The Battalion 04282011

● thursday, april 28, 2011 ● serving texas a&m since 1893 ● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media

thebattalion

MSC Hospitality hosted lectures that debunked misconceptions about the Islamic faith and created interfaith discussions about religion.

Students of all ages, cultures and re-ligious backgrounds filed into Rudder Tower Tuesday evening to take part in the International Dinner Series.

The theme for the lecture and open discussion was: “Islam: What Do You Know?” and it was an endeavor to increase student knowledge on both the religion and culture of Islam. Stu-dents were welcomed to attend and receive a full-course meal provided by Shiraz Shish Kabob, and enjoyed informative lectures by a number of well-versed speakers on the topic.

“We’ve hosted numerous cul-ture events similar to this one in the past. We’ve had German, Italian, Latin, Japanese-themed dinners and recently a Middle East one as well, but we realized it was such a broad and often misunderstood culture that we decided to offer a focus on the misconceptions,” said Mary Romeo, MSC Hospitality chairwoman.

Program director for the event, Michael Stockert, teamed up with Romeo and Shannon Parma, the executive in charge, as well as other colleagues and representatives of the

Those memories, they are ingrained and ever-pres-ent to be rehashed and exaggerated through the years.

But the memories aren’t just wins and losses. They aren’t just touchdowns or tackles. Rather, they are lasting reminders, untarnished, of what once was.

They belong to the 30,000 students who wear maroon, tailgate at Spence, pack Kyle Field reli-

giously and comprise the Twelfth Man during those autumn Saturdays.

And as those same students finish their four years and move over to the west side of Kyle, a new generation is ushered in and new moments are had.

Likewise, many generation of Aggies has its player: The guy who provides those students not only with those moments, but also with a sense of pride and reverence.

Guys like Jack Pardee, John David Crow, Ray Childress, John Roper, Aaron Wallace, Greg Hill and Dat Nguyen. Guys that live on eternally in Aggie lore.

We had Von Miller.

Freshman Seth Dingas, an agri-cultural leadership and development major, has been given a unique op-portunity — the chance to be the manager of a $22,000 business.

“I basically signed one of those flyers that they pass out in class, the ones that say, ‘Are you interested in an internship?’ and they contacted me,” Dingas said.

He manages the College Station branch of College Works Painting, a company that paints people’s homes and is run by student interns. He en-joys the internship because it gives him real-life, hands-on experience.

“The grand opening was after spring break. Since then I’ve made revenue of over $22,000,” he said.

The business is growing quickly, and Dingas said he’s looking to ex-pand his payroll with more market-ers and painters.

Jacob Dees, a sophomore general studies major and a friend of Dingas, is the head of his marketing depart-ment for College Works Painting.

“Working with him is great,” Dees said. “I work my own time, and I can work it into my own schedule. I had watched him go through the whole interview pro-cess, and when he told me he got it, he came to me and said, ‘I could hire you as the head of my marketing team,’” Dees said.

For Dees, Dingas is right for the job of manager.

“He’s not really lax to where you could slack off and he’d be OK with it. He’s constantly telling me, ‘We need to get out there.’ He’s continu-ally driving me, but not wearing me down,” Dees said.

Krystal NimigianThe Battalion

Alexandria Randolph The Battalion

See Painting on page 4

See Islam on page 4

Q:What do you think about

sidewalk counseling outside of Planned

Parenthood?

thebattalionasks

I think that women have the right to choose and it’s good that those

services are offered. I don’t think that women should

be deterred or have others’ morals

pushed on them.

Narissa Clanton, psychology major,

senior

I’m pro-life, so what they’re doing

is a good thing. I believe that they have the right to

voice their opinion. It’s important to

know all the facts to your argument.

Sterling Bennet, international

studies major, sophomore

I don’t support it because I wouldn’t want to be bothered

if I were walking in to Planned Parenthood.

Molly Baker, business major,

sophomore

I think it’s a great thing. It is very

needed because a lot of people going inside don’t know

all the medical issues involved with Planned

Parenthood. It’s a good opportunity to give them options if they feel trapped.

Brittany Brown, psychology major,

senior

Paul Mezier — THE BATTALION

Sidewalk counselors recite the rosary April 2 outside Planned Parenthood in Bryan during the 40 Days for Life campaign.

Aggies commit Saturdays to sidewalk counseling

As I drive down semi-dark, empty streets toward an inconspicuous building on 29th Street in Bryan, there are already a few peo-ple lined up, just off the sidewalk, careful not to obstruct the walkway. Their heads som-berly bowed. They face a tall fence of metal bars and a screen that inhibits those outside from looking in and those inside from look-ing out. I seek out Katie Higdon, director of communication for Brazos Valley Coalition for Life and class of 2010.

“There’s already one girl inside,” she says. It is 7:03 a.m. and the sidewalk counselors

are already praying in front of Planned Par-

enthood. This is a medical abortion Saturday at this location.

One organization stands out to Aggies: the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life. Ac-cording to ABC News, this organization has entered the national awareness by making the Bryan location one of the most protest-ed Planned Parenthood offices in the nation. Gloria Feldt, former president of Planned Parenthood, labeled Bryan-College Station a bastion of anti-choice sentiment.

Regardless of one’s stance on the issue of abortion, this organization’s rise from a single Aggie concerned with an issue to a

Dialogues on Islam clarify beliefs

culture

Students run paintingcompany

undergrads

MSC lectures promote respect over tolerance

Aggie responds to flyer, becomes business manager

Pavement prayers

See Sidewalk on page 11

Ty PettyThe Battalion

David Harris: No matter who drafts him, Von Miller will always be ours

Every Aggie generation has its moments. Those memories — the plays, the games, the un-

rivaled atmosphere, the unbridled fervor — that stand the test of time.

See Miller on page 5

Support for pregnant women◗ Women’s Health Center◗ Student Counseling Services ◗ Planned Parenthood ◗ Hope Pregnancy Center◗ Good Samaritan/Gabriel Project

Pg. 1-04.28.11.indd 1Pg. 1-04.28.11.indd 1 4/27/11 8:53 PM4/27/11 8:53 PM

howtoapplyIf you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion apply at thebatt.com, or call 845-3313.

The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.

corrections and clarifi cationsThe Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. We will pursue your concern to determine whether a correction needs to be published. Please e-mail at [email protected].

More than 40 percent of the funding for the GLBT Resource Center comes from a private endowment managed by the Texas A&M Foundation, not by The Association of Former Students.

There is no evidence available to The Battalion to suggest that then-SBP candidate Marshall Bowen, or any member of his team, had any intention to fi nancially profi t from the purchases of several rivals’ web domain names. To date, no court cases have ruled cyber-squatting against registrants without having reason to believe fi nancial gain was sought by the registrant, through the purchased domain names.

thebattalion 04.28.2011

fully equipped

2 Aggie Nights

Free pizza, karaoke and a cash prize will be available from 8 p.m. to midnight Friday in Studio 12.

1 Help JapanJapan Benefi t

Concert will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday on Simpson Drill Field. Local bands will be performing, and there will be activities to raise funds for victims in

Japan.

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Friday mostly sunny high: 88 low: 69Saturday mostly cloudy high: 87 low: 74Sunday 30% chance of thunderstorms high: 84 low: 56

3 ‘Babies’The fi lm,

Babies will be shown from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday in Koldus, room 227.

For updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

Pregnant?

979-695-9193 www.hopepregnancy.org

Need answers?There is Hope.

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THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily , Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion , Texas A&M University , 1111 T AMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111.News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at T exas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: [email protected]; website: http://www.thebatt.com.Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion . For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday . Fax: 979-845-2678.Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each T exas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year . T o charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover , or American Express, call 979-845-2613.

