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Criminal executives avoid jail time; the “F” word explored and explained. 6
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Punk Voter wants you
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Nader looks to gain votes
Rap the vote
Independent candidate addresses student issues in San Diego By ALI DORRI Daily Titan Staff
Organization seeks to motivate and inspire young voters By JICKIE TORRES For the Daily Titan
Punk and politics have always been closely associated since the Sex Pistols raged against the Queen, and the disaffected and disappointed British youth spoke out against a government that they claimed had failed them. Mike Burkett of NOFX strikes a similar chord with his organization PunkVoter.com as he said he tries to re-engage the youth of today with close-range political issues and tackles one of the hardest tasks: getting kids to vote. Burkett, also known as Fat Mike, started Punk Voter after the 2000 elections, when he said he realized that Bush won the presidency by 534 votes and the American landscape was changed. Burkett said he put Punk Voter together as an organization aiming to activate punks and other young people to organize, inform themselves and take a political stand by voting. The Web site offers links to articles and news sites that highlight current issues relating to the youth, activism movements and alleged shortcomings of the current administration. PunkVoter.com even offers downloads for fliers and stickers with the encouragement to multiply and distribute the material to friends and
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The Apostles deliver their political message through rap in the Quad Tuesday. Douglas “Griot” Quaid says he came “straight out of the Bronx of New York” to perform at universities like CSUF.
CSUF students arrested on false imprisonment charges Two men questioned and released on bail, arraignment scheduled Daily Titan Staff
Two Cal State Fullerton students were arrested by university police last month and charged with possession of a weapon and of the false imprisonment of two female CSUF students. The suspects, Adam Aaron and Donald Hutchinson, were taken to the Orange County Jail and held at $25,000 and $15,000 bail, respectively. They later were released on bail.
The incident, which occurred on Sept. 25, began when the suspects ran into the two women at University Village on Yorba Linda Boulevard and Associated Road. They later went to the campus residence halls parking lot, where they allegedly were invited to enter the womenʼs apartment. According to the university police report, one of the women vaguely knew Aaron from a class. Sgt. Tom Gehrls, an investigations officer with the university police, said the two suspects told him they expected to “hook up” with the women who invited them in. Although Aaron claimed he and Hutchinson had nothing to drink, witnesses and the alleged victims
said the two men were under the influence of alcohol. Hutchinson entered a separate room with one of the women and locked the door behind him, Gehrls said. Aaron, who was later questioned by police, said he assumed his friend was probably “hooking up.” “Their equation of getting invited up equals sex,” Gehrls said. “Thatʼs not an uncommon thought process for males. Alcohol further deteriorates logic, and you have people doing very stupid things.” Meanwhile, the other woman later reported that Aaron “was touching [her],” but said she faked being asleep POLICE 3
Middle Eastern campus groups raise awareness CSUF clubs aim to dispel stereotypes and racial profiling By NOURA AL ANBAR Daily Titan Staff
Some call it racial profiling, some call it added security and some simply consider it plain ignorance. Following
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Sept. 11, people who resembled Middle Easterners or Muslims have been stereotyped and misunderstood by some of the American culture. The Middle Eastern and Muslim societies at California State Fullerton are working to unite, educate and familiarize their peers with their cultures to put an end to the misconceptions some hold about them. “A common misconception made
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Former priest, Yusuf Estes(c), speaks to the Muslim Student Association about “The Muslim Jesus” yesterday.
about these cultures is associating the Middle Eastern race with the Islamic religion. Middle Eastern, Muslim, Arab and Pakistani. Some people melt them all together in one group. Not all Muslims are Arab. Generally speaking, for most Americans, the U.S is their world,” said Rashad Al Dabbagh, president of the Middle Eastern Student Society. “But I canʼt stereotype them like some of them do to us.” Dealing with harassments and hassles is another problem people from these cultures have to face, said Naseef Kazi, the vice president of the Muslim Student Association. “Iʼm Indian, but I look Arab and I wear a kufi,” he said. “While I was at a sandwich shop in [Fullerton College] one day, by one side of the street one guy yells out the window ʻI hate Middle Eastern, I hate Arabs.ʼ” Fahmy Farahat, public relations director of the MESS, said he has never experienced any harassment. “The main reason I think is because I live around educated college students whose mentality is different,” he said. “They are here to learn.” After Sept. 11, racial profiling might be a more common occurrence for people who resemble Middle Easterners and Muslims. Because of todayʼs high security measures this group of students said they always have to think twice before making decisions. Every time they visit their home countries or
leave to renew their visa, they said they take a risk of losing their educational opportunities in the U.S. “I knew a Kuwaiti student who left for vacation to renew his visa and he got denied,” said Abdul Rahman Al Yassen, a MSA member. “One of the main reasons I donʼt go back home is because I feel I wonʼt be able to come back.” Bob Ericksen, director of international education and exchange at CSUF, said the overall international enrollment today is stronger than ever; however, there is a slight decline of students from the Middle East. “We all know that students from the Middle East, especially young men, face challenges of additional security checks and delays, but itʼs just a matter of planning ahead,” Ericksen said. MESS members are planning a panel discussion about democracy in the Middle East and President Bushʼs greater Middle East initiative. They said that the most relevant activity this month is the Ramadan tent activity planned to take place three weeks from Oct. 15, which is the start of the Islam holy month. The MSA will have a free eftar — breakfast — through this Thursday to keep the spirit of Ramadan alive for Middle Easterners and Muslims on campus. The MSA is also planning to have a “fastathon” to encourage Muslims and non-Muslims to fast with prize money going to charities.
