Thursday, September 29, 2016
WHAT’S INSIDE
Kneeling Down
Album to Dye For
Kaepernick’s protest is growing stronger by the day
Looking at Frank Ocean’s longawaited record SPORTS, PAGE 8
Microaggressions Student ignorance destroys campus inclusivity OPINION, PAGE 6
SCENE, PAGE 4
Midnight Vandals Deface Memorial
Remembering the Forgotten
Campus inclusivity called into question after commemorative display defiled Sophie Mattson & Jenni Sigl The Santa Clara
PHOTOS BY ETHAN AYSON
In response to the vandalism of a memorial honoring 43 kidnapped students from Mexico, the Santa Clara community gathered on the anniversary of the tragedy to show their continued support for the victims by placing Post-it notes containing heartfelt words on the silhouette figures.
The university community is expressing outrage and disgust at the recent vandalism of a memorial honoring the 43 students who were kidnapped in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico in 2014. Vandals allegedly damaged a memorial of 42 black-painted wooden silhouettes of people and a forty-third silhouette constructed out of a mirror, which invites people to imagine themselves as one of the students, who all attended Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College. Between midnight and 2 a.m. the night of Sept. 23, two female perpetrators were caught on CCTV footage moving down the mirrored silhouette and karate-kicking several other figures, according to Steve Lee, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Irony of ironies, the figure that was mowed to the ground by the two women, is of the figure that represents the only one of the 43 that has been confirmed killed,” Lee said. “So, interesting irony.” The perpetrators allegedly ended up breaking the back of the mirrored silhouette and branding it with scuff marks after they attempted to break the figure in half. The mirrored figure also appeared to be sprayed with an unknown substance, and one of the wooden silhouettes was broken in half, according to Lee. The incident wasn’t the first time the figures were vandalized. On Sept. 18, an unknown person knocked down the figures and attempted to break them in half with kicks, Lee said. “Many of the perpetrators are not walking, apparently, in very straight lines,” Lee said. Campus Safety has yet to identify the perpetrators from the vandalism that occurred this weekend and confirm whether or not they are indeed Santa Clara students. “Campus Safety has cameras everywhere and so we have a lot of footage of students using the figures as karate targets, students walking by and clotheslining the figures all in a row,” Lee said. To honor the missing students and stand up against the vandalism, Dennis Gordon, director of Santa Clara’s Center for the Arts and Humanities, called upon the campus community to place post-it notes on the figures stating the word “¡Presente!” “In many places in South America and around the world, when something like this happens, names are called and often the response is ‘presente,’” Gordon said. “That these people are still with us if not physically, in our memory.” Gordon said that this incident should be taken as a learning experience and that it is a sign that Santa Clara is one of many institutions that have “serious problems” with issues of race. See VANDALISM, Page 3
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CAMPUS SAFETY Alcohol Related Medical Emergency Sept. 21: A campus resident was found intoxicated in a Swig Residence Hall women’s restroom. She was escorted back to her room and refused further medical assistance. Sept. 22: A campus resident was reported stumbling and walking into walls toward his room. He admitted to have been drinking an unknown amount of alcohol at an off campus party. SCU EMS evaluated him and allowed him to remain in his room monitored by his roommate.
Alcohol Violation Sept. 21: Campus Safety assisted a Residence Life staff member to search a resident’s room for alcoholic beverages. Several students were found inside the room and were identified. Empty bottles and shot glasses were found, but no alcohol was present.
Found Property Sept. 27: A Social Security card was found and turned in to the Campus Safety office. The card was returned to the owner.
Informational Report Sept. 25: Campus Safety responded and documented water damage to a resident’s room. The damage was to the bathroom floor, caused by water that had overflown from the sink. Sept. 28: Campus Safety assisted SCPD in search for runaway minorsfrom the Bill Wilson Center. Two minors were located at the solar house next to Malley Fitness Center and SCPD took both of them into custody.
Malley Makes Modest Modifications Small improvements made over summer, more in the works Brian Schunk
Associate Reporter Students getting their fall fitness fix may have noticed small changes made to Malley Fitness Center in the summer months. With Santa Clara aiming to add 600 students to its overall enrollment by the year 2020, there have been efforts to maximize Malley’s space efficiency and accommodate the growing student population. Two main changes have been underway since the start of July, the more noticeable of which is the new placement of the weight room desk. While previously the desk stood in
Student Behavior Sept. 22: A student was observed urinating in the bushes by Varsi Hall in the middle of the night while another student took a picture. They were both identified and questioned by a Campus Safety officer.
Theft Sept. 24: A laundry basket containing towels was reported missing from the Swig Residence Hall laundry room when left overnight.
Trespassing
the back of the weight room away from the entrance, it is now closer to the front doors and roughly half the size. According to Janice DeMonsi, the director of recreation, the change now allows the weight room attendant to greet people walking in and has created additional space for students to exercise. What will eventually become of the space where the old desk once stood, is yet to be determined. According to DeMonsi, the decision will be largely based on staff observations of how students are using the space now. Two separate offices for student coordinators were also combined to make more efficient usage of the former vending machine room. By moving the vending machines into the hallway, there is now room for six additional work stations that aim to centralize student workers. “I think a number of people probably didn’t realize we had vending machines,” DeMonsi said. With two projects in the books, DeMonsi said she is not done just yet.
