Volume 86 Issue 6 broadsideonline.com Monday, 03.22 .10 Broadside George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Tensions rise as AG’s visit nears ‘I don’t know how passing health Protest planned in light of Cuccinelli’s recent legal option care will play politically, but I know Kevin Loker C2M Executive Editor it’s right’ When an elected official — or any other success- ful public figure — returns upon invitation to his or her alma mater, they usually receive a warm welcome. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s situation is a bit more complicated. A potential 200 Mason students, faculty, alumni and community members will be on site to protest Cuccinelli’s law school visit slated for 5 p.m. Tuesday evening, according to Robert Pilaud, past president of the George Mason University School of Law (GMUSL) Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Law Association (GALLA) and current secretary of the Lambda Alumni Chapter of the George Mason University Alumni Association. Health care reform The protest comes over two weeks after a letter the attorney general wrote to Virginia universities was leaked to the public. In the letter, Cuccinelli gave a legal opinion ad- vising the state institutions to remove ‘sexual orienta- tion,’ ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ from passes House the language of their nondiscrimination policies on the basis of current Virginia state law as determined by the General Assembly. [An op-ed written by the at- torney general defending his position c an be found in today’s Opinion section.] The letter sparked an onslaught of outrage across the state, with online social media websites Twitter and Facebook harboring the most intensity and anger. Ken Cuccinelli’s fan page in particular was bombarded with personal attacks and messages; some said that he lacked the people’s support, others called him ho- mophobic and others said that the AG’s letter be- longed “in the garbage.” But the protest at Mason won’t be the state’s first. Earlier this month, more than 1,000 people demon- strated at Virginia Commonwealth University in op- position to Cuccinelli’s letter, marching their protest to the steps of the capitol in Richmond. “We f ound out mid-Spring Br eak that [C uc- cinelli] was going to be on campus,” said Cathryn “Kate” Oakley, the current president of GALLA who has taken the lead in organizing Tuesday’s protest. “We’re not in any position to march on the capi- tol ourselves . [but] we have a unique opportunity to make our voice heard.” Photo By Peter Flint | Photography Manager See CUCCINELLI on Page 3 Forensics team wins big at world President Obama was greeted at George Mason with mixed emotions by both a packed Patriot Center and a crowd of protestors. tournament BY ETHAN VAUGHAN | ASST. NEWS EDITOR Group takes highest honors at tourny for second year in a row It was a close one, but the Friday t o speak at the Patriot speech, would end government United States House of Repre- Center, however, he was quick to subsidies for the student loan. #obamagmu sentatives made history Sunday dismiss such notions. If enact ed, the measure, Evan Benton evening when the chamber nar- “You’ve heard that this is a which The W ashington Post Staff Writer Student Media, under t he direc- rowly passed President Barack government tak eover,” Obama called “the bigg est change in tion of Connect2Mason, was on site Obama’s health care reform bill. said to the crowd of more than college assistance programs The Geor ge M ason U niversity F orensics team for the presidential rally this Friday-- The piece of legislation, 8,000. “ You’ve hear d we’re since Congress created them in traveled to Germany last week to take part in the In- LiveStreaming, podcasting, tweeting which cleared the Senat e lat e going to kill gr anny. Y ou’ve the 1960s ,” will lead to school ternational Forensic Association tournament, held at and snapping pictures. For more cov- last year, squeaked through the heard that most of this will ben- loans being distributed directly the Park Iron Hotel in downtown Berlin. erage of t he ev ent, inc luding an lower house as Democratic lead- efit illegal immigr ants. Those from the state to the students In addition to winning the team sweepstakes archive of all #obamagmu tweets - as ers, including Speaker Nancy are crazy ideas. The fact of the instead of going through inter- award (effectively the championship) for the second well as w hat t he hec k t hat means - Pelosi, r allied support among matter is that this is common mediaries. straight year, Mason also had five world champions: head to Connect2Mason.com lawmakers t o attain the 216 sense reform.” It is estimated that the bill Samantha Sapienza for Informative Speaking, Katie votes needed for passage of the The president brought at- will s ave $67 