A look at the past UTPA hosts da Vinci exhibit
Pages 4-5
October 2, 2014
Volume 71, No. 6
ONLINE CONTENT PanamericanOnline.com
Weekly updates on current events Oct. 2 - Oct. 9
Palmfest 2014, Tim McGraw
Women’s Soccer
WAC Players of the Week
Blog Spot
#GamerGate
Follow us @ThePanAmerican
Subscribe
The Pan American YouTube channel
By Melinda Garza The Pan American With the goal of promoting larger participation in the electoral process, the Advocacy Alliance Center of Texas, Weslaco Department of Public Safety, Texas Secretary of State Nandita Berry and the Hidalgo County election’s office visited UTPA on National Voter Registration Day Sept. 23 to assist the Student Union employees with registering students. The Union hosted a voter registration drive Sept. 16 to Sept. 23 and approximately 300 students showed up before casting their votes for the Nov. 4 election. Although the drive ended Sept. 23 any student or faculty member can still register through Oct. 6 at the information desk inside the Student Union. L. Mabel Cortina-Ma-
tos, program coordinator for the Student Union, helped organize the drive and stated that Union employees placed their efforts on “deputizing” student leaders, which means training a person to register others to vote. “For an entire week leading to National Voter Registration Day we tabled (on the first floor of the Union) for four hours a day,” Cortina-Matos said. “There was usually one professional staff member from the Student Union and two of our student leaders (which are) a student manager and a student team leader that were deputized and registering people to vote.” An election identification certification mobile unit was also at the Union as part of the Weslaco DPS and the Texas Secre-
tary of St at e’s effor t. Representatives assisted students who did not have a driver’s license or a state or federally issued ID. As long as students were able to prove their identity and citizenship, they were given an “election identification certificate” which allows them to vote as long as they bring the document to the polls during designated voting times. UTPA’s Student Union is an early voting site - a place where individuals are not only able to register and receive an election identification certificate but will be able to vote there as well beginning Oct. 20 and ending Oct. 31.
Graphic by Francisco Rodriguez/ The Pan American “Now that National Voter Registration Day has come and gone, we are still registering people to vote,” said CortinaMatos, who has two master’s degrees in interdisciplinary sciences and library science. “We don’t have the people or the efforts to be able to table down there every day until Oct. 6, which is the last day to register, but if you come to the Union
we have enough professional staff that are deputized that can register you to vote. All you have to do is go to the info desk and say ‘I want to register to vote’ and somebody will register (you).” The Texas Freedom Network is an organization based in Austin an has a UTPA branch. The TFN works to engage
students across Texas by organizing and advocating for social change. For Rubén Garza, regional field organizer for the TFN, registering and voting is a way to influence societal change because it has the potential to impact legislation.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
2
opinion
October 2, 2014
#UTPA #UTPA Tweet at and follow us @ThePanAmerican @lauraling you’re AMAZING! #DistinguishSpeaker #UTPA -@DearVerenisee I just had dinner with @ lauraling my semester has been made . She is incredibly sweet :D -@PepperB13 “I urge you all here to cherish the freedoms that you have... and to be a voice for the voiceless.” -Laura Ling -@stinacristina Letters to the Editor The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all letters to:
thepanamerican @gmail.com
Marco Torres
Sports Editor
Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone and is often overlooked, denied and excused. People don’t realize that the abuse is not just physical but psychological as well. In order to end it we have to notice and acknowledge what we see or hear. For many people what happens behind closed doors stays there, where no one can pass judgments. According to DomesticViolencStatistics.org, a non-profit website that provides mental health information, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women ahead of car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. In a recent story on KVEOTV, the Women of Friendship Community Center in Cameron County saw more than 1,000 victims and took more than 10,000 phone calls this year alone. According to police reports from the Harlingen Police Department, a woman was sent to a hospital in San Antonio after her 33-year-old
boyfriend was accused of starting a fire Sept. 24 which ended with the victim being burned
juries but the most telling sign is fear. As stated by Helpguide. org, the abuser goes through
People don’t realize that the abuse is not just physical but it can be psychological as well. In order to end it, we have to notice and acknowledge what they see or hear. to the face and body. As someone who has witnessed domestic abuse, it has always bothered me that I did nothing but ignore the situation. In my mind it was not my family, therefore it was not my problem. But that is no excuse for not doing something about it. As human beings we have the right to be happy and not live in fear. Help is always available, but one must not be afraid to act. The most obvious signs of domestic abuse are physical in-
