The Antlerette April 1 2019 Volume 93 Issue 6
The Sacrifice for the Real Story Esmée Teresi, Staff
Journalists’ lives are put at risk in an effort to capture history and to uncover the complete picture of world changing events. Unfortunately, because these brave men and women are constantly putting themselves into the most threatening situations, they are often fatally injured, outcasted or shunned by society, or even worse, killed. Currently in America, there is a debate about whether the news we receive is accurate or not. The term “fake news” is something commonly heard today, but with journalism, it is impossible to avoid all of the fluff, like the exaggerated content and the constant “breaking news”. More importantly, journalists focus on the core reasons something is being reported on, and what makes these things important and worthwhile. However, the accuracy of the news is not just an issue in the United States; it has become an international issue. And as a society we allow journalists to delve into difficult topics and situations to allow us to see a different side of the world that may not always be accurately portrayed in mainstream media. Whether the story is being told through investigative or photo journalism, or even news journalism, there is an honest
transparency in all types of journalism that should be held onto because the world is full of too many amazing and powerful stories to be clouded with exaggeration and inconsistent information. Journalism holds a certain power that allows a deeper look into the real world problems and struggles that go unnoticed by the local news channels and mainstream media outlets. It provides the honest truth no matter how brutal it can be, but that is the relevance of journalism entirely. There is no need to misrepresent certain people or the worldwide conflicts that are present in society because the truth is enough to hold up a story and showcase it worldwide. Journalism brings an authenticity that is lacking in most sectors of the news, which must be recognized to avoid a plague of misinformation. On October 2nd of 2018, the prominent Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi was killed in Istanbul and the news of this brutal murder was spread worldwide. Khashoggi covered stories on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the rise and fall of Osama Bin Laden in the early 2000’s. But despite Khashoggi’s prevalence in the political corruption of the Middle East, it was the suspicious cover up of his death that pushed this story to almost all news outlets rather than his credentials. The shocking truth about his death is not that he was lied to and taken advantage of when he was simply trying to get divorce documentation to enable himself to marry his fiancée. The Saudi Arabian government saw this as an opportunity to attack a man who they deemed to be a threat to their
image and was allowing the public too much information about certain Middle Eastern conflicts. It is people like Khashoggi that stand up against corrupt governments and challenge the people in power to shed light on the painful truth that most all countries are trying to cover up something that they did wrong. The journalists that aren't afraid to put themselves in the position to be seen as a threat are the reason that there is justice in the truth. The outrage that came with Khashoggi’s death caused an uprising, prompted by the need to protect journalists because Khashoggi was not the only case of a journalist being killed. In 2018 it was reported that 54 journalists were killed all over the world. Four were killed in the United States and Mexico, One each in Nicaragua, Slovakia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, two in Colombia, Brazil, Somalia, and the occupied Israel and Palestine territory, three in the Central African Republic and Yemen, nine in Syria, five in India, and thirteen in Afghanistan. Some of these people were caught in the crossfire of a conflict, but others were murdered because of what they were reporting. The point in listing all of the tragic deaths of these journalists is not just to show the upsettingly large numbers of people that lost their lives, but to further illustrate the brutal conditions that journalists endure to make sure that the authentic story is always being told, regardless of the dangers that they may be putting themselves in. That is partly the reason that it’s important to acknowledge the sacrifices that are being made to document the truth because journalists understand the necessity of the truth and its sheer importance. Without journalism, many valuable moments would go unnoticed. Warridden countries and earth-shattering moments would not be shown in the authentic light that they now are with journalism. That is the entire reason that the lives of journalists worldwide need to be
guarded and secured. The world deserves to hear every story.
