Volume 41, Issue 1 - Aug. 15, 2018

The Student Newspaper of MSU Denver

mymetmedia.com

VOL. 40

NO. 34

@themetonline

AUGUST 15, 2018

themetropolitan

I-70 reconstruction begins amidst debate

Photo by RJ Sangosti | rsangosti@denverpost.com

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and other dignitaries break ground on the Central 70 Project on Aug. 3, 2018 in Denver. Central 70 is CDOT’s largest project ever; delivering the first safety and capacity improvements to this stretch of I-70 since the highway was constructed in the early 1960s. Originally published by The Denver Post.

Interstate 70 expansion project, Aug. 4.

Boulevard. The project, which will expand

date, will be moved 40 feet below ground

the highway to six lanes, including tolls, will

level with a four acre park placed above

Central 70 project began over a decade

cost around $1.2 billion and the construction

it. For Rebecca White, communications

ago when CDOT officials acknowledged

will be headed by contractors Kiewit

manager Central 70 project.

outside assistance, mitigation and public

the deteriorating condition of the highway,

Meridiam Partners. The 10 mile stretch is

resistance, the Colorado Department

and took action to renovate a 10 mile

currently elevated with a viaduct beneath

of Transportation broke ground on the

stretch from Chambers Road to Brighton

it, but by the estimated 2022 completion

By James Burky jburky@msudenver.edu

With protesters in attendance, the

After over a decade of planning,

INSIDE

OPINION

| pg. 5

Why we should keep National Park land

FEATURES

| pg. 6

SPORTS

| Continued on pg. 2

| pg. 9

What to expect from the first week

Facing frightening tides, Rockies’

of school (map inisde)

ship stays afloat.

NEWS

2

AUGUST 15, 2018

Central 70 groundbreaking controversy persists protesters Friday, is that the construction

Continued from cover

will add further pollution and diminish The sight of the first shovels

the quality of life for the zip code with the

ceremoniously displacing dirt was

highest rate of cancer patients in the state.

one that brought relief, having worked

“My family has suffered so many health

on the project since its infancy.

issues, it’s not even funny. I cry every day

“I’ve been on this project a long time,”

because I’m in-and-out of hospitals with my

White said. “Getting to this point and being

family” said Mary Hernandez, a member

able to move forward feels really good.”

of Ditch the Ditch, and who lived in the

White wasn’t the only one to

area when the highway was first erected.

see a goal fulfilled, though.

When Hernandez was little, her family

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock

began digging a basement. The ground

promised to reunite the communities

they turned up held arsenic, which was

of Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, who

the primary chemical used in the area’s

were separated during the construction

smelters in the past. The World Health

of the highway in the 1950s and 60s.

Organization calls arsenic “highly toxic.”

Hancock referred to the project as

The project exposed the Hernandezes

one that “works to stitch the Denver

to these and a cocktail of other pollutants,

community back together and eliminate

which affected Mary’s children in

barriers for our neighborhoods.”

utero, and has left her family members

The addition of the park above the

to fight cancer and her grandchildren

highway, as well as a “lid” to keep pollutants from harming the air, is seen as a way to

afflicted with rare forms of blindness.

“That happened because we dug into

rebuild bridges that were burned when the

our basement, now they’re going to dig

highway was first built, but some are wary

40 feet into that soil,” Hernandez said.

of that claim. As it stands, the project has more than its fair share of controversies.

And that’s where the opposition believes they still have a leg to stand on. In the early

Synonymous with the Central 70

2000s, the neighborhoods were designated

1-70 Construction Map, image obtained from CDOT.

expansion is the impact it will have on the

as superfund cleanup sites, where the

neighboring communities of Globeville

federal government visits, compensates the

and Elyria-Swansea, who are just a

residents and, in this case, replaced two

was discovered beneath the playground

stone’s throw away from the freeway.

inches of contaminated soil. While the two

of Swansea Elementary when KMP was

the end of Ditch the Ditch, as the group

moving it further from the construction site.

remains optimistic that the fight isn’t over.

The opposition has been aided by

inches were removed, the soil remained

the grassroots organization Ditch the

tainted with arsenic in areas untouched

Ditch and the Colorado Sierra Club, the

by the initiative for over 100 years.

latter of whom has engaged in three

Another cause for concern the detractors

The groundbreaking doesn’t mean

According to the American Lung

Deb James, another protestor, noted

Association, children with increased

how one Sierra Club lawsuit is still

exposure to traffic pollution, especially

active and claims that gubernatorial

separate lawsuits against the project in

hold onto is concern for the health of

within a third of a mile from a highway,

candidate Jared Polis sided with the

the past two years. Not one of the three

children at Swansea Elementary School

have an increased risk of developing

group before the Democratic Primaries

have successfully stopped the project.

and Garden Place Academy, who are

“the onset of childhood asthma,

but has yet to make a position public.

already at risk of the pollutants that have

impaired lung function, premature

become predominant in the area. Asbestos

death and cardiovascular morbidity.”

Among the common criticisms, which were echoed by the small group of

New EMT program offered on campus

By James Bofenkamp

upon completion of the program.

dean of the College of Professional

jbofenk1@msudenver.edu

Due to this, students studying

Studies, said that due to interest in

emergency services careers are

the program, the school was likely to

able to earn a certification which

expand the program in the future.

MSU Denver and Denver Health coordinated with each

advances their career progress and

other to create a new EMT

is useful to their field of study.

certification last semester.

The program, which had its first

She also said that there is somewhat of a shortage of

“A lot of fire departments

EMTs in Colorado, as well as

require having an EMT certification

growing areas of employment

class over the summer semester,

before applying,” said Brian

for those with the certification.

is designed to give students credit

Bagwell, associate professor in the

With more opportunities for EMT

hours in return for earning their EMT

department of human services.

employment than traditional

certificate. Denver Health provides

He added that the Denver Fire

emergency response, a point which

the instructors and materials

Department has been considering

Zeiler echoed, the certification

while MSU Denver supplies the

the idea of adding 5 extra points to

is only growing in usefulness.

classroom space. Students who

the entrance exams of applicants

earn the certification will be

who have the certification.

prepared not only for appropriate careers, but every-day life.

