FEATURES

Evacuee finds new Home in Wichita Falls
Micaela Lechuga | Staff Reporter

Unimaginable  chaos surrounded her. She couldn’t escape the water or the desperation surrounding the city she lived in. Nor could she escape the police with 3 gallons of orange juice for her and her family from a store that had already been broken into. She didn’t think she would even live.
MSU Theatre major Carlitha Harrell is one of many transfer students who survived the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.
For Harrell it was a long journey to get to Wichita Falls.
Harrell, who lived in New Orleans with her husband Nicholas, sister-in-law Tiffany, and her six-year-old nephew Alonzo, recalled being at work on Aug. 27 at the Harris Casino when all the guests were evacuating.
“At first it was only a voluntary evacuation. Honestly I didn’t think anything of it because it seemed normal for hurricane season,” Harrell said.
And of course nobody expects the worse.
“It wasn’t until one of my regular guests told me to evacuate and evacuate now. And then the ride home from work that night…” Harrell said, her voice trailing off.
Harrell got off work after midnight and began to worry when Wal-Mart was closed. She started to panic when there was no gas available at any of the stations. The family felt trapped.
“A lot of people couldn’t afford to leave,” Harrell said. “We had some money but we didn’t think our car would make it out of the city.”
She and her family sat down and decided they would cook all their food Sunday and pack for the Super Dome.
“A security guard at our apartment complex convinced us not to go because of all the possible violence and rapes,” Harrell said.
It didn’t seem like a risk to take, especially with a six-year-old.
The family decided to wait out Katrina in their home.
“We boarded all our windows and laid mattresses in the hallway area,” Harrell said.
She will never forget the engulfing power of Katrina’s winds.
“It was so loud. I’d never heard anything like it. It was like a million men rushing at you, coming through the house,” Harrell said, “And it was so dark. With the pitch blackness and the horrible smell it was like being in hell. I couldn’t wait for the morning.”
Harrell said she truly felt they were going to drown in their own home.
She can’t believe she got through that night.
The aftermath was broken glass the boards couldn’t prevent from shattering, blown over trees, car windows smashed in (including theirs), water and debris scattered everywhere.
“The water outside of our apartment was already knee deep and the car port flew across the parking lot. It was horrible,” Harrell said.
Harrell said at first New Orleans felt like a ghost town as everyone waited in the fragile refuge of their homes.
“It was awful because people that didn’t have the money couldn’t just leave, including us,” Harrell said.
Harrell said everybody was tried to figure out how they were going to eat since all the stores were closed. There were no workers and the cash registers didn’t work.
Harrell said that first night of the aftermath they were fine. People tried to remain calm and things were relatively controlled.
“Then the next day they implemented martial law, which by the way, is not a curfew law as they said,” Harrell said. “It was almost like if you went near a shop, you’d get shot.”
Harrell said officers threatened they’d spray anyone with mace.
“They told us to get the hell out of there or go to jail,” Harrell said.
Anyone who watched the news has had mixed feelings about the looting that was going on in New Orleans but Harrell said it’s easy enough to pass judgment in safety, in a home with available food.
“There were mothers asking for pampers … people asking for just peanuts, bread, ice,” Harrell said.
But Harrell said police were oblivious to the desperate voices, the pained faces, and said, “I’m not going to let you have these people’s things.”
“And yet there was a police officer near us looting along with everyone else,” Harrell said.
Harrell said he claimed it was for a hospital in the middle of New Orleans, but even so, what about them?
“Why take food we can’t have because we’re in the West Bank, out of the West Bank?” Harrell said, “It didn’t make any sense.”
Forced by a desperate situation, Harrell and her family had no choice but to loot.
“We were involved in a high-speed police chase over 3 gallons of orange juice,” Harrell said. “At another store across the street from our apartment we took things we absolutely needed, like batteries and milk. The police officers called us ‘stupid niggers’ and to get the hell away from the store.”
The Harrell family only looted for food and certain staples.
Of course there was looting by other people for merchandise that was clearly not needed for immediate assistance.
“When you have 70% of the population poor, of course there’s going to be that kind of looting,” Harrell said. “When you have dope fiends or thugs they’ll steal regardless if there’s a hurricane or not. Katrina just made their job easier.”
Stealing didn’t stop with stores.
