The Corsair- Volume 124 Issue 5

November 9, 2022 | VOLUME 124 ISSUE 5 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Election 2022:

Santa Monica College Students, Staff, and Community Members Cast Their Vote

EVERY COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25¢ | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE, STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1929

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Nov. 9, 2022

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CONTENT News - pg. 3 Photo Story - pg. 4-5 Culture - pg. 6-7 Sports - pg. 8-9 Opinion - pg. 10

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL STAFF Katheryne Menendez | Editor-in-Chief Jackson Tammariello | Managing Editor Marlene Herrera | News Editor Michael Zavala | Culture Editor Sosana Shelah | Opinion Editor Anna Sophia Moltke | Photo Editor Sasha Funes | Sports Editor Aaliyah Sosa | Arts & Entertainment Editor Ee Lin Tsen | Multimedia Editor Anna Moricz | Multimedia Editor Neil O'Loughlin | Design Editor Cecil Alsanussi | Design Editor Madison Piker | Social Media Editor Brittney Ornelas | Social Media Editor Timothy Lewis | Copy Editor Anthony Clingerman | Copy Editor Conor Heeley | Copy Editor Andrea Marcy | Digital Editor

CORSAIR STAFF | Caylo Seals | Tyler Simms | Nick McCall | Jamie Addison | Ethan Swope | Reis Novakovic | Danilo Perez | Otis Vega | Corey Fishwick | Guadalupe Perez | Rebecca Hogan | Lucian Polk | Kerrington Dillon | Jakob Walther | Emma Krul | Eva-Love Jopanda | Deshawn Pouper | Khadija Bellaftouh | Saige Washington | Brian Saurin | MyDari Baker | Richard Mendez | Drew Andersen | Kandy Barba-Downs | Josh Hogan |

FACULTY ADVISORS Sharyn Obsatz | Journalism Adviser Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Adviser

CONTACT Editor-in-Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter | the_corsair Instagram | corsairnews Facebook | thecorsairnews YouTube | thecorsaironline

Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair

Santa Monica resident Maria Caraves lives on 17th Street and walked over to the Santa Monica College voting center in the rain to cast her vote a day before election day on Nov. 7, 2022.

Regardless of political ideology, elections are often a stressful time for many. Concerns regarding which candidates are winning, who is gaining control of the House and Senate, and what propositions are being passed or rejected are in many people's minds. But the 2022 General Election also marked a very important change in American elections and democracy.

The 2022 Election is the first General Election since the 2020 presidential election in which former President Donald Trump continuously claimed that he had won despite all evidence to the contrary. Many of his followers and politicians from his party began to repeat these claims, some to the point of threatening the lives of poll workers, threatening voters and attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The events of the 2020 election are not in the distant past. Conspiracy theories about a stolen election continue to spread, and many election deniers still hold positions of power. In the 2022 elections, around 50 candidates running for congress, governor, and secretary of state questioned or denied the 2020 presidential election results according to Axios.

Rejection of election results is a lot more than a political move used to smear the opposition. It also undermines the very basis of democracy and threatens the future of American politics. At the core of the democratic system is the notion that the people elect politicians. When politicians deny or disregard election results, candidates that were not actually elected by the people could find their way into very powerful positions.

As the election results come in, it is important to remember that besides the logistical results of the election, very real and intangible results surrounding elections today have the power to change the fabric of American democracy. The mistrust in the media, data, and science that continues to grow can have serious ramifications on democracy, and will greatly impact the lives of all people who live in America, whether they vote or not.

Katheryne Menendez

WEBSITE www.thecorsaironline.com

FRONT PAGE Melanie Berry is both a teacher and student at Santa Monica College who came to the college's voting center on November 8, 2022 at Santa Monica, Calif. (Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair)

Editor-in-Chief

NEWS

Nov. 9, 2022

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Election 2022: SMC at the Polls Jackson Tammariello | Managing Editor Tyler Simms | Staff Writer

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n Tuesday, Nov. 8, Santa Monica College (SMC) students, staff and residents took advantage of a voting center on the main campus to cast their vote in the 2022 Midterm elections.

Lining the walkways of the main campus were signs with arrows pointing in the direction of the cafeteria.

Students followed the markers to the Cayton Center faculty lounge, where several electronic voting booths were set up.

