The Whitworthian 4/19/11

let us revolt!

five months, six revolutions

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special feature student guest writers speak out

APRIL 2012

thewhitworthian.com

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whitworth’s most fashionable students 10

The most-read stories from the weeks of March 27 through April 13, 2011.

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FACES OF WHITWORTH

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WHITWORTH’S MOST FASHIONABLE: FINAL VOTE

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VOTERS GUIDE

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EMILY MILLER WRITES A NEW ANTHEM

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NEWS

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WHITWORTH’S MOST FASHIONABLE STUDENTS:

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After two rounds of voting for the most fashionable people at Whitworth, the votes have come in and expose the fashionistas prowling around campus.

WHITPICS

NEWS

FIVE MONTHS, SIX REVOLUTIONS

What countries have acted on this desire for change and who has succeeded?

SOMEONE ELSE IS FRONTING YOUR EDUCATION: 06

April 1 marked Tuition Freedom Day, where donors pick

up the rest of the tab for your education.

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APRIL 19, 2011

SPORTS

07 WHITPICS: Whitworth University’s 33rd annual Lu’au.

ARTS & CULTURE

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WHITPICS: LU’AU

04 FIVE MONTHS, SIX REVOLUTIONS: Let us revolt:

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Cover and above photos by Chrissy Roach

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On the Cover

08 CHECKING THE PULSE OF RELIGION ON CAMPUS:

Diverse religious beliefs are alive on Whitworth University’s campus. Students’ varying views offer many new opportunities for others to strengthen faith and learn about new belief systems both inside and outside the classroom.

OPINIONS WHITWORTH BUZZWORDS: The Opinions staff 11

explores the pros and cons of three of the most commonly-used

words regarding Whitworth’s culture.

COMMUNITY: Taylor Zajicek and Haley Atkinson, pg 11.

SUSTAINABILITY: Sarah Berentson and Max Nelsen, pg 12.

DIVERSITY: Andrew Gjefle and Iris Wu, pg 13.

Guest Special NICARAGUAN LANDFILLS A HOME FOR MANY: Studying 14

abroad opens student’s eyes to poverty.

UNDOCUMENTED, NOT UNAMERICAN: Senior Luis Flores is an undocumented immigrant who shatters the stereotype.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Abortion should not be merely an intellectual issue.

SPORTS

09 I SAW YOU

15 SOFTBALL: Softball splits weekend at home.

BASEBALL: Bucs fight back against Boxers.

WHITWORTH’S MOST FASHIONABLE: 10

After two rounds of voting for the most fashionable people

THE JOCK STRIP: No matter the caliber of play, I still go broke buying hotdogs.

at Whitworth, the votes have come in and expose the fashionistas prowling around campus.

The Whitworthian has served as the main source of news and sports coverage for the Whitworth community since 1905. The Whitworthian is an organization composed entirely by students which produces The Whitworthian weekly newspaper and thewhitworthian.com.

OUR MISSION: The Whitworthian staff is dedicated to presenting accurate and relevant information in an innovative manner. Our goal is to be accountable while informing, entertaining and providing a forum for expressing the interests of the Whitworth community.

the

Assistant Copy Chief Cherise Hensley cherise.hensley@whitworthian.com News Editor Jessica Valencia jessica.valencia@whitworthian.com Assistant News Editor Evanne Montoya evanne.montoya@whitworthian.com Opinions Editor Andrew Gjefle andrea.gjefle@whitworthian.com Arts & Culture Editor Sophie Sestero sophie.sestero@whitworthian.com Radio Liason Chelsea Kwast chelsea.kwast@whitworthian.com Sports Editor Kara Heatherly kara.heatherly@whitworthian.com

| Assistant Sports Editor Alex Blade alex.blade@whitworthian.com

Editorials in the “In the Loop” section reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of six editors.

Advertising Manager Tobin Eyestone tobin.eyestone@whitworthian.com

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Staff Members Nejela Almohanna, Brianna Anderson, Haley Atkinson, Sarah Berentson, Kyle Bohigian, Amy Carlson, Hannah Charlton, Maria Chumov, Dani Dubois, Rebecca Eng, Kara Fisher, Andrew Forhan, Audrey Gore, Jenna Hansen, Emily Hanson, Maddie Hayes, Andrea Heeter, Andrew Keyser, Kyle Kim, Lucas Kok, Deidre Low, Alli Marshall, Nick Martin, Hollie McCrea, Jo Miller, Max Nelsen, Charlene O’Connor, Josh Olsby, Remi Omodara, Lauren Otheim, Lindsay Pund, Caitlin Richmond, Melissa Ross, Anne Roth, Emily Roth, David Rurik, Tara Sackman, Rebecca Southwick , Caitlyn Starkey, Lindsie Wagner, Nathan Webber, Iris Wu and Taylor Zajicek.

SPORTS

Write a letter to the editor. The Whitworthian welcomes reader responses to articles or issues of interest to the Whitworth community. Send letters to editor@whitworthian.com or submit online. Limit to 200 words.

Adviser Jim McPherson jmcpherson@whitworth.edu

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Daniel Thomas, Freshman

Graphics Editor Annette Farrell annette.farrell@whitworthian.com

OPINIONS

we'd like to discuss) and quite frankly, an unnecessary embarrassment to the community as a whole.

That Whitworth not only provides such an avenue, but embraces it brazenly enough to proclaim its presence with a whiteboard puts me off somewhat. I’ve lived here for a while. Heck, I’ve lived in Mac. I’ve had time to adjust. Let’s take a step back and consider what this might mean to those who are only visiting Whitworth.

Web Technician Ryan Gerhard ryan.gerhard@whitworthian.com

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Circulation Manager Morgan Feddes morgan.feddes@whitworthian.com

ARTS & CULTURE

In recent weeks I couldn’t but notice a growing cluster of students just outside of SAGA stopping to gawk at the ever growing posting of "confessions" of Whitworth students. Staring at this wall has become something that almost all partake in, whether they admit it or not. It is something akin to looking at the "National Enquirer" or "Star" magazine while checking out a grocery store, you don't really want to confess you were noticing how much cellulite a celebrity has managed to acquire. It’s an embarrassment. You don’t want to be caught reading them by yourself, that’s for sure, I mean, if you are with a group of people at least it's easier to divvy up the shame and laugh it off.

My point is this. There is some cheap entertainment value that we get out of having things like this up in Whitworth, yes, but is it worth what it might be

costing? Every day we have prospective students and alumni paraded by what is arguably the most heavily trafficked avenue in our school. Do they really need to know about what you do to your roommate’s socks? What exactly it is you did with a midget once?

Or my personal favorite, that one time you almost "overdosed on weed"?

I'm not saying that because these things are uncouth they should go undisscussed, quite the contrary, there needs to dialogue. Neither am I saying that Whitworth students shouldn’t feel free to be who they are, what I am suggesting instead is that the board’s only real purpose is to provide a guilty pleasure of entertainment for the greater student body. The problems being posted aren’t searching for solutions, but are rants with which to vent anger.

This is hardly a healthy mode coping with frustration. This is no real solution to the problems being posted, but instead is an airing of our dirty laundry (in some cases, more literally than

Copy Chief Tori Sullivan tori.sullivan@whitworthian.com

Photo Editor Chrissy Roach chrissy.roach@whitworthian.com

Letters to the Editor: More cons than pros to PostSecret project:

Online Editor Andy Schwartzmeyer andy.schwartzmeyer@whitworthian. com

WHITPICS

ONLINE AT: www.thewhitworthian.com editor@whitworthian.com

Production Manager Andrea Glover andrea.glover@whitworthian.com

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CONTACT US: The Whitworthian c/o Whitworth University 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Spokane, WA 99251 509.777.3248

Editor-in-Chief Jerod Jarvis jerod.jarvis@whitworthian.com

NEWS

PUBLIC FORUM: The Whitworthian is a public forum that believes in freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

stress and staying healthy can be all but impossible.

One of the advantages of pursuing a liberal arts education is the wide variety of majors and courses offered. Most majors at Whitworth contain a dozen or more courses specifically designed for the major, but the number of credits combined with the number of required general education credits doesn’t usually reach the minimum number of credits required to graduate. While this leaves room for another major or a minor, it also provides ample opportunity for students to expand their knowledge outside of their major by taking classes that genuinely interest them. Whitworth administration and faculty are constantly updating the course catalogs, tweaking already existing courses and creating new ones to suit student needs and interests.

The point we would like to make is not that overachieving academically is a bad idea; rather, we would like to caution students considering more than one major that such a decision does not come without significant sacrifice down the road, and having two degrees won’t help much more than just having one when job-searching. If you are genuinely interested in majoring in two areas because you enjoy the subjects, then there’s value in that. But if you are only double majoring because you think it will look good on your resume, then perhaps you ought to reconsider.

There’s a lot of opportunity to take the classes you want; don’t let that opportunity go to waste.

{STAFF Spring 2011}

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OPINIONS POLICY: Columns, editorial cartoons and reviews are the opinions of their individual creators and not necessarily the opinion of The Whitworthian, its editors or its staff.

Students don’t need to be told that our society places a great deal of value on getting a college degree. Getting a job that pays a livable salary is difficult without one. The bachelor’s degree has become to our generation what a high school diploma was a generation or two before us. It’s expected that reasonably educated people seeking higher-income jobs will go to college; if you want to be well educated with the best jobs, you go to graduate school.

The pros and cons of this reality can be debated at length. Regardless, it is difficult to argue that the standards of what being educated means have risen.

