Auraria possible vaccination site
AHC eyed to distribute smallpox vaccine in case of outbreak
John R. Crane
The Metropolitan

Auraria Health Center may become a smallpox vaccine distribution point in the event of an outbreak.

"I can’t confirm we will be the primary site," said Martha Eaton, clinical supervisor at AHC.

Keeping track of the vaccine’s emerging potential for public availability has been arduous, Eaton said. A year ago, after Sept. 11, Eaton said she told her staff to get ready for smallpox.

"It has taken a year for the government to tell us how much smallpox vaccine we have," Eaton said. AHC currently has no smallpox vaccine.

Plans for making the vaccine available to the public have been germinating since 1999, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta established a National Pharmaceutical Stockpile. The NPS includes stores of antibiotics, vaccines, antitoxins and other medical supplies in selected locations around the country, according to the CDC’s website, cdc.gov. The NPS has procedures developed for rapid delivery to every state and U.S. territory within 12 to 24 hours. State bio-terrorism response plans would rapidly distribute vaccines to their jurisdictions, at the bidding of the state health department.

In June 2001, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the use of smallpox vaccine for those working with the smallpox virus, in case of a bio-terrorist attack. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the CDC asked the ACIP to revise the recommendations to include the general population and health care workers.

Eaton and Stephen Monaco, director of AHC, said they did not know how much the vaccines would cost. No information from the government has been provided to AHC.

"Once we get information, we will meet as health center staff to develop a plan for Auraria distribution," Monaco said. The primary cost for Auraria would be for extra staff to administer the vaccine. The number of staff to be hired would be determined by the number of vaccines needed, Monaco said. AHC currently has 25 staff members.

AHC was picked because the government targets health centers near contained populations for quick and efficient distribution, Monaco said. With a student population of roughly 35,000, Auraria is a city onto itself.

The drug used for the vaccine, Dryvax, is not available commercially. In October 2001, the federal government entered a contract with Acambis and Acambis-Baxter Pharmaceuticals for roughly 209 million doses of the vaccine, not enough for the current U.S. population of about 280 million.

However, "the supply can be reconstituted," Eaton said. Reconstituting a drug consists of diluting it for maximum effectiveness from the lowest concentration. The vaccines are kept in 100-dose vials, with some vials containing 500 doses as a result of reconstitution.

There are enough vaccines for everyone in the United States, Monaco said.

The vaccine, which comes from calf lymph, is administered through bifurcated, or two-pronged, needles, according to a health communications specialist at the CDC who went by the name of "Mary." CDC policy forbids health communications specialists from revealing their names.

The drug is not injected into blood vessels or muscle.

"The vaccine is on the skin," Mary said. " If you scratch, the virus can be transferred to other parts of the body." Such transference is referred to as "autoinoculation." The eating away of flesh or, "progressive vaccinia," can also result.

Side effects from smallpox vaccine can include severe skin infection for those with eczema,

encephalitis or "water on the brain," brain damage, coma and death. Vaccinia immune globulin is used to treat side effects.

According to CDC estimates, about 600 people would have "serious adverse effects" for every five million vaccinations.

Auraria students said they would take advantage of the vaccine as soon as it became available.

"If it was distributed now, I would definitely get one," said Tara Knutson, Metro freshman.

She said she would get vaccinated now to avoid the lack of the vaccine’s availability later.

Knutson, however, said she was not too fond of the potential side effects.

"Being in a coma doesn’t sound like fun," Knutson said.

Greg Galvan, University of Colorado at Denver sophomore, said he has no qualms about getting the vaccine.

"I’d do it rather than wait," Galvan said. " So when panic ensues, I’m taken care of."

Smallpox is transmitted through coughing, sneezing or standing face-to-face with someone. Contrary to popular belief, it is not caught from air, but from droplets. The virus enters the nose and travels to the lungs.

Smallpox infection occurs in three phases, Mary said.

The first phase is the non-contagious incubation period, which lasts 12-14 days. The contagious second phase is two to four days of high fever, vomiting and body aches, Mary said.

Red, angry dots form on the tongue and mouth and fill with fluid in the third phase. The dots spread to other parts of the body to form pus-filled rashes, where scabs develop and eventually flake and fall off.

Smallpox was eradicated in 1980. It is kept in government labs in countries such as Russia.

Smallpox facts
Smallpox is noted for its gaping, running sores, and goes back at least 3,000 years, according to seercom.com, a smallpox website. It was first confirmed in China and India.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the most devastating infectious disease in the Western Hemisphere. America’s smallpox death rate was 90 percent, while Europe’s death rate was 10 percent, due to increased immunity resulting from exposure to the Plague a few centuries earlier.

The Native Americans called it "rotting face." More than 20,000 members of North Dakota’s Mandan-Hidatsa tribe along the Missouri River was wiped out by smallpox in 1837, according to an Oct. 13 article in The Denver Post.

The disease’s devastation in the Americas was demonstrated between 1509 and 1518, when Spaniards settled Hispanola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) for sugar cane plantation.

By 1518, 2.5 million natives had died, forcing the Spanish to import African slaves for labor. Such scenarios were repeated throughout the New World.

Indeed, when Queen Anne’s only child died of the disease, it altered the British line of succession and motivated England to stress the importance of controlling smallpox.

The resultant widespread vaccination in England likely contributed to Britain’s nineteenth- century population boost, according to seercom.com.

The smallpox virus, variola, comes in two strains: variola major, which was accompanied by severe symptoms and a 20- 40 percent death rate, and variola minor, which had milder symptoms and a one percent death rate.

The virus is estimated to have killed 100 million people in its history and blinded and scarred 200 million.

The world rid itself of smallpox in the 20th century, thanks to the World Eradication Program.
Back to Table of Contents

Students’ interest in Islamic studies increases after 9/11
Ian Neligh and Rami Wilder
The Metropolitan

Following 9/11, increased interest in the Middle East has professors adding classes and wondering whether Islamic and Middle Eastern studies should be included in the Metro core curriculum.

Amin Kazak, professor of Middle Eastern politics at both Metro and the University of Colorado at Denver, said that offering courses about Islam and the Middle East should be explored in depth.

"After 9/11, students were eager to understand the dynamics behind the terrorist attacks. Students on campus at both UCD and Metro wanted to take courses on Islam and the Middle East," said Kazak. "Our university and colleges should empower this approach and offer this to the students all of the time."

Kazak said that before 9/11 the Middle Eastern emphasis on college campuses was about the Arab/Israeli conflict. Complex issues about Islam and the Islamic world were not being discussed.

"I believe that our intimate knowledge within the Middle East courses might contribute to the development of the theoretical methods of our discipline," said Kazak. "That’s why I have a feeling that today there is some concern within the administration to start offering more courses about the Middle East."

Dr. Akbarali Thobhani, director of the Institute for International and Intercultural Education, recognized the increased interest in Middle East and Islamic studies following 9/11 and responded by offering an additional class called "The World of Islam" over the summer 2002 semester.

"During the Persian Gulf War of the early 90’s, we saw a short term increased interest in Middle Eastern studies, but there is a difference in what students are looking for today," said Thobhani. "The focus today is more on Islam than on the Middle East."

Kazak said that political science departments must try and expand the study of the Middle East. He feels that studying the Middle East would strengthen students’ interest in searching for the methodology behind Islam and the Middle East.

"My hope is that it should not become a seasonal interest and not reflect a consumerist attitude that offering such courses today is based solely on our reaction to 9/11," Kazak said. "What can the study of certain groups in the Middle East, like radical Islam, do to help students?

"I think that it can offer the students a chance and opportunity to study about the rational choice theory," he said. "For example, if you study such groups in depth and the dynamics between those groups within the region, it will open avenues for students to understand more about a theoretical perspective," said Kazak

Kazak feels that the recent studies about Islam and the Middle East should not be isolated solely to times of political interest and television coverage. Middle Eastern studies should be part of a required core of knowledge for students in order to understand not only the Middle Eastern religious and political ideologies, but also for a better understanding of the impact of the Islamic civilizations upon the European renaissance and the philosophy of political science.

"That’s why I believe Middle East studies should be offered all of the time, perhaps even as a requirement in order to enhance the methodological approach of students in the different disciplines of social science," said Kazak. "It should be based on a more academic in-depth analysis."

Thobhani also supports an increased emphasis on Middle Eastern studies but said he saw some practical issues standing in the way.

"(Middle Eastern studies) have a place in core curriculum, but the problem is the resources are not available to hire the teachers needed. It would also be nice to have some faculty members here who could teach the languages of the region," said Thobhani.

The long-term impact and the level of knowledge acquired by students rushing to learn about Islam and the Middle East may not be seen for several years. However, Thobhani said he believes the growing interest of the students will eventually have an overall positive effect.

