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Hinsdale Central High School • April 2016 • Volume 88
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Uber Safe?
Should students trust the Uber car service?
Cover TOC Staff-- Elise.indd 1
Selective Sympathy Media Bias
The Naked Roommate
Guest Speaker talks about college readiness
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table of contents
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opinions Snapthought: Students share their thoughts Cheers & Jeers: What’s good and bad this month Editorial: Is taking an Uber safe? The To-Do List: Saadia checks off another to-do
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news
8 NHS: Juniors to be inducted at the end of May 8 Jazz Band: Student showcase benefits city schools 8 AP Studio Art: Art show features student portfolios
features
12 Naked Roommate: Author talks about college readiness 16 Selective Sympathy: Does media focus on the Western world?
profiles
9 To Stanford: Anna Santulli commits to play lacrosse 14 Obama in Cuba: Historic visit for the president
infographics
10 Prison: What the prison system says about the country 22 This Month: A preview of what’s coming up
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cover design by Lancelot Lin
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A D V O S T A F F
editor in chief managing editor head design editor copy editors and heads of writers feature editors
elise martin lauren excell faith michal shannon sinwell saadia elahi arman haveric lancelot lin dana ahdab sayali amin maria harrast nina molina selin turkyilmaz emma joyce ray shryock seetha aribindi photo editors colleen martucci shiv bajaj haley anderson special report editors rina ravisundar
contributors ali ardehali • aneesh balusu • crosby becker
• elizabeth bogs • steven botsoe • barbara heidkamp • zeljko kospic • isha kukadia • juliana mayer • alex herbst • sofia rafiq • keshav sanghani • madelyn studnicka • megan timmermann • anya uppal • nora wood • selina zeng •
mission statement
Devils’ Advocate strives to provide its readers with a diverse forum for reporting and sharing information. It is a student-run, school-funded newsmagazine published monthly. Devils’ Advocate wishes to provide fair and balanced reporting on events by working with students, teachers, and the community. It strives to inform, educate, and improve the atmosphere and student body of Hinsdale Central High School.
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letter from the editor
With senior year winding down, one of the final activities as an entire class becomes ever more present: Prom. Now, one would think that this is a time of happiness, joy, and so much more. But, by being on Class Board for the past three years, raising money for this one big night has sent my life at this time into a realm of chaos. The pressure is on to try to make this night unforgettable for every single senior in the class. While I believe that this goal is very attainable, my conscience frequently questions every decision I make: what if people don’t like the food? The music? What if they don’t like anything? Not to mention my own worries with looking the part; finding a dress that fits me in all the right places, booking countless appointments for the day of, and making sure that my date has the right color bow tie. These past few weeks, I’ve come to realize is two things. One is that all of my stress and worries about this night won’t matter. Prom will be a night to remember and it will be perfect. Everyone will be surrounded by their friends, having the time of their lives, and making so many memories that they will keep forever. In 20 years, no one is going to remember the music or food, but rather all of those wonderful memories that were made that night. The second thing that I learned is that with these last two months of school, life is what you make of it. You can worry about the little things and get completely worked up about every little detail. I want to make the most of these final months of my senior year, and that starts with letting all of the little things go.
Colleen Martucci Photo Editor For every issue during the 20152016 school year, one of the Devils’ Advocate senior editors will write a letter from the editor.
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Adviser Cherise Lopez clopez@hinsdale86.org 630-570-8361 Devils’ Advocate 55th and Grant Street Hinsdale, IL 60521 For more articles and content, visit us at hcdevilsadvocate.com, or scan the QR code.
