VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 45 • APRIL 27, 2022
INTERNATIONAL
ARTS & CULTURE
OPINION
Macron wins French reelections P. 4
A peek behind the curtain of Portland’s oldest restaurant P. 8
Our planet is burning while we stand by P. 11
WE’RE HIRING Copy Editors & News Editor EMAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM
CONTENTS
COVER PHOTO BY ERIC SHELBY COVER DESIGN BY SHANNON STEED
NEWS MEET THIS YEAR’S ASPSU CANDIDATES
P. 3
TURNING CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL PATIENTS’ DRAWINGS INTO SCULPTURE
P. 9
INTERNATIONAL MACRON DEFEATS LE PEN
P. 4
OPINION HOW FOX NEWS IS SHAPING RIGHT-WING POLITICS
P. 10
THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD
P. 5
COMPLACENCY, APATHY AND THE FAILURE TO ACT
P. 11
SPORTS VIKS FALL TO IDAHO ON SENIOR DAY
P. 6-7
P. 12
ARTS & CULTURE LOCAL FLAVOR: PORTLAND’S OLDEST RESTAURANT
SCIENCE & TECH FBI PORTLAND SEES RISE IN SEXTORTION SCHEMES AMONGST TEENS
P. 8
STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Béla Kurzenhauser MANAGING EDITOR Karisa Yuasa PHOTO EDITOR Sofie Brandt SPORTS EDITOR Eric Shelby NEWS EDITOR Zoe Edelman SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan McConnell ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Tanner Todd INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani
OPINION EDITOR Justin Cory ONLINE EDITOR Christopher Ward COPY CHIEF Mackenzie Streissguth DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tanner Todd MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Olivia Lee CONTRIBUTORS Alex Aldridge Whitney Griffith Jeremiah Hayden Nova Johnson Foster Kupbens Analisa Landeros Kat Leon Carmen Peters Jesse Ropers Isabel Zerr
PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shannon Steed
ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
DESIGNERS Leo Clark Whitney Griffith Fiona Hays Mia Levy A Pargett
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez
TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Kahela Fickle George Olson Kwanmanus Thardomrong
To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com
STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Vacant
MISSION STATEMENT Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.
ABOUT Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Wednesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.
WHITNEY MCPHIE
MEET THIS YEAR’S ASPSU CANDIDATES CAST YOUR VOTE BEFORE MAY 2 ZOE EDELMAN Students are now able to vote in the 2022 Associated Students of Portland State University (ASPSU) elections to cast their choices for student government representatives, until May 2. According to the ASPSU, its primary tasks are to “allocate the student fee, represent students on committees and in deliberations with university administrators, as well as lobby in Salem on student issues, among many other responsibilities.” The ASPSU currently boasts 41 members—73.8% of which are transfer students and 60% first-generation college students. ASPSU’s team comprises both resident and non-resident graduate and undergraduate students. Student government is crucial in providing input and participation into discussion of things such as student incidental fees, which are included in Oregon Revised Statutes, the Oregon Administrative Rules and the State Board of Higher Education. PSU students were sent the 2022 ASPSU Voter Pamphlet to their emails, providing further information beyond names of candidates running for student government. The open positions discussed in the non-biased pamphlet consist of Presidential and Vice Presidential tickets, along with a Student Fee Committee (SFC) candidate and Senate candidates.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
There are two presidential candidates this year. Kierra Wing, running with slate Create the Change, is the first candidate. Her platform is focused on initiating change, amplifying underrepresented voices and creating good student experiences at PSU. She has been with ASPSU for the past three years, first as an intern for the Sustainability and Legislative Affairs committees and then serving as a chair of the Student Fee Committee (SFC) for the past two years. “A vote for my slate is a vote for change,” Wing stated. “Vote Kierra Wing for President and Dom Chen for Vice President! With your vote and your voice, we can build a lively and inclusive campus environment centered around student success!” The second presidential candidate is Ethan Vo, who runs with slate Fight for Students’ Rights. Vo is a current member of the ASPSU as the Operations Manager. His platform centers around student advocacy, promoting equity and building diversity. Vo aims to increase campus safety, ensure the cost of attendance remains manageable and advocate for mental health services. “Having spent years as a wildland firefighter, advocate and community volunteer, I am committed to putting others first,” Vo stated. “In the realm of students, I want to advocate for members of the community who have concerns or want to speak up. Being a minority myself, I’ve felt and understood the struggles of being heard. Due to that, I don’t want anyone else to feel that way.”
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
Vo was formerly the Personal Relations Coordinator for the Vietnamese Student Association prior to being removed from his post on April 18 due to allegations of interpersonal violence. Vo’s Vice Presidential running mate, Peach Anderson, resigned from ASPSU elections on April 19, and one other candidate on Vo’s slate withdrew and ran as an independent instead. An email sent out by ASPSU declared that they were “aware of allegations made against a current member” and “working with campus partners to address [the] situation.”
VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
There is one Vice Presidential candidate, Dom Chen, who runs alongside Wing with Create the Change. Chen currently serves her third year with the Associated Students of PSU and as Vice Chair of SFC. Chen highlights the promotion of fee transparency, advocating for student needs, creating better outreach of ASPSU to the entire student body and becoming a more outspoken leader.
