A conversation with death row’s warden Page 8 Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
August 28, 2012
Volume 47
Issue 15
AP Photo
Football players arrested for aggravated robbery
Mitt Romney is trying to spread his economic message while dodging controversy caused by fellow Republicans
‘Legitimate rape’? Photo Courtesy of SA PD
Fiery rhetoric heating up campaign season
Rex Castillo Sports Editor
sports@paisano-online.com Two walk-on UTSA football players have been dismissed from the team following their arrest for aggravated robbery. Junior Toyin Dada and senior Adefemi Adekeye, non-scholarship defensive players for the Roadrunners, were arrested separately in early August and charged with aggravated robbery following an incident at the Outpost Apartments earlier in the week. An investigation is ongoing. On DATE the Paisano reported that a man went to Adekeye’s apartment to purchase an ounce of marijuana for $300 dollars. When the man, a motel employee named Vihar Bhakta, arrived at the apartment, Adekeye and another person allegedly robbed him at gunpoint; Bhakta was then pistol
whipped and thrown out of Adekeye’s apartment. The man then signaled for a constable to help, leading in turn to a standoff with SWAT team negotiators that lasted for several hours. Eventually SWAT members entered Adekeye’s apartment, but found no one inside. Adekeye is a kinesiology major, while Dada is completing a degree in general business. The arrests were made before the Roadrunners started training camp for the 2012 season. “It’s a terrible thing that happened, but we are just going to keep pushing on and win football games,” junior linebacker Steven Kurfehs said. “They are our brothers and we will be there to support them when they need us.” “I was surprised when it happened,” defensive coordinator Neal Neathery said. Neatherly has kept his players focused and said that the arrest “hasn’t been a distraction” for his players dur-
“It’s a terrible thing that this happened, but we are just going to keep pushing on and win football games.” Steven Kurfehs
UTSA Linebacker ing training camp. Following Adekeye’s arrest UTSA head Coach Larry Coker said in a statement that members of the football program “were made aware of Adefemi Adekeye’s arrest” and that they have “dismissed him from our program.” Coker went on to add that “due to the ongoing investigation by law enforcement we will not make any further comment on this situation.” Since Adekeye’s and Dada’s arrest there have been no updates concerning the investigation.
New voter ID law may hurt student vote Valeria Rodriguez Contributing Writer
news@paisano-online.com Since the last election, Texas has been in the process of putting into place stricter laws on voter identification. Proponents of this law believe that the its strict limitations are unconstitutional. Texas Governor Rick Perry stated “there were multiple cases of voter fraud in various parts of Texas,” and stressed that America needs open elections regardless of which party a candidate may belong to. People in favor of the law believe that in order to vote one must have the proper identification. “In today’s world having a photo I.D., whether it’s to get on an airplane or whether it’s to cash a check or it’s to check a library book out, it’s pretty standard fare,” Perry continued. The evidence of whether or not voter fraud exists begs the question of the necessity of such a law and how it will affect poor and minority voters. A recent study by News21 showed that there have been only 10 cases of voter
Documents no longer Considered a form of Identification under the new law • Official mail addressed to the person from a government entity • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or other document that shows the person’s name and address • US citizenship papers • A Birth Certificate or other document confirming birth • A form of photo ID not issued by the government
fraud in the United States since 2000. Critics in opposition to the law, however, argue that voting is a right, not a privilege. They view that the voter ID laws are a ploy from Republicans to
sway the vote to be less influenced by young and minority voters, who tend to vote Democratic. Republicans have argued that this is the only way to keep the polls fair and America democratic. See ID, Page 3
Valeria Rodriguez Contributing Writer
news@paisano-online.com Missouri’s Republican Senate candidate, Todd Akin, stated in a recent interview that women who are victims of “legitimate rape” cannot become pregnant from the incident, igniting a firestorm of controversy that has spilled over into the presidential race. Akin went on to elaborate that “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” a position that is overwhelmingly opposed by reproductive health experts. The remark came on Aug. 19 as Akin elaborated upon his stance on abortion, which he supports only when the mother’s life is at risk; he opposes abortion in all other cases, including rape and incest. This view is shared by Paul Ryan, who was selected to be Mitt Romney’s running mate on the Republican ticket over the summer. Ryan publicly expressed his disappointment and announced that he believes Akin should drop out of the Missouri race. However, Democrats are seizing the opportunity to associate Romney’s vice presidential pick with the universally unpopular statement made by Akin. The Obama Administration pressed hard on the issue and questioned Ryan’s true ethics. “As a Republican leader in the House, Paul Ryan worked with Todd Akin to try to narrow the definition of rape and outlaw abortion even for rape victims. He may hope that American women never learn about this record, but they deserve an answer to why he wanted to redefine rape and remove protections for rape victims,” said Lis Smith, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, alluding to a proposal supported by both Akin and Ryan to legally redefine rape as “forcible rape.” Akin’s comments could prove to be detrimental to Republicans across the country as their party tries to lure female voters, who already favor Democrats by a hefty margin. According to a recent poll by the Washington Post, 53 percent of registered female voters are backing Obama, as opposed to 39 percent for Mitt Romney. This can be attributed largely to a string of issues relating to women’s health, including a measure in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that gives women more access to contraception. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—commonly called Obamacare—was itself under the spotlight recently after the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional. Obama
