The South Texan Vol.95 Issue 5

TheSouthTexan.com

Texas A &M University-Kingsville Award-Winning Student Publication Tuesday, September 29, 2020

COACH ESTELLE INSPIRES

SPORTS PG.4

@thesouthtexan

Vol. 95 Issue 5

‘Teach Ins’ hosted by Arts & Sciences Topics focus on race, justice

Aryssa Enriquez | Editor-in-Chief

chief.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Submitted Photo

Music major Aaron Botello lives a life led by music.

A Musical Journey TAMUK sophomore studying jazz Gabriella Mastroianni | Reporter

Music took over his life; it’s what set the train in motion. From a young age music guided him.

His father introduced him to country music, a genre that has surrounded Aaron Botello since he was very young. From there he evolved into metal and rock music, enjoying such groups as System of a Down and Breaking Benjamin. As he grew, his keen for rock and metal music expanded: Deftones, They Might Be Giants, The Garden, Enjoy and Puzzle.

System of a Down, however, has been the biggest influence in Aaron.

“There’s just something about them that was truly groundbreaking, and there will never be another group like them,” Aaron said.

The touch of instruments graced Aaron’s life when his father gifted him a cheap acoustic guitar. Although, for a few years Aaron didn’t want anything to do with the guitar, however, receiving the instrument was a de-

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Dining Update Dine-in seating for the Javelina Dining Hall at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) was recently reinstated to allow for up to 80 guests.

fining moment in his life.

After countless lessons with his father, Aaron gave up. Years later, in seventh grade, he picked up the guitar himself and began learning songs from System of a Down, Breaking Benjamin and Deftones.

From that point on out, music ran through his veins.

“I think my dad was kind of shocked hearing all this loud noise coming

Submitted Photo

Botello practices with the Javelina band.

from my room instead of chill country music, but I think that he is happy with what I’ve done and the musical identity that I have created for myself,” Aaron said.

During his middle and high school years Aaron was a percussionist player for his school’s band.

However, during his freshman year of high school, he joined a second band; one that he and his closest friends created.

Aaron met his friend Dante in 2015 who then introduced him to the band.

He came in as a guitar player, and he soon made the switch to bass guitar.

“I had never touched one in my life before then,” Aaron said, “and I fell in love with it immediately.”

The band was a crazy experience for him, from changing the band names multiple times to performing at the House of Rock in Corpus Christi.

Most Wanted, Strangelove, Sourpuss, and numerous other names transitioned in the band.

Rudi Guerrero, one of Aaron’s band mates and longtime friend, became

fond of Aaron’s personality and musicality. Even though they knew of each other through school, it was their band that flourished their friendship.

They’ve always stuck by each other, Rudi said, through the worst and hardest times of their lives, they manage to find ways to make it better.

“Everybody who he has played for or in front of has given him great compliments and high hopes for great things and I always found it fascinating to watch him grow and get better,” Rudi said.

Life, however, has made it difficult for the band because of school, work and the pandemic. The band has not come together for a period of time, but Aaron and Rudi hope to reunite in the future.

“I know that those guys will have my back for the rest of my life and I will definitely have theirs,” Aaron said. “I love you Dante, TJ and Rudi.”

Whether his impact is small or a huge breakthrough, Aaron hopes to be a part of the growth of music. He believes his pur-

Submitted Photo

Botello on stage with his rock band.

pose in life is to create joy through music for people and to stir up the powerful feelings he feels with music onto others.

Daniel Lopez, last year’s leader for the tenors of the Javelina Marching Band, remembers the character Aaron displayed during last marching season. His dependability, dedication, ability to learn quickly, open mindedness to new ideas and sportsmanship stood out to Daniel.

“I was nervous being a leader for tenors but having someone like him on the line made it fun and See Botello, Pg 6

In light of social issues and national movements, the College of Arts and Sciences and Women and Gender Studies have teamed up to celebrate Kingsville’s multicultural community by discussing race, activism and justice throughout a series of Teach In events.

During the summer, A&M-Kingsville students were strong advocates of the Black Lives Matter movement, and professors searched for a way to keep that energy going throughout the Fall semester. Teach Ins provide a platform for faculty and students to interact and ask questions about social issues and discuss some of America’s history.

