MONDAY, MARCH 23 - WEDENESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015 • VOLUME 101 • ISSUE 53
Opinion Discussion: Religion • P4-5
Aztecs trounced in Charlotte • P6 MEGAN WOOD, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Should the MW Tourney stay in Vegas? • P8
#ASELECTIONS
EMILY BRENNAN STAFF WRITER _____________________________________
SNEAKPEEK
Associated Students announced its 2015 election results Thursday, March 19, reporting a nearly 15 percent voter turnout and declaring Blaire Ward the first woman elected as A.S. president since 2004. The results, announced at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union’s Montezuma Hall, revealed a voter turnout of 14.6 percent with 4,221 votes counted, up from last year’s 9.9 percent voter turnout. A.S. had set a 20 percent voter turnout goal for this year’s elections. Ward received 2,183 votes, or 60 percent of the votes from the presidential pool, beating competitors Jeremy Zaida and Chelsea Baer. The Judicial Affairs Council is scheduled to approve the new leaders on Wednesday, March 25, at which point the results will become official. San Diego State has not had a woman as A.S. president since the 2004-05 academic year in which Kelli Kedis was in office. “I’m really proud to step up and represent females, I think we need to have another woman in this role and I’m really excited to step up and be the person that other females can look up to,” Ward said. Ward and her team plan to be the first A.S. executive officers to put in place a strategic plan. “The first step is to put a task force together to develop what this plan is going to look like,” she said. “We want it to carry on for the next few years for student officers and we want it to be student focused.” One of the many goals outlined in the initiative will be to strengthen the
alumni support through the Aztec Mentor Program. “Alumni is one of our university’s most valuable resources because they can prepare students for life outside of college,” Ward said. “After they get the degree, most students want a job, so it’s a great program to have put in place, and I’m really going to try and improve upon it by collaborating with Career Services.” Joining Ward as new leaders will be Leo Carrillo as executive vice president, Tyler Aguilar as vice president of external relations, Dominic Bilotti as vice president of financial affairs and Andrea Byrd as vice president of university affairs. Carrillo was the only new leader elected outside of Ward’s campaign team. “Those are all my best friends and I know all of them very well so it is not going to be a hard process to work with all of them,” Carrillo said of the elected representatives. “(Campaigning) by myself, I feel very honored to have had the support system that I did.” One of Carrillo’s main goals for the upcoming school year is to meet with all student organizations active on campus. “I’m most excited about going to every single organization’s meetings and thanking them and asking how I can serve them,” Carrillo said. “Almost no one I talked to knew who their five A.S. leaders were, and so I want to make that more transparent.” Aguilar, vice president of external relations elect, plans to focus on successfully marketing events to students. “There are so many great organizations like (the Equal Opportunity Program) and (Asian Pacific Student Alliance) that have these amazing events and they just have a little trouble getting students there,” Aguilar said. “I also want to work more with the local community, establish good relationships with all of the local schools and make sure SDSU is being shed in a positive light.” Bilotti, the next vice president of financial affairs, said one of the biggest challenges is making sure to listen and be tolerant. SDSU has seen a number of
P2 Impounding bikes not working FILE PHOTO
protests in the academic year, including a protest against the Ferguson shooting decision, a die-in protest and the rallies against sexual assaults. “This year, more than I have seen in years past, there has been a lot of activism on campus and our job as A.S. leaders is to represent the voice of students and it is easy to just say, but it’s another thing to accurately do,” Bilotti said. “We have to make sure that we are listening.” Bilotti’s goal is to grow Aztec’s Rock Hunger’s success by encouraging recognized student organizations to get more involved. “I want to set up a more of an incentive based program within our (recognized student organizations) to increase participation because then our numbers could really shoot up,” Bilotti said. Byrd, the next vice president of university affairs, hopes to increase academic resources, connect students to the campus community and enrich students’ college experience. “It is way too easy to just show up to school and go home … but my college experience has grown since I’ve gotten involved and I just want every other student to have that same opportunity,” Byrd said. “I want everyone to be informed and involved.”
2015-16 REPRESENTATIVES: A.S. President: Blaire Ward A.S. Executive Vice President: Leo Carrillo A.S. Vice President of External Relations: Tyler Aguilar A.S. Vice President of Financial Affairs: Dominic Bilotti A.S. Vice President of University Affairs: Andrea Byrd
PRINT EDITION
The Associated Students 2015 elections resulted in a voter turnout of nearly 15 percent.
Tyler Aguilar, Blaire Ward and Andrea Byrd celebrate as Ward’s victory was announced. JENNA MACKEY, PHOTO EDITOR
“ofTinder is more something
people do to pass the time and act like children until someone genuine comes along.” Backpage • P12 WHAT’S INSIDE? News....................................P2-3 Opinion.............................. P4-5 Sports................................. P6-8 Entertainment......................P9 Features................................P11
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2 NEWS
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: DAVID HERNANDEZ • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
#QUALCOMM
Senator: SDSU should seize The Q MICHELLE MONROY STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Sen. Marty Block is proposing that SDSU take over the Charger’s Qualcomm space if the Chargers decide to leave the stadium. For a while the Chargers have been toying with the idea of leaving San Diego, but with the recent developments of their possible union with their longtime rival, it looks like those ideas are coming to fruition. News broke in mid February in the LA Times of the plans the Chargers had been working on with the Raiders. Together they revealed their plans to build a stadium in Carson. While it is still uncertain whether the Chargers will leave San Diego, some people from around the city have expressed ideas of what to do with the Qualcomm Stadium space that may be up for grabs soon. Among those with ideas is Sen. Block, who was a longtime educator at SDSU before joining the Senate. “We’re a long way from this being a completed project, but if we don’t start thinking about it, it won’t even be on the table when the time comes,” Block said. Block thinks the stadium space would provide a good place for SDSU to expand its campus and build a kind of annex for the school. The plan would be to build residence halls and possibly faculty housing, and produce a mini city for college students, complete with shops and restaurants
Qualcomm Stadium during an Aztecs night game. Sen. Marty Block has proposed that SDSU use the space to build an annex to add student housing and amenities. MONICA LINZMEIER, EDITOR IN CHIEF
that cater mostly to the students that would live there. “Part of the beauty of planning student and faculty housing buildings is you wouldn’t be putting a lot of traffic on the a freeway that is already clogged with cars,” Marty Block said. “It would reduce pollution, the use of gasoline, lower fossil fuel, it would not impact Friars Road the way general community housing or a big box store would.” Although the San Diego’s Citizens Stadium Advisory Group has selected the Mission Valley site as the potential
place for a new stadium, there are still many ideas and details to finalize before any decisions are finalized. SDSU Chief of Communications Greg Block said that although acquiring the Qualcomm space is hypothetical at the moment, SDSU would consider the idea. “Whenever there is a possibility that San Diego State University could expand the campus and thereby our ability to serve our students and our community, it is worth exploring,” Greg Block said. Right now SDSU has about 33,000 students attending the main campus
and Marty Block thinks that this idea would help SDSU accommodate its students. “SDSU is pretty much bursting at the seams right now,” Marty Block said. Last year nearly 60,000 freshmen applied to SDSU, and more than 5,000 enrolled. “I hope the Chargers don’t go, but I don’t think it’s too early to start to think about what will happen to that space if they do go and how the land would best be used to help San Diego State,” Marty Block said.
#CAMPUSBIKES
Bicycle impound policy falls short ADRIANA MILLAR STAFF WRITER _____________________________________ A bike impound policy implemented in December of 2013 has not decreased the amount of bikes that are locked up on campus away from bike rails, according to San Diego State Parking and Support Services. SDSU students received an email on March 16 reminding them to lock bikes on bike racks or else face a $50 impoundment fee.
