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APRIL 27, 2017
IMAGE COURTESY OF JOSH MENDOZA
In the March for Science on April 22, Riverside residents and RCC Student Sustainability Collective members show their support for science research and disagree with president Donald Trump’s budget cuts.
Students advocate for science Many come together to express their disagreement with science research budget cuts SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @RCCviewpoints
Hundreds of Riverside residents gathered in downtown Riverside for the March for Science on April 22, including Riverside City College students from the Student Sustainability Collective. The march was one of many that took place across the country in support for scientists, fact-based research and environmental preservation. “It’s amazing to meet so many bright people who take the time to stand up
for what matters,” march attendee Mary Coppin said. The marches serve to protest President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to the science budget. Protesters are demanding Trump take science into account when making policy decisions on the environment and research. “My administration is committed to advancing scientific research that leads to a better understanding of our environment and of environmental risks,” Trump said in an Earth Day statement. However, in his budget outline released last month, Trump showed planned funding cuts to programs such as the Department of
Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency. “The fact that we have to rally support for clear facts speaks volumes about the state of our society,” march attendee Jonathan Devon said. Over the years, scientists have not been viewed as political figures, but the election and inauguration of Trump has spurred many in the scientific community into action. “We value our intellectual abilities. We value science,” said Cal State Fullerton student Jeff D. Rosenblum to the Orange County Register. The march also featured speakers
from the science community, including UC Riverside’s Dr. Michelle Duennes. Duennes is a postdoctoral researcher of entomology, the study of insects. “Learning about evolution made me feel more connected to the world,” said Duennes. “It made me more invested in the future of our planet.” The People’s Climate Rally, another science promoting organization, will hold a rally April 29 to protest the president’s attack on “the hard-won protections of our climate, health and communities.” “I am moved by how many people across the country defend science,” Duennes said. “The fight does not end today.”
Women’s swim team wins championship pg. 6
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April 27, 2017
News
CAMPUS CR IMES Hit and Run Property Damage April 4 A black 2017 Toyota Camry was damaged in the parking structure by an identified suspect at 7:45 a.m.
RCC recognizes forgotten figures
DUI April 9 A non-student was arrested on Market and University for driving under the influence at 8:29 p.m. Petty Theft April 13 An unidentified suspect stole a food product from the cafeteria at 6:30 a.m. Petty Theft April 17 An unidentified suspect stole supplies from the Art Building at 4:30 p.m. Vandalism April 19 The Lovekin restrooms were vandalized with graffiti by an unidentified suspect at 12:20 a.m. Hit and Run Property Damage April 19 A 2013 Hyundai Elantra was damaged in the parking structure by an unidentified suspect at 1:24 p.m. Hit and Run Property Damage April 19 A 2007 Honda Civic was damaged in Lot B by an unidentified suspect at 2:58 p.m. Violation of Parole April 23 An adult non-student was arrested in the Culinary Arts building for violation of parole at 8:05 p.m. Petty Theft April 24 An unidentified suspect stole $800 from the Room 22D in the Quadrangle at 4:02 p.m.
IMAGE COURTESY OF DJEHUTY SE HOTEP
Mzuri Moyo enacts the story of a voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, who once served a vice chairperson of the Mississippi Democratic Party. SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @RCCviewpoints
Broadway actress Mzuri Moyo honored civil rights activist, Fannie Lou Hamer, in a one-woman performance April 21. Hamer was a voting rights activist who served as a vice chairperson of the Mississippi Democratic Party and as a representative at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Despite the pivotal role she played in the civil rights movement, Hamer is a forgotten figure in history classrooms. “Most people don’t know her name, but I am moved by her story,” Moyo said. In the weeks before the performance, teachers on campus were asked to question their students on their knowledge of the civil rights movement.
The results demonstrated the limited information students had been given, with most only having knowledge of figures such as Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For Dr. Wolde-Ab Isaac, this was disappointing but unsurprising. “We are not very wellinformed on the civil rights movement in this country,” Isaac said. It is for this reason that Moyo describes her play as the “the story of the forgotten people.” Moyo has performed this play in more than 20 states since first writing it in 2001. Throughout her performance, Moyo’s depiction of Hamer pushed the importance of exercising the right to vote as well as remaining informed. “People vote for what they don’t know, for what they don’t understand,” Isaac said.