“The main exercise in this [Teach Ins], is making people become active learners and to look at the world critically and think about the world we live in,” Associate Professor of History Dr. Alberto Rodriguez said. “We want people to connect the dots and say this is part of our larger issue.

Each of us have sort of highlighted a period in our work to look at, and hopefully our students and community can say ‘Oh wow, I didn’t realize this was going on in 1960s.’

So we want people to look at that and look at the world we live in and think ‘Why haven’t things changed? Or have they changed?’”

Professors who are experts in a field will highlight social issues and encourage students to dive deeper and analyze the root of some problems. The purpose is to further engage with students and motivate them to think outside the box.

The School of Music will kick off the Teach In events on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with a faculty recital. Students can expect a variety of topics raging from America’s Lynching Craze to Movements in

See Teach In, Pg 6

Ballroom transitions into gaming arcade CAB hosts e-sports event Friday

Dylan Dozier | Managing Editor managing.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Students converged on the MSUB Ballroom for an eight-hour e-sports arcade on Friday, Sept. 25.

The TAMUK Campus Activities Board (CAB) offered food, prizes and a safe environment for students to recreate and get to know one another. A wide variety of games ranging from Super Mario 3D AllStars to FIFA20 were available to play on multiple gaming platforms.

“I dropped in because it seemed like a good opportunity to meet people and to play some games that I normally don’t have access to,” English major Simon Poe said.

The event’s organizers adhered to social distancing guidelines to create a safe environment for all those in attendance.

Masks were required for all attendees. Each game station included enough space for proper social distancing and included disinfecting wipes for consoles, seats and controllers.

Students were happy that they could enjoy each other’s company in a non-virtual environment.

See Arcade, Pg 6

Dylan Dozier

Simon Poe, Fernando Palomo and Milka Mora game together at the MSUB Ballroom.

Campus

Loteria, food, fun 2

OSA hosted Loteria event

Ronni Reyna|News Editor

Newseditor@thesouthtexan.edu

Loteria the game of Mexican bingo didn’t get its start in Mexico like you may believe.

The game originated in Italy and wasn’t brought to Mexico until 1769.

The game consists of 54 different cards that are adorned with colorful images.

The modern loteria card has 16 spaces and when your space is called beans are quite often used in place of daubers or any other material usually used in bingo to cover a space.

Hispanic Heritage Month began on Sept. 15 and TAMUK has hosted many events to help celebrate the culture and background for students.

Loteria was hosted on Sept. 24 in the MSUB ballrooms for students to celebrate.

Nachos, quesadillas and churros were served during the event and the room was decorated with vibrant pinatas, a staple in Hispanic culture. Different Mexican candies were spread out on all of the tables for students to try and maybe bring back a memory if they grew up eating them.

“I grew up with it, so it’s always been a part of my life. Every weekend we would always get together do cook outs, loteria and play a couple

of games,” Kassandra Carrillo, a student who attended the event, said.

Many students recalled playing the game growing up, which helped connect them to the event and celebration of Hispanic Heritage month.

Students had the opportunity to win movie packages, a Keurig coffee machine, a Tv, and Air Pods. Each student who attended the event also had a chance to win a door prize that included a Hispanic Heritage Month T-shirt and a choice to pick a little toy maraca or plastic donkey and several other items to go with it.

“I enjoy it personally since I’m Hispanic, it gets us closer to our culture,” Cytlaly Reyes, a student attendee of the event, said.

Thursday, Sept. 24, members wore NFL gear for the “Tackling Hazing” event.

“We are just trying to spread awareness that we don’t tolerate hazing and we are not for it,” junior and member of Delta Phi Epsilon Danyelle Green said.

“Also, it’s a friendly competition among sororities and fraternities.”

It is state law to report an event of hazing. Failing to do so or to commit hazing that does not result in bodily harm is a Class B misdemeanor.A more serious offense, or a Class A misdemeanor, results in bodily harm and an organization can expect a $5,000 to $10,000 fine.

Universities also have the right to determine its own punishments.

TAMUK, however, has not dealt with a reported haze since Spring 2017. “Hazing creates stress, anxiety, intimidation and often results in physical and emotional harm to victims,” Public Relations Chair of Alpha Sigma Alpha Brissa Acevedo said.

