Volume 100 | Issue 12

WED 01.13.16

VOLUME 100

ISSUE 12

Social Justice In America Special Issue The Student Movement is pleased to present a special issue on social justice coinciding with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As always, opinions expressed in The Student Movement are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University, or the Seventh-day Adventist church.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY STUDENT MOVEMENT 2015

INNOCENT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

LIBERTY & JUSTICE FOR...

FIFA, THE NFL & INJUSTICE

FAITH UNDER FIRE: ISLAMOPHOBIA

“New York City’s criminal jus- “It’s not hard to see how such a “...when social injustice is seen, “Others want to get the details tice system stole three years of sense of justice can easily trans- someone needs to speak out so that they can criticize and Browder’s life through his impris- form into a sense of contempt for against it.” argue with me...They make me onment and eventually took his the oppressor himself.” feel stronger. I’m not as scared as life as well.” when I first came.”

P. 2 P. 4 P. 7 P. 8

THE FORCE AWAKENS AWARENESS

THE GOSPEL OF JUSTICE

“Although the past seems unthinkably awful, history can repeat itself.”

“True Justice—the manner in which we deal with each other as equal beings, mirrors God’s divine plan of salvation.”

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News

Our Broken Criminal Justice System

Shenika K. McDonald News Editor

Shenika McDonald | In spring 2010, 16-year-old Kalief Browder was arrested and sent to Rikers Island, New York City’s infamous jail complex, having been accused of stealing a backpack. Although Browder maintained his innocence and received familial support throughout the entire ordeal, he wasn’t released for three years. Not only did Browder spend two of his three years at Rikers Island in solitary confinement, but he never stood trial, and was never even convicted of a crime.

This year, The New Yorker picked Browder’s story and he quickly became a national symbol for America’s broken criminal justice system.

Browder’s case was both egregious and unignorable; even when Browder was released, he was sent away with-

out an apology for the three years he wasted behind bars, stripped of particular constitutional freedoms and his personal liberty.

Once back at home in the Bronx, Browder continued to replicate his time in solitary confinement; he stayed in his bedroom by himself for long periods and avoided crowds.

However, he earned a high school equivalent diploma and started community college; according to those who knew him, it seemed that Browder was starting to get his life back. On June 6, 2015, Browder committed suicide by hanging himself outside of his bedroom window.

Browder’s short life started a conversation of the criminal justice system’s many issues: juveniles serving time in adult correction facilities,

delayed cases that hinder a speedy trial, solitary confinement on the grounds of protection and the mental effects of prolonged solitary confinement.

In effect, New York City’s criminal justice system stole three years of Browder’s life through his imprisonment and eventually took his life as well. In jail, Browder tried to commit suicide several times and was repeatedly beaten by correction officers and inmates. The extent of his abuse was not known until journalist Jennifer Gonnerman, who originally covered his story in The New Yorker, reviewed security videos.

According to The Center of Investigative Reporting, after several months of media scrutiny and a critical U.S. Department of Justice in-

vestigation calling on the agency to revamp its treatment of adolescents, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration recently eliminated juvenile solitary confinement because of the damaging effects it can have on their mental stability.

The conditions of Browder’s detention were seen as having contributed to his mental condition and five or six suicide attempts while incarcerated. Six days after Browder’s death, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy even denounced solitary confinement as a detainment practice.

Browder’s family recently filed a lawsuit alleging violation of Browder’s Speedy Trial Clause in the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as well as his wrongful death at the hands of the New York criminal

justice system. Browder’s death also opened a larger conversation that included topics such as mass incarceration. Last year saw President Barack Obama as the first sitting president to visit a federal prison, even commuting the sentences of 22 inmates.

This call to justice is one that is important to every one of us as Christians and American citizens, impacting not only our lives but the lives of the most vulnerable in our nation.

Browder’s death has brought to the forefront of this nation’s dialogue the conversation of criminal injustice; it is our duty to continue this conversation, acknowledging the changes which need to be made with respect to God’s call to equality and the love we should show every individual, and make these changes happen.

it had definitely paid off in length and luster. Yet, I happened to be addressing an audience of different cultural backgrounds and different hair types. Some understood what I meant the first time, but others, well, just didn’t get it.

I was born with about two to three inches of a curly black mop that grew and grew until it reached mid-back length when I was five years old.

I don’t recall ever thinking about all the compliments, the “oohs and ahhs” from all the other mothers of multiple races, that revolved around my hair. Mommy spent hours upon hours combing through my tresses, taking up a whole Sunday morning to braid up my hair for the week. After years of moving across states, harsh water, and body changes, my hair had drastically shortened and gradually changed texture, and was now similar to the normal length of those with Afro-textured hair. With my hair already much shorter than I wished at the age of 15, I was appalled when Mom suggested that I put a permanent relaxer in my hair.

A perm? Really, Mom? Wouldn’t that force me to conform to standards set by the rest of society about what my hair should look like? And forget about political and social issues… wouldn’t the harsh chemicals damage my hair and scalp? Well, at the time, everyone was straightening their hair. Though I did not totally agree with my Mom, we went through with it, and I wore a perm for about a year. Looking back and conversing with my mother today, I can see that she suggested it in love. Perms and other hair-straightening solutions may damage the hair if treated improperly. But if one is extremely careful, then Afro-textured hair can be more manageable with a perm.

Mom knew that for this stage in my life, when all the girls had curls for banquet, and when I was a student in

high school living far away from her braiding fingers, that I would need some assistance in taking care of my Afro-textured hair.

In years past, the public response to women with Afro-textured hair sporting their natural hair used to be different, and mostly negative. I observed that being natural was a little weird, implying that you were either a little too religious or conservative, resolving to keep your hair “exactly how God made it,” or perhaps you were a bit too gung-ho about certain political movements that happened a long time ago. Within the last few years, especially at Andrews University, there has been an incredible interest in returning to natural hair. All kinds of women are sporting their natural hair textures: beautiful dreadlocks, elaborate braids, voluminous curls, spectacular Afros. Someone somewhere must have hinted that it was alright to at least try to work with one’s real hair texture. It was time to get real, and do so quickly. After all, hair is vibrant!

It is versatile, ranging from short, tight curls to loose curls that bounce and sway to crinkled or zigzagging waves to bone-straight shafts that fall seamlessly down one’s back. No matter the cultural or ethnic background, the diversity of hair is awesome to behold. Still, sometimes girls with dense curls long to quench their thirst for beauty with that waterfalleffect hair. Don’t get me wrong! Having a perm or straightening one’s hair is definitely not wrong. I believe the solution to the hair problem is a healthy measure of confidence with any type of hair, whether permed or natural. Yet, most girls with Afro-textured hair like mine are constantly trying to achieve a different texture. The reasons for preference of one hair texture over another are definitely unfortunate ones that stem from deep issues evident throughout

history. Thus, it is inspiring to finally witness and be a part of the gradual emergence of confidence in women that have Afro-texture hair.

As I reflected on that funny incident at the choir retreat, I realized that something pleased me about the ignorance concerning my statement about being natural. I realized that it did not matter to the audience if my hair was cascading down my back, or a little more voluminously displayed.

In fact, the attention turned towards my hair only when it was made clear that my hair was what I referred to.

This little incident, though short and fleeting, made me realize a bigger life principle: one’s confidence in their own skin, and in the One who thought it good enough to create that skin, can greatly inform others’ treatment of you. I would say that confidence is attractive. If you are okay with presenting yourself as you are, it is usually safe to relax and trust that others are okay with you too.

For me, being “natural” is an accomplishment. It stakes my claim as a mature person, because I have embraced a physical facet of myself, and I like it! My decision to hold off on the perm has caused me to explore my own tight curls, and see how they can help me express my individuality. Those who are constantly battling with a poor self-image seem to be stuck in a perpetual dilemma of what is “good” or “bad” about them. Over the years I have learned that no one, except perhaps the salon owner, really cares too much about hair…hair is not and should not be the first thing to analyze about a person. People are probably ready and willing to accept us how we are, so long as we have accepted ourselves first.

