THE
RAMPAGE Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College
Fall 2017 Issue 4 Oct. 11, 2017
The Big Fresno Fair Returns From the crazy food (Krispy Kreme chicken ice cream sandwich, anyone?), to the dozen nights of entertainment at the Paul Paul Theater (hello, Ice Cube and Gabriel Iglesias!), The Big Fresno Fair is expected to attract more than 600,000 people during its 12 day run Oct. 4 through the 15.
Continued on Page 6, FAIR
Fair goers ride the Super Shot Drop Tower at The Big Fresno Fair on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. Photo/Ram Reyes
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The Big Fresno Fair hosted its first amateur boxing night.
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THE RAMPAGE
The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Ashleigh Panoo News Editor Samantha Domingo Art Director Ramuel Reyes Sports Editor Jorge Rodriguez Enterainment Editor Marco Rosas Broadcast Editor Julease Graham Opinion Editor Frank Lopez REPORTERS Omari Bell Seth Casey Paige Cervantes Anthony De Leon Alejandra Flores Michael Fulford Mariah Garcia Jimmy Heng David Hernandez Melissa Moua Noah Villaverde Business Manager Maria Aguilar Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju
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Student Trustee— Determined to Soldier On, Despite Immigration Status Ashleigh Panoo | Editor-in-chief apanoo@therampageonline.com
Flavio Arechiga, 20, is a soft-spoken economics major in his fifth semester at Fresno City College. Recently sworn in as the student trustee for FCC, he can be found playing Pokémon and collecting board games in his spare time. Behind Arechiga’s unassuming demeanor, however, is a passion for success and helping others. Besides representing students in the entire district, Arechiga is also the president of Students Without Borders, a club aimed at helping undocumented students attend college. He kickstarted it after the club’s yearlong hiatus in 2015. He’s also a co-chair for MEChA and treasurer for the newly-formed International Students Club. Arechiga said he knows well the struggle of being in a new country and wants to help students like himself. He is one of the district’s more than 1,200 undocumented students— something he is open about in hopes of inspiring others to come out of the shadows. Arechiga received a scholarship the during the ribbon cutting ceremony of the newly relocated Dream Center on Sept. 21. “I feel like a lot of undocumented students are afraid to do stuff around school,” he said. “I just want to [set] an example that they shouldn’t be afraid.”
Born in the state of Sinaloa in Mexico, Arechiga grew up in Mexicali, the capital of Baja California. When he was 10, his family moved permanently to Fresno. Arechiga began learning English in the fifth grade, and he said with some extra help from his teachers, he became fluent in about a year. “There were a lot of Spanish speaking people at the place I went to school in Sanger, so it was kind of easy to get adapted to it there,” he said. “I got really lucky. By seventh grade I was taking honors classes, and ever since then, I’ve taken honors and AP [classes].” He said he’s lucky to live in California, where it’s been fairly easy to attend school. “We have the DREAM Act, we have financial aid, we get scholarships, and if you qualify as an AB540 student, you pay resident tuition.” But Arechiga’s life isn’t without its obstacles. “My biggest struggle is that I can’t work,” he said. “If a teacher comes up to me and is like, ‘Oh, would you like to be a tutor?’ It’s like, I can’t.” Arechiga arrived in the U.S. in August 2007, two months after the deadline to qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which would have given him the right to legally work. “It was by a couple months,” he chuckled. “I missed it.” Arechiga, who has two younger brothers who are citizens, says
Caption. Photo/Photographer Flavio Arechiga, 20, is the FCC student trustee. Photo/Ram Reyes
“
A lot of undocumented students are afraid to do stuff around school.”
-Flavio Arechiga
Fresno City COllege Student Trustee his parents are supportive of his dreams. “My mom works cleaning houses, and my dad works construction, so they have pretty hard jobs,” he said. “I do go out and help them whenever I can, but they also want me to concentrate on school activities.” Arechiga says he wants to finish school quickly, and he feels like
the more he is involved, the more he’ll get out of it. After the spring semester, Arechiga will be off to UC Davis. In 10 years, he sees himself working for the Federal Reserve. “I want to help make the economy better,” he said. “I need to study a lot more to know exactly how I’m going to do it.”
Indigenous People’s Celebration Denounces Columbus Day Marco Rosas | Entertainment Editor mrosas@therampageonline.com
What comes to mind when you think of Columbus Day? Maybe you think of major sales in the stores or a day off from school. But the Native American community at Fresno City College voiced a much different view of Columbus Day on Oct. 9. “Columbus day celebrates racism, imperialism and genocide,” Bernard Navarro, instructor of American Indian Studies, said. “Indigenous People’s day celebrates the beautiful Native cultures of the Americas.” About 100 students, staff and guests marched around campus to the tune of Native American drums and chants, holding anti-Columbus Day and anti-Trump signs.
Afterward, the group converged in front of the main fountain area for a series of speeches by several instructors, including Navarro, English instructor Lee Herrick, and creative writing in- Indian American Studies instructor Bernard Navarro speaks at FCC’s main fountain stage about the Native American community’s thoughts about Columbus Day structor Kenneth on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Photo/Marco Rosas Chacon. healing dance. “We are small but a vocal Navarro has helped to organize This year’s event also featured The dancer’s dress was covered population at FCC,” Navarro events on Columbus Day in pretraditional Native American in cones that symbolized prayers. said about the Native American vious years to protest its celebraprayer, music and dance. “When this dance originated, population. “I hope that our tion. The Blood River Singers perthere were 365 cones on the dress, student body continues to grow The event was organized by formed traditional Native Amerione for each day of the year,” in their knowledge about racism, American Indian Studies students can music with drums and chants Stoney Dodson of the River Blood violence toward Native people with the help of Navarro. and a dancer in authentic Native Singers said. and colonialism.” clothing performed a ceremonial
10.11.17 NEWS 3
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Multi-Faith Exchange details story of kalaupapa
Instructors and Students Paint Mural for Fresno Fair Jimmy Heng | Reporter jheng@therampageonline.com
A mural by a Fresno City College art instructor and his students is on display at the Fresno County Historical Museum. Kevin Stewart-Magee was chosen by Union Park and Workers Memorial Foundation to create a mural to commemorate the hard workers of the valley. The 144-squar-foot mural, “Honoring the Workers of the Valley”, is located on the second floor of the Fresno County Historical Museum. Stewart-Magee, who has been working at FCC for two years, said this mural was crafted by the students who took his Art-25 class offered in Spring 2017 semester. He said he had been looking for a way his students to utilize their talent and be rewarded for it. He attended a meeting at the Big Fresno Fair where several murals were being discussed. Union Park chose Stewart-Magee after they examined his portfolio, and he brought along six talented students -- Tommy Duch, Mercedes James, Nicolo Morelos, Tanner Jensen, Joie SiakovichInshaw and Martin Townsend and another instructor, Caleb Henderson, to help with the work. Stewart-Magee said he created many murals and gives his student credit for this work. “The students solved all the problems, came up with all the best parts of it,” Stewart-Magee said. “A really remarkable team of students.” Stewart-Magee said the artists had approximately three weeks to complete research and sell the design ides to the client and then six weeks of painting. He added it was a speedy process to complete such a detailed work of art. He says he hopes to do other projects with Union Park in the future. In order to complete the
Professor Fred E. Woods of Brigham Young University tells the story of Kalaupapa in OAB room 251 on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Photo/Marco Rosas Marco Rosas | Entertainment Editor mrosas@therampageonline.com
A mural painted by FCC art instructors and students is on the second floor of The Big Fresno Fair Museum. Photo/Jimmy Heng
mural as quickly as they had to, the students spent several painstaking hours working on it. Art student, Tommy Duch, worked on most of the figures. Duch said he stopped keeping track of the time they spent on the project, and estimates that the team spent more than 65 hours painting. “Our whole deal was people, Painting people, drawing people, making sure that we had everyone included in the mural,” Duch said. “All the traits associated with the unions of the valley.” Duch said that he has never worked on a project this big. He had worked on one of the murals located in the Art building alongside many of his colleagues. Stewart-Magee’s mural classes have created nine new murals on
the FCC campus. Duch says that a majority of the students who worked on them also participated in creating the mural that is on display at the fair. Duch says that it takes a lot of persistence to find work in the arts. “I jumped at the first chance that I got to work in this,” Duch said. “You have to find the opportunities and take them as much as you can.” FFC art students have been fortunate in finding work opportunities for artists in the Fresno area. “There are mural competitions in Fresno,” Stewart-Magee said. “There’s the arts commission which has several murals and the mural district which has tours.”
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For some, Hawaii is a tropical paradise, but for others, the beaches and palm trees pale in comparison to the people. This was part of the presentation by Fred Woods, a professor at Brigham Young University, speaker at the Fresno Multi-Faith Exchange event on Oct. 5 in Room 251 of the Old Administration Building. Woods, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about Kalaupapa and its people, his own experiences there, and the interfaith work led by Father Damien. Woods spoke about a small settlement on the island of Moloka’i where many people suffering from Hansen’s disease, a chronic and curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage better known as leprosy, were banished. “They started sending patients there in 1866,” Woods said. “I just wanted to learn more about this special place, and that led to doing a documentary film.” Woods’ film, “Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices in Exile” which documents many first-hand ex-
periences of patients in Kalaupapa, is free online. Woods said that the residents of Kalaupapa were upset to be sent to the settlement at first, but then, the residents formed powerful bonds with one another and suffered through their disease and treatment together. He said that several religious volunteers of different backgrounds provided much support and positivity to the residents. Woods said that the story of Kalaupapa is about “unity in the non essentials, liberty and in all things charity.” Woods drew similarities between the residents of Kalaupapa and the many people injured or killed in the Las Vegas massacre. “It was a tragic event,” he said. “But I’m thinking about the people who literally gave their life for other people, most of whom they didn’t even know. These tragedies and challenges in the proper light can actually bring us together.” The speech was organized by journalism instructor, Cheryl Gardner, as part of an educational lecture series aimed at promoting peace and understanding through the Interfaith Alliance of Central California.
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Seth Casey | Reporter scasey@therampageonline.com
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Freshman Takes Lead in Community Activism
Courage can manifest in many ways. It is a trait all are capable of, but few truly display. For 18-year-old Fresno City College freshman Sophia Bautista, courage is doing the right thing, regardless of fear, doubt or opposition. “Straddling that hyphen between Filipino and American really added a lot to my experience and my viewpoint,” she said. Bautista displayed her courage when she coordinated, promoted and led a public march on Sept. 17 in Fresno’s Tower District. The protest drew an estimated 1,000 participants, all showing their disapproval of President Trump’s discontinuation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. For Bautista, the issue was personal. She discovered, only months before Trump’s decision, that her close friend of six years was a DACA recipient. However, Bautista’s passion for justice and equality was forged long before the president’s actions became a national discussion. Born in Davao City, Bautista emigrated with her parents from the Philippines when she was two years old. They came in search of economic opportunity for themselves. Bautista said she was very young when she witnessed racial discrimination and other experiences that influenced her desire for fairness, equality and justice “I wasn’t an activist, but I knew that there was something wrong in the way people treated other people,” said Bautista. “Even something as trivial as mocking an Asian accent or something, I’ve experienced that since I was a kid.” Bautista asserts that the most powerful way to help those in need is for others to take a stand in support of those who are marginalized and left without a political voice. “They don’t have the ability to vote, but we do,” said Bautista. “It’s definitely really important for us to be able to speak up for them.” Community involvement and political activism are only part of Bautista’s repertoire. She is also on the CSU Fresno color guard team, on the FCC Speech and Debate Team while being enrolled in the Leone S. Peters Honors Program, an academic program consisting of honors classes which requires students maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA. Bautista enjoys expressing herself through creative writing; she wrote for her high school’s literary magazine. Now she is looking for ways to coalesce her passion for writing with her activism, and has written stories and poetry that showcase and confront social issues. Her love of writing and reading even prompted her to be designated as a speaker to read poetry at the
“Straddling the hyphen between Filipino and American really added a lot to my experience.” -Sophia Bautista
Sophia Bautista speaks to the crowd during a protest she organized in Fresno’s Tower District on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017. Photo/Ram Reyes
DACA march. She said self-expression has been a part of her life and she and enjoys the medium of through performing arts and displays this through her literary ambitions in her performance with the color guard teams since high school. Bautista was accepted into UC Berkeley upon graduating from Clovis West High School in 2017. However, she was unable to attend immediately because of inadequate funding. Now in her first year at FCC, Bautista is pursuing a major in political science, and she plans on adding a second major in
philosophy when she transfers to either UC Berkeley or UC Davis. She plans on later attending law school, and aspires to someday run for district attorney. Bautista’s actions have established her as a role model for her peers and her community as well as to her two younger sisters who are in elementary school. She noted that the partisan rift separating the country’s ideologies, Bautista says she is inspired to promote discourse among opposing viewpoints, in order to further a mutual understanding and compromise across the aisle.
“Especially now, our political parties are really polarized, and they don’t want to listen to each other,” she said. “The thing is, in a democracy, we need that discourse.” Bautista’s parents are politically conservative, however, through discussion and understanding, she communicated to them the severity and ramifications that ending the DACA program could have. “The thing is DACA isn’t citizenship. After I made that point, they kind of agreed,” said Bautista. “Convincing them wasn’t really the thing...I’m more
open to understanding.” Bautista plans on continuing her community involvement and to keep fighting for the rights of others. She says she was inspired to be engaged in her community after attending the Ignite Women’s Conference, a political leadership conference for young women, and participating in the women’s march in Fresno Jan. 21. “I’ve always felt that way,” Bautista said, “that everyone should have the same rights, regardless of if they’re citizens, or different ethnicities, or gender.”
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Looking for a Summer Internship? The FBI Is Recruiting
FBI Special Agent Steve Dupre speaks to FCC students in the OAB on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Photo/Anthony De Leon Anthony De Leon | Reporter adeleon@therampageonline.com
If you are looking for a summer 2018 internship, look no further. The FBI is looking for a few good people, and you might be one of them. According to Steve Dupre, special agent, who was on the Fresno City College campus on Oct. 3 as part of his state-wide recruiting trip, the FBI is currently looking for students in all types of majors, not just those in law enforcement or with military backgrounds. Their main goal is to find students with sets of skills and prior working experience that can give the FBI the best candidates not only for the summer program, but for possible career opportunities beyond the program. In an hour-and-a-half-long speech to an audience of over 50 students and faculty, Dupre spoke about the FBI’s 10-week paid summer internship. The internship is for the summer of 2018 and Dupre’s goal is to start recruiting in the fall. He said that recruiting trips are a great tool to get applicants interested. “I would say events like this are fairly successful,” said Dupre. “I would hope to get a handful of students interested that will actually apply and go through the process.” These recruiting trips have been fairly successful on the FCC campus in the past. FCC has produced two students who have gone through the process of the summer internship program and went on to have careers within the FBI, according to Dupre. Throughout the event, Dupre went over numerous slides that explained the rigorous process of applying for the internship program. First, applicants are tasked with filling out the application with a resume attached. The lucky few to be chosen past that point will then interviewed for 45 minutes in front of a panel of three FBI agents. Applicants will be subjected to answering a 55-page questionnaire with an agent present that gathers information from criminal past to past drug use
and even illegal pirating of musical content. There is an extensive list of actions that will make applicants ineligible for this internship and the key is not to lie on the questionnaire because a polygraph test is the final stage of the process. All this information did not seem to deter the students who felt that they still would like to pursue the opportunity of working for the FBI, including FCC student Molly Xiong. After attending last year’s recruiting trip by Dupre, she is ready to apply this year. “What I got from this info session was that the FBI is for me because the FBI allows its employees to move from position to position and grow within the organization,” Xiong said. If Xiong is chosen for the summer program, she will have an opportunity and the challenge of working full time for the FBI for 10 weeks. “Students will spend 10 weeks working in our office full time, 40 hours a week, and if chosen from Fresno, they can choose to work in our Fresno office,” Dupre said. Students who are interested in applying have until Oct. 15 to meet the application deadline to have the opportunity to work for the FBI. “We want to give the experience of the FBI and to see if there might be a fit there,” Dupre said. “If they like us and we like them, it might turn into a full time job.” Dupre is a special agent and has been involved with the FBI for nearly 26 years, since leaving his accounting job in 1992. As an agent, Dupre has investigated white collar crimes, counter terrorism and organized crime. He now represents the Sacramento media and community outreach coordinator, which led him to the Fresno City College campus. Students who are interested in applying can visit the career and employment center on campus or apply online on the FBI website at https://www.fbijobs.gov/students/undergrad.
