SPRING 2014
UIS Student Magazine
Inside: HIV today: The risk rises By Megan O’Dell
About time: Hemp in the U.S. By Joe Miller
Springfield’s best kept secret: Downtown By Brittany Henderson
I’m with the BAND By Carolyn Miller
Photo by Brittany Henderson
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Editor’s Note Each semester, The Journal staff produces the UIS student magazine – Beyond.
What’s Inside
In this edition, we switched things up a bit – updating our design and streamlining our content, for a chic, edgy look and feel.
HIV today: The risk rises by Megan O’Dell, p. 3
I hope you enjoy the Spring 2014 edition of Beyond and as always, thanks for reading!
About time: Hemp in the U.S. by Joe Miller, p. 4
Ashley Henry
‘One pack of Puff Dragons, please’: States move away from federal ideals on marijuana by Julia Brown, p. 5
Editor-in-Chief
Springfield’s best kept secret: Downtown by Brittany Henderson, p. 6
Beyond Staff Editor-in-Chief: Ashley Henry ahenr3@uis.edu
Columnist: Julia Brown jfruc2@uis.edu
Assistant Editor/Photographer: Brittany Henderson bhend5@uis.edu
Columnist/Copy Editor: Carolyn Miller cmill22@uis.edu
Assistant Editor: Jess Bayer jbaye3@uis.edu
Illustrator: Alex Johnson ajohn3@uis.edu
Assistant Editor: Daniell Bennett dbenn3@uis.edu
Layout and Design Editor: Hillary Rikli hrikl2@uis.edu
General Reporter: Megan O’Dell model2@uis.edu
Distributer: Tim Richter trich3@uis.edu
Columnist: Joe Miller jmill32@uis.edu
Adviser: Debra Landis dland2@uis.edu
I’m with the band by Carolyn Miller, p. 8 Springfield music scene: PopQuiz Hotshot by Brittany Henderson, p. 9 Hip-hop feminism: The skewed portrayal of women in hip-hop culture by Jess Bayer, p. 10 Campus crime: UIS mirrors UIUC by Daniell Bennett p. 10
Photo by Brittany Henderson
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HIV today: The risk rises access to its host cell, basically it injects its RNA into the cytoplasm using enzymes. Viral loads of DNA are integrated and create duplications that hile we proclaim to be an enlightened begin to infect other cells in the body.” The virus itself is spread in a multitude of ways, society, we are still ignorant to HIV knowledge, said Jonna Cooley, execu- including sexual contact, pregnancy, childbirth, breast-feeding, injection drug use, work-related tive director of Springfield Phoenix Center. It is estimated that over one million individuals contact (healthcare industry), and rarely, organ in the United States are living with HIV – one in transplants and blood transfusions, according to
By Megan O’Dell
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the young people” that come to the Phoenix Center. According to Cooley, during a random sample last year, the Phoenix center tested five HIV positive individuals, all under the age of 30. Cooley said, “We will test anyone who is at risk. The key is to connect people up with medical care and case management immediately.” LGBTQA Resource Director Kerry Poynter
Photos by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
six are unaware of their infection, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Moreover, nearly one in four new infections is found in young people between the ages of 13 and 25. Scientists “believe that the chimpanzee version of the immunodeficiency virus (called simian immunodeficiency virus or SIV) most likely was transmitted to humans and mutated into HIV when humans hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their infected blood,” according to the AIDS Institute. They reported that the virus has existed in the U.S. since, at least, the mid-to-late 1970s. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HIV is found in specific infected bodily fluids including blood, semen, preseminal fluid, breast milk, vaginal fluids and rectal mucous. They reported, “If any of these fluids enter your body, you can become infected with HIV.” UIS and SIU school of Medicine Adjunct Professor Chris Chambers said, “Once the virus gains
the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. “It’s predominantly blood-based conception. When the [skin] barrier breaks down, that is when you are at risk,” said Chambers. “You have to have access to the vasculature (arrangement of blood cells) to become infected with the virus.” As of the end of 2010, one in four people living with a diagnosis of HIV in the United States were women, according to the Center for Disease Control. “Women are assuming they are in a monogamous relationship with boyfriend, husband, partner, whoever and really, those men are having sex with other [infected partners],” said Cooley. Cooley explained that many young people see HIV as having a cold or infection, saying that they believe they “can just take a pill” for it. There is a “ ‘no big deal’ attitude with some of
said this may be because today’s students generally learn about sexual activity through experimentation or from the Internet. “There needs to be sex-positive conversations,” he said. For more information on HIV visit aids.gov/ hiv-aids-basics.
