Issue 20 by The Collegian

Ne w s p a p e r o f Wa l l a Wa l l a U n i v e r s i t y

Collegian The

Volume 102 | Issue 20

Spring Has Sprung: Media & Tech pg. 4

April 5, 2018

“The power of Christ compels you to become a lizard.” - Kyra GreyEyes, Creative Director for The Collegian, when she misheard “sin” as “skin” at 2:03 a.m.

REGARDING THE BLACKFACE INCIDENT AT WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY

Last Things First college place, wa | walla walla university

| April 2018 Issue 20

Rock ‘n’ Roll By Meghann Heinrich Nothing makes me feel more alive than using public transportation, and let me tell you, I was feeling very alive during spring break. Big buses, minibuses, trains, trolleys, taxis and ferries—it was not for the faint of heart. For those of you who didn’t catch the worldwide trending movement #heckintrekkinHK18, I’ll clue you in. This kid and three of her buds hit up Hong Kong, and it was a boogie good time. The trip marked the ultimate conclusion to the ongoing saga of the Delta flight vouchers acquired by my sister and me over Christmas break. Avid readers will know exactly what I am talking about; the vast majority of you will not.1 On Thursday, March 22, our group of intrepid travelers sallied forth to PDX, infinity and beyond.

Hey Thanks! “Hey thanks post-springbreak-50-degree-weather for reminding us who the Californians are.” “Hey thanks daily announcement email for making me think I am a little bit popular at around 11:00 a.m. every morning.” “Hey thanks bookstore for giving me a reason to treat myself to consolation Blue Palm after spending $300 on books.”

I’ve always lived a pretty rock ’n’ roll lifestyle—ask Kevin Cummings and he’ll say, “Oh yeah, that kid lives a pretty rock ’n’ roll lifestyle,” and Kevin wouldn’t lie (I can’t stress this enough). Still don’t believe me? Okay, well I didn’t want to do this here—I was actually in the middle of a pretty good story—but I can’t just let you go on believing I am not living a rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. I’m not proud of it, but in high school I tried to dread my hair. Three times. You happy? Unfortunately, it didn’t take; it just looked like a rat had taken up residency atop my head. I did little-to-no research on dreading techniques and because of my rock ’n’ roll tendencies I quickly became disenchanted with the whole business and moved on to other rock ’n’ roll stuff like baking muffins for my friends every Monday and bringing back

shoulder pads. Now that we have that all cleared up, I will just say that the rock ’n’ roll spirit was in rare form during the Hong Kong trip. Everywhere we went, everything we did, all day every day was rock ’n’ roll. We mastered the art of hailing minibuses and missing our stops in no time at all. I held a chatty parrot and saw more Teslas and McLarens than you would expect on casual days; all this and only once did our group get separated. As I waved at my sister growing smaller and smaller through the rear window of a bus that was rapidly whisking us away while she stood alone at the bus stop, I remember thinking, “There are two types of people in Hong Kong: the quick, and the ones left behind at bus stops.”2 Our last day in Hong Kong was

Verbatim

spent at one of the most well known rock ’n’ roll places on earth. That’s right, you guessed it: Disneyland. What a time to be alive. The maximum wait time for the rides was 20 minutes, and the live shows were positively inspiring. We were living our best rock ’n’ roll lives. During the parade, Bert and Mary Poppins were within high-fiving distance, and the former threw me a wink, which, as you can imagine, was pretty rock ’n’ roll. As we watched the last glimmer of the final light show die down and the mass of people head to the trains and exit the park, I remember feeling the normal internal sadness that comes when a really good thing has to end. Then I stopped because that thinking was not rock ’n’ roll. I started to think that maybe I didn’t completely understand the concept, but then I

looked down and caught a glimpse of my drama club fanny pack, and I knew: that was rock ’n’ roll, baby.

1 A really fabulous long story shorter: we were bumped from our flight home for the holidays and received $1,100 in flight vouchers a piece. We are now self-declared Delta promoters and still waiting on the official sponsorship, which should be coming in any day now. 2 Major Disclaimer: my sister is very savvy, and the bus incident was anything but her fault. This is just one of thousands of funny thoughts that pop into my brain, and she understands that I am obligated to share it with you all because this is, in fact, supposed to be a chuckle-worthy column.

Research I did a research project about sleep deprivation in college students.

Student: Overalls or cover-alls? Professor Joel Libby: Cover most. “That’s pretty dramatic.”

How’d that go?

- Professor Jody Washburn, talking about using a stick to pull down a projector screen “I joke about boarding academies being Calvinist, you should have seen Sittner in 1969.” - Professor Terry Gottschall “I just left a plume in the bathroom.” - Professor Kirt Onthank

Email your faculty verbatim or thank yous to meghann.heinrich@wallawalla.edu to be featured!

I didn’t sleep.

page

April 2018 Issue 20 | walla walla university | college place, wa

Editor-in-Chief Daniella Silva

Twitter

Assistant Editor Kate Beckner

@aswwucollegian

Instagram @aswwucollegian Facebook

@aswwucollegian

Creative Director Kyra GreyEyes Life Editor Angelica Chan

Backpage Editor Meghann Heinrich Head Copy Editor Brielle Tym Cover | Sophie Bailey

Layout Design Sophie Bailey Ashley Henry-Saturne Liam Hirst-Graves Copy Editors Geoffrey Lopes Karli Hart Jocelyn Griffin Office Manager Victoria Ico Distributer Sydney Peck Beau Gerber Advertising Manager Amanda Maizar

Writers Feature Michael Jensen Jake Sloop Cynthia Ochoa Food & Culture Daphne Novak Hannah Thiel Media & Tech Matt Fennell Outdoor Niqolas Ruud Science Forrest Sheperd History Zachary White Religion Peter Flores

The opinions of our writers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Collegian or Walla Walla University.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Daniella Silva Dear Reader, Welcome back to WWU! This week, we had originally planned a fun, belated April Fool’s Day issue. However, in light of the recent blackface social media post, we have decided to dedicate our issue to furthering campus discussion and, hopefully, promoting healing. Above all, as the campus newspaper, we have tried to be as factual as possible in our reporting of the incident and in our representation of the campus response. A couple days ago, a friend told me that joking about blackface, regardless of intent or context, was like patting someone’s sunburned shoulder and expecting them to react as if they were not sunburned. The historical precedent of blackface being used as a symbol to mock and dehumanize black people in America is like a sunburn—touching it stings. Furthermore, ignorance cannot be used as an excuse for posting racist symbols. Understanding the history and symbols of one’s country should be a given, especially in the case of blackface,

which has been a widely reported-on issue at other college campuses in the recent past. To borrow another metaphor, President John McVay said that blackface to African-Americans was comparable to how most Americans would perceive the swastika. Symbols and the history behind them are, in many ways, what shape our reality and should not be treated lightly or without understanding. On the other hand, we must remember that the students responsible are also humans worthy of respect and fair treatment, even if they have made mistakes. If the post was not intended to be racist, then it will make education and reconciliation easier than if the students actually considered themselves superior to black people. I sincerely hope that we as a campus have the maturity and grace to have these conversations and to promote greater sensitivity toward the deep wounds the African-American community has suffered because of the

systematic oppression they have endured for most of America’s existence. On a lighter note, next week will be our annual Whitman swap issue! One of the writers from the Whitman Wire will be submitting the feature for our paper next week, and we will be submitting the feature for their paper. You can read the opinion poll question for next week on page 8. As usual, if you have any questions, comments or article submissions, you can send them to me at aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu. Stay snazzy at the listening sessions on Thursday! Daniella Silva

ASWWU POSITIONS AVAILABLE Job applications are now open for ASWWU department heads.

