OPTIMIST THE
FRIDAY November 19, 2004
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 26 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Off and running:
Back to the ‘Futures’:
Held in check:
The men’s basketball team began its season by defeating Rhema Bible College. Page 10
Jimmy Eat World released its new album, Futures, which does not stray far from the band’s signature sound. Page 5
The Chess Club will sponsor a tournament Saturday in the Campus Center. Page 7
An attitude of gratitude SALT collecting money to provide 50 families with Thanksgiving meals during next week By DEE TRAVIS ARTS EDITOR
The Service Action Leadership Team is preparing to feed more than 50 families in need Monday for the Thanksgiving holidays. For the third consecutive year, SALT has worked in conjunction with Taylor Elemen-
tary School and University Seminar classes to make this service project happen. “It’s amazing to watch students and faculty come together in service,” said Wade Holmes, senior marketing major from Arlington and coordinator for the Thanksgiving Meals Delivery project.
SALT asked every U-100 class to donate money to feed one or two families for Thanksgiving. Holmes said the meals are big, full Thanksgiving meals, so $45 feeds one family. Therefore, in a class of 20 people, everyone was asked to donate $2. “Most of these families are near-homeless,” said Holmes. “It’s pretty cool that two dolSee SALT Page 8
Gardner Hall residents treated to Thanksgiving meal Thursday by staff in show of appreciation By MALLORY SHERWOOD STAFF WRITER
For 200 freshman women in Gardner Hall, it all came down to their gobble — and they should start practicing. On Thursday, Gardner Hall residents participated in a gobbling contest as one of the activities during a special
Thanksgiving meal given by Gardner staff in appreciation of the women. The meal, catered by ARAMARK for two meal plans, was in the Hilton Room in the Campus Center at 5:30 p.m. “The RAs [resident assistants] have been thinking of ideas of activities to do and
thought a gobbling contest would be fun,” said Pam Carroll, assistant director in Gardner Hall and senior composite interdisciplinary major from Hampton, Va. “They’ll probably see who is the loudest or who sounds most like a turkey; it should be really fun.” Although this is not the first year a Thanksgiving meal See GARDNER Page 8
Debate team to contend for nationals Several members could receive bid for tournament this weekend By MALLORY SHERWOOD STAFF WRITER
Lizz Alvarez has a chance. She went to nationals four years ago and placed 14th. Now she is looking to go again, this time to win. This weekend, ACU’s nationally ranked forensic team, a competitive public speaking and debate team, is expecting several of its members to receive a bid this weekend at the tournament in Minneapolis, Minn., to go to nationals in Akron, Ohio, in the spring. Alvarez, senior political science major from McAllen and captain of the forensic debate team, only needs to place fifth in this tournament to continue on to nationals. “Debating is what I really love to do,” Alvarez said. “We are working really hard, and I expect more than one of us will get our nationals’ bid this time.” Graduate assistant Nicole Ryerson, graduate student in human communication, said Alvarez she agrees with Alvarez that many could make it to nationals next weekend. “It’s really difficult to say how many, but the team is full of really talented individuals,” Ryerson said. Alvarez joins a team of around 14 students that competes on the weekends in places such as Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska and Houston. She said many people at ACU don’t know about the forensic team, but the team is known and respected across the nation, as having members that are nationally ranked. ACU debates against teams from Concordia, University of Texas, Western Kentucky and See DEBATE Page 9
Campus Court closing Campus Court will be closed from EN 18th to EN 20th beginning Friday at midnight and ending Monday morning.
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of political science, looks at photographs she took of the landscape in the Middle East. She said the highlight of the trip for her was riding on a camel. Gentry visited the Middle East to conduct interviews for her doctoral dissertation.
Gentry targets terror in Middle East By CHRISTY GOWER FEATURES EDITOR
Six months after Sept. 11, 2001, Dr. Caron Gentry decided to go to the Middle East. America had recently invaded Afghanistan to remove al Qaeda and the Taliban. The fear of further attacks on Americans was still fresh. She went by herself. To meet with a well-known terrorist. “I was freaked out,” said Gentry, now an assistant professor of political science. “I had never been to the Middle East before … and I was quite anxious.”
As part of her doctoral dissertation on female terrorism in the 1960s, Gentry visited Jordan to interview Leila Khaled, who first gained fame in the late ‘60s for hijacking
two airplanes. Gentry received her master’s degree from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in international security studies, and Dr. Paul Wilkinson, her doctoral supervisor, suggested she study the female terrorist. She said that as she researched, she found the female terrorist portrayed as a “demonic, rage-filled, nonrational, brainless, evil entity,” and she did not agree with this portrayal. “These women are still just as rational as male terrorists,” she said. “They’re driven by the same causes.”
Gentry came to ACU in the fall of 2003 and teaches in the Department of Political Science and the Honors Program. She said that she would one day like to see a course on terrorism studies; until then, she uses her knowledge and experiences in her current classes, like International Relations. As a framework for her studies, Gentry used the New Social Movement Theory, which argues that certain movements are cultural identity movements, like the Civil See GENTRY Page 8
Watson discusses meal plans with Congress SA tables plan for scholarship meant for student leaders on campus By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF
Kevin Watson, chief administrative services officer, spoke to Student Congress on Wednesday night and answered questions regarding the university’s meal plan policy. Watson talked to students for 30 minutes, answering questions that ranged from why students cannot swipe their cards multiple times per meal to if there are plans to extend some food vendors’ hours of operation. Much of the conversation centered on how the university budgets for students’ meals and if the students received their money’s worth. When asked why students could no longer use multiple meal plans at any given meal, Watson said it would likely increase the number of meal plans used, effectively increasing the price of the meal plans. “When we price our meal plans, we price them expecting you to eat between 75 to 80 per-
cent of those,” Watson said. “If meal plan usage ship. The amount of the scholarship each year goes up, we have to start charging more for it.” could depend on how much money was given Because ACU outsources food services to for the fund. ARAMARK, the university pays a fee for each The bill, presented by junior Sen. Sarah meal plan used. Watson said using ARAMARK Carlson and Rep. Ashley Downhour, Biblical seemed to be more cost-effective than if the uni- Studies Building, would have also set guidelines versity managed food services. for selecting the scholarship recipient. The Watson said individual students could have scholarship would be for students involved as a legitimate arguments against the current meal leader in at least two campus activities and plan system, but maintain at the current sysleast a 3.0 grade “There’s nothing wrong with setting a high tem in place point average. provides the Some memstandard for people you are going to pay.” most cost-effecbers of tive service to Congress quesBob Parsons, Administration Building representative for SA the most stutioned the dents. wording of sevThe Students’ Association also discussed a eral other of the scholarship’s requirements, bill creating guidelines for a future scholarship including that recipients never have been arrestfor student leaders on campus. However, as ed except for civil disobedience and never been debate brought the meeting near 7 p.m. and on academic probation. Congress drew close to losing quorum, memRep. Chris Smith, Foster Science Building, bers opted to table the bill until a later time. suggested replacing such phrases as “never The bill would have created the structure for a committee to select recipients for the scholarSee SA Page 9
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Kevin Watson, chief administrative services officer, speaks to the Students’ Association on Wednesday about the university’s meal plan policy.
CAMPUS
DAY
Friday, November 19, 2004
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Calendar&Events Friday
Portland, Ore., Spring Break Campaign recruiting, all day, Campus Center tables. Purple Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Living Room. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society bake sale, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center tables. Tiffany Hamilton Run T-shirt sales, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People bake sale, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center tables. Reservations Only, 6-7:30 p.m. ACU Opera Theatre’s Marriage of Figaro, 7:30 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
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Saturday
Chess Club, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Hilton Room. Philharmonic Concert, 8 p.m., Abilene Civic Center. ACU Opera Theatre’s Marriage of Figaro, 7:30 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
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Sunday
Keegan Chumley senior recital, 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
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Monday
Faculty Women’s meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Faculty-Staff Dining Room.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People bake sale, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center tables.
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Wednesday
Thanksgiving holiday begins. Venture Out product sales, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center tables. Campus Life Administration Coordinators’ meeting, 2-4 p.m., FacultyStaff Dining Room. Social club officers’ meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., Living Room.
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Campus Center closes, noon.
25
Thursday
Thanksgiving holiday. Campus Center closes, noon.
Tuesday
Thanksgiving holiday begins after evening classes. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People bake sale, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center tables.
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Friday
Thanksgiving Holiday. Campus Center Closed.
Recreation Area closes, 4 p.m.
Volunteer Opportunities
About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities. Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@jmc.acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor, ACU Box 27892, Abilene, TX 79699.
