Unspoke Magazine: Issue Five

U N S P O K E M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE FIVE JULY 2017

P O L I T I C S

OUR MAGAZINE: In today’s world, we are faced with conflict and constantly changing social, political, and economic issues. These issues are commonly suppressed and are “taboo” subjects of conversation. Our mission is to expose these topics and get people talking. We want to release the unspoken and shine a light on it.

THIS ISSUE: With our ubiquity of media, politics is embedded in almost every aspect of life in the United States (and abroad), whether we like it or not. And while we generally view politics as what affects our legislation and appointed officials, it is a term that encompasses a broad variety of cultural and social components. As much as we censor our opinions and public statements, we aim to provide a platform where censorship is at the liberty of the author.

VOCABULARY VOCABULARY VOCABULARY VOCABULARY BIPARTISAN!

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adj. when you’re just trying to be a team player

CAMPAIGN!

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n. in which one politician leads a witch hunt against another

CONSERVATIVE!

adj. political ideology characterized by values of fiscal independence and little government interference into the lives of Americans

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CONVENTION!

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n. a political fan club, basically

DEMOCRAT!

n. American political party existent within a two party system that leaves everyone with little options ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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LIBERAL!

n. political ideology characterized by values of social equality and government-provided resources in the lives of Americans

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LIBERTARIAN!

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n. will go to bed with the Constitution

REPUBLICAN!

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n. see Democrat

POLITICAL PARTY!

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n. not as fun as it sounds…

PRIMARY!

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n. the circus before the circus

VETO!

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v. fuck it.

VOTE!

v. to make your voice heard

Photo by Grayton Newman

THE

E L FA L V E I L

N

the gilded age (see Imperial America).

You can trace this history by paying attention to our political actions and who truly benefitted from them. More recently, our involvement in World War II proved just that. In reality, only the United States won that war. Europe was in shambles, Russia was still recovering from their disastrous attempt at communism resulting in a dictatorship, Japan was an oc“This is a country of the rich, for the cupied province, all while America lined rich and by the rich.” -Gore Vidal its pockets with the profits of war and reconstruction. It is here when we learned

As the 2016 election closed with that war was profitable and as a nation, Donald Trump taking the lead, the façade we’ve been at it ever since at the expense that the American government was not of the lives of millions. In the wake of utterly devoted to Wall Street plummeted the tragic event of 9/11, where people lost to the ground. The sound of which was their lives due to the nation’s reckless and drowned out by the thunderous applause antagonistic behaviors, after giving out his of those who will suffer from this grand obligatory sympathies, Junior instructed old American failure. What you must us all to go out and buy things to stimuunderstand outright, is that the founders late the economy. While President Trump of this country had no intention of prospouted off his nonsense about Muslims tecting everyone but rather a select few; celebrating in New Jersey as the World letting 700,000 out of 3.25 million (this Trade Center fell the reality is that, if country’s population at the time) vote. anyone was celebrating at this time, it was Then, they were white, male landowners the dogs of war who were about to receive and today, the only significant differences their biggest paychecks yet. are that they all have a hand in the deal- One may argue that this phenomeings that occur on Wall Street and those non is party specific. My first correction is in charge have been gracious enough to that we only have one party and it has two let in a few women and minorities to fill wings, both wings being funded by big their diversity quotas. The real issue here business in one way or another through is that because of our nation’s intentionthe method of lobbying. For example, ally vague constitution, it has the comafter the crash in 2008 and when he was plete ability to move its priorities from inducted, Barrack Obama, messiah for the the financial sector to the populous, but millennials, filled major positions of his it will not do so because people are not administration with key players who initiprofitable. Big business has played an in- ated the crash such as Timothy Geithner, credible role in the politics of the “Unit- Mary Shapiro, Martin Feldstein, Laura ed” States, if not from its genesis, since Tyson, Larry Summer, Ben Bernanke and

by

Trevor Salazar

lest we forget, Democrat corruption incarnate, anthropomorphic reptile and current mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emmanuel.

When Iceland faced the same issue we did, they bailed out their citizens; the Obama administration bailed out our banks and by doing so, revealed our nation’s priorities.