a cycle that has seven stages: abuse, guilt, excuses, normal behavior, fantasy, planning and then the set-up. Abuse is where one partner lashes out aggressively in order to establish dominance in the relationship. The guilt phase has the abuser feeling bad for what he or she has done, then the excuse: where the abuser realizeds what they have done and justifies it through a behavior the victim has done. Next, normal behavior resumes as if nothing happened. The final stages are fantasy and
set-up. The abuser plans out how he or she will establish command of the relationship. Although it can be difficult to spot if someone is in an abusive relationship, it’s important to speak up when you do notice. Letting someone know you are concerned about their wellbeing can help save the person from their abuser. According to Help Guide, abusers usually excel at controlling and manipulating the victim, which makes it all the more important to reach out and help the person get out of the relationship. Confirmed by statistics collected in 2007 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one percent of college students have been a part of dating violence by a current partner, 32 percent experienced dating violence by a previous partner and 13 percent of college women said they were forced to have sex by a person they were dating. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National
Vol. 71, No. 6
Dating Abuse Hotline release semiannual reports about abusive relationships. In 2012 the hotline received approximately 265,000 calls, averaging 22,000 calls a month. Texas documented 16,471 of the calls and 37 percent of the victims were Hispanic. In addition, studies by the NCADV website state that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence and are more likely to become an abuser in a relationship. According to domestic violence statistics, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends daily. So don’t be afraid to make a difference and help a person if they are in an abusive relationship. You may end up saving that person’s life.
CARTOON
The Pan American thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, ARHU 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 665-7122
Editors-in-Chief:
Susan Gonzalez Andrew Vera
News Editor:
Melinda Garza
Sports Editor:
Marco Torres
Itzel Lopez/ The Pan American
Arts & Life Editor: May Ortega
Photography Editor: Jon Nutt
Design Editor:
Francisco Rodriguez
Multimedia Editor: Michael Aguilar
Social Media Editor: Jose S. DeLeon III
Copy Editor:
Victoria Valdez
Adviser:
Dr. Greg Selber
Administrative Associate: Anita Reyes
Advertising Manager:
Verónica Rodríguez
Webmaster:
Cesar Gonzalez
The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.
@segura116
@el_royito
@demi_harms
news
October 2, 2014
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “We believe in voting as a fundamental tool for building social movements and we always encourage students to register and vote,” said Garza, who graduated from UTPA with degrees in Mexican American studies and political science in December 2013. “We do tabling or clip-boarding at various campus and community events to engage students and the Rio Grande Valley community, but we also coordinate large events like a Selena-themed party for National Voter Registration Day where 180 people pledged to vote this November.” The Campus Vote Project, a campaign to help college students with registration deadlines, reported that less than 42 percent of Hispanic college students registered to vote in 2010. Approximately 24 percent of all eligible youth, or individuals between ages 1829, voted in the
2010 midterms. A 2013 study by the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas at Austin revealed Texas ranked last in the U.S. in voter turnout in 2010. The study also showed that the state ranked 42 in voter registration. According to Nonprofit VOTE, an organization that works with U.S. nonprofits to encourage people to vote, the RGV has had some of the lowest voter turnout in the country in the last 50 years where two of 10 eligible voters participated in the last presidential election. Mario Hernandez, a junior nursing major, believes the reason for low voter turnout is due to living in a typically lowincome region which makes it harder for the majority of people to find the time to vote. “I think that’s why a lot of people don’t vote. It’s because they’re working during (voting hours) so they don’t have a chance to get their voice out,” the 21-year-old said. “And most college students as well are working two (or) three jobs and they don’t really have the time to be putting the time apart so they could vote.” Cor tina-Matos stated that the Union employees are willing to help anyone
register in any way they can, even if an individual is not able to vote in the RGV. “We register anyone as long as it’s a Valley county so Cameron, Willacy, Starr and Hidalgo,” Cortina-Matos said. “We will get them to the right counties. And even if you want to register but you live in Houston we can find the ways. Like I can print you out something and then help you mail it out.” To register, an individual does not need to take anything but they do need to know the last four digits of their social security number or their driver’s li-
getting students to register. “I think (registering to vote) is really important down here in the Valley…because a lot of people complain that we don’t get our voice out to the government, but the reason is because we don’t vote,” said Hernandez, who currently resides in McAllen. “We really don’t have a say in what we want and people always say ‘what’s the point in voting if the person I want is not going to get picked?’ Well, the reason for that is because you’re not voting in the first place so it’s kind of a way to get your voice out there to the government.”
