The Lake - January 2017

Inauguration Day 2017: The future of america Standley Lake High School | 9300 W 104th Avenue | Westminster, CO 80021 | USA | Planet Earth | Milky Way Volume 28 | Issue 3 January 2017

Who we are Editors-in-Chief | Esteban Arellano Emily Leo

the lake the formalities Opinions or expressions made by students in this publication are not expressions of board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students.

The Lake is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Standley Lake High School. The Lake is willing to accept and print any appropriate articles submitted by the students of SLHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to standleylakenewspaper@gmail.com.

2 January 2017 | Issue 3

Staff Editors | Kevin Han Hannah Jensen Meg Metzger-Seymour Ty Milliken Kayla Pray Patty Sokol Maxin Uhrich Staff Writers | Atul Dhungel AJ Ehrhardt Jenna Hines Amya Johnson Grace Johnson Jack Kessel Alena Lee Christopher Luc Cheyenne Main Cheyenne Padilla Morgan Parrish Michael Pietroiacovo Sophia Stimpfl Michael Wall Cartoonist | Anna Nelson Advisor | Lynn Schwartz Website Editor | Gordy Saur

social @thelakenewsmag facebook.com/standleylakenewspaper @thelakenewsmag thelakenewsmag.com thelakenewsmag

Table of Contents

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january 2017 facing the future

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06

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22 26

The Good stuff

06 Sports the nation of 10 education a world full of 14 hate Religion: a piece 18 of perspective 22 LGBTQ+ 2016: year of 26 political unrest

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Good day america, In reading this issue, we hope you keep in mind the pivotal shifts taking place in our country, and that you take the time to reflect upon the past year with a clear mind.

Think about the type of country you want to live in and build through the next four years.

Think about yourself, but also think about the other three hundred million people you are sharing this land with. Think about what has defined who you are in the past and what you want to become. Think about what it will take to reunite the “Divided” States of America.

With every new year we create a list of resolutions we seldom accomplish—there’s always some excuse to be made for why we didn’t follow through.

Let’s follow through this year. If we’re going to “make America great”, let’s make the effort to build a country that can hold true to a reputation of freedom, liberty, and equality we insist we’ve upheld in the past.

It is more important now than ever that we not define ourselves with hate and oppression, but rather through a progression of love and awareness.

Resolve yourself to look beyond your field of vision and try to understand why people feel the way they do about the election. Ask questions. Listen. Try to understand.

The inauguration of President Trump offers a new vision for our country; some think it’s right, some think it’s wrong, but we have to give it a chance.

As a country, let’s resolve ourselves to support each other in our contrasting opinions and concerns, to build upon a past that is neither perfect nor unscathed. Let us not forget who we are, where we’ve come from, or why we are here now.

So please, help us in making the effort towards a future where each American can join together with confidence in themselves and each other—where we will never cease to try and understand things a little more clearly.

regards

E

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A.K.A. ESTEBAN AND EMILY, THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

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THE RIGHT ANGLE

winter sports a look into higlights of the winter season

6 January 2017 | Issue 3

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facing The future 8 January 2017 | Issue 3

This is Samantha and Shelbylynn.

As two 4th graders in Westminster, the two of them will grow up in a United States on the cusp of some big change. They will grow up under a Trump presidency, with the potential to graduate during his last year in office. The new president’s inauguration represents a stark transition from the Obama administration—the only other America they have ever known.

But this isn’t just about Trump. It’s a new status quo that has been quietly simmering in America. The streets have been filled with protests for black lives. The Muslim community has grown afraid and unsure of their place in the country. And a population that once felt unheard has asserted itself as one of the most powerful in the nation.

The events of the past months have shattered the notion of one “united” nation, making a different American experience for African-Americans, the LGBT community, rural America, Muslims, immigrants, millenials, and so many more.

From the crowds of an LGBT march to the elementary classrooms, we followed members to learn more about this new era to come for Samantha and Shelbylynn.

But this isn’t just about them. This is about us: the entire United States.

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10 January 2017 | Issue 3

Education in America is changing not only nationally, but locally and internationally as well

THe nation of education

O

ver the past couple of months, tension that remains from the election covers the televisions.

In a country divided, the future seems merely like a fantasy or a nightmare.

It’s important however, to remember where the future lies and how it will be shaped by education.

Within the next four years, education will be changing throughout the country. It happens every election, but many wonder what will actually change in the next four years.

Some may argue that the outcome of this election was influenced by collective education.

According to the Pew Research Center, of the people who did not finish high school, 41% voted for Trump, 37% voted for Clinton, and the remaining 12% voted for third party candidates.

Of those who did not go to college, 51% voted for Trump, 26% voted for Clinton, and 14% voted for third party candidates.

On the other hand, of those who did go to college, 21% voted for Trump, 59% voted for Clinton, and the remaining 20% voted for third party candidates.

Education is one of the most important foundations to build a strong country.

While this isn’t the case everywhere, the constant fear of what is to come is slowly being replaced by hope that the future will be brighter than what is expected.

THE WORLD WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE IN 1988 Leg warmers were still a thing, big hair was in, and Standley Lake was the new school on the block.

Many teachers that work at our school now once roamed the halls as students, being at times, naive and eccentric as we are. Changes going on around the school in the outside world have impacted the way studenwt’s minds evolve.

Spanish teacher Ms. Julie Boswell used to be a student here. She describes returning to her former high school as coming home, something many people look for in a job.

“I think Standley is probably one of the most

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accepting and caring schools,” Boswell said. “Teachers, students, community members, etc, and we’ve always been that way.”

