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OPINION
THE REFLECTOR
APRIL 17, 2019
Connected by conservatism It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to hear that freedom is within reach, in the next 30 days, and then have that deadline extended to possibly years.
Graphic by Madison Gomez
Troops deserving of truth Misleading video yields false hope, sparks controversy By Madison Gomez EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
“We have won against ISIS. We have beaten them and we have beaten them badly,” President Donald Trump said in a video posted on Twitter last December. In that same month, Trump announced that the United States would pull troops out of Syria soon on the pretext that ISIS had been defeated. A few weeks later, National Security Adviser John Bolton rolled back the declaration, establishing conditions that would keep troops there for months or even years, according to a New York Times article. Thirty days to months to years. That video was a lie. What stands true is the hopeful sentiments that were shattered by the repercussions of this timeline. Those were true and real and impact the daily lives of loved ones. Families should not have been given the false hope of soldiers returning sooner than they actually will, nor should the brave men and women fighting in Syria. It has been a long war, and the damage continues, so this address of information shouldn’t be dealt with like this. According to a March 23 New York Times article, since Trump’s declaration on Dec. 19, 2018, there have been 182 attacks in Syria. Clearly, considering the numbers, the war is not over, so the declaration should not have been made in the first place. This is a war that we rarely seem
to hear about in headline news, but it supposedly took a big turn when the last ISIS-controlled area in Syria was liberated in March, according to the March 23 New York Times article. I say supposedly because the war with ISIS is far from over. Withdrawing the troops now might do good temporarily, but in the long run, keeping them there will prevent more damage from being done. Just don’t provide false hope. It just isn’t right. In its staff editorial published on April 5, 2018, USA Today said that the problems that caused the war, such as destabilization and lack of security, need to be solved before the troops can leave. Syria also needs to be cleaned of military debris and hidden explosives need to be deactivated before any problem-solving begins and the troops are able to leave the country, which possibly stands true for today. We need a stated reason for why we’re staying there, if we are, because of Trump’s video, and something more than just, ‘we’ll keep them there till they tell us to take them out.’ It would at least clarify the situation and perhaps console loved ones facing the hurt Trump just caused. All of this mess is just exacerbated by the fact that the troops are still fighting after they were promised a 30-day release. Bolton inserted what Trump had omitted in his Twitter video, that there were conditions to be met before that withdrawal, according to Jan.
6 New York Times article. Trump once again said something that was not completely true, the government seems to be disregarding the human aspect that the statement lacked. When appealing to the public, I feel like it’s fair to say that they should at least consider feelings on matters like this. Meanwhile, the government’s agenda seems to be set to make sure the pullout of troops results in peace, and Syria is saved from the reign of Assad and backers like Russia and Turkey, who are working to keep him in office as president. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to hear that freedom is within reach, in the next 30 days and then to have that deadline extended possibly to years. No one knows who the families at home are unless they openly talk about where their relatives are deployed. Many could be in the University of Indianapolis community. For any of those struggling here, just know you are not alone. The message that Trump sent out was inaccurate and hurtful, and your feelings of false hope are justified because that Twitter declaration was quickly overturned. I do not know when this war will end, but the troops should stay as long as they must. But the damage done back home would have been far less harsh without Trump’s video. Do not tell people they are about to go home, that their son or daughter or wife or husband or whoever will soon see their soldier, when it is not true.
Seniors bid farewell Zoë Berg, Editor in Chief When I came to the University of Indianapolis, the only thing I really felt confident about was my writing ability, and while that wasn’t totally off base, I definitely should not have been as confident as I was. However, the passion I had for writing is what made me join The Reflector, and honestly, that was the best decision freshman Zoë made. I had some of the best experiences of my college career up on the third floor of Esch and with the people I met on The Reflector. This has given me a chance to develop my writing skills to a point where I actually can be confident in them, learn how to take photos, create graphics and run on only a couple of hours of sleep. Every sleepless night was worth it because of the amazing people I got to meet. The people I’ve gotten to interview have been one of the highlights of my tenure. I loved getting to see what other people are passionate about and become a mini-expert in that area so I could write the article. But the biggest thing I got out of working on The Reflector was an awesome group of friends that I sometimes even call my Reflector family. Right away, I felt welcomed and quickly developed friendships with the older editors who helped me grow and become who I am today. Even though there isn’t anyone left on staff from my first semester, the experience remains the same, if not better. I’m not going to mention anyone
