Volume 26 Issue 6: Uprising

MAKENA WARDLE Editor-in-Chief

CARTER SAWATZKY Managing Editor

RACHEL WEGNER Visual Editor

GILLIAN SCOTT Copy Editor

Dear Reader,

MARITHA LOUW News Editor

KYLE PENNER Opinions Editor

SOPHIE HOLLAND Arts & Culture Editor

SCOTT BOWERS Sports Editor

Welcome back! Though we have kicked off this semester at Trinity Western University (TWU) with online learning, we are still excited to bring you our first 2022 issue of Mars’ Hill Newspaper, “Uprising.”

For us, “Uprising” represents a number of things. In the more traditional sense of the word, uprising is used to describe a resistance formed to prevent or enact change.

Words like rebellion and revolution are often synonyms. In some ways, this definition is relevant to the current culture of our community, as we continue to see students, faculty, and alumni push back at many of the changes brought on by our current administration.

In our feature article, Syd Dvorak details the role that the Board of Governors plays at TWU, and how its decisions are affecting campus life. Grace Giesbrecht explains the political boycotting of the Beijing Olympics

BRAEDON GROVER SUNNES Humour Editor

LEX DIERSCH Staff Writer

DIEGO BASCUR Staff Writer

ZACHARY SIMONYI-GINDELE Illustrator

MARS’ HILL

CATE TSO Layout Editor

MACKENNA WILSON Photographer & Social Media Manager

Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University located on the traditional ancestral territory of the Stó:lō 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.

MISSION TO MARS

JARED KLASSEN Web Editor

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.

MEDIA ADVISOR: Loranne Brown

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in “The Separation of Sports and State.” And in “The Grand Quarantine,” Shijin Fan talks about the effects of COVID both individually and on our society.

Uprising can also be used to simply refer to something that is on the rise: something that is moving up, and to a better place. This is the hope that we have for our community here at TWU; that in the wake of the changes that last year brought, and with the unpredictability that this year holds, that we might look forward with hope to what is on the rise for 2022.

Cheers,

EDITORIAL POLICY

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 Editor-in-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.

CONTRIBUTORS

Bailey Froese Seth Schouten Grace Giesbrecht David Witzke Syd Dvorak Sam Rosenau Christa Lyford Abigail Broadhurst Cat Jenkins Rachel Wood Alisha Pinto Alex Walker Lorin Scaiano Cooper Gerbrand Shijin Fan Rose Elizabeth Henderson

DECLASSIFIEDS SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT MARSHILLNEWSPAPER.COM/DECLASSIFIEDS

Toilet rank. Upper library > upper Douglas hall > lower library > lower caf > Fraser lounge > main floor library > Douglas lounge > caf reimer > back 40 beach I FINISHED MY CLASS BUT MOODLE ONLY SAYS 96% COMPLETE! THIS IS BOTHERING ME

When egg grows up it can be.. egg salad, scrambled egg, bacon and egg, and if it goes further it can be chicken salad, butter chicken, basil pesto chicken, fried chicken, chicken soup, chicken pot pie and the list goes on. A tribute to “egg” contributor every issue

Headphones with chords have major sex appeal. Change my mind.

People who don’t like pink are just suffering from internalized misogyny. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Why even do a SETL if absolutely nothing will change at TWU anyway

Trinity has no buisness offering law courses again.

kinkblots and sinscapes

To the boy who threw raw chicken legs all over the Fraser parking lot: are you okay? Wyd

If you are the girl that drives a huge white truck, please know we all saw you hit that Mazda and stop trying to back into parking spaces. Sincerely Fraser You know things are about to get real when Cal says, please do not put this in the declassified.

Someone should write a humour article ranking the top 10 Cal quotes of the semester. i would never date a DJ submit your ideas for next semester’s mars’ hill themes here

Mary Magdalene was definitely a Bruh girl.

Everyday Dell be out there doing the Lord’s work. Ticketing poor college students for university they already pay too much to. Bless up.

Maritha Louw THREATENED to steal my truck!

My version of foreplay is walking around the pond and talking about how hard our first year, rich white kid lives are.

and just like that, mask becomes winter chin-warmer once again

Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle Who keeps sending my RA flowers? We must solve this mystery…

Homophobia is embarrassing

It should be illegal to have more than one final a day

Does anyone else remember when Tyra Banks asked Robert Pattinson to bite her on her show and he actually did it?

Does anybody else think it’s endearing when Kyle Penner messages “Yea” instead of “Yes” or “Yeah”?

Download Wealthsimple Cash and use the code RCWDJH and you get $25. Take your mom out for dinner.

Go buy some TWU merch.

Who are the people studying at 2am in the pouring rain in the pavilion? What kind of breed are you?

Hot Take: The $3.94 coffee you pay per year at TWUSA is socialism at work. Public funding works.

*Slaps top of book* “This is really the Caddilac of Biblical Hebrew Syntaxes right here” -My Hebrew Professor

Quote from a real FNDN 101 alumnus: “Look at me, I’m as human flourishing as it gets!”

Stop propping doors open. The alarms are hella annoying.

Reminder: the library is not a space to laugh with your friends go to Douglas or something

I miss the old photo on the declassifieds submit page. It always cracked me up

“Wood has so much personality and color” -Chuck Macknee <3

The SSS is the only decent secret society on campus. @skidlesmore for observers.

I just watched my roommate garnish his meal with gummy multivitamins

if you think that closing the theatre department is a good financial decision for TWU, remember that TWU is supposed to be a nonprofit

Calvin Bergen, you’re cool

The declassifieds did used to be more wholesome. I can attest

“You’re a true Jezebel.” —said to a rels major

Adulting is just realizing the need for coasters under drinks.

If it’s past 11pm and you’re in a resident hallway hanging out, yelling, running or blasting your music….

You shouldn’t be

I walked into Skidmore and saw that biter guy in the lounge. Hopefully no one was hurt.

Those Geese really be looking Thiccc though.

Holly you can stay with your boyfriend I guess

If you catch me staring at you it’s because I’m having an end of semester crisis and I’m trying to decide if dyeing my brown hair your shade of purple-black will fix my problems. So far I’m hopeful.

“lone wolf” mentality is going to kill you and all your friendships. Apologies for being harsh but it’s true.

Matt and Brad from Maintenance are my heroes.

Go look up how much Trin spends on chapel speakers and tell me again how we should cut the theatre program.

Isn’t it absolutely disgusting how early everything closes in this godforsaken one-horse town [Langley]

Some of yall really are out here exposing yourself by supporting the kyle rittenhouse acquittal… we see you Today on campus I saw a squirrel carrying an entire doughnut Can someone please explain canadian tire? Sincerely, A lost American Why is there no fruit bar at lunch time? just got an ad for sodexo on shmoop.com...what in the world All I’ve ever wanted was a personal bard it really do be jealousy [comma] jealousy Coffee flavoured food > actual coffee I will do it! I will swear at my friends for fun! egg

life’s unspoken truth: emma is the boss in douglas For the weebs https://discord.gg/ ZquM3K4mAQ To 1st year girls group I cut off in the lunch line, I’m sorry. It was very intentional. I was having a terrible day and to be fair… you cut in front of me first. I’ll try to be better. Sincerely 4thyeargrouch Having a bald head means I’m closer to heaven right? That’s still a thing??

How do English Majors survive in the real world?

EVERYONE IS CALLING EACH OTHER BESTIE BECAUSE OF ME, I STARTED THAT. Hot people go to REFIT with Brin. i want to feel ben montgomery’s nice mustache on my mustache 1107 cast, will you go on a dorm date with us? xoxo 3Lskidkids To whoever left their nail clippings in the farthest right treadmill water bottle holder … I am praying for you Normalize facial hair for women!

All these declassifieds about 6mid makes me happy to be friends with them, they are truly some of the most epic guys on campus Northwest, or DeVries (yuck)... is by far the worst place to live on campus

That guy with the orange shoelaces seems cool.

ur mom “The musquat mandarin is a deep shade of sunset” - Cal Townsend, unprompted People who just go hangout and talk in study rooms make me want to jump off Jacobson What ever happened to the Hymnal and Shevangelist ?

I agree that TWU confessions needs to be stopped. And if you submitted one of the hundreds of messages about threesomes, I sincerely and unironically would love to tell you about Jesus Christ’s love for you.

His unfailing love has healed me and continues to satisfy me far more than any passing pleasure ever could. I live in the West Coast Collegium.

Chuck Norris is actually Dell.

Cooper Gerbrand and Parker Kent are the same man in different fonts Ok but can someone please fix that bathroom stall by the gym?

The name’s Brooks, Delwyn Brooks.

I carry a badge.

You are NOT supposed to ACTUALLY eat the geese!

I’m too scared to follow fraserdilfs but I’ll check it from time to time just so that I don’t miss out on that quality content Bob Roberts, Dick Richard, and Jim James are so cute.

It’s these people at this school with their ways

That fire door in the library really makes me want to push it is that just me?

MLA or die When you twist around on a chair and crack your back in a public place, is it appropriate to make eye contact with the people behind you?

The memes at the gym may in fact be the cringiest thing on earth.

Abigail Sefzik who was dancing at the 4YZ party tonight, all the first year boys have big crushes on you <3 The library is the mask-police headquarters. Prove me wrong.

Note to self: while kissing, do not bite the invasive tongue. someone left a cd case with a love letter in it at the library - like in a section about attachment styles - and i just want to say, that’s real cringe babe I’m in my final semester here and I’m most excited to never share my name, major, and a fun fact ever again.

Mondays will cease to fill you with dread if you start referring to it as Moonday instead, as it was meant to be.

Love the believer, hate the belief.

Preminger is the only Barbie movie villain for whom I have any respect.

First Luca and now Encanto... Disney really do be targeting people named Bruno these days I love when people tell me I’m not covering *both sides.* It’s really funny.

Did anyone else watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager at some point? That show was a chaotic mess.

Who are Jordo and Bird and why did they write their names on a bunk bed Profs who don’t allow tech shouldn’t celebrate New Year if they’re stuck in the 20th century

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.

BAILEY FROESE

CONTRIBUTOR OF THE ISSUE What is your major?

Education with minors in English and History.

Where are you from?

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

What is something you’re passionate about and want to share with the world?

I have a novel I’ve been trying to finish forever, so hopefully I’ll be able to share that at some point. I’ve loved writing for years and I would love to be a published author someday. I also want to do some kind of autism self-advocacy work at some point. Lots of neurotypical parents have no idea how to raise their autistic kids without inadvertently traumatizing them at some point and have nowhere to turn but so-called experts who don’t have a clue what being autistic is like and don’t see autistic people as humans who can speak for themselves.

I would love to provide resources to those people as someone who has been autistic for nearly 20 years.

Why do you write for Mars’ Hill?

Like I said, I’m an avid writer, but I only got the chance to write for Mars’ Hill when Braedon Grover Sunnes reached out to the 11:07 improv group (they’re hilarious, you should definitely go see them at some point) and asked for a humor article. I happened to have an idea for a Bee Movie sequel, and here we are today. I hope to make more contributions in the future that have nothing to do with bees or sequels.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

Either my sophisticated clown sweater (black with white polka dots) or my black cardigan with a little ghost in a red-and-white striped toque embroidered on it. I named him Wald because he’s not quite Waldo.

What is your ideal late night snack?

I usually don’t snack on anything late at night other than intrusive thoughts, but I can go for a slice of chocolate cake at any time. I like it thick and richer than Jeff Bezos.

Who is your favourite (fictional) character and why?

Edward Scissorhands. He’s a goth autistic icon.

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HOW A RIOT CONFINED AMERICA TO THE FIRST STAGE OF GRIEF MARITHA LOUW

Long before the infamous events of January 6, 2021, Trump’s tenure as President of the United States of America was characterized by incessant lies, false claims, and propaganda. For five years, Trump’s preferred strategy was to simply deny truths about his mistakes. This all came to a head at the “Save America” rally last year, where thousands of Trump supporters–– angry that their preferred candidate had lost the 2020 presidential election “illegally”––marched to the Capitol building in Washington D.C. to directly confront the lawmakers who were in the process of certifying now-President Joe Biden’s win. Today, a year after the Capitol Riot, ongoing debates persist over whether Trump’s speech at the rally and his repeated denial of facts on social media beforehand, directly incited the violent riot that would ensue.

“The sad fact remains that the pull of tribalism and paranoia runs too deep for many Republicans to see truth for what it is.”