SMC Admissions and Records Clerk Erin Gipson usually votes by mail, but said that she came to the voting center on campus for the experience. One of the issues she felt passionate about was Proposition 29, centered on requiring physicians to be on-site for dialysis treatments.

“I have a couple family members who have to use those services,” Gipson said. “So I think it’s important to kind of keep a handle on how they’re regulated.”

The voting center allowed students, Santa Monica residents and any Los Angeles County residents to cast their vote using the electronic voting machines or drop off their mail-in ballots.

This election was the first time several SMC students have had the opportunity to vote. For Monae Grant, a 19-year-old economics major, being able to vote was exciting. Having been a poll worker in the 2020 General Election, she was eager to be engaged in the election process.

“I've been seeing a lot of the things that have been happening in local politics, and I think I wanted to be able to have a say in who's going to be doing the things in my city,” she said.

18-year-old Ximena Lopez, a cosmetology and business major, felt rushed despite how simple she found the process. She said that due to her studies, she wasn’t able to do the amount of research she wanted to do.

“I think it is part of my duty civically,” she said. “So I did all the research I could, and just came here after class.”

The voting center first opened over the weekend on Saturday, allowing early voting and accepting drop-offs.

Despite the rainstorms that began Monday morning, several students and Santa Monica residents made the trip.

Santa Monica resident Maria Caraves said she learned about the college's voting center through an email, and walked from her home on 17th Street in the rain on Monday, Nov. 7, to drop off her ballot.

Colt James, a first-year student, noticed the many signs on campus directing students to the voting center on Monday, and decided to come in and cast his vote.

“It’s because of accessibility,” he said. “I didn't get my mail ballot delivered to me in time, otherwise I would have done the mail-in ballot.”

Many statewide propositions were on the ballot this election, and races for important positions for LA Mayor, City Council, Santa Monica College Board of Trustees and more.

The election results for statewide and local races can be found by visiting the LA County Registrar website.

Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair

General election voter informatioin guides are lined up on a table with various other voting materials at the voting center at Santa Monica College.

Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair

Above, Santa Monica College student Monae Grant sits outside of the Santa Monica College voting center.

Tyler Simms | The Corsair

Santa Monica College voting center on Election Day, November 8, in Santa Monica, Calif.

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P H OTO S TO R Y

Nov. 9, 2022

Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Mariachi Tenamaxtlan de Jalisco performed a variety of songs, as they made their way around the carousel serenading the crowd of people who gathered to celebrate Día de los Muertos at the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Pablo De La Rosa smiled (right) as they performance continued with the huapango-style song Cielo Rojo.

Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair

Santa Monica Ballet Folkorico performers danced and twirled to the live mariachi band, Mariachi Tenamaxtlan de Jalisco, outside of the merrygo-round building.

“We sound the sea conches as well, they symbolize wind.

Think of wind as air or oxygen, that which the dead do not breathe anymore."

-Tzinacantli

Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Fernando Ferrer of the Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle drums in synchronization with the beat of the Azteca dance in front of the ofrenda altars. Día de Los Muertos ofrenda alters were created inside of the Santa Monica merry-go-round building in honor and remembrance of celebrating the lives of people’s loved ones.

P H OTO S TO R Y

Nov. 9, 2022

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Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair

Dominique Medina walks from the west end of the Santa Monica pier joining a procession where Natives held a ceremony blessing loved ones who have passed on for Día de Los Muertos.

The live Mariachi Tenamaxtlan de Jalisco, performing songs, and taking requests from the crowd surrounding the carousel, for the Santa Monica Pier Día de los Muertos celebration.

Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair

Dominique Medina took two hours for her make up and spent the last week creating her headband to come as a sugar skull, Calavera for the Día de los Muertos celebration on the Santa Monica Pier.

Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Tzinacantli burns ceremonial materials such as copal for the celebration of Día de Los Muertos. Natives from the Tigua tribe joined Aztec members of the Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle on the west end of the Santa Monica Pier.

Danilo Perez | The Corsair

Ofrendas were displayed, offerings to the dead such as food and drinks. Skeletons sit on the bench of the carousel representing the unknown couple framed by their side.

