VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 28 • NOVEMBER 16, 2021
NEWS
SPORTS
OPINION
Children ages 5+ eligible for COVID-19 vaccines P. 6–7
PSU’s first cross-country nationals finalist P. 8-9
Lack of transparency in political organizing in Portland P. 10
CONTENTS
COVER BY SHANNON STEED
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF VANGUARD
P. 3
ARTS & CULTURE PUBLISHER KEVIN SAMPSELL REFLECTS ON 30 YEARS IN PORTLAND
SPORTS VIKS PREPARE FOR 2021 BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
P. 8-9
P. 4
SPENCER IS AN ETHEREAL DECONSTRUCTION OF THE BIOPIC
P. 5
OPINION PEOPLE FOR WHICH PORTLAND?
P. 10
NEWS COVID-19 VACCINES EXTENDING TO CHILDREN
THE WHITE SAVIOR AND GOLD STAR CHRISTIANITY
P. 11
P. 6-7
SCIENCE & TECH NEW STUDIES EXPLORE THE CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 LONG-HAULERS
P. 12
STAFF EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Béla Kurzenhauser
OPINION EDITOR Justin Cory
MANAGING EDITOR Karisa Yuasa
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Béla Kurzenhauser
PHOTO EDITOR Sofie Brandt
ONLINE EDITOR Lily Hennings
NEWS EDITORS Victoria Calderon Jazzminn Morecraft
COPY CHIEF Mackenzie Streissguth
SPORTS EDITOR Eric Shelby SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan McConnell
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Olivia Lee CONTRIBUTORS Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani Nova Johnson Allison Kirkpatrick Analisa Landeros Kat Leon Tanner Todd
PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shannon Steed
A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
DESIGNERS Whitney Griffith Mia Levy Astrid Luong Anastasia Pargett
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez
T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Kahela Fickle George Olson Kwanmanus Thardomrong
STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Vacant To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com
MIS SION S TAT EMEN T Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.
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.
WE’RE HIRING International Editor
EMAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM
DEAR VANGUARD READERS Béla Kurzenhauser
On Nov. 15, 1946, the first issue of the Vanport Extension Center’s Vet’s Extended was published. The weekly paper— founded by blind veteran and VEC student Don Carlo—would later become known as Vanguard just two months later, thus planting the seeds for what would eventually become Portland State University’s independent, student-run newspaper. In the 75 years since, we have changed frequently and grown significantly from our humble beginnings. We continue to publish weekly ten times each term, and have expanded our presence as a paper in a multitude of ways. We thrive on the forefront of digital publication, allowing for immediate accessibility to our work for all readers. We are, however, journalists at heart, and as we move our operations back onto campus, we are eyeing a return to print publication in the near future. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to celebrate Vanguard’s monumental anniversary to the full capacity we wish we could have. Despite this, we have been able to take this opportunity to look back at our accomplishments from the past year. Amidst our shift into remote newspaper production, we were able to add a Science & Technology section to the paper, and grow our multimedia presence with multiple podcasts. Although we were forced to cut print distribution at the beginning of the pandemic, our design team has continued to produce stunning digital issues—with this issue be-
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ing our 69th in digital circulation since the start of the pandemic. Through the collaborative efforts of every single one of our staff members, we won 22 awards—the most of any student newspaper in the state—at the 2021 Oregon Newspaper Publishing Association’s Collegiate Newspaper Contest, including seven first-place awards. We produced coverage and reporting on crucial local issues like the disarming of campus police and the reduction of university programs. Coverage of COVID -19 has remained a journalistic focus for us, as the pandemic continues to rage across the globe, and it is necessary that we continue to provide students with the most upto-date health and safety information. In our current age, information and truth are more important than ever before, and more challenging than ever to procure. As writers—and as students—we recognize the necessity of trustworthy information and its availability to students. We are devoted to transparency and to supporting the entirety of Portland State’s student body. Throughout our seven-and-a-half decade history, Vanguard has remained committed to the tenets of journalism laid down for us by Carlo. We are steadfast in our goal to elevate the voices of students from all across campus. We are—as we have always been—here for the students of Portland State and for the people of Portland.
