PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD
VOLUME 73 • ISSUE 32 • JULY 16, 2019
LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY PROTEST SHINES LIGHT ON INHUMANE CONDITIONS AT DETENTION CENTERS
CRIME BLOTTER
July 8–14
DYLAN JEFFERIES JULY 8
JULY 13
Burglary / Theft At 10:08 a.m. a staff member reported that a break in occurred at the Portland State Greenhouse. Property was taken.
Graffiti Between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. CPSO received two reports concerning graffiti. The incident occurred at the Distance Learning Center and the University Services Building.
At 11:04 a.m. a staff member reported theft of property from the Fourth Avenue Building restroom. Fraud A PSU student reported a fraud regarding an apartment rental to Campus Public Safety. According to the student, the fraud occurred on July 2 at 12:00 p.m.
JULY 14 Trespass At around 4:09 a.m. a non-student was arrested after entering another non-student’s apartment at University Pointe and refused to leave.
JULY 10 Fire Alarm At around 3:28 a.m. CPSO and the Portland Fire Bureau responded to a faulty fire alarm in the Engineering Building.
CONTENTS COVER PHOTO BY DYLAN JEFFERIES
NEWS HILL TO HALL
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PSU STUDENTS WIN THIRD IN INTERNATIONAL SPACE COMPETITION PORTLAND ACTIVISTS PROTEST FOR GREATER POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
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INTERNATIONAL THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD
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COCAINE PRODUCTION REMAINS HIGH IN COLOMBIA
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U.S. WINS 2019 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
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UN CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE AS LIBYAN DEATH TOLL REACHES 1,000
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COVER LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY PROTEST DEMANDS CLOSURE OF DETENTION CAMPS, ABOLITION OF ICE
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STAFF EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Nada Sewidan MANAGING EDITOR Marta Yousif NEWS EDITORS Dylan Jefferies Anamika Vaughan INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Madison Cecil
ONLINE EDITOR Sangi Lama COPY CHIEF Hannah Welbourn CONTRIBUTORS Chloe Dysart Andrew Gaines Emily Price PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Samantha Lydick
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Cervanté Pope
PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR John Rojas
OPINION EDITOR Taylar Rivers
LEAD DESIGNER Brandon Pahnish
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DIS T RIBU TION & M A R K E TING DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGER Dylan Jefferies T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Annie Ton
INTERNATIONAL SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES RESTRICT IMPORTED PLASTIC WASTE OPINION NOT SUITABLE FOR VIEWING ANTI-VAXXERS AND THE 1%
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ARTS & CULTURE GARBAGE DAY: THE SCHOOL FILMS OF MARK LESTER
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PAPER CUTS
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COMICS
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EVENTS CALENDAR
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A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher To contact Portland State Vanguard, email info@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.
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, 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 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.
NEWS
JULY 8–11 CHLOE DYSART
JULY 8: REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER THREATENS OREGON SENATE PRESIDENT
The senate special committee has ordered Senator Brian Boquist, a Republican from Dallas, Ore., give 12-hour notice before coming to the Capitol after threats of violence. Sen. Boquist threatened Senate President Peter Courtney that “hell is coming to visit you personally” if Courtney sends state troopers to retrieve the absent republican lawmakers, as well as implying intent to harm any state trooper sent to retrieve him, according to Willamette Week. Boquist claims threats came out of a heated discussion and were not serious. The remarks were made before the Republican Senators nine-day walk out.
PORTLAND SPACE UNIVERSITY
JULY 8: BILL TO PREVENT FBI AND ICE FROM ACCESS TO OREGON DRIVER’S RECORDS
Oregon House Bill 2015 would prevent the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using the state’s driver’s database to conduct facial recognition sweeps for undocumented immigrants, according to OregonLive. The bill would also grant people without proof of citizenship or legal residence access to legal driver’s licenses. Currently around a dozen states and the District of Columbia allow people without proof of citizenship or legal residence to legally have driver’s licenses, according to OregonLive.
JULY 11: PREMERA BLUE CROSS TO PAY OREGON AFTER DATA BREACH
Premera Blue Cross has agreed to pay $10.4 million to 30 states, including Oregon, after an investigation of a data breach which exposed the confidential information of more than 10 million people, according to OregonLive. Premera Blue Cross is the largest health insurer in the Pacific Northwest, and approximately 700,000 Oregonians were affected by the breach. Oregon will receive $1.3 million. According to KTVZ, the company had been warned by cybersecurity experts and internal auditors about holes in the system, yet the company failed to fix them. The breach lasted from May 2014 to March 2015, in which hackers sent an email posed as a communication from the company’s IT department.
JULY 11: ICE PROTESTS TARGET PORTLAND BUSINESSES
Members of Occupy ICE PDX entered Microsoft’s downtown Portland store and two Bank of the West buildings to demand the businesses sever relationships with ICE, according to OregonLive. The protest at the Microsoft store was disrupted when, according to Willamette Week, a counter protester threatened the protesters with a knife. The counter protester was then arrested by Portland police on charges of menacing, disorderly conduct and unlawful use of a weapon. The protest was part of a “week of action.” The group also demonstrated at ICE’s Portland headquarters on July 12.
PORTLAND STATE’S AEROSPACE SOCIETY COULD BE FIRST TO LAUNCH LIQUID-FUELED ROCKET TO EDGE OF SPACE. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE AEROSPACE SOCIETY ANAMIKA VAUGHAN After placing third in the Base 11 Space Challenge, a team of students from Portland State’s Aerospace Society could be the first to launch a liquid-fueled rocket to the edge of space by December 2021. University of Michigan won first place and Concordia University second place, each earning $25,000 and $15,000 respectively. PSU earned $10,000, according to SpaceQ. This concludes the preliminary design phase of the competition, with the second phase—where the teams submit their critical designs—of the competition set to close in March 2020. In addition, PSU was also awarded $5,000 from Dassault Systèmes, a Chairman’s Circle partner for the competition. PSU Team Captain Risto Rushford told PSU that the challenge allowed them to further build on designs and technology already in development at PSU. This summer, the team will be working toward a hot fire test, which tests the thrusters
without performing an actual launch of the rocket. PSU’s team is made up of approximately 40 students from an array of backgrounds, including applied math, physics, public health and mechanical engineering. “We’ve made it so there’s a place for everyone,” Rushford said. “They can come in and apply the skillset they’re learning at PSU to aerospace and get the benefit of an aerospace education without the degree.” Going forward, the team is hosting an aerospace exposition in September to raise funds via ticket sales. They estimate they will need an additional $300,000 on top of the $100,000 already spent to complete the project. To win the Base 11 Space Challenge, the teams are tasked with designing, building and eventually launching a liquid-propelled, single-stage rocket to an altitude of at least 100 km. The teams consist of university students from all over the world.
