Sept. 14th issue by The A&T Register

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SePteMBer 14, 2011

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obama works to sell jobs plan ChaRLES POPE

MCT Campus

waShinGtOn -- One day after delivering legislative language to Congress, President Barack Obama is back on the road again today trying to sell his $447 billion jobs package. His primary target are Republicans in Congress. But there are also skeptical Democrats, including Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon. DeFazio was one of the strongest critics — from either party — immediately after the President outlined his plan Thursday before a joint session of Congress and a national TV audience. “This bill has the same misplaced priorities and the same scatter-shot approach. More than 50 percent of the spending will be for tax cuts and less than 12 percent will be investment in infrastructure to put people back to work and make our nation more competitive,” he said that night. He expressed similar concerns in an interview. That was before the White House sent the 155-page bill to Congress and before aides outlined Obama’s plan to pay for the programs. Specific proposals for paying for the plan will be delivered to the special congressional committee working to find $1.5 trillion in savings over the next 10 years. That socalled supercommittee is hoping to offer recommendations by Thanksgiving. While the details haven’t been released, the White House outlined the major elements of its plan to pay for the jobs package. It would consist of: l $405 billion from limiting the itemized deductions for charitable contributions and other deductions that can be tak See JOBS on Page 2

Photo by KEnnEth L. hawKinS JR.• The A&T RegisTeR

thE StatE OF thE aRt press box is still under construction during the season home opener at Aggie stadium on september 3, 2011.

Month behind and counting KaRMEn ROBinSOn Sports Editor

Most people that attended the first home football game of the 2011 season noticed the new Aggie Stadium press box is still under construction. The superintendent of the construction crew says he is shooting for having the job finished by homecoming. “I’d rather them do it right than do it fast. I realize that there are setbacks in construction,”

said Earl Hilton, A&T’s Athletics Director. “It’s not a real big issue for me. It doesn’t really affect the Athletics Department directly. I’m more concerned about the student athletes.” The old press box had just one level and was not accessible to disabled people, so the members of A&T’s Facilities Department began to make preparations for the renovation of the press box about a year and a half ago, according to Andy Perkins, assistant vice chancellor of facilities.

“We wanted to set up a window (of time) for the construction where there wouldn’t be too many people around the football stadium and that was April to August,” said Kofi Yiadom, A&T’s university projects manager. The new 8,260-square-foot press box will be about 50 feet wide, 83 feet high, and 120 feet long and will consist of three levels once it is finished. The first level will be the media level, where scoreboard operators, reporters, and coaches

will be allowed to sit. The second level will be the chancellor’s suite, where Chancellor Martin can invite guests to watch the game. Last year, the chancellor only had a tent. The third level will be the roof level, for broadcasters and photographers, who will be able to take better photographs and produce better-quality film. A set of leasable suites will also be included in the press box, as well as an elevator. In previous years, people that needed to get to the

 See PRESS BOX on Page 2

McAlister’s deli calls Williams dining home daShawn FLEMMinG Register Reporter

Photo by KEnnEth L. hawKinS JR. • Th A&T RegisTeR PhoTo ediToR

MCaLiStER’S dELi the newly opened restaurant on campus is busy with students trying the healthy food choice on campus.

10 years later, America still remembers 9/11

McAlister’s Deli, the newest addition to North Carolina A & T’s dining services, held it’s grand opening on Sept. 12. Located on the first floor of Williams Cafeteria Dining Hall—the former Pizza Hut and Power Blends location—McAlister’s brings a dif-

ferent touch to Aggie Dining. In honor of the event, Chancellor Harold Martin conducted a ribbon cutting prior to public admittance. “We’ve heard you and listened intently,” Chancellor Martin said. “It really is one of my favorite restaurants and I’m sure it will be the same for you.” The grand opening was open to the public and generated an audience of students, staff, and other esteemed

 See MCaLiStER’S on Page 2

Photo by CaROLYn COLE • los ANgels TiMes/ MCT CAMPUs

★ See 9/11 Coverage Page 4 & 5 ★

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theSCORE

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have you Seen our neW WeBSite?

norMal getS you noWhere

a&t CuStoMer ServiCe needS FaCeliFt

neW additionS to athletiCS

SPongeBoB May CauSe a.d.d.

We just revealed our new website. Be sure to check it out for all current news.

Miss A&T Jasmine Gurley hosts her 1st program of the year entitled, Freaks!: Normal Gets You Nowhere

Word editor Trumaine McCaskill writes about his frustration with customer service at A&T.

Several new positions have been ﬁlled within the Athletics Department

The popular Nickelodeon cartoon may be the cause for many children with Attention Deﬁcit Disorder.

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guests, including the President and CEO of McAlister’s Deli, Frank Paci. “It allows options for healthy choices,” Paci said. Much like a traditional deli, McAlister’s offers a number of sandwich options but it also provides variety. Students are offered baked potatoes, soups, sweets and vegetarian choices including salads, chili, etc.

a woman mourns the loss of her son at the World Trade Center Memorial during ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, in New York, september 11, 2011.

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press box had to go underneath the stadium and then walk up the bleachers. The entire project costs about $4.9 million, which came mostly from non-university funding and donations. One million went to the press box’s design and furnishing. About $3 million was initially supposed to go to Kenbridge Construction Company. A&T has already paid the construction company approximately $1.5

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, September 14 2011

inFOCUS

PRESS BOX From page 1

Photo by Kenneth L. Hawkins Jr.• The A&T Register Photo Editor (File Photo)

Golden Delight performs during the home opener at Aggie Stadium. The next home game is September 24, 2011.

JOBS From page 1 en by individuals making over $200,000 a year and families making over $250,000; l $41 billion from closing loopholes for oil and gas companies; l $18 billion from requiring fund managers to pay higher taxes on certain income; l $3 billion from changing the tax treatment of corporate jets. DeFazio has been vocal in his demands for closing the loophole for oil companies. But Republicans have been just as vocal in their objections to what they consider tax increases in a sour economy. House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans questioned whether Obama was really intent on bipartisanship if he was asking them to swallow tax hikes they already opposed, without any spending cuts. “We remain eager to work together on ways to support job growth, but this proposal doesn’t appear to have been offered in that bipartisan spirit,” said Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck. The jobs package would offer tax cuts for workers and employers by reducing the Social Security payroll tax. Spending elements include more money to hire teachers, rebuild schools and pay unemployment benefits. There are also tax credits to encourage businesses to hire veterans and

the long-term unemployed. That is where DeFazio and Democrats who share his views have problems. According to the White House, 60 percent of the cost of the bill is for tax cuts while the remainder is for financing infrastructure projects such as building and modernizing roads and bridges and schools and for expanding broad band networks. Asked about the ratio of tax breaks to spending, Brian Deese, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council said it was a consensus of what could best reboot a stalled economy. “The bill is a reflection of the president’s vision, about what he thinks the economy needs and what are the most effective approaches for the economy right now,” he said in an interview. “And that’s what drove the decision for the specific provisions and what drove the overall ratio.” Deese described the process as dry and analytical. “Each of the components in the bill were chosen based on addressing an economic need that exists. So the focus on making substantial increases in infrastructure investment were driven by the needs we’re facing in our country and the fact that it’s very effective if you find ways to get that money out and create jobs in the short term,” he said. “Likewise, the focus on small business tax provisions and the design of those provisions was intended to respond to economic need. Nobody