Matt Woolbright, Editor in ChiefMegan Ryan, Managing Editor Gayle Gabriel, City Editor Jill Beathard, Enterprise EditorRebecca Bennett, Lifestyles EditorDavid Harris, Sports EditorEvan Andrews, Graphics ChiefTyler Hosea, Video/Photo Chief

thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

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news for youcampus

MSC Fish presents fi rst Kyle Field DayThe fi rst Kyle Field Day, presented by MSC FISH, will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday. Students will have the chance to stand on the Kyle Field turf and test their skills in fi eld goal kicking, soccer striking and arm wrestling. Attendees will also have the opportunity to help local service and community organizations and win a pair of tickets to the fi rst Aggie football game of the 2011 season provided by Aggie Athletics. Members of MSC FISH said they hope to have student athletes in attendance to help facilitate activities. For more information visit http://www.mscc.tamu.edu/happening/kylefi eldday.html.

nation&worldHawaii government hands over Obama’s birth recordsHONOLULU — Hawaii government offi cials made a special exception to state policy when they gave President Barack Obama copies of the original documents recording his 1961 birth in Honolulu. It’s an exception they say they won’t make again. The move comes days after offi cials said the state wouldn’t release those types of records under any circumstances. State law prohibits birth records from being released except to those with a “tangible interest,” such as the person named. Only computer-generated versions of birth certifi cates — not the originals — have been handed out since 2001, according to a policy to satisfy requests for certifi ed copies. Obama released the document to resolve questions from so-called “birthers” who say he is not a naturally born citizen and therefore ineligible to be president.

Staff and wire reports

Diversi-T-shirt

Stephanie Leichtle — THE BATTALION

The Residence Hall Association gave out diversity T-shirts Wednesday in Academic Plaza. The program was started eight years ago in order to showcase diversity at A&M.


The game play itself is greatly expanded and incorporates new devices and puzzle elements to give players a greater tool belt to experiment with. For those who haven’t played Portal, it’s highly recommended that you do before moving on to Portal 2. The concepts of physics and problem solving are essential for the second game and a lot of the jokes are derived from events in the first game. The new tools are some of the most unique assets to a game that the industry has seen so far. Additions such as the hard light

bridge and the launcher add a few new ele-ments to the puzzles that players will have to solve. The hard light bridge allows the players to use their familiar portal gun to construct walkways and shields that would otherwise be impossible. Lasers allow for new ways to unlock doors, and launchers add momen-tum through the portal systems. The game is greatly enhanced by these features and fills the levels with an infinite number of possibilities.

The humor has always been the hallmark of Portal, and in Portal 2, it is no different.

MyLife… is my community

Kristin turned her passion for giving back into a new Chicago institution—with full support from KPMG.

“KPMG values innovation. They supported my project knowing I was developing valuable professional skills while serving our community.”

Kristin and her team raised over $200,000 for Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital.

See how she did it. Watch Kristin’s MyLife diary at www.kpmg-go.com/mylife.

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page304.28.2011thebattalion

techb!

things you should know before you go 5

2 Farmers’ market

Grab some fresh fruits and vegetables at Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today in front of Sbisa. Cash and credit cards are welcome.

1 Aggie mural

MSC Visual Arts Committee will present a three-day mural project starting today with acclaimed artist Lance Hunter. Students are invited to participate in creating the mobile mural, which will depict Aggie values.

3 MSC tours

MSC LEAD presents “Milestone Party” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Students will be able to walk through the 12th Man Hall and see renderings of what the MSC will look like upon completion of reconstruction.

4 Pan’s Labyrinth

MSC Aggie CInema Arthouse presents “Pan’s Labyrinth” from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday in Rudder, room 301.

5 Fiesta 505

MSC CAMAC presents a celebration of Cinco de Mayo, the day the Mexicans defeated the French in the Battle of Puebla. The celebration will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday on Duncan Field. Expect food, games and performances.

The video game Portal re-turns with its first full-length installment to bring

a few new physics devices to compliment the old ones. Portal 2 is much like the original Portal but with a few important differences. The graphics have a nice polish, and the humor is always a pleasant diversion from the frequent frus-trations that puzzle games present.

Matt Bizzell: ‘Portal 2’ brings more flash and fun to an old game

Players can expect a variety of comedy from some new voices and an old “friend” who they thought they got rid of in the last game. Jokes are delivered spot on and utilize a decidedly British flair to keep the laughs rolling. Characters in the game reference the previous title constantly but it serves only to increase the humor throughout. Players will enjoy the voice acting of Stephen Merchant, a prominent British comedian who has been in such films as Hot Fuzz, Run Fatboy Run and The Invention of Lying. His acting gives players a sense of familiarity throughout the game as well as comedy. The counterpart to Merchant is another personality robot that is less than happy to see you. Expect a lot of snide comments and remarks that are made all the funnier when delivered through an “emotionless” robot. It is a brand of humor

that makes the game funny, and any game lover will agree.

Portal 2 is a wonderful addition to the Portal franchise and Valve made a great decision to bring it up to a full-length game. It’s definitely worth playing a few times and the puzzles themselves are enough to keep someone playing, not to mention the robust storyline. Players will appreciate the efforts the creators went through to make this entertaining new installment.

Matt Bizzell is a freshman English major

Courtesy photo

Portal 2 adds new puzzles, characters and more opportunities for players to laugh.


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Muslim Student Association to ensure that the evening’s plans were of the highest grade. “I spoke with various mem-bers of the association and they gave good suggestions for guest speakers, lecturers and food provisions,” said Stockert, a senior political sci-ence major.

Stockert opened the event with an introduction of the first speaker, Profes-sor Amine Benzerga, who is a development associate in the department of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M. Along with Benzerga’s ac-colades, he memorized the Quran at a young age and

is highly involved in educa-tional outreach and commu-nity service activities.

Benzerga presented an in-troduction of the religion to both those generally informed and those entirely unfamiliar by naming and explaining crucial aspects of the religion such as Allah, the Quran and the prophets.

“The purpose of this event is to help people better un-derstand the religion of Islam, regardless of one’s experience in the subject. I wish to fos-ter interfaith dialogue to limit misconceptions, increase tol-erance and improve public life experience. In this way, the record will be set straight for those who truly wish to learn about Islam,” Benzerga said.

Benzerga continued, touching on various beliefs

and pillars of Islam and even provided excerpts with trans-lations from the Quran.

He was followed by post-doctoral lecturer of the A&M English department, Asmahan Sallah, who focused on clari-fying and explaining miscon-ceptions that surround the religion. Some of the subjects discussed included the true meaning of jihad and the im-portant, non-oppressed role of women in Islamic culture, among many others.

Senior biomedical sci-ences major, Ahmed Haque, followed Sallah’s lecture by offering the audience a pow-erful consideration of the dif-ference between tolerance and respect.

“Tolerance is something you might give a neighbor or a stranger, as in ‘You can live

your life and I will live mine.’ But respect is a result of an at-titude that rests in the idea that we might not necessarily agree with the things some people believe, but we are willing to learn about them and hope-fully grow to respect them,” Haque said.

Each lecture was followed by a period of open discus-sion in which the audience was encouraged to ask the speaker questions.

Junior psychology major Zach Gulde said he attended the event because of his inter-est in different religions.

“I think it’s great that the University hosts these kinds of events. It is beneficial to ex-pose people to unfamiliar sub-jects that might be normally misunderstood, especially in a conservative place like this,”

IslamContinued from page 1

The interview process, which began in the fall of 2010, consisted of six inter-views and several applications. Out of approximately 1,000 candidates from A&M, he and 30 to 40 others were chosen.

Dingas’ company, Col-lege Works Painting, is one of many branches throughout the U.S., all owned by college students. Dingas said the pro-gram has been going on for 20 years and is the largest intern-ship program in the nation.

“The premise is to develop business and communication skills and to build skills for the business world and the real

world,” Dingas said. Nathan Moore, a senior

industrial distribution ma-jor and district manager of the College Works Painting branches, said the idea of the program is not to build the painting business, but to build individual students.

“I teach students the ba-sics of entrepreneurialism and the skills to start a business,” Moore said. “We focus more on developing people than the actual painting business.”

Moore said it takes a very specific type of individual to be a match for the program.

“I’m not looking for any type of major or year like other [internships]. It’s my job to hire students … to pro-vide them with the skills they

will need to start businesses in the real world. We look for someone with the drive to succeed and control where they go in life. There are two types of people — someone who is happy working for someone else, and someone who has the entrepreneurial spirit … to forge their own path and be creative. The sky’s the limit.”

