Volume 24 Issue 6: Alignment

INTNL STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH PG. 5

VOLUME 24 ALIGNMENT

BASKING IN THE GLOW PG. 9

H. MCBRIDE INTERVIEW PG. 12

ISSUE NO. 6 01.15.20

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Dear Reader, On December 19, 2019, popular Chrisitan publication Christianity Today ran an editorial by editor-in-chief Mark Galli arguing that President Donald Trump should be removed from office—not in the name of “partisan loyalties,” but in the name of the “God of the Ten Commandments.”

Influential secular media sources immediately sensed the significance of this shift in the evangelical discourse. Columnists postured while Christianity Today’s website crashed.

Would this editorial catalyze the fractures in Trump’s, thus far, unimpeachable base? Christian social media, which had just days previously leapt to the defense of the leaders of the Hillsong and Bethel churches for a photo of their visit to the president, immediately eviscerated Galli. The outgoing editor-in-chief of a premier Christian publication, unabashedly, and with a decidedly refreshing lack of deference, told his constituents that Trump’s actions had irreparably damaged the president’s credibility to lead.

He went further: not only had Trump compromised his own credibility, those who refused to recognize his corruption were in danger of irreversibly undermining their Christian witness. Fundamentally, it was a question of alignment: Christianity Today called for its readers to forgo their previous tolerance of leadership that diverged from the truth of scripture.

What does alignment look like in light of this unfolding narrative? I wish I knew.

We know that ideology is not abstract, it has consequences that are lived and endured. Relationship and proximity are rarely, if ever, neutral.

This issue, we reflect on the nature of alignment—we meditate on our lack of it and acknowledge the opportunity for change. I define “alignment” as when an individual’s actions are congruent with their values. Therefore, it is a mechanism of reification: ideas and abstract concepts are made manifest through behavior.

When I first stepped into the role of Mars’ Hill editor-in-chief, I wanted to push the paper to become more practical and grounded––as a proud political studies major, I prefer policy recommendations and praxis over pondering. I like measuring the quality of our content through reader behaviour. I like knowing that individuals can be convicted by our content and made aware of change that they can make in their daily life: this is alignment.

ders of our community. They are the ones like Galli’s piece, which require both reader and author to extend grace. No matter my best efforts, my role as an editor is not to ensure that reader and writer meet to form perfect vertices.

Days after Galli’s rallying cry, over two hundred evangelical leaders had denounced his editorial. The president of Christianity Today Timothy Darlymple spoke into the controversy: while acknowledging that responses to Galli’s piece “spanned the spectrum,” Darlymple defends Galli’s piece. He argues that it was less a criticism of partisan politics and more the opportunity to step into right relationship. Seeming to abandon the effort to encourage readers to change their voting habits, he instead asks them to interrogate their allegiances—have they given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty?

This emphasis on relationship reminds me that the more complex the issue is, the less prescriptive the content necessarily becomes. I need to confront the ego that undergirds this perverse form of evangelism: do I really think that people can be changed by simply reading Mars’ Hill?

Maybe the most aligned choice was actually to sit, hand-inhand, with our tension. Maybe the pieces that expose the space between our values can actually be treated as profound sites of connection. I look at the differences that separate me from many of my evangelical brothers and sisters, and I question their seeming willingness to “die” on said hills to the detriment, as Galli points out, even to our witness.

This week, I am aware of how exhausting traversing my own “hills” has become for me. I’m done thinking that I can lead calvaries––I’d rather host picnics on my hills, instead.

Therefore, this issue of Mars’ Hill is less about having answers on what it is to be aligned, and more about being a site of connection and extending the offer of hospitality to our readers. We have reflected on things that form our perspectives: our music, our media, the machinery of our minds, and have suppressed the urge to evaluate or prescribe to our lack of alignment. Instead, we acknowledge presence. In our previous issue, I Heard the Bells, we discussed that the Advent season is about how the Divine unassumingly enters the space between ourselves and eternity.

Maybe that is all to which this little publication should aspire.

In fact, maybe it is more than enough.

As ever,

I am attached to the idea that our readers reify our content.

Much of our content has aligned with this vision; we published interviews with federal candidates, ran surveys that gathered data on key campus issues, and spoke to administrative officials about practices that have the potential to harm students and impact the reputation of the university.

However, the pieces that stick with me are often the ones that subtly expose the tensions housed in the concave bor-

MARS’ HILL

MISSION TO MARS

Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University located on the tradtitional ancestral territory of the Sto:lo people. Floated with funds raised by the Student Association, Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national, and international issues.

The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community, and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.

EDITORIAL POLICY

CONTRIBUTORS

Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and Letters to the Editor. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity, and compatibility with the Mission, the Statement of Faith, the Student Handbook, and the Core Values of the University.

Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editorin-Chief.

Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.

Lucy Sydney Riley Carter Nathan Elisabeth Paul Amaris Nyssa Cooper

Chuang Duorak Voth Sawatzky Rhea Browning Curtis Henry Morgan Gerbrand

Media Advisor: Loranne Brown 7600 Glover Road, V2Y1Y1 Langley, British Columbia, Canada marshill@gmail.com marshillnewspaper.com

WHAT SHOULD TWU’S NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION BE?

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SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT MARSHILLNEWSPAPER.COM/DECLASSIFIEDS For ye were yought with a price Anyone remember Shrek & Donkey? Shout out to Sami Alford & Mary Nydam and one of the best dorm skits ever.

It’s hard to make a person understand something when their entitlement depends on it.

“Without Jesus you’re f*%#ed.”

-Cal Townsend “My calling is goat yodelling.”

When you walk into the hub, sit down, then everyone leaves.

Then you leave shortly after and they all go back and sit there. :( Kendra Kay has such a pretty face, she should be on a Christmas card. -The Same Guy One of the perks of being a business major: you get to play with peoples’ minds.

God bless Bing Chavez, the true gem of Northwest <3 Dr. Allyson Jule is the Uncle Bilbo to my Frodo <3 “Sarah Creach is the freakin goat of the CFA team” I counter your point by clarifying she’s the freakin goat of everything Just like to give a shout out to the more silent, but equally amazing other half of cafe disco: Salem the amazing So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the chicken, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the chicken he made into egg and brought her to the chicken.

What’s with all these ‘#woke’ people not calling God by his preferred gender pronouns?

God wants to be called a man, smh

Bethany Haynes is the meta version of Chad Ruloff Hey Pillar, when do we get to submit our senior quote? someone date me please... my mom just asked if “god was calling me to be single” I just need a man that wears plaid on plaid Can I just ask why SNA does not have a Spotify playlist yet?

Who is Sam Corbett, you ask? I HARDLY KNOW’ER

with the new parking spots behind skid, how am i supposed to change my outfits between classes without closing the blinds??

This is the most expensive school in Canada so can please get wifi THAT ACTUALLY WORKS WITH MORE THAN 1 BAR?!

So, got to love the new parking lots behind Skidmore. But can I still change with my window open?

This school is too small can you please just let me get away with a little bit of dumb stuff

hey alex pernsteiner - TAKE OUT YOUR MAIL

You will not convince me that Kyle Schaffrick and David Coulter are different people

What is wrong with unfirm handshake what if I want to gently hold your hand

“They are too centrist to do anything” - Rees Morgan

Joanne Pepper is an amazing prof and I hope everyone gets to take a class with her.

“Better to fail honestly than succeed dishonestly. That’s a Clarke-ism you can quote me on that” -Clarke, on plagiarism

Who’s Calvin Bergen you ask?

Why, Sam C. of course!

So is the egg thing still happening or is that old news at this point?

Mars hill declassified school survival guide follow @samepicturerobynfroese on ig Is trinity really a liberal arts university if having a liberal/leftist opinion is controversial at the school? whoever does the marketing of trinity is doin a great job cuz I found it’s such all false advertising about this school The Mystery Machine LGBTQ+ friendly space

is

a

that moment when u realize u were non-consensually brought into this cold, cruel world It’s okay to be self-centred. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

You need to be self-centred.

Pawn e4, your move.

It will get done: a rebellion against the spirit of education.

Gamete.

On another note, “old news” is a funky oxymoron In today’s news: Justin Trudeau has a beard now but it’s got some grey so now it’s obvious that he dyes the hair on his head. Sad. To acknowledge that you have become and that you are becoming you must not neglect what you have been, and from whence you came.

“Now that I think of it, she doesn’t listen to me because I am not talking to her, but to some dark listener within myself.”

