The Daily Mississippian - June 2, 2011

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T H E

D A I L Y

MISSISSIPPIAN

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2011 | VOL. 100, NO. 136 | THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

OF

THE UNIVERSITY

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MISSISSIPPI | SERVING OLE MISS

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OXFORD

SINCE

1911 |

THEDMONLINE.COM

Ole Miss STUDENTS HOPE TO IMPROVE LAW ACCESSIBILITY Students Win PRism RuleThe ofWorld Justice Project’s Law Index recently ranked Mexico ahead of the U.S. Awards when it comes to “access to and BY CAIN MADDEN

The Daily Mississippian

BY ELLIE SCHMERLER The Daily Mississippian

The University of Mississippi recently had five public relations students and journalism instructor, Robin Street, receive PRism Awards. “The awards were presented at the state convention in March,” Street said. “Winners are told that they have won something, but they don’t know exactly what until the awards ceremony.” Street isn’t new to the PRAM arena. She has won PRism Awards from 2004-08. This year, Street was presented with two Awards of Excellence, one for PR writing and the other for her feature writing. Along with Streets’ awards, public relations students Hannah Chalker of Marietta, Ga., Hallie Mosby of Jackson, Lindsay Jordan of Brandon, Emily Laird of Columbus and Erin Parsons of Oxford. Public Relations Association of Mississippi, also known as PRAM, hands out PRism awards to honor and recognize outstanding work in the field of public relations to students and professionals throughout the state of Mississippi. There are three levels of the award which are based on number of points an individual is awarded for his or her work. The top award is the PRism Award and is followed by an award of excellence, award of achievement and a best in show. Street, who is a cofounder of the Oxford/Ole Miss chapter of PRAM, said she is excited that the accomplishments of her students are being recognized. “I was so proud of my students who all won awards in competition with professionals,” Street said. “Our students were the only students in the state who won awards. Emily Laird won the very prestigious honor of Student Best in Show and Erin Parson was named PR Student of the year.” Kristie Aylett, PRAM president, said in a press release, that the students had their work compared alongside campaigns and projects by professionals in the public reSee PR, PAGE 4

affordability of legal council in civil disputes.” At first, this may not appear to have much to do with Ole Miss, but when John Grisham came through Oxford for the dedication of the Robert C. Khayat Law Center in April, he left behind a mantra: Train young lawyers who firmly believe that a license to practice law is a powerful tool best used when defending the poor, the weak and the falsely accused. Many at the semester-old law center were already practicing this message and believe it could help bring the U.S. up to par with other developed nations when it comes to access to justice. Recent graduate Marisa Christensen said hearing it from Grisham might help ingrain the cause further. “I think a lot of folks around here look up to him, so it maybe means more to people, hearing it from him,” Christensen said. “I think that as many prominent people as can that hammer that in, the better.” The WJP’s report also claims that over the last three years, only 40 percent of low-income respondents who used the legal system in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles reported that the experience was fair, compared to 71 percent among the wealthy. In France, this gap is 5 percent, while in Spain the gap between the poor and wealthy among respondents in receiving a fair legal experience is non-existent.

CAIN MADDEN | The Daily Mississippian

Mississippi Innocence Project director Tucker Carrington talks with a law student about her strenghts as a lawyer. The MIP is one of several Ole Miss law school programs designed to have law students give back.

Further, the American Bar Association reported in 2010 that fewer than one in five low-income persons in the U.S. receive access to adequate legal assistance. “We live in a country where everyone is supposed to be equal and have equal access to the court system, but in reality, it falls very short of that,” Christensen said. “I think we have a lot of financial penalties built into the system that essentially tax you for being poor.” In Mississippi, Christensen said she believes that if every lawyer did all of his or her pro bono hours, that the unmet legal need would be drastically different. “I think it goes beyond a pro-

fessional duty,” Christensen said. all the lectures and readings. It “I think it is an ethical duty. You is critical for a professor to be have a skill set, and people should there when a student has his or feel obligated to use that knowl- her first experience in what beedge, and not just for a profit. ing a lawyer truly is, said Tucker “It is crippling how many peo- Carrington, who runs the Missisple that need access to the court sippi Innocence Project, which system but don’t have it.” isn’t part of the legal clinics, but Christensen said the law school its own public service entity that is working on upping the pro aims to free innocent prisoners, bono work among students, in- housed at the Ole Miss School cluding adding a pro bono clinic of Law. to its Civil Legal Clinics and “It is like in med-school, when there is also talk of awarding a you are doing your first rounds pro bono certificate to students and working on your bedside who complete a certain number manor,” Carrington said. “You of pro bono hours. need someone right there with Civil legal clinics are optional you, who’s experienced; another courses that take a law student doctor, who lets you make misbeyond the classroom to test what he or she learned from See LAW, PAGE 4

UNIVERSITY FACES NEW PARKING CHALLENGES BY ANDREA CLARET The Daily Mississippian

Finding a parking spot in a timely manner and without consequence may become impossible, particularly because of the newest regulation: moving the sophomore class off campus. The University Police Department enforces parking and traffic regulations at the University of Mississippi. The Parking and Traffic Rules and Regulations section of the M Book states that “thorough understanding of these regulations is important because violations will result in needless expense and inconvenience to the student.” Sue Hodge, assistant dean for undergraduate programs, said she is concerned about parking on campus.