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NEWS
PORTLAND’S RESISTANCE RALLIES FOR BETTER POLICE CONTRACT
PORTLAND’S RESISTANCE RALLIES FOR FAIR POLICE CONTRACT ON JULY 11. ANAMIKA VAUGHN/PSU VANGUARD ANAMIKA VAUGHAN Portland’s Resistance hosted a rally for a “fair police contract” on July 11, featuring a series of speakers who shared their experiences with police and stories of police violence against members of the community. The rally was in anticipation of the expiration of the current police contract in 2020. “We want to see police held accountable,” said Hyung Nam with Portland-Metro People’s Coalition. “This means we can change the future. Right now we’re stuck in this kind of system of criminalizing people and incarcerating people.” The group is calling for the new contract to include “true police accountability,” including a reformation of the disciplinary process for officers that has “meaningful civilian oversight” instead of police officers investigating other police officers. In addition, they want a reformation of the process by which civilians file complaints.
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“I read the police contract, and I can tell you that some of the language in that contract—especially with regards to discipline—is open to interpretation by an arbitrator,” said Candy Herrera with the Democratic Socialists of America. “My point is that if the city wanted to, it could discipline, and it could test that language.” “When the police discipline guide has a law that allows for the police chief or the police commissioner to deviate from the guide as conditions warrant, that means they have a right to do it, they just don’t want to,” Herrera continued. “And that’s the issue. It’s about Mayor Wheeler and city council having the will to actually discipline cops.” Speakers also called for a public and transparent process for the upcoming contract negotiations between the police and the city, including open bargaining, which would
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allow members of the public to attend and provide input. Another speaker, Shelly Morgan-Hall from Pacific Northwest Family Circle, an organization which supports families affected by police violence, spoke about her experiences with police responding to individuals dealing with mental health crises. Her son was shot and killed by police in 2012. “Cops shouldn’t kill us because we’re mentally ill or we’re homeless or just in a crisis,” Morgan-Hall said. Morgan-Hall suggested cops use a “walk away” method: when they encounter a person in a mental health crisis, they should walk away and let mental health professionals take over. Speakers also brought up that almost no cops are held accountable for fatal shootings of civilians. According to a report by CNN in 2018, 80 officers nationwide had been arrested on charges of
murder or manslaughter between 2005 and April 2017, and that 35% were convicted. According to a 2019 report by NBC News, around 900–1000 people are killed by police every year, and that since 2005, 98 non-federal law enforcement officers have been arrested due to on-duty shootings. As of March 2019, only 35 of those officers have been convicted of a crime. In Portland, dating back to 2010, most Portland police officers involved in fatal shootings were found to be justified in their use of deadly force by a grand jury. In 2010, Officer Ron Frashour, who shot and killed Aaron Campbell—who was later found to be unarmed—was found to have violated policy and was terminated. He was later reinstated and returned to work in 2016. The other officers involved were given 80-hour suspensions. “If the role of the police is to protect and serve, then we say ‘prove it,’” Herrera said.
INTERNATIONAL
THIS WEEK
around the
WORLD
July 7–13
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July 7
FRANKFURT, GERMANY
16,500 people were evacuated from the Ostend area of downtown Frankfurt in order to allow German authorities to defuse and dispose of an American bomb discovered during construction near the European Central Bank in June. The 1,100-pound, World War II-era bomb took approximately two hours to defuse, according to Haaretz. Despite locating the active bomb in June 2019, authorities waited to defuse it to minimize disruption and allow for proper preparation. The Washington Post reported it is not uncommon for active World War II bombs to be found in Germany, even though it has been more than 70 years since the end of the war. 2
July 8
HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
The International Crime Court found “Congolese Terminator” Bosco Ntaganda guilty of 13 war crimes and five crimes against humanity including murder, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers in warfare in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 8. Ntaganda is the fourth person to be convicted by the ICC since its creation in 2002 and the first to be convicted of sexual slavery. No sentence has
been determined yet, but Ntaganda could face life in prison. He maintained he was innocent throughout the trial, and his lawyers claim he was actually a victim as well since he was once a child soldier in Rwanda. A total of 2,123 of Ntaganda’s victims, including many child soldiers, were consulted by the ICC when collecting evidence for the trial. “While Ntaganda’s conviction is a milestone…and a victory for all those who pursued justice for crimes committed in Ituri, several suspected criminals still enjoy impunity,” the International Federation for Human Rights told BBC. 3
July 11
SANTIAGO, CHILE
A bill originally proposed in 2010 was signed into law by Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, which will eliminate the statute of limitations on crimes of rape, sexual abuse, production of pornographic material and prostitution involving children and adolescents. “Beginning today, the passing of time will never more be an accomplice to those who abuse our children, not an ally of impunity,” Piñera said upon signing the bill, according to Reuters. The recent increase in accusations of sexual abuse against the Catholic Church was a main factor in the passing of the non-retroactive law. According
to the Catholic News Agency, 22,540 complaints of sexual abuse involving minors were filed during 2017, and the Chilean Public Ministry is currently investigating over 150 cases of sexual abuse linked to the church. 4
July 12
ANKARA, TURKEY
Despite warnings from the United States, parts for the Russian S-400 missile defense system arrived in Turkey on July 12. The U.S. has repeatedly told Turkish officials they do not support the country’s acquisition of the defense system and has threatened to place sanctions against Turkey. The U.S. has also said they will not sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets if they purchased the S-400 from Russia, as there are fears the possession of both systems will allow Russia to discover vulnerabilities in the U.S. fighter jet, according to BBC. Both the U.S. and Turkey are members of NATO, but other representatives of the international organization have also expressed concern over Turkey’s recent purchase. “It is up to the allies to decide what military equipment they buy,” a NATO official told CNN. “However, we are concerned about the potential consequences of Turkey’s decision to acquire the S-400 system.” Despite
international concern over the possibility of sanctions from the U.S., Turkey has reported the deliveries from Russia will continue, and several Turkish S-400 operators will travel to Russia in July and August to receive proper training. 5
July 13
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
The first of over 250 gun buyback events around the country took place in Christchurch, where authorities paid 169 gun owners over 430,000 New Zealand dollars—the equivalent of $287,670 USD—in exchange for their now illegal semi-automatic weapons and gun parts. The buyback events are a part of recent legislation banning most automatic and semi-automatic weapons following the Christchurch mosque shootings that occurred in March. According to NPR, 224 semi-automatic weapons were collected as well as over 200 gun parts on July 13. New Zealand gun owners have until December 2019 to hand their illegal firearms over to authorities, according to AP News. “Many of those who handed over firearms commented on how easy the process is, how the prices are fair and how police made the whole event go smoothly,” Police Minister Stuart Nash told AP News.
