thebattalion l thursday,
march 28, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l Š 2013 student media
From spy to screen
Court questions same-sex marriage Students claim religious persecution, debate church and state boundaries Jessica Smarr
some aspects of what really happened, the overall spirit of the mission was portrayed accurately. “The point is, everything that happened in real life cannot necessarily be represented in a movie the way it happened. Otherwise, everyone would fall asleep,� Mendez said. “There was the same feeling of being pursued there that goes throughout the whole movie.� “Argo,� based on Mendez’s book “The Master of Disguise� and Joshuah Bearman’s Wired article, “The Great Escape,� has gained national renown since its release in late 2012, receiving three Oscar wins and four nominations. The film follows the events that fol-
The Battalion he Supreme Court concluded debate on cases that could grant legally married same-sex couples the right to federal marital benefits Wednesday. Tuesday’s debates focused on Hollingsworth v. Perry, a case that challenged Proposition 8, which made same-sex unions illegal in California in 2008. On Wednesday, US v. Windsor was debated in court, which challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA, which restricts federal marriage benefits to only heterosexual marriages recognized in all states. When DOMA was signed into law in 1996 one of the purposes of the House of Representatives’ was “to express moral disapproval of homosexuality,� according to the Associated Press. Since that date, nine states and the District of Columbia have made same-sex marriages legal. A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center stated that 49 percent of Americans are now in favor of allowing gays and lesbians to legally marry. It is possible the court could rule that the Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional and that gay marriage is a constitutionally protected right. Gay marriage could also be declared unconstitutional by the Court. There was no apparent majority opinion expressed by the justices during Tuesday’s debates, according to the Associated Press. The justices could dismiss the case on procedural grounds, which would leave in place the appeals court ruling against Proposition 8 and apply only to California. Many are skeptical that the courts would make an absolute decision for or against gay
See Mendez on page 3
See Marriage on page 2
T Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Tony Mendez, former American CIA technical operations officer portrayed by Ben Affleck in the recent Oscar Best Picture Argo, answers questions about his story before the screening Wednesday in Rudder Auditorium.
Man behind ‘Argo’ recalls daring escape Elise Brunsvold The Battalion
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he atmosphere was tense, the stakes high. Six American diplomats, caught in the political turmoil of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, were being smuggled out of the country. The CIA had conducted countless exfiltration missions of clandestine agents in the past, including Iran, but this one was different. These were American diplomats, not trained spies. Failure would be catastrophic. Disguised as a Canadian film crew, the six refugees, along with CIA operatives, desperately made their way through the Mehrabad Airport in Tehran. “I think what was going through my
mind was ‘I think this feels okay,’� said Tony Mendez, the CIA mastermind behind the operation. “That’s the moment of truth, when you get to the end of the chase.� Thursday night, Mendez — a recipient of the CIA’s highest honor, the Intelligence Star, and the mastermind behind the exfiltration mission — attended the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation’s free screening of “Argo,� the Best Picture-winning film based on the “Canadian Caper� events. Mendez, played by Ben Affleck in the film, opened the showing in Rudder Auditorium with remarks and took part in a Q-and-A session after the show, giving insight into the true story. Mendez said while the film exaggerates
student government
66th Student Senate elects speaker Aimee Breaux The Battalion
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ith two meetings remaining in the 65th session and until the next Session takes over the legislative responsibilities, Christopher Russo was elected to the position of Speaker of the 66th session of Student Senate with a 73-0-1 vote and Student Body President Reid Joseph was sworn in. In a presentation, Russo stressed his four years of experience in the Senate and outlined a plan to improve quality of legislation and to communicate happenings within the Student Government Association and the surrounding community. Russo said he plans to hold senators accountable for legislation by ensuring that senators involved with committees meet in appropriate settings to discuss bills and that bills are polished and factual.
“Some senators don’t take meetings seriously; they never show up to committee meetings,� Russo said. “Bills are not checked for accuracy, readiness and passage; they are just rubber-stamped and put on the floor.� Russo also outlined a platform to not only mend tense relations with the executive branch and open lines of communication with BryanCollege Station mayors, but also to mold the position of Constituency Affairs Chair to encompass press relations. He said the chair would write press releases so “not just the most controversial of our issues [are] put forth.� The election of Russo was followed by the election of Maci Hurley to Speaker Pro Tempore. Senators also elected Fernando Sosa as Rules and Aimee Breaux — THE BATTALION Regulation Committee Chair, Cary Cheshire as Aerospace engineering graduate student Christopher Finance Committee Chair and Keith Pattenson as Russo was elected speaker of the 66th Student Senate. Constituency Affairs Chair.
inside trends | 3 Before & after Accounting graduate student Elorm Gbordzoe lost 80 pounds thanks to dieting and a strength training kinesiology class.
sports | 4 Pitching change Texas A&M baseball finds SEC pitch clock rule a complement to game play style.
easter weekend
Religious tradition celebrates sacrifice Colin Wisdom
Special to The Battalion he approach of Easter and the end of Lent moved students to practice their faith before the long weekend, carrying crosses and offering commemorative sacrifices. Lent is a Christian tradition that involves abstaining from something for the weeks preceding Easter, as well as remembering the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jamison Doehring, associate pastor at A&M United Methodist Church, said Lent is much more than simply giving something up. “It is a time to focus on Jesus and appreciate what he did for us on the cross, a time to consider a life without God and His importance in our lives,� Doehring said.
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Chase Krumholz — THE BATTALION
Senior Bekah Taylor, left, give out wooden crosses to student volunteers, as a part of a “cross carry� put on by the Philadelphia Sisters.
Lent traditionally begins Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter Sunday. While participating in Lent, one not only gives focus to fasting, but also to prayer and almsgiving. For students at A&M, Lent represents a variety of concepts. John Davis, sophomore international studies major, gave up something foodrelated. “Back home, we always had family dinners, and we put a spice called ‘Tony’s’ on everything we ate,� Davis said. “Once I came to College Station, I started carrying a bottle of Tony’s with me to put on food. So for Lent, I gave up Tony’s.� Sophomore allied health major Naomi Cherian gave up an hour of sleep in the morning.
“It gets me ready for the day,� Cherian said. “I spend the first twenty minutes in praise. It is a great way to start the day.� Davis said Lent is a time set aside to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. “In the Gospel, Jesus fasted for 40 days. [Lent] is taking away something you hunger for and replacing it with Jesus,� he said. “Whenever I sit down to eat and want some Tony’s, I instead look to Jesus and praise him.� Katie Crites, sophomore animal science major, gave up sweets and said the experience gave her a greater appreciation for Jesus. “Craving sweets reminded me that Jesus gave up so much more,� Crites said. “It really put me in the mindset of sacrifice.�
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