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The
Brewster Browser
March 1, 2021 Wolfeboro, NH
Rogers Gym Undergoes Major Renovations
by Zoe Hausler '24
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As winter persists, the old Rogers building continues to be remodeled into our new Student Center. The Rogers is planned to be ready sometime in September of this year. Though we thought that the pandemic might have slowed down the process for the new building, it has in reality sped up the construction of the building. The vision for the building is for it to become a place where all students can go to take a hiatus from the busyness of their school day. “It will be open all day and all night and will never get lonely unlike the gym or Anderson,” said Mr. Craig Gemmell, Head of School. As for the architecture the idea was to keep the overall structure of the old Rogers while adding additional attachments. “The Rogers has a sturdy and unique structure and I think they want to honor that while updating the space to allow for creativity and connection,” said Arts deprtment head and drama teacher Ms. Guinevere Hilton. The new architects for the building have collaborated with various teachers, including Mrs. Hilton, on campus to learn the wants and needs of the student body and faculty. This included adding some couches, TV’s for sports and shows, and ping pong tables and pool tables. The architects are currently collaborating with a company called DSK that are renowned for their work. The designs of the building are planning to be updated using a more modern overlook. The heating and ventilation system will be high quality and efficient, the walls will be insulated and the windows will overlook the lake and the fields, providing a fun place to grab a snack or watch a game on the turf. “I’m super excited! Especially for the new food options.” said Charlotte George, a current freshman at Brewster. Although the test kitchen and cafe won’t substitute the Esta, many free snacks and food to be purchased will be provided, contributing to a great study spot. Not only will this building be a social spot, but it will also include a student center, flexible learning rooms, dance studio, a black box theatre, meeting rooms, and more. Other areas
Volume 43 Issue 3
Separated: Inside an American Tragedy
by Lila Glanville ’22, Kaeli Bennett ’21
Inside the basement of the Rogers building, preparing for further development.
On February 9th, Jacob Soboroff, an NBC News and MSNBC Correspondent, was interviewed at a Brewster all-school by a group of students who read his first book, Separated: Inside an American Tragedy. The book discusses immigration at the United StatesMexico border where families crossing are being systematically torn apart. The idea for the book was sparked after the discomfort Soboroff felt after one of his reports, where he visited Casa Padre, a former Walmart which was turned into a housing facility for migrant children separated from their families at the border. The zero tolerance policy instituted allowed government officials to take children from their families who cross the border illegally as a form of deterrence. This officially began in 2017, but did not make headlines until April of 2018. Soboroff was one of the first reporters to break the story to the public. The policy had been discussed by previous administrations, however the Trump Administration was the first to put it into cont. on pg. 3
An inside view of the Rogers under construction, from the point of view of the old stage.
like the outside patio and the robotics studio are expected to be built next near when funding continues. “We are building the building that all the students and staff asked for, so the hope is the end product is something that everyone will want,” said Mr. Peter Gilligan, Brewster’s Chief Operating Officer, who has been instrumental in
the planning and construction. The school took proposals from various communities in the school to figure out what was missing or needed to be added to the campus space. All the hard work done behind the scenes has finally paid off as the Rogers building project is right on time. The campus has high hopes for its completion.
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EDITORIAL/OPINION
Comparing The Capitol Insurrection & BLM
by Hunter DiVirgilio ’21
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Five deaths, and around 200 confirmed injuries on January 6th, 2021, as a result of the failed insurrection attempt at the US Capitol Building in DC. Only 52 arrests were made that day, though nearly 200 individuals have criminally charged since. Nearly 500 have also been identified with the help of over 200,000 digital media tips. January 6th was a shocking day for everyone. Just as it began, however, people of course started drawing false equivalence between Black Lives Matter and the Capitol insurrectionists. So the question becomes, are the two truly comparable? The short answer is no, and there’s a few main reasons for this. First and foremost, what are the similarities? Although the mob was made up of a variety of groups, from the Proud Boys, to KKK members, to Q-anon conspiracy followers, and even casual Trump supporters just looking for a fun time— for the sake of simplicity, I’ll start by focusing on just the “Stop The Steal” Crowd. Both BLM and “Stop The Steal” are mostly-decentralized movements. Neither has a strict bureaucracy,
hierarchy, or structure— though the same cannot be said for the KKK, the Proud Boys, the Boogaloo Boys, or any police department. But… the similarities pretty much end there. So, onto the differences! First, the motives and goals must be addressed. Black Lives Matter is fighting for systemic changes in policing, and advocating for antiracist action in all institutions. Their achievements include: the adoption of racial-integration policies and anti-racist staff-training in schools nationwide, “Duty To Intervene” policies being enacted in multiple departments, police chokehold bans in 31 of the 100 largest US cities, the passing of Breonna’s law (which bans/restricts no-knock warrants) in Kentucky, the repealing of law 50-a (a law obscuring police disciplinary records from the public) in New York, the renaming of military bases named after Confederate generals, a world-wide military base Confederate flag ban by the Pentagon…. the list goes on. The point is, BLM advocates for concrete solutions to long-standing problems. The Capitol Insurrection was
Pro-Trump mob storms the capitol on January 6th (Credit: Leah Millis, courtesy of Reuters).
mainly motivated by completely unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter-fraud and deep-state conspiracy. Multi-million dollar investigations, led by Trump himself, have still failed to provide solid evidence. His hour-long phone call with Georgia’s Secretary of State has been debunked, line by line, by
Whole Lotta Red, Playboi Carti: Review by Hunter DiVirgilio ’21
Nearly two and a half years after it was first announced, Whole Lotta Red, by Playboi Carti, finally dropped on December 25th, 2020. There’s only a handful of albums from the last decade that were as highly anticipated as WLR (the only one on such a level of hype currently being Frank Ocean’s next release). But did it live up to the hype… and was it worth listening to at 1AM Christmas morning? Starting this review with the positives, Whole Lotta Red is far from formulaic. It’s raw, weird, experimental, yet everything that makes Playboi Carti such a polarizing artist. Ditching his signature baby voice, Carti adopts a range of raspy, almost out of breath vocals. His verses are delivered with a myriad of cracks, screams, auto-tuned croons, and ad-libs. Vocally, this is certainly his most boundary-pushing work to date. The production doesn’t disappoint either. Over the years, Carti’s music has become synonymous with Pierre Bourne’s production. Whole Lotta Red breaks this expectation with executive production credits to Kanye, and only two tracks produced by Pierre. The result is a style which takes the looping, almost video game-esque sound of his first two albums, and adds a layer of horror-core punk-trap. Then there’s the not-so-positive
criticisms… This album walks a fine line between raw and unfinished, and it leans toward the latter. Many tracks barely have any hook at all. There is almost no structure to most of the songs. Some are repetitive to the point of feeling like they were freestyled (looking at you, “JumpOutTheHouse”). The mixing also leans HEAVILY toward the bass, getting almost headacheinducing at times. There are some standout moments on the album; from the infectiously fun and outlandish “Stop Breathing” to the surprisingly soulful outro track, “F33l Lik3 Dyin.” But those moments are separated by oceans of half-baked bangers— entertaining tracks that just feel so incomplete. This album, without a doubt, features some of Carti’s most forgettable songs (though thankfully nothing worse than that awful single, “@MEH”). The dips in quality are all the more perplexing within the context of what was left off of the album— leaked favorites like “KidCudi/PissyPamper,” “Skeleton,” and “Molly” are nowhere to be seen. It begs the question: did Carti rush to create a new album after most of the original songs were released? As of now, nobody really knows what the production schedule looked like. There’s also rumors that he’s saving all the fan-favorites for the deluxe version of Whole Lotta Red. With all that said, opinions may
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certainly change as time goes on. Upon release, the rap community on Twitter and Instagram absolutely clowned Whole Lotta Red. The hate has since died down, though, and Carti’s latest LP has grown on many in the past couple months. At the very least, this album is experimental, unique, and eccentric. It circumvents mediocrity and forces listeners to have an opinion, positive or not. Carti has always been an oddball of rap, so in that sense, Carti has surpassed expectations with Whole Lotta Red. Overall Rating: Light 7/10 Ranking in Discography: Last place Best Tracks: Go2DaMoon, Stop Breathing, M3tamorphosis, Vamp Anthem, Place, Sky, Over, ILoveUIHateU, F33L Lik3 Dyin, Slay3r Worst Tracks: JumpOutTheHouse, Meh, King Vamp, Die4Guy, No Sl33p, New Tank, Punk Monk
politicians and journalists alike. “Stop The Steal” is, to put it bluntly, ignorant, ahistorical, and reactionary. Moving on to police response, the differences become even more apparent. At the June 1st BLM protest, alone, 289 protesters were arrested. They were cont. on pg. 5
The Brewster Browser Brewster Academy Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Managing Editor: Kaeli Bennett ’21 News Editor: Abner Parzen ’22 Nameplate art: Shemar Joseph ’19 Staff members: Hiba Al Nabhani ’22 Hunter DiVirgilio ’21 Lila Glanville ’22 Tony Gleason ’21 Julia Golden ’22 Zoe Hausler ’24 Zylpha Largay ’22 Madigan Mansour ’21 John Northrop ’24 Molly Ryan ’24 Vivi Specktor ’22 Aubrey Swan ’23 Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Metcalfe Dumont From the Editors: The Browser is a student publication, written, edited and proofread by the students under the direction of the faculty advisor. The Browser is produced by the Journalism class at Brewster Academy. The authors and editors take full responsibility for any errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar that may occur. THE BROWSER IS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY THE JON KONHEIM JOURNALISM AWARD.