has cited the benefits for women in the new health care law, which include preventive care in addition to free contraception. Obama also spoke of signing a bill setting new rules for pay equity lawsuits. It may be hard for Romney to regain popularity from female voters, especially considering his opposition to the Paycheck Fairness Act and willingness to do away with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, both of which were designed to end economic discrimination against women. Romney also stated that he would end federal aid to Planned Parenthood to help the economy, part of his plan to cut federal spending by 20 percent. The fall election has proven one thing for sure: women’s rights have become a crucial factor in who will be in office next year. Due to the large population of registered Latino voters in the USA, another issue that is expected to influence November’s election is immigration. Telemundo recently released a poll showing Obama with a 35 point lead over Romney among Latinos. Romney’s unpopularity with Latinos can be attributed to his plan to build upon on the strict Arizona and Alabama immigration laws. Another factor for Romney’s unpopularity amongst Latinos is his solution to immigration: self-deportation. This is a policy that puts strict laws in effect that require immigrants to leave the country after failing to obtain a job or an education because they do not have proper identification. While Romney is still struggling to connect with Hispanics, Obama has always been a favorite amongst minority groups. He has become especially favorable with Latinos since June, when he issued an executive order that granted legal status to immigrants who have lived in the US for at least 5 years and have graduated high school-a policy that will allow 800,000 immigrants the chance for a permit that will allow them to continue living and working in the U.S. Perhaps Romney’s boldest move this election has been selecting Ryan as his running mate. The Congressman from Wisconsin is best known for his sweeping budget proposal, which would transform Medicare into a voucher program, reduce the corporate tax rate, include sweeping cuts to discretionary spending and aim to significantly lower the national debt. Pundits believe that Romney is seeking to shift the focus towards the national debt and the economy, where his experience as a skilled businessman lends him credibility with voters. See CAMPAIGN, Page 3
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The Paisano
August 28, 2012
News
3
ID: New law could make it more difficult for some poor, minority students to cast a ballot From Page 1
Since university issued IDs will no longer be one of the acceptable forms of voter identification, this law has spurred a lot of opposition with students. “I don’t agree with the voter ID laws,” says UTSA political science senior Emil Calhoun. In Texas, a government-issued ID can be obtained at any Department of Public Safety office for free. However, many students—namely out of state students, students that are not US citizens, and less fortunate students— could essentially lose the right to vote in Texas. “It means more disenfranchised voters. Democracy will erode through the
‘good intentions’ of politicians. The poll tax was plan A. Voter ID is plan B, to strip our rights. Why would an undocumented immigrant risk deportation by going to a ballot box? We are so concerned with restricting immigrants and building fences that we border the ballot box and impede our own citizens,” Calhoun stated. The turnout rate for young people in 2008 was the largest since 18-yearolds were first allowed to vote in 1972. Many are waiting to see if the youth of America have the same kind of impact on the 2012 election now that there have been changes to voting laws across the country. “I think it’s not only doing a disservice to the US citizens that want
to vote, but to the country itself,” says UTSA business marketing senior Hannah Heinze. Those in opposition to the law say that students who are eligible to vote but do not have a government-issued ID are being denied rights guaranteed by the 15th Amendment. “We shouldn’t be trying to make voting more difficult. It limits people from their rights. All this law is doing is getting less people to vote,” Heinze said. Sixteen states are being affected by stricter voting laws, and some students are less than happy about it. Students at the University of Central Florida, for example, has begun protesting the laws by, among other things, placing
ironing boards around campus as a symbol that they were “pressing the issue.” The Justice Department objected to the Texas voter ID law on the grounds that it would affect minorities and the poor. In July, the State of Texas sued the Justice Department for putting a hold on these laws because they feel it is the only way to restrict voter fraud. The Justice Department will look at this case next month and make a verdict on whether or not Texas will be able to enforce this new law. However, some students see this from a completely different angle and believe the law would not impact the election’s turnout. “It’s about information. If we get people to understand
that voting is essential, then they would more than surely get an ID to vote,” stated UTSA biology sophomore Gabriel Yanez. Yanez argues that “people that are new to the country, people in poverty—I know that they can’t gain access to information about politics—but that’s what we need to work on. If we want to be a true democracy then every US citizen should be able to access education about each political party and then vote. That’s how we can positively influence our country. Whether or not the law is passed, we still need to become more informed.”
