@tccthecollegian • collegian.tccd.edu Anyone want a good movie? PG. 4
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 – Volume 35 • Issue 18 DISTRICT
Chancellor put on paid leave
Elva LeBlanc chosen as acting chancellor
Student Government Association leaders agree with board of trustees’ decision AUSTIN FOLKERTSMA
campus editor austin.folkertsma@my.tccd.edu
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Chancellor Eugene Giovannini speaks during the board of trustees meeting Feb. 17. JOSÉ ROMERO
editor-in-chief collegian.editor@tccd.edu
The board of trustees put Chancellor Eugene Giovannini on paid administrative leave Feb. 17 until the investigation into the allegations made against him is complete. Executive vice chancellor and provost Elva LeBlanc has been chosen as acting chancellor for the time being. “It is in the best interest of all parties to complete the investigation and reach the right conclusion without further distraction,” board president Teresa Ayala read from a statement. “Policy dictates that a respondent is not presumed responsible for the alleged conduct unless or until a determination is made at the conclusion of the process. However, the board has an obligation to treat the chancellor as we would any employee under these circumstances.” LeBlanc, Ayala, vice chancellor for communications and exter-
nal affairs Reginald Gates and joint consultation committee chair Mike Downs did not respond to requests for comment. This decision was made during a four-hour-long closed session that concluded at 1 a.m., and is in light of a lawsuit filed Feb. 7 against TCC in which the former executive vice president for advancement Kristen Bennett alleged she was wrongfully terminated for disciplining a female employee with whom the chancellor was having an “inappropriate, personal relationship.” Board member Gwendolyn Morrison initiated the motion, and board vice president Kenneth Barr seconded it while expressing confidence in LeBlanc. “I know it from my own personal experience that she is strong, respected in the community, and I think she has a lot of credibility with the members of this board,” Barr said. “Therefore, I second the motion.” LeBlanc made a statement Feb. 18 in a video sent out to employees
where she thanked the board for placing its confidence in her. “Now, the TCC community is experiencing turbulent times, and many employees have asked what can I do to help,” LeBlanc said. “By concentrating on our students, we will come through this.” LeBlanc is a former NE student and previously served as NW Campus’ president for 10 years. She became the vice chancellor and provost June 1, 2017. “I believe in Tarrant County College,” she said in a 2017 interview with The Collegian. “It is a great institution with a lot of highly qualified people.” Bennett’s attorney Frank Hill said it’s encouraging to see how prompt TCC was in its response. “I don’t take any pleasure in the fact that Giovannini has been put on administrative leave,” he said. “I think it’s inappropriate to take pleasure in somebody else’s pain. It’s just what has to be done.” The Collegian will continue to update the story.
Student leaders agreed with the board of trustees’ decision Feb. 17 to put Chancellor Eugene Giovannini on paid administrative leave because of a lawsuit filed against TCC Feb. 7. Former executive vice president for advancement Kristen Bennett alleged she was wrongfully terminated for disciplining a female employee with whom the chancellor was having an “inappropriate, personal relationship.” Members of the SE Student Government Association found TCC’s decision to be sound. “I would say that while the allegations are being thoroughly investigated, it is necessary for him to be put on leave to ensure that employees are not subjected to a toxic work environment,” SE SGA President Jeni Green said. SE SGA Vice President Olla Mokhtar was shocked when she heard the chancellor was put on administrative leave. “I think the board's decision is well thought out as well, for now, we know that everything is alleged until the proper authorities but it wouldn't surprise me if it were true,” she said. Mohktar said she sees many people in power abuse the privilege they have and felt disturbed by the news of the chancellor's allegations. “I think the board's decision was obviously well thought out and appropriate actions were made accordingly,” Mohktar said. “I just hope when the investigation
is completed that they do the same they are doing now, responding appropriately.” SE SGA secretary Jamea Johnson agrees with Mohktar when talking about the board's decision being logical and well thought out.
