Thursday COLLEGIATETIMES 101st Year, No. 44 ▪ Blacksburg, Virginia ▪ November 6, 2003 An independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com Dance group steps into Squires Tech ▪ Step Afrika shared the history and importance anchors of step dancing during last night s performance by Erin Zlomek Va. 21 News Assistant More than 300 people witnessed the by Aaron Blackwell evolution of stepping as performed Associate News Editor by Step Afrika last night in Squires Commonwealth Ballroom. Virginia Tech yielded more absentee vot- The Washington, D.C.-based dance ers than any of the 15 colleges and univer- company opened with a skit depict- sities participating in Virginia 21’s voting ing modern stepping affiliation with drive. African American fraternities and At Tech, 1,092 students participated in sororities. With audience interaction, the absentee voting drive sponsored by the the group’s six dance profession- Student Government Association and Tech’s als demonstrated the similarity of chapter of Virginia 21, said Brandon Bull, stepping to both African Zulu and campus coordinator for the Tech chapter of Gumboot dancing. Virginia 21 and a junior economics major. “Our performances are what we call “We were very pleased with that num- explosive dance. It’s a kind of danc- ber,” Bull said. ing that uses all of your energy at one Virginia 21 recorded 3,000 registered vot- time,” said Kirsten Ledford, artistic ers from the whole state, said Jesse Ferguson, director of Step Afrika. “There is no executive director for Virginia 21. pacing (yourself) — it is a very high “Turning out 3,000 new voters across the energy production.” state was a huge success,” Ferguson said. The company is currently round- According to Ferguson, this number was ing out a four-month tour stretching exceptional considering Hurricane Isabel’s from Maine to Florida. “Our mission effects in the eastern part of the state, an off- is to familiarize (stepping) — to have JAMES BERKELEY/SPPS year election and one of the most uncom- it respected as an important art form, petitive cycles in Virginia history. Members of Step Afrika performed a skit pretending to be fraternity brothers who were kicked out of the See STEP, page 2 group because of their involvement with “stepping.” See TECH, page 4 President Navajo speaker enriches audience ▪ Joy Harjo shared her poetry as a after a sweat (a cleansing ritual), was given rhythm and beat. signs ban guest for American Indian Heritage “I like her poetry, but you don’t get the emphasis Month and related the kitchen table on the words,” Alicia Gear, a freshman interdis- ciplinary studies major said. “When you get to to all aspects of her life see her, you hear how she feels about it and (she) expresses herself. You don’t get it completely until on type of by Anne-Henley Beck you hear her voice, hear her sing.” Staff Writer Using her melodic voice, the fluctuations and intonations pulled the audience into her words abortion Standing at the podium, a woman dressed in a and the meaning she wanted to convey. Between dark velvet shirt, satin capris and brown cowboy poems, Harjo went back to the idea of the kitchen boots began to speak. Joy Harjo, a poet and singer, table relating it to learning that is involved in life gave a special presentation of her poetry last night and the meaning of life. by Jennifer Loven in Colonial Hall Auditorium as a part of American She reminded the audience that life is what “we Associated Press Indian Heritage Month. take away with us.” “We’re given a gift in one hand, She began her speech by remarking how and difficulties. It comes down to what you take WASHINGTON — President Bush signed Blacksburg’s smell reminded her of home, and with you,” Harjo said. legislation Wednesday banning a certain talked about her American Indian heritage, once Closing her performance with a song, “Mourning type of abortion, handing the disputed very prominent in this region of America. She said Song,” Harjo left the audience with the thought of procedure’s opponents a long-sought vic- it is still very much alive, with over 500 tribes. love, saying that every poem was a love poem and tory even as a federal judge at least partially Telling of her real home, in Oklahoma, where her if people devote themselves to love, they can stand blocked the new law from taking effect. tribe invites the community yearly to a cookout, she up and tell the truth. “For years, a terrible form of violence came to the focus of her speech: the kitchen table. “She has an amazing ability to speak from a has been directed against children who are By relating the kitchen table to all aspects of life, minority stand point,” said Kara Haggard, trea- inches from birth while the law looked the she voiced her poetry. As the center, the kitchen surer of the American Indian Cultural Association other way,” Bush