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Tuesday, May 19, 2015 • Vol. 41, No. 9 • HCCEgalitarian.com 170 charged in Waco biker brawl see Community, Page 4
Rockets clip Clippers, reach West Finals see Sports, Page 8
‘Campus carry’ is not the problem see Commentary, page 11
Over 2,000 turn tassels at HCC graduation Alyssa Foley
The Egalitarian Houston Community College’s 2015 commencement ceremonies were held on Saturday at the NRG Stadium. The morning ceremony for associate degree recipients had 1,260 graduates, 197 faculty and 7,018 family and friends in attendance. “To graduate in a field that you have chosen is a step toward achieving your dream of
success,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado at the morning ceremony, “your education is something that no one can take from you.” Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee told graduates that in order to make a difference in people’s lives, “You must have the confidence and strength, and the willingness to learn and to achieve. You must be informed.” see
Over 2,000 Graduate, Page 3
Image courtesy of HCC H-E-B Houston Division President Scott McClelland speaks to Houston Community College graduates during the school’s graduation ceremony Saturday at NRG Stadium.
1917 Houston Riot has personal tie to professor Lidia Herrera The Egalitarian
John Cañamar/The Egalitarian HCC history professor Angela Holder, great-niece of one of 13 soldiers hung after the 1917 Houston Riot, is now helping other families find answers surrounding the riot and court martial of the soldiers at Camp Logan.
History isn’t just part of the past. Sometimes, it becomes part of a legacy. For Houston Community College history professor Angela Holder, her family connection to an ugly chapter in Houston history — and her search for answers — represents who she is, “When you know yourself, where you come from, nobody can tell you
anything.”
Houston’s History
The Houston Riot of 1917 was one of the worst events to occur in Houston and in the history of American race relations. As the U.S. entered the war against Germany, the military established two camps for training in Houston: Camp Logan and Ellington Field. On July 27, 1917, the US army ordered the Third Battalion of the Black 24 US infantry — including seven white
The Official Student Newspaper Of The Houston Community College System
officers— to go to Camp Logan to guard the construction of the camp. The soldiers expected equal treatment for being army servicemen, but instead the residents of Houston mistreated them with racial discrimination when they came into the city. Tension between the residents and soldiers grew until almost a month later on Aug. 23, 1917 a riot broke see
Personal Ties to Riot, Page 3
Campus Briefs hccegalitarian.com
Page 2 - Tuesday, May 19, 2015
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News
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Page 3
Personal Ties to Riot, From Page 1 out after two white policemen arrested a black soldier for interfering with the unfair arrest of a black woman in the fourth ward. The result of the riot which lasted two hours was 12 wounded and 15 white residents killed, which included four policemen and four black soldiers.
Consequence of Riot
The army held three different courts in between November 1, 1917 to March 26, 1918 in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. During these trials, there were seven black mutineers that testified only to get clemency. Out of the 118 men that participated in the riot, only 110 were found guilty while 19 of the soldiers were hanged and 63 received life sentences in federal prison. The 13 soldiers were hanged on Dec. 11 and were denied an appeal in the military and from President Woodrow Wilson. The Houston residents who testified in court could not identify any of the black soldiers, but the military went through with the executions. In 1918, the military changed the way soldiers were executed by presenting General Order No. 7, which says, “You cannot execute any one until the case has been reviewed by the war department and the president.” The soldiers of the next two court marshals did have a chance to get reviews and out of the 16, only six men were executed while the other 10 were incarcerated.
Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration Members of the 24th Infantry, seated at far left, listen to proecedings during their court martial as a result of the Houston Riot of 1917. HCC history professor Angela Holder’s great uncle, Cpl. Jesse Moore, was one of 13 members of the 24th hung after the court martial.
A Family’s Story
Holder’s great-uncle, Cpl. Jesse Moore, was one of the soldiers who were hanged. Moore was promoted to corporal shortly before arriving in Texas. He spent time in the Philippines and returned to the states for a mission with Gen. John J. Pershing in the capture of Pancho Villa. Moore was assigned to Camp Logan after the mission failed. Holder first heard about Uncle Jesse’s story at the age of six when she visited her Aunt Lovie’s, who had a picture of Moore in her living room. Patiently, Aunt Lovie told her about her brother who was unjustly found guilty and his remains unknown. “A box [later] came to the home
with his coat, his bible, a letter, and a dollar. The letter read,’ when you read this, I’m in glory.’ It was a devastating lost for my family,” Holder said. “I feel like I owed it to her to find him and take away some of the hurt.” The story of her Aunt Lovie’s brother stayed with her until she went to graduate school and begun searching for her Uncle Jesse’s remains.
The Search
In graduate school, Holder wrote a dissertation about the Houston Riot of 1917. While researching about the riot, she was told about University of Houston professor Robert V. Hayes’ book “A Night of Violence: The Houston Riot of 1917.”
This particular book helped track down her uncle’s remains. In 1963, Jesse’s brother, Uncle Joe tried to find his remains, but at the time the Freedom of Information Act was not yet passed. In 1987, just two years after Uncle Joe passed away, Holder found her great uncle’s remains, which were in unmarked graves in the Fort Sam Houston Cemetery. “I know that they are [both] talking up there, saying our niece down there is working to get our names cleared. So that is what I am working on now,” she said.
