The Commonwealth Times; February 16, 2012

BRIEFS On the cover:

Local & VCU National & International House passes ‘personhood’ and ultrasound measures

After another day of fierce debate, the state�s Republicanled House of Delegates on Tuesday pushed through two abortion-related measures that opponents view as an attack on women's rights.

On a 63-36 vote, the House passed a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound prior to abortion. That followed a 66-32 vote approving legislation that defines life as beginning at conception.

Democrats claimed that House Bill 462, sponsored by Del. Kathy J. Byron, R-Campbell, mandates a potentially invasive procedure simply to discourage abortion.

Republicans contend that the bill merely codifies an already common procedure that offers valuable information to women ahead of a clearly invasive procedure.

Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, who has called himself a �pro-life Democrat,� argued vehemently against the bill.

The second abortion-related measure, House Bill 1, sponsored by Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, would impart the rights of �personhood� to a human embryo at the moment of conception.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Gay, lesbian couples apply to marry in Va.

Cameron Hunt and Keyan Herron, a gay Richmond couple, on Tuesday joined four other gay and lesbian couples in what has become a Valentine�s Day tradition – a trek to the Richmond Circuit Court clerk's office to file applications for marriage licenses.

For the eighth year, the applications by gay and lesbian couples were rejected because Virginia does not recognize samesex marriage. But Hunt and Herron followed their hearts and later were unofficially wed outside the John Marshall Courts Building.

The gay and lesbian couples who applied for marriage licenses – along with another gay man who asked for his Massachusetts marriage to be recognized in Virginia – said they were buoyed by recent events. This month, Washington state legalized same-sex marriage, making it the seventh in the nation to do so, and a federal appeals court ruled California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it serves no purpose other than to �lessen the status and human dignity� of gays.

The Richmond couples were part of a statewide event organized by People of Faith for Equality in Virginia and were accompanied by dozens of supporters, the largest turnout in the history of the event.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Newport News to be base of new discount PeoplExpress Airlines

A new PeoplExpress Airlines will start low-cost air service this summer from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, where the company will be based.

The new airline proposes to fly to Newark International Airport, as well as Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I., and West Palm Beach, Fla., and eventually other locations.

Starting with four aircraft, operations could begin as early as mid-July, Mike Morisi, the company�s chief operating officer, said Monday.

Lured by tickets selling for 40 percent below current market prices, the new PeoplExpress hopes to draw passengers from the Peninsula, the Richmond region, Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina, Morisi said.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

6.0 quake recorded in Pacific off Ore.; no damage

The National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., says an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 off the Oregon coast caused no reported damage and only a smattering of reports from people who felt it as a weak jolt.

The shallow quake was recorded at 7:31 p.m. PST Tuesday more than 150 miles west of southern Oregon. It did not generate a tsunami.

Within about an hour, the information center�s website recorded 39 reports of people who reported feeling the quake. Most were in northern California and southern Oregon and characterized it was �weak� or �barely felt.�

U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Dale Grant told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the quake occurred in a seismically active area and was �not uncommon at all.�

Brief by the Associated Press

Arizona's English-only election law questioned

The case of a woman barred from running for city council in an Arizona border town because she isn�t fluent in English has raised questions about the 120-year-old law used to kick her off the ballot.

While records don�t show the exact intent of the old law, state historian Marshall Trimble said that new white settlers who came to Arizona in droves starting in 1890 with the expansion of railroads �were trying to eradicate Spanish.�

The Arizona Supreme Court last week upheld a county judge�s ruling that removed Alejandrina Cabrera from a March ballot for city council in San Luis, a small city on the U.S.Mexico border in southwestern Arizona.

Cabrera says her English is good enough for the community�s mostly Spanish-speaking constituents. Her attorney, John Minore, says the effort to stop her is politically motivated because she tried twice to recall the mayor.

If left unchallenged, he warned, the law �will become a political tool … a litmus or intelligence test� that could be �used and abused to the detriment of voters.�

In seeking her removal, San Luis Mayor Juan Carlos Escamilla and other city officials cited a 1913 Arizona law that says anyone �who is unable to speak, write and read the English language is not eligible� to hold any kind of public office in the state.

Brief by the Associated Press

Wealthy colleges enjoy banner fundraising year

For the 1 percent of super-wealthy elite, it was a much better one that catapulted them even farther ahead of the pack.

The latest annual college fundraising figures out today show donations to colleges and universities rose 8.2 percent in fiscal 2011, crossing over the $30 billion mark for just the second time ever, and improving many schools� financial footing after several lean years due to the economic downturn.

But the very richest universities accounted for nearly half the growth: Of the $30.3 billion collected by colleges and universities nationwide, $8.2 billion — or 27 percent — was raised by just the top 20 institutions. At those universities, fundraising was 15.3 percent higher than the year before, widening an already yawning wealth gap at the top of higher education.

Stanford University led with $709.4 million collected in fiscal 2011, followed by Harvard ($639.2 million) and Yale ($580.3 million).

Most campuses on the list have major medical schools and affiliated research centers, though No. 4 MIT ($534 million) is an exception.

