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FEBRUARY 13, 2015 FRIday High 68, Low 43 SATURday High 75, Low 46
VOLUME 100 ISSUE 57 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS 1915 - 2015
NEWS Briefs World SOUTH AFRICA— Former Grand Slam tennis champion Bob Hewitt testified Thursday at his rape trial, denying he sexually abused three girls he coached decades ago and saying the mother of one of his alleged victims supports him. VERDIJ, Iran— Methamphetamine production and drug abuse are skyrocketing in the country despite criminal penalties for users if caught. The increase is partly because Iran is the main gateway for the region’s top drug exporter, Afghanistan.
National ST. JOHNSBURY, V.T.— A Vermont woman pleaded guilty Thursday to the 2012 strangulation of a prep school teacher who prosecutors say was lured to her death with a ruse about a broken down car. A judge found Patricia Prue capable of rational decisions before she pleaded guilty to aggravated murder of teacher Melissa Jenkins. CHICAGO— Hours after Little League International announced its stunning decision to strip a Chicago team of its national championship, the city’s mayor asked the organization to reverse the decision that he said unfairly made the young players responsible.
Texas FORT WORTH— TCU has suspended backup guard Charles Hill Jr. Coach Trent Johnson announced Thursday that Hill, a junior, has been suspended indefinitely from the program for “conduct unbecoming of a TCU men’s basketball player.” Hill has played 14 of TCU’s 24 games this season, averaging 2.6 points and 1.2 rebounds.
Victor Rivas Rivers breaks the silence on domestic violence Nickson Chong Opinion Editor nicksonc@smu.edu Domestic violence activist, actor, athlete and best-selling author Victor Rivas Rivers traveled to SMU-in-Plano to share his personal experience with the matter, the importance of raising awareness and to excite and empower audience members to become activists. Audience members traveled far and wide to hear Rivers’ presentation on domestic violence. Sarah Feuerbacher, clinic director for the SMU Center for Family Counseling, once drove three hours to hear Rivers speak before. “He’s my hero, he’s amazing,” Feuerbacher said. “We want to make sure SMU raises awareness about family violence and Victor Rivers is the best to do that.” Rivers began his presentation with a statement: “I’m not a woman.” He continued to clarify that although Rivers is a man, he still calls domestic violence his issue by challenging men to stand up to the evils of domestic abuse.
“A real man is one who joins a movement to love and protect women, to stand up and respect women,” he said. But this principle sharply contrasted with the husband in a story he shared: a husband constantly and, without reason, violently abused his wife, who also completed the duties around the home, held a full time job and cared for her children. While carrying the laundry, the mother collapsed and was sent to he hospital for her injuries what doctors call a “near-death experience.” She registered as a “Jane Doe” in fear of backlash from her husband. He also shared the story of a boy who busted through the doors of a police station, ripped off his clothes, showing the police officers his welts, burns and bruises. The boy cried, “Please, you have to stop my father from hurting my mother and my siblings!” “File a complaint,” responded the officers because they knew that was all they could do. Rivers revealed that he was the boy in the story and the mother was his very own. During his childhood, his father physically, verbally and psychologically abused him, his siblings and his mother.
Time and time again, they reported the domestic abuse to the police, pleading for the officers to arrest his father, but they replied that they can only make an arrest if he killed one of his siblings, or if one of his siblings killed their father. The officers continued to state that the domestic abuse in Rivers’ household represented a private family matter. Rising from the pain of his childhood, Rivers became the successful author of a book titled “A Private Family Matter,” a middle finger to the phrase that constantly prevent his family from the help they needed. Fortunately, at the age of 15 Rivers sued his father, escaped from his torture and was sent to a foster home. Encouraging and empowering Rivers, unofficial advocates, who Rivers likes to call his angels, guided him out of darkness and into the light. From the numerous teachers and counselors in high school to the three families that helped raise him, these angels and advocates believed and supported him through the rough road that Rivers was forced to travel. Now he is calling on SMU and society to stand up and speak out against domestic
violence to become activists and save the children who remain trapped in an abusive households and to give those children a voice. Rivers wants activists to understand that domestic violence isn’t a women’s issue; it isn’t a mother’s issue, it’s everybody’s issue. An issue that revolves around changing the social stigma that domestic violence is a private family matter, because it’s more than that. According to Rivers, domestic violence represents an inhumane act of violence that hurts more than just the body, but also the soul. Rivers said that while the body heals miraculously, the soul may never close the wounds that household abuse cut open. Audience members resonated with his words and plea. They were impressed with Rivers’ resilience and found his lecture inspiring. “I really enjoyed it, I loved the message he conveyed and how positive it was despite the tragedies in his life,” attendee Taylor Edwards said. To hear more about Rivers’ story and his work as an activist, visit victorrivers.com.
