HIGHLAND
FLING SEPTEMBER 2013
THE
INSIDE
news Upcoming Events p. 2 feature Taste the Rainbow p. 3 Summer Endeavors p. 4-5 opinion Fairy Tale Politics p. 6 arts Mac Miller Concert Review p. 8
Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall
S
Maddie Hehir
eptember, youth’s least favorite month. It marks the beginning of a new school year, homework assignments, and hanging out on SparkNotes all night instead of with friends. Yes, September marks the end of summer, but it also marks the beginning of fall—one of the most unappreciated seasons. And while I love the beach, the sun, and tan skin, all of which inevitably fade from memory, there is a lot to look forward to in the fall. While pizza might be available every day of the week, every month of the year—there are some foods (most of a higher caliber than pizza) that are more fall specific. The fall harvest, which is mainly only appreciated on Thanksgiving, provides us with warm, earthy flavors foreign to us during the summer. Pumpkin, squash, apples, pears, and carrots are all in season and at their best. From pies to casseroles, once the leaves change, it is much easier to heat up the oven and use fresh fruits and vegetables to make a festive fall creation. Yes, winter holidays are pretty exciting and generally provide us with the most “loot,” but fall holidays should not be taken for granted. Halloween and trick-or-treating may seem childish, but that has never stopped teenagers from continuing this fun tradition for the joy of free candy. While I have personally retired from trick-or-treating (although
I like candy as much as the next guy), it is great to see so many of my peers still dressing up for the glory of Reese’s or M&Ms. Even better than Halloween is Thanksgiving, a holiday with a universal theme of being thankful and appreciating family—and the food, of course, is amazing. Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year. While raking leaves can be tiresome, watching them turn from green to yellow to orange to red never gets old. The weather is absolutely perfect as well; and though it does grow colder as December begins to approach, fall only requires a light jacket. It is never terribly hot or bitterly cold—instead, there is a balance. Summer is the perfect time for barbeques, but fall is the perfect time for outdoor fire pits, smores, and friendship. The crispness to the air, the crunch of the fallen leaves at one’s feet, and the beauty of the world outside the window give the season of fall a truly special atmosphere. September may seem scary, but try to fight through the drama of going back to school and just enjoy one of the best seasons. Take a moment and grieve the end of summer. I certainly will, but then open your eyes to fall. The pools may be closed and the beach may be too cold, but there is still plenty to come.
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news UPCOMING EVENTS highland park
america
earth
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
9/11 ANNIVERSARY
YOM KIPPUR
September 9
September 11
September 14
GUIDANCE COLLEGE APPLICATION SEMINAR
REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR NOVEMBER SAT
SUKKOT
September 24
October 3
September 19-25
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
US SENATE ELECTION
ELEPHANT APPRECIATION DAY
September 24
October 16
September 22
ARTS IN THE PARK
PSAT ADMINISTRATION
WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY
September 29
October 16 & 19
October 1
TOWNWIDE GARAGE SALE
HALLOWEEN
WEAR SOMETHING GAUDY DAY
October 5-6
October 31
October 17
CLIPS local
national
international
New Administrative Faces
“I Am Chelsea Manning”
Syrian Regime Used Chemical Weapons
Highland Park has a new superintendent in Timothy C. Capone and a new Vice Principal in Nicole M. Adams. Give them a hearty Highland Park welcome when you see them!
After being sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking thousands of classified documents, Chelsea Manning came out as a transgender American. She plans to begin hormone therapy in her transition.
On August 25, the White House determined that there is “very little doubt” regarding the Syrian regime’s usage of chemical weapons against its civilians. This new development may increase the chances of a USled military strike.
Al-Jazeera America Launches The internationally renowned news network launched its American division in August and will be available in more than 48 million American. Al Jazeera promises “to provide unbiased in-depth coverage of domestic and international news important to its American viewers.”
NJ Bans Gay Conversion Therapy
Mexican Teachers Fight Back
Governor Chris Christie signed a bill that barred licensed therapists from attempting to change the sexual orientation of gay teens. This makes New Jersey the second state to ban the so-called conversion therapy, after California.
