  Unthanksgiving Day serves as a reminder of the 1969 Alcatraz Occupation and aims to dispel the traditional Thanksgiving mythology
By Kiera O’Hara-Heinz News Reporter With Thanksgiving marking the start of the holiday season, a few things may come to mind. Pie, maybe? Or presents? How about protests? While many of us likely spent Thanksgiving day feasting on turkey, a very different celebration was taking place on Alcatraz Island. Unthanksgiving Day is an annual event that honors Indigenous peoples of the Americas and commemorates the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island by Indigenous activists. The sunrise ceremony is attended annually by local community members, Native American activists, and representatives from many different social action groups and tribes. Attendees gather to acknowledge the survival and the genocide of Native American’s following European colonization, and the event serves as a counter-celebration for the traditional American Thanksgiving which celebrates the story of Pilgrims sharing a meal with members of the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts. A similar type of ceremony, the National Day of Mourning, takes place on the East Coast in Plymouth Massachusetts. The National Day of Mourning acknowledges the past and present struggles of Native people and aims to dispel the Thanksgiving mythology. Saturday, November 20th marked the 52nd anniversary of the beginning of the Alcatraz Occupation where Native American activists and supporters lived on the island to protest the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which promised that unused and abandoned federal lands would be returned to the Natives that the land belonged to. The occupation is remembered as one of the most important events in modern Native American history and in the American Indian civil rights movement. The Occupation started in 1969 and lasted 19 months, ending in June 1971 when the protest was forcibly ended by the United States government. Hundreds of people occupied the island including families, who sought to turn the former prison into a Native American cultural center. The protestors faced many obstacles at the hands of the United States government who cut electrical service and telephone lines. The proclamation of the occupiers, who organized themselves under the name Indians of All Tribes, hoped that the reclamation of Alcatraz would serve as a symbolic reminder of the oppression faced by Native people at the hands of colonizers. “It would be fitting and symbolic that ships from all over the world, entering the Golden Gate, would first see Indian land, and thus be reminded of the true history of this nation,” the proclamation stated. “This tiny island would be a symbol of the great lands once ruled by free and noble Indians.” Though the occupation was eventually forcibly ended, it is still celebrated as a success for bringing increased attention to the plight of Indigenous peoples. The legacy of this peaceful protest lives on in the annual celebration on Alcatraz island.
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Christian Ramos
Contributing News Reporter Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first statewide Covid-19 vaccine mandate for school children. According to the New York Times, he declared that children from kindergarten through twelfth grade will be required to be inoculated against the coronavirus as soon as next fall to attend public and private schools in the state of California. Governor Newsom said that the state would phase in the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for in-person learning after receiving full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The mandate could begin as early as next fall, and parents from Moraga and Lafayette have begun to express their concerns about the mandate (New York Times). “I am not an anti-vax person. My kids are up to date with all their shots but this one. It is too soon to put this vaccine in my child, there is not enough data on children so that I can feel comfortable enough to vaccinate my kid,” said an anonymous parent who has two children who attend Campolindo Highschool. The parents and their children are not vaccinated. Because of the quicker development of this vaccine, it is causing some parents to be skeptical when it comes to their children. “The survival rate in kids is not high, it is a greater risk to get the vaccine,” said the parent from Campolindo Highschool. They gave examples of why they do not want to get the vaccine yet. They explained that they knew someone who had passed shortly after getting the vaccine. They also knew someone who started to have breathing problems after receiving the vaccine. The decision to get the vaccine seems to be changing from person to person based on their personal experiences. Not all parents are skeptical and are willing to let their child get the vaccine once the FDA approves of it. “I would vaccinate my daughter if there was a vaccine for children. Approval should be coming out soon, when it does she will be vaccinated,” said Emil Delgado-Olsen, a parent of two children, one who attends Future Academy and the other Lafayette Elementary. Delgado-Olsen said that he and his son in high school are both vaccinated. “Yes, I am vaccinated. The second dose of Moderna made me super fatigued and exhausted with around 4-6 hours of aching. My son had little to no side effects,” said Delgado-Olsen. “I believe that high school and middle school students should get the vaccine because their brains and bodies are more developed. I believe that elementary students should be allowed to wait until more research is available,” said Keeley Sparrman, a student at