RAMPAGE
Student-run newspaper of Fresno City College
www.therampageonline.com
October 26, 2016 Fall 2016, Issue 5
Illustration/Lukas Newcomb
Clinton Earns High Support Among FCC Students BY RAMPAGE STAFF
editorial@therampageonline.com
In a poll conducted by the Rampage of Fresno City College students between Oct. 17 through 21, half of all Fresno City College students surveyed are planning to vote for Hillary Clinton on Nov. 8. Of 500 respondents, the Rampage found that nearly 52 percent of the students favor the democratic candidate for president compared to 17 percent for her republican challenger, Donald Trump. Trump isn’t exactly the second choice for students who said they are voting. About 18 percent of respondents said they preferred neither Clinton nor Trump for president. Eight percent of students said they would be voting for Libertarian Party candidate, Gary Johnson, and about 5 percent of the respondents said they plan to vote for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate.
The Rampage
Among students who were polled by the Rampage, 87 percent said they have registered and will be voting on election day; 12 percent of students said they were not planning to vote this year. For those who are voting, the top
FCCRampage
issues of concern in this election include college affordability, economy, immigration and health care. Clinton and Trump both have laid out plans for college affordability and boosting the economy.
INSIDE Students Give Top Issues of Concern U.S. Presidential Candidates on Top Student Issues State Center Community College District Trustee Profiles Rampage Editorial Board Does Not Endorse Donald Trump 2016 Political Fashion Trends
RampageNews
INDEX: NEWS 2
A&E 7
OPINION 10
SPORTS 14
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
POLL
FROM PAGE 1 Clinton’s Higher Education Plan
On college affordability, Clinton pledges to make higher education debt-free. According to Clinton’s plans, She plans to make four-year universities free of tuition fees for families making up to $125,000 by 2021. Additionally, every student whose family makes less than $85,000 will be granted free access to college. Community college is expected to become free under president Clinton and about $25 billion in funding will head to historic black colleges and Hispanic and other minority-serving institutions, according to Clinton’s plan. Clinton also plans to fix college affordability issues for veterans attending college under the G.I. bill. She also vows to crack down on for-profit colleges, which she claims engage in “fraud and abuse.” Clinton’s debt-free college plan is aimed at students with high interest rates on student loans. “Under my plan, you will be able to refinance to the rate that currently exists,” Clinton said in a speech on college affordability in Claremont, New Hampshire. “So all those students with 5 to 10 to 12 percent, they’re going to be able to drop it to 3.5, 3.8 [or] 4 percent. I believe this will save thousands of dollars for many students.”
Trump’s Higher Education Plan
Under a Trump administration, student debt would not be completely abolished, but rather students would be assisted in reducing it. While Trump acknowledges the high student-debt figures for many U.S. students and believes they must be addressed, he says the loans taken out by students cannot be forgiven. However, Trump said he doesn’t believe any profit should be made by the federal government from loans students take out.
“Do you think this has anything to do with why schools continue to raise their tuition every year?” - Donald Trump Questioning federal government from profiting from student loads “Do you think this has anything to do with why schools continue to raise their tuition every year?” Trump asks in his book titled Crippled America. Among other ideas under his education plan, Trump supports cutting the department of education and making schools more competitive. Key points of Trump’s college affordability plan also include reducing the overall cost of college and debt. The republican hopes four-year universities as well as vocational and technical colleges become easier to access and pay for.
Trump’s Economic Plan
Throughout the debates, Trump claimed to use his knowledge of business to create jobs and bring industry back to America. Trump said that he would “reform the tax code and trade policies to make it easier to hire, invest, build, grow, produce and manufacture in America,” according to theodysseyonline.com. The Republican nominee also wants to reform trade deals around the world in order to secure more jobs at home. He opposes the TransPacific Partnership and wants to renegotiate the NAFTA deal between the U.S. and Mexico. He plans to “tell NAFTA partners that we intend to immediately renegotiate the terms of that agreement to get a better deal for our workers,” according to his official website. “If they don’t agree to a renegotiation, we will submit notice that the U.S. intends to withdraw from the deal.” Trump cited the movement of several factories moving down to Mexico as reasons for his attack on the plan, namely the Carrier Air Conditioning Plant. He also plans to begin the reduction of the trade deficit by using the secretary of trade to accuse China of currency manipulation.
ELECTION 2016 Clinton’s Economic Plan
Clinton claims to use the tax code to encourage job growth and increase social programs. “We need to raise pay, create good-paying jobs and build an economy that works for everyone— not just those at the top. I’ll cut taxes for the middle class, raise the minimum wage and ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share,” Clinton said in the first debate, according to globalcitizen.org. “I’ll invest in infrastructure, clean energy, and education. And I’ll help parents balance work and family.” Raising tax accountability on corporations and the wealthy will increase income that can be redistributed back down to relieve financial stress on working families, according to her campaign website. Clinton plans to close tax loopholes that large companies use to avoid paying taxes as well as rewarded.
Candidates for the SCCCD Board of Trustees BY ASHLEIGH PANOO
Managing/News Editor apanoo@therampageonline.com
Area 2 Pao Yang has 17 years of post-secondary education experience, according to his profile on hmongae. com. He has a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering technology from DeVry University and a master’s degree in science and business administration from Keller Graduate School of Management. Yang came to the United States in 1979 with his family, after the war in Laos. He eventually made his way to California and worked in Silicon Valley as a product development engineer. Yang is married to Valerie Davis, a Fresno Unified Board member, and says his passion has always been education. He taught business courses at ITT Technical Institute Clovis campus and was director of admissions at DeVry University in Fresno and Bakersfield, and at Institute of Technology in Clovis. Cherella Nicholson is a project coordinator and organizer of the
Building Neighborhood Capacity Program. She also a commissioner on the Fresno County Office of Education, Early Care and Child Development local planning council and serves on the board of directors for El Dorado Park Community Development Corporation. Nicholson wants to improve student success, secure fiscal stability and expand employment opportunities, according to her website. She says her experience working with legislatures would help her secure funding for student success. College-readiness is also an issue that Nicholson wants to tackle with her go-getter attitude, she says. “The Central Valley is one of the poorest areas in the nation,” Nicholson said on her website. “Our students and workforce rely on the community college system to be strong, effective and deliver on its promise.”
Paulina Miranda grew up in Mexico, attending the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City to earn her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology and pharmacy. A registered democrat, Miranda also has roots in Los Angeles and San Diego, but now lives in Fresno
with her husband and mother. She has three daughters and four grandchildren, according to the Fresno Bee voter guide. Miranda was president of the Parent Teacher Association at Castle Park High School in Chula Vista, as well as a treasurer for the Buchanan Complex Middle School in Clovis, according to her profile on emergeamerica.org. Miranda is bilingual and developed a program for parents who did not speak English. If elected, Miranda told the Fresno Bee she would like to see graduations rates rise for the district. Miranda realizes that the area she would represent has a high Spanish-speaking population and feels her bilingualism would help address needs that aren’t being met.
Catherine Amador is an attorney, specializing in family law and real estate. She studied at UC Berkeley then worked on Capitol Hill for a time. Amador attended Hastings College of the Law and has a single subject teaching credential in both English and social studies from National University. She was also a longterm substitute teacher for both Fresno Unified and Central Unified while she raised her three children.
Amador served two terms on the Measure K oversight committee for Fresno Unified, according to her Facebook page. She wants to make sure Measure C funds will go to build a new fire and police academy. Amador wrote that she would like to see board members who understand their job roles. She cites her experience as an attorney as a valuable asset to have on the board of trustees.
Eric Payne, incumbent for Area 2, was elected to the board in 2012. He has a master’s degree in microbiology with a concentration in mycology from Alabama A&M University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry and pre-med with a minor in business administration, according to the district website.
RAMPAGE
Student-run newspaper of Fresno City College
www.therampageonline.com
October 26, 2016 Fall 2016, Issue 5
‘LIGHT THE NIGHT’ SPREADS AWARENESS Bright lanterns are held up for the “Light the Night” event to bring awareness about Leukemia and Lymphoma at Chuckchansi Park on Oct. 22, 2016. Photo/Ram Reyes.
District Deal With Fresno PD Means Increased Patrol
Instructor Fearful for Self, Students after Classroom Incident
BY EDWARD SMITH
Copy/Opinion Editor esmith@therampageonline.com
The State Center Community College District’s recently negotiated contract with the Fresno Police Department is designed to fill the gaps in staffing within the district’s police force. “We’ve been trying to establish some means to provide a better level of service to the campus, the faculty and anyone who comes to this little city in itself,” said Dave Paris, interim chief of the SCCCD police, said. Officers began regularly patrolling the campus on Oct. 12, but negotiations had been underway for some time, according to an email from Carole Goldsmith, president of FCC to the faculty. Goldsmith’s email about the extra campus patrol came two days after an Oct. 10 incident during a 6 a.m. math class in the Old Administration Building. According to accounts of the incident, a student armed with a knife was forcefully trying to get into a classroom that was full of students. The professor, Ray Stanton, fought back until police arrived on the scene some 20 minutes later, according to Stanton. “We were already discussing a contract for services with agencies that neighbor us so when this
The Rampage
SEE WALK, PAGE 4
BY LARRY VALENZUELA
Broadcast Editor lvalenzuela@therampageonline.com
State Center Community College District police officers stand in the Fresno City College Free Speech Area. A district contract with Fresno Police Department is adding officers to patrol the campus. Photo/Larry Valenzuela.
We’ve been trying to establish some means to provide a better level of service to the campus, the faculty and anyone who comes to this little city in itself.”
