Vol. IV, Issue 19
March 9, 2022
BASEBALL BLITZ page 6
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The Western Howl
Entertainment
345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347
Managing Editors
MIKAYLA COLEMAN RYLIE HORRALL
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ALLISON VANDERZANDEN howlcopyeditor@wou.edu
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MOLLIE HERRON howlnews@wou.edu
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 wou.edu/westernhowl
Supporting student productions
5 O’Clock Shadow Productions presents student playwright Camille Lenning Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu
Photo Courtesy of Wyatt King
Lifestyle Editor SARAH AUSTIN
howllifestyle@wou.edu
Entertainment Editor CAMILLE LENNING
howlentertainment@wou.edu
Staff Writer
MIRELLA BARRERA-BETANCOURT howlstaffwriter@wou.edu
Designer
JULIANNA TINKER howldesigner@wou.edu
Designer
Student actors rehearse in preparation for the March 10 performance.
Quarantine had a different effect on everyone, and for many — like sophomore theatre major Wyatt R. K. King — that time in quiet solitude bred creativity. The result of a yearlong writing process, King’s play “ForgetMe-Not” is ready for its in person debut on March 10. The play follows three main characters who share a psychiatrist, each one having recently lost someone close to them. Their stories of grieving and loss, and how they relate to memory, are explored through this central psychiatrist character.
“There’s a lot of representation in different perspectives on the grieving process and how it can be hard for people, but also the people around us,” King said of the play. “I hope the audience pulls something from that.” The premiere of “Forget-Me-Not” is made possible by Western’s 5 O’Clock Shadow Productions. These student run plays are produced without the aid of faculty, and allow students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to an independent performance. King acts as the publicity head, playwright and executive producer of the play. Continued on back
ADDIE FLOYD
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Exploring
Digital Media Manager FELICITY MARTIN
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Photo Editor
CAITLIN QUIRK
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Student Media Adviser WILLIAM MCDONALD-NEWMAN mcdonaldnewmanw@wou.edu
SUBMISSIONS
THE WESTERN HOWL 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 WESTERN HOWL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE WESTERN HOWL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE WESTERN HOWL at Terry House or email to howleditor@ wou.edu. Submissions must be received by Monday 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 not necessarily reflect those of THE WESTERN HOWL or Western Oregon University.
The student music composition series known as “Spectrum” will return to Smith Recital Hall this term, and will debut nine new pieces by seven students from Western’s composition program. “Spectrum” was founded in the mid ‘90s by current Western music professor Dr. Kevin Walczyk, who is now joined by assistant professor Dr. Carlos Velez in teaching promising young composers how to hone their craft. The concert — which is named for the range of musical styles the pieces span over — helps to refine the work students have been doing since they entered the composition program. “One of the most important things for composers is for them
the musical spectrum Western’s student composers showcase their work in the annual “Spectrum” series Camille Lenning Entertainment Editor howlentertainment@wou.edu to get an opportunity to actually hear their work. It’s really only at that point in time that they can make good assessments and judgements about what worked and what didn’t work,” Walczyk said of the showcase. “It’s a tremendous learning opportunity for them.” One such composer is senior contemporary music major Maria Kramer, who will be @thewesternhowl
presenting her acapella choral pieces “Kyrie” and “Mirror Song.” This will be her second “Spectrum” concert since she started the program two years ago. “It’s fantastic to debut these pieces,” Kramer said. “Hearing them sung live is pretty magical and it reminds us what music is all about.” Senior music education
Graphics by Addie Floyd
major Juan Martinez will also be contributing two compositions to “Spectrum.” His first, “Nebula,” is a contemporary choral piece, and his second, “Vapor,” is a Latin inspired soft rock song. “I’m super excited for everyone to hear what I’ve been working on,” Martinez said of the concert. “It’s a really big portion of (my) relationship with music and it means the world to have the opportunity to share it.” Both Kramer and Martinez will also be performing in other students’ pieces. The “Spectrum” composition concert will be on March 13 in Smith Recital Hall at 3 p.m. Admission is free for the public, and proof of vaccination will not be required to attend.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Western Howl
Entertainment
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WUC provided students with the chance to personalize their own intention bracelets during prep week.
