Volume 16 Issue 8

Volume 16 Issue 8 | Wes tern Oregon University | Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

EDITORIAL

CAMPUS LIFE Art faculty shows off their skills Page 5

History, hip hop and “Hamilton”

Shia surprise Page 11

Page 6

1500 Mormon resignations over Handbook 1 LDS policy excludes children of same-sex marriage from baptism and blessing

By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor

WOU offensive line in the trenches against Humboldt State University of Saturday Nov. 14

Photos by JAMAL SMITH

Heartbreak for the Wolves Humboldt State crushes Wolves’ post-season hopes in a 29-13 loss

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor Western Football dropped their last game of the season 29-13 to Humboldt State University (HSU) on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at McArthur Field.

The Wolves came into the game with the hopes of reaching the NCAA Division II Playoffs with a win against

HSU. The Wolves were ranked No. 10 in the region and Humboldt was ranked No. 3 prior to the game; the top eight teams in the region would qualify for the playoffs.

The Wolves struck first on their second drive of the game when redshirt-sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB) connected with sophomore Maurice McSwain (WR) for a 71-yard strike, giving the Wolves an early 7-0 lead and sending the Western faithful into a jubilant frenzy.

McSwain finished the game with a season-high 129 yards on five catches.

Nov. 5, 2015 saw the release of a new policy handbook from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which recalled baptism and blessings as an opportunity for youth of same-sex couples.

This policy, housed within Handbook 1, applied to children under 18 who are either “natural or adopted” by LGBT parents.

To be exempt from this exclusion, the children must live in a new household with opposite-sex guardians or wait until they are 18 to denounce their original parents in favor of their religion.

Children of same-sex parents would also be required to completely disavow same-sex marriage altogether in order to be baptized, confirmed, ordained, or even invited to perform in missionary services.

“The church has long been on record as opposing same-sex marriages. While it respects the law of the land, and acknowledges the right of others to think and act differently, it does not perform or accept same-sex marriage within its membership,” stated Eric Hawkins, a church spokesperson to the Washington Post.

Some of this opposition can be traced back to

Continued on Page 8

Misleading college rankings lead students in the wrong direction

By Alvin Wilson | Staff Writer “Top 100 colleges in the U.S.! Click here to see where yours ranks!”

Odds are, if you browse the internet or use any social media, you have seen a headline like this.

But how much help do they really offer? Does the rank of your college really matter?

Well, not really.

An economics paper written by Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger suggests that the college you attend really doesn’t matter when determining how much money you will make after graduation.

In their study, Dale and Krueger found that

students who graduated from extremely selective colleges didn’t make more money than students who were accepted to the same college but chose to attend a less selective one.

What does this mean for you? It means that if you work hard and are intelligent enough to be accepted into an Ivy League school, you will likely be successful and make a lot of money regardless of where you graduate.

The college you attend doesn’t dictate how much money you will make.

Harvard is often at the top of the list when it comes to high-earning students. But does this mean that Harvard educates its students differently than a public university? Or does it simply mean the school is more selective, limiting its students to those who would have been successful regardless?

Organizations that rank colleges in the U.S. use methods that determine how much money a student who graduates from that college is expected

Continued on Page 2

Continued on Page 3

Ranking Oregon Public Universities from The Economist by alumni earnings above expectation Eastern Oregon University of Oregon

$3,001 $1,477

Western Oregon Oregon Institute of Technology

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

$519 $388 -$586

Portland State

Oregon State -$868 -$2,065 Southern Oregon http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/10/value-university Infographics by BEN BERGERSON

2

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

NEWS

THE JOURNAL

“We’re getting lots of dirty looks and someone just shouted at us to get a job,” Edge wrote, adding “Taxes are necessary, I get it. So are tampons/pads.”

The argument behind the protestors is that feminine products should be viewed as essential items to a woman’s health and sanitation, and should not be taxed as a “luxury item.”

This is especially important when there are women who struggle to afford tampons in the first place; the additional tax only adds to the issue.

British Labour M.P. Stella Creasy spoke to Parliament about how the tax shows inequality among society, and it fails to take into consideration the necessary hygiene products a woman can need.

“Tampons and sanitary towels, even I’m struggling with the words tonight it seems, have always been considered a luxury. That isn’t by accident, that’s by design of an unequal society, in which the concerns of women are not treated as equally as the concerns of men,” Creasy said.

UK comedian Russell Howard addressed the absurdities he saw with the “luxury” marking, calling to attention a number of items that are not taxed and considered by Parliament to be more essential than tampons.

“Well here is a list of some of the things that the taxman thinks is essential more than tampons: helicopters, bingo, Twiglets, adult nappies, flapjacks, toffee apples, edible cake decorations, a ticket to the zoo and crocodile meat,” Howard said on his talk show.

The protestors hope the free-bleeding will raise enough attention to the topic of menstruation and what should and should not be considered a luxury item.

Edge went on to tell Buzzfeed, “If people are grossed out by me not wearing a tampon then I think that emphasizes my point […]

They’re not ‘luxury items.’”

345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNER WILLIAMS journaleditor@wou.edu

MANAGING EDITOR KATRINA PENAFLOR

journalmanaging@wou.edu

NEWS EDITOR JENNA BERESHEIM journalnews@wou.edu

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR MEGAN CLARK

journalcampuslife@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR DECLAN HERTEL journalentertainment@wou.edu

SPORTS EDITOR JAMAL SMITH

journalsportst@wou.edu

PHOTO EDITOR STEPHANIE BLAIR

journalphoto@wou.edu

DESIGNERS CARLY FISTER BENJAMIN BERGERSON

Photo courtesy of BBC.CO.UK A protester’s sign against the tax on feminine hygiene products recently enacted in the UK

Free-bleeding in the UK

journaldesigner@wou.edu

COPY EDITOR JACK ARMSTRONG journalcopy@wou.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER TBA journaladvertising@wou.edu

WEB MANAGER MARY GEANELLI BERNARDO journalweb@wou.edu

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SAMANTHA DUNAWAY STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER RHYS FINCH 503-838-9697

SUBMISSIONS THE JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned.

Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words.

THE JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content.

Please bring submissions to THE JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@wou.edu.

Submissions must be received by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print.

All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.

By Katrina Penaflor | Managing Editor The United Kingdom has renewed their tax on tampons, keeping them marked as a “luxury item” after a recent vote on Oct. 26, 2015.

The result of the remaining tax, which is 5 percent, has led to women free-bleeding outside of British Parliament in an effort to protest.

Free-bleeding is the forgoing of feminine hygiene products while menstruating, to

show the visual results of a period without tampons, pads, or the alternatives.

One of the protestors, a woman named Charlie Edge, recounted her feelings in a Facebook post: “People are so quick to tell people that the tampon tax is something we shouldn’t be upset about […] But then they get upset when I show them the reality of the necessity of sanitary items.”

