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February 17, 2011
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Volume XXIX - Issue 2
www.theskylineview.com
Queer Kiss-In for equality ”
The byGSA holds a protest to raise awarness of campus homosexuality JJ Valdez On Valentine’s Day, the Gay Straight Alliance held a protest in the cafeteria called Queer Kiss-In. “We’re trying to be inclusive, so that’s why we used the word queer; we want to make it positive,” said Priscilla Cortez, president of the GSA. “It’s a term we’re reclaiming for our community.” Cortez said that the reason the GSA held this protest was to show students on campus that Valentine’s Day is for everyone. “It’s a non-violent protest because Valentine’s Day is a largely heterosexual, normative event,” Cortez said. “And we want to show the campus that no matter what your sexual orientation is, love is love.” In addition to seeking equality, the GSA held the protest with the firm belief that homosexuality is undermined on campus, having dealt with negative reactions from students during past events. The event started at 12:05 p.m. with various members of the GSA making out for two to three minutes after receiving a Valentine’s Day balloon from Cupid, played by Student Body President Ray Parenti-Kurttila. “I was approached by the GSA, and they requested I participate in the event, and being the student body president, I wanted to be supportive of clubs on campus,” Parenti-Kurttila said. “I believe that love has no bounds, and that regard-
After receiving the signal from cupid various GSA students begun kissing each other to protest the lack of respect homosexuals endure on campus.
less of who you’re with, love is love, and you should be yourself.” Cortez and other members pres-
ent at the time said that the reason for the public displays of affection and the participation from the student
body president was to send a message by getting noticed. “Usually protests involve signs
President Obama’s budget plan
JJ Valdez /The Skyline View
article continued on page 3
President Barack Obama plans to make changes to Pell Grants by Kiriakos Vilchez
According to Georgia Public Broadcasting News, President
Obama plans to cut $100 billion from Pell Grants and other college education programs over a decade.
An administration official stated that the president’s plan for the 2012 budget would use the projected sav-
Petr Kratochvil/Publicdomainpictures.net
If President Obama’s budget is approved by Congress, we can expect reduced federal student aid, and higher corporate taxes.
ings to keep financial aid for college students at a maximum of $5,550. The estimated $90 billion in savings because of the cuts would be achieved through two changes that Obama will make effective if Congress approves his budget. The first change would be that the Pell Grant would no longer give students two grant awards per calendar year, but instead students will receive one award per year. The second change would be that the federal government would reduce loan subsidies for graduate and professional students. Both changes would save a combined $10 billion next year alone, and would continue to save the federal government money over the next ten years. Over 9 million students from low-income families rely on the Pell Grant awards they receive each year to pay for college. The Obama administration is projecting a budget shortfall of $20 billion for Pell Grants, and say that without action, they might have to cut the grants awarded to students by half to keep
up with the demand. The Obama administration is currently facing trillions of dollars of national debt and rising budget deficits every year. The president recently proposed a $3.73 trillion budget, and he is defending his decisions while acknowledging that the cuts will impact Americans. While speaking to the Associated Press at a news conference on Feb. 15, the president defended his budget while admitting that the nation will struggle to fix what needs to be fixed. He acknowledged that it will be difficult for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground regarding what they need to do in order to stabilize the economy. “This is not a matter of, ‘you go first, I go first,’” Obama said. “It’s a matter of everybody having a serious conversation about where we want to go and then ultimately getting in that boat at the same time so it doesn’t tip over.” President Obama’s 2012 budget, if approved by Congress, will go into effect October 1, 2011