STUDENT FEE COMMITTEE (SFC) CANDIDATES
Beyond the presidential election, students can vote for candidates in the Student Fee Committee (SFC) election. There are six candidates—three who run independently and three for Create the Change. Emily Hollinger is the first listed candidate, and runs independently to advocate for SFC to give more consideration to distance and graduate programs. Felisha Brewer is the next listed candidate, who worked as a peer mentor and advocate for the TRIO Student Support Services Program, and now runs to provide an equitable voice pertaining to student fees in higher education. Tim Knispel runs with Create the Change for SFC reelection, where he works to fight imposed undue financial burden on students. Knispel also serves as Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board for Student Legal Services and on the Tuition Review Advisory Committee (TRAC). Lanie Sticka runs for reelection with Create the Change, and has past experience as an ASPSU senator and as an Economic Development Intern for Oregon City. She wants to use her leadership and fiscal knowledge to benefit the student body. Hakan Kutgun runs for reelection after five years in ASPSU, which includes time as SFC Vice Chair and Executive Director, as well as three years of representative experience. Kutgun values civic engagement, student power and diversity above all else and wishes to continue his work in SFC. Carter Silago runs for reelection with Create the Change for a third year in SFC. Alongside learning about mandatory fees and budget allocation, Silago is a participant in Student Activities and
Leadership Program’s policy change, as well as a co-coordinator for United Indigenous Students in Higher Education, which participates in local Native American events.
SENATE CANDIDATES
The ASPSU Senate is also part of the student government elections with ten total candidates. Gabriella Tangkilisan runs with Create the Change for a second year in ASPSU, previously serving as a Judicial Review Board member. Tangkilisan is involved with the Women’s Resource Center on the leadership cohort and is a secretary of the Pre-Medicine Student Association. Her platform supports equity, inclusion and minority representation in student government. Michael Jones runs for a senator position. Jones is focused on cultivating his leadership skills and creating positive change in the PSU community, specifically in uplifting minorities. Mathew Hull runs with Create the Change to exercise his passion for community service and interest in finance and investing. Emily Williams runs with Create the Change to continue work in student government as an advocate for education resources, disability support and first-generation student support. Abi Mavity runs with Fight for Students’ Rights for SFC to ensure the student body feels well supported at PSU. Mavity is part of the PSU Food Pantry management team that works to fight food insecurity. Pavithra Prasad runs with Create the Change to continue work with ASPSU. Prasad is currently the Sustainability Affairs Committee Director and a volunteer at the Cultural Sustainability Task force of the Student Sustainability Center. Prasad wants to proactively approach student life issues to build a sustainable environment and community. Maria Zavala runs with Create the Change to continue work with ASPSU to advocate for underrepresented communities. Zavala seeks to support individuals to achieve stable and dignified living standards. Radha Kuruva runs for reelection in ASPSU as part of the Multicultural and International Affairs Committee. Kuruva wants to take what she has previously learned with ASPSU and serve the PSU community. Jeremy Hitchen runs with Create the Change to use his knowledge as a finance major and ASPSU intern to be an effective student representative. Conor Carroll runs as a senate candidate to raise student government awareness within the student body and initiate positive change. Carroll, with past experience in student media, is the Creative Director for PSU’s Student Association of Political Science.
NEWS
3
MACRON DEFEATS LE PEN FRANCE DECIDES ON COUNTRY’S FUTURE THROUGH RUNOFF ELECTION
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE EMMANUEL MACRON AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT JAN. 2022. COURTESY OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI On April 24, the French people voted in a runoff election between current president Emmanuel Macron and political opponent Marine Le Pen, as reported by Reuters. The polls opened at 8 a.m. Sunday and closed at 8 p.m. the same day—with Macron winning reelection. The outcome of the election could be highly decisive for what the future of France will look like. Centrist, pro-European Union Macron and far-right Euroskeptic Le Pen had been battling in a tight race for weeks. Were Macron to have been unseated, the potential results have been likened to a “political earthquake,” according to Reuters. Analysts called Le Pen an unpalatable candidate for many, despite her efforts to soften her image as well as tone down some of the policies of her National Rally party. In the days leading up to the race, several opinion polls gave Macron a solid and growing lead though a Le Pen victory could not be completely ruled out of the picture. Neither candidate had counted enough core supporters on any poll to win the election. The weight of the election was placed upon the shoulders of the undecided and anxious— those considering the implications of a far-right presidency in France, following anger and unrest that has been present since Macron’s 2017 election. A victory for Le Pen may have caused a level of political
4
INTERNATIONAL
upheaval in Western democracies comparable to the waves of conflict following UK’s Brexit and the United States’ election of Donald Trump in 2016. Le Pen’s presidency would have marked an end to decades of rule by mainstream French leaders and imposed threats to the future political stability of the European Union.
THE WEIGHT OF THE ELECTION WAS PLACED UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THE UNDECIDED AND ANXIOUS. When there were only three hours left to vote in France, approximately 63% of France’s registered voters had cast their ballots, two points lower than during the 2017 French presidential election which had already taken the title for France’s lowest voter turnout in nearly a century. Macron, who beat Le Pen in the election five years ago, had warned of a civil war should Le Pen be elected and her policies
instituted, including one to ban all Muslim headdresses. Macron had called upon all liberals to back him. Le Pen found support from her campaign followers, in a similar style to Trump’s 2016 Make America Great Again campaign, targeting lower-class, working people with the claim that their lives would be improved. Le Pen focused on finding a solution to the rising cost of living in France, which is the world’s seventh-largest economy. Another primary focus was disparaging Macron’s abrasive style of leadership which she has claimed was a display of elitist contempt for ordinary people. “The question on Sunday is simple: Macron or France,” she said during a rally in the town of Arras, located in northern France. Le Pen denied accusations of racism and deflected criticisms from Macron for her past admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin. She claimed that her proposed policies to give priority to French citizens for social housing and jobs as well as scrapping several welfare programs currently in place for foreigners would be a benefit for all French, regardless of religion or origin. Though Macron won the presidency, the one thing that is clear is protests and civil unrest may still come, not only isolated to France but spread across the entire European continent—as tumultuous elections become ubiquitous.
