Mount Hood

Guest Opinion: Young voters: make a voting plan and follow through

Governor Brown implores everyone to vote on Nov. 3 2020

Submitted by Governor Kate Brown 

Every day, young people like yourselves take action to better communities all across Oregon. Since becoming your Governor, I’ve worked with students who demand action on climate change by coming to the capitol and testifying in record numbers, making phone calls, and holding walk-outs on their campuses. I’ve held the hands of grieving students and their families in the wake of the Umpqua Community College shooting. I’ve seen college students put their lives on the line to fight wildfires. I’ve been humbled to see recent graduates enter the medical field so they can serve their communities in the midst of this global pandemic. And I’ve seen thousands gather across our state from Portland to Pendleton, Bend to Eugene, in a clarion call for racial justice. 

You all are living, learning, and contributing to this state and this country. You will not just inherit this world – you are already actively building it. 

I have also met countless young people who tell me they feel that this world is damaged beyond repair, and that the world’s problems are too big for any one of us to solve. And with the way 2020 has gone so far…I know the feeling.
I hear you when you say that you don’t feel represented in politics. I hear you when you say you’re afraid of what the future might hold. 

While it’s true that I carry with me every single day the privilege of white skin and cisgender, I know what it’s like to be scared to go to work every day. Years ago, when I was a young lawyer, I was afraid of losing my job if someone discovered that I was in a relationship with a woman.

I know what it feels like to look over at the man in the office next to mine and know that he is treated differently. That he is paid more for the same position. Even though I knew I was doing a better job.

I’ve worked my entire career to make Oregon a more equitable and welcoming state to everyone who calls this place home. Our nation’s problems — racism, homophobia and transphobia, sexism, climate change, health care, immigration — are all addressed in major ways at the ballot box.

They’re addressed in your vote for President, members of Congress, Governor, and state legislators. They are also addressed by your vote for county sheriff, district attorneys, judges, city council, county clerks, bond measures, and local taxes. 

This election will have big impacts on America, but also your local community. I hope a lot of people turn out and vote. We anticipate seeing record-breaking turnout across the country and here in Oregon. 

It’s critical to have your voice heard. Whether your issue is gun reform, climate change, police reform, racial justice, or reproductive justice, your voice makes a difference. 

So it’s time; the deadline to vote is Nov. 3. But, don’t wait — make a plan with your friends on how you’ll vote. It’s critical to get your ballot in early. Will you walk it to a drop box location? Will you mail it in the first week? Have you set a calendar reminder? I plan to vote early, and take advantage of Oregon’s paid postage to get my ballot to the county clerk. 

I can’t say it enough: your vote is your voice. And every voice counts.

Disney’s Affinity War

Discussing the controversy of Disney’s casting 

Sean Martinez | Copy Editor

Now, I’m going to go on record and say that the most complicated relationship in my life is with Disney. As problematic as it can be at times, I still greatly appreciate the things I gain from it — namely Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar — but I also acknowledge that they have an unhealthy obsession with trying to make it to the top of the box office every year. 

Coincidentally, this obsession landed the company in hot water. 

Before Disney released 2020’s “Mulan” exclusively on Disney+ in early September, Disney fans attempted to boycott the film. The problem didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Disney launched a more accurate rendition of the story, or the fact there was an Asian female lead character. Rather, the problem had to do with the actress cast as Mulan, Liu Yifei, and her stance on what’s been happening in Hong Kong.

In June of 2019, residents of Hong Kong protested for pro-democracy when Hong Kong attempted to pass a law that would extradite residents of Hong Kong to China. However, things took a turn when the police retaliated. The situation has gotten so violent that protesters had to use umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and other chemical weapons.

In response to the police force’s actions, Liu Yifei shared a controversial post on Sina Weibo, a Chinese blog, that read, “I also support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now.”

Perhaps what’s most upsetting about this situation is that Disney finally cast a Chinese American woman to star in a groundbreaking film, but some believe the actress they chose does not represent Asian people in a positive light. 

Sadly, this is not the only casting problem in 2020; another example is the casting of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano in “The Mandalorian.” 

Again I reiterate: the issue does not concern the fact that Dawson has a mixed diverse ethnic background — it’s about her beliefs. 

In 2019, a lawsuit was filed against the Dawson family when they verbally and physically assaulted a transgender man named Dedrick Finley. Instead of facing consequences for her actions, she’s being rewarded by playing one of the most iconic and strong female characters in Star Wars.

