6A the university daily kansan
news
tuesday, march 9, 2004
SPRING BREAK 2004 $15 off Highlights Offer ends March 21ST
LADA
Salon & Spa
6th & Wakarusa (near hereford house)
785.842.LADA (5232)
www.ladasalon.com
Lawrence's most elegant Salon & Spa
Also offers:
• Bikini Waxing
• Natural Self Tanning
Treatments
AVEDA
MASSAGE • FEMAIS • HAIR • YOGA • BODY TREATMENTS • COLOR
Kansas All American Salad
served with any of our homemade dressings
Tender piece of Chicken Breast, lettuce greens, tomatoes, sliced
onions, sunflower seeds, alfalfa sprouts and fresh baked croutons
adorn this heartland special. Choice of Deli homemade dressing.
Fat Tire Pints
$2.00
All Day
Everyday
$4.95 reg.$6.00
STUDENT: Wants to return to help Haitians
"If all students at KU were not only as interested in their studies, but also as excited as Matt, this would be a much more serious university." Freeman said.
CONTINUED FROM 1A
"There is no way for a white person to hide down there," he said.
Thornton spent two weeks in Haiti the summer after his sophomore year. He said he was terrified for the first few days. He was often the recipient of local animosity toward foreigners. He said people would call him "blan", the derogatory term for any foreigner — white or black.
With his pale skin and blonde hair, Thornton couldn't help standing out.
Thornton adjusted to this culture shock after his third day in the country. He traveled and spent a few days in the mountains.
Thornton spent as much of the two weeks as he could taking in the culture and talking to the locals. Thornton said that when he talked to people about politics three years ago, most were in favor of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the now former president of Haiti, who is in exile.
"He was like Jesus to them," he said. "It was amazing how much they loved that man."
Aristide's support began to decline when the international community didn't give him enough support to stand on, Thornton said. Most of the people Thornton knows who study Haiti are saddened but not surprised by the current political situation in Haiti. He said that the United States has neglected the situation in Haiti, and instead focused its attention on other countries, such as Iraq.
"Bv not defending democracy
where it already exists just 700 miles away, we look like hypocrites." he said.
Thornton's immersion in Haitian culture opened his eyes to the situation in Haiti.
"People are really struggling for their lives there," he said.
Thornton was amazed by how the country remained so beautiful despite everything that was wrong within it, said Katie Reese, a Topeka senior who has known Thornton for five years.
Thornton attributed much of the beauty to the dignity of the people. They are proud of themselves and of their country in the midst of their struggle for change, he said.
After graduating, Thornton said that he hoped to spend time working in Haiti either with the Peace Corps or some other humanitarian organization.
—Edited by Collin LaJoie
MARRIAGE: Kansas legislators propose amendment
CONTINUED FROM 1A
Don Haider-Markel, associate professor of political science, said he thought the state constitution would be amended to include a ban on same-sex marriage. A two-thirds majority in the Senate will need to pass the bill before it can be put before the public on the November ballot. A simple majority in that vote would add the amendment to the Kansas Constitution.
Haider-Markel said he didn't think states' actions would influence national action. A national amendment would probably pass the U.S. House of Representatives, but he does not think it will pass in the Senate. The bill would need a two-thirds majority in each. If the bill passed both houses, it would then go to the states, where three-fourths of the state legislators would have to pass it.
benefits, Social Security benefits, hospital visitations and inheritance. Legal recognition of same-sex marriages would make it easier for these couples to adopt children, according to the Human Rights Campaign, America's largest gay and lesbian organization.
Same-sex marriage would provide gay and lesbian couples with more than 1,049 federal rights and benefits that they currently cannot receive. These include health care
Republicans oppose same-sex marriage for numerous reasons, including the couples' inability to have children, said Sam Arif, KU College Republicans public relations coordinator.
Opponents of same-sex marriage also cite the Bible. Ben Beiler, a Topeka senior on the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center Student Advisory Council, said the Bible was a story of marriage. He said God commanded Adam and Eve be fruitful and multiply.
Then there is the classic slippery slope argument, that says once same-sex marriage is legalized, many other alternative lifestyles such as polygamy, incest and bestiality may become acceptable. In the end, marriage in general could become a farce, Arif said.
Robert Minor, professor of religious studies and an authority on gender issues and gay/straight relationships, has a different take on the Bible. He said throughout history people had interpreted the Bible to support cultural attitudes and prejudices.
A local group, Freedom Coalition, is working to maintain gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual rights in Lawrence. The group supports a 1994 law called "Simply Equal" that defends against discrimination based on sexual identity.
Mike Silverman, Lawrence resident and coalition member, said that he would like to see an ordinance on civil unions, which would give same-sex couples rights such as tax breaks.
Mike Rundle, city commissioner, said he has looked into civil unions in other cities and might support an initiative here.
Sue Hack, city commissioner,
said she doubted gay marriage
should be a city issue.
Edited by Danielle Hillix