Mexico’s education system overhaul threw the nation’s capital into chaos. A radical group organized thousands of teachers in Mexico City to harass lawmakers, occupy the central square, and threaten to obstruct an already congested city.
Cory Booker Wins US Senate Primary
George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty
Gay Rights Controversy in Russia
Mayor Booker handily beat Congressman Frank Pallone and Rush Holt and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver for the Democratic nod. The mayor assuaged concerns about his progressive credibility and will move on as an overwhelming favorite in the general election against Republican Steven Lonegan.
The trial that captivated a nation ended in a not guilty verdict for the Florida man. The result sparked intense outcry and division. It has led to a national conversation on race.
Russia’s recent anti-gay laws have spurred an international backlash in the form of protests and boycotts. It comes amid an increasing number of attacks against the queer community in the country.
SEPTEMBER
National School Success Month; Whole Grains Month; Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month; National Honey Month; National Cholesterol Education Month Birth stone: Sapphire Flower: Aster & Forget-Me-Not
THE HIGHLAND FLING, SEPTEMBER 2013
OCTOBER
Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Domestic Violence Awareness Month; National Physical Therapy Month; Eye Safety & Injury Prevention Month; National Apple Month Birth stone: Opal & Tourmaline Flower: Calendula
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feature
Taste the Rainbow
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Jana Choi orget the high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil in artificially multi-colored Skittles. It’s summer time! The sunny skies and warm weather make this blissful season the perfect time to enjoy all natural flavors and textures that come in a rainbow of colors. One of the best ways to make sure that you are fueling your body with all the vitamins and nutrients that it needs is to eat colorful meals. From deep reds to crisp, earthy greens, take advantage of in-season summer produce!
To get the freshest fruits and vegetables, drop by the Highland Park Farmer’s Market. Every Friday, local New Jersey farmers sell their locally grown goodies from 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. When you eat well, you feel good and look good.
Red
Green
Beets are an alizarin red and delicious root vegetable rich in B vitamins. The rich pigment of the root contains the phytochemical and antioxidant betanin.
Zucchinis are the quintessential summer vegetable. Abundant in the warm months, theses squash have high water content and makes for a very filling meal when grilled or roasted.
Blue
Orange
Blueberries, though small, pack a huge nutritional punch. The many nutrients provide antioxidant power that neutralizes free radicals in your body that cause cell damage.
Cantaloupes are a sweet summer melon that peak at the end of the season. Like carrots, they are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, which play a large part in preserving healthy vision.
Yellow
Purple
Peaches, which come in both yellow and white varieties, are rich in vitamin C. Low in calories, but not in flavor, their sweet aroma and juicy flavor make them the perfect summer dessert.
Eggplants are fruits (they have seeds!) in the nightshade family that come in a variety of shapes. From rotund Italian eggplants to their longer Chinese cousins, eggplants are high in bioflavonoids, which are known to control high blood pressure and relieve stress.
