Issue 11 Volume 52

thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college

May.23.2018

www.thegrcurrent.com

Free Speech Tensions Rise on Campus: pg. 6-7

Melanie Bell | The Current

issue11 volume52

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Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Documentary Depicts Unfair Treatment of Black Muslims By: Mya Rivera Staff Writer

Students explain what it means to be a Black Muslim to help others understand their religion and be aware of the treatment they face.

The first 13 minutes of the event showcased a short documentary film called Black, Bold & Beautiful, produced by Green River student Mohamed Abdullahi. The film depicts the challenges Black Muslims face. Conflicts range from blatant racism to unfair treatment by others. The film also shows how difficult it is being Black, Muslim, and both. Black Muslims are often treated poorly because of the combination of their race and religion.

The film depicts the emotional side of being a Black Muslim, as told by Black Muslims. It also addresses the misconception of Black female Muslims in society and how Muslim women are not treated as poorly as people believe.

The panel board consisted of five students, who were seated in front of the audience to answer questions about being a Black Muslim. In response to what they hope the short film will do for others, student Abdi Ibrihim said,

“Me and Mohamed [are] showing the emotional side. The last piece of narrative shows understanding your identity, [describing what] people who aren’t a minority don’t experience.” Abdullahi also replied by saying, “I hope the film will help people understand. I hope you can acknowledge what we go through.”

Most students were from America, but there was one international student, Sumeya Arbi. Arbi explained the difficulties she has faced both in her home country and in America. Arbi said, “[There is racism] in the Muslim community.” A comment from another Muslim showcases it: Arbi talked about an encounter with a Muslim man, who commented on her beauty, stating, “You look really pretty for a Black Muslim.” She could not believe someone who also identifies as Muslim said something demeaning to her.

Director for the Office of Diversity, Marwa Almusawi, asked the panel about their experiences as Black Muslim women. Arbi said, “People who aren’t Muslim tell me how to wear my headscarf. People don’t understand being a Muslim woman.” Arbi expressed how others do not understand Muslim culture, and that people should further

educate themselves.

Another panel member, Amun Ahmed said, “I’m comfortable with my religion. It’s important for me to let people know I’m not being oppressed. I’m restricting myself.”

With the amount of different cultures, it is important to educate oneself so that one can understand different cultures. By doing this, a person can understand these women are not being oppressed, they choose to do this by their own will.

Panel member Aisha Mohamed said, “Everyone needs to educate themselves on Islamic culture.”

Audience member Andaiye Qaasim, an academic adviser with the International Programs at Green River College, asked the panel how classes at Green River can be more informative about Black Muslims.

Ibrahim said, “If we had more teachers of color, and expressed the wants and needs of Black Muslim teachers, I feel the higher-ups who control the classes will be willing.”

Abdullahi commented, “Students through clubs and organizations can help educate others and help them understand.” This response was unanimously agreed by the rest of the panel. In addition, Abdullahi said, “If the school sees how important it is to us, they will listen.”

Green River College 12401 SE 320th St., Mailstop: SU Auburn, WA 98092-3699 NEWSROOM DIRECT LINE 253-288-3457 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mollie Clements editor@thegrcurrent.com 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 MANAGING EDITOR Melanie Bell melrbell15@gmail.com 253-833-9111 ext. 2376

Annamarie Graver | The Current

Graphic depicting a Muslim woman.

It is important to note that joining diverse clubs or organizations and educating oneself and others is important to understanding different cultures. “This will take longer than a quarter,” Mohamed said.

The event discussed important aspects of being a Black Muslim and the challenges they face. The short documentary film Black, Bold & Beautiful: Documentary Short Film can be found on YouTube.

Green River Negotiation Team Ushers in a New Faculty Contract United GRC Faculty Quickly Consolidates Union and School Demands By: Melanie Bell Managing Editor editor@thegrcurrent.com The United Faculty of Green River (UF) negotiations team and administration team have come to a tentative agreement on the newest faculty contract.

On April 16, Janey Hoene, UF president and co-chair of the negotiations team, sent out a faculty e-mail announcing the completion of the bargaining process. Significant changes to the contract were shared the following Friday, April 20, with the rest of the faculty.

The teams are in the process of taking feedback from faculty and will hold a vote during finals week of spring quarter. If the vote passes, it will take effect July 1 after the previous contract expires on June 30.

Marshall Sampson, the vice president for Human Resources and Legal Affairs and co-chair of the admin team, said that the contract will cover 179 tenure, tenure-track, or one-year temporary faculty, as well as approximately 382 adjunct faculty members.

In this new contract, faculty could see a 4 percent raise overall for tenure, tenure-track, and adjunct faculty. There will also be a 2 percent cost of living (COLA) raise that was approved separately from the contract by state legisla-

ture. The COLA’s will go into effect has received mostly a positive on July 1 of 2018 and again on Jan. 1 response. The UF leadership are of 2019. taking feedback and have been Since faculty benefits are mostly posed with a number of questions dictated by the state, benefits such and are taking their time to explain as healthcare are not negotiated in why they chose certain things. Any the contract. changes that need to be made will Those on the tenure-track will be presented to the Board of Trustnot experience many if any changees by UF leadership. es. According to Hoene and SampIf faculty members come up with son, the only particular changes a concern, the teams will head back made in the area to the table and of tenure had to discuss how to fit it do with language into the contract.

“The hope is that it and contents of “We were eight peowill allow adjunct the tenure book. ple sitting at a table One of the discussing somefaculty to make this biggest changes thing that’s going their campus,” pertains to course to affect a lot more - Janey Hoene than eight people. load available to adjunct faculty. In We might not have the past, accordthought of every ing to Hoene, adjunct faculty have single thing that could happen,” been limited to teaching what is Sampson said. called eight-ninths. “Assuming In comparison to the previous regular five credit classes, it means contract, the newest version was they would teach eight five-credit bargained much quicker. According classes in the academic year: fall, to Hoene and Sampson, the previwinter, and spring,” Hoene said. ous contract took anywhere from In the proposed contract, Hoene 20 months to two years whereas the said that this cap would be lifted new version took approximately to 12/9 or 15/9. “The hope is that it three months. will allow adjunct faculty to kind of The teams use a sort of collaboramake this their campus and make tive bargaining during the process, this their college and make it feel which began in January with some like this is their home.” training through the Public EmSince the release of significant ployees Relation Commission. changes to faculty, the new contract “In collaborative bargaining,

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it’s not really that either side kind of takes the lead, it’s really more that both sides say ‘These are the interests that we have in this negotiation’ then we work from those interests toward common goals and see if we can create as many win-win situations as we can,” Hoene said.

This is the first time in nearly two decades there has been an agreement so soon. The last contract was bargained under President Eileen Ely, who resigned in 2016.

“It’s definitely a new administration, but I think we are all in a better place, too,” Hoene stated.

“Going into the last negotiations there was a lot of tension going into them; there was a lot of uncertainty. I think the rapport and relationship between faculty and administration was already stressed going into that.”

Both Hoene and Sampson felt that this time around, the teams were much more unified than they had been in the past. “We had a team that agreed on a lot of things this time,” Sampson said. “We did three sessions on Friday and we did two-weekend sessions and it was very nice to be able to sit down and talk about what we wanted to accomplish and go toward those common goals.”

The new contract, if ratified, would last until June 30, 2020.