Edge also went on to write about the negative backlash she and fellow protestors received from free-bleeding.

College Rankings: From Front Page to make. This can be problematic for many obvious reasons.

So how should we be ranking our colleges?

An article published recently in The Economist tries to answer that question.

The Economist used information provided by America’s Department of Education to put together a scoreboard for colleges and universities — one that they believe more accurately reflects how helpful a university is to its students.

They analyzed the financial aid information of hundreds of thousands of students from 1,275 institutions to determine the financial situation of students before they graduated.

They also analyzed their tax returns submitted after graduation and compared the expected earnings of a graduate with their actual median earnings.

For a college to rank highly on this scoring system, its students have to make more than the expected earnings of a graduate

from that school. This method of ranking colleges is a much more accurate reflection of the actual value students get from their degrees.

There are, however, some problems with the rankings. The data only includes students who applied for financial aid, which excludes the children of wealthy parents. The information also only provides tax return information for the first ten years after graduation, so it doesn’t account for people who start high-paying jobs after more schooling or experience in the workforce.

It is also important to consider the type of student each college attracts. A college’s ranking could be negatively affected if, for example, it is a school for the deaf or blind.

Even though the scoring criteria provided by The Economist is a more accurate representation of how much a college helps its students upon graduation, students should still take its information lightly.

There are countless factors that can contribute to a college’s ranking.

To see where Western, or your future graduate school, ranks in The Economist’s scoreboard, visit their article here: http://econ.st/1M3N6da

The highest ranked Oregon school nationally was Linfield College at

#27 #1239

while Reed College ranked in at

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Infographics by BEN BERGERSON

NEWS

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

3

France and the world deal with the aftermath of terrorism

By Alvin Wilson | Staff Writer France was shocked on the evening of Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 when ISIS gunmen attacked various events in Paris.

According to French authorities, three teams of ISIS suicide bombers attacked six busy areas, killing 129 people.

BBC reported that France’s president, Francois Hollande, has announced his intention to destroy ISIS. Hollande said, “We are not committed to a war of civilizations, because these assassins don’t represent any civilization. We are in a war against terrorism, jihadism, which threatens the whole world.”

President Hollande urged France’s parliament to give him the authority to add 5,000 policemen to the country’s paramilitary force by 2017, and also to make it easier to deport and strip the citizenship of any foreigner who poses a threat to the nation, according to BBC. The Sunday after the attack in Paris, French planes dropped 20 guided bombs, “targeting sites including a command centre, a recruitment centre for jihadists, a munitions depot and a training camp,” according to BBC. “Already, the French struck very quickly and did considerable damage,” Dr. Dean Braa, Western sociology professor, said. “I think that’s just the beginning. We’re going to see incredible mobilization and cooperation, I would think, based on the NATO alliance.”

BBC also reported that France has mobilized 115,000

security personnel.

128 raids have been performed on suspected terrorists. Many of the attackers were identified, and one is believed to have fled to Belgium.

French authorities believe they have identified the attackers as Salah Abdeslam, 26, Brahim Abdeslam, 31, Omar Ismail Mostefai, 29, Bilal Hadfi, 20, Ahmad al-Mohammad, 25, and Samy Amimour, 28, according to BBC. At least two of the attackers were from the Paris area, and two additional attackers have yet to be identified.

According to the United Nations, Syrians make up the world’s largest refugee population, with roughly 11 million people actively fleeing their country.

The Syrian refugee crisis is already affecting millions of people around the world, and these attacks will likely scare a lot of people in countries who are receiving refugees. According to CNN, more than half of the U.S. governors oppose letting Syrian refugees into their states.

Braa thinks that is exactly what ISIS wanted.

“What ISIS wants to do is make the West worried that

anybody and everybody is a potential target,” he said.

And President Obama agrees. “I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIS than some of the rhetoric that’s been coming out of here during the course of this debate,” Obama said in response to the opposition of Syrian refugees, according to CNN. Braa said we can’t let our fear cloud our judgement.

“There is a stereotype that is completely unfair that Muslims are going to disproportionately be terrorists. There’s no evidence to support that,” he said.

“A terrorist can come out of any group,” Braa said.

“Some of the serious terrorist acts in the United States have been conducted by American citizens born and raised here.”

In addition to an air strike already performed on ISIS, Hollande has spoken to Russian President Putin about taking action, and he plans on flying to Washington to meet with President Obama next week, according to BBC. U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, arrived in Paris on Monday, Nov 16 to show support for what he called “America’s oldest friend,” according to BBC.

There is a stereotype that is completely unfair that Muslims are going to disproportionately be terrorists. There’s no evidence to support that.

MSU holiday wreath sale MSU offers a variety of decorations for the holiday season

By Brianna Bonhom | Staff Writer

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints building on Church St. in Monmouth

LDS Policy Shift: From Front Page Proposition 8, which eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.

With the support of the LDS Church, Prop 8 passed in 2008 but was later deemed unconstitutional and retracted.

In retaliation to the latest policy, over 1500 LDS Church participants submitted their letters of resignation, with the number continuing to grow.

“I’ve thought more and more about sending in my letter of resigning my membership,” admitted Lilaah Jones, a third year gerontology major. “I am astonished and appalled that this is happening.”

Jones personally identifies within the LGBTQ community as well as the LDS Church.

“I was baptized Mormon about 5 or 6 years ago,”

Photo by KYLER FREILINGER

Jones said. “It’s been awhile since I’ve identified and gone to church as a Mormon, but I still share the beliefs from the church, until recently.”

Recently, another story made headlines within the same vein: a Utah judge ruled that a lesbian couple was unfit to foster their one year old child.

The couple had been fostering the child for three months when they attempted to adopt the baby, only to be met with the rebuttal that the judge would remove the child and relocate her to a “more traditional home” according to CNN. “Some encouragement, if you and your partner want a child: fight, work, and prove to everyone that you would make phenomenal parents and no one can take that away from you. Never give up,” urges Jones.

“As for religion, don’t lose your faith. Cut out the bad people who bring you down, and pray for strength. Your relationship with God is between you and Him, no one else,” finishes Jones.

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

The Multicultural Student Union (MSU) is having their annual wreath sale. The wreath sale started on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015 and continues through Monday, Dec. 7, 2015.

Students can pick up wreath order forms at the MSU office in the Werner University Center, and they have six wreath options available this year.

The wreaths available are the Regular Wreaths (10-24 inches), Snowflake wreath, Cross wreath, Noble Swag, Candy Cane, and wreath garlands that can be purchased by the foot.

The price varies per wreath, but the wreath sale is a fundraiser. All proceeds earned during the sale go back into the funding for MSU so that they can organize programs and events with other organizations.

“We’re hoping for a big turnout. People love holiday wreaths, this is a great fundraiser for MSU,” said Samantha Valdez, a junior social science major.

