DU Clarion Volume 125 Issue 28

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PIONEERS WIN SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP S E E PAG E 5

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DU CLARION

| NEWS

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CO elections pass amendments A, X, Y and Z

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he 2018 midterm election in Colorado had nine proposed amendments to its constitution, four of which received a passing vote. When amending the state constitution in Colorado through voter ratification, a 55 percent supermajority is required to pass unless the proposed amendment only removes words from the constitution, then a majority vote is all that is required. The passed amendments included A, X, Y and Z. Amendment A was titled on the ballot as, “Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution that prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime and thereby prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances?” The passing of this measure means that Colorado is no longer a state which permits slavery in its constitution.

Amendment X on the ballot

read, “Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning changing the industrial hemp definition from a constitutional definition to a statutory definition?” The passing of this amendment means that hemp is now defined in the same way as federal law states and if this law changes, so will the definition in Colorado. Under current federal law, industrial hemp includes anything from the plant Cannabis sativa L. that is used for industrial purposes with a THC concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

Amendment Y and Z both aimed to set new standards for redistricting in Colorado for both congressional and state legislative lines. A passing vote on amendment Y supported the creation of a 12-member commission to be responsible for approving the way district lines are drawn for congressio-

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nal districts. A passing vote on amendment Z supported the same approval requirement for district lines regarding Colorado’s state House of Representatives and state Senate districts.

Both of the 12-member committees will consist of four from the state’s largest political party and four with no party affiliation.

Eight of the 12 need to approve of the district maps for them to be approved, which will have the aim to keep redistricting fair and representative of all populations in Colorado.

The five amendments not passed this November include Amendment 73, Amendment 74, Amendment 75, Amendment V and Amendment W. A supporting vote for Amendment 73 would have been for establishing an income tax bracket system, different from the current flat rate, to raise taxes for individuals earning over $150,000 per year to create the Quality Public

Education Fund. This fund would have supported special education, gifted and talented programs, preschool funding, English language programs and a raise in per-student funding.

The other failed amendments aimed to compensate property owners when a government law decreased that property’s value, limit campaign contributions and spending, reduce the age qualification of General Assembly members and change the wording of the judge retention portion of the ballot.

When amendments are not passed, no major change will happen in the state as new law is not put into action; the large results seen after this election in regards to this will be from the passed amendments.

Cameron Elder | Contributing Writer

DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF

TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor HANNAH BRANIT, Sports Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion. com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion.

Reproduction of the Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of the Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.

The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.

HOW TO JOIN The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Hub. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.

ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Arts & Life Editor NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Photo/Video Editor SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Paper Delivery Person HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person SYDNEY KAPP, Business Manager ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Cover photo courtesy of Victoria Valenzuela

CONTRIBUTING STAFF CAMERON ELDER

KIANA MARSAN

BARBARA URZUA

ROBERT CORL

ADAM FABER

JAKE GLOTH

REBECCA SHAGRIN

MEGAN COONEY

LAWSON MONTGOMERY

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NEWS | 3

Colorado 2018 midterm results

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ith the 2018 midterm elections wrapped up and the results continuing to be calculated, some definite decisions have been made that will affect everyone on a local and national level.

As of writing this, Democrats hold the majority at the House of Representatives and Republicans continue to hold the majority in the Senate—this time gaining seats from North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri.

Nationally, these elections hold many firsts. Progressive Democrat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, age 29, will be the U.S. House’s youngest member of Congress. Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland will be the first Native American women elected to Congress. Also, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women elected to Congress.

Former congressman Jared Polis, who beat his Republican opponent former state trea-

surer Walker Stapleton with 51.6 percent of the vote, will be the country’s first openly gay governor.

Of all the House races in Colorado, the most notable one was that of U.S. House District 6. Lawyer and former Army Ranger, Jason Crow, defeated the district’s Republican incumbent--Mike Coffman--who had represented the district since 2009.

In addition, Democrat Jena Griswold won Secretary of State with 51.1 percent, and Democrat Phil Weiser won Attorney General with 49.9 percent of the vote.

Below are the results of the state’s ballot measures so far. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Amendment A (Removal from Constitution of Forced Unpaid Labor for Criminals) Yes - 65.4 percent

Amendment Y (Independent Commission for Congressional Redistricting) Yes - 71.1 percent Amendment Z (Independent Commission for State Legislative Redistricting) Yes - 70.7 percent Amendment V (Reduce Age Qualification for Legislative Members) No - 64.6 percent Amendment X (Redefine Hemp) Yes - 60.5 percent

Proposition 109 (Bonds for Transportation Projects) No - 60.9 percent Proposition 110 (Transportation Bond and Sales Tax Increase) No - 59.8 percent Proposition 111 (Cap Payday Loan Costs) Yes - 76.9 percent Proposition 112 (Minimum Distance Established for Oil, Gas and Fracking Projects) No - 56.1 percent

Amendment 73 (Taxes and Education) No - 54.4 percent Amendment 74 (Property Devaluation Compensation) No - 53.5 percent Amendment 75 (Expand Campaign Fund Limits) No - 66.1 percent

Daniela Santos | News Editor

What the proposition results mean for CO?

