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February 26, 2013
S h i p p e n s b u rg U n i v e r s i t y o f P e n n s y l v a n i a
Volume 65 No. 16
Special Edition:
Gun Control
We’re gonna need a bigger boat.
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What’s Inside...
Celebrating 56 years as Shippensburg University’s student-run campus newspaper.
Opinion
News
Chelsea Wehking / Editor-in-Chief
Cara Shumaker / Managing Editor
News Colleen Bauer / News Editor William Kauffman / News Editor
Multimedia Alexa Bryant / Multimedia Editor Kevin Battersby / Asst. Multi. Editor
Opinion Samantha Noviello / Opinon Editor Ana Guenther / Asst. Opinion Editor
Full coverage of the national and local gun and violence issues, A3-A5 Ship Life
Sports
Face off: Are you for or against gun control? B2
Ship Life Anna Seils / Ship Life Editor A&E Sarah Eyd / A&E Editor Matthew Kline / Asst. A&E Editor Sports Samuel Stewart / Sports Editor Nick Sentman / Asst. Sports Editor Ryan Trexler / Asst. Sports Bryan Obarowski / Asst. Sports
Mail: The Slate Shippensburg University CUB Box 106 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257
SU men’s and women’s track and field teams win PSAC title, E4
PR & Circulation Paris Helman / PR Director Sadie Tyrpin / Asst. PR Director Advertising Nickolys Hinton / Ad. Director Copy Lauren Miscavage / Chief Copy Editor Ashley Stoudnour / Asst. Copy Editor Adviser Dr. Michael W. Drager
Web Simon Neubauer / Web Director Theresa Helwig / Asst. Web Director
A&E
Email: slate.ship@gmail.com
Lichtman gives interpretation of U.S. Second Amendment, C2
Graphic Design Emily MaCoy / Chief Graphic Designer
Olivia NewtonJohn brings summer nights to Luhrs, D2 Front cover by Emily MaCoy
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Violent intrusion: What if it happens at SU? William Kauffman News Editor
In the wake of an increase in gun violence, some of which has occurred in educational environments, the Shippensburg University Police Department (SUPD) wants to continue to arm students with knowledge about what to do in the case of a violent intrusion on campus. The SUPD had Violent Intruder Training on Monday night, Feb. 25, in the Harley Hall rec room, where students watched a video, listened to the SUPD and asked questions about what to do in case of a violent intrusion. Also, students learned a concept known as “survival mindset;” something staff and faculty are taught upon employment at the
university. The basic idea behind the survival mindset is, in case of a violent intrusion, to run, hide and fight. The emphasis is on the first two, as no one is encouraged to try and fight in such a situation, only as a matter of desperate survival. Running and hiding is the best reaction for someone in such a scenario. If hidden in a room, barricade yourself in as best as possible, pull the blinds, eliminate anything that might make noise like a cell phone, remain quiet and await police. “If you can notify the police, give us as much information as possible,” Cytha Grissom, chief of SUPD, said. “Tell us where the person is, if they have a weapon, things like that. Stay until police come and clear
the area and tell you that it is safe to leave,” Grissom said. If you contact the police, do not do so and make noise at your own peril; only do it if it is safe. When the police arrive, remain calm, follow instructions, empty hands, keep hands visible, avoid quick movements toward officers and avoid pointing and yelling. Another thing the SUPD discussed was the characteristics of an active shooter situation. They noted that victims are usually selected at random, although every situation is unique. Also, they explained this kind of event is unpredictable and evolves quickly and usually requires law enforcement to end. Grissom is not in favor of the idea of arming staff and
faculty to defend against a potential violent intrusion. “I’m just leery that someone is going to get hurt, an innocent person is going to get hurt, and I do not think we should be at the point where we are arming people who are supposed to be teaching,” Grissom said. “That’s our job.” Ultimately, the best thing a student can do is remain aware of one’s surroundings and the people in them. Watch out for suspiciousacting people and people asking suspicious questions about buildings or individuals. If a violent intrusion ever occurs, remember to run and hide and notify police if possible. Allow the SUPD to be the ones with guns on campus, and call them if someone other than them has one.
Immediate Action for Violent Intruders -Lock and barricade door -Stay behind solid objects and stay away from door -Close blinds -Silent phones -Keep calm and quiet -Escape if possible -Call 477-1444 or 911 -Provide as much information as possible REMAIN IN SECURE AREA UNTIL EMERGENCY OR RESCUE PERSONNEL ARRIVE AND PROVIDE FURTHER INSTRUCTION
How secure are the residence halls at SU? Colleen Bauer News Editor
Although Shippensburg University’s Police Department runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, how do we know that the more than 2,500 students living on campus are always safe? The university’s police officers patrol on foot, vehicle and bicycles — but for every one officer on duty, there are a few hundred students or more. To keep the students secure, every residence hall has desk assistants at the main entrance. These assistants require all visitors to sign in at the desk to ensure every person in the building is either a student or an acquaintance of a student. There are also resident deans, resident directors and resident assistants who live in each residence hall.
There is always at least one of these assistants on duty at a time. They all undergo specific training to enforce the policies of the residence halls and make sure students are safe. SU’s residence halls all have swipe systems at their doors to ensure that only students and faculty who have an SU identification card can enter. However, intruders who do not have a card can easily come in the doors behind someone who does. Chief Cytha Grissom from SU’s Police Department feels that this is when students need to take initiative and be responsible for their own safety. “They’re only as safe as the students allow them to be. If you’re going to go into your residence halls and hold the door for everybody and anybody to come in, that is going to defeat the security system
that we have in place,” Grissom said. Grissom feels confident that the new residence halls are an improvement when it comes to safety. “The elevators are card swipe. In order to get down certain hallways there is card swipe also. So I think we’ve put a lot of things in place that have increased the security of those buildings which is great,” Grissom said. Most students’ rooms have dead bolt locks on the doors, and all windows have locks. There are also cameras in the parking lots. However Grissom knows there is also always room for improvement, especially when it comes to safety. “We’re in the process of putting cameras in [the residence halls] in a lot more areas than we had before, which I think is good, too. I think we are working toward making them more secure places,”
Photo by Colleen Bauer
SU Police are taking steps toward making new residence halls even safer. Grissom said. The university’s emergency alert system also helps to make students aware if there is an intrud-
er on campus or a crime nearby. The alerts are immediately sent to every student’s email, as well as
text messages to students who have registered their cell phones with the alert system.
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A timeline of gun events Political Pabulum Heather Leasure
Congressional firefight targets assault weapons
Staff Writer
The first recorded use of a firearm was in 1364. Since then, issues of gun rights and gun violence have surfaced and increased in number. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which 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” was ratified in 1791. Kentucky was the first state to ban carrying concealed weapons in 1813, and in 1822 the law was repealed because it was unconstitutional. In 1837, Georgia was the first state to ban handguns. However, this law was also considered to be unconstitutional and was thrown out. The National Rifle Association was founded in 1871 to help troops improve marksmanship. In 1934, after the attempted assassination of President Franklin Roosevelt, Congress created the National Firearms Act. The purpose of this act was to regulate and tax machine guns. The NRA then formed a Legislative Affairs Division in 1934 to fight against attacks on Second Amendment rights. In response to the murders of Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy, Congress passed the 1968 Gun Control Act, which is still in effect today. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 made the sale of semi-automatic weapons illegal. It also gave more funding to law enforcement and prevention programs. The shooting at Columbine High School in 1999
Giuseppe Macri
Staff Columnist
Art by Emily MaCoy
was the start of another gun control and safety campaign. In 2000, Maryland was the first state to adopt a law that required all firearms to carry child-safety locks. In the same year, thousands of mothers and children gathered in cities across the nation to demonstrate for gun control. The Virginia Tech shooting took place in 2007. The attack led to increased discussion of gun laws and mental health. In 2008, Washington, D.C.’s, ban on handguns was determined to be unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court threw out the 32-year-old rule. Most recently, in 2012, the Colorado movie theater shooting and the Sandy Hook shooting have further increased debate on gun control. After these recent events, there has been an increase in gun sales. There are two possible explanations for this increase. One explanation is that people feel less and less secure each time they hear
of shootings. They want added protection so they go out and buy a gun to make themselves feel safer. Another explanation is that with these shootings comes more talk of gun control. Because people fear that they will soon be unable to purchase guns, they want to go buy them right now while they have the chance. Many people also believe that there has been an increase in mass shootings. However, studies done after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have determined that there has not been an increase. The number of mass shootings has fluctuated over the years and this can make it seem as though there has been a dramatic increase or decline from year to year. Also, the increase in media involvement has contributed to the public feeling that gun violence has increased. Whether gun violence has increased or not, the debate on gun control continues.
The “big guns” in Congress want the real big guns off the shelves, according to the new Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 introduced by the Democratic Senate late last month. Passed in its present form, the bill would prevent the sale, transfer, importation or manufacturing of more than 150 popular military-style assault weapons bought and sold nationwide. Listed weapons purchased legally before the legislation is enacted would be immune, along with more than 2,200 weapons designated for hunting and sport. Specific categories listed include semiautomatic rifles or pistols usable in conjunction with fixed or detachable ammunition magazines with a more than 10-round capacity. These weapons are prohibited from having designated military-style features like grenade launchers, rocket launchers, pistol grips, etc.
Grandfathered weapons owned before enactment of the bill would still be subject to new background checks for sale or transfer, high-capacity magazines would still be prohibited as part of the exchange, and owners would be required to adhere to new safety storing standards. Prohibiting the sale of high-powered rifles is not the primary aim of the ban, according to Vice President Joe Biden, a long tenured advocate of increased gun regulation on Capitol Hill. President Barack Obama has placed Biden in charge of the new regulation effort. “I’m much less concerned, quite frankly, about what you call an assault weapon ban than I am about magazines and the number of rounds that can be held in a magazine,” Biden said after the first draft of the bill was introduced in the Senate. High-capacity magazines, like the ones referred to by Biden, were used in the Newtown, Conn., Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 children and 6 faculty and staff members dead in December. Following the attack, public outcry for increased gun control has never been higher, even across party lines, prompting Obama to declare the issue one of his top priorities in 2013. Recently the president has embarked on a national speaking tour in support of the cause and to mount up pressure on Congress to act on the bill. Though originating in the Senate, six of the 55 Democratic majority sen-
ators do not support the measure, preventing the party from having the 51 votes they would need to pass. Even if Democrats come together, they still would not have the 60 votes needed to cloture a guaranteed Republican filibuster, preventing the bill from being put to a vote. Next, the ban would have to make it through the House, where the Republican majority and moderate Democrats would put up a fight. Both groups count on NRA funding and Second Amendment favoring constituents for re-election. Even still, the president is not giving in. “Gabby Giffords deserves a vote. The families of Newtown deserve a vote. The families of Aurora deserve a vote. The families of Oak Creek, and Tucson, and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence. They deserve a simple vote,” Obama said in his State of the Union Address two weeks ago. Despite the controversy an assault weapons ban is nothing new. The Clinton administration passed a similar 10-year ban that expired in 2004. The new ban, if enacted, would be permanent. Some gun experts have said the bill displays a lack of expertise about the nature of weapons listed. Lawmakers may have to first disarm themselves of the popular prevalence of partisan politics before they can come to any agreement on gun rights and regulations.
