WINNER OF 2023 ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS PACEMAKER AWARD, NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Volume 161 No. 43 SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
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Santa Clara hosts World AIDS Day By Alicia Alvarez
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Santa Clara County held events spanning two days to commemorate World AIDS Day on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1. World AIDS Day is an annual event held on Dec. 1 to support individuals living with HIV, their family members and to remember those who have died from AIDS, according to a United Nations webpage. The HIV epidemic began in June 1981 according to a June 7, 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation article. HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is an infection that attacks the immune system transmitted through bodily fluids such as semen and blood, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage. This weakens those living with HIV, making them more vulnerable to infection and illness. HIV can evolve into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the most severe stage of HIV, if left untreated, according to another CDCwebpage. About 40.4 million individuals have died because of HIV related causes since the beginning of the epidemic, according to a webpage from the World Health Organization. The virus disproportionately affects the LGBTQ+ community with over half of those living with HIV reported to be gay or bisexual men, according to a 2016 fact sheet from the CDC. Gabrielle Antolovich, president of the board of directors for the Billy
DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center, helped organize the display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt during the event. The AIDS Memorial Quilt consists of 1,920 panels of fabric, each displaying a name of someone who died from AIDS, according to a Smithsonian Institution Archives Dec. 17, 2020 article. The quilt was first displayed in 1987 at the National Mall park in Washington and was large enough to cover more than a football field’s length according to the same article. The quilt was available for viewing in the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center on Dec. 1. Antolovich said that during the AIDS epidemic, members of the LGBTQ+ community that were not directly impacted by the virus came together to help those that were. “We were fractionalized, separated and not really working together, but the AIDS crisis brought us together through compassion and the horrible homophobia that was happening at that time,” Antolovich said. She said the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center offers HIV testing and resources such as discussion groups for survivors of the virus. Artist Mary Berry said she has been living with HIV for 28 years and attended the quilt viewing with a personal perspective. “I’ve had many friends who have died from this disease,” Berry said. “The quilt means a lot because it means they’re not forgotten.” Berry said she lost someone every
ANGEL SANTIAGO | SPARTAN DAILY
The AIDS Memorial Quilt of 1,920 name panels is displayed at Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center.
week during the epidemic for a period of time. “When I first got diagnosed there was no medication,” Berry said. “They gave me this medication that killed people and that’s all they had. It was the first one they tried, AZT was the name of it and it was a pretty nasty drug.” Antiretroviral (AZT) was the first drug approved by the U.S. Federal Food and Drug administration to treat HIV and AIDS in March 1987, according to a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases webpage. The drug was originally created to treat cancer, but was later found to be effective in treating HIV. Community member Russ Reiter said he attended the quilt viewing
to remember his previous romantic partner, who he watched die from AIDS. Reiter said the hospital his partner stayed at before his passing allowed them to stay together in the room every day and was receptive to gay parties. He said Remembrance Day makes him think back to that period of time, even though his partner doesn’t have his name on the quilt and is not from San José. “It was sort of final, he knew he was going to pass and each day near the end is getting worse and worse,” Reiter said. “It was very burdensome knowing that there wasn’t going to be another outcome.” HIV and AIDS are still incurable
infections and can be deadly, according to a CDC webpage. Medications can be taken to manage symptoms once the virus is contracted, according to the same webpage. “Nowadays, you guys have hope for a cure or a preventative,” Reiter said. “Continue to be careful and just live in the moment. Do what you can today because tomorrow is not a guarantee for any of us.”
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SJSU Library Celebrates Local Authors
BRANDON NICOLAS | SPARTAN DAILY
Attendees at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library get books signed.
By Brandon Nicolas SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San José State librarians hosted an author event at Room 225 on the second floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library to shed light on local authors in the community on Saturday. Librarian Natasha Lowell said LocalLit is an annual author fair and showcase event done in partnership with the San José Public Library and the MLK Library. The 11th annual LocalLit was the first in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic. The event featured book talks from nearly 20 local authors including writing and publishing tips, and three Q&A discussion panels. Interim associate dean Anamkia Megwalu kicked off the showcase by welcoming authors and attendees to refreshments and sharing the history of LocalLit.
“From its inception, LocalLit has been a testament to the power of collaboration and the collective effort to elevate the voices of local authors and writers,” Megwalu said. Megwalu said when she moved to San José eight years ago she discovered the rich history and culture of the city through reading local literature. She said she felt a strong connection to the stories of her neighboring communities when she read Bay Area resident Jane Kuo’s first book, “In the Beautiful Country.” “Writers are more than storytellers,” Megwalu said. “They are preservers of regional cultures, educators, counselors and community builders.” Authors were invited to step to the podium to give a brief introduction about their book and their inspirations behind writing their story.
