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Volume 61 Issue 6
Thursday, October 19, 2023
THE USD VISTA VISTA
The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Diego since 1968
Pope Francis considers blessing same-sex couples USD community discusses potential changes in the Catholic Church Correction:
ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN NEWS EDITOR
Last week, in Volume 61 Issue 5 of The USD Vista — published on Oct. 12 — The Vista editorial staff collectively chose to print a photo alongside the front-page article, “Devastation reigns after Hamas attacks Israel” that was not suitable to the photo caption nor written content of the article. The photo showed an explosion in Gaza, along with the caption: “Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel last Saturday, sending shockwaves through the world.” However, the photo selected by The Vista’s staff was from 2021 and did not depict the latest and most recent events of October 2023, which the photo caption made direct reference to. We regret this error and acknowledge the need for clarification.
CAMERON TRAYLOR CONTRIBUTOR The Catholic Church is navigating a controversial decision as Pope Francis has suggested offering blessings to same-sex unions. The Vatican has traditionally expressed that matrimony is solely a union between man and woman. According to AP News as recently as 2021, the Vatican said the blessing of same-sex unions was not allowed because, “God cannot bless sin.” However, on Oct. 2, Pope Francis suggested that same-sex unions were allowed to receive blessings on an exceptional, case by case basis. Pope Franics’ statement came after five conservative cardinals from around the world submitted a “dubia” (Latin for doubt) with questions or concerns, to which Pope Francis responded. These five cardinals come from five different continents:
See Pope statement, Page 2
The first assembly of the “synod on solidarity” in Vatican City began on Oct. 4. and will end Oct. 28. Photo courtesy of @franciscus/Instagram
Angela Davis at USD’s KIPJ Distinguished lecture series welcomes activist, academic, author and icon
2023 campus crime report See News, page 2
Performative activism
NYLA HARRIS ASST. A&C EDITOR Distinguished activist and academic leader Angela Davis was invited by the Peace Studies department to host a lecture series at the USD Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice (KIPJ) theater last Thursday. This free admission event sold out within hours of announcement, as access to the occasion was highly sought by those knowledgeable of the stature of Davis. This caused some widespread disappointment throughout the student body, due to the lack of availability to attend the event. However, KIPJ offered a watch party livestream for those that could not acquire tickets to the actual event, and further posted it on YouTube for the students unable to watch the Q & A lecture series during the time it occurred. Angela Yvonne Davis is an African American woman born in Birmingham, Alabama, on Jan. 26, 1944. She is considered to be an American revolutionary, feminist, political activist, philosopher,
MORE STORIES INSIDE
See Opinion, page 4
Pumpkin recipes See Feature, page 6
Domestic violence awareness See Feature, page 8 Hosted by USD’s Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Angela Davis spoke to USD students last week. Photo courtesy of @krocschool/Instagram
academic and author who has written many books, including “Women, Culture, and Politics,” which is a collection of speeches and writings that addresses the political social changes of the 1980s to 1990s, as they are concerned with struggles for racial, sexual and economic equality. Davis began her studies at Brandeis University, and later a graduate student at the University
of California San Diego (UCSD) in the late sixties. Her time in college is when she became increasingly interested in human rights and politics. As Davis attended UCSD, she became associated with several activist groups including the iconic Black Panthers, a revolutionary organization with an ideology of Black nationalism, socialism and armed self-defense, particularly
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against police brutality. She was also involved in the Black Student Union on the UCSD campus through which she pushed for a movement that demanded Black studies on campus and education that catered to the needs of Black students, as well as Latinx and white working-class students. Davis’ activism centered on
See Angela Davis, Page 10
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‘Laramie Project’ See A&C, page 10
Women’s XC gets first See Sports, page 12
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October 19, 2023
NEWS
USD’s 2023 ‘Security and Fire Safety Report’ Toreros react to crime statistics released by DPS
LILI KIM ASST. NEWS EDITOR
TW: This article mentions sensitive topics such as rape, sexual assault and dating violence. The USD Department of Public Safety (DPS) recently released the 2023 Fire and Safety Report with safety statistics and policies from 2020 through 2022. This report is sent out annually to campus community members in order to inform, advise and facilitate open conversations about how to keep USD as safe as possible. In the report’s introduction, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Public Safety James Miyashiro stated, “our primary goal is to ensure that our campus remains free from criminal activity and disorder, allowing each member of our community to focus on their educational pursuits without distractions.” The Department of Public Safety applies its values of service, commitment to integrity and respect for people in all aspects of campus involvement. DPS main concern is the immediate safety of students, faculty and staff, and will respond to any emergency (619) 260-2222 and non-emergency (619) 260-7777
calls. When not responding to calls, officers patrol campus, manage security technology and provide safety education among countless other jobs to keep the community safe. Besides statistics for previous years, the 2023 Fire and Safety Report outlines all safety measures the university has set in place. These include emergency response tools, such as the 178 emergency phones around campus, as well as safety awareness programs, such as sexual assault awareness and selfdefense classes. More information about these programs can be found by contacting DSP or visiting www.sandiego.edu/safety. Also summarized in the report are emergency response and evacuation procedures, university policies on timely warning and emergency notification, an explanation of access to campus buildings and facilities and how USD responds to reports of sexual violence and assault with disciplinary measures. According to the report, in 2022 there were eight reports of rape, two fondlings, four aggravated assaults, 13 burglaries, 14 motor vehicle thefts, four cases of dating violence and eight accounts of dating violence and stalking. DPS also disclosed the liquor
and drug law violations, stating 165 total community member violations. The 2022 and 2021 reports resulted in similar statistics, with the exception of motor vehicle thefts jumping from three in 2021 to 13 in 2022. These statistics are based on reported criminal offenses, and do not take into account offenses that were not reported or disclosed to the Department of Public Safety. DPS urges students to report any incident, whether personal or not, in order to allow officers to respond and continue keeping the community safe. USD is situated near other public and private universities, which create similar annual safety and fire reports. For example, Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) also created a table of statistics in their 2023 report of criminal and noncriminal offenses. PLNU had two reports of rape, zero for fondling, zero robberies, zero aggravated assaults, one burglary, two motor vehicle thefts and 46 liquor and drug law violations. It should be noted that PLNU has 4,445 total students, compared to USD’s total of 9,110 students. Another university near USD is San Diego State University (SDSU). As a public institution, SDSU has a total enrollment of 36,484 students: four times
DPS encourages students to reach out about any safety concerns on campus. Anjali Dalal-Whelan/The USD Vista
the size of USD. In its crime statistics for 2022, there were 12 reports of rape, 16 fondlings, five robberies, six aggravated assaults, 50 burglaries, 11 motor vehicle thefts, four domestic violence reports and 934 referalls for disciplinary action and arrests for liquor and drug law violations. Some USD students were surprised upon hearing about the USD safety statistics, Like USD senior Parker Brei. “It’s crazy to hear it lined up and put on paper, because you don’t hear about it [discussed] socially.” Other students, such as USD junior Annie McGee, expected the statistics to reveal higher numbers. “I think there are a lot
of [incidents] that aren’t reported and included in the statistics,” McGee said. While it is possible for these statistics to cause concern, they also remind the community of Public Safety’s commitment to safety and service. USD junior Marissa Schaad explained, “when I lived on campus, I always felt P-Safe’s presence, even on the weekends.” The release of the annual Safety and Fire Report offers a reminder to all community members to stay alert and always report any suspicious behavior to Public Safety via phone call or in person at the Hughes Administration building, Room 150.