My Hair, Don’t Care Givan Hinds, BS: Liberal Arts, BA: History, Andrews University Class of 2015 | Author’s Note: Though my time at Andrews University, for the moment, ended in mid2015, it was not without some form of nostalgia that I graduated and left to pursue a Master’s of Public Health in southern California. Interacting with new faces in this new geographic location, as well as the new concepts in this new program, has shaped the way I view and interpret the greater cultural conversations happening as we speak. During my time at Andrews, I saw social justice take on various forms, both current and historic: marches and protests in Baltimore, silent boycotts in Montgomery, panels and forums at Andrews, and partnerships with local government in Benton Harbor. The path I chose to take while at Andrews was that of the historian: as a former News Editor for “The Student Movement,” I not only encouraged my writers to create detailed documentation of the social justice-related events on campus, I also curated pieces that spoke to the wider social justice conversations in America and worldwide. The following essay, written for the class “Transcribing the Self” taught by Dr. Beverly Matiko, was my way of both documenting and adding to a larger social justice conversation. This piece spoke to what I saw happening around me, a sort of awakening amongst the students of color at Andrews University, that spoke to a wider social justice movement around the world.

Perhaps you have been a part of this movement, whether you’ve made the switch, or noticed a few more afros, dreadlocks, twists or fades on the heads of those with Afro-textured hair. This piece is dedicated to both the incoming freshman and the graduating senior, and all in between, who must contemplate their introduction into the world with their Afro-textured

hair: it is beautiful, credible, professional, unique and, most importantly, it is yours. Perhaps after reading this piece, you will not only think of the civil rights sit-ins and Montgomery bus boycotts as social justice initiatives, but also the self-actualization and appreciation of what it means to stand firm and unchanging in one’s own skin…and one’s own hair.

“I’ve been natural for about a year now,” I proudly declared. My fellow choir members and I had gathered for our annual retreat, and we were participating in an ice-breaker involving several squares of tissue. Each square prompted a short fact about the holder, and as I announced my fact and dropped one of my pieces, I sensed great confusion.

“Huh?” a few mumbled. I looked up barely in time to see the puzzled expression of one of the guys, his eyebrows raised. Goodness only knows what he was thinking. Perhaps I had been deodorant-free for an entire year?

“She means her hair you guys,” said a woman who shared and even trumped my testimony, her long natural hair pinned up and tied with a scarf.

“Ohhhhhhhhh!” he blurted out.

After a few quips about not showering, including “Oh that’s why you’re wearing a sweater,” and more clarification, laughter filled the room.

When referring to my hair, being “natural” meant that I hadn’t used any permanent relaxers, texturizers, or other texture-altering solutions in the past year. Usually, at the start of a natural hair journey, one undergoes “the big chop”: all the hair that has been altered by products is cut off, and the person starts their hair growth all over again. The woman who helped to dispel the confusion had quite an impressive record of keeping her hair product-free, and

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News

Ode to the Young Black Girl

By Danielle Samuel

Through The Black

By Jordan Smart

To the young black girl, why are you so down?

What has this world done to put that frown on your face?

What trials are you facing that seem impossible?

Oh, beautiful young black girl, do you not know what runs through your veins?

In your veins is the zeal and wit of a million warriors In your veins is the strength of slaves that built this nation In your veins is the musical talent that has set the standard for generations In your veins is the strategic mind that built the ancient Pyramids

Cotton sprinkled with slave blood is the crown jewel of the South Stars and Stripes wave over the fields, as stripes are lashed on backs Whipped beyond recognition to present day Handcuffs, the new chains, NIKE the new master Section 8 suite for the over pigmented Breaking of the levees in New Orleans to wipe out the wide nosed disease But we’ve moved from the back of the bus, with Sister Rosa Traded in suffering for black excellence and picket signs

In your veins is the heart that mothered a nation

We came out of Egypt for the Canaan Land as Dr. King screamed, “Let my people go!”

Young black girl, invention is your middle name

Then soon was assassinated by the American Pharaoh

Sweetheart, you are royalty!

But we tarry and carry on, and proclaim that our lives have always mattered

Your skin shines with the sun

To remind them of who we are

Your hair defies gravity

For you don’t ask Blacks why they triumph

You hold the beauty that they mimic

It’s what we were meant to do

Your heart and mind open your world so wide you see through everything Not a thing in this world could stop you, for you were made after His image So lift up your head, my pretty girl, because we God’s children Young Black Girl, you are magical, and don’t you ever forget it.

Crossing Borders Written by: Jaqueline Barrios Paz I journeyed. I crossed the barrier that needed to be crossed, at any cost.

The barrier separating a father from its child.

I crossed no matter the risk of sickness and death.

I did it…

We did it: For my dad. For my family. For an education. For a future full of prosperity.

I ran…

We ran.

I crawled.

I hid…

We hid.

We were shushed and pushed around. Thrown to the ground.

A strange man grabbing and pulling an innocent child away from its mother’s arms.

Silence…Screams…Silence again.

Howling winds carrying the desert sand.

Cars and bright lights looking for the “fugitives” that escaped and raced to find safety.

A raging river to be crossed on only one motorcycle tire.

Just to find, on the other side, bushes full of thorns with a kindled desire to tear skin up and our flesh devour.

Fragments of human flesh stranded forever in the desert.

As a memento cemented in time of an arduous trial.

The desert draining us slowly of all our possessions:

Energy, joy, smiles.

Leaving us only with: Weariness, Hunger, Pain.

Scars left on the soles of my feet but mostly in my brain.

The mind of a four year old, scarred, witnessing evil men’s schemes.

I journeyed for the American dream, Once rumored to be lived, “With Liberty and Justice for ALL” Social justice, equality, opportunity.

Terms that in 2015, slowly, turned out to only be my imagination.

Social justice. Equality for all. The above poem was an experience that my aunt, mother, sister (a year and a half old at the time) and I had to go through in order to arrive in this country. Even though I am grate-

ful to now be a citizen of the U.S., it is upsetting to see the unfairness in social justice. People travel here to live a better life. Mothers, children and fathers all travel for a chance to be heard, for a chance of justice: the type of justice that does not exist in third world countries.

It is shameful that many events took place in 2015 that make us citizens question whether or not there is real justice in our system. In 2015, many deaths took place. Voices were muted by the power of racist men. Innocent and not-so-innocent people shot to death. Why? Simply because of their darker shade. The revolutionary Martin Luther King, Jr.’s efforts trampled under the feet of those with supremacy. It seems as though

instead of moving towards a better future, human beings are progressing backwards to times of inequality and pain. Women, LGTBQ community, children, people with learning disabilities, homeless, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, all degraded and sometimes even dehumanized.

More importance is sometimes given to animals rather than the brotherhood that should exist between mankind. Policemen taking advantage of their power and then being released in order to do more harm. Fathers being deported back to their countries, leaving their family to starve. How are families to survive if the breadearner is yanked from the care of family’s arms? Then we wonder why so many teenagers from the

minority population are “roaming wild.” No understanding is given, only prejudice. Judgement before indictment. Humans taking the role of God. Who are we to label those who deserve to be fed? Who are we to decide who qualifies for life? What type of species are we that we leave our own to suffer and be left for dead?

Humanity, claiming social justice.

The United States of America pledging to live “under God.” Pledging to live “with liberty and justice for all.”

While behind the scenes, this pledge is drowned, muted, suppressed and then carried away, by the blood and tears shed in the year of 2015.

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Ideas

Social Justice Indignant Justice Jaime Vargas | I remember sitDaniel J. Fults

Ideas Editor

ting in my Philosophy of Service class last semester and being shown a video that documented a particular organization’s efforts to help North Korean refugees escape from their country. Not only must these refugees escape North Korea undetected, they also must make it out of China without being identified as North Koreans. Should their identity as North Korean refugees be revealed, China would arrest them and deport them back to North Korea, where they face the possibility of being relegated to prison camps, adding misery to an already meager quality of life.

