Viewpoints Issue No. 5 October 29, 2020

viewpoints R

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

- Ida B. Wells-Barnett

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VOL. 99, NO. 5 OCTOBER 29,

2020

An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.

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District adopts new budget

Upcoming fiscal year looks tough, administration says ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Riverside Community College District has reduced spending in order to mitigate the financial impacts of COVID-19.

The new budget, unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees on Oct. 20, does not reflect the cuts previously proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The state faced a $54.3 billion deficit earlier this year, but eventually adopted billions of dollars in deferrals when the California 2020 Budget Act was signed June 29. The state will eventually have to fund those deferrals, or they will become reductions in the coming years.

Aaron Brown, RCCD Business and Financial Services vice chancellor, said that the district’s new budget is balanced and contains a 5% reserve.

“ T h e r e a r e n o l a y o ff s included in this budget,” he said.

“There are some funds that have experienced issues, like parking and food services, Performance Riverside. But the district has been covering those.”

The state’s Student Centered Funding Formula provided no extra funding for enrollment growth and no cost-of-living adjustments for apportionment t h i s y e a r, b u t a d d i t i o n a l expenditures in the district

increased by around $8 million, according to Brown.

“That is an issue that we’ll have to face moving forward if the state does not pass through additional revenues,” he said.

Brown reported the district expects revenue losses totaling $3.02 million in parking services, $2.2 million in food services, $200,000 in child care

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS

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See BUDGET on page 3

WHAT’S INSIDE: Former RCC student gets 20 years

Breast Cancer organization raises awareness

NEWS

4 Coachella cancellation hurts small businesses

LIFE See PRISON on page 2 ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

Christopher D. Grigg, a federal prosecutor, addresses the media during a press conference outside the federal courthouse in Riverside on Oct. 23.

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ASRCC plans second stimulus package Student leaders put together plan for pandemic-affected students ROLINDA ESPINOZA STAFF REPORTER

Riverside City College student government is planning a second round of stimulus money for students, with an emphasis on serving undocumented students.

Stimulus money was first provided to Community Colleges through the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief

Fund to help students who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CARES Act, passed by Congress on March 27, allotted $2.2 trillion in financial aid to Americans negatively impacted

by COVID-19. The Office of Postsecondary Education was granted $14 billion in the form of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

RCC was granted over $5 million to distribute to qualified

students who applied for access to the fund.​ A Riverside Community College District task force convened to discuss distribution and developed a point-based system for disbursement of the funds. Students with a higher number of eligibility points received grant money first.

The CARES Act provided significant financial aid to many students, but because it was delivered by the federal

government, undocumented and international students were excluded from the payout due to their residency status.

“We as an (Associated Student Organization) won’t stand around to say it’s okay for not every student to receive money to help their financial needs,” said Shauna Kim, Associated Students of Riverside

See ASRCC on page 3

Netflix releases ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’

INDEX NEWS LIFE VIEWS EDITORIAL SPORTS

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October 29, 2020

News

NEWS BRIEFS Election Day Election Day is Nov. 3.

Same-day voter registration is available at your local polling station for those who have not yet registered by that day.

To find your local polling place, visit https://www.sos. ca.gov/elections/pollingplace/.

Vote By Mail Mail-in ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and must be received by your county elections office no later than 17 days after Election Day. The California Secretary of State’s Office suggests that if you are unsure if your ballot will arrive on time by mail, you should drop it off at any polling place in the state between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Where’s My Ballot?

The State of California is offering a ballot-tracking service called “Where’s My Ballot?”

The service notifies voters who sign up with emails, texts or voicemails from their county elections offices regarding the status of their mail-in ballots.

To sign up, visit https:// california.ballottrax.net/ voter/.

RCCD Scholarships The application period for Riverside Community College District Foundation scholarships is now open and ends Jan. 15.

To a p p l y f o r a scholarship, visit https://rcc. academicworks.com/users/ sign_up.

For help with the application, visit https://www. mvc.edu/services/sfs/rccdscholarships.cfm.

Moreno Valley College will hold an application workshop Nov. 9. To register, visit https://www.mvc.edu/ files/scholarship-workshopflyer.pdf

If you have events happening in the community that you want featured on the calender, send information about the event to viewpoints. news@gmail.com.

To receive a bimonthly newsletter featuring stories chosen by our editors right in your email inbox, visit https://viewpointsonline. org/2020/09/18/subscribeto-our-newsletter/.

ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

Kristi K. Johnson, FBI Los Angeles Field Office assistant director, addresses the media outside the federal courthouse in Riverside on Oct. 23

Firearms supplier sentenced Sold weapons used in 2015 San Bernardino attack

PRISON from Page 1 ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The former Riverside City College student who supplied weapons used to kill 14 people in the 2015 San Bernardino terror attack was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Oct. 23.

Enrique Marquez Jr., 28, attended RCC between 2009 and 2011. He pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists.

“The defendant was an active member of a conspiracy that planned to inflict death and destruction on innocent people,” Tracy Wilkison, first assistant U.S. Attorney, said in a press release. “By his own admissions, this defendant collaborated with and purchased weapons for a man he definitively knew held radical and anti-American beliefs – and who wanted to kill innocent people.”

It was found Marquez provided two assault rifles to Syen Rizwan Farook several years before the 2015 attack.

In his plea agreement in 2017, Marquez admitted to conspiring with Farook in 2011 and 2012 to attack the RCC Library or Cafeteria and the 91 Freeway during traffic.

Prosecutors argued Marquez also researched bomb-making

methods, obtained explosive materials and even visited the sites of the planned attacks to coordinate strategies.

He eventually abandoned those plans, but the firearms he provided would be used by Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik to kill 14 people and injure 22 others at the San Bernardino Inland Regional Center on December 2, 2015. The married couple was killed during a shootout with police that day.

Marquez contacted law enforcement the day after the attack and informed them the firearm Farook used belonged to him. He confessed to numerous crimes during the 10 days of questioning that followed.

Kristi K. Johnson, FBI Los Angeles Field Office assistant director, argued that although he did not go through with his planned participation in

the attacks, Marquez knew Farook’s intentions and had ample opportunity to alert law enforcement before the mass shooting.

“He could’ve intervened … and given us the information to have thwarted the attack,” Johnson said outside the Federal Courthouse in Riverside.

According to the Desert Sun, John Aquilina, Marquez’s attorney, argued the defendant distanced himself from Farook after backing out of the previously planned attacks and had no knowledge of what was coming.

But prosecutor Christopher D. Grigg, chief of the National Security Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California, said the investigation proved otherwise.

“To say he was completely cut off is not accurate,” he said outside the courthouse. “Even

FILE PHOTO | COURTESY OF MONA S. EDWARDS

Enrique Marquez is shown in a court artist’s sketch during a bail hearing in federal court on Dec. 21, 2015.

the judge noted and the defense lawyer admitted that he had contact with Farook as late as October 2015.”

Grigg added that although investigators do not know the full extent of Marquez’s and Farook’s relationship, the defendant knew what was going on.

Marquez’s 20-year sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, came after a years-long investigation by the Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force, which included participants from 12 different law enforcement agencies.

The defendant attempted to withdraw his guilty plea in 2019 after psychiatrists concluded Marquez suffered from several mental disorders. Bernal rejected the attempt in June.

The investigation also implicated four of Farook’s family members, including his mother Rafia Sultana Shareef, 67, of Corona.

Shareef, who admitted to shredding a map Farook made for the attack, pleaded guilty in March to attempting to impede a federal criminal investigation.

She will be sentenced Nov. 6.

According to Grigg, the delay in sentencing Shareef is a result of the extent of the investigation, which identified and reconstructed the shredded material.

Grigg also said he does not know how much further the investigation will proceed, but that investigators remain committed to finding answers.