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INTERNATIONAL
COCAINE PRODUCTION REMAINS HIGH IN COLOMBIA MADISON CECIL AND EMILY PRICE Agricultural production of cocaine in the Andean region of Colombia takes up more than 415,000 acres of land despite efforts to reduce coca production in the country. Since Colombian President Iván Duque took office in 2018, the government has quadrupled the number of teams tasked with reducing cocaine production throughout the country. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Duque’s government has reduced coca production by 56% more per month than any previous government. As the United States is one of the largest consumers of Colombian cocaine, the U.S. is working with Colombia in an effort to reduce cocaine cultivation. The ONDCP reported between 2014 and 2017, the number of cocaine-related deaths rose by almost 160% in the U.S., and the number of cocaine users in the U.S. increased by 40%. “In working closely with President Duque, we are seeing Colombia make progress in accomplishing our shared goal of significantly reducing coca cultivation and cocaine production,” said ONDCP Director Jim Carroll, according to a report by ONDCP. “The partnership between our two countries must remain strong as we fight to meet our objectives, crack down on those profiting off the drug trade and stop the flow of deadly drugs coming into America.” When Colombian cocaine production peaked in 2018, Duque announced it was his goal to reduce Colombia’s coca production by a minimum of 345,947 acres by the end of his presidential term in 2022. “It is not easy, but that is the goal we want to set,” Duque told The Guardian. CNN reported, despite the president’s goal, cocaine production continues to reach record highs in Colombia. Colombia is also working with the UN to reduce cocaine production. The UN is assisting Colombia in paying farmers as much as 1 million Colombian pesos, the equivalent of $312, per month if they grow a crop other than coca. Estimates report some 72,000 Colombian families rely on coca crops to survive. Many farmers are reluctant to change their crops—despite the government’s financial aid—because other crops, such as bananas or avocados, may not allow them to make the money they need to live. “Regular crops yield low profits,” coca grower Lucia, who declined to give her last name for safety reasons, told Deutsche Welle. “Bananas and cassava sell cheap, so we don’t earn enough to survive. People say that cacao is rewarding, but only for those who have large quantities. No other crop can replace coca.” “The risk is great, but our needs are greater,” Lucia continued. “If we don’t do this, we would have to go stealing.” Cocaine production in Colombia not only has negative consequences for the financial stability of local farmers, but it also affects the biodiverse rainforests throughout rural Colombia. Global Forest Watch has reported high deforestation levels in the area that coca plants are grown. Coca cultivation was responsible for at least 24% of deforestation in 2017. According to environmental news agency Mongabay, every 2.2 pounds of cocaine requires 75 gallons of gasoline to process. To avoid detection by the authorities, some cocaine producers will steal crude oil from the TransAndean Pipeline, which then spills into waterways and aquifers in the surrounding area. Mongabay reported that crude oil poses a significant threat to endangered rainforest species. Authorities have launched investigations into 33 gas stations throughout rural Colombia, believing the stations are selling fuel to illegal cocaine producers since the beginning of 2019. It is believed the gas stations have sold an estimated 70 million gallons of gasoline to cocaine producers. Riosucio, one rural village with a gas station under investigation, has limited infrastructure and a population of 20,000 people—most of whom move about by walking or by boat—yet this area’s gas station reported 1.2 million gallons of gasoline were sold in 2018, according to Mongabay. This number is comparable to that of the busiest downtown gas station in the nation’s capital.
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JOHN ROJAS
INTERNATIONAL
UN CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE AS LIBYAN DEATH TOLL REACHES 1,000 MADISON CECIL
A CHILD HOLDING HIS DOLL IN ONE OF LIBYA’S MIGRANT CAMPS. COURTESY OF UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
The UN Security Council has issued a statement calling for a ceasefire in Libya after a recent attack on a migrant center near Tripoli brought the death toll to over 1,000 since April 2019. An air raid on a migrant detention center—carried out by Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army—resulted in the death of at least 53 people while wounding over 130 more on July 2. At least six of the victims were children, according to Al Jazeera. “Migrants who survived the attack are in a state of panic, worried about what will happen to them next following the destruction of the detention center,” Mahmoud Abdelwahed told Al Jazeera. The detention center was home to over 600 migrants, many of whom remained in the destroyed center until the day after the strikes when some were transported to medical centers. Ghassan Salamé is the head of the UN’s operations in Libya and said the attack on the detention center “clearly could constitute a war crime.” Haftar has accused Salamé of being biased and claims he wants a “partition of Libya.” According to Al Jazeera, Libya has been a violent conflict zone since 2011 when Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown by NATO-backed forces. The Government of National Accord replaced Gaddafi’s regime, and the UN has since recognized it as the legitimate ruling power of Libya.
Haftar and the LNA launched an offensive against the GNA in April in an attempt to take control of Tripoli. The LNA has yet to take control of the capital, and the number of people killed, wounded and displaced continues to grow as the conflict continues. “The members of the Security Council stressed the need for all parties to urgently de-escalate the situation and to commit to a ceasefire,” the statement released by the UN Security Council on July 5 read. “Lasting peace and stability in Libya will come only through a political escalation.” “The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Libya and called on the parties to allow full access for humanitarian agencies,” the statement continued. “The members remain concerned about the conditions in the detention centers, which are the responsibility of the Libyan Government.” In an interview with French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, Haftar said his forces were not considering a ceasefire as a viable option. “Of course, the political situation is still the goal,” Haftar told Le Journal de Dimanche. “But to get back to politics, we must first finish with militias.” Haftar also claimed the detention center was not the target for the air raid, and his forces were actually targeting a nearby military site. Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are all suspected allies of Haftar and the LNA.
