Vol. 71, Issue 19

T he h ighlander

For the week oF tuesday, March 14, 2023

OPINIONS

AMARAY ALVAREZ AND JAELYN GONZALEZ Opinions Editor and Assistant Radar Editor

Students from a new campus organization, Cops Off Campus, gathered Monday evening outside the UCR Career Center building to peacefully protest a job information presentation being given by the CIA.

A group of about 10 students were seen in the courtyard around 4 P.M. next to the career center making posters with the phrases, “CIA killed MLK” and “The CIA funded ISIS.”

Event organizer Alejandra Olvera, a 4th-year political science major, told The Highlander about their new group Cops Off Campus stating, “It started off in our meeting last week. We had no idea it was going to happen, until the last minute, so we just got all of us together and contacted Dissenters [an unofficial activist organization at UCR] and started posting on social media.”

Cops Off Campus has a multitude of chapters across other campuses in North America. In particular to California, student chapters are present on the CSUs and UC Davis campuses.

UC Riverside has an unofficial student chapter, but was on a brief hiatus. Olvera revitalized the chapter

with the protest against the UCR Career Center hosting an info session with a CIA representative.

Prior to the March 6 meeting, the Career Center sent several emails to the UCR undergraduate community advertising the CIA would be coming to campus. The emails encouraged those interested in a career in intelligence and public service to RSVP for the event. The CIA was scheduled to give an informative presentation March 6 and then offer one on one meetings the following day.

The protesters stationed themselves outside the meeting room where the CIA information session was taking place and a large window allowed them to be visible by both the recruiters and any students present. Despite the protest, the information session appeared to have a full turn out with about 30 students in attendance.

“We’re out here protesting the CIA. The CIA has intervened a lot globally. They keep us in perpetual war. I think overall we should be the generation that puts an end to this,”

► SEE CIA PAGE 3

Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder on Thursday for the shooting of his wife and son. He was found guilty on two counts of murder by the end of the six-week trial. The inclusion of evidence related to Murdaugh’s financial crimes that was pushed for by the prosecution has led to many people questioning the validity of the verdict. Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison for both murders on March 3. This trial perfectly shows how flawed our judicial system is and the power the courtroom can hold over the public.

The verdict under fire was that of Murdaugh’s recent trial for the murder of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh. A major piece of evidence in favor of his guilt is an audio clip that captured Murdaugh shortly before the murder of these two individuals at the location of the murder with the victims. This piece of evidence was proof that the defendant lied about his initial alibi for the time of the murder. However, it was the inclusion of evidence of Murdaugh’s financial crimes that will provide the grounds for the defense’s appeal.

Murdaugh has a documented history of financial crimes that were discovered around the time of the murder charges.

This includes 100 other charges for insurance fraud and tax evasion. While the trial for his financial crimes has not yet convened, it is likely that the events of this murder trial will impact those proceedings and there has been criticism of their use during Murdaugh’s murder trial. The defense has filed their appeal, claiming the presentation of financial crimes prejudiced the jury against the defendant and that investigation authorities hid forensic evidence.

The financial charges Murdaugh faces showcase a questionable character, dishonesty and a willingness to commit crimes of moral turpitude. The prosecution also wove the defendant’s financial crimes into their proposed motive for the crime, that Murdaugh killed his wife and son to create a distraction from the financial crimes he was trying to keep hidden. However believable that motive is, it does demand the inclusion of any evidence of financial crimes. They absolutely should have been included in the trial and it is not unprecedented that they were.

Murdaugh received two life sentences versus the death penalty, which the prosecutors chose not to seek prior to the trial, and members of the public have

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL STAFF

CIA representatives on campus cause an uproar from students in the form of protest

The trial of Alex Murdaugh has created debate about the justice system and public trials

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CIA representatives on campus cause an uproar from students in the form of protest

AMARAY ALVAREZ AND JAELYN GONZALEZ Opinions Editor and Assistant Radar Editor

Students from a new campus organization, Cops Off Campus, gathered Monday evening outside the UCR Career Center building to peacefully protest a job information presentation being given by the CIA.

A group of about 10 students were seen in the courtyard around 4 P.M. next to the career center making posters with the phrases, “CIA killed MLK” and “The CIA funded ISIS.”

Event organizer Alejandra Olvera, a 4th-year political science major, told The Highlander about their new group Cops Off Campus stating, “It started off in our meeting last week. We had no idea it was going to happen, until the last minute, so we just got all of us together and contacted Dissenters [an unofficial activist organization at UCR] and started posting on social media.”

Cops Off Campus has a multitude of chapters across other campuses in North America. In particular to California, student chapters are present on the CSUs and UC Davis campuses.

UC Riverside has an unofficial student chapter, but was on a brief hiatus. Olvera revitalized the chapter with the protest against the UCR Career Center hosting an info session with a CIA representative.

Prior to the March 6 meeting, the Career Center sent several emails to the UCR undergraduate community advertising the CIA would be coming to campus. The emails encouraged those interested in a career in intelligence and public service to RSVP for the event. The CIA was scheduled to give an informative presentation March 6 and then offer one on one meetings the following day.

The protesters stationed themselves outside the meeting room where the CIA information session was taking place and a large window allowed them to be visible by both the recruiters and any students present. Despite the protest, the information session appeared to have a full turn out with about 30 students in attendance.

“We’re out here protesting the CIA. The CIA has intervened a lot globally. They keep us in perpetual war. I think overall we should be the generation that puts an end to this,”

said Michael Tin, a 2nd-year computer engineer major who is also the tech director for The Highlander.

Outside, students from the Cops Off Campus organization made posters and hung up a large banner on chairs and tables facing the window so that it would be visible to those inside the meeting room. The banner read, “CIA: Recruiting War Criminals” and was adorned with red handprints meant to resemble bloody hands, a symbolic message of the blood that the CIA has on their hands as a result of their war crimes.

The students also played Democracy Now, a left-wing political radio show hosted by Amy Goodman, Juan González and Nermeen Shaikh, on a portable speaker while they worked. The episode played aloud was one surrounding the issues in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The volume was kept at an average level and did not appear to be audible to those inside.

In an effort to spread awareness, the protestors called out to students walking by to gain more supporters. Some students did stop by to ask what was going on and laughed at the signs, but the protest did not result in a larger gathering. An article titled “US: Ex-Detainees Describe Unreported CIA Torture” from The Human Rights Watch website was airdropped to those in the area by protestors to inform students and distract those inside the meeting.

After about 30 minutes, a few of the protesters attempted to go inside the Career Center and enter the meeting, but were turned away by staff who told them that they needed to RSVP for the event in advance and would not be allowed in. Career Center staff monitored the protesters throughout their gathering and spoke to them when the protest first began. Campus security never showed up and the protest overall remained peaceful. The protest ended with the protesters feeling like the event was successful in spreading their message that the CIA is seen as unfavorable and not welcomed on campus.

ASUCR approves the R’Gear project during the ninth senate meeting

AMARAY ALVAREZ Opinions Editor

The Associated Students of UCR’s ninth meeting was called to order by Executive Vice President Myra Usmani on Wednesday, Mar. 8, 2023 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber at 7:04 P.M. All senators were present, excluding BCOE Senator Chloe Au and CHASS senator Ahman Greene, senators Andrew Bui, Kyle Cheng and Alex Lu all arrived late. In addition to the senators, members of the Executive Cabinet were present as well.