Cemetery. The Buffalo Soldiers Museum participated in a KHOUTV documentary, “Munity on the Bayou,” which a man from Ohio saw part of it on the Internet, contacted Holder. His ancestor was Sgt. William C. Nesbitt, which the largest court marshal is named after. Another person who Holder came into contact is an attorney who is the nephew of Pfc. Thomas Hawkins, who did a legal examination of the court marshal to look for departing parities; his research is displayed at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Holder also had a chance to talk to an elderly relative of Pfc. Carlos Snodgrass but unfortunately was not able to get much information. “It’s really sad the sacrifice that my uncle and those men made,” she said.
The New Mission
Holder was also able to contact two families about their ancestors’ remains. The other remains are buried at Fort Sam Houston
“Strict justice has been done, but full justice has not been done and sure as there is a God in heaven at some time and some way full justice will be done,” a black observer said. “When I read that it send a full chill down my back because it was almost like this man was making a prophecy and the work I am doing now is what I am supposed to be doing; to try to get some sort of verification for these men,” Holder said about her new task. “I’m trying to find the families of these men who were executed without benefit of appeal. And that’s my mission trying to find some relatives and clear their names.”
faculty and 5,337 family and friends in attendance. Gina Luna, chairman of JP Morgan Chase-Houston Region, was the commencement speaker at the afternoon ceremony. “Many of you are the first in your family to earn a college diploma,” Luna pointed out, “To do that, you’ve left your comfort zone. You ventured into unfamiliar territory and blazed a new trail. That is not easy. In fact, it can be a little scary. And in doing that, you’ve changed your life. And you may not realize it, but you may have helped change the lives of your friends and your family as well. They see what you’re
doing, and I suspect a few of them are starting to re-think what’s possible in their own lives. As a matter-of-fact, you’ve probably inspired them.” Luna gave the graduates some advice for the future, “Always do your best work. No matter the assignment, whatever the situation: never settle for less than your personal best. And whenever you’re doing your best work, understand the context of your assignment. How does what you’re doing fit into the bigger picture? And what can you do to step past the obvious and take your contribution to the next level?”
Other Families
Over 2,000 Graduate, From Page 1 Scott McClelland, president of H-E-B Houston Division, better known as ‘the H-E-B guy’ from commercials, was the morning commencement speaker. He told HCC graduates that, “One of the most significant benefits that you get from graduating college is the journey that you’ve taken to get here, versus the tests that you’ve had to take. And what’s significant is the ‘who you’ve become’, inclusive of everything that you’ve learned. You’re a changed person. You’re a bigger person because you’ve attended HCC.” McClelland also encouraged graduates to think about what
bestselling author of ‘The Road to Character’, David Brooks, calls ‘eulogy virtues’ instead of just ‘resume virtues’. McClelland explained that eulogy virtues focus on who you are and are talked about at funerals, while resume virtues focus on what you do and are put on a resume. “If you focus on who you are, you will be better at what you do. But generally we never think about this, and as a result, we end up where life takes us, instead of guiding life where we want to go.” McClelland challenged graduates to write down who they want to be in a variety of aspects of their
life when they went home. “It starts with ‘who is it that you want to be?’ not, ‘what is it that you want to do?’” McClelland said, “Doing is an activity,” but, “Being is about who you say you are. Being isn’t about skills, it’s about values.” “It’s a question of who you are, and letting that guide your overall actions,” McClelland said, adding that, “everything we do is a choice.” “It’s never too early to think about how people are going to remember you,” McClelland concluded. The afternoon ceremony for workforce certificates and GED graduates had 940 students, 80
Community hccegalitarian.com
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Obama restricts military gear Nedra Pickler Associated Press
Jerry Larson/AP Photo Authorities investigate a shooting in the parking lot of the Twin Peaks restaurant Sunday in Waco, Texas. Authorities say that the shootout victims were members of rival biker gangs that had gathered for a meeting.
