January 20, 2015

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XLI Issue 2 January 20, 2015

Physician-assisted suicide: A controversial choice: Pg. 2

A tribute to Dr. King: Pg. 6 Bring your bag, keep your change: Pg. 3 5¢

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OPINION

Image courtesy lifesitenews.com

Image courtesy cdn.abclocal.go.com

Brittany Maynard, 29, before and during her struggle with brain cancer and the controversy over her choice to end her life early.

Death with dignity:

Terminally ill deserve right to die on own terms JOE STUMPO

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

Staff Writer

Imagine having your whole life ahead of you. You are 29 years old. You just got married and have plans to start a family. Trouble is you have been suffering from massive headaches the past few months. You see the doctor and feel as though you’ve literally been punched in the stomach upon hearing the diagnosis: stage IV glioblastoma multiforme.

In short, you have terminal brain cancer.

At the suggestion of the doctors, you opt to have a couple surgeries in hopes of stopping the brain tumor but the cancer comes back a few months later, this time more aggressively. Doctors give you a death sentence of six months to live or less. What do you do?

If you do what I’ve known so many have done over the course of my lifetime, whether they are family members or acquaintances, after exhausting every possible life saving option, provided they are able, they decide to live their remaining weeks or months at home as opposed to being bedridden in a hospital.

So far, I don’t know anyone who would

to end her life “reprehensible.”

“Dignity is something other than putting an end to one’s own life,” said Monsignor Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life. “Brittany Maynard’s act is in itself reprehensible, but what happened in the consciousness we do not know.”

This brings me to the question of who are they, or anyone for that matter, to decide what’s best for the dying, regardless of what the Bible teaches about suicide being a sin? How do they know what God will decide when that person goes before the Almighty on Judgment Day? It amazes me how people and religious organizations are so quick to condemn a dying person’s decision to end their own life as opposed to putting it in God’s hands and waiting for the Angel of Death to take them.

Unless born a masochist (who enjoys giving pain), I don’t think any of us wants to watch someone in, let alone go through, the final ravaging stages of diseases like AIDS, Ebola or the many forms of cancer. If we weren’t so compassionate, why then do we pet owners, when told by the veterinarian that our beloved dog or cat is dying, opt to “put them to sleep?”

The answer is because we don’t want to watch

them suffer.

I don’t know what action I will take if/when the day comes that some ailment I pay little to no attention to turns out to be something terminal.

Perhaps I’ll move to Hawaii, rent a house and spend my remaining days on the beach watching the waves creep up in hopes my time ends one day as the sun goes down. Perhaps when my time is at an end, more states besides Oregon will have adopted the Death With Dignity law and I can decide whether to take matters in my own hands. Personally, I don’t think I could bring myself to do it.

Considering the devastating side effects, however, that Maynard wrote on her blog what she would have gone through had she chosen radiation treatment which would have included her hair being singed off, first degree burns, morphine resistant pain, personality changes, and the combined loss of verbal, cognitive and motor skills as a result of her brain tumor, taking legally prescribed medication to end one’s life before the symptoms get intolerable seems the better, more humane way to go than the excruciatingly painful alternative.

Students’ thoughts on doctor-assisted suicide “I don’t think I would take my own life. I believe in miracles. I understand why she wanted to do it. There are so many updates in medication and you never know what could happen. It’s like suicide.

That’s what it is. I think a martyr is a death with dignity. I would have just tried to stick it out. ” Nigie Johnson, former student, graduated with associates in arts.

“It makes a lot of sense to me, if you think about it. There’s always that glimmer of hope that people could have, but sometimes people just kinda look at what they’ve done and maybe they feel like they have done enough … It’s fine because they should have to administer tests and make sure that they are in the proper mental state to make the decision themselves … As long as they keep the proper protocol that’s fine.”

Gerald Zapata, 17, RCHS student.

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do what Brittany Maynard, 29, did when she was diagnosed in January last year with terminal brain cancer. Upon hearing how long she had to live after two failed surgeries and after consulting with family and friends, the California resident uprooted her family and moved to Oregon where a physician can legally prescribe a lethal dose of medication to the terminally ill so they can end their lives based on the state’s Death With Dignity law.