“People were stealing gas from cars,” Harrell said. “Or they’d steal the whole car.”
Harrell recalled seeing a woman steal a Spring Water truck to try and leave the city.
“Things were just so bad. One of our biggest fears was someone stealing our car,” Harrell said.
Harrell said no matter how well the media did or did not cover the hurricane, it could never do any of the evacuees justice.
“The media will never be able to capture that reality. You had to be there yourself to know how bad it was,” Harrell said, “There was a lot of opinions on looting, for example, and people who said that was wrong no matter if it was food or not. If you weren’t there how could you understand?”
Harrell said there were people waiting at bus stops hoping for a bus that would never come.
Harrell and her husband Nicholas went to the police station to find answers, only to find them barbecuing.
“We were told if we went to Wal-Mart we’d have no problem getting assistance,” Harrell said. “And there they were cooking out.”
Filled with hope they went to the Supercenter only to be greeted with guns. Harrell said two 13-year-olds were being arrested for stealing ice. That’s when she had a nervous breakdown.
“I just knew we were going to die if we didn’t get out,” Harrell said.
The Harrell family stayed until the Thursday after the storm hit.
“Our car wasn’t dependable at all but forget it, we said to ourselves, we gotta risk it,” Harrell said.  “We’ll take it as far as it goes.”
The whole time family members in other states were worried, unsure if they were okay, let alone alive.
It wasn’t until they reached Thibodeaux, La., that they had reception on their cell phone. Their plan was to meet up with Harrell’s sister stationed here at Sheppard Air Force Base.
As if they hadn’t gone through enough, one of their tires blew out in Lindale, Texas. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, they stuck out their thumbs hoping to be picked up by anyone. Even Alonzo stuck out his thumb.
“A lady pulled over and offered to help us by calling her husband to help out with our flat tire,” Harrell said. Five cars pulled over to help.
The assistance and compassion she got in of Louisiana and especially in Texas was overwhelming.
Harrell said a man who had pulled over called a mechanic from a tire shop he knew personally and asked him to come over to lend a hand.
“When the lady’s husband showed up he gave us money to cover the tire’s expense but we didn’t even have to use it, because the other man who called for the mechanic already paid for it. Still her husband insisted we keep that money anyway,” Harrell said. 
Harrell said the lady was so nice and even asked them to stay at their house because it was getting dark.
“We were so grateful,” Harrell said. “She told us to wash our clothes -- do whatever.”
The next morning she assured them they would be okay and gave them a $200 Wal-Mart gift card.
The Harrell family finally arrived in Wichita Falls after a lengthy car trip. When Harrell saw her sister, they didn’t let go of each other for a good 20 minutes.
“We just couldn’t believe we got out of New Orleans and in the condition of our car,” Harrell said.
Then her sister asked if they were ready to see their new apartment.
“We were in shock,” Harrell said.
Her sister had completely surprised them with an available furnished apartment. All the furniture was donated by various city organizations such as New Jerusalem, 10th and Broad Church of Christ, Faith Village  churches, FEMA, Wal-Mart, the food stamp office and so many other caring individuals who donated their time and money.
All they had to do was fill out a few forms and they were given the keys to their new home.
“I saw our new home and it was beautiful. Just beautiful,” Harrell said.
Harrell is currently attending MSU. She was attending the University of New Orleans. It was really hard on her to be so close to graduation there and now have to worry on top of everything else whether her credits will transfer without a problem.
“I had 96 credits at the University of New Orleans. I could taste graduation. It just adds to the devastation,” Harrell said.
But Harrell is grateful to be back in the routine of university life, already getting involved in various MSU clubs such as Alpha Psi Omega and the Publicity Team.
The family plans on staying in Wichita Falls and do not want to live in New Orleans when the city is restored, whenever that day comes.
“It would definitely be too hard to live there again. We established a life there only for it to be destroyed in one day,” Harrell said. “There are things you can never replace. Family pictures, even high school yearbooks.”
Harrell does feel things happen for a reason and maybe the reason for Katrina was to bring people together.
“The way I saw how people treated us afterwards -- even a month later now -- it’s wonderful,” Harrell said.
Perhaps, Harrell said, we are even taught a lesson.
“You learn you’re not better than anyone else. Your things can be gone in an instant just like our stuff,” Harrell said.


