vol. 1 issue 1
Nov. 2013
FRAME
FR AME facebook.com/cmcframe cmcframe.tumblr.com contact.the.zine at gmail.com zine club meetings 10am friday colorado mountain college spring valley recker room
spectrum-cmc spring valleys gay straight alliance-stronger than ever
Over the years, LGBT student groups at Colorado Mountain College—Spring Valley have come and gone. Many such clubs disappear when everyone running them graduates, when there’s poor leadership, or when there’s a lack of support from faculty and staff. However, the latest and greatest reincarnation of an LGBT student group on this campus—Spectrum—has been continuing to grow since our awesome Residence Hall Director, Nathan Kafka, started it in late 2011.
I attended one of Spectrum’s meetings at the end of that semester. I vaguely remember everyone talking about purchasing club t-shirts, and other things (condoms, lube, leaflets about STI prevention, etc.) to give away at an event. I was one of maybe six people at the meeting, and at that time there was only one openly gay student living in the residence hall that we were aware of. (As it turns out, there had actually been several gay students living on campus back then. They came out, but moved away at the end of the year.) Sadly, there weren’t many more meetings to follow. The only other meeting I remember going to that year was in February, 2012. None of the board members were present; there were two confused students who lived off-campus, my soon-to-be best friend Kelly, her brother, (both new students that semester) and myself. I briefly left the meeting to see if I could find the board members in the residence hall. They turned up in one of the rooms, and were so stoned that they could hardly open the door. So I just left them there, grabbed my Monopoly board out of my car, and returned to the student center; where Kelly and I proceeded to run the
meeting ourselves. The five of us ended up spending hours playing Monopoly and billiards, and it was one of the best meetings we ever had. Spectrum really started to transform into something great the following school year. From the start, an overwhelming number of new-coming LGBT and ally students moved into the residence hall. Then, Kelly became Spectrum’s President, and since she and I had both become RAs, we were able to reach out to the new students. Meeting attendance went through the roof, and Spectrum started holding regular events outside of meetings. We went to “free pie night” at Village Inn once in a while, followed by “LGBT movie night” in Nathan’s apartment. Once a month, Spectrum set up a table outside of the dining hall, to hand out STI prevention supplies and information about the club. Even meetings were great fun. After talking about upcoming events or the latest LGBT news, we would play games like Twister and Apples to Apples. Perhaps everyone’s favorite activity, though, was when we went to the Vapor Caves and “blind two-for-twenty dates” at Chili’s twice a semester. We would go to the Vapor Caves during midterm week and finals week, to help relieve stress. Then, after leaving the caves, everyone drew names out of a hat. Whoever’s name we chose became our “date” for the rest of the evening, and we would all go to Chili’s and order from the “2-for $20” part of the menu. It was a really great time; our current Vice President, Gar, turned out to be as awesome a date as she is a leader! The ultimate result of Spectrum’s explosive growth was a large, close, and tight-knit group of friends that still persists on campus today. I think it’s safe to say that no other club has brought people together on quite the same scale.