The “Scoop” on the Froyo Frenzy
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Shana Oshinskie
s the summer draws to a close, students reflect on all the simple pleasures of summer, particularly the endless number of frozen treats consumed. In recent years, however, one chilly establishment has surpassed all others in popularity: the frozen yogurt shop. One of the fastest growing markets nationwide, frozen yogurt (or “froyo”) is valued at a whopping 8.1 billion dollars, and encompasses businesses of all sizes. What is causing the froyo frenzy? Frozen yogurt is typically tarter and lighter, and offers health benefits like probiotics, healthy bacteria that aid your digestive system, making it not only delicious but guilt free. Middlesex County was extremely affected by this sudden froyo-craze: currently, there are more than 12 locations, 5 of which were located in New Brunswick until the competition forced Truly Yogurt to close. With so many choices so nearby, it can be hard to pick the best one for you. Nevertheless, the Highland Fling has spent hours questioning employees, examining how each was made, and surveying topping and flavor options to produce the following data: Location: In this area, Red Mango had little competition. It is not only the closest to Highland Park, but offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Let’s Yo! comes is a near second, as it is a bit further and has no outdoor seats, although it does have an entire second level, while Cups and Top It have an average amount of chairs at a moderate distance. Flavors: Let’s Yo!, a clear standout, has 16 extremely exotic flavors (Maple Bacon Donut, for example) at any given time, and about 70 that are cycled throughout the course of the year. Cups and Red Mango both display 10 flavors at a time, but Red Mango has
200 in their rotation and Cups allows you to vote on what flavors enter the machines. Top It, meanwhile, presents 12 interesting flavors at a time, such as Thin Mint, with 70 in the rotation. Toppings: Now, the place with the best toppings is disputable. If you like fresh fruit, Red Mango is the place for you, with 9 different options and more than 40 overall (chocolate-y, crunchy, sugary). However, if fruit isn’t your favorite, Top It has more than 45 toppings, the most of all, and 7 varieties of fresh fruit, including more unusual types, such as papaya. Cups comes in third with more than 36 toppings, 5 of which are fruit. Last but not least, Let’s Yo! stocks more than 33 toppings, only 3 of which are fresh fruit. Kosher Certification: Let’s Yo, Cups, and Red Mango are Kosher. Top It is not. Bonuses: As well as the products offered, there are factors that make each place unique. Red Mango, for example, has the friendliest and most educated staff, imported flavorings, a simple rewards system, and certification from the Live Culture (Probiotic) Association. Let’s Yo!, on the other hand, satisfies all your tech needs by providing access to plenty of iPads and televisions. However, Cups stocks baked goods and has the easiest access to discounts, offering 20% off with your HPHS ID. Top It also has access to non-frozen greek yogurt, which is non-fat and has double the protein of most frozen yogurt! So, is one place really the best? It’s hard to say. For weird flavors, Let’s Yo! is your best bet. For toppings, try Top It or Red Mango, and for baked treats, go for Cups. No matter what the choice, remember less is more, top it off with some fresh fruit, and dig in knowing you’re satisfying both your sweet tooth and staying healthy!
SEPTEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING
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feature
What did you do over
Rediscovering Humanity: My Kumbaya Moment Oscar Lee
I
spent my summer creeping on celebrities. No, not celebrities as in Lindsey Lohan and Amanda Bynes, but celebrities as in David Brooks and Elena Kagan. I did my creeping in Aspen, CO, as a Bezos Scholar at the Aspen Ideas Festival, an annual gathering of smart people, rich people, and smart rich people. Surrounded by famous journalists, academics, and the like, I did what I did best. I squinted at Ezra Klein, trying to discern if he was in fact Ezra Klein with facial hair. I had a conversation with Sarah Heyward on the cultural and critical worth of Pretty Little Liars. I laughed at the sight of Andrea Mitchell riding away on golf cart. I gave a very lost Richard Haas directions to Greenwald Pavilion. I sassed Kurt Andersen. One time, someone even creeped back. Yeah, I saw you staring, President and CEO of PBS Paula Kerger. My week in Aspen was a lesson on humanity. I learned a lot about humans, about our differences, about our similarities. I learned about how despite the glaring differences that separate us, we are all fundamentally human and that ultimately connects us. And while that might seem a bit obvious (I mean, duh), it’s a concept that people always seem to forget. It’s a concept I sometimes forget. We don’t actively dehumanize people; rather, we just disremember their humanity. Seeing Karl Rove in the flesh, with no horns protruding from his head, no red tail swaying behind him, no trail of dead flowers following him; it’s transformational—it really is. And what’s even weirder is the thought, Hey, this guy’s actually kind of funny. It goes the other way, too. Those people we deify, idolize—they’re also human. Yes, I could probably read someone’s biography to learn about how they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, how they succeeded against immeasurable odds. Yes, I could probably read about Shabana Basij-Rasikh to learn about her brushes with death in pursuit of an education in Afghanistan, but there’s a strange power from hearing it come out of their mouths, from watching them tell it to you, from seeing them acknowledge you, from witnessing them reference you—yes, you, that awkward kid from suburban New Jersey who likes to watch Real Housewives while doing math homework and eating entire tubs of ice cream. People became remarkably “realer,” their accomplishments remarkably “realer,” their hardships remarkably “realer.” And dreams, goals, aspirations became extraordinarily more tangible. It’s so hokey, so corny, so out of a Lifetime movie, but it is what it is. When put in an unreal environment, life becomes that much more real.