To the guys in Fraser who don’t know what to do with their new beyblades: Merry Christmas.

To the guys in Douglas who know exactly what to do with their new beyblades: finally.

What’s the proper approach to having someone you hate in your class

Why do all the hot girls live in North West this year?? has anyone else noticed the girl on campus who looks like Greta Thunberg??

I’m date Mike. Nice to meet me.

People ask me what I did yesterday and I’m like “idk I don’t have 2020 vision Emma Dykstra is Kim Campbell Rees Morgan for TWUSA president 2020 Marianne Williamson would have fixed the USA: change my mind Psych should get a luncheon: change my mind Has anyone in the history of the world ever changed the mind of Kelsey Morris? can a theatre major run for TWUSA so we can have some decent speeches this year plz TWUSA speech pro tip #1: begin with a dictionary definition of ‘leadership’. gets em every time.

TWUSA speech pro tip #2: Rehearsing your speech will make you seem robotic and distant.

Just speak from the heart as the Spirit leads

Mars’ Hill editors reserve the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill staff, the student association, or that of the University.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Lucy Chuang or you can call me loocy (add as many o as you want) WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR? Computer Science and International Studies. I don’t even know at this point.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Taipei, Taiwan but I also called Abbotsford home.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING? I found this jacket in a thrift store with my friends in Paris. My mom helped me sew on the NASA badge I had and it has four pockets so it is pretty neat.

“FORCE SODEXO TO MAKE BETTER FOOD” - FRANK XIA

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EMMA DYKSTRA For some, the day could not have come soon enough. On December 18, 2019, the United States House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment for the sitting President Donald Trump. The Senate will have to hold a trial that will determine whether or not he will continue to sit as president. Given that Republicans comprise the majority of the Senate, the chances of his removal are quite slim at this moment.

Impeachment is defined as “charg[ing] a public official before a competent tribunal with misconduct in office.” In the American context, charges of impeachment form the basis for a trial that determines the official’s future in office. This process is much more political than it is criminal. However, much of the vocabulary is similar. The House of Representatives has voted that there is enough evidence to impeach President Trump on two charges. The trial in the Senate, which is scheduled to be held some time this month, will determine his future. If less than two-thirds of the Senate vote to convict him, he will remain in office. If two-thirds vote to convict him, his presidency is over.

Trump was impeached for his role in what has come to be known as the Trump-Ukraine Scandal, beginning in September 2019. A member of the CIA, referred to as the “whistleblower,” filed a complaint to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, giving him the details of a July 2019 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the whistleblower, the call consisted of Trump urging the Ukrainian government to investigate Hunter Biden,

the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Hunter worked for a Ukrainian company while his father was serving as vice president. The speculation is that Trump was hoping to obtain damaging information on the Bidens as leverage for his 2020 presidential campaign. He was accused of bribing the Ukrainian president by saying he would withhold $400 million of military aid to Ukraine that had already been allocated

by Congress and would refuse a White House meeting for the Ukrainian president, as well. Trump denies all of this, stating that the call was “perfect” and that he had done nothing wrong. The whistleb lower thought otherwise and the matter was brought to Congress.

While Trump is not the first president to have been impeached, only two others before him have faced impeachment.

Interestingly, this process has yet to remove a president from office. President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 for obstruction of justice and perjury after denying his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky while under oath.

However, after a five-week Senate trial, Clinton was acquitted on both counts.

History is in the making, and the US has seen its third case of impeachment of a sitting president. Will he stay in office and run for re-election this November? Or will he be removed from his position? A date for his trial has not been set.

But when it is, the world will be watching.

“YOU’RE FIRED”

GRACE GIESBRECHT Is journalism dying? The constant downward trend of traditional news outlets, evidenced by drops in advertising revenues and shuttering newsrooms, answers this question with an hesitant “yes.” The besuited tycoons and company-card carrying reporters of old are fading into the cigar smoke of the 1970s, and many major news organizations are following their lead.

But David Beers, professor of journalism at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and founder of The Tyee in 2003, writes that British Columbia has a “good news story about the news.”

Here, multiple smaller, independent media outlets—Beers calls them “indies”—have begun to fill the gaps left by the decline of traditional media. Less dependent on advertising money than traditional platforms, these indies operate on non-profit (or nearly non-profit) business models. Beers describes the new system as one of “coopetition” between these independent outlets and, increasingly, traditional news organizations.

The following sites represent a portion of the platforms that make up these projects, all of which are free to read without paywalls or excessive advertising and a great place to start in non-traditional local news.

The Tyee: An independent, Vancouver-based news outlet that focuses on impactful and fact-centred reporting on issues in BC and beyond, most notably the Vancouver housing crisis and environmental issues. It is nearly majority reader supported and growing that base of donors, called Tyee Builders, yearly. According to their website, the name Tyee is a Chinook word for leader. It has also come to refer to any Chinook salmon over 30 pounds.

The Discourse: On its unique, colour-shifting website, The Discourse declares: “Every town deserves in-depth journalism.”

Instead of focusing on content alone, The Discourse seeks to create systems that support independent journalism in local communities and collaborative “Deep Dives” that investigate community issues. The Discourse has three separate community reporting projects, each catering to issues and concerns chosen by the community. The projects include Scarborough, the Cowichan Valley, and the Indigenous community in the Greater Vancouver Area (referred to as Urban Nation).

The Narwhal: With a focus on environmental issues and investigative reporting alongside creative photo and audio journalism, The Narwhal tells stories “about Canada’s natural world you wouldn’t find anywhere else.” It is a non-profit organization created in 2018 from a previous and well-known project, DeSmog Canada. It is funded entirely by the individuals and foundations listed (if the donation exceeds $5000 per year) on its website.

Global Reporting Centre: Born out of UBC’s International Reporting Program, the GRC “reports on important neglected stories from around the world.” Its complicated, multimedia investigations and reporting are based out of Vancouver, but focus on international humanitarian work. This centre is a non-profit funded by a long series of both individual, corporate and non-profit donors.

“STOP PRAISING ROMANTIC LOVE SO MUCH SO SINGLE STUDENTS WON’T FEEL INSECURE” - LUCY CHUANG

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LUCY CHUANG British Columbia has the largest population of foreign students in Canada. Of the 500 000 international students in the country, 130 000 of them reside in BC, with the largest concentration in Metro Vancouver.

The China Daily ran a story entitled “Suicide is taking too many Chinese students overseas.”

Similarly, The Vancouver Sun reported in 2019 on the increased suicide rate among international students and some of the driving factors responsible. Many students face intense expectations as they navigate life in a foreign country. For example, many students have the added stress of finding employment when they arrive in Canada, in hopes of obtaining a work permit post-graduation and to cover the expenses of attending post-secondary.

Being far away from home in a new academic and social environment can affect students in various ways. Declining mental health is one such concern for both international students and the institutions of which they are a part. At Trinity Western University (TWU), international students comprise 13 percent of the student body. TWU does offer some academic transition programs for international students, and it decided to take more action in support of students’ mental health in fall 2019.

Shawna Medley, associate director of the Wellness Center at TWU, collaborated with graduate students to run a group designed for international students to share about the struggles they have faced with access to mental healths services in their first languages at TWU. Ivy Huang, a Chinese graduate student in TWU’s Counselling Pychology program, started a transition support group for international students in 2019.

Although the group services are still at the very early stage of growth, Huang’s goal is “to break isolation, build connections, validate experiences, facilitat[e] self-exploration about identity, strengths and resources, as well as to provide immediate emotional support, knowledge and practical skills for international students during the transition period.”

Huang noticed that international students in their first semester often struggle with the loneliness that stems from lack of understanding and social support. The common struggle is the feeling of life becoming somehow “emptier,” as many international students adjust to smaller support networks in the transition to Canada. Separated from their homes and familiar cultures, many students realize a loss of self-identity.

For example, many find themselves with mindsets that are not necessarily Canadian, but are also no longer Chinese, Huang explains.

Huang also listed some of the reasons why international students, especially those from Asia, have mixed feelings about seeking support for mental health issues.

Languages barriers: Limited counselling recourses in students’ first languages are provided by institutions. Language barriers impact therapeutic effectiveness since it takes time for people to fully process or express how they are feeling.

Waitlists: Although many schools do have counselling services available for students, the waitlist is often quite long. The waitlist for free or subsidized service providers outside the institution are even longer.

Counselling fee: The counselling service at TWU is subsidized, and is therefore not as costly as private counselling. However, for students who do not acknowledge the importance of mental health care, counselling might not be worth the cost.