Brief by the Associated Press

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SMC STAFF

Disco balls glisten on the ceiling of Henrico Roller Derby, the last stop on the CT’s Blind Valentine’s Date 2012.

Photo by Mel Kobran

NEWS

In this section:

Federal government changes Pell grant requirements • 4

Author Tom Burrell to visit VCU • 5 Crime log • 5

VCU students rally for equal rights

Daniel Lombardo Capital News Service

On a dreary Valentine’s Day, about 40 VCU students and other Richmond residents held a rally to protest legislation they said would undermine a litany of rights – from abortion rights and gay rights to voting rights and free speech.

The third annual Equal Rights Rally was organized by the VCU Young Democrats, with support from Students for a Democratic Society, the NAACP and the Virginia Alliance of Student Activism.

“Look me in the eye and tell me I’m inferior,” read one poster. Another said, “I’m young … I’m a voter … I’m a student … Give me my healthcare back!!!” A third featured an illustration of two men kissing.

Participants at the rally said they opposed bills declaring that human embryos and fetus have the same rights as other persons in Virginia; requiring women to get an ultrasound of their fetus before they can have an abortion; and ending funding of abortions for low-income women carrying babies with birth defects.

The protesters also criticized measures allowing adoption agencies to discriminate against gay applicants; requiring welfare recipients to undergo drug testing; prohibiting people without sufficient identification from voting; and revoking the state law requiring that sixth-grade girls be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer.

“We have one (rally) every year in response to legislation focusing on women’s rights legislation like the HPV vaccinations and abortion – also civil rights, drug testing, voter registration, the LGBT community and adoption,” said rally organizer Vicki Yeroian, president of VCU Young Democrats.

On the other hand, rally participants said they supported bills to protect access to birth control, provide health coverage for pregnant women and children and allow for “expedited partner therapy” in Virginia. (That means treating the sex partners of people with sexually transmitted diseases without an intervening medical evaluation.)

The rally began with participants shaking their signs and chanting:

“Together we stand, together we fight, we demand our equal rights!”

“Stop the lying, stop the hate, separate our church and state!”

“Gay, straight, black or white – we just want our civil rights!”

Vicente Gonzalez, a VCU student, moved to the podium to lead off a series of speakers.

“We must believe this university is ours,” Gonzalez said.

Other speakers ranged from students with personal accounts of what they considered to be civil rights infringement to spoken-word presentations that advocated the “burning of Richmond with passion.”

The organizers opened the floor to the crowd. Some members of the audience said they believe VCU’s adjunct professors are grossly underpaid and don’t receive the benefits they deserve.

After the speeches, the group marched to the General Assembly building, about two miles east. CT

Vicente Gonzalez (below) leads off a series of speakers, some of whom gave personal accounts of what they considered to be civil-rights infringment.

About 40 VCU students and Richmond residents gathered outside of the University Student Commons on Tuesday at the third annual Equal Rights Rally, organized by the VCU Young Democrats.

Students brought signs to protest legislation that they said would undermine abortion rights, gay rights, voting rights and free speech.

Students per school who were awarded Pell grants: 830 785 5,883 2,509 980 4,323 6,804 2,284 700 2,027 938 6,690 268 3,675 4,188

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia: Pell grant report for 2010-2011 school year $3,172,059 $3,209,513 $23,499,678 $9,648,626 $3,980,982 $19,055,529 $26,889,523 $8,972,436 $2,716,514 $8,516,849 $3,852,234 $26,979,071 $1,056,438 $15,814,758 $17,009,193

6,690 $174,373,403

VCU students were awarded Pell grants between 2010-2011

During the 2010-2011 school year, VCU the most federal Pell grant assistance for its students, with $26,979,071. ODU came second in the state.

New Pell grant requirements to affect thousands at VCU

Mark Robinson Assistant News Editor

Thousands of VCU students may not qualify for federal Pell grants for the 2012-2013 school year because of legislation President Barack Obama signed into law in December.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act lowered the total family-combinedincome level that guarantees a student a Pell grant from $30,000 to $23,000. It applies to all dependent students and independent students who have a dependent other than a spouse.

Additionally, the law lowered the maximum estimated family contribution for Pell grant eligibility from $5,373 in 2011-2012 to $4,995 for 2012-13, further limiting the number of students eligible for federal aid for the upcoming school year. The changes are effective July 1, 2012.

Shannon Bartlett, an economics major, is enrolled part time at VCU. With three semesters left to complete her degree, Bartlett quit her full-time job to qualify for Pell grants. But with the new lower income requirements, the job she works to pay her rent will disqualify her from Pell grant eligibility,

which pays her tuition at VCU.

“It seems these new regulations target nontraditional, working students. Now that these new rules are in place, I’m not sure if I qualify to go to school next year,” Barlett said. “The extra 24 bucks I have after rent and bills sure isn’t going to get me there.”

Last year, 6,690 students at VCU received federal Pell grants, the second most in the commonwealth amongst four year institutions behind only ODU.

The total amount awarded to VCU students was nearly $27 million dollars, with the average award a little over $4,000, according to the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia website.