Standley has a club for every person. Any time someone feels alone or left out, there is a club with at least one other person that is going through the exact same thing.

“Honestly I think your generation is a bit more accepting of differences than mine even was,” Boswell said.

“I’m not saying it didn’t happen, that people weren’t accepted, it just didn’t seem like it. I guess it wasn’t quite as visible as it is now. Now it’s very visible.”

This acceptance at Standley is something that Boswell describes as “magical,” which is something not every alumni can say about their old high school. This magical sense is what makes Standley unique.

Where Standley fall short is where many schools in the nation seem to be lacking: teachers within the schools.

“It’s no secret that there is a national shortage of teachers—that nobody wants to do this job,” Boswell said.

“That teachers aren’t valued very much and that’s a shame.

The value of teachers is only one issue that Boswell wishes to see fixed. The amount of standardized testing is among one of her other concerns.

“Students are over tested,” Boswell said. “There is no real reason for students to be tested so much. It has nothing to do with being able to pass from one grade level to another—it has nothing to do with having to pass a class.”

IT’S HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT EDUCATION SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD Especially without experiencing them first hand. China’s complex schooling schedule versus the laid back American ways.

Katie Joyce ‘20, however, has lived in countries with education systems that vary from one another. She’s lived in a different country every two years, and now that

12 January 2017 | Issue 3

she’s here, it’s another new school and another new system.

“The [best] educational system I was in was very strict,” Joyce said. “When you think about the education in China, how it is really hard and students work really hard and stuff like that, that’s what it’s like.”

Joyce has lived in places like Bahrain, a small country just west of Saudi Arabia.

She described the schools as focused on education whilst allowing students to socialize at the same time. It’s one of the tougher education systems in the world.

While Bahrain is ranked below the United States, it still has one of the best education systems in the world. Bahrain has the oldest public education system in the Arabian Peninsula as well.

According to Joyce, she believes that while the United States does prepare kids for college, they lack the “strict” composition that makes students get more out of their education.

“I’m a freshman, so last year, when I was in eighth grade, last year we learned physics,” Joyce said. “And [my teacher] said, ‘When you guys move to your next country, you have to be prepared, you have to know all this,’ so we learned everything in depth and detail.”

Moving from country to country, you don’t just realize the different types of education systems. Relationships are built between people all over the world, with different perspectives and experiences different from one another.

Joyce talks about the election with her friend from Bahrain. A perspective outside of the country is one filled with fear. “He was talking about he is afraid because he doesn’t know if he can go to college in America anymore because he is afraid of Donald Trump because he is muslim.” Joyce said. l | Jenna Hines | Hannah Jensen | Jack Kessel | Emily Leo

Behind the building blocks Some of The Lake ventured to an area elementary school and asked kids what their thoughts were regarding the recent election. We interviewed fourth graders Shelbylynn, Sammi, and Zach, along with third grader Finn and second grader Hannah. Each of them gave unique responses that helped us better understand why people resonate with certain opinions and ideas. Though many of them disagreed in terms of what they know so far about politics, they all agreed that in order to get by in this world we need to maximize love and value one another.

Do you know who our new president is?

Shelbylynn C (4th Grader): Yes. Donald Trump.

Sammi S (4th Grader): Yeah, Donald Trump Zach A (4th Grader): Donald T? Finn B (3rd Grader): Donald Trump Hannah R (2nd Grader): Donald Trump

Do you like him?

SC: Mmmm...I’m in the middle.

SS: No. ZA: Umm...I didn’t really like either candidate.

FB: No. HR: He says some pretty mean stuff, but on my other hand, yes.

Did the person your parents wanted win the election?

SC: My dad did but my mom didn’t.

SS: No. I think my dad liked him, but my mom and brother didn’t like him at all.

ZA: They pretty much didn’t care either FB: No. HR: My parents wanted Hillary to win.

What does this mean for you and your family?

SC: I don’t think so because I don’t think that will really affect us.

SS: Nothing ZA: Nothing’s really going to change FB: He might make new rules and do stuff like make bad decisions and let people do things they are not supposed to do.

HR: The election won’t change anything. We’ll give Donald a chance to see if he can really do it or not.

Does anything scare you about people who are different from you?

SC: Not really, no.

SS: Not that I know of.

ZA: No. Not really.

FB: Well, only if they’re bad people, but if they are nice I will do kind things for them.

HR: No. Nobody’s differences scare me.

What does it look like to you to be nice to someone?

SC: It’s when you’re smiling and you’re being generous and kind to people.

SS: Helping someone, letting them play with me. Making them laugh.

ZA: Maybe do something extra, like when you’re done with your work and they’re struggling, maybe help them.

FB: I do what makes them happy like helping them up when they’re hurt and complimenting them.

HR: It looks like friendship and kindness and helping other people. I have a kid in my class who broke his foot and he went home early today, so I finished up his stuff for him.

Do you respect people who are different from you?

SC: Yes. SS: Yeah.

ZA: Yeah FB: Most of the time.

HR: I respect them. Everyone is not the same. Everyone is kind and caring. If they’re pretty on the outside, it doesn’t mean they’re ugly on the inside. If your heart is kind and caring, if you’re hideous or beautiful, if you’re nice, you will always be nice. It doesn’t matter what you look like.

What do you think people would act like in a perfect world?

SC: I think we’d all be in peace and we all wouldn’t worry about different things. We’d all get along and there would be all kinds of possibilities about what would happen.

SS: Everyone would be nice and polite and help others.

ZA: If nobody ever made mistakes it would be very boring, very not fun and if people were always nice it would be a pretty great world.

FB: They would be nice to each other, be generous and kind.