Elva LeBlanc
“As professionals in the world of academia, we should never mix business and pleasure, and by the chancellor engaging in a relationship with an employee, he's violated the level of professionalism that is expected of him,” she said. Johnson said she hopes Bennett provides proof behind her allegations against the chancellor, otherwise, her claims will be just that. “Putting the chancellor on paid administrative leave is understandable, however, I feel that putting him on a paid leave is somewhat enabling the narrative that the college isn't taking the investigation seriously,” she said. “If he's violated some code of conduct, does he really deserve to still make money even though he's not reporting to work?” Additionally, Johnson said if there is a college policy against fraternization, it should be taken into consideration.
SOUTH
Asian culture celebrated during campus event Lunar New Year holiday at South Campus’ SSTU building Feb. 15 included food, music, dance performances
Students and faculty were treated to a Lunar New Year celebration at South Feb. 15 to mark the end of the traditional Asian holiday. South student activities coordinator Ana Contreras was at the forefront of organizing the event, with cultural accuracy being the most important element. “First, we made sure to reach out to a traditional lion dance team who understand the significance of the celebration,” Contreras said. “We also included staff members who are Asian and can share a little bit of their culture with us.” The event featured small workshops where students could experience different parts of the Lunar New Year celebration, with one in particular teaching students about the story of Nian. This creature is thought to be the inspiration for many of the practices — wearing red, playing the drums and setting off fireworks — that take place during the 15 day holiday. The main celebration featured was a live performance from the J.K. Wong Kung Fu Tai Chi Academy. Their lion dance team performed martial arts displays to the tune of a beating drum and the clang of cymbals. The team capped off their display with a traditional lion dance, which features two members donning a lion costume and mov-
ing about while mimicking a lion’s movements. The lion is said to bring good luck and fortune to those that pet its head. Owner of the J.K. Wong Acade-
my, Jimmy Wong, helped to host the event and provided insight into some of the history behind the celebration. Wong spoke about how the lion is an omen for good luck, and the
history behind the lion dance and costume was for villagers to scare away evil beasts each new year during the spring harvest. “We wear yellow and red be-
cause it's colorful, bright and it’s for good luck,” Wong said. “It scares everything away with its red color. No devil will get close to you.” The head of the lion also features a mirror to show how ugly the beasts appear and reflect their evil away. One of the staff members consulted by Contreras when planning the event was TR enrollment associate Vivian Lu. “The Chinese New Year celebration custom has been passed down from generations to generations over many thousand years,” Lu said. “Even though we immigrated to the U.S., we still like to preserve this tradition among us.” Lu has helped TCC with organizing Chinese New Year celebrations and multicultural events for years. She is glad that her traditions are being appreciated seriously, and accurate representation has taken place in her eyes. Her only regret is that more campuses do not participate in these kinds of celebrations. “I also wish every TCC campus would celebrate the Chinese New Year because it is part of the tradition for many Asian countries,” she said. “We do have students originally coming from different Asian countries, or they are the offspring of these countries.” Lu continued to be optimistic, though. “As long as our students enjoy it and pass the word of mouth to each other about the event, it serves the purpose,” she said.
News
Entertainment
Opinion
Opinion
Editorial
LIGHTS, CAMERA, DRAMA SE drama’s spring productions. PG. 2
ALBUM REMADE Tegan and Sara use pandemic as inspiration. PG. 4
PODCAST IDIOTS Misogynistic men have populated social media. PG. 5
STAY OUT OF IT Old solutions won’t solve new world problems. PG. 5
NO MEDAL Uyghurs have been silenced. PG. 5
CAMERON WEBSTER
campus editor cameron.webster@my.tccd.edu
Joel Solis/The Collegian
A traditional lion costume piloted by members of the J.K. Wong Kung Fu Tai Chi Academy parades through the halls of South Campus during its Lunar New Year event.
