NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Volume 161 No. 31 SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
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AALIYAH ROMAN | SPARTAN DAILY
Two women from a religious organization offer free Bible courses to students walking by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on campus during the Fall 2023 semester.
SJ community addresses recruitment
By Aaliyah Roman STAFF WRITER
Student recruitment on the San José State University’s campus is not limited to just clubs, sports and Greek organizations, but also religious groups. Jehovah’s Witnesses stand near the campus Tower Lawn to offer Bible study courses. A person who identifies as Izai Bummer, a graphic design studies junior, and Veronica Le, business and management information systems junior, also said other religious groups have approached them this fall semester. Jehovah’s Witnesses identify as Christians, but believe in Jesus as one, whereas most Christians believe in a Holy Trinity with the Holy Spirit, God as the Father and Jesus as the Son, according to a Pew Research Center article. Bummer said recruiters on campus come up to her at least once a week and do not leave her alone after she tells them she isn’t interested. “I don’t care for their religion and they take that as a mean thing, but it's the same as (the fact that) they don’t care that I don’t have a religion,” Bummer said. “They’re gonna tell me about their religion anyways.” Bummer said she does not identify with any religion. She said the strict rules of her parents’ Baptist Christian beliefs caused her to move away from religion as a whole. Veronica Le, business and m a n a g e m e nt information systems junior, said a woman once walked up to her while sitting at the Student
Union and asked for her contact information. Le said when she asked what the woman needed it for, the woman said it was for a study. “At that moment, I’m like ‘Oh, so you are a psychology major?’ ” Le said. “ ‘What (is) the study about?,’ and then she looked at me and then thought about it (for) a bit.” She said after the woman insisted on getting her information, the woman finally told her it was a study about Jesus. Le, who is an atheist, said she kindly told the woman she wasn’t interested and then watched the woman pursue other students sitting nearby. “I was honestly mad at the moment because I feel like I'm respecting you, why are you not respecting me and I already refused you like three times now,” she said. Le said she understands the groups have freedom to exercise their religion, but said she believes recruiters should respect students when they say no. Bummer said in her experience, people come up to her saying she looks like she’s having a bad day or that she needs saving. She said she grew up with a degenerative muscular disease that requires her to carry a cane everywhere and said that some recruiters have told her they can pray for her to not use a cane anymore. “It’s very rude and ... angering because they will approach you (based) on assumptions that they have of you and also their religion of ‘We can make you better if you can come
with us,’ ” Bummer said. Eliza Fernandez, San José community college psychology freshman, said she approached students at the tables outside the Student Union last Thursday. She said she was recruiting students for THRIVE, a nondenominational Christian club on campus that offers personal Bible studies to the community, according to a post on the club’s Instagram page.
Francisco State University computer science assistant professor and Chung Tai Zen Center volunteer, said the Zen club at San Francisco State invites a Shifu to speak with students and teach them meditation techniques. Shifu Jiansheng Shih said a Shifu is a Buddhist monk or nun. Wang said she doesn’t know if religious groups need to have a permit to come on campus. She said the Shifu was able to visit
I don’t care for their religion and they take that as a mean thing, but it’s the same as (the fact that) they don’t care that I don’t have a religion. Izai Bummer graphic design studies junior
Fernandez said she enjoys approaching students because it’s more personal. She said that she intends to try and make students’ days by starting conversations with them. Dan Beaudoin, an Open Air Campaigners Missionary evangelist, stood on Paseo de Cesar Chavez last Thursday, handing out religious pamphlets to students walking by. Open Air Campaigners is a mission board focused on public evangelism, according to its website. Beaudoin said SJSU is a public-funded university where he is allowed to exercise free speech as long as he is on Seventh Street and not tabling. Jingyi Wang, San
SFSU’s campus because they were invited. She said the center does not outwardly recruit other students, but instead shares meditation ideas to stressed students who may need it. Most students only come for meditation and rarely do they decide to join the Buddhist religion. “It’s more neutral,” Wang said. “It’s up to (the) students’ decision (if ) they want to be (in) any kind of religious belief so especially when we go to school, (we) just simply share the idea (and) shared values.” Beaudoin said some religious groups and cults are usually more aggressive when trying to get students to join because they are
