October 6, 2011 by UTRGV Student Media

Volume 68, No. 6

www.panamericanonline.com

October 6, 2011

Local marines return to families and School Story and photos By Reynaldo Leal The Pan American Cpl. Henry McFarland had last seen his wife, Kayla, when she was five months pregnant, her bump barely showing as he prepared for his tour in a combat zone. The UTPA sophomore put his business management degree and family life on hold when his Harlingen based reserve unit became activated for duty in Afghanistan. “I knew I was going to miss so much,” McFarland said. “I was going to miss all the late nights and early mornings. I was going to miss holding him and feeding him.” He recorded himself reading a book for his unborn child and tried to be as involved as he possibly could in the pregnancy before he left his home in Harlingen. “I knew I was going to be a father, and I thought about my wife a lot,” McFarland recalled. “Over there you just don’t always have the time to think about home. To make it back, you have to think about your Marines and getting the job done.” Once in Afghanistan he received constant updates from Kayla, which he checked on the camp computers between convoy missions through his unit’s area of operations. Each email containing an attached portrait of Kayla would change as his son grew in her womb. McFarland was on patrol clearing military supply routes of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) the day Kayla went into to labor and had to go through an emergency C-section to deliver his son. When he returned to base, he opened the email that contained the grainy photo of the baby they would name after himself. He placed the small picture under his flack-jacket, the photo now part of the armor protecting him from enemy shrapnel. The child would

remain a pixelated image to McFarland until the moment he held the 3-month-old baby in his arms for the first time. THE LONG ROAD HOME During its tour The Lone Star Battalion provided security for Camp Leatherneck, the largest Marinecontrolled base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Capt. David Moran, inspecting commander for the South Texas unit, described the mission as being important for all aspects of Marine combat operation in Afghanistan. Without their help, military routes that supplied isolated bases throughout the area would be cut off. The constant patrolling, however, exposed the Marines to the threat of IEDs every time they left the camp. According to Moran, the company had five different convoys hit by enemy explosives throughout their deployment. One blast in particular stood out in the mind of Lance Cpl. Dylan de la Rosa, who like McFarland, stopped attending UTPA when the unit was activated. “We had not seen many IEDs during the first few weeks,” the platoon radio operator recalled, “but towards the second month we started to see more action in the area.” The IEDs, which varied in size and complexity, were buried in the ground along their routes and either detonated by insurgents or activated by the Americans as their vehicles rolled over them. De la Rosa was in the second-tolast vehicle, providing security for the first part of the convoy as they crossed a dried-up riverbed, when the vehicles triggered the unit’s first experience with an enemy detonation. A plume of dust and smoke rose out of the ground as the lead Humvee lifted off the ground.

See marines || Page 4

father and son — Cpl. Henry McFarland holds his 3-month-old son Henry McFarland IV for the first time at his reserve unit’s homecoming in Donna, Saturday. His U.S Marine platoon had just returned from a seven month deployment to Afghanistan.

October 6, 2011 Vol. 68, No. 6

Opinion

Confessions of a Pocha

By Nadia Tamez-Robledo Arts & Life Editor I can always see it coming. It starts with a slight tilt of the head, then narrowed eyes that accentuate a knitted brow and lips that tighten in a subtle frown. As the realization hits, the eyes widen and that frown turns into a half-mocking, half-pitying smile that makes my stomach turn. Then they speak those inevitably condescending words: “Oh, you don’t speak Spanish?” Yes, I’m a pocha. It’s a derogatory word that refers to people who mix English and Spanish and who are made fun of for being perceived as having left

their culture behind. As a pocha, I shoulder much of the blame and social stigma for my lack of Spanish skills. People often seem to take it personally. There’s an assumption that because Spanish is so widely spoken in the Valley, I must have just refused to learn. That’s really not the case. I was raised primarily by my grandmother (an immigrant from Mexico) during my developmental years. You’d think she’d be all about speaking Spanish in her house, but that’s not what happened. It was English all the way. (Before you get any ideas about her being one of those I-don’t-wantmy-kid-to-face-discrimination-so-Ijust-won’t-teach-them-Spanish people, she’s constantly chastising me for being nearly mono–linguistic.) Once someone’s done being patronizing, part two of the conversation ensues. “Why don’t you just learn?” they ask, every word dripping with disdain. Well, surprisingly, it hasn’t been all that easy. The reason is simple. People who are fluent in Spanish don’t want to listen to me try to string together a half-correctly conjugated sentence. I’ve literally had people turn around and walk away rather than try to understand my Spanglish. Polite

people will switch to English if they know it, or gracefully find a way out of the conversation if they don’t. On top of that, Valleyites have become experts at shaming pochas, casting them as some kind of cultural traitors. It’s embarrassing to speak knowing that the Spanish words about to come out will be partially fumbled, roll awkwardly off my tongue and immediately earn a raised eyebrow at best and the label “not Mexican enough” at worst. What kind of learning environment is that? I finally found solace in the writing of Gloria Anzaldua, a University alumna who is the premiere scholar on border theory and metizaje, the mixing of cultures. She explained the complexities of metaphysically living between two cultures on a physical border. There was finally a word I could put to the frustration I felt, being half of two separate wholes, not quite one thing but not quite the other either. This shaming could have something to do with the humiliation our older family members experienced growing up in the Valley when children were punished for speaking Spanish in school. Oh, how the tables have turned. Except it’s not stern, ruler-happy teachers doing the shaming now. It’s

