Vol. 99, No. 59 (USPS 650-640)
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUBLISHED SINCE 1889 BY THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Thursday November 17,1988
200 protesters stage rally at Liberty Hall
By Daniel Niemi Kansan staff writer
"The Last Temptation of Christ", the film that has sparked protests across the country, tempted about 200 people into the cold last night to demonstrate at liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts Street.
The protesters, most of them from St. Mary's Academy, Church and College in Leavenworth sang hymns, carried banners and knelt in prayer in front of the theater for an hour on a night. They arrived about one-half hour before the 9 p.m. showing of the film.
The Rev. Herve de la Tour, headmaster of St. Mary's, said the protesters were there to pray and serve penance in compensation for the death of a boy from the film and to distribute fliers to dissuade people from seeing it.
directed by Martin Scorsec and based on a book by Nikos Kazantzak, have focused on a scene in the movie by lust toward Mary Magdalene.
"It mocks our Lord. It insults him. It's sickening. It's porno-
De la Tour said he hoped the protest would halt the showing of the movie at Liberty Hall. It is scheduled to run through Dec. 3.
Jaffrev Johnston/KANSAN
To protest the local showing of the film, "The Last Temptation of Church gathered in front of Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St., last Christ," about 200 people from St. Mary's"Academy, College and night.
Jerry Kramer, a senior at St. Mary's, said he hoped the protest would keep people from seeing the movie
"I hope we're blocking the doors enough." he said.
The protesters, however, did not stop Sarah Buchmuruel, Overland Park sophomore, from seeing the movie.
"This guy was grabbing me and trying to get me to read this stuff," she said. "I said, 'I just want to see the movie.'"
"It made me want to see the movie more."
Jill Johns, a theater employee,
for the film earlier in the week.
Rob Fitzgerald, assistant manager at Liberty Hall, said earlier yesterday that three to four people had protested the film almost
want. They have the right to protest."
John Winfrey, KU assistant professor of Army ROTC, also was protesting the movie.
Many of the students refused comment. De la la Tour said the policy stemmed from a similar protest of the movie "Hail Mary."
testify for Christ," he said.
Women's Basketball
Fan support doesn't match success
By Ken Winford
Kansan sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
The numbers speak for themselves
Coach Marian Washington has a 269-174 record in 15 seasons at Kansas and has taken the Jayhawks to two consecutive NCAA tournaments.
Since Marian Washington became coach of the Kansas women's basketball team in 1973, the Jayhawks have recorded a 269-174 record, have won five big Eight Conference Tournaments and have had six seasons with 20 or more victories.
During this time, the Jayhawks have had two All-American and four regional All-American choices, including Lynette Woods, and the best women's basketball player ever.
As the fourth women's basketball coach in the University history, Washington has increased the number of scholarships for the team from zero to 15.
student who was in the seventh grade, and he didn't give the right answers. I think sometimes the teacher says "Don't know what to say," de la Tour said.
None of the protesters interviewed had seen the film or planned to see it.
Kansas women's basketball program attempting to build larger following
the college from Kansas has a 23-13 record in postseason play and has qualified for the NCAA tournament for the past two years.
Yet, to a large degree, women's basketball at the University of Kansas remains an unknown commodity.
At a basketball-crazy university where the men's games regularly sell out the 15,800-stall Allen Field House, 10 of the women's 15 home games last year drew crowds of less than 1,000 people.
Washington, who served as Kansas' women's athletic director from 1973 to 1979, said much of the problem had to do with attitude.
author.
"You have to have an attitude that helps to promote women's athletics." Washington said. "We are still having to combat what I call an outdated attitude toward women in sports. It's clear we need to go toward recognizing there is real value in women's athletics, and get away from the attitude that just tolerates it."
take you to Texas and Tennessee are universities which have recently made great improvements in promoting women's athletics, Washington said. She said competing against these schools was difficult when recruiting the country's best players.
recruiting the college team. "For us to get that kind of athlete, she has to feel the same as the male player feels," she said. "When the best players compare, they look at the programs that really promote. Women athletes want the same as men. They want to be on television, read about themselves in the paper and play in front of fans who are really excited about them."
them".
Heen Wolfe, a former employee at the University, said she has been a fan of the women's basketball team since Washington took over.
took over.
"I've never met a person I had greater respect for as a person or a coach than Marion Washington," Wolfe said. "From the time she came here, I have made a commitment to try to let people know about women's basketball at Kansas. I have yet to bring someone to a game that hasn't become a fan. Marian is what we should expect every coach — man or woman — to be.
"The public has to be told about the team and its games. That doesn't mean announce a game at 5 (p.m.) when it starts at 5:15. People need the information so they can plan their schedules around it."
"as you're talking about a team that's won the Big Eight two years in a row," she said. "Any time the men's team wins something, they have a packed field house. The women's team puts on a great show. The women's game can't be compared in some
plan their game. Does the women's basketball team does not give the respect that it deserves.
ways to the men's game, but it is just as exciting."
