BINGHAMTON REVIEW Editor-in-Chief Contents
P.O. BOX 6000 BINGHAMTON, NY 13902-6000 EDITOR@BINGHAMTONREVIEW.COM
Founded 1987 • Volume XXXII, Issue IV Tommy Gagliano
Managing Editor Brian Murray Copy Desk Chief Matt Gagliano
Business Manager John Restuccia
Social Media Shitposters Lacey Kestecher, Sebastian Roman
Editor Emeritus
Patrick McAuliffe Jr.
Graphic Designers
Sam Kaplan, Sebastian Roman, Tommy Gagliano
Staff Writers
Joe Badalamenti, Bryn Lauer, Brendan Casey, Joe Dorn, Kevin Vorrath, Madeline Perez
Contributors
Paul Pot, Jake García-Falchook, Harold Rook, Anonymous
Special Thanks To:
Intercollegiate Studies Institute Collegiate Network Binghamton Review was printed by Gary Marsden We Provide the Truth. He Provides the Staples
BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR 2019
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by Our Staff
3 Editorial by Tommy Gagliano 4 Press Watch by Our Staff 5 Post-Nut Clarity: The Hard Truth by Madeline Perez 6 Madeline Wrote This Creepypasta While Jon Was at the Gym by Our Staff 7 Top 5 Creepypastas by Sebastian Roman 7 Top 5 Creepy Pastas by Sebastian Roman 9 The Mothman Menace by Matt Gagliano 9 The Moth Within Us by Anonymous 10 “Cluck-Cluck 3000”Event Cancelled Due to by Tommy Gagliano Claims of Racism 11 The Monster Under Your Bed by Bryn Lauer 12 Income Inequality is Amazing
by Jake García-Falchook
13 LeBron James is a Pussy Ass Bitch by Paul Pot 14 The Ghost of Chinese Censorship by Harold Rook
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! Direct feedback to editor@binghamtonreview.com 2
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Vol. XXXII, Issue IV
EDITORIAL Dear Readers,
From the Editor
H
ello once again everyone. Welcome to our Halloween issue. It’s spooky time. It’s also moth time. (That’s a reference to a video on our YouTube channel, which you should definitely subsrcibe to, since we’ve released two amazing videos in the past two weeks and there’s even more top tier content on the way.) I hope you’re ready to be frightened, because this issue is filled with spooky content. Did you know that three of our writers wen’t missing recently? Rumor has it they went to search for a creature called the “Mothman” in the nature preserve, and they never returned. Matt Gagliano and Anonymous have the scoop, and you can read all about it on page 9, or watch the found footage that was discovered on our aforementioned YouTube channel. If you’re trying to get in the spooky mood and the Mothman story wasn’t enough for you, we have a plethora of creepypasta content on pages 6 and 7. Sebastian Roman breaks down his top five favorite creepypastas (as well as his top five creepy pastas), and we have a creepypasta of our own for you to read, which was mostly written by Madeline Perez while Jon Lizak was at the gym. Bryn Lauer also has a creepy tale to tell. On page 11 she explains why your fear of the “Monster Under Your Bed” may not be so irrational, and exposes the scary things that CNN is up to. There is one topic that is so scary many are too afraid to discuss it. I’m talking about the oppressive, authoritarian Chinese government of course. We at the Review fear nothing but fear itself, and Harold Rook and Paul Pot have built up the courage to tackle this evil monster. Read about it on pages 13 through 15. Is all of this spookiness too much for you? Do you get frightened easily? Fear not, as well have something for you as well. Tommy Gagliano discusses the “tar and feather” event that was cancelled on page 10, and on page 12, Jake García-Falchook discusses the topic of income inequality, and explains why it isn’t as big of a deal as everyone thinks it is. Our minds may be focused on Halloween for now, but we need to be aware of what follows. The day after we collect candy and dress up in costumes that someone will inevitably be offended by, a great challenge begins. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, No Nut November is almost upon us. I know I may have just caught you off-guard, but don’t panic! Madeline Perez has you covered. She has all the nutting information you’ll ever need to know ready for you on page 5. Hope you all enjoy this issue as much as I do. Have a fun and safe Halloween.
Sincerely,
Tommy Gagliano Binghamton Review is a non-partisan, student-run news magazine of conservative thought founded in 1987 at Binghamton University. A true liberal arts education expands a student’s horizons and opens one’s mind to a vast array of divergent perspectives. The mark of true maturity is being able to engage with these perspectives rationally while maintaining one’s own convictions. In that spirit, we seek to promote the free and open exchange of ideas and offer alternative viewpoints not normally found or accepted on our predominately liberal campus. We stand against tyranny in all of its forms, both on campus and beyond. We believe in the principles set forth in this country’s Declaration of Independence and seek to preserve the fundamental tenets of Western civilization. It is our duty to expose the warped ideology of political correctness and cultural authoritarianism that dominates this university. Finally, we understand that a moral order is a necessary component of any civilized society. We strive to inform, engage with, and perhaps even amuse our readers in carrying out this mission.
Views expressed by writers do not necessarily represent the views of the publication as a whole. editor@binghamtonreview.com
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CPampus resswatch “Turning Point USA starts BU chapter” Jackson Galati & Lucas Peterka, Pipe Dream, 10/10/19 “The backlash is driven by figures associated with the national chapter of TPUSA, such as former communications director Candace Owens, who made contentious statements on Hitler and police brutality against black Americans on separate occasions in December 2019.” We’re still stuck in October, but Pipe Dream is living in December 2019! “‘We continue the conversation by taking action, and it’s terrifying that their form of taking action is so violent and painful and literally racist.’ [Said Dheiva Moorthy, a student organizer for BU Progressives and the Frances Beal Society]” They literally haven’t held a single event yet. How can you call them painful, racist, or violent? “‘You can’t just say whatever you want...,’ McQuaid said.” Yes. You can. “Editorial: The Confederate flag is not a joke, Skormin” The Editorial Board, Pipe Dream, 10/17/19 “His conservative beliefs are not the reason for the backlash he’s continually faced...” PressXToDoubt.jpg “Instead, when asked why he posted the photo, Skormin noted that he is not the person depicted in the image.” And upon realizing this, instead of apologizing, students doubled-down. “The fact the person in the image is not him does not excuse the fact that he chose to post it and views it as something humorous”. If you find something funny, and other people don’t find it funny, then you deserve to lose your job, no matter how much you contribute overall.
