Los Angeles Loyolan January 25th 2017

E. OM .

H ICE UR YO R VO S. W U YO R NE U YO

W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M

EST. 1921

Inaug uration Teach-In engages LMU community The Inauguration Teach-In allowed people to discuss issues related to Trump’s election.

Bri Ortiz

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

In response to Donald Trump’s Inauguration as the 45th President of the United States, many events were held nationwide, city-wide and campus-wide.

LMU held the Inauguration Day Teach-In, where students, faculty and staff were able to

view the inauguration and engage in different breakout sessions across the campus.

“Now, therefore, I, Donald J. Trump, president of the United States of America [...] do hereby proclaim Jan. 20, 2017, as National Day of Patriotic Devotion, in order to strengthen our bonds to each other and to our country — and to renew the duties of government to the people.”

After a live-stream of the inauguration, where this excerpt was played in the Life Science Building’s auditorium and The Hilton Center for Business, students, faculty and staff were able to choose a designated

breakout session that the teach-in offered.

The breakout sessions that were offered ranged in topics from sanctuaries in Los Angeles to environmental crises; all sessions had some type of correlation to the past, present and future of American democracy.

These sessions were about an hour and a half long.

According to the LMU website, this teach-in was formed to help invite dialogue between the different communities at LMU depending on the topic that each person chose to attend. Here is a bit of an insight on five sessions that were covered: See Teach-In | Page 2

Lauren Holmes | Loyolan

S

Los Angeles LOYOLAN The

RTS PO

OPINION

Janua ry

17 , 20 25

Should we re-evaluate our standards for what constitutes as a role model?

Page 9

V O LU M E

Find out why the Raiders and Chargers are relocating.

Page 18

95

| ISSUE 17

Harris joins coalition in fight against Trump Kamala Harris and fellow California legislators to voice their disapproval of Trump.

Jaqueline McCool News Intern @LALoyolan

The Former Attorney General of California, Kamala Harris, will start her time in the United States Senate this January, and she has already been vocal about her opposition to the new administration.

Harris is the second African American woman and the first Indian American woman to be elected to the Senate. Her platform of criminal justice reform has drawn attention, and the media, as well as other elected officials, have drawn comparisons between Harris and Barack Obama.

Harris has put out a variety of press releases since her election in November, many of which publicly denounce President Trump and his cabinet’s platforms.

Social Media Director for the LMU College Democrats, A.J. Smith, believes Harris has already made a name for herself by doing this.

See Kamala | Page 5

Students who attended one of the teach-in breakout sessions were able to discuss topics with others depending on the session they attended.

Lincoln fountain returns from two year hiatus The geyser fountain on LMU Drive is turned back on after two years of drought.

Sami Leung

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

LMU’s signature Lincoln Fountain located at the University’s main entrance is up and running once again. The fountain was first turned off in July 2014 to perform maintenance and upgrades.

This was also in response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s emergency state rule requiring outdoor water constrictions and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) commercial and residential water conservation programs.

“I think it’s cool they have it on right now, especially since it’s been off for so long,” Kaitlyn McGloin, a sophomore math major, said. “It’s really pretty to see while driving down Lincoln.”

According to John Kiralla, vice president of Marketing and Communications for LMU, the University had periodically received negative feedback from visitors and on-campus community members in response to the shut-off of LMU’s iconic fountain.

“Lincoln fountain has become our most visible landmark, and it symbolically

represents our shift from a small neighborhood campus to a University engaged with the world on one of the most heavily traveled arteries on the West Coast,” Kiralla said.

Kiralla said that the fountain recycles its water, while losing 3 percent of its water volume annually to spills and evaporation.

LMU has also implemented other water conservation efforts since the shut off of the fountain, including the installation of low flow faucets and shower heads and replacing plants with heavy water requirements with drought-tolerant plants. Water is being collected from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems on the roof of the Life Science Building to water the gardens and the grass on Drollinger Field has been replaced with with artificial turf.

“Since the fountain was turned off, the University completed comprehensive water conservation efforts that save about two million gallons annually,” Kiralla said in an email to the Loyolan. “Those water savings offset Lincoln Fountain’s annual refill rate of 1,350 gallons by many orders of magnitude.”

The fountain uses a recirculation pump, which is permissible under LADWP’s water conservation guidelines.

See Fountain | Page 4

Riis Irving-Peterson | Loyolan

The fountain on LMU Drive can be seen while driving near LMU’s campus on Lincoln.

laloyolan.com Page 2

NEWS

.

ME .

HO UR OICE O V Y .

WS UR YO R NE U YO

See Teach-In | Page 1

Women’s March on Washington goes global

Talia Baugnon & Kevin Chan | Loyolan

NEWS

5

BURNING QUESTIONS

This issue, News Intern Jaqueline This issue, Managing McCool sat down Editor Dan Raffety with Netflix writer sits down with Head and LMU graduate Coach Max Good, Caroline Levich. head coach of the LMU’s men’s basketball team to talk about the upcoming season.

What were your first thoughts when graduating from LMU?

1

It was: “Uhhhhh I just signed a year lease on a new apartment and have no job and that feels like it could become a problem.”

2

Was writing for ‘One Day at a Time’ your initial job after graduating?

No way. I got a job as a production assistant for ‘The Goldbergs’ on ABC after I graduated. ‘Production assistant’ can mean a lot of different things, but mostly it’s just a job where you do everything that nobody else wants to do. I picked up lunches for the writers and kept the fridge stocked. I got really good at restocking sodas (Pro tip: Fill in new cans in the back so that when your boss reaches for the closest can on the shelf, it’s a cold one. You’re welcome). I was a PA for a year.

On the show, I met Jeff Garlin, one of the actors, and he hired me as his assistant. I worked for him for a year before I got the ‘One Day’ job with my writing partner, Michelle Badillo (who went to LMU too; go Lions).

3

What scared you about writing for a new series?

It wasn’t just a new series; it was my first writing job ever, so I was terrified of pretty much everything. I would second guess everything I did, from wearing perfume to ordering lunches to pitching stories. The fact that it was a new series actually became a God-send, because we were all new to it and I didn’t feel too behind the more experienced writers in the room. We got to create the characters from absolute scratch, so there’s a little bit of all the writers in every character. If my first writing job was on a long-running established show, I think I would always feel like I didn’t know the characters quite as well as the others who had been there longer. I’d be like, ‘And then she drinks a Diet Coke?’ and they would be like ‘Um, she is a Pepsi girl, you’re fired.’

Is there anything that has surprised you after the series went up?

4

That my friends like it! I of course love the show, but I could never see my friends watching a multi-cam sitcom so I was nervous that they wouldn’t ‘get’ it or even give it a try. For the first week it was out, I was getting praising texts from so many people and walked into friend’s apartments where they were like ‘Shhhh!’ because they were watching it. My best friend’s boyfriend is the least family sitcom person I know and the other day he told me took me aside and whispered: ‘I really don’t like sitcoms, but I like yours.’ His review made me so happy. Maybe even more than all the news articles. Don’t tell him that, his ego is big enough.

5

What’s your favorite episode of the show?

Episode 3, ‘No Mass,’ has a special place in my heart. It deals with church and how the characters have different attitudes towards religion. I also love episode 10 ‘Sex Talk.’ No spoilers, but the end is my favorite.

Want to read more MORE questions with Caroline? them out at QUESTIONS Check laloyolan.com.

laloyolan.com Page 3

The Women’s March on Washington goes global

NEWS

laloyolan.com Page 4

Obama grants controversial clemency The pardoned include Chelsea Manning and Oscar Lopez.

Julia Campion

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

In President Obama’s last days in office, he granted clemency to hundreds of federal prisoners by reducing the sentences of some and completely pardoning others.

Among those pardoned are Chelsea Manning and Oscar Lopez. Obama has also altered the sentences of about 1,385 people, being the first president to deliver this amount.

The most controversial of the two was letting Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning go after seven years of the original 35-year sentence for passing secret documents to WikiLeaks.

Manning has been held for questioning since 2010 and was sentenced in 2013 to 35 years for leaking more than 700,000 classified files and videos about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S. foreign policy. The charges that were held against Manning were longer compared to similar sentencings. Manning is also a transgender woman who was kept in a men’s prison and experienced cruel and abusive conditions.

“Often times issues like this are not mainstream news or on the forefront of our minds and allow us to be blind to the realities of the lived experience

our trans brothers and sisters,” Anthony Garrison-Engbrecht, director of Leadership Programs and involved with the LBGTQ+ community at LMU, said. “We must be willing to learn about the experiences of trans individuals, not just those in prison but for all trans individuals, in order to create positive social change that leads to equal treatment and a shift in opinion.”

