VOLUME 75 • ISSUE 19 • NOVEMBER 24, 2020
" NEWS Presidential transition of power P. 4
ARTS & CULTURE Bandcamp puts other music platforms to shame P. 13
OPINION Big family plans for Thanksgiving? Cancel them. P. 14
CONTENTS
COVER BY SHANNON STEED
NEWS HILL TO HALL
P. 3
INTERNATIONAL THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD
P. 10–11
BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE
P. 4
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOE BIDEN DETAILS NEW DAY-ONE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS PLAN
ARTS & CULTURE IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
P. 12
P. 5
BANDCAMP IS THE BEST PART OF 2020
P. 13
INTERNATIONAL DEADLY CONFLICT IN ETHIOPIA CAUSES TENS OF THOUSANDS TO FLEE
P. 6
OPINION ARE THE HOLIDAYS SAFE TO HAVE IN PERSON DURING COVID-19?
P. 14
PERUVIANS TAKE TO THE STREETS FOLLOWING PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT
P. 7
GOVERNMENT INACTION IS KILLING YOUR FAMILY
P. 15
COVER QRC HOSTS SERIES OF EVENTS FOR TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBERANCE
P. 8–9
BACK COVER VIRTUAL EVENTS CALENDAR
P. 16
STAFF
EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Justin Grinnell MANAGING EDITOR Nick Townsend NEWS EDITORS Hanna Anderson Dylan Jefferies INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Karisa Yuasa
ONLINE EDITOR Lily Hennings COPY CHIEF Sophie Concannon CONTRIBUTORS Conor Carroll Ida Ayu Karina Dwijayanti Claire Plaster Kaleigh Rainwater Zoe Vandal
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Béla Kurzenhauser
PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Annie Schutz
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Morgan Troper
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Nick Gatlin
OPINION EDITOR AJ Earl
PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sam Person
A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
DESIGNERS Farah Alkayed Sam Garcia Shannon Steed
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher
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
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,
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NOVEMBER 17–19 HANNA ANDERSON
NOVEMBER 17: OREGON LAWMAKER CHALLENGES CURRENT HOUSE SPEAKER FOR THE SEAT
House Speaker Tina Kotek won the Democratic party’s nomination for another term as speaker, but faces a challenger for the first time since she’s held the seat. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a fellow Democrat who represents Clackamas County, is pursuing the position despite not receiving her party’s nomination, according to OPB. In order to win the seat, a candidate needs a majority of the votes. Since Democrats have the majority, they are usually able to pass their nominee without issue; However, Bynum, who is more moderate than Kotek, is seeking to build a coalition of Democrats and Republicans to help her win the seat.
NOVEMBER 18: OREGON HOUSE SPEAKER CALLS FOR ‘CATASTROPHIC’ SPECIAL SESSION
House Speaker Tina Kotek released a statement Wednesday urging Oregon Governor Kate Brown to call a special session in December—declaring a “catastrophic disaster” for the first time in Oregon’s history—in order to help Oregonians who are struggling in the pandemic. Voters approved the provision that allows the governor to declare a catastrophic disaster in 2012, which at the time, was focused on the possibility of an earthquake or tsunami hitting the state, according to OPB. However, Kotek said the pandemic is a valid reason to use the provision. Brown’s office responded Wednesday, stating Brown is open to a special session if lawmakers can agree on a succinct list of policies to pursue.
NOVEMBER 19: STATE LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR MORE COVID-19 TESTING
A group of 32 current and incoming legislators are calling on Governor Kate Brown to increase Oregon’s rate of COVID-19 testing—which has been consistently ranked among the country’s lowest—amid a new spike of cases in the state. According to Willamette Week, while Oregon’s approach gives local authorities authority over how to conduct testing, that leeway has resulted in numerous approaches, many lacking in resources and at varying standards. Oregon is ranked 49th in the nation for its rate of per-capita coronavirus testing, according to The Oregonian.
SHANNON STEED
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
NEWS
3
BURNING DOWN U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. COURTESY OF FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
THE HOUSE
WITH THE END OF HIS TERM INEVITABLE, TRUMP FOCUSES ON SABOTAGING THE START OF THE NEXT ONE CONOR CARROLL With the 2020 election called for President-elect Joe Biden, current President Donald Trump is a lame duck—a politician with little time left, and even less he can do about it. However, that hasn’t stopped Trump from using nearly every lever at his disposal to hinder a peaceful transfer of power. Trump and his campaign have filed numerous lawsuits to block certification of election results in states such as Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. According to election law expert and founder of Democracy Docket Marc Elias, “Trump and his allies are now 2-35 in post-election litigation.” The lawsuits have not gone well for the Trump campaign. In one instance, Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s head legal council, had to be told by the judge what “opaque” means. Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, said “it was sad to watch” about Giuliani’s arguments in court. Giuliani also cited a film of fiction, My Cousin Vinny, to explain his legal defense in a court of law. On Nov. 21, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann, a lifelong Republican, stated in a 37-page opinion “Plaintiffs’ [the Trump campaign and related individuals] only remaining claim alleges a violation of equal protection. This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together from two distinct theories in an attempt to avoid controlling precedent.” That case was dismissed.