CAMPAIGN: Women’s rights, immigration join economy as hot button issues on the campaign trail
AP Photo
From Page 1
President Obama holds strong leads with women and Hispanics despite a tepid economic recovery
It widely believed that the election will be won by whichever candidate can prove that he is the one most able to solve America’s economic woes. And although the economy has steadily improved under Obama the pace has been glacial at best, and unemployment rate remains above 8 percent; no incumbent has been reelected with the unemployment rate above 7.2 percent since the Great Depression. UTSA students have taken a huge interest in the presidential elections. “I believe Obama will win the election because of minority support ranging from race, sexuality and gender. Further, the Republican Party has managed to support individuals who have been making outlandish comments that have been angering the general public,” says sociology junior Tia Robertson. Romney’s view on gay rights is one that opposes same sex marriages; however, he has said that it should be left up to the state, and that hospital visitation rights are appropriate but “other rights are not.” He has also de-
cided not to restore the ban on openly gay military members. Robertson believes that Obama will help her as a student as well. “Obama is good for me as a student. First, I know once I get out of college I won’t be forced to pay back my loans that I can’t afford for myself and my future family.” Roberson continues, “Second, as a woman who supports herself through college, Obama granting things like birth control has significantly reduced my health concerns. Third, if Romney got elected, he’d say due to my family’s income, I wouldn’t deserve to be in college,” says Robertson. Ryan’s budget proposal would have a huge effect on college students; Democrats claim it would cut $115 billion from the Department of Education and cost 1 million students Pell Grants. Romney has discussed that the federal government should have less of an impact on education and that it should be left to the states. Some students believe that the presidential race will favor Romney. “I think he strikes a chord with a disaf-
fected voter population, particularly with his gun control plans and because he bridges Republican ideals and Tea Party ideology,” says history graduate Michael Ely. Obama has called for a ban on assault rifles while Romney has said that stricter gun laws infringe on the Second Amendment. Following the shooting inside a Colorado theater earlier this summer, Romney has revised his stance, stating that the laws on gun enforcement already in place need to be enforced, not restricted. “I believe that the Second Amendment is the right course to preserve and defend and don’t believe that new laws are going to make a difference in this type of tragedy,” Romney said. At FiveThirtyEight—a New York Times blog that aggregates nationwide polling data—Obama is anticipated to win the popular vote by 50.6 percent to Romney’s 48.2 percent. However, positive bumps are common in presidential politics, and it is just as common for them to fade, sometimes quickly.
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Arts&Life
The Paisano
Fall Films
August 28, 2012
Movie events you may not know about
Katy Schmader Editor-in-Chief
arts@paisano-online.com While fall may be packed with many 3D films such as “Finding Nemo” and “Resident Evil Retribution,” it also brings along many little-known treasures. Check out some of these movies around town for a break from the norm. Newly Released Titles “Celeste and Jesse Forever” Local Release Date: Aug. 31 Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg are cast as Celeste and Jesse, a young couple desperately trying to maintain a friendship during their own divorce. Rookie director Lee Toland Krieger tells a story that may be all too conventional, but by taking a realistic approach to the narrative, he could produce highly successful results. It’s absolutely worth a try if you’re in the mood for a rom-com fix. “Sleepwalk with Me” Local Release Date: Sept. 7 Co-directed by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish, “Sleepwalk with Me” is an autobiographical story based on Birbiglia’s one-man comedy show of the same name. Throughout the movie, Birbiglia has to balance his fear of commitment to his girlfriend, his efforts to launch his standup career and his strange, comedic habit of sleepwalking throughout the night. “The Master” Release Date: Sept. 21 Paul Thomas Anderson’s (“Magnolia,” “There Will Be Blood”) much anticipated new release “The Master” is a
tale of a returning Naval veteran, who, after arriving home from war, is unsettled and uncertain of his future. With an all-star cast and a director who stuns audiences with his story-telling ability, this movie has high expectations it will most likely stand up to. Local Special Film Events GET REEL Film: “4 Little Girls” 6:30 p.m., Aug. 30 McNay Art Museum Acclaimed American director Spike Lee (“Malcolm X”) examines the Birmingham bombing of a black Baptist church that took the lives of four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley. Lee is an incredible storyteller, who uses the girls’ stories to tell the deeper story of civil rights in the South. “4 Little Girls” is part of the McNay’s Summer 2012 GET REEL film series that complements Radcliffe Bailey’s exhibition “Memory as Medicine.” “Sironia” 7 p.m., Sept. 11 Santikos Bijou Winner of the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival, “Sironia” tells the story of Thomas Fisher, a singersongwriter who, after being beat up by the L.A. music scene, moves with his wife to Sironia, TX. The movie is based on the life of striving musician Wes Cunningham who also co-wrote and starred in the feature film. “Sironia” plays for one night only, exclusively at the Bijou. “Dirty Dancing” 8:30 p.m., Sept. 13 Sunset Station An American classic, “Dirty Danc-
ing” follows Frances “Baby” Housman, a young teenager who is spending the summer in a holiday camp with her family. As the summer unfolds, Frances falls in love with the camp’s dancing teacher, Johnny, played by Patrick Swayze. “Footloose” 8:30 p.m., Sept. 20 Sunset Station Ren McCormack, a city teenager played by Kevin Bacon, moves from Chicago to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned. McCormack’s rambunctious spirit shakes up the populace as he tries to do away with the city ordinance in time for the senior prom. “Global Lens 2012: Qarantina” 7 p.m., Sept. 21 San Antonio Museum of Art Oday Rasheed’s second feature film is the story of a professional killer in Baghdad who lives in an abandoned building with a displaced family. Salih Abu Muhanad, the killer, takes out his frustrations by blaming and abusing his unmarried, pregnant teenage daughter, Meriam. The film balances this dysfunctional family with the beautiful surroundings of Baghdad. “Rebel Without a Cause” 8:30 p.m., Sept. 21 San Antonio Botanical Garden As a part of its series “Movies in the Garden,” the San Antonio Botanical Garden will be screening the James Dean classic “Rebel Without a Cause.” Dean plays a rebellious young man with a troubled past, which offers a social commentary of delinquents in urban environments.