went into this exercise trying to start with some conclusion about are we hitting some sort of politically ideal mix,” he said. In Ohio today, Obama will highlight the $25 billion devoted to schools. According to the White House, Oregon would receive $253.2 million to modernize schools and another $71.2 million for community colleges. White House aides have been leery of offering job predictions, but they calculate that if passed, the plan has “the potential to support” 3,300 jobs in Oregon. The pressure -- and the travel -- aren’t likely to subside. Obama will travel to North Carolina tomorrow to highlight the jobs proposal in what will be a battleground state in the 2012 campaign. He was getting backup from the Democratic National Committee, which announced a television ad campaign starting Monday to promote Obama’s jobs plans in key swing and early-voting states and to call on voters to pressure their lawmakers for support. The ads urge viewers to “Read it. Fight for it. ... Pass the President’s Jobs Plan.” The back-and-forth was taking on elements of a political campaign, with high stakes for both sides as Obama heads into his re-election fight with the economy stalled, unemployment stuck at 9.1 percent and polls showing deep public unhappiness with his leadership on the economy. The Associated Press con-

million; however, Kenbridge may not get the entire $3 million because of liquidated damages. Liquidated damages refer to a certain amount of money that is paid by one party because of a breach in contract. This means that because the construction company failed to meet the time requirements within the contract, they may not receive all of the approximate $3 million that was agreed upon. Every day that the press box is not complete, as of Aug. 16, A&T may charge Kenbridge for liquidated damages in the amount of $1,500. But as of now, the decision has not been made to charge Kenbridge for not completing the project on time. Some tasks have been delayed because of inclement weather such as rain and thunderstorms. Heat has been a factor, with temperatures reaching and even exceeding 100 degrees. The temperature was so high some days that contractors had to wear two layers of heat-insulated gloves to protect them from being burned by the heated steel. “Health precautions are very paramount. We know that there are always unforeseen things happening in construction, especially with weather,” said Perkins. “We’ve had a lot of different issues. We’ve had some trouble with scheduling due to weather as well as communication issues

MCALISTERS From page 1 The McAlister’s Deli on A&T’s campus is one of four college campus locations in North Carolina and the only Historically Black College or University of the four. “They [McAlister’s] are mostly in and around college campuses according to Smith,” Paci said. “Our goal is to serve the community,” he said. The employees of the new dining amenity eagerly greeted all who waited to enter. There were greeters at each entrance who provided patrons with a menu to gaze over while waiting in line. The new location allows customers to dine in or opt for a togo order.

with some contractors,” said Leonard Jones, superintendent of the press box construction for Kenbridge. Kenbridge currently has 20 subcontractors assisting them with the construction of the press box, but recently Kenbridge had to let go of an electrical company because they were not fulfilling the requirements of their contract with Kenbridge. The construction workers still have to hang sheetrock, put in cabinetry, hang doors, frame windows, prefabricate panels, and install panels before the press box is finished. A letter was sent from Hilton on Aug. 19 to everyone that purchased season tickets, notifying them of the current renovations of the press box. Season ticketholders that have reserved seating for every home football game were moved about 20-25 feet away from their usual seating because of the temporary tent A&T has had to set up to seat members of the media and game operations. “A&T has done their part to help us do what we need to do,” Jones said. Jones suffered a heart attack while on the press box construction site, but returned to work just three days later to continue to work on his goal of getting the press box finished before homecoming. “I want a safe, compliant, and functional facility,” Perkins said. “As long as I see them working hard, I believe in encouraging them.”

Those who decide to dine-in will receive tableside service, a never-before-seen feature in Aggie dining. Much like the other dining services, students can use their flex and dining dollars in addition to cash and credit cards to make purchases at McAlister’s. Angela Peterson, Director of Auxiliary Services, credits the end of year surveys, which were started about two years ago, for guiding them in the right direction. “They [the students] wanted to sit down,” she said. So “we narrowed the list down.” It then took 85 days to complete the project that was solely based off of students’ suggestions. Peterson believes that McAlister’s will be a good asset to the rest of the dining services. “There was excitement [about

Wednesday

Career Fair Corbett Sports Center 8 a.m.

thursday

SUAB Block Party Bluford Street 6 p.m.

friday

No events

saturday

Sickle Cell Awareness Clinic Stallings Ballroom 9 a.m.

the opening] from the construction. People were peaking through the windows and asking when we were going to open,” she said. “I’ve never been here [McAlister’s] before, but it was good,” said Rachel Parker, sophomore accounting and criminal justice major. She enjoyed a hot turkey melt sandwich. “It looks like a place [where] you want to eat.” Briana McClure, a sophmore sports science major says she enjoys McAlister’s. From prior knowledge of the menu, McClure decided on the Spud Ole’ and Chili. “I would recommend McAlister’s to people” she said. Chancellor Martin revealed that he already has picked out his favorite table and hopes that he will be able to interact more with the students this way.

theBLOTTER Case under Further Investigation

September 5 No reports September 6 9:16 a.m. Cooper Hall- Larceny Case under Further Investigation 11:31 a.m. Laurel Street-Vehicle Accident Case Closed

September 7 1:15 p.m. Laurel Street - Wanted Person Case closed with arrest 5:15 p.m. Off Campus Rape Case Closed

4:16 p.m. Morrow Hall - Assault Case under further investigation

10:40 p.m. Laurel Street Aggrivated Assualt Case under further investigation

8:26 p.m. Aggie Suites F - Assualt Case Closed/Student Referral

September 8

8:40 p.m. Barbee Hall- PVA-Assualt Case under further investigation 10:15 p.m. Moore Gym- Larceny

2:51 p.m. Off Campus - Harrassment Case closed 3:53 p.m. Cherry Hall - Larceny Case under further investigation

September 9 2:40 a.m. Benbow Road Drug Violation September 10 12:47 a.m. Off Campus - Drug Violation Case closed 2:45 a.m. Aggie Village 1 - Burglary Case Closed 9:39 a.m. Williams Dining Hall Burglary Case under further investigation 9:30 p.m. Child Development Lab Drug Violation Case cleared September 11 No Reports

To learn more, call 1-877-4061875 or visit goarmy.com/officer.

If you ever see anything suspicious or need assistance call Campus Police

(336) 334-7675

The A&T

editor in chief: Kelcie McCrae Managing editor: Sylvia Obell opinions editor:Trumaine McCaskill sports editor: Karmen Robinson scene editor: Ashley Vaughn NCATregister.com editor: Jonathan Veal copy editor: Chuck Johnson Copy editor: Justine Riddick photo editor: Kenneth Hawkins staff photographers:

graphic designer: Taylor Wilson editorial cartoonist: Evan Summerville reporters: advertising& business manager: business staff: Courtney Jackson CONTENT DIRECTOR: Anjan Basu faculty adviser: Emily Harris

The A&T Register is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters by students at North Carolina A&T State University. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Register’s newsroom (subject to availability). All subscription requests should be directed to the Business department. The A&T Register has a weekly circulation of 5,000 copies on-campus and in the community and is a member of The Associated Press, The Associated Collegiate Press and the Black College Wire.