There were no announcements made during the public forum. Ex-Officio Reports saw a Judicial update from Chief Justice Alexandra Arias who spoke about a March open session meeting that occurred the previous day and by-law changes. Two presentations were then given by the president’s office, the first being about R’Gear and the second being about budget updates.

The first presentation of R’Gear stated that the project would buy and distribute 2,800 crewneck sweaters with an image of Scotty the Bear and ASUCR’s name on it. The crewnecks would cost a total of $28,000 and be given to the 2022 freshman class. If any crewnecks are not picked up by freshmen during the initial distribution, then the sweaters would be offered to students from other classes.

The project sparked a debate within the senate who brought up concerns over the sweaters being too expensive and not able to satisfy the amount of students in the 2022 freshmen class as there about 5,000, meaning less than half would receive a sweater. The conversation regarding the R’Gear project was then tabled to continue during Finance Hearing Minutes #9.

The budget presentation followed with the president’s office stating that they are working with the Community Service Committee to plan UAW donations, food drives and an ASUCR global fair. They also asked for $6,000 to cover outstanding debts and plan for future events. From the $6,000, $3,000 will go towards events, collaboration and workshops. An event where ASUCR will work with Riverside Unified School District and speak to high school students at risk of dropping out was also discussed.

PPT Aalani Richardson asked more about the debt discussed and was told that they are from previous conferences and events where the president’s office went over budget. Senator Abby Choy asked if the RUSD and ASUCR event would only be for Ramona High School or the district as a whole. President Assaf responded that the program will start with Ramona and then hopefully spread to other high schools.

During New Business, Financial Operations Manager Amy Carrizosa spoke to the senate about their budget for the 2022 to 2023 school year. CHASS Senator Brandon Huang asked if the senate will need to tap into their reserves this year and what that would mean for their budget moving forward. Carrizosa replied that the senate would not need to tap into their reserves and that they have never ended a year with no money in their account. PPT Richardson then asked if the senate would have enough money to support future events and projects. Carrizosa told the chamber that, yes there would be enough money to continue with the projects anticipated for the rest of the year.

Carrizosa continued by stating that although this is the first year back fully in person since the pandemic, there should be enough money and that the senators should not worry. It was then discussed if the student referendum fees for the senate should be increased to satisfy more orders on the R’Gear sweaters so that students who are unable to receive them are not upset with ASUCR.

The Elections Director Elizabeth Trinh then came to the podium and spoke about the elections timeline. With the senate electrons coming up soon, PPT Richardon voiced concerns of whether or not there is enough time for outreach to students who are not familiar with ASUCR. CHASS Senator Ruhi Barman voiced the same concern and the Elections Director

stated that her department is working with marketing to promote the elections and that they will try to engage students.

The order of the meeting was then suspended to go out of order and allow Finance Minutes as the next item discussed before Committee Reports. The presentation of Finance Finance Hearing Minutes Nine was presented by Senator Brandon Huang who stated that $15,000 was pulled from Reserves to allocate $28,000 for R’Gear and $5,840 for the president’s office. The ASUCR closing contingency balance would be $41,149.

President Assaf and First Year Finance Fellow, Cooper Proulx. then listened to concerns from the senators and gave them answers regarding the funding and quantity. Proulx explained that they got multiple quotes for the sweaters and that the $28,000 for 2,800 units is the cheapest price by far. They also explained how the design and colors were chosen to be more cost effective as well.

The senate debated over whether the money should be allocated to the project or not and whether more money should be given so that more students could receive the sweater.

SPP Senator Sean Nguyen stated that after speaking with peers in SPP, the general consensus is that the sweaters will be a lose-lose situation. Potentially half of students get the crewneck, the other half will not. Prolux responded that there are 5,000 students in the freshman class and that 2,800 units will cover 51% of the class. It was then added by VPEA Amina Hearns that this initial purchase was discussed to be a soft launch of R’Gear with an expectation that more units would be ordered later.

CNAS Senator Cheng then asked if the project should be something less expensive like t-shirts instead so that the senate is able to afford more units. President Assaf stated that the sweaters will last longer and that seniors now are still seen wearing the R’Gear sweaters they received their freshman year. The gesture of the gift is meant to be something that lasts and will hold value.

The senators were then told that if they would like to increase the funding for R’Gear, now that there is more money in their reserves, that they should approve the request for $28,000 now and then submit a suggestion of however much they would like to purchase more so that President Assaf does not have to present again to the Finance Committee and loose more time.

The senators agreed that they will submit a request for $7,000 more so that 3,500 units will then be requested. Each item of the Finance Minutes was then voted on line by line. All of the requested money was approved with a vote of 16-0-0 with the exception of the R’Gear funding which was approved with a vote of 14-1-1.

The suspension of the meeting rules were then un-suspended and the regular meeting continued with Committee Reports as the next topic. SRW23-009 Women’s Proclamation Resolution was discussed and presented by PPT Richardson. The resolution is meant to be in support of women during National Women’s History Month and would help to support the night escort service that was suspended and running in a limited capacity since the pandemic. The resolution was then passed with a vote of 15-0-1.

The resolution, CA-W23-001 Enactment, was then read by PPT Richardson. This legislation is a constitutional amendment for the enactments of VP of Marketing and Promotions and VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Senator Nguyen said that he would not approve the legislation and that it seemed that it was not being done for the sake of the senate, instead it was only being approved to be on the ballot. Senator Hunt asked about the ballot processes for California and referendums and Senator Nguyen stated that if it is approved then that would be a conversation to have in the spring quarter. The resolution was then passed with a vote of 15-0-1 as well.

THE R’GEAR PROJECT WAS APPROVED AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS REGARDING FUNDING, AVAILABILITY AND DISTRIBUTION.

Is the competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate community dying?

BRENDAN VO

Contributing

Writer

The Nintendo Switch’s “Super Smash Bros Ultimate,” (SSBU), is the fifth and latest installment of the “Super Smash Bros” series. Released on Dec. 7, 2018, SSBU would become the best-selling fighting game and the Switch’s third most sold title by December 2022. Beloved for its large roster of characters spanning from large gaming franchises like Pokemon, Legend of Zelda and Mario, to more niche or third party series like “Metal Gear Solid” or “Banjo-Kazooie,” SSBU is the perfect game for ridiculous fun, especially in a casual setting.

The competitive scene of SSBU, however, holds an interesting history that stems from its relationship with its very own developers and mother company: Nintendo. Unlike other mainline fighting games like Capcom’s “Street Fighter” or Bandai Namco Entertainment’s “Tekken,” Nintendo has made little to no effort to support SSBU tournaments, whether it is through funding or organizing, leaving the SSBU competitive community to fend for themselves. As a grassroots community, any large events or competitions require incredible dedication and devotion from self-organized volunteers. This, unfortunately, caps any larger potentials for coordinated competition such as international events or even regional tournaments.

At least, that’s what the community thought, until the announcement of the “Smash World Tour,” a large-scale international competitive circuit that was organized by mainstay, reputable gaming organization, VGBootcamp. The championships were going to be held on Dec. 9-11, 2022. Players were ecstatic insofar as the circuit would not only prove to be a climactic finish to the year, but also another spectacle to watch top international talent compete to be the best. Alongside its spectator potential, the circuits provided a chance for players to win large prize winnings that were seldom seen from SSBU tournaments.

Amidst the excitement Panda Global came into a partnership with Nintendo with their own circuit, the “Panda Cup.” It came to no surprise that Panda Global would be the first to earn Nintendo’s trust, as they also commandeered a trustworthy Smash ranking of the top 50 smash players, organized their own events and sponsored top SSBU players. VGBootcamp would also vie for Nintendo’s partnerships for the Smash World Tour circuit, as Nintendo’s legal team met with organizers and suggested the partnership was not exclusive to Panda Global. What ensued next, however, is what many may see as the first death flag of the competitive SSBU community.

On Nov. 29, 2022, a document by the Smash World Tour organizers was released, explaining how behind-the-scenes actions led to the ultimate cancellation of the circuit. With Nintendo withholding licensing of the Smash World Tour, conflict brewed between the respected smash organizations. Accusations flew from Panda Global and VGBootcamp, one claiming the Panda Global attempted to strong arm other organizations to partner under the Panda Cup instead of Smash World Tour, and the other claims that VGBootcamp canceled their own tournament due to negotiations with Nintendo failing. Regardless of circumstances, the cancellation of the highly anticipated Smash World Tour hit the smash community’s morale in a colossal manner and outcry from players, especially those who have qualified for the circuits.

As the cancellation of VGBootcamp’s Smash World Tour, the community spirals down further from more recent events. The first incident was the best SSBU player, Leonardo “MkLeo” Lopez Perez, parting ways with his organization, “T1,” announced as of Feb. 23, 2023. Following MkLeo, on Feb. 28, Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey, arguably the best American SSBU player, left TSM. Top players becoming free agents with no clear organizations willing to take over either player were interpreted by many as a bad omen, implying organizations and sponsorships no longer seeing SSBU as a scene worth investment.

Following the bleak news, “Beyond the Summit”, an incredible team and organization that produced high-quality content and tournaments for SSBU, announced their disbanding after their last tournament this March. Many speculate that the decline in their projects in other games and a general decline in the esports industry lead to the end of Beyond the Summit. The invitational tournament held by the team, called “Smash Summit”, also featured larger prize pools in the scene’s history, making up five of the 10

The technique or glitch was introduced Feb. 25, 2023 by twitter user XCido, detailing its utilizations and procedures. In layman’s terms, with proper execution, Steve is able to recover from the recoil of being hit at an unfair rate, which means he is now able to break his opponents combos and retaliate. With most of the community deeming the technique unfair, tournament organizers are forced to either ban Steve or just ban the technique, with many leaning towards banning the character outright. Banning the technique would force organizers to watch replays of accusations of the technique and surveillance would take incredible work.

So, is SSBU dying? While this is certainly a low point for the competitive community, there is also a shared sentiment that the scene has been through worse. The decline can also be attributed to the general decline of esports as a whole. Many major grassroot events will still be ongoing and the game balance has been praised as the character diversity amongst the top players is vast. SSBU will still find ways to reinvigorate the scene and we are waiting for the community to bounce back stronger than ever.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate is definitely at a low point with top players dropping from sponsorships, cancellations of large tournaments, and the banning of Minecraft Steve. However, the SSBU community can still look forward to new, potential opportunities and future events. ■ H

THE SUPER SMASH BROS ULTIMATE COMPETITIVE SCENE SUFFERS A BLOW TO MORALE WITH CANCELLATIONS OF ITS LARGEST CIRCUITS, TOP PLAYERS LEAVING THEIR SPONSORSHIPS AND THE FIRST EVER BANNING OF A CHARACTER IN THE FORM OF MINECRAFT STEVE.

Courtesy of Pexels

UCR Professors weigh in on the earthquake in Syria and Turkey

MATA ELANGOVAN Contributing Writer

On February 6th, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck along the Syrian border. Around 9 hours later, another one arrived with a magnitude of 7.5. There are two main faults in Turkey, the East and North Anatolian faults, making it one of the most active regions in the world for earthquakes. The earthquakes, along with preexisting conditions in the area, have caused increased political and economical strife in the area.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), from research that they conducted, the earthquakes have an estimated fatality rate of about 10,000 to 100,000 people, with current fatalities reported to be about 50,000, as well as an estimated economic loss of $10,000 to $100,000 million USD which is about 1-10% of Turkey’s GDP. In addition, 47,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed by the quakes.

Turkey had faced the Izmit earthquake in 1999 which had killed around 15,000 people and destroyed many buildings. As a result of this earthquake, Turkey implemented a building code in order to help mitigate the events of future earthquakes. However, in many instances of fallen structures in the more recent quakes, the cause was due to this code not being enforced. It has been speculated that the reason why enforcement is so weak is because the government would provide amnesties for construction, allowing for structures to be built without required safety certification, and that up to 75,000 buildings have been given these amnesties in Southern Turkey. Apartments constructed in the last year that have been stated to be compliant with these building codes yet they have been unable to withstand the earthquake.

Current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been accused of being the cause of some of the aid delay in the area. The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) in Turkey is responsible for approving aid that comes to the area and is a branch of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). It’s been speculated that because Erdoğan is affiliated with the AKP, AFAD prioritizes his political affairs. It has been stated that AFAD were responsible for the response on February 6th. This restriction of authority caused delays as assistance could not be deployed until they received direct orders from AFAD.

Technically speaking, there are many similarities between the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey when compared to those in California.

According to Professor of Geophysics, David Oglesby, “The San Andreas Fault here that runs up in Cape Mendocino in Northern California, all the way up to the Salton Sea is also a strike-slip fault (like the ones in Turkey).”

Assistant Professor of Geology, Heather Ford, states that “there’s a comprehensive report that models what would happen if you had a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Southern California. So, similar in size, similar type of plate boundaries, and similar type of fault behavior. They pulled in social scientists who understand the impact on social systems and then finally, they talked to policymakers to discuss actions that can be enacted to reduce the impact. And so in terms of economics, the estimate is that in Southern California, which is an area of very high productivity, we’d expect that the impact of this earthquake would be about $2 billion with approximately 1,800 fatalities.”

However, unlike Syria and Turkey, Californians would be much better prepared in the instance an earthquake occurs. As Ford states, “A big part of preventing things from becoming catastrophic disasters is to mitigate. So one thing is we can design our buildings and infrastructure to withstand strong ground motion. California has a series of regula-

tions, laws and other sorts of forms of government guidance that require us to do things to make our infrastructure and our buildings more shape resistant. We even have designed some of our other infrastructure, gas lines, other things, you know, we try to avoid crossing faults. When we do cross faults, they try to design them in a way that would be able to sort of mitigate some of that impact. Another thing that we have that’s relatively new, is we have ShakeAlert in California.”

