Inside this issue: Former Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum speaks at Western. PAGE 5 Find out what life was like at Western in 1994. PAGE 10 AS Productions put on a hip-hop show that rocked campus. PAGE 8
VOL. 32 #7 10.31.16
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Raz Simone performs at the ASP hip-hop show on October 23. Cover 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 © 2016. 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 Activist Sabina 4 Neem visits campus Neem lectured on various strategies for building community on campus.
Dr. Michael Berenbaum 5 spoke about the Holocaust The former Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum gave Western a history lesson.
8 AS Productions put on a hip-hop show. Five major hip-hop artists put on a five-hour concert for Western students.
Reel World Film
8 Series: Quilombo This film follows a colony of escaped slaves in 17th century Brazil.
9
Veterans’ Day Ceremony will honor service members On Nov 8, the AS Veteran’s Outreach Center will put on this event.
10 Western Through the Ages: 1994
What was life like for Western students in the mid-90s?
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 Chris Beswetherick Photographers Jonathan Pendleton Jaden Moon Janna Bodnar Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers
LEFT: The Ethnic Student Center wants to remind everyone that culture is not a costume and cultural appropriation is harmful. Please be respectful when dressing up for Halloween. RIGHT: Community Empowerment Network (CEN) is hosting a trivia fundraiser on November 9. The organizers suggest coming in a group, as it will be a team event.
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EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Low and Slow: Mouth a Grape Oct 31-Nov 18 // 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. // VU Gallery // Free Visit the VU Gallery and don’t be afraid to take your time with this exhibit.
Celebracion del Dia de los Muertos Nov 1 // 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. // WCC Syre Auditorium // Free This celebration will be put on by Whatcom Community College’s Latino Leadership Club, Western’s MEChA, the Latinx Student Union, Blue Group, and Filipino
class? Make your way to the Underground and let the Stand-Up Comedy Klub (SUCK) entertain you.
Film Showing: Political Animals
Nov 3 // 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. // AH 100 // Free Come enjoy the screening of this six-episode miniseries that details the struggles experienced by one family as they work against their political adversaries.
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest
American Student Association.
Nov 5 // 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. // Honey Moon // Free
Global Spice World Music Series
Spend the day learning how to craft found poetry in a workshop, and listen to a lecture on the importance of writing collaboratively.
Nov 2 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC 155 // see PAC Box Office A new concert series highlighting music that blends Western and non-Western musical styles.
Author Maria Doria Russell Discusses “The Sparrow” Nov 2 // 7 p.m. // Fairhaven Auditorium // Free This award-winning author will discuss her book “The Sparrow” as part of a Fair-
Seeds of Change Nov 5-6 // 2 p.m. Sat, 7:30 p.m. Sun // Mount Baker Theater// $10 for students Come enjoy this play about three elderly sisters trying to keep their soup kitchen open despite being threatened by a health inspector.
The Locals Pro Sale
haven seminar.
Nov 5-6 // 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. // Aslan Brewing Company // Free
Comedy Open Mic Night
Take advantage of some incredible discounts at this pre-season sale for ski and snowbaording equipment.
Nov 3 // 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. //Underground Coffeehouse // Free Need something to take your mind off
Top Ten: Oct 31-Nov 6 1
Manatee Commune Manatee Commune
2
A Moon Shaped Pool Radiohead
3
Good Luck and Do Your Best Gold Panda
4
Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not Dinosaur Jr.