It’s understandable then that many students feel pressure to not only do well in college, but to over-achieve.

Grad schools and jobs are competitive; if having one degree is key, it would seem to make sense that having two would be even better. And why stop there? Some students triple major, or double major with multiple minors.

The truth is, however, obtaining multiple degrees isn’t going to help students in any definable way after school, particularly in the job market. Most employers merely want to see that an applicant has finished school. In most instances, they don’t particularly care what the degree is in or how good or bad his or her GPA was. It’s a box to check before moving on to the resume bullet points they actually care about - extracurricular experience and internships.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with being educated; having more than one degree isn’t a bad thing in and of itself.

But double majoring, let alone triple majoring, takes a significant amount of time. It’s possible to do in four years, but only if many sacrifices are made. Having a job is probably out of the cards; being involved with school activities is difficult, and maintaining an acceptable level of

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GENERAL INFORMATION: The print edition of The Whitworthian is published weekly, except during January and student vacations. The content is generated entirely by students. The college administration does not review the newspaper’s content. Opinions and ideas expressed in The Whitworthian are those of the individual artists, writers and student editors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Associated Students of Whitworth University (ASWU), the university, its administration, faculty/staff or advertisers. The Whitworthian is paid for through advertising and subscription revenue and in part by student activity fees as budgeted by ASWU.

Editorial: IN THE LOOP Double majoring can hinder a well-rounded education

WWW.THEWHITWORTHIAN.COM

VOLUME 101, ISSUE 14

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Story by Audrey Gore

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wave of revolutions and protests throughout Africa and the Middle East began in December 2010 and many are continuing through April. Countries involved have seen high unemployment and extensive political oppression. With dictators in charge and a lack of access to uncontrolled media outlets, many protesters have used Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to spread the word throughout their countries and beyond. Most protesters are trying to influence the government to work on finding solutions for high unemployment rates and massive food inflation, and many are trying to oust dictators and encourage democracy.

Violence has erupted in many areas as leaders try to control the protests. In some countries, the Internet has been

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ment, mploy g for e n u verty, callin Jan. ng po uption and tep down i t s e t o r Pr ak to s nt cor ook ernme osni Mubar Egyptians t by nd v e o g h e l ce, red ent H ah Sa Presid years in offi n. 25. Inspi yptian Abdull ens of thou i l A 0 a g Jan. J g 3 t e E th din y, after streets on nisia, ed Deman ar presidenc onstrated in e s in Tu ularly post s t h t s e t e o m t o y e r g a d n 0 p i e 3 w r l s i 0 u e s 1 f n t s i i s h ces ebs eme ator er 20 uit ced c Y n w a b i u f f s d e m o r e h e t o v s c ha De l fr ntil 6. t co sand Sanaa. s that , Yeted in er loca protes to Twitter u nment Jan. 2 propital her countrie ns this year and Dec. Protests star i Bouzid aft himself on s a d r e c n e t a v a go t d upd larger websites by the Like o nd revolutio on members mic n of Si Bouazizi set t building. w o d e i r e g g k e c r r s e d blo en no the siti ts a rotest govto oth ohame protest protes dents, oppo lling for eco rrupovernm After p anched out outube, the by a o u seller Mfront of a g to his drastic t c c s t e Y r a en br d ters men ctivists end governm nd hold few testers Facebook an ainst protes e texfire in i was pushed d his wares. e gova h t u n s g yo h te iz also nd to verty a such a t worked a and cell pho dreds Bouaz lice confisca t to protest t lation. form a ople face po otesters are l alt n n e r u e e o u o o n p h r m m e r e n g e t l m r r e aft rin e In t wi s cam zizi’s self-i ju he as pe edoms. P h a t d t n h i n e t g g r o i s. d n n d t n i i n y n r n ve re nc ua atio Hu block abilities a and canno fter Bo e ban on co on most itical f revent legisl the preside l a o ot run t p s a p n n a c e g o ban son ting tear ed t ernm nationwid to p s a , o e i s t r g h d g n . k n conn i a e o o n t a y v o i r t t a ith ba y, Mubarak t he would sure h to g y to step dow t the govw e With a in the medi s, protesters eos of l a S a s e low d read gains roInitiall ction but th ident to en esiprotest aring websit tures and vi k as a n he is in Yemen a ntered by p e s e e e pr l h r e o p h w c i s o e s r p v b ha e next barak cou sts for le a h video k to post Face roteste s t o t n r r d o e e h e r t e t s s i s P i b u e w u h t o o durt have tinue l transition between M esters s. Pro Facebo ds. They als t with other p tions. s t rnmen ent protest against them 116 u a w f o e n r c r e o t o a r i s c p t t c a n n a e i , e o o p th em in c than n rnm nce egot continued nd d e with e y n u e l v e r a o s o r t o r o i d s o A g a v e t . m o i ent gita rs ed d nced tions with a t e way t r nize m revolution d Sidi t e i s a a his e r t e g r e s t r o p p o o e ex pr e d ve u tests stra ly m ers i d o g n g d r n o n a p i a o e s ers an k spread th t from isolat otage t l m a e e s ined cre o i ing d killed sinc opposition r half fo ew in as he refus of protester r g e Facebo ntry, taking and getting utlets. f v e o l o p ak rs l pe o o u Arrests hat d with Mubar and numbe ebruary. the co to the capita rious media rgest ruary. rampant an it is feared t en b e ti- and F la F a t r d e v e u i h z s gho em een an Tahpow een on to th Jan. 4, t gun Bou u Y i w b i t o t g n r a i e n e h i lm b s t v m t n u r a s d d in c a w h fo s te crease nce escalate , especially otests. and in Bouazizi’s de the country e Ben untry o scalate. Pro olice station o c e s h e l t n e r p p i d u e r ill np ave Vio Afte wracke Zine El Abid Arabia, rak gro center for th resigned ence w ed attacks o protesters h ith t a l e b o y i u v t s M t i i proclud prote n Presiden ry to Saud men cially ict w lly the ep i t have in dblocks. Wo ng this confl nited quare, Mubarak offi k had officia pS r i r u nating ing the coun esidency. i a e r a o r f Egy ubar b. 11 and r nificant du showing a nt has r zi we On Fe ce. Once M e Council o re still Ali flee his 23-year p s of Bouazi ion in sig s ide r n s e e e t r e s ffi m P t e b n o e t y g d o e r lu b n a p h pro from endin gh the acti d the revo the Su s took over a April 15, e fact t gainst Islam th men h high e t o c f a w e o u ffi t i y o e o i t e a n b t of c w Th ig g g spi lef ed For country as s continue ont in them of goin and mixing m rk that helped alon 50 percent r r f a A p s n e a s e ti th s te t st d im th rge of espread pro despread re , it wa t rate (almo , food inflaaccuse ng against h a a s i h s n i c o i n t n u i ) i c i d s T n i e t w l e n e s t w e o g e a i m t l t n e l u y i o r ti lo up ad pr to hav o so. ay in 2011. S tians try to b ent. unemp university gr nment corr en to d as promised ys he will st tion p r . m y m e g p i g v n n r h o E o s e g as am sor e Saleh h hough he sa aceful transi he gov massiv d media cen more persis t rm to t e o r p f tion, a a d a e e r n r y e e a t p t s des ore thi ff In facilita and wi sters grew m ted to cut o rotestwer to civil war. o p p e p t m f o e r o t P at ds oid Ben Ali and av hundre tent as ess and had police. v e ia, s y net acc and killed b o Saudi Arab e and t t m o o d h c e s fl e ers en Ali t the nts hav After B governme ggles agains costru erim te e eral int Tunisia as it its despera tinues o n t i o c y n led gone s that . The countr ld governm le b n pro eo situatio s of th nomic ve member o to rem ho remain. w t n me

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shut down and journalists have been kicked out to keep the international community from being informed and to keep protesters from coordinating their actions. As protests and violence continue dictators have fled, given in to demands, and in some cases launched civil war.

As protesters demand democracy the international community has become involved, with NATO performing air strikes in the area. International involvement has also been spurred on due to journalists being arrested throughout the area. Protests have also had other effects on the rest of the world as the price of oil continues to go up as big oil and gas exporters Libya and Algeria remain in turmoil.

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govyria as S n i g ue to in March sts are ongo orces contin curity Prote security f ian se rs. Syr nded hunnt e e el t s b m e e t n r r o u r a e s with p illed and wo ks, guns and Libya a e longh n s i la s c e c k i imed ith st have Feb. l war continu verthrow th l-Qadforces f protesters w ens have cla letely o e r o t a Civi s m t z . i p o Muam dreds s. Syrian cit ant to com r bee 1969 attemp narmy adership of power sinc ire for e ommo e c n e e s n tear ga ey do not w nt but rath ent, e i e l e de ad b t 2010, th een m h h i t b e t l , h l s n s s t m t r e a e s n e t t h w r e u ra ov m s o ot l ve tha afi wh mployment education a s in Feb. Though pr ria througho overnmenta the go rm in the g ar al-Assad d e l p p n e e g d fo n io to counnt Bash in Alg stic re s and High u emocracy an ther revolut wards place read protest ued in other otests in dra rrent Preside xt week. o g o d t f e s o r e l o e r c s m ca of the ne cu widesp that has en increase in p . Proinfluen ed tip the s which s to present eful nature cone h t n s p e e l e a o e c Libya chang arked a hug om Dec. 28 ry. ion he promis ite the pea rotesters hav n arnge as r e the reg on in Februa , civil war in otests sp p e e b n D e o v s tries sp s in Algeria f onomic cha s and a i r 5 k oh lp b. 1 ttac olut h u a e f v d by t c w e , e e F t o e s r s c . r i t a t r g r a s u r d e n n t e e t tor e and inni of p prot otes nme ande ployment d p g r r r n s e e p m a a e v e B i d h o r d n s n g e a te as a s testers high unem ith an even est inted to addafi tinued re often bea the w t y started g to the Q rces attemp e and a d . e s t k o force the s t c alread ices were hit saw the grea e o n c o r f g i t n h n c s i e y l t e l y i j r io r ica ob e tr of nicats by v ’s secu food p January 2011 . electric protesters ar re the end effect ction addafi early protes and commu a s .