The impound policy and fee was introduced to increase safety, as well as provide funds for more bike racks. However, the policy hasn’t helped lower the amount of bikes locked in areas other than bike racks, Director of Parking and Support Services Debbie Richeson said. “There are bike racks throughout campus not being completely utilized,” Richeson said. The email was sent as a reminder to students after a complaint to the Office of Ombudsman requested assistance in requiring bikes to park in appropriate spaces, Richeson said. The Office of Ombudsman helps students to find solutions to a variety of problems relating to the university. When the bike policy was first introduced, the impound fee was supposed to help provide funds to install 50 new bike racks on campus, but that has not happened. “There was not enough money collected due to the few impounds,” Richeson said. “However, the campus has added more where we can. We added more down by Storm and Nasatir halls and the library.” In 2014, 13 bikes were impounded, and so far five have been impounded in 2015, she said. Bike rider and kinesiology sophomore Delaney Cummings said it is unsafe to lock bikes in areas that are not bike racks. “You don’t want bikes on any kind of handrail because people need that to walk, and then it’s a safety hazard if there’s a bike impeding their need for the handrail,” she said. “I don’t know if
A bike impound policy has not reduced the number of bikes locked in areas not including bike racks. FILE PHOTO
people just don’t think about it in the forefront of their mind that their decision is inhibiting someone’s way entirely, and I don’t think that’s the thought they have when they’re late to class and just try to lock it up really quick.” She supports the idea of having more bike racks on campus. “I would definitely like more bike racks in almost every single building should have a bike rack in front of it,” she said. Richeson recognizes students may
be locking their bikes in other areas because there is no guarantee a bike rack space will be available at the building the student is going to. Richeson advises students to seek other locations that are not full when parking their bikes on campus. “The university will continue to assess where we can try to lessen the impact, but this needs to be met with the understanding bicyclists may not be able to park where they want at times,” she said.
NEWS 3
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: DAVID HERNANDEZ • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
#STUDENTLOANS
Law seeks to appease student debt ALI ISENBERG STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ President Barack Obama recently signed a memorandum intended to help guide policymakers in assisting students through college finances. The executive order, which doesn’t involve any spending, encourages policymakers to prioritize the reallocation of funds to relieve the burden on students who take out loans. The president’s vision for Americans to have access to an affordable, quality education is laid out in a Student Aid Bill of Rights, which makes the following points: A STUDENT AID BILL OF RIGHTS 1. Every student deserves access to a quality, affordable education at a college that’s cutting costs and increasing learning. 2. Every student should be able to access the resources needed to pay for college. 3. Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan. 4. Every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information, and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans. The president signed the memorandum on March 10 to direct
President Barack Obama spoke about college affordability on March 10 at Georgia Tech. The Student Bill of Rights lays out his vision to help students pay for college. CURTIS COMPTON MCT CAMPUS
the Department of Education and other federal agencies to do more to help student borrowers afford their monthly loan payments. In the context of this order, “student borrowers” refers to students who take out loans to help pay for college. According to a White House press release, more than 70 percent of those earning a bachelor’s degree graduate with debt, which averages to $28,400 at
public and non-profit colleges. As part of the “bill of rights,” the president has created a responsive student feedback system, which will create a way for students to file complaints as well as provide feedback about federal student loan lenders, servicers, collections agencies and institutions of higher education. Other reforms have been made to help borrowers afford their monthly
payments. The reforms include requiring more thorough disclosures and stronger consumer protections throughout the repayment process. Obama is trying to achieve a scenario in which all Americans have opportunities for a “high-quality, affordable postsecondary education without the threat of unmanageable debt,” according to the White House press release.
#FUNDRAISING
SDSU campaign funnels donations THE CAMPAIGN FOR SDSU Goal: $750,000 Total: $557,001,271 Percentage of Goal: 74.3% DISPERSEMENT:
Arts & Letters: $44,200,485 Business Administration: $46,647,666 Education: $18,313,269 Engineering: $18,785,502 Health & Human Services: $16,459,523 Imperial Valley Campus: $951,557 Professional Studies and Fine Arts: $40,189,110 Sciences: $42,965,771 Library: $14,269,102 Undergraduate Div/ Scholarships: $16,526,329 City Heights Initiatives Price: $18,130,443 University/Other: $4,415,474 Private Grants (Academic Only): $22,781,301 Parents Program: $1,957,941 Other Divisions: $41,453,707 Alumni Center: $5,190,781 Athletics: $56,933,788 KPBS: $146,829,522 TOTALS AS OF JANUARY 31, 2015
ASHLEY QUINTERO STAFF WRITER _____________________________________ When San Diego State alumnus Terry Atkinson began his philanthropic efforts, he knew his Alma Matter was the perfect place to give back. “It was a great place for me when I went there, but I think it’s a greater place now for its students,” Atkinson said. He has been a part of the Campanile Foundation for the past decade and currently sits on the board of The Campanile Foundation. He has made several donations to the university through The Campaign for SDSU, which has raised more than $500 million to date. The Campaign for SDSU is the university’s fundraising tactic that is donor centric, which allows the donor to direct his or her money toward different programs, buildings, schools or scholarships within the university. The university cannot choose where a gift goes and cannot redirect the money to another program. Mary Ruth Carleton, vice president of university relations and development chief executive officer, said there are hundreds of subcampaigns — from the Guardian Scholars program to general scholarships to the athletics department and more — within The Campaign for SDSU. Each subcampaign also has its own fundraising goal. The Alumni Center was the first to reach its fundraising goal, Carleton said. The KPBS and athletic department campaigns have received the most number of donations. The College of Business Administration is the college with the most in donations, with more than $46 million. The university increased its fundraising goal to $750 million last semester after
surpassing its original goal of $500 million. SDSU has reached 74 percent of its goal. The scholarships campaign is the universities main focus, Carleton said. Atkinson has contributed $250,000 to scholarships including ones for the Guardian Scholars program, which assists homeless and other students in similar situations. “Some of these are personal interests and some (donations) go to where I see the need,” Atkinson said. “I came from a lower middle-class background here in San Diego and I know the Guardian Scholars needs help. It gives students and opportunity they might not have had.” Former President Stephen Weber began planning for a campaign in 2012 by looking into alumni donations. The Campaign was established in 2007 because there was a significant need, Carleton said. At one point public universities were fully supported by the government. Now, only 19 percent of funding comes from the state, she said. The Campaign for SDSU is the first fundraising tactic the university has ever done, and Carleton said SDSU was one of the first public universities to start a campaign on this level. Now it’s spreading to other universities, she said. Donors for the campaign range from alumni, students families and friends of the university. According to SDSU NewsCenter, the Robin and Bill Sinclair estate gift helped fund the Coryell Legacy. This donation to the SDSU athletic department will help launch a scholarship program to ensure the success of student-athletes. Another gift the university received through the campaign was San Diego philanthropist Conrad Prebys’s $20 million scholarship endowment. More recently, he made a $2.5 million gift that will create a new faculty position in the
field of bio-medical research. The fall 2014 semester was the most successful for The Campaign for SDSU, raising $18.5 million since the semester began, according to SDSU NewsCenter. Carleton said about 200 students have already made gifts to the campaign. “Our goal is that students will appreciate the funding from the alumni and that they will eventually become supporters of the university,” Carleton said. “Alumni donate because they are proud of being alums of the university and we only hope that the students feel the same way.” The Alumni Center and the university attempt to get the word out to the students by giving out free T-shirts and having a booth at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.
