Vol. 32 #15 01.30.17
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The OC has an extensive collection of tools for repairing bikes and other equipment. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2017. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University. The AS Review is an alternative weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on underrepresented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.
IN THIS ISSUE Wednesday Night
4 Concert Series
The Underground Coffeehouse continues their concert series with some bigger names.
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Hidden Gems
Most students aren’t aware of the unique offerings of the Whatcom Museum or Bellingham Public Library.
AS Films presents 5 “Moana”
Karate Church Disney’s latest animated 9 Concert film is being brought to Western this week. Jam along to the soundtrack by Lin Manuel Miranda.
This iconic house show venue is hosting one of the biggest concerts of the quarter this Friday.
Western Through 10 the Ages
It turns out 1968 was a busy year on campus. Read the newest installment of this nostalgic column.
How to deal with 11 roommates
Have things gone sour in your roommate relationships? This article has you everything you need.
We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork, letters to the editor or anything else physically printable. Please limit letters to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school. Send all submissions to as.review@wwu. edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar. The AS Review is distributed via electric bicycle, the purchase of which was made possible by the Sustainable Action Fund Grant Program.
Morgan Annable Alexandria Baker Ricky Rath Erasmus Baxter Julia Berkman Josh Hughes Photographers Jaden Moon Janna Bodnar Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers
The Outdoor Center has equipment for just about everything available for Western students to use. They also host outdoor excursions for those seeking a little adventure. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
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EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS “Immaterial Uniformity”
Jan 30 - Feb 17 // 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon - Fri // VU Gallery // Free This new exhibit is a solo project that will feature the work of Jake Fetterman. Make sure you stop by while it’s here!
Cultures of Resistance: G Yamazawa
Jan 30 // 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. // AW 210 // Free
G Yamazawa is an award-winning poet and spoken word artist. His work focuses on activism and he works as a teaching artist for inner-city youth.
Join the Outdoor Center on this easy whitewater rafting excursion down Skagit River. The trip will include eagle watching in the area. Attendance at this meeting is required for the excursion on Feb 5.
Wednesday Night Concert Series: Cumulus with John Van Deusen
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An Odd Entrances Thee Oh Sees
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And the Anonymous Nobody De La Soul
This Seattle-based indie band blends nuance and flash. Read the article on page 4 for more information!
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Hang Foxygen
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Certainty Sloucher
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22, A Million Bon Iver
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My Woman Angel Olsen
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Shut Up about the Sun Space Orphan
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Run the Jewels 3 Run the Jewel
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Big Mess Grouplove
Feb 1 // 7 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free
“Moana” screening
“Arms and the Man”
Enjoy Disney’s new adventure/comingof-age film before its release! AS Films presents this music-filled girl-power flick.
Director Evan Mueller (“As You Like It” 2016) presents George Bernard Shaw’s classic anti-romantic comedy.
Jan 31 // 7 p.m. // Arntzen 100 // Free
Global Spice World Music Series Jan 31 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC Concert Hall // $10
This new concert series blends Western and non-Western musical styles in a modern mix. Read the article on page 5 for a profile on this week’s performer.
Pre-trip meeting for OC rafting and eagle watching excursion Feb 1 // 4:30- 5:30 p.m. // Outdoor Center // $55
Top Ten: Jan 30 - Feb 5
Feb 2-11 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC - DUG Theater // $7-11 for students
Last Comic Standing
Feb 2 // 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. // VU MPR // $2 for students, $4 general (see Box Office for tickets)
Come enjoy the hilarity at the 9th annual Last Comic Standing competition. The audience decides the winner!
Karate Church concert
Feb 3 // 8 p.m. 12 a.m. // 519 E Maple St. // Free, $5 suggested donation
Four high-energy bands will rock the night away in Bellingham’s infamous and newly refurbished “Academy of Elf Defense.”
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Coast Modern EP Coast Modern KUGS is the Associated Students’ student-run radio station. Listen online at kugs.org. If you’re interested in getting on the waves, pick up a volunteer application in the station’s office on the seventh floor of the VU.
