The Viewpoint December 2015/January 2016

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Viewpoint

Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556

STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 decemeber | january

with recent events and political debates, islamophobia is becoming commonplace. How does this affect local muslims? Read more on page 13.

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FLEETING HOLIDAY SPIRIT

IN MEMORY...

Brannon Espino

photo provided by Lindsey Hughes

After just finishing building his ’82 Camaro from a mere frame with no engine or transmission two weeks earlier, Brannon Espino passed away on January 1, 2016.

Brannon was slated to graduate with the Class of 2016. His passion was rebuilding a ’82 Camaro from the bottom up. At first he said he had no idea what he was getting into but after three years of hard work he finally finished it.

Everyone with something to say about Brannon has said the same three things: he loved to make people smile anyway he could, he was a friend to anyone who needed one, and he absolutely loved cats.

He helped start a prank war by putting 14 live, individually bagged fish in a friend’s car with the help of his close friends. Seniors Lexi Turner and Samantha White said, “He once told [us] that the only thing he wanted in life was to make people happy.” He was a friend to anyone who needed one.

On January 15, 2016 his friends remembered him by dressing up in cat ears and other cat-related attire.

out for one day to shower our loved one with gifts, and we do so in a conspicuous manner so that everybody we know will see it. Why can’t we be as glamorous and obvious with showing our love any other day? (and no, I don’t mean Woman Crush Wednesdays or Man Crush Mondays).

New Year’s Eve is similar. Why do we wait until December 31, to make a promise to dramatically change our lives, only for it to almost always be broken within a couple of weeks? We can spend our whole year leading a destructive path, only to pledge to a “New year, new me.”

I’m not going to lie, I love the holiday season just as much as the next person, but it just seems unusual how it’s only for a certain period of time that the community is as vibrant as it is.

Why can’t we just be kind to each other throughout the year?

Does the month of December really have the effect of temporarily changing personalities? The holiday season only lasts a few months, so why can’t we be like this all the time?

Austin Venable Staff Writer

Editorial Board

Hailey Bullis Cory Haley Sarah Yakulis Social Media Editor

Krissy Poff

Copy Editors

Leah Garza Reagan King Adviser

Trisha Strahl

The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by aPrintis. Letters to the editorial board are welcome and should be submitted to rooms 303 or 311.

Staff Writers

Stephen Altorfer It is said, “Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.” This is true for all faculty, staff, and students who walk the halls here at Mountain View, and sadly on Jan. 3, 2016, Mountain View lost Stephen Altorfer.

Stephen was previously on the wrestling staff at Mountain View.

He originally joined the coaching staff in order to help guide his younger brother Joseph to victory, but he soon developed bonds with other members. The head coach, Frank DeBerry remember him as always taking the extra time to help each member out if they ever needed help, and he would take the time to get to know each member as an individual.

He was eager to help in any way possible and was constantly smiling when he arrived to practice and matches. If something ever needed to be done, Altorfer was always eager to do so.

Stephen will live on through the memories of his family, friends, and the Wildcat community. The coaches of Mountain View wrestling will forever be grateful for what he has done for them. Mountain View was shocked with this devastating news, but Stephen Altorfer will remain a Wildcat in the hearts of many. photo provided by Joe Altorfer

The later months of the year always bring about an air of kindness and generosity. From roughly late October until the end of December, everyone gives thanks, volunteers, and buys gifts for their loved ones. It seems everybody is grateful for something.

However, this era is short lived. Almost immediately after December 25, the holiday decorations come down, holiday candy is thrown in the clearance bins, food donations aren’t such a priority anymore, and all of the sudden, the spirit of helping the people of your community vanishes from the general mindset.

Why does this happen? Perhaps it is because the cold of the winter months forces us all inside and we are inclined to be kinder to one another. We are no longer out and about doing summertime activities, so we find it refreshing to spend time with others during the winter.

Do the holidays give us the subconscious obligation to be loving? Are we drawn to the materialistic gains from gifts? Are we naturally predisposed to be nicer during the winter, or is it simply because it is not in human nature to be nice all the time?

This certainly isn’t the case for everyone. There are plenty of people who are generous all throughout the year. They take their time to help others and to give what they can. Though it would seem for the majority of the population, it is usually only a limited window of time that they are kind. It almost seems like we are being kind in public on purpose just to receive praise for our generosity, rather than actually giving to help the needs of those that we are giving to from the goodness of our heart.

Think of Valentine’s Day; we spend a lot of money and go all

DECEMBER| JANUARY 2015 VOLUME X ISSUE III

Jenny Bullers, Lily Cowper, Paige Doerfler, Michael Goffus, Zane Gobie, Alex Harrington, Morgan Ocetnick, Reagan King, Austin Venable Front Cover Photo: Sarah Yakulis

2014, 2015 Virginia High School League State Championship First Place Award Winner 2013, 2014, 2015 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011, 2010 and 2009 Virginia High School League First Place Award Winner

Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556

by Cory Haley and Krissy Poff december 2015| january 2016 q the viewpoint q 3

LETTER TO THE EDITORS...

IB Informed

I read Lily Cowper’s op/ed (“What Does It Mean to be Smart?”) in the Nov/Oct Viewpoint with great interest. Since the author mentioned her IB Biology, IB History, and IB Math Studies courses, I wanted to feature those in explaining how IB builds in consideration for individual student interests and rewards the processes of learning as much as the answers: Each IB course requires students to submit an Internal Assessment (IA).

For IB Biology, this is a student-selected lab experiment. For IB History, it is an investigation into a historical topic of the student’s choice. For IB Math Studies, it is a data-based research project based on

a topic of the student’s choice. Scoring rubrics used for IAs reward not only answers, but also student planning and methodology employed. Beyond IAs, the IB exams are primarily open-response.

The sciences have a short section of multiple-choice; however, there are 2 other papers that require written response. In scoring, students are rewarded not just for producing an answer, but for demonstrating the knowledge, critical thinking, and analysis skills they used to arrive at their response. The IB Diploma Program does require students to take one course in each core area, a world language, and an elective; however, IB has built opportunities for pursuit of individual interests

within each subject. Of course, not every student at MVHS must enroll in the full IB Diploma Program. Many students take IB courses in just those subjects that interest them. Students who are interested in learning more about IB are encouraged to attend the IB Information Night at MVHS on February 3 from 6:30-7:30 PM and the IB Senior Showcase the same night from 7:30-8:30 PM. - Ms. Lisa Renard, IB Diploma Program Coordinator

Hailey Bullis

After three years of being disbanded, the step team is back in Mountain View with 16 members: 15 girls and one boy.