The wreath sale is a great opportunity for students and faculty to get in the holiday spirit and add a little holiday swag to their door.

Make sure to turn in forms by Monday, Dec. 1, 2015 to get your wreath in time.

4

CAMPUS LIFE

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

Thankful for donations Thanksgiving a luxury for Oregon households with food insecurity

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor

HUMANSOF WESTERN

As you feast with your family and friends this Thanksgiving, it is important to “give thanks,” but also to think about people that are less fortunate.

According to a 2014 U.S. Department of Agriculture report, 14.3 percent of U.S. households were food insecure.

Also according to the report, 17.5 million households “had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all of their family members due to a lack of resources.”

According to the same USDA report, Oregon’s 15 percent food insecurity rate is even higher than the national average, and the statistics have been climbing over the past three years.

With the Thanksgiving food drive, Western Oregon University is giving you the opportunity to help families in Monmouth and Independence

who don’t have the luxury to afford an extravagant Thanksgiving meal.

Any Thanksgiving food items are accepted, such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, cranberry sauce and any other food item, excluding the turkey or any refrigerated or frozen items.

The Thanksgiving food drive is coordinated by the WOU Food Pantry, whose mission statement is “to reduce the dilemma of food insecurity on campus.”

Donations can be dropped off at the WOU Food Pantry located on the second floor of the ASPC building or in a bin located in the front office of the ASPC building.

The WOU Food Pantry accepts donations year round. If you are interested in volunteering for the WOU Food Pantry contact the ASWOU Director of Internal Affairs, at aswou@wou.edu for more information.

Corinne Garrett, Sophomore, Undecided “I went on this ten week bike trip across the United States this summer. It started in Pacific City, Oregon [...] and we biked to Yorktown, Virginia [...] It was awesome, we met so many great people, and I actually fell in love with my boyfriend on that trip.”

“We met so many great people, they welcomed us into their homes, let us stay with them if they saw us. We never knew where we were going to stay, or what we were going to do when we got into a town [...] I just felt so, like, loved and taken care of. We never had to worry about anything.”

By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor

Photo by Stephanie Blair

Faculty Workshop Given by ODS Faculty Members are taught the basics of working with students who have disabilities

By Emily Pate | Staff Writer Malissa Larson, Director of the Office of Disability Services (ODS) here at Western gave a presentation to Western faculty on working with students who

have disabilities, on Friday Nov. 13, 2015.

Though geared towards faculty and staff, much of what Larson said is also important for students to keep in mind.

“All the students we’re working with are qualified to be here,” Larson said. To her, this was the most important thing for faculty to remember.

The ODS’s website defines a disability as “an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. Examples of major life activities include walking, listening, reading, and learning.”

There are approximately 400 Western students currently registered with the ODS. For both students and faculty, using the correct terminology is critical. The same with any identity, the individual should guide us in what language to use in relation to them.

The correct term to use, Larson said, is individuals with disabilities. Larson

explained that other, more widely used terms, such as handicapped or disabled, have a long negative stigma attached to them, and do not acknowledge the person, only the disability.

“As with any underrepresented group, the language changes over time,” Larson said. It is the responsibility of each person to educate themselves on the current, appropriate language.

“It is important for students to know that the majority [of individuals with a disability] have an invisible disability,” Larson said. “So their friend, their classmate, their roommate may have a disability.”

“There isn’t a major, minor, or graduate program that we aren’t involved in.

There’s no program that doesn’t include an individual with a disability,” she continued.

She advised faculty to “work with every individual as if they’ve got something

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

going on.”

As for the presentation, Larson stressed how gaining knowledge about underrepresented groups can benefit Western as a whole.

“I would love it if more and more faculty were trained,” Larson said. “We want our campus to be inclusive and welcoming. And awesome.”

“In a place of higher learning, I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to learn about what other people are experiencing,” she said.

About responsibility, Larson also stated, “When there’s two people involved, they’re equally responsible for communication.”

One of the ways students can offer aid is to be note takers. “We’re always looking for note takers,” Larson said. “I encourage students to always come in and apply.” Students can apply at the Office of Disability Services at APSC 405.

CAMPUS LIFE Art faculty show off their skills

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

5

Photos by Dakota Kaida

The Art Faculty Biennial gives students an opportunity to see their teacher’s art outside of the classroom

By Emily Pate | Staff Writer

When first stepping into Campbell Hall’s Cannon Gallery, my gaze was immediately grabbed by the plastic forms of Sung Eun Park’s piece titled “No One Will Take Your Crown.”

Made from many different elements, including a child’s wheelbarrow, plastic wine glasses, and Korean accessories called Norigae, this brightly colored work of art seems transported from a more fantastical world.

This work is just one of many that are part of the exhibit, called the “Art Faculty Biennial,” currently on display in Cannon Gallery. Each artist on display has their own unique and fascinating style.

In contrast to the repurposed and colorful elements of Park’s art, Ian Factor’s emotive charcoal portraits are realistic, and convey great depth in the greyscale shades that this medium allows.

Jodie Garrison gives her black and white portraits exuberantly patterned backgrounds, while

Paula Portiga Booth works on birch boards, combining patterns painted in acrylic with textural photographs.

All of the artists are Western Faculty members, some of which also have their names on the signboard that lists the Art Department’s faculty directly across from the Gallery, on the other side of Campbell’s front door.

This exhibit is a chance for students to see what their teachers have created. The gallery context gives a new relationship between teacher and student as artists, one only possible outside of the classroom.

It also gives students an opportunity to look at their teacher’s art as they might look at any artist’s work, and also acts as a showcase for the skills of Western’s faculty.

Though the Cannon Galley is not a classroom, it provides the chance to learn more about art and those who create it.

Pacific Northwest poet visits campus Poet read genre-bending poetry

By Rachael Jackson | Staff Writer Christopher DeWeese, Assistant Professor of Poetry at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, visited campus Thursday, Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in Hamersly Library 107.

He read genre-bending poetry sure to evoke curiosity from those that attended.

DeWeese originally hails from Port Townsend, Washington, but he has spent the better part of this last decade teaching and working on his poetry all over the country.

Professor of Literature and Writing Dr. Henry Hughes said in an email to students that DeWeese is, “Influenced by Russian literature and space travel, and he reads like a meteor shower.”

His poetry is reminiscent of Transcendentalism, a

Photo by Stephanie Blair

mid-19th century American movement which focused on the interconnectivity of nature and man, with a modern twist that delves into the realm of science fiction.

DeWeese’s poem “The Happy Cloud” with accompanying author’s reading can be found on publisher Jubliat’s website.

Reading DeWeese’s poetry and hearing it are two wholly different experiences, through which different meanings can be gathered.

At first, “The Happy Cloud” may seem like a poem about the separate state of humans and nature, portraying humankind as being in constant battle against Mother Nature.