NEW PERSPECTIVE Oscar Lee, ‘14, spent his summer in Colorado. Photos courtesy of Oscar Lee, ‘14.
THE HIGHLAND FLING, SEPTEMBER 2013
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feature
SUMMER VACATION? My Summer@Brown Experience
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Sarah Cheng & Elena Weissmann
ummer is undoubtedly the most exciting season of the year. Free from all academic obligations, students can finally indulge in activities that they seldom have the time for during the school year. For some, now is the time to catch up with long-distance friends and hang out at the beach. For others, now is an opportunity to explore what the future has in store for us through summer pre-college programs offered by numerous universities across the country. The Summer@Brown program offers a variety of courses for students, ranging from “The Archaeology of Globalization” to “Stem Cells, Cloning, Regenerative Medicine: Changing the Face of Biology.” Participants have an option of either living on campus or commuting to campus, and are assigned Brown ID cards to access the cafeteria and local bus service. This summer, Elena Weissman ’14 and Sarah Cheng ’15 enjoyed a brief stay at Brown University in Providence, RI, and experienced what life is like as a college undergrad. ACADEMICS
Elena: I chose a two-week course called, “The Survival of the Whitest: Two Centuries of Racism and Evolutionary Theory.” At first, I was a little bored by the topic because we focused mainly on evolution for several days. However, once we got into the social and political issues involved with racism and studied racist arguments based off a faulty view of evolution, it completely transformed my views of race and human genetic variation. Eventually, we took a shuttle to the Brown Medical Center and measured human skulls, attempting to classify each skull as a specific race. The class ran for about three hours a day and included about one hour of homework a day, culminating in an eightpage paper at the end of the course.
Sarah: I took a two-week long course called “Ethical Leadership: Theory Into Practice”, under the umbrella of a larger program called the Leadership Institute. Class time went from 9:00 to 11:30, then lunch break, and then 1:00 to 3:00. Every other day we also had workshops from 4:00 to 6:00. We talked about Machiavelli’s views on qualities of a great leader from his work, The Prince. Then, we held discussions based on how those qualities could be applied to real-world situations in the 21st century. We looked into great leaders in history and the ethical decisions they had to make, and watched Nelson Mandela’s journey in Invictus. Finally, we took the lessons we learned in class to form an Action Plan that we can take back into our own communities.
STUDENT LIFE Elena: Because we had class for only three hours a day, we had the rest of the day to laze around the Brown campus, walk up and down Thayer Street in Providence, and participate in various extracurricular activities (although this was completely optional). Because hundreds upon hundreds of kids were participating in the program at any given time, it was not uncommon for me to meet a whole new group of people every day just sitting around in the beautiful main quad. Although there was some drug and alcohol usage in the program (it was not uncommon to see Summer@Brown students lighting up cigarettes at night), this aspect was easily avoidable, and was frowned upon by the Summer@Brown faculty and staff. Overall, we were given as much freedom as possible—it was truly like an actual college experience.
Sarah: The residence hall that I lived in was called Perkins. I had a roommate and a Resident Advisor who helped supervise the whole floor. Around 25 students shared a communal bathroom, but because our floor was all-girls we used the boys’ bathroom also. The dorms were a bit small but had a great layout that utilized all the space. The only downside was the lack of air conditioning. However, the adventure of living together with so many peers made up for it. Some nights we would all go down to the 1st floor lounge and hang out while doing homework. We had an impromptu talent show, makeshift ping-pong table, and poker championships. Furthermore, we had a laundry room where everyone teamed up to figure out how to work the laundry machines. Overall, living in a dorm was fun and exciting!
