The Lumberjack -- December 8, 2016

Vic t o ry A T S TA ND ING RO C K PAGES 4 & 5

T H E L U M BE R JAC K

DEC. 8 - DEC. 14, 2016

From the Editor

Online at JackCentral.org

T

he way we inform ourselves and others about what is happening, what is important and what needs to be seen is changing. We no longer rely solely on broadcast news to see events unfold in real time. We see images and hear voices of those involved on our social media feeds before we see them mirrored on our televisions.

The images of Dakota Access Pipeline protesters being hosed down with water cannons in freezing temperatures were noticeably absent from major news broadcasts. Many networks didn’t have reporters on the ground to corroborate or deny the claims by law enforcement officials that their actions were warranted.

However, there are journalists at Standing Rock. They are from local news outlets and smaller, independent news websites. What larger media outlets failed to report on, blogs functioning as news channels did. These reporters were able to inform thousands with the tools provided by their smartphones.

To call reporters sending photos and live video streams from these events “multimedia journalists” is a bit of a misnomer. All journalists worth their salt are always utilizing the best tools available to them to collect the most accurate information and to report it in a timely fashion. As technology advances, our methods adapt.

We have more tools than ever before to disseminate the news to a mass audience. You, as a citizen, have the same tools at your fingertips. You can KEELY make it loud and clear what you want to be informed about. The days where DAMARA editorial omission can go unnoticed or unchallenged are gone.

DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA While we are seeing small, local newspapers and stations closing their doors, we are also seeing the rise of small, online news publications. The remaining journalists that report locally and answer to their communities are essential to the business of seeking out truth.

We hope to contribute to our community, here at NAU and in Flagstaff, by respecting the truth.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS. “ IT TAKES PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.

”

IT’S ABOUT HUMANITY. — BLACK EYED PEAS MEMBER TABOO, IN SUPPORT OF THE WATER PROTECTORS Thousands of Native Americans and their supporters gathered at Standing Rock, N.D., to fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Black Eyed Peas member Taboo joined many to protest the pipeline, which is already 85 percent complete.

Thank you for reading.

Josie Weiland | NAU

LJ

T H E LU MBE R JAC K

Editor-in-Chief Grace Fenlason Faculty Advisor Mary Tolan

VOL 103 ISSUE 15

Managing Editor Scott Buffon Faculty Advisor, Visuals Jennifer Swanson

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313

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2 T HE LUMBER JACK | JACKCEN T R AL .ORG

On the cover A protester looks across a razor-wire barricade at armed law enforcement officers who were there to protect the construction. Josie Weiland | NAU

Corrections & Clarifications In the Dec. 1 issue, The Lumberjack misspelled cross country athlete Futsum Zienasellassie’s name.

The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email gracefenlason@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Nov. 28 At 10:21 a.m., a subject near Knoles Parking Garage failed to obey traffic control devices. NAUPD issued a written warning for not having a visible plate and driving on the sidewalk.

At 4:04 p.m., a student in Pine Ridge Village reported being harassed via email.

NAUPD responded but the student only had one email which could have been spam.

At 8:49 p.m., staff from Drury Inn reported a subject sleeping on the second floor of the High Country Conference Center Garage.

NAUPD responded and the subject was taken to Sunshine Rescue Mission.

At 11:09 p.m., a staff member from the Drury Inn reported a subject was sleeping in the restroom. An NAUPD officer banned the subject from the property.

Nov. 29 At 11:36 a.m., Blue Stake staff near Parking Lot 62 waved down an NAUPD officer to turn in a lost item. The item was taken to NAUPD for safekeeping.

At 8:08 p.m., a resident assistant in Reilly Hall reported the odor of marijuana. An NAUPD officer responded and four students were criminally deferred for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Nov. 30 At 4:22 p.m., a student reported a subject had damaged a gate in the San Francisco Parking Garage. NAUPD responded and Parking Services was notified.

The investigation is ongoing.

At 5:41 p.m., a student in the W. A. Franke College of Business building reported receiving strange messages on a group chat. NAUPD advised the student to avoid contact with the

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sender.

subject was taken to FMC and booked into Coconino County Sheriff’s Office for underage Dec. 1 At 9:26 p.m., a student possession of alcohol, possession traffic controller at Pine Knoll of drug paraphernalia, loitering and McConnell Drive reported and trespassing. being hit by a passing vehicle.

Dec. 3 NAUPD contacted the driver At 12:02 p.m., a passerby and issued a citation for failure to obey a traffic control device. reported a dog inside a vehicle in the San Francisco Parking No injuries were reported.

Garage. An NAUPD officer At 10:51 a.m., a passerby responded and the dog did not near Lot 66 reported a subject appear to be in distress. was acting strangely. NAUPD At 1:44 p.m., FPD reported searched the area, but the subject finding a wallet. NAUPD was gone upon arrival. assisted in contacting the owner.

At 11:21 a.m., a staff The wallet was brought to member at the duBois Center NAUPD for safekeeping. reported an intoxicated subject At 5:21 p.m., a student was yelling and hitting a construction worker. NAUPD reported six subjects sitting in responded and no charges were the Hilltop Townhomes parking garage. The subjects were pressed. Everything was fine. reportedly obstructing traffic.

At 12:29 p.m., an NAU bus NAUPD searched the area but driver hit a parked vehicle in Lot the subjects were gone upon 66. NAUPD responded and the arrival. drivers exchanged information.

Dec. 4 At 4:05 a.m., NAUPD At 7:07 p.m., FPD requested assistance with a traffic assisted FPD with a suicidal collision off campus involving an subject off campus on Butler NAU bus. NAUPD responded Avenue. The subject was then and found the driver had fled turned over to the FPD and a the scene. The investigation is case was opened. ongoing.

At 2:01 p.m., Sechrist Hall staff reported that a resident said Dec. 2 At 12:23 p.m., staff in his roommate had assaulted him.

Lot 8 reported tires on an NAUPD was unable to locate NAU vehicle had been slashed. the subject. The investigation is NAUPD responded and all leads ongoing. were exhausted. The case was At 5:56 p.m., a concerned closed. citizen reported a subject was At 8:05 p.m., a resident rummaging through a vehicle. assistant in the South Village NAUPD responded but the Apartments reported a subject was gone upon arrival. suspicious picture on Snapchat Two vehicles matching the involving marijuana. NAUPD description were checked and was given information and the everything was fine. investigation is ongoing.

At 8:07 p.m., staff in At 11:40 p.m., a custodian Calderon Learning Community in the Performing and Fine reported a broken window.

Arts building reported a subject NAUPD responded and leads in the third floor lounge. The were exhausted. The case was subject ran from NAUPD closed. officers and was tased. The

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NEWS

Victory for Standing Rock: Pipeline could be diverted JOSIE WEILAND

STANDING ROCK, N.D. — The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) project was halted after the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced Dec. 4 the pipeline would not cross under the Missouri River. Following months of protests, this is a victory for the Sioux Nation, thousands of other tribes and Standing Rock supporters.

Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), a propane and natural gas extraction company, is currently building a pipeline that will transfer 470,000 gallons of crude oil a day from the oil rich Bakken region of North Dakota. This pipeline, reaching 1,172 miles to Patoka, Ill, has gained global attention. It was slated to go through disputed Sioux territory and under the Missouri River and Lake Oahu. Environmental- and indigenous-rights activists have gathered in the thousands at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota to protest the pipeline project supported by Sunoco Logistics Partners (SXL).

The incoming presidential administration has not expressed its plan for the future of the pipeline.

The land in question is disputed territory. In 1851 and 1868, Fort Laramie Treaties were signed by the United States Government, establishing the Great Sioux Nation Land. According to The New York Times, these treaties were soon broken by the U.S., creating the current ambiguity about who rightfully owns the land.

DAPL was approved in January 2016 with ETP as the largest stakeholder in the operation, and SXL as the company to transport the crude oil. The Bakken and Three Forks region in North Dakota, where the pipeline is built, is incredibly oil-rich.

The construction of the DAPL is approximately 85 percent complete, according to High Country News, or roughly 1,000 miles. The pipeline has sparked widespread conversation about sustainable energy, indigenous people’s treaties and corporate rights. Because of this, people from all around the nation are demonstrating solidarity with Standing Rock on social media, donating to the protest camps and withdrawing money from Chase and Wells Fargo, who are major investors in the project.

Thousands of protesters, who prefer to be called “water protectors,” were gathered at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota over Thanksgiving weekend to protest the proposed construction of the pipeline through the disputed Sioux territory. ETP, in the past, has hired private security to guard the pipeline, but there was also a large police presence at the construction site.

