american river
current Vol. 66, Ed. 8 • February 25, 2015
Photos by Kameron Schmid and Cheyenne Drury / kameronschmid@gmail.com, cheyennemdrury@gmail.com
Alex Honnold, left, has been a professional climber since he turned 19. His mother, ARC French professor Dierdre Wolownick, right, picked up the hobby on her own while Honnold was away.
Climbing toward success
PROFESSIONAL FREE-CLIMBER ALEX HONNOLD INTRODUCED HIS MOTHER, AN ARC PROFESSOR, TO CLIMBING By Cheyenne Drury cheyyenemdrury@gmail.com Children who start walking before they are 14-months-old are considered advanced. Dierdre Wolownick, a French professor at American River College, knew her son Alex Honnold was developing quickly when he began walking at 11 months. Honnold was featured in a 2011 episode of the CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes that featured his free solo climbs in Yosemite National Park. “From an early age Alex was climbing on
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Only the climber can evaluate risk, weather conditions, the amount of sleep they are getting and I know that Alex knows what he is doing.”
DIERDREWOLOWNICK anything that he could,” said Wolonick. The CBS crew utilized 14 cameras to shoot the climb for television. Free solo rock climbing is done com-
pletely alone and without any ropes or aides. “Only the climber can evaluate risk, weather conditions, the amount of sleep
they are getting and I know that Alex knows what he is doing,” said Wolonick. Aside from walking at an early age, Honnold has another feature that helps out his climbing abilities. “What big hands he has,” was always the response people had when meeting her son, said Wolonick. Honnold, who has been climbing since he was 11, graduated from Mira Loma High School with a 4.7 GPA, and studied engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. By the time he was 19, he had decided to dedicate his life to climbing.
SEE CLIMBING, PAGE 9
Walking the trail with the Guardian Angels CITIZEN GROUP PATROLS IN RESPONSE TO AREA CRIMES By John Ferrannini jferr1995@gmail.com
Flashlights pierced the dim illumination of Sunday’s dusk over the still, cold creek. The sound of boots ruffling leaves could Cheyenne Drury / cheyennemdrury@gmail.com soon be heard, and if the many trees had Members of the Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto chapters of the Guardian Angels are eyes they could see a brigade of red berets trying to ramp up their patrol of the Arcade Creek nature trail near ARC’s main campus. marching two by two.
ARCurrent.com
INDEX
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News pages 2 & 3 Sports pages 4 & 5
Feature page 6 A&C page 8 and 9
The six men and one woman underneath those berets are members of the Sacramento, Modesto and Stockton chapters of the Guardian Angels, a group of concerned citizens who patrol crime-ridden areas. The creek is the Arcade Creek adjacent to the American River College campus, where several violent crimes have taken place over
@ARCurrent
SEE ANGELS, PAGE 3
@ARCurrent
Scene pages 9 & 10 NOBEL LAUREATE Carol Greider, a molecular biologist and professor at Johns PAGE 3 Hopkins University, is coming to ARC on March 16. Opinion page 11
February 25, 2015
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News
american river
current Editor-in-Chief Kameron Schmid Managing Editor John Ferrannini News Editor Joseph Daniels
Cheyenne Drury / cheyennemdrury@gmail.com
American River College student Sarah Chambers is one of the team members of the Sacramento Lady Salamenders, a street soccer team with a cause.
Using soccer to kick a habit SACRAMENTO SOCCER PROGRAM AIMS TO USE THE SPORT TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS By Cheyenne Drury cheyennemdrury@gmail. com She grew up playing every sport imaginable. By her early twenties, she began using methamphetamines, which led to a number of visits to the hospital, serving time in jail, being cut off from her parents and losing the custody of her daughter. American River College student Sarah Chambers entered a rehabilitation program at the age of 29, and joined Street Soccer USA (SSUSA), a nonprofit organization that uses soccer to break the cycle of homelessness, addiction and abuse. Three women from the Sacramento Lady Salamanders SSUSA spoke to ARC students on Feb. 19, which included Chambers, Angie Draws and Lisa Wrightsman. Draws began to use drugs by the age of 16, and by the end of high school she was living with her drug dealer boyfriend. “I was a functional drug addict. I held down a job and paid rent but eventually I lost my job, my home, my family and my friends.” Draws became involved with SSUSA in 2010. “I had no real structure be-
fore street soccer. My whole life (was) surrounded around being high and street soccer taught me the importance of showing up because anyone who knows me knows I am always late and can’t be held accountable.” Wrightsman, the founder and director of the Sacramento Lady Salamanders, grew up with a soccer ball at her feet. She attended Sacramento State University where she played soccer, and continued her career as a semi-professional soccer player. Wrightsman began to use drugs once she realized she wasn’t going any further with her career. “My whole life revolved around soccer, so when it didn’t pan out the way I wanted it to I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was out on the streets for two years abusing drugs, and not getting anywhere,” Wrightsman said. Wrightsman was the first Cheyenne Drury / cheyennemdrury@gmail.com woman to represent USA in the Homeless World Cup in Rio De Ja- From: left to right: American River College student Sarah Chambers, Tiffany Fraser Coach of the Sacramento Lady Salamanders and Unique Torres at practice. neiro, Brazil 2010. Statistically, SSUSA is making cent furthering their education, said Wrightsman. an impact here in Sacramento. “Street soccer has taught me to “The national average for so- 94 percent remaining sober, 41 briety is one out of 10 and here percent off of welfare, and 41 be a light rather than a raging torin our program we have 64 per- percent in permanent housing,” nado,” said Draws.
ASBNOTEBOOK
By John Ferrannini jferr1995@gmail.com The ASB Student Senate director of activities stormed out of a board meeting Thursday after losing a vote. David Hylton, who was instrumental in the creation of a task force to plan American River College’s participation in the March in March, was opposed to increasing the budget for ARC’s participation in the annual protest event from a maximum of $17,000 to a maximum of $22,000. “That’s bullshit,” said Hylton, Senate director of activities. “I want to be removed from the task force.” As Hylton was speaking, Tamara Dunning, who is acting as ASB student senate president, continuously pounded her gavel on a sounding block. Dunning voted for the increase, saying that
ASB SENATE DIRECTOR OF ACTIVITIES CALLS ‘B---S---’ ON $5000 BUDGET INCREASE
more funding was necessary for promotional events designed to make students aware of the march. Senator Garett Kegel said that he thinks spending within the parameters of the original budget is a “moral” issue. The Student Senate has been giving food to students and advertising in the student paper to help raise awareness, according to Dunning. “We’re over budget because of the increased interest,” said Dunning. “If we’re going to go over budget, lets do it because people are coming to the events. We’ve never seen this kind of interest in March in March.” “So it’s our job to keep promoting this interest?” asked Kegel. Dunning was adamant in her response. “This is our job. This is advocacy,” she said. Hylton was opposed to increasing the budget, saying that the increased interest is more
related to the free food than to student advocacy. “You’re saying they’re interested in March in March,” he said. “I have to refute that. They’re interested in the free meal.” Two new senators, Richard Dean and Dan Massey, were sworn in to their positions on the board. Meanwhile, it was announced at a recent meeting of the Clubs and Events Board that the color run to be held at ARC originally scheduled for Feb. 28 has been moved to April 18. LeslieAnn Dameron, CAEB director of activities, said she didn’t know why the color run was being delayed. She reiterated that the color run is not being put on by CAEB, but by a separate company, ColorDash5k. CAEB is planning a Club Day for March 12 that will have an outer space theme. Joseph Daniels contributed to this report.
