November 2018 Issue - Midterm Elections Special Edition

CHRONICLE THE HARVARD WESTLAKE

MIDTERM ELECTIONS SPECIAL EDITION

Studio City • Volume 28 • Issue 3 • Nov. 14, 2018 • hwchronicle.com

Political State of Mind

By JAY LASSITER, JENNY LI AND ZACK SCHWARTZ

“Son do you know why I’m stopping you for,” music artist and Grammy-winner Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter rapped in his 2004 song “99 Problems”. “Cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low.”

For Jay-Z, music has always acted as a medium to address social and political currents; in “99 Problems,” Jay-Z comments on institutional racism and mass incarceration.

His most recent 2017 album “4:44” discussed current racial and financial tensions.

“I feel like whenever there is strife and when there is trouble in the world, it is the position and the duty of the artists to speak to the times,” Jay-Z said. “Music and musicians [are] microcosms of society.”

• Continued on C2

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

In this issue NEWS

Uber, Lyft offer rides to the polls for free on election day to promote voting. A2 Sanjay Patel ’95 runs for Congress in Florida, loses to fiveterm incumbant. A3

OPINION

Why current electoral systems grant voters in less populous states more power. A8

FEATURES

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative students discuss their political preferences. B1

ARTS AND

ENTERTAINMENT

Students say entertainment media contributes to political polarization. C1

Voting patterns shift in election, Election ‘blue ripple’ to affect future policy reflections

By SOPHIE HABER AND KAITLIN MUSANTE

age to address several.

“They are centered around different commitIn a “blue ripple,” the tees, and there is absolutely Democrats took the House no reason they can’t try to of Representatives and many revive some sort of commitcontentious governor races in ment to the healthcare or the midterm elections Nov. 6. other issues that have proFollowing a two-year period pelled them along with the of a Republican-dominated investigation,” Werner said. legislature and presidency, “They just need to get all this change represents shifts their ducks in a row.”

The Democrats also made in voting patterns since the 2016 election and is expect- substantial gains on the gued to impact policy direction. bernatorial level, flipping Through their victory in seven of the nation’s govthe House, the Democrats ernorship. These gains will now have effective veto power play a key role in redistrictover the Trump administra- ing battles to come after the tion’s legislative initiatives. 2020 Census, as Democrats will likely try Republicans to reverse Reare expected publican gerto struggle to “No one else can rymandering repeal and refrom 2010, make the changes our place the Afaccording to fordable Care generation wants to see. the WashingAct, according It’s time that [youth voters] ton Post. to NBC. However, The Demotake accountability into according the crats’ win also our hands.”

The Atlantic, places them in the position to —Rachel Grode ’19 D e m o c r a t s fell short of investigate the some of their Trump administration, including the Rus- gubernatorial goals, losing to sian connection to President Republican governors in preDonald Trump’s campaign, dominantly blue states.

The Republicans also controversial spending by his Cabinet secretaries and not only maintained their Trump’s personal income tax majority in the Senate but added several seats. This returns, according to NBC. History teacher Francine win will allow Trump to conWerner ’68 said that while tinue to gain approval on fumany believe that the Demo- ture conservative Supreme crats can only focus on one Court nominees and offers issue or the other, she feels him greater protection from they can successfully man- potential impeachment, ac-

“

cording to NBC. The results of the midterm elections reflect changes in voting patterns of key demographics since the 2016 presidential election.

Republicans maintained their base of rural voters, which served as an advantage in Senate races in predominantly white heartland states, according to the Atlantic. However, suburban voters shifted to the left this election. According to The New York Times, the Democrats flipped 30 seats, the majority of which were in suburban districts.

High turnout levels in key voter groups also bolstered Democrats. Democrats won the women’s vote for Congress by the largest margin ever recorded in midterm exit polls. Thirty-one percent of voters under the age of 30 turned out to vote in the elections, the highest number in at least 25 years, according to Real Clear Politics, and NBC news analysts cited them as important contributors to Democratic gains.

“I think that it’s awesome to have a young voter turnout as large as we did,” Rachel Grode ’19 said. “It’s really important that kids our age are becoming involved in politics because, ultimately, we’re the fate of our country, and there’s really no one else who can make the changes our generation wants to see.

It’s time that we take accountability into our hands.”

by a liberal

By EMMANUEL ZILBER Guest Contributor

As election results across the country continue to be reported, one thing is very clear: Democrats have won the House, and Republicans have expanded their majority in the Senate. Regardless of political affiliation, it is important to keep something in mind: everything will be okay.

I’m disappointed, as I’m sure my left-leaning peers are as well, by the performance of Senate Democrats.

I’m also excited at the prospects of a Democratically controlled-House which the country has not seen since 2010, and I’m sure my conservative peers are disappointed. Our country has a long way to go in reaching a point of mutual respect and bipartisanship, but it will not fall apart because of these elections.

Republicans have effectively bolstered their Senate majority by taking three seats held by Democratic incumbents in conservative states: Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota, and Florida’s votes are still being counted as of press time.

Paired with this Democratic shortfall, the greatest disappointment liberals face is • Continued on A7

A2 News

The Chronicle

Teachers address midterms

Nov. 14, 2018

By Casey Kim

During the weeks leading up to the 2018 midterm elections, the history department prepared in-class activities and discussions for students regarding possible outcomes of the race.

The late-start block schedule days encouraged some history teachers to implement an election-related activity or assignment in their classes, history teacher Celia Goedde said.

“With the block periods landing where they did and with the midterm elections coming up, it was just the perfect time period to do [the activity] and give a little more time and flexibility in class,” Goedde said.

Students in United States History and AP United States History researched candidates in specific districts across the country during the trial latestart day block periods, while AP U.S. Government classes

STAGED PHOTO BY LINDSAY WU AND LUKE SCHNEIDER/CHRONICLE

PREDICTING OUR FUTURE: U.S. History and AP U.S. History students work in pairs to research about the candidates of their assigned districts for the midterm elections. Their predictions for the outcome of the race were shared to the rest of the class. wrote papers predicting results of the elections.

“I think it’s really useful to do research on these types of things because it’s very important that the students of our community are informed in some way about what is going on in our country,” A.P. U.S. History student Holden

McRae ’20 said.

Goedde said that she hoped the activity provided students with more factual information about this pivotal midterm elections.

“This is a great time for students to be interested in the political climate,” Goedde said.

“There is a lot of emotion and

passion, and, as a teacher, one of the things that I want to do is give students some factual foundation to guide them.”

The activity also served as an enjoyable break from what is usually a lecture-based class, Scarlett Strasberg ’20 said.

“Not only did we get to

choose who we thought was going to win, but we also investigated which issues were the most important and listen to our classmates talk about the races they researched,” Strasberg said. “We got to see the motifs of what is really important in this election and our nation.”

Students react to the outcome of midterms

By Saba Nia

STAGED PHOTO BY LINDSAY WU AND LUKE SCHNEIDER/CHRONICLE

WANT A ‘LYFT’?: A&E Assistant Editor Sarah Reiff ’20 uses a ridesharing app to reach the polls.

Companies, like Lyft and Uber, partnered with nonprofit organizations to offer free rides for voters.

Uber and Lyft offer free rides for voters

By Emma Shapiro Ridesharing companies announced a nonpartisan campaign for the midterm elections to offer free rides to the polls for voters. Uber and Lyft both hoped to increase the voter turnout on election day, according to KY3, a magazine based in Springfield, Illinois.

Voters who were unable to reach the polls because of transportation problems utilized the offer to make it to their polling stations.

This policy benefited new voters, disabled groups and the elderly with their possible transportation issues, according to the car-based news web-

site Fast Company.

Uber and Lyft partnered with nonprofit organizations in order to improve accessibility to the polls and voter turnout.

Uber worked with When We All Vote to register voters and #VoteTogether and Democracy Works to provide free rides to voters in underserved communities, according to its official website. Lyft also worked with When We All Vote, as well as nonprofit partners including Voto Latino and League of Women Voters, according to its blog.

“I think that this policy will benefit disabled groups and provide extra assistance and service to those in need,”

Rebecca Sugerman ’19 said.

“This will incentivize the election by making free transportation a reason to go to the polls.”

Lyft first announced 50% off election day rides in September, according to its blog.

In addition to its other promotions, Uber announced in October a button on its app that will help voters find the closest polling place and $10 off an UberPool ride, according to Time.

“If your excuse was that you didn’t have transportation to the polls, this policy solves that problem by offering free rides to the election,” Sugerman said.

The Chronicle, the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School, is published 10 times per year and distributed free on both the upper and middle school campuses.

There are 732 students at the Middle School and 870 students at the Upper School.

Subscriptions may be purchased for $20 a year for delivery by mail. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the

Students discussed the outcomes of the 2018 midterm elections and their interpretations of the California propositions.

Peter Sykes ’19, a first-time voter, said that he appreciated being able to directly participate in an election and viewing the effects of his actions.

“It was interesting seeing [the outcomes],” Sykes said. “I was able to contribute to these things that I just had seen before. Watching the news and seeing the elections and stuff in the results of all the elections and going like, ‘I contributed to that and helped’ was kind of cool.”

Anja Clark ’19 said that though she felt fortunate to be able to vote in the midterm elections, the responsibility was simultaneously exciting and daunting. Clark said she felt particularly passionate about being able to vote on Proposition 2, a legislative statute that authorizes bonds to fund existing housing program for individuals with mental illness.

Ally Salvador ’19, who organized a Truth Tree campaign on campus during Suicide Prevention Week, said she is pleased the state will take

steps to address the effects of mental health illnesses.

“I think [the proposition] is definitely a very good start to bring awareness to our only mental illness in the homeless community, but you how it affects everyone,” Salvador said.