4
NEWS
The powers of the executive branch, however, are vast, and those mechanisms are being brought down on Biden, his team and anyone else who acknowledges his win. Trump announced via Twitter on Monday, Nov. 9 he had terminated Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and that Christopher Miller, who was director of the National Counterterrorism Center, would become acting secretary effective immediately. This was two days after Biden was projected to become the next president. Trump and several of his compatriots have also become progressively more frustrated with CIA Director Gina Haspel in recent weeks, instigating rumors that she may also be removed. Moreover, Trump and allies, such as federally-indicted Steve Bannon, have also precipitously criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray over his refusal to deliver evidence that they allege would be damaging to political enemies, such as Biden. U.S. foreign policy also saw several consequential changes. Acting Defense Secretary Miller announced Tuesday the U.S. will withdraw 2,500 more troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq by Jan. 15, 2021, five days before Biden takes office. “The price for leaving too soon or in an uncoordinated way could be very high,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated in response. “Afghanistan risks becoming once again a platform for international terrorists to
plan and organize attacks on our homelands. And ISIS could rebuild in Afghanistan the terror caliphate it lost in Syria and Iraq.” According to The New York Times, Trump asked senior advisors on Nov. 12 if he could launch a missile strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, just days after inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency reported a “significant increase in the country’s stockpile of nuclear material.” Biden has publicly noted he intends to return to the Iranian nuclear deal created under the Obama administration, a deal Trump abandoned in 2018. In another obstructive move to the incoming Biden administration’s foreign policies, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for classifying Yemen’s Iran-funded Houthi insurgents as terrorists, despite the United Nations requesting more diplomatic avenues be explored. Doing so would impede the Biden administration’s desire to seek less hostile avenues. Domestically, there is an equal amount of administrative obstruction. The General Services Administration refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory, and is withholding funds and intelligence necessary for a smooth transference of power. Presidential daily briefings (PDBs) have also been denied to the incoming administration. PDBs are typically provided to the incoming administrations and summarize high-level, all-source information and analysis on national security issues
produced for the president and key cabinet members and advisers. Obama’s administration provided them to Trump, as was the precedent since former President Harry Truman left office in 1953. Perhaps most importantly, Biden has claimed that Trump’s White House will not provide him and his team with COVID-19 stockpile information. “We’ve been unable to get access to the kinds of things we need to know about the depths of the stockpiles…we know there’s not much at all,” Biden stated. Information on the virus’ spread itself has been stonewalled by the Trump administration, a move that could complicate the incoming administration’s ability to fight COVID-19. “It’s almost like passing a baton in a race...you don’t want to stop and then give it to somebody,” Dr. Anthony Fauci stated. “You want to just essentially keep going—and that is what transition is.” According to the Department of Homeland Security, “there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes...or was in any way compromised.” However, the president has completely contradicted this assertion, stating via tweet, “I WON THE ELECTION!” This, and other contested statements, have animated his base to the point of protest and, in some instances, violence. Biden is slated to take office on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2021. What that transition will look like, we’ll have to wait and see.
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
ZOE VANDAL Former Vice President Joe Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump in the 2020 election on Nov. 7. After four years of neglect regarding the urgent necessity for climate policy in the United States, Biden is determined to combat this crisis head-on with an in-depth plan. From rising sea levels to an increase in extreme weather events, climate change has become a severe and immediate threat to human civilization. According to NASA, it is more than 95% likely that the cause of climate change is entirely anthropogenic. According to a 2014 study conducted by the EPA, the U.S. is responsible for 15% of worldwide emissions, despite only having 4% of the world’s population. Additionally, a 2020 Yale University study showed the U.S. ranks 24th in the environmental performance index, significantly lower than other industrialized countries. “Climate change is the number one issue facing humanity,” Biden said in an Oct. 24 interview with Crooked Media. Biden’s history with environmental protections includes introducing one of the first climate change bills to the Senate in 1986 and overseeing the Recovery Act of 2009. As climate change is a time-sensitive issue, the Biden administration will need to work quickly to make meaningful progress. It is expected that during his administration, Biden will reverse the damage done by the Trump administration on environmental policy. In March 2017, Trump signed an executive order that dismantled former President Barack Obama’s prior climate efforts in order to revive the coal industry. Biden is expected to replace this with an executive order that will “[declare] his administration’s intention to cut
greenhouse gases and instruct all government agencies to look for ways to do so,” according to Lisa Friedman, a climate reporter at The New York Times, in a Nov. 8 report. Fossil fuel and oil companies that were given extensive leniency by the Trump administration will now be faced with stricter environmental regulations from the Biden administration. However, just reversing the Trump administration’s policies will not be enough. While working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, “the U.S. should [also] be urgently working towards building a society that is more resilient to the impacts of ongoing climate change,” said Paul Loikith, the director of the Portland State Climate Science Lab. Biden’s plan will need to focus on the future of the planet while also managing the consequences of past inaction. The Biden Plan, as outlined on the administration’s website, includes an ambitious goal of obtaining a 100% clean economy and net-zero emissions by 2050. The Biden administration intends to reach this goal by creating a fullyformed milestone plan by 2025 and by making a $2 trillion investment. The Biden Plan also vows to develop “regional climate resilience plans”
that are intended to create infrastructure that is able to withstand the changing climate with the help of local universities and national labs. Biden will also fully integrate environmental protections into foreign policy and national security with the intention of pushing climate change to the forefront of global issues. He stated that on day one of his administration, the U.S. will rejoin the Paris Agreement. This decision will ensure the U.S. remains an active participant in the global effort to slow climate change following Trump’s decision in 2017 to withdraw the country from the agreement. Other day-one initiatives include aggressive limits on methane pollution, utilization of the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of transportation, the creation of new appliance and building efficiency standards and the protection of biodiversity through the conservation of 30% of U.S. water and land by 2030. The Biden Plan is also majorly focused on environmental justice. Biden intends to hold polluters responsible for the disproportionate impact that their pollution has on low-income communities. He will ensure that communities across the U.S. will have
access to clean drinking water, specifically naming Flint, Michigan to Harlan, and Kentucky to the New Hampshire sea coast as prioritized areas. Finally, by making a $400 billion investment into clean energy research over the next decade, Biden intends to fund technological innovations that will reduce carbon emissions and result in the development of new jobs. Despite the ambitious scope of The Biden Plan and the U.S.’s economic ties to the fossil fuel industry, experts project that Biden’s objectives are reasonable and achievable. Scott Seagal, partner at energy-focused law firm Bracewell said in an Oct. 25 interview with NPR Biden’s plan is “somewhat comfortable” because it’s possible to “sketch out that linear commitment to additional resources to achieve [his] objectives.” Seagal additionally noted the future of business is already on a path that fits the additional resources that Biden plans to implement. Jenny Marienau Zimmer of the climate activism group 350 Action said later in the interview “this is the strongest plan yet” from a president-elect, particularly commending his plan to stop leasing public land to fossil fuel companies. Zimmer noted she wants to see Biden go further and “create a true phase-out for the entire fossil fuel industry over the course of the next decade.” It is essential that efforts to combat climate change begin immediately, but a split Senate led by Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell, a historically conservative politician with a close relationship to the Trump administration, could interfere with Biden’s plans. “The Biden campaign has listed the right things, but the difference between listing things and implementing those things is a big difference,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, managing director of the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University, to NPR.