Mountain Ash Head Financial Vice President Marketing Vice President Tread Shed Manager Web Head ∙ Atlas Manager Collegian Editor-in-Chief Outdoors Director Global Service Director Photo Head ∙ Video Head Apply online at aswwu.com/jobs.

COLLEGIAN WISDOM Florida Woman Gets OK To Keep Rambo, Her Clothes-Wearing, ATV riding Gator Still probably couldn’t have it as a support animal in the dorm.

‘Religious’ burglar blesses himself before throwing brick through store window “Let he that is without sin cast the first stone….”

Pizza Hut is sending ‘dumped and ghosted’ woman free food I’d get ‘dumped and ghosted’ for free Pizza Hut.

SENATE PASSED BILL GL12 — Staff in the Governing Documents

Be on the lookout for an email from your local senator containing more information.

Senate meets Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. in WEC 217

SENATE POSITION A senate position has opened up in District 3, and we are looking for a senator to fill the spot! Make sure to attend the ASWWU Job Fair on Monday for more information!

ASWWU JOBS MARKETING

Panera Bread data breach exposes customer records

Graphic Designer

Now there’s someone out there that knows how often I buy giant cookies.

Media Distributor

Mom deployed Taser on son to wake him up for church, court docs say Everyone knows you can’t be late for Sabbath School.

w a a s m n o p a r a “ # g w I i 1

c w P t b e

c p t p c b t

“

GLOBAL SERVICE Marketing Officer

b r w

college place, wa, walla walla university

| April 2018 Issue 20

page

HISTORY DEHUMANIZING ENTERTAINMENT

The History of Blackface

A Racist Performance and Film Trope Helped to Maintain White Supremacy in the United States entertainment form.”10,11 As the American entertainment industry evolved from stage-centered to cinema-centered media, blackface and the overtly white supremacist themes that accompanied it remained at the core of popular show plots. D. W. Griffith’s 1915 film “Birth of a Nation” was landmark in the history of cinema. It is widely regarded as both the first feature-length motion picture and the first major box-office success.12 “Birth of a Nation” was the first film shown at the White House, and its countless film technique innovations set the stage for the modern film industry.13 It would seem like a film worth celebrating if not for its plot. Opening with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, “Birth of a Nation” portrays the post-Civil War Reconstruction era attempts to establish equality for freed black slaves as a mistake and a failure. The heroes of the film are a group of “sincere” Southern gentlemen who called themselves the Ku Klux Klan. The glamorized white supremacists literally ride off into the sunset on horseback—white hoods and all. While the film does feature black actors, the most prominent black character, Gus, is played by a white man in blackface. In the film, Gus is a sexual predator who is responsible A 1900 promotional poster, featuring a minstrel show performer in and out of blackface. (WIKIMEDIA) for the death of the white damsel-in-distress Flora Camreceptive to sexual advances”) emerged on our campus have been reeling in stand-up comedy.5 eron.14 While deeply controversial and from the minstrel show scene and the past week as national online news In 1848, the black abolitionist widely protested by black communities, eventually found their way into the outlets like RawStory pick up our black- writer and orator Frederick Douglass “Birth of Nation” was a smash hit in the emerging American motion picture and face-esque incident, it appears that described blackface minstrel show US. Many scholars have even given the animation industries.7,8,9 Heinously racWalla Walla University is not alone in performers as “the filthy scum of 3 film credit for the rebirth of Ku Klux ist at its core and profoundly connected grappling with this controversial topic. white society, who have stolen from Klan in 1915 and its booming member to its development in a white supremaWhere does blackface come us a complexion denied to them by expansion in the 1920s.15 cist slave-owning society, the minstrel from? Why does it evoke such pain and nature, in which to make money, and In discussions on our campus, show was considered by many scholars outrage? To answer these questions, pander to the corrupt taste of their many have brought up the fact that to be “the first uniquely American one must first learn the history of white fellow-citizens.”6 During a period By Zachary White Due to recent events that have taken place in the Walla Walla University community, a reflection on the history of blackface seems to be necessary. A quick Google search of the term “blackface” will provide you with a simple definition: blackface is makeup used by a non-black performer to play a black role in film, performance, costume or art.1 Blackface is not necessarily a thing of the past. Just last Friday, an Atlanta charter school issued a public apology for a recent school performance that featured a dozen second-graders on stage reciting a poem while wearing caricatured blackface-style masks.2 While students and administrators

the American minstrel show. While evidence of white actors dressing as black people can be found dating back centuries, the racist practice is often said to have become an “art form” with the 1828 debut performance of Thomas Dartmouth Rice’s song and dance show “Jump Jim Crow.” 4 After Rice, who hailed from New York, gained notoriety with white audiences who enjoyed his mocking and degrading portrayals of enslaved and free black people, an entire blackface industry formed, beginning in the North and working its way across the entire country. Like Vaudeville and Burlesque, minstrel shows were “variety shows” that featured song, dance and both sketch and

in American history in which black people were not allowed performance roles, minstrel shows functioned as a sort of puppet-master tool, in which white Americans could portray the enslaved and disenfranchised black population in whichever way they saw fit to maintain the white supremacist power structure in the US. Deeply derogatory stereotypes of black people like the “coon” (lazy, easily frightened, inarticulate, buffoonish), “Sambo” (also lazy, perpetually childlike), “mammy” (an obese, servile, sexually undesirable housemaid who is incapable of properly raising her own children), “Sapphire” (an angry black woman) and “Jezebel” (a promiscuous woman who is “always

in order for something “to be blackface,” there must be malicious intent behind the action. It is very likely, however, that blackface performers in the 19th century were so deeply racist that they were able to internally justify what they were doing as totally ethical. Whatever these minstrel show performers had in mind, it is clear that they certainly had the intention of scoring a cheap laugh with audiences—a motive that can easily be translated into the 21st-century social media age. Whether those who engage in blackface today are aware of it or not, the use of blackface in any context undeniably harkens back to the cruel and murderous era of racial oppression, during which the minstrel show was born. For 200 years, the imagery or likeness of black makeup on white skin has evoked nothing but pain and dehumanization in the eyes of black Americans. This remains so in the present. For more information in the form of helpful articles and videos on blackface (and its relative, yellowface), see the links below.16,17,18,19 1 https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ blackface 2 https://www.myajc.com/news/local-education/ atlanta-second-graders-blackface-masks-draw-outrage-apology/zHmUEKx5H81hGAZIHLzMxL/ 3 https://www.rawstory.com/2018/03/washington-college-students-face-possible-discipline-blackface-stunt-mocking-black-panther/ 4 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Dartmouth-Rice 5 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ MinstrelShows 6 http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/minstrel/miar03bt.html 7 https://ferris.edu/jimcrow/coon/ 8 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ MinstrelShows 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotypes_of_African_Americans 10 https://www.americanheritage.com/content/ behind-blackface 11 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ MinstrelShows 12 https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/birthof-a-nation-opens 13 http://moviessilently.com/2015/09/07/silent-movie-myth-the-birth-of-a-nation-was-the-first-featureand-the-first-film-shown-at-the-white-house/ 14 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/TheBirthOfANation1915 15 http://time.com/4990253/kkk-white-nationalists-history/ 16 https://www.vox.com/2014/10/29/7089591/ dont-get-whats-wrong-with-blackface-heres-why-itsso-offensive 17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPiIyu3rFOY Kat Blaque: “What is Blackface?” 18 https://www.vox.com/videos/2016/12/1/13802944/ blackface-dutch-christmas 19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB0lrSebyng Vox: “Yellowface is a bad look, Hollywood”

Zachary White is a history major.