170 charged after biker brawl Nomaan Merchant & David Warren Associated Press
WACO, Texas — About 170 members of rival motorcycle gangs were charged with engaging in organized crime Monday, a day after a shootout at a Texas restaurant that killed nine people and wounded 18. The crowd of suspects was so large that authorities opened a convention center to hold them all before they were arrested, police said. Sunday’s melee at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco drew a broad police response that included placing officers atop buildings and highway overpasses to watch for other bikers rushing to the scene to retaliate. McLennan County Justice of the Peace W.H. Peterson set bond at $1 million for each suspect. He defended the high amount, citing the violence that quickly unfolded in a shopping market busy with a lunchtime crowd. “We have nine people dead, because these people wanted to come down and what? Drink? Party?” Peterson said. “I thought it was appropriate.” Peterson also performed inquests on the nine dead bikers but declined to identify them pending notification of family. Peterson says all nine were from Texas. Police acknowledged firing on armed
bikers, but it was unclear how many of the dead were shot by gang members and how many were shot by officers. Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said the Waco Convention Center was used to hold the suspects temporarily as police rushed to secure many parts of the city amid reports of rival bikers going elsewhere to continue the fight. Those at the convention center were later taken to jail. It’s too early to determine how many motorcycle gang members will face murder charges, Swanton said. Five gangs had gathered at the restaurant as part of a meeting to settle differences over turf and recruitment. Prior meetings had been held at the restaurant, and managers there had dismissed police concerns over the gatherings, he said. “They were not here to drink and eat barbecue,” Swanton said. “They came here with violence in mind.” Twin Peaks — a national chain that features waitresses in revealing uniforms — on Monday revoked the franchise rights to the restaurant, which opened in August. Company spokesman Rick Van Warner said in a statement that the management team chose to ignore warnings and advice from the company, and did not establish the “high security standards” that the company requires. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Monday issued a seven-day suspension of
the restaurant’s liquor license, but owners had the option of reopening to serve meals. Police and the restaurant operators were aware of Sunday’s meeting in advance, and 18 Waco officers in addition to state troopers were outside the restaurant when the fight began, Swanton said. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara, whose office is involved in the investigation, said the nine dead were members of the Bandidos and Cossacks. Howver, Swanton has repeatedly declined to identify which gangs were involved in a fight that began with punches then grew to include chains, knives and then guns. “I am not about to give them the respect of mentioning their names,” Swanton said. Many men detained in the hours after the shooting were seen wearing leather vests that read Bandidos or Cossacks. More than 100 motorcycles were in the parking lots around the restaurant Monday, along with an additional 50 to 75 vehicles that probably belong to gang members, Swanton said. Authorities were having them towed from the scene, 95 miles south of Dallas. Swanton said authorities had received threats against law enforcement “throughout the night” from biker groups and stood ready to confront any more violence. Officials stopped and questioned motorcycle riders. Agents from the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting local and state authorities.
CAMDEN, N.J. — President Barack Obama is cutting back on shipments of military equipment to local police, nine months after complaints about officers using riot gear and armored vehicles to confront protesters in Ferguson, Missouri. Before announcing his new policies to counter the “militarization” of local law enforcement, Obama visited Camden police headquarters Monday to commend the way officers have improved their relationship with a poor community struggling with violence. He also stopped briefly in nearby Philadelphia to praise its police and fire officials for their quick response to last week’s deadly Amtrak wreck. Obama is banning the Pentagon and other federal agencies from providing police with certain military-style equipment, such as grenade launchers. Other types of military gear will only be sent to local departments under new, stricter guidelines. The surprise announcement comes after the White House cited public safety issues in suggesting last year that Obama would maintain programs that provide military-style equipment like that used to respond to racially charged demonstrations in Ferguson. But an interagency group found “substantial risk of misusing or overusing” items like tracked armored vehicles, high-powered firearms and camouflage uniforms, and said that could undermine trust in police. With police under increased scrutiny over highly publicized deaths of black suspects nationwide, Obama also is unveiling the final report of a task force he created to help build confidence between police and minority communities. In Camden, Obama visited the police Real-Time Tactical Operational Intelligence Center and watched live video displays of city neighborhoods being monitored by officers. “It’s to address things before they become problems,” Chief John Scott Thomson told the president. Obama also planned to visit a community center to meet with youth and law enforcement before giving a speech on policing. “I’ll highlight steps all cities can take to maintain trust between the brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line, and the communities they’re sworn to serve and protect,” Obama said in his weekly radio address Saturday.
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Paul vows to filibuster to block Patriot Act renewal Steve Peoples Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul vowed on Monday to “everything possible” to block renewal of the terrorismera Patriot Act, but the Republican presidential hopeful conceded it may not be enough. Speaking in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, Paul lashed out at the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of American citizens’ phone records, which many in his own party say are needed to prevent terrorism. “We will do everything possible — including filibustering the Patriot Act to stop them,” Paul said, acknowledging that a filibuster likely wouldn’t be enough to block the program. “They have the votes inside the Beltway. But we have the votes outside the Beltway, and we’ll have that fight.” The Patriot Act, which authorizes the surveillance program, will expire on June 1 unless Congress acts. Government surveillance could play prominently in the GOP presidential primary contest, which is heating up just as Congress debates surveillance programs initiated by President George W. Bush’s administration and continued under President Barack Obama. Supporters of the surveillance law, including presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., say it’s critical to anti-terrorism efforts. Paul and fellow Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, see the law as a privacy infringement. Neither Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker nor former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has yet to take a formal position on the program, although Bush recently praised the Obama administration’s use of big metadata programs that began under Bush’s older brother, former President George W. Bush. Paul has promised to sign an executive order to end such government surveillance programs on his first day in office, should he win the presidency. On Monday, Paul said he also opposes a House bill that would end the government’s bulk collection of phone records and replace it with a system to search the data held by telephone companies on a caseby-case basis. Paul said he feared the bill would transfer too much power to phone companies and could jeopardize a related lawsuit.