our own families and neighbors. I know I’m not the only one who has felt this way. Why is it that, as grandchildren and children of immigrants, my cousins and I are blamed for not being taught Spanish? As though we had the authority or foresight to demand our parents make it the sole language at home. Thinking back on the insults and sarcasm I’ve received for being a pocha, I should be more angry at the people who have put me down thinking that it’ll somehow motivate me. The reality is that I’m not. I know those people are just as in the wrong as critics who want English to be made the “official” language of the United States or want the Spanish section taken out of the paper. I’m not saying that I don’t want to learn Spanish. In fact, I know that I desperately need it. As an aspiring journalist, I worry about my ability to tell my community’s stories without being able to communicate with a sizeable portion of its population. I want to give voice to those untold stories, but I know I have a lot of work to do on my language skills before then. All pochas need is some patience and a little support.

Correction: On page nine of the Sept.29 issue of The Pan American, a graphic depicting Latino voter turnout mislabeled Puerto Rico and Cuba. The correct data states that Puerto Rican voter turnout was at 29.6 percent and Cuban voter turnout was at 49.3 percent during the 2010 election. We apologize for the inconvenience.

THE PAN AMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 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.

CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF: Alma E. Hernandez alma.e.hdz@gmail.com Roxann Garcia roxx.gar11@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR: Karen Antonacci keantonacci@gmail.com SPANISH EDITOR: Norma Gonzalez ngonzalezz24@broncs.utpa.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Michael Saenz mike_s2208@yahoo.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR: Nadia Tamez-Robledo ntamezrob@broncs.utpa.edu PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Reynaldo Leal reynaldo_lealjr@yahoo.com DESIGN EDITOR: Erick Gonzalez erick.dgr@gmail.com MULTIMEDIA CO-EDITORS: Pamela Morales pamela.morales13@gmail.com Veronique Medrano veroniquemedrano@gmail.com ADVISER: Dr. Greg Selber selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE: Anita Reyes areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mariel Cantu spubs@utpa.edu WEBMASTERS: Jose Villarreal josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com Selvino Padilla selvinop3@gmail.com

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Thursday at noon Letters to the Editor

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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 reserve the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com. Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

October 6, 2011

UTPA welcomes newest addition to PD Drug dogs to sniff out narcotics around campus By Roxann Garcia The Pan American

Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN

K-9 - University police ofﬁcer, Rafael de la Tejera and his new partner have been working together since August. Drug dogs are being used for special incidences in residence halls.

The University of Texas-Pan American is the second school in the UT-System to have a K-9 drug unit on campus, according to Assistant Chief James Loya. The University of Texas at Austin was the first to acquire drugsniffing dogs. The University Police Department purchased two Belgium Malinois in July as an added tool for the department. The Malinois are commonly mistaken for German Shepherds but are thinner and lighter in color. Police officers Rafael De La Tejera and Molly Ralph were selected for a three-week training in order to become the University’s only two dog handlers. “It was interesting. You mainly get to learn about the way the dogs theorize odors of narcotics,” Ralph said. “You also learn how to give commands and interpret the dog’s behavior – whether they’re working or distracted by something.” The response from students and faculty has been in favor of the dogs, according to Loya. “Faculty and staff have already said that they’re happy the dogs are here,” he said. “The students in general at HESTEC were mainly surprised that we had them. They thought it was a good thing. They thought the

department was headed in the right direction with them.” This isn’t across the board however, according to Ralph, some faculty and students wonder if it’s an expense the University really needs to make in tough budgetary times. The University acquired the four-legged duo for an average of $7,000 to $15,000, according to the police department. The two dogs are named Diesel and Odin, and originally came from a vendor in Holland. They have already participated in presentations on campus including HESTEC last week. The dogs have led to the arrest of a few individuals involving drug paraphernalia and narcotics. The police department teamed up with Residence Life for an introductory meeting to find out more information and become more familiar with the canines, according to Director of Residence Life Eric Booth. “They’re using them to investigate legitimate concerns in the dorm rooms. But they’re not just walking through the halls,” he said. “They’re only using them when called.” The use of canines by University PD is not a new tool, however. Previously it was common to contact other agencies and request a canine intervention when needed. “In the past we’ve had to rely on the Edinburg school district or the City of

Edinburg to provide their canine services,” Loya said. “But having them readily available to us here is a good thing.” Attaining their own narcotic-sniffing dogs has been a goal of the police department since Chief Roger Stearns arrived at UTPA in 2009. “He came from a university who had dogs already. He made this a reality for us,” Loya said. Diesel and Odin are a friendly duo, according to Loya and Ralph. “This is really their first time around big groups of people, especially like HESTEC,” Loya said. “In situations like that, the officers take extra precautions just to make sure.” Part of the job of the handlers is to spend time with their assigned canine officer and learn to understand their behavioral patterns. In Ralph’s case, she and Odin spend on average of one to two hours a day together. “Once we get units, then he’ll be able to ride with me,” she said. “That means we’ll be together maybe eight to 12 hours a day.” Eventually the handlers will have the option of taking the canine to their respective homes. “What helps is developing that bond,” Ralph concluded. “You start to understand what’s normal and what’s not after being near each other every day, throughout the day.”

