The Student Voice Since 1903 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005
UCO Pres. Webb speaks about London bombing I Webb returns from London vacation with his family by Nathan Winfrey Staff Writer
UCO President W. Roger Webb returned safely July 11 from London after a nearmiss with terrorists while on
vacation with his wife and young daughter. Webb and his family were at their hotel about three blocks from Edgware Road Station when it was struck by an explosion, part of a four-front attack from about 9 to 10 a.m. July 7. The total death toll has reached 53, including the suicide bombers who detonated devices
on three trains and a doubledecker bus around London. Webb and his family had been in Europe since the beginning of July, visiting Scotland before flying into Gatwick airport in England. He said they took a train into London, and "Went through Edgware 10 hours before the attacks," though his wife Jeanie had a premonition
against using public transportation. "She had twice said, `We're not going to ride the buses or subway. It just doesn't feel right,'" Webb said. "We declared we weren't going to let the act of terror succeed in its purpose of invoking fear and alter the plans of our vacation," Webb
said. He said they attended a performance of "The Lion King" as planned on the night of the bombings. "The intent of terrorists is to invoke fear and to disrupt people in their lives and their economy and we resolved to not let that happen." Webb said emergency vehicles, police and fire trucks were a constant pres-
ence for hours after the explosions. "The security and police presence was incredible. It was extremely impressive as to how swiftly and effectively London police responded to the situations that had developed," he said. Webb said his daughter Anna Grace handled the see WEBB, page 3
Former Edmond Mayor, family Donate 9 acres for UCO classes by Latasha Ellis-Cobb Staff Writer
A former Edmond mayor and his family donated nine acres of land to the UCO Foundation several months ago, to be used for crime scene investigation practice and scientific research. The James H. Harrod Family Partnership donated the land at Sorghum Mill Road and Interstate 35 in northern Oklahoma County. Harrod said he has been interested in law enforcement all his life. He said the land will help students interested in criminal justice to have a place to do mock crime scene research. UCO Executive Vice President, Steve Kreidler said the land will be used by forensic science students for crime
Photo by Naomi Takebuchi
View from the VIP section of Wantland Stadium looking east. Neil MacPhee paints the ceiling in the stadium, which is currently under renovation. The stadium remodel is scheduled to be completed by September.
Trial dates set for former Vista managing editor by Ashley Romano Senior Staff Writer
A UCO alumnus appeared in court July 13 for a pre-trial conference on complaints of driving under the influence, sexual battery and murder for hire. Oklahoma County District Judge Twyla Mason Gray issued a continuance for Bradley Chase Pemberton at the request of his attorney,
Michael Rogalin. "Normally things get continued (in pre-trial conferences),". Rogalin said. "The state and defense polarized on the matter and just set it for trial." Pemberton, 42, was arrested March 15, 2005 by the Edmond Police Department in the parking lot of Pearl's Cajun Kitchen on Danforth on a complaint of solicitation to commit murder.
Police said he was record- on charges of sexual battery ed on audiotape offering and solicitation to commit between four and $5,000 murder. Pemberton was also to have a former coworker "taken care of," which charged with driving under they interpreted as meaning the influence in February "dead." The offer came after 2005 and will appear in court a 17-year-old female accused to face that charge July 27. Pemberton graduated Pemberton, her manager at Pea's Oyster Bar on NW from UCO in 2001 with a 63rd in Oklahoma City, of bachelor's in general journalism. sexual battery last year. Pemberton will appear at Ashely Romano can be reached at a jury trial 9 a.m. Feb. 6 aromano@theyistaonline.com .
Bradley Chase Pemberton
Gandhi's grandson speaks on nonviolence, peace by Trisha Evans Staff Writer
The grandson of the late Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi gave a speech titled "Non-violence in the Age of Terrorism" July 13 in Constitution Hall. Arun Ghandi said the United. States' foreign policy must change if it wants to curb terrorism. Instead of seeking revenge after 9/11, he said the United States must work to change anti-American sentiment around the world. Gandhi said waging a war on terror is not creating security for our nation, but only making it less secure. "We are only increasing terrorism, increasing violence and we are going to see worse aspects of violence in the years to come if we continue to pursue this way of violence," Gandhi said. Fifty years ago, when Gandhi was ten years old, growing up at the peak of the apartheid in South Africa, his parents noticed him becoming angry
and violent. "I was beaten by whites because they thought I was too black, and by blacks because they thought I was too white," Gandhi said. He said he was filled with rage and wanted an "eye-for-an-eye" justice. That's when his parents sent him to live with his grandfather is credited with freeing the nation of India without ever firing a single bullet. For almost two years he lived in India under the tutelage of his grandfather, who at the time was working to alleviate the caste system and improve Inditn women's rights. "Grandfather said an eye-for-aneye will only make the whole world blind," Gandhi said. Gandhi said we have let our superpower status go to our heads. "Nobody likes to live with a bully in the neighborhood," Gandhi said. "The world perceives the U.S. as a bully." Gandhi said that the United States has a responsibility to the rest of the world and it cannot live in isolation.
Because the United States is economically secure we should act to help the world's impoverished nations, Gandhi said. He was disappointed with the recent G8 Summit in Scotland. He said many leaders do not think the United States will help the nations in Africa. He doesn't trust politics and governments to provide help, but said he would rather rely on communities reaching out to other communities. Gandhi suggested that UCO reach out to universities in Africa or India by giving students the chance to donate 50 cents a day. Blake Fry, director of Campus Life, said plans are being made to help meet Gandhi's challenge. Fry said the Department of Campus Life invited Gandhi to speak for the summer speaker series because of the importance and timeliness of his message. Fry requested that he speak on this topic. Gandhi was also a perfect choice since India is the country of focus for the fall PASSPORT program, Fry
said. Dr. S. Narasinga Rao said the Indian community in Oklahoma City, ofwhich he is a part, is making plans to support the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Arun and his wife Sunanda founded the institute that has been promoting peace all over the world since 1991. Gandhi is a regular speaker at college campuses and has spoken all over the world. Gandhi told about his experience in the West Bank in October of 2004, speaking to Israeli and Palestinian officials about nonviolence. He was invited by Yassir Arafat to speak about the principles of nonviolent resistance. He said he was struck by the fear he saw among the Palestinians and on the face Arafat, who was too scared to even leave his house. Gandhi said fear inhibits people from joining together in nonviolent
see GANDHI, page 3
scene investigation and by biology students for botany studies. "The donation is wonderful. He (Harrod) is a good friend to the university," Kreidler said. Kreidler said there are no plans to add a building to the property. He said the upkeep of the property will be "minimal," about $300 to $400 a year. UCO will not have to pay taxes on the property. The Oklahoma County Assessor's office appraised the land in March of this year at $86,543. However, Kreidler said a private certified appraiser placed a value of about $250,000 on the property. Nathan Shepherd, a field appraiser for Oklahoma County, said property values from their office typically vary from the value assessed by private appraisers. The land is posted with signs for Pedestal Oil Co. Corporation, an Oklahoma City based business. Oil equipment is visible on the property. An engineer and production manager for Pedestal, Tim Altendorf, said the mineral rights to the land are owned, and will be retained, by two individuals outside the Harrod family who have held the rights since the 1950's. Pedestal's predecessor, Harper Oil Co., has held a lease on the property since Sept. 8, 1938, Altendorf said. Altendorf said he did not have exact figures on the value of the mineral rights. A representative for Pedestal said the company has been in business since the early 1970's and bought the
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