CAMPUS EDITOR Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker campus@thegrcurrent.com A&E EDITOR Taylor Yamamoto ae@thegrcurrent.com OPINION EDITOR Nik Harkins nik.harkins@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Blake Latta sports@thegrcurrent.com LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga COPY EDITOR Margo Mead GRAPHIC DESIGNER Annamarie Graver ADVERTISING MANAGER Mollie Clements ads@thegrcurrent.com WEB MASTER Alex Markovich webeditorcurrent@gmail.com STAFF WRITERS: Austin Sprague, Margo Mead, Nathan Eskridge, Deven Lalgee, Maria Arcineiga, Adrienne Saenz, Lucy Arcineiga, Krishna Srini, Joseph Charrier, Janel Steele, Gabriel Steele, William Baliton, Jesus Scarpett, Bryan Bonilla, Esperanza Mendoza Villa, Taylor Robertson, Stella Hagen, Taylor Yamamoto, Kea Isoefo, Cameron McDowell, Hansen Slane, Mya Rivera, Ryan McConnell

Corrections

If you find a factual error or simply a name spelled If you find a factual error incorrectly, orplease simply contact a name us spelled at: incorrectly, - editor@thegrcurrent.com please contact us at: - 253-288-3457 - editor@thegrcurrent.com - or find us OEB 17 - 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 - or find us in SA218

Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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Chemistry Department Encourages ‘Greening’

Green Chemistry Calls For Environmental Sustainability By: Lucy Arcieneiga Staff Writer The Green Chemistry Committee (GCC) pledged to the chemistry department to incorporate the 12 green chemistry principles in chemistry courses.

GCC’s commitment has two components: ‘greening’ labs and preparing the students for chemistry in a world that is increasingly focused on sustainability and safety. ‘Greening’ refers to the reduction of waste and change of reagent choices in chemistry lab experiments. The 12 green chemistry principles will be added into science classes to address the learning objectives outlined by Beyond Benign, the foundation that created and maintains the course materials.

During the last two decades, individual professors in the chemistry department introduced green chemistry concepts into lectures and lab activities. GCC is helping to transform chemistry education in the university chemistry department. The program strives to prepare world-class chemists whose skills are well-aligned with the current needs of the science community. The program designs innovative, efficient, and environmentally-safe solutions to the effectiveness of chemical products and processes.

Signing this commitment gives universities access to the Green Chemistry Curriculum, including

lab experiments developed by Beyond Benign. The chemistry department’s budget will not be changed, even when this program is solidified. Laurie Centauri, a chemistry instructor stated, “With this commitment, we are gaining access to resources on how to incorporate the green chemistry principles, as well as access a support network of other professionals and colleges that have also signed the green chemistry commitment.”

“With this commitment, we are gaining access to resources on how to incorporate the green chemistry principles,”

- Laurie Centauri

The lab experiments provided by Beyond Benign encourage students to determine which ‘greening’ principles can be applied to the study.

Centauri said, “We actually have been greening our labs for many years. We actively look for ways to decrease the number of solvents we use, choose more sustainable chemicals, and use biological starting materials like red cabbage powder when we can.”

This commitment gives scientists a chance to document our progress in greening chemistry labs.

With the addition of integrating green chemistry principles into the

curriculum, universities plan to encourage degrees in chemistry for students who are naturally drawn to the sciences.

Green chemistry is beneficial for safety in labs, in which Centauri said, “Using less toxic reactants in our chemistry lab experiments makes our classes safer, not only for our students, but our faculty and staff.” A safe chemistry lab will translate to a safer, cleaner environment. The green chemistry commitment is a voluntary, flexible framework built for science departments to progressively adopt the practice.

The committee strives to unite fields surrounding green chemistry, as they recognize that each institution has different capabilities in resources. By signing the Green Chemistry Commitment, the chemistry department agrees to incorporate the Green Chemistry Student Learning Objectives (GCSLO) within their respective departments. Each department plans to submit a streamlined annual report at the end of each academic year, which will highlight past accomplishments, as well as focusing on future goals of the GCC. The report tracks the progress of individual departments and the field as a whole, which is recorded as public records.

Departments can be part of the GCC by filing out required forms located on beyondbenign.com.

Gator Pantry Provides Food Security for Students By: Hansen Slane Staff Writer Green River Gator Food Pantry and other food services catered for students at the Free Pizza Party event.

While the free pizza drove hundreds of students into the Student Union Building on May 15, the real attraction was the information on food services offered openly to Green River students, which was still unknown to many. Green River has a simple and well-prepared system set in place to ensure that students do not struggle with food insecurity, which is the state of being without reliable access to nutritious foods.

The Green River Gator Food Pantry is a service for the Green River community dedicated to making sure that food insecurity is never a hindering factor in the success of those at Green River. The Director of Student Support Services, Jamie Hatleberg, said the program is meant to ensure access to food to the students of Green River.

The pantry is partnered with the Auburn, Kent, and Maple Valley food banks, who each help

to provide food for the pantry to give to those in need on campus.

The pantry itself does not collect food items, so it is provided all of its resources from the food banks it is partnered with. The service can lend short-term food services to those temporarily in need, and provide resources to those in the community who need long-term assistance. The Gator Food Pantry also protects the privacy of those who use its services.

The mission of the Gator Food Pantry is to completely eliminate food insecurity on the Green River campus. Green River strives to create an environment where students can focus on their studies, and that is made possible when students are not worrying about necessities such as food. While the Gator Food Pantry is not the most well-known of services offered to the students of Green River, it is always prepared to help those who need it.

Also present at the event to offer assistance to students on behalf of the Multi-Service Center was their Intake Specialist, Dana Riel. She was there to present Washington’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to students and

inform them of the benefits that they may be able to receive. Many people simply are not aware that they are eligible for this level of food assistance.

“A lot of people just don’t know about it,” Riel said. Benefits from SNAP are available based on the income of a household, with the qualifying incomes per household scaling for everything between the max monthly income for a one-person household of $2,023 and a max monthly income of a five-person household at $4,903. Programs such as this are always ready to help those who need it, and often the hardest part is managing to reach those people.

A primary goal of the Pizza Party event for the food services of Green River was to inform students who may not have known that they were eligible for assistance through SNAP that they could be qualified for such help. The support that SNAP provides can make a positive difference in any person’s life, especially if that person is a student.

The food pantry is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Affairs and Success Center (SA); it will be at its new location starting in June.

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Green River Selling Radio Property

Susi Acosta | Flickr.com

Kurt Cobain in the writing process, smoking a cigarette in the studio.

By: Stella Hagen Staff Writer At Green River College, plans to sell radio property in Enumclaw will pave way for renovations in the broadcasting department.

The college’s two radio stations, KGRG 89.9 FM and KGRG 1, have long been part of the school’s history. Entirely student-run, KGRG FM, a station emphasizing “Today’s Rock” since the late 1980s, became an official part of Green River College when it was licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1977.

Inspired by the Seattle grunge era, KGRG FM became one of the first radio stations to feature then-unknown bands such as MxPx, Emery, My Chemical Romance, Death Cab for Cutie, and an iconic alternative band in history, Nirvana. Kurt Cobain and Nirvana even performed in the Student Affairs building in 1989 as part of a fundraiser for KGRG FM. In 1996, to present students with even more opportunities to learn about broadcast journalism, the Green River College Foundation purchased a 500-watt radio station on five acres in Enumclaw.

“This was about the time that GRC opened up the Enumclaw branch campus building. It made sense to have that radio station because the foundation got it for really cheap,” said Tom Evans Krause, Director of Broadcast Operations.

After several years, the station (then called KENU) was moved to Green River’s Auburn campus to be side-by-side its sister station, KGRG FM. With input from students, KENU became “Pulse 1330” and began playing music from the techno/ electronic genre. As subsequent years saw the techno trend fading, the broadcast operations faculty were faced with a problem.

“We were trying to think, ‘Okay, well, what should we now do as far as putting music on that station?’”

Krause said. “Here was all this great music that KGRG made famous, but it’s sitting in the closet collecting dust. So, let’s pull it out and

play alternative oldies.”

Pulse 1330 became KGRG 1 and branded itself with a new slogan, “Your Classic Alternative.”

In the age of multimedia and online radio, the old Enumclaw radio station has become somewhat obsolete. With streaming capabilities on the KGRG 1 website, iHeartRadio, and its own app, selling the property and using that money toward improving the broadcast journalism department at Green River has become a priority.

The journalism department’s goals are best stated by Krause, “We want to renovate the area, add some additional studios, add some soundproofing, and have it be better organized in terms of our offices and studios for students for years to come. In order to do that, we need money.” Krause said, “I appeared before [the Foundation Board of Trustees], spoke before them, gave them our plans, answered many, many questions, and they voted unanimously that they could proceed with selling the license.”