On Nov. 1, 2014, Maynard took that medication “and died as she intended – peacefully in her bedroom, in the arms of her loved ones,” according to Compassion & Choices, an end of life advocacy group Maynard worked with.

Much as with euthanasia activist Jack Kevorkian’s public support of terminally ill patients’ right to die (helping with over 100 physician assisted suicides in the 1990s), Maynard’s death has since ignited the moral debate about how, regardless of how extreme the pain a person may be in, suicide is still a sin in the eyes of most, if not all, religious denominations, in particular the Catholic Church.

What angered me most was how days after Maynard’s passing, an official with the Vatican, which condemns suicide, called her decision

“Taking your life is a sin, according to your belief. Let’s say if I didn’t believe, I still wouldn’t do it. I prefer to just die naturally, everyone’s going to die. If you know in your heart that you’re gonna die and everybody else is fine with it, I’m pretty sure you’ll die happy. It’s going to be less painful for them.”

Claudia Menjivar, 18, RCHS student.

“I don’t think you should have the right to take your own life. The way I was raised, it’s like committing suicide, it’s a sin. Even though you are suffering it’ll get better in the future, if you go to heaven or not. Once you’re in heaven it doesn’t matter.”

Amaris Garcia, 18, RCHS student.

OPINION

Another new law: The bag ordinance Student experiences the new law in effect at bookstore JOYCE JACKSON Last week I signed up for a class for the spring semester and thought I’d get ahead of the crowd and buy the book.

So, I traipsed over to the Follett Bookstore, found the book quite easily and bought it for $50.

I got a surprise when I simply asked the clerk to put it in a bag. That’s when I found out that the new Bag Ordinance Law in effect as of Jan. 1 included Richland.

While it is in effect at the bookstore, it doesn’t include the bags used at Subway.

I’m not a fan of this law, which I think is ridiculous, but I’m curious as to what other students, staff and faculty might think about it.

The only consolation is that the five-cent fee for a single-use bag is not subject to sales tax.

For those who may not be aware of it, the Dallas City Council passed a fee-based ordinance on March 26, 2014, forcing retailers to charge five cents for carryout bags. They passed it to improve the environment and keep Dallas clean. It passed by a vote of 8-6, but not everyone is happy about it. And, just like our federal government, which constantly bombards Americans with more and more new laws and regulations, there will be challenges.

I won’t go broke paying a measly five cents for a bag, but over time it’ll add up for students as they shop and buy books for classes each semester.

This law doesn’t apply to surrounding Metroplex cities like Mesquite, where my husband and I live.

Some bags are exempt from the single-use bag definition. They include: laundry, dry cleaning or garment bags, newspaper bags, bags for trash or pet waste, plastic bags for produce, meats, nuts and other bulk items in supermarkets, recyclable paper bags from pharmacies or veterinarians for prescription drugs and bags used by restaurants for takehome food, among others.

I was rather surprised that The Dallas Morning News condones this law. In its editorial of Dec. 28, 2014, the paper wrote: “Retailers should embrace the measure for what it is as of Thursday: the law.”

Just because the city council passes a law doesn’t meant it’s a good one or that people like it or will get used to it. In fact, I think it’s going to be so annoying to most folks that it will probably drive them to do their shopping in other Metroplex cities.

I asked Richland Follett bookstore manager Adam Boynton what he thinks of the new Bag Ordinance law.

“Follett fully supports all local, state and federal regulations. It seems that the ordinance will support sustainability efforts already in

Staff illustration Abraham Igene

“I’m a new student here.

I’m aware of the new law.

I was surprised. Every little bit helps. It just teaches you to bring your book bag next time you come. I don’t mind it because stuff costs nowadays. If it’s something as, bring your own bag, it’s OK to pay five cents. It’s for the school.”

“I heard about the law. I think it’s kind of ridiculous paying for a bag. I’m used to not paying for a bag. Now, I have to pay for it to carry my stuff. I understand their point of view. It has its benefits.

I bought some books.”

