Portland State Vanguard Volume 78 Issue 26

NEWS: Library food carts face closure, community mobilizes P. 5

SCIENCE: Renaming birds aims to support inclusive birding and conservation

P. 6

OPINION: The dancer cult that got kicked out of China and infected our media

P. 8

COMMUNITY HEALING AT NASCC SUPPORT AMIDST UNCERTAINTY

POST-BOMB-THREAT P.4

STAFF

NEWS

CO-NEWS

ARTS

Macie Harreld

SCIENCE & TECH

Anish Kumar Arumugam

OPINION

Cameron Rodriguez

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani

SOCIAL

Josi Struck

ONLINE AND PROMOTIONS EDITOR

Alley Henrici

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Aishwarya Suresh

COPY CHIEF

Isabel Zerr

CONTRIBUTORS

Amber Finnegan

Diana DeGroot

Milo Loza

Connor Clay

J.M.Vincent

JJ Christianson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Briana Cieri

DESIGNERS

Arianna Thomas

Haley Hsu

Abby Raymundo

Parker Patnode

Anand Kailasam

TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS

George Olson

Hongzu Pan

Sara Ray

ADVISING & ACCOUNTING

COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA

Reaz Mahmood

SALP ACCOUNTANT

Maria Dominguez

STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR

Rae Fickle

To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com

MISSION STATEMENT

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.

ABOUT

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 online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.

BOMB THREAT AT NASCC

STUDENTS AND STAFF AT THE CENTER TRY TO HEAL

ZOË BUHRMASTER AND J.M. VINCENT

Jade Wolfe picked up the phone at 1:51 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, with her typical posed entry line as a front desk student employee for the Native American Student Community Center (NASCC).

“How can I help you?” Wolfe said.

A deep-sounding voice on the other line, garbled by an apparent voice changer, told Wolfe to clear the building before 2 p.m. At the time, Mechanical Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) transfer students gathered for an event in NASCC, while others were dispersed throughout the building.

Wolfe stayed on the line, confused and unsure of what to do. Then, the voice told Wolfe that there was a bomb.

“So I turned to my coworker, TJ, and I let her know,” Wolfe said. “Both her and I—not knowing what to do—she checks the building to see if it’s coming from inside, and then we tell our boss, Trevino, and we’re like, ‘Hey Trevino, we just received a bomb threat.’”

The workers began evacuating the students and called the campus emergency line. Campus Police Safety Officers arrived at 1:55 p.m., followed by Portland Police Bureau’s Explosive Disposal Unit and a K-9 dog once everyone had left the building.

By 3:30 p.m., emergency response deemed the threat a hoax and passed the case into the hands of the FBI for any further investigation.

The following week, the NASCC community found themselves seeking support from one another. Tiffany Purvis, the other NASCC student employee at the front desk with Wolfe when the call came in, described feeling support from her inner circles at NASCC since the incident.

“We had a smudging here on Monday and had some community members come and just smudged the whole building,” Purvis said. “Our boss was checking in and stuff like that. A lot of us were checking on each other and making sure everyone was okay.”

Trevor Roberts—the NASCC Building and Operations Manager—requested to close the building the following week to give everyone closest to the incident time to process and heal. Roberts described meeting with the NASCC and multicultural and Native student services coordinators to discuss a closure, eventually all agreeing to leave it up to the students.

“It appeared that the majority of the student workers here were just shaken by the whole thing and [were] not really feeling comfortable—feeling unsafe,” Roberts said. “Based off what the students had shared with us, NASCC professional staff had decided to close the building down for the remainder of the following week.”

The Global Diversity & Inclusion (GDI) office that oversees NASCC denied Roberts’ request, however. Ame Lambert, Vice President of GDI, said that the decision was an effort to create space for a multiplicity of student and staff needs. “GDI’s decision was, and is, to make space for those who wanted to heal in community, as well as honor those who needed more time to heal outside the space,” Lambert stated in an email to the Vanguard. “No one was, or will be, forced to come into the space who was not ready.”

Portland State President Ann Cudd spoke on the bomb threat during a recent press conference.

“I’m very sorry that it happened,” Cudd said. “It was egregious. I know there were a number of events afterwards meant to prepare from that event.”

GDI held a lunch the following Wednesday at NASCC for employees and any students who may have been affected. Wolfe said she knew many who did not attend because it felt rushed to them.

“I feel like they could have let students take a little bit more time to process what happened instead of immediately trying to speak about it to them,” Wolfe said. “I know a lot of other student workers had an issue with the lunch, and they felt like it wasn’t appropriate for them to hold it within that time.”

Lambert stated that at the lunch, she heard from NASCC staff on how students were feeling and discussed plans to make space for those feeling unsafe.

“We honor that everyone reacts to traumatic events differently,” Lambert stated. “These events, whoever is behind them, are designed to create fear. Fear divides. We wanted (and still want) to have multiple paths to not let whoever was behind this terrible and painful action win.”

Environmental Health & Safety training is one requirement for all university employees, to varying extents, based on the job type. It largely covers the basics of smaller-scale safety, such as heat-illness prevention, ladder safety and first aid.

