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INSIDE NEWS: Children learn how to care for 5 na garden at an Arboretum class
Armed with razors tied to their ankles, roosters slash and gouge at each other to the death
Meet the Titan softball team 6 nenSPORTS: route to the Kia Klassic at CSUF
—see Perspectives page 4
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M a r c h 13, 2002
Asgari grabs hold of his freeSecond in a Series The coach begins his life in Iran. After defecting from the army, he escapes death and makes his way to America.
By Amy Rottier
Daily Titan Editor in Chief Ardeshir Asgari joined the Iranian army when he was 14 years old. In his country, it was mandatory that all citizens serve the military for two years after graduating high school. But a high school diploma would be granted to those who joined the army in time of war, regardless if they finished school. Asgari hated school so much; he joined the Iranian army about four years early to fight Iraq. He came from a family of wealth and high status within the government. The army trained Asgari physically and mentally. “If you kill seven Jews, you will go to heaven,” Asgari was told. As a young, boy he believed it. After spending time in the military, Asgari began to realize that the new govern-
Women give meaning to world peace
ment’s rules violated basic human rights. Everyone was forced to follow 1,500-yearold religious dictates that forbade things like going to movies, nightclubs and drinking. Execution was a regular punishment for those who did not comply. The Asgari new laws opened many problems, especially with the younger, more independent generation. But, it was in Beirut, when he saw a Jew for the first time that Asgari completely turned against the government. The Jewish man looked so nice, like any other person. Asgari realized that killing seven Jews would not send him to heaven; it would send him to
hell. He wanted out. His wrestling talent and bravery were his saviors. Wrestling was a national sport in Iran – as big as baseball, basketball and football combined in the United States. When Asgari was growing up, wrestling was one of the five main events in the Olympics. To be an Olympic wrestling champion meant national hero status – like Michael Jordan in America. So, like many men, Asgari took up the sport at an early age. With five years of experience under his belt, he started wrestling for the army. He quickly became part of the army’s national team. With that status came the opportunity to travel and his opportunity for freedom. In 1982, the team traveled to Venezuela to participate in theArmy World Championships and after 10 days of competition, Asgari won second place in his weight class. The team was scheduled to fly back to Iran at about 7
a.m. on Aug. 4, 1982 but Asgari and three of his teammates decided they would not return to serve a government they were against. It was risky. Quitting the army was not an option. The four knew that they faced death if they were caught and sent back to their home country. The wrestlers left their coach a note condemning the Iranian government and nonchalantly left their hotel room around midnight – five hours before they were to leave for the airport. The four left with nothing but the shorts and T-shirts they were wearing and wallets in their pockets. They could not take anything with them and risk looking suspicious. To observers, they hoped to look like they were going out for one last night on the town. But the four could not just walk away. The competition and accommodations were located on a military base and Venezuelan military men guarded the exits.
In a stroke of luck, the escapees came across a U.S.-military van that was leaving the base. Although they did not speak English, they explained, somehow, their plight to the driver. The driver agreed to help the defectors by smuggling them out of the base. The group of 18 to 21-year-old men was dropped off in the downtown area with no money, no passports and no way to communicate. None of them spoke Spanish. They found refuge in a hotel that night and by the next day they knew their team was long gone. On their second day of defection, Asgari picked up a newspaper in the hotel lobby and saw their pictures on the front page. “Hey, hey, that’s me,” Asgari said to the man at the desk. The man briskly picked up the phone and in less than five minutes, 50 police cars,
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Right of way
nLECTURE: Hazel Warlaumont spoke about creating new ways to to build bridges between cultures By Conchita Viado
Daily Titan Staff Writer Non-violence. Safety. Living without fear. The absence of war. The definition of the word “peace” conjures many interpretations. It can be said in a number of ways. However, its importance is without question. In honor of Women’s History Month, the Women’s Center at Cal State Fullerton hosted a lecture Tuesday on “The Role of Women in Building a Culture of Peace.” The purpose of the lecture was to discuss involvement opportunities and to hear ideas about peace-building efforts. “The United Nations has recognized women’s role in “Women can peace-building,” said Hazel Warlaumont, professor of communications and founder of the be highly University of Peace. “We are trying to strengthen peace culeffective in ture, create new ways to work with each other, and to promote establishpeace not war.” Warlaumont conducted the lecture. ing global The University Women for Peace is an organization where peace.” individuals work together for peace and to build bridges of cultural understanding in the Hazel world, especially where conflict Warlaumont, or human rights violations are matters of concern. The organization does not accept any membership fees and does not make any effort to gain funds. Its purpose is to promote the idea that women can be highly effective in establishing a climate of global peace. This organization was founded in the hopes of allowing others the opportunity to recognize a woman’s role in peace building. It is a hands-on organization designed to get people involved. One of the main focuses is to network with women from other countries in order to start a dialogue about how
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JAIME NOLTE/Daily Titan
A female student sustained a possible leg fracture Tuesday evening after being hit by a white Ford Tempo at the intersection of Nutwood Avenue and Langsdorf Drive, police reported. Witnesses Mark Cooper and Brian Dent, guests at the Marriott Hotel, said they were pulling out of the hotel parking lot when they saw the student attempting to cross the intersection. She was making her way around a silver minivan that was blocking the street, when the Tempo hit her. Police were called to the accident scene at 5:29 p.m. Senior officer Craig Odom of the Fullerton Police Traffic Bureau said the injured student was coherent because he was able to speak to her while paramedics were giving her aid. She was transported to St. Jude Hospital in Brea. Odom said police are still investigating the accident and a full report would not be available until later.
Youths explore fire service career nTRAINING: Besides experiencing handson work, participants learn discipline, unity, teamwork and honor
By Conchita Viado
Daily Titan Staff Writer
courtesy of Ocfea academy 2001
Explorers attempt to extinguish a flammable liquid fire at a Chevron. This is part of the participants’ hands-on training.
Young men and women have the opportunity to gain training and experience in the fire services through the Brea Fire Department Explorer Program.
Firefighter and associate adviser John Aguirre, apprentice firefighters and assistant advisers David Coleman and Joshua Jones oversee the program. Through this program, explorers practice various types of skills that are required for a career in firefighting. “We roll hose,” Aguirre said. “We train with self-contained breathing apparatus. We practice forcible entry. We practice ladders and ladder evolutions, ropes and knots and various types of rescues. We also practice with live fire.” The program is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America.
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The explorers each have a book that teaches them about the equipment and how to use it. In addition to the hands-on training they receive, explorers are given tests and quizzes. These examinations are based on the reading material and the various skills that are taught to them. One examination is given for each topic. They are not graded and the explorers are not penalized for wrong answers. The purpose of the examinations is to show the explorers the areas that need to be reviewed. The explorers are not given weekly assignments. They spend enough time on each
subject so that every member is comfortable with the material. “There’s a multitude of things that we do on the fire ground or in any type of rescue atmosphere. We simulate it here so they have a chance to see what we do and so they can see if they want to be involved,” Aguirre said. It is not necessary to live in the city of Brea to be considered for membership. However, in order to qualify for the program, candidates must meet three requirements. They must be between the ages of 15 and 21. They must also not have a
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