away from the stop at Stewart Avenue while members of the house were walking toward the stop.
"I had a driver come out there and one student laid down in the street," Blek said. "The driver started to move around him and students began to beat on the car."
Krebs said members of Lambda Chi Alpha had complained that the bus drivers were inconsistent in that some drivers would stop at undesignated stops.
"There wasn't communication between KU on Wheels and the house," Krebs said. "We're working on fixing that."
"In the past, they would give us time to get there," Turner said. "Our guys had to walk to class a coule of times."
He said he hadn't heard anything about the incident Bilek described.
When Krebs, Bilek and Cooper met to discuss the house members' complaints, they generated solutions to the problem.
Krebs said KU on Wheels asked the men in the house to show respect to the bus driver and wait at the designated stop.
She said KU on Wheels also was working with the City of Lawrence to get a no-parking sign in front of the house so that it could be made an official stop.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Tonight:
Picasso at the Lapin Agile, University Theatre Series, at 8 p.m. at Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall.
1776, Broadway and Beyond Series, at 8 p.m. at the Lied Center.
- Stephen Molly doctoral recital at 7:30 p.m.
  at Symphorest Recital Hall in Murray Hall.
**Man Or Astroman?**, Bob Log at 9:30 p.m. at the Bottleneck 737 New Hammisn St.
Machinehead, Videodrone, Orange 9mm from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St.
■ BeauSoleil Avec Michael Douchet at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
- Border Band with Chubby Smith from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Milton's Coffee & Wine, 920 Massachusetts St.
■ Kansas Composers Project student recital at 5:30 p.m. at Swartwhall Recital Hall.
Tomorrow:
Marcy Playground, Blinker the Star at the Bottleneck.
(USPS 650-640)
Samples, Angry Salad at 8 p.m. at the Granada.
KU Trumpet Ensemble at 2:30 p.m. at Swarthout Recital Hall.
Sunday:
Chanticleer, Swarthout Chamber Music Series, at 3:30 p.m. at the Lied Center.
Index
News ...3A
Nation ...7A, 6B
Movies ...5A
Coupons ...5B
Game times ..1B
Horoscopes ..2B
Classifieds ..7B
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
A schism is ignited among local theatergoers by DOGMA
STORY BY DEREK PRATER PHOTO BY SHELBY SMITH
't a fine line between blasphemy and faith.
That mav sound strange, but tonight's reale
Kevin Smith's latest film, Dogma, proves that one person's tribute to religion can amount to heresy in the eyes of others.
Smith, a Catholic, has said that his comic fantasy tale is pro-Catholic and is almost like a recruiting film. Many Catholics disagree.
"In my opinion, Dogma is blasphemous, and blashemy is a very serious sin," said Jeanine Blanck, an organizer of a protest planned for the tonight's opening of the film at the Hollywood Plaza 6 Theaters, 2339 Iowa St.
Blanck said she expected between 100 and 200 people to rally between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. to show their disapproval of the film.
Dogma, Smith's fourth film, revolves around two fallen angels, played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, trapped in the modern world and out to prove that God is fallible, thus negating existence and bringing about the end of the world. Characters include Chris Rock as the 13th apostle, Alan Rickman as a messenger from God and Alanis
--he right to blaspheme in her. She said Blanck is not alone in her feelings.
Take Anywhere But Here's advice
See page 8A
This depressing movie featuring Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon is one to bypass.
The University of Kansas is home to a mountain bike club that knows its geography and rides across it at high speed on two wheels and a metal frame.
See page 5B
Morissette as a human incarnation of God.
Smith and most reviewers contend that the film is a satire that embraces Catholic teachings. Detractors say that the representations of Catholic beliefs undermine the faith.
Sandra Zindars-Swartz, professor of religious studies, said the controversy about the movie demonstrated the heterogeneous nature of faith.
"Conservative Catholics would tell you that there is a very specific definition of blasphemy," she said. "But different Catholics have different opinions about what constitutes blasphemy."
Blanck said anyone who was really Catholic would know that Smith's movie was blasphemous and should not be shown.
"Freedom of expression does not include the right to blaspheme God," she said.
Smith has been flooded with hate mail, and even took to posting selected letters on the official movie Web site. On the site, he wrote that he stopped posting the hate mail on the site for an undisclosed reason.
David Innes, manager at Hollywood Plaza 6, said that he knew the rumors surrounding the film would polarize people but that he had read the script and didn't understand what people were so worked up about.
"I'm surprised that they could stir up this much action among people who haven't even seen the film." Innes said.
Similar protests from Catholics have preceded the releases of other films, such as Jesus Christ Superstar and The Last Temptation of Christ, he said.
Blanck said she wanted to educate people about the film and the message she thought it carried. She hopes to persuade people not to watch it. Innes said he expected a big turnout despite the protest. "We're going to be slammed," he said.
Edited by Mike Loader
Allen Fieldhouse will swarm this weekend as Kansas plays its second exhibition game of the season against Australia's Geelong Supercats. See page 1B
Budget Balancing
Kansas House of Representatives majority leader Kent Glasscock spent Veterans Day answering questions from Kansans concerned about the dwindling state budget.
See page 3A
W