Eric Ward, 24, science major

Gloria Sandoval, 19, biology major

place. In fact, we have been discouraging the use of shopping bags for several years with our Save the Sack promotion by only providing a bag if a customer asks for it,” Boynton said.

He added that he has not had any complaints or problems surrounding the new ordinance.

As far as changes or taking any action to get ready to comply with the measure, Boynton

said that “there was a process to register and ensure we are working toward compliance in time for implementation.

“The bags that we currently provide, both in store and for online orders, do not qualify as ‘reusable’ under the ordinance so we are working toward having approved bags so we won’t need to collect fees from customers. The new bags will be Kraft paper which is durable, recyclable and made of 100 percent recycled

Staff photos Isai Diaz

content. We are also working on a qualifying plastic bag, giving the customer a choice between sustainable paper or sustainable plastic.”

One has to wonder if there is a legality question on this bag ordinance. Since Greg Abbott was scheduled at press time to be sworn in as governor today, we’ll see if he or any other legislator challenges it. Of course, on Abbott’s list of priorities, this one probably ranks near the bottom.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

Copy Editor

3

ENTERTAINMENT

Best

of

2014

Best of 2014

and, like, other movies

RICKY MILLER Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

Entertainment Editor

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1. “Guardians of the Galaxy” — Everyone knows how much I loved this Marvel superhero flick and all of the shenanigans involved with characters named Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), a green-hued alien named Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a Christmas colored alien named Drax (Dave Bautista) as well as the voice talents of a talking tree named Groot voiced by Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper as a genetically altered marsupial named Rocket.

Grade: A 2. “Interstellar” — Yet another win for the always amazing director Christopher Nolan who deals with a jack-of-all trades astronaut and general do-gooder Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) searching for another planet to call home. A-

Ricky’s Take

Not great but still good —The best of the rest

...

3. “X-Men: Days of Future Past” — This is a fun ride from director Bryan Singer who returns to his roots with this tale, that for all intents and purposes, negates the first entries into this saga involving mutants named Logan, (High Jackman), Sorm (Halle Berry), Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and James McCavoy as Professor Charles Xavier. A4. “Whiplash” — An awesome flick starring Miles Teller (“The Spectacular Now”) as a drummer in the Big Apple. J.K. Simmons is impressive as his ruthless teacher, Fletcher. A5. “The Imitation Game” — This centers on mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch, “Star Trek: Into Darkness”) trying to crack the Enigma code during World War II. A6. “Life Itself ” — Steve James directs this fact-based autobiography of late film critic Roger Ebert and his relationship with his “At the Movies” co-star Gene Siskel, whose rela-

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Staff illustration Kisten S. Chetty

tionship and friendship always seemed adversarial. A7. “Chef ” — Jon Favreau directs this amazing slice-of-life tale about a chef (Favreau) who branches out from working at a restaurant to a mobile food truck. A8. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” — Here’s a fun and quirky tale about the goings on of an overseas hotel with the usually serious Ralph Fiennes having a blast as Gustav H. and his penchant for dating elderly rich ladies in their twilight years. A9. “Selma” — Fact-based drama of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his dealings with LBJ (Tom Wilkinson), as well as George Wallace (Tim Roth), and King’s attempt to get equal status in the nation’s ability to vote. A10. “Begin Again” — Mark Ruffalo is producing a record involving singer Keira Knightley on the streets of the Big Apple. A-

They did not take the best of the best top spots. However, here are quite a few more movies I enjoyed: All titles graded on the A-F scale 11.

“The Wind Rises” A12. “American Sniper” B+ 13. “The Hundred-Foot Journey” B+ 14. “The Fault in Our Stars” B+ 15. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” B+ 16. “Fury” B+ 17.

“A walk Among the Tombstones” B+ 18. “The Theory of Everything” B 19. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” B 20.

