A FIRST AMENDMENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF LAS POSITAS COLLEGE NOVEMBER 14, 2018
VOL. 30 ISSUE NO. 3
FIRST COPY FREE; ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS EACH
The war inside his head: A veteran's homecoming PAGE 8 GRAPHIC CONTENT PAGES 6 & 7 Photo courtesy Adam Vanderhoofven Adam Vanderhoofven stands with Iraqi children in 2008. Children commonly interacted with soldiers on the streets.
Volleyball team continues to find success Page 10
Unique classes offered next semester Page 4
2 NEWS Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Emily Forschen Managing Editor Kirstie Burgess
lpcexpressnews.com
California Election Results Governor-Elect
Gavin Newsom
News Editor Trevor Gregory Campus Life Editor Yesenia Medina Sports Editor Devin Bradshaw Opinion Editor Arion Armeniakos
Senator
Dianne Feinstein
Photo Editor Victoria Lachnit Copy Editor Les Mahler Web Editor Jennifer Snook Editorial
Production Staff Thiha Naing Rebecca Robison Giovanna Seabra Adam Vanderhoofven and
Proposition 1 Affordable Veteran Housing
Pass
54%
Proposition 2 Homeless Housing
Pass
61%
Adviser Melissa Korber Business Manager Marcus Thompson II Technology Manager Jeff Bennett Lead Design Mentor Brianna Guillory
Proposition 3 Water Supply Projects
Design Mentor Julia Coty Student Assistant Jose Garcia
© 2018 Express.* Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited. The Express is a First Amendment publication of the students of Las Positas College. It is published most Fridays during the academic year. The students who staff the Express run an editorially independent newsroom. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the editorial board. Other opinions express the views of individual writers and artists are not to be considered the views of the publication’s staff, editorial board, advisors, the associated students, the college administration or the board of trustees. *Students retain copyright ownership of the content they create, including words, photographs, graphics, illustrations, cartoons and other work. The Express retains copyright ownership to advertisements the Express creates. The Express retains the right to use all material in all forms in perpetuity.
Proposition 5
Property Tax Breaks for Seniors
Proposition 7
Repeal Daylight Saving Time
Letters to the Editor The Express is a public forum newspaper that seeks to encourage robust discussion among members of the college community. Letters to the editor, editorial and opinion pieces, freelance articles and photographs may be sent via e-mail or U.S. mail. Pieces must be typed and signed and include contact information, including a daytime phone number. Anonymous submissions will not be printed. All submissions are edited for space and clarity, and upon publication become the property of the Express.
Fail
47% Fail
42% Pass
60% Fail
Proposition 10
38%
Proposition 12
Pass
Rent Control
Cage-Free Eggs
61%
Proposition 4 Children’s Hospital
Proposition 6 Gas Tax Repeal
Proposition 8
Dialysis Center Profits
Proposition 11 Ambulance Worker Breaks
Pass
60% Fail
45% Pass
61% Pass
59%
CLPCCD Board of Trustees
Area 2: Linda Granger Area 3: Genevieve Randolph
NEWS 3
November 14,2018
Recent overdoses leave many feeling uneasy By Rebecca Robison @REBECCAROBISO19
n the United States, there has been I a recent sweep of fatalities relating to opioids. From celebrities such as Mac
Miller, to everyday students. Two teens recently died in Livermore and have been the center of the conversation, following their suspected overdoses from fentanyl. Early in Oct., Oceana Muth and Justin Miles passed away from a suspected fentanyl overdose. When the Livermore Police Department released their statement, it left the grieving community with a lot of questions. Muth and Miles were only 16 and 18, respectively. Their deaths sparked conversations about students and young adults using opioids. The victims’ friends and families spoke out not long after the news broke, emphasizing the risks of addiction and substance abuse. Jon Krieg, the uncle of Muth, voiced his concerns, stating, “We do our best to raise our kids... we can sit there and question our kids all we want, but at the end of the day they are making that choice.” Krieg later recalled how the local police department used to do presentations about the dangers of drug use, similar to the every 15 minutes program, which highlights the dangers of drinking and driving. He remarked, “To shock kids into the truth, you need to show them from the
source.” Alyssa Nicole Cantz, who knew one of the victims, also commented on the issue, saying “I’ve seen addiction up close… it’s ugly. I feel like teenagers don’t take the epidemic seriously… they don’t care about the health risks.” Young adults typically inherit an opioid addiction in two common ways. The first being obtaining prescription medication from injuries or illness. Students start out taking prescription pain medication, and get addicted. Their only choice at that point is to either get it from a dealer, or find an alternative drug. Students especially gravitate towards drugs, since coming into adulthood can be one of the most stressful times in people’s lives. Some use opioids to handle stress and anxiety, and some even use them as antidepressants. The other common way is receiving another drug, such as cocaine or Xanax, and having it laced with another drug, like fentanyl. Dealers do this to lower costs of the drug, and to increase the reaction the consumer will feel while taking it. This may cause the person to continue going to their dealer, wanting more and more until either they seek help or pass away from an unintentional overdose. President Donald Trump, following his 2017 announcement of declaring a national opioid emergency, is expected to sign in a law that expands substance abuse
November Building 4000, 8 p.m.