Q t k e e la s s c n o c i i i o e o r r t d n p M t er ss dia ovas bee ent to in food immornmen suppre ng of the me vernm y Law that h allows the g ple rebel crease gh the gove flation, self- ldings o e i g r h t o s n eo cen enc ich Thou ith food in nment bui ons ts. betwee ecuEmerg 963 and wh ce to arrest p m in n outle ict escalates ces, the UN S inw er ni o v u l i o t i a l 1 , g h e s o t f d e e p i e r fl rt to to et old e sinc As con Qaddafi’s fo have becom reein fron pposition pa tions contint’s secr eason and h ell as comn n e o i m t d g n a r l a a TO er an ial as w progiving rganiz ued. O though forces ncil and NA aw up peace s also ithout rs without tr nstitutional contin man rights o kly protests tate of a u r w h o d l C i o t c y a o s e rit ye tc trying mpt y coun and hu organize we called for a gal. jail for uspend mos lved in e UN Securit ne in an atte poo e d s v l o l a t i ll with ly h g d e t t e n u ple men d sma tworkent testi ts. Th a no-fly zo ould sn e c o n t r m r r e e n p o a . v r t m s h g o s e the g ncy, makin , the gov gency cros shed tection n protests ians w cial ne , r e y establi ect the civil tims in the ed air e of so and Twitter ia s r y u S g emerg te Februar tate of eme n the t c t i n i i k o v r k m r o i o a l p f e o m i b g s a y to t s om tr ce e lin rs In l citizen s such as Fa in the coun d for lly bec also control s throughou end th of proteste ion, cita i t o t n e t e d l force agree e number ith oppress cture ing site ere allowed rotesters cal ment the no ATO is ru fire. N on Qaddafi’s f enforcing w P n n r . a h e 1 c s v . i i o h n and th increased, w and infrast s. s g a o w the art laim ikes me J t p i r c n t s es of t r t s s s t n e O t i a n s n c e r a T e a y n e g t fi A r str ins c for tN e” a the unt loym biggest co ot a g o o p n s h a c l e m R w a e v e f a h e n o n . t l i r is s r, ing u ion as their rity forces h tarted a “Day 5. There we dlelight vig ontane and otect civilian ull of civil wa . o z y u t s c fl p . n e e r b u a d p p c av n d sp ds corr on Fe mpt to the push and nd lost grou th ters an s protesters h police and lation, countries an esponse e s t o t e t a m o r m i i a r P r h w at l, a selfout in in othe Throug have gained es in April s of cktails end of eacefu testers ests breaking nt injustice. h s e u o e i been p Molotov co d. Near the ters in r t n d i i i p t c s n l w e s both il war co the pivota nme prot Marc ues to thro ave retaliat to join prote some neous nces of gover throughout vernciv in contin es e fi e h a e k Th i d e k d o a r d e t c a t g d t i e r t s r a t pol to ins sts increas April. The lice sta government tween poTO air Misrata. Q l forces tha o A p N , e olence l t i o i t o v r e d e r n P Ap the ce b ased li an ed i l reb iog n l e o u V r e n a p l i n c . i i o d r m t n i d i s n T n v e dema ction. Still, as continu otestck the and co sponsed with . wer r a h to atta ent re e protesters mains in po to sort of protesters ed among p sition m . n i a e t d r o th ue m lice an as also erup ifferent opp t each toward ntly al-Assad lence contin ands s d h Curre sts and vio ns of thous try lence ollowers of o fight again t f un ote d s 5 te e ers a have start and pr . On April 1 cross the co laziz e d s . e a r b s s e t A a d e d t tre lea incre le gathere n the s residen ress in p other o April 15 P levised add stituof peo g “Freedom.” te on n c i a t On k n e e a v e ch wer a ga ised to s o k i p fl e e r t o m m Bou e also giving he pro which mendments emocracy. H and a d tional resentative dia freedom plans e p e m r as no re to a d mo n laws. He h e s o p o tio pr ng elec changi power. e to leav

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April 1 marked Tuition Freedom Day, where donors pick up the rest of the tab for your education Story by Evanne Montoya As of April 1, Whitworth students’ tuition pay- Institutional Advancement half of the council. The ments no longer cover the cost of their education group was started in two parts. While Hampton and for the rest of the year. Instead, donor support, others in Institutional Advancement had begun to the endowment fund, and other university opera- put together a group to serve as student ambassations foot the bill. Students on the Students4Giving dors regarding philanthropy on campus, Rhosetta Council worked to bring that message to students, Rhodes, director of service learning and commuand are now working to bring a new message. nity engagement approached them with a group “The point of Tuition Freedom day is that we as of her own. They discovered that their groups had students are looking to raise awareness,” said junior many similar goals.

Michella Sutherland, a member of the council. “We “We started talking about how we could combine depend on our donors.” those things, and now we have the hybrid council Annual Giving Specialthat is half Institutional ist Delynn Hampton said Advancement-related club members took many and talking about alum“We want to make the roles in organizing Tuition ni giving back to WhitWhitworth community aware Freedom Day including worth, and the other half that Whitworth, in many setting up Prime Time visService Learning and its to write thank you notes different ways, gives back to the working with the philanto donors. thropy class,” Hampton community.”

“We’ll include those said. when we send out a thank The Service Learning - Toni Sutherland, you packet to those who Chapel Program Coordinator side of the club works recently made their first with its adviser, Chapel gift ever to Whitworth,” program coordinator Hampton said.

Toni Sutherland, on philanthropy in the commuDonations made to Whitworth can have a direct nity. impact on students.

The Service Learning side raise money both within “Your tuition dollars wouldn’t cover a full Whit- the Whitworth community and in the rest of Spoworth tuition even if you were paying full tuition, kane, partially to fund the philanthropy class, which which most people don’t. There’s still another 30 will carefully choose local non-profits to receive percent that has to be covered by someone else,” funding in Whitworth’s name, Michella Sutherland she said. said.

Hampton serves as the adviser for the Students4Giving is working on an event to let

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the campus know more about who they are. They are partnering with activities coordinator Pierre Biscaye for the concert April 20 featuring House of Heroes.

“He has graciously allowed Students4Giving to join forces with him and insert some information about philanthropy at Whitworth into the program,” Hampton said.

Along with having a couple speakers talk briefly in between sets about philanthropy, the club will sell snacks and hold a raffle. Profits will go toward the money to be given out by the philanthropy class.

“We want to make the Whitworth Community aware that Whitworth, in many different ways, gives back to the community,” Toni Sutherland said.

Students4Giving tries to create an understanding of the role philanthropy plays in a Whitworth education.

“We’re hoping to inspire a culture of giving at Whitworth so that once students graduate we can work together to continue to provide the type of education Whitworth is known for,” Hampton said.

Students who would like to become involved with either aspect of the Students4Giving Council can contact Hampton or Sutherland for more information.

Contact Evanne Montoya at evanne.montoya@whitworthian.com.

Academy. Abbey. Apostolate.

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Someone else is fronting your education

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M.Div. and M.A. in Theology Degrees AT S E AT T L E PA C I F I C S E M I N A R Y These three concepts academy, abbey, and apostolate define the vision of Seattle Pacific Seminary’s approach to theological education. The Seminary offers two graduate degree programs: M.A. in Theology and Master of Divinity (M.Div.). In each, you’ll experience rigorous scholarship (academy), spiritual depth in community (abbey), and compassionate service (apostolate)—all informed by our Wesleyan heritage that joins “knowledge and vital piety” as a means of changing the world.

Scholarships and graduate assistantships are available. For more information, contact Raoul Perez, raoulp@spu.edu or visit our website. www.spu.edu/seminary

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MIDDLE LEFT: President Beck Taylor dances the He’ena i Ka ‘Ehukai at the Lu’au.

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TOP RIGHT: Hawaiian club members perform the No Luna i Ka Hale Kai.

OPINIONS

TOP LEFT: Fresh pineapple waits to be served for the Lu’au.

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Lu’au

ARTS & CULTURE

33rd Annual Hawaiian Club

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BOTTOM RIGHT: Students sit on the Fieldhouse floor and feast on various Hawaiian dishes.

APRIL 19, 2011

Photos by David Rurik

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MIDDLE RIGHT: Crowds of people attend the Lu’au on Saturday for a Hawaiian feast and entertainment.

RIGHT: Hawaiian club members perform the Halalu.

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If you consider yourself a Christian,

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What denomination do you identify with?

How often do you attend Church?

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ARTS & CULTURE | | OPINIONS

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| APRIL 19, 2011

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ARTS & CULTURE

Have you ever felt out of place

at Whitworth because of your religion?

More than twice a week All the time

Twice a week

Sometimes

Once a week

Catholic

Presbyterian

Lutheran Baptist Church of Christ

Eastern Orthodox Methodist Quaker Non-denominational Not Christian Other

Checking the pulse of religion on campus At least once a month

Once or twice

Only on occasion

Almost never

Haven't attended since starting at Whitworth

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Diverse religious beliefs are alive on Whitworth views offer Never University’s campus. Students’ varying Other NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS many new opportunities for others to strengthen faith and learn about new belief systems both inside 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50 0 NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS and outside the classroom.