“As long as there’s an educational purpose for the property, we’re happy to own it,” George Frasier, executive director of the Green River College Foundation, said. Recognizing the need for the broadcast journalism department to raise money for renovations, Frasier said that the Foundation was willing to put the property up for sale and write a check to the journalism department for $50,000.

Although the property has not yet been sold, Fraiser said, “We will continue to market it. When it sells, great. Otherwise the money is available to the broadcasting department when they need it."

Krause plans to work closely with industry professionals and engineers to transform KGRG FM into a multimedia facility. “We’re always making sure we ask the question time and time again, ‘This is the way things are now, but what can we do next?’ We want to make sure that the future students that come here will get the absolute latest of what’s going on in the media,” Krause said.

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Taylor Yamamoto | A&E Editor ae@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Childish Gambinos ‘This is America’ Speaks to Violent America By: Austin Sprague Staff Writer

that no matter how much chaos is happening in America, people will ignore it to instead focus on the Donald Glover, under his museemingly happy. It gets a little atsical alias “Childish Gambino”, tention, but it takes immense work made a serious statement with to stay focused on the bad. his most recent music video The most important part of called “This Is America”. the video, including these two Although it starts innocently examples, is that it’s not only a enough, with an elderly man calmly representation of America, but is plucking a guitar, it quickly dea representation of how African volves into a representation of what Americans are treated in America. and how America is today.

It is not just about the gun Glover shoots the man in the violence that is ever prevalent or back of the head and carefully how fast people stop caring after an hands the gun to someone off issue, but asks the important quesscreen. The man is grabbed by his tion, “what would America be like legs and dragged off screen, makif we loved Black people as much ing the first major as we do Black point of the muculture?,” said sic video. Guns “What would America actress Amandla are treated with Stenberg in a inrespect, while the be like if we loved Black terview by Vouge resulting dead are people as much as we do magazine given far less.

The lyrics areBlack culture” On top of this, - Amandla Stenberg just as important it’s fast. There is as the visual no delay before when it comes to people stop seeing and thinking examining the meaning behind the about the dead. With a variety of piece. Glover repeats many lines exaggerated dance moves, he holds heard in other popular songs while the viewer’s attention while chaos putting much more emphasis on happens all around him on screen. them than normal. He enunciates This continues the entire time until the lines one by one. eventually the warehouse it was Both the lyrics and the vidfilmed in appears abandoned. eo throughout the entire song It appears that Glover believes reference partying and having fun

despite the obvious chaos going on around them. He goes from telling people not to slip up, to talking about his lavish lifestyle, to warning about corruption among police.

It is an ideological roller coaster ride throughout.

His dance moves vary between pop culture references and historical references. Calling back to exaggerated variations of slave-era dances.

As for how the public has reacted, “This Is America” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

This is also the first time Glover has had a song at number one and it is quite an accomplishment for him.

In the first week of the music video being on YouTube, it was viewed 85.3 million times and is currently just over 139 million views. It currently has 51.6 million plays on Spotify and none of this looks to be slowing down any time soon due to the media coverage on the video.

Whether he expected this large of a reaction or not, Glover certainly deserves it. In a time where the country is very divided it helps to make sure we as a country are aware of the issues faced by real people.

It is very rare that someone is able to call attention to the gun violence and racism of America in such a tasteful way. And it is important for people to recognize the issues that face the country .

Wikimedia.org Childish Gambino looking out at the audience while preforming out stage .

‘A Quiet Place’ Presents Exciting an New Addition to Thriller Genre By: Mya Rivera Staff Writer The suspenseful movie “A Quiet Place”, has given audiences an interesting new take on the horror genre.

The movie is about creatures with supersonic hearing that are inhabiting Earth and have declined the human population over a period of time. In this world, a family must struggle to survive.

The movie was directed and co-written by John Krasinski who is most famous for his role as Jim Harper from the tv show “The Office”. It was different to witness the actor again after all this time as he has transitioned from comedy to horror. Emily Crosslin, student, was delighted to witness the handsome actor on screen in a different light.

In the opening scene, we meet the family of five. Everyone is silent and wearing no shoes.

The most intense moment in the scene is the youngest child who is trying to reach a toy rocket on a high shelf. The toy quickly begins to fall but is caught by his oldest sister just in time. It’s clear that no noise must be made if a person values their life.

There are two time jumps in the movie. They are there to show the audience how long it’s been since they first saw the family. And how

things have changed since the previous scene. Fellow student Janel Steele said, “The time jump…keeps you at the edge of your seat.”

For people who are not fans of time jumps, there is only two and they help people follow the narrative of the movie. “Yeah, it definitely did” Crosslin said. “It was more fast paced, especially after the kid’s death.”

Even though the movie is quiet it’s not a silent movie. There are music and noises that happen in the movie. The sounds improve the movie by having some background music to add effect and without them, the movie would be lack the necessary impact.

Although, the quietness of the film wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. “I didn’t like how quiet the film was.”

Crosslin said. “There needed to be more music” There was little horror in the movie. It’s more of a suspenseful movie that holds your attention until the end. Although the death of some of the main characters leaves the audience heartbroken.

The movie compensates for that, by showing scenes of love and enjoyment. Those scenes significantly help keep the family realistic and relatable to the audience.

The movie was good, but it did leave many questions unanswered.

How long have the creatures been

on Earth? What is the government doing? Has anyone else found the creatures’ weakness? Do the creatures reproduce? None of these and several others are left unanswered in the film. If these questions are not important to the audience, then the movie did an excellent job portraying the family’s struggle in the quiet place.

The characters were relatable and a bit predictable but did help bring new emotions and issues to the audience. The father, Lee, played

by Krasinski is difficult not to care about. His character shows how much he loves his family and wants to protect them. He does this by

teaching them how to survive, and discovering more about what the creatures are.

His character’s wife, played by Krasinki’s real life wife Emily Blunt, has one of the most intense scenes in the movie. The suspense of the scene grips the audience and keeps them on the edge of their seat.

Crosslin seemed to think so too as she said how cool the mother was during that intense scene.

Krasinski’s real life relationship with Blunt seemed to add much to the film, Steele said, “I thought the chemistry between John Krasinski and Emily Blunt was absolutely outstanding. It is a perfect mix

of thriller and drama; very family involved.” There is no mistake that the movie was a thriller. And the acting between Kransinki and Blunt showed how much their characters cared about each other.

This made their relationship believable and important to the audience.

Crosslin and Steele both said they would and have recommended the movie “A Quiet Place” to their friends. A sentiment echoed by many as the film was well recieved.

Overall, the movie is an excellent portrayal of the families struggle against adversity. And it kept the audience hooked on the narrative of the movie.

Nik Harkins | The Current The silhouette of John Krasinski making a sushing motion. This represents the theme of the movie as they must be quiet to survive.

Taylor Yamamoto | A&E Editor ae@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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Staticflickr.com Well known actor Ryan Reynolds posing in Deadpool’s costume, accurately portraying the charismatic, seductive, and comical nature of the anti-hero. He holds, in his hand, his iconic handgun from the original ‘Deadpool’ movie.

The Highly Anticipated ‘Deadpool 2’ Dominates Box Office By: Austin Sprague Staff Writer

The release of the highly anticipated film “Deadpool 2” raises the question will it live up to the hype of its precursor?

The original “Deadpool” was the second highest grossing R rated movie of all time and the highest grossing opening weekend of any R rated movie according to Entertainment Weekly, coming in at just over $132 million domestically.

“Deadpool 2” opened in 791 more theaters than the original, so it seems likely that it will reach or pass the amount the original “Deadpool” grossed, especially considering “Deadpool 2” has been out for three days, while “Deadpool”

was in theaters for 126 days.

As of May 20, “Deadpool 2” is looking like it may very well beat that figure. It is currently estimated to have made $125 million and it still has the rest of the day to go.

That is just on the domestic front, worldwide it’s currently pushing just over $300 million. This is where the movies could run into some problems though, as it won’t be playing in some major markets.

Neither “Deadpool” nor “Deadpool 2” opened in China. They just don’t have the same market as most Marvel movies. The issue with this is “Deadpool 2” is being compared to traditional Marvel movies, when it just really isn’t.