“Parking becomes a greater challenge for faculty, staff and students each year,” she said. With the influx of students making parking more problematic, raising tensions and frustrations with students, stress levels run high because of the expensive penalties students face. The first offense fine is $15, the second is $25 and the third and any subsequent offense fine is $45. This information can be found under Parking Services of the University Police Department’s web page. Hodge is not involved with any decision making processes about parking, but she does have ideas and changes in mind that would impact the parking situation for students in a positive way. “If presented with the opportunity to vote on building an on-

campus parking garage or deck, my vote is yes,” Hodge said. “I am not concerned with the aesthetics of such a structure as I am confident university administrators will only approve a structure that will enhance the beauty of our most beautiful campus.” Hodge said that the university may not accept the idea of a parking garage. “I do not know if university administrators are supportive of a parking garage or deck,” Hodge said. “However, it seems we would have one if the administrators are supportive of building a deck or garage. I will speculate that there is a concern of lost revenue from the issuance of parking tickets that weighs heavily on a decision to build or not to build.” From student Abby Olivier’s per-

spective, the solutions the university has worked to create has eased tensions between students and parking services. Olivier is vice president of the Associated Student Body. “I think that the parking in the MDOT lot was an incredible idea,” she said. “If we could lobby for more OUT buses to swing by the lot, students would not have to wait as long. It would be even better if there were a coffee shop somewhere around the lot that students could go to before and after class while waiting on the bus.” Olivier said a parking garage would not be a positive change for the university. “I personally do not believe that we should have a parking garage on campus, because it would not See PARKING, PAGE 4


OPINION O P IN I O N |

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Abortion: You can’t legislate morality. BY ALAN-MICHAEL WHITE Columnist

Believe it or not, an election is coming up in November, and on the ballot is Amendment 26, a state-wide initiative that would redefine a “person” as “every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.” If you are almost anyone in the state, you probably think this is just fine and dandy - after all, all lives are precious, and who do women think they are to play God with the lives of their children? If you would be so kind as to pay attention for a moment, however, I’d like to draw your attention to why you’re wrong and dangerously so. So now any blastocyst is a human being with human rights. The mother now has to deal with a growing mass of cells in her body. She may not even have asked for this “blessing.” It might have been thrust upon her by the actions of an evil few, and now, because she is guilty of the crime of having been born with two X chromosomes instead of the good and proper X and Y chromosomes, she has to shoulder the burden of a child

to its adulthood, sacrificing any plans she might have had for herself along the way. Let’s not even look at it like that. Say that the mother is happily married, the embryo growing inside her is her husband’s and it turns out that if she carries the baby to term, she and the fetus will die. What are her options? For Mikki Kendall of Salon.com, her options were bleed to death because the doctor on call would not and will not perform abortions, even when a fetus is not viable. If you are one of the unlucky 50 percent born the sex of inequality, then lucky you, this is a very real possibility for any of you. The opposition will paint this argument with colorful slogans like “I’m a human, too,” and “Life starts at conception.” However, all human cells are human and life started four billion years ago. No one demands rights for all the sperm that don’t make it. Well, the Catholic church does, but I digress. Essentially, any baby is a part of you, and if you can amputate a leg or irradiate a tumor, why is a baby in the womb any

different? Anti-abortion legislation is, plain and simple, an attempt to legislate religious morality. To tackle the real problem, we, collectively, must admit there are no clear boundaries of right and wrong in the world. This applies even with something as, apparently, incredibly obvious, as the right to existence. Pretending we have an absolute moral code because we believe it was divinely given to some other people 3,000 years ago can be deadly. Mississippi is impoverished and every single teenage mother adds to this problem. We can’t solve our poverty problem, which is frankly at the root of many of Mississippi’s other problems, if we don’t first stop attacks like this, which result in a poorer community increasingly unable to care for our families. Some very specific people are trying to cut off a Mississippi woman’s only out if they make a mistake, change their mind or are raped. The same people are trying to prevent the education of the populace in regards to sex education, if Bill 999, recently signed into law, is anything to go by. The

vast majority of these people are part of the religious right. They do not come with Christian love, but with a sword. Whether they are honest or dishonest, the religious right intends to spread the world of their god and if you are negatively affected by their actions, then hopefully you’ll become impoverished for reasons that, in the 21st century, we should be able to avoid. After all, the religious right have managed to convince the poor and the downtrodden that they honestly represent their interests while groups like The Family continue to push immoral and inhuman legislation through governments around the world. If you want to do something about it, vote. Even if you just go to school here. Get registered and vote. The religious monoliths of ignorance will walk all over us unless we fight back. If nothing else, look at it this way: You can’t choose to keep a child either, if the option isn’t on the table. Abortion isn’t easy. No one gets an abortion with total emotional detachment. Having the option, however, is necessary.

