18 minute read
the race to replace eric garcetti [pg
from April 2022
CHINA’S LATEST COVID LOCKDOWN
By HENRINA ZHANG
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Staff Writer
As the world moves away from the pandemic, Shanghai, China, has been desperately battling the Omicron variant, attempting to hold its zero-COVID-19 policy. According to BBC News, with over 200,000 new cases, none of which are serious, authorities are struggling to find places to isolate their citizens.
“Millions are confined to their homes as Shanghai battles a fresh outbreak of the virus. Anyone who tests positive is placed in quarantine,” said BBC News.
The government has been locking people in their homes and citizens are screaming for help. They are running out of food and water supplies, not to mention the devastating economic effects of the lockdown. Government drop-offs for food and water have been the only way citizens in isolation are able to obtain their necessities, and analysts predict that they are running low on supplies.
The Washington Post noted how residents are shouting from their windows, screaming, “Save us. We don’t have enough to eat.”
Others have been taken away to makeshift quarantine facilities and hospitals. These confined areas contain dozens of beds, with the majority of reluctant citizens quarantined in these areas. There have even been physical altercations in disputes between them and the authorities. In addition, Shanghai, China’s biggest city and a global financial hub, shutting down, along with limited employment labor has greatly impacted China’s production output and income.
He Xiaopeng, President of an electric vehicle manufacturer, XPeng, expressed how if Shanghai isn’t reopened in May, all car factories across the country might have to stop operating.
Additionally, even as China’s extremely strict zero-COVID policy becomes increasingly difficult to maintain, the foundational elements still apply. Firstly, travel in and out of China is practically impossible, and internal movement is restricted as well. Travelers entering China are required to take multiple health screenings and quarantine for two weeks. In addition, regular community testing will take place, and residents will be evicted and sent to quarantine if they test positive. Almost all non-essential businesses, schools, and public transportation are shut down as well.
The sudden outbreak and the authoritarian government not only put its citizens in an economic crisis but also diminishes their faith in authority.
“Even the authoritarian governments, they still have to take this mass reaction into account, or else will lose the cooperation from the society. We’re going to expect that [the central government] is going to improve the policy implementation, even though the policy itself is not going to change,” Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Vox on Friday.
Ultimately, government officials and Chinese citizens themselves have determined that China’s zero-COVID policy is no longer effective. With a different pandemic landscape, the policies and legacy of how COVID is being handled have caused an uproar, and people are watching how much longer Shanghai can hold onto its strict policies.
THE RACE TO REPLACE ERIC GARCETTI
By DARIN BUENALUZ
Staff Writer
The upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election holds more importance than ever. On Jun. 7,the people of the second largest city by population will vote in a mayoral election and determine who will take the spot of two time elected Eric Garcetti. Two candidates in the mayoral race, Karen Bass and Rick Caruso, have risen to the top of the standings and are expected to be the primary challengers to replace Garcetti. Polling with about 23% of voter popularity is Karen Bass, who currently represents the 37th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a nativeborn Angeleno, Bass has spent much of her career being an advocate for social and economic justice, founding the Community Coalition in South Los Angeles (LA) as a response to the rise of drug abuse and gang violence in the 1990s and serving as the Chair of the Black Congressional Caucus during the Trump Administration. Much of her vision as mayor surrounds raising less fortunate Angelenos to a higher quality of life, increasing both temporary and permanent housing locations around the city to address the rapidly increasing cost of living, increasing financial support for small businesses in a period of pandemic recovery, and expand programs to employ Angelenos in critical economic components such as Los Angeles International Airport and the Ports of LA and Long Beach.