NEWS
2 • Wednesday, February 23, 2022 SOUTHEAST
Drama class makes full return to in-person JUAN SALINAS II
campus editor juan.salinas465@my.tccd.edu
SE drama will have its first production of the semester, “Trifles” and “Laundry and Bourbon,” Mar. 2 through Mar. 4. The admission is any amount a person can pay, and all the proceeds will benefit the drama scholarships fund. The performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the C.A. Roberson Theater, but the box office will open one hour before. Both plays will be happening all in the same night with an intermission in between. “One interesting thing to note is that, before the pandemic, this is our first time bringing back the class to officially produce a play,” said Angela Inman, SE associate professor of drama and director of “Trifles.” “So it has been interesting to do under these conditions.” The theater will only allow 50% capacity and will have a modified box office. Inman has expressed that there were a lot of challenges but is excited to teach students new to theater. “Trifles” is loosely based on the murder of John Hossack, which Susan Glaspell, a reporter, covered and initially was convinced that Mrs. Hossack was guilty until she spent time in Hossack’s farmhouse. “It is important to remember that this crime occurred at a time when women were considered ‘second class citizens,’ expected to be subservient and obedient to their husbands even under abusive conditions,’’ Inman
said. “The notion that an all-male jury displayed little sympathy for the years of abuse Mrs. Hossack had suffered at the hands of her husband and was unsettling for Glaspell.” Glaspell later wrote “Trifles” to call attention to the inherent callousness toward women in the early 1900s legal system and society in general. Actor Ethan Melendez had to deal with a transition from himself to the misogynistic character that is attorney George Henderson. “It’s definitely not like me at all,” Melendez said. “I kinda expected that I’m going to be [sexist] since it was set in the 1910s. That was back when most men weren’t very respectful toward women or to anyone unless they had that high status of power.” This will be actor Kate Shugart’s first college-level play. “At my high school, I didn’t even have a stage, so I feel like I finally get my chance to test my acting abilities,” Shugart said. The final play of the night will be “Laundry and Bourbon.” Actor Lily Clouse, who was interviewed last semester for her role in “Almost, Maine,” explains that “Laundry and Bourbon” is about Elizabeth dealing with the trauma of her husband coming back from Vietnam. “I think the main thing I like about theater is the friends I made along the way,” she said. “The kind of bonds you make with the cast of a show is something that is very special to the theater.” Actor Camila Vidales has been doing theater most of her life and started her acting
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Actors Kate Shugart and Toni Colbert practicing for SE drama’s upcoming play “Trifles.” The performances will be March 2 through 4 at 7:30 p.m. career at a young age. She has been in commercials and has been on a season of the kids TV show “Barney” at the age of 6. “I really like how the play touches into the subject of mental illness and PTSD back in the 70s where it was a lot more taboo than it is now,” she said. Vidales appreciates how “Laundry and Bourbon” includes everyone’s perspectives
that might be affected by someone dealing with mental issues. SE student Emanuel Omweri is the stage manager. “Right now, my job is pretty enjoyable,” he said. “I just get to watch these two lovely people do what they love, which is acting and performing, and everything is looking like it’s going to be pretty good.”
DISTRICT
Speaker focuses on key issues within Hispanic community Florencio U. Aranda III spoke during TCC’s Elevate speaker series about his expertise in aiding Hispanic students EVELYN HERRERA
reporter collegian.editor@tccd.edu
Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education’s president-elect inspired viewers at a Feb. 10 virtual event as he shared his educational and organizational leadership experience. Florencio U. Aranda III, TCU’s coordinator of diversity and inclusion initiatives, who spoke as part of the TCC Elevate speaker series, reflected on impactful mo-
ments of his life that propelled him to take a higher interest in education. “Dr. Aranda strives to be an agent of change for diverse communities and has made it his mission to serve others and to lead by example in the educational, political and cultural areas he navigates,” said TCC’s TACHE chapter public relations representative Nancy Segovia-Cabrera. As a first-generation college student, Aranda became involved in a lot of college opportunities where he realized he was one of few Latinos involved. This realization helped push Aranda to focus his energy on
Become a Pioneer
aiding the Latino community. “As I was progressing through school, I realized those degrees were no longer mine. Those degrees belong to the people, the community that I wanted to serve,” Aranda said. With that in mind, he sought out an organization that empowered him to do so, TACHE. Aranda has been a part of TACHE since 2016 and has taken on various roles within the organization. He encouraged other Latinos to seek out the benefits TACHE has to offer such as its mentorship program and leadership
development opportunities. He also shared insight on how members can give back to the organization and the Latino community. A s TA C H E ’s c u r r e n t p r e s i d e n t elect and conference chair, Aranda said he looked forward to creating further impact after he is sworn in as president at TACHE’s upcoming conference. “Our conference is going to kick off on Feb. 27 and will go through March 2,” added TCC’s TACHE chapter president Robert Ortiz. More events can be found on TCC’s website.