“Bears” B 21. “Edge of Tomorrow” B 22. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” B 23. “Labor Day” B 24. “Big Eyes” B 25. “The Gambler” B 26. “The Drop” B 27. “The Lego Movie” B 28. “Draft Day” B 29. “Million Dollar Arm” B 30. “Boxtrolls” B 31. “Don Hemingway” B 32. “A Most Wanted Man” B 33. “Dolphin tale 2” B 34. “Cake” B 35. “St.Vincint” B 36. “The Good Lie” B 37. “The Raid 2” B 38. “Gone Girl” B39. “Boyhood” B40. “Birdman or (The Unexpected

Virtue of Ignorance”) B41. “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies” B42. “Unbroken” B43. “Big Hero 6” B44. “Foxcatcher” B45. “John Wick” B46. “The Interview” B47. “Inherent Vice” B48. “Amazing Spider-Man 2” B49. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

part One” B50. “The Penguins of Madgascar” B— Ricky Miller

“The Interview” — James Franco and Seth Rogen team up for “American — Oscar-nominated Cooper here, a Sniper” former assassin-for-hire who Bradley gets pulled back stars into as this enjoyable ride in which the duo is recruited to assassinate Chris the Kyle, who isunderworld said to havehe killed of more than 150 individuals seething thought he left behind.

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un (Randall Park). Grade: Bwho were military targets.

B+ C+ - This is an intriguing tale “Stonehearst Asylum” or (“The Virtue of Ignorance”) “Paddington” “Birdman — Fun little family Unexpected flick involving the famed bear “Spare Parts” — The usually of obnoxious Lopezthat is a inabout various denizens a mentalGeorge institution B to - Michael KeatonB-is a washed-up actor staging a oneand his search find a family. substitute teacher mentoring a quartet of high students cludes Michael Caine, Jim Sturgess, Kateschool Beckinsale andenshow on Broadway who dealsFBI withagent a variety of pre“Taken 3” man — Liam Neeson returns as former David teringBen a robotics competition. Clichéd, yet fun as all get out. Also Kingsley. dicaments problems preceding opening of his play.

Mills, who gets framed and for his ex-wife’s (Famke the Janssen) murder. features“St. Oscar-winner andisJamie Lee Curtis.ofBan Vincent” Marisa B - BillTomei Murray a curmudgeon “Fury” B+ Brad Pitt is commander of a platoon of old man who befriends a next door neighbor kid (Jaeden Better than the last chapter. C+ soldiers facing predicaments aplenty in Germany at the Lieberher) who learns to fend for himself in the everyday end of World War II. “John Wick” B - Keanu Reeves is the title character

CAMPUS/SPORTS

A new semester for Thunderducks: Welcome back MELANIE BRANDOW Editor-in-Chief

A sign welcomes new and returning Thunderducks to campus.

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Alex Spielbauer gets his student ID.

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Staff photo Isai Diaz

Thunderduck Hall, where most school paperwork is done.

Thunderducks beat Region V champs Eastfield BLANCA REYES Photography Editor

In an exciting fast-paced game, Richland’s basketball team squeaked by Eastfield College, 111-104 on Jan. 14.

The game was competitive and emotional; Eastfield is the defending Region V champion.

It is also the squad that eliminated Richland from postseason play last season.

Richland guard Trey Hall said that this year the team is different from the last year.

“We are not the same team from last year,” Hall said. “Last year, they just pushed us around like little kids, but this year we are playing like real men.”

“We are not the same team from last year,” — Trey Hall The T-Ducks scored in the first seconds of the game. Even though the Harvesters tried to catch up, the Thunderducks never lost the lead.

Jon Havens, Richland‘s head coach, said this year the team is very mature and although defeat may have been in the back of players’ minds last year, it was not the main motivation

for winning.

“They are a pretty mature team and they know that in order to get where they want to go it is a one-by-one game process,” Havens said.

Despite defense and rebounding, the game was not free of injuries. In the middle of the second half, KD Moore flipped over in a scary fall.

Havens said that the first thing that passed through his mind was a rush of panic because, for him, the players’ health is the most important thing. Also, early in the season, the team lost Jordon Adams one of its star players, because of a very similar accident.

Despite the tumble, Heavens is expecting Moore to be ready for the next game against.

At press time, it was scheduled for Saturday, Jan.16.

Havens and the team are aware that even though the team works hard, it is a long way to the national tournament with eight more difficult games to play.