“This is going to be a nationally felt impact, not just VCU,” said Brenda Burke, director of financial aid at VCU. “This affects all students who are getting a Pell grant; the Department of Education is well aware of that. Higher education is going to be cut somehow. There’s no other way around it.”

Burke said she expects higher education funding to be cut more to balance President Obama’s recently proposed national budget. She urges students to get involved in the

conversation about higher education funding, both in Richmond and Washington.

“Students, believe it or not, have a huge voice, a much stronger voice in this than they realize, because they are the ones who are ultimately going to be affected by it,” Burke said.

Efforts to offset the federal aid changes are being made in Virginia's General Assembly.

Senate Bill 85, sponsored by Barbara A. Favola, a Democratic senator from Arlington, proposes broadening twoyear college transfer grant eligibility for students who’s expected family contribution, determined by their FAFSA, is less than $12,000.

The bill crossed over into the House of Delegates on Monday and was referred to the Committee on Education. It was then referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday.

The General Assembly will also determine how much money VCU will be budgeted for the 2012-2013 school year.

Each year, a specific dollar amount is budgeted to VCU for financial aid by the State Council for Higher Education

of Virginia. This money is only used for financial aid and is separate from the money budgeted for construction or paying faculty salaries, Burke said.

Additional money endowed to the university by alumni is used to offer scholarships for students, but because VCU is a relatively young school, its endowment is more limited than other schools in Virginia, Burke said.

“If a student can’t qualify for private loans then they’re going to have to look for alternative funding. VCU cannot cover the entire cost. We’re not set up to do that,” Burke said.

Students affected by the Pell grant changes do have other avenues to acquire federal aid, including work study and subsidized and unsubsidized loans, Burke said.

In-state students are also eligible for state grants, which are awarded based on a student’s FAFSA, though credit hours and GPA are often considered too, Burke said. Departmental scholarships at VCU and third-party scholarships outside of the university are also options for students. CT

Advertising visionary Tom Burrell to visit VCU

Mechelle Hankerson News Editor

While controversy in Richmond about slave burial grounds has quieted down since last year, author Tom Burrell wants to address a different type of slavery that he argues is still alive.

“Slavery came in two forms,” Burrell said. “Slavery was, in America, physical enslavement, but in order to justify it in a democracy (it became) psychological enslavement.”

Burrell said that this psychological enslavement is still a part of many African-Americans’ psyches and can indirectly affect the behavior of those affected by it, specifically in relation to their habits as consumers.

Burrell will visit Richmond on Feb. 22 as part of VCU Libraries’ Black History Month Lecture Series to elaborate on some of these issues as they affect the marketing field.

Burrell’s lecture will focus on problems he addresses in his most recent work, a book titled “Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority.”

Burrell, often hailed as an advertising visionary, examines marketing techniques that he argues sell the idea of black inferiority through negative black media messages. Ultimately, Burrell

claims this creates a new kind of slavery.

“We may say that we have been freed of the physical chains, but there are still psychological chains that keep us in a slave-like attitude,” Burrell said.

The 40-year veteran of the advertising and marketing fields said that he noticed patterns among African-American consumers that were somewhat puzzling, including brand choice and on which types of products African-Americans were choosing to spend money.

“I was (thinking) things like ... why is it that black people, despite being at the lower rung of the economic scale, tend to spend more money on material goods? Why do, among those material goods, we tend to prefer the most premium-type products?”

While Burrell’s professional background is in advertising, he said he is often asked to comment on topics like race relations.

“I primarily focus on how black people have been conditioned to think about themselves, how white people have been conditioned to think about themselves, and we need to address that issue before we start thinking about how we address each other,” he said.

VCU’s Black History Month Lecture Series is 10 years old, and last year’s event featured political commentator

Melissa Harris-Perry. VCU’s university librarian John Ulmschneider, who helps organize the event, said Burrell’s visit this year was a logical follow-up to Harris-Perry’s visit.

“(Harris-Perry) talked a lot about how contemporary politics and how the African-American community works within the contemporary political structure,” Ulmschneider said. “We thought this would be a great compliment: a national level speaker and someone who can talk about the images and stereotypes that surround ... African-American people in contemporary culture and how we try to improve that.”

The lecture series was developed in order to help engage minority and activist communities in Richmond in modern-day issues, Ulmschneider said.

“We wanted to have a program that reflected our commitment to reaching out to the community around Richmond to help us build our collections and the history of African-American minority and activist communities and to show our commitment not just to collecting those materials but to making them available and helping people understand the issues of the day,” he said. CT

CRIME LOG 2/9 –2/13

Thursday, Feb. 9

Alcohol violation Eagle Mill Towers, 1414 W. Marshall St. – A male student was arrested for being drunk in public.

Drug Offense At the corner of West Broad and North Allen streets

– A male visitor was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Weapons violation At the corner of West Broad and Belvidere Streets

– A male visitor was arrested for possession of a concealed weapon.

Drug offense/sex offense NN Lot, 500 N. Harrison St. – A male visitor was arrested for possession with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and indecent exposure.

Friday, Feb. 10

Attempted robbery 1407 Grove Ave. – A female victim advised that she was the victim of an attempted robbery by two unknown persons.