RELIGION PLANNING A MOVEMENT

We Must Never Freeze By Peter Flores This article is the third time I’m writing about this subject. Racism. It’s a hydra—it keeps raising its ugly head, and there never really emerges any successful herculean effort to bury the monster. As you may or may not have noticed, it has again raised its head on our campus like it has done in the past. We, as a university, student body and campus as a whole, are alert to the recent Snapchat post that contained apparent blackface with the caption “Wakanda” on it and the hashtag #prettyhurts on the bottom. Before we go pointing fingers and start coming up with our own solutions to this issue, I’d like to suggest a few things to keep in mind. 1. The references in the post itself. Wakanda is a fictional African country in the Marvel Universe and was a major setting in the movie “Black Panther.” This movie is a sense of pride to people of color around the world because of its cultural references and ethnically inclusive cast. “Pretty Hurts” is a song by Beyoncé that highlights some of the issues people have with their own bodies and the misconceptions that society or even parents may impose on people, especially women. This analysis is sparse, but the words of the song speak for themselves. Below is the chorus. “Pretty hurts Shine the light on whatever’s worse Perfection is the disease of a nation Pretty hurts Shine the light on whatever’s worse Tryna fix something But you can’t fix what you can’t see It’s the soul that needs the surgery.” The view of body image portrayed by the song, while not directly tied to race, is still a powerful example of what we need to be sensitive of. A positive

body image is something important for everyone’s well-being. 2. While the picture does include six people, we do not know who posted it or added “Wakanda” and the hashtag #prettyhurts. It is not clear or fair for us to assume that all six supported those specific words. Furthermore, while it is easy for us to point a finger at each of them and call for certain disciplinary actions, we can’t just assume we know the facts. That will be the work of the Conduct Board as they investigate. 3. We have a school that cares and is preparing to address this incident. I was honestly astonished when I received an email from our school’s administration stating all that they had planned for the first week back from spring break. It had been my impression that it would take much longer for the school to respond and that the administration did not care enough to act in such a powerful and courageous way. I am really glad that I don’t even have to stretch the truth when I say that the university administration, in consultation and cooperation with students, is actually doing something that I can be proud of. So far the school has posted three statements in a timely manner explaining some of the situation regarding the post on Snapchat and has planned out a week that has been geared and even altered to educate students on what they can and should do in a racially-sensitive situation. I am including an overview of the diversity education presentations on Thursday. Never in all my years at university, including seven spent at Walla Walla University, have I seen a response so quick and so pointed at the root of the problem: ignorance. At the end of this email it even reminds us to “stay updated,” meaning that there may be more information to come. We are living in a world where we are quick to form conclusions and take offence

without always looking at the facts and seeing the whole picture. The internet and Snapchat are not always places we can rely on for valid information, and yet we all sometimes fall victim to assuming that the condemnation of people is credible and warranted. I am not saying that the people in the post deserve to be condemned or not; what I

is no exclusivity here. Jesus was sent to die for the sins of all. So what are we supposed to do? Get educated! Our school has offered you the opportunity to be involved in the battle against ignorance and racism by giving you time to attend these various diversity presentations. The conversations and dialogue will come, and we

LET’S TALK THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 11:40 AM TO 12:30 PM Hipster Racism — Cheris Current and Emily Tillotson, KRH 107 Race and Racism in Western Thought/History — Greg Dodds and Kellie Bond, FAC Auditorium Film Screening — David Crawford, CSP 154 Responsible Use of Social Media — Jonathan Muriu, RGH 112 Racism and White Christianity — Tim Golden, SMH 100

am saying is that each of them need to be spoken to and educated individually by the appropriate people. To me, the Bible seems clear in its inclusive language. John 3:16 says, “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “Whoever.” I’m going to be pretty succinct in my critical analysis here and say that Jesus meant that everyone deserves to be treated as a saved child of God. This means respect for people of all ethnicities, races, genders, creeds, sexual orientations and so on and so forth. There

need to be prepared to have them. Let me be frank here and say that if you don’t attend these presentations, you are actively adding to the problem. There is no student, black or white or whatever, who can excuse themselves from these presentations and their educational value. In the movie “Black Panther,” a little before T’Challa, the future king of Wakanda, jumps out of the super advanced Wakandan jet, there is a line that gets me everytime I hear it. He is speaking with the leader of the

Wakandan royal guard, General Okoye. In return to General Okoye’s command not to freeze, T’Challa says, “I never freeze.” I love the acting and the implication of the line. He is to remain strong in the face of an uncomfortable situation: meeting his ex. You know what I wish? I wish racism was something I never froze to. I wish I was strong enough to say something every time one of my friends makes an uncomfortable comment. I wish racism was my ex. I am not perfect, and I will not be among those who cast the first stone because I am guilty of prejudice just like every other human alive today. What I want to be in the future as an individual is that same thing I want for everyone else; I don’t want to freeze. I want to be active and vigilant in my life and at my school. I have to start today. If Walla Walla University is important to you, don’t freeze. If you care about the minorities at your school, don’t freeze. If you want to see a change in the world when it comes to racism, don’t freeze. It has been a long and cold winter of racism at many of our Adventist sister schools, and it is time for it to end. Start a movement today in your heart, but remember you can’t do it alone. We can only do it together. There are fires we must ignite within ourselves to thaw the walls of ice around us. We must never freeze. #wemustneverfreeze Use this hashtag this week when posting about the events. Next week I’ll feature posts with the hashtag.

