MONTAGE
The
Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964 • ACP Award Recipient VOLUME 56, ISSUE 4
WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
DECEMBER 3, 2020
STLCC Meramec Choir Adjusts to COVID in Unexpected Ways
‘Doing our best with this for as long as we have to’
C
barak alder news editor
OVID-19 has changed college life, especially for students who continue attending inperson classes. Students of the STLCC Meramec concert choir, who previously had their class unrestricted by CDC guidelines, began facing unfamiliar public safety precautions. These restrictions included mandates that they wear masks at all times while on-campus, mandates that they sing no less than 10 feet apart, and mandates that they practice for no more than 30 minutes at a time. These safety precautions posed technical challenges for the singers as well, said Dr. Gerald C. Myers, the Director of Choral Activities at STLCC Meramec. “It was challenging, especially the choir rehearsals early in the semester,” he said, adding “I’d say [for] the first few weeks, everyone was a little frustrated.” For one, masks challenged singers’ diction, since it muffled their voices. However, to help remedy this issue, STLCC eventually purchased what are called singers’ masks, which according to Myers, “fit around the face and down the chin more than a typical mask” and “protrude away from the lips.” Social distancing also prevented timid singers from building up their confidence as easily, said Myers. “Young singers are typically timid anyway. But
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN PURL, STLCC Dr. Jerry Myers and THE MERAMEC chior practicE outside while following CDC guidelines, wearing a mask AND PRACTICING SOCIA DISTANCING.
when normally in a rehearsal I would discover a new singer timid, I would put strong singers around that person… and that would encourage that more timid singer to sing out....But I can’t do that when I have to keep singers 10 feet apart,” he said. The time restraint, limiting rehearsals to 30 minutes at a time, also prevented the group from learning as many pieces as they normally would, he said. “We just had to accept in the beginning that we’re not going to learn 12 pieces for a concert, when we’re only rehearsing a half hour at a time, two
days a week,” said Myers. Yet, students have generally handled these changes well, he said. “Students have been very resilient,” and “they really adjusted well and overcame the challenges.” Myers, in fact, suggested that these mandates, like mask requirements, have somewhat helped his singers develop their technique. “I have taught for many, many years...having singers imagine if they had something covering their mouth, and so instead of thinking about singing out through the mouth, you would imagine singing over this, into
what we call the singers mask, the eyes and the nasal cavity...where you resonate sound. So I told the choir... let’s take advantage of this mask. Now, I want you to imagine singing over it... and I did find that they developed that resonance quicker this semester than ever before,” he said. In spite of the positives, the experience has still been far from ideal, said Myers. “In conversations with other directors, I haven’t yet found anyone who has really adjusted or wanted to adjust to this. It’s just doing our best with this for as long as we have to.”
STLCC athletic teams prepare for spring seasons Coaches Weigh in on Struggles With the Pandemic ashley biundo editor-in-chief The COVID-19 pandemic has changed sports this semester and the NJCAA has moved all fall sports into the spring semester. According to the STLCC Archer’s website, “Men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball will all have to wait until the spring to begin their primary seasons. Baseball and softball’s seasons will also be played in the spring as in previous years. Volleyball, along with men’s and men’s basketball, will begin their seasons in January. Baseball and softball will kick off their 2021 campaigns in February, photos by: Ashley Biundo
while men’s and women’s soccer will wait until April before starting game competition.” The pre-season was cut short in November due to rising cases of COVID-19. There may be changes in the spring semester due to cases and the pandemic. Baseball head coach, Scott Goodrich said that in January they may not have everyone at practice due to being indoors. “We are overly cautious,” he said. “We are excited with the group of players. [We] have a good group coming back. We have some transferring and [first years]. [We] think we will do very well this season. [We’re] having a successful season.”
Continued on p.8
YOU’VE STARTED HERE AT
ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE MERAMEC NOW COMPLETE YOUR JOURNEY AT
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY!
