THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 123 ISSUE 124
IMMIGRATION IMPACT
Voices of dissent speak loudly
ADAM STRUNK astrunk@kansan.com
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is coming to campus, but not without controversy.
Students, faculty and community members said they plan to protest Kobach's speech titled "State and Local Laws Discouraging Illegal Immigration: Their Economic and Security Impact," which will be held at 7 p.m., April 12 at the Lied Center.
"It's to provide the lacking point of view," Yajirara Padilla, KU professor of Spanish, said. "While the speaker may present a particular point of view, there's no one there to offer the other side. I think you can't make an open decision, you can't educate people, with out having the other side."
Kobach, who was elected Secretary of State earlier this year, has gained national attention as an anti-immigration advocate. Kobach helped write the controversial Arizona immigration law that allows
police officers to detain individuals they suspect of being in the country illegally. The law also makes the failure to carry immigration documents a crime. Kobach tried to implement a similar law in Kansas earlier this year but the Kansas Judiciary committee has tabled the bill indefinitely.
Kobach is coming to KU as a part of the Vickers Lecture Series put on by the KU School of Business.
"Whether you disagree or agree with this figure, he is very influential in politics today," said Toni Dixon, KU School of Business communications director. "The University is a market place of ideas and it's always good to have different perspectives."
On Saturday, a group of about 25 students, faculty and community members were working hard to make sure their perspectives were heard. The group, which calls itself Lawrence Action Network for Diversity (L.A.N.D.) gathered at the Ecumenical Christian
Ministries building to create strategies and signs for the Kobach protest. Hands — old, young, brown and white — painted phrases like "free state" not police state" and "educate don't discriminate" onto cardboard signs.
Many of the protesters hoped their efforts would help educate those going to the lecture.
"A lot of people are in the middle group," Zach Bealer, junior from Great Bend, said. "They are coming to be more informed. The numbers are skewed to make things look much worse than they are. I want people to have the correct information and a different point of view."
For others, the protest effort was much more personal.
I am from Bolivia," KU graduate Julao Castillo said. "I got a lot of friends who had to go back home because their parents couldn't get a visa and couldn't get a green card. It's just sad when families have to leave the place that they call home. It's just sad"
Castillo attended KU on an academic scholarship that allowed him to obtain a student visa. He stressed, however, that many people wishing to come to America lack such options.
"It is really hard to get a United States visa," he said. "Some say 'well if they want to come to the U.S why don't they do it legally?' It's really hard."
Castillo currently works in Olathe and is on the path to become a permanent U.S. citi-
were both reasons for the current amount of undocumented immigrants.
"When you're here, the path to be legal here should be easy," he said. "It shouldn't be so many years. Some just don't have the time or the money."
While Kobach's trip to the Lied Center ha s
sparked protest efforts in Lawrence, it has also created some ethics issues in Topeka. On March 23, the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission ruled that Kobach could not receive the $10,000 honorarium the KU School of Business was planning on paying him. The ethics commission cited a Kansas statute that prohibits public officials from receiving gifts or paymen-
The speech will be free, and open to the public. Dixon expects a large turnout for the event.
The Hispanic American Leadership Organization (H.A.L.O.) also plans to participate in protesting Kobach's speech.
Edited by Emily Soetaert
KRIS KOBACH SPEECH
WHEN: Saturday, April 12 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: The Lied Center
COST: Free, open to the public
Aaron Harris KANSAN
Julao Castillo, a 2008 KU alumnus from Sucre, Bolivia, makes a protest for a protest of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kobach is scheduled to speak at the Lied Center on April 12.
Training Day
Chris NealKANSAN
Paul Bender, a junior from Lawrence, and Dan Stork, a freshman from Leawood, sprint up the hill from the river bank during the first leg of the mystery course Saturday afternoon at the ROTC Best Rancher Buddy event. The event was hosted at Outlet park near Clinton Lake.
ROTC | 7A
ROTC Best Ranger Buddy Competition
The 17th annual ROTC Best Ranger Buddy Competition was hosted at Outlet Park on Saturday. The University of Kansas had several cadets competing against 240 other ROTC students.
WEATHER
INDEX
Classifieds ... 11A
Crossword ... 4A
Cryptoquips ... 4A
Opinion ... 5A
Sports ... 12A
Sudoku ... 4A
WEDNESDAY
72 47
Sunny
Forecasts by University students. For a complete detailed forecast for the week, see page 2A All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
ELECTION
Candidates for 2011 school and city boards
Elections are held every two years. This year, three city commissioner positions are vacant. The two candidates receiving the most votes are elected to four-year terms, and the third place candidate is elected to a two-year term.
On Tuesday, there will be a general election for Lawrence city commissioners and the Lawrence school board.
The city commission election is an integral part of the mayoral election process. The newly-elected
BY CHRISTOPHER HONG LAURA NIGHTENGALE
commissioners will elect a mayor and vice mayor in April's first city commission meeting this year.
Students with a Lawrence address are eligible to vote in this election. To verify registration status and voting location, visit www.douglascountyelections.com. Voting is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Political experience: Twice a member of Lawrence City Commission (1978-1984 and 1987-1993); served two consecutive terms as mayor of Lawrence (1989-1991); served on the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; held office as president and board member of Downtown Lawrence Association.
What does it mean for KU students if you are elected? "KU students, they have a need for representation where they live in terms of the problems they may encounter with code enforcement, with landlords, with knowing the rules and regulations of our city with regards to policing, and basically the quality of life with regards to their off-campus living."
**Name:** Bob
Schumm
**Age:** 64
**Profession:**
Business owner
(Buffalo Bob's
Smokehouse and
Dynamite Saloon)
What does it mean for KU students if you are elected?
"I think what it means for KU students if I'm elected is you get better balance to the city commission. I'm one of the best candidates for downtown Lawrence, and I'm against special interests and additional tax districts. I'm the only candidate that supports the preservation of the Baker Wetlands and the SLT being south of Wakarusa."
What does it mean for KU
Political experience: Former board member of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance; member of City of Lawrence Historic Resources Commission (2004- 2007).
Name:
Mike Mac-
chell
Profession:
Human
resources
director for
Prescription Solutions, a pharmacy benefit management organization.
Name: Sven
Erik Alstrom
Age: 59
Profession:
Architect,
Business owner (Ecological
architecture)
Political Experience: Chairman of the Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees; organizer for the 2010"Vote Yes for the Library" campaign.
what does it mean for me students if you get elected?
"I'm a board chair of the public library, so the referendum that was passed was a lot of what I did. I think mainly what I'm supporting and trying to do is make sure that our downtown remains vibrant and has the amenities to bring people in and want to use it."
Name:
Hugh Carter
Age: 44
Profession:
Financial
Advisor,
Wells Fargo
Political
experience: Three years as a Lawrence-Douglas County planning commissioner
Name:
Michael
Dever
Age: 48
Profession:
Environmental
Consultant/
President for GuideWire Consulting, LLC
Political experience: Four years as Lawrence city commissioner
What does it mean for KU
What does it mean for KU students if you are elected? "Hopefully more options for them to work in Lawrence after they graduate."
what does it mean for KU students if you are elected? "It means having a commissioner who will continue to integrate the bus system, build better relations with the city and University, provide local jobs to KU graduates and students."
C
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