more local. He said those who are aggressive believe that either people should be a part of their group or “you’re not right with God.” “Something that (they) will use is something called love bombing where they’ll go and you’re their best friend,” Beaudoin said. “They want to do all this cool stuff for you and (be like) ‘Hey, you need to come to our group. You’re gonna love it so much’ and they use that to get their claws into people.” Beaudoin said he shares the gospel with other universities, downtown areas and local malls and has also preached to passersby in the past. He said he’s used to people walking by and ignoring him when he attempts to hand them a pamphlet from his group. The J e h o v a h’s Witnesses have frequent volunteers stationed on campus. Normally, Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for going door-todoor in neighborhoods and inviting people into their religion, according to the Pew Research Center article. Chris Boznos and Franzia Boznos said they are Jehovah’s Witnesses and volunteer to be on campus. Franzia Boznos said they also go to malls and other public spaces. “We care very much for humanity (and) for our neighbor per se,” Franzia Boznos said. “That’s one of the reasons, and we make time to visit you in your home to make this a more personal conversation.” The married couple volunteers to be on campus every Wednesday. Chris Boznos said they do
not go up to students and instead, they wait to see if any approach them first. “The best thing to do is have people come up to us if they have any questions, we would gladly talk with them,” Franzia Boznos said. Other local religious groups such as Congregation Etz Chayim, Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church and San José Buddhist Church Betsuin, said they do not go on campus to recruit students. Nebojsa Pantic, an assistant priest for Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, said the church, however, offers the Orthodox Christian Fellowships to students who are interested in having it at the campus. Pantic said it has been about 10-15 years since they had a fellowship at SJSU. Bummer said it is wrong for religious groups who proselytize to put their responsibility of religion on other people. “A lot of the time, I don’t care about your religion, like go for it,” Bummer said. “Good for you for having religion but there’s also a freedom to exercise it (and) they stop realizing that (the) exercising of their freedom of religion (needs to) stop with themselves.”
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
Experts talk US transit flaws By Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER
The Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University hosted an online webinar on Tuesday morning about the inadequacies of the United States transit system and finding innovative solutions to improve transit projects through planning processes. The Mineta Transportation Institute is a research and training unit in partnership with SJSU’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, according to its website. The institute’s mission is to improve the safety, efficiency and accessibility of the U.S. transportation system, and to encourage the utilization of public transit, according to the same website. Hilary Nixon, deputy executive director for the Mineta Transportation Institute and a moderator at the webinar, said it’s important to explore challenges, teachable moments and solutions in transit projects.
“The cost of transit projects across the U.S. continues to increase and there never seems to be enough capital to fund what transportation a pillar of our country needs,” Nixon said. Joshua Schank, one of the webinar panelists and InfraStrategies employee, said there are many factors that play into the escalation of costs for transit projects during the planning process. InfraStrategies is a U.S. based consultancy group focused on developing, funding, financing and managing infrastructure programs using strategic advisory, according to its website. “This is more common in the United States compared to other places,” Schank said. “We tend to live in a more litigious society, and a society that has more decentralized planning.” Schank said the combativeness of U.S. communities to new transit projects in developed urban areas means companies are prone to
facing opposition or public outrage. Sadie Graham, webinar panelist, director of Link21 and a BART employee, said even though planning and funding are a big part of the planning process for transit projects, companies should consider community member’s requests during projects. Link21 is a program aiming to improve public transit and train networks in Northern California, such as BART and the Regional Rail, according to its website. “I think there's a discord between the actual project and than the things that are needed to support the project, and often the community can benefit the project just as much as the community should benefit from the project when it's done,” Graham said. Alison Premo Black, webinar panelist and the senior vice president for American Road and Transportation Builders Association, said there are different kinds of delays in both qualitative and quantitative aspects of a transit project that can add to rising costs. “Issues with labor, rising material costs, any trouble getting materials,” Black said. “All these things have been an issue the last few years for some of the bigger projects.” Eric Goldwyn, webinar panelist and clinical assistant professor at New York University, said he thinks the solution to making transit projects more efficient is to have strong leaders and a proactive team. Goldwyn said a team with a structured system engineers of and consultants who all manage each other is a promising thing for transit projects. “Looking at stations in L.A., New York, in