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Firearm sales are on the rise Adrian Sipes Staff writer
Shippensburg and its surrounding areas are seeing a major increase in the sales of firearms and ammunition. Robert Seebach, owner of Bonnie’s Guns in Chambersburg, has noticed a substantial jump in sales since November — also noting that sales for his business are up three times as much as they were last February. Seebach said he rarely had customers come in and purchase more than one firearm. Now custom-
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ers are buying as many as three at a time. Some owners believe a major factor in the increase of sales is the uncertain future of the availability of different model firearms. That being said, customers are grabbing what they can, while they can. However, with business sales going up, availability is going down. Due to the rapid fluctuation of upward sales, manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the supply-and-demand needs of businesses, which is leading to the shortage of merchandise. While some owners are
seeing the positive effect the increase in sales has had on their businesses, the hardship to find the firearms customers are asking for has also been noticed. Briary Hollow Gun Shop in Shippensburg is also aware of this concern. William Naugle, owner of the shop, said there was a “definite increase” in sales over the past couple months. Yet, the rise in sales continues to have one setback — the availability of firearms. This is also an issue for Benjamin Brown, owner of Landmark Firearms LLC in Chambersburg.
Brown’s sales have also gone up, especially after the shooting incidents in the U.S., he notices the positive impact the sales have had on his homebased business. However, like other owners, Brown is plagued with the struggle to find the firearms his customers desire. With the availability of merchandise now, owners are anxious to see what the future will bring for the availability of certain firearms. As of now, business is good and sales are on the rise.
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Gun debate through the eyes of the gun retailer Paris Helman PR Director
In the midst of a bitter debate between advocates for gun control and proponents for gun rights, one cannot forget about the outlook of a key player in the conflict — the gun retailer. Located in Fort Loudon, Pa., Keystone Country Store sells about 1,000 long guns and 500 handguns each year — semi-automatics not included in those statistics. While this may seem like a large amount of firearms, it is not comparable to the amount of hunters and sportsmen in the area, according to the store’s gun manager, Gary Seburn. However, the shop’s business has been booming in the recent months, even though gun control is being promoted more than ever before. Among the guns flying off the shelves are semiautomatics, despite rising in price from $899 to $1499 in the past six months.
Keystone Country Store is a successful business, but it has also proven to be an honest business. Sales forms from the beginning of the shop’s history are kept on hand for the The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to check when they visit the store. The ATF is required to visit every three years, but representatives from the bureau can stop in to investigate at any time. While an ATF representative is at the shop, they check to make sure the gun count matches the recorded number of sales. They also evaluate the forms the shop has to complete for every person who purchases a gun. Ten of these forms are chosen at random and checked for accuracy in completion. These evaluated forms are very crucial to the gunbuying process. Every time a person goes to buy a gun, he or she must fill out a form that is provided by the ATF to the store.
Each firearm requires a different kind of form, and therefore, a different or more thorough background check. Depending on the results of that background check, the purchase of a gun will either be approved or delayed. “Anything from a DUI or more than two unemployment checks can delay the process, but that information is private. We are only told to delay the sale, ” Seburn said. Currently, there is no limit on how many longguns a person can buy, but these guns are typically only used for hunting and range shooting. On the other hand, handguns are limited to the purchase of two in a 10-day period. Seburn said the influx of gun-buyers at Keystone Country Store has consisted of many older people. “We have had many older people coming into the store to buy guns, but most of these people have never owned guns and don’t know how to handle them,”
Seburn said. However, the store is holding regular gun safety workshops to make sure its customers are using their guns properly. In regard to semi-automatics, which cannot be used for hunting in Pennsylvania, Seburn noticed most of the people who buy these guns are former military soldiers who want to protect their homes. After learning the process involved in purchasing a gun, it is important to question whether more gun restrictions would really hinder gun violence. In Seburn’s opinion, they would not. “I’m not opposed to higher gun restrictions. It wouldn’t hurt our business, and it wouldn’t hurt any good business. But, I don’t think gun violence would stop because of higher gun restrictions.” That is the ultimate question. Do criminals buy guns legally? Would higher restrictions on gun retailers limit gun violence? The answer may come in the near future.
Photos by Paris Helman
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SU ministry planning sixth service trip to Vietnam Codie Eash
Staff Writer In a land where clean sheets of paper and colored pencils are considered luxuries, Shippensburg University students have come through five times in creating relationships and erecting buildings — and are now going to do so for a sixth. During the 2013–2014 winter break, SU’s United Campus Ministry will be traveling to Vietnam. Over a two-week period, participants will build a school in the Mekong River Delta region of southwest Vietnam.
The Mekong Delta is home to one of the largest inland fisheries in the world and it has some of the most productive soil globally, growing 6.5 million tons of rice each year. According to the Asean Resource Center for Biodiversity Conservation, 70 to 80 percent of the Mekong Delta’s precipitation comes between May and November. The monsoons during this five-to-six-month period often severely flood the delta, creating environmental and economic issues for its 4.5 million inhabitants. “It’s very interesting for our students to see a com-
pletely different way of life to travel by water,” Rev. Jan Bye said. UCM and its estimated 15 volunteers will have the opportunity to interact with children, teachers and parents. They will experience a different culture and develop knowledge of justice, peace, service and good citizenship. Students from Ho Chi Minh University will serve as translators. While the trip is sponsored by UCM, it is a nonevangelical venture. Therefore, UCM extends its invitation to all SU students willing to participate.
The cost is $3,500 per person, though Bye said fundraising efforts could decrease the amount. In prior years, UCM has completed many other projects in Vietnam, including the construction of a medical clinic in 2010–2011. SU alumna Clarissa Miller was there and described the satisfaction of completing tasks as an amazing experience. “It made me feel great that I could help these people in whatever small ways I could. It was also really inspiring to know that people with so little personal property were so willing to share anything and everything that they had, and I
think that was the major lesson that I have brought home,” Miller said. “It really has transformed our students’ live,” and has exposed them to “a radically different culture,” Bye said. “There is a cultural immersion which isn’t possible when doing ‘touristy’ stuff,” she added, also noting the impact of seeing evidence of a nation which was “literally shooting at our own 40 years earlier,” Bye said. The main objective, aside from erecting the school, is to build a sense of connection, which Bye described as recognizing the Vietnamese people
as “world citizens” rather than strangers on the other side of the globe. Upon return, UCM members plan to present their experience to Shippensburg churches, service groups and schools. They hope to educate and inspire others “to make a difference within their own communities and around the world.” Though the organizational meeting has already occurred, students interested in going with UCM are encouraged to call 717477-1672 or email jmbye@ ship.edu with any questions.
Burg outlines blacks’ history in Shippensburg community Carolyn Seibert-Drager Staff Writer
Since its founding as the Cumberland Valley Normal School in 1871, Shippensburg University always has had an integrated student population. Segregation of blacks and whites in Shippensburg’s public school system, though, did not end until the Great Depression. Steven Burg, chairperson of SU’s history department, shared that and other facts about local black history during a Feb. 20 talk at Ezra Lehman Memorial Library. More than 75 students, faculty and local residents attended Burg’s presentation, held as part of the university’s recognition of Black History Month. While SU never was segregated, “there were periods in its early history when no African-American students were visible in photos from the time. But they were not barred from attending,” Burg said.
There were some rules regarding their attendance, however, such as being required to live off campus. “They lived in boarding houses in town, as did some white students,” Burg said. Shippensburg was settled in 1730, making it the oldest town in the Cumberland Valley. Evidence of a number of blacks in the area — in the form of more complete tax rolls, on which local residents listed servants and slaves as part of the property they owned — began appearing consistently in the 1760s. In 1780, Burg said, there were 15 slaveholders and 47 slaves living in Shippensburg. That was the year Pennsylvania abolished slavery — the first state to do so. “Abolition was popular in Eastern Pennsylvania, but not in this part of the state,” Burg said. Despite that, slaveholders in the eastern section of the state did not always free their slaves. “There were people in Philadelphia who sold their
slaves to people in Central Pennsylvania. At one time, Cumberland County had the largest number of slaves in Pennsylvania,” Burg said. Signs of the earliest black community in Shippensburg still exist near campus, according to Burg. The Locust Grove Cemetery on North Queen Street was established as a burial spot for slaves, and then became a free black cemetery. There are 26 black veterans of the Union army during the Civil War, eight of whom were born in Shippensburg and are buried in Locust Grove. A historical marker at the front of the cemetery property denotes the first site of the African Methodist Episcopal church in town. “On a hot dusty day, you can still see a slight depression on the property where the foundation was, and where the ground was pressed down at the front door from people walking in and out of the church,” Burg said.
The African American population in Shippensburg “really exploded” in the 1860s and 1870s, according to Burg. “By the 1870 census, Shippensburg was 10 percent African American,” Burg said. It was a diverse group, he said, composed of former slaves who were born here and later received their freedom, people who had lived here as free men and women throughout their lives, and others who had migrated from the South. “Because of its geography, the Cumberland Valley provided a natural route for African Americans from western Pennsylvania, western Maryland and western Virginia to come north,” Burg said. Although slavery was outlawed before the turn of the 19th century in Pennsylvania, blacks and whites did not live as equals for many decades to come. “Like slavery, segregation was not just a Southern thing,” Burg said. In Shippensburg, as in many other towns, “it was
Photo by Carolyn Seibert-Drager
Steven Burg, chairperson of SU’s history department, shared facts about local black history. not a matter of law, but more of social customs and practice. Some things were segregated and some were not. You kind of had to grow up in the town to know what was and what wasn’t.” Pennsylvania passed a law ending segregation in schools in 1881.
It took Shippensburg more than five decades, until 1936, to fully comply with the law. “The high school became integrated earlier, but the elementary school was not until 1936, when a new school building was built,” Burg said.
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Police Logs CRIMINAL MISCHIEF On Wednesday, Feb. 20, at approximately 6:55 p.m., Ashley Santin, 18, of Naugle Hall came to the University Police Department to report that her vehicle had been damaged while it was parked in the South Storage Parking Lot. Santin reported that she had noticed the damage to her Red Dodge Neon earlier in the month but was just now reporting it. Officers examined the vehicle and verified that there was a hole in the passenger side of the rear bumper. The vehicle was parked near the steps in the parking lot when the damage occurred. No damage estimate is available at this time.