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conference in February, and reaching out to LGBT students in local high schools. Lastly, Spectrum is stron- Spectrum has a two-year subscription to ger than ever this year. At last count, there Advocate and Out magazines for the Quigley were 40 people on our email list, 15 who library. regularly attend meetings, and many others who would attend meetings if it weren’t for If you’re interested in becoming a part of scheduling conflicts. Our sister campus in Spectrum or would like to be added to our Steamboat recently started a new GSA, also email list; feel free to attend a meeting, called Spectrum. We’re very excited to assist come to movie night, or email me at wiliff@ and watch them continue to grow, and cre- mail.coloradomtn.edu. We’re a very laidate the same positive changes in their com- back, welcoming, and social club. Nathan munity that we’ve seen in ours. described it best: “Spectrum exists as a safe place for people of all sexualities and to help Spectrum meets in the Recker Room (down- provide education and understanding to our stairs in the Spring Valley Student Center) campus community about LGBTA issues.” every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. LGBT Movie Night is in the same place every Sunday at By 7. Spectrum still goes to the Vapor Caves Wendell iliff, and Chili’s twice a semester, and we set up our informational table outside of the spectrum presedent Dining Hall every month. December 1st is World Aids Day, so that table will be about HIV prevention. In the coming weeks, we will be selling “turkeygrams” and “santagrams” (Thanksgiving and Holiday cards with candy) in the Eagles Nest coffee shop on campus. Spectrum attended a very insightful and fun leadership conference in Denver in September, and we’ve been slowly implementing the great ideas we brought back with us, emphasizing trans-awareness and the importance of storytelling to create change. We have yet to do Pie Night this year, but it’s in the works to happen this month. Other goals include providing HIV testing for students by the end of the semester, becoming more well-known at the Roaring Fork valley’s satellite campuses, attending another
SPECTRUM
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-Blake lockard-
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Open Mic Night -4-
5 minutes: 5 feet
I a n E d q u i s
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-eric knapp‘‘stanford’’
-jason kaplin-steven burket-kristen keefer-6-
-cicely kohler-she flies with her own wings-
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-Barbra fordBarbra ford is a talented photographer in her second year of the ProPhoto Program at CMC. Her work is primarily autobiographical and explorers the contemporary female identity and life in the Spring Valley. Barbra is full of potential and can light up any room she walks into with her West Virginia charm. We look forward to working with her in future issues to bring you more of here amazing photography.
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Before I began photographing, I was really into drawing figures. I had so many ideas in my head for drawings of these beautiful women in different settings. Some were more surreal than others but I was never able to accomplish the realistic look that I was after. What better medium to create those visions realistically than photography? I started playing around with a small camera when I was 15 and learned some editing software from my dad. Since then all I’ve wanted to do is photograph. I love the energy that fashion photography has. The industry is constantly moving and changing and I strive to capture that in my photography. More importantly I crave the way it makes people feel. Fashion can be provocative, thoughtful and above all a beautiful form of art. I’m still learning and growing as an artist, attempting to push myself further during every shoot.
-molly repettiwhy i photopgraph
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THE DOOMED GUN DeBATE by justin patrick
Today’s Forecast Calls for Warm Temperatures, Sunshine, and a Slight Chance of Mass Murder
The underground rapper Shyne—recently released from prison after ten years— delivered a poignant commentary about this country on one of his albums. Responding to the frothing accusation made by incensed cultural crusaders that rap music is corrupting youth, Shyne rapped, “Hip-hop ain’t responsible for violence in America. America’s responsible for violence in America.” Such an elegant defense, and he didn’t even have to break the sound barrier to make his point. Substitute any of the following for “hip-hop”: video games, bullies, emotionally vacant parents, class warfare, Hollywood, overcrowded schools, corrupt cops, selfish politicians, the NRA, drugs, liquor, immigrants, minorities, atheists, decaying social values, “the Man,” and anything else that comes to mind to support your own personal theory explaining why the United States is fast becoming the leading hellscape among first world countries. Then you’ll have a decent idea of why the debate about violent crime—and by extension gun control—is the most tragic, damned attempt at substantive national dialogue in contemporary times. The stats are in. They have been in for some time, in fact. Americans are in a league of their own among developed nations when it comes to measuring public violence. Three hundred million firearms are present from sea to shining sea. We imprison the most violent offenders per capita. We suffer the most homicides per capita, about 15,000 annually attributed to gunfire (and another 15,000 to self-inflicted fatal gunshots). We glorify violence to the extreme in pop culture. Our mainstream news outlets almost exclusively report on acts of hostility and catastrophe.