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Elena: While at Brown, I attended a Mac Miller concert in downtown Providence, took a trip down to the Newport beaches, and went to the Providence Mall several times. Thayer Street also offers many attractions.
Sarah: We go to many bakeries around town. Starbucks, Au Bon Pain, and a Mexican bagel place called Bagel Gourmet Ole! are all located on Thayer Street. There are a few street vendors, one of whom is also a very talented Henna tattoo artist. I also went to the Providence Mall a few times during my stay. Brown also organizes field trips during the weekend when there is no class, so those were fun too. There were lots of cool things to do on and off campus.
NEW KIDS ON CAMPUSw (clockwise from top): Elena Weissmann, ‘14, enjoyed the local attractions of Providence, Rhode Island, and the company of her new friends; Sarah Chang, ‘15, poses with her Ethical Leadership classmates; a panorama view of Providence, Rhode Island, the home of Brown University; Elena stayed a-head of the game, examining and measuring human skulls! Photos courtesy of Elena Weissmann, Sarah Chang, Bill Cobb, and Elena Weissmann, respectively.
SEPTEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING
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opinion
25 Things I Learned at Camp Zoe Temple
B
eing a summer camp counselor is, in itself, quite a paradox. At its core, the position requires the utmost responsibility and maturity—to ensure the safety of yourself and of the hundreds of children whose parents have entrusted their lives in your hands, to taste freedom for the first time, and to live away from home for two whole months. At the same time, as a camp counselor, you can never take yourself too seriously—camp is the place to make fun of yourself; to cut your hair into a Mohawk and dye it blue; to buy a Disney princess backpack and matching water bottle; to allow children to dress you up in tablecloths; to sing ridiculous songs about hippopotamuses and pink pajamas and bubble gum and announcements; to acquire silly nicknames; to lose your voice from cheering; to dress, sing, dance, eat, cry, laugh, think like a child again. It is a job that demands independence and teamwork, maturity and youthfulness, safety and risk, wisdom and humbleness. Without having experienced it firsthand, the magic of camp is difficult to understand. But here are some of the things I learned at camp this summer:
NO LIE Eli Liebell-McLean
Fairy Tale Politics
1. If you ate ten bananas in a row, you would die from potassium overload. 2. The easiest way to pick up a cicada. 3. How to make duct tape bows and felt flowers. 4. Spoons, not forks. Always. 5. How to be a morning person (or at least how to fake it). 6. Enthusiasm is contagious. 7. One Direction isn’t as bad as I had thought. 8. The Wobble works with any song if you try hard enough. 9. How to shower in less than seven minutes. 10. If you’re on time, you’re late. 11. Better late than never, but better early than late. 12. Accidents happen. 13. Always ask questions. 14. Be prepared for anything. 15. It’s true: the one day you don’t carry your umbrella will be the one day that it rains. This holds true for everything. 16. Do something every day that scares you. 17. You don’t need to be related to be a family: “You don’t come [to camp] with a family, you meet your family at camp,” as an eight year-old once insightfully phrased it. 18. Set high goals, and fight to achieve them. As long as you try your best, you never need to feel ashamed or embarrassed. 19. Sometimes all someone needs is encouragement. 20. I’d rather lose by following the rules and playing the game right than win by cheating and hurting others. 21. No deed of kindness goes unrecognized. 22. Crying is not a sign of weakness. 23. Don’t cry because it ended, smile because it happened – if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. 24. Treat others the way you would like to be treated: Always ask nicely the first time. Say please, and thank you, and have a nice day. Express your appreciation, gratitude, and excitement with immediacy, sincerity, and a smile. Apologize. Brighten someone’s day, every day. 25. Above all, live according to the four core values – honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility.
