UTPA Confessional Facebook page becomes outlet for anonymous statements
Pages 4-5
February 21, 2013
Volume 69, No. 19
Part 1 of 3: LGBT Summary of rights discussion
Page 3
Demon Barber Sweeney Todd opens Feb. 26
Page 6
Weekly Events Things to do through Feb. 28
Online
L63-48
Men’s basketball still fighting for winning season Page 7
Basketball, tennis, baseball coverage Online
SGA Debate
?
National gun control controversy becomes local discussion
Adrian Castillo/The Pan American
SGA presidential candidates share their platforms
Online
panamericanonline.com
By Jaime Leal The Pan American In the wake of a spate of violence, as the nation debates gun measures on carrying firearms in the open and on college campuses, the UTPA community discussed the issues Feb. 7. Gun control has been in the national consciousness following two high-profile public shootings in the past year. In July, 12 people were killed and 58 wounded when 25-year-old student James Holmes allegedly opened fire in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater. In December,
20 kindergarten and first-grade students and six adults were killed when 20-year-old Adam Lanza allegedly forced his way into an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., with an AR-15 assault rifle and several pistols. Political Science professors James Wenzel, Jerry Polinard and lecturer James Gleason took on topics related to gun control, with the discussion led by Jordan Gonzalez, a 20-yearold political science major. The educators talked about the Second Amendment and its place in modern times, along with steps that could possibly prevent
future homicides in the United States and schools. UTPA DISCUSSION The first issue the professors tackled was the purpose of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which Wenzel said he believed allowed a collective group of people or a militia to own weapons. “But in modern times, the preamble that states ‘...the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed’ is being manipulated for the benefits of
individuals,” Wenzel said. “The question we are facing is, What does it protect and what was it intended to protect?” Polinard gave his opinion on gun violence and some Americans that want a stricter form of gun control. An outright ban on guns would be unconstitutional, he said. The discussion turned to the person that ultimately pulls the trigger. Political Science Professor Samuel Freeman agreed when the professors said the individual behind the bullet hadn’t been given
continued on Page 3
2
opinion
February 21, 2013
COMIC
Video games, violence unrelated Charles Vale
News Editor
Francisco Rodriguez /The Pan American
photo of the week
Susan Gonzalez /The Pan American Senior marketing major Cecilia Rangel (right) gives her resumé to Roxie Salinas, a store manager for Toys "R" Us. Rangel attended the 40th Annual Career Day at the Field House to inquire about part-time jobs and internships Feb. 20.
Vol. 69, No. 19
The Pan American
thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, ARHU 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122
Editors-in-Chief:
Karen Antonacci Daniella Diaz
News Editor:
Charles Vale
Sports Editor:
Norma Gonzalez
Arts & Life Editor:
Lea Victoria Juarez
Photography Editor: Adrian Castillo
Design Editor:
Karen Villarreal
#UTPA Tweet at and follow us @ThePanAmerican
(Typical instagram person tweet) “Here at school bored #UTPA #Math #Monday #KillMeNow #OverThis #Hungry #TooEarly #NoFilter” -___- STFU!!! - @Jetman2408 i wish stc and utpa played ultimate as an intramural - @raphaeltmetzner I approached a cat at utpa and it let me pet it :3 - @nadiawantsapony
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Adviser:
Dr. Greg Selber
Administrative Associate:
Anita Reyes
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Elva Ramirez
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Jose Villarreal
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.
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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:
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The issue first reared its head in 1976 when a game called Death Race allowed players to run over little stick people with an 8-bit car, and again in 1992 when Sub-Zero ripped Liu Kang’s spine out of his torso in Mortal Kombat. Now, 21 years later, it still remains a scapegoat for politicians and the news network’s talking bobbleheads every time some young psychopath goes on a rampage. Violence in videogames is again a hot topic, especially now, considering recent events. The issue is a red herring, a distraction. In a press conference shortly after the Sandy Hook massacre, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, said all violence in society can be blamed on video games, Hollywood and President Obama. Never mind that the NRA just released a shooting simulator application on iTunes. And then there’s the recent ‘sin
tax’ that Conn. State Rep. Debralee Hovey proposed that places a 10 percent tax on mature-rated games. Hey, why don’t we tax every R-rated movie that comes out too? Or how about a tax on literature that describes violent situations in vivid detail? It’s a tragedy when something like Sandy Hook Elementary or Columbine happens, but it’s tiring to hear the flying insinuations that
Video games are no different from kids playing cops and robbers, war, or cowboys and Indians. The visual aspect isn’t there, but the main idea behind cowboys and Indians is to pretend to shoot and kill an historically subjugated race of people. That’s OK, but a video game about a futuristic space marine fighting to save the human race against an alien invasion isn’t?