For Moore, Dingas was a fit, and for Dingas there is no fear of the opportunity to run his own business.

“It’s been challenging, but a challenge I boldly accept,” Dingas said. “You learn so much in such a short amount of time.”

Moore said he also started in the program as a freshman,

and it helped him learn time management. During his freshman year, Moore man-aged College Works Paint-ing, took 20 class hours, par-ticipated in the A&M archery and quidditch teams, and also had a second part-time job.

“I want to teach people that no matter what you do, you can be successful with the hours you have,” Moore said.

Moore said he helps Din-gas manage his activities just as his district manager had helped him.

He said, “I ask [Dingas] ev-ery day, ‘How are you doing with classes, with projects, with church?’ I’m develop-ing people, not just running a painting business.”

PaintingContinued from page 1

Rules for Kan. abortion clinics win final approval TOPEKA, Kan. — New

health and safety regula-tions specifically for Kansas abortion clinics won final approval Wednesday from the state Legislature, and the new requirements would in-clude annual, unannounced state inspections.

The Senate approved the measure, 24-15. An identical version already had passed the House, so the bill goes next to Gov. Sam Brownback, an anti-abortion Republican who is expected to sign it.

Kansas has only three abortion clinics, a Planned Parenthood clinic in Over-land Park, another in the same Kansas City suburb, and one in Kansas City, Kan. A clinic once run by Dr. George Tiller of Wichita has remained closed since he was gunned down in May 2009 by a man professing strong anti-abortion views.

Abortion opponents con-

tend the bill will protect pa-tients. The measure directs the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to write standards for exits, lighting, bathrooms and equipment. KDHE would issue annual li-censes, have the power to fine clinics and could go to court to shut them down.

The measure also im-poses new rules for how clinics administer RU-486 abortion-inducing pills, re-quiring them to be provided only by licensed physicians and dispensed with the doc-tor present.

“We’re dealing with the safety and health of women — women who are mak-ing a personal decision, who don’t leave these clin-ics whistling and skipping,” said Sen. Mary Pilcher Cook, a Shawnee Republican who opposes abortion and pushed for Wednesday’s vote.

Critics said the real goal is to

force clinics to make expen-sive renovations and changes in their operations, in hopes of shutting them down. Julie Burkhart, an abortion-rights advocate who worked with Tiller said clinics could face hundreds of thousands of dol-lars in new expenses.

Opponents said that if the bill forces clinics out of business — as they believe it will — poor women will suffer most.

“There will be an increase in what were previously known as back-alley abor-tions,” said Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat.

Others said that if the regulations imposed by the bill will benefit patients, they should be applied to another 250 to 300 clinics and offices performing in-vasive medical procedures.

“The patients in those other procedures are just as vulner-able to infection and compli-

cations as the patient receiv-ing an abortion,” said Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler, a Lindsborg Republican.

In theory, the bill’s regula-tions could apply to hospitals performing at least five first-trimester abortions a month, but supporters of the measure said they don’t know of any that do. Supporters said spe-cial regulations for abortion clinics are justified because their patients are vulnerable, often not wanting to tell oth-ers about their procedures, even if problems arise.

“The inherent shame of abortion keeps women from filing public lawsuits and de-manding state corrective ac-tion,” said Mary Kay Culp, executive director of the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life.

Associated Press


Tonight, Miller is going to hear his name called in the top-10 of the NFL Draft. He will walk up on stage, shake hands with Com-missioner Roger Goodell, hold up his future team’s jersey and smile for the cameras. It is the beginning of what will hopefully be a fruitful NFL career.

Whether it be Buffalo or Arizo-na, San Francisco or Denver, fans will go out in droves to purchase the jersey of the franchise’s budding defensive superstar.

Sure, they’ll have the merchan-dise along with the opportunity to watch him torment opposing quar-terbacks every Sunday. But make no mistake, he is still ours.

He arrived at A&M in 2007 as an unrefined physical freak-of-nature dripping with potential. He played

sporadically at defensive end, fin-ishing his freshman season having made few tackles and even less of an impact.

Mike Sherman took over in 2008 and implemented a more stringent way of doing things. One that Miller had trouble buying into. Sherman saw Miller’s limitless po-tential. He also saw an immature player. After a string of indiscre-tions, Miller was suspended in-definitely and seriously considered transferring until his father’s ada-mancy convinced him otherwise.

It was then that everything changed. For that, we are all grate-ful, because if not for that kick in the pants, we may have never got-ten our three seasons, 31 sacks, two All-American nods and one Butkus Award.

We would have never gotten our moments.

We would have been deprived of a hobbled Miller, carrying his

team to victory on one good leg as they stared a potentially devastating loss to FIU square in the face.

We wouldn’t have been able to experience him willing his defense to the three goal-line stands that clinched victory over Oklahoma but signified so much more.

We would have missed out on his fourth-quarter sack of Nebras-ka’s Taylor Martinez, the seminal moment of the 2011 season that sent Kyle into a frenzy the likes of which have never been seen in these parts.

There would have been no sin-gle-handed takeover of the Texas game, when A&M sent a loud, clear message to its archrival.

For that matter, we wouldn’t have seen the rebirth of the Wreck-ing Crew.

Foremost, we wouldn’t have got-ten to see the maturation of a man.

At A&M, the increasingly ca-pacious distance between player

and student body is alarming. At a school that prides itself on being a family, there is a distinct separation between athlete and non-athlete.

Miller legitimately wanted to bridge that gap. He connected with the student body on a level beyond the playing field. He was one of us — you know, just a little bigger, a little faster, a littler stron-ger. He truly cared. He cared about his teammates, about this program, about this University. Because of that, he forewent the guaranteed riches the NFL offered following his junior season in order to finish what he started.

He’s confident in his abilities but selfless in his actions. He’s ruthless on the field, compassionate off of it.

With the national spotlight on him for the better part of four months, he’s been the ambassador and marketing machine A&M des-perately needs, paying homage to his alma-mater seemingly every

chance he gets. In the coming years, we’ll all

move on — to new careers, new surroundings, new lives. We’ll put a couple pounds on. Some will start a family.

Eventually, we’ll make the voyage back to Aggieland, back to Kyle Field and we’ll stare across to the East side where 30,000 maroon-clad students will stand on the same bleachers we stood. We will immediately con-jure up those moments, our mo-ments. We’ll get chills thinking of the shocking revival of a dormant program. And we will, undoubt-edly, think about Miller.

Tonight, Miller will become a Bill or a Bronco, a Cardinal or a 49er. But forever, he will be an Ag-gie. Forever, he will be ours.

David Harris is a senior economics major and sports editor

MillerContinued from page 1

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thebattalion

sports page 5

thursday 4.28.20112011 NFL Draft

7 p.m. today, New York City (ESPN)

Miller eliciting high praise as draft arrives; expected to go in top-10Miller eliciting high praise as draft arrives; expected to go in top-10

Von’s fate awaitsVon’s fate awaitsAfter his playing days for the Buffalo Bills

ended in 1996, former NFL linebacker Dan Brandenburg began training college athletes hoping to make the leap to the professional ranks. First round picks Keith Rivers, Sean Weatherspoon and 2010 Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews III all learned un-der Brandenburg’s tutelage. Joby Branion of Athletes First, the agency that Aggie line-backer Von Miller chose to represent him, said that Brandenburg was stunned when he first worked out the two-time All-American.

“He’s trained all of them and he said, ‘Von is the best athlete I’ve ever seen at lineback-er,’” Branion said.

Pat Harlow, a 1991 first round pick who played offensive tackle for the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders, is another for-

mer pro who trains collegiate athletes trying to make it to the NFL.

“These are guys, both Pat and Dan, that are really, really conservative when they talk to us about how the players are doing,” Branion said. “And Pat said, ‘Geez, this Von Miller? I haven’t seen anybody like him since Derrick Thomas.”

For those uninformed, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and is generally re-garded as one of the best pass rushers to ever strap on a helmet. He is also a Hall-of-Famer.