Catholic Church discusses controversial ideas ‘Synod for solidarity’ opens the door for change in the church
Pope statement, from Page 1
North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. In their list of concerns, the cardinals requested that Pope Francis continue to enforce traditional Catholic beliefs regarding samesex unions and the exclusion of ordination of women in the Catholic Church. Rather than merely affirming traditional views Francis stated there might be “forms of blessing, requested by one or more persons” that could be given occasionally. The clergy were urged to practice “pastoral charity,” which relates to the general rubric of priests’ in terms of service which the Pope later explained. In his response, Pope Francis continued “[pastoral charity] requires patience, kindness, understanding, tenderness and encouragement. When a benediction [blessing] is requested, it is expressing a
request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a Father who can help us to live better.” Francis maintained, “there is no need for dioceses or bishops conferences to turn such pastoral charity into fixed norms or protocols.” Rather, the matter might be handled on a case-by-case observational basis. However, Pope Francis maintains that blessed same-sex partnerships are not equivalent to heterosexual marriages, saying same-sex partnerships are “not morally acceptable from an objective point of view”. There haven’t been any official changes to the church’s doctrine [beliefs] on the subject, however Pope Francis’ statements toward the LGBTQ+ community seem to open up the possibility of including same-sex unions in the Catholic Church. USD Professor in the Department of Theology
The USD Vista Colin Mullaney - Editor-in-Chief Abigail Cavizo - Associate Editor Spencer Bispham - Managing Editor Maria Simpson - Copy Editor Khushi Patel - Art Director Anjali Dalal-Whelan - News Editor Jackie Marquez - Opinion Editor
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and Religious Studies Dr. Emily Reimer-Barry reflected on the Pope’s statement. “The very conservative cardinals who sent the dubia to Pope Francis were trying to trap him into a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, but the pope refuses to be boxed in by categories that he finds unhelpful,” Dr. Reimer-Barry said. “One of the hallmarks of the Francis papacy is his welcoming of ambiguity.” Historically, there has been tension between the Catholic Church and LGBTQ+ community. The church has traditionally held that homosexual relationships are wrong, since they don’t follow its teachings on procreation as the main purpose of sexual activity. The church’s beliefs on marriage being between a man and woman has resulted in the LGBTQ+ community advocating for marriage equality, and an overall increase of inclusivity
within the Catholic Church. USD sophomore Gracie Lakose expressed her support for the idea of the church blessing same-sex unions. “I think this is a great thing for the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is known for being progressive, so this is a very important step,” Lakose said. “We all know that same-sex unions deserve the same blessings and support as any heterosexual union, so it’s about time that the church catches up, and it seems like Pope Francis is at the forefront of taking action.” The Catholic Church is currently undertaking a “Synod on Solidarity” which according to the Catholic News Agency is a multiyear assembly process to answer questions on the Catholic Church. The first assembly of the Synod is currently taking place from Oct. 4-28. This assembly is discussing controversial questions in the Catholic Church,
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including female deacons and the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the Church. Dr. Michael Lovette-Colyer is the Vice President of Mission integration at USD. He reflected on the potential impacts of the synod. “While the synod has the potential to yield substantial shifts in the life, practice and teaching of the Church, it might also lead to more modest developments. However, it is clearly significant that this three-year process of listening, dialogue and discernment includes women and lay people as voting members for the first time.” First-year Grace McCall, reacted positively to the news. “I think more people should know about it, because I didn’t know about it.’’ This past month the door has opened for questions of inclusion within the Catholic Church. This has the potential to dramatically change the views of the church.
The USD Vista publication is written and edited by USD students and funded by revenues generated by advertising and a student fee. Advertising material published is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an expressed or implied endorsement or verification of such commercial venues by the staff or University. The USD Vista office is located on the fourth floor of the Student Life Pavilion in room 403B. All inquiries should be sent to: The USD Vista 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego or of its student body. Letters to the Editor can be submitted to The USD Vista office. Letters should be limited to 300 words and must be signed. For identification purposes, USD identification numbers and writer’s year must be included in the letter. The USD Vista reserves the right to edit published letters. Any content sent to the editor will be considered for publication unless otherwise stated.
Volume 61 Issue 6
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NEWS
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The Authors Guild and 17 authors sue OpenAI USD students and faculty discuss AI usage in the classroom RITI DEY ASST. NEWS EDITOR
After months of petitioning for compensation from OpenAI platforms, on Sept. 20, the Authors Guild and 17 fiction novelists filed a class action lawsuit in New York against public Artifial Intelligence (AI) platforms, namely OpenAI, for copyright infringement of their works. According to the New York Times The suit highlights the economic and intellectual ramifications of theft and exploitation of content created by writers and novelists. The Authors Guild classified the rise of OpenAI as an “existential threat to the author profession wrought by the unlicensed use of books to create large language models that generate texts.” The complaint explained that the profitability of OpenAI depends on mass copyright infringement, without any regard for copyright owners. The company scans copyrighted material — though it is unknown to what extent — which allows AI platforms to produce works in the style of established authors automatically and for free to consumers. OpenAI then obtains the profits of what these authors could have written for pay. This poses a threat to authors’ livelihoods, as the Authors Guild’s recent income survey reported that the median writing-related income in 2022 for full-time writers in the U.S. was around $23,330. While a petition signed by over 8,000 authors has been circulating the writing community for several months, the most recent lawsuit includes 17 extremely prominent plaintiffs, such as George R. R. Martin and Jodi Picoult, who set off a high-profile legal conflict. For this reason, legal analysts told ABC News that “the case could fundamentally shape the direction and capabilities of generative AI.” This would regulate the technology on a grander scale than it is now. Spokespeople from ChatGPT and other AI platforms argued in a statement to ABC News that the company has had discussions with content creators, who can use the platform to fuel their creative pursuits. “Creative professionals around the world use ChatGPT as a part of their creative process. We respect the rights of writers and authors, and believe they should benefit from AI technology,” the spokesperson said. The suit highlights the harms to both the fiction and nonfiction markets. In fiction, versions of AI are able to mimic authors’ characters and stories, allowing users to ‘enter worlds’ that are the intellectual property of the original creator. For nonfiction writers such as author Jane Friedman, AI platforms have been used to misappropriate authors’
ChatGPT is a popular AI chatbot developed by Open AI. Photo courtesy of @emilianovittoriosi/Unsplash
names to sell scam books. Dr. Dennis Clausen, American Literature professor at USD, spoke to several publications this month about his opinion on the influence of AI in the writing process. In his letter to the editor published in the New York Times in September titled “ChatGPT is Plagiarism,” Clausen explained that AI steals the intellectual property of authors, repackaging the works as their own property to be sold for profit. “In the process, the AI chatbots are depriving authors of the fruits of their labor,” Clausen wrote. From an academic standpoint, Clausen also noted in his article for Psychology Today that AI should not be used for writing in the classroom because, “writing is thinking, and thinking is writing.” He explained that if AI is used in place of the process of developing an idea on one’s own, complex thinking is not possible, hindering one’s intellectual growth. Clausen also acknowledged the issue of using hand-written, in-class writing as an alternative for AI generated work, because of the importance of writing several drafts in order to produce a fully formulated thought. He sees that both AI-assisted writing and in-class writing deny students of the “full writing experience.” “Essays that are written over several days or weeks, often while students are engaged in other activities and their brains are mulling over an essay assignment, will inevitably strengthen more complex thinking patterns,” Clausen said. “As Ernest Hemingway argued, writing several drafts leads to increasingly more sophisticated forms of cognitive growth and development; however, students who use AIgenerated writing throughout the various drafts of their essays are denying themselves the necessary academic experiences they need to develop these more
sophisticated thinking skills.” USD sophomore Maddie Cantu explained her fears about the rise of AI in writing, specifically for her English major. “I feel scared about AI,” Cantu said. “Having students rely on something other than their mind is extremely dangerous to human life. I almost feel my major is being devalued but at the same time, it makes me
that much more motivated to continue to pursue my degree because this is such a shaky time.” Cantu, who is a USD scholastic assistant (SA) for a first-year English class experiences the ramifications of AI from both a student and SA perspective and continues to question the ethics of AI in an academic setting. At USD, AI technology is sometimes used in classrooms for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classes. A biology professor at USD, Dr. Charisse Winston shared her insight on using AI as a studying tool for her class. She highlighted the effectiveness of ChatGPT and AI for study guides and other administrative objectives, but she acknowledged that AI is harmful for aspects of her class that involve critical thinking. “In my profession there is a lot of scientific writing that occurs… you generate an idea, you execute an experiment and you write about what happened,” Winston explained. “Initially, I thought the purpose of AI was to write peoples’ lab reports for them. I’m completely against it in that context, but if it can save me time on administrative things, and study guides, or how to put something together, I think it can be useful.” USD First-year Marta Ruiz
shared her opinion about using AI as a tool in and out of classwork. “I usually use AI to explain hard concepts that I don’t understand, the same way people Google things and use Wikipedia,” Ruiz described. “Especially when AI was newer, I would kind of play around with and give it really hard questions, and I was impressed. I feel like in general it’s a good tool to use, obviously if you’re responsible with it.” Ruiz, as well as Winston, stressed the importance of handling AI thoughtfully and responsibly in regards to schoolwork. Artificial intelligence is contentious in and out of the classroom, and the Authors Guild’s lawsuit reinforced the ongoing debate about the potential harms of such rapidly developing technology. USD is a microcosm of this nationwide divide on the use of AI in intellectual pursuits, as there is no standard regulation for the use of AI. While several professors include in their syllabuses that AI use is prohibited in their classes, others teach their students how to use these platforms as a tool. As the judgment of the suit remains undecided, generative AI companies remain under heat, and the ethical debate surrounding the issue persists.
