Drag 101 U.S

We review “Capitalism a Disney’s first Love Story” black princess. page 4 page 3 The University of North Carolina at Charlotte • www.nineronline.com TUESDAY October 6, 2009 Vol 22, No. 11 Got a tip? Give us a call at 704.687.7148 Partially Funded by Student Fees Published twice weekly Drag 101 U.S. Military’s Muslim chaplain speaks on his time at Guantanamo LAUREN BENJAMIN duct tape to keep certain things Staff Writer from view, he said, but taking the tape off is a pain. Angela Lopez, a professional Nadirah Khalifah, a junior, drag queen and Miss PRIDE went to the event because she Charlotte 2006, held a Q&A had never met a drag queen session with a roomful of before and the topic was foreign students Monday night. to her. The PRIDE organization “It’s not often you get to sponsored “The Art of the converse with a drag queen and Female Impersonator” as a spin- hear from them like they are off to the student drag show normal people,” Khalifah said. last semester. Michael Spangler, Lopez was first introduced president of PRIDE, said that a to drag by his friends who dared lot of students were interested in him to enter a talent show. He seeing a professional drag show, performed and has been doing so they brought in Lopez. so ever since. He’s performed Carlos, 26, who created with entertainers like the late the stage name Angela Lopez Tracy Morgan and RuPaul who, from celebrities Angelina Jolie Lopez said, was “interesting.” and Jennifer Lopez, has been An audience member asked if performing in drag for 10 years. Lopez gets hit on by straight men He’s originally from Panama and when he’s in drag. “All the time,” came to the states in 1996. He he said, “but I immediately lived in Sanford, N.C. before tell them that I’m a guy and making Charlotte his home. sometimes they persist.” Lopez affirms that he is a gay Lopez didn’t perform for the man who dresses in drag. He audience but said that his next lip syncs and performs in local performance is Friday night at bars in Charlotte and around the Scorpio Lounge. His favorite country. artists to perform to, he said, are “You have to really love doing Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, Jennifer it to be in this business,” he told Lopez and Beyonce. the audience who questioned Spangler thought the turnout him about the hassle of pageants was amazing. He said the and make-up. chance for controversy is always Lopez has no problems with a possibility, and was satisfied Photo courtesy of justiceforyee.com makeup, he said, because he used that nothing happened.PRIDE’s to be a freelance makeup artist at next event is a Coming Out/ COREY CONNER Taliban.” that the detainees were not about his experiences at Mac cosmetics. The preparations Halloween costume party on N.O. Editor Later in the year, Yee was allowed to be called prisoners. Guantanamo, questions were for pageants, however, Lopez Oct. 23. on the way home for a period of If the detainees at Guantanamo opened to the audience. Most said, are another story. He uses On Wednesday September rest when he was arrested after were considered prisoners, then of the questions concerned 30, Chaplain James Yee of the his plane landed in Jacksonville, they would have fallen under the Chaplain Yee’s opinion on U.S. Army talked about his Florida. Yee was originally Geneva Convention. whether or not Guantanamo experience as a Muslim chaplain accused of providing information As a Muslim, Yee worked with Bay should be shutdown. In at the Guantanamo Bay detention to the enemy, a crime that carries the guards and prisoners to solve response, Chaplain Yee quoted camp in McKnight Hall. the death penalty. disputes such as the desecration General Colin Powell and said, The Campus Activities Board Yee was put into a high- of the Qur’an. Prisoners would “Why wait for tomorrow, what (CAB) and the Distinguished security prison in Charleston, become upset whenever a guard can be done today?” Yee is in Speakers Forum put on the SC where he was incarcerated would kick the Qur’an or treat it support of closing the facility event. alongside others who were harshly while searching the room. immediately. Chaplain Yee grew up in considered American terrorists. Yee was able to come up with a After the event, a reception New Jersey, and then attended Later the charges were changed to mutually agreeable solution to was held in the Lucas Room West Point Military Academy. the mishandling of information. the problem. The Qur’an would of the Cone Center. Food was Soon after graduating from Five months after his arrest, be placed on a mutually agreed provided and Chaplain Yee West Point, Yee converted from Yee was cleared of all charges upon