The Blue Banner Issue 9

The Blue Banner

Volume 56, Issue 9

B Wednesday

March 21, 2012

The student voice of UNC Asheville

www.thebluebanner.net

Asheville

aims to end homelessness 3

Tattoo Fest attracts tourists 5

Hate crime laws do not solve root problem 13

Find us

Facebook: The Blue Banner Twitter: @TheBlueBanner

Blood, sweat, tears and Bulldog pride 10

Photo by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor

2 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

News

UNCA faculty joins building preservation panel Ian MacKlin imacklin@unca.edu - Staff Writer

The Historic Resource Commission in Asheville, which works with residents to improve and preserve the city’s historic areas, recently appointed UNC Asheville faculty as a member.

“I see a professional responsibility, as a historian, to serve the community.” said Tracey Rizzo, associate professor of history at UNCA, who was recently appointed to the commission.

The committee attempts to preserve historical aspects of Ashevile through renovations and projects. Since 1979, the commision’s 12 members have identified and evaluated historically significant properties and land.

“It can be a pain sometimes to have to work with the commisPhoto by Beth Ellen - Staff Photographer sion,” said Jack Almstead, 83, UNCA faculty Tracey Rizzo poses by a cement barrier in Biltmore Village on the agenda for the an Asheville resident living Historic Resource Commission. The group aims to preserve Asheville’s historical integrity. in the Montford community. their homes,” Almstead said.

“It’s all about the balance,” while walking,” said Missy “But it does keep the neighbor- “But I like the way my house Rizzo said.

Almstead, 80, resident of the hood looking like it should.” looks now and I don’t plan on One of the larger projects Montford area and wife of Almstead said working with changing it anytime soon.” of the HRC is the new traffic Jack Almstead. “The sidethe commission sometimes The HRC works with the pattern at the intersection of walks will be wider, which I presents challenges for resi- property owners to find the best Cullowhee Street, Soco Street like because I walk every day dents. solution for both the homeown- and Montford Ave. through the neighborhoods and “A few of my neighbors have er’s needs and the overall look “I think it will help a lot in some places it’s hard to walk had to jump through the hoops of the city, Rizzo said. with making people feel safer because the sidewalks are too while doing renovations on

narrow for me to really feel safe.”

The HRC takes every aspect of the project into consideration, from the type of brick used in the sidewalks, to the color of the new concrete and the types of foliage planted.

“I like that they (the HRC) work to keep the neighborhoods looking like they did when I was a little girl growing up here,” Missy said. “So much about Asheville has changed over the years that it’s nice to have these familiar surroundings around me.”

Rizzo said the commission attempts to represent the interests of all invested parties.

“The Commission oversees historically significant properties,” Rizzo said. “It works to balance the interests of homeowners, architects, the city and businessmen.”

Members of the HRC are appointed to serve terms, according to Rizzo.

“I was interviewed and appointed by the city council,” Rizzo said. “It is a three year term.”

Rizzo said she has had an interest in historical buildings and neighborhoods, along with her interest in teaching.

see RIZZO on page 4

Accreditation process presents challenge of critical thinking Sidney Setzer ssetzer@unca.edu - Staff Writer

After two years of planning, UNC Asheville is ready to submit its plan to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for reaccreditation.

“You want to go to an institution that is accredited, and that’s why this is important to the students,” said Mary Lynn Manns, director of the Quality Enhancement Plan and associate professor of management and accountancy at UNCA. The Quality Enhancement Plan is just one half of the accreditation process.

UNCA held surveys, focus

“What kept bubbling up to the top was critical thinking. That seemed to be the most important thing amongst most people primarily because we’re a liberal arts institution and critical thinking considers something from multiple perspectives. You also look at it with clarity.”

Mary Lynn Manns QEP director groups and World Café sessions for faculty, staff and students to determine the focus of the quality enhancement plan.

“What kept bubbling up

to the top was critical thinking. That seemed to be the most important thing amongst most people primarily because we’re a liberal arts institution

and critical thinking considers something from multiple perspectives. You also look at it with clarity. You look at it with the right amount of depth versus breath and a variety of other things,” Manns said.

The title of the Quality Enhancement Plan is Inquiry ARC. “There are four steps—Inquire, Apply, Reflect, Communicate,” Manns said. “When the students do inquiry arc projects they’ll be inquiring, applying what they learned in the inquiry phase. Then they will be constantly reflecting and communicating the results to the group they are working with.”

Ryan Ridenour is a junior

history student at UNCA, a member of Student Government and the executive of Internal Affairs.

He participated in preparing for the accreditation process.

“I provided feedback on behalf of Student Government to the Faculty Senate and was a part of the marketing subcommittee that looked over and made changes to the promotional material to the Inquiry ARC quality enhancement plan,” Ridenour said.

Ridenour said accreditiation is very important to the students at UNCA. “The Inquiry ARC QEP pro-

see QEP on page 4

News

3.21.2012 | The Blue Banner | 3

Photo by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor

A woman gets a free cup of coffee at Haywood Street Congregation March 7. The church provides free, homemade meals to about 300 people every Wednesday. The Asheville Homeless Initiative plans to end homelessness in the city by 2015 through subsidized housing and long-term treatment.

Homeless struggle with life on streets, in shelters Dustin Stuart destuart@unca.edu Photography Editor

Once Robert Williams’ relationship with his wife fell apart, he turned to a life on the streets.

“I got separated from my wife, and I just didn’t care,” said Williams. “It’s been about death and justice, and I’ve been doing this for 11 years.”