FCCRampage
- Dave Paris SCCCD Interim Police Chief
RampageNews
[Oct. 10 incident] came about, it had just happened,” Paris said. The first to respond to the incident was Fresno Police, who did not make an arrest. However, a weapon was taken from the suspect. Incidents like the one on Oct. 10 aren’t isolated. The campus police recorded an attempted burglary, possession of a weapon and resisting a peace officer — all on the same day. Also on Oct. 20, separate reports of sexual battery and lewd acts were recorded in the call log. The lack of police officers has
SEE POLICE, PAGE 3
INDEX: NEWS 2
A&E 7
A Fresno City College instructor said he is concerned for his safety after fighting off an intruder attempting to enter his early morning class on Oct. 10. Ray Stanton, math instructor, says he is also upset with the way police responded to the incident. It all started when FCC student Jaime Galban walked to his 6 a.m. math class in Room 188 of the Old Administration Building. Galban reported that when he entered a restroom, a suspicious person asked for his name and number. Galban said he complied but that the man followed him to Stanton’s math class and waited outside the door. It was still dark out. “He kept pacing back and forth outside our class, and I just saw him, and I was planning to walk out of the other door,” Galban said. “Some girls came in, and they seemed scared of him.” But it wasn’t long before the man, later identified as Thomas Hawkins, a student at the college,
SEE INCIDENT, PAGE 3
OPINION 10
SPORTS 14
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
NEWS
DevFest Brings Google, Tech Enthusiasts Together in Fresno BY ASHLEIGH PANOO
News/Managing Editor apanoo@therampageonline.com
Hundreds of participants and several speakers from Google were part of the fourth annual ValleyDevFest, hosted by Bitwise South Stadium in downtown Fresno on Oct. 22. Fresno City College was a sponsor. Filled with mostly high school students, the tech conference held about 30 different sessions throughout the day with an emphasis on the tech industry. Some participants built robots during the event and then battled for prizes at the end of the conference. In her opening statement, Carole Goldsmith, president of FCC said the conference was very beneficial to the Fresno area. Goldsmith introduced
High school students work as a team during a robotics class at DevFest at Bitwise South Stadium in downtown Fresno on Oct. 22, 2016. Photo/Ashleigh Panoo
You get to hang out with people who are building stuff or want to build stuff like software, apps and websites.” - Rio Waller Computer Information and Technology Instructor Rio Waller, instructor of computer information and technology. Waller, one of the organizers of ValleyDevFest, said this was the first
ONLINE
BEHIND THE SCENES AT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Watch behind the scenes video of Cirque du Soleil Toruk. Get details about tickets to Fight for Water VI with boxer Jose Ramirez at TheRampageOnline.com
The Rampage goes behind the scenes of Cirque Du Soleil ahead of its Thursday show: Toruk, the First Flight at the Save Mart Center. Photo/Larry Valenzuela SEE STORY, PAGE 8
RAMPAGE Staff Editorial Board Editor in Chief Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado Managing/News Editor Ashleigh Panoo Entertainment Editor Jasmine Yoro Bowles Sports Editor Michael Ford Copy/Opinion Editor Edward Smith Photo Editor Ram Reyes Broadcast Editor Larry Valenzuela Layout Editor Lukas Newcomb
Rampage Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju dympna.ugwu-oju@fresnocitycollege.edu
year the event was held outside of the college. “You get to hang out with people who are building stuff or want to
build stuff like software, apps and websites,” Waller said. “They want to learn the newest stuff happening out of Google, so they can create awesome stuff using the really amazing tools that Google gives out.” Waller said Google was one of the biggest sponsors and brought five speakers, including keynote speaker, Paul Bakaus. She said she was proud that every dollar from Google was matched by local sponsors.
Reporters Jorge Alamo Sage Arthur-Flores Payton Hartung Thomas Hawkins Aly Honore Cedric Hood Destinee Lopez Frank Lopez Savanna Manzo Michael Mendez Jose Orozco Eric Zamora
Fall Carnival Provides Safe Alternative to Trickor-Treating Fresno City College will hold a fall carnival on Oct. 31 at Ratcliffe Stadium, as a safer alternative to trick-or-treating for the community. Campus clubs will provide candy throughout the event from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Contests, games and prizes will be available and carved pumpkins will be on display. Law enforcement will be on hand during the event as a safety measure, said the student activities office. Costumes are encouraged and the event is free and open to the public. Candy donations are also being accepted for the event. Call the student activities office at 559-4438688 for more information.
Corrections? Email media@therampageonline.com
Contact Us: Tip Line: 559.442.8262 Letters to the Editor to: editorial@therampageonline.com
Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of The Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper. Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individiual writer and not of the newspaper. The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.
NEWS
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
POLICE
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FROM PAGE 1 spurred the district to call on the city ahead of the Nov. 1 board meeting, when trustees are expected to approve funding for the contract between the city and SCCCD. Meanwhile, outside officers roam the campus throughout the day in an effort to ensure safety for students and everyone on campus. “This is a stopgap measure to increase coverage while we recruit for vacant positions in the SCCCD police department,” Goldsmith said. “The Fresno Police Department will be working in tandem with district police to ensure that our students, staff and faculty are safe, and our property is protected.” Interim chief Paris said that Fresno PD will be supplementing campus police when additional hands are needed. “[Fresno police are] going to be just like us, and they’re just going to be able to support us in our calls for service,” Paris said. “If we get backed up where we can’t, then they’ll be able to handle the call; they’re there to assist us on the calls we need.” All officers, whether district or city police, will be working under Paris when on campus, and “the chain of command will come from [the district].” The district is currently lacking
A Fresno police patrol vehicle is parked in parking lot F on Friday, Oct. 22. 2016. A contract between the Fresno Police Department and State Center Community College District is allowing City of Fresno officers to patrol the campus. Photo/Larry Valenzuela. over a dozen police officers, and in the October personnel commission meeting, Personnel Commission Director Elba Gomez made a request to go over budget on background checks for officers. “There’s a lot of jobs available, and there’s not a lot of opportunity for police departments to hire,” Paris explained. The problem, in many cases, is the lack of interest in being a district police officer.
“Salary and benefits are the reason police aren’t drawn to SCCCD,” Paris said. “It’s hard to compete when you’ve got agencies offering $3,000 to $10,000 signing bonuses. SCCCD can’t match that.” On Oct. 20, the district began interviewing 19 applicants. If all of the potential officers pass necessary requirements, the department anticipates a full staff by the end of spring. The state mandates a 16-week
INCIDENT
Honestly, I was disappointed with the Fresno Police Department. I assumed the officers would handcuff him and take him away.”
FROM PAGE 1
entered Stanton’s algebra class, asking to join, according to reports by many students. Stanton said he told the intruder it was too late to join and asked him to leave. Galban said Hawkins did leave the classroom, but stood by the door. Stanton later checked on the man. “I went out to evaluate the situation and then the intruder admitted that he was not interested in adding the class but wanted to get in contact and check on Jaime.” Stanton said the exchange took a turn when the student attempted to enter the class without permission, at one point even fighting Stanton for control of the door. “I repeatedly told the intruder he would need to leave,” Stanton said. “The Intruder refused, and the situation escalated as he forced his way into the room, clipping my head with the door.” Stanton claims the intruder kept saying repeatedly, “I want to check on Jaime” as he struggled to enter the class. Galban says he has never met the intruder until that very morning, but the man wanted to know if he was “OK,” according to Stanton. “I was running on adrenaline, trying to get this guy away from my students and keep my class safe,” Stanton said. The man then decided to leave. Stanton said he believed Hawkins may have been under the influence of drugs. Stanton said he tried calling State Center Community College District Police using the emergency phone in his classroom, but he discovered that it was not working. Stanton said “I tried the panic button; it didn’t work. I checked the phone for a dial tone; it didn’t work.
training program for new officers and an 8-week training program for officers with experience. “You have to calculate your hiring process, then you have to calculate in your field training program,” Paris said. “If we get successful candidates in this testing cycle right now, we might have the number. The issue will be the field training program.”
- Ray Stanton Fresno City College Math Instructor
I found out later that the phone was on a back-up power supply, but it was not operational.” Stanton then dismissed the class and told them to get to their cars. Stanton left the classroom to call for help on his personal phone but student Ut Phon, wanted to stay to finish her test. Stanton locked the door while Phan stayed put. Phan says that Hawkins then came back to the door. “He asked me to open the door and I said ‘no,’ then he kept trying to open the door and I got scared and started thinking that I had to leave.” Phan at that point said that Stanton had returned to the classroom from the back door and Hawkins saw him and ran around to get in through the back door as well. Stanton got a hold of the Fresno Police Department using his personal phone. Stanton says five officers arrived at around 6:41 a.m. Both Phan and Stanton said that as the officers approached, Hawkins told them that he was just trying to check on the girl inside the classroom. Stanton said the officers
approached the student and found he was carrying a knife in his pocket. The student was held for a short time before he was let go, Stanton said. “Honestly, I was disappointed with the Fresno Police Department,” said Stanton. “I assumed the officers would handcuff him and take him away because I told one officer that he had tried to force his way in.” Stanton claims the officers were “shooing” Hawkins away like “a stray animal.” Stanton said he believes he had seen the intruder on several occasions. In an email to faculty two days later, Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith addressed the incident briefly and described the confrontation as “nonviolent.” She stated she believes the incident was a “healthcare” issue. In an email interview with the Rampage, Goldsmith said she could not comment on the specifics of this case “due to privacy rights and respect for due process.” She said Stanton did everything right and followed the protocols. Goldsmith has also “ordered the College and IT staff to test every phone on campus and fix any and all issues. . . This has been remedied,
and now ongoing testing will continue in order to ensure proper working order of our phones as well as our surveillance cameras.” “This case, like others, are taken quite seriously by FCC administration and that the college ‘has a standard for student conduct,’” Goldsmith wrote in an email. “Violation of those standards ‘may result in discipline as set out in Administrative Regulation 5520.’” The president advocates more training on safety which she said “will be an ongoing topic for upcoming brown bag lunch sessions as well as a topic for our next campus-wide professional development day.” As for Stanton, the fear remains; he and his students saw the student return back to campus after the altercation. Stanton said, “I was worried we were then going to be confronted with a knife fight to try and keep ourselves safe.” Goldsmith said, “We need to be vigilant and look out for one another.”
Rampage editors Ashleigh Panoo and Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado contributed to this story.
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
NEWS
Participants Played, Won Prizes at Ani-Me Con Booth BY JORGE ALAMO
F
Reporter jalamo@therampageonline.com
resno City College hosted a booth for Ani-Me Con which included a Pokémon Go contest for anyone at the college on Oct. 19. Rick Phoeung, the chief executive officer of Ani-Me Con, said he was excited that FCC held many activities such as car shows, singing competitions, dancing, food trucks and ultimately, Ani-Me Con. The main focus Phoeung has for Ani-Me Con is to bring happiness to the community. He said he enjoys making others happy. “It’s not about the money,” he said. For his booth at FCC, Phoeung decided to create a Pokémon Go contest, in which students walked around campus, trying to catch as many pokémon as possible with the highest combat power. “Pokémon Go is probably the biggest online app right now, with a few million players,” Phoeung said.
“It’s fun for everybody.” By participating, students had the chance of winning either free Pokémon cards or Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Ani-Me Con also held raffles during the competition. Alex Caban, a first-year student, was one of the winners of the event. He said that the event was announced on Facebook and that they had this same event at the Big Fresno Fair this year. Caban said that the event was “not just walking around, trying to catch pokémon,” and that it turned the game into a contest. He liked that the event gave participants the chance to meet others through the contest who they otherwise would not have met. For catching a pokémon with a high combat power level, Caban won a Pokémon card pack. Another first-year student, Gilbert Caloca, participated in the Pokémon Go event. He was initially drawn to the Ram Burger event on campus, and afterwards noticed Ani-Me Con’s Pokémon Go contest.