SHANNON STEED
JOE BIDEN DETAILS NEW DAY-ONE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS PLAN PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
5
DEADLY CONFLICT IN ETHIOPIA FORCES TENS OF THOUSANDS TO FLEE IDA AYU KARINA DWIJAYANTI Ongoing feuds between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Front (EDF) have led thousands of Ethiopians to become refugees as tensions continue to escalate, according to Al Jazeera. Threatening to destabilize parts of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, Reuters reported the conflicts have resulted in hundreds on both sides killed and at least 20,000 Ethiopians having fled into Sudan. The conflict could potentially impact neighboring countries such as Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia and especially Eritrea. A professor at the European University Institute, Mehari Taddele Maru, said the conflict would “turn the Horn of Africa into an international theatre of war” and that by analyzing the context of rival regional forces in Ethiopia, it would “change the nature and terms of the proxy wars already being fought in Yemen, North Africa and the Middle East.” “The massacre of a very large number of civilians, who appear to have been day labourers in no way involved in the ongoing military offensive,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for East and Southern Africa. “This is a horrific tragedy whose true extent only time will tell as communication in Tigray remains shut down.” “There was a military operation by the EDF and Amhara Special Force against the Tigray Special Police and militia at a place called Lugdi during the daytime on 9 November,” said an Ethiopian civilian who visited the location of the massacre the next day, according to Amnesty International. “After they defeated the Tigray forces, the EDF spent the night on the outskirts of Mai-Kadra town. When we entered, we saw a lot of dead bodies, soaked in blood, on the streets and rental dormitories frequented by seasonal workers. The view was re-
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INTERNATIONAL
TIGRAY MEN FLEEING FROM THE CONFLICT IN ETHIOPIA'S TIGRAY REGION. NARIMAN EL-MOFTY/AP PHOTO ally debasing, and I am still in shock struggling to cope with the experience.” Tigray’s President Debretsion Gebermichael said his troops are fighting in 16 divisions against the army of neighboring Eritrea. Denying that his forces have entered Eritrea, he said “as long as troops are here fighting, we will take any legitimate military target and we will fire.” “Our country is attacking us with a foreign country, Eritrea. Treason!” TPLF’s leader accused the country of supporting the Ethiopian federal government by sending tanks and troops in Tigray. In a response to the assumption, Gebermichael instructed his forces to bomb the Asmara airport in Eritrea. Heavy fighting in northern Ethiopia increased rapidly, spreading across the international border. According to Reuters, the TLPF presumed Ethiopia deployed drones that belong to the United Arab Emirates in Eritrea’s military base. Party spokesman Getachew Reda commented “[Ethiopian Prime Minister] Abiy is now enlisting the support of UAE drones based in Assab in his devastating war against the people of Tigray.” Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Mohammad Adow, reported three rockets were launched at Eritrea’s capital on Saturday. While two projectiles hit the airport, one of the rockets fired was aimed at a building housing the Eritrean ministry of information and several local media outlets. As a result, several refugees sought asylum in other neighboring countries, some arrived at the Sudanese border. 22-year-old refugee Naksiam Guru said “I saw people dying in the streets” and “we were shelled by artillery volleys from across the Eritrean border.”
On Nov. 4, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed ordered the EDF to militarily engage with the TPLF. As he accused Gebremichael and his forces of treason, its military operations are aimed at restoring the rule of law. Before Ahmed came to power, Tigrayans seemed to dominate the country’s governing coalition. According to Al Jazeera, the Tigray region is one of 10 semiautonomous federal states in Ethiopia, and its people have been in power controlling the government for approximately three decades. Tensions between the two powers can be traced back to 1975, when the TPLF launched a proxy war against Addis Ababa’s Derg military government. Tigray’s military was also involved in the war with Eritrea over disputed border territory from 1998 until 2000. After the war, Ethiopia’s current prime minister achieved a Nobel Peace Prize last year for making peace with Eritrea, according to Reuters. Tigray’s leaders complained that under Abiy, they have been removed from top positions along with being unfairly targeted in corruption. Consequently, the TPLF withdrew from the ruling coalition and held its own election, in order to deny Abiy’s leadership. Tigray no longer receives funds from the Ethiopian government nor is recognized by Abiy’s administration, which the TLPF presumed was “tantamount to an act of war.” The United Nations estimated over 33,000 people have already fled the region for Sudan due to the conflicts as thousands continue to register in Sudan every day. “There is a real humanitarian crisis being created by the unfolding conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region,” said EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič. “Civilians are paying the price for this conflict.”
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
PERUVIANS TAKE TO THE STREETS FOLLOWING PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT KARISA YUASA In his second impeachment vote in three months, Peru’s president, Martín Vizcarra, was removed from office on Nov. 9 over allegations of corruption—resulting in widespread protests throughout the country. Thousands took to the streets of Peru to protest the removal of Vizcarra—a leader who remained popular among the general public due to his anti-corruption work, according to The Guardian. Vizcarra denies the allegation that he accepted $280,000 worth of bribes from a construction company while a governor, prior to becoming president. According to Al Jazeera, the president claimed the investigation by the opposition-held congress was
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
ARTISTS PERFORM DURING A PROTEST. RODRIGO ABD/AP PHOTO a plot against him due to their frequent clashes over his anticorruption work. “Every time you try to defeat that virus of corruption, it defends itself by attacking,” Vizcarra said, as reported by Al Jazeera. “When you hit powerful interests, they don’t stay calm.” The head of Peru’s Congress and prominent figure in the impeachment process, Manuel Merino, was sworn in as interim president a day after Vizcarra announced he would be stepping down. Critics have argued the impeachment and following appointments were illegitimate, some even referring to the events as a coup by Congress. “The removal of President Martín Vizcarra is a coup d’etat,” said Pedro Cateriano, former prime minister and constitutional lawyer, according to The Guardian. “Without any doubt, the Congress has violated the constitutional order.” Tens of thousands of Peruvians angered by the removal of Vizcarra and the appointment of Merino have shown up to demonstrations across the country. Protests have turned violent when protestors have clashed with the police. “All of Peru is fired up, we’re all very angry,” said José Vega, a protester in Lima. “They treat us poorly. We’ve only come to protest against injustice…we are all feeling pain. So, I’m saying to everyone let’s not give up.” At least 27 people were injured in the first four nights of protests, 11 of whom were injured on Thursday, Nov. 12 when police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. “This political crisis is generating a human rights crisis due to the violent repression of the protests. The authorities must prioritize the protection of the population over any political interest,” said Marina Navarro, executive director of Amnesty International Peru. The Health Ministry reported 102 people were treated in hospitals due to protest-related injuries and 41 people were missing, according to BBC. On Nov. 14, police dressed in riot gear used force in an attempt to stop a protest in Lima, which allegedly led to the deaths of
two demonstrators. The next day, Merino announced his resignation—just five days after taking office. “The unfortunate events that occurred in the last few hours aggravate the crisis that we were already going through and that produced a few days ago the presidential vacancy of Mr. Martín Vizcarra...all of Peru is in mourning. Nothing justifies that a legitimate protest should trigger the death of Peruvians,” Merino said. Francisco Sagasti, a center-leaning first-time legislator who was one of the few to not vote to impeach Vizcarra, was sworn in on Nov. 17, becoming Peru’s third president in a week. “This is not a moment for celebration; we have too many problems, tragedies and difficulties. It is a moment to ask ourselves: Where did we lose our way?” Sagasti said. Sagasti is intending to hold office until July when a new president is formally elected. “It is absolutely necessary to remain calm, but do not confuse this with passivity, conformity or resignation,” Sagasti said in an address to Congress. According to Reuters, Sagasti is not expected to quell the anger in the long term, as many of the frustrations with the government run deeper than the presidency. According to a poll, approximately 90% of Peruvians surveyed disapproved of Congress. It is estimated that 68 out of the 130 legislators are currently under investigation for fraud or other types of corruption. Protests, consisting mainly of young people, continue as they seek tangible changes in the way the government is run. A poll by think-tank IEP found that over half of the people aged 1824 that they surveyed had participated in an anti-government protest this month. “We want to fix the mistakes of past generations,” said Grace Yarango, an 18-year-old Peruvian, as reported by Reuters. “I feel part of this bicentennial generation, we want a better country.” “The great citizen movement today belongs to the youth,” Sagasti said in his inaugural address. “We have to call on the youth of all ages because there are adults who have a young spirit of rebellion, the youthful spirit of seeking a better country, and that is what we need.”