Photo by Mirella Barrera-Betancourt
Mirella Barrera-Betancourt Staff Writer | howlstaffwriter@wou.edu
Winter term winds down Students join Student Engagement and SAB for a week of fun and engaging events before the beginning of finals Mirella Barrera-Betancourt Staff Writer | howlstaffwriter@wou.edu Prep week at Western took off on Friday of week nine with the comeback of Western’s beloved Midnight Movies. However, prep week continued for part of week 10 in a load of events hosted by the Student Activities Board. “Prep week happens at the end of every term before finals week and provides students the opportunity to engage in fun events such as Casino Night, Sung Beats, and more,” said SAB Director Brayleen Blanchard. “We also offer tabling programs such as intention bracelet making and grab-and-go coffee.” On March 5, New York City based beatbox artist SungBeats gave a performance at Western in the Pacific Room, but not before showing off his talents to students around campus. SungBeats has been honing his beatbox talents for decades. He has competed in beatboxing competitions in and out of the country. However, SungBeats is most famous for winning the title of American Beatbox Loopstation Champion. With only his voice, SungBeats is able to replicate real vocal sounds ranging from hip hop to electronic. According to SungBeats, Western became one of the many stops for his tour, which kicked off earlier this year. If students are interested in attending any one of his tour stops, they can visit SungBeat’s website at sungbeats.com/tour for upcoming tour dates. His next tour stop is Ohio State University on March 8. SungBeats can also be booked for university events and performances.
Photo by Caitlin Quirk
Intention bracelets could be personalized to include any word, from happiness to commit.
On March 7, coffee and donuts were available for students to snag in the Grove from 9 – 10:30 a.m. The donuts were from Monmouth’s favorite donut truck, the Donut Bar. This way, students could begin their prep week strong with a nice dose of sweetness. Additionally, on the Tuesday of prep week, the Werner University Center set out a table spread of @thewesternhowl
stamp bracelets for students to wind down from stress and tap into their inner optimism. Known as “intention bracelets,” these personalized bracelets hold meaning to its wearer as it encapsulates an intention, which can be a wish, purpose or goal. Prep week came to a dwindle on Wednesday with Casino Night, hosted by SAB. Casino Night is an annual event at Western and has raised the spirits of students looking for a break. This year’s Casino Night entertainment star will introduce Chris Turner, British comedian and freestyle rapper. Chris Turner has written for Epic Rap Battles of History and has performed in the Comedy Cellar in New York. People can also find him rapping for an audience in the show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Casino Night, which will take place in the Pacific Room of the WUC from 6 – 9:30 p.m., will offer additional entertainment in the form of blackjack, poker and roulette, as well as a giveaway for an abundance of prizes. All students and faculty to attend will automatically be entered into the raffle to win a Nintendo Switch. Winners of any casino game also have the chance to be placed in a raffle to win a $100 value basket. Winners will be announced the same night around 9 p.m., so students should make sure to stay around. “There is really something for everyone during prep week!” said Blanchard.
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The Western Howl
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Lifestyle
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Refine and rephrase
Photo by Sarah Austin
Proofreading strategies to help perfect writing Sarah Austin Lifestyle Editor | howllifestyle@wou.edu Every year on March 8, National Proofreading Day is celebrated to promote error free writing and communication. What does that mean exactly? Although it is normal to make mistakes in writing — such as typos, grammar, spelling and punctuation — this observance aims to normalize editing and thanking those who do so. Proofreading is done after the original editing takes place and focuses on surface level errors that may have been missed. Use the following tips for proofreading work in any setting.
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Use a hard copy. Printing a piece out to mark up physically can make it easier to find typographical errors as well as give a “big picture” view on what it will look like completed. Read it aloud. This is a great way to catch grammatical errors that are missed when reading silently. Vary the location and time. Try to edit the work in a separate place than it was written, and come back at a later date for a refreshed view.
By printing out a hard copy of the work to be reviewed, edits and notes can be made before making them permanent.
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Add it to a daily routine. Adding proofreading as a daily task can help better one’s writing across the board. This can be anything from one’s emails, to assignments, to journals and even text messages.
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Keep a list. Having a list of commonly made errors can assist in catching them quickly within new writing. Focus on including errors one personally makes frequently for maximum effectiveness. Have resources close by. Continued on back
Where would you go? Interviewing a Western faculty member on his dream travel destinations Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor | howllifestyle@wou.edu Graphic by Rylie Horrall
With COVID-19 limiting travel for many, I set out to create a piece where I ask people at Western what their travel goals would be if they had nothing holding them back. For the last week of winter term, I stopped by William McDonald-Newman’s office to inquire about what travels were on his mind. If you had unlimited time off and financial resources to leave tomorrow and go anywhere, where would you go and why? My first impulse is to follow my partner’s advice and go to the southwest.
What factors (cuisine, architecture, natural beauty, nightlife) draw you there? The rock formations, natural wonders and historical sites related to the Native Americans in the region. I was a cultural anthropology major and am interested in things like that. It’s also probably warmer than it is here right now which I would not oppose. My partner spoke highly of it as well. What specifically do you see yourself doing while there? Museums, hiking, both? Both are a great way of grasping the context of things. You can really get a feel by
exploring. My family was a big fan of the mantra of “If your brain is tired your legs should be too.” Do you have any places in mind to eat while there? No, I like going to new places with no predilection to where I choose to eat. I like trying local and new foods. What currently keeps you from going? Work is the big one. It is allconsuming. I look forward to traveling but it is not going to happen at the moment. If you had one week from work responsibilities to do anything with, what would you do?
