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Delivering Gunn’s Culture and Politics
December 2014
VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 2
THE COST OF
JUSTICE
The Ferguson protests and final verdict
Ferguson debate
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AS WELL AS:
Middle East, 6-7 Hong Kong protest, 8-9 Ebola, 16 1
THE CHARIOT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathleen Xue SENIOR EDITOR Gabriel Alon COPY EDITOR Maggie Wang FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR Katina Yong CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Cascaval Ellaine Chou Alex Dersh Isha Gupta Andrew Huang Katie Russell Daniel Rutenburg Karunya Sethuraman Eric Wang Shannon Yang The Chariot would like to thank the following sponsors and patrons: FOUNDATION/GROUP SPONSOR Adobe Systems
PATRONS ($100+) Lauren Michals and Vinod Bharadwaj • Patricia Bruegger • Steven Guggenheim • Yajun Liu and Shirley Zeng
The Chariot would also like to thank Advisor Marc Igler for his support.
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DEAR READERS,
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he past couple of months have seen many changes and uprisings across the globe, spanning from the overthrowing of the Turkish democratic government system into an autocracy, the protests in Hong Kong over Chinese regulations and the spread of Ebola. On August 11 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a landmark victory, reshaping Turkish government from a secular democracy into a Muslim dictatorship. His new measures are being felt for the first time now, just months after his election into office as the first president of Turkey. Also in August began the Hong Kong protests, or Umbrella Revolution, against the new directives passed by the Chinese central government restricting free suffrage. Our writers analyzed the nature of the relationship between these two bodies and the effectiveness of the “revolution”. Most pertinent to the current and future state of our very own country, however, is the issue involving the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. and the grand jury’s final decision regarding Officer Darren Wilson’s indictment. Given the murky nature of the event and the dispute over the mixed evidence, we see even in our staff a plethora of stances and arguments. Looking at the issue through perspectives focusing on racial prejudice, police brutality as well as the law itself, our writers expose the various sides within this sensitive matter in hopes of gaining a better overall understanding of the questions at play and the possible future implications of this incident. Unrest boiling beneath the surface for years have now reemerged even stronger than ever in occurances like the Ferguson and Hong Kong protests, with masses worldwide taking a stand against what they believe as unjust. Questions still remain over matters like these, and it is thus in our hope that in reading this issue of The Chariot you may be able to form your own opinions on some of the most contentious topics of today.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Xue
Editor-In-Chief Front cover artwork is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution.
ABOUT US
The Chariot is intended to create and promote political discussion at Gunn and make people aware of issues that matter. We ask that you respect all opinions which are reflected in our publication, and write letters to the editors if you wish to voice your opinion. The views expressed do not reflect that of The Chariot, but rather those of the individual writers. The Chariot was originally founded in 2001 as The Partisan Review by Gunn alumni Ilan Wurman (‘06), Channing Hancock (‘06), and Sarah McDermott (‘05). Visit our website, www.issuu.com/thechariot if you wish to view any issues from previous years or for more information about us. Any questions, comments, suggestions, or requests to join can be sent to gunnchariot@gmail.com. If you’d like to make a donation or subscribe, please send checks to: Marc Igler Re: The Gunn Chariot 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 Checks can be made out to Gunn High School with “The Chariot” on the memo. December 2014
TRENDING BOOKS
MUSIC
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
THROUGH TWEETS ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!* *Terms and conditions apply. #Ferguson – Jono Yates @jonoBLITZ November 24 #ThanksMichelleObama for the gross school lunches.
Image taken from Telegraph
The Book of Strange New Things Written by Michael Faber
Published Oct 6, 2014 by Crown Publishing Group
Hailed as an interplanetary love story, The Book of Strange New Things has been well received by critics as the pinnacle of Michael Faber’s works. In it, Christian minister Peter embarks on a mission to evangelize the inhabitants of an alien planet. Despite the distance from the planet to Earth, Peter continues to correspond with his wife through the trials of his journey.
Image taken from Hans Zimmer
Interstellar: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Composed by Hans Zimmer Released Nov 17, 2014
Hans Zimmer couples the mindblowing film Interstellar with an even more awe-inspiring soundtrack. Full of negative space, Zimmer makes use of subtle tone changes and sudden percussion clashes to illustrate to the ears what director Christopher Nolan displays to the eyes.
–National Review @NRO November 24 I’m introducing a resolution to declare war against ISIS. Right now this war is illegal until Congress authorizes it. –Senator Rand Paul @SenRandPaul November 24 When members of Congress question my authority to take action, I have a simple answer: Pass a bill. –President Barack Obama @BarackObama November 21
Image taken from NY Daily News
Image taken from Direct Lyrics
Bet My Life A Portrait of My Father IWritten by Imagine Dragons Written by George W. Bush
Published Nov 11, 2014 by Crown Publishing Group
Released Oct 27, 2014
George W. Bush has written a biography of his father, George H.W. Bush, summarizing the presidencies of both him and his father. The book addresses George H.W. Bush’s term from the intimate perspective of his son. While this may serve as more of a memorial to George H.W. Bush than a true biography, the father-son connection may be of interest in the personal dimension of the George H.W. Bush administration.
