Nov. 14, 2018

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COLLEGE OF DUPAGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER — 14 NOVEMBER 2018

VO L U M E 5 3

COD CELEBRATES UPCOMING FRIDA KAHLO EXHIBIT

NEWS

FEATURES

OPINION

America's Opioid Epidemic p8

The Tragedy of Untested Rape Kits

The Dangers of Free Hate Speech

p16

p20

E F I L ENT

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INDEX

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NEWS······················ 04

What your country can do for you

FEATURES··············· 10

Classical music as a psychological exploration

OPINION·················· 20

The dangers of free hate speech

SPORTS··················· 22

Intermural experiment a success?

COFFEE BREAK······ 26

Puzzles and your COD weather forecast

COD Courier Student Newspaper @codcourier

ON THE COVER

@codcourier

Alison Pfaff

CONTACT US

SRC 1220 • 630-942-2689

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF··································Tessa Morton ASSIGNMENT REPORTER·······················Joey Weslo NEWS EDITOR·······································Madison Venckus FEATURES EDITOR·································Reanna Comiso OPINION EDITOR···································Kimberly Wilson SPORTS EDITOR····································Miguel Contreras HEAD PHOTO EDITOR·····························Alison Pfaff ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR····················Lindsay Piotter GRAPHICS EDITOR·································Brandon Beckwith ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR···············John Noonan SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER······················Trinity Jefferson ADVISER - Jim Fuller fullerj103@cod.edu

ABOUT US

The Courier is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, except for the first and last Wednesday of each semester and the week of spring break as a public forum with content chosen by student editors. One copy free, additional copies available upon request.

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Deliver all correspondence to SSC 1220 between regular office hours or mail to the Courier, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL. 60137.

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NEWS

Photos by Alison Pfaff

WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU Tessa Morton, Editor-in-Chief While many young people today view it is a last resort, for those who serve in the military it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Misconceptions about what it means to serve may leave many people reluctant to consider it an option. The reality is much different from the image presented in media and entertainment.

Although there are those who do deploy, significant numbers of those in the military, in the reserve, or in the National Guard are fulfilling support roles from home. While doing so they are given the opportunity to serve their country and study and develop long-term technical skills. “[Deploying] isn’t what the military is necessarily about,” said Josh Schneider, College of DuPage

(COD) student and a member of the Illinois National Guard.

“There are a thousand different jobs in the military. You can do anything from being a cook to being in the infantry, and it doesn’t mean you are doing anything less than anyone else. It’s a way to serve.”

Schneider joined the guard at 17, and although he was not sure whether he wanted to join the active duty military, he knew he wanted to get a college degree and serve his country.

“The National Guard fit what I wanted,” Schneider said.

Serving in the Illinois National Guard means 100 percent of Schneider’s in-state tuition is covered. Not only is Schneider able to meet his educational goals, but he also benefits from the opportunity to develop personally and profes-

sionally.

“There’s a large variety of people that are in the military and a lot have joined for different reasons [like a] sense of duty or to go to school,” Schneider said. “It allows them to develop two sides of their lives, their civilian side and their career.”

On Sunday, America woke up to celebrate Veterans Day and to thank those who have served their country, but every year the number of veterans in America dwindles. As military recruiters work to convince new soldiers to enlist, they contend with a generation of young people who either cannot serve or lack the interest to do so. The percentage of Americans who are veterans has shrunk to single digits, and the percentage of Americans who are currently active duty is less than 1 per-

cent, according to the Pew Research Center. While an all-volunteer military allows Americans the benefit of choice previous generations did not enjoy, it also means significant numbers of Americans cannot name someone who has served.

“The degree of separation between those that serve or know someone has served has expanded,” said Jose Alferez, manager of student financial assistance at COD and former manager of veterans services at COD. “It used to be that many would have an immediate family member, and now most people can’t come up with someone, or it’s some distant relative or friend.”

This creates a greater problem for recruiters as, according to the Army Times, a large number of those who join do so because a family member

NEWS NEWS

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I certainly wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t served. The fact that I had the opportunity [to go to college] after my military career really helped set me up for success.

- Jose Alferez

has served.

“It has become a family business,” USAREC Sgt. Maj. Anthony Bowers told the Army Times.

Adding to this challenge is the stigma and the misconceptions associated with service.

“Even though it’s not a negative subject, it can be perceived that way because no one knows what that world is like, “said Alferez. “They see what they see on TV, for good and bad, and they assume that that’s the whole story.”

Schneider agreed. In his experience many young people don’t view the military as a possible option.

“A lot of people see the military as something they’ll never be able to achieve, and it’s not something right for them,” said Schneider. “Just because you join the military doesn’t mean you are going to be in a position to be deployed or in a combat zone. I’ve been in for almost six years and have never deployed anywhere.”

While concerns about combat injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and national recognition of the health issues returning soldiers face have increased, the majority of those who serve are not exposed to the combat that

puts some veterans at a high risk for trauma exposure or traumatic brain injuries. According to the National Institute of Health, PTSD affects 7.7 million American adults, and although veterans brought the health issue to public attention, the illness should not be solely associated with military service or combat trauma.

Veteran’s Day reminds Americans of the gratitude owed to those who have served on our behalf. However, the “sea of goodwill” soldiers face today when they return home is not always the kind of gratitude veterans want and need.

