Meet our new sex columnist
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Volume LXXVII, Number 77
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The IFC President
The Advisory Chair
www.mustangdaily.net
FIRST LOOK:
The Board Member
The Resident Adviser
Nate Honeycutt
Daniel Wasta
ASI presidential candidates Jason Colombini
Haley Houle
SEAN MCMINN
smcminn@mustangdaily.net
Major: Agribusiness junior
Major: Sociology senior
Experience: Former ASI Board of Directors College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences representative
Experience: University Union Advisory Board chair Words from a supporter: (Sorority sister Alex Spooner) “I’ve definitely seen she puts 100 percent into everything she does. That girl has her schedule booked from mornings to night with meetings, interviews — it’s just everything. She works with the police staff and everyone, and I know she’s ready to take the next step in running for ASI president.”
Words from a supporter: (Fraternity brother Hayden Richter) “He’s extremely good at organization and following bylaws, creating bylaws and using them effectively and to the point. He doesn’t make mistakes — in the sense people do stuff and then realize they’re wrong. He always does things right the first time.”
The 2013 ASI Presidential Election will take place next quarter on April 24.
The names and colleges of all candidates for next year’s Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) leadership were made public this week, revealing a pool of four students aiming for the ASI presidency and 62 who will campaign for the Board of Directors. Two of the four candidates are not currently members of ASI; agricultural business junior Jason Colombini is the Interfraternity Council president, and political science junior Daniel Wasta is a resident advisor in Sequoia Hall. Sociology senior Haley Houle, who chairs the ASI-run University Union Advisory Com-
mittee, and psychology junior Nate Honeycutt, who represents the College of Liberal Arts on the ASI Board of Directors, are also running. Assuming no candidates exit the race or are disqualified during academic reviews, this April 24 election cycle will be the first since 2009 with more than two students running for president. Because of this, Student Life and Leadership Director Stephan Lamb said it opens the possibility of a more complex election system in which each student has two votes for president, and the winner must take a majority of votes cast. Write-in candidates can still join the election, Lamb said, but must register with ASI.
Major: Psychology junior
Major: Political science junior
Experience: ASI Board of Directors College of Liberal Arts representative
Experience: Sequoia Hall resident adviser
Words from a supporter: (ASI executive member Cale Reid) “Nate is definitely a different candidate than what we’ve seen before. I see Nate as someone who, at the end of the day, wants to honestly represent the student body and do what’s best for the student population. I think it’s because of the experience he’s had on the Board of Directors, and kind of having that background of representing the student body.”
Words from the campaign: Campaign manager Wyatt Oroke declined to comment and added no resident advisers who work with Wasta in Sequoia Hall could comment because they are involved in campaigning.
*Pursuant to ASI regulations, candidates cannot comment to Mustang Daily until open campaigning begins in April. Courtesy Photos
Student teaches math to prisoners AMANDA MENESES
Special to Mustang Daily
In high school, Michael Bower tutored his peers in math. Calculus made sense to him, he said, and he was eager to help in any way he could. While at Cal Poly, Bower, a mathematics senior, has offered his understanding of algebra and calculus to tutor a range of students from middle school to college. But Bower wanted a different teaching experience, he said. So, he went to the California Men’s Colony. “Many of the students honestly have a story, and they have something to say,” Bower said. “I’m not saying it’s the story of how they got there, but just speaking to them for five to 10 minutes, you can tell they aren’t stupid.” Bower wanted to pursue opportunities that would challenge and prepare him to be a more effective teacher in the future, he said. “I started researching the opportunities they had there and found out they had an extensive set of classrooms devoted to get the inmates
their GED,” Bower said. He tried to find contact information for the prison online, but was not able to find it. Bower decided to mail an old-fashioned letter to the warden. Three weeks later, Bower received a phone call from Robert Green, the principal of the education department, saying he had received the letter, and was interested in interviewing Bower. Bower’s interview was a walk through of the prison and a chance to ask the principal questions about how the classes ran. Bower began helping inside the classroom in October 2012. Since then, Bower helped in six different classrooms whenever it has fit his own school schedule. He walks around the classroom and helps answering questions by explaining the basics. Students usually have difficulty with the prerequisite knowledge, and that’s where their question is coming from, he said. “The opportunity to work see MATH, pg. 2
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Chi Delta Theta, a Cal Poly cultural sorority, is currently under investigation after allegations of hazing arose this past month, but no new information will be released until the investigation is completed.