The current list of required training, however, does not include how to respond to emergencies like a bomb threat, something Purvis and Wolfe expressed would have been helpful in that situation.

Trevino Brings Plenty—the Native American Student Services

Retention Coordinator— has been checking in with students and relayed hearing various perspectives on the incident, from desensitization to needing a break from the space.

“As a target for violence, it’s hard to see the next steps from outside,” Brings Plenty said. “On that level—the active level of doing something and showing support—I applaud that. Having an event go on further away from the incident would be really helpful. It brings in the question of, ‘What is the appropriate response to incidents like this?’”

Roberts connects the response to the bomb threat with memories of being a 4-year-old living five minutes away from Columbine High School at the time of the 1999 shooting.

“One of the things that stuck out to me was, even as children, we were given a space to just talk about everything and just share how we were feeling,” Roberts said. “So I think that we weren’t even really given the opportunity to implement such a thing.”

NASCC staff wanted to close the office down for a week after the threat to give people time to heal outside the space. The GDI office that oversees NASCC denied the request to make space for those who wanted to heal in the community

ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD

CAMPUS FOOD CARTS FORCED TO CLOSE

COUNTY SEWAGE REGULATIONS FORCE CART CLOSURE, STUDENTS REACT

JJ CHRISTENSEN

Due to new regulations, food carts near The Branford P. Millar Library and Montgomery Residence Hall must connect to the county sewer system by year-end or leave. The campus administrators indicated they would not pay for this upgrade, and the food cart owners couldn’t afford it themselves, forcing them to vacate the space.

Portland State students have expressed concern about the food desertification of the west side of campus, which this closure would contribute to. PSU student Oliver Harris said he is committed to help in saving the food carts.

Citing concerns over the loss of a cherished gathering spot for students—as well as the affordable and convenient meal options which foster a sense of community among students, faculty and staff—Harris is organizing the launch of a petition which will implore the PSU administration to pitch in the money necessary to align the pod area with the county ordinance for gray water disposal, aka the dirty water left over from cleaning dishes and such.

“The presence of these food carts has been an integral part of our campus culture, providing not only affordable and convenient meal options but also fostering a sense of community and inclusivity among students, faculty, and staff,” Harris’ petition stated. “From the aromatic flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine at Sheesh Shawarma, to the comforting taste of home-cooked Chinese dishes at Home Taste LLC, to the vibrant and diverse offerings of Asian Fusion, and the unique and flavorful Lao cuisine served by Khao Niew, each of these immigrant-owned family businesses adds to the cultural tapestry of our campus.”

Another concerned student, R.S. Phillips, believed the estimated cost of this upgrade to be about $10,000–15,000. This investment would also go towards maintaining a revenue source for the college, as these carts pay the school a lease to operate in the pod area.

According to Phillips, the counterargument to paying this expense—that it would be a waste of money for such a small area of only four to five food carts—seems laughable.

PSU President Ann Cudd was recently asked about the food cart removal and the potential for students to help fundraise in a recent press conference. “I haven’t looked into it, but I certainly don’t want the carts to go away,” Cudd said. “So, you know, I am open to different solutions.”

In a recent report from University Communications, Jason Franklin—Associate Vice President for Planning, Construction and Real Estate at PSU—stated, “We know that the Library Carts are treasured by many, but when the county’s rules around wastewater disposal changed last year, it affected many food carts. We worked hard for several months to find a cost-effective solution to keep the carts in place but in the end we couldn’t make it work.”

Thavatsay has been the owner of the Khao Niew food cart for the last two years. He said the food cart was about more to him than just a means to make money. Not only do the food carts provide affordable food in an area of campus with less access to affordable food, but they also often help vulnerable students.

“This place is more to me than just money,” Thavatsay said. “It was personal, getting to know everybody here and stuff like that. And it broke my heart to hear the news like that, but yeah. We have been doing really good business here… I see [students] grow. I see them stressed out. I see everything. It’s personal.”

Suyan of the Home Taste LLC food cart said she has provided students facing food difficulties with free food. Even after making it clear she didn’t expect anything in return, those students would still come at the end of the month to pay her.

Multnomah County said the carts must relocate to an area with sewer access, so they can properly drain the gray water, but both Suyan and Thavastay said this relocation is untenable or impossible for them.

“PSU used to pay for the gray water tank that’s outside, and now it comes out of our pockets just to do that,” Thavatsay said. “It’s another expense that we have to pay. It’s just inconvenient. I think it’s very unfair. Now we’re doing this, and it’s still not, we’re not… doing anything wrong, because we’re still pumping

it out, and they’re still disposing it to a proper area.”

Thavatsay said other food cart pods have steep rent and strict regulations, requiring pod owners to fork over some control of their business.

Suyan said she is unsure of where to go after spending so much time at her location on campus. “I don’t know where to move,” Suyan said. “I’ve been here a long time, and I spent a lot of money here.”

