It 'Ela "I'4* News: 76-AILY Advertising: 7640554 One hundred six years of editorlifreedom Monday Aprl7, 1997 reacts to death of beat poet Allen insberg By Brian Campbell Daily Staff Reporter Controversial beat-generation poet and coun- terculture icon Allen Ginsberg died in his New York apartment Saturday at the age of 70, short- after being diagnosed with liver cancer. insberg, whose revolutionary and sexually- explicit verse often received tepid reactions from academic critics, became a national figure not only through his poetry, but also in his social and political activism. "It's a loss. He was absolutely a major poetic and cultural figure in America in the 20th centu- ry," said Karl Pohrt, owner of Shaman Drum . bookstore, where Ginsberg , often gave readings of his - work. Ginsberg remained s closely involved with the Ann Arbor community through his relationship with the Tibetan Buddhist r Temple, which sponsored his many readings given at Shaman Drum and Hill Ginsberg Auditorium. Pohrt said Ginsberg had a liberating influence on poetry by writing in a colloquial form similar to poet Walt Whitman. "I think he will be remembered for returning poetry to its vernacular roots, to ordinary speech, in the tradition of Walt Whitman," Pohrt said. LSA senior Sandra Kang said she liked Ginsberg's poems because they were unique. "I read his poetry in high school," Kang said. "It was different and very sexual. I had never read anything like that before." LSA senior Sonia Park said she didn't like Ginsberg's anti-establishment verse or the beat generation's views on women. "I respect him as a poet, but I really didn't like his style,' Park said. "The beats were a little misogynistic, so I tend not to read them that much." Ginsberg dropped out of Columbia University and joined Jack Keroauc, William Burroughs and others to form the beat gener- ation, an anti-establishment literary group that protested '50s conformity and pre-dated the civil rights movement and youth uprising of the '60s and '70s. The beat generation emphasized free sexuali- ty, drug use, Eastern religion and improvised writing styles resembling jazz rhythms. "He was the beat generation," said Sarah Alvarez, RC sophomore. "He'll be remem- bered with Kerouac and Burroughs - I don't think any of them will be remembered sepa- rately." Pohrt said Ginsberg had a unique place in American culture. "I can't imagine anybody else who can take his place and I think that be will be sorely missed by anyone who cares for the written and spoken word," she said Religious services were held last night for Ginsberg at the Ann Arbor's Tibetan Buddhist Temple. LGBPO. alummi reflect on 0 iemoies By Ericka M. Smith Daily Staff Reporter Ten Michigan alumni returned to campus Saturday to reflect on their experiences as homosexual students at the University. The panel discussion was one of many events scheduled to celebrate the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Programs Office's 25th Anniversary. The office r 40 celebrated the occasion with a two-day sympo- sium, titled "Pasts, Presents and Futures." Alumnae panel member Laura Sanders said the University community has a unique attitude toward homosexual "I've always experienced the U of M as an exceptional place to be gay. But I can tell you it's not always been that way;" said Sanders, who now works with LGBPO. One panel member, Maureen O'Rourke, said she remembered being a lesbian student at the University dur- ing the '70s. "There was a lot of interest into Were we fit into the University and how much we wanted to fit in," O'Rourke said. "We were really proud at that time and very radical.' A rainbow striped flag, which sym- bolizes the gay rights movement, was draped on the wall of the Michigan Union's Pond Room behind the panel members as they shared their memories. "It's only appropriate that we com- memorate this milestone in our exis- nce by assessing where we stand as a ople, what we can learn from our his- tory, and how we can affect the times that lay ahead," said LGBPO Director Ronni Sanlo in a written statement. Panel member Esther Newton, a 1968 University graduate, said that when she was a student, her biggest fear was being "found out" by the administration. "The whole setting was different" ,ewton said. "You hoped that you would otbe discovered and kicked out." 1982 University graduate Chris Kolb, who now serves as an Ann Arbor city councilmember, said his time at the University was not easy. "I was ousted from my fraternity because they found out 1 was gay, Kolb said. "I really found out who my friends were." Other members of the panel talked about ways in which the University *uld prepare students for the future. "I would hope the U of M could serve as a training ground for people who are going back to the Detroit area to make it a safer place for people who are gay, lesbian and bisexual," said Michigan alumnus Alan Hergott. Panel member and 1995 University graduate Angela Head got an opportu- nity to thank the rest of the panel for elping to make the University "an sy place to be gay" in recent years. "I'm glad that my stay here was kind of easy;' Head said. "I wish now there had been a lesbian, gay and bisexual group of color." Assistant Medical School Dean Jayne Thorson, a 1983 graduate, said