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The Paisano
August 28, 2012
Minimalism:
A little bit less of everything Erica Cavazos Arts Editor
arts@paisano-online.com In a world of chaotic chatter and consumerism, it’s often hard to find peace amid the artificial need for “more.” With the economy tipping over, more people are seeing that chaos as unneeded chains they have to break from. A movement, which has roots in history, is now growing and bringing fulfillment to many. A minimalistic lifestyle, living in an uncluttered and simple environment, trims the fat of excess consumerism. Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, two essayists who left six-figure paying jobs to focus on being fulfilled with less, have become full-time enthusiasts and gurus of the minimalistic lifestyle. “When some people first hear about minimalism, they don’t under-
stand it. To them, it sounds vaguely occult, unreasonable, outside the status quo, and far away from the comfort zone of the average consumer. In other words, they don’t see why it is a necessary tool to live a more meaningful life,” Millburn and Nicodemus write in their essay, “Minimalist Family: Start with Yourself.” There are multiple viewpoints concerning the idea of minimalist living. Some critics may say that this movement is just a gimmick to make money, though many books about minimalism are available for free, or close to, online. Throughout history, minimalism’s purpose was to accentuate religious beliefs. John the Baptist ate locusts and wore camel skins to show his devotion to his god. To focus on their spirituality, both Christian and Buddhist monks kept few worldly possessions. Even today, the Amish live a minimalistic lifestyle, with hardly any technol-
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ogy, for the sake of their religion. But what is the use of such a lifestyle if it doesn’t have religious purposes? From Millburn and Nicodemus’ “The Minimalists,” to “Zen Habits,” the Internet is filled with pro-minimalist websites. “Fly Lady” is a website that offers a free program on how to declutter your home via “baby-steps,” but it also sells many products that you may or may not need. How minimalistic is that? Television shows like “Hoarders” portray people who think they’re happy, but they sob as they cling to useless stuff. Such portrayals strike fear into audiences and may cause them to look at their own clutter. The goal of most such websites is universal: happiness. Living with less clutter, both physical and mental, can make life more fulfilling. It puts the focus on life rather than on the excess distractions around it. In reference to living a minimalistic lifestyle, popular blogger and founder of “Zen Habits,” Leo Babuata says, “There’s no one way.” According to his blog, Babuata suggests, “It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness.” Many students are so focused on getting the latest technologies and styles, not realizing that they can be happy with what they have. In fact, without the stockpile of self-indulgence, one can focus on what really matters in life, whatever that may be. But as Babuata says, there is no one way. You can live frugally and be happy with just the bare essentials, or you can splurge and live happily with just the very fine essentials. Either way, the goal is to get rid of the excess possessions, distractions and chatter, and to be fulfilled with what is left. Written with contribution from Chris Butler.
Arts&Life August 26, 2008 5
Local Events: Wednesday, Aug. 29 11 a.m. GameStop Expo 2012
Experience the hottest new games months before their release dates at the GameStop Expo. Meet video game publishers and interact with celebrities at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (200 E. Market). Visit www.poweruprewards.com/PUR/Index/EXPO for details.
8 p.m. “Napoleon Dynamite” Screening
The Friendly Spot (943 S. Alamo) will screen “Napoleon Dynamite” as part of its summer series of Friendly Outdoor Movies. Visit www.friendlyspot.com for details.
Thursday, Aug. 30 6 p.m. The San Antonio Horrific Film Fest #5
Join the zombie walk to the Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes (1255 S.W. Loop 410) for the fifth installment of the Horrific Film Fest. Tickets are $10 for humans and $7 for zombies (or humans dressed like them). Children six years old and under get in free. The Horrific Film Fest continues from noon to midnight Aug. 31 – Sept. 1 and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 2.
7 p.m. Santikos Free Movie Night: “Psycho”
Wonderland of the Americas presents Alfred Hitchcock’s horror classic “Psycho” as part of its Free Movie Night series at Santikos Bijou (4522 Fredricksburg Rd).
7 p.m. Cinemark Classic Movies: “High Noon”
Visit Cinemark McCreless Market (4224 S. New Braunfels) to watch this 1952 American western film directed by Fred Zinnemann. Tickets are $5 - $7.
Friday, Aug. 31 7:30 p.m. Theater: “9 to 5: The Musical”
Based on Dolly Parton’s 1967 film “Dumb Blonde,”“9 to 5” follows three ladies who get revenge on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss. Enjoy the hilarity at the Woodlawn Theater (1920 Fredricksburg). Tickets are $15 - $22.
8 p.m. Theater: “A Hitman’s Guide to Surviving Life”
An assassin, Samuel, finds himself at a career crossroads after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Scott McDowell’s new play takes place at The Overtime Theater (1203 Camden) with tickets costing $9 - $12.
Saturday, Sept. 1 7:30 p.m. Jazz at the Falls: Vincent Ingala
The Shops at La Cantera (15900 La Cantera Pkway) presents its third season of Jazz at the Falls, starting with the young and talented Vince Ingala.
