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‘Saw II’ a scary Dems, Repubs — It’s all Flag football teams thrill ride the same seeking championship ENTERTAINMENT, Page 5 OPINIONS, Page 4 SPORTS, Page 8 Wednesday, November 2, 2005 Serving the University of Alabama since 1894 Vol. 112, Issue 50 Diversity center director starts job Crossroads center will focus on “Right now we are in the process of Giles said she first plans to look at Bettina Byrd- creating a plan, taking notes and mak- the University’s strengths regarding Giles sits behind campus multicultural issues ing observations and listening for multiculturalism. her desk on her commonalities in things people say “We need to find out the things we first day as BY WESLEY HALLMAN they would like to see from the cen- do really well and be available to pro- director of the Staff Reporter ter,” Giles said. vide programs and services to fill the UA Crossroads [email protected] Giles said the center’s direction will gaps,” she said. Community be determined by feedback she Giles also said she is interested in Center in the The UA Crossroads Community receives from representatives of stu- meeting and talking with students Ferguson Center Center, the result of about three years dent and academic organizations who are interested in fostering inter- Tuesday of discussion about a multicultural about multicultural issues on cam- action between the different cultures afternoon. The center on campus, now has a director pus. at the University. Center is located on the job. Bettina Byrd-Giles, formerly direc- Giles said she plans to meet with “We want to know who is most con- on the second tor of Diversity UAB, started work this representatives from the cerned about multicultural issues, floor of the Ferg week. Coordinating Council for Student who is willing to help and what issues in the old Giles said her first week on the job Organizations, the College of Arts and are of a concern to them,” Giles said. Judicial Affairs is focused on getting acclimated to Sciences Multicultural Committee, “A lot of students desire intercultural office. the campus and the various groups the UA chapter of the NAACP and the she might work with. SGA this week. See GILES, Page 2 CW/ Elliot Knight SGA SENATE A ‘symbol of courage’ Senators divided over “Her courage was beneficial to my genera- politics tion and others to come.” — JENAE STAPLES Senators talk about why they voted to president of the condemn Iran but not the Alabama UA NAACP chapter Constitution BY LORI CREEL Senior Staff Reporter [email protected] What’s the difference between condemning Iran for its support of terrorism and condemn- ing Alabama’s constitution for its overt racism? The SGA Senate has passed a resolution dis- approving of Iran, but it voted against a resolu- tion supporting the state constitutional reform movement at its last meeting Thursday. This week senators talked about how they could symbolically condemn Iran but not the Alabama Constitution, which is the longest in CW/ Elliot Knight the world and very inefficient, many experts Above: Attendees bow for a prayer at the conclusion of a candlelight vigil honoring civil rights say. pioneer Rosa Parks and Harold Bishop, a UA professor who also recently passed away, Tuesday Graduate School Sen. Elizabeth Hendrix, evening at Denny Chimes. Right: Leslie Raby, a graduate student in educational administration, who wrote the constitutional reform resolu- holds a candle Tuesday evening at the vigil. tion, said she never expected it to receive heat- ed debate. The resolution cites a number of local con- stitutional amendments, including one allow- Students remember civil rights causes last week. ing Etowah County flea markets to be open on The Black Student Union and the UA Sundays, and the 1901 charter’s foundations in pioneer Rosa Parks at vigil chapter of the NAACP sponsored the white supremacy and the disenfranchisement event to provide an opportunity for of blacks and poor whites. BY TRACEY MITCHELL students to mourn Parks’ death. Hendrix said the issue isn’t divisive because Senior Staff Reporter “I felt that I could take time out of my Democrats, Republicans and other student [email protected] day to show respect to her,” said Andrea groups came together in September to advo- Early, a freshman majoring in nursing. cate reform during a reading of the constitu- “Because she took time out of her life to tion on the steps of Reese Phifer Hall. give to us.” he Black Student Union held a College of Arts & Sciences Sen. Meghan A group of about 50 people met in the candlelight vigil Tuesday night for Stringer, who is an advocate of constitutional Ferguson Center student lounge and T civil rights hero and Alabama reform, said she abstained from voting on the resolution because she didn’t want to alienate native