1995_05 Insight May 1995

              In Focus
MAY 3,1995
Activists call
rodeos cruel
and inhumane
♦ Despite criticism, Clovis
Rodeo fans, officials insist
animals are well-treated
By Robert Williamson
StaffWriler
The 81st Annual Clovis Rodeo took
place last weekend. April 29 and 30.
in front of scll-oul crowds for the
fourth year in a row.
About 15.000 people braved the rain
to watch the rodeo's seven main
events — saddle bronc riding, bull
riding, calf roping, barrel racing, steer
wrestling, bareback bronc riding and
learn roping — as well as other "less
exciting" events that apparently provide great entertainment for all —
except animal right's activists.
While no one from animal right's
organizations was on hand lo protest
what they feel is "demeaning, inhumane and exploitive" use of rodeo
animals this year, they have been out
in years past.
"We had problems getting enough
of our people together to make it this
year," said Jeff Eisinger. spokesperson for thc Humane and Ethical Animal Treatment (HEAT) organization.
Other groups that have protested the
use of animals in rodeos in the past
are Pet Pals, thc Animal Liberation
Foundation and In Defense of Animals.
"Our main problem with rodeos is
that it's just another example of
people exploiting defenseless animals
for thc sake of a few entertainment
dollars.
"Like the circus, there's no justification for it except thai il makes
money for these people," Eisinger
said.
Many in the sport disagree.
John Growney attended this year's
rodeo as one of the two main slock
contractors, who provide livestock for
the events and often put on rodeos
themselves, said. "I love ihis business
and my animals.
"They're all my babies and a pan of
my family." he said. "It's my life and
Growney is the former owner of ihe
most famous bucking bull in rodeo
history. Red Rock (recently deceased), and bdth starred in the well-
known rodeo movie "8 Seconds."
Dee Dec Black, a national representative, and Bob Ragsdale, president
of an organization called Friends of
Rodeo (FOR), went to some lengths
to explain measures taken to prevent
harm to the animals
FOR began several years ago in response to the criticisms by animal
right's groups and the Professional
Rodeo Cowboy's Association's
(PRCA) "several pages ot animal protection rules."
They demonstrated how devices
such as hom wraps, used to protect
steer's heads from rope burn and
sheepskin-lined Hank straps, used to
make broncs buck higher and protect
ihcir Hank muscles the way a weight
belt protects a weight lifter, all work
to make events as sale as they can for
the animals
They also give a "chute lour." a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on
lor the media and those concerned
Eisinger said. "They s.i> a Hank
strap is just tickling ihem. lo make
ihem buck higher, thai the hroncs
would buck anyway
"Bul if that were lhc case, why don't
they send them out without ihem?
"I don't know to what extent devices
are used, don't know all there »s to a
rodeo." Eisinger said, "but jusl ihe
nature of the event is dangerous.
'The fact is animals and humans d..
get hurt and killed." hc said.
From lhc souvenir program sold at
See RODEO, page 9
Photo by Kori Rianda/lnsight
Tree Fresno commemorated National Arbor Day by planting 25 trees on campus last week.
The trees were donated by Chevy-Geo, a corporate sponsor of Tree Fresno. Tree Fresno
planted 25 trees on campus in March, and they plan to plant 25 more trees in May. The
trees will be in full maturation In 10-15 years, creating a beautiful walkway from Joyal
Administration to the Satellite Student Union.
Guns, from page 1
their 30s and 40s.
About 85 percent of the total number
of applicants were male. Morales said.
Although there is an increase in requests for handgun permits. Morales
feels there won't be much of a change-
in gun ownership.
"I'm not sure it will have a real drastic effect," Morales said.
Several gun dealers in Fresno also
don't sense a change either.
Matt Williams, part owner of
Rancho Guns in Fresno, said.
"There's not a lot of change since the
new concealed weapons ordinance.
People don't know how hard or easy
it is to get a permit."
However, Williams said handguns
are still the most popular choice, with
an average cost of $400.
The increasing popularity of handguns is apparent in 1993 Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms statistics which show the sale of handguns has increased 26 percent in the
last 10 years.
In 1993, 4.6 million firearms were
produced in the United Slates, half of
which were handguns.
According to BATF statistics. 200
million firearms are in circulation in
the United States.
Although the number of firearms is increasing, thc number of gun dealers in
America is declining at a rapid rate.
According to Steve Bauer. BATF
special agent, thc western region of
the United States has seen a 25 percent decrease in thc number of gun
dealers in the past 18 months, live-day wailing period for the pur-
In December 1993. there were chase ol a handgun.
44.712 gun dealers in the western re- Withinllxiselived-'vs.acriminalhaek-
gion. That number dropped to 36.170 gn>uml check is administered by law en-
dealers
Bauer said thc
declining numbers
of gun dealers may
be due to the
Brady Handgun
Control Act.
The bill, which
passed Congress in
December 1993,
placed tougher restrictions
HIS
mat officiate toeasun: ihc applicant
hasn'i been convicted of a felony.
Nineteen other
states had similar
background
"We need to have
some rules and
regulations over
behavior. Guns
don't solve prob-
dealers. including  1emS# People
an initial license JT
fee of $200 and a solve problems."
renewal  fee  in- ■
in addition! gun Sudarshan Kapoor
CSUF Professor of uSstalc'
dealei
mit fingerprint
photographs
show proof of
formancc     i
unaffected bv the
Brady bill. How-
states had only
limited background checks and
up-to-date records.