DISTRICT
with a degree from Texas Woman’s
Join us at our Transfer Connection in Denton March 5 | 8:30 a.m.-noon Learn about: • Admissions • Financial Aid • Scholarship
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Register at
NE student Chris Thompson sings and plays his guitar outside of the NSTU building as students roast marshmallows behind him Jan. 19.
Students share how hobbies have helped them throughout pandemic JONATHAN WARE
reporter collegian.editor@tccd.edu
Tour our campus – Families welcome!
TCC students said hobbies helped them balance life by relieving stress, expanding skills to grow individually and improving overall mental health. SE student Arianna Peaney, whose hobbies include cleaning and shopping, said having hobbies helps her when she is feeling stressed. “My hobbies help me in my daily life by taking my mind off of my stress and problems,” Peaney said. “Stress is unhealthy, so I feel like my daily life is improved whether I clean my home, read or shop. Occasionally, when I can’t escape from work, I like to deep clean while I work to work my hobbies into my day.” She also described the joy that her hobbies bring and that it occupies her time when she is not in school. “Work was previously my only hobby because I had no other time on my hands,” Peaney said. “I have since then made time for myself to enjoy life and hobbies as they should be enjoyed. Hobbies are important to me because, without them, I would burn myself out and be miserable.”
NE student Nicholas Lolin said it’s important when coming up with a hobby to not let anything get in the way of it. “If something interests you, go for it,” he said. “Don’t worry too much about what anyone around you has to say. That comes second if it should even matter that much at all. You do you first.” He also said that his hobbies showed him to do more instead of doing less. “Having hobbies to either alleviate that boredom or have a release for my thoughts to slow my mind down makes a massive difference,” Lolin said. NE student Haleigh Harris said the pandemic has played a role in having hobbies. “I believe that my hobbies keep me sane,” Harris said. “Before COVID, the everyday hustle and bustle of life was enough to keep me busy, but once quarantine rolled around, I realized fairly quickly it would just be me, myself and I.” She also touched on the mental health aspect of having hobbies. “I believe the sole purpose of having a hobby is for your mental health,” Harris said. “While you can reap the physical benefits of some hobbies, most hobbies are simply meant to help take care of your mental health. Hobbies reduce stress and can help you rediscover your interests.”
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 • 3
Illustration by Hannah Seese/The Collegian
Barbershop experience is more than cuts AUSTIN FOLKERTSMA
campus editor austin.folkertsma@my.tccd.edu
For some, a barbershop is a place to just get a haircut, but for the Black community, it represents a sanctuary where people of all ages can come and connect with their culture and history. The Black Barbershop event was on NE Campus Feb. 16, and was hosted by two faculty members and one student. “It’s a place for men to talk about their issues where men may not have other places to talk,” NE assistant government professor Christopher Douglas said. “It’s a refuge that acts as a psychologist's office. It's a critical piece to celebrate this month, so hopefully people have a better understanding and the meaning of it.” He said the barbershop serves as a resource, so even if you’re not getting a haircut, it’s a place in the community that gives a broader understanding about different perspectives, and it’s a place to have meaningful conversations. Douglas adds that there are many resources at TCC like the barbershop, meaning there are a lot of people to talk to. “Hairstyles obviously are different,” Douglas said. “Thirty years ago when I went to the shop, there was a much different style of hair that we thought we needed to have, but as far as what the barbershop's purpose serves, it hasn’t changed.” It isn’t as much of an expansive community as it used to be. Back then, one of the only opportunities accessible to Black men was in the barbershop, Douglas said. The opportunities to expand in terms of progress with racial relations or the ability for folks to find employment in other areas has become more widespread than in the past. “The functions have changed, hairstyles have obviously changed and there’s perhaps been more opportunities other than being a barber for an African American man in general,” Douglas said. “The bar-
bershop I went to growing up had a big sign in the front that said ‘No Profanity, No Disrespect and No Politics.’ There was no disrespect.” NE interim director of student development services Cara Walker said the significance of the event is to take a peek inside the experience of being Black in America. “The Black barbershop itself is a unique entity for mainly men, but also women,” Walker said. It’s an important place for Black men and women to recharge, and it also allows them to be a part of a community where they can share their experiences, Walker said. NE business instructor Freddie Sandifer Jr. said The Black Barbershop event is about sharing the rich Black culture. “It’s like our country club or a place where we can pass down wisdom, knowledge and historical events from one generation to the next generation, and that’s what was so powerful about the barbershop.” Sandifer said he wants students and others to be able to look into Black culture and see something that they value. “It’s important how we can understand how each culture does things and how to pass down this torch from the older generation to the younger generation,” Sandifer said. He added that the passing of the torch is often done in the barbershop, but it’s important how it’s done in every culture. “There was always a guy that was older and we didn’t know if he was telling the truth or not,'' Sandifer said. ”But he knew everything about everything and he knew everybody and he could get you anything that you wanted.” NE student LaDarien Briggs said the barbershop is about expression, and he hopes people gain a new perspective from the event. “Being able to share your thoughts, ideas and experiences with other Black men just so they can see what we see.”