Rodolfo Gonzales/Austin American-Statesman via AP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, front center, passes a pen to State Sen. Troy Frasier, R-Horseshoe Bay, left, after signing a fracking bill, into law at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Monday. Abbott has signed into law a prohibition on cities and towns imposing local ordinances preventing fracking and other potentially environmentally harmful oil and natural gas activities.
Legislature discusses open carry, Abbot signs fracking ban into law The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — The restaurant shootout among rival biker gangs in Waco became a last-ditch rallying cry Monday for opponents of a bill that Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is all but certain to soon sign into law: legalizing openly carried handguns in Texas. The shootout that left nine people dead and 18 wounded happened with only two weeks remaining for the Texas Legislature, where Republicans prioritized expanded gun rights from the get-go after Abbott was sworn into office in January. Police chiefs and opponents invoked the chaos in Waco and Wild West imagery to make a final protest to a Senate committee before a bill that would allow Texas gun owners to openly carry handguns begins the final approach to Abbott’s desk. “Officers responded quickly, but open carry would or could have provided more confusion,” Austin Assistant Police Chief Troy Gay said. After an hour of testimony — mostly from members of the gun control group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America — the committee advanced the legislation to the full Senate by a 5-1 vote. Abbott said concerns that open carry may have only exacerbated Sunday’s shootout are off the mark. “The shootout occurred when we don’t have open carry, so obviously the current laws
didn’t stop anything like that,” Abbott said. Texas is one of only six states that don’t allow some form of open carry. Abbott has vowed to get Texas off that list, and could sign a bill doing so before June. For the last five months, open carry opponents have packed the Capitol and testified repeatedly before the Republicancontrolled Legislature about mass shootings elsewhere and the dangers of loosening gun laws further. The Waco shootout, they now say, brought the concerns closer to home. ———
ABBOTT SIGNS STATEWIDE BAN ON LOCAL OIL DRILLING BANS
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a prohibition on cities and towns imposing local ordinances preventing fracking and other potentially environmentally harmful oil and natural gas activities. The much-watched measure sailed through the GOP-controlled Legislature after voters in Denton, a university town near Dallas, banned hydraulic fracturing locally in November. The new law limits not only the Denton ban but other actions communities could take limiting energy industry activities. It was backed by oil and gas concerns. Abbott said Monday he was protecting private property rights from the “heavy hand of local regulation.” He saw no contradiction in new state
regulations superseding local voters’ will, saying he believes “individuals have a much better idea how to run their own lives than do a bunch of government officials.” ———
VAPING BAN FOR MINORS HEADS TO GOVERNOR
The Senate sent a bill banning sale of e-cigarettes to minors to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. The bill also bans possession of the devices in Texas by anyone under 18. E-cigarettes are battery-operated smoking devices that vaporize chemicals for inhalation. The bill also directs state health officials to study c-cigarette use statewide. Supporters pointed to federal studies indicating that children are now trying e-cigarettes more frequently than regular ones. Those opposed suggested the ban was “government overreach.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also is studying e-cigarettes, but doesn’t currently regulate them. ———
HOUSE OKS 3-JUDGE PANELS FOR SOME STATEWIDE CASES The Texas House has preliminarily approved funneling statewide cases, including school finance and redistricting, to special three-judge panels — instead of to the single district judges who currently hear them. The House approved the measure Monday 91-49. It already cleared the Senate, and one more House vote sends it to Gov. Greg Abbott.
Winning Ways hccegalitarian.com
Page 6 - Tuesday, May 19, 2015
The sTudenT Voice of housTon coMMuniTy college since 1974
Left - Dwight Howard dunking the ball in game 5 of the semi-finals series. Right - James Harden driving to the basket getting an and 1 opportunity drawwing the foul from Austin Rivers in game 2 of the semi-finals Bottom Left - A Houston Rockets fanatic showing his support for the home town team in game 7. Bottom Right - Jason Terry setting flight after knocking down a three point shoot in game 5. All images by AP Photographer/David J Phillip
Winning Ways hccegalitarian.com
The sTudenT Voice of housTon coMMuniTy college since 1974
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Page 7
Left - Jason Castro blocking a ball in the dirt in first game vs Giants Right- Jose Altuve sliding into second base breaking up the double play. Bottom Left Astros Ground Crew preparing the field prior to game. Bottom Right George Springer hitting his first Homerun aftercoming off of the DL. All images by John Canamar
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Threeand-out John Cañamar
The Student Voice of Houston Community College Since 1974
Call it a comeback
Rockets Faith in bounce L.A., Goodell, NFL advance to West Finals deflating The National Football League has played all off its fans once again! The NFL made news last week with the announcement that New England quarterback, Tom Brady, would be suspended for four games in the upcoming season for his possible involvement in “Deflategate.” Along with Brady’s suspension, the Patriots would be fined $1 million and would lose draft picks in the 2016 and 2017 drafts (1st round in 2016 and the 4th round in 2017.) The two employees that actually did the deflating were suspended indefinitely. If the NFL truly cared about the good of the game — and not its image and being a current topic for people to talk about when there is no real news from the sport — the NFL offices would have not suspended Brady for four games but banned him from football entirely. If Brady were the mastermind of the whole act and not just the benefactor of the ball being at the preferred air pressure, he should be held at a higher standard than the two men who carried out his plan. Ted Wells’ 243-page report on the Deflategate scandal concludes, “it’s more probable than not,” that Patriots personnel, “participated in a deliberate effort to release air from Patriots game balls after the balls were examined by the referee.” Step back and look at it from a different angle. On Aug. 24, 1989 Major League Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti, announced that Pete Rose — baseball’s all-time hits leader— see
