Summer Issue 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College, June 17, 2013

mountiewire.com

PG. 10

Prop 8 struck down Volume 80 Issue 1

SUMMER ISSUE School’s out for “all” students

NEW MISSION CHANGES COLLEGE’S FOCUS PG. 3

From Los Angeles to Mexico

ONE STUDENT’S JOURNEY PG. 18

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

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News

Stephanie Hacha/MOUNTAINEER A poorly lit area in the student parking lot.

Adolfo Tigerino/MOUNTAINEER Emergency phone 11 on the top floor of Building 26 is one of the many emergency phones around campus.

Safety protocol lacking, faculty unprepared

After shootings at Santa Monica College, questions of safety on campus remain The library is one of the biggest buildings on campus and I don’t know what to do. It is one of my biggest pet peeves that they have not trained us at all.”

—Linda Small, Library Technician

ADOLFO TIGERINO NEWS EDITOR A random shooting rampage on June 7 that took the lives of four people ended at Santa Monica College when the gunman was fatally shot by police. The gunman was identified as 23-year-old John Zawahri, who had a history of mental health issues and making bomb threats. Zawahri killed his father, Samir Zawahri, 55, and brother, Chris Zawahri, 25, at their home on Yorkshire Avenue in Santa Monica before hijacking a car, randomly shooting at passersby, a bus full of passengers, and then heading to the college library where he continued his shooting spree firing 70 rounds before being shot by the Santa Monica Police.

According to the Corsair, the Santa Monica College student newspaper, Zawahri was armed with a .223 rifle, a handgun, and enough ammunition capable of firing 1,300 rounds. A total of five people were killed including the gunman.

Although these kinds of events are rare on a college campus, protocols still need to be set in place

in order to minimize the damage.

All California community colleges have to abide by the regulations and rules set by the Standardized Emergency Management System SEMS and National Incident Management System NIMS. Both these programs deal with emergency management and how to handle certain emergency situations.

These regulations are followed at Mt. SAC but hands-on training for faculty on campus is limited. The only tools available are informational tutorials and information on where to guide students in the event of an emergency.

Director of Public Safety Mark DiMaggio said that faculty have the option to take safety courses but it is not required for existing faculty.

“During Flex Day faculty have the option to take courses,” DiMaggio said.

These optional courses do not provide the returning faculty with the training they need in the event of an active shooter, however new employees will now be required to have training during their orientation into the school, said DiMaggio.

Nonetheless, new employees still have not gone through training. A newly hired librarian who wished to remain anonymous said she has not received any training for any emergency such as an active shooter.

Linda Small, a library technician who has worked at the college for 19 years, said she has never been trained in safety for an event like a shooting.

“The library is one of the biggest buildings on campus and I don’t know what to do,” Small said. “It is one of my biggest pet peeves that they have not trained us at all.”

Desiree Mendoza, an 18-year-old global studies major who works in the Administration Building in the Assessment Center, said she has

not had any training and would not know what to do if an active shooter were on campus.

After the shootings at Santa Monica College, public safety had a meeting with all the Los Angeles Unified School Districts to discuss more training for public safety.

They have increased their presence on campus with more patrols going around campus at the start of the summer session.

Public safety at Mt. SAC increases their safety after active shootings occur on other campuses or when there are risks of danger in public places. After the Boston bombing at the Boston Marathon on April 15, public safety increased its security and brought in more Diamond Bar/Walnut police into the Mt. SAC Relays the following week.

“We increased the amount of public safety, police officers, and even brought a bomb dog as a precautionary measure,” Public Safety Sergeant Anthony Kelly said.

“It was a huge event and we needed to ensure everyone’s safety.”

There is also a video on the Mt. SAC portal for students and faculty to view titled, “Shots Fired on Campus,” which gives survival tips if an active shooter arrives on campus.

Mt. SAC has an emergency program that allows students and faculty to be aware of on campus emergencies. This program is completely voluntary, but not all students are aware of the program and those who are, often do not subscribe to it.

In a random sample of 40 students only three said they were subscribed to it.

“I am aware of the program, but since I mostly have online classes, I don’t need it,” said Noemi Ponce, 20, nursing major.

Some students have found the program useful and informational.

“The texts are useful, when there is a blackout, I know not to come to school,” said Lupita Espinoza, 22, social behavior major.

Along with the emergency program, campus safety also has a Text-a-Tip program that Kelly said is a success.

“Text-a-Tip has helped us out a lot,” Kelly said. “Students really are good with using it.”

The campus also provides escorts on campus to protect students at night. They can be seen scattered around campus wearing yellow shirts.

The school is also surrounded with blue emergency phones across campus. The school is broken up into four quadrants, W, X, Y, and Z in the Quick Reference Guide found on the Mt. SAC website under public safety. While there are numerous emergency phones on campus, the map indicates that there are spots where no phones are present. For example, after passing Miracle Mile there are no phones until the library; Parking Lot H has no phones and neither does Parking Lot F. There is also another map, Emergency Assembly Areas EAA that indicates assembly areas just in case an emergency should arise.

In a Mountaineer article in Dec. 8, 2009, English instructor and then department chair Gary Enke said that instructors were aware of these vantage points, but once there he did not know what to do. These problems still remain.

These maps are nothing new in the emergency regulation world.

Mt. SAC’s neighboring community college, Citrus College, also has similar maps to indicate where instructors and students go if emergencies arise. They also have the emergency phones scattered across campus. The difference between their maps and Mt. SAC’s is that they also include a picture of what the area looks like so people know if they are at the correct location.

For students who wish to use escorts at night, they can call 909274-4233.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

News Editor in Chief Albert Serna Mountiewire EIC Adolfo Tigerino Art Director Beatrice Alcala News Editor Adolfo Tigerino Features Editor Rich Yap Multiculture Editor Brigette Villasenor Opinion Editor Vanessa Solis College Life Editor Cooper McHatton Sports Editor Adolfo Tigerino Design Editor Harmon Huynh Cartoonists Adam Valenzuela Samantha Hernandez Staff Writers Abby Ambriz Christina Artmanni Gorge Castaneda Jessica Centeno Sasha Chavez Michael Chavez Rachel Erez Reyna Espinal Erick Gaona Monica Garcia Gustavo Gyotoku Misael Hernandez Fion Ho Julian Muhr Bobby Lemus Matthey Macias Fabian Rojano Anthony Ruybalid Esther Solis Marc Wan Photo Editor Beatrice Alcala Photographers Beatrice Alcala Sterling Knight Adolfo Tigerino Rich Yap Jose De Castro Stephanie Hacha Public RelationsTeam Sucheta Harjai Monica Garcia Rachel Erez Christina Artmanni Gustavo Gyotoku Erick Gaona Advertising Director Veronica Grant Adviser Toni Albertson The Mountaineer is a college newspaper published by the students in journalism classes at Mt. San Antonio College.

The views expressed in this newspaper do not reflect the views of the adviser, administration, or the Board of Trustees of the Mt. SAC District. The Mountaineer and mountiewire.com are First Amendment Publications. Phone: 909-594-5611 X6123 FAX: 909-468-4106 Bldg. 26D, 3220 B Cover Photo of Jasmine Lerma at In-NOut burgers in Covina by Beatrice Alcala.

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Adolfo Tigerino/MOUNTAINEER Caption: President and CEO Bill Scroggins, center, converses with Mt. SAC Board of Trustees Vice President Fred Chyr, left, and the Dean of natural science Larry Redinger, right, at the grand opening of the Mt. SAC Observatory and the Science Exploration Center on Friday, May 17.

College on a new mission Faculty, students not on board

The Presidents Advisory Council PAC has proposed a change in the wording of Mt. SAC’s Mission Statement during its annual review for accreditation last year, a move that has caused some controversy amongst students and faculty alike. At the top of the controversy is the meaning behind the changes and what this means for students.

The mission statement which currently reads, “The mission of Mt. San Antonio College is to welcome all students and to support them in achieving their personal, educational, and career goals in an environment of academic excellence,” and approved by the board in 2008, would undergo suggested revisions to remove the words “personal,” and “career” as well as replacing “all students” with “students.”

According to Dr. Bill Scroggins, president and CEO of Mt. SAC, the reasons for the proposed changes to “all students,” aside from accreditation review, is that “the majority of the group felt it was a misrepresentation to say that we have the capacity to serve everyone who comes to the college and desires an education.”

In the minutes from the PAC meeting on Sept. 12, it was noted that many on the committee felt that due to outside budgetary constraints, the college was no longer able to serve all students, and that continuing to say so does not apply because of the proposed changes to registration set by the Chancellor’s office.

“There was concern among representatives on the council about the word ‘all’ under the environment that we cannot serve all students who come to us,” said Scroggins. “We don’t have enough resources from the state to offer enough classes to do so.”

Because of the proposed shift by the state in the way community colleges receive funding, it will be required beginning in Fall 2014 for all students to have a clear path to completion, meaning that they will either complete a degree, a certificate, or transfer.

Scroggins added that a majority of the staff is in agreement and that there needs to be some sort of change. This change however, is viewed by some as going against what a community college was originally created for.

“One of the things that the majority of the faculty, not all the faculty, but a majority agree that we need to send a clear message that we can’t serve all students,” said Scroggins.

Professor of English and Department Chair Kristina Allende disagreed, and although she is unable to speak on behalf of her department, she was unaware that the faculty was polled.

“I know that Dr. Scroggins sent an e-mail to the campus community asking for comments about the changes,” said Allende. “It is a bit of a stretch though to assume that those who didn’t respond failed to because they are in agreement with the proposition [of changing the mission statement.]”

Beginning 2014, there will also be a 100-unit cap for longtime students. Allende said that students come to the community college to discover what interests them and in what they want to major in.

