Daily 49er, March 7, 2018 by Beach Media

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH

VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 57 | MARCH 7, 2018

49er

COMMUNITY

TUITION

CSULB makes cents Low average student debt after graduation helps university’s ranking. By Jessica Jacobs Staff Writer

While the average student may be bombarded with issues of crowded parking and rising tuition on a daily basis, there seems to be a silver lining in attending school at the Beach. Cal State Long Beach was ranked 70th nationally on Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges Feb. 21. The university’s place among the top 100 public colleges was based on objective measurements of academic quality and affordability. “We are always proud to be included in Kiplinger’s rankings,” President Jane Close Conoley said in a press release. “This listing further underscores the fact that our graduates receive a world-class education, and that they do so without shouldering many of the financial burdens that other college students face today. I am pleased that the results of focusing on opportunity

and access are recognized.” A notable feature that helped the university place on the list is a low average student debt after graduation. According to Kiplinger’s list, the university’s best value is its average debt after college, $15,165, a number lower than most of the ranked public college. Overall, the university ranked among other public schools, private schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges. “Our rankings, which weigh affordability alongside academic quality, are a great resource for students and their parents when sorting through college choices,” said Mark Solheim, editor of Kiplinger’s magazine, in a press release. “We start with a universe of nearly 1,200 schools. We then rank [them] based on cost and financial aid data.” The Kiplinger organization has been around since 1920 and has developed its focus on personal finance and business forecasting. It was founded by W.M. Kiplinger and is known as the “most widely read business forecasting periodical in the world,” according to Kiplinger’s website. see VALUE, page 2

Only eight California universities rank on Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges list, but where does each one place?

Locals only With increasing applicants and shrinking enrollment, community colleges and high schools question the accessibility of Cal State Long Beach.

#5 UC Berkeley #6 UCLA

By Hunter Lee and Matt Anderson Staff Writers

#20 UC San Diego #22 University of Santa Barbara #26 UC Irvine #27 Cal State San Luis Obispo

#70 Cal State Long Beach #87 San Diego State

Since the university has continuously broken its application record each year, a growing concern among prospective students is whether acceptance will become increasingly difficult. In 2016, Long Beach sent out a record 36,000 rejection letters, prompting President Jane Close Conoley to address the same issue of whether or not Long Beach was headed toward elite status, meaning it only accepts “the best and brightest” among students as opposed to accepting students based on geographic closeness. While acceptance into Long Beach has become increasingly difficult, Dhushy Sathianathan, vice provost of academic planning, said the school has maintained a mission of serving the local community. Sathianathan said he believes that the university’s goal of providing guaranteed acceptance for local students should serve as a role model to other California universities. “You can’t not serve your immediate region and just be an elite school,” Sathianathan said. “If you just want to be an elite school and not serve the community what function does it really have?” see ELITE, page 2

TREND

Gotta go faster Motorized skateboards and scooters are helping students get around campus quicker, but not everyone is on board. By Hannah Matt Staff Writer

At first glance, one might assume that the student zooming up West Campus Drive on a

skateboard is just really fit, but wait, they aren’t — they have a motor. Motorized skateboards and scooters are starting to zip down every sidewalk at Cal State Long Beach, changing the way students get around.

Walking from the pyramid to upper campus can add some serious time to the morning commute to class, which is prompting students to add torque to their boards. However, these devices are capable of going much faster than campus regulations permit, and have left some questioning the safety of the riders. Ravena Bailey is a freshman criminal justice major who received an electric scooter as a birthday present. “All of my classes are on upper campus, so it saves me

about 45 minutes of walking every day,” Bailey said. “My longest walk to class last semester was about 20 minutes. It was always hot and I would have to walk out of the way to avoid construction. Sometimes I would have to miss lunch just to get there on time, but now it only takes me about five minutes to get anywhere on campus.” According to the university skateboard policy, coasting desee MOTOR, page 2

There have been complaints stemming from people riding these devices in areas where they should not be riding. There have been collisions where a skateboard rider has been associated with the cause of the collision, which is due to negligence on the part of the rider.”