Saint Mary’s and a parent whose child attends Donald L. Rheem Elementary. She also believes that there is not enough data being done with the new Covid-19 vaccines towards children who are still in elementary school. Sparrman's response to the mandate is that she is “not super excited. I would like to wait longer for my kindergartner to have to get the vaccine, because of the reactions I had to both shots.” Sparrman was the first parent who wanted the vaccine for kids in middle school and up. She does question the mandate for the younger children and does not think it is necessary for younger children just yet. She is an example of parents who seem to be alright with the vaccine in older kids but take a second look when it comes down to younger children. As the date for the mandate becomes closer, it seems likely that parents in the Moraga and Lafayette districts will turn towards the vaccine so that their children may continue schooling. **For more information on COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Research, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/effectiveness-research/protocols.html ** From sleepless nights to uncertainty, a reporter shares her experience of leaving Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover, voices her concerns for what she left behind, reveals her hopes for the future
By Kamryn Sobel News Reporter On Wednesday, November 17th, the Center for Women & Gender Equity (CWGE), Women’s & Gender Studies Program, Ethnic Studies Program, and the Muslim Student Associated (MSA) partnered to host journalist Khwaga Ghani, who shared her experience of leaving Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover, voiced her concerns for what she left behind, and revealed her hopes for the future. Dr. Myrna Santiago and Sharon Sobotta facilitated the discussion. “It was chaos,” Ghani stated, as she explained the beginnings of what it was like to leave Afghanistan. “There were so many people on the street trying to get in the airport, so many cars. It took us around 3 to 4 hours to get to the gate.” After staying two nights at the airport waiting for a military plane to take her and her family to Qatar, they finally made it onto a plane with approximately 400 other passengers. In the airplane, Ghani described that there were no seats, leaving the ground of the plane as their only option. After reaching Qatar in 4 hours, the passengers remained inside the hot plane for another 7 more long hours. As another day passed, a soldier reported to her and the other people with her that they had to leave. Her next stop was Germany, meaning another week of waiting for where they would be going next. After waiting for where their next step would be, Ghani and others arrived in Washington D.C., and from there, they were sent to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, where they stayed for a month and a half and were given Humanitarian Parole status. Ghani shares she still isn’t clear on what that status actually means. “We went through so much. But I can’t complain, we had all of the emergency facilities that we needed. The only thing that was missing from us was clothes,” said Ghani. Fortunately, Ghani explained how she had family in California who were able to send them clothes, as the weather in Wisconsin was cold with rain. Ghani continues with her worries about others that were in the same position, “How are they going to survive? There were many people that didn’t know the language and they didn’t understand rules, regulations, and how this country is, geographically. Nothing.” Dr. Santiago asked, “What are your main concerns for the ones who are here and the ones who couldn't leave?” To this, Ghani answered that financial problems for her family still remaining in Afghanistan were her biggest worry. With not being able to work and provide, “everyday life has become miserable in Afghanistan.” Without financial stability, she worries that those in Afghanistan will die from starvation or from the weather changing in the colder months. She continued to voice her concerns for the people remaining in Afghanistan in terms of the lack of medical supplies. “They don’t have medicine. They are out of everything.” Ghani worries about medical attention for her diabetic mother, as her insulin supply is running low and they are struggling to find more. Life in the last 20 years in Afghanistan consisted of women having the opportunity to speak up and be educated about their rights, however, Ghani states that there was a need for another 20 years of American presence in order for them to keep progressing as a country. Currently, after the Taliban took over, women are now scared of even leaving their houses without a male companion. “Everything fell apart so quickly,” said Ghani. Life for Ghani and her family now consists of uncertainty and wishes that there was a better system for those arriving in the United States from Afghanistan. “We don't know where we are and who is going to help us. They do not have any information when they come here.” “I am trying to understand everything. I have a hard time thinking about what I went through and what I left behind. I hope that one day I can go back and do what I was doing,” Ghani concluded. For those wondering how to help, the Afghan Relief Effort asks those with an extra cell phone to donate them, as Afghan refugees are in need of a form of communication. Posting on social media and donating to the various fundraisers are also helpful, as this supports those suffering directly. Two years later, students and staff are still shaken from the terrifying incident. Public Safety pledges that the right changes have been made to help Saint Mary’s feel more prepared.