Williams is just one of the 508 homeless people living in Buncombe County who the City of Asheville wants to help.

“I think in a community and a country like ours, there’s no reason why people can’t have basic things like housing, health and food,” said Asheville Homeless Initiative Coordinator Amy Sawyer.

“Housing really is really one of the linchpins of success. “ Implemented in 2005, the Asheville Homeless Initiative’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness aims to place everyone in housing by 2015. This includes the chronically homeless in addition those living in emergency shelters, transitional housing and other places such as camps, abandoned buildings, cars and sidewalks.

“The 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness emerged out of community dialogue around noticing problems of homelessness,” Sawyer said. “People realized that they could try and address just the problems like public behaviors that were bothersome to tourists, but that wasn’t really getting at the root

of the issue, so they came up with the 10-Year Plan.”

Sawyer said the Initiative represents a collective effort from the city, homeless people, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith groups and advocates working to end homelessness.

The plan centers on the idea that housing is the solution.

“There are a lot of things that can improve our lives and a lot of things that can help us, but the only thing that we know for sure that will end homelessness is housing,” Sawyer said.

The housing first method takes people off the street, transitions them to subsidized housing and then provides long-term treatment, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Asheville Homeward Bound, an agency associated with the Homeless Initiative, reported that 89 percent of those who received housing through the program since 2006 remain off the streets. A separate 2008 report conducted by UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work found that Buncombe County residents who entered housing through the program reduced overall service expenses by 32 percent between 2007 and 2008. Mental health inpatient care, emergency room services, jail and shelter costs experienced the largest decreases.

While Sawyer said she’s confident about eliminating homelessness by 2015, statistics show mixed results.

According to the Initiative’s

summary report, the total number of homeless between 2005 and 2011 fluctuated, but only increased from 502 to 508.

Chronic homelessness decreased significantly from 169 to 75. However, finding permanent housing for the remaining 75 proves a challenge.

“There’s always some kind of stipulation. One time, I couldn’t get right (housing) because I had a bad criminal record,” said a chronically homeless man who identified himself as “Pee-Wee.” “They went back 20 years on my criminal record. How in the world are you gonna go back 20 years on a person trying to get straight?”

Available units are also lim-

see PLAN on page 4

4 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

PLAN

continued from page 3

ited. In 2011, the City of Asheville Community Development Division reported only 32 percent vacant beds remain in the six agencies that provide permanent supportive housing.

Pee-Wee added that he cannot apply for housing for another year. He is currently on probation after obtaining an apartment through the Initiative and providing additional sleeping space for other homeless people not on the lease.

Now, he constantly moves between shelters and camps.

“They (shelters) ought to let you stay for as long as you’re homeless because you ain’t got nowhere else to go,” said the 50-year-old. “Then, when they do put you out, you got to worry about the police because you’re camping out somewhere, and here come the police to run you out and charge you with trespassing, tearing up your tent and stuff, making you move around when you ain’t got nowhere to go.”

Sawyer said the wide range of areas touched by homelessness make it such a difficult Photo by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor problem to solve.

A woman receives a free meal at Haywood Street Congregation. “When somebody is homeAround 500 homeless reside in Asheville. less their health is at risk; their

RIZZO

continued from page 2

“I live in one (a historical neighborhood), and I advise students who do research on historical buildings,” Rizzo said.

Initially it was her students who made her interested in working with the HRC, according to Rizzo.

“I had two students who did research on the Montford area and it got me interested in the processes used to bring balance,” Rizzo said.

One challenge Rizzo saidmany preservationists are facing is the urge of many homeowners and businesses to go green.

“There has recently been an issue in Biltmore village over going green,” Rizzo said.

“Adding solar panels or wind generators can detract from the building’s historic value.”

“I hope to become more knowledgeable about the competing ideas. I also believe I can bring balanced decision making to my term and work with the people on the board to make sensible decisions for the community. We need to protect our historic neighborhoods.”

Tracey Rizzo HRC and UNCA faculty member Rizzo said going green can save money, and is also more environmentally friendly.

“I do support it (going green), but on the other hand, I’m on the preservation side too,” Rizzo said. “I’m interested in that balance. A lot of younger people want to go green but sometimes there is a hidden cost.”

Rizzo said she wants to continue to learn while serving her

term on the HRC. “I hope to become more knowledgeable about the competing ideas,” Rizzo said. “I also believe I can bring balanced decision making to my term and work with the people on the board to make sensible decisions for the community.

We need to protect our historic neighborhoods.”

Other properties discussed at the March meeting were the

family relationships are put under stress; they’re seeking to gain employment; they’re struggling to find out how to obtain transportation,” said Sawyer.

Sawyer said all institutions are affected by homlessness.

“When we think about people investing in homelessness, it’s almost every single institution or system you could think of,” Sawyer said.

Some of these institutions include the legal system, veterans’ affairs, mental healthcare, substance abuse counseling and both public and private housing.

“We have to understand the politics and the relationships that have been developed over the years between all these different systems,” said Sawyer.

“We have to understand their funding streams; there are over 20 federal agencies that fund different programs. We have to know all of their policies, guidelines and programs.

There’s a lot of information that we have to sift through, digest and respond to in a timely fashion.”

Sawyer also said reduced federal and state funding forces the Initiative to apply for more grants and coordinate with additional private organizations, adding to the complicated process. new Ruth’s Chris Steak House building and old BP filling station in Biltmore Village.