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October 19, 2023
OPINION
When support becomes superficial
The dangers of performative activism on social media LILY ANDERSON ASST. OPINION EDITOR In a world that is intensely connected through social media and fueled by the constant need to share opinions, activism can sometimes be more about approval seeking instead of real change. This phenomenon is known as “performative activism,” where individuals or organizations engage in shallow, superficial acts of support for various causes to appear socially aware to the people around them. However, this flashy facade can be highly damaging to the causes it claims to support, leaving it ineffective in pursuing meaningful change. Performative activism is making a statement without following through with meaningful action. It typically involves sharing a hashtag on social media, reposting someone else’s post or attending an event just so you can say you went. True activism involves persistent efforts to address systemic and deeply-rooted issues, whereas performative activism merely scratches the surface, providing no real helpful solutions or progress.
Over the past few weeks, I have noticed many examples of performative activism surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. People I know have reposted content without actually knowing what’s going on or acted like strong supporters virtually while avoiding taking action in real life. This has made me feel frustrated and has also made me recognize times this has happened in the past. The “Blackout Tuesday” campaign that swept through Instagram in 2020 is an infamous example of performative activism. Following the unlawful death of George Floyd, many individuals and corporations posted black squares on their Instagram feeds as a sign of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. While the intent may have been to raise awareness, the oversaturation of black squares drowned out crucial information and resources circulating around the same time, inadvertently harming the cause it aimed to support. Another example of performative activism can be found in the commercialization of Pride Month. Many corporations plaster their logos with rainbow
colors and slogans to capitalize on the LGBTQ+ community’s support. While some companies genuinely contribute to LGBTQ+ causes, others merely use this month as an opportunity to appear inclusive, without substantively supporting the community. Instead, companies have turned Pride Month into a way to profit. This occurrence was clearly seen earlier this year when Bud Light partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, an influencer who is transgender. Bud Light received backlash for this partnership and ended up dropping it, proving that they were only using Mulvaney as a way to try and seem supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, and disregarded this the second it negatively impacted the company. However, it’s essential to recognize that not all forms of performative activism are automatically devoid of any benefit. Sometimes, performative acts can serve as a genuine attempt to bring about change by raising awareness about an issue. For instance, posting a hashtag or sharing a post about a crisis can prompt essential conversations and encourage people to take further action.
Before you become involved online, make sure that you are aware of the full context of the situation so you are not spreading incorrect information, and look to repost content or share hashtags that have been provided by reputable sources. Nonetheless, the key is ensuring these acts are a stepping stone to real, impactful change rather than a final destination. As the Israel-Palestine conflict unfolds, it is crucial to approach the topic with sensitivity. Engaging in performative activism in this context can be extraordinarily damaging and polarizing. To avoid this, it is essential to educate oneself about the situation’s complexities, engage in open dialogue and support organizations that promote peace and justice in the region. If you are consuming news, make sure that you are acknowledging varying perspectives and avoiding biased sources. The best thing you can do right now is become more aware, take time to think and reflect, and be supportive of those around you who are most impacted by this situation. I have reflected and noticed that I have engaged in
performative activism in the past by sharing posts and not actually doing anything further. This was due to a lack of information about what it is and its dangers. If you have also done so, this doesn’t make you a bad person or a poor supporter. Recognizing mistakes you have made in the past is a great way to improve your own activism moving forward. While performative activism may sometimes raise awareness, it falls short of creating the transformation we desperately need in our world. To genuinely support causes moving forward, we must collectively end shallow gestures and commit to long-term, effective action. Stay engaged in your community, research topics you are passionate about and look for physical ways to get involved or help. Research the charities you choose to support to make sure their resource allocation follows its claims. Search for local volunteering opportunities. Consume news from a diverse range of sources and people. Become an ally and supporter in real life, not just on your Instagram stories.
