OHLONE COLLEGE
THURSDAY
MONITOR
NOVEMBER 19, 2015 Vol. L No. 8
Ohlone student band Sweet Peaches is tasting success. See story on Page 4.
FREMONT, CA OHLONEMONITOR.COM
MSA event to respond to Paris attacks BRIANNE O’SULLIVAN News editor The Muslim Student Association will host an event Friday at the Newark campus in response to last week’s terrorist attack in Paris. “The Muslim community condemns such violent acts and despicable attacks on civilians,” MSA adviser Nadia Dadgar wrote in an email. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of those killed and injured, and with all of France. The perpetrators of these heinous attacks must be apprehended and brought to justice.” In response, Sheikh Basir Hamidi and Imam Abdel Malik Ali will speak and answer audience questions from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room NC2100. Dadgar said the event is “dedicated to educating the Ohlone community about JOY MOON / MONITOR
Continued on Page 3
Ohlone to revisit frontage development PLAYOFF BOUND
BRIANNE O’SULLIVAN News editor
Ohlone will revisit the possibility of developing the front acreage to garner more non-apportionment revenue. The Board of Trustees discussed the issue at its meeting Wednesday night. Non-apportionment revenue is any money that comes into the college district that is not provided by state funding. Many argue that increasing non-apportionment revenue would be a smart move by the college. State funding for higher educa-
tion has fluctuated in the past, and a growth in outside revenue could make Ohlone more economically stable in the future. The 15 acres currently under question is the land between Mission Boulevard and the lower level of the campus. The idea of using Ohlone’s extra land as a “potential income stream” was first introduced in 1989 and it has been periodically considered ever since. At the Board meeting on Wednesday, Sean Absher, an attorney with Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, P.C., presented legal information
on an alternative method for leasing the frontage property. The alternative method holds numerous advantages for the college, including a shorter negotiating process. The board may vote on the matter at its next meeting. Also at Wednesday night’s meeting, trustees heard about a few minor changes to the first-quarter budget. The Bookstore Reserve has been released and put in the unassigned balance. In 2010, Ohlone contracted out the Ohlone Bookstore Continued on Page 3
LAURA GONSALVES / MONITOR
Ohlone forward Analysia Flores stretches for the ball during the women’s soccer team’s 3-1 victory over De Anza College on Nov. 6. Ohlone also beat Skyline College on Nov. 10 to finish in first place in the Coast-South Conference en route to the playoffs. Read story on Page 8.
Ramirez to retire after 27 years VANESSA LUIS Editor-in-chief Maria Ramirez is a counselor and instructor on the Newark campus, and she is retiring after 27 years with Ohlone College. Ramirez has spent her career helping the Chicano community and all students at Ohlone with her fiery passion for social justice. On Oct. 30, Ramirez was recognized at the Dia de los Muertos event (put on by M.E.Ch.A. and the Puente Program) for her service to the community as a whole. Kind words were exchanged as students and faculty expressed their gratitude to the counselor and instructor. After retirement, Ramirez hopes to continue her social
justice work in the community. Yo u m a y re m e m b e r Ramirez for her storytelling performance titled “Chicana Her-Story: You’ve heard his story, now hear hers” that she presented to the campus this semester, as well as in the spring. The performance is about Chicano history with a slight feminine perspective; Ramirez spreads her passion for the Chicano history to all of us in this inspiring work. Ramirez says the highlight of her performance career thus far was presenting “Chicana Her-Story” at the Storytellers of the Americas Conference in Buffalo, N.Y., and at the National Ethnic Studies Conference in Mis-
LAURA GONSALVES / MONITOR FILE PHOTO
Continued on Page 3
Counselor Maria Ramirez presents “Chicana Her-Story” last semester. Ramirez is retiring after 27 years.
2
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
NEWS
NEWS BITES College to host suicide-loss event Ohlone will host International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday on the Fremont campus. The event is one of 250 organized around the world every year, sponsored and supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in which community members affected by suicide gather “to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope.” The Ohlone event will be in the boardroom on the first floor of Building 7. For more information, go to www.survivorday.org or www.stepupohlone. org, call 510-659-6258 or email strieu@ohlone.edu.
Ohlone to hire new faculty The college will hire 16 full-time faculty for next year, President Gari Browning announced last week. Six faculty members will fill positions vacated by retirement and resignation, and the remainder will fill new positions to help Ohlone meet its staffing goals. Faculty will be hired for accounting, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, CNET, English (2 positions), geography, history, interpreter preparation (IPP), physics/astronomy, math (2 positions), nursing and respiratory therapy.
