December 2015
VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 2
Holding Vigil for
PARIS, BEIRUT while examining causes and solutions Migrant Crisis
12
AS WELL AS: Schedule Reform Evaluation, 4 Rethink Your Drink: The Truth About Milk, 16
THE CHARIOT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathleen Xue (‘16) SENIOR EDITOR Maggie Wang (‘17) COPY EDITOR Isha Gupta (‘17) FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR Katina Yong (‘16) SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Jackie Cherry (‘17) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Elinor Aspegren (‘16) Emily Cao (‘16) Stina Chang (‘17) Ellaine Chou (‘16) Nicholas Chung (‘17) Alex Dersh (‘16) Claire Hu (‘17) Dhruv Rajan (‘16) Katie Russell (‘16) Karunya Sethuraman (‘16) Shannon Yang (‘17) Dana Zhao (‘17)
FOUNDATION/GROUP SPONSORS Adobe Systems • Daughters of the American Revolution • Palo Alto Lions Club PATRONS ($100+) Lauren Michals and Vinod Bharadwaj • Patricia Bruegger • Steven Guggenheim
The Chariot would like to thank Advisor Ethan Halter for his support.
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ENVIRONMENT How to easily conserve water Emily Cao Contributing Writer
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alifornia is currently entering its fourth year of a record-breaking drought. Governor Jerry Brown has already established numerous measures in order to promote the conservation of water, including the request for restaurants to serve water to its customers only if they specifically ask for it. Additionally, California’s Central Valley farmers are not receiving their necessitated water quota while commercial and residential organizations that heavily use water are fined up to $500 on a daily basis. When the state faces a crisis that affects nearly everyone, it is important to incorporate methods of water conservation in simple and creative ways in our own lives. Besides purchasing environmental household items such as low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, rain barrels, efficient washing machines,and conservatory dishwashers, there are many other actions you can take in order minimize water usage. The first way to conserve water is to reuse water from dehumidifier machines. Because the majority of the water from dehumidifier machines come from damp basements, the water that these devices extract from their environment are perfect alternatives to watering plants and garden foliage rather than resorting
to fresh hose water. The kitchen is another place in which you can find opportunities to save water. For instance, instead of using different glasses of water for drinking purposes, adhering to a single glass and refilling it as necessary not only saves space in a dishwasher but also saves water in the washing process. Water used for boiling can also serve as soup stock for creating stews and sauces. Additionally, washing fruits and vegetables in a pot of water as an environmental alternative to a running faucet allows for the water used to clean these fruits and vegetables to later be used to water lawns and gardens. You can conserve water not only in the kitchen, but also in the lawn and garden. Leaky faucets and toilets are the common places we usually refer to in order to check on the amount of water that is wasted. However, we often fail to address other potential sources for water usage, such as hoses, faucets, and sprinklers. Leaks on these forms of outdoor water appliances can be blocked conveniently with electrical or duct tape. This is an effective way to save water because approximately five to 10 percent of American homes have water leaks that drip away 90 gallons a day or more. Many of these leaks reside in old fixtures, such as leaky toilets and faucets. In fact, water lost by these leaky residences can be reduced by more than 30,000 gallons if new, efficient fixtures were installed. If the five percent of American homes that leak the most corrected those leaks, it could save more than 177 billion gallons of water annually. Ultimately, tiny adjustments in our lives that may not seem significant can actually hold profound impacts.
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, gunnchariot.com 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: Ethan Halter 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 2015
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
BITS OF INTEREST
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Silicon Valley Karunya Sethuraman Contributing Writer
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s a country of over 1.3 billion people, India is one of the next frontiers for the Internet and social media. Knowing this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recent ly travelled to Silicon Valley to meet with prominent tech influencers such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Timothy Cook and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella. His trip was successful, as many tech companies pledged to offer support to help connect underdeveloped areas of India to the Internet. Google has offered to set up free public Wi-Fi in major railway stations and Qualcomm promised upwards of $150 million for Indian startups. Modi also had multiple Q&A sessions, addressed a packed San Jose arena and visited Stanford University. His trip indicates that he believes India is ready to take a larger role on the world stage, due to the fact that India’s economy is outperforming many other world
economies. nese social media site Weibo While Modi is astute in to send President Xi JinPing a seeing technology as the birthday greeting. Modi’s outpath to lift India out of look on governing is one that poverty, the private comeffectively deals with the chalpanies offering free conlenges of connecting with votnectivity to the Internet ers on a daily basis in a country are not simply contributwhere only 18 percent of the ing out the goodness of population uses the Internet. their hearts. With the opMuch remains to be seen portunity Modi provided, these companies also can Creative Commons License about Modi’s strategy, but its novelty and strong points indiadvertise their services to these newcomers before any competitor can. cate that it merit serious consideration. Those on Google’s Wi-Fi will probably use As teenagers in the Bay Area, we often hear Google as their browser of choice, and if Face- about the corrupting influence of social media, book provides free Wi-Fi users will be more Modi’s promotion of the positive power of solikely to also make Facebook accounts. cial media is a novel perspective. His belief in its Moreover, Modi used his trip to make a power to connect people, communicate with case for social media’s power to reach voters usually unreachable parts of society, and posand affect democracy in profound and positive sibly even help keep government transparent is manners. Modi, who has an active Facebook account, also uses services common in other something that we should think as many of us countries, as exemplified by his use of the Chi- near voting age.