Peter Flores is a theology major.

page

April 2018 Issue 20 | walla walla university | college place, wa

MEDIA/TECH TV, MOVIE, GAMES, PODCASTS

Spring Has Sprung: An Easter Basket Grab Bag By Matt Fennell Happy Spring Quarter! I hope you all had a nice relaxing break full of lots of books, TV, movies, music, games or whatever it is you use to unwind. As we prepare to enter the flaming inferno that is summer in Walla Walla,1 we also prepare to enter the richest time of the year media-wise. In just a few short weeks we’ll have “Westworld” season two, the Han Solo movie, “Deadpool” and “Jurassic Park” sequels, and finally,

OASIS. Fighting against Wade and his friends is the evil IOI Corporation, who seek the easter egg as a means to take over the OASIS and fill it with pop-up ads and microtransactions. It’s hard to call “Ready Player One” unique, as it pulls so much of its material and imagery from existing properties. However, each of the film’s gate challenges—especially the second—are magnificent, memorable, Willy Wonka-styled set pieces. I’ll be

Ready Player One Poster. (ELSEPTIMOARTE) the event of the season: “Infinity War.” Those things are all coming soon, but until then, I’ve still got a lot to cover, so let’s get started! Ready Player One I’m going to just get my feelings about this movie out of the way right up front. I didn’t love “Ready Player One,” but I liked it a whole lot more than I thought I would. For perspective, I’d give it a solid 6/10, which is a higher score than I’d give for “Suicide Squad” (4/10) or “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (2/10), two other movies that I unfortunately paid full ticket price to see. Alright, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about the movie. “Ready Player One” is set in the near future, where a virtual-reality world called the Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation, aka the OASIS, has become a central fixture in the lives of everyone on Earth. The OASIS is so important because, in the future, the Earth is super polluted, extremely overpopulated and almost completely depleted of all natural resources. Super fun stuff. Most of the OASIS’ popularity stems from the fact that it also functions as a pop culture archive, where users can interact with their favorite movies, music, video games and so on in an all-encompassing sandbox setting that provides the ultimate form of escapism. TheOASIS is a world of pure and infinite imagination, and at its core is a treasure hunt set by James Halliday, the Steve Jobs-esque figure who engineered it all. “Ready Player One” follows Wade Watts, who plays in the OASIS as Parzival, as he attempts to track down Halliday’s three hidden keys and beat their corresponding gate challenges, which will unlock the ultimate easter egg: an object that grants the winner total control over the

the first to admit that there are plenty of chunks of the film that feel slow, dozens of spots where the dialogue is clunky and one absolutely cringy sequence where two characters have an extended conversation about the details of Halliday’s “Goldeneye N64” game mode preferences. However, Spielberg is able to elevate an otherwise forgettable nostalgia grab with his trademark magic, turning out a film full of great performances2 and beautiful visuals. Again, this isn’t a perfect film, but it was a good popcorn flick. Go see it on a $5 night, smuggle in some Taco Bell if you can, and I guarantee that you’ll have a good time. Dark “Dark” is a bizarre German Netflix show that is best described as a fusion of “Stranger Things” and “Twin Peaks.” Set in Winden, a small forest town with secretive families, a menacing looking nuclear power plant and a mysterious system of caves, “Dark” revolves around the sudden disappearance of Mikkel Nielsen, son of Ulrich Nielsen, Winden’s lead detective. As Ulrich and the police force search for Mikkel, they discover connections to a recent suicide and to a shockingly similar case from the 80s when Ulrich’s younger brother Mads was abducted. The case and its revelations spiral out into the families of Winden, dredging up old wounds and ripping open new ones, all while the bizarre phenomena3 that plague the town continue to get stranger and stranger. “Dark” is prime binging material; it’s haunting and painful, with emotional performances and an incredible sci-fi mystery at its core. Give the first episode a shot,4 and I’m sure you’ll be hooked. John Mulaney’s Stand-Up Specials Ethan, Ryan and I went on a road trip to Yosemite over the break, so we spent a lot of time listening to indie-folk

albums, dumb podcasts and stand-up comedy. I’ve already covered some items from those first two categories, so this week I’d like to point out “The Top Part,” “New In Town” and “The Comeback Kid,” John Mulaney’s three incredible stand-up offerings. Mulaney, who you probably know from his time at SNL writing for Bill Hader’s Stefon character, sports a very rapid-fire, matter-of-fact storytelling style that focuses mainly on self-deprecating jokes about his life as “a tall child that looks terrible.” Highlights from the three albums include stories about an out-of-control party at a teacher’s house, Mulaney’s attempt to get a Xanax prescription and the time he met President Bill Clinton as a child. “The Top Part” and “New In Town” can be streamed on Spotify or Google Play Music, and “The Comeback Kid” is on Netflix. Mulaney has a new special dropping on Netflix in May, so board the bandwagon with me and enjoy these hilarious hours of comedy. Video Games Really quickly, I’m going to recommend a few video games that I’ve been playing recently. First, “Human: Fall Flat,” which is a bizarre slapstick platformer starring a mushy ragdoll stick figure named Bob who just wants to fly. Gameplay-wise, “Human: Fall Flat” feels like a direct descendant of the original “Tomb Raider” games with really fun jumping mechanics and physics-based puzzles. It’s on sale on Steam at the moment, so give it a shot. Next, “Subsurface Circular,” an impossibly-polished little indie game from Mike Bithell, the guy behind the hilarious and surprisingly touching 2012 title “Thomas Was Alone.” “Subsurface Circular” is a mystery story set in the same universe as “Thomas,” where you’ll take the role of a robot detective on a subway car, questioning other robots as you try to solve a series of robot murders. The whole game is basically a text adventure with branching dialogue trees, but it’s got a few neat twists and is backed up with beautiful graphics, slick UI and some of the most seamless and airtight worldbuilding I’ve ever encountered. “Subsurface Circular” is a tight two-hour experience that’s accessible even if you don’t play video games, so give it a shot. Finally, “The Curse of Monkey Island,” which is my fourth favorite game

John Mulaney Poster. (NETFLIX) of all time.5 Originally released in 1997, this game was out of print for years and years, but it surprise re-released on Steam last week, and, as a result, I’ve started forcing all of my friends to finally play it because not being able to buy it isn’t an excuse any more. “The Curse of Monkey Island” is the story of pirate legend Guybrush Threepwood and his quest to save his fiancée Governor Elaine Marley from a horrible pirate curse that has transformed her into a solid gold statue. “The Curse of Monkey Island” is a beautifully animated, cartoon-styled point-and-click adventure in the vein of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films,6 chock full of

stupid jokes, clever and infuriating puzzles and writing that still shines even twenty years later. I love this game, and you will, too. Please play it. Well, that’s all the space I’ve got this week, and I’m literally falling asleep at my desk writing this wrap-up. I’m not sure what I’ll talk about next week, but I’m thinking about introducing a mini column titled “Infinity Watch” where I’ll rewatch some of my favorite Marvel movies as a lead up to “Infinity War.” Who knows, maybe I’ll write about the worldwide sensation that is “Fortnite.” If you’ve got any questions, comments or concerns, drop me a line at matthew.fennell@wallawalla.edu. Have a good one.

1 Just a heads up, all of a sudden it’ll be 70° when you wake up, and then 100° after your 8 o’clock class. Get ready to sweat. 2 Side note on one of those performances: Ben Mendelsohn, who played the extremely bland bad guy in “Rogue One,” steals the show in “Ready Player One” as Nolan Sorrento, the comically evil head of the IOI corporation who knows nothing about pop culture and has his OASIS password written on a sticky note. 3 Acid rain, dead birds falling from the sky, loud thundering echoes from the cave—you know, your basic mysterious happenings. 4 Please, watch with the German audio and English subtitles. Normally, I’m a dubs guy— because in most cases, they’re just as good—but with “Dark,” the English dub is terrible. The raw, palpable emotion that comes through in the original German performances is just completely lost in the hollow English redubbing. Don’t let the idea of subtitles turn you off of this show; it’s fantastic. 5 Really quick, in case you’re curious: 1: 1080° Avalanche (Gamecube) 2: Portal 2 (PC) 3: Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) 4: The Curse of Monkey Island (PC) 5: VIDEOBALL (Xbox One) 6 Fun fact: at one point, there was going to be a Monkey Island film, but that never ended up happening, so the screenwriter for that film went on to write the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies.