Three-and-Out, Page 9
John Cañamar The Egalitarian
The Houston Rockets will face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Game One is tonight in Oakland, Calif. After a tough — and at times unlikely to win — series against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Houston Rockets come out with the series win that went the distance. Everyone knows how the series went with Houston coming out of the gate sluggish in game one and the Clippers taking advantage of the situation and winning the first game. Then in game two, the Clippers allowed the Rockets back into the series by not stepping on their throats and take both games in Houston with the following two games in L.A. When games three and four were played out, it seemed as if the Rockets had no idea nor reason to even be in the second round of the playoffs in which
David J. Phillip/AP Photo Houston Rockets’ James Harden celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 113-100 in Game 7 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals Sunday in Houston. the Clippers ran the Rockets out of the gym. In game five, the Rockets came to life and showed some heart by creating a blowout of their own and taking the game and the series back to L.A. Game six was one that had most Rockets fans turning off their TV’s and calling it a night in the 3rd quarter. Out of nowhere,
with 15 minutes left in the season the Rockets bench players refused to die and lifted the team to an unbelievable comeback victory and forcing a game seven. For game seven, both teams came out fighting and full of energy. They were ready to punch their tickets to the conference finals. The Rockets won the trip and scored off of their opening
possession and never looked back going wire to wire with the lead. For the majority of the game, the Rockets lead with ease, although the Clippers did not go without a fight. The series was one of the most interesting in the playoffs
see
Rockets Advance, Page 9
Extreme athlete dies in BASE jumping accident Daisy Nguyen Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Extreme athlete Dean Potter, renowned for his daring and sometimes rogue climbs and BASE jumps, was one of two men killed while attempting a wingsuit flight in Yosemite National Park, a park spokesman said Sunday. Someone called for help late Saturday after losing contact with Potter, 43, and his climbing partner, Graham Hunt, 29. They had jumped from a 7,500-foot promontory called Taft Point, park ranger Scott Gediman said. He said a search-and-rescue team looked for the men overnight but couldn’t find
them. On Sunday morning, a helicopter crew spotted their bodies in Yosemite Valley. The men wore wingsuits — skin-tight suits with batwing sleeves and a flap between their legs — to help them glide. However, parachutes designed to slow their descent had not been deployed, Gediman said. BASE stands for buildings, antennas, spans (such as bridges), and Earth (such as cliffs and mountaintops) that jumpers can parachute from. The sport is illegal in all national parks, and it was possible the men jumped at dusk or at night to avoid being caught by park rangers. Potter and Hunt, who lived near Yosemite, were prominent figures in the park’s climbing community, Gediman said.
“This is a horrible incident, and our deepest sympathies go out to their friends and family,” Gediman said. “This is a huge loss for all of us.” Potter is famous for pushing the boundaries of climbing by going up some of the world’s most daunting big walls and cliffs alone, using his bare hands and without ropes. He took the sport to an extreme level with highlining — walking across a rope suspended between towering rock formations while wearing a parachute for safety in the event of a fall. He drew criticism in May 2006 after he made a “free solo” climb of Utah’s iconic see
Athlete Death, Page 9
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Astros continue racking up wins John Cañamar The Egalitarian
The Houston Astros on a five game winning streak. In the past 10 games, the Astros have continued their winning ways with a record of 6-4. The local nine faced the Angels for a four-game series in which they managed to get a split winning two of the four games. The Astros’ bats were for the most part dormant during the series in which they only scored 10 runs, while the pitching staff allowed 12 with five in one game. After the short road trip to LA, the San Francisco Giants came to Minute Maid Park for a rare two game series. The Giants took the game by a tally of 8-1 in a game that had very little suspense. In game two versus the Giants, however, was filled with action from both teams. This game was filled with long balls from both teams including one by San Francisco’s Buster Posey who hit one onto the tracks and could have flown out of the stadium if it was not for the roof being closed. George Springer made his return in this game after a one-week appearance
on the DL. Springer sprung the Astros to victory with his two run home run in the bottom of the 8th inning. The Toronto Blue Jays visited for a four game series, which saw the Astros, sweep the Blue Jays in impressive fashion. The lineup for the Astros pounded out 24 runs in the four games with only 36 innings at the bat. Although the bats are starting to wake up after a slow start to the season they have a lot of ground to cover to become respectable. The Astros batters have a collective batting average of only .229 — the worst in all of the American League along with 289 hits only better than the Angels. They however, lead all of MLB with 57 Home Runs. This can become a problem in the future if the Astros do not begin to string along hits and are waiting for the long ball to create runs. For now the club is sitting at the top of the AL West with a 5.5 game lead despite the lack of consistent hitting, this due to the outstanding pitching that they have had. The Houston arms have a 4h best ERA of 3.46 and a league best WHIP (walk and hits allowed per inning) of 1.12. They
Rockets Advance, From Page 8 thus far, even though all of the final scores were of double digits margin with the exception of game two. Coming into the conference finals, the Rockets find themselves with little rest yet a full head of steam and huge confidence after coming back from a 3-1 series record. The Warriors have been sitting around waiting for the Rockets for just over a week and will be well rested going into this series that will determine who will represent the west in the NBA Finals. During the regular season the Warriors beat the Rockets in all four of their head-to-head meetings all by double digits. Rockets fans are counting on history repeating itself. Most fans have forgotten that the last time the runnerup for the MVP, Hakeem Olajuwon, faced the MVP, David Robinson, in the Western Conference Finals. Olajuwon showed the voters where they went wrong on their ballots.
