THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 41: ISSUE 115 THURSDAY, APRIL 12,2007 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Activist receives written admonition Anti-war arrested everyone there and they By MARCELA BERRIOS would've arrested me too, but activist Associate News Editor they realized I was a student, so they told me to go away if I didn't A Notre Dame freshman was want to be suspended immedi­ threatened with immediate sus­ ately." to speak pension for participating in unau­ Velazquez said he received a thorized demonstrations on cam­ warning from the NDSP the first Sheehan will discuss pus but received only a written day the bus visited Notre Dame, admonition, he said. after he and many Soulforce experiences on Iraq Freshman Eddie Velazquez Riders staged a demonstration in joined a tour of civil rights advo­ LaFortune Student Center to cates during the SoulForce encourage LGBTQ dialogue. By KATIE KOHLER Equality Ride March 8 and 9, "I was just offering an anecdote Saint Mary's Editor leading to a run-in with Notre about my personal experience on Dame Security/Police (NDSP) offi­ campus dealing with LGBTQ Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war cers and the Office of Residence acceptance when I was interrupt­ activist who lost her son in Iraq Life and Housing. ed by an officer who told me to and generated international "On the second day of the stop because I was bothering the attention by protesting outside demonstration, all we did was Huddle customers and harming President Bush's ranch in lead a procession and carry the business," Velazquez said. Crawford, Photo courtesy of Delphin Bautista wreaths in silence, but we were Bill Kirk, associate vice presi- Texas, will An NDSP officer talks to freshman Eddie Velazquez on March 9 immediately stopped by NDSP speak about after he participated in an unauthorized demonstration. officers," Velazquez said. "They see ACTMST/page 6 the war today at 10:30 a.m. in Carroll Auditorium at Saint Mary's. "Sheehan's Dorms New RAs opt to transfer domts visit serves to remind us of Sheehan the events of Several juniors will take up residency in other halls to fill demand the war and that we can effect fill up for change, even four years later," said Bridget Hahn, president of "For the most part, it has to do evening. Peacemakers - a social justice By AARON STEINER with how many apply and how Weiss and .Saucedo, who will News Writer group on campus. many are needed," Lynch said. both be moving to Pangborn Hall Following the death of her son, next year Applicants can choose on their next fall from Breen-Philips Hall ·Casey, in Iraq, Sheehan demon­ Juniors Ashley Weiss and application whether or not they and McGlinn Hall, respectively, strated at a peace camp outside Cassie Saucedo are looking for­ are willing to transfer to another were transferred due to a lack of Bush's Texas ranch during his Even amount of seniors ward to getting section assign­ hall to become an RA. applicants, Pangborn Rector five-week vacation there in ments and meeting their resi­ Bill Kirk, associate vice presi­ Kuukua Yomekpe said. to stay on campus, off August 2005. She created Camp dents as they prepare to become dent of Residence Life, said in a Yomekpe said initially enough Casey by pitching a tent at the resident assistants next year - Feb. 27 Observer article that juniors applied, but some ranch and demanding an audi­ By AARON STEINER not to mention that they must many applicants indicate they dropped out of the application ence with the president- a News Writer transfer to a new dorm. wish to be considered for other process halfway through, caus­ demand ultimately not granted. Weiss and Saucedo are two of halls. ing them to draw from other Residence life is an integral a number of juniors who will While some of these transfers dorms. She is also one of the nine part of the Notre Dame experi­ transfer to new residence halls may have to do with lack of Yomekpe said Pangborn Hall founding members of Gold Star ence, and the abundant applica­ next year in order to accept posi­ applicants, as Lynch described, has brought in students from Families for Peace, an organiza­ tions for on-campus housing con­ tions as resident assistants (RAs) Kirk said creating a cohesive hall other dorms to serve as RAs in tion that seeks to end the U.S. firm that maxim yet again this next year - a move that Wei<>s staff is also a factor. the past, and it has never caused occupation in Iraq and provide year. and Saucedo said they are both "Even if there are enough aproblem.. support for the families of fallen While the official number of looking forward