15
Collection Drive
26
CSU
Campus Quad, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. East
Bay
Tabling Building 1600, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Reasons
12 17
Not Workshop Room 1641, 2-3:30 p.m.
14 21
Thanksgiving Break
Final Exams Start First day that final exams start.
14 21
one most, when the urge to use was greatest. I think we can solve that problem by the end of the week, with your help. I’m co-founder of a startup called WhenHub.” WhenHub allows people struggling with addiction to connect with an ‘Expert’ and receive advice on their situation. ‘Experts’, can be any volunteered sponsor. The application is available on both Apple and Android devices, free to install. There may be in app charges connected to the length of the call, depending on the Expert you want to get in contact with.
Why
Workshop Room 1641, 2-3:30 p.m.
LinkedIn Day Room 709, 12 p.m.
December 13 Reasons Why
treatment in Medicaid, as well as crack down on packages that may contain opioid substances. In an emergency, Narcan can be used in hopes to reverse one’s overdose. Unfortunately, the overdose will most likely result in death. The stepfather of Miles, Scott Adams, recently took to his personal blog to announce a special project he had been working on, in memoriam of his stepson: “My stepson often complained that it was hard to find a sponsor when he needed
University of San Francisco
13
28
Some of Oceana Muth’s friends comforting each other at her funeral on Oct. 20.
Last
Day
Instruction
of
LEARN TODAY. CHANGE TOMORROW. PROGRAMS IN: MANAGEMENT | NURSING
Final Exams End Enjoy your holiday break!
(925) 867-2711 | usfca.edu/pleasanton 6120 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Ste. 150, Pleasanton, CA CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HE RE
P L E A S A N TO N
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Theater Showcase
Victoria Lachnit/Express
4 Campus life
Spring classes
History of Rock N Roll MUS 13 32591 MW 11:00-12:15 Browne Rose Learn how early genres of music and various cultures influenced rock and roll.
Psychology of Sleep and Dreams PSYC 17 33080 T/Th 11:00-12:15 Jones Scientific study of sleep and dreams including theories and biological basis.
Anthropology of Sex and Gender ANTR 6 33360 MW 12:30-1:45 Hasten Anthropological approach to the study of sex and gender across cultures and throughout time.
Multimedia Reporting MSCM 35 Thompson 33154 Tue 9:30-10:20 Lab Tue 10:30-12:50 Lab Th 9:30-12:50 This course will provide an introduction to multimedia (video, photos, audio, animation) storytelling with a journalism emphasis.
Journal of Arts and Writing A ENG19A 31277 MW 11:00-11:50 Lab Online/Hybrid NASH Collects works from community and complies into the LPC anthology. Classes will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays 11am11:50am. in room 2409. The remainder of the course will be completed online.
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Not enough representation for Latinx By Giovanna Seabra @GIOVANNAEXPRESS
Having an enriched course catalog, Las Positas still lacks classes such as the history of Latin America and latin based language. The new “Spanish for Spanish Speakers” class, started by Hortencia Nevárez, is a new class at LPC to maximize the level of Spanish speaking proficiency for heritage language learners. It also incorporates culture and history in more depth differently than other Spanish classes currently offered. After four years of preparation, Professor Hortencia Nevárez managed to get her class off the ground all by herself, but faced unexpected challenges. That process enhanced some gaping holes in LPC’s push to support its Latino population holes that affect faculty and students. “I don’t think Latino students as a whole are being fully represented, that’s from my personal opinion and that’s what students tell me.” What started as just forming a new Spanish class became a red flag for Nevárez. Rose Barajas, a Biological Science major at Las Positas and Puente student, said “If there wasn’t Puente, we wouldn’t be seeing much representation on campus.” One of Nevárez’s main concern was that this wasn’t going to be enough. “If we really want this institution to continue to be a Latino serving institution, we have to do more when comes to representation.” Nearly one-third of the student body at Las Positas identifies themselves as Hispanic or Latino. This amount is expected to grow by 2050, it is projected to have grown by 86 percent. While the numbers are rising quickly, the programs don’t seem to be stretching to match the growing population. Professor Nevárez is fighting to make sure that changes. “My Spanish speakers were getting a bit frustrated with sitting in class where we were learning the basics or something that they already knew,” she said. “What I wanted them to know is that it is okay to keep speaking Spanish and I’m using that as a tool to help them feel empowered by the language, by their identity and by their culture.” The Latino population at Las Positas College makes up about 30% of the entire student population. Programs like Puente and HSI Gateway to Success are
Giovanna Seabra/Express Professor Hortencia Nevarez and student Luis Sanchez during SPAN 21 class.
essential and are the only programs on campus aimed to help Latino students transfer and succeed in their academics. Typical Puente student deal with struggles of being first generation college students, being undocumented or coming from low-income families. Some of the advantages are allowing students to have a designated counselor, mentor and guidance for transfer. Unfortunately, there are limited spots. For example, Puente can only take 27-30 students each year and at least 80 students aren’t able to join the program. Rafael Valle, HSI Director/Puente Counselor/ Instructor noted that at the end of the summer semester, he stopped taking names after recieving 20 students. Students acknowledge the offered support and increased transfer rate is resulting to impaction in the program. This learning community is creating a multicultural environment bringing forth empowerment and inclusion with those of similar background. Nevárez worked on creating Spanish 21 for four years by attending workshops, seminars, and conferences in different parts of California and even out-ofstate. Her main goal was to teach her students their culture and heritage, and also enrich their Spanish language skills. “The purpose of this class is to discuss important topics of their interest and at the same time to improve on their reasoning, logic skills, writing skills and grammar.” In order to afford attending these conferences, Nevárez applied for a grant in order to pay for her expenses.