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Wednesday Night Concert Series at the Underground Coffeehouse: Cumulus with John Van Deusen BY JOSH HUGHES “I write catchy, sad songs,” says Alexandra Niedzialkowski of indie rock outfit Cumulus, who have garnered some acclaim through both fans and critics in the first half of the 2010s. She’s not exactly wrong; the opening line to “Hey Love,” off her 2013 album It Never Meant To Be Like This, goes like this: “Said you were so lonely, I'll make you less lonely, come and get un-lonely with me.” Even her love tunes come off as a little melancholic, but what would the intrigue be in a love song without some tension? Cumulus will be playing with John Van Deusen (formerly of The Lonely Forest) this coming week at the UGCH for the newest installment of their weekly concert series. They’ll mark one of the bigger names that the series has been able to pull in this school year; they rack up 355 monthly followers on Spotify even after not having released a record in four years, though Niedzialkowski promises that another record is on the way. Hailing from Seattle, Cumulus also have some ties to infamous Western boy band Odesza (I mean, “electronic duo,” my apologies), and were featured on their 2012 record Summer’s Gone. Stylistically, however, Cumulus falls much more on the early 2000’s indie rock spectrum. There are touches of Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley, Dum Dum Girls, and Best Coast scattered throughout her music, and her songwriting shows off a rare blend of delicate, subdued songwriting with big hooks and giant choruses. “Wanderlust,” the centerpiece of It Never Meant To Be Like This, combines droning synth pads with an
intense vocal performance that contemporary artists like Maggie Rogers and Mothers have been drawing from in their recent output. Other songs, like the sparse ukulele closer “Night Swimming” bring to mind dozens of YouTube videos of “acoustic indie covers,” but in a universe where all of the parts that make up those videos somehow add up to something beautiful and harrowing. Niedzialkowski’s voice is certainly the most noticeable part of Cumulus, but with more digging, her indie band has plenty of layers to unpack, both musically and lyrically. Opening for Cumulus is John Van Deusen, former frontman of The Lonely Forest, a notable band from Anacortes, WA, that broke out beyond the PNW scene in their heyday. While Van Deusen has not yet released any solo music, he plans to do so in the coming year, and his live set may include old Lonely Forest songs as well as newer, original songs. Looking like a wickedly young Jake Gyllenhaal, Van Deusen’s voice sits alongside Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull as a quivering force amidst shaking guitars and intricate math rock. The Lonely Forest’s most well known song, “Turn Off This Song and Go Outside” showcases Van Deusen’s capabilities as both a singer and a songwriter, so seeing a stripped down live set will give his voice even more room to take shape as a central component. The show will start at 7 p.m. in the Underground Coffeehouse, so bring your body (and most importantly your ears) for a mellow night of good tunes.
ABOVE: Freshman Ana Ramirez speaks in support of Bellingham becoming a sanctuary city at the City Council meeting on Monday, January 23.
Students publicly support sanctuary city proposal at council meeting Story and photo by Erasmus Baxter The Bellingham City Council Chambers were packed on Monday, January 23, as the council took public comment on a proposal to declare Bellingham a sanctuary city. Sanctuary cities are those that ban local law enforcement or city agencies from inquiring about immigration status or cooperating with federal immigration officials. The crowd assembled at the meeting was overwhelmingly in support of the proposal with many carrying signs, and wearing blue in support of the Blue Group, a group of undocumented Western students and their allies who have championed the sanctuary city proposal. Speakers emphasized the need and moral imperative to take action to protect undocumented community members from deportation under the current presidential administration. Western freshman Ana Ramirez, a member of Blue Group, spoke about the fear of growing up in a community where deportations occur. She said that fear of her parents being deported haunted her, and made attending Western and focusing on academics difficult. President Trump has vowed to
deport at least 3 million undocumented residents. He has also threatened to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that many rely on to attend school, gain legal documents and find employment. The only person to speak against the proposal invoked President Trump’s threat to deny federal funding to sanctuary cities, and claimed that undocumented immigrants would bring crime to Bellingham. Speakers following her pointed out that using federal grant dollars to coerce cities has been ruled illegal, and that sanctuary cities have been shown to have a lower crime rate than other cities. Each speaker was allotted three minutes to make their case to the council and the assembled crowd. The public comment time was scheduled to take a total of 15 minutes, but the council continued to hear speakers for 45 minutes. At the meeting, the council announced that they had formed a work group with the mayor’s office to work on creating an ordinance. The work group is expected to finish its work in early February.
