Mount Hood

Opinion: #WhyIDidntReport brings important conversation to light following Kavanaugh confirmation

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

“‘How did you get home?’ ‘I don’t remember.’ ‘How’d you get there?’ ‘I don’t remember.’ ‘Where is the place?’ ‘I don’t remember.’ ‘How many years ago was it?’ ‘I don’t know.’”

These words were said on Oct. 2 by President Donald Trump, the supposed face of our nation, as he had the audacity to mock Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony given on Sept. 27. His remarks were met with a roaring crowd, applause and laughter.

Upon hearing his take on the situation, and the reaction of the crowd, I was disgusted — and I wasn’t alone in that. Even Brian Kilmeade of Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” stated, “Last night, he chose to blow it.”

On Oct. 6, following a rather short FBI investigation, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed onto the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh, accused of sexual assault by Ford, was confirmed into a position that throughout history has had immense power over the laws and policies of the country. Someone who has been accused of sexual assault now has a say over what laws our country will follow.

This is a prime example of why people choose not to share their stories. An argument that several choose to use against Ford is, ‘why did you wait 36 years?’ Why she chose to wait is entirely her decision, one that she does not have to justify, and should not be used against her. But put yourself in her shoes: if your assaulter was about to confirmed into a position of high power, wouldn’t you want to speak up then too?

Why don’t people report their stories? Because when they do, they are mocked by the highest executive position in the country. Because when they do, they become hated by much of the country and even receive death threats. Because when they do, their accuser is still confirmed into the highest judicial position in the country.

In 2016, during Trump’s campaign, according to CNN, “at least 15 women accused Trump of misbehavior ranging from sexual harassment and sexual assault to lewd behavior around women.” Trump himself admitted that he has assaulted women, stating in 2005 that “…you can do anything … Grab them by the p****. You can do anything.”

Why don’t people report their stories? Because when they do, their accuser, despite their admittance to assault and despite the many who made allegations against them, still become the elected president of the United States.

Amidst the controversy surrounding the Kavanaugh allegation, many took to social media to use their voice under the hashtag, “#WhyIDidntReport.” Sharing stories that many struggle to ever make public, victims of sexual assault explained the reasons that they decided not to come forward. What that reason is differs for many, whether it be not having proof, feeling as if nobody would care or believe them, the fact that they were intoxicated when it happened, or for some, being convinced by others that it was not sexual assault. Whatever the reason, whether or not someone chooses to report is their own decision. If they decide to wait years, and then come forward, that is their decision as well. If they decide to never report it, that is their choice.

Recently, I reached out to a friend of mine who wished to remain anonymous, who has been a victim of two occurrences of sexual assault. She reported one, and chose not to report the other.

“I was confused — It was the guy I liked at the time, but it was obviously something I didn’t want. I didn’t know how to express (what happened). I blamed myself because he didn’t talk to me after that… I was more focused on if he still liked me or not,” stated anonymous source. This case happened in 2014, four years ago. Until recently, she had chosen not to tell anyone aside from close friends.

“I didn’t even want to tell my counselor or therapist. I went through multiple (professionals),” the anonymous source said. “I really wanted to deny that it happened for some f****** reason. I just didn’t want to tell anybody.”

In early 2018, the anonymous source was assaulted again. This time, she decided that she wanted to report it.

“I reported him. But even then I called (to check on the case) twice a week for a whole month and I was always being redirected. I still haven’t heard from them yet. I kind of just… gave up. I felt like the sheriff department did not give a f***, they didn’t know what to do with that information. I still haven’t gotten justice,” the anonymous source commented.

This is just another example of why some choose not to report. It’s ultimately their choice. However, my anonymous source wanted to make it clear that while she didn’t feel like she received justice in her case, she wants people to know that they “shouldn’t be afraid to speak up. Whatever you’re stowing away inside or carrying, for me, telling someone really helps. I don’t feel that much trauma from the (case) that happened most recently because I talked about it several hours after it happened. But I feel like, whatever I’m carrying from the previous one, it’s full of shame and guilt and even if I (reported) I still have to carry around the four years I have not spoken about it.”

Know that for anyone who wants someone to talk to, or just wants someone to believe them, there are resources here on campus. Abby’s House, located in Room 106 of the WUC, is a center where anyone can go and share their story where they will be believed. They can also be contacted through phone at 503-838-8219.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

The reality of gym dress-codes

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

Recently, I went back to the Health and Wellness Center for the first time since summer had ended. I was incredibly happy that it was finally open and I was excited to get back into a fitness routine, so I dressed in my favorite, most comfortable workout tank top — one that I had worn to this same location numerous times.

Mid-workout, I noticed an employee staring at me across the gym. I didn’t really think anything of it. However, at the end of my workout when I was stretching, he approached me and told me that what I was wearing was against dress-code.

At first, I was taken aback; I was wearing a tank top, leggings, and close-toed shoes, all of which seem normal for a gym. However, he then explained that my tank top specifically was against code as it means I could spread sweat more easily, and potentially spread disease.

Let me make myself clear, I am in full support of keeping students healthy and preventing the spread of disease. In this case, though, I felt as if this was something aimed more towards stopping students from dressing a certain way than towards stopping the spread of disease. Not once in my time here have I been told I’m breaking dress code while wearing a T-shirt but being sweaty. I have been to the gym multiple times with my boyfriend as he literally drips sweat from his clothing, and not one employee has even stared at him. Why me? It’s as if they only care about preventing a hypothetical spread of disease than doing something about the actual people drenched in sweat all around me.

On another note, aren’t you supposed to sweat at the gym? Isn’t that the point of the sanitizer and towels? When it comes down to it, if you sweat, at the place meant to get you sweaty, just clean it up.  

I’m not the only student who has been bothered by this new policy enforcement. Junior ASL/English Interpreting major Kaitlyn Allen was dress-coded for wearing a wide-strap tank top. In her opinion, this new code simply “is not reasonable. It will cause people to wear something they are really not comfortable working out in or it may potentially discourage people from going to the gym on campus.”