Only three minutes into his headlining speech at the rally, Trump said: “We won this election, and we won it by a landslide.” This false claim had been repeated for weeks on Trump’s personal Twitter page (now banned), by other Republican lawmakers, and, most importantly, was echoed over and over on social media platforms where disgruntled Republican voters chose to put their faith in a President who would, quite literally, stop at

nothing to ensure his victory. Ending his speech, Trump said: “We fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore. So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.” Certainly, Trump knew that there were groups among his supporters who were ready to resort to violence, and he did nothing to discourage them from using violent means to reach a delusional end. Some have argued that this closing statement in particular was the catalyst, the spark, that incited the violent mob to storm, overrun, overwhelm, capture, and seize the Capitol building.

The following hours of the Capitol Riot have been documented extensively by social media feeds and newsrooms alike. As the mob, with most of the participants armed with an eclectic variety of weapons, marched towards the Capitol building, past police barriers, one Capitol police officer on the steps of the building declared over law enforcement broadcast systems that a riot was beginning, and that the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Vice President would need to be evacuated from the building or hide inside. For the rest of the day, the mob broke through windows and doors, flooded the hallways and law chambers, waved Confederate and Trump election campaign flags, entered lawmakers’ offices and rifled through confidential and classified documents—basically, the mob made themselves at home, if home was filled with lethal weapons, a Shaman, and armed militias.

After that infamous day, President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for inciting an insurrection, becoming the first American president to be impeached twice. Ultimately, Trump was acquitted by the Senate, though he continues to face investigations from a special House of Representatives committee set up to create a comprehensive account of the events leading up to and during the riot. As for the mob, more than 725 people have been arrested for

their involvement in the riot, with their charges ranging from assault to obstruction of an official proceeding.

About 10 percent of the arrested individuals have received criminal sentences (including incarceration and fines), and most are waiting for their trials to be adjudicated in the coming months. About 40 of the accused are also facing conspiracy charges. The FBI Director Christopher Wray has called the attack an act of “domestic terorrism,” and the ensuing investigations have involved agents and prosecutors from nearly all the FBI and US attorney’s offices around the nation. The US Attorney General Merrick Garland said: “The Justice Department remains committed to holding all Jan. 6 perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law–whether they were present that day or were otherwise responsible for the assault on our democracy, we will follow the facts wherever they lead.” (NPR) Despite the impeachment, the investigations, and the arrests, the Public Religion Research Institute reports that in November 2021, 68 percent of Republicans still believe that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” from Donald Trump. These tens of millions of Americans are stuck somewhere between the grief stages of denial, anger, and bargaining. Their belief that American democracy can be championed by attacking the results of a free, fair, and legal election prevents them from joining the few Republicans who have accepted the election results and acknowledge the danger that Trump, the riot, and the Republican Party’s persistent denial pose to democracy. Even if the special House committee can produce a complete account of the riot, even if Trump had been impeached by the Senate, even if Trump supporters could have hand-counted every vote themselves, the sad fact remains that the pull of tribalism and paranoia runs too deep for many Republicans to see truth for what it is.

THE SEPARATION OF SPORTS AND STATE: THE DIPLOMATIC BOYCOTT OF BEIJING 2022 GRACE GIESBRECHT

Sports of all shapes and sizes have always been political in their own sense. Few such intense and carefully organized institutions, particularly when they span national borders and thousands of participants, can avoid the pitfalls of politics.

When these sports become political in the broader sense of the word, however—when they are used to send messages, protest, or otherwise transform into another arena of diplomacy— questions arise as to whether or not this role is a useful one.

These questions arose again with the recent diplomatic boycotts of the Beijing 2022 Olympics. The setting for the 2022 Winter Olympics has been hit by a flurry of diplomatic boycotts from Western nations including Canada, the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom.

These boycotts are attempts on the part of the Western nations to separate sports from politics, and to allow athletes from participating countries to compete in their events while still using a major international event to express a political message: in this case, a vigorous rebuke of alleged human rights abuses in the host nation.

The current boycott against the Beijing Olympics is in response to ongoing reports of human rights violations against the Uyghur Muslim minority population in the Chinese province Xinjiang. Human rights groups and Western governments alike have accused China of genocide against the Muslim minority through the use of forced sterilization and re-education (or, less euphemistically, detention) centres through the province.

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China has repeatedly denied these serious allegations.

Foreign relations have also been strained over the Chinese government’s crackdown on democratic advocacy and political freedom in Hong Kong and, in Canada’s case, the still-stinging plight of unjustly imprisoned Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

“Separating the sports from the politics and functions as a rebuke of China’s alleged violations without harming the futures of Canadian athletes.”

Though the Olympics themselves are intended to be politically neutral arenas of multinational rivalry, as per their charter, using international competition (and others like it) to make a political statement is not a new phenomenon. The American-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 is the infamous example. Enraged by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the US and its allies refused to allow their athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. As it had little effect on the geopolitical climate of the era, this boycott was generally con-

sidered a failure. Its only effect was to harm the athletes it prevented from competing on behalf of their home nations on the international stage.

This year, however, in the effort to both send an important political message to China, and to allow the games to continue without punishing the athletes themselves, boycotting the Olympics is taking on a new form. The diplomatic boycott of 2022 allows athletes from participating countries to attend the games, but no dignitaries or officials from the boycotting nations will travel to Beijing. Separating the sports from the politics functions as a rebuke of China’s alleged violations without harming the futures of Canadian athletes.

Lauding the Canadian government’s decision to participate in the diplomatic boycott, the Canadian Olympic Committee appreciated, in particular, the government’s effort to “draw an important distinction between the participation of athletes and the participation of government officials.”

The diplomatic boycott sends a primarily symbolic message but has ruffled feathers in China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that the boycott “seriously violates the principle of political neutrality of sports established by the Olympic Charter and runs counter to the Olympic motto ‘more united.’” As the first diplomatic boycott of such an event to take place, any actual effects will be hard to gauge until the event begins.

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW: AN INTERVIEW WITH CAT JENKINS LEX DIERSCH

As people across the globe witnessed the effects of climate change, the nations of the world came together in early November 2021, to discuss its effects: what it means for their citizens, and for the earth. One of our fellow students here at Trinity Western University (TWU) attended this summit.

Cat Jenkins is a fourth year Environmental Studies major at TWU who is planning to pursue her master’s degree in Forestry and Master of Laws (LLM) in Environmental Law. I sat down with Jenkins to discuss their experience at Glasgow, Scotland’s climate change summit, COP26.

“It is saving us, humanity, not the planet.”

Mars’ Hill: What is COP26?

Cat Jenkins: COP stands for “Conference of the Parties,” and it is the 26th year that the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been doing it. It is an annual meeting of international delegates for two weeks, during which they negotiate and attempt to create a new policy that says: We care about the environment and this is how we are going to protect it.

MH: What were some of the key topics of discussion that COP26 focused on?

Cat Jenkins: This year’s summit had a specific motto: “Keep +1.5C Alive.” Passing this threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius will have dire consequences: the 6th mass extinction, hundreds of species eradicated daily, sea levels rising by meters, B.C.’s heat dome and droughts recurring, and much more. There were critical messages surrounding the power of fossil fuels, incorporating all of the government for positive movement and the simple fact that society cannot adapt overnight; it is an incremental process.

Acknowledging that the least developed countries are being hit the hardest [by climate change] was urgent, knowing that their economies lack the strength for “green” improvements. To quote Sir David Attenborough: “The developed countries of the world have created this crisis and the people who are paying most as a consequence are the poorest people in the world…What a gross injustice.” Around 0.3 percent of emissions came from Bangladesh last year, yet they are getting hit the hardest.

Moreover, the importance of gender stands in climate justice––women and children are typically hit the hardest because men tend to have more power. Women in general are underrepresented in boardrooms. Youth also have less of a presence.

Infrastructure was important [during the conference] as well. It directs how society moves: Do we have green buses? Do we have energy efficient buildings? Do we have proper electrical wiring and L.E.E.D. certification? How can we create

“green” cities, and have infrastructure that uses renewable energy and promotes an environmentally friendly future? To quote Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, “…it is not about saving the planet…[T]he planet doesn’t need us. In fact, it might be better off, arguably, without us. We are the ones who need to be saved.” It is saving us, humanity, not the planet.

MH: What was your favourite part of COP26?

Cat Jenkins: My favourite part of COP26 was entering into this unknown world of chaotic hallways–– having my field of vision filled with important people, and knowing my place. I was a “nobody” observer, a university student with a badge. I was thrilled to be connecting with people and learning their purpose. As a Christian, a comparably younger woman, and one representing invisible minorities, it was an honour to be in those rooms, even though it should not have been. Everyone should have access to a conference that has the power to change the future of humanity.

MH: What did it mean for you as a woman, as a Christian, representing not just the Christian Climate Observers, but TWU and B.C. as a whole?

Cat Jenkins: Most people in the realm of politics and environmentalism do not think that Christians care about the environment. As someone who undoubtedly cares about the environment, I [wanted] to say: “I am an undergraduate student in environmental studies at TWU, a faith-based institution. I partake in environmental restoration with the Christian non-governmental organization, A Rocha Canada. I also come from British Columbia, Canada, which in the past four years has had the country’s worst wildfires, not to mention the summer’s heat dome and autumn’s atmospheric river that knocked out the Sumas Prairie. As a Christian, I represent a religion that biblically enforces stewardship of Creation.”

Paul Beckwith, Ph.D., and Peter Carter, M.D., did mention on one of their press conference panels that everyone cares about California’s and Pakistan’s summer heat records, but no one knew that a town in B.C., Canada hit 49 degrees Celsius for two days in a row and then burned to the ground.

It was already quiet in [the room], but I could feel that people had not known that. I went up and addressed the panel afterwards and said, “Thank you. As a British Columbian I am deeply thankful that you mentioned our circumstances, because no one is listening.” The fact that they mentioned such a small event…to me, it was huge.

MH: What do you hope that British Columbians, TWU, and Christians will take away from COP26?

Cat Jenkins: I think that one of several key takeaways is that the time to act is now. We have run out of time to dilly dally and do business as normal. We all live on this earth, and we want to sustain ourselves and continue to have future generations. If you like to eat meat, fine. If you like to drive your car, cool. We all depend on fossil fuels to

some extent. But we can work together as a global team to benefit the economy. We need these things, but we also need to save ourselves. If we do not, then we will be killing ourselves––whether that is through droughts, famines, or terrible wildfires. We need to work together.

One of the most memorable parts [of COP26] was the last meeting I attended. This room was massive; its capacity was 1089 people. Right before this meeting ended, one of the constituencies stood up and said, “If you feel comfortable, would you do me the honour of rising if you’ve been impacted, or someone you love has been impacted

by COVID-19.” About one in three people stood up. Then [the constituency] said, “If you are able to, could you rise if you’ve been impacted by climate change.” Everybody in the room stood up.

One of the women who was representing the women and children constituency said that many young women today don’t want to have kids. They don’t want to bring kids into this world, filled with uncertainty. As a young woman, I thought, “Wow. I wouldn’t want to bring kids into this world, with such a dynamic atmosphere. How would I feel if my child got asthma simply because of air pollution and had issues for the rest of their life?” I think the most important takeaway is that it is not just a you-or-me issue, it is an everybody issue.

“Everyone should have access to a conference that has the power to change the future of humanity.”

Yet, as Christians…we have hope in Jesus Christ.

And whether or not you believe in Them, it is important that you see that there is hope. Because if there’s no hope, then you’re stuck…and in an eco-anxiety spiral, which many people were in after that conference. Yes, eco-anxiety is a condition in the present world. Please talk about it.

We need to keep 1.5 alive. If we hit 1.5 degrees Celsius, we create irreversible damage to the atmosphere. Biodiversity will begin to die. We cannot just mitigate or reduce all of climate change; it is already occurring. We saw it last year with the floods. Those are probably one in 200 year floods, but they happened [last year] and they happened the year before. However, nobody cared because they didn’t expect it: “oh, it’s just a heavy seasonal rain.” That is not just rain; Glover does not get flooded every day. We cannot just reduce––we cannot just say we need to stop eating burgers.

We have to do both mitigation and adaptation because the world depends on it. Humanity depends on it.

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FEMINIST NEWS HOW MUCH LONGER?: OMICRON AND VACCINE INEQUITY

IN LOVING MEMORY: BETTY WHITE

As COVID-19 continues to dominate dayto-day life, there are many theories as to when––or if––it will ever end. With the new Omicron variant now causing more issues, many have a bleak outlook on the timeline of this pandemic. However, in the midst of the uncertainty, the World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is hopeful that the global pandemic could come to an end by 2022.