4 p.m. Fotoseptiembre
Enjoy the works of “Alex & Felix,” Gabriel Figueroa Flores, Lori Nix, Susan Burnstine, Shen Chao-Liang, Ursula Sprecher, Julian Salinas and Christian Lichtenberg at Instituto Cultural de Mexico (600 HemisFair Park) for the Fotoseptiembre event.
12 p.m. Labor Fest 2012
Visit the first annual Labor Fest, hosted by Between the Line Entertainment (BTL) to benefit the San Antonio AIDS Foundation and Project Hope. Enjoy great food and live performances from national artists while contributing to a good cause. The event takes place at the Sunken Garden Theater (3875 N. St. Mary’s St.) and continues on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
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The Paisano Editor-in-Chief: Katy Schmader
Managing Editor: Stephen Whitaker
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Business Manager: Jenelle Duff
Web Editor:
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Contributing Staff: Sheila Alvarado, Sheldon Baker, Valeria Rodriguez, Chris Butler-
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Opinion
The Paisano
August 28, 2012
Editorial
Time to ammend the Second Amendment? On July 20, 2012 during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado, James Eagan Holmes killed 12 people, including Jessica Ghawi, a former UTSA student, and injured 58 others. The massacre in Aurora marks the highest number of people shot in an American mass shooting. In Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on Aug. 5, 2012 Wade Michael Page killed six people at a local Sikh temple and wounded four others, including a responding police officer. After being shot in the stomach by another officer, Page fatally shot himself in the head. On Friday Aug. 25, 2012, outside the Empire State Building, Jeffery T. Johnson pulled a pistol on two police officers after shooting a co-worker moments earlier. Nine other innocent bystanders were also shot while officers pursued the attacker. The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary
to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” This amendment allows politicians to hide behind large doors and refuse to acknowledge the violent outcome of lax gun-policies. The National Rifle Association is made of 4.3 million members and has contributed an average of $2,000,000 during the last 10 years for lobbying in the House and the Senate. Many of us, especially in Texas, firmly hold on to the right to carry firearms for safety and sport. We are emotionally invested in what guns represent. Two of the main arguments for gun rights are that guns are instrumental for citizens to overthrow a corrupt government, should the situation arise; and guns keep us safe. While the U.S. Government is still considered a lawful collection of institutions, the arguments for gun rights are faulty at
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died Saturday, Aug. 25 at the age of 82 after complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. With the passing of Armstrong, only eight of the 12 men who walked on the surface of the moon from 1969-72 are alive. Ranging in age from 76 to 82, these men have fewer days to tell their story. Today, the future of America’s manned spaceflight program does not look bright. The space shuttle program was ended last year and no replacement vehicle is planned. For the foreseeable future, Americans will be hitching rides in space on Russian craft. The leadership of America has decided that sending people to space is not worth the cost. This shortsightedness could threaten our place atop the leading nations of space exploration. The argument that space exploration is too expensive is interesting when considering that in a 10-year period from 2003-12, the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) used, on average, only .58 percent of
the Federal Budget. Compare this with the 10-year period of 1963-72 when NASA was tasked with figuring out how to beat the Soviet Union to the moon. In that 10-year span, NASA used, on average, only 2.8 percent of the budget. 1972 marked the end of the Apollo program as the nation pushed ahead with developing the space shuttle that first flew in 1981. A mistake was made then by ceasing exploration of the moon. More recently, two mistakes were made in not planning a future beyond the shuttle program and the poorly planned Constellation program that would have returned Americans to the moon around 2020. The death of Armstrong gives America a reason to pause and re-examine its place as a nation of exploration. We have always been a nation of explorers, a nation that praised its explorers—from Lewis and Clark to Neil Armstrong. What does it say about a country when it has to ask for a ride from other countries to a place it used to explore? If America had taken this same approach to the exploration of the West, Oregon would today be part of Canada and America’s western border would be the Sabine River. Opponents to manned spaceflight
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and 24 for they are the most affected by gun violence. This age group makes up six percent of the U.S population but accounts for 19 percent of firearmrelated casualties. This demographic also accounts for 15 percent of those who commit murder. Young people are overrepresented in gun-violence statistics. In the end, the answer is clear—the U.S needs a more comprehensive legislation regarding firearms. A major change would be the renewal of the Federal Assault Weapon Ban that restricts civilians from acquiring assault rifles, and semi-automatic shotguns, like the ones used by Holmes at the “Batman” screening. As for now the death of Roadrunner Jessica Ghawi and the 11 others killed should be considered tragedies of a flawed gun control policy.
