City Times — Nov. 15, 2011 by City Times Media

Online weekly at www.sdcitytimes.com

CITY TIMES GIVING THANKS

What are you thankful for? Page 4 Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

Volume 66, Number 6

‘Don’t glorify war’ Veterans gather in Gorton Quad to share the horrors of war as they honor fallen soldiers

By Jennifer Manalili City Times War is not a game. Several combat veterans delivered tha mesage at a special event at San Diego City College Nov. 10. The Veteran’s Day event included Arlington West, a display of 252 cardboard tombstones that were set up around Gorton Quad to commemorate the soldiers who have been killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The tombstones included the names of soldiers hailing from different areas in California including San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange and Imperial counties among others. This was the second year that the event was held. The event was put on by Maurice Martin, a veteran and the president of the San Diego City College chapter of Veterans for Peace. Veterans for Peace is a non-profit organization made up of veterans from various wars who draw on their own experiences to help spread public awareness on the consequences of war. A significant number of the student population at City is made up of veterans, according to Martin. “Arlington West honors fallen veterans, those who are living and dead, and those whose sacrifice is still ongoing through homelessness, PTSD (PostTraumatic Stress Disorder), depression and traumatic brain injury,” said Martin. Speakers at the event included World War II, Vietnam,

See Veterans, page 8

A memorial was set up to commemorate Jesus A. Suarez Del Solar Navarro, a Marine that lost his life in the Iraq War. Troy Orem, City Times

November 15, 2011

Peeping Tom twice arrested in campus bathroom By Kevin Stover City Times

Korean, Iraq and Afghanistan wars veterans, Congressman Bob Filner and City College President Terrence Burgess. The president of the San Diego branch of the Veterans for Peace, Barry Landendorf, was on hand to support Martin and help get wthe message out to young people in the community. Landendorf, 69, is a Vietnam War veteran who served as an engineering officer in the U.S. Navy during 1965 to 1968. “We tend to glorify war when war is not a game,” Landendorf said. “You can’t help but be affected by it. If you aren’t serving then you prob-

News/Calendar............... 2-3 Life................................... 4 Arts.................................. 5 Voice................................. 6 News................................. 8

Campus police have detained a man twice for peeping on women while they were using the restroom at the Fitness Center this semester. William Brown, who has twice been arrested for peeping in a women’s restroom and once for public intoxication on campus, is described as a light-skinned black male, standing about 5’8” and weighing about 180 pounds, according to campus police. Both times Brown was arrested for being in the same women’s bathroom in the Fitness Center in the early morning hours. He is not a student at City College. The arrests are among several crimes committed on campus this semester, said Sgt. Jordan Mirakian, head the City College Police Department. Among them was a recent burglary in the A-Building, where an unknown number

of individuals stole computer equipment and damaged property. According to Mirakian, there is reason to believe this crime was committed by a students or people familiar with the building’s layout. Mirakian said that “Crime is unpredictable; we can go months with no crime then suddenly get hit with a (wave) of crime back to back to back.” Budget cuts have forced campus police to be more creative in how they allocate resources to meet the campus’ needs. Mirakian said they have done a good job of managing with the cuts. There are around 28 officers in the district, which inclides three campuses, and around 10 working each shift. “We need and encourage students to report crimes while it happens. This is the best way to effectively lessen crime,” Mirakian said. Campus police dispatch can be reached at (619) 3886405.

Data from SDCCD Police Department, annual security report “Safe and Sound.” Data for 2011 is not yet available.

Food baskets for the needy By Nicholas A. Preston City Times The City College Food Pantry is putting together and distributing ten holiday dinner baskets to needy students. Five of the baskets will be distributed for Thanksgiving and the other five will be distributed during Christmas. Although there are only ten baskets that will be distributed, the food pantry staff said those ten baskets will help. “Even if you only help one person, then you made a difference,” said Food Pantry Advisor

Cherie Bromley-Taylor. The holiday meals will include items such as dressing, vegetables, fruit cocktails, sweet potatoes, ingredients for green bean casserole and a grocery store gift certificate so that you can buy a turkey, ham, or any other ingredients that one may want or need. These baskets are designed to feed about four to six people. The food pantry advisor and its volunteers are very proud to provide students in need with complete holiday dinners. “To be apart of this is really cool. It feels good to help out others,” said food pantry volunteer Jackie

Castillo. Students in need of a holiday meal can go to L-121 and place their name in the jar to enter the drawing. The deadline to submit your name for the drawing for the holiday baskets is Nov. 16 for the first set of baskets and Dec. 14 for the second. If you enter your name for the first holiday dinner basket and do not get picked, your name will transfer over to the next drawing. For more information about the holiday baskets, contact Cherie Bromley-Taylor via email at cityfoodpantry@sdccd.edu or call 619- Cherie Bromley-Taylor prepares one of the ten holiday baskets the Food Pantr y is going to donate. Nicholas A. Preston, City Times 388-3797

www.sdcitytimes.com | November 15, 2011

TAKE NOTE Calendar

Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree at

Compiled by Nicholas A. Preston Get your event in the paper. E-mail us at citytimes@gmail.com or call 619-388-3880

Azusa Pacific University Nov. 15, Tuesday Transfer Jam R-107 – 4 - 7 p.m.