Hearing him read it also evokes dark worries of hu-

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

manity’s place in the world, and, on a smaller scale, the individual’s personal struggles and worldview.

DeWeese’s writing shows the ability of poetry to cross genres just as prose often does. Even for seasoned poetry lovers, this poetry promises something unexpected and modern.

His poetry fulfills a niche that many may be interested in exploring.

ENTERTAINMENT

6 Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 The Journal

By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor

Musical features Founding Fathers performing rap battle.

As someone who has personally struggled with learning history my entire life, I am constantly craving a learning source that tricks me into learning about new topics.

My childhood consisted of mnemonics, Wishbone the dog, and hours of Schoolhouse Rock. I even faintly recall The Animaniacs doing a few shows on states and presidents.

Names, dates, and locations have always been something I had to fully submerge my brain for any hopes I would retain an ounce of that information.

I was always that student in class that hummed a song or had some weird mental recollection tool to pull out of my pocket when the scantrons came out.

That is exactly the preconditioning that led me to latch onto the idea of a Broadway Musical featuring our Founding Fathers performing rap battles in an all-American, rags-to-riches story.

“Hamilton” puts Alexander Hamilton in the spotlight as a young twenty-some-

thing on his way up in the blossoming American government.

Other key figures that come into play are Aaron Burr, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Marquis de Lafayette, King George, and many more. Look at that, proof that I’m already recalling all of these key political figures.

The musical boasts over 46 tracks broken into two separate acts.

Through those 46 songs, Hamilton’s life is re-lived and history is told in a fascinating, enchanting way. Important dates, locations, events, and people are all laced in so seamlessly so as to educate the listener subconsciously.

The songs themselves accurately represent their characters as well - George Washington speaks in polished prose, while Lafayette sports a thick French accent.

This gives the characters more depth, and creates a relatable connection for all of them, even the characters you love to hate.

“Hamilton” debuted in February this year, where it sold out. Broadway quickly swooped in to host the musical on Aug. 6 2015, with multiple critical acclaims following shortly afterward.

The off-Broadway productions have even scored many awards, such as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, along with seven other Drama Desk Awards out of 14 total nominations.

It is even rumored that the Broadway production is in the running for a 2016 Tony Award.

If that doesn’t speak for the musical enough, then listen to this: the entire soundtrack is free to enjoy on Spotify.

So try it out for yourself without the big Broadway box office prices.

Now that may not seem like much - it’s a play for a reason, obviously.

Photos courtesy of BROADWAY.COM

But I have never experienced a musical that so accurately portrayed entire scenes within just the music itself. While listening, you’re dropped into war scenes, cabinet meetings in the form of vicious rap battles, and even countdowns to duels between two foes beyond compromise.

While I would fully encourage anyone to see “Hamilton” in its intended format for full immersion, I can attest to an experience just as fulfilling through the soundtrack alone.

And if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop talking about it - or listening to it, for that matter - until everyone around you also has it memorized whether they like it or not.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” World of Harry Potter opens once more with spinoff movie

By Ashton Newton | Staff Writer 2011 brought us the end of JK Rowling’s magical world of Harry Potter in cinemas with “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.”

Since then, fans have been hungry for new Harry Potter material. Occasionally, on her website, Pottermore, Rowling will deliver with a new short story focusing in on a specific character.

Warner Brothers announced in 2013 that Rowling would make her screenwriting debut with the new Harry Potter spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” due out in 2016, which is set to kick off an entirely new series set in the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

The film follows Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”), a British wizard who arrives in 1920’s New York for a meeting with the Magical Congress for the United States of America.

Scamander carries around a briefcase filled with magical and dangerous creatures, and the story begins when the creatures are set free, threatening relations between the American wizards and the “no-maj” citizens (as muggles are called in America).

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a common textbook in the Harry Potter universe. Scamander is the author, detailing the qualities of creatures in the wizarding world, and future films will explain how he became so knowledgeable.

After the box office failures that Warner Brothers faced with “Pan” and “Entourage” this year, the studio is really hoping for a 2016 homerun.

With the love that fans have for the Harry Potter series, allowing them to dive back into the universe once

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

more should benefit Warner Brothers greatly.

Rowling is also coming out with a play titled “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which premiers in London July of 2016 and is called “The eighth Harry Potter story.”

The play takes place over two parts meant to be watched in the same day, and it follows Harry Potter, now an overworked Ministry of Magic employee, and his son Albus Potter, who struggles with the weight of being Harry’s son.

As of right now, the only confirmed showing is in London, but with a subtitle like “the eighth Harry Potter story,” the play is bound to come to a theater near you eventually.

Fans can keep up with all the latest Harry Potter news on Pottermore. Rowling is also active on Twitter, where she loves answering Harry Potter questions.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” will be released in November of 2016.

ENTERTAINMENT Photo courtesy of TOYSTORY.DISNEY.COM

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

Fallout 4 Review How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb

By Jack Armstrong | Copy Editor

We’ve still got a friend in Pixar’s first film

By Declan Hertel | Entertainment Editor We all know you’ve got to grow old, but growing up is dumb and you shouldn’t do it.

One school of thought would be perturbed by finding out that “Toy Story,” Pixar Animation’s first feature-length film, turns 20 years old on Nov. 22.

But I think that the upcoming anniversary is a perfect opportunity to rewatch it for the zillionth time, and revel once more in what is both one of the best pieces of animation in history, and an indelible part of this generation’s childhood.

A solid percentage of my childhood memorabilia is “Toy Story” related. I still have all my Woody and Buzz Lightyear dolls and action figures, and every year the first item I put on the Christmas tree is a Sheriff Woody ornament.

One of my best friends has Woody and Buzz shoes and a big poster of the alien toys on her bedroom wall, and I have met a great many people with similar stories. “Toy Story” is a big deal for a lot of people.

But why? Why does this tale of talking toys still resonate so deeply with the babies of the mid-nineties?

Maybe because we had it while our brains were in their earliest stages of development, and it is thus etched into them. Maybe because after all the amazing technological advancements of the past few years, “Toy Story” still looks freaking fantastic.

Both of those things apply, but I think it has endured for another reason, one that I talked about in regards to Smashing Pumpkins’ “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” some time ago: it speaks to you in different, powerful ways depending on/no matter how old you are.

As a child, I watched it with glee, and imagined my own toys coming to life and having adventures.

During my adolescence, I watched it and saw memories of a simpler, more imaginative time. Now as a twenty-something, I watch it and appreciate how honest and heartfelt the movie is.

My parents watch it and appreciate that a piece of children’s entertainment is so sophisticated and enjoyable to adults (not to mention the “growing up” theme of the later installments: my mother and I both openly wept during “Toy Story 3”).