“A family picnic, a hike

While Bagwell comes from

one, and had contacts with Denver Health which he used

unexpected happens. The EMT

to help in the formation of

is prepared for the unexpected

the partnership between the

and is trained to respond.” said

hospital and MSU Denver.

The partnership ensures eligibility for 12 credit hours

She said this would allow

Zeiler comes from a paramedic

beach can all be places that the

of health professions.

certification,” Capps said.

a firefighting background,

in the woods or a day on the

Kevin Zeiler, associate professor

“It doesn’t require too many courses to get the

Zeiler was confident in the first

interested students to quickly get into the field and gain Obtained from Denverhealth.org

real world experience.

Capps stressed that the program

In a new partnership with MSU Denver, Denver Health will provide EMT training on campus. Students can earn credits toward their major in addition to the certification.

semester of the class, which had

would address imbalanced demographic landscapes involved in healthcare. Capps said that most people involved in healthcare are

positive student feedback. However,

nature of the class, only 24 spaces

While the first run of the class

white, while Denver and MSU

due to size constraints and the

are available for the fall semester.

just finished, Jennifer Capps, interim

Denver are far more diverse.

MSU Denver’s student-run television Filling all positions, including editors, reporters, anchors and writers.

All Auraria Campus students welcome.

Work-study positions available for MSU Denver students.

s w e i v r e Int

August 31

9 a.m.–2 p.m.

Auraria Media Center

(Doors on the east side of the library)

Work with one of our many student shows A ONDA R T O EL S H O W

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For more information, contact Yahaira Hernandez: yherna13@msudenver.edu

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AUGUST 15, 2018

OPINIONS

5

The need for more National Park Land I was in position and made the shot.

Looking around and cementing

553 million acres to the land

staff

As reported by The New York

designated as national monuments

Times, there are 300 uranium mining

the moment in my brain, I thought

throughout both terms, according

claims on the lands that have been

of what my uncle Tim had told

to The National Parks Service.

reclassified. From 1944 to 1986 more

Ali Watkins awatkin9@msudenver.edu

than 500 uranium mines were leased

Managing Editor Isaac Banks cbanks17@msudenver.edu

me on one of my first hunts in

National monuments are just a

Editor-in-Chief

Maryland when I was 14. We had

step below national parks in terms

from the Navajo nation in Arizona,

spent a long day hiking and had

of protections. Both prohibit mining,

Utah and New Mexico. They were all

crested the top of a hill, looking

drilling and building new roads, but

abandoned following the wind-down

down into a valley of forests.

unlike national parks, monuments

of the Cold War, but their effects are

Kaileigh Lyons klyons9@msudenver.edu

allow hunting and fishing as well as

still felt by the Navajo people and

Assitant Photo Editor

a few other recreational activities.

the surrounding land to this day.

I would have still been able to hunt

Ground water has extremely high

brushed his words off and thought

that buck on a national monument,

levels of contamination and birth

Assitant News Editors

By Forest Wilson

he was just being sanctimonious.

however I would have been

defects and cancers are rampant.

James Bofenkamp

fwilso10@msudenver.edu

As my ears still hummed, covered in

guaranteed that the same deer was

History does not bear out the

sweat and the mixture of dust and

not drinking water contaminated by

argument that business interests

My rifle snapped back into

grass from the hill, I looked around

brine — a byproduct of fracking — or

use public lands sustainably

my shoulder and my ears began

the valley as I made my way toward

mining waste. This is not necessarily

and without serious impact,

to ring. I saw through the scope

the buck. I’m not a religious man,

true on the BLM land that he was on.

especially in mineral and fossil

Megan Webber mwebber6@msudenver.edu

that the buck had gone down and

but in that moment, I understood

fuel extraction. These companies

Assitant Features Editor

immediately a wave of emotion

what my uncle had meant.

“This is where you find the heart of God.” At that age, I had nodded and

came over me. As I stood up from

Being in the natural world and

On Feb. 2, President Trump’s

Photo Editor

Joel Mathew jmathe19@msudenver.edu

jbofenk1@msudenver.ed Forest Wilson fwilso10@msudenver.edu Features Editor

orders to shrink the area of both

continue to lobby and spread

Bears Ears National Monument and

the idea that reclassifying public

Hilal Bahcetepe hbahcete@msudenver.edu

the crest of a scraggly hill in the

taking part in it was as close to

Grand Staircase-Escalante National

lands is good for everyone. CEO’s

Sports Editor

Eastern Montana badlands, I felt a

a religious experience as I had

Monument took effect. This is

and the president perpetuate

strange sense of elation. It wasn’t

ever come. This was the effect

not the first time the monuments

the lie that protections are anti-

James Burky jburky@msudenver.edu

a macabre joy from taking this

of being in the “sanctuary of

have been shrunk, but these

business and hinder the prosperity

animal’s life, or the feeling of pride

nature” as my uncle often put it.

orders shift from the precedent

and economic independence of

Steve Haigh shaigh@msudenver.edu

set by the past two presidents

America. To date, the uranium

Assistant Director of Met Media Ronan O’Shea roshea3@msudenver.edu

that I had expected would come

The particular sanctuary that

from my first successful solo-

this buck had been standing on

of expanding the sanctuary of

mines have cost the U.S. taxpayer

hunt. Instead, this not-entirely-

was public land managed by the

nature and ensuring that future

over $465 million in costs

unfamiliar feeling was a primal

Bureau of Land Management,

generations have the right to

associated with cleanup, according

sense of gratitude and appreciation

made available for multiple uses

experience it uncontaminated.

to the Justice Department.

for the entire experience.

including hunting and recreation.