To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style. Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee needs volunteers for a Habitat for Humanity project Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the house at 1726 N. 7th St. For more information, contact the athletics office at Ext. 2353. The counseling center needs a graphic design student to volunteer creative talents and services to assist with designing bulletin boards. The boards will function in the residence halls to provide edu-
cational information on different topics for students. If interested, contact Steve Rowlands at Ext. 2876 or e-mail rowlandss@acu.edu. The Service Action Leadership Team is raising money to purchase Thanksgiving meals for at least 50 families from Taylor Elementary School. Each meal costs $45, and student donations are needed. Students are encouraged to bring donations of any amount to the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center by Friday.
Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
64 7
Friday, November 19, 2004
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CAMPUS NEWS
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Friday, November 19, 2004
New leader takes charge of Music Department in spring Straughn chosen to lead after Piersall steps down By JENNA LUCADO STUDENT REPORTER
Dr. Gregory Straughn is teaching his 4-year-old daughter, Eva, a new word: D-I-S-SE-R-T-A-T-I-O-N, a word that Straughn says he is proud to have accomplished. “Eva knows that there are a lot of changes going on in my life,” said Straughn, instructor of music. Since the fulfillment of his doctorate at the University of North Texas, Straughn will take on a new challenge: chair of the Music Department. “In December, I will be graduating with my own cap and gown, hang the graduation cap on the door handle, and in January, I will put on the hat of chair of the Music Depart-
ment,” Straughn said. In the spring semester of 2004, Dr. Paul Piersall, current chair and professor of music, informed Dr. Colleen Durrington, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, that he wanted to step down after nine years as chair. Piersall said he has felt fortunate to be chair during such a historical time in ACU’s history with the planning and construction of the new Williams Performing Arts Center, but it is time for a change. “When I took over the position [of chair], I never intended to be a career administrator,” Piersall said. “My first love is working with the students and in the classroom on a full-time basis.” In January, Straughn will take over the position while Piersall takes a semester-long sabbatical to work on a research project, developing accompaniments of musical
compositions from the 17th and 18th centuries that have never been performed. Piersall said that by stepping down as chair, he hopes to sing more and focus on his new position as governor of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, an organization that consists of voice teachers from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico who help develop singers through competitions, workshops and more. Though Straughn will take on the responsibilities of chair for the spring semester of 2005, he will not officially be recognized as the chair of the Music Department until the fall semester of 2005. “It is good that Dr. Piersall will still be around next semester so that I have someone to draw on,” Straughn said. Straughn already had a slight taste of what it will be like as chair when he attended
Students feel calling to mission fields Upcoming dinner will recognize teams leaving soon By SUSAN SPIVEY STUDENT REPORTER
In an effort to raise awareness about long-term missions, the Institute for Missions and Evangelism will provide a dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in the Williams Performing Arts Center. Dr. Sonny Guild, director of the Institute for Missions and Evangelism, said the dinner, “Team Quest 2004: A Calling to Missions,” will celebrate ACU student mission teams that are getting ready to go to Boston, Miami, Thailand, Tanzania, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Australia, El Salvador, Sudan and Peru. The dinner also will inform students about teams that are forming and highlight sites that need missionaries, Guild said. Faculty will pray over the mission teams and bless them, he said. “It’s a thanksgiving kind of celebration,” he said. Guild said students interested in missions or church planting are invited to Team Quest at no cost. The deadline to sign up is Sunday at the Institute for Missions and Evangelism in the Biblical Studies Building. Guild said the institute has reserved 150 seats, and the location can hold up to 200. Guild said that Team Quest is the first public announcement about the new mission teams. “Many mission teams have come together at ACU, but not much has been done to publicly celebrate it,” he said. The institute wants to encourage students to pursue long-term missions, Guild said. He said interest in long-term
missions has decreased because shorter trips have become so popular. “Echoing Jesus’ words, we need workers to go out into the harvest field,” Guild said. One of those workers is Ruth Ashley, junior social work major from American Samoa and a member of the mission team to Australia, who will be recognized at the dinner. “There’s such a need there,” Ashley said. “People tend not to realize that because it’s such an advanced nation, but Christianity is almost nonexistent in Australia.” Ashley has not told many people about her upcoming mission trip, but her family and friends have been supportive. “Especially on a college campus, it’s important that people be aware of missions and the need for missions,” she said. Ashley said she became interested in the Australia mission team because she grew up in American Samoa, where her parents were vocational missionaries. She tried to convince a friend to join the team but instead ended up convincing herself, she said. The team began forming last October and hopes to leave for Newcastle, Australia, in early 2007, Ashley said. She said the students plan to plant a church and do other types of outreach ministry with campuses and youth. The 11-member team is made up almost entirely of ACU undergraduates, including five couples and Ashley. All of them have made a commitment of at least five years, Ashley said. “Personally, I could see myself staying indefinitely,” Ashley said. E-mail Spivey at: optimist@acu.edu
some of the Thursday evening chair meetings this semester. “It’s pretty intimidating,” Straughn said. “I put my training wheels on for a few of the meetings. Come January, I guess I will be forced to take them off.” Though the role may appear intimidating, Straughn said the faculty is very supportive. Durrington individually interviewed the faculty for the position, and they had the opportunity to express their opinions about who might be best qualified for the job. The dean had the final say. “I understand that several faculty, me included, were consistently mentioned as possible candidates, so I think the faculty’s wishes were respected,” Straughn said. Straughn said one aspect that gave him an advantage in the decision process was the fact that he teaches general courses as opposed to many of
the other teachers who specialize in areas, such as instruments and voice. Instructors for general courses might have the ability to offer more time in an administrative role, Straughn said. Although Straughn will hold the position of chair, he will not have to entirely give up his job as an instructor. “I like the idea of working with the administration and faculty, yet not cutting myself off from the students,” Straughn said. Balancing the classroom and administrative jobs will be a learning process Straughn said he is willing to face. “I think in order to be a good chair, you have to have a good sense of what the faculty needs, what the present students and future students need, and what the administration needs,” Straughn said. “You are in the middle of a triangle.”
For the future, Straughn said he hopes to continue to increase the number of outside artists or performers who visit the ACU campus. “Getting great artists on campus inspires our students to be great artists,” Straughn said. Another long-term goal of his is to pursue and help further an idea that Piersall had suggested: a center for Christianity in the arts. This center is still in the brainstorming stages but may include the possibilities of recording studios, classes geared toward music business and music technology. “We have space for that,” Straughn said. “I feel strongly that ACU should have a center for Christianity in the arts to help teach students of ways the arts can reflect Christianity.” E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu
How dare you?
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Marcellina, played by Tracie Smith, senior music teaching major from Houston; Count Almaviva, played by Travis Branam, senior music teaching major from Canyon Country, Calif.; Dr. Bartelo, played by Travis McGuire, senior biblical text major; and Don Basilio, played by Zach Tabers, sophomore vocal performance major from Abilene, sing in “The Marriage of Figaro” at the dress rehearsal Wednesday. ACU Opera Theatre will present the opera Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium.
Food, clothing drive to accept donations Friday Mission Thanksgiving benefits poor, homeless in Abilene By JENNA LUCADO STUDENT REPORTER
One of the largest food and clothing drives in Abilene will take place Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Arrow Ford, an Abilene car dealership located at 4001 S. First St. Mission Thanksgiving is the only fund-raiser for Love and Care Ministries, an Abilene outreach ministry to the poor and homeless. Last year it raised $21,000 and filled one and one-half 18-wheelers with food. Five hundred volunteers worked at the event, but Mark Hewitt, founder and executive director of Love and Care Ministries, said more are needed this year.