I will always welcome Toy Story’s anniversaries: it’s another excuse to see what else it holds for the new phase of my life I find myself in. And now I’m going to watch it again.

I wanted to start this review off in an honest manner by letting you, the reader, know up front that I am a huge Bethesda fan. I love “Doom,” “Wolfenstein” (yes, even the reboot), “Fallout,” and “The Elder Scrolls.”

So you can imagine how I felt picking up “Fallout 4” last Tuesday, Nov. 10. I was ecstatic to have another entry in my favorite variety of Bethesda brand, open world, first-person RPG goodness.

Of course, my excitement was tempered. Could the team who had brought me “Fallout 3” and “Skyrim” really suck me back into giving away 300 plus hours of my life?

I’m happy to report that they have done it again.

“Fallout 4” takes place in Boston, and in a welcome shift, the player actually starts in a pre-nuclear war suburb called Sanctuary Hills. After designing your protagonist, you are greeted by a Vault-Tec salesman who enrolls you and your family in the nearest nuclear safe vault.

As luck would have it, no sooner does your pen touch the contract than the alarm sounds, the missiles have launched, and war is upon you. You successfully rush to your vault with your family, but all is not what it seems.

This is when your story begins.

The movement and player interactions feel comfortable and familiar, but if you didn’t like the way either “Fallout: New Vegas” or “Skyrim” played, don’t expect any vast deviation in the overall approach.

The controls are virtually unchanged, but the upgrades to the heads-up display and the quick weapon switch system are welcome.

The graphics have been at the center of discussion surrounding the game, but it looks like these worries were unfounded. Despite the slower frame rate, the console edition looks great and, most importantly, a huge step up from “New Vegas.”

Your trusty Pip-Boy is back in action, and the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats system returns as the primary method of determining play style.

With no level cap to limit prog-

ress, you could conceivably max out all the skills, but it still pays to focus on how you want to play the game.

Do you feel like Mad Max, like you want to tear up the wasteland with your bare hands, upgrade Strength, Endurance, and Agility to hit harder and take more punishment? Feeling more of a Han Solo vibe like you’d rather charm your way around? Charisma, Perception, Intelligence, and Luck are your tools.

Of course, combat plays a huge role, and “Fallout 4” has refined the

7

have extra time as well.

The combat really showcases the new customization system for weapons, by far one of the best new additions. Bits of junk collected around the wasteland can now be broken down into components and crafted into weapon modifications.

Channel your inner MacGyver and use the glass from an empty Nuka Cola bottle, the crystal and screws from a discarded watch, and a touch of nuclear material to create a glowing dot reflex sight for that handy shotgun.

Photo courtesy of FALLOUT4.COM

Bethesda recipe with an emphasis on realism.

The Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System makes a return but rather than pausing the combat completely it just slows combat. So while you have extra time to target, your foes

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

The possibilities are numerous for all guns and melee weapons, and the more skills you unlock on your S.P.E.C.I.A.L tree, the more upgrades you can create and unleash.

To read the rest of the review, visit wou.edu/westernjournal.

8

SPORTS

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

Volleyball snatches comeback victory Win over MSB results in GNAC fourway tie for seventh

By Grace Knapp | Staff Writer Emotions ran high as Western’s volleyball team fought to stay alive against Montana State Billings (MSB) in their final home game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.

With an incredible comeback victory, the Wolves overcame a two set deficit to surpass MSB in three straight sets.

The set scores were 15-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-22 and 15-9.

The narrow victory over MSB (6-21, 5-13) boosted WOU’s ranking three spots in the GNAC, taking the Wolves (8-19, 5-13) from tenth to a 4-way tie for seventh with Seattle Pacific University, Montana State Billings and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Wolves started slowly and found themselves with

their backs against the wall as they were down two sets.

Redshirt-freshman Amanda Short (OH) shifted the momentum of the game by blasting a kill to win the intense rally. Western would come out victorious in the third set to stay alive in the match.

Starting slow once again, WOU trailed MSU by five points for the majority of the fourth set.

However, two huge outside blocks and a kill by redshirt-sophomore Sydney Blankinship (MB) during a four-point scoring streak, led the Wolves to claim the set and even the overall match score 2-2.

The final set was crucial, and the Wolves brought

their A-game. Short secured WOU’s victory by securing four straight points during a rally of eight consecutive points.

MSB fought back, closing the gap to 12-9, but ultimately could not compete. The Wolves finished the set with three straight points to win the overall match.

Head coach Brad Saindon is proud of the team’s performance against MSB. “In this match we really showed our true colors and showed what we’re made of,” said Saindon. “The girls fought hard and persevered.”

The volleyball team concludes their season on the road against Alaska Anchorage (24-2 overall, 16-2 GNAC) on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015.

We really showed our true colors and showed what we’re made of. The girls fought hard and persevered.

Football: From Front Page The Jacks would even up the score a few minutes later after the GNAC’s leading rusher Ja’Quan Gardner found a hole in the Wolves’ defense and broke away for a 43-yard touchdown run.

WOU’s running game, which has been a staple of the offense all season, had trouble establishing a rhythm.

Leading rusher and true-freshman Malik Braxton was held to only 26 yards on 11 carries.

To make matters worse, the Wolves were stung by the injury bug. In the second quarter, senior defensive play maker Jonathan Breland (LB) had to leave the game after an apparent knee injury.

Then early in the second half, Fenumiai sustained an injury which took him out of the competition. Both players would not return.

HSU showed why they are at the top of the GNAC ladder in the second quarter, stopping the Wolves from scoring and then adding a field goal and a touchdown.

The Jacks took a 17-7 lead going into half time.

Senior Trey Shimabukuro (QB) took over for Fenumiai early in the third quarter, but HSU’s defense held Western scoreless in the quarter. The Jacks would again add to their lead, scoring another field goal and a touchdown in the quarter to take a 26-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

After HSU kicked another field goal and went ahead 29-7 early in the fourth quarter, it seemed like the game could get out of hand. But the Wolves showed their never-say-die attitude and stepped up the defense.

Last weeks’ GNAC Defensive Player of the Week junior George Swartzlender (DL) continued his impressive play with a career-best 11 tackles for the game.

The Wolves’ leading tackler senior Shane Kuenzi (LB) had 8 tackles and also saved a touchdown with a key interception in the first half.

With just seconds left in the game and Western on the HSU 1-yard line, senior Joe Harris (RB) punched his way into the end zone. Although the score was insurmountable, scoring the last touchdown was a matter of pride for the Wolves.

“Getting in was the only way. I had to score,” said Harris after the game. “Not getting in wasn’t an option. We

QB Phillip Fenumiai drops back to pass against Humboldt State University

had to go out with a touchdown. That was the only way to go out.”

With the victory, the Jacks became 2015 GNAC champions, guaranteeing their spot in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

“We couldn’t get enough on offense, and defensively we allowed them to run the ball and they wore us down,” said head coach Arne Ferguson after the game.