Story by Jo Miller How would you describe the religious atmosphere among the student body?

“The atmosphere is Christian in name, not always in truth.”

“Narrowminded.”

“Tolerant to the point of meaninglessness.

Nobody really talks about it, assumes that everyone is a Christian. When they find out differently, awkward silence ensues. Yay conviction?”

“I feel no real antagonism, and I haven’t seen any toward those of other religions. I hope there isn’t any.”

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If you’re a church goer...

“Coming to a Christian school has actually caused me to leave the Christian faith in search of something more personal and real to me. “ “Very rarely do I experience discrimination or prejudice because of my religious beliefs. Instead, there is an openness and a curiosity about other religions that sparks congenial debate and mutual, respectful discovery.”

“Uniform, subservient, fearful.”

“Alive, and important.”

These quotes were submitted anonymously from 116 students in a voluntary survey.

The story of a religiously diverse university campus According to Whitworth’s 1890 mission statement, while the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, it does not aim to be sectarian and opens its doors to all lovers of truth and learning.

This remains true today.

A multitude of Christian religions along with Buddhism and Islam are all represented in Whitworth University’s student body.

The reality is, not all Whitworth students are Christian students and not all Christian students are of the same denomination.

Just what is the resulting religious climate on campus when Whitworth’s commitment to integrate faith and learning meets an assorted student body?

Fostering questions is a faculty goal Though students of any faith are accepted, everyone still has to take the required classes along with a Biblical literature class.

One class in particular, Core 150, focuses on the Christian worldview perspective.

Theology and Core 150 professor Keith Beebe said some students have trouble seeing the difference between the class being prescriptive and descriptive.

“It’s not my job to proselytize or push a certain view on someone,” Beebe said.

Beebe teaches every class with the assumption that many students are not Christians. It forces him to teach differently and more clearly knowing students come from radically different view points.

Beebe’s goal is to simply get everyone to think through the issues, to show them the questions they should be asking and leave them to their own conclusions, he said.

Mindy Smith, campus pastor for small groups, echoes the same objective. The chapel and small group ministries are not mandatory and are meant to draw in different types of students who are interested in the Bible-based small groups.

“Our hope here is to foster good questions for people to ask,” Smith said.

Beebe said that idea is reminiscent of former president Bill Robinson’s notion of “the narrow ridge.”

Whitworth is not afraid of its Christian heritage and it’s not afraid to ask tough questions.

“We are much more conservative than most Presbyterian colleges, but we’re not as narrow as some

of the other institutions that call themselves Christian,” Beebe said.

Many students at Whitworth may come from a world where their assumptions are totally different and the teaching faculty make it their goal to offer every student respect and welcome.

Agnosticism, “Jourdynism” and Buddhism Freshman Logan Steele said he appreciates professors acknowledging each individual student’s beliefs.

“They don’t belittle you if you don’t believe a certain thing,” Steele said.

Steele is agnostic. He was Christian until a year and a half ago when he started distancing himself from God and questioning God’s existence. Steele knows he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking to any professors about his beliefs.

Sophomore Jourdyn McClain also had a Christian faith before coming to Whitworth. She was raised Lutheran, but didn’t like how her church condemned her parents for divorcing and her uncle for being gay.

“I’m not religious, and I’m not afraid to admit it,” McClain said. “It doesn’t work for me with my personality.”

McClain said she can’t be an individual if she’s trying to follow other people’s rules. She jokingly refers to her belief system as the “religion of Jourdynism.”

McClain is an English major and she notices when stories or poems are discussed in class someone always seems to tie a religious meaning to it. It takes away from the learning aspect, McClain said.

“It’s not all about religion, and that’s where I get annoyed, when people think it’s all about religion,” McClain said.

Students with commitments to non-Christian religions, even non-Western religions, compose the student body along with Christian, agnostic and atheistic beliefs.

Whitworth welcomes international students from more than 30 different countries. All have a common understanding that the school is Christian, but when they arrive some are surprised to find just how Christian it is.

“Christian” means something different to them, Lulu Gonzalez, coordinator of international student affairs said.

Junior Priya Yeganathan noticed that when she started Whitworth as a freshman three years ago.

Yeganathan is a Buddhist from Sri Lanka who found her first year challenging, particularly her Core 150 and Biblical literature class. Now though, Yeganathan said she feels like she’s overcome this challenge and she’s used to the climate on campus.

However, most of Yeganathan’s classmates don’t know she is Buddhist. She shares only if asked, but her faith is very important to her.

“It has helped me make very big decisions. I rely on my faith a lot,” Yeganathan said.

Without a temple to attend that matches her Sri Lankan tradition, Yeganathan reads her own book of sermons every day.

Miriam Wanjohi, a junior and Presbyterian from Kenya said Whitworth should waive its Bible class requirements based on students’ beliefs, considering students like Yeganathan. Wanjohi thinks both Christianity and Buddhism need to be emphasized in order for the school to call itself diverse.

Whitworth alumna May Runlertwikraikun is a Buddhist from Thailand who felt some parts of the community didn’t accept that she was not Christian when she attended. Now Runlertwikraikun feels the increase of international students has aided the the student body in becoming more diverse.

Campus Catholic Fellowship Part of the campus religious diversity includes students from different Christian traditions. The Catholic Fellowship has about 20 Catholic students who are active in the club.

Because of Catholic Sunday Mass, the club’s main focus is to provide carpools to St. Thomas More each week. The club is also about the members simply saying “hi” to each other or getting together to play games.

“It’s more about fellowship and being there for each other as a minority on campus,” club’s president Katie Murphy said.

Catholic Fellowship members don’t feel they are discriminated against at Whitworth. They enjoy being at the school because of the overall Christian atmosphere, Murphy said.

Murphy is glad she came to Whitworth instead of going to a Catholic school.

“It has helped me discover my faith and why I am Catholic,” Murphy said. “It’s been a great learning environment.”

Murphy feels sometimes people in general see being Catholic as a negative thing, but at Whitworth Catholics don’t seem to have that stereotype.

Continued on the next page

A Jewish student: not pushed, but loved

Catholic Presbyterian Lutheran Baptist Church of Christ

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Eastern Orthodox Methodist Quaker Non-denominational Not Christian Other 10

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Pac-Man Love

I saw you run through Core 150 While many students maintain their religious traditions at Whitworth, Aaron Monheim found dressed as pac-man. Will you himself changed. marry me?

Monheim was part of the class of 2008 and he came to Whitworth as a Jewish student. He was a Skateboard Fail swimmer and noted that some swimmers told him I saw you completely eat it on he was the first Jew they had met. your skateboard on the path outJudaism was a big part of Monheim’s life and he side Warren. The impact raised felt out of his comfort zone at Whitworth. a big cloud of dust around you. It Monheim recalled a presentation he gave on his looked painful, but I admit that faith and a girl who talked to him afterward. She I laughed at thea huge dust spot yourself Christian, told him she thought the presentation was cool, If you consider left on your black shirt as you but told him straightforwardly he was going to What denomination do you identify with? rode away. hell. This made Monheim angry toward Christians and he considered transferring schools.

Catholic Hair Fetish The occurrence didn’t reflect his overall experiNot making this up at all. ence, but it was one which will forever stick out in Presbyterian Have you ever felt out of place his mind, Monheim said.

We saw you in the coffee shop, Lutheran at Whitworth of your religion?

Through a because long internal process, Monheim belicking/sucking/smelling your Baptist came a Christian during his time at Whitworth and girlfriend’s braid. My friend’s Church of Christ was

by Beebe in August 2009. waterbottle overflowed because All the baptized time Beebe, Jerry Sittser, and a friend of Monheim’s Eastern we Orthodox couldn’t stop staring. were very influential during the time of his converMethodist Sometimes sion. They were unlike any Christians Monheim Quaker Dream Man? had ever met and he was drawn to be like them. Non-denominational Once or twice I saw you in your room in the Before he became a Christian, Monheim spent a Not Christian basement of Duvall as I was drivlot of time simply sitting and reading a Bible with Almost never ing by.Other It was night, your blinds his friend and figuring out what it meant to be a If you consider yourself a Christian, 40 50 were open, 0 your 10lights20 were30 follower of Christ. For him, Whitworth provided a Never on, and I saw the most gigangreat place for his growth as a new Christian.

What denomination do you identify with?

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 10 20 30 very 40 good.

50 I don’t “I think0the climate there was tic, magnificent movie poster of feel like I was proselytized, “ Monheim said.

The Notebook plastered on your NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS Catholic Monheim plans to get ordained as a Presbytewall. I had to slam on my breaks Presbyterian rian minister and plans to return to Whitworth to because I knew that was a guy’s helpLutheran him accomplish his goals. floor, and I was in utter disbelief.

TheBaptist experience he had with the girl who conAre you really that much of a rodemned him shapes how he wants to do his minmantic, or are you just trying to Church of Christ istry. get girls?

Eastern“IOrthodox hated the way that felt and I would never do Methodist that to another person,” Monheim said. “The thing Perfect Match Quaker me to the Lord was joy, it was love, that brought I saw you wearing yellow and it wasn’t damnation.”

Non-denominational pants and a blue sweater. you Not Christian matched your bicycle perfectly.