EDITORIAL
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PUBLISHER KEVIN SAMPSELL REFLECTS ON 30 YEARS IN PORTLAND FUTURE TENSE PRESS EDITOR AND PUBLISHER KEVIN SAMPSELL. COURTESY OF KEVIN SAMPSELL
The head of Future Tense Press discusses industry evolution
TANNER TODD The version of Portland, Oregon that Kevin Sampsell came to in 1992 was a lot smaller than the city we know today. “It was a pretty small town in a lot of ways,” the publisher and author said. “It seemed a little more tight-knit.” The city was in the early stages of its wave of cultural growth in the ‘90s, as waves of creatives like Sampsell flocked to the city, attracted by its vibrant culture and lower cost of living. For Sampsell, this coming year represents the 30-year anniversary since he brought his indie publishing house, Future Tense Press, to Portland. Much like the city he’d recently relocated to, Future Tense was smaller in the ‘90s—a lot smaller. “It was a really scrappy beginning, just like going to Kinko’s [to print] in those days,” Sampsell recalled. Before his move to Portland, he’d been living in Arkansas and, before that, Spokane, Washington. Portland, with its burgeoning community of writers, became fertile ground for Sampsell to grow his publishing projects. “I just got more serious about it here because there were a lot more writers,” he explained. “I was meeting a lot more writers for the first time, and they saw these little chapbooks that I was printing for myself, and they were like ‘can you help me do that?’” Sampsell began publishing volumes of local writers’ work and, as he continued releasing books and publications, he came into contact with a larger community of people he wanted to publish. As time went on, Portland grew—and with it, the city’s pool of writers. “I feel like it’s hard to keep track of all the writers that are here,” Sampsell said. “Whereas I feel like I used to know every writer that lived in town. There’s a lot of times I’ll meet people and I’ll be like ‘I didn’t know you lived here.’” Sampsell also notes that it’s not just the literary scene that’s changed in Portland—the technology and culture of the small
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press has changed as well. Print-on-demand, once a nascent technology with low production-value results, is now an established tool of the trade. “I always used to make fun of them,” Sampsell said of the early print-on-demand copies. “But they look really good now. The technology’s really good, and you can get really nice books printed really quickly.” The change in printing technology has been a game changer for small press and indie publishing houses, as they are now able to order smaller initial runs for book releases, requiring less financial capital and exposing them to less risk. In addition to the changes in how indie books are published, their readership and the culture around them has changed dramatically as well, largely due to the internet and social media. In a hyper-connected world, authors now get instant feedback on their work, whether it’s positive or negative. “There’s nowhere to hide nowadays,” Sampsell explained. “Preinternet, people could write this stuff and just walk away—they didn’t have to face that immediate reaction.” With the advent of the internet, any writer who is published and read beyond their immediate social circle now has to reconcile with feedback that is instantaneous and all-pervasive, whether readers find their work thrilling, boring, offensive or brilliant. Sampsell argues that the anticipation of this reaction is frequently in the back of modern writers’ heads as they work— though he also cautions against dismissing this phenomenon as an entirely bad thing. “I think people are more cognizant of what people are writing about,” he added. “I think it’s good that there’s more awareness when talking about sensitive subjects, whether it’s race, gender, religion. I think writers are a little bit more careful now.” Sampsell’s views on writing in the 21st century comes from personal experience—in addition to running his publishing
house, he’s also worked on the other end of the printing press as a published author. In 2010, he released a book of his own called A Common Pornography, an autobiographical memoir that explores the intimate and sometimes disturbing aspects of his childhood and family life. Publishing his book represented a milestone in his development as a writer; although he’d been writing for years prior to the book’s publication, he’d never called himself one. For Sampsell, it wasn’t until A Common Pornography came out that he began to think of himself seriously as a writer. As far as other writers in his former position are concerned, he had this advice to give: “If [you] have aspirations or ideas that [you] want other people to read, then you kind of have to just bite the bullet and send it to some editors. If you just wrote like a novel or something, and you’re afraid to show it to people because you’re not sure if it’s good or not, there’s really no way to tell unless you do share it with people.” This process of getting work out into the world and helping people publish their writing is a key part of why Sampsell continues to do what he does. “It all goes back to the drive to create things, to make things,” he said. Reflecting on his work now, after 30 years of publishing in Portland, Sampsell considers himself fortunate to connect with writers in the area as much as he has. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to find really interesting writers,” he said. “I’ve been really fortunate in that way.” As different as the city is now, Sampsell’s desire to create books and publish local authors has remained steady throughout the years. When asked what his younger self from 30 years ago would think of what he’s done, and what he’s doing now, Sampsell is nonplussed: “I don’t think I’d be that surprised.”
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SPENCER IS AN ETHEREAL DECONSTRUCTION OF THE BIOPIC PABLO LARRAÍN’S PORTRAIT OF PRINCESS DIANA IS QUIET AND EMPATHETIC
KRISTEN STEWART AS PRINCESS DIANA IN SPENCER. COURTESY OF NEON BÉLA KURZENHAUSER After his Jacqueline Kennedy biopic Jackie debuted to thunderous critical applause in 2016, it was inevitable that Pablo Larraín would eventually pursue a follow-up project. The Chilean director is no stranger to real-life stories—four months prior to Jackie’s debut at the 2016 Venice International Film Festival, Larraín premiered Neruda, a narratively experimental drama starring Gael Garcia Bernal as poet Pablo Neruda, at that year’s Cannes Film Festival. Both films were celebrated for toying with the conventions of the biopic and for rejecting complete historical accuracy in order to focus on the emotional and personal struggles of Kennedy and Neruda. Five years after the release of both, and two years after Larraín’s provocative and surreal mystery Ema, Larraín returns to the silver screen with Spencer—a fictionalized account of Princess Diana Spencer’s (Kristen Stewart) Christmas stay with the royal family in 1991. The film represents the next step in Larraín’s career as well as the second installment in his planned trilogy of biopics about historically influential women. Spencer carries many of the characteristics found in Larraín’s previous works, but also ventures further into its subject’s life than he’s ever done before. The story slowly spirals outwards in tandem with Diana’s mental state over the span of three days, allowing for a condensed examination of her toils. Rather than obsessing over the minute true-to-life details of Diana’s life, Larraín brings the camera closer than ever, magnifying her life and experience as if it were under a microscope. The film’s opening text reads “a fable from a true tragedy,” indicating the decision to distance the narrative from the many sterilized and clinical depictions of Diana’s life previously seen in media. Despite being intimately microscopic at times, the film’s scope feels sprawling, interweaving the different activities and traditions of the royal family with Diana’s own emotional struggles. She roams the grounds of the royal family’s estate, encountering many of the family’s laborers, most of whom have been assigned to keep watch over her. Spencer places particular emphasis on