4 OPINION
Religion:
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ELPIN KESHISHZADEH • OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Who’sWho?
beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of reality
EDITOR IN CHIEF Monica Linzmeier MANAGING EDITOR Madison Hopkins NEWS EDITOR David Hernandez ASST. NEWS EDITOR Camille Lozano SPORTS EDITOR Kristian Ibarra ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Matthew Bain OPINION EDITOR Elpin Keshishzadeh ASST. OPINION EDITOR Anthony Berteaux ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Nick Knott ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Ryo Miyauchi FEATURES EDITOR Kelly Hillock
#STATESPEAKS
ROY WHITAKER, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, discusses issues of religion, hip-hop and atheism
ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Olivia Litsey PHOTO EDITOR Jenna Mackey VIDEO EDITOR Wesley Beights
THE DAILY AZTEC: THE DAILY AZTEC PREVIOUSLY PROFILED YOU AS THE “HIP HOP” ATHEIST, WHAT DOES THIS TITLE MEAN TO YOU? ROY WHITAKER: This is really interesting, coming full circle! What had happened is that after The Daily Aztec initially interviewed me, and I’m not sure where the “hiphop atheist” name came from, somehow they found out about my research. What had ended up happening was, I believe, an editorial decision. So I never claimed that title for myself. I can understand why the author did that, because I teach a course in atheism, where I make an argument for atheism within religious studies, and I also teach about hip-hop and it’s connection to religion, so I believe they put two and two together. DA: SO, DO YOU IDENTIFY AS AN ATHEIST? RW: Within my own journey, I have flirted with the idea of atheism as a live option, and I’m very interested and convinced by the arguments presented by atheism. However, I wouldn’t call myself an atheist because I don’t want to do an injustice to
those who call themselves an atheist in the capital-A sense. To be more exact, I consider myself a religious humanist, and part of being a religious humanist is open to an understanding of an ultimate reality that is there. In terms of my own metaphysical views, I wouldn’t be a traditional atheist either. However, if I outlined the basics of what I believe, I think these are human constructions. DA: IS RELIGION MORE OF A PHILOSOPHY OR A CULTURAL ENTITY, RATHER THAN SPIRITUAL? RW: I think religion provides an orientation to the world. People are able to reconnect, with that which is the source of all. In some respects, it is the philosophical approach to life. I also believe in religion as a cultural force. I think most atheists agree with me, that religion provides a narrative to understand where we came from, where we’re at and where we’re going to go, as a community. However, there can be someone who’s an irreligious Catholic. So you can work within the framework of a religion and push up against ideologies you may not agree with. What this says is that I may not believe with what my religion tells me, but I do believe in specific aspects, maybe the aesthetics of religion.
I can appreciate the aesthetics of religion, I can appreciate the art that’s been produced and even the love produced within these communities. DA: IS THERE A FEAR THAT ATHEISM IS BECOMING ANTITHEISTIC, OR ANTIRELIGION? RW: I think very much so. Atheism as a construction where there is no God, so inherently there is going to be this notion that an atheist is anti-theist. However, not necessarily so. The term itself, is to not have a god, does not mean to be anti-a-god, it means something as simply as “I don’t have a class today.” That’s what an atheist is. But there are versions of positive atheism, where they do deny god. So there are rings within atheism that do deny that the god exists. However, there is nuance within the atheist community. DA: WHAT ARE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RELIGION AND HIP-HOP? RW: Many religious studies have been about text-based or tradition-based. So what’s happening recently is that religious scholars like myself are saying, wait a minute, maybe we can go toward pop culture and see issues we’re dealing with in religious studies. Often we ask about what was going on thousands of years ago, but few ask what’s going
on in New York with Latinos, African-Americans, Jewish kids and white kids? What was happening while summer was going on? When there’s two turn-tables and a microphone, and they host these block parties and let’s bring in some funk; some James Brown and they fused all of this together into something that they didn’t know at the time would become the most important international movements — which is hip-hop. They had the rapper, the DJ, the dancers, and the graffiti artists. These are the key four elements of hip-hop. Then, you look at more contemporary artists, like Kanye West and “Jesus Walks,” or TuPac and Nas, talking about the “thug mansion” and what it’s like to live in heaven, in the afterlife. Tupac is going to address the issues of death and dying. So it’s pushing up against the grain of traditional thinking of religion. This is part of the history in how many of us are dealing with connecting hiphop and religion together, and learning how hip-hop artists are constructing religion within their own framework. Many of us can make the argument, whether it be the rapper, the DJ, the graffiti artist or the dancers, that it becomes their spiritual outlet — hiphop can be understood as a legitimate religion.
DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Kelly Gardner ART DIRECTOR Kate Leonard PRODUCTION DESIGNER Cameron Salce VOLUNTEER WRITERS Emily Brennan Michelle Monroy Adriana Millar Ali Isenberg Ashley Quintero Emmilly Nguyen Anna Waletzko Ryan Posner Brandon Truffa Mike Heral Patrick Carr Kellie Miller David Dixon Alicia Chavez VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Smith Megan Wood _____________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tony Disarufino SALES MANAGER Adam Zabel SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Radbeh Rabaz ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Alfonso Barajas Jordan Dennison Peyton Fedorka Sarah Richardson ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Michael Bratt Kalie Christensen _____________________________ STREET TEAM Emily Alvarenga Shelby Snyder Conor Nordberg Paige Plassmeyer _____________________________ GENERAL MANAGER Jay Harn
#RELIGIONREFORM
Religion promotes expired moral values EMMILLY NGUYEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER _____________________________
A
rguably, the world would be a better place without religion. There is nothing wrong about spirituality and religion can provide a beautiful meaning to life. But aside from its symbolic value, with the evolution and sophistication of science, there is little need for ideological
stories to continue to provide explanations for natural phenomenas. The inconsistencies in many religions beliefs have been causing more damage than anything else, specifically toward historically marginalized groups. For example, it’s no surprise that clergy men, kings and churches around the world have been pushing a personal religious agenda on society in
order to promote the patriarchy for centuries. The unclear stipulations of the appropriate role of women have left many to interpret these ideas in sexist and unfair ways. Lots of religious texts additionally warrant unethical practices such as slavery, ethnic cleansing and subjugation of women. Rather than preaching love, hate and oppression are shoved down people’s throats because of an outdated view on
what proper morality is. One must be responsible for always exercising critical thought, and not following blindly under false pretenses. It’s time for people to base their morality off themselves, not vague doctrines from another time. For the full article, visit thedailyaztec.com
GRAPHICS SPECIALIST Chris Blakemore _____________________________
What’sWhat? ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies twice a week. _____________________________ The Daily Aztec has been San Diego State’s independent student newspaper since 1913.
opinion 5
march 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: elpin keshishzadeh • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
#religiousprotest
Combat hate with compassion Students who counteract evangelical extremists with disrespect are part of the problem Anthony Berteaux Asst. Opinion Editor ___________________________
W
henever evangelical extremists come to San Diego State, to preach their sermons of “whoredom” and “sodomy,” there always seems to be a crowd that is as equally enthusiastic about engaging in religious warfare. Such was the case on March 5, when infamous “sex-ed” preachers, Brother Jed and Sister Cindy, made their annual visit to our campus to remind us of how promiscuous our demographic is, brandishing signs that screamed “whore” as Sister Cindy wielded her famous chocolate tampon tree. However, the focus shouldn’t be on tired arguments and tropes of divorcing Christian extremists from Christians. Should we have looked at the debacle rationally, it’s very clear that the sermons of zealotry aren’t representative of the Christian faith, nor values. No one should reasonably believe that this extremist behavior is representative of Jesus’ teachings of love and compassion. But while focusing on the actions of SDSU onlookers, there seems to be a more imminent issue.
As Sister Cindy was waving her tampon tree and calling students “sodomites” and “whores,” I noticed students had taken upon themselves to steal her signs and publicly ridicule her, vilely returning the favor in slurs and expletives. Brother Jed, when asked about violence and intimidation from students, said this was nothing new in his and his wife’s campaign across the U.S. “Someone earlier stole our sign and threw it in the trash, and someone else tried to steal my wife’s bag,” Brother Jed said. “We’ve been spat at before, but usually this is the norm for us.” Now, normally I’m usually not the first one rushing in to support evangelical extremists, with likes of Westboro Baptist Church, but it’s important to question the level of ethics when students combat this extremist behavior with hate and disrespect. This is in no way condoning Christian extremism, but we can’t ignore the fact that retaliating in the same manner exudes the same judgment and hostility we attempt to condemn. The most proactive and practical way to approach hate on campus isn’t by dispersing more hate and conflict, but by approaching it with positivity, love and compassion. When we engage in religious debates with these preachers we too often demonize them. When we demonize, we profoundly
reject their humanity, and in doing so, we reject ours as well. However, it’s comforting to note the Christians who don’t prescribe to the same hateful rhetoric while combating this hate. Among the jeering crowd, Alejandro Espinoza, a Southwestern College student visiting SDSU for bible study, stood up against the hate. What made his approach unique was he wasn’t attacking Sister Cindy, but he was talking to the students about the true teachings of
love and loving others in the same way. I had to let people know that this is what my faith is about.” Espinoza spoke and people listened, and it’s small moments like this that should serve as hopeful. To some, this narrative may seem like an isolated, singular incident, but Espinoza isn’t alone in combating the hate of these preachers with the loving teachings of Christ. Last September, when an anti-gay preacher came to James Madison University, students didn’t retaliate in
“
christianity is about receiving love and loving others... i had to let people know that this is what my faith is about.”