"The Islamic civilization as a whole has been a major part of developments in the human experience. In the over 1400 years of Islam, it has made an incredible contribution to the world, and greater understanding is valuable." said Thobhani. "Once you become more knowledgeable, you are operating from a factual background instead of fear based around ignorance."

Kazak said that he strongly believes that the politics of the Islamic world as a core subject would enrich students with their own theoretical and intellectual inquiries about other areas of study.

"When the students ask questions, it is our duty and responsibility to offer them the right answers," Kazak said. "Most of the resources and information that students have, they get from the mainstream media, which I don’t consider the right avenue for education. I think it is a responsibility for all of us here to teach the right things to the students."

‘My hope is that it should not become a seasonal interest and not reflect a consumerist attitude that offering such courses today is based solely on our reaction to 9/11.’
- Amin Kazak, professor of Middle Eastern politics
Back to Table of Contents

Celebrating unity and support
Megan Ehlers
The Metropolitan

At the ninth Annual High Tea for Allies, Celebramos Unidad, awards were handed out to people the Auraria Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services have deemed allies to the GLBT community both on and off Auraria.

This year’s theme honored people from Spanish-speaking countries or heritage. Spanish-influenced food was served, including quesadillas and paella with mussels, chicken and sausage, guacamole and black bean cakes. Nearly the entire program was presented both in English and Spanish.

Yolanda Ortega-Ericksen and Debra Gallegos sang and played on guitar traditional Spanish music.

GLBTSS Director Karen Bensen, along with Kim Poast, Community College of Denver Dean of Students, Karen Raforth, Metro associate vice president of student services and dean of student life and Jennifer Blair, Metro student, presented plaques to the student ally of the year, the faculty ally, the staff ally, and three Director’s awards.

The Student Ally of the year went to CCD student Tim Wienecke. Former Metro office administrator Valerie Boles received the staff award, although she is no longer at Metro. The faculty award went to Brenda Allen, a professor in the University of Colorado communication department. The Director’s awards went to The Metropolitan Editor Jenni Grubbs, The Metropolitan Graphic Artist Christina Jenkins and the Metro Office of Student Life.

"I was so surprised and moved," Grubbs said. "It was a very special moment, to be honored like that by people I work with. Plus, as a bisexual woman, I try to do my part for the community in the forum that I have access to."
Back to Table of Contents

Priest’s murder part of Auraria history
Eric Skougstad
The Metropolitan

People were kneeling at the alter, receiving communion from Father Leo Heinrichs when it happened.

Father Leo, as he was affectionately called, was working his way down the line of parishioners seeking forgiveness, when he came to Guiseppe Guarnaccio Alio, a 56-year-old shoemaker. Alio took the sacred wafer in his mouth, spit it at Father Leo, and pulled out a revolver.

"Look out!" yelled altar boy Joseph Heines as he grabbed Father Leo.

It was too late. Alio pulled the trigger, and Father Leo fell. He would never get back up.

"My God, my God…" muttered Father Leo looking at the ceiling. Hundreds of parishioners were frozen in fear as they looked on. "My God."

It was the 6 a.m. service on Feb. 23, 1908. It happened at the Church of Saint Elizabeth, located in the southeast part of modern day Auraria campus.

Parishioner William McCormick, a child, would later run to his house at 15th and Market to tell his father John McCormick what had happened. He would find his father at home, dead of a stroke.

Alio turned and sprinted full speed down the aisle, pointing the gun at anyone he thought might try to stop him.

Police officer Dan Cronin, off duty and dressed in church clothes, jumped over pews working his way back after Alio.

E.J. Quigley, a conductor for the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, tripped Alio. Cronin sprung on top of him. Alio was captured.

The only question raised was "why"?

Alio explained that he was an anarchist. He explained that in the anarchist organization he belonged to each member had vowed to kill four priests.

Worldwide panic arose. Who was next? Where were these anarchists? No priest was safe.

Then, during Alio’s trial, he changed his story.

"I didn’t kill the priest, he fell dead!" Alio told the court.

Alio said that he was given the wafer and spit it out because Father Leo fell. He panicked and ran because everyone else panicked.

Then…the truth. Alio admitted to shooting Father Leo.

Alio had emigrated from Italy. A strict Roman Catholic, he had once gone to listen to a Protestant preacher while still in Italy. This was after being warned in a sermon at his Catholic church a few weeks earlier that a devil would come forth with temptations.

For listening to the Protestant, Alio said, the Catholic priest excommunicated him from the Catholic Church.

This Priest, Alio said, was Father Leo.

Father Leo had emigrated from Germany, not Italy. Doubtless, Father Leo had seen pictures of Italy, had heard and read about it, but he had never been there.

Alio had the wrong man.
Back to Table of Contents

news briefs
The public is invited to the Metropolitan State College of Denver Fall Choral Concert. The concert, titled "Songs of America," will feature the Metro Men’s Choir, Women’s Choir, Alumni Choir and Concert Choir.

The concert will be conducted by Michael J. Kornelsen, MB Krueger and Jerrald McCullom, and will feature works by such composers as Aaron Copland, Randall Thompson and longtime Colorado State University faculty member James McCray.

The concert will take place Sunday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the King Center Concert Hall. It is free of charge.

Americans for National Parks and Metro’s Political Science Association will host a Town Hall Meeting to discuss public lands issues with some Colorado Congressional candidates, their campaign representatives and others.

U.S. Senate candidates and 1st Congressional District candidates have been invited. Bruce Ward from the Continental Divide Trail Alliance and Tara Harmon from Americans for National Parks will also speak.

The purpose of the meeting is to raise awareness about challenges facing Colorado’s public lands. Colorado Congressional candidates will have the opportunity to answer questions.

The meeting will take place Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in Tivoli 320B.

Channel 9 News anchor Adele Arakawa will give the keynote address for Disability Awareness Day Oct. 24.

A free vendor fair will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. At 11 a.m., Debra Thomas-Salsberry will sing. Free lunch will be provided at noon. At 12:30 p.m., Arakawa will speak. At 1 p.m., comedian Geri Jewel of the Facts of Life fame will perform.

The event will take place Oct. 24 in the Tivoli Turnhalle from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Back to Table of Contents

police briefs
In-dash CD player easily detachable with crowbar

At 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, a Metro student reported her car stereo stolen from Auraria parking lot "F".

Stolen: Panasonic in-dash CD player: $300, CD collection: $40.

Police have no suspects or leads at this time.

TOTAL LOSS: $340.

Four bicycles stolen; thieves should re-tire

At 4:45 p.m. on Oct. 17, a CU-Denver student reported a bicycle stolen from the North Classroom bike racks at 4:45 p.m. Oct. 17.

Stolen: Jamis mountain bike: $430, Bike lock: $20. TOTAL LOSS: $450.

At 7:45 p.m. on Oct. 14, a CU-Denver student reported a bicycle stolen from the North Classroom bike racks.

Stolen: Jamis mountain bike: $600, bike lock: $20. TOTAL LOSS: $620.

At 2:45 p.m. on Oct. 14, a Metro student reported a bicycle stolen from the Tivoli bike racks.

Stolen: Trek mountain bike: $420, locking cable: $15. TOTAL LOSS: $435.

At 2:45 p.m. on Oct. 11, a CU-Denver student reported a bicycle stolen from the King Center bike racks.

Stolen: Trek commuter style bike: $400, cable lock: $20. TOTAL LOSS: $420.

Police have no suspects or leads in any of the bicycle thefts.

Toyota Pick-up picked up

At 1:45 a.m. on Oct. 16, a Metro student reported his truck stolen from Auraria parking lot "R."

Stolen- 1986 Toyota Pickup: $3,000.

TOTAL LOSS: $3,000.

Thief’s courage builds

Building tools were reported stolen from a construction worker at 4 p.m. on Oct. 16 from the Physical Education Building on Auraria Campus.

Police have no leads or suspects at this time.

Stolen: Dewalt Saw: $230, 25 assorted tools: $250, tool bag: $40.

TOTAL LOSS: $520.

Tip o’ the week-

"Invest in a U-lock style lock instead of a cable lock," said Joe Protasiewicz, owner of Right Bros. Bike shop. "Kryptonite even has locks that come with a warranty.

"It costs a little extra for a good lock, but it’ll make the difference between riding your bike home, or riding home," Protasiewicz said.

- Eric Skougstad
Back to Table of Contents

Metroopinion

Movies, TV full of stereotypes
Walter Gant
Staff Columnist

The typical image of minorities in motion pictures and television has been of a lopsided, negative view. If you believe everything that you saw in a movie or in a television show, then you would be forced to believe that all minorities are drug dealers, drug users or any other negative aspect of life. I attribute this to one major reason.

The biggest being that there is a serious lack of minority writers in the industry. That is, if people are not living the lifestyle continue to make movies or television shows about the life, then false images will continue to be portrayed. Most of the time, when minority actors are asked what the biggest problem in the entertainment industry is, they will tell you about the lack of minorities in the creative aspects of films and television.

