The Oklahoma Daily

MONDAY MARCH 8, 2010

THE UNIVERSITY VEERSIT Y OF OF OKLAHOMA’S OKLAHOMA’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE

TUESDAY’S

news n Tw OU students Two couldn’t believe their co luck when they tried to lu find n their seats at the John Mayer concert.

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The women’s gymnastics team faced No.1 o.1 Alabama on Friday at home. ome. Recap on page 7.

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Read a review of “Alice in Wonderland,” which premiered this weekend. p See page 8.

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Witnesses detail incident prior to Taser shot OU students tangle with woman on the road before she caused damage to traffic barriers, drove wrong way on Asp Avenue RICKY MARANON Assignment Editor

Two students were involved in the traffic violation that ended in a woman being shot by a Taser on Thursday night in front of the Bizzell Memorial Library.

Sam Cook, psychology junior, and Emily White, psychology junior, said they were driving together near campus when they encountered the car that would later cause havoc on campus.

“We were in the right lane headed south on Classen when we noticed this white car was trying to cut in front of us but didn’t have nearly enough room,” White said.

She said another car in the other southbound lane was driving just ahead of them.

“I guess whoever was driving the white car was really pissed and wanted to cut in front of us as soon as they could,” White said.

Cook said when the car that was next to them pulled ahead of his vehicle, the white car sped up and attempted to cut him off to get in his lane.

“I laid on my horn and just as I did that, I saw there was a cop behind me that turned on his lights,” Cook said. “It was after he turned on his lights we just saw this car just

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI / THE DAILY

SOONERS SPRINT FOR HEALTH

Student group opens panel discussion Black stereotypes and social conditions reviewed DANIELA MCCORMICK Daily Staff Writer

JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY

Runners begin the 10K race outside early Saturday morning at the Huston Huffman Center. There were more than 250 registered contestants in the race, including current OU students and other members of the community.

Students voice frustrations with parking woes Though there may seem to be many open spots, staff and faculty will return to spaces after construction, official says AUDREY HARRIS Daily Staff Writer

Students who are frustrated with the Asp and Elm avenues parking facilities may be uninformed about parking options for faculty and staff and reserved parking pass holders.

Many students have voiced their concerns that faculty, staff and reserved pass holders have too many spots in these facilities. In particular, students who park in the Asp Avenue garage have said they’re confused about who’s allowed to park in the “AAPF reserved” parking area on the second floor.

Haley Hoogendoorn, psychology sophomore, said she was confused about what AAPF stood for, and why the floor always seemed to be empty. Hoogendoorn and other students say they assumed the AAPF-reserved parking was for handicapped people or service vehicles.

AAPF-reserved permits are those issued to students, faculty or staff who have paid for their own guaranteed parking space in Asp Avenue Parking Facility, said Kris Glenn, Cleveland Area Rapid Transit spokesman. There are reserved spots available in Elm Avenue Parking Facility as well.

Glenn said there are 65 reserved parking spaces available in the Elm Avenue garage, and 65 permits have been issued. Glenn said there is a waiting list of 12 people for reserved

FREE — ADDITIONAL COPIES 25¢

parking in the Elm Avenue garage.

In addition, 72 spots are reserved in the Asp Avenue Parking Facility and 40 permits have been issued. Reserved permits for the Asp or Elm Parking Facilities cost $889 per year.

Wazhma Saidi, political science sophomore, said she always sees faculty and staff or reserved spots open in the Asp Avenue garage.

“Pretty much any time of the day you can expect to see level four going down and three going down for the faculty is empty,” Saidi said.

“There’s maybe a car there.”

Saidi, who lives in Moore, paid for a commuter pass. She said unless she goes to Lloyd Noble Center, she has to arrive at OU at least 40 minutes early in order to find a spot.

“Who’s going to go to Lloyd Noble if you’ve paid $200 to get a pass?” Saidi said. “I mean, if you’ve paid $200, I’m expecting to be able to park on campus.”

Saidi said she also sometimes walks from the Duck Pond.

“My books are heavy, and I didn’t pay $200 for back problems,” she said.

Glenn said a lot of the open spaces designated to faculty and staff may seem like they’re open, because both the College of Architecture and the College of Education have temporarily relocated. Glenn said when the buildings are renovated, the staff will come back and there won’t be as many empty spaces. In addition, the renovations could affect the number of reserved spaces open in the Asp Avenue Parking Facility. Glenn said the reserved spots are usually closer to 85 to 90 percent sold, and if the number is still low once all the departments are back on campus, opening the extra reserved

spots up could be reviewed.

Glenn said the department does space counts once a week at peak times and peak days to see how many spots are available on campus. He said 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are optimal times.

“Available spaces are 200 to 300 spaces in any given time in lots that are designated for students,” Glenn said.

However, Glenn said the utility plant construction has displaced 350 spaces.

“With what they’re doing I know there is going to be limited spots, but they have to be able to feasibly give us parking so that we can park someplace close to where we’re trying to go,” said Kyle Reed, petroleum engineering sophomore. “Nobody wants to park in the stadium lot if you are going to the opposite side and the Physical Science Center. But sometimes you don’t have that option.”

Reed said the search for parking gets him to the point where he doesn’t even want to go to class.

“I was supposed to be in class at 2:30 p.m., and I left at 1:40 p.m. and didn’t find a spot until after class had already started,” Reed said. “At that point you’re just like, ‘I might as well give up and go home.’”

Glenn said the Asp and Elm avenues parking facilities are popular facilities, but there are still parking opportunities available even with the construction.

“If students would not drive around those and go directly to a lot where they know is open — for example, the Duck Pond lot — I think it would be much more convenient,” Glenn said.

© 2010 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD

A student group presented a panel and poetry reading Sunday evening in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Beaird Lounge to open discussion about black stereotypes and social conditions.

Shayna Thomas, professional writing sophomore, said P.E.A.C.E, a group created by marketing junior Jaren Collins in 2008, hosted the panel, “Why Does Every Black Woman Seem So &#^!