Students were to first to initiate a revival. “Two girls came to me asking if I would sponsor. I told them to write something up, tell me what they wanted the step team to be, and then we’d go from there, and that’s what they did,” said DeDe Lewis, newly founded sponsor of the step team.

Assistant coach Tamra Evans also brings a lot to the table, creating even more hope for a successful team. Evans was a part of a step team in high school and college, bringing fresh, new ideas to the team. According to Lewis, she will most likely take charge of the team for next year.

With a majority of the team being freshmen and sophomores and a new process for tryouts, Lewis is very hopeful that this team will succeed and grow for years to come.

As of right now, the step team mainly performs at basketball games and pep rallies. For the future, they are pushing towards performing at freshman orientations and back-to-school night.

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december 2015 | january 2016

provided by Melissa McClellan

The step team is back by Paige Doerfler

Faculty Follies by Kristina Poff

Every year the Faculty Follies show allows students to laugh at their teachers while avoiding detention.

The performance started off big with everyone piling out of Megan Taylor’s little car on the stage.

The show was filled with many fantastic performances; however, some proved to be crowd favorites. Bonita Keene captivated the audience with her singing, even though her beautiful song contained no words. The melody lured the audience in and left them feeling astonished.

Another musically inclined performance was when Eric Hokanson took to the drums, putting any professional drummer to shame.

The audience cheered and also felt inclined to clap along with his mesmerizing beats.

Even our beloved James Stemple took to the stage, playing a crowd favorite improv game “Late to Work.” Stemple played the role of a late employee and his assistant, Wendy Drogo, got her chance to play the boss. The audience provided unimaginable circumstances, but this made the game more intriguing.

Another crowd pleaser, that took many by surprise, was Bruce Benson, Andrew Offineer, and Theresa Gaddy. The three sang the ever so classic “Hotel California”; a performance that would have made The Eagles proud.

Overall it was a night to remember, because who could forget everyone’s favorite Princess Leia...Larry Crosswell.

at Mountain View an overview of December and January Adopt-A-Family by Zane Gobie

Cory Haley

Every year there are many families who don’t get to have a Christmas or Thanksgiving like we do.

Fortunately for many of them, they have the Adopt-A-Family program.

This program helps families in need by collecting donations from any who are willing to provide food or small presents for the families.

Mountain View High School’s Stacey Adams oversees the delivery of the food Mountain View collects and the wrapping of presents that are donated.

This year 42 families were provided for by the help of 26 clubs’, as well as individuals’, donations. Each of the families averaged to above five to six people, including parents. That adds up to roughly 130-156 people.

Those people were all able to have some happy holidays because of the kindness of the Wildcat family.

provided by Emily Dalton

Disney World by Michael Goffus

Mountain View’s Chorus department took a trip to Orlando this past December to perform in Disney World.

The group left on the afternoon of Dec. 16 and rode the bus all night to arrive at the park. After weeks of intensive rehearsals, MV Chorus sang along with other choirs to an audience of thousands.

“It was very nice,” said Mountain View’s chorus director Bonita Keene about their performance.

America Ferrera, star of Ugly Betty, joined the choirs on stage and even talked with MV Chorus at a rehearsal.

After their performance, the chorus department spent the rest of their trip enjoying Disney World, visiting Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, and other parks.

The group left Orlando on Dec. 19 and returned to Virginia. Now, the Chorus department has begun preparations for their District Chorus Assessments in March and their spring concert in May.

The Student Council Association is the group behind the scenes that make the most memorable parts of the high school experience possible.

“Our job is to take the voices of the kids of the school and to put them into action,” said senior member James Ehrmann.

Their minds have brought the most school-spirited times of the year. They have given the freshmen their first glimpse of high school for years by organizing New Cats Day. The festivities continue throughout the year by having spirit week wrap up with the fall pep rally and orchestrating the Homecoming dance and annual tailgate. They are currently working on more celebrations for the rest of the school year.

“SCA is starting to plan our winter/spring activities, which includes a spring pep rally, powder puff game, and Special Olympics,” says SCA secretary Brighton Croce.

While the number of members is relatively small this year, it is full of committed participants who want to bring a lot of excitement to the final months of the school year.

SCA is also participating in their own club activities. They are currently preparing to attend the Virginia School Counselor Association Conference. There they will be practicing leadership skills in order to strengthen the club and its members.

The Student Council Association is hard at work creating memories for the students of Mountain View and ensuring that they leave a capable group of students to carry on the responsibility of being the voice of the student body.

Reagan King

Student Council Association by Reagan King

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All Things Embroidered

r a e w s t r o p s , hatshains & more keyc 8 1 4 5 7 3 7 0 cal l 54

email: allthingsembroidered byteresa@gmail.c om

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Did you give a buck? They did!

Chloe Adler Meg Athing Sam Bates Morgan Bates Marcus Bevels Douglas Booth Savannah Bowling Kim Bullers Tom Bullis Brittney Bullis Jason Bullis Danielle Bullis Linda Bullis Lawana Burnett Thomas Bush Sabrina Campos Bryan Carter Dick Carter Susan Carter Valarie Carter Meredith Cavalier Leah Cevallos Tina Clements Michael Clements Maria Colón Lily Cowper Matthew Crawford Renee Curry Lexi Dahlke Emily Dalton Brooke Daniels Symphany Dawson Coach Dodd Paige Doerfler

Arin Doerfler Thomas Doerfler Jamie Dornan Kyleigh Driver Cassie Dye Terry Eason Ashley Ellixson Yordim Escolaro Ciboné Everette Austin Fainley Nicole Fletcher Kati Frost Jo Gabriel Rosario Garcia Hunter Gibbons Tom Gill Sabrina Gladney Dan Goggin Danielle Goldstone Caroline Greenway Meredith Grey Nicole Grondin Kevin Hall Hannah Hanscom Alex Harrington Lydia Harrington Russell Harrington Olivia Harrington Hannah Hendrickson Carlos Hernandez Sarah Hodges Carey Holmquist Tyler Holmquist

Mr. Hoover Tammy Houk Caleb Humburger Myles Huntington Nikki Irizarry Ruby Jackson Kalya Jenkins Kristen Johnson Nolan Johnson Claire Johnson Angelic Jones Carl Jones Lisa Jones Hannah Kenkel Star Kiesau Carson King Bill King Becky Kowalski McKayla Lang Madison LaRowe Isaiah Lawson Aiyanna Lee Kelly Lester Joyce Lopes Jimmy Love Mac Coakley Jerry Maltez Greg Margheim Jessica Martínez Tomas Masello Abigail Merker Christian Mickelson Dolores Mills