“It feels good to be where we are at. The biggest thing is I don’t want to feel satisfied. I don’t want the guys feel like they accomplished something because we have more conference games,” Havens said.

For more information about the team, schedule and results visit www.richlandcollege. edu/basketb or stop by Guadalupe Hall, G-120.

Staff photo Isai Diaz

Students enter Thunderduck Hall.

Richland basketball Wednesday Brookhaven 7 p.m.

Saturday Cedar Valley 2 p.m.

Jan. 28 Northlake 7 p.m.

Jan. 31 Eastfield 2 p.m.

Feb. 4 Mountain View 7 p.m.

Feb 7 Brookhaven 2 p.m.

Feb. 11 Cedar Valley College 7 p.m.

Staff photo Blanca Reyes

Trey Hall, guard, decides where to pass the ball against Eastfield College.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

Buy your books, get your supplies and be ready to take a lot of notes again! The new year is starting off great for those registered for the spring semester here at Richland.

Taking another step of a new journey in life is challenging, yes, but no need to be afraid.

The faculty, staff and student body are always welcoming on Richland’s campus.

Make college life stimulating by getting involved in all the activities and organizations.

This is a great way to meet an adverse group of students both local and from around the world.

There are more than 79 languages spoken here that are student’s first language.

The beauty of Richland’s natural landscape eases the stress of becoming a new student.

Welcome back to students, faculty and staff, both new and returning.

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FEATURE/CAMPUS

Honoring MLK’s courage MELANIE BRANDOW Editor-in-Chief

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

Leadership, fairness, dignity, patience and accomplishment are a few of the many things associated with a man of strength. Known for his triumph over legal racial segregation and for promoting equality in general, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has been honored every year on the third Monday in January since 1986. It’s a day to support equal rights for all Americans, regardless of background.

On August 28, 1963, over 250,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the nation’s capital to listen to King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. King’s outpouring of emotion during the apex of the Civil Rights Movement underscored the enormous demand for change happening throughout the United States.

Many remember him as a great leader and speaker.

Richland counselor Tameca Minter feels Martin Luther King Jr. Day is important for students to understand that there was a legacy

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Dinh Ho, RCHS student.

Staff photos Joyce Jackson

created by King and it is to know one’s rights and freedoms.

“We have our civil rights leaders that are written in certain school textbooks, but there are other leaders that were left out, other leaders who fought from other angles and belong to other nationalities and ethnicities,” said Minter.

She believes students are to think of the holiday as an opportunity to give service.

“Recognize that the events such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday is not just a day for you to take off, to sleep and to forget, but to actually give service in some way, shape or form.

“You do not have to be African-American to celebrate the holiday, just be respectful of the tradition and legacy left behind and start to create a new legacy within your own respectful families.

“You’re entitled to a lot of things but not everything is given to you, you have to work for it. I think that if one is not leaving a legacy, then one is not leaving anything behind.

They’re just existing,” Minter said.

RCHS students Dinh Ho, 18, a physician assistant major, and Linda Nguyen, 18, a computer science major, agreed that if not for MLK’s civil rights work, minorities wouldn’t be here to thrive for success.

“I think it’s a good reminder to remember how far we have gone and how far we have to go; it’s not over.

“There’s still a lot of things that need to be changed. It’s like history repeating itself,” Ho said, in response to why the holiday is important to her.

“MLK day is what we need to remember again and focus on what’s important,” Nguyen emphasized. Ho and Nguyen also mentioned that it is an important day to celebrate because King fought for minorities, just as his followers do today.

Staff Writer

Welcome to Richland College, home of the Thunderducks. As you get settled in for the spring semester, it might be helpful to know a little bit more about the campus.

If you are in need of a good caffeine burst, check out the cafe on the first floor of Sabine Hall, right next door to the bookstore. They proudly serve Starbucks brand refreshments and pastries, as well as a variety of bottled drinks, healthy snacks and fresh packaged salads and sandwiches.