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Written by our Staff
We know you don’t read the other campus publications, so we did it for you. Original pieces are in quotes, our responses are in bold.
“Additionally, the presence of a firearm in the image is deeply troubling, and could be interpreted as threatening.” No, it couldn’t be. The image was of someone else, the firearm was not pointed at the camera or at a person, and for these reasons and a million others, this claim is just flat-out ridiculous. “Knowing the consistency of Skormin’s history, it’s easy to question why he hasn’t faced harsher punishments from the University.” The University would have quite the lawsuit on their hands if they tried to “punish” him for something this trivial and dumb. “The Blue Lives Matter Movement is more than just an attempt to undermine Black Lives Matter” Miranda Jackson-Nudelman, Pipe Dream, 10/21/19 “It’s difficult to conceptualize just how prevalent the Blue Lives Matter movement has become in America, despite lacking the same fundamental rationality as other adjacent social revolutions”. Thirty-two officers U.S. police officers have been shot in the line of duty this year. I think a movement opposing that is pretty rational. “...but alas evolution has yet to manifest its first blue human being”. Smurf lives matter! But seriously. Many people hate police, and their blue uniform is just as much of a target as the color of one’s skin. “The ‘Blue Lives’ in our country operate with such supremacy that enables dangerous ideologies and soundly guarantees to reproduce further fatalities and turmoil.” How do individual officers enable dangerous ideologies? You are assuming that officers’ have racist ideologies at heart. Also, imagine the fatalities and turmoil that might ensue if police did not have final authority? A lot more young black men are killed in black on black crime.
“The fictitious foundation of the Blue Lives Matter movement equates an occupation to a racial identity. This unfairly results in privileging the civil rights of the authoritative role of the police over those intrinsic to humankind.” The “fictitious” foundation was based on the killing of two officers, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, and equates people who have decided to further themselves by serving the public good to people who are protected by said services. “With fatality rates increasing fairly steadily since the 2000s, the number of deaths of African Americans at the hands of police have reached historic highs.” Recent studies by people such as Joseph Cesario have found that “...black and Hispanic police are as likely or more likely to kill people of color as white officers, that the race of the police officer doesn’t matter.” While it is true that bias can still exist within demographic groups, let me ask you: is this a problem of racial bias, or disparity in crime (and therefore number of interactions with police) between racial groups?
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POST-NUT CLARITY: THE HARD TRUTH
Post-Nut Clarity: the Hard Truth By Madeline Perez
A
s you know, here at the Binghamton Review, we abstain from “nutting” and its implications, but with NoNut November coming up, we thought a related article would be appropriate. So we put in the hard work for you. As a human past the age of 14, chances are you’ve heard of post-nut clarity or maybe even experienced it for yourself. Some of you probably just passed it off as a joke or elaborate prank, but the fact is, any true intellectual is a believer, and a firm one at that. Post-nut clarity is a confuddling phenomenon that has puzzled many for generations. No more will you remain enshrouded in your own ignorance. In an article of perfectly average length, I will go over the scientific intricacies and theories that, honestly, you’ve probably been wondering about. Post-nut clarity is defined as follows. After nutting, your body is overcome with BBP: Big Brain Power. This enables you to think at the highest level you can possibly function at and then some. It was during these moments that Edison invented the light bulb, Issac Newton invented gravity, and God invented Earth. Post-nut, the brain experiences a sudden drop in horniness. This shifts your priorities, and for a few golden moments, primal urges are stripped away and you find yourself capable of critical thought. Instantaneously, you are made aware of the degeneracy of porn and shortcomings of your own perspective, like a puppet that can see the strings. All joking aside, while you’re “getting busy”, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex begins to shut down. This is the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, judgments, and decision making. Of course, some part of you probably already knew this. Anyway, after finishing, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex starts up again and as all of your logic and mental processes readjust to normal, it feels like you just tripled your IQ. This is clarity as you know it. Now, I know what your feeble mind is thinking. “Do women experi-
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ence this too?” Welp, call me a brain prostitute because I’m about to blow your mind. While this may come off as a shock to many of you, the brain of a woman is quite similar to that of a man. All the processes mentioned above are applicable to both genders. Shocker, really. The only difference would be that because of their lack of a refractory period, women could have the choice to omit the whole “aftermath” by simply, well, going again. This reaffirms the notion of female superiority and truly, it’s only a matter of time before the world accepts this doctrine. Now, as interesting as post-nut clarity is, I will now elaborate on other post-nut phenomena. If you remember from before, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex shuts off, enabling you to be dummy stupid. This also leads to a decrease in fear and anxiety. During this time, dopamine (everyone’s favorite hormone) is formed in the ventral tegmental area and released into other parts of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. This process, along with the increase of prolactin and oxytocin secreted by the pituitary gland, leads to the relaxing and satisfactory benefits experienced in the aftermath, or as I like to call it, post-nut peace. You see, during this time, you are manually jumpstarting your sympathetic nervous system. Your heart rate starts to increase, you start to sweat, your pupils dilate, and your digestive system says “hold up.” After nutting, your body begins to reverse this and bring you back to the homeostasis it holds so dear. It does this by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which, like a pimp to a hysterical whore, demands your body to be cool. This, along with serotonin being chucked at your bloodstream like metaphorical dum dum pops at a Saint Patrick’s Day parade, might make you feel tired and drowsy. This explains why sometimes nutting will knock you out harder than that damned mela-
tonin ever could. Let’s get one thing straight. Postnut depression has no biological basis and depends completely on psychological factors. If you have some internalized guilt about “morality,” or if you’re not feeling so good in general, as you come back down from your adrenaline rush you might feel even worse, especially when you find all your problems are still there and your “coping mechanism” just left you back where you started. We’ve all been there. Bad nuts do exist, as I’m sure you all remember that horrifying nightmare-inducing scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp where those squirrels throw that girl down a garbage chute. Post-nut amnesia also seems to have no biological basis but I swear to God it’s real guys. Even though I couldn’t find an actual scientific article, there has to be some explanation. Have you ever nut and then forgot the details? There’s no way this doesn’t exist. Now, go forth into the world with your newfound knowledge. Personally, I forgot to use a private browser and now my search history is marred with orgasm science. Now that Big Pharma has this information I am truly terrified, not only for my safety but for my increasingly personal Instagram advertisements. Oh well. Hopefully, this article has cleared some things up for you, even if you were just asking for a friend from the very beginning.
