The Associated Press projected Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 Presidential Election on Tuesday evening.
The Bay Area was ranked as one of the most Democratic areas in California, according to a Feb. 2020 report by Public Policy Institution of California.
As one of the colleges in the Bay Area, students at San José State were not enthusiastic about PresidentElect Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris.
Only 5% of students at SJSU were conservative, according to a Niche.com poll.
Abigail Sowers, a first-year biological sciences student, said Trump’s win was disappointing.
“As a member of the female community, I’m very afraid of what my future is going to be,” Sowers said. “I’m worried that our rights are going to be taken away as soon as (Trump) goes into office.”
Trump’s stance on women’s reproductive rights is a concern many women are fearful of after his boasting about appointing three of the justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a Nov. 5 CBS News article.
Sowers also said she was scared for other historically
marginalized communities.
“I’m worried for my friends that are people of color (and the) LGBTQ community, it's very clear that he does not like those people, even though they're some of the best people in the world,” Sowers said. “So a lot of people are going to end up going back to being positive, because they're afraid that his supporters are gonna attack them if they express themselves.”
Sowers is not the only student who is afraid of what Trump’s victory will mean for these communities.
More Americans thought Donald Trump’s policies would make things worse for women, black people, Hispanic people, Asian people and poor people than Kamala Harris, according to a Sept. 25 Pew Research Center report.
Cody McElyea, a thirdyear microbiology student, said Trump’s win was disheartening.
“I’m very worried for the stability of our democracy, having all three branches of government as ‘yes men’ to someone who wants to be a dictator day one is very concerning,” McElyea said. “I’m still hopeful for the future of our democracy, and I won't give up hope for it, but I'm definitely devastated.”
Another topic some students are worried about is Trump’s policy on immigration.
The former president has also promised mass deportations of immigrants, most notably Mexican immigrants, according to a Nov. 6 Reuters article.
Isaac Cervantes, a firstyear business administration and finance student who has immigrant parents, said Trump’s victory was troubling.
“I’m not really for him, as his policies do consist of the mass deportation of immigrants and actually puts my parents at risk of being deported,” Cervantes said. “A bunch of people say ... when he was in office, he had a better economy, but I feel like he just kind of piggybacked right off of (Barack) Obama.”
The economy recovered from a crisis during the beginning of the Obama administration into a period of economic prosperity, according to a Jan. 12, 2017 PBS News article.
San José has a large Hispanic population and makes up 33% of its people, according to the Bay Area Census.
Cervantes said despite Trump’s desire for greater border control, he still isn’t too worried about Trump being elected.
“Back when he was still in office, I would say I wasn't as worried, because we are in California. It's a Democratic state,” Cervantes said. “There's not really much that
ICE does here, compared to Republican states. When my parents were traveling during those times (and) when I would travel, my parents would (go) to Nevada, (and) it was actually riskful for them to be deported.”
ICE, short for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is the federal organization that enforces U.S. Immigration laws, according to its website.
Victor Valencia, a fourthyear accounting student, said Harris could have done better with media appearances.
“I think she definitely could have done better on media, like going on more outlets,” Valencia said. “Trump was going on
(about) everything under the sun, like he really wanted his word out there, and I feel like Kamala didn't do enough to make her voice heard.”
Cervantes also said Trump’s victory was predictable, in part to Harris’s lack of media representation.
“It was pretty obvious. I think I saw (Trump’s victory) coming. A lot of people share the same opinion,” Cervantes said. “He had some good policies going, but she just seemed really unprepared, kind of ... nervous compared to Trump, (and) he’s just really good at arguing.”
Students talk California props
By Israel Archie STAFF WRITER
While the presidential election was on the minds of many Americans and the focal point of the 2024 election, local elections left students at San José State University with a lot to discuss.
There were a plethora of propositions and local officials on the ballot to choose from, giving the opportunity for a lot of different feelings on the outcome of the results.
Fourth-year math student John Dwyer found the ballot to be a little easier to comprehend compared to ballots from past elections.