3 March 1, 2021 cont. from pg. 1
News
Separated: Inside an American Tragedy
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play. The Trump Administration is not entirely at fault for the situation at the border, it has been worsening over the past few decades and administrations. For much of its existence and especially in the last few decades, there has been constant turmoil along the Mexico-U.S. border. When Donald Trump ran for President in 2016, immigration increased as well as awareness surrounding issues at the border. A primary focus of his campaign was to build a wall on the U.S. and Mexico border. In 2016, he said, “We’re going to build a wall. It’s going to be a great wall. And it’s going to have big beautiful doors in it because we’re going to have people coming into our country, but they’re going to come into our country legally.” The people he is referring to are immigrants, who he has referred to as, “criminals,” “rapists,” or simply, “illegals” in the past. The United States border control system has been a persistent topic in the United States for the last couple presidencies. It is unknown to many that dispute President’s Trump’s aggressive stance on the border and immimigration, but the Obama administration was actually the first to discuss the possibility of family separations. The idea, however, was benched. Last year during Interim Studies, a group of Brewster students traveled to Tucson, Arizona, led by Mr. Kevin Duffy and Ms. Iska Nardie-Warner, where they learned about the controversies at the border. The primary focus was to understand, get a firsthand look at the terrain, and to further educate themselves about the situation as a whole. The first couple days of the trip, the group stayed at Border Links, an
organization in Tucson that “connects divided communities, raises awareness about the impact of the border and immigration policies, and inspires action for social transformation” according to borderlinks.org. There, the group visited the border city of Nogales, went on a desert walk, heard personal border-crossing stories, and visited an Operation Streamline court hearing, among other educational activities. After departing Border Links, the group continued on their journey; this time looking from the government’s perspective. The group visited and toured a border patrol facility as well as sightseeing the famous, powerful murals around the city. Each night the group sat down and debriefed about what they had seen that day, reaching some difficult, intense conversations. Several of these students went on to read Mr. Soboroff’s book. The experience in Arizona provided them with the background information needed to read and better relate to Mr. Jacob Soboroff’s book, Separated: Inside an American Tragedy. This winter, Mr. Soboroff accepted an invitation from the Brewster Outreach office to come (virtually) and speak at the All School scheduled for February 9th. Mr. Soboroffs sister, Leah Soboroff ’12, who went to Brewster and graduated in 2012. As Jacob mentioned in his book, family is very important to him; he gladly accepted the invitation to speak about his book at Brewster. The all-school started off with a welcome from Dr. Gemmell, and an introduction of Leah Soboroff, who graduated in 2012. Dr. Gemmell and Leah gave a brief biography of Jacob Soboroff and then introduced him on the webinar. This transitioned into a conversation between Dr. Gemmell
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Border Patrol Truck next to wall separating Nogales, AZ and Sonora, Mexico. photo by Lila Glanville ’22
and Mr. Soboroff where they discussed the relevance of family separations in America today, as well as Soboroff’s career choice. Dr. Gemmell, prompting the Brewster mission statement, also asked Mr. Soboroff how he “leads a life of purpose”. Dr. Gemmell handed off the conversation to Mr. Kris Light of the Brewster Advancement Office who then introduced a group of student panelists organized with the assistance of Ms. Kara McDuffee, a Brewster english teacher. The group of students included: Morgan Johnson ’22, Alyson Nagorniak ’22, Lila Glanville ’22, Chris Webb ’21, Grayson “Gracie” Mouradian ’24. The book discussed three main story lines: the governmental story and discussion; Mr. Soboroff’s personal experiences of reporting; and the story of an immigrant father and son, Juan and José, who crossed the border, seeking asylum, fleeing from
violence in Petén, Guatemala, and were consequently separated. He discussed and questioned a variety of topics. These topics ranged from the condition of the border facilities where children were kept, to Mr. Soboroff’s personal experiences, due to government decisions, and all the way to his writing process. Although this is a very dark, heartbreaking topic, the panelists attempted to keep the mood of this event as light as possible. Some questions were cut on the basis of exposing Brewster students to such devastating details, but even without these, the all-school was highly informative and beneficial for all students to watch and listen to. Mr. Soboroff was engaging and shared a great deal about his experiences at the border, his writing process, and his career. We thank him for attending and being so open with the Brewster community!
Comparing The Capitol Insurrection & BLM cont. from pg. 2
A group of current and graduated Brewster students in Tuscon, AZ in front of a colorful mural. This was taken during Brewster’s Interim Study program in Arizona last February 2020.
met with tear gas, rubber bullets, and unrestrained blunt force on the front line. The officers that day escalated violence, in a vain attempt to protect property. On the day of the Capitol Storming, just 52 insurrectionists were arrested. The use of tear gas and rubber bullets was underwhelming, allowing armed terrorists to occupy the Capitol for over three hours. The lives of senators were at stake that day, yet police showed a shocking level of restraint and hesitation. Finally, there’s the presidential
response. Trump responded to BLM with the enactment of a mandatory curfew, and calls for law and order. He referred to the protesters as “thugs,” and he demanded “retribution.” Trump was far friendlier towards the insurrectionists though. Hours after the initial breach, he told them that he loves them, and that they are all very special, but it was time for them to go home. Plus there’s the argument for whether he incited the Capitol Insurrection. But that’s a conversation for another time. So, please stop comparing BLM to ignorant hate groups.