Three-And-Out, From Page 8 Pat Sullivan/AP Photo Houston Astros’ Luis Valbuena (18) points to the stands as he crosses home plate to score on a solo homerun beside Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday in Houston. also have a batting average of .234 against them, which is the fourth best in the league. The Astros will host three
against division rival Oakland before starting a road trip against the Central Division Detroit Tigers for four games.
Athlete Death, From Page 8 Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. Though the climb was not illegal, outdoor clothing company Patagonia dropped its sponsorship of him, saying his actions “compromised access to wild places and generated an inordinate amount of negativity in the climbing community and beyond.” Potter defended his ascent, saying his intention was to inspire people to “get out of their cars and experience the wild with all their senses.” Last year, Clif Bar withdrew its sponsorship of Potter and four other top climbers, saying they took risks that made the company too uncomfortable to continue financial support. In more recent years, he combined his love of climbing and flying with BASE jumping. He also produced a film that chronicled his adventures BASE jumping with his beloved dog, Whisper.
In 2009, he set a record for completing the longest BASE jump from the Eiger North Face in Switzerland by staying in flight in a wingsuit for 2 minutes and 50 seconds. The feat earned him the Adventurer of the Year title by National Geographic magazine. A photographer who documented that jump, and has known Potter for more than 15 years said Potter stood out from other climbers not only for his skills but his boldness. “BASE jumping is the most dangerous thing you can do,” Corey Rich said. “The odds are not in your favor, and sadly Dean pulled the unlucky card.” Potter indicated in his writings that he knew the inherent danger of his sport. Last year, his friend and climbing partner Sean “Stanley” Leary died during a BASE jump in a wingsuit in Zion National Park in Utah.
Potter was among a group of people who recovered Leary’s body. “Though sometimes I have felt like I’m above it all and away from any harm, I want people to realize how powerful climbing, extreme sports or any other deathconsequence pursuits are,” he wrote in an October 2014 blog posted on his website. “There is nothing fake about it whether you see it in real life, on YouTube or in a glamorous commercial.” Gediman estimates that about five BASE jumping deaths have occurred in Yosemite. He said he himself watched a BASE jumper leap to her death in 1999 when her borrowed chute failed to open. The woman was participating in a protest against the National Park Service’s ban on BASE jumping.
was banned for life for gambling on baseball. Rose did not gamble in any game that he played in and has still been held out of all MLB functions with only two or three exceptions in the pass 26 years. This ban includes not allowing Rose his well-deserved place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. If MLB can ban their all-time hit king from all of baseball for an act that he committed outside of his playing career, why would the NFL just suspend one of the greatest — not the greatest — quarterbacks for only four games for an act that was committed during not just any game, but a playoff game? To me, this is just another black eye on the NFL this year. At this point the NFL has more black eyes that both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao had combined in their fight last month. Commissioner Roger Goodell has not carried out his responsibilities as the head of the NFL and should be replaced by someone who would carry out what is best for the sport not the owners’ pocketbooks.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Page 10
The Student Voice of Houston Community College Since 1974
‘Hot Pursuit’ filled with laughs
Pixar returns to Cannes festival Jake Coyle
AP Film Writer
Erik Calderon The Egalitarian
Not sure which movie to watch, I quickly looked online to see what’s showing. “Maggie,” “Hot Pursuit,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ... I want to see all three. Closest theater is showing Hot Pursuit at 7:30 p.m. — easy choice with such limited time. Hot Pursuit is a film about a police officer, Rose Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) that takes into custody the wife of an informant in order to make sure she makes it to Dallas safely to testify. The film starts off introducing us to Rose, and does a wonderful job of it. I get to know Rose. I know who she is and the specific flaws of her character. I feel sympathy for her and she can make me laugh. I also get to know Daniella Riva (Sofia Vergara), the wife of informant Felipe Riva (Vincent Laresca). She is one tall, hot babe with some serious character flaws. Together, Rose and Daniella crack me up with their unconventional dialog and relationship. There are some interesting surprises
Sam Emerson/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Reese Witherspoon, left, and Sofia Vergara appear in a scene from “Hot Pursuit.” (Sam Emerson/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) throughout the film that you’ll be able to figure out just a little bit before Cooper finds out. The film is well done and very appropriate to Hollywood standards. The action sequences are well choreographed, the punch lines, delivered with great timing and the cinematography is perfectly composed. The only issue I have will the film is the acting. It was a bit overdone; could that be the intention for this comedy? It does pull me out of the movie experience at times, but then in a slapstick kind of way it works. I don’t think this film is for everyone. If you’re not in the mood for a comedy: don’t
watch it, it will have the reverse effect of making you laugh. The opening scene hooks you into the rest of the film with a standard 10-15 minute introduction into the story and who Rose is and who the major players of the story are. The opening scene was really, really funny and the punch of the joke was delivered so well —definitely a guy joke if you ask me. You’ll definitely have to see the film for yourself. Make sure you catch it soon, and if you miss the theater run, you can always rent it on DVD.
