Defending the First Amendment since 1911
Volume 99, Issue 34
18
Tattoos aren’t taboos
WEDNESDAY
NOV
www.UniversityStar.com
Students talk about why they sit through the pain. See story page 6 and exclusive video at UniversityStar.com.
Texas State Allies signs being defaced on campus By Amanda Givens News Reporter For some it is a sign. For others it symbolizes a safe haven. Members of the Allies of Texas State said their organization’s placards on campus have been stolen and ripped apart. Others defaced embossed with defamatory statements. Allies members and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning community said they have been noticing discriminatory acts on campus for some time now. “I believe for individuals, fear of the unknown gets the best of them at times,” said Iliana Melendez, the Allies Program Team graduate intern. “This is the reason programs like the Allies at Texas State exists.” The Allies of Texas State program promotes awareness and understanding about sexual and gender identities through education and training. Participants in Allies of Texas State receive an Ally of Texas State placard and pin as sym-
Size, parking prevents on-campus polling locations for voters By Hollie O’Connor News Reporter Texas State students have not had an on-campus polling location on Election Day in the past, nor can they expect one in the future. Joyce Cowan, Hays County elections administrator, said issues of legality and convenience are the cause. Voters must cast their ballot at a designated polling location according to their precinct on Election Day. Texas State is part of several precincts because of its size, which by law can only contain 5,000 citizens, Cowan said. A polling location on campus would not meet ADA requirements, she said. “You can’t put the whole university or this one section in a polling place because of the population,” Cowan said. “You can’t open one and say ‘All university students can go vote here.’ That’s not the case. The requirement by law says the precinct would be way too large.” Cowan said if there was a polling location at Texas State, parking would be an issue for those encompassed in the precinct, but who do not live on campus. “Let’s face it, parking on any university campus is not fun, period,” Cowan said. “It (parking) has to be available for everyone.” William DeSoto, political science associate professor, said city officials must do their best to accommodate all voters. The best way to do this is to scatter polling locations throughout the county, he said. Cowan said there are polling locations on the outskirts of the university, which are con-
venient for students, such as the Old Fish Hatchery Building on CM Allen Parkway. Early voting will continue to be held on campus in coming elections, Cowan said. This is possible because unlike Election Day voting, anyone from Hays County can cast their ballot at any early voting location. “Early voting is for the convenience of the voter,” Cowan said. “You’re here, and it’s close to you. But on Election Day, you vote within the boundary lines of where you live.” Cowan said one possible solution to the inconvenience of designated polling locations is the creation of vote centers. Vote centers would work much like early voting — any citizen could vote at any vote center in their county. She said this year there were five pilot sites in Lubbock that went “very well,” but the policy has not yet been passed into law. “Say you’re a commuter coming in from Austin, but as you’re coming in it’s getting close to 7 p.m. and the closest Vote Center is in Kyle,” Cowan said. “You can pull in on Election Day there instead of trying to make a mad dash to your area precinct.” Cowan said vote centers could increase the number of participants in local elections. Ascelina Garza, pre-communication disorders sophomore, said she agrees with Cowan. Garza said she watched the City Council debates, but she did not vote in the recent election. She said this was because of the inconvenience of finding her polling site. Having vote centers in Hays County would encourage her to cast a ballot in the future, especially if there was one on campus.
NEWS pages 1-3
bols of understanding, support and trust. These placards and pins identify people with whom a LGBTQ person may visit if they need help or advice. Melendez could not identify the number of torn down placards the organization has replaced, but said it happens frequently. Melendez said there is a common misconception members trained as Allies come from the LGBTQ community. “There are negative stigmas and stereotypes individuals hold of the LGBTQ community,” Melendez said. Kyle Hennings, social work senior, is president of Lambda at Texas State, a social organization for the LGBTQ community. Hennings said people do not think prejudice against the LGBTQ community still exists. “Situations such as the plaques being torn down send little messages of hate and disrespect,” Hennings said. “It is not easy for people to come out. People need to step up a bit more.”