“We can never have enough volunteers,” Hewitt said. Volunteers direct cars as they drop off contributions. They also load the 18-wheelers with the donations and work the next day to help unload the trucks at The Mission, the church Hewitt pastors. “We have volunteers from the ages of kindergarten all the way up to the sweet elderly ladies that collect money donations,” said Brooke Miller, volunteer coordinator of Mission Thanksgiving. Tracie Williams, director of marketing for Arrow Ford, said Cooper and Abilene high schools sent two school buses of football players to help load the trucks last year. “We really needed those big guys to help with all of the heavy loads,” she said. Mission Thanksgiving has six 18-wheelers to fill this year,
and several radio and broadcast stations are helping. Cumulus Broadcasting, KTXS and KGNZ are promoting the event and updating listeners about items still needed the day of the drive. Love and Care Ministries and Arrow Ford have been sponsors of the event since it began six years ago. Hewitt was a friend of Arrow Ford’s owner, who was looking for a way to reach out and help the poor of Abilene. “It started out like a small seed but has really grown,” Williams said. “Sort of like the bread and the fish–Jesus took something small and multiplied it.” Last year, food raised from the event lasted four months, while clothing donations were distributed six months after Mission Thanksgiving. Williams said food and winter
supplies are the most-needed items. After the food and clothing is stocked at The Mission, Hewitt and others will distribute the items to the poor and homeless three nights a week and through service projects, such as the preparation of 100 boxed dinners given at Christmas. “They are very hands-on, and people can rest assure that the majority of their money is going toward the people in need,” Williams said. To volunteer at Mission Thanksgiving, contact Brooke Miller at 692-9500. To donate items, drop them off Friday at Arrow Ford. To volunteer for any other Love and Care Ministries project, call 670-0499. E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu
ARTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
November 19, 2004
The Box Office Figures are for the weekend of November 12-14 and are in millions. Total grosses in parentheses. 1 The Incredibles—$50.3 ($143) 2 The Polar Express—$23.3 ($30.6) 3 After the Sunset—$11.1 (new) 4 Seed of Chucky—$8.77 (new) 5 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason—$8.68 (new) 6 Ray—$8.41 ($52.5) 7 The Grudge—$7.01 ($99.2) 8 Saw—$6.44 ($45.8) 9 Shall We Dance—$4.02 ($48.7) 10 Alfie—$2.74 ($11.1)
New York Times Best-Selling Fiction Novels Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the list. 1/-/1 Janet Evanovich, Metro Girl 2/1/2 David Baldacci, Hour Game 3/4/86 Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code 4/2/2 Danielle Steel, Echoes 5/5/59 Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet In Heaven 6/3/4 Nora Roberts, Northern Lights 7/6/7 Philip Roth, The Plot Against America 8/-/1 Fannie Flagg, A Redbird Christmas 9/8/4 Anita Shreve, Light on Snow 10/10/7 Stephen King, The Dark Tower
Jimmy Eat World goes back to the future By JEFF GIDDENS
Album Rating
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
67 out of 100
-Album ReviewJimmy Eat World Futures Jimmy Eat World has a history of heartbreak. Their 1999 album Clarity was a stunning work of beautifully crafted songs about longing, desperation and lost love. They upped the ante for 2001’s Bleed American, which rode Cars-esque power pop to a few radio hits and music videos for Sweetness and The Middle. However sunny Bleed American sounded, it resonated with lines like “You ripped my heart right out” and “The sweetness will not be concerned with me.” So, what to expect from their new release, Futures? Well, when lead singer Jim Adkins sings “Say hello to good times” on the opening title track, he is lying through his teeth. Fueled by producer Gil Norton’s panache for loud guitars, Futures comes roaring out of the gate with the aforementioned title track. This song is a virtual primer of Jimmy Eat World’s entire catalog, from the riff-rock opening to the chugging guitars of the verse, finally descending to the ringing, layered bridge. Just Tonight is a hard-charg-
This isn’t comparable to a 67/F on a test, but instead means the album falls in the top 33 percent of all existing albums.
ing but ultimately forgettable song that leads into Work, a song that finds Adkins convincing his girl to skip town with him. Fourth track Kill is pretty catchy, segueing smoothly from an acoustic intro to a rollicking chorus, as Adkins declares, “I’ve always been the easy kill,” as if we couldn’t tell already. Jen is a particularly poppy song, with Adkins putting a name to the girl before, yet again, trying to convince her to “jet across the country.” Lead single Pain laments “a kiss with open eyes” over more group-shouted vocals than a Def Leppard tribute band. The album hits a low point with the utterly abysmal (and absolutely predictable) Drugs or Me. This painfully slow song consists of standard fare guitars supporting Adkins’ desperate plea for a loved one to avoid said vices. The song is not inherently horrible, but its slow pace does not help disguise the fact that Jim Adkins’ heart is on his sleeve and bleeding all over the place. To make matters worse, this carnage goes on for six and a half minutes.
1/-/1 Various Artists, Now 17 2/-/1 A Perfect Circle, eMOTIVe 3/5/8 Nelly,
Photo courtesy of WWW.FLOWERBOOKING.COM
The four members of Jimmy Eat World pose in a rather unconventional promo shot. Their latest album, “Futures,” never strays too far from the band’s typical sound that fans have grown to love. Luckily, Polaris picks up the slack, with Tom Linton’s echoing guitars pushing the song forward. Nothing’s Wrong harkens back to Clarity’s Your New Aesthetic, with its off-kilter hook and plethora of shouted vocals. The runaway theme continues in Night Drive, as Adkins takes his girl out to the desert. The song’s simple drum machine beat, insistent acoustic guitar and haunting background vocals actually make it rather appropriate for a drive at night. Unfortunately, Adkins drops lines such as “Do you feel
Other Jimmy Eat World Albums Here are some the band’s previous releases: •Pain •Believe In What You Want
•Maximum Eat World •Bleed American •Singles •Clarity •Static Prevails
Top-Selling Albums Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the chart.
Page 5
Suit 4/6/33 Usher, Confessions 5/4/3 Rod Stewart, Stardust... The Great American Songbook Vol. III 6/7/5 George Strait, 50 Number Ones 7/8/10 Ray Charles,
Genius Loves Company 8/2/2 Trick Daddy, Thug Matrimony: Married To The Streets 9/10/3 Ray Charles, Ray 10/1/2 R. Kelly & Jay-Z, Unfinished Business
bad, like I feel bad?” which make me want to swerve off the road. Futures ends about as epic as this band gets. Where Drugs or Me failed with its longevity, 23 succeeds, building strings, piano and more of Linton’s ambient guitar work to reveal deeper layers of sound as the track progresses. Futures does not stray far from Jimmy Eat World’s signature sound or its repeated themes of cars, girls and regret. The album title seems out of place to me. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he was a freshman in
college, the way he longs for his high school glory days. However, for every cringeworthy lyric, he has two catchy pop hooks up his sleeve. Although some may criticize the band for sticking to its guns, the blend of loud guitars, quiet droning passages and Zach Lind’s always excellent drumming continues to work well. Although Futures might not be great, Adkins’ strong ear for melody makes it undeniably good. E-mail Giddens at: optimist@acu.edu
Today’s Movies National Treasure — starring Nicolas Cage, Sean Bean; directed by Joel Turteltaub. Cage plays a man who believes the founders of America hid a treasure and that the treasure map resides on the back of the Declaration of Independence.
Overnight—directed by Troy Montana, Mark Brian Smith. This documentary film shows how Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein helped turn Boston bartender Troy Duffy’s screenplay for The Boondock Saints into a successful feature film.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie — directed by Sherm Cohen, Stephen Hillenburg. Based on the popular Nickelodeon show, SpongeBob embarks on his first big-screen journey to return King Neptune’s stolen crown.
VIEWSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 6
November 19, 2004
A few of our favorite thanks
The issue: Thanksgiving is less than a week away.
Our view: Although it may seem unoriginal and trite, the Optimist feels that Thanksgiving truly is a good time to remember the ways God had blessed our lives. So the Editorial Board members have shared what they’re thankful for.
