MONTAGE
The
Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964 • ACP Award Recipient VOLUME 56, ISSUE 7
APRIL 1, 2021
WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
STLCC approved to offer bachelor’s degree
CBHE approves the college to offer bachelor’s degrees in respiratory therapy
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jacob politte Online editor
n March 3, STLCC was given approval by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) to offer bachelor’s degrees in respiratory therapy beginning in the fall 2022 semester. The approval makes STLCC the first community college in the state of Missouri to offer a bachelor degree in any subject. Currently, the college does offer an associates degree for respiratory therapy. In a press release sent out by the college earlier this month, it is stressed by Chancellor Jeff Pittman that “This is the first step in a multi-tiered process that includes approval from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care and the Higher Learning Commission.” According to STLCC’s news website, the college’s respiratory therapy programs
must now seek approval from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The bachelor’s programs will be offered at the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences at STLCC-Forest Park or the STLCC-Florissant Valley campus. The demand for respiratory
therapists is expected to grow by nearly 28 percent by the year 2026, according to studies done by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. Ozarks Technical Community College, an institution based out of Springfield, MO, was also approved to offer the bachelor’s degree.
Inside P. 3
Missouri Civics Examination
P. 4
March Madness
P. 5
Play like a champion
P. 6
5 local restaurants to try
P. 7
Return of the Prodigal Son photo by www.stlcc.edu
Women’s basketball begins postseason with a 6-8 record
Story on p. 4
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.
NEWS 3
April 1, 2021
Missouri Civics Exam now required for students New Graduation requirement explained
EDITORS ASHLEY BIUNDO
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JACOB POLITTE
ONLINE EDITOR
MARY WILSON
OPINIONS EDITOR
BARAK ADLER
NEWS EDITOR
STAFF
ANDREW CROWDUS DAKOTA FAYE
Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
Facebook.com/ meramecmontage/
I
dakota faye staff writer
t is nearing the end of this school year, and as some people start preparing for graduation or transfer, they will notice their degree audit may look a little different. A bill was signed in July 2018 stating that any student attending any public institution of higher education in the state of Missouri must earn a score of 70 percent or higher on the Missouri Civics Exam. The exam is similar to a United States citizen exam; specifically, the test is between 50-100 questions and will test the information that students know about the United States Constitution and Missouri Constitution. While the test is considered to be fairly easy, students can take it more than once in order to pass. The bill was signed by the Governor and was put into effect in August 2018.
above screenshot details a degree audit with the requirement noted.
A handful of students did not know this bill went into effect until an adviser had talked to them. Students who started classes at Saint Louis Community College in the fall 2019 semester are required to take the exam in order to graduate or transfer as a result of the passage of the bill. Students who have to sign up have to go through their student banner. This is just like an online class, although passing the test won’t earn students any credit hours. Instead, students will
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STLCC Hosts Virtual Career Fair The Spring 2021 Virtual Career Fair is set for April 7 with more than 40 employers available virtually to interview students for job and internship opportunities. The virtual career fair will have the same kind of employers who would have participated in an in-person fair. Instead of meeting a recruiter in person, students will only interact over video. For more information about registration, please contact Career Development at careerdevelopment@stlcc.edu or 314-539-5888. Participate in the Student Satisfaction Survey From April 5 through May 1, STLCC will conduct the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction inventory, an 80-item survey that will be emailed to all STLCC student my.stlcc.edu addresses. This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and offers the college a better picture of student satisfaction on all STLCC campuses. Once completed, STLCC will utilize the data to strengthen student retention initiatives, identify areas of strength for marketing purposes, identify areas of concern for improvement, chart progress toward new goals and provide critical data on the strategic plan. Check your student email to participate.
Horticulture Online Plant Sale The horticulture student’s annual fundraiser plant sale is underway and will continue through April 9. Students, staff and faculty can place orders online at https://commerce. cashnet.com/MCC_HORT Contactless pick-ups will be scheduled from April 23 through May 2 at STLCC-Meramec. This sale is completely funded by the student club and all proceeds from the sale go back to the Meramec Botanical Society. For questions, contact Carrie Coyne, horticulture program facilitator, at 314-984-7459.
earn either a pass or fail grade. The exam, which can be accessed on each applicable STLCC student’s Blackboard page along with materials to help prepare for it, is proctored by an instructor. “This is just another form of standardized testing,” STLCC Transition Specialist Claire Rone said when asked what advice she would give to students that have to take this test. “Don’t stress, it’s not designed to make you fail.”