Video games aren’t Serial Killing 101, and people don’t learn to shoot from video games any more than learn how to use magic from Harry Potter. - Charles Vale News Editor
because someone with a history of mental health problems liked to play Call of Duty on his free time, his hobbies caused a killing spree. There usually is a laundry list of personal issues that can cause a person to finally snap such as school bullying, parental neglect, and easy access to firearms.
And how much violence is OK? People don’t raise hell when Elmer Fudd unloads a shotgun shell in Daffy Duck’s face at pointblank range, or when Batman runs around Gotham punching people in the face. And for crying out loud, parents, monitor your kids. There are
ESRB ratings on games for a reason. If you’re going to let them play violent games, at least explain why they can’t mimic it in real life. No matter how smart you think your kid is, children are dumb and prone to do stupid things. Video games have always been another storytelling medium; an escape from the mundane constants of life, like any book, movie or play. Video games aren’t Serial Killing 101, and people don’t learn to shoot from video games any more than learn how to use magic from Harry Potter. Sometimes they aren’t tasteful, and creators sometimes use them to exploit pure shock value, but they are harmless. No one’s accusing Game of Thrones of promoting incest. Ultimately, there is no proven way to lower the amount of violent outbreaks in society. Don’t blame video games because it’s easy. Take a deeper look at societial ills like the daily harassment of kids in school by bullies, the easy availability of assault weapons to the public, and the mentally sick who aren’t getting the help they need.
Core hours to decrease by 1 By Karen Perez The Pan American Erasing a credit hour from students’ core requirements might not seem like a big change, but it is a decision the UTPA Core Curriculum Committee has mulled over for the past 10 months. After the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board mandated that public universities
core credits to decrease
from 43 to 42 across the state revise their general education core curriculum or basic courses for undergraduates the CCC has been meeting frequently since May 2012. One of the changes will decrease core credits from 43 to 42 hours. The voting committee is composed of two faculty representatives from each academic college. Non-voting members include one from the Faculty Senate, the University Curriculum Committee (which oversees the CCC), a representative of Student Affairs, the vice provost for undergraduate studies and a student member. Together, they review proposals made within the University
and make sure they comply with state regulations. An agreement by the voting members could be made next month. After the vote, the Committee will be informed of the result, following a review from the UTPA president and provost. Lastly, approval is needed from both the UT System and the Coordinating Board. A total of 36 hours taken from eight core subject areas will remain the same although some category names have been altered. For example, the visual/ performing arts requirement is now considered “creative arts.” As of now, the CCC is working to decide how the additional six hours will be used, to total the mandatory 42 core credits. Currently, the six additional hours consist of two science labs,
8 core subject areas
(totaling 36 hours)
to remain same
a computer literacy course and a literature or philosophy course. The changes made will only affect incoming freshman and sophomore students fall 2014. Kristin Croyle, vice provost for undergraduate studies at
UTPA, said the goal of every revision is to improve. “We want the changes to benefit students in order to provide a better foundation,” she said. Croyle explained that difficulties arise when all departments need to compromise. She also said it’s not easy trying to meet the needs of all students when it comes to selecting mandatory courses. “There are plenty of good ideas presented but we have to limit ourselves,” she said. “Students may ask why a certain course isn’t included, but if we accommodate every student’s wish, it won’t add up to 42 hours.” There are 72 existing courses up for considering along with new ones. According to Croyle, examples of interesting course ideas vary from minority literature to wellness. Previous changes were issued by Coordinating Board five years ago when the 48 core hours were cut down to the current 43 in an effort to meet the average goal of 120 degree hours. Before that, the students had to take 60 core hours. “A reduced amount in hours saves the state of Texas a lot of money,” John Abraham, chair of the CCC explained. “There are
6 additional hours
(to complete 42) from: computer literacy science labs literature or philosophy
two arguments. One is that the more courses required, the better prepared students will be but at the same time, less hours will help out students financially.” The committee is also focused on implementing new skills to all core areas as required by the Coordinating Board. The overall core objectives include critical thinking, communication, empirical and quantitative skills as well as teamwork and personal and social responsibilities. While major academic changes occur slowly and rarely, Croyle advises students to keep up to date with the latest catalog as University requirements might change from time to time. “Students don’t realize that the University’s core curriculum is a living one that is constantly modified and changed,” she explained. “We’ll soon know more about the changes that will happen after the faculty votes.”