Angry?: The Misconception” to uplift the black woman and to educate people and raise their awareness. P.E.A.C.E stands for Poets, Entertainers, Artists’, Creative, Expressions.

“It was created for self-expression, creative forms,” said Thomas, P.E.A.C.E president.

Thomas said the group’s purpose is to educate, and this year marks the first panel it has held. She said the panel is diverse with many points of view.

The panel included Trey Moore, assistant director for prospective student services; Eric Sourie, human relations professor; and students Rashad Hutchins and Christine Knighton.

Topics they discussed covered stereotypes, social appearances, self-hate and various other topics. Some of the panels said they felt touched by certain issues they were asked to discuss.

Rashad Hutchins, mechanical engineering junior, said the topic that jumped out at him the most was how people view appearances.

“It’s about the potential you could have if you released yourself from the judgment of appearances from others,” Hutchins said.

Hutchins said in the fifth grade he had the opportunity to go skiing, but another girl said she wouldn’t because skiing was a white thing, and she didn’t want to be seen as white. He said he regretted worrying about his appearance.

“In seventh grade, I went skiing,” Hutchins said. “I loved it. What would’ve happened if I started earlier?”

To express their own views of the topics the panel discussed, voluntary performers presented their own poetry stating things like “What’s understood needs to be explained,” and “Black women need not be ashamed of who they are.”

Courtney Cage, University College freshman, was a guest performer who painted a portrait of black woman while Thomas read a poem by Maya Angelou that talked about a woman’s confidence in who she is.

Watching from the audience, Aziza Kedir, industrial engineering senior, found herself inspired.

“I thought it was amazing. I’ve never seen anyone paint on the spot like that.”

Kedir said.

VOL. 95, NO. 112

2 Monday, March 8, 2010 Caitlin Harrison, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

Appeals court hears rare oral arguments

DUI Continues from page 1 take off down the road.”

White said when she and Cook reached Brooks Street, they were able to see more of the chase.

“The gates for the railroad crossing were down and the lights were flashing, but she just weaved through those, and then the officer who was in an SUV did the same,” White said.

Witnesses said the driver would later run over traffic barriers on Brooks Street with her car, take out another set of traffic barriers, then pop the curb and drive on the sidewalk in front of the library, where she then took off on foot and was shot by a Taser.

Damage visible to the car on the scene was a missing bumper from the front of the car and a large gash on the driver’s side of the car. The front wheels of the car were worn down to their rims from the chase.

“She was driving on rims as she popped the curb and headed down the sidewalk,” said witness James Alexander, accounting and finance sophomore.

Alexander said just as the driver crossed the south entrance of the library, she stopped

and got out of her car.

“She just stopped and started running from the police,” Alexander said.

“I was coming out of the library and I saw her run out of her car,” said Elijah Anderson, University College freshman. “One of the women officers ran after her and then she Tasered her.”

Anderson and Alexander said the police threatened to Taser the woman a second time.

“It was a pretty loud pop when the Taser went off and then she screamed pretty loudly,” Anderson said.

Alexander said he watched the officers place the driver in the back of the car.

“She said she was in pain,” Alexander said.

“Then she tried to lay down in the car and the police were upset because her legs were sticking out.”

Witnesses said they heard the driver say she was pregnant as officers attempted to place her in the car after being placed into police custody.

“I think she’s just drunk,” Anderson said.

POLICE REPORTS The following is a list of arrests and citations, not convictions. The information given is compiled from the Norman and OU Police Departments. At times, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and the Oklahoma City FBI will contribute to these reports. All those listed are innocent until proven guilty.

POSSESSION CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES Joseph Lee Burns, 40, 1938 Fillmore Ave., Friday, also driving with a suspended license ENTRY OF MINOR Jenny Michelle Fehring, 20, 1123 E. Constitution St., Thursday PETTY LARCENY Latoris Rashaud Conley, 18, 3499 W. Main St., Thursday Susie Mae Mize, 53, 1640 SE. 24th Ave., Thursday DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Alejandro Matias Bagajewicz, 31, E. Brooks Street, Friday Aaron James Windel, 30, 10750 E. State Highway 9, Thursday AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Robert Steven Teter, 21, Beaumont Street, Saturday Joseph R. Mayer, 39, 3400 W. Main St., Friday, also carrying firearms POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA Michael Jeffery Eberhart, 20, 3279 Ridgecrest Court, Saturday, also possession of alcohol Martinez Terrell Powell, 27, 1800 Beaumont Drive, Thursday Brent Daniel Van Rite, 24, 949 Barkley Circle, Wednesday, also possession of drug paraphernalia Bradley Payton Robert Regal, 20, 1601 E. Imhoff Road, Friday, also possession of drug paraphernalia DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED Logan Shane Colson, 25, West Main Street, Saturday DISTURBING THE PEACE Paul A. Dorsey, 25, 3301 W. Main St., Saturday PUBLIC INTOXICATION Roger Lynn Conley, 59, East Mosier Street, Friday Terrance Lee Wade, 52, Trout Avenue, Saturday Michael Montgomery Johnson, 18, East Main Street, Friday

ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH A DEADLY WEAPON Jade Daniel Lavell, 30, 824 E. Symmes St., Saturday, also municipal warrants ASSAULT AND BATTERY Lindsey David Powell, 26, 824 E. 824 E. Symmes St, Saturday Leon Kelvin Ragland, 41, 1001 E. Robinson St., Saturday Brandy K. Hanson, 31, 417 Tobermann Drive, Friday Pamela Summer Stephens, 30, 417 Tobermann Drive, Friday UNLAWFUL USE OF A DRIVER’S LICENSE Julio Jesus Trinidad, 27, 2400 W. Brook St., Friday TRESPASSING Gary Bob Welker, 66, 911 W. Main St., Thursday DOMESTIC ABUSE Jequilla Shantelle Moore, 21, 2516 W. Brooks St., Saturday MUNICIPAL WARRANT Roy Bret Blevins, 48, 203 S. Jones Ave., Saturday Jonathan Noel Crowson, 32, 203 S. Jones Ave., Saturday Jared Lee Hoskinds, 19, 203 S. Jones Ave., Saturday Justin Michael Hunter, 21, 203 S. Jones Ave., Saturday Paul Anthony Jonas, 49, 1044 W. Comanche St., Saturday David Lester Onco, 51, University Boulevard, Saturday Zackary Ragan, 20, 1800 Beaumont Drive, Thursday ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON A POLICE OFFICER Ricky Don Ruble, 45, 200 SE. 12th Ave., Thursday, also public drunkenness COUNTY WARRANT Sherman B. Brennan, 39, 316 S. Santa Fe Ave., Saturday Glenn George Nemecek, 53, 401 SE. 12th Ave., Friday Thunder Wise, 28, 2416 W. Brooks St., Friday POSSESSION/ FURNISHING TOBACCO Ashley Kristen Givens, 18, Wren Street, Thursday DOG AT LARGE Staci Renee Moyer, 22, 125 Vicksburg Ave., Tuesday Alice Jane Westcott, 66, 417 Calla Lily Lane, Tuesday

