Unfinished poetry
The University Daily
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Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
Vol. 95, No.121 (USPS 650-640)
Farrakhan rebuts critics, draws ovation
Friday, March 29, 1985
Louis Farrakhan, controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, urges black students to use their education to better the lives of all black people. One of the two
Farrakh Black leader encourages self-respect
bodyguards who flanked Farrakhar during the speech stands behind him. Farrakhan spoke to a crowd of 2,500 people at Hoch Auditorium last night.
By SHARON ROSSE Staff Reporter
Louis Farrakhan last night encouraged blacks to abandon the mentality of inferiority that they have held for the last 400 years and adopt a new mentality of self-respect.
Before a packed house in Hoch Auditorium, Farrakah, leader of the Nation of Islam, told an audience of about 2,500 that the time exodus from dependency to power comes.
"Our 400 years of servitude is up." Farrakhan said. "Black people must come out of the mentality of looking to others to do us what we can do for ourselves."
Farrakhan's appearance was part of the Black Student Union Lectures Series and Alpha Week, sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Earlier this month, the Student Senate allocated $3,600 for his visit and another $800 for security during the visit.
AFTER FARRAKHAH's speech, which frequently was interrupted by applause, a panel of three professors asked Farrakhan questions about comments made in his speech and previous comments that had been reported in the press.
Report on the study. Bob Shelton, associate professor in religious studies. Dorothy Pennington, associate professor of communication studies and Stan Davis, associate professor of law, were the panel members.
Farrakhan said that when blacks began to respect themselves and whites learned to accept them as equals, both whites and blacks would view each other with mutual respect and start to resolve their differences.
"When we bring white students down a peg and black students up a peg," Farrakhan said, "then we can look 'to each other with mutual respect.'"
FARRAKHAH SAID blacks could move toward independence and self-respect if they stopped wasting their money and mistreating themselves.
Blacks have $204 billion in buying power, but last year, $9 billion of that was wasted on alcohol, $4 billion on tobacco and $15 to $20 billion on drugs, he said.
economic stability for themselves, as Jews have done. Farrakhan said.
"Do you realize that Jewish people never waded in, kneeled in, crawled in?" Farrar khan said. "They pooled their economic resources and bought in, bought up and brought out. They achieved a great degree of power in the U.S." He great degrees of political power in the U.S.
organizational FARRAKHAN CHALLENGED whites to accept blacks as they gained more positions of economic and political power.
Blacks should pool their resources to build
economically powerful in this country as you have been?"
"Can you stand to see blacks not shuffling, back dancing or acting foolish!" Farraham told the crowd.
Farrakkan asked for respect not only from whites, but from the press, which he said had taken his words out of context and distorted his meanings.
Farrakah gained national attention last spring during Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign, when he denounced black reporter Milton Coleman of the Washington Post. Coleman was the first to report that Jackson had referred to Jews as "hymies" and New York City as "Hymietown" in private conversations with reporters.
in Chicago, Farrakhan called Coleman a "traitor" for betraying Jackson and came close to threatening the life of Coleman and his family.
In other speeches, Farrakhan was reported to have called Judaism a "dirty religion," Hitler a "great - wickedly great - man," and Israel an "outlaw state."
But last night, Farrakhan defended his statements and explained their meanings within the contexts of his speeches.
IN A SERMON from his Final Call Temple
Farrakhan defended his criticism of Coleman and said the language he had used to denounce him had been distorted by the press.
"Coleman erred professionally as a journalist," he said, "and as a human being by delivering Jesse up into the hands of those bent on destroying him."
"I AM NOT a hater of Jews because I disagree with a Zionist policy," he said. "Argue with me if you must, but respect my point of view."
Farrakhan also said he did not and could not praise Hitler. But people who influence men and nations as much as Hitler did can be described as great, Farrakhan said. He added, however, that great did not mean good.
Members of the Students Against Racism and Anti-Semitism conduct a peaceful demonstration outside Hoch Auditorium to protest the appearance of Louis Farrakhan. Participants said yesterday they wanted to call attention to what they said were Farrakhan's anti-Semitic comments.
Three freshmen arrested at fraternity Brew-Ha-Ha
By KATHY FLANDERS Staff Repertor
The biannual Brew-Ha-Ha of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 1537 Tennessee St., ended abruptly Wednesday night for three students, who were arrested after tossing beer cans and bundles of hay at Lawrence police.