Sports Editors Matthew Peirson Kevin Sheridan Arts and Culture Editors Lindsey Mar tin Matthew Wilke Scene Editors Brandon Nelson Jose Garcia Opinion Editor Cameron Weaver Web Editor Emily K. Rabasto Multimedia Editor Br yce Fraser Staff Noor Abasi Miranda Bolar Nicholas Corey Lena DoBynes Cheyenne Drur y Meredith Durham Mychael Jones Mar y-Ann Myers Alex Panasenko Michael Phillips Adviser Walter Hammer wold Photo Adviser Jill Wagner
PROUD MEMBERS OF THE CNPA & JACC
POLICY The Current is produced by the students of College Media Production, J410-413. All opinions are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters and articles appearing in the Editorial, Opinion or Forum sections are not necessarily representative of the Current staff or American River College policy. All articles are the property of the Current. Letters must be typed and can be submitted by mail, e-mail or in person at the following addresses: The American River Current 4700 College Oak Drive Liberal Arts, Room 120 Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
News
February 25, 2015
Angels: Members on lookout on Arcade trail CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the past year, including multiple attempted sexual assaults, a strong-arm robbery and an armed robbery last November. “Someone could be hiding in that bush,” said Manuel Rodriguez of the Modesto Guardian Angels as he shined his flashlight on to a bundle of brush. “That’s how they grab someone. The kids from the college walk here daily.” The Guardian Angels were founded in 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa. They are a group of citizen volunteers. They do not carry weapons while on patrol. Originally patrolling the high-crime New York subways, they have become an international organization dedicated to providing a presence in places with a reputation for crime. Martin Smith, leader of the Sacramento Guardian Angels, said that they were asked to come to the Arcade Creek trail after a series of crimes in the neighborhood. “The neighborhood watch group here reached out to us,” said Smith. “There were a couple of child abductions in the houses.” Kevin Mititi of the Stockton Guardian Angels said that the Sacramento chapter reached out for assistance. “We were called in for assistance and they needed our help,” Matiti said. “We’re basically a big family. It makes you feel good to help people. It’s dangerous and people ask you why you put yourself on the line. But someone has to.” Smith said that the red berets have the same authority as any citizen, and that their presence is primarily meant to foster community awareness rather than to punish. “We have the same amount of authority as anyone,” said Smith. “We’re not like the police. We want to involve everyone in making the community safer.” “We’re not trying to be adversaries, we’re trying to encourage them,” he said. Smith did add, however, that in certain situations it may become necessary for an Angel to make a citizen’s arrest, the freedom every citizen has to arrest a per-
son who is committing a crime in their presence. The Guardian Angels are always looking for new volunteers and fundraisers. Cody Sass, 18, was the youngest of the group. He lives in Stockton and became interested in the group because his neighbor is a member. He pointed at the middle-aged Sean Rodgers, saying “I’m actually Sean’s neighbor. I asked him about it, came to a meeting, and got interested. I started when I turned 16, the minimum age.” Members have to go through hours of self-defense training, and the organization itself provides self-defense training and anti-bullying initiatives. “Awareness is the first step of self-defense,” said Smith. Rodgers said that people using the trail should not use headphones or be distracted. He also recommended people use pepper spray. “The good stuff that shoots 20 feet away,” Rodgers added. “Not mace, but pepper spray.” Ultimately, the Angels reiterated that their goal is community involvement. They make it a point to introduce themselves to curious bystanders. When Fair Oaks resident Dylan Patterson asked the angels who they were as they walked by, Martin Smith went to introduce himself. “We like to introduce ourselves to others,” said Rodgers. “It’s a good opportunity to explain who we are, where we came from, and maybe he’d want to join.” Patterson had mixed thoughts about the presence of the red berets. “I’ve seen them on television, on the news,” he said. “What are they going to do if one of those thugs are over there? It’s good to see them though.” Michael Joseph of the Modesto Guardian Angels said that the group wants the community to take some responsibility in increasing safety. He was disappointed that residents didn’t join them on their patrol when they first visited the trail last December. “Last time the neighborhood all came out and when we started the patrol they went back in their homes,” said Joseph. “We want to get the neighborhood involved.”
Courtesy of Johns Hopkins University
Carol W. Greider won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering an enzyme that may be the key in advancing cancer treatment and understanding the aging process.
Nobel laureate set to speak
CAROL GREIDER IS COMING TO ARC NEXT MONTH FOR A CEREMONY FOR HER MOTHER, A FORMER PROFESSOR
By Joseph Daniels joseph64daniels@gmail.com
Cheyenne Drury / cheyennemdrury@gmail.com
Members of a voluntary neighborhood watch group, the Guardian Angels, prompted by last years armed robbery, patrolling the Arcade Creek trail behind American River.
CORRECTIONS In Volume 66 of The Current, the following corrections are listed: In Vol. 66, Ed. 5, on page 1, Professor John Sinclair Long is misidentified in the photo as the man in the center. Long is actually pictured on the right. In Vol. 66, Ed. 5, on page 1, an experience recounted by Long about an injury that occurred during a performance as a Blue Man Group member is misrepresented. Long actually witnessed the injury, which happened to a fellow group member. In Vol. 66, Ed. 6, on page 7, Chris Rodgers served in the U.S. Army from May 2007 to July 2008, not May 2007 to March 2008 as is stated.