The owners said they enjoy PSU’s safety and community and consider themselves an integral part of the community. They said they want to continue to operate their carts and serve the community, but the campus administrators are either unable or unwilling to give them the resources that they need to continue their operations.

“I really like it here because I feel like PSU is like a safe zone here,” Thavatsay said. “[People] don’t vandalize it or do graffiti on our cart… That’s why I really love it here, because we have 24hour Portland State University police that patrols the area. So I feel very safe here. I’m pretty sad about it. I’m not even mad. It’s more sad than anything, that we have to pick up and leave. I really like it here.”

Students like Harris said they are ready and willing to mobilize support for these food carts and pressure the campus administration to pitch in for the necessary renovations to save this vital community space and source of diverse dining options.

“These food carts are more than just places to grab a quick bite— they are cherished gathering spots where friendships are forged, ideas are exchanged, and memories are made,” Harris’ petition stated. “They represent the culinary heritage and traditions of various cultures, offering students an opportunity to experience flavors from around the world without leaving campus. It is imperative that we take action to ensure the continued presence of these food carts on our campus. That is why I am calling on you to join me in advocating for the installation of gray water drains and supporting the food carts’ right to remain here. Together, we can make a difference and preserve this vital aspect of our college experience.”

ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD

New regulations demand food carts near the on-campus library must connect to the county sewer system or vacate, spurring student efforts to petition to save these businesses, who have strong ties and importance to the PSU community

BIRD NAMES AND THE VALUE THEY HOLD

MAKING BIRDING MORE INCLUSIVE AND BRINGING ATTENTION TO BIRD CONSERVATION

ANISH ARUMUGAM

Bird names are more than labels; they are windows into our relationship with the natural world, reflecting history, culture and values. As society evolves, so does the language we use to describe the biodiversity surrounding us.

This realization has led the American Ornithological Society (AOS) to undertake a significant and somewhat controversial initiative: renaming bird species to reflect contemporary values and inclusivity better.

The McCown’s longspur—a bird named after John P. McCown, an amateur avian collector who fought to defend slavery as a Confederate general and went to war against native tribes—is now named the thick-billed longspur.

Naturalists—such as Alexander Wilson, a chronicler of birdlife during the early nineteenth century and widely considered the father of American ornithology—inspired the names of some bird species among the roughly 2,000 found in North and Central America, with about 150 named after individuals The handful of names which commemorate women mostly use first names. Anna’s Hummingbird is a tribute to French courtier Anna Masséna, wife of an amateur ornithologist.

However, as our understanding of history and its complexities deepens, the homage to certain figures through bird names has come under scrutiny.

“It was part of a larger shift in society towards diversity and inclusion that was sparked by events like the murder of George Floyd,” said Erica Nol, Biologist and Co-chair of the ad-hoc committee on renaming the birds. “The committee’s main goal was to change the names of birds that already had names, especially names that were connected to controversial historical people.”

One of the critical challenges in this initiative is striking a balance between honoring historical contributions in ornithology and addressing potential controversies associated with individuals’ actions or beliefs. Nol highlighted the committee’s initial attempt to categorize names based on historical significance but later abandoned this approach, recognizing the difficulty of being the moral police about historical figures.

Brodie Cass Talbott, Senior Educator and Trips Specialist at Bird Alliance of Oregon, highlighted the birding community’s reckoning with race and inclusivity. This led to the Bird Names for Birds campaign, advocating for removing human names from birds to make the field more inclusive and accessible.

“It’s been a long process, and the decision to rename grabbed the headlines,” Cass Talbott said. “But for those of us more involved in the birding community, this has been debated for years.”

Cass Talbott points out that a pivotal moment occurred on May 25, 2020, coinciding with what is known as the Central Park Incident, in which a white woman called the police on a Black man who was bird-watching and asked her to leash her dog, reported NBC News

Cass Talbott said that this incident highlighted the disparities faced by Black birdwatchers and became a catalyst for the birding community’s reckoning around race. Cass Talbott passionately supports the renaming initiative, believing it removes barriers to inclusivity in birding.

The suggested renaming process starts with 70–80 commonly used bird names in the United States and Canada, with a pilot project involving a smaller subset of eight names. A separate group of birds with common honorific names— including the names of biologists, bird artists and poets—is proposed to facilitate a broader range of perspectives in suggesting and deciding on names.

“The American Ornithological Society has not, to my knowledge, laid out a clear process,” said Emily Williams, a Ph. D. candidate at Georgetown University. “However, they’re hoping to garner a lot of public input on suggestions, making the process as inclusive as possible.”

Williams noted the controversy has sparked some debate on which names to change, but also the potential for these changes to engage the public in conservation efforts more deeply by making ornithology more accessible and inclusive, emphasizing the broader societal influences on the decision to rename bird species.

The committee’s recommendation leans towards changing all eponymous names, emphasizing the focus on birds rather than individuals. Nol mentioned the possibility of creating a website to recognize and honor individuals’ contributions, providing historical context without perpetuating controversial associations.

