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 City Hall, Gaillard Massachusetts St.
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 about an hour. 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 an offense against God, to protest the film and to distribute fliers to dissuade people from seeing it.
directed by Martin Scorsese and based on a book by Nikos Kanzantakis, have focused on a scene where Christ tempter by lustful angelic beings
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.
"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.
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 Buchmueller, 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."
movie more. Jill Johns, a theater employee.
Rob Fitzgerald, assistant manager at Liberty Hall, said earlier yesterday that three to four people had protested the film almost
for the film earlier in the week.
want. They have the right to protest."
John Wintrey, KU assistant professor of Army ROTC, also was protesting the movie.
Many of the students refused comment. De la Tour said the policy stemmed from a similar protest of the movie "Hail Mary,"
testify for Christ," he said.
student who was in the seventh grade, and he didn't give the right answers. I think sometimes the younger students don't know what to say," de la tour said.
one of the protesters intere-
ed had seen the film or
need to see it.
ree
4. 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-
mplain 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 major a lot of people were really
mister
hooting
and was killed . . . I gave Tom 22-caliber Woodman that he to i shoot my husband," she said. idridge, 34, awas suits inion second-degree murder charge is already serving 5 to 18 years an earlier unsuccessful plot on husband's life.
ird was convicted in 1985 in the of his wife, Sandy, who at first eared to be the victim of a trafficident at the Rocky Ford Bridge or the Cottonwood River near poria. The investigation was opened after Bird's conviction on solicitation charge. The prosecution contended that Bird threw his from the bridge and tried to prise the slaying as a trafficident.
the story of Eldridge and Bird,
of whom have remarried, was
subject of the CBS biseries
urder Ordained," a movie filmed
and around Emporia. It aired in
y 1987.
habit today
habit of smoking in New York City "amilisch urged smokers unconceded about their health to think out their friends and family, the recent death of his friend "A Chorus Line" collaborator vard Kleban. The lyricist, avy smoke, died of cancer last ember.
he event, held under the big top "The Big Apple Cup" incoln Center, ended with two chants crushing giant plastic n cigarettes as the celebrities nearby.
the Tobacco Institute officially
uniced its "Great American
come" program in newspaper
artisements Tuesday, saying that the program
not planned as a result to
$mokeout.