“The importance of spreading awareness of Hazing Prevention Week is to continue to build a safe atmosphere for all students on campus.

If a hazing event were

to happen, we want the student body to know where to report it and that we are here for them because we don’t need hazing to be amazing.”

Students can report hazing to the Dean of Students and TAMUK’s University Police Department.

Due to the pandemic, these events were done virtually, utilizing social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

“It’s more than a statement, it’s a movement. Pledge to prevent hazing before it occurs, stop hazing when you see it happening, take responsibility to report it and help empower others around you to do the same!” said a tweet from sorority Theta Phi Alpha.

Videos, pictures and tweets of last week’s events can be found on the TAMUK Fraternity & Sorority Life Twitter page.

“Hazing Prevention Week allows the Greek community to spread awareness about hazing and for us all as a whole to reflect on our oath not to haze,” Acevedo said.

“By promoting events against hazing we are spreading positivity and are creating a welcoming atmosphere for all students at Texas A&M University- Kingsville.”

Greeks promote Anti-Hazing Daily themed events spread hazing

intolerance GabriellaMastroianni| Reporter

Last week, Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s (TAMUK) sororities and fraternities held Anti-Hazing Greek Life events to spread positivity and acceptance and the intolerance of hazing.

Each day from Monday through Thursday sororities and fraternities participated in themed events and competed for points.

Monday, Sept. 21, was the “These Hands Don’t Haze Photo Challenge” for which members wrote an anti-hazing message on their palms and posted pictures of their messages.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, members wore purple in support of Hazing Prevention Week for the “Purple Challenge.”

Wednesday, Sept. 23, each sorority and fraternity created and posted a video demonstrating a team-building activity for the “Hazing Prevention Video Challenge.”

September 29, 2020

thesouthtexan.com

Julio Menchaca, Vyktoria Rodriguez and IrazemaSalinas enjoy a game of Loteria.

Reyes said she felt connected to her culture during the event.

“Events like this bring students closer to their

heritage by introducing them to food and a game that they wouldn’t normally do,” Tanya Prazelini, a Resident Life

Ronni Reyna

Communication advisor said.“It helps them [students] understand the culture more,” Prazelini said.

TAMUK marching band practicing outside due to COVID-19 regulations.

Aryssa Enriquez

Fall recitals moving forward GabriellaMastroianni | Reporter

Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s concert bands, orchestra and marching band are preparing for recitals in the upcoming months, some of which will be held outdoors.

The fall concert bands are working on an amalgamation of compositions from early traditional works to contemporary pieces, “flex” pieces (this allows virtual collaboration), brass choir and jazz-influenced works.

“All three Fall concert bands will be performing in some capacity.

However, each group is broken up into smaller groups, which are called ‘chamber ensembles,’” Adjunct Professor of Music Dr. Edward Moncada said.

The concert band conductors are Dr. Scott Jones, Dr. George Schrader and Dr. Moncada. The orchestra conductor is Dr. Colleen Ferguson, and Dr. Kenneth Williams will be conducting the choir. Small ensembles will also be performing and conducted by other faculty.

Recitals and performances will split locations between the Performance Hall, Recital Hall and outdoor settings.

The Javelina March-

ing Band will also have a performance outdoors for faculty. Although the exact date has not been set, the performance is set to be in early October.

This year’s show theme is “Wonderful World” in tribute to Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” However, due to the pandemic, many students have not been present during rehearsals, but instead participate online or submit recordings.

“I believe the pandemic did have some huge effects on the whole organization,” music major and French horn player Jesus Castillon said, “but in terms of spirit I think we still have that pride of South Texas in us, and it helps us go on and continue to do what we love.”

The bands have made many adjustments due to COVID-19, making it difficult for students and faculty to correlate with one another.

To ensure everyone’s safety, rehearsal times were cut down from one to two hours to now 20 minutes. To accommodate social distancing regulations, around six to 12 students are allowed during each rehearsal, whereas the number of students used to be 50 and up. Musicians now wear special masks that allow them to

play safely; brass instruments wear bell covers, and woodwinds wear bags that cover the entire instrument all in order to contain aerosols.

“We have followed all campus guidelines as well as international scientific studies on aerosol transmission through singing and playing wind instruments,” Associate Professor and Director of Bands Dr. Jones said.

Holding virtual rehearsals has made an impact on the students.

