UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 15, 1994
3A
Collection is proudly not 'politically correct'
By David Wilson Kansan staff writer
Laird Wilcox doesn't like extreme left-wingers. Nor does he like extreme right-wingers.
But he is fascinated by them and their writings — so much so that in 1965 he founded the Wilcox Collection, a small library of right- and left-wing books, newsletters and newspapers found in the Spencer Research Library.
He has been adding to the collection ever since.
"I've always been interested in unusual
Wilcox's interest was rewarded in July, when the Kansas Library Association gave him the Freedom of Information Award, which is awarded annually to individuals or groups whose archival work contributes to intellectual freedom in Kansas.
political movements and particularly why people join them," he said.
Becky Schulte, assistant curator of the Kansas Collection, which includes the Wilcox Collection, said the award was almost custom-made for Wilcox.
When Wilcox first handed the collection over to the University in 1965, it consisted of two file boxes of books and newsletters. Today, it has close to 10,000 items, including video and audio tapes and thousands of pamphlets and yellowed newspapers.
"When we saw the award announcement, we knew immediately he was a definite contender." she said.
Through the Wilcox Collection, a student could watch a promotional video for former Ku Klux Klanman David Duke's run for the U.S. Senate, read a flier promoting the rights of obesian mothers or browse through the correspondence of perennial presidential candidate Lydon LaRouche.
"They're the kind of things that get trampled underfoot at a rally," Schulte said. "Nobody thinks to save and categorize them."
Wilcox, who was a KU student in the mid-1960s, said his fascination with extremist literature dated back to his childhood.
One of the ways for him to express that fascination, he said, was with the Wilcox Collection.
"It's a celebration of the wide diversity of opinion in our country," he said. "I believe very strongly in civil liberties and free speech."
Wilcox said the political climate on today's
college campuses was hostile to free speech, which made the Wilcox Collection that much more important.
"I worry about freedom of speech on campus, especially with P.C.," he said. "Freedom of speech is always under assault. That concerns me."
But with the Wilcox Collection, future historians will know that not everyone had mainstream political opinions, said Becky Schulte.
"It is important because it documents the feelings of a segment of America," she said. "These people were here, and this is what they believed."
Hispanics hope to show diversity
By Shannon Newton Kansan staff writer
People often make false assumptions about Valera Cordoca because she is Hispanic.
"People always ask me about eating tacos in my country," said Cordoca, La Paz, Bolivia, sophomore. "But tacos are not popular in Bolivia."
Organizers of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins today and runs through Oct. 15, said they hoped to educate people that Hispanics have separate, distinct cultures. The theme of the month is "Sharing our Culture, Celebrating our Diversity."
Karen Gutierrez, secretary of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, said that many people did not know about the diversity of Hispanic origins. The organization is sponsoring the month along with Student Senate and Student Union Activities.
Gutiérrez said that people lumped all Hispanic people into the Mexican culture.
But, Cordoca said, each Hispanic culture had its own attributes.
"Assumptions about the Hispanic culture range from food to political issues," she said. "But all the aspects of different cultures make so much of a difference."
Cordoca also said that people often did not realize that differences existed in the Spanish language.
"Though the nations are Spanish-speaking, things such as slang and accents are different." Cordoca said.
Rubens Gomes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, graduate student, said that some differences in the Hispanic cultures existed because different countries had different political influences.
Hallmark to pull card as protests continue
Kansan staff writer
By James Evans
National and local protests against the Chicago-based Recycled Paper Greetings company are getting some results.
Muslims objected to the inside of one of the company's greeting cards, which reads "So you're feeling like Shiite. Don't Mecca big deal out of it."
Munecaera Naseer, secretary of the Muslim Student Association's Women's Chapter, said yesterday that Hallmark had agreed to remove the card from its shelves nationwide. Many Hallmark stores carry Recycled Paper Greetings products.
"If by this Friday we don't hear from the company, there will be a national boycott of any store that carries its product," Naseer said.
She said the protests are winning the Muslim community a lot of support.
"The Evangelical Lutheran Church sent out a disclaimer saying that they didn't think the card was appropriate," Naseer said.
Locally, Muslim and nonMuslim students yesterday morning protested the card in front of the Kansas Union.
The protesters involved asked students to sign a petition to take the card off the shelves and asked students to sign a letter asking for a formal apology from the card company.
"Personally, I feel that in a country where we're learning to respect each other, the card has no place in our communities," Naseer said.
She said that a nationwide protest was planned for tomorrow against the company.
Muhammed Saeed, Lawrence resident, who is on the ninth day of a hunger strike protesting the company, said he was pleased with the local protests.
He said that since finding out about the card, he found another card by the same company making fun of Saudi Arabia.
"It just shows you the mentality of the people that create these cards." Saeed said.
Melissa Lacev / KANSAN
Vonnegut lecture heads list of Senate funding requests
By James Evans Kansan staff writer
Student Senate committees approved $16,000 worth of legislation Tuesday night that will be up for
m sertone, Garnett sophomore, adds her signature to an eight-foot card in celebration of KU's 129th birthday. The card was later presented by the Student Alumni Association to Chancellor Del Shankel and will be displayed in his office for the rest of the week.
approval by the full senate next week.
