friday, december 5, 2003
news
the university daily kansan 5A
Muslim gathering celebrates Ramadan
By Meghan Brune
mrbruce@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The KU Pakistani Cultural Club will celebrate the end of Ramadan at 7 p.m. tonight at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave.The event will be $3 for KU students and $5 for non-students.
The event is not a dinner, but will include traditional snacks and sweets such as Saimia, a sweet spaghetti served with sweet milk sauce. Many of the dishes will be catered by India Palace, 129 E. 10th St., a local Indian restaurant.
Traditionally, Muslims wear new clothes and the women adorn their hands with henna, temporary tattoos made with natural ink.
The celebration, called Eid,
marks the end of Ramadan, the month-long holiday of fasting and prayer for Muslims. Eid means recurring happiness or festivity.
Sadiq Chaudhri, president of the club, said that Eid was a social gathering especially popular with the younger generation.
Chaudhri, Overland Park sophomore, said that Eid was usually celebrated the first weekend after Ramadan.
Like the club's last event during Ramadan, Chaudhri said that the goal was to have an interfaith event where non-Muslims could learn about the culture and religion of Islamic people.
He said that Muslims were similar in some ways to other cultures in the way they celebrated their holidays, but that their differences were important.
"A lot of people might have misconceptions about Muslims and their traditions," Chaudhri said. "We are different and we want to educate people on how we are."
Samara Nazir, vice president of the club, said that another goal was to expand their presence on campus.
During Ramadan, the ECM hosted two dinners, with KU Crescent and then the Pakistani Cultural Club.
"We are trying to make people aware that we are around and that we are like everyone else," said Nazir. Overland Park junior.
Thad Holcombe, director of the ECM, said that the first event brought in more than 300 people. 70 of whom were Muslims.
Holcombe said that the other guests came to discuss and learn more about the religion.
"We had great conversations around the tables," Holcombe said. "There were no predispositions, just sharing of different perspectives."
Because of the success of the events, Holcombe said he had invited Muslim students to the ECM's yearly Candles and Carols. The event, an advent service, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14.
He said that he had the same hope for the Eid party.
The event has always been open to students of all faiths, but Holcombe said he wanted to especially invite Muslim students in exchange for their inclusiveness during Ramadan.
- Edited by Shane Mettlen
WESCOE: Expansion aimed at improving Terrace's appearance
Eric Braem/Kansan
Jonathan Korte, Overland Park junior, helped clean up Wescoe Terrace before its 4 p.m. closing time yesterday. KU Memorial Unions Food Services plans to expand the building and food court to offer more dining options by next fall.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Gatz said about 1,900 to 2,000 students ate at Wescrose Terrace everyday, more than at either the Kansas Union or the Burge Union.
"This is the only place on campus I eat," Sara Katich, Lawrence sophomore, said of Wescoe.
Katich said she thought expanding Wescoe Terrace would bring more people there to eat.
Despite its high traffic, the building has not been renovated since 1988. Myers said he wanted to improve the appearance of the Terrace.
"I want students to get excited about going to Wescoe Terrace," Myers said, "not just going because it's convenient."
Erin Goodman, Houston
Glatz and Myers said they have been working closely with consultants and architects to plan the renovation. The same architects who designed the Market at the Kansas Union are designing Wescoe Terrace.
freshman, said she thought Wescoe Terrace was a good place to eat, but said it would benefit from the improvements.
"It definitely needs to be bigger, and the atmosphere could be better." Goodman said.
Glatz said the size of the food court might be limited because of ventilation problems because the building is old.
"We'll have a more specific idea of how the building will look after the next couple of months," said Glatz.
Edited by Joey Berlin
Kansas suicide statistics fluctuate
Knowing warning signs could aid prevention
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The number of suicide deaths in Kansas went up 16.5 percent in 2002 compared to the previous year.
The Kansas Annual Summary of Vital Statistics published the figures from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Suicide was the second-leading cause of external deaths in the state behind motor vehicle accidents, the report stated.
Out of the 346 suicides last year in Kansas, nine of them were from Douglas County. In 2001, there were 11.
Of the 346, 62 were in the 15 to 24 age range. Suicide was the second-leading cause of death in the age range, behind motor vehicle accidents. Nationally, suicide ranks third behind accidents and homicides, said Marcia Epstein, director of Headquarters Counseling Center downtown at 211 E. Eighth St. She is also a member of the Kansas State Suicide Prevention Plan Steering Committee.
Any call to the National Hopeline Network in the state goes to the Lawrence center, which is partially funded by student activities fees from the University of Kansas, Epstein said. She estimated that one-third of callers were University students.
In addition to providing a 24-hour counseling service, Epstein said the center also helped people with relationship and medical
Marcia Epstein Director, Headquarters Counseling Center
"It happens. It has a huge impact. It's a very serious issue in our country"
problems. The center also visits local schools to teach about suicide prevention.
Epstein said that suicide had a kind of a dichotomy. On one hand, she said, there is a tremendous sense of loss on a personal level to the family and friends of the person who committed suicide. On the other hand, she said that a trend was difficult to distinguish because of low numbers of suicide deaths over a long period of time.
The number of suicide deaths has actually leveled off in the last 11 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. After a huge jump from the '50s to the '70s, the ratio between suicide deaths and the overall proportion of death has maintained a steady rate and actually decreased in the '90s, Epstein said. The suicide death rate decreased from 13.2 people per 100.00 in 1990 to 9.9 in 2001.
In Kansas, the number of suicide deaths has gone up and down for the last five years, making it impossible to point out any trends, said Sharon Watson, public information director for the health department.
understand the causes for suicide, it was best to look at long periods of time instead of short periods of about five years.