Imagine Dragons released its latest single “I Bet My Life” on October 27, 2014. The new song is heavy in percussion and optimistic in melody. Earlier in September they released the single “Warriors” which quickly rose to the top charts. Imagine Dragons is expected to follow up with a second album following their immensely popular debut of Night Visions. —Compiled by Maggie Wang and Katina Yong December 2014
#Hagel was forced out because he violated a fundamental rule of the Obama administration—he told the truth –Dr. Marty Fox @DrMartyFox November 24 If you believe in fairness, basic human dignity, equality and justice then #CameronMustGo. And he can take the rest of the ConDems with him. –Rufus Hound @RufusHound November 22
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THE CHARIOT
STATEWIDE UPDATES
CA ballot to address drought Alex Dersh Contributing Writer
C
ompared to past California elections, this year’s election season lacked enthusiasm. There was no Presidential election, no Senate election, no controversial ballots such as same-sex marriage or tax increases. However, this year did have some of its own unique ballot initiatives that deserve considerable attention. Propositions 1 and 2 are both measures focused on saving. Prop 1 would permit California to borrow $7.12 billion on water infrastructure projects such as ecosystem protection and restoration, drinking water protection, and public water system improvements. The proposition was created as a reaction to continued financial troubles in the state’s water system over the past couple of years due to lack of supply to meet the demand of the drought crisis. Proposition 2 is focused on saving money for the future, which is extremely pertinent and essential to a state notorious for bloated budget deficits and underfunded services. The measure would increase the amount of money annually put into the state’s ‘rainy day fund,’ which can be drawn from in budget emergencies. It would also create a new fund specifically for K-12 education. Props 1 and 2 are both supported by state Democrats and Republicans. Two other propositions that have received considerable attention were Props 45 and 46. These measures were much more divisive than 1 and 2, as both sides of the debate spent millions of dollars in attack ads. Prop 45 required state Insurance Commissioner
approval of changes to health insurance rates, as well as public disclosure on insurance rate changes. Major doctors associations such as the CA Medical Association and Hospital Association opposed the measure. It was also divided along party lines, with the state Republican Party opposing it while the Democratic Party supporting it. The Democrats were backed by consumer advocacy groups such as Consumer Watchdog and employee unions such as the CA Nurses Association. Proposition 46 sought to bolster medical malpractice lawsuits by increasing the state cap on money for damages from such suits. It also required drug testing of doctors, and added additional regulations on doctor malpractice and drug use. This proposition was
opposed by many doctors and medical associations along with the state Republican Party. The state Democratic Party took no official position on the measure, but Democratic US Senator Barbara Boxer and the group Consumer Watchdog supported the measure. Though both of these propositions were shot down in the November 4 ballot, they will without a doubt affect future California legislation. Other measures related to reduced sentencing laws (Prop 47) and Native American reservation gambling (Prop 48) were also on the ballot on Nov. 4. While this year’s ballot may seem bland, the measures enumerated still have profound effects on the future of our state, influencing the budget as well as water needs, along with many more factors.
PROPS PASSED ON NOV. 4 PROPOSITION 1 $7.12 billion bond for California’s water system
PROPOSITION 2 Increases amount of potential savings in ‘rainy day’ fund from 5% to 10% of the General Fund
PROPOSITION 47 Reduces classification of most nonviolent crimes from felony to misdemeanor SOURCE: Ballotpedia
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STATEWIDE UPDATES
Brown to begin fourth term as CA governor
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Dan Cascaval Contributing Writer
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alifornia gubernatorial elections took place on Nov. 4, 2014 with Democrat Jerry Brown competing against Republican Neel Kashkari. Brown won, making him both the 34th and 39th Governor of California. He first assumed office in 1975 in a vastly different California than the one we live in today. Brown served two consecutive terms as governor then but his political career was far from over. He went on to serve as the Chairman of the California Democratic Party, the Mayor of Oakland, and California’s Attorney General, all while making three bids at the presidency. In 2010, he was elected Governor once more over former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. Again in 2014, Brown is now serving his fourth term and will be the longest serving governor in California history. Brown’s political stances have changed over the course of his long career. In his first term as governor in 1975, Brown was widely known as a fiscal conservative, and his policies resulted in a massive budget surplus over $5 billion dollars. His 1992 presidential campaign included replacing the progressive system with a much simpler flat tax among its main points. His most recent term is more in line with the standard Democratic party line: in response to a massive deficit, he raised state sales taxes through measures such as Proposition 30 in 2012, slowly working to close the gap. Brown has come under fire from his Republican opposition regarding his perceived failures to improve California’s business climate— one of the least friendly ones in the country. His stance as an environmen-
NEEL KASHKARI PARTY: Republican
JERRY BROWN PARTY: Democratic
POPULAR VOTE: 2,796, 450
POPULAR VOTE: 4,140,682
PERCENTAGE: 40.3%
PERCENTAGE: 59.7%
MAJOR ISSUES: Public school reform, university tuition improvement, job crisis recovery
MAJOR ISSUES: Clean energy, job crisis recovery, budget reform, environment protection, pension reform
SOURCES: Official websites of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Neel Kashkari
talist, however, has remained steady throughout the decades. Brown’s magnum opus in recent years was a proposed highs peed rail line that would run from San Francisco to Los Angeles. In a time of perceived budgetary crisis, Brown allocated almost $10 billion of taxpayer money to fund the project, claiming it would create jobs and help his administration’s environmental legacy. This plan came under massive criticism for numerous flaws: it is projected to cost twice as much per December 2014
mile to construct as similar projects in Europe, failing to meet projected budgetary constraints. Estimates on its efficiency and popularity once completed vary widely. Moreover, to complete the project along the proposed path, the State will exercise eminent domain on residential sections of Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Atherton. Yet amidst all this controversy, Jerry Brown pushes ahead with his grand dreams of a train and of a fourth term as Governor of California.