Now, you may be inquiring as to what specifically about Trump’s victory signaled the end of this façade if this financial priority had been going on from the beginning. What made Trump such an appealing candidate to those of our uneducated populous was that at first appearance, in their minds, he seemed to be the outsider. This persona was perpetuated by the Napoleon of Corruption, Roger Stone, to enable Trump to grab the presidency as he likes to do to so many other things. But in reality, Trump was as inside as it could get.

His role as a business owner outside of the field of politics was one of his biggest selling points, however, this is what made him the epitome of an “insider.” Since business influences politics in such substantial ways through the likes of lobbying, business and politics have become inseparable. But most politicians and certainly presidential candidates prior to Trump, chose to pacify the masses by lining their agendas with rhetoric and promises to alleviate the plights of citizens.

And while Trump did make huge promises to his constituents, the vast majority of his platform, when discernable, was based around the economic interests of America. It is far more profitable for companies to not abide by environmental regulations, which looks appealing to the uneducated because it means that they can find employment.

No one seemed to tell them, or perhaps they ignored the fact that this employment without regulation is life threatening and will lead to the decimation of our species. Let us hope the roaches do a better job than we did. The abolishment of entitlement programs means that the money used for that can be applied to our nation’s largest customer, the defense program. Tax cuts, with what little already makes it out of the defense vacuum, will detract from our education system (a.k.a. the laughing stock of the First World) and go right back into the defense black hole. His budget cuts state that if it is not profitable, it is not the government’s job.

While past presidents have appeased the masses by throwing them bones here and there in order to maintain their façade, Trump has made it very clear that his duty and allegiance is to Wall Street and the consequences we must face because of it, do not matter to him.

The last Republican president of considerable intelligence was Eisenhower over sixty years ago and the last Democrat president of considerable intelligence before Obama (who I concede, possesses a vast intelligence) was FDR. Based on this longstanding streak of stupidity, our current turmoil should come as a surprise to no one. In all my arrogance and vanity, I thought that Clinton would win by a landslide as she did in the popular vote but looking at our history, this reality should have been evident. Alas, we walk backwards into the future, only seeing the past we’ve left behind Now we must realize that those at the top only care when it profits them and we must move forward accordingly.

POSITIVE POLITICS With the current political state of our country, it’s not uncommon for the focus of any political conversation to be somewhat negative. For a change of pace, we asked readers what they view as a positive aspect of US politics today.

“The coming together of people of different races, sexual orientations, religions, etc., to fight for what they believe in and to help create positive change in the world.” -Natalie Moyer “While there are definitely a lot of things that I would like to change about my own civil rights as a woman of color, I am still thankful for the fact that I have the freedom to speak my mind and voice my own opinions, even if political leaders disagree with what I have to say. That is more than can be said for some countries around the world.” -Gauri Mangala

“The sudden rush of engagement among younger citizens on the local level. Jon Ossoff in Atlanta (age 30), a strong example, plus a swell in interest in grassroots based activist work. Both combine toward a positive long term evolution of leadership locally.”

- Adam Goldstein “It is amazing that five arrests were made as a result of the Flint, Michigan Water Crisis. While it does not make up for the suffering of the Flint community, it is an important first step that those people were held accountable.”

-D’Audra Metoyer

“Party polarization aside, the rise in younger generations holding an affinity and passion for politics inspires me. My generation is known for being lazy, ignorant or any other demeaning term older generations can think of. In truth, a large portion of movements, especially with the innovation of social media, are led by young people. Seeing such bright and hopeful individuals advocating for their beliefs gives me hope that the future of politics and America might not be damned after all.” -Brandon Lim “Honestly, resistance. I love seeing people take part in protests and organized events that directly deal with political issues within either the country, a specific state, or even at a local level.

Speaking out, and most of the time, against, the government and its corrupt policies is the root of an important revolution.” -Shelby Everett

“Probably the most positive thing is that younger people are getting involved.

Regardless of whether I agree with what many students are doing politically, on both sides of the isle, college students have become much more involved, and this makes younger people more likely to have a clue on what they’re voting for.”

-Sam Tschida “I think one positive aspect of US politics today is that everyday citizens are getting more and more involved in the issues that our country faces. Voting percentages have been steadily increasing over the past few years and the mentality of voters seems to be switching from “my one vote is not enough to make change” to “every vote counts.”

-Brittany Pierce

Photo by Grayton Newman

The Moral Highground By Kev Kiernan I

Linguistic nuance is a nonsense language nuisance that annoys me.

The banality of tonality has a finality beyond my lexicon’s anatomy.

Abstractions can extract a brilliantly bellicose battery of blind ideas.

Negotiating a vertiginous verticality of vertigo when I’m on the go.

I can now use my words for artistic effect.

I’m a recovering journalist, what do you expect?

Some say I’m a political maniac.

That’s very okay.

I’m also a brainiac.

Words are fun, like protest-chanting that the “rapist Cheeto can’t build a wall.”

His hands are too small.

His not-unsurprising election was like plucking that plentiful, longer-than-expected hair from your nose.

Whether you liked it or not, it made your eyes water and curled your toes.

Trump is that Fortune 500-freckled frat boy who wakes up after a bender to find he’s been put in charge of a corporation.

But he’s still just the product of that which made him: a crude, rude and savage capital operation.

Verisimilitude fends for itself around here, with very similar parts.

You want rectitude? Not with that quarrelsome attitude.

Just fight minds with hearts.

It will be rectified, for the moral high ground is nowhere under his feet.

Whatever laws these gruesome Senators get to do can be undone in the street.

Depending on the past doesn’t lend itself well on my reckoning.

The denizens of these disunited docile states have no designated driver beckoning.

No one showed up today because no one knows the way.

Splinters of a thousand little cults who all know best, yet they lead you astray.

We’ve grown too accustomed to digital maps and the click-switch of a bright-light ambience.

This is designed not for the wandering gypsies, nor the nomads, nor the transients.

Being political is not mad.

I’m an urban bird of passage with a wrangling message.

If only I wore more purple and shiny, dangling dressage.

They say I reflect light but that’s not because I’m clean or particularly polished.

I also carry blame because I’m not doing enough to stop us all from being abolished.

And unthanks to an arbitrary legal barbarity, I’m an inhabitant not a resident.

All over my body is the sticky residue of attempts to cohabitate with your president.

I scribble this crap crouched in yet another exposed-brick, high-priced hipster hangaround.

Why do they insist on vomiting the cool-vibes sensibilities of Velvet Underground?

And there are no hipsters left to point at.

They have swallowed each other whole, without chewing.

As for me, I adroitly avoid that previous void of unsurvival because I can sense trouble’s brewing.

I have prehensile technical strength in words of tensile length, which I can try to connect.

I’m only trying to be alive on arrival, and only trying to use my words for artistic effect.

Deliberately and studiously stuck in that trap of trying to rhyme. There’s still time.

I do love the brittle alliteration of a homely lifeline living out that lonely lifetime.

II

You, America, inadvertently forced me to turn inside-out.

But I’ve bravely reverted all the way back to outside-in.

I had an allergic reaction to your factional but fashionable overreaction.

As much as possible, I’m going to keep myself my self.

If you don’t know what to do as my ideas gyrate, Shed your genuine crocodile tears in private.

Why is the honest truth such a struggle to grapple with?

You’ve no insurance for the tooth you broke on that lemon pith.

I noticed the t-shirt, although it’s the wrong size.

It reads: Real Eyes Realize Real Lies.

So, I look at that through my Scottish eyes.

That idea is not just for y’all to fetishize.

I also know your sad little song: Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

That’s fine by me, but can brother also spare some time?

Drinking Mexican Topo Chico bottled water sure makes you feel okay.

A dirty diesel truck drove hundreds of miles just to make it here today.

And having pictures of vaginas all over the place does not a feminist make.

Not on their own at any rate, but I’m not saying it’s fake.

And who the fuck are these “woke misogynists”?

Pretending you’re sensitive but you’re just that homogeneous erogenous.

You see, it’s not all about you, dude.

Or you, bro.

Or you either, you sexist dog!

This bigotry and prejudice, rooted in a discriminatory edifice, was implanted in your collective head at quite an early age.

I think the lead in the water also blunts the rage, I do.

Your loudly held opinions are based not on reason or actual experience.

Contradictory consciousness is in all but appearance.

Your actual lived life does not reflect what they promote, Their corporate prism obscures with a calcified creosote.

Mainstream media project a world that’s geometric, Dodging the application of the reciprocal dialectic.

You sisters are indeed oppressed.

Yet, some of you can be real reactionary pests.

But solidarity matters and black lives matter.

And no, we won’t give it a rest.

It’s what’s outside-in that really counts—universal ideas not just personal accounts.

We will all get along but we shall all be different.

Fuck that blustering bigot.

The rapist Cheeto spouts his vile bile, with his mouth like a rusting spigot.

III

So what is all this bulbous, bulging bleating that I will not write with structure?

I’m just using my words for artistic effect, they’ve emerged from a major rupture.

Lend me your ears till I send you round the neverending bend of a political trend.

Get you away from your fairly fucking traded fancy coffee blend.

My feet are kind of blistery; I think I walk too much.

And there’s not enough brotherly and sisterly.

I think all of you talk too much.

I’ve been here long enough now, and I don’t mean to pry, But it sometimes makes me cry that you were all sold such a lie.

To believe in the American Dream you have got to be sleeping, But more people are waking up.

An awareness of others is creeping.

Now, I have this trap of which I plan to make use.

No trickery involved, and I’ll not resort to abuse.

I plan to catch you in the net of real socialism.

Not the Sanders variety, but bottom-up socially real-ism.

Our lives might be timing out, as we make no stance.

But we can move quickly (no matter how sickly) And still create ourselves a chance.

If we fight, we might win, so we all need to jump in.

If we stay divided, calling me a “white male ally”, we will definitely lose.

A world historic defeat imposed on us all who have the blues.

Your defeatist ideas of so-called privilege has become an obsession.

You see, the 1% are the ones who benefit from this world of oppression.

It’s really not all that useful to lurk in amongst divisions and derision.

Solidarity is more crucial, get to work on your revisions.

If I’m only an ally to stand at the sidelines, With whom will you unite to make your own headlines?

How do I benefit when childcare gets cut?

Low wages for my wife, I can’t believe my luck.

When do I reap the rewards of this wonderful abuse?

Hey, have you heard the other fabulous news?

Another black person has been shot by the cops.

Please don’t ever let it stop.

I do take the point that we all face different difficulties.

But the advantage hits those who control the facilities.

Privilege theory leaves us fighting with ourselves.

It steers us away from what’s needed for problems to resolve.

I am not responsible for racism and sexism in society, Nor the homophobia, transphobia or any other variety.

I really do get it.

These are sensitive issues.

But telling me to “check my privilege” is a sorry misuse, Because it encourages division and diversion away from the real culprits: Those at the top imposing backwards ideas from their murderous pulpits.

They own the news.

They also own the schools.

Their propaganda shapes us through their toxic tools.

They have immeasurably more means of dissemination, To control the channels of this imaginary nation.

But please, you don’t have to fear, Revolutionary socialism’s available right here.

Its ideas will repair you, Pull you out of that whirlpool of despair.

Try to just see it for what it is.

Don’t tie yourself in knots.

It’s really just a case of the haves and the have-nots.

It’s as simple as that: we are all thin because those fuckers are fat.

One last thing: resistance without any strategy will lead to fakery.

We don’t want just their crumbs, we must seize the whole bakery. end

Social Media and Activism:

The Rabbit Hole of Self-Indulgence

by Jack Stallard

Social media is highly masturbatory. Cut and dry, the validation one receives from social media is highly pleasurable, comparable to that of the pleasures of the flesh. The idea of digitally shouting into the void to receive likes, responses, and shares is in itself a form of narcissism or self love, depending on who you ask. That is not to say this brand of narcissism is bad, it has paved a way for us as young people to mold larger, bigger, brighter egos for ourselves. For those of us who would dare call ourselves activists, these larger than life personas we craft create a platform to step up onto our soapbox and speak for the causes we believe in. The problem lies in stepping down from these soapboxes and acting for change in the physical world.

As an executive member and social media coordinator of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at Louisiana State University, I have been party to and was once incredibly guilty of this exact problem. I love Planned Parenthood, and I especially love those extra likes every post of mine having anything to do with PP seems to garner. This past year, I began to notice how exhilarated our prospective and general members would get hearing about our events and the work we do directly with PP Gulf Coast. Then, three weeks into the semester when I invited the group to phone bank with an outreach coordinator everyone hit me with the “oh was that tomorrow?” response in the GroupMe the night before.

However, when people would stop by our table handing out condoms on Fridays, everyone wanted a picture. For quite a long time I could not wrap my head around this brand of activism per convenience. It was when someone asked me why I was not at the protests in Baton Rouge in the days following Alton Sterling’s murder that I realized this whole issue even existed.