As I think back on that video, I find indignation within myself. Indignation at the cruelty of people who abuse their power. Indignation at their audacity to compel their own countrymen to miserable living conditions. Indignation at the lack of compassion and seeming lack of conscience in imposing such treatment upon other humans.

North Korea is just one of the

many kingdoms of men where power has been used to serve the self at the expense of another.

And so I begin to look down on the kingdoms of men. I begin to internally cry out against the social injustice that finds its source in the pride, greed, selfishness and self-

the oppressor himself. In light of the social injustice witnessed not only in North Korea but around the world, our desire for the vindication of the abused can sometimes turn into a subtle desire for vengeance against the abuser. Slowly and subtly, our demand for social

in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Perhaps we forget that those who are to be considered children of the God who “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” are the

As we rightly and justifiably cry out for social justice and labor for it, let us not forget that though justice is ingrained in the character of God. preservation of self-centered human beings. I begin to lose respect for such people, and I begin to hold in contempt their success and their rule over others.

It’s not hard to see how such a sense of justice can easily transform into a sense of contempt for

justice can give way to a hatred that turns other human beings into enemies whom we deem worthy of punishment, and perhaps even death.

In our indignation, perhaps we lose God’s perspective on the whole issue: “I have no pleasure

same children who love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44-45).

Yes, God’s heart is afflicted as the cries and laments of the world’s oppressed and abused reach His ears, but His heart is equally burdened to witness the oppressors,

His own sons and daughters, destroy themselves spiritually as they devote themselves to social injustice. It is not their destruction that He delights in, but in their return and reconciliation with their fellow human beings and with Him. As we rightly and justifiably cry out for social justice and labor for it, let us not forget that though justice is ingrained in the character of God, we also place ourselves in opposition to that character when we desire the punishment and death of our oppressors instead of their redemption. Let us walk the narrow line between vengeance and indifference while we fight for a social justice that is molded after God’s heart, a social justice that seeks to rescue both the oppressed and the oppressor from the consequence and the grip of sin. Like the Father, let us rejoice when justice brings the abused into safety and when mercy brings the abuser out of his wickedness.

The Words I Would Say to You Rebecca Murdock | Editor’s Note: The following is a written transcript of a spoken word piece originally performed by Rebecca Murdock.

I’m sitting on a hard wooden pew, listening to a lecture orientation I’m supposed to attend. On the addendum is a lecture on millennialism, and it catches my eye. Man, here we go again. How many times will I have to hear the lecture, a conjecture from a previous generation like them, who wants to tell me all about me, and her and him, and what we think, and how to bring us back again. Who wants to tell us we’re the generation of “none,” “I’m done,” “Don’t count me in.” With “no respect for the institutions before us, or for the policies of the very people who brought us in.”

Out of respect, I usually don’t reply, I stay shy, but a little of me dies within. But today, it’s gonna be different as I respond to the claims,

to the shame that they think we should feel for not partaking in.

This generation of “nones,” N-O-NE, may be true; actually, you know, I don’t disagree. Maybe we want none of the pain we’ve previously seen in the very institutions propagated to set us free. Maybe we are known as the “none of the above,” “same love,” “wandering” generation that won’t settle down. But like a cat turning ‘round, I’m not ready to lay down, if to settle is to give up on the change we could be.

We are “nones” because we don’t want a part of the biased, sexist, racist, capitalist narratives that have been your reality. Enlisting us from childhood as soldiers to fight fights that are not our own, but belong to a previous majority.

It’s not a lack of respect, but a reality check, as I’m honest about the flaws that I see before me. And not that I won’t be flawed, but to stand on your shoulders and progress takes a charge of integrity. And to

be honest, I’d like to be excused from the “adult table” if it means that we aren’t able to admit what we see.

Because I spy with my millennial eye that the emperor wears no clothes, why can’t you see? (1) Students dropping out of school, when their gifts don’t fit the mold - schools “want clones, don’t give them creativity.” (2) Why are women still having to act like men to get respect in careers in 2015? (3) Why are you scared of the gays, the blacks, the dirty Latinos, who don’t fit in the empire that you’re trying to keep? (4) Why is the economy built just for some, and success is the one collecting racks on racks…of debt? In the process to be just another one at the top of a wagering bet? (5) Why are we told all our lives, we must strive, just to work and survive, we can live later, when we retire? Why are old people treated just like old used tires when their productivity ex-

pires?

Yes I know that you’re tired, but there’s more…

Just like you, I don’t want to hear it, but I fear it’s the life that we’re waking up to. Just a select few who feel it’s their job to tell us what we should and shouldn’t feel, think or do. And don’t think that just because I’m a believer, the church will be skirted from my purview. I’ve left it for last because it’s where my heart is, and aches and wishes the gospel could come true. If there’s anywhere where a person would be more important than any world system, money or view, it would be in my church, but I fear that most often, those claims aren’t consistently true…

-So, when you call me a “non-affiliated, un-interested, non-participating” member of these empires you’ve built, just know that deep down, I still feel no guilt, but you’re ultimately wrong, it’s not that I’m not interested, I’m actual-

ly just more invested in a different vision. A new collision of values within your schisms, some ideas that could bring earth closer to heav’n. Maybe don’t write me off as a bad decision, cuz your derision might blind you from a joint coalition to create something new, with my crazy passion and your generational, experienced view.

Maybe the next time that you pass me by, you’ll stop and ask why I feel the way that I do. Maybe then you’ll think twice about asking me to change and rearrange the values I’ve learned by observing you.

Maybe next time you won’t scratch your head on the books that you’ve read on millennials and the things that we do, because maybe, you’ll already know one, and you’ll call me by name, not a “none,” just a seeker of truth.

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Ideas

But I Stayed Silent Aimee-Joy Cork, BS: Animal Science, BA: French Studies, Andrews University Class of 2015.

Editor’s Note: The following poem, written by Aimee-Joy Cork, Andrews University alumna of the Class of 2015, was inspired by Martin Niemoller’s famous poem First they came, which has experienced many literary variations since it began circulating in the 1950s.

Considered a provocative indictment of the cowardice of German intellectuals during Hitler’s rise to power, Niemoller’s poem examines themes of collective responsibility and persecution.

When you turn on the TV to watch the news, Nothing but bigotry you see.

So many stories of mistreated people.

Didn’t think it mattered to me.

So I stayed silent.

I’ve heard countless stories of blacks who were shot, Before they’ve had a chance to speak.

And then we know the story of San-

dra Bland, “Who died in jail in a week?”

But I stayed silent.

Next we heard the stories of LGBT, About marriage and bathroom rights.

And then kids being bullied at every school, Some even taking their own lives.

But I stayed silent.

Then the focus was on Islam and Muslims.

The U.S. was consumed by fears.

Mosques burned and Muslim registration discussed, These actions received lots of cheers.

But I stayed silent.

But then I realized what if it had been me?

Or if it was my family?

This isn’t how Christ taught me to care for them, These brothers and sisters to me.

So I spoke up.

And I showed love.

The Peculiarity of Injustice Daniel Fults | This past year,

my heart has been saddened by the numerous incidents of conflict, hatred and injustice around the world—manifest in numerous ways. Yet, it is almost a curious thing when one stops to think about injustice and the result it brings. What I mean by this is not meant to demean or diminish. On the contrary, I feel the more we look at ourselves in the midst of all this quagmire and assess ourselves, the curious peculiarity arises. What is this peculiarity? It is the idea that we feel, but don’t hurt. We see, but we don’t act.

We vocalize, but we don’t listen.

We turn, tap, or click to our preferred choice of infotainment and we gawk and say something like “That’s horrible…” or “What injustice! Those poor people…” and we do this every time. We post a lamentful status and we tweet out our condolences, anger, or sorrow.