Overall, I’m not enraged at the employees or the policies of the Health and Wellness Center for dress-coding me. I appreciate that they are trying to keep their facilities as clean and disease-free as possible. My only request is that if you are going to dress-code me for wearing something that exposes more skin that could potentially get sweaty, then please just dress-code the ones who are also coated in sweat. Just keep it fair. Otherwise, I end up feeling singled out and awkward when I’m approached and stopped mid-workout to get a lecture from an employee, when in reality, there are other people they probably should be focusing more heavily on.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Nike under heavy fire

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

The athletic apparel company Nike took a bold move on Sept. 4, by making controversial athlete Colin Kaepernick the face of the 30th anniversary of their “Just Do It” campaign. Following Kaepernick’s protest of the unfair treatment of minorities by kneeling for the national anthem, many saw Nike’s move as being anti-police, or anti-America. Because of this many, people took to Twitter, posting pictures and videos burning their Nike shoes and swearing to switch to using other athletic brands. These actions displayed that they would rather destroy their belongings than continue to support a company that does not align with their political beliefs. But where do they turn now?

If you choose to protest Nike’s stance by banishing your Jordans to a bonfire, what company will you choose to switch to? If the political stance of a company is so important to you that you will destroy the belongings that bear their name, whose name will you support?

The first thought you may have is to switch to one of Nike’s largest competitors, Adidas. Let’s think about the political history of Adidas. According to “Golden Kicks: The Shoes that Changed Sports”, it was founded in Germany in 1949 by Adolf Dassler. 16 years prior to founding Adidas, Dassler joined the National Socialist Party, also known as the Nazi party. So maybe choosing a shoe company that provided shoes to Hitler Youth isn’t the best new stance to align with.

The next company one might look to is Under Armour. Looking back into their past, Kevin Plank, the CEO of Under Armour, has come out and publicly endorsed Donald Trump after his controversial Muslim travel ban. This prompted a backlash from major sponsored athletes of Under Armour. According to the washingtonpost.com, Stephen Curry, Dwayne Johnson, and Misty Copeland all came out against Plank. These actions have resulted in dips in their sales, proving that aligning yourself with a divisive president isn’t the best political move.

The last major shoe brand one might switch to is Puma. However, Puma faces a familiar issue. Adolf Dassler, founder of Adidas and a member of the Nazi party, had a brother, Rudolf Dassler. Rudolf Dassler found success in the shoe business like his brother, and just like Adolf, he joined the Nazi party (“Golden Kicks.”) Meaning, Puma was founded by a Nazi just like Adidas.

But what if I told you there was a company founded in America by not one, but two veterans of the US Army? Men that built a brand from selling shoes from the back of their car? Based on alumni.stanford.edu, that company is Nike. The same company people deem “anti-military” was founded by veterans.

If you want to take the nationalist route of whining about a company supporting a person kneeling for their flag because it doesn’t stand for them, maybe look to who you’ll be supporting next. If Nike is a burden to their choices of endorsing Kaepernick, then Puma, Adidas and Under Armour are a burden to the political beliefs of their founders and CEOs. But in the end, buying and wearing shoes doesn’t represent your beliefs. Whining about it does.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of nike.com

Editor’s note

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

Welcome back, Western. Let’s be real — that summer just dragged on. I, for one, am so glad to be back. It’s finally my favorite time of year. Mornings become crisp, the leaves transition from vibrant summer hues to the warm shades of autumn, and there’s a sense of optimism amongst everyone. It’s a new season, and change is in the air. How we choose to embrace that change will affect our perspective on this upcoming term.

New changes are being welcomed with a warm embrace by myself and the rest of the staff here at The Western Howl. If you haven’t noticed by now, or if that last sentence wasn’t a blaring clue, we’ve rebranded. We’re no longer called The Western Journal. This was a decision made for a list of reasons — amongst these, our previous title being associated with a different news source that we have zero relation to  — but nonetheless, we are excited to share this moment in The Western Howl/The Western Journal/The Journal/Lamron, etc. history with the students of Western.

Ultimately, we are still the same paper we’ve always been since our inception in 1923. But 95 years and over eight name changes later, we were due for another change.

It’s a year of new and exciting changes for the paper, and likewise, a year a of new changes for myself. As the new Editor-in-Chief of this newssource, let me just make clear that I am nervous, thrilled, scared and overall, optimistic about the upcoming year. It’s a huge change for me to go from Lifestyle Editor to Editor-in-Chief, but I am ready to take on that challenge and give it every piece of me that I have. That being said, I’m not perfect. So, prepare to adjust into this new change with me as well.

I am choosing to embrace every adjustment that this paper is making. My staff and I are embracing the changes each and every one of us is making as we become comfortable in our new roles here at The Western Howl. Being comfortable with change is what makes life so exciting — I urge every one of you to go into this upcoming year with that same mindset. Who knows where it will take you.

Good luck with whatever is to come, Western. From your new Editor and the rest of the staff, we want to thank you for embracing this year of change with us.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Editor’s note

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

If you would’ve told me a year ago that I would be writing the 2017-18 editor’s note, I would’ve thought you were joking. But, after nearly six months of being editor of The Western Journal, here we are.

This school year, for many, has been a year of change. We kicked off the academic year with fires that devastated parts of Oregon and California, changing both the landscape of the states and the places some call home. Throughout the last nine months, numerous Western organizations have begun locational changes — the food pantry is moving across campus, the Student Activities Board is moving to the upstairs of the Werner University Center and the Stonewall Center is moving to where SAB was. At the end of this academic year, we’ll also be losing numerous retiring faculty and staff. People who, whether we’re aware of it or not, have impacted our time at Western.

For some students, myself included, a bigger change is on the horizon — going into the world and trying to become an adult. Also, student loans.

Through all of these changes, The Western Journal has strived to be in the pit with you, reporting on things that matter to students — whether that be the $4 million surplus in the university budget, the Wolves baseball team winning the GNAC title for the second year in a row, the latest theatre productions or local eateries in the area.

The paper is facing some changes of its own. In an effort to stay ahead of some copyright issues, as well as integrate a more ‘digital first’ mindset, the paper will be rebranding itself going into the 2018-19 school year. Starting next academic year, you will be able to find The Western Journal on campus under a different name — The Western Howl. This is our first major name change since the ‘90s’s Western Star, and we’re excited to show you what we’ve got. This newspaper has been on campus since 1923, and we don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Changes can be daunting, but as we all know, Wolves are resilient. As the world throws you curveballs that seem like a lot to handle, I implore you to embrace your inner wolf.

Thank you for sticking with us this year, dear reader.

 

Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu

 

Following your own path

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Now that graduation is right around the corner, everyone that I come into contact with asks the same exact thing — what’s next? And while I used to dread this question, I am starting to come to terms with the fact that there is no right answer.