Nov. 17, Thursday Classroom Etiquette: First year serviceT-303 -- 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Nov. 16, Wednesday ASG Fall Concert Series Presents: Chaz Defamation League Gorton Quad – 12 - 1 p.m.

Nov. 21- 26, Monday – Saturday Thanksgiving Holiday Campus closed

Save Seeds @ City Fundraiser at Starlite 3175 India St. -- 5 - 12 a.m.

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Border conference at City By Amanda Santoni City Times The second annual Binational Conference on Border Issues will be held at San Diego City College Dec. 1. The keynote speaker will be Anabel Hernández, author of “Los Señores del Narco,” a book about the Mexican drug lords. The conference panels

will include “The Drug War and Politics of Violence,” “The Daily and Quiet Resistance to Exploitation in Maquiladoras” and “Occupy San Diego and Tijuana.” Panels on “Penetrating the Immigration Detention Complex,” and “The Militarization, Incarceration and Globalization in the U.S.-Mexico Border” will also be available. The conference is spon-

sored by the Chicano Studies departments at San Diego City College and Mesa College, and the Baja California Chapter of the International Council on Monuments and Sites. The conference is to be held in room D-121A from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit www.conferenciaborder. blogspot.com.

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November 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

News

Film shows Arizona battle over ethnic studies By Alec Fernandez Contributor The World Cultures Program presented the documentary “Precious Knowledge” at the Saville Theatre Nov. 3. The film focuses on high school ethnic studies in Arizona, specifically courses on Mexican culture. These classes, called La Raza studies, are viewed as a threat by some citizens who believe that they are promoting antiAmerican values. In the movie politician Tom Horne claims that La Raza studies are teaching children to hate America by indoctrinating Latino students with the mentality of “us versus them.” The documentary disagrees, arguing that by limiting students to an America-centric curriculum we are also limiting their liberty to learn, which is inherently anti-American. Teaching students not to think critically about their government is also a principle that the founders rejected. These blatant contradictions outraged the audience. Rose Walsh, 28, felt that those opposing La Raza studies were highly uninformed.

Dance shows

The Dance Department at San Diego City College will put on their biannual “City Moves” dance performance Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dances range from modern dance to hiphop and everything in between. Tickets are $10. The performance will be at Saville Theatre. More information: (619)-388-3563 or email at arincon@sdccd.edu

“It was saddening to hear the comments from legislators – mostly their ignorance,” Walsh said. In fact, Horne admitted in the film that he had never attended a La Raza class even though instructors had invited him to witness what they actually teach: appreciation for Mexican culture, heritage, and spiritual values. “The teachers (of La Raza studies) stood out to me. They were so passionate,” Walsh said. “They called their students their kids and stood alongside them in the rallies. It was very emotional.” Some in Arizona mistook this passion for revolutionary fever. The brown shirts of La Raza students attending a peaceful demonstration were labeled “revolutionary costumes” at one point in the movie by an opponent of these courses. An announcer on an Arizona radio station declared that La Raza studies “are turning kids into angry young radicals.” Yet Hispanics in this state claim they just want to feel appreciated. “We’re being told we’re not part of this (American) culture,” said a Latino protestor

The documentar y ‘Precious Knowledge’ features Cr ystal Terriques and other students. Dos Vatos Productions in the film. A student named Gilberto confessed in the documentary that before taking La Raza studies he felt like the education system was working against him. This sentiment

has been felt by many Hispanics across the nation and was widely expressed in protests such as the classroom walkouts of 1968 and 2006. “The mass walkouts a couple years back inspired

me to work on this project,” said producer Ari Palos in a question-and-answer session where he also elaborated on the film’s title. “The title ‘Precious Knowledge’ comes from the Aztec

season of studying,” Palos said. “One of the seasons of the Aztec calendar promotes learning … This shows that education has been an important part of Mexican culture for thousands of years.”