February 21, 2013 January 31, 2013 Part 1 of 3 of The Pan American’s series on the LGBT community
By Daniella Diaz The Pan American
Is this the year?
3
LGBT rights on the docket
-Edgar Garcia
new generation of Republicans who are more open-minded to same-sex couples. Who am I to judge them and stop their marriage?” Garcia said he hopes the rest of the University community will also show support for LGBT rights in the United States. “We’re supporting it and hopefully same-sex marriage will be allowed one day,” Garcia said. “We’re optimistic and we’re keeping tabs on it. It’s very important to the community and I hope the Supreme Court, and the rest of the country, realizes that.”
PARTY ISSUE Last month, President Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to state his support for the LGBT community in an inaugural address. “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” Obama said. “For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.” However, in general, the Republican Party disagrees. Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Calif.) said he believes that the address was only aimed toward supporters of the Democratic Party.
com. “We were hoping that he would use this day to reach out to all Americans and all parties. He clearly did not.” Elijah Casas, the president of the Republicans at UTPA, said he wants University students to know that the majority of the organization supports the LGBT movement, despite opinions other Republicans may vocalize. He said he believes that gay marriage is legal because, according to him, there is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits it. “The Republicans do have the image of not being in support of gay marriage,” the 23-year-old political science major said. “I think there’s a
THE TEXAS BILL Here in Texas, McAllen’s Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa filed a bill titled SB 480 Feb. 11 that would grant same-sex couples ability to enter into civil unions, thus granting them the same rights spouses receive in a traditional marriage. But Hinojosa’s bill has several hurdles to overcome before it can become a Texas law. A few days before Hinojosa’s bill was proposed, Texas Sen. Jose Rodriguez, Rep. Rafael Anchia and Rep. Garnet Coleman each proposed constitutional amendments that would repeal the 2005 Texas Marriage Amendment, which defines marriage as an act between a man and women and prohibits anything similar to a
ban on various automatic or semiautomatic firearms. In February, House Democrats, led by Rep. Mike Thompson introduced their own plan, still in the works, that would limit high-capacity ammunition clips and enforce stricter background checks, with an emphasis on mental health. There is a loophole, however, for background checks. The Gun Show Loophole allows people who aren’t usually in the business of selling firearms to sell them without checking out the background of the customer or keeping any records of the sale. The sellers are still not allowed to do business with someone they believe to be a criminal. There are 17 states that have taken measurements to close the
loophole, leaving 33 others, such as Texas, without action. David de Leon, a 22-yearold employee for the Lozano Shooting Range in McAllen, stated that Obama’s plan isn’t necessary. He believes the government should develop a system where organizations work together to prevent violence. “I don’t want to be left without a weapon and just because I have a high-capacity magazine doesn’t mean it’s bad,” de Leon said. “It means that I have the freedom and the right to own them. We shouldn’t penalize everyone for the actions of the few.” In a recent CNN poll, 62 percent of Americans favored banning semi-automatic weapons and high-ammunition magazines,
devices that carries more than 10 bullets. UTPA senior Matthew Castillo is one of them. “I don’t think it’s really sincere to have an automatic rifle,” the 26-year-old kinesiology major said. “It just goes to show the stigma we have, which is the bigger gun we have, the better we feel.”
Congressional Federal Assault Weaopons Ban passed
Columbine Massacre
District of Columbia v. Heller decided
Aurora Theater Shooting
Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting
Texas Personal Protection Act filed
U.S. bans 19 specific assault weapons and newly manufactured firearms. Expired 2004
Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, seniors at Columbine High School murder 12 students and one teacher before shooting themselves
U.S. Supreme Court rules that individuals can own firearms for self-defense.