Review: “Steven Universe” skillfully weaves fiction in with nonfiction Emily Cao Contributing Writer
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ired in the November of 2013, “Steven Universe” is the first television show on Cartoon Network to be directed and produced by a woman. The mastermind behind this critically acclaimed show, Rebecca Sugar, created the story from a childhood inspiration. The show is set in a seaside tourist attraction, Beach City, inspired from the by-thesea villages in Delaware Sugar and her family would visit on her summer vacations. The main protagonist, Steven, lives in a temple with three other characters—Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, who are gemstones from outer space that take on physical forms. The primary theme of “Ste- Creative Commons License ven Universe” is being able to see the beauty in both fiction and nonfiction. “The fantasy world and the fantasy characters became interested in real life . . . [A]ll of the imperfections of real life could be beautiful and fascinating to someone. And those are the sort of things that could be exotic and interesting and foreign [to those] who are used to the impossible perfection of their fantasy world,” Sugar explained in an interview. Equipped with quirky electronic music, a dubstep soundtrack inspired from vintage video games, beautifully composed artwork, a cast of characters that are as likeable as they are complex and a storyline saturated with endless journeys, “Steven Universe” has touched the hearts of an audience outside of its target demographic. Although the
television show is mainly catered toward younger children, teenagers and adults alike have grown fond of the intricate messages woven into each episode. For instance, in Season 1’s episode “Frybo,” Peedee Fryman, a side character who is responsible for his family restaurant, offers a poignant and controversial piece of commentary on the dynamic of the transition between childhood and adulthood: “You work away your life and what does it get you? You get cash. Cash that can’t buy what the job takes.” “Steven Universe” is the reason I have rekindled my passion for cartoons. During extremely depressing, stressful and busy days, I would often look forward to returning to the comforts of my bedroom just to cuddle in my blankets and enjoy a funny, laughable, but also thoughtprovoking episode. It puts a smile on my face even on days when I feel like I am about to burst into tears. I like “Steven Universe” because it is not just yet another run-of-the-mill kids’ cartoon filled to the brim with unnecessary action, tasteless jokes and one-dimensional characters. It is complicated and interesting, and always makes one think about the foundation of the show. Most importantly, however, it also makes me feel special, treasured and part of a community. I feel as if the reason why Sugar decided to make a large portion of the cast on the television show “gems” is that she wants to make every single person in the reality world feel as if they have a part of the fantasy world within them. Any average individual can feel as powerful and moving as Garnet, or as resourceful and enthusiastic as Amethyst, or as knowledgeable and graceful as Pearl. Hilarious, cute, original, creative, heartfelt, but also insightful, “Steven Universe” is truly a modern masterpiece.
DECEMBER 2015
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THE CHARIOT
EVALUATING SCHEDULE REFORM Restriction of zero period fails to meet goals
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Nicholas Chung Contributing Writer
he restriction of zero period at Gunn was a controversial decision made by the school board last year. Proponents claimed that restricting the voluntary early class period would help students get more sleep; students countered that taking zero period was a an important option to have that allowed students needed flexibility in setting their own schedules, in particular for athletes who juggle after-school practices and matches. In early September, The Chariot conducted a student survey in an attempt to assess the impact of the zero period restriction. A total of 164 students completely answered questions regarding G period prep, zero period, overall stress and sleep, sports, and the new bell schedule. The results conclusively showed that the restriction of zero period has harmed, not helped students. One quarter of the respondents took zero period last year and of these, a majorDid you participate in a sport last year? No 26%
ity saw a decrease in sleep and an increase in stress levels as a result of the restriction of zero period. The same percentage of students surveyed would have wanted to take zero period this year, indicating that there is a large group of students that consistently favor taking zero period. Of this quarter, 59% said that not having zero period this year increased stress levels, with only 5% claiming that not taking zero period helped relieve stress. In addition, 42% of the zero period respondents stated that not taking zero period decreased their amount of sleep while only 15% said they got more sleep. A full 90% felt that restricting zero period was a bad policy decision, reflecting previous student sentiment. In March, another survey with 370 respondents had also found that 90% of all Gunn students did not support the restriction of zero period. The restriction of zero period not only adversely affected zero period students but the general Gunn student body as well. About half of the survey respondents applied for G prep. Of these students, 26% applied because of the lack of a zero period option. Another 34% applied to participate in sports. Of those who applied, 32% were not granted a G period prep. This suggests
Were you planning to participate this year?
How does not having a G prep
affect your sports participation?
No 26% Yes 74%
that if zero period had not been restricted, there would not have been as many G period applications, which would therefore have meant that fewer applications for a G period prep would have been rejected. Those students whose G period prep applications were rejected felt negative impacts to their sports participation, sleep, and stress levels. Of the athletes who did not receive a G prep, 23% said they would not be able to participate in sports while another 58% said that their sports participation would be hindered. In addition, 85% of those with rejected G period prep applications said that not having a G prep would increase stress and decrease sleep. These results directly contradict the claimed benefits of restricting zero period that had been touted last school year. If zero period is not reinstated, the school could consider adding more classes offered to each period or increasing class size; however, both options have obvious drawbacks and problems. Given that student health is a high priority and enough students have indicated that they have been adversely affected, improvements to the situation must be addressed or the decision to restrict zero period will have been for naught.
No effect 19% Yes 74%
Will not
be able to play at all
23%
32% of survey participants who applied for a G prep did not get one; here are the effects not having a G prep have on student wellbeing. Effect on sleep?
Will
hinder my ability to play
58%
85% Less sleep 15% No change 0% More sleep
Effect on stress? 85% More stress 15% No change
0% Less stress
Do
24.4% of survey participants were planning to take zero period this year; here are the effects not having zero period have on student wellbing. Effect on stress?
Effect on sleep?
59% More stress
42.5% Less sleep
36% No change
42.5% No change
5% Less stress
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you think restricting zero period was a good idea?
15% More sleep
DECEMBER 2015
Yes 10% No 90%
—Survey compiled by Nicholas Chung; included 164 total participants.
