friday, march 5, 2004
news
the university daily kansan 7A
Mixed reactions for U.S. Marines in Haiti's capital
The Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — U.S. Marines trained their rifles down gritty streets and into a teeming market as they patrolled the Haitian capital with other peacekeepers yesterday, drawing smiles and a few angry words, but no resistance.
no resistance.
Hatred is still simmering among various factions nearly a week after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted in a rebellion that left at least 130 people dead, with new killings discovered outside Port-au-Prince.
covered obstacles As the Marines rolled into the looted port area in eight Light Armored Vehicles and ventured into the crowds, onlookers gathered around in curiosity but showed no fear.
At one point, a Marine poured a canteen of water over his head to cool off in the sweltering heat, drawing chuckles from passers-by.
"I feel much safer now the Marines are here," said Frantz Labissiere, 44. "I wouldn't be here if the Marines weren't here."
But not everyone shared his view. As the convoy passed an angry knot of people, one youth shouted: "You took our president
— now you're taking our country!''
Others held up photographs of Aristide, who fled the country Sunday as rebels neared the outskirts of the capital and the United States and former colonial ruler France pressed him to resign.
Haiti's first freely elected leader lost a lot of popularity in Haiti — and in Washington, which restored him to power in 1994 after he was ousted in a 1991 military coup — because he allegedly used militant loyalists to attack and intimidate his opponents, failed to help the poor and condoned corruption.
The Central African Republic will offer him permanent asylum if he asks but would find it difficult to pay for his upkeep, the government said yesterday.
"I can't say definitively if Mr. Aristide will stay here or if he'll go, but if he asks us, we won't refuse him," Communications Minister Parfait Mbaye told The Associated Press in Bangui.
Associate President The Organization of American States announced the establishment Thursday of a tripartite council that is the first step to forming a government of national unity in Haiti. The members are Leslie Voltaire, who was Aris-
tide's Minister for Haitians Abroad; former opposition Sen. Paul Denis, a member of the Democratic Platform coalition; and Adama Guindo, the U.N. resident representative in Haiti.
The three are to choose, by consensus within one week, seven members for a Council of Sages which in turn will propose a new prime minister.
U. S. Marines stand guard at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, last Monday. Some Haitians are angered by the presence of the troops, while others show support for them following the turmoil caused by supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the opposition's rebel forces.
The killing of Haitians continued, despite the arrival of the U.S. Marines and French troops as the vanguard of a U.N. peacekeeping mission, as well as a pledge by rebel leader Guy Philippe that his men would disarm.
menn would disarm. Yesterday, Philippe traded his military clothes for a blue polo shirt and jeans, and was unarmed. He told The Associated Press he wants go to "many cities, to see how people are living and how I can help." He said he has given the order to his forces to disarm, and said their weapons were "in the bases" around Haiti.
their hands too tight
— two with rope, one with a shirt.
The fourth man's hands weren't tied
Courtesy of KRT Campus
In Gressier, six miles west of Port-au-Prince, the bodies of four men were seen in the street yesterday. All were shot in the head and three had their hands tied behind their backs
and it appeared he may have been trying to flee when he was shot.
Some Haitians doubted Philippe's pledge and the arrival of peacekeepers would end revenge killings.
"The rebels want to take over the country," said Gracious Laguenne, a tailor. "As soon as the Americans leave, they're going to come back and it will be the same thing all over again."
As the Marines expanded their control over the capital, merchants began cleaning off pro-Aristide graffiti. A worker wiped "Viv Aristide" off the metal gates of an auto dealership.
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush's campaign commercials — on the air just one day — have angered several relatives of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and a firefighters union that has endorsed Democratic rival John Kerry demanded the ads be pulled
The White House defended the commercials, which show images of the skeletal remains of the World Trade Center and firefighters bearing a stretcher through the rubble
"It makes me sick," said Colleen Kelly, who lost her brother Bill Kelly Jr., in the attacks and leads a victims families group called Peaceful Tomorrows. "Would you ever go to someone's grave site and use that as an instrument of politics? That truly is what Ground Zero represents to me."
In Bal Harbour, Fla., the International Association of Fire Fighters Union approved a resolution asking the Bush campaign to pull the ads, spokesman Jeff Zack said. The resolution also urges Bush to "apologize to the families of firefighters killed on 9/11 for demeaning the memory of their loved ones in an attempt to curry support for his re-election."
The union gave Kerry an early endorsement in the presidential race.
race. The controversy erupted as Bush's re-election campaign began airing the commercials nationally on cable television and on broadcast stations in about 80 media markets in 18 states.
The ads refer both to the terror
"The president's steady leadership is vital to how we wage war on terrorism."
Scott McClellan
White House press secretary
ist attacks and to the recent recession, and are designed to project Bush as a candidate offering "steady leadership in times of change."The commercials do not mention Kerry.
One of the ads shows the charred wreckage of the twin towers with an American flag flying amid the debris. Another ad — and a Spanish-language version of it — use that image as well as firefighters carrying a flag-draped stretcher through the rubble as sirens are heard. Firefighters are shown in all the ads.
Bush had said he would not use the attacks for political gain. His aides defended the use of the images.
images.
"Sept. 11 changed the equation in our public policy. It forever changed the world," said Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary. "The president's steady leadership is vital to how we wage war on terrorism."
The administration arranged for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and three others to appear on network and cable broadcasts to defend the ads. One Bush aide said the controversy gave the president's commercial priceless free publicity, with millions seeing clips of the ad.