“If it wasn’t in the Olmstead plan, it’s not going to be planted,” said Hillary Cole, chair of the HRC, at last Wednesday’s meeting about the vegetation going in around both properties.

The Olmstead plan refers to Fredrick Law Olmstead, George Vanderbilt’s landscape architect, and the layout he first envisioned for Biltmore Village over a century ago.

“He (Olmstead) used a lot of local plants in his design of Biltmore Village, and we stick to his original idea,” Cole said.

An appointment to the HRC is unpaid, and members volunteer their time and ideas to better our local community, Rizzo said. The committee meets on the second Wednesday of every month, and meetings are open to the public.

QEP

News

continued from page 2

vides an educational opportunity to students that furthers their ability to solve problems creatively and prepares them for a complex and developing society. The Inquiry ARC QEP will allow students to focus on critical thinking by designing and implementing a project that they are passionate about, and share that project with others,” Ridenour said.

SACS will come to campus Tuesday through March 29 to provide feedback on the plan.

If approved, the plan will be implemented in the fall.

“In anticipation of it being approved, we went ahead and started getting together the 12 classrooms it will be piloted in in the fall,” Manns said. “Students can partner with faculty who will be using this in their classroom in the fall.”

The list of pilot classes will be posted on UNCA’s website, so students will be able to register for these specific classes.

“It will be a challenge informing current students about the Inquiry ARC QEP and the role is serves, simply because they have been here at UNC Asheville for a year or more without it being a part of their college experience,” Ridenour said.

Ridenhour said he thought the process will become easier as more students are aware of the reaccreditation steps and procedures.

“Once we have passed that challenge, however, I do believe students will like it and aim to be involved in Inquiry ARC projects in their courses,” Ridenour said.

Manns said the plan has potential to reach success outside of the university, similar to UNCA’s undergraduate research program.

Ridenour said he is looking forward to future success with the Inquiry ARC process and growth.

“Unfortunately, I will not have the opportunity to participate much with Inquiry ARC QEP because I am a rising senior, but for those just beginning their journey at UNCA, the Inquiry ARC QEP will be growing rapidly each year,” Ridenour said.

Arts & Features

3.21.2012 | The Blue Banner | 5

Expiremental music finds home in Asheville scene Local musicians keep music scene fresh Emily Kendrick

ekendric@unca.edu - Staff Writer

Photo by Alex Person -Courtesy of This is ART

This is ART performed at The One Stop along with Push/Pull and Peripheral. All three artists combine live instruemnts with electronic influences to create an experimental vibe.

Three artists, This is ART, Push/Pull and Peripheral, performed last Thursday night at The One Stop and showcased some of the innovative music the area has to offer.

Michael McBride, also known as Peripheral, said Asheville is a community where people want to support each other, which helps breed the creativity of the area.

“Asheville has a very experimental vibe to it to me,” McBride said. “People are always trying different ways to do dance music.”

Push/Pull and Peripheral both call Asheville their home, while This is ART brought his talent from Nashville, Tenn. All three artists combine live instruments and electronic production to make very unique sounds.

McBride lived in Asheville for a while then moved to Washington, D.C. He said the music scene there was much more limited, and it was hard to find people who wanted to play music.

“Everybody was either into heavy metal or heavy rap and I never really found anybody who was into music for the music,” McBride said. “I remembered being in Asheville and there was always music going on. There was always somebody who was wanting to play and all different kinds of musicians. I started really missing that.”

Luckily, McBride moved back to Asheville and began collaborating with other musicians.

He now belongs to the band Sonmi, as well as creating music through his solo project.

Periodically joining the artists on stage was guitarist Andrew Kirk, junior business management student at UNC Asheville and guitarist for Agobi Project, a local live electronic duo.

Kirk said he moved to Asheville in 2007 because the local music scene was so diverse and interesting.

Other local musicians like Kirk supplemented the artists with their instruments. Miles Cramer joined This is ART on drums, Carter Magee joined Push/Pull on drums and David Mathes joined Peripheral on drums.

Kirk said part of the reason for the evolution of music in Asheville is the support from audiences.

He said there’s a reciprocation between the artists and the show-goers keeping the music scene alive.

Kirk said Asheville residents have respect for music in general, and that’s part of what makes the music scene interesting.

“I fell in love with the respect for art and music here, and I felt like I could contribute since I’ve played music all my life,” Kirk said.

6 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

Arts & Features

Local Events Wednesday

F-Word Film Festival 7 p.m.

Carol Belk Theatre Humanities Lecture Hall Through Thursday

Thursday Theatre UNCA: Tartuffe 7:30 p.m. $5 students/$10 public Through March 31 Carol Belk Theatre UNCA Drag Ball Drag show: 8 p.m.

Dance: 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m.

Free Alumni Hall ‘Hunger Games’ Midnight Release Party Festivities begin at 10 p.m. $2 donation or 5 non-perishable food items Carolina Cinemas

The first Asheville Tattoo Festival featured many East coast tattoo artists.

Local festival attracts out-of-town artists Diamond Thieves hosts first Asheville Tattoo Festival

Jessica LaRue

Friday Hoots and Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus 9 p.m. $10 advance/$12 at door The Grey Eagle

Saturday Papadosio 9 p.m. $10 advance/$12 at door The Orange Peel

Photo by Jessica LaRue - Co Arts & Features Editor

jlarue@unca.edu - Co-A&F Editor

The first Asheville Tattoo Festival took place last Thursday through Saturday at the Renaissance Hotel downtown, with vendors from all over the East Coast in attendance.