Toy donations being collected The League of Volunteers Annual Toy Drive bins are set up on the Fremont and Newark campuses to collect toys for needy children in the Tri-City area. The bins are in the mailroom and outside the library on the Fremont campus, and outside the administration office (Room 1217) on the Newark campus. Donations should be new, unwrapped toys, which will be given to the League of Volunteers for distribution to local agencies. The organization has collected more than 5,000 toys and distributed them to 23 agencies in recent years. Toys will be collected through Dec. 10. – Compiled by Monitor staff
IVAN VARGAS / MONITOR
Top: David Bonaccorsi, board member of Abode Services, reads the names of the 13 homeless people who died in Alameda County in the past year during a candlelight vigil at St. James Episcopal Church. Middle: Candles with the names of the dead on them burn in a center display. Attendees gather in a circle for a prayer around the display in memory of the dead.
Light a candle MONITOR STAFF Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison, Ohlone Trustee Greg Bonaccorsi and dozens of others gathered Sunday night at St. James’ Episcopal Church for a candlelight vigil in honor of the 13 homeless people who died in Alameda County in the past year. The nondenominational vigil was the first of two events organized by Abode Services as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. The second event, “Feed Your Soul,” will offer a night of live music from 7 to 9 tonight
at Mission Coffee, 151 Washington Blvd. in Fremont. There is no cost to attend. Donations of canned food and gift cards will be collected at the door and used to help Alameda County residents who are homeless and in need this winter. Community members who are unable to attend but would like to donate can go to www.abodeservices. org to donate online. Abode, established in 1989, helps low-income, unhoused people, including those with special needs, to secure stable, supportive housing.
WHAT: “FEED YOUR SOUL” WHEN: 7 TO 9 TONIGHT WHERE: MISSION COFFEE, 151 WASHINGTON BLVD., FREMONT
NEWS
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
3
MONITOR Ramirez to retire after 27 years OHLONE COLLEGE
Continued from Page 1
STAFF: Editor-in-chief: Vanessa Luis News editor: Brianne O’Sullivan Features editor: Agnes Madriaga Opinions editor: Sam Campbell Sports editor: Cristian Medina Photo editor: Ivan Vargas Photographer: Laura Gonsalves Design: Shuai Liu Joy Moon Adviser: Rob Dennis
sissippi. Ramirez, raised in Union City (then Decoto), attended Logan High School and Chabot College, where she explored her love of theater. But also during this time Ramirez was blossoming into the strong Chicana activist that she is today. In the 1960s, Ramirez was a part of the Civil Rights movement, the Chicano movement, the Labor movement, and more. But first, she started at her own school, in an effort to get more benefits for students of color. During her time with other Chicanos in her Mexican American Student Group, she felt the “social justice building in [them].” Young people were becoming more politically aware due to TV broadcasts showing the violence of the Vietnam War and the
Civil Rights Movement in the South. Ramirez credits this time for shaping their consciousness. Ramirez faced many of the hardships that came along with fighting for social justice, such as police brutality, disrespect from fellow citizens, and being called a “communist” by people who didn’t understand. None of that stopped her. Ramirez eventually went to Berkeley where she dove deeper into the world of activism. There, she finished her degree and began at Ohlone not much later. “I will miss the students,” Ramirez said. “It has been such an honor to work with the world’s people right here in the land of the remarkable Ohlone peoples, and now this land is a global village; just so impactful and meaningful on so many levels. It has been a blessing.”
Board approves pay hike
Printer: FP Press
Continued from Page 1
California Newspaper Publishers Association
General Excellence
1971
to Follett Higher Education Group. At that time, the Board decided to put aside $800,000 should they decide to buy back the bookstore from Follett. However, Follett’s performance has been satisfactory so there is no need to buy back the bookstore, officials said. The board also approved an across-the-board 3 per-
cent pay and medical benefits increase for Ohlone employees. The changes in salaries and benefits will be reflected in the secondquarter budget. Details about board meetings, including time, location and an agenda, can be found online at www. ohlone.edu/org/board/. Meetings are open to the public and videos are available online.
Journalism Association of Community Colleges
General Excellence State 1987 1991 1994 1998 2002 2003 2014
NorCal
1984 1988 1994 2000 2003 2004 2005 2013 2014
Online: 2005, 2013 CONTACT US: Offices: Room 5310 Call: 510.659.6075 E-mail: monitor@ohlone. edu Website: www.ohlonemonitor.com Facebook: www.facebook. com/OhloneCollegeMonitor Twitter: @OhloneMonitor Opinions expressed in the Monitor are those of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the staff, the college or the Associated Students of Ohlone College.
