The October 3, 2018 issue of The Egalitarian

Community

East End’s murals • Page 4

News

Cosby sentenced • Page 5

Sports

Ronaldo accused of rape • Page 10

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 • Vol. 47, No. 2 • HCCEgalitarian.com

Latino pride through art

See Page 4

Houston Community College Clery Report findings Ana Gonzalez

agonzalez@hccegalitarian.com

Every year, Houston Community College releases a new Clery report that contains crime information for all fifteen campuses. This report informs students, both current and prospective, of any crime happenings over the past three years.

In the 74-page report, it explains what crimes have been committed over the past year, as well as where did it occur. Incidents such as burglary, theft, domestic violence, and disorderly conduct are reported.

Clery reports are mandated by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and

Campus Crime Statistics Act, or simply known as the Clery Act. This was a law signed after a 19-year-old Lehigh University student of the same name who was raped and murdered in her campus hall of residence in 1986. Clery’s parents claimed that the university did not share vital information on crime statistics, which would have changed the course of their daughter’s decision to attend the school.

Thus, after numerous controversies, the Clery Act was signed into law in 1990. This mandates all colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to release crime data and statis-

tics to all students and faculty, making them aware of their surroundings.

If you need to report something, call Houston Community College Police Department at (713) 718-8888 or dial 911 if it’s an emergency.

Central Campus - Midtown The crime report at the Midtown Campus has two on-campus robberies and one public property (off-campus) robbery in This is an increase of only one robbery back in ’15-16. Only one fondling report was verified in that same year as well. Statutory rape reports went down to zero in ’17-18, compared to a shocking four reports in ’16-17.

Motor vehicle thefts have

gone down as well, compared to two thefts in ‘16-17.

Domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking reports have gone up in the past year.

Domestic violence crimes reached three in ‘17-18, while dating violence had five in the past two years.

Arrests were down last year compared to the past two years.

Central Campus – South South Campus reported minimal crime in the past two years.

All crime has gone down by one compared to ’15-16 Central Campus – Administration (3100 Main) The System building on 3100 Main has seen a couple car thefts between ’15-18. It is

The official student newspaper of the Houston Community College System

advised to lock your car when leaving.

Coleman Campus – Health Science Center & McGovern One arrest has been made for drug abuse at the Health Science Building in 2017.

Northwest Campus – Spring Branch Spring Branch Campus has seen recent reports of unattended fondling cases as well as car thefts in the past year. Burglaries went down, compared to ’15-16 when the campus only had three. Violence reports are still steady between ’15-17.

Northwest Campus – Katy The years ’15-16 has seen a

see Clery, Page 3

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CAmPus

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Thursday (October 4)

Friday (October 5)

Saturday (October 6)

Sunday (October 7)

76/89 Scattered Thunderstorms

75/86 Scattered Thunderstorms

75/86 Isolated Thunderstorms

76/84 Scattered Thunderstorms

4-Day Weather Outlook

HCC Commit to Complete event Ana Gonzalez

agonzalez@hccegalitarian.com

Houston Community College is hosting its very first Commit to Complete event, a weeklong event that the college has set aside to promote one mission: student success and completion. All week long, all eleven schools will host a celebration of students’ goals, and success.

The event also encourages current students to be “committed” to obtain a degree or certificate from Houston Community College, from getting advice from former students who had already graduated, to advisors who are ready to help out with students’ goals.

It is the school’s way of providing awareness and importance of a higher education degree or certificate.

Students can sign the #CommitToComplete banner and sign a pledge that solidifies their commitment to Houston Community College. Afterwards, students were able to try on a cap and gown, which signifies their completion and encourages students to “keep going”.

When students signed the pledge, they promised to see an advisor twice a year, get good grades, meet a tutor in case they find difficulty in a subject in class, among other agreements that students commit.

Former Military Veteran “Bill” is now an HCC student after completing his service at the Army Reserve. He is going

for his Manufacturing Engineering degree, as well as a certificate in the Business Management. Bill only needed one semester to complete his manufacturing engineering degree, but he does plan to stay a little longer to complete another degree.

“My plan is to transfer to Texas State University [in San Marcos], to complete my bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology,” he says, “I am thinking of switching it over to complete my Associate degree in Business Administration and Management, so I can have an ‘in’ for any management positions at the manufacturing engineering field.”

Bill already has 14 years of experience in the manufacturing field, but his #commit2complete is to advance to a better position in the field, especially since leaving the Army Reserve. He has already held at least 9 occupations during his time.

According to HCC’s website, students who complete their associate degree: • Have a higher chance of finding a job in their respective field, • Have a better chance of getting accepted into a 4-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher, • Have values of an employee that future employers want: the ability to succeed.

• Are more likely to volunteer more in the community Furthermore, student parents who

Ana Gonzalez, The Egalitarian First-year student Kyle Ramaeos posing for a picture with a cap and gown provided by HCC officials during the #CommitToComplete event at Central Campus. He is majoring in Liberal Arts.

obtain an associate degree serves as a role model to their children and other family members.

If you are ready to make that commitment to your education, Completion Week will last until this Thursday at the following campuses: Alief Hayes Campus: Wednesday, 4 – 6 p.m. and Thursday, 4 – 6 p.m.

Katy Campus: Wednesday, 4 – 6 p.m. and Thursday, 4 – 6 p.m.

Spring Branch Campus: Wednesday, 4 – 6 p.m. and Thursday, 4 – 6 p.m.

South Campus: Thursday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Northeast Campus: Wednesday and

Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Northline Campus: Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Coleman Campus: Wednesday, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Thursday, 3-6 p.m.

Eastside Campus: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Missouri City Campus: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Stafford Campus: Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m.

West Loop Campus: Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m.