Events included tattoo exhibitions and contests, as well as booths to purchase tattoo and piercing items.

Contests included both Tattoo of the Day and Tattoo of the Weekend.

For $20 a day, or $35 for a two day pass, tattoo enthusiasts were invited to come view pieces of art as well as get tattooed or pierced themselves.

The festival lasted until midnight Thursday through Saturday, and 7 p.m. on Sunday, with a dinner for the artists after the festival at 8 p.m.

“It’s pretty awesome. It’s my first convention, and it was a good one to come to. Asheville is a peaceful city,” said Taylor Ratcliffe, apprentice at

Mystic Owl in Atlanta, Ga., “I’ve been apprenticing for about six months, so I’m about half-way through.”

Artists came from all over the East Coast, including New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.

Aacross the Skin, Diamond Thieves and Hot Stuff were some of the local tattoo and piercing studios that attended the festival.

Diamond Thieves had two booths set up, one for tattooing and one for piercing.

Many of the artists said how awesome it was to not only meet people within their profession, but also make some great money in the process.

“I’m into it. It’s rad. I’ve met some cool people. It’s good to get out there and network with other artists,” said Bryan Humphries, tattoo artist at Port City Tattoo in Wilmington, N.C. The festival spread into multiple convention rooms within the Renaissance Hotel. There was an art walk, filled with

art by local artists, and a massage booth set up for festival goers.

“I like tattoos and I’m a tattoo artist.

I’m interested in seeing what these conventions are like because I would like to attend one as an artist in the future,” said Monica Combs, UNC Asheville graduate and tattoo artist at Euphoria Tattoo and Piercing in Waynesville, NC. There were numerous people in attendance and the convention room was so colorful, it drew the eyes in and wouldn’t release them.

People were invited to take a break from the festivities inside and have some refreshments on the patio. Many took the time to show off their new ink and chat with fellow attendees.

If the festival returns for a second year, Ratcliffe said Mystic Owl would be there.

“We’re definitely planning on coming back next year. Mystic Owl is in Atlanta, so it’s only like four hours away,” Ratcliffe said.

Arts & Features

3.21.2012 | The Blue Banner | 7

Photos by Beth Ellen - Staff Photographer

TheatreUNCA presents

Tartuffe

Thursday through March 31 at the Carol Belk Theater Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for the public and $8 for seniors

The Blue 03.21.

Photo by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor

Syracuse forward James Southerland fouls J.P. Primm.

Jeremy Atkinson, right, jumps to shoot against Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas in Pittsburgh March 15.

Photo by Dustin Stuar

J.P. Primm, Matt Dickey and Quinard Jackson look on seconds before the men’s basketball team lost to Syracuse in the CONSOL Energy Center.

Jaron Lane (5), right, jumps to shoot against Syracuse center Baye Mouss

“

We can make excuses, but I’m going to do that. We lost. You’ve to give them credit. We can’t wi on the officials, that would be low to do that.

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rt - Photography Editor

UNC Asheville

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Photo by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor

UNC Asheville players and staff react as Brandon Triche (20) looks on after referees charged UNCA with a controversial foul with 38 seconds remaining.

10 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

Sports

Heartbreak in Pittsburgh

March Madness comes to an end for Bulldogs Beckett Bathanti sbathant@unca.edu - Staff Writer

I was in Charlotte at a conference when we played Syracuse, and I realized two minutes before tipoff that my room did not carry the channel the game would be broadcast on. I’m still not sure why truTV is carrying NCAA tournament games.

After a brief tantrum, I decided to check the bar, expecting to be disappointed at this point. I was in luck, as the game was showing, and I had only missed about two minutes. What’s more, the bar was completely empty.

Normally, I would have loved this; being able to watch the game free from interaction with overly friendly and talkative sports fans.

However, today, with my UNC Asheville hat jammed on atop my business casual conference wear, I wanted company.

I wanted some random guy to have to listen to me talk nonstop about my team, which he would know nothing about. He would probably be too polite to tell me to shut up because he was just trying to watch the game.

I would tell him about J.P. Primm and Matt Dickey, how strong they are in the backcourt. Oh, they’re not hitting? Don’t worry, they’ll heat up. See, I told you!

I would tell him that what we lack in size, we make up for in athleticism, how everybody can stroke the three.

I would tell him that we had Carolina on their heels when we played them at our house, and they were lucky to have gotten out of there with a win.

He would know that wasn’t entirely true, but would be too polite, or amused, or too swept up in my small-school fervor to contradict me.

But no, no one showed up except a young, professional-looking couple who paid no attention to the TV screens. Ahem, March Madness is on, guys. Upset alert, I wanted to tell them, but I kept to myself over my fries and Sprite.

Eventually, a nice enough middle-aged woman sat near me and cheered quietly for Syracuse, which was not entirely unwelcome.

She was sympathetic as the game wound down, but ultimately pleased. She was too nice for me to dislike, even though I tried to.

Actually, as the game wound down, she may have begun to dislike me.

I was beside myself. Halfway between heartbroken and homicidal.

I didn’t know what to do as I watched the final minute and a half as we fell victim to questionable calls, so I paced up and down the marbled floors of the Hilton.

As the camera panned over Dickey and Primm in anguish on the bench, I hissed, “Get those cameras off them!” in a moment of maternal instinct and drew alarmed looks from the bartender and the Syracuse fan.