I’m sure there are countless more controversial casting decisions that I’m not yet aware of, but regardless, the message remains the same. Disney needs to prioritize casting accurate portrayals of their characters over the amount of money they wish to make. Casting someone who fits the character’s ethnic background isn’t enough. The problem with Yifei and Dawson is that they have no affinity to their respective characters. Mulan would not condone police brutality in her country, and Ahsoka would not assault someone just because they’re transgender. 

My intention with this piece is not to persuade anyone to not watch these films. Like I said before, I’m a huge Disney fan, and I’m still going to enjoy watching whatever content they produce; it is because I’m passionate about the characters and stories that Disney has created that I want them to strive to do better and succeed, without a cynical penny being spent. 

If Disney can let go of their obsession, and shine a brighter spotlight on characters they’ve misrepresented in the past, they could win back the respect from fans that have left. With a new generation watching these movies, young audiences will have proper role models teaching them valuable life lessons. 

Contact the author at smartinez17@wou.edu

Letter from the Editor

Adapting The Western Howl in the face of uncertainty

Cora McClain | Editor-In-Chief

Hey Western, I’m glad to be writing to you once again. While I am overjoyed to be returning as The Western Howl’s editor-in-chief, I’m also worried beyond belief. I won’t lie to you; it has been a stressful month leading up to the beginning of fall term. I may have a year of experience under my belt, but nothing could have prepared me for the uncertainty of fall 2020. 

Many changes within university funding have put IFC funded areas, like Student Media, in a tough spot. Suffice to say, we had to adapt many moving pieces within The Western Howl. We had to reorganize everything within our organization, and for a while there, it looked like there wasn’t going to be a Student Media for fall term. We got lucky, and get to uphold our promise to report to you, Western.

The story is confusing — everything leading up to this term has been confusing — but I’m here to lay it all out for you.  For clarity’s sake, instead of weaving some thematic elements here and there, I will just be explaining these larger changes, since they are so drastic and different from previous years.

Firstly, like many other IFC funded areas, Student Media was hit with damaging budget cuts, 45% to be exact. This led Student Media to no longer be able to pay for an adviser position, so we lost our adviser once again. 

So, I ask that you bear with us Western, as we will have little support from administration as we transition into an even more difficult time than we did last year. We may make mistakes along the way, and for this, I ask for your understanding.

Along with this, The Western Howl staff, like many other people affected by COVID-19, are receiving a reduced pay, cutting hours of work out of staff paychecks. The ability to pay less hours means we won’t be able to create as much content as in previous years. 

Furthermore, the way we produce the paper changed to reflect these budget cuts. Our weekly issues have been reduced from 12 pages to 8 pages, without a Sports section for the foreseeable future. We will not be distributing printed issues, possibly for the whole 2020 to 2021 academic year if the online trend continues. Though our red newsstands will be empty, The Western Howl will continue to write and report stories for online editions.

Since we are unable to print, we have also decided to only design an issue every other week. These bi-weekly designed issues will be uploaded to The Western Howl website in pdf form and through Issuu. Rest assured, we will still offer weekly stories directly uploaded to our website, with ongoing stories updated as information reveals itself. 

Though these less desirable changes are underway, the Howl has also looked into ways to expand in other areas. Because the website is becoming increasingly more important — and our only point of traffic — a redesign is underway. 

On top of that, our digital media manager is working hard to increase social media and online media content creation. We are hoping to engage more with you, Western, whether you are here, on campus, or remote.

Part of this expansion includes a bi-weekly podcast alternating from serious topics to more fun and entertaining casts. Along with this, the Howl is going to engage in more organizational integration within Student Media by hopping on KWOU to report a news hour every Wednesday, talking about the stories that came out that week.

I understand how jarring these alterations to the Howl may seem, and they are equally as disorienting for the staff. All of our lives are going through transitions we didn’t expect, however with flexibility and perseverance we can all get through these unexpected times. 

Stay strong, Western, you’re not alone.

Contact the author at howleditor@mail.wou.edu

Letter from the Editor

Cora McClain |  Editor-in-Chief

It’s strange, Western, I’m sitting at my desk at 11:58 p.m. and all is peaceful and quiet. Why is that strange? Well, the past 10 months acting as editor-in-chief has been anything but. From acting without an adviser in the fall to maintaining operations in the wake of a pandemic, it felt like I never began with a foothold and even when I got one, it slipped away. To be frank, my year has been a frightening one and I have learned a few lessons from it.

