Football: Jayhawks gear up for game tonight against Utah. Page 1B
Wheat Meet: 15th annual cancer research benefit to be held tomorrow. Page 3A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 27,1996
SECTION A VOL.103.NO.26
ADVERTISING 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
Senate upholds Clinton's abortion legislation veto
WASHINGTON — The Senate upheld President Clinton's veto of legislation that, for the first time in two decades, would have made a form of abortion illegal. But supporters of the ban on so-called partial birth abortions vowed yesterday to keep the issue alive during the election campaign.
after a wrenching debate, the Senate voted 57-41 to override the president's veto of the bill banning the late-term abortion procedure, falling nine votes short of the two-thirds majority needed.
Despite the defeat, abortion opponents said they had struck a political nerve that would continue to be felt.
"This will immediately become one of the most powerful issues of the fall election," said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.
Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition said that the narrow defeat underscored the importance of turning out in large numbers to vote in November.
"It will give huge momentum to pro-family forces in the half-dozen Senate races that will determine who controls the Senate," he said.
NETZARIM, Gaza Strip — The clashes marked a new stage for Israelis and Palestinians by challenging one of the basic premises of their peace accords — that the two sides would cooperate in maintaining security in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Yesterday's fighting erupted when thousands of Palestinian protesters marched toward the two Jewish settlements of Netzarim and Kfar Daron, isolated enclaves in the heart of the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip.
Palestinians threw stones, firebombs and bottles at Israeli troops manning a small outpost about a mile from Netzarim. Soon, more than 100 Palestinian policemen were trading automatic gunfire with a dozen Israeli soldiers.
Fighting on Gaza Strip violates peace accord
Census shows increase in Americans' income
Israeli troops pulled back toward Netzarim as army commanders sent in three armored personnel carriers and two helicopters. Shots were fired from one of the armored vehicles as the battle spread into surrounding fields and farms.
WASHINGTON — Americans' real income increased in 1995 for the first time in six years, the Census Bureau said yesterday in its annual economic report, promptly trumpeted by President Clinton as a good day for the country.
A Palestinian reporter said Palestinian police sent in reinforcements and more ammunition.
The analysis also found a decline in the number of poor, including the first time that the elderly had significantly less poverty than working-age Americans.
"Today it is clear that more and more of our people are sharing in that prosperity," Clinton said. "We are growing — and growing together."
Median household income for Americans was $34,076 in 1995, up 2.7 percent from the year before and the first real increase in six years, after adjusting for inflation, the bureau said.
In addition, the agency reported that the number of poor Americans dropped 1.6 million to 36.4 million from 1994 to 1995. That resulted in a decline in the share of Americans living in poverty from 14.5 percent to 13.8 percent. The poverty threshold for a family of four in 1995 was $15,569.
The Associated Press
Abortion pill raises doubts
By Ashleigh Roberts Kansan staff writer
The new abortion pill: safe, effective, cheaper than a surgical operation and soon to be legal. Mifepristone, formerly called RU-486, has raised ethical questions and left many with mixed emotions.
Mifepristone is the first in a new generation of fertility control
agents that causes the interruption of early pregnancy by inducing labor. The pill changes the level of the progesterone hormone that is necessary to maintain pregnancy and causes the uterus to contract and expel the embryo and the lining of the uterus. Mifepristone can be taken up to 49 days from a woman's last menstrual cycle. The pill will be available through a doctor's prescription, and it will be an outpatient procedure.
"Women will finally have more control over their reproductive rights," she said. "The procedure will be much less traumatic, more accessible and much more private."
The Food and Drug Administration gave the World Population Council the rights to test Mifepristone last week and assured availability to women in the United States sometime next year.
"They have determined that the drug is safe and effective, but they want additional information on
Women's rights activists said the pill would make abortions as accessible as a visit to the doctor, and many anti-abortion advocates think that is the problem.
manufacturing and marketing," said Patty Brous, president of Planned Parenthood in Mid-Missouri and Eastern Kansas.
Kansas, said the pill was long overdue.
Susie Sympny, women's studies instructor at the University of
However, some students are worried that the method will be used as
See PILL, Page 2A
Holden Kushner, Chicago senior, and Suzie McKinney, Atchison senior, are the hosts of KJHK's weekly radio talk show, Between the Sheets. The show airs from 9:15 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays.