K r i s t i Wo o d s , d e a n o f the History, Philosophy and Humanities department, was moved to tears by Moyo’s performance. “The songs from the civil rights movement were the songs of my childhood,” Woods said. Woods was not the only one to become overwhelmed by the emotions that Moyo brought to her performance. “It is a pity that words are enough to express one’s feelings,” Isaac said. Though the performance was based on events of the past, Moyo made connections to the political and human climates that are faced today. The topics addressed included police brutality and the fight for reproductive rights. “Those who want to suppressed live in darkness,” Isaac said. “We must remain aware that the darkness is always weakened by the light.”
CNN analyst advises minorities LESLIE SANTABANEZMOLINA @RCCviewpoints
A Riverside City College Diversity Committee sponsored event brought students and parents together in the Digital Auditorium on April 20 to hear CNN in Spanish legal analyst Elena Sahagun speak. The goal was to inform AB540 and undocumented students about the process and requirements needed to obtain aid from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Sahagun said she wanted to inspire students to not give up in the hard times the immigrant community is facing through this administration. “Do not be discouraged, don’t let that negativity shape your
decisions.” Sahagun said. “We need to stop thinking we cannot shape the future.” She described her journey as a young girl in becoming a U.S citizen through the amnesty program in the 80s. As a young mother, she attended Chapman University as one of the few minority students there, she knew every statistic was stacked against her but managed to graduate anyway. Now her son, a former RCC student, graduated from Cal State Los Angeles. She managed to beat the odds and now she wanted the students to not be afraid of achieving their dreams. DACA allows those that qualify to have work permits and live in the United States with less fear. Several requirements need to
be met to obtain DACA. First one must know that DACA is not a green card, students are not allowed to leave the U.S. and run the risk of being deported if they do so. Those applying for DACA must also be enrolled in school and must not take shortcuts due to check ups. By June 15 2012 students must have been 30 years or younger. They must have entered the country before 16 years of age and have proof such as school transcripts. If an applicant has a criminal record such as a misdemeanor it will affect their ability to obtain DACA, even a single misdemeanor will make an applicant ineligible for DACA. Three or more misdemeanors are considered significant. A
See DACA on Page 3
STACY SORIANO | VIEWPOINTS
CNN’s Spanish legal analyst Elena Sahagun, stands before AB540 and undocumented students to explain the process and requirements needed for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
News
April 27, 2017
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‘You have to understand we can’t be out partying with friends’ DACA from Page 2 applicant spent 90 days or more in jail is considered crucial. Drug or domestic violence related charges will make obtaining DACA impossible. Misdemeanors in which an applicant was caught driving without a license will not be put against them. Sahagun advised the students to be good and behave. Undocumented students do not
have the luxuries their U.S. citizen friends have. “You have to understand we can’t be out partying with friends,” Sahagun said. In order to maintain DACA status applicants must renew their application based on the renewal date on their work permit. Each time they renew they must pay $495 fee. It is advised to renew the application 4-5 months ahead of time due to the long process.
If applicants fail to renew their application it will be as if they never had DACA. One thing Sahagun warned about was immigration fraud. She has seen several clients being scammed by notaries and paralegals. Notaries have a good reputation in Latin America since they have an education higher than lawyers. One thing she wants everyone to know is that they have rights.
Neil Gorsuch fills Supreme Court seat
Her card has immigration rights on one side that can be handed to police in order for people to maintain their silence and not be incriminated against. “I am giving you this card because I don’t wish to speak with you...I choose my right to remain silent and refuse to answer any questions” Sahagun said. Her number follows, so the officer can contact her. She has seen too many clients speak and
give away their status. This card is a way to allow people to remain silent, especially if they don’t speak English. RCC student Nora Gonzalez saw the meeting as being informative and liked that Sahagun was approachable. “I think it is information people should know even if you’re a citizen,” Gonzalez said.
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News Briefs Email Transition
Riverside Community College District is making adjustments to student emails starting April 2017. “The new system will be more secure, and Office 365 also provides additional tools and resources, which the District believes will assist you in your pursuit of your educational goals.” said RCCD. It will transition from donotreply@student.rcc.edu to donotreply@ student.rccd.edu. The new email address is representative of the whole RCC district, as opposed to only one campus. The RCC student email is one of the best ways to keep in contact with current updates on campus. The school email is the primary source of communication between students and faculty. Through the school emailing system students receive notifications about important events going on at school, as well as important information about student services. Student services are continuously offered to support academic success and financial assistance while attending any of the three RCCD campuses.
