Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

s e r v i n g t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f n o r t h e r n c o l o r a d o s i n c e 1 9 19

the mirror Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

Volume 93, Number 115

uncm i r r o r . c o m

Look in The Mirr or Page 9

Of fensive stars in sync

News Humorist entertains UNC campus Iranian-born bestselling author Firoozeh Dumas speaks about her life experiences.

PAGE 8

Arts ‘Blood Brothers’ to play in Norton UNC’s Musical Theater Department presents its fall production.

PAGE 6

Online Tresspassing reported off-campus The UNC Police Department issues a safety report about break-ins at uncmirror.com.

Wed: 51 | 29 Thur: 61 | 40

CASSIE NUCKOLS | THE MIRROR

Ana Conchas, a junior, paints the face of Eric Chavez, a sophomore, during LULAC’s “La Catrina” Monday at the Patton House.

@

Fri:

71 | 42

Sat:

65 | 38

Upcoming Look for a list of reportedly haunted locations at UNC and in Greeley in Friday’s issue of The Mirror.

SOURCE: THE MIRROR

w w w. u n c m i r r o r. c o m C A M P U S N E W S . C O M M U N I T Y N E W S . Y O U R N E W S .

News

2 The Mirror

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

Candidates make tour stop Arizona immigration BENJAMIN WELCH news@uncmirror.com

Greeley native, politician and UNC alumnus, Jim Riesberg, hosted a social event Monday at Turner Green to promote his reelection for Congress.

The event included speeches, music and free food from Wing Shack.

“I’ve been around the University of Northern Colorado for a long time,” Riesberg said.

Riesberg graduated in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in history and again in 1992 with a master’s degree in gerontology. Many members of his family also earned degrees from the University of Northern Colorado.

Riesberg is running for reelection in Congress as the representative from House District 50, which includes much of the Weld County area. He was joined at the event by Ken Storck, running for Colorado Senate, and Tom Pettit, who is

CASSIE NUCKOLS | THE MIRROR

Jim Riesberg, left, speaks with Ken Storck Monday at Turner Green. Riesberg is campaigning for re-election in Congress. Storck is running for Colorado Senate. seeking the position of Weld County Commissioner At-Large.

Riesberg discussed his campaign platform and how he plans to help higher education in Colorado.

“Education is the engine that drives our economy,” Riesberg said.

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In recent years, Riesberg helped raise $17 million for UNC in construction projects.

Riesberg said the Tax Payer Bill of Rights, Legislature cannot raise taxes. To circumvent this rule, the College Opportunity Fund was established, which helps fund college tuition to Colorado residents.

“Unless the tax payers are willing to support higher education, (education is) not likely to change,” Riesberg said.

In the last few years, more than $3 billion has been cut from the higher education general fund — 95 percent of money in the general fund comes from income and sales tax.

“It’s important for everyone to vote so their voice can be heard,” said Alex Ellis, a junior nursing major. “Many issues, including college education, are ones everyone should consider after looking at the views of all the candidates.”

In addition to higher education, Riesberg said he is concentrating on helping increase jobs, restore the economy and revamp healthcare. He said 20,000 new jobs have been created recently in environmentally sustainable technology at a rate of 4,000 jobs per year.

“We are sitting on a gold mine in Weld County, and we need to take advantage of that,” Pettit said.

law survey statistics The Diversity Mentor program conducted a survey on Oct. 21-22 of 327 students at Holmes and Tobey Kendel dining halls and the University Center on students’ stance on the Arizona immigration law.

Their results are as follows: •255 people (78%) were polled "No," as in they would not vote for the AZ immigration laws.

•72 people (22%) were polled "Yes,” as in they would vote for the AZ immigration laws.

Of those who polled “No:” •Party Affiliation- 88 (34.5%) identified themselves as Democratic, 31 (12.2%) as Republican, 91 (35.7%) as Independent, and 45 (17.6%) as Other.

•Gender: 118 (46.3%) were male and 137 (53.7%) were female.

