Spartan Banner Volume 55
April 2016
Issue 8
Professor Kaye discusses national issues By Mark Maier, editor
Harvey J. Kaye is a professor of democracy and justice studies, and the Director of the Center for History and Social Change at UW-Green Bay. The questions were provided by students from Mr. Coffey’s third term International Relations class as well as our own editors.
do have to support terrorists. So with North Korea, it’s best to be wary of them, but not overly afraid.
Here’s what Professor Kaye had to say...
A: This is a hard question to answer. I think Bernie Sanders has the right idea when he says the US should scale back its involvement, as this is really the battle of the countries in the region. That said, the US shouldn’t scale back its involvement too much, as the entire Middle East is a disaster, so they may not be able handle it on their own. Bernie could be more specific about how much he wants to scale back, but considering how hawkish some of the other candidates are, I still trust him the most. 2016 Election:
Foreign Policy: Q: Do you support the Obama administration’s recent actions in regards to Cuba? A: Definitely. It’s long overdue. The length of the isolationism with them has been ridiculous. But even the isolationism itself has been ridiculous, considering that we’ve been allied with far worse dictatorships the whole time. So I definitely consider President Obama’s actions steps in the right direction. Q: To what extent does the US need to be a world power? What should our role in the world be? A: For all of our flaws and mistakes, it’s still better for the US to be the most powerful country in the world than many other possible options. That said, I believe we function best when we work with others--World War II is a great example. This is a better approach than being the sole world police, which I find to be destructive and imperialistic. And it’s consistent with what the founders of our country envisioned. Sure, Thomas Paine (and later George Washington) said we should avoid foreign entanglements, but they also talked about the great opportunities for building alliances with European countries. I also believe this mindset of working with others is the best approach. Q: North Korea is now a significant nuclear power, and Kim Jong Un has claimed that his country’s weapons have the ability to reach the United States. Do you think it’s just talk, or is he a serious threat? A: I don’t believe North Korea really has the capacity to do what Kim Jong Un claims. However, it is still possible for them to use the weapons they
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Q: How can the US win the ideological war against jihadism? Which candidate for President would be best for pursuing this goal?
Q: If Donald Trump were to become President, how would this impact our relations with other countries? A: Relations have already started to become more tense with some countries--Mexico is a great example. The worst aspect of Trump’s foreign policy, however, is the fact that he is very unpredictable, simply because he hardly ever directly answers questions. Our foreign policy would probably become very unstable, and we’d likely lose many allies. Q: If Donald Trump were to become President, would his wall across the Mexican border be feasible to even build? If so, how would he conceivably pay for it, considering that the Mexican government he has long claimed will provide the funds completely objects to it? A: I’ll just be blunt in saying Trump is [a con man]. Even if the wall did get built and Mexico paid for it, it wouldn’t be effective. People could still dig tunnels underneath it, and maneuver it in other ways. But let’s stop talking about Trump for a moment. The real problem with the immigration issue is that both Democrats and Republicans have been improperly addressing it for the last two decades or so. Both parties have focused on dealing with undocumented
immigrants, rather than people who hire and subsequently exploit them. But that’s to be expected in a system as dominated by big money as ours.
poor favorability ratings from the public. With this in mind, what do you think would come of a Clinton-Trump general election match up?
Q: Do you think the GOP will end up having a brokered convention? If so, what do you think would come of it?
A: Trump would likely go after Clinton’s Wall Street ties, the way Sanders is now. Clinton would go after Trump’s general disregard for other people, and how his policy proposals would be disastrous. Of course, the people who support these candidates wouldn’t be moved by these arguments, but I don’t really know how the rest of the electorate would react. But it would definitely be a vicious campaign cycle. In my view, a more interesting question is, if Trump loses, where will his supporters direct their anger? With that to consider, I don’t think Trump’s candidacy can be taken lightly. I don’t know if I agree, but some think Trump is running on behalf of the Clintons. It would make some level of sense--he’s friends with them, he’s given to Hillary’s previous campaigns, he spoke to Bill on the phone just days before announcing his candidacy, and so forth. I don’t know if that all means anything, but it is something to think about.