As Thanksgiving draws near, thoughts of turkey and pie fill the minds of the Optimist staff, making it impossible for us to think of anything but the coming holiday. Here’s a taste of what we’re thankful for: Few things make me more thankful from our readers than those who know how to appropriately disagree with the Optimist. Opinions are put forth in this space each issue, and readers who understand the editorial policy printed at the bottom of each opinion page write infinitely bet-
Drive safe, watch out for turkeys During every school break, I hold my breath and monitor myACU for mass e-mails from Dean Barnard, hoping that everyone returns to school safely. It seems that more wrecks and more deaths occur during school breaks, so I’m Lori’s Story always nervous until Lori Monday when Bredemeyer most students are back in Last class. year 210 As a student, I always people pray that my died in c l a s s m a t e s and friends collisions will be prowith tected. As a journalist, I animals. always hope that my coworkers and I won’t have to cover another story about a death. This holiday season, however, the roads seem to contain some new obstacles, especially involving animals. A story by the Associated Press on Thursday announced that last year, 210 people died in collisions with animals, which is 40 more people who died than the year before. The wrecks peaked in November and mostly involved deer; this month is mating and hunting season, so deer are more active. Another report by the Associated Press said this week a 44-year-old woman was hospitalized after a group of teens allegedly threw a 20-pound frozen turkey through her car windshield while she was driving down the road. The woman is in critical condition, and police are looking for the teens so they can question them. Whether dead or alive, frozen or still breathing, animals and other road hazards create a perilous environment on the highway, and accidents readily occur. But many of the wrecks and the deaths can be prevented. Simple things like driving the speed limit and paying attention to surroundings can prevent collisions. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said most of the animalrelated deaths last year could have been prevented by wearing a seatbelt in a car or wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. So during these holidays, whether driving 30 minutes to grandma’s house or 10 hours to see friends, be careful on the road and watch out for animals—of the live and the frozen kind. E-mail Bredemeyer at: optimist@acu.edu or lmb00g@acu.edu
ter responses to stare at me as I I am thankful for the amazing staff I get to opinions they dissit at my desk work with every day agree with. These and help me rekinds of responsmember vital es—whether corinformation. rect or misconceived—push us to Thanksgiving feel more home- I’m thankful that these happy-yelbe better journalists and make us like, or a friend’s mom making me low little strips of paper jog my better able to serve the reader. an Easter basket, I have experi- memory and keep my life in order -Jonathan Smith enced Christian love by not being from day to day. able to travel home on holidays. -Lori Bredemeyer -Jaci Schneider I am grateful for the friends who have invited me into their This semester I have been homes for Thanksgiving. This will Post-it Notes save my sanity thankful for phone conversations not be the first short holiday that I on a daily basis. As I write this, I with my brother in L.A., my have spent with friends instead of have 18 stuck to my computer friends and family’s continued relatives, but after each long monitor, reminding me of impor- support, Dr. Aquino’s Philosophy weekend, I return to ACU with tant phone numbers, errands to of Religion class, Jon Stewart and new memories. Whether it’s a run and T-shirts to order, among the entire cast of The Daily Show friend asking me what will make numerous other things. They and The West Wing, especially
Daniel Barcroft
In My Words
I am thankful for the opportunities that God has given me upon finding and coming to ACU. I am able to begin my career and continue the learning process while in an upper-level staff position at the best college newspaper in the state, the Optimist. I am thankful for the amazing staff that I get to work with every day. Despite the abundance of stress and the lack of free time, I would not give up what I am doing for the world. -Brian Schmidt
Embrace intelligent women
YOUR VOICE
Government shouldn’t play role of parents On Veterans Day, an average 7.7 million watched the uncut, unedited and R-rated Saving Private Ryan on ABC, even though 66 of ABC’s more than 220 affiliate stations, nearly one-third of the country, pulled the movie out of fear I am the of indecency fines from the Enemy Federal ComSarah Carlson munication Commission. The FCC slammed CBS affiliates with a record $550,000 fine after Janet Jackson exposed herself during the Super Bowl halftime show, a reprimand television stations are being all-to-careful to avoid. According to MSNBC news, the FCC could impose a fine of up to $32,500 on each station that aired Ryan. It ruled that U2’s Bono’s using an
to Nielsen Media Research, children between the ages of 2 and 11 made up 4 percent of the viewing audience. Nearly the entire audience this year — 7 million out of 7.7 million — was over the age of 18, with the largest segment over the age of 50. By these statistics, it seems the commission needn’t worry about young children viewing indecent material during primetime television hours. If an 8-year-old is watching what they want to watch at 8 p.m. by themselves, then that is the issue at hand — not whether or not the program should be on television in the first place. Adults should be allowed to decide what they themselves are old enough to watch. Parents should do the parenting — not the government.
It’s interesting, now that we’re in Iraq, we can’t stop and recognize the brutalities troops face. expletive at the 2003 Golden Globes was indecent and profane, a ruling in direct contrast with its previous stance that took the context of the profanity into account, as in whether it was deliberate or gratuitous. That the FCC has this much control in scaring media with indecency fines shows that its regulations and censorship have gotten out of hand. That the media succumbed to that fear shows the state of our blindly politically correct society. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, introduced the film, and parental advisory warnings were aired periodically throughout the broadcast of Stephen Spielberg’s Oscarwinning film that opens with a violent depiction of D-Day
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
and portrays the harsh realities of war. ABC aired the film in its entirety in 2001 and 2002. It’s interesting they aired the film when America wasn’t at war, but now that we’re in Iraq, with Americans dying by the day, we can’t stop and recognize the brutalities they face. Profanity and violence in war are allowed on the battlefield, but how dare you make us watch it on TV. To quote Frank Rich of The New York Times, “In our new politically correct American culture, war is always heck.” The 2001 and 2002 airings garnered audiences of 17.9 million and 8.9 million, respectively. Obviously, the audience this year would have been larger had it not been pulled from so many stations. In all three airings, according
E-mail Carlson at: optimist@acu.edu or skc02a@acu.edu
Recently I read an article on Newsweek.com in which the author, Melinda Henneberger, criticized political commentators who blame Teresa Heinz Kerry for her husband’s loss in this year’s presidential election. Throughout Kerry’s campaign, I watched as Teresa traveled the country to speak on her husband’s behalf and was very impressed with her honesty and passion. It’s a shame she was criticized for being too loud, outspoken and confident to become the next first lady. Why were Americans so afraid of her personality and viewpoints? Perhaps it is because the woman knows what she is talking about and is not afraid to speak her mind, something rare even in our modern culture. The reactions Teresa received are quite ironic for a nation that prides itself on “freedom of speech” and “equality for all.” Oh wait I forgot—that means equality for all men and “freedom of speech” for those who do not oppose mainstream values and opinions. So what if the woman has a fortune and had a life before she married John Kerry and is not afraid to acknowledge those things? She should be praised for doing so, and as Henneberger points out, she could be wasting her money on buying shoes but instead chooses to use her resources to fight for better health care and education reform. We really need to get over our inhibitions and socially conditioned ideas of gender roles, and begin embracing the intelligent, courageous and outspoken woman of the 21st century. April Cordero sophomore electronic media major from Abilene “I’m thankful for a roommate who will take me to his house and let me stay with his family.”
“Everything God has given me.”
“The biggest thing God has blessed me with is my family.”
In Your Words
Jared Brockington
Jennifer Luna
Phillip Jacobs
sophomore biology and pre-med major from Friendswood
sophomore criminal justice major from Dallas
junior physics major from Santa Monica, Calif.
“Ramen noodles and gushers.”
“I’m thankful that we actually have a break and a chance to go home.”
“I’m thankful for electricity when it gets turned on after being shut off for three days.
“Comic books and beautiful women.”
Cash Teague
David Chisolm
Krystal Krieg
Miaya Harrie
freshman youth and family ministry major from Dallas
junior English and sociology major from Memphis, Tenn.
junior youth and family ministry major from Plano
sophomore art major from Lubbock
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reruns from the first two seasons, which are perfect. -Sarah Carlson
or to refuse to print letters containing personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@jmc.acu.edu
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CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, November 19, 2004
Players to make a move
December grads earn scholarships, awards Seniors to receive honors before commencement
Chess Club to give prize money at its tournament Saturday
By TODD MROZEK STUDENT REPORTER
By BRIAN SCHMIDT STUDENT REPORTER
The revived Chess Club is sponsoring a chess tournament Saturday from 9:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. in the Hilton Room. Cost to play is $2 with a guaranteed prize of at least $15. The Chess Club, which has existed at ACU for about seven years, was never really active but has been revived in the past two years by members, and it now sponsors tournaments and serves at local elementary schools, said Jeff Haseltine, club adviser and assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “It had been on-again, offagain for several years, but the last couple of years it has been greatly rejuvenated by Chase Watters and Wesley Anderson,” he said. “The idea is that a lot of people like chess and want to have the opportunity to play in an organized fashion, and the club is a means of getting them together.” The club’s purpose is to provide an environment for people to be able to get together and play chess, Haseltine said, as well as teach others how to play. “What many people don’t know is that while the members are competitive individually, they are also very interested in teaching the game of chess to others,” he said. “Many students don’t want anything to do with the club because they feel that they are not experts. However, the club has really given more of an effort than in the past toward helping others learn.”