13th Film Screening
On April 26, RCC’s Art Department will be putting on a screening of “13th”, a thought-provoking documentary that analyzes the thirteenth amendment and how it led to the criminalization of African Americans. The documentary feature interviews with scholars, activists and politicians that will take a look at the prison boom in the United States and how its consequences go far beyond the inmates.
Route to RCC
IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
Neil Gorsuch accepts president Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination April 10. SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @RCCviewpoints
Over a year after the unexpected death of Antonin Scalia, the vacated Supreme Court seat was filled by Neil Gorsuch April 10. “To my new colleagues and the staff of the Supreme Court, thank you for the very warm welcome. I look forward to many happy years together,” Gorsuch said at his public confirmation. Before being nominated to the Supreme Court’s vacant seat, Gorsuch served as a judge on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado since 2006 with a background that included education at Harvard Law School and Oxford. Gorsuch’s confirmation comes after a messing partisan fight that ultimately led to Sen. Mitch McConnell to invoking what has been called the “nuclear option,” allowing
Republicans to end debate with a simple majority, rather than the traditional minimum of 60 votes. M c C o n n e l l ’s r o l e i n Gorsuch’s confirmation did not go unacknowledged. “I especially want to express our gratitude to Sen. Mitch McConnell for all that he did to make this achievement possible,” President Donald Trump said. While the confirmation of Gorsuch does not change the overall makeup of the Supreme Court in terms of party representation, the conduct that was used has caused many to question the legitimacy of Gorsuch’s confirmation. A lot of awnger also stemmed from the fact that Republican lawmakers refused to consider federal Judge Merrick Garland, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama a month after Scalia’s death in February 2016, insisting that the next president should choose the nominee. However, many Democrat
leaders showed support for Gorsuch during his four-day confirmation hearing, citing his commitment to the rule of law being a surefire sign that he would be a good fit for the Supreme Court. “He has a record as a balanced, meticulous and well respected jurist who understands the rule of law,” North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said. The lineup of court cases that Gorsuch will now play a deciding vote in include religious liberties cases that have been delayed for months, signaling a probable deadlock among the eight justices. Gorsuch’s confirmation was met with the praise of President Trump, who listed Gorsuch’s confirmation as a top priority for his first 100 days in office plan. “And I got it done in the first 100 days,” Trump said at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. “You think that’s easy?”
RCC’s Welcome Center will showcase the best of RCC to perspective students April 29. Potential students will be on campus to learn about RCC’s programs of study as well as see the amazing work that RCC students are putting towards bettering their futures. Guitar Festival RCC’s Music Department will be putting on a festival featuring performances from CC Guitar Ensemble, students and alumni May 6. This public event will also be hosting a competition will give high school students the opportunity to receive a scholarship for RCC’s Music program, in order to study guitar, as well as a classical guitar once enrolled. Scholarships will also be given to students that earn second and third place.
RCC Job & Career Fair
RCC’s Career Center will be hosting a job fair to encourage students to connect, network and get jobs. The fair will be held in the RCC Quadrangle Courtyard from 9:30 am to 12 pm. The event is free to all students and community members. It is a great opportunity for anyone seeking employment and new networking connections. Various representatives from local employers will be setting up spaces in which students can visit and ask questions. Attendees are even encouraged to bring copies of their resume for employers who may be currently hiring.
Corrections from the April 6 issue In the article, “Let’s call terrorism what it is” on page 6 of the March 23 issue and on the correction of the April 6 issue, we incorrectly stated the amount President Donald Trump promised to increase the military’s budget. Trump has proposed to increase the military funding by 10 percent.
The “It’s Only Another Beer” Black and Tan 8 oz. pilsner lager 8 oz. stout lager 1 frosty mug 1 icy road 1 pick-up truck 1 10-hour day 1 tired worker A few rounds with the guys Mix ingredients. Add 1 totalled vehicle.
