collegian.tccd.edu
Lany experiments with new sound for third album. PG. 2
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 – Volume 33 • Issue 6 Entertainment
Opinion
Opinion
Editorial
Feature
FOURTH ALBUM IN A YEAR Westside Gunn takes control of his destiny on new album. PG. 2
TRUMPS DANGEROUS GAME Our President’s lack of leadership is on display. PG. 3
SOCIAL MEDIA SUCKS The dangers of being addicted to social media. PG. 3
TOEING THE LINE How Trump’s rhetoric could be viewed as hate speech. PG. 3
TRUE AMERICAN HISTORY Celebrating the indigenous people of America. PG. 4
DISTRICT
Early voting starts Oct. 13 across TCC
Photos by Azul Sordo/The Collegian
Troy Havard helps voters register for the 2020 elections season. TCC will host polling stations for the Tarrant County election office at all campuses for the first time.
Students, people of the community now have clear voting sites to cut down confusion MADDY REMINGTON managing editor
The 2020 general election begins next week as Americans head to the polls for early voting beginning Oct. 13. The Tarrant County Election Office announced that all of the TCC campuses will be used as polling stations for the first time ever. TCC students and Tarrant County residents can cast their ballots at NW Campus in WFSC 1403A, at South Campus in the Student Center SSTU 1112, at NE Campus in the Student Center NSTU, at the SE Campus in the EMB Portable Building C, and at TR Campus. TCC students have had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the announcement. “I’m ten times more likely to vote in person,” TR student Katie Beard said about having TCC campuses as an option to vote. Having an identifiable and familiar place for students to go to cast their ballot is encouraging TCC students to take up their civic responsibility this November. Too often voters are left to their own
The galley at NSTU will host a polling station for the 2020 election year. Early voting can allieviate the long wait times before regular voting starts. devices to find out information about voting and where to go. With this announcement, many students have said that they are glad that they now know where they can cast their vote as they previously weren’t aware
of any polling options. The consensus is that the polling station announcement has made students feel that it is their responsibility to cast their ballots rather than just an option.
“I hope that with having such a powerful resource on campus, this will encourage our fellow students to make the choice to be proactive in their political lives,” said Rae Brown, NW student government association president. Especially with the current political turmoil, students are opening their eyes to what they can do to be active in their communities. “I feel the need, now more than ever, to vote, and to make my voice heard,” Brown said. People overlook the small details of elections and the unnecessary boundaries there are just to cast a single vote. Making polling stations more accessible especially within our TCC community is an effort to decrease the barriers associated with elections. If you want to work at the polls this year at a TCC campus or any other station, you can go online to tarrantcounty.com/en/ elections to volunteer. Tarrant County voters can take to the polls for early voting Oct.13 through Nov. 2. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
TRINITY RIVER
Remembering culture through traditions, languages LINDA PUGA
campus editor
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for reflection on cultural roots for TR student Sarai Marquez. Without her heritage and a family full of love and support, Marquez would be confined and unable to reach her full potential. Though Marquez was born and raised in Fort Worth, her family was born in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. Marquez is grateful for her dad who worked countless hours and her mom who always took care of her and her three siblings. “Although my family wasn’t rich, my parents never failed to provide a roof over my head, food to eat, and clothes to wear every single day,” Marquez said. Today, Marquez’s family still prioritize the Spanish language and use it the majority
of the time they speak to never lose that part of their heritage. Marquez gained values such as love, respect and independence from her family. She said they will always be the people she can rely on no matter what. “Being Hispanic is more than just a word, it’s about being there for your blood and showing respect,” Marquez said. “It’s about hard work and showing up when no one else does.” TR student Pedro Gonzalez immigrated at 4 years old to the U.S. with his family from Jalisco, Mexico. Soon after, he started kindergarten. “Due to the language barrier, my parents weren't very active with my teachers or my assignments so I slowly began to develop a sense of responsibility,” Gonzalez said. His responsibilities came quickly being the youngest of five siblings. By age 15, Gonzalez had his first job and worked all throughout high school.