As a biology major, it sometimes feels as though not striving for a master’s or doctorate degree is a huge mistake. I have a handful of friends leaving soon after graduation and continuing their education, and it often seems like finishing my educational career with an undergraduate degree is the wrong choice.

There are a few people in my life that urge me to stay in Oregon and focus on what’s familiar — notably the place I grew up. And although I know many graduates that feel most comfortable when they’re back where they came from, I’ve always known that I’m not one of those people.

While some of my friends are walking off of the commencement stage with a full-time position with a decent salary plus benefits, I know that this won’t be me either. Internships, seasonal jobs and minimum wage are in my future for the next few years, and I try to remind myself that this doesn’t mean that I’m a failure.

It means that everyone’s path is different. While it’s easy to look around you at commencement and compare yourself to every other graduate, everyone has their own unique path that’s right for them. No, I’m not going to be getting a doctorate anytime soon, I’m not going to have a stable income for a while and I’m not going to land my dream job right away, but that’s okay, because the road that I’m going down is the right one for me.

So, the next time you’re stressed about the right answer to the question ‘what’s next?’, stop and remember — you earned a degree. And the road beyond that degree is distinctly, wonderfully, unmistakably your own.

 

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

 

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The internet, and how it’s failing us

Paul F. Davis| Photo Editor

The age of information is upon us and we are wholly unprepared for it. This newly dawned age is made possible via the internet, this is leading to a change wherein the concept of reality and truth are being challenged which has lead to the tarnishing of the user’s mind.

The internet instantaneously connects us to all of the people that exist on it through social media. But this sort of “connection” is not what humans have been evolutionarily programmed to thrive on. Humans need un-posed face-to-face contact in order to be healthy and well-adjusted, and our current internet-based social heading is not giving us that. The faces you see on the internet are not real; they are carefully choreographed to make the poster feel the best they can in the competition that is social media — a competition that makes others feel less because they don’t have that thing or could never have that experience that they are looking at.

This lack of real connection is starting to be reflected in the rates of mental illness seen in the most internet-integrated of people: the young. This comes about due to the constant comparison of them to the user, the loss of sleep associated with late night technology usage and the further isolation of the already socially isolated. This leads to an increase in mental illness. Young people, aged 18-25 years, are the most likely to have mental illness and are 45% more likely to have mental illness than those aged 50 and over, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Social interaction isn’t the only thing that has been tainted by the touch of the internet. Sex has been changed for countless people because of the ease of access to instant sexual stimulation. For most, their idea of sex has been shaped by porn, which people are being exposed to at younger and younger ages. Porn gives the unprotected young mind a mindset that says if your body does not look a certain way you are not normal or good enough.

Sex is not porn, sex is physical give and take between consenting adults that will be great sometimes and just okay at other times, and the internet doesn’t show that. The internet has reduced sex and all of its intricacies to an eight minute video on Pornhub.

The internet is a space made for anyone and anything but we are not made for the internet. So realize that it is okay and not weird to separate yourself from it because you don’t have to be defined by it, even when you are surrounded by it.

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

 

Oppression in the name of ‘patriotism’

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

On May 23, Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, announced a new policy for the next football season; it is now required that all players must stand for the national anthem or face a penalty and fine. If anyone objects to the anthem, they may choose to stay in the locker room. This change is in response to league-wide protests of the anthem due to racial injustice. But are the NFL’s actions overstepping their bounds?

The political statement of taking a knee for the national anthem has sparked great controversy over the last two NFL seasons. Many see the kneeling as disrespectful to the flag and those who fought for it, while the protesters began the kneeling as a way to show disapproval with the systematic racial injustice in modern day America. Regardless of how you view this act, the NFL passed a rule that says this is no longer allowed on the field. This shows that the NFL, in my opinion, is more worried about their image than they are about social change.

Thanks to far-right commentators such as Tomi Lahren, the meaning of the protests during the national anthem have been twisted and bent. Far-right advocates saw peaceful protest of racial injustice as nothing more than black players disrespecting our troops. These extremist voices rang loud enough in the ears of the NFL to pass a rule saying players are no longer allowed kneel for the flag and must act in a respectful manner.

If you simplify the kneeling for the anthem into just the act of protesting, you will see that the NFL is not allowing players their first amendment right. By saying the players need to “act respectful” for the flag, the NFL and those who oppose the protests show that their feelings matter more than facts. The national anthem and American flag represent freedom from the oppression of tyranny. Forcing a player to stand for the anthem and flag is not freedom; it is saying a player cannot be free to think and act how they feel.

Saying a player should leave politics out of the workplace is a gross misunderstanding of the situation. An NFL workplace requires players to listen to the national anthem before work. Does a normal workplace do that? The NFL is telling an athlete not to be political while forcing them to be political and patriotic. If it is so hard to watch players kneel for the flag, don’t sing the anthem before games. If it hurts the feelings of the NFL so much to see players exercise their American rights, don’t put them in a situation to need to in the first place.

The NFL’s move to disallow a player’s right to peaceful protest is not only wrong but unpatriotic. Nationalism is standing for a flag because that’s where you were born. Patriotism is choosing to stand or kneel because our flag represents freedom. Stripping players of their constitutional rights by forcing them to stand shows that the NFL does not care about their players. If the NFL wanted their players to be respectful to the flag they would allow them to peacefully protest however they please because, after all, the national anthem stands for freedom, not oppression.

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: Dallasnews.com

 

Professional Sports’s best playoffs

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

The NFL draft was a few weeks ago, the MLB season just began and the NBA is deep into their playoffs — but there’s one major sport missing from the discussion: hockey. The final three teams left in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, duke it out to hold one of sports’s most historial trophies, the Stanley Cup. While all sports have their fair share of amazing feats of athleticism, hockey takes those highlights to the next level.

Of the four major sport leagues in North America, the National Hockey League seems to be forgotten. But, if you’re a true fan of sports, then there is nothing like the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Seemingly every minute of every game is filled with superhuman-like efforts to win or unbelievable underdog stories. And this year’s Stanley Playoff race is no stranger to such events. Here are a few reasons why hockey playoffs make for the best sports playoffs.