Burglary 1363 W. Broad St. – A victim advised that an unknown person(s) burglarized her home.

Drug offense 1000 Parkwood Ave.

– A male visitor was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of drugs.

Saturday, Feb. 11

Drug offense At the corner of West Broad and North Harrison streets – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Drug offense Broad and Belvidere Dorms, 700 W. Broad St. – A female student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Sunday, Feb. 12

Alcohol violation At the corner of West Broad and North Lombardy streets – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Alcohol violation Brandt Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – A female student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol.

Drug offense 1309 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Drug offense Brandt Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana. Burglary 1115 W. Grace St. – A victim advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from a secured location.

Alcohol violation At the corner of West Broad and North Lombardy streets – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drug offense 400 block of West Franklin Street – A male visitor was arrested for possession of a Schedule I or II substance.

Monday, Feb. 13

Trespassing Shafer Dining Center, 810 N. Cathedral Place – A male visitor was arrested for trespassing. Grand Larceny, state property School of Business, 301 W. Main St. – A male employee advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from a location.

Petit larceny Roads Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – A male student advised that an unknown person(s) removed items from an unsecured location.

Compiled from VCU Police Reports

In this section:

Wright's buzzerbeater sinks VCU at George Mason

Jim Swing Sports Editor

FAIRFAX – Shaka Smart placed both hands on his head. Several feet away Briante Weber stood in the arms of Bradford Burgess, on the verge of tears.

Members of the VCU men’s basketball team carried the look of disbelief. The look of a team that had a crucial game in their grasps, all but won, and then suddenly stripped away at the flick of a wrist.

Across the court diagonally, a slew of George Mason players crashed into the scorer’s table with Sherrod Wright, the hero of the night, somewhere beneath the pile. Seconds earlier Wright hit a mind-blowing desperation three-pointer at the buzzer to complete a wild Patriots’ final minute comeback and seal a 62-61 win over the Rams.

“I still can’t believe it,” said first-year George Mason head coach Paul Hewitt as he trudged into the postgame press conference. “I hope my wife doesn’t read this because this is the best Valen-

tine’s Day I’ve had in a long time.”

It all seemingly happened so fast. From VCU holding a five-point lead with 43 seconds left in the game, to George Mason’s entire bench spread throughout the student section giving high-fives and hugs.

On the other end, the look of disbelief still lingered. As Smart made his way off the court, he turned his head and made drawn-out eye contact with assistant coach Will Wade, who had no words to offer.

“That was a tough pill to swallow,” Smart said. “Don't quite know what to say about the end of the game.”

VCU had done nearly everything it could at that point. Weber and guard Troy Daniels sunk 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute, but the Patriots still wouldn’t go away. Wright, senior Ryan Pearson and Vertrail Vaughns each connected from deep in the final minute.

For the second straight game, the freshman guard Weber was charged with the task of sealing the game for VCU at the free-throw line. He hit a pair with 43 seconds left to put the Rams

up five, two more with 10.8 ticks left to put them ahead by four and finally one more to grab a two-point lead with 3.8 seconds remaining. On the last set of free throws, Weber had the opportunity to give VCU a three-point advantage, which would have lessened the buzzerbeater to a tie, but came up short on the first shot.

Following the game, Burgess, the Rams’ lone senior, was there for a few words of confidence.

“I told him, 'Don't worry about missing that free throw, don't think that it's all on you because of a missed free throw. It's a 40-minute game,'” Burgess said.

Weber’s free throws allotted 3.8 sec-

onds for George Mason to inbound the ball and send up a prayer.

It was too much time.

“I was a little nervous,” Smart said. “I wish it was 2.8 or 1.8.”

Wright’s deep dagger sent the Patriot Center into a frenzy and the Rams out of a tie for first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

In one locker room, celebration of a last-minute comeback capped off with an unforgettable clock-beating shot. In the other, a single message to move forward with.

“Only one message in the locker room,” Smart said. “And that's 'Don't you dare drop your head; no one's going to feel sorry for you.'” CT

PHOTOS

Top left: Freshman guard Briante Weber went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in the final minute against George Mason.

Top right: Juvonte Reddic was held to 1-of-8 shooting and four points versus the Patriots.

Bottom: "Don't think that it's all on you because of a missed free throw," senior Bradford Burgess told Weber after the game.

Bradford Burgess and Treveon Graham show similarities on the court • 7

Photo essay: VCU vs. George Mason • 8

Freshman Graham takes flattering Burgess comparisons in stride

Quinn Casteel Assistant Sports Editor

If you’re a freshman at VCU, or any other college program in the country, and the natural comparison people make when they see you play is Bradford Burgess, it’s a good thing.

That has been the case for former D.C.-area high school standout Treveon “Tre” Graham, who so far, has a very good thing going with head coach Shaka Smart and the Rams.

“Guys say we look alike and say we play alike,” Burgess said. “(Graham) gets the comparison, but at the same time he’s his own player who brings his own things to the table. He’s going to be a great guy for our program.”

