Vol. 65, Issue 7

PAISANO

Hidden camera discovered at University Oaks

By Zahara Latson Staff Writer

A criminal investigation has been opened after a resident discovered a hidden camera in a fake smoke detector in their apartment at the student hous ing complex University Oaks. An email was sent out by UTSA Housing that following Thurs day, Sept. 29, announcing to the residents that inspections and investigations are underway.

“This remains an active inves tigation,” Joe Izbrand, UTSA’s chief communications officer, said. “Inspections of all the smoke detectors in Guadalupe Hall, Chisholm Hall, Alvarez Hall and Chaparral Village have been completed. Nothing unusual was found.”

Inspections also took place at Laurel Village on Monday, Oct. 3, and at the University Oaks complex on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

UTSA Housing announced in the email that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be involved in determining the source of the devices used and assessing the general scope of the situation, including any suspects.

“As soon as I had seen Continued on page 2

See “I was really shocked that someone would even set that up’

On-campus protest demands UTSA take official stance on Texas’ abortion ban

By Gauri Raje News Editor

On Thursday, Oct. 6, UTSA’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) organized an abortion rights pro test on the Main Campus. Other organizations that participated in the protest included UTSA’s chapter of Texas Rising, the San Antonio chapter of the Party for Socialism & Liberation (PSL) and the Mujeres Marcharan (MM) coalition. YDSA also received support from PRISM, Students for Beto and the Secu lar Student Alliance.

“Across the United States, we are seeing an aggressive rollback of abortion and reproductive rights,” Nicolas Solis, co-chair of YDSA at UTSA, said. “Texas is at the center of this. Texas law currently bans abortion from the

NSF grant to support Latino students in STEM

By Riley Carroll Arts & Life Editor

In September, the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant ed UTSA $3 million to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM) field as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

“We applied for this trans formation grant through the National Science Foundation’s HSI program,” Vanessa Sansone, assistant professor of higher education in the Department of Educational and Leadership Policy Studies, said. “And in the grant, we said ‘It’s not so much just enrolling [Latino students].’ We hear that all the time, enroll more, enroll more, but just because you are here on campus does not mean that that best serves you. You showing up [to school] should not be what universities get a pat on the back for. And so in our proposal, we talked about really concentrating on that transformation piece. It is not enough to just say we are go ing to get more Latino students into STEM. We are going to look at our policies and procedures to see where this [is] disadvantag ing Latino students.”

With this grant, UTSA will work to implement a more culturally-inclusive curriculum

and address external issues such as housing inequities and food insecurities.

“We are addressing policy,” Sansone said. “Specific exam ples of that are transfer policy, but also how do we onboard students? What happens in ad vising? What happens when stu dents get into an area of academ ic dismissal? Maybe those things are not serving our students very well and they need to be looked at again. A lot of times policy is very black-and-white. And it best serves students when it is gray. It is our responsibility to make sure that we are thinking about how to serve you well, be cause if our policies, procedures and practices don’t reflect what serves our students best then we need to address that.”

In addition to addressing student needs, the grant will also assist in funding three Ph.D. fel lowships.

“There is some funding in there to support students at the graduate level,” Sansone said. “We have, for example, a post doc position ...”

Continued on page 2 See ‘And quite honestly, I love UTSA’

moment of conception. Those seeking [an] abortion, doc tors, and even good samaritans can now face life in prison and six-figure fines. These laws are unpopular, authoritarian, and will impact our most vulnerable communities. As socialists, we believe a better society will only be achieved if we fight for eco nomic justice and social justice together. Our current for-profit society thrives on continuing sexist laws and attitudes.”

Solis, who is also a Student Government Association (SGA) senator, further explained that while cities like San Antonio and Austin have signaled disap proval of the abortion ban in Texas, the city of San Antonio and Bexar County have not passed any policy to protect abortion and reproductive rights

as of Oct. 9.

According to Solis, the protest was organized as a part of the National Day of Action for Reproductive Rights and was one of several events held across the country by other YDSA chapters. The protest at UTSA was motivated by the “confu sion and frustration” that YDSA members and students expressed over UTSA’s lack of communi cation about protecting student access to reproductive healthcare as well as misinformation about reproductive health on campus and intimidation of pro-choice students on campus.and intimi dation of pro-choice students on campus.

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See ‘This is clearly an impor tant issue for all at UTSA’

Professor part of new San Antonio Philharmonic

By Gauri Raje News Editor

After reaching a deadlock in labor negotiations between the Symphony Society of San Anto nio and the local chapter of the American Federation of Musi cians, the San Antonio Sym phony was officially dissolved on Thursday, June 16. The Symphony’s Board of Directors announced the dissolution via a statement posted to their Face book Page. Along with this, the Board also filed for bankruptcy.

As previously reported by The Paisano, negotiations between the Symphony’s management and its musicians led to the latter going on a months-long protest. The protest occurred as a result of a proposed contract that would let go off around 20 players and introduce a severe pay cut.

Following the dissolution, musicians from the former Sym phony regrouped to form the San Antonio Philharmonic. Accord ing to the San Antonio Report, the new group formed from the Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony (MOSAS) perfor mance fund — the nonprofit created after the Symphony went on strike last year.

“At that time, right when the bankruptcy happened, we were still operating as MOSAS —

Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony — but when we de cided to move forward, several names were proposed and we voted on it and the name San Antonio Philharmonic was cho sen, which I really love. I think it doesn’t have any baggage with it other than the name San Anto nio. To me, it’s like, Philhar monic sounds even fancier than Symphony,” Allyson Dawkins, associate professor of practice at UTSA, said.

Dawkins was the symphony’s principal violist and is now a member of the newly formed Philharmonic. According to Dawkins, all musicians that had a contract with the Symphony were offered a spot in the Phil harmonic, and the Philharmonic currently has eight members on its board.

“We were all invited to make suggestions [about Board members] and I made several,” Dawkins said. “And they … just have to kind of vet them — talk to them, find out if they’re really interested in being on the board or not. Being on the board is … it’s a big job, it’s a big commit ment ...”

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UTSA

UTSA launched the public phase of “Be Bold: A Campaign for Our Future,” a $500 million fundraising campaign created to support the university’s growth. The campaign has existed in its “quiet phase” since 2017, having raised $311 million so far.

Texas

Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) has suspended its entire police department for an unspecified amount of time after it was revealed that a newly hired district officer was one of the first to respond to the school shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary back in May. The officer has since been terminated from the position and is one of many officers currently being investigated for their response to the incident.

U.S.

Erek L. Barron, the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the formation of a new Civil Rights and Special Victims Section. According to Barron, the section will be aimed at “protecting civil rights” and “addressing victim-related crimes requiring specialized skills.” The section will be staffed by Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) from the Civil Division and Criminal Division.

A group of Russian-speaking hackers, known as Killnet, claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that caused public-facing websites for various U.S. airports to become inaccessible. However, CNN reports that the incident did not affect air travel.

w Reuters reports that the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a therapy developed by ScPharmaceuticals Inc. to treat heart congestion caused by fluid overload in heart failure patients. The company’s Chief Executive John Tucker said in a statement patients will be able to self-administer the drug, which is delivered via an “onbody infusor.”

World

North Korea’s state media reported that the country’s recent missile launches were aimed at a simulated use of its nuclear weapons to “hit and wipe out” potential South Korean and U.S. targets, AP News reports. The Korean Central News Agency or KCNA for short, further explained that the tests were in response to recent naval drills conducted between U.S. and South Korean forces, which were viewed as a military threat by North Korea.

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Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

Students join the march as protestors make their way across campus.