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCURACY The Daily has a long-standing commitment to serve readers by providing accurate coverage and analysis. Errors are corrected as they are identified. Readers should bring errors to the attention of the editorial board for further investigation by e-mailing dailynews@ou.edu.

OUDAILY.COM » GO ONLINE TO CATCH THE THIRD EPISODE OF BANANA NEWS, WHERE WE ASK STUDENTS THE HARD-HITTING QUESTIONS.

In Thursday’s edition of The Daily, Ally Glavas name was misspelled and her title was incorrect.

She is the UOSA director of the Interior. Also, Zac McCullock is the UOSA director of the Exterior and still active in his fraternity.

Case between a television station, former high school coach inspires unusual procedures CHARLES WARD Daily Staff Writer

An Oklahoma appeals court took the unusual step of hearing oral arguments Friday at the OU College of Law, in a case involving an Oklahoma City television station and a former high school coach.

Jon Epstein, attorney for KOKH Fox 25, and Steven Parker, attorney for Bill Grogan, said it was unusual for appeals courts in Oklahoma to hear oral arguments.

Parties to a dispute file briefs with courts explaining their positions and arguments, and appeals courts in Oklahoma usually rely on those briefs, along with records from the lower court that heard the case, to make their decisions.

Parker said he thought the court decided to hear oral arguments because the dispute involves a “very close question.”

The question here was whether Grogan, a former basketball coach at Macomb High School, had enough evidence to be able to present his claims that KOKH, along with reporter Matt Austin and anchors Andrew Speno and Jamie Cerreta, defamed him and presented him in a false light.

A Pottawatomie County judge granted KOKH and the reporters summary judgment in September. The Oklahoma Supreme Court, in a 2000 decision, defined summary judgment as “one party [being] entitled to judgment as a matter of law because there are no material disputed factual questions.

(In re Mcfarline, 2000 OK 87)” Austin’s Feb. 22, 2008 report stated parents of Macomb High School students accused Grogan of threatening to shoot students, according to court documents filed by both parties. Grogan denied making such a threat and said he was trying to illustrate a point about the absolute authority of a referee at a basketball game, according to a brief filed

by Parker.

“To illustrate his point, [Grogan] indicated

the deputy beside him, who was wearing a gun, could shoot persons if he chose to do so to enforce the law,” Parker said in the brief.

Austin began his report by saying “Well, guys, on the heels of terrorist threats at local schools and a shooting at [Northern Illinois University], some parents in Macomb are fuming. They say a teacher threatened their children and he should be punished like anyone else,” Epstein said in a brief.

In his argument, Parker said those comments create an issue for a jury to determine: If Austin and KOKH defamed Grogan by accusing him of threatening students, and if the report painted Grogan in a false light.

However, Judges John Fischer and Jane Wiseman asked if those comments created a disputed fact for a jury to decide, since Austin reported on accusations the parents were making.

Parker said the issue was the report connected Grogan’s name with the word terrorist, and a reasonable person could infer Austin was calling Grogan a terrorist.

Three people signed affidavits that they believed Austin called Grogan a terrorist, and a principal at Maude High School refused to hire Grogan because she said his name was connected with the terrorist label, Parker said.

However, Epstein said no one who testified or gave an affidavit to the trial court actually believed Grogan was a terrorist. It would make no more sense to draw that conclusion from Austin’s report than it would to draw the conclusion Grogan was the shooter at Northern Illinois, Epstein said.

Both parties agreed Grogan was, for the purposes of the case, a public figure.

However, Austin acted in reckless disregard of the truth when he labelled Grogan a terrorist, Parker said in his brief. Acting in reckless disregard of the truth is one element of actual malice, which a public figure must show that the defendant demonstrated in order to win a defamation suit. He must also show the statement was false and defamatory.

Fischer recessed the court at the end of the arguments, and did not say when a decision would be announced by the court.

Monday, March 8, 2010

3

Dreams come true for two John Mayer fans Good Samaritans give front-row tickets to lucky OU students seated near back of the stadium

sophomore. “As we were sitting there, two ladies were talking about how sticky the floors were there, and they were like, ‘Why do you guys have two tickets up here?’ and started asking CAITLIN HARRISON Managing Editor us questions about why we like John Mayer,�

Henrici said. “They ripped up our tickets When Ford Center employees asked for and they were like, ‘You guys are freaking out Shelby Henrici’s and Chelsea Kuwitky’s tick- now, aren’t you?’� ets as they reached their seats at the John Kuwitzky said after talking with some Mayer concert Friday in Oklahoma City, the concert security guards, she and Henrici distwo OU students didn’t think much of it. covered that wasn’t the first time the two emBut when one of the employees ripped the ployees had given away front row tickets. The tickets into pieces, the women tickets were likely tickets for the froze with shock. “I’m still kind of in employees’ family who could “Well I guess we can help you shock about it all, not attend, she said. out and give you another ticket,�

Henrici said the women paid being in the front approximately $50 each for their one of the employees said.

