The Tattler: Perseverance

THE TATTLER SPECIAL WINTER EDITION 2020

Tattler Staff Editors in Chief Lilly Behbehani Josh Garber Emma Volkers

Contributing Editors Rachel Auerbach Isabel Danzis Grace Harrington Managing Editors Charlie Kannapell Dan Shapiro Art Editors Grace Carter Yael Chiappori News Editors Griffin Boswell Jason Grayer Feature Editors Juliana Capizzi Anna Hoover Mia Romano La Vida Editor Aranza Lara Opinion Editors Eli Glickman Sonali Hettipola Ethan Tiao Sports Editors Eli Davis Dylan Greenhouse Style Editors Sol Gehring Frannie Rosen Backpage Editors Juliana Blayney Jackson Hermes Karina Vasudeva

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Business Managers Liv Moffitt Natalie Schwartz 2

PERSEVERANCE How do you write about perseverance without slipping into an over dramatic college essay? How do you define something so powerful yet so intangible? Is perseverance working to overcoming obstacles and achieve greatness? Is it the act of picking yourself back up after a devastating fall?

Or is it simply finding the motivation to go to school as a second semester senior? To be honest, we have no idea. That's why this month, The Tattler chose to share the stories of people in our school, in our community and in our families that personify perseverance.

Why bother? Because we all know about the stories of the rock stars of perseverance: Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Michael Jordan, J.K. Rowling and so on. But it turns out, we have our own rockstars of perseverance right here among us.

In this edition, to bring you stories of perseverance, we take you to a booth at the Tastee Diner, to the halls of B-CC, to a sanctuary church, and finally to an Iranian jail. These stories of perseverance are not the ones written in our history books, but they help us come closer to figuring out what perseverance means in every walk of life.

even “Sometimes to live is an act of courage.

-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Cover By Yael Chiappori

COVER STORY

Snapshots of Perseverance: The Everlasting

BY JULIANA CAPIZZI Known for its bustling and chaotic liveliness, the “Most Famous Diner in Montgomery County,” Tastee Diner, is vastly different from most establishments in Bethesda. Unlike the new and refurbished establishments, the diner is an authentic American restaurant within Bethesda’s constantly changing environment. Most stores in Bethesda tend to close relatively quickly; however, Tastee is about to have its 85th birthday.

It was originally opened in 1935 and was brought to its current location in 1939, when its diner car was picked up and relocated to Bethesda. The first Tastee to open, the Silver Spring diner, was made a historical landmark in 1994. The current owner, Gene Wilkes, has owned the restaurant chain since 1971.

The diner exudes perseverance. In 2002, a fire started in the wall when an electrical outlet malfunction occurred. The fire spread rapidly and took over the roof until firefighters from the Bethesda Fire Station were able to put it out.

The damages were so severe, the restaurant had to close for two months for renovations. Many diner employees worried that Tastee would lose its customer base, as many customers were used to the diner being open 24/7, 364 days a year. Two months closure was unprecedented.

But, as soon as it reopened, business continued as it was before the fire. “[Business] picked up immensely because people were so happy that it was back open,” recalls Beth Cox, the manager. The fire, which was a major setback to business, was not the only roadblock for Tastee.

Only a few weeks after the reopening, police were on the hunt for a sniper in the

Tastee Diner

DMV area. The sniper, John Allen Muhmmad, ended up murdering 17 people and wounding 10 others. “[The] sniper scared away a lot of business until he was caught. People were afraid to even go outside,” Cox said.

Most of the workers have devoted years to the

restaurant. Beth Cox started working as a cashier when she was a teenager and has been there for 42 years. She “never” planned to stay at Tastee.

“The majority of workers tend to stay. This is a unique place because you become so familiar with your customers and we do get the same people all the time,” Cox stated. When asked if working at

Tastee for a long time was planned, most of the workers responded no. Aster Yalew, who has been working at Tastee for 28 years, says, “it just happened.” The well-known David “Your Waiter” Lemar has worked at Tastee since 2000, and before him, his father worked at the diner. Some of the workers have regular customers who come in, just to sit and chat, not only for the tasty meals.

Bethesda is constantly changing the way it looks, and new establishments pop up within months of each other. One of the recent constructions being built in Bethesda is the Marriott Headquarters, which will be about 26 stories high and located directly next to Tastee. Aster Yalew predicted that a lot of customers would be upset if it closed due to the opening of Marriott. “Tastee is a well-known and special part of Bethesda,” Yalew said.

Manager Beth Cox stated that “Marriott never offered” to buy Tastee for its location and to expand the new Marriott headquarters. “Had they given my boss a certain amount of money, we would’ve sold.”

“Everything is changing in Bethesda. We are not everyone’s cup of tea. There are a lot of people that want more of a trendy, organic, up to date restaurant in Bethesda. What they fail to understand is that we have the exact same organic foods that all the expensive restaurants advertise. My eggs and produce come from a local farm. Tastee is plain and simple. I hope our good food wins over the appeal to revamp Bethesda.

I think it will, and it has,” Cox explained. As Bethesda continues to change, some things never will, and hopefully that includes Tastee Diner.

Crohnically Comedic

BY KARINA VASUDEVA So, I recently was diagnosed with Crohn’s, and now I’m writing this piece about “persevering,” despite the fact that I’m simply existing. For those of you who don’t know, Crohn’s is like prolonged food poisoning, and for intellectuals, it is known as the “poo poo disease.” I could make a lot of other puns, but I’m sure it would be a pain in the butt to read.

Before you get diagnosed with the disease, you have to have a colonoscopy and endoscopy, which is nothing short of a glorified DIY horror film that costs over a thousand dollars to produce. While y’all were partying on New Year’s Eve, I was beginning my short-lived film career.

All I hope is that my audition tape doesn’t leak.

After my diagnosis, I researched the disease and learned that it was named in 1932 after

Burrill Bernard Crohn. Crohn seems like a really smart guy, but I just cannot fathom what would cause someone to voluntarily want their name literally dragged through poop. I wonder whether his colleagues were fighting over being named after the poo poo disease or simply telling him, “You can take this one, chief.”

In my research, I also found out that Crohn’s is triggered by stress. Stress!? Why would this disease worsen in the middle of my senior year?

Even while struggling in the ER, I was submitting ten college applications. Odd timing, it seems? And while I was sitting in the hospital bed, analyzing myself for the sake of college supplement questions, I had the urge to tell colleges to just ask my doctors. There are at least ten people in Children’s Hospital who have seen more of me than I have or ever want to. And

the worst irony of this situation is that over the Summer at the College Essay Workshop, I wrote a college essay about how the bathroom was my sanctuary and let me just say... That has changed quite a bit.

In all seriousness, I have faith that this disease is a blessing in disguise. If anything, I think Crohn’s has solidified my identity. I've always been called an overachiever, and it seems like my digestive system is no different. Where an average person goes to the bathroom once a day, my system said let's make that 12! This disease is nothing that some Poo-Pourri, flushable baby wet wipes, and an unabashed girl can’t handle. I’m stronger than the disease, and not just because of the steroids they gave me.

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PHOTO BY GRACE CARTER

COVER STORY

Mooni Khalifah:

FIGHTING THE UNKNOWN

BY ANNA HOOVER AND MIA ROMANO Mooni Khalifah was born on January 18, 2003 in Saudi Arabia. Growing up, Mooni would often get sick. He was in and out of doctors’ offices, diagnosed with a slew of disorders, diseases, and conditions that didn’t quite seem to fit. When he was a kid, his family moved to Denver, Colorado where he was taken to the National Jewish Hospital and diagnosed with DOCK8 deficiency, a rare immune disorder causing him to have fewer immune cells than is considered healthy. DOCK8 often causes recurrent skin and respiratory infections, allergies, asthma, and increases a person’s risk for several types of cancer. As a child, Mooni tried to conceal his illness. “I always tried to hide it. I came up with so many lies when I got sick. I was trying to hide the truth,” said Mooni.

Mooni was the 11th person in the world diagnosed. There are around 200 known cases to this date. At the time of Mooni’s diagnosis, the only treatment was a bone marrow transplant, an incredibly intensive procedure that can cost upwards of $40,000, which is known for its large risk of dangerous complications and pain.

Not only is the procedure itself risky, expensive, and physically taxing, but it is very difficult to attain -- the blood donor’s blood must fully match the patient’s. Mooni’s doctors looked within his direct and extended family as well as in the world bank, and were not able to find any matches. In 2015, the National Institute of Health informed Mooni and his family that they had developed a new method of bone marrow transplant that only required a half match. This

was an incredible opportunity for Mooni, as both of his parents and his older sister were now eligible to donate to him. However, at the time, Mooni was 13, and his doctors recommended that he wait to get the transplant until later, as he was at a high risk of losing his fertility.

As time went on, Mooni grew sicker and sicker. In October of 2019, his family decided it was time to move to Bethesda so that he could finally get the transplant at NIH. He began the transplant process, but then, the doctors saw something strange in his system. Mooni had Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. This diagnosis meant that Mooni’s bone marrow transplant had to be delayed once again. He would have to begin the extensive treatment of chemotherapy.

However, when Mooni was diagnosed with Lymphoma, he said: “I was excited, to be honest.”

He immediately told all his friends, and their sadness upon hearing the news confused him.

“Why are you upset? I’m not upset,” he’d say. For Mooni, his diagnosis meant that he finally knew what he was up against; he was excited to take Lymphoma head-on. “It was a new chapter, like, I get to add this to my life. It’s a new story I get to tell.”

Mooni’s family had a harder time with the news. “They didn’t know how things were going to go,” he said. “They were scared, obviously.”

After moving to Bethesda, Mooni enrolled at B-CC, but he had to put his education on hold only three weeks in to begin chemotherapy.