State of the City —

By Gauri Raje News Editor

A San Antonio Police Depart ment (SAPD) officer has been fired after shooting a teen on Sunday, Oct. 2. The officer, James Brennand, incorrectly rec ognized the teen’s vehicle as one that had “evaded him” the night before the incident took place and approached it. Brennand claimed to have been “struck” by the vehicle; however, the claim has been disproved by body cam footage. As of Friday, Oct. 7, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales announced that charges against the teen had been dropped, mysanantonio. com reports. According to the previous report, on Monday, Oct. 3, SAPD Chief William McManus said that the teen was eventually taken to University Hospital in critical condition and was reported to have been in surgery.

Three more teenagers have been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting on the city’s Far Westside that claimed the life of a 25-year-old woman.

Another woman, an Airbnb guest in the house, was also hos pitalized with a gunshot wound. This arrest comes after two teens involved in the shooting were charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly

weapon, according to a news release issued by Bexar County on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

VIA’s Board of Trustees unan imously approved VIA Metro politan Transit’s $406.6 million consolidated budget for FY23. The budget aims to improve “mobility” in San Antonio and advance the Keep San Antonio Moving (KSAM) projects.

U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican rep resenting Texas’ 23rd district which includes parts of San Antonio, has introduced a bill that would require team own ers to give a written notification through certified mail a year before the team relocates. The bill, known as the Strengthening Public Undertaking for Retain ing Sports Act — SPURS Act for short — was designed to ensure the San Antonio Spurs franchise stays in San Antonio amid rumors that the franchise might depart to Austin.

Top Notch Movers, a San Antonio-based moving company, headed for Venice, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 7, to assist families in moving things out of damaged homes in the wake of Hurricane Ian. All services provided will be free of cost. According to News4SA, the company will also be handing out water and non-perishables.

‘And quite honestly, I love UTSA’

“We also are funding three Ph.D. fellowships in the College of Engineering, and then three Ph.D. fellowships in my depart ment, [the] College of Education Policy Studies, because those students will be working on this project at the same time while pursuing their Ph.D. studies here at UTSA.”

To determine what will best suit Hispanic students at UTSA, Sansone and her team will be randomly selecting Latino STEM students to interview.

“Our hope, though, is that we’re going to learn,” Sansone said. “[Affordability is] some thing we are going to talk to stu dents about. So one of the first things that will happen with this grant is I am actually going to talk to STEM students, and par ticularly STEM Latino students to ask them, ‘Are we serving you well?’ From that conversation, [we will] learn because a lot of

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times institutions make policies and procedures without talking to their students. I am also going to talk to staff, which is another population that tends to not be given an opportunity to voice [concerns], because [they] play a big part in serving students really well. And so if they are not being heard, and we are not learning from them, that’s a big miss in my book.”

Professor Sansone stressed the significance of UTSA being chosen as the recipient of a large sum of money.

“I have to say that as some body who’s an expert on Hispanic Serving Institutions, I know a lot about them general ly,” Sansone said. “And most of the time, it is Hispanic Serving Institutions that get awarded less funding, like 500,000 [dollars], which is a lot of money, but when you are proposing to do a lot of transformation to [ac

complish] some big goals, that money goes quickly. So this is a big deal for us.”

As a two-time alumna of UTSA, Sansone is proud to have been a part of obtaining the grant.

“I am much closer to fulfilling personal goals of mine, to uplift my own community,” Sansone said. “And quite honestly, I love UTSA. I think our students are the best at the end of the day and they sometimes are dealing with things outside of their power that have to do with legacies of injustice. This is a way for us to possibly address some of that.”

Professor Sansone can be contacted via email at vanessa. sansone@utsa.edu. To read more about the grant, visit https:// www.utsa.edu/today/2022/09/ story/university-awarded-nsfgrant-for-hispanic-and-underrep resented-stem-students.html.

‘We don’t have benefits yet’

“I’m the president of the Board of the San Antonio Chamber Music Society and it’s a volunteer job and it’s a big job. It takes up a lot of my time. So you have to really have fire in the belly about the organization [and] be willing to serve because you’re responsible.”

Dawkins explained that one of the key tasks required of the Board members for the Philhar monic is to bring in funding for the group.

“Their main job is to raise money because in the perform ing arts, [especially] in the symphonic world, 100% of the budget is not made by selling tickets to concerts. That’s usu ally 40% of the budget. [So] 60% is gifts,” Dawkins said.

The formation of the Philhar monic has come with a sense of relief after months of worrying about the future of the Sym phony. Dawkins also expressed the apprehension that came with discussing the issue with peers from around the country.

“Once we just got onto the business of making music and I

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didn’t have to worry about rais ing money or anything, my only job was to play the viola. And it was really a relief and really healing,” Dawkins said.

As a professor at UTSA, Dawkins also spoke to the impact that the situation had on students and how the formation of the Philharmonic was a relief for them as well.

“[The students are] excited … I think their concern was born out of the stress that they saw all their teachers under,” Dawkins said. “Certainly, everybody feels better, so they sense the relief.”

According to Dawkins, all members of the Symphony that joined the Philharmonic are getting the same salary they got before labor negotiations with the management began last year. However, members of the Philharmonic still do not have access to benefits, and members have to get their own instrument insurance and healthcare.

“We don’t have benefits yet,” Dawkins said. “The board is very much wanting to negotiate a collective bargaining agree

ment, also called a CBA. And healthcare benefits are expen sive, so we’re just step-by-step working on it.”

As the Philharmonic continues to adjust to and navigate through this transition, Dawkins ex pressed hope that the group will receive wider acceptance from the San Antonio community.

“I hope that it will become an organization [that] all of San Antonio can embrace and trust and not feel that it is elitist, and that the people who can support it will be willing to support it,” Dawkins said.

The San Antonio Philhar monic currently plays at the First Baptist Church, a location close to the Tobin Center where the San Antonio Symphony held performances before its dissolu tion. The Philharmonic’s first performance as a group took place on Friday, Sept. 16.

For more information about the Philharmonic, including future events, visit their website at https://saphil.org/

“As soon as I had seen the email, I was looking at it trying to see if it was real,” University Oaks resident Nekechi Okoro said. “I saw how they got the FBI involved, and that’s [ex actly] what they need.”

Okoro acknowledged that they are handling the situation well now but wondered how this was not caught in the first place. Resident Isaiah Williams expressed a similar opinion.

“I was really shocked that someone would even set that up,” Williams said.

University Oaks is owned and operated by Campus Living Villages, not by UTSA; how ever, UTSA Housing is said to be coordinating closely with the

property managers to obtain a response.

“Before [University Oaks] let people move in, they should [have done] a complete walkthrough of everything that could possibly have those types of hazards,” Okoro said.

UTSA Housing emphasizes that safety is their top priority and urges students that have any concerns or discover anything unusual to reach out to the UTSA Police Department imme diately through their non-emer gency line at 210-458-4242.

The Paisano reached out to the UTSA Police Depart ment and University Oaks for a response and received no com ment.

“We talked with students and groups that felt the same way and formed a coalition to advocate for reproductive rights on campus. We hope to expand this coalition as the fight grows,” Solis said.

The protest started at the H-E-B Student Union and the group walked around campus holding a large ‘Bans Off Our Bodies’ sign as other students joined along the way. The protest ended at the Rowdy Statue, where the group read their demands.