Despite not being able to vote on Proposition 12, which establishes new standards for the confinement of specified farm animals and bans the sale of non-complying products, Coco Kaleel ’20 said its passing was monumental.

“At least if you look historically at regulations like environmental protections, California is such a big state that it has so much influence over the rest of the nation, so Prop 12 could have a lot of impact really in the animal rights community and in the quality of animal treatment throughout the country not just in California,” Kaleel said.

Sykes said that after reflecting on the election he is proud that he voted in the midterms and advocates for others to vote as well.

“I think it’s important to [vote] because that’s probably one of the biggest ways you can enact change,” Sykes said.

“It was cool seeing that I now have an impact on a national scale.”

editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Cameron Stokes at cstokes1@hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

Nov. 14, 2018

hwchronicle.com/news

News A3

Alumnus runs for House

By Lindsay Wu

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TALI TUFELD ’20

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CLAY SKAGGS ’20

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TALI TUFELD ’20

HELPING HANDS: Left: Tali Tufeld ’20 smiles with Katie Hill. Top right: Students working on Hill’s campaign promote her message with merchandise before the election. Bottom right: Clay Skaggs ’20 stands with Judy Chu and her team of summer interns.

Students intern for California politicians

By Luke Schneider

In the months leading up to the midterm elections, many students volunteered and interned for candidates across California.

Tali Tufeld ’20 and Griffin Gunn-Meyers ’19, two of the many students who interned for candidates, worked for Katie Hill in the time leading up to the election. Hill is now a U.S. Representative-elect for the 25th District.

“I found her campaign through Swing Left, an organization that gives people really easy access to volunteer with campaigns near them,” Tufeld said. “I then read more about her and her positions on a wide variety of issues, finding that most of them are very similar to mine.”

Tufeld and Gunn-Meyers held a variety of different jobs

when they worked for Hill. on helping people.”

Gunn-Meyers said that they Skaggs said that he particspent most of their time call- ularly enjoyed discussing with ing supporters and otherwise Chu about different policies. canvassing. “[Chu] was super open to Clay Skaggs ’20, who everybody’s opinion on poliworked in the district office of tics,” Skaggs said.

Congresswoman Judy Chu, Emmanuel Zilber ’19, who said his work alhas worked for Gavin lowed him to connect Newsom since 2017, with the surroundsaid his work changed ing community. as they neared the “The office’s work election. is mainly public ser“A lot of time was vice to her constitspent calling [Demouents rather than cratic] delegates and policy,” Skaggs said. attempting to pitch ’ “The caseworkers Newsom and his polClay connect constituicies so that they Skaggs ’20 ents with federal would pick him,” Zilagencies. This service includes ber said. “Over the course of helping people become citi- the campaign, this shifted to zens, settling social securi- general texts and voter phone ty matters, handling veter- calls, helping out at campaign ans affairs and much more. events and learning about the The work at this level is very financial aspects of the camnon-partisan and just focused paign.” white s

Human Rights Watch campaign looks to increase voter registration

By Ruoshan Dong and Alice He

The Human Rights Watch Student Task Force organized an initiative to increase voter registration and promote political awareness around campus for the midterm elections.

The campaign stressed the importance of viewing current political issues with an emphasis on human rights and to inform voting.

Co-presidents Sonya Ribner ’19, Catherine Crouch ’19

and Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Sophie Haber ’19 said they were first inspired to create the campaign in order to educate the eligible voters within the school community.

The goal of this project was to encourage students to utilize their voices to enact future changes in society, Ribner said.

“We tried to select campaigns that both require human rights advocacy and that are really relevant to our classmates’ daily lives,” Ribner

said. “Given that the midterm elections were coming up, it seemed like the ideal time for a campaign that stressed not only the importance of making your voice heard through voting but also voting with a view toward human rights issues.”

The student group co-hosted a voter registration drive prior to the midterm elections with Andrea Yahger ’20.

At the drive, they registered voters, educated students to view candidates and human rights issues and encouraged

Zilber said he enjoyed his internship, as he was able to become very familiar with Newsom’s platform.

“The campaign was a great learning experience in how large campaigns are coordinated and won, ranging from electoral to financial strategies,” Zilber said.

Emma Sunkin ’19, who also interned for Newsom at the end summer, said she enjoyed working with students her age for his campaign.

“The most rewarding part of the experience was seeing how much a statewide campaign could help smaller campaigns, such as congressional races or state assembly races,” Sunkin said. “It was so amazing to witness a lot of young college students as well working as interns because it made me extremely hopeful of the future of our generation.”

“

Democratic House of Representatives candidate Sanjay Patel ’95 lost Florida’s 8th Congressional District election to five-term incumbent Republican Representative Bill Posey despite posing a serious challenge, according to TCPalm, a part of the USA Today network. Patel lost the election by over 20 points.

Patel’s campaign focused on preserving opportunity within the country by providing healthcare, promoting education and supporting livable wages. Additionally, Patel advocated for environmental protection, according to his campaign website.

“In many ways, I’ve been fortunate to achieve the American Dream,” Patel said in a questionnaire for Treasure Coast Newspapers. “Unfortunately, the [American] dream is becoming an illusion for too many hardworking people in our district.”

In addition to multiple democratic endorsements, Senator Bernie Sanders and the Sierra Club supported Patel and his campaign, according to Newsweek.

Prior to the election, Patel, a civic activist, represented Florida’s 8th District in the Democratic National Convention of 2016.

District 8 of Florida consists of the Brevard and Indian River Counties, where Republicans outnumber Democrats 43 percent to 27 percent, according to TCPalm.

Patel said on his campaign website that while he was not a career politician, he wanted to restore balance within his community and country.

“I will work to bring us together, not to tear us apart,” Patel said in the Treasure Coast Newspapers questionnaire. “We can disagree without disrespecting one another.

People are tired of this needless division.”

We wanted to make it prevalent on campus to try to urge those able to vote, and to get everyone engaged about their rights and how best to defend them.”

— Catherine Crouch ’19 Student Task Force President

increased voter turnout.

The group also provided information that related 11 ballot propositions to different articles and excerpts from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Students that were ineligible to vote had the opportunity to learn about political and human rights issues from

white’s

members of the club.

“The fall campaign for all of the Human Rights chapters involved is learning about the power of the vote,” Crouch said. “We wanted to make it prevalent on campus to try to urge those able to vote and to get everyone engaged about their rights and how best to defend them.”

THE CHRONICLE

A4 NEWS

NOV. 14

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM KO

of students who could not vote said they would if eligible

How do you feel about being too young to vote?

WHITE’S

of eligible voters voted

LINDSAY WU/CHRONICLE

“I think the voting age should be lowered to 16 or 17. When it comes to major elections like these, it’s really important to have a wide range of perspectives and voters.”

“Not being able to vote is unfortunate, but we have to wait.

That’s how it works.

I don’t really mind it that much because I’ll get to vote for about 60 years.

But I am excited to start.”

-Juliet Colitre ’21

-Will Lake ’21

4, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/NEWS

NEWS A5

r

#1: Approves $4 billion in bonds to help

low-income residents get lower-cost living.

#2:

Uses $2 billion from mental health funds to house homeless individuals with mental illnesses.

#4: Authorizes $1.5 billion in bonds to fund

grants for the construction, renovation and equipping of qualifying children’s hospitals.

#7: Gives Legislature the ability to change daylight savings time period. #11: Requires private-sector emergency am-

bulance employees to remain on call during work breaks.

#12: Establishes the minimum require-

ments for confining certain farm animals and prohibits sales of meat and egg products from animals confined in noncomplying manner.

#3: Approves $8.9 billion in bonds for infrastructure projects to improve fisheries and habitat restoration.

#5: Removes some housing transfer require-

ments for seniors and disabled homeowners.

#6: Repeals fuel taxes and fees designated

for road repairs and public transportation, which would reduce funding for public transportation and infrastructure.

#8: Regulates the amount that kidney dial-

WU LINDSAY TION BY W YORK TIMES NE ILLUSTRA OM THE FR TA DA

ysis clinics spend and charge for treatment.

#10: Repeals the law that restricts cities’ rent control policies on residential property. *Proposition 9 was removed from the ballot before Election day by the California Supreme Court

How do you feel about the results of the election?

JULIA PALBAUM

WHITE’S

“I am optimistic with what some are calling the ‘women’s wave.’

We have a 29-yearold female and a lesbian Native-American woman in Congress now. These are huge strides in the right direction.”

“I thought it was important that the Republicans maintained the Senate. Since a lot of the seats in the House were up for reelection, it doesn’t surprise me that the House has turned for the Democrats.”

- Dahlia Low ’20

- Adam Copses ’20

How does it feel to be a first-time voter?

WHITE’S

“Having my voice heard is pretty cool. My parents always used to take me to the polling station, so it was great to do it on my own.”

-Cecilia Wright ’19

WHITE’S

“I felt like it was strange to finally be making the decisions which would influence my government. I was also reminded of how much I didn’t know about some aspects of the government.”