C
hildren like things to be simple. In their worlds, the Big Bad Wolf always gets burned by the cleverest pig’s stove. The Wicked Queen is forced to dance in metal shoes over glowing coals, while the Handsome Prince and Beautiful Princess watch gleefully. This is the main reason why young children typically show no interest in politics. As many politicians would like us to believe, morality has no place in politics; a country should act in its own best interests above all else, especially the principles it claims to hold so dear. Now, I have met people who subscribe to the utilitarian version of American foreign policy, the kind of people who make the argument that if we did not do it, someone else would, the brand of individual who prefers a friendly fascist to a disagreeable democrat. And I have also talked angrily at those deluded people who want to live in a fantasy world where America is the big kind policeman who saves the Free World from terrorists, communists, idealists, and the ilk. I must admit I prefer the former, as they are at least honest. Should I feel like a traitor when I root against America? Am I betraying the country that I was born in, grew up in, that nurtured me, provided for my wants, and protected me? After all, I cannot deny gloating as Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, accuses my dear Mother America of hacking his emails to assist in plans for an invasion of his country. I wish it sounded ludicrous, but just as the echoes of slavery continue to victimize African-Americans, Manifest Destiny refuses to shake its hold on the home of the Brave and the land of the Free. When South American leaders stand up to their looming neighbor to the North, we should expect them to denounce us universally for the outrageous degrees of influence we have sought to exert. How can we ever be forgiven for filibusters or banana republics? I hope that there will be more Edward Snowdens, that in my lifetime I can see my nation’s hypocrisies come under attack. Americans as a people should continually question America as a country. Is America the Big Bad Wolf? Certainly not, and maybe there are grey areas in politics. But once in a while, I enjoy seeing the Wolf get burned.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME Zoë Temple, ‘14, spent her summer as a summer camp counselor. Photos courtesy of Zoë Temple, ‘14.
THE HIGHLAND FLING, SEPTEMBER 2013
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“Diversity in Name Only opinion
lthough it might not seem like it all the time, the media holds immense sway over public thought, but too often, that influence goes to waste or even misuse, with media misrepresentation of marginalized groups occurring all the time. Take the coverage of Newton, when the mainstream media (or lamestream media, as Sarah Palin and I like to say) basically equated mental illness to instability and imminent danger. Pundits rushed to produce “solutions” in the form of Orwellian civil commitment laws allowing for involuntary treatment and forced antipsychotics. And why not? After all, the mentally ill are just that—mentally ill, unable to function in society, and on the verge of snapping. At. Any. Moment. These characterizations result from a lack of perspectives and establish detrimental and cyclical patterns of depiction, leaving many living with mental illness to refuse treatment because of fear: of labels, of stigma, of institutionalization. Or take the more recent cissexist, and frankly shameful, “reporting” on Chelsea Manning—the awkward and misgendered pronoun usage calling to mind toddlers first learning to write and speak. Even the illustrious New York Times fell short, willfully sticking with “Bradley” and male pronouns. In one article, Reuters, in seemingly complete bewilderment, uses “Manning” almost every other sentence and breaks grammar rules just to avoid any pronouns. These are the people entrusted with informing and educating us. The sheer incompetence would be kind of funny if it weren’t so sad. The entertainment front isn’t much rosier. When Girls first premiered, there was a lot of huff and puff about the show’s whiteness. Those criticisms were, and still are, misplaced. Lena Dunham is attempting to capture only a sliver of society, and that sliver is filled with white people. That’s simply a fact of life. It’s no surprise that groups of friends aren’t very diverse. By and large, we self-segregate and drift
The goal is always to have enough creative visions, enough angles, new stories, that each one doesn’t have to bear up under the weight of representation for everyone. Because no art can do that, even the really good stuff. Emily Nussbaum New Yorker Television Critic
types of people... It’s the gay experience.” A program featuring three cisgender, traditionally attractive men living in San Francisco. Yes, that’s the gay experience. Again, the individual show is not the problem. The presence of 5 other shows that cover the same slice of the pie is the problem. It implies that the single slice represents the entire pie. When the gay characters are portrayed as white, cisgender, rich, married with kids (or trying to be) again and again and again, it effectively establishes a false norm, confining the spectrum of being, which is not only bad social policy, but bad television, a failure of imagination and possibility. Emily Nussbaum, the New Yorker’s television critic, recently (and perfectly, as always) tweeted, “The goal is always to have enough creative visions, enough angles, new stories, that each one doesn’t have to bear up under the weight of representation for everyone. Because no art can do that, even the really good stuff.”