We nod in agreement at the clichés and tag our posts with #justice, but we put down our phones and sip a latte.

I too do these things, I too am guilty of being a contributor to this peculiarity of emotion without mo-

tion, the unshaken and unmoved.

Even more peculiar, it seems there is always this— a condemnation of those of us who sit idly by.

There is always a call to action, to something more. To be the change we want to see in the world. To turn the words into deeds. And so

In spite of the hypocrisy, callousness, and indifference—there is some truth and hope. The reason we have this concept of injustice, the reason that we are able to call such things “unjust” “bad” “evil” is same reason we can call something “just” “good” “right.” It is

God’s heart throbs for the broken, those affected by wickedness and who are hurting in this world. on… Yet, why is there never any change? Why? For the reason that we have become insensitive to evil and injustice. We face it on some level every single day. It has calloused us from the wrongness of it all. And yet we still realize this isn’t how the world should be, that this doesn’t have to be “how it is.”

because of what I believe has been placed in us. The idea that there is something out there that is “just” “true” “good.” We find this embodiment of true justice in God, his character and statues. (See Isaiah 58) It is when we become attuned to him that we can be fully and truly just.

God’s heart throbs for the broken, those affected by wickedness and who are hurting in this world.

He feels each injustice as fully and personally as if it was directed at him. He understands the plight of each individual more than any other. It is only when we unite ourselves with him can he change our indifference into difference, our callousness to feeling, our idleness to action. And we talk a lot about doing, and rightfully so, for it takes action to achieve results.

However, it is about who we are, what we become, the motivation and character that we have that gives meaning to our actions. It is the orientation of our heart that matters. Why then can today be any different? It is in the choice we have in who we are and who we align ourselves with. So today, let’s make that choice. Let us choose to be instruments of true justice and let our hearts be pointed in unison with the embodiment of that justice. Let us be the new peculiar.

IMAGE PROVIDED BY PUBLIC DOMAIN

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Pulse

Victims of Qatar’s World Cup Torian Hill | Recently in sports, I

Ali Reiner Pulse Editor

have seen many racial issues, as well as injustice between men and women, poor and wealthy, and so on. Although these common social injustices give reason to explore, the most apparent is what’s happening with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). In 2022, the FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar and preparations for the tournament have begun. FIFA has imported workers from Nepal to help build the stadiums and transport infrastructure, hotels and other facilities for the most watched sporting event in the world.

The preparation of FIFA’s big event, however, are a social justice issue. The people building the stadiums for the World Cup are underpaid and overworked, which can often result in sickness and death.

These workers are placed in homes with no food or water. They have to buy their own food with a very low salary. This can result in people begging each other for food.

They share a room that is about the size of a Lamson Hall dorm room with nearly 15 other workers. These workers are desperate to leave. According to The Guardian, about 30 Nepalese sought refuge at their embassy in Doha to escape the brutal conditions of their employment.

Some Nepalese men have alleged that they have not been paid for months and have had their sal-

aries retained to stop them from running away. These immigrants were promised a decent amount of money to go to Qatar and work, but once they had arrived in the country they did not receive what they were promised. A worker stated in video that was produced by The Guardian that he has not been paid for 10 months.

lice catching them at any given time and sending them back home.

They can’t get a resident permit if they leave. Some of the workers on construction sites say employers regularly confiscate their passports and refuse to issue ID cards; this is another way to keep them at work. Both the bosses and employees know that without the posses-

by the findings presented in the Guardian’s report.” The spokesman said, “There is no excuse for any worker in Qatar, or anywhere else, to be treated in this manner.” Although they seem sincere in their apology, I feel assured that they are just trying to please the media. I think that they already knew about the situation, but they

“The health, safety, wellbeing and dignity of every worker that contributes to staging the 2022 FIFA World Cup is of the utmost importance to our committee...”

The Nepalese workers said that their bosses ripped their contracts up in front of their faces. Since there is no longer tangible evidence that they are promised a certain amount of money, they cannot do anything besides work. The reason why many of the workers had taken the job was to pay off their debts.

The workers said that they would like to leave, but the company won’t let them. If they run away they become illegal residents, which makes it hard to find another job. This can result in po-

sions of legal documentation, they are illegal immigrants.

Qatar is the world’s richest country by income per capita. It is estimated that they are spending the equivalent of £62bn (about $90 billion) on building facilities for the World Cup. If this nation is so rich, why are they mistreating all of these workers? This is social injustice at its worst.

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee was not originally aware of these allegations. However, once objections were raised, they said that organizers were “appalled

feel sorry now that they have been exposed. They are only concerned about FIFA’s reputation. Doing research made me think, and I would not be surprised if this modernday slavery had been going on for the creation of the previous World Cup facilities in other countries.

A spokesman said, “The health, safety, wellbeing and dignity of every worker that contributes to staging the 2022 FIFA World Cup is of the utmost importance to our committee and we are committed to ensuring that the event serves as a catalyst toward creating sustain-

able improvements to the lives of all workers in Qatar.” If the workers were really important to them, then why is this problem just being raised now? This domino effect of modern-day slavery to create impressive facilities has caused children to see their fathers buried, wives to lay their husbands to rest, and parents to see their children return home in an unresponsive state. These men leave their homes expecting to come back heroes, but they are placed in what they call a “slave house” to sometimes return home lifeless. Maybe the people in charge of this project should keep these thoughts in mind and do something about this tragic social injustice.

The International Trade Union Confederation claims that about 12 labourers will die each week unless action is taken against FIFA. They are correct; action does need to be taken. People take into account how nicely built the World Cup facilities will be but not what was done to make everything look so nice. Although preparations for such an important event can commonly be overlooked, this does not mean that it cannot be prevented.

Justice can be served if the testimonies of these people have an impact that is so great that this system of work will be terminated.

AU STUDENTS GO TO WASHINGTON DC TO MARCH FOR THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR (AU CARDINAL 1970)

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someone who sucker-punched his girlfriend in the face. While these two stories are the ones that have gotten the most publicity, they are just the tip of the iceberg of the NFL’s lack of proper discipline.

There are countless cases in the NFL when dirty hits that should result in suspensions are nothing more than fines, which usually end up being $75,000 or less. This is pocket change on an NFL salary.

Something else to consider is the new update in the NFL’s domestic abuse policy. Is a suspension of six games for a first offense too gentle? It certainly isn’t too harsh. However, if a player is truly sorry for what they have done and takes the proper reparative measurements (anger-management classes, apologizing to the proper people through the proper medi-

ums), I believe that they should be given a second chance. Jason Kidd, a future hall-of-fame point guard for the NBA, is a prime example of how to deal with being arrested for domestic abuse. Don’t forget that Jason Kidd was arrested for domestic abuse in 2001, and the incident has publicly haunted him little since then. That being said, I am in complete agreement of the second offense being a lifetime ban from the NFL. The NFL is a breeding ground for aggressive behavior. If someone already struggles with domestic abuse, keeping them in the NFL may only be adding to the problem.

However, the most important thing to take away from the aforementioned fiascos is that when social injustice is seen, someone needs to speak out against it. If the

internet had not exploded over Ray Rice’s two game suspension being too little, the policies may have never changed. One of the beautiful things about living in America is freedom of speech. While that does not give us freedom from consequences, it allows anyone the ability to speak out against social injustice whenever and wherever it is seen. You and I both have the power to speak out against it, so don’t let social injustice stand by.

Speak out and defend against it, and let’s make the world a more equal place.

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Pulse

NFL and Social Justice Tim McLean | Let me paint you

a picture. Imagine you have two friends who have wronged you this past weekend. During your poker tournament, you discover a friend was hiding aces up his sleeve and cheated his way to the win. Your other friend decided to punch the lights out of his significant other, who has been a lifelong friend of yours. Out of these two scenarios, which friend committed the bigger moral wrong? The one who cheated at an informal game of cards, or the one who committed a crime of domestic violence?