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Allison Morris Dillon Mungle Molly Murray Rebecca Murray Jakob Neufang Kiana Newman Thomas Newton Andrew Novitsky Gina O’Reilly Jazzy Oaiz Morgan Ocetnik Seth Olds-Saint Hannah Olkowski Vincent Peake Everett Peake Patricia Peake Mary Robinson Peake Justin Pearson Catherine Peterson Krissy Poff Jada Pugh Daniel Rios Cassandra Rodriguez Melanie Rodriguez Ernestine Rogers Sarah Sabal Jakob Saliceti Gabi Sanchez Mark Sanford Kaitlyn Scholt Avery Shover Maddy Smith

Sandra Snitkin Steve Snitkin Ashley Staggers Chloe Stamper Neil Stanford James Stemple Mrs. Steska Thomas Stewart Emma Stockham Leanna Tarr Mr. Thompson Amy Turner Angela Twine Austin Venable Joshua Walker Maddi Walker Chris Warin Erin Carter Warin Teresa Weigeshoff Gene Welch Searra White Beth Whitehead Teresa Whitehead Richard Whitehead Lauren Wick Hailey Williams Morgan Williams Aria Womack Kyann Woznick Madge Yakulis Samuel Yakulis Laura Yakulis Liesl Yeskey Synit Zecarias

?

NEXT STEP We’ll help you get there.

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Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug, and there have been new studies on the health effects and benefits of a having cup a day. by Morgan Ocetnik

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Morg

Listen up coffee extremists...

I’ve spent these past months trying to avoid that morning cup of coffee and even that extra cup at the end of the day for that final boost.

My whole life I’ve listened to my mother tell me “coffee stains your teeth and stops your growth.” So coffee was only an option for me every once in awhile such as when I took a trip to Starbucks for a Caramel Frappuccino, grabbed an iced coffee from Wawa, or when my grandmother offered me a cup to go with whatever she had baked.

Recently I’ve become what you would call addicted. I rely on coffee everyday just to get through the six and half hours of school. I even noticed that if I miss a day of drinking a cup, I’m more tired and unable to get as much done. This year I started drinking it more than ever; at first just because I absolutely love the taste of it, but now it has become so much more to me. I am so dependent on the caffeine to stay awake (sometimes too awake) and focused, so I started doing some research. There have been many new studies about the effects of coffee. The benefits and how the caffeine works in your body is actually incredible and should turn many heads.

For those that do not know, here’s the background on caffeine and how it acts in your body; research is provided by livestrong.com and Professor Jason Cholewa, PhD Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Coastal Carolina. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system allowing you to wake up by competing for adenosine receptors. Adenosine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter produced by the body to promote sleep and bind your blood vessels to allow more oxygen into the brain during sleep; it works as a central nervous system depressant. Caffeine is a molecule that looks pretty similar to those adenosine molecules. Your nerve cells can’t tell the difference between the caffeine molecules and the adenosine molecules so the caffeine starts to block the adenosine.

This is how caffeine provides alertness to your body by minimizing migraines or headaches, stimulating muscles, and of course allowing you to enjoy it. Your body then tells you that you’re not tired anymore and that you can keep going. If you drink it before working out, or you’re doing homework really late or falling asleep in class, you will be able to stay awake and be more concentrated. In summary, caffeine acts like a bodyguard so adenosine can’t latch onto a cell and then you don’t get tired.

There are tons of myths that coffee is healthy for you or that coffee is terrible for you. Both statements are right but your perception of coffee can be different depending on certain circumstances. Some of the new studies about coffee benefits according to authoritynutrition.com include protection from type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, with coffee drinkers having a 60% lower rate of developing this disease.

Coffee can improve energy levels because of caffeine’s power to block adenosine molecules. It can help burn fat by boosting the metabolic rate from 3-11% (however, that effect can subside in long-term coffee drinkers). Coffee can improve physical performance because it increases adrenaline levels and releases fatty acids from the fat tissues. Also, because adenosine molecules are being blocked, your body can keep going, telling you you’re not tired. Many liver diseases stem from a condition called cirrhosis, and coffee may protect you from this condition (there’s an 80% lower risk of developing cirrhosis for coffee drinkers).

More benefits include a longer life, it’s an antidepressant, and is the biggest sources of antioxidants. Unfortunately, coffee can have adverse health effects depending on several factors; your genetics may render you unable to drink coffee because of a certain condition or it could lose its effect if you’re older or have been drinking it long enough to become immune to it. Also, making your coffee different ways (ex: different amounts of sugar and creamer) can change its health repurcussions.

So many students drink coffee every day or very often for school because they have become dependent on it. Some say they think it’s bad for you; some say it’s good. Senior Kylie Paxton said that she has been drinking coffee every day since she was around 4 years old because she loves the taste so much. She thinks it’s good for her because she believes it can positively affect her immune system. Sophomore Gavin Profitt said that he drinks it every once in awhile because it keeps him awake and it tastes good. “I think it’s probably bad for you, I don’t know why; I guess because it has a lot of sugar in it,” said Profitt.

Senior Jahanzib Shaheaz explained that he has never drank coffee before except for tasting it once, but he didn’t like it because of the bitterness. “When I was a kid my mom told me it can make me ugly and short,” said Shaheaz. So that was one of the reasons he just never drank it.

I’m not telling you to go home and drink a bunch of coffee, or become addicted to it by drinking it every morning, but this is for those that believe it’s harmful if they have a cup or drink it regularly. It’s when someone adds a bunch of sugar and creamer, which most people do, that it becomes questionable towards your health because there are so many sugars being added in. If you’re careful about what goes in your coffee, then the benefits are even better.

Coffee is more popular in today’s world than it has ever been. Teens are running on it, college students are running on it, and adults stay running onlit.the viewpoint l 9 june 2013 8qthe viewpoint q december 2015 | january 2016

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Andrew Allen Self-made musician Andrew Allen sits down with The Viewpoint to talk about his career so far, and his big plans for the future.

by Sarah Yakulis photos provided by Andrew Allen The Viewpoint: When did you discover you had a passion for music?

Andrew Allen: Oh man, I started playing when I was like, 5 years old. I was playing piano, and my parents put me into piano lessons. And to be honest I kind of hated them. I felt like I was learning a lot of boring stuff. But I’m really glad I did it because it sort of gave me that basis. And then as time progressed, I realized how much I loved getting in front of crowds and entertaining them. I think that’s when it all just sort of happened.

VP: When did you start performing?

AA: I think I was in grade eight or grade nine, I was like “I want to write songs and play them for other people.” So I bought a guitar from a

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pawn shop and I ended up starting a band, we were terrible, but we had so much fun.

VP: Did you teach yourself how to play guitar, or did you take lessons for that too?

AA: At first I started to teach myself, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t developing bad habits so I went to a guitar teacher, I was with him for like, two years. Then I sort of quit from that and kept teaching myself.