In Vol. 66, Ed. 6, on page 7, it is stated that the Arabic word jihad means holy war. In fact, the fact has many different meanings for Muslims, including striving or struggling. In Vol. 66, Ed. 7, on page 4, it is stated that American River College football players have been signing letters of intent to play at the university level since December 2014. Actually, some ARC football players had made oral agreements as early as December 2014 to play at certain universities, but physically signed their letters of intent on Feb. 4, 2015. In Vol. 66, Ed. 7, on page 2, it is incorrectly claimed that the Clubs and Events Board is hosting a 5k color run on Feb. 28. The color dash is being put on by The ColorDash 5k and is to be held at American River College. It has since been postponed to April 18.
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Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Carol Greider, will be speaking at American River College during a ceremony that will honor her mother, a former ARC professor, on March 16. The event is open to all members of the public, although registration is required. Rina Roy, dean of science and engineering, discovered that Greider’s mother worked at ARC, while she was working on a presentation to inspire female high school students to become interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. Roy was researching women who won Nobel prizes in science related fields. Greider won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack W. Szostak for the discovery of telomerase, an enzyme that is thought to be key to understanding how cells age. “The work that she is doing with telomerase has a lot to do with the process of aging. So her work may reverse that,” said Roy. Additional presentations have been added to the schedule. The first presentation will take place between 2 and 3 p.m. and will focus on what led to the discovery of telomerase, while the second presentation will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. and will focus on the health implications of the discovery.
There will be a question and answer session for science and engineering, allied health and gerontology students that will take place from 3:15 to 4p.m. There will also be another Q&A for biotechnology students, and other top science classes and clubs that will take place from 4:15 to 5 p.m. Roy said that even students who are not taking science courses will be able to get something out of Greider’s lectures. “What would you find from a Nobel laureate, somewhere in that structured process, something different, something out of the box that no one thought of before,” said Roy. Executive Director of the ARC Foundation Kirsten DuBray said that one of the goals of the event is to get donors to make a donation to the science department. ARC will be engraving a tree plaque dedicated to Greider’s mother, Jean Foley Greider, who taught at the school during the 1960s. The plaque will be placed on a stone next to a group of redwood trees that can be found near the horticulture department, which is already dedicated to the late Greider. “If there is a message I want to give to students, (it) is don’t be afraid of science,” said Roy. In order to register for the event, attendees must contact Christina Wagner in the Center of Teaching and Learning.
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February 25, 2015
Sports
Women’s basketball team finishes 10-16 By Kevin Sheridan kevinsheridan56@gmail.com
Matthew Wilke / mattwilke675@gmail.com
ARC forward Keishaun Sinclair drives to the basket during their loss at San Joaquin Delta. Despite the loss, ARC will play Foothill College in a play-in game tonight at ARC.
Men’s basketball reaches playoffs
When American River College’s women’s basketball team started the season with a record of 0-5, many players doubted if the team could win a single game. “I asked the kids, after the first five games ‘Do you think we’re gonna win a game?’” said ARC head coach J.R. Matsunami. “We hadn’t won, and there were a lot of (players) that didn’t believe we could win,” she said. The team would go on to finish the 2014 season with an overall record of 1016, and 5-9 in conference. After finishing tournament play in December, the team won two straight games on the road, winning at San Mateo and Sacramento City College in early January. It would go on to lose six of the next seven games, including blowout conference losses against Diablo Valley College and San Joaquin Delta College. Playing at Cosumnes River College on Feb. 3, the team overcame a controversial finish to end regulation and won in overtime 64-59, but would lose its last five games to end the season. In the last game of the regular season, the team lost at San Joaquin Delta College by a score of 91-55. Matsunami says the thing that impressed her about the team’s development was the way they matured as the season progressed. “What I liked the most is … they all grew up. This was a group, none of them knew each other except for Kamari (Hunter) and Demontra (Harrison) before the season, and they all became very good friends,” he said. “If you’re not gonna win the state championship, you’d better take something away from the game with you, you still should have the love of the game, and you should still have the love of your teammates.” The team finished the season having shot 30.8 percent from the 3-point line, and averaged 50.2 points per game. Guard Jazlynne Macklin led team in to-
tal points with 282, and center Kohl Bryant led ARC in field goal percentage at 39.7 percent. On defense, forward Cassandra Jaimes led the team with 37 blocks and 219 total rebounds and guard Kamari Hunter led the team in total assists with 31 and 55 steals. The team also dealt with injuries and illness during the middle of the season. Guard Zhane Washington missed time after suffering a concussion, and Jaimes missed time prior to the semester starting after surgery on her tonsils. The team was also impacted by a flu virus that made its way around the team. Forwards Haylee James and Jaimes along with Washington all came down with the flu during the season. Matsunami says she believes these factors affected her team. “Just the overall effect on the team, because it changes your substitution pattern. (The virus is) lasting a couple weeks, its not like you can just kick it off in a couple days, its not a 24 hour bug,” said Matsunami of the flu’s impact on her team, adding that other teams had to face the flu as well. Three sophomore players plan to transfer to four-year universities at the completion of this semester. Forwards Erica Bossett as well as James will both transfer to Sacramento State, with Bossett planning to major in kinesiology and James in criminal justice. Macklin will transfer to CSU Monterey Bay, with the intent of majoring in biochemistry, and spoke highly of her time on ARC’s women’s team. “These two years have been the most fun of my basketball career,” Macklin said. “I’ve never been around such a fun, accepting environment.” Macklin plans to keep playing after she transfers, and said she learned valuable lessons while at ARC. “Just perseveration, not giving up,” she said. “So many things on and off the court, more than just basketball.” “Not quitting is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” said Macklin.
TEAM WILL PLAY FOOTHILL COLLEGE AT HOME TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. FOR A CHANCE TO ADVANCE By Matthew Peirson matthewpeirson@gmail.com American River College’s men’s basketball team has reached the playoffs, seeded 16 in the brackets released on Monday that denoted the seeding of every qualifying team and the playoff schedule. ARC will host Foothill College, the 17 seed, in a play-in playoff game tonight at 7 p.m. at ARC, with the winner then scheduled to travel to Fresno City College on Saturday night to face the top seeded team in Northern California. ARC and Foothill did not meet in the regular season, so the two teams will be playing a fresh matchup in a big game that decides their respective playoff hopes. ARC finished the season with an overall record of 15-10, and finished .500 in conference play at 7-7. Foothill finished the season 12-16 overall, and below .500 in conference play at 5-7. ARC lost four of its last six games over the final three weeks of the season, leaving the team’s playoff hopes up in the air over the weekend. After Friday’s loss at San Joaquin Delta College to finish the regular season, many of the players were seen on the court with
dejected looks on their faces. “It just sucks to know that this is it. Or it might be,” said center Eugene Crockett following the loss to SJDC. Other players on the team had similar reactions. “A win (at SJDC) would’ve been a last conference win for our sophomores, secured a playoff spot,” said forward Austin Lobo. “Just knowing it’s up in the air has left us a little bit salty.” According to ARC head coach Mark Giorgi, the team had “a 99 percent chance” at a playoff spot with a win on Friday, but those chances would drop to “50-50” with a loss. “If you win, we’re not sitting around wondering if you’re in the playoffs or not,” Giorgi said. “If you lose, you leave it in the hands of six other human beings, and who knows what they’re thinking.” Despite the jumbled standings to finish the season, ARC was selected as one of the teams to participate in the play-in game, with the official playoff brackets released shortly after 5 p.m. yesterday. Now the team focuses on winning the play-in game, before a chance to face top seeded Fresno in the first round.