Troy Daniels agreed that he saw a resemblance between Burgess and the freshman, but when asked about it Graham said, “I don’t see it, but I know a lot of people do see it.”

Although he may not think there is a physical resemblance, Graham would be the first one to admit they are similar players on the court.

“When I came here, they said I played like Brad,” said Graham. “I didn’t see it at first, but after playing with him almost a year, I see the strength, and we both shoot and we both attack the basket. A lot of the attributes we have are the same.”

Graham and Burgess play the same position with similar styles and are about the same size. When he arrived at VCU this summer, Graham was listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 215 pounds, which is nearly identical to Burgess when he entered as a 6-foot 5-inch, 207-pound freshman in the summer of 2008. Four years later, in the twilight of his senior season, Burgess is now 18 pounds heavier and has added another inch. A similar physical progression should be expected of Graham, who is also on a crash course in terms of the mental aspects of the college game.

“He’s evolving into more of an allaround player,” Burgess said of Graham. “At the beginning he was more offensive-minded than anything, but as the season’s gone on, he’s bought into our system defensively.”

Credit for Graham’s progress can be attributed to a multitude of things, but some of his improvements have come from simply watching the way Burgess plays.

“If we’re on the floor at the same time, I look to him to see what he’s doing and I’ll go out and try to imitate,” Graham said. “I try to do what (Burgess)

does so I can do it the right way.”

Head coach Shaka Smart’s system involves using lineups with less height in order to add more speed, but with Graham on the court there is no such sacrifice. His speed and athletic ability, paired with his size, have allowed him to take pressure off Juvonte Reddic and DJ Haley by guarding the opponents’ second or third tallest player.

The most important part of Graham’s game is his ability to draw fouls while driving to the basket. Despite playing just 17 minutes per game, he has more free-throw attempts than anyone on VCU without the last name of Burgess. And even though he is averaging 12 less minutes than Burgess did four years ago, Graham’s seven points per game are on pace with Burgess’ 7.4 ppg his freshman season. Graham’s emergence has come as a bit of a surprise to teams throughout the CAA, but those who are familiar with his background know he is used to high-quality basketball.

Graham played his high school ball at St. Mary’s Ryken, a member of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, which features some of the top players in the D.C. and Maryland area, many of whom go on to play at elite programs. Graham said he remembers playing against William & Mary freshman Marcus Thornton in high school, as well as Georgetown’s Jason Clark, UNC’s Kendall Marshall and Duke’s Tyler Thornton.

“It’s crazy,” Graham said. “We were just playing against each other, and now they’re at Duke, North Carolina, all these big schools, and they’re playing pretty well.”

Graham also said that having played against so many elite athletes in high school made it a lot easier for him to adjust to the college game.

“I was real confident coming into this year,” he said. “I wasn’t nervous or anything. In high school I was a bigger guy so I didn’t try to change anything when I got here; I just kept attacking the basket.”

Graham’s numbers put him in a class with the elite freshman around the conference, but he does most of his talking with his play on the court. He said he doesn’t know what he will have accomplished four years from now, but Burgess had a dose of perspective for him.

When asked if he thought Graham could one day be VCU’s all-time leading scorer, the guy who by season’s end will have started more games in a Ram uniform than any other player in school history said, “He definitely can.” CT

It's a common opinion that Bradford Burgess and Treveon Graham look alike, but the real similarities come on the court.

Photo Essay

Ian Myers Staff Photographer

Sherrod Wright's buzzer-beating 3-pointer snapped VCU's 11-game winning streak and left a sour taste in the mouths of Rams fans.

On Feb. 25 VCU will get another crack at George Mason, when the Patriots travel to the Siegel Center for the final game of the regular season.

The game could have major CAA Tournament seeding implication with the logjam that currently occupies the top four spots of the league.

But first up for the Rams is a BracketBusters date with Northern Iowa Friday night on ESPN2. CT

SPECTRUM

CT LOVE CONNECTION 2012

In this section:

University newspaper spares lucky couple

Valentine’s loneliness, misery

Blind date recipients treated to expensive meal, whirlwind romance

PRE-DATE INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

(originally printed in Feb. 13 issue)

Nick Bonadies Spectrum Editor

LA GRANDE NuIT

Before this Valentine’s Day at 6 p.m., sophomore sculpture major Nick Fagan and freshman international studies major Amelia Kirby – the star-cross’d recipients of this year’s CT Love Connection blind date – had never even dreamed that each other existed.

But after that evening, life as they knew it would never be the same.

LA PREMIèRE RèCONTRE / THE LOVEMOBILE PT. I

“I just got a rat tail. Can you put that in there? I just cut it last night. … Some lucky lady’s gonna be real happy about that one.”

The streetlights over Jackson Ward flickered on under the purple dusk as Fagan and Kirby, at long last, locked eyes with their missing halves outside Fagan’s apartment.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Kirby said.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Fagan replied.

Commonwealth Times chaperones, attendant nearby in the CT Lovemobile* and wishing to meet their dinner reservation in a timely fashion, soon ushered the lovestruck couple to their spacious-yet-cozy backseat.