VP: When would you say you began doing music professionally?

AA: After I graduated I continued playing in bands. Then I took a break from it all and worked on cruise ships for a year. Then I came back and jumped back into it in 2008.

I recorded my first album as a solo artist; I

recorded it all by myself and then put it out.

From that point forward, I never had a normal job again. It was being a musician.

VP: What was your plan if you couldn’t become a musician?

AA: I was a social host on the cruise ship, so basically I called bingo and entertained people. When I came back to the city I’m from in Canada, I became a worship pastor. So I was doing music at a church, but never my own stuff. I don’t really know what my alternative was; I guess I would be a music teacher. But as soon as I started performing I knew that was what I wanted to do.

VP: So your first album was completely produced by yourself. Since then have you been

“The best part of my career is hands down the connection with the audience and with fans. I think it’s when it goes from being a fan to being a friend.” signed to a label?

AA: So I released my first album, and it did okay. Then I wrote a song called “Not Loving You” that I released to radio in Canada, which got me sent to Nashville to do some writing sessions there. I wrote a song there called “Loving You Tonight” and I put it out independently in Canada, and it went top 10. Because it made the top 10 in Canada, someone was interested in me in the states. So I ended up signing a record deal with Epic Records and then a publishing deal with Sony. It was awesome. I’m still with Sony now.

VP: How many albums have you come out with?

AA: I keep doing EPS; I don’t really know why.

It’s just cool to do 5 songs.

VP: Do you have any plans for future albums or EPS? AA: I do! I’ve been writing a ton. I just moved back to Canada from Los Angeles where I’d been living for three years. While I was there I wrote like, over 300 songs. So there’s definitely some material that needs to come out.

VP: What’s your biggest inspiration in writing your songs?

AA: A lot of it just comes from life, and love.

It sounds really cliché but it’s really true. It’s like, there was a moment where I felt like I was just writing songs all the time and I didn’t have much life. My songs suffered from it; I had nothing to write about. Then as soon as I found that balance between work and life where all the sudden I could be out and enjoying the nice weather or spending time with my wife or being with family and friends, all the sudden I had way more inspiration for dif-

ferent songs, and they naturally came better.

VP: Do you eventually want to be a manager in music?

AA: I actually do. My wife and I manage an artist from the city I’m from in Canada. While I enjoy the development side, I do prefer to be on the artist side of things. Being an artist, in these days especially, you have to be so… you have to work so hard and the artist that we manage, she works hard, but I feel like it’s hard as an artist too myself knowing how much work I put into it… so I always want our artists to do the same thing, so that’s where I find it hard to manage another artist.

VP: What’s the best part of your job?

AA: The best part of my career is hands down the connection with the audience and with fans. I think it’s when it goes from being a fan to a friend. Instead of, just being able to connect with people because of the music but then also keeping in touch with them over the years and I’ve gained so many personal relationships from that. Being able to connect and use the musical platform to connect with people, I think is the best part. Like yeah, I had a big break, and it was exciting and I got to play really, really big shows but they are not my most memorable moments. They were fun, but the most memorable thing is when people come up to you and say “Hey, your song really meant this to me.” My most memorable show for me was this little venue in Vancouver where I had actually got laryngitis right before I played, and I got up on stage and I’m like “Guys I’m so sorry, I have no words, I can barely talk!” and they start saying “No it’s okay!

Just try, just try.” So I started playing the songs

and people sang all the songs back to me. I just remember thinking like “oh my gosh, you care about me enough to have learned all the words and you’re going to sing them to me.” It was a very, very special show and I think that’s one of my most memorable moments.

VP: Any tour plans?

AA: Throughout the summer we did 50 or 60 shows, a lot are house concerts. Super intimate. So much fun. Just love them. Through winter I do a handful, a lot of Christmas shows.

I bring kids who play musical instruments or sing up on stage with me. It can be hard to get back out on tour again, especially in the U.S. When I toured the U.S. before I was with Joshua Radin, then He is We,then with Secondhand Serenade, then Dia Frampton. I’ve done a bunch of one off shows with the Barenaked Ladies, OneRepublic, Andy Grammar and Bruno Mars. Touring the U.S. is fun but you have such a big country and it’s hard to find the right acts to go out with. But if it all makes sense, I would love to go out on tour again.

VP: Biggest musical inspiration?

AA: John Mayer.

VP: Biggest goal for the near future?

AA: I have a new duo that I’ve been performing with, Hudson Station. So that’s been a really really fun collaboration for me. We’ve wrote a lot of really fun songs together. But as far as my solo project, I definitely want to put out another single next year, and probably another EP. Hopefully get out on tour again and play some fun shows.

december \|2015 | january 2016 q the viewpoint q 11

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The

ISLAMOPHOBIA

effect

Local Muslims feel the effects of Islamophobia in their day-to-day lives.

by Michael Goffus

“I am Muslim. Basically it means everything. People that know me know that I basically deal on a day-to-day basis with my faith. I’m fair, honest, I don’t lie to people. I do everything I can to help people regardless of their faith, because at the end of the day, we’re all humans,” Samer Shalaby in an interview with The Viewpoint.

Shalaby gained attention after a video of his meeting to propose the building of a new mosque in Spotsylvania went viral. “It was a community meeting to discuss plans for a new mosque,” Shalaby said. But as he addressed over 200 community members at the meeting, people interrupted Shalaby multiple times and disrupted the peace of the meeting. The meeting was stopped after a group of Islamophobes, or people who dislike or have prejudice against Muslims, entered the meeting and started shouting at Shalaby, saying things such as, “I will do everything in my power to make sure this does not happen. We don’t want it because you’re a terrorist. I don’t care what you say. You can smile at me and say whatever you want, but every Muslim is a terrorist,” according to a video aired by WUSA. Islam is the world’s second largest religion with over 1.6 billion followers, making up 23 percent of the world population according to Pew Research Center. In the past few months, Muslims have been in the spotlight almost constantly. The San Bernardino, California attacks in December once again brought terrorism up after Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the suspects of the attacks, killed 14 and injured 21 at an office complex. The two suspects were radicalized Muslims that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State according to the New York Times. The media began lashing out at Muslims, including conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, saying that most Muslims are radicalized. Alternately, Senior political scientist Angel Rabasa says that the real percent of radicalized Muslims in the world is less than one percent. Despite the beliefs of some, Islam’s holy book, The Quran, teaches love, tolerance, and freedom, and does not teach Muslims to become terrorists or radicalize them in any way according to the Good News Network.