5
IV BadBadNotGood
6
Schmilco Wilco
7
Heads Up Warpaint
8
The Divine Feminine Mac Miller
9
Shriek (Deluxe Edition) Wye Oak
10
Certainty Sloucher 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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LEFT: Sabina Neem speaks out about how to build an inclusive community on campus for students of all identities, especially students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Neem wants students to feel comfortable being invested in the activities at Western. Photo by Jaden Moon // AS Review
Social activist Sabina Neem presents strategies for community building BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK
T
he Counseling Center, partnered with several of Western’s organizations, invited Sabina Neem to lecture on and learn about the LGBTQ+ climate on campus. Her lecture took place in Arntzen Hall on Wednesday October 20, and related information about her experiences and learnings in the queer movement. Neem helped inform students about how to form a community out of the different identities on campus. The scholar spent a few days on campus meeting with students and finding information with them that helped shape her lecture. The lecture was made possible with support from the Queer Resource Center, the Counseling Center and Men’s Resilience. All organizations are striving for social equality throughout Western, and this event works toward that goal. They invited Neem as someone to help them unite and teach the school. Neem, who attended Barnard College for her undergraduate degree, was involved with the Bionic club, a club for bisexual identified students at the college, and shared her experiences and her struggles with creating an involved campus. Neem said her club consisted of only five people. No one else on campus felt involved with the club, and hardly anyone attended their events. “Sometimes you must work really hard on one event, [instead of ] focusing on a lot of little events,” Neem said. Students, she said, cannot be too involved within the campus. One method Neem included would unite the campus through discussion about queer and trans communities. Not enough students are involving them-
selves, and by understanding other identities, it would create an easier union, despite such great differences. Neem assures these struggles are too complicated to not be discussed. “There is no such thing as a single issue struggle,” Neem said, “as we do not lead single issues lives.” Then, Neem discussed the inequalities among gender and sexual identities. According to Neem, those who feel marginalized by a majority can develop fear of them, and consequently rage at those in the majority. Following marginalized groups, Neem referenced white males. She had the audience consider the idea of working hard meaning good results. Neem says many white men are raised believing that, therefore when it does not result as true at any point in life, they become lost. Neem says this can result in anger and attacks against those they deem socially “below.” Interestingly, Neem said anger is not always a bad thing as it is information instead of violence. Anger will inform someone of what they think of it, and it is much more acceptable to learn from those emotions instead of violence. Then, to teach the audience of acceptance, she introduced the idea of asking for what you need, and offering what you can. This concept is in terms of providing and learning information from someone regarding their sexual orientation or gender identity. Neem wants people to share more with each other in order to create a space where everyone is comfortable.
More information about services for students: Counseling Center The first step in utilizing the Counseling Center is to have a 30 minute assessment in which a counselor helps determine the best course of action for each individual. To schedule an initial appointment, call (360) 650-3164. Men’s Resiliency Despite the name, this campus organization is not just for men. As their website states, “This isn’t about men versus women... It is our view that historically defined, rigid identities hold everyone back.” Contact WWU Men’s Resiliency at mens.resiliency@wwu. edu. Queer Resource Center The QRC is a program run through the Associated Students and located in VU 515. The staff works to plan events, build community, and provide resources for students of all identities.
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Former Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum speaks at Western Dr. Michael Berenbaum discusses the history of the Holocaust, for the opening of the Ray Wolpow Institute. BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK
A
t perhaps one of the most scholarly lectures hosted at Western, Dr. Michael Berenbaum, the former head director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and academy award winner, visited Western to discuss the history of the Holocaust. Western President Sabah Randhawa attended this lecture, and he introduced the speaker and the organizations involved. Before this school year began, Western created the Ray Wolpow Institute for Study of Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, directed by German professor Sandra Alfers. The institute, using this as their inauguration, had Dr. Berenbaum deliver the inaugural speech. The institute received its name from a former professor, Ray Wolpow, and will teach about holocaust education and genocide. These topics are paramount in the institute, and are studied to prevent them from reoccurring. In fact, Dr. Berenbaum, who taught at the United States Naval Academy at West Point, was appointed to teach some holocaust and genocide courses for this reason. He said that unit is what all first-years begin learning at the Naval Academy. The education is vital, and Western has now adopted this study. Berenbaum divided his lecture into three themes: the history of the Holocaust, its implications and the importance of Holocaust education. There are six words, according to Berenbaum, that are essential to Holocaust studies: definition, deportation, expropriation, concentration, death camps and mobile killing units. When going through the history of the holocaust, Berenbaum clearly related and transitioned all information, while also highlighting those six words. Adolf Hitler had a multi-faceted agenda that included not only genocide, but rather goals that much of Germany wanted. Hitler sought to unite Germany and progress the country. Hitler consolidated his power over time; first by being elected, but then by more dictatorial means. Berenbaum said Hitler made it more difficult for the members of the German government to vote. Hitler would intimidate and find ways to prevent certain members from voting, which resulted in the Nazi party becoming the only legally practiced political party. All other parties were outlawed. Now wielding this power, Hitler began defining Jews. Berenbaum emphasized this theme from the Holocaust as Jews were defined by certain guidelines. If someone has Jewish grandparents, they would then be considered Jewish by the Nazis. Bloodlines, therefore, determined who was Jewish.