SJSU alum and local artist Ricardo Cortez shared his latest book titled “The ABC’s of Lowriding,” detailing the history of lowriding customs in San José. “This is not a book about cars,” Cortez said. “It’s about the people, customs and traditions of lowrider culture explained through the simplicity of alphabet learning.” Published as an educational tool for those wanting to learn more about lowriding, Cortez said he also wants to generate dialogue amongst old and new generations of lowriders with his book. In October, Gov. Gavin Newson followed San José’s motion to lift the nearly 40-year-old ban on lowriders and cruising statewide, according to a California Assembly Bill 436. “San José was at the epicenter of lowriding in the early days of the 1970s,” Cortez said. “Now with this book being released, we know San José still remains a pioneer in the lowrider movement.” Self published by Cortez with the help of an illustrator from Chihuahua, Mexico, he said he wrote and designed the layout himself and was proud to produce the book locally. With the birth of his first born, Cortez said he wanted to read to his daughter about the history of lowriding culture but struggled to find a book for children. “When setting out to publish a book, it’s important to have a really good support system,” he said. “There were so many times where I was like, ‘What am I doing, and am I wasting my time?’ You don’t know all these things, but you need people there to continue to push you
forward to get to that finish line.” Authors returned to the head of the room in groups of three to participate in a discussion panel, which featured a Q&A portion about topics such as the best environment for writing, how to brainstorm, how to plan a narrative efficiently and how to get published. Author Sonali Patodia spoke to attendees about her children’s book “You’re Truly One of A Kind,” a story about Hindu deity Krishna and their friendship with Radha. Radha was a milkmaid who became a lover to the god Krishna during his time living among the cowherds of Vrindavan, according to a Britannica article from November. Patodia said her retelling of the story centers around themes of friendship, confidence and diversity. “The book tells a sweet and impactful story of Krishna and Radha, addressing the important themes of discrimination based on one’s outer appearance and the appreciation of diversity,” Patodia said. She said the idea for the book stemmed from the heightened social discrimination that occurred across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patodia said she began working on a narrative to encourage younger generations to celebrate diversity because she experienced a lack of representation during her youth. “When we worship someone who is a God of color, Krishna is a God of color who is depicted with blue and black skin in Hindu mythology,” she said. “So why do we divide people in our society based on their skin color ... this thought stuck with me deeply.”
Patodia also said she was inspired by online articles to start a conversation about diversity early on in her household. In a 2020 study done by the American Psychological Association in 2020, participants believed it is best to talk to their child about race when they are 5-years-old, but research shows children can associate racial groups with positive and negative traits by 3-years-old. “It was important for me to come up with a narrative that was super simple,” Patodia said. “I truly believe that profound lessons or storytelling on deep topics does not have to be very complex.”
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Editor's Note: The Spartan Daily will resume publication on Jan. 24 , 2024. For breaking news, visit sjsunews.com
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NEWS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
CAMPUS VOICES
BRANDON NICOLAS | SPARTAN DAILY
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1
2
3
4
14
5
6
7
8
9
15
17
18
12
13
21
23
27
32
24
44
49
26
34
37
43
25
28
33
36
38
39
45
41
46
47
51
57
48
60
55
65
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DOWN 1. Dunderhead 2. For the bees 3. ___ cum laude 4. Artie or George 5. Generic 6. Astronaut with Armstrong and Collins 7. Color of Mao's little book 8. Continental abbr. 9. Place bugs or wires 10. Nonwinner 11. Presidential advisor, affectionately 12. Bounder 13. Tech. dept. in a university 18. Provide with a medal 21. 2003 play-off 10-Down
3 2 4 7 9 1 6 4 9 3 1 3 4 8 2 7 8 6 1 4
SOLUTIONS
63
60. Transports for 36-Across 62. Way off base? 63. Circular 66. Ditto 67. Books in hotel drawers 68. "To Kill a Mockingbird" character 69. Observer 70. Second in the credits, often 71. Unusual gift of sight
3
JOKIN’ AROUND What do you call a pencil without lead?