“This process encourages public participation through a web forum, creating a dynamic and engaging approach to bird renaming,” Nol said. Nol anticipates the renaming process will change how people perceive birds, making birding more accessible by using descriptive names. Removing eponymous names will also address the lack of representation for people of color and women in bird names, fostering a more inclusive environment.

“The name should depict the history or origin of the bird, not a meager human name,” said Jayavignesh Hariharan, a Wildlife Photography Mentor. “Their identities should transcend borders, language, country [and] race, not just the bird.”

“The hope is that the discussion surrounding changing names will put birds on a larger land-

scape, encouraging people to care more about birds and their conservation,” Williams said.

As the names of birds change, a harmonious story emerges, echoing the words of those who want everyone to enjoy and respect the bird world. Amidst the discussions on renaming, it’s crucial to recognize the pressing issues which demand our attention, such as the decline of certain bird species.

“Nearly 3 Billion Birds [are] Gone Since

1970,” according to research by Cornell Lab. According to the study, common birds—the species that many people see every day—have suffered the most significant losses. More than 90% of the losses—over 2.5 billion birds— come from just 12 families, including sparrows, blackbirds, warblers and finches.

While renaming is a step forward, the greater goal is to ignite conversations about bird conservation and inspire action.

AOS is working on renaming some birds with problematic honorific names to instead have names that are more descriptive of their features, like this bird named the Great Indian Hornbill

COURTESY OF JAYAVIGNESH HARIHARAN

FIND IT AT 5TH: PRIVILEGE

CONFRONTING SYSTEMIC MISTREATMENT OF OLDER WOMEN

This week at 5th Avenue Cinema— Oregon’s only student-run theater—film curators will be screening Privilege, a film by Yvonne Rainer.

Rainer is known for creating thought-provoking films which empower women while challenging traditional storytelling techniques. Through a feminist lens, Privilege focuses on women over the age of 40 before and after menopause.

This 1990 documentary explores and exposes power structures which marginalize women by utilizing archival footage and staged confrontations. The film dares viewers to confront their own complicity within these systems of oppression and investigate their assumptions of identity and power, while subverting traditional forms of cinema.

Each term, the staff of 5th Avenue Cinema put together a selection of movies which students can watch on the big screen—for free—every single week. Privilege was chosen for screening by one of 5th Avenue’s projectionists, Alyssa Glaze. “When I watched it, I immediately knew I had to show it,” they said. Glaze had initially planned on choosing a different film for screening but realized there was no competition once they discovered Privilege

This term, the staff selected films focusing on women in honor of Women’s History Month. Glaze said they discovered Privilege on a list of films found on Letterboxd. “The description was so strange,” Glaze said. “I just had to watch it.”

Glaze said they had never seen a movie representing older women the way this film does. “It just makes you want to hug your mom,” they said.

The film includes unsettling video clips of men talking to the camera as though they are teaching a class. They discuss their ideas of how women lose their value as they get older without having kids. “It is basically evidence of men mistreating women as they get older,” Glaze said.

Something that stood out to Glaze about the film was the sections which flash data and in-

formation as supporting evidence about what is being discussed. “It cuts to a shot of a TV that has statistics and facts about women,” they said, highlighting the film’s stylish approach. “Every time it showed on the TV, it would be something I haven’t really thought about before, and it really hits me.”

Glaze thinks the film displays an important perspective. “There’s definitely the idea as a whole that older women are a different group and are overlooked.”

Women in later life form a neglected demographic, and they are often underestimated. The statistics and evidence in the film struck Glaze, confirming their assumptions about society and validating their understanding. “I was really moved because I don’t usually see that,” Glaze said.

Having been with 5th Avenue Cinema for nearly a year, Glaze is very fond of their position as a projectionist at the theater. For digital films such as Privilege, their job can be as simple as pressing play, although the “really old DVD player” in the theater can give audio or visual issues, which can be challenging when setting up a movie. The real issues of the job are the reel issues—that is, projecting physical film in 35mm.

Glaze explains the fragile nature of the physical film, which can easily burn or split. “[The projector is] really big and scary,” said Glaze. “Such a huge mechanism, and it can literally blow up if you don’t do something correctly.”

They referenced a screening of Fight Club from a few months ago. Glaze said the audience experienced a loud, high-pitched noise as the projectionists tried to transition to the film’s final reel, which held the remaining 30 minutes. “It popped and then completely went white in the theater,” Glaze said. “Our hearts dropped.”

“We sat and looked at it in the lobby,” they said. “We had one of our regulars—John— he helped us conclude that they sent it to us flipped.” The film distributor had the film of the last reel incorrectly looped inside. “So we

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Roseland Theater

Mar. 11, 8 p.m.

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had to run it back onto a different reel and twist it—the last 30 minutes!”

Glaze explained that, while working for 5th Avenue Cinema, they have grown a great appreciation for physical film and can’t help admiring it as they stand beside the projector. “I get distracted,” they said. “I almost miss the cues because I’m watching the scene so intently.” The dot seen at the top right near the end of a film reel reminds them that they need to switch to the next one soon.