“We knew we were going to play a really good Humboldt team; they are number three in the region. With their strength in schedule they should be number one in the region.”

Although the Wolves’ concluded their season on a sour note, Ferguson was optimistic about the future of

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Photo by JAMAL SMITH

the program.

“First of all we want all of our players to do well in school. We want them to be disciplined. We want them to develop as football players. Throughout the season our players continued to get better,” said Ferguson. “We aren’t where we would have liked to be, but the progress we made finishing 7-4, there’s a really good opportunity to build on that.”

The 7-4 season marks the tenth consecutive winning season for the Wolf Pack.

“We are fortunate to have most of our d-line coming back and they are the staple of our defense. Replacing seniors and that experience is so hard to do and [so is] the physicality they bring,” added Ferguson.

SPORTS

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

9

Wolves get back-toback wins No. 21 Western starts the season out 2-0

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor The Western Oregon men’s basketball team defeated Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) 82-76 on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 in their first game of the regular season.

The first half was back-and-forth and there were eight ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 38-38 with 2:15 remaining till half time, the Sea Lions outscored the Wolves 10-4 to take a 48-42 lead into the break.

PLNU, with the momentum carrying over from the first half, continued to build on their lead until the Sea Lions had an 11 point advantage with the score at 61-50.

The Wolves would claw their way back into the game and go on a 7-0 run with a 3 pointer from senior Devon Alexander (G) and a tip from Sophomore Tanner Omlid (F).

The Wolf Pack would take the lead with a little over five minutes to play and never look back.

Omlid, who made his WOU debut led all scorers with 28 points and shot an amazing 93% from the field, making 13 of 14 shots. Omlid also added 8 rebounds and 6 steals.

Western had three other players beside Omlid that cracked double digits in scoring. Senior Julian Nichols (G) had 14 points, sophomore Alex Roth (G) had 13

Devon Alexander (G) averages 14 pts. and 6 assists through 2 games

points and Devon Alexander had 11 points.

Then on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, the Wolves defeated Fresno Pacific University (FPU) 82-73 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

The Sunbirds jumped out to an early lead in the first half with an 11-8 margin. The Wolves would buckle down and tie the score at 11-11 with a Kadeem Strickland (G) 3-pointer.

After taking the lead on the next possession, WOU would not look back, and kept the lead for the rest of the game.

Although FPU would finish the game with a higher shooting percentage of 48% from the field compared with Western’s 42% from the field, the Wolves won the turnover battle 12 to 18. WOU also had 13 steals compared with FPU’s 5.

Winning the turnover battle has been key for the Wolves in the first two regulation games. In both games

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

the Wolves have had a total of 21 turnovers and created 39 turnovers off of their opponents.

Alexander led the Western in scoring with 17 points and also added 4 assists. The Wolves had three other players in double digits for scoring; Roth and Nichols both had 16 points and Omlid had 12 points.

The No. 21 ranked Wolves’ next two games are backto-back home games. The first is against California State Monterey Bay University on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. The second is on Saturday, Nov. 21 against Warner Pacific College also at 7 p.m.

2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year Andy Agvi (F) will make his season debut for Western, after sitting out due to NCAA regulations because he was playing on the football team..

Both games are held at the New P.E. Building. You can purchase tickets online or on game day at the box office.

Women’s basketball drops first two games of the season

Guard Jordan Mottershaw leads WOU in scoring with an average of 12 pts. per game

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor WOU’s woman’s basketball team fell to California State East Bay University (CSEBU) 57-42 on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 in their first regular season game of the year.

The Wolves came out flat in the opening four minutes of the game until junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) would get on the scoreboard with a pair of free throws.

CSEBU’s defense held Western to only 14 first half points, and the Pioneers would maintain a 26-14 lead going into half time.

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

In the second half, the Wolfpack would come within six points of CSEBU on multiple occasions but the Pioneers would answer with mini scoring runs of their own.

Mottershaw led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points.

Junior Kelsey Henry (F) and junior Launia Davis (G) each had eight points coming off the bench.

Then on the following day, Saturday, Nov. 14, WOU lost in a hotly contested game to California State Monterey Bay (CSMB) 59-50.

After the Wolves seized the lead in the first minutes of the game, the Otters took advantage of a WOU cold stretch and CSMB would outscore Western 13-5 to finish out theWOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL first quarter.

The Otters continued to build on their lead in the second quarter taking a 30-17 lead into half time.

Western showed grit and determination, chipping away at the Otters lead late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter.

The Wolves came within a basket of tying the game during this stretch, but CSMB would answer back with scoring runs to seal an Otters victory.

Western struggled from the field, making 17 of 54 field goal attempts and finished with a shooting percentage of 31.

Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) was the only Wolf in double figures and finished with 10 points, four steals and two assists. Mottershaw and senior Emily Howey each had 9 points.

The Wolves’ Achilles’ heel so far for the season has been turnovers and free throw shooting. In the first two regular season games the Wolves have committed 38 turnovers and shot slightly above 50 percent from the stripe.

A bright spot for the Wolves is rebounding. In the first two games, Western has averaged 38 rebounds per game. They are also averaging 7.5 steals per game.

The Wolves next two games are back-to-back home games in the WOU/Hampton Inn D2 Shootout.

The first is on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. against California State University, Chico. The second is on Sunday, Nov. 22, also at 2 p.m. against The Evergreen State College.

Both games are to be held at the New P.E. Building.

You can order tickets online and pick them up at will call, or purchase them from the box office on game day.

10

EDITORIAL

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

To save or not to save, Black Friday is the question

Keep it Black FRIDAY

Financial Friday

I’ll start by saying I have nothing against Black Friday shopping.

I don’t see anything wrong with people crowding into busy stores to find a good deal on electronics, or clothes, or whatever they’re looking for.

Black Friday shopping is great, as long as it stays Black Friday, with the emphasis on Friday, as in the day that comes after Thursday.

My problem comes in with how, over recent years, the shopping day has crept its way up to Thursday.

This trend of Black Friday shopping starting early has become extremely popular in the retail market, and although there are plenty of stores who are against Thanksgiving as a shopping day, like Nordstrom, H&M, and Costco, there are plenty of places that still support it.

I see Thanksgiving as a day to be grateful, a time to spend with friends and family enjoying a short reprieve from our hectic day-to-day lives, all while enjoying some delicious food.

I don’t see it as a day to leave your regular festivities and shop endlessly for discounted clothes, or, to take the viewpoint of many store’s employees, have to come in to work.

Last year I found myself in that situation.

While holding a retail job, I was scheduled to come in at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day to help deal with the hordes of enthusiastic shoppers. I had to leave my Thanksgiving dinner with family to go to work at a place that I felt had no real need to be open on a holiday.

Yes, there are plenty of places that need to keep their doors open on Thanksgiving, I completely understand that, but I don’t see retail stores as any of those.

The shopping, in my opinion, can wait.

I always thought that was part of the fun anyway. At least for me it was. I would enjoy Thanksgiving dinner then wake up early the following day and go to stores that normally wouldn’t be open at 5 a.m.

I wish more stores like Costco would take into consideration how staying open on a holiday can affect their employees.

Sure there are plenty of people who chose to leave the house to shop that day, but think about the employees who get an eight hour shift from 4 p.m. to midnight.

If less people were enthusiastic about shopping Thanksgiving Day, the majority of the stores would have smaller sales — which could potentially lead to them keeping their doors closed on a holiday in the future.

Black Friday shopping isn’t the problem here. It is black Thursday shopping that I believe has become the bigger issue.

Oregon law does not require that overtime pay be provided for individuals that work on Thanksgiving Day, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.

The discretion is left up to the business of whether or not to provide overtime pay for employees on national holidays.

And since many businesses begin their Black Friday promotional sales early on Thursday, this means that employees are working on Thanksgiving instead of being home with their families.

The bottom line is that if employees are going to be forced to work on a national holiday, they should be compensated additionally.

In Oregon, the rate of overtime pay is one and a half times the base rate of pay, but let’s take it one step further and say that employees working on national holidays should be paid twice their rate of pay.

Now, you may be wondering, “But if people could make twice as much money, wouldn’t they rather go to work instead?”

Not necessarily.

First, let’s assume a scenario in which an individual has a choice to work on a holiday or not. It then becomes a matter of personal preferences.

Economic theory says that people whom make higher wages already are more likely to stay home rather than work for increased wages, since they already make a lot of money in the first place.

That temporary increase in wages from the holiday pay will not affect their overall income as much as it would a person with a lower income.

In contrast, a person with a lower income is more likely to want to go to work if they will receive a higher rate of pay, because it actually got more expensive for them to stay home.

Think of it this way: an individual makes $10 an hour, and they can then make $20 an hour if they work on a holiday. That means that every hour they don’t work loses them $20 instead of $10, so they will be more likely to want to go to work since they already have a low rate of pay.

Dr. John Leadley, an economics professor at WOU, reiterated this notion.

“Sure, somebody might say ‘I’ll work on Thanksgiving and make more money, then [my family and I] will celebrate it another day,’ but it still comes down to preferences,” Leadley said.

But again, this is assuming that someone has the choice of working or not. Many people are forced to work on holidays for their base rate of pay or else they will lose their jobs.

This needs to change.

By Katrina Penaflor | Managing Editor

By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Photo courtesy of HUFFINGTONPOST.COM

Why leave the house when you could shop online?

Black Friday is the chaotic, day-after-Thanksgiving sale that many big name retailers put on. It is thought of as the kick-off to the holiday shopping season, and the day that people everywhere go crazy for BOGO socks at Fred Meyer.

Crowds of people gather at the doors of the big name retailers ready to pounce on any deal they can get their hands on, ready to stop at nothing.

People get trampled, finding parking is almost impossible, and mall security gets serious, but that’s all totally worth it for the towels that are half off at Bed Bath and Beyond, right?

Although some like to experience the violence and the rush of Black Friday shopping, others may prefer to stay in the safety of their homes, or give their money to small businesses in their local area.

Small Business Saturday is the day after Black Friday, and is a great opportunity to support local businesses.

Small Business Saturday is a national event coined and supported by American Express, which encourages shoppers to go out and explore their neighborhood, supporting their community and local entrepreneurs.

Small Business Saturday is a chance for people to support their local businesses that may not have made as much of a profit because of Black Friday being an event mostly done at large retailers.

The day also increases promotion of small businesses to those that may not otherwise shop locally at small businesses.

Cyber Monday is another alternative that is perfect for people who do not want to leave the safety of their own home and face the crowds. Simply open up your laptop, browse through thousands of stellar sales online, and have the products shipped directly to your door.

Amazon offers a huge variety of Cyber Monday deals every year, as well as websites such as Target, Modcloth, and Nordstrom. This is a convenient and fast way to shop as opposed to pushing through people and fighting traffic on Black Friday.

These alternatives are great options for those that love to shop, but want to avoid the messy, busy, Black Friday.

Sit back and relax in the comfort of your home while browsing online, or drive through the neighborhood and shop at your local businesses.

By Brianna Bonham | Staff Writer

EDITORIAL

The Journal Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

11

The Forgotten Addressing homelessness and the social issues surrounding it

By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor On the heels of Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11, 2015, Virginia became the first state in the United States able to help all of its 1,400 homeless veterans find permanent housing. The veterans made up just nine percent of the homeless population in Virginia.

American society has, in varying degrees of success, made strides in addressing inequities; on June 26th, 2015, gay marriage was made legal nationwide.

Protests and riots have taken place in the streets of major cities for unlawful killings of African American men.

The wage gap between genders in the workplace and women’s reproductive rights are hot button topics in politics.

These issues are not resolved or forgotten in average Americans’ minds, and with good reason, they shouldn’t be.

But where does homelessness stand on their list of concerns?

Homelessness doesn’t discriminate between race, gender, or religion, and is a widespread issue that affects every community in the world.

According to the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, “In the U.S., more than 3.5 million people experience homelessness each year.”

As the weather gets colder and holidays near, homelessness becomes a lukewarm topic of discussion.

Food drives and donation sites requesting warm weather gear appear on the everyman’s radar, yet it’s not enough to force people to address the problem and its possible solutions directly.

Confronting everyday images of people sleeping under bridges or lined up at

Not in my name

By Stephanie Blair | Photo Editor Following the attack on Paris, social media seems to be peppered with reminders that there were other attacks around the world on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015.

However, I would like to focus on more immediate safety: safety of our Muslim students on campus.

After the attack of 9/11, hate crimes against Muslims in the U.S. skyrocketed.

In fact, they became five times more common, according to the Washing-

missions isn’t enough to invoke a passion for change; instead, homeless people are ignored, harassed, or avoided.

Why is homelessness greeted with such apathy or disgust?

Many view homelessness as a result of being lazy; however, according to HomeAid, homelessness is “caused by tragic life occurrences like the loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, divorce and family disputes.”

Other reasons include “depression, untreated mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder, and physical disabilities,” according to HomeAid. While there is no umbrella approach to addressing the varied issues that cause homelessness, the best way to solve homelessness is keeping an individual in their home.

Prevention is the most effective way to keep people off the streets and out of temporary shelters, and also ultimately costs less.

Home loss can be prevented in a variety of ways. One method, according to the Coalition for the Homeless, is through “effective discharge planning,” which would include housing assistance for those with mental illnesses or those leaving foster care.

While donations and volunteering are excellent ways to aid the homeless population, they won’t remedy flaws in the system, and certainly won’t keep people in homes.

