Columnist offers insight into clout surrounding Syria >> page 4
Vols gear up for defensive test against Hilltoppers >> page 6
A review of Big Sean’s new album “Hall of Fame” >> page 5
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Issue 10, Volume 124
Syrian struggle boasts local ties McCord Pagan Copy Editor Think of Neyland Stadium, the size of it. Now think about it filled with 102,000 screaming fans. Now imagine every single person inside the stadium is dead. Roughly 100,000 people, enough to fill Neyland, have died in the Syrian Civil War during the past two and half years. In addition, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that nearly two million have fled the country and at least five million are internally displaced. But how did this begin? After young boys were arrested in Daraa, Syria in the spring of 2011 for spray painting unflattering messages about Assad, citizens launched protests against the government. In response, President Bashar al-Assad resorted to military force, using live fire to kill those opposing his now 13-year rule. “The government responded badly and sent thugs – shabiha – and they started retaliating, beat some people up, some people died,” Joud Monla-Hassan, freshman
majoring in political science, said. “It just kept happening like that. They were peaceful and they ended up getting attacked by these thugs until they (the protestors) were militarized.” Monla-Hassan’s family was forced to leave Damascus when Assad started bombing the city. Her cousin, a protestor, was imprisoned and tortured for two weeks. Monla-Hassan’s father, Dr. Jaber Hassan, is a Maryville, Tenn. doctor with close ties to his native Syria. Hassan said Assad has exploited ideological differences between the Shiites and the Sunnis, using murder and death threats to encourage loyalty. “When you corner them, scare them, tell them terrorists are coming to take your life, they are confused and eventually will believe them (Assad),” Hassan said. According to Hassan, the Assad government deliberately allowed terrorist groups to create a haven in Syria. From his three trips to Syria as a doctor, Hassan noted that only terrorist camps have escaped the mostly indiscriminate bombing Assad has used against his own people. While terrorist groups are involved in the country, it
was after the regime’s attack against protestors that groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Al-Nusra Front became active. Hassan directly blames the government, saying that terrorist camps have been deliberately overlooked in order to promote further instability at home and hesitation by Western governments. “I think with recent events with the chemical weapons … it would be almost ridiculous if no one intervened,” MonlaHassan said. “I don’t think it should ever have gotten to the point of chemical weapons. … No one has been telling this guy [Assad] to stop. … I feel it shouldn’t have even gotten to the point of him using chemical weapons, it’s almost as if he was goaded on, no one has taken serious action, so that was kind of his green light to go ahead and use them and I think it’s awful. “Right now you can’t even take a side. You can’t even be pro-FSA, and you can’t be pro-Assad. You just have to be pro-common folk.” U.N. investigations have confirmed violations of human rights by both sides of the conflict, but emphasized that the Assad government has engaged in a far greater level of terror by turning its weap-
• Photo courtesy of Jaber Hassan
More than 100,000 people have died during the Syrian Civil War. ons on civilian populations. America has focused more intently on the war in recent weeks, after Assad used chemical weapons to kill more than 1,400 civilians in late August. Secretary of State John Kerry announced two days
ago that Sarin, a nerve agent, had been detected in samples taken from those killed in Ghouta. This weekend, President Obama formally asked the Speaker of the House and Senate to give him open-end-
ed powers to move militarily against Syria. On Tuesday, Speaker of the House John Boehner publicly announced his support of the president’s plan, although an official vote stills looms before Congress.
ministries Biker shares gearhead tales Campus provide community Clint Shannon Contributor
What began as a simple bike ride for cyclist Dominic Gill morphed into something far more transformational: a transcontinental journey that would, as he later stated, restore his faith in the goodness of humanity. In 2005, Gill cycled from the top of Alaska to the bottom of Argentina. The Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center, a local hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts, received a special treat when the center hosted the cyclist on Saturday, Aug. 31. Carol Evans, executive director of the Legacy Parks Foundation which sponsored the event, stated that biking remains the “most popular” activity for college students,
both on Greenway Road and in the mountains. Evans believed Gill to be a perfect match for her group of avid bikers. Gill lectured on his personal outdoor adventure and discussed the opportunity Knoxville residents have to get out and do something special and unique. “A bicycle has no doors and no windows; (it) allows you to interact with the outside world, and allows the outside world to interact with you,” Gill said. “A tandem bicycle means that that interaction isn’t just limited to rest stops. You can actually get someone on and converse and share their story while you ride.” For Gill, the impetus for his journey began long before 2005. See ADVENTURE CENTER on Page 3
Jordan Achs Contributor
Hannah Cather • The Daily Beacon
The Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center promotes outdoor recreational activity as an important factor for the health of the community members.