•Race/Ethnicity: 150 (58.8%) identified themselves as White, 95 (37.3%) as Non-white, and 10 (3.9%) as unspecified •124 (48.6%) responded that they knew an immigrant. 131 (51.4%) answered they did not.

Of those who polled “Yes:” •Party Affiliation- 9 (12.5%) identified as Democratic, 40 (55.6%) as Republican, 18 (25%) as Independent, and 5 (6.9%) as Other.

•Gender: 38 (52.8%) were male, 34 (47.2%) were female.

•Race/Ethnicity: 57 (79.2%) as White, 9 (12.5%) as non-white, and 6 (8.3%) as unspecified •32 (44.4%) responded that they knew an immigrant. 40 (55.6%) answered they did not.

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News

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

The Mirror 3

Celebration of ancestors begins week of events BRIDGETT WEAVER news@uncmirror.com

While most Americans spend the last week of October carving jack-o’-lanterns to scare away evil spirits on Halloween, those who celebrate Dia de los Muertos spend it building altars of food and candy to attract spirits.

Dia de los Muertos stems from the pre-Colombian time period

and was established to commemorate and honor the memory of those who have died. It is aligned with the Catholic holidays All Saints Day and All Soul’s Day. All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, is the day to commemorate lost children in the Dia de los Muertos celebration. All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, is to honor all other lost loved ones.

“It is the history of children and adults coming back,” said Fabiola

CASSIE NUCKOLS | THE MIRROR

Eva Rodriguez, left, who works at the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center, and Norma Juarez, a junior pre nursing major, dishes up some of the food provided Monday at the Semana de los Muertos kick-off event.

Mora, a higher education graduate student and assistant with the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center.

UNC community members celebrate the holiday with Semana de los Muertos, or “Week of the Dead.” The week began Monday with the kick off lunch at the CCCC. The concluding event will be on Dia de los Muertos, Tuesday, with the Latino Lecture Series: Mexican Revolution of 1910 in Ross Hall 0275.

Genevieve Canales, a professor of Hispanic studies, spoke at the kick off event about how Mexican and American cultures observe the holiday, and about the history of the celebration. Canales said although Halloween is meant to scare away evil spirits, Dia de los Muertos is meant for a celebration of lost loved ones.

“Dia de los Muertos is not the same thing as Halloween,” Canales said. “We want the spirits to return to us.”

Altars are built and gravestones are cleaned during the celebration.

Families typically go to the cemetery

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together to sit and share memories at the gravesite.

Although it revolves around death, the holiday is a time of celebration and fun, not of sorrow.

There are often festivals, parades and parties thrown to commemorate lost loved ones.

“Part of the holiday includes satirical humor about death,” said Canales.

Sometimes, people write obituaries of people who are living, such as political figures, as a way to poke fun at their politics, Canales said.

Canales said people believe that the spirits of their family and friends breech the division of the living and the dead during the holiday.

“The dividing line between the dead and the living is just a thin membrane,” she said.

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IDEAS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, OR SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES? DO YOU HAVE

EMAIL YOUR THOUGHTS TO:

STUDENT.VOICE@UNCO.EDU

WE ARE HERE WORKING FOR YOU. LET US HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

Editor: Eric Heinz

4 The Mirror

LETTERS The Mirror appreciates your opinions. You can submit your columns or letters to the editor to editor@uncmirror.com. Columns can be no longer than 400 words.

Include your name, year and major.

The delineation of Arizona’s immigration Senate Bill Josh DIVINE

POLL This week’s poll question: Do you know what you’re going to dress up as for Halloween?