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Phillip Jacobs, junior physics major from Santa Monica, Calif., and Chase Watters, junior biology major from Clovis, N.M., play chess in the Campus Center Thursday to attract potential members to the Chess Club, while Aldo Raeliarijaona, freshman engineering physics major from Madagascar, and Wesley Anderson, senior history major from Corpus Christi, play speed chess in the background. He said chess can be an easy game to learn and a fun game to play, even for beginners. “In chess, there are ways that you can handicap the game to insure a competitive game between a strong and a weak player,” Haseltine said. “Handicaps make the game fun for both because the stronger player has to find new ways to win, and the weaker player has a good chance to win.” A big change that the Chess Club, and much of the chess community, has Haseltine undergone is the sharp increase in the popularity of a new form of chess, called speed chess. “Recently we have experienced the escalation in the phenomenon of speed chess, where, instead of a game taking one or two hours, it is possible to play a game of chess in 10 minutes,” Haseltine said. “You can make the time parameters whatever you want by using a
chess clock, and it is an easy version to learn.” Chess used to be a more popular game, he said, but with the advances in technology, it has lost popularity. However, chess’ loss of mainstream popularity has had little effect on those who still enjoy it, except for the fact that they have to work harder to bring in new people to the game. “Chess is not the most popular thing on campus, but it is really fun for those who do still play,” said Wesley Anderson, senior history major from Corpus Christi. Anderson said chess is a good activity for him that he enjoys playing, and it is a good way for him to use and sharpen his mental skills. “I’m not very big on a lot of activities; chess is simply something I’m good at, and it’s fun at the same time,” he said. Members of the Chess Club can often be seen in the Campus Center playing chess after Chapel. Their goal with these games, which are played with the speed chess rules, is simply to attract more people
to the game and to show what the newly popular form of chess is like. “We play in the Campus Center to advertise that we still exist, to attract new members and simply just for fun,” said Chase Watters, junior biology major from Clovis, N.M. The Chess Club also serves the community and spreads its passion for the game off campus, hoping to spark a renewed interest among the younger community. Several members go to Taylor Elementary on a fairly regular basis to help with the school’s chess club and to teach students how to play chess, Watters said. The club, which meets from 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Fridays in the Bean Sprout, has the goal of simply increasing participation and knowledge of the game on campus, Watters said. “We want to encourage people to come out, have fun, make new friends and strengthen their mind,” Haseltine said. E-mail Schmidt at: bms02e@acu.edu
Broadcast organization plans regional convention National Broadcasting Society earned awards in Houston By KELLY DENNIS STAFF WRITER
National Broadcasting Society district director J.R. Kessler and regional director Suzanne Kessler traveled with seven students to Houston for the NBS Regional Convention on Nov. 12 and Saturday. Michelle Ordener, Eden Adkins, Sarah Reid, ShaVonne Herndon, Katy Rowan, John Kincaid and Chris Tarrant attended the event. Students who did not attend were allowed to submit pieces for judging. This year, ACU’s chapter hosted the convention, which was at the DoubleTree Suites near the Galleria. Almost 200 students and faculty members from schools in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Colorado were present. “The main reason for having the convention is to provide an opportunity for students to meet media professionals in their fields,” Suzanne Kessler said. “We have a panel of guest speakers come and speak to the
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students. That helps the students to find out what it’s like to really work in the industry and if they really like it.” Though the schedule was tight, it did provide for some interaction between the students and the speakers as the speakers gave their business cards to the students and opened the floor to questions after lectures, said Tarrant, junior electronic media
busy organizing the convention to attend all of the lectures; however, she was able to talk with some of the speakers and thank them for coming. “We had a lot of people say this was the best regional convention they had attended, and we had the biggest turnout of people,” Reid said. The convention also offered the students a new view of the
“We had a lot of people say this was the best regional convention they had attended.” Sarah Reid, senior electronic media major from Abilene
major from Arlington. “It was really cool because I got to talk with Wendell Edwards,” Tarrant said. “He graduated from ACU in ’92 and is a reporter for Channel 11 News in Houston.” Other speakers included independent film producer Patrick Roddy of McNeese State University; Madd Hatta, the disc jockey of the No. 1 radio morning show in Houston; and Carol Herrera, manager of the city of Houston Municipal Channel. NBS president Sarah Reid, senior electronic media major from Abilene, said she was too
industry. Kessler said Herrera arranged for the students to tour the city’s TV studio. “We got to see things going on in real life; it gave us a different perspective,” said Ordener, senior electronic media major from Waco. Regarding the competition, students could submit work from 2004 to be judged by professionals of that field. Submission categories were video production, radio production, web design and script writing. Reid received awards for several pieces she submitted for judging. Her package for the
Prickly Pear about Homecoming won first place in the Feature Pieces category. In the area of Documentary, her film To Have, To Hold, a story about British war brides, won first place, and her project on Sing Song for the Prickly Pear earned second place. Ordener won second place for a music video she made to The Starbucks Song, written by Brandon Kinder, junior youth and family ministry major from Memphis, Tenn. Marla Flippen, senior electronic media major from League City, and Gary Hamilton, who graduated in the spring, did not attend the competition but submitted award-winning pieces as well, Kessler said. Kessler said she hopes the students feel encouraged and recognize the quality of their work. Kessler said she views the competition from the large state schools such as West Texas A&M as a positive challenge for the students. “We always try to take ACU’s name with us wherever we go,” Reid said. “We want to represent ACU and show everyone what we could do.” E-mail Dennis at: kmd03a@acu.edu
December graduates will receive awards and scholarships from Campus Life and the Alumni Association at the Senior Dinner on Dec. 10 in the Teague Special Events Center. The dinner is scheduled prior to the commencement ceremony at 5 p.m., and tickets may be bought for $15 by contacting the Alumni office at Ext. 2622. The B Sherrod Scholarship award, a $500 scholarship to be used for graduate school, is given by the Campus Life Committee to recognize a student’s overall contribution to the university. Lisa Maloney, assistant to the dean in Campus Life, said the committee, which is comprised of faculty, staff and students, met this week and chose the recipients and how many scholarships will be given. “We look at the nominations we get and then make a decision,” Maloney said. “We gave two at the May dinner.” Faculty and staff had until noon on Monday to submit
student names to the Campus Life office for B Sherrod Scholars’ nominations as well as Honor Man and Honor Woman, awards that recognize scholastic ability. A student must have a minimum 3.25 GPA to be eligible to receive the Honor Man or Honor Woman award. The Purple and White award, given by the Alumni Association, is presented to four students who exemplify honesty, integrity, service and dependability. Jama Cadle, alumni events coordinator, said nominations will be accepted until Tuesday. “I’ve received a bunch already,” Cadle said. “It’s always tough to narrow it down to four students because we get so many great nominations.” Cadle said solicitations were e-mailed to faculty and staff for nominations of students who met the criteria. Gary Gaines, head football coach, said honoring students in this way is a great idea and submitted one of his players for nomination. “Anytime we can honor our students like this, it’s just a great gesture,” Gaines said. “It’s rewarding for them and it looks good on their resume.” E-mail Mrozek at: optimist@acu.edu
New singers give first public concert Saturday Gospel music group begins to spread God’s message By ELIZABETH NEWMAN STUDENT REPORTER
The Ministry, an a capella gospel music group with membership including students and graduates of ACU, will conduct its first public concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Chapel on the Hill. The eight-member group sings for organizations and individuals in the community with the goal of ministering to people and spreading the message of God through song. The concert will be free, and donations will be accepted to help support the group’s future work. “We decided we wanted to put on a concert so we could sing for the ACU community, and the community at large,” said Marie Thomas, residence director of Nelson Hall and member of The Ministry. “Also, we can raise money so we can travel and continue to do ministry in the community.” The group has sung at places including Hendrick Home for Children, local churches and for individuals who are sick, and they have also traveled to sing at Northside Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Fla., and at a Harding University multicultural event. “Music and melody are able to touch people’s hearts and heal people in a way that other things aren’t able to,”
Thomas said. “It draws an attention and makes people wonder why you are coming to sing for them, and they can see Jesus in you, so it’s an opportunity to minister.” Thomas and her sister joined the group last year, which is now in its second year. The original group formed out of an idea from Kasey Adams, a former member of The Group who graduated from ACU in May, and Miquel Pernell, a former student of ACU. “They had a vision of getting a group together that wasn’t so much about sound, but about who wanted to go into the community.” Thomas said. “Our purpose is ministry oriented; it’s not about performing.” Thomas said the group hopes to create cards or fliers to help make it more accessible to the community and also record a CD in the future. “We are trying to move toward recording a CD, so when we do put on a concert, or we go out and sing, and people ask if we have a recording, we can give them something that they can hold on to and keep with them,” Thomas said. She said the group is also considering conducting another concert next semester to raise money to help send a group of teen mothers in Young Life, an organization that teaches teens about Jesus, to a camp next summer. E-mail Newman at: optimist@acu.edu
FROM THE FRONT PAGE/CAMPUS NEWS
Page 8
Friday, November 19, 2004
