Mount Hood

Thanksgiving Controversies: An Opinion on Sarah Miller

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

From the get go, we are told that Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together, have quality time, catch up and eat a lot of food. Sounds like a solid plan, but this plan was based on false customs and false history. Meeting up with family and friends to cook together and enjoy each moment can be a beautiful thing — so why do we only “celebrate” this once a year? Why aren’t we making a Grateful Holiday to be a few times a year? The world may never know.

According to the History Channel, the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated ages ago in 1621 where Native Americans joined the Pilgrims for their first harvest, which lasted three days during October. Thanksgiving became a national holiday during President Lincoln’s time in office, that was to be held every November. The original story presented throughout adolescent education makes the holiday seem bright and cheerful, but in reality it masks the bloodiness of the time between the Native Americans and the settlers.

This day was constructed on lies and stories of “positive” exchanges of pilgrims and Native Americans. The pilgrims learned from the Native Americans about growing crops, harvesting those crops, how to hunt and fish from the foreign land and “became friends” with each other. Though the settlers did learn — quite a lot — from the Native Americans, it is in fact “false,” in the voice of Dwight Shrute, that these people were friendly among each other. What the bright, happy story covers up is the bloodshed, battles, rape, murder and disease the pilgrims brought upon the Native people.

Rather than celebrating a holiday based on the pain and suffering of people native to this land, let’s acknowledge what our past pilgrims have done, how the Native American people helped propel us to where we are now, and have rememberance in the destruction of the Native American culture and the taking/raping of their land and women. By turning a blind eye to these events, without respecting the Native American people, we continue to be those same selfish pilgrims. 

Enjoy the food, create new memories, try to not let Suzie bring up politics and RECOGNIZE what our forefathers did and how this affected Native Americans then and continues to today. Mourn for the fallen, for the raped, for the murdered and give thanks to selfless acts of the Native Americans in aiding the new settlers on this land and teaching them their ways of survival.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Climate change — NIRSA Soccer Tournament in Round Rock, Texas

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

Women’s Club Soccer was selected to participate in the 2019 National and Recreational Sports Association tournament, in Round Rock, Texas — a first for the team and a huge step in advancing club sports and getting the Western Oregon name out there. The tournament took place during Nov. 21 through Nov. 22.

The journey began when the team left Monmouth and headed to the Portland airport to catch a flight down to California, and a second flight to Austin Texas. From 5 p.m. to almost 2 a.m. the Wolves traveled and made it safely to Round Rock. The time change is two hours ahead which definitely affected the team’s sleep and eating schedules — a few players had upset stomachs — but overall, they adjusted quickly.

The first day the team headed to the Round Rock Sports Complex to get their lactic acid out and get some touches on the ball before their games the next day. 

A team dinner was held at famous Buca di Beppo, where the team shared a family meal consisting of lots of greens and lots of carbs — fueling them for the games to come.

Thursday morning at 8 a.m. was the starting moment for the National tournament and a long day for the team. This game the Wolves played against University of Iowa, a team they would never play during the regular season, and a team that definitely gave them a run for their money. They lost 4-0 — the Wolves made many opportunities with no completion. Wolves let the game go and rested for their next game. 

The humidity and climate change played a huge role in how the team could perform, as well as having to travel for an entire day and regulate the time change.

The Wolves took on the University of Vermont Catamounts, another name for the American mountain lion.

Though tired from the game before, with little rest between the first and second game, the Wolves stepped on to the pitch ready and excited. Multiple injuries from the first game cost the Wolves with little to no subs, making the field players work until absolutely no more gas was in the tank.

It was a tough battle, with multiple players from the Catamounts playing dirty and hacking, the Wolves hung in and kept pushing. The first half of the match, the Wolves controlled and put extremely high pressure on the Catamounts defense, but had no luck in finding the back of the net.

Before the first half concluded the Catamounts finished a lucky and hard-to-reach goal, making the score 1-0.

The second half, the Wolves level of play dropped, having no more fuel to keep the fire going — especially with the Catamounts consistently subbing more than five players every five minutes — fresh legs for the Catamounts versus the tired and exhausted legs of the Wolves.

The game finished with no more goals from either team, but another loss for the Wolves.

Off the field and back at the hotel the team was feeling every ache and pain, icing and resting as much as they could before their final game on Friday — while also trying to finish school assignments. This posed to be quite difficult for multiple players due to being in a different state, sleeping schedules flipped upside down, being 100% exhausted from playing and being in the humidity and sun all day, traveling and all around having fun bonding and getting closer.

Friday, Nov. 22 was the final day for soccer for this women’s team. At 8 a.m., the team stepped onto the pitch and began their warm up to face Central Michigan University. 

Whistles were being blown across the soccer complex, initiating the start of all the 8 a.m. games, and the final game of the NIRSA tournament for the Wolves.

The air was cold, the wind was rude and the clouds started to sprinkle the field and players with mist — this kept the Wolves on their toes and the subs cuddled together to stay warm. 

Concentration and one goal in mind kept the Wolves playing fast and their pressure high — though legs were tired, knees were swollen and bruised, injuries held players out of the game, the team didn’t stop. 

Western’s first goal sent adrenaline across the entire team — Kawehi Taniguchi, a returning senior, kicked a picturesque corner kick, where Haley Wilmott, a returning sophomore, was there to connect the ball to the back of the net, Wolves 1, Catamounts 0.

With the first half ending and the Wolves ahead, the momentum was at the feet of the Wolves going into their final half of their time in the tournament. 

During the last 15 minutes the Catamounts returned the Wolves point with one of their own, after Seidree Kealoha-Albarado, a first year, fouled a Catamount and drew her first yellow card. Catamount player kicked the ball over the defensive line and fellow teammate slid to kick the ball into the Wolves goal, 1-1.

Before the final half came to a close, the Wolves popped away one last goal. Defender and left footer, Sydni Manuel, a first year, cleared the ball forward to have it bounce and go right past the Catamount’s goalkeeper — the final whistle blew and the Wolves won their first game of the tournament, 2-1.

Unfortunately, the team had no other scheduled games, but the overall chance to play against division one schools, some being five to ten times larger than Western, in Texas, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

“I loved getting to spend time and get to know my teammates better — traveling brings a team together because you are with them 24/7,” said Gha Ming Ng, a senior defender, about getting the chance to play alongside her teammates in nationals.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Breakin’ ankles, left and Wright — club soccer and rugby player D-Dré isn’t done yet

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

D-Dré Wright, of Women’s Club Soccer and Women’s Rugby, has left flames wherever she steps down. Not only is Wright a two-sport athlete that participates in multiple recreational sports, Wright also refs sporting events around campus and works on campus in the mailroom.

Wright is currently a senior looking to finish with a major in Chemistry and move on to medical school to become a surgeon. Outside the walls of classes and libraries, Wright is breaking tackles to score and blocking opponents to protect the goal — a force to be reckoned with in any sport she tries.

In winter of 2018, Haylie Shinsato started the Women’s Club Soccer team, marking the start of Wright’s career on the soccer field. Having never played before — let alone as goalie — she took on one of the most important and demanding positions in the game. Wright stepped up to the challenge and welcomed it with arms open wide, ready to do whatever she had to to be successful and help her teammates out.

Throughout Wright’s time with the Women’s Club Soccer team, she has gained a lot of valuable attributes to add to her resumé. 

“As a person, it solidified my discipline and time management skills, as well as continuously instilled a hard work ethic, which I use in everything I do,” said Wright about her development through soccer. Wright also said that it “provides an amazing support system and long lasting friendships with my teammates.”

When asked about how the goalie position has impacted her life, Wright had only positives to say about it.

“Believe it or not, but it helps me with split second decisions and working under pressure,” she said. 

The goalkeeper is the last line of defense on the field, holding a lot of responsibility and pressure on the shoulders of anyone in goal — because goalies are the last line of defense, they see “everything” and can use this to their team’s advantage. 

“It has helped me with my communication skills,” Wright said about playing keeper and having to step up and talk to her teammates throughout gameplay.

Fall of 2019 marked Wright’s debut onto the Women’s Rugby team — another first for her, but having a lot of flag football experience to propel her in understanding and playing the game. Wright has been a firecracker on the team, being a key ingredient to their success. 

“Similar to soccer, I use my work ethic and positive attitude to make up for what I lack in experience,” said Wright about her triumphs on the field of rugby. 

With Fall Term coming to a close and Women’s Club Soccer fall season ending, Wright is in full throttle with the Women’s Rugby team, excited and amped to play in more games. Don’t be fooled by her bright smile, Wright has more than a few tricks up her sleeve.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

Giving thanks by giving back

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Thanksgiving is a time generally spent with loved ones, and is a time to think about what you’re thankful for. In addition, it’s a time of giving back, whether it’s donating food to a food bank or volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. If you’re interested in volunteering for the holiday, here’s a couple options nearby Monmouth.

The Union Gospel Mission of Salem provides an opportunity for those in the community to volunteer to serve food to those in need. Volunteers can sign up to distribute food on Thanksgiving day during the main meal time, which takes place from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., and during dinner from 4:30–7 p.m. Along with serving food, they have set-up and clean-up opportunities for the event. According to their website, they have gotten an abundance of volunteers and may or may not need more for serving food. However, certain food items are still needed for holiday meals, and food can still be dropped off and donated from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Men’s Mission (345 Commercial St NE). More information can be found on their website ugmsalem.org.

Meals on Wheels has a branch in Salem and Keizer through Marion Polk Food Share. Volunteers that are interested can sign up to be a driver that delivers meals to seniors and disabled adults in the community. In addition to potentially delivering meals the week of Thanksgiving, participants can continue to deliver meals post holiday season. Drivers would transport nutritious meals between 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday–Friday.

Try asking around as well, because you never know what other opportunities may be around. Happy Thanksgiving and holidays.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Enjoy your food and get crafty at Craft Bar West

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Craft Bar West is, like the name suggests, an eatery that has crafting events each month for its patrons. It opened earlier this year and is located at 157 Main St W in Monmouth.

It’s owned and operated by sisters Ashley Dornhecker and Abigayle Tilby, who owned a sign crafting workshop business for 12 years before opening Craft Bar West. Dornhecker first started working with sign crafts after a friend had asked her to replicate a board with a message on it. Since that first project, she has continued working with custom wood signs.

Dornhecker expanded and launched a workshop to teach others how to paint signs, which resulted in the partnership she has with her sister due to such high demand. 

Eventually, the two found a space in their hometown, Monmouth, that was available for lease, and began hosting their workshops there. Originally, the plan was to just have alcoholic beverage options after the workshop space had been established, and eventually food was added in as well, making the full journey from workshop to bar to restaurant combination.

Craft Bar West hosts painting events regularly each month, and posts about each one frequently. In December, multiple Christmas themed workshops will be held, such as the Christmas Tray Workshop and the Christmas Sign Workshop; both take place within a day of each other — Dec. 13 and 14. In the Christmas Tray Workshop, participants can choose from a variety of stencils — varying from classic “‘tis the season” to iconic movie quotes — while the Christmas Sign Workshop has an even larger selection because of different size options.

Unfortunately, most of the upcoming workshops are full, but updates and new events are posted often on Facebook for customers who wish to partake in the fun. Patrons are still welcome to come in and grab a bite to eat or drink while events are taking place, but should keep an eye out in case there’s limited seating. Craft Bar West is open Wed–Sat from 12–10 p.m., and can be found by searching ‘Craft Bar West by Blissful’ on Facebook.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Mikayla Bruley

What to do when deciding to live off campus

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

By the time the first year of college has ended, some students have decided to live off campus for the next few years. This was a decision I came to myself — granted, I solidified my decision halfway into Winter Term. For anyone that’s thinking of going down this same route, here’s a list of tips for living off campus.

  • By living off campus, there’s more freedom when it comes to choosing a roommate or roommates. Some students choose to place ads on Engage when searching for people to live with, and some pick to hang forms on the various bulletin boards around campus — such as in the library and in the Werner University Center. Choosing to live with friends is also a viable option.
  • Respect between roommates is also important; the space that’s shared is bigger — so it doesn’t feel as cramped sharing just one room between multiple people — which means that there’s also more ground rules to lay out. Establish a system to make sure dishes are clean, laundry gets done and the place isn’t an overall mess. 
  • Communicating with the people you live with is imperative, such as when someone decides to have people over. Like living in the residence halls, giving roommates a heads-up about any potential guest or guests is often important to some people. Setting ground rules is a key factor to effectively living together, both on and off campus.
  • Having a stable income is imperative when living off campus; now that the housing cost isn’t included in the overall school bill, it’s on each person living in the space to contribute to rent. Money stability ensures that there will be less stress when it comes to getting all bills and groceries paid for.
  • Going off of the last statement, food sustainability becomes a major factor to be aware of. Living off campus means not having the dining hall always within reach, so it’s important to ensure the fridge is stocked with something. Grocery prices can be distributed among the roommates evenly, or, if food insecurity is a problem, Western’s Food Pantry is also available.
  • A final tip to keep in mind is to really make the living space comfortable for everyone, because it’s not just a place to live for the school year. It becomes a home, so it’s essential that it’s cozy and brings happiness.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Thanksgiving deal for those who aren’t traveling for the holiday

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

If you’re choosing to not travel for the brief holiday break, but are planning to do a sort of “Friendsgiving” with others, Roth’s has an easy option available to make preparations go a lot smoother. By going to their website — roths.com — and scrolling down, you’ll see their “Thanksgiving Pre-order” ad. Once clicked, it will redirect you to a page that allows you to select various turkey options.

To get a completely pre-packaged meal, click the ad next to it labeled “Delicious Holiday Meals;” this gives both a turkey roast and vegetarian, plant-based option for the shopper. The turkey option includes mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce in addition to the main course. The plant-based dinner has a main entree — smoked apple sage sausage field roast — along with mashed sweet potatoes, a root veggie mash, vegan gravy and cranberry sauce. Both options cost $49.99 and serve between four to six adults. A package of 12 rolls and a pumpkin pie can also be added on for an additional $4.99 and $8.99, respectfully.

After pre-ordering, the meals can be picked up before Nov. 27. Be sure to check if options are still available for each location.

If you’re spending the holidays on your own, or are just opting out of a large dinner, Bi-Mart has a few Thanksgiving deals that last until Nov. 27. A package of Stove Top stuffing costs $1.99, and Idahoan mashed potatoes are available for $2 for packages of three, equalling out to a cheaper alternative but still including some holiday eats.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

“Like Phantoms, Forever”: The Return of My Chemical Romance

Sean Tellvik  |  Freelancer

My Chemical Romance are back from the dead. On Oct. 31, rock band My Chemical Romance announced their return for a one-night show in Los Angeles after a six-and-a-half year breakup. Many fans worried this may have been a one-off reunion event, but with the addition of festival dates in March, it is time to take the return more seriously. 

To fill the empty spaces in their hearts following MCR’s breakup announcement in 2013, fans devised numerous theories about a planned reunion. A band who posthumously released a song called “Fake Your Death” on a greatest hits album titled “May Death Never Stop You” invited some speculation about the permanence of their split. 

The band primarily consists of singer Gerard Way, bassist Mikey Way, and guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro, who have all been working on their own solo projects since the band’s split. However, no individual member of the band has had quite the same level of success as that which they experienced united. Hits like “Helena,” “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” “Welcome to the Black Parade” and “Teenagers” have stood the test of time and circulated many a Spotify “emo” playlist, which brings me to the most slippery issue surrounding the band’s identity. 

Many fans, streaming platforms and articles about MCR identify the band as emo, a term with a messy history and complicated implications. The band themselves have tried to set the record straight that they are not an emo band, even expressing disgust at the term. 

The term “emo” is short for “emotional,” referencing the genre’s often dark or confessional lyrics. Part of the problem is the misconception that emo culture begets self-harm and suicide. On the contrary, the music often acts as an outlet to channel much of the depression and mental health issues that lead to these actions. Especially during the 2000s, the toxic perception of emo culture has spawned violence and brutality against those who identify as emo. But the core of the genre, when separated from stigma, can offer catharsis and a form of identity to its listeners.

I believe so many people attribute the emo genre to MCR because they have validated people’s feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness — you name it — and shown listeners that it’s okay to not be okay. The lyrics to “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” which say “You really need to listen to me / because I’m telling you the truth / I mean this, I’m okay, trust me / I’m not okay,” capture the feeling of masking one’s emotions to conform to an expectation of baseline happiness. I think MCR’s openness about these feelings are what made them such a popular band while garnering them the unwanted emo label. 

One of the band’s most famous lyrics from the song “Famous Last Words” defiantly states, “I am not afraid to keep on living / I am not afraid to walk this world alone.” This message of perseverance contradicts the claim that their music breeds self-destruction. Countless fans have given their testimony to defend that this is a band that saves lives. And I think the world needs to hear their message once more to break down the stigma against mental health issues.

 

Contact the author at stellvik15@mail.wou.edu

An exciting sequel with monsters a plenty: Stephen King’s “Doctor Sleep”

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

Part of the fun when it came to watching the 2019 film “Doctor Sleep,” a Stephen King adaptation based on the sequel of the same name to “The Shining,” is finding all the Easter eggs that are hidden within this thriller.

Fans of the cult classic of “The Shining” can all agree that the film is full of iconic images and scenes, such as the blood filling the hallway, the scary twins, and of course Jack Nicholson sticking his face through the door he hacked a hole into. Mark Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep” provided a new and exciting storyline while managing to revisit its origins and give audience members chills.

The film was originally in the works after the book “Doctor Sleep” was first published, but didn’t develop it until after the popularity of Stephen King’s “It” (2017). Flanagan said that the goal was to reconcile the differences between the novel and film “The Shining.”

The 2019 film stars Ewan McGregor as a grown up Dan Torrence. He is introduced as an alcoholic and troubled man, haunted by his past at the Overlook Hotel. Once on the path to change himself for the better, the audience meets Abra Stone — portrayed by Kyliegh Curran — a young girl who “shines” very brightly.

Those who shine like Dan and Abra are hunted by a group of supernatural beings who survive off of their souls. The film was a rollercoaster, watching the different powers that emerge, giving it a very different feel than that of “The Shining” which was more psychologically scary.

I don’t want to give away too much, but there were several scenes back in the Overlook Hotel that made audience members gasp in horror and delight; connecting back with the origins was my favorite part of the film.

Overall Rating: The actors in the film did a wonderful job, especially Curran in her debut role. I believe it’s challenging for any sequel to be better than its predecessor, and that goes for “Doctor Sleep” as well. The story was interesting, the jump scares were in fact scary, and the Easter eggs were exciting, but I don’t think it surpasses the uniqueness of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of warnerbros.com

Spotlighting Western artist Tonya Bradley: Vocalist and violinist

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

Interested in hearing about a fellow classmate and a choir member here at Western? Look no further than this Q&A to get to know Tonya Bradley, a junior and vocalist at Western.

Q: How long have you been at Western? And what are you studying?

T: I’m a junior, this is my third year. And I’m studying Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Sciences with a focus in Sociology with a minor in French.

Q: And how are you involved in music?

T: Within the Western music department you are allowed to be in any of the ensembles no matter what your major is. I’m in Chamber Singers which you have to audition for either in the spring or in the fall. It’s a lot easier to start in the fall because you have a lot of music to learn.

Q: How long have you been part of the Chamber Singers?

T: I’ve been in Chamber Choir since Spring of my freshman year, and then I was in Concert Choir since Winter Term of that year (first-year). 

Q: So you can be in multiple choirs?

T: Yes, there are three choirs and you can be in all three. The Concert Choir is a non-audition group that is mainly classical music, but can sometimes do some pop stuff. Chamber Singers which is mostly classical, and Voices which is mostly Jazz.

Q: What style of music do you usually prefer?

T: I like the classical because you get to learn a lot of different languages, and there’s a lot of different techniques you get to learn and it is kind of the foundation of every other form of music. I also have done classical for my whole life so…

Q: So how long have you been studying music?

T: I started violin in third grade and took it all the way through my senior year in high school, unfortunately I don’t have time to take string ensemble and choir at the same time, so I don’t do both here (Western).

Q: When did you start training when it comes to singing?

T: I started choir my freshman year of high school, and took voice lessons as a sophomore, but I stopped taking them because they take a lot of time and money.

Q: Do you prefer singing over violin?

T: I do, because I feel like I get to be more creative with it and I don’t have to just stick with what’s already written on the page — I get to do more improvisation. And within the choir I am a Soprano 2.

Q: What is your favorite part about being involved with music?

T: You get to meet so many new people, and it’s a creative release for me and I when I am involved in the choir here (at Western) I feel like it improves my mental health and my school performance. It’s really important for me mentally, to keep me sane taking all my other classes.

Q: What is your least favorite part of the music world?

T: Probably just the amount of rehearsals, and the amount of personal practice I have to do to stay at the same level as everyone else, because I have a lot of trouble with rhythm so I have to spend a lot of my own time to practice. This can sometimes take away from my school work.

Q: If there is anyone interested in joining the choir what would you tell them?

T: I would tell them it’s an awesome idea; we got a new professor last fall and he is amazing. I think the choir has improved a lot and we get to do cool performances, like going to the Capitol — it’s a good experience and I think they should talk to him (Dr. James Reddan).

Q: For those interested in listening to the choir what should they look out for?

T: For Chamber Singers and Concert Choir we have a performance Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Rice and tickets are available now for anyone who calls the box office.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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