James Holmes allegedly enters a theater in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 people and injuring 58 others
20-year-old Adam Lanza allegedly enters Sandy Hook Elementary, killing 20 students and six adults before taking his own life
Texas lawmakers file legislation that will allow citizens in public college and university campuses to carry concealed firearms
Sept. 13, 1944
April 20, 1999
June 26, 2008
July 20, 2012
Dec. 14, 2012
Jan. 22, 2013
This might be the year the Supreme Court decides whether same-sex marriage is constitutional. There are currently nine states in the U.S. that allow same-sex unions, including Massachusetts, New York, Washington and Maine. However, the federal government does not recognize gay marriage due to the Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996, which defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. This March, the Supreme Court justices will start reviewing court cases dealing with same-sex marriage and make their decision by June. Same-sex marriage and samesex union virtually mean the same thing, the only difference being that in the former, a couple can receive benefits from the federal government while in the latter cannot. Edgar Garcia is the public relations officer for the LGBT Alliance at UTPA. The members of the organization have been waiting for the legalization of same-sex marriage to happen for a long time, he said. “It’s good to see that we’re slowly moving to a better future in the LGBT community,” Garcia said. “We’re constantly updat-
ing our members with current events, letting them know what’s going on and we’re always hoping for support.” ON THE DOCKET The first case that the Supreme Court has on the docket is from New York, titled United States v. Windsor, where the justices will decide whether the federal government can deny benefits to same-sex couples in the states that legally allow marriage. In the second case, titled Hollingsworth v. Perry, the justices will decide whether samesex marriage is legal in the state of California. Reviewing these cases means the Supreme Court justices might tackle the larger issue: whether same-sex unions or marriage should be legal in the United States. Professor James Wenzel, a professor, chair for the UTPA Political Science Department, said he does not believe same-sex marriage will become legal on a federal level. “The odds are very unlikely,” he said. “What the justices probably will do is make same-sex marriage a state-by-state issue, I think.” In the meantime, Garcia waits with the rest of the members of the LGBT Alliance at UTPA. The organization has 25 members and was established in 2011. “It’s the positive progress we
need in our country,” he said. “Personally, I want to see these things happen. The country is getting progressive on the issue of LGBT rights.”
“The words were code for a progressive agenda. I’m hoping that the president will recognize that compromise should have been the words for today, and they clearly weren’t,” Issa told politico.
We’re constantly updating our members with current events, letting them know what’s going on, and we’re always hoping for support. Public relations officer, LGBT Alliance
marriage, including civil unions, if the majority of Texas residents voted for it in November. Hinojosa’s bill could be in effect in 2014, but only if the majority of Texans vote to repeal the 2005 Texas Marriage Amendment and if two-thirds of both Texas chambers approve the bill. Hinojosa’s bill would also repeal a portion of Texas’ 2003 Defense of Marriage Act, which states that Texas is prohibited from recognizing same-sex marriages or civil unions involving people from here or other states. Wenzel said he believes the odds for Hinojosa’s bill to be passed are slim because Texas is still a predominantly red state. “It’s an uphill battle,” the professor said. “Is the Texas Legislature for it? If I were betting person, I would probably not bet on this.” Until then, supporters and disbelievers alike await the outcome of state and national measures regarding LGBT rights. “It’s a personal belief to make the decision of whether you support gay marriage or not,” Casas said. “We accept others differences. That goes back to the gay rights issue - it’s about acceptance.”
guns Continued from Page 1 discipline through their lives or may have suffered as victims of circumstance. “We need to know how to tackle the issue that most of these people, who are committing these murders, are lashing out because they were bullied or lacked discipline,” Freeman said. “We need more economic progress, a higher standard of living and higher employment so that these people can see that their lives are going to get better.” NATIONWIDE ISSUE U.S. President Barack Obama announced a plan Jan. 16 for stricter gun control laws including criminal background checks, tougher gun trafficking penalties and an assault weapon
GUNS ON CAMPUS During the gun control discussion, students brought up the controversial issue of carrying a concealed weapon on a college campus. Texas was one of 10 states in the last three years were hotly contested bills were introduced to state legislatures. Texas’ in 2010 did not pass due to concerns about the increase of university insurance bills. The
issue will likely come up again in the 2013 session, according to The Texas Tribune. UTPA President Robert Nelsen is absolutely opposed to having guns on campus. “I don’t think they should be here,” Nelsen said in an interview with The Pan American. “This is a place of education.” Back on the UTPA campus, Freeman said the discussion Feb. 7 just skimmed the surface. “We didn’t get down to the nitty grit,” Freeman said. “What we need is a series of these debates where we drill down to the issues and then the answers. We can’t do this in a room with hundreds of people and 50 minutes.”