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WUIS-ad-3.75x6.pdf 1 10/14/2013 4:36:15 PM
About time: Hemp in the U.S. By Joe Miller
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he fate of the hemp plant has been inextricably linked to that of the marijuana plant, despite the fact that hemp cannot get you high. Hemp has had its name dragged through the mud simply because of its family tree for over a century now, despite having an incredible array of uses and future potential. The strange thing about the case of hemp is that its growth was outlawed due to public outcry over the socalled effects of marijuana. Now that marijuana’s acceptance is growing, a plant that was shamefully thrown to the wayside by no fault of its own, hemp is in the
process of being fully legalized for growth by American farmers. On Feb. 7, in the youth of the 2014 legislative season, the Farm Bill, with a provision to allow the industrial growth of hemp by federal law, was signed by President Obama. Obama wasn’t the first U.S. President to support the growth of hemp by any means. It was our inaugural President George Washington who said, “Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere,” followed by our 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson, who claimed, “Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country.” Their early endorsements of hemp were founded in the fact that it could be used for
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a variety of products, and today the spectrum of hemp’s benefits exceeds even their expectations. The president of Vote Hemp, a nonprofit organization in favor of industrial hemp use, Eric Steenstra, reported that the industry is estimated at upwards of $500 million in annual sales and growing. He added, “A change in federal law to allow colleges and universities to grow hemp for research means that we will finally begin to regain the knowledge that unfortunately has been lost over the past 50 years. This is the first time in American
Hemp continued on page 12
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‘One pack of Puff Dragons, please’ States move away from federal ideals on marijuana
By Julia Brown
T
here is a great possibility that the creators of the Showtime series “Weeds” may have been psychic. In the last episode of the series, marijuana could be purchased in packs at gas stations much like cigarettes and the dispensaries (eventually owned by Starbucks) were more like coffee shops than the pharmacies of present day Colorado. If things keep going the direction they’re headed, one could buy a pack of Puff Dragons while stopping for a gallon of milk. Many are already aware that Colorado and Washington legalized the recreational use of marijuana during last year’s elections. Colorado began sales of the drug on January 1, 2014. Other states’ legislatures have also taken notice; however, critics are still awaiting the repercussions of such a legislative move. So far, things are looking good financially. On the first day of recreational sales in Colorado, there were lines around the block at many of the two dozen approved dispensaries in the state and sales for the day hovered around the $1 million mark. For the first week, over $5 million in sales were reported. Sales like this are great for the state economy. Marijuana is heavily taxed, three times from production to joint. Recent estimates show that Colorado stands to make $184 million in taxes from the estimated $610 million in retail sales within the first 18 months of legalization. These numbers can be pretty enticing. Voters in New York, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll, are leaning more towards the idea of legalizing weed for fun. State lawmakers are also recognizing the direction of the public opinion on the plant. Rhode Island has introduced legislation to legalize recreational pot use and Illinois State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, said, although she is not ready to introduce any legislation,
the move is inevitable. The federal government has been forced to face certain banking issues because of states’ actions. Because selling marijuana is still illegal under federal law, dispensaries selling both for medical and recreational reasons couldn’t use banks’ financial services. In February, banks were finally given the rights to allow membership for the states’ legal drug dealers. While this change in banking regulations is the most solid evidence that the federal government might be easing their hold on the lies of their elders concerning marijuana, there have been other signs during Barack Obama’s time in the White House. During his first term, Obama made it known that the federal government would not focus on tracking down and prosecuting legal pot peddlers in states that have passed legislation permitting medical marijuana. He even more recently did a complete 180 degrees on his thoughts about pot. Originally, he was of the opinion that the plant should not be legalized and questioned its credibility for medical use. Now, he says he believes marijuana is no more dangerous than tobacco or alcohol. Many claim this reversal is merely a tactical move to increase his ratings at the polls. He seems to be aligning himself with the growing numbers of Americans who are in favor of either legalizing the drug for medical and/or recreational purposes or those who only think weed should be decriminalized. This may be true, but considering the
