VOL.101,NO.12
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSA S STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 64612
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1991
ADVERTISING:864-4358
(123450-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Confirmation hearings begin today for Thomas
Liberals to focus on abortion, civil rights
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Clarence Thomas will speak for himself today after a summer of vigorous political campaigning by supporters and opponents of his nomination to the Supreme Court.
"There's a fight on," President Bush declared on the eve of Thomas' confirmation hearing.
"I am confident we're going to win it," Bush said as Thomas and his questioners made final preparations for Senate Judiciary Committee consideration of the nomination.
After two months of avoiding public stands while others attacked and defended him, Thomas will be asked to detail his views on contentious issues. He'll also give confirmation to take Thurgood Marshall's place on the high court.
Like Marshall, Thomas is African-American, but he has staked out conservative positions in contrast to Marshall's staunch liberalism. So there will be tough questions fromliberals like how Thomas, 43, would vote on such issues as abortion, privacy and civil rights.
Supporters of Thomas have highlighted his rise from a poor African-
American family in segregated Georgia to important positions in Washington, where he was chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and became a federal appellate judge.
But the opposition coalition of civil rights and labor organizations has focused on Thomas' opposition to affirmative action programs and on writings concerning "natural law" that suggest he would vote to overturn women's right to abortion.
Ralph Neas, director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said that the Bush administration has tried to divert attention away from his story by emphasizing his storybook rise from poverty in Pin Point, Ga.
"What is really at stake is Clarence Thomas' vision of the Constitution," said Nan Aron, director of the Justice office, which opposes the nomination.
The Bush administration, meanwhile, tried to steer the debate about Thomas' qualifications away from specific issues, such as abortion.
White House press secretary Martin Fitzwater said the Bush administration did not question judicial decisions that may come before the courts.
"We expect the Senate will do no different," he said.
"Litigants are entitled to have their cases heard by judges who
haven't already made up their mind. The Constitution requires an independent judiciary.
However, Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, D-Ohio, has
promised to try to pin Thomas down on whether he favors or opposes abortion.
"Since he has opened the Pandora's box, I think it's only fair we explore the issue fully," Meztembaum said, referring to Thomas' praise in a 1987 speech for an anti-abortion article.
Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del, the panel's chairman, wrote in the Washington Post on Sunday that he wanted to question Thomas about his support of "natural law theory" to decide major constitutional quotation rights. The theory that people enjoy basic rights that transcend written law.
in judge Thomas adheres to this natural-law theory, and would roll back the clock to an earlier era's understanding of the Constitution. I would have grave doubts about this nomination." Biden said in an article laying out the types of detailed questions he will be asking.
By Alexander Bloemhof
Kansan staff writer
Theater inadequate?
Crafton-Preyer lacks equipment
After a fire destroyed Hoch Auditorium on June 15, Crafton-Preyer Theatre was the only place that could accommodate large classes at KU. However, the theater lacks the equipment necessary to teach the classes, according to some teachers and students.
Earl Huyser, professor of chemistry, teaches one of two classes that were moved from Hoch to the theater. He said the arrangement was not adde
Prater said students who had preceded classes across campus had an especially difficult time getting good
"I're trying to teach more than 800 students under the most outlandish circumstances," Huyser said. "And those circumstances are not that concerned about it."
Huysser said he had the impression that students, especially those seated in the balcony, could not follow the class because they could not hear him and because the projection screen was too small.
Amy Drake, a Prairie Village junior who is enrolled in Huyser's Chemistry 184 class, agreed.
Je Prater, Baxter Springs junior,
and Jay Homburger, Rochester,
Minn., junior, both said it was difficult
to get good seats.
"It's very dark, it's hard to see, and from the balcony you can't read the overheads," Drake said. "I guess the room is really not designed for a class like this."
seats because they could not come early.
Homburger said, "It's really a pain. They open the building 10 minutes before class starts, and we have to use the side entrances to get in."
Jack Wright, director of the theater, said the front entrance had to be closed to prevent disruption of classes and to reduce wear and tear of the lobby.
"We have to bring everybody in through the side because of the carpeting situation," Wright said. "If everybody used the front entrance, the carpet in the lobby would be ruined in a couple of weeks."
Dave Shulenburger, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said that 10 minutes were enough to get across and in out through the side entrances.
"We're honoring the requests of the director of the theater," Shulenburger said. "They need to preserve that foyer, and we timed the turnover. It's possible in 10 minutes."
He said that faculty members and a task force under his direction had decided within a week after the fire what equipment would be needed and had ordered it.
Breck Marion, director of media services, said a typical order took two to three months to fill. He said that a new projection screen had arrived yesterday for installation tomorrow
"I can understand that some people are impatient," Marion said. "But we don't know if they want us."
Parts of the new intercom system also have arrived, he said, but he could not find them.
Hoch renovation on indefinite hold
Kansan staff report
Shortly after fire destroyed Hoch Auditorium, cleanup and demolition work began, but now work at the building lies
"Any of the work that was done so far was work that had to be done to make the building safer," said Mike Richardson, director of facilities operations. "We were hoping demolition and cleanup would be finished this fall."
James Modig, camps director of facilities planning, said American Roofing Inc. of Leavenworth had submitted a claim to the state for roofing work completed before the fire.
Until the claim review is finished, work on H cannot continue because the review's outcure has been discovered. Each money is available, he said.
The state architect's office is reviewing the claim along with an insurance policy that every contractor is required to have. The office is checking whether any of the contractor's claims would be covered by that policy. Modig said.