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6 ENTERTAINMENT 10.11.17
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THE BIG FRESNO (LEFT) Ice Cube and longtime hypeman Dub C rocked the mic at the Fresno fair on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Cube did not disappoint, performing NWA throwbacks like “Straight Outta Compton” to more recent tracks from his 2015 album “Remain Calm.” Ice Cube’s pyroclastic flow kept fans on their feet for the scheduled 90 minute set. Photo/David Hernandez (BOTTOM) Chicago brought their incredibly diverse brand of rock to the theater on Friday, Oct. 6. Nine musicians took the stage, playing more than 13 instruments among them in a 90-minute orchestral-like concert. With brass instruments like the trombone, bugle, trumpet and saxophone, Chicago put on an enormous show for die-hard fans. Photo/Ram Reyes
The Goo Goo Dolls hit the stage Monday, Oct. 9. The band closed the concert with their hit “Iris.” “This is an exact replica – only bigger, of the guitar that Woody played in ‘Toy Story’,” said John Rzeznik, lead vocalist and guitarist, to the audience between songs. Photo/Noah Villaverde
Rapper Royce Lovett performs during the Kingdom Come Concert on Thursday. Oct. 5. Photo/Noah Villaverde
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O FAIR RETURNS Fair VoiCES WHAT DO YOU ENJOY About THE FAIR THE MOST? Miranda Smith “I’ve been coming to the fair since I was a little girl with my dad. Just coming back even without them I still get that feeling of family.”
Delvin Chun “Honestly, I just come here for the food. It’s the one time of the year I can be myself and release the beast.”
Denyce Butler “Soft tacos, cinnamon rolls and elote... it’s the food! I wait for it all year long because it doesn’t taste like any other food you get anywhere else.”
Laura Whitehouse “It cools down, it gets dark earlier, and fall is here! That’s what the fair is about.”
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Chicken Charlie’s sells the Cotton Candy Ice Cream Sandwich sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles. Photo/Omari Bell
The Nitro Shack sells nitrogen coated cereal. Photo/David Hernandez
8 OPINION 10.11.17
CAMPUS VOICES Does listening to music in the morning determine your mood for the day? Omari Bell | Reporter obell@therampageonline.com
Gabriel Rodriguez
Fashion Design “I believe it does; everything in this life has an effect on us, and I feel that music is one of those ways that helps us express ourselves.”
Lily McEndree Pharmaceutical
“Yes! If I listen to Drake and he’s talking about being in a relationship, then I’ll think about being in a relationship.”
Yesly Chavez Nursing
“Yes it does, because when I listen to a specific genre of music like Hip-Hop, I get all hyped up”
Davon Smith
African-American Studies
“When I’m walking to school, listening to music gets me in a good mood as I go on about my day.”
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Are ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ an Appropriate Response to Tragedies?
Pro
Jorge Rodriguez | Sports Editor jrodriguez@therampageonline.com
When tragedies happen and you see people suffering on TV or social media, a natural reaction people to have is the desire to help. Help can come from different ways, whether you donate money to the Red Cross, start a food drive, or actually travel to where the tragedy took place and help out. There are also times where the only thing you can do is say a prayer for those who are suffering and having a rough time. This might not be the best way to help, but there are times when that’s all you can offer to someone in need. After people put the French flag over their Facebook profile pictures following the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, it made me think that this was a great way to show solidarity with those who were affected. Because tragedies come in different ways, whether its a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, sometimes thoughts and prayers are the best way to show you are with the people who are affected. I, however, am aware that the easiest thing to do is just say or send thoughts and prayers for those in need of help. Take for instance, the shooting in Las
Vegas, where a madman took out 58 people with an assault rifle. This was an instance that if you weren’t in Las Vegas, there wasn’t much you could do to help the victims. Therefore, sending thoughts and prayers was the socially acceptable thing to do. A person living in New York City would want to donate blood for the victims of the massacre, but none of that blood would reach Las Vegas. Instead, sending thoughts and prayer shows solidarity with those who are in need. Sending your thoughts and prayers will never be enough for someone who is going through some horrific disaster or event, but sometimes just knowing that there is someone out there that cares about you is enough to at least gives you hope. Thoughts and prayers will always be a good sentiment that can give someone hope in their darkest times. It can inspire others to do what you can’t or just aren’t able to do for those in need, and it could change someone’s view of you as a person. So next time you hear someone say “send your thoughts and prayers,” don’t think of it as nonsense, think of it as a way to bring someone hope.
Noah Villaverde | Reporter
CON
Frank Lopez| Opinion Editor flopez@therampageonline.com
Yet again, another tragedy has plagued a certain corner of the world — and our eyes are focused on it. Whether the tragedy results from a natural disaster — an earthquake or hurricane or is man-made — some guy, armed to the teeth, killing 59 and wounding hundreds more — people on Facebook, Twitter and other social media can be counted on to send “thoughts and prayers.” “— in our thoughts and prayers” — simple words tweeted by millions of people, including the president of the United States. Though seemingly a harmless act by people who feel touched by tragic loss of lives, these simple words have garnered some backlash and, almost comically, some controversy. The idea of sending thoughts and prayers might have been lightly scoffed off by some a few years ago, but the conversation has been opened up to asking if it is an appropriate response to human tragedies at all. It is too easy to call out the hypocrisy of GOP congressmen who tweet their “thoughts and prayers” to the victims of the recent Las Vegas massacre and their families, while taking money from the NRA and effectively blocking any legislative action for more strict gun control. A politician can save face with the American people by publicly
expressing his grief after a tragedy, but then does nothing to prevent another such tragedy. That is the rub — the cause of the disdain that many feel towards social media users who use these words innocently. What good does “thoughts and prayers” do for families of victims? Holding politicians more accountable for their loyalty to gun manufacturers and the senseless slogans they spew to manipulate voters into a frenzy of false patriotism might be more comforting. Working together, donating time and money to organizations working for stricter gun control might be more helpful than merely typing in “sending thoughts and prayers.” If one truly believes in the power of prayers, then pray for natural disasters and mass killings to stop before they happen. Of course that is too harsh. This is not to deny any religious views or ideals, and there is nothing wrong with believing in the power of prayer, or trying to send out positive ideas in such dark times. Sometimes, hope is the only thing that can keep the light alive in the darkness. However, thoughts and prayers are not enough. There needs to be more direct action from all of us. Go ahead and send your thoughts and prayers, but do so much more. ing George Lucas’ “Star Wars” are now directing films within that franchise. Fans can also make new friends thanks to their shared love of certain properties. And given the divided nature of our culture right now, unity is heavily desired by many. But if fanbases continue to cause such embarrassing noise because of something as trivial as a McDonald’s dipping sauce, then it shows that their passions on popular culture can cross a line. If the same amount of fervor surrounding the Szechuan sauce was on pressing matters, imagine what could be accomplished. That is not to say that people should not enjoy “Rick and Morty” or other fictional series. Entertainment is a necessary place for escapism within divided culture. But if you find yourself waiting in line for hours for a packet of sauce just because of a cartoon and get upset if you do not get one, you need to reevaluate your priorities.
Photo Illustration/Ram Reyes
nvillaverde@therampageonline.com
Numerous McDonald’s restaurants nationwide on Oct. 7 had crowds revolting over the lack of their limited edition McNugget Szechuan Sauce in honor of “Rick and Morty.” The Szechuan sauce was first introduced in 1998 as part of a promotional tiein for Disney’s “Mulan” and was subsequently discontinued after the promotion ended. For nearly 20 years, the condiment remained in obscurity within the public consciousness. But thanks to the Adult Swim animated series “Rick and Morty,” a joke involving titular scientist Rick needing the Szechuan sauce brought the condiment back into the popular culture. Since the third season premiere of the series back in April, fans had been demanding that McDonald’s bring back the condiment, even for a limited run a la the McRib. McDonald’s could not pass up a great opportunity to build public awareness, so they brought the Szechuan sauce back for one day; only to realize that the demand was far greater than they imagined. Thousands of “Rick and Morty” fans had lined up at nu-
Lost in the Sauce: the Problem with FANDOM merous McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, only to be disappointed that the supply could not meet their demands. The extremely limited amount of Szechuan sauce packets brought some passionate fans of “Rick and Morty” to have near-riots at these restaurants in demand for a sauce. Demand for the sauce was so high, that some limited packets are being sold on eBay for as high as $300 each. In response to the outcry, McDonald’s announced that more Szechuan sauce will be released on a wider scale this winter. All of this energy, excitement
and anger by fans was just because they did not get a packet of McNugget dipping sauce that they heard from a throwaway joke in a cartoon. The culture of fandom has flourished in recent years with the advancements of social media and streaming allowing people easier access to meet new fans and watch more content instantly. Passionate fandoms have existed for decades, with franchises such as “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “Doctor Who” having some of the most passionate bases. Being a passionate fan can be realized in incredible ways. New filmmakers who grew up watch-
10.11.17
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OPINION 9
No Hope for Stricter Gun Control in our Age From Ale’s Side Frank Lopez | Opinion Editor flopez@therampageonline.com
Unfortunately, as it is too often reported, there has been another mass shooting. A 64-year-old white man shot into a crowd of people attending a country music festival from his room in a hotel on the Las Vegas strip, and then of course, shot himself. Current toll of people killed: 58. It would be customary, in a think-piece on mass shootings, to provide a myriad of details on the shooter: his possible motivations, his religious and socioeconomic background, his mental state, his political views, whether he liked heavy metal music or not, etc., but I’m not going to bother. (Also, I’m sad that there are so many think pieces on various different mass shootings.) Those details would be forgotten over time, as would the name of the shooter, and he would most likely be pushed way back into the recesses of our minds until his record is surpassed by some other homicidal maniac. Do you remember the name of the shooter from the Pulse Night Club massacre off the top of your head? I don’t. We could get lost in the way that major news outlets present the story of mass shootings: suspicions of multiple shooters with possible ties to Islamic terrorists, speculation of his mental state, debates over gun-control and gun rights, and politicians and the “thoughts and prayers” they are sending to those affected. This of course sparks discourse on social media about gun issues and political parties (anyone who has seen these types of conversations take place on Twitter or Facebook will know I’m using the term “discourse” very loosely). There has also been lots of media analysis from users on Twitter about the reporting of more recent mass shootings
that tends to focus on the fact that white Christian males are more likely to be domestic terrorists in the U.S. Sure, that could be helpful to try to describe the differences in how white criminal suspects are treated by the media when compared to suspected people of color, but I’m not too sure what insight could be gained from this for enacting stricter gun laws and more detailed information on that topic is better explored elsewhere. People more focused on conspiracy theories that claim there was more than one shooter, or that is a falseflag event concocted by the government for whatever nefarious reason, is just a distraction from the center of this conversation: guns. I cannot describe any facts or statistics about gun violence that would change the mind of any ardent Second Amendment supporters, or the more wrought-up gun nuts.
