Viewpoints Fall 2017 issue No. 6 Nov 16 2017 by RCC Viewpoints

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VOL. XCVIII, NO. 6

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Tigers football limps to playoffs

Riverside City College football ends a near perfect season (9-1) with loss against Mt. Sac

JUSTINE MEXIA | VIEWPOINTS

Former Oregon Duck redshirt Travis Jonsen completed three passes for 115 yards and one touchdown against a strong Mt. San Antonio College defense. SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @SLGBartholomew

Despite losing their final game of the season, the Riverside City College Tigers earned the number two seed in the Southern California Football Association Southern Regional Playoffs. The California Community College Athletic Association announced their playoff matches

Nov. 12, naming Fullerton College, Riverside City College, Ventura College and Saddleback College as Southern California representation in the state playoffs. Riverside faced off against Ventura in week four of the current campaign and won, 4234. In that match, sophomore quarterback Vic Viramontes accounted for 508 total yards and tossed five overall touchdowns with wide reciever Cam Sutton hauling in two touchdown passes while Clifford Simms rushed for

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one touchdown. The Pirates have won six straight games since then, including a victory over No. 4 Saddleback the following week. Riverside would win five more games before their 24-17 defeat to Mt. San Antonio on Nov. 11, their only loss of the season. After proving himself up to the task, Viramontes will lead the charge under center for the Tigers offense. The quarterback has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark passing (1,243 yards) and rushing

(1,210 yards) leading the team to 16 rushing touchdowns and 18 passing touchdowns. Viramontes has rushed for at least one touchdown in all but one contest this season and has accounted for over a bill on the ground in six games. The Tigers will host the thirdseeded Ventura College Pirates on Nov. 18. The winners will face off in the SCFA Championship with sights on a trip to the state title game at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Dec. 9.

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2017 football season stats • • • • • • • • •

INDEX VOL. XCVIII NO. 6 November 16, 2017

39.1 points per game 466.6 yards per game 23 total passing TD’s 27 total rushing TD’s 1,676 total passing yards 2,990 total rushing yards 30 total sacks 3.3 sacks per game 693 total tackles NEWS 2 LIFE 4 SPORTS 6 OPINIONS 7 EDITORIAL 8

News

November 16, 2017

Library serves students Librarian works to support student success EMMA CARLSEN FREELANCE WRITER

Reading and writing are skills most have learned in part because of libraries. As college graduates move on to harder tasks, library faculty are stepping in to help. One faculty member particularly dedicated to helping students is Public Services Librarian Jacqueline Lesch. Providing resources for students is a top priority to Lesch. She works to coordinate teaching sessions, oversees checking out books and assists students at the reference desk of the library. “I find the two year community college environment to be so rewarding in the aspect of the students that I’m working with,” said Lesch. “Often times (there) are students that walk in and they haven’t had a library at their high school. You don’t know what their experience has been before they walk in the door … so this is their very first encounter with an academic library.” If students are searching for sources to cite or instruction on how to use the library catalog system, they’re able to come to the reference desk for answers. Important resources such as library instruction and orientation, reference assistance and research database access are all offered at RCC’s Digital Library Auditorium. Reference librarians are available every hour the library is open. Classes and instructional sessions with students are one of the ways library staff reach out to students. Librarians have teaching sessions to explain how to use the resources that are available to every student such as how to use school databases and find meaningful information from these sources. RCC student Kiara Oregon said she believes the library staff and the resources they help to offer are useful. “The library staff as a whole is helpful,” Oregon said. “If we go and ask for

See LIBRARY on Page 3

IMAGE COURTESY OF JUBILEE GONZALES

Students can find multiple resources at their fingertips in the Digital Library and Learning Resource Center.