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ut of the four propositions listed on this year’s Colorado ballot, only one of them passed. With the energy of the elections finally starting to die down, it is important to understand what these results mean for Colorado’s future.

The first proposition on the ballot was Proposition 109, which failed. The measure, loosely called “Fix Our Damn Roads,” intended to authorize $3.5 billion in bonds which would have been spent solely on road construction and maintenance. The state’s budget would have had to pay any interest on the loans. Supporters of this proposition insisted that taxes would not be raised and using existing state revenue to fix roads is economically feasible.

However, there was strong opposition to Proposition 109, as well. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce was one of the lead opponents to this measure. They insisted that in order to pay back the loans, the state would have had to reallocate money from other sources, such as healthcare and education. Ultimately, 60 percent of voters voted no on Proposition 109.

The second proposition on the ballot, Proposition

110, the “Let’s Go Colorado” measure, was similar to Proposition 109 in that it also intended to authorize bonds. However, it also intended on raising the sales tax by 0.62 percent in order to help pay back these bonds.

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, while opposing Proposition 109, did offer considerable support to Proposition 110. Again, about 60 percent of voters voted no on Proposition 110.

Proposition 111 was the only proposition on this year’s ballot that passed.

Also known as the Limits on Payday Loan Charges Initiative, it intends to reduce the interest rate on payday loans to an annual rate of 36 percent. Before the election, the annual interest rate on payday loans was at 45 percent.

Official supporters of Proposition 111 included the Colorado Democratic Party. Supporters insisted that payday loan lenders would prey upon and take advantage of Colorado citizens interested in taking payday loans. Those who do are usually in dire situations and these high interest rates would trap them in a sea of debt. Opponents of the bill argued that if the measure passed, payday loan businesses would be at risk of

going out of business. Voters however widely supported the measure, as 70 percent of voters voted yes on Proposition 111.

The final proposition, Proposition 112, may have been one of the most hotly contested measures on this year’s ballot. Currently, oil and gas projects are required to be 500 feet from occupied buildings. This measure intended to increase that distance by five times the length it currently holds, at 2,500 feet.

A few supporters of this initiative included the Colorado Democratic Party, Clean Energy Action and Greenpeace. They insisted that these new requirements would vastly improve the safety and security of citizens. Supporters argued that these restrictions are necessary to protect people’s health and water supply.

However, the opposition to the measure was just as strong. The Colorado Oil and Gas Organization, the American Petroleum Institute and even newly elected Governor Jared Polis all argued against this proposition. Those who opposed the measure insisted these new restrictions would shut down the oil and gas industry leading to thousands losing their jobs. While

Polis is a strong supporter of clean and renewable energy, he insisted he has never supported the death of the fracking industry.

Coloradans voted no on Proposition 112 at a rate of 56 percent.

Since three of the four propositions failed, only one measure is sure to change Colorado’s future. Payday loan lenders now may not exceed interest rates of 36 percent. While this may hurt the payday loan industry, it intends to ensure that those who do take out payday loans are not being preyed upon by lenders. However, no new steps have been taken to change Colorado’s budget towards road construction and management, and oil and gas projects are still required to stay 500 feet from occupied buildings.

Soon voters will see how these results affect the state.

Barbara Urzua | Contributing Writer

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Denver sweeps Summit League Awards

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uring the 2018 Summit League Awards, the Denver Pioneers swept the Summit League Offensive Player of the Year, Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year, Summit League Newcomer of the Year and Summit League Coach of the Year awards.

They also placed five student athletes to the Summit League First Team and two more student athletes to the Summit League Second Team.

Senior Captain Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paolo, Brazil) was named as the Summit League Offensive Player of the Year. He currently leads the NCAA in six different categories; game-winning goals (10), goals per game (1.5), points per game (3.22), shots on goal per game (3.17), total goals (27) and total points (58). All numbers were those at the time of the Summit League Banquet—since then he has added another goal to his total. He recently set new records in Denver’s Division I history in career and single-season points, goals and game-winning goals. Shinyashiki is a finalist for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award which fans can vote for online.