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MADELINE WROTE A CREEPYPASTA WHILE JON WAS AT THE GYM
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Madeline Wrote a Creepypasta While Jon Was at the Gym By Our Staff (But mostly Madeline Perez)
I
’ve always hated that statue. That horrifying Bearcat statue. Nine-hundred pounds of bronze, shaped into an abhorrent freak of nature. Immensely strong, I always had the feeling that it could rip me to shreds without even trying. This creature was not one of God, but one created within the minds of men. Or women- who knows. The twisted grimace and dead eyes would make my skin crawl every time I passed it. So when those dickheads from P.E. dared me to stay the night with it, I was hesitant to say the least. Then they issued an ultimatum- do it or you’re gay. I couldn’t have anyone thinking that of me. My chances of obtaining a gamer gf were already low enough. I had to do it. I walked to the Binghamton Events Center. The night was dark, almost too dark, and like every night here at Binghamton, the sky was bleak and starless. This familiarity was comforting to a degree, until I saw the statue. It seemed to be staring me right into my core. My hair stood on end. I was vulnerable and weak in comparison, and I knew if it was alive, I wouldn’t stand a chance. It would see me as a tasty snacc. Not to say I’m not, but I’d prefer to not be torn apart by horrific bear-cat hybrid claws.
“Fear is what’s always there, what never leaves, regardless of how many times you tell it to go away or get a job.” I tried to rationalize to myself. This can’t hurt me. I mean, it’s just a statue. Right? I was going out of my mind as I stepped closer and closer to the statue. It stayed in one place. My heart was racing and I was sweating through my shirt, despite the reasonably chilly Binghamton weather. Maybe I was gay, like my peers so vehemently proposed. Who was I to say otherwise? No. I had to do this- I had to prove to society that I was epic. I
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finally got to the statue. It was just as huge and veiny as it was the last time I saw it. Not in a weird way, that’s just how the statue is. I tried to stay calm the best I could, but my hands shook as I took out my epic blanket from my bag. I layed down under the massive metal rock the statue held onto so cordially. My thoughts were racing but I kept my resolve. It was no longer about proving myself to those dumb libtards. I had to do this to prove it to myself. I wrapped the blanket around myself unreasonably tightly, so as to protect myself from danger. The fear in my chest was slowly starting to disperse, and I started to feel much better. A wave of peace came over me. I really had nothing to worry about, it was just a statue. It couldn’t breathe or move or make offensive jokes like the Binghamton Review! I started to feel very sleepy and cool. My eyelids were like bowling balls and other very heavy things. I started to feel myself slipping into a great slumber. It was only a matter of time before I was completely passed out. I woke up in a cold sweat. My eyes were blurred and I was completely paralyzed. Immediately, I started feeling like something was terribly wrong. My skin felt like metal. Strange. My eyesight started coming back to me. I saw my bag on the ground and blanket being tossed by the wind. Very strange indeed. My heart was racing and I felt the panic really setting in. Or at least, what I thought was my heart. I looked around some more and saw the
parking lot and sidewalk marred with poorly painted animal footprints. The same sidewalk I had walked on many times before and, unbeknownst to me, would never walk again. All I could do was look around. Sounds were warped and metallic, and I grew familiar with the feeling of cold air. My thinking was the same. I still felt like me. It wasn’t long before someone walked by, most likely going to some obscure and subpar gym class. I tried to yell, but no sound came out. Nothing. I tried again. No sound whatsoever. It was then I realized exactly where I was. I was inside the statue. Either that or I was the statue, I wasn’t exactly sure. Day by day, students passed. Someone picked up my things. I got excited, thinking that he would find it intriguing and someone would investigate my disappearance, but he just took my things. It rained, and it rained often. I watched the seasons go by, with a faint sense of hunger steadily growing. As far as I knew, I couldn’t die. It’s been two years since that fateful morning, and as of three days ago I can say I understand the meaning of fear. Fear isn’t some irrational possibility, a figment of one’s imagination, like monsters or elevators. Fear is what’s always there, what never leaves, regardless of how many times you tell it to go away or get a job. Fear, as I now see it, is the extensive loneliness that overwhelms me day after rainy, cloudy day. It’s a fight I will never win, a fate entangled within, and I will take it with me into the ground.
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Top 5 Creepypastas
TOP 5 CREEPYPASTAS / TOP 5 CREEPY PASTAS
By Sebastian Roman
5. Smile.JPG This story is about a picture of a smiling dog that drives everyone who sees it insane. This story is one of the earliest creepypastas to spread on the internet, thus earning it a spot on this list.
up to find her dead with no arms in the morning. This one was originally an urban legend, but its ability to last through generations and adapt to the age of the internet earned it its spot on the list.
4. Slenderman Slenderman is a story about a tall faceless man with tentacles that come out his back. Slenderman received its spot on this list because it is one of the most famous creepypastas, inspiring numerous video games, spinoffs, and even a real-life human sacrifice.
2. Russian Sleep Experiment This is the story of a Cold War-era Russian sleep experiment in which the Soviets kept people awake for days on end using a gas. The experimentees began to go crazy, screaming, throwing things around, and shoving feces into the windows. 30 days in, the Soviets opened the room to find that the surviving experimentees had superhuman abilities and had been taken over by the inherent human evil that is kept in check by sleeping. This story is one of the scariest creepypastas on the in-
3. The Babysitter This story is about a babysitter who locked her kids in their bedroom after hearing about a mental institution escapee in their area. The kids wake
ternet, earning it a spot at number 2. 1. Man door hand hook car door The story starts with a young couple who hears on the radio about a person going around stealing stereos. The car that they’re in runs out of gas and the boyfriend goes to get more gas. The girlfriend hears a thumping in the night and hears “Let me in!” but ignores it. The story ends with the following: “she gets out to check and man door hand hook car door.” This creepypasta has gained fame from its absurd spelling and grammar mistakes as well as its generally ridiculous story, and is my personal favorite. This creepypasta is one of the most widely ridiculed, and the phrase “man door hand hook car door” will forever live in infamy.
Top 5 Creepy Pastas By Sebastian Roman
5. Lasagne In addition to being impossible to spell, why does it have so many layers? Why does it need so many layers? It’s clearly hiding something, but what is it? The fact that this pasta is so mysterious and obscure makes it unsettling.
4. Mac & Cheese Who is Mac, and why would you want to eat him and his cheese? And why are they never separate, why is it never Mac OR cheese? It’s pretty self explanatory why this one is disturbing.