“The ‘sea of goodwill’ is a lot of good people trying to do a lot of great things, but it can be overwhelming,” said Alferez. “You are trying to navigate reintegration into civilian life. One of the things I think people can truly do to help vets is to really provide them with opportunities to utilize their skills.”

While gratitude may seem like a “non-problem,” as Alferez described it, many veterans feel that good intentions can go too far.

“The narrative that has been established for returning veterans has been unhelpful, [that] we’re continued on page 6

Veteran's Services staff

NEWS NEWS

6 continued from page 5

broken,” retired Green Beret Scott Mann told Business Insider. “That couldn’t be further from the truth in most cases. Most of the veteran population are high functioning, and we actually need them … putting [their] skills into play.”

Alferez, who served in the Marine Corp for four years, is grateful for his years of service and the opportunities it afforded him.

“There are a lot of skills that I learned, beyond the technical stuff … [I] wouldn’t have picked up anywhere else. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t served,” said Alferez. “The fact that I had the opportunity [to go to college] after my military career really helped set me up for success.”

Alferez recognizes many struggle to know how to appropriately express their appreciation to veterans, but he encourages Americans to “recognize service members’ work and place true value on it.” What veterans really want and need are jobs in the civilian sector that allow them to translate their skills from the military into the workforce.

For many who join, these skills are

a huge motivating factor. The educational benefits, healthcare and technical training the military provides allow a service member to seek opportunities and develop skills that open doors to long-term opportunities.

“Sometimes you need to step back, and look at it, and see that it’s not only about what you can do for your country, but also about what your country can do for you,” Schneider said.

Many at COD take advantage of the opportunity to develop technical skills and seek education at a lower cost, but Schneider encourages COD students to consider the other options available to them, like the guard. Schneider is one of hundreds of COD students who are currently in the service and the number of COD students who are serving or have served fluctuates between 2 to 3 percent every year.

“It should be an option that people are more open to and, for whatever reason, people tend to close themselves off to that,” Schneider said. “Soldiers are just average people who have been trained to do a job, and that’s it.

Uniforms on display during the Veteran's Day Ceremony

Q&A with Sergeant First Class Michael Vertucci, Recruiter for the United States Army.

Is it easy or difficult to recruit people from this area?

I wouldn’t say that recruiting is necessarily easy in the DuPage County area or the Glen Ellyn area. It’s just a matter of educating and informing people on the opportunities they have to serve their country and community. Recruiting for the most part is fairly simple if your main objective is to help people and guide them towards a better future.

Why do people from this area choose to join the military?

From my perspective people are joining the Army National Guard for the opportunities it will give them for their future. The typical applicant I deal with sees that they will be able to separate themselves from other candidates when applying for civilian jobs and also we are willing to give them a job skill and pay them to learn it at the same time. Typically, people are looking for ways to pay for college, and since we will cover all of their tuition it is an added benefit of serving part time in the Army National Guard. I deal mostly with criminal justice students, and they are able to see the competitive edge it will give them against other candidates when applying for police departments. I do all I can to make sure they are prepared when looking into Public Safety careers.

What challenges and benefits of military service have you seen in those who get out of the military and pursue work or school?

I think the biggest challenge for people getting out of the military and pursuing a civilian career is the change or feeling a sense of purpose again. Not only the change with the environment but the change of the individuals that they work with on a regular basis. The bond that is built in the military and the trust you have with your counterpart is unlike anything you will find in the civilian sector. I believe that is why most service members look to get into para-military organizations such as the police department, fire departments, how many security and government agencies. It makes for a much easier transition and typically most servicemembers do very well within a line of work where people can count on each other at all times and where people are pursuing the same the same goal. Lastly, I feel a servicemember must have a plan when leaving the military, otherwise it is a very tough adjustment. I encourage people if they don’t have a plan when leaving the military, consider staying in a little bit longer until you know exactly what it is you are wanting to do.

For service members who get out I think that they have set themselves up for a great future in regards to schooling and a civilian career. Most companies and employers are looking to hire military members due to their work ethic and the attributes they have built during their time in the military. The qualities people learn in the military can’t be taught in any college classroom. With that, a military member, using the focus they were taught in the military, can do quite well in a classroom setting. I believe the discipline and accomplishment of the mission can carry over into the classroom from their time in the military.

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NEWS

AMERICA’S OPIOID EPIDEMIC Madison Venckus, News Editor Opioid addiction and subsequent deaths are at an epidemic level both in Illinois and the country as a whole, and a local drug addiction counselor believes doctors must become more aware about how prescription painkillers are major part of the problem.

Drug overdoses were responsible for the deaths of over 72,000 people in the United States in 2017, according to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Deaths are at an all time high with overdoses increasing by 10 percent from 2016. Of these deaths, almost 49,000 were caused by a dangerous synthetic opioid called fentanyl.

As fans and supporters everywhere became distraught over deaths from Tom Petty, Prince, Lil Peep and, most recently, Mac

Miller, the one thing all these musicians had in common was opioids and fentanyl. The Levenson Foundation Founder Ben Levenson stated in an interview with The New York Times, that fentanyl can be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and over 25 times more powerful than heroin.

Levenson said fentanyl was initially used to make death painless.

Contrary to other pain management medications such as Vicodin (Hydrocodone), morphine and oxycodone, which were created to reduce pain following surgeries, he said fentanyl was never meant to be used to manage pain, but instead to be used over a short period of time.

