Patriots

It is not un-American or un-patriotic to demonstrate and protest for or against causes, says Dr. Larry Burriss, expert on First Amendment issues and himself a veteran (lieutenant colonel) of Desert Storm, Vietnam and other conflicts. "Remember the battle of Lexington and the 'shot heard 'round the world?' What happened there was a bunch of folks, we call them 'patriots' now, got together and said, 'The British are coming into town, we'd better stop them.'" Protests must be peaceful, however; otherwise the government has the right to step in, he adds.

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

Gay rights

According to findings in the new MT Poll, 82 percent of Tennesseans believe gay men and lesbians should have be guaranteed equal housing rights, and 78 percent support equal employment rights. However, Tennesseans draw the line between civil and marital rights, with the accompanying religious associations. Under one-third (29 percent) think that gays should have full marital rights. Church/synagogue attendance is an important predictor of attitudes. Among those who attend weekly services, 72 percent support job rights for gays; 85 percent of those who attend little or not at all expressed their support.

Contact Dr. Robert Wyatt, poll director, at 615-477-8389, or Dr. Ken Blake, associate director, at 615-210-6187.

War and consumers

According to a consumer survey by MTSU's Office of Consumer Research, most respondents believe that a war with Iraq will have negative effects on the economy. With respect to the overall national economy, more than half (55 percent) believe so. Only 29 percent of consumers believe that a war will have positive effects on the economy. Forty-nine percent said they believe the war will have negative effects on the Middle Tennessee economy. The survey is based on 482 randomly selected adults from Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties.

Contact Dr. Tim Graeff, director, at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA: TODAY, March 20, 4 p.m., the annual John Pleas Award will be presented to Dr. Bertha Clark, speech and theatre, at the MTSU Foundation Reception House, 325 W. Thompson Lane. The award, first presented in 1996 to Dr. John Pleas, professor of psychology, is awarded to a minority faculty member who has set a standard of excellence and contributed in significant ways to the university and community. Contact Clark at 615-898-2661. Media welcomed.
CHANGE OF LOCATION: The venue for the upcoming 14th Annual Volunteer Horse Fair, March 21-23, has been moved to MTSU's Tennessee Livestock Center. (Originally it was to be held at the new Tennessee Miller Coliseum, but inclement weather prevented the completion of certain areas in the new facility.) Friday and Saturday events ($10 admission each day) will begin at 9 a.m.; Sunday ($5) will begin with non-denominational worship at 9 a.m. A weekend pass is $20. For more information, call 615-297-3200. Media welcomed.
TORNADO EXPERT: In light of yesterday's tornado alerts and the upcoming season, you may want to contact Dr. James Henry, associate professor, geosciences, who has expertise in the following areas: tornadoes, meteorology, climatology, El Nino, global warming. 615-904-8452 jhenry@mtsu.edu