Día de los Muertos: Honoring Spirits and Celebrating the Afterlife

Anna Sophia Moltke | Photo Editor Ee Lin Tsen | Multimedia Editor

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ía de los Muertos began its second day of celebration on the Santa Monica Pier as the sun set over the ocean coastline on Nov. 2, with Natives from the Tigua tribe joining Aztec members of the Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle in ceremonies and blessings.

As Tigua Native prayer men Daniel Lopez and his son Rene Lopez from El Paso, Texas, burned sacred plant material and gave blessings to loved ones who have died, the Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle joined the ceremony with Aztec dances.

Tzinacantli from the Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle burned a tree resin called copal, alongside members from the Tigua community who burned sage forthis ceremony.

“I am not from Los Angeles. I am a native to the continent, but I must respect and recognize that this is Chumash and Tongva lands,” they said.

“We native people always recognize the people connected to the lands we are gathered to have ceremony in.”

When speaking upon the importance of the Día de los Muertos celebra-

tion Tzinacantli said, “Those who have passed on, that's why we celebrate the day, we have to remember them. Speak their names, tell their stories, the good and the bad. Our ancestors, our elders who have passed on. Some of us have parents or friends, and our pets. This is a time to celebrate them.”

Native people placed the plant materials into skull and animal-shaped bowls, and while some burned these materials, others blew into conch shells.

“We sound the sea conches as well, they symbolize wind. Think of wind as air or oxygen, that which the dead do not breathe anymore. The conches are used to gather the people to ceremony, and also to sound to the four directions: North, South, East, West,” Tzinacantli said.

After the ceremony of blessings, Native leaders continued their procession along the pier to the Santa Monica Pier Carousel. The Kalpoli Tonelhuayo circle performed Aztec dances in front of the ofrenda altars surrounding the carousel.

Following the ceremonies, the Santa Moncia Ballet Folklorico performed a series of dances outside of the building with Mariachi Tenamaxtlan de Jalisco.

The Mariachi band then made their way

around the carousel, serenading the crowd of people with a variety of songs such as Cielo Rojo, a huapango written by singer-songwriter Juan Záizar.

In partnership with the City of Santa Monica and the Pico Youth Center, the Santa Monica Pier Corporation collaborated with local artists Daniel Alonzo and Slyvia Sanchez and set up public art installations around the carousel.

The art installation “Letters of Life” consisted of altars of favorite pier memories, photographs and anecdotes of deceased friends and family members from the Santa Monica community. To celebrate the merry-go-round’s 100-year anniversary, the artists decorated the carousel for the first time and surrounded it with paper marigolds and colorful strips of Mexican tissue paper folk art called papel picados.

“I’m very proud and honored to be able to install these altars and honor our loved ones and ancestors. It’s just such a great honor to do it in our hometown,” Sanchez said. “This wasn’t only solely done by me and Daniel Alonzo, it was a labor of love and it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort.”

Sanchez added that family members helped to bring this project alive.

She said that these altars invited passed

ones to join them in the land of the living and to celebrate this night.

“It's a day to remember and honor our loved ones who have passed on to the spirit world,” she said. “It's not a sorrowful night, it’s a celebration of life.”

Cousins Patricia Casillas and Blanca Casillas Nolan were at the Casillas family altar searching for themselves in an old family photograph of a family picnic taken on Sept. 7, 1980. Nolan, who is 67, was 22 at the time, and one of the 500 Casillas family members who showed up for the picnic at Marine Park.

Standing by their family altar, the cousins listened to Mariachi Tenamaxtlan de Jalisco’s live strings and trumpets, and teared up while reminiscing on family members.

“I’m very emotional, my grandfather and my parents loved this music every time we went to parties together,” Casillas said.

“I recently lost my husband and I had mariachis at my wedding, so it’s all very emotional,” Nolan said.

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C U LT U R E

Nov. 9, 2022

Anthony Clingerman | The C

David Hunt sits outside on the main SMC Campus on Friday, September 30, 2022.

A Story of Many Lifetimes

Jackson Tammariello | Managing Editor

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o David “Papi” Hunt, there is power in storytelling. Carrying manila folders filled with packets of paper, Hunt has been documenting his life on a quest of personal discovery.

“I made it to my fifth lifetime,” he said.

