Section A·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, November 11, 1997
Patrick Artinian, a photographer from French working for Geo, is in Lawrence as part of a month long project he is doing on A Midwestern town. Artinian is doing all the writing and photography for this project. Photo by Geoff Krieger/KANSAN
French journalist experiences life in Lawrence to write article
By Ann Premer
apremer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A French journalist has spent the past two weeks observing and covering activities in and around Lawrence.
Patrick Artinian, a native of southern France, is working on an article about life in the Midwest for "Goe," a monthly magazine with a circulation of 500.000.
"Lawrence is interesting because it's a little Midwest town with the University," Artinian said.
But, he said, Lawrence is not that different from the rest of the United States. The same restaurants, clothes and cars diminish the differences among the states, he said.
"There is a general feeling in America that is the same in L.A. as in Lawrence," he said.
Artinian said he and his editors chose Lawrence because it was nearly in the middle of the country, and his editors were acquainted with Bill Snead, the "Lawrence Journal-World's" deputy editor.
As a part of the six-week project Artinian has been shadowing reporters and photographers at the "Journal-World." Artinian photographed the Oct. 31 Budig Hall dedication, a football game and a basketball game at the University of Kansas.
He said universities in the United States were different from those in France.
"There is no campus in France." Artinian said. "I think that life when you are an American student is good."
While in Lawrence Artinian has followed photographers on assignments, taking photographs and notes for his piece which will
Photographer Earl Richardson said Artinian's photographic techniques were similar to his but that Artinian used different lenses.
run early next year.
"It's interesting to see the way he works an assignment," Richardson said.
Dave Toplikar, "Journal-World" reporter, said Artinian had observed events that Toplikar had covered.
"He tries to stay in the background quite a bit," Toplikar said. "He acts as an observer."
Artinian said that being a journalist in France was difficult. He said that sources did not return phone calls and were hard to meet with. During his assignments in the United States, Artinian has been able to contact people easily.
"In America, people are nice." Artinian said. "In France, typically in Paris, they are not as nice."
By Gwen Olson
golson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Students write to help needy
University of Kansas students are donating money and writing letters this week to convince the federal government that hunter has a cure.
The letter-writing campaign, part of a national effort, is sponsored by Concerned, Aware and Active Students, a division of the Center for Community Outreach. The campaign began yesterday and will continue 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Friday in the Kansas Union lobby.
The campaign is sponsored nationally by Bread for the World, an organization that proposes legislation to improve provisions for the needy.
Volunteers are being asked to write letters supporting Bread for the World's proposed Hunger Has A Cure
The Hunger Has a Cure Act would improve food stamp legislation and begin the development of a federal nutrition program.
"I know that a lot of people don't think that they have time to sit down and write a letter, but it just has to be a short, quick letter of support," said Kate Turnbull, Lawrence sophomore and co-coordinator for Concerned, Aware and Active Students.
gress.
"If writing a letter can make a difference, that's what I hope to do."
Act of 1997 and to donate money for stamps. The act was proposed after the passage of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 and received bipartisan support from 300 members of Con-
The letters will be sent to Franklin Raines, director of the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, D.C. The office writes the administration's yearly budget proposal.
The goal of the national letter-writing campaign is to have the act or its provisions included in President Clinton's 1998 budget.
Turnbull said she hoped the campaign at
hoped the campaign at the University would generate 100 letters to Raines by the end of the week.
Turnbull said people at colleges, universities and churches nationwide would participate in the letter-writing campaign.
CAAS Activities
Concerned, Aware and Active Students Hunger and Homelessness Month:
Letter Writing Campaign:
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today through Friday, Kansas Union lobby
CAAS will accept donations to pay for stamps
Hunger Banquet:
6 p. 6m. at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, November 20
- Envelopes, paper and pens provided at the CAAS table
The dinner is free. Vouchers are available at the Student Union Activities box office or at the ECM door before the dinner.
Aimée Buckland, Topeka junior,
wrote a letter and donated money for
stamps to the campaign yesterday.
"I don't know that my letter will make a difference, but I would like to see conditions for our nation's children improve," she said. "If writing a letter can make a difference, that's what I hope to do."
Jiang's visit declared a success
By Chris Horton
Special to the Kansan
During Chinese President Jiang Zemin's recent U.S. visit and summit with President Clinton, he tried to win over two audiences: the people of China and the people of the United States, said University of Kansas experts on China.
Both audiences were receptive to Jiang's message, said Feng Shengli, an assistant professor of East Asian Language and Culture.
"Chinese television has declared Jiang a leader at the same level as Clinton," Feng said. "But his political power is by no means secure."
Feng, a native of Beijing, moved to the United States in 1986.
true or just stereotypes," he said.
"The first couple of years helped me to learn if certain things I had heard about the United States were
Jiang's American visit was important to reassure the United States that China is a potential ally and not a future adversary, Feng said.
Cody Simms, Wichita junior, spent two months this summer at Beijing Normal University, the school attended by students who protested a lack of personal freedom in the Tiananmen Square uprising.
On June 4, 1989, soldiers cleared Beijing's Tiananmen Square of students and killed an estimated 500 to 7,000 people. The reaction to the uprising damaged American trust in China.
Simms said that Jiang did well in his attempt to improve Sino-American relations.
"He can go home and say that he conquered the American media."
she said.
Feng said the average American's perception of China may not be accurate.
"Many people are not aware that China is developing toward capitalism and away from communism. Only the government is communist now," Feng said.
Neither Feng nor Simms saw immediate problems between China and the United States. Feng did, however, see a problem if both countries choose to perpetuate stereotypes rather than learning to understand and appreciate their different cultures.
"Understanding each other is most important. You cannot go to war with someone you view as a person rather than a stereotype," Feng said.