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1. What emoji describes how you feel about the rest of the year? 2. Favorite thing about spring? 3. Dream summer vacation location? Lelia Jennings, Freshman
1. The hourglass 2. It means the school year is almost over! 3. My bed, sleeping
JoonSoo Kim, Sophomore 1. The whale 2. Watermelon season 3. Colorado Springs
Terry Dunphy, Junior
1. Shocked 2. Spring break - go figure 3. New York City
Julia Mercurio, Senior 1. Upside-down smile 2. The warm weather 3. Australia photos by Haley Anderson
Cheers and Jeers -Cheers to the Panama Papers for
-Jeers to the end of Kobe Bryant’s career. He may be retired, but we’re still going to basically confirming the existence of shout “Kobe!” when we throw things in the Illuminati. #iwanttobelieve the trash. -Cheers to Dr. Kolkman for reminding -Jeers to the Zika Virus ruining thousands us that not all senior pranks need to of summer vacation plans to Costa Rica. end with beer kegs, flagpoles, and That’s $1000 I’m never getting back. fractured skulls. Stay safe, finish strong. -Jeers to the return of senior parking -Cheers to the great weather. Jorts have application season. Also known as The Hinsdale Central Hunger Games. never made a faster comeback. Opinions Cheers and Jeers snapthought January.indd 2
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UBER S AFE? T
More and more people weigh the risks of using Uber
ravis Kalanick and Garrett Camp found themselves trying and failing to hail down a taxi on a snowy Paris night in 2008. This was the moment from which sprung Uber, the driving service with the “tap a button, get a ride” concept. Headquartered and originating in San Francisco, California, Uber now serves 58 countries and 403 cities worldwide and is estimated to be worth $62.5 billion. Uber allows regular people to sign up to become Uber drivers. Customers then use the Uber app to find a nearby driver to pick them up. The app allows for passengers to rate drivers and vice versa. With overwhelming success and popularity often comes criticism and skepticism. To become a driver, no face-to-face interview is necessary; the criteria such as age, ability to drive, health, and a background check are all a person needs to become a driver via the website. Meanwhile, for many taxi services, drivers are required to take specific courses or pass exams to be employed. Reinforcing the widespread skepticism, various deaths, alleged assaults, and sexual harassment cases have pushed this driving company into the limelight. We believe that you can Uber at your own risk; however, it is important to be aware of the facts before you start looking for the ride nearest you. According to Global Web Index’s “The Demographics of Uber’s US Users,” 30 percent of Uber passengers are between the ages of 16 and 24. People below 18 are not allowed to ride unaccompanied, but many times this rule is not followed. Parents may feel safe having their kids take Uber as they are able to track the drive via the Uber app along with
the driver’s license plate and credentials. “My parents hate it. They’re afraid that it could be unsafe because you don’t know the drivers. I think it’s worth the risk. It’s a ride home,” said Lily Booth, senior. For any who question the service, they would not be wrong. “I’ve had some pretty unusual experiences. One time, our driver took some back road to the city and his car was really old. We gave him one star,” Booth said. One of the earliest incidents occurred December 31, 2013 in San Francisco. A 57-year-old Uber driver, Syed Muzaffar, ran over 6-year-old pedestrian Sofia Liu while she crossed the street with her mother and brother. Muzaffar was later charged for alleged vehicular manslaughter. Uber relayed their sympathies to the Liu family, along with an unknown sum of money. More recently, an Uber driver killed people between providing lifts in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A 45-year-old, Jason Dalton, shot and killed six people and injured two others during a four hour rampage in February. Dalton had only begun driving for Uber a few days earlier and had dropped off a passenger within 90 minutes of the shooting. Uber is one of the most convenient transportation services offered across the nation, but passengers should still be aware of their safety. While there is no need to refrain from Uber, passengers should always be aware of the potential risks that the service may pose.
This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate Editorial Board.
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The To-Do List by Saadia Elahi
September: Go all out for dress up days October: Fall into Autumn November: Cook once a week December: Relax and rejuvenate January: Stay inside and in shape February: Schedule some fun March: Make 18 memorable April: Forgive and forget
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the important part is learning from all you’ve done wrong. My high school career has been far from perfect— academically, socially, etc.—but it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve learned an unbelievable amount, both in and out of the classroom. It’s taken me a while to realize it, but these four years were just a launch pad for infinite future possibilities. I’m determined to make the most of my last month at Central. It’s completely cliché, but honestly, what about high school isn’t? In order to plan the best future possible, I need to enjoy the present. This month, I’m going to forgive myself and learn from my mistakes. I’m going to let go. And I’m going to be ready for a new start.