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3. Ravioli This pasta just looks like a condom, and nobody wants to eat a condom.
1. Elbow This one is named after and looks like a human body part. Only a cannibal would eat this. If a pasta is going to be shaped like a human body part, then at least make it something that’s supposed to be eaten, like ass.
2. Angel Hair So hair in food is gross, but angel hair isn’t? Give me a break. When I’m eating pasta, the last thing I want to think about is hair, but some people are into that I guess.
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BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR 2019
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Best Halloween Costumes For 2019 By Our Staff
Ah yes, Halloween time, when everything tastes like pumpkin and the memes become spooky. With Halloween comes the annual struggle of trying to decide on a costume. Unsure of what to dress up as for everyone’s favorite cultural appropriation holiday? Here are some top notch costume ideas that are sure to impress in the current year. Pictures are provided to the left or right of each idea to help you matser the look. Divest Bing Member This spooky costume takes a little bit of time to prepare. With 6 years of childhood neglect, 12 years of not being bullied enough, two months without a shower, and three hair dye appointments, you will be well on your way to completing your “Divest Bing Member” cosplay.
Justin Trudeau First, you are going to want to get some black paint. Like, a LOT of black paint. Apply it everywhere. Next, grab one of your adult diapers (we know you have them) and place it on your head. That’s it. Slutty Thanos First, you are going to want to get some purple paint. Like, a LOT of purple paint. Typically, sexiness isn’t something one considers when balancing the universe, but this costume does put a smile on my face. Just be careful not to snap your fingers, if you do half of all clothing in the universe will disappear ;) Paint First, you are going to want to get some paint... Lebron James Empty your mouth for this one, you’re gonna need the space. This costume is fairly easy once you are able to obtain a Lakers jersey and Chinese penis. Just put the the former on your back and the latter in your mouth. Jeffrey Epstein’s Killer(s) The joke is that he didn’t kill himself.
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THE MOTHMAN MENACE / THE MOTH WITHIN US
The Mothman Menace By Matt Gagliano
T
hree Binghamton University students went missing last week after going to the nature preserve in hopes of finding a creature they refer to as “the Mothman.” The Mothman is described as a creature that is half moth, half man. Some argue that he is actually half man, half moth, but we don’t associate with those people. Supposedly, several Binghamton students have reported seeing the Mothman recently, despite that fact that the last reported Mothman sighting before he was spotted in Binghamton was in the 1920’s, when he was allegedly found eating shoes at the Endicott-Johnson shoe factory. It’s unknown why this creature would be eating shoes, seeing as that is not normal behavior for neither moths, nor men, but who am I to judge? While we still do not know how or why the Mothman ended up in Binghamton, we do know that he has been bothering our students for weeks now. One victim of a Mothman attack claims that he was just minding his own business when he turned around to find the Mothman standing a few feet behind him. “He was just standing there, menacingly!” the victim claims. When asked about their encounter with the Mothman, another student had this to say: “Why the hell does he have a shark head if he’s supposed to be half moth, half man? Wouldn’t that make him half moth, half man, half shark? Like some kind of man-moth-shark?”
Unfortunately, despite the astronomical amount of evidence that proves his existence, some people still refuse to believe that the Mothman exists. “I’ve never seen him before, therefore he doesn’t exist” one Mothman denier pompously claimed. If at least two eyewitness accounts aren’t enough for you, the camera of the three students who went missing was recovered by university police. This camera contains footage of the Mothman, which undeniably proves that he does, in fact, exist. If you still aren’t convinced, this footage can be found on the Binghamton Review YouTube channel. Why was this footage uploaded to YouTube instead of being used in an investigation to find the missing students? Probably for that sweet, sweet ad revenue. You always gotta be on that grind, am I right gamers? While those who don’t believe in the Mothman are ignorant and should be removed from this campus immediately, there are people who are much worse: the Mothman sympathizers. I have heard from multiple Mothman witnesses that the Mothman isn’t actually bad, he’s just “misunderstood.” The only logical conclusion as to why someone would think this way is that they have been brainwashed by the Mothman. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but there’s no way anyone could have a different opinion from me unless they’ve been brainwashed.
The Moth Within Us By Anonymous
I
find it necessary to write this piece because of all of the bullshit and hatred that has been spreading among the campus in regards to the Mothman. I’m going to try to keep this professional, but if I’m being honest, the recent slanderous hit piece titled “The Mothman Menace” was the straw that broke the moth’s wings. After all the progress this world has made, I can’t help but be furious that my- I mean his wellbeing and safety aren’t being considered in the slightest. I mean, you have most politicians right now talking about helping “The Kurds.” Sorry, but what the fuck are “The Kurds,” some alternative rock band? Fuck that, leave them alone and pull all aid. You may not realize it, but the Mothman is just like you. He goes to class, doesn’t listen in class, fails the test, and complains how his teachers are bad, just like you. He makes fun of dining hall food to fit in but secretly thinks it’s actually pretty good, just like you. And when the day comes to an end and his head hits the pillow, he falls asleep thinking about how much he hates himself, just like you. Also, and I think this goes without saying, he’s totally terrifying and really should be feared by all, just my opinion. It really frustrates me that people don’t understand the Mothman. He’s a human, like us, he’s just also a moth. Women seem to be the worst at understanding him. Particularly one woman. Specifically the one that rejected him in the nature preserve last friday at 9:20 AM. I mean what the fuck? He literally offered you free food, free housing, and unconditional safety. Are you stupid? Did you hit your head too hard when you were
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an infant? It baffles me that people are like this. I’m also rippedI mean the Mothman’s also ripped, which I think is a huge selling point. Whatever, moths can make children alone, right? He leaves you alone and keeps to himself, and you treat him like a monster. He (Moth)mans up and finally exposes himself to the world, and you call him a “menace.” I wouldn’t know what his thoughts are, because I am not him, but I can imagine them being something like this: “Fuck you, fuck everyone who laughed at me, fuck everyone who doesn’t think I am totally badass and scary, fuck everyone who aknowledged my love handles, MY PECS AND DELTS COMPENSATE FOR IT, ALSO YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE ABS THERE REGARDLESS, fuck the chef who burnt my grilled chicken at C4, and, most importantly, fuck the Binghamton Review. I can’t believe I let you survive another month off of my name. I should have just let you die.” I personally don’t have anything interesting to contribute for the conclusion, as I am just a staff writer and not the cryptozoic creature of West Virginian lore, but I will say this… I will not go back, I will not retreat back into the woods. I won’t let this tarnishing of my name go unpunished. I will make sure that sleep becomes a chore for you, that you spend every hour of the night in suspenseful agony, hoping I show my face and end the pain. I am no tool for your use, no toy to play with, I am THE MOTHMAN! And you have not seen the last of me. That’s probably what the Mothman would say in this situation.