New art history BA now available

Degree focuses on Latin American architecture and expression By Daniella M. Diaz The Pan American The undergraduate degree in art is an established degree at the University, but a new twist has been implemented, after an art history emphasis was added during the summer. Associate professor of art Richard Phillips said the new track focuses heavily on the study of Latin American art and architecture. “In this new degree, the students take several studio art courses so that means they understand what it means to be an artist, empathize with artists, and also be able to analyze art,” Phillips said. “We have always had a demand (for the track) and we wanted to take that demand and provide students with this opportunity.” Phillips finished the course list that added the art history emphasis in 2009; the change was then approved by the University’s curriculum committee in early 2011 and afterward by President

Robert Nelsen and VP for Academic Affairs and Provost Havidan Rodriguez. “When I started coming up with these proposals around the year 2008, it took three years to put it all together,” Phillips recalled. “We can focus on one (topic of art history) really well that the students are interested in and we can do better than other flagship universities by making it stronger. Those universities usually only dedicate two faculty members to Latin American art history while we dedicate three.” Carlos de Souza and Robert Bradley are associate professors involved with the art major. Along with Phillips, the three are experts on different time periods of Latin American art history. “The major has a concentration in Latin American art because we have a population here that is very much Latino,” de Souza said. “We have classes on Latino art, and architecture, from the beginning of Mexican art in the pre-colonial times to the postmodern art.” The degree requires a minimum of

Bachelor of Arts in Art History

127 hours to graduate, with 24 hours focused on upperdivision art history courses. The art history emphasis in the BA in art will allow a student who graduates with the degree the opportunity to become an art historian, art appraiser, art Hours to graduate archivist or teacher, among other things. “The uses of this type of profession here in the Valley Upper division art are many; for example, one history hours is that we are lacking people who understand art, who can put together shows, who Undergrad art students can help our museums go forward, and I think that this type of degree will provide this Art history majors profession,” said De Souza. so far “A person with a very good background in art history can work in pretty much any field is a junior and one of the two currently of culture.” As of 2010, there are currently 446 declared art history majors. “I am glad that (the university) finally undergraduate students studying art off ers art history as a degree,” Meza majors at the University. Jessica Meza

Upper division Art History hours

127

Possible Careers:

Art Historian

446 2

127 hours to graduate

Art Appraiser

Art Archivist Art Teacher Erick Gonzalez/THE PAN AMERICAN

said. “It’s hard to find an affordable university that offers this major. I am hoping to do research in the future as an art historian.”

NEWS

October 6, 2011

MARINES

continued from Page 1

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: FIRST EMBRACE— Kayla McFarland hugs her husband tight after spotting him through the crowd of families and returning Marines gathered outside the gates of Donna VFW Post 10802.

“It wasn’t that big of an explosion,” De la Rosa recalled. “We didn’t know what was going on until we heard someone yell ‘IED! IED!’ over the radio.” It wasn’t the blast that shocked De la Rosa but the fact that it had been the first one he had witnessed. He looked over at his gunnery sergeant and started to send the causality report to get the injured Marines out of the area. “I could hear myself call out each line of the report, and I knew I was doing it right,” de la Rosa said. “But there was always this feeling that I could not mess this up. If anything had been wrong, it be the difference between our guys getting helped or not.” Several of the men had been injured in the downed vehicle, with one Marine later evacuated for traumatic brain injuries. WELCOME HOME Saturday, however, was not a day to look back at the tragedies of war for de la Rosa, McFarland and the other men in the company. The long-simmering worries associated with a combat tour were drowned out by the sound of 100

Patriot Rider motorcycles, fire engines and police cars. “All I could think about was how worried my mom had been while I was over there and how anxious she was,” de la Rosa said. “I knew she wouldn’t believe I was safe until she saw me.” The families, who had waited for hours under fall rain clouds, began pushing their way closer to the blocked off section of Business 83 in front of the VFW Post In Donna. A flurry of hugs, kisses and waving signs engulfed the men of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, as their seven-month deployment to Afghanistan finally came to an end. “It was a strange feeling,” de la Rosa later said. “I was sure I was going to wake up and be back at camp.” McFarland, who was on the first of two charter busses, had only taken a few steps past the sliding doors before his wife found him, wrapped her arms around his waist and cried out into his chest. “I was glad to be back, safe and holding her,” McFarland said. “There were so many emotions going through my mind.” His son was only a few feet away,

RAIN OR SHINE—Family members waited for more than ﬁve hours in the rain Saturday with homemade signs and other gifts before being reunited with their loved ones. No amount of rain could make them leave the packed parking lot. HOMECOMING— Lance Cpl. Dylan de la Rosa speaks with family and friends after returning home. “I was sure I was going to wake up back at camp,” he later said of the homecoming.

guarded from the excited crowd by his grandmother and oblivious to the magnitude of the moment. As the couple made their way through the other family reunions, McFarland recalled feeling a rush of pride as he saw his son. Kayla reached for the child and handed him to her husband for the first time. All the lost time faded away. “Time almost stopped when I held him,” McFarland later said. “It was the greatest feeling. I felt like a father for the first time.” LIFE AFTER WAR “I think this experience will motivate me to really study and finish my education,” de la Rosa said. “Not many people get to be a part of history like I was. I feel like I

should make this country better and keep serving.” De la Rosa plans on finishing off his reservist contract but is not sure whether he wants to use his history degree to become an officer in the United States Marine Corps. McFarland intends to take life a bit more slowly and enjoy time with his family more. “He smiles at me and knows my voice,” McFarland said about his son. “I just want to make the memories I didn’t have before. I want to do everything I can to be with him.” However, school doesn’t seem as daunting as it once did for the Marine. He explained that after going through

combat, a homework assignment would be far less stressful to him. He added that life in a war zone also made him more grateful for what he has now, and the opportunities he has now far outweigh those of the people he met while on patrol in Helmand Province. McFarland and de la Rosa both intend to return to UTPA in the spring to continue their education and take advantage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which pays for tuition, books, and housing. “I realize that the people of Afghanistan don’t have the options I have,” McFarland said. “I can return home, go to school, and learn from professors who are free to teach me. They don’t have that.”