Campus examines hazing policies Hazing has become the subject of national conversation this week, in light of recent incidents across the country. Last week, twelve members of the marching band at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) were charged with manslaughter for a hazing incident in which a drum major was beat to death
as part of an initiation ritual. That incident has had a wide-reaching impact, even stretching across the country to influence Cal Poly’s own hazing policies. “That group had a very structured tradition of physical abuse in order to gain membership into the band,” Cal Poly Director of Student Life and Leadership Stephan Lamb said. “The first thing I would say is that I think hazing can
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exist across a wide variety of groups that we might not immediately think about.” Cal Poly has had its own recent incident — this past week, it was revealed that multicultural sorority Chi Delta Theta was under investigation for reports of hazing. The investigation is still ongoing, and according to Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Adrienne Miller, who is organizing the investigation,
there is no end in sight. “I don’t have any updates at this time and my work is confidential, so I wouldn’t be able to give any if I could,” Miller said. She confirmed there is currently no time frame set as to when the investigation will be completed. Miller said once she has enough information, she will see HAZING, pg. 2
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MDnews 2 MATH continued from page 1
with different people at different levels of math skills, trying to explain things, just adds to my ability to help others in the future,” Bower said. The class Bower is aiding in is a beginning to third grade math level this quarter. Many inmates have had no formal education before or are English second-language learners. No matter their level, all of the inmates have one ultimate goal in mind: to earn their GED, Bower said. “Regardless of where they are, or what happened before, they are wanting to do something,” Bower said. “On a dayto-day basis, their motivation may vary greatly, but it’s still great that they are working toward something and they could potentially some day have their GED.” Inmates could be enrolled in Adult Basic Education 1 for elementary level students, level 2 for inmates at a junior high level education, or level 3 for inmates at a sophomore or junior year of high school level. All students are working toward their GED, and some even begin to pursue a college degree while in prison, Green said. Green understood the importance of Bower receiving a completely new experience in teaching, he said. The chance to work with students who had never had formal education could be valuable for him down the road, he said. Bower hopes to continue to volunteer at the California Men’s Colony for as long as possible, he said. Bower plans to graduate in December
2013, and then work in order to have the funds to pay for the credential program starting in September 2014, he said. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to help out in an area that many do not normally have the chance to, thus I hope to stay connected, even if it is only one day a week, for as long as possible,” Bower said. Balenzuela Gerardo, one of Bower’s students, dropped out of school after his sophomore year of high school. Gerardo was forced to leave school to work with his family in the fields picking peaches, he said. His goal is to earn his GED so one day he could find an easier job than the fields and to be around good people, he said in his broken English. Darryl Sigmon, another student of Bower’s, never had formal schooling in his life, he said. He is thankful for Bower’s teaching to set him on the right track toward his GED, he said. “He’s pretty good; he’s personable, he didn’t come with an agenda or an attitude,” Sigmon said. “He is helpful and very knowledgeable.” Sigmon’s goal is to one day own his own business, he said. Bower’s lessons will not only help the inmates to reach their goals, but his own goal to be an effective teacher, he said. As he prepares to be a high school math teacher, Bower has not yet learned the lesson of how to deal with disruptive students, he said. “I’ve had experience in the prison and in public school, and the students at the Men’s Colony are way more respectful,” Bower said.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
HAZING continued from page 1
meet with Student Life and Leadership to discuss the next steps. “It’s the same process as with any allegation of a Title 5 violation,” Miller said. “I conduct an investigation and I’m also conducting the investigation on behalf of Student Life and Leadership.” Lamb said he has not yet heard from Miller and the others involved in the investigation. “I still have not talked to Adrienne Miller, who is the person who is doing the investigation,” Lamb said. “She typically assists us by going through interviews, and she’ll interview all of the new members and she may interview all of the actives, it really depends on what the allegations are.” Chi Delta Theta president Precilla Tang was unable to comment. Lamb said hazing is something Student Life and Leadership takes very seriously, with repercussions up to shutting down whatever organization incurred the hazing. “We have zero tolerance of hazing,” Lamb said. “If we become aware of any activities that we believe are putting our students in harms way, either physically or mentally, we will immediately move to launching an investigation, to putting that organization on suspension.” Though Cal Poly’s most prolific hazing incident — the case of Carson Starkey’s