RCC’s Digital Library provides pathways to academic resources for students JUBILEE GONZALES FREELANCE WRITER

The Riverside City College Digital Library Auditorium is the “home away from home” you might think you know, but what lies within the depths of the massive building has remained a mystery to most students. Numerous RCC students have come and gone without discovering the vast variety of resources and services available to them. Public Services Librarian Jacqueline Lesch was all smiles as she guided a library tour. “Libraries are accessible to everybody now and that part to me is really amazing that it provides equal access so that you don’t have to be of any particular status in order to be able to have access to the information that you need,” she said. “It’s just there for you, you just need to come and use it.” Some of the services students are aware of include access to computers, printing, making photocopies and checking out books. However, there are over 100,000 titles in the book collection throughout the district and students can borrow up to 20 books for three weeks. Students can also check out laptops at the front desk for two hours or a week, making them able to borrow laptops if the computers aren’t available or to take home if they don’t have their own. There is also a creative media center, an enclosed room where the available computers have various video software and programs pre-downloaded for use. Lesch also mentioned the lounge area where students can come and use in the library. “It’s a food-friendly zone so

that you don’t have to leave the library if you need to just relax,” she said. RCC student Julian Morales was one of many who was unaware. “I always threw away my food before I went in because I thought it wasn’t allowed,” he said. There is also a teleconference room, which could be used if people needed to have meetings across the districts, so they wouldn’t have to drive off campus. A free cell phone charging station is available where phones can be plugged into the built in chargers and put in a locker-like compartment where they’ll stay until taken out. RCC student Yesenia Guillermo recalled hearing of something similar. “I believe this is helpful because phones are essential,” she said. “There are days your phone is low on battery and can’t find a place to charge it at.”

Workshops and orientation classes are also offered to help students get an overview of how to do research on the computer for assignments. “It’s not like you have to click a card to come in, you can just walk in. We want you to be here,” Lesch said. Guillermo, like most students, usually goes in to do homework, study or kill time between classes, unaware of the other resources the library offers. “I go to the library often. Maybe four times a week and even Saturdays,” she said. Lesch explained that the library is in the process of determining the needs of the students and how the library should continue to change in the services and resources it offers. “We don’t really do a good job advertising ourselves or promoting ourselves, but we’re trying to work on that as well to get the word out about what we have to offer,” she said.

RCC student Vanessa Preedandon said she believes the library is a crucial part of the school. “Considering that it provides multiple resources for research and a quiet place to study,” she said. “The services they provide make it an ideal place to study and concentrate or host study and tutor sessions.” Similarly, Guillermo said she thinks it is tremendously important. “It is a place that supports students and offers them tools and access to many things,” Guillermo said. “It is so important to RCC I feel like they should make it bigger to allow more students to go.” Ultimately, the library is a valuable resource that’s a big part of RCC’s campus. The role it plays was best defined by Lesch. “Almost like a home away from home. A lot of students come here and it’s their safe place or refuge.”

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November 16, 2017

News

Librarian promotes research

NEWS BRIEFS Campus closed Riverside City College will be closed Nov. 23 for Thanksgiving break.

Last day to drop classes with a “W” The last day to withdraw from a class with a “W” is Nov. 17. A student can drop from their class through Webadvisor or by visiting the Charles A. Kane Building. IMAGE COURTESY OF EMMA CARLSEN

Librarian Jacquie Lesch helps and supports students that seek it out.

LIBRARY from Page 2 something, they will help you.” At the reference desk, students can ask questions for class projects and other subjects. “If a student has any question navigating through the use of information … and or anything about just the college in general, we’re here to help,” Lesch said. “We teach at the reference desk, like a one on one tutorial session with the students,” said Steve Brewster, Distance Electronic Learning Librarian. “She is good at teaching. We would regard her as particularly notable with helping students.” “I had a couple of internships at academic libraries and just fell in love with working with students,” Lesch said on earning her master ’s degree. “The original intent was to go back into business, but then I just shifted 180 and turned to academic libraries.” “Personally I have seen her donate quite a few off-duty hours to help struggling students, those who are mystified by the research process and those who are just having a bad day and need a shoulder to cry on,” Periodicals Librarian Linda Braiman said about Lesch. Teaching is a large part of the role librarians play on

RCC’s campus. “Different instructors will schedule a one hour orientation overview of using the library for their students when they’re doing their research project,” Lesch said. “I like the classes to be hands on, where students have their own computers and everything … We have over 60 databases, so depending on the class that’s coming in, that helps us to customize what we’re going to show the students.” “Trying to explain to students that information is power is rewarding,” Lesch said. “We’re actually here to make the students look good. That’s my job, to make you look good to your professors.” Students can distinguish Lesh’s particular impact on the library. “She helped me last week to use sources. She told us how to use keywords when I’m using the databases,” Oregon said. Guidance in judging the quality of information is an important service that librarians also offer. “It’s easy to do a search, it’s harder to think,” Brewster said. “She helps people to think critically.” These teaching sessions can have a big impact on students, as they learn how to use databases to help with their assignments.