The first set of demands, ad dressed to UTSA, included that the university takes an official stance on the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the abortion ban that has been imposed in the state of Texas. There are also demands to get the university to take action against the afore mentioned misinformation being spread on campus about repro ductive rights as well as to pro vide assistance to students who wish to seek abortions. Other demands addressed issues like access to free menstrual hygiene products, free contraceptives, free at-home pregnancy testing, affirmation of confidentiality for students visiting wellness clinics and increased advertising about

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services related to reproduc tive healthcare. The group also called on UT System and other universities in San Antonio to take action.

“Students have a right to know whether their university will sup port their right to reproductive healthcare,” Solis said.

Daleen Garcia, YDSA political action chair and organizer for PSL/MM, explained that the impact of the protest was to get the university to stand with the majority in what Garcia referred to as the “war against human rights.”

“The protest garnered a lot of support and interest from current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. This is clearly an important issue for all at UTSA,” Garcia said. “YDSA got to speak up for the students and those on campus and show that we are fighting for a better environment for each other. We had several students from the crowd join us while marching and stand in solidarity.”

The second set of demands was aimed at Bexar County. The group joined Mujeres Marcharan to demand that Bexar County be declared a “sanctuary for abor tion rights” and that the county use its power and authority to

assure that there is “zero en forcement of anti-abortion laws,” among other things.

YDSA Secretary and SGA senator Mauricio Madrazo expressed the group’s intention to hold the UTSA administration accountable and continue “ap plying pressure” on the univer sity to meet the aforementioned demands as well as to continue supporting the efforts of other organizations working to make Bexar County “an abortion sanctuary.”

“This is a highly personal issue that warrants open and respectful discourse. We value and encourage the free exchange of ideas and discussion of dif fering opinions,” Joe Izbrand, UTSA’s chief communications officer, said in a statement to The Paisano.

YDSA has another protest planned on Jan. 22 — the an niversary of Roe v Wade. The protest will take place at the San Antonio Federal Courthouse on 262 W Nueva St. For more information about the protest or upcoming events, students can reach out to YDSA via their Instagram, Twitter or email at utsaydsa@gmail.com.

Amber Chin /The Paisano

The interview for this article was done by Bella Nieto

Zahara Latson/

‘I was really shockedthat someone would even set that up’

‘This is clearly an important issue for all at UTSA’

I ordered a bullet on the side OPINION

Editorial

On Oct. 2, 2022, Officer James Brennand of the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) shot and wounded 17-year-old Erik Cantu in a McDonald’s parking lot. Cantu was in the lot eating when Officer Brennand ap proached his vehicle.

Released body-cam footage shows Brennand ap proaching Cantu’s car, then opening the door and saying, “Get out of the car.” This led to Cantu putting his vehicle in reverse and fleeing with the door ajar. Brennand reached for his firearm and opened fire on the teen’s vehicle. Brennand mistakenly believed that Cantu’s vehicle had evaded police the day prior. After being struck by a hail of gunfire, Cantu was left in critical condition.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Cantu had been charged with evading detention in a vehicle and as saulting an officer, both of which were later dropped by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office (DA’s Office). According to SAPD, after charges were dropped and an internal investigation had begun, Bren nand was fired for violating the district’s tactics, train ing and procedures. With Cantu’s charges dropped and Brennand being removed from duty, has enough action

been taken?

The DA’s Office needs to press charges against Of ficer Brennand. Far too often, police escape account ability in regards to brutality and abuse of power. In 2014, Daniel Pantaleo of the New York City Police

When cops become criminals

By Nate Henneke Staff Writer

How long will it take for police of ficers to be held accountable for their actions? What gives police officers the right to be the judge, jury and execu tioner? These are questions that have been swept under the rug by the COV ID-19 pandemic, with many news out lets choosing to focus on the pandemic rather than cases of police brutality. Unfortunately, very little is being done to change the systems that allow police officers to get away with murder. Since the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, multiple trials have occurred, and the officers involved are starting to face the consequences of their actions.

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, pleaded guilty in 2021 to willfully depriving Floyd of the constitutional right to be free from the unreasonable use of force by police officers. He received 252 months in federal prison, but the other officers on the scene at the time have received lighter sentences. How can standing by while your co-worker commits an act of murder be treated as anything less than acting as an accomplice to the crime?

The recent sentences of the former officers, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, serve as a sign that police officers can be held accountable for their actions,

Commentary

but only when made a public matter. The sentences for these two officers are only 36 months and 42 months, re spectively. When police officers violate our rights as American citizens, who is there to hold the cops accountable? Other cops? The process of self-review and officers holding each other ac countable is ineffective, and this is due to the ideas and values that are upheld within police departments all across the country. Those who blow the whistle on their criminal co-workers are punished harshly and even fired, while the ones violating the rights of citizens get a slap on the wrist in the form of a suspension.

The systems in place are being chal lenged by movements like Black Lives Matter and Antifa, who led riots in cit ies across America, directing millions of people to share the story of Floyd. This created a civil rights movement seemingly overnight as thousands of people called for the prosecution of the officers involved. The arrest and prosecution of Chauvin set an example for a future where police officers are held accountable for their actions while on the job.

If someone was not standing by and filming during the murder of Floyd, would Chauvin be facing the same repercussions? Or would he have gotten a slap on the wrist after filing a false report of the events? Too often police officers cover for their cowork ers’ illegal actions while working, but since the death of Floyd, measures like body cams on all police officers have become commonplace and are a step toward holding cops accountable.

By Morgain Locke Contributing Writer

The criminalization of women who defend themselves against their abus ers is a long-standing issue that has become more recognized in the public eye in recent years. This pattern has been highlighted by multiple cases that show just how unfair it is to the victims of these situations that they can be tried for acting in self-defense.

Pieper Lewis, a teen tried in Iowa, managed to avoid time in prison after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing her 37-year-old abuser in June of 2020. She was given five years probation, 1,200 hours of community service and ordered to pay $150,000 in compensa tion for the man’s death. Meanwhile, in New York, Nicole Addimando was given 19 years to life in prison for shooting her husband in 2017 after he allegedly threatened to kill her. The Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act passed in 2019 made her eligible for a reduced sentence as a victim of domestic abuse. However, a judge

Department killed Eric Garner after putting him in a chokehold while arresting him for a non-violent offense. Though Pantaleo was eventually removed from duty, prosecutors never brought criminal charges against him.

Officers such as Pantaleo and Brennand displayed gross abuse of their power while receiving the equiva lent of a slap on the wrist. Qualified immunity block ing victims from seeking civil suits against officers, as well as prosecutors failing to bring criminal charges, often results in protest and civil unrest. With the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 over the death of George Floyd, it took months before prosecutors brought criminal charges against the officers responsible.

If Officer Brennand is not held responsible in a court of law, we must make our voices heard by the DA’s Of fice. Oftentimes, action is not taken until we the people make noise. To contact the Bexar County DA’s Office concerning this incident, please refer to https://www. bexar.org/FormCenter/District-Attorney-Forms-13/ Contact-Form-190.

Social media ruins social discourse

recording commentaries and conducting analyses.

By Dafny Flores Staff Writer

Nowadays, people wake up and scroll through Twitter to gain information as if it was the morning newspaper. The 280 characters in a tweet inform people about a topic that most people are unaware of. If 280 characters are not enough, they create threads to present a cohesive argument or thought on a topic. Arguments and discussions are met in the comment section where Twitter users are hostile with each other. If people regularly intake information and opinions from social media, how will they interact with others in-person? Will people hold the same values they do behind the screen as they do inperson?

Earlier this year, the defamation case of Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard was livestreamed. Social media users across every platform tuned in for the seven-week trial and began

People who did not get a chance to view the extensive trial relied on social media to recap the trial. The trial divided the internet — every social media outlet was flooded with content about the trial, which generated hashtags such as #JohnnyDeppIsInnocent, #AmberHeardIsALiar and #IStandWithAmber.