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the relationships between Diana and three of the family’s helpers: Major Gregory (Timothy Spall), head of the estate’s staff, royal head chef Darren McGrady (Sean Harris) and Diana’s royal dresser Maggie (Sally Hawkins). Each of the three seems to inhabit a Brechtian role within the story by guiding Diana with their own wisdom and advice. Gregory possesses the stern and critical attitude of the royal family but seems to recognize Diana’s need for freedom, while Darren and Maggie display a more sympathetic attitude towards Diana and her independence. Diana’s two sons—Princes William and Harry—feature prominently as well, acting as emotional anchors for their mother. These relationships and the scenes depicting them are crucial for constructing Spencer’s focus on Diana’s dual identity. At one point, her husband remarks to her that she must learn to distinguish between Diana Spencer and Diana, the Princess of Wales, which acts as a consistent point of crisis for her throughout the film. She constantly suffers from mental breakdowns and attacks of crisis, debilitating her and only further stigmatizing her perception within the family. The examination of this side of Diana is where Spencer is most interesting—often, it is not discernable whether Diana is undergoing some imagined mental crisis or hallucination, or if she is actually experiencing what she is seeing. Larraín is careful to not overindulge in surrealism, allowing the film to remain consistently grounded and maintaining a sense of empathy for Diana’s struggles. Rather than using excessively flashy tricks, Larraín utilizes sound and visuals to craft the film’s surrealism. Despite switching cinematographers from Jackie’s Stéphane Fontaine to Portrait of a Lady on Fire Director of Photography Claire Mathon, the distinct look of Jackie is retained in Spencer. The film was shot entirely on 16mm and 35mm film stock, giving every shot a magnificent and delectable sense of texture. The palette is simple and muted, providing
scenes with a distinctly warm or cold feeling depending on the tone of the story and contrasting the lavish production design. Red clothing—frequently donned by Diana throughout the film—appears far more saturated, making her stick out as a distinguishable character amidst the gray and black garb of her family members. The cinematography is soft, lush and dreamlike, allowing Diana’s visions, memories and nightmares to transcend and escape from the screen. Music also plays a crucial role in Spencer’s depiction of Diana’s mental condition. Radiohead guitarist—and frequent collaborator of Paul Thomas Anderson—Jonny Greenwood composed Spencer’s score, which is suitably experimental and unique for the film’s tone. As in Phantom Thread, Greenwood uses classical motifs and string compositions to craft an aptly ethereal score. These parts of the score are balanced out by fierce and disruptive jazz, which punctuate Diana’s moments of crisis. The result is a score that, just like the film it accompanies, presents a contrasted tone as it ebbs between tranquility and chaos. All these elements are brought together magnificently by Stewart’s brilliant performance as Diana. The actress has been diversifying her output for years now, starring in both mid-budget blockbusters like Underwater and Charlie’s Angels as well as acclaimed dramas such as Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper—but Spencer is undoubtedly one of her finest performances yet. Her mannerisms and behaviors frequently change throughout the film as she perfectly exhibits the erraticism of a woman on the verge of a breakdown. There’s a great deal of empathy and sincerity to be found both within Stewart’s performance and those of the supporting cast. Where other biopics would go for spectacle, Spencer goes for silence, crafting a microcosm of humanism through the shared harmony of its individual creative elements. It’s rare yet refreshing to see a biopic that so brazenly guns for creative liberties, rejecting any preconceived notions of reality or fiction in favor of embracing a story that is distinctively human.
ARTS & CULTURE
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COVID-19 VACCINE OPTIONS
there are seven major vaccines currently leading the fight against COVID-19: Pfizer & BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Vaxzevria/ AstraZeneca and Gamelya. However, those currently available in the United States just include Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer and Moderna being a two-part delivery system. In the case of Moderna, a recipient has their initial dose, then their second dose roughly 28 days later. This can vary depending on scheduling availability, but is more efficient now as more doses are available. For Pfizer, there is an initial dose, and the second one is roughly 21 days later—again based on scheduling and availability. Johnson & Johnson was the first COVID -19 vaccination in the U.S. market that was available as a single
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE VICTORIA CALDERON When the COVID -19 pandemic started—and quarantine was originally announced in 2020 as a twoweek shutdown—people patiently waited for the world to reopen. As time went on and that reality changed, the race for a vaccine started. Across the international community,
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NEWS
shot, versus in a series. The roll out of vaccines began with those who were older and highest risk, or those who worked directly within high-risk settings or were essential workers. From there, vaccine availability phased out to those who had underlying health risks, and then to the general public by age range (65, 45, 18+). One of the biggest obstacles was vaccines being used within the limited time period they were “defrosted” for. Not doing so meant the vaccine would be tossed out. However, this allowed some people to get access to vaccines before it was technically their allotted time to prevent the vaccine from going to waste. Since last year, people all over the United States have been able to get their vaccinations. Currently in Multnomah county, 79.9% of the population is vaccinated with first doses, but with a 4.2% positive test rate, the risk level is still considered high. As the push to get more people vaccinated and help fight against the spread
continues, chains like Safeway are currently offering 10% off grocery trips for those getting their vaccine or boosters—as well as for flu shots. Boosters are the third round of vaccination, if the recipient had Moderna or Pfizer—or a second round for Johnson & Johnson. When it comes to a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series (Moderna, Pfizer), the booster should be administered at least 6 months after completing the primary series, if over the age of 65 or between the age of 50-64 with underlying medical conditions. For those 1849 years old with underlying medical conditions—or 18 and older and work or live in high-risk settings—the booster is also received six months from the primary series. For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, those over 18 years old can get a booster two months after receiving the primary dose. When it comes to Portland locals, many people are used to the vaccination cards at this point, and either carry a photo of it or a physical copy for entry to businesses. Places such as the Expo