Amidst all the ups and downs of 2021, the year brought with it another blow with the passing of actress and icon, Betty White. White passed away on December 31, 2021 of natural causes, just under two weeks shy of her 100th birthday.

SOPHIE HOLLAND

“Even though Canada is working hard to contain the omicron variant, COVID-19 is not fully contained until all nations are able to access the vaccine.”

According to BBC News, Tedros remains “optimistic” about the elimination of the virus and its various strains, but there are still many questions about what it will take in order for this to happen. The main concern, Tedros states, is vaccine inequity. While high-income countries continue to accumulate a surplus of vaccines, low-income countries are struggling to afford enough doses to inoculate their populations. In response, Tedros said that “[v]accine inequity is the challenge of our time. And we are failing.”

The WHO argues that some high-income countries, such as Canada and the United States, are “hoarding” the medicines and vaccines necessary to bring a quicker end to the pandemic and reduce its impact worldwide. Low-income countries cannot afford to purchase vaccines when the prices have been driven up by scarcity. According to Tedros, the more countries that continue this practice, the more likely it is that the Omicron variant will evolve or mutate in dangerous ways, further extending the timeline of the pandemic.

The WHO also explains that this extreme vaccine inequity is a major factor responsible for low vaccination rates. In this case, the WHO is not referring to those in high-income nations who are choosing not to be vaccinated, but to the inaccessibility of vaccines in low-income countries. According to Our World In Data, as of December 30 2021, only 49 percent of people worldwide are fully vaccinated (which adds up to 9.1 billion doses administered in total). Of this, 77 percent of Canada’s population is fully vaccinated. However, in lower-income countries, the numbers are startlingly low.

For instance, only 4.7 percent of individuals in Nigeria are fully vaccinated, and only 7.9 percent of Ethiopia’s population is fully vaccinated.

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So, is there a solution to this critical problem of vaccine inequity? Many organizations and researchers are joining together to find an answer. For instance, the COVAX program, launched last year, is designed to address vaccine inequity and is actively seeking vaccine donations. COVAX consists of professionals from the WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). These organizations are donating and transporting vaccine-related products such as syringes, safety boxes for disposal, and vaccine refrigerators to low-income countries in order to supplement their resources. Many high-income nations have also shipped portions of their vaccine surpluses to low-income nations. However, these countries only ship portions of their vaccine surpluses to other countries once they have used enough for their own populations. They are not stockpiling because they need to, but because they can.

The WHO notes that low-income nations will still require new and additional strategies to make the vaccines more accessible in their communities. Many low-income nations are already struggling with high rates of poverty, inadequate health infrastructure, and underfunded public healthcare systems. Gaining access to vaccines is already a challenge for those living in rural communities which are disconnected from central healthcare operations and resources. Past epidemics and pandemics have demonstrated that these nations are often not equipped to properly distribute vaccines. Additionally, according to CTV News, certain COVID-19 vaccines may have a shorter shelf-life, therefore increasing transportation and storage costs. These barriers will only make achieving vaccine equity more challenging.

“Vaccine inequity is the only barrier standing in the way of the WHOs’ vision of a brighter, COVID-free 2022.”

Some specialists claim that COVID-19 will never be fully obliterated, regardless of which countries’ populations are able to be fully vaccinated. Dr. Martha Fulford, an infectious disease specialist at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, claims that COVID-19 will continue to circulate, but perhaps on a smaller level than it once did with, hopefully, a smaller impact.

Even though Canada is working hard to contain the Omicron variant, COVID-19 cannot be fully contained until all nations are able to access the vaccine. Vaccine inequity is therefore one of the greatest obstacles standing in the way of the WHO’s vision of a brighter, COVID-free 2022.

MAKENA WARDLE

Known most famously for her roles as Sue Ann on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and Rose on “The Golden Girls,” White had been in the entertainment industry long before that, and continued her work up until the later years of her life. Although the success of her career needs almost no explanation, White accomplished many things in her 99 years of life that are more than noteworthy.

White was a trailblazer for women in film and television, and became the first woman in the United States to produce a sitcom with Life with Elizabeth. According to The New York Times, she “won five Primetime Emmys and one competitive Daytime Emmy—as well as a lifetime achievement Daytime Emmy in 2015 and a Los Angeles regional Emmy in 1952—in a television career that spanned seven decades and that the 2014 edition of “Guinness World Records” certified as the longest ever for a female entertainer.” White was also the only woman to receive an Emmy Award for every category within comedy.

On top of her work in theater, radio, television, and film, White also made waves outside of the entertainment industry. During World War II, she served in the American Women’s Voluntary Services. After her passing, the U.S. Army wrote on Twitter that it was saddened by her passing, acknowledged her service, and said that she was “a true legend on and off the screen.”

“On top of her work in theater, radio, television, and film, White also made waves outside of the entertainment industry.”

White was also known for her advocacy work in areas such as racial injustice in the film industry and LGBTQ+ rights. In 2010, she told Parade magazine that ​​“there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones––I think it’s fine if they want to get married.

I don’t know how people can get so anti-something.

Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don’t worry about other people so much.” Her work, especially on “The Golden Girls,” has been a staple in the LGBTQ+ community, and is still referenced today in queer-centered shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race. When asked why she is so loved in this community in an interview with Frontier LA, White said that she has always played characters who “weren’t afraid to speak their minds, especially when it came to racy or controversial topics,” and believed “this struck a chord with the LGBT community.”

Upon her passing, many notable names took to their social media platforms to honour Betty White. Among these was former first lady Michelle Obama, who ended her tweet by saying that “There was no one quite like her, and Barack and I join so many who will miss the joy she brought to the world. I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven.”

Rest in peace, Betty White.

LOVE, REBELLION, AND THE MATRIX SETH SCHOUTEN

The nature of control presented in Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s The Matrix film franchise seems quite insidious. The Matrix, the computer software used to control humanity, is not like most forms of control presented in other works of dystopian fiction: the Machines have everything planned for. They are not content to just control events within the Matrix, but they have become so powerful that humanity’s promised saviour, the One, is a part of their design. If humanity will always find a way to rebel against the Machines, then that rebellion must be a part of the equation. If they design the program right, the Machines can guide the collective human will to their Machine-given purpose, that is, if they make the right choices. But they always do. It is inevitable.

“To director Lana Wachowski, The Matrix, beneath all of its philosophy and politics, is a love story.”

There is a moment in the recently released The Matrix Resurrections (2021) where a group of characters sit around a board table and discuss what they think the Matrix trilogy, here depicted as a video game series, means. The characters either reduce The Matrix to its most basic action elements or over-aggrandize about the philosophy using increasingly large words, all while ignoring what seems to be the beating heart of the series.

The scene is played for laughs as it seems to poke fun of its own existence, but it is rooted in the real-life discussions about The Matrix (1999) and its sequels that have spawned since the original’s release.

There are obvious technical achievements and distinctive Asian-influenced action sequences.

There are the interpretations of the series that centre around its philosophy, statements about capitalism, or the compelling reading of the films as thematically linked to transgender existence and identity. But Resurrections, always aware of its legacy, suggests a much simpler reading of the series.

To director Lana Wachowski, The Matrix, beneath all of its philosophy and politics, is a love story.

The series makes its defining statement about love at the end of its second installment, The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Unbeknownst to him, Neo, the destined saviour of humankind, has made the wrong choice and misled the Machines’ careful plan. Neo has fallen in love. Now, he is given an ultimatum: either he saves the woman he loves from certain peril and doom his species, or sacrifice Trinity and reset the Matrix. It’s a game of manipulation, a play to force Neo’s hand.

Towards the end of the film, Neo comes to the source, the origin of the Matrix and the place where his path ends. He finds himself in a white room surrounded by computer screens with a man in a clean three-piece suit, the Architect, waiting for him. The Architect, the Matrix’s “father,” explains it all—every action Neo has taken has been predetermined by the Machines, and the One is a necessary part of the functioning of the Matrix.

Neo’s true purpose, then, is to resent the computer and bring the human population back to square one. That is when Neo notices one critical flaw in the Architect’s plan.

“The problem,” Neo observes, “is choice.”

The Matrix is built on a binary, a math equation that always has the same result. The Matrix and the Machines must succeed because the system is built that way. All of the series’ major antagonists follow these fatalistic mindsets. The Architect sees it as design. He has successfully used the generic feelings of human loyalty of Neo’s predecessors to guide them into rebooting the Matrix, so why should it not work with Neo? The Merovingian sees it as causality, that our fates are predetermined by what has come before us. Agent Smith sees it as an inevitability because the powerful will always come out on top. The act of rebellion that upsets all three of these characters is Neo and Trinity’s choice to love.

“Why, Mr. Anderson, why?” Agent Smith asks Neo in the finale of The Matrix Revolutions (2003). “Why keep fighting? Do you believe you’re fighting for something, for more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is, do you even know? Is it freedom

or truth, perhaps peace—could it be for love?” Neo and Trinity choose to love each other in a way that moves them beyond the control of fate and the system’s all-powerful equation. While their impersonal feelings of love towards the human colony of Zion might be moved by the system, their choice to love is too specific, too intentional, too personal to be controlled. It gives them a reason to keep fighting beyond the confines of the war.

Confounded, Smith finally asks, “Why do you persist?”

“Because I choose to,” says Neo, getting up once again.

Resurrections, then, refocuses the narrative on Neo and Trinity’s romance. The Machines are smarter now and more nefarious. The newly reconstructed Matrix carefully and specifically exploits the memories of Neo and Trinity to keep Neo stuck between two worlds, never sure whether what he knows is a memory or his failing mind. It is an endless feedback loop of self-imprisonment in an idealistic world of digital trickery. The machines rationalize that if they can keep Neo trapped within his memories of love carefully reflected back to him, they can use him forever. Resurrections asserts that Neo and Trinity’s memories and feelings are still theirs, and the same goes for anyone stuck in a digital feedback machine. It is their lives, their choices, their love.

“Love is the greatest act of rebellion. It is selfless and fierce. It defies all others for its own sake.”

Love is the greatest act of rebellion. It is selfless and fierce. It defies all others for its own sake. To quote Resurrections’ on-screen dedication, “Love is the genesis of everything.” Neo’s story, whatever it may be symbolic of, is impossible without love.

The story of the One was always about the Two.

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INKBLOTS AND INSCAPES: A CLUB FOR THOSE WHO LOVE LITERATURE SOPHIE HOLLAND

It is a quiet Friday night, and a group of college students sit relaxed in a lounge with mugs of tea in hand, the incandescent lights creating a soothing ambience. These students are bound together by their love of three things: reading, writing, and discussing literature.

Books, tea, cozy blankets and a love for creative writing are some of the aesthetic characteristics which may designate one an English major at Trinity Western University (TWU). However, the English and creative writing community within the university has been, in the past, quiet (and perhaps a bit overlooked). So, how is the university offering students an opportunity for their passion for storytelling to be nurtured outside of English and writing classes?

Enter the Inkblots and Inscapes Society (IBIS), a recently developed, growing club at TWU. Founded in the autumn of 2021, it is a club formed for the purpose of sharing creative writing, discussing books and literature, and coming together to participate in fun events. While the club consists mainly of English majors, any student is welcome to join.

Per the IBIS society’s official mission statement, the purpose of the club is to “provide students across all disciplines with a community for discussion of literary works and critical support for personal writing projects.”

The IBIS Society was formed by TWU English major Bret van den Brink, who now serves as the club president. Van den Brink, a third-year student and teaching assistant, noticed “a great desire among students and faculty for there to be a casual space to discuss literature and to share creative projects,” and therefore was inspired to begin the club. Van den Brink explains that in the past, TWU’s English Student Society had served this purpose, however, it has not been active for the past few years.

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“The formation of the society was helped by the English Department who helped connect the various students who became the executives of the society,” says van den Brink. For instance, Sadie McDonald, a first-year English major at TWU, was introduced to the club by TWU English professor Dr. Holly Nelson, and McDonald is now the club secretary. Additionally, fourth-year English major Christa Lyford had a previous vision for a creative writing club on campus, and once she was connected to the IBIS Society’s executive team, she became the club vice president.

“There is no requirement that a student must be an English major, a gifted writer, or an avid reader to join the IBIS Society. All they ask you to bring is your love of stories and yourself.”

The club’s executive team consists of the following TWU English students: Bret van den Brink (president), Christa Lyford (co-vice president), Franklyn Konrad (co-vice president), Sadie McDonald (secretary), and Faith Nelson (treasurer).