They would care for one another and respect each other.

HR: Kind, caring, and respectful of other people that are different.

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14 January 2017 | Issue 3

a world full of hate

Taking a look at the alarming increase of hate crimes post-election 2016 Hatred. A persistent feeling present in the darkest recesses of every person’s mind, the proverbial devil on the shoulder.

Hatred has always existed in human society, but looking back at a bruising and divisive 2016, it’s easy to see that the past year hasn’t exactly been the best example of prime human behavior.

In the ten days following the unprecedented conclusion to the 2016 presidential election, there were 867 reported hate crimes, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Two-hundred and two hate crimes were reported on November 9th alone.

The FBI defines hate crimes as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” In 2015, there were 5,818 reported hate crimes, this excluding the thousands of hate crimes that go unreported each year. The FBI calls hate crimes “the highest priority of the FBI’s Civil Rights program”.

The 2016 election has only exacerbated this issue, turning the political divide that separates people into a near endless chasm, with this divisiveness only fueling the increase of hate crimes.

Adriana Espinoza ‘17 has experienced acts of hatred against her before.

“I have [experienced hate] more in my middle school years,” Espinoza said. “It didn’t really affect me. My mom has always taught me to rise above it. You kind of learn how to brush it off your shoulder.”

For Carli Macejak ‘18, hateful acts have had severe negative impacts.

“Any of what I have experienced in regards to ‘hateful acts’ has targeted traits over which I have no control, specifically my sexuality,” Macejak said. “It made accepting myself difficult, because I wasn’t nearly emotionally mature enough to be able to handle outside voices telling me I was disgusting, or eternally damned, or faking it.”

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ten days after Looking at the inccidents ten days after President Trump’s election

867 48 33

2 4

99

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4 15

0

0 3

21

3

34

5

6 57

69

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40 36 14 25 16 22 6 30 11 14 24 13 2 2 6 12 10 5

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“I’m not sure that the rise in hate crimes can be attributed to the election,” Macejak said. “The hate that drives violent acts existed before and still does. It seems more likely that the election gave people an excuse to vocalize their intolerance for differences both verbally and through violence.

I have experienced nothing [hate crime related] in person [since the election], [but] some of my conservative relatives have refused to speak to me.”

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12 42 7 22

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locations Incidents at incidents in 183 k-12 schools 206 public places Targets AFRICAN-AMERICAN : 187 IMMIGRANT : 280 LGBTQ+ : 95 MUSLIM : 49 Semitic : 100

16 January 2017 | Issue 3

“I would say definitely [the election has something to do with it],” Espinoza said.

“Trump is a master of rhetoric. He knows how to speak to people the right way to make them think the way he’s thinking.

I think having [Trump] speaking up for them just gives them more fuel to their fire. [Following the idea of,] ‘if [Trump] can say these kinds of things and not get any repercussions, then why can’t I?’” Macejak on the other hand, is not so certain.

POST-ELECTION REPORTED INCIDENTS 0

Whether the rise in hate crimes is directly attributable to Donald Trump is still indiscernible, though the correlational link is definitely there.

Women : 40 trump in general : 43 white nationalism: 32 anti-Trump : 23 other: 18

Many view Trump’s election and future presidency with deep trepidation, fearing that the anger and hatred that pervaded 2016 will continue. However, hope is still maintained.

“I’d like to believe [that we can overcome the hate and ignorance],” Espinoza said. “I have a lot of faith in people and humanity because you see examples of it everywhere. It’s all rooted in how you’re brought up. If you’re brought up to believe [Hispanics] are bad, [then] you’re going to think Hispanics are bad. It’s rooted in your thinking and I hope people can stray from the negative aspect of that.”

For Macejak, however, time and effort must be devoted by society to eradicate the hatred permeating across our nation.

“I think it’s possible, but it will take work,” Macejak said. “This kind of societally accepted hate cannot be dealt with passively. Hatred can’t be ignored in hopes that it will quietly die, it must be addressed head on or it will grow. The population at large can’t really recover from the trends of hate and ignorance without a wholehearted commitment to learn and to consciously accept differences. The diversity in this country is incredibly valuable, and we can’t afford to destroy it with ignorance, fear, and acts of hate.”

The future is unforeseeable. No one can ever really predict what’s to come. The hateful rhetoric and extremist reactions that defined 2016 could very well continue.

No one knows how history will remember us. All we can do is try and combat the animosity and resentment, in order to make sure we aren’t remembered as the ones who gave in to hatred. | AJ Ehrhardt | Kevin Han | Ty Milliken | Michael Wall

A Symbol of Safety An Editorial By Katie Brunk ‘20 As I walked downstairs one gloomy Saturday morning, just four days after Trump was elected president, I saw a tiny insignificant safety pin hooked onto the collar of my mom’s shirt. I laughed at her, thinking she had just put it there and forgot about it, but little did I know, that pin was a symbol for a huge movement taking over the U.S. After the United Kingdom left the European Union, people started wearing safety pins to make a silent statement showing reassurance to anyone that was falling victim to abuse because of their race and/or where they came from.

Months later, when Trump was announced to be the next president, the movement moved to the U.S., but it’s not quite the same. Since the beginning of the presidential race, President Trump has been known for expressing sentiments against immigrants and gays, and has insulted women countless times. So, the people of America decided to turn the pin into a symbol for someone who supports all minorities, whether it’s people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, or any other other minority. They say the safety pin conveys the message that they are a safe place for minorities to confide in, and that they’ll support you, no matter what.