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
THIS WEEK
around the
WORLD
April 15-21
3
1
2
JESSE ROPERS
1
April 15
CENTINELA, ECUADOR:
After 40 years of thinking the wildflower Gasteranthus extinctus was gone for good, biologists in Ecuador’s Centinela region found it growing in the wild. Wide-scale deforestation combined with its extended absence had specialists convinced it was extinct—a theory cemented in the flower’s name. Over 97% of the forests in Centinela have been destroyed to make way for farmland, making this discovery a huge relief to the scientific community. A researcher on the team, Nigel CA Pitman, told The Guardian about the pessimistic consensus. “Because it was described by the top people in the field, no one really double checked the science,” Pittman said. “No one went back to confirm that the forest was gone and those things were extinct. We walked into Centinela thinking it was going to break our heart and instead we ended up falling in love.” The flowers were discovered within the first few hours of the team reaching the region. Upon finding it, they were careful not to disturb anything, taking photos and cautiously collecting fallen
flowers. Later on, their discovery was confirmed as Gasteranthus extinctus by a taxonomic expert. A postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum in Chicago who co-authored the paper announcing the discovery, Dawsome Whitage, told The Guardian that “rediscovering this flower shows that it’s not too late to turn around even the worst-case biodiversity scenarios.” Whitage also said that conservation of small areas is worthwhile, as new species are still being discovered. “We can still save many things that are on the brink of extinction,” Whitage said. 2
April 19
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA:
Over the past few weeks, flooding has devastated KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern province of South Africa, particularly the coastal city of Durban. According to Reuters, the death count has risen to 440, with thousands more rendered houseless. The amount of rain that the area has received has been described by some weather forecasters as apocalyptic. In some parts, 18 inches of rain fell over a 48-hour period—half
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
of the annual average for the region. President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the floods were “a catastrophe of enormous proportions…not seen before in our country. Just as we thought it was safe to get out of the [COVID-19] disaster, we have another disaster, a natural disaster descending on our country, particularly on our KwaZulu-Natal province.” Ramaphosa claimed the flood’s carnage was due to the everworsening climate crisis, but some people from the affected areas said that shoddy drainage and infrastructure was the reason behind the wreckage. The South African government declared that it will disperse one billion rand— $64 million U.S. dollars—in emergency funding. 3
April 20
TAIPEI, TAIWAN:
At 7 a.m., citizens of Taiwan were alarmed by news that China was attacking. However, the report was false, and actually a massive blunder by news stations. “New Taipei City was hit by communist missiles, the Taipei port has exploded, facilities and ships were damaged and destroyed,” the Chinese
Television Systems (CTS) said. The message was prepared for an upcoming drill set to be carried out on May 5, and was oriented around missile attack preparation. “The exercise includes an earthquake scene, tsunami, a bridge collapse and explosion,” a spokesperson for the New Taipei fire department told The Guardian. “This year, our boss said we will also include the war scenario in the exercise…It is the first time in recent years.” One of the people surprised by the announcement of an invasion was Chio Kuo-cheng, the Taiwanese defense minister. He said he was “surprised to see the news,” and that it was “a good lesson to our journalist friends.” The mistake was heavily discussed on Taiwanese social media, with some finding the whole event hilarious while others expressed outrage at the mismanagement by state media. CTS apologized for causing the public panic, and have stated that those responsible will be punished. In China, the ordeal was talked about by over a million people online under the hashtag “Taiwan media makes a big own goal.”
INTERNATIONAL
5
TRACK
Four Viks competed in the Oregon Relays last weekend, competing in the 400, 800 and 110 meter hurdles at Hayward Field, hosted by the University of Oregon. Katie Camarena and Jordan Macintosh raced unattached and had solid times as well. Macintosh ran a 3:45.42 1500m, finishing in fourth while Camarena ran a 4:14.44 1500m, coming in third in her heat. Chase Lovercheck came first in his heat of the men’s 800 meters, a little less than a second faster than the University of Portland rival, who came in second. The Viks now get ready to travel to Corvallis for the Oregon State University High Performance Meet on April 29 and 30.
CHASE LOVERCHECK FINISHES FIRST IN 800M HEAT
MEN’S RESULTS: 400m: 6. Harley Montgomery, 50.62 800m (Open): 1. Chase Lovercheck, 1:51.63 6. James Bottrill, 1:54.53 110H: 7. Jordan Gloden, 15.43
SOFTBALL
The Viks had a quick trip to Eugene to play #17 in the nation, the Oregon Ducks. Oregon scored first on an error by the Viks in the third inning and the ball kept rolling. A single by the Ducks made the game a 2-0 lead in the third. A homerun in the fourth made it 3-0 Ducks. The Ducks were up 5-0 in the fifth inning—and proved that they were nationally ranked for a reason. All the action came from the Viks in the top of the last inning. Logan Riggenbach scored on a wild pitch, and Natalia Martinez homered to left field—making a statement and letting the Ducks know they were not done. The Ducks won 5-2 in the one-game series and non-conference game. The Viks had three errors and four hits, while the Ducks had five hits and no errors. Olivia Grey went 15-6 this season, pitching six innings. Riggenbach and Matinez both went 1-3, but earned one run late for the Viks. The Viks are now 24-15 while the Ducks are 26-13 this season. Next on the schedule is a trip to Idaho State in a three-game series on April 29. The last series of the regular season is May 6 against the Weber State Wildcats.
