Portland State Vanguard Volume 75 Issue 15 by Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 75 • ISSUE 15 • OCTOBER 27, 2020

WEEKEND OF P. 8–9

DEMONSTRATIONS

NEWS Remote winter term P. 5

ARTS & CULTURE Five spooky halloween flicks P. 11

OPINION Voting is still safe P. 14–15

CONTENTS

COVER BY SAM PERSON

NEWS HILL TO HALL

P. 3

ASPSU HOSTS STATE CONGRESSIONAL TOWN HALL

P. 4

AS COVID-19 CASES SURGE IN OREGON, PSU ANNOUNCES REMOTE WINTER TERM

P. 5

INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF POLITICAL ACTIVIST’S INFANT

P. 6

THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD

P. 7

COVER WEEKEND OF DEMONSTRATIONS

P. 8–9

STAFF

EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Justin Grinnell MANAGING EDITOR Nick Townsend NEWS EDITORS Hanna Anderson Dylan Jefferies INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Karisa Yuasa SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Béla Kurzenhauser ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Morgan Troper OPINION EDITOR AJ Earl

ONLINE EDITOR Lily Hennings

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Nick Gatlin

COPY CHIEF Sophie Concannon

PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sam Person

CONTRIBUTORS Gian Bamrah Sean Bascom Sofie Brandt Aineias Engstrom Mary Joaquin Kai McClary Claire Plaster Kaleigh Rainwater Ada Solario Mackenzie Streissguth PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Annie Schutz

DESIGNERS Farah Alkayed Sam Garcia Shannon Steed DIS T RIBU TION DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Dylan Jefferies T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Juliana Bigelow Kahela Fickle George Olson John Rojas

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY INTEL STOCKS DROP AFTER POOR Q3 RESULTS

P. 10

ARTS & CULTURE A HALLOWEEN HORROR PRIMER

P. 11

ART AGAINST ANXIETY

P. 12

FINDING JOY IN THE PROCESS

P. 13

OPINION SAFETY IN NUMBERS

P. 14–15

DESIGNER SHOWCASE SHANNON STEED

P. 16

A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com MIS SION S TAT EMEN T Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while

upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.

contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Tuesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.

A BOU T Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff,

OCTOBER 19–23 HANNA ANDERSON

OCTOBER 19: OREGON’S MASK REQUIREMENTS EXPAND AMID COVID-19 SURGE

The Oregon Health Authority announced new mask requirements and recommendations, as positive COVID-19 cases in Oregon recently rose to approximately 42,000, according to The New York Times. According to AP News, places that masks will be required to be worn will expand to include all public and private work spaces, outdoor markets, and all public and private universities, regardless of whether social distancing is possible. OHA has also officially recommended face masks as opposed to shields, as shields do not prevent air from escaping out of the sides, according to The Oregonian. In addition, OHA also submitted a preliminary plan for allocating and distributing a COVID-19 vaccine, which prioritizes giving doses to “individuals critical to the pandemic response... as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” and broadens distribution as more doses become available.

OCTOBER 22: OREGON WINE VINEYARDS LOSE LAWSUIT AGAINST MARIJUANA GROWERY

A pair of Oregon wine grape vineyards lost their lawsuit against neighboring marijuana growers, after arguing the odor from the marijuana would mar their crops. The State Judge in charge of the case, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Easterday, ruled the vineyards—Smera Vineyard and Maysara Winery—hadn’t met the burden of proof that would justify preventing the marijuana growers, the Wagner family, from growing their crops, according to AP News. While Easterday agreed there was a reasonable concern the odor might affect the wine grapes, there was not a sufficient amount of evidence that it would damage the plaintiff’s current or future agricultural products.

OCTOBER 23: CITY OF PORTLAND REQUIRED TO LOOK INTO MAYOR’S LOAN, JUDGE FINDS Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Ryan ruled Friday the Portland city auditor must investigate Mayor Ted Wheeler’s $150,000 loan to his own reelection campaign, according to OPB. As part of a collection of restrictions on campaign contributions, approved by voters, candidates were limited to a $5,000 cap on loans to themselves. However, Portland City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero decided not to enforce the cap on loans, on the grounds that it conflicts with U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and could be struck down. After Wheeler’s loan, his opponent, Sarah Iannarone, filed a lawsuit on Oct. 6 to require Caballero to enforce the cap. The auditor’s office is now required to investigate Iannarone’s complaint, and must report back to the court on Nov. 4, the day after votes are counted.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

NEWS

ASPSU HOSTS STATE CONGRESSIONAL TOWN HALL OREGON STATE CAPITOL IN SALEM. COURTESY OF FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

DYLAN JEFFERIES The Associated Students of Portland State University held a virtual town hall on Oct. 20 with Oregon House candidates James Ball and Lisa Reynolds and Oregon Senate candidate Ginny Burdick. Ball and Reynolds are running for the Oregon House for District 36, and Burdick is running for reelection to the Oregon State Senate for District 18. Both districts represent the PSU campus. Reynolds, a pediatrician, is the democratic candidate, and is running on a platform of supporting those with mental health issues. She has worked as an activist for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense and helped co-found Indivisible Oregon. “I have felt for a while that I’ve wanted to do more for Oregon families than I can accomplish in the exam room, and that was my primary motivator to run for office,” she said. Ball, a veteran, a former financial analyst and a small business owner, is the republican candidate, and is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and social progressiveness. A lifelong republican, the election of U.S. President Donald Trump inspired him to take action. “I decided that if good people do nothing then evil rules the world, and so I needed to get involved and do what I can to try to bring the republican party a little bit back to center.” Burdick, who is the senior member of the Oregon Senate—first elected in 1996—is running to continue her long line of work on education, the environment and gun safety. “Those three priorities really have not changed much over the years,” she said. A recent study showed that 60% of PSU students experience basic needs insecurity. What plans do you have for state level legislation to help students and working families? Reynolds: I think we really need to think about how we raise wages in our community, what we call living wage jobs and family wage jobs, and how we provide for more affordable and equitable housing, and overall how we strengthen