Mooni went into chemotherapy with the mentality that he wouldn’t let it disrupt him. “Side effects wise, it was hard. There were times where I

knew I hit rock bottom, but at the same time, I knew that there was nowhere left to go but up,” he said.

After his first few rounds of chemotherapy, Mooni was able to return to school. Instead of hiding his illness this time, Mooni decided to challenge himself by taking an extroverted approach. “To be honest, it’s been working in my favor. I have made a bunch of friends, and still, I will go out and meet somebody new that I’ve never met,” he said. “People hear my story and they relate somehow, or through somebody, and we click.”

Mooni hasn’t let his experiences hold him back; in fact, he has used them to move forward.

He feels that cancer has made him a stronger and better person, and that it has given him more empathy for others than he had before.

“Everything that I’ve been through made me who I am.” He wants cancer to be a part of his identity because it is a part of him. It has altered many aspects of his life, including what he wants to do when he’s older.

“I think I might go into nursing,” Mooni said.

“I’ve met a lot of wonderful nurses, and they made feel better while I was [in the hospital], and I was like, ‘maybe I could do the same to others, because of my experience. I feel like I have a bunch of stories to tell, and many more to come.”

The month of February at B-CC will be dedicated to raising money to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so that those who are diagnosed like Mooni can continue to tell their powerful stories of perseverance.

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PHOTOS BY AIDAN GOODING PHOTOS IN CLOCKWISE ORDER (FROM TOP), ROSA GUTIERREZ LOPEZ. NEXT, ROSA WITH REPORTER ARANZA LARA ARIZPE AND FILMMAKER CAMILO MONTOYA. FINALLY, GUTIERREZ LOPEZ WITH HER TWO CHILDREN.

Rosa Gutierrez Lopez:

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SEEKING ASYLUM BUSCANDO ASILO

COVER STORY

BY ARANZA LARA ARIZPE Walking through the doors of the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church was a life changing experience that I will always cherish and carry with me. As we entered the building, sitting on a chair was a lovely, hard working woman who has risked her life and liberty for the freedom and safety of her own children. Rosa Gutierrez Lopez has been living in the church for a year now, without being able to step outside the confines of the building. As we walked in, Rosa had a broad smile that almost covered her whole face, and as soon as I greeted her in Spanish, she leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug, one that expressed relief and an instant connection through our Latin American origin. She wore a long black dress that covered her bulky ankle monitor bracelet. The bracelet was forcibly put on her by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2017 to track her down .

Rosa fled El Salvador about 14 years ago due to the country’s severe violence and escalating political instability. Rosa settled in Fredericksburg,Virginia where she raised her three U.S. born children. In 2014, she was given deferred action which allowed her to stay in the U.S. legally for a few more years. In 2017, when she went to renew her status, it was refused, and she was told that she had to leave the U.S. by December 10, 2018. Rosa felt absolutely hopeless and afraid, until the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church promised to keep her safe by opening its doors and providing her sanctuary.

“I feel absolutely blessed; it is a privilege to be here, and despite the fact that I am unable to leave the church, anything is better than returning

to El Salvador,” said Rosa. If she leaves the church she risks being deported to El Salvador.

Rosa has learned to adapt to this new and unique lifestyle, although she admits that it was extremely difficult at first. She has had to rely on her Christian faith to keep her sane, and has also learned to meditate. The church congregation has made sure that Rosa has plenty activities, despite the fact that they all have to take place in such an enclosed space, Rosa enjoys them. She has English classes five days a week, meditation classes on Mondays, yoga classes Tuesdays and Thursdays, and singing lessons with the church

POR ARANZA LARA ARIZPE Atravesar las puertas de la Iglesia Unitaria Universalista de Cedar Lane fue una experiencia que cambió mi vida, que siempre apreciaré y llevaré conmigo. Cuando entramos al edificio, sentada en una silla estaba una mujer encantadora y trabajadora que ha arriesgado su vida y su independencia por la libertad y seguridad de sus hijos. Rosa Gutiérrez López ha estado viviendo en la iglesia durante un año, sin poder salir de los confines del edificio. Cuando entramos, Rosa tenía una sonrisa enorme que cubría casi todo su rostro, y cuando la saludé en español se inclinó para darme un beso en la mejilla y un abrazo cálido. Un gesto que expresó alivio y una conexión instantánea a través de nuestro origen latinoamericano. Llevaba un vestido negro y largo que cubría su brazalete de monitoreo en el tobillo.

El Departamento de Inmigración y Aduanas le puso el brazalete en 2017 para tenerla ubicada.

Rosa huyó de El Salvador hace 14 años debido a la violencia severa del país y la creciente inestabilidad política. Rosa se estableció en Fredericksburg,Virginia, donde crió a sus tres hijos nacidos en Estados Unidos. En 2014, recibió una acción diferida que le permitió permanecer legalmente en Estados Unidos por unos años más. En 2017, cuando fue a renovar su estatus, fue rechazada y le dijeron que tenía que abandonar Estados Unidos antes del 10 de diciembre de 2018. Rosa estaba absolutamente desesperada y asustada, hasta que la Iglesia Universalista Unitaria de Cedar Lane prometió mantenerla a salvo, abriendo sus puertas y ofreciéndose como santuario.

“Me siento absolutamente bendecida, es un

privilegio estar aquí, y a pesar de que no puedo salir de la iglesia, cualquier cosa es mejor que regresar a El Salvador,” dijo Rosa. Si abandona la iglesia corre el riesgo de ser deportada a El Salvador. Aunque admite que al principio fue extremadamente difícil, Rosa ha aprendido a adaptarse a este estilo de vida nuevo y único.

Ella ha tenido que confiar en su fe cristiana y también ha aprendido a meditar para poder tener estabilidad mental. La congregación de la iglesia se ha asegurado de que Rosa tenga muchas actividades y a pesar de que todas tienen que llevarse a cabo en un espacio tan cerrado, Rosa las disfruta. Tiene clases de inglés cinco días a la semana, clases de meditación los lunes, de yoga martes y jueves, y el miércoles de canto con el coro de la iglesia . También le fascina cocinar y lo hace con frecuencia porque le recuerda su libertad cuando vivía en Virginia y trabajaba en un restaurante italiano. También le encanta preparar platos tradicionales salvadoreños porque cree que es esencial promover y compartir su cultura a través de su pasión por la cocina.

Rosa tiene tres hijos: María (12), Juan Pablo (9) y John (7) que tiene síndrome de down. La congregación de la iglesia pudo transferir a sus tres hijos, que anteriormente iban a escuelas en Virginia, a escuelas de Montgomery County. Los hijos de Rosa ahora están más cerca de ella, y John está recibiendo un excelente plan educativo en su escuela que lo ayuda con sus necesidades especiales. “Hace dos días me puse a llorar y le agradecí a Dios por darme la bendición de estar en este santuario con toda esta gente cariñosa. Al final del día, lo que realmente me importa es que mis hijos sean libres y estén seguros,” dijo Rosa.

“We are not criminals, we are human beings.” choir on Wednesdays. Rosa also loves to cook, and does so frequently because it reminds her of her liberty when she lived in Virginia and worked at an Italian restaurant. She also loves to prepare traditional Salvadoran dishes because she believes it is essential to promote and share her culture through her passion of cooking.

Rosa has three children: Maria (12), Juan Pablo (9), and John (7) who has down syndrome.

The church congregation was able to transfer her three kids, who previously went to Virginia schools, to Montgomery County schools.

Rosa’s kids are now closer to her, and John is receiving an outstanding education plan at his school that helps him with his special needs.

“Two days ago I started crying, and [I] thanked

God for giving me the blessing to be in this sanctuary with all these caring people. At the end of the day, all that really matters to me is that my children are free and safe,” said Rosa.

Due to her experience, Rosa has become an activist that speaks for refugees living in sanctuaries like herself. In a year Rosa has had over 100 interviews with media organizations like The Washington Post, NPR, and Univision.

Rosa hopes that one day she can complete her high school education by taking online classes and receive a degree in criminology and forensics.

She wants to work in social justice related jobs so she can help Latinos thrive in this country.

On one hand, Rosa is being chased and targeted by the government and by a community that does not believe she should have the right to stay in the country. On the other hand, she is being cared for and protected by the loving and caring community that makes up the Church.

Rosa aspires to give hope to Latinos at B-CC that may be going through similar situations because, in the DMV area, there is a growing amount of churches that are trained and capable of providing sanctuary to Latino immigrants.

This courageous woman wants to send a message to the members of Congress: “I want them to place their hand on their heart, and I ask them that they please review our cases. We are more women who are currently in sanctuaries, so I ask them to put themselves in our shoes or to imagine that a mother, a sister, or a daughter could be going through what we are. We are not criminals, we are human beings. All humans deserve to be heard and all humans deserve rights.”

Debido a esta experiencia, Rosa se ha convertido en una activista que habla por los refugiados que como ella viven en santuarios. Esta luchadora social ha tenido más de 100 entrevistas en un año con organizaciones como The Washington Post, NPR y Univision. Rosa espera que algún día pueda completar su educación preparatoria tomando clases en línea. También sueña en recibir un título en criminología y medicina forense. Ella quiere colaborar en trabajos relacionados con la justicia social para poder ayudar a los latinos a prosperar en este país.

Por un lado Rosa está siendo perseguida y atacada tanto por el gobierno como por una comunidad que no cree que tenga el derecho de quedarse en el país, por el otro, está siendo cuidada y protegida por el amor y la atención de la comunidad de la Iglesia.

Rosa le quiere dar esperanza a los latinos en B-CC, que puedan estar pasando por situaciones similares ya que en el área del DMV hay una cantidad creciente de iglesias que están capacitadas para dar refugio a los inmigrantes latinos.