LAURA GONSALVES / MONITOR FILE PHOTO
Counselor Maria Ramirez is retiring after 27 years at Ohlone.
MSA event responds to Paris terror attack Continued from Page 1 real Islamic values and the way Islam is represented in the media.” On Friday, members of the terrorist group ISIS, also referred to as Daesh, attacked Paris with mass shootings and suicide bombings. A total of 129 people were killed and many more injured. It was the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II. France and the rest of the world are still reeling. Jeremiah Barnett, an international relations major, said this kind of violence “and much much worse, is happening all the time. Especially in the Middle East, but there is no Instagram filter or Snapchat filter or hashtag for those tragedies.” There has been a lot of discussion on whether or not media coverage and public attention is disproportionate – with terrorist attacks in Western countries getting more attention than the same type of violence in Middle Eastern countries. “It feels like everybody has a justified reason for feeling unsafe now,” political science major Shayaan Karimi said. “Both Muslims and non-Muslims across two continents know the experience of suffering the effects of the Syrian conflict, and now that the gruesome attacks in Paris have lead to even more aerial bombing and warfare in the Middle East, civilians on every side of the globe continue to live in fear that the situation will get worse for them before it gets better.”
Monitor wins enterprise news award at JACC MONITOR STAFF The Monitor won first place for enterprise news at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ NorCal Conference this month for last semester’s three-part series about mental health on campus. Community college journalism students from around Northern California gathered Nov. 7 at Sacramento State University for the conference, which included workshops, on-site contests and an awards ceremony for work published during the previous school year. The enterprise news award honors a news article or series of articles for in-depth or investigative reporting. The mental health series, “Finding Our Way Forward,” was produced by the entire Monitor staff with the assistance of the STEP Up Ohlone program,
LAURA GONSALVES / MONITOR
Community college journalists from around Northern California listen to the keynote speech at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ NorCal Conference on Nov. 7 in Sacramento.
the college’s campaign to promote student mental health, prevent suicide and reduce discrimination. In addition to the enter-
prise news win, the Monitor won awards in four other categories. Contributing writer Nadja Adolf won second place for opinion story,
and Editor-in-chief Mitchell Walther won third place for news story and column writing, and fourth place for front-page layout.
4
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
FEATURES
Exhibit explores `architecture of vulnerability’ AGNES MADRIAGA Features editor Artist Deirdre White will speak about her exhibit, “Till the Wheels Come Off,” during a reception and artist’s talk today at the LouieMeager Art Gallery on the Fremont campus. The free event will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The central themes of the exhibit are contrasts, White said – exposure vs. shelter, inside vs. outside, big vs. small, empty vs. full. The work is based on mobile carts that she observed at homeless encampments near her home and studio in San Francisco.
“I am interested in this architecture of vulnerability made up of the ingredients for shelter and mobility,” White said. “The structures are often elegantly packed to be assembled or disassembled quickly, wrapped and tied in an effort to conceal, carry, and protect. The subjects are both vehicle and dwelling, although neither, nor.” “For me, the pushcarts’ structural aspects of weight, balance, scale and tension become a visual metaphor for both a psychological state and a society on the brink of chaos.” A San Francisco native, White grew up in Berkeley
and Philadelphia. “I took an art major in high school and my art teacher there gave me a scholarship to attend Saturday classes at Moore College of Art,” White said. “Once I was in art school, it was like I found where I belonged.” White earned a bachelor’s degree in fine art from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and a master’s degree in fine art from the University of California, Davis. She has taught painting, drawing, and design at California College of the Arts, Santa Clara University, UC Davis, Marin College, City College of San Francisco and
Ohlone, where she is an adjunct professor of drawing and design. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, and recently her work has been featured on WHYY in Philadelphia’s Friday Arts program. It also appears on the album covers of Sarah Bethe Nelson’s “Fast Moving Clouds,” John Dwyer’s “Hubba Bubba,” and The Sandwitches’ “Our Toast.” White lives and maintains a studio in the Mission district of San Francisco with her husband, musician Tom Heyman. What inspires her to paint are a group of images, either her own photographs
or from the Internet, and a visual idea such as a shape, space, color or conceptual theme. Often, she is inspired by a particular genre, such as Spanish Baroque painting or Dutch still life. Her favorite subject? “I really like to paint meat,” she said. “I like still life of all sorts, but painting meat is really fun. I taught myself a lot about painting by painting meat.” The exhibit will run through Dec. 14 in the Louie-Meager Art Gallery in the Smith Center. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Peaches make sweet music SAM CAMPBELL Opinions editor Last semester, Fremontbased band Sweet Peaches, comprised of all Ohlone students, recorded its first album here on campus. With the help of Professor Jim McManus, the group put together a five-track EP in the studio used by the music department. Band members include Cole Berggren (guitar), Alexander Lefkort (drums), Jamie Maxfield (bass), Nick O’Connor (organ) and Brianda Goyos (lead vocals). They are all students of Ohlone’s music department and have been playing in bands for most of their lives. They have put themselves on the local map very quickly in the year they have been playing together. Due to their soulful music, angelic harmonies, and the powerful voice of their lead singer, they were featured on the homepage of the NPR website for their “Tiny Desk” contest with the song “Ain’t Nothing.” To get to know them all a little better, I asked them a
Black Ops III review The long awaited “Black Ops III” is here. Yes, you heard that right. At the start of this month, Activision released the third “Call of Duty: Black Ops.” I have not gotten as far as I would like in gameplay, but these are my thoughts so far. So, let’s get started and discuss the basics.