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A
Oscar Lee
toward our likenesses. (And unless a quota system is instituted to collect unlike friends like Pokémon cards, that’s not going to change very soon.) The real disgrace lies more in the frighteningly homogenous modern television landscape than in a specific show like Girls. Think about the makeup of the entire industry, about the relatively few women and people of color present behind the camera, about the ratio of serial killers to Asians on network television. And when minorities are featured, they are presented in limiting ways, like in The New Normal, with its regressive and tired cliches. Heteronormative gay couple? Check. Sassy black woman? Check. Worse yet, that’s seen as progress. Recently, HBO ordered 8 episodes of a gay-themed dramady set in San Francisco, starring Jonathan Groff (Glee), Frankie J. Alvarez (Smash), and Murray Bartlett (Damages). Now, the brilliance of executive producer Andrew Haigh (Weekend) gives the project promise, but Groff recently just had to comment, “The show hopefully will express all facets of gay life. We’re all different
Television is capable of showing rich, textured portrayals of people not apart of so-called modern families. The Wire helped change America’s perception about the war on drugs and offered an unparalleled outlook on racial politics. It was not afraid to be difficult or harsh. Orange is the New Black explores, in an unprecedented manner (for mainstream-ish television), the nuances of gender and sexuality and hopes to readjust our collective conscious on the very serious problems facing our prison and criminal justice system. But Orange has its issues, as culture critic Roxane Gay notes, “We cannot ignore how the show’s diverse characters are planets orbiting Piper’s sun. The women of color don’t have the privilege of inhabiting their own solar systems.” Even The Wire shares that “whiteness-as-an-entry-point” device, although to a lesser degree—just switch Piper with McNulty. Gay bemoans, “This is what we consider
diversity these days.” When I attended an Aspen panel on television and society this summer, I probed James Brooks (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) on diversity, to which he responded, “People are free to write. It’s a very democratic system.” While, that might be true (for him), Orange showrunner Jenji Kohan’s recent NPR interview complicates things a bit, “In a lot of ways Piper was my Trojan Horse. You’re not going to go into a network and sell a show on really fascinating tales of black women, and Latina women, and old women, and criminals. But if you take this white girl, this sort of fish out of water, and you follow her in, you can then expand your world and tell all of those other stories. But it’s a hard sell to just go in and try to sell those stories initially. The girl next door, the cool blonde, is a very easy access point, and it’s relatable for a lot of audiences and a lot of networks looking for a certain demographic. It’s useful.” It’s also kind of pathetic, but ultimately just symptomatic of the larger social and structural problems we face. Most of us do not have the capabilities (or connections) to create a full-fledged television program, but we can engage in discourse through other mediums. My goal this year in the Fling is to promote our shared and individual experiences, ideas, and perspectives, because the last thing we need is yet another overly simplistic regurgitation of what the media already feeds us. As high school students and living human beings, we each hold distinctive and meaningful views on life and it’s important to continually mold and communicate those views. The Fling is only one of many avenues for such expression. Consider joining our staff box. Until then, thanks for reading.
(left) DIVERSITY THESE DAYS Cast of Orange is the New Black.