“This new requirement will not allow for the exploration in the same manner students have now,” said Allende. “These changes mean that we can no longer serve the lifelong learner.”

Pam Arterburn, professor of English, has been vocal about how she feels and disagrees with the changes to the mission statement.

“To me, the mission statement is the heart and soul of our community college and if we change that because corporate America thinks we need to be more efficient, I think we need to examine why we are really here,” Arterburn said.

In first response to hearing about the changes, Arterburn sent an e-mail to Scroggins about her concern for the reasoning behind the changes.

“The focus on ‘all students’ says we are inclusive; even the student who skips class is part of the program,” wrote Arterburn. “And it’s our job to reach out to marginal students and help create their connection to education.”

Allende agreed and said that she believes the removal of the words “personal,” and “educational” to be limiting in the way that Mt. SAC serves students.

In the e-mail sent by Scroggins, he also wrote, “students have a variety of goals they hope to achieve by attending Mt. SAC. Attempting to list or categorize student goals is thus limiting.”

He also wrote that in using the word “educational,” it allows for more inclusiveness: “The unifying element of student goals is better represented by the more global term, ‘educational.’”

Arterburn disagreed and said that replacing those key words and simply using “educational” is limiting.

She responded to Scroggins’ e-mail.

“I wrote him but he didn’t respond to it; he asked for feedback and I responded to each of those points,” Arterburn said.

She added that a single word cannot be as inclusive as the three combined.

“That’s simply wrong, there is no way that one word is more inclusive than three separate terms that each have a different definition. I’m an English teacher, I know how words can be manipulated and that is not true.”

Faculty members are not the only ones who disagree with the proposed changes to the mission statement.

Jessica Weber, 25, is concerned about the 100-unit cap. Weber entered Mt. SAC as an animal science major and realized that wasn’t for her and switched over to business management. She said it didn’t appeal to her and then went to communications. It wasn’t until she randomly took a horticulture class that she found her calling. Weber, who works on campus at the

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nursery, has already used nearly 200 units at Mt. SAC. She worries that once the new system takes affect, she will lose all of her priority in registration.

“If I wouldn’t have been able to get comfortable at school and check out all the different classes, I wouldn’t have been able to find the horticulture program,” Weber said.

Weber, who plans to transfer to Cal Poly’s horticulture program, still has to pass math to transfer.

“I kind of feel at a loss for myself because I still have my math,” said Weber. “If I lose my priority, I’m going to be one of the 50 people that are waiting in line at the beginning of the class to add.”

Weber added that the 100-unit cap would also change the meaning of the college, and with the new restrictions on units, it would no longer be a community college.

“Once you get to Mt. SAC you don’t know what you want to do.

You might take a philosophy class and think, ‘wow,’ or you might see someone using sign language and you are interested all of a sudden,” Weber said.

Weber added that the purpose of a community college is to learn by taking various classes and that the administration is making a mistake in implementing the 100-unit limit.

She also said these changes could be exclusive to students who are unable to attend Mt. SAC full-time or who come just for the purpose of exploring new classes.

“I think they’re forgetting that people come here because they have other life issues going on. They’re working full-time, they have kids, transitioning in to a different path,” Weber said.

Scroggins also wrote in his e-mail to faculty that students have an assortment of goals they are attempting to complete while attending Mt. SAC, and that attempting to list them all is limiting: “The outcomes that students come to us for certainly includes career and personal outcomes but that’s not all they include. They include the ability to transfer and get a baccalaureate degree, they include being able to be a functioning member of society, whether that be learning to speak English, or learning how to access the social network, and so in some ways as you start to make a list of student outcomes that our mission covers. That becomes limiting so that one of the things all of those outcomes have in common is there’re based on education, and that’s what we do. We are an education agency.”

Allende said the community college will no longer serve the population it was intended.

“The changes mean that the community college will now be the place for current and future students who intend to transfer or to obtain a degree,” said Allende.

“There will no longer be a place for those who wish to attend Mt. SAC, or any other California community college, because they are lifelong learners.”

Allende added that she understands that the removal of the words allows for the mission statement to coincide with the State’s mission statement on community colleges.

Arterburn said the mission statement has three components.

“We are supposed to help students achieve their personal, career, and educational goals,”

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

News

The mission of Mt. San Antonio College is to welcome all students and to support them in achieving their personal, educational, and career goals in an environment of academic excellence.

To me, the mission statement is the heart and soul of our community college and if we change that because corporate America thinks we need to be more efficient, I think we need to examine why we are really here.”

—Pam Arterburn said Arterburn. “Those are three separate things, and as a teacher I think of all three of those every day in my classroom.”

Another major concern for students is losing their priority registration and not being able to get the classes they need to graduate. According to Scroggins, the State changed regulations with respect to enrollment priority.

“Title 5, Section 58108 has made significant changes that all colleges must follow and that alters the priority that we issue to students that dictates their registration appointment when they sign up for classes,” said Scroggins.

Scroggins explained: “There are three major changes: Students who are on probation for a second term are no longer eligible for registration priority. That is that they are at the end of the priority list. Students who have more than 100 units at Mt. SAC are no longer granted registration priority but are at the end of the list for whatever classes might be open at the end of that process. Third, new students must have gone through orientation advising and have an initial plan. All will go into effect a year from now.”

The loss of priority registration is a big blow to students like music and journalism major Alex Urquidez, 20.

“Every semester that I’ve been here I’ve been able to get a certain registration date before everyone else, but now I’m getting a later registration date and it’s not even my fault,” said Urquidez, who works full time as a server in a local restaurant and attends college.

“What am I supposed to do”?

Scroggins said there will be a natural focus on completion when students are required to have an education plan to obtain priority registration and they will not take courses that will not advance them towards their educational goal.

He added that students who are enrolled in vocational programs or high skill wage Career and Technical Education CTE programs can increase their earning power that will improve the quality of their ability to become functioning citizens. He added that students

who complete a vocational certificate or an associate degree can double their earning power from anywhere between $20,000 to $50,000.

“There is a incentive for the student to complete that work,” Scroggins said.

Should colleges do everything to move students through? Scroggins said yes.

“Colleges should do everything possible to assist the student in finishing in two to three years rather than the average which is about five or six years,” Scroggins said. “It’s in our mutual best interest for students to complete their programs because they increase their earning power and by doing so they increase seats for other students to come in and achieve their educational potential.”

Arterburn said this kind of thinking is part of a huge movement to change the way community colleges are run…to make them more efficient in terms of dollars and in terms of what is being called completion. She explained: “Completion is a buzz word that you’ve probably heard many times.

What that means is that students will only be valued if they transfer or graduate. That’s it.”

Arterburn added, “In fact, some of the information is all about the desire to change how community

Colleges should do everything possible to assist the student in finishing in two to three years rather than the average which is about five or six years.”

—Dr. Bill Scroggins colleges are funded. That is what this is all about.”

Currently, community colleges are funded by average daily attendance ADA, which according to Arterburn, is “the number of student bodies in a chair.”

Arterburn said if the college changes that to completion, those numbers will be irrelevant because it will switch to the number of students who actually transfer or complete degrees. She explained: “So let’s imagine a scenario where you went to Mt. SAC and got a degree in respiratory technology, and it took 70 units to get that degree, but then all the jobs dropped off. So you decide you want to be an EMT and you return to college and get halfway through the program but you’ve used all your units. Have you ever thought of community colleges that way?

Haven’t you always thought of them as an open door that will be there for you?

EDITORIAL:

Supreme Court got it right For many years, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Americans have fought valiantly for equality. From the start of the Stonewall riots in the 1960s, to the first gay freedom parades, to the marches across the nation shortly after Prop. 8 was passed, there has been a struggle to be treated fairly under the law, with dignity and respect. We at the Mountaineer support the Supreme Court’s ruling on Wed., June 26 that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act DOMA and deemed California’s Proposition 8 unconstitutional.

We believe this is a monumental step in the right direction for full marriage equality and inclusiveness under the law.

In November 2008, California voters narrowly passed Prop.

8, a bill that revoked marriage rights for LGBTQ people. The streets filled with people and protests were held across the state. Many across the state felt cheated because they had lost their equal status due to a group of people who deemed them unworthy. Still there was hope.

The case was challenged and taken to court, but amidst these arguments one thing stood in the way of the benefits on the federal level: DOMA. DOMA, which was enacted in 1996, restricted the federal government from recognizing gay marriage even if the couple were married in a state that recognized gay marriage.

The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, said that DOMA violates the Fifth Amendment by disparaging people for whom it sought to protect with marriage laws.

Gay marriage is not about redefining marriage or about forcing religious institutions into accepting homosexuality. At its heart, gay marriage is about love and protection, the same kind of protection that is given to all heterosexual men and women in the United States. We can now be proud and celebrate alongside our LGBTQ Californians who chose to embark on the beautiful journey that is marriage.

Albert Serna on behalf of The Mountaineer Staff

Job offers: Paid Interns vs. Unpaid Interns Opinion Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Monday, June 17, 2013

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achieving in the higher education system. Internships can be invaluable as experience-builders, and they can get interns a start in their careers. So other than their blatant illegality, openness to exploitative treatment and inbuilt discrimination against the lower classes, what’s wrong with unpaid 64% of job offers to paid interns vs. 38% to their unpaid counterparts. internships, really? For one, unpaid 64% of job offers to paid interns vs. 38% to their unpaid counterpartsinterns get fewer job offers than their paid counterparts. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, paid interns received job offers in the for-profit sector 64 percent of the time in 2012, while their unpaid counterparts were offered employment only 38 percent of the time.

As long as the law remains largely unenforced, there is no incentive for the for-profit sector to stop using unpaid internships as free labor. Interns and wouldbe interns must stand up for their own rights. The easiest way to fight illegal unpaid internships is not to take them. This is not always an option, but understanding fair wage laws can help interns choose better internships.