Patients are not commonly prescribed fentanyl to begin with.

Fentanyl was never meant to be used to manage pain, but instead to be used over a short period of time.

One reason people get to the level of needing fentanyl is from being prescribed lower strength opiates so frequently they lose effect in one’s body. This development of immunity is what leads to many Americans suffering from opioid addictions after no longer being prescribed the medications from doctors.

Over prescription is also a common threat, with clinicians, doctors and dentists alike over prescribing opioids with the intention that a patient will stop taking them after their pain reduces. A study on teenage opioid addiction by the rehab spot observed that a dentist

will give a patient 30 days of opioids after a wisdom tooth removal surgery even though pain medications may not be necessary beyond three to seven days.

In an interview, a local addiction counselor and behavioral health therapist, who asked not to be named to ensure the anonymity of her patients, believes that as doctors prescribe higher strength pain medications, fewer have taken into account how their patients feel taking them.

“I have seen patients who didn’t want to take strong pain medications but doctors prescribe it anyways. Sometimes patients won’t like the way the meds make them feel but will take them because it’s what their doctor prescribed,” she said. “If doctors would take into account whether or not their patients have used pain pills in the past, whether it was as prescribed or recreationally, they would have better knowledge on what strength to prescribe.”

As an addict seeks more opioids to feed an addiction, often caused by a prescription, the CDC has found fentanyl is often mixed into many black-market drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines, and benzodiazepines, such as Xanax.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) acknowledged the issue back in March of 2015 when DEA Administrator, Michele Leonhart, spoke on the issue.

“Drug incidents and overdoses related to fentanyl are occurring at an alarming rate throughout the

NEWS

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TO READ MORE ABOUT THE DRUG EPIDEMIC, SEE PAGE 22 FOR A PERSONAL TAKE

United States and represent a significant threat to public health and safety,” Leonhart said.

The local counselor has worked first hand with addicts struggling to recover from opioid addictions.

She has seen many cases of less addictive substance abuse turn into abuse of stronger medications, such as Vicodin and heroin.

“I’ve seem adolescents who start with marijuana or alcohol and get into harder drugs like Xanax and Vicodin. Adolescents will commonly buy from a drug dealer or even take from family members’ prescriptions they find at home,” she said.

With the opioid epidemic in full swing, researchers from the American Association for the Advancement of Science have been searching for a way to lessen the over prescription of these highly addictive medications. They have begun to inform doctors about specific incidents of past patients dying from an opioid prescription.

The CDC did a study in San Diego where they informed 388 clinicians about patients they’d prescribed opioids to and subsequent overdoses and deaths from the prescription. The study noted another group of clinicians with patients who also died but did not inform them of the passing of their patients. Clinicians who received the notice prescribed 10 percent fewer

opioids than those who were uninformed.

Doctors and clinicians are now taking more precautions nationwide, but the local drug counselor said there’s still more work to do in the future.

“There are numerous programs offered for people struggling with an addiction. Programs range from a rehab program where patients live at a detox facility to once-a-week counseling in order to maintain sobriety… If someone thinks they may have a problem, it is more than just a guessing game to determine a level of care. Addicts need to go to a physician to assess their use, desire to recover and family history,” she said.

Graphic by John Noonan

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FEATURES

Photos by Jennifer Kurz

CLASSICAL MUSIC AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION A DISCUSSION WITH ELGIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSIC DIRECTOR ANDREW GRAMS Joey Weslo, Assignment Reporter My grandmother is a resolve to a dominant seventh chord. I only vaguely remember her laugh. But when the subtle strings raise the elegant opening melody of Aaron Copland’s “Our Town Suite,” I once again see her smiling face.

Music can be reduced to cold,

rigorous mathematical expressions.

Humanity’s desire to quantify material existence with arranged patterns of air molecules traveling through space and time. For Andrew Grams, music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, real beauty often escapes the quantifiable.

“I struggled for many years looking for concrete answers,” said Grams. “I now find myself more inclined to the abstract. Concreteness limits one’s personal experience.”

Grams has directed orchestras throughout America and worked with symphonies across the globe.

He is conducting his sixth season with the award-winning Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

He believes there is a biological disposition attracting us to music.

Grams said experiences like mine are attributed to our brains evolving to seek patterns and deliberate on different problems and solutions.

“With rich, serious composed music with multiple-layers, many parts of the brain become activated,” he said. “Memories come alive, and deep personal experienc-

es are brought forth. Mathematical centers of the brain activate as we try to measure out time by deducing rhythm. Through rhythm, we can expand and contract the perception of time at will. Tempo, rhythm and articulation can make time stand still or speed up.”

Grams’ orchestra endeavors to present music of civility without the high-class snobbery of affluence. Stripping away the pretentious façade, Grams wants the focus centered on the music, and how it affects listeners subconsciously.

“I want people attending the show to go inside themselves and identify what moved them,” said Grams.

“What impacted you emotionally?

What repelled you? Why is this part of the piece more powerful to you?

What does that say about you?”

Each piece is a psychological examination of your inner-psyche, an exploration of your hidden subcon-

FEATURES scious.Music isn’t just an appreciation of beauty; it’s an attempt to ascertain the abstract spectrum of emotions evading our mathematical reasoning.