Scan this code for a collection of The Pan American’s work on gun control
History of the issue
Page 4
THE PAN AMERICAN
February 21, 2013
THE PAN AMERICAN
February 21, 2013
Page 5
Anonymous Facebook page
tells all Story by Lea Victoria Juarez Some of students’ most private thoughts were unleashed via Facebook Feb. 11 when a UTPA confessions page was created, allowing people to submit “confessions” anonymously through a website called Survey Monkey. Within hours, the page, using the copyrighted Bronc logo as the main image, blew up with posts regarding the UTPA community. While some of posts described the everyday lives of the submitters, many included references about other people and their sexual performance or number of partners. Views of students, faculty and staff were also commonly found when scrolling down the site. Some posts were vague, but specific names of people and campus organizations showed up as well. Virtual confession pages have become an Internet trend, popular among high school and college students. With the search “facebook confessions” reaching its peak in February according to Google trends, students across the nation are divulging information while remaining hidden behind their keyboards. The morning of Feb. 12, Kimberly Selber, associate vice president of marketing and communication, got word of the page and immediately attempted to get the page taken down. A complaint was filed through Facebook and the page’s image was taken down before 4 p.m. the
that has that kind of content. “I don’t think someone should know if people are sleeping around. That’s nobody’s business whatsoever,” said 18-year-old communication disorders major Christina Rodriguez. “There’s re-
and social media at the fore, such as the Rutgers suicide case of 2010. A student was presumed dead after his roommate broadcast a sexual encounter online. Mechanical engineering major Luis Elizalde said he believes that although
18-year-old communication disorders major
There's really no way to know what is factual and what's not. I think that it should never have been made because it's inappropriate. Like
Comment
Share
ally no way to know what is factual and what’s not. I think that it should never have been made because it’s inappropriate.” UTPA confessions. had 1,923 Facebook “likes” as of Wednesday night. Mass communications major Matthew Sustaita explained that although he thinks the confession page is something to look down on, it has a humorous element and entertainment value. “All that sort of stuff is easy to get hooked on. It’s pretty similar to those celebrity news tabloids,” the 20 year old Edinburg native said. “Some seek attention, others are just looking for ways to entertain themselves and other people
Trying to get other people to talk bad about others, that's bad for us, but also saying what good stuff is happening here at Pan Am as well can be a good thing. Share
same day, due to the breaking of copyright laws regarding the logo. Soon after, the page itself was nowhere to be found on the site. Currently there are three pages, created within minutes of each other, that are still up on: Meta UTPA confessions, Confessions of UTPA and UTPA confessions., the latter the most popular with several daily postings with content similar to the original page. “We’re working with Facebook and doing everything we can to take it down,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Martha Cantu. “One thing that we’re looking at is that there’s hate speech in there, racist, disgusting...but my understanding is that we can’t do anything about it. That doesn’t mean that we’re still not trying.” San Benito native Christina Rodriguez said she was embarrassed to have the school associated with something
The following does not reflect the opinions of The Pan American staff.
Christina Rodriguez
Luis Elizalde
Comment
Samples from the UTPA confessions. page.
Design By Karen Villarreal
20-year-old mechanical engineering major
Like
1,923 likes · 2,051 talking about this
seem to just be exploiting the power of anonymity.” Student Government Association President Matthew Garcia said he believes that the page has taken a turn for the worse. “I think the idea of it sounds like it could be something interesting--a nice way for students to get their thoughts out without fear of being called out on it,” Garcia said. “I think what it’s actually evolved into is not good at all. It’s an extremely negative page that doesn’t look good for (students) and doesn’t look good for UTPA.” Cantu and Selber explained they are promoters of free speech, but are concerned students might get hurt with the direction the page has taken, possibly leading to depression or suicide. Over the last few years, news has been intermittent about violence or tragedy on college campuses with technology
the confessions page has become a center for people to talk negatively about others, it’s not something the University needs to worry about right now. “People just post stuff about what they have to say and just get it out of their system so they don’t have to carry it around,” the 20-year-old said. “Trying to get other people to talk bad about others, that’s bad for us, but also saying what good stuff is happening here at Pan Am as well can be a good thing.” Garcia also explained that anonymity can be “a double-edged sword” because it allows for honest feedback, but can also be abused. “The major problem with the Internet as a whole is that anonymity gives people a feeling like, ‘I can say whatever I want and no one will know who I am.’ And a lot of people take that to mean, ‘I can say hurtful things or mean things,’” he said. With the ability to comment on the posts, people often defend those being criticized, but Garcia urges students to avoid any interaction with the page even if they have the best intentions. “I don’t think there is any good that come from trying to defend yourself,” he said. “The people that are posting these things--the really hurtful things--they don’t even care what someone has to say in their defense, so I would just encourage (students) to stay away.” Since the current page isn’t breaking any laws (regarding logos) or school rules, there isn’t much the University can do but monitor the site. “I think it’s terrible. I wish we could take it down,” Cantu said. “It’s sad seeing students talking about other students making racist, insulting, degrading comments. The students have better things to do with their time, and we hope it will all pass quickly.”