A few things have been made to change the stereotypes presented by Hollywood. A few "maverick" movies have been recently released or are set for release. The first is Brown Sugar, a movie dealing with African Americans who are doing more than selling drugs and hanging on the corner all day. The second film is Real Women Have Curves, a movie that deals with Latina women from a more realistic approach than what is normally depicted on screen. The cultural significance of both of these films is that they are directed and written by minorities and they are also present a different prospective of the Black and Latina experience.

There are also a few waves being made on television. Soul Food, Resurrection Blvd, Oz and The Wire. All had one important thing in common. They were successful shows on cable television—namely HBO and Showtime—that showed minorities in a decent light. Some may argue on the inclusion of Oz, but the show features top-notch acting in a cast that is majority/minority. It also depicts a problem in America where the proportion of minorities in incarceration doesn’t statistically match up to the amount in America.

HBO and Showtime are leading the way in creating new avenues for positive roles for minorities. The regular networks are picking up. The George Lopez Show and The Bernie Mac show are two shows that are geared and written by minorities. So maybe television will start catching on. They are realizing that the reason minority-based shows fail is because the minorities haven’t been writing them. When something is geared in reality then people respect it more and are more likely to watch it.

Another phenomenon that young minority producers are doing is following the independent film pathway. A slew of underground films have been made in the last couple of years. These movies are escaping Hollywood’s grasp and being marketed towards the groups they would most affect. Some of the best directors have taken this route due to knowing their films would never get made taking the traditional approach. These films may not be winning Oscars, but they do paint a picture that needs to be painted. That is, a different perspective of the life experiences of minorities. There has not been this many independent films by any minority group since the blaxploitation period of the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Where does this leave Hollywood? In my opinion, forget Hollywood. It’s obvious that the same stereotypes that exist, still do. We must also start supporting these films that do get made. They believe that we don’t support our movies. We have been proving them wrong lately and we should continue to do that. Also, we must lobby to get the films made that we want to get made. If we aren’t seeing the stories that we want or need to see then we will continue to have problems with Hollywood. Finally, we need more writers to fully relay what we feel. There are a million stories that need to be told and we need to get them all out
There has not been this many independent films by any minority group since the blaxploitation period of the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Back to Table of Contents

How will filmmakers scare us witless next?
Ian Neligh
Reporter Commentary

Once the Denver Post or most any new organization decides to put something in writing, it becomes fact.

In Michael Moore’s film, Bowling For Columbine, Moore justly attacks the media for its exaggerated and over the top use of scare tactics on a susceptible American public. Every week it seems that there is something else for us to be frightened of.

One week, it’s the sniper in DC! The next week it is the West Nile Virus! (And how it’s coming to Denver because any day now, they’ll find another dead pidgeon). The next week’s fiery headlines are going to be about the hungry bears coming down from the mountains, just like the sharks a week before in Florida, or the mad cow disease that’s going to be in our pudding and toothpaste. The media is telling me that "fire ants" and "killer bee’s" are going to chase me . . . all the while my cell phone is giving me brain cancer . . . trying to find the supermarket that’s going to give me echolia from the chicken that I eat, and that’s only if the tires on my vehicle don’t blow out first while I’m on my way.

What ever happened to Y2K? I bet those people who helped the sale of new handguns in 2000 were glad they still had their weapons when they heard about the bees, bears, sharks, and snipers. It’s not that these things don’t happen, it’s that they happen all the time whether or not the media chooses to acknowledge them. It’s almost like they have a database of things assured to cause fear and paranoia.

Next month "Black Plague" on the rise, but only if the Hantavirus doesn’t get to us first. Even if its not life threatening, the media goes for the conflict card. Even if their preconceived notions of what should be that fact differ only slightly from reality. When the Sunday edition came out, I picked it up to check and see how they would cover the Panel Discussion on Gun Violence in America, the same event that I went to cover. For the most part, the panel consisted of a group of very intelligent people giving their opinions on movie violence and whether or not it affects those who watch it.

Because Michael Moore, director of the new documentary Bowling For Columbine was one of the panel, it looked like in the article that they decided to imply conflict that wasn’t at the discussion. In fact, they talked so much about every one else’s opinion on Moore’s film, the actual description of what happened at the discussion took up only a few sentences. Would they put such a spin onto a story to create conflict? I read their story and thought that perhaps they went to a different conference. In fact, their article headline was "Columbine film inspires debate." Well, the panel was not inspired by Moore’s documentary. It was put together to talk about violence in life being attributed to violence in movies.

There was very little debating at all during the discussion. That’s probably because it was a discussion and not a debate. All those in attendance at the panel were like-minded in their opinions such as, movies with pointless, gratuitous violence are bad, and directors need to take responsibility for their actions. Now if they happen to mean that the movie itself inspires debate, then yes, it does. However if that’s what they want to talk about then they should talk about that and not use this other misleading headline from the paper "Film festival panel debates "Columbine." They hardly ever talked about the movie, and they sure as heck didn’t debate it. Why doesn’t the media ever talk about something with real conflict?

Or, something truly frightening, like the adult illiteracy rate? Or, what they feed to farm animals to make them grow faster? Or, who makes our clothing and where? Or, what is ascribed status and does it affect you? Or, how is it that Iraq was linked to Afghanistan? Or why someone would boast to students graduating from Yale that it was okay to get a C- (?).

It’s almost like they have a database of things assured to cause fear or paranoia.
Back to Table of Contents

Amendment 31: the devil is in the details
Josh Pacheco
Staff Columnist

Every four years we get a chance to go out to the polls and place our votes for who we want to see represent us; and, also the amendments that we would like to see implemented in our state constitution.

This term, there is an amendment on the ballot that would truly do more harm than good.

We have all seen the commercials against Amendment 31, saying that it does not have a place in Colorado. After taking a look at what exactly this amendment offers, I would tend to agree.

Amendment 31, if passed, would eliminate ESL (English as a Second Language) and all other bilingual programs from public schools. This amendment proposes that a non-English speaking student be given only one year to learn English before being forced to enter into mainstream classes that will offer them no linguistic support. Basically, if this amendment is passed, then we would be telling students that: when they do not learn the English language fast enough, there is no place for them in our public school system.

As if it isn’t hard enough for immigrants coming to our state, our law-makers have to make it nearly impossible for the family’s children to get the education that they will need to make it. I find it offensive that such a double standard would even be proposed.

I could only imagine the pressure within that year for the child whose parents don’t speak any English and their only hope of ever- learning lies within a one-year time span. It is ridiculous. How could we ever expect that out of anyone much less make it a law in our state?

There are a few other details to the amendment that makes it all the more disheartening. The ballot initiative states that parents can apply for an exemption waver. However if it is found that the waver was given in error school officials and board members would be vulnerable to law suites claiming that not putting their child through this atrocious program has harmed their child’s education.

So here it is: a lose- lose situation the parents and children obviously lose out on education opportunities and the school workers become vulnerable to lawsuits. Why is this amendment even being considered?

The list of people or organizations that oppose this amendment is huge. It includes the "PTA," who claims that Amendment 31 is the most "villainous" proposal on the November ballot, Governor Bill Owens, who said that, "the Devil is in the Details" and others. With such strong words from thes "influential" people in the educational field, it seems like it would almost be a crime against our states children to pass an amendment like this.

We haven’t even begun to talk about how much an initive like this would cost. This amendment would cost the taxpayer millions to implement. Funding will also be taken directly out of the school budget, coming from the classroom. If Amendment 31 were passed schools will have to come up with new testing for the students, materials, training for the teachers and hiring of new staff. But the amendment makes no room for additional educational funds.

Lets face it, we will be doing the future of Colorado a big disservice. So when you walk into the poll booth in November remember one thing. Vote no on Amendment 31!
Back to Table of Contents

The Gadfly
Brian P. Reed

Read this! OR DROP OUT!

"I assure you that what I am what I claim to be, and you put me to death, you will harm yourselves more than me. Neither Meletus nor Anytus can do me any harm at all; they would not have the power, because I do not believe that the law of God permits a better man to be harmed by a worse. No doubt my accuser might put me to death or have me banished or deprived of vicic rights, but if even he thinks—as he probably does, and others too, I dare say—that these are the great calamities, I do not think so. I believe that is far worse to do what he is doing now, trying to put an innocent man to death. For this reason, gentlemen, so far from pleading on my own behalf, as might be supposed, I am really pleading on yours, to save you from misusing the gift of God by condemning me. If you put me to death, you will not easily find anyone to take my place. It is literally true, even if it sounds rather comical, that God has specially appointed to this city, as though it were a large thoroughbred horse which because of its size is inclined to be lazy and needs the stimulation of some stinging fly. It seems to me that God has attached me to this city to perform the office of such a fly, and all day long I never cease to settle here, there, and everywhere, rousing, persuading, reproving everyone of you."