photo by Shiv Bajaj
s my senior year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about my experiences over the past few years. There’s something about endings that makes me go into super self-reflection mode. You know, the usual—think about past mistakes, laugh and look fondly on the good times, et cetera et cetera. However, I have an irrational fear of the unknown. Though I absolutely live for new experiences, there’s a small part of me that constantly longs for familiarity and comfort. Once I start something new, I’m completely fine. But the days and weeks and months leading up to that “first” are like torture for me. I’ll admit it: the future totally freaks me out. The past, present, and future are undeniably linked. What happened in the past influences what you’re doing today. What you’re doing today will subsequently impact what happens to you in the future. And planning for the future ultimately makes you consider what happened in the past. The Lion King is always right: life is a circle. My uncertainty about the future makes me think a lot about my past. I have trouble moving on from my own mistakes because I get caught up in thinking about the consequences I might face in the future. But as I’ve been engaging in some good old end-of-the-year self reflection, I’ve realized that I’m holding myself back by not letting things go. When we’re little, we’re always taught to forgive others and forget grievances they’ve caused us. But there’s never been an emphasis on forgiving ourselves. Making mistakes is natural. Sometimes, I’m just too tired to stay up and study for a test. Sure, maybe I shouldn’t have procrastinated so much, and maybe I should have prioritized. But then I know not to repeat the same mistake with the next test. Error is really inspiration;
Elahi looks back on her high school experience. Literally.
Opinions
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monthly
News
briefs
all that jazz
New nhs members
by Zeljko Kospic
by Ali Ardehali and Keshav Sanghani
Central’s Jazz bands and ensembles showcased their hard work and musical talents on April 19. “Jazz is a class held every other morning at 7:00 a.m.,” said Marshall Moller, junior and member of the Jazz Ensemble. Students meet for practice outside of the regular school day, and prepare for performances alongside their dictated band coursework. Yet, practice time isn’t the only difference between jazz and Central’s other band programs. “Regular band classes at school are classical and are what you are placed in when you join band,” Moller said. “Jazz is optional and is a completely different music style.” According to Moller, the option to participate in both music forms is something band students pride themselves on. “Jazz is more free...you get to solo and improvise, whereas classical is more musical but more restrained,” Moller said. The audience witnessed students collaborate with professionals. “[The] concert featured Shawn Maxwell, a local jazz artist and he performed with Central’s Ensemble and jazz band,” said Mr. Kurinsky, Jazz teacher. The concert benefitted city schools in need of musical instruments and worked with former Central teacher Dick Fletcher’s organization Schools Count, which helps city schools in need of funds and instruments.
This month, the National Honors Society (NHS) at Central will recognize students who have demonstrated academic excellence through its annual induction ceremony in May. In order to be recognized at the ceremony, students must successfully complete a series of requirements by the end of junior year, including leadership, character, and service. “[NHS] is a national organization that is founded upon four basic pillars--character, scholarship, leadership, and service,” said Peter Ren, Co-President of the NHS Club. “The job of the NHS member is to participate in the many NHS-sponsored events for the betterment of our community and ourselves as a whole.” Students invited to participate in the application process have their applications reviewed by the club’s board. Students who successfully demonstrate the four pillars in their daily lives and maintain a G.P.A. of 4.5 will be inducted into the club. After presenting a pledge, the new members are officially NHS members. “With more than 200 people involved per year, the organization boasts participation by a large number of senior students, making it an experience that can be shared with many,” Ren said. The ceremony aims to recognize students for their achievements. “The ceremony recognizes students who complete their 20 hours of community service and is a way to recognize [student] achievement,” said Ms. Janicek, one of the NHS sponsors.
AP art show Central artists are preparing for the AP art show on April 26 through April 28. Students will display various projects that showcase the intricacies of each artist’s personal style. “Seeing my artwork on display makes me feel a sense of accomplishment and pride,” said Jocelyn Enriquez, senior. “It is a very rewarding feeling to see others looking and enjoying my artwork.” Artists have fueled their artistic passion ever since they were young. “I loved doodling ever since I was a child, and ever since then I knew I wanted to become an artist,” said Sandra Keta, senior. The students have been constantly working on new pieces and thinking of what their next piece of artwork will be. While this piece will not be on display in the AP Art “Being an artist is part of my identity. All I do is talk about Show, sophomore Anushka Nair painted it for her art art; I can’t help it,” Enriquez said. class, and may one day be a participant of the show.