- Alejandro Espinoza, Southwestern College student
Jesus Christ. “What made me want to go up, was that I didn’t agree with what she was saying,” Espinoza said. “I believe Christianity is about loving people unconditionally, no matter who they are and no matter what they’ve done. God loves you no matter what, he’s not going to force you to love him back and whether it’s today, or in a thousand years, he’s still going to be available to you without judgment. Christianity is about receiving
debate against the preacher, but drowned him out in song — effectively showing the power that human kindness has in overpowering hate. Similarly powerful and iconic, were the angels of Laramie, which effectively blocked out the hateful protests of the Westboro Baptist Church at Matthew Shepards funeral. Interestingly enough, Brother Jed’s campaign at the University of Minnesota inspired an unlikely coalition between an atheist group,
a Lutheran pastor and the LGBTQ community. The three drastically different groups united in a large counter-protest to block Brother Jed, by holding up signs stating slogans such as “Hate is not a family value” and “Free hugs from atheists.” Students weren’t instigated to fight back, but they were prompted to unite, and make an even larger display of love. Itzel Hernandez, a comparative literature and comparative international studies sophomore, said when opposing hate preach on campus, it’s important to approach it with an intent to not judge, but offer words of kindness. “I think it’s important to not go up with the purpose of fighting them,” Hernandez said. “It’s less about saying that you’re right and they’re wrong, but it’s about you having something good to offer to everyone.” At the end of the day, our capacity for compassion needs to extend beyond our ability to judge and slander. We can be humanists in dealing with those who wish to demonize us, and utilize a compassionate approach in combating hate speech. Next time any extremist preacher is on campus, rather than ridiculing him or her, let’s demonstrate how united our campus is in displaying compassion and love for, not only each other, but for those who need it most: those preaching.
#ReligionINC
Accessorizing spirituality disrespects faith Anna Waletzko Staff Columnist ____________________________
I
dentifying more with spirituality than religion is becoming increasingly common, especially among the younger generation. But with this popularity comes a trend: spirituality and religion alike, are rapidly changing and morphing into fads, rather than practices, beliefs or states of mind. Urban Outfitters sells a shirt, which is part of the “Spiritual Gangster” collection, and it reads, “Take me to Nirvana,” and is paired with yoga wear in every photograph. The “Spiritual Gangster” collection also includes the “Buddha Mandala,” “Om Shanti,” and the “Henna Hamsa” tank tops. In reality, the Buddha Mandala is a Buddhist symbol. However, Urban Outfitters describes it as an “inspirational top … with a super soft feel and a loose and easy shape.”
A Mandala is described as, “a sacred area that serves as a receptacle for deities and a collection point of universal forces.” However, putting it on a shirt and mass-producing it misappropriates the spiritual and religious aspects of the Mandala and Buddhism. Individuals with no ties to Buddhism are wearing these items of clothing without the slightest idea about the intense practice and deep meaning behind the symbol. These actions further fuel a societal trend belittling religion and spirituality. And all for what? Money. Religious studies professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina lectures about the religions of India at San Diego State. He remarks on the mass production of cultural objects for profit. “It’s a process of commodification of something sacred, because in the postmodern world, what is sacred is money,” Timalsina said. “It’s
about how something sacred is eroded in the process of converting the sacred into money.” It makes sense. America has one of the world’s largest economies, second to China, but the U.S. also has the largest gross domestic product. Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that most things
B.C. It’s damaging to say this trend doesn’t stop at trendy tank-tops. There is a large market presence selling “spiritual, but not religious” items such as healing stones. Biology freshman Stacie Parker reflects back on her own experience with these gemstones.
these actions further fuel a societal trend belittling religion and spirituality. here are profit-based. But this monetary value isn’t worth much at the expense of religious and spiritual value. For example, the “Take Me to Nirvana” shirt takes a term like Nirvana, and makes it seem flimsy and easy attainable, when it reality, it’s an extremely complicated and intricate state that has been studied and practiced since fifth-century
“I own a handful of healing crystals that I love because they give me support when I need it,” Parker said. However, now these gemstones are made into statement pieces. Accessory Pinterest boards are often filled with pictures of layered, boho-chic healing crystal necklaces. These all feed into the ever-growing music festival
scene — don’t even get me started on the obscene amount of Coachella pictures featuring bindi after bindi, worn simply as a fashion statement. This only goes to show a dark side of humanity, where the sentiments of groups of people are evoked as a societal trend. Rather than a personal value, it now becomes a price. It’s spiritual and religious in one sense, but on the other hand it’s portraying some of these very high ideals as something very flimsy and not containing any higher value. Companies such as these are not simply selling products, they’re selling a lifestyle, which, in turn is making spirituality into more of a trend than ever before. It’s morphing into an array of carefully crafted, expensive products, designed to replicate thousands of years worth of ideals and practices — all for a profit. These spiritual and religious practices cannot be marked with the price tags we see in stores.
6
SPORTS
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KRISTIAN IBARRA • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
#AZTECMBB
Blue Devils stick a fork in Aztecs MATTHEW BAIN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR _____________________________________ Yesterday San Diego State basketball fans faced an unpleasant reality: Great shooting nights are an anomaly for this team. Unfortunately for those fans, the Aztecs had one of their more common shooting performances, knocking down 33 percent as they lost 6948 to No. 1 seed Duke University. Duke took an early 18-6 lead mainly due to its smothering fullcourt pressure — something SDSU is used to forcing on its opponents. “Not a lot of teams pressure like (Duke), so it’s a lot to do with their coaching, a lot to do with their players, but that’s just their style,” senior forward JJ O’Brien said after the game. “We haven’t faced a style like that.” The Aztecs — who started the game 0-7 from the field — then held the Blue Devils scoreless for the next three minutes, something few have been able to do against the team that scores nearly 81 points per game. One problem: SDSU scored five points in that span and only trimmed the gap to 18-11 with 10:44 left in the half. That’s when Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor took over. Two straight layups followed by an emphatic fast-break dunk set up by freshman forward Justice Winslow’s block. Then three more layups where Okafor made SDSU’s frontline look tiny and outmatched junior forward Skylar Spencer, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. “I’ve played against big players before but I haven’t played against anybody that big, with that skill set,” Spencer said. By halftime, the soon-to-be
Junior forward Winston Shepard scored 13 points in Sunday’s loss to the Blue Devils. MEGAN WOOD, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
NBA center had 18 of Duke’s 37 points on 9-12 shooting. Steve Fisher’s entire squad had 24 points on 10-32 shooting. The Aztecs then began to do what they often do in the second half: dig themselves out of a hole. Freshman forward Malik Pope led the charge, draining two straight 3s off the pick-and-roll with freshman guard Trey Kell to make the score 44-37 with 12:45 to go. The harsh shooting reality soon came back to bite the Aztecs, though, and Duke outscored them 11-0 over the next six minutes to take a 55-37 lead with 6:43 to go. SDSU never got within 15 points of Duke again and lost 68-49. Most of the teams’ stats look similar. Both sides grabbed 33 rebounds and had about the same number of steals, blocks and turnovers.
The Blue Devils dished out 16 assists, though, compared to SDSU’s five, and picked apart a normally stout Fisher-led defense. The Aztecs simply looked a step slower for most of the game. CBS reported before the game that some Aztecs had stomach virus symptoms, presumably from the same virus Quinn got before the game against St. John’s University, but Fisher said after the game the players’ health had nothing to do with the result. Junior forward Winston Shepard led the team with 13 points on 5-11 shooting, but four of those points came in garbage time when the game was long out of hand. O’Brien finished his SDSU career with a typical JJ-like game, contributing to every facet of the game and finishing with eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and an assist. Pope finished with just the two
3-pointers and two rebounds. Spencer struggled against the 6-foot-11, 270-pound Okafor and ended his junior season with a twopoint, four-rebound performance. He did block four shots, though. Okafor led all scorers with 26 points and Duke will play No. 5 seed University of Utah in the Sweet 16 in Houston, Texas on March 27. Three seniors played their final game as Aztecs in this one: O’Brien, Quinn and senior forward Dwayne Polee II. “(I told the team to) reflect back with pride on what you’ve done to continue to elevate San Diego State basketball,” Fisher said. “And I singled out the three fifth-year seniors, and where we were when they came and how much improvement we’ve made.” SDSU and its fans now face a long offseason before the Aztecs return to the hardwood next year.