‘Don’t Be a Bully Conference’ at City College Dec. 3 By Joseph Stremlau City Times City College will host its first “Don’t Be a Bully Conference” on Dec 3. The free conference is for everyone, including students, parents, and teachers. The conference will teach children “how to be more than a bystander, less of a victim, and better than a bully.” It will also discuss a crucial issue of cyberbullying through social media such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. There will also be work-

N A T I O N A L

shops that will teach adults the definition of bullying and the power of bystanders. The workshop facilitators include Mara MadrigalWeiss, a project specialist for the San Diego Country Office of Education; Melanie Culuko, Public Safety Analyst for the Chula Vista Police Department; and Andrea Lujan, a candidate for Miss California. There will be two main speakers: Tony Young, the president of San Diego City Council, and Kevin Beiser, a trustee of the San Diego Unified Board of Education.

The conference is sponsored by the campus group Students for Free Enterprise (SIFE). The program will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Continental breakfast will be

served. The registration is free but participant are asked to bring a can of food to help fight hunger. The workshop will be held on campus, in the B-Building in room 103.

For further information please call (619)-388-3999 or e-mail lbrady@sdccd.edu . You can also register online at www.sifedontbeabully.eventbrite.com

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www.sdcitytimes.com | November 15, 2011

Life “I’m 56 years old and I’m thankful that I have an opportunity to re-attend school. I’m thankful that there’s a place that I can go to retrain myself because the job I had let me go. They didn’t have anymore spaces and I got older so I couldn’t do it. So this is a great opportunity to retrain myself and get a second chance at life. And so, I’m really thankful to have school here.”

“I guess just being able to go to school. Didn’t think a couple years ago I’d be going to school but I got out of the military at the end of the year and now I’m going to school with the GI Bill so it’s pretty cool. I thought I was going to be in the military for a long time. I had two deployments in a year. That made me get out ... That and my friends because I don’t have family out here. I’m originally from the East Coast so my friends are very supportive. It’s good to have somebody to turn to when you don’t have family around.”

— Micheal Afflalo, 56, Drug and Alcohol Studies

“I’m really thankful for having a roof over my head. The simple stuff and all the company that I have around me.” — Adrian Nievera, 19 Graphic Design

— Josh Sommo, 24, Kinesiology

What are you thankful for? “I’m thankful for life. I’m thankful for being close to my friends, for humanity, tolerance. I’m thankful for people who listen, and just shrug things off.”

“This is my first year Thanksgiving without my sister. So, I’m just thankful that I get to be with the rest of my family and that I know that my sister is going to have friends surrounding her.” — Cassie Carillo, 22 Sociology

— Esteban Fransto, 23, Anthropology

Holiday events By Nicholas A. Preston City Times

El Cajon’s Annual Mother Goose Parade (Nov. 20) The parade is considered an unofficial start of the holiday season in San Diego and begins the Sunday before Thanksgiving at 10 a.m. This free event is open to everyone and has plenty of things to enjoy including floats, clowns, queen contests, bands and more. Website: www.mothergooseparade.org Phone: 619-444-8712

There are a huge number of people that are without the companionship of family or friends for the holidays. Whether you are in the military, divorced, or away from family it gets hard to find a place to feel comfortable for the holidays. Some want to feel the warmth of giving to the less fortunate, some want to be enter54th Annual Pre-Thanksgiving Comtained, and some just want to eat. Well, no need to fret because there are munity Breakfast (Nov. 23) Have a meal and help the less fortunate at Thanksgiving alternatives for everyone. the same time. The attendees of this event are Season of Love Community Block encouraged to bring nonperishable food for the holiday food drive. The items collected will Party (Nov. 19) This event put on by New Seasons Church benefit the San Diego Food Bank. The event, is expected to have a crowd of about 3,000 held at the Handlery Hotel & Resort from 7 to families and plans to distribute more than 9 a.m., will be packed with prizes and enter1,000 turkeys from donations. The distribu- tainment. Website: www.silamesa.org tions of the free items are sponsored by the Phone: 619-460-0563 San Diego Food Bank, Feeding America San Diego, Walmart, and Henry’s Market. There Father Joe’s annual Thanksgiving Day will also be a bunch of activities such as live music, children’s entertainment, free clothes, 5K run/walk (Nov. 24) Father Joe’s holds an annual 5K run/ walk and more. The event will be at the New Seasons Church in Spring Valley and will run that aims to help feed over 1.7 million people this year. The event will be held at Balboa from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Park. The start time of the 5K is 8 a.m. RegisWebsite: http://www.nscsv.org/ tration and fee information can be found at the Phone: (619) 463-0725 event’s website. Website: www.thanksgivingrun.org/2011 8th-Annual Turkey-free Thanksgiving Phone: 619-446-2100 (Nov. 19) Vegetarians have to eat too. Thanksgiving feast at the USO This event is put together by the Animal Protection and Rescue League and Tofurky. (Nov. 24) The USO San Diego provides a traditional Vegetarians can enjoy a vegan Thanksgiving meal with all the side dishes. The event will be feast for Thanksgiving. The Downtown USO held from 2 to 5 p.m. at World Beat Center and provides military members with a buffet-style also includes music and other entertainment. meal from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Website: www.usosandiego.org Tickets are $15 at the door. Phone: 619-235-6503 Website: www.aprl.org Phone: 619-236-9514