And with incredible sadness and confusion we witness the highest incidence of lethal violence amongst our children. But you already knew that. Everybody knows that. Yet despite the well-documented facts no one can say why the land of the free and the home of the brave is plagued by violent, homicidal tendencies oftentimes perpetrated on the completely innocent. Even if we knew why, we would not know what, if anything, to do about it. It seems any policy proposal, no matter how benign, elicits furious objection by at least one segment of our society. Our singular legislative reaction to any national challenge is to watch as the two parties adopt polar opposite positions, oftentimes to the extreme, and label each other extremists. Congress’ approval rating hovers at about fifteen percent, but we somehow keep expecting results. Are we incapable of pursuing an alternative path?
We Are What We Hate As Shyne implies, endemic violence is a property of character, and we are all responsible for shaping that character. But Americans are compulsive blamers. We point the finger at ourselves last, if at all. We refuse to consider the notion that we are all collectively behaving in a manner that fosters pathological violence. So we keep dying, our kids keep dying, and we come to accept life in a perpetual state of angst. With thoughts of violence occupying our barraged, nervous psyches, it seems all the more logical to purchase a firearm to protect ourselves and families—the law-abiding citizens, that is—from the dangers lurking even in places we once considered sacredly safe. But as we have seen, our schools, churches, and homes are not immune to bloody mayhem. The next massacre will occur, as they do with increasing frequency
and decreasing shock value, made possible by those very firearms. They will have been stolen, no doubt, or purchased illegally on the streets or at a shady gun show, or lifted sneakily by a disgruntled friend or family member from some irresponsible gun owner who didn’t keep his arsenal under lock and key, and then… you know the drill. We’ll grieve for the victims for a week or two and then continue our bitching and raving about whatever it is we believe is causing America’s downfall. Deep down, though, we know that something must be wrong with the way we do things, and no one factor is singularly responsible for a civilization we are now forced to wonder whether or not is worth living in. Australia, that backwater continent originally populated by Britain’s criminally insane, is looking great these days. Australians endure about a quarter of the number of crimes involving guns, per capita, as we do. G’day mate, indeed.
Guns, Guns, and More Guns For the sake of argument let’s suppose that while guns are not themselves responsible for violence, they do make it easier to realize violent intentions. As the NRA and firearms enthusiasts in general are so fond of saying, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Sure. An historical account written in the 14th century describes an altercation between two Norsemen, Faber and Sowden. The two Vikings became engrossed in a game of chess. Being Vikings, they were rather competitive, even though they were ostensibly just passing time with a pleasant contest of wits. But testosterone got the better of them and one thing lead to another. Sowden called Faber a son of a whore, so Faber broke the chess board over Sowden’s skull, killing him instantly. Chess boards don’t kill Vikings, Vikings kill Vikings. Think about it.
Outside the irrelevant vacuum of theory, we all know that rampaging killers armed with chessboards would not be able to tally victims in the double digits. That goes for bats, knives, crossbows, ninja stars, and any other lethal weapon that doesn’t rapidly fire metal projectiles from great distances with amazing precision. In sum, guns don’t kill people, people armed with guns kill people, and people can be very dangerous. Even though the NRA won’t publicly concede that point, they know that. But that doesn’t really get us anywhere, because there is a good deal of historical precedence, sanctified legal tradition, and legitimate argument that more or less guarantees that guns will always be a part of the American way of life. As Justice Scalia wrote for the majority in District of Columbia V. Heller, 2008, “Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security, and where gun violence is a serious problem. That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct.” Guns are as American as apple pie. In fact, New World settlers were carrying guns before they had time to bake pies. Guns are more American than apple pie. If you study the American revolution in depth, you will discover that the rebel colonists’ victory over the British was much closer than most of us take for granted. There were several instances where sheer luck saved George Washington’s ass from certain annihilation. His rag tag “army” was disorganized, untrained, undernourished, and inadequately supplied with munitions to match the professional British redcoats, who composed the most formidable standing army in the world at the time. The dismal state of the rebel army was argu-