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Go back to West Virginia and visit my family and spend a week hiking and camping, taking care of horses and doing a certain amount of gardening with my mother.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Western Howl
Lifestyle
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Destress for Spring Break Tips for destressing before Spring Break begins Mikayla Coleman Managing Editor | howlmanagingeditor@wou.edu Photo by Mikayla Coleman
Writing a prioritized list of tasks can help to reduce stress.
Finals can leave many feeling the lasting effects of academic stress. With tests, papers, notes and presentations, it is no wonder that stress can linger even when break has begun. Use these tips to get the most relaxation possible out of Spring Break — trust me, it’s deserved! Acknowledge stress. In order to overcome stress, one must be able to acknowledge that it exists and start the process of searching for the reasons behind it. Running away from problems is an understandable instinctive reaction, but it doesn’t help in the long run. Identifying that reaction and being able to direct oneself to stress busting activities can be the difference between spending a couple of minutes calming down or spending the day suffering post-panic attack. 4-7-8 breathing. This exercise helps to practice deep breathing, giving the body an extra boost of oxygen that can help negate stress. Below are the instructions for one cycle
of 4-7-8 breathing; to complete a full set, repeat four times. Part the lips slightly and exhale through the mouth. 1. Close lips and inhale through the nose. Silently count to four. 2. Hold the breath for seven seconds. 3. Exhale for eight seconds. Talk in third person. Talking to oneself is an easy way for a person to distance their body from their thoughts. To experiment with talking about oneself in the third person, imagine one is narrating their life. Describe what one is physically doing, how one is breathing, what one is touching, what it feels like, etc. It may feel a little strange at first, but it can be a great and simple way to get grounded. Consider contributors. Everyone can do whatever they want with their bodies, but it can be important to consider if there are specific habits in one’s life that are increasing stress that
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are hiding in plain sight. Things to think about include caffeine consumption, use of cigarettes or vaporizers, lack of exercise or lack of sleep. Being aware of what one decides to indulge in and how it affects personal stress levels is an important step to being more cognizant about oneself. Unplug. The world of social media is a whirlwind. It is so easy to get caught up in what is happening across the entire globe when it is all constantly advertised to consumers. If one finds themselves getting overwhelmed, a great way to combat this is to limit screen time. On most smartphones, one can set a timer for how much screen time they get either for specific applications or overall. Another good rule of thumb is to try to put the phone away for at least an hour before bed. Some people even go as far as to keep their phone in another room so they are not tempted to go on it during the allotted time. Assert oneself. Students often have a lot on their plate. Balancing having a social life, taking 16 credit terms, part time jobs, volunteering, internships and more can make merely existing a sincere struggle. In order to survive, one has to learn how to prioritize what is most important and say no to something every once and awhile. It is easy to want to please everyone and to want to be able to do everything, but we are human beings, not superheroes. Sometimes doing everything is just not possible and that is okay. Listen to calming music. Sometimes the best way to unwind is to sit in a dark room and listen to some heavenly tunes. Compiling a playlist for times of stress is one of the best ways to prepare for the onset of something that is not always expected. Look for music that provides comfort, in any sense of the word. It does not have to be stereotypical spa music or ambient noise. Personally, I have Mister Rogers on my stress playlist and it helps me every single time I play it. Remember, the playlist is not there to appease anyone else. It has one purpose, and if it makes oneself, as an individual, feel better, then it has done its job. It does not have to be explained.
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The Western Howl
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
News
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Donate your time Local and regional volunteer opportunities for students Mollie Herron | News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu Photo by Mollie Herron
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Senior Yasmin Schulberg is a food pantry volunteer.
A valuable addition to any resume is volunteer hours. They show that job applicants are willing to help others without the incentive of being paid for their service. For those looking to beef up their resume, here are some volunteer opportunities on and off campus.
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The WOU Food Pantry is always accepting volunteers. Students can sign up to have a regular full term schedule working in the pantry or volunteer their time for a one week schedule. Stitch Closet, a service that is similar to the food pantry but with clothes rather than food, is also searching for volunteers to help work the closet on Friday, March 11. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. students can sign up for one hour shifts. The sign up sheet was emailed to all students on March 4. If Spring Break plans are still undecided, Western’s Alternative Break Program is looking for volunteers to help out during the week of Spring Break or future winter and summer breaks. Volunteers will travel to regional, national or international locations to learn about the location’s culture and assist in community projects. To pay for the expenses of the trip, the AB Program fundraises before so that students pay less out of pocket. The Boys and Girls Club of Marion and Polk counties is accepting volunteer applications
for their seven club locations. Those looking to help shape the minds of the youth must pass a background check and can volunteer as a coach, mentor, tutor and general fundraiser help. • Jackson Street Youth Services in Albany and Corvallis is accepting volunteer applications for those looking to help youth that are vulnerable to homelessness. Volunteers can mentor and tutor youth as well as assist the program in providing supplies to youth that are on the streets. • Salem Friends of Felines is accepting volunteers from ages 12 and up. They only ask for a commitment of one to three days a month to become a part of the community, but volunteers can offer more time. Friends of Felines offers volunteer positions that range anywhere from caring directly for cats to tech support to donation sorting. For more volunteer opportunities that are partnered with Western, go to wou.edu/slcd/ volunteer for an extensive list of organizations.