AMELIA CAMURATI editor-in-chief

JACOB BATTE news editor JON MOSBY opinion editor AUSTIN MILLER sports editor PETRE THOMAS photography editor NICK TOCE visuals editor KELSEY DOCKERY design editor LAUREN SMITH copy chief

JASMINE PHILLIPS business manager GEORGE BORDELON KEATON BREWER ALEX PENCE

account executives SARA LOWREY

creative assistant

Republicans holding U.S. hostage with debt ceiling BY JAY NOGAMI Columnist

T H E

On May 31, the United States House of Representatives voted down a measure to increase the debt ceiling for the U.S. government. The vote was nothing more than a political ploy from the Republican majority in the House, showing that there was little House support for raising the debt ceiling without taking steps to help close budget deficits. With Republicans using the debt ceiling as means for pressuring President Obama, you would think that the debt ceiling was not a pressing matter. However, this time, as with every time, the Republican Party is holding the U.S. hostage. Should the U.S. not raise its current debt ceiling of $14.3 trillion, the U.S. government will no longer be able to meet all of its current obligations. According to the Treasury

Department, at current rates this will happen on August 2. Simply, this means that should the U.S. Congress not allow the raising of the debt ceiling, the federal government will begin to default on payments. This means that potentially the U.S. will begin to default on loans. It is imperative to understand how serious failing to increase the debt ceiling could potentially become. Look to Europe, where Greece could no longer pay their own government’s debt. The country is now in great financial trouble, and outlooks for the next few years are just as grim. In reality, no one knows just what could happen once we hit the ceiling. That’s because it has never, in the history of the U.S., happened before.

While the Treasury Department would for the time being be able to pay its loans and accruing interest of the course of the year, bigger problems come into play. The Treasury Department doesn’t take in all of their money for Fiscal Year 2011 all at once. The money comes in on a week-by-week basis. There is no guarantee that the Treasury Department would have the cash on hand necessary to pay any given week’s balances. In addition to the government potentially having problems paying off their own debt, it is uncertain what would happen to the financial markets should the U.S. begin failing to pay what it is legally obligated to pay. There might be a panic, as some could see this as foreshadowing the U.S.’ future.

D A I L Y

MISSISSIPPIAN

The University of Mississippi S. Gale Denley Student Media Center 201 Bishop Hall Main Number: 662.915.5503 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Daily Mississippian is published daily Monday through Friday during the academic year, and Tuesday through Friday during the summer. Contents do not represent the official opinions of the university or The Daily Mississippian unless specifically indicated. Letters are welcome, but may be edited for clarity, space or libel. ISSN 1077-8667

Countries who are currently heavily invested in U.S. bonds, such as China, might lose their confidence in the federal government and begin to sell off their bonds, causing a collapse in the value of the U.S. dollar. Or, maybe, nothing will happen. But, are you willing to risk the sovereignty of the United States of America on a possibility? I know that I’m not. Next time you see something similar to what happened on Tuesday, regardless of the party, don’t just think about how great your party is or how despicable the other party is. Instead, think about what is being used as a bargaining chip. While cutting our budget deficit is a long-term must, how useful is it to save a nation long term that may not be able to function short term?

The Daily Mississippian welcomes all comments. Please send a letter to the editor addressed to The Daily Mississippian, 201 Bishop Hall, University, MS, 38677 or send an e-mail to dmeditor@gmail.com. Letters should be typed, double-spaced and no longer than 300 words. Third party letters and those bearing pseudonyms, pen names or “name withheld” will not be published. Publication is limited to one letter per individual per calendar month. Student submissions must include grade classification and major. All submissions must be turned in at least three days in advance of date of desired publication.

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PATRICIA THOMPSON director and faculty adviser ARVINDER SINGH KANG manager of media technology DYLAN PARKER creative/technical supervisor DARREL JORDAN chief engineer MELANIE WADKINS advertising manager STEPHEN GOFORTH broadcast manager AMY SAXTON administrative assistant


OPINION O P IN I O N |

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Camping missed the mark with the ‘rapture’ BY ANDREW DICKSON Columnist

Early this year Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that Jesus Christ would return to collect his elect and fly them back to heaven on May 21 – just in time to escape the impending five months of plagues, fire and brimstone that would claim the lives of millions each day before culminating on October 21 this year, at which time the world would end. Camping made similar predictions in 1994 and 1998, using similar numerological arguments obtained from spiritual texts. On May 10, the Washington Post interviewed noted evolutionary biologist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins for his thoughts on Camping’s apocalyptic predictions, to which he responded, “I don’t know where he gets the money, but it would be no surprise to discover that it is contributed by gullible followers – gullible enough, we may guess, to go along with him when he will inevitably explain, on May 22, that there must have been

some error in the calculation; the rapture is postponed to (a future date); and to please send more money to pay for updated billboards.” Camping responded after Judgment Day had passed, saying he was “flabbergasted” and “searching for answers.” But I know the reason why he feels this way: Camping thought he had thought of everything, but there was one pesky thing he forgot – he was wrong. On May 23, two days following the “rapture,” Camping explained that May 21 had been a “spiritual” Judgment Day and that the Rapture will in fact occur on October 21, 2011, to go along with the destruction of the world. It’s easy to see which of the two’s predictions turned into prophecy and why – Dawkins predictions were grounded in common sense; Camping must’ve forgotten to carry a zero. For those of you who believe in the Bible, the answer to when time will come to an