Theatre major Shaking it at Annual Falls Fest
Cassie Daley | Staff Reporter

She can shake, move, bend and twist almost any part of her body.
Her costume has moves and sounds all its own; these are the moves and sounds of belly dancing.
Belly dancing is a rhythmic form of dancing that is customary in several countries, but is most well known in the Middles East.
Nora Maoui, a sophomore theatre major began belly dancing eight years ago when she was 12 years old. Later this week she will share this talent with Wichita Falls when she dances at Falls Fest.
Maoui began taking lessons here in Wichita Falls after she attended an Algerian wedding in France and saw the form of dance for the first time.
“My dad is from Algeria and I went to an Algerian wedding, and I just kinda picked it up and fell in love with it,” Maoui explained.
She currently takes lessons downtown with Susan McDonald as a part of the Parks and Recreation program.
“I was taking the classes at the Rec. Center we’ve been preparing for Falls Fest since the summer,” Maoui said.
Maoui said that McDonald teaches mostly Egyptian style belly dancing, which is more fluid movement, similar to ballet. Each Middle Eastern country has its own style of belly dancing, “Turkish is more jumpy, it’s more vibrant.”
Along with belly dancing Maoui also does Henna (tattoo) application and she hopes to be a costume designer. As a matter of fact, she designed her own costume that she will be modeling at Falls Fest.
Maoui’s group presentation will take place on Oct. 1 at 2 pm. Students are encouraged to contact the Parks and Recreation program at 761-7490 for more information regarding belly dancing lessons.



Abed sheds light on Troubles of Arab Nations
Konnie Sewell | Opinion Editor

One point Dr. Abdelhamid Abed kept coming back to in his speech last Friday night was that all the countries in the Arab world are in a difficult situation.
Abed, who teaches law at the University of Tunisia and was once adviser to the president of Tunisia, lectured on human rights and democracy in the Arab world. His trip was sponsored by the MSU Department of History and the Texas Committee on United States-Arab Relations World Forum.
Dr. Kenneth Hendrickson introduced Abed, noting that Tunisia and the United States share one of the oldest treaties of friendship in the world. He also observed that nearly 6 million Europeans vacation there a year.
Abed began his lecture by handing out maps of the Arab world and clarifying which countries are actually members of the Arab League and which are not. The 22 Arabian states all practice Islam but also all speak the same language; therefore, Iran and Turkey are not included, though they are in the same geographical region. The League of Arab States, he said, holds itself to the same standards as the European Union.
He then went on to discuss in detail the Sunni majority and the Shiite minority within Islam. The groups originally split because of the question of who would follow in the prophet Muhammad's footsteps and lead the Muslim community. It is believed that about 90 percent of the world's Muslims are Sunni, but there is insufficient information due to political and religious discrimination to know for sure.
Abed made it very clear that though the Arab countries are part of a larger organization, each has its own beliefs, agendas and internal or political problems. There is some common ground amongst the countries, but he said there is little integration and no one country's concerns are the same as those of another.
For most of their history, he said, Arab states have been under French or British rule. Tunisia itself was ruled by France from 1881 to 1956.
Since 9/11, a new, multifaceted subject — and concern — has risen regarding Islamic fundamentalists. These religious fanatics, Abed said, do not represent the whole of the Arab nations, but they receive the most exposure. Reading from an address President Bush made to Congress on April 20, Abed said the current United States administration, or any other democratic government, would not accept such blatant disrespect for human rights. Abed said that to the extremists, it's not a question of whether the glass is full or not; it's a question of how empty it is. They created a situation where there is no other alternative.
As for structures of government, Abed said most Arab countries are monarchies and citizens don't choose who their leaders are; if they are born into the right family, they will rule for life. Once in power, only an act of God will take them from it. Most governments do not accept any type of dissent or criticism, but this varies from country to country. For instance, the Egyptian government allows light forms of criticism, but other governments will sentence dissenters to death. There is also no distinction between the state and religion.
Tunisia, however, is modeled after the French system of government and actively participates in progressive thinking, though Abed was hesitant to label any Arab government as truly democratic. Looking in from the outside, as Westerners do, changes in the Arab form of government aren't seen as genuine. This absence of trust is, Abed said, regrettable.
There are many conflicts in the Arab world: Israel versus Palestine, Lebanon versus Syria, the civil war in Iraq. However, these problems are not a priority for most people in government positions. When the West addresses an issue, Abed said, most countries respond that they have other problems to take care of.
One problem Abed dedicated a significant amount of time to was the issue of women's rights.
Asked if democracy would ever be a reality in Iraq, Abed said most Iraqis would like to see the people they elect assume roles in the government. The situation seems to be a question of values versus procedure, he believes, as they want to promote the values of democracy, but no one could be sure of how many people voted in the elections. He then read from a draft of the new Iraq constitution. Article II declares Islam as the official religion, with the Supreme Court making judgments based on "Islamic Law."
Abed also said there is truly no such thing as unilateralism, saying that it's very possible to face problems from your own allies. Building good relationships with the right nations is crucial — specifically with the European Union. Great Britain, he said, is not the only European country in the world.
Abed ended his lecture by saying that since he is from that region of the world, he has seen what the situation is like. He wasn't sure of what the future would hold for the countries of the Arab League (which are very ancient and sophisticated), but it will take time to address every issue and come to an acceptable conclusion. Unfortunately, he said, there are not many within the Arab governments who have the patience to solve the problems.


