March 2009
Westboro Protests Pride Week
By Broadside Staff Writer Patrick Wall. Photo courtesy of Chris Mason/Driving Equality.
Following a protest in Seaford, Del., a group of picketers are hurried into their van by police. They drive off as an angry mob forms around them, banging on the van and screaming at the top of their lungs. Suddenly, there is a crashing noise as one of the van’s windows is shattered.
This is just another day for members of the Westboro Baptist Church, best known for protesting with signs that include sayings like, “God Hates Fags” and “Pray for More Dead Soldiers.”
Members of the church were scheduled to picket on campus this morning at 7:30 a.m. to protest Pride Week. The church’s website, http://godhatesfags.com, describes it as a “festival of pure evil.”
Westboro Protests; Mason Counter-Protests
By Broadside Staff Writer Matt Loffman. Photo by Hal Walker.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church gathered at the corner of Braddock and Ox Roads on the Fairfax campus Monday morning to protest the start of Pride Week, over a month after the crowning of Mason’s first drag queen as Homecoming queen.
The nearly 10-member group held signs that said, “God is Your Enemy,” “America is Doomed,” “God Hates Fags” and “You Eat Your Kids.”
Their protest Monday was met by a counter-protest led by the LGBTQ Resources Office that attracted both Mason students and people from around the area.
“We’re trying to counter the message of hate that the Fred Phelps crew is bringing to Mason,” said Ric Chollar, Associate Director of Mason’s LGBTQ Resources Office and faculty advisor for the PRIDE alliance. “We can say we’ve had several hundred people help kick off Pride Week.”
Capcom Releases Street Fighter and Megaman iGoogle Themes
According to a press release from Capcom, there are now Street Fighter and Megaman themes available for iGoogle.
Gamers across the world can rejoice--now people will immediately recognize your geekdom the moment you open your iGoogle page.
Fall Catalog Online Only
By Connect2Mason Breaking News Director Matt Todd
The Mason fall timetable is available online now, but the catalog will remain online only. This year there will not be a printed catalog, which is usually available in abundant stacks at the Johnson Center information desk. Catalogs were also available at information desks throughout the Fairfax campus. Students can access the fall schedule of courses at the Office of the Registrar website.
According to the Fall 2009 Academic Calendar on the website, the priority dates for registration of graduates will begin April 13. For seniors the registration date will begin April 14; juniors will be April 15; sophomores April 16; and freshman April 17. Non-degree graduates will begin May 4 and non-degree undergraduates will begin July 28.
AUDIO: What's Up Weekends?
Matt Loffman and Christian Yingling are here once again to tell you all the best ways to spend your time with the latest edition of their WGMU podcast "What's Up Weekend?"
What's going on this weekend, March 27-29? Listen to find out!
A Day in My Life
A Day in My Life is a photo series done by students on campus. From the time they wake up cursing their alarm clocks until the minute they crash at night, students snap pictures of everything going on in their world to offer a unique glimpse of what life at Mason is truly like.
Rise of the Surprises: 2009 Season Preview
By Broadside Sports Editor Brian Chan
& Broadside Correspondent Chris Demarco
AL East
Volleyball: Mason Beats Ohio State
By Broadside Correspondent Fernanda Ferreira
After five tough matches away, the George Mason University Patriots volleyball team returned to the Field House stronger than ever. Mason (9-8) downed 14th ranked Ohio State Univerity Buckeyes (8-9) in four sets (30-27, 30-24, 29-31, 30-27) last Friday.
The Patriots returned from a long trip in California where they played UC Santa Barbara, California Baptist and Pepperdine. Although the Patriots came home with three losses, those games were fundamental for the team.
Former Patriot Joins NBA D-League Team
By Broadside Sports Editor Brian Chan
Exactly three years ago, Lamar Butler and the radiant expression on his face
represented George Mason University on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Butler, who played overseas in 2007, looks to revive his basketball career with the Reno Bighorns in the NBA Development League.
He joined the Bighorns on March 10 after starting the 2008-09 season with the
Tennis: Mason's Own USTA Team
By Broadside Managing Editor Sherell Williams
The George Mason University Tennis Club is the latest club sport to join the list of intramural sports offered at Mason. Created by co-presidents sophomore Michelle Le and sophomore Mike Pippa, the club is open to all Mason students regardless of experience.
According to Le, the club’s purpose is to “provide an intercollegiate tennis team for all Mason students who wish to continue to play tennis actively at a competitive level.”