“Richard Strauss wrote very strict pieces with concrete subjects,” said Grams. “People would come to the composer after listening and ask if what they inferred was what he was trying to convey. Strauss would always reply, ‘What did it mean to you’?

“It is natural human desire to make things concrete. However, you can play the exact piece multiple times, and your current emotional state completely changes how you perceive the music. With the audience, individuals can find themselves in certain mental states that heighten a visceral response.”

Grams wants the orchestra to bring people together and submerge them in both a unifying and

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The greatest music was never created trying to follow the rules. The composers were trying to find beauty and communicate to the emotions of the human soul.

- Andrew Grams

individual emotional experience.

He believes people should open their lives to classical music because it’s inherently richer in substance and offers the audience deeper experiences than average pop music. Composed to portray multiple subjects and states of being, pieces blend different tastes and innovations trying to create new adaptations of expression.

Musing on Copland’s “Our Town Suite,” Grams said its simplicity moves him in ways he struggles to identify.

He wants audience members to undergo the same existential pondering. His orchestra performed the piece while I was in attendance last season, evoking nostalgic reverie within me, conjuring up long-forgotten memories of people and places that only survive within my subconscious.

“I would be interested in what you find out about yourself as you listen to a piece as emotionally-charged and simple as Camille Saint Saens “The Swan,” said Grams. “My favorite part is the end where the cel-

lo rises to the final ‘G’ and holds.

Everything then tinkles down to the bottom. I can’t explain it. I can describe technically how the upper-violins are in their descending harmony, but on the abstract level, it creates this sublime moment for the listener.”

Sharon Jones has been a member of the orchestra’s horn section since 1994 and is the music archivist at the College of DuPage. She began playing the French horn at 15 and fell in love with the stories compositions can tell.

“Bela Bartok was an ethnomusicologist who would go to Hungarian villages recording folk songs and implementing their styles into his compositions,” said Jones. “His pieces tell stories brilliantly and are vivid with wild creativeness.”

She loves the chaotic tension and conflict conveyed in Bartok’s “The Miraculous Mandarin.” Through depicting New York’s traffic, a heroic fight scene and the protagonist’s tragic death, Jones believes the music heightens our appreciation of story-telling. The rich imagery challenges us to observe the complexities of life through multiple perspectives.

Grams’ job as the conductor is to architect the individual emotions of each musician and guide them into a single artistic expression.

“Their personalities are like individual faucets, each springing from an inner emotional well,” said Grams. “When playing together, the water comes gushing out, and I have to channel it into the artistic direction each piece requires.

“Music is not an entity; music is a tool to communicate. A composer strives to connect with the listener.”

Referencing the academic studies of music theory, Grams stressed theory did not create classical music. Theory is how we currently try

Andrew Grams and Joey Weslo continued on page 12

FEATURES

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Elgin Symphony Orchestra Jennifer Kurz

continued from page 11

to reduce compositions to their mechanics. These mathematics can be cold and uninviting.

“The greatest music was never created trying to follow the rules,” said Grams. “The composers were trying to find beauty and communicate to the emotions of the human soul.

“If I began school all over again, I would find those pieces that really speak to me. I would then apply theory and see if it fits or breaks traditions. What moves me emotionally, and how does the composer accomplish this? Music theory tries to explain something ephemeral; its beauty is not concrete.”

Grams referenced the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras’ Music of the Spheres theory, which postulated there is a mathematical and musical foundation to the metaphysics governing the universe. He sees such reasoning as natural human tendencies emanating from our curiosity and desire to comprehend existence on a scientific level.

However, Grams believes to appreciate the beauty and visceral emotionality of compositions, you must find a separation between the mathematics and the music itself.

He believes this enabled him as a child to become vividly inspired the first time he heard the second movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7.”

In traveling across the world, from France to New Zealand, Grams has seen these sentiments echoed within the relationships different cultures have with classical music.

He believes compositions like Johannes Brahms’ “Hungarian Dances,” or Igor Stravinsky’s inspiration from Russian folk songs, or Charles Ives’ recreating old Yankee songs, represent a celebration of unique cultures and permit its citizens an outlet to unite in emotion.

“Beethoven’s (“Symphony No. 5.”) represents to Western civilization the struggle in going from darkness to light, from fate’s impending doom to victory. However, in non-Western cultures like India, we’ve had people find the piece disturbing and shocked music would dare be so brutal. The differences in culture are emphasized by their reactions to the different emotions the composer is trying to evoke within them.”

Together, each reaction provides a lense depicting the collective tapestry of the human experience. Its universal appeal elucidates what unites and divides our cultural dis-

the darker emotions we have withpositions.

Grams believes on both a holistic in us. We see our inner-anguish reand individual level, this psycho- flected upon another, and this conlogical examination is crucial for soles our desire to not be alone in times of personal struggle. greater personal understanding.

“When I was younger, I was fasci- Grams believes the opposite can nated with (Gustav) Mahler, Strauss happen when music ignites within and (Dmitri) Shostakovich, but as us universal feelings of euphoria.

I’ve aged, I find myself gravitating As the Elgin Symphony Orto music with less darkness. I seem chestra continues its 68th season, to desire more levity to life,” said Grams hopes people will open themselves to the full spectrum of Grams.

He said we can decipher society’s discovery and emotion brought to temperament by studying what life by the music.