Cast your vote at www.uncmirror.com

Mirror Staff 2010-2011 KURT HINKLE | General Manager khinkle@uncmirror.com ERIC HEINZ | Editor editor@uncmirror.com BENJAMIN WELCH | News Editor news@uncmirror.com JORDAN FREEMYER | Sports Editor sports@uncmirror.com RUBY WHITE | Arts Editor arts@uncmirror.com MELANIE VASQUEZ | Visual Editor photo@uncmirror.com ERIC HIGGINS | Advertising Manager ads@uncmirror.com RYAN ANDERSON | Ad Production Manager adproduction@uncmirror.com

editor@uncmirror.com

L

ast week, I was approached by a group of people who were passing out literature on Arizona’s immigration bill. The group was openly opposed to the bill. Several people wore shirts that said something to the measure of, “Do I look like an illegal alien?”

I must compliment the group members on their literature.

Obviously, the nature of the information is biased, and rightly so — for the group has an agenda — but I was pleased that the information

Mark MAXWELL

editor@uncmirror.com

Front Desk 970-392-9270 hen it comes to General Manager elections, I 970-392-9286 endorse peer Newsroom pressure.

If your friend tells 970-392-9341

Mission Statement The Mirror’s mission is to educate, inform and entertain the students, staff and faculty of the UNC community, and to educate the staff on the business of journalism in a college-newspaper environment.

About us The Mirror is published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the academic year by the Student Media Corp. It is printed by the Greeley Tribune. The first copy is free; additional copies are 50 cents each and must be purchased from The Mirror office.

in the literature did not appear to be exaggerated.

What is exaggerated, though, is the argument that Arizona’s immigration bill will lead to racial profiling. In reality, the bill only allows for Arizona police officers to check the immigration status of a person if there is lawful reason to stop, detain or arrest them in the first place.

It is a gross embellishment to think that the bill will have Arizona police falsely arresting Latinos left and right in hopes of catching someone who is illegal, thereby elevating some twisted superego contained in each officer’s consciousness.

Police can’t just rip into people’s homes and check their immigration status. The bill essentially allows for Arizona police officers to enforce existing immigration

law. In fact, the bill specifically states officers “may not consider race, color or national origin” when checking a person’s immigration status. The opposition seems to ignore this.

Checking somebody’s immigration status is as simple as checking to see if somebody has a valid driver’s license, which everybody should carry anyway.

Even without this law, if a person is arrested and doesn’t have identification on him or her — legal or not — the person would still be held until he or she is identified.

Arizona’s S.B. 1070 really just makes it illegal to be an illegal, which challenges the immigration duality that safe-haven cities have created. Arizona is picking up the slack that the federal government left behind in enforcing immigra-

tion policy. Not only does it ease the stress on law enforcement agencies, but it also — at no cost to legal immigrants and citizens — upholds the law.

I realize this law allows people to be deported who may have family legally living in the country. I also realize many people who immigrate here illegally do so to escape unfavorable conditions elsewhere, but the law stands on nothing if we continually bend it for emotional queries.

Law must not discriminate, which means enforcement of immigration law must be exercised in full. Arizona’s bill allows law enforcement officers to do that.

— Josh Divine is a junior math major and a weekly columnist for The Mirror.

Excuses for not voting are unacceptable in democratic society

Contact Us Advertising 970-392-9323 Editor 970-392-9327 Fax 970-392-9025

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

W

you he is not participating in this year’s election, ask him why. If he says he doesn’t know, ask him why not.

If that doesn’t do it, remind him that you’re counting on him to improve the present and create the future. He could vote as a favor to you; he could vote as a favor to your children. His voice is vital to shaping the country, and it’s no longer acceptable — it never was, in fact — to make

excuses for ignoring the country he lives in.

He doesn’t have time to go to the polling place? Get an absentee ballot. He’s not from Colorado? Turns out you need be a resident of the state for 30 days to vote here.

Or maybe he says he doesn’t understand the issues and he can’t distinguish the candidates. That’s fair, right? He doesn’t want to skew the polls with uneducated guesses.

Nope, not enough. The thought that an educated person can’t learn the issues and support a choice is preposterous. The Internet provides instant access to arguments both for and against every ballot measure.

The facts are there and are waiting to be consumed.