WALK
FROM PAGE 1
Community Walks for Cure to Blood Cancer
Community members holding colored lanterns walk Saturday, Oct. 23 during the Light the Night Walk at Chuckchansi Park to raise awareness and money to fight Leukemia and Lymphoma. Photo/Ram Reyes. BY PAYTON HARTUNG
Reporter phartung@therampageonline.com
H
undreds of people gathered at Chukchansi Park in downtown Fresno to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Saturday night. A sea of people participated in the “Light the Night Walk” as they held illuminated lanterns, symbolizing their support in finding a cure for cancer. More than a dozen booths were giving away free merchandise and educating people about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The aim of event was to raise money for blood cancer research, but it was also a chance to encourage the local community to actively take strides to end cancer. While technically being a fundraising event, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was not asking for donations
that night, but instead, celebrating the donations that both individuals and corporations have made throughout the year. Speakers shared their experience with blood cancer and praised the achievements of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while also stressing the importance of the organization. Before the night walk, a lighting vigil was performed. Participants carried gold lanterns and raised them in the air in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. A moment of silence then honored those lost. White lanterns were then raised by survivors of blood cancer, bringing in cheers from the crowd who celebrated their strength through their battle with cancer. In unison, all of the participants raised their red lanterns and the walk commenced as family and friend shared a loving moment full of laughter and celebration.
Fresno City College students take part in the Ani-Me Con on campus on Oct. 19, 2016. Pokémon was a feature of the community college event. Photo/Savanna Manzo. “[The contest] actually gave me the initiative to log back into my [Pokémon Go] account,” Caloca said. Caloca participated in the event for two hours, and won a Pokémon card pack that he traded in for four buttons. Although he does not frequently play the game, he said he would participate again. The next Pokémon-related event by Phoeung will be the Ani-Me PokeCon & Car Show on Oct. 29. It is a free, Pokémon-themed anime convention featuring vendors, artists, and entertainers from the central valley. Ani-Me Con 6.0, the organization’s
sixth anime convention, will come to the Big Fresno Fairgrounds on March 18 and 19. Phoeung hopes that the promotional events like the Pokémon Go contest will attract more people to the next convention. “It’s really important to focus on what you give out, not how much you make,” said Phoeung. “What you make isn’t important right now, as long as you give back and then they’ll give back to you.”
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society invests more than $100 million every year into blood cancer research. They also raise money for patient access to ensure they have affordable and high quality care. The fundraising team “Stepping Out for the Cure” is a top fundraising team, bringing in a total of $6,200. Seradon Smith, team captain, discussed her team’s motivation in this campaign. “Personally for our office, when we started the fundraising, we did it for a coworker who had been
diagnosed with cancer and who was starting her treatment,” Smith said. “Then about two days before the walk, she found out she was cancer free and she went from being a patient to being a survivor. That made it even more emotional and worthwhile.” Smith showed appreciation for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and their efforts for forging a community of supporters at the walk, which overwhelmed Smith. She said, “It was beautiful and very symbolic.”
Rampage reporter Eric Zamora contributed to this story.
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
NEWS
Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith with community supporters of the Fine, Performing and Communication Arts Division’s annual Toasting the Arts fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2016 . Photo/Destinee Lopez.
Elegance and Culture at ‘Toasting the Arts’ in OAB Courtyard BY CEDRIC HOOD
Reporter chood@therampageonline.com
The annual fundraiser for the Fine and Performing Arts Division on Oct. 22 brought together many familiar faces to support arts in education. The “Toasting the Arts” fundraiser, held in the West Courtyard of the Old Administration Building at Fresno City College treated guests such as faculty, students and community members to an elegant night of dinner and auctions. Entertainment for the nearly 60-year-old event included performances by students from the theater department as well as choir and music students. Music instructor Julie Dana, who is a board member, led a student singing group performance with each student sending a powerful message about world peace. Dana said that every child should be exposed to the arts in education. Items being auctioned were donated or made by students. The evening began with the silent auctions and the live auctions, which continued until the end of the night. It was the first time that Carole Goldsmith, the new president of Fresno City College, attended the fundraiser. “This event is fantastic,” she said, all smiles as she greeted guests. “Next year is going to be even bigger and better.” Goldsmith said she wants to fully utilize the Old Administration Building. Traditionally, the event only uses one of the two courtyards, but
I’m a welder, I grew up on a cattle ranch, I’ve done all different kinds of jobs, but arts is the icing on the cake.” - Neil Vanderpool Fine, Performing and Communication Division Dean Goldsmith would like to see both courtyards being used next year as well as the OAB Auditorium. She would like the student performers to be appropriately showcased in a venue that has professional sound and lighting. “I am truly proud of our students as they continue to shine,” Goldsmith said. “And we are going to do great things together.” Another familiar face attending the evening was FPCA division dean Neil Vanderpool who said this was his third fundraiser. Vanderpool anticipates many more fundraising nights in the future. “People believe in arts,” Vanderpool said, adding that arts are a good way to become a holistic human. “I’m a welder; I grew up on a cattle ranch,” Vanderpool said. “I’ve done all different kinds of different jobs, but arts is the icing on the cake.”
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NEWS
Canvas Training, Familiarity Growing Ahead of Spring Transition BY ASHLEIGH PANOO
News/Managing Editor apanoo@therampageonline.com
W
ith the shift from Blackboard to Canvas in spring 2017 semester, the State Center Community College District is offering numerous training sessions to get instructors ready for the transition before the fall semester ends. Instructors from across the district gathered at the district’s Herndon campus on Oct. 23 to learn how to successfully make the transition from Blackboard to Canvas. Sheila Martin, instructor of business and technology at Fresno City College, who was on-hand as a trainer for other instructors, said she has been working with Canvas since summer 2015. “It is so much better than Blackboard,” Martin said. “So much easier to use [and] less complex.” Martin will have four classes in the spring -- two online and two face-to-face -- and she plans to use Canvas for all of them. She said the simplicity of the program makes it worth going through all the train-
Sheila Martin (left) and Linda Vang (right) attended the Canvas transition event at the Herndon campus on Oct. 23, 2016, where district instructors learned about the statewide transition from Blackboard. Photo/Ashleigh Panoo ing. “The first time you use it, it’s a little different,” Martin said. “But after you know what you’re doing in Canvas, it’s so much easier. I’ve had nothing but good [feedback].” Linda Vang, a sociology instructor at FCC, agrees with Martin. Vang was one of the first instructors to operate in the Online Education Initiative program; she has been using the new learning management system for two years. Adjusting dates and assignments and exporting course content to
the next semester classes have all become easier with Canvas, Vang said. The OEI pilot program aims to link online courses at all of California’s 113 community colleges together onto one platform. The program will ultimately make it easier for students to register for the classes they need by opening up online courses at other community colleges for enrollment. FCC is one of only eight colleges in the state to be part of the OEI pilot program, which will offer
2016 Ballot Propositions
Lost Zapata Returns After 37 Days
Prop 51 Authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds for K-12, community colleges and charter schools to renovate buildings and buy land for school buildings.
Prop 55 Extend temporary personal income tax increases enacted in 2012 on earnings of over $250,000 for single filers and allocate the revenues to K-12, community colleges and healthcare programs.
BY LARRY VALENZUELA
Broadcast Editor lvalenzuela@therampageonline.com
Prop 57
Allow nonviolent offenders who finish their sentences to earn credit toward parole for good behavior and rehabilitation.
T
he dog banned from campus following reports of aggression, is back safe with his owner. He had been gone since Sept. 14. Larry Rodriguez, the dog’s owner, told the Rampage that Zapata returned safely and that it is not clear where the companion dog had gone. “I swear I almost broke down in tears,” Rodriguez said. “He [Zapata] was just so happy.” Zapata reportedly was lost in the Chinatown area of downtown Fresno, where Rodriguez lives. One morning, the 63-year-old owner did not see him. Rodriguez expressed frustration during the days Zapata was missing. “I was about to give up and hang up the towel,” he said. Rodriguez said losing Zapata had made him want to quit his attempts to return to Fresno City College after his suspension on Sept. 8, but is now encouraged. “Zapata makes things a lot better; he’s like my kid,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez and Zapata are still banned from campus, according to a letter from Rojelio Vasquez, vice president of student services,. The Sept. 8 letter informed Rodriguez that he and Zapata were suspended from the college campus for failure to follow orders to keep the dog under control and off campus. As a result of the suspension,
students at FCC seats into other pilot college’s online courses. There will be five seats open in each class for students from other colleges in the state, according to David Childers, coordinator for the District Title V Grant Project. Childers said when FCC students register for the spring semester, they will have a chance to register for other pilot school’s courses such as English, psychology, history, geography, sociology, philosophy and administration of justice. FCC will offer seats in English 1A, Sociology 1A and Geography 2 during the pilot session. “Students and faculty overwhelmingly liked Canvas better,” Childers said. “That led to our district deciding to switch everyone.” Childers said there has been very little push-back from instructors or students regarding the switch. “Most of the faculty we helped since last summer are really excited about Canvas,” Childers said, adding that some faculty even made the switch this semester. He says that is a positive sign. Childers said, “They liked canvas so much they were willing to jump in a semester before they had to.
Prop 59 Asks whether California’s elected officials should propose and ratify an amendment to the constitution to overturn the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission to limit excessive political spending.
Prop 61 Regulating drug prices by requiring state agencies to pay the same prices that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays for prescription drugs.
Prop 64 Legalizes marijuana under state law for use by adults 21 and designates state agencies to license and regulate marijuana industry.
Prop 66 Larry Rodriguez reunited with his dog Zapata at his home in Chinatown on Oct. 18, 2016. Zapata went missing on Sept. 14 and came back Oct. 13. Photo/Ram Reyes.
Zapata makes things a lot better. He’s like my kid.”
- Larry Rodriguez Suspended Fresno City College student
Rodriguez was dropped from all of his fall semester classes. Vasquez’ letter directed Rodriguez
to “not return to campus for any purpose without permission” or he could be subjected to arrest and more sanctions According to the letter, the suspension resulted from a prolonged dispute about the presence of Rodriguez’ service dog on campus. Rodriguez has delivered letters to administrators appealing his suspension, but has not yet returned to campus.
Alters procedural changes in the appeals process and requires criminal appellate attorneys to take on death penalty appeals cases and for death row inmates to pay restitution to victims’ families.
Prop 67 Prohibits grocery and certain other retail stores from providing single-use plastic or paper carryout bags to customers at point of sale. Permits sales of recycled paper bags and reusable bags to customers for a minimum price of 10 cents.