“When we were looking for an advisor from the English faculty, Dr. Katharine Bubel emerged, and she is providing us with invaluable expertise and guidance,” says van den Brink. “Finally, we decided that rather than simply restarting the English Students’ Society, we should rebrand so that non-English majors interested in literary pursuits

would feel welcome. Thus, the IBIS Society came to be! After that, it was simply a matter of getting ratified by the Trinity Western University Student Association (TWUSA).”

Earlier in the Fall 2021 semester, the IBIS Society held a mixer to launch its club and vision. The evening consisted of a casual night in the TWUSA lounge with snacks, beverages, board games, and a collaborative art project, which included students writing their favourite literary quotes on paper leaves to be displayed on a bulletin board in the English Department office. “One of the best parts of the IBIS Society is the focus on inter-department inclusivity,” Lyford shares. “Our intentional move away from defining ourselves as the ‘English Student Society’ was to remove the barriers that implied it is an exclusive club for English majors. Students from any discipline can be passionate about storytelling, and we hope to amass a diverse group of individuals to grow together in our shared love for stories.”

There is no requirement that a student must be an English major, a gifted writer, or an avid reader to join the IBIS Society. All they ask you to bring is your love of stories and yourself.

In the future, the IBIS Society plans to meet on a regular basis to host various events, which is something which TWU students can anticipate in the coming semester. “We would like to host some larger events involving faculty or other published authors, writing workshops, or networking nights, as well as smaller-scale, social events like movie nights, game nights, and evenings to study and relax together,” Lyford explains.

The best part of the IBIS society? Various students would claim it is either the community, or the chance to discuss books with fellow students. Van den Brink explains, happily, “I think that the best part is the convivial environment it provides for bibliophiles.”

THE POP CULT DEATH TO 2021 DAVID WITZKE

Death to 2021, the sequel to Netflix’s satirical year-end review, Death to 2020, follows the events of yet another tumultuous year. The special comes from the creator of Black Mirror, British comedian Charlie Brooker. The review is told as a series of mock interviews featuring standout performances by the likes of Hugh Grant, Diane Morgan, and Lucy Liu interwoven with real news articles. Death to 2021 is a funny, surprisingly poignant, but ultimately depressing hour of content.

“Yet instead of being revelatory, Death to 2021 likes to pat itself on the back for creating such clever jokes at the expense of the people who should be learning from it.”

There are small moments of brilliance in the script, and it is quite refreshing (as well as increasingly rare) to see modern satire played as droll rather than hysterical. Death to 2021 attempts to walk a fine line between the crasser American comedy and the subdued ridicule of British comedy. The most comparable would be the antics of Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat series. A dryly played satirical film like Borat harnesses the awkwardness and cynicism as a way to communicate with its audience. Demonstrating uncomfortable truths about bias and the blind eye, we turn towards everyday discrimination and hate in our society. It makes the watcher feel as if they have a lesson to learn, regardless of the scenario, and the discomfort drives home the point Cohen makes.

There are certainly a few humorous moments and many that are at the very least chuckle-worthy. However, the satire is at times overshadowed by a pervasive sense of deep cynicism, painful reminders of the past year, and fraught pictures of North American society. From the January 6 insurrection at Capitol Hill, to anti-maskers and burning

oceans, there is unfortunately no lack of source material to pull from and that makes it all the more overwhelming. An unfortunate consequence of these feelings makes Death to 2021 a film that misses the mark for its audience.

Death to 2021’s satirical perspective is aimed at conservative, anti-mask and anti-vaccine Americans.

It should be unsurprising that Death to 2021 retains an incredible tunnel vision on American society, but it still manages to feel awkward in the face of its purported global focus, featured on the Netflix thumbnail and the content of Death to 2020. In the same vein, the film fails to entice the target of its satire into actually watching it. Each bit of discomfort comes from the fact that these actors portray such vivid depictions of things that happened.

The problem is that these moments of discomfort should be used to show the anti-mask, anti-vaccine, Trump-supporting section of the population just how ridiculous their insane actions were. Yet instead of being revelatory, Death to 2021 likes to pat itself on the back for creating such clever jokes at the expense of the people who should be learning from it. It only remains funny if the viewer’s definition of truth aligns with the show’s definition. The very people who should be learning from Death to 2021 probably would not make it past the first few minutes. Thus, Death to 2021 seems content with wielding the subtlety of a comically large hammer playing whack-a-mole with most of its jokes. Vain attempts at bipartisan ridicule comes in the form of a singular joke about Joe Biden’s rather advanced age. This is only funny insofar as it seems to be the least depressing joke Death to 2021 makes. Everyone and especially every political party deserves ridicule, and it would have allowed the show to be much more accessible to viewers of all political alignments.

Death to 2021 is short enough in length that there are scenes that make it worth watching (pretty much every scene featuring Diane Morgan was outstanding and hilarious on its own), if only because it is a paltry hour long. Last year’s iteration, Death to 2020, hit a particular stride with its jokes and provided a note of humorous optimism in a dark year. It provided an experience that allowed us to look at just how daft life can be sometimes. Death to 2021 tries to tread the same ground, but ends up providing a glum picture of our world while alienating those who should heed its warnings.

DON’T LOOK UP: THE APOCALYPTIC PARABLE WE DESERVE CARTER SAWATZKY If Jesus spoke a parable for our current pop culture moment it would most likely take the form of Don’t Look Up. I know, very daring of me to pull the WWJD card. But it is proven that climate change effects are set to displace millions in the near future.

And with over 867,000 reported deaths caused by the novel coronavirus (and rampant science denialism) in Northern America so far––it becomes clear that we deserve a good roasting for not knowing better. In an age of viral anti-vax identity politics and climate change denialism, we are all too familiar with the talking points of those who refuse to believe in upto-date science. However, Don’t Look Up does not take an easy route with its cutting, uncomfortably-true-to-life satire by focusing on Republican deniers and delayers. The movie skewers all sides of the argument and makes fun of liberals, conservatives, and the apolitical alike.

Released on December 24, the film broke the streaming platform’s record for most views in a week with over 152 million hours streamed between December 27 and January 2.

High viewership and negative critic reviews citing they “loved the messaging but hated the movie” clearly points to an audience desire for more––and better––stories on urgent climate change issues. The blockbuster Netflix Original stars Leonardo DiCaprio as astronomy professor Dr. Randall Mindy and Jennifer Lawrence as his PhD candidate Kate Dibiasky. Hold your breath when I tell you their pay alone made up half the movie’s 75 million dollar budget.

GASP. Their casting seems to have paid off, as their acting performances are already being touted for multiple award nominations, including Best Picture (in the Comedy or Musical category) for the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice awards.

The allegorical structure of Don’t Look Up successfully parodies the characteristics of science denial in both liberals and conservatives that ensues as two astronomers, Lawrence and DiCaprio, seek to inform the world about a planet-killing comet on a collision-course to hit earth in six months (a careful nod to the Climate Doomsday Clocks predicting a little over 7 years to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius).

Namely, the film illuminates how we tend to evade or delay action unless the science is 100 percent certain.

The first question President Orlean (Streep) asks the scientists after they explain that a comet is on track to hit Earth is, “So how certain is this?” Discovering that the likelihood is 99.78 percent, the president’s chief of staff (Jonah Hill) is relieved and replies: “Oh great, so it’s not 100 percent!”

Don’t Look Up relentlessly mocks other popular science-avoidant responses including the idea that the general public cannot accept disturbing realities, that technology is the solution so we do not need to act, that the economy is more important (even above impending science-predicted crises), and that our actions should always line up with our social identity groups.

As the latest Netflix movie with a to-die-for A-list cast––Meryl Streep, Timothee Chalamet, Tyler Perry, and Cate Blanchett, and even Ariana Grande are also featured––the film had high expectations and it delivered in bringing science (a challenging topic) to the big screen in an engaging way. Not every joke or subplot in Don’t Look Up landed, and there were absolutely some unfunny moments, including Jonah Hill’s cringe-worthy role as the president’s chief of staff. Additionally, the film’s humour occasionally dipping into misogyny as it played into sexist gender stereotypes of Madam President.

Although Streep’s acting steals most scenes in the movie, her role fails to resonate. It is meant to satirize the ineptitude that got us into our current political state, yet Streep’s character perpetuates false fears around women in power and scapegoats leading women as the catalyst.

“We deserve to be roasted for our science denialism. Don’t Look Up is uncomfortable to watch, but this is because its message rings true. Jesus would be proud.”

While the movie’s script was written before COVID hit with a vengeance, the film effectively translates not only as a poignant critique of climate crisis inaction, but also of the government’s brutal mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Don’t Look Up manages to kill two birds with one stone. We deserve to be roasted for our science denialism. Don’t Look Up is uncomfortable to watch, but this is because its message rings true. Jesus would be proud.

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THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS, DR. HUSBANDS, AND A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS SYD DVORAK

ABOUT THE BOARD

Recently, a lot of significant decisions have been made and enforced in the Trinity Western University (TWU) community, especially with respect to the Institutional Prioritization Process (IPP). Behind these decisions, the name Board of Governors looms like a shadow. Even with so many whispered conversations about the Board and its recent decisions echoing around campus, most in the community do not know exactly who the Board members are, what role they play, and why they make the decisions they do.

In an effort to clarify its role, we reached out to request the current and updated by-laws by which the Board of Governors operate.

Unfortunately, we received no comment. Instead, research into what has defined the Board in the past has proved fruitful. Though specific by-laws are ever-changing, the essential functions of the Board have not changed.

According to “Active, Dynamic Governance: A Statement of the Role and Responsibilities of the Board of Governors of Trinity Western College,” a document outlining the functions of the Board that was revised in 1982, the Board has four functions: “Appointment or recall of the President,” “Establishment of University policy,” “Representation for public and community relations,” and “Financial support.”

According to the TWU Archives’ “Board of Governors Fonds,” the responsibilities of the Board have included: • Approval of changes or additions in objectives and major programs • Authorization of capital expenditures • Approval of plans to finance the University operations • Establishment of controls essential to the protection of the rights and interests of contributors, the church, the staff, the faculty, the alumni, and the students • General (external) supervision of the University’s Business, Academic, Student, Public Affairs, Seminary matters, approval of faculty hiring and faculty tenure • Establishment and revision of Constitution and By-Laws • Approval of long-range plans • Fixing charges and tuition/residence fees

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Long story short, the Board of Governors is TWU’s policy-making body.

According to TWU’s website, “The Board of Governors is comprised of distinguished Christian leaders from across Canada and the United States.” Historically, this has included members appointed by both the Evangelical Free Church of America and the Evangelical Free Church of Canada, as well as other elected members and committee chairs.

Today, the Board of Governors is composed of 16 members, including Board Chair Frederick Fleming, Board Vice Chair Matthew St. John, Board Treasurer Leighton Friesen, Board Secretary William Francis, the Executive Director of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada William Taylor, and University President Mark Husbands. In addition, the President of the Trinity Western University Student Association and Vice President of TWU Alumni and Families also play roles in Board proceedings.

In the past, Board members have been appointed by the Governance Committee and voted on by existing board members. They serve terms of five years, which can be renewed. However, faculty does not submit recommendations for board members.

It should be noted that while it makes decisions directly affecting the daily lives of TWU students, the Board does not reflect student demographics. Only four of 16 members are women and there is a distinct lack of people of colour. The Board is also not entirely representative of TWU’s academic make-up, with almost all of the members holding degrees or training in business, theology, or the sciences, and almost none are arts-oriented.

The Board has consisted of more alumni in the last few years than previously, but not many of the members are full academics.

This is a concern for those who desire for the university to be more academic and less business-oriented.

In the world of industry or business, where board meetings are closed, the chair is the only member to speak publicly, and therefore the board is less likely to be criticized for its decisions. University boards of governors are

the highest positions of authority, but they are still there to function as representatives of the community.

Constituency positions (Chair of Senate, faculty association, TWUSA, staff association, alumni association) were added under Bob Kuhn’s presidency in order to include more areas of TWU community in the Board’s process. Kuhn’s time as president was characterized by more open communication between the Board and the university community.

Dr. Husbands, who was hired by the Board, began his tenure as president at TWU in July 2019. Two faculty sources, who will remain anonymous because they are not authorized to comment directly on the circumstances, have provided some information for this article. Source one noted that “it seems that the Board is now closing avenues of communication between it and faculty that had been opened when Bob Kuhn worked to create the constituency appointments on the Board.”

