Dropping Their Guns' NRA Losing by JOHN LUCAS Associate News Editor Fight Over
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Friday, January 28, 1994 • Vol. XXVI No. 78 - 1 r I I ~ I N II [ 1I N [) l N I 0- L \ V \ I':\ I' I I~ \ l I~\ I \: 1. , \: \. ) I IU I ) .\ .\ \ I \ .'-J l) \ J\ I N I tv\ A I~\ \ Elkhart, South Bend 'dropping their guns' NRA losing By JOHN LUCAS Associate News Editor fight over Nearly three months after the accidental shoot ing death of John Frangis, a 19-year old Elkhart gun control man, a new program dedicated to his memory By JOHN LUCAS has taken 166 firearms off the street. Associate News Editor In addition, the success of the plan has inspired South Bend civic leaders to begin to plan a local version of the effort. In the wake of the December The idea behind the Elkhart gun buyback pro massacre of commuters on the gram, officially titled, "Drop Your Guns," is a sim Long Island railroad, gun con ple one. Anyone who has a handgun to dispose of trol advocates are .beginning to can bring it in, no questions asked, during a gain momentum in the battle monthly gun buyback day to receive $40. Anyone over gun rights, according to bringing in a rifle receives $20, and $100 is paid government professor Martin for an automatic weapon. Saiz. Sitting at John Frangis' funeral, Duane Beck, "In the past, the NRA pastor of Elkhart's Belmont Mennonite church, (National Rifle Association) has was moved to begin the buybacks. been extremely effective in "God put this in my lap," Beck said. "I got the stopping nearly every gun con idea looking into the faces of 150 stunned kids." trol measure," he said. "But Since the conception of the idea, Frangis' now, not only are they vulner friends and other youths who have had their lives able because of the increase in touched by violence haveplanned the three buy crime, but also because of con backs that have been held so far. The most cerns on the power of special recent was held two weekends ago. interests. They're on the dark The buyback has been successful in more than side of the policy moon." just getting guns off the streets, according to While gun control advocates Beck. "Organizing the program, and having a cite a growing number of cause to get behind has honestly turned around bloody shootings and crimes the lives of some of these kids." committed in the heat of the So far, more than $5,000 has been paid for the moment as reason for tighter weapons, Beck said. Much of the money was controls and waiting periods. raised by the youths working with him. Supporters of gun rights con "The kids wanted to do it so John wouldn't die tinue to contend that criminals in vain," he said. will get guns despite any legis The South Bend program will also try to involve lation enacted. children, according to organizer Homer Nissley. Nissley, a junior high teacher, heard of the suc "The problem is that anyone, cess in Elkhart and worked to get his parish given the right circumstances, involved. could commit a violent act," "We want to involve kids so this isn't just a said South Bend Chief of Police one-shot gun buyback," Nissley said. "We can Ronald Marciniak. "Gun con make this a broad ranged educational effort." trol measures only effect law With the backing of the South Bend Tribune, abiding citizens. It doesn't faze organizers of the program met with city officials criminals." Wednesday morning to plan the program. Support for the program is nearly unanimous, Although crime was a major according to Nissley. Sgt. Ron Garrasant holds up two weapons that have been confiscated by the South Bend focus of President Clinton's Police Department. The Police dispose of the weapons by taking them to a local foundry see BUYBACK 1 page 4 to be mettled down. see CONTROL I page 4 L---------------------------------------------------~ Faculty concerned with Forum explores gender issues By JOSLIN WARREN the only ongoing forum of its range from "What's Wrong students' daily obstacles News Writer kind on campus. It was estab With the Pro-Choice Move lished three years ago to allow ment" to "Language and Gen BY JENNIFER LEWIS in the last two weeks she had The Gender Studies Faculty students and facUlty to present der: Implications for Women in News Writer five or more drinks in one Forums are an excellent way their work on gender issues Engineering". night. More than 60 percent for students and faculty to pre and receive some feedback "There are various papers Catholic women face many said they had done something sent works on various gender from the community. within several disciplines and obstacles in today's society they regretted