September 29, 2015

Richland

CHRONICLE Vol. XLII Issue 6 Sept. 29, 2015

Howdy, folks!

State Fair fare Pg. 3

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2 CAMPUS/OPINION

September 29, 2015

THE FACES OF RICHLAND

Michael Wright: helping students transfer AHLAM MARYAM AL MAHROOQ Staff Writer

Staff photo Isai Diaz

Wright advises transferring students.

Do you want to transfer to a university after earning your associate degree?

Richland will be hosting 50 different university representatives on Oct. 13 for students to discuss academic offers and requirements they will need to meet in order to transfer.

Michael Wright is the academic adviser in charge of the Transfer Awareness Fair. He has been helping students at Richland for more than 19 years. At first, Wright taught government classes. Then in 2001, he became a full-time general adviser. Since 2010, he has been helping students who are fairly close to the end of their studies prepare to transfer to a four-year institution.

“It’s very important to be goal oriented,” he said. As a part of this goal orientation, he helps students by providing them information about a number of universities. He

discusses with students academic offers from different campuses. He also helps them with the actual application process and sending transcripts. He aims to make this process easier.

“I miss teaching, but I love helping students to transfer to universities and organizing trips.” — Michael Wright Before coming to Richland, Wright was a high school teacher. He found out about Richland from former students, who at the time were attending classes on this campus.

Wright has been educationally oriented all of

his life. He combined his position as government teacher with helping students through the transferr process. Having both jobs, however, was difficult to handle.

“I miss teaching, but I love helping students to transfer to universities and organizing trips,” he said.

Success for Wright is when a student says, “Oh, thank you for the information. You really helped me,” and not how many awards he received during his career. In 2004, Wright won an “Excellence in Teaching” award at Richland, and he also won “Teacher of the Year” honors when he was a high school teacher. He believes success is when people complete what they are doing and are satisfied with it because they tried.

Nothing perfect comes from the first trial.

That’s Wright’s recipe for success.

Wright enjoys teaching, working and helping his students and appreciates it when they keep up with him and update him occasionally.

Celebrating Hispanic heritage DIANA BONILLA Staff Writer

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The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration runs annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

During this time we celebrate the culture of the Hispanic people and recognize the many accomplishments of Hispanics and Latino Americans here in the U. S. Many Latin American countries like El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico celebrate their independence during this time as well.

Image courtesy Richland Communication and Marketing Office

Jessica Meza performs “Latinos Shaping a Nation”

It is a bittersweet time for Latinos because, although they get to celebrate their culture, they also remember the things they left behind back in their native countries. The Hispanic population traditionally celebrates with parties, concerts and social events. This year’s celebrations, however, have a different twist. This is due in part to the controversy that has been taking place lately relating to Donald Trump and his stand on immigration and most importantly on the Hispanic population here in the U. S. Hispanics today, more than ever, are proud of their roots and their rich culture, and they are coming together so people know they play an important part in America’s political, socioeconomic and cultural development. Hispanics are defining and redefining America in many ways, and they are making their voices heard, from rallies to marches, in favor of creating a more tolerant America. Latinos also have come together here at Richland, where they also celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Latinos Shaping a Nation,” was performed

by Will and Company on Sept. 21. The performance addressed problems many Hispanics have faced in the past and are still facing today, including issues with same-sex marriage, genderequality, reproductive rights and social in justice.

Following the performance came a Q&A session that gave students the chance to inquire about these challenges.

To find more information about the play and the faces behind this theater for social change, visit willandcompany.com.

Staff photo Isai Diaz

A cameraman films student questions for police officers.

Bridging the gap with police Richland students were invited to participate in a police-sponsored project on Sept. 22 and 23 to help bridge the gap in understanding between community and police.

Benjamin Oh, the community engagement officer for the Dallas Police Department, started the project because the department felt that it was time to provide some answers due to the tension in this country so far this year.

The project consists of a conversation hosted by Dallas Police Chief David Brown. It was broadcast live last Thursday. Police recruits answered questions and concerns from college students.