APPLY TODAY! LINDENWOOD.EDU/ADMISSIONS REAL EXPERIENCE. REAL SUCCESS.
NEWS 3
December 3, 2020
EDITORS ASHLEY BIUNDO
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JACOB POLITTE
ONLINE EDITOR
MARY WILSON
OPINIONS EDITOR
BARAK ADLER
NEWS EDITOR
How does STLCC allocate student activity fees? Meramec administrators weigh in •
Mary wilson opinions editor
STAFF EARNIE BRADLEY ANDREW CROWDUS JOHN HUNDLEY
Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
Facebook.com/ meramecmontage/
Instagram.com “meramecmontage”
Youtube.com “montagelax”
THE MONTAGE To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., at 314-984-7857. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. One copy of The Montage is free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager. Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.
Proud member of
www.MeramecMontage.com
W
hen a student enrolls at a St. Louis Community College campus, fees include an activity fee and a technology fee. According to the STLCC website, “costs include a $6.50 activity fee and $11 technology fee per credit hour.” Carolyn O’Laughlin, manager of Campus Life at the Meramec Campus, said that activity fee funds can be used for a “variety of things.” O’Laughlin pointed out that in addition to purchases like “t-shirts, pizza, retreats [and] speakers,” the student activity fee also covers auxiliary fees, like parking lot maintenance, athletics and the U-Pass. The Student Activities Budget Committee, a committee of at least 50% students, goes through budget requests and decides how much funding each activity gets, said O’Laughlin. According to the enrollment report available on STLCC’s website,for the fall 2020 semester, all STLCC campuses had a total of 15,206 students. Of those, 5,411 students are considered full-time (taking 12 or more credit hours per semester), and 9,795 are part-time students. The minutes from the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of St. Louis Community College on Thursday, Oct., 2019, (the most recent relevant data from minutes) claim that for every $6.50 charge, the funds will be allocated as follows: • $1 to auxiliary enterprises fund for the retirement of revenue bonds and maintenance of student centers. • $2.50 for the support of public safety, pedestrian and traffic access, emergency loans and for public transportation passes for students in credit bearing classes. [The U-Pass]
$3 for college activities—the first $200,000 collected for college activities will be designated as general revenue to support student athletics. According to the board meeting minutes, this section was deleted in November of 2019. From the board meeting on June 25, 2020, the college activity fees for the year ending June 30, 2021, totaled $766,623. This is a change from fiscal year 2020, when the student activity fee total was $1,044,027, a difference of $277,404. This corresponds to a drop in enrollment from the fall 2019 semester, when all STLCC campuses had a total of 17,924 students. These numbers are taken from the Fall 2019 enrollment report, publicly available on the STLCC website. “When enrollment is down, our funding is down,” O’Laughlin said. “It’s dollar for dollar student enrollment.” Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, classes have been moved to primarily online format. In addition, many of the activities mentioned, such as pizza parties and retreats, are now not possible due to COVID-19 guidelines. Keith Robinder, Campus Vice President of Student Affairs, said that student fees were not reduced in correlation with the pandemic.
“[The fees] are set by the board of trustees,” Robinder said. Robinder said that the fees “are really meant to be used to provide activities to connect with one another and to pursue their goals as a club or organization.” Although in-person events may not be possible, Robinder and O’Laughlin both said that Campus Life and the Student Governance Council are working to try to involve students in virtual events. “We have a series of events that were district wide to provide activities over Zoom…Student Governance Council at Meramec has hosted a couple of [virtual] paint parties,” Robinder said. “The staff at Campus Life is planning a thematic series of events and activities that are primarily virtual for spring.” O’Laughlin encouraged students to look into joining the Student Activities Budget Committee. “I would encourage students to look for what options there are. We’re always trying to add more…We definitely want students to be aware of what the events and activities are, and if they have ideas or want to help us create a campus life that is virtual, but still has those elements of what the college experience is. We’re always open to student feedback and student participation,” Robinder said.