Protester and police relations at Standing Rock have not been without confrontation. Videos and pictures shared on social media have shown police using non-lethal force for crowd control. Force such as water cannons, rubber bullets and concussion grenades have been used against the protesters. These events have been placed into the ongoing conversation about police brutality in the U.S. During the Thanksgiving weekend at Standing Rock, police did not use violent crowd control tactics on the front lines. However, there was police and protester confrontation

in the Bismarck Kirkwood Mall Black Friday. Some protesters of the pipeline traveled to the Kirkwood Mall to participate in a prayerful sit-in demonstration amongst the craziness of Black Friday shopping. Thirty-three individuals were arrested during the sit-in.

Opichi Ma’iingang, whose name means Robin Little Wolf and was present at the Kirkwood Mall, said officers ordered the protesters to exit the building. Ma’iingang said she was exiting when she was arrested. She is a member of the White Earth Og’bwey tribe of Northern Minnesota.

“I was totally blindsided. One of the officers grabbed me by my sweater and threw me to the ground. My back is pretty messed up,” Ma’iingang said. “It is an excessive force, unnecessary force.”

Fiona Murphy, of Rapid City, S.D., has a similar experience with the police. A few weeks ago, she was arrested on the frontlines, placed in Zip Tie handcuffs and taken to Morton County Jail. While there, Murphy alleges she and others arrested with her were denied their one phone call. After being strip searched, they were placed in cells to await release.

Murphy said a woman in her cell, who was diabetic, was denied medical attention and insulin, despite asking for it repeatedly. Murphy stated that this woman became ill, and believes she went into ketoacidosis, a painful diabetic complication due to lack of insulin in the body.

Not everyone sees the police presence in the same light as the protesters in the camps, however.

“I think [the police] are handling the situation appropriately. It’s not the workers fault. They are just trying to do their jobs. You are bound to come across some problems,” said a North Dakota resident who wished to remain anonymous and lives near the protest camp.

He believes the protestors should have resisted when the contracts were being made. The man believes the protesters quick action is not useful and is putting pressure on police.

After months of protester action, the U.S. Government tossed its hat into the ring. Dec. 4, the day after the arrival of approximately 2,000 Veterans from across the country in support of the Sioux, the Army Corps of Engineers released a statement denouncing the construction of the currently proposed pipeline. The final permit for construction on the route was blocked the same day. ETP has issued a statement in response to this decision.

“As stated all along, ETP and SXL are fully committed to ensuring that this vital project is brought to completion and fully expect to complete construction of the pipeline without any additional rerouting in and around Lake Oahu.

Nothing this Administration has done today changes that in any way,” said the statement.

According to The New York Times, “An alternative route, north of Bismarck, N.D., was proposed but rejected because of its proximity to areas that supply water.” Instead, the pipeline will cross under the Missouri River through disputed Sioux territory and at the edge of Standing Rock Reservation. This decision to reroute the construction from Bismarck to Standing Rock is a point of conflict for the protesters.

4 T HE LUMBER JACK | JACKCEN T R AL .ORG

TOP: Police along the Cannon Ball River watch protesters Nov. 25 at the Dakota Access Pipeline protest.

MIDDLE: Kenneth Shirley, a Navajo dancer, danced at the pipeline protest.

BOTTOM: Protesters gather for a prayer ceremony on the frontline of the pipeline construction project Nov. 26.

Josie Weiland | NAU

EDI TOR IAL & OPINION

Faculty supports DACA students

“This pipeline was supposed to go through Bismarck, However, corporations that contract these plans need to obtain but they didn’t want it there because it could contaminate the legal approval. water. That’s what we call white privilege,” a protester yelled to ETP states their extraction operation has safety as KATIE SAWYER the police guarding the construction site Friday, Nov. 2. a priority, and will benefit national and local economies.

Examples like this have created an environment of According to a report from Sightline Institute, a nonprofit he NAU Faculty Senate approved the Diversity and University distrust between Native Americans and the government. There environmental policy organization, ETP has until Jan. 1, Safety bill, which will offer a safe haven for students on campus are issues of extraction onSHERIDAN Native American sacred sites around 2017, until legally allowed toto withdraw HATCH waysinvestors rangingare from observation medicalmoney checks. whoAction need for it should not feel they thatvoice are arecognition. part of the Those Deferred Childhood Arrivals the U.S. that many indigenous people are fighting against. from the project.

“Collecting data is not wrong. However, applying that have to sacrifice their privacy to feel secure.

(DACA) program. This happened at their regularly scheduled meeting n the information age, knowledge of nearly everything is data in unethical ways is wrong,” said Mark Moorman, In the end, it comes down to respect. By allowing Dec. 5. available for free, including data on users. While this can economist journalist and senior director of statistical analysis advertisers collect user data disrespects the users’ humanity DACA recipientstoare undocumented immigrants brought to the be used to cater services to consumers, it can also disturb system customer advocacy in The Economist Group. United States by regulating them to a sellable commodity.

App presets at a young age. These people are able to attend college the more privacy conscious.

To go a step further, collecting data withoutthrough users’ this to program. track users disrespect users’ privacy and those whose In the workplace, gathering data on employees canTsingine, be permission is also wrong. only“There right was companies haveThis to senate ignorance prevents themmore fromcrowded properlythan consenting.

JOSIE WEILAND a Navajo and Hopi NAU The student. no meeting was much usual. TheWhen back used to implement needed productivity improvements, while users’ information is if it is clearly granted in a terms of use this is integrated with data collecting, users are to enjoy confrontation but our presence was felt. It is heartbreaking of the room was completely filled with interested students,free faculty and lowering employees’ healthcare payments statement.

However, people read these thoroughly, increasedDuring supportthe technology STANDING ROCK, N.D. — Walking down and “Flagrecognition Road,” toofsee what is happening here,many but there aredon’t a lot of similar communitythemembers. meeting,provides. the floor was opened to their hardroad workofthrough data-backed promotions.

Employees or Arizona, even at all, doesFlat their use constitute permissionanyone if they who wished to speak on the issue before the vote. the main the Oceti Sakowin Camp in Standing issues in likesoOak [copper mining], Black theoretically shouldn’t feel concerned about employers haven’t read the agreement?

Rock North Dakota, hundreds of cars from practically Mesa [coal mining], Escalade [gondola in the Grand Many people spoke, including senate members, DACA students, misusing Legally, yes. Many digital services warn users that using every statedata. entered the campground. Thousands from Canyon], uranium.” a Holocaust scholar and Flagstaff City Council member Celia Barotz.

However, this came revival disputable due Access to how app Another their services acceptance their policies. Barotz made it clear she was not representing anyone other than herself. around the country to is protest the Dakota NAU counts studentaswho spent of Thanksgiving developers treat their Frequently, no. Not all users know Pipeline in solidarity withusers. the Standing Rock their Sioux product Tribe. isn’t in StandingMorally, Rock supports indigenous rights and how felt to adjust The senate made multiple revisions to the bill, including adding the Many app, but the app’s user.

Advertisements within an app permissions or the value in doing so.

Their ignorance is not a to allow NAU to help DACA students receive financial aid of these individuals are environmentalists and obligated to make the trip there. language can collect separate from what theforapp itself collects. “My justifiable reason companies toany takeway advantage by in-state tuition is taken away in the future. Another change in human rightsdata activists, united collectively a common intentions here for are to support in I can. of them if their Developers’ willingness to sell out their users belies Since the I presetting apps to track users.

Meaningful consent requires goal. have been to Black Mesa to help chop wood in the language was made to the clause that would allow for a center for a legal notion the business world more ethically givernecessary is well informed on the issue said and understands Forof indigenous people, the overall topic of becoming resource extraction winter, that I feltthe it was to help here as well,” center for undocumented students. concerned andIntrustworthy. consequences of their decision. rings familiar.

Arizona, there are several controversial Daniellethe Mori, an NAU student and member of the Hopi The language originally called the center the “Undocumented isn’t alarming everyone, though.

Optimally, tracking would be for the users’ benefit, but Resource Center,” and the senate changed it to the “Student issuesTracking regardingusers resource extraction,to recreation and its and Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

Student Monitoring systems for the elderly rely on collecting A that can become The voice activated Playstations alleged effect on water and sacred sites. group from disturbing.

Phoenix named “Indigenous Legal Resource Center” in order to be more inclusive. They also everything from Taboo theirfrom heart rate Eyed to what household and search services be listening all theintime. amended the name of the bill, after one senate member voiced concern Musical artist the Black Peas, who Enterprise” also traveled to have NorthtoDakota and danced appliances are turned on. This for the weekend, users to remain In Standing these cases, users any semblance of use of the word “sanctuary” in the original title. was at Standing Rock during the allows Thanksgiving solidarity with Rock.

Thehave dancegiven groupupis made over the independent and out of a residential care home without privacy when near the device.

The trade off between privacy is familiar with resource extraction, like coal and copper up of four Navajo men: Kenneth Shirley, Ty Lodgepole, The concern was based on the belief that the word sanctuary had worrying family members.

If of they in a tribe, homeheor were and utility never be that high. Very few peoplenegative would ties to sanctuary cities, which is in fact a separate classification. mining in Arizona.