Stigma around mental health: Not long ago, many cultures regarded mental issues or disorders as being “weak” or “crazy,” without realizing the complexity of individual struggles. In both Chinese and Taiwanese culture, people tend to focus on personal performance, excellence, and hiding weakness.

These values get in the way of understanding and accepting mental health issues.

Biases in Christian communities: In some circles, seeking counselling is seen as a betrayal of God’s plan or as a denial of human sin. Instead of seeking professional counselling, many might be encouraged to turn to prayer or talk with members of their Christian communities.

In light of these barriers, many students on campus have engaged with this issue by demonstrating curiousity and a willingness to learn more about different cultural values, instead of being distant and regarding international students as an unapproachable group. Other students support international students by proactively inviting them to participate in parties and social activities.

Joining different initiatives such as Bridge, Culture Week, or TCK/MK

by Intercultural Programs (ICP) also provide opportunities for learning and connection. Simple things like talking to international students during dorm meetings, smiling at them when getting coffee at TWUSA, or walking to class together can encourage international students to feel more welcome.

Huang also suggests that students coming from the same country or culture create their own groups or clubs with the aim of helping each other adjust to life in Canada. These groups allow for the development of friendships and the creation of supportive networks that resemble those found at home, making their communities a little bit larger once again.

“IN GENERAL, MORE BAGALS” - NYSSA MORGAN

EQUAL PAY AND THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SYDNEY DVORAK

In the United States, women vote at higher rates than men. With this in mind, the 13 Democratic presidential candidates running for office in 2020 are addressing issues important to women now more than ever. One of these issues is the gender pay gap.

According to the Equal Pay Today campaign, women in the U.S. earn 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.

When it comes to fighting for equal pay, a few of the presidential candidates are leading the way.

Bernie Sanders says that if he is elected, he will “adopt equal pay for equal work” through the Paycheck Fairness Act to eliminate the wage gap. Amy Klobuchar, also a candidate in the 2020 race, is a committed co-sponsor.

Pete Buttigieg says he will also sign the Paycheck Fairness Act, in the event that it passes the Senate. In addition, he will require companies to publish an annual report detailing how much men make in comparison to women at their organization. He says this would also prevent sexual-identity discrimination and discrimination against pregnant workers.

Andrew Yang claims he will enforce salary disclosure laws on a state-by-state basis. He also says he will refuse to hire outside companies that do not provide equal pay for their employees.

Elizabeth Warren says she will “strengthen and target enforcement against systemic discrimination” by passing an Equal Opportunity Executive Order that will encourage development for underrepresented workers, specifically women of colour. She also plans to provide universal child care to help mothers remain active in the workforce. She also pays all of her campaign workers equally, leading by example.

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CHRISALEEN CIRO

WHO THE HONK WILL BE THE NEW LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY? EMMA DYKSTRA

Welcome to “What the Honk”! Lovingly titled with the exclamation of Canada’s favourite wild bird, this is your update on Canadian news and politics. This week we are covering the Conservative leadership race.

In December 2019, Andrew Scheer stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party after a loss in the federal election in October. Former member of parliament Peter MacKay described Scheer’s loss as “having a breakaway on an open net and missing the net.” Yikes!

So who thinks they can score on the alleged open net? Let’s have a look at three people who are up to the challenge.

Our first candidate is Jean Charest, a former premier of Quebec and popular name in Canadian politics. He has served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and also spent time as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the late 90s. He is a respected and well known politician, which will certainly give him leverage and credibility as he runs for the leadership.

Pierre Poilievre is a Member of Parliament for the riding of Carleton in the city of Ottawa. He is a member of the shadow cabinet, currently serving as the party’s Finance Critic, which has gained him much popularity among Conservatives in the past few years. He was also once Stephen Harper’s Parliamentary Secretary. His fiery, charming nature and fluent bilingualism have made him a favourite in the race.

Another big name is Peter MacKay. MacKay served as a minister of multiple portfolios during the Stephen Harper era of the Conservative Party, and was considered to be a replacement for Harper after he resigned. MacKay declined and left politics to join a Toronto law firm. He is very well known in Conservative circles and considered to be a major player in the Tory game.

There are a handful of other candidates who are approaching the bid, but these are just a few big names. The Conservative leadership vote will happen on June 27, 2020. A potential prime minister is in our midst, so pay close attention. This new leader may one day have the power to change the course of Canadian history.

For decades, Australia has endured the annual “bush fire season,” a period in late summer when forest fires rage in the Australian outback. The 2019–20 fire season is no exception, and it continues to dominate headlines and social media around the world. At the time of writing, approximately 18 million acres of Australian bush remain on fire, and an estimated 2000 homes and over 1 billion animals have been lost. Outpourings of support, ranging from banal promises of “thoughts and prayers” to creative sex workers rasing funds by auctioning off nude photographs in exchange for donations, continue to flood social media.

Jane the Virgin actor and activist Justin Bandolini told his 2.8 million Instagram followers, “I know at times it can seem like the world is ending, but I implore us all to look for the light in the darkness . . . . Seeing people from all over the world come together to pray and support Australia is beautiful. But when the fires stop we shouldn’t stop.” He goes on to say, “Things need to change and we have to ask ourselves how our daily individual actions affect the whole. We must start thinking as a collective.” His comment alludes to the significant barrier that stands in the way of effective environmental reporting. It remains notoriously daunting for journalists and media practitioners to convey the scientific reality of the crisis, while still preserving a sense of agency for their readers. For many, the stark reality is simply too difficult to process.

Regardless, climate justice dominated the headlines in 2019. The Green New Deal, put forward by U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, catalyzed a national debate to determine the appropriate response to the climate crisis. In May, the United Nations (UN) released a report claiming that the world was in the midst of a mass extinction event and that rates were “accelerating.”

Later in 2019, Justin Trudeau announced — and was resoundingly mocked for—the Liberal Party’s intention to ban single use plastics. Subsequently, climate justice proved to be a significant issue in the Canadian election, as many Canadians stand to be physically and economically impacted by efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Demonstrated by the work of young activ-

ists such as Greta Thunberg, members of Generation Z do not wish to continue their parents patterns of avoiding the reality of environmental news. Thunberg began 2019 as a student, skipping school to protest political inaction on climate change. The media has watched as she has testified to the UN, led strikes and protests, and met with several heads of state, including the Pope.

Thunberg capped off the year in environmental news when TIME announced an editorial decision that appeared to many on social media to be a direct effort to antagonize President Trump—the magazine named the seventeen-year-old activist “Person of the Year.” Undoubtedly, her dominance of the media and professed desire to use this dominance to address an issue that has challenged journalists and eluded effective coverage is noteworthy. However, this recognition exposed her to more criticism as many continue to question her credibility and ability to speak rationally to this issue.

Some iterations of this conversation were less productive than others, with some limiting their insight to bemused and patronizing remarks about the anger that Thunberg and others like her seem to display.

In a culture that conflates rationality with emotional restraint, it is understandable why some might be inclined to disregard the current state of climate justice discourse. Despite this, however, the climate justice movement has undoubtedly gained momentum in 2019, and now in 2020. Media critics are wondering if this willingness to confront the emotional dimensions of the climate crisis is what has been missing from media coverage up until this point.

Further, the issue remains complex, because, as Thunberg’s critics point out, few have the expertise to address the broad intersectional implications of the climate crisis. However, returning Bandolini’s words, climate justice is fundamentally an issue of our obligation to ourselves, each other, and to our home.

Entering into 2020, it can be fatiguing to imagine the prospect of more such dire news. However, media consumers continue to be faced with a dilemma: Will they join Bandolini and Thunberg, or will they continue their parents patterns of avoidance?

“TAKE DOWN THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS” - CALEB BROWN

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RILEY VOTH Spotify Wrapped always ends up raising more questions than answers. How did I listen to 100 hours of lo-fi hip hop?

Who is “Billie Eyelash” and why does everyone listen to him? And most importantly, why is everyone on the planet posting their music habits on Instagram?

So why do we listen to music that is so out of alignment with our values? Are we longing for a lifestyle that we will not let ourselves have? Is our listening purely motivated by aesthetic preferences? Or is it empathy—a connection that goes beyond lyrics and genre—with the artist’s experience?

Music is a powerful thing. It is one of the deepest ways that people can experience, understand, and express emotions.

It is a way we align to others through common understanding. The Phoebe Bridgers tribe is strong: they understand Phoebe, so they understand each other. They identify with each other and find a community of people who emote in similar ways.