THE BOARD AND IPP Dr. Husbands mandated the Institutional Prioritization Process (IPP), supported by the Board of Governors, and it was underway throughout 2019-2020. On June 29, it was officially announced that TWU was “sunsetting” its BFA Acting, BA Theatre, and the MA TESOL. It was then revealed that more programs would be closed or suspended, including the BSc Mathematics and Computing Science, BA Religious Studies, BA European Studies, and BA World Languages.

According to the Institutional Prioritization Process Provisional Summary of Conclusions document provided by the second anonymous faculty source, “The IPP was intended to generate accurate information to inform the development of a financial model that will strengthen the University’s ability to deliver academic and co-curricular programs of excellence.”

These decisions have sparked outrage and confusion in the TWU community, especially considering that the announcement of these closures came on the heels of assurances of the University’s financial prosperity. This leaves many students and faculty debating the necessity of program closures.

Many in the community are questioning the intention behind the IPP. Faculty and students are asking: at what point does it end? Faculty source one stated: “The concern of some faculty is that TWU will become a collection of professional schools supported by liberal arts programs.”

The Provisional Summary goes on to explain that the IPP “is consistent with our stated promise to ‘unite reason and faith through teaching and scholarship’ in the service of developing students with ‘thoroughly Christian minds’ capable of ‘learning to think with accuracy, depth, creativity and humility from a thoroughly biblical perspective.’”

However, when asked how the Board defines Christianity and how this definition contributes to the running of the University, the Board declined to comment.

According to faculty source one, “Observing changes at TWU in the past two years, some faculty believe that the Board hired Dr. Husbands to ‘clean house.’”

“Observing changes at TWU in the past two years, some faculty believe that the Board hired Dr. Husbands to ‘clean house.’”

After the IPP, TWU Faculty Association submitted a vote of non-confidence in Dr. Husbands, with 71 percent in favour, only 20 percent opposed, and 9 percent abstaining. The Board’s response to the 71 percent of Faculty that voted non-confidence was that the Board of Governors has full confidence in President Husbands, despite faculty concerns.

A schism seems to have formed between administration and the rest of the TWU community.

DR. HUSBANDS AND TWU Aside from the IPP, Dr. Husbands’ time at TWU has not been without controversy. This is exhibited by a student-written petition to fire him that has been circulating the TWU community since November 29. The original petition cites a variety of unproven allegations as sufficient grounds for the Board of Governors to let him go. It should be noted that any mention of Dr. Husbands has since been removed from the petition. In its current form, the petition now focuses largely on the closure of the Theatre department. The petition quotes a question Carter Sawatzky wrote in their September 22 Mars’ Hill article “Theatre Belongs”: “TWU is a not-for-profit charitable organization, so why is profitability a make-or-break criteria for some of the smallest programs to continue?”

Husbands’ treatment of LGBTQ+ students on campus has also been a point of contention.

One anonymous queer student at TWU stated: “Being a queer student at TWU is to be in a constant state of concern for your emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical wellbeing. It is constantly fighting to prove you belong, and wondering who will and won’t accept you for who you are.”

This is where One TWU, an organized safespace for LGBTQ+ students, alumni, and allies, steps in. One hosts events, Bible studies, study sessions, educational talks, and provides a much-needed place for queer students to be themselves.

In 2019, One hosted a Stories Night, in which current students and alumni could share their experiences being queer and Christian.

To prepare for this evening, One leadership spent months leading up to the event building relationships with Student Life. One leadership specifically requested that Dr. Husbands not speak at the event, because it had not been able to form a relationship with him, and therefore did not feel comfortable with him doing so. Husbands attended the event and spoke anyway, opening the night by advocating for celibacy when it came to “homoerotic inclinations.”

The same anonymous queer student said “Dr. Husbands entered an intentionally crafted safe-space for queer students and made it feel unsafe.”

Refusal to respectfully engage with One TWU is concerning. It should be noted that One Wheaton, One TWU’s equivalent at Wheaton College in Illinois, was shut down under Dr. Husbands’ leadership.

While it is unlikely that this petition will have any effect on the future of the University, some of the points made in it reflect what has been on the minds of many in the TWU community. When asked if they were aware of the petition, the Board of Governors declined to comment.

STUDENT CONCERNS AND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER Perhaps the greatest frustration surrounding recent administrative changes, the IPP, and “sunsetting” of programs, is a lack of transparency and the very little information provided by the administration. The TWU community is desperate for information, and the university has declined to provide it. When asked if President Husbands and/or the Board would be open to a town hall to discuss student concerns, particularly with regards to program closures and the IPP, the Board declined to comment.

“Perhaps the greatest frustration surrounding recent administrative changes, the IPP, and “sunsetting” of programs, is a lack of transparency and the very little information provided by the administration. The TWU community is desperate for information, and the university has declined to provide it. When asked if President Husbands and/or the Board would be open to a town hall to discuss student concerns, particularly with regards to program closures and the IPP, the Board declined to comment.”

At some universities across Canada, boards of governors are more in-touch with their students. McGill University’s board offers townhall sessions with students and gives anyone the opportunity to ask questions at board meetings twice a year.

Sarah Kate Davis, President of Trinity Western University Student Association, was asked about her involvement as a member of the Board and how she thinks the relationship between administration and students can be strengthened.

“I think one aspect that could be improved,” Davis responded, “is the communication link between admin and students. Explaining the ‘why’ of decisions or giving more of a direct/ detailed explanation would help bridge a connection of transparency, respect, and trust. Not knowing what comes next or having information is okay but communicating that builds a foundation of trust and understanding.”

Reaching out to the community to ease anxieties about the future, to answer questions, or even just to share its reasoning for the process in person would demonstrate a willingness of the administration to communicate with students and mend a relationship in danger of breaking.

Grace Giesbrecht, a fourth year student, observed that “The administration currently operates with neither care nor concern for the community that students on this campus care for so deeply—in the face of this situation, it is our responsibility to look out for one another and the parts of our community that are threatened.”

If you feel strongly about supporting the Theatre Department after it has been scheduled for “sunsetting,” check out @TheatreBelongs on Instagram and Facebook, join over 1500 others in signing their petition, and help them fight to keep theatre alive at TWU. As One TWU explains, “The situation at TWU is not ideal for the flourishing of queer students—that is why we exist. We intend to educate all people within TWU and the extended community about the existence of LGBTQIA2S+ people, advocate for our queer students and alumni, and create community where we relate with one another.” If you are a student at TWU who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, or an ally looking to support, check out One TWU on Instagram @ OfficialOneTWU for more information about getting involved.

Students at TWU, a smaller university, have ample opportunity to be community-centred. Continue to check in on your friends, dorm-members, and classmates. As a liberal arts university, TWU should be a place in which you expand your bubble and challenge your beliefs.

However, as students, we can only be responsible for so much. Being in an enriching, Christ-like community is a two-way street.

Now is the time and this is the place to be vocal about your concerns as a student at TWU. As a governing body of this university, the Board should be hearing student, faculty, and community concerns. It seems that, lately, the administration has been running the university like a business without communication or transparency.

Communication between the Board, the President, and the other members of our community is essential. Trust is built on communication.

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RETURNING HOME, RETURNING TO OUR BODIES ROSE ELIZABETH HENDERSON The sound of children laughing bounces off the buildings that surround me, waking me up, startling me back into the presence of the world in which I exist.

Many people inhabit this earth, walking, talking, sitting, laughing, feeling, not realizing how grounded they are to the world and their surroundings, and subconsciously even to their perceptions of their inner and outer experience of the self.

For others, there is a disconnect––a constant and pressing experience of everything that surrounds us and is within us, a feeling of being outside of the real world, outside of our bodies, sometimes outside of our minds.

“Dissociation, as a reaction, often to psychic trauma, is the secret stealer of the experience of aliveness, but it doesn’t have to win.”

In The Body Keeps Score, Bessel Van der Kolk describes someone who illustrates this feeling, painting the picture of a girl who “put her head in the clouds” at critical moments. She separates herself from her being, to protect herself from an oncoming abuse that she knows too well. When we, like that girl, have had to protect ourselves from certain situations, it can become routine to separate oneself in consciousness, of our body and mind, often out of necessity. And when this happens for so long, it can begin to go unnoticed, becoming

commonplace, as this coping mechanism protects us, dampening the force of the impact. It is how our bodies helped us survive.

Dissociation, as a reaction, often to psychic trauma, is the secret stealer of the experience of aliveness, but it doesn’t have to win.

Maybe this feels normal to you, or you didn’t know it wasn’t common for everyone else. Then again, normal is subjective and we cannot really define it in a satisfactory way for all of us.

Finding belonging within your own body and safety within being yourself is an experience that is good for our wellbeing, and when dissociation threatens to take this away from us, we can practice returning home, returning to our bodies.

One of the hardest parts of this dissociated response is losing the sense of being able to feel alive.

Not everyone knows that they are dissociating.

Many of us might not realize we do so until it is suddenly but subtly there; the experience of things being numbed, separate from reality and conscious awareness, without the impact of emotional significance or effect.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) highlights the fact that “[d]issociation may allow the individual to maintain allegiance to two contradictory truths while remaining unconscious of the contradiction.” In a world of fake news and fact checkers that no one seems to trust, receiving inputs from ourselves that present two alternative experiences of a situation can be utterly disorienting, leaving us with countless questions of what we have experienced. When our sense of self is in flux, we feel that sense of disorientation to our bones.

It is a common experience for most people to have—at least in a mild form—from time to time, when daydreaming or drifting off in thought for a second, but usually coming back to the present within a short amount of time. For those experiencing more extreme forms of dissociation, this switch does not happen so quickly or as often, many times disorienting the person to their own sense of self at critical moments.

The feeling of presence is a gift, one that grounds a person into the here and now, pulling them into their groundedness. A feeling that is often missed when in the feeling of dissociation. When we try to hold on to the idea that we have to be okay, it does not make things better. It usually doesn’t, at least. Knowing ourselves, or beginning the work to get to know ourselves, is one way to move forward and make peace within our own experiences. We will be inhabiting our bodies, “her” or “him” or “them’’ for the rest of our lives, so we might as well begin making a home here within ourselves, with gentleness and a listening ear.

This is not a how-to guide on working through this very serious experience, but remember that help is available if you need it. The intention here is to highlight an experience that might feel familiar to you, to encourage you on your journey in hope that it is possible to feel alive, present, whole. That this experience of dissociation stealing the feeling of aliveness does not have to win.

Holding a posture of curiosity to oneself, to re-discover our sense of self, can be the beginning of the grounding work that pulls us back into our own being, even if just for a moment, to access the freedom of feeling alive, so that you too, can inhabit this earth, walking, talking, sitting, laughing, feeling, grounded to your being, present to yourself and the world.

NEW YEAR, NEW ME? LEX DIERSCH

Diets, exercise, travel more, journal every day, start a hobby, get rid of bad habits––we have all been guilty of making resolutions come January 1. It might have started out great at first. You make a schedule, little checkboxes in your bullet journal, and start the new year fresh with conviction and determination. January 1, 2, 3 go by, and before you know it, your conviction and determination start to fade. Maybe you last another week or so, but you start to miss a day, then two…

This culture of making New Year’s resolutions can be helpful or harmful, depending on the person and the resolution. The image of starting the year off better than the last is tempting to all. Who wouldn’t want a fresh start?

The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that they expect too much, and they expect it too fast.

Change is hard. It is difficult to implement positive change in your life, especially during a time when nothing is certain. After the year that we had, and the year before that, it is understandable that people are desperate to finally start this year off on the right foot. It is easy to expect too much of yourself too quickly. If you go from never exercising or having a terrible sleep schedule, you cannot expect

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yourself to wake up every day after January 1 and do a full-body workout or get nine hours of sleep every night. Assuming that things will be perfect in the new year and beating yourself up when they are not is unhealthy and will ultimately lead you to fail.

“Assuming that things will be perfect in the new year and beating yourself up when they are not is unhealthy and will ultimately lead you to fail.”

However, there are many ways to implement positive change in your life that are a lot easier to manage than more broad ideas such as “eating healthy” or “exercising every day.” Places to start could be seeing a counsellor, finding healthy ways to ease your anxiety, finding time to go for a walk,

or making plans with the people that you love. Taking small steps is how things get accomplished.

Maybe a small step can be writing out your goal and putting it up on your wall, or setting up a reminder on your phone to go outside.

Another problem with making New Year’s resolutions is expecting it to go perfectly. We are not perfect; bumps in the road are inevitable when pursuing anything. That is why going easy on yourself––understanding that you will not be perfect––is the key to creating positive change that will last. There will most certainly be days where you fall off the proverbial wagon––when this happens, give yourself grace. Open up a can of forgiveness and understand that these days are to be expected. Keep yourself accountable, but also recognize that you will not be productive all of the time.