NEWS

our safety net so that when people find themselves at that lower end where they can’t meet their basic needs, that we have a much stronger safety net than we have right now. Ball: [Regarding] the affordability crisis in Portland: I believe we need to allow more development in Portland. There is so much red tape and fees and regulations regarding building development in the Portland area, that it becomes cost-prohibited to build anything other than luxury high rise condos, and that’s not what helps the market. We need more middle and low income housing, and I think the best way to do that is to reduce the amount of regulation on development in Portland. Burdick: I was actually the chief sponsor of the bill to require rent stabilization and protection from no-cause evictions that passed in 2019. I also carried the bill to extend the eviction moratorium. I’ve also supported all of the funding that we’ve had for affordable housing, and also legislation to make it easier and more encouraging for developers to include affordable housing in their development projects. We have a real crisis, and I know it’s really bad around [PSU]. What will you do to support international and DACA students? Reynolds: As a state we need to make sure that DACA recipients, and everyone who’s here in Oregon, has a clear path to education unfettered by the federal government. I’m very hopeful that we will vote Trump out of office in two weeks, and that we will start with an administration that respects and values all lives. We need a federal mandate around DACA recipients and all of those who live in America. But until then we need to protect them at the state level. Ball: I think that congress at the federal level needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform to allow DACA recipients and other immigrants to have legal status. From a statewide standpoint, I think the sanctuary state is nec-

essary. That kind of goes against my party, but until we get comprehensive immigration reform done at the federal level, we need to have a place where people feel safe, especially people who came to this country as children. Burdick: Until we get change at the federal level, we’re limited to what we can do in the state. We have to change the senate, otherwise, even if Biden wins, he’ll be stopped by Mitch McConnell in the senate. If you have a chance to phonebank or do anything else, I encourage you to do that because the next two weeks are critical. How will you support Portland’s call for more police oversight and accountability from your position in the state legislature? Reynolds: I know that one thing that the BIPOC coalition in the house has proposed is that, when things do get to arbitration, that if there have been instances of wrongdoing, that cannot be overturned. I think that needs to be codified into law. It hasn’t yet. I think we need to be negotiating a contract with PPB that takes into account that we need to be able to have consequences for poor behavior at the hands of the police. Ball: The police need to be held accountable when they act inappropriately, when they act in a way that does not serve and protect the people, because that’s really their goal is to serve the people, not to exist for their own sake. Burdick: I think it’s really important to work with the bipartisan [POC] caucus to really get their point of view. What will you do to make tuition more affordable for Oregon residents at public universities? Reynolds: We need to rethink our tax structure so that we’re able to provide opportunities for every single Oregonian with a special emphasis on those who have been traditionally left behind. Ball: I would take a different approach. I think [universities] should have to produce a business

plan, and show why tuition has been increasing so much and where that money is going. What are we doing now that we weren’t doing 50 years ago that’s costing so much money? There’s got to be waste, wasted money in the budget, and I would put the institutions on the hook to produce their budgets and show where taxpayer money is going. Burdick: I think there needs to be major change in the whole higher education system. The issue is not whether we can get more money to throw into a system that has become very rigid over the years and has not kept up with the times. We should work from the bottom up and try to get a system that works much better for the times we’re in. Closing Statements Reynolds: I thank Mr. Ball for running. Elections should be contested. Nothing should be assumed. I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m calling voters every night. It’s an engaged electorate with good opinions on how they want to move forward in certain things, and I’ve learned so much from them and am even rethinking how I want to do things when I get to the legislature, so I’m really grateful for that. Ball: I believe in fiscal responsibility and being socially progressive. If I win this election, it will show the people in my party that this is a winning platform, and that this is a platform that we as a party need to embrace and shy away from the Trump dogma of demagoguery and hate speech and everything else that’s coming out of Washington. Burdick: One of the things that has kept me in the legislature as long as I have, is that I’ve always felt that I am in partnership with my constituency. There are so many sharp, engaged people in my district, including at [PSU]. I always feel like we’re in this together, that people are listening to each other, and that people are participating fully. We’re all part of a team, and we’re all pulling in the same direction.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

AS COVID-19 CASES SURGE IN OREGON, PSU ANNOUNCES REMOTE WINTER TERM

KALEIGH RAINWATER Classes will, once again, be held almost entirely online for another term. Portland State President Stephen Percy stated in an email to the campus community last week, “Since the pandemic outbreak last spring, more than 37,000 cases have been reported in Oregon, and we are approaching 8 million cases nationwide. As a result, remote instruction is key to curb the spread of the disease and help protect the health of students, faculty, staff and visitors.” To cope with the coronavirus pandemic and help students and staff plan, Percy announced last week that the upcoming winter term will continue to be remote starting Jan. 4, 2021. “We will continue virtual courses because COVID-19 continues to pose a risk to our campus community,” Percy said. “Coronavirus cases have been steadily rising since September, with an average of 356 daily cases reported statewide last week alone.” With PSU remaining open, restrictions and precautions will still be in place. “Mask requirements, physical distancing guidelines both inside and outside buildings, size limits on meetings and events, enhanced cleaning and other safeguards recommended by local and state health officials will still be required,” Percy said.

WHAT WILL WINTER TERM LOOK LIKE?

Since last spring, PSU has moved most classes and services online. PSU’s campus will remain open on a limited basis in the coming term, as it was this fall term.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD PSU’s Director of Media & Public Relations, Christina Williams, answered some defining questions about fall and winter term. According to Williams, this term the library, residential buildings, the dining hall, childcare, Student Health Services, and Campus Rec have been opened on limited hours. Everyone who accesses these services are always required to wear a mask and keep six feet apart. Along with those essentials, several of the buildings are accessible with a PSU ID card. “You can expect roughly the same building access we’re seeing for fall term to continue into winter term, barring any restrictions required by state or county officials for public health reasons,” Williams said. “No changes expected for in person resources either.”