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
CURRENT ELECTORAL INFLUENCES
Current gun control laws lack authority, unity Dana Zhao Contributing Writer
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n Oct. 1, 2015, a shooter opened fire in a classroom at the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon; the mass shooting now joins a multitude of similar tragedies, including Columbine High School in 1999, Virginia Tech in 2007, and Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. In response to yet another display of public violence due to illegal gun possession, gun control laws are undergoing further scrutiny in Congress. President Barack Obama, in an impassioned speech, said that the reporting and response of mass shootings has become routine, and demanded that people help stricter gun laws to be implemented. On the other hand, former governor of Florida Jeb Bush insisted that more government involvement would only lead to restrictions on civil rights. No matter what position is taken on the controversial topic, however, one thing is clear: At the present time, gun legislation is not as effective as it should be. Today federal law restricts people with criminal records, drug addicts, immigrants without legal status, those with restraining orders, and those adjudicated as mentally ill from
Planned Parenthood fetal exchange explained Isha Gupta Copy Editor
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hat’s the big deal about Planned Parenthood? Social media has bursted with talk of the organization and protesters have swarmed locations across the country, including our own local Planned Parenthood in Mountain View. Before delving into the controversy, it is important to note that Planned Parenthood is a partially government-funded organization that is a family planning and health-care center providing services such as sexually transmitted diseases (STD) testing and abortions. The latter, abortions, has gained the organization some controversy, especially in the past few months. It all started with the release of videos on August 13 that seemed to show top executives from the Planned Parenthood selling fetal organs to private buyers—an illegal practice in the U.S. Republicans in Congress and in the presidential bid (who oppose abortion) imme-
owning firearms. Licensed gun dealers are required to conduct background checks through an FBI database before selling to customers. In California legal guns must be shorter than a set length. One of the major problems with these gun laws are that illegal gun sellers and unlicensed gun sellers allow guns to get in the hands of the potentially dangerous. Also, federal gun legislation is very open ended, and most other gun control laws exist only at the state level. Different states have different gun legislation, leading to clashes between state and federal law. There are simply too many loopholes in the gun legislation we have today for it to be effective. In response to current gun laws, both sides continue to fight. The arguments for and against gun control stem directly from different interpretations of the Second Amendment, which states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Gun rights advocates, led by the National Rifle Association (NRA), view weapon possession as a matter of individual rights. They believe that people should have the right to arm themselves for hunting, self-defense, or simply for the sake of arming themselves. Owners argue that easier access to weapons actually makes society safer, giving people the power of selfdefense, and thus preventing criminals from victimizing people who may be armed. In other words, more guns in the right hands can combat guns in the wrong hands. Statistics shows a different story, however. The number of cases of gun violence in the
U.S. exceeds those of other developed nations. In 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. had more than 33,000 firearm-related deaths. Gun control advocates argue that fewer guns, better records on who has them, and more restrictions on purchase, possession and storage would still allow people to legally own firearms, while resulting in far fewer deaths. They contend that it is not a question of disarming the public or absolutes – most people agree that individuals should not have bazookas or machine guns – but a matter of where to draw sensible limits. This year alone, there have been more than 200 mass shootings in the U.S. No new gun legislation has been publicly introduced yet, partially due to the reluctance of Congress to implement changes as well as the unchanging position of the NRA. It is clear that present gun control laws are disorganized and ineffective, with state and federal legislature divided and inconsistent. To make our future societies safer, we have the responsibility of making our opinions known on political issues such as this one. As many Gunn students are or will soon be approaching voting age, we must keep in mind that our votes affect what goes on in the U.S. The issue of gun control directly affects our safety and wellbeing as members of society, and our opinions shape the future of gun allowance in the U.S. Hopefully in the future, the NRA and federal government will compromise on some form of change.
diately seized upon the video as grounds to stop the federal funding of Planned Parenthood. Immediately, Planned Parenthood accused the group who released the videos, the Center for Medical Progress, of editing the videos heavily in order to create an illusion of fetal organs sales. Planned Parenthood argued that in reality, the executives were accepting donations for fetal tissue (perfectly within the boundaries of the law). Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards testified in Congress and faced questioning from Congress Republicans over the use of the allocated federal funds, the practices of the organization and alternative places for women’s health care. Planned Parenthood asserts that it helps 2.7 million patients receive healthcare and that only three percent of its funds go to abortions. Republicans have seized upon this issue as an opportunity to gain leadership positions. For instance, Carly Fiorina mentioned the videos in the second Republican presidential debate; this reference resulted in a dramatic increase in her poll numbers. Since the fight against Planned Parenthood has slowed down considerably after Richards’s hearing, the war has raged on in the states. Indiana, Texas, Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas and Utah have all withheld federal funding in some
form from Planned Parenthood. This means that the organization will have less access and backing by the federal government to provide healthcare and family planning tools, primarily for women. As the Republicans have had a shaky track record on feminist issues, the Planned Parenthood crisis may heavily influence the Republicans’ platform on women’s rights and the results of the 2016 election.
DECEMBER 2015
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THE CHARIOT
CURRENT ECONOMY
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turn will slow down the economy, decreasing inflation as prices of goods will increase slower or even decrease. While interest rates are not the sole factor in determining inflation, they play a large role in guiding inflation. Low inflation has been one of the main reasons why the Fed has not raised interest rates so far. Two percent is an ideal rate of inflation as it is not too low or too high. Too much inflation will lead to prices of goods increasing rapidly, such as in the extreme case of Zimbabwe where at one point, a loaf of bread cost 550 million Zimbabwe dollars. Too little inflation and the rate might even
mo ns
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n October 28, the Federal Reserve (Fed) decided to hold interest rates steady, citing slowing international economic growth and low inflation, but left the possibility of a December rate hike open. The Federal Reserve has three main purposes: to promote maximum employment, to ensure stable prices and to moderate long-term interest rates. It also supervises and regulates banks and provides financial services to the U.S. government and institutions. One way the Fed fulfills its duties is by adjusting federal funds rates, generally known simply as “interest rates.” The federal funds rate is the interest charged on banks’ overnight loans (loans in which the borrower agrees to pay back the loan plus interest at the start of the next business day). Market conditions remain unstable. The economy added 142,000 jobs in Sept., below estimates of 200,000 jobs. The minutes show that the Fed’s staff forecast was weaker than at the prior July meeting and the Fed lowered its projection for future years’ economic growth due to market turmoil and the stronger dollar. In addition, the slowing China economy threatens to destabilize the global market. Some economic indicators, however, have been improving. Unemployment rates have fallen to 5.1 percent towards pre-recession levels. Single-family housing starts, while relatively low by historical standards, are growing at nearly 20 percent year-over-year. Monthly U.S. auto sales came in at 18.2 million in Sept., their highest since July 2005 as cheap gasoline and low interest rates drove up demand for sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. The Fed has temporarily put off raising interest rates. However, some members of the Fed said that despite pressures
ativ eC om
Nicholas Chung Contributing Writer
from abroad, they thought the economy would keep performing at a satisfactoy pace to justify a rate hike. Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, told the Wall Street Journal that the Federal Reserve could receive enough new information by its December policy meeting to convince officials to raise short-term interest rates then. When the Fed does decide to raise interest rates, it will affect the government’s ability to borrow money, mortgage rates and savers’ interest rates. Even as the federal debt grew substantially in recent years, the government’s annual interest payments barely in- creased due to the Fed’s efforts to minimize borrowing costs by lowering interest rates. When rates rise, the government will have to pay more in interest. While mortgage rates are longterm, these rates will still be affected by short-ter m interest rate hikes, increasing mortgage payments. Savers’ interest rates will rise as higher interest rates from the Fed will induce other lenders to offer higher rates as well. The biggest impact the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates will be on inflation. Inflation currently is hovering around 0.3 percent, much lower than the target 2 percent. By raising interest rates, the Federal Reserve will be encouraging more saving, as there will be higher returns due to higher rates. As more people save, there will be less money in circulation to spend, meaning that there will be lower demand for goods. This in Cre
Federal Reserve uncertain on rate hike
DECEMBER 2015
turn negative, otherwise known as deflation, where prices are constantly dropping. Deflation is bad for an economy as it increases the relative amount of money needed to pay off debt (as the value of money is constantly increasing) and also discourages spending. The Fed, in essence, is in a lose-lose scenario. If it raises interest rates, that will discourage spending and slow the market. If the Fed keeps interest rates steady, then the market will be in turmoil as there will be even more uncertainty as to when the Fed will actually raise interest rates.