News Briefs
STLCC RECEIVES $1 MILLION FOR JOBS INITIATIVE
STLCC has announced a partnership with Bank of America to assist students of color with completing training and education necessary to enter the workforce. This $1million jobs initiative partnership is part of Bank of America’s $1 billion, fouryear commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity, in addition to the bank’s $25 million commitment to enhance reskilling and upskilling for Hispanic-Latino and African American individuals. With support from Bank of America, STLCC will expand outreach
to minority communities in St. Louis and increase internship opportunities in order to meet specific skills gaps creating higher paying, familysustaining jobs that are in demand.
STLCC’S SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE FOR GHANA STLCC human services and addiction studies is collecting school supplies through Dec. 7 to benefit students who attend The Star Primary School and Seven Kings School of Odumase-Krobo Regio in Ghana, West Africa. Donation boxes are at STLCCFlorissant Valley and STLCC-Forest Park bookstores.
STLCC-FOREST PARK COMMEMORATIVE BRICKS AVAILABLE
After opening an all-new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, the Forest Park campus demolished towers A and B. Students, staff and community members can now own a part of history. The college has salvaged 300 bricks from the demolition, currently for sale for $53 to $253 to support the STLCC Foundation. Find more details on the STLCC Commemorative Brick website at https://stlcc.edu/about/foundation/ brick.aspx or email the foundation at foundation@stlcc.edu.
4 ART & LIFE
December 3, 2020
“The Broken Heart Of America” is the Gateway to the West Walter Johnson’s latest book explores the racial divide in St. Louis from the 1800’s to present day.
I
JAcob politte Online editor
t’s fair to say that St. Louis is one of the most violent cities in the United States, a country that has consistently found itself in riot after riot, year after year. Statistics back that up. In “The Broken Heart Of America” author Walter Johnson explores how the racial divide that America finds itself in is actually rooted in St. Louis’ history from the very beginnings of the city. For those unfamiliar with the author, Johnson, a white man, was born in 1967 in the city of Columbia, Missouri and traveled to St. Louis often in his youth. He is a historian that holds degrees from Amherst College, the University of Cambridge and Princeton University. He has also taught at New York University and Harvard University. His work here is an uncomfortable read, and that’s exactly as it was intended to be. In the book, he paints quite the history lesson, beginning in earnest with the aftermath of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and building up to the unrest in Ferguson following the officer-involved death of Michael Brown. In 442 pages and 13 chapters, Johnson weaves local history together, piece by piece, and makes
the argument that the longstanding racial tensions, especially in the last century, are directly tied to the rise of capitalism and corporations in the area. Of course, everyone will have a different take on that issue, but Johnson makes a compelling argument that the two go hand-in-hand. What makes the book fascinating more than anything else is just how much history is detailed. Of course, major events are covered, but lesser-known historical locations and events, like the history of Jefferson Barracks, the Black Hawk War of 1832, and other lesser-known incidents are also covered in great detail. Johnson does not mince words when criticizing historical figures like William Clark, Thomas Hart Benton, Andrew Jackson and others. That may be off-putting to some, but he does cite his sources to back up his claims. Overall, “The Broken Heart of America” is a fascinating read, although some of its chapters may not appeal to those who are not history aficionados or don’t like long chapters. It is a mature read, and some may not be able to finish it quickly, as the material is a lot to process. But it is an important read, and vital to understanding how we have gotten to the point we have.
