University of California, Santa Barbara || Volume XIII, Issue VI || Nov. 7, 2018 || BottomLineUCSB.com
NEWS
FEATURES
OPINIONS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE & TECH
PHOTO
Standing with pittsburgh against hate NEWS
Page 2
Photo by Dominick Ojeda | Digital Photo Editor
Glitterfish in Goleta A Goleta-based lyrical psychedelic pop band with electronic influences differentiates itselves through its creative approach to making music.
FEATURES
Page 5
Young People and Politics In the face of political strife, Millenials and Generation Z are demanding that their voices be heard.
OPINIONS
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TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
2 | NEWS
Photo by Dominick Ojeda | Digital Photo Editor Chancellor Yang addresses the student body in hopes of stopping divisive rhetoric and uniting the school.
S.B. Hillel and Community Members Mourn Lives Lost in Pittsburg Synagogue Shooting DOMINICK OJEDA Digital Photo Editor Through tears and prayers, UCSB students, faculty, and community members remember the 11 lives lost at Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday, Oct. 27. With the help of over 400 attendees and more than 40 organization co-sponsors, Santa Barbara Hillel, a Jewish nonprofit student life organization, held a service on Storke Lawn on Tuesday, Oct. 30, giving a space for discussion, grieving, and change.
In an interview with The Bottom Line, Rabbi Evan Goodman, executive director of Santa Barbara Hillel said, “We need to band together as a larger community. And Jews can’t fight anti-Semitism alone, you can’t stand up for yourself and call this out without support from other people.” The support for this remembrance came not only from the speeches given, but also from those who attended. Assemblymember Monique Limón, California State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, and Chancellor Henry Yang, along
TBL 2018-2019 STAFF
with other political and administrative figures, participated in moments of silence and prayer for the Jewish community. During her speech, Senator Jackson said, “We must overcome the politics of fear and violence and division. We must do that by being the best of us.” Hannah Green, a communication & linguistics double major and the student board told The Bottom Line, “The showing of so many people who are from so many different communities really reinforces that we’re not alone.” More than 100 Hillels from
university campuses across the world are holding vigils to commemorate the victims of the Pittsburg shooting. However, amidst this solemn moment, President Donald Trump has commented saying the presence of armed guard could have prevented the shooting raises concern. “We need to change the attitude of people in America before resulting to something like that,” Green said. Rabbi Goodman also responded to comments by saying, “I never want to feel like we have to have an armed guard 24/7 to
protect our people. I want our doors to be open.” Hillel’s doors were open this Friday for their weekly Shabbat services, which, in addition to students, was attended by parents, family, and administrators this week. “I hurt so much for my community and seeing that we’ve been targeted by such a hateful act of violence,” said Associated Students President Brooke Kopel. “There’s no choice but for us to come together and stand together to overcome that hate.”
Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff or UCSB. All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to editors@bottomlineucsb.com
Editor-in-Chief | Alex Yam
Features Editor | Victoria Penate
Digital Photo Editor | Dominick Ojeda
Web Editor | Docean Park
Managing Editor | Mable Truong
Arts & Entertainment Editor | Addison Morris
Print Photo Editor | Juan Gonzalez
Layout Editor | Natalie Dye
Executive Content Editor| Lauren Marnel
Science & Tech Editor | Hannah Maerowitz
Campus Beat Reporter | Minh Hua
PAGES: 4, 5, 6
Shores
Opinions Editor | Jessica Gang
Isla Vista Beat Reporter | Alondra Sierra
Layout Editor | Chrissy Cho
Senior Copy Editor | Spencer Wu
Video Editor | Fabiola Esqueda
National Beat Reporter | Jacob Wong
PAGES: 7,8,9
Co-News Editor | Arturo Samaniego
Advertising Director | Tanya Gosselin
Copy Editor | Sheila Tran
Layout Editor | Vivianna Shields
Co-News Editor | Annette Ding
Marketing Director | Erica Kaplan
Copy Editor | McKinsey FIdellow
PAGES: 10,11,12
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
3 | NEWS
Transgender Community Unites to Raise Visibility and Protest Transphobic Legislation MORGAN AZEVEDO Staff Writer In response to the Trump administration’s effort to narrow the definition of gender, Zion Solomon, an A.S. Senator and second year history of public policy major, held a tabling event at the Arbor, coupled with a social media campaign, on Thursday to raise transgender visibility and show love for the community. zLast month, The New York Times detailed a leaked White House memo which described the Department of Health and Human Services attempt to define gender under Title IX as “a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth.” If implemented, this restriction would exclude transgender and non-gender conforming individuals from protection against discrimination, denying recognition of their existence. Specifically, it would disqualify transgender individuals from filing gender discrimination lawsuits in education programs, such as in the case of students who are not allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. UCSB graduate student and transgender woman Stephenson Brooks Whitestone told The Bottom Line, “This is a giant step backwards for the treatment of trans people in the U.S., particularly since the emergence of the trans community in the last five to 10 years when our numbers grew as far as being out, being visible.” “Should this go into effect,” Brooks Whitestone said, “trans people [will] no longer have protection from discrimination when it comes to things like jobs, housing, medical benefits — and that is obviously tremendously threatening to trans people, that we would be so blatantly discriminated against.” Solomon described her visibility campaign at the Arbor as “a physical manifestation of all the support and positivity and joy” surrounding the transgender community. Following two days of poster-