that after iHash Bash dras crow Ale pi erain By Ajit K. Thavarajah Daily Staff Reporter Unrelenting afternoon showers did not deter the roughly 3,000 people who crowded the Diag to hear speakers sing the praises of the marijuana leaf and blast the government for trampling their rights at Saturday's 26th Annual Hash Bash. Adam Brooke, an organizer for Hash Bash, said he was happy with the event's turnout Saturday afternoon. "I'm really proud of the people who came out here today," Brooke said. "I don't know how anyone can question our dedication. Rain, sleet, snow, hail can't stop us." Elizabeth Hall, a Department of Public Safety spokesperson, said 38 people were arrested on campus, main- ly for unauthorized vending and open alcohol containers. "If they were caught possessing mari- juana, they could be prosecuted underthe law, which sets a maximum (of) one year in prison and a ... fine," Hall said. Other police departments that patrolled the event included the Washtenaw County's Sheriff's Department, the Michigan State Police and the Ann Arbor Police Department. "A little rain can't stop freedom," said marijuana legalization advocate Marvin Marvin. "They shouldn't be able to stop us from doing what we want with our bodies and our lives." Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon said the event sends a poor message to the youth of the city. "We have a serious problem here in See BASH, Page 2A MARGARET MYERS/Daily Aaron Buyssens, Erik Justice and Tara Absence, who is smoking a cigarette, came all the way from Saginaw to enjoy Hash Bash. U w Greek Week juggles service with Carnival By Jenni Yachnin Daily Staff Reporter Yesterday was a day of 10-foot-tall jugglers, free goldfish, cartoon characters and buckets of candy. The Children's Carnival, held at Scarlet Middle School in Ann Arbor, offered children and their parents a day of free activities and prizes as a part of Greek Week's Community Day. "The carnival provides a free, fun and safe day for the Ann Arbor community," said Jennifer Kruer, Greek Week community ser- vice co-chair. "It is a gift for us to give back to the community." Teams of sororities and fraternities submitted ideas for different games based on their own per- sonal favorites from childhood, said Karen Lareau, Greek Week community service co-chair. Games included Bozo bucket, ball toss, lol- lipop pick, fishing for fun, ring toss, guess the number of jelly beans, shoot-o-rama and tic-tac- toe with prizes ranging from candy to live gold- fish. "I think the best part about today is that everyone gets to come out and do something for the community, so they see the University is getting involved," said LSA first-year stu- dent Linda Bassett, a Chi Omega sorority member. The event is a good way for some of the younger kids to meet college students and possi- bly encourage them to go on to higher education, Bassett said. Cristina Steele, an LSA junior who is involved in the University's Big Sib program, Eileen Melers, a student at Abott Elementary School, learns to spin a ball on her fingertip at the Greek Week carnival yesterday, the largest community service event of the week. brought her 9-year-old little sib to the carni- n't cost a lot of money." val. Sanne Krummel, an Ann Arbor resident, "I think this is a great opportunity," Steele said. attended the carnival with her family and said "It's hard to find things to do with them that does- See GREEK, Page 2A Ki ,.pORr SC hGroup honors Ki' ndeath 1 r with marc for racia unity By Alice Robinson Daily Staff Reporter Pedestrians stopped in their tracks, apartment residents stared from their balconies and motorists beeped their horns. Some may have thought they were re-living a scene from 30 years ago, as hundreds of people marched through Ann Arbor streets Friday night bearing The Unity Rally for Racial Justice, organized by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, began in Wheeler Park and proceeded to First United Methodist Church on State Street. Ann Arbor police held up traffic for the marchers as they walked and sang a variety of uplifting songs, including, "This Little Light of Mine." "We're surprised at how many people candles and singing "We Shall Overcome" to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Some, like School of Ann Arbor is not typical of Michigan towns. f - Jane Rosenbrough Canton resident showed up. But this would be the place' said Canton resi- dent Jane Rosenbrough, as she marched on South Fourth Street. "Ann Arbor is not veterans. "It brings back old memories because I lived in the '60s. This is kind of a deja vu;' Rosenbrough said. Thom Saffold, who helped organize the march and rally, said he hoped the event would keep King's message in the spotlight. "Personally, I think it's important to commemorate not only the birth of King, but his death because he risked his life and he paid the ultimate (sacri- fice), and it's ironic because we have not yet listened to him as a society," he said. "We miss out on the revolution of values, the revolution of society that he dedicated his life to," Saffold said Following the half-hour march, par- ticipants gathered in First United Methodist Church's spacious pews for spontaneous group singing and a pro Education senior - TQ;ir Gnm i ._ r A.. .. ...