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Aggies learn to step outside of the box at program HELEESE SCOTT AND ALEXIS WHITE Contributors

In a room full of freaks, there was not one normal person in the house. This was goal of Miss A&T as she hosted her ďŹ rst program, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Freaks! Normal Gets You Nowhere,â&#x20AC;? on Sept. 8. Jasmine Gurley says she wanted her program to focus on being true, never giving up, and striving toward becoming the ideal person. After being inspired by fashion publicist Kelly Cutroneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normal Gets You Nowhere,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;If You Have To Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Told You,â&#x20AC;?

she decided to go forth with this theme. The program was centered around a panel discussion with Gregory Hill, senior economics major from Durham, NC; Miss Sophomore, Courtney Young; and President of the Student Government Association, Christian Robinson. Throughout the program, the panel emphasized on spending time to the best of abilities, qualities of a leader, never being too good for the things that makes success, ways to relieve external pressures and the importance of following dreams. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I ďŹ rst saw the title, I

thought it was going to be sexoriented,â&#x20AC;? said Jeffrey Silverthorne, a junior speech pathology major. Silverthorne wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only student who initially thought the program was going to be pertaining to sex. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I heard the program and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Freaksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; being the title, I honestly thought it was going to be about sex so I decided to come,â&#x20AC;?said Hannah Jeffries a junior biology major. Despite that notion, the program addressed topics that were very empowering to the students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But when I heard the subtitle â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Normal Gets You Nowhereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? continued Jeffries,â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew that it was going to be about diver-

sity in society and how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acceptable to be different.â&#x20AC;? Students were seemingly satisďŹ ed with Gurleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The message I received was that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not alone when we face different challenges,â&#x20AC;? said Silverthorne. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I understood what the panel was trying to get across to the audience, and they sent the message well. Not only would I come back if the program were held again, but I would also bring friends.â&#x20AC;? Jeffries, who was also pleased with the event, said that she would come again but would like for there to be more audience interaction and an inti-

mate setting. The audience was not the only ones who were touched by the conversation, in fact so was the panel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was impacted by the young man who spoke about appreciating everything we take for granted such as being able to walk and talk. It helped to remind me that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the simple things in life that matter,â&#x20AC;? said Student Government Association president and panel member Christian Robinson. The audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s positive responses proved that the program was a success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The goal was just for some-

Judge wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drop charges in Rutgers case GEORGE ANASTASIA MCT Campus

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A Superior Court Judge ruled Friday that there is more than enough evidence to support invasionof-privacy and bias-intimidation charges against former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi, who used the webcam on his laptop computer to watch his male roommate having sex with a man. The ruling by Judge Glenn Berman came in response to a defense motion to dismiss all charges in the high-proďŹ le case. In rejecting the defense argument, Berman emphasized that his ruling was not a reďŹ&#x201A;ection on Raviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guilt or innocence, but rather an analysis of the prosecutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand jury presentation and the subsequent 15-count indictment handed up against the 19-year-old in April.

Raviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roommate, Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide shortly after discovering that the fellow freshman and others had viewed his encounter via a laptop webcam. The case has attracted international attention and has become a rallying point for those concerned with cyber-bullying and the intimidation of gay youth. Ravi, of Plainsboro, sat quietly through Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hourlong proceeding dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and tie and ďŹ&#x201A;anked by two defense attorneys. Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents, Jane and Joseph, sat in the front row of the small third-ďŹ&#x201A;oor courtroom and declined to comment as they left the courthouse. Ravi has been charged with invasion of privacy, bias intimidation and tampering with evidence. He has pleaded not guilty

and remains free on bail. Clementi, of Ridgewood, jumped off the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22, shortly after learning that Ravi and others had spied on him on Sept. 19. Ravi also is accused of trying to view a second encounter on Sept. 21. Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death does not ďŹ gure in the indictment. Defense attorneys argued that the widespread attention the case has received is linked to Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suicide and has clouded the prosecution. In the motion rejected by Berman, Raviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attorneys contended that the county prosecutorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ ce had overcharged the case and distorted the facts. Berman has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 20 at which he is expected to set a trial date. Ravi could face up to ďŹ ve years in prison if convicted of the

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most serious bias-intimidation charges. The judge ruled on several other defense motions, but he said they would not take effect for seven days to allow the prosecution time to consider appeals. Over the objections of Assistant County Prosecutor Julia McClure, Berman ruled that the defense should be given the name and birth date of the man who was in the dorm room with Clementi. In court documents he has been identiďŹ ed only by his initials, â&#x20AC;&#x153;M.B.â&#x20AC;? Berman ruled that defense attorney Steven D. Altman could have the information, but barred him from making the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name or any other details public. Altman said he had no desire to publicize anything about M.B. personally, but he would like to question him about Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;behavior, demeanor and attitude.â&#x20AC;? That, he said, could help build a defense against the biasintimidation charges. The defense would like to show tht Clementi felt neither intimidated nor harrassed by Ravi. M.B. had indicated, according to the prosecutor, that he might agree to be questioned by the defense, but only in the presence of a representative of the prosecutorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ ce. M.B. has told investigators that he met Clementi through an online chatroom and dating service for gay men. He has no

obligation to speak to the defense, Berman pointed out. The judge withheld rulings on defense motions to gain access to notes allegedly written by Clementi and to Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s computer. Berman said he tended to agree with the prosecutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s argument that that information was not relevant, but he said he wanted to review Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notes and the content of his computer privately before deciding. He said he had the same reservations about a defense request for information gathered by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police who recovered Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body. McClure objected not only to the defense having access to the information, but to the judge reviewing it privately. Berman granted a seven-day delay after McClure said she wanted to consider ďŹ ling an objection with the New Jersey State Appellate Court. While lawyers for Ravi concede he exercised poor judgment and may have been insensitive, they claim he never intended to intimidate or harass Clementi because of his sexual orientation. Ravi dropped out of Rutgers shortly after being arrested in October. He has remained free on bail.

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body to feel like they got something out of it and people told me that they did,â&#x20AC;? said Gurley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very pleased with the way everything turned out.â&#x20AC;? Gurley says with the success of this program, she is already in the process of planning part two which will be held the beginning of next semester. She says she was able to inspire many students Thursday night and she will continue to do so through her reign as Miss A&T. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hascott9@yahoo.com and alexisow@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Study abroad fair brings out dozens SEJAL CHAPPEL Contributor

On Sept. 8 the OfďŹ ce of International Affairs hosted the 11th annual study abroad fair in their new home at the New Academic Classroom Building. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of the study aboard fair is to raise awareness on campus for faculty and students for them to understand there are international opportunities and for students to know they can receive academic credit while studying in other country, â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Sandy Smith, director of institutional global relations. The fair showcased various tables decorated with different artifacts and pictures, as well as representatives from study abroad programs. These representatives helped give more information on what it takes to participate in these opportunities. Students also were able to sign up for a program. According to Smith, the fair was a sixmonth planning process. North Carolina A&T students have gone to many different countries such as China, Japan, Spain, and England. Sometimes the students live with a local family or they stay in an international dormitory on campus with other international students says Smith. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The beneďŹ ts of studying aboard are having developed a global awareness and taking that with them to the work place once they graduate,â&#x20AC;? says Smith. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Learn to be adaptable to another situation so they learn that skill and they can adapt to any situation.â&#x20AC;? In order to study aboard, students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and have studied at the semester for two semesters. A lot of A&T students were at the fair sharing their own personal experiences with students and faculty as well. Darrian Boost, a junior, chemistry major from Indianapolis, IN went to San Jose, Costa Rica and studied there for ďŹ ve weeks. Boost says has been interested in studying aboard since here days in high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Costa Rican is very different from what we have in here the United States,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have this funny thing called â&#x20AC;?tico timeâ&#x20AC;? so normally for us if we are ďŹ ve to ten minutes late you are considered late but in Costa Rica say you say you are gonna be somewhere at 2:00 if you show up at 3:00 it is acceptable. There are really laid back and really chill.â&#x20AC;? Boost enjoyed the academic atmosphere and took different medical courses. According to Boost â&#x20AC;&#x153;studying aboard takes you out of your comfort zone and amerce yourself in someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; s.chappell@live.com and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Write for us! Contributorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Meeting Every Wednesday 5 p.m. in GCB Room 328

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, September 14, 2011

A mastermind of 9/11 terror attacks had ties to A&T Dashawn flemming Register Reporter