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
CURRENT ECONOMY SOURCE: U.S. News
Tax calculations for both the current tax system and for Rand Paul’s flat tax proposal.
Flat tax proposal may widen economic inequality Jackie Cherry Social Media Director
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ith the 2016 election season heating up, nearly all the presidential candidates have voiced their stances on the current tax policy. While they seem to all be in agreement that it needs to change, there are many different approaches to reform. Republican candidates Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and Rand Paul are all campaigning for similar “flat tax” systems, or the use of a singular tax rate, instead of the current one which implements a bracket system for ordinary income. In order to understand the flat tax that these candidates stand behind, it is important to first become familiar with the current U.S. tax system. Under the current system, if a married couple makes $50,000 a year, their first $17,000 is taxed in the first
bracket, so they pay ten percent of $17,000, and then the other $33,000 is taxed in the second bracket, so they pay 15 percent of $33,000. If a married couple makes $100,000 a year, their first $17,000 would still be taxed in the first bracket (ten percent), but the remaining $83,000 would be divided up in the second and third bracket, with the first $70,000 taxed at a rate of 15 percent, and the remaining $13,000 at a rate of 25 percent.* The bracket system also uses a different system for capital gains (profits from things like stocks or real estate). In this current system, capital gains are taxed at a flat rate of 15 percent. This is problematic for many reasons, a main one being that some wealthy people are paid entirely through capital gains and thus do not have to pay ordinary income tax at all. While the flat tax proposed by the aforementioned candidates is much simpler than our current tax system, its simplicity disguises the fact that it only favors the wealthy and puts an even larger burden on the middle class. Rand Paul has proposed what he calls a “fair and flat tax” of 14.5 percent. This plan, however, is not “fair.” Part of Paul’s plan is a “business activity tax” (also of 14.5 percent), which he says “would be levied on DECEMBER 2015
revenues minus allowable expenses, such as the purchase of parts, computers and office equipment”. While this sounds appealing, in reality this tax would hurt workers, because their wages would not be considered “allowable expenses”, or in other words, would not be deductible from taxes that the businesses they work for pay. This could easily lead to a decrease in workers’ wages and an increase in the cost of manufactured goods. So, what the middle class wouldn’t pay in income taxes they end up paying as hidden consumption fees (taxes on goods and services), and they would have less money to spend on those goods and services. All the while Paul’s system would slightly decrease the tax rate on capital gains, from the current 15 percent to 14.5 percent, and would also totally eliminate taxes on estates. These changes would only really benefit those who make a majority of their wealth from capital gains and those who currently pay estate taxes. The only individuals whom Paul’s tax system would help, then, are (not surprisingly) the very wealthy. While the current tax system in the US certainly needs to be reformed, implementing a flat tax is not the way to go about it.
*All these numbers are before deductions.
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THE CHARIOT
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Pope Francis visits U.S. for the first time Alex Dersh Contributing Writer
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9.4 million Americans welcomed Pope Francis on his first visit to the U.S., ar riving Se pt. 22 in Washington D.C. T he nation’s Catholics came out in full force, g reeting the first Latin American Pope in masses in Phila delphia and New York where he g ave speeches on pover ty and so cial justice. T he Pope, religious leader of 22 percent of Americans, is held in high reg ard in the U.S. In previous
8
years, 59 percent of all Americans and 72 percent of American Catholics viewed him favorably. His popularity has been credited to his imag e of humility and empathy. He has visited prisoners, has met with the sick and poor, and has made effor ts to restore the imag e of the Catholic Church in the mid dle of an increasingly secular world. As with all world leaders, however, even the Pope is not without his own critics. Conser vatives have disapproved of stances he has taken by moderating his lan guag e on LGBTQ+ rights and non-believers. He has expressed discomfor t at what he considers the insensitivity of capitalism to the poor, and has advocated comDECEMBER 2015
batting climate chang e. Moreover, he has reached out to refug ees from Syria, has pushed for effor ts to combat pover ty, and has urg ed sympathy and forgiveness for pris oners. Attitudes ag ainst the Pope are ref lected in polls, with his fa vorability rating among American Conser vatives falling from 72 percent in June 2014 to 45 percent in June 2015. Fr ustration has led to a drop in the Pope’s favorability among American liberals as well, but not as drastically; it dropped 14 points in one year. T hey have held out hope that the Pope would more forcefully address LGBTQ+ equality, as well as women’s roles in the Church and mar ried priests. However, Pope Francis has g enerally been perceived by many lib erals as more welcoming on these issues, and some analysts such as Ross Douthat of the New York Times have argued that there is a new “Springtime for Liberal Christianity.” T he leader of one of the world’s larg est religions has quickly become an inter national celebrity. His inf luence is felt in all cor ners of the world, least of all at Gunn High School. Being home to a diversity of religious beliefs, Catholicism is well re presented here. T he Pope’s ar rival in the U.S. may impor tantly catch the attention of Catholic Gunn students, and
possibly open up discussions about the future of Catholicism in an increasingly secular globe and in a ver y secular Silicon Valley.