and suffered issues and participate in a per "There is a great deal of gen most of it is written for publica including eating disorders, sui from memory loss after using sonal exchange of ideas, ac der work going on and anyone tion," said Collins. cide, drug and alcohol abuse. alcohol. Forty percent of the cording to Gender Studies di who wants to present that work Last week's presentation by Saint Mary's College is finding students admitted to driving rector Professor Ann Collins. can come to the forums," JUlia Douthwaite entitled "Sight ways to overcome these prob under the influence of alcohol. "The forums promote an in Collins said. "It's a good way to and Insight in La Princesse de lems, according to a faculty and "We are really trying to put tellectual exchange between put things out and see what Cleves" was an "encyclopedic administrative panel discussion the issues on the table," said faculty and students that goes others are doing." type entry for a literary ency on the value of Catholic educa Depauw. "We are a little faster beyond the classroom," said For fifteen weeks of each clopedia," she said. tional institutions. then the Catholic Church (in Collins. semester there is a set schedUle The panel, consisting of Sister discussing these issues)." The genders studies forum is of speakers and topics that see FORUM I page 4 Miriam Patrick Conney, Prof. Cooney challenged Saint Keith Egan, Assistant Prof. Mary's students to overcome Mary Caputi, and Mady De academic obstacless by step pauw, Director of Counseling ping up to work in the field of ND student attacked near Grotto and Career Development, de mathematics. bated these neglected problems According to Cooney, not Observer Staff Report Grotto Monday at 3 a.m. when in a rash of thefts this week. A which Saint Mary's students enough women succeed in a man grabbed her from be man fled Cavanaugh today face in their lives. math because they are led to hind and threatened sexual as after a student discovered him The panel's goal was to en believe it is a male dominated A black male attacked a fe sault. The two struggled on the attempting to steal stereo courage students to put field. This is a problem for too male Notre Dame student early ground until she stabbed him equipment from a room. Catholicism in their daily deci many college women. Monday morning near the with a brooch pin, kicked him The man is black, about 20 sions and activities andexplore "We are trying to bring Grotto, Chuck Hurley, assistant in the stomach and fled. years old and 6 feet 4 inches their feminism and religion. women out of those beliefs," director of Security, reported The man is 20 to 28 years tall. He has a thin build, a dark "When you explore religion she said. "The more confident Wednesday. Security has no old, 6 feet 2 inches tall and has complexion and a goatee. He you become delighted with it," women take more math." suspects. a slender build and closely cut, was wearing a red-billed base Egan said. According to Egan, we have A friend of the Victim notified curly hair. Hurley said he has ball cap and a black jacket. One of the main concerns dis to go beyond what is written in Security Tuesday night. Al big, callused hands and was cussed was alcoholism. the Bible and explore our be though the victim first re wearing a plain, blue, hooded In three other incidents Mon In January 1990 Saint Mary's liefs as Catholics in today's quested anonymity, she came sweatshirt and white shoes day and Tuesday, over $1,000 conducted a study of their stu world. We encourage students forward yesterday and filed a with black Nike markings. worth of stereo equipment and dents. Fifty two percent of the to think about ethics in making report. • In a separate incident, Hur clothing were stolen from students said at least one night their daily life decisions. The victim was leaving the ley said Security has a suspect Dillon and Keenan Halls. --------------------- page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Friday, January 28, 1994 INSIDE COLUMN WORLD AT AGLANCE Parietals were Shouldh~omeone tell the Pope about t ts? • here before you, More than 16 years after his death, hundreds of thousands of devoted Elvis fans still revere "The •·. King," holding festivals in his name, decorating ·· · so deal with it their homes with his pictures, even praying to him. Now, a British television documentary making its U.S. premiere Friday night raises the question of whether Elvis worship has become a religion. "The "Psst ... didyahear? Notre King and Me," produced by Tullstar Productions D a m e and part of the weekly series "The Human Factor," has ..