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death from alcohol poisoning after a Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledging event — occurred nearly five years ago, Lamb said incidents such as Starkey’s death show just how important it is that Student Life and Leadership shows zero tolerance for harmful hazing activities. “I think there’s a lot of different kinds of hazing: there’s the forced alcohol usage obviously that we saw in the (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) incident here, but there’s also forms of hazing that are more emotional, that are emotionally targeted and mental-cruelty targeted,” Lamb said. “It’s an abuse of power, and people within the organization believing that they have control over the members who want to seek admittance into that organization. They will sometimes create things that are lethal or things that are just abusive.” Lesser instances of hazing have taken many forms with varying degrees of harm. Hazing in its less serious forms can range from forcing new members of a group to complete various physical activities to “mandatory study hours,” a task Lamb classified as questionable, simply because of its forced nature. “We’ve had forced study hours and you can argue whether that’s good or bad, but that’s been one of the requirements,” Lamb said. “We’d find out exactly what is being expected of the new members and we would talk to the new member educator and challenge them, and ask what they are doing, but more importantly why they are doing it. Very commonly they’ll say ‘Well, we’re trying to build bonds.’” Lamb said the concept of hazing goes back to military roots, and some of its psychology may have stemmed
from soldiers coming home after war and implementing boot camp tactics into mundane organizations. “Boot camp is all about tearing somebody down and building them up, and building them up as a group,” Lamb said. “That concept is what you see in different organizations.” According to Lamb, Cal Poly currently has the tools necessary to deal with hazing, making sure it can be easily reported without fear of retaliation. The method that is currently used is an email hotline that goes to the University Police Department (UPD) where students can send an anonymous tip regarding hazing or any other suspicious activity. If UPD feels the claim is sufficient, it will contact Student Life and Leadership. “There is an anonymous tipping system currently on the University Police webpage, and we have responded to concerns that have been forwarded to us by University Police,” Lamb said. “I believe that’s an appropriate place to house that hotline.” Interfraternity Council President Jason Colombini said he is currently working on another resource for new members who feel they are victims of hazing. “Basically, the proposal is that there’d be a phone in the greek life office, and not just for fraternities but for all greek life, and I guess for any organization,” Colombini said. “It would just go straight to voicemail and it would just ask for any information you feel necessary or are willing to report and from there we would investigate it.” This concept of a hazing hotline is still in the early stages — Colombini said he sent his proposal to Lamb on Monday and is waiting to take the next steps.
“It’s in the early, early stages, but hopefully it would just be another preventative tool that people will utilize if they need to,” Colombini said. “And hopefully they never need to.” Colombini said hazing prevention is his personal pursuit as IFC president — he was recently awarded the National Anti-Hazing Hero Award by HazingPrevention.org. “Hazing is, I think, just the absolute worst thing you can do to someone,” Colombini said. Lamb stressed hazing is not an activity present only in greek organizations; rather, it has existed in many organizations for a long time. He did, however, say fraternities are one of the most frequently cited organizations responsible for hazing, along with sports clubs. “The groups that are most often identified are sports clubs and fraternities,” Lamb said. “Really, I think it’s a wide range of groups that could fall under that rubric of hazing.” Colombini said this widespread nature of hazing is part of why it is so important to have resources for new members of any organization to report any incidents where they feel degraded for the sake of conformity. “We’ve come leaps and strides in the past years, and it’s always about how we can make ourselves better,” Colombini said. Lamb said the hazing issue is one that is hard to completely eliminate, but Student Life and Leadership is tackling the issue head-on. “I do believe that there’s still hoops that organizations may make new members go through that may or may not be productive,” Lamb said. “It’s about the peer pressure to conformity issue, and about when that crosses the line.”
MDnews 3
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
WORD ON THE STREET Do you know who Hugo Chavez is?