shelf in the detainees room was available to talk and sign Christianity to Islam. After his and reassigned to Jacksonville, where it would not be kicked books. His book, “For God and conversion, he decided to spend Florida. He resigned soon after around but subject to search Country” came out in 2005 and some time in the Middle East, the charges were cleared and was He also counseled the tells his story as a prisoner. The where he met his wife. given an honorable discharge. detainees, some as young as book tells how Yee was subject After his time in the Middle Before he was discharged, 12 years old. Yee went on to to interrogation techniques such East, Yee entered the U.S. Yee received his second Army describe the living conditions of as sensory deprivation just like Army as one of the first Muslim Commendation medal for the detainees. He said that the the detainees in Guantanamo. Chaplains. In 2003, he was “exceptionally meritorious images available to U.S. citizens More information about assigned to the controversial service.” are not characteristic of the real Chaplain Yee, including Guantanamo Bay detention At the event, Yee talked about living conditions. The U.S. Army upcoming speaking engagements camp where detainees from the his experience at Guantanamo justified the living conditions and book information, can be wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Bay as a Muslim chaplain. His saying it is a cultural norm and found at www.justiceforyee.com are kept. While serving as primary duty was to work with therefore acceptable. To see video of the event, visit chaplain at Guantanamo, Yee the detainees. He mentioned Once Yee finished speaking nineronline.com became known as the “Chinese Photo/Angel Farmer “I will remember you,” UNC Charlotte’s Take Back the Night University community holds vigil at Belk tower to remember victims of domestic abuse JESSICA ARENAS When the ceremony deep dark secrets of surviving Staff Writer opened, it immediately shined domestic violence in its many the light on domestic violence. forms. “I Will Remember UNC Charlotte held its Statistics show that one in You,” by Sarah McLachlan annual “Take Back the Night” every four women and one played in the background on October 1, at 6:30 p.m. at out of 6 men will endure among the flickering lights. the Belk Tower. Over hundreds abuse from their partner or Each reader and of students, men and women spouse. D o m e s t i c survivor gave back their voices to from the Charlotte community violence is not just physical themselves and those impacted came out to take a stand against abuse, but verbal assault as well. by domestic violence. Firmly Domestic Violence. UNCC’s on campus resources claiming, “though we are silent, Dedicating to the night, the promoted their counseling and we play a role” and “never let Belk Tower was wrapped in a wellness programs for anyone your misfortunes be your excuse, purple sheath, purple being the (statistic or not) in need of help, use them as your motivation.” color representing survivors so that prevention increase one At the conclusion of the and loved ones lost by domestic life at a time here at UNCC. event, a men’s pledge was shared. abuse. Also, surrounding the Further into the Women pledged to “stop talking ceremonial area were T-shirts ceremony was the Candlelight about the right thing, but start provided by the University’s Vigil; the crowd participated doing it.” The crowd was then Women’s Program. The T-shirts in lighting candles in memory taken to the Garden of Hope to were made for The Clothesline of the survivors and victims be dedicated and symbolize new Project; each T-shirt displayed of domestic violence. Taking beginnings, remembering in messages and illustrations of tremendous courage, students hope and faith of the survivors abuse and assault, so that they had the opportunity to share and victims of domestic may highlight the truth of not just their story, but also their violence. Photo/ Andrew Lichtenhan violence against women. PAGE 2 ❚ October 6, 2009 ❚ THE UNIVERSITY TIMES ninernews McMillan Greenhouse Inside AFROTC fall plant sale coming dinner-in event JAMIE BROWN speech for the cadets is not as presentations from each of the Staff Writer strict, however it is still formal classes, a mysterious beverage from the outside perspective. All is created, also known as the The University Times has the cadets address their officers grog. This substance is created gone where no news media has correctly, hats are taken off when from ingredients that each of the gone before, to the Air Force entering the building, and toasts classes provide.

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