fortnightly student magazine
THE WAKE
volume 19 — issue 5
A Night with Nathan Fielder
p. 8
On Being Filipino - American
p. 18
The Great Behind the Lakes
p. 9
The Most Dangerous Game
p. 20
Theres No “I” In Democracy
p. 11
Six Reviews
p. 22
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Art by Laura Kuchar
DEC 9 - FEB 3
VOLUME 19, ISSUE 5 EDITORIAL: Editor-in-Chief
Tala Alfoqaha
Managing Editor
Emma Chekroun
Cities Editor
Sylvia Rani
Voices Editor
Esther Chan
Music Editor
Tosin Faseemo
Online editor
Sammi Divito
Copy editors
Autumn Sanders Hannah Haakenson
BMM EBZ
Multimedia Editor
Sebastian Alfonzo
Multimedia Producer
Courtenay Parker
Editorial Interns: Ian Knoll, Mei Gong, Isabel Teitelbaum, Erin Wilson, Megan Bormann, Marley Richmond, Kylie Heider, Prahlad Sankrti, Emma Smisek, Martha Huson
PRODUCTION: Executive Director
Macie Rasmussen
Creative Director
Kiley Nelson
Finance Manager
Nikhil Barr-Saxena
PR/Ad Manager
Claire Redell
Social Media Manager
Madison Amland
Art Director
Morgan Wittmers-Graves
Designers
Kelsey Hanscom Samantha Fischer Ellie Kestner
Web Manager
Juan Rujana
Distribution Manager
Cassie Varrige
Production Interns: Olivia May, Grace Augustin, Lizzy Rode Art Interns: Joe Price, Eva Berezovsky, Selena Philaphandeth, Laura Kuchar
THIS ISSUE: Writers
Anna Aquino, Megan Bormann, Evan Ferstl, Cataline Grimm, Kylie Heider, Ian Knoll, Gus Kuhnen, Kinga Mozes, Emma Niemaszyk, Š2019 The Wake Student Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for students at the University of Minnesota. The Wake was founded by Chrin Ruen & James DeLong. Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. To join the conversation email eic@wakemag.org The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455
Sylvia Rani, Marley Richmond, Kathryn Richner, Kinaan Taha, Josie Takeshima-Allen, Isabel Teitelbaum, Avery Wageman, Madeleine Ware, Erin Wilson Art 1 Lauren Bastian, 2 Isabelle Snyder, 3 Joe Price, 4 Morgan Wittmers-Graves, 5 Anna Aquino, 6 Luciana Divito, 7 Eva Berezovsky, 8 Selena Philaphandeth,
Touch, and Sunsets & Full Moons art from original sources Cover art by Morgan Wittmers-Graves and feature art by Laura Kuchar
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wink! one page magazine
FINALS WEEK BINGO We’ve all been there. Good luck this finals season!
Take 3 finals in one day
Witness a breakdown in the library
Drink 5 cups of coffee
Switch majors
Procrastinate by cleaning
Call mom
Get sick for the 893rd time
Computer crashes before you can save your work
Lose keys/ cards/anything important
Professor has a final outside of finals week
Start writing the paper that you’ve Stay up past 3 AM known about all semester the night before it’s due
Elaborately plan vacations that you Cry in the Walter can’t afford to Library bathroom escape the misery of studying
Submit an assignment by 11:59
Final group project where other members are mysteriously MIA
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Become very Tell yourself that familiar with the next semester will crushing weight of be different regret
Send an email asking about extra credit
Contemplate whether the degree is really worth it
Someone comes to the final in pajamas
Spend two hours figuring out how many points you need to pass the class
Show up to the wrong classroom for the final
Carry your entire life in your backpack
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INSIDE 6 7
8 9 11
Letter from Public Relations Wizardfest Brings Together Potterheads from All Around Minneapolis
UPCOMING EVENTS 12/11 Study Night
1/25 A
Lake Harriet Kite Festival
5:00pm - 10:00pm Weisman Art Museum
Lake Harriet Park
A Night with Nathan Fielder
12/14
1/26
Yoga + Cider
Rex Orange County
The Great Behind the Lakes
10:00am - 10:45am
Theres No “I” In Democracy
B
Cost: $15, includes yoga, a pour of cider, and feeling better walking out than when you walked in
C
Palace Theatre
Minneapolis Cider Company
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On Being Filipino American
19
Blood Doesn’t Make You family
Bad Bad Hats Winter Ball
20
The Most Dangerous Game
First Avenue
21
Jo Jo Rabbit: When Satire Falls Flat
12/28
22
Six Reviews
Night Moves
A
12/21 w/ Ratboys & Last Import
B
Turf Club
C
1/17 Winterfest Craft Beers + Curated Bites U.S. Bank Stadium
THE WAKE
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Letter from Public Relations Hey, you! Welcome to issue 5! Whether this is your first issue or 50th, I hope this can serve as a quick brain break before you head off to class, work, or simply continue on with your day. I’d encourage you to remember to take even a few minutes each day to do something for you, and to take your mind off of class, work, or other things consuming your headspace. I know I’ve been guilty of keeping my foot on the pedal as I approach finals. As I’m writing this, I’m de-thawing from our annual “Wake Up With The Wake” event that was held outside of WAM in brisk sub-20 degree temps (which, by the way, was a blast despite the cold!). We distributed countless magazines, bagels, cups of coffee, and enjoyed music from Radio K. In case you missed it, fear not—we have more events in the works! Oh, and happy December (??!). As we all know, the changing of seasons can be a tumultuous time, but I promise we can get through it. Don’t be afraid to hit “pause” every so once in a while to check in with yourself and others—you deserve it. As the Advertising and Public Relations Manager of The Wake, I feel as though it is my civic duty to encourage you to stay connected with us both online and off for articles, playlists, events, and other ways to ignore your existential angst, as we like to say. Stay warm out there, Claire Redell Advertising and Public Relations Manager