HCC POLICE BLOTTER (Incidents complied from HCC Crime Log available at http://bit.ly/2mhVOjj Offense: Theft Reported on: 9/27/2018 at 1:50pm Incident occurred on: 9/25/2018 at 3:45pm Location: Hayes Road Campus Building: 2811 Hayes Road Description: Student’s unattended backpack and cell phone were stolen.

Disposition: Open Offense: Aggravated Assault Reported on: 9/26/2018 at 10:45am Incident occurred on: 9/26/2018 at 10:45am Location: Automotive Campus Building: 4638 Airline Description: Adult non-student was arrested and charged after stabbing another adult non-student in the parking lot.

Disposition: Closed Offense: Assault Reported on: 9/24/2018 at 10:50am Incident occurred on: 9/24/2018 at 9:20am Location: West Loop Campus Building: 5601 West Loop South Description: Unidentified suspect grabbed a student’s thighs as

she walked up a flight of stairs.

Suspect was a slim black male, wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts.

Disposition: Open Offense: Assault Reported on: 9/24/2018 at 2:45pm Incident occurred on: 9/24/2018 at 1:00pm Location: Central - Midtown Campus Building: Fine Arts Center Description: Unidentified black male, black frame glasses, braids, 20-25 years of age, attempted to hug a student Disposition: Open Offense: Assault Reported on: 9/21/2018 at 11:55am Incident occurred on: 9/21/2018 at 11:50am Location: Northeast Campus Building: Roland Smith Truck Driving Description: Instructor was issued a citation for threatening his student.

Disposition: Closed Offense: Theft

Reported on: 9/20/2018 at 3:55pm Incident occurred on: 9/20/2018 at 2:40pm-3:20pm Location: West Loop Campus Building: 5601 West Loop South Description: Student’s unattended cell phone was stolen from a classroom.

Disposition: Open Offense: Robbery Reported on: 9/20/2018 at 4:55pm Incident occurred on: 9/20/2018 at 4:50pm Location: Central - Midtown Campus Building: Central Midtown Campus Area - Off Campus Description: Student was robbed by an unidentified suspect near the intersection of Austin and Alabama. Suspect was a black male, wearing a black t-shirt and peach colored pants.

Disposition: Open Offense: Criminal Trespass Reported on: 9/19/2018 at 1:20pm Incident occurred on: 9/19/2018 at 1:20pm Location: Administration Com-

plex Building: 3100 Main Description: Homeless adult male was diverted to a mental health program after causing a disturbance at Neo’s.

Disposition: Closed Offense: Assault Reported on: 9/19/2018 at 6:00pm Incident occurred on: 9/19/2018 at 4:00pm Location: Spring Branch Campus Building: Performing Arts Center Description: Student was issued a citation for inappropriately touching an employee’s breast during an escort.

Disposition: Closed Offense: Assault Reported on: 9/19/2018 at 12:10pm Incident occurred on: 9/19/2018 at 11:00am Location: West Loop Campus Building: 5601 West Loop South Description: Student reported an unidentified male suspect groped her breast as their paths crossed in the Disposition: Open

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Clery, From Page 1 still steady. It is highly advised to lock your cars when you are parking on campus. Also, be aware of your surroundings as there has been one report of stalking on campus.

Northwest Campus – Alief Hayes Burglaries at the West Houston Institute spiked in ’16-17. It is also advised to be aware of your surroundings in this area as well, stalking reports are still steady in the past two years.

Northwest Campus – Alief Bissonnet There has been one car theft in the recent year. For this smaller campus, it has been relatively quiet.

Southwest Campus – Stafford Robberies went up by one in ’17-18 at the Stafford campus on Cash Road. Dating violence crimes and stalking crimes

went up as well by two. Always be careful when walking around campus and be aware around you.

Southwest Campus – Missouri City & Brays Oaks Both campuses have not seen any crime within the past two years.

Southwest Campus – West Loop Burglaries and car thefts have spiked a bit at the West Loop Center. Always keep your belongings safe and sound while attending class. There has also been a report of drug abuse during ’16-18 Southwest Campus – Gulfton Gulfton Center has been relatively quiet, except for one report of dating-related violence on campus.

Northeast Campus – Northeast The Public Safety Center of Excellence has become a hotspot for burglaries within the past three years, a total of six. That number has been

steady ever since.

Northeast Campus – Pinemont Burglaries have gone down at the Pinemont Center; however, car thefts have gone up by one within the past year. Domestic violence cases and stalking cases have also gone up by one.

Northeast Campus – Northline Crime statistics at Northline are all over the place, ranging from robbery to aggravated assault. The campus is also a good hotspot for car thefts, which totaled up to 15 in the past three years.

Robberies also went up to 4.

There have also been arrests on campus due to drug abuse.

Northeast Campus – Automotive Center In the Automotive Center of Excellence near the Northline Campus, crime has gone down since ’15-16.

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Only one report of burglary and one report of car theft.

Northeast Campus – North Forest Robberies and burglaries have spiked within the past year at the North Forest Campus. Four burglaries have been reported in ‘16-17 alone, up from two in ’15-16.

Northeast Campus – Acres Homes One burglary has been reported in ’16-17.

Southeast Campus – Eastside Be careful if you go to class at the Eastside campus. There has been one crime report of rape within the past year. There has also been one report of aggravated assault on campus as well.

Car thefts have been on the rise.

Southeast Campus – Fraga Burglary reports have been steady with only one case per year within the past three years.

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Houston’s East End Sarah Al-Shaikh

sal-shaikh@hccegalitarian.com

S

omewhere in East End Houston a local artist, paintbrush or spray can in hand, is creating a beautiful piece of art on the side of a building, bus stop, or fence.

One of those local artists, Angel Quesada, recently created a mural manifesting East End’s Hispanic Houston spirit. Quesada, an East End resident, is a regular artist for the neighborhood and his paintings can be found all across East End; from the taqueria to in front of Dona Maria’s Mexican Cafe.