Biased or not, there were TikToks and tweets dedicated to both sides of the case. The trial unleashed a hate train for both parties, primarily toward Heard. Under every social media post regarding the case, there would be a wave of hate comments.

Individuals showed no mercy and made fun of her abuse, appearance and anyone affiliated with Heard. Commenters protected themselves through social media as there was no consequence to their actions, and used this as a tool to berate people for having different perspectives regarding the trial. Arguments and accusations led to individuals being victims of doxxing — where users release personal

Persecution over protection

ruled that because she had opportuni ties to leave her husband beforehand, she did not fit the requirements of this law.

In yet another case, this time in Ala bama, Brittany Smith was assaulted and shot her assailant after he attacked her and her brother who came to her aid.

In the aftermath, thirty-three wounds were found on her, but she was still incarcerated and even institutional ized before requesting a Stand Your Ground hearing. The Stand Your Ground laws allow a victim to use deadly force in response to their assailant, if necessary, and without legal repercussions. Despite the many injuries found on Smith’s body and her claim that her attacker was choking her when she shot him, leaving little to no room for escape, she lost her hearing and faces up to life in prison. These

cases show just how unforgiving the law can be towards women who act in self-defense.

It must be considered that each state has its own laws the courts must fol low. The treatment and conviction of defendants in these cases are widely dependent on the state they are being tried in. For example, in some states, including New Jersey and Illinois, a history of abuse is con sidered dur ing the trial, but only to lessen the charge given rather than to acquit the defendant completely.

Victims do often use a reported history of abuse as a defense, but in several cases, it is not enough. The women were still denied the defense because a history of abuse in of itself is not considered a defense to a criminal act. It is, however, considered relevant evidence for cases in which self-defense can be claimed

information, home addresses and phone numbers on social media without the permission of the victims.

When it comes to an in-person discussion, people are either not as brave as they are on social media or cannot hold a civilized conversation. Social media has created a sheltered environment from the real world. Many people believe they will not face the consequences of what they say or share on social media. Furthermore, people enter a fight or flight mode when their beliefs are challenged and questioned in-person. Individuals defend their beliefs with aggressive actions and refuse to hear a different perspective on a topic. Since their thoughts are in all caps, filtered with emojis and are limited to 280 characters, people cannot brace themselves for a real conversation. Social media is harming communication within social discourse.

for the defendant.

Proven prior abuse is a defense in its own right and should be considered in court as a way to completely absolve the defendant of their crime as an act of self-defense. As seen in previous ex amples, the moments leading up to the action are essential to determining the guilt of the defendant but are blatantly ignored in some cases, such as Smith’s. What is the point of Stand Your Ground laws if the person who had to stand their ground was convicted of a crime anyways? These cases add to the already existing fear of abuse victims and women everywhere. They set the precedent that victims cannot even de fend themselves if necessary without risking criminal sentencing.

Is it fair to call this justice? Our courts are meant to protect the in nocent, but when the innocent are forced to protect themselves, they are punished for it. Reported abuse should be considered a legal defense for those being tried for the murder of their alleged abusers. For the sake of abuse victims all across the country, abuse and assault should be considered a valid legal defense that acquits them of any action against their assailants made in self-defense.

Kara Lee/The Paisano

Chloe Williams/The Paisano

‘‘Social media has created a sheltered environment from the real world...’’

Trading genius for bigotry The Paisano

Commentary

By Zahara Latson Staff Writer

Kanye West’s recent internet breakdown is nothing new and is better described as another scene in the highlight reel of his controversial existence. While some people look at West and see a mentally ill person on the internet actively destroying their reputation, he has become one of the most famous musicians on Earth. He has received so much praise from the music and fashion industries, thus earning him the title of greatest of all time (GOAT) from his fans and the title of genius from himself. With the privilege of fame, West’s recklessness trampled through the tabloids, excused by his eccentricity, leaving his radi cal, racist and controversial persona unchecked through the years.

West is arguably the largest unmod erated celebrity with no filter on any ideas or creations he has. His freedom of expression is radical and exacerbat ed by his untamed behavior. Most re cently, this has resulted in him posting racist statements about the Jewish and Black communities on Instagram. After being restricted, West took to Twitter, posting antisemitic threats to Jewish people, saying he would go “death con 3” on them and excusing that statement with “The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew.” This was after his other most recent controversy where he was seen in his Paris Fashion week lineup wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt with Candace Owens, a far-right, black political figure. West explained this decision as “a feeling… a gut instinct and a connection with God.” And while it seems like these episodes of unwarranted attacks and comments came out of nowhere, West’s infamous tabloid fame started in the

Commentary

early 2000s with scandals like upstag ing Taylor Swift or defending Bill Cosby when he was accused of sexual assault. During this time, West was al ways able to return to the industry with open arms, seemingly taking advantage of the attention and directing it toward his upcoming projects.

This took a turn when West came out in support of Donald Trump before the 2016 elections, followed by a 2018 TMZ interview saying, “When you hear about slavery for 400 years… that sounds like a choice.” As he began exposing his alt-right views to the media, people started to cancel him, including other celebrities. During this time, West’s struggle with bipolar disorder was heavily discussed in the media where people began to link his erratic behavior throughout the years to common characteristics of the men tal illness. West was institutionalized for bipolar disorder in 2016 and told Forbes in 2019 that people need to “un derstand that this is actually a condition that people can end up in, be born into, driven into.” His mental issues came back up during his political campaign in 2020 when he had a breakdown at his own rally.

Some may blame West’s recent scandals on his inflamed ego being bruised by his recent divorce or how his mother’s tragic death in 2007 triggered pre-existing mental issues, thus leading him to spiral out of control. And while those may be contributing factors, what people miss is West’s purposefulness. He under stood what it took to become untouch able in Hollywood, and he chose to abuse it. He used his influence to seek people who manipulate the system for power and consistently makes himself relevant to them, no matter the cost to any group he offends. He is a man

who sees himself as the leader of the free world, and that goal has never left his sight. Although West’s ideas seem to be advocating for the liberation of People of Color (POC), his execution is racist and usually takes away from the trauma and struggles that system atically impoverished and oppressed POC face. People like Donald Trump, West’s muse, whose erratic behavior and hot-button, far-right commentary gained him a strong follower base, turning his presidential campaign — which was previously seen as a joke — into a legitimate and successful run. That is the type of national and global influence that West feels he can accomplish by doing exactly what he is doing now. Through every painful loss and excruciating criticism, West has never dropped his delusions of a world he could influence into his own. And through every racist headline and radical right-wing ally he makes, those delusions are becoming his reality. So yes, West is guilty of being a rac ist, egotistical, power-hungry celebrity who continues to offend community after community,but he did not do this alone. With every person who idolizes him is giving him a platform to spew hate and refusing to condemn his ac tions, West continues to believe that what he is doing with his influence is just a spiritual journey, something genius or politically revolutionary for his time. In reality, he is cyberbullying celebrities and saying antisemitic and racist things on Twitter and justifying it with deeper thought that has no sub stance. He deserves to be called out and held accountable by his friends, his family and, most importantly, his fans.

It is not a diet, it is a problem

By Regina Robert Staff Writer

What is culture? Accord ing to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, it is “the cus toms, arts, social institu tions, and achievements,” of a particular nation, people or social group. During the months of September and October, the United States celebrates National Hispan ic Heritage Month to show support for the impact and contributions that Hispanic communities have made to this country. While it is important to appreciate the great food, arts, music and familia, the Hispanic com munity should take a step back and critically think of the impact their culinary culture has on their mental health.