by name, because then this would turn into a book, but I will say I have never felt more like myself or laughed as much as when I was having a rousing debate, strange conversation or just messing around with my friends on staff. This also wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our wonderful adviser and mentor, Jeanne Criswell. I know for a fact that The Reflector, and my time at UIndy, would not be nearly as good without her. And now, I want to offer a piece of advice: don’t think you know it all, try everything and find a place that makes you feel like you belong, because those are the three things that really made my time here great, and I’m sure they will for you, too. Abby Land, Entertainment Editor During the three years that I have worked on The Reflector staff, I have read every senior send-off and thought about what I would say when the time came for me to write mine. Now that I’m here, it feels impossible to do justice to the laughter, tears and memories of the newsroom that have become such a part of the person and professional that I am today. It feels almost cheap to try to write about it, but as a journalist, I do believe that writing is the best way to say anything. All I really knew coming into college was that I loved to write, and I was good at it. But I was not disciplined in my writing. More than once during that first semester, I lamented that journalism “is writing but with all the fun taken out.” But I was so wrong. I am 10 times the writer now that I was when I first took the elevator up to the third floor of Esch Hall as a freshman. If I never
write another article in my life, I will still use and benefit from the skills I got here every day. Most importantly, though, my heart aches when I think of the friends who, no matter how well I stay in touch with them, I will never be as close to again as I am now. The people I have worked with over my three years in the newsroom created such a special environment to be part of—one where I could be completely myself without fear of judgment. Sometimes when I am job searching, I have this fear, almost as pervasive as the fear of unemployment: what if I have to work with people who are actually normal? How boring that seems compared to what I am accustomed to. And, honestly, how lucky am I to have that fear, because it shows how much I have loved being a part of The Reflector. Not everyone is lucky enough to find where they really fit in college, and I don’t take for granted that I had that chance. I’ve had opportunities and made friends that three years ago, when I sat alone in my freshman dorm wishing for better things, I could not have dreamed of. I am so thankful to the staff, the ones still here and the ones who have left, and to Jeanne, who always had so much faith in me. I hold you all and the memories we’ve shared close to my heart, and please know that the best parts of the young woman leaving UIndy now exist, at least in part, thanks to you all. I hope I’ll make you proud.
much of a conservative, seemed to be the moral opposite of me. I thought that the BUSINESS MANAGER president's views were disgusting and that the same must be true of his supBeing a Hoosier comes with a love- porters. Now, cursed with the whimsical hate relationship with college basket- collegiate exploration of ideas, I have ball and the stereotypical Midwestern come to understand why conservatives niceness that makes for awkward con- seek comfort in President Trump. Drive versation when trying to open the door around northern and southern Indiana, for someone. It also comes with a set of and you will see it. Many times during core values. Either a product of my own his campaign, Trump offered help to the upbringing or the upbringing of those disadvantaged farmers of rural Ameriaround me, Indiana’s core conservative ca, so they could pursue their American values, such as fiscal responsibility, the Dream. These were people carrying on pursuit of the American Dream and their traditions. Whether it is followindividualism are ones to which I sub- ing after their grandmother in shucking scribe. Despite being a self-identified corn or working at your family’s owned liberal, those conservative values are im- bakery. I wasn’t much different. My portant to me in living a full life, in and grandmother was a server, my mother was a server, and in high school I joined outside of politics. I grew up in an urban area on the east the business to help pay for college and side of Indianapolis, a place where the novelties. For some poorer or disadvantaged number of beer bottle caps outnumbered the blades of grass at the local park. My people, liberal politics kept us alive and family was broke. My friends were hun- kept our families together. However, gry. Everyone around me was suffering. conservative policies did the same for many farmWe drew comers and the fort in hearing middle class. I about policies that promoted Conservatism, at its core, highly doubt I would have the welfare of is about the connection ever become a and assistance registered Reto those less humans can make... publican, but if fortunate. The my upbringing policies my had been diffriends, family and I supported were rooted in the val- ferent, there might have been a better ue of fiscal responsibility. Giving people shot. It was never a matter of how people free or cheaper healthcare and helping them buy food is one of the best ways to with the color of my skin, no matter promote financial responsibility. People how brown it is, could acquaint themwho do not understand what it’s like to selves with the conservative agenda. have money may not understand how to Conservatism, at its core, is about the use it. Programs such as the Affordable connections humans can make despite Care Act and the Supplemental Nutri- their differences. Inclusivity has been tion Assistance Program gave our fam- the hallmark of liberal ideals and polily the ability to save for things such as itics, when conservatives should have textbooks and family trips. The current been the first to jump at the opportuconservative agenda sees these as hand- nity. There does not need to be any docouts. We weren’t farmhands, but we trine or set of rules to label who has the definitely were working hard. It was a ideology of the people. In retrospect, the tradition of hard work that we kept and ideological divide is the most American part of politics. While I admit that parpassed down through each generation. My family and I practiced things tisanship should be at the forefront of based on tradition, but traditions change all policies, my experience has always as time passes. It’s a generational tele- led me to believe that it was impossiphone game. From my experience, most ble to do so. Those differences in ideas people in Indiana are conservative be- and institutions are the leading factors cause that’s how they were taught to in a rich democracy. We just need to acpursue the American Dream. That same quaint ourselves with the other sides. Many of us believe different things, way of thinking was passed to me. I noticed more as time passed after the 2016 but we all are much more similar than presidential election. At first, those who we give ourselves credit for. We’re all sided with then presidential candidate connected by the same principles and Donald Trump, who is not actually values that make us American.
By Tate Jones
End of the year at Grab-N-Go
Graphic by Alissa Kennelly
