Volume 124 Issue 8
kansan.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Getting beneath the tattoo ink Jayplay from the past to the present LOOK INSIDE
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL CHECK OUT AN INTERVIEW WITH LAWRENCE MAYOR ARON CROMWELL
PAGE 3
FAMILY POLITICS
VOTE AUNT MICHELE
Bachmann's nephew discusses family memories and the presidential race
IAN CUMMINGS icummings@kansan.com
JONATHAN SHORMAN
jshorman@kansan.com
As congresswoman Michele Bachmann competed on a national stage at the Republican presidential debate Wednesday night, at least one University student was paying close attention.
Tyler Amble, a sophomore from Shawnee, is an atmospheric science major. He also happens to be Bachmann's nephew.
Bachmann has represented Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District since 2006 and has gained a national reputation as an outspoken Republican candidate. She calls herself a constitutional conservative and has reached out to both tea party supporters and Christian evangelicals in her campaign.
Amble's father, Gary, is a Kansas City television meteorologist on KCTV5 and Michele Bachmann's brother.
In addition to his desire to be a broadcast meteorologist like his father, Amble is also open about his Christian faith and his involvement in YoungLife, a non-denominational ministry for adolescents. Amble participated in the ministry during high school and now helps lead a
youth group for YoungLife.
On Wednesday, Tyler Amble sat down with The Kansan to discuss his memories of Bachmann, his views on her campaign and how his life would change if his aunt becomes the first female president.
Life with prominent family members
u: How did you first become aware of Bachmann's national prominence?
A: Jon Stewart was making fun of some sound bite that she had, and it was like 'whoa.' And just, it kind of, like, hit. Like wow, she was rising through the ranks.
Amble said he fully realized his aunt's fame last year when Bachmann came up in a class discussion and a student was making fun of her.
"And I just kind of, like, slipped in that she was my aunt, and he was like 'Oh, shoot, I'm really sorry.'"
Q: Does it bother you when you hear people criticizing your aunt?
A: Just growing up with my dad on TV, you hear jokes that way. He predicts four inches of snow so kids are expecting a snow day and then we get two, so I get ridiculed that way. You kind of get used to it to a point. And I kind of don't take much of offense to it, especially when it's about her political aspects, because I know
each person has their own political ideology. So that part not so much, but if they go after her as a person, I don't know about that.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aunt Michele's Campaign
Bachmann's political career has been controversial at times. She suggested at a forum with Sen, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) Monday that the Department of Education be abolished as unconstitutional. In July, ABC News reported complaints about her husband's psychological clinic, Bachmann & Associates. Some said the clinic treated homosexuality as an illness.
But few deny that she has been successful at drawing media attention and is considered a frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination. One constant in Bachmann's rise to prominence has been her emphasis on religion, an issue that won her support from evangelical
Christians across the country.
Amble and Bachmann share a common commitment to their religious faith. Amble said he has fond memories of visiting her in Minnesota.
For all the weighty issues debated last night in Simi Valley, Calif., Bachmann is simply Aunt Michele
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michelle Bachmann takes part in the American Principles Project Palmettie Forum Sept. 5 in California, S.C.
SEE BACHMANN I PAGE 6
Tyler Amble, a sophomore from Shawnee, is Bachmann's nephew. He said he doesn't follow politics too closely, but cares about his aunt's campaign.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
State humane society to charge volunteers
MORGAN SAID editor@kansan.com
Despite the Kansas Humane Society charging volunteers a fee, the Lawrence Humane Society said it will not charge people to volunteer.
As of last Thursday, all new volunteers will be charged a one-time fee of $15 to cover the costs for t-shirts, name badges, access key cards, training materials, facility use and mailing costs, according to the Associated Press. Those 17-year-old or younger or who have previously worked with the organization are exempt from the charge.
Jonathan Cooper, a junior from Lee's Summit, Mo., volunteered at the Lawrence Humane Society his freshman year with his fraternity and understands the benefit the new fee might have.