president admits to inhaling back in the day, he may only now be voicing his true feelings about marijuana because it is less likely to harm his political career. If the president’s opinions are echoed throughout congress, the United States could soon move in the direction of Uruguay. Honestly, it is only a matter of time. The federal government can only ignore the people so long before there’s pot smoke coming out of the capitol rotunda. Uruguay made national news at the beginning of 2014, when they became the first country to legalize all uses of marijuana. This wasn’t just a state, providence, or region in Uruguay, but the entire country of Uruguay can now smoke a bowl without legal repercussions. This news can be a little hard for Americans to wrap their heads around whether they’re high or not. We’ve fought for so long to use a plant as medicine. We’ve spent years in prison for our beliefs that marijuana should be legalized. We’ve petitioned and educated and done everything we can think of to reverse the negative opinions that the War on Drugs propaganda drove into the minds of the masses. Now, an entire country can purchase pot for merely $1 a gram. How can a country that prides itself on being among the top powers in the world, on being one of the most democratic countries in the world, be
Marijuana continued on page 12
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Springfield’s best kept secret: Downtown By Brittany Henderson
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any students grumble of not having any fun or interesting places to go in Springfield. The real issue? They haven’t looked at what has been sitting right beneath their nose – downtown Springfield.
Café Andiamo: The eccentric social atmosphere of Café Andiamo will appeal to any college student or individual in their 20s looking for a great hang-out spot or simply a place to grab a bite to eat or a latte. Café Andiamo is located at 204 south Sixth Street. The café has been around for over 10 years and counting. Adrian Rojas, manager of over four years at Andiamo said the building, historically, used to be a jewelry store. Like most stores and restaurants in Springfield, there is a history
connected to the building that gives the location a certain vintage charm. Cara Cianferri, an employee of over four years, describes Andiamo as a “unique café. It’s a good environment.” According to Cianferri, because they are local, they are able to be more “personable” with their customers. Currently Café Andiamo offers café, breakfast, lunch and appetizer menus. A few items they offer on the café menu are espressos, cappuccinos, chai tea, Italian sodas, specialty sandwiches, wraps, and other options. During warmer seasons, they offer Gelato, Italian ice cream. Since her employment with Andiamo, Cianferri said, they have more regulars and have become more of a family. She said, Café Andiamo “brings people together.” Most of the café’s clients are state workers and tourists. Cianferri believes the reason students don’t fre-
Photos by Brittany Henderson
Café Andiamo – this swanky hang-out spot offers a variety of café menu items in a unique atmosphere.
quent the café is because they don’t know what’s downtown. In order to appeal to more college students and young adults who usually have classes during the day, they might expand their hours to 8 p.m. in the next few weeks. In addition to great food and drinks, Café Andiamo has a summer music series in which musicians come out and perform live music in the downstairs lounge, Charley’s Club. Rojas explained Students may ‘find that UIS has held something of events at Andiamo including poetry interest that they nights and indedidn’t realize.’ pendent film series -John Paul viewing in Charley’s Club. They will also be hosting Soccer World Cup viewing Prairie Archives offers a wide variety of Lincoln memorabilia and book collecparties. tions.
The artwork on the walls displays the breathtaking paintings of artist Anthony Baxton. Moving forward, Café Andiamo will soon host a series called “Wine and Candles” in Charley’s Club. Here Baxton will present his work and give painting techniques to those who come out. More artists will be featured soon.