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ISSUES OF THE
THE CHARIOT
Turkish leader Erdogan to support ISIS
denied American access to crucial military bases unless Syrian president Bashar alAssad is overthrown. Turkey was originally eager to assist ISIS in its fight against Assad, a shared foe, aiding the terrorist group by buyKatie Russell ing its illegal oil, allowing its Contributing Writer fighters to cross unseen into Syria, and even arming them. urkey is a country trapped between Erdogan now denies these two extremes. Both geographically actions, and the Turkish legand culturally, Turkey lies between islature has tentatively apEurope, Asia, and the Middle East. In recent proved potential military acyears, it has struggled to fit in anywhere; its tion against ISIS. However, appeal to join the Western-focused Europe- it is clear that Erdogan has an Union was rejected, and while around 90 not approved military action percent of its 81 million citizens are Muslim, mainly because those defending the Turkish they are not Arabs. Unlike its neighbors, the border do not consider themselves Turkish, nation’s government has maintained an ex- but rather Kurdish, who have failed many tremely secular system since 1923, when Mus- times to gain self-determination. In fact, the tafa Kemal Ataturk led its liberation from the Turkish military conducted strikes on rebel crumbling Ottoman Empire. This in-between Kurds in their own country- with American position has the potential to help the inter- planes, no less. This action, or lack of action, national community, by acting as a mediator against ISIS proves to be typical of Erdogan’s between different geographical and ideologi- government. Erdogan’s proposals for the future of his cal groups; unfortunately, as president Recep Tayyip Erdogan begins his eleventh year in country should be concerning not only for power, Turkey’s hopes of diplomacy are dis- the Turks, but for the world. He has identified technology as appearing. the “worst menace Erdogan, the chairto society”, banman of the Justice and “...as president Recep Tayyup ning Turkish access Development Party, to Twitter and Youwon the national elecErdogan begins his eleventh Tube in order to tion for president in year in power, Turkey’s hopes shut down organiAugust with 51.79 perof diplomacy are disappearing.” zation of anti-govcent of the vote, after ernment protests holding the office of and limit freedom prime minister since 2003. The position of president has been of speech and of the press. He used governmainly ceremonial, with executive duties del- ment money to build himself a presidential egated to the prime minister. However, as Er- palace 18 times larger than the White House dogan has exhausted his three terms as prime on land specifically protected against conminister, he has now shifted the balance of struction. When questioned, Erdogan chalpower towards the newly-elected president: lenged the courts, saying, “Let them tear it himself. In the two months since he was elect- down if they can.” He has also been accused of trying to ed, Erdogan has been accused of failing to take action on ISIS and even taking an active make the nation more Islamist, in direct contradiction to the foundation of the Turkish role in assisting the terrorist group. Erdogan has appeared reluctant to take government and to Turkish republic founder direct action against ISIS. Though the two Ataturk himself. This is extremely dangerous, countries are ostensibly allies, Turkey has as due to Ataturk’s achievement of making
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Creative Commons License Turkey secular and democratic in the Kemalist modernization movement of 1923, he is now glorified and idolized in Turkey, with any “insulting of the memory of Ataturk” punishable with imprisonment for up to three years. A pledge of allegiance to the deceased leader himself was repeated daily in every school—until the practice was abolished upon Erdogan’s orders in 2013. In many instances such as this, Erdogan has expressed his desire to quickly dispose of secular, popular Kemalist policies, reverse their effects, and put into place new ones that support his views. Understandably, many Turks are upset; they consider Erdogan’s actions a desecration of Ataturk’s legacy. These views are proving more potentially destructive than ever; while Ataturk and his successors advocated for complete secularization, Erdogan has maintained an Islamist agenda, supporting the proposal for abolition of alcohol in the country in accordance with Muslim beliefs, and referring himself as the “imam (successor to Muhammad) of Istanbul”. The integration of religion with politics is dangerously close to completely disregarding and defying the secular government that Ataturk and his countrymen fought for. Erdogan is a politician and a devout Muslim, and cannot seem to reconcile the two without incorporating them into one another. This is a treacherous move that, if left unchecked, threatens the downfall of a secular Turkish government, a major loss for democracy around the world.
MIDDLE EAST
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Syria’s plan against rebel forces Isha Gupta Contributing Writer
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estern media outlets tend to portray the situation in Syria as a massacre spearheaded by Bashar al-Assad and his fellow government cronies. Heartbreaking images of slaughtered women and children circulated around the web often lead us to believe that the dictatorial Syrian regime will continue to propagate violence without mercy. While that may be true, the main reason
the Syrian government continues to fight a bloody civil war against its own citizens is to defeat Islamist terrorist groups that form a large portion of the rebel force in order to restore stability for Syria and the whole Middle East. The rebels and governmental opposition that have been fighting Syrian government forces for the past three years have often been publicized as freedom fighters trying to rid Syria of oppression and tyranny. However, the rebel force is not one all-encompassing group; there are approximately 1,000 different armed opposition groups. Moreover, while many in the United States and the rest of the western world would like to imagine a peaceful, democracy-worshipping rebel force, the reality is that most of the rebels would like to see an Islamic state implemented after the fall of the exist-
ing government. Growing in popularity is the Islamic Front, a group including 45,000 people that claims to be the largest rebel coalition in Syria. The alliance includes seven different Islamic groups, not including Jabat al- Nusra and the notorious Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Contributing to the rise of fundamental Islamists making up the rebel force are foreign fighters flooding into Syria and the rise of funding from foreigners, particularly from gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia. Presently, there is much concern from the United States and members of NATO about what to do with the Islamization taking hold of the rebel forces. According to Bashar al-Assad in August 2013, “No solution can be reached with terror except by striking it with an iron fist.” That is exactly Syria’s plan of action as it seemingly decimates its own population.
