Art & Theater
Student art exhibition
opens with flare:
Page 10
Film
Murder at 1600 enter¬
tains the White House:
Page 14
Sports
Men’s tennis team
defeats Riverside:
Page 18
Los Angeles ^Wm
LOYOLAN
April 23,1997
i f y Volume 75,
Berlin
Donates
Part of
Wall
by Michael Johnsen
Staff Writer
The Berlin Wall stood for 28
years, separating East from
West, dividing the country, and,
symbolically, all of Europe. It
was as high as fifteen feet,
topped with barbed wire, and
fortified by armed guard tow¬
ers, electrified fences, and
mines; not to keep people out,
but to keep them in. The
destruction of the Wall in 1989
was the end of the principal
legacy of World War II, and one
of the most dramatic and peace¬
ful victories of the ideals of
freedom and democracy.
In a few weeks, LMU will be
the new home to a part of this
historic symbol. On May 8, the
inconspicuous four by four foot
concrete slab, set amid a grove
of eucalyptus trees next to
Foley and opposite the Lair
patio, will become the pedestal
for a two-and-a-half ton panel
of the Berlin wall that has been
donated to the University by
the city of Berlin.
“The Berlin Wall is to the
20th century, and certainly to
the end of the 20th century,
what the Bastille was to the
period of the French revolution.
It is a symbol of oppression and
then a new liberation,” said Dr.
Dirk Verheyen, assistant pro¬
fessor of political science, who
initiated the acquisition.
The panel’s journey from
Berlin to L.A. began last year
while Verheyen was on sabbati¬
cal in Germany working on a
book that will examine how
Berlin copes with its own histo¬
ry. The wall was an integral
part of Berlin’s troubled period
in the middle of this century
when it was under Communist
rule; and its remains, which are
now being scattered around the
world, struck Verheyen as an
interesting and valuable piece
of history.
During his research,
Verheyen made several impor¬
tant contacts in the German
government and was struck
with the idea to pursue the
acquisition of a piece of the wall
for the university. In a letter to
the mayor of Berlin acknowl¬
edging the 30-year anniversary
of the sister city relationship
between Berlin and L.A., he
presented his idea of the city
making a donation to LMU.
Berlin: page 5
A Message of
by Clare Climaco
Editor-In-Chief
Martin Luther King, Sr. refused
to let anyone reduce him to
hate. Even after the assassina¬
tion of his son, Martin Luther King, Jr.,
and the cold-blooded murder of his wife
in a church six years later, Martin
Luther King, Sr. made sure that his
family would not be lowered to the vio¬
lence that robbed him of his loved ones.
Martin Luther King, Sr.’s legacy of
non-violence, peace and reconciliation
lives on in his grandchildren, and
inspired the words of his grandson,
human rights advocate and community
activist Martin Luther King, III, at
LMU last Wednesday. Addressing a
crowded St. Robert’s Auditorium, King’s
message of hope was tinged with an
urgency about the state of race rela¬
tions in America today.
“We are a nation whose moral fiber
is deteriorating and whose racial toler¬
ance is evaporating,” said King.
Invoking the words of the old black
spiritual, King expressed hope in the
future. ‘We can and will overcome.”
King’s visit marked the second time
a member of his family has spoken at
LMU; Coretta Scott King spoke here in
1989. King’s oldest sister Yolanda
Denise was also present.
The Interfaith Celebration — coordi¬
nated by Shell Amegah, Acting Director
of Black Student Services and co-spon¬
sored by 12 campus departments and
organizations — was the highlight of the
week-long Spring Festival, during
which the AIDS Memorial Quilt was
displayed at Gersten Pavilion.
Right: Martin Luther
King , III addressed a
crowded St. Robert's
Auditorium, the
keynote speech of
Wednesday's Interfaith
Celebration .
Below: LMU's
of Joy gospel choir per¬
formed two
tional songs
King's
RYAN CHUTE
/
LOYOLAN
After LMU’s gospel choir Voices of Joy
opened the celebration, King touched on
issues such as affirmative action and race
relations. Despite a case of laryngitis,
King admitted to the audience that he had
“mixed emotions” about coming to
California. While California can be one of
the most liberal states, King said, last
November’s elections proved that
California can also be one of the nation’s
most conservative.
“As goes California, so goes the rest of
the nation. But as I stand before you I
must confess that the truth of the state¬
ment frightens me,” said King.
Referring to voters’ approval of
Proposition 209, which would end affir¬
mative action in California, King made
clear his position on the issue.
“How, in nineteen-hundred and nine-
King: page 4
Campus Ministry Warns Against
Recruiting Tactics of Church of Christ
■ Religion: Student
members agree to
stop prayer and
Bible study meetings
by Mia Shanley
News Editor
The International Church of
Christ has been politely asked
by the University, specifically
Campus Ministry, to not meet on
campus. Although the student
members have agreed to stop
holding scripture and prayer
meetings on campus, they have
still been observed aggressively
recruiting new members from the
LMU community.
LMU student members of the
ICC say that they are just “look¬
ing for friends” — for a family to
share the Bible with at their
weekly scripture readings. But
Campus Ministry directors have a
different idea about the intentions
behind the ICC, which has been
labeled a “cult” by mental health
officials and is known internation¬
ally for its high-pressure tactics in
recruiting and maintaining mem¬
bership within their church.
“[The recruiting at LMU] has
exploded — it’s a huge targeting,”
said Sr. Cecelia Magladry, C.S.J.,
assistant chaplain. Although the
ICC is not new to the LMU cam¬
pus, it has recently stepped up its
recruiting efforts. Campus
Ministry took formal action
against the ICC when a number of
students began reporting harass¬
ment by group members to join
their bible study.
‘They are very subtle and very
seductive,” said Fernando
Moreno, Director of Campus
Ministry, who recognized that the
high-pressure recruiting tech¬
niques resembled the ICC tactics.
To forewarn students of the
recruitment, Campus Ministry
distributed flyers and put up
posters last week describing what
to watch out for if approached by
a high pressure group.
However, an anonymous LMU
• Religion: page
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