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Prominent Guzheng musician Shirley Wang performs on campus BY JULIA BERKMAN
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his month, the Global Spice World Music Series is continuing their tradition of hosting talented artists in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Shirley Wang, the foremost Guzheng player in Seattle, will be treating Western to renditions on the unique instrument. Tickets are $10. Wang’s instrument of choice, the Guzheng, is the father instrument of the Japanese koto, the Korean gayageum and the Vietnamese đàn tranh. The Guzheng is thought by many to be the quintessential centerpiece of Chinese music. The instrument is harp-like in nature and features a wavering and melodic sound very specific to its genre. Wang honed her prodigious ability
under professional Guzheng players, Professors Wang Zhou and Zhan Zhou. She was then admitted to the China Conservatory of Music, where she continued to refine her Guzheng skills. Upon finishing her time at the China Conservatory (while also earning a degree in International Relations), Wang began to teach music at the British School of Beijing. There, she wrote textbooks in English on the study and technique of the Guzheng. Throughout her life, Wang has focused on bringing Chinese culture to life in other countries. She considers herself and her music to be ambassadors of the arts of China. Wang has taught in schools and giv-
en guest lectures at venues around the world, including Princeton University. Her lecture at Princeton earned her the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2014. Wang has an impressive number of degrees and certifications, including a Master’s in Fine Arts from Seattle University and an Arts Management degree from the Chinese Academy of Music. She has taught annually at the Zhan Wang National Guzheng summer camp, where she was awarded 2008 National Outstanding Teacher of Guzheng. The Global Spice Music Series has hosted many talented international artists since its inception. These artists include One World Dance and Drum from Guinea, West Africa; Saturday
Night Live percussionist Valerie Naranjo has also graced the stage of the PAC. Naranjo and her partner, Barry Olsen, have played with latinx icons Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony and more. This event, along with all previous Global Spice World Music Series concerts, was organized by Professor of Percussion Patrick Roulet, who started the series at Western. The concert series “explores the fusion of world music with contemporary, classical, jazz and popular music styles.” Shirley Wang will be playing the Guzheng for your listening pleasure on January 31. You can buy tickets over the phone or in person at the PAC.
AS Films presents: “Moana”
Are you a fan of “Hamilton” and/or “The Little Mermaid” and/or Polynesian dancing? Disney’s newest animated feature,“Moana,” might be the movie for you.
BY JOSH HUGHES
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his Tuesday, January 31, in Arntzen 100, AS Films is putting on a screening of the recent Disney film Moana a full month before its home release. Starting at 7 p.m., the event will be free and any and all students are welcome to attend. Moana is the most recent in Disney’s longstanding lineage of heroine coming-of-age stories. Think Tangled and Frozen, go back further and think Snow White and Beauty & The Beast, and there’s a clear, set-in-stone formula that’s been revised and revisited for nearly a century. Additionally, Moana directors Ron Clements and John Musker have previously done Disney heavyweights like The Little Mermaid and The Princess & The Frog, so it only adds up that Moana would follow suit as a story about a young female protagonist “finding her way in the world.” That is exactly what this film is, although it’s much less a lifeless rehash than it is a well-sculpted and robust draft of this story that will continue to be examined over the years. Moana stars 16-year-old Auli’i Cravalho as our titular heroine, who naturally starts the film in the
sheltered space of her birth village, an island led by her father Chief Tui. Yet, Moana is unique because the ocean chose her to receive and re-gift a stone heart that was stolen from the goddess Te Fiti. Hence, Moana’s special powers appear in her interactions with the ocean. In fact, she essentially becomes a part of it. This kicks off the plot of the film, where, after a series of difficulties and setbacks, Moana sets sail to find the demigod, Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), who originally stole the stone and proceed to journey to give back the heart to its rightful owner. Without delving further into the plot, at this point the viewer can understand that the next hour and a half will entail a series of emotional ups and downs, musical numbers and lavish animation. It’s a successfully tested formula, drawing from bildungsroman novels of past, but it works to Moana’s favor in the way that Disney curates a conscious, respectful and ultimately empowering film about girl-power and individualism. Where Disney once faulted in these tales by introducing a (usually white) male love interest, Moana
only relies on the tropes that elevated animated movies of the past and disregards the motifs that detracted from those films. After all, it is a movie about girl power, and Moana’s journey to self realization and empowerment doesn’t need anyone, especially a man, to aid it. Beyond its fulfilling role as a coming of age story, Moana also shines for its appropriate and respectful use of Polynesian culture, which plays a central role to the film’s story and music. There are traditional dances throughout the musical numbers, and the songs, written by Hamilton star and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, incorporate Polynesian drumming and rhythms. These lyrics are sung in a combination of English, Samoan and the Tokelauan language. As far as animation, the film remains dazzling throughout its entire runtime, putting focus on the elegant landscapes and ocean scenes, elevating Disney’s recent work to an entirely new level. A good-hearted and clever film for viewers of any age, Moana will be showing in Arntzen 100 this coming Tuesday for free, so don’t miss out on the chance to see it before it’s released to video!