-Charlie Ewell ’19

C HRONICLE THE HARVARD-WESTLAKE

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: SOPHIE HABER, JENNY LI PRINT MANAGING EDITORS: ALEX GOLDSTEIN, SOFIA HELLER, KAITLIN MUSANTE

OPINION The Chronicle • Nov. 14, 2018

Studio City • Volume 28• Issue 1 • Aug. 29, 2018 • hwchronicle.com

editorial

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR: LUCAS GELFOND PRESENTATION MANAGING EDITORS: RYAN ALBERT, KENDALL DEES ENGAGEMENT MANAGING EDITOR AND NEWS EDITOR: SABA NIA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: CASEY KIM, LUKE SCHNEIDER, LINDSAY WU OPINION EDITOR: VISHAN CHAUDHARY ASSISTANT OPINION EDITORS: TAMMER BAGDASARIAN, JESSA GLASSMAN, EMMA SHAPIRO, AMELIE ZILBER FEATURES EDITORS: KAELYN BOWERS, ALISON OH ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITORS: KYRA HUDSON, MADISON HUGGINS, JEANINE KIM, SPENCER KLINK, ANUSHA MATHUR, LAUREN NEHORAI, ZOE REDLICH A&E EDITOR: LEXI SO ASSISTANT A&E EDITORS: ANNIE BECKMAN, JORDAN MURRAY, SARAH REIFF SPORTS EDITORS: JACKIE GREENBERG, BEN TENZER ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: LUKE CASOLA, WILL MALLORY, KEILA MCCABE, ZACK SCHWARTZ WILLIAM SEYMOUR, EUGENE WYMAN ART DIRECTOR: SAM KO ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS: CAITLIN CHUNG, JAY LASSITER MULTIMEDIA EDITOR AND BUSINESS MANAGER: CAMERON STOKES ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGERS: SARAH HEALY, JOANNA IM ASSISTANT BROADCAST EDITORS: TY GOODRICH, COLE KATZ, YOOHAN KO, ALEX MORK, DYLAN SHENSON FREELANCE WRITERS: NOAH AIRE, VALERIE VELAZQUEZ LAYOUT ASSISTANTS AND STAFF WRITERS: OLIVIA BAER, CRYSTAL BAIK, MARIELA BREIDSPRECHER, LOLA BUTAN, LAUREN CHO, EUGEAN CHOI, EVA DE RUBERTIS, RUOSHAN DONG, OLIVIA GUBEL, TANISHA GUNBY, HANNAH HAN, SIOBHAN HARMS, FRANK JIANG, ETHAN LACHMAN, ALEXANDRA LANDECKER, AUSTIN LEE, LUCAS LEE, EMMA LIMOR, LEE NICHOLS, CELINE PARK, CHLOE SCHAEFFER, ANDREW SO, KHYRA STINER BROADCAST ASSISTANTS: ALEX AMSTER, ALICE HE, MATTHEW LEE, MADELEINE MASSEY, MARINA NASCIMENTO, JAIDEV PANT, KYLE REIMS, CHARLES WANG ADVISER: JIM BURNS

THE CHRONICLE is the student newspaper of HarvardWestlake School. It is published ten times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Cameron Stokes at cstokes1@ hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or school.

ILLUSTRATION BY JENNY LI AND SAMANTHA KO

Electing to Make Change

As students joined the long lines outside of their local schools and community centers, they prepared to vote. After long months of waiting and scanning news articles, they were finally ready to engage in their first experience of official political participation.

In a matter of minutes, the young voters emerged from the polling stations with the knowledge that they had done their civic duty.

Sporting “I Voted” stickers and a sense of national pride, the students had not only exercised their constitutional rights but expressed their individual voices.

The 2018 midterms last Tuesday marked many students’ first time voting. According to the New York Times, registration among young voters increased ahead of the elections, and while exact numbers have yet to be reported, voter turnout soared. Yet, in a Chronicle poll, only 41 percent of 70 respondents who could vote said they did, while 95 percent of 297 respondents who couldn’t vote said they wished they could.

All students who have the power to vote should do so. Whether they feel passionate about all measures or only a few, we should take advantage of this opportunity to express our opinions.

More significantly, however, we should go to the polls to contribute to fixing the multitude of problems ailing our country.

Just in recent weeks, violence and hate have rocked our country. An anti-Semitic attack in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27 killed 11 people in what the Anti-Defamation League said was the deadliest attack against Jewish people on American soil.

Last Thursday, a gunman opened fire on the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., a community just under an hour away from our

school.

These events are often entirely out of our control. No matter whose solutions you prefer, candidates from all points on the political spectrum have advocated for policies they believe will prevent these crises. What we can control is how we respond to these issues.

Voting allows us to channel our despair and hopelessness into tools that allow us to make change. Voting engages us in the political process and gives us a voice in our government, a privilege many people our age around the world do not enjoy. Voting not only can ensure our ideas get put into practice by electing politicians we respect, trust and agree with, but also can encourage others around us to be civically engaged as well, creating a virtuous cycle of political participation.

Even though we are two years away from another major election, we must also remember that political participation does not end when the polls close. Students can work on campaigns, attend rallies and donate to or volunteer for charitable organizations which support causes they believe in. Students should also work to stay informed by reading articles, attending talks and learning about policy positions.

In an age of remarkable political polarization we can also spend more time respectfully listening to and debating those with differing political views, giving everyone new perspectives and more informed viewpoints as a result.

Tragedies that have shaken our country recently have struck particularly close to home.

This should galvanize students to go out to the polls, inform themselves and keep out or put people in power that they believe will contribute to solutions.

We can do better than 41 percent.

hwchronicle.com/opinion

Nov. 14, 2018

Opinion A7

Balancing beliefs

By Casey Kim

A

s the political climate in our country continues to spiral towards what seems like a never-ending abyss of a two-party controversy, students have naturally become more active in voicing their opinions on popular issues.

Witnessing such participation among my peers makes me proud to be a part of this generation.

However, as we become more involved in advocating for our views, it is vital to remember the respect we should have for each other when engaging in political discussions.

Though this is something that we may all struggle to do as we become more passionate about our beliefs, without this reminder, we will become more susceptible to being blinded by our own biases and preconceived notions of others.

One aspect of political participation in this decade that differs from all others in history is the large presence of social media in our daily lives.

Celebrities, politicians and students take to various media platforms to assert their beliefs and inspire others to do so as well (see C2, C5, B4).

However, whether it be through a 140-character tweet or a face-to-face conversation, we must be mindful of the words we choose to express ourselves.

They may offend and potentially silence others, which would defeat the entire purpose of utilizing our platforms to spark debate and conversation about important topics.

Especially when living in our outspoken, predominantly liberal community, it is dangerous to assume that all students share similar political views.

We often forget that people have different and unique experiences that serve as reasons behind whatever views they choose to support.

Instead of being swept away by fiery arguments, we should try to understand why people think the way they do while respectfully asserting our own voice.

For example, although the students who participated in the 2017 Berkeley protests had initiated the event in order to voice their opinions against a conservative school speaker, it resulted in 20 arrests and 11 injuries.

What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration became a hostile interaction, endangering the safety of student participants and witnesses.

With that said, we must strive to strike a balance between listening to others and personalizing every issue.

Though listening to what others have to say is an essential part of healthy discussions, when we begin to take every side comment or response to heart, the deep, irreconcilable divide between the two parties will increase even further.

Sometimes, not being offended by every minuscule statement and turning a blind eye will encourage more civil conversations.

I hope that this politically polarized country and our divided generation will not prevent us from befriending and getting to know each other beyond our political views, but will instead lead to respectful discussions that aim to create a better world.

I hope that the next time we march, walk out, write, protest or post, we will remember that it is okay to disagree and embrace our differences.

ILLUSTRATION BY TAMMER BAGDASARIAN

Discussing our disagreement

By Tammer Bagdasarian

A

merican society is at a breaking point. In our living rooms, schools and streets, disagreement rears its ugly head, dividing Americans into polarized factions. But it is not disagreement that has created such a deep and seemingly irreparable rift in society. It’s how we use it.

Throughout human history, ideological clashes have been the one constant.

From Marx versus Smith to Jefferson versus Hamilton, disagreement has remained a fundamental part of our society.

We should be encouraged to question the consensus viewpoint, not told to accept things the way they are.

Disagreement represents the right to free thought and individual liberty. It vaults us forward from anger to progress. It is essential.

Recently, however, things have changed for the worse.

In the rapidly moving news cycle, many choose to hear only what they want to hear, speak only to whom they want to speak and interact only with who they want to interact. In the echo-cham-

bers of social media, school campuses and partisan cities, views grow more extreme.

Many no longer argue with the goal of consensus in mind. They block out the opposition’s point and, when they are done, retreat to the comfort of their own political groups claiming to have “destroyed” or “wrecked” the other side.

No where is this more prevalent than on school campuses. It is appalling to me when I turn on the TV and see students protesting a speaker’s presence.

How can one protest someone else’s right to express an opinion? I have always admired Voltaire’s principle, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” If someone disagrees with another, then they should productively argue their points with each other. But to say that someone else should not be allowed to express their opinion is not only morally reprehensible but also destructive.

Protests should be about arguments and beliefs and

not about people.

If progress is not the goal of disagreement, then what is? It is time to reject this harmful culture and reevaluate why we disagree.

Changes can happen at small levels.

When arguing about a viewpoint at the dinner table with family or friends, argue emphatically. But when you are finished, sit back down and listen to the other side with as much attentiveness as you would want them to listen to yours. Treat their argument as your own, following along with the reasoning and trying to understand their point.

Midterms are over and come Jan. 3, there will be a plethora of new opinions, new controversies and even more partisanship than we see today.

Instead of seeing it as another two years of stagnation and inaction, 2019 should be the year things change. This time we should look inward and identify what our goals as a society are. Let’s reflect on the true point of disagreement.

Let’s argue again.

legislation, as well as block any unfavorable new redistricting maps.

Besides electoral gains, important ballot initiatives passed in many states. One of the most notable was Amendment 4 in Florida, which allows those who have served their time the right to vote; an approximated 1.4 million felons will have their rights restored. This has large implications in the fight for Florida in 2020 and future elections because it restores voting rights to 21 percent of Florida’s African American population, a demographic that tends to vote Democrat.

In Michigan, Colorado, Utah and Missouri, voterinitiatives passed allowing for the creation of independent redistricting commissions.

This is important for future anti-gerrymandering efforts, especially as the 2020 census nears.