 

Giving everything for the name on your sweater:

Hockey, as with all sports, sees many players fall victim to injuries each season. However, the players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs simply don’t hesitate to put their bodies on the line for their team. Against the advice of doctors, in this year’s playoffs fans saw Sean Couturier of the Philadelphia Flyers suit up for, play in, and score the game winning goal in game five while skating on an MCL he tore less than a week before.

 

An underdog story for the ages:

The brand new Las Vegas Golden Knights are the 29th team added to the NHL. They hosted their first game as a franchise mere days after the Las Vegas shooting. The horrific tragedy led the Golden Knights to retire the number 58, in memory of the 58 lives lost in the shooting. As has happened in the wake of many tragedies, a town in pain looked to their hometown team for hope. The Golden Knights set record after record for new franchises as they stormed their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the backs of players that were picked up after other teams deemed them unworthy of a roster spot.

 

The fans:

Every sport has its fair share of crazy fans, but the fans in hockey adhere to some awesome — if rather strange — traditions. This playoff season has seen some of those traditions carry on into the finals, and some are yet to come. In Winnipeg, home of the Jets, the fans dress head-to-toe in white for a white-out at every home game. The sea of fans throughout the crowd sends a chill down the spine of the teams entering the frosty Winnipeg stadium. But once the winner of “Lord Stanley’s Mug” is announced, one of the strangest traditions takes place; each member of the winning team gets to spend one day with the trophy over the summer.

 

Whether you watch sports just to pass the time or because you’re a true fan, check out the Stanley Cup Finals. You’re sure to see some history in the making.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: nhl.com

A week that needs to be amended

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

This week is second amendment week, a week to heighten awareness on the subject of and advocate for the second amendment and gun rights. But does this highly-discussed amendment actually need — and, honestly, deserve — a full week of recognition?

The second amendment is one of the most controversial amendments due to an epidemic of gun violence in the news in recent times. Because of this, there are very vocal protesters on both sides of the argument fighting for their views. But I don’t see these pro- and anti-amendment arguments as equals. This is why I believe the pro-second-amendment rhetoric on our campus is undeserving of a full week of recognition.

In the gun debate, the sides can be reduced to two basic arguments: the right to bear arms and the need for major gun control. Yes, I realize there is an ocean of grey area to this argument but for the sake of time, let’s try to condense arguments into the following groups: one side fights for the right to be able to attend your class without the fear of an ex-student entering the room with a firearm with the intent to kill, the right to go see a movie without thinking in the back of your head an escape plan for how to get out in a shooting or even just the ability to attend a concert without needing to worry about seeing your loved ones gunned down by a weapon that can be bought by a high-school-aged kid. Meanwhile, the radicals on the other side argue that because a handful of old white men wrote on a paper 227 years ago that the “right to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed,” anyone can own any gun at any time with any amount of ammunition to do with what they please. That the right to own a gun is given to American citizens no matter what their past is like. That no matter how many innocent lives are taken by guns, people still need them.

I am not trying to throw all second amendment advocates into one generalized, gun-crazed group. What I am trying to say is that one side wants the peace of mind to not worry about whether they, or a loved one, will come home safe. And the radicals on the other side think some ink on a paper means everyone should own a gun, any type of gun, for hunting or killing a robber or whatever they please.

This gross difference in the value of a human life is what disqualifies this week as appropriate for a college campus. If we want to be the kind of college that condones speech like this, at least match it with dialogue that actually follows what the second amendment says. Because a true second amendment week would preach about the need for regulation on guns, because after all, the second and third words in the amendment are “well regulated”. Instead, the events for the week involve playing with Nerf guns.

 

Ignore the voices pushing  this week of second amendment worship on campus. This campus is for education, not preaching for ownership of weapons that cause the deaths of almost 13,000 Americans every year. While diversity of thought helps grow society, the lack of empathy for human life slows progress.

Enough of this “good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun.” Instead, realize that the lack of a gun means there’s a lowered ability to kill anyone. Preach love and unity, not protectionism and violence. If there is one thing that the founding fathers said that needs to be repeated, it’s that every American has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” So, stop these lies of needing a gun to be safe and, instead, educate about how we can come together to create a peaceful society.

Lastly, I’d like to leave you with some facts that should carry the most weight during this pro-second amendment propaganda week: per everytownresearch.org, on average in America every 15 minutes someone is killed by a gun; there are approximately 36 homicides by a gun everyday; every other month on average a child or teen is murdered with a gun; as of May 13, there have been 39 gun related incidents at a school in 2018 — that’s an average of two per week.

Now ask yourself: do we really need this week?

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo by: latimes.com

A minor problem

Stephanie Blair | Copy Editor

On March 29, Western’s Registrar announced the Faculty Senate’s decision: it was voted that Western Oregon will no longer require students to graduate with a minor.

Western was the last public university to require a minor, and was in the minority of universities in the nation. The adults in my life have always been surprised by this requirement. And for good reason: it’s a ridiculous requirement.

Had it not been required when I started here, I would have avoided taking 16 credits that I didn’t need — a full term’s worth, for many — simply because I kept trying to force myself into a minor that fit. I love my major — it’s what I’ve wanted to pursue for almost my entire life — and so, finding something else that I wanted to put my tuition and time into almost as much was a struggle. I ultimately ended up enrolling for a humanities minor, because it has no real structure and made the most of my random grab bag of upper divisions.

In fact, with no minor required, I could have graduated two or three terms earlier than I am. And so, future graduates will be far better off than I am and get out earlier. Or, at least, they would, if the minimum credit requirement hadn’t remained the same.

It’s true that my minor plan was a mess and I would have benefitted from not being required to complete one, but it’s also true that I needed every credit I took along the way to graduate. With all of my wandering through the course catalog, I’m graduating after attending for four years — 12 terms — and taking 187 credits. That number is, as I’ve been informed by past graduates, current classmates and professors, extremely low for a Western student.

All of this to say: dropping the minor requirement is a start, but Western’s graduation requirements need an overhaul. If Western wants what’s best for it’s students, rather than what will make them the most money, they need to stop telling students that it’s “perfectly normal” to take five years to graduate and start examining why students are getting trapped for an extra year.

Contact the author at sblair13@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Staying out of politics is a privilege

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

A few weeks ago, I was driving around with my boyfriend and began thinking about the upcoming midterm elections.

“Have you registered to vote?” I asked him. He didn’t respond.

I asked, “Did you update your current address online?” He replied with a small shrug.

“Are you voting at all?” I inquired.