Webster University is ready for you! • Student-centered. Small classes, personalized learning experiences and dedicated faculty support student success. • High quality, flexible education. Offering classes in four modalities to ensure safety and quality are of equal importance. • Ease of transfer. Community college transfer guides, generous transfer credit policies and friendly staff will assist your transfer. • Transfer scholarships. Webster offers competitive academic scholarships and many other financial aid options to make a private education affordable. Text WEBSTER to 75644 to request more info Virtual Transfer Info Sessions: Tuesdays at 10 a.m. or Thursdays at 3 p.m. webster.edu/transfer admit@webster.edu • 314-246-7800
Web Web U_Meramec_1203.indd U_Meramec_1105.indd 11
11/17/20 10/21/20 12:53 11:38 PM AM
December 3, 2020
ART & LIFE 5
Six Ways To Avoid Political Arguments It’s that time of year again
JAcob politte Online editor It’s that time of year when election season is (mostly) over and some people in your family are really pissed off. Many people in your family may be supporters of Donald Trump. They are very much not happy, or even optimistic now. While many people are ecstatic at the results of the election (shout-out to Kamala Harris for breaking three glass ceilings at once), many aren’t. When you celebrate the holidays with your own family, you’re bound to have at least a few supporters of the opposing side around you. How do you avoid making a scene? Here are six ways, in no particular order:
Attempt to change the subject Another tactic to avoid political discussion is to simply attempt to move the conversation away from politics. Something like, “this year has been exhausting, let’s talk about something a little less polarizing. Like puppies. Everyone loves puppies.” Or something like, “Hey, I really like that show The Blacklist, I think you would too.” Not every conversation needs to be a political one.
Don’t go
Know your crowd
Do not engage in discussion
This is the easiest thing to do. Spending time with your family is important, but if you don’t want to hear your Uncle talk about Sean Hannity’s conspiracy board after one too many Bud Light’s… it’s perfectly fine to do something else with your time. I usually work every holiday, especially because I usually get overtime pay for doing so.
Perhaps the most tactful way to handle this situation is to simply know who and who not to talk to. If Aunt Brittney insists on telling everyone how great Jeannie Pirro is (Aunt Brittney hopefully won’t say that sober), avoid talking to Aunt Brittney. Find someone at the event whose views are more in line with yours.
Sometimes, however, political talk is unavoidable. Some people can’t help themselves. Engaging with those people, however, is not a requirement. Sometimes, it’s easier just letting them vent their feelings. If your cousin, who is a Republican only because his parents told him he had to be one, insists on telling you all about Ben Shapiro’s latest video, let him. Just do your best not to listen.
Agree to disagree
Set neutral ground rules
In order to prevent an argument from getting heated, it might be for the best to be honest, but respectful. Saying something like, “I have a different opinion, but I understand where you’re coming from” can go a long way to diffuse an argument.
It might be a good idea, especially if you’re hosting a party, to be very clear with everyone up front: no political discussions are allowed. If you’re visiting a party, it might also be something to inform the hosts about.
What to do during the holidays amidst COVID-19 ashley biundo editor-in-chief The holiday season can be a stressful time, whether you’re trying to find the perfect gift for family and friends, getting ready to celebrate, putting up lights, baking or lighting candles. This year is a little different and may be even more stressful during a pandemic. But, you can still keep the traditions alive. Here are some things you can do during the holidays while staying safe. CELEBRATE VIRTUALLY. According to April Wilson, MD, MPH, FACPM, preventive medicine specialist and Loma Linda University School of Medicine department chair,“Consider hosting a celebration virtually through online meeting or phone video platforms. You can even prepare food for family and friends and deliver it without person-toperson contact before the party. Not able to cook and deliver? Wilson suggests an alternative of ordering food from your family’s favorite restaurant and having it delivered.” There’s ZOOM, Houseparty app (although, that is a limit on the amount of people in one party) and many more apps and websites you can choose.
CELEBRATE WITH A SMALL GATHERING Follow CDC guidelines to keep the risks of COVID-19 at a low. Celebrate with a small gathering of less than 10 people. Some may choose to quarantine before the festivities to keep the risk low, especially if they are asymptomatic.
GO TO EVENTS There are still holiday events going on with strict guidelines. The St. Louis Zoo has their “Wild Lights” display every night from 5-8:30pm until Jan. 2. Tickets are required and can be purchased online. Masks are required also. There are also drive-thru holiday lights events in places all around town, like Grant’s Farm for example.