Esta mujer valiente también quiere enviar un mensaje a los miembros del Congreso: “Quiero que pongan su mano sobre su corazón, y les pido que revisen nuestros casos. Somos más mujeres que actualmente estamos en santuarios, así que les pido que se pongan en nuestros zapatos o que imaginen que una madre, una hermana o una hija podría estar pasando por lo que nosotras.

No somos criminales, somos seres humanos.

Todos los humanos merecen ser escuchados y todos los humanos merecen derechos.”

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lllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllll

8 PICTURE OF AMIR MASOUD KHOSRODAD HAND DRAWN BY ANOTHER PRISONER.

COVER STORY

lllllllllllllllllllll Forough & Amir Masoud Khosrodad:

ESCAPING PERSECUTION BYlllllllllllllllllllll IMAN KHOSRODAD Perseverance, determination, and dedication are only a few of the traits that describe my lllllllllllllllllllll grandfather, Amir Masoud Khosrodad. At a young age, his father put him in military school, in turn kick-starting his military career.

During the late 1970s, my grandfather was a Colonel in the Iranian military, while his lllllllllllllllllllll brother, General Manouchehr Khosrodad, was an Iranian Military General. Both were seen as heavy supporters of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the king of Iran at the time.

Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, was overthrown in 1979 by the Iranian Revolution. After the monarchy’s fall, an Islamic government was established. Anyone who was involved with Pahlavi’s regime — military personnel included — were arrested and had very uncertain futures. All of a sudden, my grandfather, and his family, were no longer welcomed in the country they called home. They decided it was best to find a way out of the country.

Troubles first began for my grandfather after his first arrest with the beginning of the establishment of the Islamic Republic. One day, he was simply picking up a package at the request of his brother, and he was halted, arrested, and swept away without a word. My grandmother became increasingly worried when she didn’t hear anything from her husband over the following 24 hours, so she decided to find him herself. She spent days going around to every jail in the area until she ultimately found him. She was shocked to see my grandfather in the distraught state that he was in. Not only was he taken to jail under unclarified charges but he had also learned that his brother was executed by prison guards after being detained by the Islamic armed forces. Unofficially, my grandfather and his brother’s arrests were for the charges of the torture of people along with being considered “traitors to the country.”

Over the next year, my grandfather was both mentally and physically tormented by the guards in the prison. The most common tactic they used to get information from prisoners was a method called “false executions.” This strategy came in two forms. The first consisted of the guards of the prison notifying the prisoners that they were free to leave, however, when the inmates attempted to leave, the guards would claim that they were trying to escape and then execute them. The other way of accomplishing these false executions would occur when the guards would tell the prisoners that they were going to be executed, but would instead beat them close to death and leave the prisoner barely alive in the end. While my grandfather was forced to face these false executions among other torture methods, my grandmother, along with my uncle and father, listened to the radio every day hoping that they wouldn’t hear my grandfather’s name on the list of people who had been recently executed.

As the year came to a close, the Iranian government ultimately came to the decision to

release my grandfather. However, this release wasn’t an act of kindness, but instead a method of gathering information. They believed that if they released my grandfather, they would be able to monitor him and, in turn, monitor the people around him that were suspected of attempting to overthrow the new government.

It was 1982 when my grandfather forced my grandmother to leave the country with my father at the age of 14 and my uncle at the age of 16, fearing that they were all in danger. Not long after, the three packed up their belongings and my grandfather took them to the airport.

As they were saying goodbye, my grandfather was arrested once again, as the government believed that he was attempting to flee.

This time, his incarceration lasted almost two years. Over this period of time, my grandmother built a life with my uncle and my father thousands of miles away in Italy. When my grandfather was

“...He laughed in my face and said that’s never going to happen.

I said ‘watch me,’ and politely said goodbye with a ‘go to hell.’ I wish he could see me now.” finally released, they were more determined than ever to make it to the United States. They thought that the United States would provide everything that their current living situations couldn’t. More importantly, the United States would be able to provide some sense of safety, opportunity, and security. My grandmother took steps towards this goal when she first visited the Australian and American Embassies in Rome. However, as she was visiting these embassies, the Iran Hostage Crisis was also occurring. During this time, 60 American hostages were taken in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. At the embassies, my grandmother was treated with great disrespect.

“The man at the embassy took me by my shirt and dragged me out of the building. He then threw me on the ground, emptied my purse all over the street and started to call me names,” she said. “I got up and looked him in the eye. I asked for his name. He asked why. I responded by saying that I wanted to know his name so when I made it to the United States I could call him and tell him that I made it without his help. He laughed in my face and said that’s never going to happen.

I said ‘watch me’, and politely said goodbye with a ‘go to hell.’ I wish he could see me now.”

With a hard-headed attitude and still a clear goal in mind, my grandmother went to the Canadian Embassy next. That very day,

she received a phone call from the Canadian Embassy offering to help her, along with my uncle, father, and grandfather escape.

This was the plan: In Italy, my grandmother found a doctor to forge documents saying that she was ill and had to get surgery. Using this information, the Canadian Embassy argued that my grandfather should be able to visit his wife and kids in Italy for at least a short time in order to care for his children.

Upon his arrival to Italy, my grandfather gathered the family, and they fled to Canada.

As they adjusted to their new life in a country with traditions and a lifestyle previously unknown to them, it became evident that everyone in the family was unhappy, despite their accomplished escape from their old lives. “All of the emotional tolls and mental games that [my grandfather] was forced to go through broke him,” my grandmother explained. “He was the strongest man I knew, but now, he was a broken man too.”

Concerned friends and family would call to check in with my grandfather, and with each call, all he could do was sit there and cry for hours. When one of his friends called, he saw how destroyed my grandfather was, and invited my grandfather and his family to visit him in California. So they went. During the visit, a friend of my grandfather’s offered his apartment in Bethesda, Maryland as a home for my grandfather’s family.

With the hope of a better life for his family and relief from the sadness he was feeling, he took up the offer and moved to Maryland.

My father and uncle grew to like their new lives in the U.S. My grandparents, however, were forced to work jobs that they never expected to be doing. My grandfather was used to being someone of power; a person who is well known, lllllllllllllllllllll admired. The Khosrodad name held immense value in Iran, but in the United States, all it could get him was a job as a shoe salesman. Even though he didn’t like it, he swallowed his pride and did what was best for his family. “He didn’t like bending down to put a shoe on a person’s foot,” my grandmother said, talking about her husband’s new life in America. “He was a lllllllllllllllllllll Khosrodad.

Respected in Iran. In Iran that meant something, but in the United States not so much, and that was a fact that he refused to understand.”

Now, because of my grandfather and his actions, my grandmother is able to call that man from the embassy and tell him that she made it to the U.S. without his help and despite his hurtful words.

My grandfather passed away in 2003 knowing that he gave his family and future generations of his family a new start and a chance to have opportunities. Ever since I was little, I have heard the stories of my grandfather and the great, brave, and strong man that he was. From the tall tales that portrayed him as being able to withhold all of the pain that he had over his lifetime, to the laugh out loud hilarious stories that had him playing practical jokes with my uncle and father, I am sure he would be proud of his family today.

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COVER STORY

everyone on the all girls team plays on at least one other team and that their “main” teams were co-ed.

Both Pahl and Ambit have loved the change to the all-girls teams. Pahl says that “the game is definitely much less aggressive in nature, but there is a lot more puck handling and passing that goes with it.” Ambit, who plays for the Spanish U18 women’s national team in addition to her co-ed club team and the Montgomery County team, enjoys the all-girl’s team atmosphere, stating that it’s “like a sisterhood.”

Pahl and Ambit also give a lot of credit to the women’s national team as an inspiration for them. Pahl says that “women’s sports, especially [women’s] hockey, rarely get any recognition,” but seeing their performance in

Koby Truskey’s Path From Disappointment to Success

BY ASHER RUBIN After playing soccer throughout his childhood, nothing excited rising freshman Koby Truskey more than playing soccer for B-CC. That summer, he felt confident in his ability to make the JV team. Once he made the first round of cuts, his confidence grew even higher; however, when the final round of cuts was made and Coach Melendez read off the names of the athletes who made the team, Truskey did not hear his name. Although he was devastated, a journey of hard work and dedication had begun.

Truskey continues to play on a club team that is not affiliated with B-CC. At the time of the tryouts, he was a forward for his team, leading all players with the most goals. As a sophomore, Truskey tried out with a renewed confidence that he would make the team.

“Because I made first cuts and was going to be a sophomore, I was pretty sure that I was going to make at least JV,” said Truskey.

Unfortunately, it did not come that easy. Once again, Truskey made it past the first round of cuts, but he did not make the final cut. Truskey was emotional and frustrated, especially because several of his close friends made the team.

At this point, Truskey realized that his previous formula for excelling at tryouts was not working, and if he wanted to make varsity the following year, his workout and practice routine had to change.

10

“Over the summer, I focused on improving endurance,” Truskey said. He would either go to the gym or go for a run every day. In addition to this intense routine, he practiced and played in games for his club team.

Finally, the August before Truskey’s junior year, tryouts arrived, and he was more ready than he had ever been. He knew that there were lots of attackers trying out, so he decided to try out for midfield. On the first day, he believed that he really stood out in the running drills.”

For the third year in a row, Truskey made the first round of cuts. But from experience, he knew that it was too early to get excited.

The next day, he gave it his all and felt that he played well in scrimmages. Coach Melendez began to read off the names. About ten names in, Truskey’s name had not been called, and he was getting nervous. After a few more names, the coach finally announced, “Koby Truskey.” A wave of relief consumed Truskey. His heart began to beat again, and he couldn’t help but smile. When he returned to his house, he celebrated with his family.

That season, the varsity soccer team fell short of the team’s expectations, after they were unable to repeat their state title run from the year before. “Even though the team did not do as well as we wanted to and I did not get much playing time, I was very happy

the recent Olympics was motivating. “Watching the Olympics and seeing women’s hockey at the highest level was amazing to see,” said Ambit.

