LONG BEACH STATE | VOL. LXX, ISSUE 4 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
D 49
er
A Daily 49er exclusive with President Jane Close Conoley Page 6 & 7
a call for
JUSTICE CSU communities rally behind a mother’s cry for equality.
Page 4
2 NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | D49ERNEWS@GMAIL.COM
INSIDE
Daily 49er
THE
NINER ASI votes to relocate Prospecter Pete page 3
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Ilustration majors recreate their childhood through art page 8 Women’s volleyball to face challenging weekend BECCA ENOS | Daily 49er
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News Editor James Chow d49ernews@gmail.com City Editor
ON THE COVER
The CSU Board of Trustees held their monthly meeting in downtown Long Beach Wednesday. A rally was held with chants saying “Justice for Josiah,” echoing concerns on the lack of safety for students of color. The movement was prompted by the murder of a black student who attended Humboldt State University.
HOURS
in Long Beach
Cover photo by Jorge Villa
Carlos Villicana cityd49er@gmail.com
Arts & Life Editor
Sports Editor
raft Beer LB Fest on Saturday will feature
Enterprise Editor
ies from the Long Beach area.
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Grant Hermanns Claudia Mehranbod Ryan Guitare
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Social Media Assistant Multimedia Assistant Design Adviser
Long Beach Zine Fest is being held Saturday. The event
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Assistant Opinions Editor
food, artists and craft beer from local brewer-
Kevin Colindres
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Design Editor
Photo courtesy of Beer Institute
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General Assignment Editor
C
Samantha Diaz Managing Editor managingd49er@gmail.com
Content Adviser
Jassareth Alanis-Ponce Paula Kiley Gary Metzker Barbara Kingsley-Wilson
will have independently printed work from over 120 artists. There will be live music from local artists along
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.
with food from local vendors, including vegan options at the Art Expo Center. Photo courtesty of Long Beach Zine Fest
Letters Policy: All letters and email must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily 49er reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
NEWS 3
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IDENTITY
Move Pete, get out the way The university is on track to relocate Prospector Pete and search for a new mascot.
RYAN GUITARE | Daily 49er
One major facet of ASI’s decision to move the Prospecter Pete statue is the significance of the prospecters’ role in the genocide of Indigenous Americans.
By James Chow News Editor tabasfat
A
fter months of deliberation, the campus community has finally decided to move an iconic statue that students have walked past at Long Beach State for 51 years. This is in response to a growing argument that Prospector Pete may be a symbol of genocide. Adding to this change will be a campus-wide discussion to find a new mascot for the school. “In terms of finalizing a new mascot, I don’t want to give a too ambitious timeline. Change is coming soon,” said Leen Almahdi, vice president of Associated Students Inc. According to President Jane Close Conoley, a group of students, faculty, alumni and staff have come to an agreement to move the statue, formally known as the “Forty-Niner Prospector,” from the plaza outside Liberal Arts 5. Current plans suggest the statue will be relocated to a new alumni center, which is still in the early stages of development. ASI Senate passed a resolution last March to change the statue’s location. The resolution recognizes the
violence that prospectors inflicted upon Indigenous peoples during the California Gold Rush and seeks to disassociate the campus from a symbol of genocide. Despite the statue’s controversy over recent years, the statue cannot be destroyed under the Visual Artists Rights Act. “Prospectors did play a huge role in Indigenous genocide and although we do really appreciate the history of our university, we also want to acknowledge the history of Indigenous peoples and choose [a] mascot that is one, reflective of the diversity that we have on campus, and two, that honors our mission for inclusivity,” Almahdi said. Craig Stone, program director of the American Indian Studies department, praised the decision to move away from Prospector Pete. “For somebody who’s been involved since 1976, it’s just so cool,” Stone said. “Finally, the students rallied and … that’s like something awesome.” Stone noted that at the time of LBSU’s inception, the campus was primarily populated by Anglo and Judeo-Christian students. “...You’re taught about the genocide that happens in Europe, [but] not taught about the genocide that happened in your own state,” Stone said. “For us, [the 49er mascot] is an icon of genocide.”