particular, it’s evident that they're is so much work and effort put into the design of the infrastructure, more than in other stations and transit projects in other parts of the world,” Goldwyn said. Black said a solution that has already been implemented was the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act signed by President Joe Biden on Nov. 15, 2021, according to a website by U.S. Congressman Jim Costa. The legislation will invest $1 trillion to fix infrastructure in the U.S., such as broadband public transit systems over the next decade, according to the same website. “Not only was there additional funding for projects, which of course is always helpful, but also trying to streamline that environmental review process,” Black said. Black also said some agencies are still in recovery from the challenges that developed during the COVID19 pandemic. Schank said his idea of reform for transit projects is taking a step back and considering how money is raised and spent on projects, and what the projects will provide for people. “The incentive of a planning department or planning agency is typically to get through the environmental process to clear the project so they can move to construction,” Schank said. “But the right incentives should be to get the best outcome for the amount of money available” Schank said U.S. transit agencies tend to confuse a planning process, which should be about getting the best project for the available funds, with an environmental process, which is about getting a project approved. He also said transit projects are often planned without fully accounting for the operations and maintenance of the project in the future. “There's not a single transit agency in the country that hasn't run into the problem of deferred maintenance, not taking care of their
infrastructure,” Schank said. “That of course increases costs, long term, for their infrastructure.” Schank said one of the ways to avoid long term issues is to bundle the operations and maintenance into the project cost and structure from the very beginning of the project to have a successful outcome. “There should be a performance measurement,” Schank said. “Not just related to the actual construction, but for the outcomes of the project to see how well it is operated and maintained over a period of time.” Graham said an innovative solution to efficiency in transit projects is trying to understand what the passenger experience is like for people who use public transportation. “An integrated network using the passenger's perspective to make sure that passengers want to choose transit to get out of using their cars is what transit agencies need,” Graham said. Graham said transportation governance often prioritizes the politics and money of the project rather than the execution of how they can get people on trains or buses, prompting them to make the choice to utilize public transit. Schank said he recommends that transit companies avoid being completely driven by politics and set clear goals and deliverables for projects. “Be transparent about what you're going to achieve, from the very beginning,” Schank said. “You can always point back to that and ask, ‘O.K., we're increasing this cost, does that help achieve this larger goal that we all agreed on?’”
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Council discusses first quarterly status report By Angel Santiago STAFF WRITER
San José city councilmembers discussed and reviewed the city’s first quarter status reports during a weekly meeting at City Hall on Tuesday. The first quarter status report detailed housing, h ou s e l e s s n e s s n e s s an d increasing community safety in the San José community from the months of June to October. The annual report reviews priorities that matter to the community according to Dolan Beckel and other members of the organization. Lee Wilcox, the assistant city manager of San José, presented a report about the safety of the community and said there is a lot of property crime, violent crimes and car-related injuries in the community. “To put forward successful benefits for our residents going from having many priorities to being much more focused as an organization, something that the administration had requested,” Wilcox said. According to the presentation, there was an approximately 60% increase in improvement of the overall community safety in the last couple of months.
Rob Lloyd, the deputy city manager, presented how much the city has invested in jobs and housing. “The University of Toronto School of Cities and the Institute of Government Studies at UC Berkeley show San José’s downtown recovery as 96% of pre-COVID and No. 3 in their 66 city analysis,” Lloyd said. Lloyd said few universities were able to provide recovery from the visitors who come and visit downtown San José before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The city of San José has seen an increase of visitors from approximately 4,127,000 people compared to last year to 3,700,000, a 12% increase. San José Mayor Matt Mahan said he was happy about the progress made during the months of June to October and to see the numbers go up and not down. “Given how much is going on even within just four focus areas. Not to mention everything on around the city. I think if were looking at these quarterly I know that’s our intention,” Mahan said. City Councilmember Peter Ortiz said he understands the struggle to afford housing
ANGEL SANTIAGO | SPARTAN DAILY
San José Mayor Matt Mahan listens to a speaker during the weekly City Council meeting in downtown.