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What is ISIS?
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he rise of ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), also known as ISIL, threatens our national security and the stability of the Middle East. ISIS is a new extremist group with over 20,000 fighters that has been plastered on every major news network and newspaper these last few weeks. ISIS extremists are bent on building an Islamic state through conquest, enforcing sharia law, and selling women and oil. According to the New York Times, ISIS has stolen hundreds of millions of dollars worth of US military
weapons and vehicles that were given to the Iraqi army. Disturbingly, thousands of foreigners have joined their side, which drastically elevates the risk of a terror attack on the West. Recent media attention has also been devoted to the ISIS beheadings of western journalists, and the crisis in American leadership on the issue. Ideally, the moderate Syrian rebels that we have been providing some munitions to over the last few years would have overthrown the Syrian regime by now. Instead, they are jostling for territory and power alongside their more radical brethren. President Obama once declared that if Syria used chemical December 2014
weapons on its civilians that he would take drastic actions against them. Since then, thousands of Syrian civilians have died in the Syrian Civil War, and chemical weapons have been used. All throughout, the lack of a decisive American-supported overthrow of the Syrian government has resulted in a vacuum in which ISIS has been able to grow in strength. Instead of taking stronger action earlier to wrap up the crisis in Syria, or strengthen the Iraqi military, the White House’s hand has been forced, and they are only now committed to being a part of an international coalition to bomb ISIS out of existence. —Compiled by Gabriel Alon
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THE CHARIOT
ASIA SPOTLIGHT: Hong Kong protests Karunya Sethuraman Contributing Writer
The decision of the Standing Committee in the twelfth National People’s Congress in China on Aug. 31, 2014 stated that the 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election, though would technically be through universal suffrage, must first pass through a 1200-person nominating committee, and in final election would have to be appointed by “the Central People’s Government”. Beijing’s announcement surfaced discontent that had previously been suppressed by tenuous agreements. The protests, beginning in September 1 but now in full swing, though seemingly divisive and easily squelched, actually prove effective in the long run because they show overall unity of the masses and illustrate the success of peaceful demonstration. First of all, though many would argue that the Hong Kong protests are disorga-
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nized because they are made up of groups with differing causes and are even opposed by a coalition of Hong Kong taxi drivers, the opposite is actually true. These demonstrations are actually surprisingly powerful in that though they experience as much inner dissent as other protests have in the past, they still manage to gather tens of thousands of citizens into large areas to object the new regulations implemented by the Chinese government. Granted that one may argue that the protesters do not have a cohesive vision of the solution to the given problem, but that largely misses the greater picture that a significant portion of Hong Kong’s population agrees that there is cause for protest. A September 26 protest on Tim Mei Avenue, for example, which began with around 1,000 protesters, swelled to up to over 100,000 at times, illustrating the importance of this issue to such a large population of the city. Secondly, some believe that the Hong Kong protests are economically self-destructive and therefore are deleterious to the causes they wish to promote. This, however, misses the point that protests are intended to garner attention, and in the process sometimes have to cripple public
December 2014
function. Though it is true that the Taxi Drivers’ Union and the owner of the CITIC Tower both tried to intervene with the occupy on October 20 with taxi drivers losing on average 30% in revenues as a result of the road-blockading, this loss in sales isn’t as significant as the overall impact the rally has had on the Chinese central government. In fact, in response to the Umbrella Revolution the Xi Jinping administration has observed the impact it has had on the Chinese citizens and has cracked down on censorship by issuing directives requiring all websites to clear any information of the protests whatsoever. Furthermore, simply pointing out that protests are physically and economically inconvenient to some does nothing the fact that historically, successful protests have often been inconvenient as well. For example, in France’s 1968 student protests on capitalism, consumerism, and traditional institutions eventually led to nationwide strikes that involved 11 million workers, or over 22% of the population. Though these led to severe impairment in transportation, services and manufacturing, they forced the government enact reforms, and eventually led to a change in national leadership. Simply put, obstruction is often necessary to catalyze national reform. Overall, though the immediate effects of the Umbrella Revolution seem more harmful than helpful in conveying the necessity of a democratic government and suffrage, the overarching ideals are retained and ultimately the message is effectively projected. Though protests are often disunited and economically harmful, a unified cause below the surface will result in an event that best resolves the conflict.
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CHINA & HONG KONG
Behind the China-Hong Kong tensions Katina Yong Fundraising Director Hong Kong is the story of momentous success as it is one of the richest cities in the world with trillions of dollars of wealthy flowing in annually. On the other hand, China is still struggling to hew close to its socialist ideals while balancing the laissez-faire economy that has proven essential to economic success. The income gap between the rich and poor grows ever larger while the growth in GDP is slowly decreasing making China fall far short of Hong Kong’s success. In 1997, Britain formally handed over the territory of Hong Kong back to China after a 99-year lease upon the New Territories and an indefinite lease on the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. This event marked the end of the 155-year British occupation of Hong Kong territories, which had left indelible marks on both the people
and government. As part of the agreements, the Hong Kong territories would be designated a Special Administrative Region (SAR) that would be part of the “One country, two systems” concept. The SinoBritish Joint Declaration stipulated that Hong Kong would retain its sovereignty and way of life for a fifty-year period before becoming assimilated into China. British rule had allowed for the explosive economic growth of Hong Kong due to its free port and market system. China closed borders until the reformist policies of Deng Xiaoping that gradually allowed for the introduction of foreign involvement. While the economic differences are evident and cause for the income-class tension, the truth is that Hong Kong’s cultural values have shifted and there are many differences in ideology. Natives of Hong Kong have always seen themselves as different from the Mainland Chinese which is doubtlessly a product of the long separation between the two. However, the influences and exposure of the Hong Kong people to western ideology have allowed for the development of a cosmopolitan city littered with western namebrands and businesses. The relationship has remained tenuous, with the Chinese government eager to assert political December 2014
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control over Hong Kong while maintaining its status as an autonomous territory. For example, Beijing has pushed only proChina candidates for the position of Chief Executive Officer, the head of the region and head of government in Hong Kong and has power over Hong Kong’s foreign affairs and defense. On the other hand, Hong Kong is granted enormous freedoms such as speech, religion, and election that are not enjoyed in China. Recently, there has been a popular protest earmarked the “Umbrella Revolution” that is largely student-backed and is meant to protest the decision by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress to disavow civil nominations and only allowing candidates that were proposed by the 1200-member nominating committee to be on the ballot. While it is still too early to tell the precise outcome of the protests, they signify the growing divide between the young and educated members of Hong Kong society and the Beijing government. The business aspect of Hong Kong has suffered as a result and has irked the working majority who are driven by hopes of economic prosperity. While China and Hong Kong are together they must achieve the complex task of balancing the interests of both parties.