We. I say that without thinking. We lost. We went to the NCAA Tournament. We were robbed. All sports fans do it, paying no mind to the fact that they are not actually out there playing.

I used to be self-conscious and uncomfortable saying we. Claiming any sort of responsibility for someone else’s athletic prowess seemed mildly egotistical at best, and definitely obnoxious.

But I think this season of Bulldog basketball cured me of that selfconsciousness. I actually felt as if I were a part of this great run, and that is a testament to the importance of the basketball team this year.

Not only the importance to the school and the student body, but to the community as well.

A community that may have been a little leery of its university building a multimillion dollar athletic complex as it slashed acaPhoto by Dustin Stuart - Photography Editor

see HEARTBREAK on page 13

3.21.2012 | The Blue Banner | 11

Sports

Featured Bulldog

Ian Graham Standout play: Graham led the Bulldogs to a win, 9-5, over VMI on Sunday with three runs off of three hits.

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

The UNC Asheville basketball team lines up in the Justice Center before a game against Coastal Carolina on Jan. 20, 2011.

History of the Justice Center revealed in new book Randal Walton rwalton@unca.edu - Staff Writer

The Justice Center shines in the spotlight as Martin Nicholson’s new book, Justice for All! The History of the Justice Center becomes the first book of its kind to chronicle the history of the 49-year-old building and the people close to it.

“There is no competition; this is the only book ever written about the Justice Center,” said Nicholson, who also serves aca s the Bulldog’s official scorer.

“Dr. Highsmith wrote a book on the history of UNC Asheville when he was the president.

There has been nothing written about the Justice Center, so it’s pretty unique.”

Although the book centers on the Justice Center, it was not his original focus, he said.

“I came to the university’s athletics department with an idea to write a book on the basketball team. I wanted to follow them around last year, do a behind the scenes book explaining how they go about doing everything for the season,” said the blog sports writer.

The athletics department offered him another option: to

write a book on the Justice Center, Nicholson said.

“It’s hard to write about a building, per say,” he said.

The 2010-11 season marked the last season of men’s basketball played at the Justice Center, which led to a desire for a collection of the building’s history, said Mike Gore, the associate athletics director for external affairs.

“We wanted to do some research to see what happened over the years,” Gore said. “We thought it’d be an interesting book and a fun thing to look back at.”

Justice for All! The History of the Justice Center compiles an extensive history of the Justice Center from its opening in 1963 to its closing in 2011, Nicholson said. Also, it offers anecdotes from former players, coaches and fans, which reveal interesting and playful aspects of the Justice Center.

“I got a lot of good stories from the players and the coaches. It was kind of fun to hear some of their stories,” the 59-year-old said. “One girl, Sheila Ford, who was the best player on the championship team, told me her most memo-

rable moment didn’t happen on the basketball court. They had their picture taken on the roof.

There were a lot of things like that that people don’t know about.”

Other things most people do not know includes some famous visitors to the Justice Center, he said.

“I talked about some of the historical things that happened there and some of the historical people that played or practiced there. Michael Jordan, for one.

He came over and practiced there,” Nicholson said. “Of course, Roy Williams, because he’s an Asheville person. The Harlem Globetrotters played there. We had the Czech Republic team who came and played.

It was their Olympic team.”

The people associated with the Justice Center and its longevity stand as a testament to the university, Gore said.

“People like to look back at histories,” the Buffalo, N.Y., native said. “The Justice Center has been around for 49 years.

We played over thousands of games at the Justice Center.

It’s fun to go back at what happened at those games over the years.”

The main event of those games was winning, since the Justice Center provided a tremendous home court advantage, Nicholson said.

“The men, their winning percentage over 47 seasons was over 700 percent. They won seven out of 10 games there.

That’s pretty remarkable,” he said. “And the women were over 500. If you compare that to their road record, that’s just phenomenal.”

Basketball endurance remains a positive reflection on the university, Nicholson said.

“It represents athletics events here,” the Arden native said.

“It’s the main sport people come to. We’re getting 2,000 a game here, now. It’s been around since the school started, that’s why it’s the main sport.”

Most of the campus’s population turns their eyes toward basketball, which makes the Justice Center important to UNC Asheville, Gore said.

“We played basketball in there for 50 years,” the 49-yearold said. “It’s been around long time. There’s been great deal of interest in it and great crowds.”

see AUTHOR on page 13

Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Class: Junior Major: Business Administration Q: What’s your favorite thing about UNCA? A: I like the connection made between the student and the teacher. It allows the student to fully grasp the course curriculum. I also like the chocolate milk in the cafeteria.

Q: How long have you played baseball?

A: I started playing teeball at age 3, and have played year-round ever since.

Q: What do you plan on doing after college?

A: After college I plan on attending graduate school with my degree from UNCA. Afterwards I would like to travel the world, nestle my feet in exotic beaches and perhaps find something that will surprise me.

Q: Who has been an inspiration for you in your life?

A: Definitely my parents, brother and close friends.

Photo corner: UNC Asheville vs. Virginia Military Institute

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

Left: Junior outfielder Todd Joyner follows through after connecting with a VMI pitch in Asheville on Sunday.

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

Right: Junior pitcher Dean Roland throws a pitch against VMI in Asheville on Sunday.

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

Junior catcher Ian Graham watches a VMI pitch hit the dirt at the game in Asheville on Sunday.

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

Andrew Kirkland slides safely into third on Sunday.