The tickets she handed them row. It’ll never original tickets in December were nowhere near the almost- happen again.� and were excited to go despite empty rear section where their the tickets’ location, so making initial tickets had placed them. SHELBY HENRICI, SOCIAL it to the front row was a dream “Do you know where your come true.

WORK SOPHOMORE tickets are?� the employee said.

The pair also appeared on the Henrici scanned the ticket big screen during John Mayer’s but couldn’t figure it out. performance and met some It was then the employee informed the of the members from opening act Michael women their tickets were in the front row.

Frianti’s band. “I jumped up and screamed,� said Henrici, “We were just so close that it was really social work sophomore. “I have never, ever neat,� Henrici said. “It was so much better won anything. It was just kind of a huge deal than I thought it was going to be.� to me, and he is like my favorite singer.�

Henrici has been a John Mayer fan since The women thought the two female em- she was 12. She and Kuwitzky were ecstatic ployees were just checking their tickets the entire concert, she said. at first, said Kuwitzky, special education “We could not stop smiling the whole

NORMAN MAN ADMITS TO SEXUALLY ASSAULTING BOYS A Norman man was arrested Wednesday after confessing to church elders that he was having sexual relations with three young boys from his church.

Michael Wade Baker, 46, has been charged with three counts of first-degree rape with a victim under 14, six counts of forcible sodomy and eight counts of lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16, according to Cleveland County Court documents.

After Baker confessed to his church elders about the sexual relations, he was interviewed by authorities with the Norman Police Department.

Barker confessed to authorities of having sexual relations with a 12-year-old boy during the span of two years. This relationship started March 2007, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Baker also confessed to having sexual relations with one boy who was 10 years old for 18 months, which began in May 2006, and twice touching

another 12-year-old boy inappropriately while the boy was asleep in January 2009.

During the investigation, each of the thee boys were forensically interviewed, the affidavit said.

The first boy said Baker had sexual relations with him at least three times when he was between the ages of 12 and 14.

The second boy said Baker had sexual relations with him at least 66 to 78 times when he was between the ages of 10 and 14.

Both boys said Baker photographed them while they were naked.

The third boy said nothing happened that he was aware of. “[The sexual acts] may have happened when I was asleep,� he said.

Among the three victims, Baker had sexual relations with them at least 71 to 83 times, the affidavit said.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Shelby Henrici (left) and Chelsea Kuwitky pose by their front row seats at the John Mayer concert Friday at the Ford Center. The pair was ecstatic when they received the tickets from a complete stranger, which moved the pair from their seats in the back. time,� Henrici said. “We were just so excited.�

Both women said they are still in disbelief about the whole experience even days later.

“I’m still kind of in shock about it all, being in the front row,� Henrici said. “It’ll never happen again.�

CAMPUS EVENTS

TODAY CAREER CONSULTATION The OU Career Consultation is hosting a Second Level Interviewing lecture from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in the Career Services Lobby of the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE The OU Student Success Series will host a lecture on Managing Reading Assignments from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Wagner Hall, room 245.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS CENTER OU will host a lecture on the Department of State Presentation from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Career Services Lobby at the union.

BRAZILIAN CULTURE, BRAZILIAN BUSINESS Brazilian Culture, Brazilian Business will host a lunch speaker at noon in Carson Hall, room 119.

TUESDAY CHRISTIANS ON CAMPUS

Christians on Campus will host a Bible study at noon in the Traditions Room of the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE The OU Student Success Series will host a lecture on Managing Reading Assignments from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Wagner Hall, room 245.

CAREER CONSULTATION The OU Career Consultation is hosting a Second Level Interviewing lecture

from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in the Career Services Lobby at the union.

CAREER SERVICES Career Services will host a job search for international students at 4 p.m. in the Career Services lobby in the union.

HUGH TRIBBEY READS FOR THE EVERETT SERIES Hugh Tribbey reads for the Everett Series will be held at 7 p.m. in the Jacobson House on Chautauqua Avenue.

THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY The Zoological Society will host a “What Can I Do With A Biological Science Degree?� explanation at 7 p.m. in the Governor’s room of the union.

WANT TO HAVE YOUR EVENT PUBLISHED? Go to OUDaily.com and scroll down to the event calendar. Click on the “Submit Event� tab underneath the calendar.

All event submissions are pending approval by The Daily Editorial Board.

GO THE EXTRA YARD.

—Casey Wilson/The Daily

9

number

crisis line

[help is just a phone call away]

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line 8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day except OU holidays and breaks

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Open Daily 11:30a.m.-10:00p.m.

Celebrate Chinese

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Call for Reservation

Lunch Buffet • All You Can Eat

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RecycleMania: Last year, OU recycled 14.25 lbs/person during Recyclemania, a national campus competition and benchmarking initiative. This year our RecycleMania goal is to recycle 18 lbs/person.

GO THE EXTRA YARD. RECYCLE YOUR PAPER, PLASTIC, ALUMINUM AND CARDBOARD ON CAMPUS.

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4

Monday, March 8, 2010

COMMENT OF THE DAY »

Max Avery, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

In response to Sam Scharff’s Friday cartoon about Apple using child labor.

YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

OUR VIEW

Some guidelines for protests, not picnics There was a demonstration Thursday on the South Oval — the goal was to be in solidarity with the California protests. But the organizers didn’t tell anyone anything else.

The fact of the matter is, our generation has forgotten how to protest.

Today when we see a protest, we think of half-hearted hippie protests on the left, or the ignorant Tea Partiers on the right. The state of protest in this country is abysmal considering the problems plaguing our nation and world.

From the looks of Thursday’s protesters, you’d think some hippies were having a picnic with some funny looking signs on bicycles telling you the space was occupied.

Here are some tips for anyone who’s going to have a serious protest any time soon.

First, be honest with the journalists who come and talk to you. They come with a pulpit ready to broadcast your message far and wide. Don’t claim to be the turn-of-the-century anarchist Emma Goldman. Demanding a new heaven and a new Earth and an end to the war in Vietnam, as some of Thursday’s protesters did, isn’t going to win support. It will make you look silly.

Second, pay attention to geography. More students may be on the South Oval, but the administration is on the North Oval. If you’re

“this picture is literally meaningless to me.