making at the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Solomon and a coalition of volunteer supporters set up posters, and handed out flyers with information regarding transgender resources, and helpful tips on allyship. Stationed at four tables outside the Arbor, the group garnered much attention from passersby as well as supporters who knew the event was taking place. The event was coupled with a social media campaign on Oct. 31 where participants posted digital copies of the flyers handed out at the Arbor on Instagram and Facebook. In addition, the Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network (SB TAN) held a protest rally in response to the leaked memo on Oct. 23 at the Santa Barbara courthouse. Ezra Michel, Volunteer coordinator for SB TAN, spoke to The Bottom Line about coming together as a community against the administration. “When I found out about the memo from the Trump administration, I felt sick to my stomach,” Michel said. “But then I thought about how much our community would benefit from coming together and channeling our anger into something beautiful.” Although the plan to narrow the definition of gender mainly targets transgender and gender non-conforming people, Brooks Whitestone emphasized the recent threat of hateful rhetoric against all marginalized communities. “We have to start sticking up for each other. This is not a time for us to think of ourselves in a bubble and just concentrate on how my community is being hurt or being threatened,” Brooks Whitestone said. If members and allies of targeted communities stick up for each other, she explained, they will find that they are more powerful than previously imagined. “I think we’re just gonna have to look inside ourselves and find ways that we can continue to exist, thrive, and fight.”
“When I found out about the memo from the Trump administration I felt sick to my stomach. But then I thought about how much our community would benefit from coming together and channeling our anger into something beautiful.” ~Ezra Michel, Volunteer Coordinator for SB TAN
Morgan Azevedo | Staff Writer A.S. Senator Zion Solomon at her trans visibility event on Nov. 1.
4 | FEATURES
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
Image Courtesy of Glitterfish
Local Band Profile: Glitter Fish, Experimental Psychedelic Pop HANNAH MAEROWITZ Science and Tech Editor There are many bands that play most of their shows within the square mile that is Isla Vista, but Glitterfish — a Goleta-based lyrical psychedelic pop band with electronic influences — differentiates itself through its creative approach to making music. Jag, Iggy, Dave, Kyle, and Sasha, who make up Glitterfish, gather in their adapted warehouse-style studio at least twice a week just to hang out because they believe that friendship and connection between band members makes their music better. Although three of the band members have known each other since grade school, others, like fourth year physics major Sasha Cohen, have only recently been integrated into the band. However, upon observing them talk and joke around, it is apparent that they all are intensely familiar
with one another. This familiarity may have been enhanced by a recent California and Oregon tour that the band embarked upon together. Originally just a tour of California, the tour ventured into Oregon when the band was invited to play a show there. After driving for 14 hours to play a show with a Grateful Dead cover band, they were told that those arranging the show were under the impression that they were a Phish cover band. That show was cancelled after they found out that Glitterfish was its own entity. In response, they walked around, stumbled upon the HiFi Music Club, and asked if they could play, resulting in them headlining the prominent live music venue in Eugene, Oregon and even being extended an invitation to return. Another memorable experience they had on tour together was playing a show in Portland where the ceiling was five feet tall,
resulting in one of the taller band members to stand in a ceiling alcove during the set. In an interview with The Bottom Line, they described the response to their music in Portland and Eugene as “overwhelmingly positive” and the tour as an “incredible experience.” Although their on-tour success is exciting for the band, they continue to focus on maintaining their loyal following in Isla Vista – which has primarily been cultivated through word of mouth — and on finishing and releasing a new EP. As of now, Glitterfish has released one record, which took two years to put together. It was a process which helped them learn a lot about recording, working together, and figuring what they want out of their sound. Through that experience, they found that their ideal music-making process is one of collaboration, generation, and boundless creativity.