If you’ve been stuck at an illegal internship and you have the means, contact a lawyer and sue. Pressure the U.S. Department of Labor to enforce the law, and employers will listen. Already, several legal battles are being fought this summer for Above infographic: Harmon Huynh; Cartoon: Adam Valenzuela fair pay. In the meantime, interns have to do their best not to work for free.

INTERNSHIP

Internships: Modern day slavery VANESSA SOLIS OPINION EDITOR Internships have long been a summer staple for college students looking to fill a resume, build experience or launch a career. In the for-profit sector, though, unpaid internships can be disastrous for the interns they purport to help. As recent lawsuits have shown, unpaid internships are often blatantly illegal, though still widely accepted; they open interns up to exploitation from both employers and colleges; finally, they keep down the middle class, preventing aspiring workers from entering white collar jobs by being financially prohibitive.

Laws against illegal unpaid internships should be strictly enforced, but employers often flout the law, taking advantage of interns’ eagerness to work. So how does one determine which internships are illegal? The Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, broadly defines the term “employ” as to “suffer or permit to work.”

Most internships in the for-profit sector, then, fall under the category of “employment” and should be paid--that is, unless they meet several guidelines, offered by the Department of Labor on their website. To list a few, an internship must be similar to training that would be offered in an educational environment; the internship must be “for the benefit of the intern” (a kicker); an intern cannot displace an existing employee; an intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the end of an internship; and an employer cannot derive “immediate advantage” from an intern’s activities.

Sometimes employers break all

these guidelines at once, but interns are fighting back with lawsuits. In March 2012, a former unpaid intern filed a class action lawsuit against Charlie Rose of “The Charlie Rose Show.” A $250,000 settlement was reached late last year, with the show agreeing to offer back pay to former interns who performed employee duties for free. Not all headline-grabbing lawsuits are falling in unpaid interns’ favor, though: On May 16, a New York judge denied class status to a group of 3,000 interns at Hearst Corporation, which means that each intern has to file an individual lawsuit against the company if he or she wants a chance at back pay.

On May 29, a lawsuit was filed against famed fashion designer Norma Kamali by Maurice Pianko and Jesse Strauss on another unpaid intern’s behalf. Erica van Rabenswaay was a full-time unpaid “apprentice” for for three months with the hope of a job at the end of the three-month period. The lawsuit alleges that one month of paid work later, van Rabenswaay was fired, and the designer immediately advertised for another “apprentice” who performed the same duties. Pianko is the founder of Intern Justice, an website that offers legal services to unpaid workers, and Strauss is part of Strauss Law LLC, a class action litigation firm.

The exploitation of unpaid interns can fall between two extremes: in one scenario, an intern is stuck with menial tasks and little training or experience; doing the work of a low-wage worker is still work, however, and should be paid with minimum wage. At the other end, an intern is urged to do the work of a full-time employee, but

for free; again, this is in violation of the FLSA. Other than often being illegal, unpaid internships can also open interns up to unfair or unethical practices because interns don’t have the same protections as employees do. Even those employers offering college credit instead of pay can be exploitative: Employers get free labor, while students pay tuition to get that college credit. In essence, these students are paying to work, and, if stuck with menial tasks, they don’t always get their money’s worth. If the internship fails to provide its value in education, then the only thing interns are earning is negative pay.

Just like student debt, unpaid internships are prohibitive to lower-class students who want to join or stay in the middle class.

Because many internships are for white collar jobs, they potentially offer students a means to a betterpaying career than their blue-collar roots. But students from lower socioeconomic classes don’t have the luxury of working for free or for negative pay for a summer.

To make things worse, the effects of not taking an internship can be far-reaching. Students with no internships on their resume are less impressive to prospective employers, and in some fields like journalism, they are practically unhireable. The pressure to take on an unpaid internship is high in certain industries, and this can limit the career choices of students from working class backgrounds.

Sure, this is unfair to scores of ambitious would-be interns who had the misfortune of being born poor. But so are expensive private schools and tutors, and this hasn’t stopped poorer students from

20-something ALBERT SERNA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Who doesn’t like going out and getting wasted in the city, with a late night run to Jack-in-the-Box to satisfy their drunk cravings? The only problem is finding someone who is willing to deal with a car full of drunk people, driving them around L.A. and then back home.

I’m all for safety, but it’s not easy to find a designated driver. I am ashamed to admit that on several occasions I have been the one who is the closest to sober and drove.I also know a lot of people who enjoy pre-gaming on the way to club in an attempt to save money. It’s great to have a nice buzz going when you get to the destination while saving money.

On the flip-side, it can be fun to be the designated driver because you get to see all your friends at their worst and watch as they makeout with someone they would never go near without beer goggles.

It is also great to get them to fork over gas and food money. I’m not talking about cheating them; just a burger and fries while they puke out the side of your car.

Part of being in your twenties is exploring of your limits, whether it’s how many beers you can pound before puking or how fast you can eat before having to hold your friend’s hair back. But the potential consequences of drinking and driving can be devastating not only to you but those around you. So my advice is to plan ahead. Make sure someone has committed to being sober. If you can’t find a designated driver, grab yourself a nice bottle of gin and juice, and lay back at home.

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Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

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Opinion

Are you there love?

It’s me.

ALBERT SERNA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dating in your 20s can be both confusing and exciting. Problems and pleasures can beautifully collide to result in a happy ending, bitter pain, or both. But being gay adds its own set of challenges that can make dating go from a blissful struggle to a heart wrenching war. In all respects, dating is never easy. There are far too many awkward moments and words left unsaid (or said) that can bring about a swift end to something magical.

As a 20-year old gay man, I can easily say that in the gay world there are many things that not only ruin, but also desecrate the beauty of love itself. From infidelity to hateful prejudices, closet-case “str8” guys to hypocritical standards of beauty, the romantic life of your average gay in his twenties is nothing short of a teenage slasher flick, full of bad acting, gruesome fights, and a plethora of gratuitous nudity and sex.

Fidelity may seem to some an integral part of a committed relationship, but it often holds a double meaning for nonheterosexual couples. I have seen many “open” relationships, have been asked to join a couple, and even had a recent ex ask for the freedom to sleep with other men while still being in a “committed” relationship with me. In some cases it works for the couple, but for a man such as myself, who believes in fidelity, this kind of “relationship“ could never work.

These arrangements are not my idea of a relationship, and even with an agreement it is still cheating. Maybe some people out there are okay with this, but I’m old fashioned. I believe if you love someone then that‘s it. Asking to see someone else in any respect means, to me, that I am not enough for my partner and that even at my best there is something left to want.

In my last relationship and most heartbreaking, not a single man could compare to the one I had waiting for me at home. I would never dream of kissing another man, let alone fooling around with someone else. Having been on the receiving end many times, I can say I’ve heard it all. “It was just a mistake,” “It meant nothing,” “so-and-so do it all the time, and they’re fine,“ and my personal favorite “ if you weren’t so attached I wouldn’t have done it.” Points to you bro for trying to turn it around, but all these excuses simply prove a point to the outside world that gays can’t be trusted with love, let alone marriage.

It’s a vicious cycle. The straight people say we cannot have “normal” relationships. Of course we deny it but do things that perpetuate this perception. We are making things worse by cheating, hurting and condemning ourselves. Infidelity is a horrible experience but before a couple can get to that stage, they need to find someone who’s interested enough to attempt a commitment with. That leads us to the medium in which a gay man can meet another gay men.

I am not going to deny that I have used dating sites or apps, and as convenient as they are, there are many disadvantages to logging on and getting off. Not only does the possibility of encountering someone who is faking their information exist, but a lot of the men on these sites only want sex.

That’s great if you are horny or do not want anything serious, but if you are looking for a meaningful relationship, there is hardly any to be found. The problems with online dating in the gay world are many.

There are prejudices that infest the minds of so many of my fellow gay youth. It is common to see things such as “No Asians, no Blacks,” “Not into Black guys,” and “I only date white/Latin men, sorry.” The last one really irks me, as it should everyone else in the community. Speaking from a historical standpoint, all homosexuals were shunned because of something they could not change.

If anything, gays should understand how wrong it is to outcast a group of people based on race or any other unchangeable trait. While it’s true that a gay man cannot be expected to be attracted to everyone, and maybe not all Asian or Black men are going to be attractive to them, but to eliminate the possibility of even talking to someone for that reason is both ignorant and rude.

I admit that I am guilty of writing such things. I once wrote “Whites and Latins only.” Looking back, not only am I ashamed but I regret that I may have missed out on someone who could have been my one true love.

Of course there are other hazards lurking in the gay dating scene. I am referring to “str8” men.

A “str8” man is someone who, for all intents and purposes, is nearperfectly heterosexual. He usually shies away from anything that may lead someone to perceive him as gay, displays hyper-masculine attitudes and actions, and will usually be the first to berate a gay guy. Sadly, this guy cannot wait until the next time he is alone with that “faggot” so he can enjoy the both pleasurable and relieving ecstasy of stepping momentarily out of the closet. It would be ignorant to say that all straight men that engage in sex with other men are gay or bi. Sexuality is a complicated and confusing part of life.

Some men enjoy sleeping or fooling around with other men for reasons known only to them, though often consider themselves 100 percent heterosexual, and in their own minds they are. Often times social persecution from family and friends could be the leading cause of staying the in closet, other times it is religious (like that pastor accused of having an affair with a male escort and was “str8”) but it really messes with the heads of gay guys of all ages. Anyone who has ever come out knows the fear and struggles that come with accepting who they are. From a simple acceptance hug to death, the consequences are a gamble.

Another challenge that gay men face is the hypocrisy of beauty.