As a member thewere Shoshone Brandon Begay andshould Ike Owens.

by Colton Starley living with relative, this information wouldactivism. be collected in “The need[American any kindIndian of service with that of incorporated expressed his astrong connections to tribal rights Movement] thatdegree happened The senate member compared the law to similarIllustration ones passed by schools Taboo’s grandmother grew up in the a small mining then is different than now. The difference is technology. in Texas, which have resulted in the governor attempting to defund the town of Jerome, Ariz., an example of the “boom and bust” They didn’t have cell phones. We can use social media. schools. The name was amended and voted upon with the rest of the effect of extraction. Jerome is approximately 55 miles We have more of a stance here, and celebrities are joining! bill. Other senate members disagreed with this. southwest of Flagstaff. Because of the detrimental effects We have the Avengers,” said 21-year-old Shirley about the In the end, the faculty senate voted unanimously to put the bill, of resource extraction had on the life of his grandmother, sizeable presence at Standing Rock. “The word is getting and the amendments, into effect. However, the senate is unable to enact REBECCA ELWOOD change.

Center, Mormon Lake Lodge and Wing Mountain Taboo felt compelled to travel to Standing Rock and show out there, and the importance of this is known.” policy, onlyNordic make recommendations.

It’s noof Arizona secret conservatives areDakota the main support for the Sioux tribe.

The presence natives in North over opposers to snowplay area. he people of Gatlinburg, Tenn., awoke in a panic climate percent Republicans deny Conservatives will be forced to recognize global warming “You’re not alone in this. It takes people coming the weekend waschange. another About example56 of tribes fromofaround morning, Nov. fire word that began global warming according to thinkprogress.org. together.Tuesday This is about humanity.

We29. needThe to spread the nation banding together for a common goal. It seems Right-wing in their backyards and cold-weathered vacation spots.

Monday nightI want continues to burn, leaving hundreds politicians go as and far as call of climate change a hoax, our Although the fire in Tennessee is absolutely devastating, to mainstream media. to be that vessel that spreads as though tribal presence thetovoices the protesters of buildings and seven dead. the As world the death toll heard, president-elect being one of them.

Southerners have to care. Although the snow in Flagstaff is the word,” saiddestroyed Taboo. “Come help shape at were at least temporarily. continues to rise, Tennesseans pray for a miracle. states believe it of is Engineers a hoax blocked simply because the still visible, Arizonans will notice a difference. The effects are Standing Rock.”

On Dec.Red 4, the U.S. Army Corps Pipeline protesters hole up at the Oceti Sakowin This fire has consumed 15 thousand evidence isn’t strong enough.

Sure,the it’s disputed getting a littleBelow: hotterDakota largeAccess and impossible to ignore.

Taboo’s message has already beenmore heard than from several the construction of the pipeline through CampBut on the Standing Rock Reservation, Nov. 26. Protesters, who prefer acres of the Great Native are outside.

Sure, the South only gets two NAU students who Smoky visited Mountains.

Standing Rock overanimals the territory.

Although Energy Transfer Partners, theinches main- of snow. be called “water protectors,” faced armed police in the fight to divert the dying, historic buildings are gone and people are losingstake all oilthese concerns aren’t detrimental — fires are. You can’ttoignore Thanksgiving weekend. company, stated it will continue with the original pipeline route. Josie Weiland | NAU they“Ihave. in sight,yesterday,” and Southerners are scared. flamesplans tearing through a community. wasThe on end theisn’t frontlines said Ryan construction despite the Army’s permit denial.

There is little hope. This fire has caused permanent damage This is a wake-up call. Tennessee and other surrounding to the area. states will have to take climate change more seriously. It’s However, this fire has increased environmental an issue that’s impossible to ignore now. When the people recognition in the area. As the South has little experience of Gatlinburg leave their homes, they will see the effects with fire. Smokey the Bear has a different lecture in the of climate change in the withered trees and empty forest.

South than the West.

They will begin to ask why this happened and how they can In the West, Smokey warns us of fire safety. Preventive prevent it, forcing them to recognize global warming. measures are displayed throughout National Parks. In the A similar issue resides in Flagstaff. Flagstaff ’s citizens see South, Smokey warns us about bears: how to avoid bears, less and less snow every year. Although Coconino County itself how to act when approached by one and how to close the isn’t a predominantly red community, the state of Arizona trash can to keep bears out. has voted Republican (except for Bill Clinton’s win in 1996) They aren’t warned about fires in their humid, wet since 1952. As the people of Phoenix and Tucson make their climate. Visible fire damage is rare. It’s just not a pressing way up to take part in winter activities, they will notice less issue in the South. That’s why it’s so easy for Southerners to natural snow and increasingly warmer weather. And inability Illustration by Kali Swichtenberg ignore fires, and even easier for Southerners to ignore climate to produce a cold climate will be detrimental to the Flagstaff

Privacy vs. utility: respect in data collection

IArizona connects with Standing Rock

T

Tennessee in flames as global warming recognition rises

T

DEC . 8 - DEC . 14, 2016 | T HE LUMBER JACK 9

EDI TOR IAL & OPINION

Privacy vs. utility: respect in data collection SHERIDAN HATCH

I

n the information age, knowledge of nearly everything is available for free, including data on users. While this can be used to cater services to consumers, it can also disturb the more privacy conscious.

In the workplace, gathering data on employees can be used to implement needed productivity improvements, while lowering employees’ healthcare payments and recognition of their hard work through data-backed promotions. Employees theoretically shouldn’t feel concerned about employers misusing data.

However, this revival is disputable due to how app developers treat their users. Frequently, their product isn’t the app, but the app’s user. Advertisements within an app can collect data separate from what the app itself collects.

Developers’ willingness to sell out their users belies the notion of the business world overall becoming more ethically concerned and trustworthy.

Tracking users isn’t alarming to everyone, though.

Monitoring systems for the elderly rely on collecting everything from their heart rate to what household appliances are turned on. This allows for the users to remain independent and out of a residential care home without worrying family members. If they were in a home or were living with a relative, this information would be collected in

ways ranging from observation to medical checks.

“Collecting data is not wrong. However, applying that data in unethical ways is wrong,” said Mark Moorman, economist journalist and senior director of statistical analysis system customer advocacy in The Economist Group.

To go a step further, collecting data without users’ permission is also wrong. The only right companies have to users’ information is if it is clearly granted in a terms of use statement. However, many people don’t read these thoroughly, or even at all, so does their use constitute permission if they haven’t read the agreement?

Legally, yes. Many digital services warn users that using their services counts as acceptance of their policies.

Morally, no. Not all users know how to adjust permissions or the value in doing so. Their ignorance is not a justifiable reason for companies to take advantage of them by presetting apps to track users. Meaningful consent requires that the giver is well informed on the issue and understands the consequences of their decision.

Optimally, tracking would be for the users’ benefit, but that can become disturbing. The voice activated Playstations and search services have to be listening all the time.

In these cases, users have given up any semblance of privacy when near the device. The trade off between privacy and utility should never be that high. Very few people would need any kind of service with that degree of incorporated

voice recognition. Those who need it should not feel they have to sacrifice their privacy to feel secure.

In the end, it comes down to respect. By allowing advertisers to collect user data disrespects the users’ humanity by regulating them to a sellable commodity. App presets to track users disrespect users’ privacy and those whose ignorance prevents them from properly consenting. When this is integrated with data collecting, users are free to enjoy the increased support technology provides.

Illustration by Colton Starley

Tennessee in flames as global warming recognition rises REBECCA ELWOOD

T

he people of Gatlinburg, Tenn., awoke in a panic Tuesday morning, Nov. 29. The fire that began Monday night continues to burn, leaving hundreds of buildings destroyed and seven dead. As the death toll continues to rise, Tennesseans pray for a miracle.

This fire has consumed more than 15 thousand acres of the Great Smoky Mountains. Native animals are dying, historic buildings are gone and people are losing all they have. The end isn’t in sight, and Southerners are scared.

There is little hope. This fire has caused permanent damage to the area.

However, this fire has increased environmental recognition in the area. As the South has little experience with fire. Smokey the Bear has a different lecture in the South than the West.

In the West, Smokey warns us of fire safety. Preventive measures are displayed throughout National Parks. In the South, Smokey warns us about bears: how to avoid bears, how to act when approached by one and how to close the trash can to keep bears out.

They aren’t warned about fires in their humid, wet climate. Visible fire damage is rare. It’s just not a pressing issue in the South. That’s why it’s so easy for Southerners to ignore fires, and even easier for Southerners to ignore climate

change.

It’s no secret conservatives are the main opposers to climate change. About 56 percent of Republicans deny global warming according to thinkprogress.org. Right-wing politicians go as far as to call climate change a hoax, our president-elect being one of them.

Red states believe it is a hoax simply because the evidence isn’t strong enough. Sure, it’s getting a little hotter outside. Sure, the South only gets two inches of snow. But these concerns aren’t detrimental — fires are. You can’t ignore flames tearing through a community.