For a complete list of ballot propositions for Nov. 8, visit: BallotPedia.org BY FRANK LOPEZ/FLOPEZ@THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
Wind Ensemble Wows with Retiring Conductor
Fresno City College students perform during a fall semester concert in the main theater on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Photo/Ram Reyes BY ERIC ZAMORA
Reporter ezamora@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College wind ensemble held its first concert of the fall semester to an audience full of friends, family and faculty on Oct. 19. Conductor and music instructor Dale Engstrom led the band through a variety of his favorite selections. “I’m retiring at the end of this semester and I decided I’m going to play everything that I want to do,’” Engstrom said during the concert. The ensemble performed pieces from mostly 20th and 21st century composers, known for their works for concert bands. Some of the works played include Alfred Reed’s “The Hounds of Spring” and Getty Herschel Huffine’s “Them Basses.” Engstrom also included a piece by Romantic era composer Richard Wagner, “Elsa’s Procession to the
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
Cathedral,” from the opera “Lohengrin.” All of the pieces featured moments of grandeur, grabbing the attention of audience members with the solos from students and glorious melodies throughout the night. One of the unique pieces during the concert was “Fantasy in French,” by Julie Giroux. Featuring a solo from flute performer, Jonathan Alvarez, the piece combined works from Impressionistic French composers such as Erik Satie and Claude Debussy. It started with the whisper of the flute solo, and gradually crashed into a wave of sound from the whole band. “I loved the Julie Giroux piece,” said adjunct instructor Elisha Wilson. “What I loved about it was [it included] all the classic orchestral tunes from famous French composers over the centuries that people know and love, and this composer arranged this piece so delicately and
so thoughtfully to put those tunes [together] in a balanced way within the ensemble.”
The band played many standards, such as “The Hounds of Spring,” which is one of Engstrom’s favorite pieces. The work was inspired by the poem “Atalanta in Calydon,” by the English poet, Algernon Charles Swinburne. “I got to play the lead part on [‘The Hounds of Spring’],” said Kevin King, trumpet player and Music major. “It’s so exciting and the melodies are enticing and very emotional.” Near the end of the night, Engstrom thanked everyone that came out to the concert, including the dean of fine, performing and communication arts, Neil Vanderpool, and other faculty members. He encouraged the audience to attend the other upcoming music department concerts, as well as his final concert on Dec. 7. “It’s a more emotional concert, in that our director is retiring this semester, but overall I really enjoyed the concert,” said soloist and flute performance major, Andrew Castillo. On Nov. 2 and 3, the FCC music department will hold a choral festival in the Old Administration Building Auditorium. They will also have a student recital on Nov. 9 in the Recital Hall.
Conductor Dale Engstrom presents the concert soloists on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Photo/Ram Reyes
Mexican Art Featured in Art Space Gallery Through Friday BY ERIC ZAMORA
Reporter ezamora@therampageonline.com
Two renowned, award-winning artists are currently being featured at the Fresno City College Art Space Gallery.
The “Francisco Oñate and Angel Santos: Masters of Mexican Folk Art” exhibit features Oñate’s watercolor paintings alongside Santos’ ceramic works. Both types of art emphasize the thematic similarities and visual differences of each artist. Vibrantly painted walls reminiscent of Mexican homes greet view-
Fresno City College students view the art of Francisco Oñate during the exhibition in the Art Space Gallery on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. Photo/Eric Zamora
ers entering the gallery. On those walls, the works of each artist are highlighted. Oñate is a painter, printmaker and overall multimedia artist. His work depicts daily life, using a variety of earth tones to convey his works. Santos is a ceramist, his specialty being the paintings done on his ceramic works. His unique painting style involves using a hair to paint small details on the burnished ceramic. “Every single artwork means something, and a lot of this meaning comes from pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico,” said Art Space Gallery Curator Teresa Díaz. Both artists present those pre-Columbian figures and symbols in their work. Santos uses the symbol of a pre-Columbian cat in his work and Oñate uses pre-Columbian ways of filling the space in a work of art. Although done differently, the thematic similarities are what tie their artworks together. Unlike the previous exhibition, this gallery presentation is not divided into any sections. Instead, the gallery displays the progression of pieces by both artists, focusing more on Oñate’s works.
Some of Oñate’s artworks were commissioned for the gallery by Fred Savala, a friend of Oñate and owner of many of the artworks on display. “We wanted [Oñate] to show some pieces that could be sold,” Savala said. “We also wanted to show the latest things [he worked on].” The commissioned watercolor paintings are smaller than usual, due to a miscommunication in measurements between Oñate and Savala. However, this challenge made the artist determined in providing artworks for the gallery. An opening-day reception was held Oct. 6 and featured both artists. Oñate also taught a printmaking class on campus where he demonstrated how he takes classical forms of printmaking and experiments and applies other media to the process. He also discussed the history of printmaking in Mexico and the influence it has had in current culture. The current exhibition closes Oct. 28. The next showing at the Art Space Gallery, opening Nov. 7 at 4 p.m., will focus on the work of Kevin Stewart-Magee, a fine arts instructor at FCC.
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
ENTERTAINMENT
Acrobats practice their climbing for Cirque Du Soleil at The Save Mart Center, on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Photo/Larry Rodriguez
Australian Acrobat Shares Cirque Experience BY JASMINE YORO BOWLES
This is your first tour with Cirque du Soleil, how is the experience so far?
Entertainment Editor jyorobowles@therampageonline.com
Cirque du Soleil’s global tour of “Toruk- the First Flight,” inspired by James Cameron’s “Avatar,” is opening in Fresno on Thursday. Cirque du Soleil will be bringing Cameron’s record-breaking film to life through acrobatics, puppetry and stage visuals while still keeping Cirque’s signature style. “Toruk- the First Flight” opens Thursday and runs until Oct. 30 at the Save Mart Center. For more information visit cirquedusoleil.com or savemartcenter.com.
“I did one special event in Vegas, but this is my first full-time project with Cirque du Soleil. It’s pretty amazing; it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time. To finally be here and doing it is so amazing. [Challenges are] the schedule we run. We’re in a different city every week. The technicians have to set [the stage] up and take it down every single move. It’s very fast paced, we’re not in a place for longer than [a week] ever. But I think seeing the evolution of the show from what it was last June when we first started creating it to now is an achievement in itself.”
Why did you join Cirque du Soleil?
“I saw my first show maybe 15 years ago and I remember watching it, thinking this is so cool that people do this for a living. It really took a long time come to a decision from that point of when I just saw it. I’m super grateful for this opportunity. I still pinch myself when I’m here and doing this for work.”
Why did you decide to focus solely on acrobatics?
“I was quite young when I started doing acrobatics, my mum was a teacher in Sydney so I felt like i had a pretty good base in both areas. But it was tough decision for me to choose one or the other because I loved them both so much. Acrobatics is super fun, it’s something that I’ll hope I can do for quite a while longer.”
How did the opportunity to join Cirque to Soleil come about?
“I auditioned four years ago and I got an email to submit for this show about two years ago. So, it’s been what feels like a long time coming. It’s really nice to finally be here.”
What is “Toruk” about?
“‘Toruk’ is based on James Cameron’s “Avatar,” but the storyline is completely separate from it. We have a narrator for the first time, which we’ve never ever done before, a team of acrobats, puppeteers, one storyteller and a singer.”
What are you performing in “Toruk?”
“I do an aerial rope number at the beginning. It’s like a vertical rope that you climb and do tricks on. We have big indoor kites, so I
fly one of those and we have some big flower fans that we manipulate. I do an indoor rock climbing scene and hand balancing on this cool dinosaur bone structure.”
How long has “Toruk” been touring?
“We’ve been on the road for almost a year at this point. We did creation for four months at the beginning.”
What are some of your favorite places you’ve performed so far?
“Chicago was one of my favorites for sure, there’s honestly been so many of them and I’ve lost track! We’re all excited to be in California. We go to LA in a couple of weeks, so I’m excited to go there. We’re going to be in Edmonton for the last week of the tour, it’s going to be absolutely freezing so I don’t know if I’m looking forward to that.”
Any future plans with Cirque du Soleil?
“I hope so, I’ve just re-signed until December of 2017 so it’s going to be interesting to see the evolution of the show from here until then. I hope to work for Cirque for a really long time. It’s a wonderful company to work for.”
Acrobat, technicians, and puppeters rehearse for Thursday’s opening night of Cirque Du Soleil: Toruk at The Save Mart Center on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
ENTERTAINMENT
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
Treat Yourself to Fun This Halloween BY JASMINE YORO BOWLES
Entertainment Editor jyorobowles@therampageonline.com
Hobb’s Grove:
Hobb’s Grove is Fresno County’s hub for local halloween horror. Claiming to offer the “ultimate haunted halloween experience,” it is located just outside of Sanger. The Hollows, a haunted forest, leads brave participants through dark trails with plenty of scares along the way. Its haunted house, the Hobb Family Home, is the sinister haunt where the home’s residents have an opportunity to frighten guests. Good advice is to not go down the dark corridors, for who knows what could greet you on the other side. Hayrides are an autumnal staple. However, it isn’t your usual fall excursion. Keep an eye out for who (or what) could be lingering in the dark. Tickets for Hobb’s Grove range from $32 to $42 and is open until Oct. 30. For more information go to hobbsgrove.com
Movie night:
While movie nights are a basic activity, it can still be tons of fun with a killer movie playlist and lots of halloween treats with friends and
family. Start with some child-friendly classics like “Hocus Pocus” or anything from Tim Burton’s portfolio. Eighties or ‘90s cult classics like “Labyrinth,” “The Witches” and “Gremlins” are also popular options. Even though classic movie monsters are somewhat cringe-worthy and not as scary as the modern creatures, sitting back and observing old favorites could be fun. Suitable options include “Nosferatu,” any Alfred Hitchcock, any Stephen King (mostly whichever version of “The Shining” you prefer) and “The Living Dead” series. But don’t forget the staple slashers like “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Foreign horror movies are very underrated, add the original versions of “Let the Right One In,” “The Grudge,” “Ringu” and to your international collection. Don’t be afraid to watch as many Guillermo del Toro films as possible. For something more gory and modern, Rob Zombie has several great movies, most notably “The Devil’s Rejects” and “House of 1000 Corpses.” Some notable mentions are also “The Conjuring,” “Sinister”
and “The Purge” series. The British franchise of “28 Days Later” is also a great modern zombie series. Horror comedies like “Shawn of the Dead,” “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” and “Cabin in the Woods” won’t disappoint.
Parties and local events:
Check out local venues, bars and clubs, especially for halloween parties and events. The 16th annual family friendly Zoo Boo at Fresno Chaffee Zoo will run from 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28 and 29.
9 Fresno Chaffee Zoo encourages a kid-friendly way to have halloween fun with a disco, live entertainment and trick-or-treating. Strummer’s will be holding a free 21-plus Halloween Covers night with several tribute bands on Oct. 28. Tower District’s newest club, Fab, will will be the place for a Halloween Drag Show on Oct. 28 and a Halloween party on Oct. 31. Lastly, Edwards Fresno 22 Cinema is screening “The Nightmare Before Christmas” all weekend.