Now, stats alone do not always entirely decide whether a movie

is worth watching however, they do here. It was filled with nonstop comedy and action. It felt odd to go more than a few minutes without laughing your guts out.

Like the first movie, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. “Deadpool 2” is well aware of what it is and what they’re doing, and they execute it wonderfully. “Deadpool 2”, sadly, didn’t live up to its origin though. The first movie left audiences doubled over in laughter, but this movie didn’t quite get there.

Some reasons the new film might not have reached the level of it’s predecessor are. First that the movies had different directors, so they felt a little bit different which created a strange feeling.

Though they had the same

writers and Ryan Reynolds even got to help write the second one which certainly did it favors. The differences in director style were somewhat minor, but definitely very noticeable.

The second was that this movie had a lot of hype around it. The first “Deadpool” was amazing so people went into the second one expecting it to be even better. The first movie had significantly less hype around it. People were happy to have a “Deadpool” movie but it’s hard to know what to expect from an entirely new movie.

It was more of a cautious optimism whereas “Deadpool 2” is expected to be better than the original “Deadpool”.

The final reason was that the

first “Deadpool” felt very much like a superhero comedy. That’s amazing and exactly what the average viewer wanted out of it.

“Deadpool 2” fell short in this category. It was still a wonderful comedy, but it felt a bit less like a superhero movie and more like an action movie.

Overall, so long as people enjoyed the kind of comedy “Deadpool” has to offer they will certainly enjoy “Deadpool 2”. If still on the fence, people aren’t going to miss out on much by waiting for it to come out online.

Although, this story-line doesn’t really matter. It’s a good, entertaining, fun, “family friendly”movie. “Deadpool 2” is definitely worth a watch.

The Theater Group Heavier Than Air Productions Presents: ‘Oklahoma!’

By: Kea Isoefo Staff Writer Heavier Than Air Productions is presenting the critically acclaimed musical “Oklahoma!”

Taking place in the early 1900s, the musical, made by well-known composer Richard Rogers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II, was brought to Broadway in 1943.

Based on the play “Green Grow the Lilacs” by Lynn Riggs, an American playwright, screenwriter and author, the musical takes place in the Oklahoma territory. It’s a two-act play, telling the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her budding relationships with farm hands, Curly McLain and Jud Fry. The period of time when “Oklahoma!” was first presented was known as the Golden Age of musical theater. This was due to all the shows competing to be on Broadway at the time. And the sheer amount of people showing up for performances.

The production of the play did so well during its opening season, it ended with 2,212 performances.

And didn’t close until five years later in 1948. Although it ended in Broadway after five years, it lasted a

total 10 years off Broadway.

The actors preformed all around the country for various audiences, including for the military. In fact, the play did so well in its opening years, it has been revived and performed overseas, in places such as Japan in 2006. Also in 2012, the musical was done by 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle.

In 1955, the musical was made into a movie starring Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae. Even though the play was a big success, the film did just as well and won many awards such as the Academy Award for best music.

The reason why the play is so influential is due to the fact that it is the first integrated musical of its time. As well as the innovative techniques used to make the acting, songs and plot flow. This served as the template for the way musicals should be made.

When asked about what inspired the decision to put this show on Terry Woyvodich, house manager of Heavier Than Air Productions, said, “It’s been on the burner for a couple of years now.” The reason for this was because there are “no roles for kids at all.” She said lots of families attend and participate in

the performances of these shows.

Woyvodich also said during the preformance the audience can expect “lots of great music, lots of great dancing and choreography.”

Many students have not heard the play was being brought to Green River. Kai Hicks, 18, who is a Running Start student majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics, said, “I have not heard about the play, but I have gone to one and I thought it was pretty cool.”

Chung Shi, an international student who has been at Green River for one year, said, “I’m not really

into musicals, no,” When asked if he would attend one if he knew when and how much it costed, he said “yes, just for the experience.”

With more promotion of these plays, people could appreciate musicals and gain more respect than they already have for the arts.

The Heavier Than Air Productions’ Green River performances will be from June 22-24.

Tickets for purchase are $12 in advance but can be purchased at the door for $14 if available. Friday, June 22, has one showing at 7 p.m.

While Saturday, June 23, has two

showings, one is at 2 p.m. and the other is at 7 p.m. The last show is on Sunday, June 24, at 2 p.m. Students are encouraged to buy tickets in advance as previous shows have sold out completely before the performance date.

To see more information and support the preformance, the flyer for the musical can be found on the Heavier Than Air Productions website (heavierthanair.com). To purchase the tickets, click the Get Involved tab on the Green River website. Then, under Theater, you will find links to buy the tickets.

Staticflickr.com The cast of the muscial “Oklahoma!” staring and the women portraying Aunt Eller as she preformes her monologue for the audience.

The Situation May 9, around noon in front of the Student Union (SU), Anthony Parish and his associate Ramon preached their ‘gospel’ against Sharia Law to students. They used their right to free speech in Green River’s free speech zone.

Parish wore a fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uniform. He is in no way associated with law enforcement. His uniform was incomplete ‘with different pants,’ according to Ramon.

Around Parish and Ramon were four signs, two stating that Parish was not a real ICE officer. He also wore a body camera on his chest that he explained was for protection so that he had proof if anyone did anything illegal.

Ramon wore jeans and a black shirt reading, “Protect this house I will,” but his clothing did not seem related to his speech. One of their signs stated “Free yourself from Sharia,” in bold letters. In smaller text were arguments sourcing pages they claimed were from the Qur’an.

“He doesn’t even know the difference between the verses of the Qur’an and Hadith. He’s bringing up random stuff that he found from google translate and online,” said Ysmin Omer, a student who was present and, like many others, argued against Parish’s rhetoric.

According to public records, Parish and other associates came to campus Oct. 26, 2017. They were in the commons preaching against homosexuals. That day, there were three direct complaints regarding hateful speech and aggressive approach in that area.

Jordyn Mitchem, a student that interacted with Parish in Oct., said, “[It’s sick that] people can sit here and tell us that we will burn in hell and continue to show their faces where they aren’t wanted.”

Parish’s campus presence got a bigger response this time. A crowd

of students and faculty formed around the pair. Security had the crowd clear the walkway repeatedly. Auburn police were called on Parish for his impersonation of an officer. Since Parish’s uniform was not complete and was being used for free speech, it was not illegal and Parish was not arrested or taken off campus.

Parish and Ramon know their rights and are careful not to cross lines. They legally spoke on a state-funded campus and Green River does not have the grounds to remove someone expressing free speech unless they are expressing direct threats or acts of violence, disrupting classes, speaking inside the facilities, or are a student.

Those practicing free speech on campus may inform the school ahead of time, which is preferred, but not legally required.

A student pushed down one of Parish’s signs, which falsely read, “Islamophobia is a term invented to silence the critics of Islam.”

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, islamophobia is the “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against Islam or people who practice Islam.”

The signs are private property and students can be charged if they grab or attempt to destroy them.

Knowing his rights, Ramon called the police on one student without hesitation. The student was not charged, but the police did speak to her and campus security. Others in the crowd attempted to grab the signs but were stopped by others.

Carlos Adams, an American Minority and Ethnic Studies teacher who brought his class to observe and interact with Parish and Ramon as a learning experience, said, “You have to use these things as a learning moment. You have to be able to know what the opposition is saying in order to form your own

Controversial Speaker Sparks Debate Over Free Speech

By Margo Mead Copy Editor

Page designed by Dee Senaga

Who is this? belief.”

Kaedyn Kashmir | The Current

Anthony Parish used to live in Texas and attends the South Park Missionary Baptist Church in Seattle, which has a public rating of 1.8 stars. He preaches in front of many Mosques as well as other colleges and has been seen at Kent Station.

“I preach the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the death, burial, and resurrection,” Parish said. “[I talk] about what sin is and how people can be saved from their sins.”