Rehearsals are a combination of Zoom meetings and recordings. Zoom causes poor sound quality and is incredibly difficult for students to play in sync with one another.

“Music majors and directors have been forced to explore ‘new terrains’ during these times,” Dr. Moncada said.

“Between virtual collaboration, social distancing, etc., there are tons of new methods that students and teachers alike are having to adopt in order to have a quality music-making experience, as well as a quality education. However, I believe that this is also forcing students and teachers to become more versatile - perhaps for a day and age where virtual collaboration will be more common than it ever has before.”

Entertainment

September 29, 2020 thesouthtexan.com

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Unpregnent Review Unpregnant not your typical teen pregnancy film AnnalisaPerales|Reporter

From taking a pregnancy test in the high school bathroom in Missouri to travelling to Albuquerque, HBO Max’s new film Unpregnant will keep you on your toes.

This comedic drama starts off with Veronica Clarke played by Five Feet Apart’s, Haley Lu Richarson, who is hit with a surprise when she takes a pregnancy test in the school’s bathroom that reveals to be positive.

In the midst of her shocking news, the first person to find out and offer a slight hand of help was her old childhood best friend, Bailey played by Barbie Ferreira, who tells Veronica she will throw away the test for her.

As Veronica heads home already with her mind made up, she calls facilities around her area that will allow underage abortions without parental consent.

Unfortunately, the only closest facility without restrictions happens to be in New Mexico.

When deciding to tell the father of her plan, things begin to get crazier when he reveals his own crazy plan about the pregnancy which may end with a ring on a finger or not…

With only one other person in mind that would help her with the plan, she turns to Bailey who happens to have a car in her possession.

After a slight mishap with a stolen ring and a shotgun, Veronica and Bailey are all set on their road trip to Albuquerque.

But as any typical co-

medic drama goes, nothing goes too smoothly for long as they hit a few road bumps along the way. Although the topic of abortion is brought up a lot throughout the film, the main focus stays on the experience of the road trip and what life lessons are learned on the trip.

Unpregnant isn’t like any teenage film as it is funny, quirky and surprisingly can be relatable to viewers.

If you are interested in seeing this movie, Unpregnant can be found on HBO Max.

How to adult: Personal safety Four major on-campus personal safety tips AnnalisaPerales|Reporter

iOS 14 update brings new changes to iPhones BrendaRiojas|Entertainment Editor

Entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.com

When iPhone users first download the newest iOS 14 update, they might not think it’s a significant update.

Most of the features are hidden at first.

The new update includes major features, the widget feature, the new app library and music app.

The widgets feature is not one that you see automatically.

You have to hold down on the home screen until all of the apps are shaking and click the “+” button at the top of the screen.

Choose any widget you’d like to add to your home screen.

Widgets can be small, medium or large which can be notes, fitness, photos, clocks, maps, music, podcasts, etc.

The widget feature also includes smart stack.

This allows you to stack multiple widgets and once they’re on your home screen you can scroll through the stacked widgets.

The other major feature in the new update is the app library, which allows you to reduce space on your home screen.

When you try to delete an app, you will be asked to either completely delete the app

or simply move it to the app library.

The library is also hidden, when you swipe to the left after your last page of apps the library will appear.

The library is categorized based on the type of apps you have downloaded. iOS 14 also allows you to continue watching certain videos while using other apps.

The video will continue playing at the top of your screen and once you’re ready to watch the video full screen again click on the small square button where the video is playing.

The music app also has major changes, but one that sticks out to me the most, although a Spotify catch up, is endless autoplay.

The icon for the endless autoplay looks like an infinity symbol next to the shuffle and repeat button.

The music app also has a new way to search and also a listen-now feature that is designed based off of artists you follow or listen to the most.

Overall, the new update has so many features that require you to spend a lot of time experimenting with your device.

There are so many apps and YouTube videos that will help you customize and find any more hidden features.

While we have gotten used to being protective with face masks, sanitizer and Lysol wipes; it’s also important to remember how to protect ourselves personally, too.

Because of the pandemic, masks have been one of the necessary things that have kept us safe, but there are also disadvantages to our safety as well.

As it is mandatory to wear masks, a dilemma to think about is it would be hard to recognize someone if it came to personal safety issues.

Being back on campus could be a fun experience despite the chaos this year has brought, but let’s take a moment to remember how we can stay safe personally.

The first way to ensure safety is to get to know where the campus security office is located and

about the services they provide.

The Texas A&M University Police Department is always around and helps with crime reporting, crime prevention, and assistance when feeling unsafe.

If you are ever feeling unsafe while walking back to your dorm or your car across campus, UPD offers an escort that will walk you to where you need to go.

The second way to protect yourself is to take caution after dark, as it is a vulnerable time for many.

There are many poorly lit places on campus after dark, and with the campus being open to the public it can be a cause for concern.

When walking after dark, it is suggested that you walk with a friend or stay on the phone with someone until you know you’re safe and secure.

Another safety tip would be to try to park in a lighted area or a

slightly packed lot if you know you are staying late that day.

The third safety tip that we always tend to forget is being wise on social media.

Whether we like it or not, social media has become a big part of our lives but we need to understand that it can also be a breach of our safety.

It is important to review your settings on your profiles, making sure you are set to private and only limit to friends.

As much as we like for others to know where we are at times, it is suggested that location and geotag features be turned off, as it could let strangers know where to find you.

As much as many of us would like Liam Neeson to come to our rescue, let’s maybe keep him from doing so.

Last, but not least, it’s always wise to have a plan and know how to defend yourself in case

worse comes to worst.

When heading out anywhere, it is good to always know where you are going and how to get there.

One tip when going out is to always look confident and not look confused as to where you’re heading.

When it comes to defending yourself, you don’t necessarily need to have a black belt in anything (although that wouldn’t hurt) but always keep safety supplies handy.

Whether it be a whistle, pepper spray, mace, or a sharp keychain; it is always wise to keep something on you no matter where you go.

Yes, it can be fun being back on campus but always remember personal safety comes first.

If you would like more information or tips on how to be safe or would like to know more about what UPD can do for you, you can visit www. tamuk.edu/upd.

SPORTS

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September 29, 2020

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Coach Estelle a role model to players Head coach strives for excellence, discipline at TAMUK

BrendaRiojas|Entertainment Editor

entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Texas A&M University-Kingsville Men’s Head Basketball Coach Johnny Estelle is an inspiration to his players, on and off the court.

Estelle’s basketball records are untouchable, as a player and coach, but so are his life lessons to his players. He’s coached award-win ning athletes, including four from the 201920 season, one of the best recorded seasons yet.

Four players from that

season were awarded, one being recent TAMUK graduate Chauncey Thomas.

“He is a great role model, great coach on and off the court. He’ll try and do anything for you. He made me a better person in my two years at TAMUK,” Thomas said.

Thomas has always admired Estelle and strived to do his best for the team, coaches and fans. He says the lessons he’s learned from Estelle have stuck with him even after recently grad-

uating this summer.

Student communications major Casey Brooks is also a member of the team and admires Coach Estelle. He says he wants to be a coach one day as well.

“He inspires me to be the best person I can be every day and showed me what it means to be a leader,” Brooks said.

Brooks admires the leadership advice from Estelle off the court.

After practice, Estelle preaches the importance of family to the team in the locker room. He

Javelina Athletics Coach Johnny Estelle advising his athletes during a game.

Cross country teams take on Orville Rogers Blue and gold opens 2020 season

JacquelineBarrera|Sports Editor

sports.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Race days have finally returned for the Texas A&M Kingsville (TAMUK) cross country program.

Both men and women hit the road to compete at the Orville Rogers Patriot Opener on Sept. 25 in Grand Prairie, Texas, hosted by Dallas Baptist University.

The meet champion in both divisions was host DBU with their men’s team scoring 58 and the women’s 15.

Senior standout, David Tellez, said despite the challenges of COVID-19, he was anxious to race.

“This year will be

very different and our team has accepted that matter,” Tellez said. “At the end of the day I am ready to compete and hit PR’s with my teammates. I know they are ready, too.”

Bringing more energy this week on the men’s side is junior Mikel Escobar, who made his first debut as a Javelina last weekend, after transferring from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

“Our team has been grinding hard,” Escobar said. “Being able to finally prepare for race days is thrilling. The atmosphere is electric.”

The women’s team brought along four freshmen who tackled their first collegiate meet.

Cassandra Lozano, a Kingsville native, said her goals for this season include consistency.

“I am very excited and

very nervous for my first meet,” Lozano said.

“My goal is to keep a good pace and to remain consistent throughout the course. Our team is strong and hardworking I know we will do great things.”

Freshman recruit, Haley Villalpando, said she was also excited to compete.

“I feel that the past few weeks of practice have prepared our teams well enough for this first race,’ Villalpando said. “Since beginning my athletic career at TAMUK I have somewhat high expectations for myself.”

“I feel extremely blessed to be a part of this program and I cannot wait to see what the future will hold.”

The blue and gold will host the Javelina Invitational cross country meet on Oct. 3.

Javelina Athletics David Tellez running strong through the course.

teaches the team not to take life for granted, and to talk to your loved ones every day.

The fans are able to see the leadership advice Estelle gives the team after each basketball game.

After every game the players greet, take pictures and sign merchandise for the fans. Fans line up at the edge of the court to see their favorite players.

The players express their gratitude to the fans for coming to each game and usually wish them a safe drive home.

It’s obvious that Estelle’s life lessons and advice to his players are reflected in their actions off the court.

Estelle’s collegiate playing career started at Missouri Valley College (1992 to’ 93) and Northland Pioneer College (1993 to ’94) at which he earned his Associate’s degree in general studies (1994). In his only season at Northland Pioneer he led the team to a 30-5 record, and the ACCAC and NJCAA Region I championships.

After he transferred to TAMUK, he set a school record as a senior in 1995 to ’96 with 23 wins and the Lone Star Conference Tournament championships.

After two seasons with the Javelinas he

Javelina Athletics Coach Johnny Estelle cheering on team.

scored a total of 742 points. He began his coaching career as a student assistant coach in 1996.

In his coaching career, Coach Estelle has three team championships, a co-championship and is a two-time hall of fame inductee.

He was inducted in the Javelina Hall of Fame in 2016 along with the 1995-1996 men’s basketball team. It was recently announced that he will be inducted into Navarro College’s Hall of Fame along with 13 other members.

“This is an incredible honor from a special institution that has a culture of winning and high standards.

Navarro College has always been a special place to me and my family,” Estelle said.

Estelle spent eight seasons as an assistant at Navarro College before earning the head coach position in 2008.

His time was well spent at Navarro capturing three Region XIV tournament titles and running up a record of 126-48 in just five seasons.

Forum

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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Our Opinion

Notorious RBG Her soft voice did not match the strength and

fight she had within. Be it at the polls, or in the

office, Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves a trailblazing legacy for gender equality.

America has lost a giant in the law. Advocat-

ing for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and civil rights became her lifetime work.

RBG used her power and position to pave a

path of equality for women. She gave modern

women a way of independence. She eliminated the need for dependence of a man in a woman’s life. It is because of her that women in America

can have things like their own mortgage, credit

card and bank accounts. She used her power to eliminate gender-based stereotyping in legislation and regulations.

RBG was ahead of her time, as she was only

the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court and a pioneer for gender equality. She fought for men and women equally throughout her distinguished career.

The equality and legislation she fought for will

continue to empower many for generations to come. America has lost a fighter and for that we

grieve and hope that those who come after her will fight with the same power and intention as she had for our country.

As our country mourns the loss of one of the

greatest defenders of the law and constitution, we worry about the future of America.

RBG’s brilliance and essence in the court will

not be easy to replace. However, the day after

her passing, President Trump stated he will

nominate a woman to the seat and Senate Ma-

jority Leader Mitch McConnell has followed along.

If Trump does succeed in filling Ginsburg’s

place prior to the election, it will be a hypocritical move that will taint the Senate, considering

the same Senate refused to hear President Barrack Obama’s nominee in 2016.

Just as presidents before have waited to re-

place an individual on the Supreme Court in

the wake of an election there is no difference

now. RBG’s death should not be used to gain power against one party and monopolize the

court. If we are truly a society of democracy,

her replacement should wait until a new president is elected into office. Whomever that president may be.

“My most fervent wish is that I will not be

replaced until a new President is installed.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Importance of emotional support animals

Over the past decade, the rise of mental illness amongst adolescents and young adults have increased.

Research concludes this is because of interacting through social meGabriella dia, culturMastroianni al trends, Reporter drug addiction and poverty. One might turn to medication to aid in mental healing; however, some medications provide side effects that worsen the problem.

A great alternative to medication, however, to help alleviate mental illness is an emotional support animal. Emotional support animals (ESA) provide a sense of security and stability, eases the feeling of loneliness, reduces stress and anxiety, and increases physi-

cal activity and self-purpose.

Mental illnesses often pair up with the dreadful feeling of loneliness, which in turn helps people shut themselves in their minds. An ESA is a great distraction from our internal struggles and can help free one from their caged mind and bring them back into the physical world. Animals such as cats and dogs display love and affection which eases the feeling of loneliness.

ESA’s also decrease stress, anxiety and even panic attacks. Hugging, petting and interacting with an animal can be relieving and soothing. Dogs can even be trained to detect panic attacks minutes before the person realizes they are about to have one.

According to Wagwalking.com, it takes approximately six to nine months to properly train a dog to

detect panic attacks and how to respond to them.

It is considered a hard trick to teach but with consistency and time the dog will be properly trained to handle such a situation. The website provides three different ways to train a dog and gives step-by-step instructions.

Mental illnesses such as depression has this ability to keep people from going outside or socializing with others.

Having an energetic animal that needs to be walked such as a dog or a cat (yes, people are walking their cats now) gives the owner a reason to leave their bed and go outside. In turn, physical activity boosts endorphins which helps the brain feel good.

Lastly, an ESA gives an owner a sense of purpose through routine, normalcy and small accomplishments. Taking

care of an animal can set a timely routine which in turn gives off a sense of normalcy and function. Feeding, watering, walking and bathing an ESA also gives a sense of small accomplishments.

ESA’s are not considered pets. And I agree, they are not pets, they are companions, mental and emotional guides, trainers, supporters, listeners, friends and family. Domestic animals (and even wild animals on some occasions) miraculously display an unconditional sense of humanity towards humans; they care for us, love us, stay by our side and heal us. In some sense, they display more humanity than humans do.

ESAs are crucial for our society, especially with the increase of younger generations struggling with mental illnesses.

With the election coming up, televised debates are going to be inescapable as we inch closer to election day, and things are going to get really messy, really fast.

The first Calista televised Reyes debate Campus Editor between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is going to be chaos.

For the last 10 years, Presidential debates have become more of a

show to see who is going take the best jab at the other rather than it being a time to hear what exactly they plan to do for us as President.

The reason that this is so damaging for the American people is that we don’t get all of the information that we deserve to know, and unless we take the time to do our own research to make sure we are truly voting for the person we think is best fit for the job, we base our vote on the minimum information that we are given.

Everyone should be

doing their own research anyways.

Being that there is an ocean of information out there on the internet from so many different sources (not all creditable), this task is an even bigger challenge.

Now with foundations like A Starting Point, knowing who and what your representatives stand for has become immensely easier but that should not excuse the behavior of our leaders.

The dramatics of politics should really stop because at the end of the day I don’t care what

personal issues they have with each other; I just want to know who is going to do the most for this country.

The American people deserve better.

The future of this country is not a joke, and it isn’t something that should be taken lightly.

This election I hope to hear speeches about their game plan for the country, and not have important information lost in 90 minutes of putting each other on blast and insulting each other like a pair of immature teenage boys.

America deserves better

Letter to the Editor: Capitalism with Jaws The dictionary defines capitalism as an economic system in which private individuals or groups of individuals owned land, factories and other means of production in order to produce goods and services for PROFIT. Google defines capitalism as an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for PROFIT. So what is good and bad about capitalism?

The good is that it has

helped to bring millions of people out of poverty.

It has helped produce better living conditions and more efficient ways of working.

Overall the quality of life and the standard of living has gone up most of the time year after year. The bad side of capitalism is that it is constantly creating methods, systems and rigged procedures in order to feed itself profit and power.

It’s like the great white shark, constantly swim-

Twitter Poll of the Week

ming, hunting and killing the smaller fish classes, and it never sleeps.

It’s the reason why we have so many monopolies, zombie corporations, Ponzi and pyramid schemes and global warming, which in turn produce all kinds of divisive and dehumanizing environments for millions of people and children.