By Ryan Ford Visiting News Reporter Students received a notification from the LiveSafe app that there was an active shooter on campus. It was November 21st, 2019, and a typical school day in the Fall semester quickly evolved into a campus-wide panic Christian Ferraria ‘21 remembers the day vividly, “People in my class ran to the teacher and told them that there was a shooter threat. We were then hiding under a desk away from the window. Everybody was scared and worried.” A member of Saint Mary’s faculty, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared their experience as someone who was teaching during the episode. “I recall that I had no idea anything was happening until the students all started looking at their phones. They informed me there was an active shooter on campus.” Students looked to their teachers for guidance during this frightening time, but the teachers had not been trained on how to handle such situations. “I knew that it was important that I remained calm and appeared to know what I was doing. In actuality, I never received any training on what to do.” This notification that students received was later described by James A. Donahue (President Saint Mary’s at that time), as “a lag between the report to law enforcement and the LiveSafe notification.” This was in a statement students received the day after the event, in which Donahue confirmed that the alert was a false alarm. Not only did this false alarm create uncertainty for students who thought they may be in a life-or-death situation, but the school and Public Safety added fire to the flames in their slow response to the incident. Ferraria went on to say that after 15 minutes of sheltering in the classroom with his peers, they all went back to their rooms and waited, “I kept checking my email and did not receive any update from the school regarding the situation. This was very disappointing.” An email was sent to students at 10:54 PM that night, in which Jane Camarillo (Vice Provost for Student Life) followed up on the incident by stating that despite confusion and conflicting reports, “there was no active shooter on campus today.” She went on to say that the person suspected of being the active shooter was not “a student or employee at Saint Mary’s.” Lack of communication from Public Safety earned criticism. Hampton Cantrell is the new Executive Director of Public Safety and Transportation at Saint Mary’s and gave his perspective on the incident. “In my experience, I have handled several unfolding emergency situations and recognize how challenging it can be for authorities to face a dynamic, evolving situation while gathering accurate information for an alert to the community.” Cantrell went on to say that this incident made it clear that a new system of communication for events like these is necessary. As a result, Saint Mary’s has established SMART, which stands for “Saint Mary’s Action and Response Team.” This team is led by Cantrell as head of Public Safety, and includes the Vice President of Student Life, the Vice President of Facilities Management, the Vice President of Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer, the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, and the Director of Media Relations, all of whom work together in an effort to “identify the best way of delivering training and messaging on a variety of different emergency preparedness areas.” When asked about Public Safety’s response to the incident back in 2019, Ferraria answered, “I think the school did not do a good enough job in preparing for these incidents.” Like many students and faculty, Ferraria felt that the situation did not leave him feeling confident that the school would be prepared if another incident were to occur. An anonymous member of faculty echoed this sentiment, “In retrospect, many of us were disappointed that there hadn’t been some forethought about training for this kind of an event.” Now, Cantrell believes that the right infrastructure is set in place to help Saint Mary’s as a community be better equipped to handle future incidents. He went on to add that he is currently in the final steps of hiring an emergency preparedness consultant who will “help update and redesign the campus’ emergency messaging and training.” In addition, Cantrell says that redesigned training, “including training on active shooter [alerts],” will be rolled out during the spring semester. Jordan Richied
Few could have predicted that a single letter of the alphabet would cause such controversy within society and mainstream media over the last few years. The seventeenth letter of the alphabet, also known as “Q” has definitely had its moment of television fame in recent years, with the most recent being the storming of the U.S. Capitol on the 6th of January, 2021. However, the media has not covered the conspiracy group since then. Despite losing media coverage, Q has gained a multitude of supporters over the years. Its supporters align with right-wing ideologies and believe that President Trump would uphold his promise of “draining the swamp” of corrupt politicians. While everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, some may think beliefs such as this are quite perplexing and concerning. Ella Filippi '23, who is co-president of the Republican Club here on campus, stated these types of beliefs “would not put a good taste in America’s mouth.” Q has not convinced everyone that they are a real threat however. Some students here at Saint Mary’s believe Q is nothing more than a joke. An anonymous student said they thought Q was “just a meme...didn’t think it was real.” These conflicting opinions lead to Q being disproved as of late. Even despite this, Q created an infectious ideology that many could not help but be optimistic about. While mainstream media ostracized Q and its supporters, they are no different than other concepts. This is especially