SPORTS: Kansas men's and women's cross country teams will compete in district championships this weekend, Page 9.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
VOL.102.NO.60
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13. 1992
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Counterprotest prompts battle of accusations
Last Friday, Lisa McGraw, Lawrence graduate student and KU library assistant, drove her truck into a group of anti-homosexual protesters in Topeka. McGraw and Margie Phelps, the daughter of the Rev. Fred Phelps, an anti-homosexual activist, tell two different stories about what happened.
Margie Phelps' account
McGraw's truck was travelling 15 to 20 mph when she drove into a crowd, hitting seven anti-homosexual protesters. She was aiming for bodies, not signs, and hit several protesters. McGraw's truck was damaged by hitting the protesters and their signs.
McGraw's account
Anti-homosexual protesters were displaying signs on the roadside, including one that read "Gays deserve to die." McGraw drove slowly over the walkway to run over signs she thought were stuck in the ground. When she realized they were held by people, she stopped. Protesters then attacked her truck, causing dents and smashing the back window.
Sean M. Tevis / KANSAN
By Kristi Fogler
Kansan staff writer
Few facts are undisputed about what happened in Topeka on Nov. 6, when Lisa McGraw, Lawrence graduate student and KU library assistant, was arrested for allegedly driving her pickup truck into a group of anti-homosexual protesters led by the Rev. Fred Phelps of Tomeka.
According to Topeka police reports, McGraw steered her truck over the sidewalk toward the protesters, who were protesting at a city gay and lesbian task force meeting.
Her truck lit seven protesters and caused damage to their signs, according to police reports. McGraw was arrested at the site and taken to jail. None of the protesters hit by the truck required medical treatment.
A second police report, filed by McGraw, stated that after she drove toward the protesters, they broke a window in her truck and caused multiple exterior dents to her vehicle.
The district attorney's office in
Topeka has not charged anyone.
- was hypersensitive.
McGraw explained the incident as follows:
Afraid of further harm, McGraw drove her truck off of the sidewalk and two blocks east down 17th Street. She then got out of her truck to see if anyone was hurt.
She said the rear window of the truck, which displayed some "progay" bumper stickers, was broken by the angry protesters.
Around dusk she saw ant-homosexual signs she thought were stuck into the ground as she was driving at 17th and MacVicar streets. She drove over the curb to knock over the signs with her truck. She realized that the signs were being held by people.
"I was afraid if I went to help, with that violence, I would get hurt," she
McGraw said she saw the protesters move away from her truck as she neared a sign, hitting none of the protesters. She said she stopped, and the protesters gathered around her truck and began beating on it with sticks.
said. Shortly afterward, people gathered around her truck and yelled obscenities on her, she said.
The truck was dented, and the window was broken as a result of McGraw hitting the signs and bodies, she said. She said members of the group would have been more seriously injured had not their quick reflexes saved them.'
Protester Margie Phelps, daughter of the Rev. Phelps, an anti-homosexual activist, said she strongly disagreed with McGraw's account of the accident.
Phelps, who says she was hit by the truck, said McGraw was not going for the signs but for bodies.
"No one attacked her vehicle," Phelps said of McGraw's account of how her truck was damaged.
Phelps said no one in her group verbally assaulted McGraw. She said McGraw would not have stopped had an elderly couple not blocked her into a driveway two blocks away.
University aims to fill void left by new state legislators
See related story, Page 5.
By Stacy Morford Kansan staff writer
While newly elected state representatives Barbara Ballard and Forrest Swall plan for the approaching 1993 Kansas legislative session, the University of Kansas is recruiting others to fill their shoes while they are away.
Ballard, who will represent the 44th District, will be replaced as director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center in the spring semester by Sherrill Robinson. Robinson, who is currently the center's assistant director, said she assumed that Ballard would return as the center's director next fall.
"Even though she will not be here, the center will still have the same services, the same workshops and the same outreach." Robinson said. "Nothing will change."
Black said Swall would not lose his tenure and could keep his position as director of the school's undergraduate program. She said that Jane Davis, the school's associate dean,
Swall, an assistant professor of social welfare representing the 45th District, will have status similar to a professor taking a sabbatical, said Edith Black, assistant dean of the School of Social Welfare.
would oversee the program during Swall's absence.
Both professors promise to be back. Swall plans to teach two classes in the school again next fall.
The No.1 thing that Swall and Ballard say they will miss during the spring semester will be the students.
Barbara Ballard
"I'll only be gone for the
semester, and I'll still keep in close contact with the school," said Swail. "It's always nice to have a change of pace, but I'll miss the day-to-day contact with the students."
Swall said the biggest advantages of being involved with the Legislature would be the contacts he can make and his ability to bring KU and social welfare issues to the Legislature's attention.
He said the school's annual government workshops, which give KU students the opportunity to observe meetings in the Statehouse and work with state agencies, also would be easier for him to organize after he takes his seat.
The Spring 1993 Timetable shows Swail scheduled to teach two classes. Ann Weick, dean of social welfare, has not named an instructor to take over Swail's introductory social work class, SW 235 — Social Welfare and Society.