“I’m just not interested in politics,” he replied. And we left it at that.

If you’re curious, my boyfriend is a white, cis-gender, middle-class male — one of the most privileged groups out there. So, it’s no surprise that he can turn a blind eye to politics because he’s “not interested” or doesn’t “get into politics.”

But, for some people, politics aren’t something that they can brush aside and choose not to participate in. For many, if not all, minority groups, politics govern their lives and well-being. Politics determine whether or not they have to stand in front of a capitol building and ask to stay in a country that they’ve lived in since they were children. Politics govern whether or not they can get married, own a home or get a job, based solely on their sexual preference or gender identity. Politics can dictate if a person’s religion will ban them from their home country and label them as a terrorist. Some individuals don’t get the choice to ignore politics.

It’s easy as a white male — or even for me, as a white female — to not have to worry about politics taking away our rights. So, if you’re a person who is generally not affected by federal and local policies, why should you care about politics?

It’s the same reason that men stand alongside women during the Women’s March, why I witnessed a room nearly full of white, older adults demanding support for DACA recipients at a town hall with Ron Wyden and why individuals living 2,000 miles away showed solidarity for members of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation — to look past your privilege and stand up for those that need it. That support begins with the candidates you choose to represent you and your community.

It’s one thing to be slightly uncomfortable when the name “Trump” comes up at family dinners, but if you’re actively not voting because the outcome of the election wouldn’t affect you, you’re turning away from the minorities in your community that are fighting for their lives because of politics.

It’s a choice not to vote, and not voting is relying on your privilege to protect you. I just hope you consider the people around you who don’t have that luxury.

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

Who taught you how to drive?

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

I can count on more than two hands how many times in the past month I’ve almost been hit on Western’s campus — as a driver, as a passenger and as a pedestrian. I’ve never been in a car accident, but it seems like the drivers in the commuter/staff lots on campus are trying to change that. Add to it the fact that a quick look at the most recent public safety report shows that of the four on-campus calls that CPS received between April 24 and April 28, three were in regard to automobile-related incidents.

Instead of the usual calls for alcohol use and bike thefts, our campus has apparently taken to running amok in cars.

The transgressions happening with drivers aren’t ones that would be fixed with a refresher course on how to drive. Rather, people are just failing to pay attention to their environment — or they’re just completely lacking consideration for pedestrians and other drivers.

As a driver, I get it — pedestrians have no problem with walking into the middle of the street at the last possible second. However, in environments like parking lots, last-minute walking is less of a problem. Instead, undefined walking spaces make it so pedestrians can pretty much go anywhere. Because of this, the problem is rooted in both a lack of awareness on the part of the pedestrian and a similar lack of caution while rounding corners or trying to snag an open spot on the part of the driver.

According to research performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding pedestrian accidents, there were 5,987 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2016. Though the NHTSA doesn’t have statistics regarding pedestrian injuries in 2016, their 2015 report stated than an estimate 70,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents. For Oregon specifically, the NHTSA preliminary data for 2017 estimates that there were 1.81 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people in the state, or 75 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents. Frankly, these statistics are absurdly high.

The problem with reckless driving around campus isn’t just a pedestrian-centered issue; though people do need to watch for pedestrians, they also need to watch for fellow drivers. I’ve been in empty lots on campus and have still somehow been nearly t-boned by cars that are speeding around corners. More often than not, this happens when people are first entering parking lots. It can be difficult to remember to slow down from the street, but it’s safer for all of those involved.

For people who are in a rush to make it to their class or job on time, I have some tips for you. First off, when you turn a corner while snaking around a parking lot, know that there is most likely either a car or a person that will be around that corner. Western doesn’t have many students, but it has enough to have moderately populated lots, particularly during the in between-class periods of the day. Second, when you come bounding into a parking lot, try and take a survey of the area and take note of any cars that may be pulling out. I’ve seen numerous people back into other cars as they drive past looking for a spot. And third, for the pedestrians: be smart about when you decide to walk places. Wait until a driver stops before barrelling across the street. We all joke that drivers can ‘pay our tuition,’ but none of us really want that to happen.

I’m sure everyone will agree that they don’t want to pay for hitting another car, so it’s time to weigh what’s more important: making that meeting or protecting yourself and the people around you. As the term begins to come to an end and everyone gets more stressed, try and take a break before rushing around campus — a CPS report shouldn’t be just a catalog of car accidents.

Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Can’t cope, won’t cope

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but the past couple years have been a bit stressful. Regardless of what side you’re on, the election has taken its toll and, in recent months, it’s hard to open up a tech device without getting piles of notifications about scandals or court trials. It’s virtually impossible to stay connected on social media without receiving countless notifications about breaking news. So, in a world where news is being shoved down the throats of the populous 24/7, how do we cope? Well, dear reader, I think we’ve begun coping with memes.

As someone who identifies as being at least moderately hoity-toity, I generally try and downplay the level of internet trash that I am. However, I’m internet trash and the internet has been excessively trashy lately — particularly when it comes to avoiding any semblance of stressful information.

Hear me out: I love a good vine compilation and I live for crappy Kermit/tea combinations. However, at least throughout my own journey through the internet, it seems like people are using humor more and more to just avoid the reality of what’s going on in the world around them. Instead of having compelling conversations about rights or privacy, people are instead posting images that use sarcasm as a way of conveying information — it’s like the extreme version of people who only got their news from watching “The Colbert Report” or “The Daily Show.” It works by bare-minimum standards, but it could definitely be better.

Take, for example, the most recent Mark Zuckerberg case: a trial wherein Zuck’ had to stand before Congress because of a Facebook security breach. Rather than hearing actual news about the trial or the questions and comments made, my feed was clogged with jokes about his hair, his makeshift booster seat and comments about his childlike demeanor. Though some of the jokes made were harmless, they detract from the issue at hand. In cases like these, they can get in the way of information that could be beneficial — especially since Facebook reports having over one billion users. Where people should have been concerned about the security breach and the power that Facebook has, they were instead focused on infantilizing a grown adult.

Though I think that memes are a way of avoidance, there’s also an argument to be made in favor of memes as a way of allowing people to detract from reality in a way that’s positive for their mental health. Humor can be healing, and it’s important to acknowledge that.

Many marginalized groups use this type of online humor to connect with people that share similar circumstances.