Hunt is an 80-year-old student at Santa Monica College and has been enrolled in classes for the past 22 years. He’s taken a swath of classes,

including philosophy, video and sound editing, and theatrical production. It hasn’t been in pursuit of any degree or major, he said, but for the sake of his learning and continued enrichment.

“I'm not coming here for grades. You know, I don't even check my grades.

I just found out my grades after 22 years,” he said. “They gave me a sheet of my grades and they say ‘you got a B-plus average.’ Oh, I didn't know that.”

Hunt worked as a studio engineer at NBC for 16 years and then as a technical director in the late ‘90s, which he regarded as his dream job. After just 30 days, he got laid off. He began working as a guide for Starline Tours in 1998, where he wrote his own tour and sold his original book, titled “Hooray for

Hollywood,” and DVD to eager tourists.

Hunt attends Adult Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama every year, and is a member of their Space Academy ambassador team. He is also a member of the Big Horn Mountain Men, a group that is “dedicated to promoting interest and understanding in the art of buckskinning, and the legal and safe use of muzzle loading firearms,” according to their website. “​​I was born during the 20th century, reenacting the 19th century, while living in the 21st century,” he said. “I'm 300 years old.”

His love of storytelling stems from his time as a performer and playwright from decades ago. In the late 1960s, Hunt was working at a post office in

Hollywood when he ran into an up-andcoming performer named Ben Vereen.

Vereen invited him to watch the latest production he was starring in, a rock musical called “Hair.” The show immediately captivated him, and altered the trajectory of his life.

“When I saw that show, that changed my whole life,” he said. “I was going into another lifetime.”

Hunt auditioned for a role in the musical for nine months in a row, but never got a part. One day, the stage manager came to him in the parking lot of the Aquarius Theater and suddenly requested his audition.

Hunt said that despite not having any prepared material for the audition, he improvised an acapella of “Zip-A-

Nov. 9, 2022

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“​​I was born during the 20th century, reenacting the 19th century, while living in the 21st century,”

Corsair

Anthony Clingerman | The Corsair

David Hunt talks about his work as a writer outside on the main SMC campus on Friday, September 30, 2022.

Dee-Doo-Dah.” As the cast was coming back from lunch, band members joined in with bass and congas, propelling his performance. The cast lauded his audition, urging his immediate hiring.

“Went back to work saying ‘I'm through,’” Hunt said. “They couldn’t believe it, they were like ‘What?’ I'm going into show business, I got a contract right here!”

Hunt played the role of Hud in the Los Angeles production of the musical, running from 1968 to 1970. He also left for New York on Broadway as part of a national tour of the show until 1972. He later played as Simon in “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1972.

Hunt recalled during his performance as Simon when he decided to jump off the stage, copying how the actor for Judas started his part in the audience. He sang out in the crowd as the spotlight struggled to find him. He said the audience loved it, but the director Tom O'Horgan scolded him for it, demanding that he never do something like that again.

He did it again in subsequent showings, this time with the approval from the light technician and the director.

“You know, I wanted to do it because Judas did it,” Hunt said. “And he was the star of the show. I thought I was the star too.”

Hunt enjoys writing stories based on his own life experiences. Two of his original works were produced by the La MaMa Theater in L.A. and ran for about six to eight months in the late ‘70s. The first was titled “Hooked Special Delivery” in 1976, which Hunt wrote based on his experiences taking drugs. The second play was “Funny How We Look at Each Other,” which ran in 1977 and was a three-person show based on his first gay experience; the conflicted relationship between two men and a woman.

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When asked about the one thing he hopes others take away from his own story, Hunt said that it’s the fact he enjoyed his life and made it to the next adventure with the lessons he has learned.

“One through 20, one lifetime. 20 through 40, two lifetimes. 40 through 60, three lifetimes. 60 to 80, four lifetimes. 80 to 100, it’s a blessing,” he said.

Hunt’s most recent project has the working title “Bloods of Color,” a combination of play, book and documentary with the purpose of exploring the “untold history” of the Maroons and Melungeons. Tracing his own roots back to the 1500s and earlier through DNA testing, Hunt learned he was a descendent of the Melungeon people, an ethnic group descended from sub-Saharan Africans, white Europeans and Native Americans, and the Maroons, Africans who freed themselves from slavery and formed their own free communities.