“This felt like the most simple and straightforward ballot I’ve had in a while,” Dwyer said. “It was a lot of choosing from two (sides) and very clear differences between the two.”
The California propositions this year included rent control, minimum wage and same-sex marriage.
Dwyer’s opinion of the ballot also included the propositions being voted on in this election.
“Propositions are always kind of a clusterfuck,” Dwyer said. “But I don’t feel like they were too dramatic one way or the other.”
State Assemblyman Evan Low was running for the representative seat against former Mayor of San José
Sam Liccardo. Liccardo is projected to win the seat holding 59.9% of the vote compared to Low’s 40.1% according to the Associated Press.
Although SJSU Associated Student vice president Chima Nwokolo was involved in Low’s campaign, he gave Liccardo his flowers and acknowledged him as the winner.
“I commend former Mayor Liccardo for running a good campaign and getting his message out across the airwaves,” Nwokolo said.
There were 10 propositions on the California ballot and the votes needed to be over 50% in order to pass, according to the New York Times.
One proposition that students had a lot to talk about was Proposition 6. This proposition would
prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime according to the New York Times.
While 53% of the vote has been reported, the same source shows most voters are currently voting ‘No’ at 55% while 45% are voting ‘Yes.’ Based on the proposition vote count, forced prison labor currently stands as a punishment for crime in California, outraging a lot of SJSU students.
Communications junior Samantha Sternstein finds it hard to believe that California still has slavery in the prison system.
“It’s insane that we still have slavery in prison labor,” Sternstein said. “ The fact that Californians voted to keep it and voted ‘No.’ I don’t
understand why. Maybe they didn’t understand the implications of it but it’s right there for you.”
Black and Hispanic males make up 72% of the California prison population, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Other students shared this same shock of slavery being a discussion in California.
An anonymous source talked about how slavery was a part of American society centuries ago and that it doesn’t make sense to practice it today.
They wanted to remain anonymous because they don’t feel comfortable releasing their name after learning of presidential candidate Donald Trump’s victory.
“We come from a long history of being enslaved 400 years (so) why go back,” they said. “The fact that we have it on the ballot is terrifying.”
Another proposition that students had a lot to comment on was Proposition 36. This proposition increases penalties for repeated crimes and certain drug crimes, according to the Associated Press.
It would also create a drug court treatment program for people with multiple drug convictions according to the same source.
With the Associated Press reporting 54% of the votes being counted, 70.4% voted ‘Yes,’ while 29.6% voted ‘No.’
“I feel like that’s targeted towards the African American community,” the anonymous source said. “There are rapists, murders and things much more terrifying than people having a drug.”
Another anonymous source who wanted to remain so for the same reason said that it reminded them of the war on drugs under former president Ronald Reagan and that it is like having a legal way to attack minorities.
“It’s cruel because these people are getting these drugs from their doctors so it’s not their fault that they get addicted,” they said.
One of the repeated crimes that are listed in this proposition is shoplifting according to a web page from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Sternstein finds it odd that shoplifting is on the ballot measure and that it has gotten so serious to the point where propositions have to be written about it.
“The fundamental reason why people shoplift is because they don’t have those basic needs,” Sternstein said. “There are many who are put in that situation because they have no choice.”
GRAPHIC BY KAYA HENKES-POWER | SPARTAN DAILY
Community responds to election
By Charity Spicer & Jackson Lindstrom STAFF WRITERS
After the election results determined former president Donald Trump as the winner, immigrant communities from all over East Side San José gathered to protest against war and anti-immigrant rhetoric on Nov. 6 at the Mexican Heritage Plaza.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) – a national organization focused on promoting socialism and liberation of marginalized people, according to their website, hosted the protest in collaboration with several
shared their thoughts on why protesting is important.
“I’m here to protest Trump … he's a racist and reactionary,” Duroyan said.
“He represents many of the ills of the far-right in this country. We know that his previous presidency was disastrous for everyone, queer people, minorities, workers, really everyone except for the rich.”
we’re going to keep doing, no matter who's in office.”