U.S. WINS 2019 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP MADISON CECIL After kicking off the tournament with a record 13-0 win against Thailand, the United States women’s national soccer team won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a score of 2-0 against the Netherlands on July 7. Despite the Netherlands losing the final match against the U.S., the game marked a significant improvement for the country as they made their first Women’s World Cup appearance in 2015. This year there were four newcomers to the competition: South Africa, Chile, Scotland and Jamaica. “We were able to show women’s football of the greatest quality,” said President of the French Football Federation, Noёl le Graёt at the tournament’s closing remarks before the final game. “These kind of great events are really indispensable. They are a source of enrichment around football. We’ve gotten so many good results. We need these kinds of important events, these kinds of championships. We need something different from men’s football.” U.S. team co-captain and forward Megan Rapinoe was awarded the Adidas
Golden Boot for scoring the most goals throughout the tournament, and her co-captain Alex Morgan won the Adidas Silver Boot. Rapinoe also won the Adidas Golden Ball, which is given to the overall best player in the tournament. Rapinoe said in June the U.S. team would break tradition and not be “going to the fucking White House” if they were to win the Women’s World Cup. Upon their victory, the team has stuck to this commitment, and Rapinoe has since further criticized the White House and President Donald Trump, instead accepting invitations to visit with Democratic lawmakers such as Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “This is such a special moment for us, and to be able to sort of leverage this moment and talk about the things that we want to talk about and to celebrate like this with the leaders of our country is an incredible moment,” Rapinoe told CNN. “So yes to AOC, yes to Nancy Pelosi, yes to the bipartisan Congress, yes to Chuck Schumer—yes to anyone else [who] wants to invite us and have a real substantive conversation,
and that believes in the same things that we believe in.” The Netherlands came in second overall, while Sweden placed third and England placed fourth. The final game between the Netherlands and Sweden was deadlocked with both teams having zero points until almost 100 minutes into the game, when 24-year-old Dutch team member Jackie Groenen scored the winning low-shot to the bottom left corner of the goal from nearly 25 meters away. “We have achieved so much,” midfielder Kosovare Asllani from Sweden told FIFA reporters after the game against the Dutch. “No one thought we would take one of three Olympic sports nor that we would win bronze. We should be proud.” “This Women’s World Cup in France has been phenomenal, emotional, passionate, fantastic,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said before the final game between the U.S. and the Netherlands. “The best Women’s World Cup ever. Something extraordinary happened here… that’s why there will be a before and after the Women’s World Cup 2019.”
THE UNITED STATES WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM WINS 2019 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP. COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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COVER
LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY PROTEST DEM DETENTION CAMPS, ABOLITION OF
LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY CANDLELIGHT VIGIL. DYLAN JEFFERIES/PSU VANGUARD
DYLAN JEFFERIES Hundreds of people gathered in multiple areas on July 12 across Portland to protest inhumane conditions faced by immigrants and refugees at United States immigration detention centers. The evening protests were a part of “Lights for Liberty,” a coordinated mass protest with over 800 scheduled events in the U.S. and abroad. Thousands of people congregated at detention camps and Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities—as well as in the streets of cities, towns and in people’s homes across America—to hold a candlelight vigil for the children who have died in detention centers along U.S. borders over the past year and to voice opposition to ICE and the Trump administration. In Portland, the two largest gatherings occurred at the ICE facility on SW Macadam and the Terry D. Schrunk Plaza outside of the Portland Immigration Court downtown. Both events drew crowds of hundreds of people and included multiple speakers and musical guests. Protesters lit their candles and turned on their flashlights and began peacefully marching through the streets of Portland and around the ICE detention center at roughly 9 p.m. Monica Arce, co-host of Lights for Liberty in Portland, began the vigil in the Terry D. Schrunk Plaza. “Since September of 2018, six children have died while in custody,” she said. “We must demand that these concentration camps be closed, that every person seeking asylum gets their fair chance at a hearing, that every child is reunited with their parents and that every detained child gets treatment for the trauma caused by this government.”
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MISTREATMENT AT DETENTION CENTERS
The Lights for Liberty protests were put together as a result of the mistreatment of many immigrants and refugees. Multiple immigration lawyers who recently visited a detention center in Clint, Texas published an in-depth report in The New York Times about the conditions within the facility. According to their account, there was at one point thought to be over 700 children being held in the facility, which was built to hold roughly 100. The center was intended to accommodate migrants for roughly 72 hours, but many currently housed at Clint—most of whom are children—have been there for weeks. Some children reportedly haven’t been able to shower since they arrived at the facility, and sanitation items such as soap and toothbrushes are not provided. Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School and one of the lawyers who visited the facility in Clint, said there was “a stench” surrounding the center when she visited in June. “The overwhelming majority of children have not bathed since they crossed the border,” she said. Migrant crossings reached a 13-year high last May after 144,200 were taken into custody at the border, but those numbers have since declined. The Trump administration has been under intense scrutiny from democrats after reports of overcrowding and inhumane conditions at detention facilities began to surface. Border Patrol leaders have disputed the claims, saying the facilities are rigorously and humanely managed. This claim has been questioned after seven migrant children died in federal
custody over the past year. No children were reported to have died while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection over the last decade until December 2018, when 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin from Guatemala died from liver failure 48 hours after Border Patrol agents detained her and her father. While many of the deaths—both of adult and children migrants at the border—may be attributed to underlying health conditions and the toll of long journeys, health professionals and advocates are criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration policies, especially keeping migrant children in custody for long periods of time where they are unable to get medical attention. “We need more access to judges, lawyers and interpreters, not more walls and ICE,” said Monica Arse, co-host of the event. “We must demand prosecution for the policymakers directly responsible for causing this crisis. I hope tonight inspires us all to continue to take action.”
LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY VIGIL
People began to gather around 8:30 p.m. at Terry D. Schrunk Plaza. They mingled and raised their signs while Martin Luther King Jr’s speech “We Shall Overcome” was played over the loudspeaker. One sign read, “Summer Camp, Not Concentration Camp.” Another read, “Babies do not belong in cages.” The names of all the children who have died in custody, as well as words of advocacy and hope, were written in chalk on the steps of the plaza. An altar was arranged in the center upon a tapestry of a monarch butterfly, a common symbol of immigration.