Carter Bedford, director of Richland’s Office of Student Life, coordinated the project on campus.

“I think that there would be some great questions for the police recruits to think about as they are coming into this new thing. I think about the situation in Arlington, the guy who killed a young man at a car dealership was a rookie police officer,” Bedford said.

Bedford said that despite the officer being an older recruit, he was still a rookie. For clarification, the person he shot was under the influence of drugs.

— Bel Khuu

S September 29, 2015

NEWS 3

Staff photos Blanca Reyes

On the first day of the State Fair, many people gather to see what new things the annual event brings as well as t revisit old favorites. The fair will run from Sept. 25 to Oct. 18.

State ‘fare’: Food and more on opening day Staff Writer

Turkey legs and burgers are on the grill for hungry fairgoers.

Erick Rivera cooks funnel cakes for the opening day crown.

The State Fair of Texas has begun a 24-day run including food, football and fun for the crowds. The gates opened Friday at Fair Park in Dallas with the theme “Passport to Texas.”

One new attraction is the Lone Star Horse Spectacular, offering the history of Texas through horses, flags and music.

Since 2005, the State Fair of Texas has held a food contest called the Big Tex Choice Awards just before opening day. Last year’s winner for Best Taste was the Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil, and the winner for Most Creative was the State Fair Brew Funnel Cake Ale. This year’s Best Tasting winner is Christi Erpillo for her Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly.

This dish takes a traditional carrot cake with raisins and carrots and turns it into flattened baked bread with cinnamon.

It is then rolled with a light coating of cream cheese and breaded with graham crackers as well as cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream cheese frosting is drizzled on top and it is dusted with powdered sugar. The Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly is served with caramel on the side and a caramel macchiato cream sauce.

The 2015 winner for the Most Creative goes to Isaac Rousso for his Smoky Bacon Margarita. This drink is served in a souvenir cup and has a slight twist to a traditional margarita.

A frozen lime margarita is infused with the smokiness of freshly cooked bacon. This is definitely a thirst–quenching drink, but unfortunately for most students, they still need to be 21 to try it.

There were six other finalists including Abel Gonzales for the Chicken Fried Lobster with

Champagne Gravy, Rousso for another creation called the Cowboy Corn Crunch, Cassy Jones for the Deep Fried Alligator’s Egg Nest, James Barrera for Fried Beer-Battered Buffalo, Justin Martinez for the Lone Star Pork Handle, and Allan Weiss for the Pretzel-Crusted Pollo Queso.

There were 18 new foods introduced this year on the State Fair of Texas website bigtex. com. Some are simple and easy to guess what they are made of like the Funnel Dunkers, or Fried Kettle Corn. Some are more mysterious such as the Machete, and the Deep Fried Tailgate Party.

The fair runs through Oct. 18 this year and students can find discounted tickets at Richland’s bookstore.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Pouring the sugar in the cotton candy. One of everyone’s favorites at the fair.

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ANGELA MARTINEZ

4 ENTERTAINMENT

September 29, 2015

All that jazz PETE SHANNON Staff Writer

Image courtesy blackmassthemovie.com

An unrecognizable Johnny Depp plays cards in a scene from his latest offering, “Black Mass.”

Black Mass: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer RICKY MILLER

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Entertainment Editor

Well, it’s about damn time Johnny Depp made a major comeback. In “Black Mass,” he stars as notorious Boston gangster, James “Whitey” Bulger, who spent years working for himself, as well as the FBI, where he endeavored to get rid of some of his Bean Town competition.

Depp is unrecognizable, with thinning white hair and weird blue eyes. One scene in particular has us wondering when he will go off the deep end. His general demeanor is a throwback to Joe Pesci’s Oscar-winning role as Tommy DeVito in “GoodFellas.” You just have to chuckle while still feeling a little uncomfortable.

Bulger is sharing a good meal with a colleague, but when the friend, David Harbour’s John Morris, tells Bulger that the delicious food is a “family secret,” Bulger has nothing but a look of dismay and disapproval in the end.