and wants everyone to know houesless people are real human beings. According to the report, 93% of low income families and individuals were able to live in permanent housing after one year. “I think this statistic truly highlights the importance of providing aid to lower income families or individuals who are at the risk of losing housing so that they can remain housed,” Ortiz said. Ortiz said he likes the
idea of broadening housing options because it is something many low-income families and individuals are facing and looking for ways to get additional resources and help. City Councilmember Arjun Batra said the report gives people the opportunity to understand how to break up housing issues in different sections and expand upon potential solutions. “There is a lot here and I think can work with it, but I think we also have to have the
opportunity for public to be able to consume it and be able to make comments on those,” Batra said. Batra said he is concerned about people leaving San José in the next few years because of the high cost of living not only in the area, but across the state.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
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CANILAO’S COMMENTARY
Spartans RB becomes team staple By Nathan Canilao
thinking about the records,” Robinson said. “It’s definitely an honor to be mentioned in the Despite his 5-foot, 7-inch same sentence as those players. frame, San José State running My family definitely reminds me back Kairee Robinson is not about the records, but I’m just hard to spot on the gridiron. focused on the next game.” His big, poofy hair has Robinson, who came out led running backs coach of De La Salle High School in Alonzo “Zo” Carter to call him Concord, Calif., wasn’t highly his “warm, fuzzy blanket.” His recruited. His small stature downhill running style has scared away bigger schools, allowed Robinson to run over but helped put a chip on defenders with a thunderous Robinson’s broad shoulders. nature that could be heard According to Robinson’s through a television screen. mother, Jessica Frey, he almost For a guy who’s had to wait committed to Air Force, but his turn his whole career, the decided to commit to SJSU late spotlight hasn’t shined brighter in the recruitment process. on an SJSU player this season. For the first four seasons of Robinson has rushed for his career, Robinson was never 13 touchdowns this season and a primary option in SJSU head is two shy of tying the single coach Brent Brennan’s offense. season rushing touchdown He played behind former record held by Johnny Johnson Spartan running backs (1988) and Deonce Whitaker DeJon Packer and Tyler Nevens (2000). Robinson also broke for the first three seasons the record for most consecutive of his career. games with a rushing touchdown Robinson played sparingly, but which was held by Tyler Ervin didn’t really carve out a starting (2015) who had six – Robinson’s role until his fourth season in streak is currently at eight 2022. But even then, Robinson games. was a secondary option to the The Antioch native has rushed passing game which featured for 719 yards and is averaging current quarterback Chevan 6.5 yards per carry. Cordeiro and former wide Robinson is the heart and soul receiver Elijah Cooks who now of the team both on the field and plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. in the locker room. His relentless But fast forward to this season play has been one of the reasons and Robinson is the team’s most why SJSU is currently on a consistent player. He’s scored a three-game winning streak. touchdown in every game he’s His dedication to being a played in this season and has mentor to his teammates while developed into a pass catcher. being one of the Spartans vocal Against the University of leaders has been one of the New Mexico, Robinson caught reasons SJSU is back to sniffing a screen pass and ran the ball the postseason. down 53 yards. A week later Even though he’s having a against Utah State University, career year, Robinson said none on the same play call, Robinson of the records matter to him took the ball 55 yards without the wins. to the end zone. “To be honest, I’m not really Robinson has also developed
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
AALIYAH ROMAN | SPARTAN DAILY
San José State’s Kairee Robinson runs a route in the Spartans’ practice on Oct. 18 at CEFCU Stadium.
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Ford song 50. Far Eastern desert 52. They create applause 54. Where to pack up your troubles 58. Climb 61. Woeful expression 63. Wine consideration 64. French Sudan, now 65. Make petty distinctions 68. Colonizer of Greenland 69. Celestial bear 70. Keeps an eye on the figures? 71. Nucha 72. It's shaped like a bell 73. Former Toyota model DOWN 1. Hiding place 2. Hatch of politics 3. Mazda model 4. Slangy name for a stranger 5. Acid neutralizer 6. Magic power or spell 7. In the company of 8. Beast of burden 9. Merit a blessing? 10. "Cheer up!" 11. Occipital ___
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Mexico. “It’s always good having the run game going. It opens up the pass and it makes my job a lot easier.” The fact that he is having a career year is just a bonus. After the season ends, it wouldn’t be surprising if an NFL team takes a look at the man who was once too small to be looked at. “Just having this type of recognition, it definitely feels good,” Robinson said. “But it’s been my teammates and my coaches who have put me in this position.”
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JOKIN’ AROUND What happened to the magical tractor?