“We always try to challenge ourselves by trying out all different kinds of music and seeing what we can come up with,” said Jag, the songwriter of the band. The members of Glitterfish all enjoy different kinds of music, and most of them work on their own musical side projects, which influences the eclectic, yet distinctive sound of the band. “For me, it’s about making what you want to listen to. Sometimes what you want to listen to doesn’t exist in the moment, so we try to make it,” said bandmember Kyle. Their approach to making music focuses on being “experimental, vulnerable, and a little bit strange.” In addition to focusing on creative exploration, making music, and friendship, the members of Glitterfish all have creative passions outside of music as well. These passions include building sets, working as a light and audio tech, and building custom furni-
ture out of metal. Sasha Cohen, the band’s drummer, balances his passion for making music with his passion for science. “I actually started playing drums when I was nine [years old] and, for the longest time, I was sure I wanted to be a musician. But halfway through high school, I got into science and math and decided to pursue a physics degree as well,” said Cohen. Cohen does research in the physics department at UCSB with the Experimental Cosmology Group. He is currently working on a project centering on alternative spacecraft propulsion with high powered lasers as a method for propelling small scale satellites. With diverse musical influences all converging into a shared affinity for the experimental, Glitterfish is a local band to watch closely as it expands its presence and sound.
5 | FEATURES
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
Punctum Books’ Open Access Model Makes Knowledge Available to Everyone Co-directors of punctum books Discuss the Importance of Open Access Publishing JESSICA REINCKE Students and faculty gathered in Davidson Library to hear the co-directors of Punctum Books, Dr. Eileen Joy and Dr. Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei, discuss career paths in the humanities and the importance of open access publishing. In the event titled “Care of the Self, Open Access, and Alternative Career Paths in the (More) Public Humanities,” Joy defined open access publishing as a practice involving “any work that is published in a form that is completely, 100 percent open to read anywhere in the world.” The University of California currently supports open access publishing and wants to make open access the norm so that knowledge can be more open to more communities of researchers and learners across the globe. Joy and van Gerven Oei kicked off the event by describing the different life paths that led them to meet each other and create their own independent, academic press. Joy began her story by explaining that when she became a scholar, she wanted to do work that was nontraditional. She wrote an article about two cataloguers, structured like a dialogue in a detective story, but it was rejected due to journals not seeing the value in her work. When an editor at the British Library Journal did decide to publish her work, they told her that she needed to cut the creative parts. After her next article was rejected for similar reasons, Joy said that she thought to herself,
“Something has gone terribly wrong with academic publishing.” This realization led Joy to seek out academic publishers who were open access. Joy described how, in her search, she realized that there had to be other writers like her — writers who wanted to publish creative work but were unable to find presses willing to work with them. She recognized the need for a press that would foster this kind of creativity, and in 2011, Joy created Punctum Books (stylized as punctum books) with Nicola Masciandaro, whom she explains left the project a year later due to having other priorities. Van Gerven Oei then described the experiences that he underwent around the same time, as he noticed his colleagues were having a difficult time publishing their creative work. He recalls his reaction being, “Why don’t I publish their work?” This led him to create his own publishing house, which he named using the word publishing house translated into the language of the works being published. Van Gerven Oei explains how important it was to him to create a space in which all languages, real or fictional, could be published — without being forced to translate into English. Joy then declared to the crowd how amazed she was when she came across van Gerven Oei’s publishing house, and the love and respect she had for the creative work he was doing. In 2015, the two joined forces and became co-directors of punctum books. In order to survive in open