In the Hispanic com munity, eating disorders are often neglected as a health issue and, instead,

are treated like tantrums. They are swept under the rug mostly to avoid the spread of word that some one in the family is ill, or worse, “crazy.” There is an enormous amount of impor tance placed on what others will think or say rather than helping people to solve their issues, but there is also the firm, antiquated mentality of “We don’t talk about that nonsense.” Hispanic people are taught from a young age that problems are not meant to be shared. Instead, one should silently deal with them on their own in an effort to not be a burden to others. This results in private issues evolving into generational trauma and be ing normalized amongst the community.

Restrictive eating disor ders like anorexia and buli mia can start from a young age when girls are compli

mented for their small size and thinness, causing them to internalize that valida tion and restrict their eating habits so they can maintain their physique. But it is also often contradicted by their families when told that they should eat more because they are “too thin” and that nobody is going to love them. Sadly, there is an underlying cultural obses sion that women should be thin and small, so they can attract a prospective husband and get married. That underlying obsession has become normalized, and in some cases encouraged, leading young women to develop an unhealthy rela tionship with food.

The unhealthy relation ship that is created by commentary is an overall an all-over-the-place contradic tion that has no beginning and no end. Moms and tias

are constantly judging, criti cizing and scrutinizing their daughters’ and nieces’ bod ies. Constant comments like “eat a little less or you’ll get fat,” “are you sure you want to eat that,” or “have you gained weight,” create food insecurity that affects self-esteem, eating habits and mental health.

While many people will dismiss the harmful com ments stating that “it is our culture,” it does not make it okay. Once again, it cre ates unresolved problems that will be passed down through the generations due to a stubborn and danger ous mentality. The Hispanic community should and has been aiming to create and hold a conversation regard ing these issues to create a solution in order to break that cultural aspect.

Has COVID-19 been confined to the history books?

Commentary

By Ismail Hussien Contributing Writer

The wait is over.

President Joe Biden finally declared the pandemic to be over, but is it really?

If you want to oversim plify the issue, then the deaths and cases are much lower than at the pandem ic’s peak. But for Biden to say unequivocally that the pandemic is over is not the case. Biden is the president, not a COVID-19 expert. We should look at what the experts say, but even among experts, there is debate. If we are to listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci, then the answer is not entirely. He is warning people of the possibility of another COVID-19 strain this winter, more danger ous than the Omicron

variant and more resistant to vaccines.

But what does it mean for the pandemic to be over? There is no fixed measurement for this, and it depends on an indi vidual’s interpretation.

For Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Re search and Policy, there are two ways of measuring if a pandemic is over. The first way is based on the physical effect on humans, and the second is the psychological effect. If we were to base the issue on the physical aspect, then Osterholm’s measurement is not the most promising.

While cases and deaths are at a low, COVID-19 is still one of the top causes

of death. Attitudes treating COVID-19 as the sea sonal flu are not the right approach since, in the week ending Oct. 1, there were five deaths from the influenza virus. The deaths from COVID-19 in the same week? More than 700.

However, if one looks at the psychological aspect, Osterholm says that Biden might be right, according to a joint poll by Ipsos and Axios. The poll shows that 44% of Americans want to move towards reopen ing the country, which differs from earlier in the year when the country was more divided. Mask man date support is also down, with the current support being 8% (compared to 21% in February). Also,

most Americans (78%) believe the country is in a better place now with COVID-19 compared to last year. This shows that most Americans are mov ing on from the pandemic, regardless of any risks posed.

As such, the answer is more complicated than yes or no. But one thing is for certain — there should not be any complacency and a certain level of caution is justified. With another wave in Europe, this might signal bad news for the United States. The pandemic will not truly be over until it is over worldwide...

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Arts & Life A place to heal and feel

By Laynie Clark Managing and Opinion Editor

After discovering her deep attraction for raw crystals at the Gemological Institute of Amer ica (GIA), Heidi Maguire began her journey toward owning her own artisan gem and stone shop. From jewelry and crystals to reiki healing, Ruby Road Gems is a place for spiritual aware ness.

The only thing stronger than Maguire’s love for gems is her love for her daughter. Once her daughter began high school, she needed something new to oc cupy her time.

“My daughter was in high school, and I was kind of a stayat-home mom,” Maguire said. “I decided I was going to have to go back out into the world, and I thought ‘What am I going to do?’ So I went to GIA — in Carlsbad, [California] — and it took me four years, and then I graduated [when] the pandemic hit.”

The pandemic affected a lot of people, taking away the enjoyment of human contact. Maguire recognized this and set out to create a space where people could feel and heal at the same time.

“I wanted people to be able to touch things again, so I went to Lackland Air Force Base where I started a kiosk there,” Maguire said. “I had previously been a military contractor, so I contacted them, and I thought it would be very interesting to show people mine to market, like, how it comes from the earth and then it’s turned into jewelry and the science behind it.”

Maguire’s business boomed at Lackland, and she continued the pattern when she eventually opened up Ruby Road Gems. Originally, Maguire had planned to open the store on the bottom floor of the building and have an office space upstairs. However, that soon changed after opening the shop.

“I thought it would be fun

to put a store here and an of fice upstairs, but then so many people came in looking for heal ing services like reiki and tarot,” Maguire said. “So, I pulled out my gemological laboratory and started doing services up here in the wannabe office.”

After operating both the shop and kiosks for some time, Ma guire realized a downsize was needed.

“I realized I was just working too much,” Maguire reflected. “I downsized the kiosks at the bases and started only doing a pop-up shop during the summer. It was hard to keep up with the demand at both locations. It was an amazing thing, but it was just too much.”

Acquiring the crystals needed for the shop is no easy feat, though Maguire explains the process seamlessly.

“It’s different for all differ ent species because they all come from different places and countries,” Maguire said. “Our Herkimer diamonds come from a lady in Herkimer, New York.

She goes out and handpicks all of the Herkimer. I have a few family businesses in Brazil that send me things. I also have a guy in Pakistan who goes to Afghanistan to get me Lapis. In Asia, I have a lot of my carv ings done there because they are mineral-rich in fluorites. Every country has something.”

An important part of Magu ire’s business is making sure her gems are ethically sourced.

“I want to make sure that where I buy from is conflict-free and that there is no child labor,” Maguire stated. “Most of these people are just mineral farmers, and they depend on our busi ness. That is where the word ethical is involved.”

Outside of gems, jewelry and healing services, Ruby Road Gems offers other miscella neous items. Luckily, Maguire has a community that is con stantly inspiring her to explore new products.

“Everything that we buy is practically because someone asked,” Maguire said. “A lot

‘Hikari Coffee Co.’

UTSA graduate, Elaine Oyama, serves up roasts

of these things I would never personally buy, but I buy them because I know it’s what the community wants. The soap that we have is handmade by some body in Hawaii. We send her the crystals, and she makes the soap with beautiful intention[s]. We also have someone that provides us tea and incense. She is a herbalist and nutritionist.”

Having a social media pres ence is vital for some business es. Maguire understands that she lacks in that area and embraces its imperfections.

“Well, I’m super bad at it,” Maguire explained. “I think it is important but I think we have a lot of room to grow, same with the website. We have no social media aesthetic. It’s just real people shooting real things. Everything is unique.”

Located at 503 Ave. A Suite #1115, Ruby Road Gems is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit their website at https://rubyroadusa.