The bar is set so high as to what is

Illustration Adam Valenzuela

deemed attractive that only a few men fit the description. I believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Weight, age, race, and even body hair are all irrelevant if you truly love the person. Obviously there needs to be a level of attraction, but to say that you only date hairless muscular white men is both preposterous and unrealistic. I am not very muscular, I am not very tall, I have hair on my shoulders, chest, and other places I don’t usually talk about in polite company, and I am definitely not white. These traits were once an embarrassment for me. I tried hard to gain muscle mass and shaved myself to be more attractive to men. I know now that the kind of man who demands so much change from me is not someone I want to be with. Now I find man’s natural qualities more attractive than a man who has a striking resemblance to Ken. There are also gay men who in no way fit the gay community’s standard of beauty, yet demand perfection before even taking one look. You cannot reject someone because they lack those qualities if you do not hold yourself to the same standards.

And for the guys that do fit those molds, good for you, but not everyone is “perfect” and you should not expect them to be.

In the end, the dating pool in the gay community is slowly polluting it’s once rainbow waters, further fueling the hateful and slanderous attacks by bigots and ignorant people alike. Some of the problems that plague the gay dating world are not exclusive, however some tend to be more accepted because of the idea that we are held separate from the rest of the world. I would suggest that if a man is horny and considers cheating while in a committed relationship, that they turn to the many ways to release without bringing in another man or cheating. I am not a saint, I have been unfaithful in the past, but it tore me apart, and I know it is

something I am never willing to do again.

And for the gentlemen out there who choose to use prejudice in their dating profiles, I suggest looking into their own history. Read about the persecution gays have faced as a whole and how our past leaders might have regarded such sayings.

Would Harvey Milk have said “no Blacks, no Asians” in his speeches?

To all you “str8” men out there, I know it’s a scary prospect, but it truly is better on the outside of the closet. No matter the case, the gay community takes care of its own. There are many resources out there that can help in the coming out process. Organizations such as the Trevor Project are made specifically for men who need a place to talk and who are struggling with their sexuality and homophobia. Aren’t you tired of hiding, of lying to everyone and yourself ?

For those of you who demand perfection in a partner, I will say it again. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You don’t need to be a super model or G.I. Joe to look good. There are so many qualities out there that make a person beautiful, and a lot are not physical.

If you want to work out and be in shape good. If you don’t like your body hair shave it. But don’t think for one minute that anther man feels the same way, or subscribes to that same standard of beauty The prospect of sexual freedom is great, especially for a group of people who for so long were forced to hide or conform to what was deemed normal. I can grasp how so many, both gay and straight, can be lured by the idea; a new partner with all the loving comforts of a relationship. However by it’s own definition, a monogamous relationship is between two consenting individuals, and if you don’t want that then you should consider just being single until you’re ready for one person.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Monday, June 17, 2013

College Life

7

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie

The story of a community college sitcom COOPER MCHATTON COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR Paintball. Video games. Pillow fights. Parties... Community college! Right? I spent four years a dedicated fan of NBC’s Community and last semester as a community college student. I have to say, it’s a little bit disappointing. Not to say that life should be like a sitcom, but after being inside the genius mind of Community creator, Dan Harmon, watching the beauty of broken people coming together whole within superficially-deep storylines episode after episode, I found myself searching for a similar experience.

Greendale Community College, the setting for Community, was modeled after Harmon’s own experiences at Glendale Community College. The show focuses around a study group of seven students and Greendale’s faculty. Reminiscent of the Breakfast Club, each student has a stereotype, and as all good script writing will reveal, each college student has deep, complex personalities. Personally, that is where the scripts jumped from page to reality for me. Many students, in my brief first semester of community college, proved to be just that: surprising, broken, complicated, beautiful, tragic, and interesting.

Whether or not my community college experience will eventually rival Community the television show has yet to be seen. For now, we all have four seasons of Community, with the fifth just beginning production when we need that dose of community college fantasy.

Every episode of the first three seasons is brilliant, heartfelt, and inventive to no end. Anything was possible. Nothing was out of bounds.

From stopmotion animation and musical Christmas specials to spaghetti western and Star Wars

paintball fights to multiple timelines and Dungeons and Dragons.

These Harmon led seasons of Community’s extraordinarily inventive episodes doesn’t really showcase what’s special about the show. Every single scene is packed with more love and character than most shows have in their entire production run. The depth and detail is positively striking. Harmon, showrunner for seasons one, two, three, and the coming season five, made Community something special. Something that transcends the television show. Something that has touched it’s fans on a deep emotional level. Harmon’s vision is what has made Community so special.

Despite the brilliance of the show, Community is always in danger of cancellation. It’s not that the show doesn’t have viewers, it’s that the show’s viewers tend to watch on Hulu after the episode has aired. It just doesn’t draw in large numbers expected from a network show. I know many people who watch Community, yet I am the only one to watch it on cable TV. Every time the show has been in danger of cancellation, Community fans have risen up, hashtags trending on Twitter, flash mobs, and anything else imaginable to let the corporate executives in charge of the show’s fate know that this particular audience will not back down and are insanely passionate.

Dan Harmon wrapped up Community at the end of season three. He gave the show a glorious ending that didn’t wrap up everything in case it was renewed, but still gave fans closure.

Then came season four. Harmon was fired from the show he created and replaced as showrunner by two people: David Guarascio and Moses Port. The problem is, as talented as I am sure they are, there is only one person who can be at the helm of

this show. Fans were going insane.

The show was going to continue.

We got what we wanted. Were we excited because we all wanted season four? Or were we horrified at the thought of Community in someone else’s hands? Like a family divorce, choosing sides, we all were helpless watching something once so beautiful become broken, yet, all the faces remained the same.

Even when wearing one of my many Community t-shirts, I felt like a traitor.

In addition to Harmon, a number of the show’s core staff also left at the end of season three including writer Chris McKenna and actor/ writer Dino Stamatopoulos.

Without these core individuals, season four is just a shell of it’s former self. Best summed up like a series of bad fanfiction with few wonderful moments.

I have such great respect for the cast and crew and was torn on finding a balance between being supportive of what still had moments of glory, but being honest with the overall feeling that something was just wrong.

When you wholeheartedly buy into these characters and they act, well, clearly out of character, you’re left feeling rather empty.

The beginning of the season was fairly mediocre, but toward the end of the season they hit their stride. It didn’t improve perfectly chronologically, but as a general guideline the end of the season was leagues better than the beginning.

As a community college student, if you haven’t already, you must watch, or binge watch, the first three seasons of Community (in order!). You will easily become absorbed into the series’ perfection.

And then there is season four.

Although it doesn’t have the magic and heart of the first three, stuff did happen! One episode in particular from season four, “Basic

Human Anatomy,” which aired late in the season, was completely fantastic and on the level with the best of the earlier seasons.

The episode, written by Jim Rash, who plays Greendale’s Dean, is an Oscar winning screenwriter for The Descendents. So far to date, this is the only episode he’s written and I just can’t get enough of it. Pure magic.

There were other good moments throughout season four. “Heroic Origins” was very entertaining, Brie Larson’s “Rachel” in “Herstory of Dance” was a fantastic character (even if we didn’t get to see her again for the rest of the season), “Intro to Knots” was alright, “Intro to Felt Surrogacy” was inventive (but it had pretty bland, uninteresting writing), and “Alternative History of the German Invasion,” “Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations,” and “Advanced Documentary Filmmaking” all had semi-solid stories.

A strong campaign for “#SixSeasonsAndAMovie” started by diehard fans of the show, became bittersweet after the departure of Harmon. Then, to everyone’s surprise, Harmon announced his return to Community. Though cast member Chevy Chase has left the show along with prominent writer Megan Ganz, with Harmon back at the helm, and with him Dino Stamatopoulos and Chris McKenna, regardless of the other difficulties and downfalls, you can count on season five being something spectacular.

Already the outspoken showrunner is diligently working to undo the damage of season four which he compared to “being held down and watching your family get raped on a beach.” So, spend a little time this summer, watch, rewatch, get acquainted with the wonderful world of Community. See you in the fall. Wanna join a study group?

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

8

College Life

Modern Slave

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook: “Who’s looking for a job? I’ve got an amazing opportunity.

Hit me up for more details!” I e-mailed this friend, asking what the job entailed and what it paid.

This friend replied and informed me that this “amazing opportunity” would not be paid; instead, I would have the chance to Rich Yap work with a well known event planner, and that this opportunity was more about the experience.

Excuse me? If I wanted to have the experience of party planning, I would plan my own party. I am gay after all, which means that I was born with the knowledge of how to throw the perfect soiree for any occasion. But I digress…

My point is, when did working for free become the norm? I could tell you numerous stories of my days of indentured servitude.

Actually, slavery might be a more appropriate term.

There was one time that I worked as a production assistant on a short film, averaging about 16 hours each day on set. I was paid in food, and at the time, was under the impression that I was building up experience. This film finally saw the light of day a couple years after we had wrapped principal photography.

I showed up to the screening, only to have no one in the cast and crew remember who I was. At least my name was listed in the credits.

Another time, I rounded up some friends, and together we helped in various capacities on a web series for an up and coming indie director. At the screening party, when this director got up to thank everyone for all their help with the project, we were conveniently forgotten. On the positive side, we at least got to go to the party for free and were fed regularly. Okay, so maybe I exaggerated. Slaves do not get fed, right? And it is not as though I did not do a good job. I would often get contacted to work for these people again on a new project, a project that this time would put us on the map and they could finally start paying me what I deserved. I accepted a few of these offers but that future paycheck and dream project never came.

Eventually I saw the writing on the wall: No one would ever pay for something that they used to get for free. And if you suddenly decide to have some self worth and dare to hint at the possibility of monetary compensation for your efforts, you might as well throw in the towel and quit because these people will find some new kid to sucker into working for free. And L.A. is full of suckers.