61
62
1. Uncle with a top hat 4. Traps by stealth 10. Forest unit 14. Apr. consultant 15. Hide out indefinitely 16. "On Golden Pond" bird 17. One way to be left 19. Comfy cozy 20. Historic racehorse 21. Computer programmer, e.g. 22. ___ upswing (rising) 23. Truman's state 27. Flamed meat venue, briefly 31. Past potentates 34. Back on the boat 35. Where Moses floated 36. "Men in Black" quarry 37. Suffix with cynic 40. As well 42. Bovine chaw? 43. Univ. mil. group 45. Help and comfort 47. Mugs of suds 49. 1990 Hackman thriller 53. Not one of the gang 54. You must reed this? 58. Midshipman's counterpart
56
42
54
64
30
52
53
59
29
35
40
50
ACROSS
9 1 8 2 6
19
22
58
11
16
20
31
10
SUDOKU PUZZLE
Pointless
CLASSIFIEDS
24. Treadmill site, perhaps 25. Refine, as flour 26. Preminger of film 28. Letters on a Michelin 29. Hazy appearance 30. Proof letters 31. Bird over the waves 32. Long Greek promenade 33. First roofed ballpark 38. Wise words 39. Actress Rogers 41. Kimono tie 44. More like Simon Legree 46. Parent, back and forth 48. Methuselah's father 50. Giant legend Mel 51. Treat the ice again 52. Egg quality 55. Pioneer bathyspherist William 56. Popular cookies 57. Legally block 58. Check out, as a joint 59. Not here 61. Gorby's former domain 63. Brit. broadcaster 64. Spanish river 65. They make hosp. deliveries
NOVEMBER 30
C O MB O S H A E M M A S A R E A B L O T U N A R M L E A N E A S T C O K I E M O N K E Y W E N C H E P E Y E S E R A S E R H E D G E D R O D E N T I V I E D B A B A N A R C L E V I H O N O R E C H O O N E S A N T E B A K E R S H A D E S P U L S E D A G H A S T O R R E R A T O P I C A L F I S H R I F L E A N E W I D L Y I N T E R S C A N L E A P E S S E N T A N S L A M E
5 1 2 3 4 8 7 9 6
3 8 4 2 9 7 4 5 6 8 6 9 1 7 3 9 7 8 4 5 5 2 7 1 6 1 6 3 9 2 8 3 6 5 4 4 1 2 8 7 2 5 9 3 1
7 6 1 3 9 2 5 4 8 2 1 6 9 8 3 4 5 7 1 2 9 6 3 5 8 7 4
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
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LAMAR MOODY | SPARTAN DAILY
The Spartan Marching Band performs for a concert at CEFCU stadium on Saturday afternoon along with the Spartan Color Guard and Spartan Spectrum Dance Team.
Spartans march the day away By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER
San José State’s School of Music and Dance held a Spartan Marching Band Concert at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Concert performers included the Spartan Color Guard, Marching Band and Spartan Spectrum Dance Team. The Spartan Marching Band is led by Director of Athletic Bands, Craig McKenzie, according to SJSU’s website. McKenzie said the Spartan Color Guard and Dance Team provided a unique visual style during Saturday's concert. He said the marching band performs at many events including footballs, but were able to close the season by performing at home for themselves. “Today’s concert was significant because we got the chance to do that for an audience that came just to hear us,” said McKenzie. He said Saturday’s performance went better than he expected. He said the band was worried about the weather because it looked like it was going to rain earlier in the day, but the weather cleared up just in time. McKenzie said the parents,
family, friends and students who came to watch on Saturday really enjoyed the performance, and was really glad to see it was a big crowd. “Throughout the event, I felt a lot of appreciation and gratitude for the hard work the students put in all season long,” he said. “I also felt a sense of relief and closure that we’re kind of wrapping things up and onto the next set of projects that we’re going to be doing.” McKenzie said his favorite song the band performs is “Skin I’m In.” He said it's a lot of fun to perform and one of his favorites. He said the band’s favorite piece to play is “Skin I’m In” by Sly and the Family Stone. “It gets the band really hyped, everyone cheers along and sings along,” McKenzie said. The members of the Spartan Marching Band are students from every field of study on campus, ranging from first year undergraduate through graduate students, according to SJSU’s website. Animation & illustration sophomore Madeline Swilley, who plays alto saxophone for the Spartan Marching Band, said the concert was a chance for the band to show off all the work they've
LAMAR MOODY | SPARTAN DAILY
The Spartan Color Guard poses for the crowd on Saturday afternoon for Spartan Marching Band Concert.