"Most of the bills were very normal," said Eric Medill, student body vice president.
Happy Birthday. KU
He said that $6,000 of legislation was more of a normal week
Kurt Vonnegut
It was the second time for the bill to be looked at by the finance committee. The bill originally made it to Senate last week after an appeal by Ken Martin, sponsor of the bill.
for committees, but the Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Honorarium bill pushed the price tag out of the normal range for a week. The bill requests $8,001 to finance a speech by Vonnegut on campus next semester.
The bill failed to make it through Senate because some senators didn't follow the proper procedures, and Student Union Activities had not looked for outside funding for the lecture, said Tonya Cole, holdover senator and member of the finance committee.
She said she would probably vote for the new bill for $8001 if they looked into outside financing.
Lauren Smith, events coordinator for Student Union Activities, said that SUA had now asked for outside funding for the lecture but hasn't received any confirmed sponsors for the $12,500 event. SUA has approached several academic departments on
campus for funding.
Smith said that SUA was planning to have the lecture by Vougnet, who has not been contacted by SUA, in early February at the Lied Center.
Smith said that if Vounegut spoke he would give a lecture titled "How to get a job like mine." She said his lectures were often free flowing, and he spoke on a variety of subjects.
Adam Mayer, Nunemaker senator and sponsor of the new bill, said that Vonnegue would be an excellent speaker.
Mayer, who represents freshmen and sophomores, said that he really enjoyed Vonnegut's books and other writings.
"He's a phenomenal writer," Mayer said. "He'll bring a great outside perspective on life."
He said that he was confident the bill would be passed by the Senate next Wednesday.
Committee action
This is legislation that went through Senate committeees Tues day night.
Bill to fund a lecture by Kurt VonnegutJr. ($8,001) PASSED
Bill to fund Pinch Magazine ($4,700) PASSED
■ Bill to Fund Latin American Solidarity($2,265) PASSED at $450
■Bill to Fund Chinese Student and Scholar Student Friendship Assoc. ($1,460.50) PASSED
■ Bill to Fund the Student Political Task Force ($789) PASSED
Meyers wants to finish what she started
By Ashley Miller Kansan staff writer
U. S. Rep. Jan Meyers believes in self-imposed term limits.
That is why she run for a position in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1984 after spending 12 years in the Kansas Senate and five years on the Overland Park City Council.
"I am not one of those that just stays forever in a loafer." Mews said.
Meyers said people should stay in a job long enough to do what they set out to do.
But Meyers, who is running for her sixth term as the U.S. representative for the 3rd District of Kansas, said she still had something to contribute.
"I've only had Douglas County for a couple years because in 1991 they redrew the lines for the U.S. House," Meyers said. "When they redrew the lines, I wanted Douglas County very much. It's a very educationally oriented county."
Meyers represents Wyandotte, Johnson, Miami and a portion of Douglas counties.
$250,000 by the end of her campaign, including the primary race. The money will come from individual and political action committee contributions, which are individual contributions pooled together in the name of a special interest
Jan Meyers
Meyers said she planned to spend about
Some of the money
also will come from fund-raisers sponsored in Meyers' name, she said.
"I raise the money as I need it, and then I'm broke at the end." Mewers said.
She said she wanted to address three major issues in her campaign.
"I think the three most important things to me are deficit reduction, creating a sound business and economic climate and welfare reform." Mewers said.
She said representatives needed to address the deficit now for future generations.
"We've been spending more than we've been taking in for 40 years," Meyers said. "Somebody, sooner or later, is going to have to pay for that, and that's your generation."
Meyers is a supporter of small businesses because of their effect on the rest of America. Meyers defined small businesses as manufacturers with less than 500 employees and retailers that make less than $1 million.
"Small business is the backbone of America, the mainstay of the economy," Meyers said.
Owners of small businesses provided most of the entry-level jobs for students just out of college, she said.
Meyers said recently proposed health care reforms could harm small businesses. If they are required to pay healthinsurance for all employees, which the plans stipulated, some may be forced out of business.
"There are a lot of small businesses hanging on by their fingernails," she said.
Meyers also said she wanted to make changes to the welfare system because it
was not being used as originally intended. "It's not a good thing but an incentive to join a very miserable kind of life," Meyers said.
Meyers said she had created a bill that would freeze Aid to Families with Dependent Children, a monthly cash grant, because people that did not need welfare were using it.
"I think it's time to back off of welfare payments to people in a very slow and compassionate way," she said.
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, said Judy Hancock, Meyers' Democratic opponent, probably was the toughest competition Meyers had seen in her career as a representative.
Loomis said he thought this would be the last time Meyers would run — even though she had not mentioned any plans to leave Washington — because she was not controversial enough.
"She's not seen as a strong representative," Loomis said. "She's a moderate Republican in a district that is comfortable with moderate Republicans."
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