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THE CHARIOT
BEHIND FERGUSON THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE LAW
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December 2014
FERGUSON
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MICHAEL BROWN SHOOTING FAST FACTS • Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 9 after Brown had threatened and assaulted Wilson • Immediately following Brown’s death protests began opposing racial discrimination • Protests were met with extreme police brutality, sometimes employing military-grade equipment on protesters
• Prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch turned decision over to a twelve-member grand jury
• On November 24 grand jury released its decision of absolving Wilson from indictment SOURCE: Reuters
Police brutality must be combatted Eric Wang Contributing Writer Recently, there have been many of protests in and around Ferguson, MO. due to the injustice felt by residents after the shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown by a police officer. The facts of the case have been heavily disputed, and there is no video evidence to back up any account of the encounter. However, across the country there have been at least two unrelated incidents involving excess use of force by
police that have not received as much attention. Both cases are well documented, and have been video recorded. In Staten Island, N.Y., on July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died after being put in a chokehold by Officer Daniel Pantaleo. Garner was about to be placed under arrest by multiple officers when he protested loudly and raised his hands. In a video recorded by a civilian bystander, an officer is seen putting Garner in a chokehold (a practice outlawed by the New York City police department) and dragging him to the ground. As he was being restrained, Garner, who had severe asthma, cried out that he was not able to breathe. Garner died soon afterwards and his death has since been ruled a homicide. Over three months afterwards, no charges have been pressed and Garner’s death is still undergoing investiDecember 2014
gation. Another incident in South Carolina, more recently, on Sept. 4, 2014, Sean Groubert, a highway patrol officer, approached Levar Jones, who had just gotten out of his vehicle in a gas station. Former officer Groubert asked Jones for his driver’s license. When Lavar reached into his car for his registration, the officer ran at him, handgun drawn and shot several times at Lavar, who was unarmed and had his hands raised. Jones was shot in the hip, and Groubert has been charged with aggravated assault and battery. Both incidents are blatant examples of police violence yet have produced little or no media attention. Unfortunately, both of these unjust and extremely savage incidents highlight a disturbing trend in America that cannot be ignored.
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THE CHARIOT
FERGUSON DEBATE: WAS THE JU PRO
on Wilson’s shirt and weapon—showing that Many objections have been made over McBrown had not only not been a victim but had Culloch’s influence on the proceedings given in fact victimized the officer by trying to take his personal ties with the issue of racial prejuKathleen Xue his gun. Furthermore, according to the nar- dice, as his own father who was a police offiEditor-in-Chief rative report of the investigation, Wilson had cer, had been killed on the job by an African only fired at Brown when Brown had stopped American. In his involvement, McCulloch exhe November 24 grand jury decision fleeing and had begun advancing back to Wil- posed large amounts of evidence to the jury to absolve Officer Darren Wilson son, which threatened Wilson even further. All and prolonged its process—which had taken of indictment has caused immediate of this evidence points to Brown as being dis- arduous months instead of days. He had not protest and opposition in Ferguson, MO on obedient to the law giving Wilson right of way only lengthened the decision process, but had the grounds of racial prejudice against African to bring out his weapon to try to halt Brown. also leaked information throughout the proAmericans. Protesters have looted businesses Had Brown been of any other race, given his ceedings—all of which had supported his and shops near the spot Michael Brown was actions Wilson would still have had just reason views. These statements, however, are also beshot by officer Wilson and have rallied with the to shoot. side the point that though McCulloch’s actions slogan “Hands up, don’t shoot” in indignance However, given the may have been seen to the jury’s conclusion. However, several key circumstance of this as extremely biased, aspects of the Ferguson incident reveal that the shooting, even eyewitthey were done only decision of the jurying body was in fact impar- ness evidence should in aftermath of the “Placing McCulloch as the sole tial and adherent to the law. not be fully trusted as event itself, and the initiator of the verdict not only Upon inspection of the order of events on not all sources are presjury was reviewing causes many to believe the August 9, the night Brown was shot from both ent; thus, the jury could the shooting, not Wilson and another witness’ testimonies, it was not determine whether McCulloch’s stateverdict was heavily rigged, but observed that Brown had continued fleeing Brown had been inments. Though Mcit also discounts the judgment Wilson even as Wilson warned Brown to stop nocent or guilty—it Culloch undoubtedability of the grand jury itself.” multiple times. Minutes previous to the shoot- could only determine ly had a hand in the ing, Brown had been suspected of strong- whether probable jurying process, ultiarm robbery and Wilson had reason to arrest cause existed to inmately what ensued Brown after noticing him and his friend Dorian dict Wilson. Many opponents of the decision in the event on August 9 was what the jury Johnson blocking the middle of the street and point out that consent from only nine of the analyzed. Additionally, it has been seen in many offensively defying his orders to clear the road. twelve jurors was required to exonerate Wilson incidents in the past that the jury has sided with However, not only did witnesses of the event of indictment, and that coincidentally nine of the police much more often than it has supnot observe any compliance from Brown but the twelve jurors had been white whereas the ported the civilian—regardless of race. Therethey also admitted to Wilson taking desperate other three had been black, pointing to further fore placing McCulloch as the sole initiator of measures to prevent racial discrimination the verdict not only causes many to believe the