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE On Friday, Feb. 22, at approximately 11:57 p.m., a University Police officer stopped a vehicle on York Drive near Harley Hall for an equipment violation. Upon approaching the vehicle and speaking with the driver, the officer found that the driver had been drinking and appeared to be intoxicated. The driver showed obvious signs of intoxication, admitted to consuming alcohol and was given a portable breath test, which showed positive results for the presence of alcohol in his system. The driver was identified as Matthew Frank Casey, 19, of Douglasville, Pa. Casey was taken into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence, and was transported to the Cumberland County Booking Center for processing and blood testing. Charges of driving under the influence are pending the results of the blood test.
UNDERAGE DRINKING / PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS On Saturday, Feb. 23, at approximately 1:02 a.m., a University Police officer was on routine patrol in the area of Adams Drive when he observed a female who was staggering down the sidewalk, fall from the sidewalk into the middle of the street. A male who was walking with the female helped her back up and assisted her back to the sidewalk. The officer stopped the female to check on her welfare and found that she was highly intoxicated. The female in question was identified as Penelope Avia, 18, of McLean Hall II. Avia showed obvious signs of intoxication, admitted to consuming alcohol and was given a portable breath test, which showed positive results for the presence of alcohol in her system. Due to Avia’s condition and high blood alcohol content, an ambulance was dispatched to the scene and she was transported to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Avia was cited for underage drinking and public drunkenness in connection with the incident.
UNDERAGE DRINKING On Sunday, Feb. 24, at approximately 1:26 a.m., the University Police were called to the third floor of Harley Hall for a report of an intoxicated male student with a laceration to his forehead. Officers arrived and located the male in question in his room. The male was intoxicated and did have a small laceration on his forehead which was bleeding at the time. The male in question was identified as Skylar A. Luckenbill, 18, of Harley Hall. Luckenbill showed obvious signs of intoxication, admitted to consuming alcohol and was given a portable breath test, which showed positive results for the presence of alcohol in his system. Due to Luckenbill’s level of intoxication and the injury to his forehead, an ambulance was dispatched to the scene and he was transported to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Luckenbill was cited for underage drinking in connection with the incident.
UNDERAGE DRINKING On Sunday, Feb. 24, at approximately 2:31 a.m., the University Police were called to a room on the second floor of Naugle Hall to assist the residence hall staff with an incident involving the use of alcohol in one of the rooms. Officers responded to the room in question and upon entering the room they found approximately 15-20 empty cans of beer in the room. Three of the occupants of the room at the time showed signs of intoxication, admitted to consuming alcohol and were given portable breath tests which showed positive results for the presence of alcohol in their systems. As a result of the incident, Shane Huntbach, 19; Daniel Yashinski, 18; and Nathan Ritz, 19, all of Naugle Hall were all cited for underage drinking.
Financial Aid frequently asked questions 2013-2014 FAFSA This is part of a series of information from the Financial Aid Office. Although this is an FA column, any and all billing, payment and refund of fees questions should be directed to the Student Accounts Office located in Old Main Room 100 or by calling 717-477-1211. Looking for something to do during spring break? Have you filed your 2013-2014 FAFSA yet? Please be sure to do so before May 1. In order to meet the May 1 PHEAA State Grant deadline, you must file your FAFSA for 2013-2014 as soon as possible. You may go to www. fafsa.gov to file this new form necessary for fall 2013, spring 2014 and summer 2014 attendance. Filing by May 1 could qualify you for a PHEAA State Grant. This is free money that does not have to be repaid. Also, the sooner you file the better chance you have of possibly obtaining internal federal funding from Shippensburg University. Although the form will ask for 2012 income information, you are not required to have your
2012 taxes finished in order to file. You may use estimated income from your W-2, 1099 statements or you may use 2011 taxes if the income is approximately the same for 2012. Returning students will be packaged with aid awards after the commencement of spring 2013 when final grades have posted. Packaging should occur in late May to early June for returning students who have a 2013-2014 FAFSA on file. If you do not have a 2013-2014 FAFSA on file, we will be unable to package you with aid. Be sure to file your 2013-2014 FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov as soon as possible so you do not miss out on aid. If you would like assistance in filing, please contact the Financial Aid office either by phone at 717477-1121 or by email finaid@ship.edu to schedule an appointment with an adviser.
-Courtesy of the Financial Aid Office
OPINION
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Against the banning of all guns, agree with safer policies
SAMANTHA NOVIELLO Opinion Editor
“The gun control proposals President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden issued are for the better.” That is a bold statement because I come from an area where everyone has guns, either for protection or for hunting purposes. I will be the first to say that when I
turn 21 in a few days, I will be allowed to own and carry my own gun, which is something I am going to look into for my own safety. But I am not mentally unstable, violent with weapons or a threat to this country like some people. The facts that I agree with most are the ones of stricter background checks when purchasing guns, schools having emergency management plans to keep children and faculty safer and making sure the public, which is the president’s responsibility for this country, is safer. So many deaths occur from gun violence each year. Compared to how many people we have in the U.S., people assume that it does not seem like a lot, but I believe it is. I am not against guns.
I think Obama got hit hard with horrible comments and crazy individuals who care so much about their rights to have guns. Any president in his position, standing in front of handfuls of families who lost children and family members, would do the same. He got backed into this decision and in reality, what were his other options? Ignore what happened and not release a new issue of gun control? Upset families who have lost loved ones to gun violence and say, it is America’s right to have guns? Sure, it is our right, but we should not be killing people with them either. I believe in what the president is trying to do and that he is thinking of this from a managerial perspec-
tive, a protector of our country and as a father of two young girls. What I want to know is why someone needs high capacity magazines containing more than 10 rounds? States all around the U.S. agree. States such as New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and Colorado have issued stricter background checks on gun and ammunition buyers, and some are even limiting how many gun sales they can have in a month. New York’s governor and gun owner Andrew Cuomo has signed the NY Safe Act, and has now banned military-style assault weapons. Do people really need them? You can hunt with guns that are not like that. Obama faces heavy opposition from many cities,
states and people throughout the U.S. because some things just cannot be prevented. This act would not have prevented the Newtown, Conn., shooting because the young man used his mother’s guns. It cannot prevent someone traveling to a different state with weaker restrictions to buy a gun, then driving back to his or her state and using the weapons forcefully and irresponsibly. This scares me as an individual. I have no idea what I would do if a person came on to Shippensburg University’s campus with an assault weapon and started firing off rounds like he is Tony Montana in “Scarface.” That should never be an issue and I hope one day
people understand that, and act less insane and violent. President Obama is just trying to make peace and do his job. Lighten up. I know there will always be disagreements to what the president does and says because you cannot make everyone happy all the time; that is a lesson learned in this life. And everyone is always entitled to their own opinions and views on topics and people sure do voice them. But I really do feel that stricter background checks, limitations for buying weapons and safer schools is completely necessary to keep us all safe. Believe what you want, but I do not think that anyone in this country can agrue the fact that safety is something they do not want in their lives.
Sandy Hook shooting is definitely not a conspiracy
ANA GUENTHER
Asst. Opinion Editor We will all forever remember Dec. 14, 2012. This was the day 20-yearold Adam Lanza drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Ct. and shot and killed 20 children and six adults. This was the second deadliest incident of a school shooting since the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. The loss of these young
lives has weighed on the hearts of millions as all of our prayers go out to families who lost a loved one on that day. The children and adults who died on Dec. 14 should be commemorated, and their memory should remain untainted. Unfortunately, the Sandy Hook “truthers” are slandering the names of these innocent people. If you have not heard, a month after the shootings occurred, a video was posted to YouTube questioning the legality of the shootings. OK, why would anyone question whether or not these shootings occurred? There were 26 people who were buried by their grieving families and this alleged group of teenagers has the audacity to question whether or not these shootings were contrived by the United States government? The video that this young group of men posted on You-
Tube is about 30 minutes long and outlines the events on the day of the shooting, and the few days afterward. The creators of the video have created nation wide speculation regarding the shooting, and the legitmacy of the events that occured throughout that day. Throughout the video they question and try to prove that the government created this charade as a political tactic to gain support on gun control. The mental stability of the video creators is clearly no better than Adam Lanza’s if they truly believe the US would bother creating this hoax. One aspect of the video that truly, as Nick Sentman would say, “grinds my gears,” is the questioning of the parents who lost their children. If you are one of the unfortunate people who believe this whole conspiracy is true, then I believe you
have no morals or compassion. No one has the right to tell anyone how to grieve during a time of loss. It depends on the person and the situation. Two of the parents who were criticized for their grieving patterns were Robbie Parker, and Lynn McDonnell. Robbie Parker was the father of Emilie Parker, who sadly was killed during the shootings. During a press conference, the video creators questioned Parker’s sudden mood change when he goes from smiling to suddenly upset. The conspiracy theorists believe Parker was able to suddenly change his mood so quickly because he was a crisis actor. If Parker were a crisis actor than people in the Sandy Hook community would have questioned who he was. No one came forth to say,
“Hey, I have never seen him around town before. I have never heard of Emilie Parker. She must not have friends or family.” If you buy into this, what are you thinking? Lynn McDonnell was criticized because the video creators caught her smiling and laughing on camera. I swear these people are idiots. The clip that they used to show McDonnell was muted and showed her laughing. If you listen to the actual interview she is talking about her daughter Grace’s memory, and all of the wonderful things she was. At a funeral do you just cry? No. You laugh and remember the good in someone’s life. No one questions laughter then, so why is it wrong now? It is not fair that these individuals are able to get away with creating such a slanderous video.
They are accusing the government of staging this whole hoax. I mean seriously? So, what you are telling me is that the CIA, the masters of sneaky, planned this whole charade and was so sloppy in their planning, that a group of deranged, bored, stupid and uninformed teenagers were able to expose the U.S. government? I am laughing right now. The families who lost their loved ones should not have to explain their son or daughter’s death. It happened. They are gone. These people are lunatics who claim they are just asking questions. No. What they are doing is starting trouble where trouble is not needed. If you believe the Sandy Hook shooting never happened, then you are the worst form of human possible.