few questions. Monitor:How did the band get together? Alexander Lefkort: I wanted to start a soul and Motown style band, but I knew the rest of the current members had other interests. This being the case, I knew I had to lure the members one by one into my command. I told Cole the band was going to play loud emo and punkinfluenced guitar rock, and Brianda Goyos she was joining a Mariachi band. I told Jamie Maxfield she would be entering a surf project similar to the Beach Boys, and Nick O ‘Connor that he would be playing the wild and progressive thrash metal he longed to unleash upon the world. Monitor: Where do you pull your inspiration from? Jamie Maxfield: Sweet Peaches draws heavily on ’60s influences like The Beatles and classic Motown artists as well as current artists such as Lake Street Dive from Brooklyn and St. Paul and the Broken Bones from Birmingham, Alabama. Monitor: How would you describe your genre? • The graphics are, as always, outstanding. • The movement is much smoother with a wall-run ability and an easy boost jump. • I am still exploring the many specialties included in the multiplayer mode, but thus far they have not disappointed. There are a variety of abilities that suits every kind of player there is. • There are some good weapons and some that are pretty awful, but I am still exploring. • Maps have turned into a camper’s paradise and they are slightly compact. However, they are fun and easy to navigate. Campaign mode is now available with a four-player co-op; the story is interesting and captivating, as the
COURTESY OF JOHN PFENNING
Five Ohlone students make up the band Sweet Peaches, which recorded its first album on campus.
Cole Berggren: “Well, it’s not punk, but I guess it’s all right.” Monitor: Brianda, what is your favorite song to perform? Brianda Goyos: I think as far as performing for people, I really enjoy one of the newer ones that was written by Alex. The concept is a lady participating in a double affair. Both her and her lover have partners that they’re being unfaithful to. It’s exciting for me to get to be this person for a few minutes. I don’t condone cheating, but
looking past that, I look up to this character because she is a powerful woman who puts herself and her wants first. Being in a band is the coolest thing I’ve gotten to do in my life so far. I get to make music and express myself, go out and have fun playing shows. My boyfriend is in the band, and I’m spending a lot of time with my best friends. Sweet Peaches is literally a dream come true. I just have to emphasize what an incredible experience it is to create music out of nothing, and doing so with people you really
like. Having that connection is just beyond anything I’ve ever hoped for. Sweet Peaches has two scheduled upcoming shows: 9 p.m. Saturday at the Caravan Lounge, 98 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose; and 9 p.m. Feb. 20 at Mojo’s, 3714 Peralta Blvd., Fremont. Both shows are 21-plus. You also can catch them live on air on Stanford radio 90.1 at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9. Listen to and download their album at http://sweetpeaches.bandcamp.com/ releases.