LOOKING TO THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

Due to COVID-19, the Board of Trustees announced reduced fees for this term. Many people are wondering if this reduction will be for winter, as well. “The Student Fee Committee will be reviewing fees for winter term,” Williams said. “Any changes will have to be approved by the PSU Board of Trustees as they were for fall.” With the recent decision for winter term, the next question is whether remote classes will continue into the spring. “At this time, PSU has not made any decisions on instruction during spring term,” Williams said. “Any decision will be made collectively with the Office of Academic Affairs and be commu-

nicated to the campus community with as much advance notice as possible.” With winter term months away, the decision for a remote winter term comes just before the class schedule is available to view on Oct. 26, 2020. Classes will continue to be remote with some hybrid courses and some in person classes. This structural information is available on the course schedule on banweb and when students register for classes. Winter term will also be keeping the pass/no pass policy that was adopted for fall term, as well. After winter break, if students continue to live on campus, Housing and Residence Life’s particular restrictions will continue for the time being. Despite things continuing to be remote, there are still many ways to connect with others in the campus community. Student organizations, Greek life, volunteer opportunities, meetings and housing events are being held through the Zoom platform and others like it. There will still be socially-distanced study spots available on campus and open to students, such as Cramer Hall, the library and park blocks. As planning for winter continues, a survey will be sent out to students on how support services can be improved during remote learning. “Your health and wellbeing are our top priority,” Percy said, ending his announcement. “Thank you for your commitment to [PSU], and I look forward to working together for a successful winter term.”

NEWS

MARY JOAQUIN Human rights groups in the Philippines rallied against government authorities over the rulings on and treatment of detained activist Reina Mae Nasino and her deceased infant, River Emmanuel Nasino. Clad in personal protective equipment and bound in handcuffs, Nasino said her goodbyes to her daughter on Oct. 16 as armed guards surrounded her. According to Philippine news site Rappler, 43 total armed personnel were sent out for the funeral, as confirmed by Xavier Solda, spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. A SWAT team was present at the burial. Critics called these measures proof of the “barbarity” of government authorities toward its citizens recognized as threats, according to AP News. Nasino was arrested in November 2019 following a nighttime police raid. She was charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. She denied the charge, claiming the weaponry had been planted by the police and was part of a targeted attack against left-leaning activists. Upon learning of her pregnancy after a medical exam in prison, a number of motions had been filed to see to her release. The first was a collective motion filed when COVID-19 had struck the country. It had asked for the temporary release of 22 prisoners who were most likely to be health compromised, Nasino included, according to BBC. Before she could receive a response, however, she prematurely gave birth in prison. Further motions urged to keep the mother and child together either in a hospital or in Manila City Jail’s prison nursery. The motion was denied—authorities cited they did not have resources to have personnel guard Nasino in the hospital for a year, according to Philippine network ABS-CBN News. Nasino’s appeal to receive additional access to hygiene equipment and breastfeeding necessities was transferred to the judgement of the local government authority. Baby River had been experiencing health complications including diarrhea and a fever. She was brought to the Manila Medical Center in late September. In an effort to reunite mother and child, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers acting as Nasino’s lawyers, filed an urgent motion for furlough, as reported by Rappler. “Today, October 9, 2020, her pediatrician regretfully reported that the baby’s lungs have succumbed to bacterial infection and are quickly deteriorating,” the motion stated. “She is no longer responding to medications and may expire any moment now.” “For purely compelling humanitarian reasons, please allow the 23-year-old mother to be with her baby before it is too late,” added Attorney Edre Olalia, president of the NUPL. Hours after filing, River died from pneumonia, according to BBC. River had also been diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome, according to Rappler. “The baby is gone,” Olalia said. “No words could ever capture this human tragedy.” “We were deprived of our time together,” Nasino said to her daughter. “I have not seen your laughter. I will come out stronger. We are not alone, the grief will not remain forever. We will rise again.” Early funeral proceedings had not gone without tension. Supporters gathered outside the funeral home, demanding justice for the Nasinos, according to CNN Philippines. Advocacy group Kapatid claimed the procession had been hijacked, as the hearse carrying River’s coffin did not slow down for both supporters and family to march alongside it, leaving behind the family to catch up. “I thought we would have a proper burial with family and friends, but I was traumatized,” Marites Asis, Nasino’s mother, said. “My other daughter nearly fainted while chasing the car.” Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Paulino Gallegos granted Nasino a threeday furlough for the wake and burial of River on Oct 13. However, arrival of a letter from the Manila City Jail Female Dormitory elaborating on the insufficient manpower to guard Nasino for the duration of the original furlough shortened the given period. “We are also saddened with the death of Baby River Nasino,” wrote Jail Chief Inspector Maria Ignacia Monteron. “We sympathized what PDL [person deprived of liberty] Nasino feels these hard times of her life. But we cannot compromise the security and safety of other PDL who are still seeking our assistance.” Gallegos then reduced the furlough from three days to six hours, spread across Oct 14–16 for three hours each day, according to Rappler. The overall treatment of Nasino earned criticism for its distinct limitations compared to other prolific political prisoners who had received more lenient treatment according to BBC. “The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is deeply concerned with how government authorities are handling the case of human rights worker [Reina] Mae Nasino,” said Attorney Jacqueline Ann de Guia, a CHR spokesperson. “CHR, through its Investigation Office, is currently looking into Nasino’s case, also considering that there are allegations that her detention is a form of harassment due to her human rights work.” “These are not random acts of cruelty and inhumanity. Clearly, this is a coordinated ‘whole-of-the-nation’ effort of the Duterte administration,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan Alliance Philippines. “Baby River’s death is on the Duterte government."

INTERNATIONAL

PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF POLITICAL ACTIVIST’S INFANT

DETAINED LEFT-WING ACTIVIST REINA MAE NASINO TOUCHES THE COFFIN OF HER THREE-MONTH-OLD FIRSTBORN, RIVER. AARON FAVILA/AP PHOTO

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

THIS WEEK 1

around the

WORLD

Oct. 18–23

4 2

October 18

PARIS, FRANCE

Thousands of people gathered on Paris’ Place de la Republique to mourn a murdered teacher and express their support for freedom of expression and secular education. The demonstration came two days after Samuel Paty, a middle school history and civics teacher, was beheaded by an Islamist terrorist in a Paris suburb on his way home from school. Paty had previously shown caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed during a class discussion about freedom of expression. “This was a barbaric and brutal act attacking liberty,” said one demonstrator according to France 24. “And liberty is one of the cornerstones of French identity. Liberté, fraternité, egalité: They make us who we are as French people.”