Matthew Wilke / mattwilke675@gmail.com
Guard Demontra Harrison dribbles down court during ARC’s loss at San Joaquin Delta. The loss meant the women’s basketball team finishes with a record of 10-16 overall.
Sports
February 25, 2015
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Baseball reaches 5-5 through ten TEAM SHOWS STEADY IMPROVEMENT WITH 3-2 RECORD IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS AFTER A SLOW START By Matthew Peirson matthewpeirson@gmail.com American River College’s baseball team stands with a record of 5-5 through 10 games, righting the ship after three bad losses in its first four games. Following a 7-4 home win against Solano Community College on Feb. 10, ARC’s team is now in the midst of playing six straight games on the road, the last of which is today in a rematch at Solano. In the first five games of that stretch, ARC compiled a 3-2 record, losing the first two games at Hartnell College before winning three straight at Mission College in Santa Clara, Shasta College in Redding, and Laney College in Oakland. The results of the Solano game were not available as of press time. The game at Shasta was originally scheduled to be played three weeks ago, but was forced to be played at a different time due to rain in the Redding area. In the two games at Hartnell College in Salinas over the Valentine’s Day weekend, ARC played competitively in a 10-6 loss on Feb. 14 before being blown out 12-1 on Feb. 14. ARC shut out Mission College 10-0, thanks in large part to a six-run second inning. The team totaled 16 hits in the victory. Despite the travel from the night before and the early morning turnaround, the team came out and dominated Shasta College the following day, winning by a final of 17-6. Saturday in Oakland, the team scored three runs early and never gave up the lead to Laney College, punctuating the win with four runs in the eighth inning for a 10-4 victory. EARLY INNING PITCHING SETTLES DOWN After the first few games largely saw ARC’s starting pitchers struggling from
Bryce Fraser / brycefraser180@gmail.com
Matt Gunter is seventh in California with 25 stirkeouts. ARC’s baseball team has righted the ship at 5-5 after three losses in its first four games.
first pitch, the staff has settled down to allow no more than two runs in the first inning over the team’s last five games. Matt Gunter has steadily improved as the season has progressed, going seven innings while only allowing two hits and striking out eight in the 10-0 win at Mission College. Gunter also has struck out 25 batters, good enough for seventh overall in the
state. OFFENSE STAYS HOT The team has scored at least six runs in every game since it’s last home game, a Feb. 10 win against Solano. The lone exception was in the 12-1 loss at Hartnell College. Corner infielder Kirby Broadbent is second overall in the state with a .533 batting average and .833 slugging percent-
SPORTSUPDATES
age, and is fifth in the state with an on base percentage of .600. UPCOMING SCHEDULE The team will play its first home game in over two weeks on Thursday when it hosts Diablo Valley College. Next week, its straight back out on the road to play Modesto on March 3, then home against Cosumnes River College on March 5.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
TENNIS
American River College was one of seven teams to take part in the Pete Giachetti Invite on Feb. 21. Freshman Imani Thomas finished first in the women’s 100-meter dash with a time of 12.16 seconds, while fellow freshman Tatiana Bell also finished first in the women’s 200-meter dash.
ARC’s men’s track and field team took part in the event as well, with sophomore Robert Ellis finishing first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.04 seconds. Sophomore Shawn Simms took home first overall in men’s long jump, with a distance of 22 feet and 8.25 inches.
American River College took part in the Las Positas Invite, which took place from Feb. 20 to Feb. 21. Freshman Mariah Motheral finished third in the women’s 100-yard individual medley. She was one of three ARC players to finish in the top 10 in that event.
Both teams have started 3-0 this season, most recently traveling together to mutually defeat Shasta College. The men’s team won 9-0, and the women’s team won 7-2.
UPCOMING HOME GAMES 02/25 Men’s Basketball vs. Foothill 7 p.m. 02/26 Softball vs. Sequoias 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. 02/26 Baseball vs. Diablo Valley 2 p.m. 02/27 Men’s Tennis vs. Santa Rosa 1 p.m. 02/27 Women’s Tennis vs. Santa Rose 1 p.m. 03/05 Baseball vs. Cosumnes River 2 p.m. 03/07 Track and Field, Beaver Relays 10 a.m. 03/07 Men’s Tennis vs. Foothill 1 p.m. 03/07 Softball vs. Sacramento City 12 and 2 p.m. 03/10 Women’s Tennis vs. Sierra 1 p.m. Bryce Fraser / brycefraser180@gmail.com
Pitcher Sharie Albert winds up against during ARC’s Feb. 19 game against Merced.
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February 25, 2015
Feature
Bryce Fraser / brycefraser180@gmail.com
Madison Hudson, center, is the band’s namesake and lead singer, with American River College students Jesse Szabo, right, and Tristan McNay, left. Branden Coleman is not pictured.