MSU Presents... Foreign Film Series a chance to Experience Culture
Konnie Sewell | Opinion Editor

"Ich bin unkeusch gewesen, in Gedanken, Worten und Werken..."
Put your pencils down, students. This isn't a pop quiz; it's a line from the movie "Tin Drum." This German film is part of the Foreign Film Series presented by the MSU Center for Continuing Education and the Kemp Center for the Arts.
"Tin Drum" will be shown by Randy Glean Thursday, Oct. 6. The movie starts at 7:00 p.m. and will be shown at the Kemp Center for the Arts, located at 1300 Lamar St. Attendance is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be served.
The first film in the series was France's "A Man and a Woman," directed by Claude Lelouch and presented by Robert Johnson. Sweden's "Magic Flute," directed by Ingmar Bergman, will be presented by
Coordinator Charles Olson said a campus-wide mass email is sent out every year asking who would like to present a movie.
"Anyone can present any movie of their choice," he said. "There are always teachers who want to present, but there have also been students wanting to get involved as well."
Olson introduces the presenter of movie at every screening.
"The current format seems to work very well," he said. "I'll introduce the presenter, who'll give a few comments on the movie, such as info on the director or actors, historical significance or the aesthetic value. Then after the movie there's a small discussion. The discussion basically consists of whatever the audience has questions or opinions about. It usually goes really well."
The main goal of the series, Olson said, is to enhance the connection between MSU and the Wichita Falls community.
"It's a really unique way to build the relationship between the community and the university," he said, "which is the most important thing. It's fun and entertaining but at the same time there's something to be learned from it. It's community enrichment."
   Neta Roberts, coordinator for Continuing Education, said everyone is welcome to get involved with the Foreign Film Series, as well as its companion, the Classic Film Series.
"It's really and truly a mix of people who get involved," she said. "Older people, younger people, anyone. There are always new people becoming interested and asking if they can participate, and of course they can."
Roberts hopes the series generates more interest and becomes a favorite past time of many MSU students.
"The only other way for people in this area to see films like these is to go to Dallas, which, for a lot of reasons, isn't always very plausible, the most obvious of which being gas prices here lately," she said.
In the past, there have been 100 people attend a single screening, but audience size is usually around 50 or 60 people, Roberts said.
"We don't want to bother people with the emails we send out," she said. "It's just a way for us to notify the people who sign up about the films a few days in advance. A lot of people sign up and we've got quite a list. I've actually filled up an entire Outlook Express book before with names and e-mail addresses, and had to create a second one just to fit everyone in."