Sports

3.21.2012| The Blue Banner | 13

Bulldog Scorecard

Men’s Basketball • Thursday vs.

Syracuse 65-72 (L)

Baseball

Photo by Dustin Stuart- Photography Editor

Junior forward Jeremy Atkinson and sophomore guard Trent Meyer look on seconds before UNCA lost to Syracuse in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

HEARTBREAK continued from page 10

demic budgets showed up in droves and helped fill Kimmel Arena on a regular basis.

For the first time since I have been here, I felt like our athletics were getting the support and love they deserve from the student body and community.

With the basketball season

AUTHOR continued from page 11

Not only the first book on the Justice Center, Justice for All! The History of the Justice Center is Nicholson’s first published book, he said.

“It feels good. It’s gratifying.

It took 18 months. A lot of it is research, then putting the re-

ending in the fashion it did, and the national media choosing to focus almost exclusively on the already infamous blown call when they discuss UNCA, it would be easy to let this season, and this exciting run, be defined by that final minute and a half of injustice.

That wouldn’t be fair, though. To let that be the defining moment would ignore too much.

It would cast aside the re-

markable performances by the remarkable guard duo of Dickey and Primm. It would ignore Jaron Lane’s clutch performances off the bench in the final half of the season and Chris Stephenson’s intensity all year. It would ignore the way Jeremy Atkinson played a tenacious forward position at 6’4”, emerging from down low to hit three-pointers as well. It would ignore senior Quinard Jackson earning his starting

search together and then writing and rewriting and editing,” Nicholson said. “I’ve met a lot of people who have been coming to the Justice Center since it opened, and they’re really pleased that someone wrote a book on it, so it makes me feel good.”

The book will draw more attention to UNCA and the accomplishments that took place in the Justice Center, Gore said.

“I hope people look back at our history and see the great things that have happened,” he said.

As a close friend of the men’s basketball team, Justice for All! The History of the Justice Center remains a testament to the achievements of Bulldogs basketball, Nicholson said.

“I’ve traveled with the team pretty extensively, and I’ve gotten to know these kids and

position midway through the year. It would be like turning a deaf ear to the thunderous chants of, “Maddie! Maddie!” when walk-on, senior and Waynesville native Madison Davis touches the court.

It would be a slap in the face to law-school bound senior Jeremy Harn if this team were remembered by an error.

So, Bulldog Nation, I implore you: P.O.B. Pride Over Bitterness. the coaching staff very well,” he said. “I want to put something out there that they would be proud of as well. There’s nothing but good things in that book.”

Justice for All! The History of the Justice Center is available at the campus bookstore, Rocky’s Doghouse and at www.martinnicholson.com

• Friday vs.

VMI 5-4 (W)

• Saturday vs.

VMI 6-4 (W) • Sunday vs.

VMI 9-5 (W)

14 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

Campus Voice

No justice for teen murdered, death calls attention to ongoing racial prejudice Amarra Ghani

aghanis@unca.edu Staff Writer

Omar Edwards from New York, Oscar Grant from California and Trayvon Martin from Florida unfortunately have something in common – being wrongly accused and fatally shot.

George Zimmerman, 28, shot Martin after assuming he was a threat to their all white neighborhood.

For Martin’s family, this has been the single most devastating time of their life. For the general public, the white on black situation in this case has become just another number. How many accidental deaths do we need to analyze before we realize racism is literally killing us?

People claim because President Obama is black, we have stomped out racism. Besides that statement being utterly hilarious and false, we are still generations away from a safe environment for all people.

Martin was on his way from a 7-eleven, holding Skittles and an iced tea in his hand, when Zimmerman started to follow him. Zimmerman, being the watchman captain for an all white, gated neighborhood, called 9-1-1 to let them know that there was someone walking in their neighborhood who looked suspicious.

The officer on the other line told Zimmerman there was no reason to watch

Think justice should be served?

Sign the petition calling for prosecution of George

Zimmerman in the murder of Trayvon Martin @ Change.org

him and to leave Martin alone. Obviously having a better judgment, Zimmerman went against the police officer’s request and confronted Martin.

Literally wailing for help, as heard on a 9-1-1 phone call tape, Martin was dead a few minutes later.

His crime? Being young and black.

Zimmerman’s father recently came out with a statement saying that Zimmerman has a multi-cultural and Hispanic background, obviously justifying why Zimmerman’s choice was not racially motivated.

This incident happened on Feb. 27.

Martin’s parents are left without a son and Zimmerman has not been questioned about the attack.

How are we living in the most successful country with the most educated people and still dealing with unjust situations such as these?

The white man is the colored man’s burden. History provided countless times when the colored man is constantly defeated by the white man.

It’s the harsh reality, but it is the true reality.

Sometimes we put ourselves in this

See RACE on page 15

High legal drinking age affects attitude toward alcohol

Nathalie Holmgren

nholmgre@unca.edu Staff Writer

Alcohol tends to be a big part of college life. Not a single day goes by without a minor talking about a party, sneaking into the pub or finding someone to buy them drinks. Nostalgia arises, since I last experienced those problems about six years ago, waiting for my 18th birthday.

For most European students, being a freshman at university means a lot of exciting events, mainly student parties. If alcohol is involved, everyone who wants can participate, since the age limit for buying or drinking alcohol in most European countries is 18 and sometimes even 16. America is one of the few countries in the world with a minimum age limit of 21 for purchasing alcohol. Other countries with that limit are Micronesia, Palau and Fiji. While the supporters of this national minimum drinking age may say that it helps fight drunk driving and related accidents, I wonder if prohibitions like this really make underage people drink less, or if they even make them more excited about drinking. Taboos tend to work that way. If you want alcohol, you will find it for sure.