Senior Najwa Qadeer is a hijab-wearing Muslim. This year, Qadeer started Mountain View’s first ever Muslim Club. Qadeer and three other anonymous Muslim students from the club spoke to The Viewpoint and gave insight to what Islamophobia is to them.

“It’s so weird because [Islam] is just another religion. You know? And there’s good and bad everywhere,” Qadeer said.

Qadeer has been wearing her hijab since elementary school, and has dealt with questions about her faith ever since. Being a full IB student, Qadeer explained that she sees about the same 32 people in her classes every day. “They’ve gotten used to the idea of me being around, and they know me,” Qadeer said, “But the rest of the Mountain View population doesn’t. Only 32 people really know who I am. They might see me walking the hallways and they’re like ‘What’s she doing here? I’ve never seen her in one of my classes so she’s not one of us.’ But I am.

I really am. I’m from here. I didn’t even come from far away. I literally come from 20 miles away. Why is it so difficult to accept a person?”

The students witness Islamophobia day-to-day, even at Mountain View. “When I hear people say ‘all Muslims are terrorists’ I just think… I wake up, I go to school, I learn like everybody else, I go out with friends like everybody else, so it kind of really hurts,” said one anonymous student. The students explained that wearing a hijab is just a way of displaying your faith, just like a Christian might wear a cross necklace. “I want to be treated like everyone else is. Like, why do I have to be different?” Qadeer said. “It’s just so upsetting because I don’t want to be different. I like my individuality, I like being unique, and I’m my own person, but why is being my own person different than you being your own person?”

Many people have prejudice towards all Muslims because of the actions of a relatively few Muslim extremists.

ISIS, the infamous group known for committing acts of terrorism and posting them online, is an example of an extremist group. These extremist groups only make up a small percentage of all Muslims, yet have influenced the way some Americans view Muslims as a whole.

“It’s a horrible group, and something definitely needs to be done about it, no question,” Shalaby said. “The part that people need to understand is that if you look at ISIS stories, there are more Muslims that died at the hands of ISIS than anybody else. So, these are not true Muslims.”

In 2014, there were 19 civilian deaths in the United States due to terrorism according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal. Meanwhile, Iraq suffered 13,073 casualties in 2014 alone due to terrorism according to the Global Terrorism Database. “To say ‘all Muslims are terrorists’ - that’s a pretty big statement,” Shalaby said. “My religion tells us that we’re supposed to help people, we’re not supposed to hurt people, we’re supposed to be kind to people, and unfortunately some people claim to be Muslims but don’t act that way.”

Najwa Qadeer and Samer Shalaby are paving the way for a better future for the Muslim community by spreading awareness of the issue of Islamophobia.

“If you have a Muslim next door, if you have a Muslim friend, or you hear of one, go talk to them. Realize that we’re just normal people that go to work, go to school, and live their own lives like everybody else,” Shalaby said.

Sarah Yakulis

december 2015 | january 2016 q the viewpoint q 13

2:15 Hit the brakes

Texting and driving is a very serious topic of conversation. It is important that everyone understands the consequence of pursuing texting and driving. by Jenny Bullers and Krissy Poff

14q the viewpoint q december 2015| january 2016

Texting and driving is a reoccurring issue within today’s society and many teens put their life on the line when they hit the send button while behind the wheel.

Deputy Siegel Whoever is operating the vehicle and makes the conscious decision to pick up the phone while they are driving it is their fault. You can’t blame the phone companies for that. Most of the time showing teenagers the hard realities of it, what it looks like, a wrecked car, having a family member come in and speak that way teens and adults can see the harsh realities of making that decision. If it is at a point where it is not interfering with your driving or operating the vehicle such as answering the phone then I would say it is okay; however, sending a text, checking mail, something like that where it takes your concentration away from driving for an extended period of time would be a big problem. I wouldn’t say that I am scared of driving because of distracted drivers due to texting, but I am aware of it. It is not just the younger generation taking part in texting and driving. I think out of everybody that I have actually pulled over from witnessing them using a cellphone, as far as texting I think I’ve only pulled over two teens. Adults are just as guilty of it as teens are.

It is often said that our parents are a reflection of us; well, this statement also applies to the harsh reality of texting and driving. According to textinganddrivingsafety.org, 59 percent of parents were caught texting and driving in 2015, and 78 percent of teens admitted they had done it too. When caught most parents often resort to the saying, “Do as I say, not as I do” However, what most parents fail to see is, even in their rebellious years, many teens still look to their parents for matters regarding how they should act. Of course when you start driving parents employ rules like “no texting and driving”, but in reality those rules should apply to them as well. We inherit many things from our parents, but texting and driving shouldn’t be one of them.

Gabbi Carmina I think that texting and driving in today’s society is a real issue to an extent because I feel like more and more teens nowadays are using their phones to do more things than just texting. They are checking their Twitters, snapchatting, anything that is taking their attention away from driving. I am guilty of picking up my phone while driving. I was changing my music and I crashed my car into a ditch. I want to say that texting and driving can be prevented, but as a teenager it is just a natural thing to go and look at your phone when someone texts you.

According to CBS News texting and driving has increased by 50 percent over the past year. As astonishing as this may seem, it is a sad truth.

With new smart phones being introduced every couple of months, more and more people are picking up their phones by the minute. Many states have banned texting and driving over the years; however, CBS News, says that two out of ten teen drivers admitted to picking up their phone while behind the wheel. Phone distraction come in many forms, social media being one of them. With the “twitterverse” in full swing, teens are constantly checking their phone to see who favorited or retweeted what.

Coach Cassiday I believe it is the individual’s fault. hey can make the choice whether to do it or not. I do think that texting and driving can be prevented with some proper education. It’s going to start with the teenagers to all the way on up. It may be acceptable to pick up the phone in an emergency situation, but especially if a call is coming in to you. You never know if it is an emergency or not, so it is really only an emergency if something is happening to you. There is no age discrimination on the problem, it is pretty much anywhere from sixteen to ninety, anybody that uses the technology.

Texting and driving is a harsh reality to face in today’s society, and something you can’t avoid. When you get behind the wheel, you are subjecting yourself to an endless amount of danger, texting and driving is now the most prevalent. Preventing texting and driving is as easy as keeping both hands on the wheel and off of your phone. Your text will be there at the end of the day, but when it comes to your life there are no promises.

