F R I D A Y APRIL 18, 2003
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXVIII, No. 54
An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891
www.browndailyherald.com
Herald poll shows students now against arming DPS Student opinion appears to have swung away from arming Department of Public Safety officers in the last year, a Herald poll conducted this week shows. Of 205 undergraduates polled April 14 16, 56.1 percent oppose arming the Brown police, with 34.1 percent in support. But student opinion was evenly split in a Herald poll March 2002, with 37.8 percent supporting, 37.8 percent against and 24.3 undecided or no opinion on arming. In the fall of 2001arming became a hotlydebated issue after a rash of assaults and robberies near campus. President Ruth Simmons announced she would decide on arming by the end of last semester, but later postponed her choice indefinitely. The Herald polled students on four other national and campus issues. In stark contrast to national opinion — but in tune with the results of polls conducted in past weeks at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania — 39 percent of students somewhat or strongly support the war, while 57.6 percent oppose it. In a Gallup Poll conducted between April 14 - 16, 73 percent of Americans responded in favor of the war with Iraq. Asked whether race should be a factor in college admission, 54.1 percent of students said race should be considered, with 40 percent opposed. Male respondents were less likely to approve of race in college admission, with 48 percent in favor, compared to 60 percent of female students. A March Associated Press poll found the nation evenly split on the issue. Although the University announced in March its plans to renovate the Ratty, only 6.3 percent of students felt it should be Brown’s first campus life construction priority. Thirty-five percent favored a student center, followed by 26 percent who wanted a large auditorium or performance space. Improved athletic facilities and dorm renovations found support from 17.6 percent and 13.7 percent of respondents, respectively. All five projects were named in an October 2002 Undergraduate Council of Students report to the Office of Campus Life and Student Services as much-needed long-term improvements. Adding pluses and minuses to the grading system, an issue fiercely discussed on campus for much of the year until the change was voted down by the College Curriculum Council in February, was
Should Brown police be armed?
Undecided/No opinion (9.8%)
Yes (34.1%)
No (56.1%)
resoundingly rejected by students. Only 32.7 percent of respondents supported pluses and minuses to 63.4 percent opposed. Sara Perkins / Herald
see POLL RESULTS, page 5
Brown’s Taekwondo club wowed attendees of Thursday’s Asian Arts Festival.
ARTS & CULTURE REVIEW
Providence debate league brings discourse to inner city BY JESSICA WEISBERG
For many, the term “high school debate team” reeks of elitism. Only blazer-wearing students predestined to attend an Ivy League school gather around the “debate table” in the stereotypical high school cafeteria. But a group of Brown students want that to change. Since its creation in 1997, the Urban Debate League has democratized debate by establishing extra-curricular debate programs in inner-city high schools across the country. Brown’s Swearer Center for Public Service houses the Providence chapter of the Urban Debate League, which has established debate
teams in eight schools in the Providence area. The teams compete against each other about once a month with the help of about 20 Brown students, who serve as judges, and a handful of undergraduate assistant coaches. “Debate gives students an empowered voice,” said Lisa Heller, executive director of the Providence UDL. “The school system creates a very passive learning experience. Debate is something students can engage in.” Heller said below-average students are commonly the most interested in see DEBATE, page 9
Seale outlines Black Panthers’ history BY KIA HAYES
Kia Hayes / Herald
Bobby Seale in his trademark beret.
Racism and police brutality were 50 times worse in the 1960s than they are today, said Bobby Seale, original chairman and co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, Thursday night. During a lecture in MacMillan, Seale outlined the history of the BPP, described his personal experiences within it and offered words of criticism for the New Black Panther Party. Seale, wearing the trademark black beret, regaled the audience with tales of his days organizing the Black Panthers with co-founder and Ministry of Defense Huey P. Newton and shared with the audi-
ence both amusing and serious experiences he had as a black activist during that time. In the early 1960s, Seale said daily acts of police brutality were never made public in the media, and peaceful protesters were severely beaten and killed on numerous occasions. The BPP was started as a means of defending black communities against the police, he said. “We picked up firearms to defend ourselves,” Seale said. Seale said the BPP has been “stereotyped and distorted” due to the FBI’s
Asian Arts Fest. thrills audience BY JOANNE PARK
Clapping bamboo sticks, awesome Taekwondo feats, someone’s “second stand-up (ever)” and an explanation of the Providence refugee experience were but a few of the performances that marked this year’s Asian Arts Festival in Salomon. Riveting a large crowd Thursday night, performers presented both the old and the new in a series of musical and artistic performances. Organized by the Asian American Students Association at Brown, the festival involved students from the Rhode Island School of Design and the Providence Youth Student Movement. The festival, emceed by Praveen Basaviah ’05, Melissa Koh ’03 and Jennet Sambour ’03, featured displayed artwork, films and other forms of entertainment. In line with an ancient Chinese custom, the Brown Lion Dance group commenced the occasion with a celebratory dance featuring two lions sliding across the stage to music. The traditional Filipino dance tinikling saw dancers square off with one another as they maneuvered between two clapping bamboo poles. Performed to both traditional and hip-hop music, the rousing act stirred up the crowd. Brown Taekwondo Club, which recently placed third in the national collegiate tournament, demonstrated techniques
see SEALE, page 9 see ASIAN ARTS, page 4
I N S I D E F R I D AY, A P R I L 1 8 , 2 0 0 3 “Dance-o-Matic” show at the Production Workshop enlivens audiences arts & culture, page 3
The Herald’s student opinion poll looks at issues from campus life to the Iraq war page 5
TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T Post- takes a look at the branding of American youth in consumer culture magazine
Nick Bayard ’04 shows us the lessons we can learn from the natural world opinions, page 11
Women’s track team takes first at eight team track meet last weekend sports, page 12
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