Leading slightly ahead of Bass with 24% of voter popularity is businessman Rick Caruso, best known for being the mastermind behind the Americana at Brand, one of the largest shopping and dining complexes in LA. Unlike Bass’ social advocate approach to addressing the city’s core issues of homelessness and high crime rates, Caruso’s campaign is aimed at creating the “cleanest and most transparent mayoral administration in the history of Los Angeles,” a stark contrast to the rampant corruption he has seen through charges pressed against several city council members. Some of his most ambitious strategies include working for a salary of $1, ending City Council involvement in how land is used around the city to prevent bribes, and refusing to accept contributions from corporations or other lobbyists interested in dictating the Angeleno government’s decisions. Caruso has been very vocal in his criticism of the current government, notably Attorney General George Gascon and his push for the passing of Proposition 47, which waives any misdemeanor charges so long as the total value of the misdemeanor is under $950. Like Bass, Caruso also seeks to address the housing issue in Los Angeles by declaring a state of emergency, which will involve the Emergency Management Department in creating projects and allocating funds to get more Angelenos off the street.
As for current mayor Eric Garcetti, he’s leaving office on a less than desirable note, being under fire for allegedly witnessing firsthand top aide Rick Jacobs sexually harass his former Director of Communications Naomi Seligman and doing nothing to stop the incident. Los Angeles Police Department Matthew Garza, alongside several other individuals working in the Garcetti administration, have also filed similar complaints against Jacobs and Garcetti’s indifference towards taking any sort of action to stop him. Though Garcetti cannot run for reelection as LA mayor due to having already served the max of two terms, surrounding controversy has put his potential future career as the U.S. Ambassador to India in jeopardy.
LA is coming upon one of its most important elections. With Garcetti leaving office, qualified individuals such as Caruso and Bass are eager to take his place and shape their own vision of the vast city and implement their own approaches to addressing its key issues. However, only time will tell whether those approaches will merit the benefits their creators claim they will have.
THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL
By ASHLEY CHAN
Staff Writer
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1557, which bans classroom instruction and discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in school. House Bill 1557 was created mainly because activists are concerned about how schools respond to questioning students about sexality and gender identity.
This legislation has gained traction through the media, with Americans taking sides on the righteousness of this bill. Supporters of have dubbed House Bill 1557 as the
“Parental Rights in Education” bill, while opponents have deemed it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The most controversial part of the entire bill is found in lines 97-101, and is the reason for the “Don’t Say Gay” nickname. It states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” In essence, this means that instruction on gender and sexuality will be constrained in all grade levels, as long as Florida deems it inappropriate for students.
Additionally, with this new legislation, schools in Florida will be required to notify parents when their child receives health services, be that mental, emotional, or physical. This parental-notification requirement applies to all students, regardless of whether or not they are seeking health services for gender issues, sexuality, mental health, substance use, parental challenges, and more. There is a section of the bill that gives school staff the right to skip informing parents of their child’s participation in these services if there is a risk of “abuse, abandonment, or neglect”. However, people still argue that this requirement for parental disclosure can motivate students to not approach counselors or health services when they need it.
Counseling is also a prominent topic within House Bill 1557. There is a provision that requires schools to craft an opt-out procedure for health services, which includes individual counseling and support groups. Furthermore, there is an enforcement mechanism that holds schools accountable in which parents could sue schools for vi-
olating the bill and districts have to cover the costs. Not only that, but Florida’s
Department of Education is going to review and update school counseling frameworks. These counseling frameworks contains the students’ rights to counseling programs that “‘advocates for and affirms’ diversity in ‘sexual orientation gender, gender identity/expression, family type’ and many other identity categories”. The bill may influence the revision of such identity-promoting frameworks to strengthen parents’ rights over their children.
LGBTQ+ activists and advocates have claimed that erasing LGBTQ+ presence in school instruction alludes to idea that students should be ashamed by their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, stated, “Lawmakers should be supporting LGBTQ students and their families and encouraging schools to be inclusive, not pitting parents against teachers and erasing the LGBTQ community from public education...When lawmakers treat LGBTQ topics as taboo and brand our community as unfit for the classroom, it only adds to the existing stigma and discrimination, which puts LGBTQ young people at greater risk for bullying, depression, and suicide.”
The Biden administration has also deemed the bill anti-LGBTQ+. In a Twitter post on Feb. 8, President Biden said, “I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hate-
ful bill — to
know that you are loved and accepted just as you are.”
