Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, February 20, 1991
3
New class recognizes gay pride
By Lara Gold
Kansan staff writer
Adrienne Caserta wanted to take something new to fulfill her sophomore English requirement.
"All the other literature scenes seemed old and boring," said Caserta, Topeka sophomore. "I didn't want to take 'intro to everything. I wanted to take something new."
Caserita is now one of 28 students who is taking Gay and Lesbian Literature, an English 203 class offered for the first time this semester.
"It's one of the only classes I truly enjoy going to." she said.
Caserta gives Dan Murtaugh, who is teaching the course, full credit for making it interesting.
"He takes our attention and gets us involved in all the issues," she said.
Murtaugh, a graduate teaching assistant, said he proposed the class to the English department last semester.
"I thought it was politically opportune to propose this class," he said, referring to
Murtaugh said he chose plays and novels for the course that reflected gay and lesbian pride.
"I want to show systematically how literature written by gay people has come out of the closet, like guys who have come out of the closet," he said. "The literature has come a long way, much like gay liberation."
The class discusses literature ranging from Nazi Germany persecution of gays and lesbians to the coming of age of a gay man and a lesbian young woman, he said.
Caserta said that, before taking the course, she had not been aware of the oppression gays and lesbians had to endure.
"There is too much preconceived bigry in our society," she said. "I would definitely recommend this class to anybody."
Murtaugh said that, like any other class, there was a cross section of heterosexual and gay and lesbian students.
Patrick Dilley, member of Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas, said he was pleased about the formation of the class.
"People have this conception that gays and lesbians are perverted and monstrous," he said. "Dan's class is the only one where sex is technically dealing with gay and lesbian issues."
Dilley said students needed to be aware that there were many important gay and lesbian writers.
City picks way to make ethics code
Bv Vanessa Fuhrmans
Kansan staff writer
The Lawrence City Commission decided last night that drafting a resolution would be the proper way to create a city code of ethics.
Commission decides to draft resolution
After considering all of their options, ranging from a formal ordinance to a set of guidelines, the city commissioners decided that a resolution would be strict enough to enforce an ethics code but not inhibit people from meeting on the commission or city advisory boards.
members from using their positions for personal gain.
Although a state statute requires appointed and elected officials to disclose financial interests, the city does not have a code of ethics to prevent commissioners and board
Some of the commissioners reiterated concerns of various board members that a too-rigid code might inhibit board members instead of helping them.
"After getting the comments back, I'm more inclined to go for a set of guidelines." Cormac said.
Commissioner Bob Walters said an ordinance was not necessary because the city had not had many problems with conflicts of interest.
"My philosophy was that this was going to be a guide of principles for this commission and boards and that most people in my mind are ethical," he said.
But Commissioner Mike Rundle said that because Lawrence had not had a problem in the past did not mean that problems would not occur in the future.
"You can't just base a decision on that you think people are going to be good people." he said. "People in Lawrence, Kan, are going to be just like other people."
Dave Corliss, city management analyst.
said that without an ordinance, the commission would not be able to enforce a penalty or force an appointed official to resign for overstepping ethical boundaries.
Both 'Rundle and Commissioner Bob Schumm suggested that public disapproval and the commission's request that a person be required to adhere to a behavioral behavior would be strong enough penalty.
"I think that in the resolution you could say, if a person has a conflict, the city commission may ask for their resignation from the board." Schumm said.
The commission agreed that the resolution should describe a conflict of interest as the potential to gain a direct benefit from serving on an advisory board.
Sue Ask, Great Bend senior, secures an injured fox long enough to take an X-ray at KU's Wildcare facility in Malott Hall. The fox was hit by a car near Wakarusa Drive and Clinton Parkway on Monday night. The X-rays indicated no broken bones.
Animals receive care at KU health facility for forest's wounded
By Katie Chipman
Kansan staff writer
The staff at Wildcare, a KU organization that cares for injured and orphaned wild animals, is preparing for the spring months — its busiest time of the year.
Amy Albright, Wildcare rehabilitation coordinator, said the bulk of the animals that received care from the organization were brought in from March through July.
"In March, we'll have 10 to 15 juvenile animals per day," she said.