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The Serbo-Bulgarian War has never been funnier!
College of Fine and Performing Arts presents George Bernard Shaw’s “Arms and the Man” STORY BY MORGAN ANNABLE
“I’ve no ammunition. What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead.” This line, spoken by Captain Bluntschli, highlights one of the main themes of “Arms and the Man”: the absurdity of war. The College of Fine and Performing Arts will be putting on their rendition of this comedic George Bernard Shaw classic, opening on February 2 and running for two weekends. The play is directed by Evan Mueller, a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, who also directed last year’s well-loved production of “As You
Like It.” Mueller is joined by a stellar cast led by Lauren Brigolin as Raina Petkoff, an idealist, and Ben Briggs as Captain Bluntschli, a realist. Also gracing the stage are Justin Jijina as Major Sergius Saranoff, Kyle Stella as Major Paul Petkoff, Linnaea Groh as Catherine Petkoff, Olivia Sterne as Louka, Aaron Ussery as Nicola and Siara Woods-Lindholm as a Russian officer. “Arms and the Man” takes on war, love, authority, class struggle and honesty, all wrapped in Shaw’s typical cleverness. George Orwell stated that this was “the wittiest play [Shaw] ever wrote.” Judge for yourself the next two weekends in the DUG Theatre (PAC 199).
Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review
The Outdoor Center offers students everything needed to get out and get active Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review
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A Single Frame Feb. 1 | 6 p.m. | WWU | MH 138 | Free While on a trip to Dubrovnik in 2007, Jeff Bowden encounters a photograph of a refugee boy taken during the war in Kosovo. Driven by this haunting image, Bowden sets out to find the child. His journey takes him from Texas to Paris, and ultimately to the post-war culture of the Balkans, where he combines forces with an experienced wartime fixer. Documentary, 2015, 74 minutes. REEL WORLD FILM SERIES | INTERNATIONAL.WWU.EDU/REELWORLD/ Reel World Film Series is brought to you by Western’s Institute for Global Engagement. Films are free and open to the public. Western Washington University is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodations contact IGE at 650-7544.
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Downtown Treasures
The Whatcom Museum and the Bellingham Library BY ERASMUS BAXTER
Visit the Whatcom Museum at 121 Prospect St. (Old City Hall, left) and 250 Flora St. (Lightcatcher Building, below). Photos by Morgan Annable // AS Review
Whatcom Museum and Lightcatcher Building With its red tower and Kremlin-esque design, the old Bellingham City Hall is a local landmark. The interior features great wood paneling, cool oil paintings of Bellingham’s past and labels that tell you what each of the rooms used to be. The first two floors are currently open, but the third floor will open this spring. However, architecture isn’t the only point of interest about this building. It houses the Whatcom Museum and its collection of local historical photos and artifacts. For only eight dollars, students can get admission to both the museum’s collection at the old City Hall and at the nearby Lightcatcher building. The museum first opened in 1941. Currently they are showing a number of historical local photos. The introductory room has cool historical artifacts from the old police department and early city as well a video following the history of Bellingham through the ages. Other exhibits show photos of Bellingham’s parks, from the early 1900’s to the 1960’s, and color photos of downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven, shot by local photographers. It is interesting to see how
Bellingham has changed and grown through the years. One can really get a feel for what downtown Bellingham used to be like. The upper floor has an exhibit on the Maritime history of Bellingham featuring model boats and photos. There are also historical tours of the building available. The Lightcatcher building is only a block away and included in the price of admission to the museum. The lower galleries were closed when I was there due to clean up from an art auction, but the upper floor featured an amazing exhibit of photos from New Orleans 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. The stark black and white photos of decay and neglect were heart wrenching and yet beautiful. The exhibit will be open through May 14. On February 4, an exhibit of Chicanx art will open. The rest of the Lightcatcher and courtyard are very nice architecturally, and you can go on the roof deck for a view of the old City Hall. Not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon. As an added bonus, both buildings are kept nice and warm.