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photo by Elizabeth Bogs
by Anya Uppal
News
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FROM CENTRAL TO STANFORD Junior Anna Santulli commits to play lacrosse at Stanford by Sofia Rafiq and Isha Kukadia
photo by Elizabeth Bogs
Anna Santulli is one of the best lacrosse players on the field, and Stanford University knows it. Named an All-American by the U.S. lacrosse team both her freshman and sophomore years, Santulli committed to play at Stanford November of her junior year after being contacted by several colleges that watched her play at camps and in tournaments. Despite being recruited to a college early in her high school career, Santulli continues to improve her lacrosse skills by playing different positions besides an attacker, which is what she usually plays. Extra practice combined with advice from her coaches ensures that Santulli will be prepared to play at Stanford in the fall of 2017. However, practicing three hours a day, six days a week can become stressful when trying to balance lacrosse with school work, especially during junior year. “It seems that every time I see a girl’s lacrosse game, [Santulli] is scoring five goals a game,” said Zak Marinko, senior and lacrosse player for the boy’s team. “The offense revolves around how important she is to the team.” Santulli manages lacrosse and school by working with both her coaches and teachers. “I try to be as productive as I can with the time I have outside of practice and games during season,” Santulli said. Nonetheless, for now, the junior hopes to be a role model for other members of her team, much as her older sisters had done for her when they taught her how to play lacrosse in the first grade. “My parents advise me to be positive and to be a team leader to the younger girls and to always give 100 percent in practice and games,” Santulli said. The varsity girl’s lacrosse team will play Rockford at home on April 29 and hopes to go to the state championships once again by the end of this season.
During a practice in March, Santulli ran to get open.
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Making a Murderer, a Netflix series, quickly became one of the streaming website’s highest grossing series, as it followed the investigation and conviction of Steven Avery, a man who has been in prison most of his life for a rape/ murder he questionably did not commit.
After a murder investigation resulted in the conviction of suspect Adnan Syed, Sarah Koenig decided to make a Podcast called Serial where she talked over details of the case for public opinion. The result of this Podcast was a new hearing for the suspect.
Sources www.nbcnews.com www.serialposcast.org www.nytimes.com www.prisonpolicy.org www.thinkprogress.org www.bop.gov
BEHIND BARS
The US has the most prisoners of any developed country in the world — and it has the largest total prison population of any nation. More than 1.57 million inmates sat behind bars in federal, state, and county prisons and jails around the country as of December 2013.
The annual average taxpayer cost to keep someone in prison is typically about $30,000 per inmate (in the most expensive cases, such as New York State, prices were as high as $60,000 per prison inmate.)
Most Common Conviction Type
Key Drug Offenses Extortion, Fraud, Bribery Homicide/Assault/Kidnapping Immigration Miscellaneous Robbery Sex Offenses Weapons/Explosives/Arson
In 2015, 149 people were freed after serving time in American prisons for crimes they did not commit.
Banking & Insurance/Counterfeit/ Embezzlement Burglary/Larceny/Property Offenses Continuing Criminal Enterprise Courts or Corrections
THE NAKED ROOMMATE
photo by Colleen Martucci
GUEST SPEAKER DISCUSSES HOW TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE LIFE
by Emma Joyce and Selin Turkyilmaz
12 Features
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Dorm drama and communal bathrooms. Hook-ups and new relationships. Loans and jobs. Lecture notes and finding friends. These are just a few aspects of college life students will experience, covered in Harlan Cohen’s book, The Naked Roommate. Featured in media outlets such as The New York Times and USA Today, Cohen draws upon his own life experiences to give advice to high school students on the social, academic, and mental transition into college. He will come to Hinsdale Central to talk about college readiness, and what to expect for the upcoming years on April 25. “While life in high school did a great job of preparing me to get into college, once I got to college, I was lost,” writes Cohen in his book. “There was so much I didn’t know, so much no one told me.” Cohen discusses the difficulties he had with finding his place in college, which resulted in him transferring to another college. “According to ACT, Inc., roughly one in four students doesn’t return to the same campus for their sophomore year,” explains Cohen in his introductory chapter. “Less than two-thirds of students who start college will finish with a degree.” Despite this trend, he believes that the tips, information, advice, resources, and support services presented in his book can lower these numbers, and greatly aid students in navigating college life—allowing students to not only survive college, but thrive. “That’s what this book is all about: helping students get comfortable in college and making the most of life inside and outside the classroom,” said Cohen in his book. With college right around the corner for seniors, the question is raised of how well Central has prepared students for college. ¨While high school may help us foster time management skills and study habits, it might not thoroughly prepare students for life on the college campus,” said Rachel Wang, junior. Wang believes that there is more to college than excelling in school. “College comes with a newfound independence and necessity for self-sufficiency,” Wang said.