Did I get a foot in the door?

Sure. But here’s a little secret about L.A. Once you have established yourself in a role, people will always see you as this role and it will be very difficult for you to break out of it. Think of it as typecasting for everyday life. And I did not want to be a production assistant for the rest of my life. My foot was in the wrong door.

And even when you do get your foot in the right door, people still want your services for free. So what wisdom can I impart to you from my countless experience as a free laborer? I’ll tell you if you pay me.

The Current Face of Esports JULIAN MUHR STAFF WRITER Esports is the name given to the community of competitive gaming that has arisen over the past five years, starting with games like the original “Starcraft” and “Counter Strike.” Now a booming community growing for every event held, Esports has a new game on the main stage, League of Legends.

On a day-to-day basis the average number of daily visitors to the website Instagram is around 7.5 million, while the daily active players for the popular game Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is about 4.5 million. League of Legends has 12 million active players daily, which is close to the all-time peak subscriber number for World of Warcraft.

For those who have been able to climb the ladder to the top, League

of Legends has become more than a game to play in their free time. For these players the game has become their job, and instead of playing just for fun they also play for a living.

Making money in League of Legends isn’t as simple as just playing the game. Hours of time spent playing live for an audience in the form of live streaming, traveling across the country to play in tournaments and finding sponsors to pay for their expenses are key to surviving as a professional player.

Contrary to popular belief not all League of Legends pro players are single young men living with their parents. Team Velocity’s mid lane player, Joseph “Vileroze” Bourbassa, is one of a handful of players in the League Pro scene who not only has a wife, but also a young son. In a recent interview with Riot Industries, Bourbassa said,

“You know, a family to take care of motivates me to do better.” And in between caring for his family and playing with his team, he brings enough money in to keep up his own house and provide a steady income for his family.

Recently, League of Legends was one of the featured games at the Major League Gaming MLG convention at the Anaheim convention center. The threeday event brought in over 21,000 competitors and spectators, the largest crowd ever for an MLG event.

Over the next few weeks I, along with fellow journalist Nelson Cuevas, will be navigating our way through the competitive scene of League of Legends. Check out our new articles and videocasts at www.mountiewire.com where both experienced players and newbies can follow.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Monday, June 17, 2013

Features

9

ALL

SUMMER LONG

I wish they all could be

CALIFORNIA GIRLS.�

It’s summer and that means lots of sunshine, warm weather and longer days. California is known for its beaches, mountains and incredible sunsets, but as the Beach Boys sang back in the 1960s, California is also known for its California Girls. So grab a cool drink and put on some summer clothes that show off that California sun-kissed tan.

Photos Beatrice Alcala/MOUNTAINEER Top, Jazmine Lerma 22, left bottom: Casey Collins, 24, left right: Krystina Gonzalez, 24

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

10

Features

J

Brand new day

une 26 was a day of celebration for supporters of gay marriage as the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act DOMA and deemed the California vote on Prop 8 unconstitutional.

Jared Dunlap, a 30-year-old gay man, said the Supreme Court rulings mean a lot to him and his

partner Eduardo Cortez, 23.

“It means a lot, since Eduardo is not a U.S. citizen, this opens a big door,” said Dunlap. “He has secured a travel

visa but this is a big step and means when marriage comes along in our path that we can be joined together.”

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Features

Monday, June 17, 2013

11

The day of advocacy and protest does not stop, it continues from a different angle and, with a louder voice and a stronger presence.� —Jared Dunlap, 30

Photos of Kristina Gonzalez and Vivian Lopez: Beatrice Alcala/MOUNTAINEER. Other photos courtesy of Eduardo Cortez. Pictured clockwise from top; Kristina Gonzalez, 22, and her girlfriend Vivian Lopez, 21, embrace. Pictured left, Eduardo Cortez, 23, and his boyfriend Jared Dunlap, 30 spending time together.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

12

Features

Sterling Knight/Mountaineer Emily Davis, 19, center-right, rehearses a contemporary-modern piece, “Waiting in the Sky,” for the Repertory Dance Concert at the Sophia B. Clarke Theater on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Dancing in numbers Young student lives to dance

A lot of the faculty influence me and inspire me to just let go. They have opened up so many doors for me to go out and explore.”

–Emily Davis Adolfo Tigerino News Editor Her left leg extended outward toward the adjacent grey concrete bench, her combat boots visible, her right leg slanted as if she was ready to be lifted. Her face lit up and a bright smile emerged as if she were in front of an audience performing on stage. This is Emily Davis, 19-year-old student who has been dancing most of her life.

She also has choreographed several pieces including one at the Mt. SAC Spring Dance Concert, “Touched,” and several at her alma mater, Brea Olinda High School.

Dancing is more than just fun for Davis, it’s a way of life.

“My mom always told me, ‘you were always moving, tapping your foot when something was playing.

‘I’ve always been a mover so I like dancing,” Davis said with a wide smile. “Dancing is about that movement and expression. It’s life.”

Davis works at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in Brea for close to 37 hours a week and attends

college full time. For Davis having high energy is just part of her regular outgoing personality and an appealing quality that her friends find enjoyable.

“She’s bubbly, fun, and inspiring,” said close friend and former dance partner Jessica Morton, 18, a child psychology major at Saddleback College.

Bubbly is a term used to describe Davis amongst her friends.

“I would describe her as a fun bubbly personality who is very likable,” said Felix Galvan, 23, a dance major who has been dancing with Davis for a year.

Davis was introduced to the art of dancing when she was 4.

She started competing heavily and transitioned from a small studio to a bigger one called The Dance Spot in Fullerton. This is where she learned a lot of her technique and skill. She started off with ballet.

“Ballet is the basics for everything,” Davis said. “It’s the foundation.”

Then her instructors placed her into jazz dancing because that is where she excelled.

“It was the style I was really strong in,” Davis said.

Nonetheless, she has mastered a variety of different dances which include jazz, tap, and lyrical, all in which she competed in. She has won many national titles and various other awards but her love for dance did not come through competition, but in her high school dance team. The dance team at Brea Olinda High School does not compete and focuses more on concert dance and dance expression.

“That’s one of the reasons they were so good,” she said. “The coach was so good at saying, ‘dance for

you not for somebody else.’”

This motto is what she still holds onto today, but the moment she knew that dance was her calling was when she auditioned for the high school team as an incoming freshmen. The contemporarymodern piece she was auditioning for was completely different to what she had been doing for the past decade.

“My studio where I grew up, I was a straight jazz dancer, I had technique, straight arms, straight legs and everything. It had to be technique and sharp,” Davis said.

“With this piece I had never moved that way and it was a big turning point in my life.”

With this new appreciation of dance she began to focus more on the expressions and the message that the pieces relayed. She began working on choreography in high school, and a few of her pieces were used.

Her junior year of high school she became co-captain of the dance team. She said leaving competition is what allowed her to self evaluate. She added that it was a combination of school, work and family problems; however, her troubles at home helped her to be more creative with her pieces.

“It’s those daring people who have reasons to find themselves.

That’s why I dance so much,” she said about people pulling through in life with any problem.

She saw leaving competition as another stepping-stone in her life.

“It was a good time to leave the last two years I focused on me, myself expression on the floor.”

When she joined Mt. SAC, she got into the Mt. SAC Repertory Company in fall 2012 and in spring she created the piece “Touched” for

the Spring Concert.

“It was a very interesting experience, also weird because in high school when you choreographed you were allowed to be in your piece. This was the first time I wasn’t allowed to be in the piece, it was a cool experience to see my work on stage,” Davis said.

Davis’ hard work and dedication inspires her fellow dancers and friends.

“I would best describe Emily as an inspiration to others with her passion for dance,” Morton said.

When she was working with the Mt. SAC dance team she said it was fun to teach her piece because of the dancers’ dedication.

“Everybody in the dance program is so dedicated,” she said.

Her peers said that working with her is a positive and fun experience.

“She is very helpful to the other dancers,” Galvan said. “She is

It’s a really big issue with all this repeatability stuff. I know it’s coming from the state, and the school can’t really do anything about it, but what am I suppose to do?

–Emily Davis

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Monday, June 17, 2013

Features

13

Sterling Knight/MOUNTAINEER Emily Davis, 19, rehearses “Awakenings” with Felix Galvan, 23, for the Repertory Dance Conert at the Sophia B. Clarke Theater on Thursday, Nov.1.

great with coming up with original movement that is different and unique.”

She credits a lot of her influence, passion and drive to show raw expressions on stage from the faculty at Mt. SAC and past instructors.

“A lot of the faculty influence me and inspire me to just let go,” she said. “They have opened up so many doors for me to go out and explore.”

When it comes to looking for influences for certain moves and expressions, she turns to instructors over professionals for guidance.

“Instructors, they’re the ones that go through everything in the industry, that they become teachers,” she said.

Her family is highly supportive of her throughout her dancing career.

“My mother has been there for every one of my concerts,” Davis said. “ She doesn’t really know what to do for the next step of my life, she has suggestions, she’s very open to me going out expressing myself on stage.”

However, Davis is not just going to school for dance, she is double majoring in mathematics.

“Why not? Math is fun, plus there are a lot of job opportunities in the field. “ Davis grew up in a family interested in the sciences. Her mother, Martha Davis, is a biochemist, her younger brother, Joseph Davis, is into physics, and her younger sister Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Davis, is into environmental studies.

For Davis math makes life more intriguing. Her mother once told Davis that her method of breaking down the music to add movement to it is mathematical. “There is a connection between music and math,” Davis said on how she works on her pieces.

Sterling Knight/Mountaineer Emily Davis, 19, center, rehearses "This Woman's Work" with Becky Traynor, left, and Rebecca Ray, right, before the Nov. 2 performance of the Repertory Dance Concert at the Sophia B. Clarke Theater on Thursday Nov. 1.