The results at left and quotes on the opposite page were Other can i have my heart back? submitted anonymously10 from 11620students in a voluntary 30 40 50

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{I SAW YOU}

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What denomination do you identify with?

“Also, Whitworth really is open-minded, and non-Catholics often come to Mass with us as well as initiate great conversations,” Murphy said.

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If you consider yourself a Christian,

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If you’re a church goer...

How often do you attend Church?

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Once a week At least once a month Only on occasion

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survey.

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Graphics by Annette Farrell

Contact Jo Miller at jo.miller@whitworthian.com.

Leapin’ Letters

I saw you leaping just to see all the way in. I feel kind of bad for you. It must suck to have a mailbox that’s higher than your head.

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Old Fashioned

OPINIONS

I saw you watching me from across saga. Again. Because I was watching you. I’m an oldfashioned girl – you’re going to have to be brave and come ask me to hang out, or go for a walk, or grab coffee, or...whatever. Just as long as it’s you and me.

ARTS & CULTURE

Sometimes

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| Submissions published as received.

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Seen someone? Submit your ‘I saw you’ (limited to 50 words) to isawyou@whitworthian.com.

APRIL 19, 2011

Scan QR code to submit your own I Saw You from your mobile device.

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most f

After t w have c o rounds o ome in fv and ex oting for th e pose t he fas most fashio Felicity Brigham hionis tas pro nable peop First Place le wling aroun at Whitwor d cam pus. th, the votes Stephanie Wiley Story b y Neje Second Place la Alm ohann a

ashio

nable

Michaela Allen Third Place

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W hitw orth’s

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Style: Constantly shifting based on my

mood. I very rarely wear pants, sticking to skirts, dresses and shorts. I try to have fun with what I wear and mix new trends with classic pieces.

Putting your outfit together: I usually focus on one item I particularly feel like wearing and build my outfit around that. I also keep images on my computer of outfit inspiration for days that I feel in a rut.

Advice for someone who wants to be stylish: Don’t be afraid to be bold; if you feel confident you’ll look it.

If there is a trend you love just try it, even if you end up not liking it you get to wear something new tomorrow. And always be comfortable; if you are uncomfortable in what you wear it shows.

What have you seen on campus that you would call a fashion crime? Crocs, especially with sweatpants.

It doesn’t take that much effort to put on jeans and a pair of shoes that weigh more than a paperclip.

Style: Classic and girly.

Fashion philosophy: Anything

comfortable layered with lots of high-waisted skirts and short booties.

Also pair basics with cute accessories to create a simple but chic look.

Favorite places to shop:

ModCloth, Etsy and local businesses.

Fashion inspiration: Candy every day.

Graphics courtesy of Polyvore.com

Style: Classic but quirky.

Fashion philosophy:

Layering comfortable retro pieces and mixing them with clean lines and simple basics.

Favorite place to shop: Fringe and Fray.

Fashion inspiration: The Sartorialist.

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OPINIONS | SPORTS

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If you find yourself on the verdant greens of Whitworth, keep an eye out for one of the campus’ most treasured, albeit fragile creatures. When it isn’t bouncing around the HUB, chittering cacophonously and licking the hands of freshmen, you can find this delightful beast at Prime Times and late night study groups.

However, please take care to obey the numerous signs which read “Do not disturb (or feed) the community.” Community is an easily frightened mammal, whose skittish nature leads some to fear its extinction. Yet be warned: if prodded, it may attack.

From the first pre-frosh baby steps we take down the Hello Walk, to our final, robed stride across the graduation stage, the word “community” has been a constant companion–like that little blue fairy that follows Link around in the Ocarina of Time, only louder. Indeed, “buzzword” is an apropos term. Just listen to anyone advocating this place to a group of pre-frosh, and you’ll hear community uttered so many times that it becomes a low, chant-like drone.

To me, out of all of these campus buzzwords, “community” is the most credible, and perhaps the most interesting. The social life that has been cultivated here is something unique and deserving of attention, and even praise. If you polled 100 Whitworth alumni, I’d be willing to bet that each one would fondly reference “community” in some way. When I’ve recommended Whitworth to my sister’s high school friends, it’s the word that inevitably comes up. We’ve been taught to think in those terms.

Although “community” might be our one of our most commendable characteristics, we’ve implemented it in a number of unhealthy ways. “Community” has become some sort of deified monolith we all are supposed to bow down to. Yes, community is a jealous goddess and her priesthood of student leaders are a zealous bunch.

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CON

COLUMNIST

NEWS

ATKINSON is a sophomore majoring in peace studies. Comments can be sent to haley.atkinson@ whitworthian.com.

PRO

TAYLOR ZAJICEK

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“The Whitworth community” is a phrase ingrained in our minds and hearts from the moment of our arrival on campus.

Traditiation is devoted to generating dorm community, while Prime Times carry the community through the year.

RAs coordinate hall activities and open door policies to cultivate a strong hall community.

The small group ministry is committed to providing communities of spiritual growth. Programs and events are created seeking to address specific needs of the community. First-year seminar courses are designed to foster major communities. Community Building Day facilitates positive interactions with the greater Spokane community.

But beneath it all we have to ask is there a genuine community? I would argue yes.

Are we all running barefoot to the Back 40, Bibles and guitars in tow, to sing worship songs? Or the ring bearing/bridal magazine toting hopeful looking for his or her spouse? Or the Frisbee throwing, pine cone catching, plate dropping kid? No. Are some of us? Yes, and ultimately it is the combination of these students and many, many others who make Whitworth the vibrant community it is.

This week, as I have sat trying to write a positive perspective of the Whitworth community, I spent the majority of my time staring at a blank screen. I love the Whitworth community. I traditiated in Warren, spent a semester in BJ and am now an RA in East. But I know there are many students who do not have these warm and fuzzy connections to our campus. I have been blessed to hear some of their stories, learning Whitworth is not the Candy Land so many of us make it to be.

I wanted to write an opinion highlighting the wonderful and unique aspects of our community, but I do not want to alienate the members of my community who already feel isolated. The only means through which I am able to reconcile this tension is

COMMUNITY

COLUMNIST

There’s always a danger of diluting a word through overuse, which is why so many eyes are rolled at sustainability, community, diversity, etc. No one likes deceased equestrian abuse.

But, I think that’s a fairly obvious critique, so I’ll move on.

Ironically, “community” has been distorted into a word of exclusion. When I was a student leader last year, I noticed that “community” is frequently seen in an extremely narrow way. It gets limited to Prime Time attendees and the people that show up to dorm programs.

If a kid likes to spend all day playing video games online or chatting with his long-distance girlfriend, this means his community must be broken.

In leadership meetings, we were encouraged to discuss all of the residents on our hall and how they were doing in the “community.” In the process, quiet, reserved students were seen as having some kind of malady which we were supposed to cure. So, Shy Reader, if your RA keeps popping into your room “just to say hi,” you now know it’s because you have been diagnosed with a community deficiency.

Similarly, we’ve turned “community” into a wimp–something capable of being pushed over with a rolled-up newspaper.

Sickly and delicate, community must not be “disturbed” or we run the risk of hurting its feelings. Campus shenanigans and diverging opinions are therefore taboo. By standardizing Whitworth “community,” we’ve denied some its flavor.

This idea is rather absurd.

Whitworth’s underground World of Warcraft devotees and stoner tribes are just as much a part of the campus’ color as the folks who go to Hosanna and like making macaroni crafts while dancing to Disney music at Prime Times. Our campus community is multi-faceted and motley, but our understanding of it is not. We should enjoy the quirky, unorthodox fringe groups, not exclude them from our conception of community.

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HALEY ATKINSON

appropriately framing my understanding of community. I choose to believe the Whitworth community is striving towards understanding. A people seeking truth.

In many ways I am the manifestation of the stereotypical female Whitworth student. I am a white Protestant raised by two loving (Young Life) parents in an upper middle class neighborhood. I go to church on Sunday, wear Toms, drink coffee and am passionate about issues of social justice. While all of these are aspects of me, they are only the box I could be placed in. There is a great deal beneath these external realities. It is in the sharing of my story and hearing the stories of others authentic relationships begin. These organic relationships are the foundation to a healthy community.

Far too often we view others in the box we have placed them. It is in these placements hostility towards the Whitworth populace emerges. In order to find and enjoy the community we boast of, we must be a people entrenched in the stories of those around us.

We cannot nitpick the experiences and backgrounds that align with our own; rather, we must respect and give ear to those drastically different from our own.

Living in a true community requires sacrifice, grace and truth.

We must learn to forgo our time and perceptions and respect one another. As we aim at the objective of intentionality, grace must be at the center, for one another and ourselves, communities are built gradually with caution and care. Lastly we need honesty, with ourselves and one another.

Not every day is a good day, we must first admit this for ourselves, and be willing to hear the grievances of our peers.

The Whitworth community is far from Utopia, but I have come to know it is full of passionate, loving people carrying stories waiting to be told. It is in the patient pursuit of individual relationships we build our personal communities. It is in the culmination of these idiosyncratic clusters the true Whitworth community is found.

A jealous mistress

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Finding joy in others

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Whitworth Buzzwords: The opinions staff explores the pros and cons of three of the most commonly-used words regarding Whitworth’s culture.

ZAJICEK is a senior majoring in political science and history.

Comments can be sent to taylor.zajicek@whitworthian.com.

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SARAH BERENTSON COLUMNIST

SUSTAINABILITY

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OPINIONS | SPORTS

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PRO

There’s no reason to oppose sustainability

CON

Sustainability is a word that gets tossed around a lot, and not just at Whitworth.