EMILY JOHANSEN AT BAT. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
6
SPORTS
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
VIKS FALL TO IDAHO ON SENIOR DAY ERIC SHELBY
MEN’S TENNIS
The Viks played their last match of the regular season at home against the Idaho Vandals as they also honored their senior, Otto Holtari. Nils Plutat and Oliver Richards won their doubles match 6-3. Sam De Vries and Tommy Hsu fell 6-4. There was no competitor in the third doubles match so Idaho won by default. In singles, Plutat fell 6-1, 6-0. Hsu fell in three, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 10-5. Richards also fell 6-0, 3-6, 1-6. Sam De Vries fell 6-2, 6-2. Holtari fell 6-2, 6-2 as well. #6 singles was won by default because there were no players. The Vandals went on to beat the Vikings 7-0. Idaho advanced to second place, going 7-1 in conference, sharing a Big Sky championship with Montana State. Portland State finished their season 3-14 and 1-7 in conference. A notable win came from the close 4-3 win over Eastern Washington.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
These Vikings prepared for a chance at competing in the Big Sky championship starting on Thursday, hosted in Phoenix, Arizona. The Viks finished 8-11 overall and 3-5 in conference, taking fifth place in the conference. They need to be in the top six to compete in Phoenix. A notable win this season came from a 5-2 win over Eastern Washington, with Nika Beukers, Makoto Ohara, Capu Sanoner and Emily Rees winning their singles matches on senior day, when recognizing senior Jacinta Milenkoski.
VOLLEYBALL
The Viks continued their spring Volleyball season with a win over Division II Central Washington and NAIA Eastern Oregon on Saturday. The last spring game of the season is against the Oregon Ducks, hosted right here in the Viking Pavilion on May 6 at 3 p.m. Their conference schedule for next year has been released, starting with our rivals the Weber State Wildcats at the Pavilion on Sept. 22. Nov. 19 is the last
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
conference game, playing away against Sacramento State. The Viks went 20-11 last season, finishing third in the Big Sky and going 12-4 in conference. They lost to Northern Colorado in the conference semifinals, but saw some postseason action at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with a win over Pacific—but a loss to Weber State as well.
NSCA ALL-AMERICAN
In early April, two Viks were awarded All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year award, crowned by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Softball first base player Emily Johansen and basketball forward Trey Wood were both awarded following the announcement on April 11.
PORTLAND TIMBERS
Coming off a draw in Houston against the Dynamo, the Timbers did it again—sharing a point following the draw with Real Salt Lake. The Timbers had 15, three coming from Bill Tuiloma and five shots on goal. Three corner kicks and two saves came from the Timbers. Only five total shots came from Salt Lake, with two shots on goal by Maikel Chang and Sergio Córdova. 11 fouls came from Salt Lake as well, but the Timbers outfouled them with 15. Despite one corner kick from Salt Lake, five saves kept their clean sheet. Cristhian Paredes in the 38th minute had an impressive kick from 35 yards just hitting the net—having the goalie extend and reach for the ball. Portland had possession of the ball 65.6% of the time, with five shots on goal compared to Salt Lake’s two. They also had five blocked shots compared to Salt Lake’s two. The Timbers also had a record 626 passes that match. Three yellow cards also came from Portland—Claudio Bravo in the 77th minute, Larrys Mabiala in the 86th minute and Paredes in the 90+2. The Timbers are now 2-2-5 with 11 points this season, sitting in ninth place. Real Salt Lake is 3-2-4 with 13 points, sitting sixth in the west. Their next chal-
FROM TOP: SENIOR OTTO HOLTARI HOLDS A RACKET. MIDFIELDER SEBASTIÁN BLANCO STANDING ON THE FIELD. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
SPORTS
7
LOCAL FLAVOR: PORTLAND’S OLDEST RESTAURANT AFTER A CENTURY, THE OWNER OF HUBER’S TALKS LEGACY BUSINESS SUCCESS
CLOCKWISE: INSIDE THE HISTORIC SEATING AREA OF HUBER’S RESTAURANT. JAMES LOUIE, OWNER OF HUBER’S. TANNER TODD/PSU VANGUARD
TANNER TODD In the fast-paced world of finedining, restaurants come and go as quickly as the trends they follow. According to a Bureau of Labor statistics survey, the average lifespan of a restaurant in the U.S. clocks in at less than five years. This makes Huber’s restaurant, at 130 years old, an extreme outlier by comparison—as well as earning it the distinction of being the oldest operating restaurant in Portland, Oregon. In a city awash with trend-setting and trend-following restaurants, Huber’s has managed to carve out a niche for itself by sticking to its traditions while still carefully creating new ones. “We don’t follow trends that closely, because we’re kind of a vintage restaurant,” said James Louie, one of the owners and managers of Huber’s. “We have to maintain our integrity and identity.” Louie, who co-owns Huber’s along with two of his siblings, has been working full time at the restaurant for the last 47 years, giving him plenty of time to reflect on what has made Huber’s a stalwart dining venue for over a century. A third-generation owner of the restaurant, Louie and the family members that came before him have played a key role in the restaurant’s operations for most of its history. “It’s been three generations now,” Louie said. “Because of our long family association with the restaurant, I