This editorial and issue of The Rampage is dedicated to the 58 lives lost, and the many more injured in the Las Vegas mass shooting on Oct 1, 2017. Rest in Peace: Hannah Ahlers, 34 Heather Alvarado, 35 Dorene Anderson, 49 Carrie Barnette, 34 Jack Beaton, 54 Steve Berger, 44 Candice Bowers, 40 Denise Burditus, 50 Sandy Casey, 34 Andrea Castilla, 28
Americans simply love their guns. Ideas about the second amendment and the right to own projectile weapons have become as intense and divisive as any political ideology or party loyalty. I don’t know how to fight that. It seems that the most powerful agent to change someone’s mind is experience. A country singer performing at the festival tweeted that the shooting he lived through changed his mind. There have been stories reported about attendees at the festival expressing similar feelings, but also, some wounded attendees said that they still believe in gun rights. I’m stupefied that the experience of witnessing a massacre from the hands of a single individual is what it takes to make people reconsider their position on the right to possess a tool that is specifically made to kill people.
With the easy accessibility there is to guns in the U.S., Americans’ love affair with weapons, and with the NRA and the gun industry in the pockets of so many big players in the nation, and the world, I do not see any change coming any time soon. A presidential administration that refuses to even acknowledge any conversation on legislative action in the light of this tragedy does not leave me hopeful. It is easier to manipulate a culture that is apathetic and hopeless, and of course no meaningful change can be brought on by that population, but that is how I feel with the issue of gun violence in America. I am numb. This keeps happening and we keep having the same conversations. Please, all keep hope on this, for I have lost mine.
Illustration/Frank Lopez
The nation’s pacifier Denise Cohen, 58 Austin Davis, 29 Thomas Day,Jr., 54 Christiana Duarte, 22 Stacee Etcheber, 50 Brian Fraser, 39 Keri Galvan, 31 Dana Gardner, 52 Angela Gomez, 20 Rocio Guillen Rocha, 40 Charleston Hartfield, 34 Chris Hazencomb, 44 Jennifer Topaz Irving, 42 Teresa Nicole Kimura, 38 Jessica Klymchuck, 34 Carly Kreibaum, 33 Rhonda LeRocque, 42
Victor Link, 55 Jordan Mclldoon, 23 Kelsey Meadows, 28 Calla-Marie Medig, 28 James “Sonny” Melton, 29 Patricia Mestas, 67 Austin Meyer, 24 Adrian Murfitt, 35 Rachael Parker, 33 Jenny Parks, 36 Carrie Parsons, 31 Lisa Patterson, 46 John Phippen, 56 Melissa Ramirez, 26 Jordyn Rivera, 21 Quintin Robbins, 20 Cameron Robinson, 28
Appreciate Fall More Alejandra Flores | Reporter aflores@therampageonline.com
P
umpkin carving, chilly nights, and gory old horror movies on television--can it get any better than that? Fall time is one of the best times to be alive. The weather is just perfect enough to carry a light cardigan or a small sweater and it isn’t too cold to avoid going outside. Many people dislike fall because it’s too “cold” and the rainy/gloomy weather makes it hard for people to actually enjoy themselves outside, but if you think about it, fall in California (and the Central Valley) isn’t even all that bad. It’s still pretty warm during our fall season. There’s just something appreciable about fall. The leaves are a yellow-brown appealing color, bloody and gory movies are usually in theaters, and pumpkin spice everything is available almost everywhere. I mean, who doesn’t like pumpkin spice? Let’s not forget about Halloween! The one time of the year that you’re allowed to be anyone you want. One of the best holidays happens to be during fall. Free candies are given out and just about every single store has great costumes that are always fun to try on with whoever you’re exploring these wonderful stores with. There’s always more activities to do during the fall. For example, if you and your friends are bored on a Sunday night, most cities and towns have pumpkin patches and haunted houses that are always exciting to visit with friends. Imagine the adrenaline rush you can experience by participating in a haunted house or carving pumpkins with some of your closest friends. When it comes to being cozy, fall is definitely the best season to dress super comfortably. You can literally just roll out of bed and begin your day with some sweats and a hoodie. No need to try at all, and that just makes any day better. Lets not forget about those warm boots while they step on the crispy leaves that are on the ground. Fall season feels like the start of a new beginning. You get a change in wardrobe and the weather doesn’t feel like it’s trying to suffocate you every time you go outside. Fall weather is actually enjoyable, so grab your boots and scarves, because fall is here!