#AZTECFB
Long’s offense struggles in Spring Game
RYAN POSNER STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ San Diego State got one step closer to football season Saturday afternoon when it held its annual Spring Game where the Black squad topped the Red squad 14-7 on the team’s practice field. The biggest question that still looms over this team is who will be the starting quarterback. Well, the answer to that question did not get resolved after Saturday’s scrimmage. When asked after the game if there was any more clarity on the quarterback situation, head coach Rocky Long said there wasn’t, but would have to check the film. That may be because quarterbacks did not play a huge role in the game. None of the six who entered the game threw a touchdown. There were two interceptions, including a pick-six, though. He did mention, however, that he has two of his three heading into the fall, but doesn’t have an order for them yet. Junior University of Kentucky transfer Maxwell Smith and freshman Nick Bawden — the two quarterbacks Long was referring to — took the first two sets of reps. The last spot will be a three-horse race between freshman Christian Chapman, freshman Jake Rodrigues and sophomore Adam Wood.
The Aztec football team played its annual Spring Game Saturday afternoon. SARAH SMITH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Rodrigues led all quarterbacks with 81 passing yards, thanks to a 55-yard completion to junior wide receiver Paul Pitts III. While the quarterbacks did not steal the show, a couple of backup running backs and a stout defense were the highlight of the game. Redshirt-freshman running back Marcus Stamps and freshman running back Rashaad Penny, who are both competing for the No. 3 running back spot, combined for 209 rushing yards. Stamps also added two touchdowns, one of them the game-winner for the Black team.
“Running is (our) nature. That’s what we are based on. We know we have a strong running game and can open it up,” Stamps said. “I like the effort that everybody gives. I love running the ball. That’s the reason I came here and I haven’t been let down with the running game yet.” Most of those rushing yards came against the second-team defense, though, and that’s because the first team defense was lock down. The defense as a whole took advantage of a struggling offensive line and combined for five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and two interceptions.
Much like all of last season, sophomore linebacker Calvin Munson led the way with a team-high two tackles for a loss, three total tackles and a sack. “I liked the way the first-team defense played,” Long said. “I thought they were fast, hit when they got to the ball and dominated the line of scrimmage.” One hit that probably made Long cringe was when Bawden ran straight at Munson on a scramble and a surprised Munson promptly stood him up. “I thought he was trying to truck me,” said a laughing Munson. “I’m just trying not to get into trouble out here.” As mentioned before, one of the main reasons the defense excelled was because of a struggling offensive line. The Aztecs have the tough task of not only replacing last year’s starting left tackle Terry Poole, but also last year’s center Lenicio Noble who was excused for violating team rules. “I thought the offensive line didn’t play very well,” Long said. “I thought the offense (as a whole) struggled most of the day.” While it’s nice to look ahead to next season already, it’s still just an evaluation period for the coaches. With 80 players running around it’s tough to do much more than that. “We’re not worried about how the whole picture looks,” Long said. “We’re just getting some full-speed plays on film so we can evaluate players, especially the quarterbacks.”
march 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kristian ibarra • sports@thedailyaztec.com
sports 7
#aztecbaseball
Aztecs clip Falcons’ wings at home Brandon Truffa Staff writer ____________________________________ The San Diego State baseball team (19-5, 7-2 Mountain West) handled business at home this weekend, sweeping their MW conference rival Air Force Academy Falcons (9-13, 5-7 MW) in a three-game series. The series sweep brings the Aztecs to a tie with University of Nevada, Reno for first place in conference. The sweep was refreshing for the Aztecs, who lost two of three in a home series against ranked Texas Tech University last weekend. “We needed to bounce back after a rough weekend against Texas Tech,” head coach Mark Martinez said. “To go on the road and beat (Loyola Marymount University) on Tuesday, we haven’t won up there since 2004, and then to come back and sweep weekend is big for our program.” The series kicked off Friday night with a solid outing by junior right-hander Bubba Derby. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Derby allowed only three hits, walked one batter and struck out 10 Falcons the rest of his seven-inning outing. The Aztecs’ offense didn’t hesitate to pitch in Friday, either, as it erupted for 14 runs, two of which came off the bat of junior outfielder Seby Zavala, as he collected his team-leading fourth home run in the 14-2 blowout.
Players on San Diego State’s baseball team meet at home plate during their three-game sweep of Air Force. sarah smith, Staff PhotograPher
On Saturday, Aztec fans were witnesses to a historic single-game performance by senior center fielder Steven Pallares. Pallares tied the school record for RBIs in a game with eight Saturday afternoon. He now shares the school’s record with three other Aztecs: Karl Goodwalt (1950), Phil Woolsey (1986) and Jason Phillips (1995). Four of Pallares’ eight RBIs were courtesy of a fifth-inning grand slam. Pallares had a chance to break the record in the eighth inning,
however Martinez felt there was no need to run up the score on a game that was already in SDSU’s hands. “(Pallares’) last hit came with the bases loaded, and he hit a ball that could have been a triple,” Martinez said. “We were up a lot, so we only scored two to hold up and not run up the score.” Saturday’s 13-1 rout was also accompanied by another solid outing by an Aztec starting pitcher. Junior right-hander Mark Seyler pitched eight innings, only gave up
four hits, and had 10 strikeouts in the matinee, improving his record to 5-1. His five wins now lead the MW conference in that category. The series wrapped up on Sunday as SDSU put the icing on the cake with a 9-2 victory to clinch the sweep. Sophomore left-hander Marcus Reyes improved to 3-0 on the season, as he tossed seven innings of work with no earned runs and seven strikeouts. Martinez was extremely satisfied with his club’s performance this weekend, especially the pitching staff. “Outstanding starting pitching from all three of our guys,” he said. “Mission accomplished on the mound, and offensively we did a great job of managing our at bats and moving runners along.” The Aztecs’ starters this weekend — Derby, Seyler and Reyes — only gave up a combined total of two earned runs, and the entire pitching staff and defense held the Falcons to just five runs. The offense was able to pile up 36 runs on the weekend, with their most of the series (14) coming on Friday against the MW leader in innings pitched, Air Force sophomore right-hander Jax Griffin. Looking ahead, Martinez is excited to see how his team will match up against No. 7 UCLA (17-5, 5-1 Pac-12) in a quick one-game home series this Tuesday at 6 p.m. and three-game home series this weekend against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels. The Rebels are having an off year so far, with just a 2-7 conference record that puts them sixth in the MW.