Unfortunately, grants are limited, therefore she had to pay out of pocket. Apart from this, Nevárez also devoted her own time for this class by researching and planning accordingly and efficiently to present her materials to the State. She was doing all of this while still being a part-time faculty. This left no question about her dedication to the Latino students she teaches. But it did raise questions about improving resources, such as adding more curriculum aiming towards Latino students needs. Rose Barajas mentioned that, “Before I started Puente I was super confused about my schedule. I didn’t know how to set it up or what I needed to take in order to transfer. My friends are super confused and they don’t really have help from the counselors”. Counselor guidance and support is also something that Nevárez’s students ask for, which is what students struggle with before being in Puente. With the extremely long wait at the counseling center, Nevárez’s students come to her for help as she acts more than just a Spanish professor. She cares for her students by helping and answering questions regarding their academics, and giving them advice when they’re stuck on educational decisions. As a Puente mentor, Nevárez exerts her guidance and assistance to all of her Latino students at Las Positas and being an inspiration to many,“ In my opinion, in often times it doesn’t take too much work, but someone has to be willing to stop and help them, and part of it is that we’re grow-
ing quite a bit at Las Positas”. Just last year Las Positas College declared itself a sanctuary campus because of its growing latino and undocumented population, but when it comes to creating and improving the educational resources for latino students on campus, time and money are both barriers. Vice President of student services William Garcia helped Nevárez by recruiting students for her class, but when questioned about expanding and creating future plans for resources he stated that, “I actually see either we have not maintained but actually increased”. Garcia plans to add three faculty members at Financial aid to help students apply and learn more about financial support on campus. However, when asked about the possibility of Spanish 21 opening other doors for Latino students on campus, HSI Director/ Puente Counselor/Instructor Rafael Valle mentioned that, “As of right now there’s very limited opportunities for students that are trying to study chicano studies for instance. We don’t have such a thing like that here”. Whereas LPC lack of efforts in accomdating requested resources from students, change needs to be considered. Like Valle mentioned, there isn’t a Chicano studies major on campus, which shows how classes like Latin American studies, or classes like the history of Central America are nonexistent. FOR THE REST OF THE STORY VSIT: LPCEXPRESSNEWS.COM
CAMPUS LIFE 5
November 14, 2018
Professor worked with civil rights icons Concern that was raising money and helping fix churches that @TREVBOT97 were burned down by KKK memHyman Robinson’s wire bers.” Moved by their mission, rimmed glasses sit high on his Robinson joined the committee face. He stands tall and slender for a year. with his smile whose as proud “In 1965 I got itchy feet, I guess,” as his record. Many professors at Robinson chuckled. “I packed up Las Positas come from colorful my motorcycle with my guitar backgrounds, filled with incredand sleeping bag, signed up for a ible insight with well hidden stosummer with a group called the ries. This sociology professor in California Migrant Ministry, and particular has quite the experiset out.” The California Migrant ence. Ministry (CAMM) was an influProfessor Robinson, in 1941 ential piece of the United Farm born and raised in Mississippi, Workers movement, headed by has been teaching for 47 years. As César Chávez. It was there that a man with a rich past, Robinson Robinson served by lending a once was active and involved in hand in funds, aiding protests several different societal moveand creating dialogue with the ments like the civil rights movefarm workers. ment led by Martin “Working with picket Luther King, Jr. and the lines, I left to Borrego United Farm Workers “Working with picket lines, I left to Springs with Gilbert (UFW) movement, led Padilla and César by César Chávez. Using Borrego Springs with Gilbert Padilla Chávez. We met with examples from his past, and César Chávez. We met with workers to discuss their Robinson continues to conditions, offering create thoughtful discus- workers to discuss their conditions, them to join the union sion on society to his stumovement,” Robinson offering them to join the union dents. recounted. Robinson has seen movement.” After Robinson finplenty of change in ished with his time – Hyman Robinson America and many differwith the CAMM, he ent cultural shifts. One of returned to school to the main cultural ideas Robinson with smaller groups, and that’s gain his Masters in Sociology at noticed as a young boy was seg- where I took a photo of him.” Cal State Hayward. regation. In 1962, Robinson joined the “I wanted to teach,” Robinson “Growing up, it was part of the Navy Reserve and Army Reserve said. His dedication to generate culture, and you don’t really real- Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). discussion translated incredibly ized how it impacted society until He was stationed on a ship in naturally to the classroom as he someone from the outside opens Florida as part of the Cuban seeks to challenge and inspire his up the view for you,” Robinson blockade in the Cold War until students. said. He noted that his time at 1964. After his service, Robinson So why does sociology matter, Mississippi State were particu- went back to Mississippi. He soon according to the man who worked larly beneficial. “A minister there, felt the need to help others facing with two of the most influential Jean Ethridge opened up my eyes injustices in the south. civil rights leaders in American on these issues.” “By that time, several civil history? What does he wish for Robinson soon after felt a need rights groups started up,” his students to learn most? to create discussion with people Robinson added. “There was a “To see how society really from all different races and back- local one called Committee of works.”
