Standing in line at the Health Center, I heard a young woman's phone conversation. I wasn't merely eavesdropping, I was doing so intently. The English words were disguised and the letters all mixed up. But, as every good child should, I learned Pig Latin when I was young, and was able to determine that she was telling the person on the other end about her boyfriend's Monday night arrest. I understood that he was arrested for two outstanding warrants, but, she insisted, he was wronfully detained in regard to his involvement in a fight.
"Better be careful," I chided. "I understood every word."
She smiled at me and sort of shrugged apologetically. I was called to the nurses' desk.
I caught up with the woman after we had both finished in the Health Center.
"I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but it's my profession," I said. "You know I was there for the fight on Monday, and I got your boyfriend's name from the police report. Would you mind having him get in touch with me? I'm doing a story on it for the Spartan Daily and I'd like to get his side."
She went into how he was just trying to break up the fight and was arrested for unrelated charges.
And so I add this point to my previous story that never went into print at the Spartan Daily. (A good news bit and poor victim of two people's egos.)
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Israel has no choice but to defend itself
Guest column
Laura Rheinheimer
Posted: 3/7/06
Can Israel be reasonably expected to negotiate a road map with a political party/terrorist group that opposes its existence swearing repeatedly that it will not back down?
Israel has a right and an obligation to defend itself. It is truly twisted to say Israel should continue to support an organization that has for years tried - and for all intents and purposes still tries - to effect the violent demise of an independent Israel with a Jewish majority. Expecting Israel to continue to support such an organization, whether they're legitimately elected or not, is a patent misreading of the complicated politics of conflict resolution.
The actions and words of Hamas speak for the intentions of the group. Article 13 of the Hamas charter states that initiatives and international conferences are not an option:
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."
Hamas stated that it refuses to amend its anti-Semitic charter that calls for the destruction of Israel. After the Hamas victory in the elections, Hamas said it would "absolutely never" recognize Israel. It's like asking Jews to negotiate with the Nazis.
Sharon would not have done any different than Israel's acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with regard to money. No rational Israeli leader would have continued the flow of money to Hamas before a complete recognition of Israel's right to exist and a renunciation of violence. To expect them to do any different, again, is folly.
Cutting tax revenues is not intended to "punish the Palestinians," it is intended to protect Israeli citizens. Many sing the praises of Hamas for providing services like education and healthcare to the Palestinian people, and view it as the reason Hamas was elected.
Hamas has provided some medical care and services but it was not elected for that reason. By most objective standards, Hamas was elected because Fatah was perceived to be corrupt, not because people know Hamas to be a pacifistic organization whose members run around strapping baguettes and brie to their chests. If anything, it's specifically because Hamas is anti-Israel - violently so - that it was able to come to power.
Hamas uses the educational system to indoctrinate Palestinian children. Ask Nonie Darwish, the daughter of a martyr, about learning jihadist chants in grammar school in Gaza.
"In Gaza elementary school, we learned hate, revenge and retaliation," Darwish said in a Feb. 14 discussion held at the Sainte Claire Hotel. "Criticism and questioning were forbidden."
Hamas continues to provide this "free" propagandist education.
To say it has abided by the ceasefire is false and contrary to Hamas' own statements. The ceasefire was an agreement between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made in early 2005. Hamas promptly said it was not party to the ceasefire, and said it would continue to pursue control of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israel.
Qassam rockets, unguided makeshift steel rockets developed by Hamas, have been consistently launched from Gaza into Israel, targeting civilians. The British Broadcasting Corporation credited Hamas with five rocket attacks launched into Israel in May in two separate attacks. Recent attacks in September, said to be the work of Hamas, were aimed at Israeli communities.
Instead of whitewashing Hamas' rampant anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism and ignoring the huge steps Israel has made toward peace, like the Disengagement Plan, Israel should not be held to a double standard if both sides are truly dedicated to their commitments.
