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Local community weighs in on Martin case After a month of media reports, students and faculty give their opinions of the case that made headlines across the nation. Staff Writer
Correspondent
CONTRIBUTED BY David Shankbone via WikiCommons
At a rally in Florida, angered citizens give voice to the racial implications of the shooting. While some held Skittles in honor of Martin’s walk home, all marched with signs asking for justice.
some commotion, then screaming and gunshots. Witnesses have given police varying stories and accounts of the incident, but all report hearing screams followed by gunshots. Zimmerman maintains he shot Martin in self-defense, but friends and family of the victim believe the shooting was racially motivated. The case attracted national media
attention and elicited a grand jury investigation after Zimmerman was questioned. According to news reports, Zimmerman was found standing over Martin’s body but was not arrested because he claimed he shot Martin in self-defense. Sanford, Fla. police officials have said Zimmerman has not been charged because they haven’t found evidence that would
contradict his claim. USA Today reported Tuesday that Zimmerman is claiming Martin hit and attacked him first, and amid the scuff le he shot Martin to protect himself. News reports said the 911 tapes are under official review by investigators and law enforcement
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With a history of standing out among its neighbors, N.C. has yet to ban gay marriage.
While Amendment One has been a hot topic for many students on campus, it is not so much the content of the bill that redefines North Carolina law, but the implications that reveal the political leanings of our state. As a member of the distinctive region known as the “Bible Belt,” which has been the home for the majority of Republican voters in the past 30 years, North Carolina has proved time and again to have an identity distinct from its neighbors. Unlike its neighboring governments, the North Carolina legislature was primarily Democratic until the 2010 elections, when the Republicans gained control of both houses for the first time since the 1890s. This overwhelmingly Democratic legislature may have been the primary reason why Amendment One, dealing with the definition of legal unions, was never put on the ballot until now. Amendment One, or the lack of such an amendment, has furthered North Carolina’s unique identity from its neighbors, as it is currently the only state in the South that has no such law. “I think [Amendment One] is pointless,” Stefan Spruill, undeclared junior, said. “Same-sex marriage is already banned in North Carolina.”
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Females Achieving Excellence (FAE) hosted the first Greek-wide fashion show in Fox Labs Saturday, March 24. Proceeds from Fashion for Justice went to benefit the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, which is dedicated to advancing social justice for these women.
Sororities join to host ‘Fashion for Justice’ event Greek-wide Fashion show raises money for the National Pacific Asian Women’s Forum. Young Lee Deputy Features Editor
Some may expect sororities to be in constant competition with each other for publicity and pledges. However, this is not always the case. This past weekend’s first Greek-wide fashion show, “Fashion for Justice,” was a testament to that fact. This fashion show featured six Greek organizations and raised more than $1,000 for charity. Jefferson Ellison, a freshman in fashion and textile management, was one student who initially had some doubts about the fashion show. However, as the last model walked across the improvised runway at Fox Hall, Ellison could only be amazed. “Many people may not have thought that people could work together like this because they are fighting for the same pledges, but I think the fact that they came together speaks volumes
on how important the cause is,” Ellison said. The National Asia Pacific American Women’s Forum was the charity that the different Greek organizations supported that night. NAPAWF confronts issues facing women from an Asian and Pacific Islander background. These issues include civil rights, economic justice, violence, education, health supporting refugees and human trafficking. It is the charity that Females Achieving Excellence, one of the newest N.C. State organizations, is partnered with. In many aspects, FAE sparked the movement that culminated in the Greek-wide fashion event. However, it is an event that has long been in the mind of Diana Do, a junior in fashion and textile management and one of the organizers of the event. “I’ve always wanted to throw a fashion show. Two semesters ago, I found out about Females Achieve Excellence and I heard that Janet [Nguyen, a senior in international studies] and Mischa [Tobar, a sophomore in political science] were the ones coordinating it. I joined and wanted to be an [executive officer]
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Renovated museum sheds light on faculty
Sam DeGrave
N.C. last of ‘Bible Belt’ without ban on gay marriage
Staff Writer
2012
The renovated N.C. Museum of Natural Science will feature N.C. State faculty efforts.
Anna Riley
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One month ago a Florida teenager was shot to death by a neighborhood watchman, sparking a racial controversy and fire storm of national media attention. On Feb. 26, in Sanford, Fla., 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was reportedly walking home from a convenience store when 28-yearold self-appointed neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman called 911 to report Martin’s suspicious behavior. Zimmerman also began following in his SUV as Martin, unarmed, walked down the road wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. Zimmerman reported, in his recorded and now-public 911 calls, “This guy looks like he’s on drugs, he’s definitely messed up.” And then, moments later Zimmerman added, “There’s a real suspicious guy. This guy looks like he’s up to no good, on drugs or something.” The 911 tapes also reveal the dispatcher telling Zimmerman to remain where he was and not to follow Martin. Minutes into the tape there is
march
right away so I did an interview with them and I remember the first thing I said was that I wanted to throw a fashion show,” Do said. “I assume that’s what got me the position, but I’m not sure.” While this may not have been the only reason why Do was eventually selected to be in charge of the fundraising for FAE, according to Nguyen, it was definitely a factor. “I thought her fashion show idea was amazing. It was an ambitious project that she was truly passionate about. As a nonprofit studies minor, I thought that hosting a philanthropic fashion show would not only be beneficial to our cause but also help us maintain a good public image,” Nguyen said. In fact, for a new organization like FAE, Fashion for Justice was also an opportune time to make their mark on the campus. This was another aspect of the fashion show that was important in Do’s mind. “My vision was always about involving all of Greek life. I
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A new addition to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences highlights N.C. State faculty, offering a lot to both students and the general public. On Friday, April 20, 2012, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences will open its doors to the Nature Research Center, an 80,000 - squarefoot addition to the museum that boasts a multitude of new exhibits, functioning research labs and an array of opportunities for N.C. State students to gain out-of-class experience in various fields. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences is currently the most visited attraction in the state, drawing about 700,000 visitors annually, and will continue to catch the attention of the public with the addition of the NRC. The $54 million project will include a three-story globe, deemed the SECU Daily Planet, which, from the inside, will function as a theater where researchers can relay their findings to the public. The NRC will offer new perspectives on technology, science and exhibits featured in other parts of the museum that will bridge the gap between the research stage and the results it yields. “The main focus of the new wing will be to show the public how we know what we know,” Roland Kays, research associate professor, said. “We want to get people excited about science.” In addition to his job at N.C. State’s college of natural resources, Kays is director of the biodiversity lab of the NRC, where he says students from all over the Triangle will be able to gain valuable experience.
museum continued page 3
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Signs encourage foot traffic See page 5.
‘Grains’ belt it out against tragedy See page 7.
Story headline story. See page 8.
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