#aztecsoftball
Romero leads softball’s sweep over Rebels Kristian ibarra sports editor Matthew Bain asst. sports editor _____________________________________ Head coach Kathy Van Wyk and the San Diego State softball team (20-12, 3-0 Mountain West) welcomed the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1417, 0-3 MW) for a three-game weekend series at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs improved on what was an 8-4 home record by sweeping the Rebels. The series started Friday afternoon as sophomore pitcher Erica Romero (189) took the mound for the 28th time. Romero, who’s boasting a 2.92 earned run average thus far, went seven innings while allowing six hits and one run. Friday afternoon also saw a good performance from senior outfielder Kayla Jordan, who had three hits and one RBI in SDSU’s 5-1 victory. UNLV got on the board in the fourth inning when junior second baseman Alyssa Cordova grounded out to second base, when she sent senior catcher Lexie McKinnon to home plate for the catcher’s sixth run of the year. Most of the remaining runs scored were unearned thanks in part to fielding errors from the UNLV center fielder in the fifth inning and a fielding error by the second baseman in the sixth inning. The Rebels wouldn’t go away, though, as they took a 3-2 lead thanks in part to a throwing error from Aztec junior shortstop Samantha Camello. The Aztecs continued the three-game series on Saturday with a convincing 4-0 shutout. Romero dazzled on the mound, tossing seven innings of scoreless softball while
San Diego State softball swept the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in a three-game series this weekend. sarah smith, Staff PhotograPher
allowing six hits and striking out six. She stepped up her game with runners on base, holding the Rebels to one hit in 13 at-bats with runners on and no hits in five at-bats with runners in scoring positions. But this day belonged to Bauer, who, with a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning, became SDSU’s all-time leader in home runs. UNLV freshman right-hander Janine Petmecky pitched an amazing game herself, allowing five hits over six innings,
but she was saddled with the loss and saw her record fall to 0-4 on the year. The series concluded on Sunday afternoon as Romero took the mound for the 28th time. Romero, who’s boasting a 2.92 earned run average thus far, went 5.2 innings while allowing three hits and one run. Sunday afternoon’s finale also saw a good performance from junior third baseman Kayla Bufarderci, who had four RBIs in the SDSU’s 7-3 victory. Two
of Bufarderci’s RBIs came in the second inning where she singled to right field on a 1-1 count off of UNLV sophomore pitcher Kwyn Cooper (6-3, 3.38 ERA). SDSU next travels to play a threegame series against Boise State University (8-25, 0-3 MW) at Dona Larsen Park this weekend. The Aztecs swept the Broncos in a three-game series last year, shutting them out in two of those games. The other game would see the Broncos scoring one run.
8 SPORTS
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KRISTIAN IBARRA • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
COMMENTARY
#AZTECMBB
The Mountain West has held its conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas for the past nine years. MONICA LINZMEIER, EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sin City ideal for MW Tournament MIKE HERAL SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST _____________________________________
S
ome say it’s time to move the Mountain West men’s basketball championship out of Las Vegas. Here are their arguments: The Thomas & Mack Center gives the University of Nevada, Las Vegas an unfair home advantage; it doesn’t spread the wealth; the conference can’t grow until it’s played in Los Angeles; and, last, declining attendance shows that the MW suffers from having too many other conference championships played simultaneously. All of these seem valid on first glance. But looks are deceiving. The tournament belongs in Vegas. UNLV has hosted the tournament for 13 of the last 16 seasons. It’s advanced to the championship game seven times. Its tournament record is tops in the
conference. Those facts lend credence to the belief there’s something weird going on at the Thomas & Mack. There isn’t. The Runnin’ Rebels made those runs because they’ve been consistently good. The team averaged almost 25 wins during those seasons. End of argument. Three other conferences play in Las Vegas during the MW tourney: the PAC12, WAC and the West Coast. That’s an awful lot of basketball in a short amount of time. There’s too little wiggle room in scheduling, so tourneys always run into each other. The only alternative is to shorten the season, but that puts teams at risk for qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Divorcing the tournament from Las Vegas seems to make sense. Yet, attendance hasn’t suffered from the extra competition. Last year’s attendance figures supplied by the NCAA reveal the MW finished behind only the PAC-12, with an average attendance of 11,051 fans. The PAC-12 averaged a little more than 500 fans more, despite playing in an arena that can seat almost 17,000. This shows the MW holds up well against its
big brother, partly because the MW is a known commodity to residents. That’s important. Only so many fans will travel, especially since the typical college student struggles for money. Vegas works well for the MW because it’s as close to being geographically centered as one can get in this far-flung conference. Sin City isn’t too far from teams playing in Colorado, Utah, California and Nevada. More importantly, Las Vegas boasts warmth and swimming pools, irresistible items for folk suffering through winters in Idaho and Wyoming. San Diego is the only other city with a better climate. Plus, Viejas can handle the average crowd that has been coming to the tourney. However, San Diego doesn’t need the basketball championship — well, for that matter, neither does Las Vegas — it needs the football championship. Not wanting to stray too far, but the Steve Fisher squad already owns this city. SDSU’s football team, however, might be less popular than high school teams. If SDSU wants to make a play for the MW, it needs to bring
#AZTECMBB
the football championship here so that it might start attracting fans to regular season games. As for moving the basketball tournament to Los Angeles, one needs to know why the PAC-12 plays its championship in a city without conference representation. It fled to Sin City in 2013 because few fans showed up at Staples Center. If Southland won’t turn out for either of its two PAC-12 teams, it isn’t going to come out for a product considered to be lesser in stature. For all of its size, Los Angeles isn’t a good sports town. Last, Vegas has what no other city can give: premium entertainment within walking distance. Las Vegas is perfect no matter what the team does during the tourney. Wins can be celebrated in style, and losses can be forgotten after an evening — or two — of quality diversions. No matter the logic behind the previous arguments, that is the best selling point. People are always going to go to Vegas. But who wants to be in Cheyenne, Wyoming?
COMMENTARY
Aztecs face offseason full of questions PATRICK CARR SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST ____________________________________
A
s Jim Morrison sang in 1966, “This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend.” For the passionate fans whose life is San Diego State men’s basketball, it is indeed the end, and possibly in more ways than one. SDSU’s NCAA Tournament fate was decided long before the Aztecs took the floor against Duke University yesterday. The fact that SDSU had to match up against a blue-blood offensive juggernaut spelled disaster on its own, never mind that they still had to score points to win. Yesterday’s box score looks like this: Duke 68, Aztecs 49. What the box score doesn’t reveal is how shattering this loss is. It signals the end of SDSU basketball as we know it. It says SDSU is still light years away from competing with the elite programs in college basketball, despite what we thought last year and earlier this year, speaking specifically about close losses against University of Arizona. Before the season began, Aztecs’ head coach Steve Fisher said the offense was improved from last season. The fact is
THINKSTOCK
after five months of supposedly making big strides on offense, SDSU was still shooting sub-40 percent and scoring less than 50 points in a lot games. I’m sure a lot of people, and a lot of Aztec fans, predicted Duke to win by a lot. But for SDSU to still put up pathetic performances on offense in March of all months is troubling. It’s almost incredible, in fact, but it’s also incredibly disappointing. These offensive performances aren’t onetime things for this team. This year was characterized by consistently bad offense that speaks to a lack of an offensive system.
And it’s because of coaching. Now before I get burned at the stake for writing those words, bear with me for a second. The Aztecs’ offense improved a little bit in February, but once they got to March, the time they’re supposed to be firing on all cylinders, they fell flat in big games. Why else are players still taking bad shots? Shouldn’t they know by March what their shot is? Why can’t this team shoot free throws in games? Fisher has said multiple times that he’s seen his players knock down free throws in practice, but practice doesn’t feature an opposing
team or a crowd of any sort. And why does SDSU have so many scoring droughts? One drought every once in a while isn’t terrible, but when they happen all the time it says something a little bigger. The offense is too passive. There’s no direction, no set plays and no method. The goal is scoring, but there’s a disconnect on how they’re going to score. The offense needs active coaching. So here we are, out of the NCAA Tournament a full week before the hype train had predicted (Elite Eight). A lot of questions come to mind, questions that would still be relevant had SDSU made any sort of run in the tournament. Who will be point guard next season? Will it be freshman guard Trey Kell? He seems like the natural choice, and considering the fact that he makes questionable decisions shooting-wise, it might be safe to put him in a spot where he’s not pressured to score. He can dish the ball to others who can — assuming they can — score. Is assistant coach Justin Hutson on his way out? He’s the mad scientist behind the Aztecs’ suffocating defense, which has worked wonders in his time on the Mesa, and because of that he’s high up in the coaching market. Are dark times truly ahead? Seniors Aqeel Quinn, JJ O’Brien and Dwayne Polee II are gone and they will be dearly missed. Who will replace them?