Ambit also says some of her biggest motivation came from Hayley Skarupa, fellow Maryland native and member of the U.S. women’s national ice hockey team that won gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Skarupa grew up in Rockville; she attended Wootton High School.

Skarupa even played on the same Montgomery travel team that Ambit plays with today.

These three Barons have seen success from the county level to the international stage and are destined to representing B-CC on the world’s biggest stage.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KOBY TRUSKEY

BY DREW NEALIS Hockey is a sport that has been historically dominated by men. However, over the past six years, women’s hockey in North America has made waves on the national stage, notably in the Olympics. The 3-2 victory over Canada which earned the women’s national team the gold medal was a huge moment for the women’s hockey in North America. The dominance of the U.S. and Canadian teams, who have seen each other in each of the past three Olympic finals, has given way to a rise in the popularity of the sport among younger girls in North America.

This can be seen on a local level now in Montgomery County and at B-CC. This past year, the first all-girls Montgomery County ice hockey team was formed in the Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL). The team includes B-CC senior Arzu Pahl, junior Paula Ambit, and freshman Sophia Burke. They are ranked as one of the top teams in the local MSHL and face off against other counties in Maryland.

The main goal of the MSHL is to give girls the chance to play competitive hockey against other all-girls teams, compared to the co-ed teams. Despite that, Pahl and Ambit stated that

PHOTO BY MATT MENDELSOHN

Maryland’s First Ever All-Female Hockey Team

to just be apart of the team,” said Truskey.

For the 2019 season, Truskey came even stronger and more determined than before.

Truskey earned his spot on the roster and went on to prove his place on the team. After several injuries struck the midfield, Truskey was called as a starter and played more time than he had ever before. Coach Melendez trusted Truskey to help a team during a period of extensive injuries.

The team ended the regular season winning seven of their last eight games. During the playoffs, Coach Melendez saw his trust in Truskey pay off as Truskey scored a goal against WJ sealing the victory that would move them on to the next round.

When the team joined together a month later to receive rewards and certificates, there was no doubt in the room that Truskey would receive the Baron award. This time, Coach Melendez only called off one name: Koby Truskey, marking the end to a resilient high school soccer career.

SPORTS

BY DYLAN GREENHOUSE Led by star junior forward Caroline Orza, the B-CC women’s basketball team started their season hot with a 10-1 record. Last year, Orza took home the Montgomery Sentinel Player of the Year Award. The Montgomery Sentinel Basketball Player of the Year is an award given out to student basketball players around the county. Despite winning this award, Orza was not satisfied. Orza says her ultimate goal is “to help [the B-CC women’s basketball

Ryan Ingalls, the coach of the girls’ varisty basketball team, told the Montgomery Sentinel.

After back-to-back trips to the state semifinals as a freshman and sophomore, Orza knew she would have to turn up the intensity of her offseason training in order to make it to states.

According to Orza, “[she spent most of [her] spring and summer in the gym,” even going to the gym the day B-CC was eliminated by Old Mill High School in the playoffs last year. At that game, Orza earned 21 points and had nine rebounds.

Orza translated her effort in the gym to the court, as she competed in the Amateur Athletic circuit against some of the best players across the country.

Orza’s hard work and determination continued off the court. “I watched film from last season and knew I could do better. I was always either playing or thinking about basketball,” said Orza.

Orza’s hard work is already paying off this season as she has already been named MoCo Player of the Week and MoCo December Player of the Month by the rec league.

Orza and the Barons will look to continue their impressive play as they near the playoffs, and look to make a deep run to the state title.

“... She’s pretty much the definition of a student-athlete,” team] win at least one state championship.”

Orza began playing basketball at the age of four. Throughout elementary school and middle school, she played in the Montgomery County recreational leagues. She joined the B-CC basketball team as a freshman and quickly dominated the court. “[It] is just so important to have a player that goes that hard and kind of sets the tone every game. She does so in practice, in games, even in her schoolwork. She’s pretty much the definition of a student-athlete,” Ms.

Kerry Ellis: The Dual-Sport Star

BY GRETA FARKAS AND LANE LIEBERMAN Only a select few end up making a varsity sport freshman year at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Current sophomore Kerry Ellis made two. Ellis was one of three freshmen on the varsity soccer team and was one of two freshmen on the varsity basketball team last year. Since then, Ellis has continued to show her skills and prove herself as a valuable player for both teams.

Recently, Ellis’ impressive athletic talents have been noticed by The Washington Post. After winning the B-CC vs Whitman Girls basketball game in January this season, Ellis’s skills earned herself a headline in The Washington Post:

Despite Ellis’ current success with the Girls Basketball team this year, her story began at B-CC very differently.

Heading into basketball season her freshman year, a spot on the Varsity roster did not pass her mind. Ellis participated in the B-CC summer basketball league playing on the Junior Varsity team the summer prior, so once tryouts began, she assumed she would join the JV team for her freshman season. However, after tryouts, Ellis received the news that she had made the Varsity team.“I was actually surprised I made varsity,” she said. “I did not think I would make it at all.”

Ellis showed the same dedication to making the B-CC Girls Soccer team during the summer before her freshman year. While playing for the B-CC Basketball summer league, Ellis also had her eye on B-CC’s Girls Soccer program. Throughout the summer, Varsity Coach Rob Kurtz held practices that Kerry Ellis made sure to attend. Due to her hard work, skill, and her perseverance to show her interest, Ellis made a lasting impact on the coach. “Kurtz basically told me I’d be on varsity before tryouts, so I wasn’t surprised,” said Ellis.

Today, with two seasons with the Girls Varsity Soccer team under her belt, Kerry Ellis has played a major role for the team as one of the first substitutions to enter games, and even sometimes getting played before older teammates.

“B-CC has bragging rights, largely thanks to Ellis.”

“Sophomore Kerry Ellis lifts B-CC over Whitman.”

Beating Whitman could very well be one of the most significant goals on any sports team at B-CC. As the Washington Post article noted, Ellis played a key role in helping the Barons achieve this goal. With 27 seconds left in the close game, she sank two free-throws to secure the four-point lead over the Vikings. In the words of The Post, Ellis’ outstanding display of athleticism outstanding performance “B-CC has bragging rights, largely thanks to Ellis.”

GRAPHIC BY CHARLIE KANNAPELL

PHOTO BY DAVID WOLFE FROM THE MONTGOMERY SENTINEL

Caroline Orza: Shooting for States

Playing two sports can be very time-consuming and leaves little time for school work. Ellis explained that she has to “try to do homework during class and sometimes pushes projects to the last minute.” Maintaining good grades is especially difficult when you have to handle one sport. Ellis not only participates in two high school sports, but plays club soccer as well. This makes soccer her “more time-consuming” sport.

Her club team practices year-round and overlaps with her B-CC soccer schedule in the Fall, often forcing her to choose to attend either club practice or B-CC practice throughout the season.

Playing for two high-level Varsity teams comes with a price, however, and Ellis is beginning to feel the pressure as she endures her second year of high school. “As classes become more challenging, I don’t know if I can handle both [sports],” said Ellis. Nevertheless, she plans to persevere, living the life of a talented dual-sport student-athlete for B-CC. 11

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANONYMOUS SOURCES

B-CC and WJ Tensions Reach New Levels

NEWS

The anonymous B-CC student’s mouth after being punched. As seen in the picture, their teeth were pushed back from the force of the punch.

BY JASON GRAYER, IMAN KHOSRODAD, DANIS CAMMETT AND EMMA SALTZMAN B-CC and WJ sometimes have had a friendly rivalry. However, it’s fair to say that these tensions from this rivalry have reached a breaking point in a series of incidents that eventually led to many severe injuries and three students being arrested.

These incidents began with spray painting on January 14th, when a sacred and traditional Walter Johnson wall was vandalized. The wall, located on the side of a shed on the WJ campus, was spray-painted on with pro-B-CC messages along with an obscene image. This wall was one that had originally been painted on with the names of current seniors at the school. The following day, B-CC’s campus was vandalized in three locations. The campus was struck with the words “B-CC Sucks,” an obscene image, and “Go Vikings” written on a wall on Chelton Road.

Other anti-B-CC comments were written on the rock in front of campus and on the electronic sign at the front of the school. Some may believe that the damage caused to our campus was “payback” from WJ students for vandalism on their sacred wall. In a joint email issued by both B-CC Principal Shelton Mooney and WJ Principal Jennifer Baker to their respective school communities, “These acts resulted in

thousands of dollars of damage to the schools and a full police investigation. These acts are all completely unacceptable and both schools will work collaboratively to determine the facts and administer appropriate consequences.”

After the vandalistic actions had concluded, both schools were looking towards the boy’s basketball game on Friday, January 17. The game was described as “tense” and “heated” by many students in attendance.

“As soon as you walked in the building, it was like you were cut with a knife,” WJ junior Arun Sen said. “Everyone was mad at each other when they walked in the hallways, you could just see it in their eyes.”

WJ took an early lead, but as the game progressed B-CC began to catch up, tensions rose. The game ended with a B-CC victory of 59 58, a nail-biting end to a close game.

Minutes after the game ended, students from both sides of the stands rushed to the parking lot. A large circle formed, fighting and shouting soon ensued. The scene quickly turned violent, with fights breaking out in various locations, and students being pepper sprayed and held down by police officers, many students pulled out their phones to take videos, only encouraging the brawling to intensify.

“I was just watching the fight with my friends

but a guy that we had been trash talking five minutes earlier ran over and sucker punched me. I had oral surgery afterwards and I will most likely be needing two root canals. I’m probably going to press charges. My medical bills are so high,” said a student at B-CC, who would rather remain anonymous due to an ongoing police investigation. The person who punched him was identified within an hour. “We found a picture of the student section and my friends and I identified the guy based off the picture. We sent the picture to people we knew from WJ and they told us his name. The police looked at footage from before the fight and saw the guy that we found. He’s the only suspect.”