His most recent artwork was finished this past summer. Owners of Morales Funeral Home and Morales Radio Hall, Christina and Joe Morales, sought out Quesada as the artist to create a visual portrayal of their contribution to the East End. Their contribution is far from small with their 87-year family businesses that gave voice to the spirited Chicano population in the East End. They wish to commemorate their impactful businesses along with the connected culture of the East End, they were influential in advancing. Quesada was an ideal artist for this artistic endeavor with his Mexican-American border town background and his passion for creating art that provokes emotion and thought.

Quesada created distinct yet connected murals for the Morales. The main mural was one of the tree of life (Arbol

de Vida) which incorporated themes like death, pride, social class, gentrification, growth juxtaposed with devastation, and Chicano culture in Houston. Along with this “Muertos Mural” on Ennis street, his latest work on Navigation Boulevard, “Segundo Barrio” takes the form of a “papel picado” style to proclaim the neighborhood’s Hispanic history. Both his artworks are now landmarks in the East End that provoke feelings of belonging, and pride.

East End’s Hispanic heritage is rich and deeply embedded, dating back to the 1920s when social turmoil in Mexico, along with a high labor-hungry economy in East Houston attracted Mexican immigrants. These new residents were welcomed into the East End, and with new residents came expansion and construction of East End neighborhoods. Our East End today was truly built by these immigrants. East End neighborhoods like Magnolia Park, Idylwood, and Eastwood are all neighborhoods with rich immigrant history. East End’s industrialized work opportunities like construction and manufacturing, encouraged the growth of a bustling business district with corner stores, restaurants, bakeries, and shopping areas.

East Houston was not primarily Hispanic and was actually a home to a variety of cultures. This area became a center for immigration from southern states. African Americans from Louisiana came for

Angel Quesada twitter feed “Segundo Barrio” exclaims the neighborhood’s history and engenders pride and a sense of place. This mural can be viewed off of Navigation in East End. jobs, and up until the 1950’s the East End maintained an extremely multicultural environment with whites, Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans scattered throughout the area. The East End stands out from other parts of Houston, because of its high level of local diversity. Gradually over time Asians, and whites slowly migrated to other parts of Houston; which eventually lead to the East End being populated by predominately Hispanics and African Americans.

This shifting of cultures led to a shifting of cultural identity for East End. Today East End is known for its predominate-

ly Hispanic heritage and is reflected through family businesses like the Morales’ and Quesada’s artwork.

Culture, education, and advocacy are embedded in the East End. At a time where gentrification is spreading like wildfire, East End’s cultural history is not lost and is instead preserved and celebrated.

Specifically, the East End has maintained a strong Hispanic cultural identity. East End is famous for its boundless collection of murals and urban art. Local artists use their artistic skills to express various themes extending from cultural traditions to po-

litical observations. Nothing is off limits for these artists like Quesada; from creating art on bus stops, fences, or community centers, anything can be turned into art in East End. According to the United States Census Bureau, 44.3% of Houston population is Hispanic. It is no doubt there are several areas of Houston that represent Hispanic culture, but there is none truly like East End. If you are looking for an authentic piece of Hispanic culture go to no other than East End, where you can take in the beautiful murals while snacking on some elote and tacos from a local taqueria.

Houston students made gains, despite Hurricane Harvey Sally Ho

Associated Press

In the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Principal Jonathan Trinh feared the worst for his Houston high school.

He took in a hundred new pupils displaced by the storm, his students’ overwhelmingly low-income families were struggling with lost jobs and other distractions, and Trinh worried this would be the year that test scores sank enough to make his Wisdom High School a target for state intervention.

But when the scores came out recently, there was only celebration. Wisdom and other Houston schools with some of the largest populations of at-risk students defied expectations and showed improvement in state scores — a feat attributed to perseverance in the face of adversity, and changes to the state accountability ratings that put more emphasis on progress.

Trinh gives credit to the resilience of the school community. He has lived in Houston since arriving as a Vietnamese refugee in 1978, and his immigrant background is a bond he shares with the large majority of the school’s students.

“Our teachers, our students — somehow they made it work,” Trinh said.

“A lot of us endure so much.”

Lorena Alaniz, an 18-year-old senior at Wisdom, maintained a 3.5 GPA despite having to work part-time to help her family rebuild their flooded home.

“Some days I would wake up in the morning and tell myself, ‘I want to drop out. I want to just leave. But I can’t,’” Alaniz said as she sat in her school’s cafeteria. “I know I can and I have to keep going for myself, for my family. So I chose not to

give up.”

As the Carolinas are now experiencing in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, the storm that hit Houston was hugely disruptive for schools. The Category 4 hurricane that hit in August 2017 caused an estimated $125 billion in damage and closed Houston-area schools for weeks on end. About 10 percent of students in Houston schools were displaced by the storm, state records show.

In the Carolinas, where schools were closed for tens of thousands of students, officials are still assessing damage from the storm that made landfall on Sept. 14.

Among other measures to help districts deal with the storm’s effects North Carolina officials have been looking into waivers to exempt schools from state calendar requirements.

For Houston school leaders, there was extra motivation in the decision by Texas officials not to excuse all schools in the Houston Independent School District from state testing ramifications.

A third of the district’s 281 campuses, including Wisdom, were not eligible for a state waiver, which was determined by the number of teachers and students displaced, school closure days or physical damage to the buildings. They were on the hook for their academic performance despite plenty of their own storm-related disruptions.

Some schools had not met state standards in so long that another failing grade could have triggered a forced takeover of the school campus or district board but, in the end, none of the schools in the greatest peril needed the waiver.

Four schools that began the school year under threat of state take-over all managed

to pass state tests for the first time in years.