Senior captain Scott DeVoss (Centennial, Colo.) was named Summit League Defensive Player of the year for the second year in a row.

In his fourth year at Denver, he helped lead a Denver defense that ranks 20th in the nation for goals against average (0.734) and 13th in shutout percentage (0.500).

DeVoss was named to the October 9 Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week.

Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Will Palmquist (Denver) was named as the Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year following a year in which he made 26 saves and accumulated 0.74 goals against average. He has made three solo and two shared shutouts this season.

Newcomer of the Year Callum Stretch (Encino, Calif.) was part of the Denver defense. He has placed the third most minutes on the team with 1615 minutes and has been an integral member of the defense that has allowed just 16 shots in the league matches.

Head Coach Jamie Franks was named Summit League Coach of the Year for the fourth time in four years. In his fourth year with the Pioneers as a head coach, Franks has a total record of 59-11-10. This year,

the Pioneers reached their first No. 1 ranking in program history in Top Drawer Soccer’s Week 8 Top-25 ranking.

The award came a week after Denver earned the top GPA in the country for the third year in a row.

DeVoss, Shinkashki, Palmquist and Stretch were joined by sophomore Jacob Stensson (Stockholm, Sweden) on the 2018 Summit League First Team. Stensson was third in the league in assists after collecting seven. He is tied for most assists in league play with four assists.

Seniors Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) and Moshe Perez (Shim’a, Israel) both were named to the Summit League Second Team.

Perez, a transfer from Colorado Mesa, finished with two goals as well as five assists in the 2018 regular season despite missing nine matches. He finished third on the team in the regular season for assists.

Akamatsu finished with 0.53 assists per game in the regular season, ranking second in the Summit League and 12th in the country. He is ranked 20th in the nation in total assists (8). His 14 points, coming from three goals and eight assists, is second on a strong Denver team. Follow-

ing Akamatsu’s appearance in the Senior Night game, he is now 12th in Denver Division I history for appearances with 74 career appearances.

Stretch was joined on the Summit League All-Newcomer Team by freshman Stefan DeLeone (Fort Collins, Colo.) and redshirt-freshman Jared Jungjohann (Highlands Ranch, Colo.).

DeLeone has appeared in every match for Denver this season. He has scored three goals and assisted on three other goals. In the Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Top-100 Freshmen, DeLeone was ranked as 85th.

Jungjohann was ranked as 48th in the Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Top-100 Freshmen. He has appeared in all of Denver’s matches this season and played full minutes in eight of Denver’s 20 matches.

With such a strong team, it is no surprise that Denver is headed back to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

They have a bye for the first round and will face the winner of Air Force v. Central Arkansas.

Hannah Branit | Sports Editor

Shinyashiki’s magic pushes Pioneers in Summit League Semi-Final

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he Pioneers edged past the Eastern Illinois Panthers 1-0 in the Summit League Semi-Final with the lone goal coming from the boot of senior Andre Shinyashiki (São Paulo, Brazil). The Pioneers performed well at both ends of the the field as they were able to hold the Panthers to only one shot on goal.

The first half began slow as the teams acclimated to each other as their last meeting was on Sept. 29. It only took 11 minutes for Shinyashiki, the back-to-back Summit League Player of the Year, to score his 28th goal of the season. It came off of a wonderful combination play between sophomore

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

Jacob Stensson (Stockholm, Sweden) and senior Moshe Perez (Shim’a, Israel) to get the ball to Shinyashiki. Once Shinyashiki received the ball, he turned the corner and with a small shift to the left, Shinyashiki curled it in to the back of the net. Redshirt-sophomore Will Palmquist (Denver) would come up in the 13th minute to keep the teams level as he palmed a ball above the crossbar. The Pioneers would see a couple of chances off of free kicks fall short. This would end the first half with the Pioneers ahead 1-0.

The second half would see the Pioneers and Panthers play more level with each other as chances for both

teams were ready for the taking. Stensson would start it off for the Pioneers as he sent a bullet just above the bar in the 54th minute. Shinyashiki would almost connect with the head of freshman Stefan DeLeone (Fort Collins, Colo.) in the 62nd minute off of a world-class chip by Shinyashiki. Palmquist would make only have to make one save to help preserve the cleansheet and the 1-0 win for the Pioneers. When asked about initial thoughts of the game, Coach Franks stated, “I think at this point in the season, it is about surviving and advancing. We came out here to get a cleansheet and we did.”

The Pioneers showed

their offensive might again as they took twelve shots over the Panthers’ four shots. “It’s just another chance to win a trophy, and we have waited a long time for this. There is no doubt, I’ve got some guys with some big time experience in that locker room,” Coach Franks commented.