Subway is located in the Cafeteria of El Paso Hall, and is open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Fridays, and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

Stay fit and start the New Year off right with a trip to the Fitness Center on campus. This 3,000 plus square foot fitness center overlooks

beautiful Lake Thunderduck and is equipped with more than $100,000 worth of hightech fitness equipment. There is no charge for Richland credit students who are enrolled in a Physical Education course, and employees that are participating in the DCCCD wellness program.

Anyone not enrolled in a credit physical education course may sign up to use the fitness center through the Continuing Education program at a cost of $20 per month. This includes students enrolled in other credit or non-credit courses as well as community members not enrolled at Richland. Senior community members 65 and over are encouraged to join the Silver Ducks credit program where you may be eligible for a tuition waiver for the Health Fitness Center.

If you ever wanted to try yoga, Thursdays

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Layout Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Melanie Brandow Kisten S. Chetty Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Top: Controversial death with dignity debate. Bottom right: New bag laws. Left: Honoring Martin Luther King

Amanda Steepleton, interior design major.

COVER AND FONTS Top: Staff illustration Chronicle staff Bottom right: Staff graphic Isai Diaz Left: Image courtesy greendallas.com Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: http://www.nymfont.com - http://www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Isai Diaz Audrey Morton Augustine Mukoka

Joe Stumpo Abraham Igene Pete Shannon

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Tameca Minter, Richland counselor.

King chose to use rhetoric to lead a civil rights movement rather than violence to get his point across to America’s leaders.

Interior design major Amanda Steepleton said, “Believe in your dreams. You have to get where you want to be, you’ve gotta be successful and it’s important to tell people that.”

She feels that MLK day brings people together and shows that some people were really ignorant back in the day.

“It brought so much change for the good.”

She considered King a dreamer and a really good person. “He believed exactly what he spoke. He spoke his mind and he followed his heart and his dreams,” Steepleton added.

5 things you need to know about Richland AUDREY MORTON

Richland

are your chance, and the best part is that it’s free! Personal counselor Julie Hanson has been teaching a weekly Yoga session for the last four years to students, faculty and staff to help manage stress.

Richland is the only campus in the Dallas County Community College District that offers a complete journalism department, with a TV, radio station and newsroom, all open to students eager to learn more about broadcasting and journalism.

If you’ve ever wanted to be on the radio, write a news story or learn how to be a news anchor, then the KDUX WebRadio, the Chronicle and KDUX-TV might be the next step on that path.

For more information about participating, feel free to stop by the journalism office located in El Paso Hall E-020, or visit them online at www.richlandcronicle.wordpress.com.

Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe Tim Jones

Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Marshall Siegel

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CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker Finalist, 2007, 2008 1st Place - TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place - TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E-020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079 E-mail: richanchronicle@gmail.com Advertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu Fax: 972-238-6037 Staff meetings: Monday and Wednesday 2 p.m. in E-020 Letter Policy Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration. © Richland Chronicle 2014

OPINION/CAMPUS

PETE SHANNON Staff Writer

It’s often repeated around the country these days that women are paid only 77 percent as much as men.

So when, after some heated classroom discussion, our three-student, mixed-gender project team in Richland professor Ron Stout’s Psychology 2315 class set out last spring to poll our friends, relatives and fellow students of all ages and sexes about this highly charged subject, it came as no surprise to us that 80 percent said they believed it, too.

Even President Barack Obama, surrounded in 2009 by a sea of gleeful ladies at his signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, seemed confused about this same 77 percent figure when he quoted it and then denounced it as a huge injustice that demanded more government response.

The media, ever quick to sensationalize, failed to point out that Mrs. Ledbetter’s lost case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which the new law named for her was designed to fix, was mainly about extending the legal time limit for filing wage complaints, not any actual widespread pay inequity.

The reason for this is simple. Based on a host of provisions, not the least of which is gender, it’s been against federal law for over 50 years to discriminate when paying people for the same work.

The often-misinterpreted 77 percent has also been falsely cited by many other misguided politicians and especially by feminist activist groups like the American Association of University Women (AAUW). They eagerly continue to spread the confusing impression that women are routinely the victims of a cor-

responding 23 percent gap in their monthly or hourly rate of pay for equal work. But this is just not so. And here’s why: The 77 percent represents the fraction of female-to-male median (i.e. midpoint) total take-home pay for a full year. That’s not at all the same as comparing specific hourly or salaried rates of pay for identical work involving experience, education, productivity, hours on the job, etc.