INTERNATIONAL
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QRC HOSTS SERIES OF EVENTS FOR
TRANSGENDER DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE
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COVER
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
OPPOSITE: DOMINIQUE MORGAN. COURTESY OF BLACK AND PINK.
DYLAN JEFFERIES “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free,” said Hollis Kinner, queer and trans students of color resources and retention coordinator at Portland State. He was quoting civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer and speaking at a virtual event entitled “Black and Trans in the PNW,” which was organized by the PSU Queer Resource Center (QRC) and Pan-African Commons (PAC). The QRC held a series of virtual events in November for Trans Empowerment, Resilience and Resistance Days (TEMPRR), an annual month of programming leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on Nov. 20. Most events were held between Nov. 18–21 for the Trans Action and Care Conference (TACC), a weekend of events put on by the QRC for Transgender Awareness Week . TDOR memorializes transgender people who have been murdered, and recognizes onging violence and oppression that transgender people endure. Transgender actvist Gwendelyn Ann Smith began TDOR in 1999 to memorialize Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. The day is now annually observed by communities around the world. Transgender Awareness Week, held to raise awareness about transgender people and the issues members of the transgender community face, takes place the week leading up to TDOR. Events held by the QRC throughout November included a weekly book club, documentary and film screenings, panels about gender questioning, transgender inclusion and allyship and multiple speakers. A virtual vigil was held on the night of Nov. 20. A vigil commemorating all the transgender lives lost to anti-trans violence was held during the first TDOR on Nov. 20, 1999. Vigils and memorials have since been held annually by communities and individuals who observe TDOR. At these events, the names of all the transgender lives lost that year are often read aloud. “As of today, there have been 36 murders of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the United States this year. This year is higher than last year, and is likely higher than reported due to police misgendering people,” Kinner said at one event. “We will speak their names with utmost diligence and dignity. Trans lives matter. Black Lives Matter. Black Trans Lives Matter.”
BLACK AND TRANS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
One event held on Nov. 18 was billed as “an interstate dialogue on activism, resistance and resilience,” and included two speakers—Jaelynn Scott, executive director of Lavender Rights Project, and Zeloszelos Marchandt, an artist, public speaker and journalist. The event was organized by both the QRC and PAC. “PAC and QRC staff convened after Tony McDade, a Black transgender male, was fatally shot by police in May of 2020, along with the murders of Black transgender women such as Titi Gulley in 2019 and Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears in 2020, here in Portland,” PAC Coordinator Courtney Taylor said. “This event was created to stand in solidarity and support the Black transgender community, who faces scrutiny by the Black community and society due to their intersectional identites and counter-existence to heteronormative ideals. We are hosting this event during the week of TDOR to pay homage to all of the Black trans lives that were lost this year.” Scott, a Black transgender woman, is the executive director of Lavender Rights Project, a Tacoma based nonprofit which provides lowcost legal services and community engagement centered around low income LGBTQ+ people and others within marginalized groups. Marchandt, a Black transgender man, works in various roles as a director, journalist, producer and artist. The event explored topics such as solidarity, coalition building, allyship, activism, justice and self-care. The moderator, Aneesah Rasheed, asked what solidarity and coalition building were.
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
“We need solidarity because we’re not protected.” “For me, solidarity means, really for everybody at this point, center Black trans people, just do it,” Scott said. “That’s solidarity for me. If you’re not centering Black trans people, then you’re not doing the work that needs to happen at this moment.” “Why is there a need for solidarity?” Rasheed asked. “We need solidarity because we’re not protected,” Marchandt said. “There has been very little progress, and there has been very little that has translated into our own protection, and we’re being murdered—it’s a genocide,” Scott said. “Solidarity is needed. Some shift in theoretical thinking, some shift in the way that we’ve been approaching the problem and fighting for queer rights, period. It needs to shift. It has to shift, because I need to be able to walk out of my door after 9 p.m. and feel safe.” From there, the conversation touched on topics like allyship and activism before landing on liberation and justice— the theme of this year’s TEMPRR and TACC. “Right now, [transgender people] are barely even case numbers, is how I feel,” Marchandt said. “There’s so much explanation, and not enough people who see a trans person for being human—human first, a human who just happens to be trans. That’s justice to me, and I don’t feel like we’ve really got it yet, but I’m hopeful that we will soon.” “I don’t think we have a good picture of what justice is or what it will be, and I think we’re looking with the wrong eyes,” Scott said. “We can’t get there from here. It is something that we have yet to figure out how to approach.” Speaking about liberation, Scott said: “We are so stuck in survival that we can’t even hear the word liberation. And for thousands of years, people have been able to imagine the end times, and imagine the afterlife, and imagine their futures, and imagine the futures of their children, but that has been robbed from us.” “We’re in survival, and we’re not able to have that imagining,” she continued.” I can’t even approach the liberation question. I can approach the survival question, and I can say that I don’t know what justice is yet. It’s not what we’re doing yet. It’s somewhere out there, and we might be on the right track of discovering it, but it is a discovery that is yet to happen.” The speakers then discussed ways to build coalitions and solidarity across the Pacific Northwest, as well as self-care. “Being with community and talking about these things that we’re passionate about, I mean, maybe this is the only self care I can do at the moment,” Scott said. “It’s work, but it’s still invigorating.” Before closing out the event, Kinner explained the importance of providing solidarity for the Black trans community. “It’s important to note that anti-trans violence disproportionately affects trans women of color, specifically Black trans women,” he said. “We can’t be leaving people behind.”