The Pioneers will face Omaha in the Summit League Final for the third year in a row and the series is tied at one a piece, it will be a great watch for soccer fans. The Pioneers will look to avenge last year’s final when the Pioneers ultimately lost in the 11th round of penalties.

The game will begin at 3 p.m.

MST at Ciber Field.

Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer

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SPORTS | 5

Men’s Soccer captures their fifth Summit League title Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

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n a repeat of last year’s Summit League Men’s Finals, the Pioneers faced Omaha in the last match to determine who would take home both the Summit League title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

Unlike last year, which ended in an 11th round shoot-out that saw Denver sent home, the Pioneers beat Omaha in front of a large crowd of family, friends and supporters. With their win, the No. 9 Pioneers are guaranteed an automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

Omaha and Denver have met in the last three Summit League Finals with each final becoming more and more charged. Their meeting on Saturday afternoon was no different, with several players receiving warnings from the referees. From the beginning, it was clear that neither team would give much and it would be a high tension match.

Senior Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) was the first and only Denver athlete to score. In the 15th minute, he intercepted an Omaha pass and crossed back to the center of the field, beating two Omaha defenders, curling in a shot from 20 yards out. This goal was his fourth

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

goal of the season and the seventh of his career.

The Pioneers would receive their next best chance at the 27th minute when freshman Stefan DeLeone (Fort Collins, Colo.) beat several Omaha defenders. His shot rattled off the post, and a redirect from senior Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paolo, Brazil) went high.

In the 30th minute, Akamatsu had another few chances to bring the score back up, but the Omaha goalie put up a series of spectacular stops to keep the score at 1-0 Pioneers.

The Pioneers would not see another opportunity until the second half when in the 53rd minute, DeLeone would see his shot stopped again

by Omaha. Throughout the second half, Denver would continue to find opportunities but see them stopped by the keeper for Omaha.

The defense, led by redshirt-senior Scott DeVoss (Centennial, Colo.) helped redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Will Palmquist (Denver) to a shut-out of the Omaha offense. Despite outshooting Denver 14-12, Omaha was unable to score behind an incredible performance from the defense.

Four Pioneers were honored with Summit League

All-Tournament Team honors, including 2018 Summit League Tournament MVP, DeVoss.

Sophomore Jacob Stensson (Stockholm, Sweden), Akamatsu and senior Moshe Perez (Shim’a, Israel) were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

DeVoss helped anchor the Denver defense to hold Omaha to a goalless game and prevented Omaha from reaching making a single shot on target. Akamatsu had Denver’s only goal in the final.

Stensson assisted on Denver’s lone goal against Eastern Illinois and helped create several opportunities in the game against Omaha. Perez also assisted on Denver’s goal against Eastern Illinois and has been a force to be reckoned with in the mid-field.

“I am just really proud of my team, just the way that they have grown all season,” said Jamie Franks, Head Coach of the Pioneers. He continues, “The mission is to bring your best every day and that’s all we ask for of the kids.” Looking back on last years lost to Omaha, Franks said, “This is what should fuel us in the offseason and they didn’t best us, they tied and advanced on penalty kicks. For us, we just want to right the wrong and we did that today.”

Looking towards the

NCAA tournament, Franks stated, “It is about getting better, tomorrow is an off day but they need to get better, watch film, take care of their bodies, etc. We never lose focus of that and we always try to play the next play. It’s just about growing and it’s more about us.”

“Every older guy comes in with a mission and that’s to leave the place in a better spot from when they found it, and for all of my seniors, they can proudly say that’s that what they have done. To be able to have the success we have on the field with the championships but then to be able to when the gold vest four of the past five years, have the top GPA for the past three years in the country, these kids are student athletes and for me, it means everything because it is the result of all their hard work,” said Franks when reflecting on his senior class.

Denver learned its seeding for the NCAA Tournament on Monday, Nov. 12. They earn a bye in the first round and will host the winner of the Air Force and Central Arkansas on Sunday at 3 p.m., MST. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday at 9 a.m., MST. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer

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Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

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SPORTS | 7

Women’s Soccer drops in NCAA Tournament to Arizona

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he Denver Women’s Soccer team capped off a strong season with their second trip to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament in two years. Their 13-6-2 season was their winningest season since the 2013 season where Denver went 18-2-1.

Denver kept the game close

up until the second half, keeping Arizona on its feet in the first half. Freshman Samantha Feller (Grand Junction, Colo.) saw Denver’s best chance in the 42nd minute after receiving a long ball past the defense. Feller managed to beat the Arizona goalkeeper but had her shot deflected by an Arizona defender.

Arizona’s first goal of the game came in 53rd minute.