When a person registers to vote, they are giving themselves an opportunity to engage in a civic process that may have significant influence in their community. - Rubén Garza TFN regional field organizer
cense number. In order to vote, however, one needs an approved form of identification such as a driver’s license, election identification certificate, concealed handgun license, state ID card, military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate or U.S. passport. According to Cortina-Matos, students are more likely to talk and engage with other students as opposed to an adult staff member. This is why Hernandez helped lead the efforts when it came to
Approximately half of all eligible youth ages 18-29 voted in the 2012 presidential election, roughly the same amount as 2008, according to a 2012 Politico article. In addition, the turnout for voters under the age of 30 was 45 percent in 2012. Youth voters are the age group that displayed the greatest increase in voter turnout between 2000 and 2008, but in 2012 youth turnout decreased by six points overall. Hernandez also stated that
by registering to vote, people show they care about what’s happening where they live and what will happen to them in the future. “Because we have such low voter rates here, people think that we’re not really highly populated as much as up north, but we actually are,” he said. “But because people aren’t voting, that’s the main (reason) why we don’t get new schools and things like that from the government.” While Cortina-Matos believes UTPA has done a lot to get more students registered to vote, she said that if faculty members motivate their students to register and vote, more students would be inclined to make it out on Election Day. “I would just say we need the help of staff and faculty to continuously encourage students to register to vote and then actually show up and vote on Election Day,” Cortina-Matos said. “And to remind them that here at the University it’s a one-stop-shop. They can register to vote, they can get their election identification certificate and then they can actually vote at the union.” She said if a person is living in the U.S. and paying taxes then they are already participating in the political process, so they might as well have a say in how their money is being used. “I think that they are speak-
3
ing on behalf of their interests in the most effective way possible,” CortinaMatos said. “I mean (we) could talk about ideas all day along, but my vote actually makes a difference because it changes who’s in office and what policies they stand for and what policies they enact and what laws go into effect so it’s your opinion in action.” The outcome of elections impact every aspect of a person’s life and elected officials influence everything from what roads are paved to whether or not the nation invades another country, Garza said. “When a person registers to vote, they are giving themselves an opportunity to engage in a civic process that may have significant influence in their community,” Garza said. “When one registers, they are saying they want to take part in that process; they want to exercise their citizenship.”
Graphic by Francisco Rodriguez/ The Pan American
Page 4
October 2, 2014
THE PAN AMERICAN
THE PAN AMERICAN
October 2, 2014
Page 5
UTPA unveils Leonardo da Vinci exhibit Story by Elisa Garcia Photos by Jon Nutt The Pan American
Starting Sept. 29 organizers at the UTPA Visitors Center welcomed the public to the Leonardo da Vinci “Machines in Motion” exhibit organized by Evergreen Exhibitions, one of the world’s largest traveling museums. The showcase is grouped in four sections that strongly fascinated the famous artist: air, water, land and fire. About 40 machines
currently stand in the Visitors Center and all were built by Worldwide Museum Activities. WMA was founded by scientists working together to recreate da Vinci’s work in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Florence, Italy. Da Vinci is a wellknown painter, sculptor, musician, architect, engineer and anatomist who lived in the 15th century. Most known for his masterpieces the “Mona Lisa,” “Vitruvian Man” and “The Last Supper,” da Vinci was also an inventor. According to the Evergreen Exhibitions web page, the showcase has appeared all over the world in cities such as Athens and
Istanbul. Visitors may touch sculptures such as the “Ornithopter-Bicycle,” which is operated by ropes, pulleys and cranks connecting the pilot to the device’s wings. By pumping one’s arms and legs the bicycle pedals would power the wings and take flight. Associate Director of Admissions Vanessa Valdez explained “Machines in Motion” shows full-scale devices that are fully operational, such as the “Armored Car.” Built in 1487, it is the ancestor of the contemporary tank, taking on a turtle-shape with a conical shell and is equipped with cannons. In 1916 the modernday military tank was invented in Britain and was first used in combat during World War I. “It’s important for (students) to learn
through reading but it’s also important to go that extra step and be able to see it, to touch it and to experience it,” the 32-year-old said. “It will challenge them more to think outside the box and think anything is possible…like da Vinci did so long ago.” Da Vinci never tested
Chris Flores, senior and student tour guide for the Visitors Center, explained that he is excited for students to come and experience da Vinci’s work on a personal level. “A lot of the times (students) don’t get enough practical application of science...es-
wood...that’s genius. A child can see something like this and know that they have the potential to do that themselves.” According to LiveScience, a science news website, da Vinci was 15-years-old when he was sent to Florence to appren-
It’s like a little piece of me was going through a journey back in time and being able to experience what was going on in the mind of da Vinci... - Paige Garcia Mass communication student
out most of his ideas, but his notes and drawings mapped out exactly how the device would work, according to Leonardo da Vinci’s Inventions website. These sketches became the foundation for inventions such as the modern day airplane and the machine gun.
pecially in elementary,” the Harlingen native said. “You kinda learn the basics but you will never get to see a bunch of ideas put together the way we have them here...they’re going to see a water saw which is a propeller that’s moved by water and it’s making a saw cut through
tice with sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio. Five years later he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke, which was a common name for a city built just for painters and artists. Valdez believes the showcase will not only benefit students, but
people of all ages. Before the exhibit came to UTPA she didn’t know the extent of da Vinci’s contribution to present-day technology. “The exhibit...has allowed me to remember things that I knew but didn’t realize were early ideas from da Vinci,” she said. “(The exhibit) shows us his ideas of what he thought the world could be…a lot of the inventions that we use today are because of da Vinci’s early works and people will be able to see that.” At the age of 26 da Vinci became an independent master and soon took off to Milan where he lived for 17 years. There, he served
as a painter, engineer, architect and sculptor creating some of his most well-known inventions. Mass communication major Paige Garcia hopes the exhibit will influence students to become more active around campus and help them discover an interest they didn’t know they had. “If it weren’t for (da Vinci) most of the things we have today wouldn’t be around because everything needs a foundation and he gave that to the world,” the 18-year-old said. “Students will be able to realize that you can make anything if you
p u t your mind to it and that will inspire others to do great things.” Flores said the exhibit focuses on the concept of engineering with a touch of art, which he thinks will spark creativity in the minds of others. “I want to wake (people) up. Nowadays a lot of things are standardized...everything’s getting away from the imagination,” the chemistry major said. “Everything is more stringent and rigorous...you don’t really get to express yourself and this is the perfect way to see it...you get to see (da Vinci’s) personality through every
piece of his work.” Garcia said one of her favorite pieces was the “Ornithopter,” an ancestor of today’s airplane. It is one of da Vinci’s most famous inventions and shows his enthusiasm for the potential of flight. “I enjoyed being introduced to a different world and a different time,” the Edinburg native said. “It’s like a little piece of me was going through a journey back in time and being able to experience what was going on in the mind of da Vinci...to just think about where we would be if it weren’t for da
Vinci.” Twenty-six-year-old Flores thinks once people walk through the exhibit and experience da Vinci’s inventions they will leave the exhibit a little more curious about how the world works. “I like to say that we were all born a scientist,” the chemistry major said. “When you were a baby and tested things out, that was you being a scientist...you didn’t know what it was and you wanted to find out.” Garcia feels confident “Machines in Motion” will inspire others to achieve great things like da Vinci once did. “It just shows that hu-
man creativity is timeless,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what time period. (Creativity) is always going to be a part of us...it’s just a matter of looking for it.” The exhibit will be open, free of charge, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Jan. 3, 2015.
Students from the IDEA Pharr public school visiting the Leonardo da Vinci “Machines in Motion” interactive exhibit at UTPA’s Visitors Center Oct. 1. The exhibit houses 40 replicas of some machines da Vinci created, which visitors can use.
Page 4
October 2, 2014
THE PAN AMERICAN
THE PAN AMERICAN
October 2, 2014
Page 5
UTPA unveils Leonardo da Vinci exhibit Story by Elisa Garcia Photos by Jon Nutt The Pan American
Starting Sept. 29 organizers at the UTPA Visitors Center welcomed the public to the Leonardo da Vinci “Machines in Motion” exhibit organized by Evergreen Exhibitions, one of the world’s largest traveling museums. The showcase is grouped in four sections that strongly fascinated the famous artist: air, water, land and fire. About 40 machines
currently stand in the Visitors Center and all were built by Worldwide Museum Activities. WMA was founded by scientists working together to recreate da Vinci’s work in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Florence, Italy. Da Vinci is a wellknown painter, sculptor, musician, architect, engineer and anatomist who lived in the 15th century. Most known for his masterpieces the “Mona Lisa,” “Vitruvian Man” and “The Last Supper,” da Vinci was also an inventor. According to the Evergreen Exhibitions web page, the showcase has appeared all over the world in cities such as Athens and
Istanbul. Visitors may touch sculptures such as the “Ornithopter-Bicycle,” which is operated by ropes, pulleys and cranks connecting the pilot to the device’s wings. By pumping one’s arms and legs the bicycle pedals would power the wings and take flight. Associate Director of Admissions Vanessa Valdez explained “Machines in Motion” shows full-scale devices that are fully operational, such as the “Armored Car.” Built in 1487, it is the ancestor of the contemporary tank, taking on a turtle-shape with a conical shell and is equipped with cannons. In 1916 the modernday military tank was invented in Britain and was first used in combat during World War I. “It’s important for (students) to learn
through reading but it’s also important to go that extra step and be able to see it, to touch it and to experience it,” the 32-year-old said. “It will challenge them more to think outside the box and think anything is possible…like da Vinci did so long ago.” Da Vinci never tested
Chris Flores, senior and student tour guide for the Visitors Center, explained that he is excited for students to come and experience da Vinci’s work on a personal level. “A lot of the times (students) don’t get enough practical application of science...es-
wood...that’s genius. A child can see something like this and know that they have the potential to do that themselves.” According to LiveScience, a science news website, da Vinci was 15-years-old when he was sent to Florence to appren-
It’s like a little piece of me was going through a journey back in time and being able to experience what was going on in the mind of da Vinci... - Paige Garcia Mass communication student
out most of his ideas, but his notes and drawings mapped out exactly how the device would work, according to Leonardo da Vinci’s Inventions website. These sketches became the foundation for inventions such as the modern day airplane and the machine gun.
pecially in elementary,” the Harlingen native said. “You kinda learn the basics but you will never get to see a bunch of ideas put together the way we have them here...they’re going to see a water saw which is a propeller that’s moved by water and it’s making a saw cut through
tice with sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio. Five years later he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke, which was a common name for a city built just for painters and artists. Valdez believes the showcase will not only benefit students, but
people of all ages. Before the exhibit came to UTPA she didn’t know the extent of da Vinci’s contribution to present-day technology. “The exhibit...has allowed me to remember things that I knew but didn’t realize were early ideas from da Vinci,” she said. “(The exhibit) shows us his ideas of what he thought the world could be…a lot of the inventions that we use today are because of da Vinci’s early works and people will be able to see that.” At the age of 26 da Vinci became an independent master and soon took off to Milan where he lived for 17 years. There, he served
as a painter, engineer, architect and sculptor creating some of his most well-known inventions. Mass communication major Paige Garcia hopes the exhibit will influence students to become more active around campus and help them discover an interest they didn’t know they had. “If it weren’t for (da Vinci) most of the things we have today wouldn’t be around because everything needs a foundation and he gave that to the world,” the 18-year-old said. “Students will be able to realize that you can make anything if you
p u t your mind to it and that will inspire others to do great things.” Flores said the exhibit focuses on the concept of engineering with a touch of art, which he thinks will spark creativity in the minds of others. “I want to wake (people) up. Nowadays a lot of things are standardized...everything’s getting away from the imagination,” the chemistry major said. “Everything is more stringent and rigorous...you don’t really get to express yourself and this is the perfect way to see it...you get to see (da Vinci’s) personality through every
piece of his work.” Garcia said one of her favorite pieces was the “Ornithopter,” an ancestor of today’s airplane. It is one of da Vinci’s most famous inventions and shows his enthusiasm for the potential of flight. “I enjoyed being introduced to a different world and a different time,” the Edinburg native said. “It’s like a little piece of me was going through a journey back in time and being able to experience what was going on in the mind of da Vinci...to just think about where we would be if it weren’t for da
Vinci.” Twenty-six-year-old Flores thinks once people walk through the exhibit and experience da Vinci’s inventions they will leave the exhibit a little more curious about how the world works. “I like to say that we were all born a scientist,” the chemistry major said. “When you were a baby and tested things out, that was you being a scientist...you didn’t know what it was and you wanted to find out.” Garcia feels confident “Machines in Motion” will inspire others to achieve great things like da Vinci once did. “It just shows that hu-
man creativity is timeless,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what time period. (Creativity) is always going to be a part of us...it’s just a matter of looking for it.” The exhibit will be open, free of charge, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Jan. 3, 2015.