The results are in. Should classes go back to face-toface in the fall?
We need your vote!
STLCC Virtual Trivia Night STLCC is hosting the firstever Virtual Trivia Night at 7:30 p.m. April 16 to raise scholarship money for students. Team registration is now open at https://stlcc.edu/about/ foundation/virtual-trivia-night. aspx. Teams of 8 are $200. Zoom Party: Music at Meramec The Music faculty and students of STLCC host a virtual performance at 3 p.m. April 18, including a variety of solos and ensemble pieces that feature singing, piano, guitar, mandolin, etc. by acclaimed faculty and talented students. Funds raised from this event will support the Steinway Fund. Tickets are $15. A Zoom link will be provided to the email address you provide. For questions, please contact Foundation@stlcc.edu.
Do police procedurals have a place on television in 2021? Yes or No? Scan the QR Code from your phone to vote. Your vote will be featured in the next issue.
4 SPORTS
April 1, 2021
March Madness An annual bracket buster ANDREW CROWDUS Staff writer When March rolls around annually, it is an exciting time for many reasons. Not just because the weather starts to get warmer, and the school semester is winding down. It is exciting because of March Madness- the time that people make brackets for a field of 64 teams hoping their team or the team they want to win will win. Making a bracket is a tricky thing. It is not as easy as picking all the 1 seeds to make it to the Final Four because as we have seen multiple times, sometimes those 1 seeds don’t even make it to the Final Four. Going into Saturday March 20, when the other 32 teams played the first round of March Madness there were very few brackets that remained perfect. At the end of the night, there were
none. I was happy with my 87.2% bracket, but I was upset I didn’t have a higher percentage. In the first round alone, 15 seed Oral Roberts took down 2 seed Ohio State- a school many had in their final four if not winning the entire thing. Other teams that went down were 5 seed Tennessee to 12 seed Oregon State. Also, 4 seed Purdue fell to 13 seed North Texas. Many double digit seeded teams prevailed over higher seeds- and teams that many had going far. This year brackets have really been busted up, and I speak from personal experience. In my main bracket I created, I had the 1 seed Illinois winning the championship. I was shocked when they were taken down by Loyola Chicago- an 8 seed on Sunday March 21st. I was not surprised because
Loyola Chicago is not a good team, however I knew how good Illinois was. In 2018 Loyola Chicago made it to the Final Four, and they were an 11 seed. This year they are an 8 seed. In March, when it comes to the tournament, you can never count out the double-digit seeds. You also cannot always rely on those high 1 seeds, because sometimes they will fall apart early in the tournament. Unfortunately, the entire world is in the middle of a pandemic. The NCAA, had every team in the 64 team field in a bubble format, playing at multiple basketball arenas in the indianapolis region. They also tested teams regularly. The NCAA did everything in their power to try and avoid teams having to opt out and everything was going okay until Saturday March 20 when a matchup between VCU and Oregon
was ruled uncontested due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the VCU program. I completely understand this move, however it is quite unfair to the VCU players who may never get another chance to play in the NCAA tournament ever again. As a huge sports fan, I am sad for these players. I feel that if VCU had 5 players they could play that all tested negative, they should have had at least that option. It didn’t end up that way and instead, a lot of young college athletes went home with what would have been a dream come true, gone just like that. As this tournament comes to an end, my hope for the 2022 tournament is that attendance is at 100% capacity. When fan bases go nuts and get loud it makes games so much more fun to watch and get into. Especially if you are apart of one team’s fan base.
Continued from p. 1
STLCC women’s basketball makes changes due to the pandemic
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ashley biundo editor-in-chief
TLCC women’s basketball begins postseason with a record of 6-8, with Regions 16 Semifinal on Mar. 31. Head coach Jacob Yorg said that COVID-19 has affected their season and playing in the spring instead starting the season in the fall, like in years past. “The biggest thing is just trying to get people motivated since we’re used to going from October to March. Now we go in the beginning and have had a long break, then we come back and have so many games,” he said. “Just the preparation, but we’re playing better now because we’ve had now two months versus a normal year like this is like December for us being ready.” COVID-19 has also affected the number of players the team has according to Yorg. “We lost five players, to probably some form of due to COVID, due to family things, mental health, not playing until the spring which of course started us with 13 down to seven, eight players,” he said. Coaching during a pandemic can
be difficult because of all the new protocols and rules everyone has to follow according to Yorg. ”It’s just getting your players to understand why we have to do the things we do when it comes to rules and protocols and how to stay safe,” he said. “But also taking care of them and how it affects them not going to class. How is it going to affect classes and so it’s just getting them to understand it’s not going to be normal.” Yorg said that having the personal connection and working together through the pandemic is very important. “We really have to work together to find out those differences especially when you’re not going
to class and when everything’s online,” he said. “All that personal connection thing, you have to put it as an important part of everything you do because you’re not going to always get it but also just getting them to understand that none of us have ever dealt with something like this.” Although the pandemic has caused a lot of stress and changes, the one thing STLCC women’s basketball always had is their perseverance, Yorg said.