Second District Commander Sean Gagen stated that the three male students who were arrested were all from B-CC. All three are juveniles and were being charged with assault.

They were later released to their parents. None of the arrests were because of the vandalism.

Tensions between students appeared to have calmed.

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH DANIS CAMMETT AND EMMA SALTZMAN FROM THE WJ PITCH

By The Tattler Editorial Staff and the WJ Pitch Editorial Staff There has been a hostile environment between schools in the Bethesda area lately.

The rivalry that once was playful, has reached a new extreme and turned dangerous. With the events that occurred within the last few weeks, we believe it is important for all to take a step back. We all want to root for our school and cheer on our classmates, but once the rivalry crosses the line into violence, it’s not a mere high school rivalry. Hostilities create a divided community that has implications beyond a sports game. We all know people from other schools in our area because we all belong to a greater community.

That community should not suffer because of these rivalries. Rumors break out, people turn on each other, people get seriously injured, and we end up losing privileges. Before the next game or event, remember that we’re all students and the only thing that separates us is the name that we’re rooting for.

12

NEWS

Students and Special Guests Speak Up for the First Amendment

POSTER BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

unique to B-CC. Not every school can have the opportunity to put together such an event with such highly regarded speakers. The topic of this event affects everyone and applies to everyone which makes it more impactful,” said another coordinator Lilly Behbehani.

Many students had the opportunity to attend multiple events and many found the talks given to be impactful. “I went to two events. I thought it was really provocative because I don’t think we talk a lot about this type of stuff in school. It was a unique opportunity to talk to these high up professionals that often wouldn’t go to high schools,” said senior Anna Horton.

“An event like this is why I love teaching at B-CC,” said David Lopilato, The Tattler sponsor.

“I’ve been associated with universities that would be proud to have speakers of this caliber. All students involved should be incredibly proud of themselves.”

PHOTOS BY STEFFI LEWIS

BY ISABEL DANZIS AND GRACE HARRINGTON Shouting Fire, a school wide event on the First Amendment, took place on Thursday, January 23rd. It began during lunch with keynote speaker Mary Beth Tinker from the landmark 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines.

Breakout sessions included speakers from the ACLU, FDA, The Washington Post, Reporters without Borders, American University and more.

Classes came to these breakout talks and were able to interact with the professionals.“It was really cool to see how many students actually took the time to come out and take part in the event. It was a great representation of the involvement of students at B-CC,” said Emma Volkers, one of the event moderators.

Some students noted how special the opportunity to listen to a speaker series during the school day was.“Shouting Fire was an event

STUDENTS WATCH MARY BETH TINKER SPEAK

SPEAKERS ON THE KEYNOTE PANEL

New Beginning for GSA

BY LILLY BEHBEHANI “Our goal is that we really want kids to accept themselves for who they are,” said Madi Weber, Co-President of the Gay Straight Alliance Club at B-CC. The GSA has started this school year with a new chapter -- and a new name.

A year ago, the GSA went by the name “Spectrum,” to represent the club’s welcoming nature of all types of individuals. However, they have since decided to adopt the name “Gay Straight Alliance,” believing that it better emphasizes the inclusivity of all types of individuals and sexualities, including those of the majority demographic: straight people. Iris Ghorbani, Co-President of GSA, emphasized that, “It’s so important to get straight people

active in the LGBT community because they have a louder voice. They get more of a steady place in politics and in general, they tend to be listened to more.”

With a new name comes a fresh plan for the club. The club has a set plan on what they will talk about each week with a suggestion box to remain open-minded. During club meetings, leaders give presentations about relevant topics to the LGBT+ community like coming out and gender identity.

Ms. Jenny Lizarazo, the sponsor of the club, said, “There are so many kids that come here and this is their safe haven, even though B-CC is very accepting, more accepting than most high schools.” The GSA acts as a support system for students who are LGBT+, coming out, and also

straight allies at B-CC. The GSA’s goal is for B-CC to become a safe space for the LGBT+ community where they can be comfortable around their peers. With each meeting and each member, the GSA is passionately trying to make B-CC a more accepting place for all students.”

This year, the GSA hopes to educate students of all sexualities and identities about the importance of the LGBTQ+ community in our society. The GSA plans on teaching classes about sexual orientation, as well as educating students about LGBTQ+ historical figures. Additionally, they hope to plan events such as a Drag Race for all to attend and enjoy, as well as promoting attendance to Pride Events. The club meets every other Wednesday in E035.

13

OPINION

BY SAM MOMENI On January 7th of 2020, the White House came out with a list of ten guiding principles which they considered to be a resource for federal agencies to use in their regulation of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). The technology itself, consisting of combinations of technologies such as machine learning and neural networks, has continually proven to be some of the most applicable and revolutionary humanity has ever seen. As its sector continues to develop, its applications increase with it. From diagnosing brain tumors up to ten times faster than clinical neurologists to predicting a preventing car crashes, A.I. has made its mark on nearly every industry and practice.

With the prodigious level of growth that A.I. has displayed in all its modern showings, more frequent and urgent conversations around it make sense, with many of those discussions being

unfounded concern or mistrust, but A.I. must have very clear boundaries and regulations placed on it as is appropriate due to a combination of legitimate concerns. A.I. has to be strategically regulated, and those regulations have to be effectively enforced, but all that can still be done without impeding the promising growth of A.I..

The idea of regulation itself in industry is strongly linked with partisanship. In the case of A.I., it’s hard to exactly identify what would be exact optimal regulation, but there are groups who generally advocate for either the cautious method of overregulation from federal agencies or a level of more open underregulation. In both of these cases, the division is caused by fear over what could happen in either situation rather than firm belief in one ideology.

There are, as mentioned, reasons to push for stronger regulation as things stand with A.I.. The most pertinent example is the issue with racial profiling and A.I.. In 2019, headlines emerged detailing cases of A.I. being used to manage and predict crime. Another case emerged where A.I. had racial bias towards certain ethnic minorities. A common misconception is that its software is the primary problem fueling these biases. However, the real underlying issue is the data and the people who develop it.

A.I. itself is an incredibly powerful tool, but its ability ultimately comes down to the quality of data it’s fed. When false or poor data is used, it can learn to develop racial biases, but that’s why oversight of A.I. is so important. This means that not only is it oversight of the technology that’s important, but also who exactly is using it. The idea that who is using A.I. can be regulated isn’t meant to be a tyrannical machination but rather a means by which regulators can get an insight into what exactly developers doing (with exceptions).

It also gives them the ability to get a sense for what data is being used by who, and if it’s being gathered ethically (although there is existing

When false or poor data is used, it can learn to develop racial biases, but that’s why oversight of A.I. is so important. centered around the regulation of A.I.. Famed advocates for regulation such as Elon Musk have been unremarkably vocal about the ultranecessity of regulation on A.I., with many federal agencies echoing that sentiment. In the case of the White House’s release, they were noted for their “laissez-faire” or “hands off” approach.

According to them, “federal agencies must avoid regulatory or non-regulatory actions that needlessly hamper A.I. innovation and growth.”

Critics have been quick to note that deliberate vagueness or openness in these scenarios allow for normally inexcusable conduct in technology to go under the guise of being in promotion of the growth of A.I.. Certainly, private businesses shouldn’t be specifically targeted as a result of

GRAPHIC BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

A.I. Regulation Can Exist And Still Promote Growth legislature for that, it increases transparency).

This can all be done without unintentionally disrupting the growth of the technology, as there isn’t a direct interference with the technology.

Another extremely crucial point in the process of regulation is actually making federal agencies knowledgeable enough about A.I. to handle it.

When they’re informed, they can successfully handle the issues most pertinent to them. This avoids the sort of senseless and overbearing regulation that many warn of, simultaneously allowing for them to optimize safe and ethical development of A.I.. The more informed, the more adaptable, too. As A.I. changes, regulation needs to be adjusted in accordance. Departments that are already informed are more likely to be able to keep up with the rate of change later on, only making things better. That’s why there most definitely has to be an increase in knowledge of the issue from a federal standpoint, allowing for them to only put regulation that they believe is effective, which reduced unnecessary constrictions on A.I..

Whether or not somebody is ready to embrace it, A.I. will likely impact their lives in one way or another. It’s an issue that will affect nearly every American, meaning it should be a top national priority. While A.I. is still largely private, investment in its research is also something that can be done even with regulation. The illusion that regulation equates to the harm or discouragement of innovation is one that needs to go.

Of course, as the technology progresses, understanding on all levels will deepen, but there can still be action taken now. A.I. has the potential to both solve humanity’s greatest problems and also create them, so it’s up to us to be responsible.

My Elevator Pitch: Think About Other People

BY LUNA FERA It was a nice, albeit chilly, Thursday afternoon when I found that I could not reach my classroom in the basement of the F-wing due to the elevator malfunction. Imagine the look on my face when I found that the reason for the elevator break-down was because a group of boys decided to jump at the same time in the elevator as it was moving.

So yeah. I had to go back around to the front, go outside B-CC in the cold, and enter in from another door. Sure, there is a way for people to just use the locker room to get through to the F-wing, but that door is usually locked and only a P.E. teacher can open it.

Yep. Not fun, to say the least.

On top of that, my next class is all the way on the 14

fourth floor so it made me even more late. And to add a little bow to tie it all off, the elevator was still broken on Friday, causing me to have to go outside and do that whole process not once, but twice that day as I have two classes in that part of B-CC.

“It’s an understatement saying that this is just an inconvenience.”

It’s an understatement saying that this is just an inconvenience. There are a number of students here that have disabilities in some shape or form and need to use these elevators. To

see them used so poorly and carelessly is extremely frustrating because these things are our only transportation around the school.