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Lt. Richard Goodwin, University Police

2 NEWS

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MOTOR

continued from page 1 vices are encouraged to promote a healthy lifestyle by driving or taking the bus less often. The portable vehicles are allowed on all sidewalks as long as they are following regulations such as yielding to pedestrians, and not putting anyone at risk. The regulation also states that devices aren’t allowed to exceed 5 mph, but the speed of most motorized skateboards and scooters ranges from 10-20 mph. Lt. Richard Goodwin from the University Police urges students to follow campus regulations and the skateboard policy for coasting devices on the University Police Department website. “There have been complaints stemming from people riding these devices in areas where they should not be riding,” Goodwin said. “There have been collisions where a skateboard rider has been associated with the cause of the collision, which is due to negligence on the part of the rider.” According to the campus skateboard policy, the safety of pedestrians is ultimately the responsibility of the rider. In the case of an accident, the rider is also li-

able for all medical expenses and property damage of the victim. Getting around campus can be a challenge when the sidewalks are crowded. Adding motorized skateboards to the mix

VALUE

ELITE

Photo Illustration by Hannah Matt | Daily 49er

A student rides across campus on a motorized scooter. Skateboards and skooters with attached motors have gained popularity in traversing the school.

continued from page 1

Students have had mixed responses on the ranking. “This school does a lot in trying to connect students with outside opportunities,” said Jay Rodacker, a junior majoring in political science. “I regularly get emails from my department about pretty impressive internship opportunities.” Although Rodacker saw the university ranking as a positive, senior film major Mahelet Moges thought otherwise. “The money we spend and the resources that are given to us don’t match up,” Moges said. “If we spend our money wisely and on things that matter, unlike the ‘Go Beach’ sign, then we could definitely see positive changes in the educational aspect of our campus, as well as our ranking.” Aside from CSULB, seven other public California universities made it onto the top 100 list: University of California Berkeley (No. 5), University of California Los Angeles (No. 6), University of California San Diego (No. 20), University of Santa Barbara (No. 22), University California Irvine (No. 26), Cal State San Luis Obispo (No. 27) and San Diego State (No. 87). There are 26 students per faculty member, in-state tuition is $5,562 and 80 percent of financial aid need for students is met. The university is also listed as one of the top West coast colleges. According to the 2018 edition of Regional Universities West, CSULB is ranked 39 out of all the west coast universities. Its ranking is based on U.S. News’ educational expert’s research and data gathered.

For the upcoming fall semester, 4,600 freshmen and 4,400 transfer students will be enrolled, an almost 11 percent increase from last fall. This is the highest the school has ever seen, according to Sathianathan. This increase is a result of last year’s high graduation rate, with over 10,000 students graduating. With this increased amount of spots freed up, 9,000 applicants were able to enroll. Long Beach Unified School District students who meet Cal State Long Beach’s minimum requirements are guaranteed admission. This initiative is allowed through the Long Beach College Promise Partnership Act, a 2008 program aimed at college preparedness in K-12. Lakewood High School, which is covered under the program, has seen great results with the Local Promise and making sure students are prepared, according to college and career specialist Jenny Gildon. “Our close ties with CSULB allow me to call or meet with our partners at outreach, freshman admissions, financial aid, dual enrollment and advising anytime we need assistance or clarification at a moment’s notice,” Gildon said. With Long Beach’s “Local Preference” admission, 42 local high schools are offered priority admission to students who have graduated from a school that resides in the geographic boundaries of the city and have met the minimum requirements. Of the 103,000 applicants, around 6,000 seats are designated to students that reside in schools under the “local” recognition. The remaining 2,400 seats go toward 96,000 students who are not considered local, creating an intense field of competition. “If you are outside the immediate local, you are in a highly competitive pool,” Sathianathan said. “There’s no guaranteed admission and we can only admit so many students.” Those who live in California but do not live within the service area have faced the pressure of competing with the 96,000 other applicants, including Jazmine Dorado,

has led to collisions. Since getting her scooter, Bailey said she has had firsthand experience with these collisions and other technical issues. “I always go the fastest speed and I’ll be