- zbdy OH MY GOD. what do you mean this is “literally meaningless” to you? APPLE IS USING CHILD LABOR. remember when people freaked out when nike admitted to using child labor? or i guess when people do absolutely nothing except care about how much brewskis they can pound back or the next date party you dont really care about national issues. i assume the daily publishes cartoons for the OU population in hopes that it will reach an educated mass, but i guess when that population cant comprehend anything past facebook it has no use.

- IDIOTS

Thumbs UP, Thumbs DOWN the week in a nutshell

protesting apathetic students, the South Oval is the place to be, but if you’re protesting tuition hikes and funding cuts, you’ll want to protest the administration. Boren’s office is in Evan’s Hall at the end of the North Oval; that’s a good place to start.

Third, be active. Sitting around having a picnic on the South Oval on a pretty day may be fun, but it isn’t a protest. Stand up and do something constructive: write letters, make banners, educate each other. Do something, anything, that’s related to your cause. Inaction during a protest is little more than masturbating the revolutionary impulse — it’s just as bad, if not worse, than no action at all.

Instead of making up excuses to protest, stand up and get legitimately angry about something. Protest the disintegration of our ideals into this politically correct mush, the cycle of poverty or the apathy held by a majority of Americans who solicit disingenuous news providers.

Protests in the name of vanity will inevitably fail.

So get mad, be loud and angry, but do it for a cause and be productive.

COMMENT ON THIS COLUMN AT OUDAILY.COM

OUr Earth and the Green Week are creating more accessible a community garden.

Only 12,678 people voted in the mayoral election.

European Union may fund Greece instead of letting the IMF give loans.

The US Postal Service is only going to deliver five days a week instead of six.

Gov. Brad Henry finally signed the 2010 Oklahoma budget into law.

Mary Fallin won’t come to the gubernatorial debates until June.

Biodegradable gowns will be available for commencement, allowing an ecofriendly way to walk.

UOSA may have violated the Open Meetings Act again.

Secrecy is necessary for security Secrecy erodes understanding Today we have three high-profile members of the U.S. intelligence community, including CIA director Leon Panetta, visiting our campus to speak at the university’s Foreign Policy Conference. This visit will hopefully spark some debate over the efficacy and morality of the CIA and similar organizations.

While some people believe this highly secretive government agency is harmful and should either be made more open or eliminated, others, including myself, argue the CIA is much more beneficial than harmful, and secrecy is necessary for it to operate successfully.

One benefit of the CIA’s secret nature is its efficiency and ability to operate without all the drama that is inherent in our modern political process.

In a discussion at the Honors College March 1, OU President David Boren shared his experience on an intelligence committee. He said in order to operate effectively, they would lock themselves in a room without TV cameras and talk about what needed JEROD to be done. Partisan bickering and COKER constituent pandering aside, these government officials would talk and compromise until they reached a unanimous decision. None of this would have been possible, however, had they been in an open meeting with cameras rolling.

Another benefit of secrecy is obvious: We don’t want to give our enemies any knowledge that would make it easier for them to harm or kill citizens of the United States.

Enemy movements, terrorist activities or suspicions, intelligence gathering, along with a slew of other activities the CIA is — at least partly — responsible for, all require confidentiality and secrecy. If the enemy knows what we’re going to do, or even if they just know what we know, we are giving them an advantage that could jeopardize the welfare of our citizens.

If nothing else, the biggest reason to support the CIA is that we can all sleep soundly at night. It is naive to think we could go about our lives safely without the CIA around. This is not apocalyptic paranoia or a hyperbolic scare-tactic, rather it is a simple assessment of reality. We know there are people both internally and externally who want to harm our

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nation and its citizens, yet we go about our daily lives without worry. Why? Because we know there are government officials working around the clock to quell these attempts.

Without agencies like the CIA and FBI, the recent high-profile terrorist arrests like Najibullah Zazi and Hosam Smadi probably wouldn’t have happened, meaning their attempts to kill Americans on our own soil probably would have succeeded. Along with these high-profile busts, who knows how many secret arrests have been made to keep who knows how many Americans alive.

In contrast with all of these invaluable benefits, opponents list several alleged abuses of the CIA: making deals with drug lords, equipping and funding death squads, overthrowing democratically elected leaders in foreign countries, the list goes on and on.

And I’m sure some, maybe even many, of these alleged abuses did indeed occur. However, the overall utility of the agency certainly outweighs these abuses.

While it is inexcusable for any segment of our government to partake in some of the actions the CIA is accused of, this certainly does not warrant its abolition.

Whatever abuses that the CIA is guilty of are not OK or excusable; it should indeed be reprimanded for its faults. However, to say these faults warrant abolishing it or making it more open is silly. Our national government has made countless mistakes, but the solution is clearly not to abolish Congress or to eliminate the office of president or the Supreme Court. The purposes they serve are too important. And so it is with the CIA. Making the agency more open and accountable is not a solution, as we know secrecy and confidentiality are vital to the agency’s ability to protect our nation. Rather, these abuses must be taken with a grain of salt, as an unfortunate byproduct of the nature of the agency.

Jerod Coker is a professional writing, political science and philosophy junior.

COMMENT ON THIS COLUMN AT OUDAILY.COM

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Assignment Editor Presentation Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

With Leon Panetta, CIA Director, and former national security advisers Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft coming to campus today, I thought it might be a relevant time to explain what the CIA really does.

In 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup d’état against Mohammad Mossadegh, the democratically elected prime minister of Iran and installed a brutal dictatorship in his place.

Just 26 years later, 53 Americans MATT were taken hostage and held for BRUENIG more than a year as the people in the country undertook a revolution to overthrow the government the CIA had installed. Americans at home, lacking the context of the 1953 coup, were unable to understand why.

In 1966 the CIA orchestrated a military coup against Kwame Knrumah, the first democratically elected president of independent Ghana. Ghana would undergo 15 years of coups followed by 11 years of dictatorships before regaining any semblance of democracy.

Sept. 11, 1973, the CIA orchestrated a coup d’état against Salvador Allende, the democratically elected president of Chile and installed a military dictatorship in his place.

In the 1980s, the CIA funded and equipped contra death squads in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua whose penchant for rape, torture and indiscriminate killings left a region destabilized and 200,000 politically motivated killings.

In the 2000’s, the CIA operated secret illegal prisons where agents transported people to be tortured.

The list of CIA imposed dictatorships and atrocities could go on.

Just a few decades after these actions, we have seen American popularity abroad plummet and a large number of heads of state who have a noticeable dislike for the United States (e.g. Hugo Chavez). The American public, lacking the context of the half-century of CIA terror throughout much of the third-world, opts to understand these democratically elected leaders as crazy dictators who just happen to hate the U.S. for some unknowable reason.

Renee Selanders, Amanda Turner News Editors James Lovett Online Editor Mark Potts Multimedia Editor Aaron Colen Sports Editor Joshua Boydston Life & Arts Editor Judy Gibbs Robinson Editorial Adviser Thad Baker Advertising Manager

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While someone might argue in theory that an unaccountable CIA would be more efficient, the real question is: efficient at what?

The CIA’s history tells us its efficiency is aimed at overthrowing popular democratically elected leaders, arming death squads and torturing people.

But it is really much more than just the horrific nature of its actions that should make us cautious to grant this agency completely clandestine authority. Blowback, or the unintended consequences of covert action abroad, not only causes American deaths, but also leads to American confusion.

For instance, on Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden attacked the United States in response to the U.S. propping up the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine, propping up corrupt and tyrannical governments in such places as Saudi Arabia, using these corrupt puppets to gain unfair access to oil resources; and a few other reasons. Americans, most of whom completely lacked this context, couldn’t understand why we were attacked.

This lack of understanding by Americans led to the fear and hysteria that motivated the eventual blank check provided by the people and U.S. media for the U.S. government to invade whatever unrelated countries it wished to.

Now, in the case of 9/11, much of the information surrounding the motives for the attack was available, but just not accessed by most people. Nevertheless, it still proves the point I am trying to make about the problems caused when a population does not have background information with which to put actions into context. Lacking all the relevant information, people act irrationally and we wind up in unnecessary wars of aggression.

So in short, the CIA has a track record of brutal suppression. Even if it did not, secrecy and unaccountability is inherently problematic because it can lead to unexplainable blowback, which only causes more problems in the future.

Matt Bruenig is a philosophy junior.

COMMENT ON THIS COLUMN AT OUDAILY.COM

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The W. R. Howell Lecture “The Architecture of American Foreign Policy” David Sanger Chief Washington Correspondent for the New York Times Beaird Lounge, Oklahoma Memorial Union No reservations required.

Noon “Major Challenges to National Security” Luncheon Address by Leon E. Panetta Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, Oklahoma Memorial Union Reservations required.

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Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 08, 2010

ACROSS 1 Sci-fi movie creature 5 Rose feature 10 “Get a load of ___!�

14 Buck in Bordeaux 15 Colorchanging lizard 16 Bee, to Andy 17 BP subsidiary 18 Prepares leftovers 19 Bear in the night sky 20 Combo meal 23 Leafy garnish 24 “In the merry ___ of May ...�

25 Buckingham, e.g.

28 “The Brady Bunch� name 30 Bridge accomplishment 31 Aircraft parking spot 33 Partner of “away�

36 Combo meal 40 “Excellent adventure� taker of film 41 Shot the scene again 42 “Ella Enchanted� star Hathaway 43 Finders may keep them 44 LASIK target

46 Pyromaniac’s crime 49 Calabash, for one 51 Combo meal 57 Cheese coated in red paraffin 58 Ice dams may form in them 59 Gallimaufry 60 “The ___ of Spring�

61 Buy a meal for 62 Dinner table faux pas 63 “Tres ___� (“very well,� in Paris) 64 Medicinal herb of the pea family 65 “Do it or ___!�

DOWN 1 Grin from ear to ear 2 Act the femme fatale 3 “Free Willy� animal 4 Drilling site 5 “Dances With Wolves� foe 6 “By Jove!�

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Lake 12 Alaska on a map, sometimes 13 Hidden treasure 21 Basketball’s three-point line, e.g.

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PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

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38 Bio word 39 Clothing collection 43 Enemies, archaically 44 Hill with a cliff on one side 45 Beast in “The Lord of the Rings�

46 Like a sourball 47 Geometryclass measurements 48 Do axels and lutzes 49 Accepted fact 50 Arctic, for one 52 Jersey pros 53 Advice for the timid 54 Twelfth Jewish month 55 Gets out in the open 56 Sulk

Monday, March 8, 2010 7

« WOMEN’S BASKETBALLL The Sooners faced Oklahoma State during senior day Sunday. OUDAILY.COM

Aaron Colen, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

«

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

SOONERS WIN HISTORIC MEET OVER ALABAMA BRANDON BROADHURST Daily Staff Writer

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Natasha Kelley, redshirt freshman, performs Friday during the meet against top-ranked Alabama. The Sooners clinched their first win over a No. 1 opponent in program history with a 197.950 to 197.275 victory.

bars (9.925).

“It’s just absolutely incredible to beat them,” Vise said.

The Sooners upset the No. 1 The win was the first-ever victory Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday night over a top-ranked opponent in OU at Lloyd Noble Center. women’s gymnastics history.

The match-up of “This just shows that gymnastics powerwe are truly a contendSENIOR NIGHT houses was a nailer for a national chambiter until the finish. pionship,” Kindler Seniors Mary Mantle, Julie The Sooners posted said.

Kramer, Kristin Smith, Jackie a program-record The Sooners were Flanery and Hollie Vise will comscore of 197.950, lifted by the largest pete for the final time at home topping Alabama’s crowd ever to witness in the Lloyd Noble Center.

197.275. a women’s gymnastics On the biggest meet in Norman: 2,529 What: OU vs. Washington stage, against the fans were present in best opponent, the Lloyd Noble for the When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 12 No. 2 OU women’s upset. gymnastics team Both teams took performed at its turns swapping almost highest level. identical scores until “We really the final event. While brought it tonight, we put all the pieces the Sooners’ last event was on floor, together,” head coach K.J. Kindler said. the Alabama gymnasts competed on “If you’re going to do it (set a school beam. record), tonight was the night,” Kindler The Sooners came out firing with the said. “I can’t imagine a better night to help of sophomore Megan Ferguson’s do it than against the No. 1 team in the 9.925, which was matched by seniors country. Alabama is solid. They are Hollie Vise and Kristin Smith. impressive. I believe that we rose to The Crimson Tide suffered a fall on the level of their gymnastics, we rose beam, which was followed by Flanery’s to the occasion and captured the mo- 9.975 that clinched the match. ment tonight.”

With the win, OU is now 4-0 against Senior Hollie Vise helped her Sooner top-10 opponents, and 27-2 in Norman squad defeat the nation’s top team by under Kindler. winning two titles on beam (9.950) and

No. 17 OU baseball team sweeps Sooner classic JONO GRECO Daily Staff Writer

Close games can tell a lot about a team, and this weekend’s Sooner Classic spoke volumes about the No. 17 OU baseball team.

During the four-game tournament, OU (11-1) won all of its games, three by one run and two in walk-off fashion.

“The thing that I do see is that we’re a ball club learning how to win,” head coach Sunny Golloway said. “I think you got to learn how to win and believe that you can.”

In the Classic, the Sooners defeated South Florida twice— 4-3 on Saturday and 5-4 on Thursday—and Western Illinois and Stephen F. Austin once each by scores of 12-1 and 4-3 respectively.

The only problem with the four victories and three nailbiters was that OU did not strike first blood, Golloway said.

“I’d like to see a club that will come out and start throwing the first punch because we haven’t thrown the first punch in a couple of these games,” Golloway said. “We’ve just kind of sat back and said how hard are you going to hit me before I decide to fight, and that’s not necessarily good.”

The Sooners found refuge in the pitching staff when the bats did not come out of the gate hot.

In three of the four games, each of the starting pitchers lasted at least five innings, and when the starting pitchers got into some trouble the bullpen stepped up and got them out of the jam.

Senior pitcher Jeremy Erben was credited with two victories in three performances out of the bullpen this weekend and threw five shutout innings.

Even though OU’s hitters did not put up the performances they wanted to in each of the four games of the tournament, A drunk driver ruined something precious. Amber Apodaca.

Photo by Michael Mazzeo

Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.

they did have some players come up clutch.

Sophomore first baseman Cameron Seitzer had a multihome run day Sunday against Stephen F. Austin with both of his homers coming when the Sooners were trailing.

The first of his home runs drove in two runs to tie the game 2-2 in the second inning, but his second home run saved OU from not extending its winning streak to six games. Down 4-3 in the ninth, Seitzer led off the inning with a first-pitch solo home run to tie the game and jumpstart the offense.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you if the ball’s going [out],” Seitzer said. “I just wanted to get the JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY team going because I knew evRick Eisenberg, junior outfielder, avoids being picked off Saturday afternoon against South eryone was down.”

Florida.

The No. 17 Sooners swept the Sooner Classic tournament, finishing 4-0.

And his teammates responded to the home run. The Sooners Sophomore Ryan Duke only had one outing during the loaded the bases later in the ninth inning and brought in the weekend, but it was a successful one. He pitched the final ingame-winning run on an error after a hit by sophomore ning of Saturday’s game to record his fifth save of the season center fielder Chris Ellison, who also had a big home run in and 21st of his career.

Saturday’s win against South Florida.

The Sooners are slated to take on the Dallas Baptist Sophomore third baseman Garrett Buechele had anothPatriots at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas. OU will be going er productive weekend at the plate. He hit .357 during the for its seventh-straight win before returning to Norman on Sooner Classic, and collected at least one hit and one RBI in Wednesday. three of the four games.

8

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Read a review of the fashion documentary “Thee September Issue” on yOU at OUDaily.com.

Daily.com.

Joshua Boydston, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-5189 • fax: 325-6051

BLUES SENSIBILITIES HIGHLIGHT MAYER SHOW RICKY MARANON Assignment Editor

John Mayer took the stage Friday night at the Ford Center and schooled his audience in “Battle Studies,” guitar solos and songs about life and love.

Mayer started the show — named Battle Studies after his latest album — with his most recent top-20 hit, “Heartbreak Warfare.”

After performing a few songs, Mayer began to interact with his crowd with more than just music.

At one time, Mayer read a sign out loud that stated “Come to the 918,” in which Mayer replied, “I don’t even know what the 918 is.”

Mayer is one of those artists who sounds just as good, if not better, live than recorded.

But the show was not all about Mayer.

At many times in the night, he would allow members of his band to go into five-to seven-minute solos on guitar, keyboard and even on drums.

Mayer went back to his roots, performing a classic on acoustic guitar — “Your Body is a Wonderland” — with his fellow guitarist Robbie McIntosh.

“This song is not back from the dead,” he said. “It was just taking a break.”

The night was a wonderful roller coaster ride

between Mayer’s full-band songs with a lot of bass to just Mayer and his acoustic guitar, which gave his band just enough time to take a small break and recharge for another round of blues-like solos.

Mayer himself transitioned between at least five guitars throughout the entire concert, all the while entering his own antics into the show.

However, Mayer’s feelings were expressed with each guitar, whether it was frustration with the situation occurring in the lyrics or just carefree attitude with the acoustic guitar.

Not only was the audience left singing along, but they could feel the tone of each song and get a sense of the true meaning of the lyrics.

“I told you guys, I’m only half cool,” Mayer said as he counted off a beat to the next song but then stopped to tie his shoe. “You never see Mick Jagger tying his shoe in the middle of a concert.”

Mayer ended the night with an encore that included him wearing a custom Oklahoma City Thunder jersey with “MAYER 1” printed on the back.

The encore consisted of at least four minutes of excellent guitar and drum work that left some in the arena gripping the seat in front of them to find their balance.

