6A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ADVERT NEWSIENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2003
Students join Washington protest
By Cal Creek
Kansan staff writer
ccreek@kansan.com
Students from the University of Kansas joined more than 180 concerned citizens from the Topeka, Kansas City and Lawrence areas in a trek that united them with protesters in Washington, D.C., for a peace rally Saturday.
The thousands of protesters met for a peace rally scheduled to coincide with the Martin Luther King weekend. Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, an international organization that also organized protests in San Francisco and other cities throughout the world, organized the rally. According to the organization's Web site, approximately 500,000 people attended the event.
"The rally was planned as a celebration of Martin Luther King, but it's about preventing
further actions in Iraq," said Tommy Bobo, North Augusta,
S.C., sophomore.
Friday morning three buses left from Kansas City carrying the students and their fellow protesters. The group included students involved in Delta Force, the Center for Community Outreach and the KU Green Party. The students were optimistic before leaving.
"I think this going to be huge. I think the President has to recognize that there is a demand for peace," said Laura Adams, Topeka sophomore.
The buses arrived Saturday morning. The protesters met at the Capitol building for a rally featuring speakers such as Rev. Jesse Jackson, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, civil rights activist Mahdi Bray, actors Jessica Lange and Tyne Daly, U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D.Mich.), former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and author and Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic.
From there the protesters marched to another rally at the Washington Naval Yard, chanting together and displaying signs that carried slogans such as, "No Blood for Oil." Then the Kansas protesters boarded the bus and began the 22-hour drive home.
After talking to protesters who attended other rallies, Annie Palmer, Oklahoma City, Okla., senior, felt "exhilarated."
"I felt like I had been a part of something that wasn't just the people marching in D.C. We kicked up a little more dust than what happened in D.C." Palmer said. "I felt really good about having gone."
The protesters faced little opposition save the occasional counter-protest and a small rally of about 100 people who supported the war. Palmer noted one sign that read "Hippies Go
"I think the President has to recognize that there is a demand for peace."
Laura Adams
Topeka sophomore
Home."
The protesters united for many different reasons.
"I hope it will change the tide of the administration's actions so that we can maintain peace. I also hope it will give a voice to ending all oppression and discrimination," said Jessica Cook, Topeka sophomore."We can stop this violence."
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism declared Feb.13 to 21 a week of protest, which will include a demonstration in New York.
-Edited by Andrew Ward
Phelps
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Abigail Phelps said she thought King would speak out against homosexuality if he were alive today.
"When he was alive fags, hadn't taken over society," she said. "He'd be protesting against them just like me if he were alive."
Ron Schneider, a member of the Lawrence Jewish Community Center, delivered an Old Testament scripture reading at the Martin Luther King Day celebrations inside the Lied Center. He said he thought the protesters' presence was fitting, despite what he called the "meanness, hate and cruelty" of their message.
"I think it's appropriate that they're out there today, because Martin Luther King Jr. so cherished the Constitution and the First Amendment," Schneider said. "But with today's theme — love is sharing, caring and working together — I hope these people who only know hate can learn."
Edited by Lindsay Hanson
Speaker CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
"My kids call me the Terminator," said Thornton, whose daughter is attending Stanford University and whose son graduated from Harvard University. "I parent with a stiletto heel on their necks. They know they need to keep going and be persistent."
A near-capacity audience at the Lied Center heard Thornton's speech, which culminated in two hours of singing from a variety of local choirs, and short speeches and introductions.
including addresses from Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Associate Vice Provost of Student Affairs and Rep. Barbara Ballard.
"It was inspiring," Stephen Foster, Lawrence High student, said. "It makes me want to work harder and do better. It's dr. intently the right note for Martin Luther King Day."
The University and the Ecumenical Christian Fellowship, Inc., sponsored Thorton's speech. It was the 18th annual University-sponsored celebration of the holiday.
- Edited by Jason Elliott
TOPEKA — The cost of prosecuting — and defending — two high-profile murder cases has given capital punishment opponents another issue to raise as they push for a moratorium on death sentences in Kansas.
The Associated Press
Cases' cost support death penalty foes
Capital punishment foes also are encouraged by former Illinois Gov. George Ryan's decision earlier this month, during the last days of his term, to commute the sentences of all inmates on his state's death row.
in November, Reginald and Jonathan Carr received death sentences in Sedgwick County District Court for slaying five people.
That same month, a jury recommended the death sentence for John E. Robinson Sr., who was convicted in Johnson County of the murders of three women. A judge is scheduled to announce today whether he'll accept the jurors' recommendation.
Meanwhile, in Douglas County, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Damien Lewis; accused of killing a Lawrence couple in their home.
"We're going to be paying for trial and litigation for years, spending millions of dollars to kill one man," Donna Schneweis, coordinator for Kansas Death Penalty Abolition, told the Lawrence Journal-World. "Where is the common good here? Are we paying for safety or revenge?"
Like other death penalty opponents; Schneweis argues the state has a viable option to execu
tion - the "Hard 50" sentence of 50 years in prison without parole.
But Sen. Ed Pugh, R-Wamego, vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said while capital punishment cases might be expensive, the threat of capital punishment could persuade a defendant to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
Pugh said he is not a strong supporter of the death penalty but added, "There are some cases so shocking, so horrifying, I think it should be imposed."
Opponents of capital punishment have long raised the cost of death penalty as an issue, along with questioning how fairly the penalty is imposed.
Pat Scalia, executive director of the Board of Indigents' Defense Services, said the Carr trial cost her agency $1.3 million and the Robinson trial $1.1 million.
As for the costs of death penalty cases, she said, "It's worth a review."
In Illinois, Ryan initially imposed a moratorium on death sentences because of concerns about how individual cases were handled.
But in Kansas, former Gov. Bill Graves didn't consider a similar moratorium, nor did he ever use his power to pardon convicted criminals during his eight years in office.
As for newly inaugurated Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and a moratorium, spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran-Basso said yesterday. "It's not something we're looking at."
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