Along with electoral progress, several right-leaning states voted to legalize marijuana and expand Medicaid access.

The night was filled with wins and losses for both sides; such is the nature of politics.

These ebbs and flows are natural and have occurred throughout our entire history as a nation.

The beauty of American democracy is that it’s characterized by constant change and competition between opposing forces, where losers of an election relinquish their position of power to the winner, and life goes on.

We should not live in fear and anger because the course of our politics will naturally shift between both sides.

We should not get discouraged because of one bad performance; we should keep fighting for what we believe in because our voices matter.

Our history is fraught with conflict and disappointment, but also with change for the better and hope for the future.

We should not quit now because our democracy and nation is far stronger than hate-filled rhetoric and poor policy: it will survive.

Guest Editorial

• Continued from A1

the increasingly conservative makeup of the judiciary.

The GOP majority in the Senate allows Republicans to continue to pack the court and potentially shift the Supreme Court from a 5-4 conservative majority to a 6-3 majority, should a vacancy arise.

It’s important to note, however, that it is doubtful certain landmark cases, such as Roe v. Wade, which made it illegal to restrict access to abortion, or Obergefell v.

Hodges, which legalized gay marriage, could be immediately overturned.

While true that these decisions could be partially reversed, like how the Voting Rights Act was gutted in 2013, this is reasonable given the nature of politics and courts that are increasingly flexible and bound to public opinion.

I have faith that the judges and justices appointed will uphold and apply the law as written.

This is not to mention that 2020 elections are fast approaching as well, and Democrats have the opportunity to flip several Senate seats.

Though I feel that the outcome of the Senate races are disappointing, hope should not be lost.

Republicans lost the Senate in 2006 and failed to retake the chamber until 2014; the natural course of politics is to trade off control with the opposing party.

Without the House of Representatives controlled by Republicans as well, the GOP will be limited in the amount of legislation they can get to the President’s desk, and policy pushed by Democrats in the House may force vulnerable Republican senators up in 2020 and 2022 to vote more moderately.

Democrats won the House and the popular vote for the house by around eight percent—a margin one would only see in a wave election— which means they’ll effectively be able to block much of Trump and the Republicans’

legislative agenda.

On top of this, Democrats will take control of certain important sub-committees and the speakership, where they can control which legislation goes for a vote in the chamber.

Democrats will also be able to pass meaningful legislation to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into President Trump’s ties to Russia, should Trump choose to fire Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and end the investigation.

Along with winning the majority, over 100 women, including the first two Muslim women, were elected to the House, the largest number in United States history, and the new Congress is filled with a greater diversity of races and religions.

Democrats also had a good showing in governor’s races, winning seven races, with possible runoffs in Georgia and Florida as votes are still being counted.

Governors will be able to control the passage of local

Nov. 14, 2018

hwchronicle.com/opinion

Opinion A8

Engagement Managing and News Editor Saba Nia writes letters to her former self in a recurring column. In this issue, she discusses her first time voting in an election. Nia remembers participating with her community as a young girl and realizing how much bigger her world became after. After engaging in political participation, Nia concludes there is still much more that she can learn about.

D

ear “Naïve” Saba,

Today, I voted for the first time. In the rush of finishing (well, let’s be honest, beginning and finishing) my early college applications in the days leading up to end of October, I had all but forgotten that another huge milestone was quickly approaching: my first vote.

So, less than a week after sending off the essays that could determine my academic future, I found myself at a polling booth completing a ballot that could determine my community’s future.

When you were seven, you put on a brown sash and approached the front of a church’s recreation center. Along with 19

other first-grade girls, you were about to go to your very first Girl Scout troop meeting and had no idea what to expect.

As you passed by a stained glass window and scampered up a flight of stairs, footsteps echoed around you, filling the space and resounding off the old wooden walls.

Trailing your hand cross the smooth and faded banister, you felt oddly at ease. You were in a strange place, but you were not alone.

As I walked to an old church to cast my ballot, the same one that housed my old Girl Scout meetings, the irony of engaging in my first act as a legal adult where I used to sell cookies was not lost on me.

Voting reminded me that

despite being one of the oldest students on campus, I am still very young and small.

Researching all the propositions and candidates reminded me that there are issues more complex and pressing than finding the derivative of a function or deciphering a line of Shakespeare. My homework assignments seemed underwhelming when tasked with understanding measures and proposals that could shape thousands, if not millions, of people’s lives.

So, for all my inexperience and naïveté, I am still aware of the seriousness of doing my civic duty.

But I can’t help feeling that despite my careful consideration, I was taking a test I had

all the answers to but was still going to mess up.

That’s what you don’t realize until you’re marking your ballot in permanent ink: there are no right or wrong answers.

And that’s almost worse than failing an exam in school.

During that first meeting, the troop leaders established the many rules of the group.

You only remembered a few: raise your hand to speak; listen to your fellow troop members; don’t play the piano in the corner.

But as grubby fingers pounded out another round of “Chopsticks” on the faded keys, the meeting progressed without the initial formality.

Sometimes, things just happen that don’t fit the set

structure or sometimes people don’t follow the rules.

I thought I was going to write about how it felt to passionately express my love of voting and reaffirm the grandeur of being engaged with something greater than an individual goal, but you already know what a privilege it is to be able to have your voice heard.

The truth is, more than anything else, voting for the first time prompted me to realize that there is still a world outside of my little bubble, I have much to learn and that the things I prioritize in life will change. And that’s okay.

Love, “Nuanced” Saba

Mistreatment of the majority

W ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

Let’s get real: Emotion does belong in politics

By Jessa Glassman and Amelie Zilber

T

he 2016 presidential election marked a fundamental shift in the psychology of politics. Campaign policies, promises and debates used to be openly discussed at our dinner tables. Since Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton’s gruesome brawl for the Oval Office, political topics have become so contentious they always resulted in emotional and headache-inducing screaming matches among even the closest of family members and friends. So, what fundamental political shift has occurred that explains why partisanship has become so unusually divisive, and, more importantly, what has been the result of this move toward emotion?

Driven by a sense of obligation to resolve increasingly important issues such as immigration, social justice, gun reform, women’s rights and the environment, everyday people are starting to foster a more personal connection to politics, resulting in increased civic engagement.

Because tensions between political parties skyrocketed during the 2016 election and have remained high since, polarizing political topics have reached peak divisiveness due to both a strong allegiance to political parties and deep antipathy toward the opposition.

This connection to contentious issues, both on and off the ballot, have caused many to allow

emotions play a part in their opinions, as well as bring forth more questions about maintaining a sense of morality in policymaking.

Impassioned and strongwilled activists are making their mark on the public sphere by not being afraid to speak their truth.

With a heightened passion for politics, this desire for change has become more common among average citizens, many of whom, instead of keeping politics separate from their everyday life, rally friends to vote and to join them at protests. According to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, one in every five Americans has participated in a rally since 2016.

Despite this surge of activism, as more and more politicians are plagued by scandal, voters tend to rationalize their support by separating candidates and their character from their proposed policies. Approving of a politician’s stance on tax reform, they say, does not necessitate supporting their actions or personal opinions surrounding non-political issues.

This notion is inherently flawed, as it ignores the ways human emotional responses are inextricably tied to politics.

It is for this reason that trusting gut feelings in politics is important. Understanding policy requires investigating motives

and real-world implications, as well as staying true to oneself, rather than focusing on practicality.

While some may think a deeper emotional connection to politics would stymie pragmatic policymaking, impassioned voters are more likely to become aware of domestic issues and inspire others to do the same. Becoming enthusiastic about politics won’t hinder one’s ability to think about issues in a sensible manner but will rather embolden the community to make change and to stand up for its beliefs in political contexts seeps into political opinions whether it be through implicit biases, explicit biases or personal history. It is for this reason that trusting gut feelings in politics is important.

Understanding policy requires investigating motives and realworld implications, as well as staying true to oneself, rather than focusing on practicality.

While some may think a deeper emotional connection to politics would stymie pragmatic policymaking, impassioned voters are more likely to become aware of domestic issues, and inspire others to do the same. Becoming enthusiastic about politics won’t hinder one’s ability to think about issues in a sensible manner but will rather embolden the community to make change and to stand up for it’s beliefs in political contexts.

By Luke Schneider

hen people across America sit staring at their screens, watching a needle move left or right and dots on a diagram turn red or blue, it becomes easy to wonder if people are voting for the candidates themselves or just for their party. With few notable exceptions, Democrats and Republicans are the only real option for voters across the country with a political system that serves to push voters further to one side or another, while ignoring all of the nuance in between. The Democrats and Republicans have had alternating control over the government for the past 150 years.

While the platform of each party has certainly changed, the ability of the people to have a significant say in politics when voting against both of the two parties in power has grown smaller and smaller. The party in power has not been truly required to reach a compromise with anyone else, and Congress tends to come to a standstill when the parties split control of the two houses, as neither side wants to work to resolve their differences.

And who can blame the politicians? A refusal to compromise is all too often seen as a sign of strength within any politician’s ardent supporter base, and as a result, many would rather force a shutdown than reach timely agreements.

The problems of the twoparty system are spawned from the way in which we elect our representatives; take the House of Representatives, for example. Each geographical district sends one representative to Congress every two years, but any disagreement within that particular region is ignored after the representative is chosen. If within every district in the United States, 51 percent of people voted Democrat and 49 percent voted Republican, the House would consist entirely of Democrats the following year.

This oversimplification shows the danger our system poses to

third parties. In the 2016 presidential election, over five percent of people voted for a thirdparty candidate, and these numbers would only grow if dissent within any particular district was not silenced by our political system.

Contrast our method of election with Switzerland’s, or any other country that use proportional representation, and the inherent flaws in our system come to light. In Switzerland, each individual citizen votes for one candidate (of any party) per seat in the legislature that needs to be filled.