—Socrates via Plato,

The Apology

And yet, to some, I blather. This was both the end of sophistry and of Socrates’ life. In addition, it was (egoistically, I say), the beginning of Education as we know it today, and "The Gadfly."

What little mental creatures, assuming (and we all know, unless you’re an idiot, what "assuming" does) have a mind: What pursues you day and night?

You are ridiculous! You have no fathom of what could strike you—day or by night. You are incredulous—willing to accept what is purported to be true for your forgiveness. You are apathetic—you are lame . . . a piece of side trash even I forgot to throw out or run over.

You don’t read this column . . . and I know why. For the most part, you read my bastions and revered transgressions (for this, I applaud). For the rest of you, sucking money out of the state to continue your education (hoping, alas, awaiting your next loan), knowing not what goal you seek (Wake up!), get the hell away from here!

You are worthy of contempt. This is not a campus that was created for "wanna-be" scholars. It is a campus for people dedicated to an education that will forward them into the future. College is not a bar [i.e. get the other drunk . . . and see what comes (HA)]. I can walk about the campus on an average, climate weather day (God!, don’t I love Kathy Sabine!), and witness on every corner, non-scholastic endeavors—more likely than scholastic endeavors--the main subject and/or object. So much for the meek (yes, they will inherit the Earth) for I’ve decided, albeit for numerous reasons, to become a teacher/monk (I digress, yet again . . . ).

A monk with guns. The eternal parallax: A peace-loving fellow, dedicated to Ghandi, with a weapon. Holy crap (Batman)! I think we’ve got a situation! When you understand, the "Gadfly" (and Batman), and, he says, "extend the ‘Olive Branch,’ until you can beat the @$*% out of them with it," you better listen!

Let’s cut to the chase!

The wondermont (look it up! I just made a word with an etymological foundation!) of scholars amongst ourselves (hell I’ve got two majors,and something else), is that we make ourselves truly oblivious to the truth.

For example, yesterday in class, I was, after hearing the name "Tom Tancreado", bemused and left to amusement and assumption, that everyone else in my class (let alone the intellectual world) would agree with me. But no. Some, seemingly good, debator accused me as wrong. Let me, put this in perspective. . .

Mr. Tancredo’s family, of obvious Italian descent, were let (most likely, from Ellis Island) into America. He has done well as a politician. He unknowlingly employed green card aliens to "finish" his basement (and so, money speaks). To add insult to innuendo, he, now, however, wants to deport a student in his district (who is at the top of his class, by the way) back to Mexico for asking for a scholarship.

I can, through my history classes, remember a dumb, jackass called Hitler. He wantonly defined a movement (still accepted by many idiots) and decided that the Jews should be eradicated (or, at the very least, sent elsewhere). Have we not, yet, understood the "Use and Abuse of History!" The "eradicated" were sent or found their way to America. Or, sent "elsewhere." Hidden behind this idiom, is what destroyed the jackass, will always be the future of truth, freedom and difference of opinion which is assured by our Law (and, most, Civil minded countries). Shalom! Zieg Heil! (say my tree-huggers).

Back to the basics. Politics make me vomit this year. If you’re still reading this . . .almost $60 million has been spent on the campaign for these jackasses this year. Ask yourself, where could this money have been spent better?

This column is about the beginning of education. The man who gave his life to create what we now acknowledge as education should not be denied his spirit. Do not deny his death.

Keep spirited, keep the faith. Vote. And don’t become some wacky, tree-hugger . . . I am of the opinion that that the "Spotted Owl" tastes like chicken.

A reminder to all (Since I can’t get ahold of H.S.T.):

Government, in its very essence, is opposed to all increased knowledge. Its tendency is always toward permanance and against change.

H.L.Mencken
Back to Table of Contents

Letters Policy

The Metropolitan welcomes letters of 500 words or fewer on topics of general interest.
Letters must include a full name, school affiliation and a phone number or e-mail address.
Letters might be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

Mailbox:
The Metropolitan
900 Auraria Parkway, Suite 313
Denver CO 80204

e-mail: grubbs@mscd.edu
phone: 303.556.2507
fax: 303.556.3421
Back to Table of Contents

Metroactive

The legalities of humor
Jenni Grubbs
The Metropolitan

While celebrities are usually talked about in terms of their rise and fall, one celebrity is making waves for fall and rise.

A new book about legendary comedian Lenny Bruce examines how his life’s highpoints truly began after his downward spiral into drugs, the legal system and death from a heroin overdose at 40 years old.

The Trials of Lenny Bruce: The Fall and Rise of an American Icon, written by Ronald K.L. Collins and David M. Skover, details how Bruce’s life after death was bigger than he ever could have been during his living life. It also shows how Bruce paved the way for such modern comics as Margaret Cho, Chris Rock and George Carlin, people who don’t have to worry about going to jail if they say the f-word during a show.

Lenny Bruce did just that. He went to jail for saying a variety of cuss words that, back in the 1950s and ‘60s, were illegal to say in a public place according to obscenity laws in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Skover, a law professor at Seattle University, recently visited Metro to talk about his book and what Lenny Bruce means to society today.

"Lenny’s legacy is that of free speech," Skover said. "Lenny’s routines were the most vulgar routines heard in the public for their day."

He proceeded to warn his audience that he would be playing bits from those vulgar routines and that anyone who might be offended should not stay. But, "If you do not mind it this should be an exciting presentation," he said.

Skover’s presentation was brought by the Golda Meier Center for Political Leadership. "Lenny Bruce has a role to play in contemporary America and in how America thinks of freedom of speech," said Golda Meier Center Director Norman Provizer.

Lenny Bruce lived from the mid ‘20s to the late ‘60s, times of turmoil and censorship.

"He was the most controversial comedians of his day," Skover said. "He wanted to reveal the warts that were present on the face of the establishment."

He quoted Bruce, "‘Respectability means under the covers.’ Lenny was there to rip the covers off."

One of the ways he did this, Skover said, was to try to diffuse the power of cuss words to shock, offend and wound people.

It was those words that caused Lenny to be charged with misdemeanor obscenity 24 times. He had six trials and was convicted twice.

One of those convictions came from his use of the word "cocksuckers" in a routine about gay men in San Francisco. After his trial, Lenny recreated the routine he had done at the nightclub that got him arrested, only replacing every "cocksuckers" with "blah blah blah." Of course the audience knew what "blah blah blah" was supposed to be. (See sidebar.)

Another routine was called "Las Vegas Tits and Ass."

"Question: What is the big attraction [in Las Vegas]? Answer: Tits and ass. Question: What’s that? Answer: Tits and ass. That’s what’s that. Question: Ahh, just tits and ass? Answer: Well, they give you an Apache team in between for rationalizion. But, basically, that’s what it is, man, tits and ass. Question: Well, that’s just one hotel. Give me the second biggest hotel. Answer: More tits and ass."

But, Skover said, Bruce was not always funny. He had several routines that while comical, weren’t funny. One such routine dealt with sympathizing with Adolph Eichmann, the Nazi war criminal.

While routines like "Las Vegas Tits and Ass" paved the way for Cho, Rock and Carlin, the "Eichmann" routine and others like it paved the way for bitter humor like that of Bill Maher, formerly of Politically Incorrect. Bruce was highly criticized for those routines just as Maher was criticized for making fun of the United States’ response to 9/11, Skover said.

He said that if Bruce were alive today, he would be having a field day with topics like Afghanistan, the priest misconduct scandals, Enron, etc.

"He was an equal opportunity offender. He would be just as shocking today as he was then, only today he would have to try harder," Skover said.

"Death was Lenny’s best publicity agent," Skover said. "From Aug. 3, 1966, forward, Lenny rose and became what he never was in life."

Today, Bruce’s old routines are the inspiration for budding comics as well as established ones. He has become very popular, with a large cult following. An Internet search using Lenny Bruce yielded 165,000 hits.

There’s a reason why comics are so respectful of what Lenny did in his life.

"Since Bruce, no comedian has been arrested or shut down for speech in private club in America," Skover said. "His First Amendment legacy — protection for those who offend by speech alone."

Skover has been writing books with Collins for 15 years on popular entertainment culture and First Amendment law. It was "natural for us to fall upon Lenny Bruce," Skover said. "He was right in that intersection."

Cho told Skover in an interview, "I want to be like Lenny, I just don’t want to end up like him."

"Because he never stopped telling the truth, he made it possible for others to be like him without ending up like him," Skover finished.
Back to Table of Contents

Blah, Blah, Blah
by Lenny Bruce

The bust. What I got arrested for in San Francisco. San Francisco I got arrested for, uh, we can hear that daddy.

