UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, September 4, 1996
3A
Tyler Wirken/KANSAN
Native-American poet expresses spirituality
Poet Simon Ortiz speaks to a crowd in Alderson Auditorium. Ortiz读 many of his poems, including some from his book Woven Stone at a poetry reading last night at the Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
By Nicholas C. Charalambous
Kansan staff writer
Good writers are good listeners.
That was one of many messages conveyed by acclaimed Native-American poet Simon Ortiz, who read his poetry to more than 60 people last night at the Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union
"Listening, not really to find any secrets or sudden enlightenment, but to be improved with that whole process and experience — that's the way we understand how we are, who we are, what we know, what we'll come to know." Ortiz said.
Ortiz read poems in verse and prose from Woven Stone (1992), a collection of three books of previously published poetry, and After and Before the Lightning (1994).
The poetry reading was co-sponsored by the department of English and Haskell Indian Nations University.
The melodic and conversational poetry expressed a profound sense of spiritual community between Native-Americans and the landscape of the Acoma Pueblo in western New Mexico where Ortiz was raised.
Poetry is a common language of ourselves," he said. "Listening to stories and poems we are separate, but we are a confluence; where we are all joined like a river."
Ortiz's readings went from the humorous How to Make a Good Chile, to Right of Way, which describes how Native-Americans have no words for concepts such as development and progress that are used by federal and state governments to justify the taking of Native-American lands.
In A New Story, a woman's search for "a real Indian with feathers and paint" to be in a frontier parade illustrated that many European Americans still may not consider Native Americans to be real people.
Luci Tapahonso, associate professor of English, said Ortiz touched on social issues and environmental issues.
"He's very much an activist in his writing," she said.
State Senator defines republican party split
By Neal Shulenburger
Kansan Staff Writer
-About 50 members of the College Republicans met one of the party's local candidates, state Senator Sandy Praeger, last night.
Praeger, a 1966 KU graduate and state senator since 1992, said she came to the meeting because students deserved the chance to be active in politics and her speech was one way of giving them that chance.
Praeger spoke and answered questions on topics such as Bob Dole, health care and dredging on the Kansas River. Her speech focused on the difference between moderate and conservative republicans.
Praeger said the key to being a moderate republican was to remain issue oriented.
"One good example of being a moderate republican is the mil levy tax for public schools," Praeger said. "While republicans are for reducing taxes, the mil levy had to be renewed. That was necessary for the funding of public schools. But the democrats wanted to add more onto it. What I helped do was work
out a compromise that said we would go on ahead and renew the mil levy and work on a better solution for the future."
Praeger, who is running for reelection, said she was not concerned about her opponent, democrat Chris O'Brien.
"I don't see any obstacles between me and the state Senate," Praeger said. "I think that the fact I did not have a primary indicates some measure of satisfaction, and the democrat he's running against has indicated he's not planning to run a very active campaign. That may change, but I feel I appeal to moderate voters on both sides and that will help me if it does."
Steve Finney, Shawnee graduate student and chairman of the group, said he had enjoyed the presentation.
"I like the way she focused on the difference between moderate and conservative republicans, because I think that's an issue that a lot of the students are interested in," he said.
By Liz Musser
Kansan staff writer
City commission unanimously votes to preserve downtown
The future of downtown Lawrence was the theme of last night's Lawrence City Commission meeting where commissioners addressed both development and parking for the area.
In a unanimous decision, the commissioners voted to adopt a list of 10 general principles for the physical framework of downtown development. Among the principles were a call for urban, rather than suburban, development patterns, a respect for the historic fabric of downtown and an emphasis on development along Massachusetts Street.
During public comment on the issue, Pat Kehde, Lawrence resident, said she was pleased with the principles, particularly the ones related to respecting the historic fabric.
The planning commission will use the principles to develop a set of guidelines that will be followed when passing codes and ordinances regarding downtown development.
"When you come into the city on I-70 all the signs point toward Historic Downtown Lawrence," she said. "These principles are
in accordance with that."
The commissioners also authorized City Manager Mike Wildgen to proceed with a proposed downtown parking study that will identify potential sites, designs and costs for new downtown parking.
Commissioner Bob Moody said he was concerned that the study's estimates might not be accurate.
The study will be conducted by Walker Parking Consultants at a cost of $14,000, and it will take six to eight weeks to complete.
"Our history of similarity between projected and actual costs have not been very consistent lately," he said.
Wildgen said he was confident that the firm had sufficient experience to make an accurate assessment.
"We will start advertising for the seats soon," said Lafferty, who is in charge of the replacement process. "Students can come in and fill out applications if they want to be replacement senators."
Continued from Page 1A.
the replacements.
Senate
The applications will ask students why they want to be a senator, what they would bring to the Senate and what ideas they have. Lafferty said he did not know when the applications would be available or when they would be due.
After the applications are in, the names of all current senators will be placed in a hat. Five names will be drawn, and those senators will
The applications must be handed in before the committee is chosen, Lafferty said. That way senators on the selection committee cannot ask friends to apply.
make up the selection committee.
"This process takes a long time, and we want to recruit good people," Lafferty said. "I want this to be a fair process. I hope that it is."
The vacancies should not affect the Senate's daily activities, Montgomery said.
The committee will interview applicants, vote on them and send the names to the full Senate. Each choice must be approved by a majority vote of the full Senate.
"Every year there are missing senators," he said. "This is not a large number. We want to get these seats filled, but right now, it should not hurt us."
Iraq
Continued from Page 1A
Dole spokesman Nelson Warfield said the GOP presidential candidate had promised that he wouldn't say anything to offend the president or any other American in connection with the military action.
McCurry said that election year politics had not played a part in Clinton's decision. The president's pollsters did not ask questions about Iraq last week, he said.
Initial congressional response was supportive.
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., called the response a good initial effort but advocated tougher steps, including attacks on Baghdad targets.
Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, a strong Clinton critic, said that the strikes were justified to warn Hussein but that the United States should not become involved in the factional fighting among Iraqi Kurds.
Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., chairman of the House International Relations Committee, called the missile strikes a regrettable necessity but accused the Clinton administration of diplomatic deafness and not giving the Kurdish situation enough high-level attention.
Clinton made his remarks in a nationally broadcast statement from the Oval Office. In the room with the president were key advisers who had been working late hours on the Iraqi action since Thursday: Leon Panetta.
"Clinton went to bed knowing precisely what was to happen, and the plan was to awaken him only if necessary," a White House official said. "And there was no reason during the night to wake him up."
Irbil is in a northern Iraq region under United Nations protection since the end of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. Kurdish factions have been opposing one another in the region, and Iraqi forces moved to support one group against others.
Clinton said Hussein had to be taught that he could not use the Iraqi army against the civilian population in Irbil. "Our missiles sent the following message to Saddam Hussein: When you abuse your own people, or threaten your neighbors, you must pay a price," he said.
Despite the use of military force, there was no sense of drama overnight at the White House. The president apparently was asleep during the attack.
As he left the Oval Office, Clinton ignored a shouted question about weekend criticism from Dole. The GOP presidential hopeful issued a statement that supported U.S. military forces but suggested that the administration had been weak in its dealings with Hussein.
This was the second time Clinton ordered a cruise missile strike against Iraqi military targets. In 1993, Clinton ordered U.S. warships to fire 24 Tornahawk cruise missiles at intelligence headquarters in Baghdad in retaliation for an alleged assassination plot against former President Bush.
chief of staff; Anthony Lake, national security adviser; and top aide George Stephanopoulos.
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