Vols see leadership flowing from Worley David Cobb Sports Editor With a microphone in front of him, water bottle to his left and a seated throng of media members below him, Justin Worley answered several questions in a row on Monday. Then, finally, some relief came in the form of a question asked to Ja’Wuan James, the player UT’s junior quarterback shared the stage with. James is a senior charged with protecting the quarter-
back as the right tackle on UT’s offensive line, so he is familiar with how Worley performed and commanded the huddle in the team’s 45-0 drubbing of Austin Peay on Saturday. “You could tell as the game went on that he got a little swag in him,” James said as a slight smile came to Worley’s face. “He just started playing, and I like the way he is playing, and I like his leadership.” After competing for the starting job throughout fall
INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON In Short News Opinions Arts & Culture Sports
Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6
camp against three freshman quarterbacks, Worley played the entire first half against the Governors before watching the second half with most of UT’s other starters. Though his final line featured just two incompletions in 13 attempts, he found areas to critique himself in preparation for Saturday’s 12:21 p.m. game against Western Kentucky. “There were a few throws that I missed,” Worley said. “I missed targets that could have
ended up being big plays. I missed Marquez (North) twice, a little bit behind him both times. I think that is just trying to get a feel for his route running.” Worley said timing with UT’s young receivers will come with continued repetition in practice, something the Rock Hill, S.C., native should get plenty of considering UT’s coaches seem to have settled on him as the starter for now. See OFFENSE NOTEBOOK on Page 6
Like The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmental responsble manner.
utdailybeacon.com
The Daily Beacon
A multitude of Christian campus ministries call UT their home. The groups, which include Volunteers for Christ, CRU, Christian Student Fellowship and multiple church outreach programs, exist for students to explore and engage a religious realm. And according to members of each ministry, these programs wish to give students a sense of community while at UT. Volunteers for Christ is a group unique to UT’s campus which offers a plethora of activities and events for students as part of a campus outreach for Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. Weekly meetings are on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in AMB room 210. They also host tailgates and Fall and Spring Break trips. “It’s nice to have community on campus,” Zach Varnell, leader of VFC, said. “We like to see our ministry as a refuge for students to come and feel safe from the all the junk that happens on campus.” According to Varnell, their goal is to spread the Gospel around UT’s campus. J.C. Evans, senior in geography, said he found VFC to be a welcoming group. “I went to a bunch of other campus ministries, (and) never
Follow
@UTDailyBeacon
Follow
@DailyBeacon
really fit in, but then a friend of mine brought me to VFC and I just felt more at home, natural, more welcomed,” Evans said. “People there were just generally more accepting and more excited to see me. The messages were great, the worship was great and the people were great.” CRU, formally known as Campus Crusade for Christ, is a campus ministry that focuses on diversity, according to CRU director Britton Sharp. CRU holds meetings every Thursday at 7:30 in AMB room 32. In addition, the group boasts a freshman retreat, fall retreat, tailgates before every home game and small groups in every residence hall. “Well, I think UT is a very diverse place ... and in that there are a lot of people coming from different places,” Sharp said. “So I think at CRU, one of the things we have to offer is a very broad diversity base. We have students from all over the U.S. and even some from a few different countries that are all at some point in their spiritual journey asking questions, and we want to be a safe place for people to ask questions and to process. “We don’t put pressure on people, but we challenge people to grow and to develop ... we want to challenge students to invest in UT, not just attend UT.” See VFC on Page 5