This is a wake-up call. Tennessee and other surrounding states will have to take climate change more seriously. It’s an issue that’s impossible to ignore now. When the people of Gatlinburg leave their homes, they will see the effects of climate change in the withered trees and empty forest.

They will begin to ask why this happened and how they can prevent it, forcing them to recognize global warming.

A similar issue resides in Flagstaff. Flagstaff ’s citizens see less and less snow every year. Although Coconino County itself isn’t a predominantly red community, the state of Arizona has voted Republican (except for Bill Clinton’s win in 1996) since 1952. As the people of Phoenix and Tucson make their way up to take part in winter activities, they will notice less natural snow and increasingly warmer weather. And inability to produce a cold climate will be detrimental to the Flagstaff

Nordic Center, Mormon Lake Lodge and Wing Mountain snowplay area.

Conservatives will be forced to recognize global warming in their backyards and cold-weathered vacation spots.

Although the fire in Tennessee is absolutely devastating, Southerners have to care. Although the snow in Flagstaff is still visible, Arizonans will notice a difference. The effects are large and impossible to ignore.

Illustration by Kali Swichtenberg

DEC . 8 - DEC . 14, 2016 | T HE LUMBER JACK 9

EDI TOR IAL & OPINION

Trump chooses white supremacist as chief strategist ALEX RAND

P

resident-Elect Donald Trump has announced a host of people as picks for his cabinet, but none of the choices are more worrying than his pick for chief strategist, Steve Bannon.

Bannon is the CEO of Breitbart News, a news organization known for being anti-Semitic, racist, misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic. I could go on, but it’s pretty easy to understand how bigoted Bannon is when he’s stated in interviews he admires Nazis. That isn’t an exaggeration. The New York Times reports he “has cited both Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl and the left-wing documentarian Michael Moore as models.”

So, the United States’ next chief strategist, one of the people who will work closest with the president, looks up to Nazis.

That’s fun.

He’s recently come under fire for being a white supremacist and attempted to defend himself to The Wall Street Journal. “I’m an economic nationalist. I am an America-first guy,” said Bannon, but a nationalistic viewpoint like his is a part of what defines the white supremacist

movement. And what’s always more telling than someone’s description of themselves is the type of support they garner. Bannon and Breitbart News both have support from white nationalists.

It’s popular to call these people the alt-right — short for alternative right — movement. To say that Breitbart News panders mainly to altright groups is an understatement. But first, I refuse to call them that without clarifying what they really are — dangerous white supremacists.

Many people belonging to the alt-right openly call themselves neo-Nazis. Even the people who don’t proudly wear that title still subscribe to a movement whose foundation is vehement racism.

All of this isn’t even mentioning the blatant bigotry that abounds in Breitbart News. Headlines include, “Birth control makes women unattractive and crazy,” “After the Pulse club massacre, it’s time for gays to come home to Republican party” and “Bill Kristol: Republican spoiler, renegade Jew.” These are some of the tamed headlines I could cite. Many others have slurs or are obviously trying to be as inflammatory as possible.

Someone looked at these headlines and decided, yes, that is fit for publishing. The person who was in charge of running all of this should

not be a close adviser to the President of the U.S. CNN says Bannon dismisses all criticism of Breitbart News’ integrity, calling it “disappointment from Democrats who expected Trump to lose.” He refuses to acknowledge people may be attacking him because of his help with Trump’s campaign, but not because he is a bigot. In an interview with CNN, he said, “They were ready to coronate Hillary Clinton. That didn’t happen, and I’m one of the reasons why.

So, by the way, I wear these attacks as an emblem of pride.”

The role of chief strategist is a relatively new one and not one that’s required, so it’s not a very well-defined role. In the past, the position has been more like a public relations manager. George W. Bush’s and Barack Obama’s chief strategists were the glue holding their campaigns together before the election. After the election, the chief strategist serves as protection for the president’s image. They work with the media in relaying what the president will do and how he’ll do it.

I agree completely that someone who will be working closely with the media and public relations should have some kind of background in journalism, or in any communication. That

doesn’t mean I agree that just anybody with that background is fit to be placed into a role like this one. When the journalistic background of a person reads like Nazi propaganda, that person isn’t even fit to be in journalism, let alone a White House cabinet position.

We have to make it known that the nation as a whole will not back him the same way white supremacist groups do.

Photo courtesy of AP

Feeling stressed this holiday season? Join the club ELIZABETH WENDLER

W

hat is it about the holidays that stresses us out so badly? Between the, happy meetings of friends and families for big feasts, games, gift exchanges and more, the winter season ought to be merry and bright. And yet, for many of us, the bright lights and festivities do not sound fun: they sound like a nightmare of frantic gift shopping at Walmart, getting mowed down in the aisles looking for your niece’s favorite Avengers movie. They sound like endless Christmas songs blaring over and over again every time you go out to shop, and you may not even celebrate Christmas.

These are just a few of people’s least favorite things about the holidays. But there are countless more reasons for us to #GoGrinch in the next month. As always, I cannot speak for everyone on this matter, but I think I can name a few main holiday grievances just based off my own observation.

I think what gets the majority of people — myself included — down the most about the holidays is that we know we’re not supposed to be sad during them. Unless you’re the running man from It’s a Wonderful Life, it can be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to see past

all of your problems in life and just be happy and grateful for the holiday of your choosing.

And it is knowing that you’re not supposed to be ungrateful and that makes you feel even worse.

Awesome.

Something else that really runs my sled over the edge is money. When you’re a kid, the biggest stressor around this time of year is how many gifts you’ll get, if any. A kid worries about what they will receive for the holidays.

Adults?

We worry about what we’ll give.

And that’s if we’re able to give at all. Gift giving is expensive. Not to mention difficult when it comes to finding the right gifts for everyone on your list.

I shouldn’t be pulling out my hair over what to get Mom for Christmas. I should be roasting chestnuts on an open fire with Jack Frost nipping at my … well, you get what I’m saying.

It’s bad enough to have to fuss over food, decorations and other expensive trivialities,.

Do we really have to freak out about the 20-something folks in need of meaningful, unique gifts too? The same can be said for holidays such as Hanukkah and others.

Commercialism and an emphasis on buying

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everything is enough to make anyone cringe into oblivion.

Still, there is something far, far worse plaguing folks this winter season and that is family. If I could gather up all the inconveniences, stressors and depressors of the holiday season and chuck them into the snow pile outside my window, 75 percent of it would be family. For those of us with holly, jolly families living in two-story houses in the burbs whose major concern is keeping Aunt Martha out of the cooking wine, family is one of the enjoyable aspects of the holidays.

For those of us with broken or dysfunctional families, the holidays are like taking a straight dive into holiday hell. Forced smiles, uncomfortable hugs with people you don’t know, fight-starting questions masqueraded as innocent queries about your sexuality, your job status, your children’s accomplishments, you name it. It isn’t a party at the Wendler-house if somebody doesn’t imply you’re gaining weight or makes some kind of dig about your last failed relationship in some way.

Of course, not everyone’s holiday is like this and some even find these activities and stresses exciting. To those people I say, where

do you celebrate your holidays and can I come?

Please? I’m 21 now so I can bring the jolly, if you know what I mean.

In times like these, it’s good to have destressors and coping habits to get you through.

For some, that means taking a jog, making a list (and checking it twice because, heck, I had to fit that in somewhere) or just screaming into a pillow for 20 minutes after your distant relative made fun of your hair cut for the fifth year in a row.

Whatever you do to get rid of those holiday blues, I hope it gets you through, so you can enjoy a somewhattolerable holiday season.

Now, excuse me while I have my third, but not final, peppermint mocha of the day.

Illustration by Katie Dobrydney

FE ATUR E S

DREAMing of citizenship KATIE SAWYER

F

or most NAU students, the biggest stressors are upcoming finals and whether or not it will snow. But for sophomore hotel and restaurant management major under the alias Angelina Martinez, she has much bigger things to worry about than finals week.

Martinez is a “DREAMer,” or an undocumented immigrant who came to the United States as a child, also known as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors. Her name has been changed to protect her identity. Martinez is a DACA recipient, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which is specific legislation for Arizona residents. Every day, the weight of deportation of her and her family hangs over her head.

“I’m always worrying about my parents because they don’t have anything to protect them like I do,” said 19-year-old Martinez.

According to the American Immigration Council, Martinez is one of 1.8 million immigrants in the U.S. Each year, 65,000 of these undocumented minors will graduate high school with no ability to continue to work and therefore live in the U.S. Because of DACA, students like Martinez can attend higher education without fear of imminent deportation.

DACA is available for children who arrived in the U.S. under the age of 16, and have not left the country in the last five years.

Though no federal bill was ever successfully passed, according to USA Today, 20 states have passed DREAMer-like legislation that make young immigrants eligible within their states for financial support and university tuition.