“My hard working family have always raised the bar for me because time and time again; they've shown hard work makes everything achievable,” Gonzalez said. Jan. 6 marks a special day for Gonzalez and his family where they celebrate “Dia de Los Reyes Magos,” also known as Three Kings’ Day or Epiphany. Dia de Los Reyes Magos is a Christian feast day that celebrates the Wise Men’s visit when Jesus was born. “This is my favorite tradition because this is one of the rare times in the year I get to see my whole family together,” Gonzalez said. Spanish professor Janet Rodriguez is from Caimito del Guayabal, a small town in Havana, Cuba. Even though her family was extremely poor, Rodriguez considered herself a happy child. A memory from home she will always remember is the first rainy day of the season. “Every child would go outside,” Rodri-
guez said.“It was said that if you get wet that day, you would grow up to be handsome or pretty. It was so much fun to run in the rain splashing puddles.” A big Hispanic family helped Rodriguez learn the meaning of selflessness. She still recalls the sacrifices her parents made for their children, always being the last to eat on days where food was scarce. “It was not until we moved to the United States that I found out my mother preferred the breast of the chicken. In Cuba, she always had a wing,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez’s tight-knit family has helped her share both joys and sorrows and navigate through life’s challenges with people by her side. From Ciudad Acuña to Jalisco to Havana comes just a handful of the many stories of lives being changed and the importance of the roots left behind that helped cultivate a new life.
Entertainment
Page 2 • October 7 , 2020
MUSIC REVIEW
Band breaks tradtion for hit new album
Photos courtesy Interscope Records
Third times is a charm for the LA-based group LANY. The group took risks by leaving the comfort zone of the sound that made them fan favorites.
MADDY REMINGTON campus editor
The indie-pop musical trio LANY explores feelings, new musical elements, and relationship highs and lows in their third album, “mama’s boy.” After a two-year hiatus, the LA-based group is back with yet another incredible album. LANY is iconic for making great lyrics paired with electronic beats that sound exceptional. This album is no exception. The junior album from the trio, titled “mama’s boy,” has a very soft sound. The lyrics are the centerpiece of the album as the soft beats amplify the meaning behind each of the meticulously crafted words. Singer-songwriter Paul Klein delivers emotion through the chill beats, vibes and stylistic choices. LANY songs sound similar because they use the same elements in every song. Namely how the music is always in the same tune and they sound like they just switched the lyrics to the soundtrack. However, listeners can tell they tried to break that streak with this album. They used acoustics for the first time with some 80s beats in the song titled “when you’re drunk.”
Each song has a unique sound and an overall different feel. “you!,” “good guys,” “bad news,” “when you’re drunk” and “cowboy in LA” are the hype songs that showcase the upbeat tunes we know and love from LANY. Klein sings about his experience with love —“when you’re drunk” shows us he questions if his feelings are reciprocated with his significant other. However, in “you!” we get a completely different storyline where Klein sings about his immense love for his significant other — “You gave me hope when I was empty, walked me through the fire, you were there.” This song’s upbeat tune emotes happiness. Klein, Les Priest, and Jake Goss embrace their southern roots in this album. This is shown through the song “cowboy in LA” as well as the illustration for the album artwork. The southern twang also comes out in Klein’s voice in some of the songs’ low notes. LANY went outside of their comfort zones with stylistic choices, different instruments and unique lyrics. Yet, they still delivered a musical masterpiece in this album.
“Mama’s boys” is the third album for the group LANY featuring the new experimental sound. The album was released Oct. 2 on streaming platforms.
MUSIC REVIEW
Major debut album is also a retirement for emcee
MICHAEL FOSTER-SANDERS editor-in-chief
Who takes care of the man who takes care of himself? This question sets the tone for Westside Gunn’s major label debut Who Made The Sun Shine on Shady Records. Gunn makes sure to let everyone know that he takes care of himself. Gresidla record label as a whole has experienced a breakout year that had the naysayers spewing they’re just an imitation of boombap hip-hop of yesteryear. To now saying they’re restoring that classic hip hop sound and feeling and putting their own ingredients in the mix. A stark difference in the sonic sound of his last album FlyGod is an Awesome God 2. WMTSS is for his supporters that’s been with him through the grind. WMTSS puts the listener in the state of mind of being a boss who has done it all, and seen it all being a criminal. Now reflecting on his future and making a way out of no way he knows he can only rely on himself, and provide for his team. Keeping true with his love for wrestling The Butcher and The Blade has him trading bars with his label mates Benny the Butcher, and Conway. The production is handled by
Beat Butcha and Daringer and it sounds like vintage Griselda. The star here is Benny with rhymes that shows he’s cocky and confident and will not be denied as a force in rap music. “All Praises “ features new Griselda signee Boldy James, and Jadakiss. All three rappers kill their verses, but it is the hook that makes the song magica that Gunn belts out off key. “All praises (All praises) To the most high (To the most high). Haven’t been asleep (Brr) I heard shots all through the night (Brr, shots all through the night, brr) Be grateful (Be grateful)”. The two stand out tracks are Frank Murphy, and 98 Sabers which are both posse cuts which feels like a Royal Rumble wrestling match because the tracks are so action-packed with Emcee’s giving it a 110%. The rest of the CD is standard Gunn with a bunch of threats, violence which works but gets repetitive and feels like a regression especially if the listener heard Gunns growth with the Pray for Paris album released earlier this year. This is a solid album, but if Gunn decides not to put out anymore music, He can say he went out on a high note. photo courtesy of Shady Records
Westside guns major label debut is also a farewell album to his fans.