Playing Stoney’s with Madison Hudson COUNTRY COVER BAND COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS By Cheyenne Drury cheyennemdrury@gmail.com American River College students Jesse Szabo, Branden Coleman and Tristan McNay all have two things in common. They all attend ARC and they are all in The Madison Hudson country band alongside lead singer Madison Hudson. Szabo began guitar lessons with Bryon Martin when he was 11-yearsold and Coleman began private drum lessons with famed drummer Mike Johnston when he was just 12-yearsold. Hudson started singing in the 1st grade and decided by 6th grade that her career would be in music. McNay’s father, who played for the Montrose Frank Hannon Band, got him his first bass guitar, and after that McNay taught himself how to play and and has only been playing for the past three years. Hudson, who dedicates her spare time to working on music, graduated a year early from high school. Szabo and Coleman’s music relationship stretches back to when they were 12-years-old and in their first band, Liberate, together. Madison Hudson formed roughly a year and a half ago when Szabo heard through a friend of a friend that Hudson was looking for a guitar player. Hudson and Szabo started out doing acoustic music and began adding members, losing some along the way, now fulfilling their current image of a country cover band. The band covers artists such as Miranda Lambert, Sugarland and Lady Antebellum. “Craziest experience was at a show
where there were guys break dancing in front of us – yes, breakdancing to country – so we brought them on stage in front of hella people and talked to them for a second. Then they started dancing onstage while we played then kept doing backflips off the stage. It was insane,” said Szabo. “Our idea is to build our image and gain popularity and slowly transition into performing and recording original songs.” Coleman is also in favor of this transition to original material. “It’s cool working with originals because Madison will give us a song that allows us a lot of room to work with and be a part of the creative process,” said Coleman. Szabo and Coleman were also in the band Mercedez Avenue, a post hardcore band. Before joining Madison Hudson they both decided to part ways but still remain friends with their old bandmates. Madison Hudson has played for crowds as small as 15 people to a New Years Eve performance downtown in front of thousands. The bands’ most frequented gigs are at the Valencia club in Penryn, Goldfields in midtown Sacramento and Stoney’s off Del Paso Blvd in Sacramento. “The coolest thing about being a part of this band is when we first start playing…because we’re so young the crowd is usually a little unsure, but then when we start playing it’s like ‘hey these kids know what they’re doing,’” said Coleman.
ON THE WEB
For a video interview with the members of Madison Hudson, go to the Arts and Culture section at our website,
ARCurrent.com
Courtesy of Rachel Cameron
McNay, Szabo, Hudson and Coleman have been together as band for a little over one year.
February 25, 2015 Paid Advertisement
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February 25, 2015
Arts&Culture
Taking ‘A Stroll Through Calculus’ A BEGGINERS GUIDE TO LEARNING BASIC CONCEPTS By Lena DoBynes
lena.dobynes@gmail.com An American River College mathematics professor recently wrote a book seeking to explain the basic concepts of calculus to anyone with the slightest grasp of basic algebra. Anthony Barcellos, past recipient of the ARC Patrons Chair and Faculty Award and Honorarium, is the author of “A Stroll Through Calculus: A Guide for the Merely Curious.” According to Barcellos, this is not a textbook and is geared towards the intellectually curious, not professionals or students enrolled in a course. “I want to debunk the almost universal notion that calculus is super-hard math for geniuses,” said Barcellos. Barcellos went on to say, “If a cartoonist wants to get across the idea that a character is a brainiac, tucking a book labeled “calculus” under their arm is a surefire way to do it – the truth however is very different.” The math professor, who has been teaching for nearly forty years, insists that a person who understands notions such as “distance equals rate times time” or “area equals base times height” has enough knowledge to get started on the path to learning calculus. The book covers areas of rectangles, notation, and polynomials as well as introducing the fundamentals of Newton and Leibniz and explains how each is applied. Examples are given throughout the book to allow the reader to practice each concept for better understanding.
According to Cognella.com, an academic publishing website, the book is an “excellent learning tool for students in engineering, pre-medical studies, and the social sciences and can be used in pre-service teaching programs for educators needing a solid background for math units they will teach”. It is available on the site from $30.95 to $38.95. “I am very pleased with the way ‘Stroll’ came out,” said Barcellos, who came up with the idea after being displeased with an author’s previous work that attempted to do the same. “The elements of calculus have elegant relationships among them that ‘Stroll’ clarifies without getting bogged down in the formal proofs that a standard textbook must have – that’s why several of my calculus students have found the book enlightening,” added Barcellos. Fellow math professor Lill Birdsall has enjoyed past works by Barcellos. “He is a fabulous writer – he has excellent grammar and articulates superbly,” said Birdsall of Barcellos’ fiction work, “A Land of Milk and Money.” According to others around campus who have worked with him or attended a class of his, he is not only an excellent writer but professor as well. “He is equally good at the highs and lows – he teaches Math 25, Computational Arithmeticas well as Math 402, Calculus II,” said Nancy Reitz, the interim dean of the mathematics department. “He is a sought-after instructor by the students.” Rhiannon Coxsisk, a Paralegal major, agrees with Reitz when it comes to Barcellos’s teaching methods. “He makes you want to come to class – he
Lena Dobynes / lena.dobynes@gmail.com
Math Professor Anthony Barcellos recently published his book “A Stroll Through Calculus,” which explains the basic concepts of calculus for beginners.
finds a way to make the subject fun and enjoyable,” said Coxsisk, who admitted she was not very good in math. Coxsisk added that fellow peers have spent time sitting outside of class talking about the subject and teacher. “I like his vibe,” said Marwa Sahel, a premedical student. “He’s really energetic and
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one of the only teachers that I have who lays out the subject out clearly with different ways to do one problem.” Barcellos makes sure to keep constant communication lines open with his students – aside from office hours he also has a blog where he posts solution keys to exams and quizzes.
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February 25, 2015
Arts&Culture/Scene
Page 9
‘Dear White People’
AWARD-WINNING SATIRE FILM ON RACE RELATIONS SHOWING THIS FRIDAY By Lena Dobynes lena.dobynes@gmail.com Courtesy of ARC Theater
The cast of “Blues for Mr. Charlie,” which opens this Friday. Directed by Samuel Williams, the play is the first of the semester at ARC.
February brings the ‘Blues’ PLAY IS BASED ON 1955 MURDER THAT SPARKED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT By Kameron Schmid kameronschmid@gmail.com The American River College theater department is commemorating this year’s Black History Month with a production of “Blues for Mister Charlie,” which premieres Friday. Loosely based on the real-life 1955 murder of a black 14-year-old, Emmett Till, playwright James Baldwin originally dedicated “Blues” to “the memory of Medgar Evers, and his widow and his children, and to the memory of the dead children of Birmingham.” Evers, a civil rights activist, was assassinated in 1963 by Byron De La Beckwith, a member of the White Citizens’ Council, one year before “Blues” was produced. This year will mark the 60 year anniversary of Till’s murder, which was committed by two white men after Till had been accused of flirting with a white woman, Carolyn Bryant.
Till’s death helped spark the civil rights movement in the U.S., when after being acquitted of the kidnapping and murder, and thus protected against double jeopardy, Roy Bryant, husband to Carolyn, and Roy’s half brother J.W. Milam, publicly admitted to committing the crimes. The play, in three acts, centers around the murder of Richard Henry, a black youth in a small town. His accused killer, Lyle Britten, denies the murder, and the town is thrown into a tempest of confusion and anger. Director and ARC faculty member Samuel Williams, who has a well-established history of tackling tense racial issues in his pieces, has been rehearsing his cast since January, and is always one step ahead of the actors, according to cast members Wilysha Walton and Raven Jones. “Sometimes you don’t always understand what he’s doing, but once you do, it just makes sense,” said Walton, who plays one of the students of Meridian Henry, father to the slain Richard.