A: It’s possible, but I don’t know for sure. If Trump loses New York, he’s probably done. But if he wins, the GOP establishment will continue to do anything they can to stop him. The problem with that, however, is that they don’t want Ted Cruz or John Kasich either. Neither one would be a popular choice. In the instance of a brokered convention, Paul Ryan may be the nominee. The incumbent Speaker of the House is young and handsome, while still being experienced. He may then choose a running mate from Florida or Ohio, for instance John Kasich or Marco Rubio. Even if Ryan lost this hypothetical match up, he may become a more viable candidate down the road But this is just speculation. We should see it all play out. Q: You’ve talked extensively about FDR in the past. One candidate that has been compared to FDR on several occasions is Bernie Sanders. Is this an accurate comparison? What differences exist between them? A: Bernie has good reason to link himself to FDR. Like FDR, Bernie realizes change comes from the bottom up, not the top down. As such, Bernie is mobilizing workers and other downtrodden people the same way FDR did. One difference between them, however, is that Bernie is an outsider to the current Democratic establishment, while FDR was very much a party insider in his time. I think a big mistake on Bernie’s part is not invoking FDR more. Bernie frequently cites Scandinavia as a place that shows his policies could work-while I don’t disagree, he may be more effective in pointing out how his ideas have been popular throughout American history. A great example would be the policies of the New Deal. Q: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both have very
WHAT’S INSIDE! Spartan Spirit Nights, page 2
Find out when the next big baseball fundraisers are
Polio May Finally be Eradicated, page 3 Read about a new vaccine that aims to treat the horrible disease
AP Exam Eve, page 4
Learn what you can do on this fateful day to best prepare for the following day
Track Twins Allie and Drew Bullen, page 5
Spend some time with these great athletes, and learn what their plans are for next year
Harvey J. Kaye (above) is a UW-Green Bay professor who recently did an extensive interview with the Spartan Banner. Photo Credit: Professor Kaye himself
On the role of the US should be in the world: “For all our flaws and mistakes, it’s still better for the US to be the most powerful country in the world than many other possible options.”
Spartan Banner — april 2016
News
Brookfield East Baseball fundrasing opportunities Funds raised will be used to offset the costs of the baseball program not directly covered from District funds or player fees. Items in need this year include: team bat bags, L-screens, batting cage netting and turf extension, and 1st & 3rd baseline netting.
BEAST Baseball Team Events Save These Dates! Food. Fun. Friends. Family. Facebook. Tweet. Instagram. Share. (All events are open to all student/public participation)
The Panama Papers: An exposed ring of corruption By Aditya Jhaveri, staff writer
Where the worst culprits implicated by the Panama Papers come from Image credit: Michelle Liu
Elites, plutocrats, and the wealthy only serve themselves. The degree of corruption behind closed doors suffices as a phenomenon so common that leaked documents seem cliché. We already know society’s criminality extends globally. Recently an anonymous informer released a trove of data containing 2.6 terabytes of infor-
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mation. Ironically, the biggest leak in whistleblower history does not leak much information of how the data came into the media’s hands. A source communicated via encrypted channels with a pseudonym of John Doe. As of now what matters doesn’t seem to be how these documents came into the hands of the International Consortium of Inves-
tigative Journalists, but who will be held accountable. Conceptualizing the massive amount of data documenting money in offshore accounts shocks humanity to the core. Totalling more than 11 million documents, the data provides insight into 214,000 shell companies from 1970 to 2016. It all came from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian firm. Mossack Fonseca specializes in helping the elite evade taxes and holds their money in secret offshore shell companies in Panama, hence the name Panama Papers. Shell companies - inactive companies used as a vehicle for various financial maneuvers - allow plutocrats to save money. How much money? Forbes estimates 21 trillion dollars sit in tax havens like Mossack Fonseca. Tax evasion and secrecy, while alarming, do not bring new concepts to the table; yet the Panama Papers encapsulate everything wrong with the global hierarchy and the helplessness of the public.