The Pan American will cover the Occupy McAllen protest Friday starting at 6 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce. Follow the action on our Twitter, @thepanamerican.

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October 9

Sunday: Paint the campus green 3PM uc lobby

October 10

Monday: Spirit of Leadership 11aM-12:30PM SU sage Spirit Patrol 11aM-2PM Various Locations Bongo Ball Mania 4PM-10PM Quad

October 11

Tuesday: Athletics Photo Meet and Greet 12PM-1pm east patio Bronc-Up @ The Union 10AM-2pm SU Commons Ally Training 2pM-5pm SU Sage Bucky's Boot Scootin' Boogie 6PM-9pm UC Circle

October 12

Wednesday: Career Services Roadshow 12PM-1pm SU commons Bronc Zumbathon 6PM-8pm Quad

October 13

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October 9 - 15

Thursday: Spirit Rally 12Pm-1pm Quad Student union ladies night 5Pm-7pm su commons Volleyball Game (UTPA vs. Utah Valley) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PINK- OUT 7PM Fieldhouse

October 14

STUDENTS & TEACHERS

October 6, 2011

Friday: UTPA TailGate Party 5PM-9pm Lot F Midnight Madness 9:30Pm Fieldhouse

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10-15% OFF

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October 15

Page 5

Saturday: Volleyball Game (UTPA vs. North Dakota) 2PM Fieldhouse FOR MORE INFORMATION OR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS CONTACT THE OFFICE OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AT (956) 665 - 2660.

THE PAN AMERICAN

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Instant Queue

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October 6, 2011

Movies You’ll Love

Gamers Club (2011)

THE PAN AMERICAN

October 6, 2011

Games Queue

Recently Rented

Page 7

Games You’ll Enjoy

Synopsis cont... own games and learn them thoroughly. “A gamer will spend time with a game and learn all of its ins and outs, everything about it,” he said. “Secrets, other passages you might be able to take, unlockables and things like that as opposed to a casual gamer who will just play the game for its fun value and story and either put it away or sell it right away.”

Netﬂix breaks into gaming industry, Mixed reviews received concerning new gaming rental service offered by company Writer: Susan Gonzalez (screenplay)

Synopsis: While it is no secret that Netﬂix has split its two services, streaming movies and DVD-by-mail, into separate businesses with different fees, one fact that may have been lost in Netﬂix CEO Reed Hastings’s Sept. 18 blog post is the fact that the company will also be offering video game rentals to the list of services.

Screenshots:

While certain Netﬂix customers are not pleased with changes the company has recently announced, others think the video game rental will be a good addition. “I think it’s going to be very good for the company,” UTPA Gamers Club President Daniel Salinas said. “If you just want to try it, I think it’s a good idea, see if you like it. Try it out for that one month. And if you like it, then you can purchase it.” Salinas, who is working on his master’s degree in theatre, thinks it is a good deal for the company and consumers who enjoy video games. But its beneﬁts may even extend to places that sell video games, such as GameStop. With 14 locations Valley-wide, including one along University Drive, the video game retail company has a strong presence in the area.

Freshman English major J.V. Requena, also a member of the Gamers Club, shares a similar view. “I actually like to own the games,” he said. “If I have to turn it in before I beat it, it really sucks. I would rather just have the game there and I can take a break from it, but I know I have it there to beat later.” In addition to the fact that some prefer owning games as opposed to renting them, Netflix also faces the issue of console availability. As of now, only Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games are being offered for rental, even though there are many more consoles out there that dedicated gamers enjoy using. When compared to companies that offer similar video game rental services, such as GameFly, Netflix’s variety pales in comparison. GameFly offers more than 7,000 titles on a variety of consoles, such as PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, Nintendo DS and Gameboy Advance. They also allow users to check out two video games at a time. “I consider myself a gamer because I have a bunch of game systems,” Ponce said. “Like Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64, Xbox, Wii, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy DS, I’ve been everywhere. I don’t think I’ve ever sold a game ever. And it’s hard to choose a favorite system because each one has its own game that’s special. And for everybody that’s a different game.” While Netflix seems to be facing opposition from some dedicated gaming fans, to others it doesn’t affect their view of the company at all. “It’s very similar to GameFly,” Margaret Rivera, the other VP for the Gamers Club, said. “It doesn’t really affect my opinion. For me, it’s not a big deal. I always know someone who has the game anyway.” But Rivera, who is pursuing a master’s degree in anthropology, sees the point her fellow club members make.

“If a person likes the game they might go buy it at GameStop or something,” he said. “They could work in conjunction with each other. If they don’t like it, they won’t buy it. It’s also good for the consumer. They can try the games out before they buy them. It helps both parties equally.”

“If you really love the game or the genre, you’re going to keep it,” she said. “For example, some of the Final Fantasy VII games, the original discs, are going for $100. If they own them, they don’t want to sell them.”