Some people argue that sustainability is just a buzzword thrown about in order to keep those people who adamantly “go green” happy.

I asked several students what they thought about sustainability, and the majority of them had a negative view of it. It was described as a hobby for the rich. The stereotype attached to being green was a Toms wearing, sometimes barefoot, homeless challenge, YoungLife yuppie.

It is a tragedy that such a negative reaction spawns from such a positive movement.

Whitworth seems to be committed to being a sustainable campus, meaning we try our best to be green and to salvage the world that we share.

If sustainability makes you unhappy, your unhappiness is completely illegitimate. I know there are people out there who litter, who toss plastic into fire, who consistently destroy the earth, just to spite global warming, as if sustainability were a liberal conspiracy to brainwash the world into believing in global warming.

Who cares about global warming? Re-

gardless of any views of global warming, the plained that the very kids who advocate point is we continually destroy our earth being green, also drive their car from the without worrying about the repercussions. Hixson Union Building to Hawthorne. HowWe make materials that are not biodegrad- ever, I’d wager that almost everything people able, dig landfills to fill with our waste, and do is also plagued with hypocrisy. Let’s start refuse to cut back on our comfortable hab- with Christianity, or any major religion. Hyits. Argue all you want about the effects of pocrisy within this religion (though not by global warming, but you can’t deny things every Christian) is one of the main deterlike landfills. rents to new believers. However, just beWhat would Jesus do? What would Gan- cause every Christian isn’t as pure as Jesus dhi do? What would anyone do who isn’t so himself doesn’t mean that the term “Chrisselfish that they aren’t worried about main- tianity” should induce an angered reaction. taining the earth? They would probably join Yet, it often does. There is a strong parallel forces, drive around in a hybrid between this and suscalled The Green Machine, and tainability.

It is a tragedy that such they would recommend we Here’s what is real. a negative reaction spawns from such a save the earth.

We are slowly depositive Some anti-mother earth adstroying our earth, movement. vocates (as I like to call them, and there are some though they will vehemently people who are atdeny it) are so irritated by the tempting to change it. idea of sustainability that even seeing a hy- They may not be perfect, but they are trying. brid throws them into a fit of rage. When Although some people just like the image of someone tells them that maybe burning that sustainability, other people truly feel like it plastic bottle isn’t a good idea, they want to is a just and important cause, because it is. It throw you in the fire instead. isn’t a conspiracy, it’s a fact. We are stuffing Why? I ask these people; does it bother our world, like a turkey, with trash. Nothing you when someone is feeding the homeless? about that is positive, but everything about No. The only difference is one person is do- sustainability is. So get off your high horse, ing charity unto people, and one is doing and start doing a little bit more to help out. charity unto the earth, our home, that we all share.

BERENTSON is a junior majoring in English.

The biggest stigma attached to sustain- Comments can be sent to ability is hypocrisy. Some students com- sarah.berentson@whitworthian.com.

{

Let’s choose our shade of green carefully question: where should the line be drawn?

At what point does being sustainable outweigh human well-being?

MAX NELSEN Second, efforts at sustainability are genCOLUMNIST erally coercive. Sure, we volunteer to ride our bikes to work for a week, but few people are willing to make the significant lifestyle changes required by the sustainabilWe hear a lot about sustainability at Whit- ity movement. Consequently, sustainability worth. We have the Sustainability Challenge, measures are often imposed from the top a sustainability committee, a Green Pirate, down. Whether it be the U.N., the U.S. govand forks made of potatoes. The Whitworth ernment, or our very own Whitworth, suswebsite officially explains Whitworth’s posi- tainability measures frequently happen by tion: “Whitworth University is committed to fiat. For instance, I hear that in days gone by, promoting an understanding and apprecia- plastic trays, now extinct, used to frequent tion of sustainable practices on our campus the dining hall. and in the community and to increasing our A more contemporary example can be employees’ and students’ abilities to partici- found in Whitworth’s plans to become a pate in a sustainable society.” bottle-free campus. According to Sodexo Yet beneath the compost piles and recy- General Manager Jim O’Brien, the univercling bins, all is not as it seems. I’ll get right sity is considering a plan to replace all of to the point. The concept of sustainability the bottled-beverage vending machines has some serious problems, three of which I on campus with will discuss. c a n n e d - b e v e rWhere should the line be First, the term itself is inage machines. drawn? At what point does credibly vague. For instance, Also, Whitworth being sustainable the Whitworth website is considering outweigh human states the University’s goals installing a netwell-being? for sustainability, calling for work of water an education that will “make bottle filling stahuman/environment interdependence, val- tions across campus, at a cost of about $1200 ues, and ethics a seamless and central part apiece. Bottled water and soda would no of teaching of all disciplines. All students longer be sold in the Café, Coffee Shop, or will understand that we are an integral part the stand in Weyerhaeuser, though specialty of nature. They will understand the ecologi- drinks such as Sobe may still be available. All cal services that are critical for human exis- this would be done to replace the approxitence and how to make the ecological foot- mately 5,000 bottles purchased on campus print of human activity visible and as benign per year. as possible.”

Thirdly, the benefits are often highly overUnfortunately, making human activity “as stated or come at a prohibitive economic benign as possible” is best done, if taken to cost. Too often, something sustainable is the logical extreme, by the elimination of merely a PR stunt or political project which human activity. While I highly doubt that provides little actual benefit. For instance, this is what Whitworth has in mind, some on Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center the international stage have argued for ways explains that, “Politicians, businesses and to decrease world population. It raises the environmental activists have been aggres-

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sive recently, highlighting the benefits of green projects… The data, however, do not back up these rosy claims—and project supporters often know it. Again and again, when advocates of increased government spending on green projects are asked to support their claims with data, they either fail to provide the data or simply hide the embarrassing reality by refusing to share information.”

Myers highlights several projects in Washington, one of which took place at South Kitsap High School, not far from my home, in which sustainability projects failed to deliver promised results, both in terms of energy and economic efficiency.

This is not to say that the sustainability movement is necessarily bad. However, instead of blindly pursuing sustainability and all that it entails, I would argue that economic efficiency and personal choice should be the guiding factors in deciding what we do to be sustainable. Often, beneficial economic improvements are also sustainable.

Furthermore, if being sustainable can also expand, not restrict, options for individuals and businesses, then it should be pursued.

Thus, Whitworth should proceed if it is costeffective to pay for a network of water bottle filling stations and students who prefer the re-sealable convenience of plastic bottles are still allowed to choose them over cans.

However, if the school (or government) unilaterally decides to spend money and reduce student (citizen) choice, then sustainability’s value should be severely questioned.

Whitworth is prone to jumping on board with the latest cultural fads. In this case, Whitworth needs to carefully consider the specifics of exactly how far it wants to go in being sustainable.

NELSEN is a sophomore majoring in political science. Comments can be sent to max.nelsen@whitworthian.com.

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OPINIONS | SPORTS

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The use of the word diversity on campus is disingenuous. People may think that the lack of small armies of ethnic-looking students like me running around campus is the problem. But it is precisely the fact that people think adding more minority students is an ideal and acceptable substitute for diversity that is the real issue.

Diversity has simply ceased to carry any weight because these days; it means very little apart from meeting a quota of minority students or workers, just enough to give the appearance that there is a small global community at school.

Dedicating an entire old health center building to promote multiculturalism may be good and well, but it is emblematic of the wrong way to promote diversity. Creating these centers, adding more minority students, paying lip service to promote diversity without dispelling the underlying stereotypical perceptions with which minorities are regarded is utterly useless.

Diversity is not about how many centers a university dedicates to perpetuate the illusion of ethnic variety. Diversity is not about how many volunteer activities in urban communities your average upper middle class, white, Presbyterian kid can list on his college application as a way to show how he or she has been “exposed” to people from different walks of life. Diversity is not just about how many Hawaiian or Act 6 students the university can lure onto campus. While

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IRIS WU

we’re on that topic, why would one ever perience with people from different walks of leave Hawaii to come to school in Spokane? life, which is code for poor, urban, or plain But that’s beside the point. non-white, I don’t buy it.

Diversity is represented in personal backUnfortunately, Whitworth’s attitude togrounds, thought, and ideas. I don’t think ward the matter appears to be to offer inrecruiting from the same white, urban, and centives for minority students to enroll and Hawaiian demographics necessarily fits this hope that their presence will project an aura perspective because all these people es- of diversity around campus. Then they probsentially hold on to the same beliefs and, ably sit around and pray that their freshmen get ready for it, worldviews. Part of this is minority retention rate stays high enough because we are a Christian university, but for the school to photograph them doing fun that’s a whole other story. Our culture is so Whitworth things to put on the front of the absorbed in its white guilt website.

This and desire to be politically makes WhitOur culture is so absorbed in correct, and so consumed worth about as its white guilt and desire to with the need to compendiverse as the be politically correct, and so sate for the dearth of miBoard of Trustconsumed with the need to norities on campus that ees, who were compensate for the dearth of we lose sight of what dikind enough to minorities on campus that we grace us with versity actually means. lose sight of what diversity Whitworth has done their presence actually means. an adequate job trying to this month. physically integrate inThe Board also ternational students and seems to favor minorities by taking them to camps meant Whitworth’s approach – they follow the old for 12 year olds, but what good is physical political adage of “Add women and stir.” integration when people still think that all That just does not work with diversifying a Asian kids obviously have black belts, eat campus. boatloads of rice, and worship their dead Adding black, yellow, or brown people ancestors? and stirring does not mean we’ll end up I have been and will continue to be ex- with diversity by any means. Putting on culoticized and by extension, marginalized to tural programs in which students need to be a certain degree because when people see, bribed with extra credit of discounted coffee me they see the metaphorical Other. When is not effective either. Instead of succumbI walk around campus, I am always the per- ing to naïve co-optations of minorities, we petual foreigner, and I will always have peo- need to return to the heart of what diversity ple hesitatingly ask me if I speak English. means.