Berenbaum then brought up a clash of state and church. Both institutions were defining people in terms of religion. The church could have defined someone as a Christian, but if they had Jewish grandparents, the Nazis would consider them Jewish. Berenbaum claims these definitions were the first step toward destruction. During their reign, Nazis expropriated the Jews by running them out, killing, and expanding their territory. However, by Germany expanding, more and more Jews technically came under German jurisdiction. The growth also created a refugee crisis, as countries would not accept them into their land. Berenbaum referenced the concept of “push-and-pull.” Specifically in the case of Jews, they were pushed out from Germany by the Nazi party, and then pulled to various other countries for their positive traits. The German “push” was killing Jews or forcing them to depart. However, Germany also began concentrating Jews together in ghettos, and then began the mass murder of Jews in 1941 with their mobile killing units and death camps. Killing eventually became too difficult for the Germans to endure, which led to an increased consumption of alcohol, and finally the psychological effect took its toll on the Nazis. The death camps were the solution for German stress, as the camps did not require many Nazis to murder--rather they used the gas chambers to eventually reach a total of 1.4 million murdered Jews. Berenbaum said only 44 Germans killed those 1.4 million. Even after liberating the Jews from the death camps, the Holocaust continued to affect them. The horrific living conditions in the death camps malnourished and weakened them. These serious health impacts caused the death of 13,000 more Jewish people more than a month after securing their freedom. The resulting deaths made survivors question how they could move on and continue their own lives. “How does society rebuild?” Berenbaum asked. This lecture is one of the most prestigious Western has hosted, and the Ray Wolpow Institute will teach moral codes, the history of the Holocaust and how to prevent it from happening ever again.
“These topics are paramount to the institute, and are studied to keep them from reoccurring.”
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5 hip-hop artists take VU MPR by storm Turn to page 8 to read all about the hip-hop show.
ABOVE: Mostafa takes to the stage first with Landon Wordswell DJ-ing. BELOW: Sam Lachow invites audience participation during his set.
LEFT: Landon Wordswell not only performed his own set, he also was the DJ for Mostafa. RIGHT: Raz Simone joins the crowd of excited students.
Photos by Jon Pendleton // AS Review LEFT: Raz Simone, the final performer of the night, wows the crowd. BELOW: Sango’s set provides a brief interlude of calm. Or at least, slightly calmer.
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“I’m in the best mood ever tonight, geez, holy-moly,” Sam Lachow proclaimed, before breaking into a fast-paced set of eclectic rap. Read the rest of the story on page 8. Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review
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AS Productions hip-hop show a fist-pumping success A review by Josh Hughes
It was 6:30 p.m. and the line outside the Viking Union Multipurpose Room was shockingly long. Kids decked out in Sam Lachow tank tops and backwards snapbacks talked to their dates and their friends as everyone slowly paraded in the building. Inside the lobby hung a poster for the show, putting equal emphasis on all five performers, merely listing them in order of appearance. Past the entryway, students frantically ran between the merch table, the restrooms, and the increasingly crowded pit by the stage. With half an hour left before Bellingham’s own Mostafa took the stage, the crowd started getting their energy up for the five hour long concert. Mostafa came on stage with a relaxed sense of bravado, instantly magnetizing the crowd to his presence. With a female singer alongside him, the Egyptian-born rapper delivered an articulate set of lyrical mazes, backed by minimal, vaguely old school beats. The next artist on the roster, Landon Wordswell, DJ-ed for Mostafa, cutting back on the beats occasionally for him to a cappella rap his constantly shifting flow. The vocalist took front and center every now and then, delivering haunting choruses somewhere between Sia and Dido with her “dum-de-dum” melodies. Mixed fairly well, the sound quality made most of the vocals quite articulate and audible, something fairly rare in average hip hop shows. The focus was on delivery and performance much more than hype, though by this point in the night the crowd started getting their energy level up. Next up was Landon Wordswell, who swapped out his DJ spot with Mostafa to take the mic. Hailing from Eugene, Oregon but drawing influences from New York hip-hop, Wordswell balanced Mostafa’s lower register with a higher, nasally