“The biggest thing is just persevering and it’s hard. Last year we had low numbers and this year again with everything going on,” he said. “It’s just understanding that everybody has a very important role and if you don’t do yours it’s going to hinder your team
and that’s something we’ve developed this entire year and gotten better and better. That is just persevering through every single one the injuries, everything one of the struggles and constantly finding a way to get better as a team.” One thing STLCC women’s basketball team has struggles with would be staying within themselves according to Yorg. “Sometimes we don’t see the big picture and we’re very much right here, right now and we have to just be more open to understanding what we are trying to do,” he said. “Just getting a better understanding that it’s not just in this moment we do things for it’s what’s going to happen next.” As the season comes to an end, there are some things that Yorg said he will continue to use for next season. “The dynamics of some of the basketball specific things we do. Some of the
offenses and some of the things we’re doing defensively,” he said. “But the biggest thing is just continuously trying to get them to understand their role because especially when you have this amount of people, everybody really has to understand the role very well and just continue to get them to embrace that role and shine.” Yorg said that the coaches will continue to use what they have learned this year and what to do in situations like playing during a pandemic. He said he hopes to be able to have more players and hope that things will go back to normal by next season. “Being able to get that core group that will challenge each other and then hopefully really work together to make sure that it’s successful,” he said. “Both years had odd situations that come up but the biggest thing right now that hindered us a little issue is we’re practicing three on three all the time because of numbers so you know just making sure that we can get a core group of 10 to 15 to really help with that, I think will be a huge thing.”
Bottom left: Guard makayla williams dribbles and protects the ball against state fair community college on mar. 28. middle left: Guard Nadine Hassen protects the ball against state fair community college. middle right: Guard Courtney Lumpkins passes the ball to her open teammate. top right: Guard Kierra Winkeler goes up for a lay up to score 2 points against state fair community college on mar. 28
SPORTS 5
April 1, 2021
Play like a Champion STLCC baseball enters midseason with a winning record travelling when we play, so that just requires some conversations about who’s going,” he said. “It just becomes a little bit of a roster management issue for mine, too, because usually, we just take everybody, now we’re taking a smaller number. We have to be careful of who we take and make sure we are picking the right guys who are gonna help us in the best situations with those
ashley biundo editor-in-chief Heading into midseason, STLCC baseball has a winning record of 1611, with many more to go and with the post season beginning in May. Head coach Scott Goodrich said the regional games are very important. “We play 28 Regional games and those are the 28 most important games we play all year,” he said. “We played eight already and we are 4-4. Looking back, we probably had a few games in there that we’d lost that we could have won.” Like many sports this year, STLCC baseball has had some setbacks by COVID-19, but according to Goodrich, it has been a year long process but not much has changed besides roster management and travelling for away games. “We have more players on our team this year than we usually would, because we wanted to be safe at the beginning of the year,” he said. “We didn’t want to get caught in a situation where, if one guy was around somebody, and that they may have met four or five guys and would have to quarantine.” Goodrich, also said that they wanted to make sure they had enough players to play at home and away games. Normally during the away games, every player on the team is able to attend, but due to COVID-19, STLCC baseball is only allowed to take fewer players. “We’re also travelling with fewer players, which then creates kind of an issue of more guys aren’t
types of games.” Coaching and being a part of a team can be difficult during a pandemic. Goodrich said that there are so many things to take for granted. “There are so many things that you do that you don’t even think about,” he said. “Like wearing a mask, hugging guys, or high fiving guys, or just grabbing a water bottle or something, things that you don’t think about. And I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t do that, or no, better not do that.” Not only do they have to take fewer players to away games, they have to go through a wellness check before leaving. “We have to do temperature checks and make sure our guys are passing their wellness tests and all that kind of stuff where that just adds another layer of time that,, we’re all pressed for time,” Goodrich said. “We’re all busy and making sure our guys get to class and make sure they’re doing what they are supposed to do. It’s just something extra that we need to make sure that we do.” Goodrich said that the team has