At the protest, attendees gathered at Plaza de Coatlique while the organizations handed out signs for protesters to use. Protesters rallied in a large circle shouting chants including, “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free.”
In the first part of the protest, Uriel Magdaleno, a member of Silicon Valley Immigration Committee, talked about Trump's border policies and their demands as an organization.
“Despite the Trump victory, and his racist rhetoric and policies towards undocumented immigrants, we are still here
expanded regardless of their citizenship status.”
live there.”
We are still going to demand legalization for all undocumented immigrants who are the backbone of the East Side San José working class. We demand their rights are expanded regardless of their citizenship status.
Uriel Magdaleno Member of Silicon Valley Immigration Committee
anti-war and immigration organizations, as listed on its Nov. 7 social media flyer.
John Duroyan, president of the San José State’s chapter of Students for Democratic Society and a graduate student in history,
Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allowed corporations to receive larger tax cuts than before but did not necessarily benefit the middle and lower classes, according to a preliminary analysis by The Brookings Institution, an organization that conducts independent research on policy.
“In order to stop what’s going on, like we always have, we organize, we gather our community, we build support,” Duroyan said. “It’s where we've been doing under Biden and it's what
to stand up, fight back,” said Magdaleno. “We are still going to demand legalization for all undocumented immigrants who are the backbone of East Side San José’s working class. We demand that their rights are
During the first four years of Trump’s presidency, there were a reported 1.5 million deportations in the U.S. carried out while former President Trump was in office, according to a June 27 article from the Migration Policy Institute.
“The Trump campaign has vilified Haitian immigrants spreading baseless lies, leading to hateful sentiment. If there is blame on this, it’s the United States that has directly intervened in Haiti and causing its destabilization,” Magdaleno said.
Trump sparked controversy with his statements during ABC’s presidential debate.
“In Springfield, they are eating the dogs,” Trump said according to a Sept. 15 article from BBC. “The people that came in, they are eating the cats. They’re eating – they are eating the pets of the people that
Trump said he would revoke Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio and deport them, according to a Oct. 3 article from CNN.
Drusie Kazanova, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said their mission with involvement in the protest is to have solidarity with all oppressed peoples and see the correlation between Trump’s border policies and the genocide in Gaza.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, launched strikes and attacks on Hamas in Palestine ever since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel resulting in over 40,000 Palestinians killed at the time when the conflict began, according to an Oct. 7, New York Times article.
“It’s Israeli companies and their building of the apartheid wall in Gaza that inspired the Trump administration to build the border wall between the
U.S. and Mexico,” Kaznova said. “So we recognize these issues are intertwined and we demand dignity and human rights for all people everywhere.”
The entire walk went from South King Road to the Mexican Heritage Plaza lasting about half an hour and leaders of the protest gave conclusive speeches.
Nickolas Saba, a local activist from Los Gatos, rallied protesters for the liberation of Palestine and advocated for thirdparty candidates like Jill Stein towards the end of the protest in the Mexican Heritage Plaza.
“The Zionists can take our lives, they can steal our land. They can murder our leaders and slander our names, but they can’t erase the Palestinian people from this earth. They can’t shake our faith,” Saba said.
Protesters consisting of students and community members march down South King Road from the Plaza de Coatlique to the Mexican Heritage plaza Wednesday night.
PHOTOS BY JACKSON LINDSTROM | SPARTAN DAILY
Protesters gather at Plaza de Coatlique and shout chants before starting to march.
Chicano veterans discuss experiences
By Alejandra Gallo STAFF WRITER
San José State’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Africana, Asian American, Chicano and Native American Studies Center hosted a “Chicanos in Vietnam” event Wednesday afternoon in honor of Veterans Day.
The Vietnam War spanned from 1954 to 1975, according to a History web page.
The Vietnam War was a manifestation of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union and was called the “American War” in Vietnam, according to the same web page.
Richard T. García spoke about his experience in the Vietnam War and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome, involuntary memories that make you feel like you’re back in the moment that your trauma happened,” García said. “Mine took the form of flashbacks, nightmares and other involuntary emotional recalls.”