Last year, between the months of January and July, Wildcare treated 776 animals. Only 5 percent of the animals brought in last year because of the causes of natural reasons, Albright said.
Although the majority of the patients were birds, the staff also treated ground hogs.
Since Wildecare opened in 1979, it has treated six eagles, four of them in the past two months.
Albright said that if an animal were found, it was important to observe the animal before picking it up to be sure it needed help.
"If it's obvious that something is broken or if the animal is dehydrated or weak, people should take care."
However, people should not handle a wild animal any more than necessary, she said.
"A lot of people don't realize what risks there are when they pick up a wild animal," she said. "For example, a baby racoon looks cool, but raccoons are rabies carriers."
She said when people found animals and attempted to raise them, the animals were imprinted. They think they are humans and cannot be released into the wild.
'A lot of people don't realize what risks there are when they pick up a wild animal. For example, a baby raccoon looks cute, but raccoons are rabies carriers.'
— Amy Albright Wildcare rehabilitation coordinator
"Last year we captured a red-tailed hawk on Lawrence Avenue that was harassing an entire block." Albright said. "People were keeping their children inside."
The hawk had been cared for by a person and therefore had thought it was human. An animal that is imprinted will always associate with the animal and will go to a person when it gets hungry.
"Most people don't understand when an owl or hawk lands on their head," Albright said.
To prevent an animal from getting humanized, the staff at Wildcare covers the animals' cages and does not allow the animals to see staff members during feeding.
Ray Taylor, assistant manager of Clinton Park, said park rangers took injured or orphaned animals they found to Wildcare.
"The majority of the animals we find are birds, and we find them all year long." Hay said.
He said they had taken owls, hawks and a blue heron to be treated at the rehabilitation center.
If an animal is found, the Wildcare number is 864-5587.
Truth helped bring about end to slavery, beginning of equality
By Lana Smith
Kansan staff writer
When Sojourner Truth began her speech in Indiana promoting the freedman's rights issue, hecklers in the audience were summoned to prevent her from speaking.
At that time, Indiana was undecided about the slavery issue, and the state had strict laws forbidding African-Americans from entering the state. Truth not only had entered, she also wanted to be heard.
Trying to upset Truth, a white physician yelled out that he did not believe she was a woman. He said she was too tall and her voice was too deep. He proposed that Truth let some of the women present inspect her breasts before she could continue to speak.
The motion passed, much to the dislike of the women there, and the man was successful in interrupting
African-American History Month
her speech.
But Truth would not give up. She would not lose the battle, and she retaliated by exposing her chest to the entire congregation. As she disrobed, she said it would not shame her to do it, but rather the man and his supporters should be shamed for asking for such a thing.
She had to be because she was an illiterate, African-American woman living in the 19th century, trying to free slave's freed slaves and women's causes.
Indiana was not the only state that posed problems for the outspoken Truth. In every state that she was exposed, many from speaking. It never worked.
Truth was fearless.
Truth kept on talking
She was born a slave named Isabella in 1797 in New York. Five of her children — she had at least eight
- survived infancy, and she had to watch as two of her daughters were sold into slavery.
After gaining her freedom in 1827, Isabella moved to New York City with two of her children and worked as a maid.
During this time, Isabella became involved with religious organizations and changed her name to Sojourner, knowing that God had instructed her to.
Her goal was simple but hard to achieve. She wanted everyone to see that all people were created equally, that they should have equal rights.
Truth questioned why women were not treated equally. If not for women, why would men?
Although the state never became a reality, her suggestion instigated a migration of African Americans in Kansas-Missouri area in the late 1800s.
For much of the rest of her life, Truth traveled around the Midwestern and Eastern regions of the United States, educating all who gathered to listen about the necessity of freedman's rights and women's suffrage.
While she was counselor for the association, she had the idea of creating a "Negro State" on public land in the Midwest where African Americans were allowed to settle. She presented her idea to President Grant in 1870.
In 1864, Truth went to Washington, D.C., to meet President Lincoln, and was appointed counselor to the U.S. government for the Freedmen's Relief Association.
Truth died in 1883.
Share Your Good Health Give Blood February 26,27,28.
Make an appointment! Wescoe or KS Union Feb. 18-21 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sponsored by Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic,and the Scholarship Hall Council