FIND NEW HOLIDAYS TO CELEBRATE COVID-19 has stressed people out, but doesn’t mean you still can’t have fun. Find new things to do and celebrate. Take up baking and bake new treats. There are websites and apps you can use to find new ways to cook. Do experiments. There are also other virtual ways to celebrate the holidays. Healthline suggests, “For those with kids who will miss getting to see Santa, check out JingleRing.com which allows you to schedule a live or prerecorded virtual call with Ol’ St. Nick. Honestly, it’s kind of better than waiting in line to sit on a random guy’s lap anyway.” Also check out this website to find fun, lesser known holidays to celebrate, www. timeanddate.com/holidays. For example, Dec. 12 is Gingerbread House Day, so it may be a fun idea to have a virtual GingerbreadHouse making contest with family and friends. The most important thing, above all else, is to stay positive. We will get through this.
A T
M E R A M E C
The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **
COURSES
MUS 101,102,201,202 MUS 103 MUS 113 MUS 114 MUS 115,116 MUS 121,122,221,222 MUS 128 MUS 130 MUS 138,139,216 MUS 141,142,241,242 MUS 150 MUS 152 MUS 154 MUS 211,212
Join the Team Virtual Meetings every Tuesday at 4 PM
Music Theory I,II,III,IV Basic Music History of Jazz Music Appreciation Class Voice I,II Class Piano I,II,III,IV History of Rock Music Beginning Guitar Jazz Improvisation I,II,III Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV Fundamentals of Music Technology Audio Engineering Music Recording with ProTools I Music History I,II
Interested in performing in an ensemble? All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required! MUS131, 132 and 134 are CORE42 performance courses!
ENSEMBLES
Music 131 – Concert Choir Music 132 – Orchestra Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 138 – Jazz Improvisation All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers.
For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638
Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu for more information.
December 3, 2020
OPINIONS 7
Jake’s Take: An Indictment If Republicans won’t call it like it is, I certainly will
P
jacob politte online editor
resident Donald J. Trump is on his way out. He lost the 2020 Presidential Election, fair and square. There is absolutely no evidence of voter fraud, and the recounts will produce the exact same result as the first time around. This isn’t a Bush/Gore situation; the votes aren’t nearly that close. If anyone expects the Supreme Court to overturn the election results, they are living in a fantasy. The election will not be overturned, and come Jan. 20, he will be gone, exiled from the White House, hopefully forever. And that is an extremely good thing. There are so many horrible things about Donald Trump and what that he represents. The ramifications of his one term in office will be felt for generations to come. It will take years to undo the damage it caused… if some of that damage can be undone at all. When you are the president in charge of a country, your words matter. They matter just as much as your actions do. Words are powerful. They are meaningful, and they have an effect on everything. Donald Trump is always irresponsible, and often hateful with his words. His words have hurt so many people both indirectly and directly, and have inspired others to incite violence. He never attempted to unify the country one time. The media isn’t out to get him, but because they report on how poor he is at his job, and try to ask questions he doesn’t feel like answering, he attacks them. That is a very bad, and dangerous thing. Discrediting the valid work of actual, honest journalists (reporters, not political commentators) while praising ones with an obvious agenda that benefits him means that no one knows what to believe. An uninformed nation is a weak one. He refuses to take responsibility for his failures, especially in regards to the COVID pandemic in particular. As a president and a politician in general, you have to be able to compromise to get things done. Donald Trump never wanted to compromise, and that made him immature and pathetic in the eyes of the world. No one ever took him seriously but American citizens, and that’s only because we had to. We’re the only people he ever actually affected. And he refuses to take responsibility for any of his poor actions, of which there were many. As someone who was raised in a church, Donald Trump represents everything I was taught not to be. He is a liar, an adulterer and a predator. He’s broken almost every commandment. He is a genuinely horrible person, and I cannot wrap my head around Christians that have lost sight of that. It’s not like these things he’s done are purely speculation. They’re on tape. They are recorded. There are witnesses to all of it. He said them all and did them all and refused to take responsibility for any of it. And most of them voted for him anyway. I may not go to church anymore but even I know that is not what God would approve of. There is no Bible verse or story or sermon that makes any