University administration has also reached out to Forty-Niner Shops, asking to not restock inventory on shirts sporting Prospector Pete after its remaining items with the mascot run out. The ASI Senate agreed to write up a referendum for a finalizing a new mascot, with one rule. “The Cal State University system has asked us to stay away from people [as mascots],” Conoley said. Lee Brown, a 1960 Long Beach State alumnus, retired journalism department faculty member, former ASI treasurer and Daily 49er editor, said the university should not prioritize the removal of the statue. “I think what they need to do is get rid of Prospector Pete right after they get rid of [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps],” Brown said. “The ROTC and the U.S. Army killed a hell of a lot more Native Americans than Prospector Pete and the 49ers did. As soon as they talk about getting rid of ROTC, they can talk about getting rid of Prospector Pete.” Brown said he’s one of the university’s alumni who purchased an engravement on one of the brick’s surrounding the statue. “[I paid] about $125 to buy a brick with my name on it at the foot of Prospector Pete,” Brown said. “And if they do anything to take away Pete, I want my money back.”
4 NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | D49ERNEWS@GMAIL.COM
RALLY
CSU campuses unite behind minority student safety The Board of Trustees meeting began with calls for justice and better security for minority students at CSUs.
By Carlos Villicana City Editor broletariatx
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ith only a minute-and-a-half to make her case to the Board of Trustees on the institutional racism she believes is present in the California State University system, Charmaine Lawson found herself speaking far past the allotted time. Supporters of Lawson’s cause gave the grieving mother their time to allow her to complete her address, which she ended with a vow to attend every meeting until the CSUs commit to battling this racism and helping to solve the case of her son’s murder. Lawson felt supported as she was surrounded by a group of over 30 wearing a shirt with one message — “Justice For Josiah.” They were there to raise awareness for the safety of CSU minority students and lack of support in solving the murder of her son, Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson, whose murder has gone unsolved for 17 months. Josiah was stabbed to death on April 15, 2017 in Arcata, and though one arrest was made in connection
JORGE VILLA| Daily 49er
The Justice for Josiah Lawson Committee and its supporters join hands outside of the Office of the Chancellor where the Board of Trustees meeting took place.
to the case, the suspect, Kyle Zoellner, was released the sort at Long Beach State. However, a few LBSU due to insufficient evidence. A new suspect has yet to students were present at the Board of Trustees meetbe found. ing to show support. Charmaine and her supporters, the Justice for Josi“There have been a distressing number of issues ah Lawson Committee, met the trustees with a list of raised since we have heard Chancellor White declare demands which included implementthe campuses that make up the ing policies meant to make students CSU [as] sanctuary campuses,” ...we must of color feel more accepted, hiring a said Benjamin Deutsch, a LBSU create space more diverse faculty and asking Board graduate student and financial Chair Adam Day to tour Humboldt secretary for student worker for the young State with Charmaine, to which Day union UAW 4123. Black students that you are accepted. Deutsch talked about the 2016 “You need to be ready for the stu- recruiting to your campus.” deportation of 53-year-old José dents you recruit, and you’re not. Alvarez deportation of 53-year[Being ready] means working openly old José Alvarez, which led to James Thomas the CSU’s lack of cooperation with students, parents, community leaders, pastors and faculty. We need with law enforcement in imdiscussions about safety among us, not profiling anymigration-related issues not required by state law, one,” said James Thomas, a CSU Los Angeles lecthough the universities do not identify as sanctuary turer. “Sustain, support and celebrate — that is the campuses. framework around which we must create space for “I think they heard me, but they still need to do the young Black students that you are recruiting to more. I believe [in Day’s] comment. He said, ‘we hope your campus.” you get the justice.’” Lawson said. “I don’t want you to Though the Justice for Josiah Lawson Committee hope, I want you to do something. I want you to know encouraged supporters to hold their own rallies later that this was wrong and we can’t bring him back but at their respective CSU campus, there was no event of we can fight for him, because he was one of us.”