Arizona’s goal ended Denver’s shutout streak that began after a win on Oct. 11 against Purdue Fort Wayne at 536 minutes. In that time, Denver had outscored their opponents 14-0.

Arizona scored again in the 57th minute from just outside

the penalty area. They scored from the penalty spot in the 74th minute to bring the score to 3-0.

DU concluded their season on a high note, and look toward to starting next season strong.

Hannah Branit | Sports Editor

The Clarion Crossword: Week 10 Need some help? Visit duclarion.com for the answer key.

Chelsie Fincher | Clarion

ACROSS 5. Bird, lower your head!

7. Winter is smashing time for DU 9. Zone for drones 11. Frenzied desire 13. This or that?

14. Shoemaker’s latest model 15. Place that’s buzzing 18. Lose one’s feathers 19. Soundboard slider 20. State of stupor 22. Proton particle 24. Path of the swallow 27. Key’s friend

30. It’s bound to have maps 31. Fruit for two, we hear 32. Recovered gambler?

34. President’s support for education 36. Where you take turns 37. Somersault 38. Play-but cheat!

41. Scary or sporty 42. Growth of Brussels?

44. Marine mammal on a mission 45. Lethargic guard 56. Place for icicles

DOWN 1. The friar stores it away 2. Rocker setting 3. Could it be played by ear?

4. Palindromic flatbread 6. Devise an opening 8. Tarzan’s transport 9. Dressed leaves 10. Nicer children in Essen 12. A tree “poplar” with beavers 13. Humor woman or perish 16. Patience, for example 17. ”F” on an exam 21. Lower than mezzo 23. Earl Grey’s kin

25. Goes with totter 26. Annoy, irritate 28. Rugged rock 29. Mess a mane

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OPINIONS | 9

PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:

What are you looking forward to this winter break?

“I’m looking forward to finally being able to sleep.”

“Probably Christmas. There is this ranch near my house with a special Christmas celebration.”

Kai Velagapudi, third year

Grace Bergacker, first year

“I’m actually doing an interterm class in India so that’s pretty exciting.”

“Seeing loved ones, seeing my girlfriend, working out and playing games.”

Sarah Svendahl, second year

Mitch Bencie, second year

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The Google walkout: A dismantling of Silicon Valley

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n the first of November, in more than 50 cities around the world that ranged from Singapore to New York City to Tokyo, 20,000 Google employees walked out of their offices as an act of protest against “sexual harassment, misconduct, lack of transparency and a workplace that doesn’t work for everyone.”

Initially expecting only 1500, it is estimated that the organizers, operating under the name “Google Walkout for Real Change,” were able to mobilize 24 percent of the company’s workforce.

That day, they were working towards enlisting five demands: 1) an end to forced arbitration that prevents employees from seeking legal action in cases of harassment and discrimination, 2) a commitment to end pay and opportunity inequity, 3) a publicly disclosed sexual harassment transparency report, 4) a clear, uniform, globally inclusive process for reporting sexual misconduct safely and anonymously and 5) to have the Chief Diversity Officer answer directly to the CEO and to have an employee representative on the board of directors.

While the protests were spurred by a report The New York Times put out a week before on the company’s silent dealings with top-level employees accused of sexual conduct, the unrest that lies within Google’s workforce had been building for months.

In July of last year, now former Google engineer James Damore put out a memo discussing how gender inequality in the workplace could be attributed to “biology” and “personality differences.” Then, last fall, both Google employees and the Department of

Labor filed lawsuits against the company that alleged women were unfairly being paid less than their male counterparts.

These precursors made it so when it came out that Andy Rubin—the head of the team that pioneered Android—had left the company with 90 million dollars after sexual misconduct claims were found to be credible, there

Swiftly, the teams that had been praised as some of the most efficient in the world of technology and business assembled together to bring attention and garner support for their cause.

“All employees and contract workers across the company deserve to be safe,” the organizers wrote in a column for The Cut. “Sadly, the executive team

Photo courtesy of The New York Times

was a global uproar from Google’s employees.

Rubin was one of three executives named in the report who had sexual misconduct claims made against him but had been allowed to continue working or had left with large sums of cash.

In all cases, the company had kept these claims silent from the public and their workers, and the executives went on to find work at other major Silicon Valley companies.

has demonstrated through their lack of meaningful action that our safety is not a priority.”

Soon after, Google released a statement, pledging their commitment to follow through with several of the demands such as ending forced arbitration and being more transparent with sexual harassment reports. The workers, though, remain unsatisfied with this, and they are continuing talks with executives.

“The company must address issues of systemic racism and discrimination, including pay equity and rates of promotion,” the organizers wrote on Medium.