“When you’re looking at a guy like Von, he can do things physically that a lot of guys who play in the league can’t even imitate,” Branion said. “He has a freakish ability to ex-plode off the line and keep his body low and lean in or plant his foot to change direction in a way that almost defies physics.

“There are some guys who can go fast around the corner, some guys who have great spin moves, other guys that can change direc-tion and use leverage to get underneath. But it’s rare to find a guy, when you’re talking about a pass rusher, who can do all of those things.”

Teams picking at the top of the draft have to be particularly careful with their selections. The player they choose, in addition to the con-siderable financial commitment, will become the face of their franchise. Prospects like Au-burn quarterback Cam Newton and Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley have seen their stock rise and fall in previous months as fran-chises weigh their priorities: should we draft based on talent or on character? A player of Miller’s caliber offers the best of both worlds.

“He’s obviously a rare talent on the field, but I think he’s even more rare in the sense that he is truly, genuinely, a team guy who

cares about the people around him more so than he cares about himself,” Branion said. “He knows how to lead in the locker room, on and off the field, and he does everything, absolutely everything, for the betterment of the team.”

Although he flirted with entering the draft after a junior season in which he led the nation in sacks, Miller opted to return for a final year at Kyle Field for three reasons.

“He decided to stay and his reasoning was one, he didn’t feel like he was ready,” Bra-nion said. “Two, he felt like he had unfinished business back there at A&M; he hadn’t com-pleted his mission yet. And three, he loved his teammates and loved the University. I can tell you this — I’ve been doing this for 16 years, and I don’t think I’ve seen anybody who loves their school more than Von Miller.”

Austin Meek The Battalion

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thebattalion 4.28.2011 page6

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARE YOU READY FOR SOMESOFTBALL? Registration for C.S.softball league are forming now,so get your coed, women’s, ormen’s team together. Individualsalso welcome. Call 764-6386.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME VOL-LEYBALL? Registration for C.S.volleyball leagues are formingnow, so get your coed team to-gether. Individuals also welcome.Call 764-6386.

BED AND BREAKFAST

Romantic Getaways & Engage-ments, secluded cabin suites. AllDay, All Night. www.7flodge.com979-690-0073

COMPUTERS

Superior Teks. $59.95 for softwarerepair. $80.00 for hardware re-pair. Call 979-703-7963 or visitwww.superiorteks.net

FOR RENT

$1200 Available now, short-termleases ok. 3&4 bedrooms. W/D,pets ok, near TAMU. Call agentArdi 979-422-5660.

$1500/mo. 4bd/2.5ba Spanish styleduplex w/garage + off streetparking. Security system. All ap-pliances including w/d. No pets.979-297-3720 or 979-292-6168.

$1500/mo. renovated, 4bd/2ba,1mi. from campus. AvailableAugust 1st. Fridge/W/D979-219-0445.

$295 1-room in shared, furnishedapartment. All bills paid.Short-term leases ok. Call agentArdi 979-422-5660.

$300/mo. +1/2bills, on bus route.2/2 condo at Fox-Run1bdrm avail-able. Call 936-581-4504.

$375 Available now and prelease.1/1, 2/1. Free Wi-Fi, on Northgate,on shuttle. Short-term leases ok.Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660.

1 bedroom apartment for rent atPresidio apartments. Close tocampus, many amenities, lowmove in cost, potential to renew,$731/mo. 979-743-0182.

1bd/1ba Spacious floorplan w/ca-thedral ceilings. Brand new luxuryapartment condos. Fullsize stain-less steel appliances, balconies,W/D, designer ammenitites, gran-ite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36u-nits on Holleman at Wolf Pen.www.broadstoneranchat-wolfpen.com 979-776-6079.

1bd/1ba Summer Sublease. Rent:$350/mo +water/electric. Fur-nished, W/D, cable/internet. Nopets. Contact 713-824-7475.

2 BLOCKS from campus. 4bd/2bahouse, hardwoods, 2 living rooms,W/D, fridge, lawn-care included,$1640/mo. 817-875-0570.

2,3,4 and 5/bdrm. CS duplexes.Very nice, garage on shuttle, tile,fireplace, w/d, fenced, lawn serv-ice, pets o.k. Available August.Details and photos available on-line.http://[email protected], 979-255-1585.

2-3/bedroom apartments. Somewith w/d, some near campus.$175-$600/mo. 979-219-3217.

2-story 3bd/1.5ba. 1mi. to campus.$800/mo. for two., $900/mo. forthree. 979-777-2849.

2-story 4bd/2ba/2car garage. Bigbackyard. $1350/mo.979-777-2849.

FOR RENT

2bd/1ba duplex in Wellborn area.Best suited for individual or cou-ple. Rural setting, pets ok.979-690-6161.

2/2 Available Now! Remodeled,wood floors, tile entry,walk-in-closets, fenced yard, cov-ered deck, close to campus, petsok. 979-204-1950.

2/2 duplex, 1000sqft, W/D, tileand carpet, 2 miles from campus,$750/mo, 979-776-0221.

2/2 Duplex. Very nice, close tocampus. W/D & yard maintenanceincluded. Off of 2818. $800/mo.-Available now! 979-324-5076. /[email protected]

2/2 in fourplex,Available May, onshuttle route, W/D, water paid,$650. 979-324-5835.

2bd/1ba apartment, 800sq.ft. Newappliances, carpeting and tile.W/D. Bus route. $575/mo. +$300deposit. 210-391-4106.

2bd/2ba 4-plex. Spacious floor-plan, W/D connections, close tocampus. $550/mo.www.aggielandleasing.com979-776-6079.

2bd/2ba unique floorplans w/bal-cony views of Kyle Field. Brandnew luxury apartment condos.Fullsize stainless steel appliances,W/D, designer ammenities gran-ite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36u-nits on Holleman at Wolf Pen.www.broadstoneranchat-wolfpen.com 979-776-6079.

2br/2ba On Bus Route! Fencedyard, W/D, Lawn incl. $800gwbcs.com

3 or 4/bdrm. house. Fenced yardw/spa. $1200/mo for three,$1500/mo for four. 979-777-2849.

3/2 duplex. 5-minutes from cam-pus, fenced yard, bus route, fairlynew. Call 214-505-6534,469-233-4653.

3/2 Duplexes. Prelease May andAugust. Very nice. 5mins to cam-pus. W/D. Lawn care, security sys-tem. $925-950/mo. 979-691-0304,979-571-6020.

3/2 house in Bryan, $1200/mo.Available August. 979-695-8394ext. 110.

3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apart-ments, 1250sqft. Very spacious,ethernet, large kitchen, walk-inpantry &closets, extra storage,W/D, great amenities, on busroute, now pre-leasing, excellentspecials. 979-694-0320,[email protected]

3/2/2 for lease. All appliances,W/D, alarm system, on bus route.Available June 1st. 1431 MagnoliaDrive. $1200/mo. 214-914-4305.

3/2/2 large home. Near TAMU,available June1, central air/heat.979-255-2423.

3/3 large living and dining, fireplace, appliances included, largekitchen, plenty storage, fencedyard, lawn care, pest control in-cluded, available August$1050/mo, 979-218-0544.

3/3 newer duplex includes all ap-pliances, tile floors, backyard,pets allowed. $1200/mo. AvailableAugust. Call Tia 979-739-1160.

3bd/2ba condo, on shuttle route,on resturant row, $1350/mo,281-208-0669

3bd/2ba duplex. Available Sum-mer. Close to campus. W/D.$900/mo. 832-265-2460,[email protected]

3bd/3ba duplexes. Great floor-plans, fenced yards, W/D, tilefloors, icemakers, alarm systems.979-776-6079.www.aggielandleasing.com

3bd/3ba, gated luxury Water-wood Townhome. 1001 KrenekTap Road. Granite counter-tops,spacious closets, reserved parkingspots, W/D, bus route. AvailableJune 1st. $1275/mo/ individualleases. Call 817-988-4530.

3x3 duplex @ 2306 Antelopeavailable 8/1/11. $1,100/mo. CallBrandon Meek, 214-334-0032.