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ARTS & LIFE 5
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ATTRACTION
Inside the Upside Down with Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios will debut its new “Stranger Things” maze this Halloween season. By Cristal Gomez
Assistant Arts and Life Editor gomezcristal98
If you haven’t heard of the Netflix original science fiction series, “Stranger Things,” get ready to binge watch it before heading over to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights’ newest themed maze. Fans asked for a maze based on the popular show to be created since the show debuted according to John Murdy, creative director and producer of Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights. Upon entering the maze everything looks as if the set of ‘Stranger Things’ has come to life right in front of you, thanks to Netflix and Universal working together to ensure everything looked exactly like the original show. Maze-goers begin the trail with a walk
into the woods and encounter the season one monster, the Demogorgon. “Creating the Demogorgon was one of the challenges we faced,” Murdy said. “Netflix uses digital technology to manipulate the eye; we cannot do that. We took our time in creating each costume, [with] the Demogorgon we wanted to get every detail correct.” Moving through the maze you reach the Byers home which is filled with ’70s furniture, making the house quite distinct compared to everything else on set. Universal Studios’ prop crews went to swap meets, vintage stores, yard sales and thrift shops to find the perfect components to match each scene from the series. “I began to plan the maze in November of last year, by January we had a drawing package. These packages typically have what we
need and how the maze should look,” Murdy said. Murdy mentioned the importance of having a level of interactions with fans and shows with “Stranger Things.” “With all the fame and acclamation that comes with being in the film and TV industry, it’s important to have something like this,” Murdy said. “I think it is because you are isolated on a set for a certain amount of months; no one really knows how big any project will be. Once they come here, they are able to see first hand the impact their creation has made in society today.” Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios will begin Sept. 14 and run through Nov. 3. Students can buy tickets online using their .edu email their university has provided.
Courtesy of Universal Orlando
Park attendees can relive the iconic “Christmas lights” scene from the first season of “Stranger Things” in Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights’ newest maze.
6 NEWS
NEWS 7
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a conversation with
EXCLUSIVE
Conoley
President Jane Close Conoley shares her vision for the campus in 2030 at Convocation. ALEXANDRA APATIGA | Daily 49er
The Daily 49er sat down with President Jane Close Conoley Wednesday, Sept. 5 to ask her about her ambitions for the new semester and her hopes for the future of the campus. Conoley touched on new housing developments, parking, more classes, the fate of Prospector Pete and the new Beach 2030 — an initiative that looks to community input to improve Long Beach State. These were her responses. By James Chow News Editor tabasfat
Beach 2030 Initiative What’s been on my mind is the launch of Beach 2030 — our big vision and strategic planning process. We’re putting a lot of time into that, hoping to involve a lot of people. I feel the big challenge is to make sure that it’s meaningful, and we won’t know that for while. We have various milestones; you have to get engagement and want to get people talking. I want to make sure we do it in a way that at the end of the process – two years from now – people say “not only are we moving in positive some directions but my voice was heard.” So, that’s really on my mind because it would be a very terrible waste of time and money and people’s brain power if we ended up with a document that we put on the shelf.
State Funding We see state funding being very stagnant… California is great because it has continued to invest, but it’s only back now to its pre-recession levels. And this is how long since the recession? So we have to be looking for other ways to attract investment, and I think some of these partnerships with hospitals, with business and industry, with foundations where we can be a win-win will help … keep tuition down and increase our accessibility to people.
Housing We are going to build more housing on-campus that will hold about 500 more students. We are in regular negotiations with a nonprofit in town called LINC Housing to try to get the funding so that part of the new building would be built with affordable housing dollars. This would mean students would have to qualify, that would be a separate process from our process. So that’s in the works. I think within two years, we’ll be building something. The other thing we’re doing ... is the downtown work where there’s a promise for affordable apartments, that would be available for faculty, staff and students who are 21 or older.
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Accommodating a commuter campus We have weekend classes, but I think we can do more on that. We’d have to hire people to do it, because we don’t have professors or advisers sitting around doing nothing. So then how do we get the money in the constraint, in the financial situation? We are continuing in a gradual way to schedule more classes on Friday; that’s a way to reduce parking during the four days ... Our vice provost told me that we have increased the number of Friday classes by about 14 percent. Every student group that I’ve talked to is very much in favor of it.
Prospector Pete
Parking developments What we could do is get into a public-private partnership, but then it would be hard to control the rates that would be charged for students and faculty and staff to park in those [lots]. We would have to figure that out, put it in front of people, [and ask] are you willing to pay this much more for parking? But do we raise everybody’s parking fee in order to pay off the loans, or do we [have two] private ... structures and you pay for the day that you’re there? There’s a lot of questions.
