The Matador: November 2016

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OPINIONS

“Trump reflects problems of American society, not isolated inicident” pg. 5

LIFE & ART “Popular frozen dessert reviews: Sweet Lab, Freezin Point pg. 8

SPORTS

“Matadors defeat Aztecs in Homecoming game” pg. 11

THE MATADOR

SAN GABRIEL HIGH/NOVEMBER 10, 2016/ VOLUME 62 / ISSUE 3

WWW.THEMATADORSGHS.US/801 S. RAMONA ST., SAN GABRIEL CA 91776

TRUMP TRIUMPHS Tom Cheah Republican Donald John Trump stunned the world as he pulled an upset win against his heavily favored rival, Democratic Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, in the presidential election. He won 279 electoral votes, satisfying the 270 vote requirement to clinch the presidency. In his victory speech, Trump thanked all his supporters and emphasized the importance of unity for the nation. “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” Trump said. “I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.” Trump’s victory marks the historic end of Clinton’s second bid for the presidency. In her concession speech, Clinton stated that her loss was painful and “will be for a long time,” but also wanted to remind her supporters of the importance of a “peaceful transfer of power.” “Donald Trump is going to be our president,” Clinton said. “We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.” Trump’s political campaign began in June 2015 when he announced his bid for the White House and emerged as the front-runner for the Republican Party’s nomination. He won the official Republican presidential nomination against 11 other Republican party presidential candidates in the primary election. His platform focused on tax cuts, stricter enforcement of immigration laws, and the renegotiation of trade deals. The election divided the nation as it had to choose between Trump and Clinton, two candidates whom both had historically low popularity ratings. On Election Day, Trump pulled out crucial victories in the battleground states of Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics teacher Raymond Gin stated that “the feeling of part of the population being ignored” played a role in the election results. “White America felt that they were not being heard of serviced anymore,” Gin said. “Certain gender gaps, educational gaps, and the gaps between rural and urban [voters] had a

Photo courtesy of Fortune

Trump, the 2016 president-elect, stands at the podium as he prepares to deliver his victory speech. hand in his victory.” Despite these results, Gin stated that Trump’s victory will probably not bring many effects to California, the San Gabriel Valley, and San Gabriel High School, and that the “four years will go by very quickly.” Senior Bhone Thiha stated that he was surprised by the results, but was “glad [the election] went the way it did.” “We have an outsider who will fight for American lives,” Thiha said. “[Trump] is an actual man who knows what he’s doing and who’s gonna fight for you.” Junior Christina Yuan was “very disappointed about the results” and does not approve of Trump’s political views. “It means that a lot of people are angry,” Yuan said. “I just feel like there is going to be a lot of turmoil.” English teacher Valerie Larson felt “shocked and mortified” by the turnout. “I think our country will go backwards in terms of civil

Asian American Association promotes diversity

Photo by Michelle Ho

Asian American Association cabinet members (left to right): Michael Han, Wendy Shi, Jiaxin Li, Emily Su Joanne Chau Ranging from Key Club to the Interactive Community of Medicine, San Gabriel High School offers a wide assortment of clubs. Now, there is a new addition to the bunch—the Asian American Association (AAA). AAA was recently created by juniors Jiaxin Li, Wendy Shi, Emily Su, and Michael Wang. Inspired by the Association of Latin American Students, this club provides an environment

of unity and comfort for students with diverse cultural backgrounds. AAA focuses on cultural identity, allowing students to learn about different ideologies and to open up about their own customs. “We make every effort to maintain a strong support for those who feel insecure in their social identity,” Shi said. “In addition, [AAA] creates a comfortable atmosphere for everyone, where [members] can learn about other cultural experiences while expressing [their] own.” Despite its name, AAA is not exclusively for Asian-American members. They welcome students of all ethnicities and background with open arms. “We speak English [during meetings], not Chinese,” Su said. “Embracing various cultures is important towards breaking stereotypes in society such as, ‘All Asians speak Chinese.’” Throughout the school year, AAA plans on talking about scholarship opportunities that cater to diversity and working on writing skills through peer editing. In order to further create recognition, members will work together to create a video that addresses student opinions about diversity and culture. “We hope to promote general awareness among students about their ethnic backgrounds by sharing stories and family history,” Wang said. AAA meetings will take place every other Wednesday in L202, in Mr. Woo’s class, during lunch. The next meeting will be held on Nov. 23. As their motto says, “Embrace the culture, embrace the love.”

rights,” Larson said. “I think [life] will be harder for college students, women, and people of color in this country.” Trump’s unlikely victory shocked not only the American people and San Gabriel students, but also investors around the world, causing global stock markets to plunge temporarily. In addition to its victory in the executive branch, the Republican party secured a majority in both the US Senate and House of Representatives. With his lack of diplomatic, political, or military executive experience, it is unknown how Trump will act as president, setting America on an uncertain path. “Everything has to be aligned for things to happen,” Gin said. “Whether they will happen or not, we’ll have to wait and see.” Trump will be sworn into office on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2017.

Additional reporting by Nian Capili and Kevin Contreras.

Student receives ‘moth’ full of salad in school lunch

Photo courtesy of Michael Zhu

A dead moth was found in senior Michael Zhu’s lunch. Karina Matias Something unusual happened during lunch to senior Michael Zhu on Oct. 10. While eating lunch with a group of friends in the cafeteria, he realized that there was a moth in his salad. “At first, I thought the cafeteria added meat [to] the salad, but then I felt grossed [out] after realizing it was a [dead] moth,” Zhu said.

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