I was 22 and had been casually

As of 2015, more than 248 million

Mining and drilling will now be

Let us instead increase the

possible on the portions of these

area and protections of these

Director of Met Media

Production Manager of Met Media Kathleen Jewby kjewby@msudenver.edu Office Manager

hunting with my uncles for the

acres of public land is managed

national monuments that have

sanctuaries. Experiences like

Elizabeth Norberg enorbert@msudenver.edu

better part of a decade. This was

by the BLM, comprising the lion’s

been reclassified. Proponents

mine will not be possible in the

Sales and Marketing

the first time I had truly been out on

share of the total public lands in

tout the sustainable measures

future if these lands are allowed

my own, putting in the legwork and

the U.S., estimated to be more than

that these companies use along

to be destroyed and turned into

sales@mymetmedia.com marketing@mymetmedia.com

applying every skill I had. On day

610 million acres or 27 percent of

with the fact that the lands are still

a temporary profit. Protecting

three I had spotted the buck across

the total area of the United States,

federally owned and managed by

and expanding these lands is not

a long valley, about three miles from

according to the Congressional

the BLM and the National Forest

only necessary for the benefit of

where I was positioned at the top of

Research Service. The acreage

Service. Under scrutiny this

humans, but for the ecosystem

a pair of hills. Sparing the minutiae

of public land has almost surely

argument falls apart, with the bleak

that is slowly being destroyed and

of my agonizing sneak up to

grown since 2015 as President

history of uranium mining in this

will never be the same again.

shooting range from him, eventually

Barack Obama added approximately

area illustrating the problem.

The U.S. supports war crimes

By Forest Wilson

much higher. This is a continuing

2016, according to Stockholm

in 2017, according to SIPRI Trends

fwilso10@msudenver.edu

human rights tragedy that the U.S.

International Peace Research

in International Arms Transfers.

fails to address, both in media

Institute. The U.S. itself has

Europe supplied 38 percent and

coverage and from the government.

conducted drone-strikes against

the rest of the world supplied

in 2015 after the Shia-led rebel

The Saudis have conducted brutal

al-Qaeda and ISIS targets in Yemen

the final percentage point.

group, the Houthis, took over

airstrikes with a brash disregard

since 2002, leading to hundreds

the government of Yemen led by

for civilian life. Their bombs

of civilian casualties, a reality

the U.S. since 1945, spurred by the

President Abdrabbuh Mansour

have killed thousands of civilians

that has failed to halt or slow the

Saudi’s opposition to Communism

Hadi. As the Houthis advanced

and wounded many more.

bombings. In fact, President Trump

and America’s need for oil, has

has ramped up airstrikes, from

pushed the U.S. to overlook the

about 44 in 2016, to 131 in 2017.

massive human rights violations

The Yemeni Civil War began

throughout Yemen, a coalition

Furthermore, a Saudi blockade

The alliance of Saudi Arabia and

of Saudi-led forces, with the

of aid to civilians exacerbated

intelligence and logistical support of

the famine that has killed more

the U.S., began bombing campaigns

than 50,000. A cholera outbreak

sells to Saudi Arabia in enormous

This needs to change. America has

to restore Hadi’s government.

in 2017 affected 200,000 people

quantities are being used in the

tacitly supported the human rights

and has killed 1,300 so far.

indiscriminate killing of children.

violations of the citizens of Saudi

fighting between the Saudi-led

Human Rights Watch and other

And I mean that, literally. On Aug.

Arabia’s regime, and has directly

coalition and the Hadi government

groups have accused Saudi

10, an airstrike lead by Saudi forces

supported the horrors in Yemen.

on one side, and the Houthi

Arabia of war crimes, wantonly

killed around 30 school children in

Without pressure from the U.S. and

rebels — allegedly supported by

bombing civilian camps during

a school bus in northern Yemen.

the U.N., Saudi Arabia will continue

Iran — on the other, the number of

their 2015 raids and preventing

While it is unknown if the bomb was

to commit war crimes, human rights

civilians directly killed by the war

aid from reaching civilians.

supplied by the U.S., the odds are

violations and fund terrorism.

After more than three years of

has surpassed 10,000, although some believe the number to be

The U.S. supplied Saudi Arabia with almost $2 billion in arms in

The very bombs that the U.S.

high. The U.S. supplied 61 percent of Saudi Arabia’s imported arms

throughout the Saudi’s history.

Brady Nelson bnelso73@msudenver.edu Caitlin Monaghan cmonagh12@msudenver.edu

Want to voice your thoughts on a current event or subject that has been covered in the paper?

Contact Managing Editor Isaac Banks at cbanks17@msudenver.edu

What we do The Metropolitan accepts submissions in the form of topic-driven columns and letters to the editor. Column article concepts must be submitted by 1 p.m.

Thursdays and the deadline for columns is 9 p.m. Sundays. Columns range from 500 to 600 words. Letters to the editor must be submitted by 5 p.m. Mondays to be printed in that week’s edition.

There is a 500-word limit for letters to the editor. The Metropolitan reserves the right to edit letters for formatting and style. All submissions should be sent by email to themetonline@gmail.com.

The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves the Auraria Campus. The Metropolitan is supported by advertising revenue and student fees and is published every Wednesday during the academic year and monthly during the summer semester. Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of MSU Denver or Met Media’s advertisers.