been able to do throughout the semester. Swilley said she has been performing in marching band for eight years and that it has been a large part of her time at school. “It's a good way to get to know other people, and it's good exercise,” Swilley said. Swilley said her favorite song
to perform was also “Skin I’m In.” She said everyone else would agree “Skin I’m In” is their favorite too because it's a fun song to dance along to. Forensic science senior Karl Bautista, a section leader and drum captain for the Spartan Marching Band, said he started to get teary eyed as the band played
the national anthem. Bautista said it's been a surreal experience to see the band grow and to be a part of that growth. “The concert is our end of season performance where we Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
Tensions are set to rise in Miami By Matthew Gonzalez EXECUTIVE EDITOR
We’re five episodes into Season 6 of “The Real Housewives of Miami” and our favorite South Florida females are showing no signs of letting up on the drama. What makes this season so good is that each episode either introduces a new intriguing storyline or preexisting drama is expanded upon in a meaningful and entertaining way. As Julia drove Adriana to her first ketamine treatment for anxiety, she called Marysol to invite her to Martina’s “F Cancer” party. Initially, Marysol was shocked to receive a call from Julia, as the two didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms after the Nuevos Horizontes party, with Julia even calling Marysol “the problem within this group.” After a couple minutes of awkward conversations, Julia eventually extended the invite and all seemed well. Marysol was primed to attend … until she mentioned that the party was going to be held at Adriana’s house. Suddenly the call went silent. Suddenly Maryol mentions she has a “medical procedure” that requires her to go home and lay down. Sigh. I understand not wanting to show up to your enemy’s house, but Marysol you are on a reality television show where conflict is paramount! Go! Cause
some chaos, it’s what makes the housewives franchise’s thrive. Something else that makes them thrive is unorthodox ways to treat mental and physical health. I’d never heard of using ketamine as a means to treat anxiety, but apparently Adriana has and she was extremely vulnerable in this episode, having her first treatment on camera. As she was injected with the anesthetic, Adriana strayed in and out of clarity until she eventually said “Oi irmão” which translates to “Hi brother” in her native language, Portuguese. This episode really humanized Adriana because she shared that she lost her father, lost her brother and got divorced all while the show was on its hiatus. Adriana broke down and started crying. “I want my brother” and “I should have gone first” were some phrases she said while in her ketamine-induced state. This was a first for me, in terms of feeling bad for Adriana. It’s very rare that we get to see her vulnerable and it will be interesting to see how she handles conflict after these treatments. Mental health wasn’t the only thing explored in this episode. A brand new storyline is looming in Miami and it’s not a nice one. At a sort of off-putting boat party, the overarching development of Guerdy’s diagnosis was brought up yet again and it seems like
GRAPHIC BY MELANY GUTIERREZ
whenever Larsa and cancer are mentioned in the same scene, nothing good comes about. Larsa’s continuous questionable behavior seeped its way into this episode in the form of posing the question: “Does she (Guerdy) even have cancer?” Yes, she’s questioning Guerdy’s cancer but it’s important to uncover how this came about. Apparently at a filmed, but unaired dinner, Guery, Adriana and Lisa got together. At the gathering, Lisa told Guerdy that she knows she is going through a health problem. When Guerdy asks Lisa who told her, she refuses to say. Guerdy, using better
judgment, came to the correct conclusion that it was Larsa who told Lisa and the other ladies and immediately revealed she told Larsa as a test to see if she was going to say anything. To me, I understood exactly what Guerdy was doing. She wanted to test her friend’s trust and she failed. Not only did Larsa fail, she even doubled down and said it was repulsive that Guerdy was “testing cancer.” She wasn’t testing the cancer Larsa. That already came back positive, she was testing you and you came back negative. Not only did Larsa prematurely reveal her friend’s cancer diagnosis,
but she has also shown no remorse in doing so and is now trying to spin the narrative that Guerdy is somehow in the wrong. My fury didn’t stop at the boat party. At Martina’s “F Cancer” party, Alexia also reveals to Lisa that she already knew about Guerdy’s diagnosis prior to her Instagram post where she disclosed to the world that she had breast cancer. Guerdy, as expected, was angered that she didn’t get to divulge her own health issue and expressed her feelings of betrayal to Alexia. Alexia, in her interview said she wouldn’t have liked her secret being revealed in such a blatant fashion, but when talking to Guerdy, she seemingly
defended Larsa saying “She (Larsa) said it as a place of concern.” Again, I’m not sure how outing your friend’s health problems can come from a place of concern, but that’s just me. In better news, Alexia and Adriana were pleasant with one another with Alexia even saying Adriana has “always had good taste.” That was refreshing to watch, but I’m not sure if these party pleasantries will translate into shifting alliances. Either way, RHOM is set to get even more dramatic in the episodes to come and I simply can’t wait. Follow Matthew on X (formerly Twitter) @mattg2001
Our Gift to You for Shopping Local Spend $125 at downtown San Jose retail businesses between November 24 and December 24 and receive a $ 25 gift card to a downtown business. Scan the QR code or go to sjdowntown.com/holidays for details.
SJ
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SPORTS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
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FOOTBALL
Spartans suit up for Hawai‘i Bowl By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Though the Mountain West said adiós to the conference championship game, San José State will be saying aloha to the Hawai‘i Bowl. On Wednesday, the Spartans accepted an invitation to play in the Easypost Bowl on Dec. 23 at T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu. Their opponent: the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. “What these young men did the last half of the season was really, really special,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan. “I think them being rewarded with going to a bowl game is just awesome.” The Spartans rattled off six straight wins to close the season and were in play to get to the Mountain West Title game. The Spartans fell short as computers deemed Boise State and UNLV to be higher in the rankings, but SJSU gets a consolation prize as it will head to the Hawai‘i Bowl — one of the most coveted bowl games in the country.
LAMAR MOODY | SPARTAN DAILY
San José State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro practices his throw at CEFCU stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
The Spartans have now reached a bowl game in three of the last four seasons under Brennan. It is the first time SJSU has made a bowl game in back-to-back seasons since 1987. It will be a homecoming ending for sixth-year quarterback Chevan Cordeiro who is a Honolulu native. He also played four seasons at Hawai‘i before transferring to SJSU in 2022. Cordeiro had played in the Aloha State earlier this
season when the Spartans routed the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 35-0. He had one of his best games of his SJSU career, throwing for 251 yards and 2 touchdowns. “It means a lot,” Cordeiro said about finishing his career back home. “To go back home and play in front of my family for the last time in my collegiate career means everything.” SJSU quarterbacks coach Lyle Moevao added “I think any college football player’s
dream is being able to play your last career game in front of your home crowd, especially being the 808. We're happy for him.” This is not the first time Brennan and Moevao have made an appearance in the Hawai‘i Bowl. Moevao was the quarterback and Brennan was the wide receivers coach at Oregon State when the Beavers defeated Boise State to take the 2013 Hawai‘i Bowl. “It’s such a well-run bowl
game,” Brennan said. “It’s probably one of my favorite bowl game experiences … We had a fantastic time there in 2013 with the Oregon State team. It was really special.” Coastal Carolina finished the season with a 7-5 record. The Chanticleers had a fivegame winning streak at one point of the season that helped them get to bowl eligibility, but lost the final two games of the regular season.
Star quarterback Grayson McCall missed the last five games of the season with a head injury and will not be suiting up for the bowl game as he entered the transfer portal on Nov. 27. Sixteen Coastal Carolina players have hit the transfer portal since it opened last week. The Chanticleers are led by first-year head coach Tim Beck. Coastal Carolina was elevated from the Football Championship Series (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in 2017 and have made it to a bowl game in each of the last three seasons. “Coastal Carolina has been an awesome football team for a while now,” Brennan said. “They’ve done a really good job. They’ve got great personnel and they play extremely hard. This is a great matchup and a great challenge for our football team.”
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WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Slusser finds second home in San José By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER
San José State Women's volleyball junior setter Brooke Slusser finished her first season at the university. After playing at the University of Alabama the previous two seasons, Slusser played in 31 matches and 115 sets this season. She finished the season with 85 kills, 753 assists, 252 digs and an average of 0.209 blocks per set, according to SJSU athletics. Slusser said she picked up volleyball when she was four years old and over several years started to develop an interest in playing competitively. Slusser attended John H. Guyer High School in Denton, Texas and at age 14 she started receiving recognition from collegiate recruiters. “I played for a club volleyball team that had really good coaching,” Slusser said. “Because of the good coaching, I started to realize I could do something with volleyball.” She said over the years, she would play on the top club team consistently and it prompted her to realize her own potential. By the end of her senior year in
high school, Slusser ultimately signed with the University of Alabama. “At the time, it just seemed like a great opportunity because ‘Bama’ had so many resources for all of their athletes,” Slusser said. After two seasons with Alabama, Slusser transferred to SJSU. “It was really scary deciding to leave Alabama, but transferring to SJSU was the best decision I ever made," Slusser said. "I'm happier than ever and back to loving volleyball again.” Slusser said she loves the support she gets from the SJSU community and from her teammates. Current teammate and roommate, junior middle blocker Brooke Bryant said Slusser has a similar personality to herself on the court, but off the court their personalities are different. Bryant said that off the court, Slusser is sweet and very goofy. She said it's funny to see her get in a bad mood because when Slusser is mad, she doesn’t want to be bothered by anyone. “We're very similar when it comes to the way we train. Both our work ethic is intense, and the way we show love and energy for our teammates is very similar,” Bryant said. Bryant said she admires the way
Correction On Thursday, Nov. 30, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “SJSU’s Bryant to follow in father’s footsteps,” in which Brooke Bryant was misidentified in a photo. The Spartan Daily regrets this error.
ABOUT
EDITORIAL STAFF
The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San José State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San José State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR MATTHEW GONZALEZ MANAGING EDITOR JILLIAN DARNELL PRODUCTION EDITOR ALICIA ALVAREZ NEWS EDITORS IRENE ADELINE MILANEZ ALINA TA A&E EDITOR ALEXIA FREDERICKSON SPORTS EDITOR MAT BEJARANO SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR BOJANA CVIJIC
TITUS WILKINSON | THE SPEAR
San José State junior Brooke Slusser aims to keep the play alive in a match against SDSU on Nov. 16.
