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Volume 13 Issue 18
w w w. w o u . e d u / s t u d e n t / w e s t e r n j o u r n a l
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Marriage Equality Comes to the Supreme Court preview Campus Life
Cartoon Courtesy | Riber Hansson
Annie West | News Editor
Over spring break, while many were trying to catch a breath from the rush that is college life, the United States Supreme Court heard two cases that, when decided upon in June of this year, could make a vast difference in the debate over Marriage Equality. The first case questions the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that was signed into law under President Bill Clinton in 1996. DOMA officially identifies marriage as being between one man and one woman at the federal level, effectively alienating those within the LGBTQ community of the rights granted to married individuals such as tax breaks and insurance benefits. Previously, in Feb. 2003, the Attorney General and Department of Justice issued a press release claiming that, by presidential instruction, the Department of Justice would no longer defend DOMA’s section three. “After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more
The Bald and the Beautiful See Page 2 Be Successful this Spring Term See Page 3
Entertaiment “Evil Dead” Worth Your Attention See Page 4
Sports Welcome to the NBA: Damian Lillard See Page 6 Intramurals Offered at Western See Page 7
Same Sex See Page 8
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Jodi Andersen for Photos jandersen@westernoregonjournal.com Annie West for News awest@westernoregonjournal.com Laven Voth for Entertainment lvoth@westernoregonjournal.com Ashley Casebeer for Campus Life acasebeer@westernoregonjournal.com Stephanie Lane for Sports slane@westernoregonjournal.com
Courtesy | Western Oregon University Public Relations
Western Oregon University has created a unique partnership with Maps Community Foundation to address financial literacy for current students. As part of their relationship, Maps will invest $50,000 to fund scholarships for student peer mentors and the university will add financial literacy to the mentoring program’s curriculum. In addition, Maps Credit Union will work closely with the university to provide workshops and train the trainer instruction for peer mentors. In announcing the agreement, university President Mark Weiss said, “I would personally like to applaud Maps for joining us in delivering this critically important educational program for our students. Financial literacy is a skill that will serve Western students well both during their college experience and after graduation as they build their careers and families.
We are grateful to Maps for their investment and have confidence in this important partnership.” The partnership with Maps Community Foundation dramatically increases the number of peer mentors from 15 to 43, and now makes it possible for a peer mentor to be assigned to each of the university’s residence hall living communities. Addressing the concern with an innovative approach, the program will now improve financial literacy for more than 1,200 students currently living on campus. Following a selection process, Maps’ Peer Mentors receive specialized training from Student Health and Counseling Center counselors to serve as the front line of support to assist students. Through educational based programs, Maps’ Peer Mentors promote healthy lifestyles, assist freshmen transiting to college, and provide
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Western Oregon University Joins Maps Community Foundation to Address Financial Literacy wellness workshops. To expand healthy living, assistance will now include financial literacy. The 12-year old Peer Mentor program is managed through a collaboration between the university’s Student Health and Counseling Center and University Housing that is focused on student success and graduation. “Maps loves the Peer Mentor Program’s commitment to increase financial literacy by training today’s students in skills they will use for the rest of their lives,” said Jill Nowacki, vice presidentdevelopment, Maps Credit Union. “Building financial literacy not only increases the chances of these students finishing school, but of them graduating with less debt, making smarter financial decisions throughout life, and teaching future generations how to better manage money.”
2 Campus Life
April 10, 2013
Ashley Casebeer | Campus Life Editor
For the past five or six years, Western’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) has been a proud host of the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser. The last few years, St. Baldrick’s has taken place in March during the last two weeks of the term to parallel the theme of St. Patrick’s Day. “Worldwide, 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. And in the U.S. more children die of cancer than any other disease,” according to the St. Baldrick’s website. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation supports events all over the U.S. to raise money to go towards promising research and funding grants to make the greatest impact on children with cancer. Anyone can be involved with helping put a stop to children dying from cancer by volunteering at St. Baldrick’s events or by raising money and shaving their heads. “Many of these children don’t have a voice of their own to spread awareness about childhood cancer, so I thought we could help them in that effort,” explained RHA Finance Director, Amanda Summers, and lead organizer of the Western St. Baldrick’s fundraiser. In total, 38 Western students and staff members shaved their heads on March 15. The goal that was originally set by the RHA executive board was to raise $6,000. They quickly realized that they were going to pass that goal quickly. Altogether, they raised $8,120.67 to donate towards the foundation. That is the most money raised by the Western team in quite a few years. Many shavees planned to shave their heads and therefore had some time before the event to get donations from friends and family. Six brave individuals decided to shave their heads the day of the event due to all the inspiring shavees who did it before them. Evelyn Garcia, a female shavee, said this about why she wanted to shave her head, “I saw my close friends and role models shave their heads the year before and I promised them that the following year I would too.” She went on to say, “I have proved to myself and others that beauty should not be defined by the locks on my head, but by how I carry myself and what I have to offer.” Women who have shaved their heads in the past have made similar comments in the challenges that they face that are different than what men shavees face. Three years ago when St. Baldrick’s was put on at Western there were only a handful of women shavees. This year there was a total of 10 women, two of which signed up the day of the event. The message being sent is that “Hair is just hair and if children don’t need it to be beautiful, then neither do we.” “After knowing first-hand how cancer can affect a family, I wanted to show my support for families who have children battling cancer by shaving my hair and raising money,” commented another shavee, Daniel Tew. In 2012, St. Baldrick’s volunteers raised more than $30 million by shaving their heads. It set the new record in fundraising efforts allowing the foundation to mark a milestone in their history. And the story is far from over. Find out how you can help set the new recordbreaking chapter in conquering childhood cancer by visiting the St. Baldrick’s website at www.stbaldricks. org
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Photo Courtesy | RHA
The Bald and the BEAUTIFUL
RHA poses after another successful St. Baldrick’s fundraiser.