voice. Opening his set with a beatless verse, he immediately amped the intensity of the crowd with a spitfire combination of hard-edged rhythms and the vocabulary of a literature major. Taking some cues from the equally lyrical Denzel Curry, Wordswell made his way into the crowd at one point, rapping around the increasingly energized mass of students. Having just released his debut album “Prayer & Whiskey,” he tried some new tracks out on the crowd, dripping sweat down his beard before leaving the stage on a high note. Producer Sango came on stage next after a brief DJ set that kept the energy going from Wordswell’s set. A girl in the front row danced proudly with coconut water in hand, and the crowd grew tighter and pushier in anticipation for Sam Lachow and Raz Simone. Sango took the stage quietly, repping a Seattle SuperSonics hat and silently preparing his production setup. A combination of the muted trap and dancehall that has pervaded the corners of pop music over the last few years filled up Sango’s set, eloquently mixing from song to song without any awkward cuts. Remixing Drake, Future, Watch The Throne, and Partynextdoor along the way, Sango gave the crowd a much needed breather before the bigger-name acts of the night. After an hour-long set, he slowed down the last track to give way to Sam Lachow’s DJ Wilson Luxuriou$, who got the crowd in a state of frenzy unlike anything before it. After everyone tested their waning vocal cords over remixes of “Trap Queen,” “m.A.A.d. city,” and “Ms. Jackson,” Sam Lachow rushed on stage for what nearly everyone in the crowd was looking forward to all night. The Seattle rapper has made a name for himself over the last few years, getting attention over his “80 Bars” videos on YouTube and co-headlining sold out shows across the country.
By this point the crowd had condensed to nearly uncomfortable levels as the audience gave their all to fist bump Lachow, or at least get as close as possible to him. Coming on stage with singer and frequent collaborator Ariana DeBoo and an excellent violin player, Lachow instantaneously came off as the charismatic figurehead of Northwest rap that he is. “I’m in the best mood ever tonight, geez, holy-moly,” he proclaimed before breaking into a fast-paced set of eclectic rap. Over beats that encompassed everything from acoustic guitar to stereotypical 808s, Lachow flexed his lyrical and vocal skills for a solid hour, offering the crowd plenty of call and response opportunities in the choruses. The violin exponentially added to the overall vibe, with haunting flourishes complementing Lachow’s soft spoken yet confident delivery. At one point students took lighters out for an especially slow jam, only to be shut down immediately by security. All in all, Sam Lachow rapped fast and for a very long time, and everybody in the room was enthralled with it. Finally, out came Raz Simone, the star of Seattle’s own Black Umbrella records and last performer of the night. Originally coming on stage in a camouflage hoodie with the hood on, Simone eventually eased into his open, charming persona with a set of melodic and energetic tracks. His muted presence slowly opened up as the last hour of the concert went on, diving from one song into the next and alternating between rapping and rap/singing. While part of the crowd had dissipated after Sam Lachow, the remaining pit gave it their all until Simone left the stage around 11 p.m, giving his gratitude to the crowd. Students quickly made their way to the exit, filling campus with a crowd of exhausted rap enthusiasts with ringing ears.
Reel World film series promotes discussion, shows “Quilombo” BY ERASMUS BAXTER
On November 2, at 6 p.m. the Reel World film series will be showing “Quilombo,” a Portuguese language film about a community of escaped slaves in 17th century Brazil. The screening will be in Miller Hall 138. Vicki Hamblin is the executive director of the Institute for Global Engagement, which sponsors the film series. “It actually goes back to a 17th century historical event,” she said. “Some slaves decided to break away from their masters and to form a nation where they made their own rules. And that lasted for a little while before the Portuguese military came upon them and put an end to that rather violently.” Produced in 1986 by a Brazilian director, the movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the highest prize the festival offered. The film will be introduced by Jared Hardesty, an assistant professor in the history department. Afterwards he will lead a discussion about the movie. Hamblin said that the Reel World Film Series is meant to integrate with classes that are being taught.