In my last letter, I wrote about how terrified I was to take the leap from copy editor to editor-in-chief. That terror never really ended. I constantly felt as if I was doing everything wrong. At one point I felt as if I was never doing enough, like I was letting everyone down. I wasn’t fit for the position. However, when I looked back at the goals I had made in the beginning of the year, I found that my team and I had completed almost all of them. I found some clarity. Perhaps I was being too hard on myself. Maybe I did do a good job. 

Don’t lose sight of your goals Western, so you have something to work towards, something to track your progress and something to feel accomplished.

Part of why I completed so many goals was thanks to my amazing staff. Despite the difficulties juggling classes and their own lives, they still managed to produce The Western Howl each week. I couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated and passionate staff to help me acclimate to the role of EIC and build my confidence. Graciously adjusting to new writing procedures, accommodating to staffing shortages and adapting to the production online issues — they did it all. Without them, this would not have been a successful volume of the Howl.

You can’t do it alone Western, make sure to surround yourself with people you can depend on. You’ll need them. 

One of the reasons why I was so terrified was because I had no adviser to guide me. Since then, we hired Jeff Robischon, who has lended a helping hand in navigating the uncertainties in the past months. Beyond that, he has been a great aid in pushing each of the medias to innovate. Currently, we are looking into further integrating with one another under the name Wolf Den Media and setting up a rentable podcast studio.

I urge you Western, find people who will keep you accountable and push you. They will know that you can do better, and sometimes that’s all the motivation you need.

Lastly, I would like to thank you, our readers. You have made this year of reporting worth-while, especially when the Howl received so many letters to the editor in the winter. Creating a platform for your voices is what the Howl is meant to do, so I implore you to keep utilizing us. And thank you for adjusting along with us in the wake of the pandemic to interact with more online content. I can assure you that we will be expanding upon our online presence next year and I hope you will enjoy the new mediums we will be trying out. 

I am happy to say that I will be returning in the fall, once again, as editor-in-chief. While this year has had many ups and downs and challenges, I plan to take all that I’ve learned and work towards an even better Western Howl next year. With my dependable staff, motivating adviser, and of course, you, the wonderful readers, I have a good feeling about Volume 3. See you soon, Western. 

 

There is another reason why I find this quiet and peace strange, Western. As I sit here cozy in my desk, with nothing but the distant train horn to disrupt the quiet night, our country is ablaze. Peaceful protesters responding to the unjust death of George Floyd, reigniting the #blacklivesmatter movement to end discriminatory police brutality, are being met with tear gas, strict curfews, and baseless arrests. As the seventh night of protests comes to an end, I feel helpless to aid in this historical discourse on human rights. If you are feeling similarly, know that there are other ways to get involved if you have no streets filled with people to protest with. Sign petitions, make donations, share information and talk about it. Change only comes when enough people care, so care, and do something about it.

If you would like to sign a petition or find other ways to get involved visit https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co.

Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu

Opinion: No postponement, shame on WOU

Caity Healy |  Managing Editor

I remember feeling the pit in my stomach and my heart skipping a beat as I checked my email on April 9, and saw an email from President Rex Fuller with the subject line “Commencement 2020.” I knew this email was coming, as most students did, but I truly thought it would read differently. When I opened it up, I saw the following statement:

“After deep deliberation, the university has decided to present the 163rd Commencement Ceremony as a virtual event,” followed by, “…we believe hosting a virtual ceremony at the scheduled time is a better alternative than postponement because we want to celebrate with students and their families during graduation season.” It then added that they’re “…considering a possible recognition event at Homecoming 2020.”

Immediately, I was heartbroken. Many of my friends were, too. Some told me they started crying when they opened that email. Some told me they were livid. And some, like me, were simply disappointed with the decisions made by Western’s administration. 

“When I heard that graduation was online, and not postponed, I cried,” said senior ASL/English interpreting major Lexi Osborn. “I have worked for four years to walk across that stage with my classmates and friends, and the reality that it will not happen is something that I will grieve for a long time.” 

Here’s the thing, most of us knew that the June ceremony was not going to happen. I genuinely applaud Western for letting us know when they did, so we had time to cancel any plans we had arranged. It shows that they prioritize student safety and health, and I’m grateful for that. I think most of my peers are understanding of the fact that there are guidelines that have to be followed, and we aren’t upset at Western for following those guidelines.