After sharing each other’s names, Fagan and Kirby spent the first leg of their journey gazing fixedly out their respective windows, enraptured by the spectacle of life, love and revelry unfolding in the urban twilight.

“Wow, Richmond is hoppin’ tonight,” Kirby said, the Lovemobile gliding past Main Street’s glittering shops and restaurants. “And on a Tuesday.”

“Well, it’s Valentine’s Day,” Fagan said.

“Oh,” Kirby said. “That would explain all the teddy bears and flowers.”

“Maybe I should show up for the date in mauve overalls and a weird tutu. … ‘Stay gold, pony boy.’”

*The CT Lovemobile is so named for its state-of-the-art construction, designed to incite and maintain optimal passion/lovelust over any length of ride, with plenty of leg room

(during dinner)

AK: But yeah, so, after we’re done with this … I’m going to go home and go, like, straight to bed.

NF: Oh yeah.

AK: My bedtime’s like 9, 9:30.

NF: I’m pretty much gonna go back to the studio and work.

AK: Yeah.

NICK FAGAN sophomore, sculpture

AMELIA KIRBY freshman, international social justice

Reproductive Freedom Project takes to the dance hall • 12 Reality Check: When other people have different interests than you • 13

Photography by Mel Kobran Managing Editor

LE DîNER COuTEux: CAN CAN BRASSERIE

Instead of – as Kirby and Fagan guessed – Shafer Court or Chili’s at Cary & Belvidere, the Lovemobile eventually pulled to a stop in front of a bustling Can Can Brasserie, Richmond’s go-to for exquisite, authentic and prohibitively expensive French cuisine.

As though by providence, parking was found just across the street.

topics DiscusseD DurinG Dinner

• Majors, careers, classes (how they are going)

• High school drama class

• Netflix (Portlandia, Workaholics, etc.)

• Bike theft (Kirby’s bike, recent)

• French culture (pre-Revolution baguette protests)

• Dwindling water, bread

• Strip clubs (Fagan, went “once as a joke”)

• Alternative CT advertising/marketing strategies

• Ways CT Blind Date fund could have been better put to use

• Possible escape routes

Both Fagan and Kirby ordered from Can Can’s top-tier Plâts Principaux menu and, as their meals were prepared, filled each other in on the lives they’d tragically missed – until now.

“So,” Fagan said. “What dorms do you live in?”

“I’m in Rhodes,” Kirby replied.

“How’s that doing?” Fagan said. “How’s that going?” he clarified.

The butter dish for the bread arrived at the ideal consistency for spreading –the tap water, exquisitely iced.

meal assessment pt. 1: main course

NF: (Salmon au Poivre) “Yum – ee. Story of my life. Better than McDonald’s.”

AK: (Coq au Vin Rouge) “Delicious. Savory. Blissful. Enlightening. A revelation.”

Note: Despite her generally positive review, Kirby’s was the only plate taken away with food left uneaten.

“It’s a leg, yo,” she explained, pointing to the uneaten leg. “It’s got a bone in it.”

“Are you a chocolate person?” Kirby asked of her suitor, as the two perused the dessert menu. “Or a traditional person, or…?”

“I’m, you know … more of a seasonal guy,” Fagan said. “Or a cheese-plate person.”

meal assessment pt. 2: Dessert

NF: (Crispy Apple Pie) “Fan – tastic.”

AK: (Crème Brulee) “No comment.”

THE LOVEMOBILE PT. II

As the Lovemobile processed farther and farther into the darkened back roads of Henrico, Fagan and Kirby concealed their terror by speculating as to the nature and location of the secret CT “activity.”

postulateD after-Date actiVities

• Chess tournament

• Dave & Buster’s

• Museum of Southern Pride

• Left to fend for selves in Hampton, Va. / India

• NASCAR event

• Flung onto departing freight train

• Horrifying obstacle course

• Scavenger hunt

• Playing with puppies

“The fear level is rising,” Kirby said, her waning smile showing admirable resilience.

“Oh god, are we going to Roller Dome?” she said moments later, as the Lovemobile began to slow.

“Oh no,” she added.

L'ACTIVITé PASSIONNANTE: ROLLER DOME

“I’m glad I wore socks,” Kirby said. The vibrant, LED-illuminated interior of the Henrico Roller Dome resounded with the screams of all ages of children and the rhythmic chorus of 69 Boyz’s “Tootsee Roll.”

“I haven’t done this since I was like,

STORY CONTINuED ON PG 12

TOP: Fagan, in keeping with chivalric code, butters Kiry's bread. BOTTOM: Kirby: "(The skating rink is) a circle. ... It's like life."

11

10,” Fagan said, handing his left shoe to the skate rental booth as collateral.

With some encouragement by CT chaperones, the happy couple eventually rolled out to begin their slow-but-steady procession around the Roller Dome circuit.

“It brought back a lot of middle school memories,” Kirby later recalled.

“And also, it’s a circle. So it keeps being the same over and over. … It’s like life.”

The lights dimmed slightly as the DJ announced a special part of Valentine’s Day at Roller Dome – the Couples Only Skate.

