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Veterans in our midst A look inside the experiences of LMU veterans and how they cope with returning from the line of duty.
Editor in Chief
Imagine for a moment that you’re traveling across LMU’s campus. You walk past Sunken Garden, where students are shooting each other with water guns, joking around and enjoying themselves. For most, this sight is not given much thought. But what if less than a year ago, you were deployed to Afghanistan, carrying a real weapon in a combat zone? “As a veteran, you walk around campus and sometimes you see students who are shooting water guns at each other and it’s funny. I understand because that is the traditional student’s way of thinking because they haven’t experienced that and they haven’t been in an environment where you’re actually being shot at,” said William Martinez, a second-year graduate student and president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) on campus.
Graduate student Brittany Holland
By Erika Gill News Intern
It is estimated that over 1 million human beings are enslaved in the United States today. Modern-day human slavery is the subject of “Call + Response,” a documentary created in 2008 by Justin Dillon, lead singer of the band Tremolo. The web site for the movie says, “‘Call + Response’ reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest
secrets: There are more slaves today than ever before in human history.” The documentary is structured as both an awareness tool and a portable benefit concert, featuring information and interviews with people ranging from activists like Ashley Judd to government figures like Madeleine Albright, as well as musical performances from artists like Imogen Heap, Matisyahu, Talib Kweli and Cold War Kids, to name a few. A free screening of the film was held in St. Rob’s Auditorium this past Tuesday night, followed by a musical performance by LMU sophomore screenwriting major Julian Moon. The event included several service
ESTABLISHED 1921 April 7, 2011 Volume 89, Issue 40 www.laloyolan.com
LMU evaluates alert system
By Adrien Jarvis and Kenzie O’Keefe
Modern slavery film prompts activism
“Call + Response” was screened Tuesday night, bringing attention to slavery across the globe.
62˚- 45˚ 58˚- 44˚ 61˚- 49˚ 65˚- 51˚
Loyolan Staff
See Veterans | page 4 Graduate student Lourdes Tiglao
SAT SUN
An in-depth look at the emergency alert system prompts new protocol.
By Kenzie O’Keefe
Graphic: Liana Bandziulis | Loyolan Photos: Lourdes Tiglao and Brittany Holland
THUR FRI
and awareness booths for attendees to visit. The event was sponsored by Pi Beta Phi, which coordinated with Sigma Chi, Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Alpha Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha, and service organizations, Belles and Crimson Circle, as well as students currently taking the Modern Slavery class with political science professor Jodi Finkel. About 115 seats were filled for the screening, and most students stuck around afterward to sign a petition or respond to the film at other tables. At one booth, students lobbied government officials, while at another they accessed laptops and the website chainstorereaction.com to
If a devastating earthquake hit LMU or a shooter showed up on campus, what would students do in order to be and feel safe? How would they receive this safety information and subsequent important tips related to food, living arrangements and classes during the aftermath? These questions bring up the two main areas of study related to LMU’s emergency preparedness protocol. “There’s a big difference between putting communications out to keep you safe and communications to make you feel safe,” said Associate Vice President of Administration Lynne Scarboro, who oversees the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at LMU. On March 17, an incorrect alert message went out to the entire campus community, advising the community to “barricade” due to the imminent threat of an individual with a firearm on campus. Both Scarboro and Chief of Public Safety Hampton Cantrell explained that this slip-up was the result of a “human error” in which a pre-made template was sent out mistakenly, causing many people to question why pre-made templates are used in the first place. Alert messages are created from pre-made templates because having the templates ahead of time allows the administration to think about what they want to say outside of the emergency situation. “The adrenaline goes through the roof” in emergency situations, explained Scarboro. Having the templates
See Slavery | page 5
See Alert | page 4
Witness of Japan earthquake reflects on ordeal FIRST-PERSON FEATURE
LMU student Dorothy Ford was studying abroad in Tokyo when the disaster struck Japan. By Dorothy Ford Contributor
Everyone asks me what it was like in Tokyo the week of the Sendai quake. Some people ask if I felt anything at all and, affronted, I want to tell them everything. I want them to know the panic and the fear, that there was nowhere to run, no way to escape and that the world seemed to come apart at its seams. Dozens of times that weekend, the earth shook me from my sleep in a cold sweat, knocked over books and glasses as I tried to study,
L ve it or leave it
whispering incessant apocalyptic threats. Then the reactors began melting and five different people would give you five different stories about whether or not you were about to die. For days on end we lived in suspense and uncertainty, wondering if the disaster had already passed or if it was only just beginning. Some people ask me if I “felt it,” and I want to tell them everything. But more people ask if I’m OK. Their eyes fill with sympathy and the assumption that I have suffered a great trauma. Even more uncomfortable, I want to assure them how lucky I was. Some of my friends walked seven or eight hours in the cold night to get home; others were stranded altogether for days. My roommate and I lived 20 minutes from school, only took in a handful of refugees and never lost
See Japan | page 2
AP Image
Dorothy Ford was studying at Temple University’s Japan campus in Tokyo when the earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan. Two hundred and twenty-seven miles from Tokyo, Sendai (pictured above) was the closest major city to the quake’s epicenter.
Index
Lasseter shares magic of Pixar
AnnaMichelle Escher highlights what is great about LMU.
Opinion...............................6 Pixar Chief Creative Officer Cartoon...............................9 John Lasseter hosts screening A&E.................................. 10 and Q&A on campus. Classifieds......................... 12 Sports.................................16
Opinion, page 7
The next issue of the Loyolan will be printed on April 11, 2011.
A&E, page 10
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NEWS
April 7, 2011 Page 3
Former dean passes away Sr. Mary Milligan, R.S.H.M., died April 2. By Tierney Finster Asst. A&E Editor
Former dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, Sr. Mary Milligan, Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (R.S.H.M.), died on April 2 at the age of 76. Sister Milligan passed away at 10:15 p.m. at the Regina Residence, a home for the Marymount Sisters, in Orange, Calif. According to a school-wide e-mail from President David W. Burcham, Sr. Milligan played an integral role in both the spiritual and academic histories of LMU. She served as provost to the University from 1986 to 1989 and dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts from 1992 to 1997.
1999 R.S.H.M. Archives
Sr. Mary Milligan, R.S.H.M.
Sr. Milligan was also a trustee of the University from 1987 to 2006. Jeffrey Wilson, associate dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, remembers Sr. Milligan’s presence at LMU fondly. “She was the first dean I experienced when I was hired as an assistant professor. The most wonderful thing about Sr. Mary was her way of welcoming new faculty to LMU. She treated me as a colleague from day one and made us feel like partners in our work with the Jesuits and Sisters. In no way did she make me feel junior or inferior; she was very supportive of me and all other new LMU faculty in that way,” Wilson told the Loyolan. Before she began administrative work in education, Sr. Milligan specialized in teaching. As stated in Burcham’s e-mail, Sr. Milligan was a professor of theology at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif., of the New Testament and Hebrew Scripture at LMU, and of French and theology first at Marymount College in Palos Verdes, then continuing after the Loyola-Marymount merger. In her teaching, Sr. Milligan encouraged others to embody what she called “gentleness of the heart.” As quoted on the R.S.H.M. website, Sr. Milligan said, “It was in her heart that Mary discovered her own identity. ... From the rich symbol of the heart of Mary which has been given to us as an Institute, let us learn interiority, let us learn poverty and gentleness of heart.” She received her bachelor’s degree in French at Marymount
College in Tarrytown, N.Y., her master’s in sacred scripture from St. Mary’s College in Indiana and her doctorate in English at L’Universite de Paris. In addition to these degrees, Sr. Milligan also earned a doctorate in sacred theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. A leader not only at LMU but also in her religious community, Sr. Milligan served on a variety of local, national and international theological commissions for the R.S.H.M. A nun for 56 years, Sr. Milligan carried on her work through teaching young people, writing about faith and spirituality and pursuing the Ignatian tradition through the organization of religious retreats. According to the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart website, Sr. Milligan said the following about her above-and-beyond approach to helping others: “When I go out of my way to help someone, I’m stretching out my hands. That is what St. Marguerite did – she stretched out her hands to those in need. I feel a connection with her and with the way in which she served the poor, with the way in which she created a compassionate world.” A vigil service for Sr. Milligan is planned for Friday, April 8 at 7 p.m. and a Mass for her burial will be held the following day at 11 a.m. Both events will take place in LMU’s Sacred Heart Chapel. Following Saturday’s Mass is a burial service at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. The R.S.H.M. asks that in lieu of flowers, donations to the Mary Milligan, R.S.H.M. Endowed Lecture Series be made instead.
Want to know why
LAPD
was on campus on
yesterday?
Kenzie O’Keefe | Loyolan
George Freeman spoke to LMU students last night on a range of topics including the WikiLeaks scandal and what that means for the future of journalism in the United States.
11 Burning Questions
with the New York Times vice president and assistant general counsel This issue, members of the executive editorial staff talk with George Freeman about WikiLeaks and his job at the Times. 1. What is your job at The New York Times? I am the vice president and assistant general counsel for The New York Times. Basically ... I am in charge of the litigations that the Times has, most of which are newsrelated libel – invasion of privacy, access to infor mation and documents that the government has, things of that nature. I review some stories before they go to print ... I give reporters advice and counsel as they do their daytoday jobs of gathering and reporting news. 2. How did you get started working at The New York Times? !"#$%"$&"$"'()"*$#"+,-"(."/0#"12,3"444"&5$&",06,0%0.&%"&50"7(-0%4""750" New York Times had two big class action discrimination cases against it in the 1970s [and] I was defending the Times on those cases, so I spent a lot of time in the Times building. They got to know me, and eventually &508"+)9,0:"&5$&"(&"#29*:"'0"$"*2&";50$60,"(<"!"#$%"#2,3(.)"<2,"&50-"$%"$." employee than having to pay the outrageous Wall Street rates that my +,-"#$%";5$,)(.)="%2"&508"5(,0:"-0":(,0;&*84" 3. What [did] you talk about during your lecture on the First Amendment? !">&$*30:?"$'29&"&50":(<+;9*&"'$*$.;0"'0&#00."(.<2,-(.)"&50"69'*(;"$'29&" what’s going on and the need to not give away government information that could actually come back and harm the country. If a newspaper man ages to obtain this information, how do they decide what ... to publish? 4. What do you think about the First Amendment’s role in the Westboro Baptist Church case? What’s interesting with this case is that the facts aren’t as bad as they might seem. The church got police permission to protest there. In our country, we allow public debate; in fact, we encourage public debate, even obnoxious and unpopular views. That’s why the court came to the right conclusion, although it is a really unfortunate set of facts. !"#$%#&'(#)*+*#,-#.'//*//,'-#'%#012//,3*4#4'0(5*-6/7#/(08#2/#68*# '-*/#,-9'19*4#,-#:,;,<*2;/7#)826#)'(14#&'(#4'#),68#68*5=# I’d do what the Times did – not dump all the documents on the public, '9&"$*%2".2&"%$8="@A5"-8"B2:="&50%0"$,0";*$%%(+0:="#0";$.C&"69'*(%50:"$.8 thing.’ We actually went to the government and said, ‘What of these mate rials is really going to harm you?’ You look to what they [say] will harm our national security and those things we generally won’t publish. 6. Where did you go to college? I went to Amherst College in Massachusetts, and then I spent a year between college and law school being drafted to the military. After a year of basic training and the like, I went to Harvard Law School. 7. Are there any particularly interesting clients you can tell us about? It’s interesting to see what kind of reporter – aggressive, sweet, competi tive – will succeed. I’ve found that there’s no answer to that question; that reporters have to be themselves and must be effective while employing the style that they have.
Read
“Silent alarm sends LAPD to LMU” on the Loyolan’s website.
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8. Can you tell us about something that’s changed in the news room since you began working at The New York Times? When I started, the only way I could review a story once I was not in &50"2<+;0"#$%"'8"5$D(.)"$";*0,3",0$:"(&"&2"-0"2."&50"652.04"E(**"F$+,0"#$%" a famous columnist at the Times, and once in a column he called Hillary Clinton ‘a congenital liar.’ I wouldn’t [ordinarily] have approved that, [but] while I was on the phone, my 2yearold was running around the room, and at that particular point he jumped on the bed and landed on me and that was the one sentence I didn’t hear on the phone. The next day all hell broke loose and I felt very guilty that I hadn’t done my job. Now, technol ogy has helped us in that role. >"#$%#&'(#0'(14#829*#2-&#'68*+#?'@#26#A8*#B*)#C'+;#A,5*/7#)826# would it be? I’m a sports fan, so I wouldn’t mind being sports editor at the Times. 10. Do you have any big plans for while you’re in L.A.? I’m going to Fresno tomorrow and seeing friends tonight. When I’m on the road, I try to do more interesting things ... than just going to dinner. 11. Do you feel like college students are disconnected from cur rent events? !"+.:"&5$&"%&9:0.&%"&50%0":$8%"<2**2#"&50".0#%"*0%%"&5$."!"#(%5"&508" #29*:4"7508"+.:"%&9<<"29&"2.*(.0">'9&?"!"#2.:0,"(<"&50"%&9<<"&508C,0"+.:(.)" out is more about Lindsay Lohan than Medicare. - Compiled by Loyolan Public Editor Katy Rosenberg
NEWS
April 7, 2011 Page 4
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Forty veterans are currently enrolled at LMU Veterans from page 1 Martinez is one of almost 40 student veterans who currently attend LMU and receive aid, according to Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Jade Smith, who oversees Student Engagement, Retention and Transition in veterans’ services. These student veterans come from all different backgrounds. Second-year graduate student Britney Holland, who founded LMU’s SVO chapter, worked as an interrogator in intelligence in the Army from 2003-07. After that, she worked for the military as a civilian for a year, and then she moved to L.A. to begin attending LMU. Second-year graduate student Lourdes Tiglao, the current vice president of SVO, served in the Air Force for 11-plus years before she moved from Okinawa, Japan to L.A. to begin attending LMU. During that time in the military, she worked in health care for the Critical Care Air Transport Team. The transition from military to civilian life is often difficult. “[In the army] you have this plan and this structured environment and this culture, and then all of [a] sudden you don’t,” Holland said. “Coming back to campus after [having] been in war is a real transition. There are a lot of social and psychological traumas and invisible scars, as well as actual
physical scars that a lot of our veterans are coming back with,” said Smith. The suicide last week of sophomore Clay Hunt, who reportedly suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, served as a tragic reminder of the heavy burdens some veterans carry. Joanne Dennis, who used to work as an Alternative Breaks coordinator at LMU and now works as the director of Program Development at Team Rubicon, an organization which provides aid in natural disaster situations, spoke of some of the social problems that arise from the fundamentally different set of life experiences veteran and non-veteran students have. She said, “It’s hard to fit in; it’s hard to belong because they’ve gone through so many different experiences and they are older. It’s hard to hear complaining about a professor or test. It’s hard to hear after such [an] incredible lifechanging experience.” Martinez articulated the student veterans’ struggle upon entering school postmilitary service. “We’re older students and people expect us to know what to do. Also, we have that military background and again people expect us to know what to do and how to navigate this new educational system that [we’re] not accustomed to. When you’re in the military, you have your designated leaders. There’s always someone you can go to,” he
Lourdes Tiglao
Second-year graduate student Lourdes Tiglao’s (far left) Critical Care Air Transport Team (2002) loads some of its equipment and gear onboard its aircraft in preparation for patient pickup and transport. Strauss Foundation. Currently the group has about 40 people on its roster, with about 15 active student veteran members. The group tries to identify student veterans in order to serve as a resource for them, providing them with emotional, academic and financial support. “It’s not like we have a big flag saying we’re veterans. Most of
Britney Holland
Lourdes Tiglao
LMU second-year graduate student Britney Holland and one of her fellow soldiers pose for a photo in Baghdad.
Lourdes Tiglao configures a plane with her unit’s medical equipment in preparation for transport of critically wounded patients.
our people are not in your face. We keep it quiet unless someone actually asks,” said Tiglao. Not all members of SVO are veterans. Senior English major Mike Lee, who is also an Alternative Break trip coordinator at the Center for Service and Action (CSA), has been a member of SVO since his sophomore year at LMU, when Holland inspired him to join. “I help coordinate volunteer opportunities for the student veterans,” he said. In addition to offering support, SVO also tries to educate the LMU community about student veterans. “There are a lot of stereotypes of veterans, and educating ourselves about the modern veteran improves our ability to serve them. It’s things like: They’re not all men. They’re not all traumatized. Not all of them have been in war. They come from all over the country and have traveled quite a bit,” said Smith. Tiglao offered a reminder for all members of the LMU community: “My one message for people is to not take for granted the people who are beside them because you don’t know their life story or what they’ve done or gone through.” Dennis echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Whether we agree politically with the war or not, the veterans joined to help people and to serve others, and that’s why they joined. They have hearts of gold and they just want people to listen and hear their stories. They have a lot to share, and we have a lot to learn from them.”
system itself and with the University’s and community’s preparedness. “People didn’t know what to do,” said Rocheleau. “Faculty didn’t know whether they should keep their students in the classroom or not. Students who were wandering around the campus ... didn’t know what to do.” Rocheleau also told the Loyolan that he was unaware of any training for the Residence Life staff specifically for handling a shooter or an emergency similar in nature, like the incorrect alert on March 17 stated, but that he believes the training should not just be for Residence Life staff, but for all members of the LMU community. “I think we can all benefit from knowing what to do. ... People will perform better if they have had practice or some previous instruction or knowledge on what they are supposed to do. That alert message went out, which was really vague and really
other colleges and universities are another aspect of emergency preparedness that LMU is involved in, explained Scarboro. For example, LMU and the University of San Francisco back up each other’s electronic servers. Pepperdine University and LMU have a reciprocal agreement to help house each other’s students in the event of an emergency. “You think about what that scenario might be and you say, ‘How about you be our backup?’” explained Scarboro. “A lot of those lessons came from [Hurricane] Katrina.” Both Cantrell and Scarboro admitted that the LMU community still has a lot to learn about safety and the administration still has a lot to learn about communicating about it. According to Scarboro, plans are currently in the works for large- and small-scale safety drills in the fall. Additionally, the University is currently trying to find a way to enforce mandatory participation in the alert system.
said. This idea of having specific people for student veterans to go to was the impetus for the creation of SVO. Holland described her first year at LMU as “rough,” and she figured she couldn’t be the only veteran who was struggling. So she founded the SVO chapter in 2009 using a scholarship she received from the Donald A.
Recent events prompt reflection on alert system Alert from page 1 helps ensure that all of the necessary information is included in the alert. In the event of an immediate threat in which a template does not apply, there is always a “shift supervisor that is empowered to send out alert messages,” said Cantrell. Cantrell explained that alert message scripts are currently being revised in order to ensure that three types of information are always given. The alerts give the date, time and location of the event being discussed; they tell the receiver what they should do in response to the event and they inform the receiver about the status of campus, like whether it’s open or closed. There are two types of alerts that go out to the LMU community: advisories and warnings. Scarboro explained that an “advisory” is used in a situation where there is “not an immediate danger to anyone on campus.
You don’t need to do anything other than just be careful.” A warning says, “You could be in danger. We need you to do something to stay safe right now.” In the spring of 2008, Associate Vice President for Student Life Richard Rocheleau was on a committee that helped develop a policy for the alert system. During that time, the committee reviewed some templates, but “since then, Public Safety has taken over putting the templates in and developing more of them,” according to Rocheleau. Additionally, Rocheleau told the Loyolan that he and several others from the Student Affairs department have been trained to use the alert system as a back up, but that the system is primarily in the hands of DPS. In regard to the recent message sent out in error, Rocheleau believes that it helped to highlight where further development is needed, both with the alert
cryptic – it wasn’t complete. So certainly any message that goes out ... need[s] to evoke in people what they have been trained to do,” said Rocheleau, who added that the alert system should be used judiciously so that when alert messages do go out, they are taken seriously. Both Scarboro and Cantrell stressed that emergency preparedness involves a lot more than the alerts that go out to students by text message, telephone and e-mail. Alerts also come in the form of fliers, such as the ones that appeared April 1 on residence halls, notifying students of a sexual battery that occurred off campus. Additionally, indoor and outdoor public address systems are used to broadcast messages, especially in the event of imminent danger. Two blue emergency poles on campus (one near the back gates and one near the library) have such “public address” capabilities, said Cantrell. Reciprocal agreements with
NEWS
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For the Record Correction: In the photo that accompanied the article “Na Kolea brings island culture to the mainland”published on April 4, 2011,the musical group pictured is incorrectly identified as Natural Vibrations. The group is in fact Smooth Remedy, consisting of Jesse LaBatte, Aaron Domingo and Shane Tsukayama.
April 7, 2011 Page 5
Audience reflects on slavery
Slavery from page 1 compose e-mails urging companies like Mott’s, Tory Burch and Acura to use slavefree suppliers. Another booth offered bracelets made of duct tape for a one dollar donation, because, according to senior
business major Katie Carl, “It only takes 6 inches of duct tape to silence a victim.” Carl, who worked as an intern for Call + Response last summer, saw the film as a tool to spread awareness within the student population. “Being in Pi Phi, that’s the avenue I know to work through,” said Carl, who praised the LMU Pi Beta Phi chapter ’s activism. Though she will be graduating this spring, screenings of the documentary will continue, giving LMU students a chance to reengage with the subject matter of the film. Sophomore business administration major Gretchen Helpenstell saw the film when it was screened in November. “It really moved me the first time,” Helpenstell said, as she discussed her renewed concern over human trafficking at a booth with senior psychology major Lara Heisser, a student from Finkel’s Modern Slavery class. The class, which Finkel intends to offer once a year in the political science department, provides students with informed perspectives on human slavery, as well as including elements of community outreach. The film sandwiched
interviews with well-known activist figures and revealing undercover footage of child prostitutes between longer studio-recorded musical performances by artists from all over the world. Elements like the longer entertainment aspect of the documentary helped keep the audience’s attention throughout the duration of the film. Heisser praised “Call + Response,” and said, “I think that using [wellknown artists] is important so that people can relate to them and see what they are advocating.” Other viewers wanted less “rockumentary” and more facts. “I wanted to hear more information,” said Quinn Painter, a freshman film production major. While students had mixed responses about the musical content of the film, it was praised across the board for its message. “It was long,” said freshman psychology major Lauren Slack, referring to the musical content, “but I liked that they used artists I recognize.” The tables will be set up again at Convo today, where students can learn more about the film and the organization and what LMU students can do to respond to the call.
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OPINION Student Editorials and Perspectives
April 7, 2011 Page 6
Board Editorials
Letter to the Editor
Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board. Adrien Jarvis Managing Editor
Kenzie O’Keefe Editor in Chief
Angelica Cadiente Asst. Managing Editor | Opinion Editor
An accomplishment worth noting
Re: “1.6 times more men are tenured than women” (April 4, 2011)
Katy Rosenberg Public Editor
Dear Editor,
Michael Goldsholl Asst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor
From combat zones to dismount zones
D
uring the past week, members of the Loyolan staff have talked extensively with student veterans and others on campus who are affiliated with support services for veterans (see “Veterans among us” p. 1). Hearing these emotionally charged accounts of life in combat and the transition into University life afterward was a shocking reminder of the way in which monumental events taking place across the world can hit close to home. Being secluded on the bluff, it is easy for students to fixate on issues that have an immediate and tangible effect on them – it is natural to react enthusiastically to things such as the new dismount zone rules and the inoperative escalators in U-Hall. The Loyolan acknowledges that it follows these patterns sometimes as well. However, the Loyolan urges students to learn more about issues that affect the greater community and to direct some of the passion they have exhibited in campus issues to these greater ones. The veterans, who are now students at LMU, shared impassioned stories of the hardships they faced overseas, as well as the struggles involved in adjusting to classroom life. They spoke of the transition from being part of a community fearing for its life to a community worried about the con-
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sequences of getting written up for misbehaving. Understandably, the change in communal priorities can be jarring. In her article “A much needed attitude adjustment” (see p. 7), Assistant Opinion Editor Anna Escher shared a similar sentiment. Escher asks for “campus-wide attitude adjustment” in regards to the little things that members of the LMU community are annoyed by. “Instead of focusing on the aspects of this school that you dislike,” Escher writes, “reevaluate why you are here and why you have not yet transferred somewhere else.” Although it may be easy to ignore the daily horrors of war taking place in combat zones across the world, it’s important to remember that these occurrences affect students through the experiences of other community members and even fellow students. While the Loyolan’s aim is not to undermine the ways in which the community upholds “the service of faith and the promotion of justice” named in the University’s mission, it would like to remind students of the importance of actively following in the ways that the United States acts in the international arena. As seen in “Veterans among us”, these global issues are not so far from the bluff as they may seem.
In her news analysis on tenured women and men at LMU, writer Margo Jasukaitis says that nationally onefifth of tenured professors are female, whereas the gap “at LMU is somewhat smaller.” Odd math – I would say that from 20 percent to 38 percent is hardly “somewhat” of a difference. The fact is that LMU’s average of tenured female professors is almost double the national average, and that is an accomplishment that should be noted. It is the result of a concerted effort on the part of the University not only to look for qualified women, but also to seek enhanced means of retention. In this regard, LMU is clearly a leader. (Rev.) William J. Fulco, S.J., PhD National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies Department of Classics and Archaeology, LMU
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Japan’s catastrophes hit close to home
W
ords like “nuclear” and “radioactivity” usually conjure up images of glowing, mutated, Godzilla-like creatures. But with the recent catastrophes that have befallen Japan, these words come with a much more serious set of images like polluted oceans, damaged marine life and radioactive waste harming people who come into contact with contaminated materials. These images are serious enough in and of themselves, but how close to home do they hit? How close to should they hit? Randomosity home CNN reported this past By Angelica Monday in the article Cadiente “Japan dumps thouAsst. Managing Editor | sands of tons of radioactive water into sea” that Opinion Editor the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan (which already dealt with contaminated water leaking out of one of its reactors since the explosion in March) was forced to dump about 11,500 tons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean – the same Pacific Ocean that lines the coast of the very beaches that we frequent as residents of Southern California. Every day, we hear and read about new developments regarding the crisis in Japan and the repercussions of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit earlier this month. We get reports of nuclear contamination, and we can’t help but be at least a bit worried about it. We can’t help but wonder whether or not we’ll be affected – not to mention wonder about those who are closer to the disaster than we are – and we’re 5,000 miles away. It’s easy to get inundated with all this information; some tell us that we should be worried, yet others tell us that there’s nothing to fear. For us here in L.A., panicking at this point would be unnecessary, but at the same time, how can we be expected to brush off the fact that there are literally tons of radioactive waste stewing in the same ocean located just a few miles away from us? How can we not worry when we read about how the radioactivity has made its way into a food source in San Luis Obispo, a city
only about 200 miles from L.A.? According to “Traces of radioactive iodine found in San Luis Obispo milk,” an April 2 article published in the Los Angeles Times, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is quoted as saying that “really trace amounts do not pose a threat to public health” and that “the levels [they] detected are nearly 5,000 times less than FDA standards.” The CDPH has recently updated the “Frequently Asked Questions About Radiation” page of its website and repeatedly assures us that Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to us. At the time of publication, that certainly may have been true, but after more and more of the radioactive waste is spilled into the ocean, will that continue to be the case? Experts on nuclear energy sources surely have more information than the general public, and they undoubtedly had many reasons behind the decision to unload that nuclear waste into the ocean, but do those reasons really hold up? The CNN article quotes Timothy Jorgensen, chair of the radiation safety committee at Georgetown University Medical Center, as saying that “hopefully the churning of the ocean and the currents will quickly disperse this so that it gets to very dilute concentrations relatively quickly,” and that “it is a considerable amount of [contaminated] water, but the immensity of the Pacific Ocean will quickly dilute this to harmless levels.” Many experts seem to go along with this line of thinking, and though it is true that the vastness of the ocean certainly won’t hurt, it is not as if the radioactive waste will be dispersed immediately upon reaching the ocean. To give a bit more perspective on how
“We can’t help but wonder whether or not we’ll be affected – and we’re 5,000 miles away.”
11,500 tons
of radioactive water dumped !"#$%#&'%()*!+* Ocean,
Plus 1 leak that’s just recently been stopped.
What are the consequences? Photo: Flickr Creative Commons Graphic: Levi Marks | Loyolan
much is being dumped, according to Tokyo Electric, “It will take about 50 hours to dump all the contaminated water.” That being said, until enough time has passed and the ocean currents have dispersed the radioactive water, there will still be areas of intense concentration, and the potential harm that this could do should still be acknowledged. During the time frame that the contaminated water is not yet evenly diluted, what will happen to the marine life in the area with high concentrations of radioactive water? Regardless of how often we’re assured that everything is fine, I find it hard to believe that this won’t have serious repercussions for wildlife as well as people who live off of resources from the sea. The CNN article further explains that the dumping of contaminated water was “unavoidable,” essentially because it was taking up space which was needed to house more highly radioactive waste. Granted, given the choice between regular radioactive water and water that’s more highly radioactive, I suppose the lesser of two evils was chosen. But problems like this lead to a big-
ger question, a question of whether it’s worth it to put ourselves and our planet through these types of problems. Can nuclear energy really be considered “clean” energy when it has the potential to do such great harm? In “Unlearned lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima,” a recent Los Angeles Times opinion piece, Henry Shukman warns against underplaying the harmful effects that radiation can have on ecosystems and life forms, and ultimately, the entire planet. We have a responsibility to make sure the decisions we make are in the interest of longterm benefits, not short-term fixes. Ultimately, there isn’t one cure for the many environmental, social and economic problems that this recent crisis has brought, but hopefully, in the future, society will be able to make the right decisions so that when a crisis hits, we won’t have to be put in the position of picking the lesser of two evils or causing further harm simply because it is “unavoidable.” This is the opinion of Angelica Cadiente, a sophomore business administration major from Los Angeles, Calif. Please send comments to acadiente@theloyolan.com.
OPINION
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April 7, 2011 Page 7
A much needed attitude adjustment
f you h ave b e en a ny where ot her than under a rock this semester, you may have noticed the recent series of c ompl a i nt s b ei n g voic e d a r ou nd campus. It all began with the installm e nt o f t h e d i s m o u nt z o n e , wh ic h h a s le f t m a ny b i kers and skateboarders frustrated. Later, it was the letdown of d r aw i n g b ad hou s ing numbers. Shortly after, we experienced a false shooter threat on campus, causing much dissatisfaction w ith P ubl ic Sa fety. Till the AM T hen, a n overload By Anna-Michelle of College Fest band selection complaints Escher echoed around camAsst. Opinion Editor pus, and as always, the perpetual dissati sfac t ion w it h fo o d at The Lair remains in effect. Oh, and don’t let me forget the cherry on top: the e-mail announcing a raise in tuition. Granted, these are all topics of controversy that must be discussed, but it has been nearly impossible to tone out the overall hostile sentiment that has been emanating from students toward the school administration. If I hear one more, “We pay 50 g r a nd a ye a r t o go to this school, and [insert recycled complaint about LMU here]” statement, it could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Well, I guess the fact that I’ve been moved to write an article about this means that the camel’s back has already been broken. Regardless, it’s time for this unappreciative tone toward the administration to disappear and for the student body to remember
why each of us chose to enroll at this University in the first place. It’s easy to complain. In fact, pessimism serves as a sort of “go-to” conversational route when people are relating to one another. People can easily express their anger about the fact that they have to hop off their skateboards a nd bi ke s when appr o ac h i n g Pa l m Walk, or the fact that there isn’t anywhere to get a cup of coffee before work in the morning because both The Lion’s Den and The Lair were closed. However, there is a reason you are here. I’m sorry you had to walk a few extra yards and that you were tired at work. But instead of getting caught up in the daily annoyances, try instead to enjoy the v iew of Los A ngeles while walki n g by t he l ibra r y t h rou gh t he d is mount zone instead of grumbling about being late to class. If you’re tired of The Lair, you should make the trek over to Crimson Lion, and do it with a big smile. This is a simple request for a campus-wide attitude adjustment. Instead of focusing on the aspects of th is school that you dislike, disagree with or which merely annoy you, reevaluate why you are h e r e a n d w hy you have not yet tra nsfer red t o another school. A cure for this lack of Lion pride is to acknowledge all of the amazing things that have occurred at LMU lately. Recently, there have been many Greek philanth ropy events, such as Sig ma Ch i’s D e r b y D a y s , S i g m a P h i E p s i l o n ’s Futballin’, Delta Delta Delta’s Almost G olf, A lpha Ph i’s Aph iasco, P i Beta Ph i’s A r rowspi ke a nd K appa A lpha T het a’s K at at Bat . T h r ou g h t he s e events, fraternities and sororities have
“A cure for this lack of Lion pride is to acknowledge all of the amazing things that have occurred at LMU lately.”
David Zaleski | Loyolan
worked extremely hard and collectively raised tens of thousands of dollars for their national philanthropies. LMU recently held Special Games, in which students and faculty had an amazing, exciting day spending time w ith the d isabled. Ma r ia ns S er v ice Organization also just hosted its annual event, “ Deconstr ucting the F Word: Women and the Media,” in which guest speakers came to the school to discuss feminism in honor of Women’s History Month. Not to mention, ASLMU just threw the best College Fest to date. The point is that while there have been some frustrating elements concerning decisions from the administration that we have faced recently, the positives have been overlooked. We are all par t of a University that places a strong value on our education,
safety and happiness. It is through our school that we are g iven such amazing opportunities and such a tight-knit community. This does not mean we should grin and bear aspects of student life that are disagreeable. Voicing discomfort is easy, but providing solutions along with those complaints is the only way to solve these issues that affect us. A critical but positive outlook on our lives, our education and our time here at LMU is a healthy and proactive way to think. S o for g ive t he m i s t a k e s t h at h ave occurred in the University’s administration lately and enjoy the privilege of being an LMU student. This is the opinion of Anna-Michelle Escher, a sophomore communication studies major from Stanford, Calif. Please send comments to aescher@theloyolan.com.
OPINION
April 7, 2011 Page 8
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Conversations with a cab driver
’m sure the name “Don” inspires various reactions for different people. For those mafia-enthused, Mario Puzo-loving “Godfather” types, a don is a sacred symbol. For others, it could be their kooky Uncle Don(ald), on a fishing trip visiting from Nebraska. For me, Don is the walrusmustached, South Boston-Irish “Yellow Cab” driver who picked me up from Larkspur Landing in Marin County, Calif. last Friday. Basically, he’s my new best friend. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of cab drivers. Maybe it is because of my traumatizing experiences in Mexico and New York City where the cabbies apparently also thought they were Formula 1/ Droppin’ TRON drivers. Or, it could be the Dines fact that during the majority of By Nathan Dines my cab rides, I cannot understand a word of what the driver is sayAsst. Sports Editor ing to me. This normally causes me to say the address I want, nod at the driver’s garbled response and I awkwardly stare out the window, TAX hoping for no weird or random questions. Getting change after paying can be difficult, too. And then there was the one time I didn’t have any money, but that is an entirely different story. But a recent experience has taught me that I should ditch my usual anti-cab mentality, and after you read about it, I’m sure you’ll agree. The moment I stepped out of the Marin drizzle and into Don’s cab, I knew this would be a good ride. Sure, his non-muddled English helped, and a Boston accent was a beautiful benefit, but the real icing on the cake was his mustache. It was the perfect mixture of growth and volume – actor Sam Elliott’s mustache meets “MythBusters’” Jamie Hyneman’s extravagant facial hair. When it comes down to it, there’s something about a mustache that always gets to me. After the initial pleasantries, during which my “I’m here from L.A.” comment inspired an, “Oh,
you’re one of those guys?,” we got back on the good side of things when I told him I wanted to be a sports journalist. He also asked about my school, and I almost had a heart attack when I discovered that he had actually heard of LMU. Of course, though, he was familiar with our recent basketball success, so don’t get too excited, Vernon. As with any true Bostonian, he quickly informed me of his Celtics passion. Our bond grew almost instantly – his assumed loathing of the Lakers was almost as obvious as mine. From here on out is where our friendship grew exponentially. While our entire conversation cannot be repeated (because, to draw from the a forementioned
L I FE
connotations of the name Don, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you”), I basically learned his life story. After telling me many fascinating facts about his life, Don confided in me as if I’d known him long enough to know what he looks like without a mustache. Yes, that is a very long time. Don told me about a horrible car accident that his daughter had been in recently, where after falling asleep at the wheel, her car f lipped and slammed into a tree. I was honored to be privy to this sensitive material as it was another sign of our connection. Luckily, though, she
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is actively recovering. I felt privileged that he felt he could tell me something like that. As all good things must come to an end (“Two and a Half Men” being the most poignant of examples), we pulled into the parking lot of my destination. My time with my new but dear friend was coming to an end, and I even took a few extra seconds to get my money out to make the ride most worthwhile. I gave him his fare plus a handsome tip, of course, shook his hand and bid farewell to the gentle Southie named Don. Now, as I am sitting here in the Gerstle Park Inn, a bed and breakfast, writing this article on those tiny little complimentary notepads and reminiscing about that memorable cab ride, I miss Don already. We had our highs and lows during that drive – an emotional roller coaster if you will – and I really felt a bond. In fact, good ol’ Don may have opened my eyes to the true potential of a seemingly disjointed cab ride. So next time you need to get from point A to point B and your friends or family are too cheap to pick you up, don’t assume it will be worse than a “Twilight” movie. In fact, the Dons of the world could be right under your nose, so don’t hesitate to spark up a conversation. You know how you can really tell if your cabbie is promising? Heck, I have no idea, but a healthy mustache is a good start.
Graphic by Conor Morgan | Loyolan This is the opinion of Nathan Dines, a sophomore communication studies major from Medford, Ore. Please send comments to ndines@theloyolan.com.
April 7, 2011 Page 9
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Hedgehog Soup
Heimlich
By: Peter Li
Gandalf the hall monitor
Curtis & the Hedgehog
By: David Zaleski
Heimlich
By: Peter Li
Curtis & the Hedgehog
Panda Playtime
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By: Teresa Leong
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Hedgehog Soup
By: David Zaleski
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dzaleski@theloyolan.com “Do you understand why they’re showing us this?”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Film, Literature, Music, Restaurants and Theater
April 7, 2011 Page 10
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John Lasseter shares anecdotes, advice Event Report By Emily Rome A&E Editor
A
nimation enthusiasts who managed to nab a seat in the School of Film and Television’s (SFTV) Mayer Theater were in for a treat on Monday. SFTV was host to John Lasseter, Pixar Animation Studios’ chief creative officer, for a special event that evening. The computer animation pioneer shared stories from the productions of Pixar films, revealed what movies and filmmakers have inspired him and gave students advice on how to make great films. At the event moderated by animation professor Tom Klein, Lasseter talked a lot about story – appropriate for the head of the studio which is regarded by critics and audiences alike as batting a 1.000 with its endearing stories and which earned the first Oscar nomination given to an animated film for the original screenplay category. “No amount of great animation will save a bad story,” Lasseter said, as he emphasized how Pixar merges art and science with each serving the other. One of Lasseter’s early influences as a storyteller was Belgian animator Raoul Servais, who told Lasseter while he was working on the 1986 short “Luxo Jr.” that “no matter how short it is, it should have a story – a beginning, a middle and an end.” “Luxo Jr.,” which features Pixar’s now-iconic desk lamps
Jon Rou
Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter spoke on campus Monday about his career. The event also featured the screening of three of his short films and “Toy Story,” the first feature released by the production company. and ball, was one of three short animated films screened at the event. Lasseter also screened his student film made during his senior year at the California Institute of the Arts in 1979 titled “Nitemare.” The third short he screened was “Tin Toy,” which eventually inspired Pixar’s first feature, “Toy Story.” “Toy Story 3” may be the Pixar film that strikes closest to home for LMU, as Lasseter drew from his experience of dropping his son off for his freshman year at LMU when brainstorming for the film’s plot; but students still
had the chance to watch a film close to many current college students’ hearts at Monday’s event. Lasseter screened the first “Toy Story” film, which was released in 1995 when much of the event’s audience was the same age as the character Andy. It was clear from the laughter that filled Mayer during the screening that the film still resonated with and entertained them today. In a Q&A session after the screening, Lasseter talked about humor and revealed some of the keys to making a film entertaining for all ages. The filmmaker
mentioned how much kids love slapstick humor and also emphasized that timeless good humor is not dependent on things like current pop culture jokes. “The humor comes from the personality of the characters when put into certain situations. It’s not some guys standing there, saying smart aleck comments that could be said by any character,” Lasseter explained. He also said that he and other Pixar filmmakers wanted to make movies that weren’t over the heads of young audience members but also didn’t bore
More from John Lasseter “Don’t forget that childlike wonder of the world that makes you giggle and laugh.”
“I believe I picked a career where I don’t have to ever grow up.”
parents. Lasseter referenced the “torture for parents” of their kids watching films over and over again once a movie is released on home video and said his wife added the requirement that they make films “for the 100th time the parent has to suffer through it at home on video cassette.” Lasseter also had several fun stories from voice recording sessions at Pixar, which he said is where the spontaneity comes into animated films. He revealed that Tom Hanks is “really good with props” as a voice actor. Much of the scene with Woody holding Buzz’s arm was ad-libbed by Hanks when he was holding a similar-looking prop. Doing several takes also produced more opportunities for unexpected emotion or humor with Woody’s character: A moment of despair for Woody in the film’s climax ended up using several “no’s” instead of just one because Hanks had so many different great takes. Lasseter advised aspiring directors to give their teams creative ownership on projects and to commit to making filmmaking a collaborative process. The event was a very inspirational one for the students present. Perhaps best capturing the flavor of the evening’s discussion was when Lasseter told the audience, “Film production is hard work. It is bloody hard work. … But if you believe in the movie you’re working on and you love the movie you’re working on and you love the people you’re working with, it is the most fun thing you can do.”
Images: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Design by Levi Marks | Loyolan
“If your heart is beating, you’re a Pixar audience.”
“Every single Pixar film has been the worst motion picture film ever made at one point. … But you just start working through it, and with the help of each other, we always make it better.”
“[‘Star Wars’] was such a revolution. I cannot tell you what that did to me as a film lover and someone who wanted to make films. It entertained audiences on a level like no other film in history had. Pure entertainment.”
“[Filmmaking] is one of the best careers you can have. … It’s so awesome to create something. It is so satisfying.”
JazzCats perform at both Convo hours this week
Matt Justmann | Loyolan
LMU’s own jazz quintet, JazzCats, is livening up Convo this week with their performances on Alumni Mall. From left to right are junior business Chris Rowntree, senior English major Sean McEvoy, sophomore music major Katie Rose San Fillippo and senior music major Justin Ramos. Not pictured is guitarist Charlie McCord, a senior music major. The group performed songs like Bart Howard’s “Fly Me To The Moon,” Harold Arlen’s “It’s Only A Paper Moon” and Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E.” The JazzCats will perform oldies dance music during the Farmer’s Market today. The student-run group has performed on campus several times since they formed in spring 2010, including at the presidental inauguration and the Christmas Tree Lighting. Ramos said he enjoys playing at Convo because “it’s right in the center of Alumni Mall. I can see all my friends and classmates walking by. It’s a performance, but it’s also just a chance to jam.” Go to laloyolan.com/ae to watch videos from JazzCats’ Tuesday show. – Emily Rome
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
April 7, 2011 Page 11
Download of the Week “Till The World Ends” by Britney Spears With her last album “Femme Fatale” released on March 25, Britney Spears has once again proven her status as the princess of pop. Jive Records In typical Spears fashion, the album is filled with lots of naughty word play and amusing pop lyrics. However, in an attempt to modernize her style, Britney has also employed a variety of techno and dubstep style beats throughout the album, including in her current single “Till The World Ends.” “This kitten has got your tongue tied in knots,” Spears coos in the song’s opening; the beginning of a perfect anthem for your week’s social itinerary. – Tierney Finster
Photo by Associated Press Graphic by Levi Marks | Loyolan
Lauren Froderman, pictured above with “So You Think You Can Dance” partner Neil Haskell, will be present at the Reality Rocks Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Froderman will be attending LMU this fall.
Reality TV stars to unite under one roof for expo Event Preview By Michelle Weiss Senior Editor
R
eality TV will take the next step in up-closeand-personal this weekend. The Reality Rocks Expo will bring some of reality TV’s biggest stars to the Los Angeles Convention Center, including last summer’s “So You Think You Can Dance” winner, LMUbound Lauren Froderman. The Film Group, an organization that puts on film shows that focus on the motion picture industry, is hosting the expo, which is being held for the first time ever this year. The convention will include seminars such as “How to Create, Produce and Pitch” and “Identifying the Talent for a Hit Show.” In these workshops, fans will be able to see how reality TV comes to life and educate themselves if they are interested in going into the industry as well. Though there is an educational aspect of the expo, it is meant to be a fun experience for everyone who attends. Fans will be able to see and meet celebrities from many different shows including “American Idol,” “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Project Runway,” “The Bachelor” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” just to name a few. “We’ve been very surprised and happy about the participation from the industry,” said Robert Sunshine, senior vice president of The Film Group. The two-day event will also involve fan meet and greets
The Reality Rocks Expo Featured Shows Saturday, April 9 “ Ghost Hunters” “So You Think You Can Dance” “American Idol” “America’s Funniest Home Videos” YouTube stars from “The Station“ (Kassem G and Lisa Nova) “Pitbulls and Parolees” Sunday, April 10 “Audrina” “Big Brother” with reality show stars, celebrity panels, Q&As and handson activities. One of these activities includes a dance performance and instruction class with the stars of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Froderman, who plans to attend LMU this fall, will be among those stars. “It sounded really cool and another way to thank fans and
also a way to thank the show. The show obviously gave me a lot, and I want to give back,” Froderman said. After contestants from different seasons perform, they will then begin to bring fans on stage and take them through a step-by-step demonstration on how to dance. The stars will also have a Q&A session where audience members can ask them about anything from their past season to their future plans, or maybe even some advice for themselves. “If there’s anyone who wants to try out for the show I hope they can talk to us during the Q&A and see what they’re up against, or we can give them any helpful hints,” Froderman said. On Saturday night, the expo will also feature a reality TV show awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Shaun Robinson from Access Hollywood. Award categories include favorite female personality, best host and best judge, among others. This ceremony will be open to all fans that attend the expo. With lots of activities, there will always be something to attend or watch, whether it be a workshop or a dance instruction. The entire expo is aimed to please as well as educate the fans of the various reality shows. “I think we have the potential for it to become the ComicCon of reality television,” Sunshine said. Tickets can be purchased online at www.realityrocks.net for $35 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday, and a two-day pass can be purchased at a price of $65.
April 7, 2011 Page 12
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Choral Sampler to entertain and fundraise Event Preview By Hanna Sherman A&E Intern
S
tudents who had the pleasure to hear the Women’s Chorus, Consort Singers and Concert Choir perform at the inauguration of President David W. Burcham two weeks ago will have another opportunity to see them perform again. To-
morrow, the Choral Sampler, a medley performance of all three choirs, directed and conducted by professor of music Dr. Mary Breden, will be held in Murphy Recital Hall. Proceeds from the event will help fund the choruses’ 2012 summer concert tour in Germany and Austria. All three choruses will be onstage together, and performers will be singing an assortment of pieces that will
give the audience a small preview of their lineup for the 46th Annual Spring Chorale on April 29. Selections range from classical, sacred pieces to chamber pieces, but it’s predicted there will be a popular favorite. “The Cole Porter piece is probably the one that general audiences love the most,” said Breden. Originally a musical theatre piece from the ‘30s and ‘40s, the Cole
Angelica Marie Valdez | Loyolan
The unique sounds of each of the three choral groups performing combine under the leadership of Dr.Mary Breden (pictured at the piano above). According to Breden, an interest in classical music is not needed to enjoy the show.
Porter Medley is typically performed during special dinners. Breden believes that the piece will add a “lighter, wider range of expression” to the concert as a whole. Breden spoke enthusiastically about all of the students involved. “There is a wide range of expression among all three groups,” she said. “While the female chorus has a rich sound, the male members of the groups have a full range.” A few students agreed when asked which song they were most excited to perform, citing their delight in singing “O Nata Lux” from Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna.” “Lauridsen’s music has a very calming and mystifying feel to it, which always makes it interesting and challenging to sing,” said freshman political science major Thomas Costello, who has been performing with the Consort Singers and the Concert Choir since the beginning of the year. The choruses will be touring Germany and Austria because Breden was invited to guest conduct there, as she had done previously in Italy. The 10-day trip expands through Munich, Salzburg and Vienna, which are renowned for their rich musical history. Breden looks forward to touring the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria and the birthplace of Mozart, the extremely influential classical musician, with the students. “Everyone is very excited about the trip to Germany and Austria, especially after
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On Campus EMPOWER HOUR Tuesday 4/12 7pm St. Rob’s Auditorium. A cardio workout that involves highenergy aerobics, yoga and strength training with spoken !"#$%!&'()*+&(+,%-(.,$+/(01+ LIGHT THE NIGHT Monday 4/11 8pm St. Rob’s Auditorium. Keynote speaker addressing sexual harassment and empow erment, followed by a guided walk around campus to point out dark areas to Public Safety.
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the success of our Italy trip last summer,” said MacKenzie Campbell, a junior music major who has performed with the Consort Choir and the Women’s Chorus for three semesters. “To be able to travel the world, doing what you love, is really a dream come true.” Classical music concerts are not just directed to the dedicated music enthusiasts, as is sometimes the assumption for events such as this one. Breden and the performers always love to see more students attend their show. Breden challenges students to “not let classical music scare them away.” Choral Sampler attendees will not only experience an evening of diverse music, but also support the students involved earn money for their European travels. The Choral Sampler begins at 8 p.m. tomorrow night in Murphy Recital Hall. Students may purchase tickets for $5, and general admission tickets are $10.
Choral Sampler Murphy Recital Hall Friday, April 8 8 p.m. $5 students & faculty, $10 general admission
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SPORTS
April 7, 2011 Page 13
Mickelson leads pack, seeks back to back Droppin’ Dines from page 16 Woods is playing like an “average golfer,” and maybe that will bring out the best in his course play. With the volatility of his game since the infamous car crash, the only expectations Woods has to live up to are his own. For an athlete like Woods those expectations are still extraordinary, yet he has a chance to overcome recently shoddy play (zero wins since the November 2009 JBWere Australian Masters) and make a return to previous form. My prediction? I will go out on a limb and predict a Top 5 finish, but Woods is still no match for the young guns ruling the PGA Tour today and the defending Masters champion, Phil Mickelson. Now for Phil: the man, the myth, the legend. Mickelson has climbed my personal golf chart immensely over the past few years. I was never really a fan until one fateful day, a day so fateful I do not remember the exact date. In truth, Mickelson is now one of my favorite golfers to watch and root for during every tournament. He is a man who has dealt with so much hardship (including his wife’s breast cancer) and given back to so many people (with his many charities); it is hard for me not to want Mickelson to win. As the defending Masters champion, a victory would make Mickelson the fourth player (behind Jack Nick-
laus, Nick Faldo and Woods) to win consecutive Masters, and would move into a tie for second (with Arnold Palmer and Woods) with four Masters titles overall. Despite his lack of great success since last year’s trip to Augusta, a win at last weekend’s Shell Houston Open puts Mickelson back on track for Masters success. My pick is for Mickelson to slip the coveted green jacket back on at the end of the weekend, claiming his fourth Masters title. Looking past the big names like Woods and Mickelson, the world of golf this year has been an unstable one indeed. In addition to the aforementioned pair, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell could all become World No. 1 with a win at Augusta. Kaymer starts today’s play as World No. 1 after overtaking Westwood in his late February second-place finish at the World Golf Championships. The young 26-year-old German is hoping to get past his disastrous history at Augusta, where he has missed the cut the previous three years. Even with his recent Masters woes, Kaymer has the momentum and skills to turn things around, continuing his success on the course and seeking a consecutive Major victory after taking home the PGA Championship trophy last August. Another contender in the running for this year’s Masters trophy is McDowell.
I can vouch for his greatness after being at Pebble Beach to see him win last year’s upand-down U.S. Open Championship, and although he is in a bit of a funk lately (sixthplace finish in early March to a 42nd-place finish to a missed cut in late March), McDowell has the potential to win it all. In addition to “Mr. Consistent” Westwood and consummate pro Donald, I foresee a number of other golfers performing well. On the younger side of the game, keep your eyes on Rickie Fowler, McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. Some may see these three as brash choices for top performers at this year’s tournament, yet all have the talent to take their game to the next level. Johnson, though, will have to improve on his Sunday meltdowns (he led by three strokes and one stroke entering the final round of last year’s U.S. Open and PGA Championship). And Rickie, I doubt the green jacket will match very well with your final-round bright orange getup. Throw in Majorwinning Padraig Harrington, long-driving Bubba Watson and dark horse Justin Rose, and there are some true 2011 Masters contenders. But then again, there is only so much predicting you can do for any golf tournament. There is always the potential for a McDowell or a Kaymer to steal the show, so all you can do is wait and see the magic unfold.
Associated Press
Phil Mickelson (pictured during the final round of his victory at the Shell Houston Open last weekend) is favored to win a consecutive Masters title and the fourth Masters win of his career this year. Knowing the Loyolan readers, there needs to be a little more incentive to sit and watch a long sporting event, especially golf. Here goes: For all the Tiger Woods types in the world, there are going to be a smattering of people like Ryo Ishikawa. Never heard of him? Well, the pro golfer and another contender for this year’s Masters title has promised to donate his entire 2011 earnings, plus money for each of his birdies, to victims of the Japanese tsunami
and earthquake disaster. So, if golf isn’t really your cup of tea or you don’t want to root for a perennial favorite, then at least root for Ishikawa. Because it is the stories of the generous Ishikawas, the compassionate Mickelsons and the unexpected McDowells that will make the 2011 Masters Tournament stand out from the rest. This is the opinion of Nathan Dines. Please send comments to ndines@theloyolan.com.
SPORTS
April 7, 2011 Page 14
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Caroline Patten | Loyolan
Senior outfielder Jennifer Nayudu (pictured above in a game earlier this season) registered a hit and a run in the Lions’ 5-4 loss to UCLA on Wednesday. The Lions will take on Saint Mary’s College at home this weekend.
Lions fall to 16-20 after Bruins rally late for victory Softball from page 16 keep the force play intact. With the winning run 60 feet away and zero outs in the inning, freshman infielder Kellie Fox dribbled a ball in front of Fischer. The ball skirted away from the junior shortstop, which allowed the final Bruin run to score and the LMU upset dream to end. The Lion bats were silent for
the majority of the game, except for the outburst in the sixth inning. UCLA starting pitcher Jessica Hall retired the first 11 batters of the ball before letting the lead go in the top of the sixth. Sophomore starting pitcher Erica Grady held the potent Bruin bats in check, keeping her offense in the game and allowing two runs in 3.1 innings of work. Junior reliever Corie Goodman, who continued the Lions’ pro-
ductive pitching, replaced her. If the Lions win the Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC) and earn a spot in the NCAA Regional, there is a very good chance they will meet up again with UCLA come midMay. This was the final tune up before conference play takes place on Saturday, April 9 against Saint Mary’s College on Smith Field at 12 p.m.
Interested in writing for Sports? Contact Sports Editor Michael Goldsholl mgoldsholl@theloyolan.com
This Weekend in Sports Fri
Sat
Track
Crew
Men’s Tennis
Softball
RJ/JJK Invitational All day Westwood, Calif.
UC Riverside 1:30 p.m. Riverside, Calif.
Women’s Water Polo University of Hawai`i 5 p.m. Bronco Invitational Santa Clara, Calif.
Baseball
Santa Clara 6 p.m. Santa Clara, Calif.
Newport Regatta 8 a.m. Newport, Calif.
Saint Mary’s College (doubleheader) 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. Smith Field
Women’s Water Polo Sonoma State – 12 p.m. Colorado State – 4 p.m. Bronco Invitational Santa Clara, Calif.
Baseball
Santa Clara 1 p.m. Santa Clara, Calif.
Sun Women’s Water Polo
CSU Bernardino – 9:20 a.m. CSU Baskersfield – 4 p.m. Bronco Invitational Santa Clara, Calif.
Softball
Saint Mary’s College (doubleheader) 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. Smith Field
Baseball
Santa Clara 1 p.m. Santa Clara, Calif.
?
Reality show you would want to take part in?
?
Sports team you can’t stand?
Your thoughts on Rebecca Black’s song “Friday?”
?
?
Actor who would play you in a movie?
Women’s Tennis
“American Idol” would be fun.
Sport:
Baseball Pitcher
“American Idol.”
The Lakers.
Boston Red Sox.
What’s that? I have no idea about it.
Awful.
Penélope Cruz.
Seth Rogen.
Sport: Water Polo
Goalkeeper
Oh gosh, when have I ever thought about that? Umm, I would do “Survivor.”
The Raiders.
I’ve never heard of it, sorry!
I really like Rachel McAdams, so I’m just gonna say her.
FRESHMAN
Sport:
DANIEL SIMKO
ELISE PONCE
JUNIOR
ASK AN ATHLETE
SENIOR
MELISSA VALENZUELA JASON WHEELER
JUNIOR
?
SPORTS
www.laloyolan.com
April 7, 2011 Page 15
Sport: Men’s Tennis
“Survivor.”
Does it have to be an American one? Collingwood [Australian football club].
Terrible.
Owen Wilson.
Information compiled by Nathan Dines | Asst. Sports Editor; graphic: Dol-Anne Asiru | Design Editor; photos: LMU Athletics
Conference play begins after Lions fall to USC LMU suffers its sixth loss of the season after trailing in the first inning on Tuesday. By Kevin Cacabelos Sports Intern
The LMU baseball team (16-11) doesn’t perform well when it digs itself into a hole early on. This trend continued in LMU’s brutal 10-3 loss to the USC Trojans (11-18) on Tuesday afternoon at USC’s Dedeaux Field. The Lions allowed three runs at the bot-
tom of the first inning and trailed the Trojans for the rest of the ballgame. LMU is now 1-6 on the season in games in which it has trailed after the first inning. The Trojans jumped ahead in a three-run spurt in the first inning. Lions junior John Lally allowed three hits and hit a USC batter; however, all three runs scored in the first inning were unearned because of a pair of errors by senior second baseman Jonathan Johnson. Lally only lasted 2.1 innings and allowed three hits. He left in the third inning
Christine Garrisi | Loyolan
Junior infielder Alex Guthrie (pictured earlier this season) recorded the Lions’ only extra base-hit, knocking an RBI-double in the sixth inning.
with an injury and was credited with the loss. The extent and nature of Lally’s injury has yet to be determined. LMU answered right back in the second inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, freshman first baseman Bret Dahlson hit a two-strike single to left center field, driving in junior third baseman Alex Guthrie and junior shortstop Shon Roe. This was an uncharacteristic clutch hit for the Lions. Before Dahlson’s hit, the Lions’ offense was two for 21 with the bases loaded this season. Unfortunately for the Lions, they could not muster enough offense for the rest of the game. The Lions went scoreless until the sixth inning when Guthrie hit a double to right center field driving in Roe. Guthrie’s double was the Lions’ only extra base hit in the entire game. USC’s offense pounded the Lions for 10 runs on 13 hits. This was by far the worst loss for the Lions on the season.
“I’ll take nothing away from USC. They beat us sound, but our defense didn’t show up from the very first pitch. … I wouldn’t blame it on pitching or hitting or anything else – when we win, we win as a team, and when we lose, we lose as a team,” said LMU Head Coach Jason Gill. The Lions exhausted five pitchers out of their bullpen after Lally’s departure in the third inning. Most notably, sophomore Sean McIntyre made his collegiate pitching debut entering the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. LMU has a chance to avenge this loss, as the two teams will meet again in a home game for the Lions on Tuesday, April 19 at 3 p.m. Despite this loss to USC, Gill remained upbeat about his team’s play in the first half of the season. “The pitching staff has stepped up quite a bit compared to where it was last year with a lot of the same
guys, offensively. Our ability to play team offense has surprised me quite a bit. It’s a different guy every week. … With our team you don’t know who’s it’s going to be – it could be our nine hitter or three hitter or seven hitter that steps it up. If they continue to do that we’ll have success in conference,” remarked Gill. LMU has the second best nonconference record in the WCC heading into the conference season. The team has surpassed expectations, as it was picked to finish fifth in the conference in the preseason WCC Coaches’ Poll. The Lions lead the conference in team batting average at .297 and are second in team earned run average at 3.05. The Lions open up their WCC season this weekend in a three-game series on the road against the Santa Clara Broncos. Friday’s game time is 6 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday’s games starting at 1 p.m.
Christine Garrisi | Loyolan
In the second inning, freshman infielder Bret Dahlson (pictured earlier this season) registered a bases-loaded, two-run single to bring the Lions within one score of USC, 3-2., but LMU was outscored 7-1 the rest of the way, as they lost 10-3.
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LION SPORTS
Softball falls short Looking for an upset victory, the Lions were edged out by No. 6 UCLA, 5-4, on Wednesday By Daniel Raffety
The pursuit for green glory Nathan Dines discusses how this year’s Masters Tournament, despite popular belief, can be quite enjoyable.
Staff Writer
So close, yet so far. The LMU Lions traveled across town to Easton Stadium to take on the No. 6 UCLA Bruins on Wednesday afternoon. However, they had their potential upset squashed by a late UCLA run and eventual walk-off win. The UCLA win came despite of a grand slam from junior first baseman Kelly Sarginson and stellar defense showcased throughout the game. The original contest between the two schools was postponed due to rain on March 27 and was rescheduled for today at UCLA. The Lions flashed the leather throughout the first five innings of play, recording two outfield assists and robbing Bruin batters of many potential base hits. In the bottom of the fourth inning, outfielder Samantha Nelson threw out a Bruin trying to stretch a single into a double. Freshman catcher Kathryn Dutton followed in the defensive act by throwing out a UCLA would-be base stealer out at second base. UCLA jumped out to a 1-0 lead as junior outfielder Andrea Harrison drove in her teammate on a two-out RBI single. The Bruins added another in the third and could have had more, if it were not for stellar Lion defensive plays by both Nelson and Dutton. The Lions trailed 3-0 in the sixth inning when Sarginson came up to the plate. The inning began with freshman Jennifer Nayudu singling to left field and juniors Kylie Ahlo and Sam Fischer drawing walks to load the bases. On a 1-0 pitch, Sarginson launched the ball over the left field wall to give the Lions a one-run lead on one of the nation’s top teams.
April 7, 2011 Page 16
B
Caroline Patten | Loyolan
Junior Kelly Sarginson (pictured earlier this season) picked up her second grand slam of the season to go along with four RBIs, but the Lions fell to No. 6 UCLA on Wednesday, 5-4. The blast was Sarginson’s 10th home run on the year, her 23rd career home run, placing her sixth on LMU’s all-time career softball home run total. However the Lions’ lead was short lived, as the Bruins put two runners on with no one out in the bottom of the frame. Senior infielder GiOnna
DiSalvatore then singled home the runner on second to tie the game up 4-4. Both runners advanced on the throw to the plate. LMU Head Coach Gary Ferrin decided to intentionally walk the next UCLA batter to load the bases and
See Softball | page 14
efore starting, I have to congratulate those readers who continued on after realizing that this is, in fact, a golf column. While many traditional sports fans may scoff at the notion of reading about golf, I find the sport quite interesting. Yes, it doesn’t have any blindside blocks or alley-oops, but the trajectory of that little white ball can be quite exhilarating. OK, maybe not, but seeing what outrageous pants John Droppin’ Dines Daly wears can be exciting, right? By Nathan Dines (Unfortunately, Asst. Sports Editor after extensive and painstaking research, I discovered that Mr. Daly will not be participating in this year’s tournament. I just can’t get anything right.) The 2011 Masters Tournament is golf ’s first Major Championship of the year, and it returns to Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., today with a bevy of past Masters champions preparing to tee off. Sixteen past champions to be exact, yet very few will be factors in this year’s tournament. First off, I cannot help but mention Tiger Woods. No, he is not a part of any more scandals, and his girlfriends are all gone with the wind, happy to have their names in the tabloids during their short-lived fame. In fact, as Rory McIlroy told “Sports Illustrated,”
See Droppin’ Dines | page 13
Viney set to return for senior season After exploring offers with professional teams overseas, men’s basketball’s Drew Viney will utilize his final season of elegibility next year. By John Wilkinson Asst. Sports Editor
Despite exploring all his options, redshirt junior Drew Viney will return to LMU next season for his final year of eligibility after looking into professional options overseas in the early part of the offseason. Viney has led the Lions in scoring for the past two seasons and led the team in rebounding last year as well. “I was being advised by family friends and some [other] people that were at the next level about my options and what I was going to be able to do next year,” Viney said. “We just weighed them all, and I decided to come back and get my degree and stay for one more year was the right decision for me.” Viney, a native of Villa Park, Calif., came to LMU as a transfer from the University of Oregon in 2008. During the 2008-09 season he served his redshirt season before taking the court in the 2009-10 season with three more years of eligibility. Last season, Viney led the Lions in both scoring (17.2 PPG) and rebounding (6.6 RPG). Despite being plagued by migraine headaches, Viney was named All-West Coast Conference (WCC) Honorable Mention. In 2009-10 Viney was an All-WCC First Team selection while averaging 16.7 PPG and 7 RPG. After a year in which LMU fell from preseason No. 2 in the WCC Coaches’ Poll to last in the conference and 10 games below .500
on the season, many speculated that Viney would forgo his final year of eligibility to begin a professional career abroad. European leagues are often a scouting ground for NBA talent. With the expiration of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) this summer and the possibility of a NBA lockout, Viney was worried that the market there might become saturated with locked-out NBA players. “[The decision] was really because of the [pending] NBA lockout this year. All the guys that are going to be affected by the lockout are going to be going overseas, and there isn’t going to be a season for seven or eight months,” Viney said. If the NBA owners and the players’ union cannot agree on a new CBA in the offseason there is a possibility of no NBA basketball in the States next season. “It will just be better for me to just stay in the U.S. because I obviously want to go to the NBA and if that doesn’t work then play overseas. But with the lockout, overseas just wasn’t a good idea,” Viney said. “I’m going to stay over here so the general managers and scouts can see me play for one more year.” The Lions will return everyone from the 2010-11 squad except redshirt seniors Vernon Teel and Larry Davis as well as redshirt junior Griffin Reilly who will graduate. Viney and the Lions will look to bounce back from a disappointing 2010-11 season in which they only won two conference games. “It’s going to be a last year for a number of us. … We’re very disappointed with how our season ended up this year,” Viney said. “We have already been talking about it as a team. We’ve got big goals for next year, and we have payback for a lot of people and a lot of teams that kind of did us dirty this year. We’re excited to get it rolling once the season starts.”
Allie Shorin | Loyolan
Drew Viney (pictured above this past season) will stay at LMU for 2011-12, after much spectulation surrounding his return to the team.
NEWS
April 7, 2011 Page 2
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Study concludes countries’ decline of religion NEWS ANALYSIS Nine countries find “unaffiliated” religious groups to be fast-growing. By José Martinez Senior Editor
According to a recent study by a team of mathematicians, organized religion is on track to virtually disappear in nine countries, including Ireland, which is known as a traditionally Catholic stronghold. An article on CNN’s website details the study’s conclusion that religion won’t completely die out, but it “will be driven toward extinction” in Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland. Information wasn’t available for the U.S. because the U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t inquire about religion, said lead author of the study Daniel Abrams. Abrams said that “unaffiliated” is the fastest-growing religious group in those nine countries and detailed the two sociological assumptions his study made: first, that people find it more attractive to be part of the majority than the minority; and second, that there are social, economic and political advantages to being unaffiliated with religion in those countries where it’s declining. Pope Benedict XVI, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has already addressed the issue of declining membership in affiliated religious groups. In 2009, on a threeday visit to the Czech Republic, he told 120,000 people that “history had demonstrated the absurdities to which man descends when he excludes God from the horizon of his choice and actions,” according to a New York Times article. He also alluded to the secular element, telling Czechs that their country, “like other nations, is experiencing
cultural conditions that often present a radical challenge to faith and therefore also to hope.” Scholars in the LMU community, however, are hesitant to accept Abrams’ findings as imminent. “Religious traditions have a way of defying sociological models,” said Dr. Jeffrey Siker, a professor of New Testament and Christian origins in LMU’s theological studies department. “There are always shifting tides in the religious orientation of people over time, but that’s a far cry from predicting the extinction of religion.” Siker pointed to the decline of mainstream Protestantism in the U.S. and the growth of evangelical churches in Latin America as examples of such shifting tides. Dr. Michael Horan, a professor of religious education and pastoral theology at LMU and chair of the theological studies department, also disputed Abrams’ sociological assumption that it is more attractive to be part of the majority. “Religious groups have thrived whenever a group has felt marginalized and ‘outside’ the dominant culture,” he said. “It is an old argument, but a standard one, that Christianity was born from this impulse, a reaction to Roman persecution. Current strains of ‘conservative’ religion are popular as well in the U.S. and throughout the world today, precisely because they go against the grain of the content in Abrams’ study.” Horan said that young Orthodox Jewish families, conservative seminarians in Catholic seminaries and Muslim separatists have one thing in common: They shape their identity “over and against” the majority, even the majority within their own religious groups. Siker added that organized religion will always be in a state of flux, which is a different matter from the question of people’s religiosity. “Many people would still call themselves religious or spiritual,” said Siker, “but at the same time
Countries with decreasing organized religion
Australia
Canada
Switzerland
Finland
Netherlands
Ireland
New Zealand
Austria
would check the ‘unaffiliated’ box on a survey about their religion. In my view, the data points more to some of the changes in organized religion than it does to whether people see themselves as religious or not.” LMU Sophomore theological studies and physics double major Alexander Garoutte, who is Catholic, said that may have something to do with an “all-ornothing” mentality when it comes to commitment to religious doctrine. “I do think that many people would be afraid to commit to a religion because they might think it means that when they say they are connected with it, they are announcing that they agree with everything it says,” he said. “I disagree with that philosophy – I can freely say that there are some things I disagree with in the Catholic Church. That doesn’t mean, though, that those things are so severe that I would abandon it.”
Czech Republic Graphic by Conor Morgan | Loyolan
But sophomore history major Kerrie Franey, who describes herself as spiritual but not religious, thought differently. “I think many people turn away from organized religion because they do not want to be tangled up in a specific set of beliefs,” she said. “While one is certainly capable of being a Catholic and not believing in every tiny detail, I cannot ignore the small details that discriminate against homosexual relations, for example.” Franey said she has attended Catholic schools for 17 years, and though she still wears a ring with a cross on it, said she hasn’t identified as a Christian for six years now. “Organized religion can be very limiting and causes, for me, a sense of claustrophobia,” she said. “I feel trapped by the Catechism and the Apostles’ Creed. Organized religion works for many, but in today’s world people need more freedom to choose
their beliefs.” Franey pointed to how this freedom has brought her to a point where she believes in a female omniscient and omnipotent God who takes many different forms. But while organized religion has been more limiting for some, like Franey, there are others, like Garoutte, who find the religious element to be a fruitful and helpful component of faith. “I consider myself both spiritual and religious,” said Garoutte. “I enjoy the community of the Catholic Church and its traditions, and the way its many services are set up.” So, while Abrams’ study might suggest that religion as an institution will be driven toward extinction in some countries, that’s not a claim that goes uncontested – by scholars or by the faithful. “[Religion] really allows me to find God at a deeper level within myself,” said Garoutte.
Student abroad experiences Japan earthquake firsthand Japan from page 1 refugees and never lost electricity or water. We got to the grocery store before the aisles were bare and lived comfortably enough on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and prepackaged soba. We were hardly even inconvenienced by the whole affair, while hundreds of thousands of people across Japan are still homeless and grieving. But mostly, I think people just wonder what it felt like. Well, I’ll tell you. When the first shock hit, I was sitting alone in a vacant second-floor classroom, avoiding my new ex and scrambling furiously to prepare for a difficult test. At first I was unsurprised; I had experienced several small tremors since my arrival in Tokyo two months before. But then the rattling shiver turned into a shudder, and then a clanking, dizzying swaying, and I quickly stacked my books and papers and swung out into the hall. The shaking just kept getting worse, the floor shuddering and bucking like a plane in turbulence. A mass of students was thundering down the stairs toward the front door. Sheer panic pushed me forward into the crowd. Suddenly I was being shoved down a steep flight of twisty, slippery stone steps, hundreds of people crushing behind me. A headline flashed through my mind: “Pregnant Woman Trampled in Walmart.” If the release of a new gaming platform could cause such a thing on solid ground, what chance did I have? Then suddenly the whole building jolted, and everyone lost their balance for an instant of screaming and grasping. I tried to reach the railing but I couldn’t, and there were just so many people. My foot failed to connect with a stair, and
I began to fall-the thought of my own dismemberment hit my bloodstream with a cold, chemical force. But then a hand grabbed the back of my shirt, and I found the railing and once more, shaking as violently as the earth itself, I was poured out into a frightened crowd on the street. Lamp posts and trees swung back and forth like furious seismographs on the sky. Drivers actually honked and darted almost as erratically as Angelenos; flocks of startled crows shrieked and flapped between the office buildings. After about 20 minutes, the shaking began to subside, and administrators announced that we needed to go back up the stairs and resume our classes. So when the second shock hit Tokyo just as hard, I was on the sixth floor, and could only crouch helplessly under my desk until it passed, holding a friend’s hand and listening to her frightened prayers. Then once again I was catapulted down those awful stairs and joined the shivering herd outside. One of my professors walked toward me, her face slackened in a blank look of shock. She stared vacantly into my eyes for a moment before she recognized me. I watched other older Japanese people hurry past on the sidewalk, the same look in their eyes. Tokyo has felt many earthquakes, but not something like this, not in their lifetimes. A middle-aged colleague joined us and touched my professor’s arm. Then she saw me and began to rummage in her bag. “You must be so cold!” she said in Japanese. She produced a scarf, and when I objected politely, she simply began arranging it on my neck, like an aunt. An irrepressible smile spread across my face. To live in Tokyo is to suddenly have about 2 million long-lost aunts.
Dorothy Ford
LMU student Dorothy Ford was forced to leave her time abroad early last month following the earthquake’s aftermath. However,after spending time in the US,she returned on Monday to Japan. When people ask what the Sendai earthquake was like, it’s hard to know what to say. But I always want to tell a very different story-a story about Japan, and not its earthquake. These people rallied miraculously in a time of crisis, it is true. But most people are capable of that. You could even call it instinct. What I want Americans to know about Japan is that, even as an outsider and a nuisance, I was treated with the same warmth and kindness in daily life, long before we were all galvanized by survival. It would take hours for me to recount all of the little acts of kindness I witnessed and received in Tokyo. And so perhaps the most wrenching experience I had in Japan was one that I shared with all of you. I could only watch helplessly while so many people suffered. I don’t
need to reiterate the horrors we all saw on CNN. But there’s something CNN probably won’t show you: hundreds of thousands of individuals picking themselves up and rebuilding their lives one day at a time, with the same dignity and generosity that defines Japan as a culture. The adrenaline and the panic have subsided. All that remains for this nation is a long, hard, uphill path, with nothing but the chill of grief for company. I can only hope that our sympathy is genuine, and that the global community continues to support Japan through this long process.
To follow Dorothy Ford’s blog, visit fromarigatosan.blogspot.com.