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April 10, 2013 Ashley Casebeer | Campus Life Editor
Have you ever thought that spring term is your hardest term to get through? Do you get senioritis even though you aren’t a senior? Join the “Spring Term is Always the Hardest” club. Spring term brings many new challenges to students trying to keep up those academics. Many of these challenges can be compared to those of winter term, but also can be quite the opposite. By reading this article, hopefully you can pick up a few tips to help yourself still succeed this spring. Winter term brings on the daunting challenges of seasonal depression and lots of rain. As a result, students have a harder time finding the motivation to go to class, complete assignments on time (or before the last minute), and set higher expectations for themselves. These symptoms can also lead to a lower amount of exercise and an increase in excessive eating. Sound familiar? But that was winter term, and winter is over. Spring term presents the challenges of finding the motivation to sit in a two hour class in a stuffy classroom. It also presents the illusion that summer break is so close, so many students lose focus to do their best in each class. The first step in overcoming these challenges is to recognize that they exist and they affect you. Adry Clark, director of the Service Learning & Career Development Center (SLCD) had this advice to give, “I think it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll have limited amount of hours each day when you can really focus. Figure out when your best time is, morning or night, and schedule your intense and creative work during that time.” Another step in being successful after you have recognized your distracting behaviors is to set realistic goals for yourself. In a book about personal excellence, the author wrote that goal setting is what you do to put your life into real action mode. Without this step, the other steps of goal achievement cannot take place. “Surround yourself with people with similar goals, like if you have a friend that is focused, hang out with that person,” said Clark. With graduatioin right around the corner, many seniors are having this problem called “senioritis.” And then students, who are not seniors, also experience this effect due to the fact that they are surrounded with people who have this “incurable disease.” For those of you who are not seniors, and those of you who are, recognize that just because graduation is coming, doesn’t mean you can just stop caring about schoolwork and those priorities. It’s important to remain focused and in control. Think of it as ending the year on a good term, instead of realizing afterwards you could have done better. The next step in making this term successful is to use nature and the nice weather to your advantage. If you know that sunshine makes you happy, do your homework outside. You could even exercise outside to give you that vitamin D. Make plans with your friends that involve being outside so that you feel like you are taking full advantage and preparing for summer while continuing to stay determined. Clark also mentioned, “You might be feeling burned out and there are so many temptations to do fun things, but do your work and then reward yourself with fun activities.” Coming from a professional who works with students who want to be successful, it sounds like good advice. Remember to use the sunshine as a boost and not an excuse. Summer may be getting closer, but professors won’t forget about deadlines and grades just
Campus Life
3
Up and Be [Growing] [Moving] Out S U C C E S S F U L This Spring Term
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OPINION
Alexa Armstrong Editor-in-Cheif
Senior year, whether it be high school or college its an exciting time; its also terrifying. You’re about to be shoved out of your comfort zone and out into the real world. It’s a time for planning. It’s one of the few times in your life where you are completely in control of your future, you have nothing holding you back, and the sky is the limit. My college experience: take one; I stuck close to home. Fear tethered me to a place that I hated. And people who had been a part of my past, a poisonous part, kept me from venturing far from their side. Eventually I purged myself from those people, and made the best of the wrong choice. I stuck it out here at