A common argument for a legal

See LEGAL on page 15

Preventing hate crimes starts at the root of the problem Maayan Schechter

mschect@unca.edu Staff Writer

Former Rutgers University student, Dharun Ravi, was convicted on Friday of all 15 charges brought against him for using a webcam to spy on his roommate, Tyler Clementi, having sex with another man.

Clementi, only 18-years-old, jumped off the George Washington bridge to his death upon realizing he was being watched.Ravi also sent out Twitter mes-

Recent suicides among homosexual teens • Seth Walsh, 13 - Sept. 19, 2010 • Tyler Clementi, 18 - Sept. 22, 2010 • Raymond Chase, 19 - Sept. 29, 2010 • Jamey Rodemeyer, 14 - Sept. 18, 2011

Compiled by Alicia Adcox

sages telling others they should watch the video.

In total, Ravi, 20, was convicted of 15 counts of invasion of privacy, bias intim-

idation, witness tampering and hindering arrest.

Three of the convictions may lead to a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. Be-

cause Ravi is also a citizen of India and is on a U.S. green card, he could be deported following his sentencing May 21.

Stupidly, Ravi rejected a plea deal excusing him from jail time or threat of deportation, and instead landing him on probation and would require him to perform community service.

Ravi and his lawyers believe he did not commit a hate crime, but argue he is “just a kid” who has little experience with homosexuality.

The case spared arguments as to whether or not hate-crime laws are the best ways to deal with those who are

See HATE on page 15

Campus Voice

LEGAL continued from page 14

drinking age of 21 is that it prevents young people from gaining access to alcohol. Indirectly, this also means that if you buy alcohol for minors, they are generally not younger than, say, 18. In that way, this law might help protect young bodies from the negative effects of alcohol use.

An argument against the legal drinking age of 21 is that the U.S. is one of the few cultures where alcohol consumption isn’t coincident with the legal age of adulthood. You may do a lot of things when you are 18; vote, marry, own land and go to war. So why aren’t you allowed to drink?

The International Center for Alcohol Policies provides information on the minimum ages to legally purchase and consume alcohol in more than 100 countries. In some Islamic countries, like Brunei or Libya, sale of alcohol is banned. A few countries on the list simply don’t have an age limit set for buying or drinking alcohol. Albania is one of them.

Evisa Ravi, 21, said she has never heard of a case when a minor received a fee for buying or drinking alcohol.

“Only fancy clubs ask for your ID, The majority of pubs and clubs don’t care about your age,” said Ravi, who started going out in Albania when she was 16.

In Albania, the obstacle for drinking is generally more about money than legal or social restrictions.

HATE continued from page 14

being or have been bullied.

Those in agreement with hatecrime laws believe these laws protect those who are constantly victimized.

Those against hate-crime laws believe the laws increase federal government participation in law enforcement and that the laws, instead of being directed toward the act, are now being directed toward the character of the person on trial.

In essence, hate-crime laws send a message to those carrying out violent acts. It’s a message that seems pure and reasonable in text, but realistically may be flawed.Killing or assaulting someone because he or she is Jewish, African-American or gay is not and never will be justified.

This also means killing someone who is a member of a neo-Nazi group, KKK member or someone who pick-

3.21.2012 | The Blue Banner | 15

“My parents have always allowed us to drink small quantities of alcohol during meals and family reunions. Because of that, I never felt the need to drink outside of home before I was 18.”

Carolina Garza Amparán Age 23, Mexico Since the parents control the children until they are 18, most young people don’t start going out until then and therefore they are more economically independent. In Sweden, the age limit to get into the bars is 18.

That’s also the limit for buying beer containing up to 3.5 percent alcohol by volume in a normal store. In order to buy alcohol from the liquor store, you need to be 20.

Generally, the attitude towards alcohol is very laid back. Most children grow up with alcohol in the home, so it’s seldom considered taboo. As secular societies, religion doesn’t really affect the alcohol policies in the Scandinavian countries. For us, drinking is a habit that’s always been there – just think of the Vikings – and because of that, we sometimes feel some social pressure to drink. We get to know alcohol and its consequences early, so by the age of 21, drinking is really not that exciting anymore. Instead we might arrange wine or whiskey tastings with our friends, drinking in a more grown-up way, so to speak.

The legal drinking age is also 18 in Mexico, but in practice, stores, bars

and restaurants don’t ask young people for their ID. Alcohol is considered part of the everyday life there as well.

“My parents have always allowed us to drink small quantities of alcohol during meals and family reunions.

Because of that, I never felt the need to drink outside of home before I was 18,” said 23-year old Carolina Garza Amparán from Mexico.

If alcohol is seen as something forbidden it might trigger people to drink more or even use substitutes that are easier to get a hand on. Those people who drink illegally may drink more than those who drink legally, and knowing when to stop is hard when you are young and inexperienced.

Knowing how to say no to substitutes such as marijuana and other drugs is hard too.

When talking about the consequences of minors using alcohol, these side effects shouldn’t be ignored.

ets funerals is also just as wrong.

The deeper question should be why isn’t our education system educating students from a young age that invasion of privacy, discrimination and harassment can lead to disaster.