Martinez arrived with her family in the U.S. when she was just 3 years old. They came on a vacation visa to the U.S. and stayed. For Martinez, this is the only life she has ever known.

“For anyone who was brought here, this is their life. I grew up here. I know a lot of people who grew up here who have the same status as me. You can’t imagine a life outside of this,” Martinez said, “but at some point you might have to.”

Martinez attended school in Arizona along with her older sister, who is also undocumented. As soon as DACA was passed in Arizona, her family applied. Martinez was 14 at the time.

She said the process is lengthy and complicated and can take up to six months, sometimes longer. Once approved, Martinez was given an identification card and a temporary social security number. However, because of an executive order put into place by former Governor Jan Brewer shortly after the legislation, Martinez was not able to obtain a driver’s license until two years ago.

The renewal process is every two years, and Martinez has applied and been approved every two years since she was 14.

Now, five years later, she is used to the time-consuming process.

However, that does not make it easier when complications arise.

“This past year it was frustrating, because it was taking longer than it should,” Martinez said. “Your [work] permit can expire before you get a new one. So if you have a job, they have to suspend you or fire you. Your [driver’s] license expires the same day your permit does, so if you don’t have your new permit you

Photo Illustration by Andrew Holt Frazier

can’t apply for a license either. Nothing is valid without your work permit.”

For Martinez, the waiting period was two weeks this year, but for some it can be as long as two months between permits.

She is less concerned with this though, as her parents remain undocumented with no protection, unlike her and her sister.

“My parents came here to get a better life, for me and my sister mostly. So for people to say what we’re doing is wrong, that hurts,” Martinez said. “We’re trying to do what we can. We’re not trying to hurt this country. We’re not trying to hurt the economy.

My parents pay taxes. I pay taxes. We do everything that we can.”

Martinez’s parents both work. Her mother is a nanny and an accountant and her father is a computer technician. They own cars and drive them, though they are not able to legally obtain a license.

Martinez’s cousin, under the alias Sarah Gray, is also a student at NAU and is currently studying abroad. She has seen Martinez’s struggles firsthand.

“She couldn’t drive until recently because she couldn’t get a driver’s license,” said Gray. “I would have to drive her around all over.”

However, unlike Martinez, Gray and her immediate family are citizens.

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“

I haven’t been to Mexico in 10 years. I don’t know how it is over there. My life is here. I would have to completely restart.

”

— Angelina Martinez, DACA recipient

Name changed to protect identity “[Angelina] and I are very close. She’s my cousin and my best friend. We grew up together and even lived together for a period of time,” Gray said.

Martinez and her family relied on the help from their cousins and family to do everyday things, but have adjusted over time to be able to live their lives as normally as possible.

“For a really long time, my family didn’t travel anywhere, and we didn’t like to go out very much. Having to stay in one spot, because we were afraid if we went anywhere else something would happen,” Martinez said. “Anytime you go out, you have to think about the consequences of your actions.”

Her parents support her and her sister financially while

FE ATUR E S

attending college, with the help of scholarships Martinez is eligible only through DACA. Her parents have struggled with money in the past, not only because they are entirely self-sustaining, but because applying for citizenship is costly.

Seven years ago, Martinez’s parents began the process of applying for citizenship with the help of Martinez’s aunt. Her aunt can apply to make Martinez’s family citizens. This process can take up to 20 years.

The Martinez’s contacted a lawyer to help them with the process. He asked them for $10,000 dollars to put the paperwork through. Martinez’s parents paid him at great personal cost, and then waited for him to respond. However, after a few months of waiting and hearing nothing, he disappeared.

The family has not heard from him since.

Martinez’s parents cannot attempt to pursue legal action or file a report, because they are undocumented. Her parents have been too afraid to attempt citizenship again since.

The process of citizenship is too much of a burden to bear for most immigrants attempting to enter the country, and Martinez believes most people do not understand the hardships people trying to enter the country face.

“People’s views on [undocumented immigration] when they don’t know anything about it, it’s just very frustrating. They think it’s something you can just do in a month and get it over with,” Martinez said. “It takes half a lifetime for some people, and it’s very expensive too. Something that should be taking only five years is taking 20 years and there’s no reason for that. The resources just aren’t there for families like mine.”

In light of the recent election, Martinez is now living in more fear than ever before about her DACA status and her family. “[Donald Trump] has said he wants to take it away. My family has already thought about going back to Mexico, so if that does happen I’ll have to go with them,” Martinez said. “I haven’t been to Mexico in 10 years. I don’t know how it is over there. My life is here. I would have to completely restart.”

Without the DACA status, she would not be able to stay where she has lived for over half of her life.

“There’s not a point for me to stay here if I can’t do anything,” Martinez said. “I wouldn’t be able to go to school anymore, I can’t pay for it. I can’t drive myself anywhere, because I wouldn’t have a license. I can’t work, so I wouldn’t be able to get any money.”

These aren’t the only issues Gray saw Martinez face. Before she received her DACA status, Martinez wasn’t sure she would be able to attend college at all.

“I remember her desperation when it came time for her to go to college. University was tough because she couldn’t receive FAFSA and college is expensive,” Gray said. “It was amazing when she became a ‘DREAMer’ because she was able to pay in-state tuition for college. Her life got a hell of a lot easier.”

Even now though, Gray recognizes that Martinez’s life is significantly different than her own, and affirms the “DREAMer” experience.

“But it still isn’t easy … There’s still things that are really hard for her because of her status,” Gray said. “There are so many things people misinterpret or don’t understand that are said by people and in the media. I really wish that [Angelina] could have the same opportunities as I do.”

Martinez and Gray are very close, but their differences in status are hard for Martinez to bear at times.

“I don’t like to compare myself to [documented citizens]. It hurts my parents when I bring stuff up like that, because they’re trying to do their best and they came here to give me a better life.

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) pooled together information from news articles, social media and direct submissions. Though SPLC fact checked incoming reports, some accounts remain anecdotal.

Illustration by Megan Troutman

I don’t like to do it, but I do,” Martinez said.

The morning after the election, Martinez’s parents called her.

Her mother was crying, asking if Martinez would be okay if they were forced to go back to Mexico.

“My dad called me and asked me to just stay at home for the day. He was afraid of everything, everything that could happen,” Martinez said, beginning to cry. “Just me being from Mexico, and the stigma [of that]. He asked me not argue with anyone. Not put myself out there ... If I say the wrong thing to the wrong person, something bad could happen.”

This is a real fear for Martinez and many others in her position. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), they collected reports from news articles, social media and direct submissions to compile data on hate crimes in the week following the election. SPLC found between Nov. 8 and Nov. 16, over 500 hate crimes were reported. Of those, 206 were anti-immigrant related.

“After this past election, I have had a lot of questions from people and I don’t necessarily know how to answer them because I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Martinez said.

Martinez knows, now especially, this is a very real fate for her and her family. However, she believes her parents are strong and will continue to pursue a better life for their children in spite of this.

“You have to live with it, you can’t coop yourself up because you’re scared ... It has made my parents stronger,” Martinez said.

Robert Neustadt, NAU Spanish professor and Director of Latin American Studies, spoke about the fears families like Martinez’s are facing in light of the recent presidential election.

“When ‘DREAMers’ applied for DACA, they trusted the federal government and turned in their addresses and information.

President-Elect Trump has promised to revoke DACA,” said Neustadt. “This is a great cause of anxiety. Not only might these young people lose their DACA status but now the government

has their information.”

Though she is in no way a spokesperson for people in her situation, Martinez still hopes she can help people to better understand the difficulties of immigrating.

“I don’t mind questions; I love answering questions. I can change people’s minds, I can help them understand. But if your question is going to make me feel like less of a human than you are, that’s not something you should say,” Martinez said.

Martinez has always faced insensitive questions like this, even from close friends who are not aware of her situation.

“I don’t lie to people, if they ask me I’ll tell them. It tells me what kind of friend they are. But for that reason, some people know my status and don’t agree with it,” Martinez said. “I’ve had friends just ask in a regular conversation ‘oh are you illegal?’ and that’s just not something that you should ask. If someone wants to tell you, they’ll tell you.”

These are just some of the critical questions and comments Martinez and her family have received in her life. For her, this has always been a hurtful, yet common occurrence.

“From a very young age I’ve been exposed to things that most people don’t even think of. I’ve had to take people’s criticism of my family and me … That’s something a child shouldn’t have to go through,” Martinez said. “Ultimately, it makes you proud of who you are. I try to put a good image to the people who are in my situation.”

Martinez said the criticism, and often hatred, she has seen as a result of her ethnicity and immigration status made her ashamed as a child. But as an adult, Martinez is proud of her heritage and her life here in the U.S. “This is a really great privilege that I have, that a lot of people don’t have. Sometimes it’s just hard to think of it like that,” Martinez said while overcome with emotion. “I’m proud that I have been through that, and I’ve been able to overcome it. I’m doing better for myself, and I can do better for myself.”