Western, and I couldn’t be happier that I did. I met so many people here that changed my life; some for the better, and some for the worse, but what I have learned from these people during the last four years far surpasses that of any lectures or exam. I have learned that some people come into your life to show you what to turn and run fast in the other direction from, and some show you what you can fall into. Some have built my walls high, and others tore them down. I have met life long friends in this tiny town, and my love for them will never fade. But the most important thing I’ve learned over the past four years is to challenge yourself, everyday. Push the limits of your comfort zone. Never let your fear of the unknown keep you from crashing into it, heart first. There is a world beyond your backyard, and it is magnificent, and brimming with opportunity. My college experience: take two; I am leaving the only home I’ve known to chase down my dream. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be a journalist, but I never thought that I could make this dream a reality, until recently. For the past six months I started seriously considering going to get my master’s degree in journalism. I applied to three schools thinking that maybe if I was lucky I would be accepted by one. After countless nights of sleep, long conversations with my family and friends I decided to push myself further out of my comfort zone than I’ve ever been before. I am moving to Phoenix, Ariz. and will be attending the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, and my dream of becoming a journalist is now a reality. It really helps me to believe that no matter what it is that you want to do with your life, no matter how big or far fetched your dream, if you want it bad enough you will find a way to make it real for yourself. I am very excited to make this move, and chase my vision, but everything that is worth having comes with sacrifice. I am leaving behind everyone I love: my family, and my friends, in pursuit of my career. I’ve been dreaming, drooling, and counting down the days until graduation for the past four years but what I didn’t realize was that when that diploma hits my hand, I am full-fledged adult. It means making my own life in a different city, it means building a career from the ground up, it means marriage, kids and mortgages. But worst of all it means I can’t run to my mommy every time I need advice, a helping hand or just a shoulder cry on. The time has come where my relationships with my parents, and my family are going to change forever. This is the difficult crossroad that we are all facing. But we all must keep in mind as we take these vital steps towards our futures, that this is just a part of life. Our relationships may change, but the love we have for our families and our friends that we must leave behind will not. We must boldly take a step away from home and follow our own dreams, because at the end of the day what are we all living for?
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4 Entertainment staff
(503) 838-8347 editor-in-chief
ALEXA ARMSTRONG editor
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Dead by Dawn: New Evil Dead is a Remake Worth Your Attention
Photo Courtesy | Tristar Pictures
the
Journal
April 10, 2013
Nathan Dunaway | Freelancer
news editor
ANNIE WEST awest
@westernoregonjournal.com
entertainment editor
LAVEN VOTH lvoth
@westernoregonjournal.com
campus life
ASHLEY CASEBEER acasebeer
@westernoregonjournal.com
sports editor
STEPHANIE LANE slane
@westernoregonjournal.com
copy editor
ASHLEY WRIGHT awright
@westernoregonjournal.com
campus life & sports designer
LACEY SPILLMAN lspillman
@westernoregonjournal.com
news & entertainment deisgner
HAUNANI TOMAS htomas
@westernoregonjournal.com
photo editor
JODI ANDERSEN jandersen
@westernoregonjournal.com
student media adviser
SHELBY CASE cases
@westernoregonjournal.com
Hollywood has often been criticized for its lack of originality, especially in the last decade or so, and most prominently because of its treatment of the horror genre. Remakes or reboots have become a subgenre all their own, and it’s frustrating when the same stories are rehashed again and again, oftentimes to collective groans of disapproval and disappointment. That’s why it’s refreshing when a film comes along that effectively and definitely puts an end to a subset of tiresome horror films.
Wes Craven’s “Scream” did it for slasher films, and last year Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s horrortacular “The Cabin in the Woods” slammed the lid on “group of promiscuous teens in a cabin get killed by whatever” films. Or so it seemed. Director Fede Alvarez’s “Evil Dead” follows the same basic story as the 1981 cult-classic, in which a group of young people venture into the woods and do battle with an ancient demonic power. In the original, it’s a camp-
ing trip; in the remake, it’s a retreat to an old family cabin in an attempt to help a drug addict, Mia (played by Jane Levy of “Suburgatory”), go cold turkey. It’s an interesting change, and it works. Mia’s addiction and subsequent battle with withdrawal serves as an allegory for the poisonous, flesh-eating evil that the group unleashes. Another prominent diversion from the original is a brother-sister relationship. Mia’s brother David has joined the trip to support his sister in her second
attempt at getting clean. This is the only aspect of the film that slows an otherwise fast-paced thriller. We are given too much unnecessary information about David’s absence in Mia’s life and their relationship with their mentally unstable mother. We don’t care; we just want to watch some bloodshed. Some of the dialogue may feel clunky, and some characters may lack dimension, but ultimately it’s a film concerning demonic possession solved by dismemberment and fire. It’s not going for anything
new, but instead taking the ideas of the original and turning the bloodshed up to 11, and in that department, “Evil Dead” delivers 100 percent. I won’t go into too much detail, but machetes, meat carvers, crowbars, nail guns, needles, a double-barreled shotgun and of course the signature chainsaw all make an appearance. Where “Evil Dead” shines most is in its violence, which feels so true to the intentions behind the
Evil Dead See Page 8
Revengeance Works, Despite Lack of Kojima Cyborg ninja, private military companies and bipedal cow tanks; if you are confused by these terms, then welcome to the world of Metal Gear. Produced by Hideo Kojima of Konami, the Metal Gear franchise has entranced players with its stealth action, hour-long cutscenes and an insanely dense and complex story about war, genetics, artificial intelligence, meme theory and just about every other topic under the sun. The latest entry in the series, however, is virtually nothing like that. While taking place in the same universe, it attempts to take things in a very different direction. After a protracted development cycle, in which it was canceled, then restarted from scratch by Platinum Games (developers of acclaimed action titles such as MadWorld, Vanquish and Bayonetta), Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance drops the tactical espionage in favor of high octane, adrenaline filled Photo Courtesy | Konami
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Patrick Willett | Freelancer
action. Weirdly enough, it actually works. Four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4, cyborg technology has run rampant. One such cyborg, Raiden, now works for a private military company/security counselor called Maverick. While on a job to help a recovering African nation, he and his crew are suddenly ambushed by a group of cyborgs working for a PMC called Desperado. After having been beaten and injured, Raiden, in a newly enhanced cyborg body, goes on a quest to bring them (and whoever is financing them) to justice. MGR is not nearly as complex as previous games, though it wouldn’t be fair to call it simple, either. It is a rather straightforward story that does what it needs to, but also manages to touch upon some of the many themes that the franchise has become known for. Concepts like cultural memes, the advancement of technology, the role of
a soldier in peacetime and whether or not the ends justify the means are all given their own little spotlight in discussion. However, it never feels like it becomes too verbose, as previous entries had been wont to do. Cases are made on both sides rather succinctly, and even some of the more insane points are ridiculed outright before their weapons are drawn and engage in cyborg-oncyborg combat. Of course, if you so desire to be flooded with exposition and backstory, you can always call up your support group over codec; they may not be as well developed as Snake’s old team, but they serve their purpose, and they have an awful lot to talk about. If you were thinking this game was going to feature that old fashioned stealth element that made Metal Gear famous, you’re going to need to learn some new tricks. Raiden can pull off a large variety of attacks with his sword, and
the free form Blade Mode allows him to precisely cut his enemies into ribbons. If he manages to cut them in a specific spot, he can extract their internal batteries to recharge his own, allowing him to utilize Blade Mode longer and more often. On the defensive side, Raiden can also parry his enemies’ attacks by using the light attack button and the left analog stick together. If you time the parry just right, you can stun the enemy and pull off an Execution Attack to instantly defeat them. Combine all that with various other sub weapons like rocket launchers and grenades, as well as unique side weapons obtained from various bosses, and you have yourself a veritable arsenal of toys to use. And yet, despite being an action game, the stealth element that makes Metal Gear what it is still happens to be present here. In many situations, say you there’s an enemy that you find difficult to fight, or you’re low on health, there are several
ways to take out enemies undetected. Whether it be sneaking up behind them and stabbing them in the back, or dropping down and impaling them from above, there are plenty of ways to avoid combat outright. They even give you a good old cardboard box to hide in when you need it. Of course, there are plenty of mandatory fights that are unavoidable, but that’s hardly a concern. The story mode is actually fairly short, only clocking in at around five to eight hours, unlike most Metal Gear games. But in true Metal Gear fashion, Rising features dozens of collectables and Easter eggs to find; from unlockable bonus VR missions, to scavenging for enemy left hands and data storage points to unlock new weapons and items, there’s more than enough reason to come back again and again. Graphically speaking, the game is pretty well done, though nothing espe-
Metal See Page 5
Entertainment 5
April 10, 2013 Photo Courtesy | Bob Kotalik, Chicago Sun-Times
Opinion
Feels like Yesterday Jodi Andersen Photo Editor
Roger Ebert, World’s Most Famous Film Critic, Dies at 70 Nathaniel Dunaway | Freelancer
Following an extended battle with cancer, famed journalist Roger Ebert passed away last week, leaving behind a legacy of film criticism that spanned over 45 years and made him a household name. Ebert began his career three years after graduating from the University of Illinois when, at the age of 25, he began writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, the publication he would stay with until his death. In 1986, Ebert joined fellow film critic Gene Siskel on PBS, co-hosting a weekly film review television series titled At The Movies with Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert, and later Siskel & Ebert & The Movies. The two men coined and trademarked the immensely popular phrase “Two Thumbs Up.” In 1999, Gene Siskel died from complications following an operation to remove a brain tumor, and Ebert hosted the show by himself until he was joined by fellow Times columnist Richard Roeper. Roeper stayed with the program until 2008. Ebert would follow his review series through all its iterations until his death. In 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid gland. In 2006, he underwent a surgery that removed part of his jaw, causing him to lose the ability to speak, eat, and drink. He began using a computerized voice system to communicate, which mimicked his own voice using past DVD commentaries he’d recorded. Despite his poor health,
Ebert continued to produce 5 to 7 film reviews a week. Ebert’s popularity in print won him the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1975, just eight years after his career began, making him the first film critic to receive the award. His popularity on television gave new importance to the critic title. Ebert was also a bestselling author, with 15 books published in his lifetime, including the “Great Movies” series, “Your Movie Sucks,” the annual “Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook” and his 2011 memoir “Life Itself.” He also dabbled in screenwriting, penning the script for the 1970 cult film “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.” Celebrities such as Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey reacted to Ebert’s death, both calling it the “end of an era.” Spielberg went on to say that Ebert’s “reviews went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down. He wrote with passion through a real knowledge of film and film history, and in doing so, helped many movies find their audiences.” President Obama issued a statement saying “Roger was as productive as he was resilient,” and that “the movies won’t be the same without [him].” Ebert is survived by his wife, Chaz, two step-children and two step-grandchildren. The closing of Ebert’s final blog post, which he wrote two days before his death, said this: “So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I’ll see you at the movies.”
Metal from Page 4 cially spectacular at this point. The characters are all well rendered, though the environments are rather drab and simplistic. Still, the game runs at an impressive 60 frames per second most of the time, though occasional frame rate drop can occur when there are several enemy body parts being carved up at once. The soundtrack is definitely a mixed bag, as for the most part, it is rather generic. The boss themes, however, are very energetic and driving metal music, and though the lyrics and vocals are incredibly cheesy, you can’t help but feel fired up when they play. Finally, voice acting is good, but not quite up to the standards of previous Metal Gear games. Quinton Flynn’s portrayal as Raiden is much more aggressive and confident
than his previous appearances, and while everyone else is a new face, they all play their parts very well. This may not be one of the greatest stories in the Metal Gear saga, but it certainly is a wild ride from start to finish. With fast paced action, lots of gameplay options and sequences so spectacularly your jaw will hit the floor, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance serves as a bold new interpretation on the franchise. Despite the tumultuous development history and the emphasis on sword swinging action, Platinum Games managed to cut through and deliver an exhilarating experience…with a revengeance! Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
I remember my first term of college very well. I moved into Landers Hall, joined hall government, met two of the best girls I’ve ever met, had a cute professor, did some things that we will keep on the down low, and best of all started my journey to becoming who I really am. It’s alarming to me that what I remember the most is freshman year, fall term; it’s very prominent compared to everything else. I think this is due to the simple fact that college flies by. How did the time go by so fast, and why can’t I remember those countless good periods that filled my sophomore and junior years? Is it because I was having too much fun and experiencing what it is like to be young and wild and free? Or is it simply because as we grow up, life continually passes us by in the blink of an eye? I’m currently sitting here in my office, having just gotten my cap and gown last week and applied for graduate school this week. I am trying to reminisce on what used to be, but I find myself struggling with what happened to friendships over the past two years, and why some became strained. I struggle with the idea that I won’t see some of the people whose friendships I have grown to value and love to the greatest extent. I know I’m the type of person who will pick up the phone and call, because to me distance won’t matter. Distance will be merely a word, a definition, and a space to fill in the dictionary. To me distance will be like closeness, and I will connect with my friends as if we were still living just a door or street away. College has been hands down the greatest decision of my life. The first year was incredible, the two years in between were all right, and this last year has been the best. I work with all my friends, met that handsome dude I get to call my boyfriend, and I am finally realizing that I can apply all that I have learned to life. Not just in a job, but I can truly say that my classes have infinitely shaped me as an individual and allowed me to see the world in a different view. Ask me what I thought about abortion, politics, and anything else and my hardheaded ass would have told you that I was right and you were wrong, simple as that. But now ask me as an almost grad about various topics, and I would love to have a civil conversation and take into consideration your side of things and counteract my own opinions with yours. As my friends end their time at Western, I will be that girl that sticks around for grad school. Well, hopefully; keep your fingers crossed that they accept me. Western Oregon University may have thought they’ve seen the best of Jodi J. Andersen, but don’t worry, there is still more to my story.
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6
Sports
Welcome to the NBA: Damian Lillard Brian Mahuna Sports Columnist
This year’s season is almost over for the many teams in the NBA that will not be making the playoffs. For many native Oregonians, the NBA season has been tough to watch as their Portland Trailblazers struggled once again to put up wins and bring back that playoff push that Rip City fans have been longing for since the early 2000’s. But the fans of the Blazers, while unhappy with the team’s present predicament, have been given a ray of hope in the form of their fantastic rookie point guard, Damian Lillard. In June of 2012, the Blazers used their sixth overall pick on the 21-year-old guard out of Weber State. He was one of the only players picked in the top 10 that wasn’t 18 or 19 years old when he entered the draft and his experience was an added factor in his already bursting resume. In his time at Weber State, Lillard was absolutely unguardable, averaging over 24 points a game during his senior year. His ability to score in any way at a high level of efficiency had NBA scouts drooling and when he fell to the Blazers, the Rip City following rejoiced. Portland fans had been looking for someone to take over the hero role after fan favorite Brandon Roy retired after battling chronic knee injuries. While the team had a great foundation in big man LaMarcus Aldridge, a good group of core players led by Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews, they lacked someone who could bring the ball up, run the offense, and most importantly, score the ball. The Blazers knew right away what they drafted when Lillard lit up the summer league, averaging almost 30 points a game and being named Co-MVP during that time. His performance was just a foreshadowing of what was to come for Lillard in his first NBA season. He will be named the Rookie of the Year once the season concludes, and he is the front-runner by a mile. Lillard has averaged just less than 19 points a game this season while also distributing the ball around nicely. He also averaged sixand-a-half assists. His leadership as the point guard of the team has never been in doubt and the fans of Rip City are already in love with this charismatic young star. But I do not believe that Lillard’s best strength is his scoring, passing, ball handling, rebounding, or defense. No, the best strength of this young rookie is his durability. Not only has Damian Lillard not missed a game this season, he has started every game, while playing over 38 minutes a game. Of the players drafted in the top 10 in last years draft, only one other player averages over 30 minutes a game, Washington’s Bradley Beal who is out for the rest of the season with a leg injury. Lillard’s durability is his biggest strength and has been since he was in college. He missed part of his junior year with an injury, but aside from that Lillard never missed a game in four years. That means that Lillard was fighting through smaller nagging injuries that every athlete has when the seasons grow longer. And in the extremely long NBA season, the ability to push through the wear and tear and continue to perform at a high level is highly coveted among NBA front offices. Lillard has shown he has that ability.
www.wou.edu/student/westernjournal
April 10, 2013
Athletics Schedule (through May 25, 2013) BASEBALL Friday, April 12 HOME against Northwest Nazarene (DH) @ 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13 HOME against Northwest Nazarene @ 12 p.m. Friday, April 19 HOME against Lewis Clark State (DH) @ 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20 HOME against Lewis Clark State @ 1 p.m. Sunday, April 21 HOME against Lewis Clark State @ 12 p.m. Saturday, April 27 HOME against St. Martin’s (DH) @ 1 p.m. Sunday, April 28 HOME against St. Martin’s @ 1 p.m. Friday, May 3 AWAY against Central Washington (DH) @ 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4 AWAY against Central Washington @ 12 p.m.
SOFTBALL Thursday, April 11 AWAY against St. Martin’s @ 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20 AWAY against Simon Fraser @ 1 p.m. Sunday, April 21 AWAY against Western Washington @ 12 p.m. Friday, April 26 HOME against Northwest Nazarene @ 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27 HOME against Central Washinton @ 12 p.m.
TRACK Friday, April 12 John Knight Twilight at Western Oregon @ 2 p.m. Thusday and Friday, April 18 and 19 Bryan Clay, Long Beach State, Mt. Sac Relays in Azusa, Calif. Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20 Oregon Relays in Eugene, Ore. Friday, April 26 Oregon State Invite in Corvallis, Ore. Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30 GNAC Multi Champioship at Western Oregon Friday, May 3 Oregon Twilight in Eugene, Ore. Saturday, May 4 Oxy Invite in Los Angeles, Calif. Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11 GNAC Outdoor Championships at Western Oregon Thursday-Saturday, May 23-25 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, Colo.
April 10, 2013
I n t ramu ra l s O f f e re d at We s te r n Jordan Salazar | Freelancer
Western provides a large variety of intramural and club sports for current students and staff members. This spring
to how many sports you can participate in; multiple sport participation is always encouraged. Each team pays $55
“Experience in refereeing is helpful, but I started ...with absolutely no experience in refereeing”- Stacy Roberts STUDENT INTRAMURAL SUPERVISOR
term, Western is opening up four coed intramural sports. The sports include basketball, volleyball, soccer, and softball. The Intramural and Club Sports board is also adding weekly tournaments for students to participate in. Sports like flag football and dodge ball will be a part of the weekly tournaments with more choices to be announced. There is no limit
to participate in each sport. Teams will divide the cost among each player per team. If you are unable to find enough members to fill a team, athletes can sign into imleagues.com and become a free agent looking to fill a spot. The last day to register a team was April 9, at 11p.m. So start practicing and watch for the deadlines for next years intramural seasons.
If being on the team isn’t in your interest, but earning some money is, the Intramural and Club Sports allow students to work as officials and referees. All positions are paid, and flexible with hours. Student’s interested in becoming an official or referee this term can email Ben Prahl, the Assistant Director of Intramural and Club Sports at prahlb@ wou.edu, and show interest in officiating. The first officiating clinic is on Tuesday April 9, at 6 p.m. in HWC 105. Students can both play and referee. S t u d e n t Intramural Supervisor Stacy Roberts stated, “It’s pretty simple too; experience in refereeing is helpful, but I started out my first term at [Western] with absolutely no experience in refereeing.” Every sporting event is supported by the fans that show loyalty by attending each event. To be an intramural sports fan
you have to be more than the typical fan. Giving a couple hours away from studying to watch friends play a volleyball match or softball game demonstrates a strong friendship. As college students, we know every minute counts for studying. If you want to show team spirit for a friend or take a break from the books, gather a few friends and just walk over to the Health and Wellness Center or Intramural Fields. The times for the games will be posted on imleagues.com once the teams have been set. This spring term, step outside for a friendly game of softball, hit the hardwood as either a competitor or official for basketball, or watch a competitive soccer match. No matter the approach, take advantage of the Western Intramural and Club Sports provided by participating either as an athlete, official, or fan.
7 Introvert vs. Extrovert Sports OPINION
Ashley Wright Copy Editor
I’m an extrovert. Every personality quiz or test I’ve ever taken, promising to give me deep insight into myself and my motivations or future career likelihoods, have agreed on one thing: I like people. This I can believe. Stories from my childhood are always peppered with me talking to strangers, introducing myself to people, taking the new kids in my schools under my wing, and even, according to my mother, making friends with a girl in Petco when I was six and crying when I was dragged from the store after my mom had bought the dog treats she was there for. I used to get in trouble for talking during classes, even though I meant no disrespect. Student teacher conferences were a sort of broken record, and a bit of a joke in my family: “Ashley is smart, but doesn’t apply herself,” and “She’s such a social butterfly. I can’t find a place for her to sit in the room where she doesn’t talk to her classmates.” I won’t deny it; I liked going to school to learn, but I am very social. I have a hard time with group projects because I’d rather hear stories and tell my own to people in my group. Having a night sitting around and talking is always fun, and I can talk on the phone for hours with the right person. Most of my friends, though, are introverts. It’s what comes with making a lot of friends through nerdy, usually solitary activities like communities that spring up around books or movies or shows. A lot of my friends are online, so I talk to them that way, but even my friends I see in person on a regular basis tend to be introverted. They’re sometimes shy, and would rather I call and order pizza, or ask questions at the help desk. They’re also the people I’ve had the most fun with in my life, when we’re in small groups and they feel like they can open up and finally talk and joke; they’re the comedians that will never stand up on stage and the philosophers who will never raise a hand during class. They’re some of my favorite people. Our society values extroversion; being able to handle large groups of people and interact socially for hours a day, at school, at work, then with friends, is something a lot of extroverts take for granted, and expect everyone to be capable of. They see introverts as boring loners who don’t know how to have a good time. On the internet, there is a big stigma against extroverts, as introverts make up a large majority of most online communities. Extroverts, to them, are party-people who don’t know how to appreciate the finer things in life and never shut up. Neither of these assumptions is true, of course. Jerks come in all volumes, so judging harshly on if someone is an introvert or an extrovert seems a little backwards to me. Now, I suppose I’m rather lucky, as an extrovert in such a society, but mostly I refer to myself as a rare, extroverted nerd. I can help all the introverts I love, and initiate conversations, and talk on the phone. It helps me feel useful, and above all, happy people make me happy, so I can contribute to my own happiness while helping others. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.
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8 News
April 10, 2013
Same Sex from Front Page
heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases,” the press release stated. The second case heard by the Supreme Court, Hollingsworth V. Perry, was in regard to California’s Proposition 8. Prop 8, like DOMA, defined marriage as being between one man and one woman, and has, since its passing, been deemed unconstitutional by lower level courts under the Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendment of United States Constitution. In the Feb. 2012 publication for the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals ruling on the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a court case that questioned the legality and constitutionality of Prop 8, Judge Stephen Reinhardt issued an opinion held by both himself and Judge Michael Hawkins, who both affirmed the unconstitutional standing of Prop 8.