Students from the IDEA Pharr public school visiting the Leonardo da Vinci “Machines in Motion” interactive exhibit at UTPA’s Visitors Center Oct. 1. The exhibit houses 40 replicas of some machines da Vinci created, which visitors can use.
6
news
October 2, 2014
Journey of hope
American journalist speaks about career, capture in North Korea
Photos and story by Susan Gonzalez The Pan American American journalist Laura Ling on their way back to the Chinese vividly remembers being kicked side of the river when Ling heard in the face, jaw and shoulders as the soldiers. a North Korean soldier dragged “It was about halfway across her across the frozen Tumen River that river that I heard yelling,” separating China and North Ko- the 37-year-old said. “I turned rea in northeast Asia. Ling spoke around and saw two North Koreinto the wireless microphone still an soldiers with their rifles raised attached to her sweater hoping to and...we just ran for our lives.” reach her Current TV producer, Ling remembers running back Mitch Koss. to Chinese soil when her boot “Mitch,” she said. “I think I’m struck the edge of the ice, causgoing to die.” ing it to break as she fell into the The Chinese American jour- water. She thrust her body back nalist discussed this 2009 experi- onto solid ground and continence and others as the first speak- ued to run, but she and Lee were er of the 2014-15 Distinguished apprehended while Koss and the Speaker Series, held Tuesday at guide fled. the UTPA Field House. Dur“The soldiers were very detering the speech, titled “Journey mined to get us into North Koof Hope,” the University of Cal- rea and we were very determined ifornia, Los Angeles alumna re- to stay in China,” said Ling, who counted many of her adventures is currently host and reporter for in journalism including trips to E! Investigates. “I did everything North Korea and Myanmar, or I could just to make my body Burma as the latter is also called. feel as heavy as it could so they In March 2009 Ling and her couldn’t drag us back onto that colleague Euna Lee ventured in- ice. The soldier who was pulling to North Korea to report on citi- me was particularly ferocious and zens who fled to China to escape began to kick me in the head, the the communist country’s strict jaw, the shoulder, over and over regime. While there with pro- and over. Finally, he managed to ducer Koss and a guide to assist pull me over onto that ice.” them, Ling and Lee momentariWhat followed is what Ling ly crossed the Tumen River in- described as the darkest part of to North Korea after their guide her life. For 140 days, she and Lee waved them over. The two were were kept in separate pitch-black
cells measuring 5 feet by 6 feet. At some points she said she even considered taking her own life. The journalist was only allowed out of her cell for interrogation and to occasionally watch TV with the guards. The North Korean government believed she was an American spy. “Hour after hour, day after day, my interrogator wanted to know everything about my per-
that Gore co-founded. This raised suspicions when she was questioned by North Korean guards. Despite this tension, Ling tried to overcome the boundaries between her and her captors. “I would try to strike up conversations with my guards from time to time and at times they would let their guard down and we would have these little chit chats,” Ling said. “Those conver-
I turned around and saw two North Korean soldiers with their rifles raised and... we just ran for our lives. - Laura Ling Journalist
sonal life and my professional life,” the California native said. “It was very difficult to try to explain to him that I wasn’t connected to the U.S. government when the head of my company was former Vice President Al Gore. I spent many hours trying to convince him that I wasn’t a spy, that I didn’t work for the CIA.” At the time Ling and her colleagues were reporting for Current TV, a now defunct channel
sations, however brief, just lifted my spirits.” Ling and Lee were each sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp following a trial in North Korea’s highest court. The punishment never came to fruition, but Ling vividly remembers the moment she heard the ruling. “I held onto the podium to keep from falling over,” the mother of two said. “It was one of the most frightening mo-