When asking myself these questions, I had to say yes to each one in turn. Yes, a part of me wants to live like The 1975: here for a good time, not a long time. Yes, I love the aesthetic of the Arctic Monkeys and feel like I understand those who also love it. And yes, I feel the pain and the struggle of The Japanese House. Even though my life is very different than those of these artists and our struggles are surely different, I empathize with the musician and thus, connect with the music.

This is what makes seeing people’s Spotify Wrapped so interesting. In an effort to feel known we post (or refrain from posting) our listening habits for all to see. To connect Like planets in orbit, weaker ideas orbit the stronger. Our with people who understand, and to reveal how we see the ruling values and ideologies are orbited by ideas we receive from other sources. Ideas grow and change, however, and world. It is safely vulnerable. whatever idea is fed the most will become the center. Yes, When I look at some of the artists that my friends listen to I listen to music that does not correspond with my beliefs, regularly, it makes me wonder: how can someone listen to but I listen to more music that is in alignment than is not. music that stands for and is fueled by a lifestyle or a mind- I am drawn to it, and it resonates with me. The tension of set that they do not possess? Some of my top artists of the ideas adds depth and richness; it is artistic and conversadecade were not at all accurate reflections of my life or my tional. Listen to what artists say and compare them. Their worldview. Their songs are all about sex and drugs but for music will be richer for it. some reason, this good Christian boy cannot get enough.

MAKENA WARDLE The word “they” was recently named the Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2019. Though this term has many definitions, the one that prompted its naming as Word of the Year pertains to the use of the word “they” to describe an individual whose gender is non-binary, or an individual who does not singularily identify as male or female.

Merriam-Webster also released its top ten most searched words of the past year, the majority of which had similarly political connotations. The word “exculpate,” which it defines as “to clear from alleged fault or guilt,” saw a 23 000 percent increase after it was used to describe President Donald Trump’s current legal situation in a speech given to the U.S. House of Representatives. “Impeach” was also on Merriam-Webster calculated that searches for the word the list, seeing a 129 percent increase due to the case made “they” on their site increased by 313 percent from 2018 to to remove President Donald Trump from office.

2019. The popular American dictionary says that one of the reasons for the dramatic rise in searches is the addi- With the end of 2019 comes the end of a decade—one that tion of a new definition to the term. In September, 2019, saw a dramatic increase in political movements toward the new definition, “used to refer to a single person whose equality. Some progress is clear, and in 2015, the United gender identity is nonbinary,” was added, due to Merri- States legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. It is am-Websters’ acknowlegment that this usage has become important, however, to acknowledge that the quest for this “increasingly common in published, edited text, as well as type of equality is not universal. While the Equality Act, social media and in daily personal interactions between which would amend the Civil Rights Act to “prohibit disEnglish speakers.” crimination on the basis of the sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical Another reason Merriam-Webster chose to honour this condition of an individual, as well as because of sex-based definition of “they,” was its prominence in both pop-culture stereotypes,” passed in the House of Representatives in and politics this past year. Not only did Academy Award 2019, it has not yet passed the Senate. The simple fact that Winner Sam Smith announce that their preferred pronouns this new iteration of “they/them” has increased in usage are they/them, other celebrities such as Queer Eye’s does not mean that it is universally accepted, nor Jonathan Van Ness claimed these pronouns that the debate surrounding it is over. It is still for themselves, as well. The word was also appropriate, however, that Merriam-Webused by U. S. Congresswoman Pramila ster’s 2019 Word of the Year is one that Jayapal in favour of the Equality Act, encapsulates this push by many for when she announced that her adult equality within government and child identifies as non-binary and broader society. prefers “they/them” pronouns.

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“KEEP THOSE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS UP ALL YEAR” - KAITLYN L.

8

“I

WAS WRONG. THERE IS NOTHING ENJOYABLE ABOUT CATS.”

EMMETT HANLY When the trailer for Cats, directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper, was released in July of 2019, I was ecstatic.

To clarify, I could not care less about the original West End or Broadway productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s flashy adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s poetry. Why would I? I had never really given it a second thought or had the impulse to listen to the soundtrack. Yet, I felt compelled, even gung-ho, to see the movie version because it looked awful. The trailer showcased some of the absolute ugliest high-budget CGI to ever assail my eyeballs, and I nearly died laughing every time I clicked the repeat button. Perhaps, I dreamed, the full movie would be akin to The Room and be ironically enjoyed for its meme value in the years to come.

I was wrong. There is nothing enjoyable about Cats.

First, to say that Cats has a comprehensible plot is a stretch. Victoria, a housecat recently abandoned in the streets of London, meets a variety of stray cats who are preparing for a singing contest in order to be chosen to fly off into the sun and have “a chance at a new life.” In other words, it’s about a feline death cult talent show. Worse still, this bizarre premise is given no story arc whatsoever. Each cat has a single song where they introduce themselves and then immediately fade into the background dance crew and the pattern repeats itself incessantly.

Clearly, the goal here is not to tell a story.

What, then, is the intention of Cats? In true Andrew Lloyd Webber fashion, it is a vehicle for the music intended to be a visual spectacle and nothing more. Admittedly, some of the musical numbers are vaguely catchy, and there is much to appreciate within the experimentation with idiosyncratic vocal rhythms and bizarre synth riffs. Unfortunately, the lyrics are completely baffling and the majority of the songs fall flat under Tom Hooper’s direction. For example, “Memory” as sung by Jennifer Hudson feels like it is supposed to be the emotional crux of the film but it overly assumes you’re going to feel something, and thus

comes across as vapid. As an audience member, I cannot empathize with her character no matter how much snot is pouring out of her nose because I have no idea what the heck is going on.

As for spectacle, the CGI completely undercuts the performance and while the production design has some stylish concepts, it fails to stick even that landing and the settings end up feeling fake. The way the fur effects mesh with the human body unforgivingly distracts from whatever skills the star-studded cast may have. This is what I imagine it is like to gaze into the deepest chasm of the uncanny valley. Why do they have to be naked? Why could they not all be like that one cat that wears pants? How did Hooper think any of this looked good?

What else can I say that has not already been said? Cats fails at everything it sets out to do. While movies like The Room and Birdemic: Shock and Terror are hilarious for their failures, Cats isn’t funny at all—it’s physically painful.

Seeing this in a movie theatre was miserable, and I am pretty sure I felt my soul exit my body in search of literally anything better to do.

Any ironic enjoyment of this deeply uncomfortable experience can and should be satisfied by watching the trailer. You do not need to see the whole nearly two-hour movie to be “in” on the joke, so please do not waste your time unless you are masochistic like me and need something with which to torture yourself every now and then.

CARTER SAWATZKY The catastrophe of Cats is a meme classic of legendary proportions— in the very best way. Think La La Land but furrier.

Cats has the x-factor, the je ne sais quoi, the special sauce to be one of the defining meme-movies of our time. In fact, I would claim it already is.

When the trailer for Cats was released in the late summer of 2019, many viewers found themselves disturbed by viral pictures of human-feline mixtures that made furries out of popular celebrities. Over the holiday season, negative attention intensified as the full film was loosed upon the public. Despite the re-release of an edited version to theatres with improved special effects, there have been no signs of an upturn in its commercial sales: headlines of Cats’ abysmal box office showing continued to sound alarm bells on most major news sites.

Though unnerved, I somehow remained strangely intrigued by the movie that triggered such widespread repulsion among its viewers.

So I took it upon myself to research first-hand. The critics’ catty advice, my friends’ warnings, and even the shocking 19 percent score it earned on Rotten Tomatoes did not stop me from seeing the supposedly cursed movie, but instead their efforts acted as a catalyst for me to buy a ticket at my local Cineplex—not once, but twice.

it with glee; now The Room has more midnight screenings than any other film in America.

Finally some such movies, like the Bee Movie, age like fine wine and spark a million memes when the time is right. The Jerry Seinfeld-voiced animation was not a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 2007: it was not until a decade later that the Bee Movie became a “meme-movie.” With videos including “the bee movie but every time they say bee it gets faster” and viral Tumblr posts about “Bee-stiality” (the shipping name for the weirdly flirtatious relationship between Barry the bee and Vanessa, his human co-star) the publicity and attention the Bee Movie received via the memelords only furthered in infusing it with an odd staying power that the next generation will likely go crazy over.