Slusser has been able to navigate through her volleyball journey, especially transferring from a school like Alabama. “She’s grown from those experiences so much, and the way she would come in everyday and work hard is admirable,” Bryant said. SJSU volleyball head coach Todd Kress said his first impressions of Slusser when she transferred into San José State was her sense of leadership, especially vocally. Kress said Slusser has a high volleyball IQ and that was a key attribute their coaching staff was looking for when recruiting Slusser. “Slusser is a big point-scorer for us. Anytime she goes back to the endline, I have total confidence that
OUTREACH EDITOR CHRISTINE TRAN PHOTO EDITOR ALEXIA FREDERICKSON COPY EDITOR GILLIAN BROWN SENIOR STAFF WRITERS BRANDON NICOLAS NATHAN CANILAO STAFF WRITERS DYLAN NEWMAN NAVIN KRISHNAN NIKITA BANKAR MELANY GUTIERREZ JULIA CHIE ANGEL SANTIAGO VANESSA REAL AALIYAH ROMAN MAYA BENMOKHTAR
she’s going to score some points for us,” Kress said. Kress said Slusser is very driven and likes to win. Slusser’s communication and her ability to be direct with her teammates is what allows her to bring leadership on and off the court. Slusser grew up as a big Texas Longhorns fan, and gained inspiration from her favorite player, outside hitter Khat Bell. She said she looked up to (Bell) a lot because she used to play for T.I.V. club volleyball back when she was a teenager. Slusser said Bell would always come back to help the team and show support. “At some point, I got to really know her and fell in love with her
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drive and work ethic,” Slusser said. Slussser said regaining her love for volleyball and sticking through difficult times in college helped her grow as an individual. Slusser said when she graduates from SJSU, she wants to pursue a professional volleyball career in Europe or possibly coaching. “I easily could get club coaching jobs just with my connections from growing up in volleyball," Slusser said. "If I actually do pursue coaching in the long run, I want to focus on coaching at the college level.”
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EMAIL: spartandailyadvertising@gmail.com CORRECTIONS POLICY The Spartan Daily corrects all significant errors that are brought to our attention. If you suspect we have made such an error, please send an email to spartandaily@gmail.com. EDITORIAL POLICY Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
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OPINION
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
Christmas is too materialistic Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER
As shades of red and green decorate the streets and a chilly breeze begins to swirl through the air, I know my favorite time of year has arrived. It’s Christmas time. When the pumpkins and ghosts from October turn into big glittering bows and big fluffy wreaths, I can’t help but find myself in a wonderful mood. Christmas always reminds me of all things that make me happy, from late nights drinking peppermint hot chocolate submerged under thick blankets with my parents, to the Rudolph movie playing as my sister and I bake overly sweet sugar cookies. My sister and I even have a tradition of putting on Santa hats, blasting Christmas music and obnoxiously singing at the top of our lungs while decorating our house. It makes my heart happy simply spending time with her, as my parents film us. Unfortunately, such sweet and memorable moments are not something everyone values during this time of year. Now, as I lie in my room and open TikTok during the late hours of the night, I wrinkle my face in disgust
to see influencers batting th eyelashes and asking their fo overpriced products to be for pl placed under their twinkling tr trees. How obnoxious. The holiday that was once m meant for sharing precious m minutes with family and making memories has slowly morphed into a monster of greed, and has gotten lost in materialism. Materialism is a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. Why has materialism become the fuel for people’s happiness? Why have people become so selfish that they cannot think about what matters most? Christmas should be a time where individuals should value those they are closest with. Not the luxury goods that they can wear and show off to others. It is infuriating. Chanel. Dior. Lululemon. When did such a beautiful holiday become littered with selfish needs and a rise in spending money for others? According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumers are expected to spend $875 for the holidays in 2023. It is absolutely unacceptable. Why is money being thrown so aimlessly? I remember having a conversation with my cousin during Thanksgiving dinner. She was making her Christmas list and had a twisted look on her face. Her eyebrows furrowed as she furiously swiped through TikTok.
GRAPHIC BY NIKITA BANKAR
“What’s going on?” I asked her. “I don’t know what to ask for Christmas!” she said. “I don’t even know what I really want, but I know I want expensive stuff that I’d never buy myself.” I was appalled. I could not believe my sweet cousin had become so self-absorbed. Is this what the holidays are meant for? Desperately attempting to find expensive products for close friends and family members to purchase? I'm quite the hypocrite though because I too have fallen into the norm of Googling gifts I can ask from my relatives for the holidays. A wave of shame washes over
me when I open my Notes app to read my long list of linked items I want for Christmas. As I think about it, I realize how times have changed from when I was younger. I still remember racing home from elementary school, clutching onto my gingerbread house and paper stocking decorated with an excess amount of glitter and cotton balls, looking forward to my mom’s reaction. That evening, she hung it up front and center on our fridge for everyone to see. I never wanted anything more than to see a smile on her face. I didn’t care about making a lengthy Christmas list or
getting presents. Items can be easily replaced. Family and friends are irreplaceable. Christmas is a time to appreciate those who are invaluable/indispensable to us. So, rather than hoping for that designer watch or that new Louis Vuitton bag, stop and think about those who matter the most.