https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/fakenews-what-laws-are-designed-to-protect
Grammy’s for the Gram Azariah Martinez, Staff
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards were two weeks ago and, as usual, there has been a lot of fuss about who should’ve won. I shall add to this fuss with my input on who should’ve actually won rap album of the year. As some may know, Cardi B won with her album Invasion of Privacy which, in her defense, wasn’t that bad of an album. However, the award she won was for RAP album of the year. I emphasize “rap” because the album really lacks the fundamentals of rap. The other nominees were the following: Travis Scott with ASTROWORLD, Pusha T with Daytona, the late Mac Miller with Swimming, and finally Nipsey Hussle with Victory Lap. Given the recent trends in rap, Travis Scott and his popular use of autotune in his music was an easy nomination for the Grammy Award. The real question is who deserved the Grammy? Some people base awards off popularity and sales, which every contender managed to obtain, but in this case, it isn’t a normal award for any genre of music. The rap award should award the best RAP album, shouldn’t it?
Rap is a competition consisting of meaningful lyrics, flow/rhythm, messages, and beats. Real rap is something you put a lot of time into. Real rap does NOT follow trends. Real rap is very meaningful and has a point. Real rap is something that makes you think. Why is it that artists like Travis Scott who, according to a Clique interview in 2015, doesn’t even consider himself a Hip-Hop artist, are nominated for these awards? If rap is a contest of deeper messages and meaningful lyrics, then why didn’t Nipsey Hussle win? For years he has discussed important topics that offer those in the hood advice on how to not be there forever. Why is it that an album, though not a bad album, that doesn’t offer the same deep message and advice deserve to win the award? Previous winners, such as the two-time winner Kendrick Lamar, or Jay-Z or Eminem, all have one thing in common: they all captured the true meaning of rap the most. Previous years weren’t just about sales as they were this year; they were accounted for message and overall impact on the listeners. As for my personal opinion, I’d rather listen to someone telling me to invest in real-estate or break the cycle of drug abuse than to listen to someone talking about their cheating lover.
https://www.insideedition.com/grammyawards-2019-complete-list-winners-50624
LGBTQ Textbook Curriculum Hannah Villarreal, Editor
On February 5th, 2019 the Elk Grove Unified School District adopted new history textbooks that included LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) figures in history for grades k-8. The textbooks’ purpose, in general, is to include
the representation of achievements from many overlooked minority populations. On the night of the city council meeting many members of the Elk Grove community showed up to support and oppose the adoption of the new material. Those that supported the inclusion of the new materials argued that we need to do a better job of including the historical contributions of minority populations to the development of our country. However, many in attendance opposed the adoption of the LGBTQ material because parents feared their children would be taught inappropriate things and that this material would go against their religious beliefs. One of the first concerns argued by parents was that this would be a complete lesson about LGBTQ sexual education. A valid point to be considered, but it has been the result of misinformation. The material that has been added to the modernized textbooks do not reference anything related to sexual education. A direct statement from Nancy Chaires Espinoza, a member of the school board, clarifies these concerns made by parents: “This issue, this discussion really distinguished itself in that we heard from a lot of folks who we think are coming from a place of fear. That they had received information that was not accurate so I just want to clarify and clear up a few myths. We are not - what is before us is not an LGBTQ curriculum, there are in fact no reference to sexual activity - if you- we assume - some folks commented on sexual health education which is a whole different curriculum, a whole different subject. There are no links to pornography in the material that we are being - that are before us.” This material is not curriculum because it is not in-depth and long enough to be considered a course on LGBTQ history, nor does it introduce sexual education to children; school educators that are focusing on new history textbook material primarily for grades K-8 would not incorporate content that is not directly related to history and social studies.