Never underestimate ‘just a few.’ Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
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SPORTS
April 27, 2017
- Michael Phelps
Swim wins OEC championship “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get,”
The Riverside City College women’s team dominated the competition and took the No. 1 spot CAMERON WINSTON @RCCviewpoints
The Riverside City College women’s swim team took the Orange Empire Conference Championship on April 20-22 from Orange Coast College, who had won the title nine years in a row. The Tigers put up 802 total points in the event to beat the Pirates who came in second with 712 points. “I was hoping by the end of the meet we would still be up by 15 or 20 points and squeak a win but the girls just went ahead and overachieved,” head coach Doug Finfrock said. “(They) swam really well and ended up winning fairly easily on that last day.” Four time All-American Emily Martin won the women’s 100 and 200 breaststroke while breaking a conference and school record in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:27.30. The conference record was previously held by Tori Cree of Golden West College who had a time of 2:29.76, according to the OEC conference website. Martin also broke her own school record that she had set last year. Mary Myers, who is also a four time All-American, won both the 100 and 200 backstroke and broke a 10-year-old school record for the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.31. Finfrock, who won the accolade of Orange Empire Conference Coach of the
ANDREW BRADY | VIEWPOINTS
Model for the A.G. Paul Quadrangle changes that are slated to start the summer.
STACY SORIANO | VIEWPOINTS
Riverside City College swimmers (top) Kelly Perez (middle) Serina Prado and (bottom) Josceline Godinez practice the breast stroke in preparation for the California Community College Athletic Association Championships on April 25. Year, said his concept is being a part of something bigger and credits the whole staff around him. “This one was really more about a group
effort,” Finfrock said. “Our staff is pretty tight here. We all support one another and we all help each other get better. Yeah, my name goes on it I guess, but it’s never
really a single person thing, it’s more of an accolade for the entire aquatics staff.” The team has two weeks to train and get ready for the state playoffs.
Tennis players qualify for Ojai Valley Tournament CAMERON WINSTON @RCCviewpoints
The Riverside City College women’s tennis team qualified two individual players and three doubles teams for the 117th Annual Ojai Valley Tournament. Hana Papaco and Ellia Rosado qualified for singles play while the tandems of Papaco and Gabrielle Ante qualified for doubles action along with Samantha Moreto and
Rosado. Ashley Bauman and Nani Nguyen also qualified for doubles competition. Rosado, who started playing tennis in her freshmen year in high school, never expected to play tennis at RCC. She said she still wants to focus on her mental strategy. “I’m always someone who wants to always do their best,” she said. “I’m really hard on myself, and when you’re really hard on myself I get tight and do bad. So, it’s just really being on my mental game.” Meanwhile Bauman is confident going into Ojai although she has a new partner
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this season. Bauman said her and Nguyen have found a lot of success in each other, but there are some obstacles when it comes to playing with a new partner. “It’s tough learning how to communicate with someone because you have to uplift your partner,” she said. “You can’t be hard on them or else it will be difficult to pull a win out at all. Even if you’re frustrated, you have to be uplifting and you have to learn how to do that with a whole new person.” Although Ante was disappointed that she
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was not able to qualify for singles play she is satisfied to be able to continue to play in doubles and has maintained the same mental approach. “Practice! Practice! Practice!,” Ante said. “I’m not going to go into Ojai thinking this is an easy win, but I want to make sure that I put myself in 100 percent practice mode because I always like to think do your worse in practice. “Do the most you can in practice and then it will hopefully translate into your games.”