Matt Fennell is a computer engineering major.

Dark Poster. (VTWOOD)

SCIENCE LIFELONG HABITS

The Importance of Health at WWU By Forrest Sheperd College is a time in our lives where growth is rapidly occurring in many different areas—skills and habits are being formed which may become the foundation of the way we live. Although Walla Walla University is a step ahead in some aspects of promoting healthy lifestyle choices among its students, there are still many important areas that receive little to no attention. What is the true importance of healthy choices in college, and how can these choices improve your experience at WWU? The Seventh-day Adventist faith is built on a foundation of health reform by Ellen White. As a result, Adventism emphasizes a lifestyle which treats the body as a temple for Christ. This focus leads many Adventists to practice healthier lifestyles than most Americans.1 The SDA population in Loma Linda, California, was found to live over 10 healthy years longer than

the average U.S. citizen.2 On the other hand, not every Adventist takes to heart the health recommendations of our church’s founders, and the closer an Adventist gets to the average American’s lifestyle, the closer their disease rates and average weight approaches that of the average American.3 College students are not known to be the healthiest subset of people. All-nighters and dorm-delivered pizza are common choices for many students. Although WWU provides a more health-promoting environment than other schools in some aspects—such as a vegetarian cafeteria allowing for more plant-centered options—there remains a lack of health promotion towards the student body. Although sleep quality has been found to account for the largest impact on GPA out of all lifestyle behaviors in college students,4 students at WWU are encouraged to attend late night events,

which may also offer unhealthy foods. Although healthy options are available in our cafeteria, they are usually not in the main line and are not emphasized in a meal. If college is a time when lifelong habits or behavior patterns are formed, then it is extremely important to create an environment where where the healthy choice is the default choice so that students can begin to realize how easy and enjoyable it can be. This way, students can use these healthy habits during college as well as after graduation. After college, the combination of poor nutrition and low physical activity over the next few decades is the number one cause of death and disability in the U.S.5 Thanks to the health message of the founders of our church, WWU promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors in many areas; however, in other areas it creates an environment which pro-

motes unhealthy lifestyle choices such as skimping on sleep or eating junk food. Thankfully, students are taking action to close some of these gaps. Programs such as the ASWWU Fitness Program or events such as Health Week are evidence of a desire among students for a healthier WWU. We must take advantage of these formative years of our lives to develop habits which will not only benefit our academic performance right now but also help us avoid the diseases that claim far too many lives beyond college years. 1 Beeson, W. Lawrence et al. “Chronic Disease among Seventh-Day Adventists, a LowRisk Group. Rationale, Methodology, and Description of the Population.” Cancer, vol. 64, no. 3, 1 Aug. 1989, pp. 570–581. PMC, doi:10.1002/1097-0142(19890801)64:33.0.co;2-4. 2 “The American Blue Zone.” The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, by Dan Buettner, National Geographic Society, 2010. 3 “Adventist Health Studies: An Overview.” Loma

Linda University School of Public Health, Loma Linda University Health, Sept. 2011, publichealth. llu.edu/sites/publichealth.llu.edu/files/docs/sph-ahsoverview.pdf. 4 Trockel, Mickey T. “Health-Related Variables and Academic Performance Among First-Year College Students: Implications for Sleep and Other Behaviors.” Journal of American College Health, vol. 49, no. 3, 2000, pp. 125–131. Taylor and Francis Online, doi:10.1080/07448480009596294. 5 Murray, Christopher J. L. “The State of US Health, 1990-2010.” JAMA, vol. 310, no. 6, 14 Aug. 2013, pp. 591–606. JAMA Network, doi:10.1001/ jama.2013.13805.

Forrest Sheperd is a biology major.

page

Feature college place, wa | walla walla university

| April 2018 Issue 20

Regarding the Blackface Incident at WWU By Michael Jensen and Cynthia Ochoa The Incident Right before spring break, several Walla Walla University students published a group picture of themselves in black charcoal facial masks with the captions “Wakanda” and “#prettyhurts” on a public Snapchat story. The image also included an overlay of Walla Walla University’s geotagged Snapchat logo. The racial associations implied by the caption “Wakanda” took the image into the realm of blackface, a highly offensive practice rooted in a history of racist stereotypes and black oppression. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to read The Collegian’s history article on page 3 explaining the origin of blackface and its deep effect on blacks in America. As the image’s circulation grew (this story has now been picked up by more than half a dozen news sources of various prominence), Walla Walla University students, faculty and the broader community quickly recognized its offensive nature and responded in passionate ways.1 The School’s Response As soon as the image caught the attention of Walla Walla University administrators, they sprang into action. Jonathan Muriu, the university’s student Diversity and Wellness Officer, explained what happened once the Snapchat post was made public: “Immediately, when it came to following protocol, we had a team that was gathered to... do an investigation and talk to the parties that be.” He went on to explain that this particular case is somewhat different from what the school has dealt with in the past. However, there are prescribed protocols for how to deal with different incidents on campus, which the administrative team has been following “to a ‘T’” in this case. As the campus’ Diversity and Wellness Officer, Muriu has been heavily involved in the process and spent much of his spring break working with a team to properly understand and address the issue. Many people feel that a lack of education and awareness about racial issues contribute to offensive behavior like the posting of the blackface Snapchat story. Dr. Pedrito Maynard-Reid, theology professor and Assistant to the President for Diversity, explains this perspective clearly: “Many times many of the people who are white come from homes that are really not knowledgeable about the issues of race and racism and the evil that it is, and the damage and the hurt that it does to people who are on the receiving end.” This is why the university has taken steps

to educate the campus on race-related issues by preparing a special docket of race-related CommUnity sessions slated for 11:40 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 5. Session topics range from “Racism and White Christianity” to “Responsible Use of Social Media” with presenters including faculty from various academic disciplines. University President Dr. John McVay also dedicated his address during Tuesday’s CommUnity to outlining the racist history of blackface and detailing his dream of inclusivity, understanding and reconciliation between all members of the campus family. In line with Dr. McVay’s dream, the school believes that the best possible outcome from this situation would be a strengthening and tightening of the Walla Walla University community as people from all races learn more about each other and form bonds of trust, friendship and understanding. During our conversation, Muriu mentioned that the Inclusivity Committee was already looking for ways to facilitate campus discussion of racial issues before this Snapchat incident ever surfaced. Although the incident itself is unfortunate, it has served as a perfect catalyst for having those conversations. On Monday evening, the school hosted a “listening session” moderated by history professor Dr. Montgomery Buell and Dr. Pedrito Maynard-Reid to start the campus conversation in a measured and meaningful manner. During this well-attended meeting, students and faculty had the opportunity to voice their thoughts, feelings and opinions on the blackface incident, the way it affected them and the way it is being handled by the university. The Students’ Response Through events on campus, social media platforms and conversations among friends, there has been a tremendous student response to the blackface incident. As mentioned above, the listening session on Monday helped students voice their concerns about this issue from various angles, with questions and comments from attendees providing a good picture of the range of thoughts and emotions experienced in the community. Some students present lamented the fact that it apparently took such a public and shameful act before the school was willing to properly address racial issues on campus. Zachary White, a junior, spoke up to say that “unfortunately, doing the right thing with large institutions doesn’t happen without a lot of shaming and public pressure.” One student questioned whether the offending photo should