This means the public should look at addressing prevention, not merely trying to stanch the wound with donated mittens and unwanted cans of Campbell’s soup. ton Post. Even without being violent, non-Muslim Americans, when surveyed, held substantial prejudice against Muslims, regardless of American citizenship.

“These surveys suggest that many Americans do not distinguish between the vast majority of peaceful Muslims and the very small number of Muslims who commit violent acts,” John Sides of the Washington Post wrote.

It is easy to hate a larger, all-encompassing community group for the actions of a much smaller sub-set.

However, just as the majority of Christians do not agree with the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, the majority of Muslims do not agree

Continued on back

Artwork created by Carly Fister

Musings from a woman on the edge

By Katrina Penaflor | Managing Editor Shia, Shia, Shia. You and your fakesounding-but-definitely-real last name have done something I so desperately wish I could have been a part of.

For those who aren’t aware, the actor Shia LaBeouf staged a three day long screening of all of his films in reverse chronological order at the Angelika Film Center in New York.

The performance-art project was titled “All My Movies” and gave fans of the actor an opportunity to sit in the theater and watch LaBeouf watch his own films.

Or, I guess audience members could watch the films too, but if it was me in the audience, I would definitely be looking at LaBeouf ’s own candid reactions.

There also was a livestream focused entirely on the actor’s face for anyone who couldn’t make it to get a look.

The viewing spanned over three days and started with LaBeouf ’s most recent film “Man Down” and ended with his first work “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.”

So what was the point in all this?

Is Shia LaBeouf secretly working on some genius scheme to win over all the fans he lost (don’t worry I stuck around) when he went off his rocker and wore a bag over his head that read “I am not

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

famous anymore?”

Or is this an apology for all his outrageous outbursts and decisions?

Just to clear the air, yes, I do include him acting in the Indiana Jones reboot in that category that requires apology.

Or is this really some deep, meaningful piece of performance-art that says so much more than we all think it does?

Well, how am I supposed to know?

The exact point of this is yet to be made clear, but after the movies finished the actor did say, “I walked out loving myself.”

So perhaps he was just trying to connect again with society, and his fans, and his work.

But one thing I can say for certain is the actor/performance-artist just sat for three days straight and watched all his movies with a bunch of random people filtering in and out of the theatre, and that’s pretty freakin’ awesome.

My one complaint: where was the Disney Channel original movie “Tru Confessions” in this mix? Shia, why did you leave one of my favorite ones out?

To watch the recorded livestream of the actor visit newhive.com/ allmymovies.

12 Friday, Nov. 20, 2015

TAIL-END

The Journal

A killer read

The Intern’s Handbook is full of cynicism, quick-witted humor, and a bleak outlook of humanity

By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief If you know me, then you know that I am a rather cynical individual.

Sarcasm is like a second language to me, so when I find an author that speaks in the same tongue, I find myself unable to stop turning the pages.

I read Shane Kuhn’s The Intern’s Handbook within 48 hours after I bought it; the constant plot twists and sardonic humor kept me up until the morning sun began to shine through my windows.

The Intern’s Handbook takes a new spin on the traditional spy narrative, but with touches of the conventional genre embedded throughout the story.

There’s all of the cool gadgets and cunning charm present among the protagonist.

John Lago is like any other intern at any other company – invisible, insignificant, and allowed incredible amounts of access to the company and to its executive officers.

This makes an intern the perfect cover for a covert assassin.

Lago works for a faux company called HR, Inc. that poses as an ordinary human resources firm, when in reality it recruits, trains, and churns out the most effec-

tive and lethal assassins in the world. table as possible so that he can find the most effective Lago is a 24-year-old killing machine with a lack of way to take out his target. But this isn’t always a stealthy empathy and a comically cynical view of humanity – all operation – Lago must get the job done in any way posthe tools necessary for a perfect assassin. sible, even if that includes blowing up an entire section The Intern’s Handbook is Laof an office building in downtown go’s written manual to future asNew York; the masterminds at sassins of HR, Inc. It is his basic HR, Inc. always have some sort of “how to stay alive” rulebook for media cover story that accounts those in the most dangerous vofor the disaster. cation imaginable.

Assassins then retire at the ripe Basically, business competiold age of 25, since nobody would tors hire HR, Inc. to eliminate ever believe that a 25-year-old the higher-ups of companies that would still actually be working for pose them a threat, and then the free as an intern. tweens that make up the assassins “Interns do not have a face, of HR, Inc. – they start in their they may occupy the same space teenage years – pose as interns at with you for years, but for the life the company to get a foot in the of you, you can never remember door. their names,” Lago says in the The premise of the story is gebook. nius.

I had a blast reading this novel; Interns are often unpaid and I found myself laughing out loud are therefore viewed as the scum every couple of minutes with a of the earth, the office slaves, beconstant smirk on my face from low rodent excrement in the hithe often brutal humor exhibited erarchical business model of an by the smooth and ruthless John organization. And yet, they often Lago. do most of the necessary dirty Photo courtesy of SIMONANDSCHUSTER.COM The Intern’s Handbook is curwork that nobody else wants to do, rently being developed into a magiving them incredible amounts of access to the most jor motion picture with Dave Franco (“Neighbors,” “21 important sections of a business.

Jump Street”) set to star in the lead role. The sequel, So then Lago attempts to blend in and be as forget- Hostile Takeover, is available for purchase as well.

Islam is not ISIS: From Page 11 with the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, the majority of Muslims do not agree with the actions of ISIS/ISIL. According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2015 there are approximately 1.6 billion Muslims in the world.

However, even if you do consider members of ISIS Muslims, that would still mean that 0.000125% of Muslims serve ISIS, based upon the estimated number of ISIS soldiers in an interview with UK newspaper The Independent with by Fuad Hussein, the chief of staff of the Kurdish President Massoud Barzani It is important to note that many, including President Barack Obama, do not consider ISIS members to be Muslims.

“We are not at war with Islam,” Obama said at the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism in February of 2015. “We are at war with people who have perverted Islam.”

America was partly founded on the concept of freedom of religion, the opportunity for religious practice without persecution.

So, with all of the talk of particular governors demanding that we allow exact gun freedom while announcing they will only accept “proven Christian” refugees from Syria, let’s at least demand all of said constitution is honored.

As of Nov. 19, 31 state governors have announced that they oppose letting Syrian refugees into their states. However, states cannot legally refuse to allow refugees in, since the federal government announced in September that the U.S. would be accepting 10,000 of the estimated 70,000 refugees, according to an article from the Washington Post.

Please look out for our Muslim classmates on campus, as these actions weren’t perpetrated in their name.

British Muslims started the #notinmyname campaign to condemn the actions of ISIS

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Photo courtesy Photo of ISISNOTINMYNAME.COM

by STEPHANIE BLAIR