UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, October 6, 1995
5A
Former racist speaks of humankind's oneness
Edmee Rodriguez / KANSAN
Nathan Rutstein spoke about racism last night at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
By Hannah Naughton
Kenan staff writer
Nathan Rutstein began his presentation by admitting he had been a racist.
Kansan staff writer
Rutstein, a lecturer brought in by the Multicultural Resource Center, said he had considered himself to be liberal and open-minded. When he was a reporter, he interviewed both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. He said he never had thought he could be infected by the disease that was eroding the country.
Rutstein spoke yesterday to 50 people at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The program was one of a series sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center, responding to recent racial incidents at the University, said Gloria Flores, associate director of the Office of Minority Affairs.
"I want to tell you how I discovered my own infection of racism," said Rustein, the cofounder of the Institute for Healing Racism in Amherst, Mass.
He was late and had to drive somewhere fast, he said. The car in front of him was moving slowly, and in his frustration he peered closely to see who it was. It was an old, African-American man.
"The words 'move nigger' flashed in my mind," Rustein said. "I contend that most white people of goodwill at this University who champion the rights of the downtrodden,
"White people who are in denial are more dangerous than the Ku Klux Klan." he said.
don't even know they are racist."
Katherine Humphrey, Lawrence junior, also said racism existed at the University.
In Rutstein's two-hour presentation, he spoke about the oneness of the human family. All humans are at least 50th cousins.
"Because there are only white people up here, you have to show white people how they really do think they are superior," she said. "It's so ingrained in them that they're superior, and they're not."
Rutstein founded the Institute for the Healing of Racism six years ago. Several institutes have grown out of it. One is at the University of Kentucky.
He said that humans needed to recognize and heal the disease of racism by putting into practice the belief that the human family is one.
Nathan Tohtsoni, Shiprock, N.M., junior, said that if one person learned something from the presentation, then Rutstein had done a good job.
Humphrey said she had never heard a white person who admitted to being racist. She said she was skeptical of multiculturalism.
"Multiculturalism is such a fad, and that is why a lot of people are interested in it," she said. "I was surprised, to be honest. I felt like this guy was really honest."
K-State grad wants to sell beer in Lawrence
By Tara Trenary
Kansas staff writer
Kansas State is moving downtown, but Lawrence residents and business owners are wary of its intentions.
G. Willkers, the name of a deli that might serve alcohol, is owned by Ashmar Inc., a company owned in part by Vernon Dolezal, Kansas State University graduate. The deli will be at 732 Massachusetts St.
Dolezal refused to disclose his partner's name.
license.
"I want to serve a good-quality food product," Dolezal said. "If they want to have a beer with their sandwich, I hope I can do that."
Dolezal he planned to serve wine, beer and mixed drinks along with sandwiches, salads, soups and bagels if the city approves a liquor
Ray Hummert, Lawrence city clerk, said the city had approved zoning verification for a liquor license for G. Willikers, but that a liquor license for the deli had not been approved.
Residents and business owners on the 700 block of Massachusetts Street are not sure what to think about the possibility of a deli/bar.
"It seems too small to do much with it at all," said George Paley, owner of the Santa Fe Optical building, 737 Massachusetts St. and Natural Way, 820 Massachusetts St. "I'm concerned that it's not a real food operation, that it's an alcohol place that will serve food."
Carolyn Salyer, owner of Sanfe Fee Optical, had what she called a run-in with one of the owners of G. Willikers.
She said she had a sign in her front window letting people know about the new business. A man came into her store, took pictures of the sign, and then took a picture of her.
Salyer said that the man then asked her why she had signed a petition against the business and that he used "lewd, uncalled-for language."
"I think the city commission should stand by what they said—no more bars in downtown," Salyer said.
In the area between Sixth and 11th streets, from Vermont to Massachusetts streets, no more bars can be opened. New establishments must serve fifty percent food and fifty percent liquor.
concerned about excessive noise and late hours.
"I'm an artist and a writer, and I don't want to leave my home," said Mark Schreiber, 733 Massachusetts St. resident.
He said downtown Lawrence was very different from Aggieville, and he wanted to keep it a nice place to visit.
Residents of the apartments above the G. Willikers space are
"KU students have a right to know that K-State people are coming in to sell them booze," he said.
Ken Campbell, president of the Downtown Lawrence Association, said that the main concern was that the owners of G. Willikers follow the new Lawrence ordinance.
After receiving a state license and applying for a city license, Dolezal's request will go to the city commission for approval, and residents and business owners plan to be there.
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