When minorities heard about this movement, they didn’t respond in a positive way. They saw the pin as a

symbol of white guilt, and said that it was counterproductive because the pin was not helping them in any way whatsoever.

This is because the safety pin doesn’t really do anything besides put the idea in people’s heads that by wearing the pin they are truly helping others. Many see the movement and think that it is a great way to help people, so they go out to the nearest convenience store and buy a pack of pins, just to say that they’ve done something to help minorities.

In reality though, it’s not really helping at all because this is all people are doing.

They aren’t going out and getting involved by protesting or donating to causes like Black Lives Matter or the It Gets Better project, which helps and supports the LGBTQ+ community.

They are walking around flashing a tiny scrap of metal that they bought for 2 cents and saying they’ve made a difference.

They say the safety pin conveys the message that they are a safe place for minorities to confide in, and that they’ll support you, no matter what.

For people that are too young or don’t have enough resources to help minorities, the safety pin is a great way to show your support and raise awareness, but if someone really wants help, they are going to have to take action. They can’t just trend a hashtag online or wear a safety pin out in the real world. They are going to have to join a cause.

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Religion: A Piece of Perspective

18 January 2017 | Issue 3

Christian & Catholic Mindy Ngo ‘19 is Catholic.

Maddy Ramstein ‘18 is Christian.

From the third grade to eighth grade, Ngo attended Catholic school. In the eighth grade she left Catholic school, to go to a public school because she wanted to see what it would be like.

These two religions may seem almost identical, but the differences between them and between Ngo and Ramstein that go much deeper beneath the surface are what make them individual.

Despite their religion and the different ways they grew up, Ngo and Ramstein share many of the same beliefs as their parents do. From believing in the Bible to political acts, Ngo and Ramstein’s family share the same insight.

For Ramstein, growing up Christian meant reading the Bible every night, saying a prayer before every meal, and going to church every Sunday. With a whole family of Christians, it’s easy for Ramstein to feel comfort in her religion and with her family.

“Being super religious I also grew up in a republican family so I know my views also differ from a lot of people in that area as well.

It doesn’t bug me that some people don’t agree with my views though because as long as I am staying true to my religion and what I believe, I don’t think it matters what other people may think,” states Ramstein.

“We all believe the same stuff,” Ramstein said. “It’s easy to strengthen each others views rather than leading anyone to question anything.”

At a young age, Ramstein lost her grandmother to suicide, and at the age of 12 lost a close friend also to suicide.

This meant that Ramstein needed to look toward her religion and toward God more than ever.

“I think when something really awful like that happens, you tend to seek your religion more,” Ramstein said.

“You’re seeking a sense of comfort and you want to feel okay again.”

For Ngo, Catholicism is more than just believing in the existence of Heaven and Hell and the afterlife and living life to it’s fullest because God died for you to be able to do so. Catholicism is being able to have a belief while you have your own opinions.

as long as I am staying true to my religion and what I believe I don’t think it matters what other people may think.”

-Maddy Ramstein ‘18

“I’m not as extreme as my parents,” Ngo states. “There are some things that I don’t agree on with my parents. Like for example, homosexuality. I still support the LGBTQ+ community, I still think that it’s ok to be that way, I don’t believe that it’s wrong because it’s their decision.”

Their beliefs are not the only thing they have in common.

Even if they don’t agree with other’s beliefs, even each other’s beliefs, their opinions are still the same for each religion; they do not believe in other religions.

“We don’t believe in other religions belief,” says Ngo. “We don’t care what they believe in but we don’t agree with them and their beliefs.”

Growing up in religious families who believe in the same things as each other, it is no wonder why Ngo and Ramstein do not differ from their parents or their beliefs. Although Ngo may think differently from her parents, she is not at all, too different.

“My entire family is Catholic, there are no differences.

My aunts, my uncles, everyone is the same,” Ngo said.

To Ngo and Ramstein, their religions and their faith have held a special place in their hearts, allowing them to believe in what they want to so that they can be seen as individuals. | Kayla Pray | Alena Lee

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jewish Regev Melker ‘19 is Jewish.

A traditional Jew, who believes that holidays are about coming together as a family and learning through the torah the stories of the past of Judaism. Being born in the center of Israel, Melker came to America with his family at the age of three.

“My grandmother was not doing well, she got very sick,” Melker said. “My mom went to go see her and we all came with her to America. We were planning to go back [to Israel] but we didn’t and just decided to stay here.” For Melker’s family, staying in America meant leaving the desert heat, the tanks that patrolled the border, the government issued gas masks, and the danger behind.

learning about the miracles that get them to where they are.

“At some point, religion doesn’t answer everything.

It’s just there as a system of habit.

It’s not an answer to all of your problems.”

Melker’s family is not your typical Jewish family.

While they still believe in God and the ten commandments, Melker believes that Judaism is more about believing that things happen for a reason and

His religion is not something he believes can get him out of a tough situation.

A big part of being Jewish is the bar mitzvah, a celebration where Jewish boys celebrate their coming of age, and are now becoming accountable for their actions. For Melker, having a bar mitzvah wasn’t something that he felt was necessary for him to know who he is in terms of being Jewish.

“When I’m having trouble, I know that there is a reason and that there has to be a solution somewhere,” Melker said. “At some point, religion doesn’t answer everything. It’s just there as a system of habit.

It’s not an answer to all of your problems.”

“I just didn’t feel like it,” Melker said, “I wasn’t religious enough, and that is more of a religious thing.

After that I realized I didn’t really care so much about the religion itself, but I liked knowing about my past as a Jewish person. It became more important for me to know what happened in our past.”

Like many others, their belief in Judaism revolves more around being close with your family.