She plans to transfer to UC Irvine in two years or less, classes permitting. .”

She also reads a lot of romantic novels, fantasy novels, and stories.

“I’m a hopeless romantic,” Davis said. “That’s why I love Disney fairy tales so much. They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.”

She read so much that she started a club in high school based off of a series she finished reading and was the president of the Harry Potter Club.

“I was a nerd in high school. I’m still a nerd, a nerdy dancer,” she said.

She rarely has much time to herself with her schedule of school and work, but she likes playing video games, riding her red and creme beach cruiser, and going to the beach.

“It’s a really good bike, it has a basket on it and everything,” she said.

When it comes to dancing at Mt. SAC over the summer, she hit a snag. She is not able to add the courses she needs because she has already taken them, and the repeatability rule started in summer instead of fall. She needs to take jazz class to be in the dance team.

“It’s a really big issue with all this repeatability stuff. I know it’s coming from the state, and the school can’t really do anything about it, but what am I supposed to do? I’m supposed be in those classes every semester, I’m supposed to be taking modern, jazz, and ballet,” she said. “Specifically modern and ballet especially if I want to transfer for the dance program at a different university.”

She has looked into the UC and Cal State catalogs and said that “it is written that a dance major must be enrolled in ballet and modern every single semester that

they’re at the community college in order to be eligible, since I’m in the system as a dance major, I have to get into each class that it allows me.”

This poses a big problem for Davis. She said she understands why the rule is in place but it is contradicting for majors that require a repeatable course like hers.

“They [the state] want to get students out, but what are we [dance majors] suppose to do? We can’t get our classes, because no you can’t keep taking these classes over and over again,” she said.

Davis signed up for a variety of dance classes throughout her first two semesters at Mt. SAC. “I was the dumbo that signed up for ballet two, repertory, and classical. I did all of these classes, because I could be dancing every single day. I wanted to be dancing every day,” she said. “I dinged all these classes, luckily I was able to repeat them again in the spring.”

Like any athlete, dancers have to keep training every day to remain in shape. “Keeping up with the demands that are demanded of me, that’s been the hardest thing, constantly moving, demanding not so much physically, but to express and put more than just movement behind it,” she said. “Actually putting expression and feeling into everything you do, and to go out on stage and show that and actually make it look easy.”

The two weeks she has off after the semester ends she said are tough because there isn’t an open studio space during that time.

“There are only so many studios in the OC that do adult classes for college students or people that are trying to stay in shape. Most studios are available for younger kids, cause they’re competing.”

She added that most studios do

I would best describe Emily as an inspiration to others with her passion for dance.”

—Jessica Morton not like to have open space.

“It’s not like you’re a basketball player where you can go to the park and practice. You need to find an area with mirrors so you can see what you’re body is doing cause it’s hard to dance without seeing that, seeing what a move looks like, see if you’re doing it right, and you need to have music on top of it so you can work and get a full body work out,” she said. “It’s hard to find those spaces, especially those spaces big enough where you can actually move.”

However, she looks on the optimistic side of the dilemma.

“We’ll see what happens if there’s a special course for dance majors only or if they rewrite classes,” she said. “Hopefully it works out.”

Davis has already started brainstorming on new ideas for her next choreographed piece. She wants to look at the psychological effects of families and friends that have a loved one or significant other going into war. The idea emerged from having a couple of friends in the Air Force and Marines, and the concept came to her. For now, Davis lives and breathes dancing.

“I need to dance in order to feel good. I need to dance every day,” she said.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

14

A&E

“Do With Me As You Will”

An exploration of time and how we share it RICH YAP FEATURES EDITOR Having one’s scrotum pierced with needles or being restrained and spanked with a paddle is not everyone’s idea of art, but for Sheree Rose and Martin O’Brien, this is just some of what went on during their 24-hour performance piece, “Do With Me As You Will,” also known as “Make Martin Suffer for Art.” To keep the experience democratic, the performance was free to the public.

As the title of the performance suggests, guests were invited to literally do with Martin as they wished, the restrictions being that no bodily fluids be exchanged and no serious harm be inflicted on O’Brien. The program stated, “Everything done to Martin will be consensual,” and that “there will be specific actions at various times, some dictated by the audience, some prearranged by Rose.”

“I’m like the conductor here,” Rose said to the audience. “I’m orchestrating this but I want you all to be the participants.”

Beginning at noon on Sun., June 23, and continuing through noon the following Monday, the dungeon room Hades at Sanctuary LAX played host to Rose and O’Brien’s collaboration.

Rose, 70, a veteran of the performance art world and renowned in many other underground Los Angeles scenes, had guests do things ranging from spanking, flogging, and needle play, to force-feeding and rope bondage. At the end of each hour, Rose would cut a tally into one of O’Brien’s arms to mark the end of each hour.

O’Brien, 25 hails from London and this collaboration with Rose marks their fourth performance together and his debut in America. The two corresponded

over e-mail for some time before ever meeting in person and share a bond over Sheree’s late husband and former performing partner, Bob Flanagan.

Flanagan suffered from cystic fibrosis and died from complications of the disease in 1996. O’Brien too suffers from cystic fibrosis.

“O’Brien could easily be Rose’s son, and their performance dynamic has a hard maternal edge,” said Jennifer Doyle in her June 21 kcet.org article, “Sheree Rose: A Legend of Los Angeles Performance Art.” Doyle is not far off the mark in her assessment of Rose and O’Brien’s relationship.

“I think the relationship with me and Sheree is quite motherly,” O’Brien said.

The connection to Flanagan is prominent in this collaboration—the cage that O’Brien is put into when nothing is being done to him, was Flanagan’s. It had gotten lost when Rose relocated to a smaller house. When she found out that it had turned up at Sanctuary LAX, she said she almost cried.

“I bought that for Bob for one of his birthdays,” Rose said. “I think maybe his fortieth birthday, and it’s been lost for many years and then it turns up here at the dungeon. So I thought, ‘Oh what an opportunity to use the cage and have Martin come and use it as well.’”

At one point during the night, Rose has O’Brien read some of Flanagan’s poetry and one of his journals as he sits in the cage.

Like Flanagan, O’Brien incorporates his disease into his performance work.

“I was really interested in pushing my body or using my body in a physical way so I started to think about ways I can use my body more and allow it to sort of be itself a kind of performance so I started working with physical endurance,” O’Brien

said. “You know, thinking about the ill body enduring in some way.”

One of the side effects of cystic fibrosis is an excess production of mucous in the lungs. Sufferers of the disease must undergo certain kinds of physical exercises or therapies to get them to cough up the mucous, which can complicate breathing.

At one point during the performance, Rose demonstrated “pounding,” a therapeutic exercise where she pounded on O’Brien’s chest as he lay on a table.

This loosened up some of the mucous in his lungs that he coughed up into a small jar for the audience to see.

The piece was the first time he and Rose have ever perfomed a durational piece of this length, and the first time that they have ever allowed the audience this much control.

“I was quite nervous about it,” O’Brien said. “I didn’t really know what was going to happen.” Neither did the audience.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect because this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed anything like this in person,” said David Lucien Matheke, 30, an artist and painting major at California State University Northridge.

“I’ve just been trying to take as much in as I can,” Matheke said of his experience.

“When Martin was getting his scrotum pierced to that board, I was standing there talking to him the whole time, [and] bottle-fed him some water. That was hard to watch.”

Matheke also related to O’Brien because he too suffers from a genetic disease: X-Linked Agammaglobulinemia.

“Basically that means that I don’t produce B cells on my own so every four weeks I have to get these infusions that take like six to eight hours of medications made from plasma extracts from like thousands of different people,” Matheke

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A&E

15

Photos: Rich Yap/MOUNTAINEER Page 14: O’Brien, 25, reads from Bob Flanagan’s “Slave Sonnets” as he sits in Flanagan’s cage at Sanctuary LAX on Sunday, June 23. p. 15: (Top) Sheree Rose, 70, makes the final cut on Martin O’Brien, 25, marking the end of their performance at Sanctuary LAX on Monday, June 24. (Bottom left) Martin O’Brien, 25, strapped down for a spanking at Sanctuary LAX on Sunday, June 23. (Bottom right) An audience member gives Martin O’Brien, 25, some water at Sanctuary LAX on Sunday, June 23.

said. “And I’ve been doing that since I was three.”

Matheke’s disease has also been a source of inspiration for his artwork—he uses blood as a medium for his paintings.

“The blood painting is kind of just to talk about universal connectivity and how I have all these different people passing through me from one month to the next so the chemical make up of my blood varies from one month to the next and I have to ask myself if that affects my beliefs, my moods, the energy,” he said. “I’m really into energy and spirituality—like the connection between everything.”

Matheke said that he would be leaving the performance with a deeper sense of connection.

“I feel like even though my interaction was brief, I’m taking away a connection, like a very personal, almost spiritual, connection with Martin and Sheree, even though I just met them.”

For others, like performance artist Grace Hansmeyer, it was an opportunity to collaborate with Rose and incorporate BDSM into

her work.

“I met Sheree last fall. I knew immediately I wanted to work with her in some way because we’re both very interested in endurance based work,” Hansmeyer said.

She contributed to this piece dressed in dominatrix gear and she force-fed O’Brien heart shaped cookies as he donned a slutty schoolgirl costume.

“I wanted to see a side of the masochist that you don’t normally see—more childlike,” she said. “I wanted to play with that clear your plate type thing that happens when you’re a kid and you’re not hungry and your parents are telling you not to waste food and you have to eat everything on the plate.”

She also had a paddle with hearts on it that she would use to discipline him intermittently, and forced him to hold a butt plug fashioned from a ginger root in his anus, a practice called “figging” she said.