FOR RENT

3x2 duplex @ 907 Camellia avail-able 8/1/11. $950/mo. Call Bran-don Meek, 214-334-0032.

3x3 duplex @ 1814 Woodsman.Spacious floorplan, W/D included,large fenced backyard, pets wel-come, on shuttle route, call Bran-don Meek 214-334-0032.

3x3 duplex @ 2306 Axis available8/1/11. $1,200/mo. Call BrandonMeek, 214-334-0032.

4/2/2 house Prelease for August.1013 San Saba in C/S, great floorplan, bus route, tile & woodfloors, ceiling fans, fenced yard,covered patio, pets OK.$1450/mo. 979-255-9432.

4/2/2 off Dominik. Large updatedhouse, tile, carpet, with W/D, petsallowed. $1800/mo. Tia979-739-1160. Available August.

4/2/2, 1508 Austin, availableAugust, great floor plan, W/D, nopets, $1450/mo, 979-731-8257www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

4/3 house in Dove Crossing, CS.Like new. Tile floor all exceptfor bedrooms. W/D, appliances.Granite kitchen counter tops.Two car garage, fenced yard.$1570/mo. 979-574-0040 [email protected]

4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Houses, Townhouses,Duplexes &Fourplexes,1250-1700sqft. Very spacious,ethernet, large kitchen, extrastorage, W/D, great amenities, onbus route, now pre-leasing, excel-lent specials. [email protected]

4bd/2ba house. Close to campus,wood floors, tile floors, ceilingfans, W/D, fenced yards.979-776-6079.www.aggielandleasing.com

4bd/4ba Gateway Villas condo.Leasing now for August. W/D andall appliances provided. Will con-sider pets. Call Justin469-273-0637 or land-lord469-964-8103.

4bd/4ba house, 3526 Wild Plum,refrigerator, W/D, huge backyard!$1,650/mo. 361-290-0430.

4bdrm/2ba house, available 8/2,2-car garage, hot-tub, $1600/mo.bike to campus, 979-229-7660.

4bdrm/2ba., 2-living, 2-dining, 2car garage. Available 7/1/11. Call979-690-6735.

Pre-leasing for August!4bdrm/3bth house. Close to cam-pus, wood floors, tile floors, ceil-ing fans, W/D, fenced yards, re-frigerator, icemaker, lawn-care.979-776-6079,www.aggielandleasing.com

4bed/4bath Waterwood Town-homes, 1001 Krenek Tap Roadacross from Central Park. Gatedcommunity, bus route, appliances,W/D included. Available Fall 2011.Contact 281-793-0102 or [email protected]

FOR RENT

5/3.5 House, Southside Historic.All Appliances. $1200/mo Summerspecial! Summer terms only.817-773-7214.

5bd/2ba house, 1112 Berkeley,available August, two living, closeto campus, new tile, W/D, no pets,$1695/mo, 979-731-8257,www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

704 Gilchrist. 4bd/3ba. Huge liv-ing/dining, looks over creek. Allappliances, W/D, CA/CH. 2/1 up-stairs w/outside entry. Master+main bath downstairs, +study,+bath off kitchen. No odgs.$1400/mo. Leave message512-477-8925. Available August.

AggieLandRentals.com For allyour rental needs. Open 7days/week. 979-776-8984.

August-4/2 with large fencedyard, W/D connections, 1217North Ridgefield. $1400/mo.979-693-1448.

August-4/2/2 House with largefenced yard, W/D, large deck, up-dated kitchen. 1217 Berkeley.$1500/mo. 979-777-9933.

Available now! 2bd/1.5ba onshuttle, updated 1100sq/ft, 402Fall $650/mo.AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

C.S. 4bd/3ba/2 Car-garage. Up-dated, wood floors, fenced, petsok, 2 masters! Lawn services in-cluded. $1650/mo.AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

C.S. 4bdrm Houses, updated,fenced pets, ok. Starting at$1295/mo. AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

C.S.-leasing for August. 3bd/2ba/2car garage house. Updated,fenced, pets ok, on shuttle route.$1099/mo. 3401 Coastal C.S.AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

C.S.-leasing for May or August!4/2/2 Fenced, totally remodeled,granite, 1312 Timm, $1799/mo,W/D, biking distance to campus.AggieLandRentals.com,979-776-8984.

Close Health Science Center. 4/2fenced, fireplace, w/d connec-tions, 2622 westwood main.$1295/mo. AggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

Cute 2br/2ba houses built 2008.Under 3-minutes to campus. W/D,lawn incl. $1900. gwbcs.com

Great Deal! 4bd/2ba. Close tocampus. Wood floors, W/D conn.,fridge, fans. December endedlease. Ready to move May 1st.Only $795/mo! [email protected]

Great Leasing Specials! Call979-693-1906. Free Cable andInternet.

http://sites.google.com/site/aaar-entalcs/ Duplex for rent, 2/1. Nodeposit. $599/mo. 979-450-0098.

Immediate move in. No rent untilJune. Modern northgate effi-ciency. Walking distance to tamu.$550/mo. 832-347-3069.

Individual Lease. Campus Village.$545/mo. Includes utilities. $1000cash given if lease is taken!713-392-1525.

Large 4bdrm/2bth, 1302 Leacrest,CS, large backyard, $1500/mo.822-1616.

FOR RENT

LESS THAN 1 MILE FROM CAM-PUS. Beautiful, New 4/2 for rent,$1600 1-year-lease. 832-689-1984or [email protected]

Move in 6/1/11. 4bdrm/2 jack andjill bath. W/D, lawn maintenance,pest control. $1460/mo. 3530Farah, C.S. Contact 940-300-6220.

Need female sublet forMay-August 2011. 1bd/1ba.$409/mo. Contact Brianne972-672-6752.

New Condos! 4/4, W/D in unit,private bathrooms. Summer rent$220-240. From Fall-Spring,minimum 12mos. $325/mo and$295/mo. Discounts for earlysignings. 979-574-0040,281-639-8847. University Place atSouthwest Parkway.

New homes for rent! Close tocampus! 4bd/4ba, 3bd/3ba. CallToday! 254-721-6179. Broker.

New House For Rent. 4bd/3ba offRock Prairie. Available June 1st.All bills paid. Semi-furnished.2bdrms at $525/each (sharedbathroom), 1bdrm at $550 (pri-vate bathroom), master bedroomat $575 (private bathroom). Call361-463-6613.

New/Newer 1/1, 1/1.5 lofts, 2/2,3/3. Available May and August.www.jesinvestments.comBroker/owner. 979-777-5477.

Newly remodeled 4/2 house.Walking distance to campus, tile& wood floors, great location,nice big deck & yard.979-776-6079, www.aggie-landleasing.com

Northgate area, 3/2, 2/2 and new2/2 available for summer and fall.W/D connections, walk to campus,big living-rooms and bedrooms.Call 979-255-5648. aggievillas.net

Oak Creek Condos, high-speedinternet and basic cable.2bdrm/1.5ba. $515/mo. Water,sewer, trash paid. Fireplace, ice-maker, pool, hot-tub.979-822-1616.

One bedroom for rent in 3bed-room house. M/F, 1mi to campus.On bus route. $400/mo., all billspaid. Hot tub and game room.(979)739-7717.

Pre-leasing for August!4bdrm/2bth houses. Great Loca-tion. Close to campus, woodfloors, tile floors, ceiling fans,w/d, fenced yards, refridgerator,icemaker,lawncare.979-776-6079,www.aggielandleasing.com

Prelease for May or August, 2/1fourplex. W/D connections, waterpaid. 609 Turner. $465/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August. Large2/2 with fenced yard, W/D con-nections, large closets, great loca-tion. University Oaks. $775/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August: 2/1duplex, fenced back yard, w/dconn. 3 locations to choose from$600.00, 693-1448.

C.S. 3/1.5/2carport, Updated,Fenced, biking distance to cam-pus, on shuttle, pets ok. $750/moAggieLandRentals.com979-776-8984.

Richmond Ridge Townhome, 3/3,granite, ceramic, W/D, cable andinternet, shuttle, $1450,broker/owner. 979-777-5477.