As a result, a vote carries significance no matter where the person casting it lives or which party they are voting for. Because of this, the 12 different parties in Switzerland’s Federal Assembly must work together and come to substantive compromises to achieve their goals, thus reducing the polarization present in their system.

Furthermore, because the number of people who are represented by one seat in the House is determined by a census every ten years and congressional districts are entirely bound within each state’s lines, the number of people represented by each seat in the House can vary widely.

Montana has approximately 1,000,000 voters for each district, while Rhode Island has about 500,000. In effect, Rhode Island voters have approximately twice the influence in the House than those from Montana.

These effects are amplified in the Senate. California has about 70 times the voters as Wyoming, and yet they are represented by the same number of senators. In half of our legislature, one can increase their power by a factor of nearly 100 by moving to the correct state.

As a part of communities as diverse as Los Angeles and the United States, we must work together to ensure that everyone’s voice can be heard in government.

FEATURES The Chronicle • Nov. 14, 2018

We Want Change:

The Perspectives of Socially Liberal and Fiscally Conservative Students

By SPENCER KLINK

ally to [stand behind] disadvantaged communities. A lot of peoAs the U.S. midterm elec- ple don’t understand pros and tions drew closer, Will Berlin ’19 cons for things like universal said he was becoming nervous. healthcare or social security reDespite a number of new candi- form. There’s a misconception of dates rising to prominence, none what it means to be fiscally libof them seemed to have moder- eral. It’s not just about wasting ate tendencies. For Berlin, who money, but it’s spending it in a identifies as socially libertarian way that benefits people.” and fiscally conservative, neiAccording to a Chronicle surther political party seemed to vey of 288 students, 51 percent align completely with his views. of respondents said they considBerlin shares some opinions ered themselves socially liberal with people who are described as and fiscally conservative. socially liberal and fiscally conSimilarly, a student survey servative. However, he chooses conducted by the history departto refer to himself as socially lib- ment during the 2016 election ertarian as opposed to socially cycle found that above 75 perliberal because he said he stands cent of students surveyed supagainst government intervention ported liberal policies including in almost all social immigration issues, favoring mariand gun reform [Being fiscally juana legalization but policies; howevopposing restrictions liberal] is not just about er, only 40 peron gun ownership. cent opposed wasting money, but it’s “Being against liberal economic spending it in a way government intervenprograms that that benefits people.” tion in general leads would increase to a more clear plat—Emmanuel Zilber ‘19 taxes on wealthy form,” Berlin said.

Americans.

“That’s why I’m fiscalH i s t o r y ly conservative and socially lib- teacher Dave Waterhouse said ertarian. Conservatives believe that the school’s unique demothat the government should stay graphic characteristics contribout of people’s lives as much as ute to the prevalence of students possible, whereas liberals see who say that they identify as sodemands on the state as being cially liberal and fiscally conserpart of prosperity. That’s why vative. being socially liberal and fiscally “Given the class nature of conservative makes no sense.” our population, the upper classEmmanuel Zilber ’19, who es tend to be more economicalidentifies as a Democrat, said he ly conservative, but given the believes most people who identi- fact that they live in very dify as socially liberal and fiscally verse Southern California, which conservative lack a complete un- tends to be very liberal socialderstanding of liberal fiscal pol- ly, they are reflecting both their icies. class and their location,” Water“It’s sort of a default view- house said. point,” Zilber said. “If you say Beckett* ’19, who is both fisyou’re socially liberal, it’s usu- cally and socially conservative,

“

said he believes that lack of dis- Democrats regained control of cussion of economic issues re- the House of Representatives, sults in the prevalence of socially and the Republicans maintained liberal and fiscally conservative control of and had gains inthe people.

Senate.

“One political trend that I While the failure of moderate do see is a stronger shift to- Republican candidates like New ward discussing more conser- Jersey 7th District Representavative viewpoints,” Beckett said. tive Leonard Lance can be inter“The conversations that happen preted as a sign of greater politat Harvard-Westlake are more ical polarization, the success of about social politics than actu- moderate Democratic candidates al fiscal politics, however. People like Joe Cunningham in South don’t understand their party’s Carolina’s 1st District suggests fiscal views at all. A lot of people the opposite. just align socially with one platJim Kessler and Lanae Erickform and then follow along with son, both vice presidents at Third fiscal policies. A lot of my eco- Way, a center-left think tank, nomics teachers do a really good wrote in the New York Times that job of facilitating discussions.” they believe the majority of DemAccording to the Tarocrats who had success rance Group, American in claiming seats in the voters who identify as House of Representatives socially liberal and fiswere not democratic socally conservative often cialists but rather more become swing voters. moderate Democrats.

The 2010 study found In contrast, David that socially liberal and McIntosh, the president fiscally conservative of Club for Growth, a people made up 17 perconservative group that Will Berlin ’19 cent of Republicans, 24 seeks to lower taxes, said percent of Democrats during a press conferand 41 percent of split-ticket ence that “the ‘squishy’ members voters in the United States pres- who lost their races were the idential election of 2008. ones that didn’t embrace that However, Waterhouse said conservative agenda.” he did not expect socially liberal Regardless of his own political and fiscally conservative voters beliefs, Beckett said he strongly to impact the election due to in- encourages people to define their creased polarization. own political orientations.

“I would think that people “I don’t think you should be like that are going to be a little completely limited to a party’s confused,” Waterhouse said. “If ideologies,” Beckett said. “I think you’re fiscally conservative, you people who just believe somewon’t like the Democrats, and if thing because it’s what their paryou’re socially liberal, you won’t ty believes isn’t a healthy mindlike the Republicans. In most set. You need to be able to make cases there’s no alternative, so I your own views about issues, would guess that many of those and then align it to parties.” people won’t vote.”

During the midterm elections, *Names have been changed.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SPENCER KLINK

B2 FEATURES

NOV. 14, 2018

THE CHRONICLE

Members of the community discuss the effect of intersectionality in the political sphere, particularly in this years’ midterm elections.

By LAUREN NEHORAI A gay man of color, an undocumented immigrant and victim of religious persecution and a single mother making minimum wage are examples of the intersection of social, political and economic identities and beliefs.

Intersectionality is “the complex, cumulative manner in which the effects of different forms of discrimination combine, overlap or intersect” according to Merriam-Webster.

According to the YW Boston, the word itself was first popularized in 1989 when Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights advocate and law professor, used the term in the context of feminism in her paper, “Demarginalizng the Intersection of Race and Sex: A black feminist critique of anti discrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics.” Crenshaw’s paper discussed the theory’s roots, which date back to the ‘60s.

It began with the homogeneity of the feminist movement, which was predominantly made up of

“

It is great in the way it shows how no one has the same experience, and people are affected by multiple issues.”

—Dr. Saba Soomekh white, non-religious, middle class women, who Crenshaw accused of neglecting the fact that race and socioeconomic status also affected a person’s experience.

Religious Studies Lecturer at the

University of California, Los Angeles ous issues.

“I think that intersectionality is Saba Soomekh said that the term “intersectionality” is most commonly really only being invoked by people used when referring to protest cul- on the left,” Nayar said. “Hillary Clinture, specifically movements chal- ton frequently used this term while lenging gun control, gender inequality on the campaign trail, discussing and racism, which are all tied togeth- how different forms of oppression overlap and reinforce each other. er under the umbrella of oppression.

Soomekh said she believes that More generally, politicians on the left uniting these issues can raise greater use intersectionality to discuss liberal changes they believe will make the levels of awareness.

“We are now seeing intersection- U.S. more equal. They use intersecality more and more,” Soomekh said. tionality as a justification to prove “At a woman’s conference, you will why these changes are important and see a gay pride flag. At a gun control must be pursued.”

Students said they disagree about rally, you will see posters protesting whether intersectionalimmigration laws. Peoity has an effect on ple are joining togeththe popularity of er in this struggle a candidate, between opand, if so, pression whether it is and powa positive or er. It is Due to racism negative one. great in Spencer the way in America, minority Paul ’19 said it shows candidates also mobilize he believes h o w more conservative voters that apno one pealing to has the to contest their election.” minorities is s a m e usually not —Spencer Paul ’19 experienough to win ence, and a campaign. that people “Although are affected both Andrew by multiple isGillum and Stacy sues.”

Abrams [in the 2018 midIntersectionality is also prevalent in the political terms] were able to have high minorisphere, history teacher Christopher ty voter turnout and galvanize their Clement said. He said he believes bases, it wasn’t sufficient to beat that overlapping identities make the their white male opponents,” Paul voting process more complex, due to said. “Due to racism in America, mithe embodiment of conflicting beliefs. nority candidates also mobilize more “A good example of this is Cait- conservative voters to contest their lyn Jenner,” Clement said. “At first, election. If there is any takeaway she was, of course, chastised and from 2018 for the Democratic Party, berated, and people criticized her it is that in order to win statewide for supporting Trump. Recently, as in elections, it requires winning over the Trump Administration has tried middle-of-the-road voters and not to ‘categorize’ people by their given just pandering to the base.”

Kylie Azizzadeh ’21 said she anatomies, Caitlyn came out with a statement, and people responded by thinks that intersectionality plays an saying, ‘Where were you then?’ as if increasingly large role in politics as being transgender meant she should our country continues to modernize have automatically been a Democrat since voters are continuing to resoto begin with. But, from Caitlyn’s per- nate with candidates who represent spective, she is many things: she is a issues for those who were historically woman, she is transgender, and she oppressed.

For example, in Wisconsin, Senais conservative.”

Soomekh agreed with Clement’s tor Tammy Baldwin, the first openly notion that it is unlikely for people’s gay person elected to the Senate in political views to fall neatly into one 2013was reelected in the recent election. category with only two candidates.