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“CLUCK-CLUCK 3000” EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO CLAIMS OF “RACISM”
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“Cluck-Cluck 3000” Event Cancelled Due to Claims of “Racism”
By Tommy Gagliano
A
fundraising event titled “CluckCluck 3000” was scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 16th, in the Main Lounge of Roosevelt Hall. The event was coordinated by the E-Board of Roosevelt Hall, a building in the Hinman community, as part of the larger “Penny Wars” fundraising competition. According to a statement released by the Roosevelt E-Board, the premise of the event was for residents of Roosevelt to be permitted to throw “honey, syrup, glitter, eggs, and feathers” on the RAs and E-Board members of the building in exchange for a Penny Wars donation. Residents could also pay to see them do certain actions, such as “racing, hula hooping, or duck duck goose.” However, shortly before the event was scheduled to take place, it was cancelled. At 4:09 PM on October 16th, a resident of Hughes Hall, another building in the Hinman community, expressed concern about the event in a GroupMe chat of over 120 people that live in Hughes. She claimed that calling an event “tar and feathers” (which was not the name of the event, although it was advertised that way in at least one official communication from the Roosevelt E-Board) is “very offensive to black culture,” and that it “systemically connects to racism and oppression” and “should not be replicated on this campus.” A few confused residents politely stated that they didn’t understand how “tar and feather” has anything to do with race, and that it was mostly associated with tax collectors and the American Revolution. To this, she responded “Which if you study history is offensive to people of color and as a person who is actually apart [sic] of a huge group chat that has many people of color on this campus and they have expressed the distasteful action if [sic] this event it should be a concern.” She followed that up with “And honestly I’m done having this conversation. Not seeing a problem with it makes you all
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satisfied with your privilege.” She then left the group chat. We reached out to the resident, but she declined to comment. The conversation continued following her departure. It was civil, with those skeptical of the racism claims saying things such as “I’m trying to understand another point of view,” “Thanks for enlightening me I apologize for my ignorance,” and “I apologize if I appeared combative but I think healthy discourse about these things is important.” The RAs then jumped in, offering support for anyone that wanted to talk about their feelings. Another resident suggested that people reach out and spread some love to the student that started the conversation because she was “the person who felt most attacked.” Finally, Marios Zervos, an RA in the building, chimed in. He started by stating that Binghamton is a “predominantly white institution,” and because of this we have to recognize how this “privilege” affects us. He said that students need to be empathetic, and “if someone is not feeling safe, it should not be invalidated.” He concluded by condemning civil discussion, saying “The ‘healthy discourse’ was threatening and weaponizing and we have to come at an approach of listening when something is offensive and racist.” This message received more likes than any other message throughout the discussion. He then followed it up by saying that the event has been cancelled, and “there’s discussion about further action being taken.” This drastic response by the Hinman residential staff comes just one day after a similar reaction by aforementioned Hughes RA Marios Zervos. A resident on Marios’ floor shared a link in a GroupMe chat with other people on the floor to a comedy video titled “Not saying the N word for an ENTIRE minute - challenge,” in which the “N word” the subject of the video is referring to is later revealed to be
the word “nuts.” Mr. Zervos responded by deleting the entire group chat, and going door to door to make sure that everyone knows that sending slightly edgy memes is insensitive and unacceptable. It is also rumored that the RA reported the student to a higher authority, but as the student did not respond to our request for comment, we cannot confirm this rumor to be true at this time. The following day, a series of emails were sent out about the situation. The Student Association sent a statement to all Binghamton students. It was vague, referring to the event as “a hall government event where e-board members would be ‘tarred and feathered’ in order to raise funds,” and labelling it “completely unacceptable and inappropriate.” The emails sent out only to Hinman residents went into much more detail. One was sent by Hinman College Council, and contained a statement from the Roosevelt E-Board. In the statement, the Roosevelt E-Board apologized for the “terms used to describe the event,” which they called “offensive” and “insensitive.” We reached out to Roosevelt Hall President Amanda Joglar for comment, but she did not respond. Hinman College Council concluded the email by stating that this will not be “swept under the rug,” and that all hall E-Boards in Hinman will be required to attend a “mandatory cultural competency training in an attempt to better educate E-Boards about the diverse background of many of the students.” Another email was sent to Hinman residents from Residential Life the following day, acknowledging that the event caused many students to experience “pain,” and that there will “inevitably be continued processing and healing” from the event. To better understand how the community feels about this, we reached out to two Hughes residents that are in the “Hughes 2019-2020” GroupMe chat, and they agreed to share their
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BINGHAMTONREVIEW.COM thoughts on the matter. “I was pretty impartial on the situation,” The first student said. “I didn’t think tarring and feathering was considered racist, but I felt as if it was inappropriate to name an event after a form of torture.” The second student mostly agreed, saying it was an “odd” name, but not something he thought was offensive. Both students said they did not change their opinion about the name and description of the event as the controversy spread. “Almost, if not every RA was a
THE MONSTER UNDER YOUR BED bit baffled by the situation,” explained the first student, “They all commented in the group chat offering their help.” “The RAs were quick to apologize,” said the second student. “The event was cancelled shortly after.” The first student somewhat agreed with the way the situation was handled, but said that it was blown out of proportion, stating “Torture should not be glorified, but I think they made it a bigger problem than it really was.” The second student was a bit more blunt in his response.
“I don’t think the event should have been cancelled over this,” he said. “I also feel as though some of the RAs responses, which talk about how having a disagreement and calmly talking it out is bad, were kind of absurd.” He concluded by saying “My biggest takeaway from this whole thing is that if even one person complains about something being offensive, everyone will rush to defend them, regardless of whether or not they have a valid reason for being offended.”
