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Vol. 87, No. 24 Thursday, November 18, 2010
Showers 55°/ 33° chance of precipitation: 30%
CRIME
Police charge student with DWI after campus crash By JOHN SUTTER The Breeze
A JMU student was charged with driving under the influence after police said he crashed his car into the back of an unmarked JMU Police Ford Explorer early Saturday morning. Matthew Craig Barr, , of Purcellville, Va., will make his first According to police, Matthew Craig Barr, appearance in Rockingham/ 22, was charged Harrisonburg with a DWI after crashing his car into General District Court on an unmarked police Monday. car. According to Virginia State Police Trooper D.M. Fisher, the JMU Police vehicle was stopped at a red light at the corner of Bluestone Drive and Duke Drive on JMU’s campus. “He noticed a vehicle approaching at a high rate of speed,” Fisher said.
“There’s a whole other world out there.”
Godfrey Vincent
Brillian Muhonja
sophomore anthropology major
Josh Fine
Swahili and Africana studies professor
RETELLING AFRICA
African Student Organization’s presentation breaks racial and cultural stereotypes By RYAN PLATT The Breeze
Josh Fine isn’t like many other JMU students. He didn’t grow up in Virginia. In fact, he didn’t grow up in the United States. Fine was born in Swaziland, a tiny nation in southern Africa and spent the first years of his life living in countries like Uganda and South Africa. Fine’s parents were volunteers in the Peace Corps serving throughout Africa. While he is a U.S. citizen, in his mind, he is African. Fine spoke on Monday night along with several professors and other students at the African Student Organization’s presentation of “Where the Worlds Meet” in the Festival Ballroom. The program highlighted the Africana Studies program and gave an inside look at specific stories and personalities encompassing the JMU community. The presentation was interactive — the discussion opened up to include the many African international students in attendance. About students came to the presentation to hear tales of migration and courage, and to catch a glimpse into the African world. Professor Brillian Besi Muhonja, a Kenya native who teaches Swahili and other
CRIME
Alleged laptop thief arrested By JOHN SUTTER The Breeze
topics regarding Africana, said the term “Africana” refers to the continent as a study and does not end where the border ends. “Africana studies are a study of black people all across the world,” Muhonja said, highlighting the point that Africans have an influence everywhere. A major theme throughout the night was many Americans don’t seem to know what goes on outside of U.S. borders. The presenters stressed there is world out there asking to be seen and experienced. “Everyone comes through school, everyone has an education,” Fine said to the audience. “But everything you see is just from the United States, from Mexico, from Canada. There’s a whole other world out there.” Fine was just one of many speakers who told of his experiences coming from an African culture to a very different U.S. culture. And in most cases, it’s a difficulty. “When I first got here, no one really understood where I was coming from or where my vision was coming from. It shocked me,” he said. The differences between cultures, according to Fine, could be frustrating at times. “Nobody knew where I was from, and I got questions that my friends and I laughed about and dreaded back home,” Fine said. “
‘Did you have lions in your backyard? Did you ride elephants to school?’ I even had a girl ask me, ‘Do you speak African?’ ” But Fine is not alone. Several African students spoke during the event in between speakers to give their input of what it’s like being an African in America. Kofi Boafo is one of those students. Boafo is a sophomore integrated science and technology major who, came to JMU to further his education. His goal is to eventually return to Africa and help his homeland. “I wanted to study ISAT because of the energy program, because Africa has such problems,” said Boafo, who plans on returning to Ghana after graduation to work on developing a strong energy source for Ghana. But students are not the only part of the Africana picture at JMU. Professor Godfrey Vincent from the history department is from Trinidad and Tobago and related stories of his journeys to the traveling tendencies of the African people. “My journey to the U.S., to New York, to Baltimore, from Baltimore back to New York, then finally to Virginia is like the African people,” Vincent said. “They’ve been traveling all over the world, they are see AFRICA, page 4 PHOTOS BY MEREDYTH KIMM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
SGA
Delay for special election By KALEIGH SOMERS The Breeze
The night before the former SGA Vice President of Student Affairs appeared in court, president Andrew Reese questioned the necessity of the secondin-command position. Brock Wallace, the former VPSA, resigned from the position Nov. . In Harrisonburg/Rockingham General District Court on Wednesday, Wallace’s open container violation was dropped and his underaged possession of alcohol charge was amended to public swearing or intoxication. If Wallace completes community service hours, the public intoxication charge will be dismissed. Wallace’s previous probation is unaffected, he told The Breeze. Reese said the decision on whether to hold a special election won’t be made until the third week of the spring semester, rather than rushing the process in the final weeks of this semester for the empty position. “My thoughts behind this were that the powers and responsibilities of the
CONTACT John Sutter at breezenews@gmail.com.