Ten years after Sept. 11, the name Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – fairly or unfairly – is still associated with North Carolina A&T. “Oh yea I know who he is,” said Jaired Epps, a junior mechanical engineering major from Richmond, Va. “Before I came here I researched the school,” he said. “I was on Wikipedia and went to the “famous Alumni” section and saw his name.” Epps discovered that Mohammed is a 1986 A&T alum and an alleged mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Mohammed was born and raised in the Middle East, and his arrival to the United States was due to the beginning of his collegiate education—in the early 1980’s—at Chowan College in Murfreesboro, N.C. After a semester at the small

private college, Mohammed transferred to A& T where he pursued a degree in mechanical engineering. Dr. Samuel Owusu-Ofori, the current chairman of the mechanical engineering department, is one of a few professors in that department that can recall Mohammed as a student. “I do not remember him, but I remember his name.” In the ‘80s there were nearly 45 students in a class at a time. Teaching at A&T since the fall of 1983, Dr. Owusu-Ofori recalls there being a lot of engineering students enrolled from the Middle East. While looking through his antique, small, blue grade book he said, “A third of the class came from the Middle East, a lot were from Kuwait.” It was nothing particularly uncommon for Middle Eastern students to attend A&T during this time. The same is said from Dr. Vinayak Kabadi, a chemical engineering professor, who

Photo by Gary Friedman• MCT Campus

also taught Mohammed. He too pulled out his small, blue grade book from the spring semester of 1986 turning to the page where Mohammed’s name appeared, in blue cursive writing, among a class of 27 students. He “was just a student in a class, I don’t remember him,” Dr. Kabadi said. According to the names on his roster, at least 6 [out of 27] students were from the Middle East. Because little is remembered about Mohammed, it is safe to say, while he was an Aggie nothing that was unusual stood out about him. However, it is said that his time in the U.S. created his sense of dislike for Americans. “Personally, I don’t believe he had any bad experiences here [U.S. and A & T],” Dr. OwusuOfori confessed. Mohammed is currently detained in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp facing capital charges which include but are not limited to conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, and attacking civilian objects. Dr. Owusu-Ofori stresses the importance that the mechanical engineering department in no way instructs it’s students how to create weapons of mass destruction. “We never taught them how to make a bomb” he said. “We give them the fundamentals and hope they put them into good use.” Dr. S. Wang, a mechanical engineering professor, also stated “We train you in academics, not your mind… it was a coincidence that he attended A & T.”

Rescue 5 firefighter Joey Esposito appears on the “pile” at Ground Zero, searching for victims of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York, in December, 2001

Triangle memorials share grief, solace

In remembrance

J. Andrew Curliss & Jay Price MCT Campus

Photo by Kennth L. Hawkins Jr. • The A&T Register Photo Editor

Aggies from NY/NJ Connection, PA Aggies, and Metro Aggies gather on Sunday September 11, 2011, to reflect on the lives that were lost on 9/11.

Aggies still remember Jonique Lynch & Brianna McFadgen Contributors

n the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, the NY/NJ Connection Aggies, Metro Aggies, and PA Aggies came together to have a memorial service to remember lives lost during the terrorist attacks. “NY/NJ Aggies always had a memorial for our full body each year either at the reflection pool or at our meeting location. Knowing that it was the 10th anniversary and that all areas that were attacked had hometown organizations, I had the idea to try to expand it from NY/ NJ,” said Ashley Peterson, president of the NY/NJ Aggies.

The service consisted of poems and reflections of people who were in the area of the attacks and even some who were not. Even though most of the people in attendance were in elementary school at the time of the attacks they still had vivid memories of that day. The event was created in order to reflect upon what happened on 9/11 and how it affected us as students directly. People on television speak about the terrorist attacks and their experiences but one rarely hears the stores of those students they see on campus everyday. The students who organized the event are from the area in which the attacks took place, so they knew first hand how it was in New York, northern Va., and Pennsylvania on 9/11. These students were able to see the crowds of people outside in panic and astonishment as the attacks occurred.

The program also gave a detailed timeline of the attacks up until President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency. Students who attended the program openly expressed their feelings about the tragedy of 9/11. Aleigha Jones, a junior nursing major, thought the program went very well, however she wants it to grow. “It went really well but we need more participation from people outside of A&T, radio broadcasting of the event, and for it to be annual,” said Janae Crockett, a junior finance major and president of the Metro Aggies. Many people felt the event could have been bigger, however some realized that there has to be a starting point. There are hopes of making this an annual event and that next year will be bigger and better.

A lasting memorial for the 9/11 dead CRISTIAN SALAZAR & DAVID B. CARUSO Associated Press

photo illustration by mct campus

NEW YORK — In the days after the 9/11 attacks, all of New York seemed to become a shrine to the dead. People left heaps of flowers in front of fire stations. They lit candles. They hung photographs of the missing. Now, at last, there is a permanent memorial to the victims. Dennis Baxter saw it for the first time Sunday, along with hundreds of other people who lost a relative on 9/11. His brother, Joseph, died in the World Trade Center’s south tower. Baxter found his name inscribed in bronze on the low wall surrounding the enormous fountain and reflecting pool where the tower once stood. “It was real inspirational to come here after all these years and finally see his name,” said Baxter, 65, of King of Prussia, Pa. “I touched it. ... I didn’t know what to do. It was really moving.” The tree-covered memorial plaza at ground zero opened to the families of the victims for the first time Sunday, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Shortly after 9 a.m., a steady stream of people began walking along the black parapets that ring the two pools, searching for the names of their lost loved ones. Many left flowers. Some stuck small flags in the recesses created by each letter. Others made paper rubbings of the names, or simply stood and wept, as the sound of the roaring waterfalls in each\ fountain washed over them. The memorial includes the

names of all 2,977 people killed on 9/11 in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsyvania, as well as the six slain during the bombing of the trade center in 1993. Mary Dwyer, 36, of Brooklyn, said it was moving to finally be able to stand in the place where her sister, Lucy Fishman, died. “It’s the closest I’ll ever get to her again,” she said. Paul Schlehr, of Cincinnati, whose sister-in-law, Margaret Seeliger, also died in the south tower, said he was amazed by the memorial, which occupies an 8-acre plaza and is ringed by new skyscrapers under construction. Each of the memorial pools is an acre in size, and the waterfalls that plunge into the pits drop 30 feet. “The size of it all is kind of breathtaking,” he said. The memorial plaza opens to the public Monday, but on Sunday it was set aside for the victims’ families alone. As they walked the grounds, they expressed sorrow, but some joy and life, too. Some smiled for family photos. Children ran on the grass. A parent changed a diaper. Work on the memorial is ongoing. An underground section and museum won’t open until next year. A little less than half of the 420 oak trees that will ultimately shade the plaza have yet to be been planted. But seeing the names was enough for many of the families. “It breaks me up,” said David Martinez, who watched the attacks happen from his office in Manhattan, and later learned that he had lost a cousin and a brother — one in each tower.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother, Charles, was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, cried when she found his name, grouped with other crew and passengers aboard the flight. “These are all his crew,” she said. “I know all their families. These passengers, I knew their families. These people are real people to me. It’s very touching to see all these people here together.” The city remembered Sept. 11 all over again Sunday, with ceremonies that started at dawn at Manhattan’s southern tip, and ended long after nightfall, with twin beams of light streaming heavenward at the spot where the World Trade Center once stood. On Chambers Street in lower Manhattan after dark, Kurtis Douglas, 26, held up a camera to take a picture of the two skypiercing columns of light. “It’s amazing,” he said. “I love it. I was in a rush but I stopped to take a picture.” He was on his way home to the Bronx from his job at a nearby restaurant. He thought the lights were a fitting remembrance of that day. “It happened a while ago but it’s almost like yesterday,” he said. Earlier, while two presidents and relatives of the victims gathered at ground zero, New York City firefighters mustered six miles uptown in Riverside Park to mark the moments when the towers collapsed, and read the names of the 343 members of the department who perished. Later, firefighters from across the U.S., as well as 42 who traveled from France, attended a dedication at the New York City Fire Museum of a memorial exhibit of the helmet and bunker