Hamas is probably going to renounce violence, eventually, once it gets a real government established that has control over the Fatah-run security forces. It is totally unrealistic, however, to expect either Israel to keep funding what is still a terrorist organization or Hamas to up and renounce violence just when it has come to power.
It is true that the pursuit of peace has no room for extremists. Suggesting that extremist Hamas should be funded by the very people it is sworn to destroy is not a pragmatic approach.
Laura Rheinheimer is a Spartan Daily staff writer. Guest columns appear every other Tuesday.
Laura Rheinheimer
Posted: 3/7/06
Can Israel be reasonably expected to negotiate a road map with a political party/terrorist group that opposes its existence swearing repeatedly that it will not back down?
Israel has a right and an obligation to defend itself. It is truly twisted to say Israel should continue to support an organization that has for years tried - and for all intents and purposes still tries - to effect the violent demise of an independent Israel with a Jewish majority. Expecting Israel to continue to support such an organization, whether they're legitimately elected or not, is a patent misreading of the complicated politics of conflict resolution.
The actions and words of Hamas speak for the intentions of the group. Article 13 of the Hamas charter states that initiatives and international conferences are not an option:
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."
Hamas stated that it refuses to amend its anti-Semitic charter that calls for the destruction of Israel. After the Hamas victory in the elections, Hamas said it would "absolutely never" recognize Israel. It's like asking Jews to negotiate with the Nazis.
Sharon would not have done any different than Israel's acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with regard to money. No rational Israeli leader would have continued the flow of money to Hamas before a complete recognition of Israel's right to exist and a renunciation of violence. To expect them to do any different, again, is folly.
Cutting tax revenues is not intended to "punish the Palestinians," it is intended to protect Israeli citizens. Many sing the praises of Hamas for providing services like education and healthcare to the Palestinian people, and view it as the reason Hamas was elected.
Hamas has provided some medical care and services but it was not elected for that reason. By most objective standards, Hamas was elected because Fatah was perceived to be corrupt, not because people know Hamas to be a pacifistic organization whose members run around strapping baguettes and brie to their chests. If anything, it's specifically because Hamas is anti-Israel - violently so - that it was able to come to power.
Hamas uses the educational system to indoctrinate Palestinian children. Ask Nonie Darwish, the daughter of a martyr, about learning jihadist chants in grammar school in Gaza.
"In Gaza elementary school, we learned hate, revenge and retaliation," Darwish said in a Feb. 14 discussion held at the Sainte Claire Hotel. "Criticism and questioning were forbidden."
Hamas continues to provide this "free" propagandist education.
To say it has abided by the ceasefire is false and contrary to Hamas' own statements. The ceasefire was an agreement between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made in early 2005. Hamas promptly said it was not party to the ceasefire, and said it would continue to pursue control of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israel.
Qassam rockets, unguided makeshift steel rockets developed by Hamas, have been consistently launched from Gaza into Israel, targeting civilians. The British Broadcasting Corporation credited Hamas with five rocket attacks launched into Israel in May in two separate attacks. Recent attacks in September, said to be the work of Hamas, were aimed at Israeli communities.
Instead of whitewashing Hamas' rampant anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism and ignoring the huge steps Israel has made toward peace, like the Disengagement Plan, Israel should not be held to a double standard if both sides are truly dedicated to their commitments.
Hamas is probably going to renounce violence, eventually, once it gets a real government established that has control over the Fatah-run security forces. It is totally unrealistic, however, to expect either Israel to keep funding what is still a terrorist organization or Hamas to up and renounce violence just when it has come to power.
It is true that the pursuit of peace has no room for extremists. Suggesting that extremist Hamas should be funded by the very people it is sworn to destroy is not a pragmatic approach.
Laura Rheinheimer is a Spartan Daily staff writer. Guest columns appear every other Tuesday.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Fight erupts in heated soccer match
By Laura Rheinheimer A fight broke out between two soccer teams 9:30 Monday night in Spartan Complex 44B after members of the teams clashed in what was said to be an intensive match.