However, many of us are upset, and rightfully so, at the fact that our thoughts and opinions were not even considered in making this decision. Look at how that statement I included was worded. “We believe.” We. Who is ‘we’? It’s certainly not the student body who has worked so relentlessly to earn their degree and earn the right to walk at a ceremony celebrating our achievements. For everything we’ve given back to this school and this community, including all the money we spent to earn this degree, it seems only appropriate that we should have at least some say in what our Commencement will look like. And, personally, the fact that they’re “considering” a “possible” recognition event honestly felt like they were kicking us while we were down. Why ‘considering?’ Why just ‘possible?’ Why aren’t we worth the guarantee?

What makes this all the more upsetting is looking at how many of Western’s neighboring schools approached this issue. On April 9, President Miles K. Davis of Linfield College posted a video of him personally announcing that their ceremony would be postponed. Oregon State University sent a survey to their students, and after receiving over 2500 responses, decided to postpone their ceremony. On April 9, Chemeketa Community College announced that they are postponing their ceremony until December. Notice a trend? Most are postponing, and several asked for student opinions before making a decision.

Students at Western were so upset by this announcement that one senior, psychology major Sarah Porter, even decided to create a petition on change.org to convince Western to hold their ceremony at a postponed date. As of April 14, this petition has 2349 signatures.

“The ultimate goal of this petition is to urge the senior executive board at (Western) to reconsider a plan of postponement,” Porter said. “Our seniors deserve a real ceremony that allows for closure of a huge chapter in our lives.” Porter also added that she wants “this petition to give a voice to all of our seniors who did not get to express their opinion before the decision was made, unlike other universities that sent out polls regarding their 2020 Commencement.”

I don’t want my last memory of Western to be a laggy, low-camera-quality ceremony where I sit on my couch and watch as one by one, speakers freeze on my screen because I couldn’t afford the high-speed internet necessary for such an event. This isn’t what I looked forward to for four years. I hope that Western rethinks their decision, and does what is truly best for its students. While I recognize that not all students will be able to make it back for a later ceremony, it seems that many of us, at least the 2349 who signed the petition, recognize that this is the best alternative for the majority of students. I want my last memory of Western to be filled with a feeling of pride and community. Because as of right now, the main thing I’m feeling towards this administration is simply disappointment and shame.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Opinion: Mental health days should be an option

Howl Editorial Board

Picture this: a student has work until 9 p.m.; an 8 a.m. class to attend the next day — with a class right after and another at 2 p.m.; five assignments due in a couple of days; is currently running on four hours of sleep and is most definitely in need of a break to give themself time to breathe. Yet, the idea of taking a day off from classes brings them more stress, since one of those classes is big on attendance and this particular student doesn’t have a doctor’s note to excuse themself from being absent.

As college students, we are constantly balancing many different things at a time — rigorous school-work, part-time or full-time jobs, maintaining personal relationships and taking care of ourselves. This gets extremely overwhelming, yet students don’t have much of a chance to take time for themselves during the term. That’s when we should have the option to take a mental health day, whether that’s for relaxing and taking a break from overstimulation, or using it to catch up with schoolwork. 

However, Western’s policy indicates that a student must have a doctor’s note to excuse themselves; this is implying that mental health is not a good enough “excuse” to miss school, and can force students to feel the need to attend class when they are not at their best. This is infantilizing, as we are grown adults who can decide for ourselves if a day off is needed to better our well-being. Furthermore, this assumes that everyone has access to a doctor at their beck and call, which isn’t always true — not to mention, a bit unrealistic. Everyone struggles in different areas, and a mental health day is an escape that’s needed occasionally in our day-to-day lives.

The fact that a student could risk their grade dropping severely is an additional stress that’s unneeded, but can affect a student’s mental health even further. If a class has someone drowning in schoolwork, that student should be able to take a day in order to one, catch up with all of the damn assignments, and two, better themselves fully, without getting “permission” from a doctor to do so. 

The problem with it being unexcused without this piece of paper is that some classes don’t allow more than two unexcused absences; this contributes to the stigma of students putting their classes above all else, including their jobs, social lives and overall health. As students, we live with the stress of juggling dozens of responsibilities at once, and we don’t need the added stress of our grades dropping due to attendance while we are trying to get well. Even if we’ve reached out to get homework on the days that we’ve missed, if we have still done the readings, gone to those study groups or sought out tutoring — at the end of the day, all you amount to is how well your brain or body is functioning, right? 

Students should feel comforted knowing they have the option to willingly take a day off without their grade suffering. If the university allowed students to have at least one mental health day, they can come back feeling rejuvenated and ready to come back stronger. Most of us are paying money to be here; most of us see a future with us holding a diploma; we understand that it’s up to us how we get there and we don’t need educators or administrators policing that process.

 

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