“We get particular sources,” Oregon said. “We find these sources helpful. When I do research papers for English class, I use them.” Working both with the students in the library and administrative faculty behind the scenes as the department chair of the librarian faculty, Lesch is responsible for many methods of spreading information to students. “As the years go by, the cycle of information and what students are used to when they’re doing their research changes, it evolves,” Lesch said. “Who had Twitter 10 years ago, you know? We’re trying to meet the needs of the students that walk in the door.” Looking into the future of the library - as funding for academic programs is constantly threatened - is vital for staff. “We just hired an outreach librarian and specifically trying to make sure that we’re forward thinking and communicating with the college about what the library does,” Lesch said. “If we’re not letting individuals know why we’re here and what we do, then we’re not really helping.” “She is an amazing person,” Braiman said. “How truly blessed I am to have her as my department chair. The library wouldn’t be the same without her.”

Terrorism expert to testify case SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @SLGBartholomew

The sentencing of former Riverside City College student Enrique Marquez Jr., convicted of purchasing the weapons used in the Dec. 2, 2015, San Bernardino shooting, was postponed Nov. 2. The sentencing in the U.S. District Court in Riverside had been originally scheduled for Nov. 6. The hearing is now scheduled for Feb. 26, 2018. Marquez plead guilty to obtaining and illegally providing rifles to husband and wife Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, who would later use those weapons during the San Bernardino attack that would kill 14 people and wound 22 others.

According to the FBI affidavit, Marquez called local law enforcement the day after the shooting and told them that the gun Farook used had belonged to him. Marquez was then questioned for 10 days, during which he admitted his role in plots to attack RCC and motorists on the 91 freeway. Facing a sentence of 50 years to life in federal prison, Marquez accepted a plea agreement Feb. 16 that changed his potential sentence to 25 years to life and a fine of $500,000. This is not the first time that Marquez’s hearing has been rescheduled. The initial court date was Aug. 21, but both the defense and the prosecution requested additional time. According to court documents, Marquez claimed

to need more time to prepare his statement and the prosecution said they might include a report from an expert witness that wouldn’t be able to finish their testimony before Sept. 15. Judge Jesus G. Bernal approved the request. The recent rescheduling is cited as being due to federal prosecutors announced plans to have a terrorism expert attend the sentencing and that defense attorneys might decide to invite their own expert to testify. An additional cause for the postponement was that the government recently said there were additional reports available for review and the defense attorneys claimed to need more time to properly examine them. Authorities say Marquez had no knowledge of or role in the 2015 San Bernardino attack.

Scholarship Workshops Riverside City College will be hosting scholarship workshops Dec. 4 and Dec. 6 in the Charles A. Kane Building room 205 from 1-2 p.m.

Study Abroad scholarships The Study Abroad program has opened up scholarships opportunities for its next trip to Argentina for the spring 2018 semester.

Transfer applications The University of California and the California State University’s applications end Nov. 30. Visit the transfer center or the universities’ individual websites for more information.

AMPUS CRIMES Nov. 6 Outside Warrant/Misdemeanor An adult non-student was arrested at the Early Childhood Studies building was arrested for an outside warrant of drug possession at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 7 Reckless Driving A student was arrested and issued a citation after driving recklessly at 10:45 a.m. in Lot G. Nov. 8 Hit and Run Property Damage A Volkswagen Beetle was damaged in the parking structure by an identified suspect at 9:40 a.m. A student reported that their Ford F150 pickup truck’s rear window had been broken by an unidentified suspect at 11:10 a.m. A Kia sedan was damaged in the parking structure by an unidentified suspect at 11 a.m. Nov. 9 Hit and Run Property Damage A student’s Honda Accord was damaged in the parking structure by an unidentified suspect at 7:30 a.m. A black Mercedes was damaged in the parking structure by an unidentified suspect at 2:41 p.m. Nov. 13 Vandalism The Business Education Building was vandalized with graffiti at 12:40 p.m. No suspect information has been released.