OPINION
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Face off: Are you for or against gun control? ADRIAN SIPES
Guest Writer
Art by Emily MaCoy
DEREK ROBERTSON Staff Writer
The Second Amendment does not matter. Trivial legal arguments claimed powers do not matter; only what should be done matters. The theoretical argument for gun rights rests not in use, but in ownership. A firearm is property. Everyone has the right to own something so long as the ownership of it does not infringe upon another's rights. No matter how “scary” a firearm looks, the mere ownership of a weapon does not harm anyone. Ergo, there is no moral basis to restrict it. Similarly, discard the drivel of “Well, you do not need guns.” We appartently live in a free society. This means that the burden to justify an action lies with the state. No person needs to justify anything to anyone, so long as they are not harming anyone. “You do not need gun” presumes that the individual is a slave requiring permission to act from his/ her master. We must then conclude that there exist no ethical or theoretical grounds for
gun control. Unfortunately, many people are amoral. They only care about arbitrary utilitarian calculations based on some criteria for whether something “works” or not. Putting aside the fundamental problems of this outlook, understanding that implementing gun control makes you an evil person does not matter to many people. Thus, we now fight them at their own game. Statistics involving gun control desecrate the good name of empirical study. Correlation does not imply causation. Ever. As a note, meta-studies show no significant relationship, positive or negative, between gun control and violence on the whole. Furthermore, these studies suffer from too much aggregation. It is dishonest to compare national statistics of the U.S. to, say, Australia. Violent crime and gun control data from Baltimore cannot be averaged with Shippensburg to give an accurate image of any correlation or effectiveness of gun laws, for doing so destroys the data’s context. However, we can look at data involving, say, Canada, a smaller but demographically similar nation
to the United States. Canada represents a nation whose gun laws failed. The recent abolition of its long-gun registry due to its ineffectiveness shows that legislators have no idea what they are doing. Take three different firearms in Canada: The M-14, the AR-10 and the FN-FAL. All of these rifles have similar rounds, similar velocities and similar range. However, one is heavily regulated, one is legal to own and one is completely banned. Why? If you look at the stats, this discrepancy is ridiculous. Ultimately, the only legal-practical differences between these weapons are cosmetic. Finally, how do we convince criminals to follow a law? Maybe passing a law making breaking the law illegal will work, right? In Canada, 1 percent of guns used in a crime were registered long guns. It criminalizes perfectly reasonable people, creates needless bureaucracy, bases itself upon tyrannical theory or cooked statistics, and is nothing more than people flailing irrationally because it makes them feel safe after unpreventable tragedy.
A harsh topic to discuss and justify, the question of gun control has loomed over the U.S. for quite some time. Partly due to the lack of evidence, partly due to belief — there seems to be no middle ground. Yet a side must be chosen, or so they say. I am not for abolishment of firearms, nor am I for one to own a semi-automatic rifle with and extended clip. I am for stricter firearm regulation. In Britain, handguns and automatic weapons have been banned. However, citizens of Britain are able to possess a firearm — if they can justify a reason to own one. An example of this justification would be if the firearm were to be used for hunting. Yet the owner would not get off that easy. According to the magazine “The Economist,” accompanied by lots of paperwork, an owner must undergo a doctor’s evaluation of the owner’s mental state of mind, attitude
toward firearms, criminal background check and there must be no evidence of drug and alcohol abuse in order to possess a firearm in Britain. In 1996, the town of Dunblane, Scotland, experienced the wrath of what firearms can do to a community. A massacre, killing 16 children and a teacher, prompted Scotland and other neighboring countries to decide enough was enough. This led to the banning of all firearms completely, which later eased into the ownership of rifles for hunting and target shooting. The U.K. is not the only country leading the race in firearm regulation, though they are the strictest. Australia and Japan have also joined the bandwagon. Published by the New York Times, death by firearms has decreased dramatically in both countries due to firearm regulation. Japan had 11 deaths due to firearms in 2008, while America experienced 12,000 casualties. Likewise, Australia had 13 massacres in the last 18 years before enacting regulations in 1996 — they have not had a single massacre
since. Unfortunately, I do not believe completely banning firearms will work in the U.S. We are a nation of democracy, and its citizens live by that word. Yet, steps could be made to curb these staggering numbers that seem to boggle the minds of those opposing the ownership of firearms. Instead of calling for abolishment, the government should call for stricter regulations. Further examination of a citizen’s background check could be the difference between life or death. Some may view this as the opposite of democracy, or an infringement on their freedoms. I call it being safe. With stricter regulations, both parties win. Citizens get to keep their guns, and opposing parties get to have a say in who does and does not own a firearm. If banning firearms can work in countries that never had an outstanding craving for fire-power, a couple set of rules is not a bad place to start in our country as well.
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
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People and guns
NICK SENTMAN
Ast. Sports Editor You know what grinds my gears? The gun debate. Why are we still doing this and what does it even matter? Guns, regardless of how they affect the world or those living in it are never going away. Our forefathers did not envision schools getting shot up or movie theaters coming under fire when they created the Second Amendment. Talking about guns anymore is the same as talking about racism, rape, birth control, AIDS, homosexuality or any other taboo issue. Regardless of your stance, they are not going to go away because they are already here in our present society. I can take the firm stance that guns do not kill people,
people kill people. When I see a gun walk, talk and shoot its own bullets, that will be the day I change this viewpoint. I understand the outrage over these assault rifles, but in my life I have never once been assaulted with a gun, which includes my neighbor Wayne Gunn. If we take guns away from the public, the lunatics are still going to find a way to obtain weapons. Drugs are illegal in America yet, for some reason, the best job on the market is to be a crack dealer. I hear they have a good dental plan and no need for prior work experience. If people want to get something, they will get it. No matter what the law is, people are still going to break it. Just ask poor little Tommy, who thought it was a good idea to feed the lions his left over cotton candy. Oh, Tommy, do not feed the animals means do not feed the animals. The National Rifle Association continuously fights for the right to protect the Second Amendment for the same reason why Mitt Romney fights to protect the fortunate. I agree that they should be outspoken for the protection of our right to bear arms but honestly, that
right is misinterpreted. When Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and their colonial homeboys created the Bill of Rights, they were under the impression that every household should be protected in case of another British invasion. Despite the War of 1812 and The Beatles, I think America is safe from the Brits. The biggest reason many debate this issue is because men like to hunt and collect guns. Nothing says “do not mess with my daughter” like seeing a nice AK-47 mounted on the wall above the family portrait, next to the crucifix. So is the gun debate really anything that people care about? Most of us understand that killing a person is wrong, which is why we feel war is the better answer. It is much more organized and group-oriented that way. We talk about gun control because it is fresh in our minds and people want answers to unnecessary deaths. America will just not let it stop. Talking about guns is like beating a dead horse; only instead of using a club, we use a shotgun.
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slate.shiplife@gmail.com SHIP LIFE February 26, 2013 C2 Pennsylvania is the 10th strictest Five tips for practicing gun safety A S state for gun laws Ship Life Editor theslateonline.com/shiplife
on it to prevent anyone other than you from tampering with your guns. This is especially important for the protection of children. A child may see a gun as a toy, not a weapon and want to play with it. Getting a gun cabinet is a safe way of storing your guns and gives you peace of mind as to who has access to them. 3.) Never store a gun loaded. Do not ever store a gun loaded. Not only is it extremely dangerous for you, it makes a dangerous situation for everyone else. You could shoot something by accident if you pick up the gun the wrong way. Also, just because you know the gun is loaded does not mean others realize it. Someone else could hurt themselves as well. 4.) Do not touch the trigger until you are ready to shoot. When lining up a shot, be sure to keep your finger clear of the trigger until you are ready to fire. This prevents your finger from slip-
ping and pulling the trigger prematurely. Also if your gun has a safety, it is good practice to keep the safety on until you are ready to shoot. 5.) Never point a gun at anything you do not want to shoot. Do not point a gun at a person for a joke or by accident. This is a good practice to keep a mature attitude toward gun safety, as well as keeping those around you safe. Also be aware of what is behind your target if you are hunting or target shooting. There may be a house or a person behind your target that you did not see. Whether shooting for pleasure or owning a gun for protection, it is crucial to practice safe gun habits to prevent an accident. Following these few simple steps can be the difference between life and death. As with many things in life, it is important to approach anything from an educated and mature attitude.
He said “the people” are a collective designation and the Second Amendment is a state right for federalism purposes to prevent the disarming of the states. Lichtman said in 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in the case D.C. versus Heller that individuals have the right to a gun for self-defense. According to The Library of Congress website loc. gov, “The outcome of D.C. v. Heller leaves some issues unanswered, including whether the Second Amendment restricts state regulation of firearms, and the standard for evaluating the constitutionality of other laws and regulations that impact the Second Amendment right. These Photo by Anna Seils issues will be the subject of future litigation.” Lichtman is an associate professor of Lichtman said the secpolitical science and the pre-law advisor for ond amendment applies to states, but since WashingSU.
ton, D.C. is not a state, the amendment is up for interpretation. “The Supreme Court didn’t give guidance,” he said in reference to D.C. v. Heller. As far as the future of the second amendment stands, Lichtman said, “The second amendment won’t change. How we understand it will change.” He said there may be some regulation put in place, like regulating high capacity magazines and concealed weapons. “The government has wide latitude to regulation,” he said. He also said it is impossible that states will make the Second Amendment a crime. “The supreme court will never say that,” Lichtman said. He said other countries are more stringent on gun regulation, but the United States is a gun culture.
nna
Cassandra Clarhaut Staff Writer
Whatever the reason may be, it could be in your interest to purchase a gun. Before you buy though, there are some things to consider about Pennsylvania’s regulations. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence rates Pennsylvania as the 10th strictest state in the U.S. when it comes to firearm laws. Background checks are performed through Pennsylvania Instant Check System, known as PICS. According to Pennsylvania law, residents cannot purchase guns if they are convicted or indicted of crimes (including domestic violence and misdemeanors,) fugitives, under restraining orders involving children or partners, illegal immigrants, illegally using controlled substances or dishonorably discharged from the military.
