1994_03 Insight March 1994

              Page 2
March 2,1994
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Letter to the Edito
Palestinian
massacre
shocking?
Dear Editor,
It was a shock—the massacre of over 60 Palestinians in Al-
Ibrahimi Mosque last Friday at
8:45 aju.
The man responsible for this
killing, Dr. Baruch Goldstein,
was an American Jew who had
seiucu ui israei.
But what could possibly have
motivated this man, a medical
doctor with an otherwise peaceful lifestyle, to fire at innocent
worshippers on that fatal day?
Mere prejudice? Religious fanaticism? Political extremism?
I believe it must have been all
Ihree.
Baruch was a known hater of
Muslims, refusing even to treat
wounded Palestinians in the hospital where he worked
The killings instigated by
Goldstein occurred at a holy time
for Muslims. (Ramadan).
Goldstein believed that
it was his religious
duty to kill those who
opposed his religion.
He must have planned his attack carefully, as evidenced by
ihe suicide note hc left behind,
the soldier's clothing he wore
and the dme of the killing, which
was during the Muslims' morning prayer.
Goldstein was a man who
knew what hc was doing.
Perhaps it should not have
been such a shock to us, this
massacre.
After all, the power play between Israel and Palestine has
been going on for decades.
Is this incident not one more
manifestation of the struggle between the two parties?
As for prejudice and hatred,
they have existed since the beginning of lime.
Yet thc human soul is still
shocked by this crime — the
brutal taking of life, ihe jarring of
harmony and peace, the shattering of a trust, the manifestation
of cowardice and hatred.
Valley Muslims spent Saturday protesting this violation of
peace, as I'm sure did Muslims
all over the world.
I ask you to join them in their
protest, not passively, but actively.
I ask you not only to hate
prejudice, but to fight it for peace.
— UzmaA.Naz
Spirit of support more
important than winning
"We may have learned how to lose,
but also how to win." said Mexican
studenls from CSUF who were celebrating lhe great performance of thc
Mex ican soccer team on Feb. 24 ai the
Bulldog stadium in a match played
against the Swedish team. It was an
international game lhat would prepare both teams for thc World Cup.
If by now you do not
ing was the animation of the Hispanic
public, considering that thc Mexican
team had lost its last two games, one
against Switzerland and the other with
Russia. Many of lhc students said,
"Mexico may lose, but lhat is not thc
most important thing. What wc want
to show io our Mex ican team is that we
arc there to support whatever happens."
be very happy to inform
you that nobody else did
but Mexico.
Mexico won with a
score of two against
Sweden'sonegoal which
Sweden made just about
eight minutes before the
game was over.
Such high-profile
games arc not seen every
day around here — not
even once a year. Furthermore, it was the first
rime in the history of
Fresno lhat an international soccer
game was played in Fresno.
The attendance at thc game was
about 27,000 people, thc majority
which were Mexicans, Chicanos,
Mex-Americansor Hispanics (which
ever you like the best). At aboul 6
p.m., Shaw and Cedar avenues were
jammed by people from south and
north of Fresno and CSUF students
who were arriving in their cars trying
to gel into the Bulldog Stadium.
Of course it is not surprising to sec
many people attending a soccer game
because there arc a lot of people who
like soccer. What was really surpris-
PINION
by Maria Machuca
The tickets were a little expensive
— S20 for a student is a fortune, espe-
cially if you have to buy your
girlfriend's or boyfriend's ticket, too.
But il did noi prevent many students
from attending. Some students even
bought sweaters with thc Mexican flag
printed on the back. The sweaters cost
S25 each.
Thc atmosphere was thai of a celebration. You could sec il on thc
people's faces. Thc opportunity to attend an international game, which may
be lhc last one in Fresno, was something nobody could miss.
For many students it was the firsl
time Ihey had the opportunity to attend a prc-world cup soccer game.
Probably many of us have attended a
Bulldog soccer game at least once,
but there are certainly major differences from a professional game.
A fourth year linguistic major student at CSUF, ClaudiaGuadian, said
thai it was thc first time she had thc
opportunity to attend a
■■■■■■ soccer game. "When I
i.~ .he Mexican icam
playing, I felt that they
were really good players because they had
such ability controlling
the ball dial I didn't expect to sec," shc said.