Baseball begins!
Photo by Mollie Herron
Wolves beat the Yellowjackets 3-4 in double doubleheader Mollie Herron | News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu
Western’s baseball team played two doubleheaders back to back against the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets this past weekend. The Wolves won 3 out of 4 games over the two days, winning both on the first and splitting wins the second day. Friday, March 11, the Wolves came out strong with a lead of 5-2 by the third inning of their first game. Junior Arturo Alverez pitched 6.2 innings, keeping the Yellowjackets in check at 2 runs for the remainder of the game. The second game of the day started with three innings of no runs for either team, but quickly changed to favor the Wolves in the fourth and fifth inning. The Wolves
scored 3 runs in each inning while the Yellowjackets scored their only run for the day on freshman pitcher Bryce Bond. Bond pitched 4.2 innings with only 1 run in the fifth inning and striking out eight other players. The Wolves closed the sixth inning with 2 more runs, bringing the score to 8-1, and ended the game when MSUB scored no runs in the seventh. The second day of doubleheaders was not nearly as exciting as the first, but was more pleasant when it came to weather. The Wolves and Yellowjackets got to battle it out under the sunshine with the only clouds coming in at the near end of the second game. The Wolves took an early lead in
their first game on Saturday, scoring one run in the first inning. Junior Spencer Weston hit a single, stole second, advanced to third on a flyout and ran home when the Yellowjackets made an error. The Yellowjackets scored 1 run in the third inning, but the Wolves solidified their lead with sophomore Levi Cummings scoring the last run of the first game in the same inning for a final score of 2-1. The last of the Wolves’ four game series against MSUB ended in a disappointing 7-2 loss. The first five innings were a battle between pitchers where neither team scored a single run, but each team earned 1 run in the sixth. MSUB came back strong to make up for their lack of runs the previous day and scored 6
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This was the Wolves’ first game of the series against MSUB.
runs in the seventh. The Wolves are now ranked first in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Support the team on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at home where they will play doubleheaders against Central Washington at noon.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 wou.edu/westernhowl
Infographic courtesy of Social Science Symposium
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News
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Learning to lobby Oregonian lobbyist Greg Leo provides Western with tips on navigating Oregon legislature
The Social Science Symposium will welcome Oregonian lobbyist Greg Leo.
Lobbyists are no strangers to the art of persuasion, and neither is Greg Leo. On March 9, the Social Science Symposium at Western is holding a special event titled, “How to get a Hummingbird to Listen.” Lobbyist Greg Leo will host presentations on how to craft persuasive messages to “hummingbirds,” who are people such as Oregon legislators that only have 30 seconds to listen. The event will be held from 12 – 12:50 p.m. in the Willamette Room of the Werner University Center and is free to the public. Born in the city of Wilsonville, Leo is the founder of The Leo Company LCC, a company which has been assisting individuals and organizations in turning their ideas into policies and legislations for decades. At the heart of the company is Leo’s belief that change begins with
Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer | howlstaffwriter@wou.edu the average citizen. Leo earned his Bachelor’s in Public Administration at the University of Oregon, where he would later lobby for students at the Oregon Legislature. He went on to pursue his master’s degree at Harvard University. Since then, Leo has been working within the field of lobbying in Wilsonville. A key theme of Leo’s presentation lies behind the message, “To be understood, first seek to understand,” which circles back to himself and his advocacy. He will also talk about his background in lobbying, as well as share what it is like to work as a policy advocate. According to Earlene Camarillo, assistant professor in Western’s Department of Politics, Policy and Administration, the event will also function as the launch of the new Civic
Engagement Project. The Civic Engagement Project will provide opportunities for Western students, staff, faculty and members of the surrounding communities with the ability to cultivate stronger and more purposeful communication within inclusive communities. As for Leo, Camarillo said, “Because of his professional experiences, we asked (Leo) to be the inaugural speaker for the Civic Engagement Project.” In the spring, Leo will be teaching PS456 and PS556: Advocacy and Public Policy. Students can now register for his class, which will occur on Wednesdays from 5:30 – 7:20 p.m. in the Salem Vick building.