Gay marriage rejected in New York
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The fight over gay marriages reached the nation's largest city yesterday as about three dozen same-sex couples asked for licenses and were turned down.
Couples in a New York suburb were also rejected, but across the country in Portland, Ore., a line of at least 100 hopefuls snaked around a building as Multnomah County handed out licenses to gay couples for a second day.
gay boy, "This isn't a matter of sacred and religious issues. It's a civil issue," said Nelson Jones, 74, who came out to support the Oregon couples and hoped to seek his own license there next week
It is not clear how long the licenses will be available. Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski has warned the marriages may not be
legal and requested a legal opinion from Oregon's attorney general.
New York's attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, said in an opinion Wednesday that his state's laws prohibit same-sex marriages, and New York City's top lawyer said the same about city law. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also promised to enforce the law.
promised to teach. Still, gay couples began lining up outside the city clerk's office two hours before it opened. First in line were Mara Gottlieb, 33, and Camille Gonzalez, 38, accompanied by Gottlieb's mother and their rabbi.
They, like those who followed, were handed a 50-page rejection letter that included the state and city's legal opinions and offered information about domestic partnership options.
"We're disappointed, but we
"This isn't a matter of sacred and religious issues. It's a civil issue."
Nelson Jones Gay-marriage supporter
think it's important for people to come here," said Gottlieb, who wore a tiara-like white band in her hair. "We want the politicians to know that this isn't going away."
About 300 gay and lesbian demonstrators held signs and chanted: "It's about equality!"
About 30 miles to the north, Nyack Mayor John Shields met on Thursday with same-sex couples and then accompanied them to the Orangetown clerk's office to apply for marriage licenses. The mayor and his partner, Bob Streams, went first, and the town
clerk handed them a statement saying she is not authorized to issue licenses to same-sex couples. Eight other couples were also denied.
Shields, 60, was not surprised. "I think it's wonderful that a group came together to fight for the rights we deserve," he said.
Shields had originally planned to hold a wedding ceremony for same-sex couples like one held last week in the college town of New Paltz, but changed his mind after the Spitzer opinion.
"I want to be a plaintiff, not a defendant." Shields said.
The Associated Press
Concealed-carry law passes Kansas Senate
noble veto process.
Proponents of concealed weapons say the proposal would let Kansans protect themselves.
Opponents believe it would cause more gun-related violence.
TOPEKA — Supporters of a bill allowing Kansans to carry concealed handguns were confident yesterday that the measure would pass the Senate but conceded the margin probably will not be veto-proof.
The House approved the bill yesterday on a vote of 78-45—six fewer votes in favor than would be needed to override a veto.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has
said repeatedly she supports allowing only retired law-enforcement officials to receive concealed carry permits. A spokeswoman said Wednesday that if a broader measure passed, it's doubtful Sebelius would sign it.
In the 40-member Senate, where 27 votes are needed to override a veto. Sen. Phil Journey predicted the bill would receive 21 to 24 votes. Journey, (R-Haysville), who is one of its strongest supports in the chamber, said the odds of amassing a veto-proof margin were "pretty thin."
in the House. Rep. L. Candy Ruff (D-Leavenworth) said Sebelius' influence with fellow Democrats accounted for the failure to veto-proof the bill in that chamber.
"Democrats are loyal to our governor, and at this point, she's got problems with the bill. If she changes her mind, I feel many of them will follow her."
Rep. L. Candy Ruff
Leavenworth Democrat
ber. "Democrats are loyal to our governor, and at this point, she's
got problems with the bill," said Ruff, who is one of the measure's prime sponsors. "If she changes her mind. I feel many of them will follow her."
The House bill would require the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to issue concealed-carry permits starting next Jan. 1 to all qualified Kansans who pay a $150 fee.
Kansans would be eligible if they are 21 and American citizens and complete an eight-hour training course. Convicted felons or people treated for a significant mental illness or substance abuse within the past five years would be barred.
kansan.com Now. NewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNews
Reserved east tickets are on sale in the KU ticket office! University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS; SUA Office, 7490; and on-line at kuhatee.com public $16, all students $10, senior citizens $10, KU faculty & staff $14; both VISA and Mastercard are accepted for phone and on-line orders. The University Theatre is artially funded by the KU Student Senate Antelia Pee. This program is presented in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Photography by Matt Jacobson.
MASS. STREET DELI D.C.
941 MASSACHUSETTS
DOWNTOWN LAWRENCE
11 AM - 9 PM SUNDAY - WEDNESDAY
11 AM - 9 PM THURSDAY - SATURDAY
Kansas All American Salad
served with any of our homemade dressings Tender piece of Chicken Breast, lettuce greens, tomatoes, sliced onlons, sunflower seeds, alfalfa sprouts and fresh baked croutons adorn this heartland special Choice or Deli homemade dressing.
Fat Tire Pints
$2.00
All Day
Everyday
$4.95 mg. $6.00
MISS. STREET DELL
941 MASSACHUSETTS
DOWNTOWN LAWRENCE
11 AM - 9 PM SUNDAY - WEDNESDAY
11 AM - 9 PM THURSDAY - SATURDAY
Homemade Cheesecake
Cherry*Blueberry*Chocolate
*Lemon* Plain*Chocolate Chip
$.99 each
reg. 2.50, limit 2 pieces per person
ALL THROUGH MARCHIII