8
feel it’s important to stay involved… we’re very hands-on.” The family’s involvement with Huber’s goes all the way back to the turn of the 20th century, when Jim Louie, a cook and first-generation Chinese immigrant, began working as a chef for Frank Huber, the restaurant’s original owner and namesake. Jim Louie introduced several of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including the turkey and coleslaw, both of which are served to this day. He worked as a chef at Huber’s until Frank Huber died in 1912, after which Jim Louie took over the restaurant’s management and operations, working there until his own death in the 1950s. In a strange twist of fate, Jim Louie died in the very restaurant that he had dedicated so much of his life to. After sitting down in a booth after a dizzy spell, Jim Louie passed away in Huber’s, several hours after closing. “It wasn’t from anything he ate,” James Louie said. “It sounded like it was probably a heart attack.” After Jim Louie’s death, his nephew Andrew Louie—James Louie’s father—took over full ownership of Huber’s. He later passed it onto his children, including James Louie. Although he worked in the restaurant growing up, James Louie said that he didn’t consider taking over the business until later in life. “At that time, I couldn’t envision my
ARTS & CULTURE
career being in the family business,” James Louie said. “Actually I wanted to be a professional baseball player… but God didn’t bless me in that way.” After trying out different options in college, James Louie eventually came home to take over the business from his father. “I had at least three years worth of credits, and I really did not know what to do for a career, when I finally decided to go into the family business,” he said. “I thought, ‘I might as well do this full time.’” James Louie, who had a firm grasp of the restaurant’s historic character, played a delicate balancing act with creating new traditions while still maintaining the restaurant’s vintage roots. “I would say it’s fifty-fifty,” he said, of his ratio of innovation to tradition. “Once we find a winner, we usually keep it on the menu awhile.” One such example of James Louie’s approach to creating modern classics is the restaurant’s now-famous Spanish coffee, which has become a time-tested staple at Huber’s. “I had no idea it was going to get this big,” James Louie said. “At the time, we were pretty much known as a lunch place…one of my goals was to turn around our evening business.” To do this, James Louie knew he’d need a show-stopping dish to bring in dinner-hour guests. After watching Spanish coffee being served at the
Fernwood Inn in Milwaukee, he said he immediately realized the drink was what he needed. His version was served with an elevated level of showmanship, incorporating a highhanded pour and flaming triple-sec to turn the drink into a spectacle worth watching. The gambit worked—guests latched onto the fiery new menu item, turning the drink into a Huber’s mainstay that is just as recognizable as its signature turkey meal. Along with the careful innovations that generations of Louie family members have brought to the restaurant over the decades, the family’s approach to service and employees has been a hallmark of their management style. Jim Louie himself started the trend when he took over in 1912, hiring a staff almost completely consisting of first-generation Chinese workers. Jim Louie made a point of giving them a high-quality work environment that they would have struggled to find elsewhere at that time, during an era of extreme racial prejudice and discrimination. “At that time there was a lot of racial discrimination going on,” James Louie said. “For a person fresh off the boat from China, there weren’t a lot of options…at Huber’s great-uncle Jim gave them a good job, treated them well… and they were intensely loyal to him.”
The result was a consistent crew of staff members who grew into their roles over the course of years. “We had no turnover,” James Louie said. “When you don’t have any turnover in the restaurant industry, staff do their jobs better, more efficiently… that helped Huber’s to stay popular, while Uncle Jim was alive.” Today, James Louie continues the family tradition of prioritizing staff. “Our staff is our best resource,” he said. “They say you can salvage a mediocre meal with excellent service, but if you have terrible service, the food can be outstanding and people will have a bad feeling about their experience… the server has to be in a good mood.” Lastly, a large part of the restaurant’s enduring success lies in the fact that it has already been around as long as it has. “A lot of people, especially out of town guests, want to see Portland’s oldest restaurant,” James Louie said. “When people first come to Huber’s and we seat them in the old bar, they’re pretty awestruck.” For these guests, the appeal of the past helps to establish Huber’s future, a future that James Louie says he feels optimistic about. “People were eating turkey a hundred years ago,” said James Louie, referring to the restaurant’s signature dish. “A hundred years from now, they’ll still be eating turkey.”