My verdict is that Cats deserves nothing but high praises. I would not change a thing—even the overproduction. Though the tsunami of criticisms may sway some viewers, the film is still an entertaining musical from start to finish. The song and dance interspersed throughout the movie provide a delightful flavour and bring the characters to the forefront. Each awkward line, bizarrely furry celebrity transformation, and CGI failure only seemed to solidify my increasing passion for the cataclysmic movie. Those with an odd sense of humor will not leave unsatisfied.

This category, the “meme-movie,” is the one in which I propose Cats will end up. Indeed, it is already an ongoing joke on social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok. The CGI-concocted feline-human blend may very well be a cat lady’s utopia on acid, but it seems to only add to the surrealist disturbia. In Trump’s America—itself, a meme— what is too much anyways?

So how can this strange movie be classified? What happens when a movie flops commercially and critically?

It is the meme-movie of our time. It is not the movie we need but the movie we deserve. And in that way, Cats is a classic.

Such a movie may first be ignored by the general public, get panned by critics, and quickly fall off the radar. We will call this the “disappearing act.”

Alternately, a flop also may become eligible for “cult classic” status like The Room did some years ago. Despite the almost universally acknowledged poor acting, narrative problems, and wide plot holes, the movie has garnered a core devoted fan base who cherish and rewatch

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder—so I will continue to enjoy the weirdly wonderful Cats.

“ MY

VERDICT FOR CATS INCLUDES NOTHING BUT HIGH PRAISES. I LOVED IT SO MUCH THAT I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING— EVEN THE OVERPRODUCTION.”

“ERADICATION OF HOMOEROTIC INCLINATIONS” - TINA FU

9

REES MORGAN

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is more of a feeling than a date; a gradient rather than a stark contrast.

Winter was melting into spring, my high school sweetheart had just left me, and the transition out of my senior year of high school into university posed more questions than I had answers. Like most emotional, artsy, and heartbroken teenagers, I turned to music not only as an escape from reality but as a way to channel the angst of a changing world.

For me, that channel was Phil Elverum’s cult classic album The Glow, Pt. 2. The diversity between Elverum’s vulnerable vocals and the harsh distorted instrumentation spoke to the emotional battle between my brittle self and the harsh reality of growing up. The Glow, Pt. 2 was an emotional foundation upon which I was able to build myself amidst new responsibilities during this transitional stage.

harshly / my heart beats loudly.” This small section of the album paints a picture of the album as a whole; the instrumentation balancing between quaint and soft, loud and distorted.

The instrumentation of The Glow, Pt. 2 acts as a backing for Elverum’s thoughts and emotions. This is the perfect setting for a teenage self suffering through violent emotional highs and lows, often within short periods of time, to find emotional stability and a sense of personhood. Matt LeMay, a writer for Pitchfork, describes the feeling you get when listening to this art as “beauty through ambiguity.”

In his review of the album, which he rated 9.2 out of 10, he likens the album to honest and artistic profundity. His use of the word “ambiguity” is quite accurate. Elverum is never obvious nor over the top in his songwriting. He leaves inIt is hard to describe The Glow, Pt. 2 in words, because terpretation of his work open to the listener, but still manthe emotional beauty of the music is held in tension with ages to, as LeMay puts it, “capture the sea, the sky, and the how the sonic aesthetic plays off the lyrics. The album mountains in a sonic panorama that seems to live without opens with the song “I Want The Wind To Blow,” which beginning or end.” starts off as a soft acoustic song paired with fun, bouncy drums while Elverum sings about coming to peace with a During my adolescence, The Glow, Pt. 2 was a landscape recent breakup. However, the instrumentation slowly starts of emotion that I could rely upon when the forces around to change, as a four to the floor kick drum slowly starts to me insisted on changing. The raw emotion translated into take over the beat, emulating the sound of a beating heart. music helped me cope with my own emotional turmoil, just Out of nowhere, the instrumentation suddenly fades away, as this medium has helped generations of youth as they save for the pounding heartbeat of a tom drum, and we become adults. I do not think there is a better way to figare left in a state of chaos for a moment. Just as fast as the ure out our emotions than through the stories of artists instrumentation fades away, it returns, but it is now heav- who have travelled the path before us, and translated their ily distorted, almost like the speakers have been turned up feelings into music that we can use to help form our pertoo loud. However, there is something euphoric about this sonhood into the unknown of adulthood. section of the song, the heartbeat carries a sense of hope and drive to the future.

Almost as soon as it starts, “I Want Wind to Blow” ends, and immediately filling its spot is the title track “The Glow, Pt. 2.” The distortion is back on this track, but is much more intense. It sounds like Elverum destroyed his guitar in a food processor. The euphoric nature of the distortion in “I Want The Wind to Blow” is gone, and has been replaced with the weight of the world. The instrumentation fades away to just an organ piano and Elverum screams “I’m not dead / there’s no end / my face is red / my blood flows

“ THE GLOW PT. 2 WAS AN EMOTIONAL FOUNDATION UPON WHICH I WAS ABLE TO BUILD MYSELF AMIDST NEW RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THIS TRANSITIONAL STAGE.”

“INCREASING DIVERSITY OF RACE AND GENDER ON ALL LEADERSHIP PLATFORMS AND SOCIAL MEDIA” - QUEENIE R.

LIV WALTON

LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING

IN IN IN IN IN IN IN

“ STRETCHING ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT

BEYOND PHYSICALITY, THE HUMAN MACHINE ALSO OPERATES WITHIN THE METAPHYSICAL WORLD, ENCOMPASSING ASPECTS SUCH AS QUALIA, TIME AND IDENTITY”

Every living thing has grown into a beginning. The calendar turns to January, signifying an opportunity for resolution—to realign and reconcile the parts of life that feel askew. As newness unfolds in all of its unpredictable glory, aim for growth. Set yourself up for success by pursuing achievable goals that are geared towards aligning the various facets of your being.

The word alignment is most often used in the context of mechanics.

The human body, from head to toe, is a hugely complicated piece of machinery. When even one vertebra is out of place, the whole body becomes misaligned. Stretching beyond physicality, the human machine also operates within the metaphysical world, encompassing aspects such as qualia, time, and identity. Abstractly interpreted, alignment can be applied to a human’s overall state of being. What does it mean and look like for a human to be living in alignment?

Alignment of the human machine—brain and body—could be described as when one’s perspectives, emotions and actions result in a healthy conscious state, motivated by one’s own values. The complexity of the brain allows it the power to affect every other part of the body, including consciousness, which is the individualized human experience. Consciousness is a quandary for scholars and scientists. However, consciousness cannot be strictly categorized as a philosophical matter.

Consciousness breaks philosophical boundaries, as thoughts and experiences trigger neurochemical responses in varying parts of the brain. It also breaks scientific boundaries because the origin of consciousness cannot be traced to a specific function or location of the brain, but some abstract connection between each of the brain’s structures about which neuropsychologists remain mystified. Every discrete part of the brain works together to create consciousness. The two most important parts of this matrix are the frontal lobe and the amygdala. Together, they inform the human consciousness.

The amygdala is located at the center of the human brain and contains an endless collection of emotions associated with specific experiences. Emotions are a major component of human consciousness because they create a guide for how to respond to various experiences. Once stored, emotions can be pulled out like a record from a collection and played to create the perfect soundtrack for your life. When something happens, your brain will shuffle through the emotions, picking a memory of a similar event on which to base a new emotional response.

The frontal lobe works in close connection with the amygdala to process emotions and construct a rational response to them. Implied by the name, the frontal lobe is located at the front of the brain, above the amygdala. As one perceives something through visual processing in the occipital lobe, the amygdala develops an emotional response which is relayed to the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe then listens to the chosen emotional record and creates a course of action based on the emotions. This process is where your agency comes into play.

Throughout consciousness, one is presented with choices and subsequently enabled to make decisions. These decisions become a gauge to measure alignment. Consciousness, through agency, helps to establish one’s values and beliefs. The formation and execution of values is a neural process that is both cognitive and emotional.

Thus the decisions and actions derived from your conscious experience are either in alignment with your values or skewed. When one is living in alignment, there is a sense of wholeness. When one is living in misalignment, the lack of contentment can feel haunting.

This haunting feeling often identifies with fictional characters such as Disney’s Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio or Kronk’s shoulder angel and devil in Emperor’s New Groove.

In the coming year of brain development and philosophical contemplation, pursue alignment. As you do so, remember to give yourself grace; you and your consciousness are ever-changing and so alignment is an ongoing process. Take the time to check in with your emotions, perceptions, and actions. Are they aligned with your values and beliefs, propelling you forward into an abundant life, or are you entering a time when you need to instigate a change, and seek alignment?