Staff Reporter
David Saffer, Springfield, Mo., freshman, Daniel Khoury, Wichita freshman, and William Snelling, Prairie Village freshman, were arrested and charged with misdemeanor offenses after police responded to a noise complaint by residents near the fraternity, Lawrence police said yesterday.
The party began about 8 p.m., and police received a complaint shortly after midnight Wednesday. Officers arrived at the house and proceeded to the back, where the outdoor party was being held. Speakers been put on stage, as well as 300 people were milling about the yard, police said.
None of the students arrested were members of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
POLICE SAID THEY met with resistance when they told revelers the party was over. Many people began throwing cans and hay,
Shueffer and Khoury were arrested on misdemeanor charges of assaulting an officer and disorderly conduct, police said. He was also charged with resisting arrest, another misdemeanor.
Shaffer县 and Khoury were taken to the Douglas County Judicial-Law Enforcement Building and jailed. ShaFFER was released early yesterday morning on $1,750 bond. His first court appearance is scheduled for April 5 at 4 p.m.
Snelling was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and ordered to appear in court.
police said, but only Shafere, Snelling and Khoury were arrested.
Craig Brady, Madison, Wis., senior and social chairman for the fraternity, said a much larger number of people attended the party than police had estimated.
KHOURY WAS RELEASED at the same time on $1,500 bond. He will appear in court along with Shaeffer.
"I'd say there were well over 1,000 people there," Brady said. "We went through 273 cases of beer, and 300 people couldn't do that."
"We carried the fun a little too far."
Demonstrators protest peacefully
By NANCY STOETER,
MICHELLE T. JOHNSON
and JULIE MANGAN
Staff Reporters
For weeks, students had debated the appearance of Louis Farakran. Protests were planned weeks in advance. More than $1,000 was allocated for security in anticipation of violence. Television crews gathered to film the long-awaited event.
But when the speech was over, only the scattered protest signs left outside Hoch Auditorium remained to mark the visit.
"I don't see how people could dislike what he had to say," Bryan Haas, Kansas City,
Kan., senior, said after the speech. "I thought he made the people look silly who spoke against him."
David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs, said, "I'm very proud of the way KU students handled the decision to invite him. I'm proud of the way students handled the controversy of his coming, the sensitivity of this topic and the cordialness tonight. I think it was a proud moment for the University of Kansas. This is precisely what a University is all about."
WILLIAM EANLEY, student body president, said, "There was a lot of talk about protesting but I couldn't believe that KU students would cause problems. I think the
After the speech, Feldman said she thought some things Farrakhan said were completely false, although he called him a dynamic speaker who made some good points.
Staci Feldman, student senator, said she had voted against Senate financing of Farrakhan's visit. The Senate allocated $3,600 for Farrakhan's appearance and $800
students could learn from what he said. I think we did well with our money."
but oespite the expressions of good will Farrakhan made in his speech, some students remained unconvinced.
"I think he's scary," she said. "I don't
See REACTION, p. 5, col. 1
KU forum urges swift divestment
By J. STROHMAIER
Staff Reporter
Everyone who spoke yesterday at a forum held to discuss whether the Kansas University Endowment Association should divest from companies that were in the same thing — divest now.
The forum, which was sponsored by the University Senate Executive Committee, was held for University groups to speak out on the divestment issue before a SenEx subcommittee drafted a resolution on the issue.
If SenEx passes the resolution, the University Council will vote on it at its April 11 meeting. The resolution would be non-confidential to SenEx, which is a private, nonprofit organization.
After a march down Jayhawk Boulevard, students listen to James Carothers, president of the University Council, speak about divestment in South Africa. At yesterday's forum, sponsored by the University Senate Executive Committee, University groups and individuals urged the Kansas University Endowment Association to end its investments in South Africa.
Before the forum, about 75 students gathered in front of Strong Hall for a rally in which students spoke briefly on South Africa, then marched down Jayhawk Boulevard to the Kansas Union chanting, "Stop the lies, break the ties. Divest now."
Students who attended the rally joined approximately 25 faculty and staff members to discuss divestment at the forum, from 3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. in the Big Eight Room of the library.
THE RALLY AND march capped weeklong demonstrations sponsored by Praxis, KU Democrats, Democratic Socialists of America and members of last semester's Student Senate Committee on South Africa. The demonstrations were organized to make students aware of the aparthied system in South Africa before the forum was held.
The Student Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution strongly recommending that the Endowment Association have a divestment plan out into action by Sept. 30.
Five people were scheduled to speak at the
forum before James Carothers, president of the University Council, opened the floor for questions or comments by students and
See S.AFRICA, p. 5, col. 3