WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003
STUDENTLIFE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 7B
Demonstrations increase
KU students protest to express themselves
By Danielle Hillix
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
Tibetan monks and picket signs bring back fond memories for Hallie Bennett. Just like babysitters and stuffed animals, they were a part of her childhood.
Bennett, Marion junior, grew up attending protests with her parents.
As a college student, Bennett continues to participate in protests and rallies, using them as a medium to express her opinions.
The threat of war increased protests in Lawrence and around the country, yet active protesters like Bennett remain in the minority.
Ron Francisco, professor of political science, said research showed that, at most, 5 percent of
people in a given area would participate in even the most successful of protests.
Allan Hanson knows the statistics about protest participation all too well.
Hanson would love for everyone to be opposed to war, or in favor of war, to participate in a protest, but he knew that wouldn't happen. For every person actively protesting, there were many more who supported the cause, he said.
"After every protest, I get a million calls from people saying, 'Gee, I
The coordinator of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, Hanson organizes protests throughout the year. Mobilizing participants is a big part of his job.
He said often people did not take part in protests because they were afraid or didn't know what a protest was like.
wish I could've been there.' But other things come up," Hanson said.
Scheduling conflicts often present problems for would-be protesters.
Alexis Reed, Great Bend freshman, said she wanted to attend an anti-war protest in Kansas City, but a homework assignment stopped her from making the trip.
Shana Hurst, Overland Park freshman, said laziness kept her from protesting. She describes herself as a "free rider" — profiting from the work of others. Changes made because of protests will benefit everyone, she said, not just those who protested.
Bennett said that mentality limited the number of active protesters, but she said she knew that many people who supported a cause did not join in protests.
Supporters not protesting
John Nowak/Kansan
Student protesters and Lawrence residents circle a Lawrence Police vehicle as they engulf Massachusetts Street on January 15. Anti-war protests and rallies have become more frequent in Lawrence since last fall.
honked their horns or flashed peace signs to the demonstrators, Bennett said.
"Protesters are often a minority, expressing the opinion of the majority." Bennett said. "Protesters
just want that opinion to be heard."
Edited by Andrew Ward
Students wile away hours playing computer, video games
Bv Laura Clark
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
There are so many things a student can do each week in the hours of free time between classes, work and, of course, those two hours of study time per hour in class.
Build an empire using political strategy.
Andv Samuelson/Kansan
Play a championship season of college football.
Pick a street fight.
Command an army of ghosts.
screens and computer monitors.
Jackie Golon, Shawnee junior, plays Dynasty Warriors III on PlayStation 2, with Craig Brase, Shawnee senior. "We don't play all the time, but when we start playing this one," Gallon said of the game, "we usually play for six hours."
Steve Boman, Kansas City, Mo. junior, plays video games like NCAA Football 2003, EverQuest and Civilization III for about four hours a day Boman said he liked video games, whether it was one or multiple-player because it was something to do without the hassle of having to organize large groups of friends for activities.
Although these activities are impossible, or at the very least, unadvisable in Lawrence, but for students who play video games in their free time, these activities come to life on their television
"My roommates make fun of me occasionally but they'd do that anyway," Boman said. "It's all in fun. I wouldn't say it affects my relationship with people."
For Jackie Golon, Shawnee junior, playing video games is a challenge and a social activity. She plays up to fifteen hours of video games per week, usually in her leisure time with her boyfriend
and groups of friends.
"I'm the only girl, so they're'
all pretty amazed that I can play video games," Golon said. "I can
pretty much kick their asses."
Golon prefers fighting games like Rival Schools and Marvel vs. Capcom because they allow her to release stress without being physically violent. She calls herself a button jammer, someone who hits the buttons really hard when playing intensely.
If Golon has a new game, she admits to spending more hours with Dreamcast, Playstation, and Playstation 2, but she maintains her dedication to other obligations, including working one day per week and doing schoolwork.
"I've been pretty lazy about homework my whole life, so it doesn't get in the way of school," Golon said.
Video gamers vary from students who play every day to those
who play only on occasions.
Ben Hall, Topeka junior, enjoys video games, but it is important to him that he balance all of his extracurricular activities.
Hall plays NCAA Football 2003 with a group of eight friends who formed a league to play a season of football. He doesn't spend a lot of time playing video games, so he doesn't own a gaming system.
"I play maybe four hours a week, but I just play whatever people have." Hall said.
Feeling a bit of a release from the daily grind is what makes video games fun for Hall.
"Video games are a good diversion from academia," he said, "but you can't let it run your life."
— Edited by Ryan Wood
2511 West 31st Street Lawrence, KS 66047
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