Moreover, students, educators, and community members are openly speaking out against House Bill 1557.
At Fort Walton Beach High School, “We Say Gay” was the battle cry of those refusing to accept the bill’s legislation.
Lauren Sprenkle, the one responsible for the idea of holding Fort Walton Beach High School’s rally, remarked, “We understand that love is love and everybody deserves love and we respect everyone’s right to say what they want to say inside or outside of school.”
Defenders of the bill strongly believe that the legislation will not prohibit people from talking about gender identity and sexual orientation, and that it will only ban school instruction about those topics.
DeSantis claimed, “We’re going to make sure that parents are able to send their kids to kindergarten without having some of this stuff injected into their school curriculum.”
Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ spokesperson, labeled the bill as the “anti-grooming bill”.
She said, “If you’re against the antigrooming bill, you are probably a groomer, or at least you don’t denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children...Silence is complicity.
This is how it works, Democrats, and I didn’t make the rules.”
“What we’re preventing is a school district deciding they’re going to create a curriculum to insert themselves,” Florida Representative Joe Harding stated. “Families are families.
Let the families be families. The school district doesn’t need to insert themselves at that point when children are still learning how to read and do basic math.”
This incredibly polarized legislation continues to be debated, with activists concerned for the health of LGBTQ+ individuals and supporters firmly standing by the bill.
achan@arcadiaquill.com Photo by KINGPNG.COM
LOS ANGELES APARTMENT FIRE LOS ANGELES APARTMENT FIRE
By KAI WETTARAU
Staff Writer
A fire broke out in the building at 231 E. 87th Place within the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood of Los Angeles(LA), taking less than an hour to extinguish; no injuries have been reported as of yet, as the fire seemed to strike with little to no one in the building. This is just one of many occurrences of fires throughout the city, with the most recent being the Reseda Fire at the South Seas apartment complex.
The fire was first reported on Apr. 16 at around 5:18 p.m., with multiple calls all coming in anxiously at once. The LA Fire Department(LAFD), ready for moments like this, quickly and efficiently got ready to put out the fire. Almost 90 members of the LAFD were present at one time or another to try and end the fire and salvage what was left, all of them working in conjunction with one another as if this was just another one of their drills.
In addition to the traditional uses of a large hose, fire trucks, and protective armor, firefighters could be seen using chainsaws on the roof to cut into the building and get multiple points of entry to further stop the flames. One LAFD personnel could also be seen from the rooftop of a nearby building, watching what was going on and most likely taking notes on how the team was doing. In full, everyone knew what they were supposed to do and where they were supposed to go; it was obvious that lots of training went in to be ready for a fire at any moment, as well as how to properly attack each new unique situation.
The LAFD released an official statement on the fire, reporting that the building hit was a split duplex, or one large building that has been split into two or more smaller separate buildings to accommodate more groups of people. This played into how the LAFD approached handling the fire, choosing to split teams up between the sides, middle, and rooftop of the complex. While there is no current knowledge of what started the fire, the building was under construction and so any possible mishaps or fuel left out for industrial machines could have been a key factor in what caused the destruction. An official later reported that the framing and wrap of the building’s construction majorly played a role in dealing with the fire. The LAFD released that they are “currently investigating the cause of the fire,” and this is most likely to prevent more fires in the greater Los Angeles area as well as spot and fix any major issues with the building as a whole.
While news of the fire is frightening to some, it’s important to note that the crew sent in by the LAFD was able to put out the whole thing in under an hour, highlighting the speed and expertise with which the LAFD servicemembers have.
Vertically Challenged: The Phrase No One Needs
By MICHELLE SO
Staff Writer
Throughout my life, I have been quite content with being called “short”. I cruised along in the 25th percentile for height for years and years and now stand at a slightly unsatisfactory and unchangeable 5 feet 2½ inches. The average female American stands at 5 feet 4 inches, and though it may not seem like much, those 1 ½ inches account for subtle differences in daily life. My stature has provided me with both annoying consequences and advantages. Buying long pants and long dresses is a hassle when society idolizes elongated legs. Trying to see through a crowd is a nightmare–people over 5 feet 6 inches should not be allowed to wear heels! And then there’s also the everlasting topic of height that seeps into conversation. Though I partake in these casual comparisons of height, the topic has been squeezed and wrung out more than necessary. It’s in these discussions of “I wish I could be taller” that the term “vertically challenged” comes into play.