ShakeAlert is a major tool in preparing for earthquakes. While we don’t have the technology to predict when or where an earthquake may occur, what can be done is to release an early warning. As seismic waves travel through the earth, seismic stations that have been set up around the area pick up signals of these waves. They listen 24/7 to the earth and when they pick up a sudden irregularity, they calculate the approximate magnitude and this information is sent back to a station. If the threat is deemed high enough, an alert will be sent to people who have ShakeAlert on their phone and they are given a little under a minute or so to prepare for an incoming earthquake.

A single earthquake also has the possibility of triggering other earthquakes as well, in most cases these weaker quakes are known as aftershocks. However, this is not always the case. According to Oglesby, “there is a possibility that the later earthquake that follows it could be bigger than the original earthquake,” in which case naming conventions help gauge the severity of the earthquakes.

There are ways to prepare for earthquakes and the after effects. Funning states that “There’s the chance that you won’t have running water, gas, or electricity at the time. We say probably a gallon of water per person is enough for one day of survival and you might want to plan for several days. I mean, the advice is usually three days but I would personally have a lot more water than that. I’m going for a week without water so like seven gallons of water per person in your house.”

Funning also recommends that on top of that you’d want to carry canned or non-perishable food, as well as some way to open the containers that they come in. Another helpful thing would be keeping all the supplies in one part of the house that is easily accessible, and collecting items such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, earthquake kits, space blankets, etc. As well as finding accessible routes to turn off water or gas lines in case there are ruptures in the area.

The best thing to do in times like this to help mitigate the impact of the earthquake is to be well prepared and remain well informed about earthquakes. This can be done by keeping up with alerts through ShakeAlert, having emergency packs, reading up on various sites such as USGS, EERI, GEER, and IRIS. There are also classes offered by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCR such as GEO 004 which covers Natural Hazards and Disasters and GEO 008 about Earth Country for those who are interested in learning more about earthquake safety and information. ■ H

The trial of Alex Murdaugh has created debate about the justice system and public trials

Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder on Thursday for the shooting of his wife and son. He was found guilty on two counts of murder by the end of the six-week trial. The inclusion of evidence related to Murdaugh’s financial crimes that was pushed for by the prosecution has led to many people questioning the validity of the verdict. Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison for both murders on March 3. This trial perfectly shows how flawed our judicial system is and the power the courtroom can hold over the public.

The verdict under fire was that of Murdaugh’s recent trial for the murder of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh. A major piece of evidence in favor of his guilt is an audio clip that captured Murdaugh shortly before the murder of these two individuals at the location of the murder with the victims. This piece of evidence was proof that the defendant lied about his initial alibi for the time of the murder. However, it was the inclusion of evidence of Murdaugh’s financial crimes that will provide the grounds for the defense’s appeal.

Murdaugh has a documented history of financial crimes that were discovered around the time of the murder charges. This includes 100 other charges for insurance fraud and tax evasion. While the trial for his financial crimes has not yet convened, it is likely that the events of this murder trial will impact those proceedings and there has been criticism of their use during Murdaugh’s murder trial. The defense has filed their appeal, claiming the presentation of financial crimes prejudiced the jury against the defendant and that investigation authorities hid forensic evidence.

The financial charges Murdaugh faces showcase a questionable character, dishonesty and a willingness to commit crimes of moral turpitude. The prosecution also wove the defendant’s financial crimes into their proposed motive for the crime, that Murdaugh killed his wife and son to create a distraction from the financial crimes he was trying to keep hidden. However believable that motive is, it does demand the inclusion of any evidence of financial crimes. They absolutely should have been included in the trial and it is not unprecedented that they were.

Murdaugh received two life sentences versus the death

penalty, which the prosecutors chose not to seek prior to the trial, and members of the public have debated whether the death penalty should still be used. Some feel that it is necessary for cases of extreme evil, but others feel like the guilty party should be punished with life imprisonment. The death penalty is an inhumane thing to do to anyone, regardless of their crimes and especially when the justice system cannot guarantee the accuracy of any verdict. The people’s control over this system should end with ensuring a fair and just trial, not deciding who lives and who dies.

The publicization of this trial is also a cause for concern as the tragic deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh have been turned into a spectacle for the public’s entertainment. While light does need to be shed on the inner workings of the justice system, greater transparency and criminal justice reform should not come at the cost of turning a murderer into a celebrity. It’s disrespectful to the families of the victims and TV trials easily exacerbate the already painful situation.

The trial itself has been marked by controversy and near constant public attention. These events have been rife with questions, but a verdict has been made. The defense will do their job by making their appeals, but now is the time for the public to show respect for the victims and their loved ones. Although the public may not know the true story or reason behind this crime, there is sufficient evidence to declare Murdaugh as guilty, sentence him with imprisonment, and give the family room to heal.

■ H

The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

DESPITE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRIAL PROCESS, SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER ALEX MURDAUGH IS GUILTY OF MURDERING HIS WIFE AND SON.

Restrictions on K-12 curriculum have gone too far

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

Students are being impeded by a censored education as teachers feel pressured to tailor their lesson plans based on factors that have no basis in reality. Specifically, educators are reporting the removal of lessons related to race and gender, such as sections of Christopher Columbus’ writings that elaborate on brutal and inhumane treatment towards indigenous peoples and comparative data on the NYPD’s use of force on different racial groups. The removal of this information from students’ curriculum is a disservice to students, their futures, and their educational autonomy.

At the center of this education debate is Governor and rumored presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis. DeSantis has signed a bill banning transgender athletes from female public school teams. He banned about 40% of math textbooks claiming that they contained “woke math.” He passed what is commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay’’ bill, which bans discussion of gender and sexuality from kindergarten to third grade. He took aim at the College Board’s proposal for an AP course on African American studies and claimed it had no educational value.

Across the country, 64 bills have been signed into law across 25 states limiting academic freedom. These laws explicitly demand that students are taught a “patriotic” education. Another way to phrase that would be,

let’s shove propaganda and a white-washed version of the U.S. in the faces of children and call it an education.

These 64 laws are a chokehold on educators as these laws promote parents’ rights over their children’s education. DeSantis and every lawmaker behind this doesn’t work for teachers or for students, they work for the parents. Lawmakers and parents claim to be afraid of “woke” ideologies and indoctrination, but the idea that parents always know what is best is patently false and just another form of indoctrination.

50% of young Americans place education as one of the most important issues related to America’s future on a global scale. In the same survey, 46% of the participants said they would vote for a candidate who supported teaching about racism in K-12 schools, while only 22% disagreed. If this were about what was best for students and the education they deserved, these laws wouldn’t exist. But it’s not.

It is a failure on the part of lawmakers to demand that schools pretend facts are up for debate out of respect for people who don’t believe them. That’s not an education, it’s a sham. This censorship is going to churn out uneducated mindless graduates without a bone for critical thinking in them, all in the name of a reality that doesn’t exist.

As the world braces for the second year of the War in Ukraine, the geopolitics of the international order hangs in the balance as major powers take sides, putting them on the path to collision. In 2023, think tanks and government leaders have questioned whether Cold War dynamics have reentered the fray and are dictating major power moves between the United States and China. With Russia’s subjugation to belligerence, China’s replacement of Russia as a global hegemon to accompany the United States is all the more clear. However, while the world saw many proxy wars during the Cold War, characterized by the US and USSR, the war in Ukraine is the first contemporary proxy war between the US and China. Several justifications for the current war in Ukraine proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin include historical reunification, the liberation of a nazi takeover and the deterrence of Western influence. Consequently, the war in Ukraine definitely seems like a contemporary iteration of the Cold War, where the survival of democracy is threatened and a battle of ideologies runs parallel to the bloodshed of boots on the ground in eastern Ukraine. With Russia amassing its troops on the BelarusianUkrainian and Russian-Ukrainian border, even the European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, had indicated, “We did not believe that the war was coming,” on Feb. 22, 2022, two days before the first bombs landed in Kyiv.

Many Western leaders and military strategists offered pessimistic prospects for the Ukrainians’ effort against Russian invaders, giving President Zelenskyy advice to flee the city. As European Powers and the United States have backed Kyiv’s resilience against the Russian assault with military aid, anti-Russian economic sanctions and pro-Ukrainian rhetoric, it appears that Russia has been alienated within the world order. Formerly feared as the Soviet Union, it seems that now Russia has been relinquished to the status of a volatile and unpredictable enemy, due to their distribution of hostile foreign policy on many of the former Soviet Republics. Yet, while Russia’s weight in the international sphere is declining, China’s ascent has filled this void.

As China has made its astronomical rise in the international hierarchy over the past few decades, it is undeniable that it will be consequential in securing peaceful relations. One of the many ways that President Xi’s government is attempting to challenge the West and extend their influence

China’s role in the Ukraine War: The rising power who can end it all

is by taking preliminary steps to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Taken at face value, this move seems to be an agreement that could put an end to fighting, but it has met much criticism from western leaders. However, China’s friendly political relationship with Russia gives them unprecedented leverage and power over whether Russia continues their military campaign against the Ukrainians.

Due to the undertones of a contemporary proxy war and Putin and Xi’s collective anti-American sentiments, the world can look to the Cold War as a precedent in predicting the end of the war in Ukraine. Due to China’s vested economic importance to Russia, the future of this conflict is dependent on President Xi Jinping and if he were to punish Moscow with a unilateral halt of the purchase of Russian energy. Despite there being little real progress towards a peace deal, China has a unique bargaining position and the world will have to pay close attention to their actions in this conflict.

ACADEMIC CENSORSHIP AT ANY AGE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT THE U.S. EDUCATION SYSTEM AND, EVENTUALLY, ITS STANDING AS A GLOBAL POWER.

TOMAS ALVES Contributing Writer ■ H

COURTESY OF PEXELS

THE WAR IN UKRAINE IS NOT JUST A DIRE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS BUT A SIGNAL FOR THE DEFINITE DECLINE OF RUSSIAN POWER AND THE REEMERGENCE OF COLD WAR DYNAMICS.

Preserving culturally rich lands is of vital

SONALI WHITTLE Contributing Writer

Archaeologist Richard Hansen has spent four decades with a group of 40 plus archaeologists and specialists in El Mirador, a pre-columbian Mayan settlement in Guatemala, in order to preserve the cultural importance of the Mayan empire and keep it from disappearing. In order to understand the wealth of this empire, one must understand the reach they had over the regions spread around Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. Richard Hansen’s research is a positive way of exploring the history of Maya civilization. His research brings light to history that people all around the world can pay attention to. Hansen has suggested a proposal for controlled tourism, which is an intelligent idea to help the surrounding community. However, the authority to decide whether to implement this dynamic into the environment should ultimately fall on the indigenous people who live there. They are the rightful owners of the land and as it is their home, the decision should be theirs.

These archaeologists aimed to test the theory that this settlement was “the cradle of Maya civilization.” Hansen believes that wastefulness and despoilment sped the collapse of the vast city-states likely controlled by El Mirador. Hansen thinks that there is a message contained in this history that highlights a possible catastrophe and believes that people should learn from what happened in El Mirador to prevent modern humanity from making the same mistakes: abusing natural resources and ultimately contributing to humanity’s own disappearance.

Hansen’s work has led to some struggles surrounding the ability to keep

the environment intact around the site and the communities that are fueled by the resources of the jungle. Hansen himself does not agree that his goals and work ruin the biosphere and suggests that “controlled, restricted economic tourism” is a superior alternative.

The concept of tourism contains both positives and negatives. On one side, tourism allows the beauty of different kinds of places to be shared with different people around the world. The dark side of tourism takes away from the authenticity of the places that are being toured. The culture and significance becomes commercialized and the true message and impact becomes minimized. El Mirador is a place that must be handled delicately when it comes to tourism.

Although it may seem that suggesting tourism at all is just a way to make more money, it is more likely that it is a viable option to deter real threats such as poaching, logging, oil drilling and other ways in which the biosphere is being put in harm’s way. Controlled tourism is a great way to establish balance between people and the land, something that should be considered by indigenous communities. ■ H

Archaeologist Richard Hansen’s dedication to save Mayan history is a fight worth understanding.

Weekly Horoscope

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

Pisces(February19 -March20):Three ofCups

Aquarius(January20-February18):Three ofSwords

TheThreeof Swords predictsheartbreak. Prepareyourselfforthepossibilitythatalovedonewillletyoudown. Don’tletthislossbeabodyblow,they haven’tearnedseeing youcrack.

Taurus(April20-May 20):Strength toThestrengthcardspeaks ity.powerandmagnanimgenerosityYouwanttoshow withevery butsuccessyouexperience, youyoumustknowthat maintainmaynotbeableto that outlook for long.Youdohavetothink aboutyourselfandyour needsbecauseyouare importanttoo.

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Sagittarius(November 22December 21): Page of Wands Sagittarius, this will be a time of freedom for you. While there has been a lot weighing you down recently, the pressure is about to lighten. You will take advantage of this time and allow it to rejuvenate you may ndfi soemone to enjoy

Pisces,nowisatime toconsideryour friendships.+ thepeoplewhocome aroundandsupport you.Realizethatyou owe them the same recognitiontheygive youandthatthey won’t stick around waitingtoberemembered and valued forever.

Earth Signs

23(SeptemberLibraofPage22):October Swords This is a time of new aForLibra.experiences,while dousedbewillyou Chooseunfamiliarity.in to be curious and not judgementssnapmake comewillpeopleasto andideaswithyoufeelings mightyouthatinstinctually off.write

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Earth signs are steady. They are the unmoving ground beneath your feet and the people you can count on. A person is only as good as their word, and Earth signs keep their promises in spades. Earth signs are inherently logical and goal-oriented. It can be their

solutions that seem gravitateandcrazy towards peoplethe givespresencewhose lightyou or re.fi

AprilAries(March21Wands19):Eightoffast-pacedRightnowisavery timeinyourseemslife,Aries.Everything tobecomingatingyouallatonceandpiltowardsup.You’respeeding aroadwhichtheendsinhappiness,but getspeedatwhichyou theremightnotreadybesomethingyou’re outcomefor.Makesurethe you’reworkingtowardsis worthit.

pass.

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are permanent. This

that these struggles

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August-23(JulyLeoWandsofThree22):looktoneedYou immediateyourbeyond op-forsurroundingsthingsTheportunities.theyougivewillthatopportunitiesgreatest notwillgrowthforyouthingsthebe Acoming.seeorexpect awayfarbetochanceyoueverythingfromappearsoonwillknowbetogoingisthisand a itbreakormake choice.

recognized very publicly

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22): Six of Wands

Cancer (June 21July

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pe-ainareyouVirgo, riod of renewal. Startthismarkwillovering Majorlife.yourintime placetakenhaveshifts toworkingyou’reand youpaththerebuild butexpected,andknew rebuildtowayonlythe is to look towards the

Virgo(August23The22):September Star

At this time of constant change, look to the unknown for answers.

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Where To Get Down With Some Dirty On Campus

NATALIE DAHL Staff Writer

If you’ve never tried one, a dirty chai is a chai latte mixed with a shot of espresso. They’re one of my favorite coffee drinks to get on campus, so I set out to rank both the hot and cold dirty chai options around campus at four different locations.

8. Coffee Bean - Hot

Coming in last place is unfortunately Coffee Bean’s hot drink; there was no taste. Or chai. Or coffee. I thought I got the wrong drink. It was a swampy-like tea that tasted like it had been made with the dregs of a past drink.

7. Glen Mor Starbucks - Cold

This drink was all milk, which is why it’s placed as the worst of the colds. It tasted like someone put the cup next to an espresso machine, and it absorbed only a hint of flavor. I was not sad that I got a tall of this La Croix-esque drink.

6. Glen Mor Starbucks - Hot

This dirty chai had such an opportunity to succeed, as hot drinks are always more satisfying on a rainy day like the one I purchased it on. Regrettably, it lacked flavor, and not only because I burned my tongue on it.

5. Bytes - Hot

This dirty chai is right in the middle of the list as it was unremarkable. It had a bad balance of too much coffee and too little tea. And to top it off, someone ran into me while I was walking out of Winston Chung Hall and I spilled some on my shoes.

4. Coffee Bean - Cold

While this drink was overly sweet and lacked an underlying coffee flavor, it redeemed itself by being the most delicious of the drinks so far. Even if it wasn’t exactly a dirty chai, it was a cinnamony delight with chai syrup chunks at the bottom that made it very enjoyable to drink.

3. Bytes - Cold

The sweetest of this drink masked and saved its run-of-the-mill flavor profile. I don’t have any complaints about this drink, but also no high praise to give to it because it was so average.

2. Ivan’s at Hinderaker - Hot

This warm dirty chai was everything I wanted it to be - hot, evenly mixed, and a great balance of chai and coffee flavors. It was a wonderfully comforting and satisfying drink for the cold day I bought it on, and so it deserves the first place spot for hot and second place spot overall.

1. Ivan’s at Hinderaker - Cold

Taking first place, the cold dirty chai from Ivan’s was sweet, flavorful, and more refreshing than lots of coffee drinks offered at Starbucks’ locations. It tasted like a chai cookie concoction with just a hint of espresso brewing underneath. I will definitely be ordering this drink from this location many times again.

Even though Bytes and Ivan’s are Starbucks off-shoots, they ranked much higher than the Glen Mor Starbucks for me. Additionally, most of the cold drinks also pulled in front of the hot as I think the sweetness masked the flaws in their composition. Overall, I would recommend Ivan’s as it ranked highest for both the hot and cold options! ■ H

Campus Cope: on-campus resources you should be utilizing

SENNA OMAR

Assistant Features Editor

UCR offers a plethora of free on campus resources that all students can, and should, use. These resources may be labeled as free, however, you are paying for them with your tuition and are entitled to utilize them. Here are four free resources to aid in your success.

Costo Hall

Costo Hall is a hub for diversity and inclusion here at UCR. Home to African student programs, Middle Eastern Student Programs, LGBTQ+ resource center, Native American student programs, and many more, Costo Hall is the perfect place to get involved on campus. For more information on Costo Hall, check out our articles Campus spotlight: Introduction to Costo Hall part 1 and Campus spotlight: Introduction to Costo Hall part 2.

Student Recreation Center (SRC) programs

The SRC offers an amazing range of programs, most free and some for a small fee. Perfect your martial arts or learn how to salsa with one of the SRC’s expert instructors at their activity classes. Looking for a fun free way to work out, sign up for one of their free Zumba, pilates, yoga, weight training, cycling, and BOSU group fitness classes.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS provides a plethora of free psychological services to all registered UCR students; services are available both virtually and in person. CAPS offers individual counseling, group therapy, addiction aid, and psychotherapy. They also provide psychiatric referrals and crisis consultation through emergency interventions and workshops. For students experiencing or who know someone experiencing a mental health crisis CAPS also offers the “red folder,” aiding students in proper response protocols to situations involving mental health.

Academic Resource Center

The academic resource center offers free academic support to struggling and succeeding students. Regardless of academic standing all students should feel free to take advantage of the resources provided. ARC provides supplemental instruction, tutoring, writing support, and early assistance. Students can also sign up for the ARC coaching and assisting peer mentoring program allowing them to develop skills useful to them well beyond graduation. ■ H

An ultimate ranking of all the dirty chai options offered around campus.

SENNA OMAR / THE HIGHLANDER

RadaR

AKA Productions presents:

‘It’s All Just Noise’

BRENDA JOVEL Radar Editor

The rise of true crime has generated an influx of film and TV adaptations that explore the depraved minds of killers. “It’s All Just Noise,” produced and written by Karly Thomas, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) student in creative writing for performing arts, comments on the unjustified portrayal of murder victims and how their stories are glorified in Hollywood media. The play, like many created by MFA candidates, is produced under AKA Productions, a student-led organization on campus that aims to represent the voices of creative pieces.

As the play begins, a rush of violent sounds introduces the audience to Witness (Isabelle Cherubin). Witness takes notes of the content they are viewing but immediately turns the TV off when the screams of a tortured woman are heard. Cherubin releases an anguish-filled scream, leaving silence in the theater as they attempt to recover from what they’ve witnessed, but a knock at the door welcomes Attorney (Aedan Ferrara).

Ferrara’s portrayal of a sly lawyer opens the world of law and its involvement in media outlets when cameras become the focus of murder trials. The lawyer, while unagreeable, holds the audience’s attention as they grab a mic and promote their Netflix documentary, delivering a mocking tone towards streaming services that monetize on real-life cases.

Attorney attempts to convince Witness to testify for their client, Suspect (Aaron Martinez). Witness’ character shows reluctance as they are continually

frustrated with how their best friend has been depicted as an object rather than a victim. To make matters worse, Suspect soon arrives and asks to be left alone with Witness to see if they can reach a compromise together. Director and MFA student in screenwriting, Kali Veach, utilizes dramatic irony as Attorney stays in the scene and serves as an outside guide for Suspect so an agreement can be reached.

Periods of silence between the characters are interrupted by the same audio recording of the screaming woman played earlier. The sound effects enhance the stress felt by Witness as they are repeatedly exposed to the trauma of their friend’s murder — a reality felt by many loved ones of victims who have to relive these experiences when their cases are adapted into TV or film. Their anguish pushes them to deny Suspect and Attorney’s wishes, and the characters leave in anger as their monetized futures become futile.