While Salinas has a positive view on the matter, other members of the Gamers Club, such as Vice President Adrian Ponce, don’t think it is a good move.

This is another observation that should not go unnoticed when comparing Netﬂix to GameFly. With GameFly’s unique “keep feature,” users are allowed to buy the games they rent, which could make all the difference for dedicated gamers.

“Personally, I don’t like using Netﬂix or GameFly or things like that to rent games,” the junior English major said. “To me, gaming is like a feeling. You’re either going to like it or you don’t. And I will actually go out and buy a game and if I don’t like it, I’m a true believer in buyer’s remorse. I might sell it, but then again I might not.” Ponce, who had his ﬁrst Nintendo Gameboy when he was four, considers himself a “gamer.” He points out that most dedicated players prefer to

Runtime: 133 min Sound Mix: DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) Color: Color Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)) Rated PG-13 See all certiﬁcations » Parents Guide: View content advisory »

THE PAN AMERICAN

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Instant Queue

Recently Watched

October 6, 2011

Movies You’ll Love

Gamers Club (2011)

THE PAN AMERICAN

October 6, 2011

Games Queue

Recently Rented

Page 7

Games You’ll Enjoy

Netﬂix breaks into gaming industry, Mixed reviews received concerning new gaming rental service offered by company Writer: Susan Gonzalez (screenplay)

Screenshots:

While Salinas has a positive view on the matter, other members of the Gamers Club, such as Vice President Adrian Ponce, don’t think it is a good move.

Runtime: 133 min Sound Mix: DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) Color: Color Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)) Rated PG-13 See all certiﬁcations » Parents Guide: View content advisory »

October 6, 2011

Before the curtain falls PICKS ICKS OF THE WEEK Speaker

UTPA Art Department will host a panel Tuesday with Costa Rican performance artists Elia Arce and Belgian artist Mark Cloet at 6 p.m. in the UTPA Fine Arts Building C, Room 103. The event is free.

Theater

Behind the scenes of “King Lear”

By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American

Two days before the lights of the Albert L. Jeffers Theatre were to dim on the opening scene of “King Lear,” the backstage costume shop was alive with the hum of sewing machines and chatter of crew members. Hands busily ironed out creases in fabric and rhythmically sewed jewels into place. “All the blood came out really well,” said wardrobe head Kate Dirrigl, examining an orange costume. While audience members took in the Shakespearean tragedy during University

Norma Gonzalez/THE PAN AMERICAN

DUKE OF DRAMA - Senior Charlie Palacios applies his stage make-up to become the Duke of Cornwall before a dress rehearsal at Albert L. Jeffers Theater. The production of “King Lear” will run through Sunday. SEE LEAR || PAGE 9

The Edinburg Dance Theatre will perform “Peter and the Wolf” at the UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium on Friday at 6 p.m. Admission is $8 or free with UTPA ID.

Music

The Department of Music will host pianist Koji Attwood at his ﬁrst South Texas performance in the Fine Arts Auditorium Tuesday. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free of charge.

Action

Protestors with Occupy McAllen will march Oct. 6 from McAllen Chamber of Commerce to Archer Park at 6 p.m. Demonstrators will meet at the starting point at 5:30 p.m. Follow #OccupyMcAllen

Stories You Haven’t Heard

Remembering Revolution Student recalls turmoil at home

By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American Abdelhamid Riani always dreamed of attending a university in the United States, even though a college education is free in his home country of Tunisia. He was recruited by The University of Texas-Pan American his freshman year to play tennis. Living nearly 6,000 miles away from family was hard at first. He wished he could visit more often, but flight fares have limited him to only two visits in the past three years. And one of them could have stopped him from coming back to campus. “I always wanted to leave home,” Riani said. “To take that responsibility and build my career, but as soon as I left, I wanted to go back. I’ve got to make my country and family proud. I have a new philosophy on life.” Riani felt fortunate to be able to visit home last December. He was aware of the troubles stirring in Tunisia the North African country borders Algeria, Libya and the Mediterranean Sea - but was not prepared for what was going to break out. Protests erupted and spread throughout Tunisia, caused by unemployment and lingering political restrictions. The furor soon sparked in

other countries, such as Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen, causing the Arab Spring. According to most media outlets, citizens felt humiliated by their own government due to corruption, abuse of power and police brutality among other problems. During the daily presidential addresses, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, commonly known as Ben Ali, tried reassuring the citizens, but they saw things differently, thinking he had taken advantage of them. People made use of technology and social media to spread the news. “Facebook was the first source of information for us,” Riani said. “We knew everything through Facebook.” The outbreak of protests was not out of left field, as it may have seemed outside the region. The Tunisian government didn’t want information to leak, but the citizens got so fed up that they decided to post writing, video and photos online. “It all started with the guy burning himself, and people from his city could not stand that. They lashed out. They didn’t care anymore. They weren’t scared anymore,” said Riani, recalling the now famous self-immolation of a merchant on December 17, 2010 after his wares were confiscated. “They were

like, ‘You know what, man? If you want to kill us, kill all of us. We can’t handle this sh*t anymore.’” Riani recalls people marching down the streets, raiding, breaking cars and burning houses in his hometown of Sousse. Gunshots could be heard in the streets. “Luckily it was never really close to our house,” Riani said. “But you could hear people shooting. That was scary.” Riani had booked a return flight for Jan. 14, but all international flights were halted when President Ben Ali left the country. Riani tried rebooking his flight for the next day, but the president was still missing, and no flights were allowed out. Fortunately, Riani was able to get passage two days before school started back in the States. The travel lasted a day and a half, and he arrived the day before school started Jan. 18. “I was so lucky,” Riani said. “I had to sleep at the airport.” Although Riani feels his family lives in a safe place, he still worries about them. He thanks the guy who invented Skype because it makes it much easier to not only talk to them, but see them. Riani plans on graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance next December before continuing with his