access publishing without the aid of government funding, punctum books has joined forces with other open access presses. The ScholarLed organization currently has five presses, but punctum is the only press that is fully independent. Due to the University of California’s support of open access, punctum books is running its operations partially out of the UCSB library. Punctum books and the University of California encourage students to become a part of the movement for open access through actions like interning with punctum books in the winter and spring quarters. The event was concluded with a brief Q&A, in which Joy and van Gerven Oei encouraged students to consider careers in open access publishing. They explained that the publishing industry is changing, and state that one reason students should consider publishing over a Ph.D. track is that “it is such a powerful tool to give people to put their work out in the world.” Joy called for changes in the publishing system and explained that while major publishers will say it costs $37,000 dollars to publish a book, punctum books publishes each book for about $3,500 dollars through the use of labor from people that care and are invested in this kind of work. Van Gerven Oei closed the event with this declaration against other publishing industries’ assertion that there is no money for open access: “The longer we exist, the weaker their argument becomes.”
6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
JEFF
GOLDBLUM DOMINICK OJEDA Digital Photo Editor In velvet bootcut pants and a sleek black fedora, Jeff Goldblum took to the stage at Campbell Hall on Saturday evening as part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures fall series. Accompanied by The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, he entertained the audience with comedy gold, innovative games, advice for directors and actors, and masterful piano playing. Starting with onstage theatre, the Pittsburgh-born actor most famously starred in the 1993 hit “Jurassic Park.” Since marrying Emilie Livingston in 2014, the two have had two sons, Charlie and River. More recently starring in “Isle of Dogs,” Goldblum has not shied away from his strong love of teaching theatre and playing music. The mixed crowd of students, parents, professors, and community members shot for the stage apron when Goldblum appeared at UCSB on Saturday night. He invited audience members on stage with him to ask questions, take pictures, and sing international national anthems. Second year UCSB student Finnegan Smith rose to the occasion when Goldblum asked for a Ben to his Mr. Mcguire during a scene reading from the 1967 film, “The Graduate.” Ben, now played by Smith, talked to Mr. Mcguire, a friend, about one word: plastics. One middle school student went up on stage and sang opera for Goldblum from a piece currently in production at Opera Santa Barbara. The enthusiastic listeners rose to their feet after he finished singing a snippet of his song. Goldblum continued to play games with the crowd, selecting one of his favorites, Who Would You Rather: Actor Edition. Pinning two famous actors, at any time during their career, against each other, Goldblum asked
whom the audience would rather sleep with as the audience cheered louder for one than the other. Students also helped Goldblum learn some new slang such as smol, lit, spill the tea, and salty. In between each song, Goldblum would take a moment to interact with the audience even further. During intermission he even stayed on stage so his fans could speak with him. He gave one senior acting director advice he’d learned from working with top directors such as Steven Spielberg and Wes Anderson: A director must believe that it is going to be a good movie for it to be good. Delving into his piano performance, Goldblum rendered members of the crowd nostalgic when they were taken back with songs from Charles Mingus, Simon & Garfunkel, and Dinah Washington. Referencing movies that came out in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Goldblum left some audience members stumped while others roared with laughter. Whether it was being seduced by the saxophone solos of James King or taken back to the jazz roots with Gina Saputo singing, note-by-note the audience was enthralled by the toe-tapping music of the night’s performance. With a reluctant goodbye, the audience gave Goldblum and his band a standing ovation as they played him off with the theme song from “Jurassic Park.” Goldblum and his band have a record,
“Jeff Gold-
blum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra: The Capitol Studios Session,” that came out Nov. 6. They will continue to tour around the world later this month to promote it.