Manning is one of the most high-profile transgender women currently in prison, according to CNN. Manning was placed in solitary confinement last September due to her attempts to commit suicide. This has brought much attention to the mistreatment of transgender people in prisons.

The rate of physical and sexual assault by other inmates is five times higher for incarcerated transgender individuals than the general U.S. prison population, according to the U.S. Transgender Survey. Additionally, more than 37 percent of transgender males who had been taking hormone medications before being incarcerated were prohibited from taking their hormones after being in prison.

“I think that Manning’s release and clemency highlight issues within the prison system in the United States in relation to how trans-identified individuals are treated and serve as a call to action in supporting our trans community,” GarrisonEngbrecht said. “Reports show

Fountain returns Fountain from Page 1

According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the federal drought monitor has indicated that 40 percent of California is no longer in a drought, thanks to a series of storms starting in October that gave L.A. 13 inches of rain, 216 percent of what is normal during this period.

“I’m not the most educated about the fountain, but I’ve heard its pretty expensive to run, and the variance of heights makes water run off down the street, so it doesn’t seem very efficient,” junior environmental science major Ryan Manning said. “Can the money from the cost to run it be spent someplace else?”

The Lincoln Fountain was designed by Land Images under

LMU’s 14th President, Robert B. Lawton, and was first turned on in 2003. It requires about 45,000 gallons of water, about the size of an average swimming pool, according to LMU’s website.

The fountain is on daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., which actually keeps the cost of operation lower than leaving it off and refilling it periodically to ensure the equipment remains functional.

“The fountain is part of a network of cultural and physical affirmations of the Jesuit values of a great university,” Director of the Center for Urban Resilience, Eric Strauss said. “Water is so central to the process of life and the celebration of the renewal of nature that the fountain was turned back on.”

via Flickr Creative Commons

Chelsea Manning was released by Obama after three years in prison for releasing documents to WikiLeaks. that trans individuals are not only denied appropriate medications but are also grossly mistreated by those in charge of the prison and other inmates. I think this action by President Obama demonstrates care and concern for the trans community and signals the LGBTQ+ community to continue to seek equity, no matter the situation.”

The other release was of Oscar Lopez, the leader of a Chicagobased cell of the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN) which waged a violent struggle to

win Puerto Rican independence.

FALN claimed to be responsible for more than 120 bombings within the years of 1974 and 1983, which resulted in the death of six and injuries of dozens. In 1981, Lopez was sentenced to 55 years in prison for conspiracy, armed robbery, interstate transportation of firearms and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property.

Although the activity of FALN is over, Lopez is one of the U.S.’s longest-serving political prisoners and has spent more than

half of his life in jail; however, he was not charged for killing or hurting anyone himself.

“I think that the difference between these two prisoners being released may seem contrasting; the moral behind it seems like two prominent issues on campus and in the real world,” Samantha Butterfield, a sophomore communications studies major, said. “LGBTQ+ issues are often arising on campus, along with the way that out-of-country affairs are discussed and handled.”

NEWS

laloyolan.com Page 5

Kamala Harris joins progressive coalition

Kamala from Page 1

“She has been a dedicated and well-versed leader in the fight for liberal and progressive values, while also being a strong voice in opposition of the Trump administration,” Smith said.

According to the U.S. Senate website, during her oath of office, Harris vowed to “Protect California identities and fight for the ideals of our nation.”

One of Harris’s first plans has focused on protecting undocumented students participating in the DREAM Act. She also gave a speech at the Women’s March on Washington, which took place on Jan. 21.

Harris told the crowd, “Even if you are not sitting in the White House, even if you are not a member of the United States Congress, even if you don’t run a big corporate Super PAC, you have the power.”

Londen Powers, a sophomore political science major, thinks Harris’s stance against Trump is something to be admired. “I find it most remarkable that she is willing to make California a leader of protecting undocumented immigrants,” Powers said.

“Trump has been particularly hard on undocumented immigration and has made large claims about building a wall and other serious measures to stop people from immigrating to the U.S.” Harris is not the only California legislator taking a stance against Trump. Gov. Jerry Brown addressed Californians and the American people

vis Flickr Creative Commons

Kamala Harris has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, immigration reform and criminal justice reform and has begun her time in the Senate. Harris is also well-known for her voice in women empowerment. She’s been bolstered as a possible candidate for the 2020 presidential campaign. about maintaining California’s progressive nature during a Trump administration.

Brown called constituents to look beyond political party, “and act as Californians first.” He spoke to Californian Democrats and Republicans, urging both sides to work together in order to maintain what he believes are

the programs and ideologies that make California special.

Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, has also been vocal about maintaining Los Angeles as a progressive place. Garcetti also gained attention after he penned a letter to President Trump on climate change, vowing Los Angeles would continue efforts

to become greener regardless of executive action.

“When we invest in our immigrants, we get more economic prosperity, safer streets when the people trust the police, not fear them,” Garcetti said. “I think we’re going to say that very loudly and very clearly to any threat.”

According to Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia of American politics, both chambers of the California legislature have been dominated by the Democratic party since 1959. As of 2017, of the 40 members in the Senate from California, 27 are Democrats and 13 are Republicans.

NEWS

laloyolan.com

Page 6

Graduate Assistantships Graduate Assistantships are currently available in the Graduate Division!

For a list of available positions and to fill out an application, please visit http://graduate.lmu. edu/resources/graduateassistantships/ Graduate Division 310.338.2721 graduate.lmu.edu

&?

SPORTS

E

LION

Board Editorial Gracie McManus Editor-in-Chief

Jackie Galvez Managing Editor

Isabel Ngo

Managing Editor

Janine Leano Digital Director

Xian Wong

Creative Director

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

S

DE

TORIAL NT V I

E

! &?

E

S

DI

TORIAL

S

SPORTS

U

DI

W

OPINION LION

T

SPORTS

laloyolan.com

S

Page 7

Become an ally, change the world

The day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, Americans came together for the Women’s March on Washington and other “sister” marches around the world, including here in Los Angeles. People of all races, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds united to protest the bigotry that Trump has shown in his short political career thus far. Some of the signs carried by the 750,000 people in L.A. read “Pussy grabs back,” “Free Melania” and “No one is free when others are oppressed.”

Many from the LMU community, including some Loyolan staff members, participated as well, and for us and many others, it was powerful to see thousands of people wearing pink knitted hats and carrying signs that expressed their solidarity with women and other oppressed minority groups. It was inspiring to see that this country would not quietly lay down while the Trump administration rolls back legislation that has helped people who have faced nothing but hardship in this country — such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which has been threatened to be removed. It was amazing to see that the day right after Trump was sworn in, millions of people fought back and said, “Not my president.”

However, there’s much more work to be done beyond the Women’s March. That’s not to say that its impact should be diminished; it made a powerful statement and united many people in the common goal of protecting women’s and other minority groups’ rights. But instead of protesting for one day and checking that box off your to-do list, we need to start advocating in other ways for the rights of people who are threatened by the Trump presidency.

This also means looking beyond only women’s rights to include intersectional issues such as race, immigration reform, socioeconomic hierarchies and religious freedom. Black women, Latina women, Muslim women and transgender women are often pushed aside or forgotten in mainstream feminist movements, even though they have more at stake.

If we want to support these women and their

LION

communities, weSPORTS need to be active in their direct action events as well — not just in the well-publicized, mainstream protests like the Women’s March. Start getting involved with on-campus organizations like the Black Student Union (BSU), MEChA, RESILIENCE, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and LGBT Student Services (LGBTSS). All are welcome to the attend these groups’ regular public meetings and each organization can be found on Facebook. Show your support and learn what goes into organizing silent protests, awareness demonstrations, emergency meetings and even sit-ins at the doors of President Snyder’s office. The Advocacy Teach-In event this Saturday, Jan. 28, organized by the Center for Service and Action, ASLMU and Ethnic and Intercultural Services, will also offer hands-on workshops for students. Take part and learn your rights as activists, how to engage with legislators and how to lead a campaign.

For those who are new to direct action and feel daunted by marching and protesting, begin with simple dialogue with your family, friends, classmates, professors and coworkers. Start talking about race, misogyny, politics, the 2018 midterm elections and ongoing legislation.

Educate yourself and others on issues you may not be familiar with — we cannot protect the rights of our fellow Americans if we don’t know what injustices need to be addressed. What matters is that we don’t become complacent in our activism.

No matter your viewpoint on this election or the march, try to open yourself up to conversation and listen to the other side. Stay respectful and understand that people are going to disagree with you — and that’s okay. You can only work on improving yourself, becoming an ally for others in need and working to get those who represent you and your beliefs elected in two years time. We have a new president and that will not change. Instead, let’s change the status quo so that next time it’s up to the people to vote, they will make the right choice.

“What matters is that we don’t become complacent in our activism.”

Torture methods are never justified A Sam Dunk Samantha Davis

Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

M

ike Pompeo, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said last week that he would consider bringing certain enhanced interrogation tactics back into practice. According to CNN, Pompeo noted that the only interrogation techniques that are allowed are those permitted for use by the Army Field Manual, but that he was open to amending such laws to allow for waterboarding and other tactics.

This may come as a surprise to some, as during his confirmation hearings, Pompeo declined that he would be interested in the revival of torture techniques.

In addition to the various ethical and moral concerns, my problem with the United States using torture as a means to an end is that it simply does not work. It’d be one thing if torture did in fact produce the results that it seeks, but overwhelming evidence shows that it does not. In a paper published in the “Trends of Cognitive Science” journal, prominent Irish neuroscientist Shane O’Mara, who has studied

Madeline Mary | Loyolan

Our nation needs to find more ethical means for information than torture.

and published a number of works regarding torture, stated that “Solid scientific evidence on how repeated and extreme stress and pain affect memory and executive functions (such as planning or forming intentions) suggests these techniques are unlikely to do anything other than the opposite of that intended by coercive or ‘enhanced’ interrogation.”

If we’re going to do something that either borders on or completely disregards the line of what’s ethical and what’s not, it should at least render outcomes

that justify the act — or at least make them understandable. But torture doesn’t fall into that category. Waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation tactics are cruel and unusual.

While there is dispute over whether non-citizens maintain rights that protect them against cruel and unusual punishment, that doesn’t change the fact that it is cruel and unusual — not in a Constitutional context, but overall. And that’s to say nothing of the variety of international humanitarian laws that the U.S. has been involved in creating.

And while many of these have no legal obligation, the moral obligation is loud and clear.

Because we hold ourselves to a higher standard, we should set an example for the rest of the world. Other countries look to us for guidance, and using torture to attain results that aren’t even attainable distorts our country’s morals, and thus the world’s morals.

If we think back to a few years ago and remember the vast controversy surrounding the CIA torture report, not only was the torture more brutal and extensive than reported, but the CIA actually misled Congress on the effectiveness of the use of such enhanced interrogation techniques. I hope that Mr. Pompeo reverts back to his original opinion and decides against reinstating the use of torture in the CIA or anywhere else for that matter. If not for ethical reasons, then at least for the sake of pragmatism and rationality. Perhaps we might explore other methods, more humane methods, of extracting information without violating other human beings, regardless of what they may have done to us.

This is the opinion of Samantha Davis, a sophomore philosophy major from La Cañada Flintridge, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor Creative Director Digital Director News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor News Intern Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor Opinion Intern Opinion Intern Life+Arts Editor Asst. Life+Arts Editor Asst. Life+Arts Editor Life+Arts Intern Life+Arts Intern Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Sports Intern Social Justice Editor Bluff Editor Asst. Bluff Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Design Editor Designer Designer Design Intern Staff Cartoonist Staff Cartoonist Staff Cartoonist Staff Cartoonist Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Jr. Staff Photographer Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor

Gracie McManus Jackie Galvez Isabel Ngo Xian Wong Janine Leano Bri Ortiz Julia Campion Sami Leung Justine Biondi Jaqueline McCool Matt Gaydos Samantha Davis Clay Sontag Joseph Bellavia Matthew Williams Tor Marom Taylor Gage Cory Hutchinson Natalie Godby Tygre Patchell-Evans Ryan Hartnett Tim De Vries Victoria Arevalo Matthew Rodriguez Karis Addo-Quaye Sami Leung Elliot Britt Aja Hoggatt Epiphany Hulburd Katie Randolph Alicia de Mello Bobby Crane Meghan Mariani Kevin Chan Ashley Ma Madeline Mary Alexandra Witter Mikey Barreto Hannah Kim Emily Noriega Cameron Woodard Sophie Broide Riis Irving-Peterson Talia Baugnon Megan Karbowski Jason Munoz Anastasia Larina Lauren Holmes Casey Lee Emily Rawson

BUSINESS STAFF Business Director Business Intern Business Intern Ad Designer Ad Sales Rep Ad Intern Ad Intern Distributor Distributor Director of Student Media

Sophie Kaslow Audrey Barber Gia Lee Sophie Stroud Monica Oda Ria Sodha Hayden Regalado Jack Slater Alexander Lorenz Tom Nelson

LOYOLAN EDITORIAL POLICY The Los Angeles Loyolan, a student-run campus organization, publishes a weekly newspaper for the greater LMU community. The first copy is free of charge. Additional copies are $1 each. Paid, mailed subscriptions can be purchased through the Business department.

The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from on-campus and offcampus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/refute the initial arguments.

Opinions and ideas expressed in the Loyolan are those of individual authors, artists and student editors and are not those of Loyola Marymount University, its Board of Trustees, its student body or of newspaper advertisers. Board Editorials are unsigned and reflect the opinions of the Executive Editorial Board. Guest editorials are by invitation of the Executive Editorial Board and reflect the views of the author.

All advertisements are subject to the current rates and policies in the most recent Advertising Rates and Information materials.

The Los Angeles Loyolan is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the California College Media Association.

OPINION

laloyolan.com Page 8

My final goodbye letter to President Obama Third Culture Kid Antonio De LoeraBrust Contributor @LALoyolan

I

was 13 the first time I remember thinking about Barack Obama.

The morning after the 2008 election, my dad told me in accented English with tears in his eyes how “everything was going to change” for minorities like us.

More than eight years later, I’m someone who knows some of the millions of people deported under Obama. I’m someone who got asked by Syrian refugees in tent cities across Europe why Obama didn’t do anything to save Aleppo. I’m someone who can certainly say that a messiah like the one promised by my dad did not materialize.

I was 15 when I started protesting. Despite my dad’s promise, being a minority still felt pretty crappy to me.

Deportations were at an all-time high. It was that disillusionment with “hope and change” that made me Occupy. I remember the certainty 15-year-old me had that the entire capitalist system was about to be swept aside by our leaderless movement of pitching tents in public parks. That dream met reality amidst tear gas and arrests.

The harsh police response to Occupy made me bitter. Any sort of participation in politics seemed like unacceptable moral compromising. When Obama called for citizens to participate, it felt like a trick to lure us into complacency. But beneath the Anarchist ideology I developed, I still had the basic motivation I’d learned from Church and my parents: Help those less fortunate than you.

I was 16 when I started volunteering in the migrant camp after-school program.

I’d work with the same kind of Mexican kids I had always been fighting the white kids on the playgrounds with. The more involved I got with the migrant community, the more I got to know real people and their problems, and in turn, the more I wanted to have practical solutions, not just ideological jargon and slogans. Also, the inescapable fact that my small band of punk friends and I were not going to successfully overthrow the government sunk in. I came to the understanding that government could either be part of the problem or part of the solution. We didn’t have

Kaveh Sidari via Flickr Creative Commons

Now that Barack Obama is out of office, it is time for us to see the person Donald Trump will actually be while serving as President of the United States. the privilege of waiting for the perfect politics.

I was 18 when I first spent a night in Tijuana, Mexico at a shelter for men recently deported from the United States as part of my first LMU De Colores trip. (I threw up in the Campus Ministry van along the way.) I’d known people deported before, but hearing the stories of parents taken from their kids first hand completed the circle for me. I knew kids whose parents had been taken. Now here I was, in Mexico, sitting with the parents in exile, listening to their worries for their children. By the time I crossed back over the border, reflecting on how unfairly easy it was for me to enter, I was committed and eager to secure immigration reform. I told myself that politics was also just another “means” and thus Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary” would still apply to me. Giving the migrant kids back home a fair shot in America and getting some of these parents back to their kids was more important to me than any ideology.

What does this CliffsNotes version of my political evolution have to do with Obama? Well it was his eight years in office that defined it. One way or another, for better or worse, my world view and even my sense of identity has been shaped by the events of the past eight years, which in turn have been shaped by the presidency of Barack Obama.

Obama did some good things. In 2012 he created Deferred Action

䐀漀 琀栀攀 䴀愀最椀猀⸀ 䜀伀 䰀䤀伀一匀匀

ጠ 䰀䴀唀 䨀攀猀甀椀琀 䌀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀

for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

DACA has made so many of my formative friendships with my undocumented friends possible by giving them a chance to pursue the American Dream and attend colleges like LMU. In 2013, fresh from his landslide victory, we came frustratingly close to Immigration Reform. It passed in the Senate, but it died in the House. I still sometimes go over those vote counts and get angry and sad and wistful over how close we came to solving this. I’ve seen the human cost of that political dysfunction.

Obama tried. Still, I do not forget that every deportee I have met in Tijuana over the past three years was deported on his watch.

I always thought Donald Trump would win. I got called all sorts of racial slurs growing up. I never doubted how much this country hates Mexicans when I grew up listening to 7-year-olds call me “wetback.”

During college, I had some bitter falling-outs with some of my white liberal or radical friends as I got more and more preoccupied with issues of race and my own identity. Some of this was due to my anger at what I saw being done to my people and the apathy or even complicity from my white friends. Some of this was due to their anger at me for raising uncomfortable conversations, or for many of my leftist radical friends it was for “selling-out” to mainstream political engagement. It hurt to see so many of them not take

Trump seriously, especially the ones who claim to be willing to fight a revolution but who weren’t willing to go to polls.

I’d always been on the more religious side, a byproduct of a Mexican upbringing, and so I’d always defended the more religious Christian conservative friends of ours from those who saw their beliefs about abortion, or gay marriage, or evolution as a reason to withdraw from friendship. It hurt to see how many of those conservatives, who I’d grown up with, who’d eaten meals at my house, voted for Trump. Loving your neighbor is hard. Anger is easier. But Obama constantly reminded us to see each other first and foremost as fellow Americans.

That is getting harder and harder to do. That is getting more and more important to do.

I have a close friend back home. He’s white, but years of conversation and learning has turned him into not just an everimproving and genuine ally but also a much truer and better friend. Over break, I helped him storm-proof his chicken coop as Northern California prepared for the big storm. We dug a good ditch around the coop like us country kids know how to do. As Trump enters office, this is a bit of how I feel, like we’re waiting for the storm to hit. I’m worried about my friends with DACA especially. I hope nothing does end up changing of course, but we must always prepare for the worst. In any case, we cannot

keep living in fear every four years. We need immigration reform. And we also need to do better at creating opportunities for all those still left behind. And we can only achieve those goals if we reach out and convince the exact people who we currently do not agree with.

When Obama rose to power, my teenage brain felt he had promised to do all that, and when it didn’t happen I felt betrayed and naive. In recent weeks, as I listened to his farewell address, I realized he had been telling us that we needed to do it ourselves all along. In 2008, it seemed he was a man of unlimited power offering a better world. In 2017, he is about to become a man with no legal power at all and offers only an example. He was not a perfect president. There are those on the left and those on the right who all have valid critiques of his policies. Too much money went to the top 1 percent. America’s enemies around the world were allowed to grow stronger. There were also big accomplishments, as well as much left unfinished.

All I will say is, for me, besides giving so many of my friends a fighting chance at the American Dream with DACA, the thing that I will remember him most as is a teacher and a mentor who finally, after eight years, got me to understand that participation is what democracy is all about.

This is the opinion of Antonio De LoeraBrust, a senior film production major from Davis, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.com

Want your opinion to be heard?

Contact Opinion Editor Matt Gaydos at mgaydos@theloyolan.com to contribute.

OPINION

laloyolan.com Page 9

We need to reassess role models in our society Clay by Clay Clay Sontag

T

Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

he people we look up to are the people who shape us. Those we admire show us the lives we hope to emulate; those we are inspired by help us identify the people we want to be. Our world works on a lead-by-example basis, and it serves — for the most part — nothing but positivity for us while proving the power of human connection. However, as our society continuously grows, and as technology increasingly dictates the people we want to be, our role models might be making up for in quantity what they lack in quality.

One of my biggest role models is my grandpa, Peter Klippel — a man who, well into his 60s, treats his life with more youthful vigor and enthusiasm than an average 20-year-old. Whether it be riding roller coasters front row every summer with his grandkids, gifting his entire family with all too-generous gifts or constantly striving to form the next memory, he is everything I hope to be in this life. Apart from my personal life, I also admire self-made individuals who are

probably hear about some Vine stars, YouTube stars and singers — maybe even some “Instagram famous” people. There might be a few mentions of athletes, but for the most part, the young adults in our generation tend to fall for those with fame, style and popularity on social media.

I’m not writing this to say that the individuals mentioned are not role models — because they certainly can be. Absolutely every person on this Earth can be considered a role model depending on the person you talk to. However, your reasoning for looking up to a certain person should extend past a numbers or fame game. Do you even know what the person you idolize stands for? Can you honestly say that their inside and outside personas are worth your admiration? If the answer is yes for any question along these lines, then by all means, look up to these individuals as much you want. But if one’s beauty or fame or significant other is the primary Madeine Mary | Loyolan reason for your idolization, you The term “role model” should be reserved for only those who actually might want to reassess your deserve such admiration. priorities.

Look at some of the inspiring unapologetically themselves, to who I deem worthy of being a including Stephen King, J.K. role model. If you ask the current leaders in this country. Look at teenagers in our nation who they the people with power, integrity, Rowling and David Fincher.

Somewhere along the line, look up to, you will probably hear kindness and intelligence. Look however, I started feeling like I a lot of Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid at the unsung heroes: the people am in the minority when it comes and Selena Gomez. You will on the streets singing their

heart out despite having only $5 of tips in their jar. The people who raise families on their own, thrive on ambition and speak their mind with maturity and passion. The articulate, the generous, the empathetic and the individualistic. There are so many people out there with such invaluable qualities. It sometimes just takes a little more than an Instagram or Twitter search to find them.

We are told time and time again that the youth in this country is our future — and that’s because, well, they are. But it’s time we take a step back and identify who our young people will be trying to be, because that gives us our best guess at where this country is heading. Our role models can exist in our personal lives, the entertainment industry, the NBA, the United Nations and any other facet of society known to man.

But we have to look up to them with good reason.

Pro tip: Look further than the people everyone else tries to be.

Humans are pretty amazing if you give everyone the chance to be admired.

This is the opinion of Clay Sontag, a sophomore screenwriting and psychology double major from Smithtown, New York.

Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.com.

Riots will only divide our nation — not unite it Cup of Joe Joseph Bellavia Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

D

onald J. Trump is officially the 45th president of the United States of America, and yet, people continue to deny his legitimacy as president. However, this is not necessarily the problem that I am seeing. The problem is how some American citizens are displaying their distaste for the new American leadership by rioting on Inauguration Day. It is not protest, and it is certainly not peaceful. What we are seeing from these American citizens is criminal.

I’ve already talked about the riots that ensued in the days following the election. Tensions were high, and people were delivered one of the biggest surprises in American election history. There was shock and awe which didn’t justify this behavior, but still made it more understandable. As disappointing as that protest was, what happened on the day of the inauguration was far, far worse. The election was 77 days ago, and this rioting still continues. Citizens continue to deny that Donald Trump is now our president. But some are not protesting; they are rioting. They are lighting cars on fire and breaking windows in Washington.

Two hundred and thirty

Talia Baugnon | Loyolan

While peaceful protests have a place in making change, violent behavior only causes more problems. rioters were arrested while President Trump was being sworn into office, according to CBS News. They have also reported that, “most of the approximately 230 protesters arrested on Inauguration Day will be charged with felony rioting.” Some of these rioters could be facing up to 10 years in prison. And as saddening as it is to say this, these people deserve to be charged for their actions. They deserve what they are getting, because this is not peaceful protest. This

is not a legitimate exercise of our natural rights, according to the First Amendment of the Constitution. This is criminal behavior from so many citizens of this country, and I cannot wrap my head around their intentions.

What I do not understand is the point of all of this violence.

Is destroying local businesses a real strategy to protesting your president? Think of all of the blue collar people struggling to maintain businesses that will have to deal with damages. Is

punishing all of these people a solution to our problems?

What makes even less sense is the damage that these riots do to those who are legitimately and peacefully protesting the presidency of Donald Trump.

When the American people see rioters destroying property, it reduces the legitimacy of their position. This goes both ways, too. Whenever a Trump supporter spews racist and hateful speech towards someone, it reduces the legitimacy of their cause. If people want to be taken

seriously, than they need to start acting seriously. This childish behavior is unacceptable, and the worst part is that there are better ways of going about it all.

Protests, such as the successful Women’s March, should be used as a model for what Trump’s opposers should be doing.

The way I see it is that this rioting can only further divide the United States. So many of these rioters feel that Donald Trump’s election is the cause of this American divide. Whether or not this is true, there is absolutely no denying that this violence can only further divide us, and we cannot afford such division. This is a time where the American people, regardless of who they voted for, need to come together. We need to come together as a people, not as pawns in political parties unwilling to accept any opinion but our own.

So, I ask all rioters of any political party to please think about what they’re doing. Please understand the lasting effects of your actions. Please understand that even if we do not agree with one another, that doesn’t mean we cannot work together. The beauty of this country is that we have the ability to disagree. That doesn’t mean we should not live as a united people.

This is the opinion of Joseph Bellavia, a sophomore screenwriting major from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.

OPINION

laloyolan.com

Page 10

Inauguration Day should encourage change Book of Matthew Matthew Williams

G

Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

oing into Inauguration Day, people felt a variety of emotions at the prospect of Donald Trump being sworn in.

Some prepared to march in protest the following day. Still, others “do not expect as drastic a change as some people expect to come under Trump’s presidency,” as expressed by freshman mechanical engineering major Clifford Hardin.

Regardless of where people stood in regards to the event, the historically important day was charged with a feeling of anticipation.

From my own perspective, I felt a sense of dread as the day approached. Having been against Trump from the beginning, I could not fathom how he would be replacing the incredible president and family we have had in the last eight years. Thus, I certainly went into the event with a certain amount of bias affecting my judgement.

As I watched and listened to Trump deliver his speech, I cannot deny it was not as offensive as most of the speeches he has given throughout his presidential campaign. However, some of the sentiments he expressed were still quite worrisome.

One such phrase which induced

worry in me, among others, was the phrase “America first,” which he repeated several times throughout his speech. In an attempt to invoke a sense of nationalism among listeners, Trump instead left some “emotionally unmoved by his speech,” Bryan Han, freshman economics major, said.

Others felt a sense of fear at the implications of this phrase, in terms of international relations.

Already, Trump is creating distance between the United States and other countries, attempting to push American exceptionalism at the cost of our stable relationships with other major political powers, such as Britain and Germany.

Trump also caused uproar when he criticized the government itself, arguing that its victories are not the victories of the people. Essentially, he berated a system that has been in place since the founding of our country — a system which has, in fact, been beneficial to many people. His policy of shrinking government control — through measures such as potentially repealing the Affordable Care Act and other programs — only serves to harm the people he is supposed to serve.

And while this speech did not demonstrate the intense xenophobia Trump has displayed in past, it certainly still invoked much of the same ideas. His insistence on the usage of the

White House Official Facebook via Flickr Creative Commons

Trump’s inauguration speech did little to bring together our divided country or create a sense of optimism. phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” and describing inner-city areas in terms of “the crimes and the gangs and the drugs” only serves to harm racial minorities. He continues to negatively characterize these communities while failing to extend the welcoming hand that is traditionally expected during inauguration ceremonies.

By demonstrating no true attempt at reconciliation, he reveals a lack of concern about the continuing polarization of the country.

After the streaming of the inauguration on campus, students

had the opportunity to witness a panel of several professors.

Loyola Law professor Kimberly West-Faulcon compared Trump’s behavior and speech to former president Andrew Jackson — specifically when Jackson ignored the Supreme Court order denying the removal of Native Americans from their land. While we do not know where Trump’s actions will lead, Jackson’s led to the Trail of Tears. If this is, in fact, the president after which Trump has modeled himself, then our nation has much to fear.

“[W]e are not saved by the Constitution; we must save ourselves,” West-Faulcon said.

Thus, we must recognize that it is our duty to protect our country.

We cannot allow Trump to abuse his power. Take his inauguration as a sign to become involved in government, protesting, petitioning or taking any other action to our nation free and equal.

This is the opinion of Matthew Williams, a freshman English major from Seattle, Washington.Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.com

laloyolan.com Page 11

FOREVER FAIL

By Emily Noriega, Staff Cartoonist

UNNECESSARY JAPES

By Cameron Woodard, Staff Cartoonist

FISHBLUB

By Mikey Barreto, Staff Cartoonist

Check out Loyolan Cartoons online, now via Tapastic!

Go to tapastic.com/LAloyolan to catch up on your favorites!

laloyolan.com Page 12

life+arts

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 13

Missed your chance to go Greek? Don’t freak Godby With You Natalie Godby Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan

A

side from the countless reruns of “The House Bunny” that I willingly partake in, my knowledge of the sorority recruitment process was limited. I knew the weekend would involve a lot of talking, smiling and walking. But I never thought about the reality of seeing girls feel truly defeated.

Sororities have been around for a long time, and the process of selecting new members for each house is methodical and meticulous. With each day, it became clear that the process has its perks and its devastations.

Witnessing the pure joy in some girls was amazing; it reminded me why a sense of community is so crucial. On the other hand, I felt conflicted when I saw my peers and close friends experience the difficult side of recruitment. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason — even when all you envision seems to be going wrong, it will all work out in the end.

My first semester felt plagued by countless sessions of small talk and fleeting friendships. I

Jason Munoz | Loyolan

On Bid Night, students gather to find out which Greek organization they were accepted into, if any. loved my school, but something was missing. What I did learn however, was that nearly everyone around me felt the same way. I thought that leaving home and coming to college would mean flocks of genuine friends and a packed schedule of events, yet this was far from my truth. I chose to participate in recruitment to find that spot, that community within a place that I already loved.

Within a chapter, you will find role models, best friends and mentors — but if the Greek

system is not a part of your life, that doesn’t mean you won’t find those characters elsewhere.

The beauty of LMU, besides the manicured lawns and palm trees, is that Greek life is not the heart and soul of our university.

At some schools, choosing not to take part in Greek life is generally unheard of; your ability to make friends and find genuine school involvement will suffer.

At LMU however, Greek life is just an added bonus — providing students with the comfort and guidance of a smaller community

within the University.

I promise you, if things didn’t end up how you were hoping, it’s not the end of the world. If you planned on joining a sorority and things didn’t go as planned, take the opportunity to invest in other positive additions to your life.

Study abroad, seek out a job or internship that requires more attention and time — hey, take up knitting. Understand and trust the steps of recruitment. Every single woman who goes through the process has a different strength, and there are so many

other great ways to showcase them at your time at LMU. If your close friends are now part of Greek life, that doesn’t mean you’ll be separated from them. Friendships are not meant to end with the beginning of something new.

At many schools, signing your bid equates to signing your personal and social life away for the remainder of your time at the university. But LMU allows students to participate in Greek life while maintaining their own lives. Many schools surround their chapters with an impenetrable aura of exclusivity, but don’t let someone’s letters dictate your decision to engage, involve and reach out. Everyone’s college experience is a unique and personal path. There are so many ways to find your niche, and no matter how you’re feeling this week, life goes on.

In the wake of results, support your friends who are hurting and embrace the new ones coming your way. Choosing an organization does not require severing friendships from those who chose a different path. In this case, one door opens and the other should stay open.

This is the opinion of Natalie Godby, a freshman marketing major from Mercer Island, Washington.

Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tmarom@theloyolan.com.

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 14

Lessons from childhood for a turbulent world Cory’s Content

Cory Hutchinson

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan

O

n Sunday night, I stumbled upon “Alice Through the Looking Glass” on Netflix, a recent addition to the company’s database. Having already seen the first film and loving the childlike aspects of it, I decided to grab my popcorn and have a movie night.

However, the movie taught me a powerful lesson that I wasn’t prepared for — Alice’s personality is one that achieves impossible things in order to prove that she is more than capable as an individual. For us today, it’s crucial that we find our voice like Alice has.

The classic lesson behind the “Alice in Wonderland” series is that the concept of impossible isn’t exactly what it’s made out to be.

The only way for Alice to overcome the impossible is to imagine that it’s perfectly possible — such as when Alice attempts to find the Mad Hatter’s missing family, even though she believes they’re all dead. Alice, in this case, embodies empathy to achieve an impossible goal. She does this because she believes in herself as an independent woman and she believes in her morals when it comes to the people she cares about.

As a child, I always looked up to her sense of fierceness and

formidability when times were tough. Now, later in life, we are in a world of impossible outcomes and difficult obstacles without a drop of guidance to get us out of the infamous rabbit hole.

Bringing it back to our world, we experienced the presidential inauguration and the global Women’s March last weekend and here’s what remains: It’s true that an outspoken celebrity is now holding the highest office in the U.S. government. His team seems to be exactly what we don’t want in their respective placements, racism is taking new forms, inequality is even being recognized by younger minds, our voices are being muffled and our future is absolutely uncertain.

I’m not giving a doom and gloom representation of the world. Nor am I pinpointing these occurrences to the fault of a single person; rather,

these are the results of a society that lacks empathy. Many people might read that and think, “Well, I have empathy,” however, you could be wrong. Whether you exercise sentiments of solidarity or not, simply posting about your standing in solidarity on social media is not enough. In this way, empathy is an entirely different feeling and commitment.

To me, empathy is truly trying to understand the situation of the other — whoever the other may be — and doing everything in your individual power to lessen the severity of that situation. Solidarity is simply a claim that says, “I’m sorry you’re in this situation and I feel for you,” which is entirely different. So, to simplify, empathy is putting yourself in the perspective of the other whereas solidarity is just a feeling — and maybe a

Facebook post or tweet. Of course, there are situations in which we can’t exercise our individual power because it’s not plausible in current circumstances. But if we take a page from Alice Kingsleigh, we can make the impossible quite possible.

I can’t tell you exactly how to do that because those situations are a case-by-case issue, but I can tell you that we must exercise our duty as global citizens to be better.

Donate to helpful causes, volunteer with nonprofit organizations, create petitions, intern for political campaigns or just better your knowledge of how the world works.

Whatever it is that you end up doing, only you can make yourself a better citizen. While it’s nice to get your opinion out there on social media, it’s kind of like screaming into the void — unless your statement rocks the boat of a mass mindset.

I’m not aiming to be hypocritical in any way. I’m simply throwing a solution out there to some people who feel like they’re not making a difference or that no difference is being made around them. When that feeling arises, that’s when you must get out there and act because change doesn’t come by sitting around waiting for it. Change comes from a fire within that is otherwise known as passion and determination.

Personally, I aim to achieve change in my life through volunteer work and writing, because I know that I’ll reach an audience or maybe even directly affect somebody’s life.

My actions alone do not affect the entire world, but a chain reaction begins and what seems impossible becomes a wonderful possibility.

So, to bring this all back to the point, Alice learns two largely important lessons that push her forward into becoming a better person. The first: You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it. The second: Time waits for no man, “or, indeed, woman.” In this time of confusion and uncertainty, I strongly urge you to learn from Alice Kingsleigh: Learn from the past and act when needed, because time absolutely does not wait. Be a better human and overcome the impossible — it truly is possible.

This is the opinion of Cory Hutchinson, a freshman sociology major from Palm Desert, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tmarom@theloyolan. com.

WORK AT WORK AT internships design copy-editor photo

WORK AT

email: jobs@theloyolan.com email:jobs@theloyolan.com

SOCIAL JUSTICE

laloyolan.com

Page 16

Fashion is failing to support body positivity Taykin’ It Easy Taylor Gage

Asst. Life+Arts @LALoyolan

S

o much body positivity has been a focus in the media and in advertisements these last few years as people have started fighting back against the norm. Society’s incredibly unrealistic beauty standards have been perpetuated by the media and mass consumerism for too long.

When this trend began to emerge, I was all for it. I waited my whole life to have fashion catered more towards me, to stop having to try so hard to modify my style for a thin-obsessed culture obviously not meant to fit me or my body. I have always found myself on the outs of the fashion world. Sure, some brands carry larger sizes, but the goal was always to fit within the vanity sizing of trending brands.

At a size 10, I am just at the cutoff point where most of those brands tend to stop caring, so of course I was very pleased and personally invested in the cause.

However, I quickly realized that while this trend towards body acceptance was absolutely great, positive and healthy, it was still just that — a trend. What

started as an alternative ideal to change society for the better quickly turned into companies and brands taking advantage of the concept of body positivity to drive sales.

For instance, this movement calls for a wider representation of body types in the media — and sure, that’s great. What’s not great, however, is how campaigns are now flaunting curvy girls but only using the models merely as props to prove how progressive their company is, instead of actively incorporating them into the existing fashion world. It has become a statement of liberal pride for companies to feature body diversity, to have a single token “alternative” person while many groups still remain unrepresented.

For me, this reached an alltime high in a recent Urban Outfitters (UO) campaign for their new line. The ads feature model Barbie Ferreira, a “curvy” girl by all accounts, who looked amazing along with all the other models, each representing a different lifestyle, body type and consumer.

The one thing that set Ferreira apart, and which would cause outrage soon after, was that her role in the ad was a blatant lie. Despite looking like the other models in the ad and representing UO’s brand, the company doesn’t even actually

sell her size. Their range stops at size 12 and features no plussize or body-inclusive wear at all, making Ferreira merely a placeholder appealing to a greater audience without taking responsibility for making a change. In essence, it’s all one big marketing ploy. The ad does absolutely no good for body positivity once you become aware of its contradiction. In fact, it further harms its target audience’s self esteem to know that their body is not truly welcome like the rest and is only useful as a marketing tactic — a lie to sell more.

This isn’t by any means new.

Body types and specific features (i.e. breasts, butts, collarbones, etc.) have functioned as statements before. Back in the early 2000s, the tomboy/athletic type body took the world by a storm, a great contrast to the hourglass shape that everyone coveted in Old Hollywood.

Never before has the body type being sold to the people — this new curvy/alternative look — been so different than what people are actually striving to be. It’s like the world wants to see curvy girls on TV and in ads, but nobody actually wants to be one. It’s a massive joke, and we’re the butt of it.

People preach body positivity while still hating their own, like praising models for embracing

their curves on Instagram while still photoshopping their own photos. It’s a fad you want to see but not be, and that’s just not fair to those of us who face this as a reality.

Urban Outfitters is just one, albeit egregious, example of this trend gone wrong. In 2016, H&M’s “Lady” campaign created a scandal when the company (also notorious for using child refugees to make their clothes) tried to feature marginalized and diverse people and body types in their ads, while also independently announcing that they were pulling their plus size clothing lines from many stores.

H&M also received criticism online for selling jeans in a size 16 that wouldn’t even come close to fitting someone who is a size 14. Photos of a student trying them on with the button spread far apart went viral, inciting heavy criticism toward a clothing company that was considered to be on the forefront of the body positivity movement — just last year, Elle Magazine called H&M’s campaign “its most inclusive to date,” claiming that it “celebrate[s] beauty in all forms.”

Society places huge pressure on anybody and everybody, there’s no doubt about that; but time and time again, curvy girls seem to get the brunt of it.

I’m not saying that we all have

to be curvy, or that this is the fault of any particular person or organization, but it’s always been difficult to be different in this American consumerist culture.

I love that this movement finally confronts and tackles the underlying insecurity many people face about their bodies and that some brands are actually doing a decent job of listening and responding. However, when this isn’t done with the intent to make a real positive change but merely to make profit, it’s embarrassingly offensive. We can tell that it’s all half-assed, and somehow that’s even worse than simply being complacently silent.

It’s time for a real movement, one not founded in our consumerist tendencies but in an honest self-evaluation and celebration of who we are. To those who are doing just that, I applaud you. And to companies who are making gains at the cost of our insecurities, shame on you. If you don’t want to represent us all, that’s fine — your loss — but don’t lie. That, to me, is the worst offense of all.

This is the opinion of Taylor Gage, a sophomore English major from Napa Valley, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to editor@theloyolan. com.

Intercultural Facilitators program awarded EIC sets standards for other college and university campuses.

Karis Addo-Quaye Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan

The Intercultural Facilitators program (IF) has received national recognition from both the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA).

Two student facilitators will accompany program leader Henry Ward, director of the Intercultural Affairs division of EIS, to the ACPA’s 2017 National

Convention in Columbus, Ohio to receive the Voices of Inclusion Group/Team Medallion this March. This follows another recent honor bestowed upon the student-led program: the George Luis Sedano Award for Outstanding Multicultural Program, which they received at the West Regional Conference.

The latter, according to NACA’s website, is granted to the best student-run program committed to diversity and multicultural themes on their campus.

The IF program, as stated on their page on the LMU website, is led by students skilled in effectively facilitating critical cultural conversations among their fellow LMU students

with the goal of establishing an authentic understanding of self using non-traditional methods of community engagement and an honest and inclusive approach to transformative student development. These awards follow in a line of multiple other recent accolades including last year’s Bronze Certificate from the NASPA Excellence Awards for the IF’s “Creating Safe Spaces for Uncomfortable Conversations” initiative, the Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities, the JASPA Community Impact Award in 2015, and the JASPA’s Ignatian Medal for Outstanding

Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice in 2014.

The facilitators and their program, which is in its fifth year running, are headed by Henry Ward, a recipient of JASPA’s 2016 Outstanding Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice Award. He emphasized that although the honors are neither the main point nor priority for the facilitators, they are nevertheless evidence of the potential for positive impact the IF program, and LMU by extension, can have on other college and university campuses.

“They are a committed group of students who have a passion for social justice and are dedicated to living the mission

of this university,” Ward said in a Student Affairs press release.

Ward expressed his confidence in the program: “I’d put our IFs, their skill, against any [...]

It’s my confidence in the effort and the work they put into it. It comes from the heart — you have to be passionate. After you [host] a workshop, you’re exhausted.”

The facilitators will be holding an event for 25 members of the LMU men’s soccer team this upcoming Saturday, Jan. 28.

laloyolan.com

Page 17

Increase in uninvited falling water causes rise in student collisions Water coming from the sky ruins several students’ walks to class.

Sami Leung Bluff Editor

Over the past couple weeks, LMU and Los Angeles have been collectively stunned at the high influx of precipitation coming from the sky. The pure shock at the appearance of water from above has caused several student accidents on campus.

The most damaging collision to date was between seven LMU students who, witnesses say, started screaming and running for cover before colliding with each other and falling down in a puddle.

“I mean, one minute I was just walking to class, and the next, something wet hit my

face, and I didn’t know what to do,” said freshman psychology major Morgan Sweate, who was involved in the crash. “I freaked out, I admit it.”

The students were helped out by nervous-looking student EMTs, who took the victims back to their dorms as quickly as possible to change clothes and recover.

Smaller collisions have been reported all over campus, especially on hills where the water likes to gather most malevolently. Students are blaming lack of knowledge on the subject, as well as lack of any sort of physical gear to deal with the problem.

“My professor told me it was called ‘rain,’” junior film studies major Leon Souza said, making air quotes with his hands. “Apparently it happens all over the world, but why did it have to come here?”

Sales of devices that protect users from the rain, advertised

Fryderyk via Flickr Creative Commons

Students are having to wade through almost half-an-inch-high puddles of water after this strange event.

health and human sciences major Sarah Trembles showed up to Professor Martin’s biology class in a fully functioning hospital bed.

Though admitted to the hospital for extreme flu-like symptoms, Trembles knew she had to attend class by whatever means necessary on Monday to preserve her last sick day for a more worthy circumstance.

Tremble’s roommate, freshman communication studies major Lucy Aiden, helped move the bed around campus for her all day.

“She’s always been a really great roommate to me, and I know that if I was in this situation, she would do the same for me,” Aiden said. “I don’t have any classes on Mondays, so it worked out really well for me to be able to push her bed around school all day — I

Don’t forget to wash your hands these days ladies and gents — it’s flu season.

In high school, a sick day meant a free day home to spend all day in your PJs watching the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and reruns of “CSI”. But sadly, those days are gone. Today, sick days have become as valuable as gold, used only in the most extreme circumstances to avoid a grade penalty from life-toughened professors.

Monday morning, freshman

the extra fabric in the back for super convenient head covering. Still, LMU has advised students to be careful and to

as “umbrellas,” have skyrocketed over the last few days, with the LMU bookstore posting record sales in jackets with

avoid going outside as much as possible to prevent further injuries.

Sick student miraculously avoids grade penalization Dedicated inspiring student makes it to class in a 700 lb. hospital bed.

Elliot Britt

Asst. Buff Editor

Kevin Chan | Loyoan

No one showed as much dedication to getting to class as Trembles.

hardly even noticed I was pushing the 700-lb. bed.”

LMU’s Facilities Management staff had to remove the doors to each of Trembles’ classrooms in order for them to fit the bed in. The process was a bit unusual for the staff, but they were determined to not let Trembles miss her classes.

Professor Martin was proud to see students like Trembles putting in such commitment to their studies. “I wish more students were committed to their education like Sarah has proved to be,” he said.

The admirable feat proved a lifesaver to Tremble’s grade.

“I still have an A in the class,” said Trembles. “And now I can save that sick day for a real emergency. So I’d say it was pretty worth it.”

Ringling Bros. performers: Where are they now?

The late circus’ acts are wandering around, hoping for normality.

Sami Leung Bluff Editor

With sad faces that would impress a clown, the Ringling Bros. Circus has announced their closing after more than a century of performances. With its last show happening in May, its acts have been scrambling to find worthwhile careers postcircus. The Bluff has tracked down some of the acts to report on their lives post-fame.

The lion tamers have gotten nationwide attention for their strategies in the elementary school education system.

“Once, a kid started

attacking me, and I panicked,” shrugged one lion tamer in a TV interview. “I just instinctively started using some of the training techniques I used during the shows, and now we’ve gotten job offers from schools all over the country.”

More specific performers, like the acrobats, have found themselves in high demand in Hollywood as stunt doubles.

But others, such as the mime artists, have had a bit of a silent struggle with integrating themselves into society.

“Hearing about the closing of the circus made me pretty sad,” junior marketing major Frankie Amburgh said. “But then I realized that one of my professors was actually just a mime, and no one noticed.

We all thought it was just his very elite way of lecturing. We

only realized it when someone recognized him from the show.”

Trapeze performers have

reportedly found work in electrical wiring and billboard graffiti cleanup. And of

course, the clowns are always welcome in the Donald Trump administration.

Madeline Mary | Loyolan

A rare photo of a recently unemployed clown from the Ringling Bros. being accepted into political work.

The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.

SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 18

Chicago Cubs visit the White House Victoria Beckham Victoria Arevalo Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports

W

e all remember how the world almost stopped for a second when the Chicago Cubs finally won the 2016 National League Championship Series and the 2016 World Series. Whether you are a sports fan or not, this was something the whole world knew, unless of course you’ve been living under a rock. It was major.

The last time the Cubs won a title was, well, a really long time ago. On Nov. 2 of last year, the Chicago Cubs came out victorious after defeating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 during Game 7. As both teams fought for the trophy, no one could predict the outcome of the game.

The Cubs struggled in the first few games, totaling up to three losses and one win by the fourth game. However, the Cubs continued to fight for the title and quickly turned things around, winning the last three games with scores of 3-2, 9-3 and 8-7. Game 7 was definitely a close game; one single homerun determined the future for both teams. Still, it is only fair to admit that the Cubs deserved it, and all their efforts paid off

via Wikimedia Commons

The Chicago Cubs visited President Obama at the White House before he left office to celebrate their World Series Championship for the first time in 108 years. They were the last sports team to visit the White House during Obama’s administration. in the end of a 108-year World the White House, becoming During his eight years in Chicago Cubs made sure to go Series Championship drought. the last championship team office, Obama has welcomed out with a boom, as one leaves Of course, you wouldn’t to be recognized during his various amount of sports teams the White House and the other expect this historical event in the administration. There, they through the gates of the White ends the season. sports world to go unseen, which presented the president with House. Some of these teams After all, it’s go big or go home, is why the Chicago Cubs made a Cubs jersey, as the tradition include the New York Giants, right? sure they got to visit one special goes. During his time as a Los Angeles Lakers, Green Bay friend, before it was too late. senator, Obama represented the Packers, United States Women’s On Jan. 16, just a few days state of Illinois for three years, National Soccer Team, Golden This is the opinion of Victoria Arevalo, a freshan communication studies major from before former President Barack therefore holding a special place State Warriors and Los Angeles Los Angeles, California. Tweet comments to Obama left the oval office, the in his heart for the residents of Kings. With this visit, both @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@ Chicago Cubs took a trip to that state. former President Obama and the theloyolan.com.

Raiders and Chargers announce relocation Matty Light Matt Rodriguez Sports Intern

@LoyolanSports

T

his month, the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers announced that the two organizations would be parting ways with their longtime homes in both the Bay Area and San Diego in exchange for new scenery in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, respectively.

The Raiders have been thinking about moving out of their home in Oakland for quite some time now, but finally made it official when they filed papers for their relocation to Las Vegas on Jan. 19. The team has called Oakland its home for over two decades now, after moving back from Los Angeles in 1995.

The Raiders have had a tumultuous history in Oakland.

Until recently, the team has struggled to make the playoffs and was considered one of the worst teams in the NFL. This all changed when the Raiders changed their front office, bringing in General Manager Reggie McKenzie in 2012.

Following the hiring of McKenzie, the Raiders struck gold in the 2014 draft, getting two Pro-Bowlers in linebacker/ defensive end Khalil Mack and quarterback Derek Carr. This duo has led the defense and offense the entire time they have been there. The crucial addition was the hiring of Head Coach Jack Del Rio, who was able to change the culture that was present for so long and made the Raiders a winning team again.

via Wikimedia Commons

The StubHub Center (pictured above), located in Los Angeles, will be the new home for the Chargers, formerly stationed in San Diego.

Unfortunately, no one in the Bay Area will be able to participate in the Raiders’ success since they are moving to Las Vegas. Even in the many years where the Raiders were going below .500, fans stayed loyal. The Raiders Nation never doubted their team; every year they believed they were going to turn it around.

Commenting on the Raiders’ relocation to Las Vegas, junior political science major and Raiders fan, Tarik Shoukeh, said, “The fan bases will be really disappointed [and] moving to Vegas takes them out of the state of California [and abandons] the whole culture of Raider Nation and slaps them in the face and told them you don’t matter.”

Although that Raider Nation

will still follow the team no matter where they go, it is quite disappointing that the Raiders would leave their long-time home in the state of California, right when they began to get back on their feet.

In a similar situation, the Chargers have decided to leave their San Diego home of 55 years for the neighboring city of Los Angeles. They announced their move on Jan. 12, and it has not been a very popular decision.

The organization has received a lot of backlash from both the NFL and their own fans, who have been shown burning and trashing jerseys along with other Chargers memorabilia.

The Chargers have also angered some NFL executives with the move. NFL Commissioner

Roger Goodell, along with other owners, expressed their interest in seeing the Chargers stay in San Diego. He even promised to bring the Super Bowl to San Diego if the city and its team could come to terms on a new stadium.

If you are not from San Diego, it is somewhat easy to understand why the Chargers decided to move. Although their fans are some of the most loyal in the entire NFL, the team has struggled to work out a deal with the city for a new stadium.

But if you see where the team is moving to it does not really make much sense as to why they are moving there. The Chargers have opted to move to StubHub Center, which has a capacity of 30,000 people. To put things into perspective, the StubHub

Center would not be able to house the crowd of the last Texas State championship game.

The Chargers’ move will definitely be an interesting development since there has been so much controversy following their announcement.

This is the opinion of Matt Rodriguez, a sophomore political science major from Milpitas, California. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@ theloyolan.com.

SPORTS

laloyolan.com

Page 19

LMU ADDS PARCEL LOCKERS FOR STUDENT PACKAGE PICKUPS At the start of every semester the LMU Mail and Distribution Center always sees a huge spike in the amount of parcels being received students. This semester is no different but the process to pick up some of these packages will be different, with the completed installation of parcel lockers from Neopost USA.

The parcel locker system that has recently been installed just outside of the LMU Mail and Distribution Center will allow LMU staff to take a portion of each day’s incoming student parcels and “deliver” them into a secure parcel locker. As the package is placed in the locker the system automatically send an email to the student that will include a 4 digit ID code and a 4 digit authentication code.

To retrieve the package all the student will need to do is walk up to the control panel at the locker system and follow the on screen prompts which will include entering the 4 digit codes from the email. After the codes are entered your locker door will immediately spring open. Collect your parcel and close the locker door and you are done. The locker system will allow students to pick up packages at any time of day and it will eliminate waiting in line at the Distribution Center customer service window.

The Neopost parcel locker system is just another way LMU is looking to enhance the on campus experience of our students.

SPORTS

SCORES UPDATE M. BBALL

LION

64-63 L

W. BBALL

163-98 L

M. TENNIS

at Santa Clara

SPORTS

W. SWIM

vs. Claremont-Mudd

61-50 W

vs. Santa Clara

7-0 L

at Pepperdine

Follow us on Twitter @loyolansports for up-to-date scores.

Page 20

LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | January 25, 2017 | laloyolan.com

What to Watch For in Super Bowl LI Big Time Timmy Jim Tim De Vries

Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports

W

ith the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) championships concluded, the matchup for Super Bowl LI will pit the perennial powerhouse New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons, a team that is carrying a ton of talent and momentum. As with any Super Bowl, there will be commercials, controversy, camaraderie, a pop-star halftime show, hopefully some pretty good football along the way and, as always, media speculation. With that said, here are some things worth speculating about as the first weekend of February quickly approaches.

Tom Brady — Deflategate, Mischief, and Legacy: Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension at the beginning of the season now seems long ago, but is certainly worth noting in the weeks leading up to game. Over the years, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Brady and New England Head Coach Bill Belichick have found themselves at odds numerous times despite New England’s dominance within the league. The team has been accused of filming and stealing other teams signals, deflating footballs and, most recently, interfering with fire alarms in the hotel of AFC Championship opponent the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In each case, the team has simply equivocated, claiming either innocence, ignorance or misinterpretation. Cheating or not, the fact that Brady willingly accepted a fourgame suspension for Deflategate should have served to hamstring New England, but now they find themselves competing for what would be their fifth Super Bowl championship since the turn of the century. Another victory would only serve to add to the

LIONBITES MEN’S BASKETBALL Men’s basketball fell to their league rivals, Santa Clara University, in a heartbreaking fashion. Santa Clara guard Jared Brownridge hit the gamewinning three with 2.4 seconds left to lock in the Santa Clara win, 64-63. The Lions dropped below .500 with their overall record dropping to 9-10 and their conference record dropping to a dismal 2-6 in the West Coast Conference (WCC).

They are currently tied for the second worst record with University of Portland and University of Pacific.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL In contrast to the men’s team, the women defeated their conference rival Santa Clara, 61-50. In the previous meeting between the two teams, the Lions lost to the Broncos 71-64. The team has been seeing stellar play by their big three Andee Velasco, Leslie Lopez-Wood and Jackie Johnson. Although the Lions sit at the bottom of the conference currently, it is not that bad. The entire West Coast Conference is caught up in a series of ties. The Lions themselves are tied with two other teams, Pepperdine University and the University of San Diego.

For more LION BITES, like Loyolan Sports on Facebook and visit laloyolan.com/sports.

legacy of Brady and Belichick — who are each tied for the most Super Bowl wins for a quarterback and head coach respectively; Goodell would be forced to hand them yet another Lombardi Trophy. From a football standpoint, it’s out of Goodell’s hands, and that’s exactly what the Patriots want.

Falcons’ First Lombardi?: The Atlanta Falcons have exploded through the last two games of the NFL Playoffs, at times looking unstoppable.

Such as their NFC Championship win over a Green Bay Packers team that saw quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ heroic efforts run out of momentum. As one of 13 teams in the league that has never won the Super Bowl, Atlanta now sits on the brink of making franchise history.

Quarterback Matt Ryan and superstar wide receiver Julio Jones are largely responsible for the Falcons’ success in getting to this point. New England’s secondary stymied Steelers’ star wideout Antonio Brown, while Jones accounted for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Green Bay. The Falcons’ success will go as far as Ryan, Jones and running back Devonta Freeman.

In each of the last two wins, the Falcons scored 36 and 44 points respectively. While defense wins championships, it’s the offense that drives Atlanta. The Falcons have only been to the Super Bowl once, losing 34-19 to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII. As a city, Atlanta has been championship-deprived since 1995, when the Braves won the World Series. Numerous title droughts ended in 2016 — perhaps the Falcons can carry that trend into 2017 behind Ryan and Jones.

Brady vs. Ryan: Last year, we saw Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning cement his legacy in the Super Bowl, and this year provides a stage for both quarterbacks to make their own NFL history. Ryan is perhaps the favorite for MVP, and the win over Rodgers’ Packers is just another notch in his belt.

There is a certain lore or criteria surrounding an elite quarterback, something many consider Ryan to be. Part of that

via Flickr Creative Commons

The New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is in contention for his fifth Super Bowl with Belichck. Brady will face off against Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. criteria, however, are championships and Honorable Mention — Dan Quinn’s the way the quarterback performs when the Redemption: lights are shining the brightest and there’s The last time Falcon’s head coach Dan a lot at stake. ‘Matty Ice,’ as Ryan is nickQuinn faced the Patriots, he watched from named, stems from his reputation of being the Seattle Seahawks’ sideline as their dea clutch performer. Super Bowl Sunday fensive coordinator while cornerback Malwill be the ultimate test of Ryan’s will to colm Butler intercepted quarterback Russell win, because now that he has bested RodWilson on the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX gers he must face one of the all-time greats and could do nothing about it. Now he’s in Brady. A win for Ryan and the Falcons the head man in Atlanta, and is back in the would certainly cement Ryan’s impact on Super Bowl with a vengeance, his team firthe league during his career. ing on all cylinders. It will be interesting to For Brady, this Super Bowl gives him see Atlanta’s fourth-quarter play-calling in the chance to reach a quarterback-record the event of a close game. My guess is that five Super Bowl victories, all of them with they’ll run the ball from the 1-yard line. BeBelichick, further solidifying their legacy as sides reaching the pinnacle of the sport, I’m one of the greatest quarterback-head coach sure Quinn would take pleasure too in getduo of all times. All of the personal vendet- ting some revenge. tas with Goodell would be icing on the cake.

It’s not always that history will be made reThis is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a sophomore gardless of who wins, but Super Bowl LI will engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet be historic regardless. comments to @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@ theloyolan.com.