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jackcentral.org | @jackcentral

THE

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CULTUR E

Unearthing a nuclear legacy in Arizona TAYLOR HAYNES

J

udy Pasternak was unaware of uranium mining in the United States before her interest was piqued after a conversation with a Navajo tribal member. What began as an article proposal to her editor, soon became a full-on research project and experience that changed her life.

Former Los Angeles Times journalist Pasternak visited NAU Oct. 20 to receive the Eunson Award for her investigative work on the Navajo Reservation. The Eunson Award is given to journalists in honor of Associated Press journalist Robert Eunson, who worked as a war correspondent.

Pasternak’s non-fiction book Yellow Dirt: A Poisoned Land and the Betrayal of the Navajos tells the story of uranium mining in northeastern Arizona. The book was published in 2010. Prior to arriving at NAU, she gave a presentation at the Coconino for the Center of the Arts.

Pasternak’s book explores the lives and stories of Navajo individuals whose parents or grandparents worked in uranium mines during World War II, and the lack of cleanup or attention the mines received after they were closed.

The legacy of uranium is a painful one, from contaminated land and water in Arizona, to hundreds of thousands killed after atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, to long-term, lingering health effects.

Chris Shuey, a researcher with the University of New Mexico, pointed out many health effects he had noticed during his own research on the reservation to the House of Representatives in 2008. He stated the number of mines in a reservation community

correlate with higher incidences of kidney disease, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, he emphasized many water sources have been deemed unsafe because of uranium contamination.

Writing Yellow Dirt was not an easy task. Pasternak described reporting obstacles ranging from prying documents from the Environmental Protection Agency, to the language barrier, to being a complete outsider on the reservation while asking some difficult questions to affected people.

“I would hear ‘You don’t know me, you don’t know my culture,’ and all you could do there is read as much ahead of time, talk to people who traverse both worlds and show some respect while not trying to pretend you’re one of them,” Pasternak said.

“For me to go around spouting Navajo phrases would be silly.”

Gaining the trust and building relationships with individuals on the Navajo reservation was an enormous part of Pasternak’s work. She saw her role as, one, exposing the issue of uranium contamination on the reservation to the rest of the world and, two, helping the Navajo people fill in pieces of their stories that were missing — she would often come to their homes bearing paperwork.

It took years of determined research, sifting through documents, spending time on the reservation and putting pieces together to tell a cohesive story.

She still maintains a connection with some of her sources, such as Darren Oliver who is the son of Larissa Jackson — one of the primary characters in the book. Oliver, an artist, greeted Pasternak at the Coconino Center for the Arts. They chatted jubilantly like old friends.

Judy Pasternak speaks about her research in front of students and faculty at NAU Oct. 20. Her work, which began as a series in the Los Angeles Times and was eventually published as a book, brought the legacy of uranium mining to light.

Sunday Miller | The Lumberjack

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Jackson’s mother and Oliver’s grandmother, Juanita Jackson, lived in a home built with slabs of uranium. Pasternak brought paperwork to the family to show the government had known the house was contaminated since the 1970s.

“If you hadn’t been out there locally, you wouldn’t know the families and you wouldn’t recognize the names when reading the documents,” Pasternak said. “I could also take that information back to [the families] and help them with their stories … Again, if you help them with information, they’re more willing to share.”

Uranium contamination continues to be a prevalent issue on the Navajo Reservation. During the event at the Coconino Center for the Arts, one woman raised her hand and asked what a close friend should do if they had found an abandoned uranium mine on their property. Even though compensation was given to miners and their families, widespread cleanup has yet to occur.

“It’s continually affected our water, our soil and our air,” said Darrell Marks, a Navajo teacher and activist based in Flagstaff.

Marks expressed frustration by governments’ and corporations’ perceived apathy toward or ignorance of the issue.

“Maybe the government didn’t know, or maybe they neglected to inform miners that ‘Hey, if you work in there, maybe you need to wear a respirator because it’s going to damage your lungs,’” Marks said. “Or ‘Maybe you shouldn’t have that dust on your clothing when you go home.’ Or ‘Maybe you shouldn’t use the byproducts for your homes. But here it is anyways, go ahead, take it with you.’”

According to a Sept. 12 article published by the Indian Country Today Media Network, there are more than 15,000 uranium mines in 14 western states.

“About 75 percent of those are on federal and tribal lands, according to the EPA,” said Adam Derose in the article.

While reporting for Yellow Dirt, Pasternak knew she couldn’t make any false promises. Even when faced with such an urgent environmental and social issue, she knew she couldn’t get the mines cleaned up herself.

“All I could say was ‘I don’t know what will happen, but I know policymakers will read it and I know people out in the wider world will know what happened here,’” Pasternak said. “‘But I can’t promise anything more than that.’ But that, I thought, gave people a reason to talk.”

She added there is a lot of sadness when reporting on uranium-contaminated land and generations of families poisoned and sick. But there are also elements of hope: this is not just a story of victims.

Pasternak described how more young Navajos are pursuing degrees in environmental science. Former Miss Navajo Karletta Chief is now an assistant professor at the University of Arizona after receiving her Ph.D. in hydrology and water resources.

NAU Ph.D. student Tommy Rock helped to uncover years of uranium contamination in Sanders, Ariz. Rock also attended the presentation at the Coconino Center for the Arts.

Younger generations of indigenous people are becoming more aware of the issue, sharing their knowledge and demanding answers. Cleaning up the remaining mines will not be a simple process, but Pasternak expressed hope for the future.

CULTUR E

Fidel Castro’s legacy: What it means for Cuba, politics and the future of communism DOMINIQUE DIERKS

F

idel Castro was a politician and a revolutionary, but most memorably the face of Cuba for nearly five decades. Last month, Nov. 25, Castro passed away at 90 years old.

The 26th of July Movement in 1959 was led by Castro and included iconic names such as Che Guevara and Castro’s brother Raúl. The movement overthrew Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorial regime and took over the government of Cuba.

In the following years, Castro turned Cuba into a one-party socialist state. Both industry and businesses were placed under the control of the national. Castro governed Cuba for nearly 50 years, both as prime minister and president.

One of the biggest impacts this shift in leadership had for the United States was the embargo initiated in 1962 against almost all imports from Cuba. The embargo came in response to Castro’s regime aligning with the Soviet Union and communism. The travel ban for U.S. citizens to Cuba was only eased earlier this year by President Barack Obama.

Castro remains one of the most controversial leaders of modern times. His supporters see him as a champion of socialism and celebrate him for protecting Cuba from U.S. imperialism, whereas others title him a dictator who imprisoned anyone who presented a slight threat against the government.

Sean Parson, assistant professor of politics and international affairs at NAU with a Ph.D. in political science, understands why Castro was romanticized by so many.

“He became a symbol for anti-colonialism,” said Parson. “They made him the symbol of resistance, so they find reasons to legitimizing or justifying any horrible thing he did. And he also outlasted almost everyone. The U.S. had tried to kill him so many times. And I think every time they failed, it kind of helped to create this myth of a superhuman figure.”

In an interview with ABC, José Miguel Vivanco, director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch, stated Castro’s authoritarian rule in Cuba repressed virtually all civil and political rights.

“Castro’s draconian rule and the harsh punishments he meted out to dissidents kept his repressive system rooted firmly in place for decades,” said Vivanco.

In a 1967 interview, Castro admitted to having arrested more than 20,000 counter-revolutionary criminals.

However, as poor as the country is, Cuba’s health care and educational systems flourished under his regime. Cuba’s citizens enjoy an extensive public health care system to which all citizens have equal access. In 2014, the director of the World Health Organization even praised Cuba as a world leader in medicine for the quality and extent of its care. It also lauded Cuba for its medical research and innovation.

Because the country was so poor, it had to be innovative when it came to health care. A large emphasis was put on prevention instead of treatment. This meant that every citizen has a least one annual check-up, and vaccinations have almost eradicated diseases such as polio, chicken-pox and rubella.

Just like the health care system, education in Cuba is public, free and well-funded. Under Batista’s regime, the rural areas, in particular, did not have access to education. Under Castro’s regime, a large school network was created which allowed even the rural areas to be receive education. Of the population of Cuba, 99.8 percent are literate. In comparison, according to the Department of Education, 86 percent of U.S. citizens are literate.

NAU photojournalism professor Laura Camden offered a course this fall in international reporting which focused on studying Cuba’s history and culture. Camden plans to take students to Cuba in June 2017.

On a scouting trip last year, Camden experienced first-hand how Cubans live under the poor circumstances and was astonished to find their generous and welcoming nature.

“The people have very little regarding resources, so what they do is they share and they help one another much more than we do in this country,” said Camden. “The people were very generous

with not only each other but with foreigners as well. I feel like Cuba is richer in other areas. They are wealthier with their spirit and their comraderie. Their sense of community is much stronger than the U.S.” The concept of sharing and equality lies at the heart of the Cuba’s communist principles. In its theoretical form, based on Karl Marx’s principle, communism entails government controlled education, labor and industry as well as the abolishment of private property.