HUGO CHAVEZ DEAD AT 58 CHRIS KRAUL MERY MOGOLLON Los Angeles Times
“No, I don’t know him.” • Tiffany Safronoff industrial engineering junior
“Yes, didn’t he just die? I saw it on Facebook.” • Eric Smejkal graphic communication junior
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the charismatic socialist whose Bolivarian Revolution reduced poverty and galvanized anti-American sentiment across Latin America but left his nation deeply polarized and ever more dependent on oil dollars, died Tuesday in Caracas after a nearly two-year battle with cancer. He was 58. Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced the passing on national television, saying Chavez had died at 4:25 p.m. His death followed repeated treatments for pelvic cancer in Cuba, the country of his idol Fidel Castro, where his condition was first diagnosed in June 2011. Although Chavez finally disclosed the gravity of his illness in December after months of insisting he was cancer-free, news of his death was expected to shake his bedrock supporters, Venezuela’s poor. They were the biggest beneficiaries of his 14 years in power. Chavez returned home from Cuba on Feb. 18 following his most recent surgery and remained out of sight at a military hospital in Caracas. That Chavez sought cancer treatment in Cuba was
no coincidence. Chavez revered Castro and saw the Cuban revolution as a model for Venezuela. Before leaving for Cuba in December, Chavez named Maduro as his successor. However, the vice president does not automatically serve the rest of Chavez’s term. The Venezuelan Constitution requires that a new election be called within 30 days of the death or resignation of the incumbent. In any case, Chavez’s death leaves the way ahead for his party and Bolivarian Revolution anything but certain. Chavez became the youngest Venezuelan president in history when he took office in February 1999 at age 44. He secured a solid mandate with 56.5 percent of the vote by appealing to a broad spectrum of Venezuelans sick of corruption, and especially to the poor. Later that year, 71 percent of voters approved a new constitution promoted by Chavez. But his policies soon soured with the middle class and the nation’s elites. Chavez, who was married and divorced twice, is survived by four children and three grandchildren, as well as his parents, Hugo and Helena, and five brothers.
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died Tuesday following a private battle with cancer.
Rape accusations against man using Christian dating site TONY PERRY Los Angeles Times
“No, but I have heard of him.” • Cassidy Heckman kinesiology freshman
“No, I’ve never heard of him.” • Brenna Moran nutrition junior
“No idea.” • Thomas Correll earth science freshman
“No, is he the same as Cesar Chavez?” • Kendra Reay recreation, parks and tourism administration senior
A second rape charge has been filed against a 37-yearold California man already accused of raping a woman he met on the ChristianMingle. com dating website. Sean Banks of Del Mar was
arrested Feb. 11 and charged with rape, burglary and penetration by force involving a woman in the San Diego suburb of La Mesa, according to court records. On Friday, a second rape charge was added, alleging that Banks raped a woman in 2009. He was also charged
with attempting to intimidate a witness. Banks has denied those charges. Banks, a computer technician, worked in various locations across the United States. Police said they are investigating whether he may have lured other victims through ChristianMingle and other websites,
possibly using pseudonyms, including Rylan Butterwood and Rylan Harbough. In the La Mesa case, he used the name Rarity, police said. The most recent alleged attack occurred in November in the woman’s home the first time the two met in person after carrying on conversations
over the Internet, police said. The 2009 attack allegedly occurred after Banks and the victim had been drinking, according to court documents. How he allegedly met the woman is unclear, the papers said. Beverly Hills-based ChristianMingle is cooperating with the investigation, police said.
MDarts 4
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
goDEEP
SEX DOES A BODY GOOD
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH CORRAL
Julianne Roth is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily sex columnist. Magic is among us. It’s in the bedroom, or on the fifth floor of the library — I heard some people like to have sex up there. We are all capable wizards and witches, but if one chooses to be a muggle, she is never looked down upon. When you have sex, it’s not just about genital-to-genital collision; it’s about exploring your body, psyche and your partner. Through this interconnected stimulation, a plethora of benefits ensues. From a physical and mental standpoint, consensual and safe sex is loaded with advantages. Let’s start outside and head in, shall we? Vanity I know you all have wondered: What’s that MILF’s secret?