Photos by Joel Solis/The Collegian
NE student LaDarien Briggs, NE business instructor Freddie Sandifer Jr. and NE assistant government professor Christopher Douglas pose together Feb. 16.
NE speech communication department chair A’Isha Malone watches the presentation.
Student activities coordinator Cara Walker speaks during event. Layout by Abbas Ghor/The Collegian
4 • Wednesday, February 23, 2022
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIE REVIEW
Texas Chainsaw Entertainment Massacre
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Leatherface, played by Mark Burnham, holds up a face he ripped off of a person. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) can be streamed on Netflix with a subscription. MICHAEL FOSTER-SANDERS
senior producer michael.foster-sanders@my.tccd.edu
Let’s keep it realistic for this review. The majority of legendary horror icon film franchises are horrible. As memorable as the characters are, it is a damn shame that lackluster sequels, reboots and requels diminish these iconic characters’ terror factor straight to comedic fodder. Speaking of lackluster films, Leatherface is back, gracing Netflix with the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022). After the abysmal origin story of 2017’s “Leatherface,” this one can only bring the franchise up from the hell that it dwells in, right? Wrong. It leaves the franchise stuck in purgatory with some great ideas that don’t get fleshed out, leaving it to be rebooted again. It starts with a group of hipsters taking a road trip to a fictional ghost town in Texas. On the way there, they stop at a gas station and see that Leatherface is a pretty big thing,
with the original murders of the Sawyer family never being solved. While getting gas, the tone of the movie is set with the hipsters judging a local for openly carrying a gun and killing the environment with his diesel Dodge Ram. One of the main characters is a victim of a school shooting and has PTSD throughout the film. Social commentary is supposed to be a big part of this film, but the way it’s safely played, or used when it isn’t needed, hurts this movie to the core. Don’t toe the line in what you want to convey. As the hipsters pull into town, the local they previously had an issue with is the handyman they hired to show them around this derelict town, and it is a great egg on their face moment for the movie. While surveying the town, the Token Black Guy notices a Confederate flag in one of the houses and has a complete meltdown thinking about what the investors will think if they see the flag. Pausing the review for a second to talk
about real life. A person of color should know what they might encounter going into some parts of Texas with racism and prejudice, so for this person of color to be appalled, it isn’t realistic at all. Token Black Guy barges into the house and realizes someone is still staying there. The old lady staying in the home tells the group she’s been there forever and never sold her home with the purchase of the town. Token Black Guy gets into an argument with the homeowner about the flag being racist, but while the lady is explaining that it’s to honor her grandfather, she also calls him a negro, enraging him so much that he calls the sheriffs, demanding they evict her from her home. The homeowner goes into cardiac arrest and a large man emerges from upstairs to go with the woman to emergency care. While being transported, the woman dies, and the audience finds out that the man is Leatherface — as if the audience didn’t figure that out — and the murder spree begins.
This is a dumb movie, even by horror movie slasher standards. The choices some of these characters choose in a fight or flight situation are baffling. The highlight of the film is the bus massacre the trailer gave away. While it is strangely cool and gory, it’s also unrealistic. There is a bus full of people and only one chainsaw. They should’ve been able to overpower Leatherface, I mean come on. The subplot with the original survivors from “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) coming back for revenge feels super tacked on, especially with “Halloween” (2018) doing the victim-turned hunter thing 100 times better. The nostalgia does nothing for this mess of a movie. Watch the trailer and skip the movie.