“Life. You can’t really have Thanksgiving unless you are alive. Everyone takes their life for granted. You just kind of go about your daily routin ... you just don’t really consider your life could end ... I have a family to celebrate life with.” — Jessica Johnson, 20 Cosmetology

Share the sweet life Thanksgiving is looming, and December holidays follow soon after. Things are going to get stressful and hectic, as this is typically the time of year to impress families and friends with gifts and treats. So why not bake away those holiday blues and impress your family at the same time with this homemade pumpkinapple pie. Ingredients: nPie Filling: 1 sugar pumpkin ½ cup of granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 cups of brown sugar 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon or to taste 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground all spice ½ teaspoon of ground ginger ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs 18 oz. of evaporated milk 4 tablespoons of butter 1 bitter green apple n Crust: 1.5 cups of flour 1 cup of sugar 2 tablespoons of butter

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 to mix with fingers, until it’s degrees. Cut pumpkin in crumbly, then pour into pie tin half. Remove stem, seeds and and press in so it’s even. stringy-fibers. Step 6: Place cooked apples Step 2: Steam the pumpkin in into the bottom of the pie tin a stove top steamer for about (on top of the crust), make 30 minutes, or until you can sure they’re flat and even. easily insert knife and remove it. It’s like steaming potatoes. Step 7: Scoop out the pumpkin flesh into a bowl. Be careStep 3: While pumpkin is ful to not burn yourself if it’s steaming, peel apple and slice still hot. Then add evaporated milk, 2 table spoons of butter, thinly and set aside. 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, Step 4: In a saucepan com- 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 bine ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground all spice, ½ tablespoon of cornstarch, teaspoon of ground ginger 1 tablespoon of cinnamon (add more or less to taste), and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the brown sugar, the rest of into water until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of butter and eggs. Use electric blender and bring to a boil. Add apples. blend until smooth. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Step 8: Pour pumpkin mush Then strain water. into pie tin, over the apples. Step 5: For crust, combine 1.5 cups of flour and ½ cup of Step 9: Bake for 40 minutes granulated sugar and 2 table- or until knife comes out clean. spoons of butter. It’s easier

November 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

Arts Asian women struggle to make films By Jennifer Manalili City Times One of the largest PanAsian film festivals in the nation took place in San Diego with many emerging filmmakers receiving awards. Among them, were three female Asian-American filmmakers who swept the documentary film category by winning awards for their films about being transgender, battling cancer, and living with deafness. The San Diego Asian Film Festival was held from Oct. 20 to Oct. 28 at Ultrastar Cinemas in Mission Valley. Over the course of eight days, more than 160 films from 21 different countries were shown to audiences at sold out screenings. Some movies proved so popular that additional screenings were added to keep up with the demand. One of the more intriguing films was “Tales of the Waria,” a documentary by Chinese American filmmaker Kathy Huang. The film confronts the taboo subject of being transgender and follows the lives of a group of “warias,” men who live openly as women as they

Shetal Sheth, Lynn Chen, and Elaine S. Kim speak at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Cecilia V. Areta, City Times search for love in Indonesia, a country that has the world’s largest Muslim population. Almost six years after it’s inception —Huang first learned of the warias in 2005 and did extensive research for three years which included learning a new language and traveling to Indonesia— the film has proved meaningful and equally sensitive. Huang and the film received the Best Feature Documentary award. The festival is a great time

for exposure but the women did mention the hardships they face working in an industry dominated by male directors. This was reflected in an “Asian Women in Hollywood” panel which addressed the stereotypes that exist in the business. It highlighted the tribulations that Asian women face not just as actors but filmmakers. Filmmaker Casper S. Wong spoke of this too. Wong

directed “The Lulu Sessions,” a striking, deeply moving documentary about facing cancer and death. The film chronicles Lulu, a former cancer researcher, as she is diagnosed with cancer and battles through the last 15 months of her life. The story is that much more intimate because Wong is also Lulu’s best friend. The film has won audiences over —it received the Special Jury Award— but Wong, a former attorney, says

that many hurdles still exist for women. “There are very few of us, and fewer still, are in positions of power where we can help each other green-light projects or to be effective mentors. Even in our 2011 world, without strong advocates and mentors supporting your work, it is simply harder to actualize your potential,” Wong said. For many filmmakers, the festival serves as an opportunity to create change in the

industry through gaining exposure and connecting with people. “Support from groups like this has been invaluable in helping further my career,” said Mina T. Son, a Korean American filmmaker who screened her short, “Making Noise in Silence,” at the festival. The the short follows the lives of two Korean-American students at the California School for the Deaf. Son returned to the festival to receive an award for Best Short Documentary for the second year in a row. Son’s sentiment is echoed by other filmmakers and the founder herself. “There are very few festivals I’ve been to where people hug each other as they walk in the door,” said Lee Ann Kim, a Korean-American and former KGTB Channel 10 local news anchor, who started the festival 12 years ago. “It’s not just about films. It’s a full experience.” The festival’s popularity continues to grow with attendance exceeding 20,000 this year. For more information on the filmmakers and other films that were screened visit www.sdaff.org.