-Rachel Wang
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While high school may help us foster time management skills and study habits, it might not thoroughly prepare students for life on the college campus.
Echoing Wang’s views, a 2015 national survey—entitled “The First Year College Experience”—shows that most college freshmen are unprepared for campus life. Conducted by Harris Poll for the JED Foundation, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, and The Jordan Porco Foundation, the study found that 60 percent of freshmen wished that they had had more help in high school for emotionally preparing for college.
1 IN 4
Emotionally preparedness proved to be a huge factor in whether or not a freshman had a successful first year STUDENTS DON’T RETURN of college. Half of the 1,500 students TO THE SAME CAMPUS FOR interviewed THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR said that they experienced stress “most or all of the time” and more than a third felt that they could not manage the anxiety of day-to-day college life. The study also demonstrated that while most students handled stress positively in high school, almost two in three dealt with stress negatively in college. When asked to agree or disagree with the statement that in high school, more emphasis was placed on being ready academically for college rather than being ready emotionally, 87 percent of students agreed. When asked to agree or disagree with the statement that students’ high schools placed more emphasis on college prestige than college fit, 52 percent agreed. “We put so much intensity, energy and focus into ‘prepping’ for college by preparing for the SATs, taking AP classes and visiting schools, [that] many of us miss a central part of the preparation project—namely, doing what you can to try to prepare developmentally for life away at college,” said Victor Schwartz, M.D., clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine and medical director of The Jed Foundation in an interview with NBC News. However, Central’s guidance counselors and administrators take many steps throughout students’ high school careers to best prepare them for college life. For example, during sophomore and junior year, students are given assistance with academic planning and career exploration. “Starting freshman year, we meet with students, get to know them, and work on a four-year plan that will successfully prepare them for an exciting post-secondary experience,” said Ms. Teresa Marshall, a guidance counselor at Central. “We encourage students to challenge themselves academically and explore new things, such as clubs or volunteering opportunities, to continue learning more about themselves.” Ms. Marshall believes that a student’s extracurricular activities and values both inside and outside of school serve as a good indicator on whether a certain college is a good fit for the student. “It is important for students to reflect on their experience in high school..and think about their interests and goals, making sure the school they choose offers opportunities to expand on these [goals] and allows them to continue to grow personally and academically,” Ms. Marshall said. To learn more about the college preparation process and how to have a successful college experience, students are encouraged to come to the Central auditorium at 7 p.m. on April 25 to listen to Harlan Cohen.
