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THE CHU 10
March 3, 2009
www. thevistaonline. corn
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The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
'God Hates Fags' group rallies Kansas church blames recent tornadoes on Oklahoma's homosexual community but I wanted to show them that their hatred will not be accepted here." Corre.spondem The Moore police department, expecting about io protesters from Members of the Westboro Baptist Kansas, shut down two blocks of Church traveled more than 30o Main Street by the south parking miles to picket high school students lot of the high school because they and the Oklahoma state govern- anticipated many more Oklahomans to show up. ment yesterday. The protest lasted more than an Six members of the church, all family members, traveled from hour and more closely resembled Topeka, Kan., to preach at the State a festival than a religious protest. Capitol and Moore High School on Cars, motorcycles and party buses the corner of Main Street and Toby driving north and southbound on Toby Keith Avenue honked and Keith Avenue. They were greeted and vastly revved their engines as they passed outnumbered by a boisterous crowd by, drowning out the passive chants of Oklahomans from all over the of the Kansas congregation. Many of the passing cars had metro area that came to hold a signs, rainbow flags, American flags counter-protest. "I came to stand up for what and people hanging out of their winI believe in," Athena Gonzalez, a dows as Oklahomans of all persuafreshman at UCO, said. "Everyone sions and backgrounds were there has their First Amendment rights, see RALLY, page 5
EXTRA INNINGS GIVES UCO WIN OVER EAST CENTRAL
Kory Oswald
Media 'crisis' forces changes
Yet another extra-inning game resulted in a coaching milestone for UCO's Wendell Simmons Sunday afternoon at Broncho Field. UCO went extra innings for before pulling out a 5-4 triumph over East Central on Blake Mitchell's run scoring double in the bottom of the ninth inning. -
Continued on page 8
Photo by Chris Albers
A member of Westboro Baptist Church stands Monday afternoon at the corner of Main Street and Toby Keith Avenue in Moore to protest the Moore highschool. Hundreds of people showed up to rally against the protesters including a fleet of Vietnam veteran motorcyclists. See www.thevistaonline. com for video coverage.
MULTICULTURAL GROUP PROMOTES CLASS DIVERSITY
The flags of many countries intermingled upon red, white and blue dressed banquet tables at the Multicultural Education Institute this weekend. "It is not about fixing the kids to fit a system, it is about fixing a system to fit the students," Dr. Bradley Scott said in a speech. Continued on page 2
NFL star tells inspirational tale of overcoming obstacles
Chase Dearinger .swirt riier Senior Reporter Imagine waking up in the middle of What are the ingredients the night with the left half of your body for a "perfect storm?" not functioning. You try to get to the For students hoping to bathroom to collect your thoughts and profit in the news and media maybe take an aspirin for the splitting industry, it could be the com- headache you have, only to find that bination of the depressed you have to crawl because your left arm economy and the growing and leg won't move. realm of open information This was the experience of Tedy on the Internet. Bruschi, starting linebacker for the "There is a crisis at hand," New England Patriots, in 2005. It was KWTV Channel 9. News a day and a half after his first appearDirector Blaise Labbe said. ance in a Pro Bowl, and the same "That crisis has not escaped month that his third son was born and the news industry." his team won their third Super Bowl in Media giant News Corp., four years. owner of 20th Century FOX "I had this feeling like my body was and The Wall Street Journal, in a vice," Bruschi said. "My head felt lost $6 billion in the 4th quar- like it was going to explode." ter of the 2008 fiscal year, So what did Bruschi do? He went according to CNNmoney. back to bed. The star NFL player com . believed that he had just slept the "While we anticipated a wrong way on his arm or that they weakening, the downturn were just aches from a career in prois more severe and likely fessional football. He told himself he'd longer lasting than previ- be okay. ously thought," News Corp. "When you're young, you think Chairman and CEO Rupert you're indestructible," Bruschi said. Murdoch said in the CNN The next morning the effects had article. "We are implement- spread, and he was forced to go to ing rigorous cost-cutting Massachusetts General Hospital to see across all operations and a doctor. reducing head count where "The neurologist put his hand on my appropriate." shoulder and said, 'Teddy, you've had a Labbe said the economic mild stroke,"' Bruschi said. "Until that squeeze is affecting all out- point, the only time I'd thought about lets of the news industry. strokes was on the golf course." About 63,00o people were Bruschi told the story of his stroke laid off last year from the and miraculous recovery last Thursday Photo by Vista photographer Matt Danner top newspapers nationwide, night before a substantial crowd at Labbe said Hamilton Field House. The talk was a "Broadcasters ... are strug- part of "A Stroke of Courage," an annu- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi speaks at gling," Labbe said. "That al conference put on by St. Anthony's Hamilton Field House on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009. struggle will continue this Rehabilitation Center and the American see JOURNALISM, see BRUSCHI, page 5 page 5 Ryan Croft
DEATH PENALTY ACTIVIST TO SPEAK TO UCO STUDENTS
The University of Central Oklahoma will host internationally known anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean at 7 p.m., March 3 in Constitution Hall in the Nigh University Center. Prejean will speak about her continuous work against the death penalty, as well as many of her other personal experiences with death row. Continued on page 3
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