F R I D A Y NOVEMBER 5, 2004
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXIX, No. 104
An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891
www.browndailyherald.com
Students surprised, disappointed by passage of gay marriage bans BY ERIC BECK
To gay rights supporters, President George W. Bush’s victory over Sen. John Kerry was not the only important outcome of Tuesday’s election. Also important were the constitutional amendments passed in 11 states to prohibit same-sex marriages. Voters elected to ban same-sex marriage in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. The language of the amendments passed in all the states except Mississippi, Minnesota and Oregon could also prohibit civil unions for gay couples. “It is disappointing to see in so many states across the union such a negative response to gay rights,” said Jonathan Udoff ’07, advocacy department chair of the Queer Alliance. Marc Donahue ’07, who identified himself as a member of Brown’s gay community, voted in his home state of Ohio, where 62 percent of voters elected to pass the amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions. Donahue said the editorial board of Cleveland’s largest newspaper, the Plain Dealer, did not support the amendment — but for the wrong reason. The newspaper wrote that the ban would hurt the region economically because it would discourage same-sex couples from moving there, he said. “It was horribly idiotic that they tried to appeal to conservatives who hate gay people. It was really disgusting,” Donahue said. Many Brown students find the ban on civil unions especially frustrating. “It is particularly disappointing that some states would not compromise with civil unions,” said Jessica FredstonHermann ’08, a member of the Queer
Nick Neely / Herald
Yale Wang ’06, Brian Lee ’06 and visiting actor Parry Shen read through a scene from “Better Luck Tomorrow.” Shen played the part of a disfigured truck driver.
Star of “Better Luck Tomorrow” discusses film’s role in breaking down Asian stereotypes BY LESLIE KAUFMANN
When actor Parry Shen walked into a packed Salomon 001 Thursday night, more than one “He’s so hot!” was whispered excitedARTS & CULTURE ly. More than one nose was hurriedly powdered. More than one set of lips was quickly glossed. And a lot more than one camera was being focused on the stage. Shen, it seems, has arrived. The star of the acclaimed film “Better
see MARRIAGE, page 4
Luck Tomorrow” addressed a crowd of more than 80 in a speech entitled “Being Asian in Hollywood: Parry Shen on Race, Gender and ‘Better Luck Tomorrow,’” a keynote address for Asian American History Month. In a two-hour presentation that ran the gamut from film to social commentary to acting advice, Shen spoke of his experience as an Asian actor and how the 2002 film “Better Luck Tomorrow” changed not only his life, but
More than 25 years ago, Lenore Ronci would drive past the Brown campus every morning on her way to work and see young men with disheveled and poorly-cut hair. “They needed somebody up here,” she said — a hairstylist, METRO not just a barber. So in 1979, she opened Chez Lenore at the corner of Waterman and Thayer streets, where she has been in business ever since. But at the end of the year, she and the other tenants of the second floor of the Thayer Waterman LLC building will be evicted to make space for a new tenant. Ronci and the four other tenants were notified last week that they have 60 days to vacate the premises. The second floor is home to a law office, a communications firm, the Brown Entrepreneurship Program and a marine conservation col-
laborative, among others. Ronci said that though she once had a five-year lease, her landlord, Kenneth Dulgarian, said that he “doesn’t really believe in leases,” and she has been without one for 20 years. Ronci currently pays $625 a month in rent, in addition to utilities. “I felt like I was kicked in the stomach,” said Ronci, who was told by phone that she would have to leave the space she had rented for a quarter of a century. But she said she wasn’t bitter: “Business is business and I understand that. I’m a businesswoman, too.” Still, she said of her landlord, “I think when you reach that point in business, you lose something. You lose a certain feeling for people, a certain warmth and consideration.” Dulgarian, the former owner of the College Hill Bookstore, which closed
this year, refused to comment for this article. Ken Tsuji ’05, co-director of the Brown Entrepreneurship Program, agreed that “it makes complete business sense” for Dulgarian to seek new tenants at higher rents. But he called the eviction “unfortunate” and said it would take a “massive effort” to find a new site for the EP office. “I’m sure there’s some good that will come out of it,” he said, but lamented that “a lot of our efforts are going to be devoted to moving” rather than to more productive avenues. Tsuji said the EP is “considering all possibilities on-campus and off-campus” for its new site. Ronci said she is dedicated to remaining in business near Brown, as she estimates that about 90 percent of her business comes from the University,
see LENORE, page 4
see TARICANI, page 6
see SHEN, page 4
W E AT H E R F O R E C A S T
I N S I D E F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 5 , 2 0 0 4 Hope Street restaurant reopens after small fire forces temporary closing and major renovation metro, page 3
“Sugar Coated” exhibit at Sarah Doyle Gallery shows the not-sosweet side of domestic life arts & culture, page 3
Maybe it’s time to consider secession, writes Ethan Ris ’05. And he’s serious this time column, page 11
BY DANIELLE CERNY
A local television reporter will face charges of criminal conMETRO tempt for refusing to reveal the identity of the person who gave him a secret FBI videotape used in the 2002 “Operation Plunder Dome” trial of former Mayor Vincent Cianci and associates. On Thursday, Chief U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres told reporter Jim Taricani that he will face trial if he does not reveal his source by Nov. 18. Taricani is a reporter for WJAR Channel 10, NBC’s Providence affiliate. If found guilty, he would face a prison sentence of up to six months. Taricani was found in civil contempt on March 16 for refusing to disclose the source of an FBI videotape that showed former Providence City Hall official Frank Corrente accepting a cash bribe. WJAR aired the videotape before Corrente and three codefendants, including Cianci, were tried on corruption charges. The charges were the result of a four-yearlong public corruption investigation dubbed “Operation Plunder Dome.” The March 16 ruling highlighted the conflict between journalists’ rights to inform the public and defendants’ rights to a fair trial. Torres said the source of the video gave the tape to Taricani to undermine the Plunder Dome investigation or to deny those in the case access to a fair trial. For this reason, Torres said Taricani could not
Impending eviction leaves Chez Lenore looking for new digs BY BEN LEUBSDORF
Dispute over anonymous source could land local reporter in jail
Gavin Shulman ’05 asks Sidney Frank to donate a couple of bottles of Jägermeister column, page 11
Two women’s volleyball players take their success in stride, despite breaking multiple records sports, page 12
FRIDAY
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SATURDAY
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