The state of global corruption should shake our souls. Why should the Panama Papers spark a revolution? What’s startling should not be the realization that elites can evade taxes incredibly easily. What’s startling should not be the awareness that global leaders, politicians, and celebrities involve themselves in financial schemes. What’s startling should not be the recognition that as a society a systemic economic oppression consumes us all. All this is known. The real startle to society should come with cold reality: all operations documented in the Panama Papers will involve no legal recourse. Maneuvering around taxes and holding finances in secrecy, while morally wrong, does not entail breaking the law. So do the crooks escape once again? Paradoxically, our society gives the impression that despite increased acknowledgment and revelations of problems we only become more defenseless against the infestation of corruption in our
world. For example, in 2008 a financial crisis generated hundreds of billions of losses, but high-profile participants in the 2008 banking crisis were never prosecuted and nothing changed. What makes the Panama Papers different? Recourse has started from the public. Society seems to be waking up from its long slumber. Political upheaval caused Iceland’s Prime Minister - Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson - to step down April 5th. In addition, the papers reconfirm the issues in FIFA and other organizations already known for corruption. However, instead of sitting on the bench, society will act. Most importantly, the aftermath of the Panama Papers will educate the public on a distasteful issue that never mattered more than it does now. The Panama Papers leak suggests that laws and the mindset we have towards corruption will change. Rings of corruption should not be commonplace and maybe they will start to disappear.
Spartan Banner — APRIL 2016
Technology
Technology: Quick Facts
By Mary Slavinsky,editor-in-chief and Anna Sipek, editor
Extraterrestrial life found on Mars?
A microbe was found on Mars recently which may be classified as “alive.” Some scientists argue life has to be supported on its own, while others claim the microbe fits the 5 requirements for it to be classified as alive. Regardless, this discovery along with a fossil of bacteria found in a martian meteorite is a step toward understanding the universe we live in. Drive your own drone!
Now anyone with 1600 dollars can drive a drone. Courses are available through the Civil Aviation Association. Encryption debate renewed
After the FBI found their way into the San Bernardino terrorists iPhone the case FBI v Apple disbanded, but the debate continues. Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will continue to lash it out in front of Congress. You can now be in Minecraft
By superimposing 3D images on real world objects, Microsoft’s Hololens allows you to directly interact with computer games and even refrigerator lists.
Polio virus could be eradicated from Earth By Brenna Verheyen, staff writer
Polio, short for poliomyelitis, affects about one hundred children each year. Polio is an infectious viral disease that affects the central nervous system and causes temporal or permanent paralysis. Scientists have tried to stop it before, but they have failed and have actually created another version of the virus. Recently, scientists gave it another try. On April 15, 2016, the World Health Organization released a new vaccine that will take immediate effect in one hundred fifty five territories and countries. It has been labeled as the “largest and fastest globally coordinated roll
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out of a vaccine in routine programs in history.” The Poliomyelitis disease has been cut drastically with recent medical advances and this year: only 74 cases were reported worldwide, a large improvement from the polio epidemic in 1988 which resulted in about 350,000 documented cases in about 125 countries around the world. Polio is an issue in developing countries due to poor sanitation and medical treatments. Polio is primarily spread when infected solid waste is exposed to the mouth and eyes. The symptoms of polio are similar to that of the regular influenza virus--fever,
fatigue, headaches, and vomiting. When left untreated, polio can cause permanent paryalisis and can even lead to death. Recent scientific and medical advances have lead to the isolation and removal of the specific strand of polio caused by the first attempt at dissolving polio. This strand of polio has not been seen naturally since 1999. The World Health Organization says that the scientific and medical advances will prevent future mutations of this strand and will allow the newer vaccine to target the the other strands of the virus.
Spartan Banner — APRIL 2016
Advice
“Voodoo” Visual by Deepali Bhalla, Staff Cartoonist
VoodooValidation By Nikhita Santebennur, staff writer
The night before APs Tips for enhancing your test performance and success By Elzabeth Goblirsch, editor
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Get adequate sleep the night before: Teenagers need about 8-9 hours of sleep every night, especially for the best possible testing performance.
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Eat a healthy breakfast: Breakfast gives you the fuel to perform at your best abilities. Make sure to eat healthy, filling food such as yogurt, oatmeal, and fruit.
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Do not cram: Cramming for a test the night before causes anxiety and could negatively affect your performance on the test.
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Gather all materials you’ll need: Make sure you have plenty of No. 2 pencils, pens, and a calculator if necessary.
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Relax: Do not spend the majority of your time the night before the exam studying. Instead try to do something that relaxes you, like reading or listening to music.
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Visualize success: If you’ve studied and taken the AP class, chances are you at least know something about the test. Be confident in your abilities and do the best you can!
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Talk it out: Discussing your stresses and worries with someone will help with test anxiety. Try to find a friend or parent you can talk with.
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Everyone loves a good beignet: the classic french donut made famous in the historical and culturally diverse city of New Orleans. When one thinks of New Orleans, they think of the classic beignets, the usual alligators, po-boys, as well as one thing in particular: Voodoo. Many think of Voodoo as simply magic or superstition, but there are other aspects of Voodoo, such as medicine. Voodoo, a vastly misunderstood practice, simply means God Creator, or Greater Spirit. Voodoo first originated in Africa, but as those beliefs followed the slave trade to the Americas and the Caribbean, they mixed with Catholicism and eventually formed a unique belief system called Voodoo. Today, Voodoo is practiced all over the world in places like the Caribbean and the Americas, all with their unique forms of it. Centered on the natural ways of life and the spirits, Voodoo gives many a sense of inner freedom. In Voodoo, people believe in the visible and invisible world. Death is simply a transition into the invisible world. Although it has been said that the spirits and Voodoo are there to haunt and scare the living, in reality, Voodoo practitioners believe that spirits are known to guide and inspire the living. Additionally, practitioners believe that there are spirits called
Lwa, that are archetypes of human personalities. These spirits can be summoned to actually help with problems in the visible world. One strong type of Voodoo that focuses on healing is Haitian Voodoo. This medicinal Voodoo focuses on not just one’s own body but also those around them,like their family, neighbors and ancestors. They consider Voodoo, a quest for health as well as a quest for meaning. Nicolas Vonarx, Director of the Community Health Doctorate Program and Professor in the Faculty of Nursing Sciences in Laval University, visited Haiti and explored the ways they practice medicinal Voodoo there. What he realized was that many of the people were able to be cured, without any real medical procedures done. He spoke of how Voodoo really “shows that we can’t consider ourselves as simply inhabiting a body. We also have spiritual aspects that must be addressed. That’s voodoo’s lesson to us – it shows us that we are more than just a body.” We may never be certain whether Voodoo actually heals people, but it does bring up one crucial point: to consider: look beyond what’s right in front of us and seek answers beyond the obvious. Don’t discount Voodoo as mere superstition. It is a valid and meaningful belief system.
Spartan Banner — April 2016
Feature Key Club is an international organization that is committed to service within one’s community. Mrs. Graesser and Mrs. Kassens are the advisors of the club for East, and the officers are pictured at the left. Key Club Officers at the annual Key Club District Convention. Officers Danny Smerz, Lizabeth Neary, Brittany Schober, Sarah Smerz, and Kaila Widmann are pictured from left to right. Photo Credit: Lizabeth Neary
“Brookfield East Key Club has not been able to go to DCON in many years, so it was a new experience for everyone.” -Lizabeth Neary
East’s Key Club officers attend District Convention By Lizabeth Neary, staff writer
On March 11 through 13, the Key Club District Convention was held in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Key Club officers Danny Smerz, Kaila Widmann, Sarah Smerz, Brittany Schober, and Lizabeth Neary went with the advisors, Mrs. Graesser and Mrs. Kassens, to learn more about how to manage the club. Brookfield East Key Club has not been able to go to DCON in many years, so it was a new experience for everyone. When the group arrived, members had to decorate our doors with paper cut
outs and pictures for the Wizard of Oz theme. All students and teachers at the convention then listened to guest speakers, advice on how to be happy, and Wizard of Oz puns to kickoff the weekend. Starting on Friday night, they attended workshops and caucus sessions. The workshops were shaped for each officer, and each officer was able to choose which to listen to. The options varied from learning how to be a more effective officer to continuing key club after high school. The sessions generally lasted for an hour, and the caucuses
were held afterwards. In these meetings, students from the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Division gave speeches from their Key Club Division election campaigns. The candidates were running for officer positions for the Madison Key Club such as governor, lieutenant governor, bulletin editor, and division leaders. After the meetings, a dance was held in the ballroom with a guest DJ until 11:45. For the next fifteen minutes before curfew, students from each school would scream their school chants across their hotel room balco-
nies. The chants enveloped the building until everyone was shushed into their rooms at midnight. The next morning, breakfast started at 6:30 and it was back to workshops and caucus sessions. After the candidates gave their final speeches for the day, two delegates from each school (Danny Smerz and Liabeth Neary from Brookfield East) voted for the positions. Before the evening ended, a formal dinner was served during a talent show. A few students were chosen to express their inner gifts for the Key Club delegations. Some of
the performances were singing, beat boxing, and baton twirling. There was a second dance for the students at the end of the night. Sunday morning, they sent us away with one last speech and the induction of the new governor and board members for next year. This was a great experience for everyone and everyone who attended learned a lot. Key Club is excited to build off the ideas gained from this conference for next year! They look forward to using them!
Brookfield East Choir makes a splash in New Orleans By Claire Lukas, staff writer
On April 6, more than seventy Choir kids headed out to the buses that would take them to the airport. The biannual choir trip had begun and they were going to an iconic music location, New Orleans. Day one consisted of flying down to NOLA, checking into the hotel, and crying about how lovely the weather was compared to snow-soaked Brookfield. Thursday started bright and early but the early wake up was relieved by build your own waffles at the hotel. From there they went to a music clinic at Loyola, a beautiful Jesuit university down in the big easy. After singing for a few hours they hopped on the busses and did a ‘hop on hop off tour’ around the city to be able to see Hurricane Katrina
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damage and some above ground graves. Next was the French Quarter. The French Quarter Festival intercepted with their stay in Louisiana, accentuating the culture of the south even more. Plenty of beignets from Cafe Du Monde were eaten and plenty of souvenirs were bartered for. From there they went to a Cajun restaurant to indulge in Louisiana food, and Cajun music and dancing. However, the group got way ahead of schedule and had some free time to spend at the mall. Some of the leaders quickly organized a Brookfield East choir flash mob. Seventy students grouped together walked around the mall and sang
“The Road Home,” easily a highlight for a large portion of the people on the trip. The next day was a big one. The choir group headed out to Oak Valley Plantation for a tour and their performance. They sang right underneath the Oak trees that hung over a lonesome looking paved walkway; people came and went throughout the performance. Afterwards, the kids headed out to the swamp to get a closer look of Louisiana’s gators.
Sean Wei, senior member of the Brookfield East Choir is one of many brave enough to hold one of the Louisiana Alligators on the boat tour. “I like the alligator, I hope it likes me” Wei stated. Photo credit: Claire Lukas
Everyone got the opportunity to hold a gator and watch ones in the water chase after marshmallows thrown from the pontoon boat. The boating did not stop there, later that evening everyone got all dolled up and hopped on the Jazz Cruise Ship, com-
plete with a beautiful sunset, a buffet, and live music. Post cruise, everyone headed back to the hotel rooms, unexcited about leaving the next day. The students woke up, packed up their things and headed to the buses. But before they went they needed to see the ever so famous Mardi Gras World, a huge warehouse filled with floats, statues, costumes all bedazzled like nobody’s business. From there they had their remaining few hours in the French Quarter, an excellent way to end their rip. The NOLA trip was truly learning outside of the classroom: food, music, culture.
Spartan Banner — APRIL 2016
Sports
Drew and Allie Bullen running toward West Point By Deepali Bhalla, staff writer
Spartan Banner: When did you two start running Track and Field?
stitious anymore. SB: But did the shirt thing help?
Drew Bullen : We started track in seventh grade, we’ve always wanted to run-but we officially started in seventh grade.
DB: Um, no! But I also used to wear the same socks too. AB: Yeah I’m not that superstitious.
Allie Bullen: We raced in the yard when we were little. I was always faster than him!
DB: Oh, I do listen to the same playlist; not all the time, just for State.
SB: What got you into the sport?
SB: How did you decide to go to West Point?
AB: We played soccer when we were super little, but we didn’t really like that too much. And we figured since we played outside in the yard anyway, track would be perfect for us. So during middle school, we decided to try out and loved it, so we continued it into high school. SB: What do you dislike about Track? DB: It’s a big commitmentyou have practice every single day, which goes until six every night - and you have to balance homework and other stuff along with it. SB: How does being twins affect you guys? What would be different if you weren’t twins? AB: During track, he pushes and encourages me to go out there and try my best. We push
Drew and Allie Bullen will both be running track at West Point Military Academy this fall, and plan to pursue a career in the sciences in the future. They have participated in track since middle school, and always support and encourage each other to do better. Photo Credit: Margaret Slavinsky race days? each other. And he’s always AB: It would be super differtrying to get faster times than ent if I didn’t have a brother DB:The only thing that I’ve me or longer jumps; and I’m to support me on my events done on routine last year-I trying to do the same. There’s and stuff like that. I’m glad we don’t do it anymore- is that I always an ongoing competi- are doing this together- that’s used to wear the same track tionwhy we are going to Westpoint shirt to bed every single night and doing Track there as well. before a meet. DB: Yeah, it’s a friendly com- I couldn’t imagine Track withpetition. It’s not bad; like you out him, I guess. AB: You did that? said, just pushing each other to do better. SB: Do either of you do DB: Yeah but I don’t do that anything superstitious on anymore; I’m not that super-
AB: Yeah, West Point Military Academy. Actually, one day I was on Facebook. I never go on Facebook! Just one random day, I was on Facebook- and all of a sudden I see this friend request form this coach, named Coach Hill, from West Point trying to recruit me. I was like, “Oh my gosh!” It was just that one random day I happen to be on Facebook...and then, I mentioned to Coach about my brother and how he’s awesome as well. He contacted him and now, we’re going there! Yay! SB: So aside from running in Track, what are you thinking of studying in college? DB: We are both thinking of doing Biomedical sciences, Pre-Med, something like that. We are both really in it for the sciences.
Spring sports working toward a successful season By Adam Storch, staff photographer
(Above) Donovan Lutz, Brandon Hillery, and Stuart Gildea begin training for the track season. Donovan Lutz is a senior and will be running track in college. Brandon Hillery and Stuart Gildea are juniors. (Above right) Partrick Krill, Mark Stack Brandon Hillary, Jay Van Ert, and teammates pepare for sprints at track practice. (Lower right) Grayson Brewer gears up for tennis season at practice. Photo credit: Margeret Slavinsky, and Claire Hildrebrand
Though the weather might not always show it, spring is in fact here and it has brought a new sports season to many athletes at BEHS. Both the boys’ and girls’ track seasons have started with a hopeful outlook for the season. The JV girls team recently won their indoor conference meet. The boys tennis season has also gotten under way. Having won the state tournament two years ago, the varsity squad is optimistically looking forward to being led by captain Patrick Krill. Their next tournament is at Brookfield Central on May 3rd. Both the JV red and blue teams are hoping to fare well this season. Girls softball started their season in midMarch and will continue into mid-May. The girls’ soccer team is also looking hopeful this year. They will travel down to Iowa later this month the participate in the tournament of champions.
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Spartan Banner — april 2016
Humor
Horoscope Hello there, mortals. Madame Sansvrai here for another wonderful horoscope. It’s been eight years since the economy completely crashed, and we still haven’t recovered. Are you hesitant to invest in the Stock Market, because you feel you won’t get a good return? Well fear not, because you can invest in something better...me! That’s right, if you give me a lot of money, then you’ll get a huge return somewhere down the road. Perhaps when I run the world, and thus the money supply--and what are the
Give me one dollar per month....
Give me 500 dollars per month...
and you’ll a mass a net worth of six figures!
and you’ll become a trillionaire!
Give me 20 dollars per month...
Give me over 10,000 dollars per month...and
and you’ll become a billionaire!
and you may become a quadrillionaire! Maybe. Probably not.
Deliver all your money to my windowless white van down by the river. Come alone. Make sure you don’t have a cell phone on hand. I just need to be sure you really, really trust me...because I really, really trust you!
