theSpartanDaily.com Volume 131, Issue 48 Serving San Jose State University Since 1934 TUESDAYDECEMBER Life of ‘Junior’ celebrated at memorial DAVID ZUGNONI service at which nearly 30 people spoke “He was always so good at putt ing Executive Editor about him. things into words,” a female friend said. SJSU student Gregory Johnson Jr., “He was a source of comfort during “He never held back his emotions.” 02 who was remembered by friends as com- the hardships of life,” one his fraternity Another fraternity brother said he 2008 passionate, honest, genuine, fun, enthu- brothers said, “and never fake about it.” and Johnson oft en talked about what siastic, driven to succeed and a good lis- A childhood friend told a story of his family meant to them. OPINION PAGE 5 tener, died on Nov. 22. fi rst encounter with Johnson. He said he Numerous friends said Johnson was Th e 20-year-old from Clearlake, was crying aft er being dropped off on his determined to self-improvement, had who was called “Junior” by friends, was fi rst day of preschool, and a preschool- a “high personal standard” and encour- a sophomore kinesiology major and a aged Johnson approached him and aged others. member of the fraternity Sigma Chi. asked, “What’s wrong?” “Th e way you got the best out of His death brought more than 600 Several other speakers painted John- people was what made you so amazing,” people, mostly college-aged, to the Stu- son as having a constant willingness said the aforementioned woman, one of Gregory Johnson Jr. dent Union Barrett Ballroom last Tues- to have deep conversations and off er Courtesy of Facebook day night for an emotional memorial his company. JUNIORpage2 Activist-author tells untold stories of Chicanas JASON LE MIERE Getting to the Staff Writer On Aug. 29, 1970, in Los Angeles, bottom of Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez stepped up to the lectern to address 30,000 Chica- a woman’s nos protesting the Vietnam War when she saw a hundred police offi cers run- ning toward her fi ring tear gas. She ran. over-sized handbag Martinez survived the police back- lash that day, but three other Chicanos were not so lucky. SPORTS PAGE 6 Th is protest was just one of the many involving Chicanas that Martinez discussed at a talk about her new book, “500 Years of Chicana Women’s His- tory,” at the Cultural Heritage Center in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on Monday night. Martinez, who has previously writ- ten books on Chicano history, said there was a gap in the coverage of the females involved. “I felt there should be more about the women,” Martinez said, adding that she feels the role of women has been neglect- Student battles ed in reproductions of Chicano history. Th e talk was hosted by SJSU’s branch injury while playing of MEChA, the Chicano student move- ment of those of Aztec descent. “San Jose State has a history of Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez signs her new book, “500 Years of Chicana Women’s MIKE ANDERSON / Spartan Daily for SJSU’s club History,” for Julia Barba, a junior nursing major and MEChA club member, at the badminton team TALKpage2 Cultural Heritage Center in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on Monday night. STUDENT AIDS awareness fair draws little interest from students CULTURE PAGE 3 RIE NAKANISHI Union, students and organizations misconceptions about the disease. Th e said it is very important for people to be Staff Writer displayed information about HIV and Health Trust is a Silicon Valley-based more aware of what’s available to them SJSU students and AIDS-related other sexually transmitt ed infections organization, which provides resourc- and to get involved by taking action. community organizations from the and safer sexual health. es and support for HIV and AIDS pa- “For myself, I’m someone living Bay Area gathered in the Student Th e Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay tients, such as gett ing them connected with HIV,” he said. “If I can help other Union for the World AIDS Day Fair Community Center, the Health Trust, to doctors and clinics. on Monday, but not many people at- Silicon Valley AIDS Coalition and Being HIV positive himself, Smith AIDSpage2 tended the event. SJSU’s Nutrition Education Action “I was litt le disappointed with the Team were some of the participating turnout,” said Stephanie Bowens, the presenters at the fair. event organizer and peer health educa- Jeanett e Yap, a junior health science tor in sexual and gender health. “A lot major and one of the few visitors at the of students came to the Student Union fair, said, “Being a health science ma- as always, but didn’t