SUBJECT MATTER
OF A SAMPLE OF 402 UTPA CONFESSIONS. POSTS SEX LOVE DRUGS UTPA ABOUT PAGE HARLEM SHAKE SUICIDE GENERAL VAGUE INSULTS PROFESSORS BY NAME RELIGION ACADEMICS
84
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII
77
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII II
7
IIII II
52
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII II
23
IIII IIII IIII IIII III
24
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII
4
IIII
66
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII I
43
IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII III
12
IIII IIII II
5
IIII
3
III
2
II
Page 4
THE PAN AMERICAN
February 21, 2013
THE PAN AMERICAN
February 21, 2013
Page 5
Anonymous Facebook page
tells all Story by Lea Victoria Juarez Some of students’ most private thoughts were unleashed via Facebook Feb. 11 when a UTPA confessions page was created, allowing people to submit “confessions” anonymously through a website called Survey Monkey. Within hours, the page, using the copyrighted Bronc logo as the main image, blew up with posts regarding the UTPA community. While some of posts described the everyday lives of the submitters, many included references about other people and their sexual performance or number of partners. Views of students, faculty and staff were also commonly found when scrolling down the site. Some posts were vague, but specific names of people and campus organizations showed up as well. Virtual confession pages have become an Internet trend, popular among high school and college students. With the search “facebook confessions” reaching its peak in February according to Google trends, students across the nation are divulging information while remaining hidden behind their keyboards. The morning of Feb. 12, Kimberly Selber, associate vice president of marketing and communication, got word of the page and immediately attempted to get the page taken down. A complaint was filed through Facebook and the page’s image was taken down before 4 p.m. the
that has that kind of content. “I don’t think someone should know if people are sleeping around. That’s nobody’s business whatsoever,” said 18-year-old communication disorders major Christina Rodriguez. “There’s re-
and social media at the fore, such as the Rutgers suicide case of 2010. A student was presumed dead after his roommate broadcast a sexual encounter online. Mechanical engineering major Luis Elizalde said he believes that although
18-year-old communication disorders major
There's really no way to know what is factual and what's not. I think that it should never have been made because it's inappropriate. Like
Comment
Share
ally no way to know what is factual and what’s not. I think that it should never have been made because it’s inappropriate.” UTPA confessions. had 1,923 Facebook “likes” as of Wednesday night. Mass communications major Matthew Sustaita explained that although he thinks the confession page is something to look down on, it has a humorous element and entertainment value. “All that sort of stuff is easy to get hooked on. It’s pretty similar to those celebrity news tabloids,” the 20 year old Edinburg native said. “Some seek attention, others are just looking for ways to entertain themselves and other people
Trying to get other people to talk bad about others, that's bad for us, but also saying what good stuff is happening here at Pan Am as well can be a good thing. Share
same day, due to the breaking of copyright laws regarding the logo. Soon after, the page itself was nowhere to be found on the site. Currently there are three pages, created within minutes of each other, that are still up on: Meta UTPA confessions, Confessions of UTPA and UTPA confessions., the latter the most popular with several daily postings with content similar to the original page. “We’re working with Facebook and doing everything we can to take it down,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Martha Cantu. “One thing that we’re looking at is that there’s hate speech in there, racist, disgusting...but my understanding is that we can’t do anything about it. That doesn’t mean that we’re still not trying.” San Benito native Christina Rodriguez said she was embarrassed to have the school associated with something
The following does not reflect the opinions of The Pan American staff.
Christina Rodriguez
Luis Elizalde
Comment
Samples from the UTPA confessions. page.
Design By Karen Villarreal
20-year-old mechanical engineering major
Like
1,923 likes · 2,051 talking about this
seem to just be exploiting the power of anonymity.” Student Government Association President Matthew Garcia said he believes that the page has taken a turn for the worse. “I think the idea of it sounds like it could be something interesting--a nice way for students to get their thoughts out without fear of being called out on it,” Garcia said. “I think what it’s actually evolved into is not good at all. It’s an extremely negative page that doesn’t look good for (students) and doesn’t look good for UTPA.” Cantu and Selber explained they are promoters of free speech, but are concerned students might get hurt with the direction the page has taken, possibly leading to depression or suicide. Over the last few years, news has been intermittent about violence or tragedy on college campuses with technology
the confessions page has become a center for people to talk negatively about others, it’s not something the University needs to worry about right now. “People just post stuff about what they have to say and just get it out of their system so they don’t have to carry it around,” the 20-year-old said. “Trying to get other people to talk bad about others, that’s bad for us, but also saying what good stuff is happening here at Pan Am as well can be a good thing.” Garcia also explained that anonymity can be “a double-edged sword” because it allows for honest feedback, but can also be abused. “The major problem with the Internet as a whole is that anonymity gives people a feeling like, ‘I can say whatever I want and no one will know who I am.’ And a lot of people take that to mean, ‘I can say hurtful things or mean things,’” he said. With the ability to comment on the posts, people often defend those being criticized, but Garcia urges students to avoid any interaction with the page even if they have the best intentions. “I don’t think there is any good that come from trying to defend yourself,” he said. “The people that are posting these things--the really hurtful things--they don’t even care what someone has to say in their defense, so I would just encourage (students) to stay away.” Since the current page isn’t breaking any laws (regarding logos) or school rules, there isn’t much the University can do but monitor the site. “I think it’s terrible. I wish we could take it down,” Cantu said. “It’s sad seeing students talking about other students making racist, insulting, degrading comments. The students have better things to do with their time, and we hope it will all pass quickly.”