Geoff Krieger / KANSAN
Show's popularity surprises co-host
Radio show airs answers about sex
By Erin Rooney
Kansan staff writer
Suzie McKinney was caught of guard when a caller asked her to estimate the average size of a penis.
As a host of KJHK's sex issues radio show, Between the Sheets, McKinney had to respond to the question. A moment of silence passed, however, before the Atchison senior came up with an answer.
"It's this big," she said, holding her hands about six inches apart.
one and Holden Kushner, Chicago senior, respond to questions ranging from penis size and sexual disorders to relationships and masturbation, from 9:15 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays. The show, on 90.7 FM, has aired five times already this semester and has become popular with many KU students.
"It's entertaining to hear college students talk about sex, and it's educational to hear what they're actually doing," said Mike Lanaghan, Glen Ellyn, III., senior. "I was fascinated by how descriptive they could be on the radio about their sex lives."
Lanaghan has listened to the show twice, and the response over the phone lines indicated that he was not alone. Up to 12 callers have dialed in on any given night to be
part of the action.
"I'm completely surprised that there have been callers," Kushner said. "For it to be a month old and be this popular, it's just blowing my mind."
Kushner conceived the idea for Between the Sheets during the spring semester and decided this summer to ask McKinney to be a co-host.
"I was in a bar and was just sitting here when she came up and started talking to my friend about all this kind of crazy sex stuff," he said.
kind of crazy see this. When Kushner made McKinney the offer, she thought he was joking and didn't take him seriously. The two eventually got their act together and have been having fun with the show since.
Jake Harwood, assistant professor of communication studies, has heard the show and said that listeners who called in benefited from their anonymity.
"You have the stranger-on-a-train or stranger-on-a-plane situation where people will tell intimate things to a complete stranger," Harwood said. "It's easier to talk about these things sometimes with strangers."
Since there is not a visual image with radio, Kushner said it should make the show more open and appealing to listeners.
"You can hide behind radio; there's no face," he said. "You can even disguise your voice."
The two hosts use proper terminal-
See KJHK, Page 2A
Fraternity is slackin' off for a good cause
By Ashlee Roll
Kansan staff writer
The members of Alpha Epsilon Pi aren't embarrassed to be slackers. In fact, they're proud of it, and yesterday and today they will be slackin' for a cause on Wesco Beach.
Members of the fraternity are slacking in front of Wescoe to raise money for the Rape Victim Survivor Service.
"We are good at slackin' off, so we are going to do nothing for charity," said Robert Grant, Alpha Epsilon Pi philanthropy chairman. "We just wanted to do something that has not been done before."
the traternity members have set up a mock living room under the balcony on Wescoe Beach, where they will stay for two days watching movies and slacking off.
For $1, students can enter a contest in which they can win prizes such as CDs and gift certificates donated by local businesses. T-shirts will be sold for $10.
"I think it is an excellent way to raise money," said Kristen Weltzel,
"We have set it up so that it is seared toward students." Grant said.
Chicago senior. "I've been standing here for half an hour watching T.V.
So far they have shown Top Gun and White Men Can't Jump."
Alpha Epsilon Pi chose the slack-athon because it was inexpensive for the fraternity to sponsor.
"Sometimes it costs $100 to enter a kickball tournament or $60 per person to enter a golf tournament," he said.
Chris Hamilton / KANSAN
RVSS, 1419 Massachusetts St., a community and campus organization that provides 24-hour comprehensive crisis services and advocacy for the survivors of rape and sexual assault.
"Last semester we were looking for an organization to help." Grant said. "We didn't want to go to a huge one like United Way. We wanted to find a local organization that needed money."
Robert Grant, Los Angeles senior, relaxes in a recliner while watching Top Gun. Members of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity are participating yesterday and today in a slack-a-thon benefit for Rape Victim Survivor Services.
This event has cost the fraternity members only pocket change but has drawn a crowd at Wescoe.
Sarah Russell, director of RVSS, said that the amount of money raised was almost incidental.
"We were overwhelmed when they approached us; it meant so much,"
See SLACKERS,Page 2A
TODAY
www.kansan.com
INDEX
Scoreboard ... 2A
Features ... 8A
National News ... 7A
World News ... 7A
Horoscopes ... 4B
Classified Ads ... 7B
LIGHT RAIN
High 55° Low 43°
Weather: Page 2A
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
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