TODAY'S WEATHER: Warm and muggy with a high of 86. SPORTS: Maurice Greene says he is ready for the Kansas Relays.SEE PAGE 9A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
TALK TO US: Contact Leita Walker, Jay Krall or Kyle Ramsey at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
THURSDAY APRIL18,2002
ISSUE 133 VOLUME 112
De Klerk to lecture Saturday
By Cassio Furtado
Kansan senior staff writer
Fredrik Willem de Klerk, the last South African president to rule under apartheid but most remembered for freeing Nelson Mandela in 1990 and leading his country to democratic elections in 1994, will speak at the University of Kansas on Saturday.
He will be this year's speaker at the annual Student Lecture Series at 7 p.m. at the Lied Center. His lecture is entitled "Challenge of Change."
De Klerk, 66, shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela because of what the Nobel committee deemed "a brilliant contribution to peace" when it awarded the prize.
De Klerk dismantled many of the provisions of apartheid after his election in 1989. The next year he lifted a 30-year ban on the African National Congress — which is Mandela's party — and set the stage for the 1994 multiracial general election.
Garth Myers, associate professor of African and African-American studies and geography, said de Klerk had played a role similar to that of former Soviet prime minister Mikhail Gorbachev.
"He was part of the machinery of the system, but also in a position to dismantle the system." Myers said.
He said de Klerk should be given credit for freeing Mandela and paving the way for democracy, but added that changes wouldn't have happened without international pressure for the repressive regime to end.
"That made apartheid really unworkable," he said. "That's what really freed Nelson Mandela," he said.
De Klerk was chosen to deliver the annual lecture after Bono, the lead singer for the Irish band U2, declined to speak, citing family and money issues.
Other possible speakers were former president Bill Clinton, writers Noam Chomsky and Cornell West and actor Christopher Reeve.
De Klerk will receive $25,000 for the one-hour lecture, said Matt Dwyer, chairman of Student Senate's student lecture series board, but the total cost for the lecture will be close to $30,000 because of promotional and operational costs.
Student Senate and Student Union Activities will each contribute $13,000 and the Coca-Cola Company is chipping in $4,000, Dwyer said.
Dwyer said he encouraged students to go to the lecture even if they wanted to protest de Klerk and the apartheid regime he supported for decades.
"Praise and protest - we'll take
SEE DE KLERK ON PAGE 6A
Creek clear of University's garbage
By Mike Gilligan Kansan staff writer
Old computers, desks and other office furniture that people don't need end up in trash piles near a creek on West Campus.
The refuse isn't dumped into the creek, but in a designated area nearby. A headline in yesterday's Kansan incorrectly stated that the creek was "littered with University's recycling."
Victoria Silva, director of the department of environmental stewardship, said recycling computers wasn't any specific person's responsibility. She said the University took different steps when
dealing with old computers and desks.
"We first try to resell it or try to donate it somewhere," she said. "If we can't find any donations, the item may be hauled to the designated area and disposed of as trash."
Silva said the pictures in yesterday's Kansan showed items that were the responsibility of both the recycling department and Facilities Operations.
She said the recycling department sometimes used the space on West Campus to dispose of old file cabinets and metal desks.
niture waiting to be donated. Some furniture that couldn't be donated ended up in the trash piles.
Doug Riat, director of Facilities Operations, said trash had been dumped in the same area near the creek for years.
He said the association with the creek was a bit of a stretch.
"It's the same thing as when people said we were dumping oil in the creek, and that wasn't true." Riat said.
He said he wouldn't rule out the possibility of the trash site being moved, but no plans had been made.
Riat said he didn't know if it would make much of a difference.
"It's the same thing as
when people said we were dumping oil in the creek, and that wasn't
true."
Doug Riat Director of Facilities Operations
"We aren't dumping anything in the creek," he said. "I don't know how far away from the creek is a better location."
Contact Gilligan at
mgilligan@kansan.com. This story was edited by Jeremy Clarkson.
Father, son make a run for office
Kansas race for governor all in the family for University of Kansas student and his father
Eric Bloom, Eudora senior, is running for lieutenant governor with his father in the Kansas gubernatorial campaign.
By Maggie Koerth Kansan staff writer
KIMRFLY THOMPSON/KANSAN
When Dan Bloom decided to run for governor of Kansas, he didn't have to look far for his running mate.
Bloom chose his son, Eric Bloom. Eudora senior, as his candidate for lieutenant governor. They are running as Republicans.