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LIFE Fast and Furious finishes first April 27, 2017
“No matter where you are whether its a quarter mile away or halfway across the world. You’ll always be family,”
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- Dominic Toretto
The Fate of the Furious remains at No.1 of box office selling over 700 million worldwide @Ayo_Paola0817
MOVIE REVIEW: SPOILERS AHEAD
You could hear the revving of race car engines and the burning of car tires as “The Fate of the Furious” the eighth movie to the Fast and the Furious franchise arrived in theaters April 14. The final scene of “Fast 7” left fans with broken hearts with the late Paul Walker’s character Brian O’Conner driving off leaving fans questioning how the storyline was going to continue. Walker’s death affected not only how the movie was going to finish, but also how the storyline of the franchise would continue without him. The opening scene of the movie takes the audience back to the what the original “Fast and the Furious” movie was about, street racing. The scene starts off in the streets of sunny Havana, Cuba, with Dominic Toretto (Diesel) behind the wheel of a classic 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline as he races a 1956 Ford Fairlane in an attempt to win his cousin’s car back, while on his honeymoon with his wife Letty
Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez). The cars that were used in this movie to no surprise came with a hefty price tag. Cars such as an orange Lamborghini Murcielago, Jaguar F-Type Coupe, Dodge Ice Charger, Ripsaw, Subaru BR-Z and a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray were used. The cars weren’t the only thing that made the movie, the family storyline that the franchise has built throughout the last couple of movies was put to the test. With each new movie in the franchise new characters are introduced. Charlize Theron plays the hacking villain Cipher, Helen Mirren plays Magdalene Shaw and Scott Eastwood took on the role of Little Nobody. Toretto, who is known to be a character that believes in family and respect, leaves his family behind leaving fans to question what his motive was for leaving his “familia.” I was surprised because Toretto is a character that really emphasizes on family. Him leaving them to work for Cipher, left me questioning what she had on him. While the movie overall is a must watch, in the middle of the movie you can tell how the rest of the plot is going to play out, with Toretto paying Shaw a visit in a pub and giving her a proposition that she can’t refuse. One thing that I did not expect
Elevator By: B’EIanna Walker
IMAGE COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
On the heels of the 2015’s Furious 7, one of the fastest movies to reach $1billion worldwide in box-office history and the sixth-biggest global title of all time, comes The Fate of the Furious: the newest chapter in one of the most popular and enduring motionpicture series of all time. IMAGE COURESTY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
at all was that Elena Neves (Elsa Pataky) ended up having a son, named Brian, with Toretto. Cipher kidnaps both Elena and her son. The movie had a lot of action and did not disappoint with fist fights, a Russian submarine and nuclear launch codes. Although, the one thing that I wanted to
see a lot of and there wasn’t that much of was street racing. The first three movies of the franchise mostly focused on cars, races and turbo. Since the fourth movie “Fast & Furious,” the main focus of the movies has become more action than cars. I love a good action movie, but when it comes to these movies I wish they
focused more on the cars than they did on the action. “Fate of the Furious” is a must see with jaw dropping luxury cars, scenery from Cuba to Iceland and amazing action scenes. Grab your car, start your engine and drive off to a theater to see cars race a submarine to the finish line.
TRIVIA QUIZ Fast and the Furious Edition 1. Which two actors couldn’t legally drive before production of The Fast and the Furious? 2. Vin Diesel has starred in all but one of the six ‘Fast & Furious’ films. In which film did he NOT appear? 3. How many cars were destroyed during the production of Fast Five? 4. What is the name of the car that Dominic Toretto drives in the first Fast and the Furious movie? 5. Which was the first film to feature The Rock as agent Luke Hobbs? 6. Name The Fast and The Furious movies in order. Answer Key: 1)Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. 2) 2Fast 2 Furious. 3) 260 cars. 4) 1970 Dodge Charger. 5) Fast Five. 6) The Fast the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious
PAOLA PALACIOS
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April 27, 2017
Life
The story is in the person’s eyes Figurative artist Richard Stergulz gives students a demonstration at Riverside City College. MISTY SEVERI @MistySeveri
Most people are familiar with the famous line “eyes are the window to the soul,” meaning that you can tell a lot about someone through the look in their eyes. Figurative artist Richard Stergulz is no exception to this belief, some of the stories he likes to tell in his paintings are the ones most people will overlook. “If there’s anything I’ve seen, it’s people faces. The story behind their eyes and that’s the story I want to tell,” Stergulz said of his most relatable work. “It’s neat to be able to talk to somebody I’ve never met before and find out that they have some incredible history in their life,” Stergulz said. “I’ve met people from the Holocaust to people in human trafficking ... It’s been really fascinating to be able to understand that part of human nature.” Stergulz is an award winning artist, who was born in Illinois and moved out to California in 1995 after working in commercial art for 12 years. He has created pieces of art in many different styles including commercial, landscape, figurative and plein air. His figurative paintings however are his favorites because
STACY SORIANO | VIEWPOINTS
Award winning artist Richard Stergulz holds one of his charcoal drawings titled “Chris” near the Quadrangle on April 18. they tell a story. “My work has to tell a story, there has to be that underlying message there, it can’t just be a study. And I want my viewers to connect to it, to relate” Stergulz said. “For them to look at that painting and see something in them that has touched their lives as well.” He began doing commercial art as a way of starting out and paying his bills but going into personal work in galleries is when his real creative juices began to flow. “All I did was make everything look slick for the client,” Stergulz said. “When I
got into galleries, I got to paint what I wanted, I got to paint from the soul.” Riverside City College art instructor and art gallery coordinator Leslie Brown invited Stergulz to campus to teach a demo for one of her art classes. “I don’t think there’s anyone in the teachers here that has ever really had traditional training like he has and it’s kind of a dying thing,” Brown said. “The way he paints is more linear than mine and we just think differently, neither is better or worse, it’s just different.” Brown has been an admirer, fan and friend of Stergulz and
likes that people can relate to his work in different ways. “I think it depends on where your history is ... I look at him and I go ‘he can paint!’ I get caught up in the brushstrokes and the colors,” Brown explained thoughtfully. “Then the next part is the content which is different than mine.” Among Stergulz’s admirers is Jessica Childs, an art student at RCC who saw his work hanging in the campus art gallery before meeting him after Brown’s class. “I feel like he is his own creative blend of different artists, all mixed together into his own individual style.” Childs
said after observing some of Stergulz’s pieces. “You can see some of the great artists in his work, but you can also see things that are uniquely him.” A few of Stergulz’s works were displayed in the RCC art gallery’s most recent exhibition “Out of Line, Against the Grain” though it ended April 7. However, if you are interested in viewing some of his art pieces, you can visit his website stergulzart.com for the latest information. The next art exhibition will be held May 2-25 with an opening reception in the art gallery May 4 at 6 p.m.
Community food joint serves delicious elotes ROXANNE STEPHENS @RCCviewpoints
One of the latest Instagram raves in town is the new local dive Swirl Fiesta in Jurupa Valley. Many have heard of it, but those who have yet to visit are guaranteed a delicious treat. The hype is all about their unique and beautifully designed corn on the cob, known to many as elotes. Elotes in and of themselves are never a let down to the taste buds. Oddly enough, not only does this hole-in-the-wall eatery provide a wide variety of toppings for the corn, they also serve frozen yogurt, smoothies and a personal favorite raspados. They are filled with the refreshing flavors of a summer afternoon, sure to leave your mouth watering for more. The prices were fairly
comparable to any frozen yogurt or dessert chains. As a poor college student, one dollar can go a long way and it is much more cost efficient to just hunt down your local corn man that circulates your block every weekend. Here the original elotes costs $3.50, where at a mobile cart they can be as cheap as $1.75. However, Swirl Fiesta is the only place in Riverside who specializes in a variety of elotes flavors, which include Original, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Tostitos, Takis and Doritos. One of their perks is that they even offer corn in a bowl if eating directly off the cob is too much of a hassle. Swirl Fiesta’s food sells itself and even though it is enjoyable, it is overrated. They do sell tasty food but it is not particularly outstanding. Swirl Fiesta can be compared to a mini La Michoacana, with the inclusion of multiple corn
JESSICA VELOZ | VIEWPOINTS
Flamin’ Hot Cheetos elotes served at Swirl Fiesta in Jurupa Valley on April 2. options. They are good to visit for the occasional treat but it is unlikely that many will become regulars. The facility was kept clean and organized for the limited amount of space available but it wouldn’t have hurt the workers to be friendlier. Their customer service was
not necessarily poor but there was much room for improvement. It is said that a first impression is a lasting impression but their workers did not seem too concerned about making personal connections. In comparison to popular frozen yogurt shops, like Cherry on Top, the selection for flavors
is substantially less. It is not worth a visit for frozen yogurt alone but if it becomes a craving while waiting in line, you might as well. Of Swirl Fiesta’s six frozen yogurt flavors, the Disney Pineapple Dole Whip is rightfully their most advertised and a customer favorite. They also offer many interesting toppings and sauces including fruit flavored boba poppers, chamoy, cereal, fruits and candies. Although the earlier hours do not involve much of a wait, by 3 p.m. the lines increase dramatically. It must be a frequent problem if they need to post a sign stating, “Due to the high amount of customers we are taking (one) order (at) a time. Thank you for understanding.” Everyone should stop by to get a taste of all the talk but plan to put aside time for the expected wait.
