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Show Monday, March 23, 2009 StatesmanCampus News War still plagues Middle East, speaker says Page 3 Briefs Campus & Community Attend award ceremonyfor best Barbie bashed By STEVE CRASS staff writer Although the six-year anniversary of the United States intervention in Iraq may have passed unnoticed by most people, guest speaker Stephen McNeil reminded those in the small crowd that war is still a sad reality to inhabitants of the Middle East in more places than one. The speech, "Understanding Afghanistan" was the second of a two-part presentation by McNeil, and just one of the many programs in the event, "The Wars Is Over! Right?", sponsored by Cache Valley Peace Works as well as the USU journalism and communications department. "We hope students will come away with a better understanding that the war is not over yet. There's still a lot of men and women over there fighting in our name," said Cache Valley Peace Works Organizer Brenda Chung. "We want to make sure that doesn't slip in the publics consciousness. Also, the war in Afghanistan is heating up even more so now, so we want to raise awareness of that." McNeil, board member of the American Friends Service Committee and volunteer for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, spoke largely in part about the agony the war has caused among Afghan civilians, and presented a variety of ideas on what the U.S. government and military could do to better the situation for both sides. Having lived in the Kabul region for quite some time, McNeil said he understands the full effect the war has had on the country from the civilian side of the conflict. "The only meaningful way to stop the insurgence is to withdraw our troops," McNeil said. "We need to end the bombings and house raids, and stop killing civilians." Currently, the Taliban have the upper hand against the US. because they define the battle, McNeil said. U.S. goals and tactics are somewhat mixed and need to be clarified in order to be consistent with a military withdrawal, he said. McNeil also believes it is the duty of our country to lead with more diplomacy. He said he hopes President Obamas appointment of Ambassador Richard C. Hollbrook will provide a stronger link between the two governments, and ultimately convince Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to speak to leaders of the Taliban. The Women and Gender Studies Program at Utah State University will hold an awards ceremony and celebration Tuesday, March 24, highlighting the winners of the "Reinventing Barbie Bash" competition. The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. in MerrillCazier Library, Room 101. The event is held in conjunction with Women's STEPHEN MCNEIL SPEAKS T O STUDENTS and faculty about the cost of war and better History Month and Barbies alternatives for the future during a speech Friday in the TSC Auditorium. CAMERON PETERSON photo 50th birthday. Awards will "The Afghan government eventually has to the situation before it deteriorates into something be given to the individual talk to the Taliban, (but) it s a very tricky thing like we see in Darfur," McNeil said. "If the miswho best "reinvented" Barbie because it depends on who engages in the talks. sion of the U.S. military is to defend the United in a contest held earlier this Diplomacy will have to occur in order to get States then it should be to defend the territorial month, said Brenda Cooper, nations talking." McNeil said. integrity of the U.S. as well." director of USU's Women and The Carnegie Endowment for International Sophomore Laura Hawkins and freshman Gender Studies Program. Peace Study suggests that the U.S. and Afghan Jeff Parker, who were both present at the speech, "Students were asked to governments split up the country into three said they were enlightened by McNeil's speech. redesign and reinvent iconic zones: a strategic area, which consists of the cities Both expressed their concerns for the parts of the dolls such as Barbie and G.I. and areas that are within U.S. control; a buffer insurgence that are yet to come. Joe , that would challenge zone, which will act as a no mans land and the "It was pretty eye opening," Parker said. society's gender stereotypes" oppositions territory to the south, in which a "I have a brother who is training in the Army Cooper said. "For instance, large part of the insurgence will eventually have National Guard right now and he is guaranteed rock climbing Barbie and to take place, McNeil said. This will bring more deployment, and there's a good chance he could grease monkey Barbie do not organization to the insurgence and hopefully be deployed to Afghanistan. After seeing everymatch the accepted idea of speed up the