By Trevor Gregory
grounds to bring perspective into his life. Robinson joined the minister’s group, left to a segregated college, and decided to do just that: discuss. “The critical word back in those days was dialogue, and just talk to each other. What have you experienced, what have you gone through, what is it like?” Robin said. In 1959, Ethridge asked Robinson and other classmates if they would like to go to a Christian leadership conference. Robinson agreed and journeyed to Athens, Ohio, where an influential civil rights activist figure was speaking. “Dr. (Martin Luther) King was the keynote speaker. After the keynote, he had discussions
Photo courtesy of Hyman Robinson Professor Hyman Robinson smiles after discussion with students.Photo of Martin Luther King Jr. at a small discussion following his keynote address at a Christian leadership conference.
NOSY NICKEL
If you could only eat one meal for every meal for a week, what would it be?
Thomas Fallo, Interim Chancellor What made you decide to work in education?
My father always admired teachers and thought I should be a teacher. So perhaps my decision to become an educator (I first started out as a teacher) was because I had a very basic belief in both my father and his advice.
Gelato! I have many favorite flavors, so I could a different flavor for every meal.
How long have you worked in community colleges?
45 years…longer than most LPC students have been alive. All of these years I have been very fortunate to have worked with many great higher education professionals and equally have many people to thank for their support and mentorship.
Five questions. Five answers.
Who is the best teacher you’ve ever had and why?
Mary Agnosties, my Philosophy instructor. Right before her final, I was walking with two of my favorite classmates in a crosswalk and a car struck the two of them. I tried to get out of the exam, because I was shaken up by the accident...she denied my request. She said, ‘that I would do better on the exam because of my heightened awareness.’ Well-- I did get an A on that exam.
You’ve just won the lottery. What’s the first thing you do? Get good financial advice.
6 lpcexpressnews.com
FEATURE
Through a This Iraqi man is what we would consider our enemy. He looked like every other man walking down the street. He was caught burying explosives in the road in order to blow our trucks up. Our rules of engagement did not allow us harm an enemy in any way that surrenders. He was brought back to our combined operating post, or Bravo COP, where he was held until we could hand him over to the Iraqi Police. This man was treated well while in our care, but it was widely known that when insurgents were caught and given to the Iraqi Army or police forces they would be tortured. We gave this man food, water and cigarettes and chatted with him as best we could but we all knew that the days ahead for this enemy soldier would not be easy. He was understandably nervous and I imagine that he did not know if he would live or die in the coming days.
As a technologically superior force, we controlled the skies over Baghdad and we were extremely lucky to have the Apache Helicopters patrolling just overhead. They have capabilities that made being an insurgent in Iraq very difficult. Anyone who was lucky enough to witness one these in action will be in awe by it’s firepower.
As much good as we tried to do in Iraq, we were not welcome there. Imagine tanks and military vehicles driving down the streets of your neighborhood that were from another part of the world. We were considered by most to be invaders. The population of Baghdad was split two factions, Sunni and Shia Muslims with a small mix of different religions. Saddam Hussein was a Sunni Muslim and all throughout his tyrannical reign, he oppressed the Shia Muslims. Aside from the war that was being carried out between the United States and the insurgency, known as AQIZ or Al-Qaeda In Iraq, there was a side war between Sunni and Shia Muslims. As Saddam Hussein’s regime ended, the Shia Muslims began pushing into Sunni neighborhoods, an unintended consequence of removing a dictator from power. Of note also are the trash piles visibly growing up against the wall. Trash piles were extremely dangerous to US Convoys because the improvised explosive devices, or IED’s, were easily hidden therein. It must be considered that in third world countries around the world, there is no trash service, no electrical service, no water service and the people were mostly poor. The United States put billions of dollars into infrastructure in Iraq only to have it dismantled or bombed by our enemy.
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NOVEMBER 14, 2018
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a vet’s eyes Patrolling Ameriyah, a sector in west Baghdad. This sector of Baghdad, and many others were so scarred by the insurgency at the beginning of my tour that we were extended 3 months (from 12-15 months) and the area was saturated with an extra 170,000 troops. This was called “The Surge” by President George Bush. Army Engineers then began to build a wall to completely surround Ameriyah. Only one way in and one way out. The wall was finished sometime in the middle of my tour and we fought block by block to remove the insurgency. Every vehicle that came and went was checked, and this strategy virtually eliminated the enemy presence in this sector. The Iraqi people somehow carried on with their lives, as the woman pictured. Even while giant gun trucks drove down her street every few hours. Somehow, life went on for the people of Baghdad.