Reynaldo Leal/THE PAN AMERICAN

PRIMARY WITNESS - Senior Abdel Riani lived through the beginning of the “Arab Spring” in Tunisia last year. The uprising in his home country triggered similar revolutions throughout the Middle East. master’s. He hopes one day to return to Tunisia, regardless of the recent problems the country has faced. “Today the country is obviously so much better without the ruling of a dictator. However, security is not back yet,” Riani said. “We are looking forward to building a good relationship with the new government after the elections next month.” Read “Stories You Haven’t Heard” online every Tuesday.

October 6, 2011

LEAR

continued from Page 8 Theatre Productions’ first performance of the semester last night, preparation during rehearsals and live shows began about two hours before spectators set foot in the theater for the cast and crew. “In productions like this, it’s takes a whole array to put it together,” said theatre major and “King Lear” stage manager Roque Vera. “When we put on live shows, it almost unifies the entire theatre area.” For Dirrigl and the costume crew, that means being on hand to take care of any wardrobe malfunctions that happen to the 27 actors during the play’s run, problems that can range from broken zippers to difficult stains left behind by stage blood. “There’s a lot that can go wrong in a little amount of time,” the 19-year-old said, mentioning a closure that fell off an actress’ dress during a rehearsal. “Goneril almost gave the audience a free show.” Vera said the University’s production of “King Lear” turns away from puffy-sleeved Elizabethan adaptations in favor of costumes and props that are more true to the era in which the play is set. That also means that audiences won’t see armored knights or even envelopes. “You don’t want big, poofy costumes when they didn’t exist in pre-Christian Britain,” he said. “Every detail is crucial to making the play work like the director wants.” As wardrobe head, Dirrigl must ensure that every outfit goes on the right actor during each costume change. “Once a show goes up,it’s really out of the designer’s and director’s control and into the crew’s,” she said. WORK TO DO In the sawdust-scented air of the wood shop behind the stage, senior Eric Sanchez cleaned up and prepared to head home Monday after a day of working on the set. “It’s pretty much from scratch,” he said about building the stage. “Now, [we’re] painting, little things here and there. We’re making sure the platform is all nice and neat.” The Mission resident said the shop crew would be around to make any repairs to the set needed during the week, but the real work will begin again after “King Lear” wraps up on Sunday. “Once they’re done with the production, that’s

when we strike,” he said. “We take down in a day what it took us weeks to do.” Though Sanchez only became an official member of the theatre team last week, the TV/film major has been helping construct the set since crew members began their work in August. “I don’t really consider it a job,” said Sanchez, a former video game store employee who has been vying for a work-study position with the theater shop for about six months. “I quit my other job to be here, so that says a lot.” With about an hour and a half before Monday rehearsal’s curtain call, Dirrigl had walked into the main dressing room across the hall. “Luis, you already know that you need more old age, right?” she asked 22-year-old Luis Moreno. Moreno attempted to add 18 years to his face for a role as the Earl of Kent. Space in front of a wall-length mirror became scarce as a cadre of actors applied eyeliner and foundation before their run-through. “To do it right, it almost takes Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN close to thirty minutes,” he said FADING OUT (L-R) Gloucester, is blinded by Reagan, daughter of Lear, in UTPA’s production of King Lear. while painting black lines along the contours of his cheeks. “It’s Gloucester is played by philosophy professor Thomas Pearson and Reagan is played by Summer Flowers. pretty strenuous work considering I’m not very good at makeup.” The junior theatre major began preparing for his role upon being cast in May. “You’re pretty much entering a whole new world,” he explained. “I just hope to put on a good story. It’s a lot of work, patience, perseverance, and you need a lot of love for it.” Donate your plasma to help save the lives Vera said there is always a chance something could go awry, he has learned to think on his toes. worldwide. If you qualify as a new donor, you “It just happens, but that’s the beauty of live can earn up to $95 this week. theater,” he stressed. “I think the most important thing is to realize that it takes everybody doing their job to put on this show.”

Earn $95 this week

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DISHONORED - Junior Xavier Aguilar, a communication studies major, plays the role of Edmund. His character is Gloucester’s illegitimate son.

Remaining show times for King Lear: Oct. 6 through Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Albert L. Jeffers Theatre and Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission and free with UTPA ID.

www.talecrisplasma.com In addition to meeting the donation criteria, you must provide a valid photo I.D., proof of your current address and your Social Security or immigration card to donate.