Parish was joined by one of his associates, Ramon. Both were speaking through the campaign coalition—Anti-Jihad Coalition—

which according to its Facebook page, asks people to raise awareness of their concerns for “Jihadi militant Islamists and help in the fight against Islamization.” The group supports activities of protest throughout the year and has 590 likes. The page was taken down July 11, 2017, as it was violating Facebook’s public policy. The ban was for 24 hours, but the page was shut down for weeks.

Parish’s signs advertised their website, Counter Jihad Coalition, “A coalition countering Jihad on the streets.” The website and the Facebook page are run by the same organization. Parish and his associate do not run this organization but share its beliefs.

The two are also associated with “Acts of Truth”, which has a YouTube channel that seems to be run

by Parish’s associate, Ramon. The group was best described in one of their own videos by Terry Kyllo, A Lutheran Pastor, who defined the organization as “a well-funded organization that’s a hate group that is here to spread misinformation about Muslims.” Acts of Truth seems to follow the same beliefs of the Anti-Jihad Coalition.

Student R Ammar Mubeen

What he’s written in his pamphlet on the things that are being followed kistan Saudi Arabia etc.

Those are the interpretations of th government thinks the Qur’an is say of bigots, narrow-minded and oppr holy text to be bigoted, narrow-mind country will follow that bigotry, nar ligious scripture.

It can be any religion. The Bible cit cites instances of violence, the Ved sites instances of violence, and all of

My opinion of what he’s saying is b I feel and to cause chaos a bit just t Everything that he says he’s taking o it out of not good intentions. He’s her nity, he’s here to cause racial tension that he’s talking about this, because y troversy about the subject going on a people and he shouldn’t even be here

Reggie Mckenzie

Mixed feelings, I feel that as an A have the right to say what he want think that it’s a little disappointing th different level and he decide to be of And there’s nothing wrong to brin ic but nothing where you wear this against people that almost entails tha tile, you know?

I personally don’t mind him bein much I just find it disappointing.

Margo Mead | The Current

Margo Mead | The Current

Margo Mead | The Current

GRC Response By: William Baliton Staff Writer

Melanie Bell | The Current

Reactions Student Rights

t is basically a generalization based d in other Muslim countries like Pa-

he Qur’an on the basis of what their ying, and so if a government is full ressive people and they interpret a ded and oppressive. Then that entire rrow minded perspective on that re-

tes instances of violence, the Qur’an da, which is Hindu’s holy scripture, f them site against it.

Akarim Avi

basically, he’s just here for attention to stir up everyone at Green River. out of context. He’s basically saying re to mess with the Muslim communs in a way and I feel like the reason you can see that there’s a lot of conand so he’s causing tension between e. That’s how I feel.

American natural born citizen, you ts and its freedom of speech, but I hat he takes freedom of speech to a ffensive. nging awareness of any type of tops shirt and have these harsh words at you are almost being a little hos-

ng here, I don’t take offence super

The First Amendment of our Constitution states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Free speech is critical in a progressive democracy, as it allows for the free exchange of ideas, protects our religious beliefs and allows citizens to fight against tyranny.

There are some restrictions on freedom of speech, and even more for students.

In the context of personal property, which includes signs and objects for symbolic speech. Destruction, vandalism, and defacement, of personal property is illegal. Lar-

ceny, which refers to the taking of someone else’s property without the use of force, is also illegal. If someone were to take the personal property of a public speaker, they may be charged with larceny.

Students should never attempt to touch, move or destroy any sort of symbolic speech as they may be charged with a crime.

Some Practical Suggestions for Controversial or Offensive speech • • • •

and staff asking where Green River would draw the line between free speech and harassment and what Green River College President students and staff could do to Suzanne Johnson hosted a forum counter offensive speech. One panon free speech in the River Room of elist suggested that the best way to the Student Union building in recounter offensive speech is to ensponse to an incident that occurred gage with an individuals’ own free on campus. speech or to ignore the offensive A panel made of several faculspeech altogether. Jansen said that ty members gave presentations the best way is to turn their cause on the topic of free speech. The into something satirical and “Make panel members consisted of staff it into the absurdity it already is.” members Allison Jansen of the An audience member then asked Political Science faculty, Devon if the college had the authority to Klein, a counselor for Green River remove speakers like Anthony and Counseling SerRamon. The vices, Mary Jane panelists said “Stay firm in your Swenson of the that the college Criminal Justice did not have beliefs, stay firm to faculty, Frank the authority to your values and live Primiani of the remove speakers Business Adminyour life accordingly.” from campus. istration faculty, At one point, - Dr. Suzanne Johnson, president Marvin Viney, Marwa AlmusaAssistant Director wi, the Director of Campus Safety, Derek Ronnfeldt, of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Director of Campus Safety, Dr. Deb and Inclusion, stepped forward Casey, Vice President of Student and redirected the Q&A. “This Affairs, and John Clark, Assistant could cause violence,” Almusawi Attorney General. said about the incident. She then The forum began with a speech said that Parish and his associate from Johnson, explaining that the Ramon belonged to a known hate forum’s purpose was to have an group, the “Anti-Jihad Coalition.” open discussion of what free speech Following this, several audience is, what the parameters of free members raised questions to the speech are, and asking the audience panelists about the safety of Green what she could do for them.

River and its students. One panelist Following Johnson’s opening asked what the college would

Focus on colleges values of tolerance and civility.

Do not assume the college agrees with the speaker’s viewpoint.

Recognize free speech issues and role of the speaker.

Promote campus inclusiveness through campus events and celebrations Margo Mead | The Current

FREEDOM OF SPEECH Allowed • • • • •

•

Not speak.

Of students to wear black armbands to school to protest a war.

To use offensive words and phrases to convey political messages.

To contribute money to political campaigns.

To advertise commercial products and professional services (with some restrictions).

To engage in symbolic speech.

Not Allowed • • •

• •

To incite actions that would harm others.

To make or distribute obscene materials.

To permit students to print articles in a school newspaper over the objections of the school administration.

Of students to make an obscene speech at a school-sponsored event.

Of students to advocate illegal drug use at a school-sponsored event. uscourts.gov

speech, the panel hosts introduced themselves and gave opening statements on what free speech was.

After the panel’s opening statements, information about the incident that occurred on Wednesday, May 9 was presented.

Following this was a PowerPoint presentation which went over the aspects of protected speech, which the panel said encompassed speech relating, but not limited to, political and religious topics. The panel also said that protected speech extended to speech regarding unpopular opinions.

The panel said that speech is unprotected when it is provocative, incites violence, or promotes terrorism. They added that interpretations of unprotected speech are ambiguous and, given this, unprotected speech is hard to identify.

Following the panel’s free speech presentation, the forum was opened to questions.

The Q&A began with students

do if an issue like this escalated, especially with the current political climate. The panel said that the college has a close partnership with the Auburn Police, and if any instance of escalation occurred, the police would arrive in minutes to diffuse the situation.

At the forum’s close, panelists were given a chance to provide closing statements. One of the panelists said that the next time something like this happens, students and staff are encouraged to get creative with how to deal with offensive speakers.

Another panelist said that our country is built on debate and that if individuals disagree with or are offended by something a speaker says, individuals should exercise their rights to free speech as well and stand against what is offensive.

Johnson said that the discussion should not end with the forum, but instead be the beginning of an even greater discussion.

8

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submisson

May 23, 2018

Melanie Bell | Managing Editor melrbell15@gmail.com www.thegrcurrent.com

First Love a poem by Annamarie Graver, Graphic Designer

Annamarie Graver | The Current

studentsubmissions Students may submit short stories, graphics, photos, drawings, poems, etc.

Not guaranteed to be published.

Must be sent to the editor@thegrcurrent.com We encourage students to submit whatever they wish and to use this as a creative space.

Deadlines: May 31

Laying in the corner of my childhood, Is the silhouette of my very first love.

A tiger striped back, wooden beauty that Can sing the most beautiful pieces known.

Elegance, love, and grace unfold with it.

And even though you were older than I, We were the perfect pair, maybe soulmates.

Together we told stories with no words.

We played in a symphony of daydreams.

One stroke was all it took to bring silence.

Silence! Is what I remember the most.

