4 Thursday, October 11, 1990 / University Daily Kansan Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Art or filth? Contradictory verdicts in Ohio and Florida raise questions about standards for judging obscenity Recently, two juries were faced with a difficult task: drawing a line between art and obscenity. One of the juries found Dennis Barrie, director of the Contemporary Arts Center, not guilty of a Cincinnati obscenity law. He had been charged in April for displaying photographs by the late Robert Mappletheorpe in an adults-only display in the arts center. Of the 175 photographs on the wall, five depicted erotic images of homosexuals, and two showed children's genitals. The outcome of the trial rallied supporters of the embattled National Endowment for the Arts, a federal organization that often finances art that cannot rely on commercial appeal. Congress soon will argue a bill that would restrict the kinds of art that receive NEA money. The jury apparently reasoned in Barrie's case that Cincinnati residents who found the seven photographs in question reprehensible surely could spend their museum time viewing the other 168 photographs. Reason, however, struggles when grappling with obseventy. That's why Charles Freeman, a 34 year-old Miami record store owner, may spend a year in jail for selling copies of the 2 Live Crew album "As Nasty As They Wanna Be." As many as 1.7 million other copies of the recording, stamped with voluntary warnings about its racy content, had been sold at the time of Freemen's arrest in June. In accounts of the trial, the six jurors were described as bored as they listened closely to decipher the recording's songs, many of which, including "Me So Horny," were sexually explicit. Yet the jurors required only two-and-a-half hours of deliberation to return a guilty verdict Why does Barrie, the Cincinnati museum director, remain free with the potential to post more eye-popping images, while Freeman waits a year before he again can market throbbing, sensuous pop music? After all, both trials were made possible by the same U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Miller vs. California in 1973 established that something could be considered obscene if it was patently offensive and void of literary, political or scientific value. The average person in the community, presumably a juror, must find the material appealing to prurient interests, according to the court. Prurient means itching with morbid desires. Itching with what? That's the trouble with obscenity. Despite the 1973 ruling, no one is really sure what obscenity is. Freeman, who is Black, said the Miami jury's decision was based on racism. Of 35 potential jurors, 34 were White. All six chosen for the trial were White. But racism, like obscenity, is difficult to prove. The jury in Freeman's case, whatever its motives, failed to recognize that some people — at least 1.7 million — valued "As Nasty As They Wanna Be." Today, 2 Live Crew members continue to defend obscency charges filed against them for performing their material in a Florida nightclub. We hope Florida residents recognize that singing out one group during an onslaught against so-called obscency is foolish. Rich Cornell for the editorial board David Duke's defeat Louisiana mustn't let former Klansman recover Louisiana State Rep. David Duke, who was a Ku Klux Klan grand wizard during the 1970's, conceded defeat Sunday in the U.S. Senate race against incumbent B. Bennett Johnston. However, the fight to prevent Duke, whom many consider a racist, from achieving high office may have just begun. Saturday's election results indicate that official indignation about Duke's former affiliations will not be enough to stop him. New strategies must be devised if Duke is to be prevented from winning future races. Duke has already said that he is considering a run for governor in 1991. More likely is a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives because Duke could run in one of the northern Louisiana districts that gave him strong support in Saturday's primary. Those who oppose Duke's ideas must realize that the Republican strategy of ostracizing him from their party was a failure. President Bush endorsed State Sen. Ben Bagert, the GOP candidate. Bagert, however, was forced to drop out of the race to help Senator Hillary Clinton against the GOP from being politically damaged by a Duke victory under the Republican banner. Nonetheless, Duke received 605,681 votes, or 44 percent. Duke carried 23 of Louisiana's 64 parishes and ran a close race in the others. So strong a showing indicates that Duke could easily win a U.S. House seat or be a strong contender for governor. Johnston said Duke received mostly protest votes from those dissatisfied with poor economic conditions. But it also is possible that voters are dissatisfied with affirmative action and welfare. Duke's campaign capitalized on such dissatisfaction. By turning its back on Duke, the Republican establishment has also turned its back on the voters who supported Duke. But the concerns and views of these voters are the same as those in the Democratic process. Those who oppose Duke's beliefs must work to address these voters' concerns. Duke's support can be undermined if his opponents prevent him from portraying himself as the anti-establishment politician fighting the big boys in Washington who never listen to the little people. Failure to do so may hand Duke a U.S. Senate seat only a few years later than he wanted. Bryan Swan for the editorial board 'We're going to have a much better time here.' — Jean Finney, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, when asked why she attended a Democratic Party fund-raiser in Topeka instead of a Wichita political debate ENOUGH Lawrence gets a taste of Eutin As a German exchange student staying in France for six weeks, I see many things here that are different, even strange Even eating is different here. Americans eat sandwiches, which we don't make in Germany. The first week I was here, I started to eat a sandwich. My family laughed and told my host family laughed and told my sandwiches are finger-food. - things I never thought would be different than they were at home. Take, for example, shopping. The first day I arrived here, we went shopping at the Riverfront Plaza. A clerk in a shop said to us, "Hello, how are you?" It was my first day here, and I felt very home-sick. I recognized that the clerk really wasn't interested in an answer, but I started to tell her what I was thinking. Then my host-ister told me just to say I was fine because that's the usual answer given for formality's sake. My stay here is part of an exchange program between Lawrence