Recycled Records: Musicians, music appreciators, and those looking for an exciting place to get lost in, Recycled Records offers over 30,000 vinyl records as well as rare music and movie memorabilia, video game systems, video games, stereo equipment and cameras, DVDs and CDs, and lots more. Co-owners Mark and Gary Kessler opened Recycled Records in 1979, which used to be their grandfather’s store, Springfield Furniture in 1910. It is for this reason that Recycled Records also sells used furniture in the basement.
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‘We go out of our way to be very funky, and eclectic. Beer signs, antiques, comics, music, vinyls, stereo equipment, they all go together.’ -Mark Kessler
This funky, eclectic shop has an extensive vinyl collection – dynamic enough for any music ing of Lincoln is pretty cool too.
Customers who may not find what they’re looking for in vinyl records on the main floor can travel up the “Stairway to Heaven” in which they will find thousands of vinyl records that span the entire top floor. Artists range from timeless rock n’ roll legends including Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix, as well as newer artists. They have other genres including jazz, classical, rap, R&B, and soul. You name it – they have it or can have it in a day or two upon request. Recycled Records is old school, according to a valued and regular customer. “You won’t find a place like this.” Mark Kessler said, he thought it would be cool enough so “the kids would come in and clean enough on the outside so everyone else would too.” He added, “We go out of our way to be very funky, and eclectic. Beer signs, antiques, comics, music, vinyls, stereo equipment – they all go together.” Recycled Records is a family business and therefore customers “know they can trust us,” said Mark Kessler. “People know us.”
Prairie Archives: Prairie Archives is, a place for vintage book lovers, collectors of Lincoln memorabilia and comic book enthusiasts alike. It first began when entrepreneur John Paul had the opportunity to buy books on Illinois history in 1971. Once those books were sold, he invested in many used books. Thus, in April of 1973, Prairie Archives was opened downtown on Walnut and Monroe. The rest is history. Paul explained that his son Robb Paul is now the owner of the store, but he is “always around.” The current Prairie Archives is located on East Adams. John explained that the building used to be the downtown J.C. Penney until 1969. John Paul said that the initial concept of the store was to sell used books specifically with the subject of Lincoln and the Civil War. The store has now expanded to vintage comics, magazines, vinyl records, and all types of books. According to John Paul, the amount of items they sell has “in-
creased tremendously” since first opening. John Paul believes that college students can benefit from the vast amounts of literature that they offer. Students may “find something of interest that they didn’t realize,” John Paul. I encourage all students to get out there a n d ex-
lover’s collection. The paint-
plore downtown Springfield. It’s definitely Springf i e l d ’s b e s t kept secret!
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I’m with the BAND By Carolyn Miller
ly, his band clomped their way downstairs and played for two and half hours straight. I usually ended up getting throbbing headaches on Wednesdays. I was ready to smash their instruments by the time 8:30 rolled around. They weren’t bad; it was just annoying to hear the same songs every week.
private parties. Often times we went to the outdoor festivals and concerts they played at. I used to bring my friends along so I would have someone else to hang out with. The only rule was that we had to wear band T-shirts. My dad started a silk screening business, mostly so he could produce his own band
Eventually we found out our long-time family and one of the band wives had been diagnosed with cancer. A few years after fighting she died, leaving behind a grieving husband, Tom, and a daughter. We all went to the funeral and sat together. My mom and the other band wives cried the whole time.
