A conversation with death row’s warden Page 8 Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio
August 28, 2012
Volume 47
Issue 15
AP Photo
Football players arrested for aggravated robbery
Mitt Romney is trying to spread his economic message while dodging controversy caused by fellow Republicans
‘Legitimate rape’? Photo Courtesy of SA PD
Fiery rhetoric heating up campaign season
Rex Castillo Sports Editor
sports@paisano-online.com Two walk-on UTSA football players have been dismissed from the team following their arrest for aggravated robbery. Junior Toyin Dada and senior Adefemi Adekeye, non-scholarship defensive players for the Roadrunners, were arrested separately in early August and charged with aggravated robbery following an incident at the Outpost Apartments earlier in the week. An investigation is ongoing. On DATE the Paisano reported that a man went to Adekeye’s apartment to purchase an ounce of marijuana for $300 dollars. When the man, a motel employee named Vihar Bhakta, arrived at the apartment, Adekeye and another person allegedly robbed him at gunpoint; Bhakta was then pistol
whipped and thrown out of Adekeye’s apartment. The man then signaled for a constable to help, leading in turn to a standoff with SWAT team negotiators that lasted for several hours. Eventually SWAT members entered Adekeye’s apartment, but found no one inside. Adekeye is a kinesiology major, while Dada is completing a degree in general business. The arrests were made before the Roadrunners started training camp for the 2012 season. “It’s a terrible thing that happened, but we are just going to keep pushing on and win football games,” junior linebacker Steven Kurfehs said. “They are our brothers and we will be there to support them when they need us.” “I was surprised when it happened,” defensive coordinator Neal Neathery said. Neatherly has kept his players focused and said that the arrest “hasn’t been a distraction” for his players dur-
“It’s a terrible thing that this happened, but we are just going to keep pushing on and win football games.” Steven Kurfehs
UTSA Linebacker ing training camp. Following Adekeye’s arrest UTSA head Coach Larry Coker said in a statement that members of the football program “were made aware of Adefemi Adekeye’s arrest” and that they have “dismissed him from our program.” Coker went on to add that “due to the ongoing investigation by law enforcement we will not make any further comment on this situation.” Since Adekeye’s and Dada’s arrest there have been no updates concerning the investigation.
New voter ID law may hurt student vote Valeria Rodriguez Contributing Writer
news@paisano-online.com Since the last election, Texas has been in the process of putting into place stricter laws on voter identification. Proponents of this law believe that the its strict limitations are unconstitutional. Texas Governor Rick Perry stated “there were multiple cases of voter fraud in various parts of Texas,” and stressed that America needs open elections regardless of which party a candidate may belong to. People in favor of the law believe that in order to vote one must have the proper identification. “In today’s world having a photo I.D., whether it’s to get on an airplane or whether it’s to cash a check or it’s to check a library book out, it’s pretty standard fare,” Perry continued. The evidence of whether or not voter fraud exists begs the question of the necessity of such a law and how it will affect poor and minority voters. A recent study by News21 showed that there have been only 10 cases of voter
Documents no longer Considered a form of Identification under the new law • Official mail addressed to the person from a government entity • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or other document that shows the person’s name and address • US citizenship papers • A Birth Certificate or other document confirming birth • A form of photo ID not issued by the government
fraud in the United States since 2000. Critics in opposition to the law, however, argue that voting is a right, not a privilege. They view that the voter ID laws are a ploy from Republicans to
sway the vote to be less influenced by young and minority voters, who tend to vote Democratic. Republicans have argued that this is the only way to keep the polls fair and America democratic. See ID, Page 3
Valeria Rodriguez Contributing Writer
news@paisano-online.com Missouri’s Republican Senate candidate, Todd Akin, stated in a recent interview that women who are victims of “legitimate rape” cannot become pregnant from the incident, igniting a firestorm of controversy that has spilled over into the presidential race. Akin went on to elaborate that “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” a position that is overwhelmingly opposed by reproductive health experts. The remark came on Aug. 19 as Akin elaborated upon his stance on abortion, which he supports only when the mother’s life is at risk; he opposes abortion in all other cases, including rape and incest. This view is shared by Paul Ryan, who was selected to be Mitt Romney’s running mate on the Republican ticket over the summer. Ryan publicly expressed his disappointment and announced that he believes Akin should drop out of the Missouri race. However, Democrats are seizing the opportunity to associate Romney’s vice presidential pick with the universally unpopular statement made by Akin. The Obama Administration pressed hard on the issue and questioned Ryan’s true ethics. “As a Republican leader in the House, Paul Ryan worked with Todd Akin to try to narrow the definition of rape and outlaw abortion even for rape victims. He may hope that American women never learn about this record, but they deserve an answer to why he wanted to redefine rape and remove protections for rape victims,” said Lis Smith, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, alluding to a proposal supported by both Akin and Ryan to legally redefine rape as “forcible rape.” Akin’s comments could prove to be detrimental to Republicans across the country as their party tries to lure female voters, who already favor Democrats by a hefty margin. According to a recent poll by the Washington Post, 53 percent of registered female voters are backing Obama, as opposed to 39 percent for Mitt Romney. This can be attributed largely to a string of issues relating to women’s health, including a measure in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that gives women more access to contraception. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—commonly called Obamacare—was itself under the spotlight recently after the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional. Obama
has cited the benefits for women in the new health care law, which include preventive care in addition to free contraception. Obama also spoke of signing a bill setting new rules for pay equity lawsuits. It may be hard for Romney to regain popularity from female voters, especially considering his opposition to the Paycheck Fairness Act and willingness to do away with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, both of which were designed to end economic discrimination against women. Romney also stated that he would end federal aid to Planned Parenthood to help the economy, part of his plan to cut federal spending by 20 percent. The fall election has proven one thing for sure: women’s rights have become a crucial factor in who will be in office next year. Due to the large population of registered Latino voters in the USA, another issue that is expected to influence November’s election is immigration. Telemundo recently released a poll showing Obama with a 35 point lead over Romney among Latinos. Romney’s unpopularity with Latinos can be attributed to his plan to build upon on the strict Arizona and Alabama immigration laws. Another factor for Romney’s unpopularity amongst Latinos is his solution to immigration: self-deportation. This is a policy that puts strict laws in effect that require immigrants to leave the country after failing to obtain a job or an education because they do not have proper identification. While Romney is still struggling to connect with Hispanics, Obama has always been a favorite amongst minority groups. He has become especially favorable with Latinos since June, when he issued an executive order that granted legal status to immigrants who have lived in the US for at least 5 years and have graduated high school-a policy that will allow 800,000 immigrants the chance for a permit that will allow them to continue living and working in the U.S. Perhaps Romney’s boldest move this election has been selecting Ryan as his running mate. The Congressman from Wisconsin is best known for his sweeping budget proposal, which would transform Medicare into a voucher program, reduce the corporate tax rate, include sweeping cuts to discretionary spending and aim to significantly lower the national debt. Pundits believe that Romney is seeking to shift the focus towards the national debt and the economy, where his experience as a skilled businessman lends him credibility with voters. See CAMPAIGN, Page 3