October 6, 2011

No se olvida Jóvenes se unen para concienciar de la Matanza Estudiantil

Por Norma Gonzalez The Pan American

Aunque por el momento no se han categorizados como una organización, varios adultos se han unido para poder informar e ilustrar las dificultades en la historia Latino Americana por medio de un documental. Algunos de los organizadores son estudiantes de la Universidad de Texas Pan-Americana, otros son del campus vecino South Texas College y unos simplemente no asisten a la escuela. Sin embargo, por mientras ellos se denominan por el nombre ‘Hijos de Ahuizote.’ Al inicio del mes de octubre, se dio la oportunidad de presentar un documental sobre las matanzas estudiantiles que se tomo cabo en Tlatelolco durante el año de 1968. Sin embargo, como estos estudiantes no son parte de UTPA, no pudieron anunciar el evento como se merecía. “Nuestra meta es presentar

estas temas a la gente por parte de arte y películas,” dijo Pedro Rodríguez, estudiante especializado en antropología. “La gente de descendencia Mexicana tiene que darse cuenta que son conectados a estas peleas.” Uno de los motivos por el cual no hubo muchos asistentes a este evento fue por causa de publicidad, ya que los organizadores no son estudiantes de esta universidad. Pero los pocos que si asistieron estuvieron muy agradecidos por la oportunidad de ver este material histórico. “Es un gran servicio tener eventos especiales como este,” dijo Gary Mounce, profesor de Política Latino Americana. También mencionó que el evento se convirtió en algo muy casual en donde todos comentaron sobres las películas presentadas. El movimiento estudiantil involucró estudiantes de la universidad, profesores, amas de casa y muchos mas de la comunidad.

La gente solo quería mas democracia y libertades, pero el gobierno no quería la posibilidad de que ruinen las olimpiadas. Las películas eran un cojunto de fotografías y videos de ese día. Tomaron el punto de vista de gente que sobrevivió y diferentes entrevistas de testigos. El evento de Tlatelolco abrió las puertas de un movimiento democrático en México, que fue olvidado. “Hoy en día no sabemos a quién culpar, solo podemos culpar al presidente,” mencionó Héctor Guzmán, quien es estudiante especializando en matemáticas. “Los cuerpos desparecieron el próximo día, diez días después las olimpiadas empezaron como si no hubiera pasado nada.” Los Hijos de Ahuizote esperan continuar con eventos como este y crecer en popularidad, teniendo en meta darle voz a eventos que no se han dado a luz tal como “La Matanza Estudiantil.”

Francisco Rodriguez/The Pan American

“Los sueños si se cumplen” Anna Tirado, el comienzo de una estrella

Por Maria Victoria Alanis The Pan American Mientras sus primos jugaban, ella observaba sus tíos cantar soñando con un día hacerlo profesionalmente. Fue en reuniones familiares en donde Anna Tiradose inició en el canto y así, desde muy pequeña, comenzó con hacer su sueño realidad. Anna Karen Tirado Torres nació en la ciudad de San Antonio, Texas. Al poco tiempo se mudaron a la ciudad de Reynosa, Tamaulipas, en donde tuvo sus primeros años de crianza. Por buscar un mejor futuro para la familia, el padre de Anna tomo la decisión de mudar la familia al Valle de Texas, y emprender una nueva vida en los Estados Unidos. Es aquí en donde Anna descubrió su pasión hacia el canto, iniciando el camino de conquistar sus sueños. No fue hasta los 10 años de edad que ella comenzó con el género regional Mexicano. Por ello llego a ser parte del mariachi “Nueva Era” de la preparatoria Valley View. Atreves del grupo musical conoció su primer triunfo: ganaron el primer lugar a nivel nacional. La música es algo que Tirado lleva en la sangre, es su máxima forma de expresión, comenta la joven cantante. Ha tocado el violín desde los 11 años y participado en concursos a nivel nacional. Determinación y constancia, informa Tirado, han sido las herramientas que ha usado a su favor. Participó dos veces en un programa conducido por Marcos Valdes para la cadena Univisión. La primera vez no gano, pero la segunda vez obtuvo el primer lugar, en donde demostró su persistencia. A igual manera, a principios del 2011 Anna recibió la oportunidad de representar el Valle de Texas en la ciudad de Los Ángeles, California, participando en el programa “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento.” El programa fue conducido por la actriz Liliana Arriaga, “La Chupitos,” y por un grupo de jueces formado por conocidas personalidades del medio del espectáculo. Estos reconocidos personalidades fueron constituidas por Héctor Suárez, actor, Pepe Garza, locutor y productor, y Paty Manterola, ex integrante del grupo Garibaldi. Al interpretar la nota musical “Sin El,” de Marisela, Anna recibió aplausos y una ovación por parte del público. Las críticas recalcaron como ella hizo la canción suya al crear su propia versión.

Reynaldo Leal/The Pan American

La Cantante - Ana Tirado continÚa luchar por sus sueños de ser cantante. Al momento sigue sus estudios en teatro en la Universidad de Texas - Pan American. “(Me gustó) la forma en cómo cantaste el tema, muy a tu estilo. Es difícil salirse de la versión de Marisela, que es tan escuchada,” informó Tirado, sobre las palabras dichas por parte de Garza. “Han venido muchas muchachas a cantar ese mismo tema aquí y desafortunadamente no han podido lograr su propia versión. Tu lo hiciste. Te felicito.” El apoyo de su familia y las ganas de seguir luchando cada día por su sueño han llevado Tirado a representar el Valle de Texas, llegando a pisar grandes escenarios. Anna actualmente cursa su tercer año en la Universidad de Texas-Pan American y estudia la carrera de teatro. Le gusta el canto y la actuación, además forma parte del coro de la iglesia de San Juan. Al preguntarle qué es lo que más le gusta del teatro Tirado respondió“Todas las emociones trasmitidas a la gente, las historias detrás. Todo lo que envuelve la televisión es algo fascinante. Es un gran arte y una manera de llegar a la gente.” Sin duda alguna Tirado es un ejemplo a seguir. “En la vida uno se va a topar con desilusiones, al igual que grandes cosas,” Tirado dijo. “Pero no se den por vencidos, y si se caen aprendan a levantarse y cuando se levanten lo hagan con mas fuerzas. Los sueños si se cumplen. Querer es poder.”