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Wizardfest Brings Together Potterheads from All Around Minneapolis Fine Line gives muggles a chance to attend Hogwarts for one night BY JOSIE TAKESHIMA-ALLEN Like many other Minneapolis potterheads, I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to go to Wizardfest, a pop-up event claiming to transform First Avenue’s Fine Line into Hogwarts for a night. Upon entering the venue, I saw cardboard cutouts of characters, dementors, and wands for sale. The iconic Harry Potter opening sequence music was blasting from a DJ booth, and people were getting ready for the trivia quiz. This was my first taste of the commitment some people attending that night had to Harry Potter, and I was not disappointed. There were two main events held during the night: a costume contest and a trivia contest. A couple dressed as Professor McGonagall and her husband won the costume contest, with “Drunk Dumbledore,” “Harry Potter in His Pajamas,” and “Professor Sprout and a (human) Mandrake” also making strong appearances. As for trivia, a couple dressed as wizards won after answering every question correctly, including the bonus: what spell does Luna Lovegood use to fix Harry’s broken nose? The answer: episkey. It was a tough enough question to stump most of the crowd who had come out on this Thursday night. Age-wise, the group ranged from other college-age students to people old enough to be my grandparents. There were people like me who had made no effort to dress up, and others who went all-out, like the couple wearing elaborate Mcgonagall outfits. Upon inquiring as to where they got their costumes, I found out the woman ran her own cosplay costume shop. She told me she had made over fifteen movie replica costumes for herself since she attended her first convention in 1974. Attendees’ love of the books and movie renditions was obvious all night and made it much easier to mingle because everyone had a common topic to talk about. And if you missed Wizardfest this year, you can look forward to the event coming back to the Fine Line next year!
Amateur Night: Gophers Sharing Their Talents and Themselves
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Student Unions and Activities offers a space for students to express what matters most to them BY IAN KNOLL My secret talent is I can burp on command. Needless to say, it doesn’t get me far at parties. For some real talents, however, look no further than Amateur Night, a yearly event put on by Student Unions and Activities that gives Gophers a chance to share their unique talents and perspectives. Acts ranged from the expected (but still impressive) instrument and singing performances, to the surprising, like spoken word poetry and Adrian Velez’s beyond impressive yoyo routine. Throughout the night, the audience was encouraged to think carefully about the acts they’d seen and ultimately vote on a favorite, with the third, second, and first place winners all being announced at the end of the night. This year, the winner was a group of four roommates who had gotten together to form an indie pop-rock style band called Warwick (who, in my humble opinion, were more than worthy to get the vote). The night wasn’t without its serious moments though. Before his performance, Maje Adams (who did a highly entertaining metal cover of Redbone) asked the audience to hum with him in honor of the victims of the recent Santa Clarita school shooting because, as Maje put it best, we do not stay silent when these tragedies occur. In another excellent performance, student poet Simran Chugani used prose laden with riddles to express the confusion and uncertain history she feels comes with being an Asian American. Ultimately, I think Amateur Night has a lot of room to grow. Though they were all excellent, the event only featured eleven groups, and though everyone there seemed to enjoy themselves, the Memorial Union’s Great Hall was far from full. As a student body and a world, sharing our talents, ourselves, and what makes us excited is vital to growing as a community. Everyone has a unique talent and perspective to share, and while Amateur night is a relatively safe place to share that, I highly encourage everyone to come next year and join the conversation. You can find Maje Adams at https://majeadams.bandcamp. com/ and Warwick on Instagram @warwicktheband.
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A Night with Nathan Fielder The atypical comedian BY EMMA NIEMASZYK Hundreds of students came to the Union on a Saturday night to see the renowned Nathan Fielder, a comedian who gained fame through his cringey, hilarious show “Nathan For You.” The show is about a “business expert” who goes to small companies all across California and helps them gain attraction. His past makeovers have included a yogurt shop producing a new flavor (poop); a computer shop where all the workers are certified asexuals, and a women’s clothing store where only attractive people are allowed to steal one item of clothing. Fielder’s coaching doesn’t really make much sense, and it’s not supposed to. His quiet, emotionless demeanor that is seen in his TV shows makes the audience seize with laughter upon witnessing the man in real life. His atypicality and ability to stare, straight-faced into nothingness makes his place in comedy a special one. Slowly, against the interviewer’s will, Fielder began to take the reigns—going off topic, addressing the security guards to the right of the stage, looking up at the screen behind him that projected every word that came out of his mouth, some of them naming genitalia, others being challenging words like Czechoslovakia. One can never expect a normal experience when watching Fielder, and that rings true when seeing him in real life. The students Nathan brought up to the stage were much more Fielder-fitting company than the interviewer, a professor who awkwardly shared the stage with him. He discussed the worst frats on campus to great enjoyment of the crowd. As he brought students up to the stage, the conversation slowly turned to the topic of “butt stuff.” The audience broke out into uncomfortable laughter at the taboo nature of the topic. In the end, the comedian made it a night to remember.