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MIA LEVY
Center and restaurants like Proud Mary require proof of vaccination, while other places may offer patio seating for guests that cannot or do not want to provide a vaccination card. Jacqueline, a restaurant in Southeast Portland, allows guests the option to show their vaccination card to sit inside, or they can opt out and sit out on the patio. Additionally, the restaurant also provides a link to get vaccinated on their website. As of Nov. 5, 2021 in the state of Oregon, masks are still mandatory in all indoor public spaces and outdoor settings where physical distancing is not possible—regardless of vaccination status. A state press release reconfirmed that everyone still needs to continue wearing a mask in areas like airports, public transports, healthcare environments, shelters, detention facilities, K-12 schools and childcare operations. In September, a 20-page analysis discussed vaccinations for children aged 12+ and a possible mandate of vaccines in Portland Public Schools. and equity
issues, which can be found here, but ultimately only asked for voluntary submissions. Those 5 years of age and older are now eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine. However, as younger and younger children become eligible, what happens to mandatory vaccination status for those in childcare centers or spaces on campus like Little Vikings? While COVID-19 vaccines other than Pfizer’s are not currently approved for all over people the age of 5, it is a matter of time before updates will be put into place for other vaccines. There is a long-standing history of court cases that have ruled in favor of mandatory vaccination rules such as Jacobson v. Massachusetts, Zucht v. King and Prince v. Massachusetts. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, there has been discussion and a push for choice regarding vaccination status, but mixed messages and false information make it hard to navigate health obstacles and has left unvaccinated people even more in the dark than any time previous. There is also a long standing history
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of medical racism, a stigma that cannot be forgotten when discussing vaccination apprehension. A study published in the Journal of the National Medical Association states that racism is partially responsible for Black people in the United States having “the worst health care, the worst health status, and the worst health outcome of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S.” as a result of the legacy of slavery. This can be seen directly in racial disparities among vaccination rates in Portland and what Portland Public Schools discussed in their equity paper regarding the vaccination mandate discussion. While getting folks vaccinated quickly and safely is important, there is a discussion to be had on how to do so in an equitable way that speaks to more than just a one-size-fits-all method. Like with any other vaccine, there are risks, including myocarditis or anaphylaxis in extremely rare cases. However, a child—or adult—cannot get COVID-19 from any vaccine they take. Children 12 and over have been taking the same dos-
age of the vaccine as adults, but for those ages 5 to 11 years old, they will take a specially formulated vaccine with the same active ingredients, a smaller needle, at roughly one-third of the adult dosage— which will require a second dose three weeks after the first dose. At this time, resuming normality next year may not be likely. Mask mandates seem to be here to stay, and vaccinations on campus are a priority as they become available for younger and younger age groups. Children in Portland Public Schools might potentially see recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines for the 2022-23 school year, and the Oregon Health Authority may start keeping track of vaccinations on their own entirely. If you are interested in getting vaccinated or looking for more information on vaccines, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for general information, and the Oregon Health Authority website has more information in multiple language options.
NEWS
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VIKS PREPARE FOR 2021 BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT KATIE CAMARENA FINISHES 5TH, WILL BE THE FIRST VIKING TO MAKE IT TO NATIONALS MARLON RUFFIN SHOOTING AGAINST EVERGREEN STATE. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
ERIC SHELBY
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 2-0 (0-0)
SENIOR FORWARD KHALID THOMAS. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
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New head coach Chelsey Gregg led the Vikings to their first regular season game in an 84-67 win over Warner Pacific last Tuesday. Freshman Esmeralda Morales is a name you want to remember this season, setting a freshman record of 32 points in a single game, three-point field goals made (8) and field goals made (11). Alaya Fitzgerald dropped 16 points on Tuesday with two three-pointers. Redshirt senior Savannah Dhaliwal—in her first regular season match in 985 days—dropped 13 points and three assists to help secure the win. Freshman Rhema Ogele had a total of 11 rebounds and 10 total points. Dhaliwal explained that she was a little bit anxious, returning to the court. “I think the best way to get our nerves out is to just go out there and have fun and play hard,” Dhaliwal said. “We have so many freshmen on the team [and] we have people that have not played because of injuries, but just to bring that excitement into today was a really good feeling.” “It was very exciting,” Morales continues. “New year for me, new team and new everything. I was excited to see what we have and what we can do.” After being down by one after the first quarter, the Vikings had a 13-0 scoring run right before the half, allowing the Knights only eight points after scoring 28 in the first quarter. Before that second quarter comeback, the Viks were down in the first quarter (28-27), and Warner Pacific had six turnovers compared to the Vikings’ two. “We got away a little bit from our principles defensively,” Dhaliwal said. “We kind of let them do whatever they want to do—which is not what we do on defense. We started to figure that out in the second quarter. We lost it for a little bit but we brought it back together afterwards.” “We knew what we needed to do and what we had to get back to, and what we needed to get stops,” Morales said, explaining it really was “just principles.” This is a young team, this year, with nine underclassmen on the roster. Dhaliwal said that she had definitely taken on a leadership role on the team. “When I came in as a freshman, there were six super seniors like me and I was the young one,” Dhaliwal said. “So I know what it feels like to be a freshman, and I also feel like, after last season, I had to step up a little bit. Even though I haven’t played for two seasons, I still had that experience. I just want the younger girls to know that if they need anything, I’m here for them.”