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April 27, 2017 Tell
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Pundits beat the drums of war
President Donald Trump once again receives undeserved praise from media for Syria bombing
KEVIN KNOX @KevinNotKevin
Back in February, President Donald Trump gave a horrifying, yet somewhat professional sounding speech to Congress. Upon hearing his slightly more “presidential” tone, pundits across America promptly rejoiced that he had finally “become president.” However, it appears that these pundits were mistaken, or perhaps just completely full of it. As it happens, Trump’s decision earlier this month to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat Air Base in Syria is what actually legitimizes Trump’s
presidency, according to pundits such as CNN’s Fareed Zakaria anyway. “I thi n k Donald Tr u mp became President of the United States, I think this was actually a big moment,” Zakaria said on the night of the bombing. Who could have guessed that dropping 59 cruise missiles on a Syrian airbase was all it would take to soften this frequent Trump critic’s opinion? Meanwhile at MSNBC, Brian Williams nearly caused me to have a severe brain aneurysm as he fawned over footage of the missiles being launched. He was apparently so moved by footage of this barrage of death that he felt compelled to wax poetic about it, stating “I am tempted to quote the great Leonard Cohen ‘I am guided by the beauty of our weapons,’ and they are beautiful pictures of fierce armaments making what is for them a brief flight over to this airfield.” I apologize in advance if reading Williams’ bloodthirsty ramblings caused any of you to suffer severe brain aneurysms, however it highlights a very
disturbing trend within America’s news media. They waste no time to start beating the drums of war whenever America decides it’s time to bring democracy to another nation via bombing the hell out of it. W h e t h e r i t ’s I r a q , Afghanistan, Libya or Syria, our media is always more than ready to support this kind of military adventurism no matter the cost. And it is indeed costly. According to U.S. Navy spokesman Robert Kloon, a Tomahawk cruise missile costs about $1,410,000 to manufacture. Trump just launched 59 of them at an airfield. Within 24 hours after the bombing, Syrian Gov. Talal Barazi confirmed the airfield was operational again. To clarify, Trump just spent $83,190,000 on an airstrike that accomplished nothing, apart from possibly making “The Donald’s” hands feel slightly larger. I n a d d i t i o n , Pe n t a g o n spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis tells us that Trump actually warned the Russian soldiers stationed at al-Shayrat of the impending
airstrike, so no one was even home when the bombs hit. All of this was purely for show, just a way for Trump to play the strongman, coincidentally while hosting the President of China, Xi Jinping, at Mar-ALago. Trump remembers his dinner with Xi well. “I was sitting at the table, we had just finished dinner, we were now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you’ve ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it … so what happens is I said (to Xi) ‘we’ve just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq,’” Trump recounted in an interview with a sycophantic Fox News reporter, who then corrected the President that he had bombed Syria, not Iraq. T he P resident of t he United States of America, the Commander in Chief of our entire military, cannot remember the name of the country he just bombed. He sure can remember the fantastic piece of chocolate cake he had while ordering the airstrike though, and he most
certainly remembers rubbing President Xi’s nose in it as well! Seeing the president take this kind of action, then seeing so many in the media fawn over it was disgusting. Seeing The Washington Post’s David Ignatius praise the “sincerity” in Trump’s explanation that he authorized the strike after seeing pictures of Syrian children killed in a chemical attack (a shameless emotional appeal) was disgusting. Seeing Ignatius go on to say the move “restored the credibility of American power” threw me into blind, violent frenzy during which I had to be forcibly restrained as I seized violently and spoke in tongues. I may or may not have placed an ancient Celtic curse upon The Washington Post. What upside down bizarro world are we living in? This airstrike was nothing more than an incredibly costly way for an exceptionally narcissistic president to f lex his muscle, inflate his ego and perhaps quell some of the concerns about his ties to Russia, that’s it. It accomplished nothing aside from bringing us closer to a war with Syria. Why is this action being praised so? A potential war with Syria will end much the same way America’s adventures in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and many other Middle Eastern nations have. We will storm in, guns blazing, ready to bring peace through war. We will spend too much money, lose too many lives and return home with nothing to show for it, unsure why we were there in the first place and unready to deal with the inevitable fallout from our decisions. The Syrian people will be worse off than they were before, but now the brutal dictator ruling over them will be friendlier to America. Journalists praising and encouraging actions that push us closer to a conflict such as this is absolutely abhorrent a nd beyond shameful. IMAGE COURTESY OF BUSINESS INSIDER
Views
April 27, 2017
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Editorial
Safety resources lack access
TYLER REESE | VIEWPOINTS
Riverside Community College District has a strong police presence, they can be seen patrolling the lower and upper lots of the Riverside City College campus throughout the day and night.