music
feature
‘President’s Own’ U.S. Marine Band performs on campus
Rudy Rasmus
Michael Gonzalez Contributing Writer mlgonzalez@smu.edu As 8 p.m. approached Tuesday night, the Caruth Auditorium began to fill up with students, staff and Dallas residents all in attendance to see “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, Americas oldest professional musical organization. With a proud tradition of bringing music to the White House and the American people, the band has been on a short tour this past month playing in various masters’ classes and concert halls. The brass quintet members promptly entered the stage and opened the concert with a profound melody named “Fire Dance” by Anthony DiLorenzo. Upon conclusion of their opening piece, Master Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Harding gave a brief introduction about the band and next piece of music that they would be performing entitled “Four Madrigals” by Claudio Monteverdi. As the concert progressed, each member of the band stood up and introduced the next piece of music. Gunnery Sgt. Hilary Harding presented “Suite Francaise, Opus 248” by Darius Milhaud. The soothing song ended and the quintet exited the stage to a round of applause. Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Tiedeman introduced the next piece of music that was to be performed called, “The Threepenny Opera” by Kurt Weill. As the quintet ended the piece, a loud applause broke the somber mood that the song projected.
“It’s a very good group – ‘The Presidents Own Band’- all their ensembles are excellent,” said Date Young. Young is a sophomore music education major on tuba at SMU. Young attended the event for the quality of music and a special connection that he was able to make with the quintet. “I played in a brass quintet a little myself and just hearing professional players play my instrument so well is always exciting to go and see,” said Young. Master Sgt. Michael Mergen was up next to announce the final piece of the night titled “Brass Quintet No. 2, Opus 6” by Victor Ewald. After the quintet played their last official song of the night, Master Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Harding addressed the audience one last time to thank them for attending the concert. Young, who was asked a similar question, was particularly impressed by one of the instruments that was being played. “The cimbasso was pretty neat. You don’t see that very often. It’s a cool instrument, “ said Young. As a final farewell to close out the night, the quintet would be playing the songs of the different branches of the military. Each song was proudly performed moving members of the audience to stand up when they heard their branch’s song. As the last note echoed throughout the auditorium, the quintet bowed to a standing ovation.
From brothel owner to reverend Savannah James Contributing Writer sjames@smu.edu Reverend Rudy Rasmus spoke today at 11:30 a.m. during the Community Hour at Perkins (CHAP). The Rev. Rasmus shared his views on pastoral leadership and unconditional love with a crowd of about 30 people in Prothro Hall. Dr. Isabel Docampo introduced the Rev. Rasmus, explaining that the Perkins intern program has several interns involved in his church said, “it has been a good place for our interns to learn and work.” The Rev. Rasmus preaches once a month with his wife Juanita at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston. He released a book in “July, Love. Period.” When All Else Fails, which is a series of stories about his experiences and the experiences of others. The Rev. Rasmus detailed his unusual upbringing for the group; he lived in a segregated town until he was 11 years old. There was an image projected onto the screen in the front of the room of separate water fountains, “the one image that was more powerful than God,” Rasmus said. He also spoke about his family business, which was “a borderline brothel” but “the women were independent contractors so we didn’t take a cut.” His father first showed him the blueprints for the brothel when he was 5 years old and they built the inn when he was 22 years old. During the time they were running the inn, crack hit the streets. “Our rooms ultimately became places where more crack was smoked than sex was sold,” Rasmus said. It was his wife who turned Rasmus
to God, because she took him to church every Sunday while he was running the brothel with his father. After a while, a man named Willie Lane invited him to a bible study and they met together for one year. Rasmus said, “During that year, my heart started changing.” Lane wasn’t the only person who caused a change for Rasmus; he had a daughter and said, “I started thinking that there has got to be another way.” Shortly after the birth of his daughter he became a Christian and walked away from the family business. “I believed that the church existed for a reason other than for preachers to experience prosperity,” said Rasmus. The Rev. Rasmus also believes, “it’s love that literally saved my life,” and his church in Houston is a reflection of that. “He’s just the real deal,” said Assistant to the Director of the Intern Program Judy Gibbons.
Savannah James/THE DAILY CAMPUS
Rev. Rasmus talking about his childhood.
2015 Strong Man Competition Results MEN
WOMEN
1st Place- Andrew Elrod
1st Place- Ami Elrod
2nd Place- Owen Klaiss
2nd Place- Gel Greene
3rd Place- Ben Baker
3rd Place- Emily Field
To read our full report on the SMU Strongman Competition, visit smudailycampus.com/news.