SUBJECT MATTER
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arts & life
February 21, 2013
Bak
Barber,
Show times:
By Jose S. De Leon III The Pan American With a slash of the demon barber’s razor, Sweeney Todd’s customer is dead. As blood gushes from his victim’s neck, Todd pulls a lever, causing his latest conquest to fall down a chute and land in the kitchen of Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop, where he will be ground into meat for her pies. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is an awardwinning but violent musical by acclaimed composer Stephen Sondheim that premiered more than 30 years ago. It has been shown all over the world, and the latest production will be put on by the University Theater Department. Sweeney Todd tells the tragic story of Benjamin Barker, a wrongly convicted man who returns to London under the new identity of Sweeney Todd. He
expose our students to all the great writers and Stephen Sondheim is one of them.” Warren serves as the UTPA children’s theater specialist, but is no stranger to adult musicals with dark subject matter, having directed The Evil Dead Musical fall 2010. Warren, who has been at the University since 2002, explained that musicals are more challenging to work on than a stage play because of all the elements involved. “All theater requires a collaborative effort from a lot of talented folks, but musicals add the extra level of vocal and instrumental music and often dance,” he said. “The coordination of music, dance and dialogue all add up to a difficult endeavor that shows the community what our students and others working on it are capable of.” Despite his excitement to work on the musical, Warren admitted to being hesitant about
...the question isn’t, ‘How much violence can we show?’ but, ‘How can we control our violent tendencies?’ - Brian Warren
Director, Sweeney Todd
had been sent to a penal colony in Australia 15 years prior to his return, by a corrupt judge who lusted after his wife. After hearing of her death, he plans to exact revenge by killing the judge, and then decides to murder unsuspecting customers in his barbershop. Brian Warren, a professor in TV/film/theater, is the director of the product, that has been in the making since September 2012 and will show Feb. 27 to March 3. “The musical, since being written in 1979, has become a classic,” the University of Houston graduate said. “We like to
the production. He worried that the amount of violence could make some audience members uncomfortable, but ultimately moved forward with it. “It’s set in a time removed from the modern world, and in the course of the story, it shows how violence and revenge results in catastrophe,” he said. “In movies, we see people like Bruce Willis going on violent rampages, but Sweeney Todd teaches the lesson that violence as a means of justice is wrong.” STAGING THE DRAMA Still, the bloodshed that occurs on stage as Todd disposes
of his customers is part of the reason for the musical’s popularity. Theater Professor Jennifer Saxton, the costume designer for Sweeney Todd, is worried about how the blood will look on stage because it may not be noticeable to all the audience members, depending on where they’re seated. “Blood looks great in TV and film because everyone can see it,” she said. “But on stage, the blood is concentrated in one general area.” Blood will still be shown, and Saxton figured out a way for it to not drench the costumes too much. “The blood will only hit shirts, barber’s capes and arm guards that protect the costumes from the blood,” she said. “When Sweeney kills someone and gets blood on his arm guard, where the blood will land on, he’ll just take it off and throw it down the chute with the body. Gina Marie plays Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney’s partner in crime. The Pharr native doesn’t think that the violence should prevent any audience members from enjoying themselves. “I don’t think it matters because, while it does have plenty of intensity, there’s also equal parts comic relief,” the 25-yearold theater performance major said. “Knowing that it’s supposed to be entertaining helps with those feelings of seeing violence onstage, but there’s great entertainment underneath that darkness. Sweeney Todd provides equal amounts of gore and laughs. It’s a great time (for the audiences).” For Marie, Mrs. Lovett, who harbors a crush on serial killer Todd, is a role she has pined for. She’s been working to make her interpretation of the role work by studying Cockney accents to make hers believable. “Mrs. Lovett has been my dream role since I first started performing in eighth grade. I remember seeing a stage version of it with Patti Lupone as Lovett, and thinking ‘Yup, that’s the role I want for the rest of my life,’” she said of the Tony award-
Children younger than third grade age not permitted
$3 with UTPA ID
her Butc er,
Sweeney Todd takes the stage at UTPA
Feb. 26: Pan Am night Feb. 27 - March 2 at 7:30 p.m. March 3 at 2 p.m.
winning Broadway actress. Following several deadly shootings such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in Connecticut Dec. 14, and the California shooting rampage of ex-cop Christopher Dorner, several media outlets, such as Entertainment Weekly in their Feb. 15 issue and ABC’s Nightline, questioned if there’s too much violence in entertainment. Warren thinks the wrong question regarding media and violence is being asked.
