University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, May 2, 1990
Campus/Area
3
Black activist offends some students
Bv Eric Gorski
and Jonathan Plummer
Steve Cokelv, Black activist, addresses racial problems and awareness to a crowd by Wescoe Hall.
Kansan staff writers
A controversial Black activist who said he had been taken out of context in the past angered some students and accused him of censorship and upset his rights.
Steve Cokely, who was fired in 1988 from his job as a Chair of the mayoral aide after he reportedly made statements against Jews, spoke twice yesterday on the University of Kansas campus, and was sponsored by Black Man of Today.
Keith Thorpe/KANSAN
Cokely said that comments attributed to him in the Chicago Tribune two years ago were paraphrased from an article and that he did not want to be charged. He asserted that Jewish physicians had injected Blacks with the AIDS virus.
Last night, Cokely spoke to a crowd of about 150 in the Kansas Union. He also spoke to about 200 students yesterday afternoon near Wescoe Hall. Last night he again denied that he had made the statement, but some students were upset about other com-
Cokely said a dialogue between races would be worthless until people were better educated. He encouraged students to read, and when students could not answer's Cokely's questions about who was in charge of the school, he said he should get a refund from the University.
"I am trying to wake up the dead. It smells like death in here," he said. "We are no threat because we don't know who is in charge."
Some students thought that Cokely was trying to divide races.
Roxanne Fairchild, Boulder, Colo,
freshman, stood during Cokely's
speech and told all people were
taken to the school and that they
should work together.
Cokely said, "In reality, that shit don't even exist."
Katrin Widholm, Champaign, Ill., junior, said afterward that she told Cokely that she respected his goals but that she thought he should be
'I am trying to wake up the dead. It smells like death in here. We are no threat because we don't know who is in charge.'
Steve Cokely Black activist
more positive in his approach
"We've worked all year to get everyone together," Woldhim said. "I'm afraid he'll get Blacks to be more, more split from the population."
Mark McCormick of Black Men of Today said that many people came with preconceived notions about black women and misunderstanding about his views.
"Society is segregated. There is no place in this society where Blacks and whites are treated as equal." McCormick said. "He didn't encourage us to partake in rhetoric as much as doing research."
Lauri Greenberg, Arlington Heights, III, freshman, said, "I don't understand why there is a Jewish problem. I don't understand why there is a Black problem. I only see a human problem."
Ackley Tippett, Lawrence junior, said Cokely was not antisemitic but was against white supremacy, which sought to divide the groups.
Some Jewish students in the audience took offence to Cokely's reference to the "Jewish problem" in the United States, Cokely said that Jews in the United States portrayed themselves as being "first" and that Blacks actually were the originators of mankind.
Wayne Spritz, Overland Parl sophomore, said. "He seems to be feeding on the emotion of people here. He talked about the 'Jewish problem.' But his solution is confusion. Not know if he proposed a solution."
"If we are against racism or anti-Semitism, then we should be trying to get back to the source of the problem or just to begin the beginning of time. Cotz's idea
Student speaks of Senate campaign prejudices
By a Kansan reporter
Todd Boerger, presidential candidate for Real Representation, said yesterday that some candidates were pressured to not run with the coalition because of the cultural diversity of its members.
Boerger spoke to about 150 people after Steve Cokely, who was speaking in the Kansas Union, encouraged him to tell of prejudices he felt during the campaign.
After the speech, Boerger said at five people dropped off the Real Representation ticket because of outside pressure. Others were intimidated into not joining the ticket.
Boerger also said that he received prank phone calls and that someone had dented his car door during the campaign. He filed
a report with the Lawrence police department.
"We formed a coalition on the basis of representing everyone. As (Coley) said, America is just not representative." Becker said.
He said that he had no idea Cokely would ask him to speak but that he did not regret being honest with the public.
Activists tell why marijuana should be legalized
Bv Steve Ballev
Kansan staff writer
Jack Herer thinks he can save the world with hemp.
About 250 people gathered yesterday to listen to herer and other activists speak about the legalization of marijuana, more commonly called marijuana.
The rally, at Second and Indiana streets in Burcham Park, was the second of three Kansas rallies this week. The first rally, April 29 at Voker Park in Kansas City, Mo.
During the rally, the Capitol building the last rally will be today on the steps of the Capitol building in Tooeka.
Here, a national marjusia activa acti said, the hemp plant was the key to solving many of the world's environmental problems.