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
OPINION
This Election Is About Our Country’s Future
BY DESTINEE LOPEZ
Reporter dlopez@therampageonline.com
The presidential election is here and has highlighted America’s racial and sexist history. Republican Donald Trump has exposed an ugly side of our country after he exhibited behavior not openly seen in years. He has brought fear and anxiety to lots of people. If Trump wins, will
the fear ever end? Trump’s impunity for alleged sexual misconduct is similar to when a harasser is simply slapped on the wrist for assaulting someone. Young women in America are being crushed under the weight of Trump’s demeaning language about all women, and he is encouraging people to condone his words by remaining unapologetic. To Trump, it seems women are nothing but sex objects. Perhaps Trump wants to place Muslims in concentration camps, build massive walls to block off bordering countries or refuse to let women vote. Maybe then, America will be great again. The future under a Trump presidency is bleak, and as a Hispanic woman, that is terrifying. Will the next four years in this country only benefit a white, rich minority? Will all others walk on eggshells to avoid getting caught being women, black, immigrants or Muslims?
Will we need to hold our tongues to avoid being beaten in dark alleys? Will women need to keep our eyes to the ground to avoid becoming victims of sexual assault? It is not shocking that a country built on slavery, genocides and oppression wants a man who does not apologize for his actions as president. But Trump is the embodiment of much of this nation’s sentiment; he knows how to get the crowds worked up with misinformation and fear.
This country and its people have the ability to prove that it can break the barriers our own society has built.” We have a chance to progress and elect the first woman president. It will surely be a moment for the history books like eight years ago when we elected Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president.
This country and its people have the ability to prove that it can break the barriers our own society has built. Sadly, some will not vote for Clinton. Those will be the same people who give in to fear. The multiple things Clinton has been blamed for throughout the election have all yielded apologies from the candidate. She admitted she has done wrong, but continues to encourage the country to do right by voting against Trump and bring us closer to a future that does not look so frightful. Sure, people will still be sexually harassed and Muslims and people of color will still be discriminated against, but hopefully, there will be justice and an end to that horrible behavior. Hopefully my voice will continue to be heard. The future of our country depends on our votes on Nov. 8. Voters should to think about their choices before voting.
Media Impact on Voters Undeniable News companies are now owned by multinational, billion dollar corporate giants that have one goal in mind.” BY FRANK LOPEZ
Reporter flopez@therampageonline.com
There are two types of democracy: one in which the public is able to have meaningful participation in their own affairs and the access to information is open and free, and the second conception, which is where the public must be prevented from managing their own affairs and the means of information must be narrowly and tightly controlled. Though it is strange to think of democracy in this sense, the second type is the one that has prevailed since the times of the Founding Fathers. The end of the presidential race is near and the media has given us certain ideas about the candidates, and their projections of who will win. While news outlets devote a lot of time to stories about Hillary Clinton’s personal and public life and Donald Trump’s scandals and shocking rhetoric, it seems most major news companies are supporting Clinton for president. The New York Times, which is often regarded as the pinnacle of excellence in journalism, is continually publishing articles such as “Donald Trump and Other Animals” and “The Lies Trump Told,” that lambast him and his followers. Letters such as “Hillary Clinton: My Plan for Helping America’s Poor” written by Clinton herself, and articles like “The Bitch America Needs”, make it clear they want Hillary in the White House.
News companies are now owned by multinational billion dollar corporate giants that have one goal in mind: to make money. Unfortunately, news operations are a source of information, but have also become a big business. It would make sense that major media companies would support Clinton, who has had a long and friendly history with Wall Street and national corporate interests. Since as early as the 1930s, regulations on newspapers, radio and eventually television companies were lifted. This allowed giant corporations to buy up thousands of news outlets across the nation. Because of this media consolidation, 90 percent of what we read, watch and listen to is owned by six major media companies. Trump’s antics play into exactly what media companies want; his offensive language and erratic behavior sells newspapers and get people to click on web articles. Media companies are more likely to play up Trump’s comments on women, or the sex scandals of Clinton’s husband, than information about military spending or information that support higher taxes for the rich. It is virtually impossible for candidates to reach a national audience without being covered by major news outlets, and the money it takes to run a national campaign has gone into the billions. Even Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, who gained quite a popular following during the
primary season and held rallies with thousands of supporters, didn’t get as much coverage as Trump or Clinton. However, this makes sense in our current system. Sanders was trying to produce change that would affect the profits of the elites, many of whom have business ties and investments with media companies. We are now at a point where the information the public needs to make decisions on how society
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ought to be run is provided by companies that don’t want that very public to be too informed. News information and opinions must be limited in order to make sure the people are not too aware of what the people in power are doing. It is up to us, the public, to seek out the information that will give us a better picture of our leaders, and not allow it to be drowned out in a sea of trivial and sensational news.
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OPINION
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
Status shouldn’t Impede Opportunity
BY JOSE OROZCO
Reporter jorozco@therampageonline.com
Many students will graduate from college in the spring of 2017 and pursue their careers in the fields that they have studied. But this isn’t a reality for many undocumented immigrant students, like Robert Garcia, a Freshman at Fresno State University, who will also eventually graduate but will be unable to work due to his immigration status in the United States. I asked Robert Garcia why he thinks so many others like him graduate high school but choose not to attend college. “What for?” Garcia said. “We can’t
work after we graduate.” Any student, regardless of their immigration status, should be able to earn the right to work and be a productive person in our society after they have earned a college degree. In addition, by attending college, undocumented students demonstrate positive values about their character as a person and their interest in helping advance our society by becoming educated. Once undocumented students have graduated from college, they should be guaranteed an opportunity to work or at least have a pathway that offers them an opportunity to work in the field they have studied, just like any other student. According to StatisticBrain. com, the number of undocumented youths under the age of 18 living in the U.S is 1.8 Million. 65,000 of those undocumented youth graduate every year from U.S High schools , 40% of which live in California, but only 7.5 % of those undocumented high school graduates move forward and attend college. Undocumented students live in the shadows and when the poverty numbers are so high, it’s hard to cover the cost of college. It is not only right, but it is our
duty as Americans to ensure that higher education is available to any student who chooses to attend college. After graduating, we should ensure a pathway for undocumented college graduates to be able to work. This would benefit our society because many undocumented students would be able to come out of the shadows. The 1982 Supreme Court decision in Plyler v Doe guarantees the education of any student in K-12, regardless of immigration status. However, the court’s
Any student... should be able to earn the right to work and be a productive person in our society.” decision does not extend to higher education, leaving thousands of undocumented students unsure of whether they could legally receive a college education and where they would be able to pay for it. Since 2001, many states have taken steps to make higher education
Mainstream Memes Have Gone Alternative
BY RAMUEL REYES
Photo Editor rreyes@therampageonline.com
I love memes. Ever since gaining access to the internet in 2007, I’ve found the internet jokes and images to be the most entertaining items online. It was something only a small online community of web surfers understood.
The circulation of internet memes turned into an easy route to make a hate symbol anyone could use.” But now memes are mainstream. You see them shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where millions of people share content, including memes. In this strange political election however, a once-innocent meme
has managed to elevate itself to a new level of infamy; Pepe the Frog. Pepe originated from the comic series “Boy’s Club” by Matt Furie. It quickly became an internet icon being remade in a variety of different emotions. Recently, however, the Anti-Defamation League has classified Pepe the Frog as a hate symbol. It had been extensively used by the “AltRight” movement, who are mostly made up of white nationalists and anti-semites and are typically found online residing in online boards as 4chan. Even Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo of a Pepe meme on his Instagram page. As a long-time internet denizen who has observed this phenomena, I found it to be the most ridiculous thing. Pepe the Frog, a beloved
Illustration/Bobby Brown internet meme, had become a hate symbol? I just couldn’t believe it and now I fear that if I use a Pepe meme, I would be seen as a racist. I suppose the meme’s politicizing was inevitable. With the Alt-Right born out of forums like 4chan, it was only a matter of time before memes would be used for political reasons.
My only hope is for the innocent, harmless Pepe to return to its original meaning.”
11 and the opportunity to work more accessible. The DREAM Act is a state program which has changed state residency requirements to allow undocumented students to pay the same tuition rates as their peers. The law also defers deportation and allows undocumented students to work for 2-year periods at a time. The DREAM act has become law in several states. According to Americanprogress. org, 1.4 million undocumented immigrants qualify for the Dream act. The DREAM act should be enough to guarantee undocumented students are able to work in the field they studied after graduating from college. individuals who have taken the same steps are their American peers should not be denied the opportunity to work solely based on their immigration status in the U.Sbecause they meet the same requirements and work just as hard as Every other student. Most undocumented students were brought to America as children, and if they are responsible enough to avoid trouble with the law and have become model productive citizens of society they should be granted the opportunity to work after college as their American classmates and peers. Fresno City College has a Dream Center which is available to undocumented students.
Edits were made of Pepe in Ku Klux Klan outfits, having a Hitler moustache or even donning a Trump hairdo. The circulation of internet memes turned into an easy route to make a hate symbol anyone could use. The Alt-Right’s use of Pepe made it seem as if the whole movement was a joke at first. I had seen early Alt-Right posts on several websites, remained on the side of “this is all a joke.” The line between a “joke” and a more serious motive has become blurry. The internet trolls have evolved into using memes as a way to elicit a response, baiting the easily angered and confusing the skeptics. I really wasn’t sure if they meant to cause such trouble. But surely in this day and age, no one should assume anything. The Alt-Right really is bigoted and their use of Pepe has corrupted the original meaning of one of my favorite memes, which was only meant for fun at first. I don’t think using Pepe inherently makes you a racist or in support of the Alt-Right. Even the Anti-Defamation League acknowledges that most usages of Pepe are “not bigoted in nature.” Memes, just like words, are inherently not racist. It all lies within the intent of the user in how they craft their communication. Whether it be through memes, songs, words or jokes, any message can be used to hurt other people if crafted for that purpose. Word meanings change over time and Pepe was not obviously not an exception. My only hope, as well as creator Furie, after the election is for the innocent, harmless Pepe to return to its original meaning -- a frog having a bad day.
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016 OPINION 12 FCC Students Weigh in on the Value of the Vote
Campus Voices
BY FRANK LOPEZ
Reporter flopez@therampageonline.com
Pro Diego Denis-Arrue Undecided
“I think it does matter in terms of the grand scheme of things. Everyone should be voting so that we can get what the population wants.”
Matthew Cardenas Criminology
The 2016 election cycle has been the most shocking and confusing presidential race in recent memory. Trump’s extreme right wing platform and infamous language, and Clinton’s email scandal and Democrats supposedly rigging elections, has brought the political chasm to the forefront once again. Whatever party one aligns themselves with politically, a question that always comes up during election season is whether our vote matters or not. To put it simply; yes, your vote does matter. Voting is one of the few ways that the public can still get into political arena. Even though the presidential elections can be seen as an extravaganza run by advertisers and the public relations industry that hardly deals with social and economic issues, voting is still important. With so much power and wealth concentrated in a smwall group of
“I believe it does and I believe all votes matter.”
BY EDWARD SMITH
“Yeah, I think it does. I think that when people say their vote doesn’t matter, that’s just taking away their power.”
Red Wilson Accounting and Music “Yeah, because the aggregate of all the votes makes a difference, and so my voice as a part of that makes a difference.”