oppression of the people. Today our First World counterparts look on us with sincere confusion, and probably a little sympathy. They simply don’t get it, and a lot of us don’t get it either. Many millions of Americans do Guns were in constant demand during not own guns, have never handled or even the war, and the rebels’ tireless ability to seseen one used, and are perfectly fine with cure muskets and cannons through all availthat situation. Yet others make their guns a able means was a critical factor in securing way of life and would without a doubt expend victory. One lesson the political founders every last round repelling those who would brought from the legacy of the war was that deprive them of their weapons. The majoran armed populace is much harder to boss around than one without a means of defend- ity probably falls somewhere in between, lamenting the rise of gun violence but simuling itself. When push comes to shove and a tyrant says “oh yeah, well what are you gonna taneously recognizing the sanctity of gun ownership, whether or not they are owners do about it?,” to simplify revolutionary history, “shoot you in your fat tyrannical face” is a themselves. pretty convincing answer. Talking about race relations, sex on TV, or what to do about terrorism, for example, was Keep Your Safety On traditionally a great way to ruin any polite conversation. Now just whisper the words Therefore our founders created an “gun control” and you can whip even the amendment to the Constitution, which has calmest crowd into a heated frenzy. It’s probbeen interpreted by the Supreme Court to ably the most discussed national topic at the ensure that each law-abiding citizen has moment, and one that is rarely conducted the right to own firearms. There is still legal wrangling over where assault weapons, back- without eliciting heavy emotions. We have devoted incalculable hours to trashing comground checks, and magazine capacities fit peting viewpoints, and even more time to into this framework. But it’s clear that guns shouting out our own. We don’t seem to be are here to stay and despite whatever meagetting anywhere. So let’s just agree to shut sures we may take, they will be used approup about it and intelligently discuss somepriately and inappropriately. Guns will conthing else in dire need of attention, like health tinue to protect homeowners from criminal care or global warming or something. And intrusions just as they will continue to facilremember, shooting others of differing opinitate horrific massacres. Perhaps the devions should be considered a last resort beastating social ills we endure today are the hind slinging grossly disproportionate insults, steep price of this lingering attempt to keep ignoring their existence, punching them in authority in check and our need to protect the face, and threatening to get your gun and ourselves at a very fundamental level. Freeshoot them. After all, America is the greatest dom ain’t free, right? country on Earth for a reason. ably a blessing. A failure to take Washington seriously was a costly mistake the crown repeated until it was too late.
Other western nations also grew up with guns, but they did not cling to the notion that private citizens should arm themselves to the teeth, if they feel like it, and that failing to do so would somehow result in widespread
Lucas turner
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-kyler balsley -abstract thoughts-14-
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Radio CMC 96.7 HD2 Carbondale-93.9fm glenwood springs-102.7fm aspen radiocmc.com and on the tunein app RadioCMC serves up a unique mix of college, local and independent music and thoughtful conversations geared towards and programmed by the diverse and vibrant students that attend Colorado Mountain College. The listenership has grown rapidly in just a few years of broadcasting. Our unique blend of music and talk has garnered a loyal audience of CMC students, administratiocmandrn and staff, and also an enthusiastic and supportive local community. Programmed and managed by students, RadioCMC is the voice of Colorado Mountain College. Our vision is clear: to serve as a creative and educational springboard and professional training ground for students by offering substantive, thoughtful and creative content made by students using state-of-the-art equipment. RadioCMC strives to become a vital communications hub connecting the CMC campuses and their communities throughout Colorado
“the goat�
-rachel williams Rachel Williams is a first year student double majoring in graphic design and photography. when I looked at her design work alone I was blown away, right away I new she was going to be fantastic and her artwork would always be inspirational and beautiful. When Curtis and I started the Zine Club I knew I wanted a page for Rachel, and she could not have picked better pieces to submit! Thank you for all the support and beautiful art work, Cody Andrew
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A Letter From the Editor I would like to thank all artists who submitted their amazing work to be apart of the first issue of Frame. I would also like to thank the team of talented students who helped create this amazing publication, especially Cody Andrew our Art Director. Last, I would like to thank you, the reader, who have opened up this magazine to look at the artwork created by Colorado Mountain College students. It has been a long four months to not only produce Frame but to simultaneously get the Zine Club off the ground and running. We have hosted several successful events our first semester including an open mic night which is now a monthly event on the Spring Valley campus. We also have plans to grow and expand next semester including community service projects and adding other publications to our collection. I couldn’t be more excited about the response that the student body and faculty have had to the creation of the Zine Club and for Frame. It has been my pleasure to serve as the first Editor-In-Chief of the Club and of Frame. I have enjoyed watching these projects grow from ideas to an actual document and student organized club. I am very excited to see this grow into a cornerstone of the college and to become the voice for a community of artists. Thank you again for taking time to view the first issue of Frame and we look forward to your continued interest in our future work.