Jada Lewis controlled the game, leading the Viks with 22 points and 8-13 in field goal attempts against the Trailblazers of Dixie State on Friday. The Viks won 80-52, advancing to 2-0 at home for the season. Rhema Ogele, once again led with 13 rebounds and dropped 14 points. Morales and Dhaliwal both dropped 11 points on the Trailblazers, even after the slow, 13-11 first-quarter start. The Viks put up 18 points off the Trailblazers’ turnovers, and defense held them to only nine points in the fourth quarter. The Viks start the season with a 2-0 start, and will travel to Hawai’i for the Bank Of Hawai’i Classic starting on Friday, Nov. 19 against Prairie View A&M—and University of Hawai’i on Nov. 21. The next home game is weeks later on Dec. 2, when the Viks begin conference play against the reigning Big Sky champions, Idaho State, who are also expected to finish first in the coaches’ and media polls.
MEN’S BASKETBALL 1-1 (0-0)
The season started in Corvallis against the Beavers in Jase Coburn’s first-ever game as the new head coach for Portland State, after eight years with the Viks. The Viks looked promising at the second half, leading 41-30 over the Pac-12 champs. The Viks sadly dropped the game 73-64. However, Khalid Thomas dropped 16 points and James JeanMarie made a debut 14 points and a double-double, after transferring from the University of Hawai’i. The 6-8 senior Jean-Marie also led the team with 10 rebounds, with seven defensive and three offensive rebounds. The Park Block Vikings came home on Nov. 12 to dominate Evergreen State College—a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) team—100-44. Marlon Ruffin, a junior transfer out of University of Omaha led the team with a game-high 18 points, hitting 6-9 and 5-6 on the free throw line in just 18 minutes. Jean-Marie came with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Gio Nelson went all out, shooting 5-6 and going 3-3 in three pointers with a total of 13 points. The Viks have seven transfers on this team this year. Thomas and Ruffin had to adapt to new changes and make the chemistry work. “It’s just the mindset, we gotta come in everyday,” Thomas said. “It’s not about coming in and trying to get your points or trying to show the coach that ‘I can do this.’ It’s more about trying to be able to learn from each other, and learn how we’re going to be able to move on the court together.” “We already knew the basics and what we’re supposed to be doing out here,” Ruffin said. “I feel like everyone has an understanding for each other and everyone understands.” In regards to Iowa—third place in Big Ten last year and
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PLAYER PROFILE: KATIE CAMARENA Not only is Camarena nationalsbound after placing fifth individually in the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento, she will be the first-ever runner to represent Portland State University in the nationals in Tallahassee, Florida next week. Camarena is a redshirt senior from San Juan Hills, California and spent four years running for University of California, Santa Barbara—and now she has set a lot of records in just one year of being a Viking. Among these are:
KATIE CAMARENA RUNNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 5K. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
a March-Madness round 32 appearance—both athletes felt they had to take it one game at a time. “We’re going to try to build off momentum,” Ruffin said. “We had a good two days of practice after OSU, we got some guys’ confidence back tonight and get right back to practice Monday and gameday on wednesday.” Portland State plays their next game on Wednesday, Nov. 17 against George Fox at 7 p.m. and at the Bridge City Battle against University of Portland on Nov. 23.
FOOTBALL 5-5 (4-3)
The gridiron Viks couldn’t get it done on Saturday against the nationally-ranked #12 Hornets, falling 49-20. Sacramento State is second in scoring in the Big Sky, and the Hornets are still undefeated in the conference, now 7-0. The Viks move to three losses in Big Sky at 4-3.
FRESHMAN ESMERALDA MORALES. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
5TH IN NCAA WEST REGIONAL, BEST INDIVIDUAL FINISH 4K SCHOOL RECORD AT VIKING RUST BUSTER, SEPT. 3 5K SCHOOL RECORD AT BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP, OCT. 29 6K SCHOOL RECORD AT SANTA CLARA BRONCO INVITATIONAL, OCT. 16.