Shortly after starting the match, the "intensity of the game" erupted into a fist fight, said witnesses.
Two members of Associated Students, who were refereeing the game, said they called the university police department after the violence began.
A man was arrested in front of the Event Center at around 10 p.m.
UPD reported arresting Angel Serratos for an outstanding warrant.
The Freedom and Conquerors teams were playing against each other in the quarter-finals of the 2006 indoor soccer men's playoffs.
Several members of the Freedom team said most of the other team ran from the area, and said two men from the team were arrested.
Adil Asslam, of the Freedom team, said he was punched in the brawl.
Ismail Jorio, also of Freedom, said the fight began when a player from Freedom went for the ball and a member of the Conquerors "jumped on him and pushed him real hard."
"Both teams were involved," said an unidentified A.S. member who refereed the game.
"The games usually have really good rivalry," said another A.S. member who wrote an official report of the incident for A.S.
Students take on SJPD after alleged Mardi Gras incident
From the Spartan DailyBy Laura Rheinheimer
Date: 3/6/06
Section: News
Two female San Jose State University students have enlisted the help of the NAACP after filing charges against the San Jose Police Department for allegedly using excessive force during Tuesday's Mardi Gras celebration.
Natasha Burton and Sharetta Henderson have asked Rick Callender, president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to help in their allegation of police misconduct on early Wednesday morning, when SJPD were attempting to keep crowds under control.
Callender said several of the women involved have been interviewed by the Santa Clara County civil grand jury about the incident.
SJPD arrested 25 people and issued 238 citations during the Mardi Gras celebrations in downtown San Jose. Four people were stabbed and several cars were vandalized Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, said SJPD public information officer Enrique Garcia.
Burton, a junior majoring in sociology with a minor in criminal justice, who said she wants to be a parole officer, was arrested on charges of resisting arrest in front of City Hall as she and others were heading to campus slightly after midnight on Wednesday morning.
Burton said her mother is a police officer in Southern California.
She and Henderson allege that the police used excessive force after telling the women to go home. Others in the group have made similar claims but say they will not file complaints against the SJPD.
SJPD spokesman Nick Muyo said Internal Affairs will run its course to "find out if there's any misconduct on the part of police."
On a video recorded by CBS Channel 5, a woman later identified as Henderson can be seen whacked on the leg by a nightstick.
Police have identified the officers involved but have not yet identified the witness seen on the CBS video, Muyo said.
What is crucial is what happened in the 15 minutes before the incident, said San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis in a CBS television interview.
The witness, who asked that his full name not be used, said he was the only witness to the incident.
"I saw it from beginning to end," said the witness. "They didn't do nothing to provoke the cops to bring out their billy clubs and knock that girl to the ground."
He said he saw a woman arrested after an officer beat her and was told by another officer to arrest her.
"They're cops - they're not supposed to do stuff like that," he said.
Callender said he reviewed four independent tapes of the women and police clashing in front of City Hall. He said an officer swung at Henderson and she swung back. Another officer swung from the top and barely missed Henderson, Callender said.
"The whole thing is dirty," Callender said. "There's multiple violations here. What you have is an issue of force."
In a meeting on Thursday evening with the women involved, Callender said Internal Affairs has not found one complaint valid over the past five years.
Callender said the problem is part of a deeper problem of the mistreatment of "black and brown" in the downtown area.
"This happens a lot," Callender said.
He said the NAACP will pick up a class action suit against the SJPD.
"I'd like to see that officer disciplined or removed from the force," Callender said. "I believe (Henderson) has a civil action. We have so many black and brown folks being arrested for resisting arrest. They don't understand it's a misdemeanor."
Callender said he will ask Police Chief Davis to drop the charges against Burton.
"It's really offensive to me as a woman who respects the law," Burton said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)