No words can describe the horrors of warfare. These men were unfortunate victims of the war between Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims. They believe in “an eye for an eye” and this war has been raging for hundreds of years. When bloodshed is wrought upon a family by the opposite Muslim Sect, revenge is carefully planned and carried out. One of the revenge tactics was to enter the home of those who wronged them and take all the males of the family at gunpoint and execute them, ensuring that the family line ends. These men did not have to do anything to deserve their fate. Feuds can be decades old and carried out by someone who witnessed something as a child. We live in a country where thankfully, this is not a common occurrence. If it did happen, it would be covered by national news syndicates, and teams of forensic detectives would work the case until it is solved. In a third world country like Iraq, we would roll up onto scenes like this almost daily. Nobody is called, no detectives investigate. They are placed in body bags and loaded onto the hood of our Humvee to be delivered to the Iraqi Police Station. For the soldiers on patrol who discovered scenes such as these, they have been changed forever.
This is all that remains of a car packed with homemade explosives, or HME. Many of our men and women in uniform never came home because of these gigantic bombs. Luckily, nobody was injured as this bomb detonated, but the sound of this explosion is a sound I will never forget.
FEAT Homecoming: A war inside my mind 8 lpcexpressnews.com
By Adam Vanderhoofven @ AVANDERHOOFVEN
Before I joined the military in 2006, I had heard the war stories my father used to tell me, but they were mostly in one ear and out the other. I am sure most of you understand that when a veteran starts rattling off military jargon, it may be tough to follow. Being a veteran is one of the biggest achievements of a person’s life, and there is no way to know what it means until you go through that life changing process. Life will be split into two entirely different parts. You will have your military experiences, which differ for everyone, and then you will come home and start the second phase of your life. The military is cut and dry -- you are told what to do, where to be, what to wear, how to behave, and you have absolutely no privacy whatsoever. Some deploy to war zones, where they are shot at and have to pick up victims of terrorism off of the roadways. Explosions happen several times per day and chase gunfire on daily patrols. 27 months in a war torn country can change a man and the need for government assistance as our military men and women transition back into the lives they left before the war is largely what our Veteran’s Administration is responsible for. I believe they do a great job for a government entity but they are largely underfunded and are extremely late to the game in identifying problems such as PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is nothing new, which makes it hard to be a fan of the Veteran’s Adminstration since PTSD has plagued every veteran of every war throughout history. Only now are the soldiers who endured so much, for so long, so far from home, getting the help that they so deserve. But the battle has just begun for most soldiers who have come back from war Imagine the jarring sensation of putting your life on the line several times per day. There are thousands of plain-clothed civilians trying to kill you, you witness the deaths of your best friends, images of unspeakable tragedy burn in the back of your mind, but that’s your job. So, you do your job and move on. Then one day it all comes to
an end. The day I left Iraq was Jan. 15, 2008, after spending 15 months in a war zone. Baghdad was one of the worst I had seen, and when our plane landed every person was ecstatic to have their lives intact. We were more than ready to see our families again. We flew in to Dallas International Airport, as two fire engines on the runway shot water cannons over our jet, a sign that a plane full of war veterans had just landed. We got off the plane and walked down the ramp toward the baggage area, and we were met by at least 1,000 people cheering, clapping and crying for us. They could not fathom what we had just accomplished, and they made us feel as welcome as a group of 1,000 people possibly could. There were long hugs, stories told and gifts exchanged as we parted ways with our units and caught connecting flights home. I flew into Oakland, and as I passed the security checkpoint, I noticed a news crew. It was Channel 2 News, but surely they were not there for me. Except they were absolutely there for me. The reporter introduced himself and asked me if he could follow me through the events of the evening. I was in the dark, but I said yes, and as he turned on his camera and followed me down the aisle, I caught my first glimpse of approximately 30 men, 15 on each side, each bearing an American flag. As I approached them, they came to salute me. At this point, tears were rolling down my face as my family came to meet me. It had been a long time since I had seen them, and there were many days when my mother thought she would probably never see me again. The men holding the flags all had Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and there were two police cars following me with their lights on and about 30 motorcycles which escorted me home to Livermore. I was greeted by about 100 people on the street in front of my house, cheering for me with banners welcoming me home. The fire department brought trucks. The police had numerous vehicles there. Channel 2 News captured every breathtaking moment. It took several days for the high to wear off, and I could
Photo courtesy of Adam Vanderhoofven The first day of the rest of my life. This is in Kuwait before deployment.