Rosa Parks, who died of natural See PARKS Page 2 See SENATE, Page 2 Muslim students reflect on month of fasting Dancing days are here again Ranita Sharif, a Ramadan ends today in which Muslims fast from versus shorter days,” she UA graduate, sunrise to sunset, say special said. checks the dinner prayers and give back to the During the Muslim BY ELLEN BURKE list at the Staff Reporter hungry and the poor. This Student Association fast-a- Ramadan morning, many Muslim stu- thon open dinner Monday at celebration held By the time it gets to 6 or 7 dents ate during daylight for the Bryant Conference at the Bryant p.m., most students have the first time in a month. Center, Muslim students Conference Center already eaten two meals and Ramadan is the ninth seemed excited to share their Monday night. a few snacks during the day month of the Muslim calen- holiday with others. Ramadan is a and are ready to figure out dar and begins 11 days earli- While they said a 30-day month-long what’s for dinner. But for er each year, said Ayse Banu fast is difficult, most said the CW / Elliot Knight fasting for Muslim students celebrating Elmadag, a doctoral student benefits significantly out- (From Left) Katie Boyd, Sarah Swingle and Audra Blaise Muslims, and the Ramadan, today is the first in marketing. weigh the initial hardships. dance to Forgotten Dreams at an Alabama Repertory dinner marked the time in a month that they’ve “This happens so that Sadeq Omar Damrah, a Dance Theatre rehearsal. The show is playing nightly last day of fasting. been able to eat while the Muslims can experience graduate student majoring in at 7:30 at Morgan Auditorium through Saturday. Check CW/ Kristen Mance sun is up. fasting in different condi- out tomorrow’s entertainment section for a review Ramadan is a holy month tions such as longer days See RAMADAN, Page 3 I I I The Crimson White Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom — 348-6144 Fax — 348-4116 Advertising — 348-7845 www.cw.ua.edu I Classifieds — 348-7355 I Letters, op-eds — [email protected] I Press releases, announcements — [email protected] online 2 Wednesday, November 2, 2005 I NEWS it, they should have asked ques- “Calling for Iran to de-nuclearize doesn’t seem to be CAMPUS SENATE tions,” Diamond said. Continued from Page 1 Diamond said the resolution a contentious issue.” was presented to Secretary of —Mike Phillips any students who may be State Condoleezza Rice during SGA senator against it. her visit to the University She said something similar because she has always advocat- the bylaws, she probably should nuclearize doesn’t seem to be a INbrief happened in 2003 when SGA ed controlling Iran’s nuclear pro- have abstained from the Iran contentious issue,” Phillips said. To submit a brief, e-mail [email protected] approved a resolution support- gram. He said the timing was vote, too. Matt Lewis, president of ing Gov. Bob Riley’s $1.2 million such that he thought it would be “It seemed like a good idea at Alabama Students for ANNOUNCEMENTS tax and accountability package, a “nice thing” for SGA to present the time,” she said. Constitutional Reform, said he which she didn’t support, and the resolution to Rice after it A&S Sen. Omar Gonzalez, has never been more disap- she doesn’t want other students passed in the Senate. who voted in favor of the consti- pointed in SGA for not support- Famous Chinese poet to read tonight to feel that way. Diamond said he abstained tutional reform resolution, said ing the reform of an “overtly Hendrix said it would be from voting on the constitution- SGA should have supported the racist document that holds Chinese poet Bei Dao will have a poetry reading tonight impossible to please every stu- al reform resolution because he resolution because constitution- Alabama back in the 19th at 7 in 205 Smith Hall. Dao will read his poetry in Chinese dent with every resolution. could see both sides of the issue al reform is an important issue Century.” and UA English professor Robin Behn will read its English “I think that’s fluff,” she said. and wanted to do more research for students because they live in “It’s absolutely ridiculous,” he translation. There was no debate in so he could make an informed Alabama. said. Dao will meet informally with students at 4 p.m. in Senate over the resolution con- decision. Gonzalez said he didn’t vote Lewis said the resolution Gorgas Library’s second-floor reception area. demning Iran. Senators opted to “I felt it would be dishonest if I on the Iran resolution because it condemning Iran opened the Dao has published five poetry volumes, a short story suspend the rules, approving it did vote yes or no,” Diamond had nothing to do with the state door for Senate to take stands collection and an essay collection in English, and his work immediately after it was intro- said.