“[Being Jewish] definitely makes me closer to people I talk to than some other people might be,” Melker said. “Space isn’t as big of a deal for me. It’s also given me different views on how people talk, and it’s affected me because some people don’t like me because I’m jewish. They can’t really tell you why, but it’s because I’m Jewish.”

“We’re really tight-knit,” Melker said. “Space doesn’t matter to us as much as if we were American, where you have that bubble and you don’t want to be as close. We don’t care. We’re really close physically and emotionally as a family.”

Although Melker has gotten hate for being Jewish, he doesn’t let it affect his daily life.

Melker hopes one day he can return to Israel and discover more about Judaism there, but focusing on school and his future is more important for him right now. | Kayla Pray | AJ Ehrhardt

20 January 2017 | Issue 3

Muslim Arnel Gazibara ‘20 is Muslim.

While these last couple months have been difficult for Muslims everywhere, with ISIS building a reputation that is reflecting badly on Muslims and President Trump promising to remove Muslims from America. But Gazibara has refused to let it affect his way of life.

Growing up Muslim for Gazibara meant celebrating Ramadan, following the Koran, and never eating pork.

But Gazibara didn’t realize that he was Muslim until his first visit to a mosque, the Muslim place of worship.

“When I was in the 4th or 5th grade, I realized that I was Muslim,” Gazibara said. “My family and I went to a mosque, and I asked them what it was. I just remember praying because of Ramadan. Every muslim is required to pray during Ramadan.”

Along with Ramadan, a month out of the year where you don’t eat from sunrise to sunset, Gazibara celebrates every other holiday that Muslims would normally follow, except for Christmas.

For Gazibara, the reputation that ISIS is building for Muslims is hitting close to home.

“They’re switching the Koran to something that it’s not,” Gazibara said. “It’s to a point where it’s completely different than it’s supposed to be.”

A big problem Gazibara has noticed is the issue with the hijab, a traditional Muslim headpiece.

“Muslim girls have a choice on if they want to wear their headpiece or not,” Gazibara said. “ISIS is making it to where they have no choice but to wear it constantly, and you can’t see anything but their eyes.”

Although Gazibara is a natural born United States citizen, his parents grew up in Bosnia,

and moved to America because of the civil war. His family still owns a house there and go visit when they can.

“My family and I went to a mosque, and I asked them what it was. I just remember praying because of Ramadan.”

“I really enjoy it [in Bosnia],” Gazibara said. “Most people there are kind, and where we live, we have our very own house, there’s a town nearby and my brother and I like to go to town and get food and explore.”

Being Muslim is something that Gazibara takes pride in.

Gazibara wants people to realize that all Muslims are not like ISIS. “I’m proud to be Muslim,” Gazibara said. “We’re kind and different than others, but not in a dangerous way. | Kayla Pray

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lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer

22 January 2017 | Issue 3

Potential lgbt challenges with new president

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iven the election of Donald Trump, there is the possibility for impending changes in the LGBT community. As reported by the Human Rights Campaign, the president has expressed his views many times in favor of the traditional marriage between a man and a woman. These views present a possible challenge for the community if President Trump attempts to change or repeal any existing rights addressing same-sex marriage, as well as the rights of people who are transgender.

Egan Walker ‘17, co-president of the Gender Sexualities Alliance (GSA) believes there may be at least some changes coming for the community as a result of the election.

“I fear for the rights and the lives of all minority people in the U.S.,” Walker said. “Even though Trump never explicitly said he was against LGBT people, Mike Pence and the people Trump appoint[ed] to official positions certainly are. I’m worried that Trump and the other conservatives will try to revoke LGBT rights that we have been working so hard to get, such as the right to same-sex marriage. I’m worried that myself and everyone else in the LGBT community will lose the right to love who they choose to love.”

Given the appointments President Trump has made, Walker is also concerned there may be a rise in crime as a result of the discrimination expressed by these officials.

“I think Trump being elected has emboldened people who are already bigoted against minorities.

They think that since their president thinks minorities don’t belong in this country, it is okay for them to think so too, and to act on their discriminatory beliefs,” Walker said.

Computer Programming teacher and sponsor of GSA, Mr. John Satter, also sees the problem of increased hate directed towards the LGBT community as a result of the election.

“Relatively speaking, [there are] more hate crimes going on now, specifically around being Muslim and being gay,” Satter said. “And in fact, we’ve even seen an uptick in incidents in this school, with people being called ‘fag’. We’ve been specifically looking into it and trying to figure out who’s doing it. People like that tend to thrive in anonymity and if they think they can continue to be anonymous, they’re going to continue to do it.”

In addition to this, Paige Valent ‘18 is worried about the election’s effects on the safety and security of those in the LGBT community.

“I’ve heard that [President Trump] isn’t really for the LGBTQ population, so that kind of makes me upset,” Valent said. “There are so many other people that deserve to come out and be confident with it, but if they don’t feel comfortable, especially with the man of our country not being okay with it, it just kind of irritates me and makes me feel bad for

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the people who don’t have the confidence to—because they deserve to. Especially with the new laws that they can get married.”

However, comfort amongst the LGBT community is not just limited to the fear of coming out, but also legal issues, such as how House Bill 2 (HB2), which addressed transgender use of the bathrooms of the gender they identify as. This bill was passed in North Carolina in March 2016.

“I think HB2 is a very anti-transgender and anti-LGBT bill,” Walker said. “It’s supporters argue that the law is needed to prevent non-trans people from sexually assaulting people in restrooms. The fact is that a rapist will not be stopped by not being allowed in a restroom.