true for the people associated with ProjectCensored.org. Project Censored educates society about how imperative the free press is all while exposing news censorship. The people of Project Censored believe an “informed public is crucial to democracy.” However, not all news is created equal. Supporters of Q have been portrayed as a domestic threat thanks to social media. Mr. Huff, director of Project Censored, stated that followers of Q “are people that are disaffected.” One cannot blame people for believing what Q claimed due to how alluring it all was. When people lose trust in public institutions, many latch on to ideas that seem “more explanatory than the truth,” Huff added. In recent history, it’s common to see people seek outlets to escape from society and drama. When it comes to students here at St. Mary’s, not many go down rabbit holes Q has burrowed and for good reason. It has been just under nine months since the storming of the State Capitol. Many people have moved on and prefer to figure out their own life rather than worry about an organization that may have been behind the insurrection. For some St. Mary’s students, Q is an unfamiliar topic. It is “something people really shouldn’t have to worry about” according to Smith ‘23, a junior and president of the Republican Club. While Smith did admit he did not know much about the movement, he went on to say that followers of Q “like to challenge authority and the status quo.” Of course, social media played a major role in them being identified like this however not everyone buys this narrative. As mentioned prior, people associate these individuals as more of “internet trolls” than a real threat. Mason Konrad ‘22, Vice President of Collegiate Sales Society, believes that they are “ridiculous…neglected guys”. When the average person hears this, they may wonder why social media gave them a platform in the first place. Sadly, social media loves division. In regards to January 6th, Huff stated that the media has “a frenzy with this kind of stuff.” Media is going to cover what is relevant. They need topics that will bring in viewers. Huff concluded his statement by saying that “media divides...and keeps us focused on things that shouldn’t technically matter.” Media is useful to society however, the reins of power have been abused. When it comes to Q, social media immediately carved up the right and left. They achieved this goal depicting QAnon followers as belligerent conspiracy theorists rather than just a group of people with similar, odd beliefs. This is to no surprise though as there are many theories and ideologies Q proposes. According to Oscar Gonzalez (2020) at CNET.com, followers believe “Trump is working to remove Satanic criminals inside the government, the Democratic Party and Hollywood” (paras. 58). This accusation was and may still be one of the more prevalent theories in their arsenal, however this is just one of the many they give credence to. Other hypotheses such as a flat earth, Hollywood pedophile rings, and anti-vax claims are all concepts that many Q supporters believe. Some went as far as traveling to Dallas, Texas on November 2nd to witness the “apparent” return of John F. Kennedy Jr. who died in a plane crash in 1999 (Gonzalez, 2020). What they expected to happen if he came back is anyone’s guess. Regardless, these individuals do not seem like a threat but more so a group with a lot of time on their hands. According to people at St. Mary’s, no one really knows if Q is an apparent threat or not. What they do know is that it is not something to be concerned with in the present time. It seems as though followers of Q are still just looking for an escape. While some cannot fathom that President Trump did not “drain the swamp,” people can sleep soundly knowing they are just a group with similar beliefs rather than extremists.  Students weigh-in on the Instagram page “Saint Mary’s Virginity Club”
By Jacqueline Mastrelli Contributing News Reporter “Welcome to Saint Mary’s Virginity Club. We take pride in our ability to leave room for Jesus and have fun! (Not affiliated with Saint Mary’s College)” is the Instagram bio that students are greeted with after receiving a follow request from the anonymous account. The anonymous author(s) create posts that attempt to tiptoe along a line of seriousness and sarcasm. Using cheugy templates from Canva, they create posts such as: “Can I join Virginity Club if I’m a previous s*x haver?” “Is masturbation a sin?” and “SMC Virginity Club Finals Week Tips!” In the comment section, you’ll find students chiming in with comments such as, “It’s no coincidence that burning in hell for eternity and pre-marital sex rhyme” and “It’s not premarital sex if you never get married.” But none of it is original. The page is a copy of the “Brigham Young Virginity Club” Instagram account that, since September 2020, has captured the interest of 38,000 Instagram users across the country. Even managing to repeatedly sell out on a series of merchandise releases, such as a “Say no to Satan’s cocktail of sex and drugs” satirical retro t-shirt, as well as faux virginity pledge cards, and a “Purity Power Virgin of the Week” sweatshirt. Since then, students nationwide have been starting up “clubs” for their own schools; search “virginity club” in Instagram and you’ll be recommended a slew of identical pages from Yale, Cal Poly, USF, and many more. But the Saint Mary’s Virginity Club page hasn’t experienced the same success. The account mass followed 577 SMC students but less than half of them returned the favor, giving them a negative following-to-follower ratio of 1:-5. In a post on May 5th, 2021 they announced that they “are currently in the process of making Virgin Club merch, stay tuned for more info!” But no announcement or mentions of the merch have been made since. So who created the anonymous Instagram page? “I have no idea” reported senior