Other projects, to be completed in the near future, both involve improving the functionality and safety of the weight room. Malley plans to install an emergency phone in the weight room as well as update and replace old equipment. In discussing possible future renovations, DeMonsi stressed how difficult it is to obtain student feedback when the only full time staff members are herself and assistant director of recreation, Kathryn Hutchings. Given their limitations, Malley recently enlisted the help of an independent consultant, Lisa Kramer, to evaluate their programs with the help of student focus groups. In the sessions, students will be asked to provide positive and negative feedback on the existing campus recreation programs and services, as well as asked to help identify additional services and support they would like access to.
Contact Brian Schunk at bschunk@scu. edu.
Need a Ride? Get Scooped Up Transportation office partners with fledgling ridesharing service
Medical Emergency Sept. 27: A Campus Bookstore staff member injured her handwhen she accidentally smashed it in a door. A Campus Safety officer provided first aid care and she denied further medical assistance.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Erin Fox
The Santa Clara Move aside, Lyft and Uber. Earlier this month, Santa Clara Transportation launched a new partnership with Scoop, a custom carpooling app. “The university was in the market for a new rideshare program,” said Millicent Kenney, director of Parking and Transportation. “Scoop came and presented ... and is definitely on board with us.” When Santa Clara Transportation sent out a campus-wide email detailing the university’s partnership with the app, it caught the eye of sophomore and commuter Neha Nagesh. So far, Nagesh has used the app twice to commute to her home in Fremont, California. “It’s really easy to use and it’s really similar to Uber,” she said. “You enter your address and you just schedule your ride for a certain time slot. (The drivers) were employees working in the valley just trying to get back home by using the carpool lane.” Using Scoop, commuters have the option to decide ahead of
time when they want to leave for work, come home from work and if they would rather be a driver, rider or either. According to the Scoop website, morning and afternoon commutes are scheduled separately, with automated matching that creates a custom carpool. “One thing that I would’ve liked to see is a more on-demand scheduling process,” Nagesh said. “You actually have to schedule your rides about six hours in advance and that isn’t always the most convenient when you’re not entirely sure about your schedule,” she added. When Nagesh isn’t using Scoop, she commutes by Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) train. According to Santa Clara Transportation, more than 30,000 commuters already use Scoop to carpool, but Kenney said she is unsure how many people have signed up using a Santa Clara email address. Nagesh did not know of any other students that also use the app. “I know of people that are interested in using it,” Nagesh said. “But none that have actually tried it so far.” According to Kinney, those who sign up for Scoop using their university email address will receive a $2 reduction on every ride they take for a limited time. The discount was created as an incentive for students, faculty and staff to try the service. Contact Erin Fox at efox@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
Sept. 22: A non-affiliate male was being disruptive and making staff and students feel uncomfortable in the Harrington Learning Commons. Campus Safety admonished him and escorted him out of the building.
Vandalism Sept. 22: An unknown person wrote an unwanted comment on a campus resident’s room door. A work order was completed to clean the door. From Campus Safety reports. Email news@thesantaclara.org.
Check out the Campus Safety Report online: facebook.com/scucss @SCUCampusSafety
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News / 3
The Santa Clara
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Ruff Riders Incentivize Athletic Engagement Enthusiastic student group rolls out new mobile platform John Lambert
The Santa Clara Dwindling student attendance rates at Bronco athletic events may become a thing of the past. Ruff Riders, the official student booster club on campus, designed and launched a rewards-based app where members can earn points and prizes for attending athletic events while staying informed about all of the school’s Division I athletic programs. According to their website, Ruff Riders is Santa Clara’s largest student organization. Although approximately 90 percent of the undergraduate student body are already members of the group, the app helps motivate new membership by offering a convenient, comprehensive collection of each of Santa Clara’s divisional athletic teams and their events. The main purpose of creating the app, according to the club’s president Mac McOsker, is to increase student involvement with Santa Clara Division I athletics. “The app is essentially all things Ruff Riders,” McOsker said. “With marketing, we want to get as close to people as possible.” The app’s launch carries a likelihood of increased attendance across all sporting events now that students are given further incentive to watch their fellow broncos in action. “Because you earn points by going, I feel like it will make people want to go more,” said women’s volleyball player Callie Jones. “I would want to go to more games if I knew there were rewards attached to it.” The interface allows users to easily
navigate tabs where information on athletic events and their own personal rewards can both be found. By clicking the “Events” icon, users can view an interactive calendar of all the sporting events and student rallies hosted on campus. Next to each event is a point total that students can receive if they attend the event and check in on the application. This rewards feature, which allows students to earn two points for each athletic game they attend, grants attendees a bonus point if they check in at halftime or during an indicated stoppage in play. “Debatably the most important feature is the rewards program, which keeps a tally of the events you go to,” McOsker said. Though the app has only been public for a couple weeks, the main draw for students may be the opportunity to earn rewards; current prizes include cash vouchers, apparel and a GoPro camera. The interface also has an “Offers” tab where students can get discounts from local businesses such as The Counter and Mountain Mike’s. Additionally, the app features a social media stream that includes everything from live game updates to feature stories on Santa Clara’s most prominent athletes. “I think it’s a very easy app (to use),” Jones said. “It’s laid out well, not confusing or anything.” With the hiring of a new athletic director last year and head men’s basketball coach earlier this year, Santa Clara is making serious strides to improve its athletic tradition. The Ruff Riders Rewards App is falling in line with that mission and attempting to persuade students to get more involved in the school’s athletic programs. “The app is a landmark and a symbol of the new growth of the Ruff Riders program,” McOsker said. “More importantly the growth of the student community within athletics.” Contact John Lambert at jvlambert@scu. edu or call (408) 554-4852.