11/18 INSIDE
“Africana studies are a study of black people all across the world.”
history professor
see CRIME, page 4
A JMU student was charged with felony grand larceny Monday for allegedly stealing another student’s laptop. On Monday, Sun Hwi Yun, , of Woodbridge, Va., allegedly stole a laptop from ISAT between : a.m. and a.m. after the victim left her laptop in class, according to Lee Shifflett, JMU chief of police. The laptop is a pink HewlettPackard valued at $. Sun Hwi Yun, 20, Yu n s a i d allegedly stole a Wednesday laptop from ISAT 1301 on the morning h e h a d n o of Nov. 15, according comment. Shifflett to police. said the victim placed her laptop on the seat next to her in class, and at the end of class, she left the room and forgot her laptop was there. After the victim went back to the room, she contacted police when she saw the laptop was missing. JMU Police reviewed surveillance footage and saw a person leaving with a backpack that resembled the one that the missing computer was in. Shifflett said the footage revealed the suspect entered a bathroom with the backpack and exited the bathroom without the backpack. Police searched the bathroom and found the backpack without the missing computer in it. Yun was identified in the surveillance footage and JMU Police contacted him later that day. According to police, Yun originally denied he stole the laptop, but after further questioning Shifflett said Yun confessed stealing the laptop. Yun led police to his Hoffman Hall dorm room where he turned over the stolen laptop, Shifflett said. The laptop has been returned to its owner. Yun is scheduled for a first appearance in Rockingham/Harrisonburg General District Court on Nov. . According to police, eight laptops have been stolen on campus during the fall semester and only one has been recovered.
“Africa lives in a modern age with computers and Internet and skyscrapers.”
see SGA, page 5
3
NEWS Home sweet home
Some JMU parents purchase houses and condos instead of renting.
FOOTBALL
Freshman linebacker suspended JMU football starting linebacker, redshirt freshman Stephon Robertson, is suspended for the team’s regular season finale this Saturday at the University of Maine. Head coach Mickey Matthews made the announcement Wednesday that Robertson will be forced to sit out as a result of an incident during the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game against No. College of William & Mary. Robertson was flagged for a personal foul after striking an opposing player’s head. Replays showed Robertson may have been provoked, but he was the only player who the referees penalized. Robertson was not kicked out of the game, and the Dukes went on to beat the top-ranked Tribe, -. Robertson has been a vital component of the Dukes’ defense this year, as he is tied with fellow linebacker redshirt junior Pat Williams for the team lead with tackles. The two players rank in a tie for eighth in tackles among Colonial Athletic Association players. Robertson also boasts a team best . tackles for loss, one sack and three forced fumbles. JMU currently ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense, giving up just . points per game, and eighth in total defense, surrendering an average of . yards per game. The first-year player has twice been named CAA Rookie of the Week this season. His first recognition came on
7
OPINION Party plans
As minority leader, Nancy Pelosi is working to unify the Democratic party.
ROBERT BOAG / FILE PHOTO
The Dukes will be without a vital part of their defense Saturday. Freshman linebacker Stephon Robertson is suspended for the final game for his role in an incident during Saturday’s game against the College of William & Mary.
Sept. after he posted tackles and forced the game-sealing fumble in the Dukes’ shocking - win over Virginia Tech. He won the award again on
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SPORTS The future is now
Redshirt freshman takes over offense in season finale.
Sept. after tallying more tackles in JMU’s - win over Liberty University. — staff reports
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LIFE Cooking craze
New downtown cupcake shop will sell a variety of designs.