features 9
march 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kelly hillock • features@thedailyaztec.com
#aztecpride
A.S. president reflects on legacy Kellie Miller contributor _____________________________
school elections, not everyone may know who he is. As his term in Associated Students comes to an end, finance senior Jonathan Cole smiles as he reflects on his He wears a suit and tie, holds accomplishments as president his head high and greets almost and the growth he has had as a everyone passing on campus. person throughout his college His name generates a buzz career. and has impacted As a freshman, Cole everyone here highlighted the importance at San Diego of leadership and student State. However, collaboration. He was initially because there enrolled in the leadership was only a 9.9 minor program that was cut percent voter spring 2012 because of funding turnout for last issues, which ignited his year’s drive to revive it. “J. Cole is a great leader because he really values mentoring — both learning from and teaching others,” A.S. Vice President of External Affairs Jacqueline Karczewski said. “He is very good at looking into the future and forward thinking.” Throughout his term, he focused on renewing A.S. President J. Cole. jenna mackey, photo editor the leadership minor, increasing mentees in the Aztec Mentor Program by 52 percent
and pushing for the concept of a co-curricular transcript, which gives students the opportunity to document involvement outside of the classroom. These initiatives were his main goals during his presidency. Each of these allow students to get their foot in the door and succeed in life after college. Not only has he created multiple platforms for students to thrive, but he has also been able to utilize and benefit from them, proving the prosperity of the implementations. The Aztec Mentor Program paired Cole with a mentor who connected him to a potential opportunity to get his dream job at Creative Arts Agency in Hollywood. His goal is to represent professional athletes or actors and encourage them to create non-profits to give back in areas they are passionate about, therefore making a wide impact. Although his checklist is admirable, there is so much more to Cole than just his accomplishments and work ethic. “J. Cole has a very unique ability to energize a room,” international security and conflict resolution senior Alex Nelson said. “I remember
being in a Rotaract meeting with J. Cole and he had to contain himself from talking to every single person in the room. I think that speaks to his extremely outgoing and friendly personality.” Shockingly, Cole said he wasn’t like this when he first came to SDSU. He actually felt depressed and had mixed emotions about coming to campus. In high school his passion was football, where he excelled as middle linebacker. He was recruited from Ivy League schools such as Yale and Princeton, only to have those scholarships fall through. Cole only ended up having one acceptance to go to college: SDSU. It was difficult for him in the beginning. He explained how he was not chosen his first time running for A.S. and how football didn’t work out at first either. That’s when he said he decided to change his attitude and make the best of it. He developed a mentorship with former A.S. President Cody Barbo, who helped situate Cole into different facets of campus, as well as becoming a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Cole
said this is when he gained the appreciation for what SDSU had to offer. “It’s cliché but, what I’ll miss the most is the people, the students,” Cole said. “We have students who are extremely driven, extremely hungry. We have a lot of students who come into college with a chip on their shoulder and with something to prove. Continuously surrounding yourself with people who are so motivated and so impressive — I’m going to miss that — and being surrounded by people who just elevate you. You can’t help it you’re always surrounded by people who make you better. I’m going to miss that the most — besides basketball games!” As for what the future holds, Cole said that when he is retired, he hopes to be able to give back to his hometown. He wants to build a center for children to teach leadership and entrepreneurship. He said it’s easy for kids to stray, and he wants them to connect through seminars. Additionally, he would love the opportunity to coach high school football to be able to come back, full circle, where his first real passion began.
SPECIAL INITIATIVE REFERENDUM APRIL 6-9, 2015 ON SDSU WEBPORTAL ASSOCIATED STUDENTS APRIL 6-9, 2015 SPECIAL INITIATIVE REFERENDUM
HERE’S WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT...
An Initiative Referendum proposed by a petition signed by at least five percent of the total regular membership of the Associated Students: In furtherance of the University’s stated commitment “to prepare all members of its community to promote social responsibility, equity, freedom, and productive citizenship in a global society,” should the Associated Students of San Diego State University encourage The Campanile Foundation, a philanthropic, tax-exempt foundation and an auxiliary of the University, to cease investing in and to divest itself of investments in companies, many, if not most, of which are major American companies, which aid and abet Israel’s control over or occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (the “Territories”)? Yes____ A “Yes” vote indicates that the Associated Students will encourage The Campanile Foundation to divest itself of investments in companies which aid and abet Israel’s control over or occupation of the Territories. No____ A “No” vote indicates that the Associated Students will not encourage The Campanile Foundation to divest itself of investments in companies which aid and abet Israel’s control over or occupation of the Territories. Please email aschiefjustice@mail.sdsu.edu, or call 619-594-6555, or visit the Associated Students Office, located on the third floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, with any questions or for further information.
GO GREEN! 3/26 LOCAL BANDS 4/9 HOUSING 4/23 FINALS 5/7
OPEN FORUMS will be held in the
Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union Monday March 23, 5:00-7:00pm, Union Theatre Tuesday, March 24, 4:00-6:00pm, Union Theatre Wednesday, March 25, 1:00-3:00pm, Union Theatre
Be sure to pick up a copy on one of the many racks around campus!
ENTERTAINMENT
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: NICK KNOTT • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
11
#MYFAIRLADY
Cygnet cast revamps classic play DAVID DIXON STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Cygnet Theatre is known for staging gritty and often dark shows that deal with heavy subject matter. However, occasionally it produces an all-ages production that appeals to those between seven and 100 years old. “My Fair Lady” is definitely in that category. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play, “Pygmalion,” the classic masterpiece focuses on a poor and unsophisticated flower peddler, Eliza Doolittle (beautifully sung and performed by Allison Spratt Pearce). Eliza meets self-absorbed professor of phonetics, Henry Higgins (played by San Diego State alumnus and Cygnet Theatre Artistic Director, Sean Murray) who bets a new acquaintance that he can transform Eliza into a highly articulate and gracious lady. The acquaintance, Colonel Pickering (Tom Stephenson), becomes an unlikely ally to Eliza. Murray originally co-directed “My Fair Lady” with David Brannen in 2007 at the Rolando Theatre, which is now known as the Moxie Theatre. He returns to the material with a lot of respect for Alan Jay Lerner’s book and lyrics as well as Frederick Loewe’s music. Even with the decision to not have “My Fair Lady” set in 1912 and take place instead in, gasp, 1936, Murray has directed a very faithful interpretation
ON STAGE... MY FAIR LADY STARRING ALLISON SPRATT PEARCE, SEAN MURRAY, TOM STEPHENSON, RON CHOULARTON OUR RATING
««««« that should satisfy fans familiar with the movie version and prior notable stagings. On opening night, some theatergoers sang along to well known musical numbers led by conductor/keyboardist Patrick Marion, and choreographed by Brannen. Ron Choularton plays Eliza’s scheming father and makes “With a Little Bit O’Luck” and “Get Me to the Church on Time” euphoric tunes that inject plenty of energy during the evening. The biggest surprise of the entire rendition is that many ensemble members do not feel at all influenced by the original cast of “My Fair Lady.” Instead, they make unique and unpredictable acting choices to create fresh interpretations of famous characters. Murray is the only actor who seems to
CROSSWORDS
ACROSS 1 Gear tooth 4 Scotch whisky brand 9 Apples, e.g. 14 Sushi bar tuna 15 “Inside the NBA” analyst Shaq 16 Scary bacteria 17 *Dots-anddashes system 19 Charged toward 20 Long Island airport town 21 “Divergent” star Woodley 23 Robber, to cops 26 Join the game 27 Electrical unit of resistance 30 Fish market offering 33 Revolutionary Guevara 36 *Entrée 38 Linen fiber source
39 Statesman Stevenson 40 Part of UNLV 41 Fly like a parasailer 42 Weed-control tools 43 *Boxy British economy car 45 “Take your pick” 46 Ironed 47 Grounded fast jet, briefly 48 Affordable __ Act 50 “This __ unfair!” 52 Car thief on a pleasure spin 56 Car wheel shafts 60 Offensively pungent 61 *Venue for hypothetical legal cases 64 Stop to think,
Aztec alumnus Sean Murray stars and works as artistic director in “My Fair Lady.” COURTESY OF KEN JAQUES
be paying homage to a performer from the Broadway version, Rex Harrison. Although Murray is a significantly better singer than Harrison, some of his mannerisms are eerily similar to the legendary thespian. He is able to give Henry more of a soul than spectators might expect. This is especially evident in the final scene, which is slightly less comical and more heartwarming than the conclusion to the Oscar winning film. While “My Fair Lady” is considered
to be a timeless tale, cynics could feel that the script is too old fashioned. Yet, plenty of the sharp dialogue and ideas regarding gender, class and unconventional romance have not aged a bit. Murray once again proves that Cygnet is equally reliable staging classic theatrical pieces as well as more experimental work. No need to take a time machine to 20th century London when it temporarily exists in Old Town.
