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On equal ground
Archbishop Desmond Tutu inspired a democratic South African nation and has dedicated his life to ending racial segregation.
If our case is unassailable then we don't need to be shrill and intolerant; we don't have to raise our voice. We just have to improve our argument.
This is the symbol for the Church of the Province of South Africa, for which Tutu is currently the Archbishop Emeritus. Contributed art
— excerpt from Desmond Tutu's "Freedom and Tolerance—On Religious Diversity"
By Tiffany Seeman Special to the Kansan
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a man of small stature but enormous influence and accomplishment, will visit the University of Kansas at 7 p.m. Sunday at Allen Fieldhouse.
In 1984, Tutu was recognized for his efforts in ending racial segregation, or apartheid, in South Africa and was awarded the Noble Peace Prize. In a speech "Bridging the Chasm between Black and White," Tutu will discuss his peaceful fight to end apartheid.
"Tutu has been instrumental in changes of attitude in race relations outside the United States," said Cody Simms, Student Union Activities forums coordinator. SUA sponsored Tutu's visit to the University. The University paid $60,000 to bring Tutu here. About 4,000 people are expected to attend, Simms said.
Tutu has dedicated his life to ending apartheid and improving race relations in South Africa. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 by the Dutch and British, who had been in the area since 1820. The small percentage of caucasians installed a caucasian-dominated government. In 1948, apartheid laws were formed by the ruling National Party, which sought to extend white social power.
"The government became dominated by the African-Dutch, who were much narrower minded than the British," said Robert Shelton, associate professor of Religious Studies and the University Ombudsman.
Apartheid laws included segregation of schools and requiring all non-caucasians in South Africa to carry identification cards.
"The government legally defined racial
groups," Shelton said. "They determined where people could live. Often, men would leave their families behind to find work. The things happening were extremely oppressive and demeaning."
Tutu could see there was extreme tension between the races in South Africa and was determined to help improve the situation.
Following in his father's footsteps, Tutu, who originally wanted to be a teacher, spent four years teaching after he received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Africa.
But, Tutu realized that his greatest influence would not be felt through teaching in high schools because of their segregation. Shelton said.
He said that Tutu decided he would be a more effective influence by becoming a priest. Rev. Trevor Huddelson, a priest for the Church of England in South Africa and an early outspoken critic of apartheid, was Tutu's source of influence and inspiration.
In 1958, Tutu entered the ministry and was ordained a priest in 1961.
Tutu's appointment as General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches in 1975 marked the beginning of
his career as a national and international figure. Under his direction, the council became a vital institution in South Africa and assisted the victims of apartheid.
Tutu wanted to use non-violent measures to end apartheid. He focused on convincing western countries to stop supporting South Africa. This international pressure on the National Party forced its collapse and the end of apartheid.
"Apartheid was suddenly wiped out because western countries boycotted South Africa," Shelton said, "Tutu was instrumental in convincing other governments to stop supporting South Africa."
Tutu now is head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that works to reconcile the deep lines of division between the people of South Africa and the old government.
"Tutu takes a thoroughly Christian idea that rather than get revenge for what people have done, reconcile these people," Shelton said.
People who want to seek amnesty for actions they did during apartheid go to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The people seeking amnesty must admit their crime to the Commission and answer questions about the event. Before granting amnesty, the Commission determines whether the people are telling the truth. Those that aren't telling the truth are given to the government for punishment.
"On this scale, I'm not aware of any historical precedent for something like this," Shelton said.
Simms said that bringing someone of international influence was a priority for SUA. He said that Tutu was precisely what the organization wanted.
"This is a testimony that KU is trying to expand its international conscious," he said.
Tutu is now the Robert W. Woodruff visiting professor at Emory University in Atlanta and is touring the nation speaking at universities.
Simms said that although Tutu was on tour, the University was fortunate to have Tutu speak to such a large audience.
Simms emphasized the message that Tutu has for students at the University. He said that students could look at this event and see a person instrumental in attitude changes in South Africa — and in the United States.
"Obviously this is an extremely rare opportunity to be in the presence of someone who is having a major impact on what is going on in the world," Shelton said. "What he is saying is important for anyone in the human world."
Tickets:
$5 w/KUID, $8 at the door
$15 for general public, $20 at the door
Tickets:
EVENTS CALENDAR
Friday, April 16
Matt Merkel-Hess
Latin American film festival. "Midaf Alley." 2:30 p.m. Spencer Museum of Art auditorium, Sponsored by Latin American Studies, 864-4213.
Symposium. "Connecting the Circle; Recruitment and Retention of Students of Color." Billy Mills, Olympic gold medalist, keynote speaker. 5:30 p.m. Kansas Union. Sponsored by Office of Admissions and Scholarships. $ . Also all day April 17. Preregistration required. Call 864-5416.
Jazz festival concert. Dave Douglas Quartet with Dave Douglas, trumpet; Chris Potter, saxophone; James Genus, bass; and Ben Perowls, drums. 7:30 p.m. Lied Center. Tickets at Lied Center, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall, 864-3982; SUA, 864-3477; and Ticketmaster.
Bob Bovee and Gall Heil. West Side Folk. 7:30 p.m. ECM. $8 adults, $5 students. Call 842-1163.
Saturday, April 17
Career workshop. Latin American Job Search Workshop. 8:30 a.m. Centennial Room, Kansas Union. Sponsored by Latin American Studies. Pre-registration required. Call 864-4213.