up with my uncle Dave and started a zydeco band. Zydeco music originated in grew up around a lot of New Orleans, but has spread noise. As far back as I around the United States, can remember, there has though it is still a lesser always been an instrument known type of music. Obviplaying or music blasting in ously, this was a bit different the background. We didn’t than the last group my dad live above a record store. We was with. My uncle was the didn’t run a venue. No – my designated accordion player, dad was in the band. while my dad stayed Everyone always with playing the thought it was cool guitar. After finding that my dad was in a few guys to join a band, but to me them, Zydeco Voothat was the norm. doo was born. Some of my favorFrom the beginite songs today are ning, there were songs he listened to problems with evwhen I was little. I eryone getting along. knew about bands Thus far, there have my friends had nevbeen a few differer heard of, and I ent singers, drumknew all the words mers and bass playto “Mustang Sally” ers. I thought this and “Lit Up” when I band was going to was 12 years old. be a flop because of It took me years the unique type of to figure out that music they played, dad wasn’t usually but I was wrong. ignoring me – he Zydeco Voodoo has couldn’t hear me, played at weddings, and he was in his parties and Photo courtesy of Carolyn Miller bars, own world. He is the outdoor festivals; only person I know Carolyn’s dad rocks out at an outdoor festival – Strat in hand and Marshall blasting. in fact, their biggest that can concentrate time of year is comthat hard on someWhen gig days came merch. Soon, my mom’s job A few years later Tom re- ing up. As an original New thing even as all hell breaks around, my dad would load became selling shirts at gigs. married and started a new Orleans staple, many places loose around him. Often up my mom’s minivan, Not long after, the business life. He and his new wife seek zydeco music for Mardi times he is so determined to which was the only car that took off and my dad could moved to a new town. Soon Gras. I don’t care what kind learn new material that he could fit everything. It took barely keep up with his day after, the band began hav- of music my dad plays, as feels the need to crank the several trips up and down job, the band and printing ing troubles – as eventually long as he is happy. music up to ridiculous volthe stairs to get cords, speak- shirts. all bands do. Each musician I will always have an umes. I am sure the neighers, amps, guitars, changes My dad’s bandmates were wanted to go in a differ- abundance of stories about bors love rock music at all of clothes, set lists and ban- kind of like family to us. ent direction and some just gigs I went to and people I hours of the day and night. If ners. My mom usually went They often walked in the wanted a break altogether. have met because of my dad. they couldn’t hear it, then no to watch him play, since that door for practice calling out When I was a freshman in I complained endlessly about worries, they got a full live is the job of a “band wife.” to my mother “Honey, I’m college, my mom called to band practices and nights band on Wednesday nights. The band wives would all sit home!” before going down- say Triple Dawg Dare had that I had to stay home with For many years my dad together and try to chat over stairs to catch up with my officially broken up. In a my brothers, but I wouldn’t hosted band practice in our the music. dad. Those days will always way it was like losing a part trade any of it in. In the end, basement. At the time he was My brothers and I were hold firm in my memory of my childhood. it is pretty cool to have a dad in a rock cover band called banned from most gigs be- because they didn’t last forMy dad, who never settled in a band. “Triple Dawg Dare.” Weekcause they were in bars or at ever. for a music hiatus, partnered
I
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Springfield music scene: PopQuiz Hotshot By Brittany Henderson
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ane Vincent, UIS student and current member of the local band PopQuiz Hotshot (PQH), shared his experiences of success, challenges and love of great music. PopQuiz Hotshot consists of band members Dane Vincent, lead vocalist, Andy Huber, vocals and lead guitar, Justin Porter, backing vocals and rhythm guitar, Phil Marks, rap, backing vocals and bass guitar, and the newest member, James Ryan, on the drums. Of his position in PQH, Marks said he’s “bass player, peacemaker and logistics in the band.” “Coming from the 90s, it seemed to fit with what we wanted to do as a band. Plus it’s catchy!” said Porter. The 90s theme also inspired the group’s genre of choice. PQH is an alternative, rock, and pop, 80s and 90s cover band. Vincent became a part of the band after several Springfield-area musicians recommended him. The band went through six male singers and a few female