Bellingham Public Library - Central Branch Another under-appreciated resource, only a block from the museum, is the downtown Bellingham Public Library. On a recent Sunday afternoon, it had a decent number of people taking advantage of its resources, but was not crowded. I was able to register for a library card, which is free to anyone who lives, works or goes to school in Bellingham, in less than 5 minutes. In addition to books, they also have a good collection of movies and CDs. I found the new Gucci album among others in the CD section. The downstairs also has free books for the taking. You can take advantage of their com-
puters, quiet places to work and collection of local resources without a library card, but if you get one you can reserve books to pick up and return at the library on campus. They also have a lot of cool research resources that are accessible online with a library card. The library also hosts a wide array of events, including various kinds of club meetings, author readings and poetry nights. Overall, the Central Branch of the Bellingham Public Library is worth a visit.
Note from the Editors: The following is a poem submitted by a reader of the AS Review. To submit your own writing, photography or art, email as.review@wwu.edu. We appreciate your submissions.
“Perhaps” BY THOMAS A. MIDDLANE
It was Hell. From elementary to my tenth year always looking over my shoulder Mocked, Jeered, Yelled At, Slapped, Brought Down But I came into my own Western became my escape, THE haven of learning and understanding. Four years later, Hell followed, more terrible, more furious. Constantly aware of my surroundings, not comfortable anywhere Watching my words and movements; Silencing opinions and beliefs Fearful if anyone discovers who I am Harassed for not being Western’s mainstream Told my race excludes me Told my gender excludes me Told my sexuality excludes me Told I am the cause of all the world’s injustices Fighters for Justice, I love you and I hate you! I want you to succeed and I want you to fail! I admire you and I disdain you! You are my friends, but you frighten me! I hate myself for how I feel about you! Furious with myself for wanting your failure! Disgusted by my indecision, fear, anger! I know I have privileges available to me that few have And I torment myself most of all for my privileges. Perhaps, I deserve punishment for actions of my ancestors Perhaps Hell is where I belong Perhaps.
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Karate Church concert will rock the block
BY JOSH HUGHES
On Friday, February 3, the Karate Church is hosting one of the more stuffed house shows of the quarter, featuring The Naims, Franky Vampire, ShiverTwins and The Forgotten 45’s. Starting at 8 p.m. and going strong until midnight, the event is free, with a suggested donation is $5. Stretching well above the pastel houses that line High and Garden Streets, the “Academy of Elf Defense” Karate Church is the most easily recognizable house show venue in Bellingham. The organizers host everything from basement punk shows to larger events like the one this Friday. Located at 519 E Maple Street, the converted church (which recently underwent some restorations) now hosts concerts and functions as a space for art, complete with a small alternative library. The first artist of the evening is The Naims, a threepiece lo-fi rock band from Bellingham. Set to perform at 8 p.m., The Naims, which consists of Sam Chue and brothers Caleb and Eli Savage, play grunge-indebted guitar rock that resembles a lovechild between Dinosaur Jr. and fairly mellow Nirvana. Their only release thus far is the excellent EP Quick Demos, which came out in early 2016 and features three songs that provide a good understanding of the band’s overall sound. Chue’s vocals range from a Cobain-esque snarl to an alt-country whisper, and his guitar playing fuels the overall instrumentation. Songs like “Ohio Cop,” which sprawls for six minutes, start out as quiet, almost folksy songs, but build up into slow burning, bluesy jams that feed off of the tight rhythm section of bass and drums. The next band listed for the night is SHIVERTWINS, a quartet originally from Juneau, Alaska and now based in Seattle that writes summery guitar rock. Consisting of Eric Mountcastle, James Rosales, Zac Watt and Lance Fohrenkam, SHIVERTWINS don’t let the bleak, snowy winters of Alaska seep into their music very much. Instead, they take cues from jangly pop artists like Real Estate and Wavves, but add some meat to their instrumentation along the way. While their 2016 EP 19 Again sounds like peppy garage rock, the direction of their recent music takes away much of the feedback and replaces it with reverb. “Rearrange,” the single that sparked that directional shift, features clean, low vocals over a tom-heavy backbeat and melodic guitars that resemble something that you could call “beach goth” (nods
Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review