Response from Jodi Wagner Walla Walla University Vice President for University Relations and Advancement Jodi Wagner offers a personal and professional perspective on this incident and the school’s response: “I attended WWU as a student between 1988 and 1992, and then joined the administrative team in 2008. I am happy to share that WWU largely is a harmonious campus, a point I confirmed with people of even longer tenure than myself, such as Dr. Pedrito Maynard-Reid, Assistant to the President for Diversity. In cases where we’ve had occasional minor incidents, Dr. Maynard-Reid confirmed that these smaller-scale situations generally have been resolved amicably. “Walla Walla University has policies and a well-defined process for addressing issues of misconduct. Our Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (Article III, Section B, Item 8) prohibits intentional discrimination against a person or group of people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation except where such distinction is allowed by law. Our Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedure prohibits disparate and unfair treatment of any individual because of his/her race, color, sex, national origin, age or disability as defined by federal, state or local laws [including] harassment and intimidation. “The university frequently reviews its policies and processes to ensure they are relevant, clearly understood and easy to access. We heard in our listening sessions that students wanted to become more aware of and better understand some of our existing policies, and we will address that in the weeks to come. “Many students hear our four core themes frequently, but our mission philosophy is equally important and is a foundation for our work. That philosophy includes the ‘belief that every person is created in the image of God as a being of inestimable value and worth… akin to those of the Creator.’ We want to create a safe and healthy environment where we can each thrive. As such, we take incidents like this seriously, and do our best to ensure they are reported and thoroughly addressed. “The Walla Walla University administrative team approaches issues of potential misconduct with two key goals: 1) to achieve the fairest outcome we possibly can; and 2) with an eye on the well-being of both the person(s) affected by the reported misconduct, as well as those involved in the misconduct. We endeavor to never lose sight of the fact that we are dealing with real lives and with God’s children. “We take this responsibility very seriously, regardless of the visibility that may be associated with any particular incident.”

even be considered blackface because blackface is rooted in an intent to humiliate and demean, which was not necessarily the intent of the students posting the Snapchat story. Others argued that intent was beside the point, citing an example that if someone accidentally breaks a law such as speeding out of ignorance, they are still breaking the law and are still accountable for their actions. Many others questioned the adequacy of the school’s policy regarding racially-insensitive conduct, to which Vice President for Student Life Doug Tilstra agreed that “the policy dealing with harassment does need sharpening,” and that administrators were looking at how to sharpen it. During the listening session, Meghin Howard, a senior, expressed why this incident was hurtful to her as a black student. She explained that there has recently been an increase in celebration for black people and their ability to finally see themselves portrayed positively in the media. “Particularly, actually specifically when it comes to your skin. So that’s why the actual movie ‘Black Panther’ was such a celebratory moment for a lot of us,” Howard says. “As far as hurt goes, when it came to seeing that whole thing, it was kind of like having that whole celebratory moment being snatched away from you, like it wasn’t your right to enjoy that, by someone taking that to the past when it was a negative thing to put black faces in media.” A junior student, Diana Mignott, also expressed her perspective on why the incident was hurtful to her during Monday’s listening session. She commented that, although the initial situation hurt, what was most hurtful to her was the reaction of other students trying to defend the picture. She expressed that it was hurtful to see people question our school’s efforts to provide education about why the picture was so offensive. “Yes, we are angry about it, but that’s not the point,” Mignott said. Instead, it was the fact that out of however many people were in the picture, not one of them thought to omit the caption that would bring so much offense to others. This is why Mignott feels it’s important to address this issue, so that “people know that isn’t another issue of black people trying to be loud and aggressive, this is us trying to educate people and show them that it’s 2018, and blackface needs to be out of trend. Blackface shouldn’t be something that happens.” Through the rest of the listening meeting, diverse opinions were voiced, and the conversation remained civil and productive throughout the session.

Besides speaking out at the listening session, members of the community and school have also taken to social media platforms such as Twitter to voice their opinions on this incident. Although the general theme of most posts is dismay that this incident happened at all, some have pinned their resentment onto the University as a whole and even Seventh-day Adventism. One example comes from @neosoulchild, who included the original photo in her tweet: Jocelyn @neosoulchild Fine group of Adventist Christians ya got there [smug emoji] @WallaUniversity #blackface #BlackPanther #Wakanda @YesYoureRacist #university #college #racistmemes #snapchat #BlackTwitter #enough #hashtag #WallaWalla –March 26, 2018 Another user responded with a very different sentiment: notaracist @notaracist Y’all actually need to chill out...stop getting offended so easily and have the maturity to look at it in context #people #triggered #alllivesmatter –March 27, 2018 One user expressed a desire to have conversations about racial issues but asked how that was possible without causing offense or “demonizing either race”: Molly Ann Morin @MollyAnnMorin1 Okay so not really sure how to ask this with out offending some due to me being Caucasian, but in wake of the WWU snap chat picture taken, how do we talk about this problem and other race issues without demonizing either race? It’s unfair to accept Racism from any race –April 2, 2018 Why This Matters It is important for our community to understand why this incident matters and why our school has responded as it has. Many members of the afro-community—both on and off Walla Walla University’s campus—were hurt by this incident. And the hurt was not limited to black people—individuals from other races felt outrage as they recognized the picture’s offensive nature. Besides the pain caused by the image, this incident also matters because it shed light on a crucial race issue about which some individuals were uninformed. Luckily, there have been plenty of opportunities offered by Walla Walla University this week to provide education to those unaware of the emotional pain that seeing this image posted on a public social media platform caused students of color. This incident is also impactful because of its potentially negative effect on the public perception of Walla

Walla University, its students and the Adventist religion. As mentioned above, some news sources2 have published articles about this incident, bringing widespread scrutiny to the campus’ policies and climate. For example, an article from News One addresses the character of Walla Walla students, saying that “although they are allegedly taught about the love of Christ, there is clearly hate in their hearts.” 3 Articles such as these have a profound impact on the public image of the school, and that matters significantly to students, alumni and the institution itself. Although there are some significant consequences and discussion resulting from this incident, there is the potential for institutional and personal growth. In the words of University President Dr. John McVay, “Healing takes extended time and dedicated effort; if we wish to heal, if we wish to activate an actualized Christ-created reconciliation; if we wish to impact Walla Walla University’s deep culture, it will take sustained effort, it will take sometimes challenging and difficult education and conversation, it will take a dedication to being in it for the long haul.” Encouragingly, Walla Walla is committed to putting in that sustained effort: “We are determined to address this incident head-on through education, diversity and sensitivity training, conversation and continual prayer. … Beyond this first week [of focused discussion], we will work with diversity and thought leaders to prepare other steps and learning opportunities to enhance our ongoing efforts.” 4