The purebred concept has to go Breeding animals is not as ‘pure’ as it seems
MARIA SIMPSON COPY EDITOR
Everyone has heard the saying “adopt don’t shop,” urging prospective pet owners to choose a furry friend from an animal shelter or adoption agency, as opposed to breeders who sell purebred animals for high fees. There are many reasons why adopting is a more ethical approach to obtaining a pet, but one of the most crucial is avoiding the purchase of a purebred dog or cat. This is because breeding purebred pets is an unethical practice that should be put to an end. Breeding dogs and cats for aesthetic purposes creates many health issues within those breeds. An article from Time Magazine said that “by allowing only the most aesthetically pleasing animals to mate, breeders believed they could make moreperfect creatures.” Unfortunately, these creatures are not so perfect. Common health hazards linked to breeding include respiratory disorders, skin conditions, reproductive issues and eye problems just to name a few. To achieve the purebred status and “idealized” traits, inbreeding has been a widely
The French Bulldog, America’s most popular dog, has many health issues. Photo courtesy of @americankennelclub/Instagram
used breeding practice. Inbreeding “results in a buildup of the recessive genes that cause common non-conformationrelated brachycephalic dog diseases like heart disease and skin issues. It also diminishes genetic variability, which protects populations from being wiped out by one catastrophic event,” Smithsonian Magazine said. The health issues that are spread from one generation to the next become amplified through a limited gene pool. Take for example French
Bulldogs. These dogs have been unnaturally altered to the point that they can not survive without human intervention. Centuries of breeding has made their hips too narrow to give birth, so they often require C-sections. If the ever-so desired wrinkles on their faces are not properly cleaned, they can become infected. Additionally, French Bulldogs are unable to tolerate heat or endure strenuous physical activity due to their difficulty breathing. Unnaturally shaped body parts lead to a variety of health
issues across many breeds, not just Frenchies. English Bulldogs and Pugs also commonly suffer from nostrils that are too small or soft palates (the roof of their mouth) that are too big, both of which block their airways, making breathing very difficult. Pugs’ curly tails are a staple in the breed, but that cute curl is caused by malformed vertebrae. Lots of dog breeds suffer from spinal issues, as their bodies have been stretched or condensed over time. Some also experience a skullbrain size mismatch, which can lead to neurological problems. The problem is not limited to dogs. Cats suffer from inevitable health struggles, as well. Persians, recognized for their flat faces, commonly suffer from dental disease, eye problems, and the same breathing issues as flat faced dogs. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic condition which slowly deteriorates the cat’s kidneys overtime, is a condition that many Persians are born with. Many other purebred cats, such as Bengals, Exotic Shorthairs and Ragdolls are prone to blindness, heart disease and cancer among other health disorders. If the torturous, chronic health conditions are not enough to convince you to boycott “pure” breeders then consider the other animals you could help and the
money you could save. According to World Animal Foundation nearly 6.3 million animals enter animal shelters each year in the U.S. alone. Of the shelters they go to, about 52 percent are kill shelters. The rescue and shelter animals deserve love and a forever home just as much as a “perfect” purebred animal. My family has only ever owned rescues and adopted dogs and cats, and they have been incredibly fun, adorable and loving members of our family. A purebred dog costs upwards of $1,000. Purebred cats are no different, Maine Coons and Russian Blues can run up to $3,000. When you can adopt a dog or cat that will be close to your heart for minimal or free cost, why would you break the bank to buy a purebred and pay endless medical bills for it? Breeding dogs and cats for unnatural, desired traits is a cruel practice that leaves them in pain and facing a shortened lifespan. While many of those popular purebreds may be “cute” to humans, the look is not worth the consequences that the animal will suffer. Breeding pets in this inhumane manner should be put to an end. If you are interested in getting a pet, please adopt instead. Shopping for purebred animals only encourages the practice to continue.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
Volume 61 Issue 6
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Opinion
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OPINION
Breaking the college caffeine cycle A wake-up call for healthier habits
LILY ANDERSON ASST. OPINION EDITOR My mornings tend to start the same way every day. After snoozing my alarm multiple times, I am finally able to get out of bed, fueled by the thought of coffee. Once I have had at least two mugs worth, I feel ready to head to school. My school days tend to start the same way every day as well. To gain some motivation, I head to Tu Merc for a $5.00 Celsius, with 200 milligrams of caffeine. I know I am not the only college student who is completely dependent on caffeine. My roommates and I go through Keurig pods at an alarming rate, and Tu Merc seems to be constantly restocking on Celsius to avoid running out and leaving grape as the only flavor available. While coffee and energy drink consumption is highly normalized, especially at our age, it shouldn’t be this way. People need to be more conscious of the amount of caffeine they continuously drink for their own safety. On average, adults who consume caffeine only accumulate about 135 milligrams throughout their day. However, research conducted by Villanova University found that college students typically drink over triple the amount of caffeine in a day compared to other adults, averaging 400-500 milligrams a day. On top of this, it was observed that 92%
Tu Mercado offers a large variety of caffeinated beverages; to keep up with the caffeine demand, the shelves are frequently restocked. Photo courtesy of Colin Mullaney/The USD Vista
of students consume caffeine. Caffeine, as explained by WebMD, is a stimulant that is able to block the chemical in your brain that makes you feel sleepy. It takes over four hours for your body to burn through the effects of caffeine, though some people notice its impact for longer than that. This easilyaccessible boost makes energy levels rise, focus increase and
Celsius is one of the most popular energy drinks among college students. Photo courtesy of @celsiusofficial/Instagram
productivity skyrocket. It also increases dopamine, strengthens memory and improves cognition. If the effects of caffeine seem too good to be true, that’s because they are. While there may be some short-term benefits to your daily dose of Java, there are also longterm disadvantages that greatly outweigh the positives. WebMD states that caffeine decreases the amount of melatonin that your body can produce, making it consistently harder to fall asleep at night. It has also been shown to increase feelings of anxiety and stress, as well as trigger irregular heart activity. Lastly, it is highly addictive. Addiction Center , a website dedicated to sharing information about substance use disorders, explains that caffeine addiction is similar to that of amphetamines and cocaine because they are forms of stimulants. Caffeine withdrawal is recognized as a clinical condition and many people experience side effects such as depression, fatigue, anxiety, tremors and irritability when going through the quitting process. There are many reasons for this glorified addiction. Firstly, college students are typically under immense stress to do as much as possible. We are expected to attend class, spend hours on homework, socialize with friends, work a job or maintain an internship, have multiple extracurriculars, eat healthy, partake in some form of exercise
and sleep eight hours a night. There are simply not enough hours in a day to do all of this. The easiest thing to compromise on tends to be sleep. If you stay up a little later, you can cram that essay in or take your first break of the day and watch a movie with your friends. Obviously, compromising on sleep does not elicit the best results. Instead, it just becomes harder to accomplish the goals you had set out for the next day. This is where caffeine comes into play. When I first began drinking coffee at the ripe age of 15, I had no idea about any of this. I actually presumed that caffeine, in moderation, was relatively good for you. Celsius seems to have latched onto this idea as well. Their motto, “Live Fit,” gives the impression that they are helping you achieve a better lifestyle. Furthermore, the can is decorated with promises of a faster metabolism and the ability to increase the burning of body fat, with claims of academic research to back it. In reality, all forms of caffeine technically can increase your metabolism, since they increase your heart rate. As explained by Health Digest, there are no studies that prove drinking energy drinks like Celcius result in sustained weight loss. By being aware of the harmful effects of caffeine and paying attention to the misinformation spread by beverage companies, it is easier to responsibly drink caffeine and stay below the
FDA-recommended limit of 400 milligrams a day. I myself have no plans to cut caffeine out of my life completely because I think that might currently be too difficult of a task, but I have consciously been trying to decrease my consumption. Instead of having multiple cups of coffee and an energy drink, I try to stick to just one form of caffeine. I also do my best to stop all caffeine consumption after noon, no matter how bad I want my usual 5 p.m. Diet Coke. While these are relatively new lifestyle changes, I can already see the benefits appearing. Day by day, it has become easier to just stick to one, maybe two, cups of coffee and leave it at that. My sleep schedule, which used to be a disaster, is slowly entering normal territory again. I urge all students to pay attention to their caffeine consumption and the way it affects them. During midterm season, it is easy to go overboard and justify your actions. At the end of the day, that extra energy drink will probably lead to more stress and a lower performance anyway. Caffeine is idolized in college, but we have the power to change this narrative. Instead, focus on getting adequate sleep, eating solid meals, getting fresh air and moving your body. These changes may help make the afternoon slump avoidable and a caffeine pickup less desirable. And please, don’t start drinking caffeine if you haven’t already.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
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October 19, 2023
PUMPKIN PALAT
Students’ favorite
Pumpkin Seeds “Every fall, carving pumpkins is one of my favorite activities to get me in the season spirit. The added bonus: baking the pumpkin seeds into a delicious snack. Pumpkin seeds are my favorite, because you can either make them sweet or savory for any type of mood you’re in. Another added bonus is that since they’re small and not messy, you can take them with you anywhere. ” - Jade Cousins, Junior
It’s that time of year when lea and the weather gets colder — of the U.S. that is. Fall in Sa different than other parts of leaves turning colors and de switch out sandals for snea pulling out their wetsuits. almost universal for the f country: baking. One of the used during the fall season is used in many ways, all of whi comforting sense of fall. Here favorite pumpkin recipes they
Pumpkin
“One of my favorite things to Trader Joe’s pumpkin bread because everything tastes bette used to make it when I was grow of home during the fall season. pumpkin bread mix, two large e oil and one cup of water. Com and stir until smooth. Spread t and bake at 400 Fahrenheit fo recipe with the cho - Ryan Tancre
Allie Longo/The USD Vista
Pumpkin Pie “My favorite recipe for the fall with pumpkin is my mom’s pumpkin pie. She only makes it once a year at Thanksgiving, and she makes it the same way every time. It always reminds me of home, spending time with family and cooking with my mom.” - Jacob Weil, Senior Photo Courtesy of tastesbetterfromscratch.com
Photo Courtesy of thecafesucrefari
Volume 61 Issue 6
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FEATURE
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The USD Vista
ATE PLEASURES
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ite pumpkin foods
en leaves start changing shade der — fall has arrived. In most l in San Diego may look a bit arts of the country. Instead of nd degrees dropping, people r sneakers and surfers start suits. However, one thing is the fall season around the of the most staple ingredients son is pumpkins. They can be of which students said, bring a Here are a few USD students' s they are making this season.