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by Julia Golden ’22
During these challenging times, we all are feeling anxious about this Coronavirus. Now that two vaccines has been made, we are feeling nervous about which is best to take. These are the differences between the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines and which one is best for you to take. Depending on your age, health concerns, and other personal reasons, you can decide which one feels more comfortable for you to use. In New Hampshire, many doses of the Pfizer vaccine were delivered mid-December, with the Moderna vaccine doses arriving soon. Now you may be asking when can I get the vaccine? New Hampshire has different phases on
News Vaccine Coming to New Hampshire who qualifies. The first phase, 1A, is for high-risk health care workers, first responders, and older adults who live in residential care centers. Phase 1B includes: people who are 65 years or older, have two or more severe health conditions, are family caregivers for those who are medically vulnerable or a caregiver of someone under the age of 16, are correctional officers or staff, and/or are first responder health care workers who haven’t already had been vaccinated. It is predicted that all people who qualify for Phase 1 will have it done from December to March. Next, there is Phase 2. Phase 2A is for K-12 school and childcare staff. Then Phase 2B is for people who are of the ages from 50-64. Phase 2 is predicted to be completed
from March to May. Lastly is Phase 3. Phase 3A consists of medically vulnerable people under 50, who are at a high health risk with one or more conditions. Lastly is 3B, which is for everyone else who isn’t already vaccinated. The hope is to have them all vaccinated from May and beyond. Moderna - The Moderna vaccine is for people 18 years and older. This vaccine requires you to take two doses, each separated between 28 days of each other. The Moderna vaccine should be taken 14 days apart from any other vaccines like the flu shot. Some of the most common side effects from this vaccine are pain from the injection, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and nausea. The Moderna vaccine is proven highly effective. When taken
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in two doses, it is 94.1% effective against? Covid. Pfizer- The Pfizer vaccine is for people 16 years of age and older. If you plan on taking the Pfizer vaccine, you must take two doses, each separated within 21 days of each other. The Pfizer vaccine should be held at a temperature between -76°F and -112°F. Because of the strict temperature requirements, the Pfizer vaccine can only be stored in a refrigerator for up to five days. Once mixed, the vaccine should be used within 6 hours. They are six doses per vial of the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine’s most common side effects are pain from the injection, fatigue, headache, chills, fever, and muscle and joint pain.
Campus Preps For Changes Following Vaccine by Madigan Mansour ’21
Campus life is nowhere near what it used to be. This year, students have had to adapt to a completely new and restricted environment in order to stay safe and responsible in response to the ongoing Coronavirus. While it may be hard and frustrating at times, every rule is created with our well being in mind. That being said, it does not mean we can’t reminisce on visiting friends in other dorms, seeing each other without a mask on our face, or gathering in the common room to watch movies. Although it may seem like we’ll never get back to how things used to be, the vaccine could allow us to return to normalcy, or at least close it. There is an abundance of questions that one may have in terms of how Brewster plans to tackle life after the vaccine and by talking with Mr. Bret Barnett, Assistant Head of School and Campus Affairs, a member of the COVID-19 task force, hopefully this article will give you some answers. Q: When and how will we receive the vaccine? A: “In terms of when we will receive the vaccine as a community is still a partially unanswered question,” said Mr. Barnett. “The school is still actively trying to get into the 1B phase of administration, which would put us toward getting it this month. However, the more realistic date would be around March or April in Phase II. For administrating, the health center is currently working on becoming a vaccine site. Other possibilities include a vaccination center will come to Brewster once students are able to be vaccinated.” Q: Will getting vaccinated be required?
A: “I don’t think so, it will be encouraged, but I’m not anticipating the school requiring it,” said Mr. Barnett. As of now, the vaccines are not suitable for kids under the age of 16, so requiring it would cause a tough situation." Q: This leads to the question, will there be different rules and protocols for those who chose not to receive the vaccine? A: “I think so, there comes a point where as a school, you want to educate and protect, so if there are folks who chose not to get a vaccine, I feel an obligation to make sure they’re safe,” said Mr. Barnett. This will include differences such as someone who does decide to receive the vaccine may not be required to wear a mask over time and social distancing protocols will be dialled back. The goal is not to stigmatize those who chose not to receive it; the school simply wants to create the most safe environment possible. Vaccine protocols slightly differ for teachers, who will most likely be required to do so as the school wants an environment in which they are safe. HR is currently looking at what a mandate would like, but the final consensus won’t be reached until more information is available. Mask Wearing and Social Distancing It may be awhile before we can say goodbye to masks. The school is planning to wait until we have developed herd immunity, and even then it will be under examination. Because there isn’t a current way to vaccinate those under 16, mask wearing and social distancing will most likely be a norm throughout the end of the year. However, the percentage of those who are vaccinated may be a cause for
reevaluation.
Estabrook Recently, we received word that eating dinner in Esta is now back in place, which is great. However, one may wonder when it will go back to complete normalcy. Although the school would love to grant this, it most likely will not happen this year due to the repercussions. “Part of the reason for all of the restrictions on eating is the contact tracing,” said Mr. Barnett. With the false positive earlier this year, the CDC required eight other people outside of the dorm to go into quarantine due to eating at meals. With the latest examples on campus, the school did not have to shut down any additional people outside of the dorm. “So until we get vaccinations going, four per table with the plexiglass will be the norm,” he said. Dorm Visitation Sadly, going into other dorms is one of the farthest reaching availability to us this year. Similar to Esta, this would make contact tracing a nightmare if there were to be a positive case. According to Mr Barnett, “This will be the quickest way to quarantine the whole campus”. In other dorms, kids can be maskless at times and use the space to shower. The CDC would require anyone who has been in that space to quarantine should a positive COVID-19 case occur. However, there may be some relaxation in your own dorm, such as the number of people allowed per room and common room. Because dorms quarantine together, these are some protocols that can potentially roll back. Prom & Graduation Mr. Barnett is “really hopeful” that
Following Brewster's COVID protocols, Lilly Grace ’21 lights a ceremonial candle for Jaila Richard ’22 during the National Honor Society induction ceremony on campus in January.
prom and graduation will happen. He says that we will know to what degree limitations and protocols will be in place in a couple months, once they know more information in regards to the effectiveness of the vaccine. Although the school would love to have no rules regarding COVID, safety is still an important issue and we will have to abide by whatever will prioritize this. Brewster is hoping to deliver something that feels normal, even if it’s not quite the same as it has been in the past. As those who plan on receiving the vaccine eagerly wait for it to be administered, it is important that we still follow current guidelines set in place. So far, we’ve had a successful school year given the circumstances, and we are hopeful that it will continue to be one. Although we will see changes in rules and regulations, there is still a while to go until things will be completely back to normal.