“It's my responsibility, not only to tell the story, but to pass this down to my descendants,” he said. “And that way, when I'm not here, they're able to go back and they're able to read who they are.”

Hunt studied the writings of previous scholars and authors as research for his work, including Dr. Arwin Smallwood of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Dr. Marcus P. Nevius of the University of Rhode Island, and playwright Kermit Hunter.

In August 2022, Hunt returned to his birthplace of Hoop Creek, Tennessee, after 74 years as part of an effort to explore his heritage. He took part in a discussion on Black history in Appalachia with other researchers and historians, talking about how the efforts and contributions of Black people throughout history have been minimized or left out of many Western textbooks and media.

In his writings, Hunt says that the story of the Maroons “demonstrates the same spirit of rebellion, self-determination and strength shown by Black people throughout history.” He writes that there is a disconnect between this history and how many young people today inaccurately view their ancestors as docile victims who kept their heads low.

He notes that while modern phrases such as “I am not my ancestors” may be misguided in their messaging, they still demonstrate the spirit of rebellion and strength shown by Black people throughout history.

Hunt writes “perhaps with more of a complete education on who our ancestors were, how they lived, and what they experienced, the mantra for our next generation will become ‘I am my ancestors.’”

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SPORTS

Nov. 9, 2022

Jamie Addison | The Corsair

Santa Monica College Corsair DJ Greene (right) goes for the shot while San Diego City College Knight Kailen Rains (left) gets knocked away in a block attempt.

Jamie Addison | The Corsair

Above, Corsair DJ Greene (middle) fighting to maintain control of the ball from Knights Lorenzo Wright (left) and Kailen Rains (right).

Right, Corsairs Daniel Akitoby (far right) attempts a two-pointer as Knight Chase Courtney (left) can not reach high enough to block the shot.

Jamie Addison | The Corsair

Nov. 9, 2022

SPORTS

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Corsairs Lose

81-70

Anthony Clingerman | The Corsair

Above, Corsairs Head Basketball Coach Joshua Thomas adjusts a play during timeout.

Left, Corsairs shooting guard Cam Cohn (left) shooting a free throw after the Knights recieved a foul.

Jamie Addison | The Corsair

Corsairs Lose Second Game of Tournament

Deshawn Pouper | Staff Writer

T

he Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs Basketball team lost to the San Diego City College (SDCC) Knights 81-70 in their second game of the O’Fallon and Singui Classic on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The Corsairs struggled with shot making, with the team going 45.8 percent overall from the field while also going 14.3 percent from the three-point line. The Corsairs also struggled keeping the turnovers to a minimum, committing 11 turnovers in the first half and four more during the second half. These missteps allowed SDCC to score 25 points off of SMC’s actions.

SMC Head Coach Joshua Thomas took note of the turnovers.

“We have to value the ball better, and that’s something that we’re working on,” Thomas said. “We also got to make shots, we struggled scoring. We go through stretches where we don’t score and so our defense has to be really stingy, and we’re still not quite there. Some guys are still figuring out offensive roles, and some guys just didn’t perform well.”

The Corsairs outscored SDCC in the paint and got more rebounds, but SMC sophomore Center Quinn Collins took it upon himself to acknowledge he wants to be better for the team.

“I feel like I could’ve done better rebounding, and guarding. If we do those things starting with me, then we’ll end up on top, tonight wasn’t our night,” Collins said.

SMC won the first game of the O’Fallon and Singui Classic on Thursday, Nov.

3, defeating the Los Angeles Pierce College Brahmas with a score of 84-52. The game saw good defensive performances by both teams in the first half with the Corsairs taking control in the second half — once they were able to pick apart the Brahmas’ trap defense.

The Corsairs went in aiming to redeem themselves after their first loss of the season against the Cerritos City College Falcons on Tuesday, Nov. 1.

SMC sophomore shooting guard Cam Cohn put up a solid night in the first game — scoring 22 points, including two three-pointers and two steals in 28 minutes.

“Coming in looking to avenge our loss from last game, I didn’t have the best performance and we didn’t as a team. I wanted to come out and do what I do best, score the ball, lead the team and get a win,” Cohn said.

SMC sophomore point guard Chianti Clay Jr. had an exceptional night almost tallying a double-double with 10 points and 8 rebounds.