I’m not gonna repeat the word because I want to finish the gig here tonight, but, um, they said it was vernacular for a favorite homosexual practice, a ten-letter word. It’s really chic, that’s two four-letter words and a preposition. I can’t, uh, I wish I could tell you the word. It starts with a ‘c,’ but you know what the word is.

It’s weird how they manifested that word as homosexual, because it relates to any contemporary chick I know or would know or would love or would marry. And, uh, when I took the bust, I finished the show and said that word, the 10-letter word.

And he comes over and he says ‘Lenny my name is Sgt. Blah .You know that word you said…’ ‘I said a lot of words… what word?’ And he said ‘You know what word. Well, Lenny that’s against the law. I’m, uh, gonna have to take you down. Okay let’s go. It’s against the law to say it and do it.’ ‘I didn’t do it, man. I just have to tell you that.’

And in one heat it’s cool because he told me I broke the law and was specific. The other guy, he said ‘Well I got a wife and kid’ I don’t want to hear that crap at all. ‘I know you get emotionally involved with this, but what you mean you don’t want to hear that crap?’ ‘Did your wife ever do that to you?’ Bam! Then it got pretty sticky. ‘No.’ ‘You ever say that word?’ ‘No.’ ‘Never said the word honest to God?’ ‘No.’ ‘How long you been married?’ ‘18 years.’ ‘You’re a spiritual guy, but if you’re lying you’ll spend some dead time in purgatory.’ Now we really got really into it.

Now we get into court and there was Judge Aaron Abramowitz, a redheaded junkyard Jew with thick fingers and a homemade glass eye. Tough-O, right.

He comes in Wah Wah. ‘Your honor, he said blah, blah, blah.’ ‘He said blah, blah, blah?’ Then the guy really yented it up.

‘That’s right. I couldn’t believe it There was a guy up on the stage in front of women in a mixed audience saying blah,blah,blah.’

The Judge: ‘This I never heard. Blah, blah, blah.’ ‘Said blah, blah, blah. He said blah, blah, blah. I’m not going to lie to you.’

The D.A.: ‘The guy said blah blah blah, look at him he’s smug he’s not going to repent.’

Then they dug something. They sort of liked saying ‘blah, blah, blah’ because they said it a few extra times.
Back to Table of Contents

End of show
Film festival closes with controversial film
Ian Neligh
The Metropolitan

The 25th Starz Denver International Film Festival provided Denver filmgoers with 10 days of first-run movies, documentaries and foreign films that often times do not get a large mainstream theater release. The actors and directors of the films also got a unique chance to talk about their opinions and ideas with their films’ audiences.

Compared with previous years, the festival had 40 percent more tickets sold, and the closing night sold out, filling the Buell Theatre to its maximum capacity. The Denver Film Society started as a nonprofit Colorado institution in 1977 that originally decided to put on a film festival just as an experiment. Because of the popular response of the general public the festival became one of Denver’s annual events.

As one of the premiere cultural institutions in Colorado, the society showcases in-dependent films as well as reaching approximately 50,000 film viewers a year. Their overall objective is to make Denver the middle ground between the Los Angeles and the New York film communities.

In 2003, the Denver Film Society plans to move their headquarters to the Starz Encore FilmCenter at the Tivoli, in a partnership with the University of Colorado at Denver's College of Arts & Media.

Moore redefines America in

Bowling For Columbine

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore appeared with his new film Bowling For Columbine at the 25th Starz Denver International Film Festival. He premiered his film to a sold-out audience at the Buell theatre to bring this year’s festival to a close.

He preceded the premiere by attending a discussion panel titled Violence in America: Movies Imitating Life. The discussion was on the issue of gun violence in America and trying to answer the question: Does art and popular culture (mainstream movies) merely reflect the culture in which we live, or does it shape it?

Several of the other panelists attending also had films in the festival that had guns and violence as a major issue within their film’s context.

Bowling For Columbine was the first documentary accepted into the competition at the Cannes Film Festival since 1965 and was awarded a special 55th anniversary prize by the film festival’s jury.

Moore, director of Roger and Me and author of Stupid White Men, set out in this film using his trademark charm and sarcasm to find and explain the root of America’s culture of violence.

"I’ve been thinking about this issue of violence for most of my life, and (Columbine) was the straw that broke the camel’s back," said Moore.

"The day we walked into work and people already had the TV on and there were the early images of Columbine and the kids running out of the school with their hands up, as if they were all suspects. I just was standing there and started to cry. This is something that will never leave these kids for the rest of their lives," he said.

"Those of us working on the film began to feel that there was something that Columbine and this issue presented to us in terms of a chance to say something even larger and in a broader scope about the country we live in at the turn of the century."

Moore questions in his film America’s tendency to resolve conflict and fear with violence, which has become so imbedded in our society that we are seeing it affect the children in our schools.

"As we started going down the road to making this film, it started to present different avenues and a much wider canvas for us to paint this picture," said Moore.

"I think this film has very little to do with Columbine and a lot to do with the way that we have behaved collectively as citizens of an otherwise very good country."

The film starts with Moore going into a bank that gives new customers rifles and shotguns for opening an account. He later goes to get his hair cut at a barber shop that sells ammunition.

"What is it about us? Why do we go for the gun? If the availability wasn’t there then the 11,000 murders, 15,000 suicides, and the 4,000 accidents — about 30,000 gun deaths each year — would drop significantly."

One of the topics Moore approaches is America’s affliction with fear in combination with the media’s tendency to spread alarmist views and paranoia to a susceptible public.

"This film is also part of the media. Maybe when you walk out of it you’ll say that its just part of the problem because it takes things and makes people look at it, manipulates images and exploits people," said Moore.

"I wished we lived in cities where there was more of a difference between a Rocky Mountain News and a Denver Post, where we had three or four independent voices that ran the gamut of editorial thought."

More said that we are not as well-off as a society because we have fewer and fewer voices that are being heard.

"I think that ignorance leads to fear and fear leads to violence which leads to hate, but it starts with the ignorance. You’ll see a man in the film who went to the high school next to mine, same age as me, and I asked him about Gandhi and he says, ‘I don’t know nothing about that.’ How could you go through the educational system and not know about Gandhi?" said Moore.

In the United States last year there were approximately 11,127 gun related murders, as opposed to our neighbors in Canada who had 165 gun-related murders.

"I love living here and I think that generally we are good people but if you look a Canada there is 10 million households and there’s a total of 7 million registered guns, now how is it the Canadians have had these guns laying around and not kill each other?" asked Moore.

Part of his theory is that other countries have the ability to structure their society so that they take responsibility for one another.

Moore says that other countries often times have an ethic that says if one of them gets sick then, they collectively have a responsibility to pay for a doctor to see that their citizen gets better.

"They embrace you when you’re down and out and they try to make it better for you. Our ethic is every man for himself., pull yourself up by your boot straps. Our ethic is to beat up on the poor. If you’re poor, we’re going to punish you."

Moore believes that our children learned that America has this ethic from a very early age and it creates an enormous amount of tension, stress and competition.

"In other society they have arguments, but they don’t reach for the gun. They have kids that are picked on in school, but they don’t go for the gun. They don’t have the concept of kill first, ask questions later," said Moore. "The fish rock from the head down, and when you got a man sitting in the Oval Office who believes its okay to perform a preemptive strike and kill first, what do you think the children are looking at and thinking about when they see that?"

Moore’s film and its quest to find the cause of America’s problem with violence, is both brilliantly humorous as it is deeply disturbing.

"There is a wonderful quote from Mark Twain: ‘Against an assault of laughter, nothing can stand.’ I so believe in the power of humor to make good of this world, and I do hope that the end result of this film and the reception it’s receiving around the country will mean that there will be no more Columbines in the United States of America," Moore said.
Back to Table of Contents

Colorado filmmakers spotlighted
Travis M. Combs
The Metropolitan

Every week movie theaters across the country are loaded with the latest Hollywood blockbuster releases, which are viewed by millions of movie patrons across the country and generate millions of dollars for large, corporate moviemaking machines. With these movies dominating a large percentage of what is actually released and seen by movie-going audiences, independent, but often under-funded films are left by the wayside.

The 25th Starz Denver International Film Festival is a local attempt to balance the scales by presenting work of independent filmmakers from all over the globe and even more locally by presenting a miniature showcase spotlighting Colorado filmmakers.

The Colorado Filmmakers Showcase screened six short, diverse films in one program at the Starz FilmCenter Oct. 16 presented by the Colorado filmmakers exclusively. The films covered a broad range of subject matter and styles and were played to a sold-out show.

"It’s always great to have the Colorado Filmmakers Showcase here because of the homegrown aspect," said John Ashton, Facilitator for the Colorado Filmmakers Showcase.