“Increasingly, identity-based virtual communities are becoming invaluable tools for fostering solidarity and healing, and for providing humor in the face of socio-political adversity,” explained writer Ludmilla Leiva in a March 2017 piece for Wired. “Finding amusement in dire circumstances has been both empowering and cathartic, and though I still participate in other types of activism, memes have become my favorite form of resistance.”

While I think that using different media to form relationships with people in your community is important, that isn’t all they’re used for.

Instead of blindly jumping on the newest internet bandwagon, I think we should start evaluating the ramifications of the ‘harmless’ jokes we share on social media. Are we doing it as a way of contributing to the conversation, or as a way of withdrawing from reality?

Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu

Here is what’s in a name

Stephanie Blair | Copy Editor

Every year on Yom HaShoah, these disturbing little flags are planted around campus to educate passersby about the effects of the Holocaust and — debatably — honor those whose lives were lost in concentration camps. There are different colors for different groups, and a key so you can read which groups are represented by what.

It is this sign that I take issue with. Having attended Western for four Shoahs now, I am disappointed to say that Western’s signage still uses an ethnic slur to refer to an affected group: the Roma and Sinti tribes. The word I’m referring to, which I’ll write just once in it’s full form for clarity, is gypsy.

And that may not seem like something upsetting to you. It’s a word that, as Americans, we were raised to associate simply with the idea of being a free spirited nomad. We heard it in a Fleetwood Mac song, we know the Broadway musical — even recently, Netflix has released a show under that name, Lady Gaga released a song with that title in 2013 and “Saturday Night Live” used the word freely in two skits in the last two weeks. This is a present issue even today — even on our campus, so let’s take a quick history lesson.

“Europeans imposed the word “g—y” on Romani when they came to Europe, believing that we originated from Egypt because of our dark features,” the National Organization for Women explained in a blog post. “Romani have a history of persecution in Europe; it is estimated by Roma historians that over 70 to 80 percent of the Romani population was murdered in the Holocaust, a fact that is little known or recognized. Even lesser known, Romani experienced chattel slavery in Romania for over 500 years ending in 1860.”

A name given to a racial group by white Europeans who were then oppressed by said white Europeans and whose culture is now used as a cheap costume for Halloween and “festival” season. It feels so familiar…

Not to mention that Roma women, stereotyped as sexually loose and untamable, were forcibly sterilized in Europe as recently as the 1990s. So, there’s that.

Which brings me back to this sign. If this had happened once and then been corrected, this piece wouldn’t be published. But the organizers of this event have been approached before, yet no change has come.

So now, in a free publication, I’d like to make a public call: change the damn signs. I’m in my last term of my senior year and I have 600 print credits — I’ll reprint them for you. I really don’t mind. I think it’s a negligible cost to respect the dead, as well as the living.

Contact the author at sblair13@wou.edu

Photo by: Share.america.gov

 

The 50 hour week

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

 

When I set out to apply for college four years ago, I didn’t think that my full credit schedule would be coupled with an equally full work schedule. And, while I love my job and value the education I’m getting, I find it interesting that higher education is one of the only places wherein you’re supposed to devote 100 percent of your time and energy on your education as well as to whatever job(s) you may have. Instead of focusing on their education, more and more students are having to decide what to prioritize: their grades or their livelihood.

The more I talk to my peers, the more I find students who are taking an upward of 15-20 credits per term and working 25-30 hours per week. These students are then committed to doing class or work for 40-50 hours per week, while still having to find the time to do the homework for each of their classes. It’s no wonder college students are known for anxiety and caffeine-addiction.

To an extent, taking on hours at work while managing school can be beneficial.

“I think the combination of work and school has impacted my role as a student in both positive and negative ways,” noted senior Amanda Owren, who has maintained an average of 16 credits per term, while working 25-30 hours per week. “Working so many hours alongside homework has forced to truly take responsibility for my time — but sometimes so much that my entire week consists only of work, school/homework and then what little sleep I can fit around the two.”

However, there’s also a question of whether the benefit outweighs the choices that students have to make in order to manage both their school and work schedules. As someone who, for the greater part of her higher education, took 20 credits while working 30 hours per week, I’d be lying if I said that I always prioritized my schoolwork over my professional work.

There is at least one system in place at Western to help students who may be struggling financially; the WOU Food Pantry is available to students as well as people in the community. However, students still have other necessary expenses that may not be aided by the food pantry or any financial aid they may receive.

“I know that a lot of students do needs jobs in order to pay rent, tuition and the cost of living,” said Matthew Ciraulo, a junior who averages 16 credits per term and works around 30 hours per week.

“(Working) changed my role as a student because suddenly I have to figure out whether it’s worth going to class, or having the money to get groceries,” said Linzy Griffin, and alumnae who took an average of 18 credits per term and worked 40 hours per week across multiple jobs. “When you are attending a university for a quality education that you already have to take loans for, it’s a very bitter pill to swallow when it comes down to choices like that. Or even calculating what assignments aren’t worth doing, to take some time for self care or even an extra shift.”

Even for students who love their jobs, the combination of working while in school can take its toll. If anything, it makes it more difficult to prioritize the things you have to do.

“I think that its impact is a little bittersweet because I do love what I do, and this is valuable experience that I can use for getting into grad school or a job,” explained Ciraulo. “On the other hand I struggle academically, because I have prioritized work over school … Learning for me is getting the work finished when I should actually be absorbing what I’m doing.”

While it’s not my personal belief that professors should give slack to students in these situations, I think it’s important to recognize student commitments in a holistic way. Though many students take on jobs as a way of paying their tuition, there are things besides lowering tuition — like lowering textbook prices, reevaluating if assignments are beneficial or just busy work and trying to develop a better understanding of the commitments that students have — that could be done as a way of aiding those students who have to devote time to their work.

Though it’s clear that stretching oneself thin can be a result from taking on a heavy workload, Owren has found that it’s also had an impact on her availability to explore new opportunities: “Working alongside classes has definitely forced me to pass on potential career development opportunities in my major, in favor of picking up hours to afford my necessities.”

Education at Western shouldn’t suffer because of student schedules, but there are things that the school can consider doing to help struggling students. After all, if a student has to forego class or an assignment to make ends meet, are they really getting the best out of their education?

In regard to some of the changes Western can consider making to help students who are balancing a busy work schedule with a busy class schedule, Griffin suggests: “More online classes, even hybrid classes. More options on times, it always seemed that I could only work nights because of classes … Being more frugal with textbook pricing … Shoot, even more (financial aid) for rent. That’s the real killer.”

The schedules of students aren’t going to change overnight, and neither is the way we handle students with busy schedules. The difference comes when we think critically about the busy schedules of our peers and try to address the causes.

“I wish teachers would take into account that many students in their classes don’t decide to work four jobs because they want extra spending cash, but is a necessity if they want to pay their bills or rent,” said Ciraulo.

Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Male Privilege

Paul F. Davis | Photo Editor

As an upper middle class white cis-male living in the 21st century, I am probably one the most privileged people to ever walk this earth, and this privilege has allowed me live in something of a bubble. This bubble helps me be awfully unaware of some the worst parts of our culture: fearing being shot in the back because a police officer thought my phone was a gun — I don’t even think about the police — or walking through the world expecting the worst — I expect the best — and especially I don’t have to deal with any of the problems most women have experienced or experience every day.

So I asked a few of my closest female friends and family about their least favorite things they have experienced related to being a female to illuminate what an average woman may go through that I never would.

“When I go parties or the bar I feel as if I can never fully relax … because I have to keep a lookout for anything that could happen to me or my friends. And when I see certain men at those parties I take my girl friends and we leave because I know they are trouble and I don’t want anything to happen to me or my friends,” said Rachel, a current student.

“In the past when I was running an LA Fitness, there would be times when people would come up to me and ask for the manager and I would respond with ‘I’m the manger, how can I help you’ and they would talk down to me as if I wasn’t qualified to be the manager, even though I was being professional and polite,” said Kelly, a graduate of Western.

“It’s not that he touched me or said anything extreme it was just the way he singled me out sometimes in class and looked at me that made me feel super uncomfortable,” said Abby about a former professor she had while attending Oregon State University.

“I have large breasts and I love them, but there are points when I hate them just because of how often they are stared at. So I wear clothes that don’t emphasize them so I don’t have to deal with it,” said Lauren a current student at Oregon State University.

After hearing about these experiences from some of people who I love the most in this world, I feel nothing less than thankful that I don’t have to deal being made to feel as less or feeling uncomfortable or feeling being stared at, but I have to demand that we change our actions as a society because if we do nothing, nothing will change and our future women will experience these moments time and time again. Which is something I don’t want any female person to experience.

I’m not going to sit by passively because change starts in one person and spreads so I’m going to actively work to prevent these things by changing my own behavior and by being responsive when my female counterparts experience something sexist. And lastly, I am going to ask you to do the same because no woman deserves to feel less or experience less just because they are female.

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Let’s talk about sex

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

As a graduating senior, I’ve spent my 180 credits exploring all the subjects that Western has to offer. From dance to psychology, my elective credits were put to good use in investigating fascinating subjects that help explain the world around me. My favorite of these classes was Human Sexuality, and I implore every Western student to take this class at some point in their college career.

I signed up for this class because I had mutual friends taking it and figured the subject would be interesting. In today’s society, sex isn’t something that’s discussed in a healthy and honest way. This class looked like a good opportunity to have an open discussion about a topic that most individuals are discouraged from talking about.

The class that I was in, taught by Amy Hammermeister Jordan, addressed many aspects of human sexuality. One topic discussed in the class was gender stereotypes and the harm that can come from placing harsh expectations on kids from the time they’re toddlers. Expecting boys to be emotionless, strong and dominant, and girls to be submissive, dainty and polite can restrict how they view themselves and express themselves to the world.

The three biggest influences on young kids are parents, peers and the media. Kids start to learn how they should be behaving, what restrictions they have on their life choices based on their gender and how to conform to society’s expectations by rejecting their true self.

I’ve personally felt the weight of gender stereotypes my entire life. Being expected to dress a certain way, sit like a lady, smile, don’t talk out of turn: these messages can be extremely harmful. From this class, I learned how not to perpetuate these stereotypes and how to encourage the next generation to be their true selves.

Human Sexuality introduced a topic that hadn’t considered before taking this class: talking to kids about sex. Sexual education in schools is extremely limited and often nonexistent. Some schools and communities believe that, by not exposing kids to the topic of sex, they are less likely to engage in it. Unfortunately, this view of sexual education is common, but the reality is that education is powerful, and when young adults have accurate information and honest communication about sex, they have the tools to make positive decisions. When sex is a taboo topic, kids seek out less reliable sources of information and are more likely to make harmful choices.

With the topic of human sexuality, it was important to address all different types of sexuality. An open discussion about the LGBTQ+ community provided a safe space to ask questions, clarify definitions and educate students about the community. If you’re like me and have no idea what queer, pansexual or intersex means, this class helps explain these terms to create a more educated community at Western.

The most important thing that you can learn from this class is the definition of consent. While talking with friends and people that are close to me, it’s obvious that they have a very unclear definition of consent, and this is because education about consent is often not taught in schools, leading most people to only have a slight idea of what the word means. While many individuals rely on vague and often misleading body language and physical cues for consent, they don’t realize that consent is verbal, affirmative and ongoing.

Unfortunately, we can’t talk about sex without talking about sexual assault. Sexual assault occurs far too often and can have a tremendous impact on an individual’s physical and mental health. Something anyone and everyone can take away from this class is how to help a survivor of sexual assault who has confided in you.

First, let them know that they have options, but never choose their path of healing for them — they can choose to report the crime, see a mental care specialist or they may do nothing at all. Listen to them, believe them and don’t question them. The first person that an individual confides in after sexual assault can change their path of healing for the rest of their life.

It would take much more than a page-long article to explain all the tremendous things that this class taught me. But all in all, talking about sex is important. Open, honest communication can lead to a healthy view of human sexuality, accurate knowledge of consent, better communication with a romantic partner and sexual education in schools that emphasizes knowledge instead of ignorance.

If you have a few extra elective credits to use, I’d highly recommend taking this class. You won’t be disappointed.

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Guns in schools

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

Never in my life did I think I would have to worry about being shot while at school. But my senior year of high school, a student came into my school with a firearm and, right after lunch, proceeded to shoot themself in class.

While this was a suicide and not an attempt on other lives, just the thought that someone at my own school came in with a loaded firearm frightened me. I always believed my school was safe, yet now my high school is on a list where someone has lost their life due to guns being within school walls.

