Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Headlines
'Ransom' hits theaters Friday
Ron Howard's latest film, "Ransom," opens Friday. Mel Gibson stars as a multi-mil-lionaire whose son is kidnapped and held for ransom. Staff writer Constantine Nasr critiques the film.
Diversions, page 10
UCLA's Harrick fired suddenly
UCLA men's basketball coach Jim Harrick was fired by chancellor Charles Young just two weeks before the team's season opener. Harrick will be replaced by assistant coach Steve Lavin.
Sports, page 20
Wasting space with carpool lanes
The abuse of carpool lanes by some to speed by motorists on our freeways has editorial writer Benjamin Acker arguing that unless drivers use these lanes correctly, they shouldn't use them at all.
Viewpoint, page 4
Support group, mentors sought
Student Counseling Services has openings in the Healing From Childhood Sexual Abuse group.
This group provides a safe and confidential atmosphere for women to support each other and work on issues such as shame and anger, trust and intimacy, anxiety, relationship problems and self-esteem.
The group will meet on Mondays fmm 3 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Traci Tucker or Robin Ward at (213) 740-7711.
• • •
Los Angeles Team Mentoring is looking for college students to mentor inner-city junior-high youth.
The mentoring team's purpose is to create a better community by providing positive role models ana relationships in teams and one-on-one to children from all achievement levels.
For more information or an application, call (213) 489-
Dish it out
Jonathan Ingalls / Dally Trojan Students ate their lunch outdoors Wednesday at the international Food Fair in Hahn Plaza.
Thursday November 7,19% Vol. QOGX, No. 50
Prop. 209 sparks student concern
By Tony Aimone
Slaff Writer
Student discussion about the results of Tuesday's presidential and congressional races was overshadowed Wednesday by concerns about the passage of Proposition 209 and other controversial initiatives.
"I'm not from California so I have not paid very much attention to local politics, but I registered to vote on 209 because it is such an important issue," said Joseph Clark, an undeclared sophomore.
Prop. 209, also known as the California Civil Rights Initiative, is designed to eliminate preferential treatment and discrimination on the basis of race, religion and gender. The proposition led in polls for weeks before Election Day and passed with 54 percent support.
"It's upsetting to see 209 pass from a woman's standpoint," said Amber Olsen, a sophomore majoring in exercise science.
J.B. Wiggins, a sophomore majoring in cinema, said, "I cannot believe how manipulative the supporters of 209 were in their description of the law on
the ballots."
Amanda Pritchard, a freshman majoring in business, disagreed.
"Affirmative action has become just another form of segregation and discrimination in society," she said.
"People should be admitted solely on merit," said Cathy Truong, a freshman majoring in cinema.
Some people on campus were already thinking of CCRI's future ramifications—one was Maia Fjelland, a senior majoring in education.
"I'm upset with the passing of Prop. 209 because now the (Los Angeles Unified School District) magnet school program is in jeopardy of closing," Fjelland said.
Students also discussed other ballot measures such as Proposition 215, which legalizes marijuana for medical purposes. Prop. 215 passed with 56 percent support.
'I'm glad the majority of Californians understand that the national government is not structured to deal with an issue like marijuana legalization,"
(See Election, page 8)
Students head north for football, fun
By Erin Phibbs
Staff Writer
For years, USC students have been piling into their cars to embark up the coast to San Francisco for the Weekender.
This Friday through Sunday, hundreds of Trojans will partake in the annual road trip, which will center around the USC vs. Stanford football game.
"I'm so excited," said Regan Dean, an undeclared freshman. "I'm going with my house, Kappa Kappa Gamma. The older girls said it's tne best time and everyone should go. I've heard that tons of people go; they meet up somewhere and it's all one big party."
Don Ludwig, director of Intramurals and Recreation, urges students be on their best behavior to avoid conflict.
"We had some problems about three or four years ago, wnen some students were arrested in the city on Friday night," Ludwig said. "This doesn t look good for the individual or the university. There was damage to some hotels as well.
"Getting the word out to students early has dispersed problems in the last few years. Be on your best behavior and we'll all have a good time."
Several events will be hosted by the Student Affairs and Alumni offices in San Francisco this weekend.
An indoor rally will be held Friday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the San Francisco/fcmbarcadero Center from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $10 at the door and students will be charged $5.
An outdoor rally will be held at 9 p.m. in Justin Herman Plaza, which is located across
from the hotel. There will be no charge for this rally.
A party will be held from 9 p.m, to 1 a.m. at Bimbos 365 Club, which is located at 1025 Columbus St., across from Chestnut Avenue. The club admits those aged 21 and over. Tickets will be sold for $15 at the door.
On Saturday, a Trojan tailgate party will be held at 4 p.m. at Palo Alto High School, which is located across the street from Stanford Stadium. The game begins at 7:15 p.m. and tickets will be sold for $23.
Craig Browner, a junior majoring in creative writing, said, "I've always wanted to go on the Weekender, but this is the first year it all came together. It sounded like fun. I'm driving up with a bunch of my friends, I'm hoping we have a big win; the rest will fall from tnere,"
Marriage, suicide issues argued at mock trial
By Jason S. Grant
Staff writer
Legal arguments of second-year law students were heard and challenged by professional attorneys during a preliminary round of the USC Law School's mock court competition Wednesday evening.
The trial dealt with two issues, same-sex marriage and physician-assisted suicide, with four law students representing each side of the case. The mock court was presided over by three lawyers playing U.S. Supreme Court justices.
Some of the students said this was their first time arguing in a formal court setting, and they admitted being nervous before and during the proceedings
"I did not do mock trial before in high school and I didn't do it in college," said Dara Zweig, a
second-year law student who participated in the trials.
"I think it went well, given the fact that this is the first time I had ever done this," Zweig said.
Third-year law students have been organizing and planning the trials since early last summer and feel the topics chosen are timely and appropriate testing grounds for future litigators.
"The petitioners will be arguing ... ostensibly before the Supreme Court of the United States about the constitutionality of (the) two issues," said Ed Wei man, topic editor for the William Greene Hale Moot Court Honors Program, before the mock trial.
The case revolved around a fictitious woman in Colorado, Sarah Carver. Faced with terminal breast cancer, she wishes to hasten her death through physi-
(See Trial, page 7)
Student lawyers present a case to the Supreme Court In a mock trial at the Law Center Wednesday.