Stand Alone Photo
ALYSSA LEE — THE SANTA CLARA
The Santa Cruz Loma Fire was visible from Swig Residence Hall this week. The fire has blazed through over 2865 acres of land so far, prompting mandaotry evacuations as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze.
Vandalism Sparks Outrage Continued from Page I
“We will not let this happen on our campus,” Gordon said. “We will not let this happen because of the racism it represents and also because we will have free expression, we will be able to say to the talented artists who would like to distribute or to display their work on the Santa Clara campus, that (it) will be safe and respected.” Isaac Nieblas, the student director of the Multicultural Center called the situation “unfortunate” and attributed the acts of vandalism to underlying racism and ignorance on campus. He said that the act of vandalism hit especially close to home for him. “Being of Mexican descent, these are faces that I see in the mirror every single day,” Nieblas said. One bright spot among the darkness, according to Nieblas, was the response by various organizations within the MCC. He was especially grateful for the efforts made by the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union and Together for Ladies of Color. Nieblas said that in response to the incident, there was a renewed sense of solidarity. “We have 10 organizations and each one took steps in order for us to come together as a community and make sure that every single person – every single individual – who was feeling broken, feeling hurt by this situation, felt supported by the MCC,” Nieblas said. Senior Yesenia Veamatahau, advocacy program coordinator for the Multicultural Center, objected to the fact that an email wasn’t sent out to the entire student body about the vandalism—only faculty were notified via email.
“I’m pretty sure the people who do have the ability to send it out to students have found out by now, they still haven’t sent anything out,” Veamatahau said. She said that the memorial’s vandalism is one of many examples of culturally insensitive acts that continue to happen on campus, such as when students posted racist comments about a group of African American students attending a gathering in May 2015 on Yik Yak, an app that acts as an anonymous message board. “It is part of a pattern of what goes on here. The mock border wall, this most recent one, was also defaced and I personally sent an email to (University President) Fr. Engh with photos, (and) nothing was ever sent out,” she said. “When the Yik Yaks happened, there was an extremely vague email sent out.” She added that she thinks the university doesn’t send “genuine and straightforward” emails about acts of injustice on campus because it is more worried about running like a well-oiled business and preserving its image in the public eye. “For me, I don’t feel like I belong here. I don’t feel as though I’m truly part of this community,” Veamatahau said. “I feel like I’ve had to form communities of my own within Santa Clara that are part of a counterculture.” Santa Clara’s Center for the Arts and Humanities is working in conjunction with the Office of Student Life and Campus Safety to investigate the vandalism. If you have any information about the incident, contact the Office of Student Life at (408) 554-4583.
“I don’t feel as though I’m truly part of this community.”
Contact Sophie Mattson at smattson@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849. Contact Jenni Sigl at jsigl@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
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Thursday, September 29, 2016
Calculating the Influence of Math Rock A glance into the strange world of the math rock subgenre Max Eberhart
Associate Reporter Music publications of late would have you scared for the future of rock music, making it out as a genre with no room for exploration. The Guardian once asked its readers if guitar music was on the way out. Billy Corgan and Gene Simmons, members of the Smashing Pumpkins and KISS, respectively, have both declared it to be dead. But is this really the case? Far from it. In fact, rock and guitar music could actually be facing a new renaissance of sorts with the burgeoning subgenre of math rock. Simply put, the subgenre is defined by its complex rhythmic structures. In most music, there’s a basic eight count beat or 4/4 time signature present, which is the comfortable pocket pacing for music that we are all familiar with, along with assonant chord progressions such as C G Am F. Math rock, on the other hand, discards the typical music structure for the most part, in favor of nontraditional time signatures, awkward pauses, technicalities and dissonance. These stylistic decisions were influenced by bands that never took towards pleasing the masses, such as Captain Beefheart, King Crimson, Black Flag and various jazz artists. This strange combination of progressive rock and jazz—along with some of the most punk bands to ever come out of the DIY movement— has created a genre that is incredibly flexible
and distinctive. While math rock has flown mostly under the radar, Northern California is definitely no stranger to the subgenre. The band Hella is based out of Sacramento and encapsulates all of the standards of math rock—occasionally even traversing into even weirder territory. Most bands construct some level of musical harmony, but Hella throws away the rules in favor of what pleases them, emphasizing the punk aspect of math rock and integrating heavy sampling and noise. Although their music is grating to the ears at first, a couple of listens will surely convince any doubters of their greatness. The group Floral also has roots in NorCal, hailing from the Bay Area’s Los Altos Hills. Yet this up-and-coming group is far from small— they recently just went international and embarked on their biggest tour yet, a month-long trip to the United Kingdom. Floral is more pop-esque than others in the genre, giving less prominence to creating dissonance in the music. This may serve to their advantage, as the sonic worlds created by the polka dot pedal effects will instantly bring any listener to a higher plane. The genre has emerged elsewhere in the country as well. For instance, the Southern California band Pretend brings softer and more emotional music to the math rock genre. Combining faint, high-pitched singing with an ethereal guitar, smooth bass and crisp drumming results in a conflict of feeling between melancholy and elation. Additionally, their stark crescendos and decrescendos give this band a sensational edge. Across the country in Massachusetts, Giraffes? Giraffes! (or G? G! for short), has made a name for itself with its highly technical drumming and berserk progressions that takes their music into fantastic musical realms. Formed by musicians Kenneth Topham and Joseph
Andreoli, G? G! uses heavy loop and effect pedals and alternatively-tuned guitars. The cohesion present in the duo makes wack time signatures like 13/8 feel as smooth as butter. And down in Kentucky, there’s Slint, often considered to be one of the most influential bands among math rock aficionados. In their music can be found the primordial soup for most math rock bands: the dissonance, the strange pauses and themes, wild time signatures and minimalism—everything is laid bare for the listener to revel in.