Gentry: Female terrorists compelled by same ideology as males in the organization, but that ended up not happening because Israeli Prime Minister ArRights movement and those iel Sharon sent tanks into the during the Vietnam War era. West Bank for the first time. Some movements reach a re“Leila and the other women volutionary dimension. When in the organization were busy they falter, it eventually hits an dealing with what would hapapex and then crumbles. The pen with that, so I did not get to deterioration creates violent meet anyone,” she said. actions, which typically define Before this, though, Gentry terrorist groups. spent 10 days in a “whole new She said terrorist groups can world” just east of Israel and be divided into three genres. west of Saudi Arabia—Jordan. The first group, which is the Although she was there less group she studied, fights for than two weeks, she still gets ideological reasons, and the excited remembering her expesecond group fights for nationriences and the reactions of the al interests. The third group, people there. which includes groups like al Gentry stood out in the MidQaeda, fights for religious causdle East. She did not speak the es. Each group has different language, though she did learn dimensions and should be some words, like no. She is fairtreated differently. skinned with light red wavy Not only are genres differhair, which is in stark contrast ent, but terrorism has changed with the typical Jordanian since the ‘60s. She said that terwoman. rorists have changed the extent “Here I am, a young white of violence they are willing to woman traveling alone in the impose. Middle East and staying at a “They’re much more exbusiness man’s hotel,” she says treme. They’re more willing to with an almost mischievous target civilians. They’re more grin on her willing to kill face. “They more people,” didn’t know she said. “As “I’m a women’s advocate, and it was the women what to make time has gone of me at all. on, terrorists who were reacting so negatively to me.” The first couhave taken ple of days I and more Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of political science was there, they more steps to were just like, be more and they have no idea what I will do ‘We’ll get you a taxi, thank you more extreme.” for leaving, don’t come down In an article recently pub- with that information.” To get the interview with for breakfast, eat in your room’ lished by Terrorism and Political Violence, a publication of Khaled, who works as a politi- kind of attitude.” All that changed the day of St. Andrews, she says part of cian for the Popular Front for the incorrect portrayal of the Liberation of Palestine, Gentry’s interview with Khaled, female terrorists is related to Gentry had to endure several who is regarded as somewhat of traditional views of gender months of scrutiny by Anders a hero and very beautiful at age Stirndberg, one of Gentry’s 60. roles. “She’s walking in the door, After studying the involve- friends in the same Ph.D. proand the two men at the front ment of men and women in ter- gram who knew Khaled. “There’s a reputation that desk just kind of freeze,” she rorist organizations that grew out of movements in the 1960s, [female terrorists] won’t be por- said. “And they’re staring at her, Gentry argues that the female trayed well,” Gentry said. “He and then they look up and realterrorist is driven by ideology wanted to make sure I would ize that I’m coming down to understand her and not totally greet her and meet her, and as much as the male terrorist. they’re shocked. Their mouths “If it was true, what the re- tick her off.” She said Khaled was going to are hanging open, their eyes are search was saying was that female terrorists are devoid of introduce her to other women really big. They’re just, like, Continued from Page 1
ideology, then they would never have been involved in ideology,” she said. “They wouldn’t write it, they wouldn’t speak it, they wouldn’t read it and they would just somehow jump in the action when it got violent. “Instead, you see men and women being tracked very similarly,” she said. “They both entered in the same way, developed their ideology in the same way. They’ve developed their actions and level of violence in the same way.” Gentry said she was upset that she was unable to interview anyone other than Khaled for her dissertation. She wanted to talk to women in Germany and America involved in social movements in the ‘60s. However, many of the women in Germany she wanted to interview are now dead, and the American women she wanted to interview turned her down. “One was in prison, but she was up for parole, so she was refusing contact at that time,” she said. “They are taking protectionist measures because
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of political science, displays a tapestry that women in the Middle East cross-stitched by hand. She said she fell in love with the colors and patterns, and she now has two or three in her office. Gentry wrote her doctoral dissertation on the topic of female terrorism. ‘Whoa!’ You kind of feel this reaction of, ‘What is this white woman doing with Leila Khaled?’” After that, she said the hotel workers bent over backward to help her. They offered the use of the Internet, which was not available to customers. They even lectured taxi drivers before she left, saying, “OK, you take her here, you take this route. If you charge her more than blah blah blah dinar, you’re wrong, and she’ll tell us, and we’ll get the money back from you.” On the streets, she said she got similar reactions of bewilderment. “I remember walking down this one street, and this man was walking out of a building, and we both were wearing sunglasses,” Gentry said. “And he stopped, in the middle of the sidewalk. His body was facing one way, but his head was swiveling as I walked past. He kind of lowers his sunglasses, and it was full-on staring.
“It wasn’t sordid, and it wasn’t scary,” she said. “I almost started laughing. I don’t know how we would describe what we would do that for, someone who’s blue or someone who just so completely does not belong.” She said the Jordanian men were never rude to her, but the women were, and she said that is what she hated most. “I study women, and my main focus is women, and I’m a women’s advocate, and it was the women who were reacting so negatively to me,” she said. “I think they had to be. I think because they had to say, ‘I’m not with her; I’m not like her.’ And that was hard.” Gentry said her experiences and research into terrorism made her agree with a different approach on dealing with most terrorist organizations. “Fighting is simply not enough,” she said. “There has to be some groundwork laid. There’s a reason why people are engaging in this violence.” She says most terrorist situa-
tions can be tempered with understanding, like the situation between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland and England. She said the region has peace because both sides were willing to make concessions and meet in the center, alienating those who believe violence is the only answer. “The violence they commit is seen as a bad thing, and they are not finding that support anymore within that society,” she said. “Instead of taking an alienated majority, we have reincorporated the majority into civil life and alienated that minority.” She said she does not think terrorism will ever go away. “But the more we fight, the worse it’ll become,” she said. “It’s like pouring acid on an open wound instead of understanding why that wound has been opened in the first place.” E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
SALT: Group expands its reach Gardner: Meal to unite residents Continued from Page 1 lars can go toward feeding a family that wouldn’t have a meal otherwise.” Holmes said he goes to Taylor Elementary every year and asks the principal about families in need within the school. The children of those families receive a letter to take home to their parents, and the school then collects the responses. As a result, about 50 families are fed every year. Holmes said the project was conceived his sophomore year, and he was part of the team that helped the project succeed initially and has been the project coordinator ever since. Holmes said his favorite
part of the project is actually delivering the meals in person. “A few people from each class pick up the meals from HEB and then take them to the families,” Holmes said. “The kids are always so excited to see people at their doors, not to mention more food than they’ve seen in a long time.” In the past, the project has solely involved U-100 groups, but Holmes said SALT is expanding the project’s reach. “We’ve had some opportunities this year for students to donate in Chapel, we sent letters to faculty members asking them to contribute and we’re considering contacting social clubs,” Holmes said.
Eric Gumm, assistant director of the First Year Program and assistant director of the Office of Academic Advising, has led a U-100 class for the last several years and has participated in the Thanksgiving project every year. Gumm said his class enjoys getting involved hands-on and is even writing notes to the families to put with the meals. “It’s been really positive,” Gumm said. “It’s a neat opportunity for students to get involved for very little money and time.”
E-mail Travis at: dxt02a@acu.edu
Continued from Page 1 has been offered to Gardner residents, this is the first time the dinner will celebrate more than the holidays. The meal is being provided because the staff wants to thank the residents, Carroll said, and she thinks the dinner will be great. ARAMARK, the university’s food service company, will provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal, including smoked turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, candied yams, rolls and fresh fruit salad, as well as pumpkin and pecan pie. This meal is expected to be a time of fellowship, Carroll said. “We did it this year to really thank the residents just because we love serving and working with them so much,” Carroll said. “It is a time to be thankful together. We are grateful for our jobs, and it is
“We think of this place as a ministry, and within a ministry, we are a family.” Pam Carroll, assistant director in Gardner Hall
truly a privilege to work here.” Last year, more than 200 women went to the west lobby, grabbed their food and ate in their rooms, Carroll said. This year, the women have been invited to eat together and to fellowship with one another as a family. “We think of this place as a ministry, and within a ministry, we are a family,” Carroll said. “This is our way of sharing with our girls our love for them.” Jessica Vaughn, freshman nursing major from Earth and Gardner resident, said she is going to continue meeting people in her hall even as the semester comes to a close. “I’m attending this meal so
I can meet other girls that I haven’t yet,” Vaughn said. “I’m so thankful for the girls I have already met, and I would like to have a meal with all of us there. I think it will bring unity in Gardner.” She said Thursday should be a time of thankfulness for the women as well as the staff. “There are a lot of things that I’m thankful for,” Vaughn said. “I’m thankful God gave me the parents he did, that he gave us his son, and I am very grateful that I was allowed to come here and meet all these people.”
E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
Dashing toward the turkey Abilene Runners Club to host Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K run
“It’s also a good way to make a little room for Thanksgiving dinner.” Dr. Jerry Whitworth, chair of the English Department
RUBEN J. GONZALEZ STUDENT REPORTER
Those in need of working up a good appetite for Thanksgiving Day may want to abstain from food the day before. Or, they can take part in the Abilene Runners Club Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K run at Nelson Park beginning at 8:05 a.m. “It will be a good way to start off the Thanksgiving Day,” said Dr. Jerry Whitworth, chair of the English Department and Abilene Runners Club vice president. “It’s also a good way to make a little room for Thanksgiving dinner.” Whitmore said he expects about 50 runners to take part in the race that will present a first-, second- and third-place award for both male and female runners in six different age categories, including an overall award for males and females. An entry fee of $15 is required for non-members and $10 for current members.
