Volume 124 Issue 103
GOING THE DISTANCE
Students learn self-defense techniques
FITNESS
Lee Nelson uses techniques to deflect his opponents strike in the Karv Maga workshop Tuesday night at the Ambler Student Recreation Center. Karv Maga teaches consistency and confidence when learning self-defense.
RACHEL SALYER
rsalyer@kansan.com
An Israeli military fighting technique, Krav Maga, is giving students an easy and realistic way to learn self-defense. Classes to learn the technique are for both men and women and free to students at the Ambler Student Fitness Recreation Center.
Civilians are using the military technique more because it is designed to evoke a natural response to defend yourself in stressful situations and will help users recognize when a situation is potentially dangerous.
Students taking the course will learn basic footwork, hits, kicks and holds. The course is not comprehensive so regular attendance is not necessary to learn the technique.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
"Last week we learned how to deflect a knife attack," Britten Kuckelman said, a senior from Wichita who is attending the classes. "It's really cool because they train you to work with your instinct, which makes you feel like there isn't a lot to remember."
The classes are offered in two different forms at the rec center: on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. until April 26 for students only, in which no registration is required. It is also offered in a Saturday workshop April 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to students, faculty and staff for free, and to community members for $10, in which participants need to register at etwrc@ku.edu.
Student Senate, the Campus Safety Advisory Board, KU Recreational Services and the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center
(ETWRC), sponsor the courses.
"It's the second year the courses have been taught in this format," Kathy Rose-Mockry the ETWRC Director said. "We taught them last year using a different name, and we will continue to offer the courses in this format for next fall and spring."
Susan Booth, an instructor for the course and owner of Premier Martial Arts School in Lawrence, said learning Krav Maga will not only help students defend themselves from an attack, but prevent one from occurring altogether.
"By learning how to defend yourself you are also building
Kuckelman said for her, it's not only about self-defense but exercise as well.
confidence," Booth said. "You can portray that confidence in your everyday life and not become a victim at all."
and I've always wanted to take a self-defense class, Kuckelman said. "Once I looked at YouTube videos I knew I wanted to take it, and I want to keep learning it."
"I've been trying to work out more this semester than normal,
Edited by Katie James
LOCAL
Chickens raise concerns
KELSEY CIPOLLA
kcipolla@kansan.com
The story of chickens is turning out to be a drama.
Amber Hansen, the current artist in residence at the University, received a grant to produce "The Story of Chickens: A Revolution." The project consists of five chickens being kept in a coop placed in high foot traffic areas downtown.
CRYPTOQUIPS 4A OPINION 5A
After a month, the chickens will be butchered and then served as part of a potuck dinner the next day. The public is invited to watch.
When asked to discuss her project, Hansen said to refer to her blog and would not comment any further.
Farm Sanctuary, a company that rescues and advocates for farm animals, sent Hansen a letter suggesting changes that could be made to her project to make it more humane.
Community members voiced concerns about the treatment of the chickens. Hansen's blog and the Spencer Museum of Art's Facebook page received hundreds of comments denouncing the project, although some have been supportive.
CLASSIFIEDS 2B
CROSSWORD 4A
Bruce Friedrich, the director for strategic initiatives at Farm Sanctuary, said local animal rights activists told them about the project and requested they contact Hansen.
"It was a bit shocking to read that she was going to parade them around Lawrence, and slice their throats open and then feed their corpses to the public," Friedrich said.
While he supports Hansen's desire to challenge people to think about how meat is made, Frederich said killing the animal undermines the importance.
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 4A
"The conclusion should be that for the same reason we don't eat cats or dogs, we shouldn't eat chickens, pigs or any animals," he said. "There's no moral or ethical difference between eating a chicken and a cat or a dog."
Cassandra Smyers, a senior student from Olathe, and co-president of the student organization Compassion for All Animals, said the organization wrote Hansen letters about their concerns, but never heard back. While she hopes the Hansen doesn't finish the project, she might still want to go visit the coop.
Hansen wrote on her blog that she wants people to realize the chickens are beautiful and unique animals and bring attention to the importance of co-existing with food. Passing by the chickens everyday will force people to confront the part of the food manufacturing process that they normally don't have to think about.
Index
"I think our members would want to go and educate people about alternatives," Smyers said. "This is already an alternative to factory farming, the current status, and her alternative would be local farming. Our alternative would be vegetarianism."
Other students are less worried about "The Story of Chickens" and what message it is trying to convey.
Payden van Matre, a junior from Overland Park, said he was unsure of the message the artist was trying to convey but thought the project raised an interesting point about people's views of livestock by forcing them to think more about their food.
"I'm not sure about the gratuous violence, but I'm well aware that things die," Matre said. "But the project sounds like more of an idea than anything."
or contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Edited by Tanvi Nimkar
Don't forget
There is a Brazilian Dance Workshop at Ellsworth Hall at 7 p. m.
Today's Weather
Forecasts by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 2A.
HI: 54
LO: 27
Nice spring weather