At Worthing High School, one of the four at-risk schools, Principal Khalilah Campbell helped find new housing for multiple struggling families after they lost subsidized housing. Three-fourths of the historically black school’s students came from low-income families and less than half were meeting state achievement standards.

Campbell said she stayed focused by tapping every available resource. And ultimately, the number of students who met state standards in algebra doubled.

They also made gains in English and history.

“It was like ‘OK, it’s time to fight,’ and you have to fight really, really hard because the kids deserve it,” Campbell said.

A key factor in the ability of schools like Wisdom to meet state standards was a new state accountability ratings system that emphasized progress over perfection.

It benefited many lower-performing schools, and particularly the scores of students learning English.

Statewide, just 1 percent of the state’s 1,200 school districts were noted as needing improvement, compared to 3.5 percent the previous year. In Houston, one of the country’s largest and most diverse school systems, the number of schools that landed on the state’s list of schools needing improvement dropped from 27 to 22.

Lauren Callahan, spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, said growth was previously a factor but weighted differently. The new accountability system allows either test scores or the amount of growth attained to define ultimately how the school is rated.

HISD Stock Photo

“The hard work that Texas educators are doing in the classrooms is reflected in the system,” Callahan said.

All states have in recent years revamped their school accountability systems and were required to submit their new plans to the U.S. Department of Education for approval under the Obama administration’s “Every Student Succeeds Act” from 2015.

For Alaniz, school became a refuge after Harvey. Her family remains temporarily separated as her older siblings had to move out because there wasn’t enough room in their half-repaired home. Her mother had to get two jobs to support the family and mother and daughter now rarely see each other with busy school and work schedules.

“I’m not happy that the storm happened but it actually made me grow more as a person,” said Alaniz, who hopes to one day become a forensic anthropologist and an English teacher. “I’m happy I’m graduating.”

5 Cosbey senteced to 3 - 10 years in prison News

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Sarah Al-Shaikh

sal-shaikh@hccegalitarian.com

Bill Cosby, renowned American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, author, and now convicted sex offender, has been in jail for a little over a week since his 3 to 10-year sentencing Monday, September 24th, 2018.

Cosby is serving time in Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institute at Phoenix, a prison about 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia. He will be just one of the many inmates residing in this practically brand new, maximum-security facility. This sentencing was a long time coming and gained some praise and some disapproval.

Before more than a dozen women stepped forward accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct, Cosby was primarily known for his iconic role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable in the beloved 1980s sitcom, The Cosby Show.

The Cosby Show lasted up until 1992 when it was canceled, and while Cosby attempted several other endeavors and projects, it was never to the success of his role as Dr. Huxtable. It was not until 2013 that his name jumped back into the spotlight for his first TV stand-up show in 30 years, which led to a national tour. Quickly his comeback turned into a setback when a large number of women came forward with sexual assault allegations against Cosby, some dating back almost 30 years.

2013 was not the first time Cosby had been faced with sexual assault allegations. Accusations first started in 2005 with Andrea Constand, a staff member at Cosby’s former university. She claimed he had drugged and molested her at his home in 2004. No charges were placed against Cosby from prosecutors due to lack of evidence, however, Ms. Constand did file a civil case against Cosby. He denied the accusations, and the case was settled out of court in 2006

for an unrevealed amount.

The stories of sexual assault from Cosby did not end with the civil case, and allegations continued to arise in the subsequent years. However, it was not really until Cosby’s planned TV comeback in 2013, that these accusations were reported. It was in 2013 that women with similar accounts of sexual assault from Cosby disclosed their stores to media outlets.

A shocking number of over 50 women implicated the comedian of sexual assault or rape; however, due to the statute of limitations on sexual assault cases in the U.S., the only case that stuck was Andrea Constand’s.

Cosby’s lawyers maintained throughout the allegations that there was no truth behind them, even questioning why the women did not make legal complaints at the time of the assault. It was not until 2014 that Cosby said he did not address the allegations in public because “a guy doesn’t have to answer to innuendos”. It ended up that he actually did have to answer to these allegations when unseen court documents from 2005 came to light showing he admitted to obtaining sedatives, specifically Quaaludes, to give to young women he wanted to have sex with.

These documents along with these accusations completely disturbed his hopes of returning to television and completely tainted his reputation. Not only were The Cosby Show reruns pulled from TV Land, but his statue was removed from the MGM Hollywood Studios park in Florida, and several colleges stripped him of his honorary degrees.

June 2017, Ms. Constand was able to tell her story in court for the first time since 2005, due to a 2006 settlement prohibiting her from doing so.

She described taking pills from Cosby that he claimed were herbal, which actually left her

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James Anderson / Associated Press Bill Cosbey is escorted out of jail to be transferred to Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institute at Phoenix unable to move. She continued to describe his inappropriate touching of her while she was physically unable to stop him.

The jury could not agree on a verdict, and a mistrial was declared in June 2017. A retrial on April 9 led to a jury of five women and seven men finding Cosby guilty of sexual assault. Fast forward to this past Monday, September 24, when he was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in a state prison.

Upon arrival to the prison, Cosby, like any other inmate, was given a uniform, toiletries, linens, towels, and state-issued boots, as described by the Department of Corrections. A press release from the Pennsylvania prison stated he is housed in a single cell unit, and that, “necessary precautions to ensure Mr. Cosby’s safety and general welfare” are being taken care of. Corrections Secretary, John Wetzel, expresses how “the long-term goal is for him to be placed in the general population to receive the programming required during his incarceration.”

Press secretary for the state Department of Corrections, Amy Worden, explained how

the prison, which new inmates are sent to, is determined by an evaluation process that lasts between weeks and months.

During this evaluation process, the inmate’s needs, programs, and health issues are evaluated.

A topic of concern is Cosby’s age, vision impairment, and declining health. At his sentencing on Monday, Cosby’s defense attorney expressed concern about Cosby’s deteriorating health making him a target in the eyes of other inmates.