creators took the time to consult experts and predict the future of our planet to successfully execute a dynamic story. While I am a fan of most of the campaign, there is something lacking for me that I can’t quite put my finger on; there are moments where I’m, well, bored. The campaign also contains a different type of “Main menu” in between missions. After the completion of a mission, you are sent to a room (a base) that contains an armory, a wardrobe, a door to the next mission, and much more. I’m still deciding how I feel about this; this feature gives the game an adventure game feel, much like one of my favorites, “Tomb Raider.” Now, let us discuss the zom-
bie mode. The zombie mode in this game starts in a ’40s era story, with some interesting game play features such as an ability to turn into a monster for a short time and the bubblegum machine, which releases helpful perks. Points are awarded for rebuilding barriers from the zombies and you can use those points to upgrade your weapon in different areas of the map. This zombie mode, so far, seems much harder than it has previously been. In fact, getting through it without a partner seems nearly impossible. Finally, my favorite part, online multiplayer. The first couple weeks were filled with frustrating gameplay filled with a series of curses and yelling at the teams of
campers that filled Team Deathmatch. It seemed as if every camper ever to play showed up to increase their ranks (in case you all don’t know this by now, I despise campers). Now, after the first two weeks, I’m finally able to get through a match without cussing out a camper and returning to take my vengeance, and I can finally enjoy multiplayer in its true glory. The smoother movement creates the ability to move swiftly – thus a fun, but challenging, experience. That’s it for this time. Check out next issue for my review of another recent release. Play with me on the PlayStation Platform: valarmorghulis8_
FEATURES
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
5
Backstage Q&A with Cemetery Sun MANIKA CASTERLINE Music correspondent Cemetery Sun, an altrock quartet based out of Sacramento, is comprised of lead singer Josh Doty, Austen Butler on drums, and guitarists Elliot Polokoff and Jesse Mancillas. Polokoff has previously worked producing other artists’ albums at Panda Studio in Fremont. He coproduced the Cemetery Sun album, which was recorded at his home studio and is slated to be released in February. Monitor music correspondent Manika Casterline spoke with the band before they opened for Finish Ticket and Frankie on Nov. 5 at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Monitor: How did the band start/you guys meet? And why did you decide on the name Cemetery Sun? Cemetery Sun: We had all known each other from playing in our separate bands in the prior years. Very long winding story short, we somehow ended up in the same band. We actually wrote a bunch of songs together, some that sound nothing like we do now, before we ever decided on our name and direction. We honestly just explored what we could write and just felt it out. Probably 60 songs later we all knew who we were and what we wanted to share with the world. Once we knew that the name selection wasn’t as hard as usual but our former bassist Danny nailed it out the gate.We think it captures the elements of darkness in the music and lyrics but also speaks to the hope we try to give our fans. We don’t want to leave them in the darkness. Monitor: What is your earliest music memory that impacted your path to music? (i.e concert or when you first learned an instrument)?
COURTESY OF BIG PICTURE MEDIA
Sacramento-based quartet Cemetery Sun opened for Finish Ticket and Frankie on Nov. 5 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
Josh Dotes: When I was 12 I was really into this girl and was working really hard to get her to notice me. Unfortunately, another dude knew how to play guitar. She picked him. Jesse Mancillas: I feel like that is how a lot of musicians start, but ultimately something happens once you start to pick it up and the girls become background to that special something that happens when you create sound. Monitor: What artists influence your sound? How do you define your sound? Cemetery Sun: We feel we live in a time when the usual boundaries that separate different genres of music are starting to disappear and artists are not only free but encouraged to combine elements of styles to make their
own sound.We really respect artists like The Neighbourhood, Imagine Dragons, Lorde, Dr Dre, Bring Me The Horizon, Twenty One Pilots and so many more that are not afraid to surprise their fans with something new. Monitor: Where do you see yourselves as a band three years from now? Cemetery Sun: On the road connecting with all our fans in their own hometowns. The Internet has given us the tools to reach out to new people but we really want to see their faces and meet them in person. Monitor: Favorite things to do in your free time in your hometown of Sacramento? Austen Butler: I dominate beer pong tournaments on the regular. The night life is surprisingly diverse here.
Josh Dotes: I love to explore the nature we have throughout our city. We have some of the best nature trails and secluded forest walks in the midst of some of the most densely populated areas in our town. Jesse Mancillas: I prefer to sit and make weird ambient loops by myself. I sometimes hit record on my phone and will freestyle loop guitar parts and then share with my friends on FB. No matter how good or bad I have to post the first thing I play. I feel like it challenges me. Monitor: When does the full-length album come out? Cemetery Sun: Our EP is done and we are just waiting to premiere it any day now. We have actually started writing new songs and are playing some of them live to see how the fans react. That’s
something we like to do now versus the previous writing process. We actually get to see how the songs play out with a live audience. Monitor: What is a dream venue for you to play? What artists would you love to eventually tour/collaborate with? Cemetery Sun: We are big fans of the band we are playing with tonight, Finish Ticket. We would love to write with Twenty Øne Piløts and supporting Bring Me The Horizon on a world tour would be a weird fit, but I think they are open to other styles of music considering their new album “That’s the Spirit.” Monitor: The weirdest thing on your rider (requirements for a show) is...? Cemetery Sun: Vegan pizza.