“We also knew that faculty like to use films in classes, but couldn’t always afford to bring them to campus just for a class,” she said. “So we decided we would ask faculty what films they wanted to use, we would get rights to showing the film or buying the film, and then we would screen it for them and they could lead the discussions and invite students and the whole community to the film for free.” The film series is in its third year, according to Hamblin. “We wanted to bring more international presence to campus,” she said. “[We] decided that bringing films from around the world, or films that talked about the US, or films that dealt with issues we’re all concerned about would be one way to do that.” The series shows a movie on the first Wednesday of every month of the academic year, for a total of nine movies a year. They show both documentaries and feature movies, as well as the occasional concert, Hamblin said. “We’ve had films about being transgender on a Navajo reservation, we’ve had films about decommissioning nuclear plants
in Europe, just about all kinds of different topics,” she said. “And our goal of course is to just to bring films to campus that students might not ordinarily see because it’s not Hollywood.” She also said that the discussion is an important part of the screening, and that the content of each discussion depends upon the faculty member who leads it. “We’re not doing these just to entertain, we really want to provoke discussion about topics and places that people might not know much about,” she said. “If it’s a faculty member from art they’re going to see the film from one perspective. If it’s from history, if it’s from Huxley, they’re going to use the film differently. So every discussion is a little different.” At the end of November they will be showing “Solar Mamas” about women in India who are starting solar power businesses. In spring, they are partnering with Western Reads to show one of their films at the Pickford film forum in downtown Bellingham. “It’s really fun just to see these things, and to have some context for seeing it,” Hamblin said.
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Veterans’ Day ceremony will honor those who have served BY ERASMUS BAXTER
Election Day 2016 will offer a chance to recognize another group of people who have made a commitment to our country, a commitment that goes beyond running for office. From 12 to 1 p.m. on November 8, the AS Veterans’ Outreach Center will be hosting a Veterans’ Day ceremony in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room. The ceremony will be followed by an hour long reception with free food. The event is being co-sponsored by the President’s office and will feature President Randhawa as a speaker. Other speakers will include Daniel Liddicoet, a student and current member of the United States Air Force Reserves, and Amber Cheremsak, president of Western’s Stars and Stripes club. Stars and Stripes “aims to provide the community with the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the US Military”, according to their club description on Facebook. Liddicoet and Cheremsak will talk about their experiences as dependents of veterans. Liddicoet will also talk about how he gives back to the community while serving in the reserves, according to Dominick Cordero, veteran commu- ABOVE: Someone lays flowers at a memorial for veterans. Photo cournity coordinator at the outreach center. tesy of Anne Lowe // publicdomainpictures.net Cordero says he most excited to see the color guard present the flag. “I haven’t seen one in such a long time,” he said. “I’m an army brat so I grew up with that stuff.” d The ceremony will also feature Western’s a capella group performing the national anthem, and a moment of silence to acknowledge that university stands on Coast Salish land. “I’m curious how that will go over with the older crowd,” Cordero said. He pointed out that a number of indigenous people have served in the armed forces. The Veterans’ Outreach Center is also open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It offers help navigating VA benefits, a library with books related to the armed forces, and connections to community resources, including help with resume building and access to physical and mental health services. They also host a meeting for vets on campus, called Drop Zone, every other Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Old Main 365.