Commentary Death of Neil Armstrong and the future of manned space flight
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their best. Mass shootings are a gruesome way of reminding us that there is something drastically wrong with U.S. gun policy, while policy makers turn a blind eye. Sixty percent of homicides in the United States are perpetrated with a firearm. That is 40 times greater than the U.K. average and 15 times the German average. Keeping tighter gun control is also economically sound, since gun-related violence costs around 100 billion dollars a year, according to research from Phillip J. Cook from Duke University. Furthermore, lax U.S gun policy is largely to blame for arming the Mexican drug cartels; 80 percent of guns decommissioned by Mexican law enforcement come from the United States. This is an urgent problem that should concern our policy makers and the American people. This is especially true for those between the ages of 20
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Lance Armstrong banned from Cycling FILE - In this July 24, 2005, file photo, Lance Armstrong holds the winner’s trophy after claiming his seventh straight Tour de France cycling race during ceremonies on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris after the 21st and final stage of the race between Corbeil-Essonnes, south of Paris, and the French capital. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart said Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, that the agency will ban Armstrong from cycling for life and strip him of his seven Tour de France titles for doping. Armstrong on Thursday night dropped any further challenges to USADA’s allegations that he took performance-enhancing drugs to win cycling’s premier event from 1999-2005. We here at the Paisano want to know how you feel about steriods in athletics. Is a lifetime ban from a sport a reasonable option to prevent doping? Write a letter to the Editor with your thoughts
say that it is too expensive to do, but the same has been said throughout the history of civilization about countless other undertakings. What separated explorers from those who stayed behind was that explorers were willing to say, “Yes, it will be an expensive undertaking but its benefits will outweigh those costs.” Men such as Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark, and Neil Armstrong provided knowledge of new frontiers that led to opportunities for many more. The end of manned spaceflight says two things about our society: We don’t care about exploring new places like we once did, and we are willing to sit back and let others explore new frontiers. Maybe it takes the death of the first human to walk on the surface of another world to snap us out of space exploration lethargy. Only time will tell.
Stephen Whitaker Managing Editor
Neil Armstrong Born: August 5, 1930 Birthplace: Wapakoneta, Ohio -Earned Pilot license at age of 15 -Joined National Advisory Council on Aeronautics (NACA, predecessor to NASA) in 1955 -Joined astronaut program in 1962 -Completed first successful manned docking in space during Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 -Commanded Apollo 11 in July 1969 -Made history as first human to walk on moon, July 20, 1969 -Was decorated by 17 countries -Was tireless supporter of manned space flight Died: August 25, 2012 Deathplace: Columbus, Ohio
Paseo
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The Paisano
Death Row
Katy Schmader/ The Paisano
The Warden of
August 28, 2012
Contributing Writer
paseo@paisano-online.com
Lepher Jenkins spent three years of his life watching Texas’ most hardened criminals end their life on death row at the Texas State Penitentiary. Television shows such as “Law and Order” rarely show what happens after a convicted person has been sentenced to death. In a rare interview, former Region I Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Mr. Lepher Jenkins, a gentle giant of a man, spoke of his experience supervising executions. Jenkins spent more than 40 years working in the corrections department of the criminal justice field, three of those years as the director of Region I, the region responsible for carrying out capital punishment. Born in the prison town of Huntsville, Texas, he started his career at corrections facilities while attending Sam Houston State University. The majority of his career, Jenkins commuted to the various prisons at which he worked, while his family remained in the Sugarland-Richmond area of Texas. His longest commute was from Holly Springs, Mississippi, an 11-hour drive, one-way. Generally, Jenkins made it home every other weekend to visit with his family but, while in Mississippi, he averaged a trip home only once a month. Early on, his wife and son lived on the premises of the Goree Unit, which was centrally located in Huntsville, TX.
It took some time for his family to adjust to living on prison grounds. His son would complain that he wasn’t an inmate, but Jenkins reminded him that living at a prison meant there were certain things that he just could not do. For a nine-year-old that meant a lonely, restricted life. Later, they decided that Jenkins’ wife and son would stay in Sugarland, so his son could attend a new 5A high school where he would have the opportunity to participate in competitive sports, something Jenkins rarely got to see. In 1998 Jenkins returned to Huntsville, but not without more sacrifice. When Jenkins was asked to move from Region IV to Region I, this transfer came with the grave understanding that he would be responsible for supervising capital punishment. The Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, also known as the Huntsville Unit, is located in Region I and is the only prison unit in Texas where capital punishment is carried out. The unit is nicknamed the “Walls Unit” for the red brick wall that surrounds the prison.