The figging was O’Brien’s least favorite part throughout the 24hour experience. “It burned!” he said.

Rose said she was concerned that the audience would not want to participate and that she would end up having to do everything while people watched, which she did not want to do.

“Everybody has been so helpful in this whole thing,” Rose said to a wave of audience members.

“Everybody so far has been remarkable with things that they’ve done—some things very exotic and wonderful, and some things mundane but that’s the way it is, that’s how life is, right? And that’s how time is. And we’re just filling our time here and the fact that you’re spending your time with us here makes me feel very good inside.”

Hansmeyer said she also enjoyed her experience at the performance.

“I met a lot of wonderful people and I had a lot of really beautiful conversations and working with Martin and Sheree really made me feel like I’d like to do more endurance based work as an artist incorporating BDSM into my work,” she said.

It is this element of time and

how it is spent and shared with others that Rose wants to impart to the audience.

“I’m a grandmother; he’s a young man,” she said. “I’ve lived a very long very full life. And so for me these years now—I just turned 70— these years now are plus, they’re bonuses. I’m healthy, I’m alert, I can do things, I have fun and I’m looking forward to this. This is a plus and a bonus for me. Martin is a very young man—he’s 25 years old but he has a disease that might kill him by the time he’s 30.”

She said that this is why she kept the performance free and invited the audience to be performers, because as time and art are commoditized, it is up to us to decide what has value to us.

“We wanted to really take these 24 hours and make them meaningful for us and not as a spectacle necessarily, but showing we can use time to our own benefit,” Rose said. “We don’t have to be prisoners of time. We can use time and have fun with it, we can waste it, we can kill it, whatever we want to do—it’s our time.”

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

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Features

Reconciling culture and religion with love How a young Muslim man came out to his family, and the world RICH YAP FEATURES EDITOR “Hey everyone it’s Shereef! I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to watch this video, I really appreciate it,” begins 24-yearold Shereef Abdou’s YouTube video. “I actually have a really big

announcement to make; I decided to make this announcement on video because I wanted everybody to hear it directly from me. Some of you may have guessed it, some of you may have no idea, some of you I may have told but I felt like the time was right to finally come out of the closet and let everyone I know that I’m gay.”

On Thurs., June 27, Abdou, a former psychology student at Mt. SAC, came out publicly as gay in a video that he posted to his Facebook page. While coming out can be a scary process for many gay people, Shereef ’s public declaration is unique in that he is gay and Muslim and runs the risk of being shunned from members of his family and

community. As he mentions in his video, “homosexuality is a really big taboo in my family’s culture and my family’s religion.” In spite of that risk, Abdou said that he felt that it was time to do it.

“It just got to the point where I was like, ‘I’m done hiding.’ There’s only so much that a person can hide,” Abdou said.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Monday, June 17, 2013

Features He first acknowledged he was gay when he started college in 2006.

“It only really became an issue when I got to college because I started coming to this realization that after college that’s when everyone gets married and starts families and that’s the traditional thing that people do,” Abdou said.

He started “freaking out” because he wasn’t attracted to girls.

“At that point I was just really confused because I didn’t know what to do. I just felt like I needed to change. So I kind of embarked on a mission to try to change my sexuality, which clearly did not work!”

His first attempt to change came in the form of a Yahoo support group for Muslim men who had same sex attractions.

“A lot of people on the support group would say that the answer was to get married,” Abdou said.

“And for me, that wasn’t an option because one, that’s not fair for me as I can’t give to her what she needs and desires, and that’s also not fair to her at all.”

When this solution did not work, Abdou fell into a depression and finally sought the help of his parents at the end of 2008, and in doing so, came out to his parents and brothers.

“I came to them wanting to change so it really hit them hard, they really had a tough time with it but they were there for me because I wanted to change. My mom was so supportive and she jumped right on it,” he said.

Immediately his parents sought out the help of therapists and counselors and for the next year, Abdou moved to the East Coast and tried to change his sexuality.

He said that his experience with therapy was not scary or crazy like some of the horror stories he has heard from others who have tried ex-gay therapy.

“What my therapist was getting to was you can choose whatever you want to do in life,” he said. “I think she had an understanding that you can’t change your sexual orientation; you can’t change who you’re attracted to, but you could choose to live your life in a certain way. And at that time I wanted to be straight and so that’s what they were trying to help guide me through, I guess.”

The only thing that his therapy sessions helped Abdou fix was his depression and anxiety.

“But then, slowly but surely, over the next few months I slowly started to get into that depressed state of mind again because at the end of the day, I was still attracted to guys,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do and so that’s when I decided to drop everything. I still remember: New Year’s 2010 is when I made that decision to accept who I was. I just needed to let go of what everyone was telling me.”

Abdou said that he was becoming frustrated and angry, and he felt ‘powerless’ in his situation due to the conflicting views he had with himself and his religion.

“Life is not worth living if you live it wanting to end it,” he said.

“At that point, that’s when I really realized that.”

He said he had let go of his faith because the struggle was making him resentful toward his religion and community.

“When I finally let go of everything it was definitely a freeing experience,” Abdou said. “That was the single most

17 Life is not worth living if you live it wanting to end it.”

—Shereef Abdou

A screenshot of Shereef Abdou, 24, coming out on YouTube posted on Tuesday, June 25, and shared on his Facebook on Thursday, June 27. The video was also featured that day on the It Gets Better project’s webpage. Photo on page 16 of Abdou taken by Rich Yap/MOUNTAINEER

important thing that I did that really helped me be okay with who I was because for the first time in my life I actually loved who I was, I began to love the fact that I was gay.”

Abdou transfered to the University of California, Santa Barbara and completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2011. He said it was there that he made the decision to publicly come out.

“I had it in my mind when I was in Santa Barbara to come out [to everyone] when I was financially stable because I just didn’t know what would happen at that time. I didn’t know who would shun me, who would be supportive, I just didn’t know.”

Even though his parents and some relatives knew about his sexuality at this point, they still wanted to keep Abdou’s sexuality a secret to most of his extended family. Abdou said he understood why his parents feel the way they do because homosexuality is considered taboo in the Muslim faith and is looked down upon in the majority of Muslim society.

Abdou wanted to change his community’s perception of gay people, so he went on a mission to study and reanalyze the Qur’an.

“In the Qur’an God constantly points towards nature as a sign of God; that in discovering nature, you’ll discover God,” Abdou explained. “And the study of nature is science, and so if what we believe goes against what science is showing us, then there must be something wrong with our interpretation. And the thing is science is showing us that this is something you can’t control, that you’re born with it.”

Abdou compiled his analysis of the Qur’an into a paper that he has posted to his Tumblr page.

Additionally, Abdou said that not being fully out was a burden on him.

“So long as people keep telling you that you should be closeted, there’s an underlying message that you’re less of a person that you’re not as worthy of a person—that you’re somehow bad,” Abdou said.

In spite of this, Abdou said his parents are still great parents, which he also emphasizes in his video.

“Me being gay has absolutely nothing to do with my parents or my upbringing. My parents did an amazing job in raising me and my brothers instilling values of love, respect, and integrity.”

However, Abdou’s decision to come out publicly and to the rest of his family was met with a lot of

resistance from his parents.

“I got told a lot that I’m not thinking about the people who love me, and that I was going to devastate the family,” he said.

It was not Abdou’s intention to devastate his family, and prior to posting the video publicly, he sent each of his relatives in the United States an e-mail where he came out to them first and attached a link to his Tumblr page and the video.

His younger brother, Shaddy, 22, was supportive.

“I told him, ‘I feel like people will respect you more if you just put it directly to them instead of them hearing it from somebody else’ because it takes balls to come out to society,” Shaddy said. “I don’t know if I would be able to do that if I was in the same situation.”

Even though it was Abdou’s desire to come out publicly, he said he was still nervous about it.

“I didn’t know how people would react to it,” he said. “For all I knew people could have been like, ‘This is terrible! This is horrible! Take this off YouTube!’ But everyone seemed to really love it. I never expected to get the response that I did and it was beautiful, it was seriously beautiful.”

Abdou said that he could not stop smiling at work that day, and that he got the most likes and comments for a Facebook post than he ever had. However, a lot of Abdou’s family did not respond as positively, which he admits he had anticipated.

“My family is extremely upset by the way I came out and how I wouldn’t delete any family in Egypt from my Facebook [so that they couldn’t see the video],” he said.

Some of his conservative family members have responded back saying that they no longer support him or that they will no longer speak to him.

“Whoever would like to be a part of my life will always have a place in it,” Abdou said. “And whoever I lose, I lose. If in the process people change their viewpoints on homosexuality, then I’m extremely grateful that I could be a part of that change.”

Co-worker Chantal Castillo, 25, said that Shereef is a passionate person and she knows this was really tough for him.

“The video is just very inspiring and it just shows that his passion for what he believes is right, despite the battle of his culture and his family’s religion,” Castillo said.

Shaddy agreed.

“It has taken a little bit of a toll on my parents and family a little

bit, but it’s something that had to be done,” said Shaddy.

Denice Hernon, 26, is one of Abdou’s best friends and said that her friend has inspired a lot of people. She cried when she saw the video.

“There’s a lot of people that he’s touched and a lot of people that have messaged him and said ‘thank you for making such a beautiful video’ and I think that’s what you have to look at is the positives.”

Aside from the outrage that some family members have expressed, Abdou said that overall, the experience has been rewarding.

“People were leaving heartfelt long comments saying how they’re proud of me and they support me and that it was inspiring and that we need more people like that out there,” he said. The most touching response he has received thus far was a private Facebook message from someone who came out to him.