begin a new life, a normal life, but almost immediately I felt different than I had ever felt before. Nobody could understand what I had been through. I could not get the 23 soldiers that did not come home from Iraq out of my head. They were great men. Men that sat in the same seats as I did and did the same job that I had done, and yet I was here and their families were left with eternal grief. Everything was different. It was a different life now. I had to figure out how to live in a place where everything was calm and there was no action. It turned out to be a pitfall as I began to seek action in other ways. I felt so alone and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol seemed like child’s play, but it gave me moments of relief from the haunting months in a war-torn country in which every horror imaginable was witnessed every single day. As the days turned into
months, my life turned into a haze in which days would pass, and I would not remember what had happened, and I would spend days upon days laying in bed. I was completely lost. The energy I once had naturally flowing through my body was gone. I was having nightmares of being bound and shot or stabbed. I began collecting guns to protect myself from imaginary intruders. I counted the steps from my front door to the hall and then down the hall and made plans on how I would kill people who broke into my home. I was depressed, I was hypervigilant, I was full of anxiety, I was self medicating --my whole life had changed, and I had no idea what was happening to me. One day, after my fifth consecutive day in bed, my mother came into my bedroom and told me she was taking me to the emergency room at the VA (Veterans Administration). I
agreed to be hospitalized in a psychiatric facility for 14 days because I was afraid of who I had become. I was scared of who I was and I was ready for a change. This began my long road of recovery, and although I knew life would never be the same, I was ready to start taking the steps necessary to change things. I was not forced to go get help. I went because I knew deep down there was something wrong with me. It was then that I first started hearing the letters P-T-S-D tossed around. At first I did not believe that it even existed and it was all in the minds of those using the system to get a disability paycheck, and that certainly was not me. After 14 days, a spot opened up in a program for veterans that were suffering from the same things I was. This was when I learned, I not only had PTSD but many other veterans did too. It was
TURE embarrassing and extremely tough to admit, but the symptoms of PTSD were the exact things that were happening to me. The worst part of it was planning to take my own life. It started with razor blades and a hot bath, then I slowly but surely began choking myself with a rope hung over the top of my bedroom door and I would hang until I would almost pass out. There were many attempts and I had decided that this would be the way I would go when I was ready. Sometimes I would have to leave the house with big red marks on my neck from my attempts to end this pain and suffering I was going through. The first step was admitting I was struggling and help was available. It was only around 2010 that the VA began to realize that PTSD was real and it was affecting veterans in record numbers. For example, the VA had to come up with a way to explain how we had only lost around 7,800 veterans in both wars since 2001, approximately 6,500 veterans were committing suicide. That’s 20 veterans per day. The number of suicides have surged 35 percent for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. We were losing exponentially more people to suicide than we were to all our warfare. So who are our nation’s veterans? They are the normal people just like you that signed up for a job that was deadly and life changing. They also signed up for a life long battle with stresses and feelings that normal people will probably never experience. At a very special dinner that was cooked for me and other veterans at the VA, I was explaining some of my issues to the sweetest old lady, and she told me something that changed my outlook on life. She said, “If a man can go to a war-torn country and get shot at and blown up and see his friends die and then come home normal, there is something wrong with that guy, not you.” That impacted me greatly, and she was right. It is heartbreaking to realize that throughout the history of this country and the 14 major wars we have fought, as well as many minor conflicts, those men throughout history suffered from the same PTSD as those returning home from a modern Iraq and Afghanistan. What did they do about it? They resorted to drugs and alcohol, they became homeless
November 14, 2018
and many brave men who saved people’s lives and did deeds so heroic they belong in a book, would come home and kill themselves because of the stress they were feeling. Cliff Waugman, a good friend of mine, a Navy Corpsman who followed the Marines around for an 8 month tour in Iraq from February of 2006 to October of the same year, saw the worst of the worst. He signed up in the Navy to be a dental technician because in his words, he wanted a job “that had the most women in it.” Without being asked, he was made a Corpsman, a role which keeps guys alive on the battlefield when they have lost a leg or an arm or have shrapnel wounds through their bodies. Some happened to make it back to the base and be saved. Most did not. He was a dentist, and he found himself watching kids 19 and 20 years old asking him to tell their mothers that they love them because they were so badly torn to pieces. In eight months, he watched 17 kids die violent deaths, and I don’t know if there is anyone that can make it through that without some kind of help. Cliff returned home to no fanfare. There was nobody waiting for him, and there was no party. He got to the airport, got a cab home and started drinking that night. He began self medicating. He looked for any way that would ease the nightmares he was experiencing. He had panic attacks, sleep deprivation, hypervigilance, anxiety and flashbacks. It was when he was visiting his brother in Denver, sitting on a rooftop with a drink in his hand and he came within inches of letting himself go over the rooftop and ending it all, when his child popped into his head, and he knew he needed help. We met in the Veteran’s Administration in Menlo Park, at a program designed for vets with PTSD. Vietnam Veterans were treated terribly by our citizens and our government and have become some of our best advocates. They are bound and determined that what happened to them when they came home, would never happen to another generation of veterans. It is this very reason that Vietnam Veterans of the Patriot Guard Riders lined both sides of the aisle as I walked down the ramp at the Oakland Airport. They were protecting me, they saw themselves in me, and they
9
Photo courtesy of Adam Vanderhoofven My favorite position in the gun truck on patrol.
Photo courtesy of Adam Vanderhoofven The day that I made it back to Livermore after my deployment was one of the best days in my families history. I was greeted and driven home by about 20 Riders of the Patriot Guard motorcycle club who are also Vietnam Veterans. Then I was met at my house by approximately 100 screaming people with banners. The Livermore Police Department and Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department were also there.
gave me the homecoming that they deserved, but never got. I don’t believe any other country in the world is doing as much for its veterans as the United States is doing right now. Unfortunately, the veterans of today have it so good because we had to crawl on the backs of the veterans who came before us, that never got the care they needed. As I look back, I begin to reflect on all the wonderful things that people did for
me. Organizations that introduced themselves to me and made themselves available to me knowing that there would come a day when I might need their services. In 2010, at Las Positas College I met Todd Stephan who works diligently and fervently to help veterans here on campus. I continue to struggle but as I grow stronger in myself, it becomes less about me and more about helping the other
veterans sitting all alone with their thoughts as their lives descend into chaos. Their eyes have seen things that thankfully we as American’s will never have to. Veteran’s Day is about remembering every Veteran, and perhaps being grateful for what they gave willingly, and what was forcefully taken from them. Read Adam’s opinion on the VA at lpcexpressnews.com
10 Sports
lpcexpressnews.com
Volleyball team rises over challenges Hawkthat come with being a new program Squawk
Lady hawks keep flying high despite being strangers only a few months ago.