1 Spectrum Magazine: https://spectrummagazine. org/article/2018/03/29/photo-students-blackface-points-walla-walla-universitys-diversity-problem 97Rock: http://97rockonline.com/walla-walla-university-investigating-blackface-incident/ Union Bulletin: http://www.union-bulletin.com/news/ education/walla_walla_university/racism-allegations-at-walla-walla-university-being-met-head-on/article_9329f80a-344a-11e8-9e4b-07144896276b.html My Columbia Basin: http://www.mycolumbiabasin.com/2018/03/28/wwu-continues-investigation-of-blackface-incident/ Sputnik News: https://sputniknews.com/ us/201803301063047892-university-students-blackface-investigation/ Newsone: https://newsone.com/3786373/blackface-black-panther-walla-walla-university/ Yakima Herald (looks to be same as Union Bulletin article): https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/education/racism-allegations-at-walla-walla-university-being-met-head-on/article_238c1b54-0071-5301-87e27bc338da681f.html 2 Ibid. 3 News One, https://newsone.com/3786373/blackface-black-panther-walla-walla-university/

Michael Jensen is a mechanical engineering major. Cynthia Ochoa is a health science major.

Disclaimer from Doug Tilstra Dr. Douglas Tilstra, Walla Walla University’s Vice President for Student Life, explains some of the legal issues limiting the details we can publish regarding the investigative and disciplinary processes that must be followed in addressing this issue: Many may wonder why there is not more available regarding the disciplinary actions of WWU in this situation. That is an understandable question. In response we’ve copied below two questions and answers from Walla Walla University’s website Q & A section titled, “Walla Walla University answers questions about racism and diversity issues on its campuses.” What’s being done with the students involved in this incident? WWU enforces policies and processes related to student conduct, and this incident will be reviewed accordingly. Disciplinary proceedings may be instituted against a student charged with conduct that violates the university’s Student Code of Conduct. Charges are presented to the student in writing, and Student Conduct Board hearings are scheduled and held according to university policy. If the Student Conduct Board determines that a student violated the Student Code of Conduct, sanctions may be imposed. A decision reached by the Student Conduct Board, or sanctions imposed, may be appealed by the student, according to university policies. When will I know what action is taken with the students involved? Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Walla Walla University can’t release information from a student’s education record, which includes disciplinary actions, without written permission from the student or unless those actions meet certain conditions as outlined in the law. FERPA applies to all students, either currently or previously enrolled at WWU, regardless of age, and it restricts the release of information even to the student’s family members. WWU will be able to confirm that our disciplinary process was followed, but the university, by law, can’t release information about disciplinary actions that can be identified with a particular student.

Hipster Racism Cheris Current and Emily Tillotson (KRH 107)

Race and Racism in Western Thought/History Greg Dodds and Kellie Bond (SMH 100)

Film Screening: Black-ish 4:1 “Juneteenth” David Crawford (BLACK BOX THEATER)

Responsible Use of Social Media Jonathan Muriu (RGH 112)

Racism and White Christianity Tim Golden (FAC AUDITORIUM)

page

April 2018 Issue 20 | walla walla university | college place, wa

WEEK IN FORECAST

April 5-11 5

Thursday

“Let’s Talk” sessions (see page 5) Suzi Vitulli Watercolor Exhibit @ Wenaha Gallery, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. National Read a Road Map Day

Friday

Saturday

Suzi Vitulli Watercolor Exhibit @ Wenaha Gallery, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

National Caramel Popcorn Day

National Coffee Cake Day

National Student-Athlete Day

National No Housework Day

National Deep Dish Pizza Day

57 47

64 49

68 52

59 42

CULTURE KICKING IT, SEASIDE

A Weekend at the Beach By Hannah Thiel Welcome back from break! I hope it treated you well. I’m excited for spring quarter—I think it’s the best quarter because the weather’s cleared up so you can do so much more! This week I’m writing about a small trip you could take over a weekend during this quarter. There are quite a few lovely beaches along the Oregon coast, but one of the most popular is Cannon Beach. Its popularity is probably due to the fact that it’s one of the closer beaches to Portland and is also home to the iconic Haystack Rock, a large recognizable rock that’s right on the coast. I think a weekend is a nice length for a trip to Cannon Beach. Obviously longer is ideal, but if all you have is a

weekend, you could do the trip in that amount of time and still relax. If you start early enough in the day, you could drive all the way to the beach, but if you don’t want to drive all 300-some miles in one stretch, a good layover spot would be Portland, especially if you wanted to get a combination city and beach experience. Driving from Portland to Cannon Beach takes about 90 minutes. You have to drive over a mountain pass to get to the beach, so check the weather to make sure you’ll be prepared if there’s snow. Fair warning: Cannon Beach is almost never warm. It’s probably never going to be anything other than cold any time you visit this quarter, so keep that in mind as you pack. I’d recom-

mend lots of layers, a waterproof coat and waterproof boots if you’re planning to walk on the beach in the rain and a good warm hat. There’s plenty to explore on or around the beach, including quite a few tide pools by Haystack Rock. I’d recommend checking the tides and visiting Haystack Rock during low tide. A lot of people visit the tide pools there, so it can get crowded. People aren’t supposed to walk on the rocks, but the tide pools are still relatively barren. There are more tide pools by the rocks on the left side of the beach, if you’re facing out to sea. Since there are not as many people or rangers out there, observe good tide pool etiquette: don’t stand on rocks where things are growing and

don’t disturb the tide pools. Two other beaches you can explore nearby are the Ecola and Indian beaches. Ecola is about a 10-minute drive from Cannon Beach, and Indian Beach is a further drive from Ecola. Both are lovely and might be good options if Cannon Beach is too crowded, or if you just want to see some new views. The drive to Ecola, though short, is through a gorgeous coastal forest. The town of Cannon Beach has opportunities for exploration as well. The library is a nice place to warm up and dry off if the beach is too rainy, with a table for reading right by a cozy fireplace. The town has numerous small shops, boutiques and art galleries that you can wander through. Also—this is

super niche, but—the town has a nursing history museum called Lost Art of Nursing. If you’re a nursing major you should definitely check it out. If you’re hungry, visit Pizza A’Fetta—their pizza seems a bit overpriced, but it is so delicious. There’s also a crêperie in town called Crêpe Neptune which is also a bit overpriced, but I think that you’d be fine as long as you made the crêpes a snack or dessert rather than paying for a whole meal’s worth of crêpes. I could write so much more about all there is to explore in Cannon Beach, but you’ll just have to visit and find some of those places for yourself! Hannah Thiel is an art major.