“But I must possess the thought that progress is a process / And it ain’t one step backwards if you rotate your axis / Realize that a slip up is just part of the practice / This is just my attempt to learn how to backflip” - “Evergreen,” Flower Through Concrete by Bears in Trees

MY WALDEN-ESQUE CRITIQUE SAM ROSENAU

We live now in a post-industrial world, where the hard and oily work of generations before us has resulted in the overall increase of wealth, standard of living, and expanded accessibility to health and medical services. Human life, on account of the Industrial Revolution, has changed entirely. But in its glory also exists another deep, surreptitious evil: its ability to kill the human soul.

“The drastic and unrelenting gentrification of our world is slowly and insidiously killing an essential component of our inner lives.”

Humanity and its relation to earth pre-Industrial Revolution, though obviously dynamic in its own right, has generally sustained a slow and gradual progression of technology. And what had always remained constant and pervasive was some form

of rural life, where labour was inputted by one’s own hands, and the product of said labor was reciprocated: food, water, material, shelter; but also, and more subtly, a connection. The rural necessity of our ancestors allowed them to experience a continual, unadulterated, uninterrupted reciprocity between their minds and the natural world; a kinship once so elemental that now bears the resemblance of a distant acquaintance. And it shows.

The drastic and unrelenting gentrification of our world is slowly and insidiously killing an essential component of our inner lives.

To share an anecdote: I have never met anyone who has exclaimed their love for sidewalks, or carbon-copied townhomes, or the smell of urine at the gas station. In fact, when I think of urban life, I often associate it with deteriorated mental health, because that is what I’ve seen. But I have also seen in our cultural moment—many many times—a kind of pornographic lust for the forest and hikes and the ocean, and the need to communicate this lust with a sticker on the back of one’s Outback or CRV. To me, that is evidence that there is an inherent

need for the natural world in our lives, and that bumper sticker is a symbol for this fundamental need coming through passionately, but fleetingly, fitting perfectly within our current cultural context, but totally subdued by technology, urbanization, and modern life in general.

Some might say, “But Sam, urban life is so beautiful and full of culture, art, and life! Not to mention the programs, development, and social resources for those in need!” And to this I say: Of course. But at the same time, we must not dissolve into an amnesia for the natural world. We mustn’t acquiesce to the metropolis and allow job security to cast a stupor; to borrow a term from Berry, we must unsettle ourselves—out of the citified realm and back to a pure relation to nature. Not a passing and intermittent romance.

But we live in a post-Industrious world, where metal and cement and the man-made monoliths called skyscrapers reign tall in city streets, fulfilling that old aspiration of Babel, but reaching no closer to God.

THE SHAMED MAJORITY: THE PRISON OF PORN FOR YOUNG CHRISTIAN MEN COOPER GERBRAND

In 2019, Mars’ Hill published the results of a “Sexuality Survey” in which 505 Trinity Western University (TWU) students answered various questions regarding their sexuality. While all of the results were interesting, there was one section in particular that caught my attention.

On the survey, the majority of male (as well as many non-male) respondents answered that they view pornography at least once a month. Initially, this statistic was quite surprising. TWU is “Canada’s premier Christian university,” and my assumption was that its (generally) Christian student body would tend to avoid pornography. The more I thought about this result, however, the more it began to make sense.

Most people have heard at least some arguments about why they should not watch porn. This is often from pastors or parents, like my own, who usually appeal to only a few specific reasons. One oft-cited passage is Jesus’ commandment against lust in Matthew 5:27-30. What was missing for me, however, was the explicit assurance that I would be supported if I messed up.

This approach to teaching young, Christian men about pornography almost always leaves them feeling trapped. According to a 2020 survey by the British Board of Film Classification, the average age that children are exposed to porn is 13 years old, which was how old I was when I discovered it. While I do not recall having many serious lessons from my parents about porn, I did know that they thought it was bad. So I did what any kid would have done: I hid from them that I watched it, instead of talking to them—or any other responsi-

ble adult—about it. Of course, this led to immense feelings of fear and guilt, which further motivated me to stay quiet. Thankfully, viewing pornography never became a habit for me, but for many, the same cannot be said.

“When young Christian men lack someone they feel safe to confide in, instead of feeling supported while facing spiritual challenges (like a porn habit), we often feel too ashamed to talk about them and open up.”

I believe my experience is similar to that of many Christians today (especially men). When young Christian men lack someone they feel safe to confide in, instead of feeling supported while facing spiritual challenges (like a porn habit), we often feel too ashamed to talk about them and open up.

Furthermore, the lust that parents and pastors warn about is hardly the only harm of pornography. Significant evidence demonstrates that watching porn damages both friendships and ro-

mantic relationships. For example, an overwhelming number of porn videos depict violence against women—this can lead viewers, especially kids, to internalize this as normal behaviour. Furthermore, the connection between pornography and sex trafficking is undeniable; given the sheer amount of trafficking involved in producing pornography, it is virtually impossible to know if anybody appearing in porn was coerced, threatened, or otherwise participating without genuine consent.

Again, the last thing I want is for people reading this to feel guilty or ashamed. While Jesus did not condone sin when he confronted people, he still gave them grace: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (English Standard Version, John 8.11). That same grace is available to us, by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

For the past year, I have been meeting regularly with someone more spiritually mature than myself. Through this, I am “discipled” by having this person help me to better follow God. As well as being willing to correct me when I needed it, they encourage me and give grace where I need it.

Perhaps not everyone who responded on the survey that they watch pornography has a desire to stop. However, I am certain that many do. If you also want to stop viewing pornography, I encourage you to find such a mentor, as I have. In fact, I encourage every Christian to. Scripture is clear that the Christian life is one lived in community, after all. Finally, if you want to learn more about the impacts of pornography, fightthenewdrug.org is a very helpful resource.

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THE GRAND QUARANTINE SHIJIN FAN (SOLOMON FSJ. FORDRACO) Sometimes memories are wonderful; you can’t figure them out fully, as if your mind flew to a deserted place, laughed at your own embarrassing situation, then laughed again. I remember a while back I stumbled upon an American TV show called Californication, that revolved around a white male writer in mid-life crisis. I had the idea to upload the IMDb script information of the show to Facebook, but to my surprise, no one commented or liked it; I suddenly felt a little lost. The 21st century is a narcissistic society, and people are eager to get some kind of self-esteem satisfaction from that one little electronic device.

I look out the window; it is now winter and stepping towards spring. The world outside is like an ocean, sometimes calm, sometimes a snowstorm that can fill the world with flying snowflakes; a destructive force, but also a kind of mercy from God to nurture a utopian world. We often imagine that we can change the course of things, by becoming great, by amassing a fortune; do any of us really earn these things? Looking back at the nearly two thousand years of modern human history, how much space has been taken up by man as an individual in the long river of time?

This is a plague era, a sense of pathos. Love in the Time of Cholera, work of the famous writer Garcia Marquez, suddenly found a sense of touch with this era. Déjà vu is a French phrase that means something familiar keeps showing up again and again. The main character in this book spends his life pursuing some so-called romance and acts like a madman, but I would like to ask: how many people in our modern society can live so openly and freely out of control?

The World is now in the era of globalization, and the world is more like a family, unlike the late 20th century during the Cold War––but do we really understand each other? Or is it a kind of world with obscure colours? I always imagine there is a world full of tolerance of the various types of people, there are no class and hierarchy order anymore, no absolute power in charge and that state is with-

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out any prejudice on the citizens. But this seems like John Lennon’s song “Imagine,” which is only a pure imagination. Life still goes on, which is full of pain and unfulfilled dreams.

“We are currently living in an awkward period of time, the time of the plague, the time of isolation, and the age of grand quarantine.”

Some time ago I watched a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator, which is about the legendary life of Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. I had tears in my eyes when Howard, with a certain neuroticism, said “Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E” (isolation) in the movie. His mantra is the reality of our present world. There are many people who look forward to peace and hope for no disasters, but the world has let us down time and time again. Perhaps world history is a cycle, where every ten or twenty years there is a disaster, someone goes to see “Marx” and someone goes bankrupt and lives on the street. Perhaps segregation is a mapping of our society, a metaphor for the animal nature that separates us all, and by some psychic power pulls each country into a vortex of hatred for each other.

Last year was 2021, when the world was still hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed millions and millions of people worldwide, and countries rushed to close down their cities and borders and forced their citizens to stay in quarantine. This reminds me of Albert Camus in his novel The Plague, as the book’s imagery always haunted me in my mind which caused me to have endless nightmares including a dream of a group of giant ‘Corona beer’ monsters who kept chasing me in the street and making a clown face at me to scare me.

In fact, it is a bit ridiculous to say, and I wonder if it is sad, that this home quarantine has lasted for what feels like forever, but the pandemic is still raging. I feel the powerlessness and the smallness and helplessness of being human before facing a disaster. The 21st century is a grand quarantine.

Some people are displaced and become refugees, while others are wealthy and sipping champagne on the lawn behind their castles; some are privileged because of their racial superiority, while others are murdered because of their skin colour. In fact, I could extend these examples in thousands of ways, because there are just so many such differences between people.

Modern society pushes individuality, perhaps as a result of the capitalist system. Everyone sees their own piece of “cake” as a treasure, and fears that others will take it away from them, so they try to build a high wall around themselves; this kind of barrier makes the society extremely cold. I am a relative introvert, and I remember thinking I was a loner before the pandemic. I used to see people going to famous places with their friends and taking pictures together, and when they uploaded the pictures to social media, I liked them with some kind of jealousy. I thought I was the only one who could feel the loneliness of experiencing social isolation, but I did not realize that everyone in the post-pandemic world was experiencing social isolation. Only later did I realize that I am not the only one experiencing this feeling of loneliness.

I will be ending this article with a quote from a famous writer’s book: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us . . .”

- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

What is your major, year, and hometown?

I’m in my third year of Art + Design at Trinity Western University (TWU), with a minor in psychology, and I’m from Campbell River, BC.

Those works where I’m up there, really nervous talking about it––those are the works that people connect with, and I hear later how it impacted them. So it definitely pays off and it’s worth it to me.

When did you first begin creating visual art, and why?

It was a long time ago! I feel like it’s a cliche, but as long as I can remember. I was definitely the kid who was always getting sidetracked and doodling on stuff. I remember when I was little, I watched Ramona and Beezus, and [there was a scene where] they drew out their whole town, and so my Dad rolled out a huge piece of paper, and we drew out our own whole block. It just grew as I got older and got more involved in art, music, and theatre. So it has always been a passion of mine, and it’s just grown from there.

Who or what are your inspirations in art? Is there something that fascinates you or a certain artist who you see as a role model?

Inspiration-wise, it’s really just personal experiences or stories. Last semester when I was in painting, we had to create a portrait of somebody else, which was a cool experience, because I tried to portray somebody that I grew closer with. We had a relationship where they opened up to me about a lot of stuff, and I thought it was interesting to try and show a side of them that the world might not see. Being able to be empathetic and have people who trust you, who open up to you, having that in your work is really special. In terms of who inspires me, there are a lot of different artists. I do enjoy Agnes Grochulska––it’s more so about how she works, and the boldness with what she creates that I really admire, and would like to integrate into my work.

I think when it comes down to it, there’s also the students in my classes. It’s neat to see how we can all have the same project but a variety of outcomes.

It’s grounding to know that there’s still new things to experiment with.

What is your favourite medium of art, and what makes it special to you?

I think it has fluctuated a lot over the years. Before I came to TWU, it was definitely graphite and working with pencils, but for the most part that was because I’d never tried painting. Once I came here, I really enjoyed painting and it opened up that window of art to me. I enjoy the fluidity of painting, because I think that it’s important to be genuine and tell stories in your work. I like to capture moments that I couldn’t otherwise explain, and with painting it is a lot easier to capture a mixture of colours or brushstrokes or something. I still really enjoy working with graphite because you can use it in a lot of different ways to create a lot of different effects, so I think that’s one of the simpler forms and that really makes it beautiful.

Are there any certain subject matters or messages you aim to convey through your work?

I still like to experiment with stuff, and university is totally the time to do it! While I am a perfectionist, I don’t shy away from failure. I really enjoy talking about faith through my work, and I like to capture personal experiences, like different mental health struggles that I’ve started to talk about more. It’s sometimes terrifying, but it pushes me as an artist.

Is this something you plan to pursue in the future?

