PCC Courier, April 17, 1994

OPINION SPORTS Students should make the decision. Get out there and vote. Page 2 FEATURES Mural gives print shop employees a windowless view of the ocean. Page 5 Fencing club competes on the cutting edge. Page 6 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE Pasadena, California Vol. 78 No. 11 COURIER Serving the PCC Community for 76 years THURSDAY April 7, 1994 Crash dummy This could be you Violence triggers gun forum Elections Few attend forum for candidates □ Aspirants present their agenda before a crowd made up mostly of candidates themselves. By GILBERT RIVERA Staff Writer In an open forum that attracted a small audience, candidates for the 1994 Associated Students executive board and student trustee elections presented their platforms last Thurs¬ day before a group consisting mostly of the candidates themselves. The event, which was held in the student lounge from noon to 1 p.m., gave the candidates an opportunity to push for more votes. It was unsuccesful, however, in attracting a large student audience, unlike last year’s candidate forum which was held in the Quad. “The student turnout was low because of the location,” said AS adviser RcbeccaCobb, who presided over the event. “I think for this type of event, it needs to be in the Quad. It’s hard for students to leave their everyday lives to come up here.” Given a limit of 90 seconds, each of the 26 candidates addressed the numerous problems found at PCC, calling for an increase in student involvement, improvement in the school curricula, and equality among students. “This was a very important occa¬ sion for the candidates,” said Cobb. “It gave them an opportunity to Please see “Elections,” Page 3 Related stories: □ Presidential and student trustee candidates present plans, Page 2 □ List of candidates, Page 3 □ President Jack Scott joins a gun dealer, police officer in debate on gun control laws. Gun control laws and constitu¬ tional concerns, as well as the bill proposed by U.S. Sen. Diane Fcinstcin designed to ban assault weapons, were discussed at the “Gun Awareness Forum,” a lively, often heated debate among a gun dealer, a police officer, a school administra¬ tor, a representative of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the audience. The event., held last Thurs¬ day, was organized by Simon Kellog, a PCC student, with the help of Stu¬ dent Services. Kellog, who acted as moderator, opened the event by say¬ ing he had not considered the gun control issue very important until recently, when “street violence ex¬ ploded everywhere.” Guest speakers included Dr. Jack Scott, PCC president, NRA member Ray Davis, Scott Errclt, Gun World corporate manager, and officer John Perez from the Pasadena Pol ice. They presented their cases, and then an¬ swered questions from the audience. Scott, also a member of the Coa¬ lition for a Non-Violent City, said that because of lack of gun control laws, guns kill 7()percentmorc people in the United States than in all other western countries combined. He added that more people died this year from gun fatalities than from traffic accidents. Scott also argued against the in¬ terpretation of the second amend- mentchampioncd by those opposing gun control. “Nothing in the second amend¬ ment refers to the private ownership of guns, but only to a well regulated militia necessary to the security of a free state.” He said he supports the Feinslein Bill, which proposes the complete banning of assault weap¬ ons. “I don’t understand what any¬ one could possibly want with an assault rifle,” Scott said. Davis, NRA member and gun use training instructor, said he doesn’t believe gun control will reduce crime. He said that is something that can be done only by a tougher justice sys¬ tem: “one thatkeep criminals off the streets.” Davis said the media has contrib¬ uted to the confusion about gun con¬ trol. To avoid incidents, he stressed the importance of training to use firearms, something he said, the NRA takes very seriously. Errct, a gun salesman and also a member of the NRA, said it’s not true that in California gun related Please see “GUNS,” Page 4 Vanity overdose Steroid use escalates nationwide □ Reports of use increase nationwide and in the college. By JANETH PARRILLA Staff Writer An estimated 300,000 Ameri¬ cans who participate in recre¬ ational sports, play on neighbor¬ hood teams or join health spas arc victims of steroids, according to a national survey. PCC is also experiencing an increased number of reports of steroid use here on campus, ac¬ cording to Barbara Bondurant, registered nurse in the health cen¬ ter. Although most people associ¬ ate steroid use with athletes, Bondurant slated that not all ste¬ roid victims are athletes. They are actually “average students” whoparticipate in recreational sports or are members of health spas. Bondurant emphasized that there is “not necessarily an increase in us¬ age. We arc just becoming more aware of it.” Bondurant also said that there has been a growing number of reports of steroid use in females. “Steroid use is distressing, be¬ cause I think males and females arc