Woes of a Brookfield East student By Anna Sipek, editor, and Mary Slavinsky, editor-in-chief
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Spartan Banner— april 2016
Opinion When the people meant to keep you honest are frauds themselves By Mark Maier, editor It’s no secret to anyone following the 2016 presidential campaign that Donald Trump is frequently the center of attention. As of March 15, Trump has received nearly 2 billion dollars worth of free media, according to SMG Delta, a firm that tracks media activity across all platforms. No other candidate has gotten even a billion dollars worth of
free media, and most haven’t even gotten half that amount. Why so much focus on Trump? One word: money. This isn’t just my opinion either. Recently audio was leaked of CBS executive Les Moonves sharing his thoughts on the matter of Trump’s immense media coverage, and his candidacy in general. Among other things,
he said, “It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS.” Moonves was effectively admitting that the aim of his news organization is not to inform the public, but rather to make as much money as possible. This begs the question, how did we get to this point? It wasn’t always this way. In 1949, the FCC intro-
High school: causing success or stress? By Wendy Chu, staff cartoonist
Spartan Banner Staff Editor-In-Chief Mary Slavinsky Editorial Staff Elizabeth Goblirsch Simran Khunger Michelle Liu Mark Maier Anna Sipek Adviser Mrs. Skatrud
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Staff Deepali Bhalla Wendy Chu Claire Hildebrand Aditya Jhaveri Claire Lukas Lizabeth Neary Nikhita Santebennur Adam Storch Margaret Slavinsky Brenna Verheyen
duced a policy called the Fairness Doctrine, which required holders of broadcast licenses to talk about controversial issues of public importance in a way that was honest and balanced. When the Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987 it was a step in the wrong direction, but at least there was still a competitive media market. Sensationalistic, tabloid, yellow journalism and similar drek could be outcompeted by quality publication--but this stopped being true after a while. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act was passed. It deregulated the media industry, especially in regards to forming mergers. According to Business Insider, over 90% of all media, including but not limited to news, used to be controlled by more than 50 companies--today, however, only six companies control the same amount. And they’re all pretty much the same trash. Some may dispute this claim by saying that Fox News is too conservative, or MSNBC is too liberal, to give two examples. These ideological labels are meant to distract and divide us, while the people who run these companies laugh all the way to the bank. These news outlets are fundamentally the same: making money is most important, and whether the public is adequately informed about serious issues doesn’t matter. When was the last time you heard the corporate media talking about how our corrupt campaign finance system effectively allows for the bribery of politicians? Have you ever heard the corporate media discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement that would likely send many American jobs overseas? Actually, Ed Schultz of MSNBC did bring this up on his show last year--and he was soon fired afterwards. Apparently talking about things the public should know about is not only frowned upon, but also forbidden. The current state of our news media is bleak--but what can be done about it? While I’d love to see the Fairness Doctrine reinstated or
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the 1996 Telecommunications Act repealed, both may never happen. So what’s a little more realistic? As simple as it may sound, just turn away from the corporate media. To be clear, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to reject every single corporate news media article outright, but you should be aware that they don’t always have your best interests at heart. Know when to take their headlines with a grain of salt. You can also look toward alternative news outlets instead. Don’t blindly believe any old fringe crank you come across, but certainly broaden your horizon. Some of my personal favorite alternative media sources are The Young Turks, US Uncut, and AlterNet. I’ll admit these are left-leaning sources, and may not be everyone’s cup of tea--but at least they do talk about serious issues of public importance, such as campaign finance reform, income inequality, the environment, and so forth. Though you may not always reach the same conclusions as every alternative media journalist you come across, they’re still more likely to present relevant facts and information than your typical corporate media puppet. If the sources I gave aren’t to your liking, then find a couple that are. A wise man once said, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” I don’t know if it’s right to call the corporate media “evil” per se, but the point is that unless we hold them accountable, their abysmal news coverage will continue. So next time you see Fox News, MSNBC, or any news agency saturating your screen with every little thing Donald Trump says and does, don’t sit there and rage. As long as your TV is on, you are giving these organizations more ratings, and thus more money. There is no such thing as negative attention, because any type of attention will fill their pockets. Turn off your television, and don’t turn it back on until they decide to change their ways. (Your television may be off for a while-maybe forever).
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Spartan Banner — April 2016