“We are so stuck in survival that we can’t even hear the word liberation.” DOMINIQUE MORGAN
Dominique Morgan, a Black transgender woman, award winning artist, activist and TedX speaker, was the keynote speaker for TACC on Nov. 20. Morgan is the executive director of the largest prison abolitionist organization in the United States, Black and Pink. As a formerly incarcerated person—she once spent 18 months in solitary confinement—Morgan advocates from personal experience. She also works in various roles as an educator and activist.
“Dominique Morgan is a Black, formerly incarcerated trans woman, community organizer, educator, advocate, visionary, musician, author and multifaceted leader local to Omaha, Nebraska,” said Angeline Booth, a TACC organizer, in her introduction. “She consistently challenges oppressive systems and works towards, in her own words, ‘community solutions for change and engaging in the empowerment of system impacted individuals.’” “Since 2018, Dominique has served as the executive director for Black and Pink,” Booth said. “Black and Pink is a national, abolitionist organization that aims to support and advocate for LGBTQ+ and HIV+ people through organizing, education and providing direct services.” Morgan began her talk by discussing transgender narratives and identity. “I’m really thankful to be here today, not only because of holding space with you all, but for a day like today, TDOR, and this desire that we have, as trans and gender non-conforming people, to be seen as more then a hashtag,” Morgan said. “To be seen as more than the oppression that we have to navigate, to be seen as more than the stories that are told about us when we’re unable to tell our own stories. Opportunities like this also allow us to say that we were here, and allows us to tell our own stories, and to leave a mark on how the world sees us.” From there, Morgan began discussing her own life experiences. “I’m a person who lives with HIV. I’m a person who lives with the experience of having PTSD. I navigate the world with ADHD and oppression. These are my truths. I’m a Black trans woman. Of course every day isn’t perfect. Of course every minute isn’t sunshine and rainbows. But what I mean when I say that is, no matter what type of day I have, I recognize and I hold that this isn’t the end of the story, and I have to stay present in the story because there’s something greater coming.” During the Q+A portion of the event, the moderator asked, “How do we destigmatize things like being formerly incarcerated?” “I don’t think anyone has not been connected to someone who has been impacted by incarceration, and that’s one of the important reasons that we talk about people being system impacted, because it positions me to be able to talk about not only the person who was in the prison, but also their children, their partner, their neices, their nephews, their church,” Morgan said. “To say that when we make decisions around incarceration and we think we’re kind of making these singular decisions, that is not true.” Morgan also discussed finding access to joy and liberation, as well as food, music and comic books. “I have decided that being simply resilient is not going to be my whole story,” Morgan said. “I know so many folks who, you know, you find that new restaurant, or you’ve made this great recipe, and you cannot wait to tell everybody about it. You can’t wait, right? Why, when we are talking about access to joy, access to liberation, aren’t we talking to people in the same way, like it’s an amazing recipe?” Morgan concluded by discussing the importance of centering Black trans people. “If I’m centering the most oppressed in how I’m creating solutions, everyone else is inherently going to benefit,” Morgan said. “For our white trans and gender non-conforming siblings: your identity is so valid, and so important, and absolutely that pressure that you’re navigating is real. But the shield of whiteness is real as well.” “Understand that you not being centered does not mean that you’re being erased,” she said. Over the weekend, additional events were held by the QRC for TACC, including workshops and panels, and on Nov. 23, TEMPRR concluded with two events: one panel discussion about trans inclusion, and another about cisgender allyship.
COVER
9
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THIS WEEK
around the
WORLD Nov. 16–21
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INTERNATIONAL
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
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Nevember 16
MOLDOVA
Pro-European Union candidate, Maia Sandu, won Moldova’s presidential election against incumbent Igor Dodon with 57.7% of the vote, according to The New York Times. The loss of Dodon, who was openly endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, represented a possible shift away from Russia for the former Soviet country. Sandu will be Moldova’s first female president in the country’s history. “We have a divided society,” Sandu said in an interview with BBC. “It’s been further divided during this campaign by my opponent, but the short-term challenges of course are to help people go through this pandemic crisis, the sanitary crisis and the economic crisis.” 2
November 18
FRANCE
French President Emmanuel Macron gave the French Council of the Muslim Faith 15 days to work with the interior ministry and
agree to a “charter of republican values” in an effort to crack down on “radical Islam.” As part of this process, the CFCM agreed to create a National Council of Imams, which would require imams to go through an official accreditation process, according to BBC. Macron also introduced a bill that sought to prevent “radicalization” with measures that would include providing children with identification numbers to ensure they attend school and harsher punishments on those who intimidate public officials on religious grounds. Following the announcement, Pakistan’s human rights minister released a tweet that compared Macron’s treatment of Muslims to Nazi treatment of Jews, which has since been deleted. 3
November 19
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced the government would crack down harder on protesters as anti-government protests continue. “The situation is not im-
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
proving,” Chan-ocha said in a statement, as reported by Al Jazeera. “There is a risk of escalation to more violence. If not addressed, it could damage the country and the beloved monarchy. The government will intensify its actions and use all laws, all articles, to take action against protesters who broke the law.” Following the announcement, thousands of protesters—mainly young students—took to the streets of Bangkok on Nov. 21. Many were dressed in dinosaur costumes. “We represent the meteorites crushing the dinosaurs to extinction,” said 15-year-old high school student leader Benjamaporn Nivas to Reuters. 4
November 20
NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Following almost two months of violent clashes, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement. According to Al Jazeera, Armenia agreed to return 15–20% of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Azerbaijan’s army announced it entered the first of three districts to be returned on
Friday. Armenian residents and soldiers were seen destroying buildings and burning down houses before the handoff began. The Guardian reported tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis are expected to return to the districts. 5
November 21
GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
A section of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala was set aflame by protesters after Congress passed a controversial budget bill. The budget bill increased the stipends of Guatemala’s lawmakers and cut funding for human rights programs, according to Al Jazeera. Protesters called for the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei after he refused to veto the bill—one of the main demands by protesters. Approximately 10,000 people protested in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City. “I feel like the future is being stolen from us,” said Mauricio Ramírez, a 20-year-old university student, according to AP News. “We don’t see any changes, this cannot continue like this.”