"Besides the fact that
Mexico won," Guadian
said, "it was a wonderful experience io be there
supporting our team. I
remembered when I was
little and liked to play
soccer with my brothers
and sisters, bul of course lhat is nothing compared to an international
game."
Some other students, such as
Araceli Gomez, a junior-liberal studies major at Fresno Slate, felt very
proud that Fresno was chosen for an
international soccer game, which was
even more exciting because Mexico
was playing in it
"There were thousands of Mexican flags waving all around thc stadium, people with trumpets yelling
;Viva Mexico! or jGooooal!, and
milking the Mexican Ola (wave),"
Gomez said.
Hadi YazdanPanah/INSIGHT
CSUFsurvey engineeringsophomore, Majid Aseeri, inspects
an article from the mobile Hemp Museum Friday in the free
speech area. The display was part of a drive to legalize the
use of cannabis hemp.
She said il was like a liesta at lirst,
because the Mexican team was coming
to Fresno to play, then after thc game
people were even happier because the
Mexican team won.
"I'm very happy that Mexico won,
but if ihcy had not won, we would be
there to support them anyway," Gomez
added.
There were many sludents whocouia
not attend the game because they did
not have money to buy thc tickets, had
classes or had to work at that lime.
But they really regret not being able
loattcnd this event which ihcy consiiJcr
was a very unique opportunity to participate in the Soccer World Cup by
supporting their favorite icam.
Rodeos pose conflict with animal rights
By Tom McGarry	
StaffWriter
Eightscc Jsand2,000poundsol
whirling, twirling, bucking bull are all
that stand between a cowboy and die
chance to ride in the next go-around.
Rodeo fans consider competing
cowboys and cowgirls to be heroes,
people who risk life and limb
everytime they enter thc ring.
Rodeo detractors consider them to
be nothing less than barbarians; inhumane individuals who exploit and
abuse animals in a macabre form of
entertainment
One detractor is Judy Sweedand of
People for thc Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA).
PETA is a non-profit organization
opposing any use of animals by humans, including pets.
She complained lhat animals arc
transported hundreds of miles, without food or water, through extreme
temperatures in filthy trucks.
When ihey sustain injuries, they are
sera off to be slaughtered.
"It's noi the cowboys or cowgirls
who are courageous," she said in a
telephone interview from hcr office in
Washington D.C.
"They have manipulated the animals through artificial means."
She said thai lhc cowboys at least
have a choice. Animals do not.
Animals are forced into roles they
would never choose of ihcir own free
will.
They are spurred, bucked, prodded
with electric prods, and generally mistreated.
Swectland also decried the use of
flank straps used on bucking animals
which cinch up under thc abdomen,
where there is no skeletal protcciion.
Often the genitals arc pinched, "causing the animal lo jump up and down to
rid itself of lhe pain."
When asked hcropinion.Terri Greer
of thc Professional Rodeo Cowboys
Association (PRC A)respondcd from
hcr Colorado office that shc wondered how many rodeos Swectland
and hcr sort had attended.
"Animals cannot be transported
more than 24 hours," Greer said. "Its
illogical lhai someone who depends
on thc performance of an animal
would harm that animal."
Shc also said the country has been
divided into several regions, and
stixvk contractors have been hired to
serve each region exclusively so thai
no animals must travel more than
four or six hours.
"Animal athletes arc like human
athletes," shc said. "If wc don't lake
care of ihcm, they won't perform."
Shc also said that rodeo animals
live longer than most domestic animals because they arc so well taken
Theircondiuonismuchbctlcrlhan
that of domestic animals, resulting in
a longer and more healthful lifespan.
Her examples included a 35-year-
old horse rccendy inducted into ihe Rodeo Hall of Fame.
•Many bucking strings (groups of
horses) have horses up lo 20 years of age.
Some bulls live to be 15 to 16 years old.
Greer said these arc animals lhai love
lo buck and thc flank strap is only an
encoiiragemcmiogeithcmiokick higher.
There is no pain involved, shc said.
The flank straps arc fleece lined and
have quick release buckles.
Veterinarians treating large animals
found that lhe strap cannot be loo tight, or
ihc animal will noi buck.
Greer continued, saying that if it were
noi for rodeos, many horses would be
sent to Europe for slaughter.