ALBUM REVIEW
Breakout album revisited by indie pop group CAMERON WEBSTER
campus editor cameron.webster@my.tccd.edu
Twin sister indie pop duo, Tegan and Sara, have enjoyed a long and successful career that spans over 20 years. When they became unable to perform in front of live audiences due to the pandemic, the pair turned to their past for inspiration. In 2004 the group released their first commercially successful album “So Jealous.” The album featured the sisters making a transition from a folksier sound into one more reminiscent of 1980s punkpop. Fast-forward to 2020, the sisters found themselves in an unfamiliar world. After preparing an acoustic version of their song “You Wouldn’t Like Me” for a fundraiser for the Tegan and Sara Foundation, they had an idea. They decided to redo the entirety of “So Jealous” acoustically, but with the sisters switching roles and performing each other’s songs. Thus, the birth of “Still Jealous,” stripped down and raw. It has all 14 songs of the original album but with the pop overtone removed and most of the background instruments gone as well. The songs themselves laid bare to be dissected all over again nearly two decades later. Created with the extra twist of the role reversal. The album comes out of the gate with “You Wouldn’t Like Me.” Originally performed by Tegan with electric guitar riffs and drums, the voice of Sara shines through with just a simple background acoustic guitar to accompany her. She has a lovely
Photo courtesy of Sire
Tegan and Sara is a Canadian indie pop duo consisting of two sisters, Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin. “Still Jealous” released Feb. 11. angelic quality to her voice that transforms the song into a relaxing melody that makes you want to reflect as you listen to it on a rainy day. “Walking With a Ghost,” a song that was covered by The White Stripes in 2005, was originally performed by Sara. It features a repetition of the same three lines but
manages to deliver them in an extremely memorable way. Unlike Sara, Tegan’s voice has a grit and conviction to it, this plus the effect of one guitar riff on repeat pushes the song to new heights. It becomes just the right amount of aggressive and in-your-face compared to the original that has a more matter-of-fact feeling to it.
“Speak Slow,” originally performed with a fast rock and roll pace by Tegan, receives the biggest treatment out of any song on the album. Removing all of the rock pomp combined with Sara’s hauntingly beautiful singing and slowing the song down to a snail’s pace in comparison does wonders. These alterations completely change the feeling and tone of the song. Sara’s version, with the lyrics “I am so ah alone,” makes you think of that love you lost previously in your life, while Tegan’s feels more like a defiant statement of, “I don’t need you anymore.” “I Bet It Stung” — a song about one lover saying to the other they shouldn’t be so uptight and go away over nothing — received a similar treatment as “Speak Slow.” The song was originally performed by Sara with a pop-alternative sound to it. The song is upbeat and gives the feeling that the person actually enjoys the ups and downs of their relationship. Tegan’s rendition shows that she too can slow things down and put a more personal feeling into the song. Her voice transforms the lyrics to sound more like the person singing is begging their lover to not let the small stuff drive them away. Lifelong fans of Tegan and Sara will love the album. Rehashing old content for the sake of a pandemic-related catharsis, however, is unlikely to bring in any new fans. This reimagining of an older album is a welcome addition to their discography.
OPINION
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 • 5
EDITORIAL
Uyghur genocide overshadowed by Olympics The Winter Olympics have gone on despite China being embroiled in controversy surrounding its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim population. China has a history of censorship and controlling what is put on the internet within its country, so unless someone knows exactly what to search for, there won’t be much easily accessible information on this topic. The Uyghurs are a Turkic Muslim ethnic group affiliated with the Xinjiang region in Northwest Asia. According to BBC News, China has forced more than one million Uyghurs into “re-education” camps since 2014. Ever since the Communist Party of China took over in 1949, Beijing has taken large control over various ethnic minorities groups such as Uyghurs and Kazakhs, according to the news site Equal Times. When government repression came rolling in, various groups and individuals within that community started building up resentment toward government officials, they started a revolt against them by carrying out attacks and protests such as the 2009 riots in the region’s capital of Ürümqi, which resulted in several dozen deaths. “It’s only a matter of time before the cost of China’s treatment of Uyghurs becomes too great to continue,” expert and senior project officer of the Uyghur project Peter Erwin said. “Today it’s the Uyghurs, but tomorrow it may be you who suffers from Beijing’s policies, and you will regret not having stood up for them.” They are subjected to mandatory labor and experience horrible
Shelby Gatewood/The Collegian
torture including sterilization, sexual assault and performing acts that go against their religious beliefs. One of the ways the Chinese government has made the Uyghurs denounce Islam is by force-feeding them pork. Muslims don’t eat pork because it’s one of the foods that are considered haram or forbidden in Islam.