INTERNATIONAL
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IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
THE MANDALORIAN IS A BRIGHT STAR IN A GALAXY OF SHITTY FILMS MORGAN TROPER When Disney bought Lucasfilm—and thus, Star Wars—in 2012 for $4 billion, consensus was they couldn’t fuck the franchise up any more than George Lucas had already. Eight years and five new full-fledged Star Wars films later, it’s clear we were a little off the mark. Star Wars got a fresh start in 2015 with The Force Awakens, the first movie in the so-called sequel trilogy. That film went out of its way to distance the franchise from the jarring CGI, overwrought dialogue and impenetrable political narrative that characterized George Lucas’ much-maligned prequel films. Instead, The Force Awakens was Gen X wish fulfillment—the product of a focus group composed entirely of Kevin Smiths, a spotless but ultimately servile puree of original trilogy tropes. It was everything a Star Wars film should be, even if watching it evokes saudade akin to catching a band that broke up before you were born on their reunion tour or looking out at the Grand Canyon after decades of only seeing it on postcards. When your wishes materialize, they necessarily lose some of their luster. After that, Star Wars became both progressively cooler and shittier. The 2016 Episode 3.5 spinoff Rogue One—which is now widely considered to be among the best outings in the entire franchise—told a darker, more emotionally resonant story. Rogue One conveyed the moral ambiguity of the Rebel Alliance and the fascistic tyranny of the Galactic Empire with an eloquence and political maturity totally uncharacteristic of Star Wars. Similarly, Rian Johnson’s lone mainline entry, 2017’s The Last Jedi, attempted to throw the entire sequel trilogy off the rails; Johnson killed off its presumed big bad midway through the film and ignored virtually every narrative thread introduced in The Force Awakens, much to the chagrin of comic book guys everywhere. On the other end of the spectrum is 2018’s Solo—a Han Solo and Chewbacca origin story which is basically just Turner & Hooch in space— and last year’s The Rise of Skywalker, an inestimably disappointing conclusion to one of the most beloved stories ever told. Disney’s assembly line approach to the franchise—that’s five Star Wars films in four years, compared with the six Star Wars films in nearly 30 years Lucasfilm gave us when they were a standalone—has led to profound Star Wars fatigue, even among fans. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, whose films elegantly interweave, these new Star Wars movies feel entirely disconnected from each other both aesthetically and narratively. That’s
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ARTS & CULTURE
because they don’t coalesce around the central vision of a certain megalomaniacal auteur, and each one bears the strong signature stench of its respective director—Johnson’s serious filmmaker attitudinizing and flippant iconoclasm with The Last Jedi, J. J. Abrams’ explosive histrionics and complete lack of imagination with The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, and so on. The result is a series whose scope has somehow become both too wide and too narrow. Somewhere in the middle of this mess sits The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars serial and the only reason you should consider subscribing to Disney+. It used to be that, in between mainline Star Wars installments, fans would get a bounty of officially licensed ancillary content to hold them over—video games, novels, comic books and more. But this Silmarillion-like web of media—known collectively as the “Expanded Universe,” now “Star Wars Legends”—had another function: it suggested that the Star Wars we saw in films was only the tip of the iceberg, and it filled in the blanks, tackled unanswered questions and added depth to what was, fundamentally, a pretty barren and ill-defined fictional world. When Disney acquired Star Wars, this ontent was officially erased from series canon, thus making Star Wars feel a lot smaller. To the initiated, it’s pretty obvious that The Mandalorian is Disney’s attempt at remedying this. Unlike previous Star Wars shows, such as Rebels and The Clone Wars, Mandalorian isn’t an interquel or preamble to some grander, Jedi-related story. In fact, Mandalorian is so removed from the Skywalker arc that not even its characters seem aware of events from the films (“I’ve heard of them before,” the titular character says of the Jedi.) It is uniquely refreshing to see a new piece of Star Wars media that eschews lightsabers and doesn’t exist for the sole purpose of mending a horrifyingly muddled continuity. It also makes the payoff that much greater when there are those glimmers of fan service—whether it’s a fleet of X-Wings or Phantom Menace pit droids. The Mandalorian instead focuses on the seedy recesses of Star Wars lore, and the main character is a blaster-wielding bounty hunter who looks a lot like franchise favorite Boba Fett. Unlike Fett, however, the Mandalorian isn’t essentially heartless: his compassion for “The Child”—a bounty turned comrade who resembles a baby Yoda—inspires him to abort a lucrative mission, and this becomes the driving plot
THE MANDALORIAN. COURTESY OF CNET point of the series’ first season. That first season crescendoed with its sixth episode—titled “The Prisoner”—in which the Mandalorian stages a prison break with a ragtag gang of mercenaries who also seem like they could have been the opening band for Evanescence on the Fallen tour. After mercilessly negging the Mandalorian on the trip to the penitentiary (“If they’re so strong how come they’re all dead?” says resident strongman Burg—who I assume is the drummer—about the Mandalorian race of warriors of which our protagonist belongs), the mercenaries betray the Mandalorian after arriving at their destination, and it’s implied that he assassinates each of them individually as a brutal act of vengeance—until the end of the episode when it’s revealed that he just placed them all in a locked cell together, hinting at humanity behind the mask. Moments like this make The Mandalorian seem infinitely smarter than recent Star Wars film installments. Snappier, too—and it makes some sense that Lucas’ creations are a perfect fit for the serial format, considering Flash Gordon was one of Star Wars’ original influences.
Although it isn’t a huge accomplishment, The Mandalorian has already proved more enjoyable than Solo—the second worst film in the franchise— and The Rise of Skywalker—the worst film in the franchise by a mile, and one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Still, this is an era of Star Wars where the people in charge have no fucking idea what they’re doing or what story they’re attempting to tell. Four episodes into its second season and The Mandalorian is beginning to seem like another casualty of this corporate aimlessness. We still have no idea who Baby Yoda is, beyond a genius merchandising opportunity, and there have been two full, 40-minute episodes built around the incredibly boring conceit of, “The Mandalorian must teach a village of hapless bumpkins how to fight and defend themselves from a big monster,” the first of which contains a training montage lifted straight from Mulan. Occasionally, The Mandalorian achieves Rogue One-caliber greatness; whether or not it can sustain that level of quality depends on how soon it quits meandering and gets to the goods. Maybe showrunner Jon Favreau can watch some Flash Gordon reruns for inspiration.