"People who appreciate skilled athletes, will appreciate the women's game," Washington said. "Some fans say they don't like the NBA because it's all one-on-one and they like college basketball because it involves strategy. Believe me, women's basketball has strategy."
Washington agreed that women's basketball has a lot to offer.
"It wasn't frustrating for me because I played for my own interests and the interest of the team." Shaw said. "I'm such a competitive person that I would enjoy playing if there wasn't anyone in the stands."
Sandy Shaw, who graduated last year after leading the Jayhawks with a 13.3 scoring average, said she learned to deal with the lack of support.
Shaw said all women's sports and not just
there are some talented women athletes at Kansas, "Shaw said. "Volleyball, softball and all women's sports should be exploited to get them more likely to may take awhile, but I think it will happen."
basketball were neglected at the University
In the past two years, the Jayhawks have won 44 games and have twice been crowned as conference tournament champions. Washington said many fans did not appreciate the difficulty the team had in reaching those achievements.
"There are some people that know what a challenge it was to win those two Big Eight tournaments, but many did not." she said. "In terms of talent, we probably don't have the workers who keep trying and came through. That kind of effort really needs to be applauded."
Bruce Lindvall, director of admissions at the University, said the lack of support for women's athletics was a problem at universities nationwide.
"Women's basketball just doesn't have the support that men does," he said. "It's a national phenomenon, not just something that's happening here at Kansas. Publicity and exposure aren't the same. You have 48 teams for the national tournament and they don't teleseize until the finals."
"I have a 12-year-old son who went with me to the first-round tournament game last year against Middle Tennessee State. We were playing a lot of people, and I didn't even know about the game."
Lindvall said Kansas needed to get people who have never seen a women's game involved.
"Probably a lot of people don't understand the level of play of a collegiate women's game," he said. "Obviously, these people have to go to some games and recognize these young women deserve the same support the men have. Most people would be thrilled with the level of performance. It's outstanding basketball."
The Jayhawks will again play a top-notch schedule this season. Washington is hoping that a strong home schedule will generate some fan interest.
sometime before Iowa, who was the top-ranked team in the nation for most of last season and who is picked third this year by Street & Smith's magazine, will participate in the Lady Jayhawk Dial Classic in December.
During the Thanksgiving break, the Jayhawks will play in the Aruba Shootout Classic where seventh-ranked Mississippi will also participate.
In December, Kansas will play in the Rutgers Invitational which will include national powers Tennessee and Rutgers. The Lady Vols, who won the 1987 NCAA Tournament, reached the final four last season for an unprecedented ninth time.
Washington said that Kansas was a good place to build a strong foundation for women's athletics.
"I've always thought that I couldn't imagine any place like Lawrence, in terms of building a strong athletic program," she said. "We have the perfect situation, and we don't seem to seize it. It's a matter of people being aware and sensitive. I don't know how to raise the consciousness unless you change the attitude."
While Washington found that winning the last two conference tournaments was satisfying, she said that she hopes to achieve more.
"It we just wanted to remain competitive in the Big Eight, I would have to change my
Please see WASHINGTON, p. 25, col. 1
ree
; finish their degrees.
ed that discontinuation was a students because many wanted he program. Also, he said no d in the program's curriculum with the program's discontinu-
plain it is academically weak courses to continue," he said. y, Fairfax, Va., senior, and the who attended the hearing, said with Drury that the program discontinued.
with a lot of freshmen and who were interested in majoring "he said. "When told the larger a lot of people were really
Bird was convicted in 1985 in the path of his wife, Sandy, who at first speared to be the victim of a traffic incident at the Rocky Ford Bridge er the Cottonwood River near emporia. The investigation was opened after Bird's conviction on ie solicitation charge. The prosecutor contended that Bird threw his life from the bridge and tried to insuse the slaying as a traffic accident.
mister shooting
band was killed . I gave Tom
22-caliber Woodsmann that he
to shoot my husband , she said.
Eldridge, 35, awaits sentencing on
second-degree murder charge t
is already serving 5 to 18 years
an earlier unsuccessful plot on
bush's life.
The story of Eldridge and Bird, oth of whom have remarried, was be subject of the CBS miniseries Murder Ordained," a movie filmed n and around Emporia. It aired in May 1987.
habit today
University Daily, Kansan Kansas Jayhawks Basketball November 16, 1988 23
ing habit of smoking is no longer in fashion in New York City."
Hamish urged smokers unconcerned about their health to think about their friends and family, citing the recent death of his friend and "A Chorus Line" collaborator Edward Kleban. The lyricist, a heavy smoker, died of cancer last December.
The event, held under the big top at "The Big Apple Circus" in Lincoln Center, ended with two elephants crushing giant plastic foam cigarettes as the celebrities stood nearby.
The Tobacco Institute officially announced its "Great American Welcome" program in newspaper advertisements Tuesday, but a spokesman said that the program was not planned as a rebuttal to the Smokeout.
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