The scene transitions to a lighter tone when the voice of Witness’ best friend, also known as Victim (Alex Valianos) in the play, comes rising down the theater’s stairs and into the scene. Victim performs a cheeky dance, enlivening the mood and bringing to light their actual identity that is glossed over in media outlets. It is a bittersweet moment as the friends reunite and reflect on the occurrences that have halted their lives. Though Witness remains angry about the way Victim has been portrayed to the public, Victim attempts to cheer their friend up by reminding them

De La Soul’s streaming release exemplifies everything wrong with digital media

JAELYN GONZALEZ Assistant Radar Editor

On March 3, De La Soul released their entire discography on streaming for the first time, excluding a one-day-only occurrence in 2016. For a new generation of hip-hop listeners, recognizing the iconic group De La Soul is a difficult task. But how could this be if modern sounds from Tyler the Creator to Childish Gambino take inspiration from the group?

In recent years, the legacy and memory of De La Soul was fading away. All the fingers can be pointed at record labels, contracts and the legality of streaming services. The group’s catalog is filled with uncleared samples on nearly every project, thus leading to the prevention of digital versions of the discography.

De La Soul birthed a renaissance of artistic sampling in hip-hop, leading the late 1980s to mid-1990s with a wave of inspiration for the rappers of the decade. Gen X and Millennials bought cassette tapes of De La Soul. As music distribution shifted from physical to digital, De La Soul was left in the basement with the Discman and wired headphones.

While Gen Z has brought back vinyl LPs and a resurgence of physical media, streaming on Spotify is still in primary use. The adoption of digital music in the early 2000s with Napster

and iTunes led to a rough transfer for music. Music with historic resemblance is gone. Classic house and electronic tracks are hard to find. Hip-hop records from Mos Def to Snoop Dogg and other mixtapes are lost in the record label vault. Recently, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young have had their music removed from Spotify in protest of Spotify hosting Joe Rogan’s podcast. With this in mind, your favorite song can be pulled from any streaming service at any time.

Digital media will be the death of music preservation. A single MP3 file can easily be lost in a digital library. With De La Soul’s new presence in the streaming world, it raises the question of how much media is lost and will continue to be lost. During the pandemic, recovering digital archives became a new hobby for many. There is an entire community dedicated to recovering lost media, which contains TV shows, music and more.

With limited volunteer work to recover lost media, it is ultimately up to the next generation of music lovers to favor physical over digital media. While Gen Z has been a larger consumer of vinyl records, it is difficult to market and rebrand physical media. The Criterion Collection is a great example of how

that they will always know who they were before the tragedy separated them. The scene ends with the best friends dancing to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

An encore of applause closed the play before the crew team took their bows and thanked the audience for attending.

After the show, The Highlander was given the chance to ask Thomas and Veach about their creation, as well as their thoughts on how they provided commentary about true crime.

“As someone who writes stories myself and consumes stories on that same end, I started to become [sensitive] to exploitatively violent material. [I asked myself] is there a way to engage in the genre without being exploitative?” said Thomas.

As this was Veach’s first time directing a play, they compare their experience with film. “In film, we don’t get a lot of rehearsal time. [For the play] we get to collaborate with the actors and all the ideas come from watching something for the feign of heart. It’s a rollercoaster.”

As a whole, the play commentates cleverly on aspects of true crime and the representation of victims. Containing sarcastic comedy, emotional dialogue and unnerving sound effects, it was a piece that many enjoyed that night.

If you are hoping to check out more MFA readings and plays, Veach stated, “AKA might be doing full productions in the summer.”

■ H

to turn something old into something new. Much like unboxing a Kpop CD, a Criterion DVD unboxing is an entire experience. The Criterion Collection reintroduces older films in packaging with concept art and other unique extras. The music distribution industry can learn to package CDs and vinyl as an experience, rather than another simple repressing of a Beatles record.

Music has led revolutions and cultural impacts on history that can easily be forgotten on streaming services. De La Soul’s music on streaming was much like a celebration for music lovers with listening parties all over the country. What the hip-hop group teaches listeners is how much digital media kills the true enjoyment of music. If an artist’s music is removed from Apple Music and is out of rotation, the artistic influence of the artist will fade in the background. Physical media helps listeners remember, celebrate and enjoy music on a level Spotify will never reach.

Artists should prioritize and push physical media, not only to get paid more but act as a preservation of art. Plus, who would not want an official version of Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” to pass down to their kids? ■ H

MATA ELANGOVAN / THE HIGHLANDER

The sharp commentary about the justice system is revealed through MFA students’ work in this witty play.

Disney Channel’s “nerd” stereotypes promote antiintellectualism

EVELYN HOMAN Managing Editor

If Disney is good for anything, it is nostalgia. It is not an exaggeration to say that nearly everyone living on our planet has some knowledge of, and thus, fond memories of Disney in some form. Be that the franchise — the House of Mouse has its capitalistic fingers in every aspect of society imaginable. Its long history of influencing society, and society influencing it back, means, unfortunately, that Disney has also been enforcing many stereotypes within its oeuvre of films and television shows. One of the less obvious stereotypes that these shows have enforced, is that of the feckless, hopeless nerd.

I missed the boat on Disney Channel for the most part; my brother and I preferred Cartoon Network as a child. My youngest sister, however, was the reason I began to watch Disney Channel shows as a young teen. She enjoyed shows like “Jessie,” its spinoff “Bunk’d” and “Liv and Maddie.” By proxy I would watch them along with her when I was in the room. One thing that all of these shows have in common is that the characters who are “smart” — the ones who like science, who have college aspirations or like to read — have a long list of poor characteristics in their archetypes. They are portrayed as being socially inept, have no luck in the romance department and generally looked down upon by their athletic, charismatic peers, especially the main protagonists and deuteragonists.

countless others are allowed to be written and put on the screens of young people everywhere.

Disney’s prevalence in American culture means that they need to take more responsibility when playing smarts for laughs. “Liv and Maddie’s”

Joey Rooney (portrayed by Joey Bragg) is always at the butt of jokes for liking live-action roleplay, playing video games, and being involved in robotics. His little brother Parker (Tenzing Norgay Trainor), the more charismatic of the two, is given a bend of the stereotypical “mad scientist,” with his machines often being dangerous and leading to trouble. In a similar vein, “Jessie’s” Ravi (Karan Brar) struggles with his love life, is very smart and also is very bad at sports, very much akin to Joey.

We all grew up enjoying Disney Channel in one form or another, but the shows also perpetuated weirdly anti-intellectual stereotypes.

This one-note characterization of people who do well in education and actively pursue things that are deemed “intellectual” may seem like it is all fun and games, but in reality is quite harmful. We all know that bullying exists, so why play it for laughs on the screen? Why are people who are given the label “smart” only involved in STEM and bad at sports? To simply slap on the label as a way to get cheap thrills leaves so much to be desired in terms of character development.

Of course, the “geek” and “nerd” stereotypes have existed alongside Disney and its franchises. The nerd/jock power dynamic has existed for as long as the media set in school has been. Of course, there will always be people who focus more on one thing than another in their lives, be that sports, books, computers, or something else entirely. That is not harmful in and of itself to have characters who display an interest in something specific. The real harm comes in when there are characters such as Joey Rooney from “Liv and Maddie,” Ravi from “Jessie” and “Bunk’d,” and

As people in the United States continue to throw around conspiracy theories, distrust science and ban books, Disney permits their writing rooms to continue to create terrible stereotypes of smart people meant to be pointed and laughed at. We need to question why these stereotypes are permitted. In reality, intelligence comes in far more forms than being good at robotics and liking video games. People who pursue education in whatever form should be admired and not cast as loveless losers with no social life. They deserve better writing from one of American society’s most influential purveyors of culture, rather than being looked down upon because they do not spend their time on sports.■ H

Radar Replay: A reflection on the 70th anniversary of Yasujirō Ozu’s ‘Tokyo Story’

Throughout the history of cinema, a selective canon of “classics” has slowly been curated through the opinions of film lovers and critics alike. Western works such as Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” and Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” have cemented their positions among the greatest pieces of art ever created. However, Yasujirō Ozu’s “Tokyo Story” is possibly the most prominent Eastern film to have consistently been featured in the British Film Institute’s prestigious “Sight and Sound Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time.” Inspired by Leo McCarey’s 1937 Hollywood classic, “Make Way For Tomorrow,” the heartwrenching portrayal of familial relationships spanning multiple generations not only speaks for those who first saw the film in 1953 but to all those watching today.

“Tokyo Story” is widely considered to be Japanese auteur Yasujirō Ozu’s masterpiece. His distinct directorial style is fully formed, with the film’s slow pace complementing the fundamental importance placed on dialogue rather than a heavy plot-driven structure. A sense of realism is maintained by the naturalistic framing and minimal use of camera movement. Overthe-shoulder shots are cast aside to spotlight the labyrinthine conversation, with transitions often maintaining the same composition. Ozu’s signature technique of passageways grants the viewer the opportunity to wander through time, escorted by the characters. Scenes are infused with ambient landscapes, emphasizing his philosophical inclination toward minimalism, a technique that coincides with the intricate architecture featured on screen. Takanobu Saitō’s score reinforces the swinging pendulum of emotion present within the prominent events chosen to be depicted off-screen, inching ever so slightly to their breaking point.

Taking place in post-war Japan, westernization spreads throughout an ever-changing industrial landscape, beginning to work its influence on the middle class. Regarded as a Shomin-geki film, meaning a common people drama, Shūkichi and Tomi’s growing divide between them and their children represents the universal struggle of traditional values dwindling in the face of modernity. While the parents aim to instill the fabric of respect to their kin, this unknowingly damages their integral tight-knit bond with the obligation of upholding societal norms proving to be a needless burden for the children. Chishū Ryū (Shūkichi) and Setsuko Hara (Noriko), both Ozu

MAX BRIGGS Contributing Writer

regulars, portray this struggle with a refined level of elegance. Ryū mannerisms are reminiscent of the past, a nod to a period of peaceful stability; his tired smile masks the growing sadness brewing within his soul. Hara’s acting contains an innate capacity for empathy, as exhibited through her frequent, intimate, and often unbroken discussions.

Fundamentally omnipresent experiences are explored through the passage of time and its inevitable clash with the core ideal of familial connection — honesty. As this once-restrained realization comes to light, it parallels how society expects our closest blood relatives to show the most understanding. However, those who are outside the confines of their own bias can see how our world operates — for the better or worse.

While those who live in the West consider westernization to be a beneficial process, the unintentional destruction of, in this case, Japanese cultural tradition, damages the core of familial foundation while furthering the divide between parents and their children. This effect is merely a byproduct of time passing. Should the children strive toward an independent lifestyle, even if it means separation from those who raised them? Ozu’s reluctance to explicitly portray this sentiment or answer our questions through both the characters’ actions and imagery serves as a testament to his faith in the audience. Our emotions fill the narrative gaps purposefully left along the journey, guiding us on a path of acceptance we all must undergo.

How does one balance taking care of their family while simultaneously living their own lives? The answer isn’t so simple, as derived from the final conversations in the third act. This ever-expanding rift is unavoidable in many circumstances, leading to the truth surfacing. As the days go by, the only guarantee in the Hirayama family is impermanence. Perhaps this change is predestined, and only those with the capacity for true empathy and understanding will be able to grow alongside the linear construct of time.

The film’s inherently humanistic ideology only solidifies the notion to let go of the past and the burden it carries. Parents and their children drift away, and it simply coincides with the evolution of globalization. Despite the strain of society and its tenets, there is hope that life will improve, and hope that we will understand our elders. In another world, in another lifetime, everything will be just the way it was. ■ H

Highlanders men’s basketball fight to the finish in Big West semifinal after historic season

KIANOOSH NOOSHI Assistant Sports Editor

The Highlanders men’s basketball team’s season came to a close this past weekend with a loss to UC Santa Barbara in the Big West conference tournament semifinals in Henderson, Nevada. While the loss to the Gauchos was a disappointing way to end the season after UCR went into the second half of the semi final with a lead, the Highlanders can come out of this season beyond proud for putting together the best season in program history.

The 2022-2023 season was the third under head coach Mike Magpayo, who joined a struggling program which nearly went extinct during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the financial strain from the pandemic. Magpayo stepped in and right away started to make an impact, achieving back to back winning seasons in conference play, the first in program history since the 2008-09 season where the team was .500 going into this current season

The Highlanders came into the season with hopes of improving on their sixth place finish in conference play the previous season with some key transfer additions including senior guard Jamal Hartwell II who transferred from Old Dominion. Hartwell joined

another key addition in freshman Lachlan Olbrich to help bolster the Highlanders’ roster following the departures of Dominick Pickett and Callum McCrae who were both key players for UCR in 2021-22.

UCR started the season with several difficult games in the preseason with games against Colorado, Creighton, and Oregon among the most difficult on their preseason schedule. These games provided the Highlanders with experience against tough opposition, a welcomed challenge by coach Magpayo and athletic director Wesley Mallette, whose adage “keep chopping wood”, became a rallying cry for the Highlanders throughout the season.

The season also saw some incredible performances from several Highlanders. The aforementioned additions of Olbrich and Hartwell II, both won awards in the Big West as the freshman and sixth man of the year respectively. Olbrich specifically was lauded by coach Magpayo as the best freshman he had worked with so far. Senior guards: Zyon Pullin and Flynn Cameron both improved massively as the one and two options for the Highlanders. The backcourt both received Big West team honors with Cameron making

the second team while Pullin made the first team.

Zyon Pullin was quite unlucky to not win Big West player of the year as he averaged an incredible 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists on 49% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. His development under coach Magpayo who himself won Big West coach of the year while also being a finalist for the Hugh Durham award was a sight to behold and Pullin must surely now look to make the jump to the pros.

The combination of coach Magpayo and athletic director Mallette have completely turned the program around and while they fell short of a Big West title and bid to the March Madness tournament this season, they can look forward to building on this record setting season. That is a tough task given Pullin, Cameron and Hartwell II are all graduating following this season, however UCR has become one of the blue chip programs in the Big West and will without a doubt get a boost with recruits following their improvements these past few years.

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