Pumpkin Cookies “Fall is my favorite season by far. I am from Orange County, so I don’t get to really experience a true fall with leaves changing and colder weather. But I always make the most of it, pulling out some fun color sweaters and of course baking. I found this recipe a few years ago for some pumpkin cookies, and I always love to make them when the season starts.” - Savannah Igarashi, Junior
kin Bread
ngs to do in the fall is to make bread. I add chocolate chips, s better with chocolate. My mom as growing up, and it reminds me eason. It consists of Trader Joe’s arge eggs, half a cup of vegetable . Combine everything in a bowl read the batter in a greased pan heit for 60 minutes. It’s a bomb he chocolate chips.” Tancreto, Senior
ucrefarine.com
Allie Longo/The USD Vista
Pumpkin Cheesecake “I would have to say my favorite fall recipe would have to be something with pumpkin, preferably pumpkin cheesecake. My sister makes it every year around this time, and it is so yummy.” - Reese Burke, Sophomore
Photo Courtesy of thepioneerwoman.com
Spread by Khushi Patel/The USD Vista: Content by Allie Longo/The USD Vista
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The USD Vista
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October 19, 2023
FEATURE AR TS &
Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Signs to be aware of in a relationship
KATIE FOREMAN FEATURE EDITOR TW: This article mentions sensitive topics such as sexual assault and dating violence. In the United States, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) has taken place every October since 1989. It is a month to recognize survivors of relationship violence and to educate the public on information that can prevent relationship violence from happening (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2023). USD’s Center for Health and Wellness Promotion is taking part in the Red Flag Campaign, which educates people on the warning signs of an unhealthy and/or violent relationship. For those entering their first relationships in college or exploring if they want a relationship, there are both red flags and green flags to be on the lookout for. Associate Director of Prevention and Education Sarah Diamond and Confidential Campus Assault Resources and Education (CARE) Advocate Megan Martin shared why this month is so important, as well as resources and advice to anyone getting involved in a relationship. Importance of DVAM “When it comes to societal norms around relationships, so much of it is about privacy and we often hear people say things like, ‘keep it in the family’ or ‘sweep it under the rug,’” Diamond said. “So, when we create a culture where talking about relationships is not normalized, that’s where violence can happen or we essentially allow violence to thrive.” The annual month of awareness creates opportunity for productive conversations. “[Domestic Violence Awareness Month has] been used as a space to not only mourn the loss of people that were lost due to domestic violence, but also celebrate what has happened and the changes that have happened,” Martin said. “It creates space for people to share their thoughts and what change they want to see.” Red flags The Red Flag Campaign is based on the One Love Foundation and their “10 signs of an unhealthy relationship,” which was created in honor of Yardley Love, who lost her life to relationship violence in 2010. The 10 signs are: intensity, manipulation, sabotage, guilting, deflecting responsibility, possessiveness, isolation, belittling, volatility and betrayal. “Sabotage — when someone purposely ruins your reputation, achievements or success… It can show up by a partner consistently keeping another partner up late, before interviews, before big exams — things that would
sabotage their ability to do well,” Diamond said. “Possessiveness, because our culture really romanticizes jealousy and thinks that it’s very cute or romantic…and I don’t think jealousy in and of itself is a terrible thing… what’s important is how we navigate jealousy within our relationships.” Diamond stated that if there is extreme jealousy in a relationship, it can lead to possessiveness and possibly isolation. She continued to talk about volatility and what that can look like. “When someone has a really strong and predictable reaction that makes someone feel scared, confused or intimidated, and even betrayal, can be all of these like red flags or warning signs of an unhealthy relationship that could lead to abuse.” To read more about the ten warning signs, go to https:// w w w.joi none love .or g /s ig n s u n h e a l t h y - r e l a t i o n s h i p /. Red flags don’t always have to stay red, if there is productive and healthy communication around the issue that occurred. “Sharing this culture of communication and learning more about that other person with compassion can create a dialogue of really positive conversation,” Martin said. “A red flag of jealousy could turn into a green flag, if there was a healthy conversation about it.” Diamond described violence more in-depth and what it can look like. “Around intimate partner violence, relationship violence… it often doesn’t start that way. These flags are the warning signs that might progress to [an abusive relationship],” Diamond said. Diamond explained how violence in relationships tends to be repeated patterns of behavior. “It’s someone who’s consistently doing something in order to maintain power and control the relationship.” Green flags Diamond and Martin asserted that there are also healthy signs to notice. Green flags include but are not limited to: going at a pace that both parties are comfortable with, honesty, respect, kindness and being able to navigate conflict in a healthy way. “When we say violence is about power and control, healthy relationships are about equality and respect. They are about both people being at the same level of one another, and that they’re showing that mutual respect for each other. Relationships should make you feel good. That’s a green flag.” Diamond also noted that partners should be able to take accountability for harming the other, if harm does occur.
Purple ribbons are worn for DVAM to honor survivors. Photo courtesy of @bloom365/Instagram Why do we stay? about unhealthy relationships Martin addressed how, for shown in media for any and many students, they are getting all classes on campus, and into their first relationships and they are by-request only. may be completely unaware of Advice the red flags, because the green Diamond and Martin flags seem so much brighter. want students to know that “If the person is abusive, relationships should and can be they might be ‘love bombing’ fun and make you feel uplifted. you — throwing all of this love “A relationship should make your way. So it’s easy to maybe you feel good. It should make you ignore or not be able to focus on feel affirmed in your identities. the things that are bad, because It should make you feel like you the love that you’re receiving is can be your authentic self with so intense, and so much more them. It shouldn’t make you feel than you ever received, that it’s pressured. It should never make easy to maybe be like, ‘oh, that’s you feel like you have to do things fine, it’s no big deal,’” Martin said. in order to make that person “Eventually, what you’ll start to happy,” Diamond said. “I want notice, and what we notice with students who are entering our CARE specific situations is folks first relationships to know that get stuck in this cycle of abuse.” if it doesn’t feel good, if their gut Diamond spoke more is saying to them this doesn’t feel on why people may stay in great, that it probably isn’t right. unhealthy relationships. And we want them to reach out “They also love the person to us if they’re like, ‘maybe I am who’s harming them. And that in an unhealthy relationship.’ can be a major barrier to why We can help with that kind people don’t want to see the of information distilling.” red flags, or don’t want to leave Martin said before anyone that relationship,” Diamond comes into her office, she asks said. “I think also the way that herself, “what would I want to media like social media and hear if I was walking in that door?” movies, TV shows, etc. talk “I would have wanted about relationships, really again someone just to say, you deserve romanticizes a lot of harmful everything and more. And one relationship behaviors. Young day, you’re gonna find that. people think this is what love But right now, you deserve is supposed to be, this is what I the world,” Martin said. “You should expect in a relationship. deserve someone that is going to The reality is, if they’ve never give you everything and more, had good comprehensive sex because you’re worthy enough education that also teaches them to get everything that you need.” about healthy relationships, Resources then they never would know, Diamond and Martin’s actually, what is a healthy advice spreads beyond just relationship, especially if knowing what you deserve; they haven’t seen it modeled they also want students to know through caretakers or people that their doors are always around them. So there’s a lot of open and there are various reinforcing factors that help them resources that they can utilize. or keep them where they are.” One of these resources Diamond offers presentations are peer educators who
present on consent, healthy relationships and how to support survivors. They can be requested at any time. “[Relationship violence prevention] has to be ongoing education because it’s a lifelong process to be in relationships with people, whether it’s romantic or platonic, or it’s with coworkers or supervisors,” Diamond said. Martin communicated how it is okay to not know what your relationship means yet. “Just knowing that CARE and myself as a confidential resource are here, we’re more than happy to talk with students, even if they’re not sure,” Martin said. “A lot of exploratory work definitely happens here. Having the space for someone just to talk about the experience that they went through, even if they don’t have a label for it.” Martin’s role as a Confidential CARE Advocate is new this semester and allows students to share freely without worrying about being reported. The only cases where Martin is required to report students are when they are discussing harm to themselves or to others. She also explained how this confidential option helps students make their own informed decisions. “It gives the choice back right to the person who’s impacted, especially when we think about really, truly being trauma informed, that it is so important to give the safety and the choice back to the person who’s been impacted.” There are two more Red Flag campaign events Oct. 24 from 9-10 p.m. in The Valley and Oct. 26 from 8-9 p.m. in Maher Hall. Purple Thursday, a day to stand with survivors of relationship violence and educate the public, is happening on Oct. 19 from 12-2 p.m at Paseo de Colachis. There is also a program to receive a Violence Prevention Certificate and it begins Oct. 24, available for both graduate and undergraduate students. Martin can give assistance to any student needing accommodations — academic, housing, wellness resources, therapy options, financial aid support, reporting options (Title IX, Public Safety, Police) and more. To contact Martin, call 619-260-4655 and say “CARE Advocate Meg” or email meganmar tin@sandiego.edu. To get in contact with Diamond, email sdiamond@ sandiego.edu. CARE’s official website is https://www.sandiego. edu/care/ and their phone number is 619-260-2396. If you or someone you know is in a relationship that may be unhealthy or violent, please reach out. People care about you and want you to be okay. It can be scary to speak up but it also is worth it. You are worth it.
Volume 61 Issue 6
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ARTS & CULTURE
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The USD Vista
A RT S & C U LT U R E
Actors performing a scene from ‘The Laramie Project’ about the overflow of news coverage that occurred during the court case to convict Matthew Shepard’s murderers.
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Satvika Nitya/The USD Vista
USD’s ‘Laramie Project’ 25 years later, the play takes on new meaning SATVIKA NITYA ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies Theatre was home to USD’s staged reading of “The Laramie Project” last Saturday. Directed by Soroyo Rowley, a part-time lecturer in the theatre department at USD, the play was read by seven students who rehearsed for two weeks to perform the 75-minute production. “The Laramie Project” was a play written in the year 2000 by Moisés Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project about the world’s reaction to the horrific 1998 murder of a gay University of Wyoming student, Matthew Shepard, in Laramie, Wyoming. Shepard was beaten, tortured and left to die on the outskirts of Laramie on the night of Oct. 6, 1998. After being found by rescuers and taken to the hospital, Shepard died from severe head injuries six days later, surrounded by his family. This incident caused a massive outcry for justice not only in Laramie but worldwide, and there was a huge sense of relief felt when both the men responsible for Shepard’s murder were convicted of first-degree murder. In the year following the murder, Kaufman and members of the
Tectonic Theater conducted over 200 interviews of people related to Shepard or the case in general. The transcripts of these interviews were then turned into a documentary-style play and named “The Laramie Project.” The play deals with heavy subject matters like homophobia, tolerance, violence, grief, acceptance, justice, religion and morality. In the years after its making, the play is routinely studied in schools as a method for teaching prejudice and tolerance. Coincidentally, on the day of the performance of “The Laramie Project” at USD, it was the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, which made this performance monumental and extremely sentimental. The director of the play, Soroyo Rowley, explained the process of choosing the play and directing it. “Well it’s funny because there’s a committee that chooses the plays we do at USD and they chose this because it is a play that can be very flexible and you can do it with a few actors or a lot of actors, and you can do creative casting,” Rowley said. “We chose the date just kind of based off of what was good for the department and what was practical. And then we found out that we had accidentally scheduled the performance for the week of the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard [passing
away] and then we were like, ‘that is a crazy coincidence.’” Since the play deals with extremely triggering topics, Rowley also discussed what they had to do in order to help maintain a safe space for students while directing the play. “Because it’s such a heavy subject matter, I wanted to take a very trauma-informed approach,” Rowley said. “I knew that we wouldn’t want to do the full show, so I cut it down almost in half from like over 2 hours to 75 minutes, so that was one way to deal with the heavy material. Another thing we did was we made sure that the rehearsal process was fun. Every rehearsal was a party, and we put together this queer joy playlist to help with lightening the environment.” USD senior Daniel Rosales, who was a part of the reading, agreed with this sentiment and talked about why this story was important to tell to the audience. “From the very beginning of our first read-through to the final performance it was a very open space and we were allowed to express our opinions on how this text made us feel and what was going through our heads and contribute to a lot of the creativity to this piece,” Rosales said. “It really meant a lot that it also just had such topical and interesting themes that are currently on students’ minds.”
Following Matthew Shepard’s death, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, the two people responsible for Shepard’s murder, were sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Shortly afterward, Shepard’s family set up the “Matthew Shepard Foundation” to honor their son and provide a place for outreach, advocacy and resource programs for others in need. “It’s important to think that 25 years is a long time, but all these people are still around today,” Rosales said. “You realize that Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson are still in prison. All the lives that Matthew Shepard’s death affected are still being affected today, and it’s not just in the ways that his death is affecting them but everything that his death is caused in the terms of social justice.” “The Laramie Project” has over 60 characters that contribute to telling the story of Matthew Shepard. From the description of the events that preceded the violent attack, the crime itself, the hours that followed and the months that the court case lasted are all covered in great emotional detail during the course of the play. With only seven actors and one narrator present to carry out the character heavy script at USD’s take on the play, one would assume that it would be really hard for the audience to keep up with the story.
But throughout the performance, the audience was captivated by the emotional depth provided by the actors. There was a clear change in gait, tone of voice, accents and body languages seen in every actor that switched between one charcater to another. And without taking away from the main intent and gravity of the story, the performance provided the perfect amount of levity through adding satirical delivery for bigoted characters. USD senior Vita Olson who attended the play talked about her reaction to watching the students’ performance. “I think it was an amazing production, they did such an incredible job of capturing Matthew’s story and everything that has come out of it,” Olson said. “They created an amazing sense of support and community through their performance.” The performance was followed by a reception which was aided by discussion cards that housed questions about the performance and the audience’s reaction to it. This helped push the conversation started during the course of the play forward. The play’s timely production at USD helped honor Matthew Shepard’s legacy and started a long-standing discussion about progress and the lack of it regarding the LGBTQ+ community in our society today.
The USD Vista
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October 19, 2023
Angela Davis at USD
The iconic political activist speaks on crucial social issues
Angela Davis, from Page 1
how different forms of oppression overlap and intersect between different groups of people. She spent most of her time in college working with the Che-Lumumba Club, which was an all-Black branch of the Communist Party. Many believed Davis to be a respected academic leader, therefore, UCLA recruited her as an acting assistant professor within the philosophy department. There, Davis contributed to the philosophical thought relating to topics highlighted within her leisure. However, through association with such groups such as the communist party, she became a controversial individual, with many disagreeing with the ways in which she advocated for the oppressed. However, she continued to be a vocal activist leader, attending speech events and writing novels in regards to feminism, civil rights and prison abolition. Davis has received a wide variety of awards, has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and was included in Time magazine’s 2020 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. During the event held at USD, the topic of discussion was U.S. history and prisons. Davis spoke about her experiences as a Civil
Davis was a longtime member of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). Photo courtesy of @_angeladavis1944/Instagram
Rights activist, her insight on prison abolition, naturalizing gender, activism burnout and more. She starts the conversation by stating how she had relations to prisons virtually all her life. She narrated the time period in which she did activist work around prisons, to the period of time in which she spent time in jail as a result of the work she was doing with political prisoners. In response to the question posed around her views on prisons in the U.S. she stated, “I never expected that there would be a widespread public discourse over prison abolition.”