Teresa Martinez, and she isn’t alone, as none of the students interviewed knew who was behind the account. And the anonymous creator likely wants it to keep it that way, as they saw but ignored Instagram DM requests for comments on the story. But students are still speculating. Sophomore Abby Wall, who is active in the account’s comment sections, described the mystery person as, “a very, very funny individual” and sees the account as “kinda mocking the way religion views sex since we’re at a Catholic school and as college students, we view the topic of sex in a very different way.” But contrary to general assumptions, there are many SMC students who do follow traditional religious teachings on sex or at least have respect for those who do. So while most viewers of the page recognize it is a joke, not everyone finds it particularly funny. Such as Theology major and Bible study leader, Alex Mendiola. When asked about the page he said, “I can tell that it is mostly an inside joke between friends. I don’t think the account creator(s) mean any serious harm. However, I do think it’s kind of lame to make fun of someone’s personal decision to remain celibate. It specifically mocks the Christian view on the nature of sex and marriage, which borders sacrilege… overall it feels very middle-school.” Communication major Blake Wickersham joined in and said, “If the page was completely genuine, I would think it’s really cool. I think it’s great that people have strong values and self-respect.” As a community at Saint Mary’s who strives to embrace religious diversity, what do we think about the page? Is it worth paying any attention to, or is it “just a meme” as student Josh Camden describes it?  In such uncertain times, it can be difficult to know how to prepare for the future. One of the biggest problems facing new students is what they should major in. Luckily, the Business Analytics department has come together to establish a new major for any tentative freshman unsure of their major: Data Science.
David Garza News Reporter Deciding on a college major can be hard for anyone. But if you’re still uncertain of your major, look no further than the new Data Science major. Professor Ameera Ibrahim detailed the battle to get Data Science to SMC as a full on major, as opposed to a minor, which it had only been offered as before. “The effort started a year ago, at the department of business analytics. We talked to students to gauge what their interests are, and also spoke to people who worked in the industry about how it was evolving. Once we realized how strong the demand was, we proposed a potential program on campus, and talked at length about how it would benefit students.” For all the liberal arts majors out there, this subject sounds confusing, and even intimidating. What exactly is Data Science? “Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines domain expertise with programming skills,” Professor Ibrhaim explains. “The key is to extract value from data, and figure out how to get value from massive amounts of data. Sometimes, if the insights aren’t immediately apparent, you have to build algorithms and models to gain insight. Businesses use this all the time, so that they can improve their business relations.” If that sounds even more confusing and abstract, Professor Ibrahim has a number of real-world examples to help illustrate her point. “A very modern, relatable application would be when you type something into Google and it generates accurate results,” Professor Ibrahim explained. “That’s all machine learning that knows what to generate. Another example is when you get things recommended to you, say by Amazon or something, based on your search or purchase history. This kind of stuff is all linked together.” A more complex example that might present itself in the real world would have to do with using data to make complex decisions that can have a major societal impact. “A practical example would be in the field of healthcare analytics” Professor Ibrahim says. “Right now I’m analyzing data from sepsis patients admitted to the hospital over the last six years. We’re trying to predict how to enhance treatment for these patients. We can predict how quickly things will deteriorate, and use that model to predict the future so that the patient can make the best decision for what their next step in treatment will be.” While all of this may sound very math-intensive, Professor Ibrahim takes care to note that this major isn’t limited to STEM majors. “For the major, I would recommend any student who sees themselves as good critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Even if they’ve never tried programming before, they can do it on a minor scale and decide if it’s for them. For the minor, I think everyone should take it. Almost every field involves data now, so it would make sense to have at least some understanding of what it means to analyze it.” Professor Ibrahim’s statement is correct. Data science is quickly becoming one of the most popular fields out there. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, data science is expected to grow 31 percent between 2019 and 2029. This is astonishing when you consider that the average growth rate for most jobs is only 4 percent. For Professor Ibrahim, the major is only the start of the field’s growth and potential at SMC. “At some point anyone dealing with data will have to have some kind of background in these skills” Professor Ibrahim muses. “I think it will be especially important at SMC, because here we’re teaching students to be critical thinkers, which is very different from being a mere problem solver. SMC also places a strong emphasis on ethics and responsibility, which makes me confident that future data scientists coming out of SMC will use their skills in a responsible and ethical manner.” From the early 2000s to the 2020s, is ‘Living Lasallian’ worth it?