What Ravi did was stupid, dumb and all sorts of negative connotations. But he should not become a poster child for all hate crimes. 1,528 people were targeted by anti-gay hate crimes in 2010, accounting for 19 percent of all reported hate crimes, according to the most current FBI statistics.

In 2009, Congress made legislation to cover crimes carried out by those against gays, lesbians and transgendered people. The bill is more known as the Matthew Shepard Act, who was murdered in Wyoming in 1998 for being gay.

The problem with hate crime legislation is that as much as the law tries to protect those who have been victimized throughout history, the laws

haven’t solved the main issue of rooting out the bigotry and prejudice to begin with.

A crime is a crime and should be treated as such. Someone assaulting another while calling him a “kike” or “fag” doesn’t solve the bigotry problem.

Remember Victoria Arellano, a 23-year-old transgender immigrant from Mexico who died from AIDS complications while in custody of the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Facility advisors denied her medication and medical attention as her health deteriorated. Advocates for immigrants and those in the LGBT community stood in protest of her lack of medical care as unjust and discriminatory.

The last time I checked, there was never any hate crime involved in the murder of Arellano.

A crime should be treated as a crime and not by the immoral and irrational ideals of the wrong-doer.

Nathalie Holmgren is an international journalism student from Helsinki, Finland.

RACE

continued from page 14

bubble of hope and color blindness where we believe that racism is gone and we don’t have to deal with it anymore. Just because the colored and the whites are allowed to share bathrooms doesn’t mean they clean their hands the same way.

So many questions come to mind for this case. For instance, why did Zimmerman find Martin suspicious if his actions supposedly weren’t racially motivated. The one time Zimmerman was asked about his reaction to Martin, he claimed it was self-defense, but how can something be self defense when he initiated the first interaction? Why did Zimmerman feel the need to bust out his nine millimeter handgun in the first place?

These questions will only be asked if there are enough people who demand answers.

This incident happened almost three weeks ago. Zimmerman is a free man who has taken the life of a young boy who was determined to make something out of his life.

If that doesn’t outrage the general public then we have serious issues we need to address before we can save humanity.

The first step would be to accept each other’s differences. Too many people think color blindness is a fair trade to end racism.

Wrong. People who embrace the art of color blindness are disguising a subconscious nonacceptance to the differences someone may actually have.

To a certain extent, yes, people are all the same. If you share the same goal, ambitions and favorite foods, those are things we have in common. But if one person is black and one person is white, there needs to be a sense of acknowledgement.

We go two ways; either we think we might offend someone so we stick to finding similarities we have with one another or we believe that the “other” is so completely different that we choose to falsify any connection we have with one another.

The law was created to ensure a greater sense of protection for the people using the logic of putting ‘the bad guys’ in jail. Except in this case, the bad guys happen to be the same guys who have the ability to cheat the system and hold no responsibility.

If Martin had been white, there would have been an outcry. It certainly would not have taken three weeks for news reporters to find this story.

Zimmerman was intoxicated when he made his decisions that night. Martin was an A/B student hoping to be an engineer one day. Martin could have been the difference.

He could have very well been the future of the young black youth around the country.

But he is just a victim of racism, another number to the United States justice system, another young black man to law enforcement.

Prayers and thoughtful wishes go out to the Martin family. One day, a fair trial will be served for all those who had to die to continue to spread awareness about this ongoing war.

16 | The Blue Banner | 3.21.2012

Campus Voice

The Blue Banner’s View

Female lawmakers take stand for equality in health care House bill 1116 in Georgia states, “Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies.”

That’s right, this bill proposes to prohibit vasectomies.

Sounds crazy, right?

How about an amendment proposed in Oklahoma which states, “Any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child.”?

Across the country, news of these and several other proposed bills might be making people wonder, “Are these for real?” or, “Is this a joke?”

In reality, it’s neither.

These laws weren’t proposed with the intention of being passed.

In fact, the amendment in Oklahoma has already been shot down.

Female Democrats proposed these laws to make a statement.

We won’t stand aside and let you control our health care without a fight.

So in answer to the numerous debates, laws, amendments and bills concerning

“Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies.”

- House Bill 1116, Georgia abortion, contraceptives and other means of health care for women, these women are taking a stab at men’s health.

Sure, these laws sound utterly ridiculous. But that’s exactly the point.

If lawmakers can pass laws prohibiting aspects of women’s health or making it more difficult for women to access certain types of health care, why can’t we do the same for men?

If you want to tell us it’s immoral to provide women with free contraceptives, then the same can be said for vasectomies.

Both prevent pregnancy; both should be subject to the same regulations.

Chances are, these proposed laws will epically fail in a vote. But they have already served their purpose.

It sounds ridiculous to make amendments targeting aspects of men’s health care.

The Blue Banner Editorial Board Karpen Hall 019

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Just as ridiculous as targeting women’s.

Sure, plenty of arguments exist against making contraceptives available for free.

And even more arguments exist against abortion rights.

But the point is, all of these recent laws and amendments have a huge impact on women’s health and the majority of legislatures passing these laws are men.

A recent quote to hit Tumblr, Facebook and other social media networks poses this question to anti-abortion activists: “People say abortion is murder...Does that make condoms kidnapping?’

The witty quote probably induces laughter, but the underlying message is serious.

How far will these laws and amendments attacking women’s sexual health rights be allowed to go?

To the women who proposed these laws, thank you for standing up and making a point.

And to the conservatives who continue to fight against women’s health care rights?

Keep it coming.

We can think of a few more ridiculous laws, too.

Have a news tip?

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