“I watched the life go out of the man’s body. I watched his eyes...” Lepher Jenkins
Former Warden at Texas State Penitentiary
This change in jobs was not a decision that Jenkins took lightly. “I don’t believe that anybody- the state, the government, a person- has the right to take a life,” Jenkins said. Before going to his first execution, Jenkins met with his mentor, who had been Jenkins’ Boy Scout troop leader, his instructor in elementary and junior high school and his football coach. He was also a minister. After explaining his feelings about the death penalty to his mentor, Jenkins asked, “If I go through with this,
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am I a hypocrite?” Jenkins did not get the answer he expected. “I wanted him to say, ‘If you go through with this, you’re going to go to hell’… but he didn’t give me that. He basically put it right back on me and said, ‘You’ve got to stand with your conviction’.” During his first execution, Jenkins was involved in every step of the process. He watched as the inmate was brought into the Walls Unit from the Polunsky Unit, where the death row inmates are housed. He was beside six armed-guards as they tied the inmate to the gurney. He read the inmate’s file from beginning to end before he escorted the inmate into the execution chamber. He watched as an emergency medical technician (EMT) set the intravenous (IV) drip feed. He stood in front of the one-way mirror as the drugs pulsed through the inmate’s body. “…I watched the life go out that man’s body. I watched his eyes. And that was the worst part of the whole process, “ Jenkins said in a soft voice as he recalled the memory. “That night, I went by the local liquor store and bought a bottle of Crown Royal and got drunk.” From that day on, Jenkins would go through the process- from escorting the inmate in to the chamber to setting the IV. After he read the inmate’s file, Jenkins would then go to the room off to the left of the execution chamber where the EMT, another regional supervisor and the two men who had volunteered to push the chemicals would wait during the final stages of the process. He would stand at the window so that he could see all but the face of the convicted. It was not until the medical examiner had declared the time of death and the inmate’s face was covered with a cloth that Jenkins would return to the chamber. Jenkins had found his way to make peace with doing his job without losing his sanity. After each execution Jenkins visited with every person who participated in the process to ask how he or she was and if anyone needed any assistance, referring to the emotional toll each person faced. But no one ever asked Jenkins how he was handling the responsibility. Instead, Jenkins would often visit with the chaplain at the Goree Unit for comfort, or spend hours driving around just talking. “That was my way of dealing with it,” he said. After the 1998 execution of Karla Faye Tucker, the first female execution in Texas since the Civil War, Jenkins lost all six members of the volunteer tiedown team. “They said they couldn’t do it anymore,” remembers Jenkins. Of the 95 inmates executed, 92 of them walked into the Walls Unit without resisting. One man didn’t fight but said he just couldn’t make himself take the steps to walk out of his holding cell. One man was wheeled in on a gurney because of an attempted suicide several days before his execution date.
Since 1977, Texas has led the nation in individual executions with 464 deaths out of 1,234 nationwide (Texas Department of Criminal Justice). The third man, Gary Graham, a young black man, had supporters such as Reverend Jesse Jackson, Amnesty International’s Bianca Jagger and Reverend Al Sharpton, who orchestrated month-long protests. Quanell X and the Black Panthers were on one side of the protests trying to prevent the execution while the KKK was on the other side supporting the execution. Graham had encouraged his supporters to arm themselves to keep the TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) from executing him. Jenkins had to transfer Graham from the Polunsky Unit to the Walls Unit a day early and in secret. Once inside the Walls Unit, Graham stopped fighting. Jim Willit, one of two wardens at the Walls Unit during Jenkins’ tenure in Region I, wrote a book about his experiences. But Jenkins does not feel he needs to read the book because he
lived the experience. Jenkins has been approached on many occasions and told he could make a lot of money if he wrote a book about his experiences. “That’s not something I want to make money on,” he said. “Telling you what? Telling you stories of me putting to death 95 folks? That’s not the kind of money I want to make. “ In the three years he served as the director over Region I, Jenkins oversaw the execution of 95 prisoners, of which two were women. He cannot remember all the names of those executions- only those associated with major issues. “I can’t tell you a name because I can’t put a face with a name” he says. “I don’t want to put a face with a name.”
Sarah Gibbens / The Paisano
Sheila Alvarado
Statistics from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Paisano
August 28, 2012
Sports
9
Roadrunners’ volleyball ready to ace WAC competition Sheldon Baker
Upcoming
Contributing Writer sports@paisano-online.com
Home Games Thursday, Aug. 30 UTSA Classic Tournament
Belmont University versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 UTSA Classic Tournament
Belmont University versus UTSA, Noon UTSA Classic Tournament
UTEP versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13 Utah State versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 15 File Photo
UTSA’s women’s volleyball team ended their last season in the Southland Conference with a loss to rival Texas State in the championship game. The Roadrunners look to rebound in a big way in the newly revamped Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Despite losing in the championship game last season, the volleyball team is bringing a lot of positive momentum with them to the WAC. The WAC preseason coaches’ poll ranked UTSA third in the conference. UTSA received 58 points in the preseason poll, nine shy of Idaho’s second place ranking and six points higher than Texas State’s fifth place ranking. As UTSA junior outside hitter McKenzie Adams remarked, “All of our practices are electric. We’re really excited about the upcoming season and what we can do.” “We’ve been taking every practice one day at a time,” Whitney Walls, UTSA outside hitter, said. A major contributing factor to the team’s confidence is the return of its core players. The team is returning 10 of 16 players from last season for Head Coach Laura Groff. “The Roadrunners got a lot better over the offseason. We’re taller, longer and more athletic than our previous UTSA teams,” Groff said. Not only are the women more athletic this year, they have great team camaraderie. “We have better athletes, but we get along really well too; but, then again, that was never really a problem for this team,” Adams said. “We’re going to a lodge in a few days just, so we can bond, hangout, and get to know one another even better.” In addition to UTSA’s preseason rankings, both Walls and Adams were selected by the coaches as preseason
“We’re taller, longer and more athletic than our previous UTSA teams.” Laura Groff
Volleyball Head Coach and Groff will rely heavily on their outside hitting for a successful season. When moving from one conference to another, coaches often feel the pressure to succeed in their first season. However, Groff doesn’t feel such pressure with the team’s third place rank-
Tuesday, Sept. 18 Houston Baptist versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m.
Preseason All-WAC player Whitney Walls will be one of the key players to the Roadrunners’ success this season.