October 19 2

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA

The socialist candidate, Luis Arce, won by an absolute majority in Bolivia’s general election, garnering 54% of the vote according to preliminary results. This placed him more than 20 percentage points ahead of his main rival, allowing him to ascend to the presidency without a run-off under Bolivian election rules. The decisive victory for Arce marks the return to power for the party of former President Evo Morales, who resigned under pressure from the military in Nov. 2019 after attempting to abolish presidential term limits and facing accusations of election fraud. Morales and many of his supporters called the ouster a military coup d’état. Arce, who served as economy minister during the Morales administration, pledged a return

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

to normalcy under his presidency: “We have recovered democracy and we will regain stability and social peace. United, with dignity and sovereignty.” 3

October 20–22

LAGOS, NIGERIA

Protests against police brutality in Nigeria turned bloody as they faced severe backlash from state security forces. Amnesty International reported 38 people were killed across the country on Oct. 20 alone, bringing the death toll to at least 56 since the beginning of the protests more than two weeks ago. Some deaths were the result of “extra-judicial executions” by the army and police said Amnesty’s Nigeria director Osai Ojigho, according to Bloomberg News. The country’s largest city Lagos has been the center of the demonstrations and was placed under an indefinite 24-hour curfew by state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He demanded an end to the protests after attacks on police stations and prisons reportedly caused not only property damage but also the escape of nearly 2,000 prisoners. The protests against police brutality were originally sparked by an extra-judicial killing allegedly committed by a controversial special forces unit, which was disbanded on Oct. 11. 4

October 21

BOGOR, INDONESIA

Japan’s recently elected Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged to give $474 million in low-interest loans to Indonesia in order to assist the Southeast Asian country with its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He announced this decision during a visit

with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The two countries also committed to strengthening ties on security and economic issues. “Indonesia is a maritime nation in the Indo-Pacific and a Japanese strategic partner, and Japan further promotes our cooperation in a range of areas, including efforts to overcome the coronavirus pandemic,” said Suga, according to AP News. Widodo emphasized the “spirit of cooperation” between the two countries amid “increasingly sharp rivalries between the world’s superpower nations.” Suga’s first trip abroad, which also included a stop in Vietnam, is seen as part of Japan’s “free and open Indo-Pacific” strategy designed to counteract Chinese influence in the region. 5

October 23

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced “a permanent ceasefire in all areas of Libya” after leading mediation efforts between the two rival governments that have been fighting for control of the country for several years. It comes after the two sides previously agreed to an immediate ceasefire on Aug. 21. UN special representative Stephanie Williams, who led negotiations, lauded the agreement as a “historic achievement” and a “turning point towards peace.” According to Al Jazeera, the ceasefire requires all foreign fighters to leave the country within three months and will be followed by political negotiations in Tunisia next month. Whether or not hostilities come to a permanent end could hinge in part on Turkey and Russia, who have backed opposing sides and exercised considerable influence in the conflict.

INTERNATIONAL

A weekend of demonstrations ABOVE: PROTESTERS LINE UP, READY TO START THE MARCH FOR REPARATIONS TO AFRICAN PEOPLE. LEFT: THE MARCH MOVES PAST A LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO ENTER A SHOP ON MISSISSIPPI AVENUE IN THE HISTORICALLY BLACK ALBINA NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS BEEN GENTRIFIED OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES. RIGHT: PROTESTERS MARCH WITH SIGNS CALLING FOR REPARATIONS AND JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD. SEAN BASCOM In the late morning of Saturday, October 17, a group of about 25 mostly white protesters gathered in a grassy lot next to Dawson Park in North Portland—land which once housed a vibrant Black community. A bright red banner tied between a tree and street sign read “March for Reparations to African People.” The Uhuru Solidarity Movement organized the march, which stretched across five other cities around the country. A table with flyers and an email list stood in the grass, next to a stack of handwritten signs with phrases such as “Reparations Now!” and “Make Wall Street Pay Reparations to African People.” A woman who helped organize the event picked up a megaphone, leading the group through chants before the march. The Uhuru Solidarity Movement is an organization of white people working towards reparations for African people, under the leadership of the African People’s Socialist Party. The group’s stated mission is to “organize in the white community to build a mass movement for white reparations to African people.” “As a white person, this struggle needs your attention,” said Sobek Meri-Ra, head of the Los Angeles Chapter of APSP. He continued, “We are here demanding reparations. We are not asking.” The march began next to Dawson park heading north on Williams Street, moving west along Fremont and north again up Mississippi Avenue. “We have people gentrifying neighborhoods,” said Amber Edwards, an art educator, founder of Black Art Is and a member of Change the Museum, who was waiting in line for an artist’s pop up shop with her son. “It’s really in fact ignoring the history of the space and the ability to keep communities together.” She added, “to see Black people marching down their street and their neighborhood is uplifting; it’s a reminder of the history of this space, and hopefully it’s inspiring of all activists of all races.” After winding onto Albina, the march ended at Peninsula Park where a speaker and microphone were set up at the gazebo stage. Two tables were set up with shirts, books, newspapers and snacks for sale. Meri-Ra spoke to the small crowd about reparations and class solidarity across race. “They can start by giving us land. They can start by giving this land back to the indigenous people and Mexican people. They can start putting the working class in power.” “Uhuru means freedom [in Swahili]. My name means freedom in Farsi,” said Azadeh Ardakani, Iranian-American founder of Ethical Living Collective to the crowd. “Let’s work toward liberation from a system that simply failed us. A system that chose profit over people, profit over democracy, profit over human rights.” Other speakers discussed reparations owed by businesses, non-federal government bodies and individuals such as Bank of America, Oregon and Ted Wheeler. After several speakers and a spoken word poem by local artist Jolly Wrapper, Uhuru volunteers moved through the crowd taking donations for their reparations fund. The group reached the day’s fundraising goal of $1000. “I think we should be talking about reparations every single day now—I think that it’s time, it’s way overdue,” Edwards said. “We need to continue to advocate for that because if we’re not going to ask for it, who’s going to?” Photos were taken by Sean Bascom.