CONNECTION
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Speaker John Boehner resigns
J
Alex Dersh Contributing Writer
ust a day after Pope Francis had addressed a joint session of the United States Congress, Speaker of the House of Representatives John A. Boehner announced he would resign effective October 29. In the weeks before, the Republican caucus is planning to elect a nominee to replace him. In a press conference held shortly after delivering the news to his House conference, Boehner put his resignation in context of preserving the institution of the House. “My first job as Speaker is to protect the institution,” Boehner said. “It
had become clear to me that this prolonged turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution.” Boehner’s downfall has been primarily attributed to his inability to govern his entire party. Specifically, a group of around 30 to 40 farright conservatives elected mostly in 2010 and 2014 Republican waves has fought against Republican leadership. Many voted against John Boehner in the January speakership election, managing around 20 defections. These members, referring to themselves the House Freedom Caucus, have repeated efforts to resist compromise with the Democrats. They have frequently supported government shutdowns and debt ceiling defaults as a strategy to combat with Democrats and the President. Issues fight over have been defunding Planned Parenthood and repealing Obamacare.
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DECEMBER 2015
The clout held by the House Freedom Caucus to pull the strings of the entire 247-member Republican caucus has been attributed by political analysts to increasing polarization of Congress and conservatism within the Republican Party. Gerrymandering in the redistricting process has been cited by analysts David Weigel and Aaron Blake of The Washington Post as one cause of additional polarization. Gerrymandering creates districts that are either very liberal or very conservative, thereby electing more extreme members of Congress who are more willing to buck the line of more moderate establishment leaders. Analysts point to the small number of competitive districts in the country as evidence of squeezed-out moderates. John Boehner, for his part, has received much criticism from very conservative members of Congress for being a “sell-out” to the President and Democrats. Right-wing publications like the Conservative Review have deemed him “House Speaker John Pelosi,” referring to Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, for not being more aggressive when pushing a conservative agenda. Instead, they have accused him of enabling the policies of President Obama to pass Congress. Boehner’s resignation shocked Congress and created confusion and chaos for the Republican caucus. Combined with their disorganized Presidential race, the party must now grapple with an internal struggle for leadership and direction.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS F-1 visas benefit both students and the U.S. Stina Chang Contributing Writer
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he U.S. is known as one of the most diverse countries in the world. The U.S. is also known for its freedom of education—where everyone, regardless of gender, race or sexuality, can receive proper education. Thus international students all around the world come to the U.S. to advance their studies. What makes this possible is the F-1 visa, which is a visa that allows individuals to enter the U.S. as full-time university students. The F-1 visa is beneficial to not only international students, however, but to the U.S. as well, because it helps increase the diversity in our country and it draws in money and talent. Every year, students from all over the world come to the U.S. to familiarize themselves with the American culture and language. According to Project Atlas, during the 2013-2014 school year, 886,052 international students were enrolled in educational
institutions all over the country. The rate of international students’ enrollment has increased 72 percent since 2000, according to U.S. News Education. Today, international students make up around four percent of university population, hailing from countries ranging from China to Saudi Arabia. In order to allow more diversity into our country, the F-1 visa is a good way to keep this door open. Moreover, attending college in the U.S for international students is more expensive than it is for their native peers, and the costs are still rising. Students studying abroad in the U.S. are not eligible to apply for financial aid. Additionally, international students’ average cost of living is higher than that of their American peers. This extra money funneled from international students makes up a sizeable portion of university funding. Thus allowing more international students into the U.S. by using the F-1 visa makes for
Number enrolled (in thousands)
International Students Studying in the U.S. (from 1990 to 2013)
Year SOURCE: George Mason University
10
DECEMBER 2015
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an efficient income source. According to a report done by Xueying Han of UC Santa Barbara, about 86 percent of international students originally come to the U.S. intending to later pursue careers here. However, through the moderately restrictive nature of the F-1 visa, the government is able to successfully screen talent and capability from the rest of the applicants. For instance, the F-1 visa requires the students be accepted to university prior to coming to the U.S. and to go to school within 30 days of the first day of classes; and that in order to maintain their F-1 status, students must be enrolled in university full-time, sustaining passing grades. For students who have graduated from university, the F-1 visa requires them to leave within six months of graduation; if they wish to stay in the U.S., they would need to find employment within a year. These regulations on international students ensure that the best and brightest can remain in the U.S. and can contribute positively to society. Being part of a diverse community exposes us to many different unique cultures. Immigrants and international students are thus key to the core of the U.S. Welcoming them into our community and country allows more student and more generations to learn about the heterogeneous culture and backgrounds that exist among us. The F-1 visa helps make our country multicultural and helps move our economy forward. Beyond the financial benefits universities obtain, the F-1 visa also allows more traditions and culture into our county, making our country more unique than others.
WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
TENSIONS ABROAD SOURCE: Common Dreams
Japan’s increased militarism opposed by public
Abe’s decision to walk away from pacifism also means walking away from one of the last great ideals to emerge from WWII. Essentially, the bill passed does not change Article 9’s language. Instead, it reinterprets it to allow for the use of force “collective self-defense.” Japanese forces will now be able to assist the U.S. and other allies if those allies were attacked, although there would still be limits on the scope and scale Elinor Aspegren of Japanese assistance. For example, acContributing Writer cording to the BBC, Japan could now shoot down a North Korean missile fired at the A military alliance is a blood alliance,” U.S. and provide logistical support to South Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Korea if Pyongyang invaded, but could not wrote in his book, “Determination deploy Japanese troops to Korea. to Protect This Country.” “If Japanese don’t It is this constutional loophole that that shed blood, we cannot have an equal rela- makes this bill so devastating to the Japanese. tionship with America.” Abe got his wish Changing the language of the bill would reon Sept. 18: his coalition government passed quire a constitutional amendment and twolegislation reinterpreting Article 9 in the thirds support in both houses of the Diet constitution; this re(Japan’s national leginterpretation allows islature), which Abe Japanese troops to and the ruling LiberARTICLE 9 engage in military al Democratic Party action overseas in lack. This loophole Aspiring sincerely to an international what will be the first in the Japanese conpeace based on justice and order, the time since the end stitution leaves “a Japanese people forever renounce war as of World War II. big scar on Japanese a sovereign right of the nation and the This move democratic poliaway from pacifism tics,” according to threat or use of force as means of settling comes as an insult Opposition Leader international disputes. to many Japanese Tatsuda Okada, and (2) In order to accomplish the aim of pacifists. A public there’s nothing that the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air poll conducted in the public can to forces, as well as other war potential, will do to stop it. Few Aug. 2015 found never be maintained. The right of belligerJapanese have any that only 11 percent ency will not be recognized. desire to fight anof Japanese supother war. In fact, ported Abe’s desire to date, those who to reinterpret Arsupport Abe’s plan ticle 9. Overall, the Abe administration suffered a dramatic drop stand at only 29 percent of the population. in its approval ratings—in July, his approval The question is: how can Abe’s government ratings fell to 41 percent. Many believe that be at all representative when the majority of
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Japanese legislators (and the country) do not want a return to militarism? Granted, there are some justifications for abandoning pacifism in Japan. The main reason is tensions with China. Chinese and Japanese relations have been in a downward spiral since 2010 when a Chinese skipper collided with Japanese coast guard vessels in the East China Sea. China’s growing assertiveness with patrols and with mobilization is a cause of concern for Japan, and is a valid reason to take action to defend the country. A second is Japan’s desire to support international efforts and help the UN reduce violence abroad. The third reason lies in Abenomics—Shinzo Abe’s economic policies. According to “The Conversation,” reinterpreting Article 9 “bolsters the government’s earlier legislation to enable military hardware exports.” Undoubtedly, ending 70 years of pacifism in Japan is good for business. But should Abe really put defense, international and economic needs over democratic policy? While an invasion by China is certainly a possibility, Japan has some of the best militaries on its side—including that of the U.S. Moreover, Japan has the fourth largest purchasing power parity and the second largest developed economy in the world. It certainly doesn’t need the money. With the next Diet election coming in 2018, and dissolution coming indubitably before that, Shinzo Abe must be prepared for the possibility of not being reelected. Abe knows full well what happened to his grandfather—faced with the same protests his grandson faces now, Japanese citizens forced Nobusuke Kishi out of the prime minister’s job after he pushed a revised U.S.Japan security pact, seen as too militaristic, through parliament. With his poll numbers falling rapidly, Abe must choose between staying in power and empowering his country.
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MIGRANT CRISIS
THE CHARIOT
European countries struggle with sudden refugee influx Maggie Wang Senior Editor
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olitical unrest in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia has led to the worst migrant crisis since World War II. The refugee crisis was brought to public attention when the body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, who was trying to get to Greece with his five-yearold brother and mother, washed ashore in Turkey in Sept. 2015. The crisis, however, is not new; since the beginning of Syria’s civil war in 2011, over 4 million people have sought shelter in neighboring countries. In 2014, European Union (EU) member states granted protection status to more than 185,000 asylum seekers out of 626,000 applicants. In the first half of 2015, EU member states received 395,000 new asylum applications. Germany is the most popular destination for migrants, with 222,000 asylum applications at the end of August. As more migrants journey through Greece and the Western Balkans, Hunga-
ry is also receiving a large number of applications, totaling to 96,350 at the end of July. The recent influx of refugees and migrants threatens the Schengen Agreement (an agreement that abolishes border controls among countries in the EU, allowing people to travel freely through any participating country) by causing several member nations to temporarily reimpose internal border controls. In addition, the Dublin Regulation is a EU law that determines which member nation is responsible for processing the requests of asylum seekers from outside the union. Under the current system, the responsibility of examining migrants’ asylum applications falls primarily on entry-point states with exposed borders, such as Greece, Italy and Hungary. Although European leaders have been arguing over regulating and distributing migration more evenly across Europe, several countries have resisted proposals for mandatory quotas. Many European leaders have been criti-
cized for not doing enough to assist with the crisis while others have been criticized for being unable to hold their promises after doing too much. Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to take only 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years, accounting for only a small portion of these refugees. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has supported opening Germany to any Syrian, but after encountering pressure from the large volume of people coming into Germany, has recently reinstated the rules of the Dublin Regulation. A 17-point action plan has been adopted by leaders of countries along the Western Balkans. This plan creates an additional 100,000 places in Greece and the western Balkans, and takes steps to improve communication and coordination on migrants. As winter approaches, migrants’ journeys are becoming more perilous. Human lives are at stake, and Europe must take unified action to decide upon the fate of these migrants.