many strengths that has and will continue to help them through the rest of the season. “We’ve got a really good veteran Group, a lot of older players, and we have a lot of strength,” he said. “We have a pretty good pitching staff, and we play really good defense, and I think it was essential to have a really nice offense. Our offense somewhat has been struggling up until this point, it’s kind of been lacking. But then once once it starts clicking, we’re gonna have a good opportunity to really play with anybody on any given day.” Although the team has been doing well throughout the season, they didn’t have a normal pre-season like they have had in past years. “We didn’t really get to compete in the fall like we usually do, we had a nice full long fall practice schedule. But it was only that we were only allowed to practice with
Photos by: Ashley Biundo play other teams, different uniforms, and things don’t go your way, you think you’re ready to play a game and win and when also you’re down 5-0 like how you’re going to bounce back on that. It’s that level of competition that I think all of us just haven’t really had, because we got stopped so early last year and not a lot of guys played over the summer, and we didn’t play in the fall. So I think it’s one of those things. It’s just it’s slowly coming back to the competition level that we need to play.” As the season continues, STLCC baseball plays their rivals to test how strong they can be. Jefferson College and Crowder College are two of them according to Goodrich. “Jefferson College has been very good in the past and they’re very close to us. I think they’re gonna be a great rival for us this year,” he said. “Crowder College is very talented and nationally ranked right now and so that’d be a great test for us. So those are some games we’re looking forward to.” On March 26 and 28, STLCC baseball played against State Fair Community College and Goodrich said that those games matter. ”We had four more games coming up against State Fair. So those I tell the guys that again, those are the games that matter,” Goodrich said. “The games we have to get up for, because at the end of the year, it’s all about how we do in the region. And so every weekend we play something we’re really excited about.”
ourselves and weren’t allowed to play outside teams,” Goodrich said. “The Fall is a great opportunity for us to play other teams and really kind of gauge our ability level and our strengths and weaknesses.” Goodrich said that he wasn’t sure how tough the team was going to be after the fall and early spring. “The one area that I kept telling our players after the fall, and even early in the spring, like I’m not sure how tough we are. It’s easy to play against each other during practice,” he said. “But when you go
TOP: The Archers baseball team celebrates after winning the game in the bottom of the 9th inning against Harris Stowe University jv on March 23. TOP LEFT: Catcher Luis Soto Lopez Catches a strike against Harris Stowe. MIDDLE LEFT: Infielder Tyler Ferguson swings the bat and hits the ball against Harris Stowe MIDDLE RIGHT: Catcher,Sam Bennett leading off first base in attempt to steal to second. BOTTOM RIGHT: Pitcher Ryan Lunsford throws a strike against harris stowe on march 23.
6 ART & LIFE
April 1, 2021
5 local restaurants to try
St. Louis has no shortage of tasty foods, but certain restaurants boast especially mouthwatering dishes for students, staff and faculty to explore barak alder news editor
Trattoria Toscana 11686 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63126
Perhaps the best Italian restaurant in Sunset Hills, Trattoria Toscana is sure to leave patrons satisfied. And to any veal lovers out there, this restaurant offers nearly a half dozen different veal dishes to choose from, all of which should please even the pickiest eaters.
Walnut Grill 10797 Sunset Hills Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63127
Walnut Grill identifies as an American restaurant, which is true insofar as you consider America a melting pot of different cultures: the restaurant serves food from countries as far ranging as Mexico, Korea, and Italy. Walnut Grill features a rather casual atmosphere, so this place is the perfect choice for a lunch with friends or family.
Mellow Mushroom St. Louis 3811 S Lindbergh Blvd
If you’re in the mood for pizzas, burgers, or sundaes, Mellow Mushroom has you covered. Your waistline might not thank you, but your mouth will.
Twisted Tree Steakhouse 10701 Watson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127
As the name might suggest, Twisted Tree Steakhouse serves some excellent steaks, though this location also offers a delicious variety of burgers, seafood, and other dishes.
ZEN Thai & Japanese Cuisine 9250 Watson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63126
Serving over 50 different dishes, Zen Thai will not leave you disappointed. This restaurant specializes in traditional Thai and Japanese food, which means their patrons can enjoy sushi and Pad-Thai in one sitting.