A group of students, faculty, alumni, staff all agreed that Prospector Pete was kind of passé, and we didn’t need to beat up the alums in the ‘60s for their lack of understanding about that.”
We asked Forty-Niner Shops when they run out of their last Prospector Pete shirt not to get that again ... we’re just trying to do it in a way that doesn’t disrupt people’s financial situation. A group of students, faculty, alumni, staff all agreed that Prospector Pete was kind of passé, and we didn’t need to beat up the alums in the ‘60s for their lack of understanding about that. We’re building the alumni and visitor center, which I’m not sure if we raised enough money to do that [yet]. Anyway, the statue will be moved. I asked ASI if they thought it was a good idea, and I think they’ve agreed that they’ll run a referendum this year sometime among students what should be our new mascot. The Cal State University system has asked us to stay away from people.
8 ARTS & LIFE
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Clockwise from left to right, featured in the Merlino gallery, Massie and Mendiola’s gallery titled “Show + Tell” features nostalgic toys from their childhoods. “Bratz” by Massie features a severed hand interacting with the doll to represent an underlying memory with the toy. Artworks in Massie and Mendiola’s joint gallery act as a trip down memory lane, and display iconic toys from their time growing up.
GALLERY
Art through the eyes of a child
Photos by Brenna Enos
Illustration students, Sarah Massie and Crisselle Mendiola bring back retro toys for a nostalgic experience. By Brenna Enos Staff Writer
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hile reminiscing over their childhoods, Long Beach State illustration majors Sarah Massie and Crisselle Mendiola thought about the iconic toys that defined their youth. From Bratz dolls to Furbys, seniors Massie and Mendiola believed childhood toys served as a nostalgic look into the past, and they brought this concept to life in the dual gallery, “Show + Tell” featured at the School of Art galleries in the Fine Arts Buildings on campus between FA3 and FA4. Inspired by the idea of toys transformed into artwork, Massie approached Mendiola to collaborate on the concept together for their gallery. Sharing a style of vibrant colors and bubbly cartoons, the duo produced a ten-piece gallery in the hopes that they could elicit emotions from visitors. “I want to evoke nostalgia in people who see this gallery, I mean, that’s why I’m doing this — it’s a really personal thing for me because they’re toys I played with,” Massie said. For Mendiola, her piece on the notable Nintendo character, Yoshi holds a special place in her heart. As a young girl, she often watched her grandma play “Yoshi’s Island” and recalls trying to learn the game by watching. “I would just watch her play it because I was too young to know what was going on,” Mendiola said. “I remember that game really vividly, and I still like to play it now.” Also a tribute to her family and childhood, Massie’s artwork titled, “Alphabet Blocks” was nostalgic, but for reasons different than Mendiola. Massie remembered when her younger sisters first entered her life, after being an only child for seven years, and seeing the toys they would play with. “It was a difficult time in my childhood,” Massie said.
“I had to suddenly deal with younger siblings the same time as my parent’s divorce and a second move across the country, and on top of that learn to share everything I owned, including a parent and a household.” She used toy blocks in her painting to spell out the word “suffer,” to give insight into the pain she was feeling at that time. Massie also used children’s toys as a reflection of her father in her piece “Daddy Doll,” in which she depicts two hands “awkwardly” holding a box with a doll inside to represent a lack of interaction between the two. These deeply rooted stories did not form overnight for Massie and Mendiola as they spent the summer vacation conceptualizing and creating. “I really enjoy this idea and I want to bring it to other people,” Massie said. “Eventually I do want to start venturing out and start involving other people with their memories possibly.” “Show + Tell” can be viewed at the School of Art galleries on campus from noon to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Four other student galleries are also featured, all of which located in the Fine Arts Buildings on campus between FA3 and FA4.
OPINIONS 9
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Courtesy of TCA Staff
With Hurricane Florence on a path to the Carolinas and other storms bearing down on parts of the East Coast, here’s a list of things to do and collect before and after a hurricane, from the National Hurricane Center.