HB2 only restricts the right of trans people to be who they are and does nothing to prevent sexual assaults.”

Given the newly elected government, there is also the chance for legislation similar to HB2 to be proposed or passed in other states.

“I think it is possible that other conservative states could attempt to pass similar laws, but I think they would be met with serious backlash from supporters of the LGBT community just as HB2 has, and I hope that it would be enough to prevent any of these kinds of laws from being passed,” Walker said.

Despite these potential challenges, there is the possibility that President Trump could be indifferent regarding the legal rights of the LGBT community, and choose to not challenge pre-existing laws.

Angel Nguyen ‘17 is not concerned with the prospect of President Trump challenging marriage equality.

“I’m scared, but regardless of Trump being elected, I’m gonna marry who I love and love with no regrets,” Nguyen said.

Like Nguyen, Satter and Walker are hopeful for a more positive future. They are confident that the progress that has been made in the LGBT community will not be easily undone. They value every person’s stance in the country and only hope theirs can be increasingly respected and understood as well.

“It is going to be a rocky next four years, but I don’t think he’ll be able to overturn things like marriage equality, I just don’t think that’s possible,” Satter said.

“I hope that we can continue to be progressive and continue the fight for equal rights for the next four years and onward, even if there is backlash from Trump’s administration,” Walker said. “I urge everyone, regardless of political leaning, to be informed of what is going on in the world, and to find what they truly believe is right and to fight for it. No one’s voice is silent, and if we work together, we can make it through these next few years and make sure that equal rights will not be pushed to the side.” | Jackson Kessel | Cheyenne Main | Meg Metzger-Seymour | Cheyenne Padilla | Michael Pietroiacovo

24 January 2017 | Issue 3

a look at the nation comparing lgbtq+ rights across the united states EMPLOYMENT discrimination:

STATES WHICH PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL AND GENDER IDENTITY

same-sex couples adoption:

states where second hand adoption is an option for same-sex couples

hate crime laws:

states where laws address hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity states where laws address hate crimes based on sexual orientation only source: human rights campaign

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(Left) Protester, Dianna Erickson, speaks to some Lake staff members about the occurrences from the night’s protest. (Top right) One of many Trump protesters sit upon the Indianapolis Courthouse Steps.

(Bottom right) Another protester addresses a group of people regarding President Trump’s election.

2016: year of political unrest 26 January 2017 | Issue 3

FRAGILITY AT THE FINISH LINE Unrest over Trump victory creates instability in American cities

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ver the past months, following the victory of President Donald Trump, a number of riots have broken out across the country in major cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Denver, and Indianapolis.

Several of The Lake’s staff members had the opportunity to experience the one in Indy first hand.

Here is what they found: Taking place in the busy Circle Centre shopping area, right in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, as the editors of The Lake celebrated their awards from the National High School Journalism Conference with a dinner, a commotion was going on right outside.

As we were returning to our hotel and winding down in preparation for our flight home the next morning, we ran into a couple of men who explained that they had been protesting the recent election of Donald Trump. One of them raised his voice and announced “he’s not my f***ing president.” The other claimed police who had responded to the incident had begun to shoot protesters with rubber bullets and pepper pellets.

So The Lake stuck around to find out what was really going on.

Further into the Indy Business District near the courthouse we met Dianna Erickson, an avid protester in the Indianapolis area.

“There were a lot of people that knew they wanted to come together to commiserate,” Erickson said. “Nobody knew when, so it was a random picked time, then everybody came out.”

She added that around 2,000 people gathered up and down the main Indianapolis strip from a number of different activist groups. “So many people came out—it was the American Indian Movement, Socialist Antifa, Anti-Fascists, and just normal people taking a stand.”

After speaking with Erickson, we approached two officers who had been dispatched to Indianapolis from a near suburb. Off the record, one of the officers told us anywhere between 5 and 7 people were arrested, both residents and people from out-of-state. These were people who had obstructed traffic and allegedly assaulted officers. According to these officers, protesters had become violent when police arrived, as several threw rocks and bottles and one even punched an officer in the face.

He emphasized that their main concern in the issue was keeping people safe and avoiding conflict. He assured us that he was not against protesting and believes strongly in democracy—he just wanted to help people peacefully speak their minds.

As things around town started to quiet down and we made our way back to the hotel, we encountered Dee Parker and Dawn Wratten sitting on a street corner trying to keep warm. They were both homeless and told us that neither of them had voted in the election. We asked them what they had seen of the protest, only yards down the street from them.

“It was a bunch of pissed off people because the lesser of two evils won,” Parker said. “No one really got violent, but there was a lot of agitation.”

Parker expressed his desire for people to quit attacking each other for politics, noting that in a polarized nation, nothing can be accomplished.

“I don’t like to get political. People asked ‘who are you voting for?’ and I said neither because you can’t,” Parker said.

Regardless of which end people stand on and why, Parker shared what he thought really needs to happen in our country.

“Just stop hating. Stop. Get along one way or another. Get along. What do we have to lose? We have a lot to gain but nothing to lose,” Parker said. l

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continuation of Broken Promises Native Americans struggle to fight pipeline backed by powerful corporations

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hroughout the United State’s history, the government has consistently attacked and abused Native Americans by violating their rights through breaking treaties and attacking them, both politically and socially. Today is no exception.

In December 2014, Energy Transfer Partners LP applied to build a pipeline that would stretch 1,172 miles—from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa and finally into Illinois—carrying 570,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

According to Time Magazine, “The pipeline would travel underneath Lake Oahe and Missouri River, the primary drinking water source for the Standing Rock Sioux, a tribe of around 10,000 people with a reservation in the central parts of North and South Dakota.”