Further, she spoke on the summer of 2020, in which George Floyd was publicly lynched. Saying, “history doesn’t ever unfold in a linear fashion, sometimes it’s two steps backward, before you take one step forward,” Davis said. “In the summer of 2020, a new collective consciousness was created. This new collective consciousness around carceral issues and around slavery was an awareness that our forebears did not do the work that would have been required to fully abolish slavery.” The crowd silently focused on Davis’ responses to the questions
posed to her, and ended the event with a standing ovation over Davis’ words and impact on history. USD alum Moumita Roy recently graduated with a degree in Ethnic Studies, and expressed passion regarding Davis’ topics. Roy spoke on why she decided to return to the university to attend the event. “I’ve been a fan of Angela Davis and her work since high school. She is an icon in the field of social justice, especially when it comes to prison abolishment,” Roy said. “I had the opportunity to attend one of her lectures in Harlem, New York, and it was so inspiring to hear her talk, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see her again.” USD senior Gabrielle Hall attended the event, and spoke of why she admires Davis, and how Davis’ words inspired her. “I aspire to replicate what she has done and created for society; I wanted to hear her insight on leadership qualities and mobilization to become a better leader and implement her ideas into USD’s social justice club,” Hall said. “I was moved when she said ‘do what you love’ because I recently decided to change career paths, and I struggled with knowing if it was too hard or not. It resonated with me, when she said to create your art and follow your passion; it let me know I can’t
be wrong in any path if I ensure to express what differences I want to make in the world.” USD first-year Shukriya Osman also attended the event, and spoke of her enthusiasm for Davis. “I absolutely loved being able to hear from her, she’s always been someone whose work I enjoyed reading, so seeing her speak in real life was unreal,” Osman said. “What inspired me mostly from what she said was that we have to keep moving no matter if we’re tired or if we’re exhausted, whether it’s music, poetry or anything enjoyable to you, let that passion be the anchor for your activism.” The 1960s was a turbulent time for the African American community across the country. Davis is attributed as the activist she is known as today, because she was driven by the lack of civil rights and unequal employment opportunities for African Americans. She brought that aspect to light at the event saying, “what divides us must become what unites us.” Her impact on the Black community and push for the importance of education to shift the divide within our country, is directly visible on USD’s campus. Her words and work are still coming into fruition through the inspired students demanding change within the present days.
The danger of defense mechanisms Spotting psychological projection
COLIN MULLANEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sigmund Freud is controversial in pop culture, but if you’ve ever been to talkbased therapy, dealt with “repressed trauma,” “narcissism” or “intergenerational trauma,” then you are the beneficiary of a psychological revolution that began with Freud and burns on to this day. Arguably, Freud’s greatest contribution was his idea of “defense mechanisms,” or patterns that human beings deploy when our ego feels threatened or destabilized. Often triggered by a perceived threat to safety or personal identity, defense mechanisms are methods of separating oneself from hostility of others and from harsh truth. Although defense mechanisms are a survival and protective instinct, they can become problematic when the behavior or mechanism becomes overused and compulsive. Freud outlines many defense mechanisms through his work. However, the most insidious of all defense mechanisms is “projection,” which is when somebody attributes their own motivations, thoughts, beliefs, feelings, etc. to the world outside of them, or onto a group of “others,” rather than taking ownership of their own, unwanted parts. It is externalizing what
is actually internal, pinning it onto someone else rather than addressing it within. Projection is the likely culprit behind many of society’s ills, including increased political polarization, racism, classism and cults of personality/ celebrity. Anything that “others” fellow human beings and exacerbates “separation consciousness,” is probably a result of projection. Therefore, as Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung states, “the best political, social and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others.” How do you know if you’re experiencing a projection in your own life? A particularly “charged” relationship with someone else is a good indication. If you feel that a relationship has a specific valence — whether positive or negative — that you are unable to place a finger on, or do not quite understand, then chances are you’re experiencing a projection onto this person. Do they make you feel inexplicable dread? Elation? Aversion? Attraction? Does your heart skip a beat when you see them, or drop into your stomach, with no rationale? You may be projecting something big onto them. However, the most subtle, mundane indication of a projection is simple irritation. Carl Jung wrote,
Self awareness is the first step to end projection of emotions and feelings. Photo courtesy of @mentalwhealth/Instagram
“everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” Look at the people in your life who annoy you the most, and you will understand what it is about yourself that you do not want to see or take ownership of. Going back to Freud, dream symbolism is another way to know a projection is at play. If you ever have a dream that you are being shot at with a projectile, whether it be a gun, bow and arrow, slingshot, or a thrown object, then it could be your brain’s way of telling you that someone is projecting onto you. If the role is reversed, then you may be the projector. Dreams of being inside a movie theater, with an image projected onto a big screen,
can also be the brain’s way of representing that a projection is taking place in your waking life. In order to combat projection on your part, stop viewing people as “other.” Understand the remarkable, shared humanity that underlies our existence: the similar thoughts, feelings, drives and challenges that we all experience. Embrace “unity consciousness,” instead of “separation consciousness.” Take it upon yourself to empathize with others and to actively listen. Get to know the real and true person as an individual, rather than acting out of your preconceived ideas of who they are, based on personal bias or superficial categorization. If you find yourself caught up
in a nasty and vicious projection as the projector, consider whether the “other” is not simply holding up a mirror, showing you what you would prefer to avoid about yourself. Reclaim ownership for the parts of yourself that you’ve denied and disowned, and try to understand why you’ve relegated these aspects of Self into your unconscious. Strive to understand yourself better. Was there an incident in your past or a parental figure/relationship that made certain aspects of you unacceptable to yourself? If someone is projecting onto you, the best option is to set boundaries with them. Meanwhile, try to be compassionate for the reasons why they’re disowning themselves and putting it onto you. Be fully present with them. When you bring the fullness of who you are into the relationship or interaction, those who would project onto you cannot hold the same space. In the worst cases, remove yourself from the relationship. Now that you recognize projection, continuing to engage in it is a choice. You can decide whether other people continue to bother you, which is empowering but also challenging. You’ll no longer view relationships or life the same way, when you realize that your notion of who other people are says a lot more about you than it actually says about them.
Volume 61 Issue 6
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SPORTS
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The USD Vista
SPORTS
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The USD Vista
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October 19, 2023
Women’s cross country team finishes first
Russell Gokemeijer and Daniella Hubble win WCC runners of the week LUKAS BLAKENSTEIN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The USD women’s cross country team took home first place at the San Diego Mesa College Invite. The Toreros toppled 10 other teams to take home the title. The race took place on Friday, Oct. 6, and was the team’s third race of the season. This was the Toreros’ first race win since 2021, when they won the USD invite. The women’s team was led by junior Daniella Hubble, who finished second in the women’s race with a time of 18:46.33 in the 5-kilometer race, a personal best for her. Her performance led to her securing the West Coast Conference (WCC) runner of the week. Will Guarino, the head coach of both the men’s and women’s cross-country teams, had high praise for Hubble. “This is a young person who has worked very hard to develop her own personal running. She started as a freshman… to see her evolve and run so well is awesome,” Guarino said.