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DECEMBER 2015
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MIGRANT CRISIS
Courtesy of Isha Gupta
Gupta (top middle) and two American peers take a selfie with a Palestinian migrant (far left)
The Destiny of Refugees: a staffer’s take on Europe’s migrant crisis
Isha Gupta Copy Editor
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nyone who has been part of social media or has browsed the Internet in the past few months has probably noticed the amount of media coverage on the influx of migrants into various parts of Europe from the Middle
East. But who exactly are “the migrants”? This summer, I had the privilege of meeting the subjects in question with a delegation of students from the United States. We not only connected with refugees and asylum seekers, but also got a chance to immerse ourselves with the multiple facets of the entire conflict through meetings with European officials and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The controversy, in my opinion, stems from the flaws of the Dublin Regulation of the European Union, which ensure that a disproportionate number of migrants end up residing in southern European countries, such as Italy and Greece. This is because the regulation rests upon the unrealistic assumption that legal paperwork for entry into a given country can be efficiently processed. The grim reality is that many migrants into Europe neither have papers nor possess any reliable identification that can be processed by government officials, and therefore cannot legally reside in countries that they desire to go to. One such scenario that exemplifies the failure of the Dublin Regulation to acDECEMBER 2015
tively solve the problem is the story of Destiny, a Nigerian migrant I was fortunate to meet in our visit to a Cara Mineo in Italy. A Cara Mineo is an Italian center for asylum-seekers, and Destiny had landed in the Italian island of Sicily from a Libyan smuggler boat. He recounted in length the grueling journey from his village in Nigeria to the chaos of Libya, and concluded that he was lucky to have survived. He also revealed himself to be a deeply Christian and spiritual man, citing God as the reason for his success in the journey. After I asked about his life in Italy, he stated that he could not go to Church without giving a hefty offering of money—something that he did not have as a migrant coming from Nigeria. He also listed several grievances against the center at which he was staying: the poor conditions, the lack of good food, and the lack of access to a decent place of worship. He then started to tell me his dreams for the future, in particular his dream to immigrate to Germany or America. However, Destiny’s application paperwork was taking too long to get back. Without the paperwork, he had no chance of going to Germany, let alone the United States. “It is my destiny to get out of here; it’s even in my name!” he stated, flashing a brief grin. The case of Destiny, and many other migrants into the EU reflect the urgent need for a change. As The Chariot goes to press, European Union leaders are debating and discussing possible new solutions that must be put in place. Most countries are in favor of getting rid of the Dublin Regulation, given that the system in place does nothing but stress the already volatile economies of southern European countries that are in close proximity to North Africa and the Middle East. I, as well as the rest of the international community, hope that a solution produced allows migrants like Destiny to journey to their desired destinations and achieve their dreams.
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TERRORISM IN THE CHARIOT
SOURCE: The Atlantic
Various countries’ monuments light up in the colors of the French flag: (top row from left to right) Trafalgar Square, London; London Eye Ferris Wheel, London; CN Tower, Toronto (middle row from left to right) Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai; Brandenburg Gate, Berlin; Taipei 101, Taipei (bottom row from left to right) Sydney’s Opera House, Sydney; Angel of Independence, Mexico City; San Francisco City Hall, San Francisco.
ISIS declares responsibility for tragedies in Paris, Beirut
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Elinor Aspegren Contributing Writer
ombs and shots went off in at least six sites in Paris on Fri., Nov. 13. Islamic State in Iraq and Syira (ISIS), a Muslim terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for these attacks, which killed at least 132 people and wounded over 350 others. In an online statement on November 14, ISIS said that eight militants wearing explosive belts and armed with machine guns attacked precisely selected areas in the French
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capital: the Bataclan concert hall; Stade de France (the national stadium), La Carillon Bar in the 10th arrondissement (administrative district of Paris), La Petit Cambodge in the 10th arrondissement, La Belle Equipe in the 11th arrondissement and La Casa Nostra in the 11th arrondissement. “Let France and those who walk in its path know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State,” the statement added. The attacks have drawn condemnation from President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon, Pope Francis, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, among others. Several Muslim organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have condemned the attacks, writing that “the perpetrators of these heinous attacks must be apprehended and brought to justice.” Sydney Opera House in Australia, One World Trade Centre in New York, the Christ DECEMBER 2015
the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the CN Tower in Toronto were among the landmarks glowing blue, white and red in vigil of the tragedy. Washington, San Francisco, Dallas and Alberta in Canada also lit up in solidarity. ISIS has also claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings in Beirut, Lebanon on Thursday Nov. 12, where 41 people were killed. Additionally, several al-Shabbab militants stormed into Garissa University in Kenya earlier that day, killing 147 people and injuring 79 others. French president François Hollande declared three days of national mourning and has additionally declared a state of emergency. He equated the attacks to an “act of war” and vows a “merciless” response. France has also heightened its border control, requiring checks but not closing them down. Currently, no other country has reported any heightening of borders, but many politicians are calling for a tighter refugee policy in the UK and United States.
PARIS, BEIRUT WWW.GUNNCHARIOT.COM
Recent attacks are the beginnings of a new strategy Kathleen Xue Editor-in-Chief
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n June 29, 2014, ISIS released a propaganda video called “The End of Sykes Picot,” depicting the Sykes-Picot border and announcing that ISIS would never acknowledge it. The SykesPicot border that the jihadist talked about in the video describes the borders carved out by the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between France and Britain, which sparked Arab resentment that continues to this day. The Sykes-Picot Agreement introduced an era of discontent and tension between Middle Eastern countries and Western powers; the treaty remapped countries without consent from both sides, and it divided the countries into zones of British and French influence (Britain controlled Iraq, Transjordan and Palestine, while France controlled Syria and Lebanon). This controversial treaty established Syria and Lebanon as countries with turbulent mixtures of clashing ethnicities and religious groups, enshrined Sunnis as a minority in Iraq, and partitioned Kurdistan to create the largest stateless group of people in today’s world. Forceful remappings of pre-established nations have already proven to be disastrous. In fact, one could venture as far as to argue that the Sykes-Picot Agreement helped create Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. Even ISIS itself acknowledges the influence the Sykes-Picot Agreement has on the current turmoil in the Middle East. Therefore, most would conclude that ISIS’s actions contradict its statements: while it reviles the actions of Britain and France in the Sykes-Picot Agreement, it is—in essence— forcefully remapping the Middle East itself through its repeated beheadings and bombings. However, given that ISIS’s ultimate goal is to create a caliphate (an Islamic state con-
