PCC Courier, May 13, 2010

For exclusive stories and photos check out the Courier on the web @ pcccourier.com Track & Field Four Lancers advance to SoCal Finals Pasadena City College Page 8» Volume 101, Issue 10 " The Independent Student Voice of РСС, Serving Pasadena Since 1915. Thursday, May 13, 2010 0> ’■> if Immigration reform controversial Photo courtesy of John Avery Protesters march on May Day to oppose the Arizona law which has caused heated debates all across the country. New law evokes mixed reactions Raffi Bezdikian, Thomas Poole and Alysa m. Valles Contributing Writers Though many at PCC oppose Arizona's controversial new immigration law, others believe it's about time something was done to secure the borders and deal with undocumented immi¬ grants. SB 1070, as it's known, was signed by Arizona governor Jan Brewer into law April 23 and will go into effect in August. "It's a terrible law," said history professor Victor Nebrida. "It's a discriminatory immigration bill from a place that's had a long history of anti-immigration sentiment," he said. Others feel that the law has taken steps that the federal gov¬ ernment has not taken regarding illegal immigration and undocumented immigrants. "It7 s good," said Michael Galifi, an undecided major and an immigrant from Italy. "I don't like people coming here illegally. They want the same rights as everybody else." Matthew Kiaman, a computing services technician, thinks the law has gone too far. "The federal government needs to make sure there is a legit¬ imate way to become a citizen," Kiaman said. Critics of the law say it condones racial profiling, and makes it too easy for law enforcement to make judgments on a per¬ son's appearance. Designed to prosecute and deport undocu¬ mented immigrants, SB 1070 allows police to request identifica¬ tion in any situation in which "reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the U.S." "It7 s a very dangerous law," Nebrida said. "It's really based on a shortcut way to apprehend supposed illegal immigrants Continued on page 7 Speech Showcase highlights top performers Ianine Shimomura Managing Editor A month after its success at nationals, PCC's Forensic program hosted its annual showcase highlighting five events from their nationally award-winning team on Tuesday in the Vosloh Forum. The team members performed for stu¬ dents and faculty to show what they were capable of delivering within their own speech courses. The Forum was filled with students enrolled in speech classes. Jasmine White took the floor with her Oral Interpretation of Poetry reciting "Blood Dazzler" by Patricia Smith with a wide emotional range on the impact of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. "All I ever wanted to be was a wet, gor¬ geous mistake," said White in the character of the hurricane. Laughs echoed from the audience, but were quickly replaced with silence as she described the emotional dec¬ imation that one resident suffered. Wallis Locke performed an impromptu speech. She received two quotations and was given two minutes to prepare a five- minute speech on the quotation of her choice. The quote she discussed was from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; "There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it." Continued on page 7 Brian Warouw/Courier Speech student Issam Khabbaz speaks to students Tuesday in the Vosloh Forum. New student activity fee approved $10 will be collected per semester Catherine Sum And Hannah Leyva Staff Writers A $10 student activity fee, effective beginning this fall, was approved by the Board of Trustees in a 5-1 vote. Trustee John Martin voted against the fee, noting during the May 6 board meeting, "This fee cuts across 30,000 students, some of whom may only be taking one class. I can't support an additional tax for stu¬ dents at this time." The board added a friendly amendment to the pro¬ posal, which will bring the fee back in a year's time for evaluation and inspection. Trustee Jeanette Mann was not present during the meeting. "[Consider it] more of an experiment," said board President Hilary Bradbury-Huang. A student activity fee was briefly imposed in the 1980s, but none has existed since then. Currently, stu¬ dents pay a separate $1 representation fee, which solely funds the Associated Student Lobby Committee. The approval of this fee has been a project not just of the current Associated Students Executive Board, but also of past boards. "Students, through several years, have worked hard for [the passing of the student activity fee]," said Student Trustee Brian Abadia, who used his advisory vote in approval of the proposal. He noted that the issue was a pet project of last year's AS president, Christina Javier, calling it "her baby." Continued on page 7 Veterans ask for more resources Natalie Sehn Weber Staff Writer PCC student veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and their advisers rallied for a Veterans Resource Center and improved veteran services at the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday. According to veterans club president Carol Calandra, they'd waited four months to be added to the Board's agenda. The highly anticipated presentation consisted of moving and persuasive arguments for the center and expanded services. Veteran Magdalena Sanchez told the board she felt PCC should acknowledge its veterans and give them a place that enables them to succeed. Several veterans said they need a place for veterans to gather in a safe environment. Returning Marine combat veteran and engineering student Jorge Zamora, 30, said that while serving in Continued on page 7 Album Review: The Dead Weather’s “Sea of Cowards” Page 6» ONLINE POLL Do you feel safe on campus? /от; pcccouner.com Pepper Spray: Police officer demonstrates how to use it Page 2»