October 29, 2020

News

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Breast cancer awareness spreads

RCC student Virtual conference offers discussion and resources government prepares more student aid JENNIPHER VASQUEZ STAFF REPORTER

ASRCC from page 1 City College president. “The simple truth is that it’s not okay.”

ASRCC first developed its own stimulus package in May in order to address the needs of students left out by the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance on the disbursement of CARES Act funds granted to higher education institutions. The student government’s package did not require FAFSA eligibility or a specific residency status.

It only required that applicants have paid their student fees.

When the CARES Act first provided aid to colleges, the federal government had allowed the colleges to determine how they would disperse funds to students. The Department of Education did not issue guidance until a few weeks later, causing the State of California to sue the Trump Administration for the sudden exclusion of students ineligible for FAFSA. The California Community College system won that lawsuit in June, but the Department of Education appealed the decision.

Eloy Ortiz Oakley, California Community Colleges chancellor, has pledged his support for undocumented students and said the state will continue to fight for them in court.

The next round of ASRCC’s stimulus money will specifically help students who were not eligible for the CARES Act in April.

It will circumnavigate federal guidelines and be distributed as a direct deposit. “(A) majority of our events are done virtually, therefore we don’t spend as much as we would in person,” Kim said. “Yet, we are very grateful this gives us the opportunity to really give back to our students.”

Determining award distribution will be similar to the first time, with some minor differences.

“We used some sort of criteria such as involvement in clubs and grades,” said David Olukoju, ASRCC treasurer. “This time we will use similar criteria (as before) and place a priority on international or undocumented students.”

It is not known how much each student will receive, but the total amount available for disbursement is $100,000.

Details have not been finalized, but interested students should consider getting their applications in as soon as the application period opens sometime next month.

The largest breast cancer organization in the country has been hosting a free online conference to openly discuss metastatic breast cancer and share online resources with patients and caregivers.

The New York and Los Angeles affiliates of Susan G. Komen, the organization behind the effort, partnered up to stream The LA to NY Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference on Facebook, Zoom and Whova. It ends Oct. 31.

Sharon Schlesinger, Susan G. Komen Los Angeles chair, is hosting the conference. Online registration is open to anyone who wants to take part in the conference.

“We hope to generate some conversation where people can openly discuss their problems to redirect them to resources that can help them,” she said.

The conference consists of several breakout sessions that allow numerous oncologists, nonprofit organizations, metastatic breast cancer survivors and many others to share their experiences and overlooked obstacles that patients and caregivers go through.

A wide range of topics have been covered throughout the month, but the foundation’s purpose in holding daily conferences is the effort to start a nationwide support system for those affected by the disease.

Many nonprofit organizations and breast cancer survivors have joined oncologists in discussion panels to share resources that help patients with treatment

ILLUSTRATION BY KYIESHA CHAVEZ | VIEWPOINTS

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. funding, medication and other non-medical day-to-day expenses.

“What we wanted to do was put in one searchable database of all potential resources that help them find financial and other resources that they need,” said Shonta Chambers, Patient Advocate Foundation executive vice president of Health and Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement.

The Patient Advocate Foundation is an online database that connects patients and caregivers to support resources for both underinsured and uninsured patients, co-pay relief and a wide range of other economic needs.

“We have to account for things outside of the healthcare system, social needs,” Chambers said.

The daily conference has hosted a variety of breakout rooms catering to the well-being

of breast cancer patients.

Yoga sessions are held every morning, as well as lifestyle and mindfulness activities and discussion panels to help those who may need a distraction from daily life as a patient or caregiver.

The resources shared also cater to those that have been newly diagnosed, survivors, minorities and those who are medically underserved and cannot easily access healthcare. “ Yo u g e t a l l t h e b a s i c questions answered by your doctors,” said Milan Flowers, 22, whose mother passed away from breast cancer. “Stuff about medicine, your treatment, appointments. But sometimes there’s more personal questions that aren’t covered by doctors.”

Flowers has witnessed many of the complications the disease brings on.

“These conferences are a great resource for patients and

caregivers,” she said. “It gives them a chance to get more of a personal answer rather than factual statements from a doctor.”

Flowers also emphasized the importance of research into the cancerous gene and recalled an experience with her mother.

“I remember my mom showing me a 30-day supply of pills that was well over $1000,” she said. “This medicine is expensive but it is very important.

With continuing research, we will be closer to finding a medicine that can cure this horrible disease.”

Susan G. Komen held a televised fundraiser at the beginning of the month hosted

by Mark Pilon, the foundation’s executive director, and KTLA anchor Pat Harvey.

The Pink Ribbon telethon will be televised again at the end of the month in hopes of raising $500,000 toward metastatic breast cancer research and the Komen Treatment Assistance Program.

“Research is on hold during COVID-19 and is not being funded,” said Lynda Weatherby, a metastatic breast cancer patient and breakout session speaker.

“The only thing that will save our lives is research.”

Susan G. Komen has held other televised fundraisers throughout the month to fund metastatic breast cancer research, while also allowing a space for many to share their experiences with the disease and raise awareness as to why research is so critical.

Donations are being accepted through the Susan G. Komen website and over the phone for those who are unable to tune in to the telethon and would like to contribute to the cause.

District budget savings plan mitigates impacts BUDGET from page 1 and $470,000 in Performance Riverside, which was completely shut down for 2021. “ T he on ly way we ca n potentially (recover) some of this money is to claim it against the COVID-19 State Emergency Block Grant funding we received for 2021,” he said. “But there are other uses for those funds that are identified, so we won’t be able to recover most of that money.”

Cost transfers totaling $2.9 million were made in last year’s budget to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, including $1.6 million for parking services, $360,0 0 0 for Per for ma nce R iverside, $560,0 0 0 for Customized Training Solutions and $330,000 for Community Education.

This year’s budget includes transfers of $1.35 million for parking services and $290,000 for food services. These transfers

account for lost revenues and the continued payment of employees in these areas.

The budget’s savings plan includes $5.6 million in spending reductions, including $4.03 million in deferred hiring for vacant positions, $560,000 in utility reductions, $310,000 in travel reductions and $700,000 in holding account reductions.

Gregory Anderson, Riverside City College president, argued that deferred hirings, although necessary at the moment, will not work forever.

“We have a large number of administrative positions that are not filled,” he said. “What that means is other people are picking up that work. It’s not sustainable in the long run.”

Expenditures will still allow for 16 new faculty to be hired throughout the district and 24 other positions to be filled.

The budget also provides $1.15 million in cost transfers for Disabled Students Programs and

Services, but the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund for Student Success, wh ich received $200,000 in last year’s budget, has been eliminated.

Brow n repor ted that no money had ever been spent out of that fund.

In total, $209,954,754 will be distributed amongst the district’s three colleges through the budget allocation model, which aims to prioritize fairness, equity and transparency. This is actually an increase from the previous year, which was made possible through the district’s strategic planning.

RCCD Chancellor WoldeAb Isaac warned of a tough year ahead during the Board meeting Oct. 20, but expressed confidence in the adopted budget.

Brown said the district must adopt a conservative approach to expenditures moving forward.

“We have to be very diligent in what we spend to ensure that we are conserving resources to

serve our students as much as we possibly can,” Brown said. “We have to keep our eye on what’s happening at the state and federal levels to see whether or not we have to react to that.”

Anderson argued the only thing that would quicken the district’s financial recovery, other than the return of a booming economy, would be if the state realizes that Community Colleges are essential to economic recovery.

“If the legislature fails to recognize the role Community Colleges play in economic mobility, they will confine us to years of recovery,” he said.

“They’ll strangle the economy.”

The president also said that cuts by RCC will remain away from any aspect of the student experience.

“RCC will keep its focus on student access and success,” he said. “We are not cutting any classes. We will be expanding despite the cuts.”