“It doesn’t matter your age, if pieces they gravitate towards. He noted the prevalence of Samuel you can isolate the music, you can Barber’s heart-wrenching “Adagio appreciate the beauty it possesses,” for Strings” whenever a national said Grams. “You need to be willtragedy has occurred and people ing to put yourself in unfamiliar and unexpected situations. Don’t are in mourning.

“It’s interesting. As human beings bring expectations or preconceived we turn to such dark pieces to recti- notions. Just be willing to listen with fy our emotions. We search for con- complete openness, and see what solation or release through tragic happens within you.” music,” said Grams.

An examination insinuates See Courier Staff Classical we search for an Music Picks on page 25 affirmation for

For Information on Future Shows, visit www.elginsymphony.org/

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FEATURES NEWS

FRIDA KAHLO 2020

FRIDA'S WORK COMING TO COD Photos by Alison Pfaff

With pieces from Museo Dolores Olmedo, College of DuPage will premiere the largest private collection of Frida Kahlo’s artwork in the McAninch Art Center and Cleve Carney Art Gallery. This exhibit is planned to open in June of 2020. According to the event’s press release, there will be 26 pieces, with self portraits from various points in Kahlo’s life. On Nov. 10, COD hosted a celebration for the upcoming exhibit, featuring student’s work such as a Frida Kahlo cake, as well as a replica of one of Kahlo’s iconic dresses, created by the fashion design students. The exhibit is currently in England, will be transported to Milan, then to College of DuPage.

This will be the first time since 1978 that Kahlo’s works will be shown in the Chicagoland area.

Cake made by COD Culinary Department

Replica of Frida's iconic dress made by the COD Fashion Studies Department

FEATURES

15 Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl performs in celebration of the Frida Kahlo exhibit.

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FEATURES

"I AM EVIDENCE" DOCUMENTARY EXPOSES THE BROKEN SYSTEM BEHIND RAPE KIT TESTING Reanna Comiso, Features Editor Hundreds of thousands of rape kits are sitting untested and unopened in police stations across the country.

As sexual assault survivors wait to find peace, a recent documentary shows the fractured system meant to bring them justice is letting them down.

“I Am Evidence,” an HBO documentary directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Trish Adlesic, explores the reality of the broken criminal justice system that is letting thousands of sexual predators roam the streets.

One survivor, Ericka Murria, recounts her story. For 12 years, she didn’t tell anyone other law enforcement she was raped on her 21st birthday, not even her Mariska Hargitay, founder of The Joyful Heart Foundation parents. Now, she apBrandon Beckwith pears as the face of the documentary.

“I am evidence, literally,” said Murria. “My name is on a box on a shelf that’s never been tested.”

- Ericka Murria When an individual is raped, the first thing they are told is to go to their local police department or What follows is an investigation and and prosecution. Over 400,000 rape hospital to receive a rape kit. With- prosecution to ensure perpetrators kits wait to be tested across the United States. out doing so, the chances of finding are caught.

Though the evidence is there, “I Am Evidence”, released in justice is slim to none. Saliva, hair follicles and other pieces of DNA thousands of predators are roaming April 2017, follows the story of four are collected in order to be tested. freely because of the lack of testing

“I am evidence, literally. My name is on a box on a shelf that’s never been tested.”

women as their cases finally become recognized, despite their assaults occurring over a decade ago. Their stories are fresh in their minds, despite being part of the massive backlog of rape kits.

Mariska Hargitay, best known for her years starring in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” devoted her time as producer to shine a light on the unspoken problem of the criminal justice system. She speaks with experts to understand the issue while leaving victims the ability to tell their stories.

One woman, Danielle, sits with investigators in her Detroit home. Holding her baby, she is asked by investigators to try to remember key details about her rape that occurred in 1997, 20 years before the documentary aired. With tears in her eyes, she tells her story.

After two decades, her case was finally being investigated.

The investigators showed Danielle several pictures to identify her perpetrator. She instantly identified her rapist. The investigators asked Danielle just how sure she was that she correctly identified her alleged perpetrator.

“One hundred percent,” said Danielle. “As soon as I saw his face on that sheet, I just knew right away who he was. I didn’t think about that face, but now, I never forgot.”

When told her alleged perpetrator faced 33 years in prison, she gave a sigh of relief.

Three specific states are highlighted to show the truth behind the rape

FEATURES

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[Danielle] is asked by investigators to try and remember key details about her rape that occurred in 1997 ... With tears in her eyes, she tells her story. After two decades, her case was finally being investigated. kit backlog: Michigan, California and Ohio. Each state left thousands of rape kits untested. Each state claims different reasons for their lack of urgency in testing the kits, whether it be a lack of money,manpower or pure disregard.

Helena and Amberly are two other survivors highlighted in the documentary. After years of investigation, the two find justice. Both women were assaulted by the same

man. It was not until Amberly reported the crime that any investigation occurred.

“If [law enforcement] would have taken it more serious and believed Helena, did their jobs and ran her rape kit in a timely manner, I would have never gotten raped, because he would have been caught,” said Amberly.