any physical harm from on the incident. This verdict was heavily rigged but it also discounts occurring. According to detail is extraneous the judgment ability of the grand jury itself. a witness, Wilson had to the event for a It is a terrible tragedy that Brown had been “...the witness had not recalled been very loud in his key reason, howevfatally wounded, causing such an uproar on Brown ever obeying or asking demands for Brown to er, because the jury police brutality and racial discrimination. There Wilson to stop in any possible freeze, but the witness had been appointed definitely could have been a better way to advances he was making.” had not recalled Brown for a four-month handle the situation on Wilson’s part, but the ever obeying and askterm and had been jury’s final decision was justified and lawful in ing Wilson to stop in hearing other cases that through multiple accounts of the incident any possible threatening advances he was mak- concurrent to Brown’s shooting and had sim- itself as well as the makeup of and influence ing. Moreover, following the decision, St. Louis ply focused on the Ferguson case as a part of on the jury which made limited to no impact County prosecuting attorney Robert McCull- its term. Since the jury had not received any on the hard facts and ultimate verdict. Regardoch made the unusual move of releasing case negative feedback about racial partiality regard- less of Brown’s race, what happened the night documents supplementing the grand jury’s de- ing its previous cases, there would not be cause of August 9 points only to the story of a young cision. The details described within these narra- for it to have decided this specific case with ra- adult who robbed a store and refused to surtives show DNA evidence that Brown had ad- cial prejudice in mind either. Even the choosing render, which resulted in his adverse death. vanced to Wilson before he fired and reached of the jury had been fair according to Missouri Putting race aside, it becomes the story of a into Wilson’s SUV through traces of Brown’s legislature, for it had been “selected at random civilian who failed to comply with the law, and blood outside the driver’s door, outside the left from a fair cross-section of the citizens”, mak- what happened next was an unfortunate accirear passenger door, inside the driver’s door, ing it highly unlikely to nearly impossible for dent that though could be improved in future on the upper left thigh of Wilson’s pants and the decision to have been based on race. incidents, has nothing to do with injustice.
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police force are black. Though these may seem unrelated to the trial, when the jury decides to side with the testimony of the Karunya Sethuraman white police force, one has to question whether it is the truth or simply a racial Contributing Writer distortion of events. Finally there is the doubt of the credver the last few weeks, the na- ibility of the jury. At surface level, the tion has been rocked by the jury is made up of nine whites and three grand jury’s decision on the blacks, putting it off balance where race Ferguson case. There are many reasons is concerned. But the issue is that Miswhy this decision is unjust. At the heart souri legislature only requires nine out of the issue lies the issue of race, but of twelve jury members to consent for a there are manifold other reasons Officer conclusion to be reached. This is where Darren Wilson should have at least gone speculation begins—that perhaps the to trial. Within the incident there lies the jury had also been set up to support a question of Wilson’s exact actions and biased decision. However, that is not the possible implications of extreme brutal- only problem at hand. The fact that the ity as well as the question of whether the grand jury had been called in the first grand jury is credible or not in its ties place to hear this case had been highly with prosecutor Robert McCulloch. questionable. This action lied within the Looking at the documents made avail- control of St. Louis County prosecuting able post-decision by McCulloch, Wil- attorney Robert McCulloch. McCulloch, son had shot Brown three times to his who could have easily directly called for head, twice to his chest, three times to a trial on Wilson without the consent of his arms, and once to his hand for a to- the jury, instead prolonged the process tal of nine times. One would think that and gave the jury the entire say on Wilif Wilson even had reason to pull out son’s consequences. Additionally, during his gun to shoot, one shot would have jury proceedings, McCulloch continubeen enough to ously leaked evidence slow Brown down favoring Wilson to for arrest. However, the public. It does not “...this brings to light not Wilson shot Brown help McCulloch’s deonly the issue of police bruan appalling ten fense that he himself times—exceeding tality but also the question had been the son of beyond the number a white police officer of racial discrimination.” required for minor who had been killed injury. According on the job by an Afto Wilson, carrying rican American man. a taser “wasn’t so Clearly McCulloch directly influenced comfortable” and he was afraid to use the decision of an already unbalanced Mace because it may have hit himself, jury, making its verdict of clearing Wiltherefore he felt that the only option was son of indictment even more suspicious a gun. It is no surprise that Brown could than before. not survive the shooting; this brings to The shooting of Michael Brown may light not only the issue of police brutality not have been directly related to racial but also the question of racial discrimi- prejudice. However, the jury ruling most nation. Seeing that even on the surface definitely was related in that it did not level so many doubts are brought to light, give Wilson a trial despite his brutal acts it is ever more surprising that the jury and that it was composed of an unequal would let Wilson go without even a trial. mixture of blacks and whites heavily inAnother issue that arises is the integ- fluenced by McCulloch. A much more rity of the police in a seemingly racist fair conclusion would have been to call town. Statistics show that in Ferguson, Wilson into court for his actions, to at blacks account for 86% of all vehicle least be able to hear both sides of the stops made by police. Furthermore, Fer- story. However, the verdict did not even guson’s police force has not grown with allow for that, making it not only an exdemography of the city. Blacks account- tremely unjust decision for Brown’s suped for two thirds of the population in porters but also as a possible precedent 2010, yet only 3 of the 53 officers on the for similar incidents to come.