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News
COVID Reveals Systemic Racism
New Variants Affect America
by Molly Ryan ’24
by Aubrey Swan ’23
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If you paid even the slightest bit of attention to the news in 2020, you would be very aware of coronavirus and the ongoing battle for racial equality in America. One thing that might be surprising however has been how black and other minority communities were, and continue Medical professionals have protested against systo be, affected by the Covid-19 temic racism which prevents many African AmeriPandemic. This is something that cans from receiving care for COVID. must be understood if we are to photo courtesy of Michael B. Thomas/Getty Image overcome these crises that have wreaked havoc on our country. and throw themselves in front of the “This pandemic can be devastating virus to keep our society running. But for the African American community. this still doesn’t answer the question The fact that the pandemic impacts this of why African Americans, a minority community disproportionately should in this nation, continue to be the most provoke an immediate response, but afflicted and most killed by this virus. I’m not sure that’s the way it has been “This is a systemic crisis. Where happening,” said Mrs. Melissa Lawlor, you live, who you live with, and what Brewster’s Director of Diversity and you do for work are directly related Inclusion. to your chances of getting COVID,” In the very beginning, no one had said Mrs. Lawlor. “If you live alone any clue about the virus or how it in a standalone house and can work would go hand in hand with race. But from home, you are better able to within the first few weeks of the virus’s avoid the virus than if you live in close arrival in the United States, it became quarters with others, in overpopulated clear that Covid-19 was spreading at buildings/cities, and you are an disproportionate rates amongst African essential worker. Your access to health Americans. care also matters, and access can also be The contagion first began spreading limited for these groups by many other in big cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, factors, such as lack of transportation, and New York. It spread like wildfire child care, or ability to take time off of since no one in the public was really work; communication and language too worried about the disease. People barriers; cultural differences between were hopping onto planes, almost patients and providers; and historical obliviously, to go to cities all over the and current discrimination in healthcare world. Not to mention the trains, buses, systems. So in many ways, the pandemic and cabs that were all still being taken is revealing many systemic racial in large numbers. Case counts rose, and inequities.” new cities that previously didn’t have Take a look at Detroit in late March cases like Atlanta, Detroit, Miami, and to mid-April 2020- it was the second others now had the virus. These three largest area in the nation for Covid-19 cities all have one thing in common; deaths, right they are home behind New to divided Yo r k C i t y. populationsThere’s a big extremely rich difference and extremely between p o o r, w h i t e Detroit and and black, old New York, and young. particularly Wi t h t h i s i n came the news population, that African w h e r e Americans are NYC is three times as number one likely to catch nationally in size while Detroit’s metro Covid than white people. It seems odd area is home to some 4.2 million. at first glance because coronavirus is However, Detroit is an extremely black an issue of all races in that it can infect city which is a key proponent in why so anyone of any colour or ethnicity. But many would lose their lives. Detroit’s it starts to make sense once you all see African American population shows it layed out. that systemic racism is alive and well African Americans make up a huge in this country. 77 percent of Detroit proportion of the essential worker blacks are at risk for diabetes, reflective population. Many have jobs in the of how the black community nationally Public Transit sector, or work as teachers is at higher risk for high blood pressure, and caregivers. These workers would asthma, and heart diseases. All of these have to continue to get up each morning
These workers ... get up each morning and throw themselves in front of the virus to keep our society running.
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The Coronavirus continues to spread around the country, and most recently, several new variants or strains of the virus have also been detected. Three variants, all of them being the variants that scientists were most worried about compared to other variants, emerged in the US. These variants are the UK variant, the South African variant, and the Brazilian variant. In the first month of 2021, there were almost 100,000 recorded COVID-19 deaths. That is the highest number of deaths the US has recorded in a month. Are these elevated mortality rates due to the amount of COVID-19 variants in the US right now? Shouldn’t the rates be going down because of the vaccines? Well, the US’s variants right now may not be able to respond to the vaccine as the original COVID-19 virus does. This is because some mutations are located in the spike proteins. The vaccine creates spike proteins when injected so the immune system is able to recognize them and help fight against COVID-19. However, if the said spike proteins are affected by a mutation in a different variant than the original coronavirus, the immune system may not be able to recognize the virus as well. Early research shows just that. The vaccines currently available will
not offer much protection to the South African variant as to the original coronavirus. It has been shown that the vaccine will work against current variants, just not as well as it should. This is because the new viruses are still getting used to their new hosts (human body). Variants right now aren’t seen to be more deadly than the original coronavirus, but more transmissible. This means that a person infected can spread the virus to more people, causing more COVID cases. Thus, leading to more deaths because there are now more infected people. That is most likely why the mortality rate of COVID has increased; not because the virus is more deadly, but because infection rates are increasing due to the cold weather along with the emergence of more infectious variants. In addition, more hospital beds and equipment are in demand as well. There is still hope, though. Dr. Anthony Fauci says that booster shots can be easily made to protect against these new variants due to mRNA technology. Although the recent news that the Astrazeneca booster shot that was said to target the South African variant wasn’t efficient, drug companies are making new booster shots currently to fit new variants. COVID-19 booster shots may actually turn out to be an annual tradition at physicals, along with flu shots.
Artwork courtesy of addgene.org
conditions are considered to be in the high-risk category when dealing with coronavirus infection. Even in normal times, black people have less access to adequate health care facilities and deal with high levels of poverty. Black Americans are much less likely to make as much money as their white brothers and sisters. This has prevented many from getting even standard forms of health care, so many aren’t able to see doctors. The public education systems in African American communities are often weak and poorly funded. A direct result of this is that Black Americans are leery
of inoculations and social distancing measures, partly fueled by social media. The issues being discussed are hard to solve. However, with this being said, if an appropriate response by government bodies and community leaders is taken, we can rebuild our country together. “The first people to get the vaccine are the most susceptible, which are those over 75. Then those over 69. But when the average lifespan of Black Americans is 59, many Black Americans are systemically left out of the first round of vaccines,” said Mrs Lawlor. cont. on pg. 10
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News
March 1, 2021
Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Others Pardoned by Trump by Abner Parzen ’22
Lil Wayne (left), Kodak Black (right)
On January 20th, during his final hours of office, Donald Trump issued pardons and commutations to dozens of people, including rappers, political supporters, and ex-soldiers. Among those granted clemency were famous hip-hop artists Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, as well as Desiree Perez, the chief executive of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, who performs as Lil Wayne, was facing up to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal weapons charge in December of 2020. Even before his indictment, Wayne and the former president shared a friendly relationship. During a visit to Trump’s Doral Golf Club in Miami just days before the election in 2016, the two spent nearly
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black The Quad Cup continues: Two weekends ago, each quad created art on the windows of the Estabrook dining hall, representing their identity on campus. The four quads, Sargent, Goodwin, Mason, and Lamb battle it out each weekend in a campus- wide competition that will end in only one victor. Currently, Mason Quad is in first place, with Goodwin, Sargent and Lamb following respectively. In this artistic competition, Mason (above) took first with Sargent (right) a close second in a beautiful display.
an hour discussing Wayne’s upbringing and his interest in criminal justice reform. His hearing was scheduled to take place at the end of January 2021. Just one day after being pardoned, Lil Wayne’s newest single was released, titled “Ain’t got time.” Although he doesn’t address the pardon directly, Wayne appears to reference the gun charge in question. “The Feds, they hot on us, one hundred on the thermometer,” he raps. “They raided my private plane, I went got one that’s more privater.” He also pays tribute to late rapper Juice WRLD. Kodak Black also appeared on the former president’s last-minute list of pardons and commutations. In 2019, Black was charged with falsifying information on federal forms after attempting to buy firearms. At the time, the rapper was out on bond for sexual assault charges, something he failed to indicate when he made the purchase. In March of 2020, He pleaded guilty and was detained in federal prison.