Those who have renounced U.S. citizenship, or have been deemed “mentally ill” are also unable to buy a firearm. Though in Pennsylvania, a license is not required to “open-carry,” or visibly
display a gun. A permit is needed to conceal the weapon. That means registry of the weapon is unnecessary if it is visible on your person, and if a gun is acquired in another state as long as it was bought legally from a registered dealer. Firearm dealers need to possess a license if they sell handguns, yet long barrel guns like a shotgun can be dealt privately. Records of purchase are
kept in a database, but this does not include weapons brought to Pennsylvania from other states. So how about age. What is “old enough” to have a firearm? Eighteen, according to state law, unless the minor is supervised by a guardian or any adult with parental consent, or if the minor is hunting game. Of course, in either instance, the activity must be lawful, such as for sport. In order to conceal a weapon, Pennsylvania requires the licensee be 21 or older. The background investigation for this permit is more comprehensive than dealer’s reviews at purchase time. The amount of guns you own is not limited. Though these laws are current, it is important to consider changes that may come in the foreseeable future and stay up to date if you own or plan to own a gun.
eils
Practicing gun safety can give the population a deeper understanding of the working mechanics of a gun to prevent an accident. Although accidental gun shootings happen, they are preventable. There are many things one can do to prevent an accident from occurring and practice gun safety. 1.) Enroll in a gun safety program. By enrolling in a gun safety program, you have access to professionals who can train you and answer any questions you may have. The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers many programs for children and hunters on its website www.pgc.state.pa.us. The National Rifle Association also offers many gun safety and training courses on its website training.nra.org. 2.) Get a gun cabinet and keep a lock on it. If you own a gun, get a gun cabinet and keep a lock
Lichtman gives interpretation of the Second Amendment Anna Seils
Ship Life Editor The meaning of the Second Amendment has sparked debate for decades. It is only one sentence long and outlines the right to bear arms in vague terminology. 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.” Since this amendment was written more than 200 years ago, the interpretation has changed with the people over time. Steven Lichtman, a Shippensburg University associate professor of political science and pre-law advisor, said that the Second Amendment was created out of fear the federal gov-
ernment could abuse power and oppress the states. “The founders were trying to create as weak a national government as possible,” Lichtman said. “They were balancing a need for a stronger federal government to protect the states.” The creation of the Second Amendment was not about the individual, but about the states to prevent the loss of state identity. As for the “well regulated militia,” Lichtman said the framers hated the idea of the standing army, and that they were trying to prevent tyranny. “The colonists were all militia,” he said. “Everyone was expected to have a gun. The framers believed in government to prevent tyranny.” He also said the armed services may apply as the “well regulated militia” today.
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Generalizing mental health and violence in today’s culture Cassandra Clarhaut Staff Writer
When a bizarre case of crime or violence hits the news, many point out the perpetrator as “crazy;” lawyers make mental illness an excuse to keep their client out of jail, and the diagnosis seems to comfort the public more. The amount of crime committed by the mentally ill is only 4 percent, and while Pennsylvania law prohibits the mentally ill from purchasing guns, the rule varies by state. The fact is that mental illness is a disease, including mood, personality, anxiety and psychotic disorders, substance abuse, cognitive problems and eating disorders. Words like deranged, crazy and psychotic add to the stigma of stereotypes,
such as the assumption that someone with mental problems is violent. This is problematic; by fueling society’s fear and misunderstanding of mentally ill individuals, stereotypes can provide an excuse or “get out of jail free” card for criminals. Mental illness is less responsible for crime than the individual, and according to the Archives of General Psychiatry, “patients discharged from psychiatric facilities who did not abuse alcohol and illegal drugs had a rate of violence no different than that of their neighbors in the community.” The effect of drugs and alcohol impacts the mentally ill more than the illness itself, in the same way mind altering drugs would affect those without mental disease. Shootings in the past,
such as the Sandy Hook massacre, the Aurora, Colo. movie theater shooting, and Virginia Tech massacre, show patterns in the offenders such as young, shy, introverted males whohave awkward social tendencies. However, there is no way to predict who will commit violent acts based on a few characteristics. It is completely dependent on the individuals’ surrounding, upbringing and personal choices, no matter his or her mental state. While media tends to highlight the tragic events committed by mentally ill people, there really are more crimes committed by regular functioning members of society. The depiction of these individuals Photo courtesy of clker.com is used to explain why an The mentally ill only commit about four incident occurred, but it often negatively depicts percent of crimes and are prohibited from those with serious mental purchasing guns in Pennsylvania. problems.
Take for instance the example of Aurora shooter James Holmes. Mug shots and photos depicted a sinister smiling Holmes, while headlines contained words like “prescription meds” and “loopy behavior.” Until about one month before the incident, Holmes led a relatively productive life and graduated from college in the top 1 percent of his class. Is the accusation that Holmes is mentally ill because he killed 12 and injured 58 others, or that his mental illness prompted the massacre? The truth of the matter is that a criminal is going to commit the crime not because of a mental disease, but for other reasons; blaming mental illness is dangerous to society’s impression of those struggling with these types of disorders.
Linda Chalk explains the connection between gun violence and bullying Casey Maun Staff Writer
Much of the nation’s attention has been shifted to issues concerning gun control as well as gun violence following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. Ensuing the aftermath, the common question swirling throughout the media seemed to be, what is the trigger to gun violence? Is it bullying? Is it mental health? Or is it something else? In seeking further insight on the ties between bullying and gun violence, Linda Chalk, a staff psychologist in the Shippensburg University counseling department, provided a more localized perspective. When initially asked about her thoughts on the
connection between bullying and gun violence, Chalk hesitated for a moment before explaining that the concepts of bullying and gun violence are both complex, making them both difficult to fully understand or explain. “It is a mistake to assume there is just one reason that leads to gun violence,” Chalk said. Chalk went on to say that one can never point to bullying as the sole cause of gun violence. However, she agreed that there is a correlation between bullying and gun violence and that bullying is a risk factor that can potentially aid in triggering violent behavior including gun violence. “To understand the link between bullying and gun violence, we must understand bullying first,” Chalk said. According to Chalk, the mental image most
commonly painted when thinking of a bully is the “playground bully” that is often depicted throughout society. However, bullying comes in many different forms. “There is not a given type of person that is a bully or that gets bullied,” Chalk explained. “Most people who are bullying don’t even see themselves as a bully.” According to Chalk, online bullying is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. Chalk believes that the increased amount of interaction done online or through text messaging leads to an increase in online bullying as people can avoid face-to-face interactions and the consequences of bullying. Because people do not Photo courtesy of glogster.com see the consequences firstChalk said that online bullying has become hand, they sometimes do more prevalent in society today. not even realize the harm they are causing. Also, Chalk said that one
may resort to gun violence for many different reasons such as revenge from being bullied, a mental illness, or many other reasons. Although Chalk believes there is a correlation between bullying and gun violence, she explained that those who bully or that are bullied do not necessarily resort to violence. Chalk also said it is difficult to fully grasp the reasoning behind one’s actions in a shooting as they often take their own life. But, the availability of guns, the publicity and notoriety that stories get, along with countless other reasons, can all be triggers to gun violence. Nonetheless, Chalk explained that after an incident such as the shooting in Newtown, society must work backward in order to move toward prevention.
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John Quiñones speaks to students Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Doctor’s appointments Cara Shumaker
Managing Editor
Photo by Bill Smith
Quiñones talks to students backstage of the Luhrs Center to answer any questions students had. There were 15 students present.
Matthew Kline
Asst. A&E Editor
Before his lecture at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center, John Quiñones, co-anchor of the ABC news program “Primetime,” held a small informal session on the backstage of Luhrs for students to hear him speak and have them ask questions. For the first part of the
half-hour session, Quiñones talked about his early life and his upbringing, talking about how he started as an intern at a radio station in Texas and made his way up to working for ABC. For the second part of the session he took questions from the 15 students present. The questions ranged from his favorite moments in the journalism field to the most bizarre places he has been. A lot of experiences he talked about were
out of country, from the civil wars in Central America in the ’80s to a part of the South Pole where there was a hole in the ozone layer, causing sheep to go blind. Before the session was over, a student asked what advice he could give on life after graduation, in which he replied “Internships.” More importantly, “Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” Quiñones said.
A regular trip to the doctor includes sitting in a waiting room for an hour (after the scheduled appointment), being weighed and measured and waiting for a brief examination from the doctor to say, “You’re healthy and free to go.” For someone with heart disease, it is not that simple. The wait does not change and neither does being weighed and measured. After the initial examination, which is usually a quick check of the blood pressure and a listen to the patient’s heart, the tests begin. At Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, cardiac patients have the luxury of having their test results read and deciphered on the day of their appointment. The nurses perform an electrocardiogram, or EKG. They get the print out of the results and put it in that day’s folder for
the doctor. Next, an echocardiogram, or an echo, is usually pre-scheduled. So, after a time in the examination room, a technician takes the patient to another room. Since it is a children’s hospital, there are different toys to distract squirmy children and a TV so they can lie still for the technician. After the echo is finished, the patient returns to the examination room and waits for the cardiologist…and waits…and waits a little bit more until finally there is a knock on the door. The doctor finally comes and does a slightly more intensive check-up. The cardiologist takes a very detailed listen to the patient’s heart; listening for specific things only a trained ear can hear. Sometimes the doctor will use a Doppler, which is used to check and measure blood flow, to get a clearer sound while taking the blood pressure, which is sometimes in both the arm and thigh. Once the doctor has all of his listening done and
has a full reading of the tests performed that day, he or she makes a decision on whether or not the patient needs further testing — such as a cardiac MRI or a stress test — or if there needs to be invasive action taken such as surgery or a heart catheterization. Before an appointment, many patients do not know what the outcome will be. They are unsure if they will be told they need surgery (possibly again) or if they will be discharged and rescheduled for another visit in about a year. The tests that regular cardiac check-ups include vary depending on the initial condition of the patient. Regardless of the patient’s condition, a cardiac check-up is more than height, weight, quick check and a lollipop to go. The tests and appointment breakdown in this article are based off Cara Shumaker’s personal experience as a patient at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and her checkup that took place on Monday Feb. 18.
Recipe of the week: Bananas Foster Bananas Foster is a yummy dessert which originally came from New Orleans and is so easy to make even if you are not the greatest cook! Ingredients: ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 cup brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon 4 bananas cut in half 4 scoops vanilla ice cream Directions: Combine butter, sugar and cinnamon in a sauce pan over low heat. Wait until everything dissolves and then stir in the bananas. Continue to cook until everything is hot (be careful not to burn the sugar). Once sauce is ready, pour over ice cream and serve immediately. Enjoy! Photo by Elizabeth Rachlin Recipe submitted by Elizabeth Rachlin
Correction: In the Feb. 19 edition of The Slate, in the story “Casual reading area seeks input” by Cassandra Clarhaut, there was a mistake in the 12th paragraph beginning with “Cooper.” It should say “Straka” instead.
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Are video games a source of gun violence? theslateonline.com/ae
Matthew Kline
Asst. A&E Editor Following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., much speculation has gathered around why Adam Lanza would commit such a crime. Gun control and violence in entertainment have been two of the biggest issues
brought up after the tragedy. The issue of violence in video games has been one of the biggest points for supporters of gun control. Over the years, this has been an issue for many concerned parents in regard to their children’s safety. Today, there is the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to rate video
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games based on the content in the title. ESRB was created back in the mid 1990s after the controversy of the popular fighting game “Mortal Kombat” and its brutal use of violence and blood. This resulted in many scientific studies to find if there was any correlation between violence in video games and aggression in reality. In general, there has been little correlation found. The most that has been found was small rises in aggression and that the aggression sometimes acts more as a reliever for the person playing the game. A majority of these studies stemmed from mass shootings such as Sandy Hook, Columbine High School and Virginia Tech University. These studies have been used in hope to find an answer as to why these massacres occur. Following the Sandy Hook shooting, Connecticut state Rep. Debralee Hovey proposed a “sin tax” of 10 percent on rated-M video games with
Collage of various ESRB ratings plans to send the proceeds to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is one of the biggest advocates for ridding video game violence. Following Sandy Hook, the NRA spoke out against gun control, stating that guns are not the issues and that it is violence in media, movies and video games that need to get under control.