“It honestly took me a very long time to get acquainted with the projector,” Glaze said, mentioning the intimidating size of the system. “Now, I think I’m able to execute it well. I wrote an entire three pages of notes on how to set it up and do everything from start to finish, so I never forget.”

As for the screening of Privilege, Glaze hopes not only to gather an audience of older women who can resonate and identify with the experiences presented in the film but also that younger people come to appreciate it. “I was really very intrigued the first time I watched it, and I want everyone to feel what I felt, because it’s just so important to acknowledge,” they said. “It makes you want to love and care for all the older women in your life. It’s just really moving.”

Glaze mentioned how disappointing it is to see the lack of support from students for films that focus on minorities and marginalized groups. “It’s really sad to see,” Glaze said. “They want to ignore that it’s happening.” People seem only to want to see films that appeal to themselves, without wanting to peek into the lives of those who get very little attention, even when it comes to major issues.

“I think it’s important for people to know that film isn’t just for entertainment—it’s for education,” Glaze said. “It is a medium of all sorts.”

Students can catch a screening of Privilege at 5th Avenue Cinema for free this weekend. Showings are Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.

See Lil Tecca, a young rapper with melodic flows and modern trap beats

Eyedress

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Mar. 12, 8 p.m.

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An experimental band blending electronic, ambient and industrial sounds

Being John Malcovich in 35mm

Hollywood Theatre

Mar. 13, 7:30 p.m.

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A puppeteer discovers a portal that lets him inhabit John Malkovich’s body, playing in 35mm

Pie Day with Pi

Tomorrow Theater

Mar. 14, 7 p.m.

$15

Portland Art Museum presents a film about the paranoid math genius who hunts hidden patterns

MILO LOZA

Privilege challenges societal views on aging women, particularly addressing the mistreatment by men as they age and highlighting their resilience in the face of adversity

COURTESY OF 5TH AVENUE CINEMA

SHEN YUN IS A CULT

THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE WITH PERVASIVE TIES TO U.S. MEDIA

CAMERON RODRIGUEZ

There comes a time of year when Shen Yun cookie-cutter advertisements sprout up around the city in the same pose with dace ribbons attached to their arms mid-split leap, the sign reading “China before Communism.”

However, underneath the bright colors, pretty ribbons and dancers lies something more sinister—propaganda which depicts cult messaging and exaggerated accounts of prosecution.

“Some pieces also touch upon the topic of today’s China, shedding light on the oppression many experience for their spiritual beliefs, such as Falun Dafa,” stated the Shen Yun website description.

Through the bright dresses and elegant moves, dancers peddle very visual—and somewhat exaggerated—persecutions of this group and grandiose expressions of good vs evil, where Falun Dafa is portrayed as the light which prevailed and China is portrayed as evil and wicked.

Falun Gong, aka Falun Dafa, was a spirituallyfocused organization. It was started in the early ‘90s and was created by Master Li Hongzhi, the protector of the universe. Functionally, this group performs like a cult which makes grandiose promises, such as prayer to cure all illnesses and believing that aliens have corrupted people with inventions like the computer.

Time Magazine directly explored the beliefs held by this group and noted Li Hongzhi’s beliefs, some of which include that people can learn to levitate, qigong can be used to cure illness, aliens have invaded the human mind and culture and modern science is from the aliens to keep them controlled.

Direct sources of their thoughts can be found in letters published by them to practitioners, some showing clear religious reasoning against things such as racial mixing, homosexuality, evolution and feminism.

This spiritual movement functions within different spaces and has ties to multiple media outlets, mainly Shen Yun and The Epoch Times.

The Epoch Times follows a similar marketing strategy as Shen Yun, with extensive billboards advertised around Portland stating, “#1 Trusted News.” The Epoch Times is a newspaper which heavily pushes the subliminal values of the spiritual group and tries to depict itself as trustworthy journalism but caters primarily to extreme right-wing audiences who align with their heavy propaganda against the Chinese government.

The Epoch Times frequently publishes reviews of Shen Yun, a company affiliated with the group. Ben Hurley—who was previously associated with Falun Gong and wrote for The Epoch Times —described sending righteous thoughts as a duty linked to the success of Shen Yun performances. This duty, known as “virtue,” is akin to accumulating spiritual points. Hurley likened this practice to engaging in a spiritual battle between good and evil, emphasizing its importance for the success of Shen Yun’s performances.

The Epoch Times’ political agenda focused on influencing right-wing citizens with the same trends that boosted Former President Donald Trump as the ultimate defeater of China and in-

creased the spread of anti-vax misinformation

By boosting Trump, relevance and revenue have increased for The Epoch Times. It has risen in prominence amongst conservative news consumption, which might be concerning to those interested in unbiased news

The newspaper is not simply propaganda for the organization—it also boosts other conspiracies, such as QAnon. The misinformation about vaccines comes directly from the religious organization that influences it and holds the belief that yoga and breathing techniques is a cure for all sickness.

bodies. This aversion to seeking medical help— or doing so only as a last resort—led to numerous deaths attributed to medical neglect, with over 1,000 fatalities documented due to adherence to these teachings.