The obvious answer is the friend who domestically abused his significant other. Sadly, there are some who would not initially see each moral wrong with the proper weight. Take the NFL for example.

When Ray Rice was arrested for

hitting his girlfriend at that time (they are now married), he was initially suspended for two games without pay. When Tom Brady received punishment from being the scapegoat of “deflate-gate,” he was initially suspended for four games.

Whether or not Brady was actually responsible for deflating the footballs is irrelevant in this instance, because the disciplinary measures for both players are what will be focused on.

The NFL did eventually change Ray Rice’s suspension from two games to an unclarified amount of time, assumed to be longer than two games. However, before Rice’s suspension was changed, the NFL made a change in its domestic abuse policy: six games without pay for the first offense and a lifetime ban from the NFL for a sec-

ond offense. While both of these changes are good things, they did not happen until the NFL received a massive outcry from its fans, social justice activists and other media outlets who caught wind of the situation.

When news broke out of Tom Brady’s four game suspension (which was erased right before the current NFL season began), social media was outraged. That day, my Twitter and Facebook newsfeeds were nothing but posts about the NFL’s unfairness, how Brady’s suspension was too harsh since Rice’s initial suspension was only two games, and how corrupt the NFL actually was.

It is absolutely disgusting that a group of people decided that someone who hypothetically cheated gets a greater punishment than

AU STUDENTS MARTIN LUTHER KING MARCH (2015 STUDENT MOVEMENT)

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Humans

Just Like You: An Interview with Reham Alzabaqi

Andrei Wayne K. Defino Humans Editor

Interviewed by: Ev Milliner With the recent ISIS attacks on Benghazi, Es Sider, Yemen, Egypt and Paris, the public has been on the edge. Terrorists have been increasingly persistent on executing their agenda and spreading terror throughout the nations. Innocent people have been punished for crimes they did not commit, and the Islamic name now bears the names of Violence and Hostility. It bears a purpose contrary to its original. A religion that was meant for peace has been painted red with blood in the so-called name of Sharia Law. Innocent Muslims have had to take the brunt of repercussions for the actions of ISIS, Al Qaeda and other extremist groups. Reham Alzanbaqi, a graduate student studying Medical Laboratory Sciences at Andrews University, has experienced

this firsthand.

“In the airport, when they saw me wearing my scarf, they told everyone else to skip in front of me,” Alzanbaqi said as she recalled the moment when she was immediately selected for searching by the TSA. They detained her for questioning and brought out dogs; though Alzanbaqi expressed that she was scared and allergic to them, the TSA agent told her to just close her eyes.

“They assume we have stuff in our bags,” she said. “I wish that the people responsible for dealing with us would act reasonably and give us time to explain what we have to say because English is not our first language.”

However the airport is not the only place where Alzanbaqi has faced criticism for her faith. As a Muslim student at a predominantly Christian

campus like Andrews University, she often comes in contact with beliefs that differ than her own.

“They ask me about my religion; they ask me, ‘How do you know that your book (the Quran) is the right book? How do you know Muhammad was the right person?’ Some people that know that I am not Christian, especially at this university, and are excited, but after they find out I am Muslim they become indifferent,” she said solemnly, “When I ask them for help they are no longer as excited to help me. They deal with me differently because I don’t share the same holidays and beliefs. They ask me about my scarf and the purpose behind it. They can be really mean, and it makes me sad.”

In regards to why she thinks people treat her differently, she continued on to say, “I wear a lot of big stuff

to cover my body and my hair, and they ask me why. During Ramadan month they ask me why I fast and the purpose behind that. Some of them want to know why and are interested, while others want to get the details so that they can criticize and argue with me.”

“Islam means peace,” Alzanbaqi said earnestly, “It doesn’t mean all the bad stuff they’re watching and absorbing on TV. They don’t know about the details and about the small good things that Islam teaches, like smiling to each other and helping others.”

In regards to how these experiences have affected her, Alzanbaqi shares, “They make me feel stronger.

I’m not as scared as when I first came.

I don’t care about what they say.”

Alzanbaqi, like any other person, has dreams and aspirations as well

having time to enjoy herself.

“For fun,” she said, “ I like to spend my time with my roommates watching movies and I like to cook. I want to be a medical laboratory scientist because I can help sick people.

Even though the classes are hard, I want to do it. In Islam they tell us to help people, and I help my parents, especially my mom when she cooks food for other people.”

As an afterthought, Alzanbaqi closed by saying, “I want people to know that Islam is not like the wrong things they show on TV. Not every Muslim is bad and does bad things like the extremists. I want to be treated equally, like any other religion.”

mental health. If you aren’t completely healthy, then you are diseased. In the past, treating mental illness has focused more on the problem than the patient. “Clinical psychiatry used to ask ‘How do you treat pathology?’ but recently we’ve been moving towards a more positive psychology.”

Both Dr. Denda and Dr. Fisher attributed the recent positive trend partly to a greater exposure to celebrities with mental illnesses. “After Robin Williams died,” Dr. Fisher said, “there was talk about how courageous he had been.” Dr. Denda listed some other celebrities as well who have spoken openly about mental health issues like depression and bipolar disorder, including Kathy Cronkite, Brooke Shields, Ashley Judd, and Carrie Fisher.

Thanks to the exposure that Hollywood and the media have given mental illness, people are realizing they

aren’t as alone as they thought, and “are no longer as willing to hide,” according to Dr. Fisher. “People are starting to see that they can achieve their dreams despite their mental health conditions.” With time, people have come to see mental illness not as something embarrassing to be dealt with discreetly, but something that many people experience.

In addition to these positive changes, medication has improved as well, becoming more accessible and more effective. When people receive the proper treatment they need, they feel empowered. “Diversity is being celebrated in many ways, and this is one of them,” Dr. Denda said.

“It’s a human thing.” “The idea is to look at your strengths,” explained Dr. Fisher, “Embrace your own uniqueness instead of what’s not working.

There’s more to you than your mental illness.”

Lifting the Stigma: Mental Illness Chris Wheeler | Despite the great strides society has made towards accepting others unconditionally and not discriminating based on minor differences, one of the areas in which progress has been slower is mental health. Dr. Judith Fisher, Director of Andrews University’s Counseling and Testing Center, and Dr. Christopher Denda, Assistant Director for Clinical Services, both shared their thoughts and experiences regarding society’s opinions on mental illnesses.

“I studied psychology as an undergrad,” Dr. Fisher said. Afterwards, she began teaching, but changed her mind when she saw the ways that students were struggling.

“It was obvious that my students were having difficulties—they were not accessing resources available to them.” Now, as director, she can help ensure students get the resources

they need. “It has been very rewarding,” she added.

Dr. Denda explained, “I always have been interested in the big questions, including spirituality, consciousness, the neurosciences, with an emphasis on freedom and the good life. After DNA, the next frontier is consciousness. We have a theology to explain it, but other angles are useful.” These questions were what motivated Dr. Denda to study religion, philosophy, and clinical psychology, which he now uses to “help people access freedom.”

When it comes to mental health, Dr. Fisher explained why people often view it as being less legitimate than physical illness. “Mental illness is not something you can concretely observe.” When the problem is a physical one, people are urged to go see a doctor. But when the problem is mental, it is treated less seriously.

People with mental illnesses are often told to change their outlook. Especially in a Christian community, there is a tendency to advise people to pray but do nothing more. What needs to happen is a “joining of forces,” as Dr. Fisher described, where the spiritual merges with medical and psychological.

Sometimes the problem also has to do with a lack of willingness to share that one has a mental illness.