to The Growlers, who, somehow have sparked an entirely new level of sub-genre). There’s a pervading danceability to their music, both new and old, that lends itself well to energetic live shows, so they make a good choice to follow up The Naims. Third on the roster is The Forgotten 45’s, who continue the evening-long trend of summery, bright guitar rock. Hailing from Enumclaw, WA, the four piece band consists of Nolan McSheridan, Michael Rossi, David Gies and Cosmo Mailhot. Taking influences from a seemingly endless bucket of fairly popular rock bands of the last 30 years, The Forgotten 45’s pose themselves as a band unequivocally interested in pure music over aesthetic or stylistic trends (their covers album contains both “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and “Ice Ice Baby”, so that speaks for itself). Having released an album back in 2015, alongside their full covers album, The Forgotten 45’s self describe themselves as “Providers of fine rock, since the womb.” They are a band “on a mission to connect with their audience,” according to their Facebook page. “Connection that is deep rooted, meaning that when one listens to their songs it resonates within and stays with them for the long haul.” Lively songs like “Pink Azaleas” strut along like a Shins
song if James Mercer went through a big Weezer phase. The band continually uses harmonies and backing vocals in their songs, and it adds another touch of animation to their already energized sound. Last of the evening is Frankie Vampire, a fourth and final guitar rock band from Bellingham that actually has the least amount of content online. Instead of releasing music, they spend much of their time playing around in Bellingham at various house venues and getting already sweaty people even sweatier. A four piece band consisting of Reidar Johnson, Colin White, Calvin Gurtler and Makyah Howling Wolf, Frankie Vampire (who recently changed their name from Freddie Empire for copyright reasons) play psychedelic, grungy rock that recalls Cage The Elephant’s Melophobia days. With some muted, jazzy chords giving a skeletal blueprint, songs like “16 Weeks” and “Sand Sand Sand” groove into oblivion with phased out guitars and strutting bass interlacing and taking turns in the spotlight. There’s an overall sense of swagger in their vocals, pushing into Modest Mouse territory, but sounding entirely original in its own right. As a live band, they get people moving quickly at a rate that sometimes ends up in a slew of people consensually hitting each other (one might call this a moshpit if so inclined). 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. this coming Friday is undoubtedly the best time this week to hear an array of rock bands hitting different instruments in harmonious unison, so don’t miss out on the Karate Church show!
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Western through the ages: 1968 (Part Three) BY ERASMUS BAXTER
Vietnam Protests Dick Gregory, a black comedian and civil rights activist, spoke to a crowd of 1,500 students on campus. Despite being on day 44 of a 47-day hunger strike protesting the Vietnam War he still gave a rousing speech. He told students if they stopped smoking cigarettes or getting haircuts till the war ended the barbers and the tobacco industry would ensure the war would be ended immediately. Twenty-four students were summoned before a disciplinary committee for participating in a sit-in in the Eden’s Hall basement. The basement, where visiting military recruiters were conducting interviews, was originally occupied by 75 students, but their numbers fluctuated. Six students stayed and fasted for all three nights. Several letters were issued with the occupier’s demands. The first letter asked for the removal of military recruiters from campus. The second letter asked for more student input to help make Western work as a tool for improving humanity. The third asked for Western to work to prevent the root causes of the Vietnam war. The sit in began from a teach-in outside the building where a person dressed in an faux army uniform seized the uniform and claimed they had captured another student who was acting to as a member of the Viet Cong. Saying that they were going to execute the student acting as a member of the Viet Cong, they led them into the Eden’s Hall basement. Unfortunately for the protestors, the Marines saw double the usual number of interviewees due to the publicity. Racial Strife While the local chapter of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was declaring the importance of Black Power on campus, the White community was showing it still had some ways to go. In a display of whitesplaining akin to Rob Schneider trying to explain Martin Luther King’s philosophy to John Lewis, a bunch (the editorial page literally had to be extended just to include all their letters) of self-proclaimed “white liberals” responded in force to the Black Student Union’s editorial calling them out. What is surprising is how strikingly similar their comments are to those one might see in the comments section of news article about Black Lives Matter rally. People who claim to be sympathetic to the struggle for equal rights but are upset that it’s not catering to them, invocations of MLK quotes out of context, general self-serving interpretations of his philosophy, calls for respect and equality that really mean “Don’t make me uncomfortable” and the old stand-by, “You need us.” Two white liberals were so offended that they paid to take out ads in the paper to respond. One, another self-proclaimed ally and white liberal, had no problem addressing black people as “boy” and with racial slurs. All of this really just proved the Black Student Union’s point. The Western Front staff suffered a major lack of judgment and certainly tarnished the reputation of journalists by publishing an ad that used racial slurs to refer to fellow students. In conclusion, here’s a definition of White Fragility by academic Robin DiAngelo who has studied the issue extensively (and recently spoke at Western!):