Businesses

By Eunice Rodriguez Contributing Writer

Offering freshly roasted coffee, Hikari Coffee Co. brings a taste of Latin and African coffee to San Antonio. At just 17 years old, UTSA alumna Elaine Oyama started Hikari Coffee Co. with a coffee roaster purchased second-hand and a love for coffee. Now at 21 years old, Oyama has made a name for herself in her home town, Del Rio, Texas, and she aspires to do the same right here in San Antonio.

Q: What is it like to be a young busi ness owner?

A: “I would have to say that it is hard. There are days where I struggle and especially during COVID when [the] prices of my roasts went way through the roof and on top of having to take care of school and everything in my businesses back home in Del Rio. It’s very hard to manage, but my family kept everything going while I was focusing on school, so I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

Q: Did you always know you wanted to open your own business?

A: “No, not at all. I went to school for psychology and medicine, so business was never even on my mind. The only reason I started it was because I was given an opportunity and I jumped on it. I didn’t even think, but I took the opportu nity and it paid off.”

Q: What motivated you to create Hikari Coffee Co.?

A: “Well, I was about to graduate high school and I was babysitting for an Air Force family who was being deployed, and as soon as they said, ‘Hey, we’re try ing to sell our own coffee roaster. Do you know anyone who might be interested?’ I jumped on it. I’d never worked a day in my life, but I just won a lot of scholar ships so I pulled out all of my scholarship money from the bank, bought the coffee roaster, bought my LLC, and got all of my licensing. So it was really a door that opened that I had to go through.”

Q: Is there a reason you chose Hikari

Coffee Co. as the business name?

A: “Yes actually, so Hikari means light in Japanese and my first name Elaine means light in Greek. So it was liter ally the first thing that I put into Google Translate. I just said ‘What does light mean’ or ‘What’s light in Japanese’ and that was what I got and I loved it.”

Q: What makes owning Hikari Coffee Co. worthwhile?

A: “For one, I’ve become the youngest member of the Del Rio and the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce back in my hometown and it’s given me the oppor tunity to work within my community. I work with a lot of businesses back home — you can find almost every coffee shop has at least heard of me. We work with the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce and they always have my coffee and any time someone comes in, they always give them a bag. So I was 17 when I started it, and now at 21 I can say most of my hometown knows me because of this.”

Q: What kinds of blends and beans do you sell?

A: “So our one true blend is going to be the Oyama Espresso, but right now we have eight beans listed that are ready for sale and that range everywhere from Co lombian, Costa Rican, Brazilian, Ethiopi an, Guatemalan, Mexican, Mexican decaf and the espresso.”

Q: What was the process of making your specialty blend Oyama Espresso?

A: “So the Oyama Espresso is a mix of, I believe, Brazilian, Colombian, Pe ruvian and Nicaraguan coffee. My dad is our professional roaster because I physi cally cannot carry that thing. It is way too much. Now that he’s retired he has a lot of free time and he dedicates that to the coffee, so he was just messing around one day trying to see if I mix this in this, what [it] would taste like. So eventually he made his own concoction and I will say the process took a good like two or three months, but now it’s one of our good sellers.”

Q: How can we buy from Hikari Cof fee Co.?

A: “So you can by reaching out to my self directly or reaching out through our Facebook page. Right now obviously I’m in San Antonio, but everything is based in my hometown of Del Rio so anytime I get a message or the Facebook gets a message my mom will see that. She is my designated operator and she will package the beans and if you’re based in San An tonio, really anywhere, just let us know if you would like it whole ground, half pound, full pound. We also offer shipping worldwide.”

Q: Does Hikari Coffee Co. have hopes of opening a physical store?

A: “It was always something in the back of my mind and I’d always said that if psychology doesn’t work out or if my main plan doesn’t work out then it’s probably going to be what hap pens. Right now I can’t think of it happening. I’m starting my master’s in clinical mental health counseling in January and obviously, I already have a full-time job. Everything’s going really well for me, but as of right now, not yet, but never say never.”

Shop Hikari Coffee Co.

through their Facebook page and through their Instagram page, @hikaricoffeeco. Contact Hikari Coffee Co. by email at

Ruby Road Gems ethically sources crystals, jewelry and more

Mason Hickok/The Paisano

‘Barbarian’ is an Airbnb nightmare

Zach Cregger’s film deserves a blind theater experience

By Mason Hickok Editor-in-Chief

“Barbarian” is a prime example of a filmmaker committed to narrative and vision. Writer, director and comedian Zach Cregger’s project is not your typical horror film. Several well-known production companies, such as A24 and Neon, turned down Cregger’s film before BoulderLight and New Regency Productions picked it up. Since A24 and Neon are often two vanguards held in high esteem by moviegoers, one would think a director would be discouraged, but not in this case.

“Barbarian” follows Tess, played by Georgina Campbell, who ar rives in the pouring rain to find the Airbnb she booked is occupied by Keith, played strangely by Bill Skarsgård, who also booked the house. Skarsgård’s “too good to be true” demeanor immediately raises an eyebrow, but the film quickly deviates from Keith.

The otherwise idyllic house sits on a suburban stretch of Detroit, Michi gan wrought with decay and forgotten whispers. It is located in the Brightmoor neighborhood, a real part of Detroit ravaged by the housing crisis and a fall ing economy. Cregger ties this into the

narrative structure — at one point, the film switches time periods to introduce a pivotal, albeit heinous, character central to the plot. The generations of torment this home has faced underpin nicely with the history that balances out the violence

and turns taken here are shocking and jaw-dropping. The first 20 minutes of the film work to establish Skarsgård as a possible villain in the movie. The script introduces several moments between Keith and Tess that would have any sane person screaming at the screen.

It is a genius creative tool from Cregger to confuse the audi ence. Furthermore, Cregger’s use of the three-act structure favors confusion.

At about the halfway point, the film flips the audience on its head. We are then intro duced to AJ, played hilariously by Justin Long, a dethroned Hollywood actor facing a sexual assault scandal. AJ’s ties to the Airbnb in Detroit add to the film’s dense backstory.

that this house and this neighborhood have witnessed.

Another aspect that makes this film so unique is the nonconformity it takes in its structure. Without spoiling the abso lute absurdity of “Barbarian” — Zach Cregger’s film deserves a blind theater experience — I will say that the twists

Where comedy is balanced ever so carefully, the atmo sphere lags. The film is enter taining, but the shock and gore can only do so much. Anna Drubich’s score is sharp, often utilizing drones and dissonant voices reminiscent of screams from a cavern. Nevertheless, the film does almost everything right, and Creggers delivers a tightly packed, bonkers experience. “Barbarian” was released on Sept. 9 and is in the midst of its theater run.

McNay debuts two new exhibits

‘Blonde’

The mistreatment of Marilyn Monroe

By Jenna Taylor Staff Writer

Spoiler Warning: This article will discuss spoilers about “Blonde.”

As someone who grew up idol izing Marilyn Monroe and watching her movies, this film was one of the hardest I have ever had to sit through. “Blonde” is based on a historical fic tion book written by Joyce Carol Oates that contains fictional stories about the life of Marilyn Monroe.

By Lauren Hernandez Contributing Writer

On Oct. 6, the McNay Art Museum opened two new exhibitions — “True Believers: Benny Andrews and Debo rah Roberts” and “Margarita Cabrera: Blurring Borders.” The “True Believers” exhibit displays artworks from An drews and Roberts side by side to reveal thematic and material similarities that emerge despite the fact that these artists were from two different generations.