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. HILLARY MCBRIDE, RCC Dr. Hillary McBride is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and wellknown researcher based in the Vancouver Area. Following her BA in Psychology and Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, both from Trinity Western University (TWU), McBride began practicing as a counsellor and has continued her research into topics such as disordered eating, shame, and spirituality. In October, 2019, McBride earned her PhD in Counselling Psychology at University of British Columbia (UBC), with a focus on the relationship between women and their bodies. McBride’s current counselling practice involves cognitive-behavioural, emotion-focused, and feminist approaches, among others. She is well known in the Christian community for her work with the Liturgists podcast, as well as in the psychology community for her own podcast entitled Other

People’s Problems, which features recordings of counselling sessions from her private practice. McBride is also an author, speaker, wife, and friend of Mars’ Hill.

Mars’ Hill interviewed McBride for Issue #6, on her academic expertise and experience at TWU. Additionally, she commented on how social media and technology, critical facets of our experience of the modern world, impact our identity formation and capacity for alignment. The rest of our interview with McBride will appear in a future issue, which explores the topic of trauma.

You mention on your website that you are interested in making academic/psychological disciplines accessible to members of broader society. What does this look like to you? Why is this a meaningful goal for you?

One of my favorite memories from my time at TWU was getting into Chuck MacKnee’s Human Sexuality class in the Psychology department. The class was full, but I chased him down the hall after the first lecture and pleaded with him to let me in. I got into the class, and some of the things he taught, some of the ways he saw the world and shared that with us, fundamentally transformed the way I saw the world.

Although it happened more recently, I came back in 2017 to teach in the MA in Counselling Psych program, a program I’d only graduated from three years before that. It was so special to be able to share an experience with the graduate students who were learning to be counsellors; to teach on a campus where I had learned from so many exquisite professors was deeply humbling.

Social media gives individuals the opportunity to construct “images” of themselves that align with a particular aesthetic or set of cultural standards—is this a “good” thing or a “bad” thing? Can social media be leveraged as an empowering practice?

In the academic world, there is a history of insights, research findings, and new ways of thinking, being held away from individuals in the lay community. Similar to the way that priests used to be the only ones to read the bible, because others were illiterate, or could not read in a foreign language, knowledge has been kept away from people in a way that creates a hierarchy of power between those who have access to the information (and often do not commit to sharing it), and those who don’t. In this way, information is power— it can change a person’s life to know how to understand research findings, it can embolden a person to use their voice with health care providers in a way that moves them from being treated like an object to a person with agency. It is the work of those who hold the power and the privilege that comes with education to be deconstructing those hierarchies. As a feminist clinician and researcher, it is important for me to share information with others as this act of deconstruction.

This is done most simply by the translation of information which is contained in ‘expensive’ or inaccessible language into media without barriers to access, in language with fewer barriers to access. I believe that all people should have the right to learn about their mental health, and that psychological wellbeing should not just be for the wealthy, and those privileged enough to get an education.

What is a meaningful memory that you have from your time at TWU? Although I am not an expert in media studies, I have done academic and clinical work with the social psychology of images, and how images we see in media are related to our evaluation of our appearance, and our efforts to maintain body ideals. While I think it can be a tool for play, and fun, and connection, perhaps even allowing us to “‘try on”’ ways of being—through the ability to manipulate images—generally it is damaging for us psychologically, neurologically, and spiritually to be, first, consuming images of others which are also manipulated (but our brain does not always remember that when we are inundated of unrealistic beauty ideals) while proliferating amongst others the same beauty and appearance ideals that hurt us.

I believe that social power is about visibility—what we have the most access to, what is most seen. So, if social media accounts are used by others to disrupt the beauty ideals (posting photos that more represent the day to day, and less the “ideal”) or communicate that a wide variety of bodies are good and beautiful and valuable, (including fat, disabled, and gender non-conforming bodies), then those bodies inherently have more power, because they are becoming more visible, more accessible, more part of the mainstream instead of the margins. Social media can be empowering if we can use it as a way that we resist appearance ideals, or body-based oppression, instead of passing on the same messages that end up hurting us all. Practically, I think a great thing most of us should try at some point, if not regularly, is post photos that are un-edited, un-curated, totally and completely average. This means sharing images of what we actually look like moment to moment, and especially in our least glamourous moments. In doing so, we remind both ourselves and others that looking a certain way, and making sure that we are seen by others in a certain way, is not the most important thing about us.

13

TYLER JONES & NATHAN RHEA

NATHAN RHEA: The New England Patriots are no ordinary franchise. In the last 19 years, the Patriots have boasted not only Bill Belichick, the winningest NFL coach of all-time, but also Tom Brady, arguably the single greatest player to ever play the game of football. Together, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have created the most dominant dynasty that the twenty-first century has seen. Even in his 40s, Brady has been able to lead his team to victory. After winning the Patriots their sixth Super Bowl last season, the magic faded into the result of their 2019-20 season.

On January 4, 2020, the New England Patriots were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans. Though they surged late in the season, the Titans only owned a 9-7 record throughout the regular season. When compared to the Patriots’ record of 12-4, the Titans’ win over New England is considered a significant upset.

NR: He has been called many names: The G.O.A.T., Mr. Immortal, Roller-Brady, but no matter what he is called, it is undeniable that Tom Brady has been one of the most superb NFL players of the last two decades. With six Super Bowl wins (in four of which he was named the MVP), the title of first in all-time wins and second in all-time passing yards and touchdowns, and a staggering 14 Pro Bowl selections, Brady has redefined what it means to have a winning mentality. For upwards of 10 years, we have witnessed a dominant, all-time ruling performance by the New England Patriots, led by Brady and his ability to deliver in clutch-time. Despite age slowly creeping up on him, Brady continued to perform at a level that kept his team competitive for the better part of a decade, leading the Patriots to 8 consecutive AFC Championship games. However, on January 3, 2020, Brady and his Patriots made a rare Wild Card exit from the NFL playoffs, losing to the Tennessee Titans 20-13. To put this in perspective, the last time the Patriots were forced into—let alone lost—a Wild Card matchup, “TiK ToK” by Ke$ha was the number one song in the United States and President Obama was sworn into office just a few weeks after the game. However, with this most recent early playoff exit, it is time to face the facts: Brady is on the decline.

This loss solidified the Patriots’ status as being far from a contender. With a weak defense against the run and a lack of dynamic offensive weapons, a lot is up in the air for the future of both the Patriots and Brady, particularly as his contract will expire in the upcoming offseason. The biggest question for this NFL offseason is shaping up to be whether Brady will retire, remain with the Patriots, or finish his career in another city.

In 2016, Max Kellerman, host of the widely popular ESPN sports talk-show First Take famously claimed that Brady MARS’ HILL: Tom Brady is staying in New England. Mur- was going to “fall off a cliff” as his efficiency would semurs of Brady playing in Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are verely decline. While it took a few more years than most entirely irrelevant because the Patriots remain the best people predicted, it seems that the fall of Brady is upon us. team among the three. Though I would not be surprised if This season, Brady completed 60.8 percent of his passes, Brady decides to retire after this season, I believe that he which ranked 26th among the league’s other starting quarknows this team is still capable of being relevant. The Patri- terbacks. That is a full five five percent drop from the 2018 ots have often been able to bolster their roster due to the season (65.8 percent). One could blame this drop on the former success of the organization, so there is no doubt excessive receiver turnover that was a big part of the Pathat Brady believes in the front office of the team. While triots’ narrative this season, but that does not explain what the team is certainly no Super Bowl contender, fans seem is obvious to the eye-test: Brady is slowing down. He is far to have forgotten that this team was able to win 12 regu- more hesitant to take hits, his speed has dropped drastilar season games. Brady mulling over his options is simply cally, and his reaction time seems to be at an all-time low. a scare tactic applied to persuade the Patriots’ manage- While the Patriots’ strong offensive line and always-imment to pick up more offensive weapons. Though the Pa- pressive defence have allowed Brady to thrive and lead the triot’s weaknesses are blatantly obvious, their roster is bet- team in spite of these setbacks, the fact remains that Brady ter than that of any team that would consider taking Brady is 42 years old. With his contract expiring, Brady’s future for just a couple of seasons. With all of these possibilities is more uncertain than ever. The Patriots will decide if they considered, it is likely that Brady won’t stop playing foot- are going to retain their aging superstar or move on, lookball until he physically cannot throw a football anymore, or ing towards the future. Brady has gone on the record to until he loses his starting job to another quarterback; ex- say that he plans to play until he is 45, which is ambitious pect Brady will continue as a member of the New England to say the least. However, he has defied all expectations thus far, so the football community will have to wait and see Patriots by signing a two-year contract with the team. what becomes of one of the sport’s most iconic players.

