the independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 VOLUME 134, NO. 17 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM WORLD SERIES RED HAUNTED Predictions, Taylor Swift’s Would you condolences, fourth album spend a night and much more breaks the mold with the ghosts? (Sports, pg 6) (Cadenza, pg 5) (Scene, pg 8) Students call for coal-free campus FANGZHOU XIAO CONTRIBUTING REPORTER “Chancellor Wrighton, we be fightin’ till the coal is gone,” chanted a group of about 20 stu- dents and community members as they marched through campus from Olin Library to Green Hall with banners full of signatures Tuesday. As debate about disposable plastic bags on campus gradu- ally fades and Washington University’s month of sustain- ability approaches its end, the protest against coal energy sources again underscored the issue of sustainability on campus. More than 70 percent of Wash. U.’s energy comes from coal, according to Post-Peabody St. Louis, the group organizing the protest. Post-Peabody St. Louis includes members of Washington University’s Green Action and two groups from the commu- nity, Missourians Organizing for Reform Empowerment (MORE) and Climate Action. Caroline Burney, junior and co-president of Green Action, said that the march was intended to bring attention to the University’s environmentally WEI-YIN KO | STUDENT LIFE Protestors arguing Washington University’s association with Peabody Energy march past Graham Chapel on the Danforth Campus. The protest included members of Washington University’s Green Action as well as two other groups from the community. SEE COAL, PAGE 2 Alleged on-campus Students embrace #MyJihad campaign kidnapper arrested MICHAEL TABB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF William James Cobbins, 22, has confessed to the kidnapping and robbery of a 23-year-old graduate student in one of the most notable on-campus crimes in at least a decade. Cobbins was arrested following a nearly two-month effort by the St. Louis County and Washington University Police Departments NEWS STAFF that involved tracking surveillance footage and subpoenaing phone records. ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE COURTESY OF MUSLIM STUDENTS ASSOCIATION William James Cobbins, 22 Cobbins, a 5-foot-7- Junior Ishaq Winters stands by his #MyJihad mission. The #MyJihad campaign aims to foster discussion about the true meaning of Jihad and is led by the Muslim Students Association. inch black male who lives several which included numerous calls to blocks north of the Union Station Cobbins after the driver’s release. NEWS STAFF by the Anti-Defamation League and Joining the social media movement MetroLink stop, is currently being Cobbins, at this point a suspect the Southern Poverty Law Center to #MyJihad, the group has been hold- held in the St. Louis County Jail in the case, was then arrested and New York City subway-riders call out the ad’s creator, conservative ing photo shoots where students on a $75,000 cash-only bond. questioned. Although he denied were shocked to read blogger blogger Geller, for hateful speech express what “jihad” means to them. On August 28, a graduate stu- committing the robbery or kidnap- Pamela Geller ‘s advertisement as against Muslims. Abo-basha and junior Ishaq dent getting into her car in the ping, he identified a surveillance they made their daily commutes. “[Jihad] comes from the Arabic Winters organized the event to Snow Way garage, located between photo of himself taken at the The ad read, “In any war between word which means to struggle or capitalize on the publicity of the the Upper Row and the Village Delmar MetroLink station shortly the civilized man and the savage, to strive,” junior and event orga- advertisement campaign to promote House, said she was approached by before the abduction occurred. support the civilized man. Support nizer Ayah Abo-basha said. “It’s awareness of the true meaning of a man who said he had a knife and Other MetroLink and University Israel. Defeat jihad.” something that’s very personal and jihad. ordered her to drive him to nearby surveillance showed Cobbins walk- In response to what it perceives it’s different from one person to the “Overall, we just wanted this ATMs and withdraw money from ing from the station toward the as an unfair attack on Islamic ideas, next.” event to promote more dialogue and her account. parking garage and confronting Washington University’s Muslim The MSA has planned a number tolerance on campus. It was really Cobbins had her make two the victim at her car. The gradu- Students Association (MSA) has of events to address the widespread withdrawals for a total of $1,500 ate student then identified him in joined a national outcry prompted conflation of jihad and terrorism. SEE #MYJIHAD, PAGE 3 before taking her credit card and a live lineup. having her drop him off in the Cobbins has