They want people to feel helpless and disillusioned... so that they simply won’t participate.” candidate Ralph Nader took enough votes from Al Gore to give the win to George W. Bush, voting for third-party candidates can change the outcomes of elections. However, this has rarely happened in U.S. history. One could argue that our votes don’t matter because even though a candidate might win the popular vote, the Electoral College decides who becomes president. Ultimately, the electoral college does decide who becomes president, but the electoral vote usually corresponds
college represents the will of the legislator’s constituency, but legislators have opted out of the tradition of honoring the will of the people four times in the history of this country. One might say that the electoral college normally abides by our
Copy/Opinion Editor esmith@therampageonline.com
Juan Mendoza English
elites, many economic and foreign policies decisions are made by and for corporate interests; many people that get elected into office are supported by big business to do their bidding. With the nature of the media today, perhaps the public is not as well informed as would be desired for a functioning democracy, but it still has say as to who gets elected into the White House. Obviously votes matter in swing-states, and as shown in the 2000 election where Green Party
Con
Since the birth of this nation, the vote has always been suppressed. It began as a privilege allotted to only land-owning males; then it expanded to universal white male suffrage, to male suffrage and eventually expanded to include women as well. Through all the progress that this country has achieved in the area of inclusion, it seems alarming that one thing has not: the presidential election. To this day, the election to the highest office in the land remains outside the scope of the proletariat’s control, and no work has been done to bring it out of the mire to which it has been relegated. Beyond sheer disenfranchisement, the issue runs deeper than not having a direct route to choosing this country’s leader. Not only has the voice of the populace been silenced, but the entire selection process has been appropriated by others, leading to the overwhelming conclusion that your vote does not matter. In an ideal sense, the electoral
Legislators have opted out of the tradition of honoring the will of the people four times.” decisions, but others might posit that their position was made far before ours was. In more recent history, President George W. Bush lost the popular vote by 540,000 votes and by the end of his presidency, held some of the highest disapproval ratings due to unpopular wars and a collapsed economy. One has to wonder what would have happened should the people have had their way and elected Al Gore. While 9/11 and the housing crisis were tragedies a long time in the making, the American people should be trusted with their opinion as to how these world-changing events should have been handled. Alongside the nationalized theft of the people’s choice is the selection process this country uses to select who even gets on the ballot and is represented on the national stage. Leaked emails between the Democratic Nominee Hillary
with the popular vote; electoral voters are supposed to use the popular vote as a guide for the candidate they choose. However, electors are not legally bound to vote for a candidate just because he has won the popular vote. The price to run a national campaign for presidency has gone up into the billions, and the public relations and advertising industries have made the elections a circus show. The public is constantly bombarded with news about all the bad things the government is doing, so that people feel so disgusted with politics so they don’t want to get involved, or feel like they can’t make a difference. That’s exactly what the people in power want. They want people to feel helpless and disillusioned with the political process so that they simply won’t participate. The main political parties like it because it means less people in the voting pool. Voting should not be seen as an act of self-expression for a candidate they like; it should be seen as a decision that is made with thought and research for the betterment of our nation and people. Admittedly, the voting process is not perfect, and big money and media have a large role in how elections function today, but it is still one of the only realms where the people can still make their voices heard. Any voice, no matter how small, matters. Make your voice heard; vote.
Clinton’s staff and Democratic National Convention Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz show a questionable relationship concerning publicity and support for the other Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders, ensuring that the voice of the people is limited to the establishment’s choices for control. In addition to the two major parties controlling their candidates, the duopoly of the privately-run convention committees have extended the breadth of their control onto the third party stage. Candidates kept out of the spotlight or kept off of polls stand virtually no chance of any legitimate presence in the national dialogue, and third party candidates represent, by definition, an alternative to the binary the nation has been given by those who control it. The debate committee arbitrarily decided that a 15 percent polling was required before any sort of invitation to the debate stage, but in many instances, the major polling sites replaced the names of both major third party candidates with a mere ‘other’ option, limiting the access these alternatives have to right and left approaches to solving problems. The problem of disenfranchisement has become endemic in this nation. With all of the progress made in the area of universal suffrage, the public has continued, almost nefariously and seemingly deliberately, to be outside the scope of our authority. The powers of the presidency may be limited, but as our ability to choose and establish our voices slips from our grasp, we need to take back the power and authority that’s guaranteed in the Constitution.
SPORTS
RAMPAGE
Rams Flex Muscles in Dominant Win Against Columbia, Now 21-1
Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Luplow prepares to serve in a Rams victory against Columbia Oct. 21. Photo/Savanna Manzo easy strikes on the opposing side BY MICHAEL MENDEZ of the net, resulting in the Rams Reporter scoring 12 consecutive points in mmendez@therampageonline.com middle of the set. Columbia was afforded no chances The Fresno City College women’s to score points or build any kind of volleyball team celebrated sophmomentum, with the Rams clinchomore night with a near flawless ing the first set in a 25-5 victory. match in their 3-0 sweep over Sophomore defensive-specialist, Columbia. They dominated in every Carly Kosinski, said that they have aspect of the game, keeping their a solid game plan for each game undefeated conference streak for the and they were able to execute it, season alive . allowing them to get ahead early The win improves the Rams record and finish matches quickly. to 21-1, keeping the Rams a game “Our thought for this game is the ahead of College of the Sequoias in same for each game. It is to get in the Central Valley Conference, while there and take care of business, do the Columbia Miners fall to 2-15. what we need to do on our side of The first set of this series started the net,” Kosinski said. “We limited in an aggressive fashion for the our mistakes and did not give the Rams. They executed strong offenother team any chance to come sive formations that set them up for back, and I felt like we did that
Cubs Will Beat Indians and End World Series Drought BY MICHAEL MENDEZ
Reporter mmendez@therampageonline.com
It has all come down to October for the 2016 event-filled baseball season. The field of 30 teams fighting to call themselves champions has now come down to two; in the World Series between feature the American League champions the Cleveland Indians and the National League champions the Chicago Cubs. The Kansas City Royals, last season’s champions, failed to make the playoffs this season, ensuring that a new champion will be crowned. The question left is who it will be. This World Series has been a long time coming for both franchises, with both teams suffering from the longest title droughts in their respective leagues. The Indians’ last world title win came in 1948 and their last series appearance was in 1997. The Cubs’ last world title came in 1908 and their last series appearance was in 1945. This series could be a low scoring affair due to fierce starting pitchers on both squads. The Cubs have Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester, John Lackey and Jake Arrieta who have shut down teams early, making an easier task for their pitching unit and defense to finish the deal. The Indians have a more solid pitching unit in Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Mike Clevinger, who pitched full games destroying opposing batters. The Indians allowed only eight runs in their championship series against the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Cubs allowed 16 runs in their series against the Los angeles Dodgers,
twice as many as Cleveland. The heart to any baseball team is the ability to score runs with the swing of a bat. The Indians’ batters Brandon Guyer, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Coco Crisp can squeak in runs at hard to hit areas of the field like down the foul line while also sending the ball deep for a home run. Batting is what got Chicago this far in the postseason; smashing the ball in droves with Miguel Montero, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist and Dexter Fowler. Once the Cubs start to hit they are hard to stop. Chicago scored 30 runs in the NLCS to Cleveland’s 12 runs. The biggest thing that can doom the Indians heading into the series is time. Cleveland was playing like the hottest team in baseball heading into the postseason, only losing one game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS before clinching the series in five games. Now they have had to wait a week to see who will face them in the World Series, possibly destroying any momentum in the process. This has affected multiple teams’ performances in the past, like the Detroit Tigers in 2012, the Colorado Rockies in 2007 and Atlanta Braves in 1999. All of these teams would lose their World Series matchups. This will be a close series that will go the distance, but the Cubs are looking like the stronger team. They have a chance of shutting out the Indians hitting while sticking to their powerful offense. Cubs win the World Series 4-3 in seven games.
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10.26.2016 tonight.” The second set started with more of an even balance of scores between the two rosters, with both teams sharing the lead in the rally going with a 5-5 tie. The Rams slowly took control of the second set by using a solid defensive formation, limiting kill strikes on their side of the net, while setting themselves up for kill strikes and aces on the opening serves. The Rams would close out the second set in a 25-12 victory, taking a 2-0 set lead heading into the third. Sophomore outside-hitter Jenna Goldsberry, stated the reason for their success in the game was them taking their time and working on the little things to improve their performance while limiting their mistakes. “Our serving is really good, our strikes were on point and our execution was great,” Goldsberry said. “We just didn’t commit any mistakes to allow them to try to come back at any point in our sets.” The third set would begin with Columbia taking a 1-0 set lead. This would be the only highlight that Columbia would receive during
this set as the Rams responded with a barrage of strikes. They were able to score a series high 22 consecutive points against their opponents. Anything that the Rams wanted to do, they did with little-to-no error. They quickly closed Columbia out in a 25-2 victory, clinching the set and the series. The Rams ended the match scoring 17 ace scores, 12 defensive blocks and a highest point scorer from Rams middle-hitter Kylie O’Keefe. Rams head coach, Kieran Roblee, was very pleased with how her team performed against Columbia. Roblee is confident in her team’s ability to close out the rest of the season and be the team to beat heading into the playoffs. “I am very happy about how we performed out there; not making any mistakes. We go into every match taking it one at a time, focusing on the now, and not what is ahead of us.” Roblee said. “We still have some tough matches ahead of us, but I feel great that we have a team that can finish strong and go far in the postseason.”
Zertuche Leads by Example BY MICHAEL MENDEZ
Reporter mmendez@therampageonline.com
Athletes often struggle when transitioning from high school to college athletics. But there are those like freshman soccer player, Sophia Zertuche, who not only welcome the challenge but go above and beyond what is expected, while being key contributors to their team. Zertuche, an 18-year-old freshman forward who plays for the Fresno City College women’s soccer team, has been playing soccer since she was eight. Zertuche grew up in Madera and played soccer from elementary through high school. During Zertuche’s time at Madera South High School, she accumulated an impressive resume and was selected for the first valley soccer team in 2014 and voted the 2015 forward of the year as well as the team captain in the same year. Zertuche attributes her success in high school to always improving her game in every way possible, and knowing there is always a higher cliff to climb. “I try to always get better, run faster, strike harder and do everything I can to improve my game,” said Zertuche. “Because I know once I get up to this level, it is totally different, as the performance level in college is multiplied.” Her head coach, Oliver Germond, said he saw Zertuche during her time in high school, and felt that she was a talented athlete. He saw in her a strong forward who possesses strong leadership qualities not seen in many first year athletes. “She has done well for us; scoring goals and being able to run quickly to the ball as a forward. She also brings in a good leadership role as a freshman, which is always good to have,” Germond said. “I expect her to have more of a leadership role next season, while bringing the kind of success she has had in high school and translating that here at City as well.”