When I apply for jobs, I am not seen as just a regular applicant, but a diversity hire. So when Whitworth talks about the importance WU is a senior majoring in political science. Comof diversity enhancing our educational ex- ments can be sent to iris.wu@whitworthian.com.

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Diversity no longer has meaning

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GJEFLE is a senior majoring in English and biology.

Comments can be sent to andrew.gjefle@whitworthian.com.

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this to, say, Biola University, which requires every single one of its students to graduate with a minor in theology. Even the Core program, despite its flaws, is designed to open students’ eyes to a wide range of ways of thinking and to push them toward what works for each individual.

Heck, even diversity of interests is allowed as well. There are plenty of outlets for different modes of expression, whether it’s dance, games, sports, movies, music, visual art, interpersonal bonding (I’m looking at you, No Shave November), appreciation of nature, writing … the list goes on. There’s even a party scene, and the fact that it is not attacked speaks to the university’s commitment to allowing people freedom to pursue what they will. It all falls under the term “diversity.” There’s something for everybody, and Whitworth’s accommodation of various interests is admirable.

Yes, “diversity” may be misunderstood, it may be overused, and it even may be an obstacle to some people. But what it stands for, and the way the university functions in light of its use and its goals are undeniably positive. Is it perfect? Of course not. Sometimes, the rhetoric is difficult to wade through. But with even a small amount of reflection, its influence can be seen to be just as beneficial as anything else Whitworth has instituted in its goals of educating both mind and heart.

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not apply to him or her. But a closer look reveals the fallacy of thinking that way.

ANDREW GJEFLE Hidden behind that dubious sentiment OPINIONS EDITOR lays the beauty of it all! How is it possible to define “average student” or decide what the middle ground is? I think the word “diversity” covers a broader scope of meaning than Rhetoric is an interesting thing. It can be most people think. used to effect any number of reactions, inFirst, diversity does not just mean havfluencing the way people interact and think ing racial diversity. This is one of the most of the world. In the context of a university, common misconceptions. While having especially one with such a clear vision and people of different ethnic backgrounds atpurpose as Whitworth, it will play an intend Whitworth is certainly part of the goal credibly important role in creating a certain of the rhetorical use of “diversity,” the more atmosphere or attitude among those studyimportant aspect is going beyond the presing there. It would seem, then, that the careence of people of different colors to a deeper ful and effective use of certain words has relationship with and understanding of inpotential to work much good among people dividual people; if one can grow to know living together, subjected to the another, a knowledge same rhetoric. of their particular I think the word Diversity is one of those culture and environ“diversity” covers a broadwords at which the mere mener scope of meaning than ment, and how that tion sends people into rabid, most people think. affects them, is vital. warring factions, determined Racial diversity is to make others feel bad or irreleabout more than prevant. At the same time, though, I believe it is venting a homogenous look to the campus; important to recognize the benefits of using it’s about learning to relate to people who the word. When it boils down to it, I think come from a completely different place than most would agree that the use of the word one may have grown up in. Rather than a diversity makes this college is a better place, contrived, generalized “global perspective,” rather than worse. it allows individual relationships to be more But it is not enough to just say it. One harmonious and meaningful. must understand its meaning, and I think Diversity can be intellectual as well. This misconceptions of what diversity really is a place where Whitworth has done so means is the root of most of the problems well encouraging a diverse environment, we people have with its use. And that’s pertend not to even notice it. There are few refectly understandable; if diversity seems to quirements as far as classes go, and people be an ironically narrow goal, it is easy to see are free to study what they want. Compare how the average student might think it does

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The unattributed benefits of diversity

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SPECIAL | APRIL 19, 2011

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This special section of The Whitworthian features guest columns from Whitworth students and a letter to the editor.

Nicaraguan landfills a home for many Story by Derek Martin/Guest Writer The smell, the rotting aroma that makes it hurt to breathe. It’s palpable even before we get off our air conditioned bus. Normally luxuries like soft seats, cool air and general comfort aren’t given a second thought, but now the bus feels like our only sanctuary.

Dumps, city landfills, basureros in this case, they all get a bad rap. It’s our garbage, and we forget about it once it leaves our hands. What about the people who have to take care of it, or worse yet, the people who live in it?

Nicaragua is the second poorest country in Latin America, and it shows. The rundown buildings and constant begging for loose change by inhabitants is evidence enough. Poverty infests it, changes the attitudes of the people and the images of the city, often times ruining its real beauty.

I have been out of the capital city, outside the plastic wrappers and used soda cans tossed alongside the road, and Nicaragua is breath-taking. It’s a beautiful country, with rolling hills, lakes and greenery, reminding you every second that life defines Nicaragua’s existence, growing and flowering everywhere.

But inside this city is a different story. Inside this dump is an unfamiliar kind of life, the kind we ignore and turn our minds from rather easily. La Chureca is the name of the city dump, and the dump city. More than 1,000 families at any given time live

here, many of them permanently. The idea of living here, eating what comes in on dump trucks and surviving on corrugated cardboard, hot tin roofs, discarded Coca-Cola signs and barbed-wire clothes lines blows my mind.

I had the opportunity to take a short tour of this city, to see the conditions and see what lower-class existence really is. Hopping off the bus, we all became timid, not wanting to touch the walls and watching every step we take in case some foul liquid was on the ground that we didn’t want to track back to our home.

The tour started through a family’s house, and as we shuffled through, the man who owned it wouldn’t look us in the eyes and stared at the wall on the opposite side, all dignity gone, replaced with shame.

We broke through this barrier and came out on the other side, as we crossed over into the dump, into the corrugated city of dead dreams. At a glance, we see little kids running around with nothing but diapers or little shorts on, sores creating a terrible map on their skin. We climb a hill, seeing the shacks that families share with the animals they own.

Some were larger than others; all thrown together like a million puzzle pieces.

Sewage creates a poisonous river flowing down the hill we climb. At the top of the hill my breath leaves me, as I look out over the sea of garbage and decay and

take in the true breadth of what we feared to look at. Houses upon houses, the heat so stifling I can only image what it must be like inside these metal boxes. And the smell, the olfactory agony that only trash and heat can create. Spending only two hours there made me hate it with every fiber of my being, and then I stop and think: these people live here. Wake up and go to sleep in it. Every night.

The existence here can be attributed to a multitude of things, from a poor government to lack of money to a general disregard for the overall well-being of humankind and earth. The reality is that landfills are everywhere, created by each and every one of us. It’s the nature of human kind, one we are revealing the hard way, as these dumps attest to. The irony is, all the poverty-stricken people living in this dump wouldn’t eat if we didn’t throw all our garbage away. It’s a terrible double-edged sword, one stuck deep in humankind.

No politician or nurse or billionaire can fix this. It starts and ends, as it always does, with us. Spain is working with the dump to cure this disease, but its only one dump. Next time you throw leftovers away, consider the person that pulls it out of the trash, finishes it, and thanks God that he/she ate that day.

Send comments to editor@whitworthian.com.

Undocumented, not unAmerican Story by Luis Flores/Guest Writer My name is Luis Flores. I sit next to you in class. I am undocumented. That means that I am currently living in the United States illegally, but not by choice.

It also means that I am only one traffic stop away from deportation. This is my reality.

My family and others like myself are not considered full participants in society despite having grown up in this country.

All we ask for is an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

I have proven myself to be hardworking and, other than my status, law abiding. Because I am undocumented, I cannot receive financial aid through the federal government nor have I been able to participate in study-abroad programs.

I cannot serve as an RA or dorm senator.

Above all, I can be deported at any time.

My mother gave birth to me in a hospital without electricity. My family lived in a one-room shack without plumbing.

They could not make enough money to put food on the table, much less move to a better or safer home.

It was not my choice to leave Mexico. I immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 7 with my family. They wanted more for their children and that is why they brought us to this country. With only high school educations, my parents have only been able to get manual labor jobs.

Even though I have grown up in the

U.S., I do not feel accepted by society. I cannot feel part of a society where laws make it a crime to be undocumented. The more I try to blend in and just be myself, the more I am reminded that I am not welcomed here.

In summers I tutor incoming freshmen at my high school. I am a Young Life leader at Rogers High School. I have been an active member of society and above all, I have contributed to this country I call home. Yet, I am an “alien” that does not belong.

I constantly fear being deported out of the country. The fear leaves me paralyzed. I also fear for my family’s safety. I have no interest in returning to Mexico where violence is getting out of control.

This country is my home. I just wish I could go through everyday life without having to worry about my safety.

In my four years at Whitworth I have not been able to participate in study-abroad programs. Every time you asked me if I was planning on studying out of the country I found myself telling a lie: I am not interested. The truth is I was drowning in tears of frustration.

I wanted to go with you to experience Paris, The Great Wall of China and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. I have done my best to get the most out of my education at Whitworth.

Finding scholarship money to help

pay for tuition was an entirely different process from yours. Because of my undocumented status I was not eligible for FAFSA or any federal financial assistance. However, through perseverance, I earned my way with three different scholarships to attend this school.

Unfortunately, those scholarships only cover my Bachelor’s degree. If I decide to attend graduate school I am left to scavenge for privately funded scholarships once again. You think you are worried about jobs: I graduate knowing I will be lucky to get a job unpacking your grocery boxes or building your kitchen or mowing your lawn.