cruising down the sidewalk trying to avoid people,” Bailey said. “People can hear the scooters coming and the smart ones stay to one side, but sometimes people will step in front of me and I have to slam on the breaks or swerve so I don’t hit them.” For Gina Lipscomb, a freshman fashion merchandising major, believes those riding motorized devices pose a threat to other students after she got in a collision with a skateboarder. “I was riding my bike along a crosswalk and a guy was on a motorized skateboard next to me,” Lipscomb said. “It slipped out from underneath him and flew under my bike. I bumped over the skateboard a few times and everything in my bike basket flew out. He kept saying how sorry he was, but I was too frustrated that I almost face planted on my bike that I didn’t even mind to acknowledge him.” Motorized skateboards and scooters weigh a bit more than the regular devices, ranging from 10 to 25 pounds. These devices can hold a charge for up to 4 hours and can cost riders anywhere from $300 to $1,500 depending on the model. Although motorized transportation is growing around campus, Goodwin said he does not see any new rules are regulations being put into place for these devices at this time.

Hunter Lee | Daily 49er

High school students tour the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. Local campuses see greater acceptance rates into Cal State Long Beach due to Long Beach’s promise act.

an incoming transfer student from Long Beach City College. “In the process of applying for transfer, my counselor broke the news that I was considered not local to CSULB. Therefore, I had a lower chance and higher requirements of getting in,” Dorado said. “She even told me a story about one of her old students that had a 4.0 GPA and still got denied to CSULB.” Some community colleges have faced an increase in difficulty for non-local students attempting to transfer to Long Beach and other Cal State Universities, according to Flor Huerta, Fullerton College counseling and department coordinator. “[CSULB] set themselves apart. [CSUs] are always changing their requirements and it’s tough to communicate that to students when the changes come late,” Huerta said. “We try and work with these CSUs to stay connected with them and get updated information but it’s becoming challenging

with all these applicants and they’re becoming elite.” Sathianathan believes that other schools should be making more of an emphasis to enroll students that are local to them, but due to lack of state funding many schools are driven to seek non-local applicants to make up the funds because of higher tuition fees. “State[-funded] schools are struggling to see how to make up for financial drop,” Sathianathan said. “Thus continuing the vicious cycle of ignoring local students.” While Long Beach can be looked at as a role model of serving its community, Sathianathan says there is room for much improvement. “We need to figure out how to bring in more revenue for the campus to support what we do,” Sathianathan said. “What should this campus look like in 2030? I hope [the student body] will help contribute in this conversation.”

NEWS 3

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What Your Teachers Never Taught You Better for America, Worse for Democrats* Dr. George A. Kuck (galbertk@aol.com)

politics.gover nment.lear n.presidential.candidates.celebrity.audit.money.finances.majors.department.professors. schedule.work.paycheck.taxes.budgetcuts.news.media.life. sex.entertainment.relationship.need.politics.government. politics. learn.presidential.candidates.celebrity.technology. family.tests.life.publicschool.tuition.personal.education.books. health.science.sex.enter tainment.relationship.n eed .p o l i t ics. gove r n m en t.email opedD49er@gmail.com

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12 minute rapid service between Long Beach and 103rd St Station (peak only)

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Students who rely on public transit could have a harder time getting around Los Angeles County after Metro revealed renovations that will cause an eight-month closure of the Blue Line. On January 15 the Metro announced that the Blue Line will begin the first of two partial shut downs starting in early 2019. During the first phase of the suspension service from Downtown Long Beach to the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station will be halted for repairs and upgrades over a four-month period. During the suspension, Metro is planning to extend service by running extra buses at more frequent intervals, and express busses during peak hours. According to Jose Ubaldo, a communications manager for Metro, the goal is to match the route the Blue line takes. “The [bus] service we will offer will emulate the train service, and it will only be from station to station,” Ubaldo said. Metro is anticipating delays for passengers, but is trying to minimize the effect that the repairs will have on riders. One way is by scheduling buses to the same hours that the Blue Line usually runs and increasing the frequency of service. Additionally, the fares will stay the same during the shutdown. Despite extra buses, passengers can expect to add an additional 30 to 60