Today, only five communist countries remain: Cuba, China, North Korea, Laos and Vietnam.

However, Parson does not see communism dying out anytime soon.

“I think if you look back through history there’s always been this back and forth between communism and other forms of existence,” Parson said. “Early tribal life was communistic. Early Christian life was communistic. A lot of indigenous communities have something very similar to communism.”

Parson sees communism as an alternative route for many countries that have rejected capitalism.

“I think it carries on because capitalism has some massive shortcomings, especially in countries where there is nothing put in place to protect from the worst aspects of capitalism,” Parson said. “You get huge amounts of inequality and huge amounts of poverty and exploitation, and people naturally come together and try to resist that.”

Despite the polarization of opinions, Castro shaped Cuba and remains a communist icon. His legacy is being carried on by his brother Raúl, who took over Fidel’s role as president in 2008.

Mourners, many in tears, wait in line to pay their respects to the late Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba. The flag waves at half-mast. Photo courtesy of Will Thornton

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CULTUR E

Is snow in the forecast?

A winter wonderland

Keep your cool when the weather gets wintry ABIGAIL BIEKER

N

AU is fortunate enough to be in a region of Arizona that actually receives snow during the winter season.

While skiers and snowboarders look forward to the white powder, many have witnessed conditions that can be scary to drive in.

With only the second snowfall this year, highways such as Interstate 17 have presented hazardous circumstances, resulting in accidents and traffic jams. With black ice invisible on dark, slick streets, many low-gear or two-wheel drivers have found themselves stuck or in a precarious situation.

For many of us from California or Phoenix, these wintry conditions are new to us. It is more important now than ever to keep an eye out for ice and to adhere to the speed limit. If it is dark out, it can sometimes be hard to detect what the road conditions really are. If the streets look slippery, glassy or shiny, chances are hazardous black ice is coating the roads. Driving when black ice may be a possibility, it is necessary to back off of the gas and travel at about half the speed limit. This will limit the chances of drivers ending up in a ditch, or sliding into someone traveling in front of you.

Slow down. Everyone has a destination they are attempting to get to, while some are definitely trying to get there faster than others. There will always be that one person who is traveling 10 miles faster than the speed the rest of traffic is going. Do not be that person. When someone leaves only a limited amount of room between other cars, it heightens the chances of getting into an accident. Traveling quickly or aggressively behind or in front of other cars can be dangerous to not only you, but to other drivers too.

For junior event management major Jenna Lafeight, snowy and icy road conditions can cause anxiety.

“My biggest fear when driving in Flagstaff during the winter is when people are in too much of a rush to get somewhere that may cause accidents,” said Lafeight. “Also, not well enough plowed roads.”

To avoid accidents, leave an extra 20 to 30 feet between the hood of your car and the rear of the other car. This allows more time for cars to slow down and avoid sliding into other cars when traveling on snowy roads. If you know you have work the next morning, or have any belief there will be a delay in attempting to get to school, leave 15 minutes earlier or more in order to avoid being late.

Exercise science major Stephanie Bernhardt fears losing control of her car or sliding into another vehicle, noting it can happen to anyone.

“I think keeping your headlights on and driving well under the speed limit is the only thing that will keep people cautious and safe when weather conditions are bad,” said Bernhardt.

If for any reason your car begins to fishtail or slide on the ice, it is important to allow the wheel to turn on its own.

One should not attempt to swerve the wheel as it can lead to a worse accident.

Keep your car up to service as well — no one wants to be dealing with forgotten tire pressures while the outdoor temperature is well below freezing. Every car has different handling characteristics so be aware of all the functions your car has and check with a mechanic to make sure tires are up to code. This also may involve the purchase of chains which can be put on rear or front-wheel tires to help maintain a better grip on icy roads.

According to the City of Flagstaff website, the city has issued snow plowing crews that apply de-icer on state routes, including Route 66, Milton Road, West Route 66 and Fort Valley Road. However, some challenges crews face are “right before the morning rush hour or the evening rush hour; it is very difficult to keep the first priorities open and passable. Depending upon the amount of accumulation, approximately four to 12 hours is required to plow and cinder the first priority streets on time.”

It is also helpful to keep in mind the City of Flagstaff restricts overnight street parking from midnight until 7 a.m. from November until April. This allows enough room for plows.

Drivers should be conscious of crews attempting to pass through and should maintain patience as the city does its best at clearing the roads.

In case of an emergency or highway shut downs, there is a list of necessities that should be kept in a car at all times in case of closures and accidents. This includes a windshield scraper to remove ice, an extra blanket for emergency situations and extra non-perishable food and water. In case one does have to spend a few hours in the car, it is also smart to have extra layers of clothing, such as hoodies, beanies, gloves and footwear.

Being aware of the weather conditions can be helpful, or even life saving, during the unpredictable winter. Make sure to be bundled up and ready for anything when traveling in the snow.

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A new snowplay area is set to open west of the campground at Ft. Tuthill County Park.

Its opening date depends on snowfall, but will include multiple sledding hills, food trucks, a fire ring and an ice skating pond. Snowmaking, a controversial issue among Flagstaff residents, will be prohibited. As of Dec. 8, the area is depending on the natural arrival of snow to open. Pictured here was a snowy and sunny, yet very cold day at the park. There is no snow in the forecast, but some people are hoping for a snow storm before the end of December. The snowplay area might reduce traffic on Milton as many tourists arrive through the main Milton corridor when going to Snowbowl.

Ashley Marie Null | The Lumberjack

CULTUR E

“Bad News” in his blood CHEYANNE MUMPHREY

Y

ou would think it was a dance by the way his feet sprung instinctively against the floor as the ropes vibrated surrounding him. As beads of sweat fell down the curve of his jaw, he threw a punch — pop.

Brandyn Lynch, 25, graduated from NAU in 2013 with a B.A. in public relations and advertising.

After growing up around the sport, Lynch has officially started a promising career as a professional boxer in Los Angeles, Calif.

Since the tender age of four, Lynch trained in martial arts with his father. It started as an attempt to encourage Lynch away from his shyness. Even though Lynch did not always have the desire to fight, it was in his blood.

His grandfather, Vernon Lynch Sr. was a professional boxer and his father Vernon Lynch Jr., trained in martial arts and boxed as an amateur.

“In [Brandyn’s] downtime he decided to go into a boxing gym and he found boxing.

He’s been in love with boxing ever since,” said Lynch, Jr. “But he didn’t understand why he really wanted to do it as a profession … so after I told him about his background, he started to understand it was just in his blood to fight.”

For the younger Lynch, boxing provided a way to connect with his grandfather. He would say even more now than when he was at NAU. “I decided that I wanted to box because

it was something that was close to my heart,” said Lynch. “It was something [my grandfather] wanted me to do.”

Even before he decided to compete, Lynch was surrounded by the sport. Instead of Super Bowl parties, it was his family gathered around watching fights. For him, it was just as normal as any other sport but more exciting. It was as if the family tradition was calling him to the ring.

Lynch decided to box shortly after college.

Some would call it a late start for a boxer, but Lynch chose his path and was determined to see it through.

Thus Brandyn “Bad News” Lynch was born, a name coming from hours of brainstorming and family approval.

Today, Lynch can often be seen on a run or in a gym.

“I’m nonstop from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed,” Lynch said.

It’s more than a sport for Lynch — it’s a full-time job — which he starts and ends with his usual six to eight-mile run. After warming up, his routine includes a high-intensity nonstop workout, strength and conditioning. He ends the day with another run.

Lynch’s newfound home is Wildcard West in Santa Monica, Calif., a boxing gym esteemed for providing a training ground for professionals.

It’s known as a mecca for boxers in the L.A. area, including three-weight world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley.

At the gym, Lynch jumps rope for 30

Brandyn Lynch stands in front of a painted picture of Muhammed Ali. Cheyanne Mumphrey |The Lumberjack

Brandyn Lynch’s boxing gloves hang outside the ring at the gym where he is seen almost every day.

Cheyanne Mumphrey | The Lumberjack

minutes to get his feet moving and starts his workout alternating rounds of shadow boxing, mitts and various types of bags. With little rest between rounds, Lynch gets a good sweat going before heading to Made in L.A. Fitness in Hollywood where he meets his strength and conditioning coach Mario Guevara.

There, he works on everything from sprints,

“Brandyn Lynch is sharp, powerful and can move. If he continues fighting, he will be a world champion.”

— Three-weight world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley squats, box jumps, war ropes and more. Because Lynch competes in the Super Welterweight division, which is 154 pounds, he strays away from weightlifting to avoid physically getting bigger — but don’t confuse that with being weak.

“Brandyn Lynch is sharp, powerful and can move,” said Mosley. “If he continues fighting he will be a world champion.”

Lynch spars at least three times a week to put his training in action. He often spars with Shane Mosley Jr., both talented boxers. They’re also good friends who are constantly challenging each other to improve.