end can likely be found (or, well, not found) in Matthew 24:36, which loosely advises laying off the predictions; for those of you who don’t believe in some or all of the Bible, it’s fun to prognosticate how many years the Christians will wait for the Son to rise – 3,000? 5,000? 10,000? That’s a lot of zeros to carry. If you’re like me, you’ll find the master plans of Harold Camping and others like him to be so-so. However, Camping’s convictions are not too far removed from a number of people that have been convinced of things that “have happened” and/or “will happen” simply because someone told them they would – typically at a young age. Is Harold Camping too far removed from a Southern Baptist preacher who pounds out sermons on Hellfire and the end times to frighten his sheep into the fold? In fact, I argue his psyche works no differently than that of you and I; tell yourself something all day, every day,

for a week and see if you don’t believe it seven days later. Your ego is like your stomach – it puts out what you put it in it. When you choose to believe in something – no matter how mundane or fantastical – you will come to “know” it is “real,” because that’s how powerful our minds are. Harold Camping isn’t pumping out ideas that are anymore fantastical than some talking snake giving apples away, McKenna’s “machine elves,” and the Immaculate Conception. One could argue that Camping, 89, is simply cashing in on his 15 minutes of fame while people who will believe in some or all of the above will still pay him to fill them with false hope. I wouldn’t be surprised if Camping spent 10 hours on Judgment Day Googling his name. Further, Dawkins is no prophet for predicting Camping’s actions almost two weeks before “Judgment Day” – he was just exercising common sense.

Camping’s common sense drifted to the background while his delusions of grandeur got the best of him (and his followers), causing them to annoy the hell out of me with this story for weeks. I just don’t know where Camping and the blind could lead the sightless, but God, they love to witness. For both their and my sake, I hope heaven and hell are really there (but I wouldn’t hold my breath), and that some form of divine intervention carries the zeros as far away from me as universally possible. Anyway, the feeling in my personal universe on Judgment Day was one of pure rapture: I read a couple of books, exercised, ate some good food and kicked it with some friends at a “Rapture Party” later that night. It was our own slice of instantly gratified Heaven on Earth. Our planet is hosting a Golden Age for those of you who know – it’s the waiting game for those of you who don’t. What are you waiting on?

vidual. However, from a student perspective, I can understand the burden rent can be. Additionally, because these individuals are full-time athletes, having a part-time job is out of the question. Because of these facts, I would not be surprised if McNeil’s defense includes these burdens as part of his motivation. Robbery, especially armed, is never an acceptable alternative, and each player should receive the appropriate punishment that is dictated by law. The situation saddens me that we have players who

take the law into their own hands to compensate for money they cannot come up with. This is not how I, as a student, want our athletic program to be known. I also would like to commend head coach Gene Chizik for acting quickly to permanently dismiss the players from the team. There are numerous examples, across the board, of college football players’ runins with the law, and I, for one, hope this incident is an isolated one, especially after such a historic season for our university. Auburn athletes, let’s keep it classy — and legal.

UWIRE

We’re champions, guys -- not felons

BY NATALIE WADE The Auburn Plainsman

Auburn’s athletic program has prided itself on having athletes that stay out of the news for the wrong reasons. For other schools, like the University of Georgia, keeping players out of trouble has been a problem. On March 11, four football players ruined Auburn players’ clean reputation. Antonio Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens, Mike McNeil and Dakota Mosley were arrested after being pulled over by an area police officer. The four men were in a vehicle matching the description from a victim of an armed robbery. The robbery took place at a trailer park off of Wire

Road, and involved a firearm. After the car was searched, the pistol and stolen items were recovered. This incident is even more embarrassing for the program because it follows a national championship season. Many, including myself, questioned the motives of the men, because perception dictates that scholarship players are well taken care of by the program. For those who do not know, scholarships can be awarded based on percentages. For example, if you are a third-string quarterback,

your percentage would be significantly lower than the percentage for a starting quarterback. Most often, the starting players are awarded with a full scholarship, which covers tuition, fees, books and room and board. I’m not certain what percentage scholarship each of the four men received from Auburn. News was released Tuesday about Mike McNeil’s two previous evictions from different properties in Auburn and a lawsuit against him for unpaid rent. I’m not sympathizing with McNeil, because financial obligations rest on the indi-

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NEWS NEWS |

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LAW,

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takes that are not going to ultimately harm a patient, and who has reflective time thereafter to sit with you and say, ‘Here is what you did well, here is what you need to work on,’ and also ask, ‘What are your thoughts?’” Grisham helped found the Mississippi Innocence Project in 2007 as a financial backer. Previously, Innocence Project-New Orleans lawyers had done the innocence work for Mississippi, but officials felt that there was enough work for Mississippi to have its own office. Soon, it was delegated to the school, which is not the way most innocence projects operate, Carrington said. “One nice thing about the project is it being here at the law school,” Carrington said. “We get to interact with students, and students work with us on our cases. They, without exception, are engaged by the work because it is interesting, and it changes them.” Carrington has been there to sit with many law students since he was first brought on to direct the Mississippi Innocence Project, including second year law student Caroline Castigliola, who recently participated in the project. Castigliola and a partner worked on a case from 1970. “We went down to this guy’s home town and checked the courthouse for files,” Castigliola said. “Then, we went down to Leakesville Mississippi and interviewed him and got his story. Then, we went back to his hometown and found and talked to his family, his sister; it was very cool.” After venturing into the unknown, Castigliola said it was important to receive feedback.

