9.3.13

Page 1

To tat or not to tat?

How can body modifications affect your future?

Page 4 Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013 | Volume 107, Issue 3 | the-standard.org

Briefs

16th annual Ozarks Celebration Festival on MSU campus

Still dreaming 50 years later

The Ozarks Celebration Festival will be held from Sept. 6 to Sept. 11, in various locations around the MSU campus. The festival will begin on Sept. 6 with an ice cream social and the Concert Under the Stars, and there will be over 300 craftsmen, exhibitors and musicians around campus on Sept. 7 and 8. From Sept. 9 to 11, the Festival Lecture Series will close out the festival with several lectures on the history and culture of the Ozarks. The final event of the festival will be the third annual Bolo Ties and Bluegrass fundraiser, at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the Tower Club. Tickets are $35 per person or $500 for a reserved table for 10 people. For more information visit ocf.missouristate.edu.

MSU Public Affairs Assessment

The Higher Learner Commission Quality Initiative Project is looking for projects from faculty and staff that students have completed that portray the three columns of Missouri State University’s public affairs mission: cultural competence, ethical leadership and community engagement. Participating faculty and staff members will receive a Starbucks gift card and a certificate to include in their promotion and tenure dossier or ADP. For more information visit http://www.missouristate.edu/asse ssment/QIP.htm, or contact the Office of Assessment at either assessment@missouristate.edu or 836-6300.

10 percent off BearWear Sept. 3

The Bears scored two touchdowns at last Thursday’s season opener football game against Northwestern State, so this Touchdown Tuesday’s BearWear discount is 10 percent at the bookstore.

Correction

Last week’s article titled “Then & Now” stated that Missouri State was known as Southwest Missouri State University in 1963. MSU, however, was known as Southwest Missouri State College until 1972 when the name was changed to Southwest Missouri State University.

Calendar Tuesday, Sept. 3

Blackboard Learn 9.1: Building Course Content, 10 a.m.-noon, Meyer Library Room 205

Blackboard Learn 9. 1: New Features and Coming Attractions, 23 p.m., Meyer Library, Room 205

Wednesday, Sept. 4

Evan Henningsen/THE STANDARD

More than 1,000 people participated in Springfield’s Aug. 28 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Citizens remember the past while looking to the future at the 50th anniversary of MLK’s march By Amber Duran The Standard

Over 1,000 friends, family and perfect strangers of all races and genders marched together over Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge on Aug. 28 to celebrate the historic 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Stacy Street, a senior religious studies major and event volunteer, said that this event was important for every citizen to be a part of. “I’m here to remind myself that the job isn’t done, it’s just changed,” she said. “This just seems like not even a political issue, but a human thing to do — a reminder of how far we have come and how far we have yet to go.” Cora Scott, director of public information and civic engagement for

Springfield, said that she wanted to be an integral part of this project from the beginning in hopes of making Springfield a better community. “We need to evolve and become the kind of city that Martin Luther King would want to live in,” Scott said. Scott is part of the Race and Faith Collaborative, whose initiative is to raise awareness about underlying racism issues that may not be directly evident to people. The 50th anniversary celebration marked the first day of a new yearlong focus on civil rights for the city of Springfield, according to a speech given by Greg Burris, city manager. The attendees of the event seemed to be in agreement that civil rights are important for Spring-

Pranks can turn deadly

Blackboard Learn 9.1: Building Course Content, 2-4 p.m., Meyer Library Room 205

Jokes that might seem harmless could have serious consequences

Study Away 101 Info Session, 10:45-11:45 a.m., Plaster Student Union Room 309

By Trevor Mitchell The Standard

Blackboard Learn 9.1: Jumpstart, 10-11 a.m., Meyer Library Room 205

Thursday, Sept. 5

Staff Senate Meeting, 11 a.m.noon, Plaster Student Union 313

Friday, Sept. 6

16th annual Ozark Celebration Festival, 5-10 p.m., John H. Keiser Amphitheater, Strong Hall

Saturday, Sept. 7

16th annual Ozark Celebration Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., east grounds of Carrington Hall

Sunday, Sept. 8

16th annual Ozark Celebration Festival, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., east grounds of Carrington Hall