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Opinion
The Collegian
Viewpoints
Addiction to social media is a real thing
LINDA PUGA
campus editor
It starts to take over your life and subtlety becomes an instinctual habit. It’s the first thing we reach for in the morning and what we struggle to put down after hours of scrolling when we should be getting rest. Social media brings toxicity and negativity into our lives, ultimately putting a damper on mental health. This generation has become obsessed with checking how many likes their Instagram post received, seeing if that specific person saw their Snapchat story, wondering why that guy hasn’t replied to their iMessage, and keeping up with all the gossip and drama between friend groups. There is good to social media, don’t get me wrong. Being able to connect with anyone from anywhere in the world is a pretty neat thing. In this current season, it is gratifying to have a form of communication with
family members we aren’t able to see and be able to keep up with the community and friends from school. A common thread among many teenagers and the media is the destruction of self-worth. They compare themselves to people they see in the media, whether it be celebrities, influencers, or models. It puts the idea in people’s heads that they aren’t good enough or worthy enough because they aren’t like someone else or don’t have what they have. However, these things are far from true. It is so important to keep mental health in a good place because it affects all the other areas of life as well. Jess Conte, a lifestyle creator, does a social media detox day once a month and always encourages her followers to do the same. She speaks on the importance of having a day off from media and instead partakes in painting, sunset watching, or baking paleo chocolate chip cookies and banana bread like she enjoys doing. At the end of the day, the media depicts an expectation of reality. It shows perfection rather than progress. Perfect lives, perfect relationships, perfectly happy people, and perfect bodies. It is merely a highlight reel, showcasing a few minutes out of someone’s 24-hour day. Remember that and not to take it too seriously.
Trump’s leadership skills are super trash
MICHAEL FOSTER-SANDERS editor-in-chief
Last week President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized for all of two days before deciding to put his immediate circle at risk by traveling back to the White House to quarantine. Then to add insult to injury he decides to spin this into a fake ass battle cry with tweeting .”Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life.” What our Commander-in-Chief is not realizing is that the average American doesn’t have the luxury to be airlifted to a hospital, and have access to around the clock doctors to make sure his health doesn’t take a turn for the worse. COVID-19 might not have altered our lives if Trump didn’t dismantle the National Security Council pandemic team in 2018 to have contingency plans
That was in the face of the families across America who had to bury over 200,000 family members who died from the virus and could not spend final moments with their loved ones. As a leader what kind of precedent is set by taking your mask off as an act of defiance to the people who are intoxicated by your persona such as the Proud Boys, or other supporters who are willing to follow him into hell and back. Other countries are looking at this, and laughing at our lack of leadership in office at this time. COVID-19 cases are decreasing throughout the country, but with the flu season coming up to prevent another devastating outbreak Trump needs to lead by example with safety precautions. Young adults are getting their first taste of freedom across colleges in America, not batting an eye at their mortality, and believe the virus is a hoax. They are putting their lives in danger daily by participating in classes or just by going to parties to blow off stress from school. If you’re reading this article please take precaution when it comes to safety for yourself, friends, families, and those that are ignorant of how serious this virus is. If we stand together as a nation, then this rough time will pass.