coat worn by FDNY Chaplain Mychal Judge when he was fatally injured in the lobby of the North Tower. Houses of worship throughout the city held prayer services for the dead. At St. Peter’s Church, a Roman Catholic chapel a block from the trade center where some wounded were treated, the Rev. Kevin Madigan told those gathered for Mass that “we have every right to feel angry. It is the opposite of indifference.” But the priest urged forgiveness, saying the anger must be relinquished and “somehow be linked to love.” Later, Cardinal Edward Egan said at a memorial service that while “evil had its moment of triumph” in the attacks, the city responded with “deeds of heroism and total selflessness.” “Men and women just like ourselves exhibited a love of neighbor beyond anything any of us might have expected,” he said. Trinity Church in lower Manhattan sounded its 12 changeringing bells for more than two hours to mark the day. The bells, which rotate 360 degrees as they ring, produce a cascading sound and require extensive training to operate. Alexandra Borrie of Portsmouth, N.H., stood outside the church and held up a cell phone so a caller on the line could hear the bells. “It’s spectacular,” she said. Jeff Graumbs of Manhattan paused to listen as the sounds echoed down Wall Street. “It’s a joyful kind of sound. It’s not a mournful sound,” he said. “The fact that it’s a number of bells ringing at the same time signals unity.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — Joe Dittmar was in a 105th-floor meeting a decade ago, when the building across the way -- the north tower of the World Trade Center -- shook. On Sunday, Dittmar stood in the sanctuary of Joy Baptist Church in Chatham County and told a silent gathering of more than 300 people that it still feels like yesterday. “I saw things people just shouldn’t see,” said Dittmar, who now lives in Chapel Hill. He also saw something else: “The best of human nature took over. “Human beings are good, and so many did good that day. I saw bravery, such bravery.” The gathering in a country church halfway between Pittsboro and Siler City included stories from a relief worker who fed people amidst the rubble, and from a former New York City police officer who put in 18-hour days for six months at the trade center site after the buildings fell. The service was dedicated to first responders. It underscored how deep and widespread the ceremonies and gatherings have been in marking the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Triangle residents performed service, cleaning up roadsides or feeding the hungry. Firefighters paid tribute by climbing stairs or standing in silence outside firehouses across the country, including in Raleigh. Churches tolled bells and added prayers. NSCU honors alumnus In Raleigh, hundreds of people gathered at N.C. State’s Bell Tower on Hillsborough Street. Many in the audience were just children a decade ago. “I was only 11 then, and really all I understood was that something big had happened,” said Jon Ayscue of Mebane, a senior in business administration. “But of course over the years I learned about this horrible thing, and I knew that I had to be here today because every remembrance, every year, I think makes us stronger.” A giant U.S. flag flapped from a fire truck ladder extended over the crowd. Several speakers lauded the long tradition of service and sacrifice among NCSU alumni generally, and that of Navy Lt. Commander Eric Cranford specifically. Cranford, a member of the class of 1992, was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks by the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon, where the Navy pilot was

temporarily assigned. After the prayers and speeches, Cranford’s mother, Betsy, brother, Brad, and widow, Emily, joined Chancellor Randy Woodson in placing a wreath of red and white roses at the foot of the bell tower in Cranford’s honor. After a rifle salute, a military bugler played Taps. As the last plaintive note faded, it was instantly replaced by a roar as two F-15 jets shot past in a fly-by directly over the tower. Cranford’s mother dabbed at her eyes, and his widow, who was wearing dark glasses, looked down, and that was it. After the ceremony, Brad Cranford said in an interview that even 10 years later, little things made him recall his brother every day. It was special for Eric to have been such a big part of the memorial service, he said. “It’s a really great feeling, and a pride point that the university did this, because Eric really loved N.C. State,” he said. “But it’s better yet that it wasn’t just about him, that it was about other people, because that’s exactly what he would have wanted. It was never about him.” Escape from the tower In March, Chatham County received a steel beam from the trade center, one of more than 1,000 that have been donated for memorials around the world. Under an American flag on Sunday, hundreds of people touched the rusting piece of steel, displayed beneath a flag. It will be part of a permanent memorial site along U.S. 64 still in the works. Dittmar, who moved to a neighborhood south of Chapel Hill more than a year ago, stood at the pulpit and said he couldn’t describe everything about the horror of that day. He said he immediately started to evacuate after a plane struck the north tower.

He was one of 54 insurance executives in the meeting. Only seven survived. It was a matter of who evacuated right away. “The difference was about two-and-a-half minutes,” he said in an interview. Dittmar made it to the 75th floor of the south tower when the second hijacked jet struck several floors up. He said the overwhelming smell of jet fuel covered everyone, and debris filled the stairwell like snow. By the 35th floor, he said, firefighters and police appeared, heading up. “The look in their eyes told the story,” he said. “They knew. They knew. They knew they were going up to save lives they could not save. To fight a fire they could not beat. ... How can you be that brave?” The church sanctuary was filled with police, paramedics, fire crews and their families. Some dabbed at their eyes. Dust and steel Pittsboro native Peggy Williams recalled arriving in New York the next day as a Red Cross volunteer. A dark cloud, she said, hung over the city. It was dust, dirt and evil. She recalled one moment, full of emotion, near St. Patrick’s Cathedral: a ladder truck, carrying the casket of a firefighter. She told of working at a landfill where the remains of the towers and other debris went. There was no glass, no desks, no Sheetrock. Just gray dust and steel. “Too big to comprehend,” she said. County Commissioner Pam Stewart, the mother of a firefighter, said it’s important to remember what happened when evil attacked that day. And what happened afterward. Americans responded, she said, with unity, resolve, bravery and determination.

New memorial stirs emotions James Ford

MCT Campus

Photo by Tom Fox • mct campus

The world trade center lights up during 10th anniversary of sept. 11.

Some of the spontaneous displays of patriotism and solidarity that were so common in the city after the attacks were seen again. A Chevy convertible, painted red white and blue, rolled down Broadway with a sign affixed to the front bumper proclaiming, “Always proud” to be a New Yorker. A man with a long white beard sat on the steps of St. Paul’s Chapel playing “Amazing Grace” on a flute. The iron fence around the church, which sheltered and fed recovery workers for months during the cleanup of ground zero, was decorated with white

ribbons, upon which visitors from around the world had left messages. “On this visit to New York, one breathes great humanity,” read one ribbon scribbled in Italian, fluttering in the breeze above a mound of red roses with a sheet that said, in English, “We are all New Yorkers.” Relatives of slain workers at Cantor Fitzgerald, the financial services firm that lost 658 workers in the attacks, were holding their annual private memorial service Sunday afternoon. Another service was held for victims who worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