Features
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Obama in Cuba The significance of his visit and its implications for the future by Dana Ahdab and Sayali Amin
History
“Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. Historically, In 1959, a group of guerilla fighters overthrew it’s the seat of Latin culture, dating back to the Spanish President Batista and replaced him with Fidel Castro American Empire,” said Ms. Janet Mark, an AP United who established a socialist regime. After this, economic States history teacher at Central. “In the 21st century, it’s problems plagued the relationship between the United time to move beyond the Cold War and look to the future.” States and Cuba, ultimately leading to a severing of During his visit, President Obama expressed his desires diplomatic ties in 1961. to move past the Cold War. In 1962, Cuba allowed the Soviet Union to build a “My lifetime has spanned a time of isolation between missile base on the island which led to a nuclear standoff us. I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold referred to as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Cuba’s close ties War in the Americas,” President Obama said in a speech to the Soviet Union and its socialist political system led to addressed to the Cuban people on March 22. even more antagonism between the United States and Cuba. This rift between the two countries "My lifetime has spanned What’s next? a time of isolation remained until President Obama’s President Obama’s visit to Cuba efforts to rebuild the relationship. In between us. I have come could mean a shift in foreign policy. 2009, Obama’s administration lifted here to bury the last “Before, the United States travel restrictions to Cuba, allowing attempted to enact change by remnant of the Cold War American citizens to travel there for ignoring Cuba. Now, we are in the Americas." religious and educational purposes. attempting to enact change In 2015, the United States and Cuba -Barack Obama by forming a relationship. reopened embassies in each others’ That is a dramatic shift,” said capitals, in a step towards restoring Carolyn Chun, junior. diplomatic relations. However, due to the upcoming presidential election, the
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Obama’s Visit
In 2016, President Obama visited Havana, Cuba on March 21 and 22. This is the first time that a sitting United States president has visited Cuba in 88 years, since Calvin Coolidge. During the trip, President Obama held a joint press conference with Cuban President Castro, gave a speech to the Cuban people, and met with political dissidents. This visit was a pivotal moment in the relationship between the two countries.
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question is whether this policy established by the Obama administration will be continued. “As far as I know, Rubio was the only candidate to make Cuba a central issue of his platform. That being said, it’s a fair bet that most of the others would separate along party lines: Democrats for, Republicans against,” Chun said. However, according to CNN, Republican Donald Trump is relatively open to the idea of continuing this policy with Cuba, though Trump’s views do not support those of majority of his party.
14 Profiles APRIL DESIGN.indd 1
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SELECTIVE SYMPATHY by Arman Haveric, Ray Shryock, Lancelot Lin, Seetha Aribindi
In the wake of European terrorist attacks, some parts of the world feel ignored
On November 13, 2015, eight terrorists perpetrated a series of shootings and bomb attacks in Paris, France, targeting cafés, a crowded theater, and the French national stadium. The terror attacks left 128 people dead and sent the global media reeling. Millions of Facebook users added temporary filters representing the French flag on their profile pictures. Dozens of world leaders condemned the attacks and offered the French people their words of support. National monuments all across the globe were illuminated in red, blue, and white to pay tribute to the lives lost in the tragedy. More than 21,000 Englishlanguage news articles were published online the day of the Paris attack. Relatively, absent from the media discourse in the weeks following the Paris attacks was a similar tragedy which occurred on that same day and left 43 people dead. The victims of this attack were not French; they were exclusively Lebanese, killed by two ISIS suicide bombers in southern Beirut. Facebook offered no Lebanese flag filter in the wake of the tragedy. It did not enable the “Safety Check” feature – which allows users to label themselves as “safe” during a disaster – as it did after the Paris attacks. The international media did not rush to cover the dozens of lost lives nor were the Empire State and Sydney Opera House illuminated with the colors of the Lebanese flag. Only 1,292 online news articles about the bombing were published the day of the attack according to a report done by thenation.com. This phenomenon - dubbed by some “selective mourning” – has been an issue of current interest, given the recent string of deadly terror attacks happening all over the world, but with each tragedy seemingly receiving specialized coverage depending
16 Features
in which part of the world it occurred. The issue has struck a chord with certain Central students – some of whom view the specialized attention to attacks such as the 2015 one in Paris as media bias. “It’s media bias – [the media] showing what they want to show, villainizing who they want to villainize. They show that people from first world countries are victims, and because the US is part of the first world, it could happen here too,” said Kareem Jabri, senior. “The goals of the terrorists [responsible for the Paris attacks] is to get people scared. I think the media fear monger as much as terrorists do.” On the morning of March 22, 2016, 32 were killed and nearly 300 were injured in Brussels, Belgium, by three coordinated bombings at the Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Belgian history, prompting a three-day period of mourning in Belgium. In a trend similar to that seen in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, buildings worldwide, from the New York City town hall to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio di Janiero, were illuminated with the colors of the Belgian flag. Belgians were able to mark themselves as “safe” during the tragedy. Facebook introduced a Belgian flag filter for users’ profile pictures. The media coverage of the attacks in Brussels was disproportionately higher than the