On the other side, the people for gun control say it is not the entertainment that is the issue, but the need for tighter laws on buying guns and more funding for mental health treatment. There are many factors that play into both sides of the debate, but both stem from concerns of the safety of children and the prevention of future national tragedies.
There is currently no clear answer but certainly a press for action from both sides. The real question is, when will we see any action or change? It is easy to see the split in ideals between for and against gun control groups. It’s hard to say when there will be an explanation on why these tragedies happen, but until then, there is only speculation.
The video mocked the celebrities in demandaplan. org’s video, calling them hypocrites. The NRA’s video was a mash up of the original with added clips of the featured celebrities’ most violent roles. For example, the video showed Ansari saying “How many more shopping malls?” quickly followed by a clip of him duck hunting. The NRA video also included clips of Will Ferrell in “The Other Guys” and Jamie Foxx in “Django Unchained.” The Weinstein Company canceled the premiere of “Django Unchained,” originally set to premiere Dec. 18. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., and in this
time of national mourning, we have decided to forgo our scheduled event,” producers said in a release issued to media. Other celebrities have taken a more vocal approach, voicing their personal opinions via Twitter, blogs and in interviews. Moments after the tragedy, actor Dax Shepard tweeted, “I love guns, I have several but I would gladly get rid of them if it would help prevent anything like this from happening again.” Musician Michelle Branch also tweeted “Gun control people!!! My heart is breaking. As a parent this is my worst nightmare.” The Sandy Hook shooting was not the first incident that prompted the entertainment industry to speak out. In the wake of the Au-
rora movie theater shooting last summer, Piers Morgan voiced his concerns via Twitter. “America has got to do something about its gun laws. Now is the time.” While many celebrities agree that something has to be done, others have publically expressed their views to keep guns accessible and legal. Musician Ted Nugent has been a long-time advocate for gun ownership. Following the Sandy Hook shooting, Nugent wrote a letter to the Washington Times blaming “spiritual bankruptcy” for the tragedy. “More laws and more restrictions won’t fix our culture. The problem we face is much deeper and more insidious,” Nugent said.
What celebrities are saying about gun control #GunControl #Celebrities Gun control is the issue that they will use to lock us all down, when they should be talking about mental health & psychotropic drugs. -@TheRealRoseanne gun control is our only road to freedom -@iamrashidajones One storm after another…. #GunControlNow -@AlecBaldwin gun control is no longer debatable -@MiaFarrow
Sarah Eyd
A&E Editor On Dec. 21, a week after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, demandaplan.org released a video featuring numerous celebrities encouraging viewers to “demand a plan” for the issue of gun violence. The video included actors, singers and comedians such as Beyoncé Knowles, Aziz Ansari, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Selena Gomez and Ellen DeGeneres. Although it is unclear as to what capacity the featured celebrities think something should be done, they all agree “enough is enough.” The National Rifle Association (NRA) soon refuted the video with its own.
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Olivia Newton-John brings “Summer Nights” to Shippensburg Ashley Stoudnour
Asst. Copy Editor
Olivia Newton-John performed at the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Feb. 23 and brought all of the classics with her. The almost sold out theater warmly welcomed Newton-John to the stage as she jumped right into her first song, “Pearls On a Chain.” She continued her opening into, “Have You Never Been Mellow.” During the song, a man from the audience approached the stage to give a white teddy bear to the singer. With a big smile, she took the teddy bear and sang with it, then finally placed it next to her backup singers where it would stayed for the rest of the show. After her opening num-
bers, Newton-John thanked the audience for welcoming her to Shippensburg and gave a quick intro to her next song, “What is Life.” Slowing the pace, she performed “Sam,” a song written by Newton-John’s producer, songwriter and good friend for his newborn son. “Well, that was 30 years ago now,” Newton-John joked. She kept the show moving as she sang crowdfavorite tunes along with some of her own, spending only a few minutes between songs to tell a story or make a quick joke. Tapping into her soundtrack collection, Newton-John sang a few songs from her 1980 movie “Xanadu.” Starting off with the title track “Xanadu,” she led into her chart-topping single, “Magic” and finished with “Suddenly;” a duet with back-up singer Steve
Vasquez, who impressed the crowd with his rich, baritone voice. Moving from upbeat movie melodies to her strong country roots, NewtonJohn showcased her best country songs from the decades, including tracks like “If Not For You,” “Let Me Be There,” “Banks of the Ohio,” “Please Mr. Please” and “Take Me Home Country Roads.” Stepping up the pace, the crowd energetically sang along to the Dolly Parton cover of “Jolene” straight into “If You Love Me,” and burst into cheers and applause at the beginning of Newton-John’s classic hit “Physical.” Within the first few notes, a few women in the audience were on their feet dancing, transported back into the time of neon colors and sweatbands. “That song was banned on the radio for being too risqué,” Newton-John quipped. “When I listen to the radio now, I just have to laugh.” The show continued through Newton-John’s diverse discography, flowing from bouncy beats to slow and steady, only to switch to a somber mood when she gave a poignant introduction to her next song, “Not Gonna Give Into It,” which she admitted was her mantra after her battle with breast cancer 20 years ago. She said it was the “hardest time in her life,” but during that time she wrote the album “Gaia: One Woman’s Journey” about her battle. Another man stood and handed her a flower during the performance to the delight of the audience watching. Then came the moment everyone was waiting for. Singing the words “Goodbye to Sandra Dee” a capella, Newton-John jumped into all of the “Grease” classics, beginning with “You’re The One That I Want.” She sang and danced across the stage, in sync
Photos by Ashley Stoudnour
with every iconic move from the film. She then sang “Hopelessly Devoted To You” and led into a crowd sing-a-long to “Summer Nights,” which earned her a standing ovation by the end. The audience continued to sing, dance and clap along to “Summer Nights,” finishing off the “Grease” medley. After a quick trip offstage, Newton-John re-
turned to sing “Grace and Gratitude,” dedicating it to the audience for supporting her over the years. Ending the evening with her slow, soulful ballad, “I Honestly Love You,” the crowd gave her another standing ovation and applauded her off stage. With decades full of music, movies and philanthropic work, Newton-John has had a life of wonder,
hard work and happiness. Her performance was entertaining and lively; reminiscent of the fresh-faced girl in “Grease” everyone has come to know and love. Throughout NewtonJohn’s struggles and her accomplishments in life, she continues to show the world that along with her music and her movies, she is as timeless as can be.
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Thought Lot hopes to bring new faces Sarah Eyd A&E Editor
On Thursday, Feb. 28, five bands will be performing at Shippensburg’s music and art venue The Thought Lot. The lineup features local bands The Demon Beat, Tuck Son, Black Black
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Beast and Bishops, as well as Indiana-natives Sleeping Bag. “I’m stoked to see and hang out with some of my favorite musicians, but I’m more excited for the people who haven’t seen or heard them,” said Sean Hallock, also known by his musical persona Bratcore. Hallock organized the show and booked bands he
Photo courtesy of Chris Moore
thinks will make an impact on the Shippensburg music scene in hopes of drawing in new faces to The Thought Lot. Hailing from Bloomington, In., Sleeping Bag’s sound is described as “poppy garage-rock.” The band is part of Joyful Noise Recordings, the same indie rock powerhouse responsible for releasing the music of Dinosaur Jr. and Of Montreal. The unique sound is second to the unique dynamic of the band. The drummer Dave Segedy doubles as the band’s singer and primary songwriter. West Virginia’s veteran indie-rocker Tucker Riggleman will be playing double duty at Thursday’s show. Riggleman is The Demon Beat’s bassist and also provides vocals and guitar for Bishops, his newest side project. The Demon Beat members describe themselves as “three West Virginia boys, well-versed in everything from the Rolling Stones to Mudhoney, Percy Sledge to MC5.” The Demon Beat
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Photo courtesy of Louis Lucci
West Virginia-based rockers The Demon Beat. is currently on tour with Sleeping Bag. Thought Lot regular Black Black Beast and Gettysburg-based Tuck Son complete the lineup. Black Black Beast’s “experimental-wave-mythology-NES-bicycle-beer-cow farm-post-rock” sound will be complemented nicely by Tuck Son’s acoustic folk
rock. Thursday’s show is the tip of the iceberg for The Thought Lot. Hallock is bringing more West Virginia favorites, as well as Brooklyn-based Fletcher C. Johnson to The Thought Lot on March 3. “[The audience has] two opportunities to see up to 10 world-class bands around
one weekend. I hope that is enough to attract some new faces. It’s those faces that I am most excited to see,” Hallock said. Both shows have a $5 minimum cover charge, 70 percent of which goes to the bands. The other 30 percent goes to The Thought Lot. For more information, visit thethoughtlot.com
Rights & Restrictions: A discussion on gun control A panel of faculty, politicians and activists will be fielding questions and educating the audience about this critical issue facing our country’s government. Wednesday, Feb. 27th at 7p.m. Memorial Auditorium
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The 10th annual Vagina Monologues begin theslateonline.com/ae
Cassandra Clarhaut Staff Writer
A dark stage with a red glow and a spotlight on a woman wearing black and red clothes, spoke passionately about something: her vagina. For 10 years, Shippensburg University has been performing “The Vagina Monologues,” which benefits women with donations
to the YWCA Rape Crisis Center in Carlisle. There are a few core monologues that were written for the original show by author and performer Eve Ensler, and these monologues have stayed with the Shippensburg performance. However, a new monologue highlights issues around the world each year. This year, a monologue of a New Orleans’ woman
was added, showing the difficulty of a strong woman surrounded by tragedy. As some content is serious, displaying intimate details and stories based on women’s struggles, most are laced with humor, such as a monologue called “My Angry Vagina,” which makes tampons and visits to the gynecologist laughable. Olivia Di Bella, a second year performer in the mono-
Photos courtesy of the SU Women’s Center
logues said, “I don’t think people realize how important it is. We just want women to be able to feel safe and be themselves and be equals.” This 10th year of Shippensburg’s performance highlights Ensler’s newest campaign, “One Billion Rising.” This Valentine’s Day, an event was held in the CUB for women to dance and feel safe in their environment, while allowing people to rise and represent the estimated one billion female victims of violent acts in a lifetime. The Women’s Center is an integral part in this event that helps anyone with any problem and as Di Bella said, “they’re there with open arms.” No one who auditions is turned away, and all monologues are easily adjustable by tweaking a part that can add or subtract roles women can play without losing the content or the message. Those most passionate about the cause are cast, and they practice independently until right before the performance.
