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	Vol.7, No 56, December 7, 1999
	Women's center holds vigil to mourn tragic incident By Rebecca Brown Daily Forty-Niner The Cal State Long Beach Women's Resource Center hosted a vigil Monday in memory of 14 female engineering students who were killed at the University of Montreal a decade ago. A white candle was lighted for each victim who was senselessly shot down by an anti-feminist gunman on Dec. 6, 1989.  "It's a case where there is documentation that women were not only killed because they were women, but because they were feminists," said Barbara Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the center. As a result of the tragedy, the term femicide was coined to define incidents where women are assassinated because of their sex, Sinclair said. The gunman, Marc Lepine, wrote a suicide note claiming the feminist students were the source of his personal problems, according to leaflets distributed during the vigil.  "I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker," Lepine wrote. "For seven years, life has brought me no joy and being totally blasé, I have decided to put an end to those viragos." The candles were placed on a three-tiered platform, which had fresh cut leaves spread out on it. A placard was placed beside each candle with the victims' names, ages and majors printed on them.  The six students who attended the memorial took turns lighting the candles and had a moment of silence just before a documentary was shown about the massacre. Students who attended were also encouraged to discuss their feelings about violence against women. On a white piece of paper stretched across a table, students wrote their feelings about violence and the tragic deaths. One student wrote, "My prayers and love to all the women in the massacre -- Gabby F." "After students have written their feelings about violence and abuse against women, we will hang the paper on the wall for everyone to see," said Lynne Coenen, the center's assistant director. Center officials are planning to hold the memorial and schedule other show times for the documentary until Thursday.		Ceremony sparks holiday spirit   Residents fill L.B. church for Christmas concert   Film shows effects of alienation   Christmasfest celebrates Filipino culture   Winners of Swiss Web contest to be announced   Women's center holds vigil to mourn tragic incident Internet saves lives   Give me education not ego gratification   Number Tax   Benefits for all inaccurate   Police responsible for riots Faces on campus   Belmont Shore parade packs Second Street USC freezes Long Beach State hockey   49ers block two out of NCAA's   Men's basketball appears uninspired in tourney losses Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.