This can be seen with airline pilots, who would be at risk of being laid off if they were to reveal the mental issues they dealt with. Dr. Denda also mentioned the military as another place where people don’t feel comfortable admitting to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Suffering from PTSD can be seen as a sign of weakness, and something to be shunned. He further explained how there is a perceived dichotomy in

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black girls to shine in places where they have often shadowed. It is the key that unlocks the various doors of confidence and motivation. In 2015, Black women were told that you can win Emmys, direct and produce movies, or even become your own Barbie doll. Being able to push through

spaces and create a name for yourself while refusing to conform to stereotypical ideals is indeed a challenge, and watching these various women succeed in these areas was not only powerful. It was magical.

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Humans

2015: The Year of Representation Regine Senior | “The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.”

This was one of the many statements made by Viola Davis after winning she won an Emmy for Best Actress; Davis was the first African American woman to do so. 2015 was

the year of representation for women of color. From 19-year-old Shanice Williams playing Dorothy for “The Wiz Live!” on NBC to Shonda Rhimes dominating Thursdays on ABC, women of color were represented in an astonishing way. In the Dreamworks picture, “Home,” one of the lead

characters, named Tip, rocked her curly hair and Bajan accent. These depictions not only give rise to the many different aspects of beauty and lifestyles but also allow both young and old women to believe that, “If they can do that, I can, too.”

Representation allows young

Stressed, Depressed, Barely Addressed: Mental Health and the Asian-Pacific American Community Andrei Wayne K. Defino | I recently came across a BuzzFeed article titled “What It’s Like Explaining Depression to Your Asian Parents” that featured conversations between Asian parents and children regarding their mental health. Reading through the short graphics depicting the realities faced by Asian American youth when “coming out” to their parents about their depression, I was brought back to my shaking 18-yearold self sitting at the foot of my parents’ bed trying to explain why there were scars on my arms. Once again I was anxious, afraid and ashamed.

“To come out” essentially means to reveal something personal that was hidden—a journey of self-discovery, acceptance and identity. Why then, specifically in Asian-Pacific cultures, is coming out with depression overwhelmingly associated with feelings of guilt, fear and shame?

While the stigmatization of mental illnesses is a persistent issue across all cultures, it seems that it is even more so within the AsianPacific American community. After reading through many different research papers, Wikipedia pages and a lecture, and drawing from my own experience, I found that there is a common thread that connects the cultural mentality towards mental health, particularly in my own Filipino culture. As noted by Kevin Nadal, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the City University of New York (CUNY), the key to understanding Filipino psychology is to understand its culture.

In my culture, we have three deeprooted value systems that shape our identity as Filipino: hiya, lakas ng loob and utang ng loob. These principles more often than not inform the choices we have made and continue to make. They are more than just feelings and ideologies; to us, it is a code of ethics.

Hiya—or “shame” in English—is

one of the Filipino values that helps guides social conduct. In short, hiya is a guideline for dignity. Losing face in a Pinoy community is regarded as an inability to live up to a certain set of standards (religious, social, familial, etc.), and because of this we become compelled not to be an embarrassment or cause the embarrassment of others. In a culture that stresses the importance of community and family more than the individual, hiya—and the fear of it— enforces certain ideologies and ideals. Through ongoing conversations with my parents and other Filipino and Asian-Pacific American youth, I’ve learned that mental health issues are still regarded as taboo subjects.

It’s true that the existence of mental health issues are certainly not denied in Asian circles anymore; however, it appears that it is still discussed in hushed tones and quiet whispers – especially when it has happened within families. But why? In the Pinoy community, at least, there is an association between mental illness, bad blood, bad parenting and weakness. Shame arises from these associations because being mentally ill means that somewhere along the way your parents messed up, that somewhere in your family line there was a sin or crime to be punished. To admit to having a mental illness is a sign of weakness (a.k.a. hina ng loob) or to be weak from the inside—not just in blood but in spirit as well. By admitting to fragility, you not only cause shame but become shame.

Conversely lakas ng loob is the Filipino value of resilience and strength.

Literally translated as “strength from/of the inside,” this belief focuses and emphasizes on the individual’s capacity to weather every storm and smile through it. Through a single community member’s ability to endure, the group thrives because

they endure together. When depression and mental health are viewed as a weakness, however, the person with it becomes the weakest link.

When their spirit is viewed as too weak to handle the stresses of life, he or she is seen as contributing less to the community, doing a disservice to the group and themselves.

A weak spirit undermines the Confucian ideals of propriety that helps direct Filipino culture, a standard that dispels perversion, accentuates what is innately beautiful in humans, regulates character and should be used and learned for the benefit of others. This essentially sets up mental illnesses and their symptoms as perversions of the human spirit. By being unable to live up to the community’s needs, your own well-being, and the needs of the family, you become labeled as a pariah.

By being an “unfit” member of the community and family, tensions rise between the expectations to smile through the pain, the effects of mental illness and the desire to find professional and/or intimate help. Those who admit to having a mental illness become viewed as lazy, shameful and having no respect for themselves and the people who helped them reach milestones and successes.

Finally, utang ng loob is the value of community indebtment. Transliterated, utang ng loob is “debt of the inside,” or better yet, community liability and responsibility where the community is family and the family is a community. Reflecting Confucian and indigenous principles on filial piety (the respect for authority, family, father, mother and ancestry) utang ng loob highlights the value of family and how the family influences individual choices. Because the role of the family is so important any act that questions their authority and sacrifice is deemed unacceptable.

From my experience and the stories I’ve heard, admitting to de-

pression and other mental illnesses appears to be a grand expression of defiance, rebellion and ungratefulness to the authority of the family. The parents’ competence is questioned, their sacrifices are neglected, and the “debt” you owe to your parents for loving and raising you becomes of little value. As their child, you know this and it brings about feelings of guilt and shame because of the “debt” you owe. With cultural conduct teaching parents to be stern (usually stifling the expression of emotions) and for children to obey authority, issues such as mental health become silenced in an effort to save face.

Dignity is based on the wholeness of the spirit, which in turn must be achieved for the sake of the community (family). At their core, these values are not necessarily bad and it is through appreciating tradition and individual temperaments that we can push for a resolution. As the conversation of mental health issues continues to develop and gain traction in America, it is important that we don’t neglect groups where cultural viewpoints may impede its momentum.

I argue that in order for the discussion of mental health in the AsianPacific American community to move forward, we need to change the language and attitudes surrounding the issue. Especially with the dual/ multi-cultural nature of most AsianPacific American people, generational gaps and cultural gaps increase the chances of misinterpretation and misgivings about mental health.

When someone says, “I think I’m depressed,” and the other responds with “But you’re smart, your parents sacrificed so much for you, etc.,” expressions of love and concern may miss their mark because of the conflicting cultures between parent and child. I’m not suggesting to change culture or cultural values entirely, but I do empathize with the notion

that in order for an improvement to occur, we need to understand why certain attitudes exist.

By understanding cultural perceptions towards mental health issues, we can extend and provide more resources to the growing number of Asian-Pacific American youth and adults who are just now finding the courage to speak out or are still afraid or ashamed. A large proportion of Asian-Pacific Americans still refuse to seek professional help, usually preferring to reach out to friends maybe because of the socio-lingual barriers between professionals, parents and the ill.

In an effort to aid future generations, I suggest that we continue to carry on the conversation of mental health within the Asian-Pacific American community: sibling to sibling, friend to friend, child to parent. Ideally, no one should be afraid or ashamed when coming to terms with their mental illness, and it’s our job to ensure that future generations won’t have to be. http://www.buzzfeed.com/susancheng/depression-and-asianparents#.bvm4qKdXnD Filipino American psychology: A Collection of personal narratives. Kevin L. Nadal. Nadal focuses his study on the cultural perspective of Filipino psychology also covering the topics of Hiya, Lakas ng Loob and Utang ng Loob. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/ story/352189/news/specialreports/ breaking-stigma-the-question-ofmental-health-reform http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/ pdf/10.1176/ps.2007.58.6.810

Scott Moncrieff Faculty Advisor

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Arts & Entertainment

Faith, Culture and the Arts

Shanelle E. Kim Arts & Entertainment Editor

Shanelle Kim | Throughout history, philosophers and thinkers have sought to define the relationship between culture and art. Does art reflect culture? To what extent are artists and their works a product of their time? Or does art shape culture?