This contributed significantly to the Chinese government’s decision to expel the group, although it’s challenging to ascertain the accuracy of each side’s claims amid conflicting narratives. The Chinese government has issued warnings about the group, notably in a 2015 statement which cited its antisocial behavior, the avoidable deaths due to medical neglect and instances of

Hurley shared his experience of leading a double life. He recounted how he—like other practitioners—maintained a stark contrast between his family life and his involvement with the group. He was cautious not to reveal certain aspects of the belief system—such as its stance on topics like homosexuality and extraterrestrial beings or the belief in the leader’s role as the universe’s savior—fearing these might alienate others.

More significantly, Hurley delved into how death and illness were perceived within the community. According to their teachings, practitioners were believed to be immune to sickness, viewing illness as a manifestation of spiritual and moral failings rather than physical ailments.

Consequently, many followers shunned conventional medical treatment, believing it would only worsen their condition by poisoning their

self-immolation or suicide. Falun Gong refuted these accusations.

Despite these controversies, the spiritual movement has found sanctuary in the United States, owning a substantial tract of land in upstate New York.

Like many cults, this group has a compound, one cosmic leader, arranged relationships and a distrust of outsiders. While many cults influence and maintain power within the group and want to extend power with more followers, Falun Gong put a lot of work into propaganda for the group and the group’s ideas beyond simply recruitment.

When considering cults, many people in the U.S. recall infamous incidents—such as Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate—where violent tragedies are associated with the activities of these fringe groups.

Throughout its history, the U.S. has demon-

strated a willingness to accommodate religions which evolve into cult-like organizations. For example, Scientology wields significant power and influence, even maintaining a presence in downtown Portland.

Similarly, cults originating elsewhere—such as those in the Unification Church from South Korea—have established direct ties and exerted influence in the U.S. Falun Gong is another such cult that has sought sanctuary in the U.S.

Amanda Montell, author of the book Cultish:

The Language of Fanaticism, described the U.S. as uniquely enticing for cults. “Across the world, levels of religiosity tend to be the lowest in countries with the highest standards of living, meaning strong education levels, long life expectancies, that sort of thing,” Montell stated. “But the US is an exception in that it’s both highly developed and full of believers.”

Montell goes on to describe the conditions which make the U.S. the exception. Although all those places are similar, they have state-sponsored programs, such as universal healthcare.

In contrast, the U.S. has the amalgamation of freedom and limited institutional reinforcement, encouraging the emergence of alternative groups with grandiose promises.

Cults have a powerfully persuasive aspect, but in a way, people have to be willing to brainwash themselves for it to work effectively. The hope and belief ties people to these groups which then exploit them.

The Falun Gong cult operates as a controlling, manipulative and isolating group, aiming to propagate a worldview which positions their religious ideologies as the sole pure and righteous ideals, encompassing social, spiritual and psychological aspects.

The rhetoric employed by cult leaders emphasizes grand promises and offers a singular path, presenting their beliefs as the solution to all of the world’s problems. This grandiosity reinforces the group’s control and fosters an environment where followers are persuaded to adhere strictly to the prescribed beliefs and practices.

This spiritual group’s reach into art, media and politics underscores the absence of a clear division in our country between belief systems and how things influence us, which is even evident in seemingly innocuous displays like dance performances.

It’s crucial to scrutinize not just the media we consume, but also the pervasive influence of extremist religious groups on the societal landscape. We must exercise critical awareness of the ideologies embedded in what we consume and engage with, as they can subtly influence us without our awareness.

Falun Gong is just one among many cults openly operating in the U.S., thriving on the various societal vulnerabilities we must address to close off avenues for controlling groups which enforce narrow-minded thinking. Despite appearing singular and benign, entities such as Shen Yun are merely one facet of a broader network of deception and disinformation, indicative of the complex challenges posed by such groups.

CAMERON RODRIGUEZ

U.S. EXCEPTIONALISM IN HOLLYWOOD

OBFUSCATING HARM BY SOLELY FEATURING U.S. PROTAGONISTS IN OUR STORIES

CONNOR CLAY

Westerners—especially white people from the United States—are always the good guys. At least, that’s what Hollywood wants you to think.

Something that people in this country either take for granted or tend not to notice is just how often a film’s hero will be cast as a white person from the U.S. While it obviously makes sense for any country’s most common pick for protagonists to be actors who mirror the majority of its residents—in accent, physical features, etc.—the way it is done in cinemas in the U.S. serves to perpetuate the age-old and ever-untrue idea of U.S. exceptionalism

An innocuous—yet seemingly effective—way to accomplish this is by making the main character sound like they are from the U.S., even when everyone around them has an accent in accordance with the setting.. One example is Linguini from the movie Ratatouille, who sounds like he is from the U.S. even though the film takes place in France. This is odd, considering that every other human character speaks with a French accent that is entirely intelligible for native English speakers.

The same applies to the teenage characters in the movie How to Train Your Dragon. Despite how they, too, sound like they are from the U.S. while all of the adults speak with a Scandinavian accent—or a Scottish one, some argue

The trend among these movies is that the main characters are all presented as westerners while the secondary characters are depicted as people who are actually native language speakers of the location.