ments of my life. What many people don’t realize is that our sentence was broken down into two parts, two years and 10 years...the majority of that sentence was given not for stepping foot across that river, but for the work we were doing as journalists.” The two journalists were freed Aug. 5, 2009 after former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited the country and spoke to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. According to Ling, Jong-il had always wanted to meet Clinton. Two decades prior Clinton, president at the time, had been the first world leader to offer his condolences to Jong-il after the death of the latter’s father. As a result, freeing Ling and Lee seemed like the appropriate “reciprocal humanitarian gesture,” according to an August 2009 article in The New York Times. But while more than half of Ling’s speech on campus was dedicated to recounting her capture in North Korea, she also discussed other experiences as a journalist. In February 2008, the writer went to Myanmar, a sovereign state in southeast Asia, to interview Buddhist monks. According to Ling, at the time Myanmar was ruled by a “junta,” or a
military-led government. “People were toiling to earn a dollar a day, electricity blackouts were frequent,” she said. “I met up with a group of Buddhist monks...who had fled to a border town in Thailand after participating in peaceful street demonstrations, asking the government to provide them with some basic necessities. But they were repelled by armed soldiers and they watched as fellow monks were beaten, jailed and killed for speaking out. Now these monks were too afraid to return home for fear of losing their own lives.” What she has took away from her experiences in North Korea, Myanmar and other places is that freedom is too often taken for granted. “Our unalienable right, our freedom is a non-existent concept for others,” she said. “Some risk their lives to experience (it)...others will never know what freedom is.” The next speaker in the series will be American singer-songwriter John Legend. He is scheduled to speak at the UTPA Field House Feb. 2, 2015.
Journalist Laura Ling speaks to an audience Sept. 30 at the Field House about her capture in North Korea. Ling is the first speaker of the 2014-15 Distinguished Speaker Series.
sports By Marco Torres The Pan American Sept. 29 at the Field House, local talent came out to see if they had what it takes to make the basketball team. With the season fast approaching, Head Coach Dan Hipsher is looking for players to join the team. The six participants who tried out were put through various drills that highlighted important areas of the game such as ball handling, shooting, passing, defense and running plays that were drawn up by Hipsher. “It is typical,” said the coach, who is heading into his second year at UTPA. “You don’t usually get a lot of size in a walk-on tryout. I don’t care if it’s Alabama, Arkansas or anywhere else, you may get one kid that is 6 feet 9 inches or better. We are looking for some bigger kids for practice but it’s hard to find on campus.” Hipsher, along with two assistant coaches, put the six participants through drills which are common at Bronc practices. After every shooting drill, Hipsher stated the best overall numbers of the the individuals and compared them to what a player from the men’s team has done in the same drill to show how difficult they can be. After the players finished shooting drills Hipsher had them play a 3-on-3 pick-up game. Hipsher then tested their listening skills by drawing offensive plays for the participants to do.
October 2, 2014
“The reason I had them run a couple patterns, plays and other things is that they may help us by playing as a scout team,” Hipsher said. “Say we are playing New Mexico State, they need be able to run and learn their plays, so we needed to see what their listening and learning aspects are and whether they have been involved in these types of things before.” With good recruits coming in, such as 6 feet 9 inches, 240-pound forward Christopher Ikuenobe, Hipsher is looking beyond the 11-man roster. He said it is difficult to find that gem in a walk-on tryout but he looks for men who are willing to work hard, contribute, become part of the team and work for the ultimate goal in a championship. “It’s to help fill up the roster,” Hipsher said. “But on the other side, if they are good enough to play they will play. Junior Joaquin Pistokache hopes that his experience in Division II at Roberts Wesleyan in New York College gets him a spot on the team and gives him the opportunity to play. “I felt pretty good, pretty decent,” said Pistokache, who played high school ball for Sharyland. “I always feel that I could do better. It has been a really good experience even after I spent some time away from the game. It was more of pride thing to come out here and give it a shot.”