The Monster Under Your Bed By Bryn Lauer
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ometimes I am afraid to dangle my feet off the edge of my bed. I don’t know where this irrational fear comes from, most likely lingering childhood fears from the fascinating brain of a young girl. Kid or not, when it comes to things of the unknown, man has a God-given gift of discernment. Just as something inside me warns that the darkness under my bed contains unforeseen dangers, humanity fears the unseen. You should be scared as well, because the danger that I am referencing exists. There is a monster under your bed, and I bet some of you have been reluctant to dangle your feet over the edge as well. I am here to justify your fear, as that monster is none other than media giant CNN. We have heard the term “fake news” tossed here and there, but hard evidence has left it unfounded. Luckily for us, Project Veritas has swooped in, ripped the bed apart, and shined light on the biased and therefore dangerous conglomerate that is CNN. Project Veritas, headed by James O’Keefe, recently released a three-part exposé on the politically motivated underpinnings that champion CNN, a media network which claims to be the “most trusted name in news.” In essence, thanks to the fearless work of whistleblower Cary Poarch, CNN has been found hiding its agenda from viewers. While touting that Fox News is “destructive” for America, numerous conversations between CNN staffers claim that the Network is “to-
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tally left-leaning” in covering objective news. Project Veritas revealed clips during daily morning calls with CNN President Jeff Zucker, where he can be heard calling for complete coverage of the POTUS impeachment story whilst ignoring others. Staffers admit to an “anti-Trump crusade,” and that Zucker’s personal vendetta against Trump seeps into news coverage, resulting in constant negative coverage of President Trump. For instance, in one of Poarch’s recordings, Zucker can be heard advising staff to skip an important Department of Homeland Security while blasting the latest negative coverage of Trump’s impeachment and immigration stances. The bias does not end with POTUS. In a two-part video-series, CNN Media Coordinator Christian Sierra admits that the network resorts to racially imbalanced articles. Sierra cites two examples where, in one case a white boy is shot at Princeton, and another where three black boys are shot in Newark, CNN will choose to cover only the death of the “precious little white boy.” Moreover, shootings which occur in minority communities will not be covered in relation to their white neighborhood counterpart. Other blatant disregard for journalistic integrity can be seen in the comparison of Democratic and Republican interviews, where one staffer claims that Democrats receive “softball interviews” in comparison to Republicans. At one point, Sierra recounts an
interview with Kellyanne Conaway and Jake Tapper, where Zucker “...orders Tapper: ‘Keep going, keep going, keep going!” and at one point commands, “Just f*cking nail her!” while expanding the 7-minute interview to 25 minutes. While Fox News has not “independently confirmed” the footage, the implications of Project Veritas are far-reaching. CNN claims that, regarding the leaks, “No one really cares about this.” Nonetheless, they have failed to address the recordings in any way besides dismissing them wholly. Any network that claims to be objective but falls short in doing so, be it CNN or Fox, is not a credible nor a reliable source of information. Expressing opinins is totally fine in the appropraite avenues, but disguising biased sentiments under selective coverage is appalling. Twisting reality to fit a worldview does nothing but polarize the public over an issue which does not exist. In other words, incomplete information creates unfounded arguments, which are a danger to public discourse. Thus, to every CNN critic who was skeptical of hanging their feet over the edge of the bed, you can breathe a sigh of relief. You can officially consume CNN knowing that there is bias without fear of ridicule for unfounded beliefs. Media is arguably more powerful than the government, and no matter your political leanings, a media with a hidden agenda is, in fact, a monster under our beds.
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INCOME INEQUALITY IS AMAZING
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Income Inequality is Amazing By Jake García-Falchook
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Today, we live in the richest country in the history of the world, but that reality means little because much of that wealth is controlled by a tiny handful of individuals. The issue of wealth and income inequality is the great moral issue of our time, it is the great economic issue of our time, and it is the great political issue of our time. America now has more wealth and income inequality than any major developed country on earth, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is wider than at any time since the 1920s.” — Senator Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders is right, there is more wealth inequality than ever before. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Politicians like Sanders are continuing to fear monger about the shrinking middle class and how this is all happening because rich people are hoarding their money and buying yachts. The reality is that the middle class is shrinking. But why? Because everyone is getting richer. When income inequality was at its low point, everyone was worse off. Income inequality is being weaponized by Democrats across the field. But think about it, as the wealthy got 200% richer and the poor got 32% richer, inequality may be higher but poor people are still better off even though inequality increased. Then they say that social mobility is gone in America, which is a myth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics showed that most people born in the bottom 20% will move to a higher quintile.
“Americans should reject socialism and its failed policies and support capitalism, because capitalism is the best anti poverty program out there.” Bernie Sanders also thinks “billionaires should not exist.” Think about all the good billionaires did for the world. Jeff Bezos created Amazon, a business that has lowered the cost for all consumers, improved the lives of the majority of citizens with more convenient + faster shipping, employs thousands, and allows small businesses to sell on their platform to share in the prosperity. Also think about Steve Jobs. His iPhone’s, iPad’s, and Macbook’s, improved the lives for all of us. We now have quick, easy, and accessible ways to search for information, to communicate, and for me to type this article. Rich people have iPhones and poor people have iPhones. Billionaires also invest in businesses, keep their money in banks which gets loaned out, and pay the majority of taxes in this country. When you take out a house loan, car loan, or business loan, the money just doesn’t come from nowhere. Also, a lot of billionaires are self-made billionaires and worked incredibly hard to get there bringing up a lot of people on their journey. What we have seen throughout history is that any attempt to end income inequality has ended with failure, leaving everyone worse off. For example, I was speaking with someone who
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immigrated from the Soviet Union and she told me, “When politicians tell you they want to make everyone equal, it is just BS. Everyone is equally poor.” Cuba and Venezuela tried to fight this inequality, leaving their citizens poorer today than before. Sure inequality may be lower, but what does that matter when everyone is worse off? Twelve European countries used to have wealth taxes and today only three remain because of its failure to raise revenue. France was forced to drop their 75% supertax after it brought in barely any returns. Taxes were cut under President Trump and now we see tax revenue increasing, wages rising, unemployment decreasing, and the economy also increasing. Inequality is natural. Some people are better at some things than others. The reason why Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs had so much more wealth than us is because they improved the lives of billions of people and created much wealth and productivity for the entire world. The reason why singers like Lady Gaga and Paul McCarthy have more money than us is because they have more talent than the average person. The reason why sports players have more money is because they are better at sports than us. As income inequality got worse, the middle class shrunk because most joined the upper middle class as the graph above shows. America as a whole got richer and almost all Americans joined in on the prosperity in one way or another. Next time you hear a politician or the media telling you, “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer” know that the facts show that is a big lie and that is fake news. Democrats are using this Income Inequality as an issue to impose their government agenda onto us. They want to raise taxes, increase regulations, and dramatically raise the role of government in our lives which will stop the prosperity the country is experiencing. Americans should reject socialism and its failed policies and support capitalism, because capitalism is the best anti poverty program out there.