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Terrorist Attacks in November 2015
Location
Baghdad
data from www.thenation.com
392 1292
Beirut
21672
Paris 0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Number of news articles
8
30.7% of all attacks
1
3.8% of all attacks
11
1
4
15.3% of all attacks
3.8% of all attacks
45.8% of all attacks
Terrorist Attacks with 50+ Deaths Worldwide in 2015 data from Wikipedia
Europe Southeast Asia Central/South Asia Middle East Africa
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coverage for attacks in Pakistan that killed 81, in Iraq that killed 41, in Nigeria that killed 22, in Turkey that killed 42, and in the Ivory Coast that killed 16, all of which happened within a matter of weeks of the Brussells attacks. “It’s a phenomenon called selective mourning,” said Ruoqi Wei, senior. “Obviously there is nothing wrong with mourning Paris and Brussels, as it is only natural since the media reports it. But selective mourning is due to ingrained racism. It is also because with white power and its prevalence, we are made to see white as the only actual "people” – we see other races as just 2–dimensional facsimiles of people. The more that it is portrayed that only white or rich or privileged lives matter, the more we see other races and classes as just a demographic and not an actual life.” According to a 2015 national survey by Pew Research Center, 55 percent of Americans say they know little or nothing about Islam. However, media representation of minorities is often a double edged sword. It marginalizes minority voices and creates negative stereotypes, as 5 in 10 Americans say they would describe Islam as violent. All but one of the terror attacks in 2015 that resulted in more than 50 deaths found its roots in radical Islamist movements. Islamophoia is defined as unfounded hostility towards Islam and unfair discrimination against Muslim individuals and communities, and there are many who believe it is perpetuated by the mainstream media. “The media chooses to display the negative actions of Muslims, which definitely distorts the proportion of Muslim terrorist [to peaceful Muslims],” said Omar Nabulsi, junior and member of the Muslim Student Association. “There are violent people in every religion and we cannot blame the religion for this.” According to Pew Research Center, Americans mostly rely on the mainstream media to shape their opinions on Muslims. Only 38 percent of Americans say they personally know someone who is Muslim. Statistically speaking, this puts the mainstream
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media in a powerful position in influencing how Americans see Muslims. Because so few Americans have personal contact with Muslims in day to day life, the media is an important factor in influencing how Americans perceive Muslims. “‘Media bias’ [is] a loaded term,” explained Roger Boye, Professor Emeritus at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. “Most news media tend to reflect the geographic interests of their readers/viewers/listeners. So, the focus with so many media is on audience, audience, audience and serving that audience. People watching WBBM-TV news, for example, want to see stories that come from in and around Chicago and WBBM-TV will report those stories or it very likely will have a dwindling market share. People watching the news on KYW-TV in Philadelphia want to know what is happening in their area; they care much, much less about what is happening in Chicago.” In a similar way, said Professor Boye, American media usually hits roadblocks when covering events in countries like Turkey or Nigeria. “I recently read an essay written by a student from Turkey applying to Northwestern that talked about government censorship in Turkey,” Professor Boye said. “The Boko Haram attacks often occur in isolated locations in northern Nigeria. It is very difficult for journalists, especially US journalists, to get to and report from those places and without that access, reliable information can be very scarce and without reliable information, there will be fewer and shorter stories.” Nonetheless, it seems that negative portrayals of Muslims tend to receive greater media attention. Published in the American Sociological Review, Christopher Bail, a study researcher at the University of Michigan, performed an analysis on how the media covered different organizations that expressed opinions on Islam. He analyzed 1,084 press releases from 120 organizations. To find out which organizations were best at getting covered by the media, Bail compared the press releases with more than 50,000 newspaper articles and television transcripts. Bail studied articles from major newspapers like the New York Times and television broadcasts from stations like CNN, CBS, and Fox for variety. Bail found that sensational press releases which took advantage of viewers’ fear and anger had the best chance of getting the public’s attention. His studies also revealed that press
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releases that portrayed Muslims in a positive light by and large tended to get less media attention than press releases that portrayed Muslims in a negative or foreboding light. Press releases where Muslim organizations denounced terrorism garnered relatively little media attention. This, explained Bail, makes it seem as though Muslims don’t condemn the actions of terrorists and aren’t interested in peace. In the days following January 7, 2015, the American media spent extensive periods of time covering the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris that claimed 17 lives. Nearly 4 million people, including world leaders, took to the Parisian streets in defiance of terrorism after the attacks. On the same day as the Charlie Hebdo attack, however, a massacre by the terror group Boko Haram in a northern Nigerian town left more than 100 people dead and displaced some 35,000 others. Yet the latter attack, which quantitatively resulted in bigger destruction and affected many more lives, received sparse media coverage in the West, being overshadowed by the attack that happened closer to home, in Paris. Central students have asked what makes one tragedy more newsworthy than the other. “The media does not [show sympathy for victims in] Turkey or Iraq because citizens there are seen as numbers, who die on a daily basis,” Wei said. “However, why is one life more important than another?”