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1. It should make you pause 6. Legendary centerfielder 10. Tap the brakes 14. Common computer font 15. Muscat's country 16. Temporary superstar 17. What you may do for laughs 19. Sanction misdeeds 20. Flop's opposite 21. The Bard's river 22. Kind of witness 24. Pave the way for 26. Whatsis 28. Gruyere coat 30. Inventor of an alcohol thermometer 34. Hunter's quarry 37. Nerd kin 39. One way to be conspicuous 40. Lamb of literature 41. Dot com letters 43. One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" 44. Some oxygen sources 46. Tuscany river 47. Hightailed it 48. Tons in a Tennessee Ernie
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SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1
everything that the Spartans need to make a postseason push. His work ethic, physicality and leadership are going to be what puts the Spartans back in the bowl game hunt. SJSU will need Robinson’s production down the stretch. After the bye week, the Spartans will host rival Fresno State on Nov. 11. The Bulldogs boast the third-best rushing defense in the conference and are a top-50 team in the country in the same category. A solid game from Robinson could mean success for the Spartans in the most crucial stretch of their season. “Really I just hand it off and he does the work,” Cordeiro said after SJSU’s win over New
It turned into a field.
into one of the team’s elder statesmen. From mentoring younger players to being a leader in the weight room, Robinson has become one of the team’s most important figures. “That man is the poster boy of what you want as a coach,” Carter said. “He’s so well respected in the locker room. He mentors the younger guys. I’m just proud of his development. He’s not the biggest kid, but he’s very impactful with his leadership. You’re starting to see his hard work pay off.” Brennan said, “Kairee is a senior, he’s been here for a long time. It’s awesome to see him playing his best football at this stage in his career.” Robinson represents
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12. Superior to 13. Unit of power 18. Requite 23. Dec. highlight 25. Overcome unfamiliarity 27. Exasperating 29. Union issue 31. Symbol of suburbia 32. More than suggest 33. Try for a part 34. Fathoms 35. Mountain range of southwest Kyrgyzstan 36. Coquette 38. Acoustic organ 42. Observe 45. Yoko's son 49. Ultimately becomes 51. Miter wearer 53. Certain condiment 55. Leaves the groom at the altar, e.g. 56. Nod in unison 57. Plasterlike preparation 58. Congregational response 59. "Two Mules for Sister ___" 60. Kind of joint 62. Mendacious one 66. Start for school 67. Eastern honorific
SOLUTIONS
OCTOBER 31
A M O W E L S H C I T E D R A N E R I C A H A L V E T R E B R E A K D A N C E R H I S T S T E R N U N E A S E E A G L E T S R A C KO F L A M B E L I E E A T O N S M A R T S T I C K S A N D S T O N E S A R T A S A D O R N P I E R F E L T T I P P E D S O M E W AY S A I L O R A R E A S E E L Y B A L L S O F F I R E A I R A W A I T U R B A N S A O G L O V E L O S E S E N T
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
COUNTERPOINTS
Is it OK to be a caffeine addict?
Maya Benmokhtar STAFF WRITER
I thrive off of caffeine, there’s more benefits than harm. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages have changed my life in the best way possible. Seriously though, I do not know where I’d be today if coffee never entered my life. Other than on Sunday, everyday I roll out of bed and make myself a nice warm cup of coffee, followed by an iced coffee from my all time favorite cafe – Philz. If for some reason I’ve run out of coffee, I’ll settle with a RedBull or Monster Energy drink. Of course, there are occasionally some side effects with having too much caffeine intake, but that goes for everything, like fast food for instance. Sorry to break it to you but I truly believe that the most productive individuals drink coffee. If I had a million dollars to place a bet that the CEO of the most well known company drinks coffee, I would put every single dollar I have down. According to an article published by The Guardian, “high achievers are also the type to get up at the crack of dawn in desperate need of a caffeine hit to kick-start their day.” Opposingly, underachievers have plenty of time to slowly roll out of their messy beds, sleepwalk to the kitchen and absent-mindedly boil a kettle for tea, according to the same article. Not only does coffee boost someone's productivity, it brings people together. It’s always “Let’s meet for coffee,” never “Let’s meet for non-caffeinated tea.” Coffee is often associated with social gatherings, meetings, and relaxation. It reminds me of many positive memories , whether it's a cozy morning routine, meeting friends at a cute local café, or enjoying a cup of coffee after a long day. If I don’t have my daily dose of coffee, I am the most apathetic individual. According to an article by Healthline, caffeine is a natural stimulant that can