Photo/FresnoCityCollege.edu The women’s soccer team knows that they have a great athlete in Zertuche who is always doing extra things for her team that don’t necessarily show up on the scoreboard. Second year kicker and team captain, Kristin Thompson, said that Zertuche is a great player who performs well on the field, while setting the tone of how the team should be preparing themselves for games during practices. “She works really hard during practice and always finishes first during drills, which the rest of the team looks up to,” Thompson said. “I feel that this time next year, she has the potential of being one of the top players in the league.” Zertuche looks ahead to what comes next in her life, hoping to continue playing soccer for one more year at Fresno City before transferring to an NCAA University. She wants to play soccer while studying kinesiology in hope of becoming a coach and a physical trainer for other athletes. “I want to coach and train other players,” Zertuche said, “not just in soccer, but in all athletics to help them get recruited to high levels by training athletes of the future.”
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RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
SPORTS
New NBA Season Promises Riveting Action BY MICHAEL FORD
Sports Editor mford@therampageonline.com
The NBA season is all set to tip off, and basketball junkies everywhere are rejoicing as the regular season is about to commence on Oct. 25. This year promises to be just as entertaining as the previous, with mega stars changing jerseys, like Kevin Durant joining the single-season-wins record-setting Golden State Warriors. The western conference is weird this year. A case can be made that there is a prohibitive favorite to make it to the finals in the Warriors, yet simultaneously a healthy amount of parity. After all, the west is absolutely stacked. Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets all have the talent to make it to the western conference finals. But there is one other team that has the best chance to knock off Golden State in the playoffs and it’s the same team that had them on the ropes with a 3-1 in a best-of-seven series last season; the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their talent is undeniable, but there is one extra factor that could potentially work in the favor of the Thunder: revenge. The Thunder cannot possibly help but feel spurned when Durant
basically said to his old team that they were not good enough for him to win a title with, and many took that as a parting shot to his now former superstar teammate Russell Westbrook. These two squads are going to meet again in the western conference finals, and it is going to be a proverbial bloodbath. The team with the overwhelming talent wins way more often than not, and that is why the Warriors will end up in the finals yet again. The eastern conference is almost as brutally tough as the west. The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers have a tall order in front of them to make it back to the finals. Teams like Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards all have very formidable rosters, yet are not expected to seriously challenge the Cavs for the eastern conference crown. The two teams that have the best opportunity to knock off the champs are the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors. Toronto’s defense is their calling card, especially on the perimeter, and that
is what is crucial to have in order to beat any team with LeBron James on it. Boston is very similar as they also are a team that relies on stopping the other team from scoring. The main difference is the two teams’ offensive capabilities. Both teams have some very good talent, but coaching will be the determining factor as to who gets to the eastern finals to play the Cavs, who are all but a shoe-in to make it to that point with all of their talent. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has already established himself as one of the bright young coaches in the game of basketball in his three
seasons at the helm. They will rely on their stout defense to get past Toronto and face Cleveland to determine who plays the Warriors. Cleveland will take care of business and set up round three of the Warriors versus Cavs saga, with both teams winning one a piece. In an absolute classic, Golden State will utilize the deadly shooting from the perimeter to create spacing for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to penetrate the basket and finish or dish it to one of the myriad of marksman for open jump shots. Cleveland will counter with an attack that relies on isolation too much at times which will allow the Warriors to set their defense up in half court situations, when they are really tough to score on. The Warriors will christen their newfound superstar in Durant with a second championship in three seasons, and they will be celebrating by the bay once more.
Results and Upcoming Games Men’s Soccer
Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Soccer
10/11 at Modesto, 2-2 T
10/12 vs Sequoias, 3-0 W
10/11 vs West Hills, 4-0 W
10/14 vs SJD, 3-0 W
10/14 vs West Hills, 3-0 W
10/14 at Cerro Coso, 1-0 W
10/18 vs Cosumnes River, 5-2 W
10/19 at Merced, 3-0 W
10/18 vs Solano, 1-0 L
10/21 at Folsom Lake, 1-0 W
10/21 vs Columbia, 3-0 W
10/21 at Sequoias, 6-0 W
10/25 at West Hills,
10/26 at Taft, 6 p.m.
10/25 at Taft, 1 p.m.
10/28 vs Clovis, 4 p.m.
11/2 at Porterville, 6 p.m.
10/28 at Clovis, 4 p.m.
11/1 at Taft, 3 p.m.
11/4 at Cerro Coso, 5 p.m.
11/1 at West Hills, 3 p.m.
11/4 at Sequoias, 3 p.m.
11/9 vs Reedley, 6 p.m.
11/4 vs Sequoias, 4 p.m.
11/11 vs West Hill, 3p.m.
11/8 vs Taft, 3 p.m.
SPORTS
RAMPAGE
10.26.2016
15
Rams’ tight end Coltin Velasquez breaks a tackle after making a catch during the Rams’ homecoming game loss to Modesto Junior College on Oct. 22 at Ratcliffe Stadium. Photo/Larry Valenzuela.
Rams’ Missed Field Goal Seals Homecoming Defeat BY MICHAEL FORD
Sports Editor mford@therampageonline.com
Homecoming is a time for the celebration of former Rams players who come back to watch their team play and win. Modesto Junior College obviously did not get the memo as they handed the Rams their second consecutive loss. The loss sends the Rams to a record of 3-4, ostensibly ending their chance to reach the postseason, although the team remains alive for
a berth in a bowl game. Offense appeared like it would be the word of the day as both teams scored two touchdowns within the first eight minutes of the first quarter, including a huge 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Rams’ sophomore running back, Jamal Pickett, and a 65-yard catch and run for a touchdown by running back, Nate Jones. Jones, a sophomore playing in the second homecoming game of his career as a Ram, had a wonderful day statistically, rushing for 96 yards on nine attempts and adding another 73 yards through the air
Rams’ kicker Erik Zamora attempts a field goal during the Rams homecoming loss to Modesto Junior College on Oct. 22. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
with two touchdowns, raising his total to four on the season. “Everything went right,” Jones said. “That’s all it was. . . and we just executed, but when it came down to that last drive, we just didn’t execute enough, so my day was alright, but it could have been better with a W.” With just under a minute to go and Fresno trailing 28-27 due to a missed extra point by the Rams’ kicker, Rams’ running back Jamal Pickett returns a kick in the Rams homecoming Erik Zamora, in the third game loss against Modesto Junior College on Oct. 22 at Ratcliffe Stadium. quarter, Fresno was still Photo/Larry Valenzuela in a position where they could steal the game and “If we took a sack, we would be out send all of the home team fans off of field goal range. I thought that it happy, but it wasn’t to be. was our best opportunity to win the The Rams moved the ball down game.” the field in a hurry, despite some Zamora was unable to hit, pulling questionable penalty calls, but then the kick to the left of the uprights, were in position to kick a game essentially sealing the victory for winning field goal with just 10 the visitors. seconds remaining from Modesto’s “He’s our brother and I feel bad 12 yard line. for him,” Jones said of Zamora. “I Zamora had struggled up to that know he’s thinking about it and point in the season, but head coach nobody’s perfect so we just need to Tony Caviglia decided to send out keep on working.” his kicker to attempt a 29-yard field The Rams will keep working hard goal to win the game. indeed as the road doesn’t get any “I thought that it was the right easier from here on out. Fresno hits spot for Erik. If we would have the road next against Laney Colthrown the ball to the middle of the lege, leader in the National-Valley field, we would have had to rush division with a five game winning the field goal out there and that’s streak. not too good,” Caviglia said about his decision to kick the field goal instead of trying for the endzone.
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RAMPAGE 10.12.2016
SPORTS
ELECTION 2016
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016
Candidates Rely on Voters for Campaign Marketing BY ERIC ZAMORA
ting noticed. Campaign officials told Reuters in May that fans of both Sanders and Trump have together spent nearly $20 million on merchandise including clothing, stickers and other items. “Merchandise is a great way of getting your message out there, of engaging people and of raising money,” said Laura Ries, president of branding consultancy Ries & Ries, in an interview with Reuters. Both Clinton and Sanders collaborated with well known designers and artists in their 2016 presidential campaigns to create special, noticeable merchandise for supporters to exhibit. Clinton’s limited-edition “Made for History” collection features T-shirts and accessories by fashion designers such as Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg. Sanders collaborated with Shepard Fairey, the artist and founder of OBEY Clothing, on a T-shirt for his campaign. Trump is the outlier in this aspect, detached from any renowned artist or designer. Yet, his red trucker-style hat with a “Make America Great Again” stitching at the front is arguably the
most talked about item of the 2016 election campaigns. The clothing is meant to please the different supporters of each candidate. According to a September poll by the Washington Post, Clinton has more support among college graduates, post graduates, voters aged 18-39 and women overall. Next to that wide support, Clinton picked up a rare endorsement from Vogue magazine, a fashion publication which has never endorsed a candidate before. According to the Condé Nast website, Vogue’s readers are 87 percent women, with 66 percent having some form of college education and the median age being 38. In this case, the demographics of both audiences overlap. With those details in mind, Clinton’s collaboration with established designers makes sense. Sanders was in similar circumstances earlier this year. During his campaign, he consistently had strong support from young voters, gaining support from about 70 percent of young voters during his primary campaign according to the Economist. OBEY Clothing similarly has a young audience. Other brands with a younger and alternative voter base like UNIF
Clothing also created their own merchandise in support of Sanders. Both brands used their leverage with younger audiences to elevate the Vermont senator. “Bernie needs help from people like you and me, and I think he’ll look out for the needs of people like you and me,” said Fairey, designer of the OBEY and Sanders t-shirt collaboration, in a statement on Instagram. In contrast, Trump has depended on the simplicity of his designs to make his voice heard. The signature red hat has become the identifying symbol of a Trump supporter. But the distinct emblem has also attracted the attention of anti-Trump voters as well. Comedians, musicians, and others have created parody versions of his hat. Television host John Oliver created a “Make Donald Drumpf Again” hat, using a similar style to the design used by Trump. The new phrase is meant to be humorous, but at first glance the hat looks just like Trump’s merchandise. In the attempt to make a statement through a parody product, people may be inadvertently advertising for Trump in the process. In a way, Trump has succeeded more than the two other candidates when it came to fashion merchandise. It has not only amassed attention from his supporters, but from the overall public. Its cultural impact is undeniable. Popular slogans like “I’m With Her,” “Feel the Bern” or “Make America Great Again” are important in the life of a political campaign, but finding a way to spread a candidate’s message is even more important. In this election year, it is evident that fashion advertisements through human billboards are an essential way to increase awareness.
Area 3
Rampage. Miller was included in the debate, but eventually lost the race to Joaquin Arambula.
Area 6
Ted Miller, 60, is a retired engineer and pilot with a master’s degree in business and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He has also worked in technology management, according to the Fresno Bee voter guide. Miller is in favor of Prop 55, which would give money to schools by continuing to tax incomes over $250,000. According to the voter guide, Miller thinks it’s important to use a bidding process for Measure C funds, to keep voters’ trust. He also wants to keep workers local by hiring and training students for jobs. Keeping down college costs to keep students out of debt is also on Miller’s radar. He also wants to make it easier for qualified nursing students to be accepted into the nursing program by ensuring the program has the resources it needs to admit more students. A conflict arose between Miller and the Associated Student Government in February when he fought to be included in the Assembly District 31 debate on the Fresno City College campus. The ASG student trustee, Cody Sedano, threatened to step down, claiming Miller put pressure on the administration to be included in the debate. A video of Miller scolding Sedano in an OAB hallway is on the website of the
John Z. Leal has been the vice president of the State Center Community College District board of trustees since 2012, according to the district website. He also represents Area 3. Leal is an alumnus of Fresno City College and has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Fresno State. He has a lifetime standard secondary teaching credential and a master’s degree in education from Fresno Pacific University. Now retired, Leal was a former principal at Caruthers High School and assistant principal at Roosevelt High School. He was also a boy’s varsity soccer coach at Clovis West High School and now referees soccer matches throughout the valley.
Deborah J. Ikeda, 64, recently retired as president of Clovis Community College. In 1981, she arrived at Fresno City College and served as the associate dean of students in counseling and guidance. Ikeda also served in an interim position during the 2003-2004 year. Ikeda became president of Clovis Community College in 2013, pushing for the accreditation it needed to become California’s 113th community college. Ikeda earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and completed her doctoral coursework at Fresno State and the UC Davis Joint Doctoral Program. She is a board member at St. Agnes Hospital and a trustee for the California Health Science University. She’s also a board chair for the Clovis Chamber of Commerce. Ikeda was named one of the top 10 professional business women in 2014 by the Marjaree Mason Center. In her candidate statement, Ikeda said more technical and vocational training for veterans is needed and she’d like to see a new police and fire training facility built with Measure C funds.
David L. Rowell is an attorney in Clovis with nursing and law degrees, according to votersedge.com. Rowell’s top three priorities, if elected, include spending Measure C funds on local contracts and workers, making sure the district has an adequate amount of prepared staff to ensure students’ success and boosting technical education and university level preparation.
Reporter ezamora@therampageonline.com
For many people, a witty campaign slogan is the first thing they remember about a candidate. The 2016 presidential election has proven that a catchphrase can be just as important as what a candidate says or does. These slogans have become ubiquitous in our culture, appearing on television, heard on radio and ultimately read on merchandise that can be worn. The political merchandise of candidates such as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump has made a fashionable impact on America’s voters. Candidates want as much visibility as possible, and catchy apparel is one way of get-
Patrick E. Patterson was elected to the district’s board of trustees once before in 1983, and currently represents Area 6, according to the district website. Patterson, a retired police captain for the City of Clovis, graduated from the University of Southern California in 1974 with a master’s degree in public administration. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in social science and economics from Cal Poly Pomona, and a liberal arts associate’s degree from Citrus Junior College. Patterson, 72, is a member of the SCCCD Foundation Board. According to the Fresno Bee voter guide, Patterson wants to narrow down the list of prospective nursing students by making SCCCD students a priority on the waiting list. Patterson wants to keep all of the contracts for Measure C transparent, and he is in favor of a bidding process to make sure this happens.
RAMPAGE 10.26.2016 EDITORIAL
Trump Should Never Be President of the United States BY RAMPAGE EDITORIAL BOARD
editorial@therampageonline.com
Democrat Hillary Clinton is presumably the next president of the United States. She is even expected to take the Oval Office with historic numbers. According to FiveThirtyEight, which uses statistical analysis to understand elections, Clinton has an 87.3 percent chance of winning the presidency, compared to a 12.6 percent chance for Republican Donald Trump, whose chances dwindle as the election nears. But, as historic as Clinton’s candidacy is, she would not be on the verge of victory if it were not for Trump’s vapid and doomed candidacy. Clinton couldn’t have asked for a more beatable opponent. In emails released by WikiLeaks, it appeared the Clinton campaign had urged the Democratic National Committee to elevate “Pied Piper” Republican candidates like Trump. Her campaign had taken advantage of the reckless GOP candidate. While the DNC may be to blame for Trump, it doesn’t dispel the fact that there are real people in America who believe Trump’s views. So when Trump emerged as the Republican frontrunner, the stage was set for the ugliest presidential campaign in modern history -- an extremist right-wing candidate with dangerous views against a woman with all the right experiences but who is very mistrusted by many voters. Undoubtedly, Trump’s candidacy speaks to millions of Americans. Trump supporters are genuinely afraid of change and possibly a better future, but they become afraid when a maniac distorts reality and fills their minds with gross levels of misinformation. However, in an election where Trump has interest in sexually assaulting women, described Mexican immigrants as rapists and murderers and called for an “extreme vetting” of Muslims, he has alienated almost all segments of the population. It seems that all Clinton needs to do is simply stand by and say nothing. She has the added advantage of a news media that pays more attention to her opponent. Less than two weeks before this crucial election, the choice for leadership is reduced to the lesser of two evils -- not healthy in such a diverse democracy. How did we get to this? A third party is not an option when a disastrous candidate like Trump has a chance at the White House. As in all cases, the slightly less malignant of the two evils must emerge — and Clinton is that lesser evil. Trump, who has zero experience in any type of publicly elected office setting, inherently represents the greater evil. However, Clinton has many flaws that voters should make her aware of if she is elected president. Trump’s view to “Make America Great Again” is a lazy approach to
Illustration/Frank Lopez fixing the issues this country is facing. When pressed on exactly how America can be made great again, Trump’s supporters often choke and offer nothing, just like their candidate Trump who doesn’t always know what “great” actually means. Trump’s behavior and rhetoric has encouraged people to display racist views. He is reviving America’s racist past. Trump’s demagoguery is destructive and divisive. He says a judge cannot do his legal duty because he is Mexican. He openly condemns innocent immigrants while refusing to condemn violent, white supremacists supporting him. He allows a black person to be beaten up at his rally for protesting his racist views and he uses stereotypes to describe Jewish people. Trump exhibits an abhorrent core and has disproven the many who have tried to justify his words or actions. Trump’s own supporters are often at a loss on how to explain or justify his words or comments. At times, it doesn’t make sense to even begin to try. Trump says he will be the best “jobs president,” vowing to create 25 million new jobs. “You watch, it’ll happen,” he said during a lunchtime meeting in September where he announced his economic plan, according to a Politico report. But how caTrump truly promise to create jobs when he himself is responsible for profiting from overseas labor instead of products made in America? According to the Washington Post, Donald J. Trump collection shirts and suits, as well as eyeglasses and perfume, are made in Bangladesh, China, Honduras and many other countries where workers are paid low wages. Trump is a danger to the working class. He claims to be against world trade deals, yet he manages to find himself trading products made in other countries. Trump also claims he can change the laws that allow outsourcing, saying in a debate that “nobody knows it better than me.” Trump thinks Americans are fools and he cannot be trusted as someone to change laws when he openly admits to taking advantage of laws for personal gain. He doesn’t take
Americans or their issues seriously. Trump even contradicts himself on issues he claims are important. During the first debate, but not limited to it, Trump insisted he did not claim on Twitter that climate change was a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese. A post from 2012 on his Twitter account, stating exactly that, proves otherwise. He even contradicted his own words when he denied saying Japan and Saudi Arabia should be allowed to hold nuclear weapons. The world is not safe under a Trump presidency and America is poised to lose its place in the world if a non-leader like him becomes president. Perhaps Trump doesn’t understand the hazards of nuclear weapons, but he has flirted with the idea of using nuclear weapons as simply as the Obama administration has operated its drone strikes in the Middle East. Trump is very mistaken and his decisions could be catastrophic and inherently make America and the world a much, much less safe place if nuclear weapons become a way of dealing with enemies. Trump has proven to be much more menacing than the innocent immigrants he bashes. His claims that Syrian immigrants allowed in the U.S. are linked to ISIS are as absurd as his claims that he can fix this country. For example, his plan to build a wall on the country’s border with Mexico is continually undermined by the fact that Mexico will never pay for such a wall. After a rare visit to Mexico during his presidential campaign, Trump insisted that he had spoken with Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto about payment for the wall. But Nieto later announced Mexico would indeed not be paying for the wall. Trump’s promises are damaging to his supporters, who seek real solutions to fixing a broken immigration system. Trump doesn’t show bipartisan leaning toward a comprehensive reform of the country’s immigration policy. He only spills his raw, and often ridiculous, opinions on the matter and encourages his supporters even when his positions may not be realistic. His plan to cut the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gives eligible immigrants a temporary legal work permit, is a threat to the progress the Obama administration has made in immi-
ELECTION 2016
gration reform. But, nothing is more ludicrous than the notion that over 12 million undocumented immigrants will be deported. In all of his speeches, he never acknowledges that a good portion of these undocumented immigrants did not come from Mexico and his approach to return people to their native countries may not only cost the country a fortune, but will sever relationships with foreign countries. Fifty-two percent of undocumented immigrants are from Mexico according to Pew Research. That means that the other half of undocumented immigrants come from dozens of other countries throughout the world. During a recent visit to Fresno, Trump’s speech on issues of importance to the Central Valley was too general and lacking in specificity; it mostly dealt with whipping the crowd into a frenzy about ways to deal with Clinton. He came across as either ignorant or willfully dismissive of critical concerns. For example, he stated outright that California did not have a drought and that claims are fictitious. Currently, the state of California classifies the state in “exceptional drought,” with the entire state facing some kind of drought. The United States Geological Survey even shows California is in its fifth year of drought; the state was declared in a state of emergency in 2014. How can a country troubled by climate change elect someone who denies the very issues at its core? Isn’t part of making the country great understanding its challenges? How can Trump lead an effort to fix problems that he won’t even acknowledge? In his Fresno visit, his supporters did not realize he does not comprehend the real issues this country faces. Hammered on policy on one side by rival Clinton and forcibly questioned on the other side by the press, Trump is simply not fit to be the commander of this great nation and its people. During a brief but hoggish visit to a ranch in rural Tulare where supporters paid anywhere from $2,700 and $25,000 to see him, Trump did not publicise an articulate and credible agriculture policy platform. Maybe, it is the lack of details that keep Trump’s supporters hooked. His website does not even list a position on agriculture even though a Politico report in August revealed Trump had indeed formed an “A-team” on agricultural policy. However, that team also did not have a clear vision. His childish, but dangerous and indecent behavior is also responsible for his atrocious comments about women. Trump has labeled the natural action of breastfeeding as “disgusting” while minimizing women to “pieces of ass.” He even alleged Clinton could not “satisfy” in reference to her husband’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. We all want a great country; we cannot elect someone who has shown no understanding of what greatness is all about. Nor can we trust someone who incites violence at rallies and then blames the violence on his opponent. It also means that we should not elect someone with an explosive temperament and who is is easily provoked by comments about his behavior. Say no to Trump on Nov. 8.