According to
1993 BATF statistics, there are
about 287.000 gun
dealers    in   the
nd        Social Work Fd    Th^r<-'42-^'-
,n. JUUdl VVUr/K. E.U. Censed gun dealers
ith m Fresno County,
and   local ~— ^^~~^"""" Bauer said.
But despite the legislative attempts
lo make gun ownership easier and
safer, controversy remains.
Opponents of gun control cite ihe
Second Amendment, which gives
Americans the right to keep and bear
According to Bauer, the .
decline is due to the erne
gun dealers.
"The result in less dealers
of the increase in cost and
"We're mtn
plying rule
Additional provisions of the Brad;
law include the establishment of I
.tringeni about ap-        Other opponents feel legislation is
taking the wrong approach by blaming guns for crime.
Mikc Wash is the manager of the
Range Indoor Pistol Club, an organization that promotes firearm safety.
Hc disagrees with gun control and
considers ihe punishment of criminals
a better solution.
"Gun control is something thai
doesn't work." Wash said.
Wash approves of the concealed
weapons ordinance and is pleased that
handguns are more accessible to law-
abiding citizens.
"People with firearms have the
same rights as everyone else." Wash
said. "Think of it as an option."
Wash doesn'l think the new law will
allow criminals to have easier access
"Criminals don't buy firearms from
a gun shop." Wash said. "They gel
them from the streets and the black
A strong supporter ot the death penalty. Wash wants to sec stricter punishment ol criminals and less emphasis on blaming guns.
"We need stricter criminal control,
not gun control." Wash said. "This
country was made great through the
use of firearms. Just ihink of what this
country would be like without guns."
Wash's outlook tin crime is bleak.
"Our ciiv is more dangerous than
Dodge City ever was," Wash said. "If
you lake away weapons from law-
abiding citizens, there will be real
trouble."
However, proponents of gun control believe guns aren't the answer.
Sudarshan Kapoor. CSUF professor
of social work education, believes in
getting rid of guns.
"We should gradually eliminate
guns from society," Kapoor said.
He is involved in the peace and conflict studies program on campus
which focuses on conflict resolution
and bringing peace inlo communities.
Kapoor would like to see anger-
management training incorporated in
the law. He ihinks this would teach
gun holders how to control their anger when their blood pressure rises.
"It's a course on how to respond if
stimuli provoke you." he said.
Kapoor believes nobody should be
allowed to carry guns except the police, members of the military and seasonal hunters.
However, he knows this is unlikely
to happen
This is u gun-loving society,"
Despite the fact that the Second
Amendment is a glorified law to
some, he feels there needs to be some
gun-control legislation to promote
safety
"People think that any control is a
violation of their rights." Kapoor said.
"We need to have some rules and
Kapoor believes education and
community coalitions arc the key in
providing solutions.
"Guns don't solve problems."
Kapoor said   "People solve prob-
Drinking,
from page 4
In this age of increased awareness
and tougher drunk driving laws, why
are students drinking so much?
According to a study from the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, binge
drinking — consuming five drinks in
a row for men and four for women —
is "normative" among college communities.
The research indicated occasional
binge drinkers are seen as more relaxed, easier to get along with and
someone who can have a good time.
Non-drinking students were seen as
more reserved, anxious or controlled.
Bowman said she didn't know how
to socialize without being drunk. "I
could never dance or talk to people at
a party without being buzzed, and
that's been the hardest for me."
"The first couple of times I went to
clubs sober I had a terrible time. I've
had to recondition myself to have fun
without alcohol."
Although Bowman says shc was
emotionally oul of control when she
was drinking, nothing really bad ever
happened lo her.
"My grades never went down because I was so determined to make it
through school, but it made it a lot
harder on mc," Bowman said.
Many students, unlike Bowman,
aren't so fortunate.
♦Newsweek reported that a 1991
study found that students with D and
F grade point averages drank, on average. 10.6 drinks per day.
•Ninety percent of all rapes on campuses occur when alcohol is being
used by either thc assailant, thc victim or both, according to The Center
of Addiction and Substance Abuse.
•Sixty percent of college women
who contact a sexually transmitted
disease say ihey have had sex while
under thc influence of alcohol, reports
Glamour magazine.
" Even as a freshman 1 knew I had a
problem with drinking but I was in
major denial." Bowman said. "A
couple of weeks ago I saw a movie
aboul an alcoholic. I thought. "That's
not me. I don't acl that way." But I
was just looking for a reason to say
I'm not an alcoholic."
Alcoholics don't always act thc
same way.
Bowman — who said she thinks
about drinking everyday — said that
for the most part, she quit drinking
on her own. "No one could have told
mc to quit drinking. I had to make that
decision on my own."
Bowman said hcr boyfriend couldn't
come to grips with her alcoholism or
his own. and their relationship ended.
But she said she has received a lot of
support from her family and friends.
"I've also gone to three AA meetings and I get support from America
Online's Recovery Link room. It's a
place on the Internet where you can
talk to people with the same problems," Bowman said.
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