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October 29, 2020

News

PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS HAWK | FLICKR

JOYCE NUGENT | VIEWPOINTS

Music fans pack the field at the Coachella Music and Art Festival on April 20, 2014. The festival usually admitted up to 100,000 people a day and generated millions of dollars in past years.

The cancellation of the Coachella Music and Art Festival leaves this field vacant at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Oct. 22. The festivals are planned to return next year.

Businesses feel effects of Coachella cancellation

Desert loses yearly tourism dollars to COVID-19 pandemic JOYCE NUGENT STAFF REPORTER

Riverside County canceled the Coachella Music and Art Festival and its country music compliment, Stagecoach, due to a possible increase in COVID-19 cases this season.

“I am concerned, as indications grow, that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County Public Health officer, said in a statement June 10. “Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward.

These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted.

My first priority is the health of the community.”

Goldenvoice, the Los Angeles-based company that produces the music festivals, announced in March that both Coachella and Stagecoach would be delayed until October. After Kaiser’s declaration last week, the organizers announced on social media the weekends of April 9-11 and April 1618 as the 2021 dates for both festivals, adding that they would be sharing new lineups as well.

The organizers also said that all 2020 passes will be honored next year.

According to Rolling Stone, multiple music industry insiders are now saying that the 21st edition of the popular music festival will be pushed a third time, to October 2021.

Sources who have been in direct communication with Goldenvoice said they have been asked to prepare for a move to the fall.

“A year without Coachella

JOYCE NUGENT | VIEWPOINTS

A sandy palm tree-lined road at the Empire Polo Club in Indio is quiet and empty Oct. 22. and Stagecoach is hard for us to comprehend, but we have every intention of returning in 2021,” Goldenvoice said in a statement June 11.

Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine were set to headline Coachella this month at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. The Stagecoach lineup included Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church,​​ Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, ZZ Top and Alan Jackson.

The two music festivals combined in 2017 generated over $403 million. Nearly 600,000 tickets were sold in 2019. The city of Indio received about $3 million from the Coachella Music Festival alone, around two-thirds of which was from ticket surcharges and another $1 million from associated sales tax revenues and transient occupancy taxes from campers.

“The financial consequences of the cancellation on the Coachella Valley and its more than $7 billion tourism industry

will be significant,” reported Scott White with the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Tourism is the number one economy for the Coachella Valley. It employs over 60,000 people.”

Although many locals don’t work directly in the music industry, businesses ranging from bike shops to food trucks to restaurants disproportionately rely on the festivals for their yearly income. Coachella, which usually admits over 100,000 people each day, is one of the biggest events of the season for the area’s one in four people who work in hospitality.

COVID-19 changed the economic circumstances of locals who have spent months planning for the Coachella rush.

“A lot of the people who have mom-and-pop businesses or people in the service industry work all winter long and save their money for those four to five months that it’s slower,” said Glenn Miller, the mayor of Indio,

the city that hosts Coachella.

When Old Town Peddlers, owned by Elisa and Gabriel Guerrero, attempted to rent out bikes for their first Coachella in 2015, they could not provide bikes for all the requests and subsequently invested in a fleet four times the original size. By April this year, they had secured enough reservations to rent their now 80-bike inventory.

When the festival was postponed in April, the cancellations came in fast.

“We’ve had to refund several thousand dollars of reservations,” Elisa Guerrero said. “There is a sense of cautious optimism. We want to believe people will still come out here, even if not for the concerts.”

Miller said he hopes to work with gas and electric agencies to find solutions for cash-strapped residents, but assured that Indio itself has reserves that will carry the city through.

“We’ll weather that storm and make the adjustments we need to

without any services being cut for our residents,” he said. “We’re going to look at what we can do to maybe roll back water bills or give people more time to pay.”

The inevitable downward spiral of business closures and unemployment brought on by the pandemic has become personal in the Coachella Valley.

According to a 2013 report by the Urban Institute, those facing long-term unemployment of six months or more face wide-ranging negative effects related to physical and mental health, including the breakdown of existing family structures, reduced future earning potential, declining performance of children in school and increased criminal activity.

“For small businesses and the unemployed, government grants and stimulus packages offer a temporary stay,” said Laura James, Coachella Valley Economic Partnership vice president of innovation. “But they can never replace a oncethriving business or meaningful work, nor can they repair damage to families and health.”

When new city budgets were approved in June, leaders largely hoped that by fall, business shutdowns would be coming to an end and “normal” would return.

Instead, the region is facing the very real possibility of nearly 17,000 people permanently losing their jobs and livelihoods.

The Coachella Valley has been closed for seven months and the impacts have been severe.

According to the partnership, continued shutdowns and further event cancellations will profoundly weaken not only the financial security of area residents, but their physical and emotional health as well.

News

October 29, 2020

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL HERNANDEZ

A Riverside police officer holds back a pro-Trump demonstrator after a physical altercation with an unidentified man at the intersection of Third and Market street in Riverside on Oct. 18. Black Lives Matter supporters walked over to the Trump rally at one point, but police presence dwindled after they returned to their side of Market Street.

Trump, BLM supporters face-off

MAGA crowd becomes hostile toward reporters ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The vitriol of some of Donald Trump’s supporters was put on display in downtown Riverside when Black Lives Matter supporters responded to a rally in favor of the president Oct. 18.

At one point, Black Lives Matter activists Junior Vilchiz, Azley Tellez Rivera and Kai King walked over to the pro-Trump demonstration and were met by police who urged them to stay on their side of the street.

The activists continued through the Trump rally as officers stood by. An unidentified man and a pro-Trump demonstrator began pushing each other, but police quickly intervened.

A Viewpoints photographer was shoved by a pro-Trump demonstrator during the altercation.

Trump supporters, who refused to identify themselves, became increasingly hostile toward Viewpoints reporters as the Black Lives Matter activists reached the southern end of the rally.

“Your professors are pieces of s---,” they angrily and repeatedly told Viewpoints reporters. “You guys are indoctrinated. Got enough photos for your lying a-newspaper?”

Some also said BLM stands for “Black Lazy Morons.”

Police presence dwindled as the Black Lives Matter supporters returned to their side of the street.

The two groups met at the intersection of Market and Third streets. A few dozen demonstrators lined each side of Market Street carrying Black Lives Matter, F--Trump and Trump 2020 flags.

“F--- Donald Trump,” a song by rapper YG, blasted on the Black Lives Matter side as demonstrators echoed the lyrics.

“F--- Black Lives Matter,” the Trump supporters responded.

Vilchiz noted that the Black Lives Matter protest was there to stand for Black and indigenous people.

“All power to the people,” Vilchiz said. “Since 1492, indigenous and Black people have been through so much pain. We’re tired of this corrupt system. We want equal rights for Brown and Black people.”

Vanessa Bramlage, 55, of Riverside, said she helped organize the Trump rally to support police as well as the president.

“They’re under the possibility of being defunded,” she said about law enforcement. “They need our support too. It’s not just about Trump. We want freedom of speech, freedom of religion. We believe all lives matter, including Black lives.”

Bramlage maintained that she does not have a problem with the opinions of Black Lives Matter activists, but that she wishes

demonstrators on her side would not be targeted. She alleged they have had water bottles thrown at them by passing vehicles and been approached with weapons at past rallies.

The two groups first met at a demonstration at the intersection of Tyler Street and Magnolia Avenue on Oct. 11. Black Lives Matter activists alleged that, at that rally, Trump supporters yelled racial slurs at them, including the n-word.

Bramlage admitted that some on the Trump side hurled racial slurs that day, although she argued both groups were disruptive.

“Yes, there were racial slurs,” she said. “Last weekend, both sides were out of hand.”

After walking through the Trump rally Oct. 18, King said the president’s supporters were unwilling to engage in productive conversation.

“These people are disillusioned,” he said. “Every time we go over there, we’re greeted by slurs. They need to look in the mirror. When we went to the other side, we were peaceful” Rivera, like Bramlage, maintained that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but urged participation in the upcoming election.

“It’s time for unity,” she said.

“This election is like none other.

We have an opportunity to make life for the next generation better than ours. If Trump wins, God help us.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL HERNANDEZ

A Donald Trump supporter yells at Black Lives Matter activists on the opposite side of Market Street.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL HERNANDEZ

Black Lives Matter activists counter protest Donald Trump supporters from the west side of Market street.

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October 29, 2020

News

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

A crowd of supporters of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom join Disneyland employees in calling for the state to reopen the theme park in Anaheim on Oct. 17.

State receives calls for Disneyland to reopen Employees face layoffs, protesters aim to recall governor ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The happiest place on Earth is not likely to fully reopen any time soon.

State guidance on reopening theme parks issued Oct. 20 allows small parks to reopen at 25% capacity or 500 people, whichever is fewer, as long as the parks’ respective counties are in the tier of moderate COVID-19 transmission risk.

But larger parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood will not be able to reopen until their respective counties reach the state’s least restrictive tier. That could take several more months.

Downtown Disney and its many shops have begun a phased reopening, though, with COVID-19 safety practices in place. The theme park plans to open up more shopping and dining along Buena Vista Street in November.

Eddie and Brandi Molina, a married couple from Houston, Texas, visited Downtown Disney on Oct. 17. Brandi Molina, 30,

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

A man confronts Recall Gavin Newsom petitioners for not wearing masks at Disneyland’s main entrance. had not been there since her high school grad night in 2009.

“It’s so sad,” she said about the theme park’s shutdown. “I grew up on Disney.”

The two said they visited Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida recently. After experiencing what they called high cleanliness and

customer service standards in Orlando, the couple argued the Anaheim location could likely reopen safely.

“It is what you make of it,” Eddie Molina, 30, said. “Go in with an open mind, wear a mask, get your temperature checked.

It’s still fun.”

Isollina Correa, 56, of Anaheim, agreed.

“Disneyland is very thorough and very strict,” she said. “You know every time someone gets off a ride, they are going to sanitize it.”

Correa, a Disneyland employee, said she understands

that COVID-19 safety is necessary, but questioned why some places, such as bars, were allowed to open while others were not.

The closure affects not only the park itself, but all the restaurants and hotels in the surrounding area, she argued.

A rally pushing for the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom broke out at Disneyland’s main entrance Oct. 17. Attendees argued the governor is strangling the economy and putting people out of work.

Disneyland announced Sept.

29 that it would be laying off 28,000 workers at its Anaheim and Orlando locations. Disney parks boss Josh D’Amaro has said the difficult decision came as a result of the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Eddie Molina, a construction worker, sympathized with the affected workers.

“I’m thankful my industry is considered essential,” he said.

“I’m really sorry for all the people whose livelihoods depend on Disney. COVID-19 is not going away. We have to be safe but we can’t just live in fear.”

“A viewer’s imagination is a powerful story-teller and can often come up with things way more frightening than what you can explicitly show in a horror movie ... try to engage that imagination, and the results can be magical.”

- Mike Flanagan

LIFE

October 29, 2020

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‘Bly Manor’ does horror better than ‘AHS’

Director levels up to genre greats in chilling new miniseries ALYSSA ALDRETE STAFF REPORTER

If you’re still harping on being stuck inside this Halloween, open up Netflix, start up “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” and be thankful that it could be worse: you could be one of the doomed characters conjured up in the mind of Mike Flanagan.

“Bly Manor” is the second horror miniseries to come from Flanagan and loosely follows the plot of the 1898 novella “The Turn of the Screw,” but not without adding some signature scare flares of his own.

The tale tells the story of newly-hired nanny Dani (Victoria Pedretti), who has just arrived in London and has been commissioned by Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) to look after his recently orphaned niece and nephew. The job brings her to Bly Manor, where she is introduced to the children, Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith), as well as the other employees of the estate, which include a gardener, housekeeper, a cook and a couple of ghosts to kick it up a notch.

During the car ride into the grounds of the estate, Dani is amazed by the rolling hills and the misty lake surrounding the looming manor.

Bearing an ear-to-ear smile and a sense of relief to escape her guilt-ridden past in the States, Dani shares that she is happy to be in a place like Bly. Owen, the cook who has taken on the role of driver as well, looks down his glasses into the rear view mirror with a straight face, remarking that the town is just “one big gravity well and it’s easy to get stuck.”

ILLUSTRATION BY KYIESHA CHAVEZ | VIEWPOINTS

“The Haunting of Bly Manor,” created by Mike Flanagan, stars Victoria Pedretti and was released Oct. 9.

So begins the chilling idea that encompasses the supernatural journey ahead for the new nanny and all those residing at Bly Manor. Their tales are told through both flashbacks and present-day moments, revealing the sinister happenings at the home.

At first glance, it seems that “Bly Manor” may not be the fright-fest that its predecessor was. However, assuming that and listening to the “not-as-scary” claims would be a disservice to the genius that Flanagan and his crew work so hard to perfect in

this new series.

The ensemble cast and the ideas given to them by Flanagan are essentially doing what “American Horror Story” set out to do, but they are doing it better.

There are a handful of familiar faces returning in this series (Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Kate Siegel), but with entirely different roles to take on, and they do it tremendously.

English-born actor JacksonCohen steals his scenes portraying Peter Quint, with an uncanny Scottish accent and a range of

emotional scenes that have you teetering between “is he or isn’t he the bad guy?”

Alongside his performance are the two other standout roles of Miles and Flora. Smith (Flora) and Ainsworth (Miles) take the classic creepy kid roles and run with them. Usually, these roles are reliant on taught body-language and director’s cues, but what these kids bring to their roles, I simply feel can’t be taught.

At such a young age, Smith and Ainsworth accomplish lengthy scenes filled with split-personality

traits and the verbiage to go with it, making it seem like you are presented with an entirely different set of children each time the camera pans back to them.

And yes, avid watchers of “Hill House” will notice that there are no uses of hidden figures in the shadows, no imagery quite as shocking as the Bent-Neck Lady and no ghostly attacks each episode.

Instead, “Bly Manor” presents a new concept of slow-burn horror, which makes it even scarier. Every horror fan wants the jump scares that “Hill House” brought, but everyone appreciative of the genre wants those feelings that creep back up over your ear when you turn the lights off in your house at night.

Flanagan has joined the ranks of directors like Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) and Ari Aster (“Hereditary”) in making his mark on the culture of horror by bringing nuanced styles to the table. In replacement of your expected ghastly figure in the first episode, there is just something in the way that what you’re seeing is not what it seems.

There’s something chilling in the way the typical person-inthe-mirror ruse is not what you’d ever expect. There’s something disturbing in the way Miles and Flora speak just a little too grown up. And there’s something that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up during a monologue of Owen’s where he reveals a sinister truth without missing a beat.

Even more chilling is the fact that when you do finish this series — in the middle of a quarantined pandemic, no less — you may just have to check for clues to make sure you aren’t stuck inside your own gravity well.

8

October 29, 2020

Life

Creepy albums for a homemade haunt

Jam out in the safety and comfort of your own home this October STEPHANIE ARENAS STAFF REPORTER

With Halloween just days away, one may feel discouraged to celebrate the holiday due to COVID-19.

However, you shouldn’t feel that way, as there are plenty of other ways to celebrate.

Many may watch Halloween movies or perhaps even host a Zoom party with their friends.

Personally, I can’t wait to get into the mood with some of my favorite spooky music this Halloween season.

Here are three albums to get you into the Halloween spirit.

Danzig (1988) This 1988 record was heavy metal band Danzig’s debut album. After disbanding with The Misfits, lead singer Glenn Danzig formed this band in Lodi, New Jersey in 1987.

With the blend of heavy metal and blues rock, this band was able to create a unique voice in the rock music scene.

This album stirred up a lot of controversy during its release.

Parents classified the lyrics as “disturbing” and “satanic.”

However, when you look into lyrics in songs such as “Mother” and “Am I Demon,” you can see how these statements were simply just an overreaction.

The music video to the song “Mother” was banned from MTV due to “controversial imagery,” which I believe makes it more of a reason to check this album

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIAN NAVARRO | VIEWPOINTS

Gothic classics can stir even a jack-o-lantern’s soul and add to the frightening aesthetic of your holiday, COVID-19 pandemic or not. out this Halloween.

Type O Negative’s ‘Bloody Kisses’ Released in 1993, “Bloody Kisses” is the third studio album

by American goth rock band Type O Negative. Lead singer Peter Steele was well-known for his vampire-esque style, deep bass vocals and a towering height of over 6 feet, 8 inches.

“His lyrics were often intensely personal, dealing with love, loss and addiction,”

Billboard journalist Mick Stingley said back in 2010. “Yet he infused his writing with great wit and self-deprecating, dark humor which endeared him to his fans.”

“Bloody Kisses” contains songs that were seen as controversial by many. The song “Christian Woman” tells the tale of a religious woman who has a sexual encounter with Steele.

Many religious groups have thought this song to be highly offensive.

Steele died of sepsis caused

by diverticulitis in 2010 at 48 years old. Type O Negative disbanded soon after.

“We don’t have any interest in continuing,” drummer Johnny Kelly said back in 2011 in an interview with TV4. “When Peter died, Type O Negative died with him.”

DottiR’s ‘Fortress of Thugitude: The Instrumentals’ If you are looking for a more background music type of deal, then this album by Icelandic

group DottiR is for you.

Available for free on YouTube and Bandcamp, “Fortress of Thugitude: The Instrumentals” gives a more dark and spooky vibe for this Halloween season.

Released in 2014, this album features 22 songs of different eerie instrumental music. A different version of this album simply titled “Fortress of Thugitude” is available for those who are not into instrumentals.

H o w e v e r, p e r s o n a l l y I believe this version ties in with the Halloween vibe perfectly.

‘Social Distance’ portrays the reality of our new normal Netlix debuts series focused on communication in the age of COVID-19 KYIESHA CHAVEZ STAFF REPORTER

This year has been a strange year to say the least.

With the pandemic putting everything at a standstill for the past seven months, sometimes it’s difficult to remember anything besides COVID-19.

Netflix’s new anthology series “Social Distance” encapsulates this strange time perfectly.

Set in the first few months of the shutdown, the eight-episode show has been advertised by Netflix as showcasing “the power of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty and isolation.” The show starts in April and ends in May. It focuses on how different people are coping with the effects of quarantine as well as the start of the Black Lives Matter protests in late May after the death of George Floyd.

This completely remotelyfilmed project displays the video calls, laptop screens and the

COVID-19 era events we’ve all become far too familiar with this year.

A small barber shop owner struggles to make virtual haircuts a thing. Partners new and old have bitter arguments due to constantly being together at home. A mother has to work while simultaneously keeping an eye on her school-age child.

A grieving family gets worked up over Zoom because of one uncle not being able to figure out how to unmute his microphone on his own.

These are just some of the moments we will all look back on with not only disdain, but maybe even fondness in a few years.

Jenji Kohan, also known for creating “Weeds” and “Orange is the New Black,” created “Social Distance.” Each episode features a different story with a different cast, so everyone can find a specific portion to personally connect to.

The use of technology in this way for production also shows the realities of that use.

ILLUSTRATION BY KYIESHA CHAVEZ | VIEWPOINTS

“Social Distance” is directed by Jenji Kohan, the creator of “Weeds.”

The pandemic has brought up a need to connect with others with social distancing rules in place, but it’s also shown the disconnect

between us as humans.

We’re looking at webcam lenses and screens instead of eyes and talking to microphones

instead of ears.

It gives us an illusion of connection when this pandemic has brought us farther apart than we’ve been before.

What made this show stand out to me is how genuine and intimate it felt.

This is something we’re all surviving through, but we don’t see what life is like for others once the video chats end.

“Social Distance” describes how people clash because of experiencing the world differently from each other and does a good job of showing how most of us just dance around those differences to avoid conflict.

While “Social Distance” is a roller coaster of emotions jammed into eight episodes, it was an eye opening and honest glimpse into the lives that some people may be living now.

Technology may not be working to connect us, but Kohan’s project is a well done attempt at doing what shows do best: connecting us through emotion.

10

October 29, 2020

Life

AMAIRANI ROMERO | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside residents gather around to photograph a decorated house at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Chapman Place just south of Riverside City College.

Spooky season survives COVID-19

Alternative celebrations for this scary holiday NEYRA RODRIGUEZ STAFF REPORTER

In previous years, people would party with their friends and family on Halloween night.

Some people would stay home, with a bowl of popcorn and a bucket of candy, and enjoy a Halloween movie marathon.

But most children preferred dressing up in their favorite costumes and going trick-ortreating.

Unfortunately, many children will not get to hit the streets on the search for candy this year because of COVID-19. Although many people will be staying in Oct. 31, some risk-takers will be out there trick-or-treating and partying. Others will defy health officials’ advice by handing out candy.

When celebrating this season, it is imperative to implement certain regulations to lower the risk of spreading the virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when planning to host a holiday celebration, you should assess current COVID-19 levels in your community to determine whether to postpone, cancel or limit the number of attendees.

When trick-or-treating, the CDC recommends avoiding direct contact, giving out treats

outdoors, setting up a station with individually-bagged treats for kids to take, washing hands before handling treats and wearing a mask.

“Riverside keeps going backwards,” said Marina Garrison, a Riverside City College student. “It is not the best idea for kids to go trickor-treating, but I think there are alternatives for little kids to still enjoy Halloween.”

Although Halloween will be different, there are some good alternatives to keep things fun and interesting.

The CDC suggests activities such as decorating your home, pumpkin carving with members of your household or outside with neighbors or friends, and walking from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.

Garrison proposed that small businesses, like ice cream shops, set up events where children could come in dressed in costumes and get free food or candy.

In order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, Garrison said parents can set up Halloween activities for children at home instead of going out trick-ortreating from house to house.

Kelsey-Sue Klocksieben, another RCC student, argued that people are becoming frustrated as Halloween approaches.

“People already miss social

interaction and they miss a life without restrictions,” she said.

“They are becoming antsy. They are also beginning to disregard social distancing guidelines and mask-wearing just so they can get a taste of what normality feels like.”

If not for the disregard of social distancing guidelines, Klocksieben said people may have been allowed to have small Halloween get-togethers.

“As much as we want things to go back to normal, they aren’t going to go back anytime soon,” she said. “We have to accept that and find other methods to entertain ourselves during Halloween.”

Khari “Big Kass” Butler is a haunted house actor and has been scaring people since he was in elementary school.

This year he will be performing at the Victoria Manor Haunted House. Admission will be $10.

“Those of you who are brave enough will come see Big Kass before Halloween,” he said.

All in all, Halloween is about more than just ghouls and goblins. It’s about spending time with your loved ones and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

If you’re going out, be safe.

The Victoria Mansion Haunted House is located at 9976 Bonita Vista Road in Apple Valley.

For more information, visit h t t p s : / / w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / victoriamanorhauntedhouse/

AMAIRANI ROMERO | VIEWPOINTS

A decorative corpse in a coffin is displayed at a residential home near the intersection of Bandini and Brockton avenues in Riverside.

Those of you who are brave enough will come see Big Kass before Halloween.

-- Khari “Big Kass” Butler, haunted house actor at the Victoria Manor Haunted House

October 29, 2020

Life

11

Día De Muertos celebrations continue

Mexican cultural tradition remains strong as the year comes to a close

JENNIPHER VAZQUEZ STAFF REPORTER

With Día de Muertos quickly approaching, people across the state are finding new ways to celebrate the holiday safely while still honoring their ancestors.

Día de Muertos, known as Día de Los Muertos in the United States, is a holiday originating from indigenous Mexican culture that welcomes dead friends and family back to the living realm and honors the love and respect between the living and the dead.

Family and friends of the deceased will often celebrate by creating altars, or “ofrendas,” consisting of candles, colorful decorations, photos of their loved ones and food offerings to welcome them back. Bright marigold petals are used to decorate as a guide for the souls of the deceased back to their resting places.

The California Department of Public Health has recommended safer ways to celebrate to prevent the spread of COVID-19 ahead of the holiday, which takes place Nov. 1-2.

Recommendations include virtual altars, placing the altars by windows to allow others to view from a safe distance, and limiting time during cemetery visits, while encouraging the use of masks and social distancing.

Several organizations are making the switch to virtual altars in place of the walk through displays done annually to commemorate the holiday.

The Coachella Valley History Museum is hosting a virtual Día de Los Muertos celebration and

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY | FLICKR

Altars are commonly used during the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexican tradition. They glorify and honor past loved ones who are believed to return home to their families Nov. 1 and 2. fundraiser through Nov. 8. The museum is allowing individuals to submit pictures of their loved ones to its website an online community altar, which will be displayed throughout the celebration.

The event will host a variety of musical performances, cultural presentations and art displays to honor the holiday and allow space to safely celebrate as a community.

“We love the tradition of the day of the dead,” said Gloria Franz, event chair at the Coachella Valley History Museum. “It’s very much of the past meets the

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present. It’s fun, it’s colorful, it gets people together. It’s just a lot of fun and I didn’t want to let it go away because of (COVID-19).

So we decided to take it virtual.”

The museum is hoping to draw in a larger audience virtually while maintaining the sacredness of the celebration and the culture behind it.

“The biggest thing is the importance of family,” Franz said. “We don’t forget them.

That’s what this allows people to do.”

Arte Américas, a nonprofit cultural center and art gallery located in downtown Fresno,

is proceeding with its Día de Muertos festival while implementing health and safety guidelines.

The event is selling tickets for people to walk through its gallery of altar displays, art, poetry and many other exhibitions.

“We are only allowing 25 people at a time,” said Ruth Saludes, Arte Américas executive director.

According to Saludes, the center will live stream the gallery as someone explains the purpose and construction of altars.

The center is encouraging people to bring in photos of

their loved ones to add to the community altar.

Arte Américas is hoping to shed light on ongoing social injustices throughout their celebration, focusing on issues like immigration, civil rights, caged children, homelessness and climate change.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Saludes said. “Seeing all the suffering of people who are still languishing on the other side of the border because they are seeking asylum. We’re concerned about all of that.”

She emphasized the importance of remembering that Día de Muertos is a positive celebration.

“It’s a time to bring those who have departed back, to spend time with them and celebrate their lives and integrate it with our own lives,” she said. “It’s a really happy time.”

Festival goers are anticipating the event and hoping to continue annual traditions as part of their celebration.

“It’s important to keep going with it because if the tradition is lost within generations, then we have nothing to hold dear or carry on with,” said Kimberly Hernandez, 18, of Fresno.

Hernandez attends the Día de Muertos event in downtown Fresno every year.

“You want (to) think your passed loved ones are rested and happy, which is why you leave them treats,” Hernandez said.

Celebrations are being held across the state, each event with their own special method of continuing on with tradition and passing it on to generations to come.

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October 29, 2020

Life

Interracial couples face challenges

Relationships navigate racial division in present-day America ANIELA RUSSO STAFF REPORTER

Candace Owens recently faced off with Cardi B after the rapper called Owens’ White husband a racial slur.

“My ancestors fought so I could have the right to marry who I love,” Owens said.

Not much has changed since President John F. Kennedy refused to allow Sammy Davis Jr. to perform at his inauguration.

Davis, alongside Frank Sinatra, campaigned to get Kennedy elected and was scheduled to perform at the inauguration. The Kennedys had Sinatra uninvite Davis when they found out he had married May-Britt, a white actress.

Mike Brooks, a Riverside County resident, grew up in Orange County. As a teenager, Brooks, who is Black, dated women of various races from Latinas to Asians in the heavily White county.

Brooks is a personal trainer and the father of three girls from a previous marriage to a Black woman. He is now with Danielle Brooks, a White woman and a school teacher who he met on Facebook.

The couple actually attended the same high school and didn’t know one another, but knew of each other. They married Oct. 24.

Although Brooks didn’t face major issues being raised in a predominantly white community, he said people made comments.

But his parents taught him to be

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE BROOKS

Mike Brooks and his wife Danielle live in Riverside County. They married Oct. 24. confident and not to hate others.

He learned to let things go.

As a result of the spike in racial tension this year, many interracial couples are facing some of the same challenges that Davis did.

“I’m very passionate about my ethnicity and everything going on,” Brooks said. “When certain things happen like police brutality, it hits home. Danielle will see my attitude change and my emotions flare-up. It’s hard for her. Obviously, her being White she can have empathy, but I want sympathy.”

Brooks said things are better

because they work through their issues and Danielle is a great listener. He explained that he gets emotional at times and some of his comments about White people offend Danielle. But he does not talk about her or her family directly.

“I have to be more sensitive to what I say, so I don’t sound like some White people when they talk about Black (people),” he said.

Brooks assured he is respectful to Danielle’s family and his family loves her.

“Some of Danielle’s family may teeter on some ignorance

that has come her way in the midst of the election and the Black Lives Matter movement,” he said. “People are more brazen and bold about their opinions and she has had to deal with that.

Learning some of her family members and their opinions, it’s been tougher on her than it has been on me.”

Brooks added that he does not allow comments like the ones made by Cardi B to bother him.

“I know who I am,” he said.

“I grew up in the O.C. and either I wasn’t Black enough, or there was the other side — I was too Black. Comments like that don’t

bother me one bit because I am in touch with my Blackness. I was raised not to discriminate against anyone, ever. Those types of comments roll off my back.”

Mike didn’t choose Danielle because she was White. He chose her because they get along, have things in common and are in love.

As we face the presidential election this November, Brooks’ words don’t differ much from those of Davis.

“With all the racial tension I endured, I never turned around and hated right back,” Davis once said. “There was always some White guy like Frank Sinatra who helped me back up.”

When Davis married his blond wife, it made headlines The couple received death threats and had to hire security.

In her book “Sammy Davis Jr.: A Personal History with My Father,” Davis’ daughter Tracey, wrote that they removed her father’s name from the list of entertainers at Kennedy’s inaugural party. When Davis married Britt, it was still a crime to do so in some 31 states. It is legal in all states today.

Just this month, Prince Harry and his biracial wife, Meghan Markle, spoke about the challenges of their interracial marriage. The couple also announced their launch of an anti-racism campaign.

“It’s not about pointing the finger, it is not about blame,” Prince Harry has said. “This is about learning and about how we can make it better.”

Chomsky offers critique of American democracy Progressive philosopher’s 1988 book calls out propagandizing Book Review OLIVIA DROBNY NEWS EDITOR

Early voter turnout is already reaching record numbers and it is safe to say that this is not a normal election year.

Americans and the world have been treated to a political reality show over the past four years. Although this cycle might seem out of the ordinary, it is simply an exaggerated example of our definition of American democracy.

Noam Chomsky’s “Manufacturing Consent,” published in 1988, offers a scathing rebuke of the façade of American democracy and identifies the role of the greater American public in government.

The media’s broadcasting of empty propaganda convinces us

of our agency as political beings.

Ask yourself: How often do you participate in shaping our democracy?

Some of you might be consistently involved in political organizations, but the vast majority of Americans will answer that their only political participation takes place in the voting booth. When elections end, we fade into the background and watch political events play out in ways we may or may not support, but always without our direct consent.

The drama of news cycles reporting over the course of the last four years is no mistake.

Chomsky explains how popular media serves as a distraction for the average American masses and keeps us in our place as observers rather than true participants — akin to sports fans rooting for their chosen teams.

Chomsky’s analysis is a logical criticism of what we call democracy in the United States of America. Our two-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMON OOSTERMAN | FLICKR

Auckland University students hold a sign that reads “Manufacturing Consent” while occupying Symonds Street in New Zealand in 2012. party system perpetuated by a long-term and strategically designed disinformation campaign convinces us of our ability to affect true change while simultaneously suppressing our participation. This is perhaps

more dangerous than outright totalitarian rule.

In the second half of his book, Chomsky offers an interesting theoretical story about an Ivy League educated Martian who majored in journalism studies. The

Martian, an objective observer, recognizes the significance of historical context. He is very deliberate with deciphering the meaning of terrorism and takes an intellectual journey to properly apply the term to the events playing out on earth.

Although Chomsky’s work is a powerful educational tool, the tone of his writing is problematic in that it has the potential to be misinterpreted as an approval of the broken system. A studied reader of progressive literature will recognize Chomsky’s certain tone, not as an endorsement, but as a cynical acknowledgment.

This could be confusing for a reader who is less familiar with the genre.

Chomsky confronts the prevailing narrative of American democracy with an uncomfortable and controversial analysis. Since the 1950s, he has written a large number of compelling political publications on propaganda, human rights and international affairs.

“We are of different opinions at different hours, but we always may be said to be at heart on the side of the truth” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

VIEWS

October 29, 2020

13

Lane splitting encourages reckless driving

ASHLEY HAYNER OPINIONS EDITOR

California is the only state that legally allows motorcyclists to share lanes with other drivers.

It is said that the benefits to owning a motorcycle are great gas mileage and the ability to bob and weave your way through traffic. This method helps motorcyclists reach their destinations on time, regardless of traffic. Sometimes they even arrive earlier. But in doing so, lane splitting, can cost drivers harmful injuries or even death.

When motorcyclists speed and filter through lanes, it can potentially startle drivers in their cars. This can cause drivers to get angry and possibly result in road rage and unnecessary violence. Or, startled drivers

might mistakenly step on the gas and ram into someone else, causing yet another accident.

At stop lights, motorcyclists are known for creeping up to the light from behind the row of stopped cars. This may have happened to you as a driver at some point. But when drivers are eager to drive off immediately once the light turns green, the sudden movement of cars speeding off can potentially cause a motorcyclist to lose balance and fall into traffic.

The biggest concern for many drivers in lane splitting is when a motorcyclist bobs and weaves through traffic, riding over the white diving lanes.

Lane splitting poses many dangers. When lane splitting at high speeds, motorcyclists risk losing balance when hitting unexpected bumps. The motorcyclist can be hidden in drivers’ blind spots and quickly changing lanes and ramming into a car that is also changing lanes can cause bodily injury to both drivers.

Scratches and bumps can be repaired, vehicles can be replaced, but the main concern here is the safety of all drivers.

Riding too fast causes drivers to overreact and get frustrated when only seeing a sudden flash of light zooming by.

Since it is legal to share lanes with motorcyclists in California,

PHOTO COURTESY OF OPTIMAL CLAIM | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A motorcycle lies wrecked and on its side after an accident with an automobile on the road. all driving parties should be alert and mindful of everyone on the road.

A motorcyclist holding up traffic because they are doing stunts on the freeway is a hazardous and disrespectful, as is acting like you are going to run a motorcyclist off the road.

When driving at high speeds, filtering through traffic, sharing and splitting lanes is a recipe for disaster. Motorcyclists do not have time to see unexpected lumps and bumps in the road due to uneven surfaces that have not yet been fixed. Doing this at night is even worse due to low

visibility, as is doing this during wet weather.

Banning lane splitting and filtering would help lower the rate of motorcyclists killed each year. Right now, the total deaths involving motorcyclists averages around 500 each year and has increased by 11 % since 2016.

Pundits misinterpret political ideologies

OLIVIA DROBNY NEWS EDITOR

Words are important.

Yo u a r e r e a d i n g t h i s newspaper and the words you are reading matter. Words shape arguments, describe emotions, paint mental pictures, show movement.

To d a y i n A m e r i c a , w e seem to have forgotten that words have meaning. We are an overconfident society that prefers reckless self-righteousness over truth and reality.

Our national political discourse is the perfect place to find the use of antagonistic and inappropriate vocabulary. The terms “Marxist” and “fascist” are

commonly misused.

According to Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-TX, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, is a Marxist.

According to Scott Baio, Democrats are simultaneously fascists and Marxist.

Dramatic trigger words are excellent for ratings, but what does sensational language do for our democracy? We throw these two words around, but do we really know what they mean?

Americans learn about political ideologies through a lens clouded by our own political biases. The dominant historical narrative is written by powerholders whose agenda is to advance their own interests.

Capitalist ideology is and always has been the United States’ primary motivator. This has been identified as such by American leadership throughout history. To achieve these ends, the United States has waged physical wars in Afghanistan against the USSR, in Vietnam against the Viet Cong, and on the Korean peninsula against the Korean Peoples’ Army. Democratically elected governments in Bolivia and Argentina have fallen victim to covert CIA support for right wing political coups.

But, most important to this discussion, American citizens have been subjected to an aggressive propaganda campaign in their own country — in their own homes.

The hysteria of the Red Scare, a campaign spearheaded by Robert McCartney to root out communists and communist sympathizers, survives today.

The communist enemy is so salient in the shared American psyche that there is no room for understanding. There is a bizarre patriotic pride in misinterpreting Marxist ideology.

Karl Marx, in his original manifesto, advocates for the decentralization of state and military power, a shared and planned economy, and a basic standard of living for every member of society.

While Marxism sits far to the left on the grand political scale, fascism takes its place on the far right.

Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party, the original fascist movement, proudly claimed the title. Although Mussolini himself was a Marxist for the first years of his life, he would eventually come to believe that Marxist ideals had failed. He

IMAGE COURTESY OF ARTISTOSTELES | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Karl Marx published the Communist Manifesto along with Friedrich Engels in 1848. abandoned them in favor of brutal totalitarian rule.

M u s s o l i n i ’s r e i g n w a s categorized by a highly centralized government with a strict power hierarchy, a highly militarized police state, and persecution of nonconforming groups like Jews and immigrants.

Anyone with a basic understanding of history and the political spectrum understands fascism and Marxism are incompatible ideologies that cannot coexist.

But what about the totalitarian regimes of paranoid despots

Stalin and Mao? Indeed, these were horrible and violently repressive societies. There is no question.

However, these governments do not reflect an accurate representation of Marxist ideology. The roots of Lenin’s Soviet Union were based in Marxist philosophy, but a pure implementation of that ideology quickly withered away to make room for a highly centralized and militarized totalitarianism that is exceedingly similar to the fascist model.

Perhaps a more appropriate word to describe these regimes is “red fascism,” because based on the nature of Stalin & Mao’s governments, they are categorically not Marxist.

When pundits use these words – fascism and Marxism – in tandem without understanding the reality of their definitions, it erodes the quality of our democratic dialogue.

We must be intentional with our words, strategically choosing those that reflect exactly what we mean. Consistently bloating our vocabularies with powerful language indubitably causes division by triggering a breakdown in communication.

14

Views

October 29, 2020

Journalism is essential to democracy

Editorial

Freedom of the press should be protected at all costs “The First Amendment is first for a reason,” legendary comedian Dave Chappelle has said.