SU student Stephanie Diaz performing at the 10th annual Vagina Monologues. The Vagina Monologues performance at Shippensburg receives support from men and women on Greek night, the ROTC program, To Write Love on Her Arms, POTTER, sexologist Dr. Jill
McDevitt, Student Veterans of America. Auditions take place during the fall semester to allow ample preparation time for the spring show.
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Hip-Hop Happenings Violence and hip-hop, who’s to blame?
Artwork courtesy of Britton Kosier
Britton Kosier
Staff Columnist Over time, hip-hop has become a popular scapegoat when incidents involving gun violence get national attention. The issue of gun violence in hip-hop involves broader understanding of the culture in which the genre originated. Violent lyrics are a reflection of the communities that raised these artists. When taken out of context, lyrics and images produced by hip-hop are used as misappropriated evidence to say rap is harming America’s youth. Instead of finding out why guns are so prevalent in urban communities, blame is placed immediately on rappers. Violence in hip-hop is painted from the experiences of rappers living among economic inequalities that stem from racial division. Take 17-year-old rapper from Chicago, Chief Keef. The “I Don’t Like” rapper was sentenced to home confinement after pointing a gun then running from police in December 2011. On Jan. 15, 2013, Chief Keef was taken into custody after a judge ruled that an interview held at a gun range was a violation of his probation. Chicago is considered the murder capital of the world with 42 murders in January
2013 already. Chicago politicians’ segregation efforts, like the building of the Robert Taylor Homes and Ida B. Wells Homes housing projects, gave birth to a gang culture that remains prominent in the Windy City today. Chief Keef did not birth the gun violence in Chicago. He is a product of it. His lifestyle was the only lifestyle. He had no choice. Or did he? Compton, Calif., rapper, Kendrick Lamar’s debut album, “good kid, m.A.A.D. city,” was a narration of just that: a good kid living in a violent world. Although Lamar and Chief Keef both make mention of gun violence numerous times in their music, they do so in completely different manners. Lamar uses hip-hop as an outcry for the reality of gun culture he witnessed growing up in Compton. He is from the home of rap group Niggaz Wit Attitudes and the Bloods and Crips; he has witnessed a friend he considered a brother get shot and killed in front of his own eyes. Without rap, Chief Keef could have easily been the type of person who was on the other side of the gun that killed Lamar’s friend. Lamar and Chief Keef’s lives were so similar, yet so far apart. Lamar uses understanding to demonstrate gun violence in hip-hop. He knows social, political and economic oppressions are the reasons for the gun culture in urban communities. He knows what those oppressions can produce. They produce Chief Keefs; Chief Keefs without major record label deals.
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The
Slate
Sports
Sam Stewart, Sports Editor Nick Sentman, Asst. Sports Editor Ryan Trexler, Asst. Sports Editor Bryan Obarowski, Asst. Sports Editor Contact: slatesports@gmail.com
Feb. 26, 2013
What a weekend for SU
Wrestling and track both make waves in PSAC, E3-E4
Knauer wins 11th PSAC East Freshman Player of the Week, E5
Sports
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Ryan Trexler and
Asst. Sports Editors
Nick:
I cannot see why NASCAR is in the same topic of sports such as football or baseball. NASCAR is nothing more than a hobby, something to do for people who like wearing beer shirts and jean shorts. How can you call driving a sport? I drive fast every day and I do not win any trophies for it. There is no goal other than crossing the finish line first. How awesome is that to watch, especially when you are only there to see a split second of your favorite driver whiz past you at light speed? The only thing interesting is the crashes. I never
SU Sports Upcoming Schedule home games
Nick Sentman
Sometimes we do not understand what defines us as sports fans, including which sport we choose to love. NASCAR has an enormous following in the United States, and racecar driving in general is widespread. Some of us still wonder if NASCAR should really be considered a sport at all, or just entertainment. All they do is drive around in a circle, make left turns, and occasionally wreck into each other and a wall or two. NASCAR just celebrated a victory by Jimmie Johnson at Daytona and also saw Danica Patrick finish eighth. In a world where NASCAR is mostly associated with drinking and the south, is it really a sport? Are the Jimmie Johnsons and Danica Patricks otherworldly athletes?
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THE HOT CORNER
Is NASCAR a sport or just a hobby? Nick and Ryan square off this week
THE HOT CORNER
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had an interest in NASCAR until Dale Earnhardt crash. Now I just cannot wait for the next one. It might sound bad to say but people love seeing crashes and fights and fire. They love knowing that their driver got totaled by their rival and love it even more when they get out and beat each other up. NASCAR is the poor man’s sport. I will never classify it as a sport because it is something anyone with a brain could do. I mean Jeff Gordon was a famous NASCAR driver for how many years? I do not think he even knows how to spell NASCAR. Daytona 500 or not, NASCAR should never supersede real sports.
Ryan:
Nick you are a good man but I am appalled by your statements. NASCAR is absolutely, 100 percent a sport. You say anyone can drive around in circles? This is true, but not at 200 mph. NASCAR is bringing in an enormous number of fans and is on the rise in popularity. People love speed, and that is what NASCAR is — it is fast. Now given you do just sit in a car and drive but
NASCAR is more of a mental sport. To drive at such a high speed with people passing you left and right you need to be mentally sharp. Another aspect of NASCAR that goes unnoticed is the spotter. A driver’s spotter is what keeps him safe and allows the driver to perform well. I have only ever been at one race and that was at Pocono Raceway with my dad and some friends. It was something to see. Everyone gets along and the atmosphere is that of a championship football game. Now I am not the biggest NASCAR fan out there, actually I’m far from it but NASCAR is a sport. You still have to be physically fit to compete. The average temperature of a NASCAR cockpit can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. NASCAR drivers must get enough rest and have the proper amount of nutrition to stay sharp on the track. In my mind, NASCAR is a sport for sure, it is just a different kind of sport, one that tests the mind rather than the body. For a heated debate check out our weekly video blogs on theslateonline.com
Want more of The Hot Corner? Visit us at www.theslateonline.com/sports
in caps
Men’s Basketball Feb. 27 at Millersville 8 p.m. March 2 PSAC Playoffs TBA Women’s Basketball Feb. 27 at Millersville 6 p.m. March 2 PSAC Playoffs TBA
Softball March 2 vs. Pace 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. MURFREESBORO, N.C. March 3 at Chowan 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. Baseball March 2 at Concord
12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
March 3 at Concord 1 p.m. Beckley, W.V.
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Cameron “Throcks” Super Region I Championships Throckmorton picks up 133-pound division title, leads SU to sixth-place finish Championship Recap Bryan Obarowski
Asst. Sports Editor
Photo by Ryan Trexler
Throckmorton impressed as he earned the 133-pound crown on Saturday.
Entering the weekend the Shippensburg University wrestling team sent 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Super Region I Championships and after the weekend action, the Raiders had four wrestlers place, including Cameron Throckmorton — winner of the 133-pound division. After finishing ninth in the Super Region I Championships the last two seasons, SU sat in seventh place in the championships entering Friday’s matches, and it looked to climb the rankings as the weekend progressed. The Raiders improved their rankings throughout the weekend ultimately finishing in sixth place in the Super Region I’s.
Throckmorton was the only SU wrestler to finish the day undefeated. He defeated Millersville University’s Kyle Loeb by pinfall and Kutztown University’s Brandon Davis in a close, hard-battled decision win. Along with Throckmorton, seven wrestlers earned enough victories to move onto the action on Saturday. Dereck Enders, Cody Myers, Ean Starner, John Lindquist, Bobby Scheivert, Neal Grudi, Marshall Hobbs and Throckmorton all were in action on the second day of competition. Starner, Hobbs, Lindquist and Enders all lost in the opening round on Saturday leaving Throckmorton, Meyers, Grudi and Scheivert to wrestle. After the action ended, four SU wrestlers placed. Scheivert placed fifth in the 165-pound division.
Cody Myers placed fifth in the 141-pound division. Grudi placed sixth in the 161-pound division and Throckmorton placed first in the 133-pound division. Throckmorton won all four matches over the weekend, scoring one win by pinfall, and picking up his other three victories by decision. In his two matches on Saturday, Throckmorton defeated Mercyhurt University’s Dylan D’Urso and Anderson University’s Zach Hale. D’Urso defeated Throckmorton earlier in the year at the PSAC Championships and was riding a 19-match winning streak. However, Throckmorton avenged the loss with a 9–4 decision victory becoming the first SU wrestler to win the regional championship since the 2006-2007 season.
Photo by Ryan Trexler
John Lindquist was ousted in the opening round on Saturday afternoon.
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Running away with the title theslateonline.com/sports
Championship Recap
Men’s team three-peats SAM STEWART
Sports Editor Three-peat. Good things come in threes. Those two phrases never rang any clearer as the Shippensburg University men’s indoor track team ousted its PSAC competition in dramatic form, finishing the meet with 197.5 points — 78 above second-place finisher East Stroudsburg University. Matt Gillette garnered the Track MVP as well as the Overall MVP after taking the 3,000-meter run and the one-mile run. Gillette shattered a personal record in the 3K finishing in 8:18.52. His one-mile run (4:13.40) earned him an NCAA provisional qualifier. His teammates continued the dominating pace that Gillette set. The Raiders tallied nine victories in 18 events, including impressive wins in the 800-meter and the 200-meter. Tom Kehl (1:54.26) and Joel Flott (1:54.68) finished 1–2 in the 800-meter, both barely missing earning NCAA provisional qualifiers. Matthew Kujawski picked up an impressive victory in the 200-meters, finishing in 21.97 and earning a NCAA provisional qualifier in the process. SU continued to solidify its stranglehold in the meet as Kujawski (6.9411) and Herman Kirkland (6.944) finished second and third, respective-
ly, in the 60-meter dash. The relay teams both picked up key victories during the championship meet. The 4X800-meter relay got a tough test from ESU but Bernard England, Dan Dreeman, Mathieu Bee and Kehl paced the Raiders to a one-second victory over the Warriors. In the DMR, Ryan Spangler, Jordan Jones, Flott and Gillette blazed through the competition and its time (10:07.61) earned the group an NCAA provisional qualifier. In the field, freshman Jalen Ramsey earned an NCAA provisional qualifier, and finished second after he failed to win a jumpoff against West Chester University’s Jay Jabat in five rounds. Ramsey had an impressive meet, as he and Jabat were the only finalists after clearing 6 feet, 8 3/4 inches. Chris Nelson earned an NCAA provisional qualifier in the 35-pound weight throw, tossing the weight 17.42 meters. Nelson finished fourth in the event. Kirkland (7.37m) and Steve Waithe (7.03m) both earned NCAA provisional qualifiers in the long jump as they finished first and third, respectively. Waithe took home the triple jump title, earning an NCAA provisional qualifier with a 15.25-meter jump. Austin Strine finished second in the heptathalon. This was the Raiders sixth PSAC championship. The NCAA Championship meet will be held March 8–9 in Birmingham, Ala.