“Sexual harassment is the symptom, not the cause. If we want to end sexual harassment in the workplace, we must fix these structural imbalances of power.”

The success these protests have found are not only indicative of the power workers hold when they band together, but of the potential for the entire patriarchal culture of Silicon Valley and big business to be dismantled.

Over the past year, large companies such as Uber and McDonald’s have also been accused in the past of being incompetent when approaching gender inequality in the workplace. With the rise of the #MeToo movement, more and more employees have come out with their own accounts of injustice, and the number of people #GoogleWalkout was able to reach has made the organizers hopeful that their movement can pioneer change throughout the whole technology industry.

As Meredith Whittaker, the organizer of the event, put it while addressing a crowd of demonstrators in New York City: “What you read in The New York Times is a small sampling of the thousands of stories we all have, the thousands of stories we carry for each other, the thousands of instances of abuse of power, discrimination, harassment and a pattern of unethical and thoughtless decision-making that has marked this company for the last year and that has marked our culture and scarred so many of us.”

Kiana Marsan | Contributing Writer

All aboard, next stop: The future

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Roads? Where we are going we don’t need roads.”

These famous words by the beloved Doc Brown in “Back To The Future” may soon become a reality with Colorado’s proposed hyperloop.

The hyperloop backed by Virgin Hyperloop is projected to create immense profits and growth for Colorado. Their design is a “pod encased in a vacuum-sealed tube” that will ship people off at

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

speeds of up to 700 mph. Arrivo, a similar company, is creating their own hyperloop that makes use of a “combination of magnetic levitation and electric propulsion,” but it will not be nearly as fast as Virgin Hyperloop’s design. This technology will cut travel times all around Colorado in half. Those who oppose the hyperloop cite safety concerns and expenses, but they ignore the economic effects

it could have. The hyperloop debate is one of futurization versus apprehension.

The hyperloop will greatly reduce travel times between cities and generate tons of revenue. It is projected to create upwards of two billion dollars a year. It will be able to ship people off at speeds of 700 mph.

A trip from Pueblo to Denver will go from an hour and 45-minute drive to a 15-minute ride. It is expected to handle as many as 45 million trips in a year. The building and operation of the hyperloop will create hundreds of jobs in Colorado, and with its completion create a quick and easy way to move goods and people all around Colorado.

Those who oppose the hyperloop claim that the cost is too great and it is too dangerous.

The cost would, in fact, be pretty large. It is estimated to cost as much as 24 billion dollars. However, if it can actually create two billion dollars a year then that 24 billion can be paid off in a

mere 12 years. Safety concerns obviously arise when someone proposes to ship people at 700 mph in a vacuum sealed tunnel, but concerns also arose when someone proposed that we send a man to the moon. Technology will progress, and while safety is important, it cannot halt the future. By the time it is ready in 2040, it will have gone through countless safety inspections and tests that will prove its viability as an everyday transport system.

When it comes to the hyperloop debate, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.

An influx of cash will flood Colorado due to its construction and operation. The large state of Colorado will be traversed in mere minutes, making it very easy to move goods and people. This technology almost seems like a pipe dream, but it is a reality that could soon grace this great state.

Jake Gloth | Contributing Writer

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OPINIONS | 1 1

Colorado’s lesson in partisanship

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oday it feels as though the only thing Americans can agree on in politics is that we are ostensibly too polarized to agree. We no longer fight wars on battlefields, but on Twitter with other Americans in a less bloody and dramatic Civil War 2, where bullet magazines have been reduced to 280 characters.

The nation is deeply divided, and it has parties on all sides looking for a solution to the issue; however, an opinion article by The New York Times believes that our long awaited solution might lie in the state of Colorado, and the nation need only pay more attention to its political climate to learn a few lessons.

For the past few decades, Colorado has been regarded as a “purple state” in elections, meaning that it has voted both red and blue and is up for grabs by both parties. Along party lines, the state remains geographically majority red, but majority blue by population (although unaffiliated voters outnumber both).

The blue core stems largely from Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins, with all other rural parts and the front range leaning deep red. Colorado also happens to be the birthplace of the Libertarian party, with many still subscrib-

ing to its principles. All of this should say that there is heavy political conflict within the state, except there really isn’t.

Like any other state, there is still disagreement between individuals, but Colorado has created an environment where such disagreement doesn’t always lead to fights, but rather healthy discourse. As the New York Times article mentions in an interview with now former Democratic governor John Hickenlooper: “In the West, I think there is an inclination, almost an instinct, to sit down with people you disagree with and sort of sort through.”