taining all Muslims in the world) throughout Leiden University, “As long as ISIS exist and the entire Middle East, and that ISIS strives they have some power to direct and support to bring the world back to its medieval times people they have the most important tool— in terms of Islam, it is not surprising that it local people wanting to do these horrible would use violent tactics to try to reach its things for them. That is a powerful asset and goal. In order to begin to comprehend ISIS they seem to have that in abundance whether and its motives behind its horrendous ac- that’s in the Sinai, Lebanon or Europe.” tions, we must first delve into the ostensibly As Bakker stated, in order to be able to discrepant ideals it has: chaos in the world, yet cause the massive chaos that ISIS does, it a united Middle East. However, before ven- must have many supporters around the turing on, one caveat: very little about ISIS is globe. It seems contradictory, however, that understood when framed in Western values; ISIS can create chaos but simultaneously thus one should erase any assumption that maintain such unity in its followers. In fact, ISIS follows common morality and should one of its ultimate goals is to create a caliphstop underestimating ISIS’s true malevolence. ate that inhabits all Muslims of the world—a Whereas the Sykes-Picot Agreement was not target that requires coordination. How does created for the purpose of creating blood- ISIS manage such organization while wreakshed in the Middle East, ISIS’s “remapping” ing havoc? There is no simple answer, but is. this key yet seemingly conflicting trait of The recent attacks at Paris, France and ISIS can be traced back (again) to the SykesBeirut, Lebanon are obvious displays of Picot Agreement—and before. ISIS is apISIS’s disregard for common ethics. We, the pealing to so many recruits because it propaobservers, wonder gandizes its motives why this would and glorifies its enhappen—to us it deavors. Not only can “One can reason that ISIS is now alterseems that France the general public see ing its strategy: instead of wreaking havoc domestically, it now also wants to create and Lebanon have most of ISIS’s videos global chaos.” done nothing to on sites such as Youdeserve such tragTube, but we can also edies. The Paris ateasily search up jihadist tack—in the form of bombings and shoot- Tweets and read the official ISIS magazine, ings in six locations—and ISIS’s promise that “Dabiq,” for free. All of these resources the attack would be the “first of a down- open to everyone allows for those who are pour,” seem unjustifiable to onlookers. The interested to become fully immersed in exquestions remain as to why ISIS would at- treme Islamic beliefs, and to become part of tack Paris and Beirut, and why in November. the movement. Thus, strong supporters and According to U.S. State Department Senior followers of ISIS feel the fury of grievances Adviser William McCants, acts of terrorism done to Muslims, and pledge to take back are intended to provoke retaliation: “either what is theirs—all in the name of Allah. This complete disengagement or a massive show unity that ISIS manages to facilitate through of force.” If this theory is applied to the situ- a united passion for Allah and a united haations in Beirut and Paris, then likely one can tred of Western culture, is unsettlingly effecreason that ISIS is now altering its strategy: tive and results in a structured yet lethal body instead of wreaking havoc domestically, it of extremists. now also wants to create global chaos. ISIS ISIS’s ability to cause mayhem while mainseems to accomplish this by having willing taining order is an ability few terrorist groups individuals detonate in large gatherings of possess. It is time for everyone—from the people, to cause as much damage as possible. general populace to the U.S. government— According to Dr. Edwin Bakker of the Cen- to wake up and acknowledge ISIS in its full tre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism in monstrosity. DECEMBER 2015
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THE CHARIOT
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
SOURCE: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
The truth about milk: a vegan’s alternative suggestions
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Claire Hu Contributing Writer
he supposed “health benefits” of dairy have been taught to us since childhood. TV commercials and government guidelines paint dairy in a positive light, claiming that it is necessary for human growth and development. We are taught that cows need to milked and that they spontaneously produce milk for our enjoyment. In recent years, however, a multitude of evidence suggests that the nutritional composition of milk and the biology of cows. One of the main reasons people continue to drink milk is for the calcium content. According to government requirements, one should consume 1,000 mg of calcium each day. A glass of milk contains about 300 mg. The main justification for these requirements is that we need calcium to build strong bones and to prevent fractures, especially in the elderly. This is true to an extent––
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our bones are constantly remodeling, so a small amount of calcium is necessary to maintain or increase bone density. However, research has shown that consuming more than 600 mg of calcium a day does not improve bone integrity and that dairy products have little to no benefit for maintaining healthy bones. In fact, countries with the highest calcium consumption are linearly correlated with the number of fractures in a year. Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden have the greatest number of fractures per year, and they have some of the highest amounts of calcium consumption; Asian populations such as Hong Kong and Singapore, on the other hand, consume the least and have the lowest fracture rate. Since dairy is the richest source of calcium and Scandinavian countries are known to incorporate large amounts of dairy in their diets (while Asians do not) it is reasonable to conclude that dairy is linked to higher fracture rates in populations. In addition, dairy products contain a lot of cholesterol and saturated fat, nutrients that are linked to cardiovascular disease. Consuming reduced-fat milk will not decrease its risks either. In fact, studies have shown a clear link between dairy consumption and cancers of the reproductive system, such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. This is due to the milk protein casein, and the hormones DECEMBER 2015
found in milk. Casein raises insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in the bloodstream, a chemical that is strongly and consistently associated with cancer risk. Much of the milk produced on factory farms is not organic, which means that the milk you consume could be laced with synthetic hormones such as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), pesticides, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the latter two having been linked to cancer and diseases of the immune, reproductive, and central nervous systems. Even if the milk you drink is organic, it still contains large quantities of naturally occurring growth hormones. Like all mammals, cows produce milk to feed their young, and the hormones present help grow a 65 pound calf into a 700 pound cow. Additionally, the dairy industry still contributes to animal suffering, even though well-meaning people adopt vegetarian diets to not do so. In order for the cow to produce milk, she has to be forcibly impregnated by a factory worker. After giving birth, when the calf is only a few hours old, it is torn away from its mother. Depending on the sex, the newborn calves have different fates; if he is male, he is locked in a small pen for the rest of his short life, destined to die for the veal industry––if she is female, she is destined for the same fate as her mother. This is how it is for the majority of cows on factory farms, where almost all of our milk comes from. There is a small percentage of more ethical family farms, but the fact is that ethical farms are not profitable enough for the industry. The government continues to promote dairy as a part of a healthy diet largely due to corporate interest: the dairy industry lobbies for higher calcium recommendations to force us to buy their products because they contain the most calcium. Fortunately, many alternatives are are available: soy, almond, cashew, rice, and hemp milk are a few. It may be time to rethink your drink––for the sake of your own health, as well as for the happiness of the cows.