singers before Vincent. According to Vincent, the video that “sold them,” was a video of Vincent performing, “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters at the Blue Grouch in Springfield. Although Vincent has only been a part of the band for a little over a year, the band was originally formed by members Marks, Porter, and Huber in August of 2012. Most of the band members met through Craigslist, but Porter said, “I’ve known James since I was in junior high.” PQH is not the first band where Vincent has been the front man. He started his first band at the age of 21, “Full Tilt,” based out of Jacksonville. Some influences of include Kurt Cobain, Tom Morello, Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, Breaking Benjamin, Fat Mike (of NOFX) and Mike Dirnt. Instruments are important to all musicians and they tell varying stories of their loyalty to their instruments that have led them through their musical careers. Porter tells a story of his first guitar. “My uncle gave me my first guitar when I was 11 or 12. It was an old vintage Teisco guitar that I still have today. My second guitar was a Lyon (made by Washburn) that my mom bought for me to start taking guitar lessons,” said Porter. He explained that “the main guitar that I still play today is a Fernandes APG-100. I bought it
when I was about 14 by saving my money from mowing yards.” He said that although he has bought guitars since the APG-100, “nothing has come close.” Drummer Ryan said he’s “loyal to Ludwig drums and Zildjian cymbals. I chose them because that’s what I started with and consider them to be the best Photo courtesy of PopQuiz Hotshot in their market.” Vincent ex- PopQuiz Hotshot bandmates keep the fun rolling gig after gig. plained that when it sonal hospitality, and we are very fortunate to be comes to performing, his favorite song is “Bittersweet” by Fuel. able to be a part of that on the nights we can play our sets.” “[I] love that song,” he said. Porter explained their practices are similar to a Vincent explained that each performance they potluck – they run over the songs while they each play four hours (or roughly 60 songs) each night. Jokingly Marks says, “Dane sounds like a cross contribute bringing food and drinks. “When we are not doing that, well – we poke between Christian Bale’s Batman and an even more sad [sic] Dirty Harry the day after a show, fun at each other. It’s kinda like getting together with a group of friends to hang out, but we just so he needs recovery time.” According to Vincent, the band watches Top 40 happen to play music while hanging out. We try and 100 lists to see what is familiar and popular to to make practices fun,” said Porter. Porter explained that one of the biggest chalthem when they were in high school and college. They respond to their audience. The good songs lenges faced so far is putting the band together stay in the set, and the bad ones are trashed. He amidst individual personal lives, schedules and opinions. It’s the effort of balancing business and explained it’s a process of “trial and error.” Band members describe their favorite venues friendships. The overall goal of the group is esthat they’ve performed at. Porter said, “Through- sentially to be as good as they can be – to expand out my music career, probably the all-time fa- their fan base and to be known better. Vincent said of his fellow band members, “All vorite place that I have played was The House of the musicians I work with are amazing. The talent Blues in Myrtle Beach.” Vincent mentioned that the venues PQH and is overwhelming.” The band appreciates any and all support they himself (as a solo artist) performed at have been have received over the course of their career. Por“phenomenal. Really great for us.” Vincent added, “[I] really want to see students ter said, “It’s you guys who allow us to keep doing come out and support other student musicians. what we love doing.” To check out PopQuiz Hotshot’s music, upcomThe university could benefit from student bands ing shows, and more, visit their Facebook page performing for the student body.” The band agreed that the Illinois State Fair is and “like” them while you’re there! www.facebook.com/popquizhotshotband one of the ultimate goals. Porter said, “Each venue brings its own per-
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Hip-hop feminism
The skewed portrayal of women in hip-hop culture By Jess Bayer
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kay now he was close, tried to domesticate you/ But you’re an animal, baby it’s in your nature/ Just let me liberate you – lyrics like this oppress women, according to hip-hop feminists. The term “Hip Hop Feminism” was coined by Joan Morgan. According to her, a hip-hop feminist is a woman of African American decent that was born during the hiphop generation. This ideology has been applied to how women within African American and Latino culture are portrayed within the hip-hop world.