resorting to the drugs to cover low selfesteem. It really comes down to psychological problems,” said Bondurant. The students who use steroids usually come into the health center because of a high choleslorol level, or high blood pressure. Those arc two side effects of steroid use. When health center staff mem¬ bers suspect steroid use, they coun¬ sel the students until they are confi¬ dent enough to talk about their prob¬ lem. “With the counseling and the side effects they are experiencing, they usually admit that they’re using steroids. We’re not coercing them, it is the counseling that helps.” said Bondurant. When steroid users seek help from the health center, they are also re¬ ferred to psychological services and to a physician if they desire to quit using the drug. One physical education instruc¬ tor stated the reason students resort to steroid use is “to enhance perfor¬ mance and muscle mass. Mediocre athletes use them because they think they may become better athletes.” She stated that she suspects ste¬ roid use in some students, but has no concrete evidence. Ernie Rominc, director of the physical education department, said that there is no special policy for steroid users. “All students have the same rules and regulations. If a student is iden¬ tified as someone with a drug prob¬ lem, they will be helped.” When Romine was asked what his advice would be to steroid users, he replied with, ’’They could go talk to Lyle Alzcdo, but unfor¬ tunately he’s dead. Hc’stheclas- sic example, I’d send anyone to go read his biography.” According to Bondurant the first step to fight the spread of steroid use is for the students to have a better self image. “They need to get involved in positive extra curricular activi¬ ties, so that they can build up their selfesteem,” said Bondurant. The Student Health Center of¬ fers help for students who have drug problems. Immigration issue sparks heated debate □ College president addresses community policing issue with the U.S. Attorney General and other local and state politicians. By PATRIA G. ABELGAS GUILLERMO DUARTE Shouts and racial chants pierced last Tuesday’s lunch hour as an im¬ migration debate turned into a mud- slinging match between political activists. The debate, “Confronting the ris¬ ing tide of anti-immigrant lcgisla- tion, ’’discussed the possible changes that can be made to the country’s present immigration laws. Even before the discussion started, hostility was already build¬ ing up. A woman told Alex Ortega, Associated Students executive vice president, “You have an accent. This is not your land. Go back to where you belong.” The panel included Rep. Xavier Becerra, Democrat of Los Angeles, and Ira Mehlman of The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a national group that’s pushing gov¬ ernment to limit immigration in the United States. After Becerra and Mehlman gave their views, members of the audi¬ ence started insulting each other. Anti-i Ilcgal immigration supporters shouted at their opponents to return to their homelands. A member of One Stop Immigra¬ tion told the crowd, “Mexican people cannot be illegal in their own land. This (California) is the land of Aztlan.” According to the Pasadena Star News, most of those involved in the arguments were not students and on ly wentto the college to distribute fliers about the issue. Carrie Al'uso, coordinator of the Cross Cultural Center which spon¬ sored the event, said, "I wanted the students to be exposed to this kind of issue. I think they’re going to go home with more knowledge of what’s happening.” The PCC squabble was just one of many emotional debates on illegal immigration throughout the state lately. Becerra supported the argument that undocumented people from all parts of the world have contributed to the development of the nation rather than abused the system. He also recognized that the United Stales has the right to control its frontiers. However, he said the people in charge of slopping those who cross the border illegally should be well- trained and sensible enough to rc- spcctand avoid violating immigrants’ human rights. Becerra added that the govern¬ ment should penalize the owners of businesses who exploit the undocu¬ mented workers. He said that the United States should offer its help and cooperation to the countries where most immigrants come from. Mehlman, on the contrary, said that immigration was affecting the economy and that the United States should stop illegal immigration. He suggested that the government should cut the number of work permits from 900,000 to 300,000. “It’s not right for the people who are here illegally to receive benefits from the taxpayers,” he said. “I think the only way to make them leave this country is by (taking away) their rights to all services.” Becerra and Mehlman were con¬ stantly interrupted by hecklers from the audience. Those who lined up for questions shouted at the two invited speakers and had to be cut off. KATRINA P. TEN/The COURIER Immigrant activists protest at CalState L.A. during a forum with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Senator Diane Feinstein.