billion betw een Miller for Poetry, Jen Torres and Tyler Dailey for Duo Obama Fills the Patriot Center controversial measure. tention to some of the parts of 2011 and 2020. The student aid Interpretation, Danielle Ohrenberger for Prose and for Final Rally Before Healthcare The bill, which has an ini- the legislation that w ould di- issue w as included with the Mickey Cox for After Dinner Speaking. Vote http://snurl.com/obamar- tial cost of $940 billion, is esti- rectly affect young individuals, hope of at tracting more votes The IFA promotes the diversity of forensic com- ally mated b y the C ongressional including a provision allowing from the House of Representa- petition in countries around the world, where up to Budget Office (CBO) to reduce even non-dependents to remain tives. 35 colleges and universities attend and compete. Healthcare Protesters Cause the national deficit by $143 bil- on their parents’ health insur- At M ason, Pr esident Last year’s IFA tournament was held in Montreal, Ruckus Outside of P atriot Cen- lion over the course of ten years. ance until the age of 26. Obama said that the health re- where the M ason team br ought home their first ter http://snurl.com/protesters Opponents of the land- “As you start your lives and form proposal w ould make Championship trophy since entering the tournament mark legislation have dubbed it careers, the last thing you three basic changes to the sys- for the first time in 2008. Basically, this means that The Speech in Multimedia: a g overnment takeover of the should w orry about is g oing tem: health insurance compa- the team has swept the only two years they’ve been in http://snurl.com/obamapics American health car e system broke or y our parents g oing nies would be subject to more the tournament. and claimed that it will funda- broke because y ou got sick,” regulation, those who could not For Mason Forensics, this represents one more Archived Live Coverage of t he mentally restructure one sixth Obama said. “[This bill] will afford insurance would be per- victory f or a team that has produced 3 5 national Rally http://snurl.com/obam- of the U.S. economy. allow you to stay on your par- mitted to engag e in c ollective champions since 1975, and has a trophy case of more agmu When Pr esident Obama ents’ plan until you’re 26.” bargaining and, the president than 14,000 trophies. appeared on the campus of Another bill, one that the said, costs would be lowered. George M ason U niversity last president did not mention in his See FORENSICS on Page 4 See OBAMA on Page 4 SODEXO WORKERS SIGN PETITION Former student pleads ‘not- guilty’ to terrorism charges Emily Sharrer are being done by the company is against Photo By | Emily Sharrer Editor-in-Chief the rights of the workers,” said Andres Sonya Hudson ing to the Associated Press. Ujueta, who works in Southside. “ There Managing Editor Chaudhry, born in 1985 in Sodexo w orkers at George Mason are a lot of things that need to be taken Sargodha, Pakistan, w as re- University are in the process of gathering care of.” A one-time George Mason ported by the university to not testimonies and signing a petition to de- Since last fall, workers f or Sodex o University student studying ac- have been taking classes at mand more aff ordable healthcare op - across the nation have been petitioning counting, U mar F arooq Mason at the time of his arrest. tions, better working standards and the to combat low wages, discrimination and Chaudhry w as one of the five “He was not a student here right to form a union — an entitlement, other grievances against management at Northern Vir ginian men taking classes at the time this which a group of employees alleges has their respective working locations, and charged by Pakistani authorities thing happened, ” said D an led to hostile working conditions and ha- several weeks ago Mason Sodexo employ- on ac counts of terrorism-re- Walsch, the university press sec- rassment on the job. ees decided to join in the fight. lated crimes last Wednesday. retary. “The reason why we are doing this is The five men were arrested in Sodexo employees are petitioning for their right to join a because we know that a lot of things that Pakistan in December accord- JIHAD See SODEXO on Page 4 union. See on Page 4 2 | Broadside Approximately 8,000 people came to hear President Obama speak at News 8,000 the Patriot Center on Friday. Monday, March 22, 2010 Event Professors participate in health care debate hosted by Economics Society Calendar ‘Separation of health and state’ to be discussed during Wednesday event Monday, March 22, 2010 Matthew Harrison to hear both sides of the argu- good at ev aluating certain poli- and it’s important that both sides Broadside Correspondent ments pr esented by pr ofession- cies.” are pr esented fairly,” said Sam Men’s Volleyball: Mason v.