Historic club becomes meeting place for King’s fans Adrian Sainz
Associated Press INDIANOLA, Miss. — Club Ebony was once a hopping juke joint, a place where blues masters B.B. King, Little Milton and Howlin’ Wolf performed for residents of this humble farming community looking to spice up their Saturday nights with dinner, dancing and maybe some drinks. On Friday night, the historic club in Indianola became a meeting place for friends and fans of King who talked about his influential music, his friendly personality and his effect on the town where he used to live and returned every year to perform as their own personal guitar hero.
King died Thursday in Las Vegas at age 89. Fans in Indianola and around the world have been mourning since they heard the news. Annise Strong James, 67, used to get into the club as an underage teenager, and was able to see Bobby “Blue” Bland and Little Milton perform. The club was something of a town hall, a locale where folks would gather at football games to eat burgers and fish plates, where the fun would extend until early in the morning. James’ brother would drive around in a van, picking up residents and driving them to the club, she said. “It would get packed. We had a ball,” said James, who enjoyed a beverage with a friend as others
sat around tables and chatted with King’s music playing in the background Friday night. “This was a spot for us to enjoy life.” James said one of the thrills of her life was meeting King at a one of his homecoming shows in 1978. “You would not believe his voice was from Mississippi,” she said. “It was so elegant.” King bought Club Ebony in 2008, after its previous owner Mary Shepard retired. He later donated the roughly 70-year-old building to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. According to the Mississippi Blues Trail historical marker outside the green wooden building, Club Ebony was built just after the end of World War II by entrepreneur Johnny Jones,
opening for business in 1948. In a memoir, Jones wrote “there were no other clubs for Negroes in Indianola at the time.” It was part of the “chitlin’ circuit,” a collection of juke joints and clubs where blacks could forget their hardscrabble existence and enjoy themselves in the racially divided South. Under Jones and other owners, including a white bootlegger named James B. “Jimmy” Lee, the club’s early performers included Ray Charles, Count Basie, Albert King and Willie Clayton. Ruby Edwards took over the club in the 1950s. When King came from Memphis to play Club Ebony in 1955, he met Edwards’ daughter, Sue Carol Hall. King and Hall were married in 1958.
CANNES, France — After a two-year hiatus, Pixar has made a sensational return to the Cannes Film Festival with “Inside Out,” the kind of fresh take on animation that the studio built itself on. “Inside Out” premiered Monday at Cannes and was among the most enthusiastically received films of the festival. Because Pixar delayed its planned 2014 release, “Good Dinosaur,” it was the Disney studio’s first new film since 2013’s “Monsters University” and first non-sequel since 2012’s “Brave.” “Inside Out” is a Pixar-styled “Inception” where the story unfolds both in reality and in the mind. It partly take place inside the head of an 11-year-old girl, where voices like Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith) and Anger (Lewis Black) compete for the girl’s emotions and memories. The high concept is sometimes rather abstract, but nevertheless packs an emotional wallop that left many teary-eyed. The story is by Pete Docter, who also co-directs, and it contains some of the tenderness of his 2009 Pixar release “Up.” The Hollywood Reporter said it “ingeniously personifies the furiously erupting sensations associated with the onset of adolescence as a bunch of emotionally competitive cartoon characters.” Variety wrote that although “Inside Out” sounds like “another lunatic gamble,” it proves to be “the greatest idea the toon studio has ever had.” Such a strong response was much needed for Pixar. Although the animation studio had an unparalleled run of critical and box-office successes with the “Toy Story” films, “Wall-E,” ‘’Up” and “Ratatouille,” doubt in Pixar’s ability to sustain its nearly unblemished record began to creep in after the less well-reviewed “Brave” and the studio’s increasing output of sequels.