bad thing he ever did OK, especially when he continued to do the same things over and over. The fact that over 70 million people voted for him, in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic he actively chose to do nothing to prevent, is absolutely mind-boggling to me. Over 70 million people voted for a fascist and that is legitimately terrifying. And make no mistake about it, Donald Trump is a fascist. If you study any world history textbook and look at information about infamous fascist leaders, you’ll notice some uncomfortable, disturbing parallels: the emphasis on military power above all else; the attempts to suppress voters, especially those of minorities; the problematic, unnecessary and questionable policies that affect LGBTQ+ people and immigrants; the underscored racism in every word and action; the refusal to accept the results of the election and the refusal, as of press time, to concede. And so much more that you all have seen. These shocking actions become even more inexcusable when you take an honest look at his Democratic rivals. Joe Biden is by no means a perfect man. He wasn’t even the person I wanted to vote for; ironically enough, that
was Kamala Harris. But there is a fundamental difference between him and Trump: Biden is a much more decent man. He is a good man. He has experienced so much personal loss, from his first wife to two of his kids. He’s helped his other son navigate his demons. He’s empathetic, he knows how to lead and most importantly... he is more than willing to acknowledge when he makes a mistake, like supporting the 1994 AntiCrime Bill or how he went after Anita Hill during his days in the Senate. He is someone who is capable of learning from his errors. That is something that Trump never, ever did. This was not a hard decision to make for me. Biden is a career politician, but even so, and a lot of people don’t want to hear this: we need that right now. We need someone who knows how to lead, who knows how to act like a leader. The last four years, for the majority of Americans, have been dismal. They have been full of anxiety and anger and confusion. They have not been reflective of the country we should be striving to be. There are more important things than money. There are more important things than whether or not your gas prices are low. There are more important things than debating whether or not wearing a mask should be required. Things like being a decent human being. About respecting one another. About being morally and ethically right. We have been losing sight of that for the longest time, and with Trump in office, it completely disappeared. He did nothing to help heal anything. He did nothing to unify the country, and seemed to be OK with that. That is disgraceful. And it’s not going to change overnight either. Biden and Harris have a tough job ahead of them, probably the toughest for any incoming administration. And I have faith that over time, we will come out of this. It might take awhile, but things will reset themselves. If you voted for Trump, I’m sure you had your reasons. And I’m not here to judge anyone for those reasons. But to those of you reading this who did vote for him, I want you to look at what I’ve said here with an open mind. I want you to take a look in a mirror and ask yourself if you’re okay with your decision, no matter how many people that decision had the potential to hurt. I want you to ask yourself if your parents teaching you to be decent and kind and respectful when you were little meant anything to you. I want you to ask yourself, especially if you’re religious, if your God would be OK with a habitual sinner invoking his name and if he would condone your continued support of that sinner while that sinner is still sinning. When the clock strikes noon on Jan. 20, Donald Trump will be gone from our nation’s capital, hopefully forever. But he has left a permanent mark on America. He will go down in history as one of its most important presidents... but for all the wrong reasons. The best thing that his presidency has done is expose just how broken and messed up America is, and just how much we need radical, lasting change. Trump may be leaving... but the ideology, hatred and division that he endorsed remains. “Make America Great Again” was a clever slogan, but it wasn’t ever an accurate one. America was never, ever great. It’s always had a messed up, prejudiced history that many Americans refuse to acknowledge, or attempt to control the narrative on to appear less horrifying. Much like Trump, America doesn’t own up to its mistakes and failures, or when they do it’s usually kicking and screaming. We, as a country, largely refuse to learn from history, mostly from a place of ignorance. That needs to change. The presidency of Donald Trump was a wake-up call. Its eventual end has provided, above all else, an opportunity. An opportunity for that meaningful, lasting change. An opportunity to finally reckon with our more shameful history. An opportunity to be truly great. Note: An extended version of this piece can be found on www.meramecmontage.com.