KATIE CAMARENA ACCEPTING A BIG SKY CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
Davis Alexander, second in Big Sky in passing, went 23 for 38 and a huge 231 yards—and threw for a pair of touchdowns. Malik Walker had 16 carries for 97 yards with a touchdown to give him his tenth touchdown of the season, tied for second-most in the conference. Sacramento State’s 49 points tied for the most the Viks have been scored on this season, since the season opener in Hawai’i (3549). Jalynne McGee rushed for 63 yards with 10 carries. Darien Chase led the Viks with nine receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, giving the Viks their only lead in the second quarter. Beau Kelly had an impressive three receptions for 68 yards and a 34-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter. Viks and Hornets both had ALL 5 VIKING VOLLEYBALL SENIORS POSING FOR SENIOR NIGHT. 23 first downs but Viks were 0-3 on fourth ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD down. Xavier Bell had nine tackles that game, with Parker Mckenna at seven and 0.5 yards tackle for loss. for the 10k—the best the program has ever been, The Viks have their eyes set on the Pacific breaking a school record. Keynan Abdi finished Northwest battle next week. Eastern Washington first for the Viks, with a time of 30:40.4. Jordan travels to Hillsboro Nov. 20 in the last game of the Macintosh wasn’t too far behind Abdi, who finished regular season. Crowds can expect a high scoring 30:41.8. Behind them were Josh Snyder, 31:09.8 at game from both the Vikings and Eagles. Walker and 60th, Dom Moganti, 31:25.0 at 75th, Drew Seidel, Eagles’ running back, Dennis Merritt, lead the Big 31:27.6 at 77th, Luke Ramirez, 32:32.3 at 127 and Sky in scoring—and Alexander and Eagles’ quarter- Evan Peters at 33:07.5 at 149. back Eric Barriere both lead the Big Sky in passing. Just like the 6k, Stanford came in first with 61 points and Washington in second with a closer 66. CROSS COUNTRY: NCAA WEST University of Portland came in third with 94 points. Now, all eyes are set for nationals as REGIONAL IN SACRAMENTO Katie Camarena is officially going to nationals in Camarena, PSU’s sole runner, looks to break Tallahassee, Florida on Nov. 20. With a time of more records on Nov. 20. 20:06.6 in the 6k, she finished fifth individually in the NCAA West Regional out of 235 runners. VOLLEYBALL 18-9 (12-4) Five Viks—Maya Irving, 21:03.2 at 56th, Liza A stunner in five sets against the Bobcats of Sajn, 21:07.3 at 60th, Abi Swain, 21:37.4 at 88th Montana State hands the Vikings their second and Hunter Storm, 21:39.4 at 89th—made it in the conference home-loss, two games in a row. top 100. #109 Natalia Martino and #117 Tatum The Viks lost 3-2 (25-18, 21-25, 25-15,19-25,10Miller finished with a time of 21:47.0 and 22:07.9, 15) in a back-and-forth set battle. Makalya respectively. Stanford finished first with 42 and Lewis continues to show out with 20 kills, one Washington second with 84. Oregon was third in block, one ace and 17 digs. Zoe McBride and the 6k, with 100 points even. Portland State finished Maddy Reeb both acquired three blocks from the match, with 12 kills by McBride. The Viks 11th in the regional with 298 points. The men’s finished eighth overall in the regional had a better hitting percentage at .220 than
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 16, 2021 • psuvanguard.com
4TH IN BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP, BEST INDIVIDUAL FINISH
the Bobcats who hit .188 that match. The Viks recognised seniors Ally Wada, Parker Webb, Genivieve Florig along with McBride on senior day last Saturday, and swept the Griz of Montana 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-19) to finish out their regular season and last game at home. Lewis led senior night with 11 kills, three aces and two blocks. McBride had nine kills, four aces, and two blocks. Libero Ellie Snook leads the Big Sky in digs, and is third in service aces. Lewis and Webb are fifth and eight in kills, respectively—and ranked similarly for most points in the Big Sky. Wada is fifth in Big Sky for assists and Zoe McBride is eighth in service aces in Big Sky. The Park Block Viks end their regular season 12-4 (18-9) and finish third in the Big Sky. Weber State and Northern Colorado ultimately share the Big Sky title with a record of 13-3. It’s not over for the #3 Viks though, as they start the Big Sky tournament in Ogden, Utah on Nov. 18 in a quarterfinals match against #6 Sacramento State at 9 a.m.—a team the Viks have yet to beat this season. The winner of the Big Sky Volleyball Championship earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
SPORTS
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JUSTIN CORY As the costs of living and housing have surged, so has endemic houselessness leading to encampments all across the city of Portland. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered entire commercial districts, the city— and especially downtown—started to look like the post-apocalyptic set of an ‘80s movie. The powerful and long overdue uprising for Black lives and police accountability in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd spurred over 100 continuous days A BILLBOARD BY THE HAWTHORNE BRIDGE FOR of civil disobediance PEOPLE FOR PORTLAND. TANNER TODD/PSU VANGUARD and protest, leading city leaders to promise budget cuts to the Portland Police. However, Mayor Ted Wheeler walked back on the promise instead with a police budget increase, citing an alarming record-high 72 homicides in Portland during 2020. In this context, a mysterious new political group calling itself People for Portland emerged. Billboards and other print advertisements are popping up across the city, as are television ads decrying local leaders for failing the city— and asking for funding for more police officers. Upon visiting the organization’s website, a pop- tion services.” These are admirable aims but it is up window immediately prompts the viewer to noteworthy that they emphasize cleanliness and send a message to the Portland City Council. The economic vitality. However, they disparage the encampments organizer even conveniently writes a message, so that all the sender has to do is input their name, themselves, which are a public symptom of our society’s willful neglect of the human right to email and address. The burning question is: who are these people? have a home and to simply exist. Their decision People for Portland is set up with the tax desig- to use the wording that housing solutions be temnation of a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, porary is troubling. Many studies have shown which allows them to keep donors secret as long as that permanent housing increases the stability they don’t explicitly endorse candidates running and likelihood of remaining housed, and that it in an election. This also means that contributions would cost “up to $23,000 less per consumer per year than a shelter program,” according to the by donors are not tax-deductible. As such, the organization appointed two politi- National Alliance to End Homelessness. On their website, People for Portland decried cal consultants, Dan Lavey and Kevin Looper— who also happen to be wealthy white men—as the surge in violence on city streets during the the public faces. Being awash in dark money and pandemic and the “small groups inflicting propled by political insiders, the optics that they are erty damage and violence” at protests, and made truly the voice of Portland are not great, as they the proposal to add 300 more police officers and increase the Portland Police Bureau’s fundare well aware. But that is the extent of public knowledge be- ing. The organization made some concessions hind the campaign. On the website, People for by including the widely held public demand for Portland highlight ending unsheltered homeless- community oversight and increased police acness, safe streets and neighborhoods, account- countability through body cameras, but the crux ability and justice for everyone—with cleanliness, of their message is pretty clear. These might as well be the talking points of pride and economic vitality as their primary aims. Expanding upon the plight of our houseless the notoriously conservative Portland Business neighbors, the website states a wish to “transition Alliance (PBA). They have been at the helm of homeless Portlanders from inhumane, danger- such policies as the Sit-Lie Ordinance of 2007— ous camps to safe, sanitary temporary housing which essentially banned houseless people solutions with access to mental health and addic- from the city center until it was scrapped—and