That’s not to say making

decisions is easy. The 2010 Colorado ballot has some considerable weight, including questions of health insurance, tax reform and even potentially outlawing abortion, as well as proposals that threaten the future of education. Add to that the elections of U.S. senator and the Colorado governor and the ballot looks downright critical.

To which your friend can only respond with that most ridiculous of excuses: “I’m not voting because my vote doesn’t matter.” Forget the country is sustained on the principle of democracy and was founded on it; forget the history of upsets through polling surprises; forget even that the youth of the nation essentially chose our current leader.

If it were my friend, I’d ask

him, “Whose vote does matter?”

Because I am voting. And frankly, I am insulted at the thought that my opinion and my effort doesn’t count. No, scratch that, I am insulted that I have chosen a friend without the spine to march to the ballot box.

It’s lazy; It’s pathetic.

But it’s not my friend; it’s yours.

So tell him to kindly reconsider his “reasons” for not participating in his countries due process. If it’s a she, then feel free to replace all the masculine pronouns above.

And if it’s not he or she, but you, I hope you will quit making excuses to yourself and get it done. But it’s not you, right? You wouldn’t be that person.

— Mark Maxwell is a junior theater major and a weekly columnist for The Mirror.

News

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

The Mirror 5

Motivational speaker shares life lessons, advice JORDANE HARTBAUER news@uncmirror.com

Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker, activist, educator and author, gave a presentation to Greeley High School and UNC students titled “The Secrets to Success” Monday in the University Center.

“I liked the speaker; I thought he was really good,” said Salynthia Collier, a senior psychology major and director of Student Affairs for Student Senate. “I didn’t know what I was expecting at first, but I really liked what I heard.”

Thomas, a consultant for Michigan State University and creator of the “Break the Cycle, I Dare You” program, travels the country speaking to many different groups, from children to Fortune 500 companies. He also spreads his advice

and messages though several YouTube series, which includes “Thank God for Mondays” and “The Secrets to Success.”

The University Program Council organized Thomas’s Secrets to Success presentation as one of its diversity programs.

Brittany Schorzman, a senior journalism major and the public relations and marketing coordinator of UPC, was in charge of inviting Thomas to campus.

“The UPC was looking for an awesome motivational speaker to bring to campus,” Schorzman said.

“Our diverse (programs) coordinator, Deandrea Thomas, found Eric Thomas on YouTube. We all watched the videos and found them to be very cool.”

During Thomas’ presentation, he discussed several important

lessons to help students understand the possibilities of success.

Thomas also used these points to create discussion and opened up the floor for questions and comments from the audience.

“I came to UNC because I knew of some students who needed to be inspired and who need just that little boost — that extra push — to know that they can make their dreams a reality,” Thomas said.

“Sometimes, people think that when a person is in college it is an easy road; when a person is in college, they must be smart and everything must be going their way. People in college are like eagles, they are trying to get to the top. They need to be inspired by people who have been there. I just came to inspire and give people a sense of hope.”

HEATHER SAVINO | THE MIRROR

Eric Thomas gives a motivational presentation to students Monday in the University Center Ballrooms. Thomas talked about useful tips students can capitalize on for future success in life.

Editor: Ruby White

The Mirror 6

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

Latin holiday merges with Halloween celebration JOANNA LANGSTON arts@uncmirror.com The season of scariness is upon us, and it seems everywhere you turn there is some autumn festivity to be found.

The Cesar Chavez Cultural Center was in full swing Monday as it kicked off “Semana de los Muertos,” or, the Week of the

Dead, with its second event of the day, “La Catrina,” a costume party complete with refreshments and face painting.

The League of United Latin American Citizens sponsored the event. Earlier Monday, the CCCC hosted a luncheon to talk about the celebration of Dia de los Muertos: as an introduction to “La Catrina.”

CASSIE NUCKOLS | THE MIRROR

Ana Conchas, a junior computer information systems major paints the face of a participator in the “La Catrina” costume contest, Monday at the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center.