Laying in the corner of my childhood, Is a photograph, etched with old age: A timeless stamp of our accomplishments.

You and I, bowing to the world, Family members clapping away forFor what? What is it that made us so great?

The countless hours spent practicing a piece?

The ribbons won at some competitions?

The cursive that identifies your worth?

Or maybe, the teacher who teachers me?

Laying in the corner of my childhood, Are shoes that were worn to a funeral.

Bad luck had found my family you see, Death, had become the antagonist and, Left no mercy for the simplest things.

The last time we sang our last melody, Was at a graveyard, Grace etched into stone.

Sorrow was our accompanist that day.

And even though it wasn’t the grandest stage, We made the best of it, the best for her.

Our hearts counted the measures we playedOne-two-three-four: and repeat again.

In the end, there was no bow, no award.

My heart felt numb, my hand gripped yours through it.

It was sad, cause we knew we were over, The antagonist won in this story.

That night, when I was alone, I cleaned you.

I made sure there was no rosin left by, I stained your wood till it reflected light, I replaced one of your strings the last time.

And then, without a word given to you, I set you down in your own resting place.

In my heart, I thanked you a hundred times.

You were my first love and I promised you, I promised you, I would come back some day.

A day where we would think back to our youth.

Laying in the corner of my childhood, Is the coffin to my very first love.

A dusty, wooden violin playing A tune, alone, for me to hear again.

opinion

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Nik Harkins| Opinion Editor nik.harkins@gmail.com www.thegrcurrent.com

9 May 23, 2018

Who Decides When Force Becomes Excessive?

Editorial

With growing public concern over excessive use of force by federal organizations, defining when violence crosses a line is becoming increasingly difficult.

In recent weeks, Israel has been criticized by the United Nations (UN) and countries the world over for excessive force used by their Israeli Security Forces (ISF) against Palestinian protesters. Following the killing of at least 60 Palestinians, including 8 children by the ISF, governments like Ireland are tightening sanctions against Israel, demanding change and accountability.

The UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC) has opened an official inquiry into Israel’s practices, appalled at what they claim are egregious human rights violations. The HRC is vocal about such violations the world over.

Their efforts range from criticism of weak child marriage regulation to voicing concerns over the potential human rights threat posed by climate change and pollution.

Debate over all these topics is heated, but perhaps none so much as excessive use of force. What gives any government a right to decide

what is considered excessive? Cultural and political factors may be at play that are too complex for external sources to properly understand. Media coverage may be biased. There may be alternative political motivations in judging excessive use of force.

No country is without its own human rights violations, making these conversations often at least somewhat hypocritical. Nevertheless, this does not preclude any nation or organization from participating in discussions around excessive force. Responding to these issues absolutely should be an international concern, but such concerns must be navigated carefully.

It’s because of these needs that the UN exists to begin with. Because it is a cooperative organization made up of 193 countries, it has only as much power as its members ascribe it. In theory, these nations work together to resolve conflicts in a culturally sensitive manner. More countries need to mind this approach.

Odd as it sounds, determining when something is a rights violation is cultural. France provided a clear example of this in 2010 when it first banned the burqa and niqab, claiming that these

were symbols of oppression and gender-based violence. Their efforts were clearly misguided and ignorant despite good intentions. Understanding our own cultural context is crucial to understanding when people are actually being victimized as opposed to when we perceive them to be.

It cannot stop here. Though the UN works to address cultural context in human rights violations, it is important to understand the social and political position of perceived victims. They may, as in the case of France, hold much more complex and nuanced views around the topic. They may feel there is no problem at all, at which point legislation itself becomes a violation.

However, this raises new concerns. If we consider cultural context, we must also ask when human rights surpasses cultural consideration. A clear example is genital mutilation, a common practice in some parts of the world facing heavy criticism for being excessively violent, regardless of cultural context.

In contrast, the disregard for culture critics often have has itself been subject to great debate.

We must also understand the power structures influencing all of

these factors. A group may not see themselves as facing violence and oppression because of the influence of their culture or government. This is seen in the case of genital mutilation, where the practice is culturally ingrained. An extreme example is North Korea, where citizens are starving and impoverished, yet their information is carefully controlled to sculpt their perception of the rest of the world.

Judging excessive use of force may seem simple, but it is a topic that must be approached carefully. It is not enough to judge against one’s own cultural values without listening to the voices of the victims and examining the potentially oppressive cultural power structures they exist within.

These principles apply not just on a global scale, but on a personal one. Recognizing violence and oppression of our peers and acting to protect those who may be harmed must still follow these ideas. The desire to help absolutely must be tempered with thoughtful cultural consideration, or else it risks becoming oppression itself.

Editorials reflect the opinions of the entire editing staff of The Current.

Closed Childcare Facilities Crucial to Students Childhood Education faculty explore re-opening program By: Krishna Srini Staff Writer Tensions rise as Green River College (GRC) deliberates further action for an on-campus childcare center facility for student parents.

More than a year ago, GRC’s childcare center was shut down, with most of its patronage coming from non-GRC-affiliated customers. The childcare center, hosted by the school, was actually run by a private third-party childcare company. The Children’s Home Society, who would send staff and faculty to manage the facilities and provide childcare services and expertise, was previously managing the childcare facilities before the project was put on hold by the college.

The land for the childcare facilities was donated to the college by a private owner on the condition that it be used solely for the purpose of providing childcare services that are simple and convenient for student parents who otherwise may be

Editorial Policy

forced to use sub-par, unaffordable, far-away childcare facilities, or even have to bring their young children to class with them.

Currently, student parents have no on-campus access to childcare services. The closest option is Covington KinderCare, which has a waitlist and relatively hefty enrollment fees.

Furthermore, an enrollment-based childcare facility would come with its own set of disadvantages for student parents, such as the inability to drop your child off for just an hour or two during classes, and no late evening hours for students who balance work during the day and school at night. These issues would be solved by an on-campus childcare facility available strictly for GRC students.

The current state of Green River’s childcare building, which is located just south of Lea Hill Park, is up in the air. However, there is speculation about collaboration with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and GRC to create a new

The Current is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions without censorship or advanced approval. The opinions of the opinion stories are that of the writer and the writer alone. If you have an opposing viewpiont feel free to write The Current a Letter to the Editor at editor@thegrcurrent.com

childcare program for student parents using the currently abandoned Green River property.

We “need to focus on our students,” said Early Achievers Program Coordinator Diana Holz, from the Early Childhood Education Department (ECED). “There is currently no option that the college provides,” Holz continued when asked about what students do for childcare. The previous childcare center only offered full-time daycare rather than simply a few hours here and there that student parents would require while in class.

The Green River College ECED is naturally very passionate about expanding the department and childcare facilities on campus. The ECED will be heading a new fouryear program this upcoming fall quarter for a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Mental Health, making GRC one of just four colleges in America that offer this specific program.

“We have high standards for Early Childhood Education here,”

Theft Policy

Blake Latta | The Current The GRC Child Care Center playground has been abandoned since last year. says Leslie Kessler, the department head, who also noted it only makes sense that Green River would hold high standards for any third-party collaboration that may happen with the on-campus childcare center. “We hope to bring back some sort of childcare facility for parent students as early as this fall,” Holz added.

However, the potential collaboration for the childcare center doesn’t end with the YMCA. Another option would potentially involve the school, giving Early Childhood Education students hands-on experience as well as cutting costs of running a childcare center. This

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Letters to the Editor

would be done through the introduction of a program which would allow students in the ECED to work or volunteer at the on-campus childcare center. This would not only grow the confidence of the students who are learning about child development and caregiving but also give them work experience that would be invaluable for their careers after graduating from GRC. Green River’s ability to capitalize on the childcare center would be beneficial for not only the school by saving money, but also the student parents, their children, and the students in the early childhood care programs.

The Current encourages its readers to be involved and will accept letters of 400 words or less for publication. Anonymous letters are not accepted and the editors reserve the right to reject or edit letters for space, taste and legal concerns. All letters become property of The Current. Send letters to editor@ thegrcurrent.com.