The showcase featured Hump Day by Gwylym Cano, Impersonal Impressions by Crystal Us, 30 Minutes or Less by Paul Aaron, Somnium by Ryan Cooke, Cole Eggen and David Taylor, 18 With Che by Douglas Houston, and A Clean Well-Lighted Place by William Tyler Alspaugh.

"We get an incredible variety of films ranging in production values from home movies to something that looks really professional," said Ashton.

The showcase attempts to be viewed as its own festival within the context of the larger film festival with its own character and style, which would have a difficult time being seen by audiences outside the showcase.

"The Colorado showcase is a festival within a festival because it definitely has it own energy," said Ashton. "The directors will bring in their family and friends who often times haven’t seen the film before its premiere at the showing."

Brian Phelan, who acted in both 30 Minutes or Less and Impersonal Impression initially aspired to be a professional baseball player but came upon acting after sustaining an injury.

He now pursues an acting career with the help of his mentor Paul Aaron and his mother Donna Dewey, who both contributed to the creation of 30 Minutes or Less.

According to Phelan, the medium of acting is a satisfying means of self-expression. He says he enjoys working in independent films because of the practical experience he receives in the craft of acting.

"There is no one route in becoming an actor," said Phelan. "You should study and practice until you are ready."

With Colorado Filmmakers Showcase running annually in the Starz International Film Festival, local filmmakers will have ample opportunity to create and show their work to audiences who would otherwise never see the films.

Ashton advises aspiring filmmakers take definitive steps to realize their filmmaking dream.

"All you have to do is make the film," said Ashton. "The most important thing to do first is to make the film you want to make and then submit it."
Back to Table of Contents

Metrosports

Vercic: miracle in the making
Eric Eames
The Metropolitan

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."—Aristotle (384-332 B.C.)

"Excellence is not an act, but a habit."—Muhammad Ali (1942-)

This is all they know. She was about 16-years-old, 5-foot-9 and probably scared to death. This teenage girl’s family didn’t know anything about it. Somehow she had kept it a secret—for a whole nine months.

Then on June 7, 1982, she walked into Phoenix Memorial Hospital, alone. She had her baby, alone. She also had a conversation with Dr. Ronald J. Castro, who delivered the baby, striking a deal.

Afterward the girl left with empty arms, into her summer break from high school.

All alone.

****

"It was devastating," Maryanne recalled.

Bob and Maryanne Vercic had always wanted a big family with three or more children. It was something they discussed even before getting married. By 1970 they already had two beautiful, healthy daughters, Julie and Kristy. A couple years later, Maryanne was pregnant with the couple’s third child. Then devastation.

Six months into the pregnancy, the child was lost to a miscarriage. The side effect was even more heart draining. Doctors told the couple they would not be able to have any more children.

For the next 10 years, Bob and Maryanne tried fervently to adopt a child to no avail. They were continually denied by the International Adoption Agency and each slammed door sawed a piece off their big family dreams.

"We just about gave up hope that it was every going to happen for us," Maryanne said.

It was a test of faith. And what they’ve learned is that God delivers the meek in due time, and miracles, if we kept track of them, would be housed in several libraries.

This is Bob and Maryanne’s miracle.

****

Castro and the Vercics had built a great friendship through the church they attended in Phoenix.

"We socialized with him and he knew we were looking to adopt," Bob said. "And just out of the blue he called me one morning at my office and told me that he had delivered a little baby girl the prior day and that the baby was in perfect, good health. He did indicate that the mother was a young girl just getting out of high school (for the summer) and she wanted to put the child up for private adoption and that if we were interested, he could probably work something out, because she wanted him to handle the adoption."

Here’s the thing: Castro is a private doctor who works from his office in Glendale, Ariz.

He had never once made a delivery at Phoenix Memorial. In fact, he had never before stepped foot into the hospital. For some odd reason, though, the maternity ward at Phoenix Memorial called him in for an "emergency" delivery June 6, 1982, moments after the lonesome girl walked through the doors. After the pregnancy, the child with no name, just a number, was under Castro’s care.

Seeing this as possibly their last opportunity, the Vercics quickly got the paperwork together. Since they were already pre-approved as foster parents, the process went twice as fast.

Finally, on June 10, the child got a home and parents and became known to the world as Elizabeth Alice Vercic.

"It was overwhelming," Maryanne said, when asked how she felt when she first saw her new daughter. "We feel very strongly that she is a gift from God. We see His hand in it and that’s our belief. She was meant to be our daughter and we were meant to be her parents."

"She has just been a blessing," Bob added. "She knew she was adopted from day one, we didn’t hold anything back and we basically told her that this was meant to happen. We didn’t actually bring her into the world, but we are her parents and there is no difference between having a young adopted baby and bringing home a baby of your own. Actually, I told her it was one step better, because we had the option to go ahead and choose you and it was great.

"We don’t know much about the real mom. All we do know is that God bless her that she had decided to go with adoption, because we’ve been trying to adopt for, gosh, awhile."

****

At 6-foot-1, Elizabeth Vercic (Beth for short) is all grown up now and making a name for herself. She is the starting middle blocker on Metro’s volleyball team after transferring in the summer from Spokane Falls Community College, where she was named first team All-American, regional MVP and first team All-Star. She broke a school record for kills in a season with 636 and her two-year mark of 1,103 kills set another school record at Spokane Falls.

As the only athlete in the Vercic household, Beth was unusual. When she was 5 years old, her parents exposed her to a variety of things. They had her take dance and piano lessons, along with playing soccer and basketball. But when Maryanne saw Beth practicing her basketball moves in tap shoes, she knew sports was what Bethloved.

"We always tease that we had to adopt to get an athlete in the family," Maryanne said. "I just didn’t have it. I love volleyball, I absolutely love volleyball and I would turn out for every team in high school and I was just miserable. I had no coordination, so they made me the score keeper."

The awards Beth earned at Spokane Falls weren’t merely decorations, but rather a coronation for an athlete, who also felt like a girl in high heels when she first tried out for volleyball in the eighth grade.

"I never once thought about playing volleyball," said Beth, who was 10 years old when the Vercics moved to Spokane, Wash., where she met Devon Herron, now Metro’s starting setter. "I played basketball every since I was little. I loved basketball. I transferred from one middle school to another and that is where I met Devon and she played volleyball when I came there. I just all of sudden wanted to try out. I went out and I sucked and I tripped on my own feet and I had no clue what I was doing. I just kind of went with it."

When she made the team in ninth grade at Ferris High School, she was shocked.

"To be honest, I think all they saw in me was height," she said and recalled how her club coach, Wade Benson, now head coach at Eastern Washington University, kicked her out of the gym one time for lining up wrong. "I was like, man, I hate volleyball. But then it just came around sooner of later. It just took some time like everything else."

Vercic and Herron led Ferris High to the 1997 volleyball state championships and both were being recruited by Metro during their respective junior years. In 2000, Herron came to Denver, but Beth wasn’t quite ready to leave home. She said she wasn’t mature enough yet, but her father’s struggling health was her main concern. Bob had had nine cardiac surgeries in the past two years and three strokes, two of which occurred on the operating table.

"The fact that Beth put her college career on hold to go to a community college was because she was concerned about her father, which I think was very selfless on her part," Maryanne said.

After a stellar freshman year and hearing of Herron’s great success at Metro and with her father on the rebound, Beth suddenly felt ready to make the transition. She wrote and e-mailed Metro head coach Debbie Hendricks, who she instantly clicked with.

"I had a gut feeling that I was finally ready to go away from home," Beth said. "When I came here I wanted to give Coach my verbal (commitment). But Coach (Hendricks) said, ‘Let’s wait. Talk to your parents and see how they feel.’ My gut feeling instantly was Metro is the place. So it is almost like it was meant to be."

Getting to Metro, however, nearly broke her. Beth used to think the hardest thing was winning a nail-bitter. Baloney. It was the 13 credits she took in the summer, on top of the 21 she took during spring semester, all so she could be eligible to make the jump to a four-year college. These weren’t Beer and Spirits classes either. They were full-fledged classes, like psychology.

So overwhelmed with papers and books and tests, Beth realized she was crying, soundless tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"And my parents are constantly on me, do this, do this, do this," Beth said. "I kind of felt like no one thought I could I do it. I felt like the only person that thought I could was Coach (Hendricks) and she is in Denver."

In academics, survival goes to those who take one thing at a time. Heeding similar advice from Hendricks that is exactly what Beth did to pass with a 2.84 GPA.

"Beth did some pretty phenomenal things to get here," Hendricks said. "Her resolve to make it to Denver, be a part of the team and be a part of this program is evident in everything she had to accomplish to get here. I had the confidence that she could do it, but she actually had to do the work."