The second main concern and fear presented by parents is potentially over sexualizing people for children. Ms. Espinoza further addresses the concern later and states, “Last topic I’ll address is the sexualization of children. That is also something I looked to very carefully, many of you said that I think this is appropriate to address these topics but is the sequencing - is the timing correction and that's something I looked at as well in my reviews. I found and agreed with staff and all of our teachers and professional reviewers that the content is age appropriate, and I’ll add to that, they’re not standing on their own. They’re standing with teachers who will receive professional development on how to present this material and that training and instruction are key.” Once again, the material is related to history and social studies; this is not educating children on the sexual activity of someone who is LGBTQ; this assumption has been based off misinformation. The last main concern expressed by parents during the board meeting was that the new material could be used to influence their child’s own sexuality and religious beliefs. This argument was addressed and countered by Ms. Espinoza’s near the end of the board meeting, “The last myth I want to address is that nothing in this instructional material endorses any type of family or relationship.” Ms. Espinoza is essentially stating that the purpose of the material is not to persuade children into favoring the LGBTQ community, but to simply introduce a different community to them. She further addresses parents concern for the material possibly threatening family values, religious beliefs, parental influence, etc. by explaining that, “There is no advocacy here, there is nothing that says one religions view is right and another’s is wrong. Parents remain the first and most important educator of their children and for those of you who came here because you feel compelled by your conscience and faith to do so, I respect and appreciate that greatly.” Clearly by Ms.
Espinoza’s statement the school board recognizes parents’ worry for schools possibly teaching children values that conflict with one’s already being taught in their own household. Teachers will be trained to present the material to students without bias. Aside from the arguments questioning the textbooks content, parents also inquired of the materials overall purpose for children. Representation and diversity is a necessary element to children’s growth and learning experience. Aside from LGBTQ figures being included in the textbooks, “...a study of the role and contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities and members of other ethnic and cultural groups, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.” An excerpt taken from the Education Code Section 51204.5, SB 48, describes a general expectation of what is to be included in the new history textbooks. These textbooks will allow students the opportunity to be introduced to a community that is commonly overlooked and allow children who are either LGBTQ or have parents who are apart of the LGBTQ community to be represented. “Will children be confused when they come home and ask you questions, probably, but that’s going to happen already right? I mean, I think one of my siblings at one point claimed he wanted to marry a cartoon character. I mean kids are going to be confused no matter what we teach. They’re confused now and that is our role collectively as educators, parents and caregivers to help them work through that,” said Ms. Espinoza during the board meeting, acknowledging that students, given their age, will be slightly confused as to what LGBTQ
is but that is growing up, learning about new things and new people. This confusion should not be feared by parents, but expected, because children for the most part of their lives look to their parents for answers and other information. Schools will introduce material to children, but it will be up to parents or guardians to teach kids how to feel towards it. Restricting and/or censoring kids from specific material will only create ignorance towards the world they live in and distrust between parents and their children. After listening to every argument, both supportive and opposed towards the LGBTQ textbook curriculum, it’s clear that this material is a positive thing for Elk Grove’s community, schools, and the children residing here. The material will not be a sexual education lesson nor will it be addressing one’s personal religious beliefs towards the LGBTQ community. It is simply introducing historical figures and their achievements to students. Regardless of religious beliefs, the material is educational for students and important for the process of maturing as they grow up. Children will learn of LGBTQ figures and other communities one way or another; it is more logical to have them learn about them in a safe, unbiased environment. Being oblivious to different people, cultures and their rich history is damaging to youth; to the extent that it is narrowing their ability to see and understand the world. “To be ignorant of what occured before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history.” ~Cicero
https://redefy.org/2018/02/03/lgbtqan-explanation-of-several-sexualities-andgenders/
Cold Persecution Daniel Thomas, Staff