“The people I have here at the gym are like my second family, my brothers and some even sisters,” Lynch said. “There are some females that come down here and box, that I have so much respect for, that are really badass.”

There is a family dynamic in the gym, especially for Lynch whose dad is his coach. This father-son duo is not uncommon in boxing, and it works well for Team Bad News.

“I’ll say it’s difficult. We butt heads a lot …

it’s a pride kind of thing sometimes,” Lynch said.

“It’s a little bit difficult, but honestly my dad knows me at times better than I know myself.

He knows my limits, because he’s seen me at the very beginning and he’s seen me where I am now and everything in between, so he knows exactly what I can and can’t do and he knows how hard to push me.”

It goes back to how involved the family is in the sport. Boxing is important to Lynch and has taught him many valuable skills.

“Patience being one of [those skills] and discipline,” Lynch said. “It can be discipline, from what I have to eat for my diet, to waking up in the morning to run when I don’t want to.”

For Lynch, boxing is more like chess than the wild body-beating sport it is made out to be.

“I can honestly say some of the nicest individuals I have ever met in my life have been fighters,” Lynch said. “Boxers are not all dumb.

We’re not all brutes.”

Boxing has garnered an unfavorable reputation because of fighters like Mike Tyson who are notorious for their brutality outside of the ring. Contrary to popular belief, though, boxing is more than fighting. There is a thoughtful science to how these athletes move.

As a down-to-earth person and a levelheaded athlete, Lynch is one of those boxers who really uses his intelligence in addition to his talent to overcome and skillfully dance around his opponents. Even with his natural abilities, Lynch works as hard as he can to be the best.

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” Lynch said, a quote he takes to heart.

Lynch leaned against the ropes after his workout, drenched in sweat — he looked up and smiled. He was not always a boxer, but he will always be a fighter.

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SPORT S

Men’s basketball struggles in first home stand LANCE HARTZLER

I

t was not the home opener the NAU Lumberjack men’s basketball team was looking for as they fell 85–60 to University of San Diego Dec. 3.

With the loss, the Jacks fall to 2–7. They have now lost four of the last five games.

The game was close at the half, with the score being 33–27 in favor of San Diego.

Then, to start the second half, San Diego went on a 16-2 run to push the lead to 20.

“Throughout that run there were a few shots we had that were right there at the rim and we just couldn’t convert,” said NAU head coach Jack Murphy. “We took 62 shots and had 16 points in the paint and out of the 62, 30 of them had to be right around the rim. When you score 16 that means you only made eight, that’s discouraging as a coach and you’re just looking for answers. Brooks could be one of those answers he went 3–6 he shoots a high percentage around the rim.”

Something needs to change, according to Murphy, another lineup change or different approach on the offensive end could be coming.

“We have to do something different,” Murphy said. “We came into the year wanting to play through Jordyn [Martin] and Ako [Kaluna] in the post, and maybe that’s not the way to go.

Maybe it is too much pressure on those guys telling them they have to be an offensive focal point. We need to look in different areas to score.”

Martin and Kaluna struggled heavily Saturday, with both only making one field goal each. The two big men shot a combined 2–13 from the field. Martin was in foul trouble for a large portion of the contest, being given a technical foul late in the second half, limiting his minutes to only 19.

The biggest problem for the Jacks was the dismal shooting.

NAU shot 27 percent from the field, 32 percent from the three and a 69 percent from the foul line.

“We have to play smart, we have to be more intelligent,” Murphy said.

NAU is in dire need of help offensively, and coach Murphy will look to anyone to find it.

“You have to look at everything. We need scoring,” Murphy said. “So, Mike Green can provide some scoring. Brooks Debisschop has proven he can provide some. Coming off the bench or starting it doesn’t matter, they just need to play a little bit more minutes.”

University of San Diego senior forward Brett Bailey boxes out freshman forward Brooks Debisschop as a shot is attempted during NAU’s loss to the Toreros Dec. 3. Victoria Kaschl | The Lumberjack

The struggles continued for NAU as they were routed by CSU Bakersfield 81–47 Dec. 5.

The offensive issues that have plagued the Lumberjacks so far this season continued. As a team NAU shot 24 percent from the field, 17 percent from the three and 54 percent from the free-throw line.

“We cannot score the basketball,” Murphy said. “We can’t make a layup, we can’t make a contested three for sure or an open three.”

Game after game it wears on a team when shots aren’t falling. After so many games the Lumberjacks are just looking for any spark.

The bright spot for the Lumberjacks was freshman JoJo Anderson, who scored a team high 15 points while consistently drawing fouls, resulting in 12 free-throws. The young guard played hard throughout his 36 minutes of game

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time, giving the team life amid a tough game.

“We are just not locked in and competing every possession,” said Anderson.

Coach Murphy knows that some of the confidence problems fall back to him, and wants to try his best to help his team find their confidence.

“We have guys that want to do well and I feel for them,” Murphy said. “A lot of it comes down to confidence, it obviously falls on me as the head coach to put them into a position to be successful and get them into the frame of mind to believe in themselves that they are capable to be successful.”

Even with the rough start to the season, Anderson believes given time the team will show what they are capable of.

“We have to stay locked in on the real

mission,” Anderson said. “We have to learn from this and by the tine conference play comes we will have guys healthy and be ready to go.”

Following the game, Anderson was seen taking threes with an assistant coach as well as a team manager, clearly upset with his struggles from three on the night. Coach Murphy took notice of his young player working on his shot following a bad shooting night.

“Obviously, you want that culture in your program,” Murphy said. “It is one of the reasons we recruited him and wanted to get him. He is a coach’s son and knows how important winning and losing is. He isn’t scared out there. Nothing gives him fear.”

Next up for the Lumberjacks is University of Arkansas Little Rock, Dec. 14 at Rolle Activity Center.

SPORT S

NAU swim and dive team celebrates and mourns LEFT: In a meet against New Mexico State University, Alexa Geiger posted qualifying scores on both boards. Her three-meter score of 304.80 beat the next best diver by nearly 17 points. Her one-meter score of 303.90 was just more than 10 points ahead of the next closest diver. This was the second time this season Geiger posted qualifying scores on both boards in a single meet. Nick Canaday | NAU Athletics MIDDLE: The swim and dive team adopted the hashtag #4HE to honor NAU swimmer Hayley Edmond, who passed away after battling cancer before the season began.

Erin Twarogal | The Lumberjack BOTTOM: NAU and New Mexico State swimmers come together to in a ceremony celebrating the life of Hayley Edmond at the Aquatic and Tennis Complex Dec. 3.

Erin Twarogal | The Lumberjack

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Logan steps up, Jacks fall short KADE GILLISS

T

he Lumberjacks’ season comes to an underwhelming end, finishing 5–6 overall and 7th in the Big Sky Conference.

NAU started off the season 0–2 after losses to Arizona State and Western Illinois before striking back against New Mexico Highlands in a dominating 73–3 win. A game that shed light on talented freshman running back Joe Logan who rushed for 172 yards on just 9 carries.

Logan took no time getting his NAU career underway with a 37-yard touchdown on his first carry; and as the season progressed, Logan saw more playing time until eventually landing himself in the starting lineup. After nine games, he finished with 726 rushing yards, averaging 80-yards a game while accumulating five touchdowns on the season.

Logan saw a decent amount of workload in his first year, especially for a pass-heavy team like NAU, but that’s nothing he isn’t used to. In his high school career at Estrella Foothills, Logan rushed for over 5,500 yards and recorded 85 touchdowns. Logan’s talent and athletic ability helped him accumulate numerous player of the year awards and even two school records in track and field for the 100-meter and 4x100.

Even with the rise of Logan, the absence of sophomore quarterback Case Cookus was too much for the Jacks to overcome, after sustaining a season-ending collarbone injury in week four.

Senior quarterback Blake Kemp did an admirable job filling in and keeping NAU in playoff contention, but the passing game took a considerable hit, averaging about 60-yards less per game.

Kemp finished the season with 2,157 passing yards along with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

No team in the Big Sky starting the season looked more prepared for a title run than NAU, being picked pre-season favorites by the media and coaches. But key injuries and second half collapses doomed any chance of fulfilling those hopes.

The Lumberjacks will also be without their Defensive MVP, Siupeli Anau, who ended his senior campaign with a conference high 8.5 sacks and finished second in tackles for loss with 15.

NAU tied second for most sacks by a team with 27.

However, the Jacks have a lot to look forward to next season, especially on the offensive end, with the return of junior receivers Emmanuel Butler and Elijah Marks. The two made their presence known after combining for 1773 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year, as they look to build on those numbers next season.

Butler made history in 2016 after becoming the first backto-back 1,000-yard receiver in school history.

Accompanying them will be Joe Logan and the recovery of star quarterback Cookus who is on track for spring football.

Even after a disappointing season, it’s safe to say that the Jacks will be contenders in the Big Sky next year and hungrier than ever.