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“Pleasure,” a Level 1 Productions film, to be shown at PAC BY JOSH HUGHES On Friday, November 4 at 6:30 p.m., the Performing Arts Center will be showing the new ski film “Pleasure” by Level 1 Productions. In PAC 155, attendees should expect an exhilarating hour of up and coming skiers from around the world in their element, exploring and skiing everywhere from British Columbia to India to Japan. Directed by Josh Berman, Freedle Coty, and Johnny Durst, “Pleasure” showcases the artistry and athleticism of world class freestyle skiers while also feeling down to earth and intimate. Shots of athletes shredding around playgrounds and down intimidating mountains are dispersed with clips of them joking around, missing jumps, and talking about “party lights.” Level 1’s description of the film proclaims: “It’s also propped up with no ego; just having fun and skiing with your friends”. The vaguely sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek narration by Helen Moore-Gillon also adds to the charm of the film, as she makes witty remarks and gives deceptively wise words on the exhilaration of skiing. The central theme to the film is indeed “pleasure,” or the brief moments that the athletes live for each day when they get to hit the slopes or complete a run that no one has accomplished before. For a lighthearted sports film, it’s impressive watching the magnitude of both completed and failed runs, showcasing the unending determination that these skiers need to have to reach their goals and improve their skills. For each successfully completed course or run, there’s an addi-
tional four or five shots of the same course failed over and over again; scenes with stairwells and a particularly incredible run involving a water pipe go at lengths to express the patience and physical endurance these skiers possess. That said, the editing and structure of “Pleasure” makes the film a thoroughly enticing slice of ski culture. Chopped up into thematically related segments, the movie follows some fifteen different Level 1 skiers throughout a full array as to what limits the concept of skiing itself can push. There’s everything from building ramps over bunny slopes in India to backcountry skiing in British Columbia, as well as nearly everything in between. The pure imagery throughout is breathtaking, and the overall vibe of the film is consistent through all of the different cinematographers. Each scene is impossible to take your eyes off of, and the result is borderline hypnotic. The narration gives way to montage snippets with buoyant music in the background, but nothing in the film comes off as overplayed or boring. Each and every scene focuses on something different to wow the viewer, so you don’t leave feeling as though you’ve watched someone hitting the same slope fifty times. While the film is out and available through Level 1’s website, iTunes, or Amazon, don’t miss out on the chance to see “Pleasure” on a theater screen here at the PAC; it’s a film very much meant to be enjoyed in as a grandiose an environment as possible.
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Western through the ages: Clothing, sustainability and “fast fashion” BY JULIA BERKMAN 1994 A column by Erasmus Baxter If 2016 has taught us anything, it is the violations of human rights, it rarely affects
The mid-90s at Western were a different time. A grande drip coffee from Starbucks cost only 99 cents, Western faculty had their own bar at the Canada House next to campus, and skateboarding on campus was strictly forbidden. For the first of a new column, the AS Review researched some interesting things that happened in 1994. All reports were originally published by the Western Front and are available to be viewed in Western’s library.
included a professor, and were snatched from classes as well as in the middle of red square. In a move that some called bribery, and others called expanding the democratic process, the AS offered coupons for free coffee to those who voted in the elections. Despite this, the AS president only won his position by around 30 votes.
Crime and Punishment In January, the Front ran an editorial Technology by a writer named Justin complaining 1994 was the year that Western that the AS Bookstore was selling heart implemented a hi-tech, new way to shaped handcuffs called “Love Cuffs” register for classes: phone registration. for valentine’s day. In response a reader Students could call in the system during wrote back to ask, “Have you ever been their time slot and register for classes tied up Justin? I thought not.” using the keypad. Before that, students In February, four students were arhad to show up to register for classes in rested by university police for drawing person. on the walls of the underpass leading to Another portion of the university Fairhaven college with a “fun pack” of embracing telephony was the admischalk. They were interrogated by police sions office. In an effort to promote at the station and faced charges. As a diversity on campus they held a “Ethnic result the Front ran an editorial calling Minority Phon-A-Thon” to call admit- for the freedom of the “Fun Pack Four”. ted students of color and welcome them In May, someone replaced the CD to Western. played by the Miller Hall bell tower Phones weren’t the only new technol- with rock CDs instead, causing campus ogy: an intruder sneaking into the grad to be blasted with the sounds of “Monschool office in Old Main was thought ster Mash” instead of the usual peel of to be an employee coming in after bells. However, the person in charge of hours to play computer games on their belltower was not particularly upset. work computer. “It’s spring,” he told the Front. In April, an Easter church service on Politics campus was interrupted by a person In February, it was discovered that wearing only what was described as a contractors building the new Biology “demon mask”, with “pagan” written on Building and renovating Edens Hall their leg. The person who reported the were using lumber harvested from a incident to the paper finished by saying, contested old-growth rain forest in “a group of us are praying for you and Canada leading to shock and outrage. would like to talk to you.” Later that month, the Amnesty In May, campus police found a bullet International club on campus staged 11 wrapped in a note threatening people mock kidnappings on campus to raise of color and gay people on campus. In awareness of kidnappings of dissidents a departure from how such an incident in Central America. They wore masks would be handled today, no further and toted fake guns. The “victims” mention was made of the incident.