"Why should we strip our forests when there is unreliable proof that hemp could provide four times as much pulp paper with five to seven times less destruction of the environment?" Here asked the crowd. "Are we going to be made by burning fossil fuels when instead we could use an annual renewable plant that will do no harm to the atmosphere?"
Heres said products made from hemp, such as clothing, canvas and rope, were some of the strongest and highest-quality textiles in the world.
He said these factors made it
'Alcohol and cigarettes kill thousands of people every year. There has never been any proof that marijuana has killed anyone.'
- Jack Herer
national marijuana activist
impossible for government officials not to look into the legalization of bemp for industrial purposes as well as recreational purposes.
"Alcohol and cigarettes kill thousands of people every year," he said. "There has never been any proof that marijuana has killed anyone. In fact, there is scientific proof that you live longer if you smoke pot. The war on drugs is a war on a plant that does nothing but good for our planet."
Lawrence resident Mark Creamer, who recently was convicted of smoking marijuana at the Douglas County Law Enforcement Center, spoke at the rally about his intentions to run for Congress.
"I want to take my message to Washington and to the President." Creamer said. "I don't care if I win or lose. I just want to increase and promote discussion of the subject of legalization. Shockingly enough, I
think I am going to be elected."
Les Blevins Jr. of Lawrence said his group, the 21st Century Society, was one of the sponsors of the gathering.
"We think it is obvious that our drug policy is ruining this country," Bleivens said. "It has bounced up in our faces. There is a drug problem here that does not exist in any other country. I think that in itself justifies a re-examination of current policies."
Dave Buchanan, 28, of Lawrence said he attended the rally to support the push to give people the choice of whether to smoke marijuana.
"I enjoy marjana," Buchan said. "It is a soft drug and is much safer than any other substance, including alcohol and cigarettes. I use it regularly, and I am not ashamed of it. I believe it should be legalized because not only would the drug be illegal, but it is in no way as harmful as alcohol or cigarettes, which are both legal."
"I think it is great to see minds get truly educated," he said. "It is a crime that government and university are involved in the subject come up. This is not the time for reefer madness. It is the time for reefer gladness."
Herer said he was happy with the public response from the first two rallies in Kansas City and Lawrence.
A person who declined to give his name smokes marijuana.
Keith ThomasMANSAH
Lawrence may buy property by river
By Kathryn Lancaster Kansan staff writer
The city of Lawrence is considering buying land along the Kansas River in an area considered to be a critical habitat for bald eagles.
A city task force recommended buying the property, owned by Bill Penny, more than a year ago in conjunction with plans to develop an East Lawrence Parkway from downtown to Kansas Highway 10.
City commissioners voted 4-0 last night to begin negotiations to buy 5.8 acres just east of the city, which are at Seventh and New York streets.
"The green space area was the centerpiece of our whole discussion with the neighborhood," said Commissioner Bob Schumm, who helped develop task-force recommendations in 1988.
City commissioners voted 4-0 last night to begin negotiations to buy 5.8 acres just east of the Lawrence Riverfront Plaza at Seventh and New York streets.
Commissioner Dave Penny removed himself from discussion because he also was interested in purchasing the property. Last month Penny offered to buy the property for $85,000 from his brother, Bill Penny.
See related story p.12
Dave Penny, owner of Kaw Sand Co., 803 E. Eighlt St., said he was not interested in developing the new access for dredging operations.
Jo Anderson, president of the East Lawrence Improvement Association, told commissioners that the city should buy the land to acquire future commercialization or industrialization.
Joyce Wolf, representing the Jayhawk Audubon Society, said the city was fortunate to have an area visited regularly in the winter by bald eagles, an endangered species.
She recommended keeping the area in as natural a state as possible.
Commissioners heeded the advice of Mike Wilden, city manager, who suggested they not make a decision on the ultimate use of the land until a purchase had been made. This would allow Wendell to occupy an area for additional plaza parking or roadway if deemed necessary.
The critical point was to buy the land before Penny accepted another offer, Mayor Shirley Martin-Smith said after the meeting.
"We sat on the criteria for a year," she said. "We are lucky that the property is still for sale."
HEY LADIES...
THURS.
Experience 6 of K.C.'s
bottest male dancers
Doors open at 7.
Show begins at 8. Men-party at Sarkey's during the performance Last Ladies Nite of the school year.
Draw, pitchers and shot specials
18 & up admitted