RICKY MARANON/THE DAILY

John Mayer performs during his concert Friday evening at the Ford Center.

Avett Bros. addition proves his worth ANNIKA LARSON Daily Staff Writer

Reimagining makes for a wonderfully weird time PHOTO PROVIDED

Alas, Tim Burton’s highly anticipated adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s enchanting children’s fantasy “Alice in Wonderland” has arrived. One can always count on Burton to dazzle his viewers with an array of wondrous sights, lovably eccentric characters and narratives as lost as our curious female protagonist.

Those anticipating a nostalgic stroll down memory lane will be pleasLARON antly surprised by Burton’s CHAPMAN thrilling re-imagining of the classic tale.

The film takes place 13 years after our radiant heroine’s first trip to Wonderland. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), adventurous and peculiar, is unwillingly being coerced into marrying the wimpy Lord Ascot (Tim Pigott-Smith).

Before Ascot can even attempt to divulge his wishes for the two of them, Alice is unexpectedly distracted by an unusual White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) that she pursues until ultimately tumbling down an elaborate rabbit hole. It is here that Alice returns to Wonderland (now titled “Underland”), reuniting with her eclectic childhood friends including the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), Absolem the Smoking Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), and last but certainly not least, the mysterious Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp).

Her comrades inform her that she is predestined to slay a ghastly dragon and to reassign the thrown, currently reigned by the savage Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter),

to the alluring White Queen (luminously performed by Anne Hathaway).

After re-establishing her relationships with her comrades, the once aloof and stubborn Alice decides to adhere to her calling in hopes of saving Wonderland once and for all.

Burton is a masterful visual artist who creates a world of unyielding beauty and bewilderment. Frame for frame, the film remains a gleeful feast for the eyes, full of mystery and intrigue.

The film’s only flaw is that it never manages to fully draw the audience into the world it presents (as the film “Avatar” did with such spellbinding force). The film keeps viewers detached from the action while they continue to gaze in awe from afar.

Thankfully, the actors instill enough depth and authenticity into the characters they inhabit to supplement this minor limitation.

Newcomer Mia Wasikowska is a surprisingly self-assured young actress who plays Alice with an irresistible charm and grace.

Also, the dynamic duo, Depp and Carter, are chillingly effective. Carter’s performance as The Red Queen is fiendishly clever and amusing, while Depp remains one of the great character actors of our time, losing himself in every role he embodies. Depp’s Mad Hatter is a character as unpredictable as he is fascinating, performed with the upmost sincerity and compassion.

With such impressive production value, it is easy to enjoy getting lost in this dark, ominous and whimsical adventure.

While the film is slightly uninvolving, viewers are sure to relish all its gothic wonders.

Laron Chapman is a film and video studies sophomore.

Across from Barnes & Noble (405) 579-5600

A ticket to an Avett Brothers concert is a ticket to an unpredictable, boisterous and memorable evening. The four members of the folk-punk band dance like fools, stomp, yell and share true emotion with the audience.

Joe Kwon, cellist, is a spectacle in his own right in the middle of the three-ring circus that is an Avett Brothers show. With his cello resting on his shoulder, he does an elf-like kick dance, swings his long black hair around and screams the lyrics, all while playing the resounding notes which provide a truly new dimension to the songs.

Kwon said the energy on stage doesn’t come from getting wasted before the shows; instead, the band members have a calmer pre-show ritual.

“We’re not a very standard idea of what people think a rock band is,” Kwon said. “We eat really healthy and we don’t drink on the road. We want to make sure we’re at 100 percent before the show.”

In addition to the laid-back approach to preparing for shows, Kwon said life on the road is tranquil as well, with plenty of time for individual fulfillment. Each band member reads about topics they’re interested in, and Kwon uses part of the downtime to update his food blog —“Taste, on Tour.” He said he holds food near and dear to his heart.

“I grew up enjoying good food, and I want to p bring people into this thingg that a lot of p people won said. take for granted,” Kwon He added that eating well is completely possible as a college student, et concerns that despite the budget have become partt of life for most. ing nothing but He remembers eating rice and beans forr months, but said even that can be interesting. th “You make do with what you have,” hee y, said. “I would say, ‘I’m going to makee nd the best rice and beans ever,’ and that’s how it started.”

Besides food, Kwon’s passion obviouslyy lies in ed cello music. He has played tarting for 21 years, after starting tructor with a classical instructor he first as a child. He said the

time he branched out from playing classically was after college, when a friend got him out of his shell and they had a band together. Kwon said he credits his friend for getting him into improvising with his instrument.

Before joining the Avett Brothers, Kwon played with two other rock bands. He was playing at a venue in Salem, N.C., when the bassist for the Avett Brothers walked in. Kwon said he was starstruck, especially when Bob, the bassist, enjoyed the show so much that he approached the band after the show to ask them to help him record a side project he was working on.

A few weeks later, the side project opened up to the Avett Brothers, which needed a cellist for its 2007 release, “Emotionalism.” Kwon said it was definitely a “right place at the right time” situation.

He officially joined the band at the end of 2006 for touring after recording “Emotionalism,” and since then he’s been a full member. He said that although it was scary at first to join a band that had already been together for five years, he fit right in.

Since the Avett Brothers recently signed to a major label and recorded its latest album, “I and Love and You” with the legendary Rick Rubin, there has been what seems like a small explosion of fame. Where a year ago, a mention of the name Avett Brothers would elicit a blank stare, now that name brings recognition and even excitement. Kwon said he wouldn’t describe the growth in popularity as an explosion, more like a gradual expansion. expans “It’s been growing g at an exponential pace, bu but it hasn’t been like a huge boom of fame,” Kwan said.

“This tour tou is proof of a growth of fanbase. It’s a wonderful thing, it makes m me feel great. It makes us all feel great.”

It’s clea clear Kwon loves what he does, both bo from his stage performanc mance that is pure celebration and the way he talks aabout music. He said music demands sacrifices, but in the end, it’s worth it.

“It always comes down to putting in the time, putting in the practice and putting in the work, work Kwan said. “Eventually someo someone will notice.”

PHOTO PROVIDED