Events like the Women’s March, Pride, and the March for Science were decorated with every bit of fanfare any vaguely left-leaning to hard left publication could throw at them. The actual hard work of activism is not so lauded. These acts of resistance were (and still are, in Pride’s case) joyous, “unifying” moments (that conveniently glossed over so many issues regarding people of color and trans folks). What I ultimately mean is that while everyone wants to be an activist - or at least be perceived as such - not everyone wants to go beyond passive aggressively sharing a post from “The Other 98%” on Facebook to enrage their conservative relatives.

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Artwork by Sean Fahey

{THE BLIND PATRIOT}

{BY JUSTIN D’ACCI} {photos by gabe oviawe}

On my sightless, two-mile walk, I heard a variety of reactions to the smiling patriot making his way down the sidewalk. It was those of Trump supporters, however, that stood out most. “Make America Great Again!” more than a few people cheered; two women—one of whom, they boasted, had recently been on the news defending Trump— excitedly took a photo with me. Outside of Trump Tower, a man invited me to join his “Hugs for Trump” protest by the front of the building.

Throughout the planning of this piece, I assumed that it would be taken as obvious satire. Not once did I consider that bona fide blind patriots would accept my overzealous nationalism as truth. It is this “America First” mindset that catapulted us into our current political climate, and it is this mindset that we must consider if we hope to affect bipartisan change.

Five mushroom caps grow In a mellow lime green pot Dry dead violet flowers sit near by All surrounded by beige, silent pebbles A thundering voice swims out From computer speakers in the hostel Blue eyes, brown eyes, brown skin, Blue lives shielded in cold hard vans Patrol outside and the sun is pleasant dim I lounge on the couch beneath the gaze Of a black panther Marvel comics can’t bring back our heroes Blockbuster films can’t unkill the deer Of all the names we now say with our fist Pumped high into the air In the 60s and 70s there was a riot Flaming in the minds and hearts Posers dosed on infinity sleep walking As black bodies soaked up fire hose water Like freedom only cost the clean water Of the future generations What is a resource? And for who?

Is our culture their drug?

Sitting here alive and fermenting in my art As if the 5 mushroom caps of my life could break chains Of more than our blown glass minds As if 5 mushrooms would turn us into Super heroes who could stop bullets And hand out newsletter us victory Damn it if our soul ain’t on fire Not decomposes, not fertilizer, not A drug to be consumed by white media Or tokenized two talkers - forgetters Of that great trans Atlantic horror What if the city shattered like porcelain Soil rising between cracked tarmac Would you be a seed with me Or would you be a mushroom for them Or could we eat mushrooms and see The future with eyes of starstruck lovers Romance feels like a drug remedy Yet in world of cruel hierarchies I plead that before all this crumples like cotton Eaten by flames That I will love you and you love me And together we will build a society Where our children will be free.

Another century and a half maybe

by Skylar Dunn-Lubin

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C R E D I T S Natalie Day Founder, Editor

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Natalie is currently a freshman at Columbia College Chicago where she is studying acting and journalism. She is originally from Omaha, Nebraska. She is so happy to be a part of providing a platform to discuss issues that aren’t always talked about in daily life and hopes that the words of this magazine affect at least someone.

Lili Mac DeSIGN EDITOR

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Lili Mac is proudly from New Orleans, LA and is currently a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago studying musical theatre and a bunch of other stuff. She’s not a real designer, but we’re not gonna talk about that. She loves exploring the uninhabited spaces of art, performance, and other people.

Shameful plug! @lilimac866

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Carsen Schroeder Founder, Editor

Carsen is from Overland Park, Kansas. She is currently a freshman at Columbia College Chicago as an acting major. Carsen has also been a dancer for many years and loves anything to do with the stage. She has always been a storyteller and has been writing as a hobby for many years. She is very happy to provide an outlet for people to tell their stories and discuss these important topics that we avoid so much.

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CONTRIBUTORS Justin D’Acci Shelby Everett Adam Goldstein Brandon Lim Skylar Dunn-Lubin Kev Kiernan Sean Fahey Gauri Mangala D'Audra Metoyer Natalie Moyer Grayton Newman Gabe Oviawe Brittany Pierce Trevor Salazar Tyson Schroeder Jack Stallard Sam Tschida

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