COVER

March for reparations passes through historic Albina neighborhood

LEFT: SOBEK MERI-RA FROM THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST PARTY SPEAKS TO THE CROWD GATHERED AT THE MARCH’S END IN PENINSULA PARK.

ABOVE: AZADEH ARDAKANI, FOUNDER OF ETHICAL LIVING COLLECTIVE, LEADS THE CROWD IN CHANTING ‘UHURU!’ WHICH MEANS ‘FREEDOM’ IN SWAHILI.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

Women’s March SOFIE BRANDT The Women’s March took place on October 17, 2020 in dowtown Portland. Letha Kimmons, the mother of Patrick Kimmons, who was shot and killed by police on September 30, 2018, spoke to the revolutionary crowd. “Back the Black, baby,” Letha said. “I am going to keep Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Marching. Marching. Marching.” Photos were taken by Sofie Brandt.

WOMEN'S MARCH ON OCTOBER 17, 2020.

FRONTLINE DRUMLINE LEADS THE PROTEST DOWN SW FOURTH AVE.

HUNDREDS GATHER TO HEAR COMMUNITY LEADERS SPEAK AT THE TERRY SHRUNK FEDERAL PLAZA.

AN INDIGENOUS SPEAKER AT THE WOMEN'S MARCH.

A YOUNG BOY SITS ON THE STEPS OF THE TERRY SHRUNK FEDERAL PLAZA.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

LETHA KIMMONS SPEAKS TO THE CROWD ABOUT HER SON, PATRICK KIMMONS, WHO WAS KILLED BY THE PPB.

COVER

INTEL STOCKS DROP

AFTER POOR Q3 RESULTS

INTEL CIRCUIT CARD. COURTESY OF MARK SZE

BÉLA KURZENHAUSER According to The Oregonian, Intel stocks dropped 10% to $48.60 on Friday, spelling further trouble for the semiconductor manufacturer after disconcerting results earlier this year. Shares suffered a 16% plummet back in July and forecasts indicate that Intel will continue to drop throughout the fourth quarter and all throughout next year. The company continues to struggle with recovering from its underwhelming data center business and competing with rivals AMD and Nvidia. A 7% drop in revenue for Intel’s Data Center Group, one of the largest sources of Intel’s revenue, was responsible for the most recent drop in shares. Intel is one of many companies to suffer financially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an overall 30% drop in stock price since its yeartopping $68.47 valuation in January. However, their gradually decreasing value throughout 2020 has little to do with pandemic-induced unemployment. Shares of the Nvidia Corporation, the leading GPU manufacturer and close competitor of Intel, skyrocketed 292% from $196.40 in March to $573.86 in September. Meanwhile, CPU and GPU developer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has overtaken Intel in share valuation with stocks

increasing from $49.10 at the beginning of the year to $81.96 as of Friday, Oct. 23. The Oregonian reported on Oct. 19 that Intel additionally sold their NAND memory chip business to South Korea-based semiconductor supplier SK Hynix. The move allows Intel to focus primarily on the production and development of their nextgeneration CPUs by pulling them out of the flashmemory race. They are, however, keeping their line of Optane storage drives. Hynix’s acquisition of NAND represents Intel’s continued efforts to offload their periphery businesses following last year’s report by CNBC that the company was selling their 5G modem business to Apple. Despite Intel’s headquarters being located in Santa Clara, most of their employees are stationed at their local campuses in Hillsboro, Oregon. Efforts at the Hillsboro campuses are primarily directed towards the production, manufacturing and development of microprocessors. As such, the offloading of NAND is unlikely to affect employment at the Hillsboro campuses. However, recent talks regarding outsourcing of microprocessor manufacturing could majorly affect Oregon’s tech economy. Manufacturing problems from within Intel

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

have caused major delays for their upcoming next-generation 7nm processors. As such, the company has struggled over the decision on whether or not to outsource production of their new processors to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The decision has been under consideration for several months, as Intel’s self-manufacturing of new processor technology allows them to cut the middle-man in the distribution chain and contribute to Oregon’s tech economy. If the deal goes through, it is possible that Intel’s Oregon-based manufacturing facilities will lose many workers due to dwindling microprocessor manufacturing. These recent efforts to reform Intel’s business strategy arrive on the back of hiring a new chief strategy officer Saf Yeboah-Amankwah last month. Intel’s lack of transparency regarding strategic reform has been another contributing factor to their decreasing stock prices; especially in comparison to AMD and Nvidia. In July, AMD announced the release of their Zen 2 7nm Ryzen 4000 chips for prebuilt desktop PCs following the success of the laptop-equivalent 4000 chips earlier in the year. Additionally, AMD recently announced a new lineup of Zen 3 Ryzen 5000

chips that greatly outperform Intel’s top i9 processors at a much lower price point. Nvidia’s recent foray into the data center business is also growing significantly, with a 167% increase in revenue in the last quarter. The Motley Fool reported that Nvidia’s recent acquisitions of Mellanox Technologies and Cumulus Networks are partially responsible for their newfound success alongside the development of Nvidia’s new Ampere architecture. The recent release of Nvidia’s new RTX 3000 series of GPUs has also contributed to their continuously-growing stock price. Consulting firm Jon Peddie Research reported in June that the PC gaming hardware industry has grown rapidly in the midst of the pandemic. Despite this, Intel has not received the lion’s share of those benefits due to tough competition. AMD’s CPUs have grown significantly more popular with consumers in recent years due to affordability and performance, and Intel is gradually losing their lead to them. “We do not believe the company’s situation has bottomed; to the contrary, they are likely just getting started,” said Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon on the state of the company, as reported by MSN.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