None other than Whitney Houston’s golden voice rang out over the crowd with her 1988 Grammy nominee, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.” Dewy-

Valentine’s day dance benefits Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project

James Galloway Contributing Writer

The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project held their first-ever fundraising event of its kind Tuesday with “FREAK LOVE,” a dance party featuring several DJs in Balliceaux’s dance hall on Lombardy Street.

Angelica De Jesus, a pre-med senior at VCU and one of five organizers of the event, said last year the project raised $19,000 for low-income women in need and, expecting more than a hundred people in attendance, hoped to see the dance raise a considerable amount of

money.

“We wanted people to come out and have fun on Valentine’s Day,” said Janissa Hamilton, who helped organize the fundraiser. “We felt like it was an appropriate holiday for people to help each other.”

Hamilton said women who need money for abortions, transportation to clinics or other assistance relating to reproductive health usually go directly to their website seeking assistance.

Hamilton said some states provide help to low-income women who need abortions, but more states do not provide help.

eyed couples young and old gently revolved together around a cluster of glimmering disco balls.

Fagan and Kirby were seen, during Houston’s final strains (“Didn’t we almost have it all / the night we held on till the morning / you know you’ll never love that way again”), to reduce the distance between them from four feet to about two feet.

But as suddenly as the moment had arrived, it was gone. The DJ reinstated All-Ages Skate and Kirby was “sideswiped” by what she would later describe as “an 8-year-old.”

A twinge of regret, as the music returned to Boyz II Men, was palpable. The moment was over.

“Please do not carry children while on skates,” boomed the formless voice of the DJ, echoing in the rafters.

THE LOVEMOBILE PT. III / L’ADIEu

At the persistent encouragement of CT chaperones, Fagan and Kirby would rack up 18 total revolutions at Henrico Roller Dome before the night of their young lives began to draw to a close.

“I have a bedtime, yo,” Kirby said.

A hushed 20-minute journey back to the heart of Richmond followed, subdued either by the heady afterglow of a beautiful evening or, perhaps, motion sickness. Outside Fagan’s apartment, the Lovemobile pulled to a final stop; its engine hummed softly, its rear door swung ajar.

“Welp,” Kirby said. “It’s nice to be back where it doesn’t smell like fear.”

“Yeah,” Fagan said. “It was fun.”

“Thanks for being such a good sport,” Kirby said.

“Yeah,” Fagan said. “Thanks for … the great meal.”

“Yeah,” Kirby said. “I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you around. Bye,” Fagan said.

“Oh, it’s locked. Ah, okay. Bye,” he added. CT

“A lot of states do provide that, but there are about 32 states that don’t,” she said, “and Virginia is one of them.”

The project’s main source of donations, she said, are random donations of about $25 at a time.

De Jesus said the organization is able to provide about $1,000 per month to women without access to transportation or the means to pay for visits to a clinic. Hamilton said their monthly payout is normally dispersed between up to 10 to 12 people.

“It’s a lot of different people,” she added.

“It’s a smaller organization than (the

National Abortion Federation),” said Rose Gamble, who works at a women’s health clinic and helped organize the fundraiser. She said sometimes RRFP will refer people to NAF who can not afford women’s health services.

Hamilton stipulated that because RRFP is local, they are able to provide more specialized services to women such as transportation.

“Just getting women to and from the clinics can be a big deal,” she said. CT

For help, or to donate, visit the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project’s website at rrfp.net.

STORY CONTINuED FROM PG

PHOTO BY JAMES GALLOWAY

Reality Check with Sadie Zarkin

Dear Sadie Zarkin,

I am a waiter at a local restaurant, and I love my job. The management is great to work with and the customers are, for the most part, agreeable.

I love all my coworkers, too – they’re brilliant people. I value the time I get to spend talking to them before and after the hell shift.

But occasionally, they just start talking about sports.

Sadie, I am sports illiterate. I don’t know who I’m rooting for during a game, and I can’t tell if something good or bad just happened when the men pile atop each other.

When my coworkers start to discuss players and statistics and game results like it’s the plot of “King Lear” – to my ears they might as well be speaking Icelandic.

While I try to be polite and pay attention the only thing I gain from these interactions is an unavoidable need to fall asleep standing up. You can see how this adversely effects my work. What can I do to understand?

Help,

Touchdowner

Dear Touch,

Let me preface my response by saying that sports – as broad a field as that encompasses – can be a fascinating, multidimensional topic with a number of jumping-off points for casual conversation.

It might not be an awful idea to tune into or even attend a local game –go with a friend who’s willing to fill you in on what’s going on and why it’s important. Maybe a little bit of exposure to what you’re confused about can fill you in on what the appeal is – and then you’ll really have something to contribute to conversations, too.

Maybe you could even pick something you like and take a lesson or two. If the thought is just appalling to you, then the old smile-and-nod will get you everywhere in life; spend the time picking up more tips from the patrons, and finally, think of how your coworkers must feel when you talk about the opera.

Love, Sadie Zarkin

OPINION

In this section:

New birth control laws favor women’s rights • 14 Virginia Republicans attempt to pass voter-supression laws • 15

Obama’s birth control legislation long overdue

Katherine Johnson Columnist

Obama’s controversial health-care plan continues to receive attention after the administration passed a law regarding birth control. Republicans and some churches are claiming that the law violates religious freedom, since organizations affiliated with a religion must comply with making birth control available to women.