Dawn Scovel, senior communication disorders major from Colorado Springs, Colo., and a member of the club, said these races are for everyone who wants to make an effort. “Even if you’re not a runner you should come out and do it,” Scovel said. “You could run it, skip it, walk it and jump it— anything. You’ll see the faces out there supporting you, and it makes it all worth it.” Scovel has been a member since 2002 and is currently training for the Dallas White Rock Marathon on Dec. 12. Megan Loehman, senior communication disorders major from Monahans, will run in the 5K race and said the club has been an integral part of her newfound enjoyment in running. “I was never a runner before this semester,” said Loehman, who is also training for the White Rock Marathon. “We started training with 3 miles and increased to 5, and I think doing
that in a smaller group was helpful because, having no experience, that support system was really important.” Whitmore said the club has planned a Christmas Lights Run, where participants will run through neighborhoods of illuminated streets, and the Steamboat Mountain HalfMarathon, Half-Marathon Relay on Jan. 29. Whitmore also said the club is always trying to add members, in particular, ACU students. “We’d like to see more ACU students participate and join the club,” Whitmore said. “We’d probably do more designed specifically for students if we had more students in the club.” The club meets on the first Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Red Bud YMCA. E-mail Gonzalez at: optimist@acu.edu
FRONT PAGE/SPORTS JUMPS
Friday, November 19, 2004
Victory: Cats to host tournament
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Nationals: ACU faces tough opponents Continued from Page 10 not in the league as the top three teams. How those three teams finish in the end is yet to be seen, but Murray said the Colorado teams bring a decided advantage because of their prestige. “[Adams and Western] are just really good programs and always run well at the national championship,” said Murray, who added that ACU’s veteran runners will need to get over the awe of running against the two best programs in the history of Division II cross country. “The good thing about our team is that because we’re so new, five of those guys have never run against Adams and Western,” he said. “All they know is that they have to get out and run the best they can.” The newcomers who had an effect this season are freshmen Nicodemus Naimadu and Laurent Ngirakamaro and transfer Lucky Hadebe. Naimadu, Ngirakamaro, Man-
Continued from Page 10 Cook led Rhema with 16 and 17 points, respectively, but the Wildcats forced them into 23 turnovers, and they shot just .219 from the field in the second half after shooting 15 of 29 in the first half. The Wildcats will play in two games at the ACU Tipoff Classic this weekend at home. On Friday, the team will face Cameron at 8 p.m., which gives the Wildcats an early look at one of their Lone Star Conference South Division foes. On Saturday, they play Wiley College at 4 p.m. “This weekend is another early-season learning experience,” Carr said. “It’s two more games to help the team’s chemistry, and after that we get a week of rest where everybody can get healthy as we get ready to make a championship run.”
irakiza and junior Martin O’Kello have each been the team’s No. 1 runner at some point this season, which Murray points out is a positive thing. “How they do will determine a lot of our success,” he said. But the story of the national cross country meet has always come down to a simple lesson, all too often recognized in hindsight: No one can have a bad day. Each runner has to do his part, because team points are sacrificed with each opponent that passes that individual. “You have to have five guys. It will come down to the fourth and fifth guy and how they match up,” Murray said. “I would hope this team has a little better depth. If that is true, it will show up at the national meet.” Three women will don the purple and white on Saturday, having qualified individually for the national meet with top-five finishes at the South Central Region Champ–ion-
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu
Junior forward Hakim Rasul goes up for a shot against Rhema Tuesday. Rasul finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Debate: Preparing for competition Continued from Page 1 University of Michigan and still manages to be competition, Alvarez said. “We have debate junkies that find us entertaining and follow ACU around at the tournaments,” Alvarez said. “Coaches from schools send their kids to follow us and keep up with what position we hold and debate; some people even keep records of everything we debate and argue because they really want to beat us.” To remain ahead of the rest of the competition, Alvarez said the debate team practices all the time. “I practice every morning from 5:30 to 8 a.m. to be prepared for my debates,” Alvarez said. “Most people on the team will spend 10 hours to 15 hours a week researching or writing debates.” Although it would seem that they practice a lot, Alvarez said it is really different debating from a private school instead of a large public school. “Public schools receive more funding to travel to tournaments and they have graduate assistants to work with the students individually,” said Sally Gary, assistant professor of communication and director of forensics. Some schools also have
“I have been waiting my whole life for a national championship.” Lizz Alvarez, senior political science major from McAllen
lenient attendance requirements for classes, said Alvarez. “Students can spend all day researching debate topics and all weekend at tournaments,” Alvarez said. “They don’t have to go to classes like we do because they don’t have GPA requirements either. Most of the students on our team have scholarships that are dependent on their GPA, so they have to keep up with schoolwork first. I guess it just makes us a wellrounded team.” James Garrison, freshman finance major from Abilene, joined the debate team this year and is learning to juggle his priorities. He is one of the teammates who Alvarez said could receive a bid to nationals. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” Garrison said. “I would like to be at that level and there is always a chance that I can place high enough to get a bid, but I just haven’t seen enough of my competition to see how well I would really do.” He is not joining his teammates in Minnesota this weekend as finals are around the corner.
ship. ACU’s best hope for its first women’s individual title is junior transfer Adeh Mwamba, who has been one of the top Division II runners all season. The only thing slowing her down could be a slightly injured back, but she remains a top contender. Also running for the Wildcat women are sophomore Olha Kryv’yak and junior transfer Trina Cox. Murray said he has a straight-forward objective for the three women. “One of my main goals is for them to be all-America, which is top-25,” he said. The three women will have their hands full, however, with a field that includes the runaway favorite Adams State, expected to place all seven runners in the top 20 finishers for its ninth title in 12 years. The men’s race will begin at noon Saturday, with the women’s race to follow at 1:30 p.m. E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu
Road Trip: Team anxious for wins Continued from Page 10 1994. ACU will get more help down low this weekend with the return of senior forward Stephanie Riles. Riles sat out the first game, in a mostly precautionary move, with an injured ankle. Freshman
point guard Alex Guiton will also be available this weekend after sitting out Monday with flu-like symptoms. While Lavender is hoping to see improvement on both ends of the court in the Wildcats’ two upcoming games, the main
thing she is hoping for is to return to Abilene with a 3-0 record. “That’s what our plan is,” Lavender said. E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu
“I would like to go, but I really need to focus on my studies this time,” Garrison said. As for Alvarez, this could be her lucky ticket in. “I have been waiting my whole life for a national championship,” Alvarez said. “I once placed in it, but I have never won first. It is my personal goal this year to win first, and I have a chance.” Her coach, Ryerson, is optimistic as well. “Lizz is a phenomenal debater,” Ryerson said. “She has an amazing grasp of the specifics of debate and she keeps up on her current events. Seeing as how she graduates this year, we would all like to see her back at nationals.” Alvarez plans to practice as much as she can to go for first this time. “I’m not going to say that I will win because there is a lot of chance involved,” Alvarez said. “My goal is to do the best I can and to try to place higher than I did last time.” E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
SA: Leadership bill not passed Continued from Page 1 been” with “not be” so the committee would be able to consider special cases, like that a person might have changed their ways. Several others agreed. “When you put absolute statements in, you take away the power of the committee to choose,” said freshman Sen. Brandon Smith. Others saw no problem with setting absolute requirements.
“When you put absolute statements in, you take away the power of the committee to choose.” Brandon Smith, freshman senator for Students’ Association
This person should not have been arrested,” said Rep. Bob Parsons, Administration Building. “There’s nothing wrong with setting a high standard for people you are going to pay.” The proposed change failed in a vote.
To keep the bill alive, Congress must bring it back up by Dec. 1, the next and last meeting of the semester. BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
E-mail Smith at: jvs02a@acu.edu
Wildcat sophomore guard Kristal Robinson drives past Falcon guard Crystal Atkinson in the 99-70 win for ACU Monday at home. The team will play next in the St. Edwards Classic in Austin Friday and Saturday.
SPORTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
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LSC South Standings Men’s Basketball Team ACU Angelo State E. New Mexico A&M-Kingsville West Texas A&M A&M-Commerce Midwestern State
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Tot. 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1
Cats roll over Rhema College Wildcats begin regular season 1-0 with strong second half By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS EDITOR
Women’s Basketball Team ACU E. New Mexico Midwestern State A&M-Commerce West Texas A&M Texas Woman’s A&M-Kingsville Angelo State
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Tot. 1-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1
American Volleyball Coaches’ Association Top 25 School Record 1. Nebraska-Kearney (33) 36-0 28-1 2. UC-San Diego (1) 3. Truman State, Mo. (1) 32-0 4. Baryy, Fla. 28-1 24-3 5. Cal State-San Bernadino 6. Concordia-St. Paul, Minn. 30-2 7. Minnesota-Duluth 23-4 30-5 8. North Florida 9. Tampa, Fla. 24-5 10. Central Missouri State 29-6 11. Central Washington 26-0 12. Fort Hays State, Kan. 29-4 13. Hawaii Pacific 20-3 14. Grand Valley State, Mich. 26-6 15. Washburn, Kan. 29-6 16. Ferris State, S.C. 25-6 17. Northern Michigan 21-6 18. Florida Southern 27-8 19. North Alabama 24-6 20. Armstrong Atlantic State, Ga. 29-7 21. Northwood, Mich. 19-9 22. Augustana, S.D. 17-9 23. Chaminade, Ha. 16-6 24. Rockhurst, Mo. 26-9 25. Ashland, Ohio 25-5 Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Abilene Christian 33; Cal State Bakersfield 23; Cal Poly Pomona 22; Minnesota State-Moorhead 19; Harding 18; Nebraska-Omaha 16; South Dakota 12; Western Washington 9; Dowling 8; Southwest Minnesota State 5; Queens (N.Y.) 5
Scores Monday Women’s Basketball: ACU 99, UTPB 70
Tuesday Men’s Basketball: ACU 78, Rhema Bible College 61
This week in Wildcat sports... (home events in italics)
Friday, November 19 VB: at St. Edward's, noon WBB: at Incarnate Word, 2 p.m. MBB: Cameron, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 20 MCC: at NCAA II nationals, 10 a.m. WCC: at NCAA II nationals, 10 a.m. MBB: Wiley, 4 p.m. VB: at Regional Semis, 5 p.m. WBB: at St. Edward's, 6 p.m.
November 19, 2004
The men’s basketball team shook off a slow first-half start against Rhema Bible College to rebound for a 78-61 win at Moody Coliseum on Tuesday night. Junior forward Hakim Rasul was the game’s high scorer with 21 points, adding 10 rebounds and four blocks to help give ACU its first win in the regular-season opener. Junior guard Dionte Rasul Gill added 16 points and eight rebounds for ACU, and junior forward Mauro “Blessed” Matai had 9 points and 10 rebounds. S e n i o r guard David Baxter is used to being on top of the Wildcat scoring list, but last night he Gill struggled, shooting 3 of 12 from the field and just 1 of 6 from the 3point line. However, Baxter still found ways to contribute as he led ACU with six assists.
Men’s Basketball The team had 18 assists collectively, and head coach Pleasant said he was pleased with the ball movement. “One of our goals this season was to have at least 15 assists a game,” he said. “Last year the team who led the conference had 15.8, so I was pleased with our efforts there.” The Wildcats had some rough times as they had 18 turnovers. Junior point guard Joe Carr, who added five points, four assists and three steals in just 13 minutes of play, had hoped for a better performance overall from ACU. “It was a rough contest because of the style of basketball they presented,” Carr said. ‘We were pretty disappointed in ourselves; our intensity was bad, and we looked lame at the beginning of the game.” “We had some typical firstgame things like unforced errors,” Pleasant said. “Out of our 18 turnovers, 14 were unforced, but those are things that are correctable. One thing I like about this team is to be able to coach a group of guys like Joe who understand that they have things to work on; guys who understand that we haven’t arrived yet.” Jeremy Reamer and Adrian See VICTORY Page 9
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Junior point guard Joe Carr goes up for the lay-in against Rhema’s Jeremy Reamer on Tuesday night in Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats won 78-61 and will play two games this weekend in the ACU Tipoff Classic.
Team heads to Austin Cats face regional Women’s Basketball opponents in two-game be a good test to see tourney this weekend will where we stack up.” By WARREN GRAY SPORTS WRITER
The ACU women’s basketball team will look to improve on a good start to its season this weekend at the St. Edwards Classic in Austin. The Wildcats will play two games in the tournament — the first against Incarnate Word (1-0) at 2 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the Wildcats will take on St. Edwards, which lost to a Lone Star Conference team, Midwestern State, in its first game of the season. ACU head coach Shawna Lavender said that playing a team that has already played an LSC opponent will give the Wildcats an idea of how they compare to at least one other conference foe. The team will also get a chance to see where it stands regionally. “They’re both regional games,” Lavender said. “It
ACU will look to improve on taking care of the ball on offense while keeping up the defensive intensity in Austin. Despite a big win against Texas-Permian Basin on Monday, the Wildcats committed 21 turnovers, a number Lavender said has to come down. “We’re still trying to get everybody in gear and improve on the things we’ve talked about,” Lavender said. “We Boles had a lot of turnovers that weren’t forced.” Junior center Jamie Boles said the Wildcats just need to be a little more patient on offense. “We’re still just kind of learning about each other on the court,” Boles said. Boles, who was behind
standouts Melanie Carter and Lynsie Blau on the depth chart last season, averaged only 2.6 points a game in 2003-04. With Blau and Carter gone, Boles has seen her minutes increase and took advantage by scoring 16 points in the season opener. “I came out with a lot of confidence,” Boles said. “My role has changed a lot since last year; I have to be more of a leader now.” In a season when the Wildcats were expected to be more perimeter-oriented, Boles and the other Wildcat posts dominated Permian Basin. Junior Haley Hammond came off to score 24 points, and freshman Ashlee Barr added 13 points in a team-high 28 minutes. Their efforts keyed a good shooting night for the Wildcats, who made 66.7 percent of their 2-point attempts. Although ACU turned the ball over 21 times, it still managed 32 assists, one away from the school record set in See ROAD
TRIP Page 9
Cross Country team to compete in nationals Wildcats try to avoid fourth-straight second-place finish By STEVE HOLT SPORTS WRITER
Running in the shadow of Division II cross country’s Colorado behemoths for nearly a decade, the Wildcat men have inched closer and closer with each season to an elusive national championship. In 2000, the men placed second to Western State. In 2001, second. In 2002, another runner-up finish. Last year, more of the same, this time losing to Adams State. This year, however, ACU’s “streak of seconds” very well could come to an end. If everyone does his part at Saturday’s NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Evansville, Ind., the ACU men would have their best shot ever at taking home a championship trophy. “I think we’re in the best
Cross Country shape we’ve been in all year. We’re injury free and everyone is running really well,” said head coach Jon Murray. “Everyone’s optimistic about how we’re going to do.” A major part of the national success the last three seasons has been Bernard Manirakiza, who finished fifth at the 2003 national meet but watched his team place second to Adams State. Manirakiza, now a senior, said this year is when the streak will be broken. “This year we have a big chance to win,” said Manirakiza, a four-time all-American. “This team is looking good.” Almost everyone agrees Saturday’s competition will be a three-team race: No. 1-ranked Western State, Adams State and ACU. Harding University and California State-Chico will be in the mix as well, but probably See NATIONALS Page 9
Cats prepare for first regional tournament Team to face familiar St. Edwards in first round on Friday By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Junior middle blocker Amanda Slate cheers on her team Saturday in Lawton, Okla., as ACU won its first conference tournament in history.
Fresh off of the school’s only conference tournament championship in history, the Wildcat volleyball team heads to its first Southwest Regional Tournament appearance this weekend in Carney, Neb. Head coach Brek Horn said the team’s emotions are inconsistent after last weekend’s victory over Cameron that clinched the tournament title. “I think they’re emotionally drained coming off of the excitement this weekend,” she said. “It’s not something I’m stressed about though.” The Wildcats couldn’t have asked for a better situation at the regional tournament, Horn said. For one, they are playing St. Edwards, a team they have played and defeated twice already this season. “We’re very pleased with the bracket, the draw we got,” she said. “We get to play first on Friday so we don’t have to wait
Volleyball and watch other matches while waiting to play, and after our match, we get to watch our next opponent.” Assuming the Wildcats do beat their first-round opponent in St. Edwards at noon on Friday, Horn is referring to the match between No. 2-seed Fort Hays State and No. 7-seed Rockhurst that will be played at 2:30 p.m. Not only is Fort Hays State the No. 2 seed in the region, but in Tuesday’s American Volleyball Coaches’ Association Top-25 poll, Fort Hays State is No. 12 with a 29-4 record. The Wildcats know, however, that they must get past St. EdHorn ward’s first. ACU has been successful this season against the Hilltoppers, winning all six games in two matches on Sept. 21 and Oct. 12. “An advantage we have over St. Edwards is that we know
their tendencies,” she said. “But we have to respect that they know ours, too.” The ACU players have an advantage this week in dealing with their first trip to the regionals. Both Horn and assistant coach Sarah Carthel have had experience in the Southwest Regionals as players. Horn played in the first round in her freshman year at Angelo State, and her team fell to West Texas A&M; however, Carthel not only participated in the tournament, but the West Texas A&M graduate moved on and was a part of the 1997 national championship team.
“She can help control some of the anticipation and the nerves,” Horn said. “She’ll also help keep me calm. “We’ve been telling them first that we’re not going to the tournament just to be happy about being there,” she said, “but we’re Carthel going to the tournament to win it. Our team earned their No. 3 seed, so they need to play with that aggressiveness and confidence.” E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu