CORSAIR
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
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Breaking Ground: Campus Construction Carries on PG. 6
D.A. finds election committee in the wrong Pg. 3
What should replace the bread factory? Pg. 5
SMC professor produces eco-doc pg. 10
Washington Football team name controversy pg. 12
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2 contents/News
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
E D I T O R I A L S TA F F Alci Rengifo············ Editor-in-Chief c o rs a i r. e d i t o r i n c h i e f @ g m a i l . c o m Jonathan Ramos······Managing Editor c o rs a i r. m a n a g i n g @ g m a i l . c o m Rachel Gianuario··········News Editor c o rs a i r. n e w s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Paulian Eriksson·····Health & Lifestyle c o rs a i r. l i f e s t y l e p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Jonathan Ramos········ Opinion Editor c o rs a i r. o p i n i o n p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m James Powel··············· Sports Editor c o rs a i r. s p o r t s p a g e @ g m a i l . c o m Ronja Jansz ........ Multimedia Director c o rs a i r. m u l t i m e d i a d e p t @ g m a i l . c o m Mia Duncans ············· Photo Editor Liz Phillips················ Photo Editor c o rs a i r p h o t o e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Ju a n L o p e z . . . . . . . D i g i t a l E d i t o r c o rs a i r. w e b e d i t o r @ g m a i l . c o m Adriane Hale···············Copy Editor Collective Effort··········Design Editor c o rs a i r. d e s i g n t e a m @ g m a i l . c o m Jhosef Hern····················Illustrator c o rs a i r c a r t o o n @ g m a i l . c o m c o r s a i r s ta f f Zafer Acar, Brandon Barsugli, Scott Bixler, Carlos Espinosa, Adrien Piteux, James Powel, Luis Salvador, Raven Newaly, Brenda Cruz, Matthew Toss, Stacy Ellen, Jeffrey Chacon, Stella Ngigi, Carlos Espinosa, Alfredo Gutierrez, Zoila Campos, Jillisa Jenkins, Yasha Hawkins, Branisolv Jovanovio, Jose Gutierrez,, Julianne Oseberg, Nour Kabbani, Farhanah Ali, Devin Page, Jason Biney, Jose Lopez, Sherrie Dickinson, Patricia Stallone, Ava Gandy, Nicholas Cardona, Nick Carrion, Veronika Kacha, Hans Saudestroem, Tony Peterson, Adriane Hale, Tiffany Hernandez, Mary Leipziger, Claudius West, Deni Rodriguez, Richard Lewis, Brandon Wong,, Maddy Weber, Lorena Garcia.
Adriane Hale Corsair The Sugiyama family and friends celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, on Wednesday. Once served, the bread is dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year. On the cover: Freshman student Cristian Ortega looks out into the still vast and empty construction site near the corner of 18th St. and Pico Blvd. The lot, which was formerly a parking lot, is still awaiting the finalization of architectural plans for a new Student Services Building. It is one of five still active construction sites which are nearing or still awating completion. (Adriane Hale)
FA C U LT Y A D V I S O R S S a u l Ru b i n & Gerard Burkhart AD INQUIRIES: corsai r. admana g er@g m ai l . co m (3 1 0 ) 4 3 4 - 4 0 3 3
Letter From the Editor
Political reflections amid a Hong Kong Spring
In our September 24 issue the poem “To Love Is To Suffer” in the Poetry & Art section was, in fact, a plagiarism of a monologue from the Woody Allen film “Love And Death.” The author of the poem has admitted to The Corsair his plagiarism and we apologize to our readers for our error in publishing the submission.
Alci rengifo Editor In Chief This edition of The Corsair will look into a very organic part of campus life, and that is its political process which is an arena where both students and administrators are tested. Our fourth issue of the semester features some new developments concerning issues that have shadowed campus politics since last spring. The District Attorney of Los Angeles has ruled that the Associated Students Election Committee violated the Brown Act during two meetings on March 27. Among the D.A.’s conclusions are that there was a lack of public written notice for the meetings and that improper actions took place during these meetings. The actions on which the D.A. ruled took place in the midst of a heated A.S. election, during which Director of Activities Matthew Nicholson was disqualified from running for A.S. President during one of the mentioned meetings. Our News Editor Rachel Gianuario, reports on the D.A.’s ruling and latest developments in this issue. College is truly a time of learning and gaining experience. While we might spend much of our time cramming information and enduring exams, involvement in campus life provides students with important training grounds for the professional world. This is even true in the world of politics. Student government is a delicate combination of students and their mentors. They have to work together in an administrative environment as complex as any city government office. If mistakes were made, they are not of one group alone. The lessons to be taken from the reporting you will read is that positions of responsibility
will always bring immense scrutiny and as citizens we should always learn to ask questions of those in positions of power. We are lucky to live in a society where it is still permissible to learn about the functions of democracy and critique, make mistakes and learn from the experience of practicing a democratic form of government, even on a college campus. As I write these words the streets of Hong Kong are being shaken by a popular protest movement, led primarily by students, demanding real democracy as the Chinese government refuses to allow the citizens of Hong Kong to freely elect their own leaders. The streets have been filled with waves of people in images that are beginning to stun the world. Like their counterparts in Chile, Tunisia, and Bahrain, these fearless voices have now endured the tear gas and marching boots of the state’s security forces. While the world pays attention to the new wars now raging across the Middle East, the ripple beginning to grow in Hong Kong could be a small prophecy of what is yet to come. Could this be the next great Chinese revolution? The 1949 revolt that established the People’s Republic forever marked the 20th century, now the Chinese masses are slowly beginning to again claim their legacy. In Hong Kong, at least, they are realizing that even the luxuries and consumerist habits of modern capitalism are no substitute for genuine democracy. Napoleon Bonaparte, more than 200 years ago, warned while taking a break from conquering Europe that, “China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move the world.”
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
DA rules that AS Elections Committee violated Brown Act
Juan Lopez Corsair On March 31, the former AS board voted nearly unanimously on further discussion of Director of Activities Matthew Nicholson’s alleged misappropriation of funds during their weekly meeting in the Cayton Center. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office ruled on September 9th that the elections committee violated several clauses of the Brown Act on March 27th.
Rachel Gianuario News Editor
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office ruled that last year’s Elections Committee violated several sections of a public meetings law at two meetings concerning actions made about previous Associated Students Director of Activities, Matthew Nicholson. The Brown Act, a law guaranteeing the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies, is used
is suggested that the Board provide timely notice of meetings and proper description of meeting agenda items, so to prevent a formal action in the future. The ruling states that the Elections Committee violated several acts at two meetings that took place at 10:45 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. on March 27. At these meetings, the committee members discussed the actions of Matthew Nicholson at the AS affiliated “Feed the Students” event that took place on March 25. This arose from speculation that
“Any violation of the Brown Act by students during the last school year was inadvertent and the result of the lack of training”Campus Council Robert Myers to prevent undisclosed meetings and help keep the public fully informed. The Corsair attempted to get comments from District Attorney Jackie Lacey, Associated Dean of Student Life Sonali Bridges, Matthew Nicholson and several students, all of whom have not made comments on the DA Office’s ruling. The DA’s Office ruled that the board committed five violations of the Brown Act Laws. Robert Myers, SMC Campus Council, confirms through an email that, “Any violation of the Brown Act by students during the last school year was inadvertent and the result of the lack of training”. Though the DA Office will not be issuing formal actions against the Election Committee for their violations, however it is recommending that the committee consider retracting all actions taken during the 3:30 P.M. March 27 meeting. They also suggest that all actions taken concerning this matter and other meeting agendas be properly noticed so the public has the opportunity to be heard. Additionally, it
Nicholson’s “Feed the Students” A.S. event was used to give out free pizza as a way of gathering votes. Aubrey Sassoon (as recorded in the minutes as Ben Sassoon), previous Elections Committee member commented on Nicholson’s actions at the 10:45 March 27 A.S. Elections Committee Special Meeting: “While [Nicholson] wasn’t explicitly saying he was running, [he] seems to be giving the illusion that it’s a campaign giveaway, which isn’t allowed since it has value.” This suggests the committee believed Nicholson violated rule number 6 under Publicity guidelines in the Section VII of the Campaign Guidelines in the A.S. Election Code of 2014. The section states that, “Candidates may not issue incentives that have inherent value (pencils, candy, etc.)”. Nicholson was later disqualified as a candidate for A.S. president at the 3:30 P.M. special meeting on March 27. The first violation the E.C. committed concerned the lack of public notice of special meetings to publications of general
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circulation on campus, referring to The Corsair newspaper, on campus radio and television stations. Written notice of the meetings were also not individually given to the committee members. Both were constituted as Brown Act violations. The second violation concerns how the special meetings were carried out. The ruling states that the committee incorrectly adjourned their first meeting and improperly made actions on discussion items. Out of seven agenda items on the first A.S. Elections Committee Special Meeting, two were discussed. The first being the approval of the minutes, the second entitled “What constitutes ‘reasonable deception’ as far as implying who sponsors an event”. The second agenda item was not properly transferred to the second meeting later that day. Actions thereafter made on this agenda item constituted a Brown Act violation. The third violation the DA’s office found was that the Election’s Committee took action at the 3:30 P.M. meeting on an item not contained on the agenda. The only time this can be done is in an “emergency situation”, constituted by the Government Code 54954.5 as an activity that impairs public health, mass destruction, terrorist act, threatened terrorist activity and activities that, in general, pose immediate peril. The board needed to vote that this emergency situation existed, which it did not, explaining why they did not vote to approve it. Therefore, resulting in their taking of action of a non-agenda item being another Brown Act violation. The fourth violation committed concerned an insufficient notice of the second meeting that occurred on March 27 at 3:30 P.M. Soon after the first morning meeting, the second agenda was posted containing differing agenda items from the first meeting. The discussion items of the 10:45 meeting included “Publicizing campaigns during AS events” and “What constitutes ‘reasonable deception’ as far as implying who sponsors an event” were changed to “Deciding what to do about Matt’s Misuse of AS funds”. Since these were two different special meeting agendas discussing different actions, and not a continuance of the meeting earlier in the day, the agenda @t h e _ c o r s a i r •
then needed to be posted with a 24-hour notice. This constituted another Brown Act violation. The committee is also cited for providing vague agenda items that don’t indicate people being discussed or specific actions that will be taken. For example, the 3:30 meeting agenda item simply states “Matt’s Misuse of AS funds”. It does not state his last name or actions that will be made. Though complaints were filed that the committee’s special meetings were closed session, these have gone on unfounded. There is no evidence to support the existence of a “closed meeting” with the exception of an email from the then Elections Committee Chair Jasmine Jafari characterizing the morning meeting as a “pseudo” closed session. Though Nicholson previously complained during the March 31 E.C. Special Meeting that he was not notified to attend the meeting where he was disqualified, the DA Office, notes that, “Persons without an official role in the meeting should not be present”.
There is no evidence to support the existence of a “closed meeting”
It is stated that legislative bodies need to understand the Brown Act, how it works and why it is in place. It ensures greater public confidence in the integrity of the governing bodies and transparency of the decision making process. According to the Campus Council Robert Myers and the DA’s Office, SMC is undertaking proactive measures to provide Brown Act training for newly elected AS board members, as well as supervising faculty and staff. Myers says the current AS board “received training in the Brown Act and detailed materials about it” at their recent retreat held in August.
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
New bike law seeks to raise street awareness Rachel Ginaurio, Farhana Ali & Devin Paige News Editor, Staff Writer, Staff Writer Nick Geiger, a Phi Delta Kappa historian, often rides his bike to school, stating that it is healthier and eliminates the hassle of finding parking. However, Geiger has been involved in his fair share of close calls on the road. Geiger retells a close call he had with a driver while biking down to Marina Del Rey. There was a car near Geiger that seemed much closer than a car should be. He recalls someone reaching their hand out, trying to hit him. “I felt contact but didn’t have time to react,” he says. “I’m lucky that they missed, otherwise I would have been seriously injured,” says Geiger. Nick Geiger is one of many who have trouble commuting around Los Angeles by bike. The Santa Monica Police Department records show that there were over 1,000 collisions between February 2006 and February 2011. A majority of the accidents occurred at intersections and on major streets such as Pico Blvd., Lincoln Blvd., Ocean Park Blvd., and Wilshire Blvd. According to the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System report for 2012, more than 150 bikers were killed in car vs. bike accidents. The number of bikers that were injured or involved in car accidents during that year reached about 5,000. A law, effective as of September 16, requires all vehicles to give bikers 3 feet of space before passing them. This is to insure that the biker will not be accidentally hit by a passing car. Violators will be penalized with a minimum $35 fine if no injuries occur. If, however, the biker has been hit, the fine will be $233, with any additional fees, depending on the situation, potentially racking up penalty costs to $959. Assemblyman Steven Bradford, the bill’s author, explained, “This is not another fine or a way of penalizing drivers, it’s a way of educating drivers and bikers,” (about sharing the road). Some bikers, like SMC student Tekoah Flory, speculate if this law will really change the attitude of drivers sharing the roads with bicycle riders. Flory bikes all over Los Angeles to avoid traffic and to improve the
Stella Ngigi Corsair A cyclist rides in the bike lane amid heavy traffic on September 23. The Three Feet for Safety Act, A.B. 1371, went into effect on September 16th and intends to decrease aggression between bikers and drivers by providing a safe buffer zone.
condition of her health. “‘Bikers’ are just survivors. We are street warriors,” she says. Flory believes that this bill is not the answer to the problem of bikers sharing roads with drivers. She states that because of the debris, small lanes, close proximity to cars, and parked cars in bike lanes, bikers are subject to unsafe conditions. “Biking in Santa Monica is more policed. It is safer, but I bike all over Los Angeles, Inglewood, Silverlake, K-Town, and the bike lanes, if there are any, are crap,” says Flory. California Highway Patrol officer Edgar Figueroa is quoted by LA Times saying, “There are a lot of road rage incidents.” He believes this new bill is meant to promote sharing the road between bikers and drivers. Students like Flory similarly feel that there is tension between bikers and drivers, causing numerous accidents. “There is a lot of aggression. Only some neighborhoods will provide protection,” said Flory. The other party this law effects is drivers of the road, who encounter bikers on both busy
and calm streets in Los Angeles. Drivers, like Santa Monica College sophomore business major Maurice, who wished to withhold his last name, suggests that bikers are also to blame for accidents. Maurice recalls a time when a biker ran into his car while he was stopped in the street. “I saw them coming and they couldn’t see me, and I was honking my horn,” says Maurice, as the biker road out of a driveway and rolled over the top of his hood. The biker was extremely apologetic, admitting he wasn’t paying attention. Maurice recently bought a bike and began riding it around Santa Monica, noting that he can see the other side of the things as a biker now, too. A Big Blue Bus driver for over 20 years, Ruben Romero explains that bikers often don’t stop at stop signs and swerve in front of his bus. “They’re terrible,” he says about bikers on the road, adding that he expects them to break traffic laws. Romero doesn’t believe
that will really change anything; “They’re going to go where they want,” says Romero. Another SMC student driver who commutes by car to school, Ashley Wake, a child development student, says that she allows bikers their space on the road. Though she has never experienced a carbiker collision, Wake has noticed bikers riding through stop signs and not adhering to traffic laws that drivers have to follow. She explains at times its hard to see bikers on the road; “Sometimes they come out of no where and you literally don’t see them. And you can’t swerve over or you’ll hit another car on the road,” says Wake. LAPD Officer Sara Faden states that police will begin to issue out warnings to give drivers time to adjust and become educated about the new law. Each case will be individually reviewed, however, Faden notes that incidents witnessed by police will result in a citation. However, the citation can only be issued if a police officer witnesses the violation.
Cafeteria vacancy remains without a firm replacement Jose Gutierrez Staff Writer
When students walk into Santa Monica College, they are faced with overbearing workloads, frustrating financial situations, and pressure to choose the right major for themselves. In lieu of those difficulties, students need a place to refuel and eat. That usually sends them to Eat Street or one of the other stores on campus like Starbucks. SMC does not own these restaurants, but leases out space for them to be able to operate in the main campus cafeteria. However, one corner space of the cafeteria in specific of remains closed off and empty. This space is the former home of the nowinfamous Bread Factory, which was closed off last February due to owner Soo Jeong Pak’s inability to pay some of her student workers’ wages as well as $77,000 in rent. The sudden closure of the Bread Factory during the Winter 2013 break resulted in a prolonged legal battle that involved Pak taking SMC to court in an unsuccessful lawuit as well as her former business partner, the still operative Eat Street eatery. In addition, several former Bread Factory workers claimed loss of wages. Today the cafeteria space’s shutters are still closed shut, with seemingly no replacement coming too soon and the corner will remain indefinitely closed off. For now its lonely
columns have been used for plastering advertisements, announcements and flyers from various groups and organizations. Lee Peterson doesn’t have any information on the matter of the Bread Factory’s replacement. “I know absolutely nothing about any replacement for a Bread Factory,” he says. “Nothing is percolating through the grapevine yet.” Robert Myers, Campus Counsel, says he is not involved in finding a replacement for the Bread Factory. Michael Tuitasi, Vice President of Student Affairs, was quick to decline any involvement in the search for a replacement as well, despite his involvement in . Likewise, Director of Human Resources Sandy Chung did not have any information on the matter either. Despite all being directly involved in student issues, none had any solid information to give. Charlie Yen, Director of Contract Services, suggested speaking to Cynthia Moore, Director of Purchasing, the department in charge of handling the replacement of the Bread Factory, but she confirmed that there are no plans being formed for the area yet. “There’s no solid plan for anything yet,” says Cynthia Moore, Director of Purchasing at SMC. Moore goes on to detail what would replace Bread Factory and the requirements for
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Liz Phillips Corsair Students pass by the vacant space in the campus cafeteria once occupied by the Bread Factory, which closed after missing several rent payments to Santa Monica College.
potential restaurants to move into the space. “It would have to be something healthy, something with unique menu items, high quality, low price, something like that,” she says. The question of affordable prices will no doubt be a major factor in the school’s decision as to who will fill the vacancy. @t h e _ c o r s a i r •
With no actual plans to lease out the empty space to private restaurant businesses, it seems the space across from the Eat Street restaurant will remain indefinitely shut down, leaving Eat Street without competition for a good while as the semester rolls on.
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Opinion 5
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
Being for the benefit of the associated students of SMC Juan Lopez Digital Editor
Every semester students pay their fees, assuming they are mandatory. Some indeed are but there is at least one fee that you can actually ask to be refunded even with a full class load: The ASB (Associated Student body) membership fee. This is an option only taken by 255 students so far this semester. It’s paid in conjunction with the Student ID (or what the administration would prefer to call a Universal Access Card) but you can actually visit the office of the Associated Students on the second floor of the Cayton Center and ask to be refunded its $19.50 price, from the $32.50 total sum students are charged for the ID/sticker combo. Last year’s Associated Students board fought hard over several public meetings and with administration over changing the language of the fees in order for students to have the option to opt out of paying an AS fee. Would that be a great business move considering their financial budget’s dependence on student fees? Probably not, but it seemed a noble effort from a board of self-professed do-gooders. AS membership fees are presided over by the AS board of directors and their annual budget. Think of membership fees as the taxes we pay to them, for they are a local form of government. In our SMC microcosm of governance, the AS board is the city level while administration, Board of Trustees, is like the state level. The ICC branch of AS made up of a colorful collective of clubs would be like districts, representing different subsets of students and their constituents/ special interests. Club members often become the most involved in student government, with current board of directors hailing from such various clubs as TEDx SMC, German Club, Black Collegians Club, Eco Action, and
even Crafting Club. With approximately 800 students involved in clubs and 17,000 students paying AS membership fees as of August 5, that’s a lot of money for students in campus government to look over, even under administrative guidance. Recently the District Attorney of Los Angeles ruled that last semester’s Elections Committee committed violations of the Brown Act. Whether unwittingly or purposefully, it was done under the guidance of advisors, and is a large oversight on the part of the AS, particularly of the ICC, whose Chair Jasmine Jafari was the leader of said committee. It was also revealed during last week’s bi-weekly ICC meeting by current vicechair Courtney King, that last semester’s Club Row event committed a number of health code violations, though they were confirmed by the AS to be related mostly to lack of paperwork for items sold and food distribution rules that were unknown to the ICC leaders who organized the event. These all just serve as points to recognize that no matter what responsibilities and powers are beholden to the AS board of directors, they are still students who are learning and are being guided. On a yearly basis a new board is ushered in under the guidance of the deans of Student Life, and no matter how bright and prospective the students may be, they are still inexperienced novices. The most recent and glaring example of this are the attempts by this year’s board to become an auxiliary organization and battle early in the semester over approving the budget which even led to a flustered, negative reaction from George Prather, director of Auxiliary services. Through these problems and constant scrutiny, they have to navigate through our funding, which amounts to approximately $428,000 annually, and that’s not including
their restricted budget. To paraphrase Beyonce, something is bound to go down when there’s a million dollars on an elevator. These students who put themselves up for an average of 1,200 votes a semester and win directors positions go through a lot of paperwork and one week-long (or less) retreat and are expected to not only delegate a budget, but abide by strict legal code of order, which passing knowledge of is still not enough to escape scrutiny. They all go in, presumably, wanting to make a difference, and in the end leave jaded due to voter turnout, rigid bureaucratic rules, and of having to compromise; a true test in the real political world through and through. You’re probably wondering what actually happens to the budget money. A great deal of it goes to organizing public club events and providing food for them. Those membership fees also pay for such AS benefits as discounted movie tickets and the ever popular free Big Blue Bus contract, which administration pays half of and AS pays the other half, some years even more. A year ago, the AS even found itself funding a winter session, covering costs of employment to several professors. They even paid $20,000, matching donations, for Global Motion to visit and perform in China. Last semester’s board took a very vocal stand in asking “What isn’t AS paying for?” They challenged every department’s funding proposal, even asking in meetings why administration isn’t taking care of the funding of its departments, instead suggesting that departments go to AS to ask for funding on such things as Job Fairs and College Fairs. During this period, that board also spent $350,000 renovating the Cayton Center lounge, now marked by round furniture and open spaces, and their own offices. Numerous leads and digging through the
numbers led the Corsair to determine that the renovation cost so much because of the level of quality in furniture the board was seeking, and not because of any extravagant $5,000 couches which various sources on campus alleged, the most expensive furniture pieces rested at about $2,000. Outside of that, last semester’s board also set aside $100,000 to spend towards the Student Success Awards, which were presented to students who the board’s judges felt worthy of financial reward for their efforts as members of the campus community. These all seem like great use of our funding, but they also put a significant amount of budget money into projects exclusively of the AS. Their recent, three-day summer retreat clocked in at a reported $15,000 after being reduced from an original $22,476.16 price tag proposed by Associated Dean of Student Life Sonali Bridges. These are General Assembly meetings where student government bodies from all California community colleges gather to discuss the politics of their school and the state, and for lobbying the state. Yes our student governance lobbies the state. They visit state senators to impress their views upon them in hopes that they support Proposition This or Measure That or Bill the Other. This may seem surprising to most unfamiliar with the AS, but they carry much pride in their lobbying on the state level. Knowing of their lobbying activities, one must ask if you haven’t yet, do these people really represent our interests as transit students? On a base level, would you really be more interested in promoting community involvement and helping out underfunded departments or sending students to talk to senators about about political issues that have no immediate connection to our campus life?
What should replace the Bread Factory? Maddy Weber Staff Writer A space amidst the crowded cafeteria remains vacant since the Bread Factory was abruptly evicted last semester. What was once a go-to eating destination between classes has turned into no man’s land. We’re now well into the fall semester, and some of us are wondering when and what will replace the former shop. Known for it’s inexpensive, fast and friendly service (not to mention a good assortment of food and beverages), students continue to feel the void of its absence while resorting to less than satisfactory foods. Santa Monica College student Shadi Bandari admits she goes “off campus to eat because there’s not many appetizing choices anymore.” So, what do students want to see the Bread Factory replaced with? After asking a number of students, those who eat in the cafeteria regularly as well as others who never do, a consensus has been made of hoping to see a new food spot implemented in the near future. A very reasonable preference considering it is a cafeteria after all. As for what type of food students are hoping for, many responded differently. “Smoothies! And panini’s! Oh, and maybe some healthy food, too… but not just a salad bar, something a little more exciting,” said SMC student Linnea Svensson, “definitely not all that processed crap I see everywhere else.” Certainly that’s a wishful plan (I’m all for smoothies and panini’s), but it’s clear students yearn for a little more variety in
the numerous hours spent at school. The cafeteria isn’t a place I often (or ever) visit for meal purposes, but daily coffee runs ensure that the scarce variety in food hasn’t gone unnoticed. And although my personal experience may be subpar, I’ve heard, even read on Facebook, stories of undercooked chicken and frozen vegetables being served. However different the food preference is, implementing another food source is the popular consensus. Healthy eating makes for a healthy mind, right? The notorious ex-Bread Factory space is a perfect opportunity for a healthier alternative. Much like the late occupants, a wide variety in a small space is the optimal way to satisfy all crowds. So, what if something unrelated to food found its way into the cafeteria?Hypothetically speaking, this idea left students a lot less enthusiastic and opinionated. “What else can go there besides food?,” Svensson questions as she ponders over possibilities. “It’s a cafeteria, [food] makes the most sense”. Adamant about that being the most sensible option, she “can’t imagine an alternative off the top of [her] head.” Similarly, SMC student Ryan Miles finds anything other than food to be a questionable decision at the very least. “A cafeteria is for food. I don’t understand why it’s still empty” said Miles. Food seems to be the most viable optional; such a loud and crowded place isn’t suitable for many other things. A useful, yet nearly impossible alternative, is a “coat check” system-- just substitute the coats with
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books; it is simple but would be difficult to pull off. Running from one end of campus to the other carrying heavy textbooks gets exhausting; it just so happens that the cafeteria is conveniently located in the middle of campus, give or take a few buildings. The thought of such a system is comforting, but call it wishful thinking because I can only imagine the chaos it would cause. It would be nixed quicker
than the former. Students, myself included, have given much thought to what new, innovative things could utilize the empty space, and as far as realistic ideas go, it’s safe to say food is the bread winner. In the end, whatever the case may be, whether it’s healthy food, dessert food, fast food, or not even food, it’s due time to put something back in that little niche.
Jhosef Hearn Corsair
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
What is that c
Arts and Entertainmen
SMC Malibu satellite campus
Adriane Hale CORSAIR
Soon, Santa Monica College will build a new satellite campus across from Legacy Park and Malibu City Hall. d. Stuart Ranch R
enter Civic C
La Paz Ln.
Rd.
Construction workers lay cable beams as earthquake dama the new AET Campus, which is set to be open for the last q
Malibu Rd.
Performing Arts Center
The Media
Adriane Hale CORSAIR
Another wing is being added to the Performing Arts Center next to The Broad Stage, which will have more clasroom space, a theater, and an art gallery. It’s scheduled to be completed by 2016.
While new construction on the Pearl St. Media C on the repographics offices connected to the libra
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
construction?
7
nt Technology building
By James Powel Sports Editor
For
the average student at Santa Monica College who traverses her grounds from south to north, the landscape is full of the growing, changing landscapes of construction sites in motion.
Adam Pineda CORSAIR
age prevention, in what will be a 5-story parking structure of quarter of spring.
One trip across the campus forces students to walk around a shiny new building whose courtyard is not yet complete, the beginnings of a new gym and, upon arrival on Pico Blvd., the long maligned once and future Student Services building or as most students call it, “The Pit.” Yet, the pit still sits, empty. Currently, every Santa Monica College campus, with the exception of the Bundy satellite campus, have continuing construction projects. Continued on Page 8
The Big Hole
Center
Jason Riney CORSAIR
Liz Phillips CORSAIR
Center is completed, renovations continue ary.
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Students pass by the expansive hole at the NE corner of main campus which used to be a parking lot, which will eventually be the new Student Services Center and has remained untouched since 2009.
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8 PhotoStory Continued from PG 7 The pit that sits at the corner of 17th and Pico should have graduated by now. It has sat, lonely and vacant since it was first dug in 2009. By now it should have transferred, graduated from a four year institution and should now be out looking for gainful employment. Yet, the pit still sits, empty. The future Student Services Building, originally funded by Bond Measure U, is supposed to house offices for student service personnel, lecture halls and 500 places of underground parking. Once a parking lot, the ivy-walled hole has sat untouched since the ground was broken on the expectation that the environmental impact reports would be positive, the California Division of the State Architect (DSA) would approve these plans and the Trustees would then approve the funding. The problems began when the Los Angeles office of the DSA failed to respond to the plans sent by the Santa Monica Community College District in 2010. Upon discovery of the failure, the review of the Student Services building, as well as future buildings submitted for review by the SMCCD, were sent to the San Diego DSA office. There, the review found that there was not enough structural support to hold the award winning postmodern-brutalist design by Steinberg Architects. However, Steinberg Architects submitted the new proposal and underestimated the cost of the building by 25 percent, they were thereafter fired. In their December 10, 2013 meeting, the Trustees were presented with preliminary renderings by Morris Architects that were reminiscent of the Shore Hotel on the beach front and feature a porte-cochère off of Pico Blvd. The most recent designs, which were were delivered to the board on July 1, simplified the postmodern steel and glass design and appears to have removed the porte-cochère. The legendary hole, though the unfortunate star, is not the only major piece of construction on the main campus. On the Pearl Street side of campus, the Media Center extension to the library arose in November, 2012. Though originally scheduled to open after the spring semester, the center, which will house the information technology, distance education and telecommunications departments was not completed until July of this year. Failure to include a button to close
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college a retractable a chain link door further contributed to delays. However, by the end of the summer session, the building was all but ready for its tenants to move in. Except that it did not have a working elevator. Those who had to lift heavy objects up to the upper levels made use of a scissor lift. According to academic computing instructional specialist and co-chair of the District Planning and Advisory Council Lee Peterson, the still non-functioning elevator has been a source of consternation and confusion between administration and the contractor, LPI, inc. “Construction is always a pain, always. However, this was a very unpleasant move,” Peterson said. “No one who works for SMC was happy.” The next major project for the main campus will be the renovation to the Health, PE and Dance buildings. The proposed 63,500 square foot building, three story building, designed by Gensler Architects, will provide new athletic locker rooms, dance studios, a fitness center and a rock wall. Along with the new amenities, the building will become the hub of the campus air conditioning system and will house various infrastructure systems. Portions of the adjacent Pavilion will be renovated as well. Students will not feel the effects of this project this semester, as the gym and locker rooms will remain open through the duration of the semester while temporary locker rooms are being constructed. Staff lot 3A will be permanently closed and additional staff parking can be found on the lower level of Structure 3. The project is scheduled to be completed in the Fall of 2016 Construction continues at the Academy of Entertainment Technology (AET) Campus 1660 Stewart Street, which will be the home of KCRW and The Corsair. As of September 12, the concrete for the second level of the six level, 450 space parking lot was poured and the foundation for the KCRW building is complete. In addition to being the future home of KCRW and The Corsair, the AET campus will expand the original AET building 19,419 square feet containing additional classroom and office space. The project is scheduled to be completed in the winter of 2016. Construction on the Performing Arts Center’s East Wing began July 14 and will replace the eastern portion of the Madison Building, originally built in the 1930’s.
Adriane Hale Corsair An architectural rendering of the proposed Student Services Building viewed from the corner of Pico Blvd. and 20th St. as presented to the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees as of July 1 by Morris Architecture
The design, led by architect Andrea Cohen Gehring for DLR Group, compliments the original Renzo Zecchetto Architects design of The Broad Stage. The building will offer a 165 seat music hall that can be converted into a partially outdoor venue as well as rehearsal space. To access the main building of the PAC, students can enter from the Broad Stage parking lot or from 11th Street. All facilities at the site, including the Broad Stage and the Art Gallery, will remain open during construction. For those who would prefer to go to classes even closer to the beach, the college is in talks with the City of Malibu to build a satellite campus just across Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu Point. The proposed campus, located next to the
An architectural rendering of the proposed Student Services Building viewed from the corner of Trustees as of July 1 by Morris Architecture.
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West Branch of the Los Angeles Superior Court and the Malibu library, would have 5 classrooms, a lecture hall and office space as well as a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s substation. The plans, designed by the Quatro Design Group, are currently under consideration with DSA and the City of Malibu planning department. According to Malibu Senior Planner Bonnie Betts, the college filed paperwork to gain height exemptions for the building and it’s accompanying communications tower this week. Construction will continue to be apart of SMC community life as new projects are developed, current projects are completed, and old projects remain on hold until further notice.
Courtesy Morris Architects Pico Blvd. and 20th St. as presented to the Santa Monica College Board of
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
Looking Ahead at Vegan Oktoberfest Devin Paige Staff Writer If you want to recreate the feel and culture of a traditional German Oktoberfest without serving sausages, schnitzels, chicken or any other meat, dust off your lederhosen and go see for yourself. On October 4, the world’s first Vegan Oktoberfest will take place, right here in Santa Monica. Instead of meat they will offer many German-themed foods such as potato pancakes, beer brats, sauerkraut, pretzels, and more. To really create the traditional atmosphere, german music and entertainment will also be featured at the event. Stewedsheidzel (Oktoberfest veterans), led by renowned musician Stewart Undem will undoubtedly lead the crowd in some chicken dances and yodeling contests. Los Angeles band, Knyght Ryder, known for their covers of Journey, Weezer, Michael Jackson, AC/DC, and Snoop Dogg, will also be performing.
Although no meat will be served at the event, culture will still play a huge part in Vegan Oktoberfest. “What’s great about an event like Vegan Oktoberfest is that people can participate in cultural events and enjoy great food without consuming meat or dairy products,” said Kaya Foster, Student Greening Program Coordinator. To those who are new to vegan, the culture and entertainment will be primarily what will draw them to this event. “Food is a huge part of how we enjoy our culture and how we spend time with family and friends,” Foster said. The Vegan Oktoberfest event, while it primarily caters to vegans, welcomes anyone to come and enjoy. “I think it will bring a crowd together, vegan and non-vegan alike,” vegan student Cheyenne Morrill said. Vegan Oktoberfest is well past due for some vegans, and for Bronwyn Hancock it’s time for an event like this. “It’s nice to know you can partake in an event like this without worrying about what you can eat and having to ask questions,” he said.
There will also be vegan craft brews available, as well as gluten free options and ciders. For SMC student Gabrielle Brown, beer was enough to get her attention. “I’m looking forward to the Lagunitas. Hopefully they will have some Pumpkin Pale Ale too,” Brown said. According to the Vegan Oktoberfest
Health & lifestyle 9
website, “a portion of the proceeds from Vegan Oktoberfest will benefit Expand Animal Rights Now, an organization dedicated to using the legal system to help animals.” General admission tickets are $45, VIP $65, and non-drinker admission is $20. 2600 Barnard Way, Santa Monica, 90405. Cheers, or rather, “Prost!”
SMC Street Fashion: How do YOU strut your stuff?
Santa Monica College students share their inspirations, comforts, and styles that influence the way they dress on the street. Lorena garcia Staff Writer
Name: Kenny Mims Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Major: Psychology Where do you get inspiration from? I look at what people are wearing. I incorporate what I see celebrities that I like are wearing. I take little bits and pieces from them. How would you describe your style? I think it’s mainstream, also very street. When shopping for clothes, does price matter? Price matters. I won’t buy something with outrageous prices. I like affordable, but stylish clothes. Forever 21 is my favorite, since its fashionable and not too expensive.
Name: Allison Angelich
Veronika Kachanovskaya Corsair
Hometown: Redondo Beach, CA Major: English Where do you get inspiration from? Everywhere. I get it from SMC students. I get inspired by the different cultures. I also like bringing old things back into style. I recently studied abroad so i got inspiration from their style as well. Is there a big difference in style between Paris and California? Yeah, People in Paris dress more sophisticated than they do in Cali. It’s casual but classy. What are some local clothing stores you like to shop at? I like Brandy Melville on Third Street. I also like a thrift store called Ribbons. I like it cause they’re unique. I also shop at Urban Outfitters.
Veronika Kachanovskaya Corsair
Name: Christina Gutierrez
Name: Robert Griggs
Hometown: Kansas City, MO Major: Broadcasting What do you like to wear during these hot summer days to keep cool? I like to wear my bucket hat, tank tops, and cargo shorts. What trend do you like the most this year? The bucket hat. Rapper Schoolboy Q inspired me. I also saw everyone wearing one, so I decided to get one. What made you decide to major in broadcasting? I want to become a T.V. producer.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Major: Nursing How would you describe your style? Different, Unique. It expressed the way I feel. If I’m mad or sad, I’ll dress more conservative. If I’m happy I’ll dress colorful. I’ll show more skin. What made you want to dye your hair pink? I was just feeling happy and wanted to do a bright color. What are some must-have items in your closet? Beanies, cute, unique socks, with prints on them. Also, high-wasted shorts.
Veronika Kachanovskaya Corsair
Veronika Kachanovskaya Corsair
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& Entertainment 10 Arts
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
Prof. Laffey produces eco-doc “Love Thy Nature”
Devin Paige Staff Writer Santa Monica College film professor Sheila Laffey is the Associate Producer of a new, ecological documentary titled “Love Thy Nature”. It will premiere on October 18, 2014 at the Arclight in Hollywood, California. “Love Thy Nature”, directed by Sylvie Rokab has been in production for roughly eight years. Laffey, who is no novice to environmental films, says she has been apart of the team for three years and Associate Producer for one year. As Associate Producer, Laffey harnessed many roles such as helping with the kickstarter campaign, bringing people on for the project and distribution, as well as production and direction. “At first, my role wasn’t clear. I just knew I needed to be involved with this film,” says Laffey in her office. She describes the best part of the job as filming on location. The film explores all facets of nature around the world, including widlife shots in Africa, scuba diving in Hawaii, and the beautiful sequoias located in California’s Sequoia National Park. The film attempts to get to the root cause of our disconnection with nature. It also examines biophilia, which discusses aspects of nature in urban areas and its connection to us. The fiilm looks at how we can create more natural environments around us to remind ourselves that we are apart of nature itself. Liam Neeson, who narrates the film, plays the character Sapien. This character comes from Homo sapiens, meaning wise people. But Laffey believes the irony is that we have not been so wise. Neeson’s character represents the collective humankind that faces possible destruction if we continue on our path of ignorant bliss. In the film, Sapien realizes that our connection to nature is the key to an advanced society. Laffey explains her excitement that Neeson was on board. She says, “He’s perfect for this, we usually see him as an action hero, but he also has a very profound insight and voice.” The film also examines biomimicry, which is the study of nature and how to use it to solve complex human problems. The
Adriane Hale Corsair Enjoying nature, SMC film professor Sheila Laffey awaits the premiere of the new eco-doc on which she is credited as associate producer.
principles of biomimicry establish how nature works and how it recycles. “Nature is what we’re looking at now with the trees, but also our own nature. Our own nature as human beings is intimately connected to the planet,” Laffey explains. Laffey believes the film to be hopeful and strongly believes students should see it. She says, “It’s so easy to get depressed and think ‘what can I do? I’m just one person.’” Laffey adds, “You notice that a tree is sustainable when the leaves are finished and they go in the ground and create mulch in the forest.” “They create more life; nature has these cycles,” Laffey continues. The sustainability of nature is contradictory to human practices, however. “We don’t see that with our products; we have something and then we throw it away. But where is away?” Laffey questions. The film shows our wasteful habits and
the harmful effects of using up our natural resources. Though, according to Laffey, the film doesn’t focus too much on the detriments due to human disconnect with nature. Rather, it just states the facts. It has the usual presentation of looming various environmental disasters, but it doesn’t dwell on them. The primary message of the film is that by saving the planet, we are in turn saving ourselves. Laffey says, “If we don’t change, then we are going downhill and it’s a matter of survival.” The film talks about the psychology that we need to change. Human disconnect with nature is something that we see from centuries ago. Laffey notes that many philosophers, including Descartes, believe that we are separate from nature. The producers want to make it clear in this film that we are not.
Laffey says this film explores the benefits of the human connection with nature. It examines even the basics, such as using botanicals for medicine. A section of the film shows recorded figures that people head to parks after in search for healing, specifically mentioning those who suffered great losses spending more time with nature. For Laffey, the cinematic landscape couldn’t be better for releasing “Love Thy Nature,” saying that, “We are in a Golden Age of documentaries. Frankly, I don’t know another film that deals with these issues in such a deep way, and trust me I know a lot of film.” After the premiere screening, there will be a panel in the screening room with various activists for ecological and social change. For “Love Thy Nature” the premiere screening will be but the first of many more opportunities to introduce audiences to its urgent, global message.
Editing continues on epic Film 33 project “Cora” Jose Guitierrez Staff Writer
The film department class, Film 33’s, latest project, the period epic “Cora”, continues to come together piece by piece in its weekly editing sessions. The film’s beautiful shots stand still without an original score, since it cannot contain copyrighted music due to the nature of film festivals, which judge films based on their original content. The films produced by the Film 33 class thus far have garnered awards and acclaim at festivals as important as the Cannes film festival at France. Other than that, the film undergoes constant changes, including a new introductory sequence that flows better than the beginning scene that it replaced, paced faster with an extended action sequence. The head of the film program at Santa Monica College, Professor Salvador Carrasco, helps students put the film together and to help it flow as neatly as possible. Carrasco holds the philosophy that he should not interfere with his students’ films
as if they were his own, and it is necessary for students to complete a first cut of the film without his involvement for him to even begin to give his input on the editing. He views himself as more of a conduit through which the film students are able to achieve their own vision. It is a unique form of cinematic mentorship. “The way we go about the editing is that the director and the editor work together very closely and they come up with a first cut of the film,” Carrasco explains. “Once they have the first cut, I come into the picture. And the idea is that now we work together. We assess it together, what works and why, what doesn’t work and why not.” The film itself is not meant to play out like a typical in-your-face cautionary tale that preaches equality; it is instead focused on the human difficulties of the pre-Civil Rights era, where people of different color were discriminated against openly and coldly. This is largely due to the fact that “Cora” is based on director Kevin Maxwell’s grandmother’s life, who faced various race-related challenges. “Writing this, the vision I had was to raise awareness for domestic violence and racial prejudice and to make sure that the
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audience would take away that you can get through any type of adversity,” says Maxwell. “It’s supposed to be inspirational for people, in a sense.” Maxwell also aims to make the film accessible to audiences of all cultures, despite its specific backdrop. “We wanted to make the film universal,” he says. No matter how specific the story is, it’s easy to find parallels between this African-American culture-based story and other cultures. The film’s editor, Feriba Karakoc, mentions that she is able to see her own culture in the film’s portrayal of the preCivil Rights Movement in the south. “I am from a Muslim country and I can see my country’s background, and I can see my own background here in the film,” she says. However, Maxwell’s hopes for the film do not begin and end with its critical success; he also wishes to enhance the film program’s reputation through “Cora”. “I think our hope for the film, for one, is quality,” Maxwell says. “I wanted to take the entire film program to the next level.” When people think of a student film produced by community colleges, as @t h e _ c o r s a i r •
Carrasco describes, they do not perceive an actually well-put together work of art. They think of a crude attempt at film, and that is something they want to move away from as a film program. “That’s what we’re doing here, we’re dispelling those silly stereotypes. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of bias,” says Carrasco. When it comes to the film in terms of quality, it certainly isn’t short of any. “Cora” is being edited on “Avid” media composing software, a program designed specifically for professional editors. It is not just any editing software: According to Carrasco, this is the type of software you would find editors at Paramount Studios using to put together their feature films. After many more grueling hours editing the film to get it just right, the plan for the film is ultimately to have it ready to go by the end of the year. Carrasco is sure that after “Cora’s” release, there won’t be any shortage of student films in the years to come as more, ambitious would-be directors join the program and hope to produce memorable work. “The next project is already waiting for me,” Carrasco said.
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volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
Arts & Entertainment 11
Comic fandom gathers for Long Beach Con Jose Gutierrez Staff Writer
Last week, Long Beach became ground zero for lovers of all things within the comic book pop culture universe; ComicCon held its annual gathering of costumed denizens and fanboys, ready to devour the latest in comic book media. Immediately upon entering, visitors were treated to gaggles of cosplaying men, women, and children in homemade costumes, with characters ranging from Marvel’s beloved Deadpool to more original characters like Robert Downey Jr.’s “Iron Man” suit merged with the futuristic Batsuit from the 1999 animated series “Batman Beyond”. There were also lots of women dressed as Harley Quinn, The Joker’s infamous partner in crime. “I like for the fact that cosplaying gives me an escape from my day to day life,” said Deadpool “cosplayer” Ardent Forte. “Some people like collecting stamps, other people like fighting dogs, but I like cosplay because I don’t have to be anyone but the character I am that day.” Cosplayers were far from being the only attention grabbers at the con, however. Guests were led to a giant room full of indie comic book writers, artists, and inkers, each of them with sprawled out pieces of their work across several tables. One particularly eye-catching table was the one containing the collected illustrations of Albert Nguyen, an artist who found his hobby in drawing and selling various images from pop culture refitted to the “Star Wars” franchise. One piece displayed Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers sailing across the desert in
the classic fashion of George Washington crossing the Delaware River. Another piece displayed Imperial Stormtroopers raising an Imperial flag like the soldiers at Iwo Jima. The Long Beach Lego Users Group set up shop at the Con as well, proudly displaying many different Lego sets on tables, as well as dumping a floor-full of random Lego pieces onto the ground for children to play with. Some of the more bizarre setups included ones like the steampunk collection, where an energetic steampunk enthusiast sold old classic-looking replicas of weapons and masks, including a couple of creepy plague doctor helmets. By far the weirdest setup at the Con, however, was the table surrounded by rolls and rolls of toilet paper. It was a promotional set-up for a book and blog named “The Flushed”, which outlines the observations of awkward toilet etiquette. The most hilarious of advice among the pages of the book included instructions to avoid “bathroom butlers” at all costs, in case they expect a tip for the laughably simple act of spraying soap into your hand before washing. One of the most fun experiences at the Con came in the form of The CW’s promotional content for its upcoming superhero program “The Flash”, based on the so-named scarlet speedster. It was a trailer dressed up as a laboratory of the fictional company STAR Labs. Upon walking in, guests are handed a small card to activate the various games within. One game tested guests’ reading speed versus the Flash’s by having guests attempt to read a monitor displaying flashing words
at various speeds. The max speed reached over 1200 words per minute, so that game was impossible to win assuming you are not a speeding metahuman. Many comic books were sold. But it’s notable that these books were being sold at extremely low prices, selling entire regular paperback trade collection of comics at $6 to $20, when the regular prices would actually value somewhere around $20 to $30. Beyond the visible attractions, various rooms at the Long Beach Comic-Con are host to panel discussions with guests varying from comic book writers to makeups experts. One panel was a discussion of the popularity of the original, 1966 Batman
TV series and its allure. “Whoa, people like Batman?” remarked current Silver Surfer artist Mike Allred humorously, after marveling at the large crowd in attendance of the panel. Other popular panels included “The Psychology of Harley Quinn”, in which the co-writers of the current “Harley Quinn” title discussed the character’s mental situation with a licensed psychologist, along with writer/costumer Constantine In Tokyo’s make-up demonstration panel, where she detailed how to make a believable burn, while dressed up as an undead Marie Antoinette. “Just Marie Antoinette applying makeup to Madame Hydra,” joked Tokyo. “Just another normal day at Comic-Con.”
Adam Pineda Corsair Star Wars collectable helmets are lined up for auction at Long Beach Comic-Con 2014.
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12 sports
volume 108 issue 4 • October 1, 2014 • santa monica college
SMC football looks to reach .500 vs. Glendale win validates the work.” This weekend the Corsairs will line up against the undefeated Glendale Community College Vaqueros. Making things more interesting, Glendale just steamrolled Pierce College 62-7, the team SMC beat in last year’s conference championship. The Vaqueros are similar to the Corsairs in their offensive and defensive approach. They have a balanced attack on offense executing efficiently in the passing, and rushing game, and their defense is just as stingy as Santa Monica’s. If the Corsairs are going to win their 23rd consecutive conference matchup, they will have to execute on both sides of the ball, and make little to no mistakes. “Glendale is having an outstanding season. They are 4-0 and just beat Pierce by a similar score that we beat [Antelope Valley],” said Lindheim. “They are playing with confidence and they are well coached. Of course, we’re confident that if we play the way we’re capable of, good things will happen for us.” It’s no secret that SMC’s defense has had just as much to do with the Corsairs success as anything else, and their last game against Antelope Valley was no different. But if the Corsairs are going to continue to dominate the American Pacific Conference, the defense will once again have to answer the call. “Each game is a new chapter of the season.
trev Angone Sports Editor
The Santa Monica College Corsairs are coming off their biggest win of the season after dismantling the Antelope Valley Marauders this past Saturday 66-7. After a deflating loss to Southwestern two weeks prior, it would have come as no surprise to see a team like SMC with high expectations suffer from something of a hangover going into their next matchup. With a team like Antelope Valley presenting themselves as a perfect trap game, it could have been easy for SMC, to look past the Maurauders. But this isn’t the Corsairs’ first cannon battle. The three-time reigning conference champs were not lulled into a sub-par performance. But coming off of a big win, the question is to whether SMC will play with the same degree of desperation they did coming off the Southwestern game. “We were disappointed about the Southwestern loss naturally. However, I don’t think our confidence was ever shaken. We know we have a talented group. The challenge is to get everybody playing up to their capabilities,” said head coach Gifford Lindheim. “We had very productive practices during the bye and we felt good going into the [Antelope Valley] game. The
Brandon Barsugli Corsair Santa Monica College running back Paris Bostick carries the ball during his two reception, 58 yard performance in a 66-7 Corsair victory over Antelope Valley on Saturday.
We’re hoping to continue to grow as a defense and improve,” said Lindheim. “We saw some nice progress from some individuals and the defense as a whole against [Antelope Valley] last week.
Obviously, they didn’t score an offensive touchdown. So that’s the goal. Glendale is a high-powered offense. We’ve got a nice challenge ahead of us on the defensive end. We’re looking forward to it.”
Weekend Scores (Host team in bold): Men’s Water Polo: 9/26: Santa Ana 8-SMC 5, SMC 19-LA Trade Tech 5, 9/27: Cerritos 17-SMC 10, Chaffey 11-SMC 8. Women’s Volleyball: 9/26: SMC 3-San Bernadino 0. Mens Soccer: 9/26: SMC 5-Allan Hancock 1.
“Redskins”not welcomed at publication, the world should do the same Cowboy, he would likely give you his hat. If you were to call a Native American a “Redskin,” you would likely be punched in the face, deservedly so. There is one difference between the name of Washington’s National Football League
James Powel Sports Editor
If you were to call a man in New England a Patriot, he would greet you warmly and thank you. If you were to call a man in Dallas a
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franchise and its 31 other franchises; it stands as the only one labeled in Webster’s dictionary as “offensive.” The United States Patent and Trademark Office recognized this difference and cancelled 12 of the organization’s trademark protections noting that, “they were disparaging to Native Americans.” It is in the name of common decency, sense, and respect for Native Americans that the name of the Washington “Redskins” must be changed. Fortunately, I am far from the only editor with the common sense to ban the word from print. The student editors of the Neshaminy High School Newspaper “The Playwickian” in Langhorne, Pa. resumed their ban on the word in December. However, because the Neshaminy School Board and administration either does not understand or willfully disregards the First Amendment, the editor in chief of the paper, Gillian McGoldrick, was suspended from the paper for the month of September and the advisor Tara Huber was suspended for two days for, according to an e-mail to the Pennsylvania School Press Association that was obtained by The Philadelphia Enquirer, “willful neglect and insubordination” for supporting the ban. The team’s official stance on the name has been that in 1933, owner George Preston Marshall, a legendary racist that made the Washington team the last in the NFL to integrate only when the Kennedy administration forced his hand, named his team the “Redskins” in order to honor their coach William Henry “Lone Star” Dietz who claimed to be of Ogala Soiux heritage. If we were to accept Washington owner Dan Snyder’s story, seeing as that is all that it is, as truth, the Washington football team would be honoring a liar. Dietz was born, not on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota, but in Rice Lake, Wis. to two German parents. Dietz then proceeded to flaunt his Native American facade wherever he went including throughout a successful stint as coach of the Washington State University football program, which included a 14-0 shutout of Brown University in the 1916 Rose Bowl @t h e _ c o r s a i r •
Game. His ruse was successful until World War One began and Dietz filed for a draft exception. After an investigation by the predecessor to the FBI that found a, “certain secret which would be humiliating to the whole family if disclosed,” Dietz plead no contest to filing a false declaration in his application. However, the fitness of Dietz for honor is rendered moot by an Associated Press report printed in the “Hartford Currant” on July 6, 1933, that quotes Marshall as saying, “The fact that we have in our head coach, Lone Star Dietz, an Indian, together with several Indian players, has not, as may be suspected, inspired me to select the name Redskins.” Ballgame. I present to any defenders of the “Redskins” name, the words of the man who chose the offensive remark and they say unto you “you are lying.” Not only that, but the base argument of “we are honoring Native Americans,” in using the name “Redskins” flies in the face of the dictionary defined offense and the logic that supports it was so thoroughly eviscerated by Trey Parker and Matt Stone in the South Park season premier “Go Fund Yourself,” that it’s use should, in a just world, disqualify the speaker from commenting on the issue in perpetuity. And to believe that Marshall, a man who needed strong-arming by the federal government to allow African Americans on his team, would honor a non-white draft dodger means that, to borrow from Kieth Olbermann, you are, “easily lead, delusional, rationalizing and stupid.” I understand that this paper will likely never have cause to print the term “Redskin” and that I am but a small voice in the sea of public clamoring for the name to change. However, symbolism, even in small doses, matters. The refusal of the Washington Post editorial board to use the name proves it. The courage of “The Playwickian” newspaper staff, proves it. The $214 million that Forbes reports the “Redskins” brand proves it. And so, after the conclusion of this article, so long as this sports page is under my editorship, the word “Redskin” will no longer have a home here.
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