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LEBRON JAMES IS A PUSSY ASS BITCH
LeBron James is a Pussy Ass Bitch By Paul Pot
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ello guys, gals, and other mental illness pals, I’m going to drop a straight truth bomb on you, so if that scares you, now is your first and last chance to turn away. If you text from an Apple device, watch the NBA, play Overwatch, or watch movies distributed by Paramount, you support oppression and everything else wrong with this god forsaken world. Why, you may ask? China. Let me catch you up if you happen to live under a rock or are Amish. So basically, Hong Kong has been protesting for the past seven months about the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill, which could potentially allow China to indirectly arrest Hong Kong citizens through the Hong Kong police force for wrongthink. This definitely isn’t good; what is life without free speech? How does this relate to Apple and Overwatch, though? Well you see, Blizzard (who made Overwatch), Paramount, Apple, the NBA, and many other pathetic enterprises have all been bootlicking China and their Emperor, Xi “Winnie the Pooh” Jinping, so that they keep receiving that precious Yuan. So you may be asking “Paul, how are these companies literally sucking China’s dick?” Well, you see, my friend, the answer is rather simple. They are silencing the public and doubting the independence of Hong Kong and Taiwan. First it began with Paramount and their upcoming movie: “Top Gun: Maverick.” Chinese technology company and largest gaming company in the world, “Tencent Holdings,” hopped on board as a producer of the movie. However, the protagonist, Maverick, had a Taiwanese flag on his jacket. This didn’t fly with Tencent, and Paramount just bowed down to their masters and removed the flag without retaliation. A similar situation happened with Apple, who removed the Taiwanese flag from their emoji keyboard for Hong Kong and Taiwanese users. The NBA is one of the most notable China bootlickers at the moment, and for good reason. Houston Rockets
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General Manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted support for the Hong Kong protestors on October 4th. In response, The Rockets and the NBA sent out apologies to their Chinese fans over Morey’s comment, and likely also forced him to delete the Tweet. This resulted in many protestors filling the crowd at NBA games and other heroes tricking the camera into displaying shirts that support Hong Kong or call LeBron James a bitch. This kerfuffle caused other players to voice their own opinions, with LeBron James’s shitty statement being the most notable of all. LeBron claimed that Morey was “misinformed” and “not educated about the situation at all.” I’m not 100% sure though, it was hard to hear him with a mouthful of Chinese boot. Charles Barkley recently came out in support of The Rockets, which means that Barkley is now too a pussy ass bitch. However, Shaquille O’Neal came out in support of Daryl Morey, saying that he has the right to say whatever he pleases, and that there was nothing wrong with the Tweet. If you haven’t already come to your own conclusion, this means that Shaq is epic. Activision Blizzard has also recently gotten involved with the China situation, and they are definitely not on the right side. Professional Hearthstone player from Hong Kong, Wai Chung “blitzchung” Ng was recently banned from Hearthstone esports for one year and his prize earnings were also revoked. This is due to the fact that he voiced support for his home country in an interview. Not only that, but the two people interviewing him were also fired. This has resulted in a massive boycott against Blizzard, who still haven’t recovered from their “Diablo: Immortal” controversy back at Blizzcon 2018. Blizzard is likely the most notable bootlicker of all, since it directly resulted in a letter from Congress to Blizzard urging them to revert their decision for blitzchung. This letter had bipartisan support, being signed by big names for both parties,
such as Marco Rubio and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In a political climate where the parties seem to be growing further apart, it’s very nice to see them come together and agree on not only the Blizzard situation, but the Hong Kong situation as a whole. Both parties also support the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, which passed Congress unanimously and is now waiting on a Senate vote. Compare these virgin bootlicking companies to other Chad companies: Valve and Ubisoft. While Ubisoft could’ve handled their situation better, they ended up not giving in to their Chinese overlords. Ubisoft planned to release one worldwide censored version of their hit first-person shooter: “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege.” They would censor any references to skulls, gambling, knives, and other menial bullshit just to increase their profits. However, the fan backlash was utterly insane, which resulted in them backtracking and releasing two separate versions: one for China and one for everyone else. In addition, they added and kept two “operators” from Hong Kong into the game, rather than avoiding controversy and omitting them completely. Valve also handled their Hong Kong situation gracefully when having to deal with it. Professional Counter Strike: Global Offensive player from Hong Kong, Wing Hei “Freeman” Cheung also came out in support of the protests in Hong Kong. However, Valve made no statement on the matter, as it isn’t their business to make a statement about the matter. As a company, it’s just about as good to make no statement as it is to come out in support of the protests. These other virgin companies have something to learn from the true Chads of the consumerism world. On the same day I sat down and wrote this article, Hong Kong has formally scrapped the same extradition bill that started the protests in the first place. Also, just remember, LeBron James is a pussy ass bitch.
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THE GHOST OF CHINESE CENSORSHIP
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The Ghost of Chinese Censorship By Harold Rook
Y
ou know what? I’m going to do something edgy today! But what edgy thing can I do that I haven’t done before? Hmm, I already spent the past week making jokes about the Democrat presidential debates (like watching ten old grandparents nudging each other with canes over a bowl of spilled oatmeal) and Antifa (the literal embodiment of ironic Blackshirts). No, I need something new, something that truly deserves the public scrutiny, something that should be considered a laughingstock. Wait a minute, I know something recently that should be ridiculed, China! Huh? That’s strange, for a second it looked like I was censored for mentioning China, although what I’m really referring to is the Chinese Communist Party. Wait, there it is again! What’s going on here? Unless… this article is haunted! I’ve only heard rumors about it, but the stories about this ghost are terrifying! Appearing behind the unsuspecting before suddenly censoring any form of criticism about China! No one is safe, not even celebrities and corporations. And now, it’s here for me! What can I do?! It’s the Ghost of Chinese Censorship! If it can bring entire corporations to their knees, what chance do I have? Unless…I can find a way around it! If I can explain what The Ghost of Chinese Censorship is, I may be able to evade censorship! Welp, get ready China, because we are going to discuss something that is not about it!