Baldwin has served as a state “You can’t have an à la carte situation,” Soomekh said. “If you don’t Senator since 2013 and has implelike someone’s policies, you can’t mented her support of feminism and take that away from who they are. LGBTQ rights as fundamental asYou can’t just pick and chose as- pects of her campaign.

“I think that Baldwin’s interpects. When you vote for a candidate, you are supporting all their views, sectional identity served to her adand that is a key flaw in American vantage,” Azizzadeh said. “Voters in predominantly democratic states politics.”

Jaya Nayar ’20 said she sees a are continuing to show their support pattern of leftists using intersection- for minorities. I hope that this trend ality as a basis of their campaign- continues and that the intersectional ing, showing their support of human theory is something that our country rights and their involvement in vari- embraces.”

“

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

B3 Features

The Chronicle

Nov. 14, 2018

Teachers reflect on the protest culture of the ’60s and ’70s and students compare it to the political and social movements today.

By Kyra Hudson and Jeanine Kim When history teacher Francine Werner ’68 thinks back to her years as a student at the Westlake School for Girls, she said she recalls the cultural phenomenon of the Beatles, the British Invasion, the counterculture movement and the anti-war protests.

“Back then, it was our brothers and boyfriends who were getting killed, so I had to get more politically aware and active,” Werner said.

As a college student, Werner said she was never scared to go out and get involved with the protests that were going on around her. In 1969, she flew to Moratorium in Washington, D.C. to the End the War in Vietnam protest.

The Vietnam Protests and the anti-war culture during the late ’60s and early ’70s were revolutionary, bringing new groups of people in to protest, according to The New York Times.

The protests grew as other movements such as the Women’s Liberation, Chicano movement and sectors of organized labor, were sparked from the Vietnam protests.

Just as protests have become more popular among students and other young people, the anti-war protests then were mostly led by the younger people, according to “The Sixties: A Journal of History, Politics and Culture.” Werner recalls that many of the leaders had experience from the Civil Rights Movement.

The Civil Rights Movement has had a lasting impact on protest culture and political activism, Werner said. Its goal to reduce segregation and create legal rights for African-Americans resulted in the banning of employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin creating new opportunities for many Americans.

During the last decades of the 20th century, protesting appeared less in main stream media, according

Illustration by Sam Ko and Kyra Hudson

to The American Archive of Public Broadcasting.

It wasn’t until the 2010s that protesting once again became a widely popular form of political participation, according to Vox. Movements such as Occupy Wall Street in 2011 once brought protests back to the center of attention, as they were covered by worldwide media.

Recent protest movements, such as the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter, are fighting for equal treatment and rights for groups of people in America. The participants protest through the use of social media, in professional environments or even with marginalized groups’ relationships with the government, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Current protests, which mostly target government policies or specific political actions, have become prominent in society as groups of people from different backgrounds have entered politics, according to The Atlantic.

“One major difference of the times is the goals of the protests,” Werner said.

The resistance movements of the past, had unifying goal of ending the Vietnam War said Werner. However, there are currently more targeted protests, meaning that there is no one unifying goal that links all these protests together, Werner said. Just as the protest movements now have been built on the backs of previous protests over the years, the Anti-War Movement was heavily influenced by the recent Civil Rights Movement that had occurred just a few years earlier Werner said.

Another difference in the protest of the different eras is the increase in communication, history teacher Christopher Clements said.

“The sizes of protests today aren’t any larger than in the 1960s,” Clements said. “Because at the same time, technology, which can mobilize people to physically protest in the form of marches and demonstrations, has also meant that protests can be expressed through different mediums such as tweets, it can be through

Facebook, it can be done by blogs. Tufeld said. “People are just so All of that has transformed how we disgusted that the American political protest.” system is where it is now that they feel Tali Tufeld ’20, an intern for Katie they must do something in response.”

Hill’s campaign for congresswoman Although political anger has of California’s 25th district, said that become a bigger part of people’s lives, she has seen an increase in protests, as Helen Graham ’21 said, she thinks especially among young people that people still need to make a larger including her peers. Despite this, she effort to communicate effectively. doesn’t necessarily think that this “One of the biggest issues that we means that more people have become are facing today is the political divide truly invested in issues, she said. in conversations between the two “People need to do more than just parties,” Graham said, “This makes it protest,” Tufeld said. “They need to do difficult to discuss any sort of issues their research, work with campaigns, or come of any sort of resolution. do whatever they can. Yes, protests are People are putting partisan opinions a good way to express your political on issues that are not partisan.” beliefs, and it’s good that it’s become Tufeld said she believe that this more acceptable but there should be political gap creates uncertainty more that’s done.” among citizens.

Despite the differences, Werner “A lot of the time people don’t know said she recognizes similarities what is going on in the news,” Tufeld between the eras of protests. For said, “They just see something, but example, both were characterized by they don’t understand how it affects violent acts. them.”

Werner said and that Many of the issues that the culture of violence is as were brought to life during much an issue now as it was the time of the Vietnam when she was in school. The protests are the same ones extreme language exercised that are talked about today, by the many different sides but Tufeld said many people also amplifies the alreadywho protested in the ’60s do existing tensions. not see the similarities with “The culture of violence the movements today. has become more of an issue “I also protest for issues today,” Werner said. that are personally affecting ’ Violent hate crimes have me,” Tufeld said, “I’m gay, Tali been on the rise since 2015, so LGBTQ rights are really Tufeld ’20 according to a 2017 Federal important to me.”

Bureau of investigation data Other students protest release. about issues they are The American political society has passionate about as well. become significantly more polarized “I am really passionate about since 2010, according to The Atlantic. climate change and environmental “Strong language has always been issues so I help out at Heal the Bay a part of the American protest, even which is a combination of educating going back to colonial times,” Clements the public about the environment and said. “Violence has been there too cleaning up the bay,” Graham said. as people with strong opinions have “I also help out with encouraging clashed time and time again. That is a politics on both sides of the spectrum fixture of American politics.” to pass legislation that will benefit the Tufeld said she has noticed environment.” political extremism for many years, Tufeld said she sees the increase but with the election of Trump, she in protests as a good sign, even if she thinks it’s become a bigger part of the doesn’t think the people involved in mainstream. the protests aren’t as enthusiastic as “There are issues that have been they were in earlier decades. boiling up for years, and Donald “While the power of the protest is Trump just made it visibly evident of at its core the same, the issues that these problems,” we’re changing over the last couple of decades,” Tufeld said. white s

B4 FEATURES

THE CHRONICLE

NOV. 14, 2018

Students discuss how athletes use their platforms to enact political change.

By KEILA MCCABE

ans who have fought for what it represents.

Stephen* ’19 said he believes The beginning notes of the national anthem resonated through Kaepernick should have protested the air at the first football game of in a more respectful way.

“Of course, Kaepernick has the the season. But instead of standing up and placing her hand over right to protest,” Stephen said. her heart, cheerleader Sophia “I only wish his protest could be Nuñez ‘20 put her knee down on more respectful to the flag. I’m happy he wanted to and has startthe track.

“I have kneeled for all ten ed the conversation about police [games,]” Nuñez said. “I do not violence, but the way he talks want to be complicit in a system. about it tells me that he just wantIf there is anything I can do to ed to make a spectacle.”

Nuñez, however, said she supchange that, I want to help. Kneeling is now a symbol of change, ported Kaepernick’s demonstraand I want to bring awareness to tion and political activism.

“Everyone, inthat.” cluding athletes, Nuñez said have important poshe was inspired Everyone, litical opinions,” to kneel during including athletes, have Nuñez said. “If you the national animportant political have a platform them by former why not use it? ColNFL player Colopinions. If you have a in Kaepernick is in Kaepernick. platform, why not use not saying, ‘Agree Kaepernick began it?” with me because I kneeling to protest the system—Sophia Nuñez ’20 am correct, and be completely complicatic oppression of it with what I am black Americans, he said in an interview with NFL saying.’ I think it is totally fine for Media in 2016. While many sup- athletes to bring up what their poported his right to peaceful protest, litical opinions are as long as they others claimed he was disrespect- are still promoting the idea that ing the flag and the veter- everyone can form their own opinions.”

Following his protest, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers. He is currently a free agent and sued the NFL for colluding to keep him out the league.

A September Nike ad campaign starring Kaepernick, which featured the tag line “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” brought him new a t t e n tion. Customers threatened to boycott Nike and even started uploading videos of themselves destroying Nike products using the hashtag #BurnYourNikes.

However, despite

“

the controversy online, an analy- up,” Kirilenko said. “Ultimately he sis by Edison Trends found that has the right to say what he wants overall online sales for the compa- to say and what he is doing is cerny increased 31% after the cam- tainly helping his community.” paign was released.

MLB pitcher Jack Flaherty ‘14 Fedor Kirilenko ’20 said he sup- also said that athletes have the ports Kaepernick, but sees why right to express their own values his actions have been so divisive. and beliefs.

“Although I agree with all he is “We are not just athletes,” Fladoing and what he is voicing and herty said. “We are more than what he stands for, he needs to re- athletes. We are people first, that alize that this is going to alienate a is who we are. We have the same lot of fan base and in general a lot thoughts and go through the same of people in the sport,” Kirilenko things the everyday person does, said. “It is great but he needs to there are just other things we go consider all the consequences of through on top of that. Being able his actions.” to use our platforms to try to make Kaepernick is not the a change is important.” only athlete using his Flaherty cited Jackie platform to discuss polRobinson, the first Afriitics.

LeBron James, can-American to play in widely considered the MLB, as a historical exbest basketball player in ample of athletes using the world, has used his their platforms to make platform to vocally critchange. Robinson played icize President Donald a key role in baseball and Trump’s administration. civil rights history, Fla’ Sy Schoen ’20 said he herty said.

Sy admires James for using “He broke the color Schoen’20 his popularity to express barrier and changed the his political views. game completely with al“He is a leader on and off the lowing African Americans to play court, and his opinions empow- baseball,” Flaherty said. “Someer others to advocate for social one like that will never be forgotchange,” Schoen said. “His prom- ten. To go through all he went inent position allows him to get a through, for everybody else that message out.” was to come and or the opportuniAfter voicing his opinions about ties we have now, is something we Trump during an interview, how- will forever be grateful for. ever, James was criticized by conSimilarly, Sultan Daniels ’19 servative radio and television host said he believes athletes have the Laura Ingraham. On her Fox News right to express their opinions as show, Ingraham said that James they see fit. should “shut up and dribble.”

“Not everyone has to agree with In an interview with Sports everything they say, but hearing Illustrated, James responded different viewpoints on an issue is strongly to Ingraham’s criticism: a step towards progress,” Daniels “I will definitely not shut up and said. “If athletes were just athletes dribble. I mean too much to so the public would be missing out many kids who feel like they don’t on valuable perspectives.” have a way out, and they need Ultimately, athletes have the somebody to help lead them out of right to use their platforms to the situation they’re in.” advocate their political beliefs as James also received criticism long as they continue to fulfill after founding I Promise School, a their duties on the field or court, school in his hometown that pro- Flaherty said. vides free bikes, meals and college “We do have our jobs to take tuition at the University of Akron care of, which is to perform on the to students. Politicians, includ- field, on the court, whatever it is,” ing Trump, insulted James’ intel- Flaherty said. “That is where it all ligence and said that he was not starts. That is how we are given qualified enough to start a school. our platforms - it is what we did Kirilenko said he disagrees with to get there. We can use our platIngraham’s comments and sup- forms in whatever way we want, if ports what James has been trying it’s to get into politics or anything to achieve. else, we can do that but it can not “You can not tell him to shut take away from anything that alWHITE S

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Chronicle •Nov. 14, 2018

Tele-divisions

Students comment on the recent surge of political commentary in entertainment media.

By JOANNA IM Laughter blared in the background as Ava Benavente ’20 watched the latest episode of Saturday Night Live come to a close. Before the screen went black, a key figure caught her eye: Alec Baldwin, covered in deliberately orange fake tan, a cheap blonde wig and a distinct facial expression emulating President Donald Trump.

Benavente said she was not surprised by the controversial skit. Political commentary within the media is gaining significant popularity, especially in late-night television comedy shows, according to The New York Times.

SNL alone has done 31 skits parodying the president since his election and has featured a number of other politicians, including Brett Kavanaugh following his confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice.

Although she said she enjoys the politically charged entertainment on shows like SNL, Benavente said she feels they often present an evident bias.

“Although I am not in support of what is happening in politics, I do think they need to show both sides of every issue because right now, obviously, the entertainment industry is very liberal,” Benavente said.

“They should strive to include every view in every show that they’ll talk about politics in.”

Other students said that they think television coverage of politics is also too exaggerated and does not reflect moderates within both political parties.

“Some of the political discussion certainly can have a time and place, but almost every SNL skit seems to be political,” Charlie Kogen ’19 said. “I feel like SNL has gotten

a lot more politically charged this season, but I think that in order to create less division, they should focus less on parodies of reality and more on imaginary political situations, although the parodies do have an appeal to many people.”

Kogen said that political commentary in media may be fracturing the audience.

“I watch late night talk shows like [The Late Show] with Sephen Colbert and [Real Time with] Bill Maher,” Kogen said. “I do think that these shows contribute to more division within our society because they do poke fun at politics. However, I also think that these shows can provide a meaningful check on government and politics. “ Some students, like Leyah Barris ’19, also expressed concern about the lack of entertainment media coverage on more structural problems within the government, regardless of a specific political party.

“I think there should be a wider range of subjects covered,” Barris said. “Instead of covering all aspects of politics, one scandal is often focused on, and these scandals often distract from other serious issues that also need coverage. The current administration seems to garner all of the media’s attention, and more important matters are often skipped over to cover government scandals 24/7.”

However, other students, such as Kogen, also believe that while entertainment may be an important way to inform citizens politically,

the media industry should be careful not to become overly polarized.

“I think the media plays a large role in informing our public opinion, especially as narrowcasting has become more prevalent and people are increasingly divided on issues,” Kogen said. “I think the media has played a large role for decades, and I think now there is a disproportionate emphasis on conflict and opinion in the media. I also think it makes people more polarized and unwilling to find common ground and reach meaningful solutions.”

According to a Science Daily study, consumers of entertainment TV are influenced politically by political content in the shows.

Ben Weinberg ’21, who identifies as conservative, said he believes that the media is politically biased, which not only results in disproportionate representation but also actively hurts certain political groups.

“When the media, which is mostly liberal, includes completely leftist content like SNL mocking Trump, Jimmy Kimmel proposing new liberal policies on talk shows and more, it consolidates support among fans but also alienates independents and moderate viewers, which may hurt their political agenda,” Weinberg said.

“Additionally, there is close to no conservative media. Nothing is televised except Fox News, which misrepresents many conservatives

because it is overly partisan.”

The U.S. media is one of the most polarized in the world, according to a Reuters study, which looked at right-wing responses to mainstream media and liberal backlash to conservative media.

Barris expressed concerns that talk shows are lacking a much needed balance between political and apolitical commentary.

“Too much [expression of political opinion means that] people get frustrated,” Barris said. “I think that if a show or movie can find the perfect balance, it is definitely a benefit.

I think talk shows are a great platform for politics because they are able to combine the stories of the news and the comedy of movies and TV. Talk shows are the perfect recipe to find this balance.”

Benavente said she views the media and entertainment industry as a platform to shape the political views of future generations and feels that it must be carefully handled.

“A lot of kids don’t understand why their [parents] are upset about the political climate, and I think that should be explained in TV shows because that is the world they’re going to grow up in,” Benavente said. “Although many people think they’re too young to be exposed to this environment, it’s important that they know what’s going on.”

ILLUSTRATION

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THE CHRONICLE

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U.S. Belong With Me

By SARAH REIFF After scrolling past what she expected to be just another photo on Taylor Swift’s Instagram, Rebecca Frischling ’19, co-president of La Femme, was struck by a caption commenting on the then-upcoming midterm elections. Once the initial shock of reading a politicized statement made by someone who was previously apprehensive to talk about politics passed, Frischling said she remembers the distinct sense of empowerment she felt after reading the post.

“I really loved how

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

[Swift] spoke out,” Frischling said. “I just felt said that endorsements can also have negavery proud because she was using her voice tive effects.

“Endorsements can also hurt a politician for an extremely important purpose, getting when it comes from a scandalous celebrity, people to vote, and I really appreciated that.”

According to the Pew Research Center, po- like if a person is racist and then publicly anlitical parties are more divided along ideolog- nounces support for a candidate.” von Sikorical lines as of 2014 than at any point in the ski said.

Furthermore, since many people already past two decades.

While celebrities have long been known to have pre-existing opinions on celebrities and play an important role in American politics, policians, if a celebrity someone dislikes encelebrities have more recently had increased dorses a politican it can actually lead to that reach due to social media, according to re- person having more incentive to vote for the alternative candidate, search conducted by the von Sikorski said.

University of Rochester.

Regardless of whethFounder of Our First Vote er an endorsement helps Andrea Yagher ’20, who orI just felt very proud or harms a politician ganizes on-campus voter or political group, some registration drives, said she because [Swift] was using her students believe musifeels that politicized statecians should not discuss ments from celebrities are voice for an extremely important their political beliefs. In important to help citizens purpose, getting people to vote, a Chronicle poll, 75 perbecome more aware of the and I really appreciated that.” cent of 330 respondents world around them. they feel as if it is a “I think it’s vital in our —Becca Frischling ’19 said positive thing when musociety that people from sicians speak up on polall ends are connected to itics, while 25 percent the backbone of what our country is about and the said they think it is not importance of voting for everyone,” Yagher a musicians place to speak about somesaid. thing they don’t necessarily know a lot about.

George Grube ’20 said he falls into the latChristian von Sikorski, a senior researcher at the University of Vienna who focuses ter category. Grube thinks musicians should on political psychology, political communi- not use their platforms to try and teach people cation and the media’s effects on politics about politics or any particular policy, he said.

“Although in anyone’s right, I think the said that the impact celebrity endorsements have varied impacts based on a va- power to sway what people believe and just talk about politics, in general, is often irreriety of factors.

“As always, it depends,” von Sikorski sponsibly used by musicians,” Grube said. said. “However, celebrities and their en- “People may not necessarily think as critically dorsements can have a relevant impact about a celebrity opinion when compared to when persons actually identify with a cer- that of an academic, reporter, or more reatain celebrity. Specific target groups, like soned debate.”

Grube said that the greatest danger in payyounger individuals who do not regularly use mainstream media like television and ing attention only to musicians or any celebnewspapers and receive an endorsement rity figure about politics is that it could lead directly from a celebrity they follow on so- to people believing things as a result of being misinformed. cial media can be especially affected.”

“Even if someone has the ‘right’ opinion, The impact of such endorsements is usually short-term unless the celebrity repeat- if that opinion is not reasoned or justified edly posts about the respective endorsement correctly and truly, then it doesn’t matter whether or not it’s considered ‘right’,” Grube and has a big reach, von Sikorski said.

“Under certain conditions, such endorse- said. “Talking about these important topics in ments can actually have an impact,” Von a well-informed way is a great responsibility Sikorski said. “A good recent example is the that is rarely if ever exercised.”