China has tried to cover these atrocities up by having Dinigeer Yilamujiang, a Uyghur Muslim, light the Olympic torch to signify the start of the games. It’s as if China thinks that’s going to cover up half a decade of torment and dehumanization of an innocent group of people with an obvious political stunt. More media outlets from other
countries should be covering this — because China doesn’t have free media — to bring attention to the genocide, rather than promoting a sports event that should never have been awarded to China in the first place. Olympic sponsors such as Airbnb, Samsung, Toyota, Coca-Cola and VISA have been quiet on this topic.
It was especially surprising considering Airbnb has a history of being vocal about social injustice. During the Black Lives Matter movement, it released a statement and donated money to the organization. But this time, it wants to ensure its logo is slapped all over the stadium. Guess these companies are just a bunch of cowards afraid of losing some money. A Uyghur activist told Fox News her sister vanished in 2018 after speaking out against the Chinese government. She was later found in 2020, and the family discovered she had been sentenced to 20 years in prison on false charges. Jewher Ilham, daughter of one of the imprisoned Uyghurs said, “I’m afraid China’s government will use the Olympics as a propaganda tool” in an interview with Fox News. In another interview, Hamid Kerim said he couldn’t bring himself to watch the Olympics because it reminded him of his siblings who are imprisoned in Xinjiang. U.S. delegates did boycott the Olympics, but other than lowering viewer ratings a bit, it’s not as impactful as it could be. Bringing more attention to what’s been happening is necessary. Other countries such as Canada, Australia and Britain also took a similar stance as the U.S. These countries taking a stance will add more eyes to the situation, but it’s hard not to see it as a publicity stunt. It’s the bare minimum, especially because after the Olympics are over, most will go back to forgetting about it. Athletes could also use their position to amplify the news, but money is money.
VIEWPOINTS
Presumptuous men take over World will be fine if US takes podcasts, short-form media backseat in UN Ukraine crisis
ALEX HOBEN photo editor
alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu
Podcasts and short-form media sites have become breeding grounds for misogynistic and degrading content tailored for a male audience, and its prevalence is worrying. If you are on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, more than likely you’ve come across a man trying to give dating advice to turn viewers into the same “alpha male” that he sees himself as. When you stop and pay attention to these videos, a glaring fact is that they believe the only way to uplift men is to degrade women. A telltale sign of these videos is how many times the host will refer to their partners or interested parties as females or girls instead of the fully grown women they are. They often give condescending and broad statements for the entirety of the sex they are referring to and then will justify their harmful comments against criticism as their own preference. The “Fresh and Fit” podcast with hosts Myron Gaines and Walter Weekes is a prime example of this trend. These two men have repeatedly propagated harmful language and degradation against women through their content. Gaines has reinforced on TikTok how women “want” and “need” attention,
and men shouldn’t fall for it. He has made multiple claims that the standards for women in a relationship are different from the men. This is obviously ridiculous. What’s ironic is that Gains ends each of these videos by saying “Don’t be stupid,” even though he just spouted some of the most foolish things you’ve ever heard. Another glaring issue with these types of videos is that it compares relationships with women to animals and livestock. TikTok personality Russell Hartley explained in a post how men should have what he calls a “stable,” which is the rotation of women they can call on for sex. He then says how when a woman starts to ask questions about the future, you should “let her go to greener pastures.” Like that isn’t the most demeaning way to refuse to admit your commitment issues. If a man has an unpopular opinion but wants to be heard, he’ll make a podcast. This has become a common joke on social media sites like Twitter and TikTok. But the reality is actually quite darker, and we need to stop joking and start holding these men accountable. The base for these platforms is a younger demographic. When these ideas of stoicism and separation rather than compassion and understanding in a relationship are posted, a younger male audience may see it and believe it. They’ll believe that it’s okay to never have an indepth conversation with their partner because weakness is intolerable. The alpha male attitude is a poisonous brand of hyper-masculinity that centers around the inability to have confidence unless you humiliate a woman in the process. I worry about what the future will be like for the young men using these platforms if they can’t recognize how harmful this mindset is.