Send

december 2015| january 2016 q the viewpoint q15

Washington, DC-based trio Swings has stolen everyone’s hearts again with the November release of their new album, “Sugarwater.” While their music in general is low-key and relaxed, it has a tendency to consume you and become a wall of instruments. It is a kind of indie rock that you’ve never heard before. While Swings’ recorded albums have in the past never been easy listening for me, “Sugarwater” combines their signature slow and droning sound with interesting effects like autotune and a clave to create an album that will make your mind drift. Dust is a recognizable favorite of the track list. It’s the catchiest and has that repeated 3-second guitar solo like in “Blood on Seersucker.” You can listen to and purchase Swings’ music on swingsdc.bandcamp.com

BULLDOG EYES asleep

bandcamp.com

A former Mountain View student and a now-Richmond inhabitant, Bulldog Eyes is a lo-fi bedroom pop artist whose name has recently played with popular emo bands including The Front Bottoms and Elvis Depressedly. They released “Asleep” this past October. Though I feel like the lyrical content and the quiet beats in the music is supposed to make me sad, I can’t help but feel whimsical when I listen to it. Bulldog eyes’ strengths are in mixing their music in a melodic way to make it something that the listener can melt into. This is best exemplified by the song “Blister.” You can listen to and purchase Bulldog Eyes’ music at bulldogeyes. bandcamp.com.

HUEY SHY

bandcamp.com

my parents don’t know my new hobby

Huey Shy is an artist in WIlliamsburg at WIlliam and Mary who graduated last year in Mountain View’s class of 2015. He released his first album on Soundcloud in the fall of 2015. “Citations,” one of the tracks on the album, was spread pretty widely throughout local twitter before the album was even released. The album features lyrics and vocals

by Huey Shy, but many of the tracks are produced by various other soundcloud artists such as Javi Santiago, Thundercat, Damancha and others, giving the album a diverse and unique sound.

soundcloud.com

LOCAL TUNEZ

SWINGS

sugarwater

MEMNON THE BLACK sage

save your lungs for cigarettes

bandcamp.com

Shirt/Pants is a Virginia surf rock band who released their EP “Save Your Lungs For Cigarettes” for free on bandcamp in November 2015. The band includes two members from the University of Mary Washington, a college just 15 miles south of Mountain View in downtown Fredericksburg. Shirt/Pants is really cool because it’s like having The Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, or The Growlers right in your hometown. In this release, the most notable track is “Haze & Ginger.” You can listen to and download their music at shirtpants.bandcamp.com

soundcloud.com

SHIRT/PANTS

As a Fredericksburg native, Mark Davis has been making the name Memnon the Black recognizable in the area and synonymous with the Fredericksburg group NatureBoy Collective which includes him, Ugly Frank, and two other local rap artists.

Unlike most rappers, who are often dismissed for lack of depth to their lyrics, there is no doubt that Memnon’s soul is spread throughout his content. When he raps, you know what he’s talking about. NatureBoy Collective represents the spirit of Fredericksburg that is not always represented by the antique shops or boutiques that line the streets, and it’s nice to hear the voices and talent that exists here.

Great artists are making music closer than you think.

The Viewpoint reviews albums from musicians in the greater Fredericksburg area, including two Mountain View alumni. by Lily Cowper Background photo provided by Maddie Albertson

16 the viewpoint viewpoint lqjune december 12 ql the 2013 2015 | january 2016

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Up Air

in t

he

Players To watch

Maggie Sharp Freshman Point guard

The success of the team isn’t what they do on the court but what they do off. by Cory Haley

Thoughts on why the team is good: “We’re all really close as a team. We hang out outside of basketball so we get along good together so it makes the basketball team even better and stronger”

photos by Cory Haley

Hannah Kenkel Junior Point guard Favorite part of the game: “Coming together on a varsity team and feeling like a team”

At the start of a season anything can happen.

You don’t know what you’re going to do when you step onto the court as a team. Mountain View’s girls’ basketball team, a team with only three seniors and four returning players, has managed to go 10-4, as of 1/11, and dominate by over 20 points in most of those games.

The players think this is because of how much the team has bonded over the season. Maggie Sharp said, “Once we started coming together more as a team it started to click. After the second game, we had a team sleepover then we all went out to breakfast. Everyone started getting close then we started winning games.”

As the season progesses, the girls are continuing to bond before games. Hannah Kenkel said, “In the locker room the whole team blasts music and dance but then when the coaches come in that’s when the music goes out and we get silent. Then we all get serious.”

If the team continues on the path they’re on they should have no problem when regionals come.

Briona Godbolt said, “We may be a young team but we have the chance to do something great not only for the team but for ourselves too.”

Information On the team Game times and dates Mountain View vs. Brooke Point February 2, 5:30 - 7:00 Mountain View vs. North Stafford February 6, 5:30 - 7:00

The team Seniors:

Mariah Aldridge: Guard Briona Godbolt: Guard Haley Hill: Guard

Juniors:

Ave Burrell: Guard Mackenzie Cunningham: Guard Asia Elkins: Guard Alayna Johnson: Forward Hannah Kenkel: Guard Tiaralyn McBride: Guard Cheyenne Suamataia-Teo: Center

Sophomores:

Kiana Collins: Forward Kayla Jackson: Forward Jeane Robinson: Guard

Freshman:

Maggie Sharp: Point Guard december \|2015 | january 2016 q the viewpoint q 17

TOP 7 GAMES

7

Most fans were raging in excitement for the release of 343 Industries’ second addition to the Halo series, but many were left unsatisfied and with negative feelings towards the story as well as the game’s lack of split-screen. While it is true that the majority of the fans were not impressed with Halo 5’s story, most will agree that the multi-player was the best Halo fans have ever seen. Halo 5’s has received most of its attention through the new game type “Warzone.” This game type was one of the main factors which saved this game from complete internet and community hate.

Warzone is a game of conquest where two teams try to capture all bases on the map while fighting amongst each other and fighting off small hordes of AI players that. Halo hasn’t had a new game type this fun since Halo Reach’s “Invasion.” The most unique addition is the game type’s new “REQ System” which changes all equipment (weapons, vehicles, and power-ups) from just lying on the map to things you need to redeem with cards that you get from completing matches. This adds a more strategic aspect to the game that makes it even more fun to play, with friends or new people.

playstation.com

Bloodborne

5

The Dark Souls games, which have attained a love/hate relationship with players, have two main elements. Artistically creative weapons and enemies, and a very simple yet difficult combat system. Both of these also have a heavy presence in FromSoftware’s spin-off game “Bloodborne.” As previously stated, combat in Bloodborne is very difficult and you will be pounded into the ground time and time again. This however, will leave you with an urging feeling to try again over and over until you win. Due to the simplicity of the combat all of the skill lies in the player. Knowing when and when not to attack, being able to dodge attacks you know will easily down you, and being able to use your weapons to their full potential will all prove as vital skills any player will need to plow through the game.

Whether you decide to try again, or rage quit, is entirely up to you. Just know, at some point, this game is going to suck you back into it at some point, and is going to hit you with everything it has and then some.