It was figured out long ago in Colorado that in an environment with so many political views, politicians simply cannot afford to bicker over every minute detail or ignore other parties; if that were the case, nothing would ever get done in this state. Instead, political leaders of all parties were forced to sit down at tables and actually candidly discuss policy, trying to focus on similarities over differences, and the result was a state that has peacefully transitioned between both parties election after election. Since Colorado became a state, it has elected 23 Democratic governors, 19

Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis

Republican governors and even 1 independent; bipartisanship, peaceful transitions and political compromise have simply become the norm in Colorado.

When I say “peacefully transition,” I don’t mean peace in the sense of military conflict, but peace as in contentment.

The U.S. “peacefully transitions” between parties every election without coup d’états, but often a large portion of the country is passionately dissatisfied with the outcome. In Colorado, people may not always agree with the outcome, but they will find a way to live with it and wait until the next election, a lesson others could learn from.

Colorado might not be a knight in shining armor that will

dramatically ride in to save the nation, but I think it is a solid, practical role model of a world where polarization doesn’t have to be the norm. Believe it or not, it is conceivable to sit down and break bread, and all it takes is a slight shift in mindset.

If Colorado were to force other states to sit down in single file desks and learn about partisanship, its lesson would be this: collaboration is not bad; Republicans are not the enemy, nor Democrats, nor any other; our existence is not mutually exclusive. The lesson isn’t a new revelation, but something that might benefit everyone to be reminded of.

Robert Corl | Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis

Are white nationalists terrorists?

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Photo courtesy of The New York Times

ue to the heightened hysteria surrounding terrorists from Islamic states, the U.S. has failed to recognize the terrorists dwelling on our own land: white nationalists. Interestingly enough, alt-right white supremacists pose a greater threat to American safety than foreign terrorists, yet the government will not call them terrorists.

First, let’s see why white nationalists should be referred to as terrorists. According to the English Oxford Dictionary, “A

[terrorist is a] person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.”

This group definitely has the unlawful violence and intimidation down. Heidi Beirich, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center which tracks extremist groups, noted that white supremacists advocate for ethnic cleansing and genocide of all nonwhites.

If that isn’t disturbing enough, there is a book called “The Turner Diaries” written by a

white supremacist, and it is a fictional account of an underground white supremacist army that overthrows the U.S. government. There is also a chapter in it called “The Day of the Rope” that entails the mass lynching of thousands of nonwhites.

They envision a world where the political power is in the hands of white people, and where all civil rights are stripped from anyone not caucasian. It’s also difficult to see where women fall in this vision. White supremacists are overwhelmingly male.

They are politically motivated. These supremacists aim to end non-white immigration in an attempt to attain and keep their racial dominance. A common frame of thought for them is paleoconservatism: an anti-interventionist branch of libertarianism that strives to restrict immigration, disassemble social welfare programs, reverse multicultural programs and limit the government.

There are terrorist acts committed by white supremacists that clearly fall into the category

of terrorism. To name a few violent acts, in 2017, these terrorists fatally stabbed two men that were defending a 16 year old Muslim in Oregon. A black student was stabbed at the University of Maryland, and a 66 year old black man was stabbed in New York.

According to NBC News, 18 out of the 34 U.S. extremist-related deaths in 2017 were committed by white supremacists, and only 9 out of 34 were from Islamic extremists. American citizens pose a greater threat to the public rather than foreigners.

Nobody wants to hear that it’s their own people that pose the greatest threat, but it’s true. The definition of a terrorist doesn’t correspond to a particular race and/or religion. Let’s actually analyze what makes a terrorist based off of its definition. White supremacists are terrorists— the U.S. government must consider them as such.

Megan Cooney | Contributing Writer

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D.V. Alias Khryst redefining “Made in China” with new distribution tactics

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or an aspiring musician, sitting down with a rapper who signed with a Def Jam label is an opportunity. The fact he went on to start his own record label and is focusing on passing on his knowledge to younger musicians is icing on the cake.

It’s likely you haven’t heard of D.V. Alias Khryst – he’ll say so himself. He has, however, had significant success just out of the spotlight in the rap world.

“I’m a pretty humble dude, so I don’t assume anybody knows who I am,” said Khryst.

“I’m kind of like Supreme clothing line; only the hipsters kinda really know.”

In the mid ’90s, Khryst came onto the scene with Trigga the Gambler and Smoothe da Hustler. The three Brooklyn natives were thrust into a much bigger scene together through their label No Doubt (Def Jam). He’s worked with Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre and many others.

However, Khryst’s label didn’t move forward with his projects with any real urgency, and now that he’s calling the shots, he finds more value breaking new ground, even if it’s with an old medium.

“I have distributors who work with my digital, and I am also working with a company who normally only deals with DVDs – the music thing for them is new,” said Khryst.