CLASSIFIEDS
say 65 Alma __ 66 Word in itineraries 67 Tricky road curves 68 Roast host, and a hint to the answers to starred clues 69 Wild blue yonder DOWN 1 Victoria’s Secret garment, for short 2 Cries of discovery 3 “You go, __!” 4 “My Cousin Vinny” co-star 5 Post-apartheid ruling party: Abbr. 6 Prefix with conservative 7 Father figures 8 “Ick!”
9 Hazards 10 Central Florida city 11 *Wallet alternatives 12 Zing 13 Web browsing destination 18 Dainty taste 22 Church recess 24 Vintage vehicle 25 One of Tony Soprano’s henchmen 27 Mutual of __ 28 Was wearing 29 *Hannah Montana portrayer 31 Fiber-rich cereals 32 St. Francis of __ 34 Greek god of the underworld 35 Use, as influence 37 __ in November 38 Showman Ziegfeld 41 Devout term for a churchyard 43 TV “neigh” sayer 44 These, in Nice 46 Lion family units 49 Roll out of the sack 51 Kitchenware brand 52 Bit of mockery 53 Andean stew tubers 54 Buxom onenamed supermodel 55 What the buffalo do, in song 57 Disposable diapers brand 58 “CHiPs” star Estrada 59 Time at a motel 62 Non-Rx 63 Golfer’s gadget ... or where it’s used
Help Wanted Swimming Instructor $12/hr Swimming Instructors wanted! Monday-Saturday, full-time summer mandatory, part time during the school year. One year commitment required. CPR & WSI, prior teaching and competitive swimming background preferred. Please come down to our facility and fill out an application. 1012 Law Street, San Diego, CA 92109. www. murraycallanswimschools.com 858273-7946. ________________________________
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12 THE BACK PAGE
MARCH 23 - 25, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KELLY HILLOCK • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
#DATING
Misadventures on Tinder ALICIA CHAVEZ SENIOR STAFF WRITER ___________________________________
N
othing says you’re single quite like the holiday season. Beginning with Halloween and all the way to Valentine’s Day, single people are constantly reminded that life isn’t so sweet when you’re alone. As embarrassing as couples costumes are, you wish you had someone to dress up with on Halloween. Thanksgiving means you have no one to help you put the fork down, Christmas gifts are from your parents and grandma, and forget about an intimate kiss on New Year’s unless there’s a little liquid courage involved. And Valentine’s Day is basically the worst. Now that the holidays are long gone, I thought it was time to finally put myself out there. After realizing it’s impossible for me to meet a guy on campus, in bars or at a club, I decided to join Tinder and meet a few potential bachelors online. Boy, was I in for a big surprise. After running into a few bumps along the road, like egotistical jerks and terrible first dates, I found that dating on Tinder is foolish, mostly because of the small pool of potential prospects that come forth and their personal attitudes toward relationships. Most users are in it for the short-term dating experiences, something I found out the hard way. Tinder is really just one big game. It’s more of something people do to pass
the time and act like children until someone genuine comes along. As much as I hate admitting to it, I was a fan of the game. For those who have yet to join the dark side, here are there are five steps one must face before finding your match made in Tinder heaven. STEP ONE: the inattentive first search. Your standards are high in hopes of stumbling upon your knight in shining armor, or Birkenstocks if you’re into that sort of thing. You hope that you’ve picked the right photos to display and those embarrassing Facebook pages you liked back in high school don’t come back to haunt you. STEP TWO: you lower your standards when you realize there are way too many guys who think sharing
in what they had to say. After setting your sites on a new pool of men, you hope that you can at least try and find someone funny. STEP FOUR: finally finding a guy who doesn’t have any photos with children or other women because there’s nothing more damaging to your self-confidence than his best girl friend who is more attractive than you are. This type is considered a Tinder angel. STEP FIVE: If he has already swiped right, then you consider whether you want to message him first or see if he will. If he hasn’t swiped you yet then you hope he swipes right too. Most tinderships end here because both parties are too afraid to message each other. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter anymore.
(TINDER) IS MORE OF SOMETHING PEOPLE DO TO PASS THE TIME AND ACT LIKE CHILDREN UNTIL SOMEONE GENUINE COMES ALONG. photos at raves and posting more photos of their dogs or cars is more interesting than their own face. This is when you debate actually dating the bad boy you have always wanted. Better late than never? STEP THREE: you actually start paying attention to bios, because before you weren’t really interested
Then, the magic happens. You either get stood up, sent a very creepy message, or realize that there’s no placement test for Tinder, because even though that guy is funny, he’s dumber than that kid in your RWS class. Thanks for the fun Tinder, but I’ll go back to dating the old-fashioned way: waiting around for the right guy to eventually find me.
Save a tree. Recycle your paper. #DASNAPSHOTS
SUDOKU
HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9. DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
2/4
CROSSWORDS, SUDOKU, AND HOROSCOPES COURTESY OF TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC., ©2015. GAME SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
SIGNS OF SPRING
Photo Editor Jenna Mackey found California Golden Poppies along the road while taking pictures
PLEASE NOTE: The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec. Express your concerns by emailing letters@thedailyaztec.com
HOROSCOPE HAPPY BIRTHDAY (3/23/15) - Dreams come true this year with help from friends and family. For the next three months, it's easier to save money. Thoughtful introspection reveals a hidden passion. What to learn? Plan a magnificent summer adventure with someone special. Polish your image before October eclipses (10/13 & 10/27) illuminate your work. Play full out, and reap rewards. Share with love. HOW IT WORKS: 10 is good, 1 is bad. ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 - Get into some profitable teamwork today. Friends help you stay on task. Reminisce about old school strategies. Talk about visions and dreams while handling concrete, even mundane matters. There's a learning curve. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 7 - Treat yourself with restful, peaceful activities. Write, draw and create. Work with fantastical images from a dream. Let your mind wander. Unplanned obstacles could slow the action. Verify reservations before you leave the house. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 6 - Stay close to home while making plans for a great adventure that may include travel on or over water. Confer with family. Read the fine print. Rest while you plot and schedule. Hunt for what you need online. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 - Figure out how to use what you have without wasting a lot of energy. Don't take risks. Share resources if necessary. Someone else has what you need. Plan a gathering or meeting. Compassion wins friends at work. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 A professional test or challenge arises. Take it slow. No fair cheating. Take one step at a time, and focus to meet the deadline. Consult an expert. Consider ethics, justice and fair play. Nurture your team members. VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 - Your educational journey seems to progress more quickly than anticipated. Believing you can do the job helps. Don't get cocky, though. Things may not be as them seem. Watch for hidden obstacles or expenses. Others rely on you. LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 - Avoid waste or financial speculation of any kind. In a disagreement about budgetary priorities, find common ground to minimize risk. Keep optimistic. Remember your manners. Love is the foundation. Build from there, slowly. Sugarcoat results if necessary. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is an 8 - You have less than expected but enough to get by. Work together to get a big job done. Cut corners where necessary. Be respectful yet undeterred. Recycle or up-cycle and save money. You can afford to be gracious. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is an 8 - Postpone travel. Write down a dream. What you visualize you can create. Ask probing questions. Love deeply. Humor helps you get through a tough spot. Take time to imagine success. Don't hold back. Go for it. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 - Get into a fun game with friends. Household repairs could drain resources. Cash in your coupons. Turn down an expensive invitation. Working at home is profitable. Old assumptions get challenged. Play for the gold. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 6 - Home has a magnetic draw. Work from there if you can. Avoid jealousies or unexpected expense. Stay out of an argument that doesn't concern you. Stick to basic facts and common ideals. Cook simple fare. Take it easy. PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - Imagination works when all else fails. You have to do the work, too, after crafting a plan. Open your heart and mind. Expect nothing. Postpone paperwork. Don't spend more than you can afford. Get help building your dream.