AT CAMPBELL HALL
Image Courtesy of UCSB Arts and Lectures
7 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
The World is Alive With “The Sound of Music”
Image Courtesy of Tracey Bell | Flickr ADDISON MORRIS Arts and Entertainment Editor On Saturday, Nov. 3, University of Michigan’s professor of film, television, and media, Caryl Flinn, hosted a Q&A at Pollock Theater followed by a screening of “The Sound of Music.” The beloved musical, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, recently celebrated its 53rd anniversary. “The Sound of Music” follows Maria (Andrews), a vivacious young woman, as she tries to become a nun in Salzburg, Austria. After the nuns deem her liveliness too strong to be confined to a nunnery, they send her to work as a governess for the children of Captain Georg von Trapp
(Plummer), a retired Naval officer and widower. Despite a rough start, Maria’s discordant work ethic and wonderful way with music ultimately win over the affections of both the children and their father. The Academy Award-winning movie held its own as one of the highest-grossing film of all time for the first five years following its release and continues to stand as one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time. The motion picture broke commercial records in 29 countries, as well. Flinn, the author of the 2015 BFI Film Classics volume on “The Sound of Music” maintained, “Its [success] was absolutely immediate.” She argues in her book that repeat viewings had not existed before in the
way that they did once “The Sound of Music” hit theaters. What’s more, Flinn contends that “The Sound of Music” was such a roaring success because it appealed to women, children, religious groups, and the LGBTQ+ community alike. Going as far as calling it a cult classic, Flinn said that at sing-along versions of the film, like the first LGBTQ sing-along screening in London, “There are more cross-dressed nuns that you can imagine.” Yet, on the other hand, a few vehemently detest the film, contrary to mainstream fondness. According to Flinn, Plummer himself even called the musical “The Sound of Mucus” or refers to it as “that film,” going as far as calling his lead role “castrating.”
Flint detailed that one especially displeased critic, Pauline Kael, even lost her job after giving the film a scathing review that opposed popular opinion. However, Flinn acknowledged that those who took issue with the film may have been onto something, saying, “The film was a last gasp of white privilege, unsoiled nature, and [naïveté.] … Director Robert Wise knew that if the film had come out two years later, it would’ve been a flop.” With the changing times of the 1960s, it is a little surprising that such a traditional film, with blatant themes of white privilege and female stereotyping, thrived so tremendously. Nevertheless, its popularity and
ubiquitous renown was undeniable. According to Flinn, the soundtrack was so well known that President Ronald Reagan even thought the song “Edelweiss” was Austria’s real national anthem and so played it when an ambassador visited. The film’s unquestionable vogue in the last half-century begs the question of whether it will continue to be as well favored in the future. Viewers today should re-examine “The Sound of Music,” taking into account all of the strides we have made in progressing towards gender and racial equality in the last 50 years, to determine if it is still an indisputable and innocent favorite.
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
8 | SCIENCE & TECH
How To Live More Sustainably as a UCSB Student Make These Small Changes to Decrease Your Carbon Footprint VICTORIA PENATE Features Editor When it comes to trading common practices for more environmentally friendly alternatives, UC Santa Barbara provides a climate of innovation and encouragement which has propelled many students to take a closer look at the resources and materials they consume. However, even upon making a conscious effort to reduce negative impacts, it can be difficult to continue to dig for improvement in this area either because doing so will challenge deeply-entrenched habits or because it isn’t clear what alternatives even exist. Some of these potential alternatives have been compiled below. Freshen up the air in your room with clean air plants Whether it be from living in university residence halls or in I.V., most students will experience sharing a relatively small space at some point during their college years. Anyone who has done so can attest to the reality of the stale, low quality air that such an arrangement can often
produce. The good news is that this problem can be assuaged without taking the common (and not very eco-friendly) option of perpetually running an air conditioning unit or purifier. Instead, a household with low air circulation should consider keeping a clean air plant, many of which are fairly easy to care for (including spider plants and chrysanthemums). In a 1989 study conducted by NASA, it was concluded that “plants can play a major role in removal of organic chemicals from indoor air.” While this study was prompted by the need to purify the highly-cramped space station workplace, it resulted in a discovery that may help to freshen up any living space and prevent unnecessary use of energy while doing so. Consider investing in a reusable container for your coffee In the lecture halls and study spaces of UCSB, reusable water bottles are in every direction you look. Considering this phenomenon is paired with water filling stations throughout the campus, it is safe to say that single-use water bottles are on their way to