Bus vs Rail Travel Time Comparison

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Opinions Editor

Pico

By Daniel Green

minutes to their commute depending on their destination. “The traveling time will be a little longer, because the train moves faster,” Ubaldo said. “But we are going to try to do our best to cut down on time.” Metro will begin closing sections of the Blue Line to begin repairs and upgrades under a program called “The New Blue,” which started in 2014. The campaign will spend $300 million renovating the Blue Line and the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Blue Line station. The Metro hopes that repairs and upgrades will help lure riders back with shorter wait times, new signal systems and extra tracks. Since the Blue Line’s opening in 1990, it has been one of the busiest routes for Metro, but has lost riders in recent years due to longer commutes and crowds. Construction on the line will be scheduled in two phases. The first will close the track south of the Rosa Parks station, starting from the Compton station to Downtown Long Beach. After the southern part of the track reopens, the second phase will shut down the northern section of the line, which runs up to the 7th Street/Metro Center station in Los Angeles. Each phase is scheduled to take four months each with a total eight-month stretch of closures. During this time, the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Blue Line station will be closed for the entire eight months for repairs and renovations. While the suspension of service begins in January, the Metro does not have an exact date for the beginning of construction, but expects the entire Blue Line to be fully operational by October 2019.

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Blue Line train service to downtown Long Beach will be suspended next year for repairs and upgrades.

Blue Line Replacement Bus and Rail Service

Gr an

Stopped in its tracks

We are going to have a bruising national election this fall. Negative Democrat ads will swamp our local channels. Democrats want to take in control of the Senate and the House so they will race bait for votes. Our electorate has been convinced that Democrats have your best interests at heart. The data says otherwise. What is good for America is not good for the Democrats. Immigration: The more immigrants identify with the country from which they have fled, the more likely they are to vote Democrat. The Democrats have successfully demonized Republicans as “xenophobic,” “anti-immigrant,” “anti-Hispanic,” and “nativist.” Instead of promoting assimilation of the immigrants as we have done in the past, they have promoted “multiculturalism” which has fractured our inter-personal and inter-group bonds with our fellow citizens. Multiculturalism is partially responsible for the gang warfare which racks our schools and cities. The more an immigrant assimilates into American society, the more likely they are to vote Republican. Illegal immigrants have been found to vote and their vote goes completely to the Democrats to swing election outcomes. Race: Why do we have Black Lives Matter and they do not protest about the half dozen blacks killed in Chicago each weekend? The more tension between races, the larger the number of minorities that vote Democrat. The more a black American considers America to be a racist society, the more they are guaranteed to be a Democrat voter. Blacks who are not angry with America (such as Larry Elder - a local talk show host on AM790, and Thomas Sowell - a Stanford professor) vote Republican. Democrats would rather have riots in cities than heal racial wounds. Democrats have a divide and conquer strategy. Marriage: Most Americans agree that it is better for men and women to be married. It is better for society and their children when they marry. When women marry, it is bad for the Democrats. When women do not marry but have children, how do they vote? It is in the Democrat’s best interest for women to not marry because unmarried women with children vote overwhelmingly Democrat. They are married to our welfare system instead of to a man. This “marriage” costs you and our society money as well as creating dysfunctional dangerous youth. Democrats are tearing America apart. They recognize that the more women see men as an enemy, the more blacks see whites as an enemy, and the more that Latino’s identify themselves with their country of origin, the better it is for the Democrats. You may not have intend to, but if you vote Democrat in the fall election, you will contribute to damaging our uniquely good American society. *(ideas from Prager University)

4 ARTS & LIFE

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RESIDENT COLUMN

Canonizing comics: ‘Anya’s Ghost’

CARLOS VILLICANA

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

Courtesy of The Public Medievalist

Members of the far right have taken to medievalism to emulate the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies will host a lecture Wednesday to confront this movement of white supremacists.