While the concept of zombie-based movies and games is starting to fade out of the popularity, Dying Light brought something really creative and fun to the table. What sets it apart from other zombie games is the games revolution around parkour which, for those who don’t know, is basically a skill falling under acrobatics that allows one to free run and masterfully climb tall structures, primarily buildings.. Playing as an undercover government agent “Kyle Crane”, you are to infiltrate the city of Haran which has been affected by an outbreak resulting in, which you probably guessed, people turning into zombies. In order to survive your time there requires helping your settlement in the city survive by working as a runner who collect supplies and interacts with other survivors while traversing the zombie-filled streets and rooftops of the city. The game offers up to four player Co-op and, while it has a good story, it is recommended you play with one other friend.

The game is more fun with a partner to fight with as a team. Many speculate that mixing zombies and parkour together would be an awkward combination, but to the surprise of many, they fit together insanely well. This, as well as many other factors, is what makes Dying Light a really special creation.

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6

4

dyinglightgame.com

thewitcher.com

Until Dawn

Horror games have been dominating in mainstream popularity over the past few years. Supermassive Games’ “Until Dawn” is a horror game that differs from all others. From realistic scanning of the voice actors’ real faces into the game, to their interesting new feature, the “Butterfly Effect” the game offers a thrilling experience.

One of the unique features of this game is the fact that it’s a horror game and, at the same time, makes fun of the horror genre. The whole “seven teens in a cabin all by themselves in the middle of nowhere” and “Hey what was that creepy noise, let’s check it out” is a pretty old stereotype in the realm of horror. Yet at the same time, it offers many original ideas. The two biggest hooks that made this game popular are the previously mentioned “Butterfly Effect”, and the fact that any amount of the characters can either live or die throughout the entire game based on your choices.

The Butterfly Effect is the games system the game uses in which even the smallest decision made in the game dictates the future which really makes you think carefully before you commit to a decision.

2015

3

In the Witcher 3 you explore the beautiful, and dangerous, Northern Kingdom.

Fighting monsters and humans alike, Geralt of Rivia, the protagonist, must travel across the land in search of his missing lover. With a monster-slaying silver sword in one hand, and a simple iron one in the other, you accept contracts as a Witcher where you, for the right pay, hunt down and exterminate monsters. That, or making groups of thugs fall to their knees, but all to help the peasants of surrounding villages. One of the best things about the game is the beautifully sculpted ambiance of the region. From vast spanning mountains with the sun touching over the peaks, to thick, dense woods that keep many things hidden that would love nothing more than to have you as their next meal. The game will have you completely immersed. Put that together with the creative design of the monsters, characters, and the tricky combat system, makes it a game you can get addicted to and easily play days at a time.

Tom Clancy games have been around as long as we have, and have been fun from the beginning. The newest installment in the series, “Rainbow Six: Siege”, is no different. With a variety of characters, all with their own set of skills, and your ability to blow almost any obstacle out of your way makes it a game that offers a new experience every time you play. The most impressive thing about this game is the player’s ability to destroy just about anything. Not only that, but the designers implemented it into the game so well that everything looks completely natural.

They didn’t build a world with designated areas to destroy that all looks the same.

No, they built up the world by itself and then went back and basically said, “Yeah you can blow through all of this.” This feature of the game adds an entire new level of strategy the players can incorporate into their plans before they go barreling into combat. Pair that with the different game modes that include, hostage extraction, defusing a bomb, defending a hostage, or hunting terrorists, you can use your knowledge of the map to make a completely brand new plan on how to go through with it.. Whether in a game of 5v5 or you and four friends versus bots, every experience will be different from the last and just as exciting.

HONORABLE MENTIONS fallout4.com

1

2

rainbow6.ubi.com

thewitcher.com

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

-All pictures from developer’s websites

fallout4.com

OF

Take a look at the best games 2015 had to offer. by Zane Gobie

Finally, the game that everyone probably saw coming, Fallout 4. From the day it was announced at E3 fans were going crazy, and they had the right mind to do so, because this game delivered what was promised and then some. You play as a man/woman out of time who in the year 2077 was put into a vault in order to escape complete nuclear fallout. You are frozen in time only to wake up in the radiation-ruined future. All you know is that your spouse was killed, and your son was kidnapped. You traverse the vast Boston Commonwealth and interact with its inhabitants in hopes of finding your son, and avenging your fallen spouse. Welcome to the wasteland, where you can create your own story as a character with intentions of watching everything burn, or being the hero to go down in history. Whichever is more your style, the game supports it completely, just be weary of who you decide to cross. The amount of things you can do is just about endless, especially due to the game’s system of having settlements where you can build just about anything your imagination can conjure up. One respectable thing that games haven’t been seeing lately is that Fallout 4 is its own complete game without the need for downloading DLC. At the same time, many DLC installments can be expected to be made over the years which actually excites players instead of the recent trend of annoying them. Your story can be one that you can change every time you replay the game. With many sides to take in the main quest, several different outcomes can occur. This will affect your access to specific resources and allies you will have at your disposal, which all come with their own perks.

There are so many things to be said about a game of this caliber, but one thing is for sure though, Fallout 4 is a game that has definitely made its mark and will go down in gaming history.

Life is Strange Rise of the Tomb Raider Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Batman: Arkham Knight Just Cause 3

december \|2015 | january 2016 q the viewpoint q 19

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phone number: 540-947-4117 december 2015| january 2016 q the viewpoint q21

Becoming

champions

Juniors Joseph Altorfer and R. J. Williams tell their stories as wrestlers, as well as share plans for the future. by Hailey Bullis and Paige Doerfler

Joseph Altorfer

22 q the viewpoint

qdecember 2015 | january 2016

Hailey Bullis

one’s fast in lightweights.”

Conditioning is one of the hardest parts of wrestling. Wrestlers must have two conditioning sessions every day: one before and after practice. Each one lasts about forty-five minutes and include indian runs and cardio blast at the end.

Flipping tires is also common.

“It’s not the activity itself that’s hard; it’s the amount that we have to do.”

Last year, Altorfer ranked third in Sophomore States and sixth in Super States, and he deems it his best moment.

“It’s really hard for a sophomore to do, so when I made it to states, I was really happy.”

However, with the best moments come the worst moments, and for Altorfer, it was breaking his collarbone last season.

“I was doing a move; he was doing another, and the way the moves clashed broke my collarbone. I got thrown on the mat, and it snapped.”

It normally takes three months to heal this type of injury, but this wasn’t the case for Altorfer. When his collarbone snapped, muscle went in between the snap, resulting in two surgeries, and a temporary plate placed in, which is scheduled to be removed after this season.

Altorfer wishes to make it to states once more and rank at least third. He has a lot of work ahead of him, but with his attitude and hard work, he is right on track to do so.