obscurity in this community. However, despite progress made in eliminating waste from water packaging, single-use hot beverage cups also remain a common sight. Many mistake their coffee cup for a recyclable item due to its paper-heavy appearance. However, BBC News explains that this is almost always not the case, due to the cup’s composition of plastic and paper. Consider trying out a drying rack for your laundry While washers and dryers have become ubiquitous fixtures in the modern American household, it would be more environmentally friendly for individuals to consider whether it is necessary to machine-dry their laundry. In a climate where days often bring adequate sunlight and ventilation, the use of a drying rack for clothing would reduce the energy consumption required to complete a load of laundry. Using readily available, renewable resources rather than electricity or gas may even save you money on your utility bill (or domestic stress over whose turn it is to use the dryer). Buy in bulk
One advantage of living in a college town is that most households are made up of anywhere from four to ten residents — the ideal setup for coordinating bulk purchases. From household necessities to grocery items, there is a variety of opportunities to reduce waste by buying in bulk. Most overtly, the practice reduces the amount of packaging material involved in your consumption of the product. In addition, whether by allowing the product to last you longer or allowing you to share, buying in bulk has the potential to reduce the transportation impact of multiple trips to the store. This option can become burdensome if attempted with fresh produce or other perishable food items — which are often wasted due to inaccurate planning, and should be purchased with a certain degree of care — but bulk purchasing works well with nonperishables such as canned, dry, or otherwise preserved foods as well as home maintenance supplies.
Photos by Matt Perko | Digital Asset Library
9 | SCIENCE & TECH
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
Photo by George Foulsham | Digital Asset Library
REEF Provides Hands-on Marine Life Education to All Ages HANNAH MAEROWITZ Science & Tech Editor Situated adjacent to Campus Point, the REEF (Research Experience and Education Facility) is an interactive aquarium that educates everyone from elementary school students to parents about marine life and ecosystems. The scope of the REEF is wide, with an average of 10,000 K-12 students in the Santa Barbara area visiting each year since the REEF opened 15 years ago. “We are seeing former K-12 students attend UCSB and begin to work at the REEF,” said Scott Simon, who developed the REEF in his role as the Marine Science Institute’s outreach coordinator. Simon continued, “Many of
the undergrads that work at the REEF have gone on to work at Monterey Aquarium or L.A. Science Center or find their passion in teaching science and have become science teachers. Others have gone to grad school in the areas of research they’ve learned and communicated about.” The REEF doesn’t just impact the lives of the interns and scientists who are involved with it — it also gives K-12 students who may have never been exposed to hands-on science education a chance to interact with a facility and educational program that is designed by some of the top scientists in the marine science field. Specialties of these REEFaffiliated research scientists range from population and community
dynamics of marine fishes to bioinspired self-healing and self-assembly mechanisms. The REEF’s educational programs are designed to be gradespecific and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. According to Simon, when it comes to the REEF’s K-12 education, the programs engage students “through a series of hands-on, place-based, culturally relevant activities and lessons.” In addition to engaging K-12 students, the REEF also offers opportunities to UCSB students in a variety of forms. Staff at the REEF collaborate with faculty to deliver lab content for courses including Biology of Fishes and Introduction to Oceanography. There are also opportunities for UCSB
students to get paid to work and share their love of the ocean with K-12 students, other undergraduates, and the general public. The REEF is also open to the general public on Friday afternoons and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., which allows the undergraduate interns and staff who work there to engage people who visit from the Santa Barbara area and beyond. “Teachers and students love the enthusiasm and content that the interns deliver,” said Simon. “Because the staff facilitate conversations with the general public and due to the ‘boutique’ nature of the REEF, I have heard people say that it’s even better than the Monterey Aquarium.” The REEF is distinctive in
that it connects visitors to aquatic research going on at UCSB and to organisms that live in the same ocean they swim in, including moray eels and limpets. It provides access to free educational experiences that couldn’t otherwise be accessed by visitors and embodies many of the most important elements of excellent science education, including having passionate experts teach complex concepts at an age appropriate level and using hands-on activities to engage visitors. The REEF and its philosophy of educating and engaging people of all ages and backgrounds in marine science makes it a valuable and popular fixture of the campus community.