When she isn’t sleeping (her favorite hobby), Beth’s hardest challenge at the moment is trying to cook her own meals. While he was visiting, Bob bought a simple cookbook for her, so now she is set. But when it comes to volleyball, Beth doesn’t need a manual. Hendricks said her unmatchable instincts put her in the right place at the right time. Beth draws inspiration before every match by reading her favorite quote from Muhammad Ali—"Excellence is not a habit, but a act."—then she stuffs it into her shoe. She regularly doesn’t fantasize about the past, because the present she’s created is all good.

"I never thought I would be in these shoes that I am in right now," she said. "To be in a four-year college and to be starting and representing a campus that has some 28,000 students between the three schools. It’s shocking."

As she advances into adulthood, Beth is still deciding how—and whether—to start looking for her blood mother. Sometimes when she looks in the mirror a list of questions pop up: Where do I get my looks from? Where do I get my height from? What genes run in my family? What ethnic group do I belong to? Then there’s the obvious question. Why did she give me up?

"We have always said that we would wait until Beth was 18 and if she chose to investigate it, that was fine," Maryanne said. "The child was the innocent party in all of this and it should be what is best for her and not for anybody else, not for Bob and I and not for the birth mother. I don’t know what the future will hold and I don’t know if we will even be able to contact her."

That might take another miracle.

‘We feel very strongly that Beth is a gift from God.’
—Maryanne Vercic

Volleyball

Record: 19-4

(14-0 RMAC)

Ranking: No. 12

ON TAP

Oct. 25 vs. Regis University

7 p.m. @ Auaria*

WEEKLY RESULTS

Oct. 17

Metro def. Adams State College 35-33, 30-21,

30-17

Oct. 18

Metro def. Fort Lewis College

30-15, 30-19, 30-17

Oct. 22

Metro Colorado Christian

30-22, 30-26, 30-15
Back to Table of Contents

Women rolling as big game looms
Donald Smith
The Metropolitan

The No. 11 Metro women’s soccer team swept a pair of opponents this past weekend, keeping them from placing a "L" on its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schedule. Mesa State (Oct. 18) and Fort Lewis College (Oct. 20) both fell to the Roadrunners (13-2 overall, 9-0 RMAC) 1-0 and 6-0, respectively.

Against Mesa (7-6-2, 3-5-2 RMAC), the Roadrunners undefeated RMAC record was close to ending as both squads played amazing defense. The Mavericks took five shots in the game and the Roadrunners didn’t get many opportunities to score either, recording only nine shots. The game was mostly played in the middle of the field as the two teams raised the defensive intensity to counteract the other’s advances. Halftime ended in a scoreless tie, but late in the second half, a foul in the goal box gave Metro’s Jenelle Brandt a penalty kick chance. The senior didn’t miss, scoring the game’s only goal for a 1-0 win.

While Metro narrowly escaped losing its first RMAC game, they had no intensions of making this a trend. Against Fort Lewis (3-9-2, 2-6-1 RMAC) the offense broke out like a rash. In the 6-0 win, deuces were obviously wild as one can see:

• Two goalies (Becky Flynn and Mandy Allen) split time and posted two shut-out halves

• Two players had two goals (Amy Leichliter and Melissa Miller)

• Two players had at least two points (or 1 goal) in Brandt and Collen Fellin.

• Two wins in two days keep Metro’s chances of hosting the RMAC in place.

This weekend’s sweep has only heightened the importance of the Roadrunners next game.

Metro head coach Danny Sanchez has stated all season how important conference wins and being 9-0 only exemplifies how important the players have made them. But on Oct. 25, the only points that matter, will be the points on the scoreboard as Metro heads to No. 18 Regis University (12-3-0, 9-1-0 RMAC), with rights to hosting the RMAC tournament on the line.

Regis, defending RMAC title holders, were undefeated in conference last year and unbeaten this year, until the Roadrunners defeated them 2-0 Sept. 20 at Auraria.

But the loss to the Roadrunners has almost done nothing in terms of advantage, because the two are practically alike. Metro midfielder Elin Otter said the team’s defensive success is due to discipline, structure and great organization. There have only been 19 shots in the last four games by opponents and Metro has only given up 11 goals off of 111 shots in the 15 games they’ve played so far. But…. Regis has only given up 12 goals off of 112 shots in its 15 games this season. Advantage push.

How about on offense? Same story. Fellin said the team is gaining more confidence and chemistry. This could be an advantage, because since they last meet Metro and Regis have scored 19 goals each. Overall, Metro has scored 40 goals; the Rangers have scored 37. Advantage Metro, but not by much.

What about go-to players? Well, basically if you were Metro or Regis you really don’t have one! Both teams have five players with 10 or more points. But players to watch out for are breakaway goal scorers Leichliter (14 goals, four game winning goals) for Metro and Kristen Geyer (12 goals, five game winning goals) for Regis.

Overall, there really is no statistical advantage, but there is an emotional one. Metro started its October dominance in the conference with the victory over the Rangers, while Regis started its month vice versa.

So, with the records meaning nothing, the stats meaning even less, maybe the only thing that will finally separate these two long-time rivals is a "W" in one of the teams’ victory column.

Women’s Soccer

Record: 13-2 (9-0 RMAC)

Ranking: No. 11

ON TAP

Oct. 25 at No. 18 Regis University 3 p.m.

Oct. 27 at Southern Colorado Noon

WEEKLY RESULTS

Oct. 18

Metro def Mesa State 1-0

Oct. 13

Metro def Fort Lewis College 6-0
Back to Table of Contents

Men get off snide after four straight losses
Rami Wilder
The Metropolitan

A long weekend of soccer left Metro’s men’s soccer team (5-9-1 overall, 1-7-0 RMAC) further behind in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, but ended on a positive note. A 5-1 decisive win over St. John’s University in Minnesota Oct. 21 ended the Roadrunners four-game losing streak. Metro also broke out of a scoreless funk after losing to the CU-Colorado Springs 1-0 Oct. 18 and Southern Colorado 2-0 Oct. 20.

Metro came into one of its busiest stretches of the season this past week, hoping to pick up a few wins and build some momentum. The Roadrunners played three games in four days, starting with CU-Springs (6-8-0 overall, 4-5-0 RMAC).

A dominating offensive performance in the first half against CU-Springs failed to result in any goals for Metro as they ended up losing 1-0 on a heartbreaking goal by the Mountain Lions’ Jared Blackney with just over two minutes left in regulation.

"We pounded them all the way through the first half, but they decided they were going to pack it in and wait for the result they ended up getting," Metro head coach Brian Crookham said.

Metro generated numerous scoring opportunities, including three headers that hit the post. Responding to his team’s performance, Crookham said, "You make your own luck, and we didn’t do anything with our chances today."

The Roadrunners outshot their opponents 25-7 and forced the Mountain Lions’ goalkeeper to make six saves. Besides the lone goal, Metro’s defense played solidly. Roadrunner goalie Zach Franklin was only forced to make two saves on the day.

Metro had another chance to turn things around in a game against then conference leader Southern Colorado (6-5-3 overall, 5-3-1 RMAC) Oct. 20. But it was the Thunderwolves who struck first with a goal by Craig Miller in the fifth minute of play. A well-placed pass allowed the streaking forward to beat the Metro defense, including Franklin who came off of his line, and knocked the ball into the back of the net. It proved to be the only goal Southern Colorado would need on the day.

Miller scored again in the 13th minute, when a shot he took from just inside the box hit the edge of the goalpost and deflected in.

After going up 2-0, Southern Colorado played defense for the rest of the game, frustrating the Metro attackers.

"They sat a lot of people in on defense," Metro forward Alex Grecu said. "When I got past one guy, there was another guy right behind me."

The Thunderwolves’ strong defense produced a slow second half that included few highlights. The most exciting moment occurred off the field when a Southern Colorado bench player went after a ball knocked out of bounds, got his feet tangled in a rope and fell awkwardly to the ground amidst the cheering of his teammates and fans.

Metro’s best scoring chance of the game came from an unlikely source when defender Chad Pearson crushed a ball from near midfield, forcing the Southern Colorado goalkeeper to make a great diving save.

Metro played its final non-conference game of the season against St. John’s (9-3-2 overall). Crookham took advantage of this game to rest some starters and give playing time to a few of the younger members of the squad.

The Roadrunners started the game looking disorganized and sloppy. A poorly-played back pass by a Metro defender forced Franklin off his line to make a sliding save early in the first half.

Metro finally settled down and its offense came to life in the second half. Midfielder Chris Bolton started the scoring with a goal in the 51st minute when he got his foot on a cross from Custodio Avalos and rolled the ball past the hands of the St. John’s goalkeeper.

The Roadrunners went on to score four more times in the half including the first goals of the season for defender Jeff Manson and midfielder John Chapius.

Freshman forward John Backstrom, who was playing in his first game back after suffering a sprained MCL, led all scorers with two goals of his own.

Backstrom said it was tough sitting on the bench during the previous two losses and was happy to be back out on the field.