One possible reason for this could perhaps be that the movie creators want U.S. audiences to feel comfortable and figured the most surefire way to go about that is to have the characters with the most amount of dialogue sound just like them, while still establishing that the film is set outside of the U.S. by having all of the minor characters speak with region-appropriate accents.

Other reasons could be that foreign actors are hard to come by in large numbers, or that only some U.S. actors can slip into a believable foreign accent on command.

Even if the intention isn’t always to promote U.S. exceptionalism, it is still the consequence. Hollywood centralizes westerners as the main characters, even in places they aren’t, and focuses on their perspectives and affairs over others, also placing them on a pedestal of exceptionalism.

Wes Anderson’s movie Isle of Dogs is another excellent example. Despite its setting being a small island off the coast of Japan, the main characters all have American accents, except Atari, who barely speaks at all during the film and virtually never says anything in English.

The character Tracy Walker was necessary to the plot overall. Still, her role could have easily been filled by a native of the country. This would have improved the story, given how she— a foreigner who speaks no Japanese—is the primary leader in opposition to the Japanese government. There was no point in having a U.S. exchange student or U.S. accents except to reassure western audiences that they were still the protagonists.

The Great Wall is another movie that received flak for its casting. Because of its setting in medieval China, the film became the subject of scrutiny after it was revealed that Matt Damon and Willem Dafoe—both white U.S. residents—would be featured in it, according to The Guardian

While some—including Jonathan Kim, a contributor for HuffPost Entertainment—have argued that no real white-washing was going on, it is suspicious, nonetheless, for the film to include such prominent Caucasian characters in the first place while telling a non-white-centric story.

The pro-U.S. narrative is not only reinforced by having westerners cast as the good guys, but also by having people with nonAmerican accents cast as the bad guys.

U.S. exceptionalism is also extended to allies and has roots in the origins of capital that the U.S. was built on, such as the characteristics of villains with British features.

Hollywood, among other film industries, has convinced the

world that the British accent—usually Received Pronunciation is more calculated, intelligent, cunning and easier to hate than most other ones out there. Famous examples include Wilhuff Tarkin from Star Wars Episode IV; Scar from The Lion King, also in the 2019 live-action version; and Ash from Ridley Scott’s Alien Unsurprising by now is that nearly every other character in these films is played by westerners, specifically the protagonists. Another specific example would be the ubiquity of Nazis as western films’ antagonists. The role of antagonists is the only one that will ever be suitable for Nazis to play, but it has grown to be a reliable and somewhat overused trope at this point.

According to Becky Little—a writer for History—several laws used by the Nazis were inspired by the Jim Crow laws that were present for almost a century in the southern U.S.

While it would be easier on our collective U.S. conscience to believe the German government at the time was depraved enough to concoct such vile plans out of thin air, it wasn’t that simple. German leaders were so impressed with the suc cess of segregation in America that they initially considered putting similar laws into practice against the Jewish people.

However, after reviewing the history behind Jim Crow more closely, it was determined that such laws would not be as ef fective in Germany, because—according to their stereo typing—Black people in America were poor, while Jewish people in Germany were rich. One of the few Jim Crow laws they did adopt was the ban on interracial marriage, along with the U.S.’s method for classifying who belonged to what race.

Little also noted that, like Indigenous peoples and Filipinos, this designation ended up influencing part of the Nuremberg Laws, which notoriously took away the citizenship rights of Jewish Germans.

Even domestically, America has its share of examples of why it cannot treat other countries with disdain for their transgressions. According to CNN, it is estimated that European settlers killed a total of 56 million Indigenous peoples throughout North, Central and South America over a period of 100 years.

This point isn’t raised to imply that one country is inherently su perior to another. Rather, it aims to highlight that no country is flawless. Each has profound flaws, making it im possible to single out others as inher ently worse. Ultimately, the U.S. is not the superior moral authority it wants you to believe that it is, and it has a his tory of selectively presenting informa tion to portray itself more favorably than other nations, despite its track record of injustice and discrimination.

Even movies which take place in the U.S. promote a specific—albeit outdated—point: that white people from the U.S. are the good guys and people of all other ethnicities are the bad guys, even Indigenous ones.

An important fact—which often gets buried un der shows like Gunsmoke, The Lone Ranger other cowboy shows or movies that have come out since then—is that many cowboys were not even white.

According to the Smithsonian Magazine

were of African-American descent, and according to Visit Fort Worth, a good portion of the rest were native Mexicans called “Vaqueros.”

The notion that Indigenous people were savages whom cowboys often had to fight off is a false narrative started by the U.S. government to make people feel better about having killed so many of them and stolen their land

This erasure of Black and Mexican cowboys from the media has not only promoted white saviorism, but has also given people from the U.S. yet another false understanding of what the U.S. was like in previous decades.