Art exhibits happening at Meramec
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ashley biundo editor-in-chief
eramec Contemporary Art Gallery is open for visitors to view art made by local artists around the St. Louis Area. Due to COVID-19 and current social distancing guidelines, visitors may need to make reservations to view exhibitions in the gallery. To set up an appointment, please call 314-984-7632. Here are some current and future Art Exhibits coming to Meramec’s Art Gallery and also offering virtually. Which is located in the Humanities East Building.
Reverie, An Exhibit by Mark Weber March 4 - April 9, 2021 A retired faculty member of STLCC, artist Mark Weber said, “Working intuitively, with no pre-planning or design, such as drawings or photographs, the unrelated images are layered or bonded, to support the circle of reinvention. As the images, styles and colors may be unrelated, in a traditional sense, they bond together to form a new world,” according to the STLCC website. Weber also started the Mark Weber Scholarship Fund that helps students be able to gain their educational and artistic goals in 2019.
Cuba - Life on the Street By Stewart Halperin Happening virtually on STLCC website.
Meramec Juried Student Art Exhibition - 2019-2020 This student exhibition is open Monday-Thursday 12 - 4 p.m.
Stewart D. Halperin is a St. Louis-based photographer for 45 years according to STLCC website. He has traveled all over the world to 90 countries on 6 different continents to take photographs. “It was in Africa, studying and watching the chimps and gorillas, that I learned to truly see – watching their behavior unfold, watching the slow rhythm of the forests, watching the cycles of light over the course of each day and each month. I had the luxury of time – the most important ingredient in doing good photography – time to watch the subject and to combine elements of movement, color, light and meaning all in the instant when the shutter is pushed,” Halperin said in an interview on STLCC website.
Although this exhibit was postponed from spring 2020 due to COVID-19, it is now open for visitors. It is filled with studio arts, design and digital media created by students from 2019-2020 school year. Juror Mark Weber said on the STLCC website, “Most criteria for jurying a student exhibit focuses on image choice, technique development, color management and creativity. Last March most students and faculty left the traditional classroom, ventured into a virtual environment foreign to many of us. Your studio classroom is a place to get advice and encouragement from your faculty members but, to also share and build a community of supporting artists that work and learn from each other. The courage and dedication of each student during these very challenging times is to be congratulated. I am so proud of all of these students, that they took this challenging academic year and made wonderful works of art. The art works are indeed well executed and creatively developed.” Screenshot from STLCC website of work by Stewart Halperin, which can be viewed virtually at www.stlcc.edu
OPINIONS 7
April 1, 2021
Return of the Prodigal Son Detective Elliot Stabler is back. But should he be?
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jacob politte online editor
onight on NBC, television history will take place. For the first time in nearly 10 years, Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler will return to television in a two-hour crossover event. Starting at 8pm (central time), Stabler makes his return to “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” (SVU) for the first time since the Season 12 episode “Smoked.” Following that, a spin-off series centered around his character fighting the modern-day mafia, titled “Law and Order: Organized Crime” will premiere. Meloni’s return to the “Law and Order” fold was once considered improbable, but after nearly a decade, the stars finally aligned. Even if they’re not on-screen together every week, seeing the dynamic duo of Stabler and former partner Olivia Benson on screen once more will be a real treat for viewers. That being said, while Stabler’s return to screens is a welcome one, and a reunion with Benson will provide long-time fans of the franchise with some much needed closure, it does have to be asked if giving the Stabler character a full-fledged series is necessary. It’s not even a question on if a show about organized crime syndicates is a worthy topic. It simply revolves around the Stabler character. Over the course of his
12 year tenure on SVU, Elliot Stabler was a notorious hot-head, and often became physically violent with suspects regardless of their guilt.
Obviously, following the events of the last decade, policing in America has changed, and so has the way that police shows portray the job. Fans of SVU have noticed a real change, particularly in the last two seasons, with how the job is portrayed, especially when it comes to Benson’s actions. But Benson is an entirely different - and far less controversial character than Stabler. So the real questions are: Does Elliot Stabler really need his own show in 2021? How would a cop like him navigate the current political climate? The answer to the first question is no, he doesn’t. This seems wholly unnecessary, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an intriguing idea. To the show’s credit, they have done an ample job of addressing the second question. In both interviews with those involved with the show as well as promos for the show itself, it’s made very clear that we’ll be seeing a different Elliot Stabler, at least initially. So the jury is still out on the second question, at least until we get a clearer picture of what the overarching story of “Organized Crime” actually is. Stabler returning to the police force after a “devastating personal loss” doesn’t exactly sound like someone who would be able to calm down. But in the short term, it’ll be nice to see Meloni and Hargitay back together on screen again. As far as the long-term, it remains to be seen whether any of this was a good idea.