On the other hand, Margarita Cabrera’s immersive exhibition displays stories of sacrifice to show how people can live better lives in new communities through migration.

a police officer whose 3D nose is made out of fabric and thickly applied paint. In contrast, Roberts tends to use more photography in her collages, such as in her artwork “Political Lambs in a Wolf’s World” (2018), which features fragment ed images of two identical girls holding police booking numbers clipped from Rosa Parks’ 1955 mugshot. Andrews and Roberts use similar and varying tech niques to reveal their point of view on America, and through their canvases, we get the opportunity to hear them tell their stories of family, inequality and other critical themes.

are made out of discarded border patrol uniforms and are decorated with em broidered images sewn by community members through a series of workshops hosted by Cabrera. On the walls of this exhibit, videos of people sharing their stories of sacrifice and migration are projected. In addition to this, you can hear the mocking of crudely sewn parrots that are placed on perches in between the cacti. As people around the room clap and converse, these birds — which represent Mexican parrots that are at risk of extinction due to the pet trade — pick up on these noises and mimic them. The last touch to this interactive

Although the movie is not based on factual events that occurred in Mon roe’s life, director Andrew Dominik takes every single opportunity he can to turn any scene into some version of Monroe being sexualized by men or the media. For example, not even twenty minutes into the movie, Mon roe is getting sexually assaulted by a casting director. Not only are there no reports that this event occurred, but it is one of many scenes in which Mon roe is experiencing an assault that did not happen in real life.

One major scene that was heavily scrutinized on social media was the portrayal of the relationship between Monroe and former president John F. Kennedy. In this scene, Monroe is drugged and brought into a hotel room where “the president” forces her to perform a non-consensual sexual act. It even portrays Monroe’s attempt at dissociating by showing her inner dialogue as she was being sexually as saulted. This scene is completely based on lies and has no factual evidence to back up any claims that there was ever a romantic relationship between the former president and Monroe.

Andrews was born in 1930 in Plain view, Georgia, and Roberts was born in 1962 in Austin, Texas, where she contin ues to work. Both artists utilize painting, collage and drawing to tell their stories of racial injustice and the importance of family.

Upon entering the “True Believers” exhibit, you are surrounded by richly colored walls decorated with massive canvases. Andrews’ artworks typically utilize recycled materials, like in his por trait “The Cop” (1968), which features

Once you come to the end of the “True Believers” exhibit, you step right into an other artistic adventure — Margarita Ca brera’s “Blurring Borders.” Cabrera was born in 1973 and is a Mexican-American artist who specializes in textile-based soft sculptures. Her “Blurring Borders” exhibition features a hardwood floor covered with faux plants that replicate the cacti and other indigenous vegeta tion found on the border between the United States and Mexico. These plants

and immersive exhibit is shown on an iPad, which reveals three-dimensional versions of Cabrera’s gouache paintings that hover above the soft sculptures. All of these elements together express how sacrifice can lead to a better life in a new community.

These two new exhibitions will remain on display at the McNay Art Mu seum through Jan. 22, 2023. For more information, visit https://www.mcnayart. org/exhibitions/.

The blatant and unnecessary oversexualization of Monroe’s character through completely false events is hor rific and a complete disrespect to the real life that Monroe lived. Not only were there gruesome scenes of sexual assault, but by the end of the movie, they tastelessly recreate her death in the exact location where she actually died in 1962. This movie takes every opportunity to fetishize Monroe, al lowing the people who have sexualized her in real life to see this hyper-sexual ized portrayal of her in high definition.

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Chloe Williams/The Paisano

Taylor Alton/The Paisano

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Taylor

Sports

Volleyball scores 1-1 on the road

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

The UTSA volleyball team (7-10, 2-3 CUSA) went on a two-game road trip this past week. The first game was in Murfreesboro, Tennessee against Middle Tennessee State University, where the ‘Runners won 3-1, and the second was against No. 25 Western Ken tucky University, where UTSA lost 3-0.

The Roadrunners won two sets against the Blue Raiders (12-6, 1-3 C-USA) by two total points, while the other two were not close. The first set started with back-andforth points, with UTSA ultimately gaining a 17-11 lead. Middle Tennessee closed the lead to trail 21-20; however, the ‘Runners pulled away winning 25-23. The Blue Raid ers dominated the second set as they took a 4-3 lead and did not look back. Middle Tennessee won the set 25-14 and tied the series 1-1. UTSA went on to win the next two sets. In the third set, it was the ‘Runners’ turn to dominate, as they led wire to wire.

The Roadrunners went on a 10-0 run to help win 25-12. Middle Tennessee took an 18-13 lead in the fourth set, attempting to push the game to a fifth set. UTSA overcame the deficit and won the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.

Amanda Ifeanyi and Hunter Coppola each had 11 kills, while Ifeanyi had five in the fourth set. Alicia Coppedge contributed with six blocks, and Courtney Walters had 37 assists. This was UTSA’s second Confer ence USA victory of the season. Then, they hit the road

to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to play the Hilltoppers.

UTSA played Western Kentucky (17-2, 5-0 C-USA) on Sunday, Oct. 9, and got swept 3-0 by the No. 25 team in the nation. The ‘Runners were unable to score more than 19 points in any of the three sets. UTSA came out in the first set holding its own, even taking an 11-9 lead. However, the Hilltoppers flipped a switch and made a run of their own, winning 25-18. The ‘Runners battled Western Ken tucky in the second set; however, the team could not match the Hilltoppers’ offensive force, losing 25-17. Western Kentucky opened the third set hard, getting a 16-8 lead. UTSA fought back; however, they dug themselves too deep of a hole and lost the set 25-19 and the match 3-0.

Ifeanyi had nine kills for the ‘Run ners, while Coppedge had seven. Cansu Günaydin had two aces and Ava Camacho had 15 digs. Western Kentucky was the second nationally ranked opponent UTSA has played this season and was swept both times.

UTSA will now play its next two matches at home. The next match will be against Charlotte at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14.

UTSA soccer goes 0-2-3 on five game road trip

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

The UTSA soccer team (6-4-4, 1-2-3 C-USA) is now back to playing at home after a five-game road trip. In the past week, the Roadrunners traveled to Loui

siana Tech (4-7-3, 2-2-2 C-USA) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (7-2-4, 4-0-2 C-USA). The ‘Runners went 0-1-1.

The ‘Runners played in Ruston, Louisiana, on Thursday, Oct. 6, and lost 2-1 against the Lady Techsters. The first

goal came from LA Tech in the ninth minute. Maci Geltmeier scored off an assist by Erin Chung. UTSA’s offense woke up as they fired nine shots in the remainder of the period. In the 42nd min ute, Kendall Kloza took a free kick for the ‘Runners and shot toward the box. The Lady Techsters goalkeeper Sydnee Korchak deflected the kick, leading to Deja Sandoval scoring a goal to go into halftime tied 1-1. Each team’s offense took 10 shots in the second period, but the defense stood tall. A yellow card on UTSA’s Anna Sutter resulted in a penalty goal kick by the Lady Techsters. Josie Studer took the advantage for LA Tech as she made the goal to put the Lady Techsters up 2-1.

LA Tech ultimately won 2-1, despite being outshot by UTSA 21 to 14. The Lady Techsters did, however, have

11 saves to the ‘Runners three.

Following the loss, UTSA trav eled to Birmingham, Alabama, to play the Conference USA leader in points. Kiran Singh scored for the ‘Runners in the second minute, however, and shot just once more in the first period. The two teams’ defenses held the offenses to just five shots in the first half. UAB’s Hannah Clark scored for the Blazers in the 74th minute, tying the game 1-1. UTSA was held to just one shot in the second period, while UAB took six. The Roadrunners have played teams close all season long, with their defense keeping them in games.

UTSA will now play again in San Antonio. Their next game will come against Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13.

