FRIDAY,OCTOBER4,2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN • 3A
Anton Bubnovskiy/Kansan
Inspiration Gospel Voices rehearses in the Military Science Building. The choir, which is always open to new members, has been on campus for 26 years.
Voices gathering
By Katie Nelson
knelson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
NEWS
As about 25 members of the Inspirational Gospel Voices choir join hands, several students step forward with prayer requests.
It's nearing the end of their weekly Thursday night rehearsal in the Multicultural Resource Center. Over quiet keyboard music, members ask each other for support during the week in dealing with sickness, tests and travel.
Tasha Scott, Grandview, Mo., junior and president of the 55-member group, said the choir offered Christians a way to sing and minister on campus.
"For those of us who are used to that kind of religion and that kind of support, here, you get the opportunity for that." she said. "For us, it's a home away from home."
The group has been rehearing and ministering for 26 years but registered as an official student organization last year.
Renita Norman, Topeka
sophomore, has been singing with the group since last year, but really, her gospel roots go back much further.
Involvement in Inspirational Gospel Voices has provided her with a community she can relate to, she said.
Among Norman's family, it's rumored that her grandfather sang in a semi-professional gospel group, she said. Norman said she had been singing since she was 3 or 4.
"I sing all the time, especially in the car," she said. "People probably give me weird looks all the time."
By spending time together at weekly rehearsal members of the group become close friends.
Scott agreed.
"The choir is a way for people to keep in touch with themselves," she said. "When people go off to college, they often stray away from church because you don't have as much access to it. It's a way for people to maintain that link."
—Edited by Amy Schmitz
Israeli students give perspective
By Aaron Passman
apassman@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
An unattended backpack may not look harmful, but to Avishai Ratsaki one such backpack contained a bomb that killed 11 of his fellow students at Hebrew University in Israel.
Ratski, along with Dani Abew and Kim Gordon spoke about life in Israel to about 50 students and members of the Lawrence community last night at 4057 Wescoe.
"You have to think and rethink every move you make just to keep yourself safe," said Ratski.
The three Israelis were all part of a program sponsored by KU Hillel called "Israel At Heart." The program aims to give American students a bigger picture of Israeli life than what was traditionally offered by the media.
Abelow said "Israel At Heurt" was coordinated through an academic liaison in Chicago, via the Israeli Consulate. The program is funded by a New York philanthropist.
About 50 Israeli students participated in the program that sent groups of three students to different areas of the country, including Boston, Los Angeles and New York
Chris Burket/Kansan
"The way to honestly understand the situation is to meet people who have lived in the situation directly." Abelow said.
All three were 26-year-olds who had spent time in the Israeli military, which requires men and women to serve for three years beginning at age 18. Abelow said the purpose of their trip was to give American students a different perspective of Israel today.
The three shared some of their experiences in the military and as students in Israel, before taking questions from the audience. Some of the questions covered student and military life, the war
Kim Gordon speaks about a bomb going off in the bar she worked at in Israel while Dani Abelow and Avishai Ratsaki listen, Gordon, Abelow and Ratsaki were in Wescoe last night to talk about what it's like to be a student and live in Israel during the volatile conflict with the Palestinians.
on terror, the Iraq situation, and the Palestinian conflict.
All three said they hoped the ongoing Middle East conflict would soon be over, but they acknowledged that it was a difficult process.
Abelow said the situation was complicated because Israelis were no longer fighting just for their land but for their very existence.
Despite the media's portrayal of Israel as a dangerous, war-torn nation, all three encouraged Americans to visit Israel.
"One word: Come," said Rat
saki. "Trust me, you won't be disappointed."
Jay Lewis, executive director for KU Hillel, said the "Israel At Heart" program was important because it allowed students to get a larger perspective on life in Israel.
"So many people get their information about the Mideast conflict from CNN and the media that it makes it hard to get somebody else's direct opinion," Lewis said.
Edited by Chris Wintering
Speaker criticizes greek stereotypes in movies
By Todd Rapp
By food happ
trapp@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
beyond stereotypes.
The problem of blindly following stereotypical traditions in greek organizations was one of the main topics during a National Pan-Hellenic Council speech last night at the Ballroom in the Kansas Union.
Bryant Smith, director of Multicultural Affairs and International Student Services at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., spoke to a group of 30 people about ways that greek organizations can grow
Smith used the movies School Daze and Animal House to speak about the stereotypes that traditionally white and black fraternities and sororites are associated with.
"White" fraternity and sorority images from Animal House were drinking and partying, not studying, Smith said.
Smith mentioned differences between the movies. For
In the movie School Daze, African-American fraternity life was portrayed in a negative light by showing hazing and violence.
instance, Animal House made John Belushi a hero; Spike Lee, however was banned from Morehouse College because of School Daze.
Smith said the movies created problems when it came to recruitment.
The movies send false images of college life to future students, he said.
"People watch those two movies, and feel they should be challenged to get into your chapter," Smith said. "You have a group of people who don't want to be recruited. They want to prove themselves to you."
Smith said that fraternities and sororities don't like the way the movies portray their organizations—but are often guilty of living up to the stereotypes.
He said a more active recruitment process would lead to more quality members and better promotion.
"If you don't want those images to determine what kind of members you get, the challenge is yours," Smith said. "Show them something else; show them the different side."
—Edited by Chris Wintering
NOT ALL AIR FORCE ROTC
STUDENTS FLY PLANES.
GETTING THEIR TUITION PAID BY
THE AIR FORCE IS THRILL ENOUGH.