In addition, the DAPL would violate Article 2 of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty which guarantees the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe the “undisturbed occupation” of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

In April 2016, 200 Native Americans rode on horseback to protest the pipeline’s construction project which would go through the sacred land of the Standing Rock Sioux. The Standing Rock tribe had been fighting the project since its early planning project in 2014 when people were fighting the Keystone pipeline XL.The project had previously been designed to cross the Missouri River North of Bismarck but decided it was a potential threat to Bismarck’s water supply.

28 January 2017 | Issue 3

“The fact that the pipeline was supposed to go through Bismarck, but the citizens protested, so they moved it to Standing Rock is absolutely sickening because it pretty much shows that the US government does not care what so ever about native rights,” Gabe Bosse ’17 said. “And this is despite the fact that the Standing Rock Sioux Council repealed on multiple occasions, [voicing] that... this is where we live, you are going to poison our water, desecrate the graves of our ancestors.”

Despite the Native Americans petitioning to the US Army Corps of Engineers for a more thorough environmental impact study of the site, the US Army Corps approved the land easement and water crossing.

This led to The Sioux Tribe suing the Army Corps for an emergency stop to all construction, arguing that the pipeline would go beneath Lake Oahe, their main water source.

As legal disputes continued, this issue intensified in September when guard dogs and private security maced protestors at the site. Police have also used pepper spray and tear gas on protesters.

The Los Angeles Times reported that “Protesters said that those arrested…had numbers written on their arms and were housed in what appeared to be dog kennels, without bedding or furniture. Others said advancing officers sprayed mace and pelted protestors with rubber bullets.”

These police forces are paid by the corporations and driv-

en by government sponsored exploitation, for the corporations. In fact, CEOs of DAPL companies were offering to pay the police’s cost for their overtime and military gears.

This isn’t the first time the Native American land have been exploited for oil. DAPL is just a tip of the iceberg. For instance, according to Propublica “The Fort Berthold reservation, has been cheated out of more than $1 billion by schemes to buy drilling rights for lowball prices,which a flurry of recent lawsuits assert.” The suits argued that the federal government helped enable the alleged fraud by failing in its legal obligation to ensure a fair deal. These actions confirm that neither police nor the government will be held accountable for all the damage they have done unless people hold their feet to the ground.

“Standing Rock is absolutely sickening... it pretty much shows that the US government does not care whatsoever about native rights.”

Gabe Bosse ’17

“[The illegal actions taken by the police while the government refuses to stand up for the people] shows that America is becoming a police state...Standing Rock Sioux and bunch of people... were peacefully protesting. They were [saying] ‘it’s not okay for you to be here—it’s not okay for you to desecrate the sacred land’. And the pipeline basically responded with completely militarized police force,” Bosse said.

To make matters worse, the police used water cannons in sub freezing temperatures, and there were at least 167 injuries. According to the Free Thought Project, of those injured, “two elders were sent into cardiac arrest, a 13-year-old girl suffered a rubber bullet to the head, and now, one woman will almost certainly lose her arm [from a shock grenade].”

As conflicts escalated, 2,000 veterans began arriving at the camp to protest in support for the native tribes.

Finally on December 4th, The US Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit to build the pipeline across Lake Oahe. Although the water protectors have won, this pipeline is backed by powerful entities such as US Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs. Furthermore, President Donald Trump has personal investments in this. When recently asked about his decision on the pipeline in an interview, he stated, “let me not answer the Dakota [question]...but I will tell you when I get to office, [and] if it’s not solved, I’ll have it solved very quickly.” His decision to put ExxonMobil CEO as secretary of state, and Goldman Sachs President as economic adviser all seem to point to the direction that he is in favor of the pipeline.

Even though this victory might be overturned after President Trump takes oath, this unstable victory showed that “through direct protest, you can actually change things. I think that’s the big take away,” Gabe Bosse stated. This issue showed the American people the militarization of American police force and power of corporations. However, it also showed that if people come together and protest, these powerful entities can be stopped. l

Celebrities Speaking volumes How today’s celebrities utilize their fame to make a difference Shailene Woodley Standing in solidarity, side-by-side with a group of over 200 water protectors, Woodley was a part of the movement fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline. She was arrested on October 10th in North Dakota and charged with criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot. She continues to raise awareness on the discrimination and mistreatment against Native Americans and other marginalized communities within the country.

Emma Watson At 24-years-old, Watson has graduated with a degree from Brown University and is one of the youngest individuals working as a United Nations Women global goodwill ambassador. She is supporting an initiative called “HeForShe” which encourages millions of males to become mobilized to advocate against inequality.

Leonardo Dicaprio DiCaprio has established The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation which is dedicated to the long-term health and wellbeing of Earth and all of its inhabitants. He has taken part in various climate change films including “The 11th Year” and “Before the Flood.” DiCaprio is considered one of the world’s top climate change advocates and has met with numerous political figures including Al Gore, Barack Obama, and President Donald Trump to discuss a climate action plan.

matt damon Damon is one of the founders of the “Not On Our Watch Project” which focuses attention on mass genocides in war-torn areas and is a founder of the H2O Africa Foundation. He is also a spokesperson for Feeding America and has supported the ONE campaign, aimed at fighting AIDS and poverty.

rowan blanchard At only 15 years old, Disney star, Blanchard has been a public activist in areas such as feminism, human rights, mental illness, and gun violence. She has publicly come out as queer and is advocating for Disney shows to have more LGBTQ+ representation and address more serious topics such as feminism.