Dan Bloom said he chose his son, because he trusted Eric Bloom's capabilities. He also said it was hard to find candidates for lieutenant governor.
"The job only pays $25,000 a year, so it's hard to get big-time experienced people to do it," he said.
cians," said Eric Bloom. "You can't sit around and complain about politics if you don't try to change it yourself."
Dan Bloom said his son should run because of how he could affect students.
The Blooms want to change Kansas' budget. Dan Bloom said Kansas was about $700 million in debt, but he and his son didn't think the budget needed to be balanced by cutting funds for education.
"When it comes to students, the politicians in Topeka could give a darn," he said. "I want Eric there to represent students."
Eric Bloom said he was proud to run with his father. Neither Eric Bloom, an architectural engineering major, nor his father, a retired superintendent, have political experience, which they both consider a positive aspect of their campaign.
"He just sees the budget woes and thinks he can run it better than politi-
"The government needs to spend money on things that make money, like education and higher education." Dan Bloom said.
Instead, the Blooms said the government should cut money from welfare programs and the state gaming commission.
Kari Austin, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party, said she had never heard of a father and son running together before the Blooms.
"It's certainly unusual," she said. "A lot of times a gubernatorial candidate will choose a running mate from another part of the state to expand their constituency."
Sne said several college students had run for legislature seats.
"We had a state representative from Manhattan who ran as a K-State student. It isn't unusual, but it doesn't happen all the time," she said.
The Kansas Secretary of State's elections office representatives said the
office did not compile records in a way that would indicate whether another father and son had run before the Blooms.
The office said there were no age restrictions on the position of lieutenant governor.
Dan Bloom said he was most worried about getting the media coverage that more mainstream candidates could expect.
Dan Bloom said raising money for the campaign didn't concern him, because he expected to get some of the Republican Party money that had been allocated
He said he and his son would be willing to speak at any group or event they were asked to as long as the group provided some source of media coverage.
to Attorney General Carla Stovall until she dropped out of the race Monday.
Dan Bloom said he was certainly not worried about running with his son.
"Who wouldn't want to go to work with their son everyday," he said. "And when he is a bright, successful graduate of the University of Kansas, it just makes it better."
Other declared gubernatorial candidates so far include Wichita Mayor Bob Knight and Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius. The primary election is Aug. 5 and the general election is November 5.
Contact Koerth at mkoehr@kansan.com.
This story was edited by Molly Gise.
TO LEE OR NOT TO LEE
Dave Braham, Houston senior, right, holds a sign while Scott Schwartz, left, talks with Mark Brown, director of Campus Crusade for Christ. Braham said he had been outside the Kansas Union with his sign since 3:45 p.m. and said he was planning on going inside to join the "I Agree With Lee" religious forum on Christianity.
KIMBERLY THOMPSON/KANSAN
Stories of a KU Olympian
By Melissa Shuman Kansan staff writer
Makoce Te'rila said he felt he had wings on his feet when he felt the tape break across his chest.
For the first time since his birth as an Ogala Lakota on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, Billy Mills felt the true meaning of his father's words.
His Lakota name, Makoce Te'rila, means "Loves his country." In Mills' case, that means the two worlds of the Lakota and the United States.
"Through your free will, you will find the path to your destiny," he said.
Mills, a 1962 University of Kansas alumnus, won the 1964 Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run. Mills was the first American to win the race in what was called "one of the biggest upsets of Olympic history."
Mills addressed 70 people last night at the Woodruff Auditorium in an event sponsored by the Student Union Activities and the Student Relays Commission. Yesterday marked the first day of the Kansas Relays.
David Meall, Minnesota junior and Student Relays Commission president, said Mills was chosen to speak because of what he has done on the track.
"The reputation he has as a person and effect he has on the audience is incredible." Meall said.
Mills spoke about how the biggest barrier in his life was overcoming the stigma of being Native American. His life has been much like the 1964 race—from out of nowhere, he has succeeded.
"The greatest challenge in this changing world is the simple concept of perceptions." Mills said.
Mills' struggle with racism started at age seven when his mother died. A banker in South Dakota denied the family a loan to bury his mother
SEE MILLS ON PAGE 6A
LINDSEY KILIANY/KANSAN
Olympic runner Billy Mills discusses his ideas of global unity and acceptance as part of the Kansas Relays happening this week. Mills was the only American Olympian to win the 10,000 meter race.
N
4.
4
---