“White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation.” In Lighter News The debate team wrote a letter to the editor complaining about their lack of coverage compared to the sports teams. Speaking of which, do we even still have a debate team? (We do.) There was a “Daisy Daze bed race” which I hope was a race involving specialized beds being launched down High Street. Anything else would be underwhelming. An assistant professor of sociology, freshly returned from Latin America, placed a bearskin rug on his floor and claimed to have infiltrated every group “of interest” in the city he studied, including underground communist organizations. His photo featured him smoking a pipe and longing for the days of Empire. Remember when you had to be 21 years old to vote? Rough days. Fortunately, that’s been rectified, now on to the drinking age! Also, Campus Christian Ministries was a co-sponsor of a voter registration drive. WYA civilly engaged Christian Ministries on Western’s campus. The early rumblings of a parking fee began to emerge. However, as was noted at the time, those who live furthest from campus and must commute by car are those least likely to be able to afford housing near campus. Not super fair. At least in 1968 they were told the money was going towards expanding parking capacity! All excerpts are from copies of the Western Front available through the Western Library Website.
Red Square has always been a popular place for students to gather. Photo by Jaden Moon // AS Review
So the honeymoon’s over:
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What to do when you hate your roommate
BY ALEXANDRIA BAKER One of the core experiences of college is sharing a space with a roommate at some point. For many, this begins in the dorms, with two roommates sharing a single room. In other cases, half a dozen people might share a house off campus. Whatever your living situation, most people are usually just excited to have a space to call their own. Moving into a new apartment with new roommates is the start of a fresh chapter in your life. Maybe you’re looking forward to late nights partying with your friends or early mornings making pancakes, or maybe you’ll just be glad if they respect your space and don’t pry. Any way you slice it, living with roommates can be one of the best parts of college. Until one day you want to make lunch, and can’t find a single clean plate in your kitchen because your roommate hasn’t done the dishes in two weeks. Or you’re trying to get some well-deserved rest and wake up to your roommate’s booming laughter as they joke around with their significant other. Or maybe you wish they would stop eating your leftovers in the fridge. When it comes to living arrangements, disputes with roommates can easily become one of the biggest stressors in your life. Here are some tips to try and work things out before you reach the boiling point:
Dealing with messy roommates:
Disagreements about cleaning preferences is one of the most common issues between roommates. Usually, one person is tidier than the other, and feels disrespected by the messes left behind by their roommate. Meanwhile, the messy roommate may start to feel nagged or attacked by their more organized roommate. An easy first step is to talk about the issue. Ideally, some sort of chore wheel or other equitable system should be established before you move in together. That way, when disputes occur, you can both refer back to the previously set standard. Pinterest has lots of ideas for such devices. However, sometimes a chore wheel isn’t enough to get things done. If this is the case, try to be as honest and polite as possible when discussing the issue. If you’re trying to get your roommate to clean up after themself more, don’t be accusatory in the conversation. Keep it casual if you can, and try not to take it personally if your roommate didn’t realize their mess was
upsetting you. On the flip side, if you feel that your roommate is constantly attacking you over relatively small things, try to be agreeable in finding a compromise. Suggest a certain spot in your common area where you can leave personal items with no guilt. If it’s an issue of doing chores on time, try to block out a specific day or time in your schedule to be committed to completing household tasks. If you live on campus and continue to have problems, go to your RA. RAs are a great unbiased source to get mediation for your issues.