“They were just like, ‘I finally feel like I’m not alone’ and for me, that’s what made it all worth it because nobody should ever have to grow up feeling like they’re alone,” Abdou said. “That’s exactly how I felt when I was growing up and it really gets to you—feeling like you’re alone and that you’re not a good person, and just all that negativity is just not good for you at all.”

Abdou’s video was featured on the It Gets Better Project’s website the day that he posted it, which Abdou said was “insane!”

“It made me feel like I made an impact, it made me feel like I had a positive impact on the world and if it was just for one person then it was worth it. That was one of my goals of my video was to try to somehow in whatever way make a positive impact on this world.”

It just got to the point where I was like, ‘I’m done hiding.”

—Shereef Abdou

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

18

Features

From Los Angeles to Mexico ONE STUDENT’S JOURNEY

Mariachi. Tequila. Tacos. As a Central American Latina who married a man from Jalisco, Mexico, and growing up surrounded by Mexican culture living in Southern California, these words were common for me to hear.

Though I was familiar with the stories people told of how beautiful the state was and how much culture it had within, I never thought I would fall in love with Jalisco. A 20-day stay changed that. Visiting Jalisco allowed me to explore the state, learn about its people and places, and to be closer to my new family. The best part was that I had a personal tour guide the through the entire trip: my husband.

Buses. A few days into my stay in the city of Zapopan, approximately 25 minutes from the capital Guadalajara, I felt the fumes from the abundant buses throughout the city clogging my lungs. At the same time, I enjoyed seeing the diversity of people in the street all using public transportation: A woman in her 30s with four children, businessmen, clowns and musicians would take advantage of the frequent stops before arrival time to tell jokes, play their instruments and ask for money. I observed the people around me and could tell by the indifferent expressions on their faces that this was common. One strange rule that I had to follow but did not enjoy was that I could not ride bare legged. My husband and mother-inlaw told me not to wear shorts. Apparently the men on public transportation cannot restrain themselves from groping young women who just want to enjoy the warm summer weather, which did not drop below 95 degrees, even at night. We traveled from my in-law’s place in “El Centro” or downtown Guadalajara on the bus.

El Hospicio Cabañas- El Instituto Cultural Cabañas. Also known as El Hospicio, this site once housed an orphanage until 1980 and now serves as a center that holds art exhibits, cultural events, and various educational activities. The most breathtaking are the

Photos Brigette and Esau Villasenor (left top) Wind blows vigerously in Santa Maria del Oro. (right top) Brigette and husband, Esau Villasenor (bottom left) Brigette Villasenor, resting in a bronze seat of a melting figure. (bottom left) Many generations of the Villasñor family.

murals in the main hall, painted in 1938 by Jalisco artist Jose Clemente Orozco. His artwork includes laborers along the sides of the walls of the building and painted within a circle in the center of the hall is a man being eaten by flames surrounded by other men in black. Once you see the stone hospicio in the middle of a grand, spacious plaza, you may sit among curious bronze seats with human figures with huge ears that look like they are melting, and some reach more than 10 feet high. A crown adorns the top of the building. I sat in silence with my husband observing the beautiful artwork and architecture that these men painted and designed for this enormous preserved building. I thought about the children who stayed here who had no family, and I was thankful for all that I was seeing and living at that moment.

Laguna Santa Maria del Oro. To reach this lagoon, a vehicle must go up so many curves that you may get sick, but the destination is worth the trip. Once at the lagoon, you can camp on the site or stay in a bungalow. My family and I chose to stay in tents right next to the water. The view is beautiful.

Since we went on a weekday, there was no one else in sight. Once camp was set up, we were able to eat our homemade sandwiches surrounded by palm trees, papaya trees, a small canyon in the distance, and the sound of the waves of the water. My husband could not contain his urge to fish for long so we decided to rent a small boat to head out to the water with my sister-in-law and her boyfriend. With all of us rowing, we went out and immediately started swimming. The ecosystem within the lagoon consisted of frogs the size of a nickel by the shore, dragonflies of various colors buzzing around and diverse types of shells scattered along the sand. We moved to another spot and after 20 minutes of basking in what seemed to be never ending sunrays, the clouds moved in. We felt sprinkles coming down and jumped

in our boat quickly. It seemed the harder we rowed, the harder the wind blew and the more grey clouds covered the sky. Leaves and birds were flying and we were a good distance away from our destination. In the chaos of the weather, I looked out into the deeper end of the lagoon and smiled. A mix of fear and happiness filled us all as we reached our camp area, knowing we were okay and that the weather would be calm for the rest of the trip. Closing off the night, across the lagoon we observed the scattered lights on the other side. The stars were shining and prominent in the sky. We played Loteria with my in-laws, a Mexican version of bingo with pictures of nouns like El Borracho (The Drunkard), El Corazon (the heart) and El Pino (the pine-tree). This game is a staple of the Mexican culture as it allows for quality time with friends and family I understand why.

Familia. Just as I had only heard about Jalisco, I had only heard and seen photos of those who, by marriage, I now call familia, or family. This trip allowed me to get acquainted with my in-laws. They are a tight unit, attending temple on Saturday followed by lunch at abuelita’s house. There are many cousins, nieces, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

My mother-in-law cooked pozole, barbacoa tacos, and carne en su jugo, which is meat that is slightly spicy and cooked within a delicious juice. As an American born Latina of Central American descent, I had to get used to my husband’s daily tortilla consumption because central Americans do not include this in their diet. Now I see where it originated. Everyone in the family eats tortillas with everything. Among the food, the storytelling, and the sharing, was a feeling of being included in this family, my family. As a culture, Latinos put family first on their list of importance and for me, a CentralAmerican having wedded into a Mexican family, this importance is no exception.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Sports

19

Sterling Knight/Mountaineer Defensive back Nicholas Nichols tackles Bakersfield’s wide receiver on Saturday, November 24. Bakersfield defeated Mt. SAC, 30-21.

Mounties look for a comeback MICHAEL CHAVEZ STAFF WRITER In the world of college football, every win is paramount while a single loss can end your season.

Take the 2012 Mt. SAC football team for example. As Head Coach Bob Jastrab said, “If you want to be national champions, you have to be almost perfect.”

The Mounties mustered an undefeated regular season that had them playing in the Southern California Championship game against Bakersfield; a team they had previously beaten earlier in the season. However, the Mounties would fall in their rematch against the Renegades who would go on to win the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship, CCCAA. The loss was devastating to coaches, players and anyone associated with Mt. SAC Football.

Yet, read a million proverbs or listen to the words of any leader and they will say that you learn more from a loss than you do from a victory. Not only did the Mounties gain knowledge from their loss, they also added substantial fuel to their fire.

In addition to the chance to play in and win another CCCAA championship game, the team is looking to avenge their only loss of the season while proving that the Mounties are back on top.

They’ll have to do it without quarterback Nick Montana who has taken his skills and 22 touchdown passes to Tulane University. His backup, Ted Landers, has also left the program, which means there will be a four horse race consisting of a freshman, a transfer from

Monday, June 17, 2013

Hawaii, Justin Alo, and returning quarterbacks Rocky Moore and Ryan Orozco. Whoever wins the quarterback position will be aided by playmaking wide receiver Kaelin Clay who had almost 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman.

The offense may have to rely on the running game early in the season as the new quarterback settles in but that should be no issue as the Mounties return running back Jamal Overton who carried the ball 163 times last year for 938 yards and 10 touchdowns.

All of this means the offense should carry the Mounties early on in the season. The offense may have to do this because the defense is going to go through significant changes in positional switches.

Defensively the team loses over 300 tackles with the graduation of players on defense but does return some bright young players in the secondary with Elisha Henley and Dennis Rufus.

The 2013 schedule will give the Mounties the chance to jump out to a 3-0 record with three out of their first four games at home in Hilmer Lodge Stadium. The only game not at home in September is an early chance for redemption against Bakersfield.

While every game means something for this team, the Bakersfield game will carry a little more weight as the Mounties seek the 2013 CCCAA crown. How good is this team going to be? Can they repeat last year’s success and get over the hump, and how will they replace the experience lost to graduation? Jastrab summed it up best, “We never know until we get the pads on.”

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

20

Sports

Soccer kicks it up Men’s soccer returns top in state

ADOLFO TIGERINO N EWS EDITOR On the south side passing Temple Avenue adjacent to the Wild Life Sanctuary are the soccer fields, where men’s soccer set an unprecedented record of winning four consecutive state championships in the fall 2012.

No other team has ever broken this record, let alone done it in the 39-year history of the California Community College Athletic Association, CCCAA. The path to their championship was against two undefeated teams, Taft College and City College of San Francisco, ranked No. 1 in state before entering the finals. The team defeated San

Francisco, 2-0, on Dec. 2 and ended a strong successful season (21-3-1).

The program got ranked No. 2 in the National Championships.

Coach Juan Sanchez received the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America, NSCAA, Division III Community College Men’s Coach of the Year. Also, goalie Adrian Topete and forward Norberto Ochoa received the NSCAA award Junior College Division III, First Team AllWest Region Honors, and Jesus Gonzalez was named the Second Team All-West Region.

The team is currently preparing for their upcoming fall season, will they be able to go for their fifth consecutive title?

Top Right - Midfielder Miguel Gonzalez prepares to pass the ball to center field against Pasadena City College on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Mt. SAC defeated Pasadena, 2-0. Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Center Left - Midfielder Armando Ochoa slides to block a pass against De Anza on Friday, Sept. 7. Mt. SAC defeated De Anza, 6-0. Sterling Knight/Mountaineer Center Right - Defender Nester Rodriguez maintains ball possession against Southwestern on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Mt. SAC defeated Southwestern, 3-0. Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Bottom Left - Striker Norberto Ochoa fights for ball possession against East Los Angeles College, ELAC, on Friday, Oct. 26. Mt. SAC defeated ELAC, 1-0. Sterling Knight/Mountaineer