And there is a reason freedom of the press is one of the foremost rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. Journalism is one of the first lines of defense against wrongdoing in government, society and private industry. The Founding Fathers understood this.

Journalists earned their reputations as the “watchdogs” of democracy throughout the centuries. American muckrakers such as Upton Sinclair have contributed to the idea that, in this country, every wrong should be righted.

But according to Gallup’s 2020 governance poll, Americans’ trust in the media has declined significantly over the past decade — and the chances of recovering that trust look bleak.

We, the Viewpoints editorial board, reiterate that the media is not the enemy of the people, even though President Donald Trump has branded us as such. Still, we acknowledge that criticism of the media is warranted and necessary.

One of the issues here is that media literacy seems to be just as low as media trust in this country. Americans tune into CNN, MSNBC and Fox News daily for an intake of opinion mistaken for news reporting.

But commentators are not reporters. As consumers are bombarded with national news coverage on politics, protests and COVID-19, they miss the crucial details of what is going on in their own communities.

Local print journalism, underfunded and never bailed out, lacks the resources to keep you abreast of the issues that directly affect you on a daily basis.

The average reader also fails to understand that their local paper’s opinion page has little to do with the boots-on-the-ground reporters in the news section.

From day one, these reporters are taught standards, ethics and factual reporting. Whether or not consumers agree with those facts is out of our control. But facts are not up for debate and require no agreement.

Consumers must beware of something called confirmation bias.

Much of the public has fallen victim to this fallacy in reasoning, which is characterized by a tendency to seek out and favor information that confirms one’s cemented beliefs. Both sides of the political aisle are guilty of this. It is not completely their fault, though.

When someone feels they have been lied to, there is a reason for it and we should listen. This is where Trump gets it right. Whether or not he acts in the interest of his supporters rather than his cronies is up for debate, but the president listens to his base.

Still, those who have been swayed into believing the claims of “fake news” — most of which come from the right — should study some history and compare it to the president’s inability to withstand the media’s scrutiny.

Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson, whose fame skyrocketed in 2016 for his criticism of attempts to legislate the use of gender neutral pronouns, admits that the regulation of free speech is one of the first steps taken toward authoritarianism. Although his criticism was aimed at the left, the same criticism should be equally applied to the American right, which happens to be in power right now.

This is because the matter has nothing to do with left and right,

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEMYSELFANEYE | PIXABAY

but with democracy and autocracy. Those who distrust the media should be mindful that autocratic leaders throughout history, from both sides of the aisle, silenced and then controlled the media.

During his presidency, Trump has removed reporters from press briefings and attempted to change libel laws. Much of this fuss has been over factual reporting and legitimate questioning by journalists. While Trump is not the first president to remove reporters from around him, his blatant attacks on journalism pose the greatest threat to press freedom in modern American history.

Media scrutiny of the president, or any other politician, does not aim for a political coup. It is conducted in the name of public service. Whether voters with unwavering faith in their politicians believe it or not, every leader should be questioned, investigated and watched closely.

The media is not perfect. But to call it the enemy of the people is incorrect and dangerous to the very principles those screaming “fake news” claim America stands for.

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.

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WHEN THEY’RE TUNING YOU OUT.

NEVER GIVE UP UNTIL THEY BUCKLE UP.

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16

October 29, 2020

Blue finally comes through LESLY GONZALEZ STAFF REPORTER

Southern California turned blue Oct. 27 as the Los Angeles Dodgers became World Series champions for the first time since 1988.

This year’s MLB season was full of mixed emotions. Not only were sports put on hold for some time due to COVID-19, but the Los Angeles Dodgers made it to the World Series for the third time in four years — with the previous two appearances being lost in heartbreak and marred by a cheating scandal by their opponents.

The Dodgers faced the Houston Astros in the 2017 World Series and lost in seven games. Then the Dodgers made it to the World Series again in 2018 against the Boston Red Sox. That series was devastating as well, as the Dodgers won only one game and lost an 18-inning game three that ran seven hours in the usual brutal fashion.

But the offseason saw the Dodgers sign star Mookie Betts from those Red Sox and the wheels were put in motion for their past demons to be exorcised.

“I thought the Dodgers had it in their pocket after the last game,” said Alan Rodriguez, a fan from Riverside. “But after seeing Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Rays, (hit) a home run in the first inning against the Dodgers, I’m not sure anymore.”

The Rays led the game 1-0 until the sixth inning. Tampa Bay pitcher Blake Snell struck out nine Dodgers and only allowed two hits through the sixth, shutting down Los Angeles’ offense. Fans were nervous.

But the Dodgers scored two runs immediately after Snell was removed from the game.

Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes reached home on a wild pitch by reliever Nick Anderson after Betts doubled. With Betts on third after the wild pitch, series MVP Corey Seager hit into a fielder’s choice. As it did all post season, Betts’ speed and baseball IQ proved beneficial as he beat the play at the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

“This win will mean so much for us,” said Oscar Gonzalez, a Dodgers fan from Corona, as he awaited a Los Angeles triumph.

“We have waited years for a championship. It’s been 32 years since the Dodgers won a World Series.”

Betts provided one more insurance run by taking Pete Fairbanks deep in the bottom of the eighth inning. Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias closed out the game and fireworks went off across Southern California in celebration.

SPORTS

“Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what’s going on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.”

-Jackie Robinson

Sports Column

Sports gender wage gap unfair

Women’s teams deserve more viewership

DANIELA RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER

The gender wage gap in sports is a taboo subject to many Americans.

But why does the gap exist?

Sexism and lack of representation is, in my opinion, the reason.

The problem isn’t the ability of these amazing women, it’s the lack of mass media representation. Fewer people watching means less money, and that’s less money going into women’s athletics programs.

That means less progress.

According to Forbes, the highest paid WNBA player, D e Wa n n a B o n n e r e a r n e d $127,500 during the 2020 season.

Conversely, the highest paid NBA player, Stephen Curry, earned $40.2 million during this season. The entire National Pro Fastpitch Softball League had $117,000 to split amongst its players in 2019. The Boston Red Sox had a $227 million budget.

Media companies pick and choose what they show. Frankly, the way the system is set up makes men’s sports more popular due to extensive promotion.

Men’s sports are just more in demand in American society.

The U.S. women’s soccer

ILLUSTRATION BY DANI REBOLLEDO | VIEWPOINTS

Female athletes are paid less, even when outperforming their male counterparts in their respective sports. team won the World Cup in 2015.

The men’s team was eliminated in the first round.

Fans jumped on the women’s soccer bandwagon during the World Cup, but once it was over everything went back to normal.

It should also be noted that the women’s bonuses to play for a national team is much less than the men’s bonuses.

I n 2 0 1 9 , t h e w o m e n ’s soccer team sued the U.S. Soccer Federation for gender discrimination.

The women want equal pay for both teams. Equal pay shouldn’t be a subject that requires lawsuits to achieve.

It should be a given fact that

any two athletes, regardless of gender, should receive equal pay if their performances meet the standards.

Sexism plays a huge role here.

But the narrow mindsets people have today are not shocking.

Many still believe women do not belong in sports and aren’t equal to men. Obviously, those same people are not watching any women sports, contributing to the lack of views television stations are getting.

Soon enough the ratings on women’s games may get low enough for the media to cut the programs all together, adding to the lack of representation.

Women will always be

questioned, will always be sexualized and not taken seriously by some people. Other than ratings and funding, it’s the way society sets the standards for what it thinks sports should be.

Equal pay in sports, and in many other occupations, is a driving issue for many across the country. Payment should be based on performance shown through skills, not on gender.

If the issue is a lack of funding for women’s teams, obviously money is not being correctly distributed.

But since funding relies, in-part, on views, it is time for America to give women’s sports more of an opportunity.