“Sam has a very clear vision of what he wants and a lot of the times we don’t know what he’s doing when he’s doing things, but once we get there it’s not what we expected, and it’s a lot better than what we thought,” said Jones. Jones, who plays Britten’s wife Jo, described the play as “soulful, very passionate, and very fast.” “It’s not one of those plays where you’re sitting there wondering what will happen next,” said Jones. Jones also described her character as a “picture perfect housewife,” but one who is “very sex-starved, and very sassy and needy.” With subject matter so charged, and in the wake of societal movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #ICantBreathe, “Blues” promises to make viewers think about how our country has changed since the beginning of the civil rights movement.
“It’s nice to be able to share cool adventures outside from time to time,” said Honnold. “I didn’t really get her into it. She just asked to come to the gym once, and then when I was gone on trips she just kept coming and got psyched on it and made friends at the gym.” Honnold is good friends with Tommy Caldwell, who recently made history with Kevin Jorgeson after becoming the only people to free solo climb El Capitan, a precipitous slab of granite in Yosemite National Park. Honnold and Caldwell climbed the Fitz Traverse together in Patagonia in February 2014. This climb is a 11,171 foot ascent over the six ridges of the Fitz Traverse including Aguja Guillaumet, Aguja Mermoz, Cerro Fitz Roy, Aguja Poincenot, Aguja Rafael Juárez, Aguja Saint-Exúpery and Aguja de
l’S. It took Honnold and Caldwell four days to complete the climb. Honnold also has had experience climbing with Hans Florine. They currently hold the record for their climb of the Nose of El Capitan in which they finished with a time of 2 hours, twenty-three minutes and fifty-one seconds. Honnold has notable videos made of him with footage of him climbing: Alex Honnold 3.0, The Ascent of Alex Honnold and Alone on the Wall. Wolonick is proud of what her son has been able to accomplish in the world of climbing. “Watching him climb is like watching ballet,” she said. Kameron Schmid contributed to this report.
Climbing: Ascending Half Dome CONTINIUED FROM PAGE 1 “We all knew that Alex was going to end up climbing and that was that,” said Wolonick. Honnold is most notably recognized for being the only known free solo climber to complete the Yosemite Triple Crown. He completed the climb in 18 hours and 50 minutes ascending up Mount Watkins, the Nose of El Capitan and the Regular Northwest face of Half Dome in Yosemite. In 2010, Honnold was awarded the Golden Piton, an annual award presented to people in the rock climbing community, for his accomplishments in climbing. Honnold isn’t the only one in his family who has climbed Half Dome. “Alex and I go on at least one climb a year together and Half Dome was the very first,” said Wolonick.
L
CAMPUS PU SE
American River College’s Community and Diversity Center will screen a film about racial relations on a college campus to facilitate a discussion on racial identity, race relations and racism. The film “Dear White People,” directed and produced by Justin Simien, is a satire on racial relations that follows four AfricanAmerican students at a predominately white college throughout their year on campus as they deal with racial politics, stereotypes, and their own identity. It will be shown Friday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. in the Hub. The movie has received high praise from critics and won the 2014 Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent. “I saw this as a great opportunity for diversity and multicultural discussions,” said peer mentor Brett Spencer of the ARC Community and Diversity Center. Spencer had the idea to show the movie last semester because of the concepts of stereotypes and racial identity shown in the movie. “I believe showing this movie is beneficial to the campus. We can use it as a springboard to produce organic conversation for voices that need to be heard and shared,” said Spencer. “We hope that this movie generates people to begin thinking about the way they think about racial relations and bring forward varying views to understand one another,” he added. Music major Manjore Zaki agrees that this topic needs to be discussed and can be beneficial to students on campus. “It’s good to see a different perspective. Diversity is good for man, it’s educational, even if it can be seen as negative,” said Zaki. Zaki, a Houston native, recently relocated to Sacramento and is pleased with the diverse culture he has found in California and on campus. “I have friends of all different ethnicities here - everybody comes together and gets along - I don’t see what’s on the outside because what’s on the inside is all that matters,” he said. According to the ARC website, the student body is a little under 50 percent white, 19 percent Hispanic, 11 percent Black, and 9 percent Asian, with 11 percent identifying with another race or races. “I hope the place overflows — this movie is not limited to the Black community — it is deep, multi-faceted and relates to other marginalized groups who have been oppressed,” Spencer said.
What extreme sport would or would not be for you?
“Big game hunting, it would be a challenge”
“I would never go free diving, I would rather just go scuba driving”
“I would go skydiving but I would never go bungee jumping because of the free fall feeling and the snap back from the bungee and free falling again”
-PATRICKSTEUBER Undecided
-ISABELJACOBSON Philosophy & Poly Science
-HANNAHWILLHELM General Science
“If I wasn’t so fat I’d go skateboarding.”
-TYSENCANNADY Photography student
February 25, 2015
Page 10
Journalism 320: Race and Gender in the Media
TAKETHISCLASS By Jose Garcia jig.garcia1995@gmail.com Not many other classes out there gets students fired up like Journalism 320: Race and Gender in the Media. The class not only covers controversial topics dealing with gender, ethnicity and social class, but professor Alan Miller likes to play devil’s advocate. Miller has somewhat of a reputation for his unique style of teaching and engaging the students in the conversation. Miller bounces ideas back and forth during class in order to show students how to look at subjects like racism and sexism in a different way. In one such instance, Miller has gone down his class roster and profiled all his students by both their race and gender to prove his point. Some students may take offense to some of the topics and humor that come up in the classroom, but Miller believes it’s needed to get students to speak their mind and to keep them engaged. With a strong background in journalism and teaching, Miller aims to teach students to think for themselves and to have an open mind. “The main goal is to get stu-
Scene
dents to shape their own informed opinion, and to not let the media or others make their decisions for them,” said Miller. Journalism major Faisal Manzoor said of the class, “This class is very lively and the length of the assignments are as long as you want them to be, as long as you have strong information. Mr. Miller is a great teacher as well. He keeps the lectures interesting and gets his point across.” Miller also brings a large amount of enthusiasm to class as well, so even the lecture portion of the class keeps students interested. “Sometimes students view me as a bigot for the things I say. I don’t believe most of the things I say, but it gets students to become passionate and engaged in the class and I find that to be a good thing,” said Miller. One portion of the class work has students do an assignment about late-night talk or news satire hosts, and have a discussion about the way their views are portrayed and the way they act within the eye of the media, as well as when they’re not in sight of the media. If you’re looking for assignments and discussions that will keep you amused, then this is the class for you.