COVER
EMANDS CLOSURE OF F ICE After a drum ceremony performed by the Portland Raging Grannies, Arse took to the stage. “Two weeks ago, I was sitting in my call room waiting for babies to be born, and I found myself reaching a peak level of despair,” she said. “In looking for things I could do, I found there would be a nationwide effort called Lights for Liberty on July 12 and decided to host an event in Portland. I thought I would have 50 friends lighting candles here with me, and now look at this,” she gestured to the crowd of hundreds. Arse then brought Leslie Salazar, a lead community health worker at the Oregon Latino Health Coalition and immigrant from Guatemala, on the stage. “Many years ago, I was one of those kids on the border detained by immigration,” Salazar said. “I was detained by immigration for 40 days.” Salazar helps migrant families apply for medical insurance. When she first came to Oregon almost 50 years ago, she was flagged to be deported. “But because of people like you,” she said, pointing to the crowd, “I was able to fight, I was able to fight for many, many years. And after 50 years, I was able to get my American citizenship.” “Together we can fight, and together we can make this possible.” Up next on the stage were Francisco Rodriguez and Cameron Coval, co-founders of Pueblo Unido PDX, a nonprofit organization that provides Portland metro community members facing deportation with legal representation and other forms of assistance they may need. In March of 2017, Rodriguez was the first DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—recipient in Oregon to be detained by ICE. DACA is a program implemented by former President Barack Obama, which temporarily grants its recipients—young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children— protection from deportation. The Trump administration attempted to end DACA in 2017, but federal judges ruled major elements of the program must remain in place as the program is legally evaluated. Rodriguez said in order for him to get released from detention, “it took a hundred people to protest outside the ICE facility, and it took a hundred more people to call into ICE to demand my release,” he said. “All those calls flooded their phone lines, and they wanted me to get out of there as soon as possible.” “If we were able to accomplish all of that just by hundreds of people, I’m looking around right now and we got numbers to do a lot more than just that.” After being released, Rodriguez said he saw people in his own community being affected by ICE like he was but who weren’t receiving the same kind of help he did. This discrepancy inspired him to help start Pueblo Unido PDX to help those who had been detained but didn’t have the means to get the help they needed. According to Cameron Coval, the other co-founder of Pueblo Unido PDX, “legal representation is the most predictive factor in whether someone will win their case against deportation.” He continued, “Unfortunately, legal representation is very expensive, particularly for removal defense, even more so for removal defense while somebody is detained.” “Since April 2017, when we formed Pueblo Unido, we’ve worked with over 130 people in detention, provided over 100 consultations for free for people in detention, helped hire 18
attorneys for people in detention, provided communication credits to over 100 people in detention,” Coval said. “And what that means in practice—because of supporters like y’all, who give us money and enable us to do that work—14 people have been released from detention and reunited with their families. And two have already won their cases against deportation and became permanent residents.” “But we need y’all now more than ever. It’s not over. It’s really, really not over.” After the speakers concluded, everyone chanted “never again is now!” before a moment of silence was held. Then singer/songwriter Beth Hamon serenaded the marchers as they left the plaza. The protest remained peaceful and quiet throughout. The marchers remained on the sidewalks and obeyed traffic laws. There was no chanting or shouting. Many cars honked as they drove past the vigil, some holding their fists out of their windows in a show of solidarity. After the march crossed the Hawthorne Bridge, participants were handed a card with a list of 10 action items they can take on behalf of detainees at the border. The march then disbanded at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
ICE RAIDS
The Trump administration announced ICE will begin extensive nationwide raids on July 14 in an effort to arrest thousands of members of undocumented families. Officials say ICE is targeting at least 2,000 immigrants who have been ordered deported and that ICE’s goal is to deport them as quickly as possible. President Donald Trump has also been pushing to include a citizenship question on the U.S. 2020 census, but the Supreme Court recently rebuked the administration’s ability to do so. Trump has since stated he will seek to gather citizenship information from existing records. Coval, speaking about the raids, said, “Please help, be good arbiters of information to the community, don’t stoke fear. That is certainly the intention of the government and of ICE—to scare as many people as possible. There is rampedup enforcement perhaps for people who have already been ordered removed, but for other people it’s essentially business as usual with an increased attention on people who have orders.” “That’s to say, help people in the community understand their rights and assert their rights.” Portland is a sanctuary city, which means Portland Public Police are not required to enforce federal immigration laws. Portland State is also considered a sanctuary campus, which means PSU faculty, staff and students are not required to consent to immigration enforcement activities on campus or provide confidential student information. PSU Interim President Stephen Percy recently declared PSU’s commitment to undocumented and DACA students. There are plans to build a Dream Center at PSU that will provide undocumented students with resources, financial aid, legal and holistic support, as well as a sense of community. “We want to do everything we can at PSU to make all of our students feel welcome and supported, regardless of their national origin or immigration status,” Percy stated. “You belong at PSU.”
BRANDON PAHNISH
PSU Vanguard • JULY 16, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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INTERNATIONAL
SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES RESTRICT IMPORTED PLASTIC WASTE MADISON CECIL After China announced new restrictions on imported plastic waste in 2017, Southeast Asian countries quickly replaced China as the top importers of the potentially recyclable material. People in these countries are now rejecting the plastic and the pollution that accompanies it. Australian alternative energy company ResourceCo. uses industrial and commercial waste and turns it into Processed Engineered Fuel, which is more environmentally friendly than burning coal and other fossil fuels. The company has several manufacturing plants located throughout Southeast Asia, but
the new restrictions on the importation of waste limits the availability and manufacturing of PEF. The New York Times reported that 100-150 shipping containers would not reach PEF users in Malaysia, and several of these companies have returned to burning coal instead. Countries throughout Asia are joining China in either restricting or banning the importation of “foreign garbage.” Vietnam has sworn to stop importing waste by 2025, while Thailand placed a ban on the importation of the material in the summer of 2018. The Philippines returned a large shipment of unwanted plastic waste to Canada in early June and
JOHN ROJAS
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threatened to sever diplomatic ties with the country if Canada did not accept the trash. “Load that up on a ship and I will advise Canada that your garbage is on the way,” said President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte when the country returned the waste. “Prepare a grand reception. Eat it if you want to.” Malaysia, however, has become the world’s largest importer of plastic waste since China imposed its new restrictions, according to The New York Times. Once importing 22,000 tons of waste a month in 2017, Malaysia was importing an average of approximately 139,000 tons of plastic waste a month by March 2018. “Most of this plastic—well, the main country—it’s the [United States],” Malaysian resident Tan See Han told Public Radio International. “You’ll see it on the labels. Made in USA. And it’s mostly plastic packaging for food.” After the plastic and recycling waste arrives in these Southeast Asian countries, it has to be sorted into two categories: clean enough for recycling and too dirty to be used. This sorting process is done by individual workers and not machines. The Guardian reports that only 9% of the world’s plastic waste is actually recycled. These individual workers must filter out the plastic that cannot be recycled on top of sorting clean from dirty. “Only some of what has gone overseas is actually recycled,” Martin Bourque, executive director at the Ecology Center in Berkeley, Calif., told PRI. “[Much of the plastic shipped off to China] was being dumped, burned, ending up in waterways and piled into open fields.” Han explained to PRI how many people will illegally take the unacceptable plastic waste and burn it in remote locations. These unlicensed trash dumps can be found in alleys or off the sides of roads. The fires begin around midnight and continue into the early morning. The burning of the plastic results in toxic chemicals being released into the air, according to Reuters. If the unrecyclable plastic is not burned, it is often thrown in a landfill, which then contaminates the surrounding soil and water supply with dangerous toxins as well. Malaysia released a report on April 23 that revealed a significant amount of plastic waste is being illegally imported into the country by companies who report it under a false import name. This illegal recycling is coming from countries such as Australia, Germany, the U.S. and England. When the illegal waste dumping grounds and factories are shut down by the Malaysian government, they will often reestablish themselves within weeks. Jingye Manufacturing Sdn Bhd was shut down in August, but according to Reuters, had reopened several weeks later. Jingye Manufacturing still does not have the required permits. Despite the negative consequences of the growing waste heaps throughout Southeast Asia, some officials are hesitant to completely shut down the plastic recycling companies. Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin told Reuters plastic recycling companies will produce an estimated profit of 3.5 billion Malaysian ringgits or about $841.95 million USD. “I understand plastic recycling is quite lucrative,” Zuraida Kamaruddin, housing minister of Malaysia told Reuters. “So I am also thinking should we miss this economic opportunity?” Local residents have continued to complain about the plastic waste that has piled up in their communities and are calling for stricter regulations or the complete banning of importation of plastic waste into the countries affected by the waste.