It is time to rethink this tendency for the media to consistently cast westerners—specifically white U.S. residents—as protagonists and people of other ethnicities as antagonists, as well as for white

HALEY HSU

ARIANNA THOMAS

PARKER PATNODE

Answers in stories

Answers from 2/29

1)

Across

2. This erasure of Black and Mexican cowboys from the media promoted white _____

Down:

Down

Across:

1. Film being shown this week at 5th Avenue Cinema, chosen by Alyssa Glaze

1. Film being shown this week at 5th Avenue Cinema, chosen by Alyssa Glaze

4. U.S. exceptionalism is exemplified in the character Linguini from this film

3. The week following the threat the NASCC community found themselves seeking support from _____

5. According to research by Cornell Lab, “Nearly 3 billion birds [are] _____ since 1970”

7. “China before Communism” is the motto for this group that has been labeled as a cult, two words

6. The _____ Times provides propaganda for Shen Yun and boosts conspiracies such as QAnon

8. Due to new regulations, food carts must connect to the county _____ system or leave

9. “I think it’s important for people to know that film isn’t just for entertainment—it’s for _____”

10. The Bird Names for Birds campaign advocates for removing _____ names from birds

11. U.S. is not the superior _____, two words

https://crosswordlabs.com/view/news-crosword-2

2. This erasure of Black and Mexican cowboys from the media promoted white _____

3. The week following the threat the NASCC community found themselves seeking support from _____

4. U.S. exceptionalism is exemplified in the character Linguini from this film

5. According to research by Cornell Lab, “Nearly 3 Billion Birds [are] _____ Since 1970”

7. “China before Communism” is the motto for this group that has been labeled as a cult, two words

6. The _____ Times provides propaganda for Shen Yun and boosts conspiracies such as QAnon

8. Due to new regulations, food carts must connect to the county _____ system or leave

9. I think it’s important for people to know that film isn’t just for entertainment—it’s for _____”

10. The Bird Names for Birds campaign advocates for removing _____ names from birds

11. U.S. is not the superior _____, two words

Community & Wellness Resources

UPDATED WEEKLY

By Milo Loza

Happening Soon

Shop for Free

Resource Center for Students with Children

Mar. 8, 10 a.m.

Free for students

Find gently-used clothing—as well as toys, houseware and more—for yourself and your children for free

Board Game Night

SMSU Cafeteria

Mar. 8, 3 p.m.

Free for students

Hang out with the weekly group to play games and make friends

Measure for Measure

Lincoln Performance Hall

Mar. 8, 7:30 p.m.

$6 for students

Theater Professor Karin Magaldi directs Aditi Brennan Kapil’s translation of Shakespeare’s play

Privilege

5th Avenue Cinema

Mar. 10, 3 p.m.

Free for students

A 1990 documentary about women before and after menopause

Live at Lunch: Open Mic

Parkway North, SMSU 101

Mar. 12, 12 p.m.

Free for students

Show off your talent in music, poetry, comedy or dance

PSU Wind Symphony: Images

Lincoln Performance Hall

Mar. 13, 7 p.m.

Free for students

The PSU Wind Symphony presents a concert featuring multiple compositions

Resources

PSU Basic Needs Hub

SMSU Suite 435

Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Free for students

Helps students access resources such as funds, food, housing, employment, childcare and health support.

PSU Food Pantry

1704 SW Broadway (temporary location)

Tues–Thur, 12–4 p.m.

Free for students

Access to free groceries in a welcoming, equitable, trauma-informed way. Must be enrolled in at least one credit for summer or fall.

SMART recovery meetings

University Center Building 340 E Times vary

Free

In peer recovery, students with shared experiences connect to reduce stigma and build a campus recovery community.

SHAC weekly online parent support group

Online

Thursdays 11 a.m.

Free

Come together as parents in a relaxed setting to support each other, share ideas, collaborate and commiserate

Women’s Resource Center

Online

Mon–Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free

Confidential advocacy services to students who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, violence and stalking

Oregon Energy Fund

Varying Locations

Mon–Fri, hours vary

Free

Provides energy bill assistance to low-income Oregonians to support household stability

Wellness

SHAC Mind Spa

UCB Suite 310

Mon–Fri (by appointment)

Free for students

Solo space to experience biofeedback, light therapy, meditation, massages, relaxation and more. Must be enrolled in at least five credits for summer or fall.

Opioid Overdose Reversal Training

SHAC, Suite 340E

Mon 10–12 p.m. & Fri 2–3 p.m.

Free for students

Pick up free opioid overdose reversal medication and get a 10-minute training on how to use it

Mindful Meanderings

Listen on Spotify

Available 24/7

Free

PSU-produced podcast about being mindful while outside, practicing gratitude, finding joy and being in the moment

Telus Health Student Support

Download on App Store or Google Play

Available 24/7

Free

Connecting students with free, confidential mental health and wellbeing support

Outdoor Workshop Wednesdays

Watch on Youtube

Available 24/7

Free

PSU Campus Recreation Center staff videos about topics ranging from Leave No Trace and plant identification to hiking spots and land acknowledgments

BORP online fitness studio

Watch on Zoom

Mon–Sat, hours vary

Free

Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program’s (BORP) virtual exercise classes for people with physical disabilities