FOR RENT

Ridgewood Village efficiency withloft. Uniquely designed floorplan. No pets, $395/mo, $350 de-posit. 1211-1213 Holik.979-696-2998. Some short termleases available. $455/mo.

Ridgewood Village, large veryquiet tree-shaded 1bdrm/1bthstudio, no pets. $445/mo, $350deposit, 1201-1209 Holik.979-696-2998. Some short termleases available $515/mo.

4/4 University Place condo, W/D,private bath, pool, volleyballcourt, on shuttle. $300/mo. Call979-690-8213 or 979-422-9849.

FOR SALE

2002-AHL Galaxy 550 MobileHome. 1310sqft. Nice coveredfrontporch, large kitchen, dining,living area, 3bdrm/2ba. Locatedat 150 Oak Run, C.S. $29,700.254-721-3628.

Congratulations, you made itthrough your freshman year atA&M. Make another smart moveand buy a place to live for therest. Spectacular 3-bedroom2-bath townhouse with garage atgreat price. [email protected] 979-268-3200.

Selling black 2009 Ninja 250,$3400, call or email [email protected]

HELP WANTED

A mix of House duties and HorseCare, pay will include a 1bd/1banew lakeside cabin. 12min fromtamu. 979-823-2989.

Assistant Construction Superin-tendent for National Home-builder. organized, Self-moti-vated, goal and customer serviceoriented, bachelor degree pre-ferred. Email Resume [email protected]

Athletic men for calendars, books,etc. $100-$200/hr, up to$1000/day. No [email protected]

Carney’s Pub and Grill now hiringfemale bartenders. Apply in per-son after 3pm at 3410 South Col-lege Ave.

Cheddar’s Casual Cafe and FishDaddy’s on University Drive arenow accepting applications forservers and hostesses. Come be apart of our friendly team! Applyin person. EOE.

Child Care- FT & PT shifts avail-able. Some nights & Saturdays re-quired. Apply in person at 3609 E.29th St., Bryan.

Cleaning commercial buildings atnight, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 forappointment.

COACHES WANTED! We need en-thusiastic, positive, motivationalcoaches for YOUTH VOLLEYBALL.Season begins 5/5/11! Call764-6386

Help Desk/ Telephoning: Lookingfor friendly, supportive staff whoare able to speak both Vietnam-ese and English Fluently. PT/FT(Flexible hours). Please [email protected]@gmail.com In-clude profile picture with briefpersonal description.

Hostesses, waitresses, bartendersneeded, females 18-23 only, forhigh luxury bar, call512-680-4617.

Pg. 6-04-28-11.indd 1Pg. 6-04-28-11.indd 1 4/27/11 1:46:30 PM4/27/11 1:46:30 PM

®

thebattalion

voices page 7

thursday 4.28.2011

STUDIES IN PROGRESS

J&S Studies, Inc.979-774-5933

1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845www.js-studies.com

ATHLETES FOOT STUDYVolunteers ages 12 and older are needed to participate in a 6 week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of athletes foot. Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Medication • Medical Examinations relating to the study • Compensation up to $160.00 for time and effort

For more information please contact:

ACNE STUDYVolunteers ages 18-35 with moderate to servere facial acne are needed to participate in a month long research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of acne. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Acne Assessments by a Dermatologist • Study Related Medication • Compensation up to $880 for time and effort


ATOPIC DERMATITIS OR ECZEMAJ&S Studies Inc. is conducting a research study for adults to test the effective-

ness of an investigational medication for the mild to moderate eczema.Eligibility Includes: • Adults ages 18 to 15 • Currently have mild to moderate eczema/atopic dermatitis (red, dry, itchy, cracked skin)Study Involves: • Visits to our clinical facility over an approximate 6-week period • Usage of study medicatiorQualifi ed participants will be compensated for their time and participation. Health insurance is not needed to participate. There is no cost to you.


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Classifi eds continued from page 6

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EDITOR’SNOTE

Justin Thompson: Aggies should stand by their opinions

The ongoing debate over SB 63-106 has re-vealed much about the student body and those that claim to speak for us. It seems to me that

its supporters are constantly tiptoeing backwards to keep from offending anyone.

I will not follow suit. I proudly support the bill for several reasons. For one, I believe that homosexual actions are immoral, and I find its one-sided support through my student fees intol-erable. I do not hate homosexuals; their lifestyle is offensive and against my be-liefs. I feel the same about extramarital sex and similar actions common today. All are a misuse of a gift from God. Sex is not about recreation or either of the two participants; it is about an attempt to create new life. Sex that has no pos-sibility of conception is wrong because it deprives a person at a chance at life. Extramarital and homosexual sex is self-ish and reprehensible because they put the participants first at the expense of the most vulnerable. Why should we support this without also supporting the more upright point of view?

I know that many have homosexual tendencies that may or may not be natural. Even if they are, that does not excuse acting them out. I can have innate feelings for a married woman, but that does not excuse adultery. We are not animals, dominated by instinct. We have free will and, to some extent, self-discipline. It is our instinct to sleep until the sun wakes us, but we set our alarms and go to class in the morning. We diet, exercise, take medicine and

do a multitude of things that are against our instincts. Sometimes, doing the right thing takes effort and goes against what we want to do. I sympathize with those fighting the temptation; I know it is a long, hard struggle.

Despite this, I will likely be accused of hate, which, as we have been told ad nauseum, is not an Aggie value. I counter that moral courage and integ-rity are. This means standing up to the charges of bigotry and intolerance for your beliefs. Our student senate, almost as soon as the bill passed, came out to say that they did not support it. If it was such a bad idea and should have never been passed, then why did they vote for it? I have yet to hear one of its supporters stand up to the noise and say that they are proud of their vote. Don’t Aggies stand by what they believe is right? Is moral courage only one of our values until someone gets mad about our stance? Has our University sunk that far? No matter your stance on SB 63-106, have the strength of character to actually stand by it. Integrity and courage are the most important of our values, even above our loyalty to each other. That is why the honor code says that Aggies do not tolerate dishonorable people. If you tolerate everything, you

stand for nothing.Just as despicable as moral cowardice

is the exploitation of our traditions for the advancement of an agenda. No true Aggie would use the most sacred of our traditions, Muster, as an opportunity to delegitimize a bill they disagree with. Muster is about honoring those who have come and gone before us, not about accepting everyone’s choices. It disgusts me that some think that their agenda is protected by the passing of the fellow Aggies they claim to place so high. If maintaining our Aggie family is as important to them as they say, then let the supporters of the bill leave the memory of our honored dead out of the debate. A true Aggie respects those who built this University we all love.

This is an important debate that determines what we as a university believe. If you have managed to read this far, then you are rational or patient enough to discuss this with me.

Justin Thompson is a senior aerospace engineering major.

Ryan MacDonold: Racism still present at Texas A&M

This letter was originally addressed as a critical reac-tion to a topic pertaining to my philosophy class. A question was posed by my professor as to whether

or not Texas A&M University is a racist institution?

Before I begin, I would like to as-sume that we all regard racism with the highest discontent and discourage its usage with utmost sincerity. On the other hand, I do not speak for all of you, and opinions about race may vary for each individual. Nevertheless, to revert back to the original question, is Texas A&M University a racist institu-tion? I would have to implore that it is. To say otherwise would be disregard-ing its history. I will argue this from the standpoint of racism being a social phenomena (persona representative of students and professors) rather than institutional racism.

Now, Texas A&M may not be pres-ently as racist as its historical accounts may construe, but I do not believe racism at this institution has disappeared entirely. I am as proud to be an Aggie as many of you. However, I would have to be realistic to note that A&M has had its pessimistic shortcomings. Historically, this institution has had a series of racist tinges.

There were no African-American students until 1964. Prejudice towards women was ubiquitous as well, not allowing them to join the Corps of Ca-dets until nearly a decade later in 1974. Homosexuals were not left out either, with A&M refusing to recognize gay and lesbian student organizations until as late as 1985. I believe that there are still racist individuals present at A&M today, students and faculty alike.

However, the difference now is that open resentment toward people of race, gender and sexual preference are becoming increasingly discouraged. This doesn’t negate the fact that racism at A&M is still probable. I will make an analogy that a friend of mine was able to bring light to. A&M is a highly conservative institution; it is also highly religious. In fact, to be more specific, it is highly Christian. To say that it is generally religious would be erroneous, since the student body is, by majority, Christian. I would assume that many Christians would like to believe that their fellow Aggies, regardless of reli-gious backgrounds, are tolerant of one another and their beliefs. I disagree. For instance, there is a Christian student organization that preaches and recites texts from the Bible and are often seen near the H2O fountain. Many of you are aware of what I am talking about. Despite their rather intense preaching, many of you go about your day like this is a normal occurrence. In fact, I have observed that many of you seem to act as if they were not even there. Would this be the same if a Muslim student group vociferously recited texts of Islam from the Quran? Most certainly not. Many of you would be outraged, offended and would react with hostility.

I have observed the same trend when the atheist/agnostic group does a similar social event. They were barraged with

criticism and antagonism by many Christians. Why is this? I contend that this matter of intolerance is fairly similar to the same intolerance shown toward people of different racial backgrounds, gender and sexual orientations. The only difference that separates this is because Christianity in the U.S. (espe-cially Texas) is socially accepted, and racism is no longer acceptable. We have it in our currency, “In God We Trust.” We have it in our Pledge of Allegiance. Some may refute this by saying it is simply the mention of a “deity,” but when these mentions of God were cre-ated, they were created with a Christian intent. Undeniably, I believe racism may still be present at A&M. However, racism is not as widely observed today as it was historically because it is no longer socially acceptable to be racist. This does not mean that there are not racist individuals here. To be Christian is socially acceptable, and we wit-ness religious intolerance quite often. Unfortunately, I believe racism is no different; there is still racial intolerance. It may not be as common, but it is more discreet.

Ryan MacDonold is a junior political science major.

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voices page 9

thursday 4.28.2011

Professors and faculty mem-bers sat expectantly in A&M’s Rudder Theatre

a few weeks ago to learn how to curb the rapidly exploding nation-al antagonist known as bullying.

Katie White: Colleges need to recognize bullying is

more than a kid problem

Daniel Weddle, a professor from the Uni-versity of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Law, stood up and delivered the news to the audience: Despite the tumultuous amounts of media attention and research focusing on the kindergarten through 12th grade bullying epidemic that is sweeping the nation, Weddle said virtually no research on bullying in higher education exists today.

If you Google search the question, “Does bullying in higher education exist?” the answers you find are interesting. Generally the consensus goes that most people think bully-ing is isolated to adolescence; apparently by the time we all graduate to adulthood, we lose that nagging need to put others down for the sake of, well, putting them down.

However, as members of the audience began raising their hands and, in strained voices, asking for solutions, it was immedi-ately evident that college bullying does indeed exist. One faculty member raised her hand and told the desperate story of a student on campus who was being bullied for the way she dressed. The girl was considering dropping out. Weddle read a letter from a colleague telling the story of a grown woman who quit her law program because of the physical and psychological threats she had to withstand from fellow classmates.

Dig a little deeper, and one can find more incidents of bullying in college.

Remember Tyler Clementi? Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers Univer-

sity, took his own life in September 2010 when he jumped off of the George Washing-ton Bridge into the Hudson River after his roommate secretly taped him having a sexual encounter with another male and then posted the video to the Internet. Clementi left a brief suicide note on his Facebook on Sept. 22 stat-ing, “Jumping off the GW bridge sorry.”

Clementi’s story is not an isolated incident. After conducting a brief survey of A&M stu-dents, it became strikingly apparent that A&M is not pristine from bullies. Anonymous stories came in claiming people had been persistently targeted for their weight and their clothes, and not always by classmates, but sometimes by roommates and fellow organization members.

If A&M, which prides itself on being home to that spirit that can ne’er be told, can fall victim to bullying, then what school can escape this ill fate?

Ann Goodman, the A&M director of Greek Life, has been involved in student conduct at A&M for more than eight years. She said she thinks bullying happens in all stages of life.

“I think we have this innate need for peo-ple to differentiate themselves from others,” Goodman said. “I think the systems we set up must have something to do with it. We start hierarchical organizations, we start categoriz-ing in middle school, and who perpetuates that? Adults, the media.”

Goodman suggests that bullying in uni-versities occurs when groups create the ideal member. When someone does not conform to this idea, then he or she is considered a lesser person. In some organizations, simply being a new member gives people the idea that they can target the person.

“I have never thought of it in terms of bullying until now,” Goodman said. “And I think that is another problem. People aren’t fixing the problem because we have labeled it other things: harassment, hazing. It’s a prob-lem of terminology.”

Clementi’s story wasn’t labeled by the me-dia as bullying. And students who talk about their unfortunate incidents here seem to not know what to call it. Hazing? Harassment? People just being people?

Cynthia Hernandez, special assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs, said the University doesn’t have records of bullying situations on campus either. The problem, Hernandez contends, is that most students do not consider these problematic situations bul-lying; also, sometimes students do not report the issues at all.

“If it is reported, we see if it punishable under existing rules,” Hernandez said. “Our numbers don’t separate bullying behaviors.”

Since the numbers do not separate bullying from harassment charges or other offenses filed

under various umbrellas in the student code of conduct, the University has no way of really knowing when a harassment charge was a one-time incident or a sustained pattern of behavior.

Bullying is defined by Weddle as a sustained intimidation of a targeted person meant to hu-miliate and frighten the target and bystanders.

Therein lies the inherent flaw in the way the University records the problems between students on campus. Bullying is an epidemic all on its own. It isn’t a moment of flared emotions or ill judgment. It is methodical, it is focused and it is meant to harm.

In the movies, the bully is often the dumb, insecure kid who picks on people to boost his self-confidence. It is the angry, outcast student who hates other girls who are prettier than her.

However, research finds that most bullies in actuality are the successful, popular, outgoing people in school or work. They know how to manipulate situations. They know how to target victims without the authorities catching them. And most importantly, they lack the ability to empathize.

Goodman said hazing is usually not meant to permanently damage a person’s emotional or physical well-being. Rather it is supposed to be funny and sometimes just gets out of hand. Bullying is designed to make a victim cringe.

In college, it stands to reason that bullying would become more vicious than in K-12 when students have more direct supervision. College students often have free reign to mix on their own without professors taking personal interest in their affairs. Also, in an environment where success in school often determines professional futures, the stakes are higher and competition exacerbates situ-ations. Furthermore, the smart, successful bullies arrive in college by the droves. We cannot really expect them to give up their ways once they hit the hallowed grounds of university.

Minority groups and organizations meant to provide havens for students might fight the fight against this behavior already, but it is be-coming increasingly evident that bullies do not fasten themselves to only one subpopulation.

As Goodman said, “It reaches across clubs to sports to church groups.” Bullying has the ability to permanently change personalities, to cause post-traumatic stress disorder, to cause severe depression and trigger suicidal tenden-cies in its victims.

If Tyler Clementi’s story isn’t proof enough, think of many of the school shoot-ings in our recent past.

Universities need to start distinguishing bullying behaviors from other student conduct incidents and set up separate different avenues of dealing with these situations. Professors should be required to take training on how to prevent bullying as well as recognize it in and outside the classroom. They should also be required to take QPR training, designed to prevent suicide. As it exists today, professors at A&M are not required to take it.

It is time for universities to start research on bullying in higher education; not only research about faculty-to-faculty bullying or faculty-to-student bullying, but bullying of students by students.

Until university administrations start admit-ting the problem, they will not be successful at providing students with the best quality edu-cation and experience they claim to deliver. And in some cases, students will continue to lose opportunities when they feel forced to drop out of school or programs because they are not getting the support they need from faculty to fight the problem.

It is irresponsible for higher education in-stitutions to perpetuate a status quo that claims bullying stops in high school and miraculously picks back up again in the workplace. If they claim to hold students to standards of integrity and brotherhood and honor, they need to follow through with actions to help students suffering at the hands of other students.

Katie White is a senior history major.



large, effective grassroots organization that sponsors the inter-nationally observed 40 Days for Life campaign is remarkable. All this began in Bryan in 1998. Thirteen years later, I stood on the sidewalk with counselors in the middle of 40 Days for Life.

Neither of us knew what to expect on arrival. Higdon in-formed me Planned Parenthood had a volunteer who escorted women from their cars to the front door. According to Higdon, this was to keep the women from interacting with the sidewalk counselors.

Male involvementCarl Paustian is a first-year biotechnology graduate student

at Texas A&M. Paustian stood in front of the Planned Parent-hood clinic in Bryan with his head bowed in prayer for the first woman who arrived promptly at 7 a.m. that morning for her appointment. Over the next few hours, I witnessed Paustian leave his prayerful stance and spring into action the moment a new patient arrived at the clinic. He never shouted, only rais-ing his voice enough to be audible over the sporadic traffic and the fence. Most of the morning, Paustian’s pleas, suggestions and statements of “We love you and are praying for you” went unacknowledged or unanswered.

“Coalition for Life is not there to judge the men and women going to Planned Parenthood. I, and so many of the other volunteers, are there on the sidewalk because we care about the health and safety of women in our community,” Paustian said. “We are out there to offer a loving hand to women who might want help and [don’t] know of the many options that exist here in Bryan-College Station.”

Occasionally, a patient or supporter will lash out at him. One woman bellowed obscene lan-guage and made crude hand gestures.

“I’ve been cursed out before, threats of physi-cal action, but it’s expected,” Paustian said. “I know it’s a controversial place to be and I know the people lashing out like this are doing it be-cause they’re hiding from the truth. Somewhere in the back of their mind, they know something they’re doing is wrong. By my presence there, I’m calling you out and saying this is wrong, and you’re getting mad because I am doing it.”

Paustian pointed out his actions are not pro-testing but reaching out, to women and men alike. Reaching out to men is equally as hard.

“Reaching out is emotionally difficult. The thing that is most difficult for me is seeing these other men bring a [woman] there for an abor-tion,” Paustian said. “The most difficult part for me is seeing how we as men are failing and the general disdain men going in there have. This is the quick fix; this is what’s best for them. That’s the tragedy, in my opinion.”

Paustian noted he has never had a conversa-tion with a man, but he continues to try to reach out and engage them.

Veteran counselor Several women counselors hung back and waited for Paus-

tian to make a connection, or to relieve him when he needs a break. One, a veteran counselor, was professionally dressed and wearing a necklace with a silver fetus on it.

Erin Burow, a Bryan native, has been active in the coalition

since the beginning. For 12 years, she has stood on the sidewalk nearly every Saturday, except for a short sabbatical she said she took to recharge emotionally. Burow said she became involved with the pro-life movement at a young age with influence from her parents. She is able to impart innumerable facts, sto-ries and pro-life names to anyone interested in the issue.

She shared a story about a woman who the coalition coun-seled and who ended up giving birth to twins. Burow said success stories such as that are highs, but there are also lows.

“It’s a spiritual battle. It’s constant. There’s not a day that I relish coming out here,” Burow said.

Burow is a midwife. She assists pregnant women before, during and after the birth of their child. Standing on the side-walk, praying and counseling are personal to her.

Burow said she has had things thrown at her in the past by motorists. However, she is not concerned for her safety outside Planned Parenthood. She said she would come even if she had concerns.

“If I’m not involved, I don’t think I could live with myself knowing what I know,” Burow said. “If I’m silent, I’m guilty. It’s purely a conscience issue.”

Different arrivalsChoreographing the occasion, greeting newcomers, praying

and introducing me to volunteers was Higdon. “Our mission is to peacefully and prayerfully end abortion

in the Brazos Valley,” Higdon said. “We’re nearing 1,000 clients in the past 18 months. We are not a licensed medi-

cal clinic. We don’t pretend to be. We try to make them feel like they are not alone, because they are not. We try to get them the resources they need. We’re a support and a guide for them to take the next step.”

Higdon noted that every person and every story is different.

“There is no stereotype of a pregnant girl. Every situation is different. Every single girl has a concern. It could be her parents, her living situation; it could be her finances,” Higdon said. “That’s why we’re fortunate in this community. We have so many resources. We can help her find the solutions to her problems. That doesn’t include abortion.”

In the two hours I stood there, the group grew from seven to 17. There was a Spanish-speaking church group on the south end of the Planned Parenthood parking lot praying aloud in their native language. In between the two groups stood Bobby Reynoso. He is an associ-ate director and member of the coalition, but he arrived on the sidewalk differently than many of the others who came from evangelical Christian backgrounds.

Reynoso said he became active in the coalition four or five years ago be-cause he needed a lifestyle change. He acknowledged that men can never know what it is like for women in this situation. He said he is there to show compassion for the women in crisis. A compassion

he said Planned Parenthood and abortion does not provide.“They provide some good services; I’m not going to take

that away from them,” Reynoso said. “It’s that one service. That’s not compassion.”

Planned Parenthood could not be reached for comment for

this article.

Divisive issuesStudents at A&M comprise a small amount of the coalition’s

clientele, according to Higdon, but students have strong feel-ings about the issues surrounding the coalition and Planned Parenthood.

Kathleen Sullivan, senior kinesiology major, said personal experiences have influenced her decisions and opinions. She acknowledged her faith also plays a role in her pro-life stance.

“I’m definitely pro-life. I know there are those really aggres-sive groups that stand outside of clinics. That’s not how I am,” Sullivan said. “For them to be passive but passionate, I think is really important to gain awareness and to give them options. I think it is awesome in general.”

Not all students at A&M agree with the sidewalk counsel-ors’ methods or the coalition’s mission to shut down Planned Parenthood. Some are concerned about options available to women and the atmosphere the sidewalk counselors create outside of Planned Parenthood.

“Pro-choice is the choice to make that decision. Pro-choice is more about choices, not abortion,” said Arlette Acosta, a junior international studies major. “Not just having the baby.”

Acosta said she has never witnessed sidewalk counseling, but she thinks it is possible Coalition for Life’s presence instills fear in women headed into the clinic. She said she believes the name “Planned Parenthood” might have a stigma attached and is glad there are other choices available.

“It’s a good thing to have,” Acosta said. “But it’s not the only option. The harder we make it for women to choose that decision makes it worse.”

Abortion and Planned Parenthood continue to be divisive issues in the realms of politics and personal opinion. People have many different and strong opinions about services such as Planned Parenthood and the funding they receive. Others have strong feelings about groups like the coalition. Higdon said people should not make assumptions about the organization.

“I think people outside of the Coalition for Life might sometimes assume that we stand out on the sidewalk to judge women or to condemn them for their decisions,” Higdon said.

“We wouldn’t be very good Christians if we were standing out there and judging women, so we want everyone involved with our organization to understand our approach. I know some people might write us off as ‘radicals’ or ‘crazy zealots,’ but if we can just reach out to one woman, if we can help just one child come into this world because of our presence on the sidewalk, then we feel like we are doing our job.”

B-CS pregnancy resource centers◗ Hope Pregnancy Center http://hopepregnancy.org

◗ Planned Parenthoodhttp://www.plannedparenthood.org/

◗ Student Health Service Women’s Center http://shs.tamu.edu/womensclinic

◗ Project Gabrielhttp://www.austindiocese.org/gabriel_project_about.php

◗ Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, Inc. http://aggielandadoptions.orghttp://pregnancyoutreach.org

Top: Katie Higdon, director of communication for Brazos Valley Coalition for Life, talks to a woman getting out of her car in the parking lot of the Bryan Planned Parenthood. Left: Later in the day, a woman holds up a sign letting passersby know why the counselors are there. Right: The sidewalk counselors include A&M students, but the 40 Days for Life campaign draws Brazos Valley residents of all ages.

thebattalion

enterprise page 11

thursday 4.28.2011

I’ve been cursed out

before, threats of physical action, but it’s expected. I know it’s a controversial place to be and I know the people lashing out like this are doing it because they’re hiding from the truth.

Carl Paustian, biotechnology graduate

student

Sidewalk Continued from page 1

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The Battalion 04282011