UTSA men’s golf rises to seventh place at Trinity Forest Invitational

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

After back-to-back out-of-state meets, the UTSA men’s golf team participated in the Trinity Forest Invitational Oct. 2 through Oct. 4. The Roadrunners finished seventh out of 17 teams, including a pair of top-15 finishes from Christian Fanfelle and David Harrison.

After finishing in 11th place on Sunday, Oct. 2, UTSA jumped four spots to sev enth place on the second day of the invi tational. The ‘Runners were a 4-under-par 284, with Fanfelle tying at fourth place overall. Harrison jumped to 19th place, helping UTSA rise in the team standings.

Fanfelle finished with a 9-under-par 207 (68-70-69), earning him fifth overall. Harrison jumped six spots, tying for 13th place with a score of 5-under-par 211 (72-71-68). Jack Wehman was the thirdhighest finisher for the ‘Runners, tying for 54th overall with a 4-over-par 220 (7772-71). Brayden Bare made his debut for UTSA, finishing a shot behind Wehman,

landing him 61st overall. Bare earned a score of 5-over 221 (73-71-77). The fifth and final participant for the Roadrunners was Carson Gallaher, who finished 90th overall with a 17-over 233 (77-78-78).

Fanfelle’s score of 207 is the top score on a 54-hole course in his career and is the fifth-best in program history. Fanfelle also notched four birdies, while Harrison finished with five birdies and an eagle.

Nathan Petronzio from Southern Method ist University won the invitational with a score of 13-under-par 203 (68-67-68), just four shots ahead of Fanfelle. The Uni versity of Arkansas at Little Rock took home the team title with a score of 833.

UTSA finished ahead of all Conference USA participants, including North Texas, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech and Florida Atlantic.

The men’s golf team will be back in action at The Clerico in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oct. 24-25.

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics

Senior setter Courtney Walters saves the ball from the net.

Deja Sandoval making a move on a defender.

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics

Photo courtesy of Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics

Christian Fanfelle swinging at the Trinity Forest Invitational.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics

By Jake Mireles Staff Writer

In America, football is a way of life, and it is one of the most profitable indus tries in the nation. From 2020 to 2021, the National Football League (NFL) had a record increase in profits, raking in $11 billion for the 2021 season, accord ing to Sportico. The league has never had much trouble with sponsorships and brand deals. In the past decade, the NFL has become exponentially more profitable due to the incorporation of a recently legalized revenue stream: sports betting. Despite their adamant opposi tion to the legalization of sports betting, the NFL has decided to embrace it with open arms. This begs the question: Is

The price of gambling

this move beneficial for the league, its players and their fans?

Gambling in sports has been a hot topic for decades. In the past, it was heavily criticized because many thought it hurt the integ rity of sports. The fear that coaches, players or referees might use their position and access to sports gambling to fix matches for their personal gain was too high for many sports leagues to condone and promote the indus try. The NFL was the most outspoken against sports bet ting out of all the major sports leagues. The league has a history of being swift in punishing mem bers who were discovered to be betting on league games or even remotely close to the sports gambling industry. One example is when the league canceled a fantasy football convention hosted by

Athlete of the Week: De’Corian Clark

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

UTSA football is in the middle of its season, and the offense is leading the way. The Roadrunners are 11th in the nation in total offense, averaging 498.3 yards per game. UTSA has three wide re ceivers in the top five of receiving yards in Conference USA, and De’Corian Clark sits first overall. Now in his senior year, Clark has improved over his four seasons at UTSA.

“It was just a matter of me knowing the plays. I had to get my head in the game not only mentally but physically,” Clark said.

Clark made a huge jump from his sophomore season with eight receptions to 52 in his junior season. Through six games, he is already at 39, showing his mental and physical changes.

“I was buying more into my teammates and I feel like I was becoming a leader because everybody believed in me. So, I grew confidence in a way,” Clark said.

Clark was added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, which is the award for the most outstanding receiver in college football. Not only did Clark take the next step in leadership and playmaking, but he did so alongside two other top-tier receivers in Zakhari Franklin and Joshua Cephus who sit amongst receiver rank ings in C-USA.

“I feel like we all bring each other juice,” said Clark when asked about playing alongside Franklin and Cephus. “How we feel now is that nobody can stop us. As long as we know the plays and formations and everything like that, all we have to do is execute, and we feel like we’re pretty good at that.”

Not only does Clark sit second in CUSA for receiving yards, but he is also seventh in the nation. Accomplishing a 139-yard game against Middle Tennes see and a 217-yard game against Texas Southern is no easy feat, especially when pre-game nerves are involved. Clark is no different, but he shakes them off early.

“I’m always nervous before a game, but I feel like I don’t get that little burst of energy until I get tackled or hit for the

first time. After that first hit, that’s when it’s like, ‘Okay let’s go,’” Clark said.

As a lethal wide receiver, it’s important to know the plays your team is running, along with being able to read the defense. Knowing the defender and seeing where the weak side is can result in a big play for the offense or even a touchdown. Clark takes pride in the proper prep work, which can be seen in his six touch downs so far this season.

“I would say like walking through the plays while I’m at home or having somebody test me with the plays that we learned that week. That’s helped me behind the scenes,” Clark said.

Being a student-athlete can be hard to manage between the travel, practices, treatment and, of course, the classes. Athletes who love the grind as much as Clark are always in the film room or lifting weights in the afternoon, which shows on the field; however, that means little free time. Being the hard worker that he is, Clark uses his downtime to rest.

“I really try to get as much rest as I can, but other than that it’s recovery. Going to the training room, taking care of my body with the hot tubs, cold tubs and rest. Resting while I’m at home and playing with my dogs,” said Clark.

With seven games remaining on the schedule, anything can change. There is plenty of time to make statement per formances while also breaking personal and program records. When asked about personal and team goals, Clark did not hesitate to answer.

“My goals are to get over a thousand yards and to score more touchdowns than I did last year. To get into the double dig its,” Clark said. “Team goals, I pray that we once again go to the championship again and have another bowl game, then be able to win that bowl game to make school history.”

Clark and the rest of the UTSA offense are a force to be reckoned with. With Clark playing the way he is, he is on pace to reach his goals while helping UTSA become repeat conference champs and win the program’s first-ever bowl game.

former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, citing the league’s stance on events at casinos.

A turning point for the NFL came in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a law banning sports betting, prompt ing over 30 states to legalize the industry.

The Major League Baseball, Nation al Hockey League and National Basketball As sociations quickly capitalized, signing promo tional deals with sports gambling companies. The NFL soon followed suit. Combined with the platforming of sports gambling on smartphones, this has caused the already successful industry to explode in popularity. Now sports gambling is characterized as a way to promote fan engagement, and you cannot escape the

DraftKings and FanDuel commercials during Sunday Night Football. While it is evident that sports betting is likely here to stay, it is important to recognize the dangers of platforming gambling to this degree.

Gambling is an addictive vice, plain and simple. However, unlike other addictive habits, it can manifest inside your pocket with the press of a but ton. With this new widespread access to these platforms, there will come an increase in the number of problem gam blers. While these platforms have terms of service and features that promote responsible gambling, they do not have rules to limit how much one can lose, only how much one can gain. Gambling may be a fun way to be invested in your favorite team’s game, but it can also very easily cause great amounts of loss and pain. With the rise of betting in pro fessional sports, there needs to be a rise in awareness of responsible gambling.

De’Corian Clark on the line of scrimmage.

Stephen Saenz/The Paisano

Stephen Saenz/The Paisano

Chloe Williams/The Paisano