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
TANNER TODD In early 2022, four Doernbecher Children’s Hospital patients, a visual artist and an advertising firm all joined forces to form the Amino Project, a collaborative art production which transformed the drawings of child hospital patients into 3D sculptures. The result was a series of colorful 3D-printed models inspired by alebrijes, or spirit animals, that represent people’s souls in the folk art of some Indigenous Mexican cultures. Each sculpture was designed by a child patient at Doernbecher before it was brought to life through digital modeling and 3D printer technology. Once they were rendered in physical form, the sculptures were given further color and personality through the contributions of Tekpatl, a Portland-based Chicano artist. Tekpatl painted each of the sculptures by hand, giving each one its own unique set of patterns and colors so that no two Aminos were alike. For Meral Middleton, one of the initiators of the project—and the co-founder of INDUSTRY, the firm who printed the Aminos—the choice to draw inspiration from the tradition of alebrijes was a deliberate one. “We realized that illness and loss are painfully taboo today,” she stated. “But many Indigenous cultures recognize these moments openly—often using art to share the story.” For Middleton, the need to share stories of loss is a personal one, which informed her work on the project. She and her husband lost their infant daughter in 2012, a tragedy that she ultimately expressed in the Aminos project. One of the five Aminos, a hummingbird, is meant to represent the soul of Middleton’s child. “She is our hummingbird, peacefully suspended in time—then gone just as fast,” Middleton stated. “To us, her spirit animal represents change, lightness, harmony and healing.” The other four Aminos, created by children who were active patients at Doernbecher, were designed over the course of several creative sessions. Alissa Wang, an industrial designer at INDUSTRY, said that besides creating the designs for the sculptures, the sessions created a unique experience for the kids as well. “The alebrijes provided an educational opportunity for the kids we worked with,” she stated. “The end result has proven to be extremely powerful. We were really able to tap into the personalities of each and every kid at Doernbecher.” The end result of each collaboration reflected the identities of the kids who designed them, with the medley of different animal parts conveying the personalities of each of the children. No two are alike—one is catlike, with bat ears and a fox’s tail, while another resembles a seal with shark fins. Another looks like a dragon or a chimera, with two heads and a peacock’s tail. Once the final designs were complete, the Aminos were hand-painted by Tekpatl. For him, the appeal of the project lay in its ability to represent the creative minds of the children who designed them. “I resonate with the story behind the alebrijes,” Tektatl stated. “The original artist channeled his spirit and creativity into creating a tangible version of his vision.” Although he was an experienced visual artist, the small size of the Amino project required an extreme level of attention to detail. “When painting the Aminos, I had to slow down my breathing to paint all the little details,” Tekpatl said. The final product, after Tekpatl’s contribution, was an ensemble of unique animals, each one transformed from children’s drawings to 3D sculptures that can be held. Doernbecher and the INDUSTRY team plan to host a drawing for the Aminos, with the proceeds going back to the children’s hospital medical programs. For Middleton, this was one of the goals of the project, besides creating a space for patients to communicate their stories through art. “We created the Animo project to give back,” she said.
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
TURNING CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL PATIENTS’ DRAWINGS INTO
SCULPTURES
DOERNBECHER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL’S AMINO PROJECT COLLABORATES WITH KIDS TO CREATE ART
FROM TOP: A PURPLE MOCKUP OF A DOERNBECHER PATIENT'S ART. A GRAPHIC RENDERING OF AN AMINO ANIMAL. COURTESY OF INDUSTRY
ARTS & CULTURE
9
HOW FOX NEWS IS SHAPING RIGHT-WING POLITICS CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND CONFIRMATION BIAS LEO CLARK
KAT LEON What do cow mutilations, dropping testosterone levels and de-transitioning all have in common? God if I know, but Fox News coverage of these topics intentionally panders to its core audience, an audience that is becoming increasingly obsessed with conspiracy and consuming information that confirms their biases. All other opinions and facts are ignored, and viewers are allowed to justify their opinions without a comprehensive understanding of the issues. Tucker Carlson appears to be one of the most influential broadcasters on Fox News. But he lacks impartiality and resorts to alarming and unethical reporting practices. Nevertheless, Carlson is shaping right-wing media on one of the United States’ most popular commentary shows. According to the Washington Post, “Fox News has a larger audience than its competitors,” though its style seems to focus less on reporting stories in a factual way and more on using sensationalized language that appeals to its base audience. In a recent airing and promotion for his upcoming original shows, Carlson demanded viewers keep an open mind in his discussion of testicle tanning to combat dropping testosterone levels in men. Yet he does not seem to follow his own advice in any of his reporting. Carlson’s reporting on LGBTQ+ issues is alarming and biased as he equated Disney removing gendered language to “the behavior of a sex offender.” At the end of an interview with a formerly trans teen who de-transitioned, he thanked her for her “commitment to evidence-based
10
OPINION
science.” This statement is blatantly false, given the definition of evidence as “the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true.” One individual’s experience is far from being the full conversation. Other trans people may have had differing experiences that challenge this so-called evidence, though their stories are absent from Carlson’s reporting. It is grossly negligent behavior from a reporter with such a large platform. Carlson has also been highly supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin in his invasion of Ukraine. Before the war started and troops were massing on the Ukrainian border, Carlson stated, “At this point, NATO exists primarily to torment Vladimir Putin, who, whatever his many faults, has no intention of invading Western Europe.” However, when Putin did invade Ukraine, instead of owning up to his false opinion, Carlson doubled down. His seeming callousness to the lives being lost in Ukraine and unwillingness to back down from a toxic opinion shows a man who clearly has a hard time opening his mind to the things that truly matter. One of the most problematic opinions perpetuated by Carlson was labeling the Jan. 6 riot of the Capitol a “false flag operation”— claiming it was a disguised endeavor by another group intended to pin the blame on former President Donald Trump’s followers— which continues to threaten our democracy by portraying the attempted coup as anything
other than what it was. Carlson perpetuated other conspiracy theories and actively encouraged his viewers to disregard all the facts and evidence, giving them an avenue in which they do not have to recognize their own duplicity. Initially, one may be inclined to think: why bother with conspiracy theories? They are only for losers in basements wearing tin-foil hats. Those who are sane do not take conspiracies seriously, and that viewpoint is shared by many—including a federal judge. NPR reported that U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said, in her ruling on a case of slander against Carlson, that the “general tenor” of Carlson’s show should lead the viewer to believe that he is not “stating actual facts about the topics he discusses” but engaging in “exaggeration and non-literal commentary.” Unfortunately, the belief that conspiracy theories do not affect the general public is false. According to a study performed at the University of Chicago, “half of the American public consistently endorses at least one conspiracy theory.” It is also apparent that conspiracy theories are interconnected, since believing in one means being associated with the communities and beliefs of others, particularly through social media. Moreover, while believing in something does not always ensure action, a recent study found that belief in “conspiracy theories may be associated with increased
radicalized and extremist behavior,” though “the level of influence appears to depend on preexisting attitudes.” The Jan. 6 riot provided evidence that platformed extremist opinions—such as those expressed by Fox News and Carlson— pose an immediate threat to public safety. Those responsible for the attack and those who supported it from the sidelines will have an out, since they will be able to justify their views by pointing to a highly popular source to back them up. And individuals look to consume content that confirms what they already believe to be true— and Fox News knows this. While its content is no doubt incendiary, it is intentionally so. “News media does not have a ‘liberal bias’ or a ‘conservative bias’,” stated Rohan Upadhyay. “It has a ‘viewership bias.’” Fox News knows its audience, and it is pandering to them. It is not necessarily the instigator of radicalized politics on the right. Still, it recognizes that its target audience wants to watch news that makes them feel good about the biases and the hatred they hold for those they deem other. Fox News is strategically giving its audience exactly what it wants—confirmation that what they already believe to be true is true. News that never questions the status quo, news that justifies hate and contempt, news that provides evidence to prove opinion is actually fact and news that never really forces viewers to actually open their minds.