Hailey Bullis

“Utah State. That’s probably where I’m considering. Their engineering program’s really good, and they wrestle,” Joseph Altorfer said about his plans for after high school.

Altorfer is one of the most successful lightweight wrestlers on the Mountain View wrestling team.

He originally started training for this sport because his brother was a wrestler, and he’s been wrestling ever since.

Altorfer wasn’t always one of the best on the team. For him, it didn’t become entirely important until he started winning matches, and he realized he was relatively good.

“Freshman year,” Altorfer explains, “I was the small one of six when I first started, and I got my butt kicked almost every single match, so I didn’t really care. Then, probably half way through the season, I started winning.” He’s been working towards being even more successful ever since.

Altorfer has multiple ways for getting ready for a season. In the summer, he goes to open mat, a practice held twice a week that gets the team and potential newcomers in shape. Altorfer mainly works on his speed and lifting because he is a lightweight wrestler.

Speed is one of the most important aspects of training for Altorfer.

“For lightweights, it is because you’re small, so you have to be the first person to do something. Every-

Hailey Bullis

Hailey Bulli

R.J. Williams is currently a junior at Mountain View and is a heavyweight wrestler on the 2016 varsity wrestling team. Williams was a state qualifier, but did not end up placing in the tournament. He did however, win Sophomore States, another state tournament he participated in during offseason.

Despite Williams’ success on the mat, he did not always enjoy wrestling and only started wrestling as just a sport to do during the winter season: “In eighth grade, it was because I wanted to do sports year round, and I was really bad at basketball during the winter-time so I tried out for wrestling, and at first I really didn’t like wrestling, but I ended up liking it,” said Williams.

Wrestling really became important to him when he joined the Mountain View wrestling team, “In eighth grade, it was sort of like it wasn’t that hard, but then when I got to high school, it actually started getting really hard and difficult. And I had to make a decision and be like ‘I really want to do this’ and it’s really just the sport for me,” Williams said.

For Williams, the hardest part of wrestling is the conditioning all of the wrestlers are put through to be on the team. “I think that’s what really knocks people off the team because a lot of these people aren’t physically or mentally strong enough to actually endure our practices,” continued Williams. “Our conditioning is the hardest in the school and it’s considered the hardest and people know it’s the hardest.”

Before and after open mats, a summertime practice for the team, Williams would do exercises and jog or skate to and from the practice. However now, Williams doesn’t have much time to do either due to practices running so late and homework.

Along with conditioning and open mats to prepare for the season, Williams keeps a clear head and stays away from junk food. “That’s very vital. It’s the key to success. And like it’s really just trying to keep your body cleansed and staying away from negativity. I think that’s more of the best way to stay prepared for anything, to be honest.”

While Williams dedicates a lot of his time to the sport, he doesn’t see himself wrestling past high school as most college wrestlers get hurt; “I’m trying to join the military and a lot of people get hurt in college and I can’t join the Marines if I’m hurt.”

Williams wants to join the Marines to carry on his family legacy since both of his parents were Marines before retiring.

Due to the amount of time and effort he puts in as a wrestler, it’s understandable that he wishes wrestling gained more recognition than it currently receives. “Wrestling in school is kind of under credited and we don’t normally get acknowledgment for anything.” Williams said.

Williams also pointed out the fact that while wrestling has won trophies, they don’t have an actual trophy case like other sports in the school. Williams wants wrestling to receive more recognition, especially since the team has made it to states two years in a row without much recognition.

Williams has high hopes for this wrestling season as he would like to be state champion this season.

s

R.J. Williams

december \|2015 | january 2016 q the viewpoint q 23

EXPLICIT CONTENT FOUR LETTER WORDS

The prominence of profanity in everyday language has brought about the exploration of the physical and emotional effects of swearing. by Reagan King Swearing is a line of defense, whether that defense is emotional or physical. It stops the body from experiencing the full extent of what it perceives as more harmful than the profane phrase. So in this sense, swearing is a distraction. It draws the mind away from what is really happening.

When someone swears while telling a joke, the person hearing the joke focuses on the curse word and barely even notices if the joke was funny, but they laugh regardless. The curse word distracted that person’s emotions and made it extremely difficult for their mind to determine whether or not they even enjoyed the joke. This seems like an obnoxious way of over analyzing the fun of a harmless joke, but recent researchers have used this information of how the mind processes curse words to reveal functions of the body that bring light to the benefits of swearing.

It was already known in the scientific world that swearing is a natural short-term pain reliever. When someone swears, a surge of adrenaline is released that distracts the body from the pain it’s experiencing. A study conducted by the Keele University School of Psychology in England went further to suggest that if someone is in a situation where they do not have access to medical equipment, swearing can provide some pain relief until painkillers are available. The researchers tested this when they asked participants to hold their hand in a bucket of ice water and say either a neutral word like table, or a curse word. Participants were able to withstand the ice water significantly longer if they cursed, due to its pain relieving effects.

“I rarely swear in a day, but I will by accident if I hurt myself or if I’m mad, and I do feel like it helps me feel better,” said sophomore Jillian Bleakley.

Depending on how often a person swears in a day can influence whether they experience the same pain relief. The study found that consistently using profanity in everyday language can build up an immunity to the effects. They are so used to the feeling of adrenaline being released when they curse that their body cannot use it to defend against any other outside pain. Someone

who rarely curses is going to experience stronger pain relieving effects because they are not used to that feeling of adrenaline.

The rise in the amount someone curses in a day comes from its use to achieve a number of outcomes in language like joking or storytelling, fitting in with the crowd, or as a substitute for physical aggression. But using it to replace physical aggression in turn makes it aggressive language. NoBullying. com supports the Movement Against Bullying and identifies swearing as a form of promoting verbal abuse, sexual harassment, discrimination, and verbal assault.

lalochezia : lal·o·che·zi·a n.

Emotional relief gained by using indecent or vulgar language.

“I think that you’re a product of your environment, and that has a lot to do with how often you swear and whether or not you think it’s okay,” said sophomore Kendyll Brown.

Throughout the childhood years, parents, teachers, and peers react differently to curse words than neutral words and create a stigma surrounding them that adds emotion. Health Guidance for Better Health says that swear words are deemed emotionally charged words in our memory. As children grow up and are pushed into a world that uses stronger language, they process the words differently and always know their negative connotation when they hear them.

While swearing has demonstrated pain relieving effects, it is deemed inappropriate because of its underlying aggression in its nature. Its newfound usefulness in everyday language has made it more socially acceptable, but with this comes the promotion of threatening behavior.

PARENTAL ADVISORY

24 q the viewpoint q december 2015 | january 2016