Basketball
WOMENS Monterey Peninsula 45, LPC 66: Guard Ashley Hart scores 36 points and grabs 12 steals in Hawks win.
By Arion Armeniakos @ARIONARMENIAKOS
hen starting up a new W team, there is always the fear of failure and falling deep
behind the competition, as you’re essentially bringing a group of strangers together and asking them to perform on the same level as already established teams. The same kind of fear must have been going through the minds of the Las Positas College Athletics Department when they decided that they will be bringing a volleyball program on board for the fall season. In LPC’s case though, losing is far from what the brand-new team has been producing as the freshly formed women’s volleyball team has been winning from day one. The key to the expansion or creation of a team, is being able to hire a reliable coach that will be able to put all the new pieces together. Then, identifying your star player that will put the team on their shoulders and lead the team by example from the get go. The Hawks were able to do so by hiring Coach Tracee Byrd and recruiting heavy armed offensive hitter Taylor Cruz during the
Photo courtesy of Alan Lewis Offensive hitter, Taylor Cruz, leads LPC to a victory against Contra Costa.
MENS Siskiyous 63, LPC 79 Butte 62, LPC 79 Contra Costa 70, LPC 74: Hawks win three in a row to start the season. G Michael Hayes: 20ppg.
Soccer WOMENS Cabrillo 0, LPC 3: Goals: Daniela Walker, Meghan Giamona, Gabriella Polizzi. Hartnell 2, LPC 1: Goal: Paola Samaniego.
Photo courtesy of Alan Lewis Lady hawks celebrate after getting a point against Contra Costa.
open try outs in late July. By recruiting Byrd, a NorCal Volleyball Club coach, the Hawks get a seasoned coach with over ten years of experience and also a background in teaching which guarantees a high level of communication which in turn will help the players settle in quicker and put them in a position to be successful. Byrd has always stressed how much communication matters in her coaching and also what she expects from the players. “I am a teacher by trade and I believe in explaining the ‘why’ behind everything I ask of my athletes. I encourage them to ask questions and stay curious, and want them to learn the game well enough to teach it to themselves,” Byrd explained. “And above all, I want them to embrace and practice the concepts of honor, kindness and discipline,” Byrd added. The well spoken, experienced and disciplined coach in Byrd who is a continuous student of the game has looked like a great choice to lead this new team to success. On the other side of the coin, freshman Taylor Cruz, an offensive hitter out of Foothill High School has established herself as a leader on and off the floor
through her outstanding performances since the beginning of the season. When asked about her leadership role early on Cruz explained that being a good leader for this team is one of her goals that she has set for this season. “My goals are to push myself to get better every time I step on the court and to be a great leader by working hard, having positive energy and encouraging my teammates,” Cruz said. Cruz is off to a flying start as she ranks fourth in the state in points and kills per set and second in digs per set in the California Community College Athletic Association rankings. Cruz’s strong start to the season has been a major factor behind the Lady Hawks early success but Cruz admits that the beginnings were challenging and credits the coaching staff and her teammates for being able to come together and produce good results. “Despite the fact that we only had two weeks of practice before our first match, Coach Byrd and Coach Resnik were able to help us find our confidence and a place on the team where we can execute our individual strengths and contribute to the team. Also, our mutual love for vol-
leyball is what drove us to the successful start of the season before we were able to bond on and off the court and become stronger and even more competitive as a team,” Cruz explained. Evidently, the only way is up for the Lady Hawks as they were able to create chemistry and find cohesion very quickly and way before the season gets into crunch time. When asked about the team’s goals after such a hot start, Cruz was looking at this season and beyond as the team looks to establish a winning culture for years to come. “Our goal is to break the stereotype of being a first-year program and to show others that we have something to prove. We also want to set a standard for the upcoming Las Positas College teams with our work ethic and positive attitudes,” Cruz said. By putting together a team of hungry, talented players with a chip on their shoulder, Coach Byrd has assembled a squad that is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the community college volleyball world. With players like Cruz representing the school colors, Hawks fans can rest assured that volleyball success is coming sooner rather than later.
MENS West Valley 2, LPC 1: Goal: Ali Amin. San Francisco 0, LPC 0
Water Polo WOMENS Merced 11, LPC 9: Nikki White with 5 goals for LPC. Foothill 9, LPC 13: Mikayla Theide with 5 goals for LPC. MENS Merced 19, LPC 4 Cabrillo 12, LPC 18: Cameron Naas, 9 goals for LPC.