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KEY EVENTS D U R I N G FURGUSON SHOOTING 11:51 AM, Sat. August 9: Michael Brown and friend Dorion Johnson reported for strong-arm robbery Officer Darren Wilson encounters Brown and Johnson in the middle of the street Wilson unsuccessfully tries to get Brown and Johnson back onto the sidewalk and stop blocking traffic Brown physically assaults Wilson in his car, struggles for gun; first shot fired in the car Brown and Johnson flee, Wilson pursues; Brown then turns and charges at Wilson Wilson begins shooting; Brown continues to charge Six bullets hit Brown and he is fatally wounded by a head shot St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch summons grand jury of 9 whites and 3 blacks to decide consequences of the incident SOURCE: CNN
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Nobody wants to host the 2022 Olympics Ellaine Chou Contributing Writer
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n Oct 1, Oslo, the capital of Norway, withdrew its bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, making it the fourth city to do so after Stockholm, Lviv and Krakow. A drastic increase from the meager $448,000 cost of the first Athens Olympic of 1896, the 2014 Sochi Olympics costed a staggering $51 billion; this is a major reason most cities withdrew their bids. Now, only two cities are in contention: Beijing and the Kazakhstan city of Almaty – two undemocratic nations both with shaky human rights records. Oslo originally had a $5.3 billion budget for the Olympics along with the ruling Conservative party’s backing. However, a nationwide poll in January found that 58
percent of Norwegians did not want to use public funds to pay for the game. Similar situations caused both Stockholm and Krakow to withdraw their bids from the 2022 Winter Olympics. Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) contributes some funds and promises more jobs and tourist dollars, the Olympics rarely return their investments in developed countries. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Olympics typically create 50,000 to 300,000 jobs. However, many of these jobs go to people who were previously employed (only 10 percent of the 48,000 jobs at the London Olympics went to previously unemployed people), meaning that it does not truly improve employment rates. Furthermore, Oslo’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg pointed out the possible corruption in the committee as another reason to Oslo’s withdrawal. “If you look at the 1980s, TV rights were auctioned by the local host, which kept 90 percent of the revenues,” Solberg said at a press release. “Now, 68 percent of sponsorships and TV revenues are kept by the IOC.” Indeed, the IOC has been increasingly scrutinized
for its perceived extravagance and lack of transparency. Even though governments contribute largely to the IOC, the IOC remains a private organization whose accounting remains off the public record with appointments rather than democratic elections. In 2008, the British think tank One World Trust rated IOC the least transparent of 30 international organizations including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Goldman Sachs. The IOC executive director Christophe Dubi, on the other hand, says that Oslo made its decision based off of misinformation. “Senior politicians in Norway appear not to have been properly briefed on the process and were left to take their decisions on the basis of half-truths and factual inaccuracies,” Dubi said. Earlier this year, the Norwegian bid team asked for a meeting with the IOC for an explanation of all the requirements and costs. According to Dubi, Oslo sent neither a senior member of the bid team nor a government official to this meeting. The IOC, however, promises reforms in the bidding process and the costs of hosting the games and is expected to vote in December. The winning bid will be announced in July 2015.
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CULTURE
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
Feminist activism may lead to sexism Dan Cascaval Contributing Writer
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niversities have been centers of sexual exploration since the countercultural revolution of the 1960s. Students, living by themselves for the first time, are surrounded by independence, opportunity, alcohol, and no curfews. This change comes at a cost: a culture in which sexual interaction has lost its significance triggers another culture altogether: the hookup culture. In 1987, Ms. Magazine published a claim that one in four women would be raped during their college years by their fellow male peers. This shocking claim was enough to spark campus rape centers and 24-hour hotlines to spring up, raring to combat the crisis. The activism has continued and expanded over the years, but the prevalence of rape on university campuses appears to be holding steady. The absurdity of the figure becomes clear when put into context. In 1937 for instance, the Japanese army’s capture of the Chinese capital of Nanking resulted in the humanitarian crisis of the Rape of Nanking. An International Military Tribunal report estimated that approximately 20,000 women were systematically raped over the course of the occupation. The population of Nanking at the time was approximately 500,000 people. This places the rape
Biomedicine is a dead field Andrew Huang Contributing Writer
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iomedicine is broken. The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Student Survey reports that every year 16,000 students enroll in biomedical PhD programs, most of whom aspire to obtain tenured research positions. However, lengthening years in training and diminishing opportunities are making biomed an increasingly impassable field. Although a scientific career has always demanded extensive years of training, in biomedicine the long haul has grown longer. On top of the traditional six years of graduate school, aspir-
rate at about 8%in an event that was by no exagger- that must be met in a criminal trial, determining guilt ation a catastrophe for humanity. The Ms. figures in an extremely trivial manner. indicate that, every year, on university campuses This is not the fault of the tribunals themselves, nationwide, women are experiencing crime rates but rather the people who mandate them as the on par with that of Nanking. Office of Civil Rights If a disaster the scale of one strongly recommended of the worst events in history against using a higher “...in attempting to abolish genwas taking place on American standard of proof, university campuses each year, threatening to remove der roles, thirdwave feminists a few campus rape centers and funding. are only furthering them.” hotlines would not be enough It is disturbingly to combat it. ironic that in attempting A closer look into the original study reveals that to abolish gender roles, thirdwave feminists are only instead of asking subjects whether they believed furthering them. In the aftermath of an event later they had been sexually assaulted, they were instead classified as rape, the