Following his commutation for the forgery, Black still faces potential prison time for first-degree criminal sexual conduct. His trial has been pushed back repeatedly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and there is no court date set at this time. Shortly after his release, Black tweeted out his thanks to Trump “for his commitment to justice reform and shortening [his] sentence.” He still faces a first-degree sexual misconduct charge in South Carolina. Black’s commutation also brought the release of his newest single, “Last Day In.” In addition, the rapper addresses his distaste for our former president: “Trump just freed me, but my favorite president is on the money/All they hatin’ presidents has become evident to me.” While these pardons have overjoyed many in the hip-hop community, the reasoning behind them remains unclear. In all likelihood, the clemency decisions relate to a complex relationship between cont. on pg. 11
7 March 1, 2021
News
Environmental Catastrophe Affects Economy by Hiba Yahya Al-Nabhani ’22
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Dead zones are a hypoxic area that has oxygen depletion. The Science and Freshwater teacher at Brewster Academy Ms. Sarah Jeanne Shimer defined dead zones as “an area in a lake or ocean where the level of oxygen is too low to sustain aquatic organisms that would otherwise be found there. It is sometimes caused by excessive algae growth.” Although some dead zones do occur naturally, the number, magnitude and the duration of these zones has increased dramatically over the past 50 years, as a result of the anthropocentric contributions which are mainly phosphorus, nitrogen, the burning of fossil fuels, and wastewater coming from agricultural, municipal, and industrial sources. In addition, global warming is a huge contributor to the growth of dead zones. According to a 2012 study conducted by several environmental and economics scholars, there is three times as much reactive nitrogen and phosphorus being pumped into the world’s oceans today compared to preindustrial times. In addition, hypoxia has affected a range of species and impacted commercial and recreational fisheries. Hypoxia exposes organisms to increased predation which results in the endangerment of those species. According to the same study, “Jubilee” is a phenomenon that brings low oxygen waters inshore and impels fish, shrimp and crabs to relocate into intertidal areas where they are effortlessly caught. This may result in an immense fish kill if the low oxygen conditions trap the sea life
longer than they can survive. This can also cause severe ramifications such as reproductive impairment of marine fish populations that are exposed to seasonal hypoxia, with possible long-term effects on population abundance. Dead zones are all around the world. Scientists have discovered that the largest dead zone is in the gulf of Oman and it is bigger than Scotland. Can you imagine that?! A dead zone larger than a whole country! Many
United States, the first is located in the pacific northwest coastal regions and it has been there for seven years in a row, killing crabs, fishes, and other aquatic life. The second is in the Elizabeth River in Virginia, the Southern Branch of the river had become a 141,640 square meter dead-zone with a nearly entirely lifeless river floor. And the most significant dead zone is in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, which surrounds the outfall of the Mississippi River. It reached
Map of measured Gulf hypoxia zone, July-August 2020. (LUMCON/NOAA)
Omanis depend on fishing as a source of income. The ocean and aquatic life play a huge role in Oman’s tourism sector. Oman has one of the world’s most varied and biologically productive oceans; it is also a major nesting area for four out of seven species of turtles found in the world. Scientists say that this dead zone is still expanding and can result in a massive aquatic organism endangerment. There are three dead zones in the
approximately 6,700 square miles in the year 2020. On the 12th of February 2021, a Chevron oil spill occurred off the West Coast in California, and state emergency officials said a pipeline containing a mixture of oil and gasoline was leaking 5 gallons a minute into San Francisco Bay. Which resulted in a 600 gallon spill of oil into the ocean. The ramifications that will occur have not been determined yet, but oil spills were one of the major
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reasons that helped the huge deadzone in Oman form. Therefore, San Francisco Bay is in grave danger. Now you may ask yourself are dead zones ever reversible? [See sidebar below.] Well the truth is dead zones are very hard to reverse. But the major factor to reverse dead zones is for governments to believe that this is a huge issue that needs to be addressed instantly no matter what the costs are. A plan needs to be made to prevent excess nutrients from running to oceans and lakes. Governments must also take measures to ensure that economic development does not cause the resurgence of terrestrial nutrient release to the sea and lakes. Commercial fishing activities must be reduced enough to allow diminished aquatic organisms to recover. In addition, the trawls and dredges on fishing boats must be monitored and designed in a way to prevent the depletion of important aquatic communities. We must aim for a full recovery because partial recoveries leave eutrophic ecosystems in a highly unstable state. It is true that recovering dead zones may cost a lot, but the long term benefits outweigh the costs. Imagine a world where all oceans, lakes, and rivers became dead zones. Well guess what? It’s happening and if human kind continues polluting at this pace the spread will be fast and smooth. To conclude we should all remember President Biden’s words regarding addressing the climate crisis, “We can’t wait any longer. We see with our own eyes. We know it in our bones. It is time to act!″
Possible Occurance Of Dead Zones In New Hampshire by Hiba Yahya Al-Nabhani ’22
To provide information about local bodies of water, we conducted an interview Mrs Sarah Jeanne Shimer the Freshwater Ecology teacher at Brewster: Q: What is the main reason that a dead zone could form in the Lakes Region in New Hampshire? A: “A huge factor that contributes to growing dead zones is an excess of nutrients,” said Ms. Shimer. “People use fertilizer all the time because they want their lawns to look fresh. However, when it rains that fertilizer leaks into the lake encouraging algae growth which could potentially cause a deadzone because the more algae is growing the lower the oxygen is in the lake.” Q: Are there any dead zones in
the Lakes Region in New Hampshire? A: “Well there are three terms that determine whether a lake is healthy or not. The first is ‘oligotrophic’ which means the lake is healthy. An example of an oligotrophic lake is Lake Winnipesaukee. The second is a ‘mesotrophic’ lake which means the lake is not healthy, yet it is not polluted that much. The third type is eutrophic which means that the lake is full of nutrients and it is polluted. Lake Hermit is considered a eutrophic lake and it has a potential chance of becoming a dead zone.” Q: Can dead zones spread between oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes? A: “Yes they can, through human activity. For example if the boat’s motors are not cleaned before moving into another lake, algae might be stuck on the boat, especially a specific type
of algae called milfoil that wraps itself around motors. If the boats are not cleaned then the algae will be spread into other lakes.” Q: What are the measures that the people and students in Wolfeboro can take to prevent dead zones from growing in the Lakes Region in New Hampshire? A: “Reduce the use of fertilizers when they are not necessary. If you have a boat make sure to clean the boat from all the algae before entering another lake. Talk about the issue, educate yourself and others. Reflect on how to improve the outputs you are putting in the environment from your day to day actions.” Q: How do you envision the future if dead zones continued to grow? A: “People do not realize the impact until they see the huge consequences
and relate it to their personal lives. Someday people are going to realize how much they depend on oceans. So it will become more of an issue they can talk about because of the dire circumstances. And that realization will occur when it’s too hard to reverse the damage. Environmental justice is becoming more prominent and this generation of youth are very passionate about the environment.” Thank you to Ms. Shimer for her time and expertise. If you live in the area, and are interested in working on this problem, you can learn more by visiting NH's Department of Environmental Services and its website. Or if you are interested in working more locally, on issues facing Wolfeboro's many surrounding lakes, you can contact the Wentworth Watershed Association.