4 November 16, 2017

“As

LIFE

you go through life, you’ve got to see the valleys as well as the peaks.”

Don’t let stress make you a mess -Neil Young

HEIDI DYE

@RCCviewpoints

Being a college student in this day and age embeds stress into our DNA. Whether you’re a full-time student with a part-time job or you’re just taking a three unit class, there is always something to be stressed about. Usually the stereotypical method of stress prevention is to get enough sleep, eat healthy, exercise and manage your time. Who honestly has the will to do all of that? Fortunately there is a way to incorporate these organizational steps into your daily schedule. Time is usually the biggest factor when it comes to stress prevention. The key is to organize your time to reduce the amount of stress from any given activity. Prepare your home cooked meals for the week on Sunday, before the busy week starts. Either make food that night or write out a meal plan. This will prevent you from eating out and stressing about what to eat.

ILLUSTRATION BY HEIDI DYE

Walking is a great way to get in your daily workout without tiring yourself out too much. I personally enjoy jogging when my week is stressful, it helps diminish some of my aggression. If you have time in between classes, take a walk around the

campus or on the track. Another great thing to do is make a to-do list. Write down anything that pops up in your schedule or put important dates like assignment due dates in your phone’s calendar so you’ll get notified when an important event or task comes up.

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Pace out your time, work on multiple assignments in a single day. Take a break from a paper you are writing to read through some chapters for another class. Encourage yourself to finish those stressful assignments. Work on your homework for a couple of hours and then reward yourself

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with an episode of your favorite television show. This way you’ll be encouraged to actually do your homework instead of dreading it. Balance out your schedule to include some “me time.” It is important to your mental health to give yourself some moments to wind down. Take this opportunity to drink some tea, work on some of your hobbies or just relax and let the stress disappear. Don’t be an overachiever when it is not needed. Just complete what is required of the project and turn it in, only do extra if your grade needs it. This way you won’t be stressing out about the time wasted on unnecessary parts of an assignment. Finally, be happy with what you’ve achieved. There’s no need to stress out about that paper you could had put more pizzazz into. As long as you put effort into something, feel proud about it. Hopefully these tips help out during these stressful months up ahead, and that stress doesn’t overcome you this holiday season.

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Also check out RTA’s new RapidLink Gold Line with express service every 15 minutes to campus and other popular destinations in Riverside and Corona. Learn more about it at RiversideTransit.com/RapidLink.

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Life

November 16, 2017

Riverside hosts Day of the Dead festival IMARI REDE @RCCviewpoints

The cool fall breeze carried the aroma of fresh cooked corn, bacon wrapped hot dogs and cleansing sage during Riverside’s annual Day of the Dead festival. On Nov. 4, Market street in downtown Riverside was a centerpoint of celebration for one of the largest Mexican holidays. The streets were lined with vendors, food carts, dancers and couples dressed as La Catrina and El Catrin, the Mexican emblems of life and death. People of all ages came together to honor the dead by creating altars, eating food, sharing art and celebrating with music. Ballet Folklorico de Riverside sponsored “Color a Calavera” in the kid’s zone where children and families colored their own skull masks. As the sun set, altars lit the walkway in White Park. It was home to several altars ranging from a huge community altar that was covered with golden marigolds, flickering lights and index cards covered in prayers and memories for lost loved ones, to smaller altars that remembered Riverside locals. “Riverside gives people like me who have lost their loved ones a chance to celebrate the lives of their lost ones,” said Yvonne Padilla-Martinez, mother of two late Riverside locals. “It’s a big platform to share with everyone that knew them.” Her altar honored her two sons, James Martinez, who was 21 when he was shot by Corona police, and Jacob Martinez who was 34 when he suffered a brain

aneurysm on the way to work. “They were both underground hip-hop artists,” Padilla-Martinez said. “Jacob also did murals and a lot of work including art for Inconsiderate Skate Shop.” Moving beyond the lines of our city limits, Erika Paz represented The City of Dead Dreams, a group that gives visibility to families that have lost loved ones while having been detained. “ We a r e h e r e b r i n g i n g awareness that people are dying for lack of medical care,” Paz said. Adelanto has the largest immigration detention center on the west coast. Three people have died at the immigration detention center from medical complications this year alone. Vicente Caceres Madariaga is the most recent person to have died in Adelanto Detention Center. He suffered from acute coronary syndrome which took his life just nine days after being detained. Riverside City College’s Puente Club also had an altar for the festival. Puente Club member, Maria Moya, was glad to be a part of the festivities as she remembered loved ones with close friends and family. “I’m glad that Riverside provides this opportunity because there are not many events in the city that represent Latinos,” Moya said. Riverside’s Day of the Dead festival brings people together to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones with bright colors, delicious food, beautiful art and hip shaking music while giving a voice to the people of our city and beyond to come and celebrate the greatness that life has to offer.

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS JUSTINE MEXIA | VIEWPOINTS

Clockwise from top: A couple dressed as El Catrin and La Catrina pose in downtown Riverside’s White Park. A woman dressed as her version of La Catrina represents life and death, draped with messages remembering the deceased. Riverside’s own Martin Sanchez from Tio’s Tacos shares his recycled art with festival goers.

November 16, 2017

SPORTS - Les Brown

Women’s water polo trucks on “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.”

Despite recent loss, Tigers continue on to state NICHOLAS PERALTA @RCCviewpoints

Riverside City College women’s water polo season forges on. On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Tigers entered into the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional semifinal matchup looking for vengeance over the Orange Coast College Pirates. The Tigers’ most recent loss came against the Pirates in the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Championship ballad a week prior on Nov. 4. RCC would retaliate that afternoon beating the Pirates in a hectic matchup 9-6. The victory sealed a CCCAA State Championship berth for the fifth consecutive year and the thirteenth time in the last 15 years. It was a tight strung contest early in the game as they each

JUSTINE MEXIA | VIEWPOINTS

RCC women’s water polo have gone 23-4, and is ranked No 9. in scoring.

traded a trio of goals in the opening eight minutes of the game. Regardless, the Tigers were able to outscore the Pirates in each quarter of the game en route to victory. Freshman attacker Katy Peterson was a thorn in the Pirates’ side all game by recording a team-high four goals. She also dished out two assists and pocketed three steals defensively. Freshman center Kate Fox held down the middle field, scoring a pair of goals, while sophomore Josceline Godinez fired home a goal and drew two ejections. Freshman goalkeeper Hannah McCarley was in dominant form between the posts, contributing heavily to her team’s 24th victory of the season. Her 12 saves kept the Tigers offense in a great position to climb ahead and hold a lead. Later that evening, the Tigers met Santa Barbara City College in the Southern California Regional Finals. After a rough first half of the game, RCC had given up a

4-1 lead, forcing an offensive initiative going into the third quarter. Fox and freshman scorer Nikkol Webber were able to score two goals while McCarley managed to shut out Santa Barbara. However, in the fourth and final frame, Santa Barbara scored twice more against Fox’s lone goal. The game ended 6-4 for with the Tigers losing the Regional Championship game. Despite the loss, head coach Doug Finfrock doesn’t believe his team’s chances have diminished any as the Tigers continue on to the CCCAA State Championship. “This year I think anybody is touchable,” said Finfrock. “I don’t think anybody is great. I thought we actually played a good game. We just made a couple mistakes that cost us a couple goals and that was the difference in this game.” The teams first game in the State Championship will be against Sierra College on Nov. 17 in the opening round of the tournament.

Tigers roar to 4-0 in Ventura tournament victory CAMERON WINSTON @RCCviewpoints

The No.11 ranked Riverside City College men’s basketball team is building on its strong finish from last season, which saw the team reaching the regional finals, by starting 4-0 in preseason play. The Tigers were crowned the champions of the Ventura College Tournament after defeating Moorpark College, Antelope Valley College, and Orange Coast College. “ We p l a y e d h a r d a n d rebounded surprisingly well,” head coach Philip Mathews said. “Something I thought would be a problem area for us. That’s what helped get us to 4-0 is our rebounding and defense.” The game against Moorpark, had the Tigers secure a 73-65

S P O R T S

B R I E F S

victory guided by the efforts of sophomore All-League guard, Brae Ivey. Ivey’s scoring was on full display with a 31 point performance, going 11 for 17 from the field, and 4 of 7 from the 3-point line. The Tigers then went on to defeat Antelope Valley, 72-67, in a back and forth game that witnessed both teams’ players struggle to find a rhythm early. They were led by Ivey’s 16 points, which were mainly scored from the charity stripe going 9 for 12, and freshman forward Jordan Robinson’s first college career double-double. The victories took them on route to the tournament finals where they would face off against Orange Coast College. The game ended up being a 88-69 blowout for RCC. A hot start to the first half is what carried the Tigers the rest of the way scoring 42 points

Women’s basketball The Women’s basketball team started their season with back to back losses to Antelope Valley College and Bakersfield College. After going 0-2 to start the season, the Tigers began to pick up steam, going on a threegame win streak to improve their record to 3-2. The team competes next at the Palomar Tournament on Nov. 18.

“

while holding Orange Coast to adding four 3-pointers himself. 24 points. Ivey has had an incredible The Tigers combined to shoot start to the season so far and has 48 percent from the three-point been a big reason for Riverside’s line going roaring start. 10 for 22. He averages W h i l e 22.5 points a making game and is l i f e also ranked d i ff i c u l t fifth in the for Orange Orange Empire Coast at Conference. the threeHis shooting -- Coach Philip Mathews from beyond point line hitting on the arc has also only two been a benefit shots out to the season of fourteen for only 14 percent. hitting on 53 percent of his Riverside had four of their attempts that has slotted him at starters score in double-digits No. 2 in the conference. led by Ivey’s 28 points while “I think I can do a better job hitting four 3-pointers as well. at getting my teammates more Sophomore Kane Daniels also involved,” Ivey said. “We have a impacted the game with his lot of new pieces and I gotta find scoring, contributing 16 points, a way to get them going, and help shooting for 50 percent and them find the spots they flourish

“That’s what helped us get to 4-0, rebounding and defense”

Men’s water polo T h e R C C m e n ’s w a t e r polo season has officially ended. After missing out on a conference championship, the Tigers achieved third place by defeating Saddleback College. RCC then faced Saddleback once again in the opening round of OEC Regional Championship tournament, this time losing 6-3 thus concluding their playoff run.

Cross-Country M e n ’s c r o s s - c o u n t r y took second place in the Southern California Regional Championship. Meanwhile, following their seventh place finish in the Southern California Championship, the women’s team find their state title dreams to be very real. Both teams will participate in their title game set to take place Nov. 18.

best at.” Riverside’s 4-0 start to the season has put them in the right direction to prepare for conference play against strong programs like Saddleback College and Fullerton College. In the end these tournaments are mainly for teams to work on growth, to work out the kinks and find a rhythm before preperation for conference foes. The Tigers will look to add on to their undefeated record in a game against No.8 East Los Angeles College on Nov. 17. That game will embark on another tournament series hosted by cross town rival San Bernardino Valley College. “A chance to be on the road and experience different crowds,” coach Mathews said. “Playing different teams gets you ready to face those teams throughout the playoffs and league.”

Women’s volleyball Despite starting their season moderately successful 5-2 record, the women’s volleyball team fell off and plummeted to a 9-15 record overall, dismantling what could have been a promising season. RCC’s volleyball team came in fifth in the Orange Empire conference and went 4-11 through conference competition before the end of the season.

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Campus Conversations In what way can Riverside City College meet your needs?

“I wish RCC had a physician’s assistant program. I see that they have the nursing program, but I know like myself and others we want to be PA’s and that’d be really awesome if they had a program for us.” - Kelsey McAbee

“I think RCC should have more support for students who are trying to transfer rather than people who are trying to get their certificates.” - Jae An

“Rallies to get in the school spirit.” - Breanna Ceballos

November 16, 2017

us what you think, in a letter to the editor, in an email, or use #RCCnow.

Addicts are people too

The stigma againts drug addictis has led to an ongoing health epidemic

JOSHUA BURCIAGA @RCCviewpoints

Far too many people have been misinformed when it comes to drug addiction, mental illness and homelessness, which makes helping these individuals all the more difficult. Alicia Cook, a freelance writer taught me that drugs can bring out the worst in us. “They call them ‘trash,’ ‘junkies’ or ‘criminals,’ which is hardly ever the truth. Addiction is an illness. Addicts have families and aspirations,” Cook said. People need to understand that when your drug induced loved one physically or verbally lashes out, it’s not them, it’s the drug addict. It’s not them stealing money from your wallet or your mother’s purse, it’s the drug addict. And when your loved one dies of an overdose or is sentenced to prison, it’s not the drug addict, it’s the person you love. D r ug a dd ict ion is bot h a cause and a byproduct of homelessness and mental illness Homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction has been an issue that’s been ignored for too long. According to a study by the National Alliance on Mental

IMAGE COURTESY OF PEXELS

Illness, Mental Health By The Numbers, the research indicates that about 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. suffers from a mental disorder. The publication states that an estimated 7 out of 10 homeless adults living in shelters across the U.S. suffer from a mental illness. Unfortunately, my eldest si s t e r f it s i nt o b ot h s u b categories. The loved one I hold dear has exhibited signs of mental illness at a young age but was never properly diagnosed. I arg ue that her ment al disorder was the main cause for her drug abuse, which led her to become homeless. The National Institute of Drug Abuse study, Comorbidity: Addiction and Other Mental Disorders, found people with a mental disorder are twice as likely to abuse drugs. My sister was living a fairly successful life with a house, job and wife to call her own despite

her mental disorder. But she began to lose her footing when she made the fatal decision to abuse meth. She finalized her downfall into homelessness, unemployment, and divorce by continuing down this path. She burnt out every social connection she needed to keep her afloat. We fail to understand that individuals hooked on drugs only focus on how they’re going to get their next fix. Holding a job, paying bills, and feeding yourself is the last thing on a drug addict’s mind. Still, people continue to think drug addicts on the streets are lazy bums who don’t want to achieve anything. Some still believe d r ug addicts drug abuse is a personal choice instead of a public health issue. Activist Abbie Hoffman put it bluntly, “The simplistic ‘Just Say No’ to drugs campaign is

a little bit like telling a manicdepressive to just cheer up, she said. Even the criminal justice system is susceptible to this attitude, just compare sentencing guidelines for drug possession and drunk driving. A DUI could result in a punishment of up to six months in prison, whereas drug possession could result in imprisonment ranging from two to twenty years. Drug addicts don’t belong in prison they should be admitted into rehab instead of being left out in the streets. By helping my sister back on her feet I’ve noticed how social stigmas towards drug addicts do nothing to help them. Biases such as these only cause drug addicts to relapse. Hopefully we will change the way we view and treat drug addicts. This will be the first step in ending this drug epidemic.

The American dream is just a dream “I wish it had a chemistry and physics lab where students can go and study and there’s roaming tutors that know about the subject like the math center.” - Eli Smeke

LESLIE SANTIBANEZ @RCCviewpoints

Interviews and photos by Nahid Ponciano Campus Conversations is an open forum for Riverside City College students to voice their own opinions, views and ideas

America is known as the land of opportunity. People all over the world flock to the United States in search of the American dream. But it isn’t real. The dream many people risk their lives for is long gone.