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
COMPLACENCY, APATHY AND THE FAILURE TO ACT
Inaction towards climate change is the status quo
PROTESTORS IN SAN FRANCISCO AT A MARCH FOR CLIMATE ACTION IN 2019. COURTESY OF LI AN LIM
ALEX ALDRIDGE You see it on the news with increasing consistency—the highest recorded global temperatures on record for June, followed the next month by the highest recorded global temperatures ever recorded for July. We watch as fire seasons are starting earlier and with increasing numbers and intensity. Hurricane seasons intensifying and record breaking flooding happening throughout the world as winter storms shut down entire power grids for sustained periods of time. At what point does the onslaught of extreme weather events stop being thought of as isolated natural disasters and start being thought of as direct consequences of humanity’s shortsightedness in the addiction to growth and capital accumulation at the expense of others—and the planet? It’s hard to believe people are still in denial of something we are all living with and witnessing in real time. Last month, Antarctica recorded temperatures which were 70°F higher than average, while areas of the arctic were 50°F higher than average. Climate change isn’t something which is around the corner, it is here right now. You can’t close your eyes and pretend it doesn’t exist. If the pandemic showed us anything, it is that some people’s ignorance to facts runs deep. Of course flat-earthers showed that this willful stupidity existed well before the pandemic. We are all living with the consequences and, I am sorry, but it is only going to get worse. The third installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released earlier this month stated that the global greenhouse gas emissions would need to peak by 2025 at the latest if we want to limit the warming to an increase of 1.5°C, or 2.7°F. In order to make this possible, we would need to take immediate actions to reduce emissions across all sectors, as well as reduce methane by about a third, all with the aim of reaching net zero CO2 emissions by the early 2050s. The implication of the report is that the door to keeping the temperature increase below 1.5°C is all but shut with a tiny sliver of hope still visible through the crack. To keep any of this hope within sight, the shift away from fossil fuels needs to happen now. Even with this urgency, the report doesn’t seem to be affecting the decisions of those who have the power to actually make decisions—at least in any positive direction. In response to rising gas prices, President Joe Biden authorized the release of one million barrels of oil a day from
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
the country’s reserves to help alleviate the spike in costs. In addition, on April 15, the United States Department of the Interior announced it will be offering up 144,000 acres of federal land, split up between 173 parcels, for oil and gas drilling leases. Though the 140,000 acres is 80% less than what was initially evaluated for leasing, none of this makes any sense when thinking about the long-term costs this will have on our environment—and all living and nonliving beings. While this move is meant to help alleviate the costs at the pump, it’s like putting a used and dirty Band-Aid on an open wound. The costs at the pump are high, but the price which future generations will be paying with the rising global temperatures will be much higher. The tradition of passing the problem off to the kids has always been the status quo. The one thing opening up more land for drilling does is show that those in power are consistent in keeping up with tradition of ignoring the issues while people are already suffering for their negligence. As we swim through the waters navigating from one economic crisis after another, we are dealing with unchecked police power, increasing fascist rhetoric in all levels of the government and increasing wealth inequality throughout the world—it’s becoming increasingly hard to keep our heads above the rising seas of climate change. The failures of Congress and our broken electoral system pile on to the mountain we already have to climb to make any sort of progress through legislation. The American Prospect showed that as of Dec. 2019, 134 members of Congress, including spouses, owned $92.7 million stock in fossil fuel companies. Another article examining the U.S. House alone stated that at least 100 House representatives owned investments in the fossil fuel industry. Out of those 100 representatives, 59 were Republicans and 41 were Democrats. With the conflict of interest so blatantly obvious on both sides of the political spectrum— basically amounting to legal bribery under the guise of lobbying and other strategies—it becomes increasingly clear that relying on our government to act with urgency regarding climate change, or any other issue for that matter, will only lead to more feelings of hopelessness. Those who are most likely to avoid any climate change suffering are the same people who are already able to avoid consequences for their actions. Those who are struggling will continue to struggle while those who already possess inherent
privileges will be the ones who will manage to stay afloat on the life raft while everyone beneath them drowns. It is a failure to think companies such as Tesla are going to solve the crises, since the foundations of environmentalism and rugged individualism opened the door to greenwashing and passing responsibility from producers to consumers. Not only are electric cars a sign of privilege due to the cost factor alone, but even if more people could afford them, what apartment complex or retail business is going to let you charge your vehicle at home or at work? More toys for the privileged to flex their wealth. These cars don’t come with a clean conscience, either. While Tesla is aiming to switch the batteries in its standard-range cars to lithium-iron-phosphate cathodes, its longer-range vehicles will still continue to require the mining of cobalt, nickel and aluminum. Mining of all of these minerals—including the lithium ore— presents a whole other range of issues including the amount of water required for extraction, the toxic chemicals leaking into water supplies, and the contamination of soil and air. On top of