By Kamryn Sobel News Reporter In an article published in the early 2000s, previous Collegian Editor-in-Chief Josh Farley reported on how Saint Mary’s high tuition costs made it hard to follow the teachings of St. John Baptist De La Salle’s, who founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and is the patron saint of Christian teachers. The Lasallian educational tradition, being a distinguishing characteristic of Saint Mary’s, “Empowers students to become whole persons—intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually. This preparation for a full and rewarding life is grounded in the belief that God is a living presence in all our lives and it is guided by the five core principles that influence everything we do.” As part of its Lasallian traditions, Saint Mary’s is guided by four core principles: concern for the poor and social justice, faith in the presence of God, quality education, respect for all persons, and fostering an inclusive community. Saint Mary’s also describes the sense of community that portrays these traditions. The student body, as well as faculty and staff, show that although the Saint Mary’s community comes from various backgrounds, and each member of the community has its differences, in the educational environment there is mutual respect and understanding of others. The classroom setting allows an openness of the mind in dialogue, eagerness to find the truth, and acceptance of others with both their uniqueness and limitations. “Such a community nurtures an engagement in intellectual growth, a spirit of faith and service to others, an active concern for justice, and sensitivity to the dignity of the human person.” However, what is the cost of these Lasallian ways? Do transfer and working students get to experience all of Saint Mary’s promises? When the original article was published on this topic, Saint Mary’s tuition was around $30,000 per year. As it was described by Farley in the original article, “The increasing price of tuition may also make the students pay the price of sacrificing the Lasallian education.” It was also reported in the original article that both the transfer and working students would have liked to experience and have a bigger role within the Lasallian ways. They found it hard to fully commit themselves to living Lasallian, as they were either working to pay the cost of the tuition or finding it hard to connect with the community. Similarly, during the 2020-2021 school year, Saint Mary’s decided on offering mostly virtual courses, leading to parallel situations with the transfer and working students within the original article. Today, the cost of attending Saint Mary’s is just above $50,000, however, Saint Mary’s now offers many opportunities for those who want to experience Lasallian living. The overall goal put into place by Saint Mary’s is to make sure the community is abiding by the Lasallian Core Principles that Saint Mary’s has established. Despite the costly tuition, all students experience Lasallian education by the commitment to education, faith, respect, and acceptance by the community. Ways that students can make the price worth the ideology of Saint Mary’s, is to not only practice the given principles but to take the opportunity of experiencing a Lasallian Service Internship, participating in student service projects, or living in the Lasallian Living Learning Community. To learn more about Living Lasallian visit https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/living-lasallian. Sources: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/living-lasallian Is Travis Scott Liable for Astroworld?