LOWER MANHATTAN, N.Y. — The new 9/11 Memorial attempts to capture the sorrow New York and the country have felt over the terrorist attacks, while allowing us to move on. The presence of visitors allowed into the site for the first time raised issues of security, while also showing the intense effect the memorial had on them. “Being right there where all those people perished, in the gut, it just hurts,” Timothy Emtringer of Green Bay Wisconsin told PIX11 News. Another visitor said that the effect the memorial had on her was physical. “I’m shaking now, a little bit,” she said. The cascading waterfalls and reflecting pools built in the footprints of the Twin Towers are intended to honor every person killed on September 11th in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania as well as those killed in the Trade Center attack in 1993. “The design is amazing, especially the use of sound,” visitor Paul Watkins told PIX11 News regarding the new memorial. “The sound of the water

blocks out all the traffic noise and the construction noise, and you’re really able to sit there and meditate about your loved one.”Watkins was the very first visitor to the memorial on the day it opened to the public, and as such was able to tell the memorial’s designer, Michael Arad, in person about his impressions. Watkins came even though, as a relative of 9/11 victim Vladimir Tomasovich, he was able to come on Sunday when only victims’ family members were allowed. Many family members returned on Monday, when it was less crowded. “We were alone with her. It was more private,” Neda Bolourchi said about being at the memorial next to her mother’s name, carved in bronze along with nearly 3,000 others. But at the site in greater numbers were people from the general public, including Timothy Emtringer, who had the gutwrenching reaction to seeing it. He said he was really lucky to have gotten in. “I ended up getting a ticket [last minute]. I kept talking, talking, talking to people, got a ticket and was the first person in there,” he told PIX11 News. He was actually the first non-

family member onto the site, even though the waiting list is a month long. He’d been able to score a ticket from the 9/11 Memorial Office from someone who had canceled their reservation.Visitor Jessica Smith Delfino also managed to get the ticket of someone who couldn’t show up, and found herself among the first people in, face to face with a group of dignitaries that included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, memorial designer Michael Arad and former vice president Dick Cheney. The executive director of the memorial, Joe Daniels, told PIX11 News that his office expects people to be able to come at the last minute, and welcomes such visitors when extra tickets are available. As for security, he says that it’s airtight for anyone entering the site, whether they ordered their free ticket month in advance, or got lucky at the last minute. “Every single visitor who comes through the memorial will go through a full security screening,” he said. “Of all the places in the world where screening is done, this is the place where it’s necessary. I don’t think our visitors mind, and we have to do it.”

theWORD

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, September 13, 2011

HBCU customer service, or lack there of The customer service on historically black campuses is so terrible. I hate to start with such a negative statement but my disgust has grown so much that there is no other way to describe my frustration with these institutions. Everywhere from the library to the financial aid office, it is nearly impossible to find a department that is full of individuals that are going to be friendly and helpful to the student body. And quite frankly, I feel like enough is enough. For years, historically black colleges and universities have been stuck with the stereotype of having terrible customer service. Instead of fighting the stereotype, we have basically embraced it. This year has been no exception. Recently, yours truly, took a journey to Brown Hall in an attempt to purchase a book for my class. Long story short, I wonder why if the bookstore makes a mistake and does not order the amount of books appropriate for

the class, then why can’t students receive a discount on the book? First of all the prices are ridiculous to say the least. In addition to these crazy prices, SOME of the workers in the bookstore consistently lie and tell a student they already ordered the book (and in reality didn’t) and the book should be in by the end of the week. Such nonsense forces a student to wait three weeks to get the book for a class (putting an entire class behind). Yet when the mistake falls back on the bookstore, why must the response to that student be, “we don’t discount for text books.” And that was a direct quote from the manager of the bookstore. If I go to any company in America, chances are my customer service complaint will be fixed and the company would just bite the bullet in most cases. However if you bring it to a department on this campus, you’re basically out of luck. This is not a shot just at the bookstore, because we all know the most

notorious gangster on this campus is of course the people in good ol Dowdy. I think I could end that last statement exactly TRUMAINE the way it is. MCCASKILL The problems people face with financial aid, bookkeeping, administration, etc. can go on for days. And although some of the blame falls back on the students at times, the problems continue to grow year after year because the people in many of the departments give you poor customer service and place the blame solely on the customer, which in this case is the students. Many students all over America, not just myself, can say they dread dealing with financial aid. And in a department that deals with student’s money and finances you would think that customer service would be a top priority. Well think again.

In a survey done last week, I found that after asking 50 random students who walked passed me on campus, a whopping 88 percent felt that the two places they dread going to is Dowdy and Brown Hall. Ironically, these are the two places that no student can go four years without visiting. I cannot emphasize enough that this is not just an A&T problem. This is a HBCU problem. Many of my friends and close associates feel that the problems we face at our HBCUs come from a lack of proper leadership and customer service. Many students feel that the response they receive from most departments on campus is, “how dare you question the system we already have in place?” A feeling of dissatisfaction and disgust seems to overwhelm many students when dealing with many departments on campus. Now on the flip side, campuses such as High Point University have embrace the idea that they are in the customer

service industry because they are providing a service to students who are paying thousands of dollars to the university that employs them. While I often wonder if any of our major departments on campus have customer service training at all, many other universities are making it their main goal to accommodate their way of life to what best fits the students, not the staff. When you have security guards at the door in the library that accuses every student of being a thief every time the metal detector goes off, there’s a problem. When you have an institution where you can walk up to a person’s desk, receive no eye contact and their first words are “put in your banner ID” oppose to “Good morning how may I help you today?” clearly there is a problem with your employees customer service. Any time a student feels they have been talked down to just because they are 18 or 19 years old, there’s a problem. Any time

an institution that receives thousands of dollars from students has a bookstore with no policy on being able to purchase books due to a lack of quality customer service, there’s a problem. Any time you walk out of the financial aid office more upset than you were when you first walked in, then clearly something needs to be done. This article is in no way attempting to get anyone fired or thrown out of his or her departments. However, I do believe the customer service at this institution is slack, to say the least. We as the student body are fed up with paying top dollar, for subpar service. I love my institution with all my heart and soul, however if this institution does not improve its customer service, then we will not see alumni willing to give back thousands of dollars to an institution that failed to show them the respect they deserved when they were students here. -tlmccask@ncat.edu and follow him on Twitter: @TrumaineWasHere

This is college: Don’t worry, be happy Letter to the Editor MICHELE DELGADO Contributor

The typical saying is that, “College will be the best years of your life.” So why is it that I hear so many students expressing how they cannot wait to get out of here? Everyone is so stressed when they should be happy and really enjoying their time here. I personally love college. The stress you experience in college has nothing on the stress you may experience after you leave this institution. So why not enjoy life and just be happy? The most you have to deal with here is juggling school work, a job, and organizations you may be a part of. Yes, your classes do get harder and exams are not the easiest things to get through, but that can easily be resolved with studying, time management, and just seeking help. I do not comprehend why students are stressed about college and anxious to enter the real world. The real world is

more stressful than college. When you graduate you are officially on a timer to pay back all the money you spent to be here. You have to find a job quick, fast, and in a hurry. You are no longer on a campus surrounded by people your own age that are trying to pursue something in their life like you are. In the real world you never know what kind of people you will meet and if you move to a whole new city it might get a little lonely. It is kind of hard to find a large group of people in your age group that are really about pursuing something in life like you are. For the students who may not be traditional, college just might be a genuine struggle for you and I to understand. But being a non-traditional student should not be used as a crutch for you to not make the best out of this experience. Some of you may have children, two jobs, and a family to take care of so it may seem like the world is on your shoulders. If that is your reality or it is

close to that just remember you are here for a reason. If it was not meant for you to be here, you would not be here. So come on this campus with the best attitude you can muster up and strive for excellence. There are so many reasons why people are so happy to be here and truly love college. To begin with, it is always pleasing to know that you are surrounded by thousands of ambitious students like yourself who understand how hard college can be, but are getting through just like you. These are the times when you have the opportunity to make lifelong friends with people all over the country. Ultimately, even though you may have moments of stress, you should be grateful and happy to know that you have the chance to be exposed to many careers and learning opportunities that you probably would have never gotten in your life. Yes, college is expensive and that is a big stress factor that students have, but if you see it as the investment it is, it

will truly uplift your spirits and put things more in focus. When you think about how much you are paying to be here, you should automatically want to make sure that you get the most from your time here. This would include getting involved on campus, networking, and building lasting relationships with your fellow students, and truly becoming the best Aggie you can be. Truthfully you should aim to make these four years great and full of memories. I just want students to appreciate being here and enjoy their life at the moment. These four years will fly by and before you know it you will be one of those old people wishing you could do it all over again. So I suggest that everyone take a moment to see the positives of being here and really internalize because every last one of you have the right to be happy. -mcmicheledelgado@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter: @ATRegister