OPINION
NOT SUITABLE FOR VIEWING TAYLAR RIVERS The constant exposure to violent content through social media has led to desensitization among the youth. Acts of violence are widely shared on various social media platforms at a constant rate. These videos, photos and news stories are easily accessible and hardly avoidable. The frequent exposure to this content has created a sense of numbness among youth, which made it difficult to not only process trauma but to express empathy. In an interview with The New York Times, Anita GadhiaSmith, a psychologist in Washington, said living in a digitally linked world where broadcasts of violence are instantaneous and almost commonplace means many of us are becoming desensitized. “With the frequency of shootings and terror attacks, there is a sense of anxiety that’s building in people,” she said. “A sense of vulnerability and powerlessness.” Every time breaking news hits social media, it blows up for a few days and then everyone forgets it ever happened. There is a correlation between an idea or cause becoming extremely popular and a decline in social compassion. Once we see a news story so many times on social media, we get tired of seeing it and disregard it. We forget these are real people who are suffering and really do need the help of the community. According to Charles Figley, director of the Traumatology Institute and a professor of social work at Tulane University, having little to no response in the face of tragedy is common. “Much of being a human being is just bumbling around and maintaining our lives and trying to be happy and feel safe,” Figley said in an interview with The Cut. “When an event like this takes place, we ask ourselves, ‘Right now, am I safe? Are my children safe?’ And if the answer is yes, then we ignore it, or compartmentalize, or get tunnel vision.” Social media also makes all posts look the same, so our brains have trouble differentiating between what is important and what is not. When we scroll through our news feed and see a funny video and then next a post about a school shooting, our brain does not see these posts as different. We have to remind ourselves that some things on social media are real, tragic events that need our attention. Social media displays these things as equal, which over time desensitizes us to the things that really matter. Figley, who has worked directly in school shooting interventions, said growing accustomed to repeated violent acts is a form of adaptation, and most people become unfazed without even realizing it. Another study conducted by the Department of Social Science at Lahore Garrison University indicates that there are two types of desensitization: emotional and cognitive. With emotional, the exposure breeds less sympathy toward the victims or injured persons of the violence. Cognitive makes us less reactive to the news of these acts. Overall, both forms of desensitization are creating levels of tolerance toward the violence in society. This acceptance then results in a population of insensitive and dismissive members of a society. Our empathy and awareness battles against the constant exposure to violence that surrounds our lives. Avoiding the issues isn’t the answer. We need to understand that scrolling past the violence isn’t ending it. Take time for yourself, but indulge and experience the empathy that this nonstop cycle requires.
BRANDON PAHNISH
PSU Vanguard • JULY 16, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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OPINION
ANTI-VAXXERS AND THE 1% TAYLAR RIVERS Anti-vaxxers consists mainly of wealthy individuals who should honestly know better. The decision to not vaccinate your child—for either personal qualms or medical doubts—assigns you the label of an “anti-vaxxer.” The exact reasons vary, but regardless, the result is putting at risk those who are under-vaccinated due to economic inequality or legitimate health risks. A dreadful combination of educational, economic and racial privilege has produced a belief that one knows better than the scientific and medical communities at large and created a blindness to the negative implications that the decisions of the few have on the rest of us. There is overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe. Through copious amounts of research, The Center for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine all reject the idea that there’s a link between vaccines and autism. The one piece of medical literature that has claimed a link between the two was written in the ‘90s and has since been severely debunked. According to the CDC, about 30,000 children get “sick” after receiving vaccinations. Within this number, around 85% are merely mild irritations or a temporary fever. The other 15% could possibly be children facing life-threatening issues, but there is a difference between correlation and causation. Though a child’s health may be endangered, there is no evidence to support it has anything to do with the vaccines. In addition to this, a child’s immune system is not weakened by the artificial protection the vaccine provides. The World Health Organization’s data shows there has been a significant 80% drop in deaths related to measles after the introduction of the vaccine. According to the CDC, from Jan. 1 to July 3, 2019, 1,109 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 28 states. This is an increase of 14 cases from the previous week. This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. Not so coincidentally, those opting out of vaccines and producing patient zero are also a part of the upper-middle class. Recent outbreaks among unvaccinated populations have been clustered among upper and middle-income populations. A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2010
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that examined a 2008 measles outbreak in San Diego found that “reluctance to vaccinate...was associated with health beliefs, particularly among well-educated, upper- and middle-income segments of the population, similar to those seen in measles outbreak patterns elsewhere in 2008.” An older study, published in Pediatrics in 2004, found similar trends but in addition tracked race. The researchers found, “Unvaccinated children tended to be white, to have a mother who was married and had a college degree, [and] to live in a household with an annual income exceeding $75,000.” This community has more free time on their hands than lower income parents—time that can be spent pouring over anti-vaccine forums and websites and applying for state-specific exemptions required to bypass school immunization laws. And when the outbreak hits, they are not the ones who are left scrambling to pick up the pieces. A 2005 study conducted by the CDC found social networks exerted the strongest influence in the decision to not vaccinate. Having anti-vaxxers in one’s social network makes a parent significantly less likely to vaccinate their children. This means that as much as non-vaccination is an economic and racial trend, it is also a cultural trend, reinforced through the shared values, beliefs, norms and expectations common to one’s social network. The majority of those who are unvaccinated—due to limited access to material resources and healthcare—are a population composed primarily of children living in poverty, and of that, many are racial minorities. This means that wealthy, white, highly educated anti-vaccination parents are mostly putting at risk the health of poor, unvaccinated children. From this perspective, the anti-vaxxer issue is a rampant issue of arrogant privilege running rogue over the structurally oppressed. A research referenced in an article published by The Washington Post last year suggests wealthy people have less empathy than everybody else. “Wealth is basically a mechanism for power, and power has a freeing effect on people,” said social psychologist Adam Galinsky. “It takes away the constraints of society and frees people to act according to their dominant desires.” The conversation surrounding vaccines should not be as personal as it is. The purpose of vaccines relies on the participation of the majority in order to protect those who cannot partake. Getting vaccinated is a social responsibility, not a personal one.