The only way I will ever feel “accepted” into society is through passage of the DREAMAct(DevelopmentReliefandEducation for Alien Minors). This bill will allow me and thousands of students in my situation to obtain citizenship. I feel entitled to my citizenship because I know I have earned it. The DREAM Act will take away my fear of being sent out of the country and above all, it will allow me to achieve my fullest potential.

My hope is that by this point you have gained a better perspective on why I decided to write this article. I hope you understand my story.

Send comments to editor@whitworthian.com.

Abortion should not be merely an intellectual issue Letter to the Editor

by Mark Baker/ Assistant Registrar When you think about this topic, what kind of a response do you have? Do you feel something in your gut, or merely in your head. When I was a student at Whitworth I would have definitely said I was pro-life.

Killing babies is wrong. Period.

Yet, my assent to this topic was limited to my head. I did not feel it. It brought little emotional response when I thought about it or discussed it. That is no longer the case. Now, when I hear the word abortion, discuss the topic or drive by a billboard promoting Planned Parenthood it affects me. My stomach turns at the thought of children being vacuumed out of their mother, piece by piece. It makes me angry. And I think this is right.

Abortion should not be an intellectual topic. If it is for you, then I would argue that you haven’t wrestled with it enough.

Ignorance is the greatest friend abortion has. That is the only way we have allowed 52 million children to be killed over the past four decades in our country.

The change for me happened when I had my first child. During my wife’s pregnancy it seemed surreal that our child was growing inside of her. However, when our son was born, the weight of the past nine months truly hit me. That was the first point in my life when I realized how much I hate abortion. And that is when it moved beyond an intellectual topic for me.

I wish I hadn’t waited until I had a child of my own to wrestle with this issue. I wish I had fought my ignorance much earlier in life. I wish I had viewed websites like abort73.com sooner.

What are you thinking or feeling right now as you read this letter? In 100 years I think people will look back on this era of our country with horror, unable to comprehend how we (Americans) and specifically Christians within America stood by and allowed this atrocity to occur. I plead with you as young people not to let this issue lie dormant in the back of your minds. Find out what you believe. Fight your ignorance.

But don’t just believe it. Feel it.

And then do something.

Send comments to editor@whitworthian.com.

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The Jock Strip No matter the caliber of play, I still go broke buying hotdogs Story by Kyle Bohigian allowing a single Boxer on base.

Whitworth senior Nathan Johnson also pitched well, only allowing one run in four and a third innings (although he did give up the winning run in the eleventh). Takemura had a good day batting, he was five for five with two RBI’s. Whitworth juniors Jarrell and Kevin Valerio each had an RBI, and Johnson also contributed an RBI. Whitworth’s overall record now stands at 16-18, and 9-9 in Northwest Conference play. The Pirate’s next game is at home against Willamette at noon on Friday, April 22.

Contact Kyle Bohigian at kyle.bohigian@whitworthian. com.

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Photo by Chrissy Roach

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Whitworth sophomore Heather Hesselgesser bats during the game against Willamette.

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freshman Gerhard Muelheims was four for six from the lead-off position. Whitworth junior Landon Scott added three RBI’s, and Whitworth junior JR Jarrell contributed two RBI’s; both players hit two for four. Whitworth junior Michael Takemura and senior Nick Ashley each had one RBI. Sunday the Pirates faced Pacific University once again, and after 11 innings, the Pirates fell to the Boxers, 5-6.

The Pirates had a rough start after senior pitcher Michael Taylor gave up five runs in just four innings. The Pirates came back later in the game to tie it up at 5-5 before going to extra innings.

Whitworth freshman Ryan Beliel pitched two solid innings, not

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The Whitworth Baseball team split a double-header at Pacific University (Ore.) on Saturday, losing the first game 2-0, and winning the second 8-2. The first game was dominated by Pacific sophomore Rob Dittrick, who pitched a four hit shutout, and increasing his personal record to 8-2 on the season.

Whitworth freshman Tyler Pfeffer had two hits in the game.

The second game was again dominated by a pitcher, although this time, it was Whitworth’s turn. Whitworth senior Eric Anderson pitched a complete game, while only allowing three hits and two runs; Anderson is now 2-0 on the season. Whitworth’s batters had a great day as well; scoring eight times on 16 hits. Whitworth

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Story by Andrew Forhan

APRIL 19, 2011

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Contact Andrew Forhan at andrew.forhan@whitworthian. com.

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the fifth, Bucs sophomore shortstop Heather Hesselgesser led off the bottom of the sixth with a stand-up triple down the right field line. Freshman centerfielder Kimmi Kumangai, junior second basemen Sami Parr, freshman leftfielder Jill Pecka and Anderson each had hits in the inning as well.

After allowing a one-out single in the top of the seventh, Anderson got the final two batters to fly out and end the game.

Willamette improved to 19-17 overall, and 16-12 in the NWC while the Bucs dropped to 18-16 overall, and 16-10 in NWC play. The regular season finale for the Pirates will be a doubleheader against Pacific Lutheran in Moses Lake on Tuesday, April 19.

SPORTS

scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie up the contest.

Three of the first four Buc batters that came to the plate in the seventh got hits, and senior catcher Caty Lieseke drove in two runs with a double off the left field wall that was a matter of feet from being a walkoff home run. Instead Lieseke was left stranded on second base and the game went to extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Willamette scored what turned out to be the winning run with runners on first and third as a Bearcat runner scored from third when the Bucs threw out the runner attempting to steal second base.

The Pirates got revenge in the final game of the series, with an 8-1 victory. FreshmanpitcherEmilyAnderson went the distance and earned the victory on the mound. She was also 2-4 at the plate, and part of a sixth inning rally in which the Bucs plated six runs. After taking a 2-1 lead in

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The Willamette Bearcats traveled to Spokane and took three of four games against the Whitworth softball team this weekend in Northwest Conference action.

In the first doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Marks Field, Whitworth was swept by Willamette. The Bearcats won the first game by a score of 5-0 and finished the day with an 8-3 victory.

Willamette pitcher Alex Watilo kept the Pirate bats quiet in the first game of the twin bill, throwing a complete game three-hit shutout to earn the victory.

In the second game, the Willamette offense scored five runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-0 lead and go on to an eventual 8-3 win.

On Sunday, Willamette needed two extra frames to defeat the Bucs in the third game of the series, earning a 5-4 win in nine innings.

After falling behind 4-1, the Bucs

OPINIONS

Softball splits weekend at home

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Contact Colin Zalewski at editor@whitworthian.com.

Bucs fight back against Boxers

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Some cities breed failure. Have you ever noticed how there are a number of teams who are terrible every year, no matter what? (I’m looking at you Buffalo Bills and Golden State Warriors).

Furthermore, have you ever noticed that often those same teams that are bad every year are from the same city?

Sports have an inexplicable power to unite a city. I can honestly say, I rank cities I’d like to visit based on the success of the sports teams. Why? Because I know the cities with teams making the playoffs every year have a sense of unity in their ability to rally around one common cause.

For example, everyone wants to go to New York.

It’s a bustling city, full of a diverse body of jerks, just seeking to ruin your day by stealing your cab. But we know New York is a great place to be because at the heart of every real New Yorker is a Jets fan. Why do you think nobody ever vacations to Kansas City? There’s nothing going on there except for wannabe southern barbecue and the Royals, who are miserable every year.

With that in mind, allow me to be your Travel Channel tour guide of the worst sports cities and places in America (on a scale of bad to gagreflex), where the seats are empty, the winning percentage is always low and a hotdog still costs $8.50.

Bad: Milwaukee. In case you were wondering, nothing good ever happens in Milwaukee. It has no cop or hospital drama shows based there, it’s famous for poor tasting beer and brats (classy) and no good sports teams are present. Led by the MLB Milwaukee Brewers and the NBA Milwaukee Bucks, we’re talking about a city that’s former poster-boy was “The Alien,” Sam Cassell.

However, it hangs onto “bad” status merely because of its close proximity to the great sports town that is Green Bay. Dismal: Arizona (all of it). Let me start off by saying one name … Carson Palmer. If you’re not laughing already let me mention another … Channing Frye. The entire state of Arizona is a ramshackle (Sorry, Zach Parker.). We’re talking about a state that has had little to no success in the past five years. Yes, the Cards almost won the Super Bowl, but other than that, the Suns are dismal, the D-backs are beyond dismal and what hope there was for the Cards (Anquan Boldin and Kurt Warner) has been traded or retired.

Note: The common denominator between the two teams above is one of most mediocre players in MLB history, known only for his abysmal batting stance, Craig Counsell.

Horrible: Northern California. There are only two teams keeping Northern California from being number one on this list, the Giants and the San Jose Sharks, both are good. Other than that, you’ve got the Kings and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA, the Raiders and 49ers in the NFL and the Oakland A’s in the MLB. All of those teams are horrible!

Gag-Reflex: Washington D.C. When I think D.C., I think humidity, politicians, dirt and sports teams I honestly cannot believe exist. The Washington Redskins just got done with a poor season, despite great coach Mike Shanahan and overrated quarterback Donovan McNabb (I’d also like to apologize for Dr. Mike Ingram for that statement.). The Redskins are bad, but the NBA Wizards are worse and even worse than them are the MLB Nationals. If I had to choose between solving problems in Congress or fixing the sports problems in the nation’s capital, I’m not sure what I’d address first. Simply put, D.C. is the worst sports city in the country.

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