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that may occur if someone has experienced or been exposed to a traumatic event which can affect their physical, mental and emotional state, according to an American Psychiatric Association web page.
Among Vietnam veterans, roughly 52% of them have PTSD and experience nightmares, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs web page.
Charley Trujillo, a Vietnam War veteran, spoke about his experience in combat in the early ‘70s and how he was injured.
“They started surrounding us and someone gave me a grenade launcher,” Trujillo said. “So I shot it, shot left-handed, and –boom – it hit my right eye.”
PTSD affects veterans who are traumatized because of experiences in combat, being injured or prisoners of war,
according to the Library of Congress web page.
Elia García Rotch, García’s daughter and a SJSU alumna, came to the event to support her father.
“Many people suffer from PTSD and mental health struggles and there is a big stigma in our Latino community,”
People who suffer from PTSD are often stigmatized because of misconceptions, like thinking it makes a person dangerous or not realizing it’s an illness that can be treated, according to a web page from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“It’s a mix of pride being here listening to my dad’s story, but
Wars are very, very negative and I think we need to at least think about what’s going on in (the) present time, and how we can unite as people, not just Chicanos and Chicanas but as a whole society.
Charley Trujillo
Vietnam War veteran
struggle with traumatic experiences from Vietnam, but focused on the divide the nation faces because of racism and deportation.
“Wars are very, very negative and I think we need to at least think about what’s going on in (the) present time, and how we can unite as people, not just Chicanos and Chicanas but as a whole society,” Trujillo said.
He said he experienced racism during his time serving in the Vietnam War for being a Chicano soldier and also after he was injured during combat.
“The border patrol comes around, ‘Where are your papers, boy?,’ ” he said. “You go through all that and people are still questioning your nationality. That was the final straw.”
because her brother also served in the Vietnam War in the 70s.
“It does affect the whole family,” she said. “I lived through it with my mother who would cry in her room because my brother was in war and I saw that all the time.”
War trauma can lead to intergenerational trauma which affects the family members of those who went to war, according to a Dec. 5, 2023 American Psychological Association article.
“These to me are very important issues that we need to deal with in (the) present time,” Trujillo said. “It’s not in the past. We’re living it right now.”
Rotch said. “I think it’s being broken through now, especially with the younger generations.”
also checking to see if he’s okay,” Rotch said.
Trujillo spoke about his
The U.S. military reported processing over 750 complaints of discrimination from service members in 2020, according to a May 27, 2021 AP News article.
Diana García, Richard T. García’s sister-in-law, has PTSD
ALEJANDRA GALLO | SPARTAN DAILY
Richard T. García (left) and Charley Trujillo (right) talk about their time during the Vietnam War at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
Follow Alejandra on Instagram @ale.jandragallo
BAY AREA RESOURCES
GRAPHIC BY KAYA HENKES-POWER
PHOTOS BY ANAHI VILLANUEVA HERRERA
Disney needs to do better with its films
Anfisa Pitchkhadze STAFF WRITER
The Walt Disney Company for decades has been viewed as an established powerhouse and as a family friendly company in the animation industry.
Its success has received praise for its creativity and stories in films, but the company has shifted to live-action remakes and sequels.
D23 Expo, the official Disney Fan Club, announced earlier this year about upcoming projects the company will be releasing in the next couple years, according to an Aug. 9 D23 article.
Disney announced that the company is in the works on expanding stories of franchises including “Moana,” “Frozen,” “Zootopia,”
“Toy Story” and “The Incredibles,” according to an Aug. 10 CNBC article.
Moana first hit theaters in 2016 and its anticipated sequel is expected to be released on Nov. 27, according to the same CNBC article.
The first film was phenomenal and told a compelling story of Moana, a self-titled protagonist.
In the movie, Moana goes on a journey to save her island by sailing across the ocean with Maui, a demigod, and her animal companions Heihei, her rooster, and Pua, her pet pig.
The sequel looks promising from watching the trailers.
However, as an avid Disney fan, I am not setting the bar high for the sequel in comparison to its predecessor’s success.
sequel and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 26, 2025, according to an Aug. 29 IGN article.
“Zootopia” is also another adventurous fun film and I am interested in the continuing plot Disney will establish for the main characters, bunny cop Judy Hopps and sly fox Nick Wilde.
Meanwhile, I am scratching my head that Disney is on board with Toy Story 5, Frozen III and Incredibles 3 because I am puzzled about the company’s idea for a plot.
The “Toy Story,” “Frozen” and “The
reached $1.8 billion worldwide, according to the same CNBC article.
At this point, it is best to put these franchises to rest because there is no need to continue.
The “Toy Story” franchise should have been left alone after the release of the third film because it ended on the perfect note.
Meanwhile, “Frozen” and “The Incredibles” were standout films alone and it seemed odd of Disney to make sequels for them.
The sequels were enjoyable, but both did not measure up to the quality of the plot than
Disney is setting the bar low with their bland writing and lack of effort in turning on their brains and generating new ideas.
“Moana” is an outstanding film on its own and the Disney fan inside of me anticipates the continuous journey of Moana and Maui.
In addition to the release of the “Moana 2,” the Disney movie “Zootopia” is also getting a
Incredibles” franchises are contributors that made Disney’s popularity boom.
With “Toy Story’s” first four films, the franchise generated $3.2 billion globally, while the two “Frozen” films hit $2.7 billion and “The Incredibles” movies
send a letter to the editor
–
Letters to the Editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209 or emailed to spartandaily@gmail.com to the attention of the Spartan Daily Opinion Editor.
Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, year and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be considered for publication.
Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.
its predecessors and both ended up making more money than the original films.
With the company adding more to one of its most box office successful films, Disney is entering franchise fatigue.
Franchise fatigue is a term that is used to describe audiences feeling less excitement about box office films getting a sequel or a remake, according to a Feb. 22, 2022 PULSE Magazine article.
The company went beyond its original films natural end points and it resulted in annoyance for fans including me.
Disney is overzealously relying on these franchises and appears to be banking on them, creating the notion that they are used for extra revenue.
At this point, it is best to put these franchises to rest because there is no need to continue.
Besides generating revenue on animated sequels, the company is also counting on live action remakes from classic animated films.
The remake of the 1937 version of “Snow White” starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen, is set to release early in 2025, according to the same IGN article.
I can already tell that this film will flop and Gadot will be left to carry the live action adaptation.
Along with a “Snow White” live action, “Lilo & Stitch,” “Moana” and “Mufasa: The Lion King” are set to come to life in the years to come, according to the same IGN article.
These films are perfect the way they are in animation and have no reason to be remade in a different version.
Snow White is one of Disney’s earliest films that embraced elements of music and fantasy, creating a vibrant world even though the story is dark in hindsight.
Meanwhile movies like “Lilo & Stitch,” “Moana” and “The Lion King” provided laughter, adventure and touching moments that brought meaning to the viewers.
Bob Iger, the current CEO of Disney, has said the company is focusing on producing high quality films in the industry, according to
a Nov. 23, 2023 Deadline article.
Iger said he believes that quality writing of a film is crucial in producing an excellent film to show out on the big screen, according to the same Deadline article.
He also said the outcome of putting out a successful film is to contribute to the loads of cash rolling in globally, and sometimes the quantity can take over the quality of a film, according to the same Deadline article.
Iger’s words do resonate on how I view the current work of Disney, but it is hard to believe that he will bring the Disney magic back.
While the company is bringing nostalgia for audiences who grew up watching the films, it feels as though Disney has lost its magic in creating new stories and developing new characters. Since audience members such as myself strongly want originality, the repetitiveness of these familiar stories prompts a conversation about the current storytelling in the Disney universe.