Concert series jams in quad again to lighten student life By Cecelia Areta City Times City College’s Associated Student Government has brought back afternoon concert series, as some might remember from spring. This is the first year that the ASG has been able to organize a program that promotes local bands by having them come on campus and showcase their talents as an entertaining way to ease the stresses of school for the students and help provide a little relaxation time in between classes. “I like it! I can hear the bands start playing during my class in the A-Building … I’m glad that there are people on campus that are trying to make City a more versatile school with fun activities,” said Sara Hunter, a City Col-

lege student. Associated Students Senator Sal Filipelli is the primary organizer of the Concert Series. Filipelli, a musician himself, was working on his third album when he was approached with the idea for the concert series in fall 2010. The series launched the following semester. “Each band is hand-picked by myself and occasionally by Chris Leyva who is facilitating the event with Black Cherry Music Group. Both of us have a large assortment of acts who we have worked with over the years. Bands are pretty anxious to get on campus,” Filipelli said. Scheduled Mondays and Wednesday, bands and musicians perform at noon in Gorton Quad. Posters around campus are posted for more information about each per-

formance. A number of students anticipate spending their breaks viewing musicians they have never heard before. “I find the entertainment a nice way to relax and not think of school for a while. I get to listen to unknown bands and expand my playlist a little,” said Maricela Lopez, a City College student. All shows are free and open to students and the general public. “As an ASG event, these concerts are geared towards the students, and the students and cafeteria staff love the shows. So do countless unmentioned people of many different backgrounds all over campus,” Filipelli said. More information: www. asgconcertseries.com or contact the ASG office directly by calling (619) 388-3353.

Los Hollywood perform on Nov. 2 in Gorton Quad. Fernando Yates, City Times

The beef enchilada plate available at La Casita, which comes with beans and rice. Bliss Mellen-Ross, City Times

Little house, big flavor Authentic Mexican food just steps away. Located on C Street across from the Learning Resource Center, La Casita Mexican Diner is the closest source of good food to campus. The newly remodeled porch is a great place to eat during a sunny day; with the unexpected pop music instead of the more traditional Spanish music you tend to find at most Mexican food restaurants. I had to wait about twenty minutes for my food, but for the taste and location, twenty minutes isn’t really that much of a wait. I ordered the beef enchiladas plate. The price for my order was very reasonable, $6, somewhat of a surprise

FRUGAL FOODIE

Robert Whaley when you get a full plate of good fresh food. The enchiladas were succulent and full of flavor, and the rice and beans tasted very authentic. La Casita has what you are looking for, rolled tacos, tortas, shrimp burritos, menudo, caldo de res, breakfast burritos and plenty of guacamole.

They also have several vegetarian options. All the ingredients tasted fresh and cooked right before your eyes if you wish to watch. So don’t walk four blocks to get a smelly Subway sandwich, walk across the street and get a plate of great Mexican food.

La Casita Mexican Diner 1247 C St. San Diego (619) 531-0044 Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. -8 p.m. Sat 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

www.sdcitytimes.com | November 15, 2011

VOICE Dream Act takes away from citizens A few weeks ago Gov. Jerry Brown pushed forward the California Dream Act, which allows undocumented college students access to financial aid. This sounds great. We can get these people educated and in turn get them better jobs. There is no denying this, it would help these undocumented students. Wake up California, our state is out of money and has been for awhile. Can we really afford another financial aid program right now? Did we not just have summer session cut from our district this year? This money could have gone towards funding classes that are now cut or to funding summer session. Many opponents say it actually won’t cost that much. Only 1 percent of the Cal-Grant’s budget would go towards this program. This sort of reasoning is why California is near $8 billion in debt, these 1 percent’s from irresponsible legislation add up. Brown says the program will cost $14.5 million a year. A senate committee says this program will actually cost $40 million a year. Regardless, a bankrupt state like California should not be looking to spend more money. Why are we rewarding illegal immigration? The fact is, when illegal

PERSPECTIVE Joseph Stremlau

immigrants put their kids in our schools, they are robbing you and your kid’s education. The money spent on illegal immigrant students could have been spent on yourself or your kid. There are plenty of immigrants that are wait years to come here legally, shouldn’t they be getting these benefits instead? The Dream Act does target students who say they want their citizenship, but the question is why didn’t they apply for legal citizenship before they illegally crossed the border. The California Dream Act is completely unfair to students who came to this country legally. Illegal immigrant students have made a mockery of our immigration laws then asking this state and this country for free handouts. The time is now for California to reflect and look what is really important. Your state government is choosing to cradle illegal immigrants while sending the education system to the dump. Instead of helping others that weren’t supposed to be here in the first place we need to start focusing on helping ourselves.