Three individuals signing BOSS, COMPLAIN, and ANGRY to showcase different signs made with the same handshape.
Photo by Caitlin Quirk
Signing internationally ASL Club hosts night to honor sign languages around the world Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer | howlstaffwriter@wou.edu There are over 60 recognized sign languages around the world. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders defines American Sign Language, or ASL, as “a complete, complex language that employs signs made by moving the hands combined with facial expressions and postures of the body.” Western’s own ASL Club hosted their weekly meeting in the form of “Sign Language Around The World Night” on March 2. The event was aimed to focus on learning about and honoring existing sign languages across
the world. During the first half of the event, attendees — largely students who currently study and practice ASL — participated in a handshape game. In the game, players were shown a handshape, such as an open hand or “5,” then they wrote as many glossed signs as they could think of that included that handshape. Using the example of that open “5,” one could sign FINISH, MOTHER or FATHER. Handshape is just one of the parameters, or phonemes, of ASL. In English, there’s a difference between the letter “B” and “P.” In
ASL, the handshape, location, palm orientation, movement and non-manual signals make up the sign and change its meaning. While ASL has its roots in a mixture of French Sign Language, or LSF, and the Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language in Massachusetts starting in the 1700s, there are other versions of sign language widely recognized in all regions of the world. “Sign Language Around The World Night” aimed to educate attendees on some of these different languages. While not all sign languages were
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discussed, attendees of the meeting were able to learn a bit about LSF, Ukrainian Sign Language, Mexican Sign Language and British Sign Language. For example, in the United Kingdom, signers use BSL, part of the British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Language family, which is separate from ASL that falls into the LSF family. If students are interested in learning about sign language, they should consider joining Western’s ASL Club. The ASL Club meets weekly every term at the Richard Woodcock Education Center.
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The Western Howl
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Politics
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What happened at CPAC?
A summary of February’s Conservative Political Action Conference
Mollie Herron | News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu Photo courtesy of cpac.conservative.org
Conservatives from across the country gather to share their thoughts on current events and policies.
The Conservative Political Action Conference met for three days in Florida this February. The CPAC gives conservative political figures the opportunity to discuss ideas and gauge how the public feels about them. An important takeaway of this meeting is the annual straw poll of attendees. Attendees of the conference are asked to fill out a survey on a variety of topics with the most anticipated topic being who would be most supported as a presidential candidate. This year attendees were asked if they would support former President Donald Trump if he were to run again
BEFORE THE WAR
A brief overview on the modern history of Russia and Ukraine
in 2024. He received an 82% approval with 72% of the total attendees saying they would strongly support him. Trump also received 59% of votes when attendees were asked, “Thinking ahead, if the 2024 Republican primary for President in your state were held today among the following candidates, for whom would you vote?” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received 28% of the votes for the same poll, showing that if he were to run in the future he would receive a decent portion of conservative voters. Multiple news sources say that his focus is on his re-election as governor rather than a 2024 presidential bid. Continued on back
Photo courtesy of The Washington Post
Camille Lenning Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu Cole Boeck Freelancer | cboeck19@wou.edu The Russian invasion of Ukraine didn’t come out of nowhere. In order to keep track of the unfolding events, it is necessary to understand the prior events leading up to this point. This is a very brief overview of the modern history of the region spanning 1991 – 2022. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine regained its independence in 1991, separating it from decades of Russian control. The next decade was marked by the complicated transition from socialism to capitalism. According to National Public Radio, over the next five years Ukraine made an alliance with NATO in 1992 and signed the Budapest Memorandum in 1994 — which held that Russia, the U.S. and the U.K. would respect Ukraine’s borders in exchange for them giving up their nuclear weapons. The contentious 2004 presidential election pitted pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych against the pro-NATO opposition, Viktor Yushchenko. After Yushchenko fell suspiciously ill near the end of the
campaign and Yanukovych claimed victory, public outcry forced a recount. These protests, referred to as the “Orange Revolution,” eventually resulted in a win by Yushchenko. The prime ministership went to Yulia Tymoshenko, the first woman to hold that office. In 2008, the Ukrainian administration made efforts to officially join NATO, but Russia’s disapproval held them back. A compromise was made later that year, where Ukraine was promised a place in NATO but given no timeline or instructions on how to enter. The 2010 presidential election saw Yanukovych elected, and in 2011 prime minister Tymoshenko was arrested on charges of corruption and misuse of government resources. In November 2013, when Yanukovych rejected an agreement with the European Union that would have brought free trade to the nation, protests erupted throughout the nation and demonstrators congregated at the Kyiv Madian, or Independence Square, outside the city hall.
The “seperatist-controlled area” of Donetsk and Luhansk were illegally declared independent by Vladmir Putin on Feb. 21, 2022.