engagement of the Taliban in order thing today, I hope and pray that when the choice Barbie, but they do accurately to bring troops home faster. comes down to following orders or choosing the depict everyday women in our Among the U.S. occupied territory, McNeil right, he'll pick the latter." society." believes an Afghan police force needs to be McNeil said he now urges students and all othestablished and strengthened to ensure a rule of ers to become more aware of the current Afghan law and security. McNeil said the reason why the diaspora and complexities within Afghan society. Taliban have such success in the region is because There are many organizations, primarily along they provide a sense of security to the people. the U.S. eastern coast, who participate in providInevitably, he said he believes this tactic will ing aid to Afghan refugees, and constantly do make the situation less costly and more effective their most to create a wider group of volunteers. towards ridding the area of Taliban influence. "Talk and work with them," McNeil said. "What's needed much more than military "Reaching out is not a bad way to learn and influence is money and resources going into become part of these tactics to help Afghanistan." peaceful prevention of conflict before it occurs, -Steven, crass@aggiemail.usu.edu Utah State University's possibly a U.N. police force that's able to go into dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Yolanda Flores Niemann, is among a select tl continuedfrom page 1 group of experts featured in a conference at Duke University more inclined to allow themselves to be interested in ballroom dance," he said. that looks at the status of Stephenson said the team connected with the music and their performances U continuedfrom page 1 race and race relations in the connected with the audience. United States. The dances were choreographed entirely by the dance team coaches Adam The conference, "Still Two and Jeanne Shelton. Nations? - The Resilience "(Adam and Jeanne) have a lot of talent so I think it would have been good no of the Color Line," is March matter what theme we would have been but 'Jungles' had a fun, jungle-boogey 20-21 at Duke University in mood to it that people really liked," Stephenson said. Durham, N.C. The conference The movie themes woven into "Jungles" included "The Lion King", "Tarzan" is organized by the Center for and "George of the Jungle". The movie themes were used to connect to the audithe Study of Race, Ethnicity ence, Stephenson said. and Gender in the Social "There is a lot of emotion wrapped up in those movies and everybody loves Sciences at Duke University. the music," Stephenson said. At the conference, A solo hoop dance was performed by 21-year-old ballroom dance member Niemann joins the panel Joshua Eskeets in the second half of the show. It is a sacred, traditional Native "Racial Prejudice in the American dance that can only be performed for a crowd but cannot be practiced Modern World," headed by in front of people because of its sacredness, Eskeets said. conference organizer and Eskeets started his dance with one hoop linked to him and gradually added a moderator Eduardo Bonillahoop one at a time to eventually hold a wingspan of 22 hoops, a skill he said that Silva, Duke University, with takes a lot of muscle memory and hours of practice to get down. members Lawrence Bobo, Eskeets said due to time constraints he was only able to hold 22 hoops, but USU STUDENTS PERFORM Ipo Lei Momi, a couples Hula, at a Harvard University, and can manage to a total of 32 hoops. luau Friday night in the Kent Concert Hall. CAMERON PETERSON photo Eskeets said he learned the hoop dance at the age of six and has been someThomas Pettigrew, University of California-Santa Cruz. thing he has always loved to do. ee of the luau said she really by the Pauni Family caterDuring the panel presenta"It's a very intricate dance. You have to know the physics of it," he said. enjoyed the cuisine. ing business and served in tion, Niemann will present a The hoops do not stick or link together like many people believe, but are just "The food hit me home," the Church of Jesus Christ of paper, an update on a book circular hoops, which makes the task of keeping them up and spinning while she said. "It was just good fam- Latter-day Saints chapel on she co-authored, "Black-Brown dancing a difficult one. ily food." 650 N. 1200 East. Janet Pauni, Relations and Stereotypes" This specific dance took one to two hours of daily practice for a week for Those attending the luau four-year owner of the busi(2002, University of Texas preparation for performance, he said. were served pulled pork, ness, said she enjoys catering Press). "A lot of this work is mental and muscle memory," he said. "Before