Portland State Vanguard, Vol. 73, Issue 5

PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD

VOLUME 73 • ISSUE 5 • OCTOBER 9, 2018

SPORTS: VIKINGS WIN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AT HOME P. 6 COVER: BOARD FACES DISARMAMENT DEMANDS P. 8-9 INTERNATIONAL: COFFIN HOMES OF HONG KONG P. 12

CONTENTS COVER PHOTO BY BRIAN MCGLOIN, COVER DESIGN BY ROBBY DAY NEWS PSU LAUNCHES RESEARCH CENTERS ON HOUSELESSNESS, FUTURE CITIES

HARDESTY, SMITH DEBATE AT CITY CLUB

P. 3

INTERNATIONAL ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SHERIDAN

P. 11

P. 4

HONG KONG HOUSING CRISIS

P. 12

SPORTS VIKINGS CLAIM CHAMPIONSHIP IN LOCAL GOLF TOURNEY

P. 6

OPINION OPIOID EPIDEMIC EXPANDING ACROSS WATERS

P. 13

CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF FENCING IN PORTLAND

P. 6

COVER PRESSURE ON BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO DISARM CAMPUS POLICE INCREASES P. 8–9

STAFF

SPORTS EDITOR Davy Gillespie

EDIT ORI A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nada Sewidan

ONLINE EDITOR A.M. LaVey

MANAGING EDITOR Missy Hannen

COPY CHIEF Hannah Welbourn

NEWS EDITORS Chris May Fiona Spring

COPY EDITOR Erin Bass

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Marena Riggan ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Justin Knipper OPINION EDITOR Katharine Piwonka

Contributors Lukas Amsden Cory Elia Savanna Ford Andrew Gaines Cam Howard Shandi Hunt Andrew Jankowski Karina Santacruz Monica Juarez

PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Brian McGloin MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Emma Josephson PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robby Day LEAD DESIGNER Savannah Quarum DESIGNERS Briana Brown Lisa Dorn Danielle Emeka Margo Smolyanska DIS T RIBU TION & M A R K E TING DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Chris May

DON’T STOP AT STRAWS

P. 14

ARTS QUEER VOICES DIVERSIFY CLASSICS

P. 15

EVENTS CALENDAR

P. 16

MARKETING MANAGER Katelyn Plummer T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Damaris Dusciuc Long V. Nguyen Annie Ton A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher To contact Portland State Vanguard, email info @psuvanguard.com

MIS SION S TAT EMEN T Vanguard’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.

A BOU T Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print every Tuesday and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.

NEWS CHRIS MAY

SEPT. 30– OCT. 5

OCT. 1: SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ONCE BRAWLED ALONGSIDE FORMER BLAZER

OCT. 3: ICE UNION CALLS FOR TED WHEELER TO RELINQUISH CONTROL OF POLICE BUREAU

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh participated in a bar fight with former NBA basketball player Chris Dudley in 1985 while both men were attending Yale University, The New York Times reported. Kavanaugh’s judicial temperament and conduct have been called into question during a series of hearings and investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford while drunk at a high school party. The Senate voted 51-49 to advance to a vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation shortly after a controversial FBI report investigating the allegations was released.

The union representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is requesting a criminal investigation into Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. An attorney representing the union sent a letter to the Oregon Department of Justice accusing Wheeler of official misconduct and failure to enforce local ordinances after the mayor said he would not use police resources to break up a protest outside a south Portland ICE facility earlier this summer. Wheeler has been a vocal opponent of the Trump administration’s immigration policies and characterized the action as part of ongoing political backlash.

OCT. 2: FIRST DEBATE FOR GOVERNOR FEATURES QUESTIONS FROM STUDENTS

OCT. 3: WYDEN CALLS FOR IRS TO LOOK INTO POTENTIAL TAX FRAUD BY TRUMP FAMILY

Gov. Kate Brown and Rep. Knute Buehler fielded the questions of 15 students from across the state during the first of three debates before elections in November. The children between 12 and 19 years old, questioned the candidates on issues ranging from climate change to LGBTQ+ suicide, though the latter question did not receive an actual answer, according to the student who asked it. Neither campaign has released polling thus far, but some independent polls have called the race a tossup.

Following a report on the financial history of U.S. President Donald Trump by The New York Times, Sen. Ron Wyden ,D–Ore., sent a letter asking the IRS to fully investigate potential tax fraud by the Trump family. The Times report showed Trump had received nearly half a billion dollars from his ather’s real estate empire, and that the president’s parents paid only a five percent tax rate on over $1 billion in wealth transferred to their children.

PSU LAUNCHES RESEARCH CENTERS ON HOUSELESSNESS, FUTURE CITIES CORY ELIA

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler joined Portland State President Rahmat Shoureshi on Oct. 1 to announce the launch of a new PSU program, which will establish two research centers focused on houselessness and technological advancements in urban planning. The centers will receive $3 million in funding, with each center receiving $500,000 each year for three years.

The Homeless Research and Action Collaborative—co-directed by Associate Professor of Land-use Planning Marisa Zapata and Associate Professor of Psychology Greg Townley—will “harness the power of faculty expertise and research to find solutions to reduce homelessness, understand its root causes and use evidence-based science to empower community leaders, elected officials, frontline-service providers and advocates to make informed decisions,” PSU officials stated in a press release.

Zapata currently serves on the coordinating board for local houselessness advocacy organization A Home for Everyone. “I draw all the knowledge that I learned through that process which includes a lot of different service providers and people that have formerly or currently experienced homelessness,” she said.

PSU Student Union organizer Kaitlyn Dey said she was concerned about campus public safety officers’ treatment of houseless people on campus. “This model of policing is meant to harass homeless people,” Dey said. “It is meant to sweep people off the campus and to control public space.

Even with the homelessness research center that [is being established], we need to see real research on the policies that PSU is implementing.”

The Digital City Testbed Center, headed

by Geology Professor Jonathan Fink, will be dedicated to creating a network of testbeds, or sites where new technologies can be tested before being deployed to communities at large.

“We also plan to use several different campuses in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver so we can look at smart approaches under several different conditions,” Fink said. “Some of the issues we want to address are how technology can help make it easier for people with disabilities to find their way across cities, how people can learn about smart cities, and how technology can improve how cities and their residents prepare for earthquakes and other natural disasters.”

CORY ELIA/PSU VANGUARD

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9,, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

HARDESTY, SMITH DEBATE AT CITY CLUB

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES DISCUSS CITY CHARTER, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSELESSNESS SHANDI HUNT Portland City Council candidates Jo Ann Hardesty and Loretta Smith faced off Oct. 5 in a debate hosted by the City Club of Portland in the Governor Ballroom of the historic Sentinel Hotel. The debate was moderated by former Marylhurst University President Melody Rose.

The candidates addressed the impact they would have on city council, as well as the changes they would like to see in the way the city is governed. Smith said she would support a structural change of the city government, which currently stands as the last remaining commission government among large cities in the United States.

“We need to change this form of government where each commissioner has a bureau,” Smith said. “I think what it does is take away from the leadership abilities of the mayor.”

Hardesty took a different approach when asked about Portland’s charter review commission, an appointed group of 20 residents who are set to convene in 2021 to examine how the current city government is run, and what changes may be necessary. “It is not my job to dictate how peo-

ple are governed, but it is my job to make sure the charter review commission is fully funded,” she said. “It is the people who decide how they should be governed.”

When asked how they would plan to make the city safer through oversight of the Fire and Rescue Bureau and the Bureau of Emergency Management—both of which Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he plans to give the newly elected commissioner—the candidates expressed contrasting views.

“We spend a lot of time and resources…on policing, but what we don’t do is invest in the 911 call center,” Hardesty said. “[What] we really need to do is embed mental health professionals in the 911 call center.” Hardesty said having these professionals available as first responders in mental health emergencies could help prevent wasted public resources.

“We fail miserably today because sometimes we send the police, the fire department and an ambulance...We can do so much better.”

In her response, Smith addressed earthquake preparedness. “[It] is not a matter of if; it’s when will we have the next big earthquake,” she said. “I want to make sure the

residents of the city of Portland understand what’s at stake...We should be prepared.

Everyone in the city of Portland should know what to do and how to do it.”

With an increasing aging population in Portland, both Hardesty and Smith said finding solutions for seniors to have adequate housing and the ability to stay in their homes should be a priority.

Both candidates also said they viewed houselessness as a systemic issue in Portland.

“We cannot use the police to solve our lack of affordable housing,” Hardesty said.

“We must, as a community, step up and make sure we are taking care of the most vulnerable people in our community and not giving money to private interests to solve the housing crisis.”

When asked about public safety and potential funding cuts for the police, fire and parks departments, Smith said she supported implicit bias training for police officers to better equip them to work with communities of color and people experiencing mental health challenges, and therefore would not support cuts to these programs.

In response to the same question, Hardesty said she would invest in parks, arguing that more parks and green spaces would help houseless people avoid harassment from police officers.

“The fact that we are criminalizing people for the crime of being poor, we should be ashamed,” Hardesty said. “That is not how you build public safety. You build public safety by building a community that looks out for each other.”

Both candidates have been active in government and politics in the Portland area for years. Hardesty served in the Oregon State House of Representatives from 1997–2000 and most recently served as president of the Portland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Smith has served on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners since 2010.

Regardless of which candidate wins, the upcoming election will mark the first time a Black woman has served on City Council, as well as the first time the majority of council members will be women.

HARDESTY SPEAKS DURING A RALLY AT CITY HALL. BRAIN MCGLOIN/PSU VANGUARD

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PSU Vanguard • OCOTBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

SPORTS

KEEPING SCORE WOMEN’S SOCCER

VS. IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY SEPT. 30 @ HILLSBORO STADIUM, HILLSBORO, OR

(2-11, 1-5)

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

- 3

2

1 IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY

1

TOTAL

0

1

1

0

3

3

VS. UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO OCT 6 @ MOSCOW, ID

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO (10-8, 4-2)

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

2

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

(8-10, 0-6)

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

1

2

3

25

25

25

18

16

16

- 0

(2-16, 1-5)

(4-9, 2-4)

EASTERN WASHINGTON

3

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

- 3

1

2

3

4

5

25

21

25

14

11

20

25

21

25

15

WOMEN’S GOLF

ROSE CITY COLLEGIATE TOURNAMENT OCT. 1–2 @ LANGDON FARMS GOLF CLUB, AURORA, OR PAR 72, 6,146 YDS 11 TEAMS, 66 PLAYERS

(2-16, 1-5)

WOMEN’S SOCCER

VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY OCT 5 @ LUMBERJACK STADIUM, FLAGSTAFF, AZ

NORTHERN ARIZONA (8-3-2, 4-0-1)

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

2 - 0

2

TOTAL

0

2

2

0

0

20 - 22

VS. MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY OCT 6 @ WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY STADIUM, MISSOULA, MT

1

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

T3. BOISE STATE, 292-296-310=898 5. EASTERN WASHINGTON, 300-300-300=900 6. SEATTLE, 307-296-300=903 7. MONTANA STATE, 294-307-317=918 8. CONCORDIA, 306-302-320=928 10. SIMON FRASER, 318-309-328=955

MEN’S FOOTBALL

(4-2, 2-1)

2. GRAND CANYON, 296-294-307=897

9. WEBER STATE, 305=315-313=933

(2-7, 0-2)

UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA

1. PORTLAND STATE, 295-296-303=894 T3. NORTHERN COLORADO, 297-300-301=898

1 0

TEAM SCORES

2

3

11. IDAHO STATE, 329-333-319=981 PORTLAND STATE PLAYER’S SCORES

4 TOTAL

2. VALERIE HERNANDEZ, 71-73-69=213 T21. JASMINE CABAJAR, 73-82-74=229 T25. WINDY HUANG, 76-76-78=230 T31. ELISE FILUK, 75-71-87=233 T38. ILIANA TELLES, 78-79-79=236 T41. SHWETA MANSINGH, 80-76-82=238

(2-4, 1-2)

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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SPORTS

CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF FENCING AT PSU

THE PORTLAND STATE FENCING CLUB DURING AN EVENING PRACTICE. BRIAN MCGLOIN/PSU VANGUARD

MONICA JUAREZ Harry Starr—a nationally-ranked fencer with 28 years of experience—gave his class, located in Portland State’s Campus Recreation Center, instructions on the proper footwork and techniques of fencing. He had them stand side by side on one of the painted lines in the room and showed them how to get into the “en garde” position.

“Why is this the best position to be in?” he asked, addressing the class. “Because you have already cut where your opponent can strike you in half.”

Fencing, one of the oldest modern sports, is steeped in tradition and sportsmanship. It is one of only four sports to be included in all modern Olympic Games, which began in Greece in 1896. Fencing’s history can be traced back as early as the 12th century when warriors would learn how to wield a sword for combat. Modern fencing is no longer about trying to harm your opponent, but about trying to outsmart them.

“You have to make very fast decisions about, ‘Am I attacking? Am I defending?’” Starr said. “It’s not so much about strength or speed as it is about being smart. If you can be tactically aware, you can be successful as a fencer.”

Since fencing is not based solely on physical endurance, people of all ages can learn to fence.

“It’s a great lifetime sport,” Starr said. “I’ve fenced everyone from 7 to 77. When you have more experience, you are able to make those decisions better. You never stop learning about fencing.”

Starr said the ability to constantly learn new things is one of the key reasons he loves the sport.

The Portland Metro area is home to many fencing clubs as well as famous Olympic fencers, which is why PSU’s Fencing Club feels right at home in the City of Roses.

“The cool thing about Portland is that it’s a great fencing town,” Starr said. “We have the most successful club in the country [located] in Beaverton. Mariel Zagunis trains in Beaverton.”

Mariel Zagunis is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s sabre. She medaled in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics and is the first American in 100 years to win a gold medal in Olympic fencing.

While members of the fencing club are either beginners or have some prior knowledge of the sport, Starr hopes to get them entered into tournaments around the area.

“Portland is a great fencing town with lots of opportunities for people to compete, so I definitely hope we’ll be able to get at least some folks out to some tournaments this year,” Starr said. “There are women’s and men’s tournaments, but there are also a lot of mixed tournaments. It goes back to that idea of being aware in tactics; it’s not necessarily about physical strength and speed.”

When the members eventually go out to compete it may not necessarily be against other college students.

“It’s mostly going to be open tournaments, so they’ll be fencing against other community fencers who have been

training at other clubs,” Starr said. “But I would love to, down the road, build that intercollegiate competition.”

While fencing is known by many people, not everyone knows specifics about the sport. While strength and agility are important, it is also a mental sport where the fencer must think quickly on their feet to avoid getting hit with their opponent’s blade.

This may be easier said than done; a fencing blade— whether it be a foil, a sabre or an epee—is the second fastest moving object in sports. The first? A marksman’s bullet.

A lot of people outside the sport tend to think of fencing as something they see in a movie or TV show, like Pirates of the Caribbean or Game of Thrones.

“With theatrical fencing, the difference is we’re here to hit people. They’re doing it specifically not to hit people.

It’s apples and oranges,” Starr said. “It’s fun to watch; I love swashbuckling movies. I try to not be too critical of those kinds of things because it’s for a different purpose.”

Don’t be fooled; when you step foot in a fencing club meeting, you won’t leave being able to brandish a sword like Captain Jack Sparrow.

“The thing we get when people come in the door is they say ‘Oh, fencing! I’ve always wanted to try that,’ and then they learn it’s not really like the movies,” Starr said.

Those who are interested in learning more about PSU’s Fencing Club are encouraged to contact Sean Glass at fencing@pdx.edu.

VIKINGS CLAIM CHAMPIONSHIP IN LOCAL GOLF TOURNEY DAVID GILLESPIE

The Vikings’ Women’s Golf team took the title of the Rose City Collegiate Championship at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, OR on Oct. 2, breaking a nine-year drought of victories in tournaments hosted by Portland State.

The Vikings team garnered a narrow and closely-contested victory, beating out second-place Grand Canyon University by a mere three points and both Northern Colorado and Boise State—who tied for third—by four.

The Vikings were led by a career performance from Valerie Hernandez, a PSU junior hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, beating out ten visiting teams in a come-from-behind win after trailing by multiple points at the final turn of the third round

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of the tournament. Hernandez golfed three under par in the final round of play.

Hernandez, a two-time All Big Sky Conference selection during her tenure at PSU, placed second overall as an individual in the tournament, scoring a 213—an eleven-point improvement over her most recent performance at Colonel Wollenburg Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, CO—setting herself apart as one of only two individuals who golfed under par for two of their three rounds.

Both Hernandez and the Vikings’ Women’s Golf team will try to keep their momentum going into the New Mexico State Aggie Invitational in Las Cruces, NM, on Oct. 8–10.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

COURTESY OF PSU ATHLETICS

INTERNATIONAL

THIS WEEK

WORLD

around the

September 30–October 7

5 4 3

1

4

7

6 8

2

1

Sept. 30

India-AdministeredKashmir

Raja Farooq Haider Khan, prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was targeted with gunfire while in a helicopter destined for a local village in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The helicopter was near the Line of Control, the heavily guarded border dividing the Kashmir region, at the time of the attack.

Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand, spokesperson for the Indian army, said they engaged the helicopter with “small arms” after it violated the airspace.

2

Oct 1

New Zealand

The 2018 Customs and Excise Act came into effect, giving authorities the power to access electronic devices of those entering the country, making New Zealand the first country to issue fines for those who refuse to do so. According to Al Jazeera, “Authorities are allowed to copy, review and evaluate data from devices and also remove or hold them for a time ‘reasonably’ necessary to conduct the search.”

While the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties has called the new law extremely invasive, fines as much as $3,200 may be issued for those who do not comply.

3

Oct. 2

Istanbul, Turkey

A Saudi Arabian columnist for The Washington Post is suspected to have been murdered after his disappearance at the Saudi Consulate on Oct. 2 as reported by Al Jazeera. According to The Intercept, Jamal Khashoggi, who is a staunch critic of the crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, entered the consulate in order to retrieve documentation while his fiancé waited outside; however, he never returned.

Turkish authorities said in a statement on Oct. 6, “We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate.” However, Saudi officials inside the consulate denounced this claim. In response to the recent development, The Washington Post printed a blank column on Oct. 5 for Khashoggi with the headline, “A missing voice.”

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Oct. 5

China; France

French authorities officially opened an investigation into the alleged disappearance of Meng Hongwei, former president of the International Criminal Political Investigation, or Interpol. According to the South China Morning Post, Meng—a Chinese citizen—arrived in China last week and was

subsequently taken in for questioning for an unknown investigation. He was last seen Sept. 29 in France, and his wife reported the disappearance when she did not hear from him after he traveled to China. China has yet to comment.

5

Oct. 5

London, UK

“Girl With Balloon,” a well-known piece of artwork by anonymous street artist Banksy, was shredded just seconds after being sold in what is believed to be a prank by the artist themself. The canvas sold for $1.4 million; however, once the sale was declared final, it ran through the frame which was fixed with razors to create a shredder. Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary European Art said, “It appears we just got Banksy-ed.” A discussion is now underway on the next steps to take for the buyer; however, some believe the artwork is worth even more now.

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Oct. 6

Congo An oil tanker and bus collided on a highway, killing 50 people and leaving 100 more with

second-degree burns as the fire spread to nearby houses. The incident occurred in the village of Mbuba on a busy highway linking the capital city Kinshasa with the seaport Matadi. While the UN reported it sent nine ambulances to assist those injured in the accident, witness accounts and photos on social media counter this claim.

Ongoing 7

Japan

The Category 2 storm Typhoon Trami hit Japan on Sept. 30, carrying winds up to 100 miles per hour while leaving four dead, 200 injured and over 890,000 homes without electricity, according to NHK. A new, stronger storm is now underway, as the Category 3 Typhoon Kong-rey sets its course for the Ryukyu Islands.

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Oct. 7

Brazil Polls opened on the morning of Oct. 7 for Brazil’s polarizing 2018 General Election.

Around 147 million voters went to the polls to vote for one of 13 presidential candidates. With 92.5 percent of the votes counted, far-right candidate Jair Bolsanaro leads in the polls.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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COVER

PRESSURE ON BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO DISARM CAMPUS POLICE INCREASES

PORTLAND STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE STATE OF ARMORMENT OF CAMPUS PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICERS. BRIAN MCGLOIN/PSU VANGUARD

CHRIS MAY A general assembly of students voted to disband the occupation after Portland State’s Board of Trustees Oct. 4 meeting. The decision came after 10 days of occupying PSU Campus Public Safety office and shortly after participating in over three hours of public comment and testimony at the Board of Trustees meeting.

The occupation site was all but deserted even before the decision, as the occupiers joined other students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members in the Lincoln Performance Hall for the first PSU Board of Trustees meeting since the death of Jason Washington at the hands of campus police officers Shawn McKenzie and James Dewey. Both the venue and agenda were changed to allow increased participation and extended public comment on Washington’s death and campus public safety policy.

The family of Washington, a Black Navy veteran, sat in the second row among the audience.

The PSU Student Union delivered over 6,000 signatures to the board supporting three demands: the immediate disarmament of campus police, the dismissal of McKenzie and Dewey—although McKenzie has already left the campus public safety force—and the

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creation of a permanent memorial for Washington.

A delegation from the University of Oregon attended the meeting and included two top student representatives who called for the disarmament.

“I am here because I wanted you to know that the state is watching,” said Maria Gallegos Chacon, president of the Associated Students of the University of Oregon. UO began arming police officers a year before the establishment of its own Board of Trustees in 2014.

The Associated Students of Lane Community College also published a letter in support of the three demands.

Previous letters from the School of Social Work and other departments have challenged assertions by administrators that an armed police force makes campus safer by protecting against potential active shooter incidents and sexual assault cases.

Marisa Zapata, associate professor at the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, encouraged board members to bring an equity lens to their considerations of how armed officers impact particular groups within the campus community.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

“We know without doubt that armed police have more violent interactions with people of color and people with mental illness than with white people and people who are able-bodied,” Zapata said.

Ben Anderson-Nathe, associate professor of child, youth and family studies in the School of Social Work, emphasized the role of the faculty in supporting student activism on campus.

“Your faculty have been here before you, and we will be here after you are gone,” Anderson-Nathe said. “We will stand in the tradition of academic freedom which allows us to speak truth to power.”

The Board of Trustees has undergone a few changes since its last meeting in June. Board Chair Rick Miller abruptly resigned with little fanfare, while Antonio Leiva, an active member of the campus community and Associated Students of PSU senator, began his term a week before the ASPSU and CPSO ad–hoc committee meeting on Oct. 5.

During its first meeting of the school year on Oct. 1, PSU’s Faculty Senate scheduled a special session for Oct. 15 where the senate would meet with only a single item on the agenda: a discussion of campus policing.

COVER

PORTLAND STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE STATE OF ARMORMENT OF CAMPUS PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICERS. BRIAN MCGLOIN/PSU VANGUARD

PORTLAND STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE STATE OF ARMORMENT OF CAMPUS PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICERS. BRIAN MCGLOIN/PSU VANGUARD “After considerable consultation with my fellow members of the steering committee, the president and the oversight committee, I and we have decided that the senate needs to play a role in that process of public comment,” said Faculty Senate Presiding Officer Thomas Luckett.

A straw poll of the 62 senators on holding the extra meeting yielded 2 votes in opposition and 7 abstentions.

Jose Padin, a non-senate tenure-track faculty member in the sociology department, called into question the necessity of further review and research before an evidence-based discussion on campus safety could occur.

“Back when this issue came to the Senate three or four years ago,” Padin said, “the question often was ‘What’s the evidence to show arming campus police would make for a safer campus environment?’ The evidence bearing on that question does not require these investigations.”

CPSO recently released its annual campus security report.

Since 1990, the Clery Act has required colleges and universities receiving federal aid to record and disclose information

about crime on and near their respective campuses.

A 2017 fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Justice on school and campus crime drawing on Clery data noted that overall campus crime decreased 35 percent from 2005–2014.

The sheet also points out the limitations of reporting, including researcher estimates that over half of campus crime occurs less than 500 feet off campus. Due to both reporting requirements and crimes remaining unknown because they were not reported, many elements that contribute to campus safety are not reflected in official statistics.

Out of 31 individuals who signed up for public comment, only one spoke out against disarming campus police.

Kathryn Lechter, a transfer student from Eugene, moved to Portland last fall and lives on campus. “After I talked I was approached by two different students who said they felt the same but they were very scared to talk,” Lechter said.

Lechter said she briefly visited the occupation outside CPSO, but felt intimidated and reluctant to engage with student activists calling for disarmament.

Lechter acknowledged that, like many students, she was still learning about campus safety issues. She went on to describe positive interactions with campus police and shared her concern that officers might be put in harm’s way if unarmed during confrontations.

“I can at least understand where the anger is coming from,” she said. “Focusing on guns is a way to try to address larger issues, which are mental illness, homelessness and the history of systemic racism in Portland.”

“I had to take a break at one point from the auditorium, because there was so much anger,” Lechter said. “Somebody came out who had a #disarmpsu shirt, and they said: I vehemently disagree with you, but I respect you.”

Lechter also said she would definitely be in favor of supporting a memorial, and that Washington’s family should be involved in the process.

“I think the place to start trying to heal things or at least address them, is to start by acknowledging that something happened that shouldn’t have happened.”

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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INTERNATIONAL

2018 UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECAP COURTESY OF UNITED NATIONS MARENA RIGGAN The 73rd United Nations General Assembly opened on Sept. 18 at the UN headquarters in New York City, with the General Debate running from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. The annual meeting is intended to bring world leaders together to discuss current and continuous global affairs, and is the main policymaking event for the UN. The theme of this year’s debate was announced in July by UNGA President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés as “Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.” Priority issues included gender equality, social responsibility concerning migration and refugees, innovation for the future and plastic pollution. This year’s General Assembly also marked the centennial anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, with the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit held on Sept. 24 to discuss global peace initiatives.

Below is an overview of notable issues discussed between various countries and their representatives.

INDIA AND PAKISTAN

Though the disputed region of Kashmir was never mentioned explicitly, Minister of External Affairs of India Sushma Swaraj alluded to Pakistan’s support of terrorism in the region as the main obstacle in peace talks, according to Al Jazeera. In response, Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi accused India of sponsoring terrorism, stating India was undervaluing peace in the way of politics.

UNITED STATES WAR CRIMES IN SYRIA

Walid al-Moallem, deputy prime minister and foreign minister to Syria, accused the U.S. of massacring civilians and other war crimes while denouncing foreign involvement in the country as an impediment to fighting terrorism.

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ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE U.S. ON NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

Maduro Moros also called sanctions by the Trump administration illegal and imperialistic.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of holding nuclear weapons in secret warehouses, even presenting maps with suspected locations. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the U.S. of its increasing “political isolation,” speaking about the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal while urging President Donald Trump to cease “bullying” the country.

DIPLOMACY WITH SAUDI ARABIA

STATE OF PALESTINE AND JORDAN ON TWO-STATE SOLUTION According to Turkish news channel TRT World, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused the Trump administration of subverting the two-state solution, noting the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem and humanitarian aid cuts. Meanwhile, Jordanian King Abdullah II urged world leaders to recommit to a peaceful solution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while giving his support for a two-state solution, as reported by Al Jazeera.

MEDDLING IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ELECTIONS

According to Tehran Times, Trump accused China of intending to meddle in the upcoming U.S. elections in order to sway the outcome away from Republicans. Wang Yi, foreign minister to China, dismissed the accusation, saying China has a policy of “non-interference of the domestic affairs of other countries.”

As reported by Al Jazeera, Russia continued to deny evidence of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, while Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the Trump administration of meddling in Iranian and Venezuelan politics by way of coup d’etats. Venezuelan President Nicolás

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

In continuation of an earlier diplomatic dispute, Saudi Arabia demanded Canada apologize for criticizing the gulf nation’s human rights record, specifically the jailing of women’s rights activists. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in response, “Canada will always stand up for human rights.”

In a separate issue, which began November 2017, Germany and Saudi Arabia have made amends, citing misunderstandings between the two countries. The issue began when the now former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel made comments condemning Middle East adventurism, which was understood as a critique of Saudi politics in Yemen and Lebanon.

ROHINGYA CRISIS

UN Deputy Humanitarian Chief Ursula Mueller declared repatriation of Rohingya Muslims would not be possible at this time until Myanmar addressed the issue. Mueller urged the country to “take real steps forward,” such as in the dismantling of segregated facilities for the remaining Rohingya in Myanmar.

NORTH KOREA

In a blow to previous statements by Trump, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho accredited the newfound pathways to peace between North and South Korea to Korean efforts, stating the U.S. was actually an impediment to the peace process. Ri also urged for more trusting relations, calling U.S. sanctions coercive. Sergey Lavrov, foreign minister to Russia, echoed this sentiment while coming in direct contradiction to the strategy of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying relieving of sanctions should lead the way in disarmament rather than using sanctions as an intimidation tactic.

INTERNATIONAL

SEEKING ASYLUM IN OREGON

THE ICE DETAINEES OF SHERIDAN SAVANNA FORD Over 120 Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees were imprisoned in May 2018 in Sheridan, Ore. after seeking asylum in the United States. The guests of a local church, First Unitarian Portland, have hosted 11 asylees for one to five nights. Nine more men are expected to join.

In late August, 87 percent of men represented by the legal group Innovation Law Lab held in detention were released.

As court hearings for the remaining asylees press on, some of the released men have taken residence at First Unitarian.

Growing respite efforts led to the contact between First Unitarian Portland and the legal group. Staffed with 50 congregants and community members assisting in the endeavor, First Unitarian opened its doors to the former detainees while their sponsors coordinated travel arrangements.

As Innovation Law Lab searched for attorneys, legal assistants and interpreters for their legal efforts, over 900 volunteers responded to the request for assistance. Volunteers have since completed 101 legal screenings, 202 legal meetings, defended clients at 85 credible fear interviews—a process in which asylees verify a credible fear of returning to their country of origin—and initiated release applications for every client. These ventures were done in nine different languages.

While the legal group continues its pro bono representation of the remaining prisoners in Sheridan, the congregation has committed $4,000 to Innovation Law Lab, helping to secure bonds for the release of their clients.

The 87 percent of prisoners released were all under the representation of Innovation Law Lab. As the court hearings persist, the legal group has arranged the Law Lab Bond to create a new system for the U.S. bond process.

After the experience in Sheridan and several other detention centers in the U.S., Innovation Law Lab founded the Bond as a way to create a legacy for immigration justice. “[Innovation Law Lab] has provided pro bono representation for 80 of the 120 men unjustly detained in Sheridan,” said Social Justice Director of First Unitarian Dana Buhl. “They have been the lead force in getting into Sheridan and being sure that all of the men detained had access to due process of law.”

Buhl was part of the initial organizational meeting assembled in August as Innovation Law Lab began planning the response to the asylees still being held in Sheridan. “We have been a part of the ongoing immigration justice, participating in ICE vigils before Occupy ICE happened,” she said. “It was a natural progression to host as many asylees as needed.”

Along with providing a well-kept environment and assisting with travel arrangements, First Unitarian has also addressed the religious and spiritual needs of their guests. “I’ve heard their stories of resilience, the relationships that they have formed together while in prison, the challenge of keeping hope and the separation of family. I can hear their anguish,” she said.

First Unitarian is only one part of a larger network of community and interfaith groups working toward resolutions

while housing former detainees in the interim. Another organization involved is the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, “one of the lead community collaborators,” as stated

by Buhl.

Most of the men hosted at the organization are from Southeast Asia, having suffered the same detainment the men residing at First Unitarian faced. APANO was in conjunction with the Sikh temple in Salem that was also assisting these men upon release, Buhl stated.

As part of a larger seven-day protest called “Sheridan to NORCOR”—NORCOR being the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility in The Dalles, Ore.— a rally was scheduled for Oct. 1 outside the Sheridan prison. However, that demonstration was cancelled in order to protest outside the Washington County Courthouse after ICE detained another two people.

Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, a coalition of individuals and leaders of diverse faiths working in Oregon with northwest and national affiliates, has been another necessary piece in building a response to ICE. In partnership with Innovation Law Lab, the IMIrJ has dedicated time reaching out to other organizations in hopes of building respite efforts for asylees. Along with IMIrJ, Unidos Bridging Community and the Rural Organizing Project gave considerable assistance as well.

Outside the prison, vigils and marches continue, keeping asylum detention by ICE visible to the community in Sheridan and the greater public.

COURTESY OF DOUG BROWN/ACLU

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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INTERNATIONAL

HONG KONG HOUSING CRISIS LUKAS AMSDEN With one of the top five most expensive housing markets in the world, Hong Kong was ranked the least affordable city for the eighth year in a row by the Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.

According to the survey, “Academic research has indicated that Hong Kong’s house prices have been driven higher by restrictive landuse regulation.” Over 280,000 people live in squalor as the city continues to be plagued by chronic housing shortages.

As prices continue to rise, residents are forced to live in spaces averaging 44 square feet, officially “subdivided units” commonly known as “coffin homes.” Many of these homes are essentially caged bunk beds stacked on top of each other; one apartment measuring 538 square feet can house 24 coffin homes. Business Insider reported the starting rent in 2017 for a 24 square foot home was $180.

Around seven percent of city land is zoned for housing under Hong Kong’s planning Department, compared to New York City’s 75 percent. According to Financial Times, while London—notorious for its own inflated housing costs—has a median property price of 8.5 times the median income, Hong Kong’s is 19.4, with an average home costing $3,182 per square foot.

The limited space and inflated prices have resulted in a boom of nano or mini

flats, often no bigger than a parking space.

Architects from around the world have been working on innovative solutions such as redesigning apartments to accommodate small spaces. Architect James Law garnered international attention for his design of the O-pod, which uses recycled concrete water pipes. The O-Pod has a living space of around 100 square feet and is expected to be used as housing for young people at a price of $400 a month, two-thirds of which would go toward a savings account for the tenant.

The Hong Kong Transport and Housing Bureau announced in its 2014 Long Term Housing Strategy plans to add around 280,000 public homes and 180,000 private homes by 2027. However, as stated in their most recent report, “The government has identified land for the construction of about 237,000 public housing units for the ten-year period from 2018–19 to 2027–28,” around 50,000 short of their original target.

The latest solution proposed by the development agency is to acquire land through “blasting caverns into hills and mountains,” as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The agency is also looking at how to relocate facilities such as city archives, vehicle depots, concert halls, shopping centers and even swimming pools into caves.

During his last annual policy statement before leaving office in 2017, Hong Kong’s Former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying called the housing crisis, “the gravest potential hazard.” While the elderly are the most vulnerable due to insufficient welfare funds, Leung announced an $8.5 billion increase in social welfare, thus increasing allowances for almost half a million of Hong Kong’s elderly population.

In its annual report published on Sept.

27, 2018, UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index revealed Hong Kong is most at risk of a potential housing bubble, topping the list with a score of 2.3. According to the 2014

The limited space and inflated prices have resulted in a boom of nano or mini flats, often no bigger than a parking space.

Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, between 2002 and 2014 the price-to-income ratio increased by 275 percent. Additionally, between 2003 and 2018, real estate prices increased by 300 percent according to the Centa-City Index.

Housing costs have been inflated by many factors, such as issuing easy credit with extremely low interest rates, a practice largely to blame for the Great Recession. An increasing population and government policies surrounding land use are also factors, while “others include land hoarding by developers, excessively large country parks...huge amounts of money from the Chinese mainland and overseas and an undervalued Hong Kong dollar among others,” as reported by The Straits Times.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority introduced new restrictions on mortgage lending rules in May 2017 in hopes of stabilizing the market. “The keen competition for mortgage business in the banking sector has heightened the risk of overheating in the property market and weakened the resilience of banks to cope with a downturn in the market,” said Chief Executive of HKMA Norman Chan. “The HKMA will continue to monitor the property market closely, and will introduce appropriate counter-cyclical measures to safeguard the stability of the banking system.”

AFFORDIBILITY IN 2017 20

LIBERAL LAND USE/ ZONING RESTRICTIONS GREATER LAND USE/ ZONING RESTRICTIONS

RATIO BETWEEN MEDIAN HOUSING PRICE AND MEDIAN GROSS INCOME

15

10

5

HONG KONG

SYDNEY

VANCOUVER

SAN FRANSISCO

LONDON

MIAMI

BRISBANE

SEATTLE

NEW YORK

PORTLAND

SINGAPORE

TOKYO

WASHINGTON

PHOENIX

AUSTIN

CHICAGO

PHILADELPHIA

OSAKA

ATLANTA

DETROIT

PITTSBURGH

CLEVELAND

MARGO SMOLYANSKA

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PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN HONG KONG. COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS. (C) 2015 TIM ADAMS

OPINION

OPIOID EPIDEMIC EXPANDING ACROSS WATERS

PURDUE PHARMA AMONG PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PRESCRIPTION OVERDOSES

DANIELLE EMEKA

CAM HOWARD The world is facing an opioid drug problem: Today, people overdose from prescription opioids three times as often as those who die from heroin abuse. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 63,632 drug overdoses in 2016, and 66 percent of those overdoses were caused by prescription opioids.

When Purdue Pharma—and other big pharmaceutical companies that are motivated by capital gain—are involved, health is no longer number one. Even worse, big pharmaceutical companies knowingly push addicting opioids to vulnerable international markets.

Instead of blindly accepting prescriptions, every consumer should stay informed on what they are putting into their bodies and where that drug comes from.

OxyContin is an opioid first introduced to the United States in 1995 by Purdue Pharma. Since then, both legal and public health concerns have arisen. Originally, the drugs were marketed as safe and non-addictive. The year it was released, two to three million prescriptions were filled. In just a year, it increased by eight million.

However, OxyContin in its original form is not safe or nonaddictive; it is quite the opposite. After widespread overdoses

related to OxyContin, states in the U.S. began to sue, claiming Purdue Pharma engaged in false marketing. In response, the company released an abuse-resistant formula of OxyContin to U.S. consumers. People could no longer get high off their prescriptions and many turned to heroin. Coincidentally, heroin addicts turned to OxyContin to come off their heroin addiction.

Opioids have become a gateway drug to heroin, leading to an increased percentage in the rates of diseases transmitted by blood and sexual contact. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid epidemic a national health crisis. Because of government pushback, drug sales decreased in the U.S., so Purdue Pharma set its eyes elsewhere: the global market.

Purdue Pharma began targeting economically vulnerable countries where it would be easier to sway health professionals and public opinion. In China, Purdue Pharma sponsored public awareness campaigns and special seminars that urged doctors to prescribe opioids. Brazil saw a 465 percent increase between 2009–2015 in opioid prescriptions, and for those who couldn’t afford OxyContin, coupons were made available so everyone could have access.

Doctors in the U.S. also play a role in fostering addiction. In the study, “Financial Conflicts of Interest in Medicine,” a positive correlation was found between higher brand-name prescription rates and payments from those specific brand companies.

A 2015 study found similar results. Doctors filled out about nine percent more opioid prescriptions, particularly OxyContin and Vicodin, a year after receiving an incentive from those companies. Furthermore, out of around 369,000 doctors prescribing opioids, seven percent had accepted around $9 million in 2014.

Are opioids being prescribed in lieu of other treatments that might be safer and just as effective? Considering the industry and past occurrences, a smart consumer would be weary in readily accepting an opioid prescription from their doctor without research and questioning.

It seems Purdue Pharma is making it big on the global market at the expense of global health. When a big pharmaceutical company can be in hot water in the U.S. and then seamlessly move abroad to commit the same crimes, it should inspire serious doubt.

Consumers need to start questioning prescriptions instead of accepting blindly. Next time your doctor decides to prescribe you an opioid, ask them if there is a better, less addictive alternative.

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

DON’T STOP AT STRAWS THE PLASTIC EPIDEMIC GOES FAR BEYOND KATHARINE PIWONKA The world’s plastic consumption is a problem. However, how to tackle it may have veered off track. Focusing on banning plastic straws has distracted from the real issues within the environmental plastic crisis. There’s still important work to be done and conversations to be had.

These days, plastic straws specifically are occupying the forefront of environmentally conscious minds, perhaps instigated by the viral video in which a plastic straw mutilated the face of a sea turtle. Plastic straws are also not recyclable and— more often than not—end up in our oceans.

In the last 10 years, corporations and state legislators in the United States have been cracking down on plastic straw usage. Starbucks recently announced that plastic straws will be extinct in their stores nationwide by 2020. Disney parks are following suit and have committed to eliminating plastic straws by mid-2019. In Seattle, plastic straws and utensils were banned city-wide beginning summer 2017 in hopes to “decrease plastic waste and encourage conversation about environmental conservation,” according to The Seattle Times. In the same vein, California state legislators have also taken recent measures to significantly reduce plastic straw waste.

According to Eco-Cycle, 500 million plastic straws are used in the U.S. every day. However, 300 million metric tons of plastic were consumed worldwide in 2015. Straws make up a very small percentage of that amount. The bigger problems on our hands and in our oceans come from lesser known sources.

The biggest plastic pollutant offender is fishing gear, which makes up 46 percent of the plastic in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Furthermore, 640,000 tons of fishing gear are abandoned in oceans each year, resulting in animal injuries, mutilations and premature deaths of whales, seals, turtles and sharks. Out of the estimated 8 billion metric tons of plastic in our oceans, only about .03 percent is made up of plastic straws.

For a one-time use object that is—in most cases—convenient to eliminate, it is no surprise that straws may be the gateway drug for recycling. “We look at straws as one of the gateway issues to help people start thinking about the global plastic pollution problem,” Dianna Cohen, CEO of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, told Business Insider. “They’ve been designed to be used for a very short amount of time, and then be tossed away.”

Straws may be starting conversations and bringing awareness to the plastic crisis worldwide, but other than distracting

from bigger plastic pollutants, replacing plastic straws may not be able to solve the problem. For example, Starbucks’ straw replacement will be new, recyclable plastic lids. However, only nine percent of the world’s plastic is recycled anyway. There is no way to be sure these new plastic lids will not be disposed of in the same way plastic straws are carelessly thrown away.

This problem goes much deeper than what is recycled and what isn’t. In the U.S., half of exported recycling goes to China.

But this is changing fast: China has implemented significant restrictions on foreign recycling and waste imports, including banning plastic. This means the small amount of plastic that is recycled has nowhere to go. Many states, including Oregon, have been left wondering what to do with their plastic. For now, much of what we recycle goes to landfills.

If the plastic epidemic has taught us anything at all, it is that we need to radically reform how we think about consumption in terms of the individual and the nation.

Environmental activism surrounding the elimination of plastic cannot end with straws. Giving up straws is a convenient sacrifice for the right reasons, but that act alone is not enough. We have bigger problems we, and our oceans, cannot afford to ignore.

MARGO SMOLYANSKA

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PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

ARTS & CULTURE

QUEER VOICES DIVERSIFY THE CLASSICS THE QUEER OPERA EXPERIENCE AT PSU SERIES: CONCERT REVIEWS CHARLES ROSE Seven people assemble on a bright stage in the Lincoln Hall Studio Theater, wearing white collared shirts, jeans and black boots. Performer Jena Viemeister steps forward and begins to sing “Grace” by Michael Wilson Thomas: “Thanks to whomever is there for this tasty plate of herring / If you please, won’t you pass me whatever’s still left of this tasty treat we’re sharing.”

As she sings, she struts around the stage, locking eyes with and smiling at her fellow singers of the Queer Opera Experience.

It was a tender opening to the concert, a supplement to previous night’s performance of famous opera scenes. Typically, art songs are performed by one vocalist accompanied by a pianist, but here, performers gather onstage and sing to each other about love and heartbreak.

The Queer Opera Experience in some ways sprouted from La Femme Boheme, a production of Giocomo Puccini’s opera in Austin, Texas, featuring an all-female cast. Directors Chuck Dillard and Rebecca Herman saw the success of Femme as an opportunity to explore queer possibilities within the operatic canon. Last year, they put up posters around campus and formed a cast of seven Portland State students, all of whom gave great performances at both shows.

Night one contained a variety of queer’d opera scenes: the openings of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte (commonly known in English as All Women Do It), Puccini’s La Boheme, Richard Strauss’ Adriane on Naxos, and Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti. Couples quarrel and couples reconcile. Old, jaded Don Alfonso, played by Helen Soultania, questions whether any woman is faithful. In Trouble in Tahiti, Sam and Dinah (played by Viemeister and Samantha Peters), fantasize about what their lives would be like outside of a loveless marriage. The art songs followed the next day, and the show ended with a Q-and-A session about the project.

At the session, some of the members discussed why they joined. Queer performers need space to be part of roles that make them feel more comfortable within their own lives.

Historically, opera has been heteronormative: Male-female relationships dominate the canon, forcing queer performers to assume a straight identity in order to get roles and make a living. The queer characters that do exist in opera are scant and may play to viscous, outdated stereotypes. Countess Geschwitz from Alban Berg’s Lulu and a couple of cross-dressing comedies are pretty much the only roles that come to mind.

Allowing queer opera singers to express their true sexuality onstage opens up new performance possibilities; rather than becoming a character, the character becomes them and their own queerness. “Seeing what can be done with [the Queer Opera],” said pianist Karey Miles, “and pushing the boundaries of what is expected within classical music—which is so steeped in tradition—gives me the courage to let my singers sing this music in a way that is not gender-specific or puts them into a specific box.” Not all members are themselves queer, but they were willing to join in.

Even in the back row, the choreography, singing and facial expressions were clear. I’ve never experienced this level of intimacy at an opera concert. The people behind the characters were apparent. No longer were they stuck with codified personality traits; the characters now reflected aspects of the actors’ personas.

Rebecca Yakos talked about playing the role of coquette Musetta in La Boheme and how the character became an outlet for her own flirtatiousness, which may not always be a part of her daily interactions. All members of the opera stated how freeing the opportunity was for them.

Gender and sexuality are like performances; we assume the

QUEER EXPERIENCE OPERA. MATTHEW ANDREWS/PSU VANGUARD role of a man, woman or neither, through our clothing, voice or behavior. But these categories are never fixed: They evolve constantly, and no one fits neatly into a predetermined category. By including queer voices in the operatic canon, we see shades of difference in human relationships that move beyond the typical male-female social expectations.

Someone more acquainted with opera may find this all a bit jarring. I didn’t, though, because most of my prior opera experience involves taking a nap halfway through The Magic Flute (I’m deeply sorry, Herr Mozart.) Though Figaro was written for a bass voice, the beautiful harmonies between Figaro and Susanna remain when Figaro’s part is sung by an alto. Besides, transposing vocal music to fit a singer’s range is a fairly standard practice, and no one considers that a distortion of the composer’s intent.

The music for all the scenes was left intact, save for the vocal ranges. Changing the gender of a character may do very little for a cisgender straight audience, but could mean the world to a queer one. Treating these works as untouchable relics alienates young audiences who are itching for music that speaks to

them. I have met many queer people who are huge fans of classical music but feel left out of an industry still dominated by men. Representation is essential so young people have role models to look up to, and having a greater breadth of voices and perspectives help move music and performance art forward. Thus, if we want to see more nights like this, we need to support each other at smaller venues and take on the classics in an exciting new way.

The two performances proved that Queer Opera works in concept and in practice. In the future, Dillard is planning larger productions, hosting lectures and symposia and commissioning new works while still retaining a tight, central cast.

“I would like to see more art songs and interaction, and it would be good to get the community more involved, even with a full production,” Miles said. “Chuck and Rebecca had a big hit in Austin with La Femme Boheme. This has great momentum, and the community of support is there both among queer artists and the greater artistic community. This is something I think people really need right now.”

PSU Vanguard • OCTOBER 9, 2018 • psuvanguard.com

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Van Vanderwall

OCT 9–OCT 15

ROBERT MURRAY TRUMPET RECITAL LINCOLN RECITAL HALL NOON • FREE Dr. Robert Murray is joined by pianist Chuck Dillard and English horn player—and wife—Lauren Murray.

FOX BUTTERFIELD, AUTHOR OF IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE POWELL’S CITY OF BOOKS 7:30 P.M. • FREE Journalist and New York Times contributor Fox Butterfield reads from his new book, In My Father’s House, and discusses crime and incarceration.

HONKY TONK TUESDAY WITH COUNTRYSIDE RIDE SECRET SOCIETY 7 P.M.–10 P.M.• 21+ • $8 Secret Society hosts a weekly dance lesson with live music from a local country band.

CHINA: RELIGION AND THE RISE OF A NEW SUPERPOWER LINCOLN RECITAL HALL 6 P.M. • FREE Ian Johnson is a Pulitzer Prize recipient and teacher at the Beijing Center.

His presentation will focus on his new book, The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao.

SHANNON WHEELER CHAPARRAL BOOKS 6:30 P.M.–8 P.M. • FREE Shannon Wheeler, cartoonist for The New Yorker and best-selling author of Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump, will speak—and draw.

THE DESERT KIND MOON AND SIXPENCE 8:30 P.M. • FREE Moon and Sixpence pub hosts the jam-oriented trio known for rambling throughout the venue during performances.

TIGRAN HAMASYAN THE OLD CHURCH 7 P.M. • $25 The Armenian piano virtuoso returns to Portland for an intimate performance of metal-infused Armenian folk-jazz in SW Portland.

NOON CONCERT SERIES: CHUCK KILLAR AND AMY HANSEN LINCOLN RECITAL HALL NOON–1 P.M. Faculty members pianist Dr. Chuck Dillard and soprano Amy Hansen perform in the second fall term installment of the Noon Concert Series.

WOMEN-ONLY CLIMBING EVENT PSU RECREATION CENTER 4 P.M.–8 P.M. • FREE Women are invited to the climbing center to practice and connect in a supportive environment. No registration or prior climbing experience required.

JAPANESE FILMS IN THE MODERN ERA: A TALK BY DIRECTOR RYUTARO NAKAGAWA SMSU, ROOM 327/8 6 P.M.–7:30 P.M. • FREE Poet and director Ryutaro Nakagawa will discuss his new film, Summer Blooms, and the role of fringe cinema in society.

MURDER MYSTERY MACHINE FUNHOUSE LOUNGE 7 P.M. • $10–60 This fully improvised mashup of slasher films and Scooby Doo features audience participation, gags and “real horror.” Performances Thursday–Saturday, through Oct. 28th.

SUMMER BLOOMS FIFTH AVENUE CINEMA 6 P.M.–7:30 P.M. • FREE Ryutaro Nakagawa’s award-winning film Summer Blooms screens toinight. Free popcorn included.

THE HUMAN VOICE (LA VOIX HUMAINE) LINCOLN HALL STUDIO, 115 7:30 P.M.–9 P.M. • $15–30 Poulenc’s opera, La Voix Humaine, based on the play by Jean Cocteau, is rarely performed. Join guest artist Malinda Haslett for this installment of Poulenc@PSU, a fall term series.

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH WHITSELL AUDITORIUM 9:30 P.M. • $8 W/ PSU ID This 1964 film starring Charlton Heston in considered the most faithful adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novella, I Am Legend.

Most subsequent vampire apocalypse flims have drawn on this one.

COGNIZANT W/ ROTTENNESS TWILIGHT CAFE AND BAR 9:30 P.M. • 21+ • $13 Dallas grind machine Cognizant arrives in Portland on the first half of their west coast tour with Mexico’s legendary Rottenness. Portland’s own Petrification will support.

NOT SORRY: EXPERIMENTAL FEMINIST FILM FROM 1970 TO TODAY PORTLAND ART MUSEUM 7 P.M.–9 P.M. This is the second in a four-part series of feminist film. Filmmakers Nazli Dincel and Hannah Piper Burns facilitate a discussion after the screenings.

DRAG QUEEN BRUNCH NIGHT LIGHT LOUNGE 11 A.M. Every Sunday the Night Light Lounge hosts this gender-bending brunch event featuring Portland’s most beloved drag queens.

LEE “SCRATCH” PERRY ALADDIN THEATER DOORS 8 P.M., SHOW 9 P.M. Lee “Scratch” Perry is one of the pioneers of reggae, dub and ska and has been recording and touring since 1959.

DAVIS GRAVEYARD 8703 SE 43RD AVENUE MILWAUKIE, OR 11 A.M.–4 P.M. Jeff and Chris Davis of Milwaukie have been decorating and outfitting their house for Halloween horror every year for over two decades.

The installation will be in place for viewing all month.

HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL, 175 7:30 P.M.–9:30 P.M. • $30–55 The acclaimed chamber music group from St Petersburg Russia will perform works by Glinka, Brahms and Dvork.

24 FRAMES WHITSELL AUDITORIUM 7 P.M. Director Abbas Kiarostami’s final film, described as switching between fiction and documentary, took three years to make. The movie is in Persian and Hebrew with English subtitles.

AGENT ORANGE WITH UK SUBS AND GUTTERMOUTH DOUG FIR LOUNGE DOORS 8 P.M., SHOW 9 P.M. Agent Orange was one of the original surf-punk bands and part of the thriving California punk scene of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

TUES OCT 9

ART

THU OCT 11

MUSIC

FILM & THEATER

WED OCT 10

COMMUNITY

FRI OCT 12 SAT OCT 13

JUMP JACK SOUND MACHINE HOLOCENE 10 P.M. DJs, live music, visual art and all manners of fun are to be had here.

Promotional materials say, “The apocalypse is upon us! Let’s dance about it!”

SUN OCT 14 MON OCT 15