increase alertness, reduce fatigue and improve a person’s overall mood. Caffeine can create a sense of energy and focus, which many people find enjoyable and helpful. There are so many pros to drinking coffee. Besides being a natural energy booster, coffee has a rich and complex flavor profile that includes various notes such as bitterness, sweetness and acidity. Caffeine in coffee can increase adrenaline levels, according to an article by Better Health. Increased levels of adrenaline may enhance physical performance, hence why many athletes use coffee as an ergogenic aid before workouts. Coffee comes in many different ways, from espresso to cold brew to cappuccinos. It can be customized with various flavors, syrups and milk choices. This variety allows individuals to find a drink that suits their taste buds. I applaud anyone that does not consume caffeine on a daily basis and still manages to be productive and make it to work or school on time with a smile on their face, but that could not be me. Just like anything else, caffeine should not be abused. It's important to note that the key to enjoying its potential benefits is self-discipline. Drinking excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated drinks, and consuming it in unhealthy forms can nullify the positive effects, according to an article by the Mayo Clinic. Amongst other things, the love for coffee and caffeinated beverages can vary from person to person, but there are several reasons why many individuals, like myself, develop a strong affection for coffee. Caffeine is considered a “drug” according to the KidsHealth website. When I think about a drug, I think about opioids, methamphetamine or cocaine, definitely not coffee. At the end of the day, I’m far more addicted to my vape than any caffeinated drinks. I know when I've had too much caffeine just based on how jittery I feel, it’s a similar feeling to trying to lie to my parents when I was younger. Of course, not everything is enjoyable for everyone and that is perfectly fine, I will keep drinking coffee and caffeinated drinks with my fellow “caffeine addicts,” and the tea drinkers can enjoy their princess tea parties.
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Navin Krishnan STAFF WRITER
Caffeine should be seen as it is: a drug that doesn’t do any good. I hate caffeine. I don’t want to try it, never have and don’t plan on starting. I say taking energy shots, Monster drinks and even frappuccinos are moreover based on compulsiveness rather than healing. Give caffeine to someone already addicted and they will tell you it transforms them. It transforms someone that wakes up hating everybody into someone who feels good about hating everybody. They’re just hoping caffeine kicks in before their bitter reality does. Caffeine is the second mostconsumed beverage behind water in America according to the Healthline website. Growing up in an Indian-American household, I felt judged watching my parents stare at me between sips of chai at tea time. For years, I felt alone. To my parents, my excuses always got old. They never saw that beyond my perfectionist, healthy exterior, there was a kid that was frightened by the negative effects of caffeine. Caffeine isn’t for early birds or night owls. It’s for exhausted pigeons that can’t escape the addictive effects. People consuming caffeine can over time develop physical, emotional and mental states of upset, including heart disease, according to the Health Digest website. The same Health Digest website also said caffeine is a stimulant that can cause symptoms such as a rise in body temperature, frequent urination, dehydration, dizziness and headaches, rapid heartbeat, restlessness and excitability, anxiety and irritability, trembling hands and sleeplessness, according to the Better Health website. Coffee shouldn’t be a requirement to stay awake for the morning commute and survive for an hour before lunch.
GRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAREZ
Some of my friends tell me sleep is a substitute for coffee. It sickens me when people crack jokes about replacing the suggested 8-15 cups of water a day with binging Monster Energy drinks, Red Bull, 5-hour Energy or even a coffee from Starbucks. Sarah Van Orman, executive director of University Health Services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said long-term daily use of energy drinks can cause kidney, heart and liver damage. It can also cause anxiety and other mental health problems along with physical dependence, according to the Marquette Wire. The people who made Monster Energy drink only became famous because of their flashy, neon-colored cans. It has 27g of sugar and 2500g of their ‘signature blend’ that has caffeine, taurine, ginseng and guarana, according to the Wilson District website. I’m guessing they call it a ‘signature blend’ because you’re signing a one-way ticket to the emergency room. 5-hour Energy is another seemingly harmless form of caffeine that comes back to bite you in the ass. Nausea, restlessness and heart disease that can lead to heart attack or stroke are the frontrunners for active consumption of this product, according to the Health Digest website. Caffeine is mainly to blame as 5-hour Energy has a whopping dose of 215 mg of caffeine in a single shot, according to the Consumer Reports website. To contrast, a 12 ounce bottle of Coca-Cola only contains 35 mg of caffeine. To be honest, I could save money by ditching this drink and getting nausea, restlessness and heart disease by binging my local McDonalds’ entire menu at once. Some people say caffeine is for people who think drinking coffee is an alternative for having nervous breakdowns and fits, which happens anyway once you get started. My friends tell me that before they have their morning dose of caffeine, they feel tired and irritable. They say after their cup of coffee, they feel tired, irritable and fast. If I had headaches and I wasn’t sure if it was from too much coffee or too little, I would stop drinking it altogether. Some people say laughter is the best medicine. Amen. It’s definitely not caffeine. Caffeine isn’t a vitamin, it’s a drug. We need life without caffeine. Let’s honor the spirit of patriotism in America the proper way – dump all our tea (and coffee) into the harbor.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