Pistokache played for Roberts Wesleyan in the 2012-13 season before coming to UTPA. He believes that the speed of the game and professionalism of the program are main differences between his previous school and UTPA, a Division I program. Andrew Oteng-Baah, a business management major, also tried his luck at the tryout and attempted to make the roster, believed his quickness and ability to jump separated him from the rest. “I kept pushing through, I always try to stay positive and keep hitting shots,” the New York native said. “Coaches were very helpful on egging me on and guiding me on what to do. I think I did pretty good and the coaches helped me out a lot.” The Bronc pre season begins with an exhibition match against Texas A&M International Nov. 8 at the Field House. The regular season starts Nov. 14 when the Broncs host against Wayland Baptist University at 7 p.m. “We are excited about it,” Hipsher said. “We are allowed to practice Oct. 3 and our first game is in November. We have a good group, trying to get a couple of them healthy. There are a few players with some nagging injuries and they had their final conditioning, where they survived. So that shows me that they are ready.”
7
Adriana Gonzalez/ The Pan American Junior Joaquin Pistokache performs layup drills as he particiaptes in the walk-on tryouts, Sept. 29 at the UTPA Field House, for a spot on the team. He hopes that his Division II experience is enough to earn him a spot on the roster.
By Kristela Garza The Pan American The Bronc volleyball team had a rough preseason and is now testing the waters in the Western Athletic Conference with a 1-1 record so far. Overall the team is 3-12 after taking its first WAC win Sept. 27, against Grand Canyon University at Sam Williams Court on campus. Of those 12 losses four were at home. According to Head Coach Bryan Yale, the Broncs’ first defeat in the season home opener - against Bakersfield University Sept. 25 - was attributed to missed “little plays” and hits. He said those things hurt the team most. “It has been pretty frustrating,” Yale said. “We didn’t play Omar Casas/ The Pan American very well. We didn’t execute Captain and red shirt senior Maria Kliefoth attempts to spike the game plan. (It) should have the ball in the Broncs’ 3-2 win against Grand Canyon Univeristy been a simple serving game, which we should be able to do, at the Field House Sept. 27.
(but) we can’t.” Although there is frustration, the athletes vowed to not take another loss against Grand Canyon. The Broncs fought and took the victory with a score of 3-2. Now with a win and some confidence under their belts, the women plan to move forward. Alisha Watson, right-side hitter, feels the Broncs are getting their level of confidence back by understanding their errors. “I think honestly it (is) our own unforced errors,” said the sophomore from Round Rock. “When we did need points we did not come through for ourselves. Just missing routine plays, that is really hard on your momentum when you have to keep restarting. Our biggest downfall was ourselves.” With their first WAC win,
UTPA is ready to move on from the slow start. According to Halley Durham, the team is ready to work on what is needed and will leave their losing record behind. “We felt really confident,” the Honolulu native said. “It is a new season and we are all excited to start off new. But we have to learn from it and we have to move on. We know we made mistakes and we have to cut it down and get better.” In total the team has 14 games left to play before reaching the WAC tournament, which is plenty of time to rise in the standings. Yale said that won’t happen by itself. He requires his team to correct mistakes match by match. “Tomorrow is another day,” Yale said. “We have to get better. We can’t keep doing (this) over and over again. We are capable
of a lot more and the girls actually have to go out and prove it.” The team will have to prove that they are more than what they have shown and move on as they play their next opponent, Seattle University, in Washington Oct. 2. They will not return to a home action until they face Chicago State University Oct. 16. Until then the team will have to compete on rival courts, but according to Watson the team has a strategy to make sure past mistakes stay where in the past. “We are going back to basics to make those routine plays,” Watson said. “We are making great plays so it is back to the little stuff to stay disciplined.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Page 8
For more information or special accommodations
(956) 665-7808
stay connected
utpa_wellness
www.utpa.edu/wellness
recfitness@utpa.edu
October 2, 2014