Gun Control: It doesn’t have to be this way Mary wilson opinions editor I remember the first time my elementary school had an active shooter drill. I was in fifth grade. President Barack Obama had just been elected. My biggest concerns at that time mainly revolved around remembering to turn in my completed math homework and whether my friends and I would be able to use the swings at recess. My class was in Computer Lab. An announcement came on the loudspeaker, and we were instructed to sit down on the floor. One teacher closed the blinds so no one could see in the windows. Another teacher locked the door and turned the lights off. For several minutes, we waited. Then our principal came back on the loudspeaker, the windows were opened and the lights came back on. That was that. As I got older, the drills intensified and became more frequent. Then, the winter of my freshman year, just before finals week, Adam Lanza opened fire at an elementary school. I still had a flip phone, so I listened to my classmates with iPhones read the headlines. I felt that now-familiar sense of dread and sadness and anger and confusion. And for a while, I thought things would change. Maybe I’m too much of an optimist. But after 20 six and seven year olds were murdered, I was sure that Congress would do—something. Maybe universal background checks would be required. Maybe assault rifles would be banned. At 14, I didn’t know what the solution was. My school went into lockdown two or three times while I was in high school. Each time followed the same scenario: our principal would come on the loudspeaker. Teachers would shut and lock doors and turn the lights off. Window blinds would be closed. And my classmates and I would sit, squished together, in a corner of the classroom. The most memorable one happened my junior or senior year. I was in drama class. Our teacher told us that if we were in an active shooter situation, we had an advantage: the theater classroom, BlackBox
theatre and dressing rooms provided multiple places to hide and escape. I had a smartphone by then, so I texted my mom and dad. I wanted to let them know that I was okay. Even though, I said, I didn’t think anything would happen, I wanted them to know that I loved them. The lockdown ended a few minutes later. While writing this article, it struck me how lucky I was. How many kids have sent similar texts to their parents, hunched in a dark corner of a classroom? How many of those kids were murdered? How many of those kids survived, but watched their classmates or teachers be murdered? It’s not just about schools. Here in the United States of America, you have the chance of being shot and killed anywhere you go. A grocery store. Massage parlors. Nightclubs. Beaches. A health care clinic. A shopping mall. A bowling alley. Synagogues. A newsroom. A yoga studio. A veterans’ home. A football watch party. A Waffle House. So many schools I can’t remember them all. A few years ago, my older sister told me and my mom that if were caught in an active shooting situation, to run in a zig-zag. It’s easier to shoot somebody sitting still than someone constantly changing directions, I guess. I’ve caught myself looking for exits whenever I go to a public place. Where could I hide? Would I have time to save other people? Or would I only try to save myself? What could I use for a tourniquet to stop blood flow until paramedics can get on the scene? Would I text my mom? My siblings? My friends? Would I try to fight the intruder? It doesn’t have to be this way. Let me be clear: I’m not opposed to all guns. If someone lives in the middle of the woods and wants a gun to defend himself because the police will take too long to respond, that’s one thing. An everyday person who has no training but owns an AR-15? That’s an entirely different thing. I hear “the gun is not the problem!” often. I hear “Anything can be a weapon!” and “the problem is mental health!” and “the problem is video games!” and “the problem is bullying!” Okay, fine. While people living with mental illness
are far more likely to be a victim of a violent crime than commit one, let’s go with this lazy excuse. If mental illness is the problem, why aren’t our legislators passing legislation to expand access to mental health care? Why do insurance companies make people seeking treatment jump through hoops? Why aren’t there more treatment clinics, so that waiting lists aren’t months long? Why aren’t there more psychologists and counselors in every school? Blaming mental illness is a way to say “yeah there’s an issue, but we’re not going to do anything about it.” And it’s true--anything can be a weapon. However, I’d imagine it’s quite a bit harder to kill multiple people with a hammer, for example. If people were using hammers to kill people, I would bet that there would be some legislation around hammers. Why are guns different? I know, I know: the Second Amendment. The Bill of Rights was written in the 1700s. It’s now 2021. The guns of 2021 are on a completely different level than the guns of the 1700s. While I’m not opposed to all guns, I think there should be some restrictions. Background checks would be a start. Licenses and mandatory training would help. What we’re doing now—that’s not working. Anything would be an improvement.
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