Conflicts with police in February of 2014 left over 100 protestors dead, earning it the name “Revolution of Dignity.” Afterwards, Yanukovych fled impeachment and ended up in Russia. Russian President Vladmir Putin declared the installation of a Ukrainian interim government a coup and sent soldiers to the Crimean border. Surrounded by Russian troops, the Crimean parliament voted to secede from Ukraine. In March of 2014, the annexation of Crimea was
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finalized by Putin, though the EU has never officially recognized Russian control of the territory. In a show of force, Russian troops moved in on the southeast region of Ukraine bordering Russia called Donbas, specifically the two areas of Donetsk and Luhansk — which harbors a majority of pro-Russian separatists. Between the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 attack on Ukraine, Russia did not cease hostilities with the state. Cyberattacks became somewhat commonplace, Continued on back
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Western Howl
Women’s History Month
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WHO RUNS THE WORLD?
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Western celebrates Women’s History Month with the Women of Culture Celebration Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu March is Women’s History Month, and on March 2, Western’s Multicultural Student Union and the Unidos Club joined forces to bring back the Women of Culture Celebration. This annual event highlights the experiences of women of color. This year, MSU and Unidos taught audiences about women in history who made important contributions to our society, as well as discussed the events that furthered women’s rights in the U.S. They also hosted a panel of two Western admissions office staff members and one Western student. Featured in the women of history presentation were names such as Maya Angelou, Sojourner Truth and Malala Yousafzai. Angelou, a poet and civil rights activist, opened readers’ eyes to the importance of literature in overcoming the trauma caused by racism with her 1969 autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Truth was an abolitionist and women’s rights activist in the 19th century, who was born into slavery but escaped to freedom in 1826. Her crusade for equal rights earned her audiences with other activists like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony and eventually President Abraham Lincoln. Her famous speech — later referred to as “Ain’t I a Woman?” — highlighted the discrimination of her experiences living as a Black woman. Yousafzai is a current women’s rights activist who campaigned for a woman’s right to education in Taliban-controlled areas of Pakistan. In 2012, a masked assassin shot Malala because she dared to speak out. She survived the attempt on her life, and went on to become the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and graduated from Oxford University. The Women of Culture Celebration also presented a timeline spanning decades of women’s rights advances, starting at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 — which launched the women’s suffrage movement — and ending with the founding of Women’s History Month in 1981. The majority of the celebration focused on the panel of women at Western talking about their experiences as women, specifically women of color. The lineup included the Director of Admissions Anna Hernandez, admissions counselor and Western alumna Ann Marie Matagi and senior social science major Aliyah Favela.
Photo by Camille Lenning
Panelists Anna Hernandez, Aliyah Favela and Ann Marie Matagi pose after the Women of Culture Celebration.
Panelists answered questions posed by the audience, to describe how they experienced being women of color in the workplace and how to use their voices as tools for change. In Hernandez’s 25 years at Western, she was the only woman of color in a director position. She expressed how she sometimes struggles with others labeling her as a “loud Latina” when she fulfills her leadership duties. However, this hasn’t stopped her from taking charge and asking important questions about why women of color are so underrepresented at Western. “Use your voice, that’s why you were given a voice,” she said. The three panelists took a strong stance for using their voices to break the limiting expectations associated with being a woman. Specifically, Hernandez spoke about her journey as a young woman, leaving the house before she was married to prove to herself that she could. She bought a house at the age of 25, and lived as a single woman independent of her immediate family, even though doing so was essentially unheard of in traditional Hispanic culture. @thewesternhowl
Throughout the presentation, the panelists also talked about femininity and the strength that it takes to be female in the world as it is. Too often, women feel the need to sacrifice their femininity in the name of success in male-dominated fields. Favela criticized this notion. “Embracing femininity is not a weakness,” she said. “It doesn’t make you any less strong.” These conversations turned to the topic of navigating what it means to be a woman. Wives, mothers, daughters and women of all races and ethnicities are complex individuals. Forcing oneself to identify with the expectations of a single group they inhabit is detrimental to mental and emotional health. “You have to make room for yourself,” Favela said of breaking these assumptions about womanhood. These strong women explained what they want to see from male allies in the workplace and the world. Each woman had suggestions, all centered around the idea of asking women of color what they need, rather than assuming it. Supporting silenced women doesn’t mean speaking for them, it means turning attention their way and letting them speak.
10 Humor
The Western Howl
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 wou.edu/westernhowl
THIS WEEK
IN COMPLETELY MADE UP
HOROSCOPES Compiled by The Western Howl staff
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
Go look at some baby animals
To answer virgo: no, and watch your wording
HOW SHUT OFF CAPS LOCK
I’m in dire need to go to a concert right now
3/21–4/19
4/20–5/20
5/21–6/20
6/21–7/22
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
feelin’ like evan peters with blue hair rn
Is it even worth it to get a minor
Go crazy go stupid
Everything is better with sprinkles. Everything.