Strong, smooth camerawork comes through, courtesy of Scott Cooper who steered Jeff Bridges to his first Oscar win for 2009’s “Crazy Heart.” Cooper also teamed up with Christian Bale for the slice-of-life tale “Out of the Furnace” in 2013. Apparently Cooper does not care for subtlety, since all of his flicks involve grittiness.

Joel Edgerton (2015’s “The Gift,” “Warrior”) plays John Connelly, an old friend from the neighborhood where the pair grew up. Benedict Cumberbatch is featured as Billy Bulger, James’s older brother who is a sitting senator (hence the lack of evidence to put James behind bars.)

I would classify Bulger as a few cards short

of a full deck, because one never really knows what or who is going to set him off. It goes back to a line in “The Godfather:” “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

Without a doubt, this is Depp’s best acting performance since the original “Pirates of The Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003. Before his role of Jack Sparrow became a caricature of itself, he had an identity that was all of his own doing. Prior to that, I respected him and admired what he was doing as the schlock director of bad cinema in “Ed Wood,” undercover FBI man “Donnie Brasco,” as “Peter Pan” author James Matthew Barrie in “Finding Neverland” and the title character in the underrated Lasse Hallström flick “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.”

The writing from screenwriters Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth comes from the book written by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. The writing is spot on and captures the mood of the times. They know how the characters should speak and the language and lore of mid-1970s New York.

Also worth mentioning is the moody and atmospheric score from composer Junkie XL. As a director, Cooper knows what to do every step of the way. Bulger is not a character you want to know on a personal level.

Just keep him at a distance; an acquaintance at best. Cooper paints Bulger as a man who only uses violence as a means to an end. Early on, the audience may feel empathy for him with the passing of his son.

But the other 99 percent of the time? Zilch, zip, zero, nada.

As a gangster tale, I recommend “Black Mass,” but watch it with a wary eye. It might have you rethinking who your true friends actually are.

Grade: A-

North Texas University’s jazz singers glided onto the stage of Fannin Hall at Richland College last Tuesday to present a spectacular recital. It was the third week in a row for a program featuring professionally performed jazz, this time in vocal form. But for a show that would cost paying customers in a commercial venue at least $20, Richland patrons were treated to their usual bargain price: free.

First was the group of female singers known as “Avenue C,” ostensibly named for the street where the music school is located in Denton.

It was directed by doctoral teaching fellow Justin Binek. Composed of eight charming lasses plus four rhythm-section guys, the ensemble led off with a soothing arrangement of the classic “Some Day My Prince Will Come” from “Snow White.” Then seven of the singers temporarily stepped away while jazz major Lizzi Trumbore took over to belt out her own sprightly composition she calls “Hella.” In it, she included some interesting sections of animated scat reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vanghan. At one point Trumbore passed the lead over to Lucas Reader on bass and Jared Sachs on guitar who smoothly added a few original riffs of their own.

Next, Avenue C re-emerged to render a superb acappella version of “Urban Scenes, Creole Dreams, Part 2” by Sweet Honey in the Rock. This was an old spiritual, but modernized into five-part harmony as arranged by Binek. It concluded with the intriguing lyric, “Can’t no one know how this day is going to end” produced in fading syncopated notes oscillating between the voices. The ladies’ last selection was Stevie Wonder’s “Bird of Beauty,”

offered with a Cuban twist arranged by Binek.

After Binek snapped his fingers sharply to start them off, they sang with gusto and plenty of dazzling denture. It was uplifting and delightful to see them all so enjoying the day.

The second half of the recital was presented by the full UNT Jazz Singers ensemble comprising a dozen voices of both genders led by Jennifer Barnes, assistant professor and director of vocal jazz. The men were dressed in black suits and the women in dresses and outfits of deep blue. As they sang five more jazz numbers, all in perfect pitch and rhythmic balance, they delivered a clear inspiration to their rapt Richland audience, many of whom are considering advancing their own careers into this popular artistic medium.

North Texas developed one of the first jazz studies programs in the nation, and it remains, after over 35 years, the top choice for many music majors. It attracts some of the country’s most talented and promising young people, not only in performance but also in composition. For example, among the 10 selections presented at Richland on Tuesday, all except one were either arrangements or original compositions written by UNT faculty or students.

As they lifted their voices, most of the singers on stage grasped their mics in their right hand; only two or three in their left. But they all swung their free arm easily and bent a little at the knee, too, to feel the beat. Their faces expressed energy and joy. These were wellrehearsed folks obviously immersed in what they were doing. Their enthusiasm was contagious and light-hearted. So was their funny challenging line from the funky cha-cha, “Love Wins” by Bill Cantos: “I’ve heard it all my life. A single guy always finishes last.”

Image courtesy Richland Communication and Marketing Office

Lizzi Trumbore performs recently as part of “Avenue C” in Fannin Hall.

September 29, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS

Soccer ball starts rolling at Richland

5

Fall fashion tips for men: Shades of gray ALINA LUNA

Staff photo Blanca Reyes

Richland’s Adrienne Phillips steals the ball from Eastfield’s duringa a match Friday at Richland. The Thunderducks lost 1-0.

Book review

‘Mere Christianity’ insight, moral law ALINA LUNA Staff Writer

Written by none other than C.S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity” was originally presented over British radio airwaves during World War II, then later written into three books: “Broadcast Talks” (1942), “Christian Behaviour “ (1943) and “Beyond Personality” (1944). The copy that now sits on bookstore shelves is actually all three works in one, thus the birth of “Mere Christianity” as many of us know it today.

It is not exactly considered a “pleasure read,” for several reasons, one being that it provides insights on Christianity for those who don’t quite understand the faith.

Lewis begins with the most basic of ideas,

unlike many others, by describing something we all have in common, the moral law.

He continues to look into the idea of what Christianity is, not only to Christians, but those of different beliefs as well. He delves into who God is and how He appears to work in our world.

He then describes the morals of Christians, how they should or should not act. He finishes the world-renowned classic with a general group of next steps, after the basic questions have been answered. Although many agreed with Lewis’s writings, others loudly voiced their opinions against his beliefs.

I personally found his works to be insightful, and though I may not agree with everything he said, I enjoyed a step into Lewis’s shoes and see the point of view he described.

I give this book eight out of 10 bookworms.

Image courtesy reasonabletheology.org

Having given the ladies a few tips to flow with the leaves this fall, I thought it was time to help the gentlemen out a bit as well. Here are a few suggestions to make sure guys look just as nice as the women standing by their side.

Fifty isn’t quite as many shades as I would recommend, but very close.

Grays of every shade with hints of burgundy, or vice versa, are the colors to see on a man this season. Granted, men typically have a wider array of colors as seasons pass. Having said this, navy-blue and shades of brown are the second best choices. Plain tees, whether white, brown, blue or gray, will look great under any simple blazer.

Men, if you want to make a woman swoon, all you need is a blazer, a smile and to OPEN A DOOR for her. You’ll be halfway there with those tips alone.

The best bottoms depend on the occasion. If a semicasual look is what you’re striving for, go with the simple dark denims. They never fail to satisfy.

A dressier approach would, of course be a nice pair of slacks. The two options for shoes when wearing a blazer this fall: the simple sneaker or nice dress shoe. The choice is always a matter of preference.

Another simple look that never ceases to win a smile is a nice sweater with the sleeves pushed up the arms only slightly. With a pair of jeans to match, it does not matter, light or dark. Finally, a lace-up boot to show that you’re a “strong man” will do the trick. These outfits are easy to make and take little to no time preparing. Just remember though, light goes with dark and dark goes with light. For those who don’t quite understand, make sure you wear a light colored pair of denims with a dark blazer or sweater and a dark pair of shoes.

I don’t want guys looking like fools.