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Drafting women can help gender equality Julia Chie STAFF WRITER
Federal legislation for women to be appointed in the Selective Service System, also known as the military draft, has been debated for years, but is yet to survive in Congress. According to a 2021 ABC News article, the U.S. Senate has approved a new legislation that removes any reference to “male” specific terms when a military draft is enacted for national emergency. This legislation was authored by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., it is intended to include most American citizens and immigrants from ages 18-26 in the draft. I, a young adult woman, would be included in the draft. That’s a scary thought: leaving my friends and family behind to serve in possibly a foreign country at peak war times. No one in my family has served in the military, so most of what I know about it comes from the media. After reading “All Quiet on the Western Front” in English class, watching films like “Forrest Gump” and “Dunkirk,” and turning on any news channel,
the idea of being drafted is not the most attractive in my eyes. I am so privileged that the first worry on my mind is not living or dying for my country like it is for a lot of young people around the globe. I am privileged in the fact that I’ve never had to worry about someone close to me having their life threatened in the military. The war movies that scared me as a kid were a reality for millions of young men who drafted in America not long ago. The last draft enacted was in 1964 during the Vietnam War according to the statistics from the Selective Service System’s website. There are still so many veterans and those currently serving in the military that face the horrors of coming to terms with not only their own mortality, but others’.
having the privilege to not have to worry about being drafted. I guess until now. I can’t ignore the fact that being drafted is an experience a lot of young women, men and people would not like to be forced into. Even though a draft like this is unlikely, I predict that a lot of American individualist youth will take issue with it. According to the same ABC News article, Biden was supportive of the change to include women so that “men and women are treated equally in the event of future conflicts.” I agree that encouraging more women to be involved in male dominated spaces is important. Whether women work as engineers, firefighters or in the military, they can socially inspire young girls to believe that they can also work in these positions.
military. There is the biological debate that men are stronger, and women should take a traditional role of childbearing during wartimes. According to another 2023 article by Detroit Free Press, women have been serving in the military since 2013, “when Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted the Pentagon’s 1994 ban on women in direct ground combat roles.” It wasn’t until 2016 that women were eligible for every combat job. Historic roles of women stereotypically taking care of the home country while men were out at war are now challenged by shifting gender roles. Why should men be the only ones fighting when a lot of women, including fighter jet pilots and leading officers, have the same talent? My take is even though
That’s a scary thought: leaving my friends and family behind to serve in possibly a foreign country at peak war times. This is especially a worry with all the war and civil unrest worldwide we’ve seen recently in the news. I do my best to say “thank you for your service” to uniformed people I see in passing. I commend those who have put themselves at risk to give future generations more freedoms. I do this while also
Revising the draft to include women, and anyone who isn’t male, may be a necessary step to ensure equity. According to a 2023 article by Detroit Free Press, “women make up less than 20% of America’s active-duty force” and if more women serve, there would be more opportunity to see women leaders in the
women biologically, tend to be not as strong, there are still roles in the military for women to be an asset. Same as men without as much physicality – gender is not the only factor in strength. Biden, as a presidential candidate, said in a September 2020 Military Officers Association of America
candidate forum that “The United States does not need a larger military.” According to the Institute for Policy Studies website, military spending reached “$801 billion in 2021 representing 39 percent of the world’s military spending. That’s more than the next nine countries combined.” Most of the next nine countries, including China, India, the UK, Russia, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea, are geopolitically aligned with America. “Over-investment in the military is a factor that left the US so vulnerable to the pandemic in the first place,” according to the Institute for Policy Studies, all while the world is “dangerously unprepared to invest enough to prepare for ongoing crises like climate change.” As early as the 1920s, military spending has been in great excess to the rest of the world. Do we really need to be thinking about our military when there are other pressing issues at hand? All in all, I support women being included in the draft for equality, but investing in the military in general should not be a top focus of Americans.
Follow Julia on Twitter @juijui122e
GRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAREZ
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