She has the youthful glow of a 25 year old. The twinkle in her eye seems to be the only physical indicator of her age, her experience. I’d bet my labia it’s not creams, gels or plastic surgeons. It’s sex. Dr. Winnifred Cutler, founder of the Athena Institute, says sex increases the levels of estrogen hormones in women. Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone. According to the article “Effect of estrogen on skin aging and the potential role of SERMs” on the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) website, estrogen has anti-aging effects. Hair products can be expensive, but shiny, healthy hair on the outside begins on the inside — with estrogen. Thankfully, sweaty hair
pulling and moaning are free. As women age, their natural estrogen production decreases. However, this can easily be combated with regular sexual activity. The primary male sex hormone is necessary for proper female sexual function as well. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) concluded that increased testosterone (T) levels in postmenopausal women increased sex drive. I took a couple of biology classes, so I know that as a woman ages, her natural testosterone production decreases. Testosterone dwindles especially steeply for postmenopausal women, since it is secreted by the ovaries. Exercise is an organic way to increase testosterone levels. Life Extension Magazine cites three studies that show a
monumental increase in T in women after exercise. It’s easier than a Kamasutra sex position to get tangled in a discussion of sexual benefits and facts, so I’ll be speaking a lick more on exercise later. Sex has also been believed to increase testosterone levels in men. Like women, as a man leaves the Dirty Harry stage of his life and heads over to Heartbreak Ridge, the ease of the body’s natural production of the sex hormone decreases. But don’t fret, Clint. A healthy dose of sex should help thwart complacency and flaccidity. So keep pumping away, and so will your hormones. Sex also decreases stress levels and blood pressure. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that people who have more sex live longer. This is particularly evident since WebMD’s website says stress could be linked to heart attack and other life-threatening physical ailments. Stress is also linked to decreased T levels in both sexes. If you’re having an internal debate about choosing between exercise and sex, choose both. Having 30 minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more, according to WebMD. Rigorous sex is equivalent to approximately 30 minutes of yoga, walking and dancing. Sex sounds way more appealing to me, especially if we incorporate some of those varsity yoga moves.
Mindful sex Travel upstairs, and your brain is also thriving from the benefits of down south. The act — or as I like to say, “the art” — of having sex not only bangs out tension, but it also releases some of the most fun chemicals in the body. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the human body as well as a precursor for other compounds such as epinephrine. Dopamine is the backbone of the limbic system, which controls emotions and learning, and activates our body’s reward circuitry. If you aren’t fluent in biochemistry, the previous sentence may have meant as much to you as my muggle reference did to those not versed in “Harry Potter” lingo. To put it simply, orgasm (oh, it makes me tingle just typing those six deliciously organized letters) releases dopamine. This neurochemical fuels our wants and desires, and basically rewards us with good — scratch that — magical feelings once they’re achieved. Furthermore, during the resolution stage of sexual arousal, while most of us are cuddling, stroking or waiting for another go, dopamine is busy bonding us with our partners. According to WebMD’s web-
site, the bonding hormone oxytocin also makes people feel more generous. Helping head Now, all you people who blame a lousy headache for not wanting sex are about to change your mind — or you need to have a candid conversation with your partner. Regardless, a headache is not an acceptable excuse to deny sex. Endorphins — another spectacular hormone released in the brain and nervous system during sex — relieve pain and enhance mood. I like to harness this when my boyfriend is grouchy. Butt really, it helps you College dudes, I’m talking to you and your prostates. Studies show men in their 20s may be able to decrease their likelihood of getting prostate cancer later in life. All you gentlemen need to do is come about 21 or more times per month. Sex also improves your immune system, focus and quality of sleep. Now, please, go improve your health.
MDarts 5
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
KASSI LUJA
kassiluja.md@gmail.com
The smell of salty, buttered popcorn. Old, two-armed chairs holding soft drinks and dimmed, cinema lights. An adventure ensues when the red curtains draw back, though many moviegoers are not aware of the behind-the-scenes process of filmmaking. Designers, filmmakers and directors from Disney and Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic are coming to San Luis Obispo for the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF). The festival will begin Wednesday on Cal Poly’s campus. Students will be given the opportunity to discuss the future of film with these representatives, as well as the work it takes to see a film come to fruition.