The negative depiction of women is nothing new within the genre, and “the ways in which women are portrayed hasn’t necessarily changed,” said Aisha Durham, assistant professor of communications at the University of South Florida. According to Imani Perry, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University, “every time one turned on BET or MTV, one encountered a disturbing music video: Black men rapped surrounded by dozens of Black and Latina women dressed in bathing suits, or scantily clad in some other fashion.” In his “Blurred Lines” music video, Robin Thicke has women walking around topless. On top of this,
the lyrics have been described by Edinburgh University’s Kirsty Haigh as “promot[ing] a very worrying attitude towards sex and consent.” Today’s songs focus on drugs, money, cars, sex and women. Music videos feature pricey cars and attractive women in little clothing nearly worshipping the male artist. Why is that? Sex sells, which means that there is money to be made. Women may want to gain some form of power through sexualizing themselves. “If [they] don’t have this kind of traditional power, meaning political and economic power, [their] body becomes this social capital that [they] can exert on somebody else,” said Durham.
“I don’t really listen to popular hip-hop anymore because I like to relate to the message,” said Sean Jackson, president of the Black Male Collegiate Society. Durham brought up an interesting point during a lunch interview that pop culture lacks female emcees because they challenge the norm – powerful females in hip-hop just aren’t favorable to today’s audience. There are female rappers out there, but considering they don’t fit today’s norm, they miss the spotlight, and their music can be difficult to locate.
Hip-hop continued on page 12
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Campus crime UIS mirrors UIUC
By Daniell Bennett
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lthough ranging drastically in student population, UIS and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) both have surprisingly similar crime rates per person. With seven occurrences in the past three years, UIS Police Officer Dave Yemm said that theft is the most common crime on UIS’ campus. This may seem understated to some, however, Yemm explained that on any campus - theft is one of the most common crimes. Yemm called thefts “crimes of opportunity” and occur due to students leaving their car doors unlocked and their valuables unattended. The second most common crime is vandalism like “scratching things on restroom walls” and other acts like this, Yemm stated. In comparison to other universities, Yemm said, “We have probably a lower number, but percentage-wise it is probably similar.” In Illinois colleges and universities, 650 burglaries took place in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Education. They reported UIS with an enrollment of 5,048 in 2012 with two thefts. This accounts for less than one percent of total theft incidents reported. UIUC had an enrollment of 44,520 and 15 thefts in 2012, which accounts for a little over two percent of the total. However, 0.033 percent thefts occur per person at UIUC. At UIS 0.039 percent of thefts occur per person, using the data from the U.S. Department of Education. These are relatively similar numbers, as Officer Yemm stated. The amount of crime that happens on campus may be due to a wide range of reasons. Yemm explained that, “A lot of times crime on campus reflects the town or the crime statistics of the area around it.” UIUC is part of a city and UIS is a little separated from the city. This could be a cause for the larger number of crimes that occur at UIUC, according to Yemm. Junior criminal justice major Mary Ballard also believes that the location of UIS might be a rea-
son for the low number of campus crimes. The difference between the number of crimes at UIS compared to other colleges “might be because of the community in general. Springfield is known to be a pretty decent town,” said Ballard. UIS has had one aggravated assault in the past three years; Yemm explained that these crimes are “a lot more rare” than the other crimes. The battery that occurs on campus “would be more like a domestic type crime, those do happen, maybe one or two a year.” However, these are “more arguments than actual physical contact.” Brittany Sievers, a senior psychology major, said, “Our campus is a lot smaller than a lot of campuses and we also have a smaller amount of students that actually live at UIS.” Sievers also said that, “a lot of the students know each other because of the close community, and that has to make it a lot harder for students to commit a crime and remain unnoticed.” Ballard added, “I don’t think there is a comparison [between UIS and other colleges], seems like a pretty low key, pretty safe campus. I take a lot of night classes and I feel pretty safe.” The perception that UIS does not have crime may be due to the few number of incidents of crime that occur. However, even violent, serious crimes do occur at UIS and the number of crimes per student or percentages of crime can be relatively similar to larger universities. Yemm jokingly stated that “since we have this great police department” it also helps to lower the amount of crime. Adding, “We do a good job, we’re always out and about. There are a lot of crime programs that we have going on.” Some advice that the department gives to students is to “lock your doors and windows, don’t leave valuables unattended, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t take shortcuts especially at night and stay on the sidewalks where the lights are.” Sievers noticed the effort that the
Please Recycle Beyond!
police department has put into ensuring student safety. “The UIS police seem to be very good about notifying students” if anything potentially dangerous occurs on campus. Adding, “and given the size of campus, the response time of their officers may be easier than a campus with 20,000+ students.” While UIS stats mirror that of a large university, it is important to remember that safety is a two-way street. Students must take precautions and know how to use the resources available to them. For more information, visit: http://www.uis. edu/police.