Jose Garcia / jig.garcia@gmail.com
Allen Miller teaches his Race and Gender in the Media class on Febuary 12. Miller likes to play the part of devil’s advocate in order to keep his student attentive and intrested in his classes.
Miller makes sure all of his students are involved in class activity and discussions. “When you’re in the field you aren’t going to have a teacher telling you what to do. This class is teaching me about how certain people are viewed in the media and that will help me in achieving my major,” said Manzoor.
ON THE WEB
For more Take This Class features, including classes on comic books, stage makeup, belly dancing and homeland security, go to ARCurrent.com/category/scene/take-this-class/
LRCCD inducted into Business Hall of Fame
METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HONORS DISTRICT By John Ferrannini jferr1995@gamail.com The Los Rios Community College District was inducted into the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame on Jan. 30, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the district’s incorporation. “I think most of the people are ecstatic and pleasantly surprised to get such an honor at this time in the life of the district,” said Mitchel Benson, the vice chancellor for communications and media relations for the LRCCD. The Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce represents “nearly 2,000 member businesses and business organizations” around Northern California, according to their website. “The Los Rios Community College District has made significant contributions to the economic, civic growth and well-being of our community for nearly 50 years,” said Christi Black-Davis, 2015 Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce board chair. “Practically every business, public agency and industry in the Sacramento region employs a Los Rios Graduate.” Erica Taylor, a member of the Los Rios Foundation board, won Young Professional of the Year at the same awards banquet. According to Benson, the Los Rios Foundation raises money for student scholarships and a “student emergency fund” for students who “experience a sudden challenge or problem.” Taylor got involved in the Los Rios Foundation after her experiences in community college. “I went to Shasta College. Community college has played a big part in my life,”
Lindsey Martin / lindseymartin51391
Adding Cheerios into low cholesterol, low saturated fat diets may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Heart month brings healthy heart lecture Courtesy of Tia Gemmell
Los Rios Chancellor Brian King was presented with the award by James Beckwith, the 2014 Metro Chamber chair.
By Brandon Nelson
said Taylor. “I’m a big fan of the community college system. It did wonders for me. I jumped at the opportunity to help community college students because of my experience with it.” “The Los Rios district is an unknown or unsung hero in our community. It is a true gem to have,” she added. Benson emphasized that the timing of the induction coincides with the 50th anniversary of the district’s incorporation as a legal entity. “As we plan various commemorations and celebratory events, this is a great way to start 2015,” said Benson. “We are working on a couple of ideas (to celebrate the 50th anniversary) but are not ready to announce yet. We want to turn this into a way to raise money for scholarships and for the student emergency fund.”
Stress, lack of sleep, exhaustion and poor diet all have one thing in common. No, it’s not college: it’s heart health. College nurse Pamela Whipple gave a lecture during a college hour in Raef Hall on Feb. 12. As the lecture progressed, Whipple went on to describe the effects of alcohol and tobacco on the heart. Thirteen students, faculty and staff attended. When entering Raef Hall students could grab a wallet-sized card with several hotlines intended to help cigarette smokers quit, Whipple’s business card, a brochure for the health center, and an advertisement for the upcoming blood drive. Whipple began the event by telling the attendees how the heart works and the chambers it consists of. Common cardiac issues include arrhyth-
brandon.nelson916@gmail.com
mia, congenital conditions, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. “Heart attacks are different from cardiac arrest,” said Whipple. “Heart attacks lead to cardiac arrest.” To promote better heart health, Whipple gave some advice on how one can take better care of their heart. These included sleeping for six to eight hours a night, avoiding caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, and having an evening routine which will greatly help sleep patterns, including always turning off electronic devices before it’s time for bed. “I thought she (Whipple) was very knowledgable, it was a great refresher,” said Christina Dewitt, an administrative assistant for the science and engineering department. The blood drive will be held on March 3 and March 4. The health center is located in the administration building and is open on Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. although hours may change without notice.
February 25, 2015
Opinion
CURRENTEDITORIAL
Page 11
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS SHOULD GIVE STUDENT SENATE MORE SAY OVER MONEY SO THAT WE CAN ALL BENEFIT For the past several years American River College students, particularly members of student government, have been participating in the March in March, an annual protest and lobbying event downtown wherein community college students from around the state push for policies that would lessen their financial burdens. ARC’s Associated Student Body Student Senate has invested thousands of dollars each year in making a presence at the march, which is always in the beginning of the month of March. We feel the money and attention ASB spends on the march could be better spent. For ASB to spend its money better, the state legislature needs to lower restrictions on how the student representation fee can be spent. The March in March first took place in 2003. In the half-dozen
marches since it became an annual event in 2009, there has been no major enactment of educational reform attributed to it. Textbooks are not cheaper. Community college is not cheaper, with the cost of tuition having risen roughly with the rate of inflation according to the College Board. Last year, Student Senate passed a resolution allowing up to $4,500 to be spent going to the march. While the amount of money spent fell short of that, only nine passengers were on a bus that traveled less than 14 miles from the ARC main campus to the capitol. This year, the Senate has been promoting the march through on-campus events to try and attract ARC students who are not involved in student government. At one such event, held last Wednesday in the Student Center, students were treated to free
by Joseph Daniels
coin lies in this central question: How can a student who says he has been at ARC for twelve years be an inspiring example for other students, especially when the point of community colleges is to quickly assist students in getting them jumpstarted on their future careers? Career students are not only taking up spaces in class, but the idea that they contribute experience and tutelage to new students is offset by the fact that there are already programs on campus that address the needs of bringing new students up to speed. Career students, even unwittingly, also become a further burden on taxpayers. Even though students are paying the full amount of the service fees, a portion of that is still being paid by the state. The Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver, more commonly known as BOG, is a program for all community colleges in California that waives the payment of tuition for students that exercise financial need. Tuition per class is currently $46 a semester, according to the Los Rios Community District website. Currently, there are no unit limit restrictions on who can take advantage of the program, any student that attends a community college can receive the waiver if they demonstrate financial need, sapping the ability for newer students to enter the community college level at the California taxpayer’s expense. A student may argue that they couldn’t afford to go to a university, however financial aid is available. The max amount of units, according to the financial aid office of Sacramento State University, is set at 180 units. If a student has surpassed that, they could try to file an appeal. Community college is supposed to be the first step in obtaining an higher education, not the final destination. These students have proved that they have what it takes to succeed at a community college, and they should find out if they can do the same at the next level.