"My fraternity went there as a big group and I could tell that some people weren't as passionate about it as others," Cooper said. "With the new system, you get people that are really passionate about the animals and people that are really wanting to help them out."
According to the Associated Press, the Humane Society doubled in size when it moved to its new Topeka branch, and the number of volunteers has since quadrupled.
The charge is intended to "weed out people who train, but then don't actually volunteer; increase
a feeling of belonging by making the volunteer group more exclusive; and bring money into cash-strapped nonprofitss," the Associated Press said.
In July alone, there were 5,934 calculated volunteer hours at the Humane Society, the equivalent of $43,022 minimum-wage work, reports the Associated Press.
Dakota Strange, junior from Wichita, also believes that the new charge is a good mechanism for weeding out those who "aren't truly committed."
However, people wanting to help, but who are on a tight budget, may look elsewhere to volunteer, he said.
"It's good for the Humane Society that they have that many volunteers that they can do something like that, but I'm kind of a tight-wad, so I'd look other places." Strange said. "I know that the Humane Society is doing well in their volunteer aspect. If it were a smaller organization that needed more help, I would be willing to pay the $15."
Cooper agrees that some students may look elsewhere to spend the $15 fee.
"While it's only $15, some people may want to do something else with it," Cooper said. "For me though, it's a good $15 because you're donating it to a charitable organization and one that only wants what's best for these animals."
— Edited by Mike Lavien
FORE MORE ON THIS STORY, SEE THE NEWSCAST ON KUJH-TV Watch today at 4 p.m. on Knology channel 31.
STATE
New pro-choice group holds Topeka rally
SARA SNEATH
ssneath@kansan.com
While some KU students may have trouble voicing their concerns, others have no problem speaking out against what they believe is unjust state legislation.
"We picked out the name in mid-June. From there we got a website up," said Wright, a senior from Roeland Park. "It all happened really, really fast, but it had to happen fast. There wasn't a lot of time."
KU students Leslie Goodwin, Haley Miller and Kaylyn Wright founded Speak for Choice in response to a Kansas law passed in June mandating additional regulations for abortion clinics, including regulations on the size of the closets and the temperature of the clinic.
The organization chose to host a rally at the capitol in Topeka on Sept. 7, the same day as a public hearing about the new regulations held by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
"For the past three months,
this has been the main part of our lives," said Miller, a junior from Kingman. "It was a lot of time and effort. All of us have been balancing school and work."
Wright, Miller and Goodwin contacted ally organizations and used social media to get the word out about the event.
"We got a lot of feedback from people not just in Kansas but all
Miller and Wright opened the rally yesterday with their opinion of the June law.
tion," Miller said.
"I think it is a hard-enough choice as it is facing an unplanned pregnancy without having to be fearful that the options are limited." Crenshaw said, "We really haven't had to face that possibility since I was about 11 years old."
Wes Crenshaw, a Lawrence family psychologist, was among the other speakers at the event.
Crenshaw said it is time
of this new law that passed, without public input and clearly without much public knowledge, Kansas almost became the first state with no abortion access, no access to a legal medical procedure," Miller said. "That's not ok."
"Because
happened first. There wasn't a lot of time."
KAYLYN WRIGHT
Senior from Roeland Park
for people to take a stance.
"It's difficult for me when I ask young people if they're paying attention to the debate and they say they aren't really interest.
ed in politics," Crenshaw said.
Edited by Sarah McCabe
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
CHRIS HEAD/KASAKI Pro-choice supporters rally in front of the Capitol in Topeka yesterday. The rally was in response to new abortion legislation.
SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE PRO-CHOICE RALLY http://udkne.ws/pc7Pfj
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
CLASSIFIEDS 9
CROSSWORD 4
SPORTS 10
SUDOKU 4
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
A
Eat your breakfast. September is national breakfast month.
Today's Weather
Forcasts done by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 2A.
HI: 77
LO: 50
It's fall at last.
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