Working with opposing schedules:
Everyone is busy in college. Some people are early risers, getting up before the sunrise to hit the gym and get to class at 8 a.m. Others love sleeping in, working late and hanging out with friends until the wee hours of the morning. If you and your roommate are on opposite sides of the spectrum, these opposing schedules can create a lot of tension. No matter what, college students need and deserve a good night’s sleep. If you’re constantly being woken up by your roommate coming in late at night, slamming the door behind them and turning on lights, it’s understandable that you would be grumpy about it. The key here (as with most things) is compromise. You can’t expect your roommate to give up their nightlife just so you can sleep. However, asking them to try and be conscious of the fact that you are sleeping and not to slam the door is completely within your rights. Additionally, you can’t expect them to stumble around in your pitch black apartment every night. They may need to turn on some lights for a few minutes while they get ready for bed. Acknowledging these needs will make your roommate more agreeable when you ask them not to use the glaring overhead light, and instead to use the soft desk lamp when they come in. On the other side of this issue, if you are an early riser, and your roommate sleeps till noon every day, they probably don’t appreciate it when you blast your music in the shower or slam things around in the kitchen while you make breakfast. Being cognizant of these needs will make it easier for all parties involved to make minor adjustments to improve each other’s lives. If you share a dorm room, this issue becomes more pressing, as it’s hard to adjust in such a small space. Talk openly about your preferences, and try not to be
too defensive or accusatory. Sleeping masks and earplugs may become the best tools in this situation.
Finding balance with their friends:
When you first met your roommate, you might have been ecstatic that they were such a social butterfly. You loved hanging out with them, and enjoyed their friends, too. But as the quarter wore on, and your workload increased, you might have grown tired of the constant stream of people in and out of your space. This can be a tricky one to deal with, since your roommate has a right to a social life and it’s their space as much as it is yours. In case you still haven’t seen the pattern yet, the best thing to do here is compromise. Acknowledge your roommate’s need for social interaction, and have an honest conversation with them. Make it known that you may need a little more quiet time than you’re currently getting with so many people around. Work with your roommate to find times when you’re either not in the house, or you don’t mind having people around. Then, set regular quiet hours or a curfew of sorts. Ask to have guests leave by 10 or 11 p.m., so you can get ready for bed in peace. Your roommate could be totally agreeable to this, but have problems actually getting their guests to leave. If this is the case, don’t be afraid to casually mention to said guests that you’ll be getting ready for bed soon. Brush your teeth, walk through the hang-out area in your PJs. Most visitors will be receptive to these signals, and will realize it’s time for lights out. If that still doesn’t work, ask the visitors when they plan to leave. It may be blunt, but it can help to clear things up about when you need some quiet time. Living with roommates can be stressful, but if you find someone who respects your living preferences, it can be one of the best parts of college. As long as you’re willing to compromise and keep open lines of communication, most roommate problems can be solved with an honest conversation. If worst comes to worst, remember that rooming situations are largely temporary and that it is possible to move out of a bad situation. Give them as much notice as possible, but don’t be afraid to put yourself first. And remember, as bad as things may seem, most people have at least one bad college roommate experience. Given a little time and distance, it’ll make a great story one day.
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ABOVE: Local band Kuvoza plays in the Underground Coffeehouse at the weekly Wednesday Night Concert series on January 25. These concerts are hosted by AS Underground Coffeehouse Coordinator Sean Murdock. This Wednesday, visitors to the coffeehouse can enjoy the dreamy sounds of Cumulus and John Van Deusen. And don’t forget to grab a lavender london fog and a slice of pie to accompany the musical treats! Read all about this week’s music on page 4, and stay tuned each week as The AS Review’s own Josh Hughes previews the concerts. Photo by Jaden Moon // AS Review LEFT: Thanks to the temperate weather, Western tends to stay green year round. Despite the short days and the winter weather, Bellingham offers plenty of opportunities to get outside all year round. For the adventurous folks out there, try one of the Associated Students Outdoor Center’s many excursions. Rafting, skiing and hiking abound. Visit Viking Union 150 to chat with the staff and get involved. Are you a bit hesitant but want to get some fresh air and much-needed vitamin D? Bundle up and take a stroll through one of our city’s many beautiful municipal parks. For sunsets, Boulevard Park in Fairhaven is exquisite. For a more forested experience, try Galbraith or Lake Padden. Been there, done that, need new ideas? Visit the Outdoor Center or Fairhaven Runners and Walkers and ask the talented and friendly staff for recommendations. With so many gorgeous views, you need never be bored! Photo by Janna Bodnar // AS Review