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
IS THE BEST PART
OF 2020
BANDCAMP FRIDAYS AND A NEW LIVESTREAM FEATURE PUT OTHER MUSIC SERVICES TO SHAME
BANDCAMP LOGO. COURTESY OF BANDCAMP
MORGAN TROPER Performing musicians have been especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. And yes, that has become one of the most hackneyed opening sentences in 2020 music coverage; this is not the first time I’ve written those exact words and it likely won’t be the last. Future generations will look back on music features from this year—although let’s be honest, probably not this one—and play drinking games centered around spotting that lede. But cliches exist for a reason, and the pandemic is existentially pervasive. Almost eight months of this nightmare and it really does feel like it’s impossible to have a discussion about anything that doesn’t eventually lead back to the novel coronavirus. There is some irony, however, in framing the pandemic as the root of all problems for performing musicians. Musicians were getting mercilessly screwed long before the ubiquity of a lethal virus, and while a global pandemic has naturally put a damper on live performances and touring, it’s disingenuous to pretend this world was even remotely hospitable to artists prior to March 2020. To provide some context, most of the world consumes music via streaming platforms such as Spotify. As of January 2019—almost an entire year before the first COVID-19 cases began popping up—Spotify paid out a maximum of $0.00437 per individual stream. Other plat-
forms do slightly better, but not by much. So saying you “only make pennies” from streams is unintentional hyperbole, and an obscure artist gloating about having their song placed on some Spotify-curated “One Night Stand Hangover Brunch” playlist or whatever is actually suffering from a bizarre form of Stockholm syndrome, unless they’re merely a rich, clout-chasing dilettante. Back in the halcyon Love is Blind and Fetch the Bolt Cutters era of lockdown, Spotify introduced the tip jar feature, which allowed fans to donate to their favorite artists directly. As far as concessions go, this was absolutely the bare minimum, and it felt like a long overdue feature to begin with. Since then, Spotify has been characteristically unsympathetic towards artists struggling to stay afloat. You don’t like the service’s pay structure? The solution may simply be to release more music more often, according to CEO Daniel Ek. “You can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough,” Ek said in an interview with Music Ally over the summer. There are so many things wrong with this sentiment and there has already been so much collective anger spent on this issue that regurgitating those arguments here seems trite and unnecessary. Moreover, there have been plenty of definitive pieces written on Spotify’s unabashed devaluation of music as an artistic
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
medium and the comfortable symbiosis corporate media maintains with these streaming services. Simply put, Ek’s comment is the equivalent of telling a minimum wage worker to simply get another job, which itself is the equivalent of telling someone to go fuck themselves. Among all these platforms, Bandcamp is an outlier, although it isn’t exactly a streaming service. Instead, Bandcamp provides artists with a template for a homepage that can serve as a convenient, centralized hub. With a Bandcamp page, artists can make their music streamable, sell physical products, advertise tour dates and send out newsletters. Despite growing into a formidable enterprise—within the last half decade it’s launched a reputable editorial section, two apps and a storefront in Oakland—Bandcamp has managed to retain its old internet charm. It’s not the prettiest site in the world, but it’s intuitive and functional from both artist and consumer vantage points. It hasn’t successfully supplanted social media as a useful marketing tool for musicians—at least not yet—but it allows for more direct fan-to-band communication, and vice versa, than any of the major streaming platforms. And in the grand scheme of things, Bandcamp’s revenue split is extremely generous—they take 15% from digital sales and a mere 10% from sales of physical merchandise.
To accommodate artists struggling during the pandemic, Bandcamp made their model even more charitable this year with the introduction of Bandcamp Fridays, which have occurred on the first Friday of each month and will extend through the end of the year. On these days, Bandcamp waives its revenue split entirely. IIt also just launched a new ticketed livestream service integrated into the platform—called Bandcamp Live—and it’s waiving its revenue split for that feature until March 31, 2021, when it will revert to 10%. So far, livestreams have proven a paltry alternative to actual live performances in both the financial and experiential sense; it’s clear they were initially conceived as a short-term, ad hoc solution to a problem that ended up lasting a lot longer than anyone expected. They can be difficult if not impossible to monetize, and platforms such as Instagram Live and Facebook Live—though technically suitable—are not ideal for live performances. By building a platform that caters to musical performances specifically, Bandcamp intends to remedy some of these issues, and nationally recognized artists such as Pedro the Lion, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah and Cloud Nothings are among the confirmed early adopters. Nothing beats the real thing, of course, but it’s certainly better than the stuff we’ve been settling for.
ARTS & CULTURE
13
ARE THE HOLIDAYS SAFE TO HAVE
IN PERSON DURING COVID-19? KALEIGH RAINWATER
“The United States has surpassed yet another devastating milestone in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: 250,000 Americans have now died from the disease,” NPR reported on Nov. 18, 2020. COVID-19 cases are soaring, leading many states including Oregon to put restrictions back in place. However, the holidays are right around the corner; are people going to gather to celebrate this year? As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, people cannot help but have this on their minds. The holidays are times to celebrate with friends and family—to be happy, grateful and enjoy the little things. Yet, this year is quite different. Right now, it is dangerous to celebrate the normal way. Gathering outside your bubble of people increases the likelihood of getting and spreading COVID-19. Masks will not be worn, people will be within 6 feet of each other and cleaning procedures will be forgotten. Spreading this virus does not just endanger you or the people around you, but strangers as well. It’s true COVID -19 apparently does not seem to harm younger people as much, but what about the parents? The grandparents? What about the immune-compromised? For these groups of people, this virus is fatal. Furthermore, with it spreading quickly, many hospitals will not allow loved
ones to visit or even say goodbye in dire situations. Seeing cousins or grandparents is a highly anticipated event each year, but at what cost? Gathering in person for the holidays puts the ones you love the most at risk. It is not just you or your loved ones in danger of possible holiday gatherings—total strangers, communities and the whole country could be impacted. COVID-19 spreads rapidly from person to person, often before someone even realizes they’re sick. Choosing to celebrate with others in person can quickly spread the virus to the whole community. Maybe one family will not be affected at all, while other families could be destroyed. It impacts the whole community. The more people that get sick, the more restrictions are put in place. People lose their jobs, childcare, education and essential services. Each day, there are more and more deaths across the U.S. Just one gathering could spread the virus to hundreds. Right now, there are not enough resources to track and make sure everyone quarantines. Maybe the whole country will not be wiped out, but people will suffer. People need income, jobs, safe medical care, education and food. This all becomes scarce when the country shuts down or gets sick. Millions of people travel and gather for holidays and this year that can spell disaster for everyone.
