T H E
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Thursday, October 8, 2009
Volume 91, No. 28 www.theshorthorn.com
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INDEX Calendar News Sports Classifieds Pulse
2 2,4,6 3 5 B
Pulse has the tips and tricks to make your visit to the State Fair of Texas an enjoyable experience.
It’s Our Turn
PULSE | SECTION B
TRADITIONS
Rain extends training time for Bed Races Teams like the Fluffy Couch Potatoes have utilized the extra available days for practice to develop their strategy and costume designs for the annual event. BY ANDREW PLOCK The Shorthorn staff
The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran
The 33 News photojournalist Michael O’Donnell, not pictured, interviews Morris Dees, Southern Poverty Law Center co-founder and chief trial counsel, during a press conference Wednesday at the University Center Carlisle Suite. Dees later spoke to a full house in the Universty Center Rosebud Theatre about racial discrimination in the past and present.
Morris Dees shares life tales to inspire the new generation to step forward with love and respect in order to promote tolerance and equality. BY ARIONNE WELLS
R
The Shorthorn staff
ichard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson are former presidents that Morris Dees referenced to illustrate the respect that citizens held for them amidst disagreements. Civil rights attorney Dees stressed that intolerance and disrespect stemmed from subconscious bigotry during his lecture Wednesday night to a crowd of roughly 500 students, faculty and staff in the University Center Rosebud Theatre. Dees said he shed some tears the night President Barack Obama was elected - but said the love fest the nation had “has now turned into a bloodbath.” Dees said there are people who do not believe that an African-American citizen is fit to lead the country. He referenced the interruption of Obama’s congressional address about health care when Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., pointed at the president and shouted, “You lie!” The Southern Poverty Law Center co-founder intertwined stories from the Bible, the struggle of Martin Luther King Jr. and from his life into his address that lasted nearly an hour. Dees, whose campaigns and court cases against white supremacist groups were made into a television movie, gave the audience several personal stories about his beginnings in Alabama. His teacher, Vera Belle Johnson, who taught in a threeroom schoolhouse in Shorter, Ala., encouraged him to be a good person overall. Ms. Johnson, as he referred to her, taught her students to use restraint against vices — especially drinking. Dees recalled the day he challenged her with the story of Jesus turning water into wine. “Yes, Morris,” she retorted. “But we would have thought more highly of Jesus if he hadn’t done that.” Equally memorable to Dees were Johnson’s efforts to con-
The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran
Eunice Currie, assistant vice president for human resources management and development, reacts Wednesday at the UC Rosebud Theatre as Morris Dees describes his experience when working on a case with discriminated Vietnamese fishermen. Currie said she was very familiar with his work and teaches a Welcoming Diversity course at the university.
Rain can’t stop him. In fact, it only makes his team stronger. Child development sophomore David Hernandez helped prepare his team for Bed Races with the precious extra days he got after the event was postponed a week. The annual event, origiWHEN AND WHERE nally scheduled for Oct. 1, was Where: Maverick Stadium postponed due to inclement weather. Activities begin at 7 When: tonight at Maverick Stadium. Team check-in: 7 p.m. “The extra week really alCaptains meeting: 7:45 p.m. lowed us to get to know each Unleashing of the beds: 8 p.m. other,” Hernandez said. “Before, it was hard because of schedules, but we’ve figured out who is going to be on the bed and who’s pushing.” A combination of women and men, Hernandez’s team, the Fluffy Couch Potatoes, is one of the teams competing in the event sponsored by EXCEL Campus Activities and the Campus Recreation Department. During the almost 30-year-old tradition, teams of five push a wheeled bed about 50 yards down the field at Maverick Stadium. Teams spice up the competition by dressing in costume. Hernandez said he wants to honor that tradition. “We’re going to wear pillows under our shirts,” he said. The team will attempt to take home the win as Hernandez said they’re the event’s “underdog.” Along with the races, Angie Mack, EXCEL Campus Traditions director, said they developed this year’s theme, Running of the Beds, by adding a mechanical bull and a new contest, PJ Caliente, in which contestants will race to change their pajamas the fastest. Bungee games, food and at halftime, a chance to break the record for largest Texas collegiate pillow fight are all planned under the night sky. John Hillas, Student Activities assistant director, said he hopes to beat the typical turnout of 1,000 as long as the rain stays away. Teams check in at 7 p.m., the captains meeting is at 7:45 p.m. and the races begin at 8 p.m.
ANDREW PLOCK news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
vince her pupils of the value of the words: “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” “She wanted us to grow up to be good people,” Dees said. He interpreted the Old Testament story of the prophet Amos who warned the citizens of Bethel, in ancient Palestine, that many great nations have crumbled because of greed and injustice. He said this generation has the duty to bridge the divide DEES continues on page 6
Dining services issues survey to get feedback for improvement Students will be given incentives like nutrition bars, water bottles and coffee vouchers to complete questionnaire at campus locations.
TALK SHOP SURVEY Web site: www.college-survey.com/uta On campus locations: Mavericks Activities Center, University Center and Central Library
BY TEMICCA HUNTER The Shorthorn staff
Dining Services issued a survey to get feedback from students, faculty and staff to see what improvements they would like to see. Participants can take the two-week Talk Shop survey online until Oct. 23. Several surveys have been conducted over the years to get student input on Dining Services. Student comments and feedback resulted in bringing in restaurants such as Subway Restaurant, Panda Express and other dining areas on campus said David Ok, Dining Services marketing manager. “The survey we are running now is to see how we
are doing,” he said. “We do surveys to find out what students want.” Ok said the surveys are marketed in various ways, including information sent out though listservs, word-of-mouth and on the Web site. Laptops will also be set up at several locations on campus to promote the survey. At each location, students will be given incentives just for filling out the survey. The Shorthorn: Chris Hudson
DINING continues on page 4
“I think it’s really important for students to participate in the surveys, because we really take the surveys to heart. The survey tells us exactly what students want.” David Ok,
Dining Services marketing manager
TOO HOT TO HANDLE UTA alumnus and Omega Psi Phi fraternity member Jason Hamilton grills up hamburgers and hot dogs as part of a fundraising barbecue on Wednesday at the Central Library mall. The fraternity partnered with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People UTA chapter to raise money for Crayons For Kids, an organization that provides school supplies to needy children and their teachers.