Vol 119 | Issue 9
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Publishing since 1913
Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Q&A with SHSU TUTS stars of Guys and Dolls, pg. 4
KATlinks
INDEX
To read the university’s latest social media policy, visit www.HoustonianOnline.com
Viewpoints ...... pg. 2 Sports .............. pg. 5 News ................ pg. 3 Special ............. pg. 6 A&E ................. pg. 4
SGA fails to meet quorum, pg. 4
Policy sparks legislation, protests By Stephen Green Associate News Editor SHSU’s proposed social media policy has received harsh criticism in the past week from student and faculty groups who question its stance on censorship and the way it is being implemented. Four student political groups with diverse ideologies will be jointly protesting the policy tomorrow with a “Free Speech Wall.” The SHSU Lovers of Liberty, Bearkat Democrats, Young Democratic Socialists, and College Republicans are encouraging students to “exercise their freedom of speech” by writing whatever they choose on their wall tomorrow, according to the groups’ Facebook event. Morgan Freeman, president of the SHSU Lovers of Liberty, said that the event will allow students to send a message to the administration that students “know their rights” and won’t let them be violated. “There are so many problems with the way this policy is stated,” Freeman said. “Honestly, we could care less what the intent of the policy is. We are worried about the potential.” The SHSU Social Media Policy and Procedures Manual affects anyone who joins the opt-in Social Universe group created by the university marketing department. According to the policy, all groups who use the trademarked “SHSU” or “Sam Houston State University” must join the Social Universe, or remove the trademark.
Kris Ruiz, Associate Vice-President of Marketing and Communication, led the social media project that resulted in both the policy and Social Universe. She said that no one has spoken to her since the criticism of the policy began last week, but encourages anyone with concerns to talk to her about it. Groups are contesting sections of the policy that would allow the university to remove any material without official justification, and that limit “freedom of speech.” Freeman said a university should be a place of freeflowing thought, and that the policy violates that exchange. “To place any limit on [the exchange of ideas] would violate the ultimate purpose of the university, [which is] to educate and promote this exchange of ideas,” Freeman said. The types of groups coming together, Freeman said, is what shows how serious the event’s purpose is. “It is a legitimate problem, serious enough to bring people from every end of the political spectrum,” Freeman said. “When we come together we can draw enough attention to battle the ultimate enemy of freedom: Apathy.” Adam Robinson, member of the Young Democratic Socialists, agrees with Freeman and in addition said that students are facing difficult challenges from their government and that the university is asking students “to give up their right to speak out against
— See POLICY, page 3
Christian Pratt | The Houstonian
ON THE LINE. The above graphic portrays the path most university policies have to take to become official. As of Sept. 21, this policy has only passed from the Marketing Department to the President’s Office.
Brewer executed, protests Stedman Graham’s 24 hours held on prison grounds By Chrystal Golden Communications Specialist
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
LIKE A WEED. The opposing protestors of the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer were confined to opposite sites of the prison grounds, ensuring no violence would ensue.
By McKinzie Brocail Senior Reporter Lawrence Russell Brewer, a member of the Confederate Knights of America, a white supremacist gang, was executed Wednesday evening for the 1998 dragging murder of James Byrd, Jr., an AfricanAmerican from Jasper in East Texas. Byrd, 49, was chained to the back of a truck and dragged to death across an asphalt road 13 years ago. He died when he was
decapitated after hitting a culvert. The hate crime drew international attention for its viciousness. Brewer’s appeals to the courts dissipated, and no last-day attempts to save his life were made. Brewer, 44, was transferred to the Walls Unit in Huntsville Wednesday for execution for his role in the crime. The grounds surrounding the Walls Unit hours prior to his death were riddled with two separated groups: those for the death penalty and those against it.
“Nobody should kill people; the state shouldn’t kill people,” said civil rights activist Dick Gregory. A handful of protesters spent Tuesday night fasting and holding a vigil for Brewer’s life, including Gregory and activist Ricky Jason. “I joined in with Dick Gregory and Ricky [Jason]… because I wanted to make a statement against capital punishment,” said Dave Atwood, the founder of the statewide group The Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. “What’s particularly powerful, I think, about this situation with Dick Gregory and Ricky Jason is that they’re both African-Americans and they’re opposing the death penalty for somebody who committed a horrible, racist crime. It speaks volumes about their characters, and it’s a lesson for all of us.” As if the five separate security agencies weren’t enough to put a stop to any violence before it began, the opposing groups could not see each other due to distance and landscaping, reinforcing that no violence would ensue. On the other side of the prison’s foreground were people in favor of the death penalty. “The crime was horrific
— See PROTEST, page 3
“You have the same 24 hours everyone else has, the question is what do you do with that? “ Author, Educator, and Businessman Stedman Graham questioned all in attendance during the SHSU President’s Speaker Series hosted by President Dana Gibson Wednesday in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center theatre. Graham is the chairmen and C.E.O of S. Graham and Associates, and has authored several books with the revolving theme of leadership and self-branding. He initially recognized his call for leading and helping others when he was a young adult. “I was someone who wanted to be someone,” Graham said. “I wanted to make a difference.” While in college, Graham founded a black student union, was very active in organizations, and also made an effort to assist the disadvantaged. Although he possessed many outstanding leadership qualities, the HardinSimmons University graduate described himself as an “average” student. “I didn’t understand how to be a good student, I got it pretty much without studying,” Graham said. “I didn’t understand the
meaning of education until later on in life. I wish I would’ve learned that earlier.” Still, without the educational push, Graham managed to be successful. In his lifetime, he has travelled the world, operated a successful public relations firm in Chicago, and has enjoyed working with different community outreach programs. His life really changed, however, when he discovered the “power of information”. “Not just information, but the ability to take information and education and make it relevant to who I was as a human being to change my life,” Graham said. It changed my thinking and then it changed my habits. It transferred back to my mind, and I was able to create my own future. No one teaches you that.” Since his discovery, he has taught his message
of maximizing success to many major corporations and identity building to individuals, which he to be the key to reversing the process of being a worker. “You have to stop becoming a worker and move into leadership. You have to lead your own life and learn how to take the information and all the resources in the world to make it relevant. All the power is in you. All the growth is in you. All the opportunities are in you,” Graham said. “The question is can you transform from a worker to a leader?” In his lifetime, Graham has acknowledged having 100+ mentors but he credits Oprah on being one of his biggest influences. “She understands how to define herself instead of letting others define her based on her race, gender, background, and where she came from.”
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
LIKE A WEED. The opposing protestors of the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer were confined to opposite sites of the prison grounds, ensuring no violence would ensue.