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“A Conversation with Nathan Fielder” Pushes the Limits of Cringe The Canadian business student-turned-sketch comedian gets weird at the Memorial Union BY GUS KUHNEN Nathan Fielder is not funny. That is, his comedic persona wouldn’t like you to think he’s trying to be. Fielder, a native Canadian, is part of a growing trend in comedy: cringe humor. The genre has built itself on a love of outrageous social situations and the subversion of conventional societal norms. Shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Office” have paved the way for more experimental works like Fielder’s wildly popular reality show “Nathan for You.” On November 9, Fielder brought this trademark humor to the Union for his mysteriously titled performance piece/interview, “A Conversation with Nathan Fielder.” The moment he took the stage, Fielder’s graceless mannerisms immediately began to manifest; his entrance took well over two minutes as he paused uncomfortably for the audience’s giddy ovation, not dissimilar to the confusion of what to do when “Happy Birthday” is being sung to you. The interview’s host, Professor Laurie Ouellette, attempted to conduct a standard back and forth dialogue; however, what followed was anything but. At one point, Fielder derailed a tame question about his favorite moments on the show to trawl Ouellette’s RateMyProfessor, reading reviews of high praise but also stopping on a few not-sobeaming reviews. Of course, this was what we hoped for—the audience burst into applause at every off-kilter comment and pregnant pause. The students Fielder invited onstage to pose a question had varied reactions to his personality, from most being disarmed by his overtly invasive questions (one inquiring about a student’s first kiss springs to mind), to one even attempting to take it in stride, throwing a particularly egregious question back at him. Regardless of how uncomfortable the students looked, the audience lapped it up with relish. When it was all over, you weren’t sure Fielder knew why his performance struck such a chord with the crowd, but you were sure you enjoyed it.
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The Great Behind the Lakes Diving a little bit deeper into the ecosystem of the lakes (metaphorically) BY CATALINA GRIMM I’ve lived by the Great Lakes for the majority of my life without giving them too much of a second thought. Sure, I know they’re big and full of freshwater, but until I went to Alexis Rockman’s exhibit, “The Great Lakes Cycle” at the Weisman Art Museum, I was severely lacking a visual understanding of just how complex and crucial their existence is. The exhibit starts off with an artist’s statement emphasizing how the Great Lakes hold 20% of the earth’s freshwater. Rockman unapologetically reminds the world that’s facing severe freshwater shortages that such a large concentration is only going to increase in value in the upcoming years, making their protection even more vital. Moving past the opening statement, the exhibit splits into two collections. The first is comprised of watercolor pieces that illustrate the complexities of the ecosystems within the Great Lakes. Each painting contains a multitude of the Great Lakes flora, fauna, insects, mammals, and marine life that coexist together, each species incredibly interwoven and interdependent on the next. The soft colors and blurred lines of the watercolor pieces represent how each organism blends into both the environment and the other species it shares the environment with, playing further with the concept of codependency. The second collection is far louder. Comprised of five works, every piece is gigantic, exploding with color and demanding of the viewer’s attention. Each painting depicts a scene split between the natural environments of the Great Lakes and the brutal interruption of human influence. Waters infused with the chemical green of pollution, transferred invasive species running rampant, and E. coli monstrosities wrecking havoc are magnified to convey their detrimental impact. Where the first collection was soft and whimsical, the second collection sharply contrasts it with bright hues, harsh lines, and even harsher realities. I left the museum in awe of the impact Alexis Rockman loaded into each of his pieces and with a newfound awareness of how important it is to protect such precious resources. His collection masterfully portrays the complex ecosystems that make the Great Lakes so great and how easily human influences can destroy their equilibrium.
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“My Brother, My Brother and Me,” and You They don’t have the answers, but they did bring the goofs BY KINAAN TAHA It’s been almost two years to the day since Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy brought their patently wholesome, borderline absurdist comedy to the Orpheum Theater, but on Friday, November 16, it was as though they had never left. The familial vibe of the night could be felt from the beginning as Clint McElroy, the self-described patriarch of the family, emerged to announce his three sons. Clint, who made his career in radio, talked briefly about letting his granddaughter do his garish stage makeup for the night, before reciting the introduction that prefaces every recorded episode of “My Brother, My Brother and Me.” Between opening the show alongside one of their wives and being introduced by their father, the McElroy brothers built a sort of family roadshow dynamic around their night of entertainment. Over the course of the night, the McElroys answered such absurd questions as, “Can I have a vegetable day?” (sourced from Yahoo! Answers verbatim, in all its nonsensical glory) and, “How can I find out who keeps leaving snacks in my desk at work?” (from the audience). They spent about ten minutes on each question, throwing out hypotheticals and building on the proposed scenario until they reached a point where they could go no further. One of the most impressive skills that the McElroys have cultivated over their nearly decade long careers as comedians is knowing when a bit is dead: none of their goofy answers overstayed their welcome or retread covered ground. For longtime listeners of the show, the live performance was more of what they already enjoy. For anyone not yet inducted into the McElroy fandom, it is very possible that it came off as inscrutable nonsense. Either way, it was a whole lot of fun.
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CREATIVE WRITING
A Sonnet for Bean By Marley Richmond Each day a mew assures you that I wake, A second call of my alarm bell’s ring, Intentions good, though for quiet I ache, But of cold air, your love eases the sting. Your golden fur shines in the golden sun, Yet still I often find you sleeping in my drawer, like a sweet, soft cinnamon bun, Your hair on all of my sweaters therein. Each night, stand guard and await my return, I want your warmth while I am off, away And so, I hurry home for you in turn That petting you may end my every day. Bean, my sweet love, I am so happy that I have the good luck to call you my cat.
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FEATURE
There’s No
“I”
In Democracy When there’s nothing left to do but impeach, how does it affect our nation’s democracy?