7/23–8/22
8/23–9/22
9/23–10/22
10/23–11/21
SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
My sanity is entirely dependent on how much caffeine I had this morning
crying is cool
Be unapologetic about your actions.
11/22–12/21
12/22–1/19
Currently relying on extra credit
1/20–2/18
2/19–3/20
The hot sauce debate Why you’re probably doing it wrong
Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor | howllifestyle@wou.edu In my experience and many others, condiments are always refrigerated. One thing I learned as a 20-something-year-old living on my own is that hot sauce is actually meant to be kept in the pantry at room temperature. Like most people I tell, when I first heard this I thought it was a lie and most likely unsanitary — but on most packaging it tells you it is safe. Reasons people began refrigerating hot sauce varies, one being that the color of the sauce itself darkens, but this does not equate to spoilage. Another is that it affects the flavor, but hot sauce bottles usually have a “best enjoyed
by” date instead of expiration for this very reason. Tabasco, for example, has a shelf life of five years whether it’s refrigerated or not. After switching to shelf storage, I personally prefer it. Not only does it come out of the bottle faster but I am not putting cold sauce onto my hot food. That, along with the arguments I get to pick with people for no good reason, is why I continue to store it that way. Making sure to invade any person I encounter as well about it, whether I’m in the condiments aisle at the store or a restaurant, I will change as many people’s minds as I can — for fun of course. @thewesternhowl
Photo by Sarah Austin
Hot sauce belongs in the counter with other spices.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Western Howl
Opinion
wou.edu/westernhowl
“AMERICAN HORROR STORY,” RANKED
The best and worst seasons of “American Horror Story” Mikayla Coleman Managing Editor | howlmanagingeditor@wou.edu Photo courtesy of imdb.com
Lady Gaga starred in season five as the Countess.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for all nine seasons of “American Horror Story.” I know I am late to the “American Horror Story” party. In order to avoid all of my responsibilities for the end of the term, I have managed to watch every single episode of all nine seasons of “AHS” in order. Here is my ranking of all seasons from best to worst. 1. Season Two: “Asylum” — A sanitarium run by ministers of faith and science holds both the innocent and insane hostage. Looking for answers about the past, journalist Lana Winters enters unaware that darker mysteries lie ahead. This season had all the magic that came with the first couple of seasons and displayed a very complicated story in a consumable way. There was a lot of room for emotion and great acting from token “AHS” actors and actresses, as well as a critique on psychological
history. I don’t care what anyone says, psychological horror is more scary than anything having to do with religion or demons and this season only proves that. 2. Season Eight: “Apocalypse” — After nuclear winter settles upon the Earth, the world’s elite are chosen to survive in several fallout shelters run by a special cooperative. Played by Sarah Paulson, Wilhelmina Venable rules the shelter with an iron first, that is, until Michael Langdon sends the order into chaos, causing the final conflict to arise between good and evil. What can I even say about this? It’s crazy that a later season made it this high in the ranks. It has a bit of a slow start, but I put it up here because it ties together so much of the continuous story lines from the entirety of the show. Also, Michael Langdon is hot. Even if he is the son of the Antichrist.
3. Season Five: “Hotel” — Lady Gaga stars as The Countess, vampiric owner of the Hotel Cortez. Haunted by her many past lovers and focused on protecting her children and herself, The Countess sucks the blood dry of anyone who gets in her way. I just got to say, Lady Gaga is a goddess and was born to act. Even though I was a bit distraught by loving this cold hearted b---h of a character, I was also so entranced by her. But I am definitely taking some points off for the heinous crimping of Sarah Paulson’s bleached hair. Blech. 4. Season Three: “Coven” — Those who faced the Salem witch trials and survived left several lines of modern day witches. Those who display a magical capacity are sent to a special school for young witches to learn how to protect and strengthen their Coven. Queenie and Madison Montgomery are my role models. I only wish to be a quarter of the bad b-----s they are. Also, the Stevie Nicks cameo as the White Witch? F-----g incredible. Maybe I just love the strong female representation. Regardless, it is an incredible watch. 5. Season Four: “Freak Show” — In the early ‘50s, a troupe of traveling human oddities arrives in a sleepy Florida town and are faced with a dark few who seek to profit off of their abnormalities. The story follows their desperation for survival amongst the death of original American carny experiences as the last known freak show. I loved that there was an inclusion of those with real life visual differences within this season. Especially Madam Petite. She is the queen of my universe. I especially enjoyed the musical number “Life on Mars” from the excellently complicated character of Elsa Mars. 6. Season One: “Murder House” — A small family postmiscarriage and on the brink of divorce unknowingly moves into the infamous Murder House that