In early February of 2019, actor Liam Neeson gave an interview with The Independent while promoting his newest movie Cold Pursuit, where he plays a father whose son was killed and who goes to seek revenge. To describe his character, Neeson connected it to a real life story he experienced where he wanted to avenge a close friend of his who was raped. When he found out the rapist was black, he said he went up and down areas where the rapist could be with a stick, hoping a “black bastard” would be walking by so he could kill him. Neeson said he is ashamed by that story and that it was horrible. It made him question his whole mindset. When this interview first came out, there was a lot of outrage regarding the comments, especially the “black bastard” part. This led to the cancellation of the red carpet premiere of the film and his guest spot on Stephen Colbert’s show, and having to go on Good Morning America to defend himself. Many questioned the point of Neeson bringing those comments up in the first place and that he should have just kept it to himself. On the other side there were people who defended Neeson, saying he has moved on from what he once was and changed for the better. Actor Terry Crews spoke on the situation on Twitter saying that “[he] believe[s] that every person on earth is capable of the greatest good, or unspeakable evil. Liam is just describing his fork in the road.” After criticism was piled on to him saying he was defending Neeson, he responded saying that “[he’s] not defending him at all. [...] what’s worse is those who practice it and NEVER reveal it.” Actors
Whoopi Goldberg and Michelle Rodriguez joined Crews’ side as well. Based on the controversies from last year, like Guardians of the Galaxy Director James Gunn getting fired for homophobic tweets from 10 years ago, the reactions to this story should not be too surprising. We’re living in a culture that refuses to have a conversation. If everyone is defined by past beliefs, how are we expected to change? Change is an integral part of growth. Humans change during every moment of their lives whether they realize it or not. Our beliefs come to us, initially, from our families, environment, and experiences. There does come a point when they are a choice. Neeson brought up a racist moment in his past, but that does not necessarily make him racist now. He experienced that moment and made a choice to change, we have a choice as well, we can choose to punish him for his past, or to trust in the hope of change. The line only becomes blurred, however, when it comes to action. He was extremely close to committing a heinous crime, but he chose not to. Would the same people defending him now defend him then if he actually went through with killing someone? Each instance like this should be examined independently, but if there is no other evidence of racism, we should give him the benefit of the doubt. Even if he related his experience in an offensive way. Racism is a deeply serious issue, it deserves a thoughtful examination, not the same violent reaction that began this narrative.
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/liamneeson-black-bastard-rape-1203127762/
Game Over: The End of Thrones Jordan Ritchie, Business Manager
The wait is almost over. After years of anticipation, the eighth season of Game of Thrones airs this April. Game of Thrones– now a household name–is arguably one of the best shows on television, winning 47 Emmys, based off the best-selling novels by George R. R. Martin. It’s hard to summarize the entire plot, but in a nutshell: in a medieval-type setting, many all over the world vie for power over the kingdoms of Westeros to be the ruler that sits on the Iron Throne. Thrones fans all over the world are anticipating and dreading the upcoming season, as it is the final season, meaning an end to the series. Game of Thrones’ first season aired in 2011 and it’s been a thrilling journey, from betrothals to betrayals, deadly disguises to dragons, and now we await the final battle that will end it all. The final season is said to feature apparently the biggest battle in screen history. Fans have been theorizing what else will occur in the final season, but the question we’ve all been dying to know the answer is: Who will sit on the Iron Throne? Disclaimer: from this point on, there will be spoilers. Theory 1: Arya checks more names off her list Ever since season two, when the youngest Stark girl began reciting the names on her kill list, we’ve been eager to see which of her enemies will bite the dust next. Not many are left, but in season seven, the Red Priestess Melisandre predicted her own death. As Melisandre is on Arya’s list for hurting her friend, Gendry, fans predict that the Red Priestess will die by Arya’s hand. There’s also the theory that Queen Cersei will be killed by the prophetical “Valonqar” or little brother, who is most likely her brother, Jaime. However, fans speculate that