DISCUSSION

The true colors of the medieval age Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies takes on the dragon of white supremacy. By Samantha Diaz

hile medieval renaissance usually muddles down to the workings of dungeons and dragons, the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies will be taking on a much scarier topic this Wednesday — white supremacy. The center will be hosting a lecture at 4 p.m. in the Anatol Center titled “Confronting White Supremacy and Decolonizing the Middle Ages” by Dr. Dorothy Kim from Vassar College. The lecture is prompted by recent events including the Charlottesville protest where white supremacists rallied for recognition and white supremacist propaganda video “Who Are We” which prompts white people to be more prideful in their race. Both instances used medieval symbols to promote their ideas rooted in white supremacy. Sponsor Ilan Mitchell-Smith helped organize the event and emphasized the need to confront the medieval past and its ties to white supremacy. “Some extremist groups that have to do with white supremacy appropriate images and symbols from the medieval past for their political agendas and it doesn’t match what actually happened,” Mitchell-Smith said. The center is one of many in the medieval academia who have taken it upon themselves to challenge these messages. University of Minnesota medieval studies professor, David Perry told CBC Radio back in September about the responsibility he felt to teach his students the realities of the Middle Ages, rather than the ones being pushed by white supremacist groups. According to Mitchell-Smith, the root

Arts & Life Editor

of these images is in the misconception most people have about the middle ages and the racial and ethnic breakdown of that time. “[White supremacists] have this idea that the Middle Ages was ‘pure’ and that this area was all white, and it’s rooted in this desire for people to be all white,” Mitchell-Smith said. “But when you look into the actual past, that’s not the reality. It wasn’t all white people and it doesn’t justify the notion that they’re trying to pass on.”

I think it’s an important conversation to have, the way medieval culture is being appropriated for these evil ideas”

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Jillian Sutton Graduate student He said by teaching the actualities of this time to students, it will help them “to fight against the medieval past becoming the de facto historical period identified with white supremacy,” according to the organization’s flier about the event. Following the lecture will be a roundtable discussion at 6 p.m.geared toward specific questions and issues students want to discuss about race and white supremacy in the context of medieval times. While the lecture and roundtable might be catered to a particular niche, Mitchell-Smith said he hopes the discussion will reach anyone interested not only in the Middle Ages, but in challenging ideas of white supremacy. “For many people studying this...it’s

their favorite and most interesting time period,” Mitchell-Smith said. “So we want to look at how can we as academia, as students, as teachers and as people identify these problems and confront them and respond in an academic way.” Medieval and Renaissance Students Association, who is affiliated with the center, has a few members who have expressed interest in the event and what it has to offer. Graduate student in English literature and treasurer of the association, Jillian Sutton is one of those members. “I’m super excited about the event. I think it’s an important conversation to have, the way medieval culture is being appropriated for these evil ideas,” Sutton said. “I’m looking forward to to hear what academics are saying about it now. I like that it’s available to the student body and I’m excited to be present in the conversation, especially in this political climate.” The event will be free and is meant to reach students and faculty in order to inform them and incite a response. “The action we’re taking here is one of academic nature,” Mitchell-Smith said. “We’re looking at ways to teach, learn and think about things. If a student was thinking this before, we want them to leave and not be able to think that time period was only white people.”

CONFRONTING WHITE SUPREMACY AND DECOLONIZING THE MIDDLE AGES When: Wednesday, 4 to 5 p.m. with roundtable at 6 p.m. Where: Anatol Center Cost: Free

his column was called “Negative Space.” Now it’s not. It’s still about comics, though. Sometimes we just need a thrilling story that will leave us feeling good at the end. “Anya’s Ghost” is perfectly suited to service that need. Anya, the protagonist, is attending high school and trying to fit in. She tries to distance herself from her family’s customs, has only one friend and desires the attention of a popular but taken basketball player. These are problems made familiar by the frequency with which teenage protagonists encounter them, if not by our own times grappling with them. Then she falls down a hole and meets a ghost who becomes the spectral equivalent of a fairy godparent. Things are going well for Anya — until they aren’t. Among the genres in which “Anya’s Ghost” belongs are mystery, horror and coming-of-age drama. Author Vera Brosgol blends the aesthetics of all three with personal experiences to create something which simultaneously feels familiar and fresh. The freshness comes from its perspective — that of an immigrant. Like the author, Anya was born in Russia but migrated to the United States early enough that school and the majority of her life happened in the latter. Anya’s outsider status made her an easy target for bullies and Brosgol ensures that we remember this every time the hero rejects her family’s attempt to reconnect her with their culture. But the author never lets us forget that actions by Anya (and other characters) do affect people. Pain is depicted as painful, not funny. While the color palette here consists exclusively of shades of purple, with black and white used for faces and lines, the art is some of the most expressive I have seen in comics, often so effective because of its exaggeration. “Anya’s Ghost” is an enjoyable and well-paced story with humorous and creepy moments scattered throughout, as well as a nice message about conformity and empathy. This book is the perfect antidote to a bad mood and sometimes that’s all one needs. “Anya’s Ghost” can be found in room 200 on the second floor of the University Library, as well as various locations of the Long Beach Public Library. Happy reading!