Hubble was followed closely by redshirt junior Aryam Jaimes, who finished third with a time of 18:47.63, and graduate student Gianna Sbarbaro, who finished fifth with a time of 19:13.87. Guarino spoke of his team’s ability to work together. “Oftentimes it looks like an individual sport, but what you want to do as a coach is to [get them to] leave the ego alone,” Guarino claimed. “The whole concept of a team is a very important concept for us,” Guarino shared. USD sophomore Maggie The women’s cross country team pictured after their win at the Invite. Photo courtesy of @usdxctf and @usdtoreros/Instagram Duba also put on a strong performance. Duba started the strengthen them,” Guarino “He has a lot of range; he’s race slowly, beginning in 28th stated. “I have a really an endurance monster. He place after the first kilometer. strong belief that it’s just as brings hard work to the table, However, she rose through important as physical strength.” if anything I have to slow him the ranks as the race went on, The men’s team was also in down at times in practice, finishing in 10th place overall action at the San Diego Mesa so he can have even more with a 19:47.87 time in the 5K. College Invite, finishing fifth fulfilling races,” Guarino said. Guarino discussed how he out of 16. The men’s team was “I’m even more proud coaches the mental aspect of led by Russell Gokemeijer, who of his leadership. He cross country to help runners finished 22nd in the men’s 4-mile leads by example and he also like Duba battle adversity. race, with a time of 21:18.1. This makes athletes around him “From my perspective, it’s time also granted him WCC better, which is an incredible understanding the athlete, runner of the week honors. gift to have as a coach.” allowing them to understand Guarino spoke well Gokemeijer also spoke their deficits and work of Gokemeijer’s on winning the WCC on their deficits to actually talent and work ethic. runner of the week.
“I was surprised and excited to see I was runner of the week. It feels great to get some recognition for the work that I and my teammates put in every day.” The Toreros will be back in action for the WCC Championships on Oct. 28. The Championships will take place in Malibu, and both the men and the women are racing in the championship. Guarino responded to how he plans to keep the pace up leading into the coming races. “Most importantly, at this stage of the season, keeping the fun is important. Winning isn’t the only other variable. If an athlete isn’t having fun, they’re not relaxed, and they’re not actually able to execute the next stage,” Guarino said. This has already been an eventful season for the Toreros, who are continuing to prepare for their future races. For now, the Toreros will celebrate their victory and the individual accomplishments of their runners, while also managing to have some fun, according to Coach Guarino.
This semester in sports
A mid-season report on USD teams and their achievements LAUREN CEBALLOS SPORTS EDITOR
USD cross country, football, soccer and volleyball are officially in season with tennis, softball and golf attending tournaments and rowing beginning to compete in regattas. USD football opened their season against Cal Poly SLO and later defeated Dayton with a score of 40-25. Some team highs for the season include 43 rushes against Colorado Mesa and 216 yards rushing, as well as three touchdown passes against Colorado Mesa, two touchdown rushes against Dayton, 39 pass attempts versus Princeton and 22 pass completions against Davidson, with 408 yards passing. With a total of 132 points, averaging 22 points per game, Toreros are showing off their skills and working to represent the school. At the start of the season, USD seniors Re-al Mitchell, Chase Lyons and Will Buck were each awarded pre-season all Pioneer
COMING UP THIS WEEK
Football League (PFL) team. Mitchell, a USD quarterback, was an All-PFL First Team 2022 selection. Mitchell is an all-purpose player with stats of “nine of 13 pass attempts for 91 yards and 13 touchdowns, led USD with 433 passing yards and four rushing touchdowns, and caught 23 passes for a total of 272 yards and two touchdowns,” prior to this season according to USDToreros.com. Lyons, a USD outside linebacker, was an All-PFL Second Team with 31 out of 46 solo tackles across 10 starts. “He racked up 7.5 tackles for losses, two sacks, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry,” wrote USDToreros.com. Most notably, Lyons had two forced fumbles last year which is the most on the USD roster. Buck, a USD defensive tackle, was also named an All-PFL Second Team in 2022 with 13 out of 33 solo tackles across 10 starts. “He registered four sacks and eight tackles for losses, and led the Toreros with 11 quarterback hurries,” reported USD Toreros.com.
On Oct. 14, USD football fell to Marist college with a score of 16-30. USD men’s soccer began their season against Seattle University, kicking off the season with a 2-1 win with goals scored by USD fifth year Mason Tunbridge and USD sophomore Samy Kanaan. During the game against Cal Poly, junior Ethan Warne and freshman Steven Ramirez scored their first goals as Toreros and first year Donovan Parisian made his collegiate debut. “Parisian became one of just six freshman goalkeepers in the nation to record a shutout this season and one of four to do it in their collegiate debut, making one save in his first appearance,” according to Anderson Haigler. In the game against George Washington University, the Toreros scored their most goals since 2006 in a home opener. Toreros have won their games against Cal Poly, George Washington, Cal Baptist University, UCSD, San Francisco, St. Mary’s, Seattle
University and the University of Washington with a tied game against UC Riverside. On Oct. 14, men’s soccer played SDSU and ended the game with a tied score of 1-1 with a goal made by Tunbridge off of assists from Ramirez and Warne. USD women’s soccer opened their season with a game against Stanford where they lost 0-4. However, they turned it around in the following games against UCR with a tie and Seattle University with a score of 1-0. USD junior Lexi Zandonella-Arasa scored the goal 33 minutes into the game. With the help of first-year defenders Kamryn Simpson and Kylie Perez, the pair helped keep Seattle from scoring. On Oct. 4 women’s soccer tied with LMU for a score of 1-1. Juniors Sara Evans and Zandonella-Arasa made the ball available to USD graduate student Olivia Stone who made a header into the goal. The team has more games against Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Pepperdine, and Santa Clara throughout
USD MTEN at ITA USD WSWIM vs. USD WVB vs Pepperdine USD SB vs Southwestern Southwest Regionals MPSF Open Water 12 p.m. College Fall Ball Thursday, Oct. Saturday, Oct. 21 Saturday, Oct. 21 Saturday, Oct. 21 19-23 Long Beach, CA San Diego, CA San Diego, CA San Diego, CA
USD WTEN vs ITA USD WVB vs Portland USD WROW vs Head of Southwest Regionals Thursday, Oct. 19 the Charles Regatta Thursday, Oct. 19-24 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 San Diego, CA San Diego, CA Boston, MA/Charles River
USD FB vs Drake Saturday, Oct. 21 2 p.m. San Diego, CA
USD WSOC at San Francisco Saturday, Oct. 21 6 p.m. San Francisco, CA
the rest of the season. USD Women’s Volleyball is fighting to keep their title. The team recently fell to LMU, however, Toreros stood out throughout the game. USD sophomore Olivia Bennett, libero and defensive specialist, had a team high of two service aces and eight digs. Redshirt senior Isadora Tercariol, setter, had 24 assists throughout the game. USD senior Madi Allen, libero, made a new team-best of 13 digs and also had a service ace. USD junior Haylee Stoner, middle blocker, chipped in a solo block, making her fifth of the 2023 season as of that game. Earlier in the season, players earned other acknowledgements as well. USD graduate student Amber Stirvins, outside hitter, hit her 1,000 kill in a game against Gonzaga. Strivins was selected as a 2023 WCC Volleyball Preseason team with Stoner and Leyla Blackwell, a senior middle blocker. Overall, USD athletes are accomplishing personal goals as well as school and conference wide achievements.
USD MSOC at Portland Saturday, Oct. 21 7 p.m. Portland, OR
USD SB at UC Riverside Sunday, Oct. 22 2 p.m. Riverside, CA
USD MROW vs USD MSOC vs LMU Head of The Charles Wednesday, Oct. 25 Sunday, Oct.22 7 p.m. Cambridge, MA San Diego, CA