really take the jor, you want to know as much as you time to grab some of the information.” can about it.” Th e event was part of World AIDS But she also said AIDS is still a ta- Day, a day dedicated to bringing at- boo topic for many people. tention and raising awareness of the “Not a lot of people are open to “global AIDS epidemic,” according to talking about it,” she said. “So this is the world AIDS campaign Web site. a good way to have (people) just kind Th e health science department or- of anonymously grab information, ‘Chinese Democracy’ ganized the event in an eff ort to edu- and if they want to know more about cate students with the disease. it, they can. Th ey don’t need to be is no ‘Paradise’ “December the fi rst is the World picked out.” AIDS Day, so to honor the holiday, we James Smith from the Health Trust The SJSU health science department RIE NAKANISHI / Spartan Daily decided to come up with a three-day said it is important to educate one- organized the Worlds AIDS Day Fair inside event,” Bowens said. self with accurate information about the Student Union on Monday, but few students visited the fair. At the main level of the Student AIDS, since some people still have Orchestra fuses cultures, instruments into annual performance CORINNE SPECKERT Th e orchestra played before a crowd of the piece, technical profi ciency, a diff erent type of style of playing too, in Staff Writer of about 200 people. Th e hour-and-a- good rhythm, beautiful sound and which we have to learn to accompany.” Th e SJSU Symphony Orchestra, half concert featured six winners from confi dence. Th e concert also featured solos featuring winners of the annual Con- the annual Concerto-Aria Competi- “(Th ey) absolutely have to have by the competition winners, start- certo-Aria Competition, performed tion, a local competition held at SJSU. stage presence and confi dence,” she ing with cellist Cole Tutino, soprano everything from cello and xylophone “(Tuesday’s) concert is SJSU’s an- said. singer Sara Morajev, marimba player concertos to marimba, an African nual concert-aria showcase in which Th e panel of judges chose six Shirley Huang, tuba player Scott Gor- percussion instrument, last Tuesday the university displays the talents of winners out of 20 student contes- man, soprano singer Margaret Gor- in the Music Concert Hall. individuals who competed in late Sep- tants. Averett said the competition don and ended with xylophone player “Th at’s what my life is,” said con- tember before a panel of judges for the was a great learning experience for Gregory Messa. cert conductor Janet Averett . “Th at’s opportunity to perform with the Univer- the contestants. Gordon, a vocal performance why I’m here. Th at’s what gives me sity Symphony Orchestra,” Averett said. “Th ey get a chance to perform with graduate student who sang “Les oi- breath: to be able to work with stu- Averett , who served on the panel the orchestra,” she said. “Th ey get to try seaux dans la charmille,” said she had dents and wonderful, growing musi- of judges, said some of the qualifi ca- out new and interesting literature, and cians at this level.” tions they looked for were knowledge we get to accompany them. So we learn MUSICpage2 theSpartanDaily.com 2 TUESDAYDECEMBER News 02 2008 AIDS Events scheduled for this week include panel discussion JUNIOR Known for singing individuals to get connected with he came to the fair. Panelists from various HIV services or just to support them, “I had some space in my community groups will be speak- The facts about HIV and AIDS voice, going to the gym, dressing knowing that you are not alone schedule, so I decided to come ing about their experiences in the The human immunodefi ciency virus in this fi ght.” by and check it out,” he said. “I’m HIV fi eld and community. (HIV) infects cells of the immune He said his main goal for prett y glad I did.” Th e department will have a system, destroying or impairing their well and being ‘life of the party’ coming to SJSU and educat- He said he found most of the HIV/AIDS fi lm series in the Mo- function. ing students was to reach out to information very interesting. saic Cross Cultural Center in the The term AIDS applies to the most several people who addressed brother, both spoke at John- people and get them tested for Visiting the education booth Student Union from 10 a.m. to advanced stages of HIV infection, Johnson in their speeches. son’s memorial. AIDS, regardless of one’s sexual for hepatitis, which Bowens said 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Th ey will defi ned by the occurrence of any of Aft er friends called Johnson Dan Garcia, a member of preference.