PR, continued from page 1 lations field. “The judges were very impressed by the quality of their entries,” Aylett said in the press release. “And it is obvious that the students are being well prepared to enter the field.” Erin Parson, a senior journalism major, was named Outstanding Public Relations Student of 2011 by PRAM. With her award, she received a $250 scholarship and a certificate of achievement from the association. Parsons was nominated by Street for this prestigious award. “When it was time to a pick a student to nominate for this statewide award, choosing Erin was a no-brainer,” Sreet said. “Her expertise, skills and ability are outstanding. I knew there could be no better PR student in the state.” Parsons said that winning

“It is good to know that there is a person sitting outside watching her interact with those witnesses, identifying strengths, what she is good at, what she lacks and how she can become a better lawyer,” Carrington said of Castigliola. Carrington also said he believes that law schools should be challenged, as Grisham said, to teach students, amongst other things, to be agents of social change in their communities. “Not that I think law schools ought to be worried about populating the state with lawyers who are going to work for wrongfully convicted people,” Carrington said. “But at some basic level, they ought to be teaching students, as a practical and philosophical measure for being a service profession. That is what lawyers do.” While many law students come in wanting to do just that, the grind of school often erodes that, partly due to the way law is taught, like that in medical students, Carrington said. “By the time you get out of med-school, most young doctors will tell you that they are exhausted, they have debt and whatever initial reason for going into medschool, such as helping people and being close to their patients, has been bled out of them,” Carrington said. “I think the same thing happens in law school. Many set out with a desire to help folks, but in the end, you tend to lose sight of that.” Losing sight of that desire, Carrington said, is one reason why he feels like lawyers, as a profession, tend to be unhappy as lawyers. And indeed, in Susan Daicoff ’s book, “Lawyer, Know Thyself,” the claim is that lawyers experience depression twice as frequently as people in the general population, which Carrington said is a shame.

Outstanding PR Student of 2011 was a great way to end her college career. “This award is a great way to wrap up my senior year,” she said. “It is a really good feeling to have some recognition for my work in PR as a student. I was also very happy to receive the $250 scholarship that I will soon put toward graduate school.” PRAM is a network of 11 chapters throughout the state, consisting of nearly 600 members. The association includes memberships for students majoring in public relations and professionals who hold positions in a variety of fields, including corporations, industries, government entities, not-for-profits and agencies. PRAM members are concurrent members of Southern Public Relations Federation, a network of more than 1,300 public relations professionals in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

“The practice of law can be a fun, interesting and fulfilling profession, if you can find your niche and stay true to what a lot of people wanted to do when they joined law school, which is show up somewhere and help people,” Carrington said. “You may not make a ton of money, and you are probably going to work your ass off. “But you know what? It’ll be pretty damn fun and interesting.” Once a student goes through an innocence project or civil legal clinic course, Carrington said he or she will not be the same. “It does not mean they will be public defenders,” Carrington said. “It does not mean they will go out and do innocence work. “But they will think more deeply about the issues.” And getting people to think more deeply, Carrington said, could be a game changer. “We don’t have very serious conversations when it comes to issues with crime in this country,” Carrington said. “I hate to say it, but those conversations tend to be directed by politicians and rhetoric.” Carrington said the problem with leaving this talk to the politicians is that they tend to concern themselves more with their constituency, people that can vote. According to a 2008 Project Vote report, 40 percent of adults in households that make $25,000 or less are not registered to vote, and many studies claim that people with a lower income vote at a lesser percent than their fellow citizens in the higher income brackets. And of course, prisoners in the U.S. can’t vote. Which means, Carrington said, other people need to speak on their behalf. “People may have valid charges, but if there is no attorney to represent them, their case won’t

PARKING, continued from page 1 fit the style and uniqueness of our campus,” she said. Olivier believes that for the parking issues and regulations to be resolved, students faculty and UPD must work together to create a solution. “The wonderful thing about parking services is that they would love to hear from students,” Olivier said. “I know last year, an ASB senator set up an open forum between students and parking services. Only about 20 students came, but I hear a lot more than 20 people complaining about parking. I truly believe that parking services and UPD want and need our input,” Cortez Moss, the director of academic affairs, also serving as the chief academic officer for the ASB, provides leadership in collaboration with the president and senate academic affairs committee in planning, developing and