FEATURES

6

AUGUST 15, 2018

Welcome Week offers opportunities for students to engage on campus

By Ali C. M. Watkins

The week’s events will be open

with officials over coffee and

more community I feel, and just

all three schools’ student

awatkins9@msudenver.edu

to all three institutions.

donuts provided by SGA.

a better school experience.”

governments, it’s a vital resource

The festivities are meant to As new and returning students

This year, involvement is a

Courtney Jones, MSU Denver

for all students to utilize.

help students find their way

common theme of Welcome

representative for the Student

finalize their schedules and

around campus, meet other

Week for SGA. Though they

Advisory Committee to the Auraria

commuter student for a long

collect their school supplies,

students and to find out how

will be active during the entire

Board, urges students to seek

time and I think that if I would

Student Government Assembly

their voices can be heard, said

week, Monday is the designated

out involvement, whether it be

have known that I could have

and Student Activities work

SGA President Justin Darnall.

SGA day on Lawrence Street.

during Welcome Week or later in

gone to student government and

“And of course a couple

“My college experience

their academic careers. As a non-

ask any question, regardless

transformed dramatically from just

traditional student, taking around

of what it was, it would have

getting involved,” Darnall said.

four years off from school, she

helped me out a lot,” she said.

diligently to make the first week as helpful as it is exciting.

Auraria Higher Education

of games and fun.”

Darnall encourages students

“I served eight years in the

described her experience changing

“I had the perspective of a

Center, SGA and Student

to meet the SGA members at

Activities are teaming up for the

the first Coffee Monday on

Marines and I was like, ‘Oh student

from night to day whenever she

which will be held Tuesday Aug.

The Student Activities day,

annual Welcome Week, where

Aug. 20. Starting with Welcome

orgs, why would I get involved in

joined student organizations.

21, will have physical activities

the first four days of the fall

Week, students can come into

that?’ Then I got more and more

Jones said that since the

and games, like kayaking on a

semester provides activities

the SGA office every monday

involved, and the more I loved it

Tivoli Student Union houses

built-on-site pool, in the Tivoli

and resources for students.

and discuss changes on campus

and the more I loved school, the

several organizations and

Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Aug. 22, freshmen, transfer or returning students can browse the Involvement Fair for an organization, club or Greek life that might interest them.

Meet the Greeks is also on the itinerary for Welcome Week. Starting at 5 p.m. in the Tivoli Turnhalle on Aug. 23, the campus’ fraternities and sororities will introduce themselves to any interested students.

Student Activities will also have a helping hand with the rest of the week, including a showing of “Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War” on Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m. in the Tivoli Quad, where students can enjoy free snacks.

“It’s something that they’re not used to in a regular theater, you know instead of paying $25 plus food, we provide all that for free,” said Event Programmer for Student Activities Juan Gonzalez. “We’ve noticed that a lot of students usually don’t get to go watch these big movies so we want to try to bring it to them on campus while they’re here.”

Gonzalez wants students to know about the various and frequent events on campus by checking the Student Activities website. He said that students can be ensured that there is something to do whether the first week or the last.

The school offers more than 120 student clubs and organizations to choose from. If there’s not a group that interests an individual, they can create their own through Student Activities.

“Get your foot in where you can and leave a milestone when you graduate,” Gonzalez said.

Student Activities and SGA can be found in the Tivoli Student Union in suites 305 and 307.

AUGUST 15, 2018

FEATURES

7

Mamma Mia 2 fails at plot, but excels musically

By Megan Webber

guess at. Perhaps she had little

her seemed empty. James’ role

mwebber6@msudenver.edu

interest or time for a “Mamma

served as a nostalgic glimpse

Mia!” reunion, or perhaps the

into Donna’s early life, which

screenwriters wanted her to

was healing not only for Sophie,

released on July 18, 2008, it

appear for a grand finale, hoping

but for the audience as well.

skyrocketed to fame with its

to earn a few extra dollars in sales.

When “Mamma Mia!” was

hit cast and popular feel-good

In the 2008 film, one of the first

However, her famed, gentle

scenes features Sophie reading

ABBA songs. The movie, while

smile is featured throughout the

from her mother’s journal in which

internationally acclaimed for

last few scenes of the movie,

she recounts the nights she met

its beloved characters and

bringing the joy and carefree spirit

Sam Carmichael (Brosnan), Bill

soundtrack, received critiques

of Donna Sheridan back to life

Andersson (Skarsgard) and Harry

on its flawed plotline and use

as she joins the rest of the cast

Bright (Firth), respectively. The

of inexperienced singers.

for a finale rendition of “Super

journal entries date months apart,

Trouper.” Along with “Mamma

meaning logically, Donna should

the day, “Mamma Mia! Here

Mia” and “Dancing Queen,”

have been able to do the math to

We Go Again” was released on

“Trouper” was one of the only

figure out which of these three

July 20 and received similar

returning musical numbers. But

reviews from critics. The film

the magic of ABBA was not lost

Photo obtained from imdb

was carried by a strong cast

with new hits like “Angel Eyes”

including Amanda Seyfried, Meryl

and “Why Did It Have to Be Me?”

Left to right: Cher, Dominic Cooper, Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Lily James.

Ten years later, almost to

Streep, Lily James and Cher,

men was Sophie’s father. Yet in the

While Streep, Seyfried, Dominic

Bill, and then Sam, with only hours in between each encounter. While it helps the film move along in a

who each took a turn to play the

Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Colin

graduated college and set off to

heroine and tug at the hearts

Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie

build a life for herself in Greece.

of viewers around the world.

Walters and Christine Baranski

While James brought the

Streep returns at the end of

2018 film, she meets Harry, then

were not filled in the sequel.

Flashback scenes of Donna’s life pre-Sophie were interlaced

timely manner, these differences in time almost create a whole new story from the familiar.

return for the sequel, they are

perfect balance of liveliness,

with modern day scenes of Sophie

the film to sing a bittersweet

joined by a group including James,

romance and soprano beauty to

struggling to balance her romantic

aside, the new film has already

Plot holes and critiques

duet with Seyfried, who plays her

Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan and

the film, her role only added to

life, work life and honor the

made more than $280 million

daughter, Sophie, in the movies.