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JOHN ROJAS
ARTS & CULTURE
GARBAGE DAY THE SCHOOL FILMS OF MARK LESTER ANDREW GAINES Despite making one of the greatest action movies of all time, Commando’s director, Mark Lester, isn’t often talked about. Despite making a major landmark in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, Lester hasn’t been the most prolific director. Yet, I want to discuss what I feel are the highlights of Lester’s career outside of The Governator. Class of 1984 and Class of 1999 are two of Lester’s films that complement each other. They’re both exploitation films (a legacy that Commando carries on with its endlessly creative slaughter), but they approach the same concept—a school taken over by a sinister “other”—and go in very different directions. Lester’s 1982 film Class of 1984 is mean and angry. It’s not just a revenge film, it’s a Death Wish inspired revenge film, which is exploitation movie code talk for “mistakes rape scenes for character motivation.” That’s not to say it’s not worth a watch, but you ought to know that going in. This was a time when unruly school kids were seen as a wild and alien concept (see also: the awesome-and-completely-politically-incorrect The Substitute). The movie uses a troubled school in the same way that similar revenge films depict the inner city—as a powder keg of violent conflicts, ready to ignite. The school is lawless. Metal detectors and security checkpoints aren’t able to stop the flow of crime, and a punk named Peter Stegman runs the place—again, like in other revenge films, the punk movement is used as shorthand for “someone who hates you.” A mild-mannered teacher named Andrew Norris is new to the school and tries to balance the growing conflict between his authority and Stegman’s gang with his attempts to put a school orchestra together. The setup is fairly basic, as these movies go. Norris’ hand is forced multiple times before he gives in and unleashes a violent revenge extravaganza upon the punks. That’s why you should watch Class of 1984. In the gross, smelly subcategory of “Death Wish cash-ins,” its school-set climax is absolutely fantastic and is a standout of the genre. Again, your lust for chaos and blood will have to be weighed against your comfortability with violently misogynistic genre films of the 1980s, but if it’s not too much of a dealbreaker, it’s definitely worth a watch. Now we get to the film I have a much easier time recommending—1990’s Class of 1999 sees the tables turned. This time, troubled teens are the protagonists and teachers are the enemy. It’s the far-off future of 1999, and gang violence has turned many cities around the world into “free-fire zones.” In this world, your average teenager looks like an extra from The Road Warrior, schools are built like fortresses, and nobody has any solutions to the problem. In Class of 1984, the security was metal detectors and overworked mall cops. In the violent year of 1999, security that wouldn’t look out of place in the Judge Dredd comics beat students who attempt to skip a class. Our protagonist, Cody Culp, is a young man who’s fresh out of prison and not particularly eager to jump back into the cycle of drugs and violence that’s consumed his friends and younger brother. He just wants to keep his head down and graduate without getting arrested or killed—neither of which are easy feats in this dark future. He strikes up a romantic relationship with Christie Langford, the haughty daughter of the school’s principal, and things are looking up for the two of them. Behind the scenes, however, said principal is striking a deal with a major military research firm, funding the bold move of disguising three military-grade androids as new teachers to
MARK LESTER’S 'CLASS OF 1984.' COURTESY OF GUERILLA HIGH PRODUCTIONS better teach the raucous classes. This is, of course, a horrible idea, and while it starts out slow (slow, as in, a kill-bot played by Pam Grier giving two students superpowered corporal punishment) eventually the school (once again) explodes into violence as the murderous machines engineer a gang war. Our hero has to try and save his loser friends and his new girlfriend from being chewed up by the conflict, and convince everyone around him that the new teachers are more than they appear to be.
It’s essentially The Faculty, but replace alien parasites with Terminators filled with the slime they dunked people with on You Can’t Do That on Television. It’s so much fun. In my opinion, both films are worth a shot, but if the grosser habits of ‘80s exploitation turn you away from 1984, don’t hesitate to give 1999 a try. It’s silly and tons of fun with friends or as a solo watch. Also you get to see robots explode into goop. What a time to be alive.
PSU Vanguard • JULY 16, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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ARTS & CULTURE
PAPER CUTS NATHAN MCKEE MAKES PAPER POP
FROM ARTIST NATHAN MCKEE’S RECENT SPORTS-THEMED EXHIBIT. COURTESY OF NATHAN MCKEE CERVANTÉ POPE When it comes to art, what’s taken as outstanding and worthy of appreciation ends up intersecting at the interests of the creator and the consumer. Though in Nathan McKee’s case, what he designates as beautiful are the things we all do and enjoy—all of what isn’t abstract. McKee makes minimalist yet accurate depictions of what comes most natural to people in sports, music and film. His most recent exhibit, “Last Season,” is sports themed. He’s done NBA works in the past, but this one holds a particularly special place to local basketball fans. It’s meant to celebrate the Portland Trail Blazers, especially after their exciting but entirely too short-lived run in the NBA playoffs earlier this year. The exhibit blends cuts of more recent players like CJ McCollum and Robin Lopez, to older players like Rasheed Wallace and even Bill Walton. McKee has varied interests, but it was a parental push when he
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was younger that planted the seeds for him. “Both my parents were creative hippies and they pushed me into being creative from a young age,” McKee said. “Once I started skateboarding in the ‘80s, I met so many other weirdo creatives, and it just took off from there.” When he started focusing on his art specifically, music was his main inspiration. A hip-hop head, his favorite rappers and b-boy dancers made up many of his cut-outs, but after moving back to Portland from Chicago he rediscovered his love for basketball and our local team, touting Jacob Weinstein’s FreeDarko illustrations as noteworthy. “[Those illustrations] really changed the way I looked at ball and art,” McKee said. “I saw that you didn’t have to be a total jock to appreciate basketball and the art of it.” The former Pacific Northwest College of Art student used to do screen and block printing, but his time in Chicago saw him
getting into street art and stencils. Winters out there made it hard to work with paint because it would freeze, but thankfully, another medium ended up working in his favor. “It was a pain in the ass, and I had to figure out how to get the same aesthetic but not as messy or cold,” McKee said. “That’s when I stumbled upon using paper instead but in the same way with just layering colors. I’ve been doing it ever since.” Though the pieces he makes now are constructed solely out of paper, they still breathe an air of dimensional life. McKee appreciates the flat colors of the paper and the texture they create, both of which aid in animating simple pieces of paper. McKee’s “Last Season” is currently showing at Laundry in Chinatown until the end of this month. Next, he’s got shows in Chicago and Hawaii.