ARTS & LIFE 5

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PREVIEW

‘Proud to present’ ﬂips mirror on audience

Upcoming university play challenges representation of American history and the resulting presentday issues. By Shyanne Riberal-Norton Staff Writer

History can be hard to grapple with. The tragic decisions of ancestors and cultures laid out in precise moments of flawed reasoning, especially at the expense of others, can be difficult to confront. California Repertory addresses present-day issues and confronts the way history is portrayed in its play premiering 8 p.m. Friday in the University Theater. The verbosely titled play “We are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915,” written by Jackie Sibblies Drury, offers a personal look at the issues of racism and skewed historical views. The story follows six student-actors struggling to perform a piece detailing the genocide of the Herero people in Namibia, Africa. The genocide occurred from 1904 to 1907 and began when Germans confiscated tribal

Courtesy of Kevin Johnson

Members of California Repertory rehearse for their upcoming show, “Proud to Present.” The play will premiere 8 p.m. Friday at the University Theater.

lands in Southwest Africa. The theater and stage double as a classroom, as this “play within a play” brings to life modern-day issues such as racism, ignorance and prejudice that some Americans fail to acknowledge. Long Beach director Chris Anthony expressed his enthusiasm in bringing this multilayered performance to life. “The story we land on is really pressing and relevant for us now, even though they’re looking back

to history,” Anthony said. “This play is about issues that affect everybody.” This performance takes a look at problems that exist in this era, forcing the student-actors within the play to come to terms with their own stereotypes and ignorance toward people of different backgrounds. “While they start out telling this story about this genocide that happened in a place they don’t know and don’t understand,

they end up telling a very American story,” Anthony said. Part of that American story, as often seen in American History books and classes, is denying the realities of the country, which is exactly what the play aims to challenge. “It shows us what we hide from and what we bury,” theater department chair Jeff Janisheski said. “It’s really a moving and provocative piece.” Picked for its relatable content,

Spring Calendar SATURDAY MARCH 10

SUNDAY MARCH 11

Pow Wow Celebration • The 48th annual American Indian cultural celebration which will oﬀer traditional food, performances and art. • When: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Where: Cal State Long Beach upper campus central quad • Free admission and parking

Pow Wow Celebration • The 48th annual American Indian cultural celebration which will oﬀer traditional food, performances and art. • When: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Where: Cal State Long Beach upper campus central quad • Free admission and parking

Video Game Music Orchestra • The studio orchestra at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music will be performing popular video game music with an orchestra and choir. • When: 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. • Where: Gerald R. Grand Recital Hall • Free admission

Bob Cole Showcase • Students at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music will be selected by faculty to perform classical and jazz music. • When: 4 p.m. • Where: Gerald R. Grand Recital Hall • Tickets: $10 for students and faculty $15 for general public Daylight Savings • Set your clock one hour forward!

“Proud to Present” offers a window for the audience to see themselves portrayed in the actors. The play not only forces the student-actors to examine life from another point of view, but the piece also takes a look at its own historical background, peeking through denial and contradiction. “The play is making the point that we are connected,” Anthony said. “Until we face our past and admit things about ourselves, we won’t be able to move forward.” Although this presentation isn’t a part of CalRep’s Devising Democracy Series, it stays consistent with the theme of confronting issues that are very much ongoing in present day. Starting March 9, the performance will be available through March 17 at the University Theater. Tickets are $15 for students and faculty and $20 for general public and can be purchased at http://web.csulb.edu/colleges/ cota/theatre/on-stage-now/index.html.