He convinced a DVD supplier to distribute his latest CD, meaning a new distribution

channel opened up. (I missed it myself that DVD is separate from CD, that “album” could also be a DVD.) “I challenged them to distribute a CD, and the result now is I’m getting exposure being on sale at Best Buy and Target and Barnes and Noble next to Kendrick Lamar. I’m on my own; that kind of leverage is big for me.”

But Khryst is looking past physical albums – it’s not on the rise. While compact discs were once 95 percent of the massive music industry, it is now dwarfed by streaming income, which is about half of total music revenue. Again, when Khryst is trying to amplify is own work, he focuses on a non-traditional channel. In this case, the online Chinese rap scene.

“I‘ve been traveling the world for some years now – China’s a place that I‘ve never been,” said Khryst. “Watching them embrace the new music, even if it’s taboo, or forbidden, sometimes a risk for them to even enjoy.”

Khryst is on traditional streaming services in North America, but the massive Chinese market is a closed system: it has its own streaming and social media sites. That needed a different entry method to access those 750 million online music consumers. Sites like QQ Music, Kuwo Music and Qianqian are the dominant streaming platforms, but most English music isn’t available unless they make the effort to appear on them.

“I hear through a friend

there’s a way to get in now – online, with videos. After I set it up I’m folding my arms: is this a B.S. lane to put things through, or is this the real China experience?” Khryst was referring to his Chinese digital distributor, Musicinfo.io. “I had four hundred views, next morning I have ten thousand. Next morning I have a hundred and ten thousand.”

Juri Kobayashi at Musicinfo says the demand is real, and a real opportunity for independent artists.

“China is kind of a closed culture, but the youth are very much a part of a huge movement to bring in new flavors, new sounds, and those are often in English,” said Kobayashi.

“The good news is that nowadays, three out of five artists are independent artists in China.

Not so much of a major label stranglehold there.”

Khryst picked a provider who allowed him to keep 100 percent of his royalties, and one who would promote his music in China, not just upload it and forget about it. For all of his projects, he stresses that outreach to his fan base is critical; that goes double for students, who may only have a handful of loyal fans.

“Not everybody can make music that speaks to the world – you have to say, ‘Okay I got this amount of people who always like my stuff,’ I don’t care if it’s ten people,” said Khryst. “You gotta make those people feel special. Nicki Minaj did a great

job of this...I watched her career go from where it wasn’t to where it is. She gave her fans their own name. She made them special.”

Khryst looks back at his path –one that puts him in both the department stores and streaming in a country that often supplies those department stores.

“I feel blessed to be putting out hooks and singles. It’s a blessing – I feel blessed and humble. I am the quintessential hybrid artist, a mixture of the old and the new,” said Khryst.

His style is making waves in the mainstream as well, getting noticed by mainstream hip-hop artists. “Tracey Lee hit me up in a message, telling me, ‘Congratulations on being in one of the dopest markets of the world.’

That’s pretty cool.”

Adam Faber | Contributing Writer

The perfect cannabis playlist for a relaxing day

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playlist that pairs perfectly with any cannabis experience.

“Violent Crimes” - Kanye West “Is This Love” - Bob Marley and The Wailers “Driving to Hawaii” - Summer Salt “Sativa” - Jhene Aiko and Swae Lee “Sunday” - Maddy Wood$ “Nights” - Frank Ocean “Reborn” - KIDS SEE GHOSTS “Topanga” - Trippie Redd “Dark Knight Dummo” Trippie Redd and Travis Scott “66” - Lil Yachty and Trippie Redd “Black & White” - Juice WRLD “Mo Bamba” - Sheck Wes “Tell Your Friends” - The Weeknd

“A Fine Way to Die” - GRiZ and Leo Napier “Giant Mouse” - AC Slater and Chris Lorenzo “Can’t You See” - The Marshall Tucker Band “Waste Away” - blackbear and Devon Baldwin

“High” - Young Thug and Elton John “Peak” - Drake “Ocean eyes” - Billie Eilish “Unbound” - Asgeir “Galileo” - Super Duper “So It Goes” - Mac Miller “Super Rich Kids” - Frank

Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt “Across the Sky” Rythmatical “Drop the Game” - Flume and Chet Faker “Crazy Rap” - Afroman “Know Yourself” - Drake “20 Joints” - Berner “Japanese Denim” - Daniel Caesar “Photosynthesis” - Saba and Jean Deaux “Foreplay” - Jalen Santoy “Redbone” - Childish Gambino “Company” - Drake and Travis Scott Check out our playlist on Spotify on the DU Clarion website.

Rebecca Shagrin | Contributing Writer