“Although the constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted,” the opinion stated. While the Supreme Court was in session hearing the cases, the court steps filled with supporters and protestors for and against marriage equality alike. Social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr lit up with red profile pictures depicting white or, in some cases, pink equal signs in honor of the hearings. For those who oppose marriage equality, the same red photos with a “does not equal” sign or a cross appeared. Until the prospective June ruling on both cases, supporters and opponents of Prop 8, DOMA, and marriage equality, are forced into a wait-and-see period leaving many wondering and worried about what the future of this long-standing debate could hold.
Opinion One Little Flag of Remembrance
Stephanie Lane Sports Editor
Evil Dead from Page 4 original that—as a fan of the Raimi classic—I couldn’t help but feel giddy every time a limb was blown off or a fountain of blood was vomited. Maybe I’m sick in the head, but don’t you have to be to volunteer to watch these kinds of things? Needless to say, if you’re easily grossed out (and even if you aren’t) this movie is going to chew you up and spit you out. It’s a gruesome gore-fest with no desire to go easy on its audience. And impressively, “Evil Dead” uses hardly any CGI. Only a few moments are computer generated, the rest is good old-fashioned movie magic, effectively harkening back to the extremely low budget of the original, which is also packed with plenty of nausea-inducing moments. “Evil Dead” is everything a horror remake should be.
While it’s generally my opinion that what most horror remakes should be is nonexistent, Alvarez’s film is the exception, because it honestly feels like the movie Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell would have made, had they the resources available to Alvarez and his cast and crew. It’s a remake made by fans of the original for fans of the original. It respects the source material in ways that other recent remakes such as “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th” didn’t. It’s a genuinely scary, blood-soaked horror film that will no doubt stand the test of time. Oh, and if you’re a fan of the original film and its sequels, “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” and “Army of Darkness,” make sure to stick around after the credits. You’re welcome.
Occasionally, I receive a letter that warms my heart and makes me proud to be a part of this great university. I wanted to share with you the note below that I received from a community member. It seems to me that taking pride in one’s self, as demonstrated by the actions observed, is the behavior that will continue to serve you, our students, very well as you face the joys, challenges, and successes that the future holds. This behavior is infectious, keep it up! Very best regards, Mark Weiss Dear WOU president: Last night (Wednesday 2/27) my wife and I visited the frozen yogurt shop in Monmouth. Upon our arrival we noticed inside the shop, a large number of WOU students, chatting, laughing and enjoying themselves. The reason for my note is to let you know all of them represented the school well, but the stand-out in the crowd was the Lacrosse team that was near the door. I estimate there were 8 or more guys. When they exited, the person I will call the captain, said, “hey, we can’t leave this like this”, he then called back a couple of guys to toss the cups that they left on the table in the trash. Your Lacrosse team is a pretty impressive group of young men. They single handedly restored my faith in today’s youth. Thank them and their coach for making our community a safe clean place to live. A community member (name ommitted) Monmouth, OR
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For those who did not know, Monday, April 8 was Holocaust Remembrance Day. Some may have noticed the flood of colorful flags on Monmouth Ave. Each flag represented 500 lives that were lost during the Holocaust. It is hard to believe that one person’s vision can result in the loss of so many lives, lives of people who were condemned for the simple fact that they were born into a certain religion, country and/or lifestyle and they had the wrong hair and eye color. I see these flags every year when this day comes around. I walk through campus and read the signs to remind myself what each color stands for and what they all represent. I try to take a moment to recognize how many people’s lives ended in probably the most horrific way to die. How many of them were starved and beaten or treated like animals before their ultimate fate came around. This time it was different. I walked through campus Monday morning looking at the flags, reading the signs and trying to think about the people and what they suffered through. Now I don’t know if I am just unobservant or if this is the first year this has been done but I hit an area where the flags were smaller than all of those around them. So I found the sign, and it read: “Jewish Children.” I’ve read this sign at least four years in a row now but this time it gave me chills that I still have while I write this. Children, there is someone in this world that was so messed up that they felt it was okay to kill children because they weren’t what was deemed the ideal human. I think what got me was the subtle reminder looking at these petite flags that they represented 500 little humans. They were petite just like the flag that represent them due to the fact that they had only seen maybe a decade of their lives before having to fight for that life. It also astounds me to look at how many flags were so delicately placed for this Remembrance Day and then remember that each one represents 500 individuals. All of these flags barely fit on the lawn that borders the main drag through campus. Over 11 million individuals died just trying to live their lives the way that made them happy. Of that around 5.5 million were Jewish individuals which was over two-thirds of the European Jewish community.