EDITORIAL
Hurricane Florence may reshape the climate change debate By The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board The Baltimore Sun
As Hurricane Florence, fed by unusually warm ocean waters, closes in on the East Coast and millions flee the Carolina shores for safer ground, what a great time for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be relaxing the rules for one of the most potent greenhouse gases of all. Well, at least somebody in the Trump administration must think so because the EPA is reportedly on the verge of announcing its plans to make it easier for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere. The rollback is specifically aimed at what should be the most inexcusable of leaks _ those coming from oil and gas wells that sometimes vent excess methane or “flare” by burning the gas. Under President Barack Obama, the EPA developed the regulations as part of a broader campaign to fight climate change. Scientists say methane, as a greenhouse gas, is about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. But oil and gas companies said fixing methane leaks in a
timely manner was burdensome. Naturally, the Trump administration agreed. And so, while one can’t say Hurricane Florence is entirely a product of climate change (severe weather existed long before people started burning fossil fuels), it is safe to say that climate change is a major reason why Florence may be bigger and stronger and why there are likely to be more such monster storms in our future. Meanwhile, it’s also quite safe to say that President Donald Trump and his current set of minions, anonymous or on the record, are exceedingly disinterested in lifting a finger to do something about global warming. Already this year, the Trump EPA has rolled back limits on emissions on vehicles and coal-fired power plants, two major sources of greenhouse gases. This completes the administration’s trifecta of climate ignorance. And doing so as the Southeast faces such an ominous threat rises above chutzpah into something Nero-like in its lack of caring for the possible suffering of Americans. Perhaps if the Outer Banks had a Trump resort like his Aberdeenshire golf course in Scotland, where climate-related flooding has already become a problem, the White House
might be taking the East Coast threat more seriously _ or, more importantly, taking the causes of this threat more seriously. Will this concession to the energy industry produce thousands of jobs or have some other enormously positive impact on the U.S. economy? Not really. By energy industry standards, the stakes are fairly low _ with savings on the order of a half-billion dollars by 2025. Estimates of the cost of climate change vary, but a report published last year by the Universal Ecological Fund pegged them at $240 billion a year over the last 10 years, potentially rising to $360 billion annually in the next decade. Hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, there’s no shortage of severe conditions that a warming planet worsens. And the Trump administration’s reversal on U.S. climate policy _ made especially clear by Mr. Trump’s choice to remove the U.S. from the 2015 Paris accord _ has made the situation all the more dire. United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres noted on Monday that the world is quickly approaching a point of no return on climate and called on leaders to do more. “The time has come for our leaders to show they care about the people whose fate
they hold in their hands,” Mr. Guterres said during his speech at UN headquarters in New York. Most Americans understand this. Polls show a majority of Americans believe their government isn’t doing enough about climate change. Even most Republicans support greater investment in renewable energy like wind turbines and solar farms _ with 79 to 84 percent of Republicans supporting them, according to a 2018 Pew Research survey. So why turn back the clock? Why is ignoring the threat to vulnerable coastal communities like North Carolina’s Outer Banks considered a winning issue for this White House? Why dismantle climate progress when the benefits to anyone are minuscule and the risks are so high? As it happens, there’s another climate event happening this week. In California, Gov. Jerry Brown is convening a Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco beginning on Wednesday to explore all this backsliding _ and ways states like California might intervene. East Coast residents might want to pay attention, at least those who still have power, water, food, decent housing and access to information.
10 SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Long Beach seeks win against No. 16 UCLA
The 49ers look to extend their three-game winning streak at the Walter Pyramid this weekend. By Samantha Diaz Managing Editor samanthadiaz98
Freshly back from an East Coast road trip, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team has three matches coming up this weekend, starting with No. 16 UCLA Thursday night, followed by two lighter matches against Lamar University and Fresno State. Long Beach (6-4) returns to the Walter Pyramid after racking up three straight wins against Texas Tech at home, and Princeton and Towson at the Towson Invitational. They’ll look to continue their winning streak and keep up their perfect record at home behind team leaders in junior Hailey Harward (2.97 kills) and freshman Kashauna Williams (2.74 kills). The Bruins have defeated the 49ers the
last eight times they’ve met, but Long Beach hopes to extend its recent hot streak. UCLA (4-2) will visit the Walter Pyramid looking to snap its losing streak, dropping its last two games in a row to No. 14 Cal Poly. “I think UCLA is going to come out with some vengeance and we know that, I think it’s going to be a good test of where we’re at,” head coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer said. “You learn a lot more and there’s more urgency when you lose, and we’ve reminded the girls of that and they’re very aware of where UCLA is at and where we’re at.” Following the match against the Bruins, the 49ers will have to bounce back for the LBSU Mizuno Invitational, where it will face the Cardinals from Lamar University. Long Beach has never dropped a game to Lamar (3-6), and has high hopes to improve its record.