Hennings said Lambda works with Allies to promote its events. “The plaques on campus doors are symbols for our community that let us know they understand our situation,” Hennings said. “The plaque is a symbol we can be free and it is a safe place for us.” Hennings said the Allies placards are not the only targets on campus. He said Lambda members have been targets of derogatory statements, though he would not identify the members’ identities. Gregory Snodgrass, director of the Counseling Center and a trained Ally at Texas State, said situations such as the Allies’ signs being torn down are affirmations of the need for an education campaign. “It takes time for people to overcome misconceptions and prejudices about individuals who are different,” Snodgrass said. “There is a continuing need to educate in order to bring
Being an Ally Do not assume
heterosexuality. In our society and culture, it is assumed that everyone is heterosexual. People will often hide who they are until they feel safe to come out. Use gender neutral language when referring to someone’s partner if you do not know the person well. Be aware of the gender language you use and the implications of this language. Educate yourself about LGBTQ issues. Many resources are available, including reading lists and websites. Avoid patronizing individuals from different groups. —Courtesy of Allies of Texas State
see ALLIES, page 3
Lights Out
Crashed car leaves downtown San Marcos in the dark
Sara Strick/Star photo BLACKOUT: A vehicle crashed into a utility pole Tuesday night in downtown San Marcos, causing an area-wide power outage. Emergency officials got the lights back on at approximately 7:30 p.m.
A single vehicle knocked out all of downtown’s power Tuesday night after the driver lost control and ran into a utility pole. “What happened here is basically the same thing that happens in heavy weather conditions,” said Fire Marshall Ken Bell. “When a wire starts bouncing around and it hits a primary system, it causes a reaction at the substation and it responds by opening the safety circuits which cause the power to go out.” Bell said he sees large power outages like Tuesday’s approximately a dozen times in a year. Bell said he has seen subsequent traffic accidents after the outage but is unsure if they are connected. The women’s basketball game was postponed until the power came back on at approximately 7:30 p.m. — Compliled by Scott Thomas
Individuals reminisce about Aquarena Center By Bianca Davis News Reporter Memories of the Aquarena Center will outlast its buildings and exhibits, say individuals who know the area best. Peggy Fairey, an Aquamaid in the early 1950s, reminisced about the long hours she spent swimming in the shows. “After you did several shows you would be real cold, then afterwards we would lay out on the dock and get a suntan,” Fairey said. “I still remember that.” Fairey said the park holds memories for everyone who was a part of it. “Even people who went to school here have a lot of emotional attachments to this place,” Fairey said. The site of the Aquarena Center is to undergo demolition of buildings located on the peninsula beginning in 2010. Andy Sansom, executive director of the River Systems Institute, said the university is working with the Army Corps of Engineers for the project to restore the land to a “natural state.” “The submarine theater, the old resta
“We spent our life around here. I enjoyed being a part of it, and it was my family’s love.” — Shirley Rogers Aquamaid, 1953 rant and gift shop — all that is going to be gone,” Sansom said. “There will be some restrooms and we will still have a facility to dock the boats. Other than that it’s going to looks like it did in 1890.” The center is on the grounds of the former Aquarena Springs Amusement Park, which was home to Aquamaids and Ralph the Swimming Pig. The last show was performed in 1996 as part of the process of shifting the focus from entertainment to education. Sansom said the shift was part of a university plan from when they bought it in 1994. The center still shows the remains of a once-popular amusement park, but the
scenery will change within the next year as the area undergoes total renovation. “This is probably the most significant environmental restoration program in the United States, the reason being the incredible importance of these springs,” Sansom said. The park is a sentimental place for former employees and visitors alike. Becky Jones, a former boat driver and gift shop manager, remembered her time working at the amusement park. “They didn’t pay very well,” Jones said. “They paid minimum wage, but I kept working here for six years because they balanced it with so much fun.” She said she became friends with some of the regulars, and they would take her out to eat. “It was before the days of Sea World and Fiesta Texas,” Jones said. “People would spend the whole weekend here. They would eat at the restaurant and attend all the attractions. There was the skyride, glass-bottom boats and the show area was
OPINIONS
TRENDS
SPORTS
page 5
pages 6-7 Texas State alumnus directs film in San Marcos, including students and alumni in the production
page 10
Main Point: ‘Texas State Traitors’ does more harm than good
see CENTER, page 3
Today’s Weather
73°/49° Sunny Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 41% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: SW 10 mph