Curtis Tucker President of the CMC Zine Club Editor-In-Chief of Frame
leasons learned from picassocollege adition by madeleine kamberg When times get rough, and we are forced to choose where a dollar has to go, art supplies tend to take a backseat. The top spenders in our economy are high school students because they are the only members of society that have expendable incomes, AND understand today’s current dollar value. (Sorry senior citizens) Hopefully by the time you get to college you’ve had to pay a bill or two… If you think art supplies are expensive, you can just forget about buying art from other artists.
With bare walls, a desire to be creative, and a little thrift, she was able to surround herself with a lovely environment. The original artist in, Sylvia Ji, uses wood panels to circumvent the cost of buying fresh canvases. See, some of these kids these days, just accept their circumstances. They act so defeatist - it’s a sin. If Picasso had done that, he wouldn’t have been able to afford to make a single painting.
So if you’re walls are bare; physically or mentally, go to your nearest thrift shop, pick out a painting or print, (I recommend one that comes with a frame) and make art happen. It doesn’t matter how, or if it is even Maybe our average resourceful college an original work. Okay, it does matter if you student will never reach Picasso’s level of are trying to make a profit… You can’t sell significance in the art world, but we can cer- other people’s work; But over and above all tainly learn a thing or two from his example. everyone just needs a splash of color in their The biggest lesson Picasso taught artists, life. If it isn’t there, make it so. that we must always push the envelope. Art is subjective, that IS its beauty. And maybe even more importantly, that how you make art, doesn’t really matter. He proved that frugality sparks ingenuity. Here at CMC we have our basic needs met, but you ask anyone about the social-economic status of the students here, they would tell you. “We’re all broke as a joke.” Which in reality is not very funny. Samantha Hill is a student here, who took matters into her own hands. She wanted to look at and appreciate the work Sylvia Ji. She was lacking funds but found a canvas to paint on. She began to recreate “Nyx” originally painted by Sylvia Ji, a graduate of The Academy of Art in San Francisco.
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The fire on my fingertips Connected by strings To your hearts fire. Fueled by the branches Of my hearts tree. Tears of Happiness From the milky way Pour over the roots Of this tree which Shades us from misery. The fires smooth caress Paints a path from Star to milky star As we fill in the colors Of our neverending future. A neverending future cluttered by noise of people who stand idly by and watch as we recreate the ceiling of the Sistine chapel Our interstellar creations are filled with waves of energy carried by wind of crisp autumn leaves and cold starry nights.
As if swans flying through space Had comet trails which we use for paint on the canvas of our neverending future. My cold laced fingertips which dictate these vary words wend shivers of frost into My everwarming body filled with a library of music which Beats to the rhythm of my heart. Oh! the songs my heart sing, to be heard by the tender caress of my fingers along the ears of your heartstrings. Sitting across the room from you i see the reflection of happiness in your eyes.
When I lie awake in the room where we made love the night before We lift our brushes to the stroke I smell the color of your hair Of our hearts beating next to each staining the sheets. other
In our neverending dream the lake where we met is our satisfaction that no where will ever be the same. For our boat has sailed to the middle where our reflections make a perfect heart until the ripple of tears across your eyes trickle through the perfect waves. The image was never there. Never Existing so far away from shore. Finnally I wake up from my Neverending Dream.
Finally I wake up from my neverending dream. Aaron Otillar