that, XiaoZhi Lim of The Guardian stated an estimated “12 million tons of lithium-ion batteries are expected to retire between now and 2030.” Electric cars are just another form of an individualistic action in response to a growing global problem. This isn’t to say individual actions such as riding a bike, eating vegan or consuming less aren’t great things we can all do, but the actions needed to confront the crisis we are facing are larger than the ballot box or taking your reusable bag to the grocery store. Relying on the state to do anything beneficial for the masses often ends up leading to an illusion of progress, as capitalism and our government continue with the tradition of being consistently inept as long as those at the top continue to accumulate wealth. If you still believe progress can be made by using means within the state, then you should look beyond the Green New Deal and also pursue the Red Deal and its foundation based on Indigenous liberation and decolonization. Burnout and fatigue are real. With all of the issues we face on a daily basis, apathy may seem a more appealing option at times, but if you want change to happen and believe in walking the walk, then looking for solutions—outside of the state— seems much more worth your time, investment and energy.
OPINION
11
FBI PORTLAND SEES RISE IN SEXTORTION SCHEMES AMONGST TEENS
WHITNEY MCPHIE
RYAN MCCONNELL As the internet and social media has evolved, so have the dangers that come with it, especially among youth. The level of integration of the internet with our society has given rise to cyberbullying, a form of bullying explicitly done online which uses hateful, abusive or threatening messages and media content. With the lack of regulations among tech companies and inadequate tools for parents to protect their children, the internet has also given rise to a much more dangerous threat: sextortion. Sextortion is defined as scamming victims, who are often underage, to send explicit photos and content to predators. Once the scammers have acquired the photos, they typically threaten or blackmail the victim. It’s a dark but sadly real form of abuse that can be more common than people think. According to the local FBI field office, this form of abuse is becoming particularly prevalent right here in Portland, with schemes mostly targeting teenage boys, typically ranging between 14 and 17 years old. Anyone who attempts such a scheme is considered to be producing child sexual abuse material under federal law, which can carry a sentence of life in prison for the perpetrator. However, these scammers are adept
12
SCIENCE & TECH
at hiding their digital tracks because they use aliases to communicate with their victims. These scammers often use aliases of young or attractive girls to lure in these victims. Teenagers often don’t realize what’s happening to them is an extortion scheme, and many feel scared to come forward—or they attempt to pay off the scammer out of fear of retaliation. This could be anything from cyberbullying or revenge porn, where explicit material is made public without consent for the purposes of distressing the victim. That being said, there are obvious laws to combat the abusable material produced featuring minors, and content that does make its way online can be taken down swiftly. Non-consensual pornography laws do exist for adults in 47 states, with South Carolina, Mississippi and Wyoming being the only states that do not have statutes protecting citizens from revenge porn. In Oregon, this statute is listed alongside other crimes such as rape, murder and child pornography. Under this statute, known as unlawful dissemination of an intimate image, any image used with intent to harass, humiliate or injure another person—or if any image was posted without their consent—can result in a Class A misdemeanor. These usually result in up
to a year in county jail, and can result in other fines or punishments. While the sentence for adults is less severe, victims of sextortion can be of any age, and many individuals, adults or not, may be unaware of the legal protections they are entitled to if they find themselves trapped in a situation they feel they have no control over. However, there are ways for parents to protect their children from these schemes, and steps individuals can take to protect themselves. The most important aspect—above all—is to have a dialogue with your child about internet safety, but to do so in a way that is open. Talking about these subjects with a parent can be intimidating, but it’s important to remind your child that no matter what, you are there to protect them and support them. Encourage them to report any strange or suspicious behavior to a trusted adult. The FBI listed several tips to navigate online safely. It’s important to be selective about what is shared online and with whom, and this includes only adding known individuals on sites like Facebook, as well as keeping profiles on sites like Instagram private, so that public information about the individual is limited only to friends of the account holder. Predators will often research public information found through so-
cial media sites to target their victims. The FBI also warned against accepting messages from strangers or unknown persons online. Block any individuals that are not known, and be aware that people can use aliases or pretend to be someone they’re not online since there is no vetting nor verification process for creating most kinds of social media accounts. Finally, be cautious of people who are met within an online game or app and then begin suggesting to talk outside of that platform, especially if it is a child-friendly game such as Minecraft. If you or someone you know has been the victim of sextortion, contact the local FBI field office, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Do not delete any messages or information before law enforcement is able to look over the data, as it could become important evidence. Portland State students are also entitled to free legal support at Student Legal Services. If there is any suspicion that you or another PSU student you know over the age of 18 may have been the victim of sextortion or revenge porn, please contact the Campus Public Safety Office immediately, available 24/7.
PSU Vanguard • APRIL 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