“It’s a really great opportunity to meet and talk with people you normally never get access to,” English associate professor, liberal arts and engineering studies program director and panel moderator David Gillette said. A panel and discussion with a member of Disney’s Animation Studio as well as other filmmakers and designers will take place in Robert E. Kennedy Library from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in room 111H. “They’re going to be talking about the future of cinema, the technology behind the work that they do,” Gillette said. “I’ll have some questions for them, but mostly I’ll just open it up so they can take questions from the audience.” Later that day, the Opening Night Gala will be held. The gala is a tribute to Lucasfilm’s
Industrial Light & Magic and this year’s SLOIFF Spotlight Award recipient, filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. There will be a screening of Iwerks’ “Industrial Light & Magic — Creating the Impossible” at 7 p.m. in Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre. Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion with Iwerks, Production Designer Mark “Crash” McCreary, ILM Animation Supervisor Hal Hickel and Visual Effects expert Warren Franklin. There will also be an after-party at Luis Wine Bar from 9 to 11 p.m. Art and design junior and Concept Creation Club president Jessica Fong helped in preparation for Wednesday’s events
by organizing guest speakers. “They have some great people coming that I’m sure will have a lot of insight,” Fong said. “I know a lot of people don’t know about the behind-the-scenes and how movies are made, so this will be a good eye-opener.” Students will be able to receive insight into film from professionals through the various events. This year’s festivities are different than last year’s, Gillette said. “The difference is that we’re actually running the film on campus for the first time, we’re actually bringing the whole film festival here to campus and we’d like to see if we can keep that arrangement going because it’s been really nice to get students interested in the film festival and bring the festival to campus,” he said.
The opening night’s events are geared toward students interested in film. “If they’re really interested in film, and especially if they’re interested in film careers or they’re interested in getting into the industry, we are deliberately designing the evening event to talk about the career aspect of this work,” Gillette said. However, the festivities are open to all majors. “The film industry basically uses every major possible,” Fong said. “They use computer science, engineers, writers, artists. They consult all of those majors when making films, so it would be beneficial for students to go.” But the festival goes beyond Cal Poly. Leslie Iwerks Productions, Inc. production coordinator and Cal Poly alumna Jackie
Turlik has been to the SLOIFF in years past. “I would say (the festival is) really small and quaint, but it’s really personal so you really get to see a lot of things, meet a lot of people, experience different things and it brings film production to a small city,” Turlik said. Gillette echoed the idea of bringing people together for the love of film for the festival. “(It’s) a great way of celebrating the Central Coast, bringing people from all over the state here and actually all over the country,” Gillette said. General tickets are on sale for $30 and $20 for students and the SLOIFF Film Society. Other upcoming SLOIFF events include a “Surf Nite AfterParty” on March 7 and a Paso Robles “Tasting Room Crawl.”
MD op/ed 6 MUSTANG DAILY Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
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Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Volume LXXVII, Number 77 ©2013 Mustang Daily “All I’ve done is try and fail at a cutout of Chavez.”
Why, Uncle Sam, what big eyes you have! Zachary Antoyan is a political science junior and Mustang Daily liberal columnist. Our popular culture holds that if the President of the United States ever needed to launch nuclear weapons, there is a shiny, big red button he or she has to press. This button, invariably, is inside of a bullet-proof briefcase handcuffed to someone’s wrist. It is the endgame, the last resort to remedy a bad situation should it ever be deemed necessary. Pray it never comes to that. And maybe it doesn’t have to, because instead of the blanket approach weapons of mass destruction take, the president can use something much more refined and much more precise. Valuing quality over quantity, precision airstrikes via drones can now be used to find and eliminate high-value targets with minimal collateral damage and a significantly reduced risk of military casualties. Cool. Modern military, less deaths and one step closer to letting Skynet take over (Terminator, duh). Except these strikes and the use of drones for mere reconnaissance is in as much of an ethical gray area as nuclear weapons. And our president can, and has been, pressing this button as often as he sees fit. Think of it as an army of flying monkeys who fire missiles. Coined by Theodore Roosevelt, the adage “Speak softly and carry a big stick” has never been more applicable to an action than with drone strikes. On the international stage, there is nothing more subtly aggressive than utilizing drones to eliminate enemies of the state. The United States follows through with these strikes the most, but many other countries are beginning to follow suit by arming their own surveillance drones. It is here where we run into the issue of sovereignty. The foundations and reasons given by the state department that attempt to justify these actions are shaky at best, especially when it involves the assassination of a U.S. citizen. Apparently people don’t like it when you fly into their country, blow people up and dip out
before anyone knows what happened. Who would’ve thought? Yes, the benefits are great. It is easy to praise a system that can boast high efficiency and success rates abroad as well as an economic industry boon and substantial aide for police efforts at home. And if we are trying to be utilitarian about things — looking for the greatest good for the greatest number of people — then we may be obligated to continue with these strikes. But recent reports on the remote pilots of these drones are showing greater tendencies toward being “clinically distressed,” and our generals describe the international reaction to drone strikes in such a way that “The resentment created by American use of unmanned strikes ... is much greater than the average American appreciates. They are hated on a visceral level, even by people who’ve never seen one or seen the effects of one.” This policy isn’t exactly making us any friends. It’s especially worrisome when we lose those drones and other countries find them. The chances of Iran giving us back our super secret spy drone with encrypted data: zero. The proliferation of this technology only worsens our situation, and until we can fully understand the role these drones play both internationally and at home (which is another whole privacy issue), then we cannot afford to continue pushing the letter — or the button. The monopoly the United States currently has on using these drone strikes is soon to end. With the rise in the use of drones in sectors other than the military, we are going to be faced with ethical issues that apply as much to the sovereignty of other nations as it does to the rights of an individual. The benefits of using drones simply does not outweigh the cost of unknowingly committing war crimes and rights infringement. Brace yourselves — never-ending ethical arguments are coming. This is Zachary Antoyan, wondering how many chucks does a woodchuck chuck. Seriously, how many? Have a fantastic week.