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Behiind Trump’s Victory: A

Analyzing supporters of a man promising to “Make America Great Again”

handful of Donald Trump supporters from Standley Lake want to clarify some things.

They’re not racists. They’re not sexists. They’re not isolationists. They care about America—like anyone else.

They’re just fed up, and in their perspective, the country isn’t headed in the right direction.

Supporters of Donald Trump have been a subject of fascination and puzzlement. In the midst of a divided nation, political views are consuming people’s perspectives towards one another. It’s becoming more prevalent to judge an individual based on who they supported in the recent election.

An immense demographic of Trump’s supporters are Caucasian males without college degrees. According to a poll conducted by Opportunity Consumer Research, “There appears to be at least some evidence to support this, at least where college is concerned.”

“A majority of Trump’s voters are uneducated white males... and maybe [Trump’s extreme proposals do] appeal to them,” Trump supporter, Zach Alas ‘17 said. “But he’ll say [those things] and if you take interviews that he has been doing now...he’s more taken back.”

All of the Trump supporters that we talked to agreed with that sentiment—some of the radical stances and proposals that Trump has projected are used to rally the far right side of voters yet in actuality, Trump will not take action on those ideas when in office.

“Some of the things that Trump says are very ridiculous, but at the same time some of the things he has put forward as a conservative have been [good ideas],” Salvador Narcy ‘19 said.

For many Trump supporters, they overlook some of these extreme comments because of what they believe he can offer the country. Trump is a political outsider, jump-starting his campaign with his own money and representing the opposite of “political correctness.” Trump supporters perceive his business success to be his ultimate advantage as president.

“He’s a businessman,” Alas said. “I think he can lead... but I don’t think he’s going to be the president that everyone adores. That’s just not the person he is. I think some of the things he says are uncalled for... But I think his ideas can go in the good direction for the country itself. We’ve had brash

30 January 2017 | Issue 3

(Left page) Salvador Narcy ‘19 addresses his reasoning behind backing President Trump. (Right page, right to left) Zach Alas ‘17 and Hallie Hodson ‘20 talk about their support of Trump being minorities with the United States.

presidents before and America is still here.”

Trump’s record among other demographics, including Women, has also been a heavily debated topic. Many comments made by Trump throughout his campaign have ignited fierce resistance to his election by many women, yet 42% of women voters supported him. “[Trump’s comments] didn’t really affect me. ” Hallie Hodson ‘20 said. “[I don’t] necessarily support the things he says. But I [won’t stop supporting] him just because of some things that he might’ve said in a private conversation or out of trying to be funny and relate to people. I think that he says the right things for some of his proposed opinions, but he just doesn’t say them the right way.”

Trump’s harsh stance on immigration has been a constant point of controversy due to his radical solutions and the manner in which he addressed them. Alas comes from a family that immigrated to America from El Salvador, however Trump’s position on the issue does not lessen his support for the President. “America is the country where you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and my family...we came from that upbringing,” Alas said. “Half of us moved here not even knowing English, no degree or anything, we found a job and then worked our way up and we’re here now so why shouldn’t someone else be able to do that?”

Trump has commonly been supported by members of the alt-right—a group of people with far-right ideologies who reject mainstream conservatism—a conglomerate of Neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and other white supremacist groups. This radical minority of Trump supporters have become the stereotype of Trump’s support system as a whole. However, many Trump supporters disagree with this stereotype of themselves.

“Most Trump supporters believe that racism is absolutely unacceptable and that color doesn’t matter, it just matters that you’re human.” Narcy said. “I think it’s pretty well established that racists, members of the KKK...are kind of a minority...so I don’t think it’s much of a concern right now.”

Yet, as the racial and religious divisions in America become wider the growing popularity of the alt-right movement has stirred uneasiness, and fear allowing for the Black Lives Matter movement to rise in prevalence, as well.

“I don’t believe in the Black Lives Matter movement. Per-

sonally, I don’t think that it’s going to change anything... it’s not really working.” Liam Hamby ‘19 said. “I think that everyone matters, and not just one specific race, and that’s how America is going to be diverse.”

For Alas on the other hand, Black Lives Matter is a valid movement in today’s day and age.

“I like Black Lives Matter personally.” Alas said. “I think they have good reasons... There [are] stereotypes for African Americans still.

There are still racial divisions. I do think that the way they’re going [about some] of things may not be the best method. I don’t really support [some of] their methods but I think that’s great, if you have a cause, stand up for it… that’s what America is about.”

There is currently turmoil regarding American Muslims, with rampant Islamophobia prevalent in the U.S., Trump’s call “for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” has only exacerbated the issue.

“I think he has good steps in a new direction, it might not be the right direction, but it’s a new direction and we’ll just have to see where that goes.”

-zach alas ‘17

“I don’t think it would be the best idea to ban all Muslims because their religion,” Narcy said. “They’re a pretty hefty population here...so it is a little ridiculous to ban all Muslims, but I think it was just a precaution.”

To many, Trump supporters are racists, sexists, homophobes, and many other labels. In our final question to the Trump supporters, we asked what they would say to all of their critics.

“I would say I don’t believe in the way he acts and I don’t believe entirely in everything he wants to do, but I think he has good steps in a new direction, it might not be the right direction, but it’s a new direction and we’ll just have to see where that goes,” Alas said.

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. Whether you despise him or praise him, this is fact. And all of America will have to strap in as President Trump takes office with only one goal in mind, to “Make America Great Again”. l | Esteban Arellano | Atul Dhungel | Kevin Han | Christopher Luc | Emily Leo | Patty Sokol | Sophia Stimpfl

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Welcome to 2017.