By Annika Henthorn News Reporter After such a struggle to revive the ways of life lost in the pandemic, many have anticipated the excitement of concerts again. Live music, friends and family, and good food are typically a recipe for a memorable night. However, unlike most concerts, Travis Scott’s Astroworld took a dark turn. Whether that was because of the barbaric behavior of many who attended or the blatant ignorance of the horrors happening below stage, Astroworld quickly turned from a festival to a fatal frenzy. The atrocities that transpired on November 5th are currently being investigated, and multiple lawsuits have already been filed against rapper Travis Scott. Videos and pictures have surfaced from the event that expose not only those that selfishly stormed the concert but also the team in charge of it all. Multiple TikToks clearly depict the utter disregard for the madness ensuing just feet away from Scott. Courageous fans even got on stage to alert cameramen, directors, and even Travis Scott that people were dying in the crowd. However, despite their heart-wrenching cries, Scott continued to perform. Police have revealed eight people have died, including a fourteen-year-old boy. USA Today has also disclosed that a ten-year-old boy is in critical condition and twenty-five people were taken to the hospital. The names of those that tragically lost their lives have been released: Mirza Danish Baig, 27; Rodolfo Peña, 23; Madison Dubiski, 23; Axel Acosta Avila, 21; Franco Patino, 21; Jacob Jurinek, 20; Brianna Rodriguez, 16; and John Hilgert, 14. The causes of the deaths have remained partially unknown. However, much of the injuries sustained were from the crushing push of the crowds. Piles of people were toppled onto each other, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible to breathe. Security barricades and fences were being mauled by mobs of people recklessly swarming the stage. The tsunami of people that extended far beyond the capacity was likely the cause of the countless injuries that occurred that night. Many described their experience as “suffocating” and felt as though they were “drowning,” according to CNN. Travis Scott has a history of dangerous crowds at his concerts. In 2015 and 2017, USA Today said that Scott was arrested for inciting violence and disorderly conduct. In 2018, fans were encouraged by Scott to jump from the balconies at the New York Terminal 5 venue. He is quoted as saying “don’t be scared, they’re going to catch you,” according to Buzzfeed. Howard Hershenhorn, the attorney of a victim of Scott’s previous concert, has said to “make no mistake about it, his desire for chaos caused this horrific tragedy.” The repetitive nature of violence seen at Scott’s concerts has been controversial. Is this pattern a coincidence or intentional? The debate seems to intensify amid the aftermath of his most recent disaster, Astroworld. Following the hellish horrors, Travis Scott released a statement claiming that he is “absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival.” In addition, he has offered to pay for the funeral expenses of all the victims and allow attendees who experienced the traumatic events a free month of therapy through BetterHelp. However, is this simply to appease angry fans and avoid the growing legal problems, or is it truly out of remorse? For many, this is seen as too little too late. From the early 2000s to the 2020s, is ‘Living Lasallian’ worth it?
By Kamryn Sobel News Reporter In an article published in the early 2000s, previous Collegian Editor-in-Chief Josh Farley reported on how Saint Mary’s high tuition costs made it hard to follow the teachings of St. John Baptist De La Salle’s, who founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and is the patron saint of Christian teachers. The Lasallian educational tradition, being a distinguishing characteristic of Saint Mary’s, “Empowers students to become whole persons—intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually. This preparation for a full and rewarding life is grounded in the belief that God is a living presence in all our lives and it is guided by the five core principles that influence everything we do.” As part of its Lasallian traditions, Saint Mary’s is guided by four core principles: concern for the poor and social justice, faith in the presence of God, quality education, respect for all persons, and fostering an inclusive community. Saint Mary’s also describes the sense of community that portrays these traditions. The student body, as well as faculty and staff, show that although the Saint Mary’s community comes from various backgrounds, and each member of the community has its differences, in the educational environment there is mutual respect and understanding of others. The classroom setting allows an openness of the mind in dialogue, eagerness to find the truth, and acceptance of others with both their uniqueness and limitations. “Such a community nurtures an engagement in intellectual growth, a spirit of faith and service to others, an active concern for justice, and sensitivity to the dignity of the human person.” However, what is the cost of these Lasallian ways? Do transfer and working students get to experience all of Saint Mary’s promises? When the original article was published on this topic, Saint Mary’s tuition was around $30,000 per year. As it was described by Farley in the original article, “The increasing price of tuition may also make the students pay the price of sacrificing the Lasallian education.” It was also reported in the original article that both the transfer and working students would have liked to experience and have a bigger role within the Lasallian ways. They found it hard to fully commit themselves to living Lasallian, as they were either working to pay the cost of the tuition or finding it hard to connect with the community. Similarly, during the 2020-2021 school year, Saint Mary’s decided on offering mostly virtual courses, leading to parallel situations with the transfer and working students within the original article. Today, the cost of attending Saint Mary’s is just above $50,000, however, Saint Mary’s now offers many opportunities for those who want to experience Lasallian living. The overall goal put into place by Saint Mary’s is to make sure the community is abiding by the Lasallian Core Principles that Saint Mary’s has established. Despite the costly tuition, all students experience Lasallian education by the commitment to education, faith, respect, and acceptance by the community. Ways that students can make the price worth the ideology of Saint Mary’s, is to not only practice the given principles but to take the opportunity of experiencing a Lasallian Service Internship, participating in student service projects, or living in the Lasallian Living Learning Community. To learn more about Living Lasallian visit https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/living-lasallian. Sources: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/living-lasallian |
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May 2024
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