10 | OPINIONS
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
Police Ticketing Enforcement in Isla Vista Needs Reform ADDISON MORRIS Arts & Entertainment Editor I get it. We’re a nation of laws. Without laws, society devolves into anarchy. And laws that aren’t enforced end up being ignored. But allowing police officers to ticket UCSB students on bikes, skateboards, and scooters — three eco-friendly modes of transportation that police and the government should be promoting, not penalizing — does nothing to make campus or our surroundings safer. Many students have been complaining about increased police presence around popular biking and skating spots recently. Reports detail stories of the UCPD hiding out of view to catch rule-breakers, citing for every little rule (and believe me, there are plenty of laughably unneccessary rules) just so that they can meet their quarterly ticket quota. Moreover, this year has seen an explosion of electric scooters on campus, and the police have not hesitated to capitalize on giving out citations for scooter riders, either. For the most part, Bird or Lime riders get fined for riding in the bike lane or for riding on campus, which is presently disallowed, at least until a lasting policy is drafted. Yet, both the Bird and Lime apps explicitly instruct riders to travel in bike lanes when they are available so as to not disrupt pedestrians and cars. Both scooters can reach up to speeds of about 15 mph, and so can easily keep up with bikes. I, as a pedestrian and occasional driver, strongly believe that the bike lanes are where Birds belong. People have also received citations for ‘CUI’ (cycling under
Photo by Charles Stock | Staff Photographer
I simply believe that the police around UCSB and Isla Vista could be putting their efforts towards more pressing problems than riders who may have inadvertently violated interim policies just trying to hurry to class. the influence) and, recently, I’ve heard of people getting, what I can only imagine must be called, ‘SUI’s (scootering under the influence?) Now that just sounds ridiculous. Driving automobiles under the influence certainly endangers society, but it is unclear exactly what threat riding a scooter under the influence poses to anyone other than the rider. Moreover, I think we as a society should be happy that inebriated students choose to ride a bike or scooter home, rather than choose the
obvious hazard, driving. Yet, as absurd as it is to issue tickets for biking or scootering ‘under the influence’ (remember, if they are a threat to themselves or others, laws against public drunkenness can be enforced), I can understand cracking down on riding while intoxicated more than I can understand punishment for riding in general. I don’t understand punishment for innocently riding a bike, skateboard, or Bird at all. It is my strong belief that the government should not dis-
courage activities which improve society. Bikes, scooters, and skateboards are indisputably less detrimental to roads, congestion, noise, pollution, and the environment (that is, they have ‘fewer negative externalities,’ as economists would say) than automobiles. Moreover, all three travel options offer their drivers more exercise than driving a car, and exercise seems to be something that Americans increasingly need in light of the recent obesity epidemic. I also believe that ticket quo-
tas are unfair because police officers should only be handing out as many tickets as there is crime, not titrating their tolerance of infractions as deadlines approach. Why does anyone think there should be a set amount of crime a city must experience per quarter for it to function? I don’t know. Accordingly, ticketing scooters must primarily be a money grab. The laws haven’t yet caught up with the notion of scooter use, so treating them as closer to traditional motor vehicles than, say, roller skates is hasty — and, most likely, temporary because it’s fatuous. The police should not make up new infractions in order only to meet quotas and make money. I simply believe that the police around UCSB and Isla Vista could be putting their efforts towards more pressing problems than riders who may have inadvertently violated interim policies just trying to hurry to class. I would much rather see the police crack down on bike theft over bicycling — a solution that would flow in the right direction towards punishing menaces to society while encouraging beneficial activities. Citations for electric scooters, which are presently classified as motor vehicles, can run up $250 while biking and skating fees can run as high as $197 — now that’s a clear disincentive to ride bikes, skateboards, and scooters, which I argue are better for society in general and UCSB’s campus in particular. Until the laws are rewritten to distinguish electric scooters from automobiles, police enforcement should focus on education, instead of revenue generation.