“PROUD TO PRESENT” When: March 9-17 Where: University Theater Tickets: $15 for students and faculty $20 for general public

6 OPINIONS

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GUN CONTROL

Trump’s comments on video games are nothing but a smoke screen As the debate over gun control rages, we need to confront the real issue. By Daniel Green Opinions Editor

he White House hosted a press conference last week in response to the school shooting in Florida, which left 17 people dead. While the event was supposed to focus on gun violence, President Donald Trump stated that he wanted to do “something” about violence in video games. “I’m hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people’s thoughts,” Trump said. In the wake of the Parkland school shootings the public desire for stronger gun control laws has reached a peak not seen in years. The Parkland students have become national figures who have spearheaded the push for stricter legislation. Unfortunately, instead of acknowledging this outcry the Trump administration has decided to toe the company line of the National Rifle Association by derailing the gun control debate by bringing up violence in video games. It’s not surprising that Trump feels the need to keep his NRA supporters happy, considering the $30 million they donated to his presidential campaign in 2016. After a disasterous town hall with the survivors and parents of the Florida shootings, and public opinion against them

Olivier Douliery | Abaca Press

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, March 5 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.

it seems like the NRA needed a quick diversion. If this is their goal, video games make an effective target. The moral panic over video games stretches back to the ‘90s, when kids huddled around their Sega Genesis to rip out their friend’s spine in Mortal Kombat. Since then, conservatives have beaten the drum over the corrupting influence of these games. The fear has been that the sensationalized content of video games desensitizes children to violence. This has been the rationale leading all the way back to Columbine when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into their high school and killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher in 1999. However, the reality is that science doesn’t support this theory. Even mental health professionals

Daily 49er Miranda Andrade-Ceja Editor-in-Chief eicd49er@gmail.com

Mac Walby Managing Editor managingd49er@gmail.com

have said that studies show that there is no evidence that violent video games lead to long-term changes in behavior that result in anti-social crimes like school

The current panic over violent games is nothing but political theatre intended to shift blame and distract the public.”

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shootings. In the same study researchers found that “people serving time for violent crimes typically consume less media before committing their crimes than the average person in the general population.” As the debate over video

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games continues the one thing that gets overlooked is actual violence. Since Columbine, the country has fallen into a pattern of “shock, anger, argue, forget and repeat” in the aftermath of every shooting. The only thing causing our desensitization toward of gun violence is our quiet acceptance of it. Despite this evidence, the Trump administration is still intent on pushing the idea that video games are a danger to society. After Trump’s statements, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders announced a summit with the heads of the top video game companies. Oddly enough none of these companies were aware of any meeting scheduled for this week and have no desire to participate. The video game companies

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declined to join the summit in Washington because they know Trump’s threats are toothless. Politicians can condemn video games on every cable news show that will have them, but at the end of the day lawmakers are basically powerless to do anything. Video game developers already achieved their decisive victory in 2011 when the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the state of California could not restrict the sale of violent video games to minors. In the case former Supreme Justice Antonin Scalia declared that “Video games qualify for First Amendment protection. Like protected books, plays, and movies, they communicate ideas through familiar literary devices and features distinctive to the medium. And the basic principles of freedom of speech . . . do not vary.” This decision means there is very little the current administration can do to developers. The current panic over violent games is nothing but political theatre intended to shift blame and distract the public. To be fair, there are problems in gaming. The industry struggles with inclusion and has a problem with sexism, stereotypes and harassment. Gamergate showed how toxic the hobby can be to women and people of color. “Swatting,” the act of calling police and claiming that opponents are armed and dangerous, is finally being taken seriously after a man was killed by police last January. However, to pretend the hobby is creating mass murderers is nothing but an excuse to ignore the victims of gun violence. It is time to put for us as a society to put this myth of video game violence to rest and focus on creating real world changes.

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Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in this issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinions of the Daily 49er are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reﬂect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staﬀ members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily 49er.