Until next time, try out these simple tips and see just how happy fall will be to see you strutting your stuff.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Staff Writer

6 REMEMBRANCE/OPINION

September 29, 2015

Chronicle staff remembers Marshall Siegel JOYCE JACKSON Copy Editor

After a 40-year career in the publishing business, Marshall Siegel’s last job was for the Richland Chronicle newspaper doing what he loved best – working with journalism students as an advertising adviser Siegel for student media.

Siegel died in June at age 85 and a memorial was held in Dallas at Lefty’s Restaurant, where a group of relatives, friends and co-workers met to honor him. It was one of his favorite restaurants.

Siegel leaves behind his wife, Joy and two adult children who live out of state, as well as a number of grandchildren.

Starting out many years ago as a young reporter at the Chicago Tribune at $35 a week, Siegel eventually progressed into advertising and later founded a trade magazine, Gralla Publications, which became extremely successful over the years.

Erica Edwards, program coordinator for journalism and student media, shared one of her favorite memories of Siegel.

“I told him about having used video footage of the Hindenburg disaster, circa 1937, to make a point about radio news coverage of that period in one of my classes, and he said, without

missing a beat, ‘Oh, yeah, I was there’.”

“What an amazing legacy of experience,” Edwards said.

“Marshall was truly a joy to work with,” Edwards said. “He was highly knowledgeable, true, but more significant to our students was his commitment to giving back. He certainly didn’t have to work here, but I think he so enjoyed his interactions with students and colleagues that it made it all worthwhile to him.”

Edwards said Siegel approached any issues that came up with the advertising process with amazing good humor, professionalism, yet with a twinkle in his eye.

“I miss him greatly,” she said.

Matt Hinckley, now a history professor at Eastfield College, said he met Siegel in the fall of 2002 when both were students at the University of Texas at Dallas.

“I knew him for 13 years. We were in a class together at UTD,” Hinckley said. “It was a graduate seminar on the Vietnam war. I was taking that class for a master’s degree. Marshall was auditing the class, as any senior citizen could get a free class at UTD.” As the two of them sat together and became more acquainted, Hinckley recalled that on the last day of the semester, Siegel turned to him and said, “You know, I sure wish there was a journalism course that I could volunteer for.”

That was all it took. Hinckley was the assistant dean of Richland’s Chronicle newspaper and soon

thereafter, Siegel started volunteering as a writing coach for journalism students. That was in 2003.

Hinckley said Siegel was a good choice for the Chronicle because he was good at working with students of all ages and backgrounds.

“He knew how to tear apart a really bad story, a bad first draft. As you know, he would bleed all over that paper,” Hinckley said. “But he knew how to get the writer to rewrite it and make it better. He knew how to use the language to say more effectively what that writer was trying to say.”

Siegel was the perfect choice for the journalism department, Hinckley said, because of his advertising and public relations background.

“It was his advising that took advertising revenues from under $10,000 to $75,000 a year,” he said. “The money he brought in funded a lot of student travel and bought a lot of equipment.”

Hinckley said he will always remember Siegel because he was a “mentor and a friend.”

“He always had a funny one-line zinger to share,” Hinckley said.

Other journalism students and staff remember seeing Siegel’s small red sports car, which was always parked in the same place by Fannin Hall. Also, he loved eating at Subway, especially tuna sandwiches and would make his way down around 10:30 a.m. every day to pick up a sandwich, sit at the small tables by the newsroom to monitor the news on TV as he enjoyed his lunch.

Being organized important in Hajj AHLAM MARYAM AL MAHROOQ

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Staff Writer

More than 700 pilgrims were killed and another 863 were injured in a stampede on the second day of “Eid Al Adha” on Sept.

24, during the annual five-day pilgrimage to Mecca, which is called Hajj.

According to news reports, two waves of Muslim pilgrims collided at an intersection while performing the last ritual of this Muslim pillar. People were crushed and trampled to death in one of the worst disasters in the history of the Hajj. Saudi health minister Khalid Al Falih stated that pilgrims who did not follow guidelines and instructions caused the stampede.

As a Muslim, I was not surprised to see on the news that this kind of incident occured. Every year, millions of pilgrims from all around the world visit Mecca to worship. Every Muslim in the world will try to go to Mecca at least once for Hajj. What many people do not know is that in order to visit Mecca for Hajj, you need to get special permission, a “passport” of sorts, before going. Each Muslim only gets to go once every five years. This is to avoid big crowds of people at Mecca. Because our faith in Islam is so strong, however, Muslims will even go without permission to at-

tend. That means that every year, Mecca is packed with millions of Muslims on a Hajj pilgrimage.

I remember when I was a kid in school we used to get flu shots right before Hajj.

The reason was because there were so many people together in Mecca that the chance of getting sick was high. Even if we weren’t attending Hajj, we still got the flu shot because someone close to us might be there and there was a possibility that whoever was attending might be sick after Hajj.

There were other safety guidelines that I learned at school and at home. For instance, Muslims at Hajj use a mask to cover their faces and they keep cleaning their hands with sanitizer.

I remember when my mom went to Hajj, she came back and my siblings and I had sort of a separation from her because there was a chance she might be infected. We weren’t around her for a week.

Mecca is big deal for a Muslim. It is the birthplace of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him. It’s the only place where Muslims only are allowed in. It’s a place of power and peace. It also cleans our souls.

The paradox of this is that, even though people were killed in a very bad accident, they and their families will feel blessed for finding death in Hajj, a holy day in the holy city.

Richland

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Online Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Marta Planells Joe Stumpo Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Staff photo Blanca Reyes

COVER AND FONTS

Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: www.nymfont.com - www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Isai Diaz Abraham Igene Quan Tran Bertille Eya Maffo Alina Luna Tiago Ferreira Vincent Leal

Diana Bonilla Melanie Brandow Ryan Derenbecker Harris Sadiq Bel Khuu Ahlam Maryam Al Mahrooq

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards

Steve Noviello

Jack Fletcher

Larry Ratliff

David Goodloe

Tim Jones

Karin Matz

ISSUE DATES Septemer 29 October 6 October 13 October 20 October 27

November 10 November 17 November 24 December 8 December 15

AWARDS

ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker Finalist, 2007, 2008 1st Place - TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place - TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 2nd Place - Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014

CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079 E-mail: richanchronicle@gmail.com Advertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu Fax: 972-238-6037 Staff meetings for fall semester: Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E020 Letter Policy Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration. © Richland Chronicle 2015

My, how times have changed

with terrorists.

Those times are gone now. If word got around about my little screenplay and I were Online Editor a high school student today, I probably would have been called in to see a counselor as the The controversy surrounding the arrest of administrators poured over my writing won14-year-old MacArthur High School freshman dering if it’s the macabre bloody equivalent of Ahmed Mohamed in Irving for bringing what the kinds of diaries mass murderers Eric Harschool officials thought might have been a fake ris, Seung-Hui Cho and James Holmes churned bomb, but was in fact, according to Mohamed, out before they picked up their guns and ammo. a homemade digital clock brought to mind the Kids today get suspended if they so much as things I and others did that we got away with turn their hand into a gun and point it at other when I was in high school and grade school. classmates as though that person Only rarely did the administration may one day pull out the real thing. question our actions or thoughts.

Today, as a result of the recent I remember back when I was mass shootings in so many schools, in school, from 1976 to 1984, the only reason why I’d pay the outhow in seventh grade, one of my rageous tuition and send them to classmates imitated rocker Ozzy private school, if I had kids, is not Osbourne and bit a head off a because of any supposed quality dead squirrel. I still say that story education, but because I have yet to is nothing more than hear say, as see anyone going on a mass shootI was not there that morning being spree at a private school. I know fore the 8 a.m. bell rang to actually my kids would come home unsee it. I do know that person had a harmed. Ahmed Mohamed’s arrest “come to Jesus” meeting with the was the result of today’s unsettling principal that day. climate in America when most peoDuring freshman year in high ple still believe another 9/11-style school my friend and I took up our attack will happen again.

English instructor’s offer for extra “We live in an age where you credit and submitted weekly jourcan’t take things like that to school,” nals. My friend wrote stories where said Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd he was “Mad Max,” the vengeful in The Dallas Morning News. “Of loner/former police officer Mel course, we’ve seen across our counGibson played in those apocalyptic try horrific things happen. We have films from 1979 to 1985 who batto err on the side of caution.” tles outlaw motorcycle gangs. While “People at the school thought it I wrote a sequel to the gangster comight be a bomb because it looks caine epic, “Scarface” (1983), called exactly like a [!@#$%&*] bomb,” “Scarface II: The Exterminator” said host Bill Maher on his HBO in which I cast various classmates show. Maher defended the teacher in certain roles (and, yes a majority for alerting school officials. “Did of those characters were killed off the teacher really do a wrong thing? in my screenplay and yes, I was the So the teacher’s just supposed to lead character). If it’s any consolasee something that looks like a tion I got killed off, too. bomb and be, ‘Oh, wait, this might When word got around in the fall just be my white privilege talking? I of 1987 senior year that one female sure don’t want to be politically inclassmate said she idolized cult Image courtesy The Associated Press correct, so I’ll just let it go.’” leader Charles Manson, and the Ahmed Mohamed, 14, thanks supporters during a news conference.

Maybe if 9/11 hadn’t happened government teacher asked her why, the woman’s response was as cryptic as when back then as the idea of hijacking jetliners full and if mass shootings only occurred at workconservatives ask liberal supporters of President of fuel and plowing them into the World Trade places instead of everywhere, and school offiBarack Obama and Hillary Clinton what they Center and the Pentagon, let alone envisioning cials considered sending students home with a accomplished in office and can’t come up with the collapse of the twin towers. Yes, America note asking their parents to give them canned anything. The classmate offered no justification dealt with terrorism back in the 1980 and liber- goods to take to classes to throw at would-be as to why she looked up to Manson. At least her als worried it would be President Ronald Rea- shooters as a means of self-defense, perhaps conversation with the government teacher gave gan (1981-1989) who’d bring about the United Ahmed Mohamed’s “homemade experiment,” us all a class day off during which we watched States’ destruction with a full-scale nuclear war as Irving police determined it to be during their the 1976 mini-series “Helter Skelter.” with Russia. Somehow that was furthest from investigation, would not have caused any alarm.

This is a different America now, Ahmed. But These weren’t the only questionable inci- our minds, or maybe we conservatives felt safer dents. Another high school classmate I knew knowing we had a leader who didn’t negotiate hey, at least you got a trip to the White House.

JOE STUMPO

drew dotted lines on his wrists that said, “Cut here.” That got some instructors laughing.

When the ethics instructor asked him why he wrote that on his wrists he told the teacher if he wrote it on his neck, no one would see the joke and his mother would kill him for ruining his shirts. The ethics teacher got a big laugh out of that one.

These incidents occurred at a time when mass shootings, though they did occur, did not happen as often as they do now. Mass shootings in grade and high schools were as unheard of

OPINION 7

Upcoming Events Sept. 29 - Oct. 1 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Carter BloodCare blood drive East Circle Drive

Oct. 1 12:30 p.m.

Richland International Film Series “The Orphanage” Rated R A 2007 mystery thriller from Spain with English subtitles.

Sabine Hall, Room 117

Oct. 6 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free HIV/STD testing for the Dallas County Health and Human Services mobile medical unit East Circle Drive, outside the library.

For more information call the Richland Health Center at 972-238-6135 or go by Thunderduck Hall, Room T-110.

For other questions, contact (DCHHS) STD clinic at: 214-819-1819.

Oct. 13 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Transfer Fair

Oct. 15 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ducktoberfest Guadalupe Field

Nov. 1 Daylight Saving time begins (clocks “fall back” one hour)

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

September 29, 2015

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

8 September 29, 2015