How much can it influence its period in history and change the trajectory of it?

The answer, of course, is that art and culture have a relationship in which both exert influence on the other. The arts reflect the values, ideals and attitudes of the culture they exist in—both good and bad. Yet, due to their expressive nature and their ability to evoke emotion and thought, the arts also have the power to effect change.

It is no surprise, then, that we had a gold mine of topics to examine for the articles in this special issue. En-

tertainment and the arts have long been the frontline for understanding the attitudes towards certain people groups in a culture, as well as the ways in which we can improve the way we treat such groups. Works of art that deal with social issues—and most do to some degree—may put the faults of a culture on display, many times unwittingly. For example, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind (1936) disparagingly caricatures the black minority in the South even as it paints a thoughtful and complex picture of a culture thrown into crisis. Similarly, the popular rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) has been criticized for its flat depiction of a shrewish, misandristic feminist as a main character.

However, the arts can also call for change in the way we treat social issues. As far back as history

can remember, works like Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” (1729) have called attention to the horrors a culture can force on certain individuals. Others push against social issues by portraying certain people groups with a nuance and complexity that forces audiences to reconsider the stereotypes they hold. The recent Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), for example, features a female character as the main hero, who uses her strength and intrepid mind to get out of tricky situations and save the day.

I believe that as Christians, we are called to engage with the arts from a faith-based, informed perspective. We cannot be passive consumers of the entertainment we take in. The call to be “in this world and not of it” requires that (a) we know what is going on within our culture (“in” the world) and (b) we stand on

the frontlines of pushing against the marginalization of individuals (refusing to be “of” the world). The arts, as they both reflect a culture and effect change in it, then, are the perfect place to start understanding our culture and imagining the ways we can change it.

The twenty-first century has brought with it a large awareness of social issues through the arts. We have watched as a major celebrity brought the transgender experience to the spotlight. We have seen the casting of white actors for non-white roles. We have learned about the major inequity in pay between male and female actors and actresses in Hollywood. The arts continually immerse us in social issues, but it is up to us to decide how we will respond to them.

For this special edition of the Arts & Entertainment section, we cover

only the barest surface of the depth of social issues in the arts. By no means are the articles in this section a representation of the bare minimum of the intersection between art, culture and social justice. However, we hope these articles will spark a conversation about how we consume our entertainment and how we can improve our treatment of other individuals.

In her 2008 commencement address at Harvard University, beloved author J.K. Rowling spoke these words: “Unlike any other creature on this planet, human beings can learn and understand without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places...we have the power to imagine better.” I invite you, as you read these articles, to imagine what we, as Christians, can do better.

hind General Hux as he stands on a stage before rank upon rank of uniformed Stormtroopers. This image alone is enough to invoke imageries of Nazism, but the style and focus

finishes with a salute and strong shout from all the Stormtroopers. Because of the horror of World War II, the speech’s call for uniformity and dominance increases the darkness of the First Order for the viewers. Although the past seems unthinkably awful, history can repeat itself; we again face intolerance and suppression through ISIS today. Although this film shows devastating results of suppression and forced uniformity in this culminating speech, it comes nowhere near the reality of what ISIS is doing.

The Force Awakens forces the viewer to remember the issues that the world is dealing with today.

There are many places where the poor are suppressed and where uniformity is forced in aspects such as religion or political opinions. These issues are not just ones of the past to be remembered, but ones that many people face and that we are called to do something about.

Social Justice in Star Wars Maria Wixwat Warning: Spoilers ahead On opening day theaters were packed with eager Star Wars fans catching the first showing of Episode VII: The Force Awakens. In some ways, this film was very similar to the plot lines of the other trilogies, but there were also strong allusions to current issues about social justice. This movie used details about the First Order’s treatment of its Stormtroopers and General Hux’s Nazi-reminiscent speech to connect viewers to modern social justice issues.

One of the interesting aspects of the movie is its treatment of the Stormtroopers. During the scene of the village slaughter, we start to see more of the actual people inside the armor.

Finn, or FN-2187, is our first glimpse of who the Stormtroopers actually are. He shows doubts about the life he leads as a soldier when he sees one of his fellow combatants die in the skirmish. Later, we discover that the Stormtroopers are actually raised from birth for the specific purpose of fighting for the First Order. They grow up without even having a name, only as-

signed letters and numbers, demonstrating that circumstances strongly affect the chances we receive in life.

Finn was stuck in this system where he was used and abused, and he has

of children to use as soldiers is a sobering reality in the Central African Republic. However, Finn also represents the hope that, with help and determination, even those stuck in

“[The Stormtroopers] grow up without even having a name, only assigned letters and numbers, demonstrating that circumstances strongly affect the chances we receive in life.” to fight to escape it. This reflects the struggles today of those who are born into bad situations – poverty, crime, and drug abuse – that lead them onto worse and worse paths, which can become very difficult to leave. Even more specifically, the preparation

difficult circumstances can extricate themselves and lead better lives.

Continuing the theme of social justice, General Hux’s speech to the Stormtroopers will reminds its viewers of Hitler and the Third Reich.

There is a large red flag fluttering be-

of the speech is also strongly reminiscent of the regime with its slow beginning that gradually rises to be more and more passionate. In this speech he calls for the destruction of the New Republic and the domination of the First Order. The speech

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Arts & Entertainment

Timeline of Social Justice in American Music Demetri Kirchberg | American music has always had a symbiotic relationship with the social climate of the times, giving a platform to the voices of those who’ve needed it most. A vivid history of struggles and triumphs can be found in the music of eras past. Many artists, albums and songs stand as hallmarks in the fight for social justice.

Circa 1865/Reconstruction Era “Oh Freedom” This quintessential spiritual rose to become an anthem for racial justice.

Believed to have been written right after the end of slavery, this song has been recorded and performed by countless artists, recalling the struggle of years past and the more mod-

ern fight for civil rights.

1892 - Amy Beach pioneers the way for female composers At the height of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Amy Beach was challenging conventions and carving her way into the boys’ club that was classical music. In 1892, after proving her merit as a pianist on stages like Boston Symphony Hall, she emerged with her first major composition. This mass was played by the Handel and Haydn Society and sparked much controversy over her gender.

mournful anti-Vietnam War “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” the call for justice and love “If I Had a Hammer,” and the Ecclesiastic “Turn!

Turn! Turn!.” Seeger also popularized “We Shall Overcome,” the spiritual that became accepted as the anthem of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Since then, Seeger had always stood for civil equality, international disarmament and environmental preservation. His artistic ability was always paired with a fearless passion for standing against injustice.

1919 - Birth of Pete Seeger This folk singer and activist was the pillar of social justice in the 20th century, penning songs such as the

1963 - Odetta performs at the March on Washington As thousands of Americans gathered in Washington, D.C. to protest

racism and call for an end to segregation, one songstress captured the attention on the masses. Called the “queen of American folk music”

by Martin Luther King, Jr., Odetta is another artist whose fire for justice burned just as brightly as her love of song. Her rendition of “Oh Freedom” is still counted among the greatest moments in American music history.

2011 - Lady Gaga launches the Born This Way Foundation Having already established herself as an artist with a voice for change, four years ago Stefani Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga, and her mother Cynthia Germanotta started this non-profit organization dedicated “to establish(ing) a standard

of bravery and kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment.” At the height of an uproar and right after the coining of the term “cyberbullying,” Lady Gaga stepped up to do her part in fighting for social justice, using her platform for bettering society rather than self-promotion. Just last week, it was announced that the Born This Way Foundation was partnering with Intel to combat online harassment.

2012 - “Same Love” Just as Washington state was getting ready to vote on legalizing samesex marriage, the emerging hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

released their single “Same Love.”