10 May 23, 2018

opinion

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Nik Harkins | Opinion Editor nik.harkins@gmail.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Boy Scouts Faces Controversy Amid Welcoming of Girls By: Alexander Gentry Staff Writer Societal progress was made recently as Boy Scouts announced it would allow both girls and boys to participate in their scouting programs.

This change comes from Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh, who said “the values of Scouting—trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, brave and reverent, for example—are important for both young men and women.”

He also said that this change would help bring the teachings of Boy Scouts, such as leadership, to as many families as possible.

The change will allow girls ages 11-17 to join the Boy Scouts and be able to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement of the Boy Scouts program, starting February 2019.

The change also comes with a new name.

Boy Scouts will become just Scouts under the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) umbrella organization in order to accommodate the now gender-neutral program.

This change, however, was not met without criticism. Of these critics, the biggest was the Girl Scouts.

After the announcement of this change, the Girl Scouts attempted to take shots at the Boy Scouts, saying that they have “the expertise to give girls and young women the tools they need for success.”

This opinion may come from the group’s

different focuses. While Boy Scouts has focused on outdoor activities such as hiking and canoeing, Girl Scouts has focused on a mix of outdoor and leadership activities, as well as cultivating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities for girls.

Girl Scout troop activities vary by locality and troopers’ interests. As a result, some have come to criticize the program’s lack of outdoorsy activities, despite the organization’s historical start as an outdoors club for girls.

Boy Scouts has remained focused primarily on wilderness programs through the use of their merit badges, but Girl Scouts has split their focus among several areas to provide opportunities where girls are underrepresented.

With this in mind, Girl Scouts’ is partially responsible for the critique of their program offerings due to the fact that their program hasn’t changed with the times. If they had, they could have teamed up with the Boy Scouts instead of rivaling them.

This hope of working together was also seen on campus as well. When asked about the possibility of these organizations collaborating to meet scouting needs, Green River student Ashley Halfhill welcomed the idea, saying the Girl Scouts could “tell them what they’ve learned” from working with girls for over 100 years.

Some have also criticized the new change

Annamarie Graver | The Current

Boys and Girls of all ages are now welcome to participate in Boy Scouts of America’s programs. due to boys and girls now being in constant interaction with each other. The concern comes the fear that boys will either be anxious or not as focused on their activities with girls among them.

However, this fear is misinformed. The troops, known better as “dens,” will remain separated by gender. They will also not have the same Scoutmaster. Therefore, there would be very little contact between the two genders during Boy Scouts programs.

The possibility of such, however, is still a concern among some. One of those people is Green River student Stephanie Bergquist, who was okay with the change “as long it doesn’t get to a point to where they’re forced to room together or share personal space” and said that there should be separation between

genders like they BSA is doing.

This concern should be taken with a grain of salt. If there was any such infusion, parents would surely be vocal about their sons and/or daughters sleeping in the same room with the opposite gender. It simply wouldn’t be a smart move for the organization.

Some are also concerned about a change in the program due to the inclusion of girls.

This can also be disproven. According to a pdf released about frequently asked questions in regards to this change, they will make zero changes to the program and girls will be offered the same curriculum as boys.

Overall, this change will be beneficial to girls, giving them wider options on what sorts of activities they wish to occupy their childhood with. May it be filled with joy.

Marijuana and Makeup Industries Collide By: Kea Isoefo Staff Writer

Marijuana has been around for ages, but it is becoming a hot topic in the beauty community in particular.

Both Cannabidiol (CBD) oil and hemp oil may be beneficial to those with skin problems, such as inflammation or acne. Like other skin care products claim, they can help with wrinkles because they contain high amounts of vitamins A and D, which are vital to skin health.

Vitamin D absorbed through the skin can be metabolized into the hormone calcitriol, which helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamin A contains important compounds known as retinols, which encourage skin cell turnover and prevent collagen breakdown.

Both vitamins also help regulate DNA and cell production. Together, they contribute to cell health and help make the human body healthy inside and out.

The benefits of marijuana have been under heavy research by scientists since its legalization in some states. CBD oil and hemp oil, or hemp-seed oil, are not legal in all states, but companies are open to distribute products depending on how much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) they contain. The federal laws for this subject remain unclear, but state laws vary accordingly.

Many know how marijuana can support one’s emotional state and physical health by relieving pain from chronic diseases.

CBD oil and hemp oil are both obtained from Cannabis sativa, but come from different strains of the plant.

Hemp oil comes from one that is low in both THC and CBD and is extracted exclusively from cleaned seeds.

CBD oil is extracted from the stalks, leaves, and flowers of strains that are high in CBD and low in THC. Neither contain significant amounts of THC and are designed this way in order to eliminate psychoactive effects.

Companies are creating products that contain CBD or hemp oil, though there is no particular reason for this beyond reaching out to a certain audience. For example, Milk Makeup has a product called Kush Mascara which contains CBD oil. According to Refinery29, Samantha Sasso said her lashes felt “softer and less tangled” without mascara on after using the product for three days.

Because skincare and makeup are so personal, another critical, yet informative stance on this comes from MarijuanaBreak, a website created to provide information about marijuana. It is always good to do a small test on a patch of skin to ensure there are no allergic reactions to the makeup. If itching or stinging occurs, it would be good to stop use of the product. If such a product works for ones’ skin, then they should use it.

Laura Vansteenvoort, 62, a staff member of the Tutoring Center in the library, was asked if she would consider trying products with CBD oils in them. She said, “I would consider trying for family.” She elaborated on how members of her family have “aches and pains” and they have heard about these products. When CBD products that help with skin were mentioned, she reiterated that she would try it out.

An anonymous source said she has lotions with hemp oil in them, but she just bought them for the scents.

If people were more educated about the science behind these products, they might be more inclined to try them.

Attend A trAnsfer InformAtIon sessIon! To register visit: www.uwb.edu/admissions/visit/transfer

www.uwb.edu

425.352.5000

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Blake Latta | Sports Editor sports@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

11 May 23, 2018

Slater The Gator: The Man Behind The Mask

Krishna Srini | The Current

Rob Pedicone with Slater the Gator head.

By:Krishna Sirini Staff Writer

Rob Pedicone, 27, has been the man behind the mask of the Green River College Gator Mascot since the winter of 2017.

Pedicone, who has been working as the Recreation and Athletics Coordinator for

clunky feet attachments give being Slater the about one year now, says he decided to start Gator a steep learning curve when it comes to working at Green River because of the fresh general functionality and moving around in new leadership of President Dr. Johnson the gator suit. as well as the school’s positive and healthy Pedicone goes on further to explain that environment. Pedicone has recently taken because of the student, staff, and visitor attiover the role of mascot as Slater the Gator tudes towards the gator mascot, it is always a from student AJ Patel, who was Green River’s fun time when playing the role of Slater. “You Gator mascot previously. feel kinda like a superheThe relatively new ro in the suit.� Pedicone addition to the ever-insaid, in regards to how creasing onslaught of “The goal of Slater he is treated when interinitiatives taken by the the Gator is to connect acting with people while college to promote school spirit was recently named with others and to be a in the suit.

Mascots can only com“Slater� as voted by Green great representative for municate non-verbally, River students. Pedicone Green River� so Pedicone noted that has had only a handful of - Rob Pedicone, RAC coordinator he grew accustomed to student and Recreation fist bumps, high fives, and Athletic Center (RAC) hugs and dancing in employee predecessors who order to match and surpass the energy levels had taken on the role of representing Green of his audience or to set the bar for school River as the gator mascot. AJ Patel, Artur spirit at an event. “It all starts with a friendly, Issakhanov, and Paul Meas had all played the approachable demeanor.� Pedicone said, “The role of Slater the Gator before Pedicone had goal of Slater the Gator is to connect with taken over the position as the school’s locally others and to be a great representative for infamous mascot.