Tara Roe, 34 Lisa Romero-Muniz, 48 Chris Roybal, 28 Brett Schwanbeck, 61 Bailey Schweitzer, 20 Laura Shipp, 50 Erick Silva, 21 Susan Smith, 53 Brennan Stewart, 30 Derick “Bo” Taylor, 56 Neysa Tonks, 46 Michelle Vo, 32 Kurt von Tillow, 55 Bill Wolfe, 42
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BASKETBALL DOMINANT IN EXHIBITION Michael Fulford | Reporter mfulford@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College Rams defeated the Foothill College Owls in a scrimmage on Sept. 28. This contest was deemed a tuneup or a reference marker for both teams as they get ready to embark on a new season. FCC has already seen preseason action as they participated in the NorCal showcase jamboree in San Francisco. In typical fashion, the team finished with an undefeated record of four wins and zero losses. “We are sophomore heavy and have a few freshmen that have had the chance to mature since they have been out of high school for a few years,” assistant coach, Sultan Toles-Bey, said. At the start of the exhibition, the Rams seemed to struggle out of the gate as they attempted to establish their tempo early. Both teams exchanged three-pointers for the first 10 minutes. Eventually the Rams were able to put together one of the infamous spurts of defensive genius to close the half with a 40-23 lead. The second half saw the Rams impose their will against the Owls as their defensive pressure was in
postseason form. The same can be said about their three point shooting as they consistently barraged the Owls from long range. The end of the second half finished with FCC dismantling Foothill by the score of 90-49. Because this was not a normal game, the teams agreed to play three more 5 minute quarters. “In this scrimmage, we really wanted to tune up the press and work on sustaining our ball pressure for 40 minutes,” said Toles-Bey. “We have very high expectations go- The Fresno City College basketball team defeated Foothill College in a scrimmage on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 at the FCC gym. Photo/Jorge Rodriguez ing into this year.” championship. They are also ex- City College Tournament against we always keep an eye on them,” As usual, the Rams will be pected to make a deep run at an- the Alameda College Cougars on Toles-Bey said. “Also Riverside deemed as the undisputed favor- other state championship. Nov. 3, at 4 p.m. College has had our number ites to capture their 17th consecThe Rams will see their first of“In the past few years, it’s been recently and beat us a few times.” utive Central Valley Conference ficial action in the San Francisco San Francisco City College so
Baseball Post-Season Madness Anthony De Leon | Reporter adeleon@therampageonline.com
October is upon us, and the MLB postseason is in full swing. That means only one team can take home that World Series trophy. Every team vying for the title of world champion has a legitimate chance this year. Will the Chicago Cubs duplicate their magic by making backto-back World Series or will the Cleveland Indians continue their hot streak after a very recent 22game win streak? Can the Dodgers finally get over the hump, and what about the Baby Bronx Bombers? As a fan of a team which lost 98 games this past season, I need a team to cheer this postseason as many of you out there might. Luckily, there is no shortage of high-powered offenses and dominating pitching staff. Every team has a strong case to add some shiny hardware to their trophy cases and playing prognosticator we are going to give you reasons to cheer for each team.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
The big spenders who are the West Coast equivalent of the New York Yankees in the Steinbrenner Era always seem to have trouble getting over that hump. Well this just might be the Dodgers year after winning an MLB high 104 games, and with one of the most dominant pitchers in the last 20 years in Clayton Kershaw, there is a good chance there will be a parade in Tinsel town.
Washington Nationals:
There has not been much to cheer for in the nation’s capital in sports or in politics for that matter, but they finally have a team that would Teddy Roosevelt himself giddy with joy. With a three-headed monster of a pitching staff featuring Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, all boast 15 plus win totals and ERAs fewer than 3.00 there’s much to cheer for. Oh, they also have right fielder
Bryce Harper if weird hairstyles and monster home-runs are your thing.
Chicago Cubs:
After ending the 108-yearold “Curse of the Billy Goat” last year by winning the World Series they are looking to make Bill Murray feel it is Groundhog Day (again). Why not root for the Cubbies to become the first team in this millennium to win back-to-back series?
Arizona Diamondbacks:
Whoa, one of these things is not like the others; one of these things is just not the same. But here we are: the D-Backs are finally in the postseason after half a decade of ineptitude, full of mountain men Paul Goldschmidt and J.D. Martinez hitting long balls further than the Apollo 11 traveled give them a chance.
New York Yankees:
There was a youth movement in the Bronx borough this season
and the Baby Bronx Bombers seem ready to capture the success that the Yankee dynasty of the late-90s captured. With bombers like Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius and Aaron Judge trying to bring back the glory of the pinstripes, it would be fun to cheer for a Yankees team that was built and not bought. Plus Judge is a Fresno State product and he is putting up Babe Ruthian numbers.
Boston Red Sox:
With the one-two punch of pitchers Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz who both won 17 games this past season, the Sox are trying to win a World Series for the first time without the lovable slugger David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Wonder if Patriots’ tight end and party animal Rob Gronkowski would plan the parade?
Houston Astros:
In the wake of hurricane Harvey it would be great to see a parade down the streets of a rebuild-
ing Houston bringing a smile to their fan base. That may be a reality with MVP candidate second baseman Jose Altuve playing his heart out like he is 6-foot-6 instead of 5-foot-six for a storm-torn Houston.
Cleveland:
Looking to end a 59-year World Series drought and after losing in Game 7 of last year’s Fall Classic, the Indians, who boasted a 22-game win streak, the allaround best team is ready to right the wrong of last season. This team is so poised to win it all this year they can make Lebron James forget about those pictures he took while cheering for the Yankees…almost.
World Series Prediction:
Indians take the World Series in five games against the Dodgers. The Rampage is not responsible for any lost bets.