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Attacks in certain regions of the world often go unnoticed by Western media such as the bombing in Suruc, Turkey above on July 20, 2015.
Most news media tend to reflect the geographic interests of their readers or viewers or listeners. So, the focus with so many media is on audience, audience, audience and serving that audience.
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- Roger Boye, Professor Emeritus, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
Features
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Auditing • Consulting • Financial Advisory • Enterprise Risk 111 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 486-1000
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Then and Now: Teacher Edition Left: Ms. Mark, Social Studies Below: Ms. Saunders, English
Below: Mrs. Griffin, Math Bottom right: Mrs. Watson, Physical Education
Right: Mr. Griffin, Math
Photos by Colleen Martucci, Haley Anderson and Shiv Bajaj
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WHERE TO BE THIS MONTH APRIL 30
PROM MAY 1 - DECEMBER 31
CHICAGO CHOCOLATE TOUR MAY 8
MOTHER’S DAY BOTANIC GARDENS BRUNCH MAY 21 - MAY 22
WHAT TO EAT THIS MONTH
OAKBROOK ART FAIR
PREVIEW: BOTANIC GARDENS MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH Treat your mother to the greatest Mother’s Day by spending a day
together at the Botanic Garden in Glencoe. Enjoy an elegant brunch at the Garden and spend the rest of the day surrounded by nature and viewing all that spring has to offer. The all-you-can-eat buffet includes a carving station, omelets, and a myriad of fresh, appetizing selections. Tables accommodate 10 to 12 guests, and each time slot will have fewer than 200 people. This will allow for a delightful and an intimate setting for families during brunch. Parties of eight or fewer may share a table with other guests. The greenhouses and breathtaking outdoor garden spaces are available for families to explore before and after their brunch seatings. Tickets are available online or at the Visitor Center; keep in mind, they quickly sell out, so planning ahead is highly recommended. For more information, please visit www.chicagobotanic.org or call at (847)-835-5440.
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by Rina Ravisundar
Time: Seatings at: 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. Where: The Botanic Gardens McGinley Pavilion 1000 Lake Cook Rd. Glencoe, Ill. 60022 When: Sunday, May 8, 2016 Admission: Children (2 and under) - Free Children (3-12) - $24.95/$27.95 Adults - $52.95/$59.95 Members pay the lower price listed. Price includes parking, taxes, and gratuity.
Infographic
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MENU OF THE MONTH: Spaghetti Carbonara
DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; reserve 1/2 cup water and drain well. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. 3. Add 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream to skillet and stir until everything is mixed well. INGREDIENTS: 8 ounces spaghetti 4 slices bacon, diced 3/4 cup grated Parmesan photos by Rina Ravisundar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
photos by Rina Ravisundar
MUSIC MANIA OF THE MONTH “Work” by Rihanna: No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. “7 Years” by Lukas Graham No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
MOVIE MADNESS OF THE MONTH
THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR
KEANU
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
APRIL 22
APRIL 29
MAY 6 Infographic
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