LISTEN TO THE MARS’ HILL SPORTS PODCAST FOR MORE NFL PLAYOFF COVERAGE. “SPEND MONEY WISER” - MADISON POWERS

14

COOPER GERBRAND It is, perhaps, the most controversial parenting choice of our time: do I tell my kids that Santa Claus is real? Now that Christmas is over, hopefully it is possible to have this conversation without our heads steaming like hot chocolate.

When you are a little seven-year-old, nothing is more magical than waking up early on Christmas morning, running down the stairs as fast as you can, and rushing to the Christmas tree to see all the gifts that jolly old Santa left for you. You frantically wake up your parents, and they are still rubbing their eyes as you tear open your presents, giving them such delight when you turn to them with the biggest smile.

tell their kids that one of the men who knows their every action and gives them gifts that they could never earn for themselves is fake, then what will they assume about the other, more important, One? This is mainly a concern for Christian parents, but numerous points apply regardless, such as the fact that many find it morally problematic to lie to children. Another, less righteous reason is that parents want their kids to be thankful to them instead of a mystical ice man for their gifts. Let us also not forget that if you rearrange the letters of Santa it spells Satan.

So, which parent is correct? Even though the disagreements may be vicious, to me it seems that if they have Pro-Santa parents know the whimsical feeling it gives their thought about their reasons so much, they must love their kids to believe in him, which is usually the primary reason children immensely. I would hope that, whether you think they support the cherry-nosed man. In addition, if some- kids should be led to believe in Father Christmas or not, how their children do not like some gifts, the blame is not you would agree that it is more important that they are loved. So, take your side if you wish, but make sure that if on the parents for neglecting their kids’ interests. you do have kids, you love them more than gifts could ever However, anti-Santa adults often cite the downfalls of tell- show. ing children about Saint Nick. Number one on that list is— SPOILER ALERT—that he is not real. They worry that if they I cannot wait to deal with the Easter Bunny.

ISHITA WILSON The earth has completed yet another full rotation around the sun, and similarly, most people have danced around their 2019 resolutions for the entire year. Now, they find themselves back where they started last year, hoping that 2020 will be different. This cycle repeats year after year and the average resolutionist is none the wiser.

Most often, New Year’s resolutions stem from negativity. People find an aspect of their life that they were unhappy with during the previous year and set out to change it in a day. Obviously, this massive change is not going to occur. The best way to succeed at a “New Year’s resolution” is to set smaller, attainable goals throughout the year, perhaps at the start of every month; this way, instead of failing a resolution and deciding to try again in 2021, people can try again in February. It is important to leave room for failure and forgiveness.

However, many people start their New Year’s resolutions with a “make it or break it” mentality. Either they go to the gym every day for the entire year or they do not go at all. Either they get a perfect GPA in their classes or they do not succeed at all. There is no room for retrial. Having this mindset is not only discouraging, it also sets everyone up for failure. To guide people away from this mindset, James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones explains, “If you focus on one percent improvement, but do it consistently, the effect is cumulative and therefore powerful.”

According to a study conducted in 2007 by Richard Wiseman, professor of The Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, 88 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. Similar studies with different sample groups have resulted in congruent percentages. Why do people continue to make resolutions when they have such high rates of failure? Do they expect to wake up on January 1 as a completely different person than they were the night before?

Art Markman, professor of psychology and marketing at the University of Texas writes, “Think about your life like a product for a moment. Most of the time, the product a company produces is pretty good and doesn’t need a wholesale revision. Instead, products are spruced up and companies create ‘new and improved’ versions, which are fundamentally the same product with a few tweaks.” Instead of living a whole new life, people should be aiming to live the same life with a few minor changes, and eventually these minor changes will have the potential to grow into major ones.

This year, instead of focusing on something negative from the past, focus on something positive you want from the future. Instead of making one big goal, make twelve smaller ones. Your life is an iPhone and it needs to make its way through several iOS updates before upgrading to a completely new one.

“RENEGADE” - MICAH BRON

15

CHRISALEEN CIRO

During summer 2019, the media inundated citizens with depictions of desolate facilities housing suffering children. In early June, Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigration Rights Clinic, was granted entry into a detention facility near Dallas, Texas.

Aghast at the conditions, Mukherjee agreed to be interviewed

by New York Times reporter Caitlin Dickerson. On June 21, 2019, Dickerson ran an article with the headline “There is a Stench: Soiled Clothes and No Baths for Migrant Children at a Texas Center,” which exposed the stark realities of the facility. The article relies on several quotes from Mukherjee that describe an environment in which there is a lack of clean clothes, diapers, and basic hygiene necessities, and where teen mothers are responsible for breastfeeding several otherwise unaccompanied babies and toddlers.

Dickerson’s reporting catalyzed a near immediate response: many Americans got in their cars, drove to department stores, bought diapers and other necessities, and dropped them off at the residential facilities. Within hours of going to print, an emergency panel of judges was called to deliver a ruling on the conditions to which the children were subjected. The San Diego Seventh Circuit Court of appeals included Judge A. Wallace Tashima, who spent years in a Japanese internment camp. The Daily played a now infamous audio clip of Judge Tashima berating the lawyer who was arguing on behalf of the government that toothpaste and soap are not essential aspects of “safe and sanitary” conditions.

Despite the fact that the Trump administration outlawed the family separation policy in June 2018, nearly a year before Dickerson published her article, the practice continues. According to Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s National Immigrants’ Rights Project, over 700 families were separated between June 2018 and the end of May 2019. Due to the lack of a centralized tracking system, it is nearly impossible to reunite some families.

Despite these issues, an article from 2018 entitled “How Regular Americans Can Help Reunite Migrant Families” profiled a group of middle class, typically white, housewives who are using social media to reunite separated children and parents. It is a uniquely maternal and oddly conservative iteration of resistance. This

organized, restrained form of protest conflicts with the visceral, somewhat crazed desire for resistance that might compel, even the most unaffected New York Times readers, to get in their cars and drive to the border with diapers in tow. However, the desire for resistance—the need to respond to the way in which this moment in the narrative of history is unfolding—remains.

The Trump administration, and those media outlets sympathetic to its mandate, portray migrants permeating the porous American border as threats to the state. Therefore, we confront a legal reality that seems to indirectly lead to the viscerally devastating result that is unaccompanied children in cages. Regardless of the fact that this practice is in no way unprecedented, nor even the result of new legislation, the current scale of this crisis continues to resonate in North American media. The language of “children in cages” inspires, again, a visceral response—it tests the boundaries of what citizens will tolerate from their state and compels many to act, in spite of their limited capacity, to realize change.

This tragedy bears an eerie historical familiarity. Citizens have been forced to confront a question that had once been a moral abstraction: “What would you have done in the midst of the Holocaust?” Is it even possible for a citizen to contribute to meaningful change? How will inaction impact their legacy? As journalists such as Dickerson and her colleagues continue to produce the “first draft of history,” citizens are forced to determine what their response will be.

“ THE LANGUAGE OF ‘CHILDREN IN CAGES’ IN-

SPIRES A VISCERAL RESPONSE—IT TESTS THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT CITIZENS WILL TOLERATE FROM THEIR STATE. FURTHER, THIS DISMAL REALITY BEARS AN EERIE HISTORICAL FAMILIARITY. THESE STORIES FORCE READERS TO ASK THEMSELVES: ‘IS THIS WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE TO LIVE DURING HISTORY’S GREAT ATROCITIES?’”

SIERRA ELLIS

“FUND THE ARTS” - NYSSA MORGAN

16

MARS’ HILL:WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME, FIELD OF STUDY, AND YEAR AT TWU? ELISABETH BROWNING: Elisabeth Browning (like the poet), Social Sciences with the Human Services Certificate, Third year.

MH: ANY FUTURE TATTOOS ON THE HORIZON? EB: I had a cute cactus tattoo planned as a filler in my accidental sleeve I’ve started on my right arm but car troubles sucked away my tattoo fund. So none at the moment, but hopefully soon!

MH: WHAT TATTOO(S) DO YOU HAVE? EB: I have a large spring bouquet with crocuses, daisies, cosmos, and dandelions, a floral piece with a pair of scissors intertwined, a small smiley face my mom drew, a bouquet of three roses in a vase, and the words “Transparency, my love.”

MH:WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE? EB: My favorite is definitely the words on my bicep, “Transparency, my love.”

MH:WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR FAVOURITE DONE AND WHO WAS YOUR ARTIST? EB: I got it done really quick in Langley at Rebellion Tattoo Studio by Dan Thompson.

MH: WAS IT A SPUR OF THE MOMENT DECISION OR SOMETHING YOU HAD PLANNED FOR A WHILE? EB: It was definitely a spur of the moment decision! Most of my tattoos are.

MH: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? EB: I got this tattoo on October 11, National Coming Out Day. It is a reminder to be transparent and love myself in my transparency. I have had an incredibly tough year of coming out as queer to my family and then my larger community as well as leaving the faith I grew up with. Through these painful periods I have had to remember to love myself and not hide who I am. I’m tired of hiding, now I’m trying to live a life full of authenticity, and I love having a tattoo to remind me of that. I am also incredibly privileged to be able to live such a transparent life. Many queer people have to live their lives in the closet, afraid of who they are and how their families or churches might react. This tattoo is also in memory of them, their stories and pain and the staggering suicide statistics our community bears witness to each year. Queer youth are three times more likely to contemplate suicide than heterosexual youth. Queer youth from unaccepting families are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide than youth from accepting families. My body isn’t just a place for my favorite flowers or memories, it’s also a place to remember those who have gone through so much more pain than me. To honor them, and to never forget to keep fighting.

“BETTER PARKING” - JULIANA CHALIFOUR

17

TWU Recreation’s Intramural Soccer League was dominated by a brand new force with the arrival of Team Gartke. Named after club legend, Amy Gartke, the team was able to win both intramural titles in the calendar year.

MARS’ HILL: TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND ROLE THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE WITH TEAM GARTKE.

“ WE HAVE HAD THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CALENDAR YEAR OF ANY ATHLETIC CLUB AT TWU, TELL ME I’M WRONG.”

PAUL CURTIS: I was originally team captain, but I was conscripted into a managerial capacity once our second campaign took place. My scouting abilities were able to secure many big names for the club. We came in as a new team in January 2019 with little expectations for the league. Big names like Seina Kashima, former USPORTS Player of the Year, made us noticeable to our competition as the season began. Though we lost a couple games throughout the year, we ended up winning both TWU Recreation championships.

MH: WHAT IS YOUR SOCCER EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO TEAM GARTKE? PC: My managerial career began at a young age throughout my ventures in FIFA’s manager mode. Regarding my playing career, my highest achievement was finishing fifth in scoring on my Silver 2 U-17 team. The next year I was cut from my high school team in grade 12.

MH: WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST TRANSFERS YOU MADE FOR THE CLUB? PC: Once we lost our starting goalkeeper, Rachel Sydor, we had to go out and find a big name in net. Our club opted for Luke Rattray as a result of Sydor’s departure. Outside of the net, Kyle Martins, Leanne Johnson, and Taylor Johnson were our biggest signings. Kyle was the most expensive transfer as I had to hire him as an apartment rep in exchange for joining our team.

MH: WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IN YOUR MANAGERIAL CAREER? PC: Giving Tyler Jones and Antonio Fernandez too many minutes and not making a serious bid on Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.

MH: WILL YOU LOOK BACK ON TEAM GARTKE AS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE? PC: We have had the most successful calendar year of any athletic club at TWU, tell me I’m wrong.

“START ANOTHER PODCAST” - REES MORGAN

18

RAs

NYSSA MORGAN

Aries (March 21 - April 19): 2020 will be high pressure for you so remember to stock up on stress balls, to practice yoga, and to download some meditation tracks.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): You need to stay grounded this year; try going into a forest, sticking your feet in the dirt, and pretending you’re a tree.

Libra (September 23 - October 22): This is the time to focus on self-love, meaning you need to let go of the negative energy surrounding you and listen to Lizzo on repeat instead.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21): You can expect a lot of change this year so make sure to buy a bigger wallet for all the dimes and nickels Gemini (May 21 - June 20): you’ll be carrying.

This is the year you will have powerful money stars. What Sagittarius (November 22 are money stars? No idea, December 21): but yours are super-duper The new Scooby-Doo movie, Scoob!, will have a large powerful. impact on your life in 2020.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22): 2020 is the year for you to Capricorn (December 22 focus on self-transforma- January 19): tion. But remember, get- Eliminating anything from ting bangs means a mental your everyday life that feels toxic should be a priority, esbreakdown, not growth. pecially whatever is responLeo (July 23 - August 22): sible for that weird smell in Your motto for the year is your fridge. “slow and steady wins the race” (unless you’re Usain Aquarius (January 20 - FebBolt. Then just disregard ruary 18): your horoscope for this Think about what scares you and deal with it as best year). you can this year. Unless it’s Virgo (August 23 - Septem- a spider in your room. Then you should just move out ber 22): This year you will meet your immediately. sole mate: not the love of your life, but someone wear- Pisces (February 19 - March 20): ing the same shoes as you.

2020 is the year of discovering new passions by trying new things. So go travel, join an ACDC cover band, stop blinking, or even lick some dirt.

EMMETT HANLY

AMARIS HENRY

TYLER JONES January 2020: Your alarm clock rings at 6:45 a.m. Electrified with intensity and focus, you are able to propel yourself out of bed with one phrase in mind: let’s hit these gains. Ready to flex your brand new AirPods and that loose-fitting long sleeve Nike compression shirt, there is no doubt that you will look cool while you strive for your fitness goals. Confident, excited, and willing, you’re about to tackle your fitness resolutions to hit the gym.

December 2020: Since you have already hit it four times this morning, you slap your phone’s snooze button again without missing a beat. You haven’t gone to the gym in four months. Exams are hitting you hard and you often wonder if science would categorize you as a sedentary human being. With all of this in mind, you’re unsure whether the gym is the right answer as you ponder the choice you have made in your 2020 resolution. With 2021 right around the corner you decide that you’re going for it again. You June 2020: Your hopes for working towards your de- ask for another Nike compression shirt for Christmas in an sired summer physique are somewhat stunted. Significant attempt to force yourself into the gym. You have learned strides were taken in achieving your fitness goals from nothing.

January to March, but the last three months have been nothing short of difficult. Waking up at 6:45 a.m. on a daily basis is difficult, so the few times you hit the gym are scattered throughout each week. You slowly begin to seep back into laziness and pleasure. Your diet reverts back to normal when you realize that junior chickens taste far better than green smoothies.

“GIVE OUT MORE FREE FOOD” - NYSSA MORGAN

THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO GRADUATE STUDIES AFTER YOUR BACHELOR’S DEGREE? Find your gateway to a fulfilling future

Join us at our Grad Info Session Brunch on February 8 Find out how a graduate degree at Trinity can give you the academic, practical, and professional edge you need to succeed in today’s career marketplace.

Compare our flexible study options

EXPLORE OUR

19 GRADUATE

PROGRAMS

Bring your questions and speak with faculty and advisors.

Register at

TWU.CA/GRADINFOSESSION We look forward to seeing you there!

Hey! You’ve made it to the page where you can find out all about how to contribute to Mars’ Hill. We have 10 more issues of Mars’ Hill coming out this year, and you can be a part of it by following these simple steps:

Consider what you are passionate about.

What makes you mad, excited, indignant, fascinated? What do you wish people knew about?

Create a collection of topics you might like to write on.

Think about what section the topics fit into—News, Opinions, Features, Arts & Culture, Sports, or Humour?

Email or message the editor of the section You are now on the road to writing your very first Mars’ Hill article. When you feel satisfied with your work, send it back to your section editor for final edits and approval.

NEWS Grace Giesbrecht gracegiesbrecht4@gmail.com OPINIONS Ishita Wilson ishitawilson@gmail.com ARTS + CULTURE Makena Wardle makenalynn2@gmail.com SPORTS Tyler Jones tylerjonathanjones@gmail.com HUMOUR Emmett Hanly emmett.hanly@gmail.com FEATURES Chrisaleen Ciro chrisaleen.ciro@gmail.com

Once you see your article printed in the paper, you will realize that all the hard work was worth it. And you’ll want to continue writing—it’s quite addicting.

“HIRE A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR FOR MARS’ HILL” - CHRISALEEN CIRO