be heard in the courts,” law student April Killcreas said. “I think attorneys are in a great position to provide services to communities.” Killcreas said as an attorney she is hoping to represent the environment, and recently, she won an award from the American Bar Association for an essay she wrote about two Mississippi communities facing environmental threats. The communities she focused on were Turkey Creek and Eastmoor Estates. “In Eastmoor, what you have is a low income housing community with the owner refusing to repair sewer lines over a several year period,” Killcreas said. “Turkey Creek, which is just outside of Gulfport, is having problems with developers wanting to build on their wetlands. “They are not well publicized cases, and I thought they were interesting.” Killcreas became interested in law while at Millsaps College in Jackson, and at Ole Miss, developed an interest in environmental law. “Last summer, I did a lot of coastal and ocean-related work for my internship,” Killcreas said. “It was a lot of research-based projects, related to the deep water spill. “I found that it would be something that I would really enjoy doing.” Student organizations are also coming up with ways to help push student activities, including the Public Interest Law Foundation, which Christensen was the president of during the previous year. “Most of what we do is raise money to award out in summer stipends, to students working unpaid internships,” Christensen said. “If each student we send out there helps one, or two people, it would be great, but in

reality, they will be helping many people every day. It is a pretty effective strategy.” This year, the group raised $28,667 and helped students go all over the country, including the National Organization of Women and the Department of Children Services in Nashville. “Summer work is important, it reminds you what you are doing all of this stuff for at the end of the year,” Christensen said. “It is a carrot at the end of a stick, following a lot of dry reading.” Christensen said the Mississippi Innocence Project was among the more impactful projects she worked on while on campus. “I think that it kind of solidified my career path for going to be a public defender,” Christensen said. “When I started out with law school, I think I definitely wanted to do public interest law, but I was leaning more toward the civil side. “After going through the law school, and especially the innocence clinic, I really landed more on the criminal aspect of it.” It is her hope, also, that work such as this will help her landing a job, and Carrington said if he were the person hiring, he’d be more inclined to hire someone with experience such as Christensen’s. “It is one thing to say, ‘Oh, I took a class in lawyer ethics,’ and another thing to say, ‘I took a class on professional ethics, and then I was faced with the following situation in a case that I had in a clinic.’ “I found that what I had in class was helpful in this regard, but wasn’t so helpful in a practice situation, so I had to work through that in the clinic. If I was a punitive employer, I’d understand that this person is significantly advanced, as opposed to the person who was just in the class.”

evaluating the academic programs of the university. Moss also works directly with parking services. Because the incoming freshman class is of record size and the sophomores are being moved off campus for the 2010-2011 school year, parking problems are inevitable, he said. “These recent changes create a supply and demand problem. One of the potential problems is a lack of commuter parking spaces for the number of students moving from residential to commuter parking. The second issue is trying to get sororities and fraternities enough parking spots close to their houses for meetings, while still accommodating residential students. I do believe parking is an integral part of the university’s improvement plan.” In order for students, faculty and UPD to work together to create a solution, Moss said students should play a key role in finding the solution. “Students should most definitely play a key role in developing a so-

lution. The first step in solving this problem among faculty, students and UPD is to hit the issue headon by giving leaders among these groups an opportunity to sit at the table and discuss their experiences and tailor a solution that best fits the affected groups,” Moss said. However, the problem may not be manageable by students alone. “I think a task-force should be formed to review the current parking and look for a more efficient system,” Moss said. The ASB and administrators have heard complaints among students at the university, realizing parking is becoming a bigger issue each year. Members of the ASB and faculty agree, the university and the student body must work together to create a cohesive solution; a solution that will appease both students and faculty members alike, while maintaining the unique charm of this great campus. A change in policy and parking regulations will be necessary to move forward with the evolution of the university.


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SHAQUILLE O’NEAL RETIRES BOSTON (AP) -- Shaquille O’Neal, a 15-time All-Star who struggled to get on the court last season because of injuries, tweeted on Wednesday that he is going to retire after a 19-year career in which he won four titles and the 2000 league Most Valuable Player award. O’Neal wrote on Twitter shortly before 2:45 p.m. that, “im retiring.” It included a link to a 16-second video in which he says, “We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first: I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.” An inveterate prankster who gave himself a new nickname - or several - in each of his six NBA cities, O’Neal did not notify the Boston Celtics, his latest team, of his plans. He played just 37 games this year, the first of a two-year deal at the veteran’s minimum salary, making just three brief appearances after Feb. 1. “To my knowledge, he has not informed any of us that he’s retiring,” Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said. If he goes, O’Neal retires fifth all-time with 28,596 points, 12th with 13,099 rebounds and a .582 field goal percentage that is second only to Artis Gilmore among players with more than 2,000 baskets. His free throw percentage of .527 - well, now is not the time to dwell on that. “I’m a little bit sad,” said Pat Riley, the Heat president who was also the coach when O’Neal won a title in Miami. “It’s the end of an absolute 20year career. Great, great player. ... The league’s going to miss Shaq. I’m sure Shaq will do something big and beyond.” O’Neal’s contributions to basketball went far beyond his presence on the court. One of the most charismatic players in NBA history, O’Neal was a franchise-saver when the Orlando Magic made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 draft. He took them from the lottery to the playoffs in two years, and then led them to the NBA finals in his third year before they were swept by the Houston Rockets. O’Neal, 39, signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and had his greatest success there, winning three titles alongside Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson. But amid tension between O’Neal and Bryant after a loss to the Detroit Pistons in the finals, O’Neal was traded to the Heat in the summer of