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CITY TIMES Volume 66, Number 6 November 15, 2011

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Published as: The Jay Sees | 1945-1949 Fortknightly | 1949-1978 City Times | 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks

Anulak Singphiphat Editor-in-Chief

Troy Orem Photo Editor

Fernando Yates Managing Editor

Aida Bustos-Garcia Journalism Adviser

Cecilia Areta Features Editor Jennifer Manalili Arts Editor

Image graphic by Troy Orem

‘I am not a welfare queen’ Many people see me smiling and saying hello to everyone I meet. To them, I’m just a happy student rushing to my next class. What they don’t know is the hell I live virtually every day. Contrary to what the public sees, government policies seem to be set up to crush people like me trying to get ahead. The government does not sufficiently support poor mothers who want to get a college degree so they can earn enough to live with dignity with their families. I am a 45-year-old divorced mother of three, struggling every day to get my education to get a good job to support my daughters, ages 15, 9 and 6. I’m also an immigrant who struggles every day to understand American culture and the English language. I a student at City College, where I have already earned two associate degrees with honors. I’m also a student at the small private Springfield College. I am carrying 15 units, studying for two other degrees to give myself the broadest base possible to get a good-paying job, so I can give my kids peace of mind as they grow up. Because my income is very low, I qualify for food stamps and subsidized child

How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: T-316

SOCIAL MEDIUM Sandra Galindo

care, although these benefits are always at risk of disappearing because of budget cuts. I work part-time for the San Diego Labor Council, but that work is week to week and I don’t know if I will have a job the following week. I had to give up a class in order to keep my job. My rent is $1,330 and I earn less than $1,000 a month, so I battle every day to earn any money that can help me make basic payments for gas, insurance, phone, and so on. I clean houses and I take care of an elderly person. This week I took a survey that paid $5, which to me was gas money. I have pawned 15 items of jewelry. I’m always thinking what I can pawn next to pay the rent. I am desperate to have a job, like many of the people on public assistance in the county. According to an article in

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City Times Staff Paulina Aguilar, Tom Andrew, Sydney Bryant, Sandra Galindo, William Harcourt, Bliss Mellen-Ross, Nicholas Preston, Francesca Rodrigues, Pablo Rojo, Joreal Ross, Daniela Solano, Amanda Santomi, Joseph Stremlau, Kevin Stover, Michele Suthers, Lashekita Sutton, Kyle Ward, Robert Whaley, Michael Wheeler, Tiana Wilkins Contributors Alec Fernandez

California Watch that ran Aug. 22, “unemployment among women rose from 11 percent to 11.4 percent between July 2010 and July 2011.” It’s a myth that most of these people live in luxury and are exploiting their benefits. In fact, “less than 3 percent of people receiving public aid in the county were found to be committing fraud,” according to a participatory action research project done by the Supportive Parents Information Network and the Caring Council of San Diego guided by Professor Bill Oswald, of Springfield College, on Jan. 2010. At the public assistance offices, you can see all types of people, not just like the stereotypical homeless people. They want to work. There are simply are no jobs. The government needs to help create jobs for people like me, who want to build on what they’ve studied. And they should take advantage of all stimulus funds that would have created jobs. In Congress, there’s a big fight over jobs programs. To me, the most important thing the government can do for people who are struggling is create jobs. Once you have a job, one that gives you enough to live

off of, then you can have a “regular” life. One where you don’t have to spend all day inside your apartment with your children, because you don’t have any money to go anywhere else. We can’t go walking around in Balboa Park because I don’t have the gas money. Government, also, needs to do a better job of processing all paperwork related to getting help when you are poor. The County is highly inefficient in processing assistance applications. This is so important at times of economic crisis like now. Since the new eligibility determination system was implemented, people like me have to file documents over and over again because there is no one single person in charge of the case. I have received many Notices of Actions with incorrect information that have taken me hours to fix and used up my valuable gas and my time. That’s not to mention the stress that it has caused me and my daughters. I am not a “welfare queen.” The public aid I receive keeps me surviving day to day while I get an education. But it is the most humiliating experience of my and my daughters’ lives.