Commentary hccegalitarian.com
The Student Voice of Houston Community College Since 1974
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Page 11
‘Campus carry’ not the problem Egal•i•tar•i•an (adjective) aiming for equal wealth, status, etc., for all people
3517 Austin; 303 Fine Arts Center; Houston TX 77004 Phone: 713.718.6016; Fax: 713.718.6601 Adviser: Fredrick Batiste
SPRING 2015 EGALITARIAN STAFF Editor-in-Chief.................................................Alyssa Foley Managing Editor..........................................................TBA News Editor................................................. Jimmieka Mills Sports Editor............................................... John Cañamar A&E Editor...................................................................TBA Commentary Editor......................................................TBA Photo Editor................................................. Gilbert Bernal Social Media Mgr............................................ Cierra Foley Staff Writer.......................................... Christopher Joseph Staff Writer...................................Chutiya Metheesupapak Staff Writer...................................................... Maria Smith ———
The Egalitarian has been the official student newspaper of the Houston Community College System since September 1974. The Egalitarian is published bi-monthly, every other Wednesday except during holiday breaks. Print circulation is 8,000 copies per issue and distributed to selected HCC campuses in the Houston, Spring Branch, Alief, Katy, North Forest and Fort Bend areas. Comments and contributions are always welcome. Deadlines for contributions and advertisements are one week before the issue print date. The Egalitarian is written and edited by students of Houston Community College. This publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, interests, attitudes and tastes of the Board of Trustees, HCC administration, faculty, staff or students. Opinions and editorial content of The Egalitarian that are unsigned do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Egalitarian staff or adviser. The Egalitarian reserves the right to edit any submitted material for grammatical errors, offensive language, libelous materials and space constraints. It may also refuse any advertising that does not adhere to the HCC mission.
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The Egalitarian staff consists of HCC students who must complete all tasks required to produce the newspaper, which serves all campuses of the HCC System. We want all students from all majors to contribute. However, we must follow our submissions policy in order to operate under our limitations of time, energy and staff. All staff and contributing writers must be currently enrolled students at Houston Community College. The Egalitarian interacts with contributing writers via e-mail and telephone. Visiting The Egalitarian will not help contributors get published, only quality work will. Publication priority is given to staff members and assigned articles, and verbal commitments for assignments will not be accepted or recognized. Press releases, story ideas, news tips and suggestions are always welcomed. Any student interested in joining The Egalitarian staff may request more detailed information regarding story length, topics, style, etc., by e-mailing The Egalitarian Faculty Adviser Fredrick Batiste at adviser@hccegalitarian.com.
On every campus across the state of Texas there are professors, administrators and students who have been watching the status of House Bill 937, or the “campus carry” bill. For some, it means the ability to legally and efficiently defend their person at a place they spend a great deal of their time. To others, it may mean safety even if they choose to not to carry themselves. Still, others feel it means that they now work or study in a more dangerous environment. Regardless of your personal beliefs on guns — and in spite of all of the hyperbole and media hype — we need to remember that this bill does not legalize hotheaded 18-year-olds carrying guns into school. It does not legalize brandishing weapons of any sort. It does not do anything other than allow Concealed Handgun License holders to carry their firearm concealed like they do every other place that we feel perfectly safe. Until now, these guns have simply been locked in vehicles, left at home, or illegally carried on campus anyway. The only people that would be able to carry a firearm are at least 21-yearsold, have passed background checks, waited months and made a conscious decision to carry a firearm for their protection. The Texas Department of Public Safety’s annual CHL Conviction Rates Reports shows that these are some of the most
Thomas Hopkins law abiding people in the state. Out of the over 50,000 criminal convictions reported in Texas in 2013, only 158 were committed by CHL Holders. CHL Holders only have a 0.3106 percent conviction rate. Fortunately, whether this bill passes or fails, there is nothing to be afraid of. In the midst of the most recent demands for new gun control measures, President Obama’s administration directed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a research plan to study all aspects of gun violence. The panel created a study and presented its plan ‘Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence’. This report concluded that almost every index of crime and gun crime have been improving for years, that defensive uses of guns are commonplace, that the mass shootings we’re all afraid of are statistically insignificant and are not more commonplace, they dismissed the notion that victims being armed made situations
worse and they found that 61 percent of gun deaths are suicides. Most notably, the report could not conclude whether or not there was any correlation between gun violence and gun control measures instead stating that more research is required in this area before a position could be assumed. The murder rate in the U.S. in 2013 — the last year that the FBI has complete data available in its Uniform Crime Report — was 4.5 per 100,000 people. The last time it was even close to being that low was 4.6 per 100,000 in 1962 and 1963. The murder rate is literally half of what it was through the 1980s and first half of the 1990s. So instead of getting upset about things that have proven time and time again to not impact our safety negatively, let’s keep working towards addressing the things that have been proven to cause not only violence, but are at the root of so many other problems we face such as mental health, poverty and education. We can start by caring about our own education, our own jobs and the jobs available in our communities, encouraging friends who need a little help to seek out that help. But as someone who cares passionately about so many other more pressing issues, I feel safe saying that discouraging or criminalizing freedom, is the surest way to drive us apart at a time when the community is more important than ever.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Page 12
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The Student Voice of Houston Community College Since 1974
EGALITARIAN
Student Voice of Houston Community College Since 1974
We’re looking for a few good people to #JoinOurTeam Are you a writer with flair? Are you a master of social media? Are you a photographer with an eye for detail? Are you an artist with a creative streak wider than Southwest Freeway? If any of the above sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you! Contact us at 713.718.6016 or e-mail adviser@hccegalitarian.com ... and BTW, follow us on Twitter @HCC_Egalitarian ... Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/HCCEgalitarian