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Sports
March 1, 2021
Womens' Athletics Challenged by Equality by Vivi Specktor ’22
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Women in sports have lower salaries and typically tend to be less acclaimed than men. While the rules in sports are the same for all players, underlying sexism takes place in multiple aspects of females’ and males’ athletic careers. For example, female athletes are more likely to have lower salaries, fewer sponsors, poorer contracts and little to no media attention. While Brewster ’s athletic organizations don’t cooperate with sponsors and salaries, you have to broaden your perspective to really spot gender discrimination within sports here on campus. The question is, does Brewster have an internalized discrimination against girls and their ability to perform athletically? For example, comparing girls on varsity to some of the boys varsity players? “I think that internalized discrimination starts much earlier than Brewster in terms of the messages we are given through the media and through what we are told is ‘good athletic performance,’” said Mrs. Melissa Lawlor, varsity girls’ lacrosse coach. “These messages take time to undo, but from an early age we are given gender-specific feedback about athletic performance that affects how we view athletes in general. College scholarship money lies primarily with men’s teams (mostly football and basketball) due to their revenue base, and that message can hurt girls who are athletically talented but whose teams are not necessarily selling tickets.” Mrs.Lawlor makes a good point, “gender-specific feedback about athletic performance” is something that a majority of women are surrounded with while growing up. Whether it is being told that you can’t perform a strenuous action as well as a boy could, or something among the lines of women being generally weaker, society enforces the idea that men are the stronger sex. As for how gender roles take place at Brewster, It’s interesting to consider if the girls’ athletics get less attention or less consideration than the boys. “I actually haven’t felt like the girls’ lacrosse team gets less attention than the boys, but then again, I’m a coach, and not a player. I feel like we both
Go Bobcat Nation!
have great fan bases and our equipment needs are met at the same rate as the boys,” said Mrs. Lawlor. Brewster as a community does a great job of keeping discrimination out of our athletic departments, but there are also federal laws that contribute to enforcing this does not happen. For example, Title IX. Title IX legislation requires that women and men be provided equitable opportunities to participate in sports. Title IX does not require institutions to offer identical sports but an equal opportunity to play. “Title IX went into effect in 1972, eight years after I graduated from high school,” said Assistant Athletic Director Mrs. Kate Turner, ““Yippee!” I have closely followed its effects on sports for girls and women from that time. I was very fortunate to have attended schools in the decade before its inception that were well ahead of the curve offering an equal variety of athletic opportunities for both genders. Otherwise, I would not be in my current job.” “It was slow going for maybe the first decade and a half as sports for girls/women were introduced,” Mrs. Turner continued “When I came to Brewster in 1986, although we offered an equal number of offerings, the majority of our girls came to us with little prior athletic experience. Youth programs for girls were scarce at that time while boys had many and various options. What to do? In the late ‘90’s, I was proud to assist Mrs. Martin in founding the girls’ division of Abenaki Lacrosse for girls from 5th to 8th grades. That was about 22 years ago and it has been wonderful to see how that program, along with many similar programs throughout the country and in a wide variety of sports, has equaled the ‘playing field’ for the girls.” There were some students who questioned the division of the advanced fitness courses by gender this past fall. Some felt this might have been unsensible or unnecessary, and possibly had a sexist intention. “Separating classes by gender has never been regarded as sexist as we do this in multiple sports such as soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc.” Says Mrs.Turner, “It was due to requests from girls that we have an advanced fitness class for them. Some girls told us that they didn’t feel comfortable in the advanced class in the past so they didn’t join it.” While we still have a long way to go as a society with correcting the gender stereotypes and divide, not only in sports but in many aspects, Brewster’s athletic inclusion is applaudable and deserves recognition.
Brewster student Nora McCabe ’23 taking advantage of open gym.
Tom Brady Wins 7th Superbowl
by Julia Golden ’22
The Superbowl is an annual football competition where two teams in the NFL play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The AFC and NFC division champions were the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of the top ten mostwatched American television programs of all time, nine of them are Superbowls. On February 7th, 2021, Superbowl LV took place in Tampa Bay, Florida. QB Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs vs. QB Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers blew out the Chiefs with a 31-9 win. At the end of the game, Brady won his 5th MVP award. This year, 22,000 people were allowed in the stands. About 7,500 people were healthcare workers who had received two shots of the vaccination. These people have witnessed Superbowl history. Tom Brady has had ten Superbowl appearances and has now won seven Superbowl rings, six for the New England Patriots. The Steelers and Patriots are tied with the most Superbowl wins. For the first time in NFL history, a team played in its home town for the Superbowl: the Buccaneers played in their home stadium, Raymond James Stadium. Prior to this season, the oldest person to make it to the Superbowl was Matt Strover, the Indianapolis Colts kicker at age 42, and Tom Brady has now broken that record being 43 years old. He is also the first QB to play in a Superbowl in three different decades. Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have faced off four times, each winning two times. So this game was the ultimate Tie Breaker. Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took home the Lombardi Trophy with their 31-20 win in the Super Bowl
against the San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay last went to the Superbowl in 2003, where they won against the Raiders. Brady won his last Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2019 against the LA Rams. We saw the Brady-Gronkowski combo during this game, with Gronkowski scoring two touchdowns during the first half of the game, bringing the Bucs to 14-3. Antonio Brown, former Steelers and brief Patriots player, also scored a touchdown with a one-yard catch making the Bucs ahead 21-6. The Chiefs did not score one touchdown the whole game. Many people thought the game was boring because Brady kept scoring and after the first half, they were far ahead. As for the half time show, many people were disappointed. Normally during halftime shows, there are guest appearances, but due to COVID, The Weeknd was just playing by himself. On campus, one student said, “It was anti-climatic. I was expecting a guest appearance.” Another person said, “Although The Weeknd is a great artist, it would have been pretty cool for someone to join him on stage like Drake or Post Malone.” The Weeknd even invested seven million dollars of his own money into the performance to try to make the half time show entertaining with many dancers and face masks to keep it Covid-friendly. It was a miracle the Chiefs got to play. Before the game, twenty players on the Chiefs, including QB Patrick Mahomes, went to a barbershop to get their hair cut. Unfortunately, the barber meanwhile tested positive for Covid-19. Sources from ESPN stated that Daniel Kilgore, who plays center on the Chiefs, was mid haircut when he was pulled away.
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March 1, 2021
Sports
Brewster Girls' Hockey Looks Forward to New Season by Tony Gleason ’21 and Molly Ryan ’24
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The Brewster girls varsity hockey team has come a long way since the 2018-2019 season, when they lost every game. Despite COVID restrictions, the squad has been practicing out at the Pop Whalen Ice Arena, in hopes to be able to compete a few times this season. “We went 5-14-4 last year which was a huge improvement compared to the last six years where the girls hockey team hadn’t won more than one game,” said Head Coach Ms. Jamie Smith, when asked about some highlights from the previous season. “We have a bunch of little fighters, we scored 40 more goals than the previous season. Coaches from some of the other schools approached me after games to tell me Brewster is going to be a force to reckon with in a few years.” Looking forward to this year ’s squad, Senior Kara Luby ’21 and junior Lauren Ward ’22 are the captains. Two players to keep an eye on this season are the two Chatham University commits, previously mentioned senior captain Luby and senior Erin Carter. “I definitely want to become a stronger player and work on some of the stuff I could get better at which is basically everything and just continue to work hard and bond with my teammates,” said freshman Miranda Stilwell ’24, when discussing goals of the season. On the same subject, Coach Smith said, “We hope to play games, hold each other accountable, learn something new every day, become more mentally tough
because the mental side is more tough than you may think.” With eight newcomers to the team this year comes adjusting to a new lifestyle, however, the new Bobcats seemed to have handled this well. “It’s definitely a lot better than I thought it would be. Our coaches are welcoming and open,” said freshman Grace Matthews ’24. “Prior to the season, Coach Smith reached out to all of us and made sure we knew that she was there for us if we needed anything, which really made us all feel comfortable going into the season knowing that someone was there for us,” said Stilwell. “It made the transition easier.” Coach Smith said that she is looking forward to this season. “Just being on the ice every day,” said Coach Smith. “Grateful to have the team on the ice, every single practice to be on the ice because there are many hockey players who aren’t getting on the ice or aren’t at their schools. No longer taking little things for granted.” After having their previous eight games canceled, the Bobcats are scheduled to open up their season away on Friday, February 26th against Brewster’s rival, New Hampton School. Despite their massive step forward last season, the Bobcats aren’t done yet and will look to build off last year’s improvement and have an even more successful season. “Grateful to be on the ice every single day. Practice is where you get better and games are the reward for all of the hard work,” said Coach Smith.