tus of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. This is a common sentiment among NIMBYs— meaning not in my backyard—a term for referring to people who are opposed to unappealing changes to their community, but meant in a derogatory way. Most ominously, all three lean into tough-on-crime tropes, arguing for increased police budgets and enforcement, a severe rollback from the progressive high-water mark in 2020 of the racial justice and police accountability movements. This is not to say that People for Portland are explicitly funded by or acting as a conduit for Wheeler or the PBA, but the obscurification of their source of funding leaves these open as possibilities. We should all be critically engaging with the political messaging we encounter, especially when it is backed by millions of dollars and the donors are veiled in secrecy. One of their billboards calls to the viewer to remember when Portland was known for donuts, food carts and the airport carpet. While this messaging is effective in invoking the kitsch and cutesy charm of the Portland brand, the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd uprising unveiled brutal and painful truths about life in the United States, and Portland in particular. The resonance of systemic murders by the police—locally those of Jason Washington, Keaton Otis, Aaron Campbell, James Chasse, Kendra James and many others—and their brutality towards protestors all throughout 2020 sharply contrasts with the department’s sympathetic hands-off approach to Proud Boys and white nationalists, and only amplified the importance of a massive reckoning. All of these societal ills predate the pandemic and the uprising. They are as urgent now as they were before the pandemic ripped open our collective consciousness. In order to be the real people for Portland, it must be a Portland that continues to shine the light on systemic injustice, a Portland that confronts our racist city history and makes reparations, a Portland that houses all of its community members because we have the resources and the compassionate will to do so, a Portland that prioritizes people and the quality of the lives that they lead. Our Portland is not funded by secret donors who want to return to normal, whatever that may be. Our Portland is bravely marching into the future, redressing the grievances of yesterday and today.
A DARK MONEY POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IS COMPETING FOR OUR HEARTS AND MINDS
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OPINION
the designation of the Downtown Enhanced Service District. This area of Portland is undemocratically administered by its own private security patrols—Portland Patrol and Central City Concern—and overseen by Clean & Safe, a nonprofit with no community oversight which essentially created an area of the city with its own private police and government. To say that the PBA has been a discreetly powerful lobby is an understatement, especially with the interests of the wealthy and the preservation of the classist and racist “tough on crime” status quo. They strategically supported and bolstered Wheeler when he was trailing his competitor Sarah Iannarone in the 2020 election, precisely for her endorsement of defunding the police. Before that, the PBA supported him in 2016 when his opponent Jules Bailey was running on a promise to raise the corporate tax rate. Additionally, the PBA recently hosted a conference advocating for at least 200 new police officers, called “Portland at a crossroads: Is crime the new normal?” It appears that the motivations and messaging from the PBA, Wheeler and the People for Portland campaign dovetail harmoniously. They all advocate for a return to business as usual, and emphasize the damage done to Portland’s reputation and brand. Each professes to care about the tragedy endured by our houseless neighbors, but very much pine for a return to their previous sta-
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THE WHITE SAVIOR AND GOLD STAR CHRISTANITY YOU GET A GOLD STAR AND YOU GET A GOLD STAR... KAT LEON “Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” This is just one of the many bible verses in which Christians are instructed to serve the poor in order to receive blessings from God. Many in that religious tradition take these messages to heart. Thousands of Christian individuals and organizations worldwide do fantastic work for the community—and do it because they genuinely care. However, there is a harsher reality at play, as well. When it comes to some Christians’ drive to serve others, it transforms to a tenet to “save” others. This kind of individual is commonly referred to as a white savior. According to the Urban Dictionary, a white savior refers to Western peoples going in to fix the imagined problems projected onto “struggling nations or people of color without understanding the history, needs, or the region’s current state of affairs.” An individual with a so-called white-savior complex can detrimentally affect the community that they are serving. Religious organizations have been working to “save” the developing world since the dawn of religion. However, some Christians often do not understand their actual impact on a community because they fail to include voices from those communities, and end up unilaterally deciding what is best for said community from an outsider’s perspective. This is one of the consequences the white savior complex has on the developing world. Unfortunately, this is prevalent at almost every level of many religious organizations, both locally and internationally. One such example of the white-savior complex would be the organization Operation Chrismas Child—which continuously does not consider its impact on the community. Furthermore, as The Washington Post puts it, the organization continuously fails to recognize that the “real problem of poverty is a problem of access and opportunity, not stuff.” Another example are religious organizations that allow individual sponsorship of
