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Saul Williams shares his poetry Page 6
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 40
King inspires,
shares dream
with Eugene
Yolanda King, daughter of civil rights leader
Martin Luther King Jr., encouraged audience
members to embrace the power of choice
By Ayisha Yahya
News Editor
Like a preacher knowledgeable of her congregation, Yolan
da King set the crowd afire on Wednesday, making them laugh
and shout out in affirmation with her sassiness and enthusi
asm and simmering them down to reverent silence with
her wisdom.
About 200 people gathered at the McDonald Theatre to hear
the message from Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest daughter. And the
message was clear: Her father's dream of equality and social jus
tice is still a vision that requires work and dedication.
"We as a nation, we as humanity, we have not yet reached the
promised land," she said, adding that the world still has to deal
with racism, sexism, homophobia and other ills.
Yolanda said she was a "card-carrying believer" in the dream
that her father advocated and spoke about in his legendary 1963
"I Have a Dream" speech.
"It's a dream about freedom, freedom from oppression,"
she said.
She reminded her audience that the struggle for that freedom is
not ancient history.
"It was only 40 years ago that the ugly signs of segregation sur
rounded us," Yolanda said, adding that people must make the
choice to continue working for equality today.
She said life is about the unique choices each individual makes,
and civil rights activists like her father and Rosa Parks actively opt
ed to champion for change.
"Because Rosa Parks chose to stand up that day by remaining
seated, she started a movement," she said, adding that this move
ment had far-reaching effects for Americans.
"What did I tell you about the power of choice?" she asked.
However, she said there were some people who had a "woul
da, coulda, shoulda mentality"; they may seem dedicated, but
when the moment comes to take action, they are the first
Turn to DREAM, page 16
Bodybuilder and
sociology Professor
Ken Liberman
continues to build his
strength in the
Student Recreation
Center after surgery
on his aortic valve.
Lauren Wimer
Photographer
A matter of heart
Ken Liberman has focused on weight lifting
since having heart surgery three years ago
By Hank Hager
Sports Editor
Robert O'Brien has known sociology Professor Ken
Liberman for more than 35 years now.
O'Brien, the head of the sociology department at the
University, met Liberman when he was a senior at Pomona
College in Claremont, Calif. Liberman, then a freshman,
was in O'Brien's sponsor group.
"He's an interesting character," O'Brien said. "He's not
of a standard mold."
Three years ago, O'Brien heard some discouraging news
about Liberman, a former football player at Pomona. The
professor was set to go to India on a research grant and had
a required physical done.
That's where he ran into problems.
Heart surgery.
"I was organizing an international conference here at the
University," Liberman said. "I was just exhausted, and I could
n't even walk up the stairs here (at Prince Luden Campbell
Hall) without getting faint. So I realized I had a problem.
"After the conference was over, I said I will make the tests.
They did the echocardiogram and the radiologist looked
at the screen and said, 'Oh my God, just wait a minute.' She
ran out of the room to find a doctor, came back 10 minutes
later and said, *The doctor's gone for the day, you'll have to
come back in the morning.'"
That's when Liberman found out the bad news. A prob
lem with his aortic valve would need surgery — and fast.
He convinced doctors to wait six weeks — enough time
for Liberman to finish dasses for the term — then under
went surgery at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene
with Dr. David Duke.
"I think 1 was within two weeks of death," Liberman said.
Turn to HEART, page 16
Wushu Club practices skill in agility, choreography
I he team hopes that the
sport will be added to
the lineup for the 2008
Olympic Games in China
By Ali Shaughnessy
Senior News Reporter
Grace, speed, flexibility and focus
are just a few of the ingredients that
make up the world of Wushu, a form
of Kung-fu that has found a home at
the University.
The University Wushu Club —
founded in 1994 by then-coach
Daniel Wu — impressed students
walking past the Lillis Business Com
plex on Wednesday as club members
executed flying leaps, daring flips and
precision sword play.
Junior Nick Gallagher snapped a
whip chain around his body, using
both his arms and neck to control the
movements. Senior Lorelei Cortez
moved across the pavement with a
sword swiveling in her hands. And the
club's coach, Phillip Dang, elicited
cheers from the crowd as he executed a
perfect flip.
"We do some crazy stuff," Dang
said. "Everything is graceful, every
thing is perfect. It is the most difficult
art to perform."
This is the junior's second year
coaching approximately 20 students in
Wushu. Dang first started Wushu when
he was 10 years old, and has been pas
sionate about it since.
"Everything is graceful,
everything is perfect. It
is the most difficult art
to perform.''
Phillip Dang
Coach, University Wushu Club
Historically, Wushu was the study
of military skills. However, Dang
teaches contemporary Wushu, which
is a combination of traditional moves
and acrobatics. Specifically, the club
focuses on long fist, which is charac
terized by expansive and agile move
ments, fixed postures and choreo
graphed performances.
Wushu is China's national sport and
became an internationally competitive
event in 1985. Approximately 10 peo
ple from the University club compete
at three different competitions
throughout the year.
Gallagher is going into his third year
with the Wushu club but has been do
ing Wushu for five years.
"It's a good form of exercise," he
said. "It's really fun to do."
Dang and Gallagher said they hope
Wushu will be added to the 2008
Olympics, especially with China as
the host.
The University hosted the colle
giate Wushu competition in 2002,
Turn to WUSHU, page 4
Ali Shaugnessy Emerald
Junior TJ Kirn practices Wushu
outside the Lillis Business Complex
on Wednesday.
WEATHER
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