Drones don’t kill people, people do Ashley Pierce is a political science freshman and Mustang Daily conservative columnist. The drone war: it’s all the news outlets seem to be focused on a lot of the time, and with good reason. In theory, drones are absolutely fantastic. An unmanned plane sets off to find its target, a dangerous threat to U.S. safety, and eradicates them without harming any American military personnel. All our dutiful men and women are safe for one mission. Drones not only save the lives of American military members, but have also been found to lower the percentage of civilian deaths in a war zone (“but that’s not what the news stations have been saying!”). Bear with me for a second. The casualty rate for civilians in Pakistan drone attacks ranges between 22 and 35 percent, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. This is a low percentage compared to the number of civilians who have died in bombings and napalm attacks. In one case during the Vietnam War, 228 civilians died in just three napalm attacks, compared to the 579 — 1,081 estimated to have died from drone strikes in Pakistan in a total of nine years. Any amount of civilian death is unacceptable, and I can only hope the U.S. military works hard to rid the world of these imprecise weapons. New technology must be made that will be more accurate in killing a target, and not those surrounding him or her. Drone technology displays the efforts the U.S. military undergoes to assure more lives are kept. The mainstream media, however, keeps reporting on the high civilian death toll and how morally wrong drone strikes are. Unfortunately, drone technology seems to have been taken advantage of by the CIA. Reports display that while the U.S. military answers to mistakes with drone technology, the CIA has not been open with American citizens with its part in the drone war. Arguably for national security, the CIA probably shouldn’t be open about too much; however, it must answer to its responsibilities not only to our country, but for the sanctity of all innocent life. The Department of Justice papers released by NBC News (its excessive watermark on the online copy makes sure everyone
knows) reveals the U.S. has a system for how to go about killing American citizens with drone strikes (this got everyone’s panties in a bunch). After reviewing the document for myself, I didn’t find anything too abhorrent about it. It doesn’t target just any American citizen that President Obama finds to be somewhat of a bore, but rather American citizens who have proven to be a “senior operational leader in Al Qaeda or an associated force of Al Qaeda — that is an Al Qaeda leader actively engaged in planning operations to kill Americans.” I see no wrong in protecting American citizens from such attacks. How the Department of Justice and CIA go about deciding if an American citizen belongs to Al Qaeda does concern me, and I would hope that given the option of arresting the supposed leader, they would put the suspect under arrest rather than order a drone strike on his life. The government has more to gain interrogating the supposed terrorists than simply ending his or her life without trial or investigation. It’s important Americans’ right of judicial process remains intact. The only exception should be if other lives are in immediate danger (which pretty much relays what the Department of Justice papers say). While the papers aren’t incredibly specific as they probably should be, an imminent threat is described as “In this context, imminence must incorporate considerations of the relevant window of opportunity, the possibility of reducing collateral damage to civilians, and the likelihood of heading off future disastrous attacks on Americans.” I can find no fault with that definition and can only hope the person taking these things into consideration does so with utmost care. I would go as far as to say there should be more than one person making this decision. A person’s life still hangs in the balance and, if innocent, their death would be a tragedy. While the controversy on drones will probably rage on for quite some time longer, the drones themselves don’t seem to be the problem. Human error and assumption are the underlying factors that can lead to innocent bloodshed and questionable ethics.