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Hemp continued from page 4 history that industrial hemp has been legally defined by our federal government as distinct from drug varieties of Cannabis. The market opportunities for hemp are incredibly promising – ranging from textiles and health foods to home construction and even automobile manufacturing. This is not just a boon to U.S. farmers, this is a boon to U.S. manufacturing industries as well.” Americans imported over $11 million worth of hemp products from China alone last year. The uses for the plant are truly astounding. It has been used as a concrete, a fabric, plastic, oils, lotions, rope, paper, and even as bulletproof vests. As far as the environmental impact goes, using hemp paper instead of traditional wood-based paper would significantly reduce deforestation, and converting to biodegradable hemp plastics would mean that our plastics wouldn’t be sitting in a landfill poisoning the land for centuries. It isn’t a new idea,
SPRING 2014 seeing as Henry Ford asked, “Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?” Drought has been, and probably will be, a recurring problem in the future, and yet another viable option is something called hemp taproot, which can be used to pull groundwater to the surface. It is truly a shame that a plant product with so much promise has been left untouched for so long, classified in the same class as heroin, and pretty much ignored. In my experience, merely asking individuals what they knew about hemp led to drug-related comments overall. This plant can become a booming industry for Americans, create jobs, make us money, and improve our planet. I think it’s time to cast off the negative stigma and just do something that makes sense. For the full Farm Bill visit: www.VoteHemp.com/ FarmBill
Marijuana continued from page 5 so far behind? In journalism speak, how did we get scooped? Now, Mexico is considering legalizing cannabis. Their hope is that by legalizing one of the less dangerous drugs that help fuel the drug cartels, it will take a little of their power away and end some of the horrific violence plaguing the country. This is a great idea, in theory. Legalizing marijuana is a wonderful starting point in combating the drug cartels. However, this campaign will not work without coopera-
Hip-hop continued from page 10 Lynn Otterson, director of the Women’s Center, said she tried to locate several female rappers’ songs on iTunes, and found that less than half were actually available for purchase. Kamau Kemayo, UIS associate professor of African American studies, currently teaches about African Amer-
tion from the United States. If cannabis is still illegal in much of the States, the drug cartels will continue to export pot to the waiting masses of the southwest and beyond. If they’re smart, which they seem to be, because they make millions illegally and few can touch them, the cartels would reap the benefits of legally growing the plant while selling it illegally in the States. Are we not a country that prides ourselves on helping others? Legalizing marijuana in the States has the potential to not only decrease our own prison populations and increase our tax in-
comes, but also aid in easing the drug-related violence in our neighboring country. In the past few years, legalizing cannabis has become a worldwide movement in the public view instead of merely a United States issue. Evidence of this can be seen in President José Mujica of Uruguay’s nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize, which is largely credited to his country’s decision to legalize the drug. America needs to get with the program, be truly democratic and listen to its people, and not get left behind as the world realizes that marijuana isn’t as bad as it has been made out to be.
ican Popular Culture. According to Kemayo, the class is used to bring “awareness” to students about the contributions African Americans have had on our culture. Recently, Kemayo showed a Byron Hurt film titled “Beyond Beats and Rhymes.” In the film, issues of sexism, masculinity and violence within the realm of hip-hop are explored. “The film showed how
hip-hop rejects or accepts different stereotypes that are put in place,” said Andrew Cerveny, sophomore criminal justice major. “It brought in an interesting perspective.” “You know you want it.” Yes, Mr. Thicke, women do want a more positive depiction, not only within hip-hop culture but overall. Through education and exposure, the future is bright.