Hugh Skinner who play younger

the confusion of the plot. Young

memory of her mother. The death

in box office sales. Sometimes

Although Streep was the leading

versions of the characters. This

Donna did not live her life quite

of Donna came as a surprise to

a movie is worth seeing just

lady in the first film, she only

new cast takes viewers back to

the way it had been described in

many Mamma Mia! fans, as Streep

for the jokes, good music

appears at the end of the sequel,

the years of leading lady Donna

the first movie. There are several

carried much of the first film on

and hot shirtless actors.

for reasons viewers can only

Sheridan’s youth, when she

holes from the first film that

her shoulders. A sequel without

BlacKkKlansman reflects on today’s tensions

By Isaac Banks

officers to his romantic relationship

cbanks17@msudenver.edu

with Dumas that buckles under the racial tensions between the

People often use movies to

police and the black community.

escape from the world’s problems.

Stallworth takes the middle

“BlacKkKlansman” does not

road, believing that things can

provide that cathartic release. It

change from the inside without

faces racial issues head on without

the need for a race war, unlike the

blinking or pulling punches. Even

KKK and black student union.

though the movie is set in the

Lee also succeeds in showing

1970s, it still has plenty to say

the division between blacks and

about today’s race relations.

whites. About halfway through

A Spike Lee joint, the movie is

the movie, Lee juxtaposes a

based on ridiculous real events,

black college meeting and a KKK

giving meaning to the saying,

meeting. Both end with the college

“Truth is stranger than fiction.”

students chanting, “Black power”

The story follows the first black

and the KKK members chanting,

cop in the Colorado Springs Police

“White power.” By doing this,

Department, Ron Stallworth, played

Lee shows lines being drawn

by John David Washington. In an

between the races, especially

effort to get out of record duty,

when the black students originally

he convinces the police chief to

said, “All the power to all of the

let him go undercover. Due to his

races” earlier in the movie.

skin color, his first assignment

When it comes to portraying the

Photo obtained from focusfeatures

Right to left: Adam Driver and John David Washington. more believable by showing them

have said those exact words, Lee

out he was talking to a black man,

goofing off. Some of the best laughs

takes liberties to make a point.

and more serious ones like the

was to monitor a rally held by the

KKK, Lee makes sure to add a little

come from a phone conversation

black student union of Colorado

demission to the members. Yes, they

between Stallworth and David Duke.

College, led by Patrice Dumas, who

are still racist, homophobic, Jew-

is played by Laura Harrier. After

hating people, but not all of them

proving himself, he then infiltrates

believe in killing non-Aryan people.

the Ku Klux Klan with the help

The movie falls under the crime/

To drive the story home, the

police chief closing Stallworth and

movie ends with video clips from

Zimmerman’s investigations due to

the 2017 Charlottesville protests,

budget cuts. This gave the movie a

that allude to present day race

where a white supremicist drove his

feeling of multiple endings and left

tensions. Some examples include

car through a crowd of protestors

me with a bit of emotional whiplash.

Duke, played by Topher Grace,

and President Trump’s tepid

There are lines in the movie

BlacKkKlansman is not for

of fellow undercover officer Flip

drama genre but it is not without

saying, “Let’s make America great

response. Lee is claiming nothing

everyone, but it is a well-acted and

Zimmerman, played by Adam Driver.

its comedic moments. There is

once more,” scenes that hint at

has really changed over the years.

directed movie that tells a true story

no set-up to a joke, yet the humor

the 2016 election results and the

Stallworth’s motivations and

flows naturally throughout the

college students talking about

stumbles to stick the landing. Lee

struggles with portraying a black

movie. This is a welcome relief

black people being shot in the

tries to put a nice bow on the film,

cop. The depicted struggles range

from the emotionally heavy scenes

back by police officers. While the

but instead switches between

from dealing with racist police

and made the characters a little bit

real-life counterparts may not

humorous scenes like Duke finding

The movie successfully shows

As the movie wraps up, it

of a ridiculous series of events.

SPORTS

8

AUGUST 15, 2018

Opinion: Perversion of our influence BRIEFS

By James Burky jburky@msudenver.edu

Basketball fills vacancies

A theory exists called the seven spheres of societal influence.

MSU Denver basketball has hired assistant coaches Jeremy Johnston and Brandon Cole have been hired to fill the holes left by Lucas Gabriel and Kenny Tripp. Johnston spent three of the last five seasons as the head coach of Northwest Kansas Technical College, where he compiled a record of 50-43 and produced 19 Division I recruits. Cole spent one season as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Central Wyoming College.

Developed by evangelical Christians in the 1970s, it establishes a number of realms that functional societies possess: government, religion, family, education, media, business and arts, entertainment, and sport. Religion and, perhaps more noticeably, sport are the most sacred to the United States.

With its placement on a pedestal, the key players in the structure of sport leagues are invincible.

Soccer to begin Thursday

Penn State officials ignored three decades worth of boys sexual abuse by famed football coach Jerry Sandusky. Michigan State University did the same for the gymnasts abused by Larry Nassar, and perhaps most prominently, Photo by James Burky | jburky@msudenver.edu

the NFL ignoring the reality of destructive brain injuries in football.

Last December, while investigating injuries in sports as

Former NFL quarterback Mike Boryla sits at a table at Stella’s coffee shop in Denver on December 9. Boryla suffered multiple concussions in his career and said that he has no doubt that the league knew of the dangers of sub-concussive hits in the 1970s.

part of a reporting class, I spoke with Mike Boryla, a former quarterback who played five seasons in the

for someone who doesn’t play

and the people’s money in their

NFL football is probably 75.”

pockets. But as the NFL’s value

fathers and sons that were lost.

The NFL seems to refuse the

grew more prosperous, former

notion of removing full contact

has no doubt that league officials

players Junior Seau, Dave Duerson

practices, a move that the Canadian

became aware of the dangers of

and Mike Webster only suffered.

Football League took to combat

sub-concussive blows, which are

All three committed suicide and

head injuries. Considering that

glorified age of pro football, an

the common collisions between

were found to have advanced

the most dangerous hits are the

era of the sport that glorified

two players’ helmets that are part

chronic traumatic encephalopathy,

small ones, eliminating hundreds

violence and where playing through

of the fabric of the game. But if

or CTE, which is a degenerative

of hours worth of them isn’t just

concussions was as common

they did know — and it’s plausible

brain disease commonly found in

a step forward: it’s a leap.

as each team fielding 11 men.

that they did — why would they

the brains of football players.

NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1976. Boryla played in the most

Boryla, who remembers

This is also the era when Boryla

do anything about it? The NFL

It is admirable that the league

There are few activities as blissful as playing a game of pick

just four plays in his five-year

had exploded as the country’s

is stiffening up on their safety

up football with friends or family,

career, was lucky to leave when

premiere sport. The Super Bowl

policies, or at least attempting

and in the bleakness of reality,

he did. At 66-years-old, he has

had become a massive success and

to, as it does show some basic

seeing homegrown athletes

successfully outlived the average

the people valued the escapism

concept of decency. But it wasn’t

succeed against the world is a

from everyday life the game held.

their first choice to do so.

reasonable source of pride, but in

teammate from his era.

“The average lifespan has

Like televangelists,

Let’s not forget that when the

this satisfaction of their success

pretty consistently been stated

commissioner Roger Goodell,

horrors they swept under the rug

and our love for the games we were

at 53 by the NFLPA,” he said.

and his predecessors, had the

came to light, Penn State, the NFL

never too good at, we’ve allowed

“Whereas the average lifespan

people like putty in their hands

and Michigan State University

the greedy to rise to immunity.

were reactive, never proactive.

those who disagree with the NFL’s

performance has taken priority

actions, like myself, still watch the

over a basic code of ethics and

games because the players are the

morals, as long as the rug hasn’t

greatest football athletes in the

been lifted, they’ve shown us that

world. It’s the game responsible for

they are not capable of anything

countless memories we hold close

more. This corporate apathy is a

to our heart, and to see it performed

conscious perversion of the most

at the most elite level is remarkable,

integral sphere of influence.

to say the least. Assuming that

Like Bernie Madoff and

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at an event at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York to raise awareness about tramautic head injuries in football on Aug. 30, 2012. The NFL has come under public scrutiny for downplaying the severity of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

a majority of Americans feel

numerous other Wall Street elite

the same, a complete boycott is

that profited at the expense of

unlikely. But a boycott of useless

unsuspecting Americans, officials

merchandise and overpriced gear

like Goodell and former Penn

is a step in the right direction, as

State athletic director Tim Curley

is starting a conversation about

earned while men lost their sanity

the apathy of these officials.

and boys were abused. Sandusky Photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons

So, what can be done? Even

For entities like the NFL, job

Combine these, however, and

will die in prison. And the NFL is

we attack what athletic executives

cooperating with players for a

hold most near and dear to their

safer game to clean their image,

hearts — their public image. In

but they only did so after public

doing so, the absent-minded

opinion shifted on the issue, and

sports officials will know that

these reactionary measures can’t

their power can be broken, too.

undo the lives ruined or revive the

MSU Denver women’s soccer will begin their season Aug. 16 with a home match against Laramie County Community College.

Last season saw regression for the Roadrunners, finishing their season with an early exit in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, cementing their 8-9 record has a step back from 2016’s 8-6-4. Despite the struggles, they had four players named to AllConference teams, and two to the RMAC Honorable Mention list.

Four of those who were honored — Makenna Brassard, Jordan Lewis, Reigna Banks and Erica Torres — return, cementing a core of players to for the team to lean on.

Seniors named all conference Stallwarts for MSU Denver Volleyball Stephanie Laraway and Santaisha Sturgis have been named to the preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Conference team. Laraway and Sturgis were both named first team all-conference at the conclusion of the 2017 campaign, which saw the Roadrunners go 22-9 and make it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team will have an exhibition match against Colorado State University Wednesday, Aug. 15 and against Alumni Aug. 18. Their season kicks off with against California State University San Bernadino on Aug. 23.

Broncos demote Lynch Following another poor performance, this time against the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Vance Joseph has chosen to relegate Paxton Lynch to third string quarterback from the backup spot, promoting former seventh round pick Chad Kelly. The decision seems to solidify Lynch’s status as a draft bust, and puts his spot on the team in jeopardy.

SPORTS

AUGUST 15, 2018

9

Miraculously, Rockies are afloat

By Rich Allen

extended stretches several

If the question of the team’s

rallen57@msudenver.edu

times this season. By Baseball

ability to create talent from the

Reference’s calculation of wins

bottom up is any question to you,

above replacement, the fifth best

look up clips of Arenado in high

the Colorado Rockies are

hitter on their roster is German

school. The Rockies organization

closer to a division title

Marquez — a starting pitcher.

transformed him from a sluggish

than they’ve ever been.

By the league-adjusted statistic

and overweight slugger to

OPS+, only four players in

one of the greatest, most agile

on their schedule, they’re less than

their starting lineup are above-

defenders the game has seen.

two games behind the National

average producers at the plate.