This is one instance where the documentary highlights the utter

disregard for the evidence provided years, 807 serial rapists were identiin rape kits. If each kit is tested in a fied. Those 807 people who attacked timely manner, thousands of crim- 10 to 15 people on average were fiinals could be taken off the streets nally investigated and prosecuted. and thousands of rapes would have “I have adopted daughters, and never occurred. you want them to grow up in a “I don’t have compassion for the world where there may not be sexusystem that made this OK because al assault or, God forbid, if they are the system should be more account- sexually assaulted, their case will be able; the system should be better important, and their kit will not be than a criminal,” said Helena. sitting on a shelf,” said Kym Worthy, HBO effectively shines a light on Wayne County Prosecutor. an issue most people know nothing about. Until this documentary, the issue of untested rape kits was not discussed.

Following the d o c u m e n t a r y, 10,000 rape kits "I Am Evidence" is available were finally sent for testing in to watch on HBO platforms Wayne County, Mich. After eight

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PET THERAPY Photos by Alison Phaff College of DuPage students spent time with Brody the Collie and his friends as part of a Stress and Anxiety Reduction event. Also featured was a pop-up library with various stress reducing services.

According to the Mayo Clinic, pet therapy, or animal-assisted therapy, “is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders.�

Pet therapy provided a welcome distraction, allowing busy students to take a break and unconsciously smile.

Rascal

Olivia Janickas & Buddy

FEATURES

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Brody

Hoss

20

NEWS OPINION

Unite the Right Rally, Charlottesville (August 2017)

Wikimedia user Anthony Crider

THE DANGERS OF FREE HATE SPEECH With that being said, there’s no shortage of examples of the deadly consequences hate speech can inflict on a society. In the recent attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue where 11 people were killed, the gunman was motivated by an irrational fear and hatred of Jews, undoubtedly linked to the negative rhetoric against minorities in this country.

In the weeks leading up to the shooting, he posted a slew of anti-semitic remarks on social media.

He also claimed Jews were helping the migrant caravans heading towards the US-Mexico border, and he wanted all Jews to “die.”

Once an environment is created where it is acceptable to make disparaging remarks about others, hate will slither closer and closer to becoming a societal norm. The negative and erroneous things said about various groups of people will become ingrained in millions of minds, playing on people’s fears

Kimberly Wilson, Opinion Editor Hate speech has always been prolific in American society. But the recent willingness of prominent figures to unabashedly engage in hateful rhetoric has made it increasingly acceptable.

Many argue against the condemnation of hate speech, positing that everyone should be allowed to say how they feel without censorship.

Even with the First Amendment right protecting freedom of speech in mind, the inherent dangers of propagating false negative ideas about a person or group of people cannot be ignored.

Whether or not hate speech is protected under the First Amendment is a hotly debated topic. Many scholars argue all hate speech is protected under the Constitution unless it is speech that incites violence or results in harm to a person or groups of people.

and insecurities and feeding into preconceived notions.

It is impossible to live in a society and not be affected by its dominant ideals. Many people will internalize this negative rhetoric, and it will inevitably affect the way they treat others around them. And when hatred continues to go unchecked, our worst nightmares become our horrifying reality.

A recent article in the New York Times by Richard A. Friedman discussed the adverse effects a consistent stream of hate can have on the brain. Friedman cites a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) that showed “threatening language can directly activate the amygdala [the area of the brain that processes threat].” He further explained hearing hateful language “...makes it hard for people to dial down their emotions and think before they act.”

It is also becoming exceedingly difficult to counter the negative and false narratives that continue to permeate our society. The media is constantly, and falsely, made out to be an unreliable news source by the country’s most powerful individuals, further allowing for the insidious denigration of millions of citizens.

We can’t afford to disregard the strong influence words can have over a population. Many prominent figures are aware of this, and manipulate words deliberately to encourage a divisive and contentious environment. We live in a society in which words have the ability to spur unthinkable actions.

To deny this fact would mean being complicit in the endangerment of countless lives.

OPINION

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MY PERSONAL ACCOUNT WITH OPIOIDS Madison Venckus, News Editor As a freshman in high school, I had an overwhelming amount of dreams and expectations for myself come the next four years. I was only 14 when I found an old pain pill prescription in my parents’ medicine cabinet. I was never searching for the medication but my curiosity had gotten the best of me and I decided to test the drug out for myself.

Two years before entering rehab, I never would have imagined trying Vicodin for the first time would lead to an addiction. My family and friends never anticipated I would become an addict. I loved school, running, writing and spending time with my friends before slipping into a drug-obsessed state. It’s common to hear among addicts that “I never thought it would happen to me.”

This, unfortunately, came to life as I went through rehabilitation.

Vicodin and pain pill prescriptions, in general, are much easier to access than one may hope. That’s how I discovered these drugs. Similar to many stories across the country, I too found an old pain pill pre-

scription in our medicine cabinet and my impulsive decision to test the waters led me down an unforgiving path.

Soon after trying the pills, the bottle became empty, and I was on the hunt for another fix. I lost interest in running, participating in school activities and spending time with friends within weeks of discovering the drug. I knew I was making a terrible mistake, but my longing for another fix overcame my will to stop and get help.

I soon realized accessing more opioids would require an outside source, which may have saved my life. I turned to other substances, including marijuana and alcohol, and slowly worked using drugs into to my everyday routine. My life revolved around using mind-altering substances. I was unable to get out of bed in the morning and go to sleep at night without using drugs and alcohol.