Gathering in person this holiday season is not just dangerous, but selfish as well. People are dying and being hospitalized all the time. In addition, first responders and doctors suffer just as much as the infected do. Sick people need medicine, care and ventilators in some cases. All of this is provided by doctors in hospitals. Many places around the country are running out of space to take care of people or provide tests. It’s running medical staff thin. Not to mention, there are tons of people that need care that do not have COVID-19. Just because there is a pandemic does not mean EMTs, firefighters, police, scientists and doctors do not have to answer other calls for help as well. These people are putting their lives, sanity and families on the line to save others. The more Americans who disregard warnings and gather in person, the more harm done to the medical heroes we need the most right now. There will not be an end to this pandemic without the medical world. Despite the dangers, not having normalcy is hard. Families have traditions and people have others they miss. The holidays are for being together sharing hugs, laughs and memories. Just because it is not safe to meet in person does not
mean those things cannot be felt this year. Celebrations can be held with people you interact with every day. Maybe that is not the people you normally gather with during the holidays, but you can still experience togetherness and joy. In addition, there are tons of great technologies made to connect people. You can still see grandparents through Skype, cousins over Zoom, siblings/parents with Google Meet and friends through FaceTime. It’s sad many people will not be in the same room as each other, but there are other ways to connect and even see each other. Being virtual is not the same, but isn’t it better to protect people? Isn’t it better to help end the spread? This year has been difficult and having to interact with loved ones over technology all the time does not help, but it will not last forever. If Americans wear masks, social distance, clean like crazy and not celebrate in person, the pandemic will be over quicker. There are scientists, researchers and doctors working around the clock to create a vaccine and new treatments for COVID-19. Again, this will not last forever. If individuals meet virtually for the holidays instead of in person, there is a chance next year all the holidays will be normal. As always, there is still so much to be thankful for even during these difficult times.
SHANNON STEED
14
OPINION
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
SAM GARCIA
GOVERNMENT INACTION IS KILLING YOUR FAMILY AJ EARL Despite warnings, government officials from cities across the nation to Capitol Hill have essentially washed their hands of the COVID-19 crisis. Rather than confront things head-on, the government seems to have attempted to force normalcy roundly into a square peg. The comfortable positions of shifting blame and crying to “do something” and “do nothing” are shouted back and forth, creating an unfortunate amount of death and tragedy in this country. The attempt to spin this crisis as fake has not helped and has led to brief sparks of fame for conservative politicians eager to see all things through either a profit-motivated lens or anarchistic appeal to the defiant individualist. Tootie Smith, the incoming Clackamas County Chair, recently compared public health efforts to slavery, despite this rising tide of death and defiance. Although Clackamas County is not covered by Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s stricter four-week closure imposed on Multnomah County, it is still seeing a rapid rise in cases. Death knows no county border. Brown has also been sitting in a political quagmire. Her attempts to have it both ways, appealing to her most vocal critics while announcing the importance of measures she is not mandating for political third rails such as churches, is a symptom of enormous negligence by politicians in this state. What does it serve to give churches far more leeway in exposing their congregations to COVID-19, aside from trying, and ultimately failing, to avoid legal opposition? Those churches who demanded zero restrictions on their ability to hold services will still fight any effort and will get assistance in their efforts from rightwing state lawmakers and businesses who have repeatedly at-
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
tempted to force a complete reopening of the state and a reversal of mask mandates. Politicians are not acting in good faith when it comes to addressing the COVID-19 crisis, all efforts seemingly crosschecked against politically correct responses, according to their constituencies. This is not to say it’s simply local and state politicians that are failing—our federal representatives are failing as well. The stock response from Congress seems to be saying “do something” and appealing to political power—power they themselves wield. When a member of congress relates some sad story about a constituent’s death but adheres all-too-conveniently to congressional norms, they are complicit in that person’s death. Even in the complex tangle of laws and policy on Capitol Hill, there is still room for action. For example, there are deliberate efforts to stall and undo the work of the governing party until they release their hold on the legislative calendar to allow for votes on COVID-19 relief. Democrats in the Senate have not taken advantage of their various procedural tools and they do not seem ready to do so. “We simply can’t act” is not an excuse. There isn’t much to change that can’t already be utilized to force through COVID-19 relief, but one of those things that needs reconstruction is, unfortunately, the politicians themselves. Their reliance on simple oppositional politics devoid of ethical or moral bearing beyond recognizing only the bad in their opponents is leading to a fight against COVID-19 conducted entirely on Twitter and via soundbites to the media. Without some radical rebuild of our body politic, there will only be more death.
OPINION
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VIRTUAL
EVENTS CALENDAR WED NOV
25 THU
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26 FRI
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27 SAT
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EVENTS
INSERT COIN Hollywood Theatre 9 p.m. PST $9.99
Hollywood Theatre presents Insert Coin, a new documentary about the legendary video game studio Midway Games, which produced the coin-up versions of Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam and more. The title will be available to stream and rent for a 48hour period via Hollywood Theatre’s Vimeo channel beginning at 9 p.m. PST.
THE VIRTUAL MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE NBC-TV 9 a.m. PST Free livestream on Twitter and YouTube
Joe Biden pledges to “unite the country,” but for those who are forced to contend with their family’s annoying political viewpoints over the holidays, that can seem like a pipe dream. Perhaps the wholesome, thoroughly apolitical Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the one thing we can all agree on—that it’s mostly boring, but also sort of fun? Naturally, this year’s parade will be entirely virtual and track a much shorter route. There are also no crowds, which means there’s no risk of a repeat of the Great Cat in the Hat Balloon Tragedy of ’97.
PATTI SMITH BLACK FRIDAY LIVESTREAM Veeps 12 p.m. PST $10
The legendary singer-songwriter, author and punk icon will be playing a livestream event on Black Friday.
ZAPPA
Hollywood Theatre 9 p.m. PST $12 Hollywood Theatre presents Zappa, a new documentary on Frank Zappa, one of the most interesting and controversial rock icons of the 20th century. Zappa promises to highlight the intimate details of the guitar hero’s immensely private personal life, and attendees will be treated to a freshly unearthed Frank Zappa live performance and supplemental backstage footage after the screening.
DINOSAUR JR. LIVE FROM PINES THEATRE Livestream via Pines Theatre 5 p.m. PST $15
The iconic alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. plays a livestream with its original lineup of guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph. Dinosaur Jr. have a reputation as one of the loudest bands in the land; whether or not that will come across in a livestream remains to be seen (or heard).
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • psuvanguard.com