2004. After 3 1/2 years in Miami, a tenure that included his fourth NBA championship, O’Neal became a veteran-for-hire, moving to Phoenix and then Cleveland and finally Boston. But he couldn’t deliver another title for Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire with the Suns, with LeBron James with the Cavaliers or with the Celtics’ Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. “What a career for Shaq Diesel!!” James wrote on Twitter. “The most dominating force to ever play the game. Great person to be around as well. Comedy all the time!!” At each stop, he endeared himself to the fans and his new teammates with his effervescent smile and playful attitude, including the habit of adopting a new nickname that he felt embodied his role with his new team. In Phoenix he was the “Big Shaqtus”; in Boston, the “Big Shamroq.” He also embraced social networking, amassing almost 4 million followers on his Twitter account, where fans could find out his next move or even the “random acts of Shaqness” - like sitting in Harvard Square, pretending to be a statue, or going out in drag on Halloween. But O’Neal’s off-court persona couldn’t disguise the fact that he was getting old, and while he showed he could still play with younger opponents he couldn’t manage to stay on the court with them. He missed a week in November with a bruised right knee, a week in December with a calf injury and another in January with a sore right hip. He returned for three games a total of about 34 minutes - before missing the next 27 games with what the team called a sore right leg. Although the injury was originally expected to keep him out just a few games, his absence stretched to more than two months. He returned to play in one more regular-season game but lasted just 5 minutes, 29 seconds before reinjuring the leg and limping off the court. He missed Boston’s entire firstround series against the New York Knicks and made two appearances against Miami, a total of 12 minutes, and scored two points. In all, O’Neal averaged just 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 20.3 minutes this season while playing in 37 games - all career lows.

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UM FOOTBALL POSITION BREAKDOWN

FILE PHOTO | The Daily Mississippian

With college football only a couple months away, it’s time to take an early look at the Ole Miss football team heading into the summer months. Each Thursday, The Daily Mississippian reporter Bennett Hipp will break down Ole Miss position-byposition as part of an eight-week series. Next Week: linebackers The Rebels struggled mightily against the pass in 2010; ranking 11th in the Southeastern Conference in passing yards per game given up at 246.3 and dead last in the SEC in interceptions with six interceptions. Compare those six interceptions to the SEC leaders Alabama and Florida, which both recorded 22 interceptions and it’s easy to see Ole Miss lacked playmakers at defensive back and safety. To fix this, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt brought in Keith Burns from Kansas State to coach the secondary and moved Chris Vaughn over to coach the safeties this season. Unfortunately for both Burns and Vaughn, depth is a major question mark at both positions. At cornerback, sophomore Charles Sawyer has a hold on one of the starting spots after a solid spring practice. Sawyer oozes potential and has a chance to be a special player before he leaves, but the 5’11” Sawyer must show more consistency than he did last year. Ole Miss coaches are waiting for the flashes of brilliance that Sawyer showed, while recording 49 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery last season, to happen much more often. Listed behind Sawyer on the post-spring depth chart at one of the cornerback spots is redshirt freshman Cliff Coleman. After redshirting last year, Coleman is still a raw player at the position but will have a chance to make an impact on the field in 2011. Senior Vincent Moss stepped over to corner in the spring and performed quite well for someone who previously played safety and

wide receiver. At the other corner spot, senior Marcus Temple and junior-college transfer Wesley Pendleton are listed as co-starters. Temple, who started all 12 games last season, had to miss spring practice after having surgery for a sports hernia, but will be back in time for fall practice. Pendleton was signed in the 2011 recruiting class and was able to enroll in January in order to participate in spring practice. Coaches raved about Pendleton’s speed and ability as he ran with the starters for most of the spring. Ole Miss will count on Pendleton to bring some veteran leadership along with playmaking ability and elite speed to an otherwise young group of corners. Ole Miss needs more bodies and hopes to get those reinforcements by August. Signees Senquez Golson and Nickolas “Snoop” Brassell present the two best options at improving the secondary out of the freshman class. However, Golson is a huge Major League Baseball draft risk while Brassell could see action at wide receiver where help is needed as well. Both are great talents at the position and would immediately push for playing time if and when they hit campus. At safety, it’s more of the same. Senior Damien Jackson is now the leader of the safeties after the graduation of Fon Ingram and Johnny Brown. Jackson, a junior college transfer from the 2010 signing class, made an impact last year as he immediately became one of the hardest hitters on the Rebels defense on his way to recording 68 total tackles along with a forced fumble. Jackson excelled in run support last

season, so the Rebels have worked on improving his pass coverage this spring to make his game more complete. Behind Jackson at free safety is sophomore Frank Crawford, another young player in the Rebels secondary. Crawford got plenty of reps in spring practice when Jackson was injured with a shoulder injury and showed flashes of being able to contribute in 2011. At strong safety, sophomore Brishen Matthews is listed as the starter with junior college transfer Ivan Nicholas behind him on. Matthews, a sophomore in 2011, played in 12 games last season for Ole Miss, recording 15 tackles. Increased strength and consistency have Matthews in position to become a key cog in the Rebels defensive secondary this season. Nicholas, the younger brother of current Atlanta Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas, enrolled in January along with Pendleton, and was able to go through spring practice. While his athletic ability was readily apparent and on display in the spring, Nicholas struggled adjusting to the speed of the game as most new players do. With plenty of options coming in at the safety position from the 2011 signing class, including Cody Prewitt, Chelarvez ‘Chief’ Brown, junior college transfer Aaron Garbutt and recent signee Denzel Nkemdiche, there has been talk of moving Nicholas down to linebacker. With depth an issue at both positions, Ole Miss will count on instant impact from a good number of the players signed in the 2011 recruiting class in hopes of an improved secondary this season.