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SPORTS 7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Curry cooks the 49ers Long Beach gets blown out in the ﬁrst round of the Big West tournament. By Kevin Colindres Assistant Sports Editor

A hopeful final half of the season ended with a disappointing loss that sent the women’s basketball team home without a win. Long Beach’s (8-22, 6-10 Big West) season came to an end after a 79-66 loss to UC Riverside (9-21, 6-10 Big West) in the first round of the Big West tournament. The 49ers came in hot with a five game win streak, but couldn’t handle senior guard Michelle Curry’s impressive 20 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. Redshirt senior Lauren Holt also contributed 22 points and 4 rebounds to seal the deal. Inexperience and second half woes have plagued the 49ers all season, and it all came into fruition during the most important match

of the year. Both teams struggled to shoot all night, but it was the overall effort that UC Riverside brought that put the team over the top. Long Beach was outrebounded 44-30 which gave the Highlanders 10 second chance points compared to the 49ers five. Senior guard Cecily Wilson gave her all in the final game of her career, posting 22 points and four rebounds. Shooting 42.6 from the field and 33.3 from beyond the arc was not enough for the 49ers to get the job done. The team also shot poorly from the free throw line, hitting only half of their free throws to end the night. Long Beach finished its regular season on a high note, but ultimately fell when the lights got bright. With all the progression the team has made this year, next year may very well be a different story.

Joseph Kling | Daily 49er

Freshman guard Shanaijah Davison dribbles the ball away from UC Riverside senior guard Michelle Curry. The women’s basketball team fell to UC Riverside 79-66 in the first round of the Big West tournament.

SOFTBALL

Long Beach has unhappy homecoming

Baylor tags ace pitcher Cielo Meza for six hits in 5-2 loss. By Grant Hermanns Staff Writer

After going 16-4 on the road to start the 2018 season, Long Beach State lost its first home game to No. 12 Baylor Tuesday. The excitement and energy level was high among 242 fans. Two costly errors by Long Beach and seven key hits sealed Baylor’s 5-2 victory over the 49ers. “I was proud of the way we bounced back in the first couple of innings,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “They had some big hits and the pitcher kind of found her groove there in the third inning.” The third inning showed Baylor’s ability to capitalize on mistakes by the 49ers. After a 2-run homerun by designated player Goose McGlaun and an RBI double by Shelby Friudenberg, Baylor took a 5-2 lead. Long Beach sophomore pitcher Cielo Meza, coming off her

Hunter Lee | Daily 49er

Sophomore pitcher Cielo Meza pitches against Baylor. With a final score of 5-2, Long Beach suffered its first home game loss this season.

second career no-hitter in her last start on March 3, threw 123 pitches and allowed five runs on six hits. Meza was pulled from the mound going into the sixth inning and replaced by sophomore pitcher Devyn Magnett,

who allowed only one hit and one walk in the final two innings of the game. Baylor (12-3) head coach Glenn Moore knew the 49ers were a “tough team,” feeling the Bears responded well to the com-

petition against Meza, who was 9-0 prior to the game. “To be able to come here and play that well against her on her field I think really says a lot for our offense,” Moore said. “I’m very pleased with our team and I

certainly have a lot of respect for Long Beach.” Moore felt the first inning was also key, drawing 41 pitches from Meza which is tough psychologically to come back from for any pitcher. Magnett was very confident going into the circle in the sixth inning, saying pitchers “love to have each other’s back on the mound.” “I felt like we really came out strong and kept together as a team, no matter what,” Magnett said. “When we got behind, everyone stayed confident and tried to work for each other.” Senior first baseman Julia Lombardi, who was 2-for-3 with one run, felt her team was ready for Baylor after defeating Auburn, but that the offense fell short in supporting its ace pitcher. “We didn’t shut them out with pitching, but [Meza] did well,” Lombardi said. “They didn’t score that many runs, but I think we could’ve had better at-bats.” Long Beach will host the Louisville Slugger Invitational from March 8-11 facing some tough competition including Michigan State (9-8), San Jose State (12-7) and No. 3 UCLA (19-0).

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018