A HALLOWEEN HORROR PRIMER

FIVE OF THE SPOOKIEST HALLOWEEN FLICKS—AND A CHARLIE BROWN CLASSIC BÉLA KURZENHAUSER With Halloween just around the corner, everybody’s searching for the perfect horror movie to watch with friends, family or furry companions on

SHANNON STEED

The Thing (1982) - John Carpenter

John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece The Thing is a contender for the greatest horror film of all time. A remake of Christian Nyby’s 1951 original, Carpenter constructs a rollercoaster of suspense that whirls through a wintery arctic research base in 109 breakneck minutes. The film tells the tale of a shape-shifting alien capable of imitating the form of any living creature; it hunts down crewmate after

Suspiria (2018) - Luca Guadagnino

Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria is less of a remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 original and more of a thematic reinterpretation. Whereas Argento’s film is a Technicolor nightmare bathed in vivid, contrasting colors, Guadagnino’s take is a muted drone of a movie shaded with tones of sepia and gray. Argento’s Suspiria is a staple of the giallo genre, whereas Guadagnino’s vision is a delicate albeit deranged ballet about the violence of oppression and the liberation of autonomy in the height of German conflict. The film stars Tilda Swinton as the matriarchal

The Fly (1986) - David Cronenberg

If you’d like to cry and scream at the same time, David Cronenberg’s The Fly is the perfect film for you. Loosely based on the 1957 short story “The Fly” by George Langelaan, Cronenberg’s classic stars Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who becomes molecularly fused with a fly after an experiment goes wrong. Cronenberg’s penchant for viscera and body horror is cranked up to eleven here, with fantastic prosthetics, puppetry

crewmate, using their bodies as disguises to facilitate its bloodthirsty spree. Carpenter’s frequent collaborator, Kurt Russell, leads an ensemble cast of rugged scientists pitted against both the Thing and, eventually, each other. It’s gory, visceral and makes for a perfect watch this Halloween. Watch The Thing streaming on Showtime.

the spookiest night of the year. Yet with dozens of streaming services and thousands of flicks to wade through, it’s tough to know where to start. Here are five perfect horror films—and one perfect Charlie Brown film—to watch this Halloween.

Carrie (1976) - Brian De Palma

Before Blow Out, Mission: Impossible and Scarface, Brian De Palma directed Carrie, the first film adaptation of any of Stephen King’s works. The iconic teen horror flick stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a high school student ostracized by her peers and berated by her abusive and religiously zealous

head of the Markos Dance Academy in Germany and Dakota Johnson as a prodigious dance student who gradually discovers the truth about the academy and the witches that command it. Guadagnino crafts a deranged hellscape built on the basis of power—power over others, autonomy and authority. Fueled with an entrancing score by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Suspiria is a puzzling and disturbing nightmare that will leave you speechless. You can stream it on Amazon Prime Video.

Nobuhiko Obayashi’s cult classic House is surrealist, insane, hilarious and supernatural all at once. The Japanese horror-comedy features a schoolgirl and her group of friends on vacation to visit her aunt’s country home. There, they are plagued by a fleet of ravenous and bizarre creatures: a flying, cackling head, a piano that eats its player and an incredibly suspicious cat.

and makeup work that transforms the debonair Goldblum into a disgusting, deteriorating man-fly hybrid. The so-called “Brundlefly” is less of a ravaging, rampaging monster, and more of a woeful being confused about its place within the world. As Cronenberg himself states, The Fly is a meditation on “fly-ness” and humanity, and it questions the ephemeral nature of existence and our innate desire for change. The Fly is streaming on Starz.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown may not be a horror film, but it is the perfect film for a cold Halloween evening and makes a perfect pairing with any of the above five films. Bill Melendez’s half-hour special, based on Charles Schultz’s landmark comic strip, is a warm dose of nostalgia perfectly fit for the season. Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus and the rest of the gang band together for a tale of tolerance and kindness that

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

House (1977) - Nobuhiko Obayashi

mother. Unbeknownst to everyone, Carrie possesses supernatural powers and uses them in retaliation. De Palma and King meet at creative crossroads that are realized slickly and gorgeously, with a third act that can only be described as apocalyptic. You can stream Carrie on Starz.

Together, they all wreak havoc and induce panic throughout the haunted house. Despite being basically incomprehensible, House is incredibly creative, imaginative and borders on hallucinogenic. All these elements work to forge a vivid and entertaining experience that is unparalleled in the horror genre. House is streaming on HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) - Bill Melendez

is a reminder of the joy and wonder inherent in life. It is a testament to the duality of childhood—the difficulty in digesting the truth that you don’t know everything coupled with the whimsical magic of discovering what you don’t know. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a passionate love letter to the season and a quintessential Halloween flick. It’s streaming for free on Apple TV from Oct. 30–Nov. 1.

ARTS & CULTURE

SAM GARCIA

ART AGAINST ANXIETY NOW MORE THAN EVER, ART THERAPY IS A CRUCIAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE ADA SOLARIO When I was in the seventh grade, I felt alone and different. I was constantly worried about my surroundings even when I was perfectly safe. I visited my doctor and was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder. Now, imagine a classroom of 40 students. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, five of them are feeling that same anxiety I experienced. Out of those five students, four of them do not know how to explain what they are feeling or do not have the proper tools to express and manage their emotions. Flashforward to 2020, where our collective sense of reality has been shaken. Many of us are experiencing that same feeling I had when I was a little girl in the seventh grade—and for some, myself included, the panic has only gotten worse. From the COVID-19 pandemic that has cost countless lives and left many struggling to make ends meet, to the devastating wildfires that swept across the Pacific Northwest this past summer and early au-