Believe Victims Understanding why people stay silent ashley biundo editor-in-chief One of the most notable topics of the moment is the tumultuous relationship between Johnny Depp and his ex, Amber Heard. While there is proof of him being the victim in their relationship, and voice recordings of Heard admitting to the abuse, he recently lost the libel suit against “The Sun,” a newspaper in the UK after claims that he is a wife beater. According to BBC.com, “Mr Depp, 57, sued the paper after it claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies. The Sun said the article was accurate. Judge Mr Justice Nicol said The Sun had proved what was in the article to be ‘substantially true’.” His past relationships and co-workers have all come forward in his defense saying that Depp is not a violent man. They were all shocked about the accusations against him. It is examples like this that make victims not want to come forward. Sometimes it has to do with self blame. According to journalistresource.org, “The public may not realize just how many victims of any crime blame themselves for their own victimization,” Karen G. Weiss told Journalist’s Resource in an email interview. “Self-blame is often reified by ‘well-intentioned’ confidants to whom they disclose. Seemingly innocent questions from family and friends can trigger self-doubt and prevent victims from reporting to police. They may also question what they did wrong and believe it was their fault.” Other times, people are scared of the harassment, the outcome, the case failing. I understand that completely. While scrolling through Twitter one night I came across the tweet, “How old were you when you realized you were sexually assaulted?” I had to think about that for a while. Before I begin with my story, I just want to let you know, I am here for you if you are/have experienced this. Reach out to me if you need to. I am here to talk about the second time I was assaulted at 21 and the dropped case. And yes, I was stone cold sober and remember every detail. It’s still burned in my mind two and a half years later. To me, the worst part of it all was the case, or the case I dropped because of all the harassment I was getting because I waited a few months to report. I was in denial about it for so long. That was what destroyed me the most. For the longest time, I always thought it would have been better if I didn’t come forward and just dealt with it on my own. The one thing I have learned is that healing takes time. It can be nasty but it is so worth it in the end and I cannot wait to be there. If you have come forward, I am proud of you. If you are scared to come forward but want to, I am here. If you don’t want to come forward, I am still proud of you and again, I will always be here. To the people who harassed me to the point where I could not deal with it any longer, I forgive you. To the investigators for not believing me, I forgive you. To the person who hurt me, I forgive you. Need help? Contact Meramec Counseling Services at 314-984-7423.
8 SPORTS
December 3, 2020
More than coaching
STLCC welcomes Soccer Coach Ricardo Garza
B
Andrew CROWDUS Staff Writer
efore Coach Ricardo Garza’s illustrious and successful coaching career, he was a player. He played soccer in high school at Bishop DuBourg High School. He wanted to go pro, but some of the staff of the St. Louis Steamers got him in contact with Pat McBride and his staff at St. Louis Community College- Forest Park. “I played three years of college and then went on to coaching after that. I planned on playing pro, and coach on the side but God had other plans for me,” Garza said. He began coaching during his college playing years when he coached club soccer. “I started coaching club soccer and Missouri ODP during my college playing career. One of my former college coaches reached out to me and asked if I’d like to help him start a college soccer program with him,” Garza said. He continued, “My first year coaching college we went to the National Tournament the same year I blew my knee ending my option to continue pursuing a dream to play pro. Focusing on only coaching my college players rather than developing myself helped us win the National Championship the following season and the void of never playing soccer again was erased with the feeling of developing our young players. I was very committed and disciplined in the pursuit of playing professionally which 100% shifted to making our players better individually,” he said. In 2005, Garza helped start Jefferson College’s soccer program. “It didn’t exist before then,” Garza said. “I coached for 3 ½ years as an assistant, and then took over as head coach and stayed eight more years. Twelve years of experience, a National Championship, multiple National Championship appearances. We also