“Just trying to be aggressive, I had a slow start the first game just trying to get back into rhythm, trying to do everything besides scoring the ball when my shot is off, I made a goal to myself to try to grab a couple boards, I guess I overdid my job a little,” Clay said.

The Corsairs have six days off until their next tournament from Nov. 11 to Nov. 13. The team will play in the Alvin Hunter Classic and take on the No. 7 ranked East Los Angeles (ELAC) Huskies. ELAC has given SMC trouble in the past, beating them twice last season.

Anthony Clingerman | The Corsair

Above, A referee looks on as Knights attempt to score against Corsairs.

Left, Corsair Quinn Collins (left) dribbling the ball while attempting to get around Knights Anthony Howell (right) so he can make the shot.

Jamie Addison | The Corsair

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OPINION

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Nov. 9, 2022

Messy Art, Messy Artist

Illustration by Cecil Alsanussi

Emma Krul | Staff Writer

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s artist’s behaviors become more readily available to us through social media, and as societal accountability has transformed in this post #MeToo era, our consumption of media has been altered. It is easier to scrutinize behavior, and thus harder to blindly absorb media without a care for the artist behind it.

The discourse surrounding separating the art from the artists permeates our social media every time news breaks about anybody who produces media we consume.

When news of artist Rex Orange County being charged with 6 counts of sexual assault broke, as a casual fan I purged my playlists of his music, which at one point I adored. Discussions about the recent charges saturated my social media feed, and I kept seeing fans of the artist admit that they’d still listen to his music because of how much it meant to them, while still acknowledging the horribleness of Rex Orange Country’s actions. I was quick to judge.

I just couldn’t wrap my head around how they could still listen to his music.

Responses to the recent news were impossible to escape on social media.

“People kind of identify with music – like that’s one of the first questions people ask you when you’re like getting to know each other, asking ‘what kind of music do you listen to’ it’s just kind of a big part of people’s identities,” said SMC student Lily Skwarczek.

Skwarczek wasn’t surprised by the

influx of publicly made opinions on both sides saying “so I think that when artists do things that are – controversial, people feel that they have to take a stance.”

When taking the sometimes insincere moral high ground, it is easy to judge. However, when you look back at the media you yourself consume, it becomes easier to grant some perspective and realize the whole debate is one big slippery slope on both sides.

I may have stopped listening to Rex Orange County, but “Midnight in Paris,” a film directed by Woody Allen, is a personal favorite of mine. Who am I to pass judgment on those who listen to Rex Orange County when I myself regularly view a film directed by a creep who married the adopted daughter of a former partner and has numerous sexual assault allegations.

I could try to defend myself, and say that my line is drawn according to how prevalent the artist is in their work.

When I listen to Rex Orange County, his voice is at the forefront, similar to actors appearing directly on screen.

Rather, when it comes to directors, they play a behind the scenes role. In these cases, it becomes a little bit easier to separate the art from the artist because they aren’t so in your face.

However, even this rationale becomes faulty. According to those boundaries, how do we then treat authors? I still hold a sense of nostalgia towards the “Harry Potter” series, despite

the horrible transphobic comments made by the author. Yet, I was unable to finish an Agatha Christie novel because of its horrifically casual racism and anti-semitism. People tell me it’s just a product of its time. Does that excuse it? The authors are no longer alive to profit and the modes of thought can be simply labeled as outdated, but it’s not like anti-semitism and racism aren’t still problems in today’s world.

The whole debate is home to some rocky terrain. The only conclusion I’m able to reach is that we are all hypocrites. The only thing we can do is civilly have these discussions while being sensitive to the feelings of others around us, because no matter how unwaveringly moral we’d like to think we are, we can be inconsistent.

We all have our exceptions that we make. Skwarczek says part of the reason this issue can get so messy is “because of how personally people identify with different types of media.” Like I make an exception for “Midnight in Paris,” Skwarcek brings up her own – Jim Carrey.

Skwarczek admits he too is a problematic figure. “He says and does a lot of things that are – questionable. But you know I grew up watching him and a lot of his movies when I was younger.” As new information comes to light about our personal favorites, Skwarczek says “it can be kind of hard to detach yourself from something you’ve already attached yourself to.”