said as he signed the ban table “teaches just about anything. It’s the place and a senior English major. on a procedure called partial-birth abortion you take in nourishment, not just food. Spirits need “It is a lot of downtrodden subjects, but she pulls by its critics. “Today at last the American to be nourished by company we keep, stories...” it around in the end to give you hope. Her poetry people and our government have confronted She went on further to explain that it’s important includes a lot of imagery,” Haggard said. the violence and come to the defense of the to ask who is sitting at our kitchen table, relating A member of the Tiger Clan in the Muscogee innocent child.” it to the many homes where parents are unable to Nation, Harjo has won many awards for her poetry, TED MARTELLO/SPPS The White House staged the ceremony, eat with children because of other responsibilities. books and music. Formerly a part of the band Poetic before about 400 cheering lawmakers and She then broke into a rhythmic beat of her poem, Justice, she has now formed a new band, Native, Joy Harjo closed her presentation by singing “Kitchen Table.” that has a new CD release, Native Joy, coming out “Mourning Song” and left the audience with See ABORTION, page 2 Her second poem, spurred by an eagle she saw within the year. thoughts about the concept of love. Fall’s bright colors dulled by wet, windy summer by Bryan Nieder above average for the months of May through Editorial Assistant August. However, the increased precipitation during the summer did not continue into the fall Fall foliage enthusiasts have experienced season. a departure from the expected variety of col- Robin Reed, chief meteorologist for WDBJ in ors adorning trees this season, and unusual Roanoke, said rain totals for September were 0.6 weather during the summer months may be to inches above normal, but October experienced a blame. bit of a rain deficit. John Peterson, a research specialist for the He said temperatures appeared normal since Virginia Tech forestry department, said a wet the fall season began. summer and a windy fall have led to this year’s “The idea that this has been an unusual fall less than spectacular fall colors. season does not seem supported by the num- “This is a particularly drab year,” he said. bers,” he said. As a result of the wet weather, fungal diseases Climatologically, the fall season runs from spread, causing trees to drop their leaves during Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. the summer, Peterson said. The amount of wind we get in the fall has the Also, younger trees grew faster with most immediate effect on the fall colors, Peterson the increased rainfall and lost their leaves said. faster. He said the fall leaves may look unimpressive, Blacksburg experienced a very early hard but it is no indicator of the health of the trees. freeze, which put the trees in a suspended ani- “All of the hardwood trees are done growing, mation, hindering a consistent fall coloring for all so all of the leaves are contained in the buds,” of the trees, he said. Peterson said. Leaves usually reach their peak coloring The changing of the trees’ leaves is dependent ROBERT DRAKE/SPPS between Oct. 15 and Oct. 20. on a lot of factors. According to Peterson, there The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Though many of the trees are lacking their vibrant colors this year, it is no indication of the Administration reported 6.14 inches of rainfall See COLORS, page 4 health of the trees. The colors mostly depend on changes in the weather. Page 2 Ⅲ Collegiate Times Ⅲ Thursday, November 6, 2003 News in Brief Step: Show entertains, educates More State police to sharply divided over whether roadblocks for non-emergency Continued from page 1 The group also gave audience help Richmond investigations intrude on the members a brief moral lesson. marines combat murder constitutional rights of inno- such as ballet and tap are,” “We encourage people to cent people. Ledford said. “We especially continue community service; we RICHMOND, Va. (AP) want people to realize it is an emphasize the fact that stepping may go - Virginia state police will American art form, and to cel- in general was used to raise schol- join Richmond officers on the Cities may raise ebrate it as such.” arship money,” Ledford said. “To streets for the next two weeks minimum wage Ledford said that the first earn the right to step, you must to help combat a murder rate stepping was not the same as the first help your community in to Iraq in the capital city that contin- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) styles of today, but rather a culmi- some way.” ues to outpace that of New — Advocates for the poor nation of things that developed The night’s performance was York, Los Angeles, Baltimore hope city voters’ approval of by the 1980s.