The band even goes beyond the math rock genre at times, bringing in elements of shoegaze, progressive and emo—before emo was even a thing. Math rock, although still growing as a subgenre, holds a lot of promise for rock music— and music in general. Boldly breaking down music’s traditional forms and sounds, math rock breathes new life into a stagnant genre. Contact Max Eberhart at meberhart@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
COURTESY OF HELLA
Originally from Sacramento, Hella is one of the many bands emerging from the experimental and punky math rock subgenre. Seen here is the cover of their last full-length album, “Tripper,” which was released in 2011.
The Tide Rolls In: Frank Ocean Delivers “Blonde” Album Elusive artist ends the drought with highlyanticipated record Lindsay Tenes
Associate Reporter Several key societal events happen every four years: U.S. presidential elections, the Olympics, a leap year—and, as was recently discovered, the release of a Frank Ocean album. And now the question begs, were the four years worth the wait? Ocean first confirmed he was working on a new album back in 2013. A year later, in 2014, word went out that it was nearing completion. And then silence—the intel from Ocean seemed to end there indefinitely. In the meantime, fans anxiously watched his tumblr for a release date, snippets of songs and any news about potential collaborations to grasp onto, desperate for new Frank Ocean beats. Finally, in mid-August, Ocean ended the hiatus with the release of a 45-minute visual album called “Endless,” exclusive to Apple Music, and then a day later, the studio album our ears have been yearning for— “Blonde.” But is Ocean just exhibiting the stereotype of celebrity diva, a privilege allowed to him by the critical acclaim he received from his previous album, or was his long-coming record solely driven by artistry and perfectionism? Back in 2012, when Ocean released “Channel Orange,” he also published a pivotal blog post in which he explained the struggle with accepting his bisexuality, a major creative driving force behind the album.
“I wrote to keep myself busy and sane. I wanted to create worlds that were rosier than mine. I tried to channel overwhelming emotions,” Ocean said in the post. He created a world in “Channel Orange” which allowed himself to escape, bringing his listeners along for the journey. And if his previous album is the ultimate form of escapism, then “Blonde” is his next journey–into reality. Ocean opens with “Nikes,” a pointed critique of materialism and the fantasies of luxury. Using the presentation of broken American values as a backdrop, Ocean sings, “RIP Trayvon, that (expletive) look just like me”—an obvious homage to Trayvon Martin, the fatally shot 17-year-old African American whose death sparked protests and brought about the Black Lives Matter movement. Ocean uses the opportunity to add his voice to the growing conversation of the state of black rights and police brutality, even including a picture of Trayvon in the music video for “Nikes.” He writes about coping with lost love on the second track, “Ivy,” a relatable story about the path most relationships follow: from strangers to lovers to nothing. In a sign of growing maturity, the artist reflects on his mistakes and chooses to respect the love the couple shared, singing, “It’s quite alright to hate me now / When we both know that deep down / The feeling still deep down is good.” Although the lyrics read simply, all who have experienced a relationship turn sour can attest that it is a concept more easily spoken than realized. Beyond exploring new subjects, the record also breaks out of the R&B genre to explore spoken word in skit form in songs such as “Facebook Story” and “Be Yourself.” One of the more poignant songs comes out
of a collaboration with André 3000 of Outkast. In his energetic rap-monologue on the track “Solo (Reprise),” André 3000 throws shade at the younger generation of rappers who he believes haven’t earned their fame the way artists like André did. Referencing artists like the uber-popular Drake—who famously feuded with Meek Mill over the use of ghostwriters—the Outkast musician bitingly raps, “I was under the impression / That everyone wrote they own verses...I’m hummin’ and whistlin’ to those not deserving / I’ve stumbled and lived every word / Was I working just way too hard?” Did Ocean work too hard on “Blonde”? With four years of writing, recording, collaborating and producing, the first week of streams
of the album still fell second behind Drake’s “Views.” Ocean’s fan base would most likely scoff at that reception, denouncing “Views” as too monotone—a conclusion reached by many music publications. But as always with music, what’s topping the charts rarely holds the title for the best crafted work. Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” next to Drake’s “Views” surely demonstrates that ironic truth. Great art cannot be rushed or fabricated. “Blonde” is an honest album which showcases newfound growth and maturity as Ocean’s personal transformation has allowed him to explore new territory musically. Contact Lindsay Tenes at ltenes@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
COURTESY OF BILLBOARD
Four years after releasing the critically-acclaimed “Channel Orange,” Frank Ocean finally dropped his newest album, “Blonde,” on Aug. 20, 2016. The record is avaible to stream on Apple Music, Spotify and Google Play.
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The Santa Clara
Thursday, September 29, 2016
“The Magnificent Seven” and The Unnecessary Remake Reviewing the film and breaking down Hollywood’s latest fad Jimmy Flynn
The Santa Clara It’s ironic to feel cheated after walking out of a movie that is all about compassion and justice. But that is exactly what happened after viewing Antoine Fuqua’s version of “The Magnificent Seven,” a remake of John Sturges’ 1960 film which itself is based on Akira Kurosawa’s seminal “Seven Samurai.” The updated version of this classic rehashes the bare-bones plot of the original: seven gunslingers are hired to defend a small town from evil and corruption, which in this version takes the form of a real-estate tycoon named Bartholomew Bogue, underwhelmingly portrayed by a sunken-eyed, nasally-voiced and all but intimidating Peter Sarsgaard. The titular seven are led by Denzel Washington, who does his best given limited dialogue and a criminally underdeveloped character. Sure, he looks awesome donning all black, riding a black horse and picking off bad guys with dual pistols, but the fact that he isn’t given one single monologue is a downright travesty. Similarly misused is Chris Pratt, who plays Josh Faraday, a gambler and self-proclaimed “world’s greatest lover.” Pratt tries to tap into the squinting, gravelly-voiced charisma of a young Bruce Willis, but only bats about .300 with the bad-ass oneliners. “Guardians of the Galaxy” showed us that Pratt is better suited playing insecure and sleazy anti-heroes, as opposed to macho killing machines. In a word, he’s miscast. The one performance that shines is courtesy of the bearded and beefy Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays a tracker that looks more like an
animal than most of the animals he tracks. Matching the ridiculousness of his appearance is the contrasting, squeaky sound of his voice, which sounds like a muffled Julia Child. In one scene, a sprinting D’Onofrio leaps from an elevated porch, tackles a man off a horse and proceeds to brutally stab him to death. It’s the highlight of the movie and one of the more shockingly and disturbingly funny things I’ve seen on film. Special mention should be given to the casting department for rounding out the film with a racially diverse supporting cast. It’s refreshing to see, especially in the notoriously and historically white-washed Western genre. However, the thinness of the script and the abundance of characters doesn’t allow any of the individual actors to shine or even really develop their roles. Though a step in the right direction, the diversity of the cast is ultimately a hollow gesture. The worst thing about the film is that it lacks originality—a problem with any remake. This was apparent from the cinematography, which featured the routine opening wide shot of a frontier landscape, followed by dozens of “intense” close-ups, interspersed with several pedestal shots that showed a hand on a holstered gun and slowly revealed the gunslinger’s “intense” facial expression. The visuals got old fast and the molasseslike pacing of the film led to several instances where I checked the time on my phone, praying that the end was near. It seems to me that remakes like “The Magnificent Seven” are made for one of three reasons. One, the filmmaker wants to recreate past magic in the present day—a lesson “The Great Gatsby” (the novel) taught us is frivolous, but could possibly be the case here. Two, the filmmaker is trying to reinterpret and improve upon the imperfect original—certainly not the case here. And three (and most likely), the studio is trying to make money, using a mathematicallysound formula, exciting production value and
COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES
Once again shirking originality in favor of a safe remake, Hollywood released “The Magnificent Seven” on Sept. 23, 2016. With miscast actors, derivative cinematography and a slow pace, the new film flops.
solid marketing to inspire hope but ultimately deliver dissatisfaction. Hollywood’s recent love-affair with sequels, prequels, spin-offs, rip-offs and especially remakes is slowly but surely alienating audiences. The recent remake of “Ben-Hur” flopped critically and commercially and it seems like moviegoers are starting to catch on to the desperate cash grabs of the studios. Hopefully, we will all continue to smarten up and not let our curiosity consistently trick us into seeing banal blockbusters.
But once again, and for quite possibly the fifth or sixth time this calendar year, the big studios have won and I have lost. I bought my ticket and watched every second of the stylish but substanceless “The Magnificent Seven.” Shiny gift wrap and sparkly bows are nice, but only if there’s a present underneath. Sure, you can polish a turd, but it will still be anything but magnificent. Contact Jimmy Flynn at jflynn@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
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OPINION Thursday, September 29, 2016
Perla Luna
Vandalism Indicates Cultural Ignorance on Campus
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hite students dressed as janitors and pregnant Latinas for Cinco de Mayo. Professors ranting freely on Twitter about undeserving minorities. These were just some of the red flags I looked for when researching colleges my senior year of high school. I was appalled by universities with a long history of questionable incidents and it didn’t matter how much I’d liked the college previously. Red flags are red flags. The vandalization of the 43 students memorial is a red flag. The defamation may be a relatively smaller red flag, likely to be buried in our newsfeeds by the end of the month, but those who feel affected and attacked by what happened this past Sunday will not easily forget. This is the kind of inconsiderate hostility that makes students on campus question their place at this school and question Santa Clara’s actual ideology about inclusivity. The Santa Clara student population unfortunately has a precedent for being insensitive to exhibits and events meant to educate. Last spring quarter, the mock border wall put on by the Santa Clara Community Action Program was vandalized with derogatory comments about immigrants. Incidents like these impact everyone, not just minorities being “overly sensitive” to these aggressions. First of all, these blatant acts of ignorance inform our campus of the disrespect students have for cultural events. School-wide disdainful attitudes for cultural events make it unsafe
for other groups to share a piece of their lifestyles. No one wants to put themselves out there, reach out to others and educate them, when they know their vulnerability will be rewarded with thoughtlessness. When we lose our ability to reach out to other cultures, we lose a huge part of our learning experience here at Santa Clara. College is supposed to be a time of learning and discovering different perspectives. As a Jesuit institution, Santa Clara is built on the “search for truth, goodness, and beauty” and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community of students. We should not be shutting each other down before we even get a chance to listen. I understand not everyone may agree with the message behind the 43 memorial, the wall or a myriad of other events held on campus. However, that does not give anyone the permission to forcibly assert their beliefs and opinions over other groups. Not agreeing with the message behind these events is one thing, but actively searching for ways to hurt one another is a separate, entirely unproductive thing altogether. These events are about community and solidarity, not about politics. Yes, displays like the 43 memorial may have ties to the political underpinnings of the government, but they are foremost here to educate and humanize issues we forget are the actual realities of the people all around us. We cannot forget that, behind the rhetoric of the presidential campaign and the sensationalism of the media, there are real
ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA
The silhouettes highlight each individual life that was lost and commemorate what they had to contribute to society. All the victims were promising students set to become teachers to educate the youth of Mexico.
people affected. When I graduate, I don’t want to feel like all that I am is a tickbox for the diversity column. I don’t want to be ashamed of the school I went to. These incidents are the red flags that make me pause whenever a first-year or prospective student asks me whether I like Santa Clara. I can’t sell someone on the idea of Santa Clara being a safe and welcoming campus when I feel my community is frequently under attack. Let’s start living up to the pillars our Jesuit institution is founded on and not
become a campus known for its red flags. Perla Luna is a sophmore English and sociology double major and is the editor of the Opinion Section.
Articles in the Opinion section represent the views of the individual authors only and not the views of The Santa Clara or Santa Clara University.
STANDINGS Men’s Soccer Team Pacific Gonzaga Portland Loyola Marymount Santa Clara San Diego San Francisco Saint Mary’s
WCC Overall 0-0 7-2-0 0-0 6-3-1 0-0 6-3-1 0-0 6-4-0 0-0 4-3-0 0-0 3-3-3 0-0 4-5-0 0-0 2-5-3
Women’s Soccer Team Brigham Young Portland Loyola Marymount Pepperdine Gonzaga San Diego Santa Clara San Francisco Saint Mary’s Pacific
WCC Overall 0-0 9-1-0 0-0 6-2-2 0-0 5-2-3 0-0 5-3-2 0-0 4-3-2 0-0 5-4-1 0-0 3-4-3 0-0 4-6-0 0-0 2-7-2 0-0 0-7-1
Volleyball Team Brigham Young San Diego Pacific Saint Mary’s Loyola Marymount Portland Santa Clara Pepperdine Gonzaga San Francisco
WCC Overall 3-0 14-1 3-0 12-2 3-0 9-6 2-1 7-7 1-1 10-4 1-1 8-6 0-3 9-6 0-2 6-8 0-2 7-5 0-3 4-12
UPCOMING GAMES Men's Soccer Santa Clara @ UAB
Tue. 10/4 5:00 p.m.
Women's Soccer Santa Clara @ Brigham Young Santa Clara @ San Diego
Thu. 9/29 6:00 p.m. Sat. 10/1 7:00 p.m.
Volleyball Santa Clara @ Gonzaga Santa Clara @ Portland
7 / Sports
The Santa Clara
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Thu. 9/29 6:00 p.m. Sat. 10/1 1:00 p.m.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK Who’s going to win the World Series?
Los Angeles Dodgers - Jonah Yoshimura Very few expected the Dodgers to make the playoffs after Kershaw’s back injury sidelined him for over two months. Instead, they find themselves NL West champions on the shoulders of likely NL Rookie of the Year and MVP candidate Corey Seager and a gritty rotation featuring Kenta Maeda and Julio Urias. Couple that with the return of Yasiel Puig, trade acquisitions Rich Hill and Josh Reddick showing their worth and a top-notch bullpen headlined by closer Kenley Jansen, the Boys in Blue are primed for a playoff run. The past three years the Dodgers were favorites. Now, they play the role of the scrappy underdog chomping at the bit for a long-awaited World Series. That’s fine. They’ve gladly accepted challenges all year.
Chicago Cubs - Bo Kendall The Cubs have no weakness. Most improved from last season is their pitching rotation, with two NL Cy Young candidates in Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester to go along with last year’s winner, Jake Arrieta. With the addition of Aroldis Chapman at the trade deadline, the Cubs finally have the complete pitching staff they have needed. The batting order is as deep as it has ever been. Kris Bryant, the next NL MVP, is hitting .295 with 39 home-runs, 120 runs and 101 RBIs. And with the big bats of Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell filling out the middle of the lineup, there is no room for error when pitching against Chicago. This is the year the Cubs finally bring the World Series back to Wrigley.
Next Week’s Question Who’s the best player in the NFL? Send your responses to aslap@scu.edu for a chance to get published in next week’s paper!
Broncos Get Back on Track Santa Clara allows just one shot on goal Bo Kendall
The Santa Clara Santa Clara wrapped up their extremely difficult nonconference schedule with a win against University of California, Irvine last Thursday. The Broncos earned a 1-0 shutout at home behind a second-half goal from senior forward Jenna Roering, her third of the season. After a disappointing start to the season, the Broncos now sit at 3-4-3. “We are really pleased with getting a W tonight, it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a win,” said Head Coach Jerry Smith. “We’ve played well, we just haven’t been able to win tight games.” The Broncos faced one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the entire country, as UC Irvine was the only team they faced that did not make last season’s national tournament. Although they failed to reach the tournament, UC Irvine has had a fantastic start to their season. “It’s hard to be 8-2 in Division I no matter who you play,” said Coach Smith. “They are a good team and a good offensive team, so we feel really good about getting a clean sheet.” Led by junior forward Kiana Palacios, who has tallied the third most points in the country, the Anteaters entered Stevens Stadium with a highpowered, explosive offense. But the Broncos were up for the challenge. “Palacios is a really dynamic player. They threatened us
COURTESY OF SANTA CLARA ATHLETICS
Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Ogren was perfect in goal as she helped the Broncos to their 1-0 win over UC Irvine. Ogren is off to a promising start, allowing just 1.01 goals per game through her first three collegiate starts.
on the back line a lot,” said junior outside back Kellie Peay. “We were really happy to get the shutout.” Peay was tasked with covering Palacios for most of the night, and limited her to just one shot. As a team, UC Irvine managed just one shot on goal. The Broncos broke through in the 68th minute, when freshman midfielder DB Pridham got the ball to senior forward Jenna Roering for the shot. “I got a perfect cross from DB and then I did the easy work, putting it in the far corner,” Roering said. Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Ogren earned her first career clean sheet in the win. This was a big game for
Ogren, who’s competing with sophomore Melissa Lowder for the starting spot. Lowder started seven games this season; Ogren started three. “Courtney played mistake-free tonight” said Coach Brown. “It’s nice to know you have two goaltenders who can step in during a tight game and play well for us.” Santa Clara will travel to Brigham Young University, the third ranked team in the nation, on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. to start conference play. The Broncos won’t be intimidated facing one of the nation’s best after tying Brigham Young 0-0 last season. Santa Clara is hoping that the win over UC Irvine will propel them to their first road
victory of the season. “Our record so far hasn’t reflected how talented our team is, so it’s nice to get a win under our belt,” Roering said. “We are going to try to keep the wins coming to show how good we really are.” Players and coaches alike echoed the message that a big home win was the best medicine after a rocky start to the season. “I think we finally have our momentum back, that’s going to be key heading into conference play,” Peay said. “It was a struggle but it made us stronger.” Contact Bo Kendall at bkendall@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
Volleyball Struggles Continue Heartbreaking 5-set defeat versus Pacific spoils home opener Andrew Slap
The Santa Clara The Broncos were unable to get back into the win column after a devastating 5-set loss to the University of Pacific Tuesday night. Santa Clara entered their home opener on a five game losing streak after dropping both matches to Brigham Young University and University of San Diego this past week. Santa Clara got off to a slow start, finding themselves down 14-8 midway through the first set. The Broncos cut the lead down to two, but that was the closest they came as they dropped the first set 25-22. Led by senior Nikki Hess, the Broncos bounced back and won the next two sets 25-21 and 25-20. Hess netted nearly half of the team’s kills, but this singular attack could not last the entire match. “We have to continue to have more balance in our offense,” said Head Coach Jon Wallace. “Nikki has too much. I mean she’s a work horse, she’s such a stud, but ultimately we have to distribute our sets a bit better.” With a raucous crowd at their backs, the Broncos struggled in the beginning of the set and found themselves down 1218. Santa Clara then went on a 8-2 run to
even the score at 20-20, but squandered the final five points of the set. Entering the fifth set, the match was nearly dead even. Santa Clara had 92 points after four sets of play; Pacific had 91. The pattern of the final set was all too familiar. Santa Clara struggled out of the gate, digging themselves into a 5-9 hole. They fought back and even took the lead at 12-11, but dropped four of the final five points. Pacific took the match when the Broncos botched a routine return. After starting off the season 9-0, Santa Clara is back to earth with six straight losses. There’s no way to sugarcoat that 0-6 stretch, but the season is far from over. Santa Clara visits Gonzaga on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6:00 p.m. before heading to Portland to face the Pilots on Saturday,
Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m. Both of these games are winnable, as Gonzaga and Portland are a combined 1-3 in the WCC. “This team has been road tested. We spent 14 straight matches on the road,” said Coach Wallace. “We know what it’s like and we know how to prepare.” The term must-win is overused, but it actually works in this situation. Santa Clara is 0-3 so far in conference play, with the losses coming against the top teams in the WCC. Going forward, the Broncos can’t afford to fall to mediocre opponents if they want to establish themselves as a serious contender. If next week they’re at 0-5, the season is all but over. Contact Andrew Slap at aslap@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
ALYSSA LEE — THE SANTA CLARA
Senior outside hitter Nikki Hess crushes the ball against a wall of Pacific players Tuesday night at the Leavey Center. Hess carried the Broncos offense, tallying 23 of the team’s 57 kills in the match.