His attorney, Joseph P. Green, pleaded “Incarceration would impose excessive hardship on him given his ability and his age.” He goes on to raise the question, “How does he fight off people who are trying to extort him for a walk to the mess hall?”

While raising good questions on Cosby’s undoubtedly deteriorating health, these questions and concerns ultimately did not change the verdict.

Worden explained, “The Department of Corrections has had high-profile inmates before, and I’m sure we’ll have them again, so it’s not that much out of the ordinary.

He’ll be treated like other in-

mates.” Just like other inmates, Cosby will have the option of exercising at the gym, attending classes, visiting the barbershop, or attending chapel services. In his particular case, along with the 3 to 10 years prison time, Cosby must attend mandatory sex offender counseling. While in prison, he will take those programs, along with alcoholism and drug addiction recovery, and violence prevention.

Cosby is a little over a week into his sentencing and has at least a year until he will be able to appeal for parole. In a time where the Me Too movement is at the forefront of political and social dialogues, for several people Cosby’s sentencing is a positive and proves that no matter how long ago a sexual crime was committed, justice can be served. However, approval for Cosby’s sentencing is not widespread with some believing his sentencing was too harsh for someone his age with his health. There is no telling whether in a years time he will be granted parole, so until then “America’s Dad” must answer to his new title as Inmate No. NN7687.

Texans are preparing for November elections Associated Press Texas has set a new voter registration record of 15.6 million people ahead of the highly anticipated Senate race between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos told the Houston Chronicle that the state’s voter rolls have grown by 1.6 million since the last midterm election in 2014.

Election records show that Texas has seen a 400,000-voter increase since March.

The state on average added just over 100,000 voters a year between 2002 and 2014.

“Recently, we have heard from a number of county election officials who tell

us they are witnessing voter registration rates and voter enthusiasm in a midterm year that we usually see before presidential-year elections, which is phenomenal,” Pablos said. “On the whole, we are seeing Texans become more engaged, which is very healthy for the future of our state.”

Harris County had 55,000 voters register over the past six months, which is more than any other county. Suburban counties near Houston have seen pronounced voter growth, with rolls in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties growing by 3 percent. Collin and Denton counties north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area saw voter registration spike by almost 4 percent.

Hays County saw the biggest gain since March with a 4.4 percent increase in the number of registered voters.

Fort Bend, Collin and Hays counties are all part of congressional districts with competitive races for Congress, particularly where Republicans may face some of their stiffest opposition.

“Competitive elections increase voter interest,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston.

But the surge in voter registration doesn’t provide much clarity on who will show up to cast a ballot.

Only 4.7 million of the 14 million registered voters in 2014 took to the polls. Voter turnout is usually much higher in presidential cycles, reaching nearly 60 percent in 2016 and 2012.

Voters can register through Oct. 9, which is the deadline to vote in the midterms.

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Left: Artist, Mario E. Figueroa, Jr., publicly known as GONZO. Gonzo was born and raised in East End and has been vital in the creation and conservation of mural and art community in Houston Bottom Left: Staff Sergeant Marcario García was the first Mexican immigrant to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as a soldier during World War II. He also was awarded the Bronze Star. After leaving the Army Garcia made his home in East End where one can now drive down the boulavard named after him.

Bottom: José María De León Hernández, is beloved by his fans as Little Joe. He was raised in Temple, Texas before moving to San Antonio. His song “Las Nubes” was adopted by the Mexican Migrant workers and Cesar Chavez during the 1960’s.

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Right: Karina González, soloist dancer for the Houston Ballet was was born in Caracas, Venezuela.

González has danced principal roles in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, Andre Prokovsy’s The Great Gatsby, as well as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Sleeping Beauty.

Bottom: Dr. Ellen Ochoa, a vetern astronaut was the first Hispanic woman to go to space, she was the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center. She has flown in space four times logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit.

Bottom Right: Gabriela Mistral born in Chile, was the first Latin American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. She is best known for her writing that advocated for the rights of women, explored the experience of motherhood and sexuality.

She is recognized as the greatest female Chilean poet.

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Final Kiss goodbye Ana Gonzalez

agonzalez@hccegalitarian.com

KISS are hanging up their boots, their guitars, and their mics, as they have officially announced that they are saying goodbye after 45 years in the music industry.

The hard rock band, whose members consist of vocalists Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, guitarist Tommy Thayer, and drummer Eric Singer, announced the news on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, following a performance of their world-famous song “Detroit Rock City”. The band wanted to bring out a “final blowout” to their beloved fans by touring one last time.

“All that we have built and all that we have conquered over the past four decades could never have happened without the millions of people worldwide who’ve filled clubs, arenas and stadiums over those years,” Paul Stanley said in a news conference. “This will be the ultimate celebration for those who’ve seen us. And if you haven’t seen us yet. This will be your last chance.”

The band is well known for many classic songs that most of them have made it on wellknown movies such as “Detroit Rock City”, a 1999 movie that tells the tale of a KISS cover band going on a trip to Detroit to see their idols in person.

Other songs do include “Rock N’ Roll All Nite”, “Love Doctor,”

and “Black Diamond”.

This isn’t their first “farewell” tour, however. They did one in 2000, but it was not intended to tell their fans that they were retiring. Original members such as original drummer Peter Criss, and original guitarist Ace Frehley joined KISS along with newly joined members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. After the tour in 2001, they took a short hiatus, returning to tour with Aerosmith, plus a few other shows from 2004 to 2008.

Stanley shrugged when he remembered the Farewell tour that happened almost 19 years ago. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he felt he and his members were unhappy with where the band was going at the time. Original members Criss and Frehley were the main reasons why the band was about to crash.

“The farewell tour was at the end of the time that we had brought back the two original members [Criss and Frehley],” he said, “and it was such drudgery and so difficult and so unhappy that it just seemed like ‘let’s put the horse down.’”

Once the band decided not to renew both contracts, Stanley felt that he did not want to say goodbye to the band after all.

“I wanted to say goodbye to two members. So that was the differences. We’ve had 19 years of the band [at the time]. The band has never been better, happier… But with all that in

Amy/Harris/Invision/AP Kendrick Lamar performs during the Festival d’ete de Quebec in Quebec City, Canada.On Monday, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album “Damn.” (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

mind, it’s time to think about an end,” he added.

Stanley also confirmed that original band member appearances such as Criss and Frehley, as well as other former band members Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick, are not guaranteed, but cannot make any promises about them. The tour is currently in its early planning stages, and Stanley wants the tour to be a “celebration of KISS”.

Fans didn’t want to believe that KISS will be saying goodbye. Other than Stanley and Simmons having to revisit

their difficult chapters back in the first farewell tour, they feel that they reached a perfect time to “retire”. The band members are in their 60s with the exception of Tommy Thayer who is in his 50s.

KISS had released over 20 studio albums during their 45year music career. They also released eight live albums, and over 60 singles. Their most recent studio album was Monster, released in 2012.

Tour dates for the final run have not been announced yet, as well as which songs are more likely going to be performed in

the show.

However, KISS promises that this will be a tour for fans to remember.

“KISS Army, we are saying good on our final tour with our biggest show yet,” Simmons said on America’s Got Talent, “we’ll go out the same way we came in: unapologetically, and unstoppable.”

More information on the band’s final world tour, plus subscribing for tour date announcements, visit KISSONLINE.com and subscribe to their email newsletter.

Night School pays off for Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart Jake Coyle

Associated Press

NEW YORK — For the first time in more than two years, a straight-up comedy is No. 1 at the box office. Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish’s “Night School” debuted with $28 million in ticket sales, according to estimates Sunday.

The race for the weekend top spot was, in the end, a laugher. Warner Bros.’ animated release “Smallfoot,” which cost about $80 million to make, trailed in second with $23 million.

Not since Melissa McCarthy’s “The Boss” topped the box office in April 2016 has a comedy that didn’t mix other genre elements been No. 1. The romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” was a huge success, leading the box office for four straight weeks, and Tyler Perry’s two horror-comedies — “Boo! A Madea Halloween” and its sequel —

both opened at the top.

But big-screen comedy has been in a tailspin for years. It took two of comedy’s biggest names teaming up to push Universal’s “Night School” to the year’s best comedy opening.

“We’ve been very consistent in this genre,” said Jim Orr, distribution chief for Universal. “When you get in business with people like Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish who are just on fire, and then really extraordinary filmmakers like (producer) Will Packer, that’s how you get good results.”

More than most studios, Universal has stuck by comedy. This year, it also released the prom-night farce “Blockers” ($60.1 million worldwide on a $21 million budget) and the comic musical “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” ($390.1 million worldwide on a $75 million budget).

It’s the second straight No. 1 for Universal, which last week led ticket

Universal Pictures via AP This image released by Universal Pictures shows Kevin Hart, from left, Tiffany Haddish and Taran Killam in a scene from the film, “Night School.”

sales with the Amblin Entertainmentproduced fantasy “The House With a Clock in Its Walls.” It earned $12.5 million in its second weekend.

“We have a very diverse approach to our slate,” Orr said. “We’re not just superhero movies or anything else like that. When you see these kinds of results, you know that that’s the right thing to do, that it pays off.”

Frights not laughs have become the hotter attraction at the movies, but for one weekend at least, horror and comedy switched roles. Lionsgate’s Halloween-themed “Hell Fest” debuted meekly with $5.1 million.

“Over the last few years, comedy has just taken a real roller coaster ride with audiences either not locking into the premise or not vibing with the stars,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst or comScore. “The quality, or at least the perceived quality of many of the movies, especially the R-rated comedies, has been so bad that time after time people got disenchanted by the genre.”

“Night School,” in which Hart plays a man who returns to his high school to get his GED certificate (Haddish plays his teacher), fared poorly with critics, earning a 30 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But the draw of Hart and Haddish was enough to supersede bad reviews. This is Hart’s 11th No. 1 film.

It also helped that “Night School” reteamed Haddish with director Malcolm D. Lee. Their “Girls’ Trip” was 2017’s biggest comedy hit, making $140.4 million globally. “Night School” drew a diverse audience: 37 percent white, 30 percent African-American and 24 percent Hispanic.

David Lowery’s “The Old Man & the

Gun,” which Robert Redford has said will be his final film as an actor (though he’s wavered on that), opened in five theaters, scoring a strong per-screen average of $30,000. Redford plays an aged bank robber in the heist film costarring Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck.

And “Free Solo,” National Geographic’s documentary about rock climber Alex Honnold’s ropeless ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan, grossed $300,804 in four theaters. The per-screen average of $75,201, the company said, is the best screen-average opening ever for a documentary.

National Geographic debuted E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s film not just in the usual limited-release cities of New York and Los Angeles, but in climbing capitals Denver and Boulder, Colorado.

The “Night School”-led weekend — up 15.5 percent compared with last year — helped Hollywood score the second-best September at the box office. It follows September 2017, when “It” set records. Warner Bros.’ horror spinoff “The Nun” ($330 million worldwide) was this month’s top film.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday also are included.

Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Night School,” $28 million ($5.5 million international).

2. “Smallfoot,” $23 million ($14 million international).

3. “The House With a Clock in Its Walls,” $12.5 million ($9.4 million international).

Wednesday October 3, 2018

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Cardi B questioned on club fight James Randle

Associated Press

Mark Lennihan i/AP Photo Rapper Cardi B is assisted by security guards as she leaves a police precinct, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018.

NEW YORK (AP) — Cardi B was given a summons on Monday for misdemeanor reckless endangerment and assault in connection with a melee at a New York strip club.

The platinum rapper was charged after agreeing to meet with investigators at a Queens police station. Afterward, she left with a smile on her face, but declined comment.

“We are aware of no evidence that she caused anybody any harm from that night,” her lawyer, Jeff Kern, told reporters.

“We expect the matter to be resolved expeditiously.”

Police say Cardi B and her entourage were at the club at around 3 a.m. Saturday when she got in an argument with a 23-year-old woman who was bartending. They say a fight broke out during which chairs, bottles and hookah waters pipes were thrown, slightly injuring the bartender and another employee.

Police say the rapper and about nine other people in her party fled, but she later agreed to turn herself in after being identified by the bartender.

Investigators were exploring whether the fracas involved a romantic dispute.

The incident occurred about three weeks after Cardi B and

Nicki Minaj were involved in an altercation that got physical at a New York Fashion Week party and left Cardi B with a mark on her head.

Video circulating on social media showed Cardi B lunging toward someone and being held back at Harper’s Bazaar Icons.

Another video showed the rapper being escorted out of the event by security.

Cardi B, wearing a voluminous red Dolce & Gabanna gown, was seen leaving the party with what appeared to be a bump on her head. She was barefoot.

She and Minaj have been rap rivals since Cardi B began achieving huge success over the last year.

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Sports

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Sugarland Skeeters 2018 Atlantic League Champs John Cañamar

jcanamar@hccegalitarian.com

Long Island, NY - The Sugarland Skeeters win Game 5 of the Atlantic League Championship 4-1 versus the Long Island Ducks, Sunday at Bethpage Ballpark.

The Skeeters in their seventh season, have now won their second championship.

The first title was earned twoyears ago in 2016, also against Long Island.

Pete Incaviglia, the 12-year Major League journeyman who played for the Houston Astros for two different stents, led the Skeeters in his first year as manager. Sugarland went 52-11 at home at Constellation Field while recording an 8145 season record. The 52 game wins are a team best at home while the total of 81 is second in team history.

The five-game series was packed with action and intense moments.

Game one was a 13-inning nail-biter that the Skeeters came back from an early 3-0 deficit. The Skeeters fought back

all game tying it in the eight before scoring on a sacrifice fly off of Javier Betancourt’s bat for the 5-4 win.

Game two was a lopsided 10-0 win by the Skeeters in their final game at home for the season.

With the series shifting to Long Island, the Ducks regained their fight and denied the Skeeters from sweeping them. After Sugarland build a two-run lead, the Ducks fought back to take a 3-2 victory on a two-run home run

by David Washington.

In game four the Ducks would take a 2-1 lead in the first inning, which they stretched out to a 6-4 victory forcing a decisive game five for the championship.

The Championship Game was taken hold of by the Skeeters who scored early and offend. Sugarland would clinch their second title off the arm of James Russell. Russell threw a complete game allowing one run on seven hits while fanning five and walking none.

Russell was named the Atlantic League Championship

Photo courtesy of Sugarland Skeeters The Sugarland Skeeters celebrate at Bethpage Ballpark in Long Island, NY after clinching the Atlantic League Championship for the second time in three years.

Series Most Valuable Player for his performance in the closing game.

Skeeters fans were able to celebrate the team’s accomplishment on Monday night at Sugarland Town Square where a team celebration was held.

James Martinez, a Skeeters

fan since their inception, exclaimed, “Houston baseball is at an alltime high rightnow.

The Skeeters won two years ago, followed by the Astros last year. And now the Skeeters win it again with the Astros set to make a defending run in the playoffs. I am just glad I am able to share it with my two boys,

Dad and Grandpa.”

The Skeeters set a team best for the most players’ contracts being purchased by Major League Baseball and la Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (Mexican League Baseball) with 14. The total of 14 is the most of any team since they joined the league in 2012.

Ronaldo, Juventus’ star scorer, switches over to defense Ana Ramirez

aramirez@hccegalitarian.com

Juventus soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo is being accused of raping a woman nine years ago in Las Vegas, Nevada. The woman is now suing Ronaldo in a civil act case she made against him.

Kathryn Mayorga claims Cristiano Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel on June 13, 2009.

She signed a nondisclosure agreement from Ronaldo’s team of fixers and claimed she received $375,000 in exchange for her silence. She decided to come out because of the #metoo trend that is going around twitter.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Kathryn Mayorga met at a Las Vegas nightclub name rain. Ronaldo was in town with his brother in law and cousin for vacation. It was the summer Ronaldo was transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid for 94 million euros.

She was with a friend at the nightclub when Mayorga and Ronaldo met. They exchanged numbers and Ronaldo left.

Later, she receives a text from Ronaldo telling her to be a friend to a party next at the Palms Casino Resort.

Once they got there, Mayorga and her friend were told the party was over, but Ronaldo came and said they were going to do a party and invited them to his penthouse suite.

Mayorga wasn’t on planning to stay because at the time she was a model and had a photoshoot in the morning and didn’t want to ruin her dress.

Before she was going to leave, Ronaldo offered her a shirt and shorts so, Maygora could change. She saw her friend having fun and wanted to join her since her friend was in town as well.

She took the clothes from Ronaldo and went to the bathroom to change, and the bathroom was attached to a bedroom. As

David Zalubowski/AP Photo Cristiano Ronaldo smiling while playing against Lazio at a Juventus Serie A home game. he tried to score nut it didn’t He was playing his first home game with Juventus after leaving Real Madrid.

she was changing Ronaldo approached her and was asking her for oral sex, but Maygora refused.