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NBA FINALS: LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD The Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday 92-84 in Game 1 of the 2011 NBA Finals. The Daily Mississippian’s David Collier breaks down this year’s championship, including the teams’ history and their prominent players, as well as key factors and trends for the seven-game series. BY DAVID COLLIER The Daily Mississippian

This series has long been anticipated, especially for the Mavericks. Dallas hopes to get revenge on the Heat after their monumental collapse in the 2006 Finals. The Mavericks were on the verge of a three game to nothing lead in the series, leading the Heat 8976 with 6:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, before Dwyane Wade led the Heat’s improbable comeback to win Game 3 followed by three straight games to claim the 2006 NBA Championship. Aside from the rematch of the 2006 Finals, this series will end with either Dirk Nowitzki or LeBron James getting what they have so desperately hoped for: a championship ring. This is the second trip to the finals for both Nowitzki and James. James and Chris Bosh both signed with the Heat in the offseason to join Wade in hopes of becoming a trio that would win a championship like the Boston Celtics’ trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierece and Ray Allen. Just a few months later, the new “Big 3” took down the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and now, they are just three more wins away from fulfilling their dream of

an NBA Championship. Dallas looked to be in control shortly into the third quarter before Wade and James began making play after play to give the Heat the victory. Wade scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, while James finished with a team-high 24 points in the win. While Miami is thrilled to come out on top and have a 1-0 series lead, they know there is still a long way to go. “It’s one game, and that’s it,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’re already moving on.” After the first game of the 2011 NBA Finals, it looks as though the series could go either way. However, Game 2 is vital for Dallas, and Nowitzki knows just how important it is. “We’re a veteran team,” he said. “You can’t get down with a loss. You’ve got to come back strong on Thursday. I’ve said it a couple times in this playoff run, if you’re the road team, you’re happy with a split. So we’ve got another opportunity on Thursday to get one.” It looks as though this series could be a nail-biter, but there are several key factors for each team to follow if they plan on hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Key Factors for the Heat If the Heat continues to play like they did in the first game of this series, there is no reason the “Big 3” will not get the outcome they have longed for. Miami must get out in transition every chance they get not only to use their athletic advantage but, also to tire the legs of the older Mavericks. The Heat must continue to play team defense and contest every shot. Bench players like Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers must continue to step up and make big plays. James and Wade will get their stats, but it is up to Chris Bosh to be the final piece of the puzzle to claim the title. Key Factors for the Mavericks In order for the Mavericks to claim victory in Game 2 and head back to Dallas with a series split, they must play intense defense all four quarters. While it is a difficult task to defend James and Wade, they must do their best to keep them out of the paint and make them jump shooters. With players of that talent, there is no stopping them. Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and

NBA FINAL SCORES & SCHEDULE Game 1 - Miami 92, Dallas 84 Game 2 - Thursday June 2, Dallas at Miami 8 p.m. CT, ABC Game 3 - Sunday June 5, Miami at Dallas 7 p.m. CT, ABC Game 4 - Tuesday June 7, Miami at Dallas 8 p.m. CT, ABC Game 5* - Thursday June 9, Miami at Dallas 8 p.m. CT, ABC Game 6* - Sunday June 12, Dallas at Miami 7 p.m. CT, ABC Game 7* - Tuesday June 14, Dallas at Miami 8 p.m. CT, ABC DeShawn Stevenson must step up defensively. Next, the Mavericks must get more support from their bench like they have throughout the playoffs. Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic must make big shots and J.J. Barea must be the energizer he has been all season long. Lastly, Dallas must do a better job of getting defensive rebounds if they wish to have any chance in this series. In Game 1, Miami got far too many second- and third-chance opportunities, which must be corrected in Game 2. If rebounding becomes a consistent problem for Dallas, their magical playoff run will not have a storybook ending. The Mavericks had a problem rebounding in the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder. If they let that continue to happen against Miami, they will not be able to contin-

ue to win games. The Heat has too many experienced players to let games slip away like the Thunder did. James and Wade have been tearing it up in the fourth quarter as of late. In the Bulls’ series, James stole the show in the fourth, but on Tuesday, Wade had a terrific secondhalf performance to get his team the win. “For me, going into the fourth quarter, it’s winning time,” James said. If the Mavericks come out firing on all cylinders in Game 2, they can take the series back to Dallas tied at one game apiece. From there, Dallas must win two of the three games at home in order to have a chance in the series. If they cannot do that, chalk a championship up to the “new look” Heat. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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