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Ducks defeated in Civil War Page 7
Monday, February 16,2004
Since 1900
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 100
University hosts six Iraqi Fulbright scholars
The students are part of the first
group of Iraqi Fulbright recipients
to visit the United States since 1990
By Jared Paben
Senior News Reporter
When Peshwaz SaaduUa Faizula arrived on cam
pus last week, he was immediately struck by how
different the University was from the schools in
Iraq. No walls or barbed wire fences ran through
campus, and he said he would call the University a
city, not a school, because of its huge size.
Faizula was one of six Iraqi nationals to enroll
in the University last week and one of the first
Iraqis to come to the United States on a Ful
bright Scholarship since former Iraqi president
Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait
in August 1990.
Christa Hansen, director of the University's
American English Institute, introduced four of the
Iraqi scholars at a press conference in the EMU on
Friday, explaining that they are all enrolled in her
program in order to study English and American
culture before continuing their academic studies.
Faizula, who wants to get a master's degree
in journalism before returning to Iraq, said he
came to America because Iraq only has two
journalism schools.
Ali Muhamad Hama Amin was bom in Hal
abja, the site of Hussein's 1988 chemical gassing
that killed thousands of Kurdish civilians in
Iraq. Hama Amin said he wants to study west
ern medicine in order to return and help those
suffering in Iraq.
Revan Jajjow Zora Hedo, a native of Baghdad
who is away ffom Iraq for the first time, said he
came to perfect his English so he can continue
work translating Arabic into English.
But Hedo pointed out that he's here to do
more than leam.
"I think that the exchange of experience will
be bilateral, not unilateral," Hedo said. "I'm go
ing to be given experiences here and of course 1
will tell the people I meet every day about our
traditions, our conventions and the Iraqi people
in general, because it's a good thing."
Muhammed Othman Muhammed agreed.
"It's really good for people around the world
to know who Iraq is and who Iraqis are, and it's
not like people know Iraq just from media,"
Muhammed said. "We, as Iraqis, should tell
them who we are and how we think."
Faizula said many Americans think Iraq is un
civilized, adding that many Americans he meets
are surprised to find out he has a DVD player at
home in northern Iraq. He said many U.S.
troops in Iraq were "totally ignorant" about
Iraq, resulting in friendly fire incidents.
'"We Kurds take you as our best friends,' this
is what everybody says back home," Faizula
said. "... And for the rest of Iraq there might
be a different perspective. Some think the
Americans are liberators, some think the
Americans are invaders."
Hama Amin said Hussein's regime taught Iraqis
to hate America for the last three and a half
Turn to IRAQ, page 5
Against the odds
Despite medical setbacks, Jo dene Heider continues to pursue her education
Adam Amato Senior Photographer
University student Jodene Heider, 46, examines the result of a CT scan done on her brain. Heider is battling a brain tumor and is also trying
to maintain funding for her education. She is unable to get financial aid until her health is stable, but she says no neurosurgeon will take her case.
By Jared Paben
Senior News Reporter
Jodene Heider entered the large
auditorium at Mt. Hood Commu
nity College on a sunny but chilly
morning in September 1994. Inside,
about 50 people waited in their seats,
scattered loosely throughout the room.
She chose her seat and waited.
Heider was anxious to take the state
nursing exam, the culmination of two
months of studying. She was ready to
embark on her new career path. Heider
got her Scantron and test instructions
and pulled out her No. 2 pencil. She
leaned over the desk top and tore into
the four-hour test.
But about halfway into the test,
something went wrong. She was hav
ing trouble seeing and marking an
swers on her sheet; her eyes were show
ing double images and she couldn't get
them to focus. She rubbed them, but
they were still blurry. She put on her
glasses, but that didn't help either.
"I thought, 'Why at this time?'" Heider
said. "I could hear other people getting
up after they had finished their tests."
Editor’s note: The story of University
student Jodene Heider is a four-part series
examining the hardships of living with a tumor.
Today: The sickness appears
Tuesday: Kicking off a friendship
Wednesday: Finding a home
Thursday: School and life struggles
By noon, the first test was over and
the test-takers cleared the auditorium
Turn to TUMOR, page 5
‘Vagina Monologues’
draws large crowds
as well as protesters
Protesters of "Monologues” say the production
did not accurately represent women’s diversity
ByAyisha Yahya
News Editor
They silently stood hand in hand with gray duct tape pasted
across their lips and "Vagina Warriors" emblazoned on the back
of their whi te shirts. The front of the shirts had different messages:
"Warning: Hostile Vagina," "Not all vaginas are skinny, white +
straight" and "My cunt is not represented here."
About 10 people gathered in front of Agate Hall on Friday to
protest what they called a lack of representation of different kinds
of women in "The Vagina Monologues" production, which ran
Thursday through Saturday at the Agate Hall auditorium.
In flyers handed out to audience members at the show, Univer
sity graduate Nicole Sangsuree Barrett wrote that while there was
"diversity" in the show, it was minimal. Women of "a variety of
skin colors, body sizes, abilities and gender expressions" were not
adequately represented, she said.
"I would just like to call attention to the fact that this could
have been a more diverse cast, but a safe and welcoming environ
ment was not created for people that 1 consider to be 'underrepre
sented,'" Barrett said in the statement.
Senior Natalie Mays, the show's assistant director, said that
while she respects the protesters' views, she thinks some of the de
cisions were misinterpreted. According to show organizers, the
show's aim was to raise awareness about women's issues, and all
proceeds went toward fighting violence against women.
At the demonstration Friday, Barrett’said she chose not take
part when she was originally asked to be in the show. She said she
tried to bring up questions of race with the show's directors, but
the process was unsuccessful. Barrett said the directors told her
she seemed to have a different vision for the play.
"Race is so crucial to this play," Barrett said, adding that not to
talk about it makes the issue seem unimportant. "They don't
know how it looks like for a woman of color."
She added that the show's organizers didn't offer a safe space
for people of different backgrounds.
"Know that what you are seeing tonight is not the result of an
inclusive process," Barrett said in the statement. "Know that this
space was not one where honest questions and concerns about
race were tolerated."
Senior Melissa Ballard, one of the demonstrators, was original
ly part of the cast, but said the directors asked her to leave a week
before the show started because she was "hostile."
Turn to VAGINA, page 6
WEATHER
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insioe:
Campus buzz.5
Classifieds.10
Commentary..2
Correction.3
Nation & World.3
Sports.7
fslELXT ISSUE
1
ASUO President
Maddy Melton meets
with Con Court