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Where to begin? Our story starts in China, I mean…the Safe Space. Anyway, the Safe Space was a country that had struggled for hundreds of years, between Western powers that sought influence over the state to rivaling neighbors that would commit atrocity after atrocity. After World War II, the Safe Space had two main factions, a nationalist party and the Soviet-backed Chinese Communist Party, or the Cool Party for Cats, which we can call the CPC. The CPC, led by homicidal madman Mao Zedong, I mean, the wonderful support kitten Meow the Zebra Cat (hey, this is a safe space, we need support animals!), established a state that was under the people’s democratic dictatorship. Sounds lovely, right? You could say that one of his programs, The Great Leap Forward, or The Really Large Step Straight, didn’t murder 45 million people! Over his rein, Meow would “reeducate” those that simply couldn’t understand why the CPC was always right, either through giving those dumb intellectual critics the taste of life in the countryside, or by gathering the people together to fight against the bourgeois that were hiding within Safe Space culture (guess you can call it a Cultural Revolution). Needless to say, the result of Meow’s control over the Safe Space was starvation, economic turmoil, radicalization of the youth, and mass genocide, turning the country into a totalitarian communist hellhole, or, in other words, a completely free and wonderful place to live. Some people, who are obvious liars paid off by greedy capitalist nations, would say that the result was a death toll in the hundreds of millions, but those people are straight up wrong! Nothing bad ever happens within the Safe Space! After all this, Meow would eventually pass away (he is now pouncing around in heaven with the other Zebra Cats), leaving the CPC to wonder how to handle the wonderful situation that he left. Gradually, many leaders within the CPC would transform the
Safe Space from a closed off, contained area to a place open to the rest of the world. This meant that they had to employ several economic reforms, which served to make the Safe Space more of a “free” market, but with heavy CPC involvement. This may sound great, but don’t be fooled: The Safe Space was, and still is, heavily regulated, with the government not tolerating any form of dissent because they all came from evil counterrevolutionaries! This brings us to today: The Safe Space is ruled by the golden, honey-loving bear himself, Winne the Pooh! Wait, seriously? I can’t say Winnie the Pooh? Okay, then it is now ruled by the thick skinned, completely democratic leader, The Golden Build-a-Bear! Under his leadership, the country has become more centralized under a single leadership, with himself at its center, to the
“Authoritarian regimes like China rely on censorship to avoid challenges to its authority. Democracy, by contrast, necessitates criticism. What many people don’t understand is that criticism IS democracy.” point where the country’s constitution was updated to include him by name. Now, this all sounds extreme, but don’t worry, this would have no negative complications! It’s not like major corporations within the United States, motivated by an irrational greed, not free-market capitalism where individual rights are protected, would simply waltz into the Safe Space and turn the other way when it tramples over the freedom and democracy! That would be ludicrous right? Why would the Safe Space, under its incredibly fair leader, do such a thing? Americans are waking up to the fact that not only companies but even celebrities appear to be in the pocket
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of China. Yet it’s not like this is news; the Safe Space is an untapped market, with one of the largest populations of consumers. In virtually any other case, where a laissez-faire capitalist government becomes open to the free market, independent international and domestic businesses are capable of producing cheaper goods that ultimately raise the standard of living, while the government, for its part, serves to protect the individual and property rights of its citizens. Yet, the Safe Space and its relationship with American companies do not fit this characterization, in two respects. First, while it has certainly opened itself to the world, the Safe Space heavily monitors foreign companies, typically by having representatives of the CPC placed within them. Here, CPC representatives make sure that the company can also serve the state’s interest, in what can best be described as “state capitalism”. So, while certainly producing goods that raise the standard of living, the Safe Space doesn’t allow individual companies to function independently. Second, the CPC’s strong emphasis on state leadership results in the alienation of individual rights. This ultimately means that any form of dissent against the CPC results in some of the worst human rights abuses, with the government showing no consideration for
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THE GHOST OF CHINESE CENSORSHIP
personal freedoms. These two facts place corporations in an unusual position; they can either reject the abuse of the Safe Space, serving their own rational self-interest in the process, or they can look the other way, turning their backs on the free market in place of irrational greed. Needless to say, when these American companies see blood on the state’s hands, they whistle and walk the other way. We are all aware of what the recent debacle with the Houston Rockets, where general manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of certain protests within the Safe Space’s influence. Almost instantly, the NBA apologized, with Daryl Morey immediately deleting the tweet and stating how he didn’t mean to offend anyone from the Safe Space. This, of course, had Rockets games pulled from the Safe Space, causing serious financial damage. Consequently, the NBA and its players have gone through great strides to distance themselves from the incident, because they are obviously not political at any point and just love the leaders of the Safe Space. Even the King himself, the one and only LeBron James, capitulated to his overlords, stating that in a country with free speech, this political statement was “uninformed.” Yet, the attempts to distance and censor Morey has ultimately brought this story into
the limelight. Another incident with Safe Space entanglement occurred when, during a gaming competition, a prominent Hearthstone player shouted “Liberate Hong Kong!”. Almost immediately, the company with huge stakes in the Safe Space banned the player and took away his prize money, citing his speech as “offensive.” The fact that the CPC is capable of censoring Americans should be highly concerning, considering the rights we have as citizens. An authoritarian regime can insert itself within private companies to censor not just people within their country but force the host company to act on its behalf internationally. This is evident with many corporations’ blatant attempts of acting as a censor board for China, violating the right to expression of the very consumers these companies depend on. Wait a second, I think it’s gone! I was finally able to say China. So, is the Ghost of Chinese Censorship gone? I would argue no, this is a problem that runs far deeper, something that is much greater than this. Though the incidents in which China has attempted to censor the Hong Kong protests and any form of criticism against its authoritarian Winnie the Pooh-esque leader, this is nothing new. China has constantly attempted to downplay their human rights violations, from Uyghurs being thrown into detention centers to propping up the Kim Regime in North Korea to now the more recent attempts to extradite criminals from Hong Kong in the mainland. Authoritarian regimes like China rely on censorship to avoid challenges to its authority. Democracy, by contrast, necessitates criticism. What many people don’t understand is that criticism IS democracy. So, whether foreign governments acting through private businesses or those crying that speech is hateful, any threat of censorship ultimately places the integrity of a democracy at risk. This has not stopped within the United States from begging for censorship against speech they disagree with. To those that stand by this, I have this to say: what censorship ultimately becomes is a monster which will destroy the basic freedoms we cherish.
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