City Times is published twice monthly during the semester. Signed opinions are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, City College administration, faculty and staff or the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees. District policy statement | This publication is produced as a learning experience under a San Diego Community College District instructional program. All materials, including opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the students and should not be interpreted to be those of the college district, its officers or employees. Letters to the editor | Letters to the Editor are welcome, 350 words or less. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation and length. Memberships | Journalism Association of Community Colleges, California College Media Association, Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Program | www.sdcity.edu/journalism Roman S. Koenig, associate professor, journalism and mass communication

November 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

Penn pledges ‘to right our leaders’wrongs’

Voice

Brown’s

Act

The sexual scandal that rocked Penn State University and the nation unleashed contrasting points of view. Students and community members rioted two days after beloved Coach Joe Paterno was fired. The staff of Penn’s newspaper The Daily Collegian published their perspective on the scandal as Penn students.

PERSPECTIVE The Daily Collegian

We will right our leaders’ wrongs In the wake of scandalous allegations, riots, dismissals and poor leadership, Penn Staters have questioned their loyalty and; at the least, experienced many emotions. Friday night’s candlelight vigil at Old Main brought thousands together to raise awareness of the larger issue — the children and families who’ve allegedly been affected by Jerry Sandusky’s actions. The Old Main lawn was not filled with the tumultuous mob that occupied it Wednesday night but by a solemn student body Friday. For almost a week, we were leaderless and restless. But, we became the leaders we were searching for. The student-organized vigil allowed the Penn State community to reflect and grieve. And this act is only one. Hopefully, many more to come will reshape what it means to be a Penn Stater. We will show the world who we are. It was one of the most powerful statements our student body could make. We are not rioters. We are students who came together at 9:30 on a Friday night and to remember those who were allegedly abused by Sandusky. One man started this disaster. A 23-page report along with the mistakes of our supposed leaders, needed to be cleaned up by the student body. We will right the wrongs. The allegations should’ve been stopped the moment they were reported. The students and the community stepped up to the task at hand and created an inspiring and solemn experience. The Wednesday night riot didn’t define us. The minority does not and cannot define us. What defines us is how we can come together and unite in a time of tragedy. And it gave many of us a sense of closure — a peaceful way of expressing ourselves and representing our school. Our community will not brush these events under the rug. We will pick-up where our leaders did not. We must not let those who’ve been sexually abused be forgotten. This is an issue that effects more than the eight boys who’ve allegedly been abused by Sandusky. This issue has more meaning than just repairing Penn State’s image. It means more than righting past wrongs. Friday night brought dark beauty. It unified campus and community and focused on those who truly need our support.

Question by Joseph Stremlau Photos by Troy Orem

What do you think about the California Dream Act being passed?

Students hang a sign in support of the Dream Act last year near Inspiration Point. San Diego Red.com

It is unfair to citizens in California The California Dream Act was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Oct. 9, 2011 and will grant $14.5 million to illegal immigrant students. The requirements for each applicants are that they have to attend a California secondary school for at least three years, receive a high school diploma or GED and is apply for citizenship. The Dream Act will grant citizenship to immigrants who are attending college or have served in the military.

CON

Tiana Wilkins The $14.5 million was granted for the Dream Act, about 1 percent of the Cal-Grant budget, it is still money that legal citizens fund. Schools are becoming more and more impacted and tuition is going up. Instead of trying to solve those problems, Brown is giving handouts to illegal immigrants. Out of 2.9 million

community college students, 34,057 would be affected. The 1 percent that is being given to illegal immigrant students could go towards saving 3,230 teachers’ jobs or go towards renovating schools. The tuition for college students is already increasing, is it really fair that people who aren’t even citizens will receive handouts? The biggest problem about this act is that it doesn’t benefit California citizens at all. The tax money that Californians

have been paying for years isn’t going to their children or to schools, it’s going to the people who are illegally in this country. The immigrant students can also apply for privately funded scholarships. It’s good to help others but it’s not the right time. California can barely help its own citizens let alone others. The state is already billions of dollars in debt. That is 1 percent of the Cal-Grant budget that can possibly make a difference in the way children are taught.

We shouldn’t turn away our friends Should we educate people who are not citizens of our nation and allow them to receive financial aid? Governor Brown believes so. The bills making up the California Dream Act are currently on track to be operative on July 1, 2012. This bill would give students who have applied for lawful immigration status, graduated from a California secondary school, and have attended a secondary school in California for three or more years. All of that is on top of the normal require-

PRO

Robert Whaley ments for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. Now before you think they are going to steal your awarded financial aid, the bill only allows them to apply and receive competitive Cal-Grants if funding remains after all California resident students have been awarded. These immigrant students

would be eligible for Board of Governors Fee Waiver and Institutional Student Aid. According to Senator Orrin Hatch there are more than 25,000 undocumented immigrant students who graduate every year from high school. These students cannot legally work to pay for college, yet they cannot receive financial aid like their peers. These students are just like everyone else, they are americanized, they went to high school here, played on our sports teams, ate the same food as us. The only difference

is they were not born in our country. Often times the students who this bill would aid cannot return to their country of origin. They do not speak the language well, understand the customs, or have the skill set to work in the industries there. They cannot survive anywhere but here. There is a good chance they went to the same classes as you, tossed their mortar board hat at graduation with you. Do we really want to turn our backs on them now?

