UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Wednesday, October 25, 1995 7A Shirts convey powerful message Publicity of violence draws positive response By Hannah Naughton Kansan staff writer Kim Johnson (front), Topek third-year law student, and Penny Engerton, budget officer in international studies, view domestic violence messages in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall. Carol Thobae / KANSAN T-shirts flapped in the breeze yesterday, and they weren't on the line to dry. Powerful messages were sewn, painted, written and drawn on them. One anonymous message said, "This is for my mother, I love you. Her first sexual experience was rape. She was physically abused by her dad. She overcame this and is raising four strong daughters!!!" A child's script scrawled another message about domestic violence on a green shirt. "Child abuse is wrong. Children are people also. When you lose your innocence. You die also. You die emotionally and in trust of people." The Clothesline Project of Lawrence and the Feminist Collective Force hung the T-shirts on the lawn in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall yesterday as part of a national project. The two-day exhibition ends today. The shirts were decorated and donated anonymously by women and children who had experienced abuse or who knew someone who had experienced abuse. They are being displayed to raise awareness about domestic violence. "I think this is a safe haven for people who are interested in getting out the word," said Christina Beard, Overland Park senior and member of the Feminist Collective Force. "People can actually see that this is happening." People walking on campus glanced over at the brightly colored shirts, and some stopped to examine the messages. "I'm surprised at how blatant people are with their feelings on a T-shirt," said Kelsey Snow, Wichita junior. "It's kind of frightening that people feel this way — or were made to feel this way." Joel Morton, Lawrence graduate student, said that it was crucial that men "Men are the ones that need to look at it." he said. understood something of women's experience of violence at men's hands. Scott Sumi, Topeka graduate student, stopped to read the shirts after their brightness attracted his attention. "It's interesting to see people actually expressing emotions on such a painful topic," Sumi said. "It lets people know women are abused and aren't going to be silent about it. Men need to bond together to stop this kind of activity." To say that the fervor for democracy is stronger in the emerging eastern democracies than in America might come as a shock to some. By Sarah Wiese Kansan staff writer Speaker to promote democracy But that notion didn't surprise Jon Roe when he heard it espoused at the international conference called "Civitas @ Prague: Strengthening Citizenship and Civic Education." "Their absolute obsession almost with democracy made those of us from the West seem puny by comparison," Roe said. "We've sort of lost the whole energy that we gained from living in a democratic society." Roe, a public journalism reporter at the Wichita Eagle, will speak about democracy and citizenship in a speech entitled "Saving Democracy From Ourselfs" at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The speech is free and is sponsored by the Student Legislative Awareness Board, a branch of Student Senate. The Eagle has been recognized as a leader in public journalism, which is a newspaper's effort to connect with its community and to help the public take control of the democratic process. In the 1992 elections, the Eagle covered the issues concerning people in the community instead of the usual polls and predictable coverage. For the last three years, Roe has been studying Americans' attitudes about democracy. Americans have been put off by the political process and have disengaged themselves from the democratic process, he said. But it is not because they're apathetic. They have chosen to be active in their communities instead of government. "They're still connecting and still interested, but they're connecting with things they can have a impact on." he said. "It's time the press took back the real responsibility, which is not to play politics but to interpret the world for those who are reading and watching us," he said. Jason Schreiner, campus coordinator for the awareness board, said Roe's message was important for everyone to hear. Roe has been a leader in the Eagle's public journalism efforts. In July, he wrote about the Civitas experience. The Eagle then published a series of editorials about the challenges democracies face. "I think people understand citizenship in the traditional sense," he said. "But I don't think they know what democracy is or how, as citizens, they can participate in the democratic process." True involvement in democracy goes beyond voting twice a year. It's about getting involved with the cultural, social and political scenes in one's community, Schreiner said. In addition to the speech, Roe and his wife Myrne Roe, an editorial writer for the Eagle, will speak to a Reporting II class about public journalism this afternoon. DOUBLE PUNCH WEEK! If you spend $50 we'll punch $100 on your card! · If you spend $100 we'll punch $200 on your card Sunday, October 32 thru Saturday, October 30 IMPORTED FROM FRANCE BRIE DE MEAUX CHEESE $ 578 LB. VIDEO SPECIAL 3 MOVIES/GAMES 3 DAYS $3.00 NEW RELEASES NOT INCLUDED PRICES EXPRESIVE OCTOBER '98 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 15 16 17 18 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 The Etc. Shop 928 Main 843 0511 Feminist Collective Group Rainforest Awareness Organization Environmental Protection and Social Justice NOW WED-The Clothesline Project in front of Stauffer-Flint 9-3:00. *Awareness about violence against women THURS-National Young Women's Day of Action Speakout at Plaza in front of Kansas Union Noon *Coalition of student organizations *Live Music* FCF: WED-The Clothesline Project in front of - International Action Day for a Free Burma Protest March at Wescoe Friday Oct.27th at 11:45. - Bio-fuel Awareness Week Oct. 30th - Nov. 3rd Two Buses running on Bio-diesel on campus. - *InfoTables:Mondays-WescoeBeach,Tuesdays-KansasUnion. - Rainforest Awareness Week Oct 21 $ \underline{\mathbf{s t}} $ - Oct. 27 $ \underline{\mathbf{th}} $ - Statements on the SEIS of the SLT. - Benefit Concert: December 6 at the Jazzhaus - Veggie Lunches-Next one Nov. 1 Wed. 11:30-1:30,then every other Wed.at Wescoe Beach. - FCF contact person: Tina Beard 832-2695 office #: 864-7325 - Homepage: http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~environs e-mail: environs@falcon.cc.ukans.edu STUDENT SENATE KU CULTURAL INDIA CLUB presents Sunday, October 29 CULTURAL SHOW Venue: Ballroom, 5th Floor Kansas Union Time:6 pm FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE DINNER Venue: ECM, 1204 Oread Time: 8 pm Members $5 Nonmembers $7 Nonmembers $7 Tickets Available at: SUA Box Office or contact or contact Rina Bainsal 865-3708 Nirmal Sanganee 838 3370 838-3370 Last day for dinner tickets Is Thursday, Oct. 26th osponsored By Student Senate STUDENT SENATE