"I felt like I could have gone in during the last couple games," Backstrom said. "Thankfully, I was able to contribute something today. Hopefully, we can build on this. Everyone takes a turn putting them in and today it was my turn."

Metro will look to carry over this strong offensive performance as they move into the final four games of the 2002 regular season. They take on in-state rival Regis University (7-5-2, 4-2-2 RMAC) Oct. 23 (after press time), before heading out for two games on the road against other rivals, Fort Lewis College (5-6-4, 3-4-1 RMAC) Oct. 27 and Colorado Christian (4-7-2, 4-2-1 RMAC) Nov. 1. The Roadrunners finish the season at home against No. 21 Colorado School of Mines (10-4-1, 5-2-1 RMAC) Nov. 3, who jumped into first place in the RMAC after this past weekend’s games.

Men & Women’s Swimming/Diving

ON TAP

Nov. 1 vs. Colorado College @ Auraria 6 p.m.

WEEKLY RESULTS

Oct. 17 Men at Wyoming

90 points, 2nd place

Oct. 18-19 Men 509 points, 4th place at Early Bird Invite

Oct. 18-19 Women 16 points, 9th place at Early Bird Invite
Back to Table of Contents

Metro stays flawless
Eric Eames
The Metropolitan

Improving upon its undefeated Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record, the No. 12 ranked Metro volleyball team (18-4 overall, 14-0 RMAC) are on a roll, having won 14 straight, but they didn’t start the past weekend that way.

After plodding through what head coach Debbie Hendricks deemed an inexcusable performance against Adams State Oct. 17, a 35-33, 30-21 and 30-17 win, the Roadrunners took the initiative against their next two opponents, undressing Fort Lewis College (30-15, 30-19, 30-17) Oct. 18 and overpowering Colorado Christian University (30-22, 30-26, 30-15) Oct. 22.

"There is just not much excuse for the way we played against Adams State," Hendricks said. "As well as we are playing right now there is no reason for us to play like that. We just didn’t get ready to play."

A favorite bellyache of road games is that they are long and tiring, and after four straight matches on the road senior Nicki Fusco said that was one reason the team didn’t prepare well mentally. But such an excuse is moot in Hendricks’ book. If you want to get anywhere, you have to do your best work when you don’t feel like it.

The first two games against the Grizzlies was random volleyball, with no discernible pattern of Metro’s usual dominance. Adams State (10-11 overall, 8-5 RMAC) stayed right with the Roadrunners and had three chances to steal the game. Down 28-29, Metro got a big kill from junior Beth Vercic, who had 13 kills. Fusco also had 13 kills, including two that were much needed and tied the match at 31-31, then again at 32-32. The Grizzlies hung around in the second game, until Metro pulled away with a 16-8 run.

"No one had a good match against Adams," Hendricks said. "Regardless of what the box score might say we just played poorly and we played poorly to the individual. Bonnie DeLaughter (10 kills, .526 hit percentage) actually had a pretty good match. But everybody was off, out of sync. You have those things and that’s why I guess I’m not that concerned about it. If that match had carried into (the next match against Fort Lewis) as well and into the week, then I would be concerned."

The Roadrunners had a season-high .373 hitting percentage against Fort Lewis (6-7 overall, 9-12 RMAC), while holding the Skyhawks to a pitiable .045 hitting percentage. Middle blocker Shawna Gilbert led the way with 13 kills and a .579 hitting percentage.

Against Colorado Christian (2-20 overall, 2-12 RMAC), nothing came easy. One rally went 12 volleys long with some incredible individual play, including a diving dig by Angela Golesh, two consecutive blocks by setter Devon Herron, capped off by a Vercic kill.

"They just kept digging us and digging us," said Fusco, who had 15 kills. "I just felt like they knew what we were doing. They knew what are plays were. They were out to get us."

In the final game, with Metro comfortably ahead 22-11, team captain Herron went down with a twisted ankle, and the Roadrunners gasp. Backup setter Andrea Highstreet was in as the libero, and rules state that the libero cannot serve. No problemo. Golesh was a setter for two years at University of South Dakota before transferring, and Hendricks commended her for being ready to go in at such an unusually situation.

In her three years at Metro, Hendricks can’t remember a time when they played without Herron. The injury wasn’t severe and Herron will probably miss practice the next couple days to be healthy for the next home match against long time rival Regis University (12-10, 7-6 RMAC) 7 p.m. Oct. 25. Regis has fallen out of the national rankings since the two last met Sept. 13, when Metro won in straight sets.

If Herron can’t go, she will be tough to replace. The junior is having arguable her best year. She averaged 13.78 assists per game over the four games. She is fourth in the nation in assists per game average (13.28) and Metro is the best team in the nation with a 15.27 assists average.

"That’s exactly what we need out of Devon right now," Hendricks said. "We need her to stay crisp and sharp."

With every turn, Metro has No. 13 Nebraska-Kearney breathing down its neck. Kearney is right behind the Roadrunners in the conference with a 12-1 record and is sixth in the region, while Metro is fifth. The two are on a collision course to the Nov. 8 match up at Kearney.

"Kearney is one of those teams that you look at down the road and say, ‘This is going to be an exciting match. This is going to be pivotal,’" Hendricks said. "But to look at the rest of the season and say we have to win out is bringing a lot of pressure. We take it one match at a time. That is how you have to look at the rest of the regular season, because if you fail to take it one match at a time, somebody is going to snake bite ya."
Back to Table of Contents

Crabb, Gorur turned back at College Championships
Eric Eames
The Metropolitan

Nothing in the world can mean as much to a college tennis athlete — in prestige or just plain ego satisfaction — than to win in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Small College Championships (Oct. 17-20) in Corpus Christi, Texas, which pits the top eight singles players and doubles teams against each other to see who rises as No. 1. But when Metro women’s tennis players Jasmon Crabb and Hande Gorur come in with a feeling like they didn’t belong the first day, they played tense and it showed in their results.

Crabb took an eighth place finish in singles play. Together, Crabb and Gorur brought home a fifth place finish in doubles play, winning two matches, better than any another Metro team has done in the tournament.

"They were a bit awestruck to see some of the outstanding players that were there," Provencio added. "Jasmon tends to wear her emotions a bit more on her sleeve. It was obvious that she was impressed with the talent there. Whereas Hande was equally impressed, but she is poker-faced about it."

Both players did prove they belonged by battling with the best, now all they have to do is believe they belong, and therein lies a line as thick as one-ply tissue. Provencio believes it should not be too hard for them to find.

"The one expectation that I have, particularly with Jasmon and Hande after being at this tournament, is they now know what the best is like out there and I think they realize that they belong there as well," Provencio said. "The main expectations for them this year, is if we do get the opportunity to go to the postseason, to kind of relinquish that fear of thinking that we don’t belong and to go out there and start on a even playing field."

In the first round, Crabb went up against the No. 2 seed in BYU-Hawaii’s Adrienn Hegedus, who ended up winning the championship match and is now the top singles player in Division II. Crabb lost to Hegedus 2-6, 3-6.

Hegedus’s coach complimented Crabb greatly after the match

"The match was actually a lot tougher than the score indicated," Provencio said. "It was then that Jasmon realized she can hang with the No. 1 girl in the country. After that match I told her, ‘You can beat this girl. If you are playing well you win.’ "

For the past couple of weeks, Crabb has been in a funk. Her shots are not as crisp and accurate as they were last year. Despite the funk, she still won the North Central Region singles championship, which got her to Corpus Christi.

But against the best players in the land, her funk was exploited. She lost a consolation match to Brenda Magnetti of Ouachita Baptist University (6-2, 0-6, 2-6), then the seventh place match to Zorana Stefanovic of Northeastern State University (0-6, 1-6).

After losing their first round doubles match to Georgia College players Mia Paavilainen and Luiza Biktyakova 3-8, Crabb and Gorur settled in and took the next two matches quite easily.

The duo took the consolation match over Ella Reilly and Kelly Anderson of Slippery Rock University 8-3 and the fifth place match over Stefanovic and Nevs Barbera of Northeastern State 8-5.

Provencio continues to be impressed with Gorur’s massive improvement from last year and how Crabb and Gorur are really starting to click together.

"In the past, I think Jasmon has felt she had to carry the doubles team," the coach said. "And now she can relinquish some of the responsibility to Hande. Hande has really matured with her game and she can take some pressure off of Jasmon now, which means they are working together as one unit. I don’t think that was the case in the past."

Next up, Metro men and women’s tennis teams begin preparing for the spring season with conditioning and individual drills. Both teams made it to the Sweet 16 last year, won the North Central Regional championship and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship. The women’s team comes back fully intact, minus one graduate, well Provencio is expecting to add two new men’s players.

"We have good teams, we just have to make them better," Provencio said. "Now is the time."
Back to Table of Contents