Senior Krystal Dang is 5 feet tall and a self-proclaimed “short person”. “I think vertically challenged, as a word, has a sarcastic connotation. People use it as a way to be sarcastic about [their height],” said Dang.
In nearly all online definitions, the phrase is recognized as humorous and of joking origin. In that definition, then I suppose it has an acceptable use. But seriously, the entire usage and origin of the phrase is ironic. Why come up with a longer word to describe someone small?
Well, a quick search on thesaurus. com answered this question. Of the synonyms listed for the word “short”, the most humbling included squatty, undersized, and pocket-sized. Alright, maybe the term “vertically challenged” isn’t as bad as it seems.The debate then becomes: is it appropriate to use the phrase vertically challenged? And when so? I should mention that while I do consider myself to be an un-tall person, I am by no means the best person to judge this topic. For people with medically recognized dwarfism, helping people find the correct words is a struggle. While I do question the use of the words vertically challenged, I do not feel personal offense from its use. Just to better explain the context of the terms I am about to use, the word “dwarf” refers to someone below 4 feet 10 inches and is considered politically correct in literature
or medical settings, but should not be used unless it is the label that one prefers. However, most people with recognized dwarfism refer to themselves as “little people”, which is the standard and acceptable term.
According to the Diversity Style Guide, remarks that include “midget” or “vertically challenged” are highly offensive and outdated, reminiscent of “the height of the ‘freak show’ era” when people with dwarfism were displayed for public amusement. But for those of us that are short but not afflicted with dwarfism, the vertically challenged still has a “use it as you please” sort of definition. It feels more proper, almost official, to use the word in a politically correct sense, yet it can still be taken negatively by others who wish to use other words instead. Of course, no one really has the possible offenses in mind when carelessly throwing this term around with a group of friends. But perhaps it is best that we stave off the casual use of the “vc word”.
mso@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK.COM
Getting a Job as Soon as You Can
By VRITTI GODANI
Staff Writer
Many high school students anticipate the day that they are old enough to get a job, mainly because they want the money. However, there are more benefits of getting a job as a high school student other than the money such as learning about time management and finances, developing collaboration skills, and being introduced to job interviews.
For starters, employed high school students are basically forced to learn how to manage their time and prioritize. With different classes at school, perhaps some extra- curricular activities or sports, and making time for yourself to spend with family and friends, employed students are required to prioritize their tasks and decide the best way to spend their time. Not only is developing this skill important in high school, but it is also a skill that will help students optimize their time and productivity in the future. Getting a job as a high school student also introduces students to taxes and teaches them how to manage their money. Taxes and responsibility towards your money are key aspects of adult life and getting a job as a high schooler gives students a headstart with responsibilities that come with money such as how much to put aside for taxes, how much to put into savings, etc. It is rare (although not impossible) that a high school student will be working alone. Learning to work together with other people in a professional setting is another skill that is developed through a job and prepares students for future internships, jobs, etc. Lastly, the employment process almost always involves an interview, a concept not many high school students are familiar with. By getting early practice with interviewing, students have more time to develop basic interviewing skills and answers, making them more prepared for future job or internship interviews. Furthermore, a resume is also an aspect of the employment process and by participating in the process, students learn how to develop and build a legible and impressive resume. ¨My first interview was a job interview for a fast food restaurant and it was more nerve-racking than I expected. Some of the questions caught me off guard and at points my mind just blanked but I am glad that I had that experience because now I have an idea of how to prepare myself for future interviews¨, Junior Allison Bernardini said.
Overall, there are many benefits to getting a job in high school. Not only does getting a job teach students how to grow and develop key life skills, it also may serve as a fun experience. In short, high school students should consider getting a job if they have the time.
vgodani@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM