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ISABEL TEITELBAUM
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FEATURE
“impeachment is kind of a ‘break glass in case
With the last impeachment 20 years in the past, a large number of people are unfamiliar with the process and how it can affect a nation’s sense of democracy, leading to many questions: are the president’s actions severe enough for impeachment? Is impeachment democratic? Is it politically motivated? Will the American people support a push for impeachment? During Clinton’s and Johnson’s terms, the Senate chose not to remove an impeached president from office to prevent further damage to the country, arguing that impeachment should only be used in egregious circumstances. Dan Myers, an assistant political science professor who specializes in political communication and deliberative democratic theory, explained that Congress has a variety of other ways to constrain the president’s behaviors that fall short of impeachment, including its ability to reject federal appointments, deny the funds a president desires, and override a presidential veto. Impeachable offenses are not limited to illegal activity, nor does illegal activity always constitute an impeachable offense. According to Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, “The President, Vice
President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Because a president operates within a different set of rules than the public, there is room for interpretation of what defines a high crime or misdemeanor, which can cause conflict within Congress. The argument has been made that impeachment itself is illegitimate and therefore undemocratic. The idea is that officials are elected by the people and Congress shouldn’t have the power to remove them. Some believe the current impeachment inquiry is an attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election. Chad Hermes, president of the Law School Dems student group, responded to this argument, saying the impeachment process is democratic because it’s decided by an elected Congress. People voted to put those government officials in their positions, as opposed to judges and appointed officials. If constituents don’t agree with how their representative voted during the impeachment process, they have the power to put someone new in office in the next election.
John Coleman, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and political science professor, said that leaving impeachment requirements open to Congress’s interpretation is necessary. He worries that specific requirements would be met too easily and would lead to more impeachment attempts. To Myers, it’s clear that members of Congress are in a position where they’re more informed and active in impeachment cases than the average person. A lot of their job is using that knowledge to decide how someone should act in their position. “To me, that’s where the question of democracy particularly comes in—when we know there is an electoral option possible,” Coleman said. “Under what conditions should that be short-circuited with the impeachment process?” But, “while impeachment is kind of a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ procedure, there’s still several elements of the democratic process within it,” Hermes said. It is necessary, he added, to have some means of removing a federal official before the end of their term. Hermes offers a solution to the argument that impeachment is undemocratic by pointing out the possibility of removing or changing the impeachment clause through the amendment process if people are unhappy with it. Congress’ views have little to do with impeachment, Timothy Johnson, a political science and law professor, said. Members of Congress are vessels through which the Constitution acts to hold officials accountable. It’s their duty, he said, to investigate if officials display signs of abuse of power. To the question of whether impeachment is democratic or undemocratic, Johnson answered, “It’s neither. It’s actually just part of the Constitution.” Senator Amy Klobuchar, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, supports the impeachment inquiry. “We have a constitutional duty to follow the facts,” she said, “and I cannot think of anything more important right
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DEC 9 - FEB 3
FEATURE
of emergency’ procedure”
now that we have to do.” She calls attention to James Madison’s words from the Constitutional Convention. Madison was fearful that the president might one day betray our country to a foreign power for their own gain. This takes us back to when the Constitution was created and how it was intended to be applied. Democracy means “rule by the people,” according to political science professor Lisa Hilbink, whose research and teaching focus on democratization and judicial role in democracy. Hilbink pointed out it’s important to know who “the people” are and how they “rule” before we can define what makes a democracy. Myers said that people often interpret “democracy” as whatever the majority of people voted for, and added that it is a very simplistic understanding of what it means to be a constitutional democracy. Our democracy, Hilbink explained, was designed with the recognition that what the people of one state want may differ from what the people of another state want, “and that any majority constituted at the national level should not be allowed to trample on or eliminate the rights of the minority.” This provokes the question—“Is the duty of a representative to go up there and literally represent what their constituents would do,” Myers said, “or is the duty of the representative to exercise independent judgement and do what they think is best, or in this case what they think best fulfills the constitutional duty they’re supposed to carry out?” “As has become very clear over the past several years, what keeps our democracy running smoothly are not detailed rules,” Hilbink said, “but rather, informal norms—of honesty, respect for political rivals and opponents, and forbearance.” While the impeachment process has not changed, the society during which we apply it has. The political climate has become more polarized in recent years. Myers and Johnson both believe
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we can’t separate political environment from impeachment attempts, which are sometimes linked to policy disagreement. During Clinton’s impeachment inquiry, there were 31 Democrats who voted in favor. During Trump’s impeachment inquiry, one Republican spoke in favor. Today the line between Democrats and Republicans is more palpable than ever. It’s rare for a politician to stray from their party, regardless of the issue. In some situations, the divide can go as far as people choosing party loyalty over listening to the facts. Political scientists have a term that can describe the current political climate: “regime cleavage”. It is a divide in the population caused by disagreement over the governing system—the constitutional democracy. What used to be arguments over partisan issues has morphed into the question of democracy itself. The way news outlets cover the impeachment process has changed as well. For the most recent impeachment hearings, most news stations are providing updates every couple of hours, some all day, with limited commercial breaks. It’s the
most involved citizens have ever been during an impeachment. A rough transcript of the president’s phone call with the Ukranian president and testimonies from the impeachment inquiry were made available to the public. Johnson believes this may cause constituents to pressure their representatives to vote a certain way. Impeachment remains one of many checks and balances that is rarely used and often threatened. Many members of Congress who have done interviews on the current impeachment hearings emphasize how important the support of the people is.
The more constituents care, the more pressure will be placed on the House and the Senate to move forward. The impeachment process signals a loss of belief in our leader and creates a divide among the people. While few relish impeaching an official, it’s a necessary part of keeping a balanced government. Impeachment is recognizing that our president made a decision that has harmed the people he leads.
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ART
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Paintings from Norway Photo Kiley Nelson Art bybyBen Jourdan
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ART
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My Necessities Photo Photo by by Kiley Kiley Nelson Nelson
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VOICES
On Being FilipinoAmerican
And confronting identity confusion
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BY ANNA AQUINO It started small. Things like my first grade teacher pointing to the world map in the lobby of my elementary school and asking where my family was from. Then my second grade teacher holding a sense of pride that someone in her class was from one of the faraway countries we were learning about on the map. Things like sitting down at the lunch table with something as simple as egg rolls and sweet and sour sauce and getting asked if I was Chinese or if I was trying to be Chinese. Then I got a little older, and my peers and I all got a little smarter, and in school we learned of colonization. I thought that would make people more sensitive, perhaps try to understand what it’s like to have your country of origin repeatedly taken over. But instead, blatant ignorance was no longer the issue but blatant undermining of my culture with comments like, “The Philippines is just the Mexico of Asia,” or, “You’re Asian, but it feels weird to call you ‘yellow,’” or, “I’m so jealous, it’s probably easy to write your CommonApp essay.” I brushed off the comments—they’re just dumb kids, right? But when every standardized test I took had a different way to categorize Filipinos (Asian? Pacific Islander? Southeast Asian? Spanish-origin?), and when every textbook only taught me about the Philippines through the Western perspective, I knew it wasn’t just dumb kids, but a systemic issue of misunderstanding.
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In the Philippines, due to a long history of colonization and culture adoption due to necessity, I often felt uncertain of my cultural identity. In a predominantly white town, and now university, where there is almost no expectation for a white person to be heavily connected to their culture, I was often put on the spot for being Filipino because it must be so different, and I must be so proud. But when asked, I found—and still find—myself struggling to tell people what Filipino culture is—what we’re famous for. It’s like I’m both too close and too far from the culture to know what makes it special. What is the Philippines famous for? Mangos? Beaches? What culture can we be famous for when no part of our culture is actually ours, but borrowed from or adopted from our superior colonizers? And now, perhaps you could say that the Philippines is “on the grid” because of their fearmongering president Duterte, but how much better is that? How can I be proud of the Philippines when it seems we struggle to make smart political or economic choices, as the last corrupt leader was less than 50 years ago, and the exchange rate is still 52 pesos to the U.S. dollar? How can I express my discontentment with the state of the Philippines without sounding like I disown my culture? It’s not that I am not proud to be Filipino— not at all—I am frustrated that in a space where, if you are white, it is perfectly acceptable to be blasé about your culture, yet it seems sacrilegious as a minority to be anything less than 100% proud and well-informed.
Seemingly minor comments throughout my childhood, Western lenses through which my education was taught, and constantly being the minority in a room full of white people has created a distance between me and my culture. Until this article, I had never been given—by myself or others—the space to reflect on what role my culture plays in my life. Feeling like my culture was something removed from myself, or worse, something that made me unaccessible and unrelatable, has made me complacent in educating myself and solidifying how I want to view my culture. But my ethnicity is just that: mine. Just as your ethnicity and your relationship with it is yours. I can’t stop people from making comments about my brownness. I can’t end racism and microaggressions with one article. However, I do have the power to reflect on this part of me and know my worth as a Filipino-American woman. As I approach adulthood, I see that what is mine is actually mine. I can dye my hair, change my clothes, cook my food, and in the midst, recognize that pride and uncertainty toward my culture are not mutually exclusive; both beat within me and remind me what is truly mine and no one else’s.
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VOICES
Blood Doesn’t Make You Family A good reminder for toxic family members and going home for the holidays BY KATHRYN RICHNER While branded as the most wonderful time of the year, for some, the holidays are seen as stress and anxiety disguised in ribbons and bows. For those who thrive off of Netflix Christmas movies, Michael Bublé, and the now worn out idea of an ugly Christmas sweater, it seems appropriate to label those who don’t as a Scrooge who is unwilling to embrace the joy of the holidays. But not only can there be stress around holiday shopping, party planning, and travel—for some, the holidays can also signify the dread of spending time with toxic family members. Consider this situation which I observed through someone I know: they recently found out through researching their ancestry that the man that they knew to be father for their entire life was not their biological father. Their biological mother had an affair with their biological father and kept it a secret from them as well as her husband. After discovering this information, does this person now have an obligation to the stranger they are suddenly blood related to? Should they reject the person who raised them and instead give the “father” label to whom their DNA came from? The answer is no, and this individual didn’t allow this new knowledge to change their relationship with their non-biological father. Family is ultimately earned and shouldn’t be forced upon us. Just like in any other healthy relationship, if a family member is toxic or abusive, there is no obligation to maintain that relationship simply due to your genetic makeup. What defines true family is those who give you joy and with whom you genuinely enjoy being around. How would holiday stress change if instead of spending it with toxic family members out of some distorted obligation to DNA, we instead chose to spend it with the individuals who love us back?