the “Valonqar” actually refers to the little sister of the Stark family, Arya. Theory 2: Daenerys’s curse is lifted Back in season one, Queen Daenerys had a run-in with a witch that resulted in the death of both her husband and unborn child. “Only death can pay for life,” the witch told her, so Dany’s unborn child died so that her dying husband could live...only to die later. After, Daenerys was cursed to never have any children again. However, in season seven, Daenerys’s dragon, Viserion, was killed. “Only death can pay for life.” The theory is that Viserion’s death lifted Daenerys’s curse and she’ll be able to have a baby. This is one theory that I do see happening. Theory 3: Tyrion the Targaryen Despite being a fan-favorite, Tyrion Lannister is hated by his own family for being born a dwarf. However, fans suspect that our favorite Lannister is actually a Targaryen–or at least, of Targaryen blood. In the books, it’s said that King Aerys Targaryen–Daenerys’s father–lusted after Tyrion’s mother. Also, Tyrion is one of the only characters who have been able to approach Daenerys’s dragons without being harmed. Fans take this as a sign of the dragons sensing Tyrion’s Targaryen blood. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see Tyrion riding a dragon next season. Theory 4: Gendry Despite being a supporting character, Gendry plays a very big role in the show and has quite a few theories surrounding his character. In the first season, it was revealed that he is the illegitimate son of the late King Robert Baratheon. We know nothing of his late mother’s identity, but we’re led to believe that she is lowborn. However, a popular theory is circulating that Gendry’s mother is actually Queen Cersei. In season one, Cersei said that she gave birth to a baby boy with black hair–a Baratheon trait–but he died. The theory is that Cersei disposed of baby Gendry because she wanted her child to be her brother–er, lover–Jaime’s, not
Robert’s. Also, Gendry said he remembers that his mother had “yellow” hair, like Cersei. This means that Gendry might not be lowborn after all and has a valid claim to the throne. Another theory is that he and Arya Stark will fall in love. His father, Robert, was once in love with Arya’s aunt, Lyanna. Gendry’s said to be the spitting image of his father and Arya’s said to be a lot like her aunt. Fans believe that history is repeating itself and Baratheon and Stark will once again be romantically linked. In season one, Robert said to Arya’s father, Ned, “I have a son. You have a daughter. We’ll join our houses.” Of course, he spoke of a different son and daughter, but fans think that this was a bit of clever foreshadowing from the writers. As a fan of the “Gendrya” friendship, I’d love for these two to get together in the final season. Theory 5: Who will sit on the Iron Throne? The obvious choice is Jon Snow, who we now know is the real heir to the throne, but it could be Daenerys; she’s lived her entire life in hopes of becoming Queen. Fans of the Gendry theory think he might rule Westeros. Some think Sansa Stark, others Tyrion. Or maybe this won’t have a happy ending and it’ll be the Night King or Cersei. Or maybe no one...or “No One”. We’ll have to wait until April 14, 2019 to find out. Until then, I’m stocking up on Thrones merch, which is increasingly going out of stock. I’m looking forward to the Clegane battle; a budding friendship between Arya and Daenerys; and Arya reuniting with The Hound, Gendry, and Jon. Who knows what’ll happen in the final season? Will karma finally catch up to Cersei? Which couples will be endgame: Brienne and Tormund? Or Brienne and Jaime? Will Bronn ever get his castle?! There’s not much time left until the final season airs, so time to re-binge and catch up, start jotting down theories, and go on a shopping spree. Winter is here.
http://cdn.collider.com/wpcontent/uploads/2019/03/game-of-thronesseason-8-poster.jpg
Technology? School? Quynh Tran, Staff
In this new era, technology has become one the most important things in societal terms. Most people have a lot of devices to help their everyday life become much easier. However, not everyone knows how to use technology to benefit their education. Schools do not fund more technology because most children and teenagers don’t take it very seriously as they are not exposed to using it as often. Having more technology in schools can help students in many ways to further their education and expand their knowledge of technology in a healthy way. Schools in the United States should start funding for more technology because it would help the students to know the proper way to use technological devices for everyday uses at school. It can help students access information faster and easier. Instead of relying on a poster to access information to advertise school events, they could use the devices provided by the school to access this information. This way, it can help reduce the use of poster paper to save trees and teach students to properly use devices to help them
receive information much easier than finding a poster around their school. Most students after high school would like to go to college, which involves a lot of studying and the use of technology. If schools could help students start using technology at an earlier time, it could help them prepare for college. Many students do not know how to study in a way that suits them, so being exposed to programs or websites to help them figure out their way of studying could help them in college and to receive a better education. When they are having a difficult time during high school or college, they will have a better understanding of websites because of their previous use of technology at a younger age. Since this new era has evolved to surround itself with devices and technology, we as a society cannot deny it to our students. Having technological devices for our students can help them in many ways that previous students did not have and help further their education for the better.