8
SPORTS
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Ben Epstein
Giant Collapse Sitting with the best record in the MLB at the All-Star break, the Giants seemed poised to make a run for yet another title this year. A championship would continue a prolific winning trend, in which the Giants have won a title in each even year, starting in 2010. Fast forward to Sept. 15, when the Giants were clinging to a four game lead over the Cardinals for the second wild card spot. After a head-to-head series between the two playoff contenders and a cringeworthy sweep to the lowly Padres, the Giants lead is down to a single game ahead of the Cardinals for the second wild card. So much for the dynasty. To be fair, San Francisco is just one and a half games back of the for the first spot, so it’s far from over. Plus just two years ago, the Giants survived the one game Wild Card and ended up with a World Series championship. Yet, rather than heating up down the stretch, as in years past, the Giants are fading as they head into the last two crucial series of the year. It’s been a steady decline since the All-Star break. San Francisco has scuffled to a 25-41 record and lost their grip on a sizable division lead to the Dodgers. The Giants simply do not have the same recipe that has led them towards the championship runs of years past. Too many key players are having down years and cold streaks. Buster Posey’s timely hits won’t carry them this time through October. Playoff heroes of years past, such as Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence have struggled mightily down the stretch run. They won’t magically turn it around come the playoffs. Madison Bumgarner is still a workhorse, but he can’t pitch every game. After him and Johnny Cueto, consistent starts have been hard to come by. Don’t expect much from Jeff Samardzija and newly acquired Matt Moore when they’re battling elite pitchers and facing potent playoff lineups. And unlike most years, the back-end of their bullpen can’t help steal games in the later innings. The combination of Hunter Strickland and Santiago Casilla in the 9th doesn’t scare anyone and even steady Javier Lopez is posting the worst numbers of his careers. The dwindling Giants are 4-6 in their last 10. Their last two series are against the Rockies and Dodgers at home. The Rockies are always good for lighting up the scoreboard at any given time and the Dodgers will be happy to eliminate the Giants completely after securing the division over the weekend. Bottom line—this final stretch will be a battle. But for the sake of argument, let’s assume the Giants hold onto their dwindling Wild Card lead. The Giants will be heavy underdogs in every round of the playoffs. If the season ended today, San Francisco would travel to New York and face Noah Syndergaard and the Mets in a one game playoff. If they miraculously survive that, they’d travel to Chicago and take on the 100+ win Cubs. They’d be lucky if they got a game. The Giants are always good for timely wins with Bochy and company, but there are simply too many obstacles to overcome. Ben Epstein is a senior finance major.
Take A Knee Claire McLoughlin The Santa Clara
Colin Kaepernick’s protest has ignited a conversation that is featured on nearly every news network, media platform and around every dinner table in the United States, and it’s about damn time. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has chosen to kneel during the national anthem before every game because he does not wish to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” A steady stream of players from all across the NFL have joined the protest by taking a knee, raising a fist, locking arms with other teammates or declining to answer questions during press conferences, as Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman chose to do on Sept. 22. Some citizens applaud Kaepernick for taking a stand (or in his case, a knee) and bringing attention to the problem of racial injustice and the killing of people of color by police officers. Others accuse him of being disruptive, unpatriotic and using a serious issue to bring attention and publicity to himself. Some have even sent him death threats. But in order to fully understand this issue, we must diverge from the present to return to the past. “The Star Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key, describes the morning after battle in the War of 1812. The poem is four stanzas long, though typically only the first stanza is performed, perhaps because it would just take too much time to play the song in its entirety. It could also be that the song is blatantly racist. Stanza three features the lines “No refuge could save the hireling and slave/
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.” This refers to the almost certain death slaves faced during wartime; they were completely defenseless, unable to take up arms and protect themselves and unable to avoid the conflict and flee their places of imprisonment for safer lodgings. Like other illustrious men of his time, Key owned slaves. He also believed Africans were a “distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.” Fast-forward to 2016. This year alone, 708 people have died at the hands of police officers according to the Washington Post Fatal Force Database. Of those 708 people, 383 were people of color. Racial injustice then, racial injustice now. This is Kaepernick’s protest. “Sure, I get where he’s coming from. He’s using his platform to make a difference and forcing the country to talk about something that definitely needs to be talked about,” said a Santa Clara student who wished to remain anonymous. “But you have to think about him as a football player with a declining career. It makes me think he did this for publicity.” To be clear, Kaepernick knelt for two weeks before anyone noticed his protest. A reporter had to question his actions during an interview for him to speak out about what he was doing. If this was a publicity stunt, it sure didn’t start like one. In addition to being skeptical about his motive, many students disagreed with the way Kaepernick was protesting. I pressed them to offer alternative acts of demonstration.
“Donate money,” said another anonymous student. “He’s a millionaire professional athlete. He can do so much more for the cause than other people and he won’t.” Again, there’s a need for clarity. Kaepernick has pledged $1 million to organizations he feels are making a difference in the fight to end racial injustice in the U.S. He also stated in an Instagram post that all the money he receives in jersey sales (players receive two-thirds of the money from sales with the rest going back to the NFL organization) will go “back into the communities.” The 49ers also promised $1 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation in the hopes that the donation will go towards correcting racial inequality in the Bay Area. With that being said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and for a topic like this, there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of them. I only ask you to think on this: Kaepernick is exercising his First Amendment right to freedom of speech every time his knee hits the grass. This is the same right that allows Mike Ditka to go on the radio and tell anyone who has a problem with the flag to “get the hell out” of the country. Because when you boil it down, this fight is about freedom of speech and the demonizing and attempted silencing of those brave enough to speak out and force the country to face its ugly past and ghastly present in the hopes for a better future. Contact Claire McLoughlin at camcloughlin@scu.edu or call (408) 5544852.
AP
Richard Sherman (left) locks arm with Pete Carroll (center) in the Seahawks home opener against the Miami Dolphins. New England’s Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty (right) also performed an act of protest by holding their fists to the air during the national anthem on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.