JOSEPH KLING| Daily 49er
Junior middle blocker YiZhi Xue celebrates a point in a friendly exhibiton against Shanghai pro team Aug. 29. “I think as long as we stay in our system and as long as we trust each other that we can win all of our matches,” Harward said. To close out the weekend, Long Beach will go up against Fresno State (7-3). The 49ers have not dropped a match to the Bulldogs since 1987.
On paper, it looks like the team will be able to finish the weekend with a 2-1 record, 3-0 if it can pull off the upset over UCLA. Once Long Beach survives the trenches of the weekend it’ll enter Big West play at home, beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 against UC Riverside.
SPORTS 11
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A modernization of Prospector Pete is one of the many possible additions to Long Beach State’s growing family of mascots.
Photo illustration by EMMA DIMAGGIO | Daily 49er
COLUMN
Nine solutions to Long Beach State’s identity crisis The only way to fix the school’s name is by giving it a few more. By Kevin Colindres Sports Editor sportswriterkev
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e all know that Long Beach State has an identity problem, but it’s time for us to embrace it. Prospector Pete is gone after receiving backlash, mascots have become extinct at games and the school has struggled with picking one name. In a recent meeting with Athletic Director Andy Fee and the Daily 49er sports staff, he emphasized the “uniqueness of having multiple names for the different teams on campus.” I guess it’s better to have more names rather than having a single name like the UCLA Bruins. I for one think it would be a great idea to embrace it. In fact, why don’t we give a different name to every team at Long Beach; we’ll be
the most unique school in California, maybe the world. Being the only university in the nation with Beach in its name must not be enough. Women’s soccer has been wearing “Beach Futbol” shirts so naturally, the name that best fits it would be “Las Playas,” as we’re located by the beach and it rolls off the tongue nicely. Men’s and women’s water polo is difficult to choose, but I ultimately went with “The Sharks.” I struggled with either sharks or dolphins, but after watching twenty minutes of “The Meg,” the choice was clear. All the volleyball teams should take a more classic route and will therefore go by “The Nets.” If it worked for the New Jersey and Brooklyn Nets, why wouldn’t it work for Long Beach? Historically we really are a volleyball school, so it’s time to embrace the nets we have cut down in the last 40 years. Tennis was tough, but after five hard minutes of thinking and giving up, I was
told the “The Aces” would work. Cross country should obviously be “The Road Runners,” and track and field should adopt the name, “The Squirrels.” There are squirrels everywhere on campus, they are pretty athletic and they aren’t afraid of anything, much like the athletes on the team. Both golf teams are going to be “The Birdies,” and I know that’s not the best possible outcome in golf, but how cool would little birds be all over their shirts, pants and golf clubs. Baseball is the only team that is going to keep its original name, “The Dirtbags.” It’s a great name that should definitely not be changed, no matter how much confusion it causes. While we’re at it, the softball team should embody the name as well. It’s gritty, and Long Beach State Athletics is pushing for something to show the blue collar work ethic that the city of Long Beach is known for. The last two sports are men’s and wom-
en’s basketball. There were so many options for these two that I threw around, such as “Pete the Palm Tree,” “The Waves” and “The Beach,” but I thought the best name that fit was “The 49ers.” Since I started covering sports at LBSU, I got used to calling each team by that name, and basketball’s my favorite sport, so I decided that both teams should hold the name. So now, the school has nine team names that will each have their own mascot. This really is the best solution for the crisis the school is going through. I’m sure the 49er Shops Bookstore will be thrilled by all the new apparel it’s going to receive and students will have more variety. Is it LBSU — or CSULB? Either way we will probably never be unified under one name, so let’s just embrace our diversity and become the most unique school in the nation. If you can’t beat them, out-name them.
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