The law requires employers offer female employees access to birth control. That means women will no longer have to pay a co-pay for birth control and will also have access to the morning-after pill and sterilization services.

Allowing women to have access to birth control is an advancement that’s long overdue in our country.

The bill, however, does come along with controversy from Republicans, whose party leaders claim that the law violates religious freedom. The law mandates that hospitals or universities affiliated with a religion must offer birth control to its employees.

This should not be an issue though, because all women have the right to access birth control for their health and well-being. Religiously affiliated employers don’t have the right to deny them this, since it would overstep personal freedom. Even though the employee has the option, this doesn’t mean they will or have to take advantage of the law.

Republicans need to accept that we’re a progressive society. As a country, we shouldn’t regress by trying to defund Planned Parenthood or ignore the issue of high birth-control costs.

Many women aren’t on the pill now simply because of its cost. If they don’t have insurance, they go without the pill. But now, that women have access to the pill, we may see fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortions, something it seems Republicans would support.

If women can’t afford contraceptives such as birth control, it’s unlikely that they’d have the means to support a child. Since they have the pill as an option now, we may see less use in other areas such as welfare or WIC. At the least, we’d see a reduction in unplanned pregnancies and potential mothers facing some tough decisions.

Presidential candidates have also criticized the law, and have claimed it’s “anti-religious.” Providing women with

medicine doesn’t push an anti-religion agenda. Why, as a country, should we revert and not embrace medical advances?

Although the pill itself also had controversial beginnings, it soon gained acceptance in modern society, to the point that the government has funded numerous birth-control clinics. Today, 99 percent of sexually active American women have used birth control. This shows that use of the pill has crossed demographic and party lines.

In a way, birth control represented the advancement of women’s rights and the movement of women into the workforce and out of the home.

So why are conservatives so against it?

The Catholic Church has always had a no-contraceptive policy, but not many followers adhere to that anymore. In fact, it probably hasn’t been taken seriously for the last 50 years, at least in the United States. Women are no longer basing their health and personal decisions on a stipulation made by the church. It’s been reported that 98 percent of Catholic women have used some form of birth control.

Churches themselves are exempt from the new law, but groups such as Catholics for Choice and the Central Conference of American Rabbis have voiced their support in favor of the law, claiming that the policy “safeguards religious liberty” and will improve the lives of women and their families.

Women should have the right to medical care, including birth control, which is now possible through this law. Simply put, women can choose to participate but don’t have to. Now finances don’t have to be a woman’s deciding factor when dealing with her health.

Religious freedom is not at stake in this case, because it’s still the woman’s choice and only offers her a new option. CT

New voter bills cause Republicans to look desperate and suspicious

Rana Harvey Columnist

With Election Day around the corner, Republicans and Democrats alike are doing everything in their power to sway the public in their favor.

Republicans, however, are taking a more conventional approach by directly targeting voters. These extreme measures make them less focused on doing what’s best for Americans and more focused on doing what’s best for their party – accomplishing their party’s goal of making President Obama a oneterm president.

So it comes as no surprise to me that what started as an act to ensure voter identification quickly spiraled into an act of voter suppression.

Last Monday, Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling helped secure approval for a bill that would require Virginians to show an ID to cast a ballot on Election Day. Those who failed to provide proper identification would be able to cast a provisional vote, but would have to return later with proof of identity.

Those who failed to return, however, would simply have their vote thrown out.

Although Republicans claim that voter fraud is indeed an issue and should be treated as such, no one has provided any hard evidence of that reality. In fact, their proposed bills make their motives seem suspicious.

According to “Take Action Minnesota,” a campaign aimed at educating Minnesotans about voter suppression, “Introducing a constitutional amendment is a way to circumvent the usual legislative process and the Governor’s veto power.”

So what must be the real issue if the concern isn’t voter fraud?

Because Virginia is certain to play a leading role in President Obama’s reelection, Republican efforts to suppress voters’ rights here in our backyards will severely affect students, minorities, the elderly and disabled. According to a study by the RFP, over 600,000 Virginia voters could wind up with their votes being trashed.

Though Republican supporters of the

legislation highlight platitudes such as “importance of ensuing voter integrity” and “making sure that the person voting is, in fact, the person voting,” it is clear that this is just an attempt to appease detractors. Republicans are denying all discriminatory motives and standing behind their bills.

Furthermore, the legislation would suffice if instances of voter fraud and concern over voters’ identification were serious issues in the electoral process.

According to the Richmond Free Press, Civil Liberties Union of Virginia studies show that voter fraud is virtually nonexistent.

What is most important – and a real, serious concern – is that the maximum amount of Americans have access to their right to vote. It’s evident that Republicans are making concentrated efforts to silence voters just to uphold their own selfish motives.

What they should be creating are solutions to today’s pressing problems, not solutions for problems that don’t even exist. CT

Opinions expressed are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times or Virginia Commonwealth University. Unsigned editorials represent the institutional opinion of The CT.

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