October 6, 2011

Volleyball begins long homestand UTPA hosts Houston Baptist this weekend By Alex E. Peña The Pan American The UTPA women’s volleyball team arrived home from their three-game road trip Tuesday at 5 a.m. Neither arriving in the early hours of the day nor the frequent road trips has affected the Broncs. This three-game road swing was different, though, because it was the first non-tournament trip. The Broncs split Great West Conference matches, winning 3-2 at Chicago State and dropping a 3-0 contest to NJIT. UTPA reeled off a nonconference 3-2 victory at Prairie View A&M to complete the trip. After the team has played 16 of 19 games this season on the road, head coach Brian Yale is just glad his girls get to enjoy a little bit of a home stay for once. “The wins have definitely helped our confidence. The road trip was tough, but it’ll be nice to be home for a couple of games,” Yale said. “(Being home) is definitely a huge plus for us

right now.” The Broncs (1-1, 5-14) play their next six contests at the Field House, starting with the Houston Baptist Huskies on Saturday at 2 p.m. and ending with New Mexico Oct. 23. Three of those matches are GWC games, and the rest are non-conference play. The Huskies are 14-5 on the season and 2-0 in the GWC, presenting a bigger task for the Broncs since they swept UTPA last season. “It’ll be a challenge,” Yale said. “They’re 2-0 (in the conference), and they beat NJIT, who we lost to. We got our challenges ahead, so getting one win (on the road trip) was good for us.” The Broncs enter the game against the Huskies having taken four of their last five matches, and both wins during the recent road trip came in five sets, so it’s safe to say the women have a positive streak going. In the match against the Prairie View A&M Panthers, UTPA, down 0-2, forced a fifth set which it won

15-7 to take the game 3-2. The women have also learned the valuable lesson of playing away from the Field House. “We were in some hostile gyms and getting called names, there were some atmospheres that it took the girls a little bit of time to get adjusted,” Yale said about playing on the road. “But it was nice to see them rally together and finish.” They have also received great contribution from some key players, which should help against the Huskies. Statistically Ijanae Holman leads the Broncs with an average kills per set of 2.46. Juri Franzen is tops with 3.98 digs per set, and Shauna Miller averages 7.48 assists per set so far. “(Holman) is taking on a bigger load this year than in the past, and has shown a lot of toughness,” Yale said. “Franzen, being a newcomer, Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American has been learning the ropes of being a libero and with a new team. Practice makes perfect - Freshman Michelle McNamee works on Miller is just a freshman, and she her serve during Wednesday’s practice. The Broncs will play their next is working hard to learn the system home game Saturday against Houston Baptist at 2 p.m.

Formal wear for fitness

Women’s Athletic Fundraiser to take place Saturday By Michael Saenz The Pan American UTPA will host its Women’s Athletics Fundraiser Gala on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Shary Mansion in Mission. The event theme is “Black Tie and Tennies” and is an attempt to promote women’s athletics while at the same time raising funds for scholarships. “The main thing is trying to raise funds for the women’s scholarships Courtesy of the Athletic Department and to bring community leaders back on campus Cordially invited - The Women’s Athletics for support,” Athletic Fundraiser will take place Saturday, Oct. 8 Director Chris King said. from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Shary Mansion “In this occasion, all the in Mission. Tickets are $50. funds that are raised

will be going directly to women’s scholarships.” Guests are encouraged to wear formal attire along with a favorite pair of tennis shoes. The event will feature live music, a fashion show in which the women’s basketball team will showcase their new Nike uniforms, and both live and silent auctions. The mistress of ceremonies will be Channel 5 News anchor Letty Garza. The University held this event a few years back but eventually broke off with all the new faces joining the athletics department. “There was success with this event a number of years ago, but once I arrived here, things fell apart,” King said. “We want strong female community leaders to attend so they can mentor our female athletes as well.” A few of the items to be auctioned include an AT&T Cotton Bowl

Classic gift certificate for two, an opportunity to travel with the men’s basketball team in November, four Houston Rockets game tickets plus hotel accommodations, and two San Antonio Spurs basketball tickets. There are over 60 items to be auctioned off at the event, which carries a $50 admission. There will be lots of festivities, but the athletic department wants to make it clear that through all the lights and glamour, it’s still about the athletes. “The Women’s Athletic Fundraiser is an event to get exposure for our seven women’s athletics in which only two of them currently have locker rooms,” said Chelsea Blakely, director of corporate sponsorships and ticket sales and a former Bronc volleyball standout. “We want a better experience for our athletes and part of that is having better facilities

for them. I played volleyball here, so I know what it is to be an athlete here at UTPA.” Women’s athletics currently has close to 100 female studentathletes that compete for the Broncs throughout the year, and the department plans to fully fund as many as possible, as allowed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). UTPA has many other fundraising programs implemented and scheduled for later this year. “All of our fundraisers go to the entire department, such as the BAIT fishing tournament and the second annual Pull for Broncs Baseball skeet shoot baseball fundraiser scheduled for Oct. 15,” King said. “There will be a few others throughout the year as well, but we wanted to do something special for the women.”

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THE PAN AMERICAN

October 6, 2011