Other students, like Zach Lechter ’19, feel case of [Swift] and her post on Instagram, for which data shows the post actually had an that regardless of what a musician believes, impact on U.S. voter registrations. Endorse- they have the liberty to speak out.

“I would say that because celebrities are ments can be particularly influential in mobilizing individuals with congruent prior at- still people and people can give their opinion, titudes and positive prior attitudes toward a then it’s their right to give their opinion, so it doesn’t necessarily matter whether or not they celebrity to vote.”

In the politically-charged post that Swift do,” Lechter said. “They’re just giving their shared to her 112 million Instagram followers opinion, not directly influencing people.”

Yagher said that while ill-advised statein October, she declared her support for Tennessee Democratic candidates Phil Bredesen ments could be harmful, musicians should for Senate and Jim Cooper for the House of use their wide-reaching influence to encourRepresentatives and encouraged her followers age participation in upcoming elections.

“I think that people should not force their to register to vote. According to TIME Magazine, about 105,000 people registered to vote beliefs on others, but encourage them to parin the hours after Swift released her state- ticipate in democracy in any way possible, so ment. According to vote.org, September saw others can vote for what they themselves want, not necessarily what the celebrity wants,” Yaa total of 190,178 new voters who registered.

On the other hand, von Sikorski gher said.

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On a Political Stage erence, whatever differences we have, people are focused on that rather than our humanJay-Z said this intersection between music ity. Musicians put it into a package and say, ‘Here, this is exactly what is going on.’” and politics is not new.

On the other hand, this surge of politiThe ’80s crack epidemic greatly influenced music, popularizing rap groups like Public cal music has also affected artists negativeEnemy and A Tribe Called Quest, he said. ly, Lynsky said in the interview. Lynsky said In the decades before, Joan Baez’s “We Shall that musician Randy Newman cut one of his Overcome” and other music fueled the an- songs commenting on the current administrati-war and Civil Rights Movement, according tion from his latest album because he did not want to give the president any more “airtime.” to Billboard.

“That’s an interesting thing because I don’t “Half the reason I love rapping is because I can speak my mind,” Jay-Z said. “All the most think that’s happened before,” Lynsky said. “I influential artists in history had something to don’t think people were exhausted by songs say: Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Frank- about [Ronald] Reagan or [Margaret] Thatchlin. I strive, like they were, to be the voice of er.”

Aspiring rapper Cassius Bythewood ’19 an era.”

Protest music waned in the early 2000s, said some artists may feel disincentivized music critic Dorian Lynskey said in his 2011 to comment on politics, as it prevents lessbook “33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of er-known artists from gaining recognition. “[A lot] of hip-hop music promotes a lot of Protest Songs.”

However, in a recent interview with The At- negative subjects such as drugs, violence and lantic, Lynskey said there has recently been misogyny,” Bythewood said. “Because that is a new wave of politically-influenced music di- in style, bringing something different to the table can make it difficult to build a youthful rected at the current administration.

“The benighted presidency of Donald audience. However, I believe it is an artist’s Trump might be the most powerful spur to job to challenge and talk about the current protest that the U.S has ever seen,” Lynskey climate of the world, and politics is a part of that.” wrote in a Guardian article.

The Los Angeles Times published a series On the other hand, Carissa Edwards-Menthis year called “The New dez ’19 said she beSounds of Protest,” circling lieves that music around this music-based should not always merge with the artmovement, which features ists’ political opinmusic from artists such as Half the reason I love ions.

Kendrick Lamar and Kamarapping is because I can speak “I don’t always si Washington.

Will Safferstein ’20 said my mind. All the most influential want to think about when I listen to he has noticed this growing artists in history had something politics music,” Edwards-Mentide of musical expression.

“I think we hear about to say: Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, dez said. “I have to be in [politics] more nowadays be- Aretha Franklin. I strive, like they a certain frame of mind when I am talking about cause people are more fruspolitics because it just trated than in years past,” were, to be the voice of an era. reminds me how reality Safferstein said. “It’s a good Shawn “Jay Z” Carter is just really sad some—Shawn way for them to express times. For me, music is themselves and it leads to an escape from reality.” some really good music beIn today’s political ing made.” climate, music and polJeff Harleston (Chase ’20), General Counsel and Executive Vice itics are ideologically opposed, Edwards-MenPresident of Business and Legal Affairs for dez said.

“Music transcends music,” Edwards-MenUniversal Music Group, said he works to prodez said. “It is about lifting people together, mote these types of messages to the public.

“As a society, we have always relied on re- where politics in today’s America is about dicording artists to be our conscience, to chal- viding people across political lines. In music, lenge societal norms and to speak for those there are no divisions. It is an art from that whose voice has been drowned out,” Harles- allows you to feel free and explore as much as ton said. “An important aspect of my job is possible.”

Jay-Z acknowledged that artists must balhelping our artists share their voices and their ance their political expression in music. message with the world.”

“Once the music becomes too much, Jay-Z said music provides a unique way to bridge recurring social issues, which is some- people just shut it down, and they can’t thing he said he noticed politicians tend not listen to it anymore,” Jay-Z said. to do. He has also noticed that music increas- “Everything needs balance. ingly comments on racism and mass incarcer- There is value in beation, which is rooted deeply in slavery and racial tensions.

“It’s people not identifying with our similarities but identifying with our differences that is causing strife,” Jay-Z said. “Whether it’s difference in religion, difference in race or difference in sexual pref• Continued from A1

ing entertained.”

Although Jay-Z mixes activism with his art, he said music serves as a form of self-expression that should not be limited to politics. “[For me,] my truth and the reason for why I became a musician comes first,” Jay-Z said. “It comes what I’m feeling right now, and the music is my expression of this feeling.”

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Nov. 14, 2018

Shake-spirit of Equality A twist on classic Shakeaspeare: the Performing Arts Department’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will feature a same-sex love interest.

By Jordan Murray

The United States midterm elections marked a historical moment for LGBTQ people, with record numbers of LGBTQ candidates taking office. As the government begins to reflect the diversity within the country, the Performing Arts Department will similarly mirror the increasing representation of LGBTQ people in the winter play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

During the Elizabethan Era, Shakespeare’s plays dominated the stages with a solely male cast. However, Harvard-Westlake’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will feature a lesbian relationship and open up many roles to more than one gender. Performing arts teacher Rees Pugh said he had the idea to change the genders to make the play more modern.

“I’ve wanted to do ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ for a long time,” Pugh said. “I chose it and then looked carefully at it about switching the genders of as many roles as possible.

Then, I looked

more carefully at the central conflict and the dilemma of the father and the daughter and the insistence that she marries this man. I was just really looking at how many men’s roles could I switch around to women, if any.”

Shakespeare’s original “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is set in Athens and follows a girl, Hermia, and the love triangle between her suitor Demetrius and the man she truly loves, Lysander. The plot also features the story of Oberon, the king of fairies, who decides to cause problems for Demetrius and the girl who’s in love with him, Helena. A mix-up leads to Lysander falling in love with Helena and leaves all the characters to sort through the problems that Oberon created.

Pugh’s adaption of the play takes a more modern approach with the casting by portraying Lysander as a woman named Lysandra. Pugh said that he has never heard of a Shakspeare play that explores gender in this way and is excited to conduct this new version.

Because Shakespeare’s play has very few women, Pugh said that he was looking at what roles he could change to make the play more current.

Pugh said he avoided drastic changes to the script, only adding minor adjustments to accommodate the change in genders.

“What makes Shakespeare meaningful for me is not necessarily the plot or the story at all but the language itself,” Pugh said. “The poetry is exquisite, and to do away with that, to do an

adaptation and put it in modern speech, for example, does a disservice to the whole thing.

The whole reason to do it for me is to explore the poetry and the beauty of the language.”

English teacher Jocelyn Medawar, who teaches a class focusing on Shakespeare, said she believes that it is great that Pugh is modernizing Shakespeare.

“I think adapting Shakespeare to the needs of the society putting him on is a perfect thing to do,” Medawar said. “I think it’s vital that we see Shakespeare as utterly dynamic because his plays and his plots transcend their time period. I think that crossing gender lines and exploring all of the issues that are most relevant to us are incredibly relevant to him I don’t think we’re gaining anything by not bringing him into the modern world.”

This adaptation of the play also challenges gender-specific characteristics Pugh said.

“The [original] play examines gender differences in typically ancient ways where men are a certain way and women behave a certain way,” Pugh said. “The idea that men are aggressive and women are frail is central to some of the themes. There are aggressive women, and there are passive and frail men and there is everything on the spectrum in between.”

Jake Schroeder ’20 said he is excited that the play is more contemporary.

“I think that it progresses our school and the direction it should be going

towards, and I think that it’s awesome,” Schroeder said. “I think people often forget about stereotypes and gender roles in musicals, and I think that it’s like a really important thing to advance further.”

As the school has increased representation for the LGBTQ community, the midterm elections also saw more diversity in this area. According to NPR, over 400 candidates that are LGBTQ were seen on the ballot and candidates such as Jared Polis found great success. Polis won the election for Governor of Colorado and is the first openly gay man to be elected governor in United States history.

Tali Tufeld ’20, who worked on the campaign for bisexual congresswoman-elect Katie Hill said that she thinks that the play has a greater meaning that does not just apply to the Harvard-Westlake community but to the rest of the country.

“In this day and age, you watch TV and there aren’t that many gay people, if any, or any people part of the LGBTQ community,” Tufeld said. “I think that having these two women as love interests on our campus is a great way that we’re able to contribute to that community and showing representation, especially with the Trump administration wanting to erase transgender people or non-binary people. [The play] is another thing to combat that and to show that LGBTQ people do exist and they are valid and they are here.”

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO