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‘I never asked to become an addict, but it made me stronger’
Jazon Munoz| Loyolan
Alison Wolf, a junior marketing major and facilitator of “Getting our Fix” the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) support group on campus, returned to LMU after recovering from heroin addiction.
Alison Wolf opens up about her addiction and recovery journey. Alison Wolf, as told to Isabel Ngo Managing Editor @LALoyolan
Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death today in the United States for people under 50, the New York Times reported. In 2016, approximately 64,000 people in the U.S. died from drug overdose. “It’s the only aspect of American health … that is getting significantly worse,” Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told the NY Times. The CDC reported that “the number of overdose deaths involving opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin) quadrupled” since 1999. As National Recovery Month comes to a close, Lions for Recovery at LMU is just starting the semester with support groups for students who have experienced alcohol and substance abuse. Alison Wolf, a junior marketing major from Santa Monica, leads “Getting Our Fix,” the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group that meets every Friday on campus. Wolf returned to LMU from a medical leave after going to rehab and detox for heroin abuse. Wolf, 25, shared her story of recovery with Isabel Ngo, managing editor at the Loyolan.
I
was a hardworking student with a job — I worked 50 hours a week and went to school part time before I transferred to
LMU. I was extremely studious and got good grades. But after I lost my job, I had all this excess money. That’s when I found cocaine. I didn’t realize I was using every day until a month in. Slowly, my cocaine addiction turned into a crack addiction, and I was going into psychosis — that was the first time I went to rehab. It was also when I learned about heroin. Heroin gives you a euphoria — it’s not an ‘up’ — it feels like getting a warm hug inside of you. It mellows you out. It slows down time, so if you’re someone who’s constantly thinking, your mind can shut down on heroin. But it turns into a physical addiction. Instead of enjoying it, you build up a tolerance. You start being unable to go without it, because you start withdrawing. You get sick. It literally feels like you’re dying. I started living animalistically. I kept looking for ways to get money — stealing or conning people, even sexual favors at times — so I could get the drugs. You’ll do anything just so you don’t get that sickness. You keep on chasing this high, but you never get it. The first time I detoxed off heroin it took three days. Afterwards, it took more than a week of detox to start feeling normal again. There were days when I couldn’t even move. That was the hardest part. It’s why a lot of people don’t stop. You’re physically sick and mentally, you’re defeated. You’ll do anything to get rid of that feeling, that withdrawal. And right when you use heroin again, you instantly feel okay. Many people think that we choose to do it. But once you become addicted, it’s no longer a choice. You can’t resist it. It’s so controlling that you think about it all the time, you plan on getting it all the time. See Recovery | Page 2
Burma accused of ethnic cleansing The Rohingya population has allegedly been targeted in Myanmar. Matt Gaydos Managing Editor @LALoyolan
Armed forces in Myanmar have been killing the Muslim Rohingya minority in what some world leaders and U.N. officials are calling “ethnic cleansing” efforts, according to BBC News. The government of Myanmar, also known as Burma, denied accusations of the reported atrocities, and said they were “very, very disappointed” by the comments, as reported by BBC News. The current leader of the elected party in parliament is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her “resistance to the military dictatorship,” according to the New York Times. While she is in charge of the government, she does not control the military. She has not yet publicly criticized the brutal treatment of the Rohingya minority. “To be fair, she was a political prisoner in her own country,” Dr. Amir Hussain, a professor of theological studies and adviser for the Muslim Students Association. “But now [she is] the leader of the country. And now [she has] a very different kind of power and responsibility.”
Hussain criticized her for standing idle and not exercising that new found power. “If you’re a Nobel Peace Prize winner, you can’t do [that],” he said. Okkar Min Din, a junior management major from Myanmar, believes that how Suu Kyi publicly addresses the military action against the Rohingya is not what matters. “What matters is that her party and the military should end feuds in order to help Myanmar develop,” Min Din said. The Rohingya have faced systemic discrimination since the 1982 Citizenship Law that excluded the group from citizenship. As a result, they are one of the largest stateless populations in the world, according to Human Rights Watch. Hussain drew a parallel between the attitude toward the Rohingya in Myanmar with the way we see undocumented immigrants in America. The Burmese excuse their actions, Hussain said, by claiming that the Rohingya “are not Burmese. They’re not Buddhist. So they don’t count.” From here, Hussain said, it is an easy jump to come to the conclusion that they are not human beings. Hussain explained that much of the Myanmar population do not believe the Rohingya should be in the country. “These people aren’t our citizens, so anything that happens to them is their own fault.” See Burma | Page 3
NEWS
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LMU suspends ad on far-right website Breitbart An LMU ad on conservative site Breitbart has come under scrutiny. Kellie Chudzinski Editor-In-Chief @LALoyolan
“Aware ads [are] on racist Breitbart?” said the tweet, accompanied with a screen capture of an LMU ad on Breitbart News Network, which prompted LMU to suspend the ad campaign. The original tweet, posted by a woman only identified by her, a Sleeping Giants volunteer– who has no known connection to the University – continued “Will you block site from all ad buys & respond to students? Waiting for answers! [Sleeping Giants] @slpng_giants.” Within an hour, the official LMU twitter account responded, in a private message, that the advertising campaign was temporarily suspended. John Kiralla, vice president of marketing and communication told the Loyolan via email that
the ad is currently suspended on all sites, except Facebook, as the ad provider is being contacted. Pending a review of the websites that host LMU ads and overall marketing policies, updated policies will be shared with the community. The way most companies advertise today, is not directly to each site, but by brokers or providers – such as Google, Facebook and AppNexus – that display ads on a range of sites all over the internet. AppNexus Inc., Alphabet Inc. (the parent company of Google) and Facebook are the biggest advertising services, according to Bloomberg Technology. The Sleeping Giants Facebook page cites the automated ad buying system as the reason companies are unaware of the specific sites their ads appear on. Associate marketing professor Julian St. Clair said this was an important lesson for any ad manager today, to consider the unintended impact of ad placement on their organization. St. Clair also supported
the reviewing of policy and suspension of the ad on Breitbart. Breitbart is not compatible with “who we [LMU] are and who we want to be,” St. Clair said. According to the Washington Post, it is not uncommon for companies to quickly react when made aware of advertisements on Breitbart. The mysterious organization Sleeping Giants, started last November, encourages volunteers to tweet at businesses and organization, with screen captures of ads on Breitbart, in hopes that they stop advertising on the site. Sleeping Giants have said that they do not believe freedom of speech protects Breitbart to make money from advertisers whose policies and views do not match their own, according to the Guardian. Breitbart, a self described altright commentary news site, led by former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has seen hundreds of advertisers blacklist the site since November, according to the Guardian. Sleeping Giants lists over 2,900 via Twitter
The LMU Graduate Open House Ad was captured on Breitbart on Sept. 20 and was quickly suspended by LMU. companies, they claim to have persuaded that have stopped advertising on Breitbart, including Audi, BMW, Nestle and the Canadian Government. Companies including Lufthansa airlines have cited Breitbart’s political views as “radical,” according to the Independent, as the reason for pulling their advertisements. Breitbart’s advertising revenue has fallen 51 percent since last November, when the Sleeping Giants campaign began, reported by the Guardian. While political affiliation is a reason commonly cited by businesses that have pulled ads, the same is not true for LMU. Kiralla also told the Loyolan, political ideology does not
influence LMU’s decision to advertise on the site. Rather, other factors such as number of impressions and target audience and desired association with other advertisers on the site, will be considered. Students were divided when asked about the LMU ad on Breitbart. Most students, such as Kit Johnston, senior AIMS major, supported suspension of the ad and believed it was likely unintentional, on the part of LMU, to host an ad on Breitbart. While others did not see a problem with the original ad. “I don’t mind because any publicity is good publicity,” Darvin Sumarkho, junior entrepreneurship major said.
Making recovery Obama addresses new visible on the Bluff Republican health care bill Recovery from Page 1
forward to them. But then I relapsed. And even though I was using, I’d still go to the meetings and they’d still welcome me. They felt for me because they saw my pain and that I’d overdosed before. I feel like the smartest people are addicts. They have this hyperawareness and they just want to numb that out. They have all these perspectives from every walk of life. ‘Cause they obviously see the norm, but they’ve also experienced being at the gates of hell. The best part about being with them is laughing with them. We joke about so many things that people wouldn’t find funny. There’s a joke where we see ten bucks and we’re like, “That’d be a sack!” — they’re jokes about how we used to behave, and how insane and stupid it is. The longer you’re clean, the more you wonder how you lived that life for so long. Before I came back to LMU, I was just so burnt out. I was able to complete one semester when I stopped using coke. But I started adderall in place of it. Going to
school that semester was so much harder than doing it clean. I felt like a zombie for staying up so many days. The second time I went to rehab, it was because my parents caught me shooting up. There was something in me that just surrendered.I knew that something had to change. I was doing all these things at the same time — registering, trying to get off medical leave, using. But I wanted to go to school. And I did. With the support of NA and my parents. I threw up my hands. I was spent. I thought that there could be an easier way to live. And by no means is this easy, but it’s definitely better. Addiction is an epidemic. People don’t recognize that. And not only that, they don’t recognize that many people who become addicted start with pain medication. And when that gets expensive, heroin’s the cheaper option. With Recovery Month, maybe people will get help before they hit rock bottom. I never asked to become an addict. Every day, I wish I was normal. I wish I never went through what I went through, but you know, it made me stronger.
In keynote speech, former president expresses frustration over potential new bill. Sami Leung
Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan Former president Barack Obama gave a speech on Sept. 20 that addressed the progress the nation has made in terms of inclusivity and general quality of life, but also the variety of challenges facing the nation. The event, hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, also hosted Bill and Melinda Gates, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, will.i.am and more, according to Time. In his speech, Obama spoke on the newest Republican bill being sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, saying that it was “frustrating” to see the potential repeal of Obamacare with a less liberal replacement. “Now the legislation that we passed was full of things that still need to be fixed,” Obama said during his speech. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was better.” Obama also said that the new GOP healthcare bill would raise costs and reduce coverage for older Americans and people with pre-existing conditions, which was a concern among opponents of the bill. Trump has claimed via Twitter that the new bill will include coverage of pre-existing conditions, but according to CNN, that is not true. The bill, similar to Obamacare, will not let insurers turn away those with pre-existing conditions, but they can now base their premiums on a person’s medical history.
“I think [Obamacare] helps a lot of people who need support, and those who may not know they need Obamacare,” said Samantha Kim, junior sociology and women and gender studies double major, said. “Without Obamacare, a lot of people will not have healthcare and may be surprised about it.” Kim also believes that repealing Obamacare will badly affect the economy and increase the rate of illness in the country. Obama warned of “real human suffering” if the coverage is to be rolled back, according to NBC news. Senators have until the end of the month to pass the bill, according to CNN.
NEWS
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Rohingya
BURNING QUESTIONS
This issue, Asst. News
This issue, News Intern Editor Sonja Bistranin This issue, News Editor Silvia Velasquez sat sits down with senior Olivia Round sits down down with Meghanne graphic with LMUdesign alumnamajor Zoey Clark, founder of Nick Garcia to talk Ho service Agapé, a new about his battle organization on withcampus. cancer and
awareness efforts.
1
Where are you from?
I’m from San Diego originally. I really like the people and the weather there. I moved around a lot as a child, so it was really nice to have somewhere I stayed for a little bit longer.
What organizations are you involved with on campus?
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I’m part of Alpha Chi Omega, Engineers Without Borders and Society of Women Engineers. Engineers Without Borders is a club where you get to be very hands on with serving the community, as well as going across country borders to help people in other countries. So part of the reason that I was drawn to that is because it’s a way that I can use my engineering knowledge and actually help people very directly.
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How has your involvement impacted your time here at LMU?
Overall I feel like everything I’ve been a part of has built up a community that’s been overall supportive. I think it’s very unique that at LMU, all the organizations support each other and encourage you to try different things.
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What made you want to start your own service organization? In high school I did a lot of service with Make-A-Wish and throughout that, I had some personal struggles with my mental well-being. I didn’t really realize it at the time but I was in a lot of unique situations and had a lot of resources to help me with that. So when I got to college I realized that I want to help other people get support and resources. A lot of time they don’t have that or can’t afford it, so I hope this organization can break down the stigma and help people both on and off campus.
Burma from Page 1
Min Din sees it differently. He feels the media, particularly in the western hemisphere, hasn’t covered the whole story. “The killings have been going on for a while from both sides, with Rohingya destroying pagodas, killing people, as well as young children,” he said. “They are demanding to have a ruler of their own and land of their own, it would mean that they want to become a country within themselves and the Burmese government is not willing to give that.” John McKissick, head of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR in the Bangladeshi border town of Cox’s Bazar, said “the Myanmar military and Border Guard Police had ‘engaged in collective punishment
of the Rohingya minority’ after the murders of nine border guards on Oct. 9 which some politicians blamed on a Rohingya militant group,” according to BBC. Hundreds of thousands of members of the Rohingya community have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since late August, according to the New York Times. “Some [immigrants] told Amnesty International they had paid smugglers to take them across. Others confessed to bringing Bangladesh Border Guards or other Bangladeshis to help them elude interception at the border,” as reported by Amnesty International. According to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, thousands of Rohingya have sought refuge, in the
country, even though Bangladesh’s policy doesn’t allow unpermitted people to cross the boarder, as reported by BCC. “We don’t think about the stateless people,” said Hussain. “But there are all sorts of people who don’t have protection under the law.” McKissick said that it is difficult for the government in Bangladesh to say the border is open. “This would further encourage the government of Myanmar to continue the atrocities and push them out until they have achieved their ultimate goal of ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority in Myanmar.”
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Was the process difficult?
When I called TK [Tom King] he said it was gonna be a lot of work and I understood that at the time. It ended up being more than I was expecting, but I’m happy it was. We kind of broke up the work from week to week and I met with him starting in February. But looking back, we’ve accomplished a lot.
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What kind of mission or service do you plan on emphasizing?
Our service sites focus on helping those who identify as having a mental illness, so we try to promote mental well being with each service site, because none of us are qualified psychiatrists or psychologists, so we’re just trying to aid that support off-campus and break down the stigma of those communities.
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to a responsible person at no charge due to sudden death of the owner if interested contact: Borisdelgado18@gmail.com
How did Garcia use the media to raise awareness? Watch this issue’s Last Question video on our website now to find out!
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NEWS
SOCIAL JUSTICE
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via Miami-Dade Police Department
Chainsaw Nun tackles Irma Amid the tragedies happening in the wake of Hurricanes, a bright light shone through in the form of Sister Margaret Ann of Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School, a private Catholic institution in the Miami Archdiocese. From the Carmelite Sisters, the principal saw the potential for car accidents from debris in the roadway by their school and decided to take matters — and a chainsaw — into her own hands.
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Board Editorial Kellie Chudzinski Editor-in-Chief
Elliot Britt
Managing Editor
Isabel Ngo
Managing Editor
Jackie Galvez Managing Editor
Matt Gaydos Managing Editor
Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.
OPINION
Athletes who kneel are protesting police brutality, not the anthem In August 2016, former San Francisco important to remember what these protests 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused stand for. Eric Reid, a safety for the San to stand for the National Anthem before an Francisco 49ers, wrote a column in The NFL game in protest of systemic racism and New York Times about why he decided to police violence against black Americans. join Kaepernick, his former teammate, in Kaepernick unknowingly sparked a social protesting the anthem. Reid said that they justice movement among the professional “chose to sit on the bench during the national athlete community. Since then, many anthem to protest police brutality.” athletes of color have followed suit, opting to In the same article, Reid also expressed kneel during the anthem instead of adhering confusion at the perception that the protests to the traditional hand-over-heart stance. are disrespectful to the nation and the This subtle but powerful protest was always veterans who’ve died fighting for it. “It has meant to embody the ongoing fight against always been my understanding that the brave police brutality and deep-seeded forms of men and women who fought and died for our prejudice against African country did so to ensure that Americans, but recent we could live in a fair and free opponent have misattributed society, which includes the it purely partisan purposes. “...it’s important to right to speak out in protest,” Conservatives have lashed said. That point is key. remember what heJust out against Kaepernick since like when the current he started his protest, but administration targeted these protests now the political situation Jemele Hill, the president’s stand for.” has escalated. Take a look comments about the protests at President Trump’s infringes on athletes’ First aggressive comments in Amendment rights. But public and on Twitter about athletes kneeling when you consider what’s being protested — during the anthem. Trump even encouraged racism and inequality in America — it makes the NFL to fire or suspend athletes who much of the backlash against the anthem participated in the protests, calling anybody protests even more appalling. who did a “son of a bitch.” Still, the NFL and We at the Loyolan, stand with all the the rest of the sports world have responded athletes who are exercising their rights and in solidarity against Trump’s comments. public platform to advocate for progress in The Dallas Cowboys and their owner and the United States. These issues are critical manager Jerry Jones — united against The to the future of this country, and it’s time we President’s comments — kneeled together stand firmly in support of what these brave in the middle of the field before the anthem individuals are already calling attention to. in their game against the Arizona Cardinals. This includes all of us, not just athletes who Bruce Maxwell, catcher for the Oakland A’s, are seen on national television, but everyone was the first MLB player to join the protest. who believes in justice and freedom of As the protests gather more momentum, speech. Read on in our Opinion and Sports and backlash from conservatives for sections for more perspectives on the “disrespecting the anthem” increases, it’s national anthem protests.
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OPINION
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What Trump doesn’t get about free speech A Sam Dunk Samantha Davis
Interim Opinion Editor @LALoyolan
F
or about a year or so, some NFL players have stirred controversy on the field by taking a knee during the national anthem. This movement, started by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, originally began in order to highlight racial injustice in the United States, specifically issues surrounding police brutality. On Saturday, President Donald Trump made a bold statement against the actions of these athletes. During a political rally in Alabama, Trump called the athletes in question “sons of bitches” and suggested they should be fired for their actions, and that fans should boycott the NFL. Trump’s comments were predicated on the notion that taking a knee during the anthem is disrespectful to the flag and to service members who have fought for our country. Trump’s statements stirred up this controversy once more and reopened the debate over free speech and the First Amendment. Just weeks ago, Trump and members of the GOP used the First Amendment to justify demonstrations organized by
white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups in Virginia. According to Trump and others, it seems that kneeling during the national anthem at a football game in order to bring attention to racial injustice is where the line should be drawn. “People from the NBA, MLB and NFL have all decided to use their social platform for the greater good of what they believe in,” sophomore sociology major Shane Williams said. “Yet, our President feels it is necessary to call them out as if they are doing something wrong. ... It is clear the president does not see us all as equal, because the same people he is shaming and calling names, are making just as much, if not a little less, money than him.” For myself and many others, President Trump’s statements are just a further indication of his lack of understanding of what constitutes American values. Despite one’s personal feelings and opinions about what qualifies as disrespect towards the flag, we as a society value freedom of speech We recognize people’s rights to protest what they find to be unjust. And that’s what Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players are doing. They’re using their place in the spotlight, the privilege they have due to their wealth and fame, to move forward a worthwhile cause. They have repeatedly spoken out, stating that their actions are in
Athletes like Kaepernick have used their fame for a cause they find worthy. no way meant to be disrespectful society, athletes are considered towards service members and public figures and are held to that veterans. Yet, their actions are higher moral standard, whether still the subject of widespread they like it or not,” Willis said. “I believe that athletes should use criticism. “It’s astonishing to see a their influence to affect positive president put down these change in our society [...] these individuals like this for standing athletes are affecting a strong, up for the millions of people that needed, and positive change are behind the scenes and will through their actions, even though probably never be heard,” Williams others might deem their acts as controversial.” said. Luckily, there has been Geornay Willis, senior business marketing major and ASLMU incredibly strong opposition to athletic events director said that Trump’s comments since Saturday. athletes should use their status On Sunday, NFL teams across the as public figures for good. “In our nation acted in solidarity with
glaring and all too familiar detail: the series ‘film masters’ are primarily white. It is important to note the word primarily. Not all of the interview subjects are white. There are variations in ethnicity and race, but the issue I am critiquing is that the vast majority of them are white (I will take a moment here to address the fact that there is a definite majority of men interviewed over women, but that is not meant to be the focus of the article, although it is still bothersome and an issue). Out of the eleven interviews on the first season, there were only two people of color, Ice Cube and Alfonso Cuaron, on the series. Let me bake a pie chart for you. That is less than one percent of ‘masters’ who are black, less than one percent of ‘masters’ who are Latino, and over eighty percent of ‘masters’ who are white. I must also add that there is zero
representation of Asian ethnicities, Middle Eastern ethnicities, and other underrepresented ethnic groups. This semester’s Hollywood Master’s guests were announced this past week, so let’s see how they influence the statistics. Helen Mirren: white, Darren Aronofsky: white, Patrick Stewart: white, James Franco: white and Guillermo del Toro: Latino. Around the same numbers as before, with non-white representation at 20 percent. The same is also true of SFTV’s Monday Night Series, where only two of the seven past guests listed on the website were non-white. Some subscribe to the argument that the ratio of races represented in Hollywood and the media can only equate to actual race population ratios in our country. This is not how representation works. Every culture and identity, in all their variations,
via Wikimedia Creative Commons
their fellow athletes, whether they took a knee, stood locking arms or stayed in their locker room during the anthem. Even a baseball player joined the protest. The son of a U.S. veteran and born on a military base, Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland A’s, became the first MLB player to take a knee during the anthem. Additionally, NFL owners, coaches and even the commissioner himself came out in opposition to Trump, stating that they wouldn’t fire players for exercising their First Amendment rights. To me, this entire situation signifies a continuing pattern in U.S. politics and social issues. No matter the issue — how inappropriately the new administration acts or no matter how vile the actions of neo-Nazis and white supremacists — people coming together to fight for what they believe in always becomes the stronger narrative. To me, this is what’s important — not the circumstances we find ourselves in, but how we react to them. To that end, seeing how the NFL and other sports organizations have reacted in support of one another shines brighter than any attempts to further polarize our country. This is the opinion of Samantha Davis, a junior philosophy major from La Canada Flintridge, California. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email sdavis@theloyolan.com.
SFTV’s Hollywood Masters so white? Jenny from the Block Jennifer Lee Opinion Intern @LALoyolan
I
t’s a Friday night and I am ready to forget who I am and where I come from. No, I am not going out. Oh no, honey, not me. I am plopping down on the couch with my pint of Talenti with my girls to dive into a Netflix series we know can’t be beat, “The Hollywood Masters.” According to the Hollywood Reporter, the series — which began in 2014 —was added on Netflix this past August with a three season contract including both past and future interviews. This is a wonderful accomplishment for LMU, SFTV and all the students, faculty and alumni involved in the program. With the series now on full display, many are taking issue with a
Megan Giorgi | Loyolan
Despite their best efforts, SFTV events like “The Hollywood Masters” leave many without representation.
should be represented in the media so that those who consume it are able to identify with their perspective. It is the responsibility of the media. The story I like to tell is that of a young girl who grows up watching movies where men dictate the narrative and she is almost always a love interest. What’s so wrong with this? Well, let the students of LMU tell you. “As an exemplary university, I would expect LMU to push for a bit more diversity in its LMU series. Although the people featured are all successful and definitely have wisdom to share it is frustrating as a person of color to not be able to have someone that looks like me to strive to be like,” said senior English and Spanish double major Annalie Juan, who is also the editor-in-chief of Latina literary journal La Voz. “When this happens it just reminds me of the reality, that Latina voices or Mexican American first generation creators lack in media spaces.” Juan believes that the masters should realize that it is important for students to see professionals who they can relate to. There are entirely different perspectives in relation to cultural identity, language, religion, food, art, etc. that cannot be fully understood by just one group of people. “This season of ‘[The] Hollywood Masters’ is the first time I’ve seen a Latino creator. I’m excited that they’re bringing Guillermo del Toro on board and I hope they realize that this is crucial, that more and more faces of color need to be represented
so that students like myself can converse with those people and gain knowledge on how to overcome the barriers in place for creators of color in media,” said Juan. Another student felt frustrated by the whole situation. “It makes me feel upset because it disregards the hard work of those who are not white, but are just as famous and influential as those invited to speak at ‘The Hollywood Masters,’” said junior English major Aleen Sorejian, a member of the campus Armenian Club. The film school was unavailable for comment on this topic. However, I must include that it is hard for SFTV to book successful film industry professionals in general. “The presence of the guests depends on their work schedule,” said Dr. Susan Barber, a professor of film, on the topic. “When Quincy Jones came he was between projects. When Jessica Chastain came she was also.” I believe those in charge of the program deserve a break, as their jobs to lock down incredible talent are hard, and they do strive for diversity. But I also believe those producing “The Hollywood Masters” need to listen to the comments of students like Juan and Sorejian, and make serious efforts to make the program more inclusive of all the many incredibly diverse masters of Hollywood. This is the opinion of Jennifer Lee, a junior screenwriting major from Sacramento, California. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email sdavis@theloyolan.com.
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SNARKY SNYDER
By Christian Boggs, Cartoon Intern
SMUG SUNDRIES
By Kay Reilly, Staff Cartoonist
UNNECESSARY JAPES
Check out more Loyolan cartoons online now! Visit
LALoyolan.com/cartoons and catch up on your favorites!
By Cameron Woodard, Staff Cartoonist
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Break Five Weeks of Ice with Bluff Bingo The Bluff ’s guide to breaking the ice five weeks into fall semester. Sami Leung, Casey Lee
Missing Tonsils, Still Has Tonsils
It’s week five, and although you might be tired of “getting to know” your fellow Lions, the Bluff has decided to provide a new challenge for all you overachievers. Now that orientation is over and all the awkwardness has somewhat settled, we thought it would
be the perfect time to release our own version of that ageold, super exciting “get-toknow-you” people bingo, with an exciting Bluff twist. If you manage to get a Bingo, we’ll give you a free copy of the Loyolan every week for the rest of your life!
Bluff Queen Supreme and her completely motivated assistant bluff queen tried out the bingo board on our own. Sadly, Bluff Queen Supreme couldn’t complete the right side because she owns all of the Shrek movies on Blu-Ray and you can’t count yourself for one of the squares.
Don’t let this detract from your experience though. If you set your heart to it, this bingo game is totally completable. Glorious Leader and President Timothy Law Snyder was seen on the bluff only missing five squares across the board. If he can do it, you can too!
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.
life+arts
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Look out for ‘Hollywood Masters’ season eight Cory’s Content Cory Hutchinson
Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan
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ne of the major perks of attending a smaller university is the amount of opportunity that is presented to you and personalized for your interests. LMU is unique because of its tight-knit network in the L.A. area. The result of these cultivated relationships takes tangible forms in programs such as “The Hollywood Masters,” presented and filmed by SFTV students and alumni. The season eight lineup was announced Wednesday, Sept. 20. The stars featured in the series are interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter’s (THR) Stephen Galloway, who’s been the host for the series since it started. Galloway is an executive editor at THR and is well known for getting at the personal side of these celebrities’ careers, giving the students a better perspective on what it’s actually like to be well known in the industry. Now running its eighth season, the production will be featuring Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Patrick Stewart, James Franco, Darren Aronofsky and Guillermo del Toro. These figures have been chosen to be interviewed because they’re appearing in relevant projects this year. Despite what projects they may be a part of, these artists are Academy Award winning individuals and are highly sought after for interviews and commentary. The series has been a platform —
for students and high profile figures of the entertainment industry — that provides a flow of ideology and knowledge for everyone in the room. For the students, they’re gaining real-time experience in the process of production, and some get to ask personalized questions to the talent. For the featured artists, they get to understand the next generation of actors and film producers while sharing valuable insight with the audience. Senior film and television production major David Litner expressed a great interest in seeing Dame Helen Mirren and Sir Patrick Stewart, describing them as figures who have “reached the pinnacle of acting success in stage, television and film.” Litner was also excited to hear from actor/filmmaker Franco, and other incredible industry icons such as directors del Toro and Aronofsky. “These are filmmakers who embrace unconventional subject matters and push the boundaries of their craft with each project that they pursue,” Litner said. Litner believes that these great actors and filmmakers will teach LMU’s film students how to answer the questions they fear the most: How am I going to get this movie made? How will I get people to see it after it’s finished? “It’s usually incredibly difficult to have a studio back your project if it isn’t part of an existing franchise, or something that will jump-start a franchise,” Litner said. “I think the thing I love the most about our program at SFTV is the fact that everybody gets equal exposure to all positions. Filmmaking is very much a trial-and-error style of learning.” The recent addition of “The
Hollywood Masters” to stream on Netflix has grabbed the attention of students outside of SFTV as well. Sophomore marketing and economics double major Miles Hatton commented on the marketing efforts done to promote both SFTV and the series itself. “I think that LMU has a name and network now that it definitely didn’t have say ten or even five years ago,” Hatton said. “By having big names like Amy Adams, James Franco and Helen Mirren, SFTV has attracted companies like Netflix and Hulu to give people a unique experience that you couldn’t get if you weren’t at the event itself.” Hatton believes that the success of film students can only increase with a public partnership such as the one with THR. Sophomore film and television production major Paisley Sutton felt that the lineup reminded her of how grateful she is to be a film student at LMU. “I try to take away something from everyone I meet in the industry,” Sutton said. “Film is such a special kind of medium and is very competitive, so to hear from the masters themselves is extremely valuable.” Sutton also stated that aside from opportunities like “The Hollywood Masters,” SFTV’s curriciulum “pushes a more collaborative atmosphere that can actually be pretty competitive, so students can sometimes feel as if it’s every man for himself, but it can also be an effective method of teaching.” The series will begin this afternoon at 2 p.m. with Mirren and end on Nov. 15 with director del Toro. Hopefully, you’ve already reserved a spot for today’s taping,
but in the future you can RSVP on Eventbrite ahead of time. Seats do fill up quickly, but this is a worthwhile experience that you can’t get so easily off the Bluff.
This is the opinion of Cory Hutchinson, a sophomore sociology major from Palm Desert, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
life+arts
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LIONS FOR RECOVERY
Fall 2017 Meeeng Schedule MONDAY
TUESDAY
7pm-8pm, Marijuana Anonymous. The Boardroom, Malone 455
6pm-7pm, Alcoholics Anonymous. University Hall, Room 3999 (McIntosh Center)*
WEDNESDAY 9pm-10pm, SMART Recovery. Von der Ahe, Conference Room 241
FRIDAY 5pm-6pm, Narcoocs Anonymous Leavey 5, Room 317
*October 3 rd, 10 th, and 24 th meeengs will be held in University Hall Room 1859
THURSDAY 12pm-1pm, Alanon. Leavey 5, Room 317 4pm-5pm, Alcoholics Anonymous. Leavey 5, Room 317
For more informaaon: recovery@lmu.edu
life+arts
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LMU custodian fights poverty with his music if you gather [2/3] of the states, you can overturn certain laws, but you can’t overturn any laws unless you have a specific agenda that you go by. It can’t be an open, runaway convention. It has to be a convention of pre-determined agenda items that you can talk about, and then you can change the laws from there.
Glass half Phil Philip Brazelton Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
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ustodian Jose Garcia, who has been working at LMU for nine years, is trying to make a difference in our country through his music. His goal is to raise awareness and fight poverty by raising money for legislation, and his music is available on iTunes, but you can also follow him on Twitter @ fightpoverty911. But first, hear what Garcia has to say about his music and the things he wants the public and the LMU community to be engaged with.
PB: Does that pop up in your music at all? JG: No, I don’t really talk about that, I don’t want to overwhelm people right away, but I will bring it up and try to find laymen’s terms [so] people who are not into politics can say, ‘This is not too much for me.’ It’s hard finding the balance because a lot of people when they listen to music just wanna have fun—and I’m having fun too—but also people don’t know what’s going on, so it’s hard finding a balance of informing people and still having fun with the music. And that’s what I’m struggling with at this moment. A lot of people [around me] assume things based on your physical appearance, and I’m very unassuming. I try to have my inner circle be the same way as me because I don’t judge people based on their physical appearance, you know? So like the whole thing that went down in Charlottesville, I feel that the only way you use the racist word is if you actually have proof. Because a lot of people I know use that word so loosely, so you don’t know if that person is an actual racist, or if they’re a, how do you say…. P-U-N-K. I’d rather say they’re just a punk and that’s it rather then calling them a racist.
Philip Brazelton (PB): So you’re from L.A., born and raised? Jose Garcia (JG): Yeah, my parents are of Mexican descent, and pretty much the only thing I know is L.A. PB: What were some of your interests growing up? What were some of the things you were drawn to? JG: I’ve always been a collector, I always collected whatever. Whether it be baseball cards, football cards, I’m always collecting. Like I used to own a lot of Garbage Pail Kids [trading cards]growing up, [and] I still have old NBA cards. PB: When did you really start getting into music? When did you realize that’s what you want to pursue?
PB: How do you feel about the political climate at LMU?
JG: I fooled around with it when I was in, maybe… high school? But I didn’t take it seriously until maybe five years ago. Chistian Boggs | Loyolan
PB: Were you writing your own lyrics and coming up with music? JG: Yeah, but I feel like I’ve been awakened. I always leaned a certain way but I didn’t really know where I stood politically, and I consider myself a social liberal but financial conservative. So I don’t align with either political party.
PB: What is your goal with your music? JG: Well not just me… Like I’ll do everything I possibly can to get people out of poverty. But it’s mostly just funding the right legislation that gets people out of poverty. It’s a combination of different things, from business owners to like, you know the
government implementing a tax bracket that makes everyone flourish. And I think when this country was better off financially, civil rights really weren’t that great, and now it’s the other way around. Our civil rights are a lot better, but financially we’re not where we used to be. And, different people can disagree why, but I think we can at least agree that when this country was at its financial peak [that our civil rights weren’t doing as well]. PB: So obviously, as you said, you can’t just end poverty by yourself, individually. Why is awareness important? JG: Yes, I want people to like— whether you think similarly to me or you think differently, to me it doesn’t really matter as long as you know what’s going on, and you find your own point of view. That’s [why] I want people to register to vote, and sometimes you might hold out because you don’t want to vote for the lesser of two evils or whatever it is, but at least you’re registered to vote and you can be part of the process, you know, know what’s going on out there. PB: How do you write the beats to your music? What’s your process for that?
JG: Well I’m not really working that close with the producer, so it’s more like I write my music, and then I see what he has for me, and then I try and fit that into the melody, so it’s first write the music and then—you know I think it’s always better to have the melody but I don’t have that close relationship with the producer so I’m pretty much working with whatever he has. PB: Is there anything you want to say in general, any statements you want to make regarding your music, LMU or the L.A. community? JG: I just want people to raise their political consciousness and know what’s going on, whether you’re for DACA, against DACA, or whatever it is, just be informed of what’s going on. Because if you don’t know what’s going on, then people will make decisions for you, and it’s better to be apart of the process. And, right now there’s like a big movement going on that, you know, whether you agree with Trump or not, he is the president, and there’s different aspects—the different branching of government are not working together. There’s a movement called the Convention of States. It’s a solution within the Constitution, Article V, that
JG: It’s very liberal, and I feel like I have to watch my conservative viewpoints in the way that I can’t go full auto, I have to let them know why I feel the way I feel. So I feel like everybody is very open-minded. I don’t have any die-hard conservative viewpoints, just financially. Ultimately the best way to have a good solution is more people involved, and if you’re not part of it, you’re not really having the best solution out there. To Garcia, part of that solution will come through raising awareness and engaging in discourse about the issues we face, which he hopes to accomplish through his music. I admire Garcia’s efforts, and I believe that if everyone was more open-minded like him, if everyone made an effort to be more aware and accepting, that we could eventually find ourselves in a better place. Garcias music is on iTunes, and more is on the way. Follow him on social media, and buy his music – do your part to fight poverty and support a just movement.
This is the opinion of Philip Brazelton, a sophomore English major from San Jose, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan. com.
life+arts Alumna’s ‘Hard Medicine’ is good for your health
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Young & Jaided Jaida Macklin
Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan
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f you’re like me and are currently procrastinating on finishing that five page paper but have run out of shows to keep you occupied, I have the thing for you: “Hard Medicine,” a web series directed, written and starring Melissa Eno Effa, LMU alumna (‘14). “Hard Medicine” is a mockumentary web series that centers around Dr. Moore, a doctor at a low-income clinic, and her staff as they do all they can to keep the clinic running. “Dr. Moore, [is] a quirky wellloved medical doctor of a lowincome health clinic who fights alongside her wacky but loyal staff to keep the clinic open from the greedy corporate heads who just want to close it down for their own economic gain,” Effa said. Though her inspiration arose elsewhere, Effa gained a lot of knowledge and wisdom at LMU. “My experience at LMU was life changing, I remember being a freshman and not knowing anything about how films are made, and now I feel so connected to the process,” said Effa. “Also because of LMU I get to work with my closest friends who I met while I was in school. I don’t really do anything without them and I owe a lot to the ‘Hard Medicine’. crew. They are my family.” Two of those friends scored jobs on t h e
show. Jose Luis Magaña (‘15) is a writer on the show, while Brett Takeshita (‘15) is both a writer and producer. “I met Melissa at LMU my sophomore year, but we became very close friends during our time abroad my junior year,” said Magaña. “We both studied abroad in Bonn, Germany through the film program. She mentioned the idea of ‘Hard Medicine’ to me and soon after I read the hilarious first episode and was instantly on board.” On the other hand, Takeshita met Effa during their first year but weren’t close until his senior year. A year later when she had finished the first pilot and he had graduated, she approached him to join the project as a writer and producer. Similarly to Effa, both have grown immensely due to their experiences at LMU. “Before coming to LMU, I knew absolutely nothing about the filmmaking process or the entertainment industry as a whole. Upon graduation, I was so amazed with how much I learned, from general set protocol to the principles of every facet of the business,” said Takeshita. “I am so grateful to LMU for reaffirming that filmmaking is exactly what I love and am meant to do.” The daughter of a doctor, Effa said that the orginal idea for the web series was derived from following her mother to work and constantly being exposed to hospitals, clinics and all the absurdity that went on there. “My mom would have a new story to share about all of the crazy things she was experiencing at work every day,” Effa said. “When I was at LMU and got into writing I knew I wanted to make a story inspired by her but wasn’t sure what direction I was going to take.” The pieces of the puzzle soon fell together for Effa. After becoming
via Melissa Eno Effa From left to right, Jose Luis Magaña, Melissa Eno Effa, Brett Takeshita, and Natalie Perez are only four out of six LMU alumni working on “Hard Medicine”, which began streaming on Urban Movie Channel on Sept. 20. obsessed with the show “Parks and Recreation,” she knew that she wanted to create a mockumentary. Then she worked in her mother’s clinic postgrad and found the inspiration she was looking for. Effa credits her inspiration to the queen of web series, Issa Rae, who’s the creator, co-writer, and star of the hit HBO series, “Insecure,” which is based off of “Awkward Black Girl.” “At the time I was super confused with the direction I was going in my career as I was super passionate about acting but also super passionate about writing,” Effa said. “I didn’t know if it was super realistic to go after both. Seeing ‘Awkward Black Girl’ changed the whole game for me.” Effa decided to pursue both passions. “I was going to create my own content and put myself in it. Five years later, I now have a series that is executive produced by one of the lead actors who is in Issa Rae’s show ‘Insecure’ on HBO,” Effa said. “Everything feels like it came back full circle.” Effa is referencing executive producer, and “Insecure’s” Jay Ellis, who Effa said, has had a big
hand in “Hard Medicine.” After being introduced to his mother and producing partner, Paula Ellis, Effa pitched her show and everything else is history.
“I think it’s important for young girls of color to see themselves in powerful positions.” “Getting to work with Jay Ellis is amazing. He is not only a super talented actor, as you can see from ‘Insecure,’ but extremely down to earth. Plus he is just as passionate about ‘Hard Medicine’ as I am,” Effa said. “I’m a vibe person, so I knew that this was the right opportunity, right after meeting with him. He’s the real deal.” Similar to “Insecure,” “Hard Medicine” is a show run by people of color featuring people of color. “We are very proud of the fact that we are championing diversity by highlighting strong people of color both in front of and behind
the camera,” Takeshita said. For Effa, her work is driven by her need to represent black women in multi-dimensional leading roles, especially in comedy. “I think it’s important for young girls of color to see themselves in powerful positions and not the same stereotypical black female trope we have been seeing,” said Effa. “Black women are multifaceted. We are doctors, scientists, lawyers, strong, intelligent as well as being awkward and quirky. That is what the foundation of ‘Hard Medicine’ is.” While season one has ended, Effa is currently working hard developing season two. She hopes it becomes an ongoing 30-minute series. As of Sept. 20, all eight episodes of the first season of “Hard Medicine” are available on Urban Movie Channel, a streaming service that was created by the founder of BET, Robert Johnson. It’s only $5 a month and you get the first week free. So, what are you waiting for? Start watching! This is the opinion of Jaida Macklin, a sophmore English and theatre arts major from Chicago, Illinois. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
via Melissa Eno Effa UMC’s new webseries “Hard Medicine” created by, written by and starring Melissa Eno Effa (left) portays the hectic life of the quirky and lovable, Dr. Moore as she tries to run her health
SPORTS
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NFL owners recognize the real protest Big Time Timmy Jim Tim De Vries
Sports Editor @LoyolanSports
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hirteen months ago, free agent NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick — then a member of the San Francisco 49ers — sat down during the pregame singing of the national anthem. A week later, he knelt. Thirteen months later, Kaepernick’s symbolic gesture is demonstrated by each and every team across the league. It still remains a powerful and polarizing image of peaceful defiance in the face of racial injustice, police brutality and systematic oppression. This past weekend, six full teams sat, knelt or excused themselves during the national anthem, with more than 100 players on every roster joining them in support. Where they didn’t kneel, players, coaches and executives stood with locked arms in solidarity with issues of racial injustice, oppression and police brutality. The movement gained momentum rapidly, largely due to the overtly racist, white supremacist overtones continually broadcasted by President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump’s assault on people of color in the sports world and in the United States has taken many forms, most recently surfacing at a Sept. 22 rally in Huntsville, Alabama. In the same speech in which he claimed that NFL ratings were down due to public interest in himself, Trump called the protest a “total disrespect” to the flag, the anthem itself and to the military. He called for NFL owners to “get that son of a bitch off the field” if a player was kneeling in protest of the national anthem. He urged fans to leave the stadium, promising them “then things will change.” In short, Trump did what he seems to do best: impede the
First Amendment, act like a small child when someone disagrees with him, use his platform to try and silence them, create enemies in the process and show a general total lack of compassion for anyone outside of his circle. This time, the enemy he has created is the NFL. Not only the league’s players of color, but white players, military veterans, coaches, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and — perhaps most tellingly — NFL owners. According to CNNMoney, NFL owners and the league contributed around $7.75 million dollars towards the $106 million
comments about firing players who expressed their first amendment right, all three — along with executives from 19 of the league’s 32 teams — issued public statements in support of their athletes, aligning themselves against the president’s comments. Some were more direct in their criticism of Trump, some followed Goodell’s statement calling the president’s comments divisive. Some opted not to confront the administration, instead issuing statements standing in support of its players rights to peaceful
the tone of the comments made by the president,” Kraft said in an official statement on the Patriots website. “Our players are intelligent, thoughtful, and care deeply about our community, and I support their right to peacefully affect social change… in a manner they feel is most impactful.” Some critics may call into question the validity of the support shown by the NFL executives. After all, many of them have personally contributed large sums of money to the Trump campaign, and many of the owner’s statements avoided denouncing Trump altogether.
Cameron Woodard | Loyolan
Despite former ties to President Donald Trump and his inaugural committee, NFL owners like New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft have spoken out in support of their players’ protests during the national anthem. raised for Trump’s inaugural committee, most notably including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is a long-time friend and supporter of Trump, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who linked arms in protest with his team this past weekend, and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who donated $1 million dollars to Trump’s campaign. In response to Trump’s
protest, praising them for using their platform to promote social change. Kraft, Khan and Kroenke each gave $1 million to Trump’s campaign, yet Kraft was one of the first owners to speak out in support of his team. He cited sports as “one of the greatest unifiers in the country,” and expressed explicit disdain for the divisiveness of politics. “I am deeply disappointed by
These same executives are the ones who could have signed Kaepernick at any time over the past year, but have neglected to do so. Whether or not he is a premier quarterback in the league — and most would say he is not — he is certainly a talented and experienced enough player to be on the roster. Football is not the reason Kaepernick isn’t on a team, it’s the polarizing protest of the social justice issues he has
come to represent — the same issues that these owners are now supporting their players’ right to protest for. As far as the players and coaches are concerned, the act of standing in solidarity with one another in order to use their platform — a very visible one — for the sake of speaking out against racial injustice is very hard to call into question. It is easy to confirm their motivation in response to Trump’s comments, and the manner in which they are doing so is commendable. Even the gesture of taking a knee is a respectful one, according to ex-Navy Seal Nate Boyer, who met with Kaepernick between his first and second weeks of protest. The owners, on the other hand, are a bit more ambiguous case. With Kaepernick’s free agency, the league’s ties to Trump and the mixed bag of responses to his verbal assault on players using their First Amendment rights, it’s certainly plausible to think the response is nothing more than a public relations move. In light of the circumstances, that simply doesn’t seem to be the case. Calling for termination of an employee because they used their First Amendment rights to express their disapproval of their situation — something that Trump has now done twice in recent weeks, lashing out at ESPN reporter Jemele Hill early last week — is not something to be taken lightly. I would like to think that Trump’s assault on their players found the most intrinsically ‘American’ sides of the owners. Hopefully, they realized that Trump’s comments aren’t political, they’re dangerous and that personal friendships and past financial contributions don’t excuse the abridgement of rights. Certainly, they realized that their players were respectfully protesting far more than a flag or an anthem. This is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a junior mechanical engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email tdevries@theloyolan.com.
Trump rescinds White House invitations Trump v. Sports from Page 16
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Curry’s long time rival and one of the best to ever play the game, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, came to his defense: “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” Each of these tweets garnered a lot of attention,
with LeBron’s tweet eclipsing Trump’s, receiving nearly one and half million likes compared to 212,000. “I don’t know why he feels the need to target certain individuals rather than others,” Curry said at a press conference in Oakland. “I have an idea of why, but, it’s just kind of beneath, I think, a leader of a country to go that route. It’s not what leaders do.” This even garnered a response fron San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich — who is known for his general distaste and limited responses for the media — came out speaking his mind about the
current situation in America. “I believe it was comical it was rescinded, because they weren’t going anyway,” said Popovich to reporters. “It’s like a sixth grader who’s gonna have a party in his backyard and he finds out somebody might not come so he disinvites him.” Popovich also commented on race, what he described as the elephant in the room. “Obviously, race is the elephant in the room, and we all understand that. Unless it is talked about constantly, it’s not going to get better,” Popovich said during the same press conference. “There has to
be an uncomfortable element in the discourse for anything to change, whether it’s the LGBT community or women’s suffrage, race, it doesn’t matter. People have to be made to feel uncomfortable, and especially white people, because we’re comfortable.” Popovich also made other comments regarding white privilege. He said white privilege was the equivalent of having a 50 meter head start in a 100 meter dash. “You’ve got that kind of a lead, yes, because you were born white. You have advantages that are systemically, culturally,
psychologically there. And they have been built up and cemented for hundreds of years. But many people can’t look at it, it’s too difficult.” In a display of solidarity, Popovich stated that his players have the right to express their opinions in an anyway they wish too. Popovich seems to understand that his players have views that affect themselves and their communities, something more and more coaches and owners are beginning to understand.
SPORTS
SCORES UPDATE W. SOCCER
1-0 W
VOLLEYBALL
2-1 W
M WATER POLO
vs Oklahoma
M. SOCCER
vs UC Riverside
3-0 L
at USD
9-8 L
vs Pomona -Pitzer
Follow us on Twitter @laloyolan for up-to-date scores.
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LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | September 27, 2017 | laloyolan.com
Donald Trump takes on the sports world Trump angers the sports world with his inflammatory Twitter account. Matthew Rodriguez Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
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ver the weekend, many teams across the nation united in silent protest in response to a speech made in Huntsville, Alabama. During the campaign rally, President Donald Trump criticized NFL players and owners. “Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired!'" On Sunday, NFL teams and owners united against the president, kneeling or locking arms together during the national anthem. Both players and coaches on many teams, including, the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and most of the players of the Pittsburgh Steelers, elected to skip the national anthem entirely by staying in their locker rooms. The day of disobedience was capped off with the entire Raiders offensive line, the only all African-American offensive line in the league, joined by a majority of their team, taking a
knee on national television. Even players who normally stand for the national anthem, such as Miami Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas, decided to take a knee in solidarity with their teammates. “To have the president trying to intimidate people — I wanted to send a message that I don’t condone that,” Thomas said, according to the New York Times. “I’m not O.K. with somebody trying to prevent someone from standing up for what they think is important.” Many other players came out denouncing the comments made by the president. Some of the best players at their positions such as Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees contributed their thoughts on the issue. “I can’t stand and support something where our leader of this country is just acting like a jerk, you know, angry and upset about NFL players protesting in a peaceful manner,” said McCoy, according to the New York Times. Brees said something similar to McCoy’s statement but did show discontent with the kneeling during the national anthem. “I disagree with what the president said and how he said it. I think it’s very unbecoming of the office of President of the
United States to talk like that to the great people like that. And obviously he’s disappointed a lot of people. But as it pertains to the national anthem, I will always feel that if you are an American that the national anthem is the opportunity for us all to stand up together, to be unified and to show respect for our country,” Brees said, according to the New York Times. Owners who formerly supported the president, turned around and denounced his comments regarding their players. Owner of the New England Patriots, Robert
Kraft, who was a staunch supporter of Trump, displayed his disappointment with President Trump through a public statement. In addition to the discontent shown by Kraft, another prominent figure in the NFL scene, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decided to join his team at midfield to take a knee before the national anthem. He was also seen linking arms with players in solidarity. Jones declined to release a statement following the incident. The owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay
also released a statement saying he was "troubled by the presidents comments." These feelings of discontent were not only in the NFL, but in the entire sports world. Many athletes came out denouncing the president for his tweets over the weekend. In the NBA, the usually silent Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said he did not wish to visit the White House, which has become a tradition for championship teams. This elicited a response from Trump’s twitter: See Trump v. Sports | Page 14
Women's soccer seeks revenge vs. Santa Clara Women's soccer will lean on Pruitt, defense in their upcoming conference opener. Tim De Vries Sports Editor @LALoyolan
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arrying momentum from an 89th minute gamewinner in their final non-conference matchup, LMU women’s soccer begins West Coast Conference (WCC) play this Friday, Sept. 29. The Lions (5-2-3, 0-0-0 WCC) will travel north to play conference rival Santa Clara University (5-5-1). The two teams finished just one place from one another in last season’s standings, and enter this season’s rivalry match in the same place that they left off. LMU enters WCC play with the third best nonconference record, trailing reigning champion Brigham Young University and Gonzaga University. Santa Clara Univeristy trails not far behind the Lions in fourth place, after finishing third a year ago. With each team only playing each other one time in the WCC league format, each match between teams close in the standings plays
a vital role in determining the final WCC standings. Not only will LMU try to pick up an all-important road point in their conference opener, but they will also try to avenge last year’s overtime loss, which saw the Broncos scoring in the closing minutes of extra time on LMU’s home field. Sullivan Field has proven to give the Lions a home-field advantage thus far in 2017, with four of their five wins coming on their home grounds. In three road matches this year, the team is just 1-1-1. Three of Santa Clara’s five wins have come at their home field. The Broncos enter the game having won their last two matches, and currently have the second highest scoring rate of any team in the WCC at 1.64 goals per game. On the other end, the Lions — anchored by redshirt junior goalkeeper Charlee Pruitt — ranks third in total goals allowed, and total saves as they head into conference play. LMU has defended cleanly as well. Despite posting the second most clean sheets, they have the fewest fouls on defense of any team in the conference. This stat sets up a showdown where goals will be at a premium. Junior forward/midfielder Sarina
Bolden provided the scoring touch in the final moments of last Sunday’s game against University of Oklahoma. After outrunning the defense, Bolden easily slotted it past the keeper, sealing a Lion victory and collecting her third goal of the season. She leads the Lions with eight total points on three goals and two assists, tied for 10th most among all WCC players in preseason play, alongside SCU sophomore forward Maddy Gonzalez and freshman forward Kelsey Turnbow. While Bolden has been a bright spot on the offensive end of the pitch as of late, it’s the defense that has consistently provided LMU with a chance to secure results. Both the individual and team statistics, as well as recent results, illustrate that. Bolden’s goal may have stolen the show, but Pruitt came up with five saves throughout the course of the game, with LMU holding firm despite 12 shots from OU. With the trio of Gonzalez, Turnbow and junior forward Maria Sanchez, who leads the team with nine points on three goals and three assists, SCU holds potential for dangerous, creative offense. This has allowed them to create plenty of scoring chances, shooting at a clip of 12.64 shots
Megan Karbowski | Loyolan
Jill Farley, pictured above, leads the Lions backline, one of the best defenses in the conference. per game. They’ll have to beat Pruitt, who currently holds the second-highest save percentage of any keeper in the WCC. With the apparent clash between LMU’s staunch defense and SCU’s prolific offense, and with the similar resumes between
the two teams, Friday’s matchup could be one the most competitive matches of the WCC season, and very well might play a role in determining the final standings on the very first weekend of play. Kickoff is scheduled this Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.