How do you hope to use your talents after you graduate?

The reason I’m doing a minor in psychology is because I’d like to pursue a Master’s degree in Art Therapy, something I only discovered since being at TWU. It combines a lot of my passions. I want to use my art in a transformative way to inspire change in people. I’m also a very empathetic person, so I feel like it’s a great way to integrate and merge those things. I’d still have work that I can create and be vulnerable with, but also to help others to be vulnerable through it is something that I really think is a special opportunity.

To see more of Abigail’s art, follow her on Instagram: @abigailbroadhurstart.

How did you first get involved with rugby?

My sister played, and she was three years older than me, so just like with a lot of other sports we played growing up she dragged me along with her. She played both in club and high school so I kind of just followed along in that path. I first started playing in grade seven, which is middle school rugby, so not real rugby quite yet, but that’s where I first got into the sport. Once I got to high school in grade nine, rugby really became more serious. My sister was in grade 12 that year, so she was really still just dragging me along, but I continued playing ever since.

What other rugby opportunities have you had outside of TWU? Nothing outside of playing club and school rugby throughout my time in high school. I wasn’t the most talented player, at least in my own eyes when I first started playing. However, it wasn’t a sport that I felt I should shy away from either. I grew up playing basketball, and that was something I was always quite good at, so for me it was a really good character-building moment for me to stick with rugby and really challenge myself to get better at it as well as ultimately fall in love with the sport. The unfortunate part was as I really was growing into the sport, I lost the last two years of getting to play rugby competitively. The COVID-19 pandemic started while I was in grade 11, so I didn’t get a season that year or the year after which was quite tough to deal with. We were supposed to go on a spring break tour to Wales to play and train in grade 11. That and a bunch of other similar things I unfortunately missed out on.

How did you decide on coming to TWU? My post-secondary plans didn’t really involve rugby when I was first thinking what I might do next in my life. I was thinking I would take a year off from school or go away to bible school. It

was around the end of the school year when I was in grade 11 that my high school coach mentioned TWU may be a good fit, knowing my faith background and that they were recruiting women’s players. From there, when that kind of became an option, my high school coach was really diligent about sending workouts and training things while we couldn’t actually do them together, so that any of my teammates that want to keep developing could do so despite the circumstances. What completely drew me into coming to TWU was seeing Tausani’s [Levale] testimony that they had posted on the Spartans’ social media. I was just so inspired by that, and I got in contact with her to tell her that, which quickly turned into her encouraging me to apply. She got me in contact with Andy [Evans], and the rest fell into place from there.

Tell us about your favourite Rugby moment?

This past fall we had our first intrasquad game.

That was a super big moment. It obviously didn’t mean much in terms of a season or anything, but that being my first chance to play rugby in over two years was really amazing. Especially with things actually working out and nothing getting canceled or changed last minute, it was so awesome. Especially to do that with the group of girls on my team was great too, just the way everyone was so pumped for each other because it felt like we were finally getting the chance to build towards something.

What other things do you love to do outside of rugby?

I really love to play music; I find it’s just a really good de-stressor for me. I play the drums, and then I have recently been learning to play the guitar just because the drums don’t offer that melodic aspect that’s really nice about playing music. I also really like the community that comes along with playing music, especially within my church.

SPARTAN SPOTLIGHT

RACHEL WOOD What is your year, team, position, and major?

I am in my first year, and I play on the women’s rugby team. I play in the forwards, specifically as a hooker. I’m also an HKIN major.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ABIGAIL BROADHURST

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ANTONIO BROWN: A PIECE TO A DARKER PICTURE DIEGO BASCUR There are many characters in sports: players with big personalities that at times become known for antics rather than their play. Reputations become destroyed and careers tanked. This has always been a reality of the storyline of sports. Perhaps it should be considered a dark piece to a bigger picture coloured with neglect and carelessness towards mental health amongst athletes.

“I think it is time we acknowledge the dark side of sports, the toxicity it can bring at times, and perhaps the next Antonio Brown can get the help they need.”

When we hear the name Antonio Brown, unfortunately for him “good receiver’ is not the first thing that comes to mind. Being a high caliber player seems to be something in his past, and there has been much that has happened since those Pittsburgh Steeler days. I think we often forget how

dominant this man was in his prime. In 2019, the NFL came out with an outrageous stat: since 2011, Brown has been the most productive wide receiver in the NFL, ranking first in receptions (821), receiving yards (11,400), and receiving touchdowns (74). Not to mention, going into 2020, Brown had 100+ receptions in six straight seasons, the longest streak in NFL history. Why is that so surprising to hear, and why does it seem that this man’s career in the NFL might be over when he should be somewhat still in the peak of his career?

It seems that the troublesome path which Brown has embarked on began in the twilight of his Steelers career. Having been benched and then found guilty of reckless driving, the Steelers organization and Antonio Brown decided to part ways. Eventually the speed machine found himself in an Oakland Raiders jersey with a massive contract. This, however, quickly became a spiral of drama and a fever dream of strange injuries, helmet issues, missed practices, and disputes with the head office. And so it was: Antonio Brown was dropped, then quickly picked up by the New England Patriots. This time Brown faced sexual assault allegations, as well as felony assault and battery charges, and again was dropped by the Patriots. Now we arrive at the present, where Antonio Brown, having been picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is now off this team after recently throwing his jersey into the crowd and running off the field mid-game.

There is a lot to process and analyze in the Antonio Brown story, and a lot to try to piece together. At times the world of sports seems to be just a game, just an industry, money-fueling entertainment. We can forget these are real people with real problems, facing challenges on a daily basis.

In the NFL, issues like CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) are severely overlooked and directly affect the mental health of athletes. In a recent interview with ESPN, Antonio Brown had this to say about CTE and the NFL: “You’ve been putting your life on the line for this organization, this league, this game. And after a while, people stash you away like you don’t matter… like, ‘If you can’t run for us, get out of here [...]that’s why these guys are getting CTE because they’re carrying that in their mental space.”

In no way does this excuse the actions of Antonio Brown; however, it does raise the question: where is the line between entertainment and dismissing athletes as real people? How much neglect is there concerning mental health in players like Antonio Brown? We may wonder how Brown could have got to this place, how this trainwreck happened. If we acknowledge the dark side of sports, and the toxicity it can sometimes bring, perhaps the next Antonio Brown can get the help they need.

WHO YA GOT?: NFL PLAYOFF PICK EM’S SCOTT BOWERS

AFC Champions: The Tennessee Titans put themselves on the map as a serious contending team two years ago when they were the team to put the final nail in the coffin of the Brady-Belichick dynasty. The worry for many Titans fans was they may be just like the Jacksonville Jaguars of 2018, who had one good run to the championship game and then went right back to having a top five draft pick every year. The difference between the two teams is found in the head coaches’ office. While the Jaguars team had a serious amount of elite defensive talent, the Titans have an elite defensive coach in Mike Vrabel, who hasn’t fallen apart with a changing roster. The Titans still very much have to worry about Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but with the myriad of issues for all the AFC playoff teams, a strong postseason from Derrick Henry should be enough to take them to Los Angles in mid-February for Super Bowl LVI. NFC Champions: This, for my money, is going to be the much more exciting side of the playoff bracket to watch, specifically the very likely divisional round matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The way I see it, whoever wins this game will be playing in LA in mid-February. The Packers at Lambeau have to be the favourites, Aaron Rodgers had another MVP caliber season, Devante Adams is unguardable whenever he wants to be, and they have two legit running backs in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.

Yet betting against Tom Brady in the Playoffs physically scares me. Players will perform out of their skins for that man when push comes to shove. He

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will miss Chris Godwin, but Mike Evans and Gronk are better receiving options than he has had most years in New England. The big question mark is the health of running back Leonard Fournette. Already a streaky performer to begin with, the hamstring injury that saw him miss the last couple games of the season is worrying. He could play and be relatively ineffective, but he just as easily could turn in performances like the ones that earned him the nickname “Playoff Lenny” last February. All of that considered, I’m going to take the Packers, but “Tampa Tom” could very well make me look quite stupid.

Underachievers: My pick for underachievers may be the most simple of them all. The Arizona Cardinals, who looked so good through the first half of the season, have already shown signs of falling way off. Injuries to some key pieces on both sides of the ball haven’t helped, but the Cards really haven’t looked the same since Kyler Murray came back from injury. He doesn’t look like his mobile self, who he will need to be to make game winning plays in the postseason. The verdict is still out on coach Kliff Kingsbury, but with a team already in a downturn of form, he doesn’t strike me as the type to really rally his team to make a playoff run.

Dark Horse Contenders: I really like the look of the LA Rams roster, but I think they just had more of an underachieving year rather than being an actual underdog team you could call a dark horse. In a year’s time we could very well be seeing them as a number one seed. Instead, my pick is the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow (or Burreaux or Brr or Shiesty, whatever you’d like to call him) has proved himself as elite this year with performances that will most certainly see him win Comeback Player of the Year. The kid doesn’t give a damn while he plays and it is so fun to watch. They have a stacked core of receiving options with Ja’marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and C.J. Uzomah. The two things that could hold them back are bad game management from coach Zac Taylor, who I am not really sold on, and not knowing which version of their defence will show up, as they have proven themselves to be one of the leagues most erratic this season.

Super Bowl Champions: In my fantasy prediction land, we will see the 56th Super Bowl contested by the Green Bay Packers and the Tennessee Titans. If that is the case, you’d have to take the Packers all day long. To be completely honest, whoever wins the inevitable divisional round matchup between the Packers and Bucs is my pick to win the whole thing. However, in this hypothetical Super Bowl matchup the Packers will have too many weapons offensively, and I think they will really force Tannehill to make some tough plays to beat them defensively.

Super Bowl MVP: Technically the backup running back, I could see AJ Dillon having himself a game in this kinda matchup. He could easily make multiple big time third and short plays and could definitely pop up with a touchdown or two while the majority of the defensive attention is elsewhere in key spots.

SOCCER’S MOST VALUABLE PROBLEM SCOTT BOWERS Each year the Ballon d’Or is awarded to the soccer player who is voted the best in the world for that full calendar year. Or so you––and many other Soccer fans––might think. The problem is that, just like every other thing connected to FIFA, it is so much more complicated than just that.

Of the last 13 Ballon d’Or awards, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have combined to win 12 of those. Since 2008, when Ronaldo claimed his first of five golden balls, all the way to this past calendar year as the mercurial Messi claimed his seventh, the pair have dominated world soccer. There is no doubting their accolades. Between Ronaldo’s 802 career goals and Messi’s 1077 goal contributions in just 951 appearances, we have been truly blessed to see two of the greatest players of all time in the same generation.

“Despite being lauded as the gold standard for the best player in the world each year, fans may be surprised to learn what the real criteria for winning the award are. And how the problems with that criteria is going to make it a lot harder for someone else to win the award anytime soon.”

However, as we approach the twilight of their careers, more and more questions have continued to creep in surrounding whether or not the pair are still the absolute best in the world. Yes, they both are still fantastic players, who on their day contribute massively to their teams. But they are not the players they once were.

Whether you believe that their drop is enough to take them out completely from the discussion of best in the world is a whole other story. Yet what this fall, back to at least some sense of earth, from these two greats has done is allow us to question the process in how the Ballon d’Or winner is de-

cided. For so long it was basically picking straws between Messi and Ronaldo who were heads above the rest. Now as we ask who else may be in the conversation, we finally start to look at the award’s actual criteria.

Despite being lauded as the gold standard for the best player in the world each year, fans may be surprised to learn what the real criteria for winning the award are. And how the problems with that criteria is going to make it a lot harder for someone else to win the award anytime soon.

First, consider how the nominees list is put together. Not through a selection of voters. Nor through even a fan vote. Instead, a list of nominees is released by the France Football Magazine arbitrarily.

Yes, the world renowned individual trophy is run by the France Football Magazine, not FIFA or any other international organization.

To be fair, they generally do an alright job. However, each year in their massive 30-man list, they always manage to sneak a couple shockers in: Jorginho, Simon Kjear, and Gerard Moreno in 2021, to name a few. However, the actual criteria better explain why those players may show up.

The Ballon d’Or is voted on from a selection of journalists, along with international teams’ head coaches and captains. Which unfortunately means the voting becomes a bit of a boys club rather than a vote on actual merit. Players and coaches tend to vote for their friends and teammates rather than who has been the best. That is not even the biggest issue. The actual three criteria for winning the award are even more troubling.

The first, “a player’s individual and collective performance, with an emphasis on winners, over the last 12 months.” Yes, this means that how much a player has performed individually is just as important as how his team has done and how much they have won. A troubling criteria that favours players from championship winning teams over great individual performances on underperforming teams. I say underperforming lightly, as with the amount of club dominance at the top levels of the game, you can be punished if your team does not win everything. A nod to how a player like Jorginho, whose club was a European Champion and whose country made the final of a major international tournament, could finish third in voting despite not being anywhere near the players near him in the voting.

Secondly, “the player’s class, both with talent and fair play.” Yes, the second most important criteria for winning the most prestigious individual award in the sport is how elegantly you play the game and how much fair play you demonstrate. Just how

one can measure “class,” especially class in terms of talent, seems to be about the most subjective criterion imaginable. Fairplay is an interesting one: it makes sense why Simon Kjear appeared on the list of nominees with his CPR heroics with Danish teammate Christian Eriksen during the summer’s European Championships. Yet, for an award for the best soccer player, this seems very high on the criteria list.

“Understanding the criteria will stop fans from making the award something it is not. An award for the best player in the world that year.”

Finally, the third criterion, “a player’s Career.” Yes, the history of a player’s career is criteria for a yearly individual award. That makes almost no sense to me. This surely does nothing for the award but allows it to be protected for the game’s elite. Even if we see players much closer to the likes of Ronaldo and Messi performances, or even surpass them in the next few years, don’t be surprised when they are seemingly hanging around longer than they should.

How do we fix the Ballon d’Or problem? How might we find ourselves with better criteria to decide the best player in the world? In a perfect world, we could rebuild from the ground up the structure within the France Football Magazine.

This is unlikely to happen as the standing process has too much historical precedent. Creating a new award is just as unlikely. Many attempts to do so have come and gone with not many glimmers of hope.

Instead, what probably needs to happen is a realization from soccer fans that this award is not solely given to the best individual player, especially with the way it is used in conversation to say so.

As more fans come to understand what the awards criteria actually look at, the more fans will be able to realize why certain players are still winning it years beyond their best seasons. And maybe they will complain just a little less when it seems like a certain player they love was not shown as much love. Understanding the criteria will stop fans from making the award something it is not: An award for the best player in the world that year.

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WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

ALISHA PINTO

[REDACTED]

It was a gloomy afternoon in SOCI 301 when a young 20-year-old white dude mansplained the struggles of women in corporate jobs. This gifted mind spoke on how women can “find it challenging in the workplace since they are socially trained to be mothers and housewives.”

If you are reading this, then I have some bad news for you, it is already too late.

The consideration from this comment was something I had never quite experienced before. I had to know more.

“Challenging? How?” I asked.

CHRISTA LYFORD

As your eyes scan this sentence, words laid across the page paint meaning with brushstrokes of ink or digital code.

Once the information has entered your brain, there is no possibility of reversing the process—unless you are one of the exceptional people who can force yourself to forget things, or have access to previously unheard-of technology.

If you are reading this, it is already too late.

It means I wrote the article.

Which means I emailed it to the section editor, and then it was read and reviewed, by other members of Mars’ Hill, and accepted for publication, and then published in the student paper that is circulated online and across campus.

It means I sat down with my laptop in an undisclosed location, and amidst the steadily growing piles of course-

work that I could be getting ahead on, I ignored their looming presence in the corner of my eye and dedicated my time to preserving a piece of myself for the loyal readers of this publication—for the true connoisseurs of Mars’ Hill: the ones who make it to the last page.

Is this mere metacommentary on extracurricular work? Or is this a subliminal cry for help? Help? Please? If more people wrote for Mars’ Hill, then my friend Braedon Grover Sunnes wouldn’t have asked me to write this a week ago, and I would not have put it off until now, and you all wouldn’t be subjected to reading it in your student paper.

If you are reading this, it means you have a chance.

A chance for your voice to be heard, your jokes to be told, and maybe, just maybe, get your father to finally respect you.

Try submitting your work to Mars’ Hill.

Please end my suffering.

“That is so interesting! But, if women are trained to nurture, wouldn’t we benefit from women in power–” “ANYWAYS!” the professor interrupted.

“Let’s carry on. There is a lot left to cover.”

I stayed silent for the rest of the semester. There was so much I had to learn from him.

When it comes to making big financial decisions, women tend to think of the smaller man, and that is bad. They think of better working conditions, rather than getting our annual numbers higher than the previous year—could you imagine?!

If a woman made the rules, men in pow-

One of his most memorable points was about the horror of raging feminists.

How could he succeed if women kept getting jobs designed for him? I thought about it for a long, long time. My parents raised me to believe I could be anything I wanted, and to always shoot for the stars. “Never settle for less than what you are worth,” they told me. But I began to re-think those things. If I, an educated woman of colour, wanted to shoot for the stars, what would happen to 20-year-old white dudes? How can I possibly dream of being the financial head of a company when a hard-working white guy would have to settle for something less? This is happening to men all over the world, so to any women reading this article, please, I beg of you, take a step back and think about all the dreams you are stomping on.

RA’S CAN BE COOL TOO

THE BEE MOVIE 2: 2 BEE OR NOT 2 BEE

You know what? I hear you cats, all of my dorm peeps fed up with these restrictions being laid on and off and on and off. I’m sick and tired of having my freedoms limited. I’m done with this vile virus cramping our style and dampening our drip-level. Therefore, I am planning an uprising.

You guys in? This is what it will look like:

In a film industry currently dominated by beequels, beemakes, and trilobees, the audience’s wants are what matters most. Here at DreamWorks, we know the audience does not desire originalibee or creativibee— they want familiaribee. And what could be more familiar than that lovable smirking insect, known best for leaning against two chocolate bars and uttering that ineffable phrase, “Ya like jazz?”?

ALEX WALKER

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“Well, like think about it,” he began.

“Women are just naturally good at nurture-based jobs. Think of how many nurses and teachers exist.”

er wouldn’t be making nearly as much as they currently do. It would be chaos.

I had never considered how terrorized hardworking men were for being picked on because society kept telling them: “All men are bad.” My underdeveloped female brain had never thought about the complications of innocent men.

Here I am angrily blabbering on about getting the job just because someone thought I had a pretty face. I didn’t stop to realize that men become targets of tyrannical women looking to take down the next man who accidentally stared at her cleavage for a little too long.

When I sit down on the can in a public restroom, I will NOT be wearing my mask. No one, and I mean no one, can stop me from inhaling my feces to the fullest feasible extent.

When I sneeze, I refuse to sneeze into my elbow AND wear a mask. I mean, come on! The mask does a good enough job holding my sneeze in. Who doesn’t love the snot lubricating your face to limit mask chafe?

When I remove my mask in class to take a sip out of my rubber ducky water bottle, there is no way I’m only going to “slide my mask down over my chin.”

Nay. I will dare to unhook one ear loop so that the mask dangles from my other ear. That’s right. The mask is still “on.” NOT. Speaking of classrooms. Just because class is online doesn’t mean I won’t be in class. I will happily sit completely by myself in RNT. And I WON’T wear a mask.

Finally, I encourage all students to join me tomorrow in hanging a mask from the power lines by the train tracks. This will symbolize how shocking it is that the school is allowed to ask us to wear a piece of fabric sometimes. Relax, I won’t get electrocuted because that is impossible since I’m already shocked! Plus, I’ll use wooden clothespins.

BAILEY FROESE

“Though we want to stick to the family comedy format as much as possible, we’re thinking of taking a slightly different route—a live-action one...”

That’s why we are pitching The Bee Movie 2: 2 Bee or Not 2 Bee, the long-awaited sequel to the 2007 animated film in which Barry B. Benson, a bee voiced by Jerry Seinfeld, tries to sue the human race for stealing honey from the bees while falling in love with a human named Vanessa. Though we want to stick to the family comedy format as much as possible, we’re thinking of taking a slightly different route—a live-action one (the

bees will still be animated, of course). This is because nothing sells more than dark, gritty, and beealistic, and that’s exactly where we want this movie to go. For starters, the film opens with Barry’s funeral.

We see Vanessa, clad in black and grief-stricken, previously unaware of a bee’s extremely short lifespan.

Beside her stands her son, Barry Jr., a human-bee hybrid played by Timobée Chalamet. He has aged rapidly into an eighteen-year-old due to his bee genetics, though he has been raised with mostly human customs and knows little of his bee heritage. The film follows his journey to rediscover his bee culture while suffering from beejection by both of his species.

This raw coming-of-age drama will make you laugh and cry, occasionally at the same time. Co-starring Benedict Cumbeebatch, Beese Witherspoon, Morgan Beeman, and Keanu Beeves, with original songs by Beeyonce, this movie will bee a real Oscar contender for DreamWorks. The gravitas displayed in scenes such as Barry Jr.’s confrontation of his estranged bee grandparents who view Barry Jr. as an interspecies abomination, or his discovery that he and his father are beeologically female (as male bees do not naturally have stingers), will surely nab us another golden statue to put on the same shelf as the ones we earned from Shrek and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Not fitting with the studio’s brand, you say? Well, we already signed on Chalamet, so I guess I’ll ask him if he wants a role in Boss Baby 3 instead.

RIOTS: WHAT TO WEAR? LORIN SCAIANO

So you’re going to a riot. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. You have the time, the place, even the perfect group of revolutionaries to commit violent acts against the state with! But there’s one major question that gets the better of us all: what do I wear?

“It was hard, but we managed to put together the ideal outfit for any riot.”

There are a number of different approaches to this, as seen through various uprisings throughout the years, and let’s be honest, sometimes the monotony of all black clothes can get boring. While back in the days of French beheadings, the revolutionaries would be wearing their Sunday best or the other one of their two outfits, today things are different. We have wardrobes with at least three shirts, and probably an extra pair of pants! The decisions are truly endless. Luckily, we’ve consulted experts on the topic.

Police officer Ann R. Key said “Personally, anytime I’m at a riot, I like when people wear individualized clothes.

Unique items that could easily be traced back to them, maybe with their name and address visible.”

In response, a frequent rioter and molotov cocktail connoisseur Al Kaholic said, “What? No that’s stupid.

Wear all black, and cover identifying features like clothes, tattoos, or piercings. Try to stay anonymous.”

With such a stark contrast between both experts’ answers, the truth must lie somewhere in the middle. To find this balance point, we talked to someone who has never been to a riot, and especially not a well known January 6 riot.

“I’d probably just show up in pajama pants,” Barry Cade said, “if you’re revolting against something you gotta show ‘em how little you care about tradition, bro.” When the debate of anonymity versus being noticed was mentioned, he elaborated. “Be like that sexy swat guy from [2020],” referring to a yet unnamed seven-foot-tall man who wore full riot gear to many protests, being very noticeable but staying fully anonymous. “Who is he?” Ayer Eevee continues, “I dunno.

I wanna smooch him.”

With such a variety of opinions and clothing options, it was hard, but we managed to put together the ideal outfit for any riot. Start with something comfortable on the bottom, sweatpants, or pajamas, but no fur pants. Also wear a shirt of some variety, going shirtless would be kinda dumb. Remember: anonymity is important, but so is a good outfit.

For our final words on the subject, No Hat. Especially not a fur hat with horns.

DEAR MORAL KOALA...

Dear Moral Koala, I am quite distraught about this whole booster situation. While I wouldn’t label myself “anti-vax,” I have some serious hesitancy when it comes to government mandation. Shouldn’t it be someone’s choice what they do to their own body? I think it is a nasty, slippery slope when sheeple allow their government to control their lives in this way—just imagine what comes next! Next it will be a monthly booster shot, and then it will be a classist society run by those who fund the shots!

Please I just need some help with this, Hesitant Himbo.

Dear Hesitant Himbo,

Some argue the greatest gift God ever gave us was our free will, while others deny that that gift exists at all.

Personally, I believe another gift given to us is, as they say, the greatest.

John 3:16 reads: “It is your God given right to go out to restaurants and concerts with your friends, for these privileges were with Him in the beginning.” So there you have it! The next time someone asks you for your vaccine passport, riot, overthrow that establishment, fight for your God! P.S. Beware of the sheeple, I have heard that they are easily drawn to shepherds. How horrid.

With equivocal virtue, Moral Koala.

Do you have your own questions for Moral Koala?

Submit them in the declassifieds!

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HOW TO WRITE FOR MARS’ HILL! Find something that you are interested in. What do you wish people knew?

Consider what section this topic would fit into: News, Opinions, Arts and Culture, Sports, or Humour?

Send your article—or even just your ideas—directly to us by emailing marshill@gmail.com.

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