Exhibit. "Two Centuries of American Glass." Spencer Museum of Art. Hours:
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Closed Monday. Ends Aug. 22. Call 864-4710.
Jazz festival concert. Saxophonist David Liebman with KU Jazz Ensemble I. 7:30 p.m. Lied Center. $. Tickets at Lied Center, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall, 864-3982; SUA, 864-3477; and Ticketmaster.
Sunday, April 18
Exhibit. Art department scholarship show, Art and Design Gallery. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday, 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Closed Saturdays and holidays. Ends April 23. Call 864-4401.
spring recital. KU Brass Choir, 2:30 p.m. Swarthout Recital Hall, Murphy Hall. Call 864-3436.
Chamber Music Series. Orion String Quartet with Ida Kavafian, viola. 3:30 p.m. Lied Center. Tickets at Lied Center, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall, 864-3982; SUA, 864-3477; and Ticketmaster.
Choral concert, "Francisco Guerrero 400th Anniversary Concert." Oread Consort and Collegeium Musicum. 7:30 p.m.
St. John's Catholic Church, 1229 Vermont. Call 864-3436.
Goodbye Lover says sayonara to humor
Goodbye Lover
Rating: D
By Brendan Walsh Kansan movie critic
The humorous moments in Goodbye Lover are few and far between. This black comedy is bleak and boring, with uncompelling characters and little humor. Only those with unhealthy Patricia Arquette obsessions will find entertainment here.
Characters start double-crossing one another and committing murder all over the place. Not content to do things themselves, multiple characters hire Vincent Gallo (of Buffalo '65) as a hit man. Rita Pomano (Ellen DeGeneres) is the detective brought in to make sense of things. While her naive partner spends a good deal of time being confused and preaching about worldly sins, Rita takes charge and sorts things out.
Arquette plays Sandra Dummore, an attractive, friendly, churchgoing woman whose husband, Jake (Dermot Mulroney) is an executive in a public relations firm. Lo and behold, despite her attendance at church, it turns out that Sandra isn't really all that affair with Jake's brother, Ben (Don Johnson). She proposes that she and Ben kill Jake, but Ben freaks out and starts to date Peggy Blaine (Mary-Louise Parker).
Arquette, despite her bad teeth,
does an OK job of being seductive
on screen. However, her kinky
Above: Dermot Mulroney and Patricia Arquette star in Goodbye Lover.
Left: The only good thing about Mary-Louise Parker and Don Johnson in this movie is her hair. Contributed art.
sex scenes contract sharply with the character's whiny moments, creating more repulsion than attraction. Still, those that liked her in True Romance will probably enjoy her in Goodbye Lover.
DeGeneres's character is the most entertaining and likable of the bunch. Smart and witty, with a dry humor. Rita is the type of character that should have been featured in the film. With Goodbye Lover and EDtv, it seems DeGeneres successfully has made the leap from TV to film. It's a shame she had to waste her talents in this cesspool.
Mary-Louise Parker does a good job of having great hair. Ditto for Don Johnson.
Black comedy is much more effective when it's actually humorous. Like last fall's Very Bad Things, or last winter's Jawbreaker, Goodbye Lover spends
too much time showing how evil and misguided certain characters are, without stopping for a laugh. Just the fact that someone is obsessed with murder isn't funny by itself, especially when one can read about real people obsessed with murder in the newspaper.
My Friend Steve mistakes imitation for innovation
My Friend Steve Hope & Wait Rating: D-
By Matt Cox
Kansan music boy
My Friend Steve takes the cake when it comes to a band imitating a more popular band. It's almost like they meant to sound like they are just to trying to get a radio single.
This album was better the first time I heard it when it was called Recovering the Satellites from Counting Crows.
If that's true, it worked. The band's single on modern rock radio, Charmed, sounds almost identical to Angels of the Silences, a past single from Counting Crows. The melody of the verses is basically the same and lead singer Steven Burry sounds exactly like Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows.
The rest of the album sounds heavily influenced by the Crows with a touch of The Wallflowers. But it feels like an emulation rather than original music with influences from other bands
The Schooling is about losing your self-esteem when your idols fall. It begins with an acoustic guitar and vocals similar to a campfire folk song. The rest of the instruments come rolling in with airy background vocals on a layer of an organ line.
The vocals aren't memorable and aren't trying to be. The music is nothing to raise an eyebrow at either.
Day Begun contributes to the mundane theme of the album. A
typical guitar rhythm begins the song with Burry singing like he's trying to teach third-graders a melody. People that have no concept of music could give this guy lessons on how to write a somewhat catchy song.
The lyrics talk of the drugery of everyday life. Burry sings, "In comes the sun, day begun whether I like it or not."
The song lasts for eight minutes, unless you realize that the track number has changed from three to four indicating that another song, All in All, is playing. These songs sound the same and should have been spread out on different parts of the album.
Better Left Behind is another rip-off. The Counting Crows' 'Rain King' is the target this time. It has practically the same melody of the Crows' hit. This further displays Burry's inability to separate influence from imitation.
Backwards and Sideways has Violent Femmes influence, but doesn't copy any particular Femmes song. Too bad it's too short. Burry's vocals take a step up in variety, but don't step away from sounding like Adam Duritz.
The highlight is the album cover. It shows a yellow chair near the background sitting on concrete, up against a blue-tiled wall. It's very moving.