Volleyball WOMENS De Anza 3, LPC 0: 14-25, 17-25, 11-25. Canada 2, LPC 3: 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 24-26, 15-12.
opinion 11
NOvember 14, 2018
Editorial: The Express backs Jim Acosta n Nov. 7, the White House O announced that it would be suspending CNN Chief
White House Correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass. This will ban him from entry to future press conferences and White House events until further notice. The editorial board at The Express has been increasingly alarmed at the President’s demonization of media and press and fully supports Jim Acosta. Without a free press, on a local level, this community college newspaper would not exist. On a national level, we believe that people are only as free as they are allowed to speak. At the press conference which took place on Nov. 7, Acosta and President Donald Trump engaged
in tense banter, none of which is out of the ordinary for a White House press conference, especially considering the President’s prior commentary on CNN and Acosta. Acosta interrupted the President several times to ask him questions and refused to hand over the microphone when directed. The President’s response was to refer to him as a “rude, terrible person” whom CNN should be ashamed of. A White House intern was directed to remove the microphone from Acosta’s hands. While she attempted to do so, Acosta’s forearm brushed against her forearm as he held onto the microphone. This was the reason, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee
Sanders claims, is the justification for suspending Acosta. The statement made by Press Secretary Sanders was accompanied with a doctored video which some have sourced to InfoWars, a far right conspiracy theory site. It has become increasingly evident that Acosta’s challenging questions and conduct were more bothersome to the White House. CNN has been outspoken about their stance behind Acosta as well as many other journalists. Whether or not a certain news group is favorable is not remotely the issue. There is more at stake if the barring of Jim Acosta is excused by the public. The Express firmly stands behind him and any others who may face similar opposition.
Want to write in? Visit us: Room 2409 Call us: (925) 424-1240 Follow us: @lpcexpressnews Email:
Photo courtesy of CNN CNN correspondant, Jim Acosta, had his press pass suspended by the White House.
lpcexpress@laspositascollege.edu
Letter to the Editor
A student response to “It’s a culture, not a costume” o Editor-In-Chief Ms. Forschen, T Your opinion piece, “It’s a culture, not a costume – the fight against
appropriation” is one which I respectfully disagree with in all aspects. As a “person of color,” I find your elaborate but fallacious Halloween anecdote detailing the time you dressed as Kaya, a “Nez Perce Native American,” when you were 7 years old, a poor example of what cultural appropriation was back then – and perhaps an even poorer example of what it is today, in our politically charged landscape. When you claimed that “no one batted an eye,” I agreed with that statement not simply because it was spot on accurate for the time, but because it still holds up – even today – in that “no one actually still bats an eye.” For you to understand this, it
is from my own observations in the “real world” and on the internet that the “overly liberal” and “politically-correct” kind of people such as yourself (which I assume you are, forgive my assumption) – to which I detest ideologically – would be outraged at this phenomenon. While some people may be offended, I understand where this outrage comes from – to which I do not blame for you writing this article. In simple politically correct terms, as a “person of color,” the cultural appropriation that I have experienced in my lifetime has been at no point offensive nor exclusive to any individual group. In fact I find it very welcoming and inclusive that this country is still the melting pot of all cultures, let alone California itself as the “heart” of all of it.
People of many ethnicities and cultural backgrounds arrived in America to pursue the “American Dream.” Assimilation and cultural infusion are inevitable as all cultures that come here to find opportunity and success do so with open arms and with respect for each other (which I admit is not exactly the case right now). Otherwise, Las Positas has treated me very well in my past four semesters here. Everyday, I see plenty of cultures on campus appropriating other cultures. White guys with dreadlocks. White guys calling each other the “N-word.” Asian guys doing “white guy things.” Black guys doing “Asian and white guy things.” So it goes. There are plenty things going on everywhere that everyone is supposedly “appropriating.” Many of us don’t take offense nor care, or
YOURSELF
are just simply unaware. No harm done. The bigotry or racism on campus is nonexistent (at least for me). Referring back to your Halloween anecdote, I don’t find it disrespectful or offensive that you dressed up like the little Indian girl “Kaya” when you were seven. In fact, I find that very respectful to NativeAmerican culture in that you took an interest with a character that you liked and paid homage to their culture. Unfortunately, my only disappointment about your Halloween story was that you didn’t go full on with the whole traditional Indian attire. I was deeply offended that your poor facsimile of a dress did not embody nor accurately portray traditional Native-American wear. You should be deeply ashamed of your 7 year old self.
What is the most interesting class you’ve taken? Why?
U.S. Women’s History because being a female and learning about the history of women is really interesting and just being able to see how we used to struggle and what we have overcome.
Taekwondo because it’s something new that I have tried... I was really surprised because we didn’t only learn about fighting but also the history and...their language.
I found it super interesting because of what you learn in the class and how it relates to life and it’s also what I want to major in.
It’s the most interesting because it puts a new spin on the world and how things work.
It’s interesting because I feel like there is nothing else like it offered on campus.
– Kyra Munkner, HIST 32
– Bailey Faggiano, KIN TK1
– Leila Neishi, PSYCH 1
– Garrett Coensgen, PHYS 10
– Rashelle Ramirez, THEA 51