Dia de los Muertos is a celebration which dates back to Mesoamerica several thousand years ago. Though to some the name sounds ominous, it is, in fact, a sweet holiday of reminiscence of loved ones who have passed away. Historically, the celebration occurs in August and lasts for the duration of the month. Spanish conquistadors thought little of the celebration and moved it to coincide with Catholicism’s All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day, which are also days to celebrate the dead.

Students gorged on delicious cookies and hot chocolate inside the warm house, safe from the wintery weather, while participants in the costume contest paraded down a runway lined with baby pumpkins. After an encore strut down the aisle, judges made their decisions.

Participants received goody bags filled with treats for their

efforts. There was an array of bags stuffed full of candy, which LULAC members made to be distributed at Greeley’s local hospital to sick children who would not be able to trick-ortreat this year.

Rudy Lucero, a sophomore sociology major, portrayed a beautiful Belle from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” while other favorites were a rainbow colored butterfly, a bloody murdered doctor and the entire band of KISS. “My favorite part was dressing up for the party,” Lucero said.

Ana Conchas, a junior computer information systems major and member of LULAC, was the resident artist who provided face painting.

“I volunteered, because last year I did it too,” Conchas said.

“At the beginning, no one wanted to get their faces painted, but

then after the first one, everyone wanted their face painted. It felt very comfortable there, like family. Everyone was so friendly. ” The affair, which combined Latino tradition and contemporary Halloween frivolity, is the first Dia de los Muertos event that LULAC has hosted individually.

Erick Chavez, a sophomore mathematics major and president of LULAC, said he felt proud of the turnout.

“You can always do better next year, and that’s what we hope,” Chavez said.

Marlene Delgado, a junior sociology major, also helped to coordinate the event.

“It’s free, its open to the public and students,” Delgado said.

Both students said they hoped the night would become an annual tradition, and are eager to see next year’s turnout.

Department performs London play STAFF REPORT arts@uncmirror.com

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UNC’s College of Performing and Visual Arts will present “Blood Brothers,” a musical by Willy Russell. Opening day for the performance is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, at Norton Theatre, located in Gray Hall. The show will run Nov. 36 and Nov. 9-13.

The production will also be performed at 2 p.m Nov. 6-7 and 13-14.

The University of Northern Colorado’s head of the Musical Theater Department, John Leonard, will direct the show.

“Blood Brothers” is a contemporary nature vs. nurture musical about a set of fraternal twins sepa-

COURTESY OF UNC MUSICAL THEATER DEPARTMENT

rated at birth and raised in completely different lifestyles. The brothers befriend each other, fall in love with the same girl and have a tragic tear in their relationship. One twin grows up to be an Oxbridge graduate while the other is unemployed and a prisoner. The play has been one of the most deeply moving per-

formances in London and is one of the longest running in London theater history.

Musical theater majors Adam Fontana and Kytt McLaughlin will portray the brothers Mickey and Edward.

For tickets and more information, visit www.arts.unco.edu or call 970-351-2200.

Arts & Entertainment

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

The Mirror 7

Marching band showcases program for recruits KRISTEN MARTIN news@uncmirror.com

The Pride of the Rockies UNC marching band spiced up its season by performing musical numbers from Ernest Lehman’s “West Side Story.”

The Pride of the Rockies performed at the Colorado Band Masters Association state championships for the four-A and five-A high schools at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

“It’s the last competition of the year, and it’s a real honor to perform for that,” said Richard Mayne, associate director of University of Northern Colorado bands. “We’ve been planning since last May for ‘West Side Story.’”

This year, the marching band teamed up with dancers from UNC’s School of Musical Theatre.

“It’s the cherry on top of the sundae for us,” Mayne said.

Charlotte Harsha, a senior music education and drum major, said the band did not compete, but

FILE PHOTO | THE MIRROR

Gerry Heise, a junior music performance major, performs with the marching band at the UNC-Eastern Washington football game on Oct. 16. Last weekend, the marching band played at the high school state competition. entertained the audience of parents and other students in high school marching bands.

“I think it’s nice that (…) we can perform for fun,” Harsha said.