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importance of being critical. The criticism of our inherent values and habits is necessary sometimes. The more we see and hear about newsworthy hypocrites and liars, the more it makes me want to look inwards at my own fallacies. Something that doesn’t sit well with me is the clothes I buy. Where do they come from? How long will they last? How much are the people who make them paid? Our problem arises in a way commonly referred to as cognitive dissonance: the state of holding two opposing views. We know that the clothes we are putting on our backs are made with cheap or free labor. Yet, our own status and comfort in this society relies heavily on the way we look. In fact, according to a study published at Ohio State University, Americans look negatively upon those who take the time and effort to shop ethically. The common citizen understands where their clothes are from, but doesn’t have the energy to change their habits. In a habit akin to vegan-shaming, we know those who shop ethically are doing the right thing, and we kind of hate them for that. To understand this dissonance better, I spoke to two Western students about the clothes they were wearing. Elle, sporting a bright blue outfit, and Brigit, in all black from stores such as H&M, gave me their thoughts on the clothing industry. “I enjoy cheap clothing because I can’t afford expensive stuff,” Elle said. Brigit was wearing clothes from stores dubbed ‘fast fashion.’ “I know H&M has treated their employees poorly, but the clothes are cheap and the kind of clothes I want, so I’m very conflicted about whether I should shop there or not,” she said. The human rights violations in the clothing industry are widely publicized. Cheap and on trend clothing companies such as Forever 21 and H&M have tried to improve conditions for their workers with varying success. The fact of the matter is, in order for us to be able to purchase cheap clothes that fit the current trends, the rights of others are sacrificed. When companies come under fire for
sales. One exception to this rule was Nike. They found that making the same shoes in the United States would raise the price by $100. Instead, they outsourced to Korea and Taiwan, where workers in the factories were treated so horribly that by 1997 people began to notice. News outlets slandered Nike, producing infographics of the amount the factory workers were paid compared to the athletes who wore Nike sneakers. Nike was forced to come up with new standards and regulations to be put into place in their factories, although whether those regulations have been upheld is unknown. If all companies were criticized for their factory conditions, perhaps the standards overall could change for the clothing industry. Abolishing these factories would be a double-edged sword. The workers of the factories would lose their jobs and the price of clothing would increase dramatically. Most humanitarians suggest supporting coalitions that focus on the safety of workers, acting like a United Nations of outsourced clothing companies; they hold each other to a higher standard. One such alliance, based in Bangladesh, is working to create safer work environments after the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013, which killed 1,129 people. So how can you keep your clothes and your morals? Consider a few options. Thrift stores are both sustainable and cheap, but don’t work for everyone. We can’t all find clothes that fit us and our personal style well. When you want to get rid of your clothes, donate them! Fast fashion companies are producing clothes at an overwhelming rate, and the amount of fabric thrown out piles up, creating an environmental problem. Reusing or recycling your old clothes can help the environment and your wallet. Lastly, stay critical. If there is a company whose human rights violations go above and beyond the norm, boycott it. Share articles about it. Let them know that, like Nike, their practices are inexcusable. As consumers, we have more power in this world than most companies would like you to know.
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ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Ariana Flournoy rocks a scarf from Kohl’s, a skirt from Plato’s Closet and shoes from Wet Seal. Sadie McKinney bought her jacket and shoes from Forever 21 and the rest of her clothes at thrift stores. Chellce King shows off her ensemble, which includes a scarf from Value Village, pants from Forever 21 and shoes that were a gift. BELOW, FROM LEFT: Sydney Stewart struts her stuff in a hat from Fair Trade and a sweater from Free People. Hannah Wong’s socks were hand knitted by her mom, and the rest of her outfit is thrifted. Sky Waters wears leggings and boots from DSW and tops from Pacsun. Madelynn got her dress from a thrift shop and jacket from Old Navy Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review
12 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
The Filipino-American Student Association hosts their 22nd annual Heritage Dinner.
ABOVE: Filipino student group Sayaw sa Western performing Subli. TOP RIGHT: Sayaw sa Western also dances Maglalatik. RIGHT: FASA President Mia Amaranto performing a song for the crowd. Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review LEFT: Compass 2 Campus mentors lead fifth graders on tours around campus, showing off the multitude of opportunities offered on a college campus, including Western’s Digital Media Center. The newest addition to the Learning Commons, the DMC includes a television studio with a green screen, cameras, lighting controls and cyclorama wall. Workshops will begin in winter quarter. Photos by Jaden Moon // AS Review