confessed to class city, according to a probable cause B felony kidnapping and class A statement released by the St. felony robbery in the first degree. Reflections offers week without ‘fat talk’ Louis County Police Department WUPD Chief of Police Don DIVYA KUMAR the week of Oct. 22 is to elimi- great, have you lost any weight?” Wednesday. Strom said in September that it NEWS EDITOR nate weight-related talk from “People don’t really think a lot A different woman then was the first robbery of its kind he conversations. about what they say and a lot of attempted to make a withdrawal could recall during his 13 years at You shouldn’t hear anyone say- Students are encouraged to the time people tend to get roped with the credit card in St. Louis the University. ing “I want to lose three pounds” sign an online pledge agreeing into conversations that deal with city but was unsuccessful. But “I really commend the inves- or “Is butter a carb?” this week, as to eliminate “fat talk” from con- body image in a negative way,” using surveillance video, police tigators for all their persistence college campuses across America versations, to strive for healthy sophomore Antea DeMarsilis, were able to identify the car she and attention to detail to help participate in the national “Fat lifestyles and to celebrate things co-chair of Fat Talk Free Week, was in when attempting to make get this dangerous guy off the Talk Free Week.” in life that don’t pertain to looks said. “This week is a good way to the withdrawal, locate the car street,” Strom said. “Hopefully Sponsored at Washington or superficial appearance. Fat just remind people that constantly downtown and arrest the driver. the campus will rest a little more University by Reflections, a stu- talk deals with any conversation fixating on weight isn’t healthy.” While the driver denied involve- comfortably tonight knowing dent group aiming to promote centered on body image, ranging Reflections is tabling in the ment in the crime, police were able the individual responsible for the awareness about eating disor- from sentences such as “Do I look to subpoena his phone records, crime is in custody.” ders and body image, the goal of fat in this outfit?” to “You look SEE FAT TALK, PAGE 3 CONTACT BY POST CONTACT BY EMAIL CONTACT BY PHONE ONE BROOKINGS DRIVE #1039 [email protected] NEWSROOM 314.935.5995 #330 DANFORTH UNIVERSITY CENTER [email protected] ADVERTISING 314.935.6713 ST. LOUIS, MO 63130-4899 [email protected] FAX 314.935.5938 2 STUDENT LIFE MICHAEL TABB | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | [email protected] THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012 THURSDAY 25 FRIDAY 26 SATURDAY 27 SUNDAY 28 CHANCE OF T-STORMS CHANCE OF RAIN CLEAR PARTLY CLOUDY theflipside 79 / 45 52 / 37 54 / 36 54 / 32 EVENT CALENDAR Treasury funds controversial Model UN appeal RICHARD MATUS conference for which Model UN was take a large amount of the appeals THURSDAY 25 CONTRIBUTING REPORTER appealing. budget for a relatively small number of “It does pull a lot of money,” Rudolph students. Fall South 40 Week Speaker Student Union Treasury provided said. “$420 is almost the entire activities Also at Tuesday’s meeting, SU Graham Chapel, 7 p.m. unprecedented funding to Model United fee per student, and this pulls away from Treasury rejected the AAA’s appeal for Fall South 40 Week Speaker Russell Simmons—hip-hop mogul, co-founder Nations at its weekly meeting Tuesday. student groups that put events on cam- Teddy Zee, voting 11-5 to fund it for $0. of Def Jam Records and clothing designer, will The extra money was provided to pus for lots of people.” The group hoped to bring Zee for a speak about his life experiences. Sponsored allow the group’s rising number of Junior and Model UN treasurer one hour keynote speech and half-hour by Congress of the South 40. Free and open committed freshmen to attend a confer- Jessica Metzger emphasized the value question–and-answer session Nov. 17 in only to WUSTL faculty, staff and students. Valid Wash. U. ID is required to enter the ence at the University of Pennsylvania that Model UN brings to campus, in College Hall. event. (UPMUN). addition to the growth in interest. Junior and Budget Committee co- Additionally, SU Treasury denied “This past summer we had the inau- chair Michael Cohen noted that past Dept. of English – The Writing Program’s an appeal from the Asian-American gural World of Politics pre-orientation AAA speakers have included other Fall Reading Series Association (AAA) to bring Teddy Zee, program. We maxed out at 20 fresh- entertainment industry speakers, Duncker Hall, Jurst Lounge, rm. 201, 8 p.m. an Asian-American movie producer who men, and many are now on the team,” such as YouTube producer Wong Fu Mark Wunderlich, poet and member of the literature faculty at Bennington College, worked on “The Pursuit of Happyness” Metzger said.