Harsha said the band prepared for the show since middle of August. Members had band camp before school started and practice

three times a week during school.

Participating in marching band for two years is required for musical education majors. Harsha said

she has been in marching band for five years, and this is her fourth year as drum major.

“I stuck with it because it is really good leadership experience, because I could end up teaching marching band, and by being a drum major, you step into a teacher role,” she said.

“Not to mention it’s a good stress reliever.”

Adam Davis, a junior percussion music performance major, said he has been in the marching band for three years and enjoys the fun times shared by band members.

This is Davis’ second year as the percussion section leader.

Davis said this year in marching band was his favorite thus far.

“The people in the drum line and band are a lot of fun, and

everyone becomes a good friend.”

Davis said the drum line has had to put in a bit more time than the rest of the marching band members.

“We started band camp a day earlier and come to the practices one hour earlier because we have to spend more time on locking in rhythm to drive the whole marching band.”

Davis also said he is looking forward to working with the drum line next year when they will have new uniforms and performing next year’s show, which is being kept a secret by Mayne.

Their last performance of the season will be at the UNC football game against Northern Arizona at 1:35 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Nottingham Field.

News

8 The Mirror

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

Iranian writer debunks stereotypes, discusses media RYAN LAMBERT news@uncmirror.com

Firoozeh Dumas, bestselling author and humorist, talked about perceptions of Iranians and the similarities between her and Marjane Satrapi, author of “Persepolis,” the 2010 first-year book for UNC. Dumas, who authored “Funny in Farsi” and “Laughing without an Accent,” spoke Tuesday in the University Center.

Dumas’ books have been nominated for numerous awards. She was nominated for the coveted Audie Award, which was won by Bob Dylan, and as well as the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor, which went to Jon Stewart.

“I think (Dumas) is an example of how humor can express our shared humanity,” said Tom Smith,

dean of the University of Northern Colorado’s University College.

Smith began the event by giving a brief history of Dumas’ life. Her father was an engineer and a Fulbright scholar. In 1973, sevenyear-old Dumas moved to Whittier, Calif. Originally, Dumas is from southern Iran, where oil refineries are plentiful.

Dumas described her introduction to the American public school system. Despite her inability to speak English, her second-grade teacher, a woman whom Dumas still speaks with, advised her to read at the public library. This sparked an interest in the future writer.

“You’ve heard other writers say they were surrounded by books when they were kids, not me; (…) I was amazed by the public library,” Dumas said. “People ask me if there

are magic carpets, and I tell them that a library card is a magic carpet.”

Dumas’ lecture took a serious turn when she discussed the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, an incident in which 52 Americans were taken hostage for 344 days. This moment in history made Iran the center of world-media attention.

“We (Iran) went from a country no one knew about to a country everyone hated,” Dumas said.

Dumas told the audience about an instance when her family needed a repairman. When the repairman arrived, Dumas noticed he had a bumper sticker that read, “I use Iranians for target practice.” Her mother, who never learned the English language, had no idea what the bumper sticker said.

“In my writing, I wanted to correct things like that,” she said. “In

America, that should not happen.”

Dumas said she felt the weight of racism so heavily that in middle school she changed her name to “Julie” to fit in with the other children.

This story interested senior history major Julia Flowers.

“As a history nerd, I know that hate crimes have gone up on Middle Eastern people, and (Dumas) put a humorous face on the Middle East that showed that they are still human,” Flowers said.

Dumas concluded her presentation with the story of her book’s difficult publication. She said she was writing about the Middle East with humor, and one publisher told her, “Readers want to read about female oppression in the Middle East; they don’t want funny stories.”

The fledgling author was persist-

DAN OBLUDA | THE MIRROR

Firoozeh Dumas, author of two bestselling books, talks to students about life as an Iranian-American. ent she said, so she gave her manuscript to anyone who would take it, including the famous feminist Gloria Steinem.

Steinem’s publisher, Villard, published “Funny in Farsi” in 2003.