`Enemies’ worth keeping eye on SAM CAMPBELL Opinions editor Ohlone students Ryan Quilala and Eli Wasson have been playing in bands together for more than three years. This year they brought together their newest project, Fake Enemies. Based out of the East Bay, Fake Enemies is a hardcore band with no regrets. Members Eli Wasson (drums), Ryan Quilala (bass), Mike Magal (guitar), Kevin Paterson (guitar), and Lo Valiao (vocals) come on the stage and command the attention of the audience. On Oct. 30 they released their first EP, “Shell
Shocked,” which they recorded at Rapture Recordings in Hayward. In conjunction with BlankTV, they released their first music video for the single “Tommy Boy” on Sept. 29. The band has been playing together for about 10 months and is taking time to write so they can record a full-length album and have new material to bring out to shows. If you are into the hardcore music scene, Fake Enemies is definitely a band you should be keeping your eye on. For more information, go to http://fakeenemieshc. bandcamp.com/
SAM CAMPBELL / MONITOR
Ohlone students Ryan Quilala, second from left, and Eli Wasson, behind him, perform with “Fake Enemies.”
6
OPINIONS
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Support Black Lives Matter SAM CAMPBELL Opinions editor Over the last year the United States has been host to numerous rallies, protests and conferences, all pushing one very important message: black lives matter. This movement has received an outpouring of support from people all over the globe, but the same cannot be said for many people in our very own country. The movement has been criticized by those who say it fosters violence and is just an excuse for young people to break windows and set things on fire. But today, I will dispel all your reservations toward this movement and explain why YOU need to support Black Lives Matter. To discuss the criticism surrounding the movement, I sat down with Ohlone Professor Janice Jones, who holds a doctorate in international and multicultural education, to get a clearer perspective. First, what is Black Lives Matter? Black Lives Matter is a movement that is geared toward putting an end to the systematic racism that is currently in place within the police system, it is not a war on police. According to Jones, currently in the United States black males are three times more likely to be killed by police than white men. According to the group Mapping Police Violence, last year more than 100 unarmed black Americans were killed by police. The group goes on to say that just in October of this year 26 black Americans were killed by police; that’s one person every 29 hours. We have all heard of “driving while black,” but what does that mean? It means that you are more likely to be stopped
just because you are black. But this doesn’t actually happen, right? As reported by the Huffington Post, “A black driver is about 31 percent more likely to be pulled over than a white driver.” And officers are more likely to respond with aggression when it is not needed. “But these officers aren’t all racist!” This is true, but the system in which they work is. Systematic racism means that the system is structured in a way that marginalizes particular groups. The system is founded on racist principles. “OK, but the police are not getting more violent, all this is just talk from these groups, there’s no actual numbers to back up these claims.” Unfortunately, that’s true. Black Americans have been facing this horrible system for hundreds of years. But, as explained by Jones, the number of occurrences has not gone up, but our technology has improved. We now all have cameras that fit in our pockets and allow us to better document these instances and bring awareness to an issue that has been going unnoticed by people on the outside. Jones goes on to say that even though we only catch the part of the video where the officer is already engaging the suspect, a majority of the time, the victim is not armed, and did nothing to even constitute the violence that is being used. “Well if you just did what the officer said, none of this would have happened.” Tell that to Tamir Rice, an 11-year-old boy shot by police while playing with a
CAMPUS COMMENT
SHUAI LIU / MONITOR
toy gun outside in an opencarry state. Within seconds of the police pulling up, he was shot. In New York, an officer placed Eric Garner in a chokehold and wrestled him to the ground while arresting him on suspicion of selling loose cigarettes. Garner later died of a heart attack. It is the job of an officer to keep peace and protect their citizens. So, what about those who cannot even feel at ease when they come around because they are scared for their own lives? The Black Lives Matter groups are peacefully gathering and spreading their message as much as they can. Jones reminds us that “those people who are breaking windows and killing police officers are not members of the Black Lives Matter movement and I’m sure cannot be traced back to the actual organization.” Just like in any movement, there are those who take it to an extreme, but we as American citizens cannot see those few and use it as an excuse to delegitimize
an entire race’s struggles. Those of us who are not directly affected by these occurrences of the systematic racism in place cannot begin to understand what it is like. And, when asked what it’s like, Jones put it in the best way possible: “It is praying not to have male children or grandchildren because you have to raise your sons and teach them to be careful around the police, who are there to protect you. How many white people wake up with a newborn thinking they need to teach their kid to stand with their hands to the side, keep your hands up, don’t move...” She explains that they only way to try to resolve this is to shift ourselves away from our socially taught racist ideas. Yes, it’s true, we are all
racist or prejudiced in some way – by the way, reverse racism does not exist – but we can begin to mend the wounds that America has created. Become accepting, listen to one another, and open your hearts. This isn’t some random Facebook group complaining about why there are not Christmas trees on the red cups, these are real issues. Real stories. Real lives being lost. So, next time you want to criticize the Black Lives Matter movement as a movement that fosters violence, don’t forget that those who are out setting things on fire are just as representative of the movement as the Westboro Baptist Church is for Christians – they’re not. Have questions? @SamCamp08