#3 Halle Mules ’23, #15 Delphine Tamborello ’23, #18 Shannon Murphy ’23, and #7 Zoe Tamborello ’23 are friends again after playing against their fellow teammates.
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Christi Trudel ’24 brings the puck into the offensive zone creating scoring opportunities.
Hockey, Lacrosse Fun Continues on Outdoor Ice Rick on DeWolf Field
Kara Luby '21 and Erin Carter '21 high fiving on the community ice rink, which follows Brewster's COVID protocals
Thank You for Staying Safe Brewster!
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Features A Biography of Amanda Gorman Page 10
by Kaeli Bennett '21
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Amanda Gorman made a splash in the news after performing her original poem The Hill We Climb at U.S. President Biden’s inauguration on January 20th. Her presence on the inauguration stage was inspiring, and her words perfectly represented the historic context in this year’s transfer of power. To much of the public, she came out of nowhere to excel in her performance, but in truth, she has been leading an impressive life all of her 22 years. Amanda, her twin sister, and older brother were born and raised in Los Angeles, California by their mother. Amanda’s love for writing started early on, when she was just a few years old, and she discovered her infatuation with poetry when she was only a third grader. Gorman began winning awards and stepping into big roles at only sixteen years old, when she became the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles in 2014. The Los Angeles chapter of the Youth Poet Laureate was created in 2014, so Gorman was the first to be in that position. She went on to receive the
COVID Reveals Systemic Racism
cont. from pg. 5
“That is an issue. We need better healthcare in our cities, better lowincome housing and unemployment support systems, and more care for our essential workers. If we don’t have this the cycle repeats itself.” The heartbreaking truth is that no one really has a concrete plan to help break down the systems of inequality that exist today. Economic analysts predict that the middle class will continue to shrink and more will fall into poverty; this is something that particularly applies to the African American population. More will find themselves furloughed down the road due to the long term losses many businesses will face because of the economic fallout triggered by coronavirus. Everyone will be hurt in the long term if we allow for such inequalities to continue to exist. “Stimulus is a start but it is certainly not enough, especially for low income families who are really struggling,” said Mrs. Lawlor. 2020 will undoubtedly go down as one of the worst years of our lifetimes. We all lost something or someone special to ourselves; felt the solitude of silence during lockdowns. Now is the time to break down our boundaries and realize that we are all equal. People of color are still oppressed today; it is crucial for us to stop this oppression if we want a better future for the world.
Amanda Gorman reciting her poem The Hill We Climb at President Biden's Inaguration. Photo taken by Patrick Semansky for AP News.
title of Inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017 at only 19 years old, which is a huge honor and includes a great deal of opportunities. At the same time, Gorman was attending Harvard University, of which she is now a cum
laude graduate. According to Gorman’s website, she has now performed for various well-known persons, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, all before January 20, 2021, when she
March 1, 2021
performed for the entire country. Not only has she performed her poetry for the worlds’ finest, Gorman has additionally been recognized and awarded. As mentioned on her website, “She [Gorman] has received a Genius Grant from OZY Media, as well as recognition from Scholastic Inc., YoungArts, the Glamour magazine College Women of the Year Awards, and the Webby Awards.” Gorman has accomplished all of this despite struggling with an auditory processing disorder and language deficiencies. As Dr. Craig Gemmell stated in a recent story of his, this could mean a lot for Brewster students who also have learning differences. Dr. Gemmell himself, like many in the Brewster community, grew up with dyslexia. Gorman’s commanding performance reminded us, as Dr. Gemmell writes in his story, “... Great minds don’t think alike at Brewster…” and that is something to embrace. Amanda Gorman is an example of excellence in the face of adversity in many different ways, and is absolutely someone to look up to.
Brewster Interim Studies in February (right) Brewster students enrolled in the Dog Sledding experience wake the huskies from their straw beds to get ready for another day of sledding. Senior Katie Knapp ’21 smiles in the foreground.
(left) Morgan Johnson ’22, at left, directs Val Ramos ’22, in the recording studio, as they collaborate on music for the Music Business experience with Mr. Whyte. This group meets in the professional recording studio on the second floor of the Academic Building, in the sophomore team area.
11 March 1, 2021
by John Northrop ’24
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American Militia Movement ideals. They committed crimes across America, including murder, and engaged in a little something known as paper terrorism. They also taught their members survival and other military tactics that would lead to the armed citizens of the 1990s. Throughout the 1990s, standoffs occurred across the country, at places like Ruby Ridge and Waco. The FBI engaged far-right conspiracists across the nation, and during this time, their popularity grew, with acts like the Oklahoma City bombing further increasing public awareness. And throughout the country, these groups continued popping up, all the while they cited the constitution, stating that these paramilitary groups were justified under the second amendment. In the modern-day, these groups have reformed to better survive and thrive in a whole new world. A m o n g t h e s e g ro u p s i s t h e Three Percenters. Like most militia movements, the Three Percenters are very anti-government. They formed after President Obama took office, who they declared would force the government upon them. Although this group states that they are not a militia or anti-government, the way they are organized would say otherwise. Like other groups, the Three Percenters are involved in violent acts and are known to threaten violence. They are known to engage in common paramilitary actions such as marksmanship. The Oath Keepers are another paramilitary militia movement. They hold the same values as most other militia movements and are known to announce them publicly. In particular, this group focuses on recruiting military personnel, police officers, and other first responders. The group claims that its mission is ensuring the rights of the American citizen, with an emphasis on
The Militia group known as the Oath Keepers posing in front of a sign that bears their name.
gun rights. Like all other groups listed here, they have engaged in a list of crimes, including engaging protesters violently while heavily armed. Another group commonly associated with the Militia movement is The Proud Boys. Their members are known to participate in paramilitary activities, although they are not like the common militia. In fact, most do not associate them with the wider AMM. However, they engage in the same actions as several groups such as the Oath Keepers, marching alongside these groups on several occasions. They can be attributed to actions such as harassing minorities or attending at the Unite the Right rally, a white supremacist gathering in Charlottesville, Virginia. This group is incredibly dangerous, advocating violence against their enemies, such as socialists. The groups previously listed here (except Posse Comitatus) and other far-right groups took part in the United
States capital storming. The Oath Keepers and the white nationalist street gang, the Proud Boys, coordinated action against the capital. The Oath Keepers moved in an organized fashion on the insurrection day, and several members were convicted on conspiracy charges. These groups have been shunned by a large percentage of the United States population. However, a smaller portion approves and views these men as standing up for the American people against a tyrannical government. Overall, the evolution of these groups has been a long road. To the current day, they have found ways to stay relevant and even grow in popularity. The militia movement has reached its peak reputation in the past year, with their groups landing spots on the daily news. With their actions at BLM protests followed by the US capital’s insurrection, these groups have become part of our everyday lives.
Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Others Pardoned by Trump cont. from pg. 6
Trump and hip-hop that dates back to the 1990s, when he was a frequent clubgoer and a lyrical symbol of extravagant wealth. Even more complicated are the lastminute pardons that Trump extended to some of his allies, including Kwame Kilpatrick and Elliot Broidy, but particularly political strategist Stephen Bannon. In order for a presidential pardon to take effect, it must be “accepted” by the receiving party. Significantly, as Chief Justice John Marshall wrote in 1833, the decision to accept a pardon is an admission of guilt. For many political figures, this can be a legitimate dilemma because taking the pardon conveys
to the world that they committed the crime and have been spared some or all consequences. Steve Banon has been accused, along with others, of defrauding donors contributing to Trump’s infamous “wall” along our southern border. Initially, Bannon vowed to fight the charges, stating that “this entire fiasco is to stop people who want to build the wall.” Even after accepting the pardon, the dismissal of charges against Bannon may not end his involvement in the border wall fundraising fraud. As he likely has essential testimony regarding the scheme, the U.S. attorney may decide to give Bannon formal “testimonial” immunity to force him to testify against his co-defendants or others involved in
the fraud. Since accepting the pardon would protect Bannon from federal prosecution, he would have no basis to refuse to testify. Furthermore, if he refused to elaborate, he could be sent to jail for contempt. Any attempt of a cover-up that falsely denies facts establishing his guilt, or that of his co-defendants, will expose himself to prosecution for perjury. Bannon’s acceptance of the pardon may also be treated as a damning admission of guilt in lawsuits against him seeking to redistribute the frauded contributions back to donors. A presidential pardon only excuses federal crimes, but it does not protect Bannon from state prosecutors.
While Trump’s pardons have raised controversy, his overall decisions of clemency don’t appear too atypical when compared to those of other presidents. According to the Pew Research Center, Trump has the secondfewest instances of clemency issued by all U.S. presidents. In addition, he granted the fewest, accepting just 2% of requests for pardons or commutations. Over 80% of those, however, were issued during his last months in the White House. Trump has proved to use his clemency power sparingly. Besides hip-hop artists, the types of people who received pardons were relatively similar to those chosen in previous administrations.
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Ideologically driven, heavily armed paramilitary organizations have been around for many years. From the Irish Republican Army to the Sturmabteilung (SA) in Germany, these groups have plagued nations and sewed the seeds of chaos. They were all formed for different reasons, to protect a political party, an ideological cause, or are built out of fear. However, one movement stands out from the rest of the world. Composed of several groups across a massive landmass, the American Militia Movement (AMM from here on) has received massive amounts of attention. Talking about the AMM is very complicated, as the United States has a history with militias. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution remarks, “ A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,” has created many controversies. The United States National Guard originates from pre-Revolutionary Militias. Initially, these militias were formed for public safety and security, and the British Military was too busy fighting wars and subjugating continents. However, in the modern-day, when someone says militia, the first thing that a person would think of is a man in a bulletproof vest armed with an assault rifle, waving the American flag. FarRight militia movements have taken over the stage with their organized military-styled training, their marches at rallies, and their many iconic symbols. And now, of course, the capital riot. But how did it get this way? How did these groups rise to such prominence? Let us start with Posse Comitatus, Latin for “Force of the Country,” a farright populist movement in the 1960s. The group was an anti-government far-right populist movement and held evangelical and white-supremacist
Features
12 Page 12
by Zylpha Largay ’22
features
March 1, 2021
BAHARMONY
Hall Talk “I’m not good at moderating ice cream” – DG
1) Who is your valentine this year? 2) If you had a theme song, what would it be? 3) Who is your Brewster ride or die? 4) What’s an assumption made about you that isn’t true? 5) What’s your biggest secret?
“The best thing about coming to the US is Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” What are they gonna do? Get mad? VZ, AN & AD H+A=ha Todd
Caroline Swearingen ’22 1) Me myself and I 2) Happily by One Direction 3) Katie Carey 4) That I’m a weirdo 5) I eat AirPods
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Archer McClain ’23 1) My mom 2) ‘Do I wanna know’ by the Arctic Monkeys 3) Julia Golden 4) That I’m gay 5) I’m obsessed with music
Sophia Renaud ’22 1) Aden Lipsy 2) Champagne and sunshine 3) Maeve O’Keefe 4) That people walk over me 5) That I have an accent.
Kara Luby ’21 (right) 1) My dog Winnie 2) “Mamma Mia, here we go again” 3) Erin Carter 4) That I’m bad at school 5) I like everyone at Brewster Ariela Kellerman ’22 1) Sasha Shafer 2) Reggaeton 3) Sasha Shaffer 4) That I’m loud 5) Been doing gymnastics for 15 years
Valentine's Day Horoscopes
by Zylpha Largay ’22
AquariusIf you’re single- Single Aquarius may find themselves feeling highly independent and self-focused this Valentine’s Day, even more so than usual. If you’re in a relationship-Your partner will appreciate how open you are, and it’s an excellent time for you to strengthen your bond. PiscesIf you’re single- This is a day for you to let go of old grudges you’re holding with your past love life. If you’re in a relationship- Pisces may find it easier to communicate their romantic feelings through creative means like music or art. AriesIf you’re single- You’re all about sharing the love this Valentine’s Day, today is a good day to go out to dinner with some friends! If you’re in a relationship- This day will be good for you and your partner to catch up and discuss your feelings. TaurusIf you’re single- This Valentine’s day would be a good day for you to treat yourself. Have a spa day! Relax and
Talking to your American friends like: asking google: “-what on earth is an ounce?! -75 Fahrenheit in Celsius? -5’8 in cm? -how much is an inch?” - HA
enjoy yourself. If you’re in a relationship- Tauruses are feeling quite enthusiastic this Valentine’s day. This could lead to a grand gesture for your partner. GeminiIf you’re single- Geminis are quite flirtatious, although similar to those in relationships, you’re looking to finally settle down with someone. If you’re in a relationship- Geminis tend to be open to new experiences, which makes your love life adventurous. That being said, you are looking for the next step in your relationship. You’re committed and feel very connected to your partner. You’re ready to take on new challenges with them! CancerIf you’re single- You may have completely forgotten about how it’s Valentine’s day, you’ve been so busy with school or work. Try not to focus on your end goals, and instead enjoy your experiences with loved ones. If you’re in a relationship- Try to find a creative way to ask out your valentine. Even if you’re already in a relationship, your partner will appreciate the gesture. LeoIf you’re single- Now is the time for you
to learn to love yourself before pursuing a new partner. If you’re in a relationship-Leos already in a relationship should expect your partner to feel just as in love and enthusiastic about the relationship as they are. VirgoIf you’re single - Opening up and talking about your feelings isn’t something Virgos really do. But this Valentine’s Day is a great day to step outside of your comfort zone and be more affectionate with the people you love. If you’re in a relationship - Spend a relaxed night inside with your partner, grab some popcorn, and watch some romantic movies. LibraIf you’re single - Spend some money on yourself and your closest friends this Valentine’s Day. Chances are you have some relationships that could use rekindling. If you’re in a relationship - Libras tend to be very romantic, you will most likely go all out for your partner and make sure to spend quality time together.
ScorpioIf you’re single - Today could be a good day to reflect on your past mistakes and you may find yourself apologizing to past lovers or friends. If you’re in a relationship - Spend the day inside, make a fort with your partner and get cozy. SagittariusIf you’re single - Many people want to be your valentine, but stay true to yourself and spend the day taking care of yourself. You enjoy your own company. If you’re in a relationship - Your strong sense of self-worth might be telling you that chocolates and flowers are overrated, but it’s best to stick to basics when giving gifts this year. CapricornIf you’re single - Capricorns tend to like to do things on their own timeline. You will probably end up buying yourself a box of chocolates and a big teddy bear for yourself. If you’re in a relationship - Treat yourself and your partner to a yummy meal, followed by strawberries while watching your favorite movies.