The white picket fence family is a relic of the past. Before, a simple blue collar job was enough to buy a house and support a family. Now people work two or more jobs to afford basic necessities. Minimum wage isn’t enough. It’s easy to believe hard work will get you places. The reality is, hard work doesn’t guarantee a job or financial stability. As a daughter to Mexican immigrants, this idea is pure blasphemy. To my parents, hard work is the answer. In a way, I’m a physical embodiment of the American dream for them. But when I try to tell them it isn’t simple anymore, they refuse to believe me. According to The Guardian, poor people, especially White Americans are 20 times less likely

to believe hard work will get them ahead compared to poorer Latin Americans. T h is m i nd set lea d s my parents to believe you can walk up to a store and ask for a job. I had to get countlessly rejected before I got my first job. This was for fast food, a job that some consider to be beneath them. Working in fast food exposed me to the struggles my co workers faced. Many worked up to three jobs and it still wasn’t enough. NBC states, “the average cost of living in the U.S., is more than $65,000 a year for a family with two adults and two children. That's roughly $50,000 more than what a minimum-wage worker earns.” Minimum wage workers in

the ‘50s, “could pay rent for a month for less than a week and a half of full-time work.” That isn’t possible anymore, not even with a college degree. The idea of college was drilled into my mind. My purpose from day one was to break my family out of poverty. This idea was reinforced by being placed in honors programs in high school. To them I was destined to go to UCLA but here I am. My parents don’t understand the landscape has changed. College graduates are riddled with debt, the poor get poorer, and the dream strays further away. When people can't afford to live, not even with a college degree it signif ies that the American dream is dead.

November 16, 2017

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Editors support impeachment

Editorial

IMAGE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The idea of impeaching President Donald Trump has been an underlying tone in the voices of people that oppose him even before his election win last year. Talk of impeachment or resignation has been a hopeful conversation among those who are still baffled at what this beloved nation has fallen to under the leadership of Trump. In early October, most opposed people saw their thoughts during a one-minute advertisement in the middle of the World Series with roughly 60 million people watching. Obstruction of justice? Did Trump not fire James Comey to prevent the FBI’s “witch hunt?” Did Trump bring us to the brink of nuclear war? Was the majority of the population not terrified that millions of the American population were going to be killed because of the president’s carelessness? Threatened to shut down news organizations? Trump called members of the press “Enemy of the American people” less than a month into his presidency and has been a continuous opposer of negative coverage about him. We, the Viewpoints Editorial Board, have all signed this petition.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with the intent of Tom Steyer’s comments, few have been able to debunk any of the statements he made about Trump’s actions with more than a nasty remark in the comments section. The ad clearly hit a nerve with Trump’s detractors and supporters: 1.5 million people have signed Steyer’s online petition supporting impeachment as of Nov. 7. Along with airing during the World Series, the spot ran on Fox News only to be pulled over negative reactions from viewers, according to the network. But why? Steyer is not the first to call for the impeachment of Trump. Many have been doing that since Nov. 9, 2016. Steyer is not the first to post a video about all of Trump’s injustices against the American people and our allies. Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver has been running ads for Trump since late February. The reason Steyer’s criticism against Trump has not fallen away from the public is both simple and complex, he spent $10 million to run those ads. If Steyer were just some guy from California complaining about Trump, all he would’ve gotten was a handful of re-tweets and then fallen into the

void with the rest of the world’s Trump backlash. It’s easy to sit behind your cell phone screen, tweeting and posting about everything in the upsets you. It’s easy to sneer at your television screens and shout about how mad you are. After all, the president does it everyday. And that’s the problem. The need for raising a collective voice has never been stronger, but we have learned time and time again that the Trump administration doesn’t care about what they consider to be the average American. They do not care about the teachers, the nurses or the retail workers. They care about their people. The people with money. Steyer is not demanding the American people to stand up against Trump’s administration because they’re already doing that and have been for a long time. Steyer is telling the American people to demand our elected officials to fight back against Trump because they are the ones that have the resources, funds and power to bring this administration down. Money helped bring them into the highest office in the nation and it’s going to take money to get them out.

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

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STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dominique Redfearn (909) 689-6053 viewpoints@rcc.edu MANAGING EDITORS Nahid Ponciano Samantha Bartholomew viewpoints.managing@gmail.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Samantha Bartholomew viewpoints.advertising@gmail.com JOURNALISM SPECIALIST Matt Schoenmann matthew.schoenmann@rcc.edu FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Matt Schoenmann

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