Ralph Nader continued his swing through California yesterday, speaking in the stateʼs deep south to an audience at the San Diego Central Public Library. Despite remaining at 1 percent in most presidential polls, Nader said at a press conference that his campaign will continue its activity because a persistent voice is vital for social progression. “I grew up believing if you donʼt succeed, you try again,” he said. “This has been the history of social breakthroughs.” In regards to proposed California State University tuition increases, Nader said the current pace foretells no end to the rise of college expenses and other costs students must endure in and out of college. On Oct. 28, the CSU Board of Trustees will vote on gradual increase of studentsʼ tuition to a place where they would cover 31 percent of their expenses. CSU Chancellor Bill Reed said last month that there would be no further increases after that quota is met, relative to inflation. Nader said the tuition cap wouldnʼt be possible.
KRT File Photo
“The burden of education has shifted toward the students,” he said. If students can afford to go to school in the first place, he said, they face lower chances in finding employment afterward due to outsourcing. Other problems faced by young adults will be struggles with affordable health insurance and the possibility of being drafted to fill voids in a military that has been stretched thin, he said. “The struggle for justice shouldnʼt be put on the back burner,” he said. “Young people have forgotten how to argue; you lose a generation if you donʼt keep issues on the front burner.” Most of his speech at the standNADER 3
Arboretum hosts ‘Green Scene II’ Event shows the importance of cooler climate planting By CASEY RITTENHOUSE For the Daily Titan
The Arboretum will be teaching (and selling) gardeners a thing or two about a season that is often neglected for planting. “Green Scene II” at the Arboretum will be the first fall planting event for the facility and will be held Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The eventʼs planners said they hope to inform people that planting in the fall is a supreme time to plant specific greens so they will be ready for springtime. “Fall is ideal for planting because thatʼs when you plant your bulbs, roots and California natives,” said Lore McKenna, special events coordinator for the Arboretum. “Those plants begin to bloom in the spring and the fall weather is a pleasure to work in.” The event will feature one-of-akind vendors who will sell specialized plants, garden tools and soil mixes. The planning for the event began in August and McKenna said it was planned in a short period of time, but said she was excited to introduce it. “Green Scene II” is a takeoff of the success that is “Green Scene,” a similar event that has been held in the spring for over 30 years, McKenna said. Greg Dyment, the Arboretumʼs director, said this event is important because it helps raise funds for the facility during the fall, where in the past it relied on the disintegrating “Arbor Fest” for additional funding. “It has been a genesis for the Arboretum in the past five or six years,” Dyment said. “The people
who work and volunteer here know that ʻArbor Festʼ was declining, so there was a need for a fundraiser.” “Arbor Fest” was a country fair in the Arboretum during the fall, but has been let go because of competing places holding similar events, he said. “We werenʼt unique and itʼs not who we are,” Dyment said. “We prune and plant. So we will see if the rest of the community agrees with us.” Mark Costello is the manager of Friends of the Arboretum, a branch that is in charge of all the retail that goes on within the facility. “Green Scene II” is one of the special events Friends of the Arboretum is in charge of. Costello said he agreed that there were two specific reasons to hold an event in the autumn. “The important messages are one, that fall is an overlooked season and not many realize this is a perfect time to garden,” he said. “And two, it is important because we have never had a major fundraising opportunity like this before.” McKenna said the $6 admission fee and exhibitor fees will go toward the Arboretumʼs fund-raising efforts. McKenna also said the educational programs at the Arboretum are always evolving and she said she was impressed by its classes on wildlife and how to be a successful gardener. One such program at the festivities will be about Old Bob, the 100-pound alligator snapping turtle, who will be making his first public appearance, McKenna said. Old Bob was found in Laguna Lake and his presentation by the California Turtle and Tortoise Club should bring awareness to the community about this large animal within its fragile ecosystem, she said.