You have to raise your sons and teach them to be careful around the police, who are there to protect you. - Janice Jones
Should there be religious national holidays? CHRISTOPHER YAU Communication
“No, there is no way to represent all religions”
JENICA PUJOLS Art
“Definitely. It’s so people can unite together and it’s a way to find out about other cultures” JACKIE YEE Biology
“Yes, because if we’re going to celebrate individuality we have to appreciate where your identity comes from”
OPINIONS
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
7
Stand together against Daesh, not refugees VANESSA LUIS Editor-in-chief Xenophobia is defined as an intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries. Islamophobia is defined as prejudice against, hatred toward or fear of the religion of Islam or Muslims. Recently, there have been several attacks by the terrorist group who calls themselves ISIS, but for the sake of taking away their validation, I will be calling them Daesh instead. There was already some hesitation about President Barack Obama’s decision to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United
Terrorism and the second Democratic debate The candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination had their second debate Saturday night. Just hours earlier, Paris experienced the worst terrorist at-
States. Since the attacks on Russia, Paris and Beirut and the countless threats by Daesh, some Americans have turned their backs even further on the Syrian people looking for refuge from their war-torn country. Most of the people attempting to come in as refugees are women and children who have lost everything to a war they are not interested in being a part of. Yet more than half of U.S. governors have stated that refugees will not be welcomed into their state out of fear that they are undercover for Daesh. The idea that Daesh would believe this is an intelligent move
is impractical for two reasons: 1. Getting into a country as a refugee is harder and requires more extensive screening than coming in with a travel visa. It is more likely that a Daesh soldier would come into the states as a curious traveler than a war-torn refugee. 2. Daesh has been recruiting from Western nations via social media for a long time. There is no doubt in my mind that they are already here. They have claimed to have soldiers ready to attack here already, and this is not an unrealistic idea. Turning away refugees is what Daesh wants. They want us to fear their
people. They want us to turn people away in their name. Putting all the people of one religion, race or culture into similar-shaped boxes is so historically American. We’ve seen this throughout society from the beginning of America – from the Native Americans, to the African-Americans, to the Chinese, to the Jewish, the Irish, and so many more. Again, however, the Muslim religion and the people who practice it are being persecuted in a misguided attempt for Americans to shield themselves from the unknown. However, Muslims are fighting this with the social
media campaign #notinmyname. Muslim people are speaking out that the values and beliefs of Daesh are not reflective of the religion and people as a whole, that the sole purpose of Daesh is violence and tyranny while the sole purpose of the Muslim religion is peaceful, loving and beautiful. This is the time for everyone to stand together against the extremists and put an end to their terror. Only by Republicans and Democrats and Muslims and Christians and all of our allies working together will we eradicate Daesh without the further suffering of innocent civilians and Syrian refugees.
tack the Western world has encountered since 9/11. There is no question that tragedy set the tone for the debate. Clinton argued that our country needs to do a better job supporting other groups that are currently fighting ISIS, also referred to as Daesh, by saying, “This cannot be an American fight, although American leadership is essential.” She places the bulk of the responsibility of defeating Daesh on the region’s other Arab countries. Clinton’s stance on the issue mirrors President Barack Obama’s current
strategy, which Obama has had to fiercely defend over the past week. Former Gov. Martin O’Malley, trying to differentiate himself from Clinton, said that he “disagrees with Secretary Clinton respectfully on this score. This actually is America’s fight. It cannot solely be America’s fight. America is best when we work in collaboration with our allies.” Sen. Bernie Sanders took a similar stance to the secretary and governor, but argued that the invasion of Iraq caused the instability of the region, allowing groups
like al Qaeda and Daesh to become powerful. Therefore, according to Sanders, the United States must “lead an international coalition which includes very significantly the Muslim nations in that region” to fight radical jihadists. Arguably one of the most quotable moments of the debate, was Sanders’ point that the fight against Daesh “is a war for the soul of Islam.” What is the United States currently doing about the radical jihadists who call themselves ISIS? The Obama administration’s strategy is to disable the terrorist group through
airstrikes and military support for local forces that are already fighting the insurgency. At a G-20 conference on Monday, Obama stood by his plan but promised “an intensification” of tactics already in place. With the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad and so many other places, America’s national security and the Syrian refugee crisis are sure to become top priorities in voters’ – and presidential candidates’ – minds in this upcoming election. Want to talk shop? Tweet me @bri_osullivan
8
SPORTS
MONITOR NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Down goes Rousey
LAURA GONSALVES / MONITOR
The Ohlone women’s soccer team plays hard against De Anza in 3-1 victory at Central Park in Fremont on Nov. 6.