to, despite the applicants from a particular hall, "Most of the girls- we've soldiers. students who applied for on-cam­ fact that they will be leaving their RAs are chosen from outside drawn from Badin [Hall] and Sheehan is presently on a pus housing will not be available current residence halls. dorms to create a team that best other dorms in the past - are speaking tour of Indiana colleges for another few days, it seems the According to Sister Mary fits the hall," Kirk said in the arti­ very fired up about becoming and universities. The College dorms will be filled to their maxi­ Lynch, rector of McGlinn Hall, cle. Phoxes," Yomekpe said. Democrats, the main spo.nsors mum capacities - and beyond these transfers usually are due to Kirk could not be reached for next year, even as a growing the numbers of applicants. further comment Wednesday see RAJ page 3 see SHEEHAN/page 4 amount of seniors move off cam­ pus, said Scott Kachmarik, associ­ ate director of Residence Life and Housing. While his office has seen large Students move off campus to Dismas House numbers of seniors move off cam­ pus in recent years, Kachmarik said the number of seniors stay­ Dismas House," Pike said. "It has ing on campus has grown as well. By EMMA DRISCOLL become such an important part He clarified that the proportion of News Writer of my life here at Notre Dame. seniors moving off campus to Basically it's like living anywhere those who stay in dorms has When fifth-year senior Emily else in a house of fifteen people. remained stable at around 50 Pike was looking for an apart­ It's a little chaotic, and it's a lot of percent. ment the summer after studying fun." The increase in the number of abroad, she chose an unlikely The people who live with Pike seniors can be explained by place, away from any ref?idence at Dismas, with the exception of enrollment figures, which have hall or Turtle Creek. She decided two other students, have either increased over recent years. More to live at Dismas House - a non­ served time in prison or have students have decided to attend profit organization that provides been sent to the house by a court Notre Dame after they were transitional housing and support order in place of prison time. accepted, and a relatively large services to men and women who They range from 19-years-old to number of transfer students are have been recently released approximately 55 or 60-years­ admitted regularly, Kachmarik from prison or jail, according to old, she said. said. the organization's Web site. "We are a re-entry program, With tradition and community Pike's summer-long stay at and we like to provide a commu­ playing an important role in the Dismas became a two-year resi­ nity environment for former lives of Notre Dame students, the dency, where she lived and offenders in which they can take high amount of seniors that have worked in the house as a kitchen some time to figure out what it moved off campus has been a manager throughout her latter will mean for them to live a sub- Photo courtesy of www.dismas.org semesters at Notre Dame. The Mlchiana Dismas House, located at 521 South St. Joseph see SENIORS/page 6 "I absolutely love living in see DISMAS/page 4 Street, is a non-profit organization for transistion housing. page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Thursday, April 12, 2007 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: IF YOU COULD SUM UP THE WEATHER IN ONE WORD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Paintball aggression• At Notre Dame, being the Catholic institution that it is, we are taught to seek non-violent ways to solve our Jimena Dilorio Greg Robinson Michelle Weissenhofer Ryan Smith Susan Bigelow problems. But every once in awhile you are confronted with a person freshman freshman freshman freshman sophomore that all you want Breen-Phillips Stanford Walsh Knott Badin to do is be violent Erin McGinn towards. Maybe it's the person "Maneater. It's "Paraguay, "Wet." "Abomination, "Gorgeous. who gave you a Assistant so bad, it eats because that's because it keeps Think happy dirty look in Scene Editor teasing you ... thoughts class. maybe they youfrom the where she spilled their inside out. " wants to be." going from friends." drink on you at the Backer, or maybe warm to cold." it's the person on their cell phone in the bathroom. So what can you do to unleash all of that pent up aggression caused by stupid people? You might not be able to shoot them, but you can shoot someone else down at the local paintball field. For those that have never before experienced this wonderful sport, IN BRIEF paintball is a thrilling, tension­ relieving experience.