Pat O'Brien, a Kansas City, Kan., graduate student working on a doctorate in social welfare, will take over Swall's section of SW 521, Social Problem, Policy and Program Analysis II. She already is scheduled to teach the class's other section next semester and is teaching the first part of the class this semester.
Forrest Swall
O'Brien said she was excited to take over the extra class, even though the jump from 32 students this semester to 65 students next semester would likely take time away from her research.
"I do put 100 percent of myself into teaching." she said. "It will demand a lot, but it'll give me a lot more classroom experience, and teaching what I want to do."
Clinton outlines plan for presidential action
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — President-elect Clinton yesterday detailed a crowded blueprint for action, including quick reversal of Bush administration abortion policy and creation of more than a half-million jobs in his first year.
The Associated Press
Clinton, in his first formal news conference since the election, also promised his transition and administration would have the strictest ethical guidelines in history.
Calling on congressional Republicans as well as Democrats to work with him on his busy agenda, he said, "The clear mandate of this election from the American people was the end of politics as usual and the end of gridlock in Washington and the end of finger pointing and blame."
The Arkansas governor called the news conference to announce 48 additions to his transition team, a mix of political and policy advisers charged with helping Clinton build the first Democratic administration in a dozen years.
"They reflect my commitment to assembling the most qualified and diverse group of people available, including men and women with
Vice President-elect Al Gore stood nearby as Clinton spoke at the Arkansas statehouse.
broad experience, some of whom served in the campaign and others who are just joining us now as we move toward governing," Clinton said of his picks.
The president-elect then answered questions on an array of topics, from his general economic and foreign policy priorities to his specific plans to provide jobs and deal with nuclear proliferation, as well as his feelings on the heavy security and intense media attention that came with his election.
"I'm having a wonderful time," Clinton said. "It is an enormous responsibility, but I asked for it, and it's an indulgence to feel overwhelmed by it. I'm just going to give you my best effort every day."
See related stories, Page 8.
Daron J. Bennett / KANSAN
American-Indian theater
Reaching for the sun, Dan Maranon plays the part of Buzzard and DeeAnn Acoya plays the part of Fox in an American-Indian tale of how light came to the world. Both actors are members of Haskell Indian Junior College's Thunderbird Theater, which performs throughout the Midwest. The theater group performed yesterday in the Kansas Union.
False fire alarms at KU residence halls have prompted officials to offer several awards for information related to the problem.
False alarm rewards
Blood pressure check
See story. Page 3.
18,000 tickets still remain for Colorado-Kansas clash
Stressed? Students can get their blood pressure checked for a local grocery store.
See story, Page 6.
Officials say even sellout won't break 1969 record for average attendance
By Muneera Naseer Kansan staff writer
Although two top 20 football teams will clash tomorrow afternoon at Memorial Stadium, Athletic Department officials do not expect a sellout crowd.
That puzzles Bernie Kish, director of ticket sales operations for the department.
"We are still in contention for the Big Eight title, so you would think that it would be a sellout game," he said. "For some reason it's just not, and it doesn't look like it is going to be there."
Kansas, ranked 20th in the latest Associated Press football poll, will play its final home
game against 13th-ranked Colorado at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Kish said the ticket office expected 40,000 fans to attend the game. Memorial Stadium has seated 52,000 since bleachers were added in the south end zone before the California game Sept. 24.
"If we were to play a game this afternoon, we would probably have about 30,000 people in the stadium," he said. As of yesterday, about 18,000 tickets were still available.
Between 500 and 600 single-game tickets were sold each day last week, Kish said. Sales this week have not kept up with pace. Kish said about 5,000 tickets would be sold tomorrow before the game. About 500 Colorado fans are expected to attend the game.
Even with a sellout tomorrow, Kansas could not break the record for average attendance of 44,652, set in 1969.
So far, Kansas has averaged 42,000 people a home football game this year, helped by a sellout Kansas State game Oct. 10.
Kish said the increase in ticket sales in recent years has a direct relation to KU's winning seasons last year and this year.
Still, this year's attendance has pleased Kish. He said that for every game this year, the department had either met or exceeded last year's predicted ticket sales.
The Jayhawks are 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Eight Conference and appears to be on the way to their first bowl game since 1981.
"Student interest this year has been wonder-ful," he said. "I am personally appreciative of the great support students have given this year."
Bob Frederick, KU athletic director, said lower attendance at tomorrow's game could be a result of the game being televised. ABC will broadcast the game live throughout the Midwest as part of its regional football programming.
Football ticket prices
As of yesterday, 18,000 tickets have yet to be sold for tomorrow's football game. Here are the ticket prices for the game.
Reserved seating $18
Family Plan ticket for two adults and four children $24
Reserved seating $18
General Admission ticket for the public $8
General Admission ticket for the public $8
General Admission ticket for: KU students, faculty and staff $5
Single ticket for south end zone bleachers $5
Family Plan ticket for south end zone bleachers $20