Renegades finish first, bring home awards CRISTIAN MEDINA Sports editor The Ohlone women’s soccer team concluded a very successful season on Nov. 10 with a 1-0 victory over Skyline College. The Lady Renegades finished the regular season with a 10-5-3 overall record and an even more impressive 8-0-2 conference record. Their undefeated record in conference play was more than enough for Ohlone to finish in first
place of the Coast-South Conference en route to the playoffs. Ohlone’s season would not have been as successful if it were not for the efforts of a number of players who received awards for their exceptional skill and effort on the field. Midfielder Melissa Urena was voted Conference Player of the Year while forward Analysia Flores took home the Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. The two were also voted
to the 1st Team All-NorCal team. Urena finished the regular season with 9 goals and 5 assists while Flores improved from last year, tallying 6 goals and 6 assists this season. Eight other players on the team were voted to AllConference teams. Izabel Blancas, Cristal Villalvazo, Sydney Flanagan and Dina Ramos were voted to the 1st Team AllConference team. Haley Garvey, Esmeralda Rojas, Brianna Montoya,
and Alexis Escalante were voted to the 2nd Team AllConference team. The Lady Renegades will look to continue their successful season in the playoffs led by solid defense, strong goalkeeping, and the potent offense led by Urena and Flores. Out of Ohlone’s 10 wins this season, nine of them were shutouts. Ohlone will take on Santa Rosa on Saturday in the first round of the playoffs.
Volleyball finishes season, awaits playoff fate Lady Renegades lose 3-0 to tough Foothill team CRISTIAN MEDINA Sports editor The Lady Renegades finished a strong season with a loss Wednesday night to a very tough Foothill team. Ohlone lost to the Owls in three sets, 25-14, 25-18, and 25-20. Foothill finished the season undefeated in conference play
and in first place of the Coast-South Conference. The Renegades still had a strong performance from sophomore outside hitter Jenni Brochu, who finished the game leading the team with 11 kills, 12 digs and 2 blocks. Sophomore setter Camaryn Bricker led the team in assists with 24 and finished with 5 kills. Last week, Ohlone traveled to Cañada seeking vengeance for a close game that was won by the Colts. On Oct. 21, Cañada came into Epler Gymna-
sium and beat the Renegades 3 sets to 2 in a game that came right down to the wire. But on Friday the 13th there was no bad luck for the Renegades as they won the rematch, beating Cañada 3 sets to none, getting a much-needed win to stay in playoff contention. Ohlone finishes the regular season with a 19-6 overall record and ranked 15th in Northern California. The 19-win season ties their highest season win total since 2012.
In Coast-South Conference play, the Renegades finished the season with a 7-5 record, earning them third place in the standings behind Gavilan and Foothill. The team is still awaiting a playoff spot, but remains optimistic. Coach Jeremy Penaflor said he and the team are “hoping for a playoff berth!” Even though Ohlone’s playoff future is still uncertain, one thing is certain. The Lady Renegades had a great season that hopefully will continue.
There is a new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. On Saturday, Holly Holm shocked the UFC world by defeating the sport’s biggest star, Ronda Rousey. Holm landed a devastating head kick early in the second round, handing Rousey her first loss ever in the UFC. Rousey, who was widely considered to be the best fighter in the world, was a heavy favorite over Holm. Rousey thrives in the ground game (the infamous arm bar) and Holm, a natural boxer, used this to her advantage by keeping her up and delivering punishing strikes. In the days and weeks leading up to the fight, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey displayed a level of confidence that some might even go so far as to say was a little too arrogant. In interviews, she talked poorly of Holm and dismissed her as a true opponent before the fight had even begun. Many “experts” took to social media rejoicing in the fact that Rousey lost and claiming they “knew Holm would win” and “Rousey is overrated.” Sure she did appear to be a little arrogant leading up to the fight but there’s something about an athlete who is successful and receives media attention that attracts so much negativity. Apparently there’s a certain humble standard or way you’re supposed to act when you’re the best in the world at what you do and if you deviate from that because it’s not your style, people jump all over you. Rousey arguably being the most popular UFC fighter and a rising role model for young women; it will be very interesting to see how she comes back from this shocking loss. She had an unstoppable work ethic when she was undefeated. Just imagine how she’ll be now with a loss under her belt. On Wednesday she received a six-month medical suspension from the UFC because of the hit that knocked her out. It’ll be at least half a year before Rousey can get back into the octagon, and when she does, I would not want to the one facing her at the other end.