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Santa is the master manipulator and Santa throws off the scholastic harmony from the end of the school year until Christmas Eve. Twisting children and manipulating their belief and innocence and blaming it on the idea of Santa knowing naughty from nice. “It’s not a coincidence that Navin Krishnan children stop believing in Santa STAFF WRITER during the early elementary I hate Santa. school years, because that’s a I hate his weird red cheeks, his time when they are developing knack for not doing laundry and more sophisticated notions of his weird esteem that blackmails what is possible and what is kids to act “good” or be excluded not,” cognitive developmental from Christmas. psychologist Andrew Shtulman of I find it detestable that he Psychology Today said. flies around the world whipping The concept of Santa Claus is endangered reindeer and laughing a manipulation of the innocence his ass off while doing it. of young children. Jolly ol’ Saint It is objectionable that he Nick is a symbolism of old white breaks into people’s homes eating hegemony and should not be cookies and in return gives you advertised. crappy toys that you can find at Santa’s legacy captivates your local department store. multiple things wrong with our He makes Christmas the most imperfect society and amplifies misinterpreted holiday. Christmas them to an unnecessary level. isn’t supposed to be about Santa, Santa insists that parents tell it’s about the spirit of giving, the white lies to children. He teaches season of love and the energy young kids to be greedy. He of family coming together to overshadows one of the deepest, celebrate Jesus Christ. most sentimental holidays across Just as I hate McDonald’s the world. He makes breaking merchandising Thanksgiving into houses a tradition. His job meals underneath the golden of working once a year and being arches, I hate the dictatorship that celebrated teaches bad work ethic Santa has forged to take credit and encourages procrastination. for all the effort everyone puts Let’s get this straight, together in the holiday season. Christmas is my favorite holiday. Roughly 85% of young I have fond memories of putting American children believe in up Christmas trees, ringing my Santa Claus, whereas only 65% of rich relatives’ doorbells, and 6 year olds said that they believe, watching adults chug eggnog and according to a CNN article. dance festively to outdated and By age eight, the number of repetitive music. children said that they believed in Some people tend to conflate Santa diminished to one fourth, Santa and Christmas as one in the according to the same source. same. This is an encumberment Christmas should be about of the actual holiday festiveness. cheer and happiness, not To me, Christmas is an eyequestioning reality or hoping for opening holiday that is fun as material goods. hell. Coming together to celebrate The holidays are about Christmas as a family is one of exchanging gifts with one another, my favorite times of the year. We showing compassion, love and shouldn’t have to worry about any being merry. 300-pound man falling into our The imbalance of Christmas chimney.
GRAPHIC BY MELANY GUTIERREZ
Christmas is like a vested sports fan base that celebrates their team no matter what. Santa is like an abrasive bandwagon that cheers when their team wins and pulls the chair on their team when it loses. He amplifies the hegemony of Christmas being owned and operated by white people.He even advertises the enslavement of elves to make toys, that’s the wrong message to send to children. Believing in Santa is an unhealthy obsession that can come back to bite you in the ass. Adults should be credited with
Santa’s accolades rather than dragging on a lie that somehow made it through generations of families. Christmas is to Santa as Vicks VapoRub is to actual vaping. The only reason Santa doesn’t get flagged for illegal trespassing and breaking into houses is because he’s white. If Santa really wants to bring joy to people’s faces and remain borderline criminally offensive and irate, he can go work at Walmart. The idea that he knows whether you’ve been naughty or nice isn’t motivating, it’s a creepy
depiction of the world’s biggest stalker. My advice to Santa would be to go get a new wardrobe, get out more than once a year and for the love of Christmas go get your haircut and your beard shaved. I don’t see what’s so great about Santa, but there is something I know for sure, there isn’t anything he does that a pack mule isn’t capable of doing.
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OPINION
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023
7
PHOTO FROM PLESTIA ALAQAD’ S INSTAGRAM
Plestia Alaqad, who is a 22-year-old Palestinian journalist, posted a photo on Instagram on Oct. 18 showing the devastation in her hometown in Gaza.
Western media fails to tell the truth Bojana Cvijic
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
On May 12, 2022, I published an article in the Spartan Daily about the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot by Israeli soldiers while reporting in a Jenin refugee camp. I wrote about the hypocrisies in reporting by Western journalists, who used passive voice writing in their reports about her death, with major news outlets actively choosing to downplay her killing. Now, more than a year later, the reporting of the killing of Palestinian civilians, including journalists, has become an often occurrence. Since my last column piece on the killing of Palestinians by the Israeli Defense Forces, in just two months, Israel has killed more than 11,100 Palestinians, according to a Nov. 13 Washington Post article. This includes 63 journalists and media workers, according to a Sunday report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. As I enter the workfield as a soon-to-be freshly graduated college journalist, the rage and grief I feel is neverending. I also feel a sense of bleakness, worry and despair, thinking, “What industry am I going into if it isn’t able to report the truth on genocide accurately?” I see videos of mutilated bodies everyday, people pulling
their families out of the rubble of destroyed homes and parents kissing their children goodbye. I watched Western outlets reporting in realtime Israel’s claims of not bombing hospitals, while Israel was bombing hospitals under the pretense of Hamas “using tunnels” underneath the buildings. Even with the “proof ” the Israeli Defense Forces has released of “video evidence” of the so-called “tunnels,” the claims are still unsubstantiated, with the only intelligence
to a Nov. 5 X post. Independent and unbiased reporting through corporate media outlets with interest in state propaganda, doesn’t really exist to me anymore. Its interests don’t lie with the Palestinian people and the horrors they face, its interests lie in protecting the interests of the state, the U.S. and Israel together. In its online reporting on nurses in Gaza being forced to leave babies at al-Shifa, the Washington post reported the story with the headline,
As journalists, it is our moral obligation and responsibility to report the truth in fairness.