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AggieLife: REWIND

By Jamin Guinyard

That day that seemed to never have an ending. That wicked day that put the world into a trance as to find out who could have committed such a crime against humanity. On September 11, 2001 terrorist crashed two planes in to the World Trade Center creating one of the biggest terrorist acts in US history. A horrible crime creating fear in the people, causing loss of wealth and most importantly the loss of lives. Who was to blame? Who could have done such a heinous act? And sure enough the media and others pointed the blame to the Religion of Islam. They claimed Islam is a polytheistic religion which oppresses women, is outdated, and a religion of terrorism. Islam to them is all of these things but the one who is fair, just and honest to themselves will clearly understand that the religion of Islam is far removed from any of these headlines and claims that have been made against it. With a little honest study anyone will clearly find out that Islam is a pure monotheistic religion that calls not to the worship of the creation, rather to the worship of the Creator of the heavens and earth and Him alone. Allah (the name of God in Arabic), who is the same God, worshipped by the Prophets of old as did Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others. The Muslim (those who follow the religion of Islam) worships Allah alone according to what has been given to them by the last Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. We don’t worship angels, saints, rocks and for sure don’t worship Muhammad! As was mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad “The best of you are the best of those to your wives”. Islam calls to the respect and caring of the women. The Prophet also taught the Muslims that, “Indeed paradise lies at the feet of your mother”. Since the beginning of Islamic history of those that reported the most traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and of the most knowledgeable of them was his wife Aisha who wasn’t only a scholar in the field of Islam but also skilled in the field of medicine. So Islam guarantees the women her rights, protects her, honors her and respects her. Ask yourself, why is Islam the fastest growing religion in the West amongst women as been reported by The Times, and CNN, and this is a free society leaving the women to decide for herself that which is best. Also when you look at the religion of Islam and the Quran, it orders to give in charity, honoring and taking care of your neighbor, earning legal income and other acts of compassion. Islam promotes sex through

marriage. Islam calls to a financial system without partaking in interest/usury. This prohibition which is from the laws of old allowed the Islamic Banking system to prevail over the dwindling financial system as was the case not too long ago. Lastly, Islam despises terrorism or any form of oppression from whoever it may be! As mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad, Allah said “O My servants, indeed I have forbidden oppression upon Myself and I have also made it forbidden amongst yourselves”. Islam forbids the killing of women and children. The Prophet said “Allaah has forbidden the smell of Paradise for the one who kills a Mu’aahad (The Muslim, the Non-Muslim under Muslim protection, Non-Muslim with peace treaty with Muslims, and Non-Muslim living in the Muslim lands seeking shelter.)”. So this is everyone that is living in a society has laws to follow and rules to abide by. So it’s not for any person to take matters into his own hand even if he has been wronged. Islam promotes order, justice, safety and protection of the individuals honor, property and life and all that which is good. So this is a brief word for the one who is honest to themselves. Judge Islam by Islam, and not according to the actions of the people. Be open-minded and equal! If we are to condemn Islam then let us condemn everyone based on these baseless rules. Let us condemn the Catholic religion for the molestation of the young boys by some of their priest. Let us condemn all white people for the persecution and injustice that was thrust upon many other races for centuries. Or even looking closer to our times, condemning the people as a whole based on the actions of Timothy McVeigh (The Oklahoma city Bomber). Is every Norwegian a terrorist too for the acts of Anders Behring Breivik, who was is only called a terror suspect? The cards don’t fall the same when it’s working against you. But those that practice and call to justice spread it around fairly and equally regardless if it be for or against them. And only those that are true to themselves will realize that. And that’s what Islam has taught me. O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allâh and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Well¬Acquainted with what you do. (Noble Quran Chapter Al-Ma’idah 5:8) Yusuf Shamsid-Deen yshamsid@ncat.edu 336-676-3863

Editor’s note:The opinions expressed on The Word are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff of The A&T Register. All house editorials are written and revised with input from the editorial board, staff, and are approved by the editor. All submissions must be sent to theatregister@gmail.com to be considered for submission and should be no longer than 250 words. Submissions must be received by the Sunday prior to publication at 5 p.m. to be considered. The A&T Register reserves the right to edit all submission content for clarity and grammar. Submissions become the property of The A&T Register and will not be returned.

theSCORE The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Mountaineers pummel Aggies 58-6 karmen robinson Sports Editor

Last Saturday was the first time in 16 years A&T and Appalachian State met face to face at the line of scrimmage. In less than three minutes of the first quarter, the Mountaineers took an early seven point lead in just their opening possession after quarterback DeAndre Presley connected with wideout Brian Quick on a 19 yard reception. Later in the quarter, after an Aggies three-and-out, ASU got

the back and marched to the Aggies 22 yard line. There, Presley hooked up with receiver Andrew Peacock on a 14 yard pass that set up an eight yard scamper as the Mountaineers took a 14-0 lead. The Aggies began to pick it up on offense when QB Lewis Kindle sees an open Wallace Miles up ahead and throws for 24 yards getting the Aggies to midfield. Just two plays later, Kindle links up with Miles again for another 24 yard pass for an A&T first down, but the Aggies lost the possession after Mike Mayhew

fumbled the ball at ASU’s 13 yard line. A&T regained possession but didn’t capitalize and the Aggies were forced to punt, but Skyler Thomas’s punt was blocked by Phillip Strickland and recovered at the 50-yard line. The Mountaineer drive ended after Cedric Baker Boney scored from just three yards outside the end zone with 2:52 left in the first half. App. State lead 21-0 at halftime. The Aggies came out strong at the start of the second half as Kindle and Miles linked up again

on a 40 yard touchdown pass on the first possession, and Miles ran the ball in for a touchdown. The Aggies trailed the Mountaineers 21-6 after José Garcia-Camacho’s missed extra point kick hit the left upright goal post making the field goal kick no good. The Aggies continued to struggle further into the game. At 2nd and goal in the fourth quarter, Kindle’s pass was intercepted by Doug Middleton running for 97 yards untouched to App. State’s end zone. “We have to eliminate turnovers…the more turnovers we

eliminate, the better we’ll be,” said Kindle. “I take credit for that interception. We were getting pressed for points.” The Mountaineers’ Jamal Jackson went on to score another touchdown with just 2:32 left in regulation. App. State sent A&T back to Greensboro with their first loss of the season. Miles received 155 passing yards. “We just gotta maintain our poise and keep playing,” said Miles. “We’ll get better.” -klrobin2@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter: @KayRobinson92

Men’s cross country defeats NCCU Eagles meagan jordan Contributor

Photo by kenneth L. hawkins Jr. • the A&T register

Appalachian State’s Travaris Cadet runs the ball as A&T’s Larry Raper attempts to make a tackle.