All-WAC players. Walls had a great junior campaign last season. She was named Honorable Mention All-Southland Conference, and was selected by the preseason coaches’ poll to be selected on the first-team All-Southland Conference. Furthermore, Walls received a spot on the Southland Commissioner’s Honor Roll for excelling in the classroom. As for Adams, she earned the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and a spot on the All-Southland Conference first team. In addition to the players’ outstanding achievements, both Adams and Walls were selected for the first All-Southland Conference tournament team. Adams and Walls are bringing a lot of experience to the team this season,
San Jose State versus UTSA, 2:00 p.m.*
ing. “I’m not really worried about it. To build a program, we take it match-bymatch. I’m not thinking about the third place ranking,” Groff said. “Playing well and practicing well are the only things that matters at this point.” The Roadrunners will open at home with the UTSA Classic beginning on Thursday, Aug. 30, and ending on Saturday Sept. 1. The Roadrunners will square off against visiting Belmont University from Tennessee and the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP). UTSA’s first match will be against Belmont on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 pm in the Convocation Center.
Friday, Sept. 21 Texas State versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m.* Thursday, Oct. 4 Louisana Tech versus UTSA, 6:30 p.m.* Saturday, Oct. 6 UT-Arlington versus UTSA, 2:00 p.m.* Thursday, Oct. 25 University of Idaho versus UTSA, 6:30p.m.*
* = Conference Games
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The Paisano
August 28,2012
Sports 11 Scorpions putting San Antonio on soccer map Photo Courtesy of Robin Jerstad / Jerstad Photographics Gordon Hartman has made American soccer history by using all of the Scorpions net profits to benefit non-profit organization Morgan’s Wonderland.
Stephen Whitaker Managing Editor
sports@paisano-online.com The San Antonio Scorpions have yet to complete their first season in the eight-team North American Soccer League, (NASL), but they are already turning heads across the country. San Antonio first made headlines when team owner Gordon Hartman was awarded the team in October 2010. Hartman announced that the Scorpions would give all net profit to Morgan’s Wonderland, an amusement park for children with special needs he founded in 2010. This distinction meant the San Antonio Scorpions would be the first major professional sports team in North America to give 100 percent of their net profits to a charitable organization. The Scorpions began their inagural season with a tie against the Atlanta Silverbacks on April 7, before hosting their first-ever home game, a 4-0 loss to the Puerto Rico Islanders on April
15 before 13,151 fans at Northeast ISD’s Heroes Stadium. That loss to Puerto Rico would be their last loss an NASL match until June 23, when they lost on the road to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. However, between those two losses, the Scorpions turned heads on May 29 when they defeated the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer (MLS), 1-0 in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest professional soccer tournament in the United States. The Scorpions fell in the next round of the tournament to the Charlotte Eagles. The win against Houston coupled with high attendance figures created a place for the Scorpions in the family of San Antonio professional teams. In the first few months of the season, the Scorpions reached the top of the NASL standings. The Scorpions haven’t slipped lower than a tie for first place, returning to sole possession of first after a 3-0 win over Atlanta Silverbacks on June 30.
Since reclaiming first, the Scorpions have slowly distanced themselves from the other teams. Heading into their most recent match, a 2-1 loss at Fort Lauderdale, the Scorpions had a seven-point lead in the standings. It has since dropped to a six-point advantage. Their good form helped the Scorpions clinch their first ever trip to the postseason with a 4-0 win over Tampa Bay on Aug. 19. For now, Scorpions boast the league’s best goalkeeper, Daryl Sattler, who has only given up 12 goals on 63 shots this season since taking over the starting duties before the fourth game of the season. Leading the Scorpions offense has been striker Pablo Campos, who has a league-high 18 goals, including four back on July 28 when the Scorpions set an NASL record with eight goals in a 8-0 drubbing of the Carolina RailHawks. The stellar play on both sides of the ball has given the Scorpions a +21 goal differential, better than the next closest team by 15. This is coupled with an average crowd at home of 10,000 per game this season; it’s not surprising that the club is being talked about as a potential member of MLS. For now, the Scorpions seem content to build a brand in the NASL. Both on and off the field, the Scorpions have made American soccer history this season. The Scorpions are currently on a three game road trip. They will return home on Sept. 16 to host the RailHawks. Their final match of the regular season will be at home on Sept. 23 against the Minnesota Stars FC.
Upcoming Matches Sunday, Sept. 16
Photo Courtsey of Robin Jerstad / Jerstad Photographics
The Paisano
August 28, 2012
Striker Pablo Campos celebrates after scoring one of his leauge-leading 18 goals in NASL matches this season.
Wear your UTSA colors for COLLEGE
August 31, 2012
COLORS DAY
Texas College Gear at Rivercenter Mall will be serving refreshments from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. FREE Sports information provided by UTSA Athletics and The Paisano
Scorpions versus Carolina RailHawks, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23*
Scorpions versus Minnesota Stars FC, 6:00 p.m
All matches are played at Heroes Stadium *= Last match of regular season
*20%
DISCOUNT FOR CUSTOMERS
WEARING COLLEGE COLORS*
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The Paisano
August 28, 2012
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