Somehow, someway,

With only 43 games remaining

League West leader. They just

The new Rockies are built

A team that has always been

on a system to supplement

dealt the biggest gut punch

trusted to hit the ball simply

their developed rotation. Where

imaginable to the Los Angeles

isn’t. On top of that, seemingly

the team has missed in free

Dodgers, the heavy favorites, by

every major free agent contract

agency, they’ve recovered in

taking three out of four at Coors

they’ve signed in recent memory

development — especially on the

Field with two walk-off victories.

is blowing up in their faces. Ian

pitching side. Before the current

The first was a come-from-behind

Desmond, the largest contract

three-run home run from rookie

they’ve ever given to a position

Ryan McMahon, down to their

player off the market, is struggling

final out. The second twisted

to produce at a replacement-player

the knife of an injury to closer

level. The “super bullpen” they

Kenley Jansen, drawing a walk-off

supposedly built by spending

walk to close out the series. The

$106 million across three pitchers

Rockies? Their starting pitching.

development” methodology

team is anchored in 100 percent

Dodgers left Denver wounded

has turned in the worst ERA

Denver native Kyle Freeland

has bailed him out. Four out

Rockies-bred talent, on both the

and are now tied with the Rockies

by a relief corps in baseball.

has emerged as an ace among a

of the five pitchers taking the

mound and in the batter’s box.

for second place in the division,

Yet, they’re a winning streak

young staff that is compensating

mound in the first inning for

with Colorado a game back of

and some luck from being in

for a lackluster offense and

the Rockies were drafted by the

writers, notably Mark Kiszla,

the Arizona Diamondbacks.

the driver’s seat in the west.

It doesn’t really make sense.

A franchise that has been

staff, the team struggled to field Photo by Rich Allen | rallen57@msudenver.edu

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado throws a fielded ground ball to first for an out during a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 20.

any decent starting pitching, with the top homegrown arms being Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Jennings, both of whom burned out quickly. Now, the

Longtime Denver market

often counterproductive

club. The last, Marquez, was

have claimed developing talent

How did we get here?

bullpen. Importantly,

acquired as a minor leaguer and

in-house is not viable option.

It’s likely no coincidence

they’re all homegrown.

came up through the system.

But, for a highly-competitive

synonymous with offense over

that the roster closest to their

their quarter-century history

first pennant looks nothing

Jeff Bridich has gotten in his

— Nolan Arenado, Charlie

only thing keeping them not

has struggled to post more

like many of their past ones.

own way on the open market, the

Blackmon and Trevor Story —

just in the race, but afloat.

proverbial “draft and

were also Colorado draftees.

than three runs in a game for

The best piece of the 2018

As much as general manager

The lineup’s big successes

Rockies team in 2018, it’s the

student organizations need an advertisement?

offers a free ad

The Metropolitan offers all MSU Denver student organizations per semester one free sixteenth-page ad (2.5” width by 3.5” height) with design included.

contact SalesAtMyMetMedia@.com or 303-615-0155

3.5”

2.5”

10

EVENTS

EVENTS AT AURARIA

CONCERTS

08.17

Third Friday Art Walk

Location Center for Visual Art 965 Santa Fe Drive

08.15

TV on the Radio

Location Red Rocks Amphitheatre

AUGUST 15, 2018

ROADRUNNER ATHLETICS 08.15

Father John Misty

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Volleyball

Location Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 7:30 p.m.

Time 7:30 p.m.

08.15 VS. Northeastern Location Denver

08.30 VS. CSU Location Denver

Price $0

Price $0

Price $5

Time 6 p.m.

Time 6 p.m.

Time 6:30 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

Women’s Volleyball

08.15 08.18

Pink Progression Poetry Reading and Closing Reception

Gipsy Kings

Location Devner Botanic Gardens

08.15

Beach House

Location Ogden Theatre

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 6:30 p.m.

Time 8 p.m.

08.16 VS. Laramie Conuty

Location 965 Santa Fe Drive,

Location Denver

Denver, Colorado, 80204 Price $0 Time 1 p.m.

08.16

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

Location Red Rocks Amphitheatre

08.16 My Body Sings Electric

08.18 Alumni Location Denver

Price $0

Price $0

Time 3:15 p.m.

Time 5 p.m.

Location Levitt Pavilion Denver

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 7:30 p.m.

Time 6 p.m.

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS 08.20

MSU Denver Music Convocation

Location King Center Concert Hall Price $0

08.16

Rumours Follow

Location Levitt Pavilion Denver

08.16 The Unlikely Candidates

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 6 p.m.

Time 6 p.m.

Time 2 p.m.

08.21

LouiInclusive Yoga

Location PE Building

08.18 Location

Slayer Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Rockies

08.18 Location

08.15 vs. Astros Location Houston Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 6:10 p.m.

Time 7:05 p.m.

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Price $0

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time Enter time

Time Enter time

Outlaws 08.18 MLL Championship Location Charleston

08.21

Welcome Week

Price $0 Time 10 a.m.

08.18 Location

Behemoth Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

08.18 Location

Lamb of God

Price Varies

Price Varies Time 4:30 p.m.

Price Varies

Price Varies Time 8:00 p.m.

08.21 vs. Padres Lake Clarity: For an immersive audio drama check out “Lake Clarity” at MyMetMedia.com

Location

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

08.19 Location

08.19 vs. LAFC Location Denver

Time 5:00 p.m.

Rockies

Rose Sremmurd

Rapids

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Time 4:30 p.m.

08.19

08.18 vs. Chicago Bears Location Denver

Testament

Time 3:30 p.m.

Location Lawrence St. Mall

Broncos

Location Levitt Pavilion Denver

Lil Baby Cervantes’ Masterpuece Ballroom

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 5:30 p.m.

Time 8 p.m.

Location Denver

Rockies 08.24 vs. Cardinals Location Denver

Price Varies

Price Varies

Time 6:40 p.m.

Time 6:10 p.m.