https://www.indiatoday.in/educationtoday/featurephilia/story/7-technologies-toprepare-you-for-the-jobs-of-tomorrow1297981-2018-07-27
Procrastination & Why We Do It Vivian Scherrer, Staff
Procrastination is something we all do. Sometimes people like to put off work until it absolutely has to be done. Due to research the time most people procrastinate
is in high school and college. A total of 86% of high school students procrastinate on their work and assignments and college bumps up to 88%! Research shows that college males are the worst procrastinators and 92 percent of them wait until the day it’s due to do an assignment! Although procrastination is a common human tendency, stress can also make you put things off and wait until the last minute. Since it is a common human tendency, you might wonder what the cause of procrastination is. The most common cause of procrastination is excessive perfectionism. It causes you to put your work off until you can do it perfectly. Another common cause is fear of failure or fear of success. That is because people deal with perfectionism, low self-esteem, or negative self-belief, which can cause people to put work off and focus on things that won't put so much stress on them even though when you put it aside, you will continue to think about it and that can possibly get you more stressed out than when you first found out about the task. This shows that stress can be an important source in procrastination. There are many negative effects to procrastinating. They can damage your job, relationships with people, and even your mental health. Some even say that it can even lead to feelings of depression because it can lead to anxiety. Most people have procrastinated in their life, so you can probably imagine how it feels when you have an assignment or something creeping up on you. It can cause stress and uneasy feeling that is hard to get rid of. Today, there is a lot of easy ways to get distracted. These distractions could be your electronic devices such as, a phone, computer, or a T.V.; getting a notification or seeing a bright screen can easy distract you from what you are doing. There are ways to prevent yourself from procrastinating. Studies that show that self-forgiveness can help you feel more positive and confident in yourself, which will push you to get the assignment done.
This can lead to less procrastination in the future, but only if you commit to the task. Overall, procrastination is something everyone deals with sometime in their life. You just have to figure out what you can do to help it and relieve the stress from it.
https://mayooshin.com/why-weprocrastinate/
Life Classes Joshua Omoruyi, Staff
School is supposed to prepare us for the real world and in many aspects it does, like getting us ready for college, showing us different pathways to chose, and giving us an education in multiple fields. However, there are some aspects of life that school should but doesn’t teach us. Yes, parents are responsible to teach us as well, but schools need to teach students life skills so they will be better equipped to handle the real world. There are some classes that school should at least offer all students: Home Finance and Home Economics. Home Finance would teach students how to observe and handle their finances. It would teach students how to pay taxes and provide the necessary information to know about them too. It would teach how to open and close bank accounts and all the provide information they need to fill out those financial education forms. Home economics would teach students basic cooking, cleaning, and repairing of houses. Many people don’t know how to fix easy stuff around the house
that would be expensive to call a professional on. This class doesn’t need to go in depth, just cover the basics, especially if they don’t already know them. This class could also cover small car fixes like changing oil or a tire. Yes, we can google all this, but it would be more reassuring to already know what to do and use Google as a reminder, not learning how to on the spot. Fitting these classes in is not impossible either. Some ideas are replacing one year of PE in sophmore year, making each class one semester long. Schools could also split World Economics with Home Finance. Either way, schools should at least offer these as electives. School’s job is to prepare us for the real world, not just college. These classes offer practical information all students will use, not maybe decide to major in. Many college students joke that they can calculate the height of a tree using its shadow, but can’t fill out their tax forms without needing help. This should not be the case. If school prepares students for both life and college, students will be ready to handle both.
https://career.ucsf.edu/Finance4Scientists