“In any play, it’s hard to control the violence since so many of the most famous ones are filled with violence,” he said. “Violence is ingrained so much into the human fabric, that the question isn’t ‘How much violence can we show?’ but, ‘How can we control our violent tendencies?’” Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opens with a Pan Am night scheduled for Feb. 26. Due to the content matter, no children below third grade will be permitted.
February 21, 2013 January 31, 2013
7
Leaving it all on the court
Men’s basketball fight for winning season By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American As the clock ticked down to three seconds left in the men’s basketball homecoming game against Houston Baptist University Feb. 16, senior Jesus Delgado made a jumper to bring the Broncs within three (51-48) and gave fans hope for a great comeback. But right before time came to a close, instead of getting the possible steal, Delgado fouled HBU’s sophomore guard Marcel Smith, who made his two free-throw shots and put the game away (53-48) with 1/10 of a second left on the clock. After Saturday’s tough loss and Wednesday’s defeat by University of Texas - Arlington (63-48), the Broncs’ overall record is 13-15 (.464) and their conference record stands at 3-3 (.500), with three games left in the season, two of which are conference matches. Although their most recent losses make it seem as though the Broncs are not doing well, they have not managed a record this good in five years and have won some important games this season.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT With less than 10 minutes left on the practice clock Feb. 12, the men’s basketball team collectively took a short break as they headed over to the baseline to get a swig of water and attempt to dry themselves with a towel, not quite so successfully. The Broncs had beaten Utah Valley University, the two-time defending Great West Conference champion, Jan. 19 to bring the record to .500 and got past it Feb. 2 when they won against Chicago State University. This was the first time the Broncs had been over the .500 mark since the 2008-09 season and have to keep up their hard work to get it back. The guys sprinted back to their previous positions and got back into the groove of the workout. Splitting into three groups, the team practiced free throws from three different baskets around the Field House. Minutes later, head coach Ryan Marks gathered the team at center court and instructed them to head to the baseline to work on some 3-on3 scrambles. In groups of three, they moved the ball across the court while dealing with three defenders.
I think each year, over the last couple of years, we’ve made good progress forward in becoming a more competitive squad. - Ryan Marks
Men’s basketball head coach “Ball! Ball! Ball!” and the screeching of tennis shoes echoed off of the Field House walls. “Take pride in this...it’s what we need right here,” said junior guard Jamal Dantzler, about taking their practices seriously. The coaches continued motivating the players to use more communication on the court. “You guys have got to talk the whole time,” Assistant Coach Nick Bennett said. “You guys didn’t say a word. Josh, at the very end, said ‘stay,’ but it was too late.” Last week’s backto-basics practice is one of the ways
- Jesus Delgado Senior guard
coach Marks keeps the team from drifting. He knows the toll games can take on a player before long. “I think that sometimes as you get into this part of the season a lot of things...begin to blend together,” Marks explains. “There’s so much going on that it’s good to sort of get a refresher - back to some of the key things. When our defensive intensity level and our communication on the defensive end are good, usually a lot of other things fall into place, so we’re trying to kind of get back in that mentality.”
The Broncs must keep their momentum if they hope to meet their two goals of winning the GWC regular season and finishing above .500, according to Marks. “I think each year, over the last couple of years, we’ve made good progress forward in becoming a more competitive squad,” Marks said. “I think it’s going to be difficult to do that but the guys are very determined and passionate to get to that benchmark.” The team will finish the regular season March 9 against New Jersey Institute of Technology at the Field House and it will also be Senior Night. Then the Broncs will compete in the GWC Tournament March 14-16 in Illinois for the final chance of winning the GWC Tournament ring. “Chicago State is a really aggressive team and they’re good on their home floor,” Marks said about their impending conference matchup. “Obviously the conference tournament is still a few weeks away but I think everybody has a legitimate shot, to be optimistic, going into that weekend.”
February 21, 2013
THE PAN AMERICAN
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