DATELINE: Volume 56 Issue 5 DOWNTOWN WHAT’S INSIDE: Women in Combat Unexpected Guest O’Kane Gallery Hamilton Musical Wonder Woman Student Life Center 5-Day Orientation Juice Cleanse StandOUT Bayou Bash & Clean-Up Crime in UH System Alley Theatre LORT Labor Camp PSCJS Note Turn Houston Escape Houston Pension Crisis Sea World GOP vs Obama Anti-Hillary? Mary Lou Bruner Escalating Terrorism Cover Art by artist Adam Zygus EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 2 Darci McFerran Staff MANAGING EDITOR Joshua Burgman ASSISTANT EDITORS Kara Moore Terrance Turner STAFF REPORTERS Jason J. Rivas Elisa Gonzalez Miguel Nunez Karen Reyes LaCresha Rosenthal Christopher Joseph Phillip Feldwisch www.datelinedowntown.com Chelsea Chance COPY EDITOR Lydia Jackson ADVISOR Dr. Anthony Chiaviello www.facebook.com/DatelineDowntown datelinedowntownhtx @ gmail.com 713.221.8569 SUBMISSION POLICY www.twitter.com/datelinedowntown Dateline Downtown welcomes submissions to the editor from any member of the UH system. 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Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisors of the University of Houston-Downtown, its administration or students. 3 Cover Editorial Women in Combat Positions: Good or Bad? by Miguel Nunez At the end of 2015, Defense evaluated.” It would seem then that insurgents that attacked her unit, or in Secretary Ash Carter ordered the women on the front lines may not be in 2007, when Army Specialist Monica military to open all combat positions the best interest of the military. Lin Brown helped save the lives of to females. The military had until Another thing to consider was that her brothers in arms in Afghanistan January 1 to make plans on how Captain Katie Petronio said that, while after insurgents attacked her unit and they would implement women in deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, blew up their vehicle. According to combat roles, which were usually only she suffered from polycystic ovarian Women in International Security, an reserved for their male counterparts. syndrome which led to infertility. She organization dedicated to advancing Although officially women were also suffered from restless leg syndrome women in leadership roles in the field not allowed in combat positions and severe muscle atrophy. of international peace and security, before this announcement was made, Of course, this is not to say women “Female service members have earned women in the military such as First cannot or should not serve on the front more than 10,000 combat action Lt. Ashley White and Capt. Jenny lines. As said before, women are already badges and Bronze Stars, respectively, Moreno were already fighting on the serving in such a capacity. The question and at least 12 Bronze Stars with a front lines. They were both members for most, like the Center for Military ‘V.’” It would seem then that women of an all-female unit that took part Readiness (an independent and non- are already putting in their fair share of in combat missions and special partisan educational organization), is combat and being recognized for it. operations. Both women fought and whether or not allowing women in Now that is has become official, died fighting for their country and combat roles will lead to lessening of more women are seeking combat roles now they are honored for it at National standards? Many wonder if women that were historically closed to them Infantry Museum’s Memorial Walk are just not physically capable, but before. More than 200,000 jobs will in Columbus, Georgia. White and Ash Carter has said, “as long as they now be open to women interested in Moreno, like their male counterparts, qualify and meet the standards, women joining. What does this mean for the have been making sacrifices long before will now be able to contribute to our future of the U.S. military? Well, that the announcement was made by Ash mission in ways they could not before.” depends on who you ask. Some will Carter. It would seem then that Carter does say that women just are not up to the This drastic change in the body of not intend to let standards in the challenge of front line combat and all the military is not without its criticisms. military wane. This, of course, is a good that entails, thus the military will suffer The military has been faced with thing, but many still argue that women for it. Others may suggest that women attacks on all sides, even among its own just are not physiologically the same are already on the front lines doing ranks. Capt. Katie Petronio, a female as men. While this might be the case, what the men are doing and that there marine captain, said in an article for the it still does not mute the point that is no reason to say that women cannot. Marine Corps Gazette, “For those who women have already served on the front The future of the military may not dictate policy, changing the current lines and have done a good job at it. be too clear, but one thing is: Certain restrictions associated with women in Such as in 2005, when Sgt. Leigh Ann military roles will no longer be closed the infantry may not seem significant Hester led a convoy in Iraq against off to people just because they are not to the way the Marine Corps operates. a certain sex. In I vehemently disagree; this potential the year 2016, after change will rock the foundation of our Defense Secretary Corps for the worse and will weaken Ash Carter made what has been since 1775, the world’s his announcement most lethal fighting force.” She was in late 2015, the clear in her article that the Marines opportunity to fight are going to be at a disadvantage if for your country, in women are allowed to integrate into every role possible, combat roles, For a while, such remarks will be 100 percent could have been made and they would open to everyone. have nothing to stand on, but in the preparation of letting women serve in combat roles fighting alongside men, the marine corps decided to do a one- year study on the effects, if any, women had when fighting alongside male marines. The study had some startling facts. First, it found that all-male units did far better in military situations versus units where men and women were mixed. According to the same study, “All-male units were faster, more lethal, and able to evacuate casualties in less time.” The study also went on to say, “All-male squads performed better than mixed groups in 69 percent of the tasks O’Kane Th eater and e Unexpected Guest By Joshua Burgman By the time this article is published, the O’Kane Even the role of Bennie, played by Dateline— 4 Th eater will be in the fi nal weekend of its production of Downtown’s very own Darci McFerran, was a delight. Art Agatha Christie’s Th e Unexpected Guest. If you missed it, McFerran’s role as Bennie must have been challenging. Bennie that’s unfortunate. was responsible for taking care of Richard Warwick. When she & e Unexpected Guest is a story that is set in South discovered him dead, she went through a range of emotions, entertainment Wales during the late 1950’s. Christie, who is best known for which McFerran did well to portray, especially at the end of such works as Th e Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), Peril at the story when she was tasked with trying to aid Inspector End House (1932) and Th e ABC Murders (1935), released Th omas in his investigation. Th e Unexpected Guest in 1958. Th e play became so popular Each character already mentioned added so much to that it attracted the likes of such fans as Queen Elizabeth II. the production, but the two main characters, Laura Warwick While there is no royal box at O’Kane, the performance was played by Chelsea Martinez and Michael Starkwedder worthy of royalty. played by Max Weimmer, completed the talented crew. “We UHD Directed by UHD’s Dr. Th omas J. Lyttle, the cast and practiced six days a week,” they said. “It was intense.” It was University eatre crew recreated Christie’s masterpiece to perfection. Th e set, evident from their performances that their practice was not presents designed by Frank J. Vela, was adequately furnished with pieces in vain. Weimmer’s portrayal of Starkwedder was inspiring. that transported the audience back to a time when fl oral sofas As the unexpected guest, he boggled the minds of the Lunch Time with questionable upholstery was all the rage. Originally the audience. Weimmer’s performance made you want to know story took place on a foggy night, something that did not go who Starkwedder was before he appeared at the home of the eatre unnoticed by the set crew.