and Eutin, Germany. The program offers many possibilities to get to know another country and the lifestyle of its citizens. The interaction of sharing homes with people from a different country is a great experience. Grimm, speaking to Lawrence officials during his visit, said, "Although the connections between Lawrence and Eutin originated with the Voss group, they were also wider basis now. The citizens of Eutin are looking forward to the Eutin's relationship with Lawrence began in 1968 when the University of Kansas and Lawrence High School started a student exchange program with the Johann-Heinrich Voss High School in Eutin. Then in 1986, Helmut Schewee, German resident instructor for the KU summer institute, and Willam Keel, KU associate profes-sors, helped up the idea of a sister-city relationship. This idea became more solidified in Fall 1989 when Gernot Eike Grimm, mayor of Eutin, and other Eutin officials stayed in Lawrence. growing friendship between our two cities with interest and excitement. It will be our task to establish the basis for an expanded relationship." During Grimm's visit, Lawrence and Eutin officials discussed plans ” The first week I was here, I started to eat a sandwich with a knife and fork. My host family laughed and told me sandwiches are fingerfood. for future exchanges in a number of areas, including education, art, sciences and economics as well as contacts between clubs, associations and vocational groups. Cooperation with other clubs is planned as well as the development of projects in the areas of choir exchange, art exhibitions and theatrical performances. Grimm said the relationship between Eutin and his school friends and mutual understanding will reduce prejudices. Shirley Martin-Smith, mayor of Lawrence, was quoted in our Eutin newspaper as saying, "We believe that our cities will develop an important and continuous friendship. We are optimistic that our communities can develop a lot of projects together." Sike Weber is an exchange student from Eutin, Germany. Eutin proffers art learning and roses By Silke Weber Special to the Kansas The 18,000 residents of Eutin have access to a wide variety of schools and higher education establishments, including two high schools, a technical college, a commercial and home economics college and a large police academy. During the 18th Century and the beginning of the 19th Century intellectual life in Eutin was dominated by authors such as Johann Heinrich Voss, Friedrich Gottlieb Klopp, Johann Strauss, the composer Carl Maria von Weber, who was born in Eutin. An annual Eutin open air festival is dedicated to this long musical tradition. The festival takes place in the historic garden of Eutin Castle, which was his home during the 18th century. LETTERS to the EDITOR tice of birth control and safe sex. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation. Eutin is surrounded by a number of lakes, offering recreational opportunities. It is surrounded by a largely flat landscape, just as Lawrence is. For this reason, the Eutin area has earned the name "Holstein's Switzerland," meaning a cross between the flat area of Holstein, which encompasses Eutin, and Switzerland's hills. Scout honor lacks ethic If the Boy Scouts of America helped Andrew Kenyon learn about "healthy social" . . . and sexual relationships," his Monday guest column does not reflect this. Instead, it shows that teenagers are in a state of sexuality but of sexuality in general. Eutin, the sister city of Lawrence, is east of Hamburg between Lauebek and Kiel in northern Germany. The city was founded in 1143 and was incorporated in 1256. It is known as the "city of roses" because a variety of roses grow throughout the town. There is even a rose named for Eutin. At the beginning of the 14th Century, the bishop of the Luebeck diocese transferred his residence from Luebeck to Eutin, and the city became the governmental for the Luebeck area of Odenburg. Not all homosexuals engage in anal intercourse. In addition, many heterosexuals engage in anal intercourse. The practice of anal intercourse has nothing to do with one's ability to be a role model. Sexual responsibility is the prac- A pedophile, not a homosexual, is someone who engages in sex with children. A person's ambition, not sexual orientation, determines perseverance and dedication to a goal. A homosexual must meet the same qualifications as a heterosexual to become an Eagle Scout. No one is asking the Boy Scouts to lower its standards. A group that encourages its members "to augment healthy relationships with other people" should denounce, not practice, discriminatory behavior. If the Boy Scoots of America are truly attempting to teach moral standards, then it should be teaching them not on what, but whom, they are. David Benjamin Lawrence graduate student KANSAN STAFF DEERE SCHMIDT Editor KJERSTIN GABRIELSON Managing editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news advise Editors News Julie Mottenburg Editorial Mary Noubauer Planning Pam Solliner Camps Holly Lawton Sports Brent Maycoy Photo Andrew Morrison Features Stacy Smith MARGARET TOWNSEND Business manager MINDY MORRIS Retail sales manager JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser business staff Campus sales mgr. Critial Dool Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzmired National sales mgr. David Price Co-op sales mgr. Deborah Salzer Production mgr. Missy Miller Production assistant. Julie Aikland Marketing director. Audra Langford Creative director. Gail Enbinder Letters should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words. They must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. Writers affiliated with the University of Kansas will need to provide their telephone number. Guess columns should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be photographed. Before submitting the right to reedit or刊登 letters, guard columns and canvases may be ordered or brought to the Kansas newman, 111 Sausage Flim Hall. Letters, columns and canvases are the options the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kansas Editorial部 are the Home Remedies JUST FOUND (THOUGH UP!) THE MISSING LEVEL OF DANTE! INFEBRID - CANTO 7½! AS NOWI DUMP SEE W I E COME UPON THE PROCRASTINATOR OF SCHOOL. THE INDIGENIUM TO THE NOWI DUMP MY PROCADURED BE BECAUSE OF TV. LEARN FROM ME, I TEG OF THEEN. DO NOT BUT OFF- OR DWIND DON'T BE LIKE ME! SITTINGINTHEM, WATCHING BELONGS OF WIREP ON A BLACK AND WHITE TV. WHILE EARNING A D' TOURS MY BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE! SO DID YOU CONSIDER THE CONTRAPASO OF THE WRETCHED? Tom Michaud GOSAW TALKS MERCULIF, WHEN HE DIDN'T STRIKE HIM DOWN FOR THAT HAWK RUNE.