After that Maygora thought she got away from Ronaldo, but he came back and pulled her into a bedroom. In her story on Spiegel Online, she said, “I still wasn’t afraid at all. I was just like, ‘Man, this guy’s adamant.’ The most adamant I’ve ever dealt with. I explain to him: ‘Listen dude, this is not going to happen.” Ronaldo forced himself on her and raped her.

Maygora told the staff at Spiegel Online, “After he assaulted me, he wouldn’t let me leave again. He wouldn’t let me leave. And he was calling me ‘baby, baby.’ He gave me this look, this guilty look. Almost like he felt bad. I don’t remember, but I’m pretty sure he said ‘sorry’ or ‘Are you hurt?’ And by this time, he’s on his knees. He says the 99 percent thing.” He insisted, she says that he was “a good guy” except for the “one percent.”

After the assault, Maygora realized what happened and asked Ronaldo if he had a disease and Ronald responded with no, I’m a professional athlete and I get tested every three months. I couldn’t play my game with a disease.

She decided to stay at Ronaldo’s Penthouse and went inside the Jacuzzi with her friend.

Maygora refused to tell anyone what happened but she wanted to do the rape kit at a hospital, but she didn’t dare to go to the hospital.

Her friend called her telling her that they were all over the news and Maygora felt overwhelmed. She said to her friend “He raped me,” and her friend warned her about professional athletes and how hard it is to get justice.

Maygora went to the hospital to get a Sexual Examination done on her.

Kathryn claims she went to the Las Vegas police to make a report, but she

didn’t describe or tell the police who raped her. A few days ago she asked the Las Vegas police to reopen her case since she finally came out with a name.

The Las Vegas police came out with this statement, “ The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police department responded to a call of a sexual assault on June 13, 2009. At the time the report was taken, the victim did not provide the detectives with the location of the incident or suspect description.

A medical exam was conducted. As of September 2018, the case has been reopened, and our detectives are following up on information being provided by the victim. This is an on-going investigation, and no further details will be released at this time.”

Mayorga told Christopher Winterbach, writer at the German publication Derspiegel, that she was too afraid to come out with her story because she didn’t want to put her name on the story.

Unlike other celebrities, Ronaldo claims that this is fake news and even went on Instagram to do a live feed telling all his fans, “what they said today, fake news.

They wanted to promote by my name. It’s normal. They wanted to be famous to say my name. Yeah, it’s part of the job. I’m a happy man, and all good” His lawyer is trying to sue the publication claiming the story was illegal and violates his rights.

Winterbach went to twitter and had a statement about his lawyers trying to sue them and said, “Ronaldo’s lawyer now still says that our publication was “illegal” because “ it violates his personal rights” of @cristiano. Pay attention! He doesn’t call it “a piece of journalistic fiction,” he doesn’t call it fake. He just says it’s too personal to become public.”

Since the case has been reopened, Ronaldo will have to say his side of the story of nine years ago soon.

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We Are Brothers II 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

FALL 2018 EGALITARIAN STAFF Editor-in-Chief........................................... John Cañamar News Editor............................................. Sarah Al-Shaikh Sports Editor.................................................Ana Ramirez Culture Editor..............................................Ana Gonzalez Photo Editor............................................................... TBA Social Media Mgr....................................................... TBA Staff Writer................................................. Wendy Cortez Staff Writer................................................. Marquis Wiley Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Photographer..................................................... TBA ——— 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.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

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.

by: Demetrios Trifiatis

Don’t look at me As though I am an alien or a stranger, Don’t let the dagger of antipathy Fly out of your eyes.

I am your neighbor.

Don’t call me a foe, an antagonist or a rival, Don’t roll up your mistrustful sleeves for a fight.

I am your friend.

Don’t hold this murderous weapon in your kind hand, Don’t deny me the right to work, to eat, or to live.

I am your brother.

If destiny willed me to be born On this side of the frontier line, If my parents wished me To wear these clothes And taught me their own dances, Do we have to be adversaries?

If fate desired me to speak This tongue foreign to you And our skins’ color to differ, Do we have to be competitors?

If necessity decided for us To live in this country, In the North, South, East, or West, Do we have to be opponents?

If I believe in Jesus, Jehovah, Krishna, Buddha, Brahma Or Allah, If this is my philosophy, My tradition, My history And my culture, Do we have to be enemies?

No! A million times: no!

Please, look at me with new eyes And throw away your injurious prejudices.

What do you see but a person like you Who wants, desires and hopes for the same things in life: Well-being, Happiness, A home, Family, Some friends, Some love?

Look: I walk, I talk, I eat, I sleep, I dream, I laugh and I cry.

Just like you.

I’m born, I grow up, I learn, I suffer,

I bleed And I die.

Just like you.

I’m a father, A mother, A brother, A sister, A son, And a daughter.

Just like you.

You see: we are alike.

We are the same.

We are brothers.

Listen to me my neighbor, my friend, and my ally: I am telling you the truth.

We are the victims of schemes, Well planned in advance By deceitful evil-hearted men Who wished for our destruction.

They, masters of savage forgery, dividers of mankind Have tricked us throughout history With well-orchestrated lies And with treacherous stories.

These intellectually impotent criminals Have instilled poison in your heart and mine.

Thus, by cultivating hatred, bitterness and rage, They managed to shape us to ruthless foes, To merciless enemies, To cruel animals.

Please, listen to me! It is true. We are brothers.

Let us therefore with irresistible will cross all frontier lines That the past has erected between us, Thus making divisions vanish.

Let us with supreme power break the bonds of history, Religion and culture and run into each other’s arms.

Let us uproot from our tormented hearts thorny mistrust That was planted there thousands of years ago.

Let us seize ammunition from destructive hatred, And make war capitulate.

Let us sink the cholera of bitterness In the affectionate sea of universal accord.

And finally, Let us unite and march to higher claims, To incomparable glory Where peace can blossom today.

Thus, both of us will go to sleep at last, Fearless of each other tonight.

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