Career students need to move on
joseph64daniels@gmail.com Newcomers will likely find students enrolled in their classes who have been attending American River College for years and are essentially what can be called “career students.” Students who have finished their general education and have attained associate degrees applicable to their future careers should not be allowed to continue their enrollment, as this puts a strain on class availability and costs California taxpayers a significant amount of money per year. A prime purpose of community colleges is to prepare students for their future educational pursuits at universities and other larger, more central institutions. The seats that career students take up in a class could have gone to students who are working towards their AA degree or their transfer requirements. Former acting ASB Student President Jorge Riley, who is also attending ARC, says he plans on attaining 150 cumulative units before transferring in pursuit of a law degree. Riley, who has been a student at ARC since 2004, claims to currently have associate degrees in Liberal Arts and Business and plans on getting associate degrees in Real Estate, Business, Accounting, Forensics Accounting, and Paralegal in the next three semesters before leaving community college. Riley says he feels that the argument over career students sways both sides, but that students benefit from studying alongside veteran ARC attendees. “I guess you have to weigh the pros and cons, you know?” he said. “I’m able to attribute a lot of the experience [I’ve received] to the students who are new and are not familiar with the system.” While these experienced students’ input could be beneficial to new students, they would be more helpful by relinquishing their classroom seats. The other side of the
food provided by ASB and had the opportunity to hear from Joe Stanton, a member of the committee planning the march. “We’re spending a large amount of money on this year’s March in March to raise awareness because that immediate presence was severely lacking from last year’s event,” said Cameron Weaver, senate director of public relations. While we appreciate senate’s efforts, there has to be a better way for the Student Senate to spend its time and money than attending a pep rally that is great in feeling but lacking in accomplishment. The money spent on the March in March comes from the student representation fee, which allows spending on “payment for expenses for student advocacy,” according to the Student Senate bylaws. California Education Code sec-
tion 76060.5 establishes that a student representation fee can be established for the purposes of providing for “governmental affairs representatives to advocate before the Legislature and other state and local governmental entities.” There is over $100,000 in the advocacy account that the ASB Student Senate has access to, but their hands are tied due to state law. Could it be that the individual student senates know better what the students at their schools want on their campuses with their money? Student Senate could pay for more reserve textbooks in the library, especially for classes with expensive books or for which multiple textbooks are required. They could spend money organizing a campus cleaning event, such as helping to get rid of the graffiti on campus.
They could spend money on providing more information for not only how to get involved with student government, but also for scholarship opportunities and helping new students get adjusted to campus, getting out there and meeting the students where they are. How awesome would it be for new students at ARC to only need to talk to their ASB representative if they need any help during those confusing, often lonely, weeks of the first semester? As one politician once said, good politics is good governance and good governance is good politics. What better way to train student representatives for government service than to give them the tools and trust they need to build a closer connection to their constituents and the community which they represent? Those are some ideas worth advocating for this March.
Cameron Weaver / cameron.weaver.arc@gmail.com
Erik Aselson, vice president of the 99 Rise club on campus, believes that massive income inequality has reduced the political system in the U.S. to one that only benefits the rich and wealthy.
American financial disaster by Cameron Weaver cameron.weaver.arc @gmail.com “Democracy is being eviscerated. What we know as democracy is not something our forefathers knew,” said Erik Aselson, 36, who is majoring in Sociology and is vice president of the 99 Rise club on campus “It is being turned into a plutocracy, a society that is run by the wealthy, for the benefit of the wealthy.” Income inequality amongst the top-earners of the United States has eclipsed the earnings of middle and lower class workers so much that, according to the Washington Center For Equitable Growth, the top tenth of one percent of families now own nearly the same share of wealth as the bottom 90 percent. Essentially, one-thousandth of the U.S. population owns onefifth of its wealth. This is not a problem unique to just the United States either. A report released by Oxfam last year garnered attention by highlighting just how far this income disparity stretches across a global scale. 80 of the richest people on the planet own the same wealth as the poorest 50 percent, or 3.5 billion people. The statistics speak for them-
selves. Income inequality is a very real problem that has continually been fostered, nurtured, and allowed to run amok, and the generations of tomorrow will be forced to carry this burden on their shoulders. “The amount of spending for elections that occurred in 2014 has already historically been the highest its ever been, and the trend is not slowing down...who are we voting for, the person who spends the most money?” said Asleson. In the realm of politics, the Citizens United ruling stands as an integral obstacle on the road to a fair, more open political campaign process. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, decided in January 2010 by the Supreme Court, tossed out the corporate and union ban on making independent expenditures to a politician’s campaign. Essentially, it now allows uncapped access for private donors to contribute as much money as they want to a politician’s campaign, as long as it is not to the politician directly. For those with countless sums of money at their disposal, this poses no obstacle. According to the Washington Post, the Koch brothers, stalwarts of conservative advocacy groups, plan on spending $889 million during the 2016 election cycle - double what
they spent in 2012. With rulings like Citizens United , is it any stretch to imagine just how uninterested our elected representatives are in repealing legislation that benefits the bottom line of corporations and large entities at the expense of the average Joe and Jane? At this point, we are on a verge of cataclysmic implosion. An intuitive approach from the public education system to help build and foster young Americans’ wealth potential is essential. Stocks, investments, certificates of deposit, and other forms of savings accounts and interestbuilding accounts remain some of the most powerful tools available to Americans not born into a pocket of gratuitous wealth. However, standing up to the crony rulings and regulations in place that have now permanently kept political office out of reach for those without bottomless incomes is more essential than ever. “With the 99 percent at such a disadvantage, whose voice is really being heard ... is the person donating one dollar given the same consideration as someone who gave a million? Absolutely not, and the longer that this continues, the more possible it becomes that our children and their children will not even know what democracy even looks like,” said Aselson.
LARP AT ARC
Mary-Ann Myers / myersmaryann7@gmail.com
A group of LARPers from the Sacramento chapter of Amtgard playing on campus. LARPing, or live-action-role-playing, is an extension of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons.
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We get together and hit each other with foam weapons. And I recommend staying off the field unless you’ve signed a waiver. It’s a little bit dangerous.”
MICHAELACLIFTON
To read the full story on the Sacramento chapter of Amtgard and their LARPing activities, go to arcurrent.com, under the Scene section. Mary Ann Myers / myersmaryann7@gmail.com
Photography major Patrick McKinley, left, challenges Steven Cornell, right, a welding student.
Photos by Bryce Fraser / brycefraser180@gmail.com
LARPers Broderick Cross, shielded, and Wesley Miller, double-sword wielding, fight during Amtgard’s first session of LARPing in front of the library last week.