COMICS
It’s your
Fault By John rojas
THIS IS HOW I ROLL THESE DAYS
JOHN ROJAS
PSU Vanguard • JULY 16, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
Cervanté Pope
JULY 16–22 ART
MUSIC
FILM & THEATRE
COMMUNITY
HEAVY TUESDAYS: HIPPIE DEATH CULT, WOLFLAUT TONIC LOUNGE 8 P.M. $2 • 21+ You get two tight bands and $2 beers for just a $2 cover, so why not?
RODEO DRIVE RODEO–A GLAMOROUS HOEDOWN OF DRAG CRUSH 8:30 P.M. $12 • 21+ It’s a hoedown-themed drag show, which couldn’t sound more interesting.
SCIENCE PUB PORTLAND: EARTHQUAKES OMSI 7 P.M. $5 With all the earthquakes that have been happening lately, you should study up and know what we might be in for.
WED JULY 17
“PARIS 1900” PORTLAND ART MUSEUM 10 A.M.–5 P.M. $17–20 If you’re a Francophile, check out this exhibit that recreates the beautiful imagery and air of the Belle Époque with paintings, photos, films and more.
CONJUNTO ALEGRE MAIN STREET 5 P.M. FREE Enjoy the Latin ensemble Conjunto Alegre’s blend of bachata, merengue, salsa and more as part of the Music on Main Street outdoor concert series.
‘FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT’ LIVING ROOM THEATER 6 P.M. • 8:40 P.M. $8–11 An Alfred Hitchcock classic telling the story of when international journalism goes awry.
BREWERIES FOR BOOKS 2019 MIGRATION BREWING (GLISAN) 4–8 P.M. FREE If you like books and beer, come to this fundraising event (there’s a paid raffle and trivia) and meet authors while downing your favorite brews.
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“TRASH HACKERS” PARAGON GALLERY NOON–7 P.M. FREE An installation about trash, made of trash. This exhibit is presented by the art collective Trash Hackers to frame post-consumer plastics in a new, artful light.
EROTIC CITY PORTLAND SPIRIT 2:45 P.M. $21–41 • 21+ The Portland Spirit is doing a summer series of tribute bands, with the beloved Prince tribute Erotic City first up.
SALTINE AND PEPPER: AN EVENING OF QUEER THEATRE & VIDEO HEADWATERS THEATRE 7:30 P.M. $10–20 It’s literally exactly what it sounds like, and the name is super clever.
PORTLAND QUEER COMEDY FESTIVAL VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND TIMES THROUGH JULY 21 $70–125 Comedy isn’t strictly heterosexual, and these comedians will definitely show you that.
“PATTERNS OF ENERGY” ADORN ON DIVISION 10 A.M.–7 P.M. FREE Shop for some new digs while you check out gouache paintings by ceramic and mural artists Cobb Hoelzer.
DEERHUNTER, DIRTY PROJECTORS ROSELAND THEATER 9 P.M. $35-48.50 Both seminal bands from the early 2000s playing together will certainly be a sight.
BED BATH & BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS SIREN THEATER 8 P.M., THROUGH AUGUST 11 $20–25 “A nightmarish parody of sex, drugs and kitchenware.” What a description.
TRAP N’ PAINT RAMADA PORTLAND AIRPORT 8–10 P.M. $50 Trap music and painting sounds like a documentary on Soundcloud rappers waiting to happen.
“FLAT OUT” OPENING RECEPTION FULLER ROSEN GALLERY 6–9 P.M. FREE Brandi Kruse’s exhibition uses poetry, sculpture and found objects to show how light, memory and reflection portrays a not-so flat world.
PDX POP NOW! SE 2ND AVE. & SE MADISON ST. 8:30 P.M., THROUGH JULY 21 FREE It’s the only festival around that caters to the all-ages crowd, and they’ve got ePP, Mo Troper, Vueltas and other local artists booked for this year.
‘THE LION KING’ LITERALLY EVERYWHERE VARIOUS TIMES Come on—Beyoncé, Childish Gambino, John Oliver AND Seth Rogan? And a grip of other people? It’s not like you’re not going to see it.
PORTLAND ZINE SYMPOSIUM PNCA 11 A.M.–6 P.M., THROUGH JULY 21 FREE DIY zines are still a huge thing, so if you’ve ever been interested in learning how, this symposium will show you everything you need to know.
ARTIST TALK: KAMALA DOLPHIN-KINGSLEY WATERSTONE GALLERY 11 A.M. FREE Dolphin-Kingsley speaks on her exhibit “Salmagundi” and everything that helped it come to be.
CANDACE, SHARAYA SUMMERS RONTOMS 8 P.M. FREE Shoegaze and psychedelic indie-pop in its best form—free.
MOBILE MUSIC VIDEO MUSEUM BEULAHLAND 9 P.M. $9–23 It’s kind of like a museum of music videos—kind of what MTV used to be—and you can request the music videos you want to see, also like MTV’s show TRL, sort of.
HEARTBEAT SILENT DISCO SUNDAY LAURELHURST PARK 6–9 P.M. FREE This will probably be the funniest thing to happen every Sunday until the end of summer—a bunch of people vigorously dancing to music we can’t hear.
MAKE HASTE: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS THE WAYPOST 6–10 P.M. $10 Works from Gloomybones, Woelbeast and more are on display and for sale, with 50% of proceeds going to the Young Center for Children’s Immigration Rights.
REEL BIG FISH, BOWLING FOR SOUP, MEST CRYSTAL BALLROOM DOORS OPEN AT 6 P.M. $25–30 • 21+ So many annoying songs from the ‘90s and early 2000s, now in one room.
‘THE WANDERING SOAP OPERA’ WHITSELL AUDITORIUM 7 P.M. $8–10 This film started out as a project for a workshop and remained unfinished until director Raul Ruiz’s wife posthumously finished it.
PORTLAND VEGAN WINGATHON LAGUNITAS COMMUNITY ROOM 6 P.M. $12–20 It’s legit going to be some good shit, and there’s even a wingeating contest with a prize.
FRI JULY 19
TUE JULY 16
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...THE BEATLES! OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM 10 A.M.–5 P.M. FREE, THROUGH NOV. 12 This traveling exhibit gives light to 100 new pieces of pop-culture history for the influential group, specifically from 1964–1966 when they were a worshipped boyband.
SAT JULY 20 SUN JULY 21 MON JULY 22