In the wake of the Parkland shooting, an idea has been circulating that hopes to put an end to gun deaths in schools: the arming of teachers with firearms. At first, the ever present yelp of “good guys with guns stop bad guys with guns” seems to fit, but does this actually work? Does a teacher with a gun stop a school shooter? I’d like to call into question this good over evil mentality and the impact that giving teachers firearms would really have.

The first step in arming teachers would be to select which teachers you want to carry firearms and to train them. For argument’s sake, let’s say there are a number of volunteer teachers ready and willing to carry firearms. If you want a teacher to react in an emergency situation like a police officer, train them like one. However, the basic idea of training already brings a dilemma: a teacher’s time.

Being a teacher, you have to put genuine time and effort into each lesson you teach. Planning lessons, grading homework and tests and even just responding to emails takes a lot of time. So, on top of all the work teachers are already asked to do, they then have to train for an active shooter situation so they can effectively try to extinguish a threat.

If you skip over the potential cost to schools needing to supply this training to teachers — which is already a huge thing to overlook — you have to ask: would this time spent training be paid? If it is, that means teachers would be more inclined to carry, as it is a more fiscally responsible choice. In many school districts across the country, classrooms are severely underfunded and staff grossly underpaid. That means if a teacher either wants to make enough money to afford living or have extra money to fund their classroom with basic necessities, they have to moonlight as a pseudo-police officer.

However, what if training is volunteer based so the time is unpaid? That means you’re only drawing from teachers who have enough time to adopt a sort of second job. This job being one that takes away time from an educator trying to impact a students life for the better and instead devotes it to trying to be a hero during a mass shooting. Already, the idea of arming teachers means asking underfunded schools to divert funds away from educating our youth to instead supply firearm training to underpaid teachers. It is either this or making teachers pay for their own training. Or, even worse, just treating a school like the wild west and letting untrained teachers run around freely with guns. None of the options seem too great.

The next issue faced would be the selection of a firearm. If a teacher chooses some variant of a rifle or shotgun, that means it would need to be stored in a locked desk or safe — if you want the weapon to be stored safely, that is. In the event of an emergency, the teacher would have to go to the gun safe, unlock it, load the gun, then locate and stop the threat, resulting in precious time lost.

However, I believe the most likely firearm for a teacher to wield would be a semi-automatic handgun, due to their compactness making them easy to conceal. But just because the gun is hidden, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Having a gun on you at all times means at any point in time you could accidentally discharge the weapon — something that has already happened in a school this year.

Last, the main point in teachers carrying guns is to protect the students in the event of a shooting. During an active shooter situation, the armed teacher would be expected to react in a way to stop the threat.

In the high stress environment of an active shooter situation, the teacher would need to remain calm, find the shooter and take them out. Expecting them to stop the shooter would mean the armed teacher would need to abandon their class full of students, potentially putting them in danger. A simple misidentification of someone as a threat means the teacher could kill an innocent person. But if the teacher were to stay in their classroom, then that means the shooter is free to continue causing harm.

The general notion of having any faculty member on a school campus carrying a weapon is not only dangerous, but fiscally irresponsible. I do believe there are teachers out there capable of stopping a threat, but this comes at much too high of a cost.

At face value, you might think a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun, but this is just flat out wrong. A police officer with excellent training stops a bad guy with a gun. If you want school campuses to be safe, maybe it’s time to consider gun control that doesn’t force firearms into the hands of teachers.

Contact the author at llarsen13@mail.wou.edu

Photo by: aadl.org

A glimpse from behind the counter

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Earlier this school year, for the first time, I decided to get a job working in the food service industry. It was the first real customer service position I had ever gotten, and it has already taught me so much.

In the few months I’ve worked this job, I have experienced a plethora of questionable interactions with people; I’ve had people come up to me at the front counter and pretend to “make it rain” with dollar bills, I’ve had a woman come up to me and scream in my face for something I didn’t do, I’ve had endless sighs and comments such as “really?”, or “you’ve got to be kidding” thrown at me due to the fact that I didn’t have specific food ready — that we don’t even advertise as having ready. Not to mention, numerous inappropriate comments about my appearance, prank calls and eye gazes have been gestured towards me.

I want, for just one second, any one of these people to step into my shoes — my incredibly uncomfortable, non-slip shoes, that is. Then they might understand why none of this is okay. They’d understand what I go through on a daily basis; I work anywhere between six to 10 hours in a given shift, my breaks are short, I’m running all over the place trying to get things done quickly and, all the while, I have to make sure that I have a smile on my face and that customers are being served very quickly. When you have the added factor of difficult customers that are for some reason “always right,” it can be exhausting.

In no way am I trying to throw myself a pity-party — I chose to take on this position and this workload. That being said, I honestly think that if at some point in everyone’s life they worked a customer-service job, I wouldn’t have to deal with these kinds of problems.

Working customer service is a great way to learn about several important aspects of life. You learn how to be more patient. Being on the other end of the counter teaches you how things work. There are times where I have 10 orders in front of someone, and they get upset if they have to wait 10 minutes. I’m sorry, did you want me to just magically make those tickets disappear? You have to wait your turn, and if you were in my position, you’d understand that.

You also learn how kindness can go a long way. A nice comment or a “keep up the good work” can actually put a genuine smile on my face. And finally, you learn why you should be understanding and respectful of the people who are serving you.

On the other hand, customer service can offer so many other great things. You learn about the lives of people that you otherwise wouldn’t have known. For instance, I’m beginning to learn the names of several regulars and about the many things that go on in their lives. Just asking “how has your day been?” has led to several conversations with random people, and often times it really brightens their day to have someone to talk to. It can be an incredibly rewarding experience that you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

While I have had several experiences that make me question why people are the way they are, I’m beginning to notice a pattern. Most of my frustrating experiences have been with people of an older generation. The younger ones are typically more respectful and willing to wait and work with me rather than just immediately get upset and throw a fit. It almost feels as if the older generation has become so removed from what it means to work a customer service job that they have higher expectations than what can actually be met. However, the consideration coming from the younger customers seems like a positive sign to me; the future is bright and the younger generation has a more empathetic attitude that is understanding and respectful towards customer service employees. I hope that carries on over time.

As for everyone else, you may want to consider picking up a customer service position at some point. Maybe then you can begin to understand why things happen the way they do, and why you shouldn’t be blatantly impolite toward the people who are serving you. But, hey, if you’re going to be disrespectful, at the very least, could you leave a tip?

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

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