With the recent shooting at North Park Elementary School, we can’t help but wonder if we’re prepared enough for a similar event here at Riverside City College. Although we have the Rave Guardian app available for students, only about 1,600 students have it downloaded, according to Michael Simmons the Director of Risk Management, Safety and Police. With the app students can be notified immediately when an incident is occurring as well as through email with updated contact information. “Guardians” such as a parent, sibling or other trusted individual can be assigned so they can also be notified as well if you are in a dangerous situation. We became aware of the app last year, but according to Simmons the app has been in place for three years. Yet he said they’re currently putting
together a campaign for it to be more widely recognized and used. Simmons said active shooter seminars are available upon request from administration for students, faculty and the general public throughout the district. According to Simmons, as many as six to seven have occurred within the last year the most recent one occurring last week. Even though several seminars are better than none, why hasn’t administration been requesting more of these seminars? We have had enough events of this nature hit close to home. An online active shooter preparedness online course is in the making, but is estimated to be complete during the spring semester of next year,
according to Simmons. We need resources available to us right now. Places and sites we can go to whenever we need to. Under the current campus police emergency preparedness page on the college website it leads to seven different links. At this time only one of the seven links is active and it is the link to the Riverside Community College District Emergency Plan. This too is in the process of being integrated to a single template to include all elements of the now bigger department. It should be ready by the end of this calendar year, according to Simmons. As understandable as that may seem, that still leaves about eight months of inaccessible links, that could be otherwise useful for our campus community.
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April 27, 2017
Tiger Talks “How do you feel about Donald Trump breaking his promise and deporting a student protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program back to Mexico?”
Views
Bisexuals need support
The “B” in LGBT is often forgotten and taken as a joke within the community
LESLIE SANTIBANEZMOLINA
“It gets me angry because my parents were illegal. They aren’t anymore but they struggled when they were and now my mom is a pharmacist.” -Marissa Diaz
“It’s politics. You can’t really trust them. We’ve seen it before over and over again. What we need to do is take action against it. It sucks that we can’t trust him.” -Miguel Alvarez
“It’s really rude. If Obama had said it was okay and Trump too, why go back and say no.” -Ana Sazi
“Well, as far as Trump Administration goes, they are just trying to get things done soon. To be prevalent to now so that in a few years they can just chill, like Obama, and play golf.” -Christian Dauz
Interviews by Virginia Valencia
Photos by Andrew Brady Tiger Talks is an open forum for Riverside City College students to voice their own opinions, views, and ideas
@RCCviewpoints
Bisexuality is a topic not frequently addressed in LGBT movements. Just mentioning the word “bisexual” makes some people run for the hills. As a bisexual chicana, not only does it feel as if I’m an outcast within the Latino community, but the LGBT one as well. According to the Pew Research Center, I shouldn’t feel like an outcast since bisexuals make up the majority of the LGBT population, but still there is a stigma attached to the label. My identity is taken as a joke. I’m tired of having to prove my identity time after time. I expect to be met with ignorant statements from heterosexual people, but have been surprised to have gotten most of the ignorance from people within the LGBT community. The community is supposed to be a place for all to feel safe and accepted but that isn’t always the case. According to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, “Bisexuals experience high rates of being ignored, discriminated against, or rendered invisible by both the heterosexual and the lesbian and gay
ILLUSTRATION BY NIKEN HERTANTO
communities.” It still surprises me when I have hear LGBT people calling bisexuals cheaters, promiscuous, easy and attention seekers. These stereotypes make dating difficult. There is a sentiment in the lesbian community that bisexual women will eventually leave them for a man. Some gay men and heterosexual women believe bisexual men are actually gay men in denial. In the eyes of others we are always either straight or gay, we can never be bisexual. This outright rejection of bisexuality and biphobia translates into people’s refusal to date a bisexual person due to disgust or fear. Biphobia leads to bisexuals not being outspoken about their identity. According to The Pew Research only 28 percent of bisexual people have come out to the most important
people in their lives. This rejection from gay communities causes a feeling of isolation. A feeling I know a little too well. Being rejected by people who are supposed to give you a sense of security is horrible. It is depressing and feels as if you have nowhere to go for support. According to Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, bisexuals have higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to heterosexuals, gays and lesbians. Bisexuality is misunderstood. People don’t get commonly exposed to it and in turn fall prey to the harmful stereotypes. People should provide support. It was not too long ago that it was illegal to be gay in America. Just like being gay is a valid identity, bisexuality is too. I certainly didn’t choose to be bisexual. I just am.