11 | OPINIONS
TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
YOUNG PEOPLE AND POLITICS
Photo by Juan Gonzalez| Print Photo Editor Calpirg is a nonpartisan organization that encourages students to become active and educate citizens.
JESSICA GANG Opinions Editor The year 2018 has been one of political upheaval, and, perhaps surprisingly, much of that unrest has been caused by high school and college students. From the March for Our Lives movement, to the historic Juliana v. United States federal court case, to the increased number of students running for public office, high school and college age students are more politically mobilized than ever before. In spite of backlash from people who argue that students are neither educated nor mature enough to be making decisions for society as a whole, it’s hugely important for students and teenagers to use their voices to enact positive action. When people typically imagine young adults getting involved
in politics, the first thing that springs to mind is probably voting. There has been a huge push on the part of colleges across the country to register students to vote — UCSB, for example, has the highest number of registered voters at any university in the United States. But if there’s anything that this year has taught us, it’s that there are more ways to show that you care about politics than just through your ballot. Victims of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida have launched a nationwide campaign to end gun violence, anchored by the wellpublicized March for Our Lives. March for Our Lives, which began as a movement centered on gun control, has transformed into a crusade aimed at registering young voters and encouraging them to vote for candidates who support gun control. The face of
the movement is a group of survivors, all of whom are high school or college age, who have become nationally recognized activists. Not all politics, however, focus on gun violence. Making recent headlines is the groundbreaking case of Juliana v. United States, a federal lawsuit filed by 21 young plaintiffs ranging from the ages of 11 to 22. The lawsuit claims that the Trump administration has failed to protect the plaintiffs’ inalienable rights to life, liberty, and property by purposefully refusing to address the irreversible, impending effects of climate change. According to a New York Times profile of the prosecutor, environmental attorney Julia Olsen, “for older Americans the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change are a problem, but ultimately an abstract one. Today’s children, however, will be dealing with disaster within their
lifetimes.” The article goes on to add that the youngest plaintiff, Levi Draheim, will be only 33 in 2040, the year when a United Nations scientific panel estimates that some of the biggest crises will begin. The argument that climate change may be an abstract issue for adult elected officials, coupled with the fact that most elected officials do not worry about being victims of school shootings, has motivated many candidates under the age of 25 (some of whom are still in college) to run for public office. 21 year old Brett Ries, candidate for South Dakota’s House of Representatives and student at the University of South Dakota, argues that “traditional experience doesn’t always help when dealing with a generational divide”, insisting that he “wants to help fill the generational gap that exists in …
legislature.” Ries brings up a sobering fact — the average age of elected officials in both chambers of Congress is over 55. Statistics like these should motivate members of our generation to make sure their voices are being heard. This might be a world that belongs to an older generation, but America’s youth is paying the price for their actions. Regardless of where on the political spectrum you fall, there is a valuable lesson to be learned from the actions of the Parkland students, from Kelsey Juliana, Levi Draheim, or the rest of the plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, and from candidates like Brett Ries — each of the people mentioned above is choosing to speak up for what they believe in, regardless of the consequences or the cost.
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TBL | Nov. 7, 2018
Robotaki
Photos by Juan Gonzalez | Print Photo Editor
Robotaki freezes right before dropping a heavy base.
On Thursday, Nov. 1, AS Program Board hosted Robotaki in the HUB with special guest SLUMBERJACK. All three DJs put on a great concert full of hit EDM songs and special remixes. Both the performers and students experienced a fun night of music, dancing, and vibing.
Robotaki pauses the music to vibe with the energetic audience.
DJ Morgan shows off his mixing skills on the turntables.
27-year-old EDM producer Robotaki entertains
Gauchos with a special mix of original songs.
Robotaki shares his affection and appreciation for the wonderful student audience.