won many local regional tournaments, and regions. We dominated the conference for a long time.” Garza’s program was well known across the entire country. “My staff and I created a reputation across the country that we can bring a player in who just needed an opportunity and a diverse culture to accept him and help bring them to the next level,” he said. “We became a program hundreds of four-year colleges and Universities recruited from and sent players to develop.” Coaching is a rewarding job, he said, but it extends further than the success on the soccer field. “As we were having success pretty early in my career, I had a lot of opportunities to move on across the country to coach. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, because the kids we would bring in were typical kids that needed to have a little extra structure in their life. Our soccer team was very diverse with kids from almost all walks of life. When they became friends, we sort of had a family environment around these guys that grew them from boys to men very quickly. That’s honestly why I stayed. We had already won, we were one of the winningest programs, so I obviously didn’t stay for the soccer. It was a system and a relationship we were building, and the families that we connected with over the years,” Garza said. Before coming to STLCC, Garza took a break in 2016. “I did take a few years off after 2016 to launch our professional development men’s team who plays semi-pro in the National Premier Soccer League and the Minor League Soccer Championships. Helping college players continuing their dream to play after college with my family-run non-profit men’s team is filling a void in the soccer community in St. Louis. Coaching at the semi-pro level the last few years has definitely improved my level of coaching and I feel more seasoned and ready to relaunch the STLCC program [that] Pete Sorber built years ago. Being able to
Coaches Weigh in on Struggles With the Pandemic
Continued from p.1
Basketball won’t begin their season until Jan. 20 according to men’s basketball head coach Terry Collins. “We are looking forward to competing in spring. The NJCAA pushed the basketball season back a couple months. It usually begins in November. The post-season tournament will begin in April,” Collins said. “Unfortunately, due to the rise in coronavirus cases in the St. Louis area, the college decided to shut down fall practice on Nov. 21. So, there will be a huge gap between the fall workouts and the anticipated resumption of activity on Jan. 4. Our players will have to exercise discipline and creativity to maintain our current level of conditioning. How we respond to that challenge will go a long way to determining any future success.” The athletic department has been doing the best they can during the pandemic and the players appreciate it, said Collins. “I would like to commend Athletic Director Mike Overman for keeping our athletic programs operating during these challenging times. Perhaps we may not be allowed to play if the pandemic-related difficulties persist,” he said. “However, we have enjoyed the
opportunities we have had. If we do get the chance to play this season, we expect to compete for a championship on the court and continue to build the habits needed for success in the classroom,” he said. Collins also credits his assistants for helping athletes through the pandemic. “I would like to publicly acknowledge my two great assistants, Miles Nettles (a former STLCC player) and Evan Pedersen (who played at St. Louis University), for helping guide the players through these difficult days. As well, our players have embraced the college mandates for safe return to play,” he said. Collins also said the academic support has been helpful for athletes. “I would like to cite the new director of the Academic Support Center on the Forest Park Campus, Kim Crank. She and her staff have gone “above and beyond” to help our players adjust to the online classes. Since our practices are held at Forest Park, most of the players have been doing their online work on the Forest Park Campus and many of them turned to the Academic Support Center for invaluable assistance.”
Submitted photo follow his lead and continue his legacy here is a personal dream of mine and I am very happy to be here at STLCC,” Garza said. COVID-19 has presented challenges for colleges, pro sports, and college sports alike. The St. Louis Community College soccer team has plenty of struggles of their own when it comes to the virus. “Obviously our season got bumped from the fall to the spring, so there were no games this fall,” Garza said. “Some guys had to be quarantined for a while, and our whole team was as well at one point. So that right there is two weeks. I was exposed so I had to be quarantined as well, so I missed four weeks due to COVID-19 just by myself. I never got to finish the fall season coaching the guys and I wont see them until February. So it’s going to be interesting. It’s good the NJCAA isn’t going to count the spring season for eligibility.”
Photos by: Ashley Biundo