a child. Sponsorship might seem like a good way to give back, but this type of sponsorship can lead to cultural confusion and increased tension in the child’s family, among other detrimental effects. Furthermore, some individual Christan missionaries go into a community knowing nothing about the people. Instead of learning about the culture that they are trying to serve, they choose to remain ignorant and close-minded to learning more. This leads to missionaries under-serving the community, since cultural context really matters in fostering relationships and healing. Another detrimental effect of the whitesavior complex is how it makes the savior the hero of someone else’s story, instead of allowing them to be their own hero. An example of this is the Christian adoption movement. In 2007, Christianity decided to have a rebranding moment and move away from purity culture to instead start encouraging the adoption of children from developing countries. The hope was that they could identify as child advocates claiming the moral high ground, and establish themselves as the saviors they believed they were. Sadly, this movement went from an admirable mission to child kidnapping shockingly fast when it was discovered that many of the orphans adopted from developing countries actually had living parents—some of whom desperately wanted their children back. Of course, this example is extreme, but the belief that these children’s souls would be saved and the children would be better cared for halfway around the world with complete strangers is a direct result of the aforementioned white-savior complex at play. So why is this happening? One could blame ignorance, stating that Christians were and are
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 16, 2021 • psuvanguard.com
unaware of the detrimental effects of their actions. But ignorance can only be blamed to a point. One has to accept some blame when research and information become available and are willfully ignored. Another factor that must be considered is the religious context from which the white savior is often born. Christianity can be seen as a rewards-based system on a good day—and a fear-based system on a bad one. Do good deeds, and you will be rewarded in an afterlife—or put another way, do good deeds and you will not spend eternity being tortured in hell. Both of these elements lead to what can be labelled Gold Star Christianity. Gold Star Christianity is when religiously Christian people do supposedly good deeds for appearance-sake, not regarding actual good. Gold Star Christianity works hand-in-hand with
the concept of the white savior because the focus of both is not on impact, but rather on being noticed for your actions. While the white savior explains what the individual is doing, Gold Star Christianity acts as the foundation for the motivation—one instills a willful ignorance and condescending power differential between the saved and the savior, while the other allows people to get points without understanding the ramifications of their actions. If an individual is able to say they sent $20 to a child in need in Africa each month, or even dubiously adopt an orphan from China, they can claim to be a good person. However, this exposes a fundamental issue with systems based upon fear and motivated by rewards. Without accountability, one learns to care more about their status and less about the actions that hurt people along the way. ANASTASIA PARGETT
OPINION
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NEW STUDIES EXPLORE THE CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 LONG-HAULERS RYAN MCCONNELL COVID-19 has been—and still is—a disease that should not be taken lightly. According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath and/or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body ache, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, potential congestion, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. Vaccination can severely mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19, and vaccines have proven to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalizations in a breakthrough case. However, some individuals who have contracted the virus exhibit what’s called post-COVID syndrome, and are sometimes called COVID-19 longhaulers. These symptoms include continuous shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, ongoing heart inflammation, kidney damage, loss or distorted sense of smell or taste, and some neurological issues including brain fog, fatigue, headaches and dizziness. Now, with recent research and ongoing efforts to understand the causes of post-COVID syndrome, researchers say they might have identified a key clue in what is causing the long-term symptoms amongst a growing number of individuals who’ve contracted COVID-19. Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, professor of immunology at Yale University, recently discovered an unusually high level of cytokines in long-hauler patients’ blood. Cytokines act as signalling molecules that aid in communication within the body’s immune system. These molecules also include agents that help regulate the immune system’s response to inflammation and infection. Patients who have post-COVID syndrome exhibit a far higher level of cytokines in their blood than other individuals. According to Dr. Steven Deeks at the University of California, San Francisco, these are elevated levels of a cytokine called interleukin-6, which could provide evidence that long-haulers are actually suffering from a state of chronic inflammation. While these clues may help paint a bigger picture in order to understand the underlying symptoms, cytokines aren’t the only part of the immune system that seems to be thrown off after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Other researchers have discovered that long-haulers exhibit broad dysfunction in their T-cells, parts of our immune system that surround and combat
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SCIENCE & TECH
foreign substances as a first-line defense. This has caused some doctors to suggest that it is entirely possible that some traces of COVID-19 are still hiding inside the body of long-haulers. Another research team from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has discovered an antibody in COVID-19 long-haulers that attacks a special enzyme known as ACE2. This enzyme regulates the body’s response to the virus and helps activate the rest of the body’s immune system in order to combat it. If a body can’t replicate ACE2, the body can’t activate its own defenses in order to fully defend against the virus. The problem that doctors are currently facing is not just the variety of different detectors in COVID-19 long-haulers, but also the wide differences between each patient. One might exhibit some of these markers, while another might have completely different indicators, making effective treatment extremely difficult to pinpoint. The other problem is that while these studies made strides in determining some of the microscopic indicators of long-haulers, these tests are also difficult to conduct—and without testing for these specific auto-immune deficiencies, COVID-19 long-haulers exhibit little to no other physical abnormalities. One of the solutions for long-haulers that has proven most effective are vaccinations and booster shots after an initial diagnosis. These vaccinations help activate the body’s immune response to the virus, and potentially get rid of any lingering or hiding particles of the virus that remain in the patient’s body. Other effective treatments included special drug treatments which dampen the immune system itself, which can alleviate the persistent internal inflammation. What can be certain, at the very least, is that post-COVID syndrome is a very real and threatening effect of a COVID-19 diagnosis. With an ongoing surge of breakthrough cases and mutating variants, individuals should still wear masks when entering any indoor venue, as well as receive a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. For any other questions regarding COVID-19, including more information about post-COVID syndrome, general advice, vaccine information, ongoing research, COVID responses and other diagnostics can be found on the World Health Organization’s website.
ASTRID LUONG
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 16, 2021 • psuvanguard.com