of these tunnels coming from none other than Israel. These claims continue in a long list, including the UN ambassador of Israel conflating UN workers with Hamas and bombing a Doctors without Borders convoy, according to a Saturday article by The Hill. Propaganda is a dangerous tool and a tool that is used all throughout the medium of journalism. CNN reporter Fareed Zakaria confirmed that in order for journalists to embed themselves in reporting on the Gaza Strip, all news outlets have to submit all materials and footage to the Israeli military for review prior to publishing, to which CNN agreed to, according
“Israel’s assault forced a nurse to leave babies behind. They were found decomposing.” The print of the Washington Post headline reads as such: “Four fragile lives found ended in evacuated Gaza hospital.” How is that responsible editing? Who came up with this headline? The phrase “found ended” makes no sense in writing, journalistically or otherwise. That is irresponsible, tone-deaf and beyond any common sense one should have in this field. When the temporary ceasefire was announced on Nov. 24, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a hostage exchange ended Friday, Israel's relentless airstrikes against the Gaza Strip began almost
immediately, according to a Friday Al Jazeera News article. 700 Palestinians have already been killed since Friday, according to the Al Jazeera article. There was no reprieve in my mind, as in those four days I knew the looming temporary peace would come to an end. I think about the brave Palestinian journalists who risk their lives everyday to be reporting from the Gaza Strip, in spite of it all. No food, no electricity, no water, I can only aspire to have the same amount of bravery as a journalist as they have. Bisan Owda, a 24-yearold Palestinian filmmaker and journalist who has been one of the few voices still able to report from Gaza, wrote this on her Instagram account last night: “I no longer have any hope of survival like I had at the beginning of this genocide, and I am certain that I will die in the next few weeks or maybe days. I have been sick with a severe viral infection for days and cannot move from the mattress!” Plestia Alaqad, a 21-year-old Palestinian journalist who fled the Gaza Strip after reporting from the region in the past two months, shared Motaz Azaiza’s, another 24-year-old Palestinian translated words on Instagram as well. “FYI Gaza Strip is getting divided into 3 parts the north of Gaza, the middle area and Deer Al Baleh, and Khanyoonis and Rafah,” Alaqad said. “The movement is becoming nearly impossible, and of course there is no safe place and people just don’t know where to go.” This is referring to Israel widening its
ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, where they told civilians to flee to the South, according to a Monday CBS News article. How can the world not see what this is? This is not a war, this is a targeted genocide on the people of Gaza. Journalists younger than me, having to write what they may think are their respective last words everyday. Journalists that I know are either the age of the journalists in our respective newsroom or even younger, having to wonder if death is going to happen everyday. I cannot stand silent while this is happening. As journalists, it is our moral obligation and responsibility to report the truth in fairness. I think of Wael al-Dahdouh, a Palestinian Al-Jazeera journalist whose entire family was killed. His grandson, son, daughter and wife were all killed in an air-strike that targeted the house they were sheltering in, according to a Nov. 1 Al-Jazeera article. There are videos of al-Dahdouh turning away from the camera, holding back tears while having to report on the deaths of his entire family. He later fled because of his prominent image as a journalist, becoming a refugee in his own land. Entire generations of families have been wiped out in the Gaza Strip, not just members, entire families, generation after generation, gone forever. The al-Naouq family lost 21 relatives, according to an Nov. 18 AP News article. Not only this, but Israel has also escalated attacks and persecution in the West Bank against Palestinians by Israeli
settlers and Israelis where Hamas has no power or control. Escalated persecutions of Palestinians in the area, show me that this has nothing really to do with Hamas and everything to do with the control of the land which Palestinians live. My main call to action is this: a permanent ceasefire and to stop the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians on their own land. It doesn’t just end with a ceasefire, the occupation of Palestine for 75 years has to come to an end, the brutal subjugation and oppression of Palestinians needs to end. In my previous article for the Spartan Daily, I thought a lot about what that story might be or look like and I knew I could not leave without one more article reminding us that what is happening in Palestine, is not over. Reading the despair and hopelessness in the words from Bisan Owda, Plestia Alaqad and Motaz Azaiza, I know that I cannot feel any of those things, that is my responsibility and duty as a journalist in the West to report the truth. It’s to share their words and to continue to hold on to hope not only for them, but for Palestinians. I graduate this year entering a workfield not necessarily knowing where I’ll end up, but I do know I leave with hope and patience, knowing that there has to be better than what we are currently seeing in our world.
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