As I entered sophmore year at 15, My grades began to slip as I struggled to encourage myself to attend classes and finish homework assignments. I quit the cross country team the following school year, and

pushed away any friends who were critical of my use. After watching me throw away every last thing I cared about, my family had finally had enough and intervened before I lost my life to the drug, but other addicts are not always as fortunate.

After months of heavier use, my body was accustomed to incorporating drugs into my daily routine.

Deep down I knew I was addicted, but I didn’t want to admit my failure to my family and friends so I lied about my abuse. I wasn’t as convincing as I had hoped, and my parents drove me to the nearest rehabilitation center to receive professional help. I was in my senior year of high school at the time, and had suffered from addiction for over three years.

The first day I spent without using drugs was extremely painful.

Others who had fallen into heavier addictions than me were so dependent on opioids that doctors continued to prescribe them in smaller doses to prevent unbearable detox symptoms. I was able to detox without any medical aid but still suffered from not being able to sleep, eat or exercise without feeling sick. It took a week for me to regain enough

strength to participate in regular activities, but I didn’t start to feel like myself again for many months after.

If I wasn’t lucky enough to have a family who intervened and a rehabilitation program dedicated to helping me recover, I would not be here today. I have learned that I can’t let my urges overcome me.

After being a year sober I can say I feel like myself again. As I continue to work on becoming my best sober self, I have overcome many obstacles in my way.

Although I was determined to stay sober, maintaining my sobriety is much easier said than done. I anticipated feeling myself again as soon as I left rehabilitation, but it wasn’t until many months later that I began to feel happy and determined again.

The feelings of regret and dissatisfaction can become overwhelming and difficult to overcome, but I persisted.

Opioids are dangerous and can take over anyone’s life as they did my own. I would encourage anyone who thinks they may have a problem, to seek help as soon as possible.

Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them until it’s too late.

Prescription Drug Abuse: Young People at Risk

Flickr user NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse

22

SPORTS

Photos by Lindsay Piotter

INTRAMURAL EXPERIMENT: SUCCESS? Q & A with Matthew Cousins, Manager of the Chap Fitness Center Miguel Contreras, Sports Editor How successful have in- ing with student life (who provided dodgeball tournament. campus. We also advertised on the tramurals been this se- the bubbles and food), the day was Overall, I would say that Intra- college website, chap life and other mester attendance wise? well attended and exciting. There murals this Fall has been more suc- digital forms. I think the signs were The first goal for Fall semester 2018 was to increase the amount of intramural offerings for the College compared to last spring. We were able to do this by offering more dates and more activities.

Ultimate Frisbee ended up not being popular, but the Bubble Soccer tournament was a huge hit. Partner-

were 8 teams, and by the end, we crowned a bubble soccer champion.

Open Volleyball has been well attended also. We are having a 4 versus 4 volleyball tournament this Thursday (November 15th). We hope to have an 8 team competitive and an 8 team recreational tournament.

We have had a lot of people asking about the mini triathlon and the

cessful than last spring. We hope to most successful because people reimprove each semester. ceive so much digital information these days, it is easily ignored. If you What strategies were have a bright sign, it catches the eye.

most effective for advertising intramurals? Why To what ends have intramurals achieved their do you think that is?

It seems as though most people re- goals? ported seeing the signs listing intramural events that we posted all over

SPORTS Our overall goal is to provide recreational opportunities to the entire college campus. We have achieved our goals from our early beginnings, but we obviously want to continue to expand and offer more and more to students and staff. With that in mind, we will always be looking to improve.

What intramurals can students expect moving into future semesters?

Cousins - Right now, we are open to any idea that comes across the table. We know that sports like basketball, volleyball and soccer are always well attended. However, we would like to reach out to those students and staff who wouldn’t normally take part in recreational activities. Keeping this in mind, we are considering activities such as bags,

23

bowling, poker, flag football, esports, chess, pickleball, badminton and maybe even quidditch.

What impact have you seen that intramurals has had so far?

I would like to think that intramurals has already made a positive impact. The whole idea behind offering intramurals is to enhance the great experience College of DuPage students are already having. To build community among students and staff. To promote healthy lifestyles through recreational activities. Lastly, to have fun! I think intramurals has accomplished all of these things, and I look forward to seeing what we can contribute to the future.

LEVEL UP PODCAST WITH KENNETH MCKINNEY

FRIDAYS ON CODCOURIER.ORG

24

SPORTS NEWS

COD DEFEATS DALEY 65 - 39 photos by Alison Pfaff

Jessica Jnobaptiste

Dakota Graham

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C I S U M L A C I S S A L C S K C I P F F STA Caprice No. 24 in A Minor Niccolo Paganini

The Nutcracker: The March Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky

A nostalgic tune for me, it reminds me of when I was a dancer and the winter months were spent rehearsing for the Nutcracker performance each year. Dancing with a partner in an old fashioned red dress with puffy sleeves and blue trim, the entire collection of songs taught me the love of performing, and it is something I will never forget.

Alsison Pfaff

Nocturne in C Sharp Minor Frederic Chopin

I would be lying if I said I didn’t find this piece by watching the 2018 Winter Olympics when silver-medalist Evgenia Medvedeva captivated me with her short program skate to this classical composition. I enjoy this piece because of the overall emotion I feel when listening to it. It is haunting and beautiful at the same time, leaving you feeling melancholic.