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many active, violent spirits inhabit. I think it was a good start to “AHS.” But in comparison to everything else, it just does not compete. I also am not a supporter of the way that people romanticize Tate and Violet, even though they are a great aesthetic pair, for very obvious reasons. 7. Season Six: “Roanoke” — This season focuses on a fictitious made-for-television documentary style series “My Roanoke Nightmare” which details the paranormal activity a couple experienced after moving into a historical home in the middle of the wilderness. The show was a success, requiring a sequel series called “Return to Roanoke: Three Days In Hell” in which they return back to the property. I was not a big fan of the side-byside cuts with characters in the first half, it made it really hard to get a grip on what was happening. Also, it just felt shallow from all stand points. Not a fan of British Sarah Paulson and the lack of Evan Peters. 8. Season Seven: “Cult” — A city in Michigan is left divided by the 2016 presidential election and follows the story of a rising cult leader, played by Evan Peters, dominating the town fueled by Trump’s win and slowly gaining power over time. Hate. It was too close to home for the time it was released. And Evan Peters is significantly less attractive with blue hair. 9. Season Nine: “1984” — In the summer of 1984, five teenage friends leave the aerobics scene in Los Angeles to work as camp counselors at Camp Redwood. The campgrounds housed a massacre, and that past comes back to haunt them — literally. Why did they even do this season? How can you do a season of “AHS” without Sarah Paulson? Answer: you don’t. Big flop. Also minus a billion points for the inclusion of pedostache Matthew Morison.
12 Tail-End Forget-Me-Not The Western Howl
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 wou.edu/westernhowl
CPAC
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Joining him on the crew are eight other students, including director and producer Lexy Bolsinger. “Forget-Me-Not” also hosts a cast of 10 student actors. Because of the emotionally heavy topics explored in the production, the play will be preceded by trigger warnings, including a brief discussion of suicide. King hopes this will not dissuade viewers and believes the conversations about these emotions are an important part of healing, especially in the tumultuous time
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we live in. “I think people should come with an open mind and an open heart,” he said. “It’s a roller coaster of emotions, from laughs to tears.” To support student work, join King at the premiere of “ForgetMe-Not” on March 10 in the ITC, room 211 at 5 p.m. There is limited seating, and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will be required, but the play is free for anyone wanting to attend.
The straw poll also revealed that 90% of attendees believe there was voter fraud that helped President Joe Biden win the 2020 election. This year’s conference embraced the theme “Awake not woke” as a clear rejection of progressive ideals. When asked to choose the three most important political and humanitarian issues, the environment, poverty and racial inequality ranked lowest as these are considered to be “woke” issues. The top current issues were election integrity, the border wall and constitutional rights.
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Proofreading strategies Continued from page 8
and these attempts to cripple Ukraine continued after the 2019 election of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as president. Violence in the Donbas region raged on even as peace talks were underway. In 2021, Russian forces amassed at the shared border with Ukraine, the largest mobilization of forces since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, with Russian officials claiming they were doing so without an intent to invade. Putin released his demands in December of 2021, asking among other things that NATO withdraw all troops in Russia border states and to permanently bar Ukraine from entry. By 2022, tensions between Russia and Ukraine were high. Russia denied any invasion plans but continued shipping
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Using resources such as a dictionary or stylebook can be a quick way to access needed information. Get familiar with the word. When using a new or longer word, check the definition to ensure proper usage. Peer review. By having peers look over the writing, they will be able to give feedback that may not have been considered yet. Plus, another
UKRAINE
troops to the border. NATO refused Putin’s terms in January, and on Feb. 21 Putin officially declared the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic independent nations. By Feb. 24, the full scale invasion of Ukraine was underway. To help those in Ukraine, consider donating to international charity organizations like Save the Children and Sunflower of Peace. Closer to home, North Dakota is a place where many Ukrainians settled after immigrating to the United States. Within the state, the North Dakota Ukrainian Catholic Church, Saint Demitrius, is accepting donations to send to the Chicago Ukrainian Consulate at saint-demetrius.com.
CPAC faced backlash for the untimeliness of the event due to the political stress caused by the continuing invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Despite the rising tensions, most attendees thought that “Joe Biden’s incompetence” was the biggest threat to America and that illegal immigration from the southern border is the most pressing issue as a country. Another conference will be held Aug. 4 – 7, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. Speakers will be announced as the event date nears. set of eyes will catch more errors. Read backwards. Many find that reading paragraphs from last to first is a quick way to spot sentence issues that may have been missed. • Double check. Before submitting work, double check everything, including citations, page numbers, font and spacing. Happy proofreading, writers. •
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
In the Ukrainian flag, blue represents the sky and yellow represents the wheat fields. Cover photo by Mollie Herron
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