female is the heroic survivor, asked to describe their experiences. These were later and the male is an unrepentant perpetrator when classified as rapeproducing the one in four figure in reality in the majority of cases both parties are that Ms. published. A later UC Berkeley investiga- drunk beyond the capability of rational decision tion revealed that 73% of subjects who were clas- making. Responsibility for the actions partaken in sified as rape victims in fact disagreed and a further would then logically fall on both parties, but it in42% reported that they had gone on to engage in stead forces the consequences on the male and it consensual intercourse with their alleged rapists. strips the alleged victim of moral responsibility for The disturbing numbers come not from rapes, but her actions, while also affording her the status of a from a progressive reaction to the true problem—a heroic survivor. This excessive, unequal response suddenly untempered sexual culture, and a com- to an event that both parties are responsible for plete lack of inhibition. works against the very goals of the feminists who The influence of feminist organizations on uni- promote it. versity campuses has always been taken as a positive Campus rape is undoubtedly an issue. Universigood. The incontestable air they hold has resulted ties are supposed to educate, and an event as trauin a huge lapse of rationality. Males accused of rape matic as sexual assault can completely remove a vicunder this system aren’t tried by courts—‘suspects’ tim’s ability to partake in learning. But the situation are placed before university tribunals, operating on our campuses today is not as the media portrays under no legal obligation to due process, while it. The issue lies with the hookup culture that has still dealing punishments ranging up to expulsion. been allowed to blossom on those campuses, and Tribunals often expel suspected rapists using a evi- the paranoid reactions when those hookups are indence far below the minimum standard of proof evitably regretted.
ing researchers must now tackle an ever-lengthening period of postdoctoral research. According to the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Doctorate Recipients, scientists who received their PhDs before 1965 spent an average of two years as a postdoc, whereas those who graduated after 1990 spent four, which was double as compared to merely twenty five years before. Beyond the enduring years in biomedical education is the fact that the supply of research positions has buckled under demand, turning the field into one with a disproportionate number of candidates per occupation. Over the course of a career a tenured researcher trains dozens of graduate students, only one of whom will replace him or her. Due to this imbalance, Nature’s The PhD Factory reported that in 2006, only 15% of US biology PhDs secured tenure-track posts six years post-grad, down from 55% in 1973. Worse yet, government and industry often cannot absorb the overflow, leaving all too many highly trained scientists jobless after having inDecember 2014
vested a decade of their lives into research. On the surface, biomed’s decline seems to be driven by waning funding. Indeed, A Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology analysis asserts that the budget of the National Institute of Health, the principal funder of biomedical research, has dropped from $21 billion to $16 billion in the past ten years. However, beyond funding, the dilemma stems from the structure of biomed itself. A recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper argues that since the research boom following World War II, biomed was built on the assumption of endless growth. For awhile this system worked, fueled by rapid university growth, soaring government funding, and the coming of the baby boom generation. But in this century of recessions and budget cuts, funding has decreased and research has grown more expensive; competition has been compounded by an influx of foreign PhDs.
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Ebola outbreak caused by delayed response Shannon Yang Contributing Writer
March 2014 marked the first outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, making it the worst epidemic since its discovery in 1976. As of Nov. 18, 2014, 5,459 people have been reported to be killed in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, United States and Mali combined, and over 15,000 people are reported to have contracted the disease. The first case of the Ebola outbreak was traced back to a two-year-old toddler in southeast Guinea who died on Dec. 16, 2013 with symptoms of fever, diarrhea and vomiting. It then spread through the major trading center Gueckedou and, by the end of March, had advanced into Sierra Leone and Liberia. It was not until June 2014 that Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) declared
the outbreak as out of control. Not long after, Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, flew to America only to be diagnosed with Ebola on September 30. The epidemic first gained international attention following Duncan’s death on October 8. The intensity of this outbreak can be sourced to the inefficient and delayed response to the epidemic. According to World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola has a mortality rate of over 70% and warns that there could be as many as ten thousand new cases per week if international effort doesn’t mobilize. West African countries are poorly suited to fight widespread pandemics due to poor infrastructure, few doctors, and tight budgets. According to The Economist, Liberia has only one doctor per 100,000 population, representing the quality of health care in a given country. This figure improves slightly in Sierra Leone, with two doctors per 100,000 population. In comparison, the United States and Spain have 245 and 370 doctors per 100,000 population respectively. The inadequacies of West African health care systems explain how Ebola has
spread so rapidly. Whereas Spain spends over $3000 per person on healthcare annually, West African countries spend closer to $300. Additionally, the shortage of hospital beds has undermined efforts to contain the outbreak. According to the WHO as of September 21, Sierra Leone was short 532 hospital beds forcing hospitals to turn down patients for lack of infrastructure. Currently, with thousands of deaths in the underdeveloped countries as well as current patients in the US, countries like the US, UK, Canada and Russia are testing different kinds of vaccines with the aim of having 20,000 doses that can be used in West Africa by early 2015. Though mortality rates increase daily the hope is to offer protection to the body so that it may produce an immune response defending against the disease when it does enter. Tests are still being conducted for many vaccines but some are already set for clinical trial. Though West African countries still face many challenges to contain the outbreak, as of October 20 WHO has declared Senegal and Nigeria Ebola-free, an initial step to fully cure West Africa.
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