Look, I understand wanting to ride with your friend that has an elevator key or just catching a ride because you are oh so tired. But think it through. Y’all have two damn legs and the stairs are literally right there next to the elevators. Use them because you guys have the privilege to use them. Us? The people that can’t walk because of a sprained ankle or people like me that can’t walk because they are paralyzed? We cannot.

So please, on behalf of all that have to use the elevator, do us all a favor: Don’t screw up our stuff.

OPINION

Month’s

New Year’s Resolutions means something and someone really wants to achieve it, then there is no reason to wait. Orza sets personal goals for herself, but she does not feel the need to wait for the New Year to begin working towards them. Sometimes, New Year’s resolutions can seem more like a wish to be made than a goal to be achieved. It is also unrealistic thinking that “succeeding” at a resolution means doing it consistently for 365 days. B-CC senior Katie Stevenson said, “There are more effective ways to implement self improvement other than New Year’s resolutions, since they are over such a long time frame it makes it harder to apply.”

Although, regardless of whether people keep their resolutions or not, it can be argued that resolutions are still beneficial. Whether someone continues the goal they set for 12 months or for one day, they still did something to try and improve their well-being. “New Year’s resolutions shouldn’t be solely about doing something for the whole year, they should be about trying to do something good as often as possible whether that be for weeks or for the rest of your life,” said B-CC junior Kelsea Petersen.

In addition, the idea of making resolutions for the New Year itself inspires many people

to stop and think. “New Year’s resolutions are a good time to reflect on what you would like to work on about yourself,” said Stevenson.

Around that time of year, people will assess where they are physically, mentally, spiritually, financially and socially, which they may not have otherwise. One may realize something life changing that would never have crossed their mind without New Year’s resolutions.

GRAPHIC BY DERYA TASPINAR

BY MIA ROMANO At the beginning of each year, it is common for people to make a list of how they would like to improve in the upcoming year. These resolutions can include anything from exercising more often to learning cursive. There is usually a lot of talk about resolutions in January, but this talk usually fades by the time March comes around. Also, one would think that by the end of the year, there would be discussion about the success of the resolutions, although that too is pretty rare. Is the idea of New Year’s resolutions even effective, or is it just a list that gets put aside and eventually thrown away?

Many people believe that since resolutions are often not taken seriously, they are lost and forgotten without much result. “If you want to make a change, you should make that change, regardless of the time [of year],” said junior Tilly Sandmeyer. If someone were to decide to set a goal for themselves during November, why should they get started on it over a month later, especially if it is something that they actually care about? “I have goals that I work towards but those don’t start with a new year,” said junior Caroline Orza. She says that if it really

Mathematics: It’s Time For a Change

BY EVAN WARNER It is no secret that a large portion of students dread taking a math class in their time spent in middle and high school. Mathematics is a key subject and should be taught with no questions asked. The issues surrounding math courses, however, are about the content of the math courses students are required to take.

The math curriculum could become more enjoyable to students with the addition of new, interesting, and relevant classes that can prepare them for the real world instead of having mandatory classes that do not benefit students in their intended majors or for when they join the workforce.

The key math topics are Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus. All of these have been the cornerstones of what many consider the basic math curriculum in schools across the country.

Yet, over the past couple of years, debate has been sparked among educators, students, parents, and other professionals over what constitutes a requirement math course in school .

Junior Isaac Gopin had mixed feelings on the matter. Gopin, who is now in his third year of taking a required math course said, “I think math as a concept is really interesting [but] I think that the curriculum is way too demanding.”

When asked about whether schools should offer math classes such as a course on how to do taxes, he said, “Absolutely there should be [math] classes that will help you later in life. People

always say that college is where you learn how to live an adult life, but why not start in high school?”

Angelina DeLeon, a junior at B-CC, was not condemning of the math classes and felt that there may need to be a change in the way subjects are taught.

“Once [students] started Algebra II, more and more [kids struggled].” DeLeon and

“‘People always say that college is where you learn how to live an adult life, but why not start in high school?’”

Gopin both agreed that a lot of young adults leave college and enter the workforce and adulthood without knowing essential math skills that help them in their daily lives.

Junior Ryan Carr also finds issues with the required math curriculum. “I do not think math is taught well in school. They throw a lot at you in a little amount of time and hardly explain how it is used,” said Carr.

A student who wished to remain anonymous

agreed with the points made by Carr, also stating that mandatory courses are “not a waste of time, but [are] just too difficult to be as a required class.”

“I believe it should only be optional as we shouldn’t force [students] to take classes they don’t want to [take] or know they will do bad [in],” said the student.

In subjects like history and science, not all classes offered are required, and the state of Maryland only requires students to complete three years (or credits) in these subjects. Even with a one-year difference, a big distinction with science is that physics, a challenging course to most, is no longer required and can be replaced by other science objectives such as AP Environmental Science, which has become increasingly popular over the years.

The debate over the necessary math requirements for students is not something that should be overlooked. It is a topic that is continuing to grow and raise questions and concerns as well as praise. In the future, it could set a new standard for required courses within the curriculum.

15

OPINION

A Reflection on the Soleimani Killing At 1 AM on January 3rd, General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, entered a convoy heading out of the Baghdad International Airport. Shortly afterward, a U.S. airstrike leveled the convoy, wiping Iran’s most powerful military general off the face of the Earth. The flames licking the remnants of the burning convoy were the first of many fires as the global news sphere exploded into a frenzy the following morning. All headlines honed in on one question: was this US-sanctioned killing justified?

Why the Killing Will Spark Peril

BY ETHAN TIAO It is undisputed that General Soleimani was one of the U.S.’s most dangerous enemies, responsible for egregious domestic murdering sprees and global terrorist attacks. However, this strike was more than just the killing of a terrorist. First, killing Iran’s second most powerful politician dramatically jeopardizes our diplomatic relations by rampantly increasing anti-U.S. sentiment within Iran. Second, the lack of congressional oversight on our President’s questionable actions sets a very dangerous precedent for the use of executive powers.

Amidst unprecedented levels of tension fueled by the storming of the U.S. embassy in Iraq and the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, the killing of General Soleimani eliminates any possibility of diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and the Trump administration.

When the door closes on diplomacy, a new one opens beckoning uncertainty, risk, and inevitable chaos. With Ayatollah Khomeini calling for vicious retaliation and Soleimani’s successor promising bodies of Americans spread across the Middle East, it seems as if we have only impelled Iran to devise future plans for retaliation that will lead to the spilled blood of countless Americans and our allies. Who knows where that blood

will be spilled? It could be through offensive cyber attacks targeting our power grids, missile strikes on American military establishments in the Middle East, or terror attacks on American allies like Israel. Without limits on nuclear proliferation in Iran and a rise in anti-U.S. sentiment within the Iranian government and people, the sobering truth is that we don’t know how, when, or where Iran will hit the U.S next.

Going beyond the daunting risks of this attack on our future, our President’s flawed justification of this attack is incredibly concerning.

According to the Trump administration, the attack was imperative because of “impending attacks on U.S. interests.” Despite claims of an imminent attack, U.S. officials failed to provide any concrete evidence to both the public and Congress itself. On January 10th, Trump told Fox News that Soleimani was targeting four U.S. embassies. When pressed about whether specific evidence confirmed Trump’s claim, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said, “I didn’t see one with regard to four embassies.” After news surfaced that the US attempted to kill another Iranian leader on the same day, our actions indicate that our motive behind the Soleimani strike wasn’t limited to only deterrence.

These actions set a dangerous precedent

for Presidential powers. With seemingly freerange to launch missiles targeting foreign leaders, it is important that we exercise limits on this Presidential power. The recently Houseapproved measure to restrict Presidential authority to attack foreign countries without Congressional approval achieves exactly that.

With the possibility of similar actions being taken in the future, it’s important that we enforce measures to ensure that our foreign policy actions are made in the best interest of the American people. If that means putting some of the decision-making power that the President holds in the hands of Congress, so be it.

Our country’s use of military power must play a role in a holistic strategy that serves to advance our goals. As we back out of the nuclear deal, kill Iran’s premier generals, and deploy troops to defend vulnerable American properties and people, the question arises: do we have a game plan that improves the security of the American people? Or, is this incoherent slew of decisions and policies the result of an administration that has no manifest end goal?

Today, the only thing that is clear to us is that our Cold War with Iran has entered a new and treacherous phase.

Why the Killing Will Make Us Safer

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BY ELI GLICKMAN Soleimani was an indisputable threat, not only to the U.S. but to our allies in Europe and the Middle East. As a major general in the IRGC, Soleimani was not only responsible for killing Americans, taking hostages, and supporting terror, but also leading the repression of Iran’s own people. As the head of Iran’s Quds Force, an elite branch of the IRGC which specializes in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations, Soleimani supported terrorism across the Middle East, by arming and training Houthi rebels, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Shortly after his assassination broke headlines, Republican Senators posted a video on their Instagram account saying, “Qassem Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of more Americans than any terrorist leader since Osama Bin Laden.” As a U.S. designated terrorist leader who actively threatened the Iraqi state, the attack was permissible under international law.

The first question regarding long-term impacts of the strike was the supposed violation of Iraqi sovereignty and how that will impact U.SIraqi relations in the future. As to whether or not the U.S really did violate Iraqi sovereignty with the strike, there’s no clear answer. While Iraq publicly denounced the killing by narrowly voting in the parliament to expel U.S. troops from the country, their prime minister has yet to authorize the act, making it law. Moreover, Iraq certainly had tense relations with Iran and were no friends of Soleimani. The Quds Force made a mockery of

Iraqi sovereignty and openly funded and enabled terrorism within its borders. Because of this, according to Harvard professor of international law Jill Goldenziel, it is quite possible that Iraq authorized the killing under the table and tried to save face globally with the parliamentary vote.

However, the killing sparked intense clash between the U.S. and Iran, with a swift retaliation against two U.S. military installations in Iraq by the Islamic Republic. Does this signal a long tit for tat conflict between the U.S. and Iran? It’s unlikely. Tensions like this have happened before. In response to the U.S. Stuxnet cyberattack deployed against Iranian uranium enrichment facilities, Iran sent a swift flurry of attacks at the U.S. financial system, costing some U.S banks millions in damages. But after that, the situation died down.

Iran has no interest in fighting a war with the U.S. that they cannot win. If they escalate the situation too far, they risk starting a war in which they would be faced with the full might of the U.S. and its allies.

The House Democrats’ resolution that called on the president to “‘terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran or any part of its government or military’ unless Congress declares war or there is ‘an imminent armed attack upon the United States’” is strategically unsound. The resolution risks handicapping our effectiveness in the struggle against the principal state sponsor of terror (Iran) and undermine the

U.S. military abroad. This was not careless warmongering; Soleimani was a dangerous terrorist and an imminent threat to the U.S. This resolution will undoubtedly be vetoed, yet it still shows a severe lack of judgment on the part of those who passed it. The 21st century is no longer the age of ground invasions and declarations of war, but the age of cyber warfare and drone strikes. When the U.S. gets a shot at a major strategic enemy, it would be the height of irresponsibility to restrict their ability to use military force when there is a limited window of opportunity. Soleimani was a military leader for a foreign, hostile power that with which we are embroiled in a proxy war across the Middle East.

The U.S. had an easy shot at him, and so they took it. Assassinating Soleimani was inflammatory, but in the long-run it will support U.S. interests and security in the region. Restricting the authorization of the use of military force in an age where our greatest threats are terrorists who we seldom have a good shot at will only serve to hamper our strategic strength in the long run.

As we move into the new decade, the U.S. cannot afford to forsake a policy of strong and decisive military action in favor of illconceived, idealistic resolutions. To project strength in the future, we must ensure that America’s foes--like Qassem Soleimani--cannot run free; we must continue to fight terror abroad and ensure peace through strength.

What We Thought 2020 Would Look

BY CORA HAFER Today, you didn’t hop into your flying car to get to school, watch the news to see the first person to walk on Mars, or hide from aliens that have taken over the Earth. There have been countless predictions for what the year 2020 will look like.

Some are simply bizarre, and some are shockingly accurate. This leaves us with the burning question: how well are we able to predict the future?

While there have been some predictions for 2020 that have been similar to what life is actually like today, some predictions from movies and TV shows have gone the opposite route. Edge of Tomorrow, a science-fiction movie made in 2014, showed 2020 as the year when an alien race attacked earth with a strength unbeatable by any military unit. Even though the future is uncertain, for now, this prediction does not seem likely.

In an episode of Friends called “The One With the Cake,” Ross takes a video of his daughter’s first birthday party for her to watch when she turns 18 in 2020. Phoebe, thinking about what the year 2020 might be like, says that Emma (Ross’s daughter) and her friends will be living “in a floating city that the humans built to escape the ant people.” Fortunately, (or unfortunately, however you choose to look at it) all of our cities are still on the ground, and although you never know what the government could be hiding, it seems unlikely that ant people exist.

Predictions for 2020 did not come only from movies and TV shows, many people throughout history have predicted what the world would look

like today. One of the most common predictions was that paper books would cease to exist. Many believed that by 2020, almost no one would read real paper books anymore, but instead, they would use e-readers. While the industry of print book publishing is steadily declining, they remain a common tool used in schools, offices, and homes. Another well-known prediction was that humans would have set foot on Mars already. Although we have already landed eight unmanned spacecrafts on Mars’ surface, we still have a ways to go before we send humans to the red planet. While it may be fun to think about predictions that are ridiculously far from the truth, there are some out there that actually turned out to be true. One of these is that computers will be practically invisible by 2020.

This prediction is actually very close to reality; today, computers are everywhere: embedded in our walls, cars, tables and more. We keep making smaller and more powerful models, some that appear on almost completely clear surfaces.

Predictions involving increased tracking technology turned out to be pretty accurate, as well. The belief that our every move will be tracked is pretty much a reality with apps such as Life360, companies like Apple and Google having access to almost every aspect of our lives, and even companies like 23&Me which have access to all of their consumers’ genetic information. To some, it can be scary how little privacy we have today.

It can be pretty difficult to accurately predict the future. But what do B-CC students

GRAPHIC BY GRACE CARTER

OPINION

think that we will accomplish by the beginning of the next decade? Junior Dennis Panfilov said that by 2030, “hopefully we will find a cure for cancer.” While it seems as though this reality may be far away, technology and medicine is advancing at a rapid pace, and you never know how much we will progress in the next ten years.

Sophomore Sierra Hunter said, “I don’t really think we will be getting anywhere in the next ten years, honestly human beings keep destroying the earth, and yes, they can post on their Instagram stories about all the things that are happening in other countries around the world, but what is that really doing to help? People have these things they want to try and change, but society isn’t really about those things anymore.”

On the other hand, sophomore Alessandra Faccone thinks that by 2030, “We will have taken more serious steps involving the environment.”

Despite some very accurate guesses about what 2020 would be like from the past, the truth is that as we advanced at a faster pace than ever before, it can be almost impossible to know for sure what the future will hold.

BY KADIJAH BAH A few months ago, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and saw a post by a friend of mine on her “finsta” (her fake Instagram account). The caption asked her followers whether they consider themselves feminists. She stated that she did not consider herself a feminist because feminism was not representative of her own struggles as a black woman. When looking at the comments, I saw many other girls of color who were in agreement. They stated things such as “feminism is for white girls” and “feminism doesn’t care about what I go through.”

As a girl of color, I was confused by these comments. I didn’t understand why any woman, no matter the race, would not consider themselves a feminist. I had always known I was a feminist, but I soon realized that I was blind to many issues with the movement. The more I thought about it and tried to understand the point of view of all of these other girls, I realized that they had a point. The modern day feminist movement seemed to focus on issues that mainly affect white, upper class, heterosexual women in the western world without acknowledging the additional hardships of minority women and women in third world countries. For example, a major issue that feminists bring up is the wage gap, claiming that for every dollar a man makes, a woman makes 78 cents. In reality, this statistic only applies to white women. For every dollar a white man makes, a black woman makes 64 cents and a Hispanic woman makes only 56 cents. The fact that this statistic was (and still is) rarely mentioned shocked me. The more I thought

about it, the more disappointed I was with what the feminist movement had become. I even began to question if I could still be a feminist.

Then, I learned about intersectional feminism.

Intersectional feminism is a movement that acknowledges the different struggles women of many identities face; it allows for every woman’s voice to be heard. The founder of this movement, Kimberlé Crenshaw, is a black woman, a lawyer, a civil rights advocate, and a scholar. She has been very vocal about the need to recognize the struggle of women who face the combination of sexism and other forms of discrimination, such as racism. Her beliefs and the movement she started have become increasingly popular among feminists because her brand of feminism fights for the equality of all women. In addition, this movement encourages feminists to recognize their own privilege, be it living in the western world, being a racial majority,

or being of a high income level, and using it to give a voice to those who have less power.

I see intersectional feminism as the key to solving the issues in the feminist movement today.

Once we start to acknowledge the importance of intersectional feminism, we stop making the fight for gender equality about one particular group of women. We can show minority women that feminism does care about the issues they face.

If we continue to ignore the challenges minority women face, are we really feminists? Feminism ought to fight for the equal rights of all women.

This is not to say that the hardships women with privilege face are unimportant, as every woman has their own equally valid struggle. However, the issues faced by minority women continue to be completely ignored. Shedding light on the issues they face will strengthen the feminist movement by making the fight for equality more inclusive.

GRAPHIC BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

Why Feminism Needs to be More Inclusive

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OPINION

BY STEFFI LEWIS In the next decade, I want to see flying cars, world peace, and the systematic removal of billionaires -- the whole nine yards. But, with pragmatism in mind, my hopes and desires for what’s coming ahead are fueled by something more local and feasible: The MCPS Boundary Study. The road to this change starts with me, you, and the MCPS community.

The MCPS Boundary Study is an in-depth review of our county’s educational disparities to see if the current boundaries support or impede the effective and equal allocation of resources and facilities. The goal of the study is to create a more integrated, socio-economically equal, and culturally responsive community, ensuring each student in the Montgomery County school system is receiving an equitable and successful education. Regardless of the physical redrawing of lines, the school board hopes to address all the different findings of the study, such as ways to put more resources in schools and improve academic performance.

“The goal of the district-wide boundary analysis is to help MCPS better understand the impact existing boundaries have on school overcrowding, student diversity and proximity to school. The analysis will result in an interactive online tool and a final report to the school system in June 2020. The interactive tool will help the community better understand the complexities and challenges of school assignments,” said Karla Silvestre, a member of the County Board of Education at-large.

I want to see the implementation of the boundary study’s findings. Hopefully, the study will unearth new ways to foster equitable education throughout the county, resulting in a more equal socioeconomic school system where everyone receives the same level of resources and opportunities. From up-county to downcounty, we see ill-designed boundary lines and inadequate resources, creating a deep divide 18

and contrast of concentrations and clusters of factors such as race, students in the FARMs program, and drop out rates, within the schools.

Here are the facts: In the 2017-2018 school year, B-CC’s student population, of over 2,000 students, was the majority, around 60%, white. Albert Einstein HS, with roughly the same student body size, had an almost 50% majority of Hispanic students. B-CC had 11% of students in FARMs and Einstein had almost 40% of their student body in FARMs. Driving from B-CC to Einstein takes 15 minutes. 15 minutes divide what is supposed to be considered such a diverse, equal community. 15 minutes should not elicit such different responses from both schools.

Further, B-CC’s average SAT scores are almost 200 points higher. The percentage of students at B-CC scoring a 3 or higher on AP and a 4 or higher on IB exams is almost 30% higher than our counterpart. B-CC has seen multiple milliondollar renovations in the last year. Einstein has not had a renovation since the 1990s.

The current boundaries essentially hinder equity. These differences in equity create a cycle of disparity, even resulting in long-lasting effects, such as where these students end up going to college. The lack of resources and opportunities mixed with the exorbitant amount of money poured into already affluent schools develops a system of inherent unfairness and the inability to reverse such boundaries, and even further, reverse pre-disadvantaged futures. Truthfully, the entire Montgomery County community is put at a disadvantage when we ignore the benefits of utilizing our diverse demographics to its fullest.

There is a strong case for school diversity.

Learning in these diverse settings across the board help with building successful communities.

Students learn from other students. When those students share in their different backgrounds, creeds, and experiences, they are able to establish an academic intervention apart from

external funding in order to create their own success. This diversity builds leadership skills, decreases dropout rates, closes achievement gaps, reduces racial and socioeconomic biases, and allows for truly effective and accessible education. Truthfully, innovation, creativity, success, and every aspect of a successful student stems from their education.

Outside the scope of redistricting, the school board continues to work towards closing the achievement gap and addressing overcrowding and the factors of which a student succeeds.

The goal of the Boundary Study goes beyond redistricting, but rather, evaluating the extent of MCPS’s social, cultural, and socioeconomic demographics. This effort in evaluation has created initiatives outside of the study, within which they hope to directly impact students affected by poverty. To name a few, these initiatives include, “Multiple local duallanguage schools, expanded access to AP/ IB coursework, provided free SAT, ACT or licensure to all students, investment in academic support/college pathway programs (Minority Scholars/ACES), mandatory cultural proficiency training for all educators,” added Silvestre.

The actual boundary study was the first step towards change. But, the study does not guarantee these boundaries will change.

At B-CC, it is important to start meaningful conversations about the current boundaries, the resulting boundary study, and what we can do to close these gaps in inequality. “The boundary study consultant will be doing focus groups for students in the coming months. Students should try to participate. Get informed of the results in June and write the Board of Ed or come testify on your thoughts,” said Silvestre.

Whether it be through engaging the student body to create these discussions, emailing the Board of Education, or attending boundary study forums, we can use our privilege to address this problem. Simply stated, it needs to change.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF MOCO FOR CHANGE

THE MCPS BOUNDARY STUDY

STYLE

B-CC Influencers: Ana Curic and Kylie Rowan

BY SOL DAVILA GEHRING AND FRANNIE ROSEN

Becoming famous on social media is no cake walk. Having a great following comes with a lot of pressures and responsibilities. We want to shout out some fellow Barons that have proved they have what it takes to be the next influencers of our generation.

For those of you who are not familiar with the social media platform TikTok, it is a video-sharing social networking service. “TikTokers” create videos that center on comedy, talent, or lip sync; normally there are various trends that users will recreate, often with their own twist on it. TikTok was only launched in 2017 and already a couple of Barons have grown a massive following.

Ana Curic and Kylie Rowan, two senior girls, have become “TikTok-famous,” with 100,000 followers and counting on their shared account, @kylieeandanaa. Their most viewed TikTok has over 3.6 million views. Ana and Kylie said that they view the app as a fun pastime for themselves.

However, Ana Curic has recently quit the account because she wasn’t “that interested in it anymore,” and to her, it felt like it was becoming a “waste of time.” The account is now only being used by Kylie using the name @kylieerowan.

How did you start your account?

Kylie: “We started it for fun and as a joke, and we were surprised that we began to get so many followers.”

Have you been recognized at school?

Kylie: “I don’t think I’ve been recognized at school but some people do come up to me and say they have seen my TikTok’s on their For You page.”

What is your most viewed TikTok? Ana: “Our most viewed video is one with 3.6 million views of Kylie talking about her exboyfriend. We did not expect it to blow up, and I don’t know the TikTok algorithm, but after that video we gained a lot of followers.

How has your life changed due to your increased social media popularity?

Ana: “We have started to get offers to advertise on our account. People have contacted us asking how much we would charge them to promote their shirts or phone cases. Kylie is being shipped sweatshirts and a phone case to promote on the account.”

Are you obsessed with seeing your numbers/ statistics?

Ana: “I was more obsessed over winter break because I had so much time on my hands. I am not so much anymore, I even deleted it last night to take a break for a day.”

Have brands reached out to you, and have you made money from them?

Kylie: “Brands have reached out to me through DM [Direct Message] and email and they have sent me stuff to wear in my TikToks. I have made money, but not as much as other people.”

Do your parents know about this account?

Ana: “They do know and they do not care. As long as we are not posting anything inappropriate, they are okay with it.”

How far do you think you will take your TikTok career?

Kylie: “I’m just doing it for fun and I’m probably going to stop before college so that I can focus on school.”

What is the worst part of TikTok? Ana: “The hate comments that we get, but we don’t take them personally.”

For You? More Like For China.

BY HAYDEN RENAGHAN

GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

Why are you so obsessed with us China?

I peacefully sit in first period, headphones in, TikTok flashing on my phone screen. It is 7:38 in the morning and I am partaking in my daily routine of scrolling through my “For You” page on the Chinese social media app.

My history teacher overhears the beginnings

of my discussion surrounding the newest trend taking over TikTok and immediately intervenes.

Concerned for my safety, she alerts me that “the Chinese government is using TikTok to take data and spy on us!” Alarmed, I shut off the app and get ready for class. However, as I try to focus on learning about Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, my mind wanders. Is this true? Is my favorite app actually evil?

TikTok’s previous identity, Musical.ly, was acquired by a Chinese tech company, ByteDance, in 2017. Since then, the app has blown up the internet. In fact, over the past 12 months, the app has been downloaded over 750 million times.

In November 2019, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) inquired about whether TikTok poses “national security risks” to the United States. Schumer and Cotton’s questioning of the app’s potential threat is based on the app’s removal of certain videos and its connections to ByteDance.

Many people knowledgeable of the app’s connections to China accuse it of censoring content in line with China’s communist ideals, as

well as potentially sharing data with the Chinese Communist Party. After content relating to protests occurring in Hong Kong was published on TikTok, the app deleted many videos of that nature. This leads people to believe the Chinese government is indeed involved in the app’s operations. To address these accusations , TikTok has issued statements assuring users that data is stored in the United States and that the app never plans to operate in China. A consulting firm based in Colorado called Special Counsel investigated ByteDance and TikTok and found that data from the app was exclusively stored in Singapore and Virginia, not China. Special Counsel also noted that there was “no way TikTok could send data to China.” Thankfully, it appears our security is not at an immediate risk, but watch out e-boys and e-girls, China could be watching.

My best friend’s rich check? More like a national security risk check.

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BACKPAGE

Already messed up? Here’s Some Horoscopes

TAURUS

LEO

… There are other people on Earth besides you…

VIRGO

When all else fails, buy more clothes and food. Maybe THIS will be the purchase that finally makes you happy! But also remember: gluttony is a deadly sin.

Believe it or not, micromanaging won’t solve all your problems.

GEMINI

LIBRA

No, Twitter retweets are not a sufficient substitute for therapy.

CANCER

Have you spent the first weeks of 2020 alone at home? Don’t bother leaving your comfort zone. You’ll get out of the house in the next decade.

Trouble with the people closest to you?

Make sure you’re as diplomatic as can be.

People pleasing is always more important than your actual opinion!

SCORPIO

There’s an important conversation that needs to happen, but you should ignore it for as long as possible. No one needs to know you have feelings.

SAGITTARIUS

Something not going your way? Maybe change every aspect of your personality again. That always seems to work.

CAPRICORN

People won’t meet your super high standards- be as sarcastic as possible towards them for the best result!

AQUARIUS

In case you haven’t noticed, you’re weird.

You’re a weirdo. You don’t fit in. And you don’t want to fit in. Have you ever been seen without that stupid hat on? That’s weird.

PISCES

Please drop the album, we are starving and famished, Rihanna.

Justifying Your Failed New Year’s Resolutions

GRAPHIC BY GRACE CARTER

ARIES

Have you tried not yelling?

We’re only weeks into the new year and chances Being proactive in your academics is a good are if you set a New Year’s Resolution, you’ve mantra to follow, sure, but how is some arbitrary failed it by now. You may have rescheduled your passing of time going to really change that? I’m “daily” gym sesh for the 12th time or already gonna be real with you, that 68 in AP NSL isn’t cheated on your diet six times, but if you’re going to become a 92 by the end of the quarter, trying to follow through with something like this no matter how hard you lobby the Social Studies you have to remember one thing: you’re probably department during lunch and no matter how going to fail anyways, so why not quit while much you compliment Mr. Zehner on his rugged you’re ahead? good looks and muscular figure. If anything, you Life is about enjoyment, and I personally don’t should strive for academic mediocrity in the find enjoyment in sipping kombucha and raw upcoming semester; nothing screams “consistent milk all day as my only source of sustenance. applicant” than a student who consistently If I wanted to do something that bears any lowers their grades from quarter to quarter. semblance of “living my best life,” which was my You’ll thank yourself when you see all the stars personal resolution, I would already be on my on your transcript, because the more stars you 2nd pack of Sour Patch Kids for today. Besides, have the more of a star you are! you aren’t going to end up like your favorite Having New Year’s resolutions is a good thing.

Instagram influencer. They get plastic surgery.

You should always strive to be a better person in It’s a hard pill to swallow, but how else are they all respects than you were last year. But don’t try going to spend the money they get from Flat *too* hard. There’s always next year, right?

Tummy Tea sponsorships?

BACKPAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY JULIANA BLAYNEY, JACKSON HERMES, AND KARINA VASUDEVA 20