Green River.�

Pedicone, however, accounts fondly of his The events that Slater the Gator attends experiences so far as being Slater the Gator. seems to have no end, when asked about the “My first appearance as the Gator was back type of events he must mascot as the gator in, in Fall 2017 at a Board of Trustees meeting.�

Pedicone said that “Slater the Gator has made Pedicone said, “The whole time in my head appearances for athletic games, noteworthy I was like, don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall.� meetings, special events on campus, and for Pedicone notes that the limited eyesight and

A Strong End to a Difficult Baseball Season

Congratulations Graduate

By: Janel Steele Staff Writer

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new student orientations. Also, Slater has been used as a model for College Relations in numerous publications.� Pedicone further accounts one notable event during his time so far as Slater the Gator was the international program’s new student orientation for spring quarter. “The interaction with new international students was amazing.� Pedicone said, “People were hyped to see Slater the Gator.�

At the same time, there was also an event with local high school students visiting Green River who were also excited to meet Slater the Gator. “I’ve never been hugged so many times in my life.� Pedicone said, recalling the event fondly.

Being Slater, the Green River Gator, although fun, is hard work. Pedicone accounts that he as Slater as well as members of the RAC staff may take photos for over an hour during highly populated events. Standing, dancing and jumping in the hot sun while wearing a thick, heavy gator suit with only one point of ventilation. “I probably lose at least a couple pounds in sweat every time I wear it.� Pedicone said, in regards to the hard work required to play the part of a school mascot. Pedicone finds all the hard work worth it, however, as he says it is fulfilling work to interact with such a fun and diverse group of students while simultaneously representing Green River College in a light that reflects the positive, healthy, and fun attributes of the school.

@ ( )

Four game win streak for Green Rivers baseball team gives the players a boost of confidence for next game season.

The beginning of the men’s baseball season back in February didn’t start out as planned.

The team played the majority of their season with a 16 man roster due to injuries and eligibility issues, leaving them only three full-time pitchers. Many players had to fill roles that they were not anticipating, but did so to the best of their ability and learned a lot throughout this tough season.

After 16 loses in the beginning of the season, a win against a Pierce College team motivated the players after going into back to back weekends against Centralia and Grays Harbor, where they began to pick up more wins. “We sort of realized that we were capable to play up to anyone’s level if we put together an all around good game,� said utility player, Nick Bowersock.

Although the team is very proud of their successful four streak wins, coach Brian Embery says he is much more interested in the long-term lessons the team learns from each season. “Our success later in the year reflects progress for our athletes,� Embery said. “They cannot be reflected only in wins and losses.

Correlating the competitive athletic experience on the field and in the classroom with real life is my goal.�

Utility player, Tice Miller, received plenty of praise from his teammates after throwing over 130 pitches against Pierce College, a number big enough to injure an arm. Miller

ended up becoming the ace of the pitching staff and according to player Nick Demmeier, “[Miller] helped give many opportunities for the team to win.� After working hard in the off season, the team was hit with the several losses, causing them to forget what they were capable of. “I think that if we had just stayed even-keeled instead of getting caught up in the losses we could have done a little better.�

Bowersock said.

The team remained determined to finish the season strong and worked on the many strengths of each player. They each give credit to Embery for not giving up on them and being a good example. Good chemistry between the players played a big part in the motivation to play the best they could, and make the spring season a memorable one.

With tough competitors like Lower Columbia and Tacoma, who had much bigger rosters, the team was forced into disciplining themselves, as they knew it would take a lot of willpower.

Demmeier says, “It was a very fun playing against them,� demonstrating the player’s positive attitudes.

Green River, Centralia, and Grays Harbor are all very similar in their goals. “We all recognize I assume, the reality of battling for the 4th playoff spot.� Embery said, “Our goal as we begin each September is to play meaningful games in May.� Though they may have fallen short of their goal this year, Embery says that he is very proud of his team did well. “The spring season was one of growth and learning. Baseball at Green River is geared toward individual and team progress on the field and in their lives,� Embery said.

sports

thecurrent

12 May 23, 2018

Athlete Spotlight: Austin Wiebe

Nick Dobkins | Tyee High School

Wiebe driving to the hoop after calling a play

By: Ryan McConnell Staff writer For 19 year-old freshmen, Austin Wiebe, ever since he could remember, basketball has been a way of his and his family’s life.

Growing up in a family like Wiebe had, it would’ve been difficult not to love basketball.

With the torch being passed from his parents to him, basketball goes with the Wiebe’s like butter goes with toast, “My family always loved basketball.” Wiebe said, “My mom was a high school basketball coach and it was my dad’s favorite sport as well.” Being exposed to the sport as much as he did when he was younger, its no wonder Wiebe has a strong passion and love for the game.

Since he started playing, it’s been his drive to get better and develop his game that has kept Wiebe consistently coming back for more. Despite his unconditional love for basketball, he enjoys other things too. Some of his hobbies include hanging with his family and casually playing other sports such as swimming and playing football with friends.

As a business major, balancing the different aspects of life, like a social life with friends and family, personal relaxation time, and his career in basketball with his studies at Green River can be tough. When balancing those things, the main thing for Wiebe is understanding what his priorities are. “I would definitely say it’s difficult to balance my lifestyle,” Wiebe said. “I prioritize my studies first before my practices and games.”

Having a strong social life among all the chaos can be tough. Wiebe tends to not worry about that aspect of his life during the season, but still makes sure to set aside time to spend with his family and his close friends.

After graduating from Green River, he plans

to transfer to a four-year college to continue his educational and basketball careers.

When it comes down to his roots and remembering where he came from, Wiebe is a very humble guy. Coming from Tyee High School in Tukwila, he recognizes that his school has never gotten the same attention athletically as some other high schools in the area. Players typically don’t get recognized by colleges hoping to bring in good talent.

Although, Wiebe doesn’t mind, because now he doesn’t have to look far for potential sources of motivation to perform at his best every day.

With the outright support of his friends and family, Wiebe hopes that by playing against collegiate athletes, he can blaze a trail to the collegiate level for athletes like him, “Coming from a place where not many people have been successful coming out of.” Wiebe said, “I feel like if I can continue to move on to college basketball, it will create a path for a lot more athletes to play at the college level.”

Since joining the Green River Basketball team this year, Wiebe has noticed considerable strides in the mental and physical development of his game. As a six foot point guard who controls the ball the majority of the time, knowing when to attack the hoop himself and when to pass off to his teammates for better looks is key to, not only his personal success, but the entire team success as well. Wiebe acknowledges the development of his decision making ability and his overall basketball IQ. Despite the improvements he has made this year, Wiebe knows that he is not where he ultimately wants to be at skillswise. This next season he hopes to become a better defender and he hopes to do so by increasing his general quickness, whether it be getting up the floor faster to give himself better defensive positioning or increasing his lateral quickness while guarding a ball handler.

One major facet of his game that he hopes to improve on is a very common one for guards in today’s game. Considering his favorite National Basketball Association player is Golden State Warriors sharpshooter, Stephen Curry, Wiebe wants to become more like him and start knocking down threepoint shot attempts at a much more consistent rate, something that if done successfully will give his team a major upper hand when the clock is winding down and the game is on the line.

The final aspect of his game that Wiebe mentioned has improved but still needs work, is his leadership capability. At a position commonly known as “The Floor General”, communication with his coaches and teammates is key for him, not just on the court but off of it as well. “I love how close the team gets that it turns into a family,” Wiebe said. “I enjoy spending the countless hours with them and building lifelong relationships.”

Although, he mentioned that the ultimate goal for next season would be hoisting the conference trophy, Wiebe understands that the path to a championship is a long process, so for now his main concern is just getting better everyday. The end goal being able to put his team in a position to win games and potentially getting to a championship trophy for not only his teammates, but also for the school as well.

Blake Latta | Sports Editor sports@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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TOO LONG. DIDN’T READ.

Facts from: factmonster.com On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game against New York. That is the most one player has ever scored in one game.

The NBA instituted the three-pointer before the 1979-80 season, an idea it borrowed from the ABA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played 20 seasons in the NBA, holds the record for most points scored in a career with 38,387.

James Naismith, a teacher at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, is credited with inventing basketball in 1891.

The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a 10team rival league to the NBA that began play in the 196768 season and folded nine years later after the 1975-76 season. Four current NBA teams – Indiana, Denver, New York, and San Antonio – originated in the ABA.