TUESDAY
October 2, 2001
Of interest...
Editorial Director John Burgoon is fed up with anti-American sentiment and protests / 4
News Digest 2
Lifestyle 7
Opinions The Buzz
4
7
Roundup
Crossword
10 Classifieds 16
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
17 Sports
20
vol. CXLIV, no. 24 www.dailytrojan.com
Gloria Rodrigue; I Daily Troian
Picture of peace. Sara Mohebi, a graduate student in industrial engineering, practices her meditations in front of von KieinSmid Center in the early morning. Mohebi is one of a dozen USC students who practice Falun Gong on campus regularly.
Falun Gong preaches serenity
RELIGION &
-4-
ETHICS
By GLORIA RODRIGUEZ
Staff Writer
A mid students scurrying to LA early-morning classes and X JLgardeners noisily cutting the campus grass, Michael Ye stands in a state of serenity and peace.
His eyes are closed, and his body is in meditation mode as he practices Falun Gong, the Chinese-originated mind and body cultivation system,
outside USCs von KieinSmid Center.
For Ye, the practice was a salvation when it helped cure his migraines and poor health conditions more than two years ago. He has found that Falun Gong or Falun Dafa, as it is also called, gives him a sense of inner peace and spirituality.
"It purifies your mind and body,” said Ye, a graduate student in public policy and management. “It forces you to look inside yourself and it cultivates you."
Ye and about a dozen other USC students have formed a Falun Gong club and gather on campus each morning to practice.
Some say Falun Gong is a religion because it is based on Buddhist and Taoist principles, while others say it is simply a form of meditation. It is
founded on three principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance	Anatnmu and is based on two components —	HllfllUlllj doing a set of five meditation posi-	a| Cojfh tions for two hours and reading the	UIUI book about the practice.	— Although the practice may seem	Falun Gong harmless, Ye has had to pay a price to	practitioners practice Falun Gong. In China, Falun	$ay they focus Gong is illegal. Followers and support-	0n the ers are sent to prison, and some have	pnnciples of reportedly been killed. Ye is now afraid	truthfulness, to return to China in the near future	compassion even though his family lives there.	and The president of China, Jiang	forbearance. Zemin, declared Falun Gong illegal	The practice in July 1999 after the number of fol-	has been lowers exceeded 70 million and	outlawed in exceeded the number of	China since Communist followers. The Chinese	1999.
I see Religion, page 13 I
Students still eager to study abroad
Academics: Program officials say student interest and application remain the same, but will hold meeting to discuss safety
By KATIE FLYNN
Staff Writer
Students have shown little concern about traveling abroad in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, department officials say.
Although it seems unlikely that any programs will be changed soon, the Office of Overseas Studies is encouraging students who want to study abroad to have a back up plan, said Alison Easterling, adviser at the Office of Overseas Studies.
“We are optimistic, but we’re living in uncertain times, and we can't guarantee anything," Easterling said.
USC dropped the Israel program this summer following a warning from the U.S. State Department Aug. 10 to temporarily suspend travel to Israel.
The Office of Overseas Studies will meet Thursday to discuss what impact the attacks may have on students planning to leave and those already abroad. Professional schools with independent overseas programs are also attending the meeting Thursday, along with members from the Insurance and Risk Management departments.
Tony Tambascia, Academic Recognition Programs director, called the meeting in order to continue discussions of managing the safety and organization of students studying abroad. The meeting will also focus on coordinating plans for each department in the after-math of the attacks.
“We are going to talk about how to provide support
I see Abroad page 14
We arc optimistic, but were living in uncertain times, and we cant tmamntee
u
anything
♦
ALISON
EASTERLING
adviser Office of Overseas Studies
Judge calls for careful legislation
By ADINA DIAMOND
Assistant City Editor
Americans should beware of politicians attempting to pass legislation that may not usually be approved in the wake of the SepL 11 attacks, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt said in a speech Monday.
In a rush to comfort American citizens, lawmakers may try to pass bills that increase federal control over private activities, such as phone conversations or e-mail, Reinhardt said. While the laws will be received
l see Spooch. page 15 I
Students ask for more official response
Discussion: Students attend Student Senate town hall
meeting to talk about hate By SPENCER MORGAN
Contributing Writer
Students voiced concerns about hate crimes on campus and what was being done to prevent them during a town hall meeting Monday night Student Senates Minority Affairs Committee sponsored the'discussion in Ground Zero to discuss hate crimes and the atmosphere on campus after the Sept 11. attacks
About 30 students passionately discussed their opinions and personal experiences.
Some students alleged that Department of Public Safety officials had been acting out of preju-
crimes and racial profiling
dice. Others complained and said that the administration needed to set a stronger example.
“This university has the tendency to rely on rhetoric, not action." said James Nussbaumer, a senior majoring in communication.
Nussbaumer said campus police detained him after he approached officers and observed an incident where Department of Public Safety officers acting out of prejudice. The officers were harassing an Arab student, Nussbaumer said. There were no DPS officials at the town hall meeting.
There is a good deal more that the administration could be doing to I see Mooting, page 18 I
Talking solutions. Thomas Yee, a senior majoring in biophysics (nght), dis-. cusses, hate crimes dunng a Student Senate town hall meeting Monday night.