North Carolina A&T Cross Country team started off the season with a mile of promises for the near future. The meet took place at Sally MeyerHoff Fitness Loop, home of the Duke University Cross Country trail. The Aggies ran against North Carolina Central University’s Eagles, and A&T gave the Eagles a run for their money. The meet was a relay meet with six people divided into two teams of three where they ran in pairs of two. One pair would run a 1000 meters and when they finished, and another pair would began their 1000 meter run. They repeated this cycle four times running in total 24,000 meters. Though the teams were divided in two, the overall time is what determined who won the meet. The Aggie Men Cross Country team finished in first place with a time of 25:00.27. The team included Danzeto Cephas, (Sr.) Christian Harrison (Fr.), Saeed Jones (Fr.), Marvin Lambert (Fr.), Steve Liggins

(Sr.), and Paris Simmons (Sr.). “We went hard, no looking back, get out stay out,” said Simmons, captain of the Men's Cross Country. The Aggie Women Cross Country relay also did well finishing at a time of 30:20.28. The relay consisted of Janessa Benn (Jr.), Arianna Betts (Jr.), Dotrine’ Jacobs (Soph.) Jenea McCammon (Jr.) and Kristin Rush (Jr.). “I believe it was a good race and a good way to start the season out,” said Rush. The Lady Aggies were two seconds off of winning the meet. Both men and women worked to improve in practice and have been working over the past few weeks to prep for this season. “I was very pleased with our effort, we did very well for only having three weeks of practice, I am looking forward to Elon,” said Coach James Daniels. The next meet will be at Elon this Saturday at 9 a.m. -msjordan@ncat.edu and follow on Twitter @ATRegister

AGGIES RUNDOWN football TEAM

MEAC

OVR. 1-1 2-0 1-1 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-2 0-2 1-1 1-1

North Carolina A&T 1-0 1-0 Hampton 0-0 South Carolina State 0-0 Delaware State 0-0 Howard 0-0 Norfolk State 0-0 North Carolina Central 0-0 Morgan State 0-0 Savannah State 0-1 Bethune-Cookman 0-1 Florida A&M THIS WEEK’S GAME: Bye Week NEXT WEEKS’ GAME: Saturday vs. Coastal Carolina Aggie Stadium 4 p.m.

volleyball TEAM North Carolina A&T Hampton South Carolina State Delaware State Howard Norfolk State North Carolina Central Morgan State Savannah State Bethune-Cookman Florida A&M MD Eastern Shore

MEAC

OVR.

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-9 1-5 4-6 1-7 1-10 1-5 0-8 2-6 4-6 4-6 0-8 3-4

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Thursday vs. The Citadel Corbett Sports Center 6 p.m. Davidson Tournament Davidson, NC Friday vs. Norfolk 4:30 p.m. Saturday vs. Davidson 12 p.m. vs. Coastal 3 p.m. NEXT WEEKS’ GAME: Wednesday vs. UNCG Corbett Sports Center 6 p.m. Friday vs. NCCU McLendon-McDougald Gym 7 p.m.

cross country THIS WEEK’S MEET: Elon Invitational Will be held at Elon Intramural Fields 9 a.m.

Former international pro named new baseball coach AROUND adrian ezell Contributor

Solid Gold Aggie Family Weekend is a special time to visit the North Carolina A&T State University campus. You will have many opportunities to experience University life throughout this weekend:  Experience the social opportunities planned specifically for students and families  Engage with our outstanding faculty and university administrators  Cheer on our fabulous student-athletes as they battle Coastal Carolina University in football  Visit with students, faculty and staff; and experience the Solid Gold Aggie culture firsthand.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Check-in........................................................................................................ 9:00am – 3:30pm Receive Meal and Game Zone Tickets. At this time families can take advantage of local events, take a self-guided campus tour or visit the International Civil Rights Center & Museum on your own.

Tailgate Opens.......................................................................................... 1:00pm -4:00pm LIVE Music, Food, Prizes, Kids Zone, Family Pictures, Caricaturist, Family Talent Show, A&T Cheerleaders and Aggie Mascot. More Entertainment to be added!

Game Time................................................................................................. 4:00pm SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Farewell Brunch........................................................................................ 9:00am -2:00pm

PACKAGE OPTIONS A&T Student Package– Tailgate only………………………………………………$10.00 Event Package 1- Game Ticket & Tailgate Adult........................................................................................................................ $25.00 Children (12 & under).............................................................................................. $15.00 Event Package 2- Game Ticket, Tailgate & Farewell Brunch Adult........................................................................................................................ $33.00 Children (12 & under).............................................................................................. $23.00 Visit us online at www.ncat.edu/~freshman and REGISTER TODAY. Registration will end at 12 midnight on September 16, 2011. You may also call us at (336) 256-2212 to register by telephone, Monday- Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

There’s a new face leading the North Carolina A&T baseball team towards the MEAC championship this season. Coach Joel Sanchez replaced former coach of 15 seasons Keith Shumate. Sanchez comes to A&T after coaching a season at Daytona State College, but his resume extends far beyond there. Sanchez, a former baseball player in New Mexico and former professional player in Mexico has coached multiple teams, one of the biggest being Bethune-Cookman from 2001 - 2008. In his eight seasons there, Sanchez helped turn the program around and helped them earn seven MEAC championships. It was in his time there that he first noticed the baseball program at A&T. “A&T has always been very competitive and has always had a high level of talent” Sanchez said. “We’re definitely ready to compete.” With the exception of two players, Sanchez has the team from last year that went 10-8 in the MEAC all coming back. Sanchez plans on improving A&T’s record, by concentrating on the team’s weaknesses. A&T already being a great offensive team, he plans on fine tuning the team’s defense and their depth at the pitcher position. Beyond the team this year, Coach Sanchez has already begun planning for improvement for next season and future ones. “We’re going to maintain the talent depth we have now and build upon it and we’re

going to recruit hard, locally and nationally,” said Sanchez. With the experience of last season behind the players, Sanchez is confident that the team will be phenomenal. The brilliance of his goals exceed beyond winning games on the field, he also wants his players to succeed off of it as well. Sanchez wants his team to be active on the field, but also in the classroom and the community as well. One of his biggest goals for his players is to have them graduate, “Everybody’s not going to play professionally, I want to make sure that they have something to fall back on.” Having also coached at the major league level with the Washington Nationals, Sanchez has noticed a considerably difference between players on the professional level and the college level. “Unity” he said, “Players in college spend a lot of time together, in practice, in the clubhouse, classes, we’re like a family.” With the experience of last season behind the players, Sanchez is confident that the team will be phenomenal. “There’s no doubt that we can win multiple championships.” With athletic director Earl Hilton firmly believing in Sanchez’s ability to take the baseball program to the next level, he is more than ready to take on the challenge. -ajezell@ncat.edu and follow on Twitter @ATRegister

SPORTS

NEW YORK (MCT)-Serena Williams was fined $2,000 Monday for verbal abuse of chair umpire Eva Asderaki at the end of the first game of the second set of her final against Samantha Stosur on Sunday. U.S. Open tournament referee Brian Earley issued the fine, and Grand Slam tournament director Bill Babcock ruled that the violation "did not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct." Williams did not use profane language after Asderaki had assessed Williams a penalty point for verbal hindrance when she screamed "Come on" before a forehand had landed on Stosur's side of the net. But Williams did point her racket in a threatening manner at Asderaki at the start of the first game of the second set, and at the conclusion of that game, the code violation was issued. Williams was on the last tournament of a two-year Grand Slam probation for a profane tirade against a lineswoman in a semifinal of the 2009 Open against Kim Clijsters. That had been ruled a major offense. Had Sunday's incident been ruled a major offense, then Babcock said Williams would have been suspended from the 2012 Open. Williams' probation has concluded with this Open. Doubles player Mike Bryan was handed the maximum onsite fine of $10,000 for an offcourt unsportsmanlike conduct violation after he and brother Bob, the No. 1-ranked team, lost in the first round. Details of the violation were not revealed and he has 30 days to appeal.

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, September 14, 2011

New Miss Universe is black!