ARTS & CULTURE

tumn, to society’s reckoning with police brutality and systemic racism, this year has left many of us at a loss for words, and has fueled our fear for what may come. I have found art therapy to be an effective tool in my struggles with anxiety. Others suffering with mental illness can benefit from having a creative outlet that allows them to unwind, heal and better understand their emotions. As I’ve grown, the challenges I’ve faced as a young adult have become more difficult to process. However, they have also become easier to manage thanks to art therapy. Having a tool like art therapy at the ready can prepare us to handle these challenges when the time comes. Anxiety is a normal part of growing up, but for many of us, it is more than just butterflies in our stomach; It’s a sense of fear and nervousness that can ultimately lead to isolation. The term art therapy may be intimidating to some, especially those who don’t see themselves as artists already. However, art ther-

apy is not about the final product. Rather, it is about shifting our attention away from our worries and focusing on the creative processes that utilize our emotions. Art in many forms— such as drawing, painting, sculpting and songwriting, to name only a few—can allow our nervous systems to calm down and process our surroundings with a clearer mind. It’s imperative that, in a time like the present, we raise awareness to the resources that are available so those struggling with their mental health know where to turn. Having art therapy resources that are easily accessible and functional is important—whether that’s puzzles, coloring or meditative music. All of these can allow an anxious individual to unwind in a setting that may be outside their comfort zone. Prior to the pandemic, I was making coloring books intended to help young children incorporate art therapy into their routines. I shared those coloring books at Doernbechers Children’s Hospital and to Family Building

Blocks in Marion and Polk County. My plan is to continue working with educators on implementing art therapy into social and emotional learning curricula. Despite Zoom learning, there are still ways to share the power of art with students. Now more than ever, it’s vital we share these resources with our community. Art therapy is for all kinds of people who are struggling, whether or not they possess strong artistic backgrounds. Art gives us a way to express our feelings when words cannot. Even in the midst of a panic attack, art allows us to take control of our situation and document our emotions. Art therapy has given me the confidence to take control of my anxiety and ensure that it does not stand in the way of my goals and aspirations for the future. Whether it’s painting or merely doodling in my spiral notebook, having a creative outlet has allowed me to gain a sense of control and peace. Creativity is not only a gift—it can be used as a source of happiness and healing in the toughest of times.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

FINDING JOY IN THE PROCESS PORTLAND ILLUSTRATOR DANIEL HAILE HAS HIS OWN IDEA OF SUCCESS GIAN BAMRAH Daniel Haile is a Portland-based illustrator. He often uses graphite, Micron pens, Prismacolor markers and India ink, among other mixed media, to create his work. Haile is from Baldwin Park, California, but has been living in Portland since 1995 and considers himself an honorary native Portlander. He illustrates pieces that allow him to feel free while striving to capture momentum in his surrealist art. Haile has been drawing since the age of four, shortly after he learned to hold a pencil. Haile’s goal is that people feel grounded when engaging with his art. One of his techniques is to take several photos of a model a n d

combine them to create a foundation that will serve as inspiration for his pieces, which are often surrealist portraits. His first inspiration came from paintings by Norman Rockwell, hung up in a restaurant he used to attend with his family during his childhood. He has since been inspired by Rembrandt, Barry Windsor-Smith, Will Eisner, Reagan Lodge and Kadir Nelson. “[Kadir Nelson] gained my attention after his work was published in the New Yorker,” Haile said. “It gave me encouragement to create more art of my own.” Even though these artists vary stylistically, they share a love of narrative storytelling, which Haile finds incredibly inspiring. Haile is also inspired by the Baroque period, and names the drama, lighting and color associated with that epoch as valuable resources. “Every time I create, I feel so alive,” Haile said. “It’s like meditating. But it all depends on [whether or not] you feel invested and you know you’re creating something that brings you joy.” Haile’s an active member of the Black Lives Matter movement in Portland; he painted a mural of the clenched fist for the Community Cycling Center—a symbol with roots in early 20th century European anti-fascist movements and the Black Power movement that has recently become a visual shorthand for Black Lives Matter. He interprets the movement’s fight

for equality as symbolic for what makes us Americans. “We need to be heard [after] 500 years of being oppressed,” Haile said. “We want to break free from that and fight for what we believe in.” Haile said he is proud of Portland for standing up for what is right, while also emphasizing this will be an endless battle. As a Black man living in Portland, Haile said he’s faced many forms of discrimination on a daily basis, even at work. One of the biggest career challenges he’s faced has been finding a gallery interested in his pieces, as many galleries won’t accept him. He has been told many times that his work is “too urban” to be presented at galleries. He feels that Portland, as a city, is among the whitest and most passive-aggressive. Nonetheless, his work has been presented at three galleries in Portland: Splendorporium, High Low Art Space and Side Street Art Gallery. At High Low Art Space, he displayed his first solo exhibit, including 16 of his works, many of which ended up being purchased. “It was the best experience I’ve ever had,” he said. The success of that event led to his exhibit at Side Street Gallery, which Haile described as a huge learning experience. Even though Haile is still looking for another gallery to showcase his work, his idea of success exists outside those boundaries. To Haile, success is achieving creative freedom and creating something that can speak to others.

“ILLIBERALITY” BY PORTLAND ARTIST DANIEL HAILE. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

ARTS & CULTURE

SAFETY OF NUMBERS AJ EARL In recent days, voters around the country have been bombarded with threatening emails, purported to be from the Proud Boys but ultimately attributed to Iran. Identifying the voters as registered Democrats, the emails demanded that the recipient vote for Trump, or else. This dire situation seems to suggest that voting right now is a dangerous act, but the only danger right now is stymied access. Burdened by laws and court rulings, voters around the country are still mailing ballots, still visiting drop boxes, still lining up, sometimes for hours, to vote in this year’s election. Despite our collective anxiety, this surge in participation suggests even in these divisive times, voters are still committed to casting their ballot, come hell, high water or adverse court ruling. As a rule, these kinds of scenes—of voters lined up by the thousands, waiting for hours—would be treated as a breach of democracy and justice by the government, were this happening in another country. That these conditions are here and worsened by the current administration is a testament to the threats to basic rights that exist, yet this supposed uniqueness is a testament to the fundamentals of political participation that exist all throughout the world, American exceptionalism be damned. It may be jarring to see, but the tenacity of the voters we see here is the kind we see elsewhere, our democracy as fragile as those nations we look down upon. Those nations, however,