TRENDING NEWS Colorado and California Wildfires

Earthquake

Turkish currency crisis

Italy bridge collapses

The Bull Draw Fire has burned more than 25,000 acres in Colorado, as of Aug. 14, blanketing the state in smoke in unison with multiple smaller wildfires. 12 miles northwest of NuclaIt, it is the largest fire currently burning in Colorado and is 19 percent contained. The Silver Creek Fire is 5 percent contained and has burned more than 2,000 acres 16 miles northwest of Kremmling. The other fires have been more contained than silver creek, but continue to burn and fill the skies with smoke. The Mendocino Complex Fire in California is currently the largest fire in state history.

350,000 people have been displaced after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake devastated the Indonesian island of Lambok Aug. 5. Authorities in the Indonesian government have cited the death toll at more than 430. Aid workers, including the Red Cross, are struggling to provide aid to those affected in the dense jungle to the north of the island. Lambok was still trying to recover from a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit a week before. Aftershocks continue to shock the island, numbering more than 500 as of Aug. 14.

The United States has issued sanctions on Turkey after the state failed to comply with the release of an American priest convicted of terrorist and espionage charges.

President Trump issued high tariffs on imported steel and aluminium, causing the Turkish lira to drop more than 20%. In response, President Recep Erdogan has accused the United States of “stabbing Turkey in the back” and called for a boycott on American goods. Turkey has been a long-time partner to the United States, and resides in a geographically strategic region to monitor Russian activity.

A bridge outside Genoa, Italy collapsed during a violent storm on Aug. 14, killing at least 26 people.

The bridge, suspended at least 150 feet in the air, dropped vehicles into buildings below when the structure gave way. The incident required more than 240 firefighters to respond. For some, it is highlighting the need for Italy to update its infrastructure, much of which was developed as early as the 1950s.

Catholic archdiocese pedophilia

Following a two year investigation, a Pennsylvanian grand jury released a 900 page report detailing rampant pedophilia in the state’s six Catholic archdiocese, dating as far back as the 1940s.

The report, which counts over one thousand victims, echoed many accusations the church has faced worldwide, but offered unique horrors, such as a pedophile and pornography rings, including whipping, in Pittsburgh in the 1970s.

BREAK

AUGUST 15, 2018

Horoscopes

“Is polygamous the one where you believe in more than one god?”

“No, I was talking about... what was I talking about?”

Capricorn

Cancer

It’s fortunate school is starting back up again. Over summer you started to forget how to speak and spell.

Don’t. You seriously don’t want to do that.

Aquarius

Leo

You’ll mess up your introduction in front of the whole class. There is no bright side. Sorry.

The overheard section is back, so speak softly, or you’ll wind up in print.

Pisces

Virgo

No, going to the brewery and talking at the bar isn’t basically the same as that interpersonal communications class.

Despite what the internet taught you, communicating in memes isn’t as cool as you think. Stop it. Don’t say never gonna give you up. It’s a dead meme. Just stop it.

Aries

Libra

Someone is going to say, “That explains a lot,” after they learn your sign. You’ll want to object, but don’t. Then they’ll win.

Someone in your class will mess up their introduction in front of the whole class.

Taurus

Scorpio

“It’s, like, right here on this lumpy part.”

“I’m almost accepted by society!”

“Would Harrison Ford do that if he was straight?”

Top 5

Stupid Conspiracy Theories 1. Qanon 2. JFK Assassination 3. Flat Earth 4. Fake Moon Landing

“I can sleep when I’m dead,” sounds good, but like... have you tried sleeping now?

There is no sorting hat at MSU Denver. You can stop worrying about ending up as a Hufflepuff.

Gemini

Sagittarius

You, on the other hand, need to stop sleeping so much. These classes aren’t free.

Beware goats and cliffs. Individually, they’re fine. But together, your fear of heights will finally be justified.

5. DIA/NWO headquarters Do you have a funny quote you overheard on campus or an interesting photo you just have to share? Submit to Managing Editor Isaac Banks at cbanks17@msudenver.edu

Brain games ACROSS

DOWN

1. Mentally prepare

37. Principal

1. Rate

31. Food thickener

6. Faucets

38. Internment camp

2. Kill

33. Affaire d’honneur

10. Part of an ear

39. Region

3. Bygone era

34. Diva’s solo

14. Hello or goodbye

40. Propagandist

4. Grub

35. Cleave

15. The original matter

42. Smell

5. The largest flatfish

36. Wild Tibetan oxen

(cosmology)

43. Pasture

6. Fastening

38. Laminated metamorphic

16. Infamous Roman

44. Beseeches

7. Balm ingredient

rocks

emperor

45. A pungent stew

8. Church benches

42. Roomette

17. Christmas song

47. Compete

9. Very good (British)

44. A sizeable hole

18. Hawkeye State

48. Prompts

10. Downplay

45. Good-looker

19. Let go

49. Solemnity

11. Mix together

46. Throw with effort

20. Spectator

56. A D-Day beach

12. Sweep

47. Valleys

22. Prima donna problems

57. Travel on water

13. Klutz’s cry

48. Wads

23. Mire

58. Turning point

21. Not bottom

50. Lack of difficulty

24. Seraglio

59. Plunge

25. Former boxing champ

51. Effort

26. Connect or link (2

60. Feudal worker

26. Monotonous sounds

52. 3 times 3

words)

61. Colonic

27. Iridescent gem

53. Nights before

30. Buckets

62. Clairvoyant

28. Hodgepodge

54. A few

32. Lit to a higher degree

63. Collections

29. Kookaburra

55. Immediately

33. Important person

64. Adjust again

30. Stacked

41. Suffer

Answers:

Overheard

11

BECOMING ARMY STRONG WILL OPEN DOORS, INCLUDING THOSE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.

There’s strong. Then there’s Army Strong. As a Soldier, education continues long after basic training. college scholarships. Learn more from your local recruiter, goarmy.com or 1-800-USA-ARMY.

To learn if you qualify for the $40,000 Enlistment Bonus, visit your local Campus Recruiting Center or goarmy.com/metro18.

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