Disney is setting the bar low with their bland writing and lack of effort in turning on their brains and generating new ideas.
opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the
or
ILLUSTRATION BY
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Spartans looking to turn
By Israel Archie& Navin Krishnan STAFF WRITER & PRODUCTION EDITOR
As the San José State men’s basketball team enters a new phase of their journey this season, an anomaly that will help them carry them is trial and error.
However, no matter the number of new faces on the team, the game they play remains the same, and the road to winning basketball games has already been paved by head coach Tim Miles.
Miles remains optimistic about the new season. The Spartans tied Air Force for the worst record in the Mountain West with a conference record of 2-16 and an overall record of 9-23.
However, Miles is two years past a near postseason berth in the 2022 to 2023 season when the Spartans went 21-24 overall and 10-6 in the Mountain West. It was their first winning season in eight years.
“If you look at twelve new guys on sixteen roster spots and we’ve added some transfers, I think (they) can really help us,” Miles said.
Miles said the Spartans have a fresh roster, consisting of redshirt junior and centerRobert Vaihola, who returned after being injured.
A key addition to the team that Miles is excited about is reigning Mountain West sixth man of the year Josh Uduje, who Miles believes
can be an all-conference type of performer.
Players such as Will McClendon, the transfer redshirt junior from UCLA, redshirt junior guard Donavan Yap and forward Sadraque NgaNga were also implemented during training camp.
However, two of the main gears in the Spartans’ offense in the 2023-2024 season, guard Myron Amey, Jr. and guard Alvaro Cardenas abandoned the team prior to training camp this year.
“(Favoring) a team (over another) is like picking children,” Miles said.
“There’s things you love and admire about each team.
Things you know that need improvement. Basically what you want is a strong group, a bonded group working together as hard as they can understanding the mission every time out. And try to go out and win basketball games.”
Will McClendon, a redshirt junior who transferred from UCLA, said he isn’t phased about the way the team gains cohesiveness as the season goes on.
“I think that … comes with just playing with each other, more opportunities, different games, we’ll figure (them) out,” McClendon said. “We’re a new team, so this is the first time everybody's been on the floor together in a situation like this.”
McClendon has been bursting on the scene, as he went from averaging 4.1
points per game last season with the Bruins to a factor so far, tallying 13 points in his SJSU debut with nine of those points coming in the first half.
Miles had simple yet strategic bricks to lay out before the Spartans are able to walk the path of a successful season.
In fact, Miles has already pinpointed the flaws he noticed in training camp for his team with a plethora of new faces.
The Spartans need to clean up their turnovers, as they averaged an abysmal 10.5 turnovers per game.
“We have to improve on ball handling, our passing,” Miles said. “Our turnovers
were way too high in our exhibition game and our scrimmages. If we handle the ball better, we’ll shoot the ball better.”
The Spartans need to shoot a higher percentage, especially on 3-pointers, because they averaged 8.5 from beyond the stripe in the 2023 to -2024 season versus allowing their opponents’ 7.7 attempts on 3-pointers.
“We need better 3-point shooting too,” Miles said. “We’ve shot it well at times and not well at times. We’ve been kind of streaky.” Miles insisted the rebounding battle this season serves as a barometer of the Spartans’ level of
activity.
“I’d be interested in seeing how this team rebounds,” Miles said. “If we can do that, we’ll be alright. (Let’s see) if we can be a good rebounding team.”
Former Utah State senior guard Josh Uduje assessed his performance as one of the cogs in the Spartans’ offense and his trust in his teammates to find him.
Uduje came out the gate ready, tallying 13 points with 3-8 shooting in his Spartans debut.
The Spartans came up short in their first game against Western Illinois, 59-55.
“You know, it’s different when you're in
practice in comparison to the game,” Uduje said. “But like I said, this is definitely not our best basketball. I feel like if you’re taking the positive out of this, it’s good that we learn this in our first game so we can, you know, experience this, go through these emotions and build upon them to our next game.”
The Spartans’ next square off against University of the Pacific is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
JACKSON LINDSTROM | SPARTAN DAILY
San José State senior guard Josh Uduje beats the Western Illinois defense and finishes for