October 7, 2020 • Page 3
Editorial
Wordplay can fuel hate, incite violence
Amber Davis/The Collegian
White supremacy has been around for centuries and due to Trump’s recent acts in his presidency, white supremacy has been on the rise again. Trump delayed condemning white supremacy, telling his “proud boys” to stand by and making groups such as the KKK feel comfortable to come out of hiding to wreak havoc on the nation. This is one way that Trump is bringing out racist people. People are beginning to see the issues more with white supremacy, Trump is the bad guy. The KKK was formed in 1865, it was a confederate group that has hate towards black people and other minorities, leftists, jews, they were homophobic and anti-immigration. White supremacy has taken a toll over America these last few years. They believe in the slogan “Make America Great Again”, trying to reclaim ‘their’ country. Minorities are tired of dealing with the injustice in America and are beginning to stand up for their rights. People that support white supremacy feel as if they are losing power to them standing up, so they are trying to take that “power” back. Trump makes systemic racism worse in America, especially with the police. With the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black people dying in the hands of the police. Although Trump denies that systemic racism exists, it has been on the rise in America. The court system is unfair and police can get away with murder and other crimes that they have committed. Instead of being charged for the crimes that they have committed they are given a free ticket for a cheap bail. People aren’t able to protest their rights as a citizen, but white supremacy groups that go around harass-
ing others can go untouched by the police. White supremacy is causing a huge divide in our nation and the police aren’t willing to protect citizens from people that indict violence in white supremacy groups. White supremacy must come to an end in our county before the group ends up tearing down the nation with their hateful conduct. This is exactly what Trump wants, he wants to use white supremacy as a great divide in the country. With the upcoming election, Trump feels threatened and the only weapons that he can use are his “proud boys”, racism and fear to help him get reelected. Trump is trying to limit mail-in ballots and the USPS to try and discourage people from voting. Spreading racism and hate is not all Trump is trying to do, Trump is calling to whitewash patriotic history. Trump announces this education, his goal is to deny the systemic racism and the role of slavery in our society and its history, wanting people to opt-out of the truth. This is a very dangerous thing that he is trying to do, trying to erase history before our eyes. He believes that teaching students slavery is a form of child abuse and that it will destroy our country. This is extremely alarming to many as this can cause great issues later in our history. Trump and his “proud boys” are a dangerous threat in society and in the political place. If they are not stopped then they will cause more of a disturbance across our nation. They will think that they can get away with racist, hate murder. It will become a blood bath in America and it will begin to revert back to the slavery days if this doesn’t stop.
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Feature
Page 4 • October 7, 2020
Celebrating Native culture and the contributions made throughout history MICHAEL FOSTER-SANDERS and MADDY REMINGTON
Indigenous Peoples’ day is the day that we honor our fellow Americans of native descent. Native Americans built the foundation of our country and helped to
foster the land that we live on, long before our non-indignous ancestors knew it existed. Native culture is American culture. The original habitants of America value spirituality, respect, and having a connection with na-
ture. A lot of American media, literature, and values are endowed in these principles. Indigenous people also had many incredibly valuable contributions that helped to build the America we know and love. On In-
digenous People’s Day, we celebrate the people behind the contributions and the culture that shaped our past, present and future. Indigenous peoples day is October 12 and is the counter celebration agains Columbus Day.
Tecumseh
Sarah Winnemucca
Tecumseh (1783-1813) whose name means shooting star was a Shawnee Native American Chief who venomously fought against white settlement., and wanted to bring the other native tribes together to do so. After witnessing brutality by both settlers and Natives he tried to seek other ways of recourse to prevent violence. He believed the land was for everyone, and should not be regulated by people owning it. He fought against the US with Britain, and died on the battlefield. “Show respect to all people, but grovel to none”
Sarah Winnemucca (birth year unkown-1891) made it her life mission to protect Native Americans and the expanding United States. She realized at an early age that the white settlers were not going to leave so along with her Native culture, she adopted American culture and took on the name Sarah. She documented her experiences with being a native in America through her four books that were published, and became an activist and spokeswoman for Northern Paitue. “Be kind to bad and good, for you don’t know your own heart”
Sacagawea
Sequoya
Sacagawea is not only the most recognizable Native American, but she is behind the reason the United States of America was able to become what it is today. Without her, as a woman helping to dispel notions to the Native tribes that Lewis and Clark were coming to conquer and confirm the peacefulness of their mission, they would have never been able to successfully and peacefully explore the lands west of the Mississippi River. Sacagewea is one of the most notable figures in American history because of her kind contribution to help guide Lewis and Clark.
Sequoyah proved not only that Native Americans were sufficient on their own but also that they were immensely creative. He is the first person to be credited with creating an entire language from scratch without any knowledge of another language. His contributions also are the reason that we know what we do of Native American culture and history. Without his creation of the Cherokee syllabary, the list of syllables representing unique sounds in the spoken Cherokee language. This syllabary helped us to foster an understanding of all that the Indigenous people valued and celebrated. However, it also made the Cherokee language readable and writable.
Illustration by Amber Davis/The Collegian