History shows many different kinds of class struggles over the last 2000 plus years via military overthrow, voting,

protests, riots, wars and assassinations.Capitalism is mostly a self-serving economic dictatorship which produces and supports anti-democratic ideas, systems and methods. In my view

capitalism needs to be repaired or replaced with a better more humane, less divisive system, otherwise what happened to the shark in the movie “JAWS” will happened to capitalism someday.

Thomas Cantu

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September 29, 2020

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Hoskisson named interim VP of Enrollment Management Search for permanent VP to come Staff Reports|

The university will soon have a new Vice President of Enrollment Management after Dr. Darin Hoskisson, professor of music, was named interim. His temporary post begins Thursday.

The Division of Enrollment Management will now report to Academic Affairs as well.

Hoskisson replaces Dr.

M a u re e n C ro f t , who was hired as the VP of Enrollment ManageMaureenCroft ment in February 2018.

According to her hiring announcement, Croft worked at the University of Houston since 2006, before accepting the position at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. While in Houston, Croft served as the Associate Provost for Strategic Enrollment Planning.

Hoskisson joined the university in 2006 with the School of Music.

He has served as the chair of the Department of Clinical Health Science and is an Associate Dean for the College of Arts & Sciences.

Hoskisson will report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs until a permanent replacement is named, according to an announcement.

Plans for a search for a permanent VP of Enrollment Management will be announced sometime this semester.

Dylan Dozier

All campus events adhere to social distancing guidelines and provide health concious opportunities for students to interact.

From Arcade, Pg 1

“It’s nice that the school and community can still get together for events like this. I’m really surprised that we could do this during the pandemic but I’m really glad that we can,” Poe said.

Networking, making friends and getting involved on campus can be

difficult during the ongoing pandemic, but when given opportunities like the one presented Friday, students tend to capitalize.

Business major Fernando Palomo and education major Milka Mora attended the gaming arcade together hoping to mingle with fellow students.

“Events like these are great for meeting new

people,” Palomo said.

Mora looked forward to entangling herself with the happenings on campus.

“I came because I want to get more involved with what’s going on at school,” Mora said.

CAB hosts events sporadically throughout the semester. An Escape Room is slated for Sept. 29.

Brenda Melendy said. “I am confident that they also see the wrongs of the present, and they are the ones who will need to lead us into a more enlightened future. As my parents taught me, I want them to teach their children about human rights.”

Teach Ins will continue throughout the Fall semester. All events will be live streamed through the College of Arts and Sciences website TAMUK.edu/ artsci. Students seeking

to attend any face to face event should register in advance.

“In a time where everything can feel disconnected and isolated, this is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a campus and a community to address issues that are often painful, but also to celebrate what a wonderful diverse city we live in,” Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Interim Assistant Dean Barbara Cooke said.

Submitted Photo

Music is the wellspring of Botello’s life .

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the fact that he knew how to be a good follower lets me know he would make a great leader,” Daniel said.

Music major and roommate Domingo Garza adds that Aaron is a flexible person, down for anything.

Whether that be going to Whataburger at the break of dawn, making an album in one day or going to stores like Guitar Center just to play the drums.

One of the most memorable memories Domingo had with Aaron dates back to when they first became roommates. The two rented a small Airbnb in San Antonio for a Texas Mu-

sic Education Association conference.

“That week was unforgettable,” Domingo said.

Now, as a sophomore student at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Aaron is aiming to make a mark here in the music program and create a legacy. He recently switched his degree from music education to jazz studies. Music is his devotion, listening to and playing, he cannot imagine doing anything else.

He equates the feeling of music to experiencing feelings for someone, like butterflies in his stomach; absolutely exciting. To Aaron, music is constant-

ly changing and evolving, there’s always something new to learn, combine and create. Music is the messenger, a communicator, and a worldwide string that connects every human being together.

“Music is like a universal language that knows no boundaries,” Aaron said.

“People will say what they really want to say, and while not everyone will like the same stuff or what is being said by an artist, or may not like the way something sounds, there will pretty much be something that everyone can enjoy.”

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Criminal JustThrough these Teach In events, professors hope students are able to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the diversity found in South Texas.

“When I teach about the Civil Rights movement in my history courses, I see the passion of students for righting the wrongs of the past,” Professor of History and Director of Women in Gender Studies program