Rachel Sorensen, 19 Psychology

Felipe D’lgadillo, 39 Business Administration

Adrian Juarez, 19 General Ed

Maria Lemus, 21 Biochemistry

“Yeah I think they should. Everyone should have an equal right to education.”

“I think it helps with the community. People (get) an education that weren’t in the past able to get an education. Some of these people get higher GPA’s then people here in the states.”

“I think its good cause some people are really smart and deserve a chance. A lot of people don’t get it cause their not legally here.”

“I think it’s a good thing that it got passed in California and it will bring good because all of these students that are aspiring engineers, doctors, teachers, business people, they are going to contribute to society eventually.”

www.sdcitytimes.com | November 15, 2011

News

More than 200 headstones with the names of fallen ser vice members coverer Gorton Quad as part of the Veterans Day ceremony put on by the Veterans for Peace.

Left: A student studies the headstones of fallen militar y. Middle: A student writes a note to local veterans. Right: President of the San Diego City College Veterans for Peace Maurice Martin describes the seriousness of war on Nov. 10. Photos by Troy Orem, City Times

Veterans Continued from Page 1 “If you aren’t serving then you probably know someone who is serving. We are all about being peaceful. We don’t advocate violence at all. We try to put on activities every month to help remind people about what’s going on and remind them of the consequences of war. We also put on different outreach programs in the community, including homeless projects, to help veterans.” The program also offers what they call a “youth alternative,” which involves visiting the same schools that military recruiters visit. “The recruiters will come to a school with a van full of Army video games and we will show up and tell them that war is not a game. The military is not a travel agency,” Landendorf said.

Bryce Schierenbeck, a City College student who served seven years in the U.S. Army as part of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, spoke of his first-hand experience and stressed the importance of understanding the true definition of war. “War isn’t what you think it is. Kids watch video games and think they know what it’s like. It’s not glorified like it is on TV. It’s bloody. It’s dirty. It’s filled with long, sleepless nights. It’s horrible,” Schierenbeck said. Jan Runman, 64, was another Vietnam veteran showing his support. Runman began serving a 28-month-long service of duty in September 1966. When he returned home he was met with indfference from his community and he quickly grew strong in his stance against war. “I learned a lot from taking classes. There’s a lot of lying. The politicians lie. War is all about prof-

its and money,” Runman said. Runman also experienced one of the biggest problems soldiers face upon returning home: posttraumatic stress disorder. “I spent two days on the battlefield and then I was back on a street in Los Angeles,” Runman said. “I experienced PTSD. I didn’t learn that I had it until I was 58. I thought what I was experiencing was normal. I thought it was happening to everyone.” For many veterans, the sacrifice does not end once they are shipped back and it’s important to remember that the struggle goes on even when they are at home. Martin was only a teenager when he left home to serve in a 26 -men unit in El Salvador. He echoes Runman’s sentiments about PTSD because he experienced it as well. “PTSD is like being struck with lightening,” Martin said. “I was 17 when I served. It’s taken

me more than 30 years to heal. It was like being in a coma but awake. You have to be able to say it out loud before you can heal. Say it out loud and address it.” Mar tin struggled for years, receiving help from various doctors along the way. “My doctor gave me three steps of advice,” Martin said. “One, don’t confuse feeling better for being better. Two, don’t fire your help. Don’t get rid of your friends or family or the people that care about you. Don’t become a shut-in. And three, find a way to get it out. Scream it out, shout it out, and find a way to expel those things.” Other veterans have returned home physically unscathed but soon face problems like homelessness. The homeless population in downtown has reached 10,000 people and around 3,000 are veterans. Of that 3,000 10 percent are

homeless female veterans who usually also have children and are unaware that help exists for them. Each speaker stressed the importance of asking for help when it’s needed and to also remembering the meaning of Veteran’s Day while celebrating it. “Don’t glorify war. Remember who you served with. Remember the ultimate sacrifice they paid and the ones that are currently serving. Remember them every day,” Schierenbeck said. “Thank you for sharing your time with those whose time has ended,” Martin said. For more information on Veterans For Peace visit www.veteransforpeace.org. The San Diego chapter of Verterans For Peace webites is www.sdvfp.org. Veterans, and family and friends of veterans at City College can also contact Martin at mauricemartin357@yahoo.com.