Four in a row for women SAM STEWART
Sports Editor As the men completed their three-peat of PSAC Championships, the Shippensburg University women’s indoor track and field team completed its own Photo by Cory Byknish marker — a four-peat and its sixth overall PSAC title. Senior Katie Spratford earned the Track MVP as she helped hoist the Raiders to the victory in the championships — 32 points ahead of No. 2 Edinboro University. Spratford ran an NCAA Provisional qualifier, 5:00.18 one-mile run, to pick up a two-second victory ahead of Bloomsburg University’s Victoria Davis. Spratford followed that up in the 3K run, boasting another NCAA provisional qualifier, finishing the race at 9:50.86, defending her crown from last season. As if that was not enough for the senior runner, she also paced the distance medley relay to a first place finish with fellow teammates: Heather Weiss, Rachel Haupt and Jessica Collins. Caitlin Stuetz and Edinboro University’s Tabitha Blemis switched places in the 60-meter hurdles, offering a bit of intrigue in the meet. After winning the preliminary heat, Stuetz could not overtake Bemis in the
finals, finishing one-tenth of a second behind Bemis. Bemis’ time of 8.60 seconds tied a conference record set by Andi Rose of Slippery Rock University in 2007. Stuetz led the 4X400 relay team to a second-place finish later in the meet. Briana Fells, Monique Clemons, Stuetz and Megan Lundy finished two seconds behind EU and one second from an NCAA Provisional qualifier. Lundy had an impressive inaugural campaign at the PSAC championships as she earned a victory in the 400-meter dash. Lundy blazed through the finish line one second before her next competitor — Millersville University’s Erin Madison. Meanwhile in the field, Erin Flick earned fifth place in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 5 3/4 inches. Megan Breski’s clearing of 12 feet, 1/2 inches earned her third place in the pole vault. Sarah Brotzman took home second place in the 20-pound weight throw, falling just short of East Stroudsburg University’s Elizabeth Madden. Brotzman’s finished with 51 feet, 1 and 3/4 inches in the contest — one inch short of Madden. The NCAA Championship meet will be held March 8–9 in Birmingham, Ala.
www.facebook.com/SLATESPORTS Photo by Cory Byknish
Sports
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Knauer Power strikes again Knauer wins freshman of the week award for the 11th time this year
Stephanie Knauer of the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team was named the PSAC Eastern Division Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week on Monday for the seventh time this season and the third time in the last four weeks. Knauer averaged a double-double last week with 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting 12-of-19 overall from the floor and 12-of-15 from the free-throw line. SU went 2–0, completing season sweeps of West Chester and Cheyney.
In the road win over the Golden Rams on Wednesday, Knauer recorded her second consecutive double-double and 11th of the season, posting 21 points, a game-high 16 rebounds (two off her career best) and tying her career high with three steals. She shot 7-of-12 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line for her sixth 20-point double-double of the season. On Saturday’s Senior Day victory over Cheyney, Knauer added 15 points, four rebounds and two assists on 5-of-7 shooting and a 5-of-6 effort
from the charity stripe SU has claimed the PSAC East Freshman of the Week award after eight of 14 weeks this season. Caitlyn Deeter was honored Jan. 28. Knauer was previously honored on Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 10, Dec. 20, Feb. 4 and Feb. 18 SU travels to Millersville University on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. tip inside Pucillo Gymnasium with a firstround bye in the conference tournament on the line. -Courtesy of SU Sports Information
Photo by Ryan Trexler
Knauer has had a break-out freshman season for the Raiders.
Ready for the playoffs? We are
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Raiders make push toward second seed theslateonline.com/sports
The Raiders ousted Cheyney on Saturday behind the Wert twins and Knauer RAIDERS 80 RYAN TREXLER
Asst. Sports Editor Shawna and Dana Wert proved to be unstoppable while freshman sensation Stephanie Knauer tallied 15 points as the Raiders surpassed the Cheyney University Wolves 80–62 on Saturday afternoon at Heiges Field House. Behind Dana and Shawna Wert, the Raiders dominated a struggling CU basketball team. Shawna Wert recorded 16 points, four rebounds and went a perfect 10-for10 from the free-throw line. Her twin, Dana Wert, had an equally dominating night, scoring 14 points and picking up five rebounds. The game began with a bang when Dana Wert knocked down the
WOLVES 62 first 3-pointer of the game. Cheyney countered, taking a 6–5 lead early in the first half. However, SU never panicked and answered with an 8–0 run with half of those points coming from the Wert duo. SU never looked back, as it kept the pressure on CU throughout the first half. The Raiders took advantage of CU’s sloppy play and miscommunication, allowing it to obtain a 26-point lead late in the first half. Having a big advantage throughout the game, SU head coach Kristy Trn gave her reserves Samantha Damiano, Kasey Long and Shaniece Jackson more playing time in the first half. Freshman guard Caitlyn Deeter was able to knock down two foul shot attempts to put the Raid-
ers up 45-19 and SU withstood a 5–1 run to take a 46-24 lead into the break. After the break, SU continued its dominance over the Wolves. Sarah Strybuc hit a 3-pointer putting the Raiders ahead by 26. Strybuc finished the game with 12 points. Shawna Wert followed up Strybuc’s bucket by knocking down two free throws, increasing the Raiders’ lead to 28 — their largest of the contest. The Raiders turned on cruise control for the rest of the game and never let the Wolves within 15. The Raiders (19–7, 15–6) currently hold the third spot in the PSAC East and will travel to No. 1 Millersville University tomorrow night. A win could help clinch the No. 2 seed for SU.
PSAC East Standings Millersville * 16-5 Bloomsburg * 16-5 Shippensburg * 15-6 Kutztown (4) 12-9 West Chester (5) 11-10 East Stroudsburg (6) 6-15 Mansfield 3-18 Cheyney ^ 1-20
19-6 20-5 19-7 14-11 14-11 7-18 5-20 1-23
* Made playoffs ^ Ineligible to participate in PSAC’s
Photo by Ryan Trexler
Strybuc finished the game with 12 points in the Raiders victory.
SPORTS
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Barely squeaking in Baseball goes 2-0 theslateonline.com/sports
SU falls to Cheyney despite Edgar’s 24 points, still make PSAC playoffs RAIDERS 68 RYAN TREXLER
Asst. Sports Editor On Saturday afternoon the Shippensburg University men’s basketball team made the best out of a bad situation. Dylan Edgar scored 24 points for the second time this season but could not lead the Raiders past a hungrier Cheyney University squad, dropping the game 79–68. Coming off a tough loss against West Chester University, the Raiders looked to turn things around against a well-rounded CU team. For a while, it seemed that SU would right the ship. SU started the game strong, taking the lead early after an Edgar layup. The beginning of the game was back and forth, with the Raiders taking advantage of poor
WOLVES 79 CU shooting. The Wolves and Raiders tied the game four times before the Raiders finally gave up the lead. The Wolves held on to the lead for more than11 minutes until SU’s Tyhiem Perrin sunk a jumper to tie the game again at 28 with 4:22 left in the first half. The Raiders regained the lead when sophomore guard Reggie Charles made a layup with the help of a slick feed from Edgar. Right before the half ended, Charles sank two free throws but the Raiders still trailed 36–34 heading into the locker room. After the half, Perrin made three buckets to put the Raiders ahead 39–36. After those six points the game began to slowly slip through the Raiders’ hands. The Wolves went on an 8–0 run to put them up
51–43. CU then increased its lead to 64–49 — its largest lead— with 8:14 left. Committing too many fouls and missing too many shots, the Raiders never regained control of the game, culminating in a 79–68 defeat. Perrin finished the game with 13 points. Charles recorded 14 points, four assists and finished the game 6-of6 from the charity stripe. Despite the loss, SU earned the last playoff spot in the PSAC East as Kutztown University dropped an overtime thriller to Bloomsburg University. With SU owning the tie-breaker over KU, the Raiders backed into the final spot. SU (7–18,5–16) will finish the regular season at Millversville University on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.
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Raiders outscore opponents 13-1 in Sunday’s games in North Carolina
Backed by a pair of strong pitching performances from juniors Pat Kregeloh and Shawn Patterson, the Shippensburg University baseball team won a pair of nine-inning games against WinstonSalem State and Davis & Elkins on Sunday from the BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Raiders won the opener against the host Rams, 5–1, before shutting out the Senators, 6–0, in the nightcap. The Raiders (4–1) outscored their opponents by a 21–3 margin in three games this weekend, as Kregeloh kicked off Sunday with a complete game effort against WinstonSalem State, giving up four hits, zero earned runs and tying his career-high with seven strikeouts. Kregeloh was also a force at the plate, going 5-for-10 over both games and driving in four runs and hitting a three-run home run against Davis & Elkins. Patterson earned his first victory of the season with a six-inning shutout
effort against the Senators. He gave up three hits and fanned three. Freshman Rich Michaud, junior Austin Bartley and freshman Marcus Shippey each pitched a shutout inning of relief as the trio combined to give up just one hit. SU will travel to Beckley, W.V., next weekend for a trio of games against Concord. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday as well as a single game at 1 p.m. the next day. In SU’s 5–1 victory over Winston Salem State University, senior Simon Beloff went 4-for-5 in the opener as the Raiders scored three runs in the second, with senior catcher Tyler Shover scoring on an error in the outfield and both Beloff and junior third baseman Cal Hogan scoring on a two-RBI single to left field from freshman shortstop Mike Marcinko. Shover and Beloff later ripped back-to-back singles with two outs in the seventh, and Shover scored on the next at-bat with an RBI
single to center field from sophomore first baseman Cody Ezolt. Kregeloh led off the ninth inning with a double down the leftfield line before advancing to third on a Shover groundout and scoring on a Beloff RBI single to right. In SU’s 6-0 victory over Davis and Elkins College, the Raiders scored in the first inning when junior center fielder and leadoff hitter Michael Douglas singled, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on another RBI groundout from senior right fielder Cody Kulp. SU tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning with Kregeloh’s blast that scored Douglas, who led off with a double, and Kulp, who reached base after being hit by a pitch. Kregeloh then added an RBI single in the seventh that plated Douglas before crossing home himself with a Shover single. -Courtesy of SU Sports Information
Softball scores from the weekend Sunday, Feb. 24 Massachusetts Lowell (neutral) W 1-0 Davis & Elkins (neutral) W 16-1 (5) Monday, Feb. 25 North Georgia (neutral) L 5-11
Photo by Ryan Trexler
Edgar’s 24 points were not enough to catapult the Raiders to the victory.
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slate.sports@gmail.com February 26, 2013