JUAN SALINAS II
campus editor juan.salinas465@my.tccd.edu
The world is on high alert due to Russian troops stationed near the border of Ukraine. But, is it really worth spending money and potential lives on a conflict that doesn’t even affect the U.S.? This isn’t our fight, and we shouldn’t be involved or at the forefront of the discussion. It hasn’t even been six months since we left Afghanistan, and the war hawk politicians are already looking for the next war to support. These politicians are advocating for World War III, and it’s quite outrageous and simply just out of touch with the rest of the nation. Fifty-three percent of Americans believe we should stay out of the conflict, according to a poll by CBS News. But like always, our government does the exact opposite of what we want. It has actively poured gasoline on the fire for the past few weeks, sending troops around Europe and weapons to Ukraine, closing its embassy. All this is happening despite Ukraine’s government’s request to de-escalate. “The truth is that we have different information,” Ukraine’s president Zelensky
said. “And now, the best friend for enemies is panic in our country. And all this information helps only to create panic, doesn’t help us.” Ukraine is telling us to crack down on the Cold War rhetoric. Instead, it seems like our government is using them as a pawn in a geopolitical chess game. Even a member of the Ukraine parliament is frustrated with U.S. media reporting of the conflict because it is causing their economy to destabilize It seems that this conflict is due to Russia not wanting NATO to expand eastward, and the U.S. military base in Poland is seen as a threat. According to President Putin, the U.S. promised the Soviet Union that NATO wouldn’t expand any further. President Joe Biden could easily revoke the invitation given to Ukraine in 2009 by former President Barack Obama. While this will hurt the U.S.’ ego, it will help avoid nuclear destruction, or if he wants to maintain the “red monster from the East,” he could move the military base. And no, I’m not a Russian sympathizer hoping and wishing on the downfall of the West. I’m just a lower-middleclass American that is tired of the U.S. government spending trillions upon trillions of dollars on foreign nations and for the military but can’t spare a dime to help the working class. We should let the EU take the lead on this. It is their continent, for God’s sake. While there is still a chance cooler heads will prevail, the U.S. is doing anything in its power to make sure it doesn’t. It is time to look in the mirror and realize that we have many problems domestically. It is time to take a step back from the world stage.
Letter Policy The Collegian is a weekly student publication serving the Tarrant County College District. Editorial statements and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the TCC administration. Letters to the paper should be 150 words or less, free from libel and poor taste and include the writer’s Colleague ID or telephone number (the numbers will not be published). Letters may be brought to The Collegian
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Staff
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
6 • Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Photos by Alex Huben/The Collegian
18th century represented through clothing
A piece titled “Cheneyville.” It was made by using wood, cotton and plastic beads in 2018. It is a part of the Tignon exhibit on TR Campus.
Each of the pieces was either made by Chesley Antoinette and J.D. Moore. The pieces didn’t specify which artist made what piece.
A piece titled “Maria Juana.” It was made by inkjet print on cotton paper with archival pigment in 2018.
A piece titled “Avondale.” It was made with velvet and plastic beads.
A close-up shot of a piece titled “Tignon.” It was made with oil and acrylic on cavas in 2019. The exhibit was named after this piece
A piece titled “Monroe.” It was made by brocade and satin with plastic beads.
A piece titled “Delcambre.” It’s made of cotton and satin.
A piece titled “Evangeline.” It was made with cotton and found metals.
A piece titled “San Luis La Nuit & Gota.” It was made by inkjet print on cotton paper with archival pigment in 2018.
A piece titled “Rachel Pringle.” It was made by inkjet print on cotton paper with archival pigment in 2018.