Even so, there are many legitimate reasons for the acknowledged difference in annual take-home pay. Most of them, as cited in a 2009 U.S. Labor Department report (available online), are explainable by the voluntary choices made by workers of both sexes.

These involve variables like overtime; doing risky, dangerous or messy tasks; accepting transfers; frequent job-required travel; extended leave for child bearing, child care or elder care; as well as opting for more or fewer non-cash fringe benefits like health insurance.

And, frankly, they also reflect substantially different behavior patterns between the sexes about aggressively pursuing raises and promotions.

But, even without making such choices, there can still be legitimate pay differences between people doing the same work.

For example, if two sales managers in identical jobs have equal base salaries but one earns a higher performance bonus in even one period of the year, then that person’s total pay will be higher, but not because of any discrimination or gender inequity.

When considering worker choices and factors like these as a whole, the Labor Department report narrowed the real gender pay gap to something less than five percent. And that was back in 2009.

Nevertheless, the website of the Equal Em-

ployment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc. gov , the federal wage oversight agency set up

by The Civil Rights Act of 1964, states that from the current U.S. workforce of over 140 million people, during the most recent 17-year period there averaged only 1,050 annual complaints involving gender-based pay inequity, an infinitesimal rate of .00075 percent.

Of these filings, over 60 percent were dismissed as groundless, while most of the remainder were settled satisfactorily by arbitration.

Furthermore, the latest data seems to imply that any remaining slight gender pay rate gap in favor of men may be disappearing or even be reversing.

In a recent tabulation by Glassdoor, the popular online career site for volunteering personal employment data, women software engineers at several large technical companies reported having an average of 5.26 years of experience and earning $105,580 in base pay while the men at the same companies reported an average of 5.51 years of experience and base pay of slightly more: $108,701.

By comparing only base pay, the first impression would be that the women software engineers were underpaid. But by adjusting for the differences in experience, the same data reveal that the women earned $20,072 per year-of-experience while the men actually earned less, $19,728 per year-of-experience.

So, does this gender-pay-gap thing really look like a major national problem to you? Is it one, perhaps, even requiring a female president to remedy? If you believe so, pay closer attention to all the media hype on this subject that’s sure to heat up during the next national election cycle.

Then, maybe check out some of the facts yourself before you form a final opinion.

‘Little Shop of Horrors’: The other hunger games

What do you do with an obnoxious maneating plant that can’t control its appetite?

That’s the premise of the Drama Department’s “Little Shop of Horrors,” its first spring production. The musical was written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

Director Gregory Lush, adjunct drama faculty, will hold auditions starting at 7 p.m.

Thursday in the Fannin Performance Hall, Room 102. He said auditions will consist of singing 16 to 32 bars in a style similar to the show.

Callbacks on Friday will consist of reading from the script with other actors, some dance moves and more singing, Lush said.

Rehearsals will be held on weeknights. The production will run March 4-7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arena Theater in Fannin. For more information contact Lush at glush@dcccd.edu or call 972-238-3733.

— Joyce Jackson

Classes begin

Today

Ask Me tables around campus Student Planners avaiable at Office of Student Life, El Paso Hall, Room 040

Wednesday Noon Reception for Joo Young Choi Painting and Installation Brazos Art Gallery 7 p.m.

Audtions for musical, “Little Shop of Horrors” Fannin Hall, Room 102

Jan. 27 Chronicle Issue 3 on newsstands 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Faculty Jazz Group Fannin Performance Hall, Room 102 Free to the public

Jan. 28 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Spring Transfer Fair (more than 50 universities) El Paso Hall

Inclement Weather Hotline: Students: 972-238-6196 Richland employees: 972-238-6912 Information available after 6 a.m.

Staff illustration Melanie Brandow

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015

The gender pay-gap myth

Upcoming Events

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Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com January 20, 2015