"Stock contractors gel five to 10 calls
per week from owners whose horses have
suddenly decided lo buck," shc said.
None of that makes a difference to
Sweedand.
For hcr die bottom line is that these
animals are being exploited.
Calves are taken from their mothers
almost immediately, making thc rodeo,
"no better than the veal industry."
"Injuries are to be expected." she
said, "ami when ihcy do happen, there
is often no veterinarian available to
help. If there is one on call, hc is hours
away. That is precious time when an
animal is in pain and possibly dying".
Grcerdisputed ihis.stating that vets
are available at 98TC of rodeos.
All animals are checked before and
after performing. Any animal found to
be sick or lame is immediately pulled
from thc event.
Sweedand said thai even if they arc
checked, many animals often have undetectable internal injuries.
A study done mdependendy of lhe
nxlco associauon has disputed this
claim.
Although only 75 percent finished,
ihc study has found that only two-
tenths of one percent of all animals
used in rodeos across thc country were
injured. Those injured achieved full
recovery.
Increased AIDS education
key to awareness on campus
gSgl j 155 moi nv-tK-*! r.^ m ETfjgl Eg a
By Rachael Rosemire	
StaffWriter
At the end of January, 1994, there
were 614 reported AIDS cases in Fresno
County.
It is estimated that by the end of thc
year, there will be at least another 100,
according to Central Valley AIDS Team.
On campus, Ihe number of reported
AIDS cases low so far. Bul a number of
students do not seem to be reacting to lhe
seriousness of AIDS.
Sam Gitchel, thc health educator at
thc university health center, said, "My
own observations show that people are
reacting to AIDS, and it's making some
differences, but it's not always the differences thai are important for prevention."
Many studenls agree that people are
much more aware of the disease, but not
enough io change their actions and practice safe sex.
"1 think the majority believe that it
won't happen to Ihem," said Farrah Leal,
a sorjrwrnore liberal studies major.
"People still think it's a gay issue ex a
blood transfusion disaster, and that anyone they would be having sex with don't
have AIDS, but they're wrong."
Many people don't respond to the'
disease until it affects someone ihey
know.
Jennifer Dupont, a junior accounting
major said, "I think it only affecis or
changes the way people think if it is
direcdy related to them, like if ihey
have a relative who has it or a close
friend."
Part of thc awareness problem may
be the fact that there is not enough
AIDS education on campus.
"People still think
it's a gay issue, or a
blood transfusion
disaster... but
they're wrong."
—Farrah Leal,
sophomore liberal
studies major
"They advertise that you need to
use condoms. That's everywhere,"
said Dupont, "but there's not a lot of
actual education on the disease itself.'*
Td really like to fexus educational
efforts on some of the ways to start
talking about Ihese things," Gitchel
"To help change the social norms so
thai it's uncool not to talk aboul these
tilings before you put yourself al risk "
He added that all a person needs to
knowtoprotcciihemsclvcsLs lhat AIDS
If condoms and spcrmacidc is properly used with every act of intercourse,
safe sex is pretty simple.
Not only is safe sex simple, it's also
cheap.
Condoms arc given out free at most
hospitals, health clinics and planned
parenthood agencies. Even if they
needed lo be purchased, one can gel a
dozen for about S7.
"For mc.I'mcovcrcd, I always wear
a condom," said Daniel Scever, a junior liberal studies major.
"I'm a lot more safe now ihat I've
heard how serious il is."
Of thc estimated 1 million Americans today who have tested posiuvc. H
According to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 50
pcrcentofthe 1 million estimated cases
arc probably unaware of their disease.
Fear of thc illness is wTiat keeps
most people from getting tested.
"I'd be scared to get tested because
if I knew I was going to die in a couple
years I wouldn't live my life right, I'd
rather just not know," Scever said.
Leal disagreed saying,"! think there
are more people going to get AIDS
•gag-Baaa
IlNTSI'
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism
2225 E. San Ramon Ave. CSUF, Fresno, CA 93740-0010 News: 278-2892 Advertising: 278-3934
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Inger Sethov
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 M.Cristina Medina
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Ken Koller.
 Hadi YazdanPanah
Staff Writers
Students of MCJ 102VV, 103 & 108
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