This song sent waves through the music industry as this straight rapper openly endorsed the rights of homosexual couples and called out the nation on its irrational injustice towards a group of people. Macklemore delivers the lines “Everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen. I might not be the same, but that’s not important. No freedom ‘til we’re equal.” This counterculture, unexpected song became a rallying point for LGBTQ allies, as well as a number one hit.

Whitewashing and Diversity in Hollywood Janelle Aguilera | On Dec. 28, BuzzFeed Entertainment released an article called “The Winners and Losers of Asian representation in Hollywood in 2015.” Highlighting particular TV shows and movies which either succeeded or failed in presenting Asian actors in prominent roles that were not intended to be caricatures of Asian culture, the article brought awareness to the severity of “whitewashing,” the placement of white actors in character roles written for expressedly non-white individuals.

While reading the article, I was shocked that many roles written for ethnic minority characters were given to white actors or actresses in the films. And many Andrews students to which I spoke, including Persephanie Chiddick (senior, communications), agreed.

“I think there is an abundance of talented minority actors that are just as capable of actors, but a lot of the

white viewers tend to feel reluctant to accept new cultures, regardless of the fact that America is an active melting pot. It shows the laziness

ed researching films that feature white actors playing non-white characters.

First off is the film Aloha (2015).

clearly Caucasian. What I thought was even worse was the fact that they depict her with blond hair.

Another instance of this phenom-

One might think that after all the social progression that Hollywood has supported, there would be a bigger push for proper representation of minorities in movie and TV shows. of casting directors who don’t want to invest in new talent, even when it could open up opportunities for greatness among minority actresses or actors,” Chiddick said.

To investigate these issues, I start-

A prominent character of the movie, Allison Ng, was described as being a quarter Hawaiian and a quarter Asian. However, Emma Stone was cast for the part. Emma Stone is beautiful and a talented actress, but she is

enon occurs in the film The Martian (2015), which was originally adapted from Andy Weir’s novel by the same name. The characters Dr. Vincent Kapoor and Mindy Park were described as being Hindu and Korean, respec-

tively; for both roles, however, the actors chosen were not of Asian heritage, but rather black and white, respectively.

Critics lashed at the movie for its choice of non-Asian actors for Asian roles, as if saying that by not casting these characters as they were portrayed in the source material, the producer was saying that he could not find a good enough Asian actor to play the role.

“I can kind of see the reason how sometimes a white actor with more talent or ability (could) play the part, (but) it takes away from the authenticity of it,” Matthew Rajarathinam (freshman, biology, pre-med) said.

On the other hand, there have been great steps taken for the Asian community in Hollywood in the past year. One example of this is Jessica Huang, played by Constance Wu, from Fresh Off the Boat. Wu portrays a clever woman who can take care of herself, a very positive representa-

tion of immigrant mothers. Another strong Asian character is Glenn Rhee, played by Stephen Yeun, from The Walking Dead. Though Rhee wasn’t everyone’s favorite character in the beginning of the series, he has become a representation of bravery, compassion and dependability as the series has progressed.

Whitewashing is an unfortunate part of the film industry today. One might think that after all the social progression that Hollywood has supported, there would be a bigger push for proper representation of minorities in movie and TV shows. As many critics note, everyone deserves to see a version of themselves portrayed in a positive light, with respect to their particular cultural nuances. This discussion about whitewashing in the media needs to continue, to ensure that respect is shown equally to those of all cultures and backgrounds.

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

The Last Word

The Role of the Adventist Church in Promoting Social Justice Issues of social justice dominated national news last year—but have they affected our church?

Samuel James Fry Editor-in-Chief

Over half a century since Martin Luther King, Jr. uttered his famous words “I have a dream,” America retains widespread racial wounds, brought to the forefront of national attention whenever the latest spate of police killings is caught on film. In the wake of an incident like the shooting of Laquan McDonald, Americans know all too well that a preponderance of evidence is not a guarantee of justice either. We have seen time and time again how institutional racism and corrupt public officials cover up incidents, like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose police chief and attorney suppressed the video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald’s killing during an election cycle. Then, of course, there are the many incidents that go unreported— where injustice lives on, simply because a bystander could not whip out their iPhone before the bullets started flying.

America, has in many ways, become a terrifying place to live. Xenophobia and racism—once denounced by politicians on both sides of the aisle—has been swept into mainstream politics, where campaign rallies draw thousands of vocal populists, and protesters are assaulted and thrown out of the rally, simply

for voicing (or silently protesting) the bankrupt ideologies that are being peddled to the crowds.

While 2015 was certainly a turbulent year for American justice, we have made notable progress as a nation. Police officers nationwide are starting to wear body cams. Americans from all walks of life are having a meaningful dialogue about whether we want community policing, or armored personnel carriers cruising the streets of our cities. The public has challenged the wisdom of mandatory minimums in sentencing nonviolent drug and parole offenders.

However, for many Americans justice still seems elusive and reforms too late.

What, then, is the solution to the widespread injustice and hatred that pervades our nation? This is where we, as Seventh-day Adventists, need to play a crucial role. Historically, the Adventist church has at times been a driving force behind social justice.

In the mid-1800s Adventist pioneers worked alongside abolitionists to denounce slavery as immoral; some even aided runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. However, is it possible that in the decades during which our church has comfortably settled into North America that we have forgotten about the continual presence of racism and hatred in our society, instead opting to evangelize to other countries while avoiding ad-

dressing the longstanding roots of injustice that are still resurgent in our communities and churches for political expediency?

I am not at all opposed to mission work. The Great Commission is a hallmark of the Adventist faith— and properly so. It just strikes me as peculiar that while I have heard dozens of sermons on faith, and love and hope, I have never witnessed a pastor standing at the pulpit addressing the prejudices and racism that are still prevalent in our society, and sometimes even our own congregations. It is incomprehensible to me, as a Seventh-day Adventist millennial, that our church has not taken a stronger stance against the injustices of our present time. This view is not without opposition however. What business does the church have in promoting justice? This response is not uncharacteristic of many Christians who believe (wrongly) that “social justice” is inherently a political matter—one that the church should avoid entanglement with. In fact, however, the opposite is true. In Isaiah 1:17, the Lord commands us to “seek justice” and “correct the oppressor.” The gospel makes it abundantly clear that justice is an issue that every Christian should care about, regardless of political belief or alignment. It is a lesson we should dutifully take to heart, because if the issues of social justice that have dominated national

news this past year have not impacted our theology, then I am in dire fear for the future of our church.

True Justice—the manner in which we deal with each other as equal beings— mirrors God’s divine plan of salvation. Now, if the Adventist church is to continue adhering to Christ’s commandment to “love the least of these,” it must reexamine the emphasis it places on social justice, and seek to further explain the important role it provides in the gospel message as a whole. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, like any community, needs to maintain ongoing conversations on how it impacts its members. It should look to Andrews University as a model for a diverse, yet homogenous body where real, meaningful discourse can take place.

The fact of the matter is that the gospel message is incomplete without the justice Jesus preached about.

We are told that there will always be injustice in our world, since it is a byproduct of a sinful human nature. What we can do, however, as a church, is to minimize its harmful effects on our fellow man. In order to do so we need to preach a gospel of justice—tailored to those who have experienced the injustice of our world firsthand, one which gives them a taste of the justice Christ promised and removes our prejudices, imparting us with His infinite compassion and mercy.

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT STAFF

Samuel James Fry Editor-in-Chief Paris D. Rollins Assistant Editor Shenika K. McDonald News Editor Daniel J. Fults Ideas Editor Ali Reiner Pulse Editor Andrei Wayne K. Defino Humans Editor Shanelle E. Kim Arts & Entertainment Editor Coming Soon Photo Editor David A. Forner Copy Editor Nichole A. Reid Layout Editor L.J. Robinson Multimedia Manager Scott E. Moncrieff Faculty Advisor

The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventhday Adventist church.

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This issue was completed at 9:21 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2015.