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Oh, the Classes You’ll Take
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Make time in your schedule for something a little different this semester BY MARLEY RICHMOND It’s finally that wonderful time of year again… time to delve into Schedule Builder and register for spring semester classes! Whether you’re juggling 25 courses you want to take, or calmly referring to your perfect 4-year plan, registration is full of important choices. Despite degree requirements, making time in your schedule for something new, wacky, or just plain-old-fun will make your upcoming semester so much more enjoyable. You can truly find a class for anything: a dream you had as a child that you secretly still hold onto, or a niche interest you need an excuse to spend time on. Want to figure out why you can’t get your crush off your mind? The Biology of Sex will get you a little bit closer. Need more time for self care? Classes through the Center for Spirituality and Healing are there to help. Always dreamed of playing piano? Or the organ? The music department has you covered! Check out the physical education department for tons of one credit classes—from scuba diving to marathon running—that are sure to fit into even the most rigorous schedules. You can also find a less-intense elective in your actual major to spruce up your semester. After being inundated with intense lectures, labs, or discussions on dense topics, having a bit of breathing room in your schedule—focusing on something physical, fun, or different, not just studying—can allow your brain a break, making your “real” homework feel more manageable. After all, there’s only so much time you can spend on organic chemistry before your brain shuts off. Taking such a class pass/fail ensures that it won’t become yet another source of stress, but instead a weekly chance to take a much needed break. And who knows, you might even find a new life passion or educational interest! So go forth and take advantage of these opportunities that you’ll only ever have in college.
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VOICES
The Most Dangerous Game The intrinsic relationship between football and misogyny
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BY KYLIE HEIDER By now, the misogyny of football culture has been written and talked about ad nauseum. Still, it is always good to start with a primer. Football is a sport made exclusively for men. Unlike other popular sports like soccer, hockey, or basketball, there is no practice of football that involves women as players in a substantial setting. Though this can be attributed to the nature of the game itself—a linebacker, for example, has to be heavy-set and giant-like in stature in order to fulfill his role, effectively excluding most female-identifying bodies—it still stands as a fact. Like so many other spaces, football is a man’s space: a space where ideals of masculinity are not only maintained but magnified into toxicity, a space where fraternity—the well being of a team of brothers—is placed above all else. And it is no coincidence that such a space has reached the level of cultural significance that football has. At the University of Minnesota, as is the case at many other colleges, the Gopher football team is a cornerstone of the University’s identity. It should be explicitly stated that there is nothing inherently wrong with this fact. The Gophers provide a rallying cry for current and former students alike, a community built in the stadium and the parking lots and the University Avenue B-Dubs. However, it is also important to acknowledge that the extent to which American football is preserved and proliferated within a national cultural identity is a product of a value system based in male superiority. It seems a futile task to criticize something
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on this basis, for the same can be said for the majority of American institutions. But football is not subtle in its sexism. The game is a microcosm wherein the masculine standard is celebrated and the presence of women is, quite literally, on the sidelines, cheering them on. Under such conditions, harm and injustice towards the non-male seems to be a natural progression of the sport, permeating into the society that celebrates and congregates around it. The environment of misogyny in which football exists translates into an ideal space for the acceptance of physical violence against women. In 2014, Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice was famously caught on tape beating and dragging his girlfriend in an elevator. In a 2014 FiveThirtyEight analysis, analyst Benjamin Morris claims that though the 55.4% relative arrest rate for domestic violence in NFL player aged 25-29 was less than the national average for men of the same age group, “domestic violence accounts for 48 percent of arrests for violent crimes among NFL players, compared to our estimated 21 percent nationally,” and it was “extremely high relative to expectations . . . 55.4 percent is more than four times worse than the league’s arrest rate for all offenses (13 percent).” Since 2014, there have been numerous accounts of domestic violence and sexual assault among both NFL and NCAA players, such as NFL runningback Kareem Hunt or Florida State’s Jameis
Winston, both of whom face domestic abuse or sexual assault charges. In 2016, 10 Gopher football players were suspended after allegations of sexual assault, in which the team responded by “announc[ing] . . . that they would boycott all football activity until the 10 suspended players were reinstated and until [then] university President Eric Kaler and [then] athletics director Mark Coyle apologized for the suspensions.” The fact that, just three years ago, the University of Minnesota football team felt this was the appropriate response to their teammates possibly being rapists perfectly illustrates the systemic misogyny that exists within the institution of American football: the prioritization of the masucline ideal over the wellbeing of women. Football is, and will likely continue to be, a ceremony of men and manliness. It is impossible for such a ceremony to be neutral to women. It is impossible for such a ceremony to exist outside the bounds of patriarchy. And yet, football will continue to exist as it does. What’s more, plenty of women love football. Perhaps the solution lies in the direct inclusion of women within the processes of the game: as refs, as owners, as coaches, as individuals, which dislodge the cogs of misogyny and turn the wheels of the game. Couldn’t hurt to try.
DEC 9 - FEB 3
VOICES
Jo Jo Rabbit: When Satire Falls Flat
literal child; a sickeningly sentimental state of mind that absolves people of the responsibility they have for their own prejudices. Centering an adolescent in a film about overcoming internal prejudices is simply too easy—as a child, it’s hard to blame Jojo for his bigoted A rant that will most beliefs, but audiences are eager to applaud the ways he worked to overcome them. definitely contain spoilers And as the presumed viewers of the PG-13 rated flick are people who already see the BY SYLVIA RANI issues with Nazi ideology (hence the satire), why beat on a dead horse? The film feeds Get in, readers, we’re going deconstructing. audiences a comforting thought: through individual resistance and shared empathy, As a reminder that mass audiences lack critical people can deconstruct their own learned thought and conflate self-congratulatory hate and take down an entire regime. And politicism with quality filmmaking, Taika Waititi’s while uplifting, this idea is naive, crowdNazi satire “Jojo Rabbit” recently claimed the pleasing, and surface-level. Satire should Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s be critical, not comforting. It should force Choice award. The film follows a little boy, audiences to question their beliefs rather than Johannes Betzler (played by Roman Griffin Davis), affirm their self-righteousness. during World War II as he pursues his dream of becoming a Nazi. Johannes, or “Jojo” idolizes The Nazis in the movie are ridiculous Hitler so strongly that his imaginary friend is slapstick caricatures, and their goofy stupidity none other than the fürher himself. Played by Taika Waititi, the imaginary Hitler is a self-parody, combined with their inability to see the wrongness of their ideology enables the materializing to comfort Jojo in times of need audience to see through them. Again, however, with gleeful childlike lines such as, “That was we must ask: is this necessary? This portrayal intense!” He accompanies Jojo as he attends a is a vastly inaccurate oversimplification of Moonrise Kingdom-esque Nazi summer camp what actual Nazis were like. These were run by two cartoonish generals (played by Sam normal, even smart people, who were Rockwell and Rebel Wilson) where young boys operating within a system that threatened burn books, throw grenades, and learn how to their lives and reputations if they were to step become “real” Nazis. outside of it. Many were simply complacent, using their power to enforce bigotry because After an accident with a grenade leaves his precious porcelain face with a web of scars and they could. While their ideology may have been founded on a set of logic-defying he fails to kill a rabbit on command (hence the principles, Nazis themselves were regular, nickname Jojo Rabbit), Jojo is disgracefully sent everyday people, not vastly different from the home from Nazi camp. Back in his childhood people in our communities today. home, Jojo discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl within his walls. At this point in the film, things begin to get very predictable. Through their conversations and his eventual attraction to this mysterious girl, Jojo realizes that Jews are people too and understands the error of his past ways. His imaginary friend’s visits become less frequent and more intense, and the confused young Jojo begins to see through the lies he’s been fed his whole life. It’s a feel-good tale of oppressor-turned-hero thanks to the beautiful girl who brought out his inner compassion, with a side of shock-factor irony and random bouts of violence. But is this a narrative that we even need right now? The film urges the audience to identify with Jojo. In doing so, the audience is put in the position of seeing Jews as lesser, even with the full knowledge that he will come around in the end. It also places the audience in the eyes of a
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The forced humor in the film also asks audiences to divide themselves into those who “get it” and those who don’t. Those who “get it” are so above prejudice, so very woke, that this ironic display of hate is laughable. Those who don’t get it are oversensitive, or even worse, are Nazis themselves. The film positions itself so that a rejection of this humor is to not understand it. The issue isn’t that the satirical image of Nazis is offensive, it’s that satire must be done with intent. The Nazis in Mel Brooks’s “The Producers” were satire but markedly different than Waititi’s shallow, crowdpleasing portrayal. At this point in time, a film about the issues with World War II-era Nazism is redundant and categorically safe. Which is why, despite its provocative marketing and heavy themes, the Disney-approved “Jojo Rabbit” is actually quite tame—a crowdpleaser disguised as a controversy.
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SIX REVIEWS
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Let It Snow BY MEGAN BORMANN
Angel Olsen Looking for Alaska BY ERIN WILSON Based on the John Green novel, the new Hulu series “Looking for Alaska” tells a beautiful and bittersweet story of love, loss, and friendship. The show follows a high schooler named Miles (Charlie Plummer) who transfers to Culver Creek Preparatory High School, where he hopes to find his “Great Perhaps.” He finds a new circle of friends, including an enigmatic girl named Alaska (Kristine Froseth), whom he falls in love with. The group gets caught in a prank war with other students, which ends when tragedy shakes the school. Poetic and insightful, the show captures the aches of young love and the numbing devastation that follows the death of a loved one. Plummer, Froseth, and Denny Love shine in their roles as Miles, Alaska and Chip, expertly depicting the nuances and intensity of teenage emotions. Tracks such as Kat Cunning’s cover of “Orange Sky” and Iron & Wine’s cover of “Such Great Heights” amplify the melancholy tone of heavy scenes in the show. The cinematography, with its warm lighting and slow shots of characters in the surrounding forest, contributes to the show’s distinct sense of nostalgia. The show poses philosophical questions about the human condition that both add another level of depth to the show and ask audiences to consider the same questions. Heartbreaking, lively, and evocative all at once, “Looking for Alaska” is a vibrant adaptation of the novel.
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BY KINGA MOZES Under swooping crystal garlands, Angel Olsen’s haunting voice left no one untouched at First Avenue on November 12. She gazed out at the crowd under chunky winged eyeliner with a serene expression, comfortably lost in the complex emotions of her music. Yet somehow, as she was transfixed in her memories, she reached deep, provoking our own buried reflections on love. The opening band, Vagabon, deserves an appreciative nod, their sound characterized by refined production and the raspiness of their lead singer, Laetitia Tamko. Olsen’s performance was powered by versatility. Each note was purposeful and the band was a set of interacting parts guided under her steady hand. A transcendent violin and cello accompaniment swelled with the stage lights shifting from red to white on the opener, “Lark.” An urging nod exchanged with her guitarist led to a spontaneous duet in mutual anger on the track “Impasse.” She held her own on “Acrobat,” her voice displaying its astonishing instrumental elements with a ringing operatic quality. Throughout the show, Olsen switched seamlessly between electric guitar and piano, balancing her somber lyrics with witty interactions with the audience between songs. She laughed off someone who shouted, “I love you, Angel,” blushing as she said it back.
Netflix is straying into Hallmark Channel’s territory with its newest holiday movie, “Let It Snow,” directed by Luke Snellin. The film features many actors, including Kiernan Shipka, Shameik Moore, Jacob Batalon, Mitchell Hope, and Joan Cusack. One thing I appreciated about this cast was its inclusion of racial and LGBTQ representation. The plot itself is rather sweet but unfeasible. Shameik Moore plays a lonely teen pop star and Isabela Merced a small-town girl with a sick mom, and they fall in love within the course of one Christmas Eve. Kiernan Shipka and Mitchell Hope portray childhood best friends who realize their true feelings for each other on the very same evening. All of the teens eventually meet up with their love interests or BFFs at the party of the year, hosted by Jacob Batalon’s character at the Waffle House. “Let It Snow” provides a wholesome romantic story, though the writing and the plot are a tad elementary in their development. There’s also the standard cliches of teen rom-coms present throughout. It might have been interesting to see at least one of the characters not get the ending they wanted, but it seems that the writers wanted to give the audience closure, wrapped in a big Christmas bow. “Let it Snow” wasn’t life-changing in its emotional depth, but can be watched on a snowy night with friends during this holiday season.
Olsen mostly played songs from her newest album, “All Mirrors,” but she squeezed in a few older crowd favorites, such as “Shut Up Kiss Me,” that had every bespectacled hipster awkwardly dancing. This performance was a defining moment in Olsen’s career, and those of us who were in the audience hope she flies to the Twin Cities again soon.
DEC 9 - FEB 3
SIX REVIEWS
R E T RO R E VI E W
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Touch Eurythmics BY EVAN FERSTL Eurythmics, the London duo consisting of vocalist Annie Lennox and guitarist Dave Stewart, released two albums in 1983. These seminal albums would cement their place as one of the New Wave’s most fondly remembered acts. After establishing their synth-pop credentials with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” they released “Touch,” a daring album that builds off their previous success and breaks new ground. Not content to build the album off of the pop sensibilities of the opening track, “Here Comes the Rain Again,” Lennox and Stewart use the rest of their time to build a world of their own, which results in an incredibly challenging, albeit rewarding, listen. While not every song hits home emotionally (“Right By Your Side,” for example, is too upbeat for its own good), all are interesting and complex enough to warrant constant relistening. “Touch” has one standout track, “Who’s That Girl,” a haunting, majestic anthem of jealousy and suspicion. “No Fear, No Have, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)” and “Paint a Rumour,” the two songs which close out the album, also showcase the band’s strengths, especially Lennox’s ability to be soulful and earnest one moment and icy and detached the next. Throughout “Touch,” she proves herself time and again as one of the genre’s most confident and unconventional performers. Eurythmics have always been well in control of their image, and on “Touch,” they accomplish exactly what they set out to do. Powerful vocals and intriguing arrangements combine to make “Touch” a work of art.
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Sunsets & Full Moons The Script BY AVERY WAGEMAN The Irish rock band The Script released their newest album, “Sunsets & Full Moons,” early in November. The album consists of nine tracks that are a combination of alternative rock, R&B, and pop. The album’s single, “The Last Time,” begins with the band’s recognizable piano sound, acoustic guitar, and the soft but raspy vocals of lead singer Danny O’ Donoghue. The song eventually crescendoes into the chorus with an electronic beat, demonstrating the album’s pop and EDM sound. The Script’s sixth album takes a turn from their usual indie rock, delving into pop. “The Last Time,” “The Hurt Game,” and “Something Unreal” derive from The Script’s previous hits, such as “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “For the First Time,” while the majority of the remaining songs emphasize an unfamiliar sound for the band: EDM, autotune, and electronic beats. The tone of the album is soothing and relaxing, easy to listen to if you’re in need of background music. In comparison to The Script’s previous albums such as “#3” and “Science & Faith,” “Sunsets & Full Moons” lacks lyrical depth; none of the songs have the gut-punching lines of their older hits. While the pop sound is new and unconventional for the band, the lyrics are safe and indistinguishable from many other pop songs on the radio today. Despite the disappointingly unoriginal sound and lyrics of “Sunsets & Full Moons,” I would encourage exploring the band’s earlier, more poignant albums.
Hot Pink Doja Cat BY MADELEINE WARE Just a year after her debut album, “Amala,” and viral meme sensation, “MOO,” R&B artist Doja Cat is back on the scene with her sophomore album, “Hot Pink.” As the name implies, the album is a bubbly yet intense and passionate tribute to themes such as sexuality and self-confidence. The album opens with “Cyber Sex” and “Won’t Bite,” tracks with quirky vocals that announce the return of Doja Cat’s alter ego, which she describes as a “middle-aged African auntie.” The album is a delightful blend of all kinds of genres and moods—from the ‘90s hip hop vibes of “Like That” to the slow trap beats of “Streets.” As usual, Doja Cat’s versatility and talent are undeniable as she delivers silky vocals and clever rapid-fire rap verses. Her wordplay is endlessly entertaining and keeps listeners on their toes. “Hot Pink” provides a more unified quality than her previous album, “Amala,” which felt slapped together at times. This time, Doja Cat crafted an album where each track has a unique purpose and voice. Guest talent includes Smino, Gucci Mane, and Tyga, although Doja has proven that she doesn’t need featured artists to create good music. This is evident in the track “Juicy,” which almost sounds more cohesive without Tyga’s verse. Doja Cat’s “Hot Pink” is a self-confidence anthem of an album, with tracks that will make you want to mouth the lyrics walking between classes and dance in front of your bedroom mirror.
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