Monday, Sept. 9

Where are YOU from? Community Literacy and Place-Conscious Education as a Model for Developing Citizenship, 7 p.m., Plaster Student Union Room 313

field. Michelle Johnson of Springfield said she marched because she was a product of the “I have a dream” movement. “You think for a moment everything has changed, but something always brings the reality back to show we need more change,” she said. Sherby Blakeney of Springfield was 11 years old when King gave his iconic speech, and she marched to commemorate that special day. “The vision he had was like a vision from God; not knowing what would happen and having a hope for our country,” she said. “It is an honor and privilege to be here.” Rosalyn Thomas of Springfield said that this event is great for the city

An unscrewed lid on a salt shaker. Shrink wrapping your roommate’s desk. Putting a co-worker’s stapler in Jell-O. Pranks can be a big part of the college experience and are often light-hearted jokes that everyone can laugh about later. But some “pranks” can have far more serious consequences and could end up with someone in the hospital — or jail. On Aug. 22, two chemical overpressure devices exploded near the rear entrance of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority house. The explosions caused minor damage to the building, and one person received chemical burns while cleaning up the remains of the bombs. The Springfield Fire Depart-

ment said in a statement about the incident that they wanted “individuals considering using such a device, thinking it is a harmless prank, to know that it is considered a Class C Felony.” Whether the devices at the Gamma Phi Beta house were intended as pranks or not, Fire Marshal Phil Noah said in an email that similar chemical action bombs are the most common things he sees that could cause far more damage than intended. Another item Noah mentioned was sparkler bombs, which he said were extremely dangerous, and “can easily kill or severely injure anyone in the vicinity.” “To sum it up,” Noah said, “if it makes a loud boom or blows something up, more than likely, it is illegal and dangerous.” While most people would probably recognize that causing explosions is something the university and law enforcement will frown upon, other more low-key “jokes” might go wrong in ways that students don’t expect. Donald Clark, director of safety and transportation at MSU, said in u See PRANKS, page 2

and the community. “To see so many people coming out to support this, it’s just so encouraging.” The march began at the north end of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge after Reverend Mark Struckhoff, executive director of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks, asked for God’s presence at the march. The people began to move, slowly at first, but then with exuberance and shouts of joy and singing as they walked. People young and old were decked in t-shirts screened with the face of King and the words, “I have a dream.” Young kids climbed on the shoulders of their parents and others walked hand in hand. Many hugs were shared and smiles were infectious as the crowd pushed onward. Jim Neely, a Missouri State alumnus, said he marched to show his support for the movement. “This was a movement

that started 50 years ago, and it’s still moving,” he said as the crowd made their way to the square. Wes Pratt, director of institutional equity and compliance at Missouri State gave a rousing speech about the need for King’s dream to live on today in the city of Springfield and the entire nation. “Embrace and value the diversity that is America and will be America,” he said. And in the words of Dr. King, Pratt closed his speech with, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Mayor Bob Stephens shared in his speech that the very spot that everyone had gathered at to celebrate their freedom, the square, was the same spot that three African-Americans were lynched years ago. Stephens said that we can never forget. “It was and is a dream shared by millions of Americans,” he said, “and we pledge to let freedom ring in the city of Springfield.”

Similarities in school tragedies School shooters have more in common with each other than you might think By Taylor Burns The Standard

Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Columbine. For most people, these words conjure thoughts of innocent lives lost and the incomprehensible motivation behind the attacks. What causes someone to consciously attack a school, a place designed to nurture understanding and knowledge? These focused attacks are not as new as many Americans may think. A study by the Safe School Initiative, an effort assembled by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education found the earliest case of a targeted school shooting occurred in 1974. According to the report, in that case, a student brought guns and bombs to a school, triggered a fire alarm and shot at personnel responding to the alarm. The shooting at the University of Texas that

killed 17 people occurred in 1966, but is not included in the report. The study found 37 incidents involving 41 shooters occurring from 1974 through the end of the 2000 school year. The attacks were spread across 26 states. Only five of those states saw more than one shooting: California, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri. Several consistencies were found throughout these attacks, most showing overwhelming majorities. • Nearly three-quarters of the attacks killed more than one person. • More than half of the incidents occurred during the school day. • Ninety-five percent of the attackers were current students at the school where the shooting took place. • More than 80 percent of the attackers acted alone. • Almost half of the attacks involved more than one weapon, with 61 percent involving handguns and 49 percent involving rifles or shotguns. • Of the 41 attackers identified in the report, all of them were boys

u See SHOOTERS, page 2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.