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, OR. (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Announcement! April 9 – 13 (next week), take a few minutes to tell us what you think about the resources, services, and facilities of your campus library. Student participants will automatically be entered into a random drawing for five prizes, but survey responses will be anonymous. Grand prize is a $100 Amazon gift card. Four additional prizes are available. Results from prior surveys informed creation of the North Cascades study area in Peterson Memorial Library (completed last fall) and retention of the libraries’ print collections. Join the students who completed the survey in 2016 (433) and 2014 (500), by providing your input.

college place, wa, walla walla university

Sunday ASWWU Manhunt @ The Jesus Statue, 7-8:30 p.m. April U-Days Open House @ Fort Walla Walla Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday

Tuesday

April U-Days

Architecture of Internment: The Build Up to Wartime Incarceration exhibit @ WWCC Library, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Architecture of Internment: The Build Up to Wartime Incarceration exhibit @ WWCC Library, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. National Siblings Day

National Empanada Day

| April 2018 Issue 20

page 7

Wednesday

Healthy Eating on a Budget @ SonBridge Community Center, 6-7 p.m. Architecture of Internment: The Build Up to Wartime Incarceration exhibit @ WWCC Library, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

National Cherish an Antique Day National Cheese Fondue Day

National Zoo Lovers Day

National Pet Day

68 50

58 43

57 43

OUTDOORS RUUD REMARKS

#Outside: What Foolish Things We Did for Spring Break By Niqolas Ruud Sadly, our long-sought-after break has passed. So to share our condolences, the grand “we” here at Ruud Remarks are going to take a few moments

to look back at some of the greatest Instagram memories from our time during March 22 through April 1, 2018.

Noah (@noahdauncey) looks like he is very happy to be holding a creature of the great outdoors. This cat looks absolutely ferocious!

Sisi (@sierraddavis) spent some time outside looking at buildings which house an inside. Very cool.

Kalli (@kalli_creitz) spent some time snowshoeing with skis out near Teacup Lake (located in the outdoors); one of my favourite PNW-y spots to sip some afternoon Earl Grey.

This photo features a lot of people outside. Like, a lot of people. Honestly, I should interview some of these people and write a story about what it is like to go on a road trip with so many individuals (and a dog too, @linguinni?).

Josh (@thefrenchiestoffrys) appears to be sliding off of a horizontal surface in the outdoors. Impossible? Yes, unless angels are involved.

Nate (@natech3n3y) fell for spring break this year. Lots of fun in the outdoorsy sun. What a whirlwind. It’s certainly sad to see such a monumental allotment of time permanently go “bye-bye.”

Jonathan (@jaammeess) seems to love Oregon’s outdoors, like, a lot. Yet he goes to school inside doors in Washington…

Niqolas Rudd is a religious studies major.

page

April 2018 Issue 20 | walla walla university | college place, wa

FOOD B-AN-AN-AS

Gluten-free Banana Oat Bread By Daphne Novak I love banana bread because it is great to bake year-round and never gets old. I often find myself buying a few more bananas than I am able to eat so I can let them brown and then freeze for later use. While the bananas usually go to use in banana ice cream or a smoothie, sometimes banana bread speaks to me. While I was on spring break, I didn’t really have many opportunities to make anything because I ate out a lot. I don’t know about you, but when I go home I always want to somehow cram in all my favorite restaurants and maybe try a new restaurant or two! There just isn’t enough time. I knew that banana bread would be the perfect thing to make because 1) it wasn’t a meal so I could still stick to my favorite restaurant schedule and 2) there just happened to be some perfectly-brown bananas at my parents’ house. I decided to try a gluten-free recipe because my mom is gluten-free, and she needed a new banana bread recipe. So, I turned to my OG Minimalist Baker to look one up.

This recipe is a little different than other gluten-free recipes I found because it features not only gluten-free flour blend but also almond meal and oats. I ended up really liking this recipe because the almond meal adds texture, oil (for moisture) and more depth of flavor; I also liked the oats because they helped with structural integrity. Plus, I just really love oats! Often, I find banana bread to be delicious but too sweet. This recipe is just the right sweetness for someone who is more sensitive to sweet flavors. The two things that I changed about this recipe were that I added 1 1/2 more bananas and reduced the banana juice (I will explain this in the instructions), all to intensify the banana flavor. I sliced the other half of the banana, then put the slices on top of the bread. Also to note, Minimalist Baker mentions how forgiving this recipe is. I was skeptical because gluten-free baking typically requires annoying precision, but she was right! The changes I made only made the bread better. It was delicious!

Daphne Novak is a psychology major.

Gluten-free Banana Oat Bread Inspired by Minimalist Baker

INGREDIENTS • 5 ripe frozen bananas (set aside 1/2 a banana) • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 egg or flax egg substitute1 • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted • 1/4 cup cane sugar • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 3/4 cup dairy or non-dairy milk • 1 1/4 cup almond meal • 1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend • 1 1/4 cup gluten-free oats 1 One tablespoon of flaxseed meal to three tablespoons warm water to replace one egg

1-Bowl Gluten-Free Banana Bread. (MINIMALISTBAKER.COM)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Remove bananas from the freezer and let them start to thaw. 2. Preheat oven to 350° F, and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 3. This is the tricky part, but trust me, it’s worth it! In a large bowl, mash the half thawed bananas. Leave them in the bowl and microwave the bananas for five minutes. Strain the banana juice from the banana mush. 4. In a small sauce pan, take the juice and reduce over medium to low heat for 15 minutes. 5. Return the banana mush and banana juice to the bowl. Add all ingredients on the list up to the milk and whisk vigorously to combine. Lastly add the almond meal, gluten-free flour blend and oats and stir. 6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. When ready, the bread should feel firm and be crackly and golden brown on top. 7. Let cool completely before cutting or it will be too tender to hold form. 8. Store leftovers in a covered container for up to a few days. Freeze if needed. (MINIMALISTBAKER.COM)

ADVICE DEAR BABA

Meet Baba! Good day students of university in Walla Walla. I am your new babusya, or grandmother in your English, but you can call me Baba because I love you in way I love my children. I am here giving you knowing, so you will be smart students, knowing world and books. You ask me your questions, I answer. First, you must know me. Babucya? Did you mean Babushka? No. I come from Motherland, Ukraine. Babushka is for children of Russia, and I am not from Russia. How old are you? You do not ask woman what years she is. I will only tell you I have lived much interesting long life. What do you know?

I know everything. I am from old country. I have worked in the wheat fields of Ukraine and maybe in Chornobyl. I cannot tell you. You ask me anything and I will answer if I can. Why should I ask you questions? I am smart woman. I know many things, things you do not know. Also, why not? What music do you like? I like music of old country with polka and good dance. I also like this new vaporwave and lo-fi, it reminds of good days in years of the ‘80s before Chernobyl disaster. Do you watch any movies? I spend my time making food, taming bear, and shaking fist at

neighbors. It leads to good health. Movies make people lazy like fat cat in summer. What do you think about “The Shape of Water?” What do you mean the shape water? This is trick question. Water has no shape. Water is liquid and fills shape of container but has constant volume. There is more but it is too much. That is some knowing of me. Tell me your questions and I will answer. If you do not ask me questions I will tell you of old country and true Motherland. You will know cooking, history and language of Ukraine. Always know, Baba loves you.

Ask Baba your questions! All responses are anonymous. https://goo.gl/oQL8kD

POLL Next week’s question:

“How often do you go to Whitman College’s library?”

https://goo.gl/SZBiiH