Modig said the contractor's claim included costs for equipment rental and labor.
Frankie Avalon signs an autograph for Kim Sigman, Kansas City, Mo., junior, before filming a commercial at the Sonic Drive-In, 3201 W. Sixth St.
Knunn/KANSAN
Sonic commercial brings Frankie Avalon to town
By William Ramsey
Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Frankie Avalon is used to the beach, bathing suits and bikinis.
But when he breezed into Lawrence last night to film the latest in a series of commercials for Sonic Drive-In restaurants, he was wearing a sweater with a turtleneck underneath.
The commercial will feature Avalon standing in front of a jeep with a Christmas tree strapped to its roof. It will be shown nationwide during the month of December.
About 150 people gathered at the Sonic Drive-In, 3201 W. Sixth St., to watch the filming
Avalon, a singer and actor who popularized beach movies and later appeared in the film "Grease," has done Sonic commercials for five years.
Preliminary shooting began Sunday at a Kansas City, Mo., studio. Last night's filming was scheduled to last several hours.
The rock 'n' roll image of the restaurant reflects his past career, he said.
"We had so much success with that early '60s beach party stuff, and we have stayed with that." Avalon said.
He said there had been a resurgence of interest in the innocence of that time period.
*Your always kind of go back to the simplicity of life,"he said.
Donna Neuer, director of membership services for the University of Kansas Alumni Association, said she walked closer to the restaurant to get a good look at Avalon.
Avalon shook hands, signed autographs and talked to the crowd before the rehearsal began.
"He's nice," she said. "More of my mother's type."
The Lawrence restaurant was chosen as the site for the outdoor filming because it was in good condition and in a good location, said Sara Feld, field, vice president of marketing for Sonic.
"I didn't have any idea that I'd be so close to him," she said.
Kim Sigman, Kansas City, Mo. junior, said she was shopping across the street and came out to eat.
"About three years ago, I was up here, and I thought it was one of the prettiest Sonics by me."
Michael Madsen, store manager, said the site also was good because, unlike Kansas City, Mo., Lawrence did not have flight patterns that would create excess noise.
Police stopped traffic in front of the store during the filming to prevent added noise.
The cost of the two days of filming for both
the studio and the outdoor work was $7,000.
The total cost of the project is $95,000.
A director checks the angle on a camera prior to shooting.
KANU will resume broadcasting today
Kansan staff report
The sounds of KANU should be heard again today.
For the past three days, the radio station has not been on the air because a new antenna has been installed top of the station's tower on West Cam-
Howard Hill, general manager of the station, said that the new antenna would be more powerful, allowing better reception for listeners in Kansas City and Topeka.
Hill said the station had not expected to be off the air for three days. The weather during the weekend made it difficult to get on the roof, so he was placed on top of the 700-foot tower.
"We were off of the air longer than we hoped because of the rain and wind
Although the station was not broadcasting last weekend, the staff was still busy. Hunter said.
Rachel Hunter, KANU assistant program director, said the station received many calls last week from people wondering what had happened to her. The same people wondered if something was wrong with their radios.
Some of the staff went to the office to help answer calls. Others had the opportunity get caught on paperwork, do computer work and plan pro-
Hunter said it had been business as usual at the station, even though it had not been broadcasting.
this weekend." Hill said.
"It's kind of odd to not have the station on," she said.
Eleventh Soviet republic declares its independence
The Associated Press
"We can't lag other republics, said Aleyev Abdehzedah, parliamentary representative in the Soviet central Asian republic of 5.1 million people." "Everybody is declaring independence so we are as well."
MOSCOW — Tadzhikistan declared its independence yesterday, the eight Soviet republic to do so since last month's brief coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.
Eleven republics now have opted for independence, including Azerbaijan, where incumbent President Ayaz Mualibov won 99 percent of the vote on Sunday as sole candidate in an old-style Soviet election.
Yesterday's independence declaration by a special session of Tzadikhistan's parliament was largely symbolic, given the decision last week to transform the Soviet Union into a loose confederation of sovereign states.
the Kremlin has already granted freedom to the three Baltic republics Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Hans-Dietrich Genscher, German foreign minister, said in Moscow yesterday that his country was prepared to establish relations with all sovereign republics in the Soviet Union.
Tadzhikistan's sluggish response to change after the Aug. 18-21 coup, and opposition charges of intimidation in the weekend election in Azerbaijan, show how the predominantly Muslim trail in achieving political reform
Tadzhikistan'sparliamentalso sets presidential election for Oct.27.
Incumbent President K a k h a r Makhmakov, elected by the Communist-dominated legislature in December 1998. The lid on opposition movements
Tadzhik lawmakers, meeting in Dushanbe, the republic's capital, also declared Sept. 9 to be a national holiday known as Independence Day. They renamed downtown Lenin Square to Freedom Square.
Only the Russia Federation, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Turkmenia will yet declare outright independence from the Soviet Union.
Azerbaijan, with 6.9 million people,
declared its independence Aug. 30. Its
declaration of sovereignty in August
1989 — meaning that the republic's
laws would take precedence over Soviet-
era laws — met with hostility from
the Kremlin.
Mualibalov's ascent to power accelerated in January 1980, when he was named leader of the Communist Party in Azerbaijan after bloody ethnic violence when Azerbaijaniis attacked ethnic Armenians.
In renewed violence this weekend, 13 people were killed and more than 30 wounded in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Tass newsagency reported yesterday. The predominantly Armenian enclave is inside Azerbaijan.