There is one trend, though, on the state and national level: difference in gender. The statistics of the amount of men who commit suicide compared to women are overwhelming. In the 15 to 24 age range in Kansas last year alone, 53 out of the 62 suicide victims were male. Of the total suicides in the state, 286 of the 346 were male in 2002.
Watson said when trying to
Epstein said that nationally, there were 4.1 male suicide victims to every female.
Although it's hard to name specific reasons, Epstein said she thought women were more likely to seek help from a hotline or other means.
"Our culture says it's more OK for women to express their feelings and get help than it is for men," Epstein said. "We know that."
Both Epstein and Watson said there were certain warning signs to look for regarding people pondering suicide.
Epstein said there were three basic categories: behaviors, thoughts and situations.
Any dramatic changes in behavior is the first sign. An example would be someone who was usually social becoming withdrawn. Epstein said the biggest behavior sign was when an individual begins giving away their belongings.
A feeling of hopelessness is another sign. Thoughts like "It's all my fault," or "It's never going
BYTHE NUMBERS
Source: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
to change," and other feelings of anger, pain and sadness are some of the biggest signs, Epstein said.
The third factor deals with somebody who has experienced personal loss, such as a loved one who has a died or an end of a relationship.
Epstein said that one of the largest misconceptions of suicide was that it wouldn't hit close to home.
"It happens. It has a huge impact," she said. "It's a very serious issue in our country."
Epstein said that many suicide deaths were preventable and that it was important to look for warning signs and to know where to find help for the individual.
Those who want help with issues pertaining to suicide or any other problems are encouraged to call the National Hopeline Network at 1-800-SUICIDE.
Edited by Dave Nobles
Soldiers' families inspire student film
By Zack Hemenway
zhenmenway@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The story of military injustice behind the movie A Few Good Men came from a situation writer Aaron Sorkin's sister experienced as a naval lawyer. Jake Weller, Mulvane senior, had similar inspiration for his documentary short, tentatively titled Renegades: the Story of the 129th Transportation Division.
Weller's cousin, Cindy Hollinger, is married to a members of the division, which consists of reserve officers trained in transporting goods and vehicles.
When the conflict with Iraq began, the division was sent into action in the country. Weller said reserve divisions were typically called in for six-month shifts, rotating with other reserve divisions.
However, the 129th had its deployment extended to two years. This change hit hard, lowering morale in the division.
But the news was met with even more outrage at home, as soldiers' wives and families tried
The wives and mothers of the soldiers, Hollinger included, banded together, starting a Web site at the address www.129bringthemhome.com.
They also petitioned congressmen, senators and military personnel, asking for the prompt return of the division.
Weller, enrolled in a documentary film production class, saw potential in his cousin's story.
"I knew that this conflict was not unique to my cousin," he said. "Lots of other soldiers had gone through it, and I saw that their wives had banded together to make a big difference."
Weller pitched his idea in the class, in which students work in groups on short films, but didn't receive much cooperation. For political and other reasons — some simply preferred other topics — Weller couldn't get anyone to join his group.
who were film students in other classes serving as his crew.
"Film students are always willing to help each other out," Weller said.
Jeremy Osbern, Lawrence senior, began working on the project as a favor to Weller, but after seeing footage, Osbern took a more active role.
"We talked about how to tell the story, and everyone agreed it was best to let the subjects tell it themselves." Osbern said.
Osborn, who Weller plans to credit as cinematographer, woke up at 6 a.m. Tuesday to film Weller interviewing U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kansas).
Moore talked with the mothers and wives profiled in Weller's film and sponsored an amendment which passed the House that relieves soldiers of travel burden for rest and recuperation leave. This was an important issue for the film.
Weller said these wives and mothers were the "renegades" from his title. While he has interviewed soldiers and politicians, much of the film will focus on their actions.
"One soldier said he feels like his wife is the voice that he doesn't feel like he has as a soldier," Weller said.
Weller's short will be screened with other class projects on Dec. 13. The 20-minute cut that will be shown is not Weller's final version of the film, however. He wants to follow-up with his subjects.
The women profiled in Weller's film have plans for the future as well. Their online petition has received more than 13,000 signatures, and they have changed the address of their site. The new address conveys some of the progress they have made in bringing home the 129th: their information is now located at www.129supportingoursoldiers.com.
Weller said that the actions of the women in his film were unique and powerful.
"It's one thing to raise a little hell and put on a show," he said. "But it's a whole different thing to get policy changed."
Twelfth Interstate shooting reported in Ohio
—Edited by Erin Riffey
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In one of 12 linked shootings on Ohio highways, an Akron couple reported that one of several juveniles on an overpass had a gun and shot at a horse trailer they were towing, a State Highway Patrol report said.
The couple did not report the
Aug. 31 trailer damage until three days after the Nov. 25 shooting that killed a woman on Interstate 270.
Franklin County sheriff's Chief Deputy Steve Martin said yesterday that investigators had not discounted the couple's report, but there was no indication that juveniles were responsible for any of the other shootings.
Ballistics tests have definitively
linked four of the 12 shootings three at vehicles and one at an elementary school, but investigators believe they all are connected.
The shootings took place on or near the same short stretch of I-270 south of Columbus; the woman who was killed, Gaill Knisley, was the only person hit.
A bullet from the trailer did not come from the same gun as the
four, but the report is included with the 12 because it came from the area police are investigating. Martin said.
A sheriff's report on the damage said it happened on I-270, but Patrol Sgt. Rick Zwayer said the couple was not sure where they were driving and a witness said they were on a different highway.
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