Reanna Comiso

The Rite Of Spring Igor Stravinsk A Night on Bald Mountain Leopold Stokowski

Caprice 24 is one of those pieces that have captivated audiences for over a century because of its unique composition. The final of Paganini’s famed 24 Caprices features different executions of a similar musical theme, each as compelling as the last. One of the things I love about classical music is its ability to tell a complete story without uttering a single lyric, and Caprice 24 is definitely one of those pieces I can listen to and let my imagination become one with music. The final passage is just as exciting as the climax of any blockbuster film. Throughout its entirety, the piece underscores classical music’s ability to convey the richest stories and invoke the purest emotions.

Kimberly Wilson

The Swan Camille Saint-Saens

(As performed by Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott “Songs from the Arc of Life”)

An affirmation of my mortality. A single narrative haunting every breath. Memories come and dissipate. People come into my life and disappear. The melody remains. Saens’s composition depicts the legend of swans, silent their whole lives, releasing a final song of inescapable and unrivaled beauty. Once you hear the swan’s final refrain, you’ll never walk alone.

Joey Weslo

In The Hall Of The Mountain King

Edvard Grieg

I was introduced to this piece while watching a scene in the Disney movie, “Fantasia” of a character discovering a variety of monsters while in the woods alone. Although it is a seemingly harmless and comical skit As a child I watched the classic 1940’s Disney film “Fantasia” more now, I was frightened by the show as a toddler and quickly learned if times than I can count. What I love the most about these two tracks is how they taught me just how powerful music can be. For the first time I I muted the program during the scene, it became harmless and funny. learned music could strike fear into my heart. As a child I felt sick to my Although I am not the biggest fan of classical music, I love this piece for its changes in octaves and progressive intensity with musicians playing stomach as I heard the opening notes of either of these pieces. Today, faster and more passionately as the song continues. This piece initially the ability music has to make me feel joy, pain, sorrow, fear or hope all stems for those early childhood memories as I learned to associate music launched my love for horror films and my fascination with music that evokes emotion. with color and imagery and sound with the soul.

Tessa Morton

Madison Venckus

26

NEWS COFFEE BREAK

HOLIDAY SONGS

ACROSS 1. Rare bills 5. Clairvoyant's gift 8. Snoopy 12. Time distortion 13. Show worry 14. Wyoming's official sport 15. *John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War is ____)" 16. And elsewhere 17. Opposite of bonjour 18. *"Have ____ a Merry Little Christmas" 20. MTV's "____'d" 21. Incessantly 22. A cool ____, as in money 23. *"Should auld acquaintance be ____" 26. *"Run ____ Run" sung by Chuck Berry 30. *Co-writer of #15 Across 31. Used tabulator key 34. Your majesty 35. 1965 Watts events 37. *"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," sung by Brenda ____ 38. Mozart and Einstein, e.g.

39. Golly!

40. Dry ravine, in Asia 42. Not don'ts 43. Diplomatic alliance 45. Like empty hotel room 47. "Fat chance!"

48. Shenzi of "The Lion King" 50. Eastern European 52. *Vince ____ Trio of "Linus and Lucy" fame 55. Between violin and cello 56. Rainbows and such 57. Rumpelstiltskin's weaver 59. Coral reef island 60. Facebook's "psst" 61. ____ Mann of "The Simpsons" 62. Decades 63. Lt.'s inferior, in the Navy 64. *"Last Christmas" duo

DOWN 1. *____ Turtle Doves 2. Not straight 3. Post-meal sandwich 4. Spring action, past tense 5. Like yesterday's meal 6. Coffee burn, e.g.

7. Bread or cabbage 8. Having small nodules 9. Scandinavian war god 10. Radio button 11. *"All I want for Christmas is ____" 13. Bygone Spanish money 14. R in R.E.M. 19. Alex Haley saga 22. ____ pie in a sand box 23. Blacksmith's hearth 24. Gibson garnish 25. Fowl perch 26. Film roll 27. Ronstadt, e.g.

28. Infectious protein particle 29. Bank job 32. *Like Elvis' Christmas?

33. 10 decibels 36. *Deck'em 38. Ivory Coast neighbor 40. Utmost degree 41. Not sympathetic 44. Maryland Academy 46. Young and inexperienced 48. Second-largest Great Lake 49. Talks and talks and talks 50. It houses web content 51. "On Golden Pond" bird 52. Open-mouthed astonishment 53. Shakespearean "does" 54. Tiny bit 55. Port vessel 58. Mrs. Goldberg, e.g.

COFFEE BREAK

27

COD WEATHER FORECAST Made Possible by the COD Meteorology Department

WEDNESDAY

SUNNY MID 30'S

LOW 20'S

FRIDAY

PARTLY CLOUDY MID 40'S

UPPER 20'S

THURSDAY

MOSTLY SUNNY UPPER 30'S

UPPER 20'S

SATURDAY

MOSTLY CLOUDY MID 30'S

LOW 20'S

SUNDAY - TUESDAY RECAP After chances of snow Friday night through Saturday night across the area, the pattern looks to return to quiet as high pressure from Canada builds southward into the Midwest by Sunday. This surface high will continue to sit over the region into the start of next week, leading to a continuation of quiet and dry weather. Temperature wise, temperatures will remain weil below normal with highs on Sunday and Monday remaining in the 30's, possibly warming a little into the 40's by Tuesday next week.

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