prove one thing that is evident from our own ongoing election; there’s safety in numbers. A prime example of this dynamic is apparent in the recent elections in Bolivia. Having survived a coup and attempted suppression of all human rights by Christian fundamentalist Senator Jeanine Áñez, voters turned out in large numbers and handed Morales’ political party Movement for Socialism (MAS) an outright win in the first round of elections. Turnout tipped the scales at a hefty 88.42%, election observers from numerous international agencies noted no evidence of fraud and the interim coup government seemed inclined to accept the results. Imagine if this were the norm here in the United States. In spite of fears to the contrary, elections are largely safe, albeit suppressed by various forces of disenfranchisement and the outcome of a large turnout would at the very least activate more people in this country, making them politically active when they might not otherwise have been. “Yes. Official Ballot Drop sites are safe,” stated Multnomah County Elections director Tim Scott in an email, who noted that they “are monitored by security patrols regularly.” Scott added that ballots are collected daily, stating that if anyone sees anything unusual they can call Multnomah County Elections at (503) 988-VOTE. These reassurances are good, and yet fears of voter intimidation, fake ballot drop boxes and general lack of safety have led

some voters to be particularly vigilant in their efforts to cast a ballot. At one ballot drop box in North Portland, voters allegedly questioned the affiliations of the posted security guards and the safety of the drop box itself, according to one source. In California, this fear has manifested in dueling conflicts over unsanctioned ballot boxes and ballot harvesting, the latter the practice by organizations to collect ballots and deliver them on behalf of voters. The California GOP has admitted to creating the unsanctioned ballot boxes and although they have been warned about the legality of these, the boxes remain. There is no evidence of this currently here in Oregon, and the messaging from voters seems to be they trust one method, in-person delivery of ballots to drop boxes, or another, the returning of ballots by mail. Multnomah County Elections Division, for its part, is suggesting mailing ballots by the end of Tuesday, Oct. 27, no postage required. After that point, they suggest using ballot drop boxes.

REASSURANCES FROM HISTORY

Voters are justified if they fear for their ballots given the evidence toward partisan violence, exemplified in the constant intrusion into Portland by outside far-right forces like Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys. Even here, however, there is no evidence of a threat to voters by these groups, or the leftist and anarchist organizations protesting police violence in the

OFFICIAL BALLOT DROPBOX

OPINION

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

VIOLENCE MIGHT BE THE NORM, BUT VOTING IS STILL SAFE blocks adjacent to the Justice Center in Downtown Portland. Here, too, safety in numbers is an important response to attempted intimidation and the small, albeit violent, militias and far-right activist organizations are a vanishingly small minority that only has any real clout within the auspices of Trump supporters where they form a major constituency. Voters, particularly those who believe in voting, should recognize that these violent provocations are easily blunted by a mass turnout. Defense of marginalized communities against far-right provocateurs includes protecting their right to vote, should they choose to use it as much as it includes vocal solidarity with these communities. The historical precedent regarding voter safety being buoyed by turnout is clear when viewed in the frame of various efforts at voter protection and intimidation. In New Jersey in 1981, the Republican National Committee sent a team of 200 attorneys to predominantly Black voting precincts with armed security to challenge tens of thousands of votes, leading to a consent decree prohibiting the practice for 35 years. A year later, in 1982, Black voters in Greensboro, Alabama, were harassed at the polls and defended by Black activists led by Reverend John Nettles who were then subsequently blamed for the alleged intimidation by white public officials. In either case, the need to overcome this intimidation with sheer numbers was clear, and the outcome, a loss for

Democrats and liberal politicians in both, demonstrates the ugly necessity of voting in large numbers. There might not be similar risk to Democrats in Multnomah County, but the fears of intimidation have historical precedent. Black voters know all too well the risk of a violent, unchecked system of voter disenfranchisement through violence, but as demonstrated throughout the years, their dedication to showing up both to the voting booth and in protest of these impairing policies is a clear ratification of the need to be present where voters may be. Even if you don’t vote, marginalized communities still by and large do, and so a large turnout is beneficial to the voter and non-voter alike.

ACTIVE MEASURES

Intimidation is an unfortunate side effect of local tensions in many cases, and is almost certainly symptomatic of the desire of political elements to maintain social and racial dominance, if not electoral power. Protests and rallies by groups such as the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer are not just displays of radical far-right chauvinism—they are meant to enforce a dynamic that benefits white supremacy that imagines wrongly that the ultimate outcome of these violent insurrections is beneficial to them. Rallies and protests by groups that want to cement a fictive western civilization

into society are not ultimately the friends of anyone that has a racial identity that is not some strain of white. The desired outcome of this intimidation is not just to cordon off political rights through violence—it is the suppression of the Black vote and non-conservative balloting. It is, therefore, incumbent upon society to identify and isolate these provocations by the far-right. Unfortunately, the devil works without rest, and support of these groups by the president and the emphatic allegations of modern mainstream journalism give cover to these organizations, if not an unchallenged platform. Your vote, however, is safer than you would guess from the violent posturing of the far-right. Secure ballot boxes are generally impervious with few, if any, examples of ballot destruction—daily retrieval ensures a constant clearing of ballots to that end, further protecting your physical vote. Still, if you would like to vote and feel unable to participate due to potential intimidation, take a friend or two or 20, put on your masks and go vote. Only through large numbers can people turn aside efforts to undermine your rights to freedom and only through large numbers can people urge action by their government, whether it’s at the ballot box or barricade. The strongest weapon society has when it comes to destroying oppression is participation in the process, be it voting or protesting, or both.

SAM GARCIA

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

OPINION

VANGUARD

DESIGNER SHOWCASE

SHANNON STEED

HAPPY SOCKS GIFT CARDS

Hello! My name is Shannon and I’m a junior in the graphic design program. I created these gift cards as a fun way to practice my illustration skills. Happy Socks is a brand that creates colorful, mismatched socks and I tried to capture that with my illustration style and bright color pallette. There are 3 gift cards with different illustrations and an envelope with my new Happy Socks logo and wordmark.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 27, 2020 • psuvanguard.com