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SPORTS 11
Defender Matheus Araujo keeps the ball away from opposing players from Modesto College on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. Photo/Marco Rosas
Men’s Soccer Defeats Modesto In Landslide Alejandra Flores | Reporter aflores@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College men’s soccer team defeated Modesto Junior College at home 5-1 on Oct.10. This gave the Rams another win to continue with their undefeated streak and preparing them for the upcoming playoffs. The Rams started off right, when within the first 15 minutes of the game, midfielder Juan Al-
varez scored the first goal to open up the game. Throughout the first half of the game, the Rams had control of the ball, making great drives up and down the field. Defender Matheus Araujo scored the second goal of the match, making it 2-0 in favor of the Rams. Modesto managed to keep things interesting when they scored a goal by forward Jose Yepez, taking the score to 2-1
with Rams still in the lead. Midway through the first half, FCC’s midfielder Omari Bell scored the team’s third goal, giving FCC the lead going into halftime with the score of 3-1. Modesto came out in the second half with more determination and started to have more control of the ball. Although they didn’t score, their dominance of the ball improved from the first half of the game.
FCC’s goalkeeper Andres Castrajon, had a really great save when he dove and managed to slap the ball away to keep the Modesto from scoring. The score got out of hand for Modesto when midfielder Jose Aguilera scored the fourth goal for the Rams who at this time were cruising through the game. Just before the end of the game, forward Johnny Rodriguez scored the last goal of the match
making it 5-1 in favor of FCC. “We played sloppy defense for the first ten minutes of the first half, but other than that, I like what they’re doing,” said head coach Eric Solberg. “We’re one of the best teams in California. Our expectations are to win every game and for us to keep progressing. At the end, we have to play better than we currently have.”
American River Hands Water Polo First Home Loss Of the Season Fresno City College goalie Candice Islas fails to block a shot on goal by American River College at the Fresno High School pool on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. Photo/Jorge Rodriguez
Jorge Rodriguez | Sports Editor jrodriguez@therampageonline.com
In their first home game of the season, the Fresno City College water polo team lost to American River College at the Fresno High School pool on Sept. 28. The 16-6 loss marks the first home loss of the season for FCC. FCC was looking to get back on the winning track after a loss to Grossmont College on Sept. 23 and to get their first conference win of the season in front of their home crowd. “Our team is learning a lot; it’s
early on in the season,” said Gianna Rossi, head coach. “All this is about learning and getting better.” The match begin with FCC’s 2 meter Alison Baker scoring the first goal of the game within one minute of play time, but it soon became American River’s game. They scored the next five goals without a Rams’ response. The quarter ended with the score 5-1 in favor of American River. The second quarter started
with more of the same and American River scored the next two goals even though goalie Candice Islas had some great saves. FCC managed to get another goal from Baker in the same period, but American River also scored two more times. Just before the end of the first half, the Rams got a goal from attacker Shelby Seybold to give the team some hope for the second half. By halftime, the score was 9-3 in favor of the visitor.
In the third quarter of the game, FCC tried to come back with some great tactics, but was counter attacked by American river who dominated the quarter with five goals. The only FCC goal came at the hands of Baker making it 14-4 in for the final quarter of the game. The fourth quarter went more the way FCC wanted it to go even though they still conceded a goal. Baker scored the last two goals, bringing her total to five goals in
the game. “Margaret Wash and Olivia McKray performed really well today,” Rossi said. “Even though they didn’t score, they played very well defensively.” The final score was 16-6 in favor of American River and the Rams’ first home loss of the season. “We are a young team, and we have much to learn,” Rossi said. “But every game, we’ve been getting better.”
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Amateur Boxing Takes the Big Stage
Jorge Rodriguez | Sports Editor jrodriguez@therampageonline.com
A change came to the Big Fresno Fair on Oct. 7 when they hosted amateur boxing for the first time at the Paul Paul theater. The Southeast Fresno Boxing Club presented 14 amateur fights that ranged from 10-year-olds to adults, including four title fights. General admission to the Paul Paul theater was free with fair admission and many fans of boxing were excited to experience live boxing at the fair. The first 11 bouts were a mixture in weight classes, and fans went from watching a 135 pound fight to heavyweight to watching 10-year-olds. However, fans were treated to some fireworks during the heavyweight fight when Jason Soto knocked down Michael Luna in the second round and then later in the third round, Luna was given a standing eight count. Luna was able to hold and finished the match, but Soto received the majority decision. Another exciting fight was the 110 pound bout between Adrian Pineda and Dominique Fernandez. Pineda came out strong in all the rounds and was so dominant that he made the referee give Fernandez a standing eight count twice in the same round. Pineda eventually won the match when the referee stopped the fight in the third round. Once all the exhibition match-
es were done, Southeast Fresno Boxing Club manager and trainer Mike Hodgins came out and addressed the crowd. Hodgins told everyone sitting in general admission to move forward and so that everyone can enjoy the matches up close. Hodgins mentioned that the matches were in honor of Tony Valencia, one of his gym trainers who had passed away earlier this year. After that, a 10 count was given to a silent crowd in his honor. In the first championship, fight Thorn Castellon faced Jorge Ramos at 155 pounds, where Castellon dominated every round and ended winning the fight. The next fight was at 139 pounds where Eduardo Sanchez met Erin Cruz. Sanchez came out the winner in a match that saw some of the best rounds of the night to the delight of the fans. The final bout was between 15time national champion Harley Mederos and Ivan Moroa. Moroa was knocked down in the first round, but somehow took over the match. He forced Mederos to fight a more defensive fight, which ended giving Moroa the split decision and the win. For being amateur fights, boxing fans seem to enjoyed the show and look forward to next year’s show.
(TOP) From left, 15-time national champion Harley Mederos and Ivan Moroa face off during the first amateur boxing night at the Big Fresno Fair on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2017. Photo/Ram Reyes
Ivan Moroa takes a jab at Harley Mederos during the first amateur boxing night at the Big Fresno Fair on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2017. Photo/Ram Reyes
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