editor-in-chief Oscar Lee layout editor Zoe Temple business manager Maddie Hehir head photographer Zoe Temple online editor Elena Weissmann news editor Sarah Chang feature editor Jana Choi opinion editor Maddie Hehir sports editor Olivia Draper arts editor Elena Weissmann advisor Brett Roche
writers Shuhong Chen, Grace Chong, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla, Eli Liebell-McLean, Shana Oshinskie, Jake Callahan, Maverick Lin, Annie McCrone photographers Miranda Safir, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla
the official newspaper of highland park high school highland park, new jersey 08904 . thehighlandfling@gmail.com . hpfling.tumblr.com . facebook.com/hpfling . @hpfling SEPTEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING
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arts
The Mac Miller Experience Elena Weissmann
T
his summer, I attended a two-week course at Brown University as part of their precollege summer program, and who happened to be performing right in Providence, Rhode Island, a mere 10-minute walk away from campus? Mac Miller, a relatively famous rapper who I had previously heard of but had never actually listened to. Just because a concert is a concert, I bought tickets for the show just four hours before it began, along with a French friend who knew more about the American rapper than I did. Walking into the Lupos Heartbreak Hotel that night, a smallsized, darkly-lit venue located in downtown Providence, we were immediately hit with the smell of sweat and marijuana, along with the sight of hundreds upon hundreds of excited, die-hard Mac Miller fans. Fortunately, we had balcony seats, which landed us at least several hundred feet away from the raving, drug-using mass of people below in the pit. The opening acts were terrible. The first performance, by a rapper named Vince Staples who appeared to be about 15 years old, merely provided sub-par background music for the restless crowd, above which a hazy stream of smoke was beginning to rise. Next came Chance the Rapper, a 20-year-old hip-hop recording artist from Chicago who invigorated the crowd immediately. Although I couldn’t make out a word of what he was saying, he certainly made the concert slightly more exciting when he doused the writhing audience in front of him with a water gun and several plastic bottles.
Finally, the curtain lifted and Miller arrived on stage, deafening screams instantly cutting out all other noises. Purple and blue lights blinded the hysterical audience, some of whom were literally passing out from too much excitement (or maybe from too many drugs?). Mac and Earl proceeded to give a stellar, charismatic joint performance. Obviously friends, the two built off of each other, instantly creating a low-key, extremely chill vibe. They rapped several songs from Miller’s new album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, including “The Star Room,” “Youforia,” and “O.K.” By the time I had to leave—only 45 minutes into Miller’s performance, because of an imposed Brown curfew—I actually wanted to stick around for the rest of the concert. All in all, it was an extremely positive experience, even as someone who never listens to rap. The only thing I could possibly complain about was the hot temperature of the venue—at least 80 degrees—and the sharpest tint of slyly-rolled contraband. As I left the venue, I could just hear Miller beginning his most popular song, “Donald Trump”—“We gonna take over the World, watch these haters get mad…”
After twenty minutes of Chance, along came Earl Sweatshirt, a member of the band Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, abbreviated OFWGKTA. At least this was a rapper I was familiar with, and whom I actually (slightly) enjoyed. At this point, however, it was already almost 11 o’clock, and the crowd was beginning to get angry about the nonappearance of Mac. “Mac! Mac! Mac! Mac!” they began to scream over Earl’s words. BIG MAC Rapper Mac Miller, live in concert, captivated Elena Weissmann, ‘14.
ENTERTAINMENT ROUND-UP albums Out Now The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars Earl Sweatshirt - Doris Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
live 2 Chainz
Out Now
September 15, 5:30 p.m.
Blue Jasmine
Williamsburg Park
The World’s End
Brooklyn, NY
One Direction: This Is Us
$35
Selena Gomez - Stars Dance
Washed Out
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
September 18, 8:00 p.m.
Riddick
Haerts Terminal 5
Upcoming
cinema
Upcoming September 13
New York, NY
Blue Caprice
$25-$30
Wadjda
September 10 2 Chainz - B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time
Vampire Weekend Solange, Sky Ferreira
September 27
Arctic Monkeys - AM
September 20, 7:00 p.m.
Janelle Monae - The Electric Lady
Barclays Center
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Brooklyn, NY
Don Jon
$35-$50 September 17 MGMT - MGMT
Hall & Oates
October 4
September 23, 8:00 p.m.
Gravity
Beacon Theatre September 24
New York, NY
Cher - Closer to the Truth
$50-$160
Icona Pop - This Is...Icona Pop
Sara Bareilles
12 Years a Slave October 9, 8:00 p.m.
September 30 HAIM - Days Are Gone
THE HIGHLAND FLING, SEPTEMBER 2013
October 18
Radio City Music Hall New York, NY $35-$75
Carrie