I perform, which had been roasted under- and helping out the commuI think through the different designs I'm going to do. After that I just have to get ground for roughly four hours; nity. my legs to keep up and keep moving." suka, chicken in a sweet sauce; "It always takes us back to Stephenson said he would love for ballroom dance fans to keep coming to white rice; salad and guava our island," she said. their performances and supporting the team. cake. Osai said the night couldn't Utah State petitioners are still in the work of creating a dance program, which Tollstrup said he was glad have happened with out the Stephenson said would be great for students. he decided to go to the luau. dancers, volunteers and the "It's kind of an uphill battle because of the economy and the interest of stu"(Going to the luau) seemed technicians. dents," he said. "In the end, if from a few years from now USU has a program like a really good way to go He said, "It's a beautiful where people can come specifically to get a dance degree, that would be great." and experience a different thing," to see all the support Stephenson said the arts in universities are somewhat disappearing and hopes culture and it felt for one night given to make the night posAttorney Eric Hone that they are preserved. like I was a part of their famsible. is the next guest in the "The arts are valuable and if we take arts out of education, we miss a lot," he ily," he said. -cassi.joe.cline@aggiemail.usu. Distinguished Alumni said. The food was provided edu -candice.sandness@aggiemail.usu.edu Speaker Series at USU, a program sponsored by the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. Hone speaks Friday. March [I continuedfrom page 1 27, at 12:30 p.m. in the David B. Haight Alumni Center meant to be performed aloud. Often the poems "There's a couple of parts I wasn't expecting." (approximately 650 N. 800 way. will be read in conjunction with a background George said. The event represented a broad collaboration of East, Logan) on the USU camjazz rhythm, or read with a particular beat. Arrington said he wasn't a fan of every piece pus, and his presentation is USU and community entities. Each guest received Though often overlooked by greater academia, read. free and all are invited. a unique mug made by the USU ceramic guild, beat and slam poetry are influenced by culture, "I thought the last poem was a little distastecoffee and hot chocolate was provided by Caffe "From the Quad to the surroundings and rely heavily on emotional ful," Arrington said about a reader who perIbis and USU Catering, respectively, and student Octagon - Utah State s provocation. formed during the intermission between Mojgani art work was on display and for sale. Other Ultimate Training," is the title "The language can be so raw but it really sets. sponsors included the USU GLBTA Services, of Hone's presentation. comes from the soul," Coulbrook said. Overall, the crowd got what they came for ASUSU Arts and Lectures, Writing Center, Jazz The presentations run Mendelkow said, "It's art, it's poetry, it's life, - more than 20 audience members signed up for Ensembles, University Catering and Dining approximately 30 minutes and literature, it s everything." the beat night's open-mic session. Logan is cerServices, University Inn and Conference Center, are followed by a questionThe event was advertised as uncensored, and tainly no stranger to the beat scene - in addition Student Involvement and Leadership Office and and-answer period. Students, the occasional expletive was present. One parto the popular monthly Helicon West readings, the True Aggie Cafe. faculty, staff, alumni and ticular open-mic reader started by expressing his USU currently houses the nation's largest archive members of the community "That's why we were able to afford a national appreciation for not being censored, rattled off of beat poetry in Special Collections, Coulbrook are invited to the free events. artist," said Maure Smith, GLBTA program coora chain of curse words and ended by asking the said. dinator who emceed and performed in the event. crowd for a cigarette. Krischa George and Joseph "Sometimes it knocks your socks off," "We're thrilled to have this much support across Arrington said they enjoyed the event but were a [MCompiled from staff Mendelkow said of Helicon West. "The joy is the university and the community." little surprised at some of the content. watching people express themselves in a beautiful and media reports -b. c.wood@aggiemail. usu. edu Luau: Students say they enjoy island culture HASS dean a panel member at conference on race Dance: Showcase based on jungle themes Alumnus to speak about life following college Poetry: USU community made poetry slam possible |