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HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
STEPHAN TEODOSESCU
steodosescu@mustangdaily.net
After an electrifying home win against rival UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 16, head men’s basketball coach Joe Callero credited his team’s fans in helping the Mustangs ride to victory, calling the Mott Athletics Center, “without a doubt the best home court advantage in the Big West.” An 11-1 record inside the building this season and a 12game home winning streak in conference play dating back to last year backs that statement. Mott is one of the toughest places to play in California. A loss to Fresno State in mid-November marks the only time Cal Poly lost on its own floor this season. Otherwise, the Mustangs have mopped up the competition in San Luis Obispo, including wins against each opponent currently ahead of them in the Big West standings. “When you have two or three practices in a
row at home and you don’t have to take off for travel, then your concentration, for one thing, improves, your sense of urgency is improved and your sense of commitment to your school and your community is such that you don’t want to let somebody down,” Callero said. The Mustangs hold the conference’s second-longest home winning streak with their program-record 12-win figure behind Long Beach State’s 26-game streak. In Callero’s four-year tenure, the Mustangs have gone 34-16 for a .680 winning percentage, a stat he eagerly wanted to concentrate on upon his arrival on the Central Coast. “Success at (Mott Athletics Center) was my No. 1 focus,” Callero said. “You can’t build a successful program until your home court and your home turf is the most important part of your program.” After posting two consecutive wins
away from home this past week, the team’s second and third Big West road wins, Cal Poly will finish the season with two games inside Mott. Wins against UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton this
career-high 30 points at home against Cal State Northridge earlier this season, the energy the fans bring is what contributes most to the team’s success. “It’s the atmosphere,” Eversley said. “I love our fans,
You can’t build a successful program until your home court and your home turf is the most important part of your program. JOE CALLERO MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
week could mean Cal Poly will post its best-ever home record at the Division I level. Callero likened the responsibility he feels to the Cal Polyfaithful to bring home the wins to that of being polite at grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner. “You have a sense of responsibility,” he said. “You don’t want to let anybody down in our own community.” According to junior forward Chris Eversley, who notched a
they’ve become more vibrant this year and a lot louder than I’ve ever heard them … it just feels like this place is sold out every game because it’s always loud.” But that success isn’t limited to just the men’s squad. The Cal Poly women’s basketball team has proven it is one of the most intimidating teams to play at home as well, as it sports an 11-3 record in Mott heading into this
week’s final two games of the regular season. The Mustangs have defeated opponents by double-digits on eight occasions, including a 78-40 dispatching of Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 31. Their current eight-game home winning streak also includes a tripleovertime victory against conference-leading Pacific. While the team doesn’t make a specific point of winning at home, the Mustangs’ current streak has helped them realize the potential for a thirdstraight Big West Conference title, according to sophomore guard Ariana Elegado. “Since we’ve seen a pattern these last eight games where we’re undefeated, that gives us a little more of an advantage for us to say we have two more home games,” Elegado said. “That’s our focus right now as far as playing at home.” If the Mustangs win out on their own floor, they will be guaranteed at least a share of the conference crown and a first-
Winning percentages during the past four seasons
and second-round bye headed into next weekend’s Big West Conference Tournament. Two more games in San Luis Obispo are all that stand in the way. “With these two home games, it’s very crucial in order for us to get our byes and get into the tournament,” Elegado said. As for the men’s team, which has struggled this year away from home with just four wins on the road — one against UCLA — the Big West tournament at the neutral Honda Center site in Anaheim, Calif. will be a welcome component of the single-game elimination format that decides what team will be dancing in the NCAA Tournament later this month. “When we go down to a neutral court in the Big West tournament, it’s got to be the same thing (as at home),” Callero said. “We’re not going to Disneyland, we’re going to Anaheim and we’re going to play basketball games there.”
GRAPHIC BY ALI WEISS
BLAST OFF IAN BILLINGS/MUSTANG DAILY
The Cal Poly baseball team won for the 10th time in 11 games on Tuesday night at Baggett Stadium against Holy Cross. The No. 21 Mustangs jumped out to a 2-0 lead through three innings and hung onto win 6-1. Starting pitcher Kyle Brueggemann earned the victory, recording six strikeouts and giving up one earned run. The team faces the Crusaders again on Wednesday night with first pitch coming at 6 p.m. A full report on the game can be found on mustangdaily.net.